Nishira sat before a fire, wrapped in a blanket, hugging her knees tightly. Her eyes stayed open but not seeing the flames, so bright in the darkness of the night before them. They sat on a stone platform that had been the foundation to the worship hall, but it had been burned down a long time ago and swept clean to one day rebuild, but that day would never come.

"It's here my mother died." Her voice coming out in a hollow monotone. "The nearby villages profited from our presence for centuries. But the war changed everything. People were scared. Scared of things they didn't understand."
She paused and Kakashi didn't push.
"That night, she'd woken me up, it was the middle of the night, I didn't understand what was happening. We ran deeper into the temple. I thought it was weird because she was wearing her best robes. It was my favorite with red camellias on the sleeves, embroidered on the same coloured fabric so it was almost like a secret you had to search for."
A log collapsed in the fire sending sparks up into the clear sky, hiding amongst the shining stars.
"That night, the villages came with their torches. She went out to speak to them, forgiving them, blessing them. I didn't understand. She was forgiving them for what they were about to do. It wasn't until later that I realized she'd seen her own death. Her gift was to see the future. She'd help everyone plant good crops every year and knew when the war was coming before anyone else did. She'd never try to change it; she couldn't she told me once. The repercussions were too much she'd say. When my father left to bring our handmade goods to be sold, she cried for days until they said he'd been a casualty in the war. Wrong place at the wrong time, they said. He'd stumbled into a shinobi fight on his travels and had been cut down without mercy. It was an accident. We all knew that. But even then, she didn't stop it even though she could. She didn't stop it that night either."
Nishira hugged her knees closer.
"When they threw the first torch at the building, she rushed inside and pushed me out the back door into the woods so I could escape. But I didn't want to leave. I stood there screaming for her. And all I heard was her screaming, as she burned alive. But she'd already forgiven them, gave them blessings. Not to save herself, but because she understood their fear, knew it to be unfair but forgave them anyways. I didn't understand, I still don't."
Nishira hid her face, pressing her forehead to her knees to hide the tears leaking from her eyes.
"Those priestesses, my childhood friends, they were kids with precious gifts, came from the villages around here. They were innocent. My mother may have welcomed her fate, choosing her best dress to die in, but those girls. They didn't know. They've never seen the world or known the cruelties of man. Most came here as small children and we'd raise them; the older sisters would raise the younger ones. My sister and mother raised me, but we were different. The title of high priestess would have gone to my sister if she hadn't died, and so it was me instead. We were treated differently, held to higher standards. But it was a good life. Safe, and tucked away to live happily with each other. But it's gone, it's all gone. And this is all that's left. I don't know what could possibly have been worth it in this box that would justify the murder of so many children." Nishira shuddered involuntarily. Only continuing once it subsided, looking down at the shiny metal bit in her hand, recovered from the extinguished pyre.
"This earring was Miya's. we were the same age, she was one of my closest friends. It was the last gift she'd gotten from her parents before they sent her here. I guess the only thing I have left of this place is my tattoo, and now the box."
She gestured at her pack.
"Your tattoo." Kakashi didn't ask it like a question, just a statement.
"Yeah, the tattoo. Given to me to cover the scar we get when we invite the kami to live within us. Giving ourselves to serve a spirit. Red camelias like my mother's dress, and a cage. More like a prison."
Nishira rested her forehead on her knees. The two of them sat in silence for a while, as she silently grieved for the loss that had happened so long ago without her knowledge. The guilt lay heavily on her chest.
"Tell me the stories."
Nishira looked up, eyes glassy with grief and confusion.
"These people, they died because of what they believed in, and for their love for you as their high priestess. Would you tell me the stories so that I can honour them too?"
Nishira wiped a lingering tear that had fallen with the palm of her hand and nodded. She stood and rummaged in her pack and pulled out the fan and the bells from the secret room.
"We would dance and sing to tell stories. The dances were to entertain the kami that lived here, and the ones invited to live within us."
Kakashi wondered if that what he had spoken to the night before, the kami, or perhaps a trauma response. It wouldn't be the first time a shinobi had suffered a nervous break and developed alternative versions of themselves to protect themselves. But he remained quiet on last night's encounter and watched as she stood in an elegant pose. Even standing there perfectly still with the fan opened and held near her face, a rush of air sent shivers through him, invading the layers he wore.
"I'm absolute shit at singing, so I was always one of the dancers. Bear with me as I remember the steps. I'll talk you through the story."
She let out a deep sigh, an ethereal glow blossoming in her face, Kakashi supposed it was the light from their fire playing tricks on his eyes. The last remaining priestess began to dance in a careful set of rehearsed moves, face schooled into a holy performance meant for any soul, living or not, to be entertained. Kakashi blinked when he thought he'd heard a drum beat materializing on the air, a grounding sound to the brassy jingle of the bells in her hands.
"In the beginning, there was only the Holy Mother. From her womb she made the land and the oceans from her will. And with her she brought her devoted spirits who worshipped her and aided her and in return she cared and provided for them."
Nishira waved the fan in an elegant manner, as though she were a noble lady who had stepped onto the stone, her feet pointed to make smooth lines along her body. Kakashi's eye was drawn to her, the world around them disappearing. The fan seemed to control the air they breathed, laden with a heaviness that anchored him, keeping him from floating away.
"She was a gentle and nurturing woman, a mother to the world. She came to live on the land she created, wanting to see how it had grown since its birth. She discovered that it had been inhabited by animals, and they did not know her as the mother of everything."
With that she made shapes with her hands as though they were extensions of animal bodies, quickly stepping in a playful manner, shaking the bells in an excited manner like a monkey, then sweeping her arm like an elephant's trunk.
"But she showed them kindness and lived among them peacefully for a while, granting them divinity in the world, taught them speech and how to care for themselves and the land."
More of her big beautiful, elegant sweeps graced the night air, Kakashi could not take his eyes off the smooth expertly executed moves.
"But the animals grew conceited in their new knowledge and tried to banish the mother back to heaven and managed to banish the loyal spirits who had fiercely protected her."
She hid her face behind the fan, shaking the bells twice then pausing, and then repeating it.
"We, the priestesses of this temple and sacred place, uphold the divine spirit of one of the Holy Mother's most loyal of spirits. The daughter who protected all the Mother created, but also grieved for her love of the animals. She tried to save the Mother but could not persuade the creatures not to kill her most holy lady."
The bells rang in one long wailing, as she acted out grief.
"Out of despair, the spirit threw herself into the fire to protect the one who created all to try and convince the animals to spare her."
Nishira knelt on the ground, the fan twirled above her head in pleading.
"The Mother, outraged at the mistreatment of her beloved spirits, left them to their darkness, taking with her the light of the world back to heaven. Still, she planted the trees and crops which served the animals in her stead. Even after betrayal, she still nurtured them from heaven."
The fan and bells made movements to represent wind as Nishira danced around some imaginary world in the middle.
"The spirit that had sacrificed herself could no longer return to heaven with her, and so the Holy Mother made a home, this temple, for her to live her days. As humans were made in this world, the world became too unclean for the spirit, so she was given a vessel, a human girl who would be her body in this place, to live forever amongst the world that the Mother made."
She tried some fancy footwork, but stumbled, falling flat on her rear, the bells and fan discarded clumsily. After a dazed moment, she burst out laughing, which quickly included tears as she couldn't stop.
"I always slipped up right at the end, I guess I haven't changed much! My mother she-" Nishira sobered up a little at the name. "She would always tell me that I was born not with dancers' feet but with wings instead."
She thought about the words with a sad smile.
"Kakashi sensei, how do you know where you're supposed to go or what you're supposed to do? I've been running for so long, stopping makes me feel…"
"Scared? Vulnerable? Perhaps insecure?"
After a pointed look she smirked
"Awful, I was going to say awful but those work too, thanks."
"Well, despite being accused of such, I don't know anything about destiny or fate. I lived through a war, saw many lives taken away before they reached their prime. I lost my teammates and my teacher. My father also passed a long time ago, so it's just been me since."
"And team seven."
"Well, you were the first student I took on after I left ANBU. And you were a reminder of why teamwork is so important. You snarled like a feral cat but then I watched you protect your own teammate with brutal efficiency. And I couldn't have been more proud of you out there."
"Don't say that or I'll cry."
They laughed in the silence together.
"I think my mom would have liked you, Kakashi sensei. She was fair and kind. She never let me feel more important than any of the other priestesses despite my inevitable inheritance. She reminded me that the job was talking and being with others. We were supported by the local villages, worked with them closely. Blessed their cattle, their crops, even a lottery ticket once. But she did it with a smile. She talked more than any person I knew but knew when she needed to silent. That is definitely something I didn't inherit."
Kakashi chuckled along with her, looking back as Nishira laid back onto her sleeping mat to stare at the sky, seeing some lingering clouds that didn't block her view. A thought crept along with a rich warmth, he believed he was falling for her. They stayed that way until a commotion caught their attention near the gates of the temple. Kakashi stood and they looked down the pathway to see approaching torch lights that lit up small pockets of people.
"Kakashi, I'm not the only one seeing that, right? It's not just a memory?"
"No, I see them too. We need to go."
"Quick, grab your stuff, douse the fire, let's get out of here."
As they packed their bags quickly, the voices were quickly getting closer.
"DEMON!"
They shouted for the death of a demon, Nishira froze as she realized that that was part of what she heard that night all those years ago. Death to her mother, that they perceived to be a demon. This time though, the demon was her. A strong hand gripped her wrist, forcing her to look at Kakashi's scrutinizing look.
"How do we get out of here?"
She nodded before grabbing his arm and they took off into the forest behind the platform. They didn't go too far until Nishira ducked behind a tree, looking around for any unfriendly presence.
"Dammit! It's around here somewhere."
Nishira began jumping from tree to tree, as Kakashi looked behind them to hear the crowd almost reaching the peak of the trail that led to just above them.
"We need to go."
"I know! Hold on! It's gotta be here!"
Nishira rustled in the bushes, desperately searching until she came to the base of a specific ancient tree.
"Aha! Here it is! Let's go!"
At the base of the tree was a hole, hidden by draping roots.
"Get in!"
"Where does it go?"
"I'll tell you later, just go!"
Kakashi jumped in and was plunged into darkness. He began to rummage in his bag for a light when a hand grabbed his and dove into the inky blackness. In a maze of turns and dips and clambering up dirt pathways, Kakashi trusted his guide to lead him. Soon he saw a low light coming from an opening ahead. He began to trot faster bumping into Nishira when she stopped just before the opening, holding her arm back. Kakashi only saw her dark silhouette as she popped her head out and then turned back to grab his hand again. They burst out and Kakashi recognized the area as the graveyard from before. Nishira didn't stop, instead they sprinted from the area without faltering. As they were about to leap up into the trees to begin their quick escape to get farther away, Nishira looked down to see her hand firmly grasped in Kakashi's, that she hadn't let go since leaving the tunnel. Sheepishly, she took her hand back, but without thinking, Kakashi snatched it back up and they bolted into the night.

They made only one stop. The travelers walked idly through a town near the shrine. Nishira didn't feel the warmth of her partner's hand as it brazenly continued to hold on to hers. Instead, her gaze drank in the decrepit buildings, muted browns and grays in the dim lantern light. Windows boarded up on buildings where grass and ivy grew uninhibited, claiming the architecture back for nature. The merciless creeping of time had not been kind to this town, and the knot growing in her chest was a mixture of sadness at nature's cruelty, but also speckled with smug joy. These civilians, though older after the decade she'd been gone, were still familiar. Out of the only open izakaya stumbled an unshaven man, as his feet faltered and he landed in the dirt, stirring up a cloud of dust reflecting the limp light.

Stepping around the man, Nishira pushed the worn curtain aside to enter the izakaya. The rations in her bag were plentiful, their water skins full, Nishira didn't enter to satiate any other need than curiosity. It parched her throat with desperation to know what happened to her mother's murderers. The room stood sparsely populated, empty chairs seemed to sag from old age and misuse. The table displayed its history with layers of dried rings left behind by cups full of sloshing liquid. Nishira absently traced her finger around the round outline, ignoring her own filled cup. Only stopping when a cloaked man entered the building, his face distorted into a sneer, marring his sun bronzed face.
"The curse, it's always the bloody curse."
The server, an elderly woman with a neat bun that had not changed over the past decade waved a cloth at the newcomer.
"Stop swearing and take a seat, Yusho. Enough about the damned curse."
He threw himself down on the chair and slammed his clenched fist on the table. The cutlery jingled as they hopped from their place.
"Soburo lost half his chickens, wolf got into the enclosure. We'll be lucky if we make it through the rest of the winter."
The server came out with a steaming bowl of soup, rearranging the the utensils into their assigned spot. She paid his ramblings no heed, performing her duties diligently.
"It's the nature of wolves to eat too, Yusho."
"And Raza's well drying up? And the death of those kids."
"That's just the winter sickness. You know that."
"No it's that damned demon. She cursed us. We all heard it! And now look at us! Living in squalor, barred from the land that is rightfully ours to take."
"Hush, boy and eat."
"We went there, tonight, me and the boys. Scout saw firelight coming from the inner sanctuary. There was no one there, mind you. I bet she's back to haunt us. Back for her revenge."

Kakashi watched warily his eye tracking the motion of her fist closing until her skin paled to a stark white. He placed his hand gently over her fist, Nishira looked up to meet his soft gaze before shaking her head to ward off whatever had been whirling dangerously between her ears.
"We should leave."
Her voice came out thready, seething, barely restrained. Kakashi stood and ushered her out of the room, leaving behind more than enough coin. The man spotted their retreat and pointed his filthy finger at them.
"And who are you two? Where are you going?"
Kakashi placed his hand on Nishira's shoulder, subtly keeping her from turning. Instead, he turned himself, his face schooled into a friendly and harmless façade.
"Just travelling through. By chance, is there an inn in this town?"

The man with scowling eyebrows let them leave with vague pointing towards an inn. Nishira rolled her eyes under the cowl of her hood, if they'd followed his directions they'd never find the place, she thought bitterly.
"Should we hit the road, Kakashi sensei?"
Kakashi contemplated the answer, drawing out the silence. His eyes lingered on the deep bruising bags under her eyes, the way she still cradled her one arm, injured from the fight only a few days before. Nishira frowned suspiciously, certain he was stalling deliberately.
"No," He said so with what Nishira swore was a twinkle in his eye. "I think we need a good night's sleep, don't you? I'm completely exhausted. Besides you have a box to open."
His words were spoken somberly, and Nishira almost regret her suspicion.
"The inn is just up ahead." Her voice held the faintest tremor that Kakashi smartly refrained from pointing out. But his eyes took in her stillness that stilted her walk.

The innkeeper was an young man, his half hooded eyes take the two in without a care as he handed them a key.
"Down the hall, last door at the end."
Having dismissed them, the boy turned his head down to the book on the desk, a school book. He began scribbling into a notebook. Nishira was about to walk off, but Kakashi stopped.
"Excuse me." The boy looked up, boredom still plain on his face. "When we were around town, a local mentioned something about a curse?"
Nishira considered throwing her bag at the back of Kakashi's head. She'd had enough at the izakaya.
"Ah yes, the curse." He spoke so glibly, the tone made Nishira pause before whipping off the pack in question. "It's stupid. Some of the townsfolk think there's some curse on the village. Maybe they're right. But-"
Nishira's hand tightened on the strap, her lips pressed together in a thin line.
"Basically, the way my mom tells it, the war had people scared real bad. And they decided that the temple, the place that blessed every baby, crop, and little ear ache, was to blame for the war. Burned it to the ground, and apparently, brought on the curse. Townspeople will blame the curse for everything. Last week, old Fushi said his going bald was from the curse and not because the man is now absolutely ancient. Whatever. People need to blame something for their misfortunes, so some demon priestess is it."
"They killed people."
The words were spoken low, as though emerging from the void of shadows rather than the female guest.
"What did you say?"
Kakashi waited for her to unleash on the poor boy, but his eyebrows rose in surprise when she spoke.
"I'm tired, let's go."
The teen waved them away, going back to his homework, leaving them to meander away.

Kakashi emerged from the bathing facilities, dragging a towel through his damp hair, his breath coming out in a lazy sigh through his clean clothes and mask with the grime now washed from his body. Nishira knelt on the ground, before her sat the box from the temple. She sat unmoving, unblinking, hands curled on her lap.
"You know, if you want to open the box, you'll probably need to use your hand."
"Kakashi sensei, you open it."
He took a few steps closer, hovering over her shoulder.
"I don't think I'm supposed to do that. What if it's cursed?"
His light teasing tone simply passed over her, missing its landing completely. He watched with rapt attention as one of her hands uncurled, reaching for the box. It stopped, hovering a few inches from it, before she pulled it back.
"I can't."
Kakashi knelt next to her, seeing tears rolling down her cheeks.
"You don't have to right now. You can open it when you're ready."
That drew her eyes to him, those golden orbs shining with unshed tears that flicked uncertainly.
"Why did you ask about the curse, back there?"
The words weren't spat accusatorily, instead, they were spoken soft like tiny bird wings fluttering.
"I suppose I thought you would want to know."
Nishira admitted to herself that a small part of her wanted to know the whole story. But it had carved a hollow cavity in her chest that ached, the grief welling up again as though that murderous fire had happened only yesterday. The grief squatted unforgiving like jagged stone to hear their hatred was unquelled.
"Does it change anything, knowing this?"
Her face formed like a painting into a face of peace. It left a bitter taste in Kakashi's mouth.
"Man has always been cruel, it's silly of me to think otherwise. Ignorance is as dangerous as poison, except it kills the mind not the body. What I know for certain because of this is that I'll never come back here again willingly."
Stunned, Kakashi did not respond to such a statement, spoken with cold confidence. He turned to set up his futon when he heard her voice again, this time softer, with quiet reserve.
"Kakashi sensei? Thank you."

Those were the last words she spoke until leaving the small cursed village, sprinting for their own land long before the sun rose over the horizon.