I do not own the characters, or story-world.

They were carrying he and Lord Noriyuki out of the route they'd been taking toward his castle and toward Lord Hebi's lands. The air grew colder as they flew. Usagi noticed Noriyuki shaking constantly. He cried out from where he hung from another Komori's talons. "The Lord Noriyuki is cold! If you wish him in good health when we reach our destination, you will seek shelter for him!"

"Soon," the Kashiri of the Komori called out as they flew.

They flew over a forest and an unheard signal seemed to pass through the ninja. The one in the lead dove. The others followed. Soon, Usagi saw they were coming up to a large tree.

Most of the bats clasped large tree branches and hung upside down with their blades crossing over each other in front of themselves. However, those with he and Noriyuki in their grasp kept gliding down till they came nearly to the ground. They then dropped them near the tree's roots.

When he looked up, Usagi saw a hole before his face. He quickly crawled on his arms toward it. "Noriyuki! Follow me!"

He got inside and began to feel around in the dark. He felt Noriyuki's patting hands on his feet. Good, he'd followed him in. It took some time, but he eventually stopped and sighed. Noriyuki's voice wavered as he spoke behind him. "Wh … wh … what is it, Usagi?"

The Ronin sighed and sat up to kneel on his knees. He had to fold his ears back, because they were pressed against the ceiling. The hole seemed wider than its ceiling was high. "There is no way out."

"Indeed, there is not." Usagi sent an annoyed look out the hole. He saw the feet of the Komori Kashira beyond the hole. The Kashira continued. "Rest here while the air is bitter cold. We will continue when the cub can travel without growing ill. The one who wants him, wants him well, when he arrives at his house."

Usagi sat back against the cave wall. He soon felt the warmth of Noriyuki's body as it drew near and heard his shuffling toward him too. "Usagi … why did you ask him to take us?"

The Ronin sighed. "I did not want more to die, and in the midst of battle many things can happen. Even though all sides wanted you to live through the fight much might have happened to you anyway. I weighed the chances and took this one. Perhaps I made a mistake, but I have learned after surviving many fights and battles that living one more day, one more night, one more breath, is the first step to living even longer still."

Usagi felt Noriyuki leaning against his side and place his head upon his shoulder. The cub's voice echoed throughout the chamber of hard dirt. "Oh."

Usagi gave a slight smile. He wrapped his arm around the young daimyo, to warmth them both. A piece of cloth folded into a pouch of sorts was tossed into them. It proved to contain rice balls and wild, edible things you could eat and find in the forest in autumn.

After they ate, he encouraged Noriyuki to sleep. The hole had grown warm around them, but Noriyuki had difficulty getting comfortable. Eventually, though, he settled. Then his breathing became even, deeper, and slower.

Usagi stayed awake longer listening and watching, he could hear and see nothing, but with a tree full of ninja above them, he dared not take Lord Noriyuki out. However, when he awoke, he sensed a change in the air, and he heard voices beyond the den entrance and above it from the branches of the tree. "Storm! An out of season storm blows down upon us!"

Usagi smiled and he squeezed a still sleeping Noriyuki next to him in his arms.

What do you think?

God Bless

ScribeofHeroes