The Hunter

Chapter Three

Rin awoke to the smell of smoke and the touch of warm sunshine on her face. She sat up and looked out at the vast rice fields before her. Not far off, a farmer was burning what remained of his harvested crop. The scent reminded her of home with an ache of longing so strong it left her grimacing.

"You okay?"

She turned to find Kohaku sitting next to her, his expression awash with concern.

"I'm fine," she answered briskly before quickly turning away.

"I don't think anyone followed us," he observed with a glance at the horizon line. "We should be able to take it easy from here."

Memories of the previous night came rushing back and with them a sinking feeling of disappointment settled in her stomach. Against that giant of a soldier Kohaku had proven himself to be a skilled fighter. It was apparent to her now just how difficult a task escaping him would be. Her next move couldn't be as reckless as what she'd done in Kyoto, but as for what, exactly, it would entail she couldn't even begin to guess. She would have to be careful and patient, the latter of which she had never been any good at. Frustrated by her predicament, she glared at the boy sitting next to her and found it difficult to muster even the smallest amount of gratitude for what he'd done.

Kohaku took a long look down the road they'd travelled the previous night and confirmed that it was empty. There was no sign of samurai looking to avenge their fallen comrade, or patrol officers hoping to make an arrest. They'd been lucky. He would have to be more cautious in the future. The Shogun didn't take kindly to the idea of commoners carrying weapons, much less brandishing them in a crowded market. He couldn't afford foolish mistakes when so much was riding on the success of his mission.

Remembering why he was there in the first place, Kohaku cast a quick glance at the girl. She looked better than before; her cheeks had gained some colour and her eyes were bright and sharp. A bit of sleep had done her some good. Eager to get their journey underway, he slowly got to his feet and offered her a hand up. She ignored it and took her time brushing the leaves and grass from her kimono. Not sure what he'd done to offend her, Kohaku scratched awkwardly at the back of his head.

"I thought we could be friends," he suggested. "It would make travelling together more enjoyable."

Acting as though he hadn't said a word, Sakura angled past him and started off down the road.

"Do you at least want some breakfast?" he called after her, retrieving a rice ball from his satchel. She glanced back at him and then longingly at the meagre meal. He enticed her with it until she relented and begrudgingly took it from his hands.

"You could at least say 'thank you'," he chided, only half serious.

She turned a fierce look on him, her eyes blazing. She was angry, that much was obvious, but he couldn't fathom why. Perhaps it was naïve, but thinly veiled hatred was not the reception he'd imagined receiving from her this morning. He could practically hear his sister Sango's voice in his ear, scolding him with her favourite line – "What trouble have you gotten yourself into now?" Perhaps a great deal more than he'd intended.

He quickened his pace to match hers. "I saved your life," he challenged, "that deserves some thanks, does it not?"

An impatient noise sounded in the back of her throat, "It is because you did not intervene when you should have that my life was ever in danger to begin with."

"Well, someone had to teach you some manners," he rebutted with a smile pulling at his lips. "Is it really so impossible for you to show the slightest bit of gratitude?"

She lifted her chin defiantly and quickened her pace. His brow rose in surprise and he laughed in spite of himself, "So I guess that means we can't be friends?"

He watched her storm off ahead and used the opportunity to admire the view. She was a rare creature, certainly not what one would call a typical beauty. When he'd first seen her in that place, it hadn't been her looks that had attracted him. It was something he'd seen in her eyes, a subtle intelligence that piqued his interest. How had a creature like that ended up in Shimabara? She was still so young, certainly of a marriageable age. What family would condemn their daughter to such a fate and so thoroughly destroy her chances at a happy future?

Kohaku was determined to discover the truth, but it would have to wait. At present, he didn't imagine she'd be open to telling him much of anything. Exhaling a soft sigh, he knit his hands together behind his neck and stared up at the clouds. The weather was perfect – not too hot, a clear blue sky above their heads and a light breeze to keep them cool. It was a good day for travelling – if only his companion were more agreeable.

Tilting his head, he gazed once more at the girl walking stiffly ahead of him and felt a smile pull at his lips.

"What trouble have I gotten myself into now?"

xXx

Mid-day had come and gone before she spoke to him again. They'd stopped for lunch beneath the shade of a large maple tree. He'd offered her what remained of their food and she'd eaten it in silence. His misguided belief that giving her his share of the food would coerce her into conversation left him hungry and disappointed. Conceding temporary defeat, he'd consoled himself with a much needed nap.

When he opened his eyes a short while later, he found her eyeing him speculatively. Something had changed while he'd slept, though he couldn't figure what it might be. Rather than thinly veiled hatred, there was curiosity in her gaze as she watched him get to his feet and slip his short sword into his belt.

"How did you get to be so good with that sword? Are you a samurai?"

His brow lifted in surprise and he laughed at the suggestion as his hand fell away from the hilt.

"How 'bout you tell me your real name first?"

Her lips pressed into a firm line and she abruptly looked away. It was becoming frustratingly apparent that she had no intention of telling him anything about herself. Wondering if perhaps divulging a bit about himself would be enough to gain her trust, Kohaku answered her.

"I'm not a samurai. Nothing could be further from the truth. My family and I are demon slayers. I have been training to kill demons since I was old enough to hold a weapon."

Rin's mouth dropped open in surprise. There were many answers she had expected, but demon slayer was not one of them. She considered Kohaku with fresh eyes, studying him carefully in the late afternoon sunlight.

He had the build of one who had spent his life training for battle – well developed shoulders from lifting swords high, strong forearms from wielding weapons for hours on end, thick calves and toned thighs to keep his balance and help him run and manoeuvre during battle. As ridiculous as it sounded, this man Kohaku could very well be a demon slayer. Before this day she hadn't known such a person existed, much less an entire family of them.

"Are there many others like you?" she wondered.

"My entire village is made up of demon slaying families. We are farmers as well, but most of our income comes from the villages who hire us to dispatch their demons."

"My family used to be farmers," she confessed as she looked out across the windswept fields of sun-ripened rice. His gaze lingered on her, probing and curious.

"What happened to them?"

Though a year had passed, her memory of that night remained fresh. There was little doubt she could ever forget it. How could she? Even now, her mind played tricks on her - making her think she could hear the panicked shouts of her neighbours or smell the acrid stench of smoke on the air. The events of that night had been her sole burden to carry for far too long.

"My village was attacked by bandits," she replied matter-of-factly.

"Is that how you ended up at the brothel?" he asked, his dark eyes troubled.

Anger darkened her features and she nodded. "Virgins are a rare and prized commodity at such places."

There was vitriol behind her words and Kohaku's expression melted into one of sympathy. He looked as though he were going to reach out and touch her, to offer some sort of comfort. She turned her body slightly, subtly, just far enough to be out of reach, and his hand dropped back to his side.

"I have a sister about your age. I can't imagine what I would do if such a thing were to happen to her," he confessed, shaking his head in disbelief. "I am sorry."

"Not sorry enough to free me," she wagered, fixing him with a sharp look. He flushed and glanced away. His silence was answer enough.

xXx

Dark came earlier than expected and Kohaku found a small cave where they could take shelter. Rin sat with her back at the wall, arms crossed against the cold, and watched him build a small fire. He hadn't tried to speak to her after their previous talk and she found she wasn't entirely surprised. When the truth was too much for her own heart to bear, she could hardly expect others to take on the burden.

Kohaku's silence had turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It gave her the precious time she needed to strategize and formulate an escape plan. The dense forest that surrounded the cave was her best chance, even with the hidden dangers and wild animals. Leaving was worth any risk if it meant she could finally begin the long journey home.

"You will be warmer by the fire," Kohaku urged from where he was crouched next to the flames. His sudden interruption jarred her from her thoughts and she looked up to find him chaffing his hands next to a small fire.

"I'm fine," she answered curtly, annoyed at having been interrupted.

He waited a while before trying again. In the meantime, the fledgling fire grew into a steady flame and she could feel its warmth licking faintly at her skin. Even so, she was reluctant to move closer. The further she stayed away, the easier it would be to make her escape later.

"Sakura, I can see you shivering from here. Lay next to the fire. You will be warm at least."

He gave her an encouraging smile which she returned with a cool look. His offer had become too tempting to ignore as easily as she had before. The air in the cave had chilled considerably with nightfall and a steady wave of shivers left her body trembling from head to toe.

"I promise to behave."

Kohaku held up his hands in a show of peace and she felt her resistance waver. It would be warmer next to the fire and with a good night's rest she would be better prepared to make her escape the following night. Even so, she held strong to the stubborn determination that had kept her alive until this point and did not move from her spot near the entrance.

Giving up, Kohaku stretched out onto his back with his hands behind his head. He briefly closed his eyes, which gave her hope that perhaps escape might be possible after all. However, they soon snapped open again and he spent a good while staring thoughtfully at the cave's dank ceiling. After a while, he sighed aloud and turned onto his side to look at her.

"I am truly sorry about what happened to you," he spoke softly in the dim glow of the firelight. "If it were in my power to free you, I would."

"It is," she answered.

He frowned, looking displeased by her response, and moodily returned to resting on his back. Eventually his eyes closed and his chest began to rise and fall in the predictable rhythm of sleep. Rin bided her time, waiting for the right moment to make her move, but it wasn't easy. By the time the moon was high in the sky, the cold had set in to her very bones. Shivers racked her body so badly that she could hear her teeth chattering inside of her skull.

When she couldn't take it any longer, she silently removed her shoes and got to her feet. Careful not to stir any rocks at her feet, she tip-toed to the entrance of the cave and took her first glance at what freedom held for her.

The forest was dark and impenetrable, unwelcoming in just about every way. In the distance a wolf howled and goosebumps shuddered across her flesh anew. With her heart skittering inside her chest, she hazarded one last glance over her shoulder to ensure Kohaku was still asleep. Her heart sank when she saw him casually resting on his side adding another log to the fire.

"Going somewhere?" he quipped.

"If you must know, I was going to relieve myself," she retorted sharply, hoping her indignation would be enough to throw off his suspicions.

"Without your shoes?" he asked, casting a curious glance at her abandoned footwear.

"I felt it would have been impolite to wake you," she lied unconvincingly.

"How about you lay down next to the fire and I pretend this was a dream?" Though his tone was light, there was no mistaking the command underlying his words. He wasn't giving her a choice, a fact he made apparent by laying a hand overtop the sheath of his sword.

Rin cast one last, long look at the freedom just beyond her reach and reluctantly returned to the fire. Its soothing warmth helped to quell her bitterness somewhat, but every time she looked across the flames at the face of her captor she felt it bubble up anew.

Angry and heartbroken, she turned her back on him and curled up inside her kimono. While the fire slowly warmed her back, she plotted all the many ways she might kill the arrogant bastard in his sleep.

Author's Note: Cheers to Cristaline for being my very first reviewer! Much thanks for the support!