She was up early as usual, completing her low maintenance beauty routine quickly. She didn't have that sort of time on her hands, and it had gotten especially harder to find any decent amount of time for herself since the war started. She was more than happy to help out, of course. Being the wise woman that she was, she was aware that there were more important things happening right now than the wrinkles forming on her face. The thought brought a smile to her face, and she shook her gray haired head.

The kitchen was her first stop, and she hummed quietly to herself as she chopped the vegetables for breakfast. There was a pot of water boiling over a fire for rice nearby. The other girls that usually helped her weren't up yet. She knew they needed as much sleep as they could get, and she always got up earlier to get a head start on the day's work ahead of them.

"Excuse me, Okami-san," a tentative voice spoke from the hallway. In the still of morning, it grabbed the older woman's attention, and she turned around to see who her visitor might be.

"Ah, Kenshin," she voiced her surprise to see him so bright and early. "Are you sure you don't want to go back to bed and get some rest, dear? It's rather early, and you got in late last night."

"No, ma'am," he said politely. "I'm always up early." He paused then, to fumble around with the sleeve that hung over his hands slightly. He seemed hesitant about something, so Okami flashed him her best reassuring smile, which he returned shyly. "I'd like you help you, if that's alright you with."

Taken aback by his request to be put to work, she blinked a few times, a useless gesture, but it was a good stalling technique anyway. Composting herself, she waved a hand at him, shooing him in the direction of his room, but he seemed determined to stay. "Well, if you're set on it, there's another pot in that cupboard down there. Would you get that for me while I tend to this rice?"

He pointed to the cupboard she was talking about and she nodded. Walking over to it, he pulled open the door and was greeted by a whole shelf full of pots. Confused, he grabbed the one nearest to him and walked over to Okami, holding it out for her to approve.

"Yes, that's the one. Thank you, Kenshin." She took it from him and then seemed to look around for a moment, before smiling sheepishly at the boy still hanging around. "Actually, if you wouldn't mind, could you fill this up for me from the well outside? Just about halfway is all I need."

He took it back, nodding his head once and giving her a polite smile back before heading down the hall and finding the door he knew led outside. Through the trees he could see a rather brilliant sunrise, and he stopped for just a moment to take in the beauty of it. He didn't dawdle long though, and then purposely hurried to draw the water and transfer it to Okami's pot. He returned rather triumphantly, and she took it from him with a grateful nod, sticking it over another fire to boil.

"Hungry, dear?" She stood with her hands on her hips for a moment, looking over her half-chopped vegetables and glancing at Kenshin once when she spoke to him.

He wasn't but he didn't want to be rude, seeing the trouble she was going through and he nodded his head slowly. He hadn't eaten in awhile, at least not a good meal that really filled a person up, but that didn't seem to affect him. He had never been overfed, to say the least, and he had by now gotten used to getting by on minimal amounts of food.

"Well, that's just about everything. Now I just get to wait around and chop stuff." She laughed to herself and at Kenshin's helpful look, shook her head and shooed him from the kitchen. "No, no, young boys like you shouldn't be helping out in the kitchen. I'm sure there's something else you can find to do around here." She paused to think for a moment, stopping at the doorway so he could walk out the rest of the way on his own. A finger went to her mouth in a thoughtful gesture, and then she shook it up in the air with her gaze pointed to the ceiling. "You know, none of the other men are up yet, not even Katsura-san, but...you're young, right? You can find something," she repeated.

Kenshin gave a soft, polite smile and bowed to her slightly to show her respect when turning and leaving. She watched him leave, a sad smile on her face and a slight shake of her head.

"The poor dear," she murmured softly, but then returned to her business. The men would not be pleased if they didn't wake to the smell of her delicious breakfast.

-

He was at somewhat of a loss. Okami had been right; the inn was absolutely dead this early in the morning. He almost though to get back into bed, but he knew he wouldn't have been able to sleep now. The truth was, he was usually up even earlier than this. Often, his master would get him up before dawn to do early morning exercises. Then a light breakfast and more practice.

Recalling the memory, he resolved to use this opportunity to get some more practice in. It was quiet and peaceful now, his favorite atmosphere. He passed the other rooms quietly while on his way to get his sword from his own, and then headed back outside just as silently so he didn't disturb anyone.

The courtyard was rather small, but would work for this morning. Later, he might stake out an area in the nearby woods that could provide him with an excellent private practice space, but for now, this would do.

He started out nice and easy, getting in a few simple practice swings. It was the basis of all martial arts; such a move, and he didn't necessarily need to backtrack so far to warm-up, but it felt good to ease into like this. Sub-consciously, his single swing turned into two, and then three more complicated looking moves. Feeling his muscles unwind with every movement, he moved into some attacks, swinging at an invisible opponent with such determination, that even though it could not be seen, anyone could be sure that he was hitting his imaginary target.

He spun, slicing sideways into the air, and leaping upwards to escape a possible counter attack. He flew downwards, bringing his sword down viciously into the ground, sending grass and dust flying every which way. When it all cleared, Kenshin was standing a few feet, checking to see that he hadn't done too much damage to the land, and was satisfied to see just an area with grass shorter than the rest of it. Hardly noticeable. He sheathed his sword, pushing his thick red locks away from his face before turning back to settle himself comfortably on the porch of the inn, trying to see over the fence and into the woods that he might explore later.

-

He wasn't even winded.

'That skill...'

The precision of his attacks was unbelievable. Being the experienced man that he was, Katsura knew talent and skill when he saw it.

'That power...'

Looking at the slight boy, it was impossible to guess what he was capable of. He knew that was most likely nothing so far. He was holding back. He didn't want to disturb the other still sleeping soldiers. It was nothing but a morning workout for the boy, and he seemed to enjoy himself very much. That was just the spark this group of men, and Japan, needed.

Those twists and turns; already Katsura could see an amazing reflexive ability. The boy was agile, strong, and very determined. And he was only fourteen. His ki was beyond anything he had ever felt before.

'It's amazing...'

-

He walked down the stairs quietly, thoughts still lingering on the display of power he had just been witness to. Kenshin had most likely not known that he'd had an audience. This was not to say that someone could have snuck up on him and finished him off without him having a chance to fight back. Katsura was simply an expert at masking his own ki, and Kenshin was not used to the idea of an ambush. It would all become familiar to him with time; living and working for him now.

Still troubled, he reached the kitchen and slid down onto the floor, still maintaining the image a leader of such a group should have though.

"Well, tell old Okami about it," the woman mused from her place in front of the rice pot. Before he could get a word in otherwise, she lifted and finger and shook it at him. "You may be able to fool your men, but remember, they were never mothers."

The serious look on his face melted away to be replaced by a smile briefly, but it grew sadder and more troubled. "Okami-san, I'm trying to decide what to do with Kenshin."

She remained quiet, looking at him attentively and waiting for the invitation. Katsura shrugged with a sigh and nodded his head, urging her on. She was waiting for the sign that she could give her honest opinion.

"Let him go, Katsura-san."

He had been expecting something like this from her, but such a blatant, almost order, was unanticipated. "Pardon?"

"This is no place for a boy," she said more softly this time. "Why would you wish him to grow up around this? It's hard enough for the schoolboys that are missing their fathers, having to worry everyday about what might happen and how to protect the family they have left with them." She stopped stirring the pot to grab the tray and vegetables and mixing it in with the rice.

"He wished this on himself," he responded calmly yet defensively. "I didn't pick him out from a village, tear him from his family, and bring him to Kyoto to fight for me."

"Then where did he come from?"

"I don't know; Daichi doesn't know, and Himura isn't telling us."

"Ach, Himura," she muttered under her breath. "As if you can't call him Kenshin like any other person would."

"I'm not just any other person, Okami-san. I'm his commanding officer, after all. If he were a regular fourteen year old boy, I would call him Kenshin, but he's not, Okami, he's really not." He was getting excited now, a light in his eyes that showed a hope that Okami hadn't seen in a long time. "I think he can help us out tremendously."

"He's just a boy," she said softly this time, obviously worried for his safety. "Just...a boy. Besides," she said, just remembering something. "He hasn't agreed just yet, has he?"

"No, I still need to meet with him privately."

She nodded her head, determined to get to the boy first and get through to him. He didn't belong here. He belonged back home with the other boys his age, wanting to fight but not being able to. Where did that man get off bringing a child into the war? What Kenshin needed was-

"You'll let him make up his own mind, won't you, Okami-san?" He looked at her expectantly, waiting an confirming answer.

She blinked, but turned around and crossed her arms across her chest. "I'm going to make sure he knows what he's getting himself into, that's what. And then I'll let him make up his own mind." She lifted the pot from the fire with a grunt, preparing to rouse the girls so they could help with the rest of the chores. "You just make sure that he'll be alright."

Katsura nodded, averting his gaze to the small table he sat in front of and preparing to head to the dining room. "I think I know what he's going to do to help us, Okami-san. I think I know how to turn the tables on our enemies."

The statement frightened dear old Okami, and she shook her head sadly again as he walked out, lost deep in thought. What did he have in store for the young innocent that had been brought to him?

-

Author's Notes: Sorry for the delay and short chapter. I didn't want to run things together though. :) Hopefully it's not going so slow that whoever is reading this absolutely hates it, but I'm hoping it gets at least a little better.

Reviews are greatly appreciated. Thanks.

-LHB