Part 6 - Cast Ashore
"She is - like me. One of the Byakko shichiseishi, although she was one of the original seven when the first priestess came." He sounded tired, and Nodoka began to wonder if he were keeping the waters calm and moving in the correct direction through sheer force of will. She watched the horizon, scanning for some sign of land. Before they had left, Guihun had made a point of telling her how much of a distance it was from the hidden isle of Nyosei to the mainland.
"So then..." She paused. "I'm sorry, I -"
"Just go ahead. Whatever it is."
"O..okay. If Lady Hahm was one of the original shichiseishi, then how can she still be alive? Were you one of the original seven as well?"
"Time magic."
"What?"
"Time magic. Her seishi ability was time magic. She could prevent herself from aging, in other words. Pretty powerful. As for me.. I'm one of the new-age seishi. For a priestess, there can only be seven seishi. There's no overlap; the legends are pretty clear." He took several deep breaths, and she figured it would be best not to ask any more questions until they arrived at their destination. She pulled the jacket-like garment he had given her tighter about her body, leaning her head against the crude pillow formed by her arms crossed on her knees.
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There was a howling in the air. A joyful howling that sounded much as a mournful howling would. Few, in fact, could tell the difference. Along the shore where a tiny island met the ocean sat a wolfish creature. It was staring out across the water as if expecting something, more humanly than animal-like. Perhaps its likeness to a human in behavior stemmed from the young boy seated on the rocks above. The boy, as well, stared out across the water in anticipation.
"Well, t'en, 'ave ye found anythin' yet?"
"I don't believe so." The wolf looked over one shaggy shoulder to stare at the approaching dark-haired figure as the boy spoke. The figure stopped at the base of the rocks, looking first at the ocean, then at the child.
"Ye dun t'ink so? I'd 'ave t'ought it was an easy question. Yes 'r no, eh?" The boy didn't reply, and the wolf returned its attention to the expanse of water. "They'll be wantin' ye back a' the 'ouse, soon, I'd wager." She blew her bangs out of her eyes. "I dun like 't, Bier'n. I keep gettin' this feelin' tha' somet'in's comin', but 'aving ye sittin' out 'ere for this long.. che, ye're not listenin', are ye?"
"There is something out there," the boy answered calmly; the wolf seemed otherwise occupied, its tail swishing back and forth much as a cat's is apt to do. The dark-haired young woman squinted into the distance.
"I dun see any'hin'. Ye sure?"
"Yes. Yinse sees it too."
"If ye say so." She gave up, unable to see anything but water stretching away from the shore. The boy and the wolf had already forgotten her presence. Shrugging, she left them to return to the lean-to that she and the two other members of her crew had constructed. Lun and Chi seemed as nervous as she as she neared. A shake of her head told them all they needed to know. While something might be heading in their direction, it was neither within sight nor any closer than it had been several hours before when Bieren had mentioned it.
Bieren was a strange one, far too quiet for a child so young. He had been on the island when the trio were washed ashore, although it had been the wolf who had found them. The pair seemed inseparable, which simply meant that it wasn't necessary to worry about the boy's safety. One less person to worry about was always good. The boy had introduced himself as Bieren, and the wolf as Yinse. He seemed very particular about them pronouncing the wolf's name correctly. The woman shrugged at the memory. He was, afterall, a strange kid.
"Oi, Beike, is th' kid goin' to come back anytime soon?"
"Can' say."
"Ehh.. 'e'll probably 'ust stay out 'here all night. Seems pretty damn excited 'bout somethin'." The three laughed; Bieren never seemed excited about anything. Or happy. Or angry. He simply seemed to take everything as it was, with no need to react to it. Truthfully, they liked him better when he stayed with Yinse, somewhere remote.
Beike sighed, following the other two to the back of the lean-to. They had been building a boat from what little materials they had salvaged of their original vessel and the few resources they had located on the tiny island. The three of them had worked quickly, fueled by the desire to head home again. It had been nearly a year and a half since they had landed here, although they had no idea where 'here' was. The island hadn't been on any maps, although it had been a relief after the storm that ripped apart their ship and sent the majority of the crew to a watery grave. As for Bieren, they couldn't tell how long he had been on the island, or even if he wanted to leave with them once they had completed constructing a sea-worthy vessel. They assumed he would, but he was a rather unusual child.
She picked up a hammer and a crude set of nails and began reinforcing one portion of the boat's side. From the rocks came the sound of Yinse's howls again, and Beike shivered. Beside her, Lun made a motion to ward of evil. She couldn't see Chi's reaction, but could assume it was similar. The howling stopped suddenly, replaced by the quick running footsteps of the wolf as she advanced on the three sailors. She managed to knock over Beike in one leap, then bounded off the stunned woman's chest to sit on the ground as quietly as if nothing had happened. Beike pulled herself to her feet, checking for injuries and the hammer that had dropped from her hand. Yinse watched her with silent amusement, cocking her head to the side.
"'ell, what did ye come runnin' o'er 'ere for?" Beike demanded, staring the wolf squarely in her hauntingly dark eyes.
"It came."
"'n wha' might tha' be?" Beike hardly noticed that the voice that had answered her seemed to come from both behind her and from the wolf. Yinse cocked her head to one side again, and Beike felt foolish speaking to an animal as if it were human. She turned to see Bieren closeby, although she had not heard his approach. The voice that responded had been his, and not the wolf's.
"The raft we've been watching," the boy answered simply, before turning and walking back towards the shore. The wolf followed him, slowing down to match his pace as she reached his side.
"A raf'..." The trio dropped their tools and hurried after the boy, stumbling over each other and various rocks and shrubs in their haste. The boy ignored them, although the wolf looked back every now and then in amusement. Beike and her companions slowed, catching their breaths as the raft came into view. It was half on the shore, the water pushing it the rest of the way until it was completely on dry ground. A girl with pale brown hair was slowly moving to get off the raft, but her companion seemed to be unconscious and badly shaken.
"O-oh!" The girl wobbled uncertainly as she attempted to stand. A furry form pressed against the backs of her legs, helping her maintain balance. She petted Yinse's furry head affectionately, offering thanks. Gazing around, she noticed her unconscious companion and knelt beside the raft.
"Guihun-kun?"
"G'ihun??" Beike blinked in surprise. She had heard correctly. Guihun.. the name brought back memories. The trio stepped over to the raft, and Beike joined the girl on the sand. "'f that's who I thin' 't is, then 'e's 'n ol' friend o' mine. Where'd ye get shipwrecke' from?"
The girl seemed to struggle for a response, looking from Guihun's still form to Beike's tanned face. "An island. They called it 'Nyosei,' I think." Beike whistled through her teeth. It was one thing to get shipwrecked heading from Kairou to Hokkan. It was quite another to travel to and escape from the hidden island of Nyosei.
"Th' name's Beike." The sailor extended a hand.
"Nodoka." She shook it.
"Welcome." The voice startled them both, and Beike looked first to the wolf with another surprised stare. Nodoka's eyes went the young boy standing behind the sailors. "Welcome, Priestess of Byakko."
Above his left eye, something glowed a faint white.