(Day One)

Hokkan

A frigid wind howled somewhere close and near the brink of awakening, an undeniably frosty chill swept her entire body, as if she were submerged in ice. A tremendous shudder elicited a gasp, and opening her eyes frantically, white and frozen powder filled her surroundings. Trembling in her laid-back position beneath what seemed like three inches of snow, she sat up. Where was she? Where was the wellhouse?

Lofty towering trees, steep inclines and mountains filled her surroundings, the entirety of the landscape blanketed by snow. Gray stark skies loomed overhead, and it was clear to Kagome it was nearing evening. Briefly, she pondered the reality of her situation. Perhaps, it was a dream?

"How long was I out?" She asked aloud, moving to stand up.

Despite feeling an uncertainty in her surroundings, she wished for nothing more than a blanket and a warm fire, her legs red and swollen from the cold. However, she got here, she was sure could wait until then. Trudging along a random path, the snow high at her ankles, she walked what seemed like minutes on end, and yet, there was no sign of her house or any houses in the vicinity, not even the Goshinboku Tree.

"Where am I? This doesn't look familiar…"

Briefly, she recalled the events which happened earlier. There was the exam and the phone call from Souta regarding the disappearance of grandpa. After that, she and Souta were cleaning up the mess in the wellhouse. It didn't make sense she was no longer there and how she ended up in a different climate.

"Maybe … this is a dream?" She murmured, her arms encircled around herself.

Unexpectedly, she lost her footing, and fell into the snow, and a pained cry escaped her. Pulling herself up only part way, she noticed she'd fallen over what seemed to be a large rock and shifting her gaze towards her throbbing ankle, she noticed a small collection of blood staining the snow at her feet.

So, you've finally arrived, Priestess of Genbu…

The childlike voice startled her, and swiveling her head to look behind her, she saw a small child towering near her, a large cheshire smile spread across his face. Kagome assumed it was a little boy, but on closer inspection, she couldn't be certain.

Three rounded horns adorned his head, two on each side and one just above his forehead. Dark slanted charcoal eyes greeted her, and he was dressed in a faded black apron, or what it appeared. He was no taller than a five-year-old, with fair skin and yet, he spoke clearly like an adult.

"Who—"

Too bad you've arrived at an inconvenient passing. Be wary of the soldiers who've crossed these lands, priestess. Hide yourself.

Unable to ask what he meant, he vanished with the wind. Hide herself? From soldiers? What was going on? Somehow, she wasn't sure she wanted to find out. Picking herself up off the ground, despite feeling a slight stinging pain from her injury, she trudged forward, arms bound around her upper body once more.

'If I stay out here any longer, I'll die from the cold. I need to find shelter.'

A slight numbing sensation swept her body, her legs especially, the arctic wind nipping at her exposed legs and Kagome wanted nothing more than a heavy jacket and a pair of warm fuzzy jeans.

About ten minutes into her aimless walk, she collapsed, shivering as the violent winds sporadically whipped through her body. It felt like needles piercing her and she was finding it more difficult to breathe. It was likely well below the normal conditions a human could survive.

While attempting to regain her standing, she paused midway on her hands and knees. A collection of footsteps heard behind her, and fearful it was a wild animal, she looked behind her. To her surprise, it wasn't an animal, but instead, she was greeted with five hairy chinned men dressed in heavy armor.

Were they the soldiers the child warned her about?

Ψ

Affixing his arrow nimbly to the string of his bow, Chamuka aimed, one eye closed as he locked onto his target. A roe deer, it's antlers tall and only slightly bent, stepped into the clearing; it was a favored game amongst those of Northern Hokkan and rarely ever seen in the mountains; its size was average at best, and if he estimated correctly, the size was enough to last two large meals.

He smirked, releasing his arrow. True to his aim, the deer was struck through the neck and fell unmoving in the snow. Kneeling before its corpse, he collected his arrow, wiping it free of blood, and returned it to his quiver slung over his shoulder.

Satisfied with this catch, he hefted the deer onto his shoulder; his knees slightly buckled under the weight but he managed to carry it back to his horse. With persistence, he threw the deer onto the back of the horse and tied its body to his steed so it wouldn't fall during his travels.

With this, Chamuka placed his foot into his stirrup and climbed atop the horse, kicking its side with his boots to explore the rest of the terrain. Since early afternoon, he set out on his hunting expedition, wandering further from his small village than he would have liked.

Despite the ever-changing cycles of their seasons, it became clear to him there was no end to this frigidly cold winter. With the months dragging on longer than necessary, spring seemed like a fading memory. It was intolerable, and yet, his clan somehow managed to pull through.

With this new-found game lying behind his saddle, he knew it wasn't enough for simply himself and his ma. The village consisted of around thirty people, and while there were certainly other men of his village hunting, he hoped to bring a little extra back from this expedition. There was always the chance someone could go hungry, and not wanting to risk an empty stomach for this evening, he ventured further from the mountains and towards the forest beneath the hillside.

Several minutes into his travels, the woods soon encompassed him, his dark eyes shifting right and left, his ears attuned to his surroundings. Reaching for an arrow, he readied his bow, urging his stead further down the terrain. Eventually, he arrived before a crossroads, one path leading to a small town near the main road, which was an hour's ride and the other leading further into the dense forest. Since evening was drawing close, likely within the next half hour, he debated on proceeding towards the road and seeking shelter at a local Inn.

Still, as the wind howled and brushed past him, his eyes turned towards the other path. There was still plenty of time, and judging by the evening's air, the night wouldn't be nearly as terrible. If anything, he was sure a mild downpour would occur, not nearly enough to hinder his outing.

Venturing further into the woods, his plan was fairly simple; Chamuka planned to catch a few more wild animals and make the trip into town and return to his village in the morning. When he found a suitable location near a running stream, he waited. It wasn't long when he heard movement in the snow, and turning his head only slightly, he readied his bow.

Easily enough, his arrow struck the creature, and jumping from his steed, he darted towards the fallen animal. It was an adult sized white-haired fox, and just like the deer, he tied it to his horse.

"They don't call me the best archer of the Ha tribe for nothing!"

Before he climbed into his saddle, he heard movement once more, this time in the bushes across from him. Narrowing his gaze, Chamuka reached for another arrow. The leaves rustled, a long grayish-white ear in view, and with a triumphant gleam in his gaze, he pulled back on the string of his bow and released.

Unfortunately, he missed his target, the large rabbit springing out of the bushes just in time and bounding across the clearing and across the river. The sight sprung him atop his horse, and he kicked his steed into a full gallop. There was no way he would let it get away so easily.

Once again, the rabbit evaded his arrow, and it wasn't long before it disappeared over the hilltop. Leaping from his saddle, he quietly crept up the rocky incline, his gaze peering down from the other side for any sign of the creature.

Easily enough, he spotted it, pausing briefly in its escape to sniff the air. This time, he struck the rabbit through the back of the head, and with a satisfied sigh, he carefully treaded down the incline.

Careful of the sharp rocks and slippery slopes, he eventually reached the bottom. Bending down, he reached for the rabbit and removed the arrow. So far, that made three animals he'd caught that late afternoon.

"This should be plenty for the night. I wonder how the others are faring…" He muttered to himself, turning and climbing the hill to return to his horse. "The abundance of animals has been lacking these days. I was fortunate to find enough all the way out here."

Half way on his climb, he heard a noise in the distance, and listening carefully, he knew he wasn't alone. Someone or something was fast approaching. It was likely the case of a wild animal, judging by the sounds of its steps. Were it human, the noise would sound different and the steps delayed. When he reached the top, moments later, he stepped around his horse and placed the rabbit into a sack tied off at the ends of the saddle and closed it tightly.

Again, he turned back. The noise grew louder and readying his bow, his gaze immediately shifted to his left where the trees were thicker. The moment he turned, a snow leopard, roughly the size of two adult men, jumped him; his arrow missed, and only barely evaded the claws as it pounced him.

The attack startled his horse, the creature narrowingly missing the beast's sharp fangs before running past Chamuka into a full gallop. Chamuka cursed his luck, his legs quickly giving chase, the beast close on his tail. "Shit! Just what I needed!"

Despite losing sight of his horse and knowing he could easily track it at a more convenient time, Chamuka reached for another arrow and quickly turned on his path, the leopard pausing only briefly before changing direction as well. He let loose his arrow, the shaft striking the beast's shoulder, but it wasn't enough to hinder its charge.

Once again, he dodged its lunge and jumped down a steep incline, the likes of which left him sliding on ice. Sharp rocks greeted him near the bottom and turning his body quickly, he avoided the collision and quickly bounded to his feet once more. Looking back only faintly while retrieving another arrow, Chamuka searched behind him. To his surprise, the foul creature was no longer pursuing him.

Not believing the large feline had given up so quickly, he concealed himself behind a large tree and waited, his eyes searching the hillside for any sign of the animal. It wasn't long before he saw its large form pacing back and forth, looking in his general direction, its head turning and looking down the hill unsure whether it wanted to take the risk.

Still, Chamuka waited, and when he noticed the large feline turn and give up, he breathed a sigh of relief. "That was too close…" Unfortunately, this meant he had to backtrack and locate his horse. "It won't be easy with that cat prowling the area…"

With the night suddenly weighing heavily upon him and the air growing colder, he took a detour around the vicinity and backtracked uphill. During his climb, he caught sight of the leopard, bounding a far distance towards the mountains, its eye settled upon a couple stray foxes and relieved for this short reprieve, Chamuka turned and ran in the direction he last saw his horse.

Not long after he began his search, he noticed familiar horse tracks in the snow. Within a few short minutes and ascending another hilltop, he noticed his steed up ahead, its tail swaying from side to side, munching on the leaves from a wild berry bush. Fortunately, it was unharmed and breathing a sigh of relief, he slowed his pace.

Half way on his approach, he suddenly paused, the distinct sound of hurried footsteps suddenly loud behind him. With his hand half way into his quiver, Chamuka turned his body, but before he could shoot, something knocked into him.

The force behind the unexpected attack threw him onto his back. He expected sharp teeth nawing into his flesh, but there was no pain or bones crushed. Opening his eyes and wincing suddenly, his bow still firmly grasped in his hand, he sat up. It was not a wild animal that ran into him; it was a woman.

Chamuka simply stared at her, the raven-haired girl whose long tresses fell just at her waist. She was lying on top of him, practically in his lap, and yet, he sighed in relief. Thank god it wasn't the leopard. "You nearly scared the life out of me!" He exclaimed somewhat loudly. When she failed to reply back, he noticed her body tremble against him, and his expression softened, albeit somewhat worriedly. "Hey, are you alright?" He asked moments after.

When she looked up, Chamuka was greeted with large blue eyes, a flushed countenance and a small porcelain face which looked pleadingly up at him. Her hands held tightly to his yellow overcoat and with shaking hands, her expression spoke volumes of uncertainty and fear. For a brief moment, Chamuka fell still from her gaze, his cheeks aflame as the woman pressed herself against him.

"Please … help me," She pleaded.

He furrowed his brow, and no sooner after did he notice the figures of five large men appear from behind the trees. Immediately easing the woman away, he stood up and stood in front of her, his eyes narrowing when he noticed the familiar emblem painted into their breast plates.

"You're … Kutou soldiers!" He exclaimed almost disbelievingly.

Ψ

The contents of the warm liquid fell between his lips and soothed his throat. In one gulp, he swallowed the herbal tea from his small ceramic cup and released a steady breath, his cerulean eyes gazing upon his scabbard lying beside him blankly. Originally, it was not his intention to join the enemy nation, but because of the bounty placed over his head in Hokkan, he faked his own death and hid in the country of Kutou for a short period of time.

Unlike Hokkan, whose climate emanated a deathly chill, Kutou's nation held a much warmer climate, and the abundance of animals was almost uncanny; it pleased Taki, this change in his environment, and yet, he couldn't help feeling unsettled. Although he successfully fled Hokkan, he was now joined with the imperial forces and was tasked with an important mission.

Infiltrate the borders of Hokkan.

Kutou was an ever-expanding country and it was no surprise they'd set their sights on Hokkan long ago. From what Taki knew of his home country, Hokkan was the largest of the four central countries, Konan, Sairou and Kutou and the people were skilled with the craftsmanship and forging of powerful weapons such as swords, spears and arrows, forging these nearly unbreakable weapons with a mysterious mineral, a mineral even he was unfamiliar to; it was certainly a highly valuable resource and treasure of Hokkan that Kutou most definitely sought after.

He clenched his fist, his eyes half closed. It wasn't as if he didn't want this, but the task at hand was almost impossible to ignore. There was one goal he set out to accomplish years ago, and that one goal relied greatly upon this. As long as he wasn't found out before it was over, he was sure he could fulfill it, even if it cost him his life.

The first few days of his arrival, two weeks prior, he caught the eye of Kutou's crowned prince, Prince Hakei. It happened as a result of the usual bandit attack, a family attacked, and while Taki could have avoided it without drawing unneeded attention, he stepped in and took care of the situation, thus, catching the curious eye of the prince. Since then, Prince Hakei had plans for Taki's unusual strength and made use of him as one of his top soldiers.

And here he sat, resting from their long voyage into Hokkan. He was seated within a private tent, and it's where he spent most of his time during their brief breaks. The inevitability that they'd soon storm the capital city and seize control of the palace weighed heavily on his mind, and he furrowed his brow somewhat in frustration and anticipation.

The flap to the tent opened, and he drew his attention away from his thoughts, noticing the general approaching him. He stood immediately at his entrance, offering a slight bow of his head, but he was quickly dismissed by the older man.

"I've noticed we're missing five of our best men, Taki. Would you mind searching the premises?" He asked, but it sounded more like an order. "The evening is drawing near, and we must not delay in our departure. I'm sure you can find them within the hour?"

"Of course," He replied, bowing his head once more.

Pleased by the young man's quick response, the general nodded and left the tent. After his exit, Taki turned and reached for his scabbard lying against the wooden stool, tying it around his waist before exiting the tent as well.

Immediately, he was greeted with the arctic air of Hokkan, and passing a series of tents in a secluded area of their location, he approached his horse, untying its reins from the post before easily climbing atop.

"Hey Taki!"

Someone called from the vicinity of his tent, and he turned his curious stare towards two older men dressed in their respective armored attire. Their faces were slightly haggard and red, two large ceramic bottles in hand, and it was no surprise they were drunk, celebrating their victory early.

"When you get back, let's drink! As men, we mustn't keep any secrets!"

His companion nodded fervently, his weight shifting constantly. "Maybe we'll get lucky and find some women on our travels! It's always best to keep our beds warm, don't you agree?" He hiccupped.

Scoffing, Taki clicked his tongue, his heels pressing against his steed before leaving the men shouting in their drunken stupor. When he was sure he was pretty far from their encampment, he searched the mountains near him and searched for any tracks which would lead him to the missing soldiers.

It was likely the case they went off to relieve themselves, but then again, why travel so far, especially when the weather was this bad? Taki had a feeling they were up to some sort of mischief, the likes of which made his skin crawl. And yet, he knew there were no villages or towns in the area, at least, not for the next hour, so, it was unlikely the soldiers would pester anyone.

As his eyes scanned the perimeter ahead, he caught a line of hoof prints in the snow, and without a moment's delay, urged his horse forward. The tracks led deep into the forest, and knowing these woods like the back of his thumb, he kept his eye out for any predators.

'The soldiers must be stupid if they've gone this far…'

Not long after that thought, Taki paused near an open clearing, spotting five horses tied off to the trunks of two separate trees, the emblem of Kutou embroidered into their saddles. Their owners were missing, their tracks leading further into the forest.

"Incredibly stupid," He voiced aloud.

And yet, no sooner had Taki said this, he heard rustling in the bushes near him, something stalking behind him in the night. Turning quickly, his eyes took in the form of a large feline charging towards him, its eyes golden in color. Panic arose in his steed, and without a second thought, Taki kicked the horse into a full gallop.

"Tsk, why am I running?"

Not wanting to get too far from his trail, Taki sprung up from the horse and into the air, turning midway before crossing his arms in front of his chest. In an instant, his appearance changed, his masculine body small and curvaceous, but despite this alteration, powerful winds accumulated in the palms of his hands. Just as the beast lunged towards him, its fangs prepared and glinting in the moonlight, Taki uncrossed his hands and outstretched them, palms up.

In an instant, violent winds tore through the air and into the beast's flesh, slicing through likes a series of sharp blades. The beast was thrown a short distance after, and as Taki landed effortlessly upon the ground near his horse, he regained his masculine form.

Approaching the fallen leopard, he noticed an arrow pierced through its shoulder, an infliction not done by himself but by someone else. Pulling the shaft free from the torn flesh, he examined its craftsmanship. It was certainly not an arrow used by those of Kutou, and if he had to guess, it was likely that of another clan here in Hokkan.

"Taki! Taki!" A haggard voice cried out suddenly.

He turned at the voice, surprised it was one of the missing soldiers, but before he could interrogate the older man, he suddenly noticed the wound inflicted upon him. As the soldier fell to his knees before Taki, he realized an arrow was lodged deep within his left arm. Bending down to inspect the wound, his eyes shifted towards the arrow in his hand. It was exactly the same craftsmanship. "What happened? Were you attacked?"

The soldier nodded. "We were attacked by a hunter in the woods. I'm not sure what's happened to the others…" His voice trailed off suddenly, the sight of the dead leopard curiously overwhelming him.

Understanding the situation, he quickly approached his horse and climbed atop it, turning only briefly towards the older man. "Quickly return to camp and get your wound mended. I'll handle the rest."

Ψ

A shriek escaped Kagome, her arm caught violently by one of the soldiers, his foul and alcoholic breath fanning her face, and as she struggled to pull herself free, she immediately stilled when a metal blade pressed against her neck.

Delivering a swift kick to his attacker and sending his assailant flying, Chamuka immediately turned at the woman's scream and nocked an arrow, his dark eyes glowering at the sight. "You bastards…"

"Listen here boy, drop the weapon, otherwise my sword might leave a nasty scar on this woman's face," Came the soldier's reply, his eyes shifting from the woman in his grasp to the archer a short distance from him. "I'm sure you wouldn't wan—"

It happened so fast, Kagome didn't realize what happened. One moment, the archer was aiming his bow and the next, Kagome heard a noise beside her ear. From her peripheral vision, she noticed the long-feathered shaft beside her head, and turning slowly in the soldier's grasp, she noticed the arrow was lodged deep in his throat, blood filling his open mouth.

"No matter the circumstances, I won't hesitate to shoot!" Came the archer's reply, his voice irritable and loud. "I won't ask again. Why the hell has Kutou soldiers crossed Hokkan borders?!"

The soldier's body fell limp and unmoving at her feet, and overcome by sudden fear, her legs buckled and she collapsed onto her knees. Blood stained the snow, her eyes widening a fraction as she looked into the dead soldier's face, his pupils large and unseeing. He was dead and right beside her.

Kagome looked up at the young man, the archer who'd saved her, and yet, he'd actually put her life on the line in that moment. Regardless if he was a good shot or not, if there was a shift in the wind or if the soldier had moved unexpectedly, she could have been the victim of the attack. Yet, she remained silent, her gaze shifting between him and the three soldiers nervously.

A collection of irritated growls surfaced from the remaining three soldiers. The archer had single handedly managed to shoot two of Kutou's best swordsman easily enough, and although one had escaped with a less serious injury, it was clear the sight of their fallen brother unnerved them.

"He's dead!"

"The kid's got an arm and an eye on him, that's for sure!"

Annoyed they refused to answer him, Chamuka tightened his hold on the bow, pulling back on the arrow tautly. "Answer me!"

Unexpectedly, all three lunged for him, and realizing he couldn't hit them at once, he quickly leapt out of their way, mere feet away from the young woman knelt upon the ground. Grasping his bow and arrow in the same hand, he reached into the green sash at his waist and retrieved a wooden bottle, uncorking the lid before throwing the contents within the faces of the soldiers.

The result ended with agonized screams, and as Kagome looked on frightfully, wondering what he'd thrown into their eyes, the young man reached down and grasped her wrist, pulling her to her feet and quickly behind him.

"Come on! This way!"

As she kept up her stride behind him, his hand wrapped tightly around her wrist, albeit a bit painfully, she mused briefly. To sum everything up, she ended up in this winter nightmare land, met a strange little boy who warned her of the soldiers and somehow managed to find someone who was willing to help her. Yet, he wasn't exactly what she had in mind when she imagined her rescuer; then again, she never imagined running into soldiers dressed in old century chain mail and armor either.

Kagome's eyes briefly noted her savior's attire; he was dressed in a long yellow overcoat, the collar and cuffs of his long sleeves made from animal fur, with brown strip-linings flowing freely to his knees and with a green sash tied around his waist. A tall bucket hat, the same color of his coat laid atop his head, and although she didn't have a good view of the front, she noted his short black hair from behind.

Judging by the cylindrical quiver attached to his back, a leather strap connecting one end to the other which spanned across his chest, and the bow held tightly in his grasp, Kagome wondered if he was a hunter. He seemed roughly the same age as her, his skin slightly darker than her own.

'I don't understand any of this. This is all happening too fast.'

Risking a glance behind her, she felt her heart leap from her throat; the soldiers were gaining on them, two with their swords drawn and the other with his bow nocked and ready.

"Watch out!" She cried.

Reacting fast, Chamuka moved in time, pulling Kagome with him, the arrow narrowingly missing them, and as it landed a few feet away in the snow, he quickly bent down and retrieved the shaft before turning sharply through a row of wild berry bushes, the thorns scratching at her bare legs.

Immediately after changing direction, they suddenly came to a stop, and as Kagome looked on worriedly from behind the young man, her hands pressed upon her knees as she fought to catch her breath, she watched him turn and nock two arrows. Within moments, one of the soldiers fell into view, and without a word, the young man released the projectiles.

A horrified gasp fell from Kagome's lips; the soldier was struck by the arrows, one through his lower abdomen and the other lodged deeply into his right eye. An animalistic cry escaped the armored man, his two companions rounding the corner in time to see their comrade's body fall limply in the snow.

When she noticed her savior stand his ground waiting, Kagome stepped back, her head turning from side to side. That was the second man this archer had killed, and while it frightened her, she realized it didn't seem to bother him.

"Fucking hunter! I'll kill you for that!"

"You'll both not leave unscathed!"

Hearing her savior scoff, she watched helplessly as he reached for another arrow, unfortunately, his quiver was entirely empty; he must have noticed this as well and cursed under his breath.

The distance between them and the soldiers became shorter. As she and Chamuka backed away, their eyes scanning their location for anything which could help them, they realized there was nothing. They were standing at a dead end with nowhere to run.

"Shit," Chamuka cursed again.

Kagome briefly debated on making a snowball and chucking it at the soldiers, but what use would that do against real swords and arrows? Sure, it might prove useful for a slight distraction, but her aim wasn't always spot on.

'These are real weapons, Kagome. Think of something.'

Backing further away, the snow beneath her feet unexpectedly shifted and she suddenly slipped backwards. A startled cry fell from her lip's moments after, and the archer reacted fast, seizing her wrist before she tumbled off the cliff. Their eyes locked in that instant, both fearful and it surprised Kagome how easily he managed to stop her fall, but it was only for a brief moment.

The soldiers moved quickly, and Kagome saw this, noticing their swords drawn and prepared to strike. He must have read her expression, noticing her eyes shifting to them and to him, and realizing there was no alternative, Kagome felt the archer press his body against hers, the two falling from the cliff. A scream fell from her lips soon after, the feeling of his arms wrapping around her tightly, his hand shielding her head for the expected impact.

In a mere instant, she felt the impact of the hill, hers and her savior's body colliding hard and rolling fast in a motion which left her feeling sick and dizzy. Their pained cries were mixed together, eyes squeezed shut tightly as they awaited the inevitable, and yet, their impending doom never arrived.

There was a shift in the wind, a howling noise which reverberated through their bones, and although they couldn't see it, they felt their fall distort suddenly, the rocky ground beneath them suddenly vanishing. Within seconds of feeling nothing but cold air encompassing them, Kagome and Chamuka suddenly felt their bodies touch the ground once more, and for a moment, they laid together, arms wrapped around each other.

Kagome's heart drummed deafeningly in her ears, and opening her eyes slowly, she noticed her hands were grasped tightly onto her savior's yellow overcoat, her knuckles white and her entire body trembling. Looking up, she noticed he was lying unconscious beside her, his black hair slightly disheveled and his bucket hat missing. Despite noticing a few scrapes and small wounds upon his body, he seemed otherwise fine.

Sore from the fall and freezing, she couldn't seem to find the strength to stand up, and as she laid there, exhaustion soon overcame her.