Standard Disclaimer Applies.

Hunters and Prey

Chapter 5

They were too greedy to be patient and patience was the key to effective hunting. Battousai watched with what could have been amusement if he were not certain these men were nothing more than trouble. Only two of them emerged from the cabin, two men he had never seen before.

For a moment he considered waiting until they were gone before venturing down to the cabin to check on the boy, but there was still the confusion as to just who these people were. Also, he knew nothing about the boy who seemed to be both a swordsman and an innocent all at one time. Knowing the boy was alive was enough for the time being. No, Battousai was more interested in the two unknown men at the moment.

They were skilled with their swords, but terrible hunters. After several failed attempts they gave up on their little expedition and returned to the cabin, all the while completely unaware of the shadow that followed. After some distance, Battousai noticed they were a bit jumpy too. Every tiny sound the forest made had them in a defensive stance with swords drawn.

Are they expecting trouble? If they came looking for me then they must, but their actions hardly befit those of men on the hunt for another man. When they returned to the cabin, they hauled in some wood and snow, jobs he had watched the boy perform for several weeks now. Instead of returning to his cave, Battousai settled down in a comfortable spot, intent on watching the whole night through. He wanted to see the boy. He wanted to be certain the suspicions forming in his mind were correct.

Behind that thought was the nagging reminder that since those two men had been unsuccessful in their hunt, the boy too would have nothing to eat. Even with the possibility that the boy might be one of their blood-thirsty lot, he still felt responsible for his health. He had taken it upon himself to provide for the injured young samurai and still found it difficult to believe ill of his mysterious neighbor.

It will be a cold night, he reminded himself and tucked his hands into his gi for warmth. Nothing would deter him from his watch.

Kaoru couldn't believe she had allowed herself to sleep. Not only was her position extremely uncomfortable, but it was highly vulnerable and she only had the promise of future wealth to keep her captors' grubby hands off her.

She jolted when she heard the door slam open and two very disgruntled men stalked in, tracking snow and dirt across the floor.

"Well your Oni didn't leave anything for us to find this time," Fujo sneered as he loomed over her.

Her heart shuddered within and she decided it would be best to placate them instead. "I'm sorry," she spoke softly.

He dropped to his knees and his eyes roved over her extended body hungrily. "Just a children's story," he scoffed and reached out to lay his hand on her stomach. "In any case, if I can't satisfy one hunger—."

"I'm pure," she blurted out when he was nearly on top of her. He stared at her startled for a moment and then grinned, his knee coming down on the floor beside her as he straddled her waist.

"Pure you say?"

"You will get three times my value if I remain untouched," she reminded him.

"Why should I believe that you are? You're far too pretty," he ran his hand through her hair and she felt her stomach lurch.

"I swear it," she whispered. "On my life."

"Leave her be, Fujo," Shun finally interrupted. He had been watching intently, but seemed far more money minded than his companion.

"You believe her, Shun? I think it's just a desperate ploy."

"How old are you, woman?" Shun asked as he stood above her and stared down.

"Eighteen," Kaoru answered honestly and he nodded.

"Leave her be, Fujo. I believe her. Now, lets see if there's anything so much as resembling food left in this place. There may be no more meat, but she might have something…"

"If you let me up," she offered, "I'll get it for you. There are some vegetables left."

Fujo's face brightened and he glanced up at Shun. "Now isn't that hospitable of her?"

They left her wrists bound, but it did not prove to be too much of a hindrance as she pulled out some vegetables to make a stew with. They made her use all of them, stupid fools who didn't know how to make supplies last. But regardless she complied, not wanting to anger them and make them forget her monetary value as a maiden unmolested.

"Either you're a terrible cook or these vegetables are rotten," Shun groaned as he tasted the stew.

"Both," she replied without shame. They didn't spare a drop for her and she retired to her corner as hungry as the night before, but far from cold. Even when the fire died down late into the night, she still did not feel cold. Quite the contrary, she felt inhumanly hot.

It's come back, she realized as she brushed the back of her hand across her sweating forehead. The fever is returning. Soon I'll have no strength at all to protect myself. I must act now!

With full stomachs, they slept soundly and Kaoru's eyes flickered across the room to rest on the knife still sitting on the table where she had chopped up the vegetables. All the swords were kept close to the men, so the knife would have to do.

She stood cautiously and made no sound as she crossed the room, intent on keeping her feet and reaching that knife before they woke. A sigh of relief eased from her as the rope fell away from her raw wrists, but even then, they did not wake.

Her feverish eyes alighted on the door and she calculated how quickly she would have to move to unbar it and leap through before they would wake. There was no way she could leave without waking them, so she prepared herself for the confrontation. It was well into the night and if she could get to the tree line, there would be shadows to aid her in the cat and mouse fight. Eyes ablaze with determination and more, she gripped the bar and swung it free.

Battousai was on his feet with sword in hand before he realized what had awaken him. The full moon lit the snow filled meadow with revealing light and his amber eyes followed the scene that was playing out.

A small figure was racing away from the cabin at breakneck speed. Two figures emerged soon after and an angry shout split the night as they launched after the smaller man. Realizing he was not going to make the tree line before he was overtaken, the smaller figure turned in step and faced the oncoming attack. Moonlight glinted across metal in his left hand and Battousai knew instantly this was the boy.

The first man to reach him leaped to tackle him but the boy ducked and the man flew over his back to crash into a drift. No sooner did the first man fall when the second was on him. The boy sidestepped swiftly and thrust with his left hand. A sharp startled cry told Battousai the knife had found its mark.

The boy didn't pause to gloat, knowing it was but a minor wound and once again took off running for the tree line.

Her breath came heavily and her limbs felt leaden as she struggled to maintain a fast pace in the deep snow. Having penetrated deep into the tree line, Kaoru collapsed in a shadow and clutched her chest in an effort to quiet her breathing.

"She stabbed me!" she heard Fujo cry with astonishment and rage. "Forget the money! I'm going to make her pay!"

"Keep your voice down," Shun hissed and Kaoru shuddered as she heard the soft crunching beneath their feet.

No more words passed between them and she strained her ears to keep track of their position. She had lost her only weapon and was now utterly defenseless. Her body was beyond weak from injury, lack of food, and the fever that now gripped her. Even with the full moon above the trees, her eyes had difficulty sorting what was real and what was illusion.

It was best to stay where she was, so she did in hopes that they would pass her by and her strength might return. Soon the forest was gripped with an eerie silence and Kaoru uneasily glanced around.

I can't hear them. Where could they—

A rough hand seized her arm and she released a pained cry as she was lifted and thrown down into the snow. She struggled to get up but a tremendous weight shoved her further into the soft powder.

"Thought you could get away did you," Fujo sneered at her. "Lucky for you, it was just a scratch."

"Let me go!" she cried and struck out at him. He seized her wrists and pinned her down, laughing hysterically.

"Let me go," he mocked. "Sure, pet. When I've taught you a lesson."

No! Someone, anyone, please help me!

"Fujo!" Shun snapped suddenly and the man above her froze, turning his face slightly away.

"What is it?"

Shun glanced around nervously. "I'm not exactly sure…"

Kaoru felt it too as the wind began to pick up and stir the powdery snow into a mist. The air seemed to crackle with tension and fierce power, the kind she had felt only once before when she held a sword she had found hidden in the cabin. When she dropped the sword, the feeling vanished and she assumed it was all of her imagining. The feeling wasn't going away now. It was getting stronger and she wasn't the only one feeling it.

Fujo's face paled and he seemed to have forgotten about the woman he leaned on until she started to laugh softly in feverish delirium.

"Stop it!" he snapped and he cuffed her across the face. This only made her laughter hysterical and he shook her harshly until she suddenly stopped and stared up at him with dark, colorless eyes.

"Oni," she whispered and then smiled.

"Fujo," Shun spoke urgently. "We've got company."

Fujo leaped to his feet and turned in the direction his friend faced. Despite the bright moonlight, only a shadow stood before them where no shadow should have been able to exist. It looked the outline of a man, but no man of great height or impression. As it started walking closer, they realized it made no sound and appeared to glide on top of the snow rather than sinking in.

"Who are you?" Shun demanded and the wind seemed to stir with greater power in reply. Both men shivered for a moment.

"Forget this," Fujo growled under his breath and he took a step forward towards the shadow, pulling his sword free with a threatening rasp. "I don't care who you are or what you want, but we found her first, you got that?"

The shadow hesitated as if contemplating his words. Suddenly, flames flashed where human eyes should have been and the wind stilled instantly to a deadly calm.

"Oni," Shun whispered just moments before silver light flashed forth from the shadow.

Kaoru heard their screams, screams never meant to come from the voice of a man, and it disturbed her from her delirium. Her ears resounded with the clash of metal, but it sounded unreal and distant. Almost as suddenly as it had started, it ended and the peaceful silence of the forest was all that surrounded her.

I need to get out of this snow. I need to get inside, warm again… the fever…

Something touched her and she forced her eyes to open, only half aware of the possibility that Fujo had come back for her.

There was no light, there was no darkness… only fire both fierce and bright; molten gold like the flames of the sun and she did not fight it as it consumed her.

Also thanks to those chibi shy shadow readers who are reading but not leaving reviews for whatever reason. I know you are out there! (shines flashlight into shadows) There you are! Well, just hope you all are enjoying it either way.