They stayed on the outskirts of the fallen tree, eyes never leaving the man, weapons at the ready.
"Are you alright?" Kagome called.
The man looked up, relief washing over his face. "Thank goodness! I thought I'd be stuck here forever!" The twins shared a look, Kagura's eyes narrowing.
"How did you get stuck?"
He pointed with his free hand. "I buried a bag of supplies under here," he said with a sheepish smile. "I was trying to retrieve it, but I'm caught on the bark."
"Anything?" Kagura whispered, fan clenched tight in her hand.
Kagome shook her head. "Nothing. He's human. And no one else in the surrounding area either." It was odd, though not entirely out of the ordinary; the forest was open to everyone, used mainly by the villagers from the shiro.
"Keep your guard up." Her fan sliced through the air, the large branch falling away from the tree, and she couldn't hide her smirk at the man's startled yelp. He inspected his arm, his smile only growing when he found himself unharmed.
"Thank you so much!" he gushed, pulling out his sack. It was smaller than a normal peddler's pack, but he still struggled with the weight, having to brace himself as he got to his feet.
He stepped toward them, but Kagome raised her bow, the nocked arrow pointed straight at him, and he thought better of it, holding up his hands. "Be more careful where you store things next time," she said. "You might not be so lucky."
He only smiled, undeterred. "If it puts me in your lovely company again, I might do it on purpose."
Kagura stifled a groan, already turning around.
"I'm Akitoki, by the way!" he called after them. "Akitoki Hojo!"