Just as she expected, there were definitely humans down the path, and as her peddling fell short through the thicket of trees, she witnessed an unwelcoming sight. A group of men dressed in olden clothing turned from a toppled wagon they had raided and observed her. Blood stained the dirt at their feet, and bodies of nobles laid unmoving.
Bandits…
Kagome recognized the leers and smirks, the glimmer of blades reflected as the sun slowly descended over the mountains. Fear left her silent for the briefest of seconds until an unwanted inquiry escaped her.
"Y-you guys… wouldn't know where I might… find a village or… temple… Would you?"
It was a stupid question. Why did she bother asking? This was obviously bad news! And yet, what more should she have expected? The moment she asked, a chorus of laughs resounded, and three out of five of the men turned fully towards her.
One particular man took three frightful steps closer to her and smiled a disgusting grin. "Lucky for you, we were just on our way there… You're welcome to travel with us, girly."
"But it's going to cost you!" Someone said.
Kagome sweat dropped and tightened her grip on the handlebars. "O-on second thought… you guys seem pretty busy… Just pretend you didn't see me."
"Not so fast—"