12. The Man from Minatori Village

I looked at Inuko and then at his sword. "Wow," I guess Toutousai is really an amazing sword smith. "Since it is done now," Toutousai was about to finish what he was saying when he plopped down next to his ox and fell asleep.

"Crazy old man," Inuko said passing past him, and walked down the stairs. "Are you girls coming?" he shouted at us, Haku and I looked at each other and followed behind. At the bottom of the stairs Setsuki and her brother waited, she held a bouquet of flowers in her arms.

"These are for you," she said handing me the bouquet. I took it and smelt the flowers. "Thank you," I smiled bowing down to her. Haku pulled a flower out and twirled it in the air and placed it in her hair.

"If you girls are done smelling the flowers, can we go?" Inuko was surely impatient today, wondered what his problem was. Haku patted Setsuki and her brother's heads and walked past them towards Inuko.

I patted Setuski's head as well and also walked towards Inuko. Setsuki grabbed my arm stopping me, "Wait, you should go to Minatori Village... my big brother there makes herbs and remedies, you should take some." She told me, letting go of my arm.

"Thank you," I told her waving. I walked back to Haku and Inuko and we were off again. But before leaving the village, many of the women gathered and gave us some new clothes, they also managed to fix up my hakama. That was very generous of them.

Haku and I waved as we passed through the village, Setsuki and her brother yelled at us as we walked down the path. On to Mt. Hakurai we went, a new adventure in front of us.

"Say brother?" I asked, I was curious to know if we could stop at Minatori Village since it wasn't that far away. "Yeah?" he retorted, looking at me. "Do you think we could go to Minatori village? Setsuki said there's a gentleman there who makes good remedies..." I was about to finish when he stopped me. "No, we are not going to any more villages..." he taunted, yawning.

"Hey, why not?" I shouted at him, I huffed and puffed up my cheeks. "You know you look stupid when you do that?" he said jokingly, snickering. Haku shook her head and came between us so we didn't kill each other.

"I think it would be a great idea to have some medicinal herbs with us and remedies, Minatori village is very popular for that..." she winked at me and then looked at Inuko. She definitely won him over.

"Alright, we'll go to the village... but we won't stay there long got it," he said waving a fist in the air. I reached up on my toes and gave Inuko a kiss on the forehead, "Thanks brother!" I winked at him, and grabbed Haku's arm playfully.

"Ack, don't do that that would defiantly get me killed..." he whimpered walking ahead of us. I chuckled quietly. I lagged behind a little watching as birds and butterflies past me, I enjoyed being outdoors. I loved the sun, it was my only ray of light, sure don't get me wrong I do love my family a lot, but when you have a hot-tempered father like mine and a mother who dramatizes everything, you sometimes wish you did live outside.

"Hey, what you thinking about?" Inuko startled me when he asked this, I looked at him dumfounded. "Oh, I wasn't thinking about anything..." I shrugged my shoulders and sighed deeply. Inuko stopped, and pulled my bag off his shoulders, he scrimmaged in it holding it awkwardly with one hand.

"Hey what are you doing?" I shouted at him, Haku stopped in front of me and looked behind her. "I'm hungry..." he taunted sitting down. I clenched a fist and waved it in the air, "Idiot!" I said to him, Haku and I sat down and set up a blanket for us to sit on.

"At this rate the food won't last us a week," I reminded Inuko pointing to the remaining bento dishes scattered on the ground. "Ah, who cares we can get some food from the village when we get there," he mumbled eating from his portion of the dish. I glowered at him and took a small bite out of my dish. Haku giggled under her breath and ate as well, glad she found us rather amusing. He never acts like this; he's only showing off because Haku's with us.

I put down my dish and got up. I was tired of Inuko's stupid behaviour. He's never this rude, or mean, or even stubborn, he always listened to what I had to say and never ignored me. I felt as if he was trying to slowly push me away, or that he was becoming irritated with me.

"Where you going?" he asked looking at me placing the lid back on the dish. "I'm going on ahead, you can come along after your finished eating," I said crossing my arms. "Humph," I dusted myself off and walked on ahead. "What's her problem?" he said looking at me. Haku got up and started putting away our dishes and cleaning up, Inuko did the same. I wasn't that far ahead and when I felt something slitter through the grass at my feet.

"Ahhhhhh, what was that?" I shouted loudly jumping back. "What is it?" Inuko bellowed slinging my bag over his shoulder and running towards me. "Something slithered past me," I pointed at the tall grass trying to catch my breath. "Ahhh, get it off..." Haku shouted as well waving her arm in the air. It was a demon lizard that had scared me, and clung to Haku's arm. "Don't move Haku," Inuko warned her approaching her carefully. I was bewildered, I looked at Haku as she held her breath.

"That's a demon lizard one bit and it'll poison you," he said slowly playing his hands over Haku's arm, he slide it around the lizards body and was about to pry it off when it bit Haku.

"Ahhh," she screamed, and then cowered to the ground. "Haku!" I shouted darting towards her. I placed my arms around her and held her. "Damn," Inuko grumbled watching as the lizard slithered away. He picked up Haku, I stood up with him. "Keep up okay," he told me and darted through the tall grass towards Minatori village. I kept pace as much as I could with Inuko, when I lost view of him, I'd pick up my kimono and hasten my pace. When we arrived at Minatori village, a man near a smoking shack greeted Inuko.

"She was bitten by a demon lizard," he shouted at him. The man looked at Inuko speculatively, and guided him to another small home where a young man sat mixing different types of herbs in a bowl.

"Ah, Kami what brings you here?" He asked looking over at the man hovering in his doorway. "I bring ye a girl, she is bitten by a lizard demon..." he said making way for Inuko to enter. Inuko came in, I was right behind him, Haku was feverish in his arms.

"Set her down here," the man said worry in his voice. "Will she be alright," Inuko asked his voice trembled; I kneeled down next to Haku and reached for her hand. "Yes she will be," the man said, and then he got up quickly and hovered around his small home gathering medicinal herbs, and remedies.

The man started to chew some herbs in his mouth, Inuko glared at him. "What are you doing?" Inuko bellowed placing a hand over Haku's head. "Someone has to give her the medicine," he mumbled chewing again. Inuko growled under his breath, "I'll do it," he shouted at the man snatching the green leaves from his hands. The man swallowed his herbs and glared at Inuko.

Inuko started to chew the leaves together, just as the man did and bent over Haku pressing his lips against hers feeding the leaves to her. "Eee," I squinted, and became jittery. He didn't just press his mouth over hers did he? Ew!

"Make sure she swallows all of it," the man spoke, cupping his chin. He seemed very concerned about Haku, he wouldn't even move his gaze from her.

Haku would cough and breathe heavily every time Inuko would pass the herbs through his mouth to hers. I really hoped this worked, because if it doesn't Miroko would defiantly have us killed.

Inuko hissed under his breath, "How long will this take," he retorted loudly. "Patience, it won't take long for the herbs to take affect... meanwhile I will go to the stream to get some water," he said standing up. I watched as he left and then moved my gaze to Inuko.

"She'll be okay Inuko, don't worry..." I said watching Inuko's worried face. The man returned shortly after with a bucket of water in his hands, he sat down to the next of me and dipped a cloth into the bucket. As he was about to reach to place it on her forehead, Inuko stops him placing a hand over his. "Don't touch her, I'll do it..." he said taking the cloth from the man's hands.

"Why did you come here to seek my help if you will not allow me to assist the young lady?" he questioned sitting back. "You make herbs and remedies, that's good enough," Inuko contemplated in a loud voice.

"Inuko, don't be rude." I shouted at him, he scowled at me and placed the cloth over Haku's forehead.

"It's alright, my dear lady... I am not offended," he said smiling wearily. "The fever should subside soon, and she will wake..." the man said in a monotone voice. "So, what's your name?" the man asked looking straight at me. "Who me?" I pointed to myself, a little sceptical. "Yes my dear, you sure are lovely," he said taking my hands in his. Was he hitting on me, no honestly was he a lecher, great another Miroko that's all we needed. I sighed deeply and removed my hands from his grasp.

Inuko, glared at him and scowled, "Hands off my sister buddy..." he hissed angrily. "Easy easy, it's not like I was offering her to bare me a child," the man replied waving his hands in the air. Yup he was defiantly another Miroko. "Ow," Haku moaned, all our eyes moved to her as she slowly opened her eyes. "Haku," I took her hand and held it to my face. "Haku, are you alright?" Inuko asked placing a hand under her head. She slowly shifted herself to an upright position. "Yes, but my arm hurts..." she replied wearily she rested her head against Inuko's shoulder. He pulled up her kimono sleeve and the bite marks disappeared. "I'm glad," Inuko whispered wrapping his arms around her. She definitely gave me a scare, I thought she was for sure a goner.

"Thank you," I said to the man. He smiled at me and pressed a hand against his head. "It was my pleasure," he added. Inuko didn't seem to trust him he kept scowling at him the whole time.

"So, what brings you to Minatori village?" The man asked. Haku had fallen asleep again, this time in Inuko's arms. I sat next to Inuko, watching the man mix some vegetables into a pot.

"We came to the village by Setsuki's request, she asked for us to seek out her brother..." I contemplated pressing a hand to my cheek. "Oh, Setsuki she is my sister," the man announced, not looking at us. He continued mixing items into the pot.

"I'm Akagne," he introduced himself. Inuko was definitely not pleased with his presence; he kept his arm around me as well, a little over protective weren't we?

"You have the scent of a half demon," he said, looking from the corner of his eye towards Inuko and I. "What's it to you?" Inuko retorted. "Inuko don't be so mean," I said scowling at Inuko. I slid his arm off my shoulders. "I'm sorry you must forgive my brother, he doesn't like people very much," I answered insolently.

"Well, that is fine... I have nothing against half-demons, you are welcomed in my home..." Akagne said sincerely. He took a scoop and poured three bowls of soup noodles for us. "Here you are," he said handing one to me and to Inuko. Inuko didn't take his.

"Inuko what is your problem, show some respect..." I shouted at him. He glared at me, and got up carefully placing Haku on the ground covering her with the white sheets that she had slept on. He, angrily stormed out of the house. "I'm sorry you must forgive my brother, he's not usually like this..." I looked at Akagne, his eyes were affixed to the waving door, and yet he seemed concerned for Inuko.

"Where is it you venture?" Akagne asked scarcely, as he ate from his bowl. "Oh, well we are travelling to Mt. Hakurai." I told him also eating from my bowl. "Mt. Hakurai, it is dangerous for ladies such as yourselves to travel there... what you seek there?" he asked. I was positive he was trying to pry for information, so I lied.

"Well, it's just a trip we are taking..." I smiled half awkwardly. "You my lady are a horrible liar," he spoke placing his bowl to the side. Wow, he was good. "I'm sorry, but I cannot tell you why we travel to Mt. Hakurai," I told him also placing my bowl to the side as well. "Well, allow me to assist you on your journey then... my medicinal herbs should come in handy if you encounter poisonous demons," he snickered smiling.

"Over my dead body," Inuko retorted angrily, I hadn't even noticed him enter the room. "Oh?" Akagne questioned eyeing Inuko down. "You will not travel with us, understand..." Inuko grumbled.

"Well why not spend the night and we can decide this in the morning?" He gestured his hands for Inuko to rest.

"Tch, whatever..." Inuko said and came to sit next to me. Inuko did not sleep the night; I guess he was worried the lecturer would try something stupid. I however did sleep; I curled up close to Inuko, covered by his arms. Morning had dawned early, and we were ready to set out again.

"Thank you for your hospitality," I said bowing down towards Akagne. He held a hand up towards me, "You are most welcomed," he added smiling. "Let's go!" Inuko contemplated, hovering in front of Haku and me. Haku seemed much better today, she smiled at Inuko and waved at Akagne, as she walked on ahead of us.

I smiled and followed behind Haku, Inuko didn't move from his spot. "Are you coming or what?" he said, his back facing Akagne. "Excuse me?" Akagne questioned. "Look you can come with us, but hands off my sister and Haku..." he said, walking on ahead.

Akagne smiled and followed behind.