by T. Isilwath
“Akihiro? Good?” she asked him, testing the thickness of the new bed.
He crawled forward and made a motion of testing it with his hands. It was an empty gesture because he’d gone mostly numb from the shock.
“Good?” she asked again.
“Y… yes. Good,” he finally managed to say.
“Good,” she agreed and tucked the cloth around the straw to form a makeshift futon, finishing it off by covering it all with a blanket.
“One? Two?” she questioned, holding up one of the bright blankets.
“One,” he replied and pointed to the one she was holding, the one that smelled like her.
“Okay,” she said and switched the blanket on the bed for the bright one.
“Thank you,” he whispered, lowering his eyes in shame. He’d been so quick to assume that she was kicking him out of her camp, that he had ignored the obvious signs that her intentions had been nothing of the sort.
She blinked at him, her head cocked, then flashed him a brilliant smile.
“It’s nothing.” She gave him a pat on the arm as she shooed him backwards out of the hollow. “I’m hungry. Eat.”
She started a fire while he got the stew down from the tree and put it back into the pot it had cooked in. Johrannah added a little water, let the stew warm up on the grate above the flames, and soon she was pouring some of it into two bowls. His mouth was watering before she handed him one along with a small metal spoon and cup of water, and if it hadn’t been very hot, he would have downed it all in one gulp.
“Mmmmm. Yummy. Yummy,” he mumbled, eating as fast as the temperature of the food would allow.
He couldn’t help it. He was starving, and the smell of the cooking stew had been driving him crazy almost all day. She looked at him and chuckled, but he knew it wasn’t a derogatory laugh meant to belittle him, rather she was just expressing amusement at his enthusiasm.
“I’m glad.”
He paused in his eating and realized that he was making a pig of himself.
“I’m sorry,” he apologized and slowed down, remembering his manners.
“It’s okay, really,” Johrannah assured him and he relaxed.
He finished his bowl while she was still eating hers, and she ladled him out a second, much to his surprise. He was about to refuse when she shoved it into his hands and said in a commanding voice, “Eat.”
It was the first time she had used that tone of voice with him, and for a moment he wasn’t sure how to react, but then he saw a twinkle in her eyes.
“Yes, Senpai,” he replied and ate the second bowl of stew without complaint. Far be it from him to refuse a hot meal or disobey a direct order.
She snorted when he said “Senpai” so she must have known what it meant, and shook her head before turning to her own bowl.
In the middle of his second bowl, he heard the weird noise coming from under her kimono again and perked his ears up. This time he was close enough to get a good look at the thing that was attached to her belly, and he puzzled at it, wondering what it could possibly be. She noticed him staring and rolled her kimono further up so he could see it.
It was a small silver and black thing with white markings on it and a funny rectangle that looked like it had light behind it. A tube came out of the rectangle and looked like it went under her skin, and it was held in place by something clear that stuck to her flesh. He saw something flash in the rectangle and writing like the kind that was in her book appeared in it. He gasped as it made another noise, and watched as Johrannah pushed down on one of the white markings.
“What is that?” he asked, leaning forward to look at it more closely. The faint blood smell was also coming from where the tube went into her skin.
“Medicine,” she answered.
“Medicine? Are you sick?” he blurted.
Was that the reason why she was in the forest by herself? Did she have a sickness that would kill other humans? He had never been sick. His kitsune blood made him immune to human illnesses, but he’d seen his share of fever-plagues, and his mother had died in one at the age of 53. He took a deep sniff, but thankfully didn’t smell anything odd about her scent.
“Yes… No,” she replied slowly.
“Huh?”
She sighed, put down her empty bowl and went to get her book. She took a long time looking in it before finally answering.
“Blood sickness. Long time. Six year child.”
“Blood sickness?” he repeated, trying to understand what she was telling him. He’d always been a quick thinker, and his mother had often told him that he had inherited his father’s intelligence. It took him a moment, but he thought he’d puzzled out her meaning. ‘There is something wrong with her blood and, whatever it is, she has had it since she was six years old.’
“Are you… dying?” he asked carefully, fearing her answer.
Her eyes became sad, and for a moment he was certain that she was going to tell him yes, but then she shook her head.
“No. Medicine good.”
He let out the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “Good. I’m glad. I don’t want Johrannah-sama to die.”
She gave him a soft smile. “Me too.”
“Is your blood sickness why you are here?”
She looked at him then turned to her book. “Say again, please.” He repeated his question slowly, one word at a time, until she nodded that she understood.
“No.”
“Why are you here then? Alone in the forest?”
He waited for her to look in her book, expectantly awaiting her answer.
“Lost.”
“Lost? Where is your home?”
She looked in the book again.
“Far.”
“Far? Do you want me to take you there?” ‘If she knows her home village, I can find it for her.’
It took her longer to answer, but she finally replied, “No. I stay here.”
“Why?” he questioned, and they began a stilted conversation made slower by her need to frequently look up words.
“People find me.”
“Your people are looking for you?”
“Yes.”
“Why are you lost?”
“Accident.”
“Accident? Were you traveling?”
“Yes.”
“Where were you going?”
“Edo.”
“Edo? That’s almost three ri from here, on the bay.”
“Three ri? Where?”
He pointed to the southeast, instinctively knowing which direction to indicate. “That way. Do you have to go to Edo?”
“No. I stay here. People find me.”
“Did you get separated from your companions?”
She debated on the answer to that question before replying, “No.” He got the impression that her reply wasn’t the whole story. ‘Maybe she wasn’t actually with someone. Maybe she was following someone and lost track of him.’ He frowned. ‘Maybe she was following someone she wasn’t supposed
to be following. But if that’s so, and her people are looking for her, why isn’t she closer to a road? Anyone coming into Musashi would have to come in on one of the trade roads. There’s something I’m missing here.’
“Do you want me to take you to Edo?” he asked.
“No. I stay here.”
‘She’s just said she’s staying here three times. There must be a reason why she refuses to go anywhere.’
“Will your people find you here?”
“Yes,” she answered, but it was hesitant and uncertain.
‘She isn’t sure.’
“Are you sure you don’t want me to take you to Edo?”
“Yes. I must stay here.”
“Okay,” he acquiesced, then paused. ‘Do I dare ask? Will she think me too forward and rude? What will I do if she says no?’ “May I stay here with you?” He waited, half dreading her answer, but she smiled at him and nodded.
“Yes.”
“Really?”
“Yes,” she replied without hesitation.
Warmth filled him and something pricked him behind his eyes that might have been tears if he hadn’t blinked them away.
“Thank you, Johrannah-sama. Thank you.”
She pointed at him. “Help hunt. Help food.”
“Of course.” It was only natural for her to ask him to help with food gathering since he would be eating with her.
“You. Me. Hunt duck. Tonight. Dusk,” she told him.
“Duck hunting tonight at dusk?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.”
“Good,” she said with a firm nod then flashed him a happy smile.
‘Is she glad that I asked to stay with her?’ The idea shocked him for a moment. ‘Could it be that she’s been lonely out here all by herself? ’ If she was, she must be desperate for company if she was happy with a half-breed like him.
He watched as she gathered up the dirty dishes, and moved to take them to the stream for washing. He put the leftover stew into the clear sack, hung it up in the tree, then joined her at the stream bank carrying the soiled pot. She had taken off her boots and rolled up her long pants, and was standing in the water as she bent over to scrub the dishes. She gave him a smile and a nod as he handed her the pot, then she began to scrub it while he watched her from the bank.
She finished with the pot and put the cleaned things on the bank, but did not get out of the water. He cocked his head and swiveled his ears forward as he saw her tracking something on the streambed, and he wondered what it could be. Then she raised her hand, bit her lip in concentration, and plunged her arm into the water faster than he’d seen most humans move. He was straining to see what she had caught when she suddenly yelped.
“Ah! Ouch, ouch, ouch!”
He leaped to his feet, ready to help in any way he could, and fearing that she had gotten her hand caught under a rock.
“Johrannah-sama?” he called worriedly.
“Yeow!” she yelled and yanked her hand out of the water.
That was it. He jumped into the stream, heedless of the cold or his soaked nobakama pants, and ran to her side.
“What is it!”
“Ow! Bastard!” she answered, and he saw her shake her hand.
Dangling from one of her fingers was a freshwater shrimp. It had latched on with one of its sharp claws and had dug in, letting her know that it was not amused at being grabbed. She shook her hand a few more times, trying to dislodge her unwanted guest, and finally managed to fling it off. It sailed a good distance away and landed with a little plop back into the stream. She muttered a few more curses then stuck her finger in her mouth, looking very peeved.
“Ah, damnit,” she complained, looking at the cut. “Ow.” He snickered and she cast him an angry glare.
“What?” she demanded.
He was certain that she was trying to look menacing, but she had the opposite affect on him. He snickered again.
“Are you going to die?” he teased, indicating her “terrible” wound.
She growled at him, actually growled at him, and he was speechless for a moment. He wasn’t sure if he should actually be afraid, but then he saw the corners of her mouth tugging upwards.
“Bastard,” she grumbled, and his eyes opened wide as she reached down.
If he didn’t know any better, he’d say she was going to splash him…
“Yikes!” he cried as a spray of cold water hit him in the chest, and he leaped for the safety of the dry land, but not before she’d caught him again, this time all along his back. “Aiee! Cold! Cold!”
Shaking himself off, he squatted down on his haunches and watched her warily to see if she would splash him again.
“Hmmph,” she snorted and stuck her tongue out at him.
‘Is she? Is she playing with me?’ he wondered, confused.
She gave him a look that was half smile and half fake scowl, bunching up her nose and squinting. Mischief was written all over her face, and he knew the signs well enough because he used to play little tousle games with his mother.
‘She is playing with me!’
A strange exhilaration coursed through his body, making his heart beat faster and his senses go on full alert. He was a fox, and he liked to play, but humans rarely played with him. Johrannah’s obvious willingness, and even eagerness, to play was alien to him, but he found himself not caring. For whatever reason, this odd human wanted to play and he wasn’t about to refuse.
His instincts told him that she was getting ready for another splash, and he hunkered down. When it came, he jumped out of the way, but he wasn’t expecting the immediate second strike with her other hand and that one caught him.
“Iee! Stop that!” he demanded, shielding his face with his arms.
Her laughter was his answer and he peered over his forearm to see what she was up to. She was still standing in the stream, but now she was doubled over with mirth, her arms wrapped around her waist.
“That isn’t nice! I’m wounded!” he complained, pointing to his wound.
“It’s not that bad,” she teased back, echoing his earlier protests when she had refused to let him carry the straw.
He whined and flattened his ears, making her chuckle, then found himself chuckling along with her, sitting down on the ground and watching her happily as they both laughed. It had been so long since he’d actually laughed that he almost didn’t recognize the noise coming from his mouth, but felt good to laugh, and some of the pain and suffering he had endured for the past three decades was lifted from his shoulders by this one human’s simple act of joy.
She gave one last half-hearted little splash that fell very short of its mark, and waded over to the bank, still giggling.
“Akihiro okay?” she asked, smiling at him as she got out of the water.
He gave another shake just for good measure, but answered, “Yeah.”
“Good,” she said and handed him the cleaned dishes with a smirk.
He trotted along behind her as she headed back to the grove, uncaring that he was doing women’s work, and marveled at his light-hearted mood. He hadn’t laughed like that in years.
Chapter Six
Twilight had fallen on the warm summer night. The forest was bathed in hues of gray and dark green, and it was coming alive with the creatures of the darkness as she and her shadow headed back to camp. Joanna walked swiftly along the narrow game path, placing her feet down toe first instead of heel first, thus allowing her to move almost silently. Her night vision was excellent, and she had no trouble finding her way, although she had no doubts that her companion’s night vision was superior. He, too, was quiet, moving even more silently than she was, and keeping himself behind her shoulder.
Slung across her right shoulder were two male ducks: the spoils of their successful evening hunt. Once she had managed to convey to Akihiro that she wanted to take only two bachelor males from the flock of ducks, he had done an expert job of flushing the right ones. She had felled one with a well aimed stone while he had grabbed the second out of mid-air with a spectacular leap, shocking her with his agility and strength. His movements were little more than a blur to her human eyes. One moment there was a duck rising above the tall reeds and the next moment Akihiro had snared it in his claws. Her only warning had been a flash of red hair and light colored clothing before he burst out of the cattails.
‘I’m glad he’s on my side. I wouldn’t want to be on the wrong end of that strike. Gods, he’s fast,’ she thought.
Silent and deadly was what he was, although he seemed shocked by her praise when he brought her the kill.
‘Brought me the kill immediately… like a retriever…’ She paused on the trail and noticed that he stopped as well, still silent and behind her. ‘He doesn’t speak or question. No matter what I do, I can’t get him to stop calling me Joanna-sama. He keeps himself behind me. He brings me his kills. He is treating me like a superior. He thinks he is beneath me.’
She didn’t lik
e that. She wasn’t anyone’s superior, let alone his, and the fact that he belittled himself by continually assuming the submissive role bothered her on a deeply personal level.
“Akihiro,” she called softly over her shoulder.
“Un,” he answered immediately.
She motioned for him to come alongside her and he did so with a little reluctance. He looked at her, his big eyes blinking, and waited patiently. She gave him a soft smile and took a step forward. He smiled in return, but immediately dropped back, letting her lead. She stopped again.
“Akihiro. Iie,” she told him, pointing next to her.
She kept her head canted slightly down, focusing on the ground directly beside her, and waited. She saw his foot move first, a careful step full of uncertainty, and she didn’t look up until she saw both feet standing alongside her.
Then she raised her gaze and looked him calmly in the eye. His expression was confused and wary, and she could see him trying to figure out what she wanted.
‘Wants to please. Doesn’t want to disappoint. Disappointing others probably led to beatings,’ she reasoned, remembering the welts on his back.
In the dim light his eyes glittered, and she reached out to gently hook her arm in his. He gave a little gasp and tensed, his arm tugging lightly against her grip, but he submitted the moment she tightened her hand. She slid sideways into his personal space, her eyes never leaving his and mapping the shock and trepidation that raced across his face as she entwined their elbows. His ears swiveled then flattened, and she saw him swallow nervously. With their arms hooked, she took a small step and tugged him forward. He resisted for only a moment then moved with her. She stopped, leveling him with an approving look and a nod. His nostrils flared and he licked his lower lip. She took another step, keeping him beside her, and gave him a sound of encouragement when he anticipated her next move.
‘Good. You’re smart. You can figure this out,’ she silently praised. “Yoshi. Issho ni ikou.”
It took a few more steps, but he quickly got the idea and began walking beside her. She slipped her arm out from around his, but remained ready to take it again if he tried to drop behind. He still looked very confused, but he stayed in the place she wanted him, and she gave him a happy smile.
