They went north to the mountains and ended up here. Hiding in a shallow cave made of root and rock was not where they imagined they would end up, and it wasn't in their nature. The constant scratch of Mugen's restless fingers on whatever surface he could find made Jin's eyebrow twitch. They were fighters anxious for their chance to demonstrate their skill, but their opponent was elusive- invisible.
"Mugen," Fuu's voice pierced the long silence. "I really hope that's you."
"What's me?"
"On my leg."
"You wish."
"Didn't think so."
"Ow, ow! Stop flailing around, you just kicked me in the shin again."
"Sorry." Fuu's stomach made a ravenous noise that vibrated the cave walls. "So hungry. It's been two days. Is there anything near here, like a town or something? Someplace we haven't ever, ever been before?"
"No." Jin said.
"Auggh." Fuu sighed and fell against a slime-covered rock, no longer caring what creatures she shared her space with. The thought of more hunger-filled days stretching in front of them made her stomach rumble in protest. Fuu was not the only one suffering. Even though they would never admit it, Jin and Mugen were both worn thin by the constant running. Neither had recovered enough from their injuries to endure this relentless pace.
The three fugitives froze when someone shuffled through leaves just outside the cave mouth. They held their breath until the sound moved on.
"I hate this." Mugen gritted his teeth.
"Hn."
Exhaustion and the steady drip of water against rock lulled them to sleep. Fuu was the first to awaken. She was somehow entangled in a foreign leg and arm, but who they belonged to she couldn't tell. Fuu laid them aside with care and poked her head through the curtain of vines. A morning mist wound through the trees as the first vestiges of dawn tinted the sky purple and gray. Mugen appeared next to her.
He shook and stretched his aching muscles and stepped out. "No sign of 'em. I'm gonna look for food."
"Mugen wait." Fuu tumbled out after him. "We don't know it's safe. Maybe you should wait a while."
Mugen snorted. "It's never safe, and that's they way I like it. See ya." He faded into the mist.
Fuu didn't notice Jin come up beside her. "There is a stream nearby. Perhaps it will yield something." He walked in the opposite direction of Mugen.
"With our luck and your fishing skills? I doubt it." Fuu muttered.
Jin pretended not to hear her.
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It caught Mugen's eye as it gleamed in ripe, succulent beauty. A peach hung heavy from its tree, bowing the branch with its weight. It floated just on the other side of a wide dirt path. He licked his lips and scanned right to left. As he listened for the sound of people he shook out his hair. Something had slept in it last night that wouldn't come loose. He would deal with that problem later. Right now his stomach was the only thing he cared about. He sprinted across the path, plucked the peach from the tree, and shoved it into his mouth hole, spitting the seed. In a matter of seconds it was gone and another beauty called to him the next branch over. After his sixth there were no more low-hanging fruits. He lept up and grabbed a branch. His free hand reached for a plump little number at the tree's heart as he hung. Just as his greedy fingers closed around it, a voice boomed at him from down the path.
"There's one over there!"
"Son of a bitch." He dropped to the ground into a crouching position and drew his sword. He counted the gathering force: only seven. Easy. His mouth tilted into a crooked grin. "Come on and give it your best shot. Maybe I'll even let ya live."
They all ran at him as one, trying to pin him down.
So first I need to split them up.
He flipped onto one hand and spun his spindly legs like a pinwheel while slashing his sword with the other. He caught one fighter in the leg with his blade and sent a second flying back from a thudding kick in the gut. The seven hesitated, but instead of scattering as he expected they encircle him. They were fighting as one and closing the space around him. Mugen needed room to work for his particular style. He went for the wounded one first and surprised them with his sudden aggression. The wounded man parried twice, but Mugen caught him on his open side and the man's blood slicked Mugen's blade just the way he liked it. Mugen took the opportunity to break out of the circle.
One down. "Thanks for the warm-up."
Now with all the space he could want he took two from behind, slicing wildly at the soft parts of their backs. He caught one clean while the other just got a deep gash. Mugen cursed his month of idleness for the mistake. He gave them a feral growl and at least they had the smarts to look afraid. The five reformed and charged him. The bright song of metal on metal rang out and he was pushed back by the assault. Now off balance, he lost the upper hand. Out of the corner of his eye he saw one of the bastards slip behind him as he spun to catch the largest swinging a sword at his chest. The man who slipped behind sliced him across the shoulder blade clean and deep. Mugen felt the muscle split apart with searing pain. He grit his teeth and switched his sword to his other hand. Ducking low, he slammed his blade all the way to the hilt into the coward that got him.
Over the blood pumping in his ears he heard Fuu's terrified voice "Mugen!"
The sword was harder to grip through the accumulating blood and sweat. He wished he had his old sword back. It would never let him down like this. With silent speed Jin flew into the path and cut down two men with his quick, efficient Mujuu style. Only two left.
"Took ya long enough. You finally finished counting flower petals?"
"Hn."
"Tell you want, we'll split 'em. One for you, one for me."
Jin nodded. "That's fair."
"Alright lets- hey, where are you goin'?"
The two assassins were running like their lives depended on it.
"Come back here!" Mugen yelled. But instead of chasing them, he pulled at his arm and craned his neck awkwardly to get a better view of his newest wound. A stream of blood dripped on the ground from the ends of his fingers. "That was a cheap trick, to run while I wasn't looking. Dirty. Gotta admire that."
The turning made his head spin and he tipped forward. As Mugen started to fall, Jin caught him under the arm.
"Mugen!" Fuu sprang from her hiding place and tucked her small frame neatly under his other arm."
"'S not that bad, is it?" Mugen tried to make a fist with his hand, but it would only tremble. Something important had been severed. He swallowed hard to cover the wave of panic in his belly. Without his sword, what would be left? A washed up pirate and not much else.
Jin peeled back the vagrant's gi and inspected the wound. "Perhaps not on it's own, but added to your yet unhealed ones it may… become a problem."
"Yeah, I don't have a lot of blood left to lose, do I?" The edges of his vision started to fade and his body felt crushed by a burning heat emanating from his chest.
"Let's get off the road. The cave is no good for this, Jin. Is there anywhere else we can go?"
Jin's eyebrows collided as the three limped into the underbrush. They left a trail of blood Jin hoped would not be too obvious.
"Jin?" Fuu asked again.
Jin looked at Mugen. The color had drained from his tan face leaving him a sickly green. He knew too well what that meant. No matter the cost, a decision had to be made. "Yes. I know a place."
"It's about damn time." Mugen's voice was soft and slurred. Fuu darted a look at Jin, but he was staring straight ahead with a slow but determined gate as they wound through the forest.