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Spirit Bound: Bonus Story

The Love of Takahashi Yoishi: Part Six

When last I told you of my time in Daimyo Ohtori Kaoru's castle, I had passed out once more after using too much of my chi fighting the Oni outside the village. Masashi Akemi had been in bed alongside me, to keep watch over me while my lover attended to his duties, as Akemi-san had broken several ribs and could not move.

I woke sometime later and turned my head to see Akemi-san still beside me; he was reading with a somewhat cross expression upon his face. I slid my paw under the covers to run it across his taut abs.

He jumped, as well as he was able with broken ribs, and cried out, "Kyah!" He groaned in pain after and clutched his side.

I attempted to swallow my laughter, having difficulty believing he actually went 'kyah,' but I felt sorry for unintentionally causing him pain. "Sorry, Soldier Boy. I was just checking on your ribs." I moved my paw across his stomach again as the door opened.

The voice of a young boy called out from the doorway, where I could not see. "Did you need me, Masashi-san?"

Akemi-san looked over -- he likely could see the door from where he was, as the curtains were partially open beside him to let some light in so he could read. He shook his head. "It isn't urgent, boy, but you should let Ohtori-sama know the healer is awake. I'm also getting very hungry."

"Yes, I'll let him know immediately, sir, and tell the kitchen, too."

Akemi-san grinned. "I can wait for the food. Now that Yoishi-sensei is up, I'll just steal some of his until supper gets here." The door clicked shut, and I heard the sound of webbed feet slapping on the stone floor heading down the hall.

I arched an eyebrow at the grinning Akita. "You think so, do you? Why would I give you any of my food?" His ribs looked to be in the same shape as when I left, but the cuts and bruises had healed significantly. I estimated that I had only been unconscious less than a day. "You're healing quite nicely, but I still need to get at those ribs before they set the way they are. It's going to take more energy than I have at the moment, though." I pulled my paw back and rolled the other way, looking for the tray of food that had been left for me. It was left in the same location as last time.

From what I discerned, both from the disruptions in my chi and the pain I felt from moving, my ankle was not faring as well, since I did not have the chi to allow healing to progress as normal; it was wrapped tightly with bandages to keep it still.

I could feel his eyes roving over my rump as I leaned out of the bed and retrieved the tray. I swished my tail up and around so he could see all that he wished. I quite regretted Kaoru-sama's jealousy, but it was a small annoyance in comparison to the joy I received in my Otter's company.

Akemi-san's voice spoke of amusement as he took on a plaintive tone. "Come on, Healer, you can't let one of your patients -- your favourite Akita samurai patient -- suffer from such an easily treatable condition as hunger, can you?"

I once again swallowed my laughter. "It's a very good thing you made it so specific, but you still need to narrow it down. An Akita samurai named Masashi Akemi -- more specifically, the Masashi Akemi that fucked me. The other ones are more highly favoured than you."

He gasped in mock horror. "What!? I gave you my cock and filled you with my precious seed and the other Masashi Akemis -- ones who didn't_give you so much of themselves or so much pleasure -- are preferred? Hah! So you prefer men who don't put out, huh? Fine, see if you get your paws on my cock or ass again. I'll make you _beg, first."

I sighed. "If I want a shot at that ass I will have to beg, and it won't be you I'll be begging." I set the tray on the bed and carefully helped Akemi-san sit up. We made quick work of the meal left for me, joking and laughing the entire time.

Just as we finished eating, the door opened and Kaoru-sama walked in, followed by a small Tree Frog carrying a heavy tray of food. Akemi-san nodded to his lord and then motioned the Frog to bring the tray over.

Kaoru-sama smiled and held up a paw to stop the servant. "It looks as though they have just supped. We would not wish to overstuff my gluttonous samurai; he seems to have gorged himself on the food left for my healer. Perhaps we should depart so they may sleep off their post-feast fatigue?" The servant appeared at a loss.

I smiled back. "Now, now, Sweet One. Be kind. Akemi-san could eat _six_trays of food the size you left me and still find room for more. As his healer, his very hungry healer, I ask that the tray be left here. Also, I _do_find myself fatigued, so perhaps I could ask a very handsome young Fur to climb into his bed beside me and help me eat. I miss him, and I need to hear his laughter to help me recover."

My lover's whiskers twitched while he stared down at his paws where they twisted the belt of his kimono. He scuffed his hindpaw once before lifting an adoring gaze to meet my own. He motioned the Frog to bring the tray over to the bed and followed behind.

The servant was, at most, ten, but probably closer to seven or eight. My flirting with his lord -- and his lord's obvious pleasure at being flirted with-- seemed to confuse and fluster him. The boy passed the tray over to Akemi-san, who took it eagerly, albeit with a wince when he turned too far, then beat a hasty retreat to a spot by the door.

Kaoru-sama waved a paw over his shoulder, and the Frog left, closing the door behind him. My Otter tentatively walked around the bed to climb up on my side, glancing uncertainly at his bodyguard. Akemi-san noticed nothing but the array of food before him.

I grinned at Kaoru-sama and beckoned him over. He did approach and climbed up to sit beside me. Once there, I wasted no time in pulling his muzzle over to mine and kissing him deeply.

My Sweet One could not withhold a small churr, disturbing Akemi-san and causing him to look over, which I noticed when I glanced at him. The Akita shook his head; fascination, surprise, arousal, and a little jealousy all crossed his face. I winked at the samurai, then pulled Kaoru-sama fully on top of me and kissed him more deeply. My sweet Otter churred louder and ground his hips against mine.

Suddenly, Kaoru-sama froze and broke off the kiss. His whiskers twitched in embarrassment, and his fur fluffed a little, too. "I-I thought you needed me to help feed you. You seem quite strong, almost at your normal strength."

I took his paw and placed it in the fur over my heart, then gazed into his eyes. "I do need your help, but it isn't my body that needs feeding."

Kaoru-sama looked like he was going to melt, but Akemi-san could not stop from snorting as he tried to keep from laughing. "Sorry. That was damned cheesy, ronin."

Kaoru-sama glared at him, silencing any further jibes at my admittedly excessive comment. "Perhaps we should kick the wet blanket out of bed and allow me to feed you, Yoishi-kun."

I was uncertain how serious he was, so I answered, "He has broken ribs, Sweet One, he can't get out of bed."

The response indicated it was a jest...mostly. "I did not say he had to climb out of bed or leave the room. Just place your hindpaw against him and push. He may wait on the floor until we finish. His sense of romance is no better than a feral, so he should feel right at home down there."

Akemi-san laughed a little uncomfortably. "Sorry, Ohtori-sama. I'll be quiet and eat, so you can go back to...ah, whatever you wanted to do. I'm your loyal guard; you can pretend I'm not even here."

I grinned and slid my paw under Kaoru-sama's thick tail, eliciting a shocked squeak. "Sounds good to me."

"Y-Yoishi-kun!" I silenced further protest by kissing the wide-eyed Otter. He made a few more half-hearted noises of protest and weak struggles, but soon relaxed and lay atop me as he returned my kisses.

I felt myself starting to weaken and get far too aroused after a few minutes, so I stopped and gently prodded my lover. He looked at me with a small amount of disappointment before sliding off to lounge beside me, resting against the headboard of the bed with my arm around his waist. I reached over with my free paw and picked up my chopsticks before I realized my body was bare down to my mid-thighs where the blankets lay. I was fully hard and leaking profusely. Both people beside me noticed as well.

Akemi-san looked at his lord with an arched eyebrow. "I think you got the healer a little riled, my lord."

A glance over at the Akita showed he was also erect, but the tray hid most of his pulsing length. I smirked. "I think we got your guard a little riled, my sweet Otter. I think the Dogs aren't the only ones with erections, either."

Kaoru-sama's paws dropped over his groin and he looked away, embarrassed. He curled up a little when Akemi-san and I laughed. He spoke most defensively, "W-Well, you are a talented kisser, Yoishi-kun, and your paws are greatly pleasing. I cannot help it."

I put my chopsticks down and placed a finger under his chin to turn his face to me. I gazed in his eyes while my nose stopped a finger's width from his. "I know. I'd be very upset if I was so poor a lover that I couldn't arouse you after so much kissing. I'd be even more hurt to find out you thought so little of my company, too. Your arousal isn't something to be embarrassed of -- at least, not on my part. It shows me that I please you, which greatly pleases_me."_

He smiled, my words touching his heart once more, even if I could tell that they amused Akemi-san. "Yet, what is to be done about it? You are tiring rapidly, Akemi-san needs his ribs looked at, and Ichiru still waits outside of my castle for your attention. We need to determine if that is my brother or not before he may be permitted entrance."

I kept my finger under his chin so his head remained where it was and gently licked the tip of his nose. "I know one thing I can do, Sweet One. You_are_ right, though; I'm tiring pretty quickly here." I moved my head over to kiss him. "It'd take less energy for me to take you in my mouth and please you that way; Akemi-san has seen me do that before, anyway. Then you could return the favour for me."

My little Otter did not seem keen on that idea. I knew it was his self-consciousness, both of his body image and the idea of engaging in such behaviour with another person in bed with us. Even Akemi-san seemed uncomfortable with the idea. I ran my finger along the underside of my shaft and picked up a large glob of lubricant. "Yeah, it does seem like a waste, but I just don't think I can be as energetic as usual." I stuck my finger in my mouth and cleaned it off. Both observers seemed to find the act arousing judging from the noise. I pulled my finger out and began teasing my shaft.

Akemi-san watched my paw hungrily. "That won't help you shrink, there, ronin. You know, you can ignore it, and it'll go away after a while."

"What fun is that?"

"I never said it was fun; it's just more practical at times."

Kaoru-sama nodded reluctantly. "I desire to please you, and be pleased in turn, Yoishi-kun, but...my brother. I cannot leave him out there for another night. I also have a duty to Akemi; he was wounded in my service, and I must do all I can to return him to health."

I grinned evilly. "He was wounded in your service, and so was I. Perhaps..." I stopped. That was most unfair, if not crass and rude. We did not act in return for such favours. "I'm sorry, Sweet One. That was out of line and unfair." I picked up my chopsticks. "Have you eaten all you want, Akemi-san?" He nodded, so I freed my arm and took the tray.

Kaoru-sama's eyes widened as he gazed upon the fully revealed glory of his bodyguard, but he tore away his eyes and settled into me. The three of us ignored the demands of our members as I ate, with Akemi-san periodically filching further titbits, while Kaoru-sama stole the occasional kiss.

Upon eating my fill, I rose, dressed in new clothing appropriate to a samurai, and was forced to accept the assistance of a servant and the use of a cane in order to reach the small shelter hastily assembled outside of the walls to house Ichiru-dono. Both the Macaque, Tetsuo Jinta, and the Giant Salamander, Hamataro Genjiro, accompanied us.

I had the servant stop out of sight of the shelter and made the rest of the journey with only the cane, putting great effort into appearing to be in almost perfect health. I walked cautiously to the edge of the tent and stood a moment as I used my non-visual senses to study what lay within. The Otter smelt like Ichiru-dono; I heard nothing out of the ordinary, nor did my chi roil as it did in the company of Rei-dono. Thus far I had no grounds for suspicion...but must I_say_ that? This was the greatest opportunity thus far to have a threat to my lover removed and safeguard the territory of my lord. Ichiru-dono _would_seek out war, and his lands bordered Takeda-sama's, making this a prefect staging ground for my lord's other foes to strike at him. I glanced over my shoulder at Kaoru-sama, I saw his face set in great hope and anxiety, fearful at the thought that this may be a monster impersonating his brother -- that his brother already lay dead somewhere. Those brown eyes pierced my heart and clouded my mind.

I stepped up to the entrance of the tent and looked within, waving the guards aside. Ichiru-dono sat upon a bedroll staring vacantly at a spot on the ground halfway between us...and there was no visual indication to say this was not Ohtori Ichiru, either. The only abnormality was his behaviour, and that was to be expected, based off what he most likely experienced.

I turned to a guard. "Has he moved? Eaten?"

The Tokara Pony looked at me fearfully. He swallowed heavily and bowed deeply. "Healer, ah, ronin...Takahashi-dono. H-He hasn't moved much, sir, only to eat and drink what has been put before him and to use the pot. He's been like this the whole time, otherwise."

"I'm just a sometime-healer and an artist, samurai. 'San' is fine, thank you." I turned to Ichiru-dono. He still had not moved. "Ichiru-dono, look at me." No response. I squatted down before him, ready to spring back at the slightest hint of aggression, yet even when I moved into his vacant gaze there was no reaction. He ate when food was presented, so he was aware_at some level; his use of the chamber pot also indicated he _felt and retained some higher mental function, else he would have voided himself in his clothing. Perplexing.

I waved a paw in front of his eyes, noting Kaoru-sama stood at the entrance of the tent. "Kaoru-sama, please stand aside; you may peek in, but do not block the light." It was not the light I was concerned about being blocked.

My Otter hastily moved aside. "S-Sorry, Yoishi-sensei." He continued to peek around the edge of the tent.

Neither an apparent lack of attention on my part nor the arrival of the presumed target prompted a response. I reached forth and lifted the lordling's chin with my finger so that he stared into my eyes. They were unfocused, yet clear. I gazed deep within, seeking out any hint of an attack upon his soul, for there is truth to the saying, 'the eyes are the window unto the soul.' Naught lay within that I could see to cause concern on the part of the castle's security, though much on Ichiru-dono's part. Consumed by his memories of the last few days, they threatened to destroy him. I could not see what those memories were, for such was beyond my current strength. To save him, I must first draw him out.

I released his chin and cautiously exited the tent. I glanced at the guards. "Bring him to his room and notify me if that rouses him. I'll be tending to Masashi-san and either be in Kaoru-sama's room or the healer's workshop." I addressed my Otter and his bodyguards while my orders were carried out. "He's no more a threat than normal, as far as I can tell." We stepped aside to let the two guards half carry and half drag Ichiru-dono toward the gate; the young Fur's hindpaws did little more than twitch in an approximation of walking. "He's suffered a devastating mental attack; I don't know the nature of it, precisely, but I think his memories of the last few days were so horrible that he can't escape them. I hope seeing things safe and familiar to him will help him overcome them."

Kaoru-sama's eyes were filled with tears. "Is there naught I can do? He... This is not my brother."

Tetsuo-san's eyes searched my face, though he tried to not look me in the eyes while doing so, and then gazed after the departing young lord. "And that's why you won't be getting close to him, Ohtori-sama. Takahashi-san is--"_He muttered the next word. "--presumably--" And then he returned to normal speaking tones. "--mortal. He can make mistakes, just like the rest of us. Ichiru-dono _isn't safe. We'll try to help him, but you still have to be very careful around him. I'd prefer it if you never went into the same room as him without two of us with you."

I nodded. "I agree. I'd also recommend that he be watched closely. I found no reason to keep him out here, and several to let him in. That doesn't mean I think he's safe or that I can't think of several ways warning signs could be hidden from me. I just don't have the energy to spend hours examining him, not when I will have to use more energy than is probably safe to help Akemi-san."

Tetsuo-san's eyes narrowed, and he hunched his shoulders defensively. "You let a potential monster into the castle?"

I smiled tightly. "Every time someone walks into the castle, it could be a monster; that doesn't mean no one should ever be allowed in. He's probably less of a risk than they are. However, those people normally aren't allowed anywhere near Kaoru-sama because of that. I weighed the risks against what I believe the daimyo would want and acted accordingly; the chance_that he isn't Ichiru is far less than the likelihood that he _is. His health means that I can't keep him out here until I can be more certain; it may be weeks before I fully recover from that fight."

Kaoru-sama's worried gaze turned from the gate, where his brother was just vanishing through it, to me. "Yes, of course. My apologies, Yoishi-sensei!" He waved at the Shiba Inu servant to come forward and help keep me upright. I placed my arm over the boy's shoulders gratefully. Kaoru-sama began walking toward the castle, glancing back frequently with wide eyes and whiskers trembling.

A short time later, I exited the healer's workshop with a small dish of an inactive salve and a powder to pour into hot water, as well as a few mundane items to assist my work. The salve's purpose was for rubbing into the skin over the broken ribs, and the potion powder's was for numbing the pain for when I reset the bones and to help hasten the healing overall.

I set the equipment on a small table beside Akemi-san, who still lay in Kaoru-sama's bed; my curiosity prompted me to ask a question of my sweet Otter as I put the gear in order. "Not that I mind, but why is Akemi-san in your bed? It really makes it easy for me to treat him, but I find it a little perplexing."

Kaoru-sama looked down and away, with his fur fluffing up a little in embarrassment. "It is so you would not wake up alone while I was away. I worried greatly when you rested in the room by the sitting room. He can watch over you, call for a servant if there is trouble, and...I fear those targeting me, and thus my guards, would take this opportunity to strike at you." His earnest, love-filled eyes met mine. "I do not wish to lose another close to me. I..."

I leant over and placed my mouth over his, silencing him. I released the quick kiss. "Thank you, but I hope you don't force him to stay in bed after his ribs heal." I sighed and began stripping naked.

Hamataro-san was off duty again, but Tetsuo-san remained. He frowned at me. "Do you take every opportunity you can to strip, ronin? You're here to heal the Dog, not--" He cut off very quickly, most likely afraid he had crossed into taboo territory.

I spoke before my now-irate lover could. "I don't have the strength to dally with my sweet lover or his guard, let alone both. I expect to fall unconscious either while -- or immediately after -- treating him. This makes it easier to put me in bed." I nodded at the blushing Macaque. "If it was you who helped me the last time I passed out, thanks."

Tetsuo-san shifted uncomfortably. "You're welcome." He still refused to meet my eyes.

I dropped my undergarments, and the servant who had assisted me to and from Ichiru-dono's shelter scurried forth from the corner he hid in to gather up my discarded clothing. I glanced down at the Shiba Inu. "Thank you." He flinched in surprise before beating an even hastier retreat with the garments. I ignored him and carefully brought Akemi-san up into a sitting position. As I began unwrapping the muscular Dog's chest, I called back over to the servant. "I require very hot water. Has it been prepared?"

The pup, little more than twelve or thirteen years old, had trouble finding his voice, and then winced when it cracked a few times as he answered. "Y-Y-Yes, Healer. It's i-in the pot on the brazier."

I tapped the tea pot I took from the healer's workshop. "I need this half-filled, then." Kaoru-sama took the pot and went to fill it, but the servant intercepted him and did it. I ignored the by-play and passed Kaoru-sama the bandages. "These can be used to bind his wound again; they didn't come in contact with any blood." I carefully peeled off the gauze from the gash in his side, keeping my paws from touching it as best I could. I knew, even then, that it was best to keep a wound as clean as possible, though I, of course, knew nothing of microscopic organisms or the importance of soap and water in preventing the spread of infection. I placed the dirty bandage in a dish designated for such purposes and retrieved a wet cloth to gently wipe the wounded area. "Razor." Kaoru-sama passed me the blade, and I began shaving off all the fur from around the broken ribs.

Akemi-san twitched. "Hey! What are you doing!?"

I did not stop. "I'm shaving you, soldier. What did you think I was doing?"

"Why!?" He immediately added, "And don't say to get the fur off. Why do you need the fur gone?"

That was indeed what I was going to say. "I made a salve to help your bones set more quickly, but it needs to be applied directly to the skin so it can be absorbed and get to the bones. Unless you'd rather I cut you open and apply it that way. I have a knife in my paws already."

His ears drooped sheepishly. "I'll be quiet, now."

"Wise, soldier. Very wise."

The boy brought back the tea pot half-full of water just off the boil. I hesitated and then decided to finish shaving. I did not know how draining creating the potion would be. Should I set the bones first, then make the potion, and then finish with the salve? Or transpose the latter two? No, a good part of the reason for the potion was to spare Akemi-san the pain of resetting the bones. Yet, setting the bones was the most important part of the whole ordeal; should I risk passing out before that was done? I quickly estimated the cost of each aspect of the procedure I wanted to do and then guessed at how much chi I had left. I figured I would have enough to do two of them, maybe_all three. Resetting the bones would take the most chi, but it _had to be done; the bone-salve would drain me nearly as much as actually resetting them, and it would greatly speed their healing, but the potion would help heal everything and allow me to set them with minimal pain -- though it risked my not having sufficient chi to set them after making it.

I decided on the potion, despite the gamble. The gash in his side was healing quickly thanks to my salve (a different one than the bone-setting version I had just concocted) which had been liberally applied, but they had not stored it properly after using it and ruined what little remained. The potion would help that and all other more minor wounds heal cleanly.

"I'm about to begin. I'm leaving the bone-salve I made to help the bones heal quickly till last, so if I pass out before I get to it, I want someone to dab -- don't rub -- the incomplete salve over the shaved region. Make sure none gets into the cut. Bandage him up like you did last time, but don't add anything else. Lay him back down while jostling his ribs as little as possible. Akemi-san, don't move. You need to stay as still as possible till the morning; no sitting up for any reason." I looked at his pillows. "You'll need to be in a slightly more reclined position so you can drink." We took a minute to put a folded up blanket where he was going to lay. "There." I sighed. "Let's get started."

The water was still hot enough, so I added a measure of powder to it, wrapped my paws around the hot porcelain, and activated it with my chi. I wobbled but remained capable of continuing. I picked up the pot and held it before Akemi-san's face. "Inhale the steam when I blow." He nodded, so I blew the numbing vapour into his nose and mouth. His eyes watered and he coughed, but as he inhaled again, I blew more into his face. Tears streamed from his eyes, but I sent a final dose at him before I put the pot down.

He gasped for air -- clean, normal air -- and rubbed his eyes. "What the hells was that?"

"Medicine." I ignored his glare and poured a tea cup full of the potion. "Drink." He took the cup and sipped at the hot liquid, grimacing at the taste. I could not help but smile. "I know, that's why I try to use topical medicines whenever possible, but sometimes the taste is worth the benefits of drinking it." I glanced at the two standing nearby. "Keep his cup full until the pot is empty, and don't let him move. He may get disoriented and try to stand up, but I need him to stay in this position without moving. Someone should sit beside him, if necessary." Kaoru-sama seemed to prefer acting as my nurse, and Tetsuo-san, well, was on duty and would not place himself in a position where his actions would be impeded. I gestured at the Shiba pup. "You, I want you to kneel on the bed beside him and place your paws on his chest. Keep him still."

The pup's posture spoke of hesitance, but he moved quickly to comply. While I waited for the steam to take effect, I directed the pup such that he could maintain the best balance and retain a good hold on Akemi-san without getting in my way. Akemi-san seemed much less keen about this situation than the servant, who was warming up to his duty.

It was time. I placed my paw over the broken ribs and sharply thrust forward with just enough force to snap the myriad thin strands of bone that had begun to bind the fragments together. Akemi-san grunted from the force of the blow, but he did not scream. Once the ribs could move somewhat freely, I began the delicate process of using my chi to twitch the muscle fibres around the bones, easing the shattered bits of bone into place.

It was intricate work and took some time, but I managed to put them all into their proper positions. I sagged to my knees, drained yet conscious. "I've put you back together, soldier." I blearily looked up and saw my friend, lost to the world.

Kaoru-sama beamed. "That is wonderful news, Yoishi-sensei. Do you yet have strength to make this bone-knitting salve? You appear most fatigued." He held the salve in his paws, ready to pass it to me if I so requested.

I tried to stand, but my legs would not obey. "I don't know. I..." I searched myself, but could not judge how much chi I had left, nor could I force my mind to think of what it would require to finish the bone-salve. Even now, all I recall from that time was a dense fog that settled in my mind. I vaguely remember attempting to stand once more before my broken ankle gave out. I fell, knocking the tray of equipment down upon me, and then...nothing.

I woke once more and opened my eyes to impenetrable darkness. My nose could detect both Akemi-san and Kaoru-sama laying close by. I lay near the edge of the bed with my sweet Otter curled into me, with his head on my chest, while the handsome Akita samurai slept on his other side. Furthermore, I could smell the scent of the Shiba servant nearby, as well. I slipped out from under Kaoru-sama, and then hobbled around the bed to see why this person was in my lover's room.

It was, indeed, the Shiba serving boy. He lay beside the bed on a small futon, likely the same one he slept on in the servants' quarters. The curtain had been tied open and a cane sat propped against the bedside table near Akemi-san, most likely so he could tap the pup and rouse him without disturbing the daimyo or me. I checked my patient's ribs and found all was progressing well; not as well as it would have had I have been able to finish the bone-salve, but tolerable nonetheless.

My curiosity sated, I returned to my side, found the food left for me, and ate it, before returning to unconsciousness.

Over the course of the next two weeks, I drifted in and out of awareness. I released Akemi-san from enforced bed rest after the first three days, but he was not to engage in any heavy activity, or anything that required him to twist his torso much. He was greatly pleased at that, but somehow still managed to be in the room half of the times I awoke. He informed me that it was to watch over me and to be on paw so that I may check on him without having to send for him.

Once again, I opened my eyes, only to see the darkness of the night. Akemi-san slept on the far side of Kaoru-sama; I expected his scent so much now that it barely registered any more than my sweet Otter's. It was a third scent that woke me: Felid, but it belonged to neither Iriomote Cat -- Kagura-chan or her presumed traitor brother. The Cat was approaching stealthily from the door to the chamber. I slipped out of bed and through the curtains and moved to the foot of the bed where neither of us could see the other. I could see a sliver of light which spilt through the open door, which provided just enough illumination to see by. It also informed me that Tetsuo-san and Hamataro-san were not on duty. No one was.

I waited for a moment, thinking that this may -- possibly -- be a servant seeking to rouse her lord without disturbing those convalescing. Yet, when I heard the sound of metal on cloth and glanced around the bed upon, I saw the glint of a knife, dispelling that doubt. The assassin moved slowly, carefully, indicating she could not see well in the low light, so I slipped across the room to my lover's bureau where his clothes and grooming supplies lay, a difficult task to do silently when one is forced to use a cane. I picked up a few large pins, sturdy enough to hold up heavy folds of silk, and hurled them at my foe. As the fifth left my paw, I hopped forward on my good hindpaw in pursuit of them, in case they failed to find their mark.

They did fail. The Cat sensed them approaching and knocked two aside with her knife, before rolling forward beneath the others. The sharp pings of metal-on-metal roused Akemi-san, but by that time I had closed with the assassin.

We traded a quick flurry of punches and kicks in complete silence with no advantage taken or lost, though I was forced to use the cane as a weapon instead of keeping my balance. I did feel at a disadvantage having insufficient chi to use any of my higher abilities, but I remained confident in my skills. I pushed toward my foe, driving her away from the bed. She had difficulty seeing attacks in the darkness, my black fur once again proving valuable, but her chi-senses were refined enough to still let her block, as she had blocked the pins I threw.

I dropped down and began a leg-sweep, knowing she would jump -- which she did -- and then counter-spun rapidly to knock her back while she remained in mid-air and unable to dodge. It appeared she anticipated this, for she snatched my arm with her free paw, knocking my fist off target so that I struck her in the shoulder instead of her heart. Her knife-paw lanced toward my throat. In my weakness -- no, there was no excuse for my failing, weakness and fatigue or not -- I failed to achieve the speed or muster the strength necessary to save myself. However, I managed duck aside sufficiently to avoid taking the blade in the throat and instead took it in the shoulder, mere centimetres above the lungs.

I snapped my head down and bit her on the wrist, taking her by surprise, and twisted a hindpaw around one of hers as she landed. Her momentary distraction allowed me to trip her and fall heavily atop her. The pain of the knife in my chest flared, and I unintentionally released my bite. She twisted the knife between my collarbone and top rib, and then rolled us over when the my vision wavered with the pain. Now on top of me, she yanked the knife out, and her paw lunged forward to slit my throat.

She appeared to forget we were not alone -- even I had lost track of Akemi-san -- but the Akita reminded her in a most forceful manner that he was there. He grabbed her head and snapped her neck; the sound practically echoed in the stone room.

He pushed her lifeless body aside, and it fell to the floor with a thud. He grinned down at me, his eyes darting about as he sought to find my face in the deep gloom. "Well, ronin, the score isn't tipped so far in your favour, now. Are you hurt?" He reached a paw down toward me.

I batted it aside with my uninjured side. His face fell as though his feelings were hurt. "Soldier, your ribs are still broken; you could hurt them by trying to haul me up. Thank you for saving me, though." I snorted in disgust. "Yes, I am injured." Kaoru-sama gasped in alarm and scrambled from the bed as I continued to talk. "I took a knife to the chest, just below the shoulder. It's painful and bleeding, but it missed anything important." I clumsily forced myself upright, hiding any outward sign of pain.

Kaoru-sama stumbled toward me, paws stretched out in a vain attempt to find me. "Where are you, Yoishi-sensei? It is too dark for me to find you." He looked toward Akemi-san, the samurai's white fur nearly shining in the faint light spilling in from the partially open door. "Fetch a candle at once!"

Akemi-san strode toward the door, yelling, "Hai! Servant! Guards!"

I snarled at Kaoru-sama, "Where in the hells are Hamataro or Tetsuo?! How could an assassin just wander into your room like that? Damn it, Kaoru! You could've just put a pair of soldiers there if neither of your bodyguards could be here!"

Kaoru-sama froze; the tears that welled up in his eyes spoke of the pain I inflicted, born out of the pain in my chest -- not the wound, but the feelings of fear, worry, and failure. I failed to protect the one I loved and had to rely on another to save me, and in that failure I lashed out to wound him and worsened my wrong.

The sound of Furs running toward the room almost covered my words. "I'm sorry, Kaoru-kun. I shouldn'--" I was silenced by the heavy thud of a fist colliding with my head, sending me sprawling back to the ground.

Akemi-san stood over me, breathing heavily in his fury. "Never speak to the daimyo like that, ronin! Your life is forfeit if it happens again!"

Kaoru-sama squeaked in alarm and stumbled toward me. "Yoishi-kun!" He glared up at Akemi-san when he dropped to his knees beside me. "That was most uncalled for! Get out! Find some bandages, a healer, anything!"

I blinked past the stars in my vision and put my paw on Kaoru-sama's. "Stop, please. He was right to hit me. I'm sorry, I should never speak to you like that, Sweet One. I was scared, but that--" I paused, silently, when a sharp bolt of pain lanced out from my wound. "That is no excuse." I turned my head toward the departing samurai. "But, Akemi-san, some bandages and, well, we're out of my salve, so just the bandages would be helpful. I'm bleeding all over the floor." He nodded and left the room silently. I looked up at my Otter. "You may wish to put on your robe, Sweet One. Help is almost here."

In truth, the help should have been here before now. Where was the servant who should always be on duty in the small room across the hall? The guards also seemed slow in arriving.

Kaoru-sama squeaked and darted behind the curtains on his bed, where I could hear him scrambling for his robe. I kicked out with my good hindpaw to knock one of the heavy pins up into reach... just in case the guard's thought to take advantage of Akemi-san's absence. Fortunately, the first two to enter were Sakura-dono and Yukiko-san.

Sakura-dono saw me lying on the floor, bleeding heavily from my chest and barely managed to muffle her shriek. Yukiko-san merely darted forward and pressed the cuff of her sleeve over the wound and applied pressure in an attempt to staunch the wound. I noted her eyes kept darting around the room, looking for trouble.

I addressed them both. "There was only one. Akemi-san has gone to get bandages, and Kaoru-sama is unharmed."

Yukiko-san's voice was wry. "A single foe, and you almost got yourself killed? Perhaps I stand a chance if you threaten my lady, after all."

An angry Kaoru-sama burst out from the curtains, holding his robe shut with one paw while his other held his sash. "You will not say such things about Yoishi-kun! He--He nearly died to protect me! It is not funny! I almost lost..." He sniffled and dropped his gaze to the floor.

Sakura-dono sheathed her katana and trotted over to hug her brother, ignoring the corpse upon the floor. "He will be fine, Nii-sama. You just need to give him a chance to recover, for once." That would be nice. "Why is your guard fetching the bandages; should it not be a servant?" The lack of attention drawn to the corpse would indicate it was one of the local shinobi, one who followed Ichiru-dono. She released Kaoru-sama as soon as he collected himself and turned away to address the guards and servants who arrived. She gestured to a few male servants. "You take my handmaiden's place and keep pressure on the healer's wound. You, find a blanket or something to preserve his modesty." As if I had any. "You two, remove the traitor." She gestured at a guard. "And you put her head on a pike next to the other ones." She continued organizing everyone while Kaoru-sama waited nervously at the foot of his bed.

Akemi-san dashed back into the room with a wadded pawful of bandages, rags, and any scrap of fabric he found en route, or so it seemed. He knelt beside me and started to patch me up, but Sakura-dono chided him. "You're on duty, Masashi-san. And naked. Let someone else do that."

Akemi-san stood up quickly and moved behind the canopied bed to fetch his clothes, muttering, "Sorry." He was most discomfited in having been seen in that state by the young lady of the castle. She was also flushed but did not seem displeased.

The young male Shiba servant -- the one who had been in attendance on Akemi-san while he convalesced -- was there and began wrapping my wound, under my direction, though I took time to ask, "So, where were the guards and the servants? Why wasn't anyone outside? Why did Sakura-dono and Yukiko-san get here before anyone else!?" I did not direct the questions to anyone in particular, hoping _some_one knew the answers.

Yukiko-san frowned. "We didn't pass a single guard on our way here, nor a servant. I found it odd that the guard outside our room was missing as well. I know who it was supposed to be, so he'll be executed as soon as he's found. As for the rest..."

Kaoru-sama finally spoke up. "All those who were to be on duty and found in dereliction of their duty will be executed." It sounded as if his heart broke at the utterance of those words. "The servants shall be flogged and denied the services of a healer. They will also be given the meanest jobs to be had in the castle." He paused to reconsider, looking at the terror obvious in the Shiba pups face. "No, I shall have it investigated. Those who were following orders and had no cause to believe their posts would be left abandoned should bear no blame; it is those who gave the order that shall face justice." Kaoru-sama looked around the room. "Akemi, we will take this guard--" He pointed to one at random. "--and ask for his story. Sakura-chan, keep watch on things here. The servants and guards are not to talk to anyone until they have been interviewed. I expect my other bodyguards to arrive soon. Once they do, they may take your place, and you may also begin interviewing those you deem appropriate. If Kagura-chan arrives, tell her I wish to have a pot of tea along with some sake." He turned to me. "Go to your workshop and have that servant help you clean up as best you can." Unspoken was the command to speak to him, but it was most evident.

We all went our separate ways after I donned a yukata. I led the way to the healer's workshop, trailed by a pup who quickly became consumed by terror. I entered and stood by the door until the pup walked by, before closing it quietly. I walked over to the large table and leaned against it after setting my cane down, watching the pup quietly.

He had a strong will, this boy; I expected one as young as him, and in such a vulnerable position, to begin pleading for mercy already. He endured my gaze in silence, though he shivered mightily throughout. I know not what he imagined I would do to extract information from him, but it was most certainly far beyond what I would contemplate inflicting upon all but the most terrible of beings. I finally spoke, making him jump mightily. "You're supposed to be bandaging me."

That was not what he expected to hear, and I knew it. It threw him even more off-balance, but he hurriedly scampered over and tried tightening the bandages underneath my robe. They were satisfactory for the time being, though they'd need to be replaced in the morning. I waved him off with my good arm. "Why weren't you at your post? You heard what Kaoru-sama said." He began stammering something unintelligible before I cut him off. "Don't worry, I won't let that happen, little pup." He sagged in relief. I let him be for a moment before cruelly yanking on his emotions. "I'll kill you in the most painful way I can imagine if you were the one who put my sweet Otter's life in danger." I lifted the paralyzed servant's head up with my finger so I could stare into his eyes. "Who was supposed to be on duty tonight? You or the Tree Frog?"

I gave him the option of passing the blame off easily to see if he would try to lie, and also to see if I had the strength to feel the fluctuations in his chi as thoughts of deceit passed through his mind. I did. I could also see it in his features; this child was very honest and the mere thought of betraying a colleague, perhaps a friend, caused him great distress despite his fear of me and the threat I had made.

He choked out, "I-I was." His voice was barely audible, even to me. His eyes remained downcast, though he made no attempt to move his head.

"Where were you?"

"The servant's waiting room." He must have noted my confusion, for he added, "It's down the hall, just past the main staircase."

I allowed no emotion into my next question and likewise allowed none to show in my features. "Why?"

At my tone, he looked up, focusing on my muzzle. The lack of cues there caused him to meet my eyes. There, he found himself petrified, not by any action of my own, but most likely by the deadly cold he saw within. I was angry. I was most willing to kill or harm any I needed to in order to learn who had engineered this plot on my Otter, one that had been frighteningly close to succeeding. An odd reaction in retrospect, considering my mission, but most sincere.

I let him drown in my eyes for a short while longer before asking again, "Why?"

He began sobbing, nearing his breaking point. "Please don't hurt me! I'm just a servant; an errand boy! I don't know anything. I was told to wait there, so I waited there. It's not my place to question or wonder. I do what I'm told and hope I get enough food and avoid beatings."

"Who told you to wait there?"

His eyes widened for a moment, and his breath hitched. His chi roiled and became even more discordant as he resolved to deceive. Was it under orders, or did he seek to exact revenge upon someone? I waited to hear the name but did not expect the one I heard. "Kagura-dono."

'Dono'? She who wished to be addressed as 'chan' by a homeless artist who happened to catch her lord's eye? This was an order, without doubt. "You lie." Fear of retribution caught him by the throat and began choking him. I made no action upon him, but with the stories he had heard of me, he imagined the worst, which made it nearly impossible to breathe. I moved my finger from his chin and pulled him close. "Shush, pup. I know you were ordered to say that; I saw it in your eyes. I'm not going to hurt you because of that." He began breathing more smoothly as the expected harm did not befall him. I rubbed his back. "Shush."

He began to calm, but I needed to pass word on of the attempt to lay blame on Kagura-chan quickly. I gently pushed him back and asked again, "Who? Please, don't try to lie to me again. I'll know, and I won't be kind a second time."

His chi began roiling once more, but in a different manner. He was trying to weigh his options, notably who he feared more. I decided to place my thumb on the scale. "I can call on the dead, remember. I can punish you even after I kill you."

This time, he made no attempt to deceive; instead, he quivered in raw terror. "Amaya-dono! It was Amaya-dono!"

I gently placed my paw on his shoulder, eliciting a sharp whine, and softly squeezed. "Thank you. If you'd please follow me, I need to let Kaoru-sama know that Kagura-chan hasn't betrayed him." It was most apparent that he would rather be anywhere else than in my presence. "Please try to calm down. I think you'd be safer with me, at the moment. I wasn't here to 'talk to you;' I was getting bandaged. They'd think it was odd if I sent you off when I may need your help again; someone might think you betrayed them." That was partially true; I certainly expected harm to come to him if I sent him away now. He was currently very fragile and would easily succumb to an interrogation. My Otter's foes would interrogate him if they had the chance.

The Shiba nodded mutely and followed. I found myself impressed by how quickly he began to recover; his willpower was most strong. We moved down the hall a short distance to the western sitting room where I could smell Kaoru-sama and Akemi-san within. Kagura-chan was just climbing the stairs a few paces away as I stopped by the door. I held up a paw to stop her and whispered, "You're being accused of the plot on Kaoru-sama's life. Be careful around his bodyguards." She fluffed up in fear but nodded silently. I directed the young servant to take her tray, in case she needed to dodge, before I knocked on the doorframe and called out, "It's Yoishi. I need to speak to you, Kaoru-sama."

Akemi-san answered, "Enter."

I slid open the door and walked, in followed by the Shiba and Kagura-chan. Akemi-san's blade flew from its sheath, and he roared in anger as he leapt toward the Iriomote Cat. She rolled aside as I snapped, "Stand down, Akemi! It wasn't her." I did not miss the evil glare directed at the pup from the guard they'd interviewed. "It was Amaya. At least, she was the one that passed the orders to the servants." I looked at Akemi-san. "I'd like to talk to this guard before he's executed. Could you let Sakura-dono know about the attempt to blame Kagura-chan? I don't want the pup to face retribution for revealing Amaya's treachery."

Akemi-san looked to Karou-sama, who nodded, and trotted out of the room. My Otter looked most relieved to know that it was not his most trusted shinobi who had betrayed him, though he was still upset at any betrayal. I hobbled forward to stand in front of the guard and attempted to meet his gaze. He tried to keep his head upright but he would not look me in the eyes.

I spoke to Kaoru-sama, even as I chased the gaze of the guard. "He lied to you. Deliberately." The guard's eyes flicked toward mine and then away before he established full contact, but he did not speak. "Let's see if he's foolish enough to lie to me." I dearly wished I had enough chi at my disposal to make this easy. The Ryuku Spiny Rat failed to hide a shiver of fear. I leaned in so he could feel my breath upon his nose and whiskers. "Your name."

He delayed in answering, but eventually did so. "Tadao." I almost laughed at the irony; Tadao means 'loyal man.' His chi did not fluctuate greatly, but answering simple questions of this sort allowed me to determine what his 'baseline' was and make it easier to tell when he sought to lie. It would help if I could get him to meet my eyes, for chi flowed easily along the line of sight. Gazing into someone's eyes is tantamount to seeing into their soul.

There would be time for that. First, I would calm him somewhat, then create fear, to greatly unsettle his centre so that he possessed no foundation upon which to stand. I needed that baseline for his chi, found in a calmer state, before seeing how it changed in moments of panic. Once I had those, I could seek out how it changed in deceit. I already had the base for the Shiba, obtained in our prior meetings. I had nothing for this one. I leaned back to alleviate some of his discomfort. "How long have you been serving in this castle?"

A bit of confusion grew within my quarry, but the answer came quicker. "I've been a guard for eight years, Healer Takahashi."

"What family do you belong to? I noticed you didn't give your full name."

"Taka... Takahashi, Ronin-dono."

I did not react to his name, nor the honorific he gave. Takahashi was a very common family name, shared by many who were not related, and it occurred in almost every province of Japan. The spelling was almost assuredly different than mine, however. My lack of reaction caused his eyes to flicker toward mine once, yet he evaded my gaze at the last moment. "Your family must be very pleased at the honour you received. Few are given the honour of guarding the halls around the daimyo's bedchambers or those of his family."

The lack of a question was deliberate, as was the leading statement. The traitor's chi fluctuated in confusion, but the almost conversational interrogation calmed him. I could not say the same for my sweet Otter or Kagura-chan, but they remained silent. The Spiny Rat spoke after half a minute. "They were. All of them are dead; my mother was the last to die. She died in the same Oni attack that claimed the last Daimyo Ohtori."

So, that could be why he supported Ichiru-dono. He sought someone he thought would be a strong leader and would be willing to hunt down the Oni, no matter the cost. It was unfortunate that he picked the wrong Ohtori; Ichiru-dono did not blame the Oni for his father's death; instead, he blamed his father's compassion and sense of honour and duty.

I nodded and placed a mask of sympathy upon my face and voice. "I lost both of my parents, too, Tadao-san. I know what it's like to be left alone." His chi calmed enough to serve as a baseline; now, to destroy his centre. "Count yourself fortunate that you have your honour to serve as your purpose." His eyes widened in surprise at those words; he knew I considered him a traitor. I then filled my voice with as much loathing as I could. "Ah, my apologies. You have no honour, traitor. You've shamed your name and placed a curse on your ancestors. Don't worry, though. I can bring your mother's soul forth so you can apologise to her in person before she faces my judgement." It was not only Tadao whose chi roiled fiercely as my words rocked them; all those present shared in the traitor's horror. I leaned again into the stunned Rat's face and lifted his head so he numbly met my eyes. "You've betrayed Kaoru-sama, Tadao." The use of his daimyo's first name was a very pointed reminder of our relationship. "Did you think your family wouldn't share in your punishment, just because they're dead?" I saw his will crumble as I peered into his eyes; had I the chi, I could do whatever I wished to him with no resistance, but as I only sought some simple answers, I did not need to expend any. "Who gave you the order to leave your post?"

His voice came forth flat, dead. His mind had virtually shut down; it was faced with such a horrific image that it sought to preserve itself by avoiding any conscious though. "Captain Hiroguchi." He commanded all of the household guard; even the ashigaru who manned the walls answered to him.

Kaoru-sama looked ill, but he flicked his fingers upward. Kagura-chan pulled a knife from her sleeve and had nearly left the room when I asked, "Did the order originate from him or did he just pass it on?" I hoped for him to name Ichiru-dono and let this be done with.

Unfortunately, such was not to be the case. Before Tadao could speak, a knife came flying down from the rafters toward Kaoru-sama. Kagura-chan leapt in its way, deflecting it with her own knife, while I swiftly moved toward the wall -- I lacked the energy to leap to the rafters from my current position. Once I stepped away from Tadao, three coin-sized shuriken whirred toward us, all on my bad side. I knew such small blades would be poisoned, for they would do little damage on their own if they did not strike a vital area. I could not move swiftly with my ankle and shoulder wounds, so I was forced to block the one coming at me with my cane, but that left Tadao unprotected. He took both shuriken in vital spots. One sliced his throat, creating a long and profusely bleeding gash; the other sunk deeply into his eye. While an eye wound may not normally be lethal -- unless it penetrated through to the brain -- this was inflicted by a poisoned weapon. There are many blood vessels to transfer the poison deeper into the body, and the eye is a most difficult place to treat. Our assailant made no attempt at stealth while he fled, but I had not the strength to pursue.

Kagura-chan leapt to the rafters and took off in my stead; I only hoped Akemi-san arrived soon, for any attack that occurred now would be too much to handle alone. I spoke to Kaoru-sama in hopes of comforting him. "I didn't say I was going to punish his ancestors, Sweet One, only that I could."

Kaoru-sama hastened toward Tadao. "I care not about such things, now, Yoishi-sensei! He's dying!"

"Um, yes? So? You were going to execute him anyway." Still, my confusion did not stop me from blocking Kaoru-sama's path. "Don't get close to him; he might have enough strength to try to kill you. He betrayed you, remember." I gently prodded Kaoru-sama back a few paces and turned to look at the samurai.

The pain had snapped Tadao out of his daze, yet he stood as still as he could, silently, despite the loss of blood and the pain he endured. He stood facing death as a samurai -- stoically. He reclaimed a small measure of honour for his bravery and strength.

Sakura-dono entered the room, followed by Akemi-san and Yukiko-san. The younger Ohtori looked at Tadao and then us. "I did not expect such tactics from you, Sensei. What have you learned, if anything?"

Kaoru-sama whirled to face his sister. "Convince this knave to save him! He cares not that a Fur stands dying before him!"

I held up my paw to prevent argument. "He betrayed you, Sweet One. He stands facing death as a samurai, with honour. To save him now, only to execute him later, would deny him the only chance he has at reclaiming some little shred of dignity. If you have any sympathy for him, command Akemi-san to end it swiftly -- with a blade. Anything else would dishonour him. If denying him honour is your intent, I will do what I can, even though that'll guarantee that I'm bedridden for a few more weeks."

The distraught Otter sought the gaze of all in the room and saw agreement in all of their eyes, including Tadao's one good eye. The Spiny Rat finally began succumbing to blood loss and the poison and fell to his knees. Even then he struggled to keep his head high and eye open. Kaoru-sama gestured to Akemi-san. The Akita drew his katana and held it with both paws, met the eye of Tadao, and swung. The cut was clean, despite a little hitch in the swing caused by his ribs and the gash in his side, and clove the Rat's head from his body. Both head and body fell heavily.

Kaoru-sama turned away and buried his face into my shoulder. I rubbed his back with my good paw. "Such is the country we live in, Sweet One. It's a brutal land, far more brutal than you see in your castle, where lives are short and held with little value. These are the people you govern, the rules you have to understand and live by. Perhaps, in time, things may change, but not in this lifetime."

Kaoru-sama whispered, so faintly I believe he did not wish me to hear. "It is why I almost wish an assassin would succeed, Yoishi-chan. At times, I feel it is inevitable, and I would rather it happen while I slept in your arms." He raised his head and stepped away, unaware of how deeply his words troubled me, including his use of the much more intimate 'chan.' To use it on a woman of lower status was very informal, and perhaps a little flirtatious, but to use it on a man was either most insulting or very intimate. It was tantamount to saying he loved me, and to do so while saying he wished to die in my arms? Did he suspect my true purpose here? Did he want me to kill him, to set him free? Was I here because he chose me to be the one that would take his life? The daimyo turned to Sakura-dono. "It was Captain Hirogachi that engineered this attempt on my life. An assassin struck and did this before we could ask further questions. Ayama-kun was part of it, as well. Kagura-chan is going to fetch, or kill, the captain, depending on how he reacts." He glanced toward me. "Yoishi-kun did not harm Tadao...but I would not say he was kind. He plied words more cruelly than Jinta can a whip."

A faint motion in the corner of the room drew my eyes. It was the serving boy. He was curled as tightly as he could get and pressed as far into the corner as possible. The events of the night had finally proven too much for the little Shiba. The night had also proven too much for me, though not in an emotional sense.

"Sweet One, I must retire. I'm close to passing out, again. I'd like the pup to help me to bed and sleep on the floor by my side of the bed like he did for Akemi-san. Could you call someone to fetch his mat? I'll try to stay awake long enough to find out how things are going, but it's unlikely I'll manage."

Kaoru-sama was immediately apologetic and nodded. "Then you must retire. I apologise for not seeing to you sooner; you have been virtually bedridden for weeks and had to exert yourself greatly before you had any chance to regain your strength. Go. Sleep. The servant shall be nearby when you wake."

I managed to make my way to bed without assistance, but fell upon it as soon as I was close. I was barely cognizant of the Shiba struggling to shift me to my side of the bed and undress me without jostling my wounds greatly, but I fully lost myself to the world before he had finished. For the first time since I mended Akemi-san's ribs, I slept, and did not pass into unconsciousness.

I woke in the morning at my usual time, sensing that Kaoru-sama lay beside me and that the Shiba slept on the floor just on the other side of the curtains. Akemi-san was not present. I sniffed the air, wondering if something unusual woke me, but the most prevalent scent was my own. I was in dire need of a bath. I slipped out of the bed, stepping around the servant, and fetched the small tray of food left for me. I bit into a rice ball when I recalled the pup that lay at my hindpaws speaking of the lack of food he endured.

I gently nudged him with my cane. He woke with a start, yet uttered no sound. He gazed about blindly, so I whispered, "One moment," before silently limping down to the lamp that burned as low as it could at the far end of the room. I laid the tray down and raised the wick so it burned more brightly. The servant rose to his hindpaws and trotted toward me now that he could see. I passed him the second of three rice balls on my tray. "Here. You're probably hungry after all the excitement last night." The pup's face contorted in conflict; he was very hungry, judging by the noise coming from his stomach, but he certainly must have been warned not to touch the food left for me. I smiled and motioned toward him with the ball. "I ate it." He took it and finished it in three bites. "What's your name, pup?" I finished my rice ball while he answered.

"I-I'm Yuuto, Ronin-dono."

Yuuto: gentle person. It seemed a most fitting name, though the meaning varied greatly depending on how it was written. I took the last bite of my rice ball and swallowed. "Call me Yoishi-sensei. 'Dono' is too much for my taste. I think of myself as an artist and sometime healer more than a member of the samurai class, Yuu-kun. If I may call you that."

The request took him aback. I could call him the most insulting thing in the world, and he would not dare object. His chi did not indicate he lied when he shook his head. "No, Takahashi-sensei." So he did know my name. He had been purposely playing dumb to find out how I wanted to be addressed, but I guess my given name was too informal for him.

I took the last rice ball and held it out for him and then began slowly eating the smaller titbits on the tray while he once again wolfed down the offered food. One would assume that everyone in the lord's castle had enough food, but the hierarchy amongst the servants was strictly enforced. The lower your status, the later you ate, and if there was not sufficient food for all those above you to eat their fill, then that was most unfortunate for you. A just_and kind chef would ensure there was at least _rice for everyone, but if this Ayama decided who ate and when, then it appeared the staff would be much better off with her removal. I passed over the remnants of my food; breakfast would not be too far away, and I may eat my fill there.

Yuu-kun quickly finished it off and scrutinised me warily while I watched him. I smiled kindly. "Better?" He nodded silently. "Well, I want some news, Yuu-kun. What happened to Ayama and Captain Hiroguchi?"

He curled in on himself. His chi roiled as he prepared to lie, but he stopped before he uttered a word. "Please, don't ask me, sir. I...heard, but servants aren't allowed hearing anything."

I could make him speak or remind him that I am allowed to know, but I would not place him in such a position. I could find out later. I nodded and grabbed my yukata, hiding a wince as I twisted too far and strained my wound. "Then I'll let it be. I need to bathe, but I'm not sure how much strength I have. Please accompany me." Yuu-kun nodded and followed me.

Hamataro-san stood at attention when the door opened, but he did not relax when he saw who it was. Indeed, his posture became even stiffer. The second guard appeared distraught by my presence, for I noticed his heart rate and breathing become elevated; I wondered what new rumours were spreading to cause such a reaction.

The bodyguard may know the information I sought. I spoke softly so as to not disturb anyone. "Hamataro-san, could you tell me what happened after I fell asleep last night? What happened to Captain Hiroguchi?"

Hamataro-san swallowed heavily. "He...was warned. He committed seppuku before he could be brought before Ohtori-sama."

Seppuku: the ritual suicide of samurai when they fear they are about to be caught by the enemy and tortured for information, or when they have failed in a mission and seek to reclaim some small part of their honour. It involves disembowelling oneself, and at the time it involved facing death as Tadao had before their 'second' -- a friend, family member, or even a respected foe -- beheaded them.

"That is most unfortunate. I looked forward to speaking with him." I noted the unnamed guard's knees became weak and quivered. I did not think my tone was so menacing. "What about Ayama? She was implicated as well."

The muscles in Hamataro's neck stiffened like he was trying not to turn his head away, even though he was not facing me already. I stood in the doorway, and he looked out across the hallway. His voice was most tense, almost hoarse, and he visibly forced himself to speak. "She...vanished. No one can find her. W-- The servants fear she was a Demon or was spirited away by that Kitsune."

Tai Lung whispered in my mind. 'A Demon. An unnatural, destructive, malevolent force.' The loathing he felt spilt from his reflection and flooded my being. I thought, 'The creators of the Oni and the only beings I know of that can hold a group together and force them to act as a cohesive troop.' I recalled the horrific magic that slew so many of my sweet Kaoru's samurai and knew. We faced a Demon. We were fortunate it could not operate openly, for its presence would instantly cause all of the warring factions within to ally against it. No samurai or lord would join forces with a Demon, for the tales of their ancestors and the stories brought over from the mainland spoke of that folly. Allying with a Demon was to become its slave, and the loss of honour would not be worth any reward that could be offered. Having no honour would be worse than death. 'Ichiru... No, not even someone that despicable would dare... He has no honour already, and he doesn't care in the slightest about bushido, other than using it to force other people to do what he wants. No. He couldn't, he wouldn't.' I did not believe my own protestations, but I needed proof before I could act_._

I suddenly realized that I my companion was gone. Yuu-kun had retreated into the room, while the two samurais' paws gripped the hilts of their swords as they warily backed away. I forced myself to relax and smile. "Well, we shall investigate that." I have little doubt that my smile unnerved them more, for the samurai looked even more discomfited. "Yuu-kun, let's go. I need to bathe before Kaoru-sama wakes up." I began stalking down the hall, but did not miss the sympathetic looks directed at the little Shiba boy as he hurried to catch up to me.

Yuu-kun had to assist me in bathing, to the point of performing the majority of the work. It took two separate scrubbings and rinses to clean the stink off my fur to my satisfaction. Bathing just proved too difficult for me without aggravating my shoulder wound, and my strength left me shortly after I began bathing. It was an effort to even stand with my cane by the end. Yuuto had to call for another servant to return me to Kaoru-sama's bed. Once there, Kaoru-sama and I merely cuddled until he had to rise to dress. It appeared Yuu-kun was permitted to retreat to the small waiting room across from Kaoru-sama's room to nap.

I ventured to the courtyard, somewhat strengthened by the rest, and sat in my usual exercise spot. The sun was most warm, though the air and stone yet carried the night's chill. I found it quite pleasing and settled in to meditate until the morning drills began. I focused primarily on repairing my ankle and recouping my chi. My shoulder hurt, but it was not nearly as aggravating as my broken ankle.

I heard the students begin to file out of their barracks; indeed it was hard not to hear their boisterous laughter and jests. I cracked an eye open to watch and saw the first student to exit their building freeze in his tracks at the sight of me. The others pushed and insulted him, but he swiftly turned and hushed them. "It's the shinigami, guys! Be quiet! He's meditating." His 'shushing' may have roused any who still slept in the castle.

One student asked in a low voice, "So, what was all the fuss in the main building last night? I heard he was involved."

Another student whispered conspiratorially, "Well, when I went in to see if Rio was awake after things started to quiet down--" Some quiet, if coarse laughter broke out amongst his audience.

A third student interrupted. "So did you get to sheathe your blade, or did she leave you flapping in the wind?"

More raucous laughter erupted, but several students protested the delay to the real story. The student that had started to tell his tale grabbed his balls. "Let's just say I'll be lighter on my hindpaws today. Now, this is serious, guys. Someone tried to kill Ohtori-sama last night!" Gasps of shock and horror greeted that pronouncement. The student, a Japanese Weasel, looked like he enjoyed all of the attention. "You guys knew the shinigami has been unconscious for the last few weeks, ever since he drove off the Demon and Oni in town, but when the assassin entered our lord's room, he woke up and killed her. Even though he took several mortal wounds, that couldn't kill him, and then he went on to interrogate the traitors. He learned that Captain Hiroguchi hired the assassin, slit the captain's belly open in retribution, and then used those guts in a divination ritual -- while Captain Hiroguchi was still alive -- revealing that Ayama was actually a Demon! He fought with her for two hours alongside the ghost of Sergeant Kaito before he managed to drive the Demon back to Mount Ashitaka." I had no idea I was so amazing. I survived several wounds that would kill normal people? Fascinating.

One of the students scornfully countered, "Oh, please. Kaito-sensei isn't dead. You should know perfectly well that story was just spread around to try to keep the traitors from getting revenge on him for hitting Ichiru. He's still training the best of us in a shinobi stronghold. I hope I'm judged good enough to train under him."

Over half the students nodded emphatically, while a couple of the others laughed openly. The Weasel held up his paws. "Hey, this is what the servants are saying. They said they saw his ghost fighting in their wing, so that's what I told you. I haven't seen Kaito alive or dead myself, so who am I to call Rio a liar? Even if I knew Kaito was alive, I wouldn't insult her; I want to keep draining my balls without resorting to my paw like you_have to. Besides, we aren't supposed to let anyone know about that rumour. If Ohtori Sakura-dono finds out you're spreading it around you'll never get a chance to train under Kaito... _if he's still alive."

Unfortunately, I had no chance to hear further tales of my daring exploits or those very interesting rumours about Sergeant Kaito; Tetsuo-sensei walked into the courtyard, and the students swiftly and silently fell into place. The Macaque had certainly drilled a lot more discipline into them since the last time I was here. He stopped in front of me and looked down at me silently for a few seconds. "Artist, I'm surprised to see you up and about."

I answered him reproachfully, "Good morning, soldier. I hope you're feeling well today. The weather is truly pleasant." I switched to a conversational tone, not waiting for a response. "I wanted some fresh air; I can meditate here as well as inside. I also wanted to watch the lessons. If I'm to carry a daisho, I should at least know the basics of using them; otherwise, I'll disgrace myself along with everyone who uses the swords."

The red face of the monkey set itself as he studied me a little longer. "You seem to know a lot about honour."

I opened my eyes fully and looked up at him; he turned his eyes and head aside slightly to avoid meeting my gaze. "Samurai don't hold a monopoly on honour, Tetsuo-san. Bushido isn't the only code of honour, either. Even if they were, just because I don't consider myself a samurai, and I don't follow bushido doesn't mean I can't understand it."

His tone almost made his question a challenge. "Then what code do you follow?"

"My own." It was obviously not what he wanted to hear. He grunted and turned toward his students. Before he could step away, I asked, "What's the truth about Ayama? Did she actually vanish before her capture? If she did, I want to look at her rooms before someone else moves in."

The Macaque looked over the students then knelt beside me. He pitched his voice low and kept very quiet. "She vanished. Maybe. Some shinobi searched her room after you went back to bed, and they found a skeleton in the chest containing her clothes. It looks like hers. A pile of rotting flesh and fur lay on her bedroll. We also think it was hers. There were no muscles or innards anywhere. Something may have been walking around wearing her skin for a long time. Ohtori-sama and Sakura-dono agreed you would probably be unconscious for a long time after everything that happened last night, especially since you hadn't even had a chance to convalesce, so they ordered the room cleared and everything in it burned. Ohtori-sama ordered the town's priest to cleanse the pyre and the room; she's probably finishing up right now."

"Damn." I shook my head. "Though that was the logical thing to do. It's going to take a few days for me to get enough strength to make more salve to help heal my shoulder and ankle, and probably a few weeks to get back to normal." That would bring us close to Kaoru-sama's proposed wedding. I still hadn't learned anything about Rei-dono or found proof of Ichiru-dono's treachery, and now there might be two Demons running around.

My lord only ordered me to kill Kaoru-sama, but I wanted to kill Ichiru, and I knew leaving the brat alive would cause a lot of problems for my lord...especially if he was in league with Demons. If a Demon took over this territory and could exercise enough control to bolster its armies with _Oni,_it would most likely conquer all of the surrounding lands with incredible speed. A virtual guarantee, if it possessed the power to animate the bodies of the fallen on the battlefield. It did not matter if they remained after the melee, or even lasted more than a few minutes; such a demoralizing sight would likely be enough to win the battle right then.

No, even without orders, my duty to my lord was clear: Ichiru must die and the Demons banished or destroyed. But what if it was my lord's intention to enable Ichiru to become daimyo and expose his demonic allegiance in order to shame the i and Imagawa? Or to force them to deplete their forces against Ichiru when they learned they had formed a marriage-alliance with the Demons and attacked the Ohtori in an attempt to regain their honour? That would leave Takeda-sama free to invade their lands and suffer minimal casualties.

If such was the case, then the general who gave me my orders would share the blame. No shinobi or samurai would allow a Demon or Demon ally to live without explicit orders to the contrary, and my orders were obviously drawn up in haste and with minimal detail -- and likely with minimal research. It was unfair that my lover would have to pay the price for this...but was it a price he wished to pay? Did he find his life and role such a trial that an assassin's blade would be a blessing? Oh, how I wished I could heal his heart and free him...free us from the shackles we were born wearing.

My prolonged silence caused Tetsuo-san some concern, as may have some stray emotions that managed to betray themselves upon my features. "Artist? Do you need me to fetch a servant to bring you back to bed? You don't look well. Don't blame yourself for last night; you saved my lord's life, again. You exhausted yourself doing the far more important job. Don't let it bother you that a lesser job had to be done before you could stick your nose into it. I know you can't stand to have something happen without meddling in it." His attempt at humour and his compassion surprised me.

I smiled and laughed, though my heart was not in it. "I'm a bit weak, Tetsuo-san, not dying. That's something I may do if I'm stuck in that room any longer than I have been. I only enjoy staying in that bed when Kaoru-sama is keeping me company; I've spent far too much time there without him. No, I'll sit here quietly and watch. Maybe the fresh air will revive me enough to stretch these weakened muscles a bit."

He looked me over. "You have lost a lot of weight. All right, artist. Just keep your word and sit there watching quietly."

---

Over the next week and a half, I watched the training sessions in the morning and slowly began to follow along as my ankle healed and gained strength. A salve and meditation allowed me to heal much more swiftly than it would have if left without. Normally after breakfast, I engaged in some leisure activity, but I now delved into the healer's arts. All painting, other than that done at Kaoru-sama's request and in his presence, halted. My time in the gardens, where Sakura-dono first began speaking to me, ended. I desired, I needed, to learn all I might of the ingredients and recipes the workshop contained, for I sought to craft something -- anything -- that would help me to replenish my chi in an emergency. I tired of struggling to remain conscious in a crisis and then spending the next several weeks unconscious or recuperating. I deemed it even higher in priority than crafting charms to ward off the Kitsune Kodokuro or into delving into my past experiences with Demons. Neither would be much use if I passed out before I could use what I discovered, or was bed-ridden when I needed to act.

In the end, I crafted several balls the size of walnuts that did not do as I wished, but would still be useful in an emergency. They were the predecessors of my chi-boosting medication, and were composed of ingredients that would provide the raw material that would allow -- and force -- my body to produce a flood of chi. They tasted truly vile, provided diminishing returns with each successive pill, and had dangerous, cumulative side effects; the high quantities of caffeine in each pill were the most noticeable but least dangerous hazard. I estimated a single pill would force my body to produce my normal, full, amount of chi in a sudden burst, while the seventh -- and most likely lethal -- pill might force my body to yield a mere one percent of my normal chi. That would be enough to stave off unconsciousness, but no more, and the risk of death would be sufficient reason to avoid even _trying._The stress of producing so much chi so quickly would also exhaust my organs and would hinder future production until I had a chance to recover; each pill would reduce my chi production in a compounding fashion till it reached nothing and would take an exponentially longer time to recover. Such is a problem I have never solved.

I was not entirely pleased with the results, but I deemed it well worth the time and effort.

---

The day after I finished my pills marked the start of the third month with my Kaoru-sama. My chi had mostly recovered from my exertions, but the loss of muscle took a bit longer to regain. My last project complete, I turned to the other two great dangers: Kodokuro and the Demons. I did not wish to harm the Fey, could it be avoided, but if she were involved with Oni, it may not be possible to do otherwise. As for the Demons, the mere thought of them caused great discord within me. Fear and fury waged war, each seeking dominance, but neither would allow such beasts to exist and only sought to dictate the approach to slaying the most hated of foes. I ignored both. I was shinobi, and death would be silent and swift. No mercy, no quarter, and above all, there would be no warning -- had I any say in the matter, at least.

The first task before me was gathering information. I had several avenues I needed to pursue, and the simplest would be to seek out the priest who had cleansed Amaya's supposed remains. I set out after breakfast and trotted down the winding road toward the village. The road was still adorned by several skulls, the bones of the traitors almost completely stripped of flesh and fur. The castle sat upon a knoll, raising it above the surrounding rolling terrain, the rise kept bare of almost all vegetation. The village itself sat upon a crossroads, the broad roads lined with peach trees. The fruit was coming in and looked like they would be ready to harvest in a month. Walking down the road, I could see the distant shapes of the villagers tending to the rice fields on my left and directly ahead beyond the village. Even more worked the vegetable fields to the right and cared for the livestock in fields beyond that. The village would be nearly deserted at this time of day, other than those caring for the elderly and very young.

I accosted the first villager I came across, a middle-aged, female Kai Dog, and asked, "I seek the priest. Where may I find her?"

The villager noted my daisho and bowed. "That way, samurai." She pointed down the road and off to one side. "Follow the road to the village square, turn left, and it will be the third house on the right. Her house is the one with the ofuda on the door posts."

"Thank you." I turned and followed the directions. The first time I had been here, the village was awash with the scent of the peach blossoms, and the absence struck me as I jogged down the road. Tidy houses, made of wood and sitting a paw's width above the ground on stone piles or wooden planks, lined the way, with the thin rice-paper doors glowing white where they reflected the early morning sun.

Passing through the central square, where the wealthier families lived in their larger homes, I turned down the road leading toward Mount Ashitaka. Three huts in, I saw the home of the priestess. The house was no larger than any other. It likely contained but a single room, with a wooden floor raised above the beaten dirt beneath, while a square section of flooring would be cut out in the middle of the house so the cooking fire sat directly on the ground. The door, a hatched wooden frame with rice paper set in the squares, was bracketed by two ofuda: one speaking of health and the other of peace. Both were far more ornate than any ofuda I had ever crafted or seen, almost to the point of decoration and not functionality. I tapped the 'health' ofuda and sensed a measure of power within. This priest was an adept of some sort, but not a chi-adept, as far as I could tell.

I heard no one inside the house, so I turned away. Across the street, two children watched me, seemingly perplexed by the sight of a Dog wearing the daisho. I addressed them kindly. "Do you know where the priest has gone?"

The elder child, a Rabbit that was perhaps all of seven years old, answered, "No, samurai. Are you Masashi-dono?"

Akemi-san must not enter the village often, though that did not surprise me. He would only do so in the company of Kaoru-sama, and children would be strongly encouraged to avoid both samurai and lords. I shook my head. "No, but I know him. Why do you ask?"

"'Cause he's the only Dog samurai. Dogs aren't allowed to be samurai, but Masashi's dad saved Ohtori-sama's father and was given swords. Why do you have those swords if you aren't him? You're a Dog."

He was lucky I was not a typical samurai, or his head would be rolling down the street alongside his little brother's. That was tantamount to questioning my honour and accusing me of stealing the daisho of an actual samurai. The frantic scrambling from within the house indicated the resident knew so and hoped to prevent the children's deaths.

A young Rabbit woman, one who looked too young to be their mother, burst out of the house, unintentionally knocking those I assumed to be her brothers aside. She bowed prostrate upon the road, her face pressed into the dirt. "Please, noble sir! Don't hurt them! They meant no disrespect! Please, I'll do anything!" 'Anything' in this case meant she was willing to be raped in order to save their lives. A peasant would have nothing else to offer. Such was the world of the time, even in the village of a kind lord.

The younger brother, about four years old, began to cry, terrified by the scene playing out. The elder brother tried to shush him, realizing the predicament he had unintentionally caused and knowing the harsh sound of a wailing child could exacerbate the situation.

I merely sighed and pinched the bone between my eyes. "Get up. I know he meant no disrespect; he was just curious. I'm not so uncertain of my own honour that I need to strike out at anyone who may have potentially questioned it." I knelt and lifted her into a sitting position when she didn't move. "And the only thing I seek is the priest. I don't need anything from you." I smiled over at the boys. "Daimyo Ohtori Kaoru gave me these. I needed them to fight the Oni."

If anything, the Rabbit girl became even more frightened and went to bow, again, but I was too close to allow her to press her face into the dirt. "Shinigami-dono! I-I apologise we didn't recognise you!" The boys began quaking in fear. What rumours were spreading in the village about me?

"Why should you? I haven't spent any time here." I wished to depart. Such a scene was most discomfiting for us all. "Please, my name is Takahashi Yoishi, not shinigami. That was something Ohtori-sama's mother called me in jest."

That did not help, but my attempts at calming did change the fear from immanent death by sword to the fear of being in the presence of a mighty being of unknown ability and temperament. She took the opportunity to free her siblings. "Ju-kun, take your brother and find the priest. Go as quick as you can!" The two boys took off like arrows toward the fields at the edge of the village. She bowed to me. "Honoured shinigami, please allow me to make you some tea while you wait. It's the least I can offer in return for sparing my brothers. I-I can also make some rice, if you are hungry."

To refuse tea would be to offer great insult, but I would not take rice from those who likely had little to eat, insult or not. "Tea would be lovely, but I just ate at the castle. I also hope to speak to the priest before the rice could be cooked. If it is no trouble, I would take the tea out here. It's a very pleasant day." The huts of the peasants harboured fleas and other insects. I hoped to avoid them, if at all possible.

She bowed a few more times as she backed up, still on her knees, before rising and fleeing into her home. I could see her frantically bustling about as she went to make some tea. I rose and sat on the small step by the door, facing away from her, and began to meditate as I waited. I took an obvious posture of meditation, once more hoping to calm her.

It took several minutes for her to prepare the tea, as the fire had long since died out. She was just bringing the pot out when several people began running down the road from the field. I did not draw her attention to them and took the offered cup. "Thank you." I hesitated in asking her to join me, but concluded she would take that as a desire to bed her now that her brothers were gone. I sniffed the tea, noting the poor grade of the leaves, but smelt nothing untoward in the brew. "I'm curious about this priest. How long has she been here?" I took a sip. Tolerable, no more.

The Rabbit knelt in her doorway, holding the pot of tea ready to refill my cup at the slightest gesture. "I-I'm not too sure, milord, but I think it's been four years. She replaced the last priest after he died fighting Jorogumo."Jorogumo was a famous Spider-Goblin spoken of in many stories, likely the combination of many disparate tales. This was likely a Spider-Goblin and not the Spider-Goblin, as Jorogumo was rumoured to have died decades ago. "The priest's name is Kikyo, shinigami-dono."

"Takahashi, if you please."

I glanced up the road; the people had more than halved the distance and had slowed when they saw there was no trouble. A middle-aged Rabbit man and a sleek Japanese Marten led the group. The Marten lady wore the red lower robe and white shirt of the priests, her facial fur a pale cream, surrounded by the dull orange-yellow of her body fur. She carried the shakujo, the Buddhist ringed staff, yet her robes were definitely Shinto. The others were Rabbits, presumably family, plus one elderly male Badger who would most likely be the village chief.

I refrained from showing my relief at the sight; I found the tension in the girl beside me to be less than comfortable. "Your brothers were quick, though they seem to have found somewhere else to be."

The young woman saw her family and nearly sagged in relief. She said nothing and merely topped up my cup after I drained it. I sat patiently until they were within several paces before rising gracefully to my hindpaws.

Kikyo inclined her head and tapped the staff to the ground, the rings chiming gratingly. "Welcome, shinigami. You wished to see me?"

I also inclined my head in greeting. "It's an honour to meet you, Priestess Kikyo. My name is Takahashi Yoishi, and despite the rumours, I'm not a Kami."

Her eyes twinkled merrily, nearly hiding the caution therein. "But you are death? You merely denied being a spirit."

I laughed and patted the hilt of my katana. "Samurai aredeath, Kikyo-san. These blades deal out death. The teachings of bushido are as much about how to die with honour as how to live with it. The very _purpose_of a samurai is to die in the service of one's lord as much as it is to kill in his service. Anyone who says otherwise is either naïve or a fool." Such was true for shinobi, as well.

She laughed, too. "Apparently samurai learn to use wit as well as blade."

I turned and returned the cup to the Rabbit. "Thank you for the tea."

She bowed deeply. "It was my honour, milord."

Her family bowed as well, and I nodded to them before turning back to Kikyo. "I wished to ask some questions, Priestess Kikyo. Do you have some time to spare?"

She nodded and began walking toward her home. As I followed her inside, I sniffed the air; she smelt fairly normal, but there were definite notes indicting her as something other than a Fur. She was not disguised, as this appeared to be her true form, at least according to the scent of her home. I had not encountered the difference in quality in this life, but none of my past lives were distraught like they had been around Rei. I felt the faintest of tingles as I passed the doorframe.

She added a few pieces of wood to the dark ash of the fire pit and poked at it with a stick, pretending to coax some life back into the embers. The wood caught fire immediately, but I knew the fire had been completely dead. She then put some water on to make tea. "So to what do I owe the pleasure, Kitsune?"

I grinned. "You heard that one, too? I'm as much a Fey as you are a Fur. The fire was dead. You used some form of magic to light it."

She frowned at me. "I may have used magic to light the fire, which isn't all that unexpected in a priest, but that doesn't mean I'm not a Fur."

I tapped my nose. "You smell much like I do, apart from species, but I can tell the difference. Your ofuda are also very different from normal; they aren't powered by chi."

She snorted. "You claim to be a... Actually, you merely said I smelt similar to you and not that you were a Fur." She was very quick. "Furs can't tell the difference between people by scent. What are you?"

I laughed. "Calm down. I was curious, but not asking. I don't really care what someone is as long as they don't pose a threat. That's a threat in terms of hostility, not comparative power."

She was not placated. "I don't like the inference, samurai. I am_a Fur. I may have the gift of magic, like my mother before me, her father, and back for many generations, but that does _not mean I'm less or more than anyone else." She was telling the truth as far as she knew it.

I shrugged. "Then it must be the magic I smell. I don't recall meeting anyone like you before, so that must be where the confusion came from." With some time in meditation, I probably could recall where I'd met people like her. Then, while thinking of her references to families of magic users, I did remember a few instances. There were monasteries in China where families of Taoist wizards lived. Song Li had long correspondences with many when compiling all the notes on healing he could find, and several wizards had even visited him. The scent of magic underlying that of species was the same.

"I still say that it is far more unusual to claim to have such a keen sense of smell than for someone to exhibit magic, shinigami. Plus, your magic was seen by many and is far beyond anything I can do. An army of rice stalks floated out of the fields carrying unnatural fire and utterly destroyed the corpses of the Oni and fallen warriors. Not a trace remained, not even ash."

This was not what I came to speak of. I sighed. "Both are old arts taught to me by masters that have since left this world. They are skills that can be learned by some -- not everyone, but by some. However, I came to ask about your skills and knowledge. I need to learn about Demons and how to fight them. I need to hear what you found in Ayama's room. And if you did see the fight with those Oni, I need to ask about that, too."

Her eyes narrowed. "You were there. Why do you need to ask me about that?"

"You had a different vantage point. Also, I was barely conscious for much of it. The spell the Demon cast, that black cloud that ate the samurai, do you know anything about it?"

She gasped, horrified, "Demon? You're sure that was a Demon?"

That perplexed me. "Yesss..._I'm _fairly sure. It wasn't a Fey, at least not like any I've ever heard of, and only a powerful Demon would be able to control Oni for any length of time. Why are you so surprised? You were brought up to the castle to cleanse a room that a Demon may have inhabited for an unknown length of time."

She still looked shaken. "I thought it was just superstitious castle folk. I didn't find anything there. I-I've never actually seen even a minor Demon. Fey, yes. Kami, sure, when they choose to become visible. Even odd magic creatures like the kappa, but not a-a Demon."

"Well, now you have. Was the cleansing you performed just a show, or did you actually use magic to purify the area? I almost hope it was a show so we can go back and examine it more thoroughly."

The Marten hung her head. "Show. I only have one ofuda from my former master that contains the spell for cleansing an area. It's extremely complicated, so I haven't tried to learn it, yet."

I tipped my head to the side in confusion. "Well, can't you just read it off the scroll?"

"Yes, but then it's spent, and I won't have a chance to learn it. Ofuda are usable only once, whether to memorize the spell on it or cast it. If you fail to properly memorize it, you're out of luck, and they're very_difficult to make. It's _why I haven't tried."

I arched my eyebrow at the humbled priest. "Then I suggest now is the time. You've placed an entire castle full of people at risk by not cleansing the room."

She got up and walked over to a small chest. She knelt in front of it, waved her paw over it, and muttered a few words. A key appeared in her paw. A few more words and a faint gleam of light flared in the keyhole. She unlocked the chest, carefully lifted out a few sealed scrolls, and then lifted out a larger scroll. She put the others back, relocked it, sent the key away to wherever it stayed, and cast the spell back over the chest. I wondered if Timeus-san ever encountered someone like her. Surely Athens would have magic Furs.

Kikyo-san pulled the pot of hot water off the small fire and poured it into the tea pot. "It will take a long time to memorize this...if I memorize it."

"Are we talking hours?"

She hefted the scroll. "Probably an hour. Maybe a bit longer."

I stood up and walked behind her. "I'll meditate while I wait, but I'm very curious to see what it looks like. I make some ofuda, myself, but they're very different in style. Function, too, since mine don't contain spells."

Kikyo-san frowned at me. "Ofuda without magic are just pretty scrolls." She broke the seal on the scroll and unfurled it; it was almost a metre long and filled with tiny calligraphy and diagrams. It was most obvious the paper had been treated with special potions, like my ofuda were, and the ink was not the standard colour, either. The crafting of the two were most likely very similar. I believed it possible to craft one should this memorization fail... if she knew the necessary components to treat the paper and make the ink. I took a moment to scan over the whole scroll; my Ancient One memory would allow me to recall each character perfectly. My reading it would not erase the scroll as I was not learning the spell. The magic would not activate since I was not capable of using it.

I bowed and stepped around her. "Fascinating. The calligraphy is exquisite, though the diagrams mean nothing to me. I believe the basic crafting would be the same as the ofuda I'm familiar with and quite achievable, if you know what goes into the bath for the paper and into the inks."

The Marten snorted and rolled the scroll back up to a manageable size. "Yes, I'm pretty sure I know what to use, but it wouldn't help if you don't know what to write." I merely smiled faintly at her and poured some tea for us. "You...didn't. That's impossible. There is no way you could read all of it, let alone memorize the whole thing that fast. Half of this is in unique characters that aren't even in normal kanji." It did not matter to me if the characters were the normal ones used for writing in Japanese or not as I merely needed to replicate the image. Understanding what the symbols meant was irrelevant.

I took a sip of tea, still smiling faintly.

Kikyo-san chittered in vexation and slammed her paws against her thighs. "You're very aggravating, Takahashi-dono. Has anyone told you that?"

I laughed out loud, which made her smile in return. "Frequently. I'm tempted to say almost daily." Kikyo-san sipped some of her tea and began reading her ofuda.

I finished my cup and settled in to meditate, delving into Tai Lung's encounters with Demons. I figured he would be a good place to start, as that life had reacted most strongly to Rei. Lung-san had encountered several Demons, and had referenced Timeus-san's encounters with an Eidos Loimos, or Plague Demon, when seeking ways to combat them. Soul Fire was a most potent weapon to use against Demons, as was a blessed blade. Lung-san had sat upon a mountain and called upon the celestial Jade Dragon to bless the sword he used. I might be able to bless my katana in a similar way. The Kirin Zhaohui also spoke of calling upon my inner light, some innate celestial purity, to defend against the Taint of Demons and fight against demonic magic. The whole telling of Lung-san's encounters with Demons would be a tale longer than that of my time with Kaoru-sama. To fully utilize any of these memories would require much more meditation, but at least I knew some things which may be of help.

The quiet movements of Kikyo-san pouring some tea and standing up roused me. The fire had gone out, leaving only faintly glowing embers, and the tea had gone quite cold. She arched an eyebrow at me. "I'd almost forgotten you were here a couple of times. I didn't realize samurai were so dedicated to spiritual pursuits; I've only seen monks and priests remain in meditation for so long and keep so still." The respect changed to teasing banter. "Or is that a shinigami trait? Something taught to you by the ghosts of long dead masters?"

"I've learned many things from many people. Using meditation to re-examine things I've experienced is one trick I've learned. It's a key part of my ability to memorize vast amounts of information quickly and to recall it later. I need to spend a lot of time in meditation because of it, though." It is not so much key to my memorizing or recalling current information, but is most certainly required for information from a pastlife. My memories of this life were acquired quickly and would require meditation to more easily recall them in a later one. I poured a cup of cold tea for myself and gulped it down. "What about you? How did your studies go?" I glanced over at the scroll; it was completely blank. If it was like a shinobi ofuda, then the paper might look reusable, but it was utterly useless for anything other than writing on. It would not hold chi -- and presumably magic -- again.

The Marten did not answer other than to sigh and walk outside, grabbing her staff on the way. I picked up the blank scroll and followed her. The scroll still contained the ingredients from the bath and traces of the ink. With some tests I could, hopefully, confirm what Kikyo-san thought she remembered.

She stared down the road toward the rice fields. "I need to get back to work. The farmers asked me to look into some odd events."

I stood in front of her. "The lord of those farmers asked you to cleanse a room...and a pyre. You cheated him. I think that's a higher priority. Did you learn the spell or not?"

She hung her head. "I don't know. It was far more complicated than anything I've ever tried to learn. It doesn't feel the same." She tapped her temple. "In here."

I frowned. "Will you know if you cast it? I think I can make another scroll, if necessary, and if you know the ingredients, but it'll take time. That's time in which any sort of curse can hit the castle. The sooner we find out if I need to try, the sooner I can get started."

The priestess was obviously very frustrated and hissed, "I don't know! What do you want me to say!? It's not like I have magic for everything. I can't tell if a place has demonic influence or not, so I can't verify if the spell works. I'd be able to tell if the spell just fizzles out before it's released, but not if it doesn't work right, or if it's released and fails to do anything, or if it does what it's supposed to. If I'd cast it before, _correctly,_I could compare it to that, but Idon't know what it's supposed to do!"

That was a problem. I needed to think on it. I stepped aside with a heavy sigh. "Then let's take a peek at these events you're looking into. They'd be close by, I assume, since the Rabbit kits found you that quickly."

She nodded and began walking down the road; the rings on her staff chimed jarringly at each step. "Rumours say you are a travelling..." She exhaled noisily. "Well, rumours have you as everything. I can't find enough consensus to figure out what might be true, but a traveller is one thing they have in common. Why do you care if I used magic or just soothed the fears of the superstitious servants? It's not like you have a vested interest in these lands."

"The threat of Demon activity in the Suruga Province is a threat to all of Japan. If a Demon can take these lands and gather the Oni into an army, then I do have a vested interest. There is no strong leader to pull all of the daimyo into a coherent army to face the threat; the state of the country would cause the opposite. The i, the Imagawa, and even the Takeda might_work together to face the threat, but the daimyo that _don't border the Ohtori lands would probably wait for them to weaken their armies in battle and attack those three to size their lands. That might mean the nearby daimyo wouldn't put the full effort required into destroying the Demons. If the Demons are allowed to build and solidify their strength, then any further battles would become more destructive. Once all the lords realized the true threat and began to work together, it might be too late. Furthermore, if the Fey courts think the Furs don't take the threat seriously, they may take matters into their own hands. The Great Hunt would ride, and no Fur in the area would be left alive. I use the word 'area' very loosely. That could count as the entire island, if the Fey decide it's time to wipe out the Oni, too. If I hadn't wandered over to Kagoshima or Funai by that time, then I'd be killed, too."

Kikyo-san frowned. "My master taught me about the Fey, but I don't remember hearing about any courts or this Great Hunt. You're oddly well-informed, considering you aren't even a priest or monk."

We began walking past the last houses and along the road between fields of rice. There was a small cluster of farmers talking to the village elder in the middle of the road ahead of us. "I listen. I ask questions. I'm willing to learn from anyone who can teach me, regardless of status or appearances." I noticed faint swirls of motion fleeing from the sound of the staff, though they seemed to run back as soon as the chimes faded. The Kami did not care for the sound of the rings. "Could you stop banging your staff; you're upsetting the Kami."

She lifted her staff and looked at me oddly. "How do you know? And, yes, the rings are supposed to drive away evil spirits."

I knelt down and lowered my paw to the dirt. A swarm of blurry shapes rushed toward me. "Well, whoever enchanted it, or whatever magic is behind it, didn't discriminate between Demons and any other sort of magic entity. Though perhaps it's association and not magic; they may just hate the sound of metal on metal." A Kami climbed onto my paw and chittered fiercely, echoed by the dozens of other faint shapes. I never did look further into how Timeus-san could see such beings so easily. I concentrated on trying to tune in to the Kami.

Kikyo-san stared at me as if I had several heads, and the Furs up the road also watched. "What are you doing, shinigami?"

I sighed. "It's Takahashi, Kikyo-san, and I'm trying to hear what the Kami want to tell me. The last time they swarmed me like this was when I was knocked into the rice fields by the Oni."

The farmers yelled in surprise and backed farther up the road when the tops of a dozen stalks of rice fell off some plants in the field and began floating toward me. The farmers had been standing near a ring of rice stalks surrounding a section of the road. It was the spot where the Demon had sat upon its horse and cast that horrifying spell that consumed Kaoru-sama's samurai.

I raised my paw, lifting the Kami closer to my ear. I quickly spoke to Kikyo-san, "If the farmers are wondering about the ring, it's the Kami. They carried the rice stalks bearing my fire out of the field and used them to attack the undead and the Demon. I think they're trying to warn us or are trying to attack...something demonic that lingered after the fight."

She nodded. "That actually makes sense. The farmers told me that every morning they'd come out to find a few more stalks on the road. It started with a couple about a week and a half ago and, well, you can see how many it is, now. So, what are they saying?"

"I don't know. I need to concentrate; they're just at the edge of my perceptions. Could you make sure it stays quiet?" Kikyo-san nodded and walk toward the farmers, shushing them. I gazed at the faint swirl on my paw. The Kami was obviously agitated, quite possibly because I had been ignoring it. "My apologies, Kami. Were you putting the rice stalks on the road to warn us of something?"

The Kami in my paw hopped up and down, chittering. The noise was not any clearer, nor was the meaning behind it. I tried to focus on the faint shape, squinting and then widening my eyes, even attempting to cast my mind out in a...reverse meditation, if you will, but nothing worked. The Kami, all of them, were obviously getting most impatient. The ones carrying the stalks of rice began beating me with them for a few seconds before running toward the circle. The others swirled around me and ran toward the circle for a short distance before breaking off to either side of the road, running behind me, and then moving around me back toward the circle once more. It looked like they were trying to push me or make a current to draw me on. I gave up on trying to see or hear them and just followed along. The farmers, the elder, and Kikyo-san all moved to the side of the road and watched me approach. Their expressions ranged from fear to bewilderment.

Once I got closer to the ring, with the farmers maintaining a distance, the Kami threw the rice stalks like spears. They landed along the edge of the ring; the Kami would not go any closer, and it appeared they could not throw the plants farther than they just did. The area was disquieting. It did not cause such a reaction as I experienced with Rei, but it was similar and _most_unpleasant.

Kikyo-san walked closer. "What did they say?"

I shook my head. "I could hear its voice, but not the words, if there were words. I still can't see them clearly, either." I pointed into the ring with my free paw. "Can't you feel that? It's..." I involuntarily shivered. "Ugh. The taint... It's revolting."_The farmers stared at me and then each other in consternation. They backed even farther away, horrified and frightened. I could hear them murmuring about who had walked over that area in the last week and how often. The stories of the corrupting effects of Demons haunted the most terrifying tales. I, too, was uncertain as to the truth of such tales; would merely _walking over this corruption cause the taint to spread?

She shook her head in denial. The staff in her paw chimed, sending the Kami scurrying for the safety of the fields, including the one that sat upon my paw. "No. I feel nothing."

"How can you not?" I then did something most foolhardy. I reached beyond the ring and grabbed a pawful of dirt. The soil exploded_within my paw; a brilliant flash of light shot forth, momentarily blinding us all, and a great heat and force seared my paw pads. The dirt burst from my numbed fist, smouldering, and sprayed over the road. I grasped my wrist with my good paw and knelt silently. It hurt dearly, but I was trained not to utter a sound, regardless of the pain. All fur on the inside of my right paw was gone, the pads bloody and raw, and the force of the explosion had rendered the whole of it unmovable. I would say _numb, but the nerves were still making their dismay most evident.

Several of the farmers broke and ran screaming down the road. Even those working the fields heard the sound and stopped tending the plants, scared and confused. The village elder ran around the rice ring and knelt beside me. He took a small flask of water and poured it over my injured paw, soothing the searing pain. "Kikyo-san. Take him back to your home and treat his paw."

I stood, pushing the pain aside. "No. Cast the spell and see if it works. I can make something for my paw at the castle. If the spell doesn't work, I'll have to go to my workshop, anyway." The movement in my paw was returning, though it was still very stiff.

The elder turned to me. "You're hurt, samurai. You should get that treated as soon as possible, or you may never wield your swords, again." Kikyo-san chewed her bottom lip as she stared at the encircled dirt; she idly spun one of the rings on her staff as she did so.

"Then the priestess should start casting as soon as possible."

She began mumbling and tapping her fingers against her staff as if she were counting, though she never stopped spinning the ring with her other paw. It looked like a nervous habit. An annoying nervous habit. After ten or so seconds, she turned to me. "The spell doesn't require any materials to cast it, but it'd work better with some help. Kirin horn, feathers from a fenghuang, dragon whiskers, or anything from a creature of purity and good, really."

I smirked as I remembered Akemi-san's joke about my supposed purity. I reached up and grabbed the rings on her staff with my bloodied paw, just coincidentally stilling that annoying metallic rasp. "There. Blood from a shinigami." I put a bit of chi in, hoping that might help, before letting the rings go. I waved my good paw at the tainted soil. "Get on with it."

She began mumbling and tapping, again. I believed, at that point, that she was running through the spell to try to see how well it would work. Her eyes widened and she stared at me. "Y-Yes, that works very well."

I rolled my eyes. "That was a joke."

The elder peered at me. "Why couldn't it work, joke or not? Almost everyone in the village has walked along this road and over that spot in the last week. Nothing happened to any of us. You touched it, and..." He gestured at my paw. "The Kami like you and trust you. You can call on the honoured dead. You summon magic fire that destroys Demons and their monsters. I'd say you make a fine candidate for that 'pure and good' creature Kikyo-san was looking for."

I snorted in amusement. "Masashi Akemi would disagree on that _pure_part, and so would most of the castle."

The elder's eyes twinkled in amusement, though I could see some caution yet lingering. "Virginity doesn't equate with purity, samurai. Do you honestly think Kirin don't have sex? Or fenghuang? Tales of your, ah, activities with our young lord aren't a secret, but that can't mean your kind -- whatever it is -- is one of purity and good, or is even innately opposed to Demons. For all I know, you could be one of Ryujin's children; he is able to take on the form of a Fur, so his children might be able to, too." For those who do not know, Ryujin is the Japanese dragon-god of the ocean.

That would be most fantastic, to graduate from being a shinigami to the son of a dragon-god. Wonderful. To top it off, not only did the whole castle know I was fucking their lord, but so did the village. I rose and backed away from the ring, ignoring the elder. "I'm going to meditate and see how much damage I took. Let me know when you're done, Kikyo-san." She, in turn, paid me little attention and nodded absently.

I sat some distance away and began to meditate, quickly noting that the pain was mostly gone, other than what would be expected from a raw paw. The final traces of demonic energy was being quickly destroyed by my chi and, with its removal, the abnormal pain vanished. Perhaps creating a dense pocket of chi within my paw would have allowed me to touch the soil more safely, though the explosion itself would still hurt. Granted, I did not need to grab a pawful of soil to test it.

Kikyo-san began casting the spell, disrupting my meditation. She held the staff upright before her, with the rings chiming loudly; it was that blasted noise that knocked me out of my trance. She spun the staff around in front of her and began chanting as she danced. I know that the gestures were likely part of the spell, but the graceful sweeping motions of arm and leg, staff and body, looked like nothing so much as a dance. Drops of my blood flew off the rings; where they fell upon the road, a Kami would dart out, braving the noise, and collect the droplet. When it fell within the tainted circle, a bright flash of light and a puff of smoke erupted. Kikyo-san chanted and danced for a full two minutes before she stopped, panting. She planted the butt of her staff upon the road and hung off of it.

I was most grateful the bloody rings had fallen still and waited for a bit as I relished in the silence. I could not withhold my curiosity too long, as I needed to treat my paw. Even with the noise, I had mustered the concentration needed to stop the bleeding, but it needed to be bandaged and salve spread upon it soon to hasten the healing. I cleared my throat. "Your verdict, Kikyo-san?"

She raised her head to look at me. The Marten was breathless and had trouble speaking. "I-I...put enough...e-effort in."

"But you aren't certain." She shook her head.

The Badger looked at the two of us, puzzled. "Is this so..._difficult?_I know many tales of our ancestors; I've studied the teachings of the Buddhist monks and Shinto priests, and hosted many travelling merchants. I...heard nothing that would've led me to believe that a priest with Kikyo-san's reputation could have this much trouble."

It seemed the village chief and elder took his role seriously. He was not just a spokesman to represent the villagers in their dealings with the daimyo, but presented himself as a font of wisdom and an arbiter in disputes. I shrugged. "It's her first time trying. Demons don't attack our world that_often. Thankfully. Besides, priests and monks _are the best option to deal with Demons, and they want people to turn to them when Demon attacks happen. Spreading stories about the trouble they have would hurt their reputation and potentially cause people to lose faith in their skills. It'd also make people more fearful; we need to know there are those who can fight Demons, or we'd just give up."

The elder nodded. "A sound argument. If people believe victory to be impossible, it will be impossible. How will we see if it was cleansed or not?"

I knelt by the ring. "The same way as the first time. Test it." The two people cried out in protest, but I ignored them. I channelled a bunch of chi to my injured paw -- no sense in hurting both of them if this didn't work -- and quickly tapped the dirt, drawing my paw back as swiftly as possible. Nothing happened, so I tried again a bit slower, and on the third try I left my paw there. There was no reaction at all, so I pronounced, "It seems to be cleansed."

The priest and the village chief stared at me flatly. Kikyo-san's voice was dry, and only slightly breathless, as she remarked, "That was a bit risky, Takahashi-dono."

I stood with a grin and a shrug. "It seemed to be the surest way of learning if the spell worked or not. Well done, Kikyo-san; now we just have two more to go." The Marten groaned and leaned her head against the staff. "You'll have time to recover a bit while I tend to my paw." I bowed to the Badger, and we exchanged farewells. It appeared I would not gain too much information about the nature of these Demons, or of Demons in general, from the priest, but it was not a wasted trip. Painful, but not wasted.