A/N: Please enjoy chapter three of Chronicles of a Resurrected Priestess! :D
...I hope it isn't boring!
Disclaimer: Please see chapter one.
A new day dawned and Hoshiko was awakened by the birds chirping and the sun's rays. She sat up with a yawn and stretched a bit before standing up and folding her futon away in the corner with Kikyou and Kaede's. Seeing as breakfast would take a while to cook, Hoshiko decided to sit just outside the hut and clean her naginata blade as well as see if there were any cracks in the staff. After some time had passed Kaede moved the straw flap aside and told Hoshiko the rice was ready. Telling her a quick 'thanks' Hoshiko finished up her inspection and went inside to eat.
After they all ate and cleaned up, the three went to a secluded waterfall to bathe and to fill wooden tubs with water to clean their dirty clothes. Once that was done, Kaede told the two older women that she would wash all the clothes while they took care of their duties. They thanked her and went up the temple's stairs to pray (in Hoshiko's case) and purify the Jewel of Four Souls (in Kikyou's case). When that was finished, Kikyou turned to Hoshiko and said; "I have something to show you later. Meet me at the bottom of the temple's stairs after lunch."
Hoshiko nodded her head and they both went their separate ways until lunch.
Lunch time came around and the morning had passed without much incident. Lunch consisted of a modest serving of left over fish and tea. Kikyou and Hoshiko thanked Kaede for the meal and left. When Hoshiko asked where they were going Kikyou simply smiled slightly and told her she would see. Realizing she wasn't going to get an answer, Hoshiko didn't ask anymore and just took in the scenery. Soon enough they arrived at a glade of waist high grass with a hillside cave on the other side.
Hoshiko followed Kikyou across the glade without a word, her curiosity officially peaked. Kikyou stopped at the cave's mouth and quietly told Hoshiko what lay inside.
"A few months ago I took in an incredibly injured bandit by the name of Onigumo. I've been taking care of him ever since but he doesn't seem to be getting better. I'm afraid he doesn't have very long to live. I've brought you here to help me in the hopes that he will heal."
Hoshiko felt sympathy swell within her and nodded in agreement. However, when the two entered the cave Hoshiko felt her breath leave her. The overwhelming feeling of evil intent was incredible. Hoshiko couldn't believe Kikyou wasn't reacting to it. A disturbing thought passed through her head though...what if Kikyou was simply ignoring it?
Shaking her head, Hoshiko continued down the steep decline towards the cave's floor where the bandit Onigumo lay. But the closer she got to him the stronger the evil felt so she sat at the bottom of the decline. She decided she would move closer only if Kikyou asked for her help. She was eventually able to push aside the evil presence as her sympathy for the bandit grew. She even kneeled down on his left side to help Kikyou apply medicine and exchange his old bandages for new ones. The women left after some small talk and Hoshiko could hold her silence no longer.
"I don't like the feelings I get from that man Kikyou."
"Hoshiko that man has suffered greatly. We should pity him instead of scorning him."
"While it is true I feel great sympathy for his misfortunes and I can cast aside the fact that he was a bandit, the evil flowing off of him is almost like that of a demon's. No human should have that much evil in them."
Kikyou didn't say anything in response and Hoshiko had nothing else to say. The rest of the day passed relatively calmly with only a small band of demons arriving to try and steal the Jewel of Four Souls but they were quickly taken care of.
