Hitsuzen, Part IV

"Ahh, an exile," he said. He passed the half-filled water bottle to her, and as she drank deeply, he continued. "So what does Tadeyo need?"
"He wants you," Yurei said wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She passed the bottle back to him, and he began to drink what was left. "To bring Alaitoc members to aid us in this war."
Ji choked on the water, coughing most of it out onto the pavement. "You're kidding," Ji gasped. Yurei stood there staring at him.
"Quite serious," she said.
"Yurei," he started, "Just because I'm leader doesn't mean-"
"Ji, we need this help," Yurei exploded. "The Hunters have already gotten Assassinate on their side. Last I saw, Blood Mafia-"
"There is nothing I can do for you, Yurei," Ji interrupted loudly. He stared at her desperate face, lined with worry.
"You can help us, Chun." She stared into his eyes, hoping to find an answer. But there was none.
"Yurei, I can almost guarantee you that Alaitoc would want nothing to do with outsider's affairs," he reasoned. And she saw the reason in it. "Do you understand what I mean?"
She turned to the road to the Elle Forest and walked slowly from Ji. "Yes, I understand."
She walked until she reached the border where the forest began. She turned her head, and looked Ji in the eyes.
"Without any aid, Chun Ji," she said in low voice. "We will all die."


~


The Hunters army trodded along slowly through the Eastern Rocky Mountains of Perion, exhausted from the excessive heat and lack of rest. Warriors slumped along side their dehydrating horses, who refuse to let anyone ride them until given water. Domeki Rihdan, the guild leader, who was saddled up high on his horse (the only horse that will stand for it), rode along side of his warriors.
"Keep the pace up, men," he shouted. "Perion is only a distance away!"
The men groaned in disbelief, and slugged along. Domeki scouted the area for anything useful that they could use. Fifty miles, The Hunters have been traveling with no rest, and no shade.
All they could do was keep trodding along until their destination is reached.

When nightfall came, the warriors unloaded their packs on the horses and set up a small camp along side of a deep valley. A fire cackled softly underneath the moon. Most of the warriors lay asleep soundly in their tent, while others stood outside chatting lowly. Domeki sat quietly at the campfire and stared into the flames.
"Little sister," he murmured. "What do you think you're doing..." he sighed and propped his head up on his hand and slouched. What an embarrassment, he thought. His own sister, running off with the Thief Captain of Hitsuzen. What would father think of this? He sighed and let out a slight chuckle and a smile.
"We'll find you, little sister."