Kosetsu Munashii

Prologue

-

Nanaki lifted his arm to shield his eyes from the icy wind blowing into his face as he attempted to get a bearing of his surroundings. "Mah... I can't see a thing," he complained to his companions.

"We should probably make a snow-hut, then. It's rather useless to continue on in this," one of his companions, Amaya, replied.

His other companion, Kisuke, looked a bit thoughtful. He was staring down at the ground, lips twisted thoughtfully, but finally he spoke. "We should try to find a forest or a tree to make the snow-hut by," he murmured. "For stability."

Nanaki nodded. "That's probably a good idea." He lifted his hand to his eyes again and surveyed their surroundings. After a moment, he saw the top of a tree sticking up above a small rise in the snow-covered land. "There!" he declared and started for it.

Amaya started right after him, bored, but Kisuke seemed frozen in place. For a moment, he looked almost scared, though it was anybody's guess as to why. Stiffly, he took a step forward, even as Nanaki crested the rise. He hesitated, but then with a joyous shout, ran forward. Amaya ran after him to catch up, but when she also crested the rise, she let out a blood-curdling scream. Kisuke raced forward, catching her as she fainted.

There stood a beautiful, dark haired woman. She was robed in a white silk kimono with long, almost clawlike finger nails. Her eyes were downcast, even as she stood over the fallen Nanaki. And the snow... the snow... was covered in blood. Nanaki's blood. She raised her head, staring at them with piercing, soulless black eyes, and a shark-toothed grin spread across her face.

"Hello, traveler."

-

Miles away, a traveler in rather strange and colorful garb paused the next day, just after midday. He wore traditional geta that looked almost too light for the weather, and a teal haori decorated in designs of various shapes in yellow, green, blue and purple. A brown and yellow obi held the garment closed while simultaneously holding up a pair of brown hakama that ended just at his shins, showing his dark grey tabi and the bandages wrapped around his legs.

Slowly, so very slowly, he tipped his head back and smiled, stretching the red facepaint on his lips all the wider. The wind whipped around him, tossing his mass of messy and oddly bound, sandy-colored hair. The clump tied together with a piece of pale grey string thumped softly against his upper chest, just below his shoulder, with the force of the gale.

"How... nice," he murmured, hair for once not covering his face as it was whipped behind him.

Another moment passed with no other imparted sentiments before the smile widened slight and a chuckle left his lips. Apparently finished with whatever it was that he'd been doing, if that had indeed been anything at all, he turned to the left and headed toward the smoke that he had, until just now, been planning on avoiding.

-

Ah... Hooker chapters. Gotta love 'em. Seriously, though. Mononoke is officially my addiction. I can't stop writing it!!! -sobs- -realizes she needn't be sad since Kusuriuri is so awesome- -dances- R&R! Don't just fave/alert!