Chapter four continued.
Mugen had dressed and was contemplating what to do with the ninja lying crumpled in their room, when he heard noises coming from the river, through the bush near the hut.
Without a second thought he sprinted out of the door.
"Mugen, wait!"
Fuu dressed herself quickly and tentatively followed him.
The sounds of fighting grew closer as Mugen crept through the trees. He glimpsed a clearing up ahead and could see two ninja bodies lying on the grass. A swish of dark ponytail confirmed his suspicions. Jin.
Above Mugen, perched on a branch analysing the fight a ninja stared straight ahead. Mugen clocked Jin's swords tucked into the ninja's belt.
Stealthily he jumped up and grabbed a branch with both hands, swinging feet first into the ninja knocking him from the tree. Mugen's geta landed hard on top of him. He reached down and retrieved the swords before venturing further towards the clearing.
A sight movement alerted him to an imminent attack from above and to his left. His sword cut the ninja down mid air.
Man, they were stealthy little fuckers.
He sliced the rope attack of two more. Emerging into the edge of the clearing.
"Oi!" He cried to Jin, and threw the katana.
They stood back to back and cut down four more before the remainder melted into the forest. They weren't fighters, in an open ground, man on man sense. They knew they were bested and had retreated.
"Who the hell do you think they were?" Mugen asked.
"I don't know. But I do know that spies of that calibre are not easily found... Who would want to send them after us?" Jin stared at Mugen, cold and hard.
This surprised Mugen a little. He was used to Jin's expressionless demeanor, but he thought he detected anger in the tone.
He frowned, "take your pick. Hell, there's not many crimes we haven't committed on this trip".
"Sure, but the art of the ninja as a warrior has all but faded. These must have been a remnant specialist group.
Maybe they were sent to spy, but took advantage of us in a vulnerable situation" he looked pointedly at Mugen.
'What the fuck was that look for?' Mugen thought.
"Aw, hell, I don't know. But they sure were trying to kill you and me...
Shit, the girl" Mugen suddenly realised he'd left Fuu in the hut when he sprinted out to fight. 'That pain in the ass better not be kidnapped'.
Again he took off, back in the direction of the hut.
-
Thankfully, they came across her in the trees. She was bent down examining the cut pieces of a rope and sickle end. Jin and Mugen looked at each other in wonder.
Where had the bodies gone?
There was evidence of the fight, and a little blood, but none of the ninja they had cut down remained.
"Oh, Jin! I'm glad you are ok" she exclaimed.
"I'm fine too" Mugen snorted, as he stomped past her, headed back towards the hut.
"Mugen, you're hurt" she exclaimed. The blood from the cut in his shoulder had started to seep through his clothing.
"Don't touch it! I'm fine. It's just a scratch" he growled.
Back inside the hut the ninja's body was gone. Jin went to fetch fresh water and Fuu tied her hair up in her usual style. Gathering up the rest of her belongings.
Mugen removed his shirt and tried to dab his wound.
"Here, let me" said Fuu, coming to kneel in behind him, "you can't reach".
Mugen grumbled his annoyance, but she was right.
Jin came back when she was cleaning the cut. He placed the water down.
"I'll give you two some privacy".
"Huh?" Said Mugen, looking at Jin as the samurai removed himself from the hut and went to stand guard outside, his back to them.
"What's that about?" Mugen said, but was interrupted by pain when Fuu applied her green healing balm. "Argh! Fuck that stings."
She ignored him and started to wind a bandage round. The cut wasn't bad. It would heal quickly enough.
The kind owner appeared with some breakfast. "When I saw you weren't in your room I thought I might find you here" he said to Jin.
And then when he entered the hut and noticed Mugen's bloody shoulder "oh my! Are you alright son?"
"Me? I'm fine. The wife and I just got a bit frisky last night, is all" said Mugen seriously. He chanced a look at Jin, who was now standing behind the owner, but the one he received in return was pure ice.
The owner glanced around the disheveled room. "Oh I see" was all he ventured, before leaving the trio to their tea and food.
"Mugen, why'd you have to go and tell him that!" Fuu whined.
"How else should I have said it?" laughed Mugen, "I don't think he'd react too kindly to news of an assassin ninja in the place".
Jin ate his breakfast in silence, looking from one to the other. He really didn't understand those two.