A/N: I know it's been so long since I've submitted! I plan on continuing this fanfic, albeit a bit irregularly because of other projects. I might do a few other The Devouring fanfics and, as I can't find any, a fanfic of Mercedes Lackey's Beauty and the Werewolf. But for now, let's get back to The Caged Goddess.

"Shuuchi," Kagen started, eyes narrowed, "I don't think Suiren is in the right mind."

"She's the youngest of all of us," Shuuchi replied, calm as ever. "There might be something troubling her. And, as we can all tell, the water's back." Then he frowned. "However, you and I as well as the others can sense the animosity between her and Master Takushiki now. He's meditating over the proper course of action."

"Can't believe she snubbed the Master—does Suiren have a death wish?"

Shuuchi smiled. "He wouldn't kill her. However, I foresee him monitoring her closely for the next while to come."

"As long as she doesn't soak me again!" Kagen growled. He furled and unfurled his claws, his muscles visibly tensing and relaxing in constant succession. Shuuchi chuckled and bid Kagen farewell before returning to his shrine.

Meanwhile, Izuna sauntered outside after taking a long relaxing bath now that the water returned. "Ahhh! Feels so great to be clean!" Grandboss, Shino, and Mitsumoto glanced at her.

"Yes it does. It's a feeling I've come to enjoy!" Mitsumoto cried. He stared at Izuna, blushing madly. "You know Izuna, we could—"

"Enough." Grandboss sighed wearily. He knew all too well how this would go. "I'm curious to see what the village chief has to say about this. Since you didn't speak with him Izuna, I believe you should come with Shino and Mitsumoto and I."

"Whaaaat? Do I have to? I want to, I don't know, bask in the fact that the brat got a talking to. I don't want to hear the chief try to guess why she did it."

"Izuna," Shino said, "you were supposed to talk with the chief while I made sure Grandboss and Mitsumoto were okay. It won't hurt you to do as you're told."

Izuna sighed dramatically and threw her arms up. "All right already, I'm coming."

They took the short walk to the village chief's home only to find he wasn't there so they tried the shrine. The chief, Takechiyo, was praying in front of the shrine. As the ninjas grew closer they heard him muttering a prayer to Takushiki, speaking of some force he felt. Three of the ninja knew the polite thing was to wait, but the fourth didn't care. "Hey chief!" Izuna shouted. "We wanna talk to you!"

Takechiyo whirled around and scrambled to his feet, muttering curses and adjusting his robe. He grabbed his staff and eyed the four suspiciously. "Yes?" he asked hoarsely. "What is it?"

Shino glared at Izuna, who was silent aside from her giggling, and Grandboss smiled tentatively at the chief. "I'm sorry Izuna interrupted you, Takechiyo. Though, I do need to speak with you."

"Ah. I… I suppose I have time." Izuna sneered; the chief always had time. "Yes, yes. What is it you must know?"

"I've been pondering the goddess Suiren's actions and wondered if you knew why she would punish the village without reason?"

"Oh? That's all?" Takechiyo chuckled and breathed a sigh of relief. "Suiren is the youngest god. She acts very mature but has acted childishly in the past."

"So it's just a brat being a brat?"

"Izuna! Do you want to anger her for real this time?"

"Aww, c'mon Shino-sis! She depraved the village of water because she felt like it. I can call her a brat if I—"

"Takechiyo, how about we go have some tea and discuss this matter? I have more I'd like to ask and I don't see us getting through this conversation easily."

Takechiyo smiled. The offer seemed to relax him. "Tea sounds lovely my friend, but I have more praying to do. If you'd excuse me…" He eyed them all again before turning and getting back onto his knees. Grandboss left, followed by Mitsumoto and Shino. Izuna already slipped off without them seeing where she went, so they let her be. It was easier than spending the rest of the afternoon searching for her.

Suiren paced. She was in her shrine where she didn't dare leave. How she had brushed Takushiki off astonished her. What possessed her to do such a crazy thing? Master Takushiki had done nothing to deserve it. Even then Suiren would've held her temper.

"Something is wrong," she muttered. "I didn't say that."

This makes no sense. The offering is gone; I doubt I'll ever find it. I don't care to. But I do care to understand what made me be so disrespectful to Master Takushiki.

It had to have something to do with the offering. Everything happened after it was left at her shrine and now that things went wrong it was gone.

Did someone steal it?

"Not possible."

She would've sensed a threatening presence in her shrine. But whoever stole the offering had to be the one who left it or at least someone in league with the one who left it. It was the only thing that made sense unless she considered the theory she was losing her mind. Maybe Kagen could help? He was the god of mental and physical health. If something was wrong with her mentally he might be able to cure her.

"No. I won't go to him and say I believe I am going insane. I am not."

Those words held no confidence; only worry.

What if she was going insane? She never thought she could, as a goddess. If it could happen she was in trouble, but it felt impossible. She was the goddess of peace—insanity opposed peace. Still, something was there. Suiren felt it and it sent chills down her spine.

Suiren decided to rest. She would later confront Fuuka and talk with the other Goddess about this. Fuuka was the goddess of human reason. While Suiren wasn't human Fuuka always had some form of insight on others' problems.

Katsuye approached the village with hesitance. Had her Goddess succeeded with her endeavor? Katsuye had not returned to the village to see. Her Goddess put her under strict orders to not enter the village too early or else their plan might fail. But I must see if all is well. If not, I can't risk losing her guidance forever.

Unable to decide, Katsuye opted to head back to the forest but the distinct noise of snapping twigs and crunching leaves made her stop. She turned in time to see a pink-haired woman standing a few feet away from her, huffing and puffing. "What?" Katsuye muttered. Izuna glanced at Katsuye and they stared at each other briefly. Izuna broke the silence.

"What are you doing here?" she practically screamed to the gods.

"Gah! You wretched, wretched girl—don't yell so loud!"

"What? Hey, name's Izuna and if you have a problem with yelling then don't yell at me!"

Katsuye made a strangled noise mixed between a grunt and a snicker. "An immature child who thinks her name means so much, how cute."

Izuna's brow shot up. "You say what now? At least I don't—whoa." Izuna clasped her hands over her nose and staggered back. "You—smell—awful! Jeez, when was the last time you bathed?"

She scowled. "I do not smell." Discreetly, she sniffed some of her hair as she brushed it back. Katsuye knew she smelled; her normally short, well-kept brown hair was filthy and matted to her scalp. She hadn't bathed in several days due to her Goddess' commands to keep moving and to not stop. Her skin itched and she needed new clothes, but that would have to wait. "Be gone and leave me be."

"You're really going to deny you smell like a dead animal? Whatever you want, old lady!"

Izuna marched back to the village. Katsuye glared daggers into the back of the younger girl's skull. Katsuye didn't require a reminder about her looks, not that she cared she already showed signs of age. Her Goddess wasn't easy to please, but Katsuye managed it. Stress was imminent. Mortal bodies were temporary. Katsuye decided she would bathe before she went into the village. "Only one more day," she reminded herself, "and then I can see for myself how things are going."