Chapter 36

"Ayane!?" Hitomi exclaimed and looked at the Kunoichi sprawled against the tree.

"Hitomi..." Ayane glared at her with the usual scorn that reflected in those crimson eyes if it wasn't her usual indifference, but this time it was mixed with something else. Pain. Her black leather body suit, as well as that butterfly patterned cloak, were covered in blood and the headband that she usually wore was completely absent.

In an instant she was at her side, checking if she was hurt but it seemed that the blood wasn't hers. A hiss passed her lips as she noticed that Ayane's right arm was aligned in a way that couldn't be healthy.

Broken... she concluded after inspecting it carefully without touching her arm. Who had done that?

"What the hell are you doing here?" Ayane asked her and gritted her teeth together.

"I could ask you the same. What happened?" Hitomi put her fingers gently against the arm, but pulled away quickly when the Kunoichi gasped in pain.

"I'm fine, I just got careless. Now scram. This got nothing to do with you!" The brunette looked at her with a blank face. She couldn't simply leave her like this, nor could she call for help. It wouldn't do having to explain what a Ninja was doing here, covered from head to toe in blood.

And despite her words she was anything but fine, that arm needed medical attention and fast. Hitomi looked around, snapping her fingers as she tried to remember something.

Yes! Now she remembered. There was a forester's lodge around here. Hitomi switched to Ayane's left and put the Kunoichi's left arm around her shoulder and helped her up.

"What?! I said I'm fine. Get lost." Ayane struggled a little but didn't push her away. "It's dangerous here."

"Come on, let's get you patched up." Hitomi said and half carried her to where the lodge was. She was aware of the danger she put herself into. Whoever did that to Ayane had to be a fierce opponent. Hitomi didn't care though. Ayane needed her help right now and that was more important.

A shudder ran though her body as a cold wind blew across the field. This was odd, it usually wasn't this cold this time of the year. Luckily she wore her jacket.

The tree swayed with the wind, moving its branches in wild disarray. As the branches were pushed to the side it revealed a crow sitting on it, watching the two girls as they made their way out of the meadow. At first glance it looked like any ordinary crow, but if you watched it closely you could see the intelligence in its eyes.

And it had many eyes...it had six of them and as its gaze followed the two girls they started to glow an eerie red. Out of the shadow another crow settled down besides it. Then another one came, and another until they were eight in total.

With a collective cry they flapped their wings and took off in the direction of the Black Forest.

And then the wind stopped blowing.

Hitomi kicked the door open and, after making sure no one was around, placed Ayane on the bunk. "Wait here." She said and headed off to look for the first aid kit.

Ayane rolled her eyes at that. "Like I have a choice." she grumbled and glared at her arm as if that would repair the damage done to it. Dammit how could she have been this careless?

Guess the trip to that strange world made me overconfident. Not that she would admit it out loud, but having fought alongside so many great warriors did have its effect on her ego. At first she couldn't remember it, but over the years it had started to get back. She was sure Master Ryu did remember it again as well.

She found herself thinking back to a kind young lady, in silver-white armor, that had taken care of her one evening when she had been hurt. At first Ayane had belittled her for her compassion, but as time went on she had started to like her a little.

Ayane could still remember that she always used to wear a lily in her hair.

Her eyes found the Karateka as she muttered to herself while looking through the cabinets. And now Hitomi had gotten herself involved because she was such a goody two-shoes. She had the same kindness in her. With a sigh she focused her gaze on the ceiling and hoped that they wouldn't find them here and that Master Hayate and Master Ryu were on their way.

"Aha!" Hitomi exclaimed and pulled a first aid kit out from under one of the cabinets. How it got under there she couldn't fathom but she took what she got. Blowing the dust off she walked over to Ayane and knelt next to her. She opened the kit.

"Alright let's take a look at you." she said and cautiously removed the long-sleeved glove that the Kunoichi wore on her arm. She winced in sympathy when she saw the unclothed arm and started inspecting it.

No blood where its broken. That was good, that meant the bone didn't puncture the skin. Fortunately she still remembered the first aid lessons that she had to taken a few years back.

"I have to reset it. It's going to hurt." she told her.

"Whatever, just do it."

"Mhm." Hitomi looked around and found a small piece of wood lying on the table. Grabbing it she held it out to the Kunoichi. "Bite on this."

Grudgingly Ayane did as she was told and Hitomi grabbed the arm on both ends. She took a deep breath and nodded. "On three."

"One. Two. Three!" she pulled with all her might and readjusted her arm, accompanied by a muffled scream from the violet-haired girl. Ayane spit the piece of wood to the floor, gasping for air and closing her eyes. The color had drained out of her face due to the pain and beads of sweat were forming over her brow. Hitomi grabbed the gauze out of the kit and wrapped it tightly around her arm, using the piece of wood to make a makeshift bracer.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" she asked as soon as she was finished but the Kunoichi didn't respond as she had fallen unconscious. Hitomi let out a sigh and gave a small smile.

Guess I gotta have check out myself.

Hopefully she would wake up soon so that she could ask what the hell was going on here.

So much for romantic evening. She should have stayed in bed today.

Leifang was sitting on the floor in front of her bedroom. Her hands were buried in her hair, which she had undone when she threw a short tantrum around her apartment, and her eyes brimmed with unshed tears that were only held back by the anger she felt right now.

Goddammit! She slammed her head against the bedroom door. She had seriously screwed up, hadn't she?

Good thing that nobody else was here right now because she would have beaten them into a bloody pulp. She had directed her anger at everything, mostly the furniture of her apartment. She was angry at Viktor for causing this, angry at Hitomi for calling her a hypocrite, but most anger she felt towards herself. It was true; she was a hypocrite and a big one at that.

I should've been honest with her from the beginning.

The look that Hitomi had given her just before she left pierced her heart every time she thought about it.

The Chinese knew that Hitomi wanted to kiss her so much and had resisted the urge to do so on more than one occasion just for her sake. She had clearly seen the want in the brunette's eyes before she left as well, and then her insecurities had driven her off completely.

Why did she have to be such a chicken?

Good job, you moron. She told herself and stared at the wall, her eyes blank, thinking about what she should do now.

The only thing that came to mind was trying to apologize, but she wasn't sure if Hitomi would even respond...

The empty look in her eyes was replaced by one of determination.

She had to try it either way. She couldn't just let things be the way they were now. And if it involved her having to apologize to Viktor in the end, then so be it. Hitomi was worth more than her personal pride.

Getting up from the floor she headed for her cellphone, which she had thrown somewhere. Finding it under one of her cushions she dialed Hitomi's number.

The phone rung through the silence of the night as someone walked through the meadow. It caught the attention of someone walking through the grass, making that person follow the sound until it came to the weeping willow.

They kneeled down to the ground and slid their hand through the grass, and got hold of a simple silver-grey flip cellphone. The person opened it and saw the name being displayed there.

Leifang.

Wildly looking around the person found a trail that lead towards the forest.

Narrowing its eyes the person flipped the phone shut and pocketed it before heading out, following the trail.

Hitomi watched Ayane while she was out cold. She hadn't found any other wounds on the Kunoichi's body and had now taken to sitting besides the bunk. Stifling a yawn she placed her elbows on top of her knees and leaned forward. Damn, she could barely keep her eyes open. But she had to.

Someone had clearly attacked Ayane and if she fell asleep now that someone could come and get her. So she tried to focus on the violet haired girl. Like always she was the picture of decisive beauty. A flawless face, shapely body that could rival almost Tina's and not a single scar on her whole body were a testimony of how skillful she was.

When she had noticed the very sharp looking blades on her side Hitomi decided right there that she would never want to face Ayane when she was armed, even if she once had complimented on how her Karate was apparently on par with her Ninjutsu.

She chuckled to herself. It was rather unlikely that it would come to this though.

A sound from outside made her sit up. What was that?

Giving Ayane another glance she got up from her seat and walked slowly over to the door, putting her hand on the door handle and cocked her ears. Maybe it was nothing.

The sound came again, and nearer this time. Hitomi opened the door and stepped outside, closing the door almost immediately. She stepped forward with a bit of hesitation and looked around the clearing. There was nothing other than trees and shrubbery.

Maybe it was just my imagination. She thought and had to yawn again. Damn, I'm so tired.

And not only that. Her body was aching all over as well.

Rustling coming from one of the brushes made her stiffen and she turned into the direction from which the sound came. There. Something moved.

Almost instantly she got into a defensive stance, her eyes focused on the brush and she crept closer towards it. The Karateka swallowed hard.

Suddenly the movement stopped and a tiny little squirrel jumped out, an acorn in his tiny paws and looking at her curiously.

Hitomi let out a sigh of relief and lowered her arms. She tapped her nose once. Just a harmless squirrel.

She leaned down and smiled at the little animal. "You scared the hell out of me do you know that?." she asked. "Besides. You should be asleep."

She playfully brandished an accusing finger at it. The squirrel just looked at her for another few seconds before running off. With a chuckle Hitomi straightened herself and walked back towards the cabin.

Or she would have if not for the shadow that jumped at her from out of the trees. Hitomi was thrown backwards and she and the shadow rolled around on the ground until she managed to push it off her. Scrambling to her feet she turned to the shadow, entering her stance again as she did so, and came face to face with a dog.

A dog that held a kunai clenched between its jaws.

What the hell is going on here!? Was the only thought that ran through her mind.

The dog fixed her with his gaze. Somehow Hitomi had the feeling that it wasn't just looking for its owner.

HAHAHAHAHAHA! I'm so sorry but I couldn't help myself to put that reference there, I've been WAY too addicted to that game recently.

Well that's it for this week. Enjoy. :)