Chapter 1:

Meetings

"I'm not lost," Azami said out loud to reassure herself. "I'm not lost. I'm just in a forest that I've never been in before, I left the trail miles back, but at least I'm not lost. At least I'm not lost," she sighed. After a moment's pause, she shouted, "I give up! I'm setting up camp for the night."

Azami was in the middle of a meager breakfast that consisted of the toughest rabbit meat she had ever tried. She wished she had gone for that deer.

No matter, she told herself. I'll catch a deer for lunch.

She finished her meal and put out the fire. When taking down her tent, she heard low whispering coming from the bushes behind her. Azami ignored it, getting the camp in order. She strapped the two swords she carried with her at her waist, one on each side. She bent down and made sure there were at least two daggers in each boot. Satisfied, she slung her quiver of arrows and bow across her back and pulled the bag with the tent over one arm.

Azami started off on her own trail again. Herblack wolf-like ears turned in every direction, picking up sounds. Her beautiful crystal clear eyes scanned the area intensely. Her nose picked up an odd scent.

A demon, she thought. No, wait. Now it's human.

Azami stopped and bent close to the ground. The scent on the ground was definitely demon... and toad. There was the annoying smell of a toad mingled with the powerful demon aroma. Azami found the demon scent to be rather intriguing.

But, where was that human scent coming from? She couldn't quite tell. It seemed to be moving in at least four different directions at once. She figured out the tactic. She snorted and smiled to herself.

"Just likes humans," she whispered to herself. "They always go for the surround-and-attack-at-once plan. How... typical."

Azami dropped the tent. It clattered to the ground as she drew out both swords. She smiled again, more maliciously than before. Oh good, more practice.

They all came at once. Azami stood her ground and slashed at the first two. Their companions watched as they were sliced in half, straight down the middle. A few of the men backed off slightly, but more rushed towards her. Azami again stood her ground, cutting any of them that got close enough to ribbons and less.

She was tripped. One of the men had rolled themselves under her, knocking her from her feet. She caught the man's foot with a sword, cutting it off at an odd angle. He cried out in pain, and then Azami slit his throat open to silence him.

That scent! Azami thought. That demon, he's closer. I can smell him and that toad.

Azami quickly finished off the remaining troops. She cleaned her sword on one of the men's clothes, and then looked around for her tent bag. She growled.

"They got blood all over my new bag," she snarled. Herblack tail flicked angrily. "Stupid humans," she spat.

Her ears picked up a soft rustling of feet in grass. She turned her head slightly. A tall demon stood there, with a small toad standing beside him. The demon had long, knee-length, silver hair. Between his parted bangs was the mark of a crescent moon. On each side of his face were two slash marks. His ears were pointed and he wore a beautiful outfit of white and red tied at the waist with a long sash of yellow and blue. His yellow eyes bore into Azami's.

"Who are you?" she asked suspiciously.