For hours, and without rest, they'd traveled North West, a detour which led away from his abandoned settlement and toward unknown territory; according to Chamuka, it was best to cover as much distance as possible, especially since they were being hunted. While they traveled across the snowy and slippery terrain, the mountains in the distance grew closer, and with it, the hours of twilight fell upon them, the frigid air of Hokkan soon following after.

Dressed in only her navy-blue blazer and pleated skirt, with her light blue overcoat that Chamuka bought for her days prior, even it was not enough to warm her, especially Rimudo's cloak, which she wore atop both, the hood covering her head. If there was any means of returning warmth to her frozen and partially numb limbs, then it was nearly impossible at this moment.

The temperature kept dropping, and unable to conceal her visible shivers, Kagome pressed her back against Chamuka's chest, her eyes closed tightly. She tried to envision a hot and blazing fire in front of her, the flames flickering against her skin, but it was no use.

"So … cold…"

Chamuka must have sensed her anxiousness, but even still, he continued ushering his horse up the snowy hills. "Once we've crossed through the forest, we'll make camp. Bear with it a little longer, Kagome."

She numbly nodded. Did that mean they would camp outdoors? Where would they sleep? Even if there were no blankets, she wouldn't mind sleeping in a pile of hay, so long as it was something other than this wretched snow.

Relaxing against him, no longer affected by the constant jostling of the horse, a collection of many trees soon fell into view, and as Chamuka led them through the dense forest, she closed her eyes.

Kagome wasn't sure how long she slept, but when she came to, she realized they were no longer galloping through the forest. Chamuka's hand, though bound by his leather glove, held tightly to the reins in front of her, and inclining her head to look up at him, she was surprised he was still alert, his eyes searching the surroundings readily.

Although there were no stars visible in the evening sky, she stared absentmindedly at the white moon hidden behind the black clouds above them. It was so late, and they'd barely had enough food to sustain them during the trip, but hunger was the least of her concerns.

Unexpectedly, Chamuka pulled back on the reins, the horse soon falling into a slow gallop. When this happened, Kagome strained her eyes to search the path ahead, and to her relief, she recognized canvas styled yurts just ahead; it was a settlement.

But as they pressed closer, there was something amiss; there were no torches lit in the night nor any wandering villagers; in fact, it was too quiet. Perhaps everyone had retired to bed hours before?

Again, Chamuka pulled on the reins, this time, stopping the horse entirely, and briefly, he remained unmoving. Noticing this, Kagome inclined her head to look at him, but his eyes were staring at something ahead. There was something troubling about his stare, and when he met her gaze, he then unmounted the horse.

Curious, she watched him step away from her, his boots carrying him towards the settlement, but he didn't get far before he knelt down in the snow, his hand pausing upon something lying at his feet. What was it? From her line of sight, it looked like some kind of shadow; in fact, there were numerous dark figures littered upon the snow ahead, and somehow, she had a terrible feeling. "Chamuka?"

He didn't answer immediately, but standing up, he glanced over his shoulder and soon returned to her side, taking the reins into his hands once more. "A massacre…" Came his reply.

Gasping, she covered her mouth in fright, her eyes widening. What? So, those dark shadows were bodies? While mortified by this discovery, she was also thankful for the late evening that she could not see the faces of the deceased. Was it possible the soldiers did this? Or was it an attack from passing bandits? Maybe a wild animal?

"From the looks of it, I'd say it happened earlier this morning."

"Was it Kutou soldiers?" Kagome asked, but he didn't answer, suddenly guiding the horse into the settlement, despite Kagome's distress. "Chamuka … I don't think it's safe here…"

"Since it's already abandoned, we'll stay for the night."

Kagome wasn't certain if that was a wise decision, and she didn't feel comfortable resting among a pile of corpses. "But what if whoever killed these people return?"

Chamuka paused at her words, and turning his body towards her, he held out his hand to help her dismount, and after taking her by the waist with one arm, he placed her gently onto her feet. Despite her discomfort, he guided her towards one of the many yurts ahead, one not yet destroyed by flames. "It's unlikely we'll be found here, among an encampment of dead bodies. Any normal person would bypass it without concern," He replied.

Biting her lip worryingly, she nodded. Maybe he was right. Then again, would the enemy think twice to search a village they'd already massacred? Any normal person wouldn't even think twice about staying here, but in Kagome's case, this was different. Besides, it was so cold and dark out, it was unlikely they'd be spotted anyways. "Yeah…"

Following behind him, she ducked under his arm as he held open the flap to the canvas enclosure and stepped inside, but it was too dark to see anything within. With only her hands and feet to guide her, she touched the interior walls for support, praying she wouldn't step on any corpses inside. Before long, she found herself standing before what seemed like a wooden table, her hands touching its smooth surface warily, and relieved nothing was amiss, she released a sigh.

A noise sounded in the room, somewhat similar to a match being lit, and turning her head, she saw a single flame dance near her, held up by Chamuka's hand. While he searched the room for a minute longer, Kagome heard his triumphant voice call out, and soon, the room brightened slightly by the light of a lantern.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Kagome crumpled upon a cluster of furs settled near a hearth cradled in the middle of the structure and quickly reached for the closest blanket folded near her. Even though they were inside, it was still freezing, but at least they were no longer hindered by the freezing wind. "Thank Kami…"

To their relief, there were already logs placed within the hearth, and with the match in hand, Chamuka lit the kindling beneath. Before long, the flames rose and warmth slowly flooded the room. But instead of sitting, Kagome watched as he crossed the room, unexpectedly leaving the structure, and bewildered, Kagome regained her standing and approached the exit to peer outside. Squinting through the darkness, she noticed Chamuka guiding his horse into a yurt just across from them, likely tying the steed down for the night.

Dropping the flap, she returned to the fire, but as her eyes skirted across the room, she approached a small chest near the hearth, and opening it, she found a small collection of male and female clothing inside. As she rummaged through the chest, pulling out several garments, she separated them.

While it was clear this world within the Universe of the Four Gods was based off of Ancient China, or so she assumed, it was not surprising when she held up the intricately and bizarre clothing of the past. Kagome was accustomed to seeing others adorned in various styled overcoats, but now she was given her first glimpse of what laid beneath those outer garments. She preferred the overcoats more.

"I guess the important thing is to stay warm by any means possible … but this is just ridiculous…" She sweat dropped, holding up a four-layer garment of orange and red with purple trim along the cuffs and across the sides.

Placing them back into the chest, her eyes noticed several pairs of white silken pants, somewhat bulky in appearance with a matching white thigh-length robe. Kagome had a feeling this article of clothing was night attire, probably for men and women. If anything, it was similar to pajamas back home, minus the sash of course.

Squinting her gaze at the other garments which came in a variety of colors of orange, red, green, blue and violet, Kagome realized they were likely worn beneath overcoats. Like the night attire, they were also bulky, especially in the shirts.

Flowers, birds, insects and peacocks adorned the intricate two-layer matching shirts and skirts, the sleeves and shirts long, the collars high and the skirts falling just at the ankles. While they were overly flamboyant in design, they were also practical.

Shifting her gaze away from the two-layer matching shirts and skirts, Kagome's eyes fell upon an ivy green dress with intricate blue trim lined down the middle and across the chest. Unlike the others, it was quite simple in its appearance, falling just at the ankles in a soft flare, the long sleeves cuffed in blue at the wrists. Accompanied with it was a blue sash, similar to the trim. In a way, the dress reminded her of a Korean hanbok, only it was a simple one-layer outfit.

There were also fur lined overcoats with matching set hats, and separating what she thought were the men's from the women, she found one particular overcoat to her liking; it was a pinkish mauve in color with black trim falling over the chest in an almost adjacent angle, sweeping down the sides of the coat and running horizontal at the ends; the sash was also black, and the collar was high at the neck; it was similar to Chamuka's for certain, only it wasn't cut at the sides for increased mobility. Still, it was pretty.

'I feel terrible rummaging through these belongings, but I can't continue to wear these clothes…'

Removing Rimudo's black cloak from her shoulders, she peered at the light blue material of the overcoat and its numerous punctured holes and tears; there was blood staining the coat from where Shigi's bladed chain had struck her, and while her injuries still stung, they didn't hurt nearly as bad as before.

'I'm sure my uniform isn't in great condition either; besides, it's much too cold in this climate to be wearing a short skirt anyways.'

Footsteps sounded within the room, and glancing over her shoulder, she caught Chamuka's stare, his eyes noticing the collection of clothing laid around her. "I think … I might borrow their clothing," She replied. "I can't wear these clothes without drawing attention."

He only nodded, sitting down in front of the fire. "It's probably for the best," He replied, his eyes looking away from her. "You shouldn't feel bad. The people who lived here before won't be needing them anyways."

True. Looking back at the clothing, one outfit in particular caught her notice; it was an overcoat similar to the one Chamuka was wearing, only it was dark blue in color with gray cuffs at the ends of the sleeves with a matching sash. Glancing at his yellow overcoat from behind her, she noticed a large tear near his waist where he'd been cut by Hien's sword earlier that day; the blood was noticeable. "Chamuka."

"Hm?"

"How are your injuries? Do they still hurt?"

Examining his arm, which was still bound by his bandages and the cut on his waist, he only nodded. "I'm alright. Still hurts, but it will take some time to heal," He replied, using his free arm to remove his makeshift sling, and after peeling away the bloody bandage covering his forearm, he winced at the sight of the wound.

Worried, she crawled closer to him to inspect his arm, and moving beside him, she noticed the area of the skin was dark and had reopened, but it wasn't bleeding too terribly. "I'm sorry. Because of me, you put a lot of strain on your arm…"

"It wasn't your fault," He replied, retrieving a small container of salve from his pocket and opening it with ease, despite his discomfort. Applying the medicine to his injury, he reached for the bandages once more, and with Kagome's assistance, helped rewrap his forearm. "I wasn't about to let those assholes hurt you. If I hadn't come along when I did, you would have lost your life."

She only nodded. "Thank you, but I still feel responsible for what happened to you and your mother…"

There was a moment of pause between them, Chamuka's brows furrowing as he watched her. "We don't blame you. You didn't ask for this. If anything, I'm glad you're safe…"

His words brought a smile to her face, and thankful he did not hate her for what happened, she settled herself across from him. Pulling the blankets around her shoulders, she watched as Chamuka reapplied his sling over his arm. "I'm sure Borate and the others are still traveling across the ocean towards Konan. How many days does it take to get there?"

Chamuka mused. "Several days, depending on the weather. If I had to guess, maybe a two-week trip?"

"Do you think … we can really do it? Find the remaining six warriors and summon Genbu?" She asked, still somewhat doubtful. "I never expected you were one of them. I wonder if it will be just as easy to find the others…"

"Well, it won't be easy, that's for sure, but it will work out."

But how could he be so sure? It wasn't like they asked for these roles. This was a matter of life and death, and the possibility of finding the remaining six warriors in a world which consisted of four different countries seemed next to impossible. Unless they were all in Hokkan, but somehow, Kagome found that difficult to believe.

Ψ

Through the flickering embers of the fire, he watched her, the young woman's gaze downcast as she hugged the blanket closer to her body. During a time like this, he wasn't sure what to say to lighten the mood, and he wasn't entirely cheerful at this very moment. Similar to Kagome, he was worried just the same, about his family and what they would expect on this journey to find the celestial warriors. Never in his life time had he ever believed he'd play a part in this legend, but his ma was right.

"You know," He started, meeting Kagome's curious stare. "when I imagined the priestess … I imagined someone different."

She blinked. "What do you mean by that?"

He leaned back on his hand, watching her with a slightly forced grin upon his face. "Growing up, ma was always telling me of the legend, and back then, I suppose I thought this priestess would stand apart from other people, not just in characteristics, but also power," He explained thoughtfully. "But when I look at you, Kagome, you don't seem too other worldly."

Judging by the slight scowl upon her face, he thought he might have offended her, but she only smiled with a tilt of her head, finally relaxing. "How do I seem in comparison?"

"Ordinary," He blatantly replied. "Despite a few dissimilarities, you're not that different. Since we're on the subject, what's your world like?"

"It's different. There's so much I could tell you, but I wouldn't know where to even begin…"

"We have all night. Tell me about your family."

She nodded. "Well, I live on a shrine with my mother, little brother and my grandpa," She replied, but her expression fell suddenly, much to his confusion. "Just recently, before I came here, grandpa disappeared."

Chamuka's brows furrowed at this. "What do you mean?"

She only shrugged. "I'm not sure. Mom said he was cleaning out our wellhouse, and the next moment, he was gone, as if he'd vanished. We searched all throughout town, but no one has seen him. I'm not sure, but I have a feeling he might have been brought to this world as well. I just hope I'm mistaken."

Was it possible for someone, other than the priestess, to arrive in his world? Although that person was male, it couldn't be possible he had any connection to summoning Genbu; so then, why was that? "I'm sorry. If he was brought here, perhaps we may run into him during our travels. If it comes down to it, you could always ask Genbu when the time comes."

She looked up at this. "You think so?"

"I don't see why not," He reassured her. "After all, if we manage to find all the warriors, you will be allowed to make your wishes to Genbu."

Again, she nodded. "That's true. I wonder how many wishes I'll be allowed," She wondered, but Chamuka wasn't certain. "But going back to describing what my world is like … it's pretty fast paced and also noisy."

"Noisy? I assume you must live in a well populated city? When we first met, you mentioned you lived in Tokyo?"

"Yes. Not to mention the majority of that noise is traffic," She clarified, pausing briefly as if she'd remembered something. "Unlike the transportation here, which I assume are only horses, ours is very different. It's difficult to explain what it is and how it operates," She replied, sweat dropping suddenly. "I guess … it's something like a wagon that moves without the need of a horse or any animal."

At the mentioning of this, his mouth fell open and he stared at her almost incredulously. How was it possible for a wagon or cart to move without the use of a horse? Was it possible magic existed in her world? Before he could ask, she continued on in her explanation.

"In comparison to this world, although I've only been here briefly, I can say mine is really advanced in technology, and not just that, but also architecture, science, mathematics, and even medicine."

He only nodded at this. "I see. I suppose my world must seem barbaric in comparison," He replied, not meaning to sound offended, but from his standpoint, he couldn't even imagine what her world could look like. "Are there beasts in your world as well?"

She shook her head. "No. Just lots of people."

"If there are so many advancements, does that mean the hierarchy is different there than it is here?" He found himself asking, only because he was curious.

"You mean status and power?" She asked, and he nodded. "Well, it does still exist, but over the years, it's become lenient in a sense. In certain parts of the world, there is equality among the people, freedom of speech, religion and the list continues. We don't really have emperors or empresses; in fact, we rely on a voting system to select who we want to be our president, but that's politics, and it's too confusing to even explain," She weakly laughed. "If you ask me, I wish it wasn't so complicated."

So, Kagome lived in such a world, one not suppressed by tyrannical hierarchies? To live in a world where all people, no matter their status, are equal in every way, seemed absolutely ludicrous to him, and yet, it seemed fascinating. Chamuka didn't quite understand what she meant by the term president, but he was judging by her words, it seemed the people had a chance to select their own version of an emperor.

"Sorry if it's confusing."

"No. I think I understand most of it," He replied, still musing. "I can't even imagine what it must be like. I'm guessing you don't get many wars?"

To his surprise, she only shook her head. "Not exactly. There are still wars, not as frequent as they must be here," She sighed. "Honestly, I don't think it's even humanely possible to live in a world without it, as sad as that is to admit. There are people who say we need war to bring about peace, to show our power and save lives, but then you have the other side that says war only brings about more war while ending many innocent lives. I don't think it's possible to exist peacefully, at least not with power and money involved."

Chamuka couldn't agree more. "You're right. I guess that's something that never changes, despite our advancements. "Hokkan has been at peace for a hundred years until now…"

"If only it could be that simple…" Kagome weakly laughed.

A moment of silence fell between them, and while he watched her silently from across the hearth, he noted her dismal expression. There were many emotions flickering across her countenance, but her most prominent expression was anxiousness; she was worried about her fate, worried about her grandfather who may or may not even be here, not to mention she blamed herself for what happened earlier that day.

Biting his lip, he wondered how he could ease her distress. Asking questions concerning her world probably didn't help in those efforts, and as intriguing as her world sounded, he didn't want to press her too much. Still, there was one thing he was curious about, but he was somewhat hesitant to ask.

On account of meeting her curious stare, he couldn't help the blush which crept upon his cheeks, and clearing his throat, he decided to ask anyways. "So … back in your country … are you married? Or have a lover?"

"What? No. Nothing like that," She quickly replied, her expression revealing unexpected embarrassment. "I've never even had a boyfriend," She laughed.

His cheeks reddened further as a result of her reply, and he awkwardly found himself rubbing the back of his neck, a little embarrassed to meet her gaze. "I see … I mean, many people our age are married; that's why I was asking." When his gaze returned to hers, he was relieved to see her understanding nod.

"What about you? I don't believe I saw a wife back at the village or boarding the ship."

Chamuka didn't anticipate his question thrown back at him, and he suddenly laughed, shaking his head fervently. "Ma has been trying to find me someone to settle down with, but I've been far too busy hunting. I don't often stay in the village for very long anyways."

She smiled at this. "You take good care of your mother and your entire village. It's very admirable."

Hearing her words of praise, his blush only darkened, and he couldn't help but nod at her words. "It's nothing. I mean, I am one of the best hunters in my tribe after all," He replied proudly.

"Speaking of which, when did you first take up the bow?"

Caught off guard by her question, his gaze fell upon his Manchurian bow lying beside him. "I was eight when I started hunting," He explained, an image of his father coming to mind. "My father … he taught me the basics of survival, how to shoot stationary and moving targets and the rules of trade."

"I see."

"It wasn't easy to keep up in the beginning, but his lessons have stuck with me for years since."

Kagome nodded. "I took up archery lessons during my first year of High School," She admitted. "I can string a bow pretty well, but when it comes to aim, I'm not that great," She laughed. "I can only hit close objects, and by close, I mean really close."

"Really?" His brows rose curiously.

"Yes. It was a Kyudo club I joined with some of my classmates, but I wasn't very good at it, to be honest. Still, it was fun, just not my favorite sport," She laughed. "Chamuka, how old are you?"

"Eighteen this winter. And you?"

"Same. I was born in the Fall. I guess that makes me older."

On account of her reply, his eyes widened. So, she was the same age? "I could have sworn you were a couple years younger. Then again, you are pretty short…"

"Hey!"

The expression on her face spurred a chuckle from his throat, but he only waved it off. "I'm joking. Anyways, it's getting late. Once the sun rises, we should keep moving. There should be a town West of here, and if we leave early, we should reach it before evening." Reaching for a blanket beside him, he carefully laid on his back beside the fire, watching as Kagome did the same, the blanket nearly covering her head.

"Chamuka…"

"Yeah?"

"I'll try not to drag you down. I'm not sure how much help I can provide, but I'll do what I can."

Frowning, he turned on his side to face her, watching as she snuggled deeper beneath the comforter, her long ebony hair the only thing noticeable beyond the dancing flames. If anything, he wished she wasn't burdened by this turn in fate, but there was no helping it. Even if she had some basic knowledge of archery, her chances of survival were very slim, at least in this moment, and unable to use his arm, he doubted his own abilities as her warrior.

Ψ

Author Notice:

I apologize if this chapter wasn't exciting, but I felt it was necessary to build on the friendship between Chamuka and Kagome, especially now that they are traveling together.

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