I own nothing!

Usagi's brows lowered and bunched, causing the scar over one to become far deeper. His voice lowered to a near growl. "You know I can make you pay dearly for Tomoe Ame and Lord Noriyuki's lives, Chizu."

She nodded and spoke more coolly to him. "Indeed, I know you can Usagi. But I'd worry more about the prize if I were either of you." She unsheathed and held out a kodachi leveling its point toward the hole behind them.

Tomoe Ame and Usagi's eyes widened. She continued. "If I know Kurokaze, and I know him well enough, he's trying to sneak off with the little Lord of the Geisha Clan now."

Tomoe Ame's eyes narrowed. She bent forward and shouted back, "You lie!"

Chizu straightened and smirked as she stared back at her fellow Neko. "I gave you your chance Tomoe Ame Sama. You had a chance to die by your lord's side. Too bad you asked him to return to that den alone instead of going with him. Did you really think there was only one way in and out of there?"

Usagi bent smoothly into a different swordsman's stance as he growled back, "Now I know you lie. I felt over every hand-breath of that hole myself for days searching for what you speak of."

The necko in white shook her head still seeming to smirk behind the mask. "Did you press hard enough? Did you stick your sword through every wall, the floor, the ceiling?"

Usagi's eyes widened in horror. Tomoe Ame's eyes widened the same way. Chizu's smirk grew.

. . .

Noriyuki had followed Tomoe Ame's order. He'd stared out at the battle from the entrance of the den trying to watch both Tomoe Ame and Usagi's actions against the ninja at the same time. His eyes got quite a workout.

He'd thought as little of Kurokaze's retreat from the battlefield as Tomoe Ame had. But thought nothing of it after that. So concentrated was he on overhearing every breath and battle-cry from his friends before him, he heard not the breaking and falling of dirt behind him. A grip like a steel chain wrapped around his ankle and pulled him back. Then another wrapped around its twin.

He gave a yipe as he was pulled. Tomoe Ame had shouted something outside herself at that same moment. He was pulled back from the den entrance and then up inside the tree's trunk itself.

Kurokaze used the hands of his wings to climb even while his feet kept ahold of his prize. It would be difficult, but not impossible, for he and whoever was left among his ninja, to escape the battle with just the cub. He was the original prize anyway. They would still be rewarded and honored.

However, he hoped both the ronin and retainer slew every necko ninja in this group who'd attacked his and sought to take their prize. Then they wouldn't succeed in pleasing Hekiji with Usagi's head, while own his clan, even if being fewer in number now, would also have far fewer competitors.

The cub sobbed below him as he dragged him up by his feet with his own. "Please Kurokaze! Don't take me to lord Hebe! Don't make Tomoe Ame a ronin! Don't help Hebe take the Geisha Clan's lands!"

Kurokaze dragged himself up through an opening in the tree between three huge branches splitting off from the trunk. Eight of his own ninja circled it in two alternating layers. He pulled Noriyuki out after himself laying the cub on his back, before letting go and turning back to him, looking down into his face. Kurokaze rose to his own full height before answering the cub's query. "No treasure can you offer me or plea can you make me that will convince me, even without my interference, you can keep your lands or even your life cub. Thus, I might as well profit from their loss especially since it will ensure my clan's future. We have already sacrificed much to take you to the one who will reward us for doing so."

He then looked to the highest-ranking ninja to his right. "Bind him quickly."

The panda cub gave a soft whimper. He drew back into the tree bark as much as he could and raised his arms to cover his face. Two of the eight komori bent over him with ropes.

. . .

Usagi glared at Chizu. "You seem awfully calm for all this to be true. Aren't you worried about losing your 'prize,' Chizu?"

Chizu smirked at the ronin. "I am not."

. . .

Twelve shadows from the higher up the tree branches fell upon the komori ninja. Kurokaze turned. A swordpoint touched his withered throat. His own face became like steel as it looked back into the smirk of the necko holding the blade. The same expression was in the necko's voice. "Kurokaze, how nice to see you here."

What will happen next? :O

God Bless

ScribeofHeroes