Cry of the Cat

by Ratha

A tale of a mysterious warrior who spends nearly 400 years working to avenge the destruction of her clan...

Cry of the Cat
by Ratha

Prologue:First Strike

"But Father! Why can I not learn how to fight?" demanded fifteen-year-old Eiko Ryushi, stamping her foot in frustration as she glared up at her father. Her long flame-red hair framed her face like a blood-soaked halo and her vivid green eyes flashed with anger. She was intimidating to those who didn't know her, but those who did knew it was only a front.

Not at all intimidated by his daughter, Kazuo Ryushi laughed softly. "Whatever happened to young Seiji's teaching you, musume?"

Eiko scowled. "It is not the same as you teaching me," she replied, then looked horrified. She clapped a hand over her mouth and looked up at her father with wide eyes.

Kazuo laughed. "Ah ha! So the truth is out! You have been going behind my back and learning swordsmanship!"

She bit her lip nervously. "You are not mad, are you, Father?" she asked quietly.

"Iie, musume. I am not mad. Just do not tell your aunt I am allowing it or she'll have my head." He smiled warmly at her. "You have the spirit of a samurai, young Eiko. It is a shame you were not born a boy." He tilted his head to the side with a playful smile. "You look enough like a boy to pass for one, though. Except for one thing." He playfully tweaked her nose, making her giggle. "You are too cute to be a boy!"

She rolled her eyes and smiled, then her smile faded as she watched him pull out his nodachi blades. "You are leaving again?"

"Hai. The daimyo has called that all able-bodied warriors report to the palace to drive back Oda Nobunaga. I must go." He reached for his armor and began strapping it on.

She held his helmet while he put on his armor, then handed it to him. "Then I suppose I am to be left alone with Aunt Kusami again?"

He nodded silently and placed his helmet on his head. "You must stay here where it is safe. The battlefield is no place for one as young and innocent as you. It is always filled with death and is not as romanticized as many warriors say. The world is not a happy and carefree like in fairytales. If it were, then there would be no need of fighting and the needless deaths of many great warriors. Unlike fairytales, the 'good guys' do not always win. I am sure young Seiji has told you as much."

"That he has, Father," she replied softly. "But he has not been in any battles before."

"He was a servant to the daimyo when he was but a child. He has seen many battles. That is why I approve of his teaching you. He is an excellent swordsman. I would not mind having him as a son-in-law."

"Father!" she shrieked indignantly as he chuckled softly. "That is not funny!"

He smiled at her as he sheathed his swords. "Try to behave for your aunt while I am gone, musume." He turned to leave.

"Matte! Father, wait!" She ran to stop him, pulling off her green hair ribbon. She tied it around his bicep, then stepped back. "Please come home safely, Father. I do not want to lose you so soon after Mother."

He smiled and nodded. "Yakusoku," he replied and was gone.
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"Now, Eiko. Hold the sword like this and stand like this." The tall Seiji smiled and pushed his long blonde hair out of his violet eyes. He sighed heavily and shook his head as Eiko made a face.

"Seiji! This is so hard!" she whined as she swung her bamboo sword around. "This stance leaves me open to attack from the right and below!" She adjusted her stance to a better one.

"Very good, Eiko. You are learning the difference between a good stance and a bad one. Now." He lifted his bamboo sword. "Attack me!"

She nodded and leapt forward, swinging her sword.

Seiji blurred out of sight and something hit the back of her head, sending her flying.

She spat out a mouthful of dirt and shook her head to clear the stars from her vision. "Damn," she growled. She stood up slowly, keeping her back to her friend.

"You should not be so eager for battle, Eiko. Such eagerness results in death."

She didn't answer him, standing stiffly and gripping the handle of her sword tighter.

"Eiko?" Seiji was suddenly worried and stepped forward. "Are you okay?" He put a hand on her shoulder.

She chuckled softly and spun around, catching him full in the face with her sword and knocking him backwards. "HAH! 'Never let your guard down!'" she hooted, standing over him triumphantly. "You fell for it! You fell for it! Yahyahyah yahYAH yah!"

Seiji laughed from his spot on the ground and sat up. "Hai, you got me good, Eiko. But you forget one thing." He swept out his leg and knocked her off her feet.

She fell over with a shriek, landing hard on her butt. "Why, you little brat! How dare you! That deserves punishment!" She leapt onto him and began tickling him mercilessly.

"Ah! Stop it! No! Stop tickling me!"

"Not until you say it!"

"No! Never! I-"

An unfamiliar sound made them both look up, instantly alert.

"Did you hear that?" Eiko whispered.

"Hai," Seiji replied. "It sounded like armor..."

"An attack! All the warriors are gone and the village is unprotected! We must go!" Eiko leapt to her feet and raced back toward the village, Seiji close behind, both grabbing their nodachi blades.

The two teenagers arrived in the middle of a slaughter. Greenish-gray armored soldiers were everywhere, attacking and killing everyone in their path without mercy.

"Well, Eiko, it is your first real battle," Seiji said. "Let's go!"

"Hai!"

The two dashed forward into the fray, catching several of the soldiers off-guard and killing them.

"Nani?!" Eiko gasped, staring as oily black smoke rose from one of the fallen soldiers and the armor fell apart. "Seiji! They are not human! They are youja! Demon soldiers!"

"It must be the Dynasty everyone is talking about! Do not let your guard down for they will have inhuman powers! Eiko, look out!" Seiji leapt over her to fight back the youja that had attempted to attack the girl. "Damn youja! Go back to your demonic master in Hell!" He was caught unprepared by a kusari-gama and let out a pained cry.

"Seiji!" Eiko spun around at her friend's cry in time to see him fall onto a blade. "NO! SEIJI!!!" she screamed, fighting her way through the soldiers to her friend. "Seiji?" She fell to her knees beside her fallen friend and lifted him up. "Seiji..."

The blonde swordsman's breathing was labored as he stared sightlessly upwards. Finally he blinked and focused on her face, smiling weakly. "I...I always knew I was going to die in battle against the Dynasty...I just never knew it would be my first battle with them..."

"Do not talk like that!" Eiko hissed, tears coursing down her face. "You cannot die now! You are my closest friend! You must survive!"

"Th...the village, Eiko...Did we save the village?"

Eiko looked around at the smoldering remains of the village. "H-hai, Seiji. We did. The youja have gone."

He coughed up blood, then smiled weakly. "I am glad I managed to at last save something. I have finally atoned for my cowardice."

"Cowardice? What do you mean, Seiji?"

"I...ran away when I was supposed to be protecting my master...Perhaps now I will be reborn as something worthy..."

"I am sure you will be reborn as an honorable warrior, Seiji," she whispered. "Until we meet again, my friend."

"We will fight side by side again someday, Eiko...Until we meet again, my friend..." His head fell limply to the side as he let out a last shuddering breath.

Eiko bowed her head and stood up, gripping her nodachi tightly. Slowly, she raised the blade with a shaking hand, her eyes glowing with cold fury. "I swear by the blood of my ancestors that I will avenge your death, Seiji. One way or another, I will make the Dynasty pay for what they have done!"

There was a flash of metal and and she winced slightly in pain. Blood dripped down her blade and from a fresh wound on her left cheek running down her neck and across her chest. The future scar would be a reminder of her promise for the rest of her life.