The Hunter

Chapter Four

The scent of dirt was strong. She breathed it in, slowly stretching her body as her mind tried to recall where she was. At the sharp caw of a raven her eyes shot open and she sat up, suddenly vividly aware of the cave around her. She'd been dreaming of the brothel and the night she'd met Kohaku. Her mind lingered over the thought of where she would be had she turned down his offer. Certainly no better off than now.

A quick glance around revealed she was alone and the fire behind her cold. Wherever Kohaku was, he had been gone some time. Slightly miffed that he was so little worried about her potential to escape, she got to her feet and made her way to the cave's entrance. Beyond their meagre shelter the open forest stood, dappled sunlight peeking through the treetops.

Freedom, she thought. Before her was exactly what she imagined it would look like. On those long nights she'd spent trapped inside the brothel, this was what she had imagined escaping into – an endless forest that would lead her straight back home.

Wasting no time, Rin slipped on her shoes and departed the cave. If she were fast enough, quiet enough, perhaps she could find her way back to the road long before Kohaku realized she was missing. The thought made her heart skip in anticipation.

"Going somewhere?"

The sudden interruption of Kohaku's voice from behind her froze her feet in place. She turned, slowly, and felt the makings of a deep frown press between her brows.

"I brought you some breakfast," he offered, holding up two fish.

She stared hard at the fishes' glistening bodies and then at him. The urge to run was nearly overwhelming, she'd come so close after all, but the sight of those fish had her mouth watering and her stomach protested starvation with an audible growl. If she ran now, she wouldn't get far.

Sighing in defeat, Rin reluctantly followed Kohaku into the cave. While he preoccupied himself with setting the fish atop skewers and stirring the coals of the previous nights' fire, she moodily sat across from him and cursed her stomach for its impertinence.

"I wondered how long it would take before you tried to leave," Kohaku said, not unkindly. "Was starting to wonder if maybe you had changed your mind about me." He sat back on his heels and gave her a curious look.

She lifted a contentious brow and he shrugged nonchalantly.

The next few moments passed in near-silence, the grating of Kohaku's fish knife against stone as he gutted their breakfast the only sound.

"Are you not angry then?"

It was Kohaku's turn to lift a brow. A white smile broke through his tanned skin and he shook his head.

"I'm impressed by your will. It's stronger than I thought."

"So then you know I will try to leave again?"

"Of course!" he said with a short laugh. "I imagine I would do the same in your position. Though if you could refrain from killing me in my sleep I would appreciate it."

"You mock me," she said with a sour look.

His face sobered up and he took his time turning the fish over the fire.

"I don't mock you, Sakura but considering how brazenly you tried to escape perhaps it is you who are mocking me?"

Rin bit her lip and stared hard at the dirt floor. She didn't like being made to see his side of things. It frustrated her beyond all rational levels of reason.

Kohaku handed her one of the fish and she took it from him with a muttered "Thank you". While she ate he set about smothering the fire and cleaning up their campsite. No more words were exchanged, but the tension had lifted. Their progress wasn't much, but perhaps they had come to some sort of understanding after all.

xXx

The day was hot and dry. The unrelenting sun beat down on the earth, leaving them both red-faced and covered with a thin sheen of sweat. Rin wiped at a stray bead of sweat that had escaped down her neck and uttered a quiet sigh.

For hours they had been the only travellers on this particular stretch of road. They hadn't seen so much as a deer or stray cat to greet them. It made for a boring journey, but it was a small blessing. The roads leading to Edo were notoriously filled with bandits and other dangers. The fact that they hadn't met any meant that they were incredibly lucky. Still, with each day of travel her chances of returning home unscathed reduced significantly. She couldn't afford to let opportunities continue to pass her by. Whatever the cost, however it must be accomplished, she would escape tonight.

"Those paintings of yours at the brothel were really something."

Kohaku's compliment cut into her thoughts so unexpectedly that she started and turned to face him.

"I wish I could make something beautiful like that," he confessed with a sheepish grin, "but I have no talents beyond fighting."

His hand drifted to rest atop the hilt of his sword and he shook his head as if dismissing the thought.

"Fighting is a far more useful talent than painting," she observed a bit cynically.

If she had known how to fight instead of paint, perhaps her family might still be alive. She could have stood alongside her brothers, weapon in hand, and defended their village instead of hiding uselessly inside her house like a scared child. She would never forget the helplessness she had felt that night. It remained her one, constant source of regret.

"I could teach you," Kohaku offered, drawing to a halt next to her.

He withdrew the knife from his belt and held it out to her. She accepted it warily and tested the weight in her hand. It was heavier than it appeared, and the wooden handle had been worn smooth from years of use. The feel of it was both foreign and exhilarating. She turned it over and clumsily fingered the blade.

"Be careful, it's sharp."

Kohaku's warning came seconds too late and she stared down with dismay at the small cut on the tip of her finger. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. She looked sceptical as he stood in front of her and drew his short sword from its sheath.

"First thing," he said, "is to make your body ready. Like this." As she watched, he shifted his limbs into a fighting stance.

When she had difficulty mimicking his posture, he stepped in to assist. The warmth of his hands penetrated her kimono when he turned her into position. He turned her carefully and then lingered, long enough that she shot him an uncertain glance. He smiled a bit sheepishly and stepped back, giving them both some space.

"Okay, now hold the knife in front of you with both hands-like this..." he instructed, showing her.

She frowned down at her grip on the knife's handle, compared it to his, and then shifted her fingers until they were in the proper position. He moved closer to inspect and she held her breath in anticipation. His head nodded slowly, appraising her hold on the knife.

Kohaku muttered a soft "Good", then, meeting her eyes, smiled and repeated it with more force - "Very good!"

She flushed at his ready approval and stole a curious glance at him from beneath her lashes. Though she would never admit it aloud, she liked the way his mouth curved upwards at the corners. It made it look as though he were always suppressing a smile caused by some hidden joke. There was a youthful energy in his eyes that she found captivating as well. Had their circumstances been different, she might have been fond of him.

"Now, because you're small you should attack the middle and the legs," Kohaku continued, gesturing to the target areas on his body.

Rin pointed the tip of her knife in the direction of the more sensitive parts of his male anatomy and lifted a brow. "What about there? Would it make a good target as well?"

Kohaku glanced down and nervously cleared his throat. "Y-yes…it would. But for now, let's focus on the belly. When you attack, move the knife like this," he said, showing her a few horizontal and diagonal slashes.

"What about like this?" she wondered, stabbing at the air with the knife.

He shook his head and lowered her blade with his hand. "Stabbing takes a lot more strength and the chance that you will injure yourself is greater. Besides, you have to be close to your enemy to stab them which leaves you open to attack. It should only ever be used as a last resort."

Rin considered his words carefully and stepped in closer. She hadn't thought he was all that much taller than her, but now that he was standing at his full height she realized her head barely reached his chin.

"About this close?" she asked, pressing the tip of the knife against his side.

She glanced up in time to see his smile falter and the humour fade from his eyes. "Yes, about that close."

A furtive smile flirted with her lips and she pressed a little harder, feeling the resistance of his skin against the blade.

"If you wish to kill me, a sharp upward thrust from there should do the trick," he said evenly.

His words caught her by surprise, but then a voice inside of her whispered, 'One thrust and you could have your freedom.' Her palms gripped the sweat-slickened handle tighter and she actually considered it. The promise of freedom was an enticing lure.

The knife pressed harder into his flesh and she heard his soft intake of breath as she drew first blood. The sight of a single, fat drop rolling down the side of the blade made her hesitate. Was she capable of murder?

Her eyes lifted warily to meet his and in that moment she realized that she would never be able do it. Her initial impression of him at the brothel had changed little in the days since; he had a good heart and a kind nature. If she killed him now, she would be no better than the bandits that had ravaged her village. Though her hand trembled with the effort it took to not finish what she'd started, it ventured no further. She simply could not kill him.

As she held his gaze the tension slowly eased out of Kohaku's shoulders and his hand eventually covered hers. She relinquished the blade without protest and backed away.

"You trust too easily," she scolded, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "You're lucky I decided not to kill you."

Kohaku glanced up at her from where he'd been sheathing his sword. "I think you forget that I kill for a living," he said evenly, holding her gaze. "Do not mistake trust for the confidence that comes with knowing I can defeat any opponent before they get close enough to do any real harm."

Her eyes widened in comprehension. She had no doubt that he spoke the truth. She'd seen for herself just how quickly his feet moved and how ruthless his blade could be. One moment he'd been facing an armed soldier twice his size in Kyoto, and in the next the man was dead at his feet with his neck torn open.

A shiver shuddered across her skin at the memory of how the giant's blood had soaked the street. It left her wondering why he'd let her go so far. She'd seen how he could react when someone challenged him, but today he'd allowed her to press a knife into his side without a single word of protest. Had he been testing her somehow? To what end?

She studied him curiously and slowly unfolded her arms, no longer sure what to make of him.

"Time to go," he urged, flashing a smile.

He started off down the road, turning back only to remind her that they had a long way to go before nightfall if they wanted to stay at an inn. Compared to the cold, damp cave floor they'd spent the previous night on, a soft futon with warm bedding and a hot meal sounded like heaven. It was incentive enough to spur her feet forward despite bone-numbing exhaustion, and she quickly fell in step behind him.


Author's Note: I hope you have been enjoying the read so far. This is one of my favourite chapters to-date, so I'm thrilled to finally have the chance to share it. Thank you to Cristaline & Yume for taking a minute to leave me a review on the last couple of chapters. It was very helpful to read your insights!

Until next time,

Langus