Fan Fiction ❯ Silver Tear ❯ Reasons ( Chapter 16 )

Reasons

Hoku sighed and kept her eyes away from the ground. It was morning. Her first morning alone in a long time. She was having a hard time getting used to the fact that Kit wasn't standing at the base of the tree and staring up at her like he did just about every morning. She felt strange. She enjoyed her solitude, but she was having a hard time enjoying it.

Hoku just shook her head and stared out at the landscape. She had seen Marrowind, the dog demon who she wished to slay, the night before on the same mountain side. Hoku knew she was getting closer. She could smell it in the air that blew steadily from the east. She caught a whiff of her home land every so often as well. It made her wonder how her family was doing.

She received many strange looks when she strode across a village that just happened to be in her way. Since she didn't feel like going all the way around it, she just walked right through, ignoring the whispering peasants. She even found it amusing whenever a small child or a grown man would run away screaming.

One person however, stood in her path with a hoe in hand. He held it above his head.

"I'm not afraid of you demon!" he was saying as he boldly wielded the gardening tool in front of him like a sword. "I fought in many battles and I know how to fight!"

Hoku just stared at him from his unshaven face to his tattered clothing. She took a step forward, but the man wouldn't move. He didn't even flinch.

"You're a stubborn one aren't you?" was all she could say. "I don't feel like killing anything today so if you excuse me…" She attempted to walk around him, but he held out the hoe across her chest, making her stop next to him.

"I've heard about you." he said. "And if there's a beast like you on the loose, I make sure it's dead. Not to mention the profit."

Hoku didn't say anything. She was starting to get annoyed by this bounty thing. She grabbed the hoe and moved it away from her, but when the man drew it away and swung at her head, she ducked and came back up and back-handed him right across the face.

The man stumbled backward and fell on his butt in the mud. His tool dropped with a thud by his side. He groaned and rubbed the red hand shaped mark on his cheek.

Hoku smiled. Finding her quarrel rather amusing, she continued on her way, and nobody tried to stop her this time.

After a while of walking, Hoku's stomach started making the sound again. She stared down at it then punched herself in the place that was grumbling.

"Shut up…" she hissed. She then hopelessly sighed. Not only was she was in total denial, she realized that she was talking to her own gut. She figured that she was starting to get a little queer in the head.

Wishing for once that Sukura had been around, she found herself starting down at a stream that cut through the forest. She could even see the fish swimming between the rocks at the bottom, but she didn't dare stick her hand down there.

"Come on…" she coaxed herself as she leapt onto a rock that stuck up out of the water. "Just grab one… How hard can it be… AND WHY THE HELL AM I TALKING TO MYSELF AGAIN!!?"

Hoku took a deep breath to pull herself together. She stared down into the water, and slowly, yet surely, she lowered her hand toward it. She sighed, then suddenly slipped a little, making her foot submerge into the cold wetness. She could feel the hair on the back of her neck tingle as she lifted it out of the water and shook it off. She then looked down and realized that the rock she'd been standing on was covered in a soft, wet green substance, and it was slippery. She realized that she'd have to be very careful to not fall in.

Making sure she was unable to loose balance, Hoku slowly dunked her hand in the water. She could see a long gray body wriggling in the shadow of the rock she was standing on. Since it wasn't afraid of the fact that Hoku's hand was right above it, Hoku was sure she'd have it. It wasn't until a voice behind her shouted "HOKU!!" when she lost her footing and tumbled in with a splash.

Noshiro, with a look of surprise and confusion kneeled down by the water. "Hoku?" she tilted her head to the side. She scanned the water with her brown eyes, looking for a sign of her friend. Her long ear twitched when a drop of water slid down her forehead. She looked up and found Hoku standing over her from behind.

Hoku was sopping wet. Her clothes and hair streamed down her body to the ground like a waterfall. Hoku couldn't stand to be wet, and she didn't forgive anyone who made her become in contact with it, but seeing as how she displayed the same amount of patience towards Noshiro before, she wasn't about to pummel her.

"So..." Noshiro said while shuffling her foot after she stood up. "What are you doing?"

Hoku's eyebrow twitched.

"Going for a swim..." she found herself say with a very low hint of sarcasm.

"Really?" Noshiro gasped. "I thought you didn't like getting wet. I guess a lot has changed since I'd last seen you."

"Yes.." Hoku sighed. She still had the sarcastic tone. "A lot has changed since yesterday.."

"Really?" Noshiro asked. She then looked around. "Where's the others?"

"Well..." Hoku said. "Maybe a lot has changed..."

"Kit..." Sukura walked up behind him.

Kitasato was sitting on a boulder staring up at a large tree. He turned and faced her.

"Yes?"

"I... Was just wondering if you think Hoku will come back."

Kit smiled. It was a weak attempt, but he tried anyway so Sukura wouldn't get upset.

Sukura didn't buy it. She folded her arms around her waist and sighed.

"Well... I suppose there's no doubt that she's stubborn... It wouldn't be a surprise if she didn't."

Kit smiled. This time it was a real one.

"Who knows..." he chuckled. "It'll be only a matter of time before she wants some fish."

Sukura sat on the boulder next to him. She looked up at the tree he'd been staring at.

"You really miss her, huh?"

Kit sighed and rested his head on his hand.

"I won't deny it." he said. "It's kind of boring not having her around."

"I'd say she causes nothing but trouble."

Sukura turned with a low growl as Yuu Harumaka strode up to them.

"Full of wise cracks as usual." Sukura muttered.

"Absolutely." Yuu smirked.

"It's your fault she's gone!" Sukura said as she stood up and got up in his face.

Yuu didn't step back. Instead, he took a step forward, making Sukura wince. "Maybe, but it's the truth." he said. "There is someone out there who wants her dead for a purpose. She needed to know the truth."

"That's not what made her leave..." Kit said.

Yuu and Sukura stared at him.

Kit still had his back to them. He was still staring up at the tree.

"Hoku has left us because of pride."

"Pride?" Sukura cocked his head to the side.

"You forget why Hoku and I were traveling." Kit said. "It was because of her strong head and her pride that got us this far. Her only priority was to get her revenge. She was having trouble just having me around, but she cannot handle so many people and emotions. That is why she wants to go alone now. She doesn't want to be held back any longer."

There was a moment of silence.

"Why are you staring at that tree?" Yuu finally asked.

Kit sighed. He finally turned to them.

"She was here last night."

"How do you know?" Sukura asked.

"The tree told me."

"The tree?" Yuu said with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't understand." Sukura said.

"I'll explain it to you someday... maybe."

"So, where are we going?" Noshiro asked.

Hoku winced.

"There's no WE." she said irritably. "I'm going to find Marrowind and crush her once and for all."

The two were walking through the woods down a small path.

"Marrowind?" Noshiro said thoughtfully. "You mean the woman who takes care of us?"

Hoku stopped dead in her tracks.

"Say what?"

"Yeah." Noshiro said. "This whole forest is her territory."

"What do you mean by taking care of you?" Hoku hissed.

"Well, she protects us in a way." Noshiro said. "The rabbit clan doesn't like to fight if we can avoid it, but sometimes, there are men who try to kill us demons. So Marrowind destroys them."

"Why doesn't she attack the demons?" Hoku asked. She was in total confusion.

"I don't know." Noshiro shrugged. "Maybe it's because we don't bother her."

"Hmm..." Hoku sighed. The vision of her burning home crept back into her mind. "I don't care." she finally said. "If she's the owner of this land then there's no reason for her to come all that way just to burn down my home. Anyway, I have a duty to fulfill here. I'm not going to let my family down."

Noshiro was silent for quite a while. She glanced around.

"You know," she said, making Hoku jump a little. "Maybe if you talk with her and work something out…"

Hoku stopped walking.

Noshiro stood there and stared at the back of Hoku's head for a moment, waiting for a response.

"Noshiro…" Hoku finally said.

"Yes?"

"Why are you defending her?" Hoku asked, still not turning.

"I'm not…" Noshiro huffed. "I just… don't want to see anyone get hurt, that's all…"

Hoku finally turned to the rabbit.

"Then why are you still following me?" she asked coldly. "Clearly I'm not all sweet and friendly. Someone is bound to get hurt no matter what."

"That's not the point." Noshiro said as she clenched her fists near her chest. "I just don't want any more killing."

"I see…" Hoku said as she turned away again. "Well, I'd hate to disappoint you, but in these times, it's either kill, or be killed."

"I fully agree with you."

Hoku paused for a moment. Thinking that there was an odd chance that Noshiro's voice could change, she turned to the confused rabbit, who shrugged and exchanged the same look that Hoku was giving her.

Feeling like something slimy slid down her throat, Hoku glanced up into one of the trees where a woman was standing.

"Who are you?" was all Hoku could say.

The woman didn't answer. It wasn't until a gust of wind picked up that Hoku smelled the familiar scent of dog. She felt an emptiness sweep over her. Everything seemed to be on the woman standing in front of her, and the rage building up inside.

"MARROWIND!" she shouted with clenched fists.

Marrowind stared down at her with empty eyes. Her expression was totally unreadable. She didn't comply to Hoku's outburst.

Noshiro seemed to sense that something was indeed odd about the lady of the east lands.

"Lady Marrowind?" she said with concern.

"Hoku…" finally speaking, Marrowind still had her unblinking eyes on the cat. "I've come to slay you!"