Kiba and Masaru (part2)
Well I finally managed to get it up here. I want to thank Magellan for that and noticing the story never got posted in the first place.
Tis is the second part to another story I posted. I like where I sent with it, just think it might be to wordy. Let me know wht you think
Chapter Four
The next morning dawned bright and beautiful in their canyon. As Kiba yawned and stretched she looked around the cave for Masaru. As she expected he was already up and busy. She sat up quickly and grabbed one of the several sets of clothes she had made yesterday. She laced up the sage green leggings she had made the day before with the sharp bone needle Masaru had fashioned for her after she had described it to him and some sinew she had found in his supplies. She had thought having some clothing with a little more protection would be good for when they needed to leave the canyon. She was still working on a shirt so she tied on a brown halter.
She rushed out of the cave vaguely aware that her feet no longer hurt, but to anxious to see Masaru to give it more than a passing thought. Masaru seemed to give Kiba's life a purpose she had never felt before. A reason to get out of bed in the morning... or stay in bed if he were with her. She felt her face flame red as she glanced around the clearing and saw him, with his back to her, by the fire. All she wanted was to see his face. She headed over and, resting her hand on his shoulder, sat next to him on the log. She looked up into his face and marveled again that there could be a creature as beautiful as he was. He reached over with his free arm to pull her close to his side. The other was slowly stirring some eggs as he attempted to make scrambled eggs. They were burning.
"You need to stir those faster" she giggled, "They don't taste very good burnt."
He looked at her in mock annoyance. "You should be doing this for me woman!" he said with a straight face, just before he burst out laughing uncontrollably.
"How are your feet feeling today?" he asked once his laughter was under control. "They should be healed by now if my ointment worked on you."
She looked down at her feet thoughtfully and realized they felt completely normal, like nothing had happened to them at all. "They feel fantastic" she replied, in confusion, as she reached down to unbind them. Pulling away the skins, she saw the scabs fall away, only faint red scars remained where the cuts had been. "That ointment is amazing. What is it made with?" she asked in awe.
"A short time after I found this place, I discovered some berries in the forest a short distance away. Since I was looking for other sources of food besides meat I popped a couple in my mouth. I chewed and held them on my tongue to see if there would be any adverse effects." He grinned and looked down at her. "They tasted like dung so I spit them out, only then realizing that my tongue felt numb. I gathered as many as I could find and brought them back to the canyon thinking I could use them for pain relief if I injured my self, assuming I didn't die from any that got into my system from tasting them. I ground them up into a paste and put in into a small container and stored it with my supplies in the cave."
"About a month later, I cut my hand while I was cleaning a fish." he continued, looking abashed. "It was a stupid accident and wasn't very bad, but because of where I cut it, it was burning and painful. I remembered the ointment and put some on the cut and bandaged it. Two days later, when I realized I didn't feel the cut any more, I unwrapped it and saw it was healed. From that day on, I have gathered those berries when ever I find them. I have quite a supply of the ointment, more than I'll ever need for myself... or you for that matter. They seem to grow abundantly, in this area anyway. I keep the bushes near here picked clean."
"Something like this would be worth a fortune on my planet." Kiba said. " People would pay anything for a wonder like this."
"Why would they have to pay for something that would help them stay healthy?", his confusion obvious. "Shouldn't something like this be supplied by the Alpha to keep his people from harm? The whole pack would suffer if everyone couldn't do their part."
"There are no packs for humans anymore. It's every person for themselves." she replied sadly. "Nothing is for free."
"As a history student I don't think the communal pack kind of life is something humanity should have never gotten away from. Everyone working together for the sake of their community, not for themselves, seems more reasonable. " Kiba thought for a moment, "As a matter of fact, the barter system was better than money. It allowed communities to acquire items that couldn't be made or grown in their area with any of their surplus supplies. The good thing was, if it was a lean year, they could still feed their community from their own hunting and growing efforts, even if they didn't have extra to barter."
She suddenly brightened a little, "But I won't have to worry about the selfishness of humanity anymore.'
Changing the subject, Masaru asked, "I was asking about your feet because I was wondering if you could demonstrate your Karate for me? I'm curious to see how it works and to make sure, if we leave the canyon, that you can defend yourself."
"That would be fun." she grinned, "But I think you need to feed me your over cooked eggs first. I'm starving for some reason. Must be the fresh clean air."
He growled at her in mock anger and handed her a bowl of slightly burnt scrabbled eggs.
As she scooped a big bite into her mouth she mused, "I never believed it when people said that clean air would improve someone's appetite. I don't think anyone on my world realizes how unhealthy the smog and pollution really are." " What is smog and pollution?" he inquired.
"Most the things we make and use, besides food, seem to be made of petroleum, metal and rubber. The processing and burning cause a brown haze to hang in the air. Sometimes it's worse than others but its always there. Also when we dispose of these things we don't do a very good job. When we are done with them most are not reusable for anything. They get dumped into oceans, rivers and landfills. They never break down, and some of those things poison and pollute the water and land where they are dumped. Reusing those items, reformed into other things, is becoming more popular but humanity has a long way to go."
"That's awful!" Masaru grimaced. "Everything that is disposed of by the packs goes into a community compost heap. The compost is then used in the fields cultivated to supplement the game supplied by the hunters. Everything gets reused somehow, even metal gets melted down and reused."
When Kiba finished her eggs, she took his empty bowl and headed to the waters edge. As she bent to wash the bowls, she started stretching her legs out. It's seemed like forever since she had done any exercise and she felt stiff. She didn't want to hurt herself. Returning, she stacked the bowls near the fire pit.
She moved off to an large open area and began moving in fluid stretching movements and kicks. As Masaru watched and admired the flexibility and sharp movements of her body, he thought it looked like a dance. He realized it must be for stretching and limbering up the muscles to prevent injury when doing harder exercise. He could almost see her emptying her mind as she moved by rote, taking slow deep breaths.
He approached slowly, so as not to distract her too much. "What is this exercise called and what is it used for?" he asked quietly.
"This is called a Kata." Kiba answered. "It's a set sequence of karate moves organized into a pre-arranged fight against imaginary opponents. In early training it pays particular attention to form and timing. The further you progress, more emphasis is placed on the health benefits of practicing kata, promoting fitness while keeping the body soft, supple, and agile. It's also what you are tested on to advance through the belts."
"It's very beautiful and graceful." Masaru murmured, then louder, "I can see by your movements how it could be used to attack or defend yourself. Can you show me how it might work if someone actually attacked you?"
"I'm almost done with this Kata." Kiba answered. She made a couple more moves and then came back to the original position she started in, with her hands in fists side by side slightly in front of her body. She took another deep breath and looked over at him.
"So how do you want to do this?" she inquired. "I want you to be confident that I can take care of myself but I don't want either of us to get hurt."
Not thinking there was much chance of her doing harm to someone of his size, he replied, "I don't want you to hold back. Treat me like you would anyone who was really attacking you."
"Are you sure?" she asked, concern in her eyes.
"Yes, I won't know anything unless we do this seriously."
"Okay then, come at me like you are going to attack me."
She bowed at him and took a stance with her body facing sideways to him, feet apart, knees bent and her hands fisted in front of her. He rushed toward her, reaching out with his hands to grab her throat. At the last second she spun slightly out of the way of his reaching arms. As she came around back to back with him she hit him hard in the center of the spine with her elbow, the momentum of her spin helping to push him forward and off balance. Suddenly he felt a hit at the base of his skull and as he went down he saw her foot in the air where she had kicked him in the back of the head. Then his vision dimmed. As he landed on the ground, Kiba rushed over with a stricken look on her face.
"Masaru, are you okay?" When he didn't answer she got more distressed, "Oh my god... look at me, are you okay?! Speak to me!"
"I'll be okay in a minute." he slurred. "I'm just waiting for my head to stop spinning. I guess I underestimated you. I didn't think someone your size could hurt me that way."
Masaru shook his head and slowly got to his feet. He seemed a little dizzy, and stumbled slightly trying to catch his balance. "That was incredible!" he blurted out, more excited now. "Can you show me more... maybe a little more gently?"
At the excited look in his unfocused eyes, she shook her head and laughed. "I will if you rest for a few minutes. I didn't expect you to attack so blindly. I thought you would be more careful. I didn't think I would get such a hard hit in."
She put his arm around her shoulders so she could support him and walked to the log by the fire. She sat him down and lowered herself next to him. His questions about Karate came in a flood and, laughing again at his enthusiasm, she answered as best she could. It took longer then she thought for his eye to focus even with the wet, cool compresses she used on the back of his head.
They spent the rest of the morning and part of the afternoon going through forms and patterns. She taught him some of the different kata. "We can do these every morning if you like. You'd be surprised how practicing can make the use of Karate second nature if you need it. I didn't even think about that move I did earlier till I saw you on the ground."
Masaru laughed, "I'm trying not to think about it either. My lack of judgment was most painful." he said, rubbing the back of his head. "I think it would be a very good idea to work on your Karate every day. It will keep you in practice and hopefully it will increase my fighting skills. If I can surprise my opponents like you surprised me, I might actually be able to get through the minions to the Overlord."
They spent the rest of the evening making their meal, and after, Masaru worked to complete her shoes while she worked on a shirt she could move easily in to matched her leggings. It wasn't long before they collapsed, exhausted, into the sleeping furs. They fell into a deep dreamless sleep wrapped in each others arms.
*****
Kiba woke before the sun rose. She had no desire to move from the comfort of Masaru's arms, with her cheek resting against the soft fur of his chest. She felt well rested and decide to use the time to think.
She realized the fact she had been brought here to be the mate of what would be considered a wild animal on her planet didn't bother her at all. She had never been happy on Earth and wouldn't miss any part of her old life except her pets. Someone would take care of them... when they realized she was missing. If anyone even noticed till her rent was due.
Then there was Masaru himself. She found herself more attracted to him with every passing moment. She knew he wasn't lying about the mating, she would never be able to bring herself to leave him. In fact, the thought of leaving him made her chest clinch in pain. Her own lack of self esteem was the only thing holding her back. The fear that at some point something about her would repulse him, just like everyone else in her life. Well, there was nothing she could do now but wait and see what happened. It's not like she could go home, even if she wanted to. Maybe for once in her life everything would turn out.
They were both awake by the time the sun shone around the edges of the skin hanging at the entrance. Reluctant to leave the warmth of the furs and each other, they lay there in comfortable silence lost in their own thoughts. Twenty minutes later Masaru heaved a sigh and reached down to swat her on the butt.
"Let's get a move on." he broke the silence, sighing again. "I have an idea I'd like us to try out today."
"What did you have in mind? Kiba asked as she rolled out of the furs and his arms. She was blushing slightly from the smack on the rear. She giggled at herself silently when she realized that the thoughts going through her mind as she lay for an hour in his arms, while he slept, were far more embarrassing then a light slap on the butt.
"I'd like to take you out and show you the lay of the land around the canyon." there was a build of excitement in his voice. "Also there is a village a couple miles from here. I would like us to go talk to them to see how your idea that the downtrodden might rebel with the right incentive goes over. Ken'ichi knows I'm dug in around here somewhere but his goons can't figure out where. He is terrorizing this village thinking they are hiding me or at least know where I'm holed up. I'm hoping that they are fed up and can be convinced that if we band together we can put an end to this."
"How dangerous is this likely to be?"
"Ken'ichi's patrols are everywhere and there is always a chance we could run into one." he replied, trying to keep his voice calm. "Now that I know you can take care of yourself I feel better about this whole idea that's been bouncing around in my head. I want you to know the area for escape and concealment purposes."
"I'll do what you think is best." she smiled. "What ever I can do to help, I will."
"I figure if this goes well we can branch out from this village and work our way to the other villages that are plagued by Ken'ichi's existence. The only thing that bothers me is some of them are far enough away that we couldn't get back to the safety of the canyon before the day is out. The thought of being out in the open after nightfall worries me."
"Could we scout hiding places for the night before we visit the villages and watch very carefully that we are not being followed when we leave?" Kiba reasoned.
"All we can do is take it one day at a time and be very cautious and observant of our surroundings... and the people we are trying to help. Fear might still outweigh anger. A scared pack or individual can be dangerous"
After a quick breakfast of fruit Kiba washed up in the stream and changed into the shirt she had finished the evening before and the leggings. Grabbing the moccasin like shoes, Masaru made, from the growing pile of her belongings she went to the log to sit and put them on.
Masaru had been busy gathering dried meat they could eat on the move from the stores at the back of the cave and some fruit. When he saw Kiba lacing the shoes on he stopped her. "Lets put those in the waterproof bag until we get out of the canyon. They would get hard and inflexible if they got wet. That would be very damaging to your feet with all the walking we will be doing. That's the last thing we want since we just got them healed."
"That's true." she laughed as she pulled them off and handed him the shoes. She couldn't believe how excited she was. She felt no fear knowing Masaru would be with her. She felt like she was finally living the life she was meant to live. It was very liberating.
While he gathered the last few things they would need to spend most of the day away from the safety of home, Kiba braided her hair and tied it with a long scrap of hide she had left from making her clothes. She grew thoughtful as she watched him put a couple of large knives in sheaths on the belt that held his tan loin cloth up. She could really use a weapon.
"I don't suppose you know what a bow is?", she asked. She saw the confused look on his muzzle, "Damn! I had a feeling it was to much to ask."
"What is this bow?", he inquired. He was learning quickly to trust her suggestions and he had a feeling a good one was imminent.
"It's a projectile weapon. They are made with a long piece of naturally dried wood that follows the grain of the wood. A string usually made of some natural fiber is used to draw the bow so it has a lot of tension." She looked at him, frustration plain on her face. "This is really difficult to explain but it shoots very sharp thin rods so hard that they go through things like clothes and flesh. It also lets you attack from a distance. Which can be a good thing when you are shorter and outweighed by most of your enemy."
"Could you draw it out for me on a piece of hide with some charcoal. It sounds useful. We've always fought with claws, teeth and blades." Masaru got a big grin on his face. "I suppose this is another useful skill you have that seems to suit our needs? I'm beginning to understand why you were sent to me. You seem to have the knowledge I need to help my people and stop Ken'ichi."
"One of the first clubs I joined in school was the Kyudo club. It means "Way of the Bow". They only gave us the basics on how they were made." Kiba thought hard for a moment. "It was a long time ago and I was only a member for a couple years but I think remember enough that between the two of us we could make one. I was a fairly good shot too."
"We'll work on this idea more tonight when we get back." He smiled and squeezed her in a big hug. He liked the idea of her bring able to protect herself from a distance. This might be another idea he could trade to the packs in exchange for their help. "We need to get moving if we are going to get back here before dark."
Masaru quickly explained about using the boulder before the stream exited the cave to check the clearing. Then both dove in and started to swim.
Chapter Five
Kiba and Masaru spent the next couple hours exploring the forest surrounding the entrance to the canyon. The whole time keeping careful watch for any movement that might be something larger then the small game in the area.
Around mid-day they stopped for a quick meal of fruit and fish jerky then set out for the nearest village. It didn't take long for them to reach the forest edge. Thy inspected the tiny group of huts a short distance away from the cover of the large trees.
"So how are we going to do this?" Kiba wondered aloud. "Are we just going to walk in and say hi?"
"I'm not sure yet. Let me think about it for a minute." he replied.
Just about then a lone figure left the village on a path leading into the forest. Masaru motioned for Kiba to stay quiet and and follow him deeper into the woods, toward the path. As they watched the figure approach them, Kiba stared in open curiosity.
The female coyote, for that became obvious on closer inspection, seemed to be heading out to hunt... if the long knife she carried was any indication. She had pale tan fur that almost seemed white in the shadow of the trees. The slightly darker hair on her head was almost as long as hers and hung in multiple braids with heavy beads on the ends. She was wearing a tan loin cloth that was more feminine and decorative then the one Masaru wore. Her upper torso was crisscrossed with leather straps that seemed to be functional and ornamental at the same time with little pouches and a sheath attached to the section wrapped around her waist. What had Kiba blushing furiously were the females exposed breasts, the nipples poking through the fur on the shapely mounds.
Masaru glanced down at Kiba, and smiled in amusement when he noticed her red face. He brushed her cheek with the back of his fingers, getting her attention. He motioned for her to stay put till he called for her. He moved a few feet away to a tree closer to the path and waited.
Kiba continued to inspect the female while she waited. As the coyote got closer she noticed the worn, tatty quality of the clothing. That's when Kiba noticed the missing patches of fur. The fur looked to be ripped out bu the roots, and recently too, if the angry red skin was any indication. She had been badly abused.
*****
Masaru waited for the female to pass him before he stepped out from behind the tree and grabbed her from behind, pinning her arms to her body and covering her muzzle with his paw. She was so startled she dropped the knife. This female was not normally a fighter... or hunter for that matter. What was she doing out here.
"I'm not going to hurt you. Please don't be afraid" he said softly, his muzzle next to her ear. "I'm going to let you go, please don't yell. I just want to talk. I need your help."
"My name is Masaru, what's yours?" he asked as he slowly removed his paw from her muzzle.
She seemed to sag in defeat. He could smell her fear. "My name is Hikaru. I know who you are," she sobbed. "You are the reason for the hardships plaguing my pack."
"What's going on? Why are you out hunting... alone?" He released her the rest of the way,.
Hikaru slowly turned and backed away from Masaru but made no attempt to run. "The Overlord's men think we know where you are hiding. They didn't believe us when we told them we had never seen you. They dragged our fighters and hunters off to serve in his army and said it would prove their loyalty. Now the only men left are very old or several years to young to be helpful in running the village."
"How long have your men been gone?" he queried.
"Several months now. We've almost depleted our supply of dried meat with no one to hunt." She looked at him, her back stiffening with pride. "I'm the only female brave enough to go into the forest to hunt without a males protection. It's difficult to hunt on my own for the larger game, but I have been managing smaller game such as rodents and birds to supplement the food we grow the fields."
"Your village must be very proud of your bravery. I think I might be able to help with your hunting problems but we have some things to talk about first." Masaru offered. "I want to put a stop to the suffering and horror the Overlord is causing but I need help from the packs. I can't do it myself."
"I have my mate with me. I'd like you to meet her. She's different from us but you don't need to fear her, she wants to help too."
Turning in Kiba's direction, he motioned for her to reveal herself. "Kiba, can you come out and meet Hikaru"
*****
Kiba had heard the whole conversation from her concealment behind the tree. She revealed herself when Masaru motioned and called. She heard Hikaru gasp and back up farther as she stepped out slowly.
"Y...you are the reason the overlord's men came back two days ago. They tortured our elderly alpha and beat several females to make sure we knew nothing about a human female wondering around." Her paw went involuntarily to a large patch of missing fur the skin so red it looked bloody.
Masaru reached into the pouch and brought out a little stoppered vile Kiba recognised as his healing ointment.
"We have some ointment for you to put on your wound to heal them in a matter of a day or two. I think it will depend on how severe they are." Kiba offered as she put her hand out to draw Hikaru forward. "If your alpha is badly injured, it could help him too... and anyone else that is hurt."
Hikaru took a step forward and tentatively reached out to touch Kiba's hand. "It's true. You have no fur and your muzzle is all wrong... but still oddly beautiful..." She murmured under her breath. Hikaru looked up. "What do you want from my pack? We are not safe with you here. You are in danger also."
"We had hoped to speak to your alpha. Kiba and myself believe we have come up with a way to put an end to all this but it will require all the packs working together for a change." Masaru replied.
"He has been unconscious since yesterday morning. We fear for his life but don't know how to help him. I have taken over running the pack since there is no one else as qualified. The alpha is my sire. I've been helping him for years with the everyday running of the pack." Hikaru stared Masaru in the eyes like she thought he might challenge her.
"I do not want to take over as alpha of your pack. There are other more serious issues to deal with... and I see no reason you can't run things just fine." he said calmly. "Can you get us to your sire? We can talk to you about our idea to put an end to the Overlords tyranny."
"You won't be able to stay in the village. I won't give you away but I can't say what the rest of the pack will do. I will do my best to keep them under control." She gazed back toward her village even though it was hidden by trees. "It might be best to see if we can sneak you into the alphas hut. Maybe if you can help the alpha the would be more inclined to listen."
"We wouldn't think of staying the night. That would be much to risky for everyone." said Masaru, looking thoughtful. "There is also an idea for a weapon Kiba and I need to work on from home. I think, if what she says is true, it could greatly improve your hunting ability and how you protect yourself."
"It should be fairly easy to get you in unseen. Except for the cubs, most of the adults are hiding and nursing their wounds." Hikaru looked sad for a moment. "I can distract the rest. You would never know to look at us now, but we use to be a bustling, active village... now we are cowering and haunted."
"Why don't you show us which hut we need to get into while you distract them." Masaru led her the the edge of the trees with a comforting paw on her shoulder.
Hikaru pointed out a hut, larger and slightly isolated from the others. It was also closer to the trees. She then stepped out of the trees to go distract her pack. "I'll be there as soon as I can." she called softly over her shoulder.
*****
When Masaru saw that she had distracted them, their backs to Kiba and himself, he reached out a paw and grabbed her hand, pulling her behind him. They sprinted the several yards to the hut and slipped through the door. There in the sleeping furs was a very old coyote. His fur so grey it was hard to tell the original color. He was very still, he didn't even look to be breathing... unless you really watched carefully. There was a sickening sweet smell in the air. Infection had set in quickly.
Kiba went to move closer and check his wounds, but Masaru grabbed her arm to halt her. "Let me make sure he is really unconscious. He could lash out in pain and fear if he's not." He went and knelt at the old coyote's side and rested a paw on the top of his head. The aged alpha didn't even stir.
"Grab the water skin hanging on the wall by you and see if you can find something to heat it in over the fire." He didn't even turn around as he pulled the covers down to inspect the wounds marring the silvered hide.
Kiba started water heating in a metal bowl she found by the fire. Looking around to see if there was anything else they might be able to use she spotted some skins that might be used for rags and bandages. Picking them up, she went and knelt beside Masaru.
"Is there anything else I can do to help?" she asked as she sadly took note of all the deep lacerations all over the old coyote's body.
Suddenly Masaru growled in anger. "They cut off the smallest digits on both paws!" he hissed. "Blood loss started killing him but if we can't control it, the infection will finish the job."
Just then Hikaru came through the skin hanging at the door. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure she hadn't been followed. Kiba could see the glitter of tears in her eyes as she asked, "Can he be saved? I'm not ready to lose him."
"Please bring the warm water over here Hikaru. We will need to re-clean all these wounds and apply the ointment I brought." Kiba could still hear the angry growl in his voice. "It will be touch and go but think we got to him in time. I can't do anything to repair his paws. they will have to heal as is."
The three of them bent to the task of cleaning the deep cuts, Kiba and Masaru working their way to the stumps on his paws. The old one moaned in his sleep at the pain of the thorough cleaning. Kiba looked up at a sob from Hikaru, there were huge tears rolling down her muzzle.
"Hikaru, do you have something to help with fever? He's very hot. We need to bring it down." Kiba asked.
Hikaru glanced up at Kiba then back down at her father. "I have some flowers that will help with that. It needs to be brewed into tea or chewed... I'm not sure how we will get him to take it."
"Why don't you brew some of the tea while we apply the ointment. After it cools a bit we will spoon a little in his mouth at a time." Kiba suggested. "Hopefully his natural instinct to swallow something in his mouth will kick in."
Masaru and Kiba continued to apply the salve to the old coyote while Hikaru brewed the tea. She brought a cup over while they were binding this hand and bandaging the wounds that they could.
"It could take up to a week for him to heal with as bad as the damage is. You should know in a day or two if he's out of the woods." Masaru murmured wearily. "His paws will will take longer."
"You've given me a glimmer of hope and I thank you. I don't know what we'll do right now, I need to think and rest a little before I make any major decisions." Hikaru seemed to droop.
"If you think you have enough food for a couple days, take the time to care for your father." Kiba rested her hand on Hikaru's arm. "Make sure you rest yourself also or you will be no good to anyone. Here is some more of the ointment. I think in this case you will want to clean the wounds and reapply it to the worst of the cuts and wounds and keep up with the tea for the fever."
"Do you know the black mesa north of here where the stream runs under it?" Masaru asked and she nodded. "There is a little nook in the face of the cliff by the stream. If you need us or would like to talk, leave a message there and we will get it." Hikaru nodded again.
"If we haven't heard from you in two days, we will meet you where you first saw us, in three days at noon." He pulled Kiba close. Being able to touch her relieved some of his fatigue. "Hopefully those two days will give us the time we need to fashion the weapon we told you about, and see how it works hunting for your village. We'll bring the meat with us."
Hikaru nodded. "I look forward to our next encounter. I believe you are right about working together to stop this horror that calls himself the "Overlord". I just need to make sure it's the right thing for my pack."
"I understand. I know my mate Kiba will be the biggest asset we have. She's my muse and inspiration." He looked down at Kiba with pride. "She also gives me a reason to bring this evil to an end."
Kiba went over and wrapped her arms around the exhausted female hoping the contact would comfort her. "If you can create another distraction, we will slip out the way we came."
Hikaru pulled away and grabbed Kiba's hands. "Be careful on your way back to your hiding place. His men are still everywhere searching you both out. I'd hate to see this opportunity taken away from us before we had a chance to see where it will go. Thank you again and be safe."
She turned and waked out into the village. A couple minutes they headed out the other direction, into the forest and back to the canyon. They worked out on a plan to fashion a bow and some arrows over the next couple days and fell quickly asleep a short time later.