Chapter 5
"You shouldn't eat that . . ."
"Why?"
"It's poisonous."
I looked up to see Brad spitting out pieces of some leaves.
"I thought you said I could eat it!" he said to Hayabusa.
"No, I said you could eat that over there," Hayabusa nodded over to the plants by the tree as he weaved the pieces of grass & twigs together, "But I don't understand why you're so hungry."
"I haven't eaten since I found Kasumi . . ."
"Well . . . the fish won't be done till a couple more minutes. Your mouth is going to burn. Drink this," he handed Brad a flask.
"Is it alcoholic?"
". . . No."
Brad shrugged & drank from the flask.
Hayabusa & I were weaving grass & twigs together while we waited. We've been with him since he saved me & Brad from Ayane & the ninjas. When I mentioned I couldn't catch the wind, he told me that Ayane used some type of curse upon me & it would last for a while. When I asked him what a while was, he couldn't give me a specific answer. I never knew she could do that.
"It seems they've been experimenting with different properties," Hayabusa had said earlier.
It was the morning now. The three of us were sitting around the fire where the fish were being cooked. Even though it was a peaceful, carefree moment, just the three of us together, I could sense that Hayabusa was on the watch for the ninjas. His katana was just behind him. And at the tiniest of noises, I saw his eyes jolt to the side. I had told him that I shouldn't be around him. I shouldn't even be around Brad just for the safety of the both of them. But Hayabusa wasn't afraid. I doubted they would come for me in the daylight. Usually, it was around sunset or night & I wouldn't be able to get any sleep. But I had gotten a good night's sleep last night, because Hayabusa was with me. Brad & I had slept in a cave that Hayabusa had chosen for us. It was concealed behind some trees. Hayabusa had kept the lookout the whole night. And in the morning, when I had awoken, I asked him if he wanted to sleep, but he said no. I knew he wouldn't. But I felt grateful that Hayabusa was doing this for me & Brad. He even treated the wound on my back.
He's too nice . . .
"A halo!" I said as I put the halo that I made out of grass & twigs on my head.
Brad looked up at me & so did Hayabusa. They both nodded, complimenting me.
"What are you making Hayabusa?" I asked him.
He held it up & . . . well . . . it didn't look like anything I've seen.
"What is it?" Brad & I asked at the same time.
He gave us a confused look. Then I realized that he didn't really know what it was either. I tried not to laugh at him. I weaved more often than he did.
"I'm not done yet," he then went back to weaving.
I thought I saw a smile on his face.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Brad & I left Hayabusa that afternoon. When we were leaving, I sensed a sort of uneasiness from Hayabusa. He must not have wanted me to go.
Brad had suggested we follow the sun so we headed east. We didn't actually know where we were going. And it didn't matter as long as we were far away from the ninjas. I didn't want Brad's life to be in danger again.
We walked for a long while in the warm sun. The trees provided shade for us as we walked. Brad & I held our sacs over our shoulders. I kept my wakizashi at my side & he kept his flasks at his. And he was still wearing that outfit . . .
The rocks & twigs on the ground dug into my feet through the zoris. Often Brad had to stop just because of me. My feet were hurting from all roots & rocks I tripped over or stepped on. Brad insisted on carrying me or at least letting me wear his shoes. But I kept saying no & that I was fine. At least I wasn't just wearing that jacket anymore. Hayabusa had given me some new clothes to wear. He had only a brown shirt & green pants to spare. No shoes. He insisted on going back to his shop & bringing back some shoes, but I didn't want him to. He had already done enough for me.
"Ow . . ."
"What is it? Did you fall again?"
I looked back at the root sticking out of the ground.
"Yes, I'm fine," I said back as I wiped the dirt off of my hands.
I then stood up, wiping the dirt off my knees. I looked up to see Brad looking at me.
"For someone who spends most of her time in the woods, you sure do trip over things a lot."
Well . . .
"I could carry you if your feet are hurting. We're not going to get anywhere with you tripping all the time . . . But then again it's not like we're trying to get somewhere at a certain time . . ."
"Ah, no, I'm okay. Really."
But that didn't stop him. He took my sac off my shoulder, put it over his, & then turned around, crouching.
"Hop on. C'mon, let's go."
I finally gave in & hopped onto his back.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Are you getting tired yet?"
"No."
"Okay."
I asked Brad this so many times, because I didn't want him carrying me if it would make him tired.
The sun was starting to set. We had seen nothing, but trees ever since we left. Well, I did see a couple of squirrels, but they ran away, up the trees as soon as we came into view. And me & Brad shared a couple of conversations here & there. Then we would be silent.
I was getting tired from Brad carrying me. As much as I didn't want to, I set my head on his shoulders & closed my eyes.
"Hey, look, a river."
I looked up & saw a field of tall, yellow grass. Brad stood at the top of a hill, overlooking the field. With the sun behind us, our shadow stretched across the field until it stopped at a river. Brad carefully went down the steep hill.
"Watch out for snakes," I told him as he walked through the tall grass.
"Hey, look. There's something there."
"What is it?"
". . . I don't know . . ."
There was something black lying near the riverbank. It didn't move at all. I kept my eyes on it as Brad got closer. He stopped beside it & we both looked down at it. Then I knew what it was.
"Could it be . . .?"