After The Rain
This drabble was written for the IY Fanfiction community at Livejournal. Prompt: Submerge - 250-500 words, I used 335 words. It was originally published on September 1st 2011 and it was the first time I ever wrote something in Kohaku's point of view.
Have fun!
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The sky had finally cleared after a heavy rain shower, the grass was still sodden and made splashing noises as his boots found their way through the dense foliage. Thick branches wrapped themselves around his ankles like tentacles trying to slow him down, but Kohaku hacked them down, his weapon for once victorious.
"Don't worry," he said softly to the small bundle in his left hand. "I will protect you."
A sickening crack and yet another bough fell prey to young boy's determination. He made only slow progress, yet his body wouldn't tire, no matter what he did. 'Why would it?' he thought darkly. 'It's not like I am a living creature anymore.'
Kohaku stopped dead in his tracks. Had he just heard a voice, whispering in the wind, laughing at him? Naraku perhaps, calling him his will-less puppet again? He felt the bundle in his hand stirring. The demon slayer shook his head. No, there was no voice in the forest, haunting him.
He continued and finally reached his destination: A small pond hidden in the woods. He walked towards the edge of the water, bend down and carefully unfolded the bundle. A small tortoise chewed eagerly on Kohaku's green scarf, in which the little fellow had been wrapped in.
"No, that's not good for you, my little armoured friend."
He put the little tortoise down on the grass, where it directly marched towards the pond and submerged into the black water. Kohaku stared at the even surface and could not help, but to envy the small reptile. He wished he could submerge in the water, too. Unfortunately, there was no place for him to hide. No shell where he could crawl into, or that would protect him from his enemies. 'Not that you deserve peace and quietness,' he thought bitterly. He rose to his feet and turned his back on the pond.
Indeed, there was no voice in the forest. It was inside his head haunting him, where he could not escape it.