The Ribbon That Binds Us (Chapter Four: Seperate Ways)

After some rest in the inn for another few hours or so, the young man whom had introduced himself as Kenshin, and the one who graciously brought her here, even unknowing of the fact of her position of being a priestess. They now stood a few feet from which other, just outside the inn. Auburn and blue met together and sooner then later she closed her eyes. The priestess took a moment to bow her head in his direction only to stand upright again moments later. Either of her eyelids fluttering open once more to meet his gaze.

"Thank you for looking after me..." were words softly spoken from her lips.

In return he gave her another small smile, giving a light bow of his head and turned his heel to begin walking away.

"I could not just leave a woman to her death"

Kikyou thought on those words before turning on her heel, making her way to where she remembered leaving the horse. Upon crossing paths with the man that had led her here for the purification of that demon. Noticing some women crying of happiness when their husbands had returned home, and some of sorrow over having lost their love, due to having waited much too long. Kikyou could not help but feel a tinge of pain in her heart then, that was by a followed by a grip of her bow.

"Miko-sama? Are you quite alright?"

Being pulled from her thoughts, Kikyou gazed at the man to her right with intense auburn eyes. Her resolve strengthening again, slowly but surely.

"I am fine, but I must return home" as she said this, Kikyou climbed onto her horse's back.

"But are you positive... It is still cold out and are you not hurt?"

"Worry not for me, help care for the women who have lost their loved ones" glancing to the man that had approached her horse.

With that having been said, Kikyou gave a light tug on the reigns to have the horse move forward, returning on her way home despite the continuous snow fall and the cold weather. Luckily before having left the inn, she had once again placed the bamboo hat over her head and the cloak of rice straw over her shoulders. Regret filled her once the wind had picked up, perhaps she should have waited out the storm in the village behind her. No... She had to return up as quickly as possible, who knows what could happen, or what had happened already. Worry begun to fill her when she thought of the posible dangers lurking around her home, but quickly dismissed that thought and pushed the worry away.

Upon reaching one of the many hills that stood near her home, Kikyou halted the advance of the horse to over look the area with stern auburn eyes. Small tingles reached her senses then, the first sign of demons lurking around. Either of her eyes narrowed in the slightest as the tingling increased as she had the horse move forward, though it seemed hesitant to even move. Something was off...

Suddenly, before she could even gather her thoughts, a demon approached. He appeared to be an ogre with a deep green colored skin, with a pair of deadly looking yellow eyes. Two large fang sticking from each side of the demon's mouth, like deformed tusks of a boar. A singular, twisted horn stuck out from the ogre's forehead, while his white hair was blown back with it's movements. The only thing he wore, was a piece of loincloth. Quickly enough he ran with heavy steps towards the horse despite being just a few inches taller then the four legged creature, and pierced Kikyou's steed through the chest despite the horse's efforts to stand taller with a neigh. That had caused Kikyou to fall on the hard ground with a small hiss of pain.

Her faithful steed cried out as the ogre before them grinned and let out a deep, booming laugh. Slowly the demon drew back it's hand from the horse's chest, watching in twisted amusement as the steed fell to the ground as well, drawing out it's last breaths. Kikyou stood slowly to her feet as the yellow eyes of the demon turned to watch her with a grin. Her bow already in her left hand with a tight grip, auburn eyes merely watched him.

"Priestess, you are the infamous Kikyou, I take it?"

The grip she had tightened a little more, causing her knuckles to grow white in doing so but she remained silent, forcing to keep her retort to herself. The demon ogre merely snorted after having to wait for a response, followed with a growl while he spoke.

"I see, you're the strong silent type, Priestess... Not that it matters, your life is mine just like the lives of those weak mortals you claim to protect, their lives will be over soon enough"

Something snapped in her mind then, as visions... No, images of Kaede bleeding profusely just as the other villagers as well, flashed into her head. A sharp glare was suddently sent to the demon some feet away from her as she reached back to pull the last remaining arrow from her quiver, due to the rest having fallen out from the fall. In one swift motion, she secured the arrow in place and pulled the butt against the string to aim at the ogre.

"Did I strike a nerve, priestess?" he questioned with a grin.

"Enough! Your life ends here, and now!" she finally shouted back.

The demon moved in a zig zag motion, cause Kikyou to deepen her glare as soon as he was close enough, she skillfully moved to the right in a spinning motion and aim directly at his back. The pink glow around the arrow formed quickly and itensified, soon the projectile was let loose. The demon turned quickly but not quickly enough, the arrow pierced it's chest and covered him in a pink glow. Soon, he turned into dust as Kikyou turned to face the direction of her village. She had enough of this...