Charming Tails

Chapter 15 - The Blade's Point Blank Range

Hah.. I need to hurry..

With a sword in one hand, he ran like there was no eternity. For him, saving Rumiha was the only thing in his mind. He knew exactly that it was just no normal disappearance. Soon, he arrived at the dojo and sees Kaburo stand by the door.

"Hey gramps. Where's Katsune?" he asks.

"I'm here. What's wrong?" Katsune answers instead and appears behind him.

"Ah, it's Rumiha." he looked at her with a worried face.

"W-What about Rumi-chan?" she asks.

"She's... She's missing." he answers.

"Looks like this conversation is a bit private. I'd be of no help anyway." Kaburo leaves and goes inside.

Rouji brings Katsune to the training grounds and talks to her. With a sincere look on her face, Katsune spoke.

"I had a sense earlier that something bad was going to happen. I never expected it would be Rumi-chan.." she says as she looked at the direction where Rumiha's house would be.

"Apparently, the main reason would be kidnapping. But.. who could do such things? Could this be.. the warning that Tatsuko guy told us about?" he ponders.

"It might be. We have no idea yet but we must come down to a conclusion.." she applies.

"Let's do this as reverse psychology. If I was the enemy and I wanted to take you, why would I take someone else.. close... to you..." he slows down in his speech.

"Rouji.."

"Could it be.. a kidnap for exchange? But.. we aren't sure if it's the Ryoushikitsu that's behind this."

*Shooowh thud*

"Huh?!" Rouji watches out.

An arrow hits the tree they were next to. Rouji notices that there was something on the arrow. He went to take it and after examining, there was a paper that was wrapped around the arrow.

"That's a special paper used by.. the Ryoushikitsu.." Katsune says.

Rouji opens the paper that was rolled over the arrow and spreads it wide. It was a letter.

"If you want to see your precious friend again, come get her. Bring Katsune to us in exchange for your friend's life. Do not dare challenge us for you will regret it. Use the map as reference to where you will head."

"It's the Ryoushikitsu.. and they're asking for your custody in exchange for Rumiha." he looks at Katsune.

Silently, Katsune looked at Rouji and he knew instantly what Katsune was trying to say. Save Rumiha.

The two left the dojo in a hurry.

*   *   *

The train's door opens and they went out along with a few passengers. Rouji stopped when he got out of the station and looked at the mountains ahead. It was completely dark. The darkness made the mountains untrekable during night.

"Katsune, use your fox-fires later as our light source. It would really be dark up there and we don't have any flashlights."

"You're so helpless.. you could have bought earlier." she scolds him.

"Well, I forgot because there's so many things running in my mind." he explains.

"Fine fine. Let's go now. We can't let Rumiha wait there longer. Who knows what things those bastard might have done to her.." she worries.