4: Don't tell

Kiada walked- well, limped, sometimes falling- down the small mountain where the Tsubasa Council was. She wasn't surprised to not see anyone: it was nearly dark and Bird Demon's didn't go out at night because of other demons that roamed these mountains that could be dangerous. Bird Demons were just talk. 'We're great! Oh yeah! A demon is terrorizing someone? Um….no.'

Every step she took sent waves of pain between her legs. Blood splatters led back up the mountain and dropped every time she stepped. She was a flashing big light to anything looking for an easy meal.

After nearly an hour, she found the Band of Seven at the rendezvous point. It should have only taken her fifteen minutes but every step was an effort.

Bankotsu sat on the ground polishing his halberd, Banryu. He glanced up at her quickly, "What the hell happened to you?" Everyone else was off in their tents sleeping or doing their own thing.

She opened her mouth to speak but she found she couldn't. Kiada dropped like a rock. Bankotsu got up and jogged over. He hadn't known the girl that long and, to be honest, wasn't too concerned. She was a good fighter, so she was worth something. The girl nearly beat him in their mock battle. When he asked her if she'd be willing to hang around awhile, he really hadn't meant awhile. Truthfully, he'd just hoped she'd stick around long enough for him to fuck her. Hey with a body like that? Hearing her moan under him… But after seeing her take out that demon- what was his name?- Hiroto, he'd half a mind to make her a permanent member.

Upon seeing her, Bankotsu realized her wounds were worse than he'd realized. Her already dark kimono wasn't wet with water like he thought, but actually blood.

"Suikotsu!" He yelled. If anyone could fix her, Suikotsu could.

The man stepped out of his tent. "Yes, oo-aniki?" he asked using the term of respect for his leader.

"The girl got hurt, fix her up," he said picking her up and dumping her in Suikotsu's open arms.

Suikotsu began to twitch at the site of so much blood. "Knock it off," Bankotsu said hitting him upside the head. Suikotsu's twitching stopped.

Bankotsu sat back down to finish Banryu and Suikotsu took her to his tent. He put her on her stomach and pulled her kimono off. He covered her lower half with a blanket for modesty.

Suikotsu was a murderer. He liked killing and blood. But seeing the open wounds on her back made him grimace. They were red and inflamed, several inches deep and oozing. She'd gotten dirt in them by falling so many times. He took sake, the only alcohol he had around, and wet a towel with it. He dabbed at one of the wounds and she tensed. He waited for her to relax again; though unconscious, the burning alcohol probably hurt like hell.

Cleaned up, Suikotsu could see the two wounds were identical. He furrowed his brow. A few days ago, she'd had wings, hadn't she? He winced. Whoever had done this to her, had ripped her wings off. What a shame. He wrapped bandages around her chest to cover her wounds. Suikotsu rolled her over and lifted the blanket that covered her lower half. Her stomach and legs were really bloody too. Her back shouldn't have bleed that much. He rubbed the caked blood off her thighs. That's when he saw the bruises.

"Don't you dare," she muttered. She looked at him through dazed and sleepy eyes. "Don't you- you dare tell anyone. I'll kill you."

"Will you tell me what happened?" He asked.

"No. No one can know," she said. "Don't tell them what happened. Anyone! Promise me!"

"I promise," he muttered.

Kiada had worn herself out and dropped back, her eyes rolling back. Suikotsu covered her up with a blanket to let her sleep comfortably.

Bankotsu came in. "How's it going?"

"She'll be alright," he said. "A couple of nasty gouges on her back but nothing some sleep and down time won't fix."

"I thought I heard her talking," Bankotsu said.

"Yeah, she was," Suikotsu said. "Rambling. Wore herself out."

Bankotsu cocked his head, thoughtfully. "Didn't she have wings?"

Part of being a good mercenary was being able to lie. Suikotsu could lie like the best of them, not to mention convincing. He could persuade a bum that he was the richest man. Next to Renkotsu, he was the best liar in the Band of Seven. Part of that came with having two personalities, you learn to beat around the bush.

Suikotsu's mind reeled. "That's what she was rambling about. She said when she got attacked she didn't want them to get ruined."

"So, what did she do?" Bankotsu asked.

Suikotsu pushed his palms together and made a whooshing noise. "Sucked them back into her body, I guess."

"Hn," Bankotsu grunted. "Demons can do anything, can't they?"

"Seems like it," Suikotsu said.

"Well," Bankotsu said stretching. "I'm off to bed. Take good care of her, Suikotsu."

"I will, oo-aniki," the doctor said.

Suikotsu waited until Bankotsu left to look at the sleeping woman. Her eyes flickered open again.

"Thank you."