A different time in Japan

It was cold.

So cold that not even the small fire she'd finally started helped to warm her tired bones. And judging by the way her companion was shivering, it wasn't doing much to help him, either. She let out a heavy sigh, willing herself to stay awake so that she could watch over his weakened condition in the hopes that he'd improve quickly. As she tried to formulate her next plan of action, her mind replayed the events of the day…

Earlier that day

They'd split up from the rest of the group. She told them that she could feel the power of those intriguing little fragments, but that it was coming from two different directions. So they'd split up, the girl and her gruff friend heading in the direction of the more intimidating source of power. In retrospect, she'd been glad that she'd sent the child with the other two, knowing that he most likely would have been hurt in the battle that had ensued.

They'd gone forth after deciding to meet back at the village once the object they sought had been found. She had gotten her companion to the source of the power quick enough, and upon their arrival her friend had instantly launched an attack against the beast that hid the fragment from them. Though their victory had been a quick one, it had not come without injury. They'd been forced to stop and bandage the wound she'd received during the fight, resting for a moment or two in a nearby clearing.

That proved to be their one mistake.

By the time the pair was finally able to move on, the storm had hit them full force, rendering even her friend's supernatural powers useless. Still, they'd trudged on as she led them in the direction of the village, or at least she hoped they were heading towards the village. After what she thought was an hour, she heard the soft thud of a body hitting the snow behind her. Running to his aid, she quickly cursed herself for forgetting about the new moon that had just begun to crest over the horizon. Straining against his bulk, she'd thrown an arm around her companion and half-dragged, half-carried him through the blinding white snow. After a few hours, she could feel her own body start to give in to the clutches of the storm, and in a last act of desperation had cried out to the gods to save her friend, regardless of the cost to her own life. Finally giving into the tears that had threatened to break free before, she felt the howling winds kick up around her, and she nearly laughed in desperation. Opening her eyes for what she thought might be the last time, she spotted the cabin, no less than five feet away. Letting a small joyous cry escape her lips, she'd made for the cabin quickly, carrying her companion with newfound strength, fueled by adrenaline. Once inside, she'd started a small fire in an attempt to warm and dry them both, chanting a constant mantra of "He'll be fine..." even as she wondered why he wasn't healing faster now that his ears had returned…

Back to the present

The young girl let out another small sigh. Looking back on the day's events, she felt she had only herself to blame for not getting them to the safety of the village before the storm hit. But none of that mattered now, her friend was still shivering violently, and she knew that if she didn't do something soon he would die. However, she couldn't get beyond the fact that he seemed to be healing slowly despite his transformation back into the strong hanyou she knew. With a soft shake of her head, she turned to rummage through her bag for anything useful, when the door was suddenly thrown open by what she hoped was just another traveler…