The light wind teased a strand of hair from behind Hoshiko's ear as she stood outside staring up at the stars her daughter sleeping in her arms. Hoshiko stood staring, losing herself in the black sky and hypnotising bright stars. Suddenly she turned. To any normal person it would seem she acted for no reason, but Hoshiko had heard the slight change in the wind and the sound of the grass cushion somebody land behind her.
"Kouran, you're getting sloppy. I never used to be able to hear you coming," She said, addressing what seemed like the night air.
A dark figure materialised from the night.
"Or maybe you're just getting better" Kouran teased, walking up to Hoshiko and kissing their sleeping child on the head.
"You must leave soon. We've just received message from Uraku saying they're under attack, they will not run but they are hopelessly out-numbered. most likely we will be next..." Kouran stopped, looking into Hoshikos eyes. She was strong, but he could see the fear. She knew what it meant; she must flee while he stood and fought for his village, as leader of the Raidon ninja it was his duty. Hoshiko nodded and turned her head toward her daughter. Kouran wrapped his arms around both of them holding them tight for what could be the last time.

Hoshiko woke up early, the moon still the only light but, although it was early, her husband had already left her side. She got out of bed and dressed, checked on their sleeping baby, Michiko, then made her way outside where her husband was practicing. He knew this was more than likely going to be his last battle. He was leaping around the roof of the house, occasionaly he'd throw a shuriken into a target on a near-by tree, sometimes he'd aim for an apple, splitting the fruit in half with the sharp throwing star.
"Kouran" Hoshiko called out.
In response the ninja lept off the roof to land softly in front of her. Hoshiko stood a moment, taking the dark hair weather-beaten face of her husband and memorising it. She then stepped forward and fell into his arms, clutching him tight and burying her face in his thin black stealth robe. Kouran felt awkward but eventually he spoke.
"We've already discussed tactics. The ninja will hide in the forest between the progressing army and our village, the women will take the children to the next safe village. You must take yourself and Michiko to the mountains, there is a hidden safe house there which has only been used by the leaders of the Raidon. No one else knows of its existance." Kouran finished and looked at Hoshiko. He felt dispair at the fact that he had to be so formal but he knew there was no other way he could go through with it. Hoshiko looked up at her husband, Kouran turned away, his eyes watering slightly. For what seemed like forever they held each other in silence. Suddenly, they were interrupted.
"Master Kouran, Master Kouran!..oh" Kaida halted at the sight of the couple. "Sorry for interrupting," she said, bowing slightly. "We've just received report that the scouts have seen the army approching and should be here before noon."
Kouran's face froze and then suddenly transformed into one of transfixed determination.
"Kaida, look after Hoshiko and Mishiko." Kouran ordered, Kaida opened her mouth to argue and then closed it again at the sight of Kouran's expression and she merely nodded. Kouran held Hoshiko tight and then kissed her on the top of her head, unable to look her in the eyes.
"Daa-da" all three turned to the door where Michiko was standing in her long white robe, arms out stretched toward her father. Kouran dropped to his knees and held her close, lifting her off the floor.
"Look after mommy for me" he said, kissing his daughter on both cheeks and then returning her to the floor.
Kouran stood, looked around and then gave his wife one last hug before leaving to join the rest of the ninjas. Most likely going to fight till they die'd. Hoshiko watched him leave and then fell shuddering to the floor, tears flowing down her cheeks and wetting the dirt beneath her. Kaida was a tall experienced ninja, her dark hair tied back in a long platted pony tail. She watched Hoshiko unsure of what to do, eventualy she made her way over to the curled up woman and crouched beside her.
"we should start moving, the further away we are the less chance they have of catching us" Kaida said eventualy.
Hoshiko hesitated, wanting to resist, to stay with her huhsband, but she knew someone must stay with michiko. Instead of resisting she stood and made her way inside her house, returning with her short blade and throwing knives, she would do her part.
"Come on then" Hoshiko said, addressing Kaida and lifting Michiko into her arms. "We're leaving".

The Ninja were all in place, hidden in the trees. The main body of the Raidon Ninja had been split, one half at the enterance to the forest, these were the most silent of the ninja, the other half were at the end of the forest. Both sides would attack simultaneously ambushing the army and taking out as many as they could before showing themselves. Kouran and his guard, the best trained and most experiencecd ninjas, were in the middle, they would lay traps and explosives to make the fight as even as possible. Kouran finished laying his last trap and lept into the nearest tree, hanging from a suffuciently covered branch and waited. Noon approched and Kouran had seen the first scout already, whose clumsy attempt at stealth humoured Kouran. Even Kouran couldn't see any of his own so the approching army had no hope. Each time a scout group came they would leave a man behind, each in ear shot of the next, not a bad tactic but in this instance it was useless. Eventualy noon arrived and with it Kouran could see the approching army. Kouran watched as the soldiers marched beneath him, he didn't realise quite how many of them there was going to be, would his tactics work? He started to doubt. He started to form a new plan in his head.

Hoshiko cut through the foliage, Michiko now holding onto her back, Kaida folowing close behind. Kaida watched the swift definite cuts of Hoshikos blade that were enough to take off someone's head. Hoshiko had turned her emotion into energy. Either that, or her loss into anger. The latter was a danger and could cause weakness in clumsyness, whereas the former would be useful to move quickly. Dismissing the disadvantages or advatanges of Hoshiko, Kaida turned her attention to the landscape. The mountain loomed above them, getting bigger the closer they got. Between them and the safe house were long fields of brambles and short bushes. Hoshiko picked up the pace, half running with the blade in front, cutting through the branches, when she came to a thicker branch. She would sweep the sword through it. Kaida covered their tracks behind, making it less obvious someone had recently come through. The army would most likely, although regrettably, follow the larger retreat of the women and children. Kaida swallowed the thought and kept her concentration on the task at hand. She turned to see Hoshiko leap over a mountain stream and turn to wait for her.

Kouran's plan started to peice its self together. Patience was the key. The arrival of the whole army triggered the attacks at the back. The confusion flowed through the ranks. Kouran made his move, backflipping out of the tree and letting fly a few shurikens toward the nearest threats. Kouran landed, his two short knives in his hands. Dodging the sword thrusts Kouran flipped one of the short knives and sliced through the gut of the nearest soldier whilst the knife in the other hand hammered into the chest of the soldier behind. Following his lead, Rieko and Akira dropped down beside him, each taking out several soldiers with their shurikens. Kouran, Reiko and Akira stood in a triangle. The soldiers were starting to become hesitant about attacking. Kouran drew four gun powder balls from his pouch and flung them toward the tree where he'd layed his trap. The explosion blew a hole in the tree and set light to the gun powder train between the trees, burning any soldier in its path. Taking advantage of the chaos, Kouran lept at the damaged tree, sending it crashing down on the heads of the confused soldiers behind it. Rieko ducked a pathetic jab from a determined soldier and brought his own sword up from the man's hip to his shoulder, killing him instantly. Akira, the more agile of the two, lept over the attack from his assailant and kicked him in the throat, making him fall choking to the ground. Rieko turned to see Kouran making his way further toward the village. Signalling to Akira, they followed, cutting down their opponents on the way. When they reached Kouran they said nothing to question his actions or change of plan, but merely protected him in the hope he could pull off whatever it was he had planned.

Kaida reached the ledge where Hoshiko had stopped. Hoshiko was standing on the edge, watching the forest below intently, hoping every time she saw a tree fall or and explosion go off that her husband wasn't caught in any of it.
"We will wait here a while," Hoshiko said, not turning to look at Kaida.
"Bu--"Kaida started to argue but changed her tact. "Ok, but lay low, we don't want them seeing you."
Michiko sat on on the rock, her short black hair blowing in the wind and playing with a stone. How innocent she looks, Kaida thought, watching the baby. Hoshiko crouched further in an attempt to see what was happening. She saw two or three people run out of the forest, they stopped in the village and ran in doors.
"Kaida, was anyone supposed to leave the forest?" Hoshiko asked, still staring at the village below.
"No, not until the battle was over" Kaida replied, starting to wonder.
Hoshiko waited a few minutes and then saw the figures leave the building they had entered and split up, each going into another building. Minutes later they all returned and headed for the path out of the village where they crouched a few minutes. What were they up to?

Kouran, Rieko and Akira stood up and headed back toward the forest, the ninjas were struggling to keep the soldiers back. Kouran picked up the pace, Rieko and Akira following suit. Some soldiers were starting to break through the forest, Kouran kicked the legs from beneath one of the soldiers and stuck his knife into the man's kidney. Akira and Rieko followed suit, each picking their own opponents. Akira chose two unsuspecting soldiers. He crept up behind them and slit their throats. Rieko picked an approching horseman, he lept off a near by tree and slammed his elbow into the jaw of the victim, then landing on top of him punched him in the temple.
"Keep them from getting through for as long as possible" Rieko heard Kouran shout.
Following the order Rieko started killing with an aggressive yet agile style, almost like ballet. Akira, preferring to keep his distance, counted his shurikens and let two fly, one slicing the neck of an opponent and then carrying on to end up in the chest of another soldier. Kouran was standing surrounded by a pile of dead bodies, the soldiers now keeping their distance. He threw his last two shurikens, one catching the wrist of one of the soldiers causing blood to pour from the vein, the second shuriken burying itself in a horseman's chest, causing him to fall from his steed. Kouran turned, just as the arrow flew through the leaves hitting him in the top of his chest. He staggered, the pain rushing through his body. Rieko turned to see Kouran drop to his knees. He snapped the neck of another soldier and ran toward his master. Another arrow only just missed Kouran, Rieko followed its path, dodging another arrow and then jumped feet first into the chest of the bowman, pummelling his knives into the bowman's chest. Akira watched, keeping his own attackers at bay, Rieko was sentimental, the death of his master was likely to denature his judgement. Akira crushed the ribs of the aggressive soldier nearest him and cut through the kidneys of the next.
"Rieko!! Don't let your emotions control you!" Akira shouted. The fool was going to get himself killed. Akira finished off his opponents and then made his way over to Kouran, slinging him over his shoulders and running to a safe spot away from the battle where he lay down Kouran down.
"The vill...village" Kouran coughed.
Akira hesitated then nodded and returned to battle.

Hoshiko watched the army was now pouring out of the forest. One figure stood in front of the village, fighting desperately. Suddenly the figure lept backward, realising how out numbered it was. Kaida layed a hand on Hoshiko's shoulder.
"They're getting closer, we should find somewhere more concealed if you want to carry on watching." Kaida advised.
Hoshiko nodded and, picking up Michiko, followed Kaida. In the few seconds Hoshiko's back was turned three things happened. The figure lept back again, the army advanced further forward and into the village and most important of all, the whole village exploded. Hoshiko spun back around, then gasped, stepping back from the scene of destruction. The whole village had been blown to peices, along with it the army that had advanced far enough, hundreds of burning bodies lay around the village. Hoshiko just hoped that her husband was not there lying dead. Kaida breathed deeply and counted to ten. She had learnt this as a way of keeping panic at bay. This hadn't been in the plan. Was the plan changed in mid-battle? Or did the army blow the village up? No it had killed their men too... Or were they so ruthless as to kill their own men? Kaida grabbed Hoshiko's hand and ran up the mountain side. What ever had happened she could see figures coming out of the forest and being spotted was the last thing they needed.

General Tenchiru spat out orders to his troops, he wanted any surviving villagers dead for what they had just done to his army. He stood at the edge of the wreckage, staring across it. Where would the rest of the villagers have gone? Surely they weren't all ninjas. They could have gone two ways; over the mountain, or through the pass between the mountains, which looked pretty well used. Most likely the pass lead to a neighbouring village. The General turned his attention back to the mountain. His eyes darted across its surface, was that animals up there? Something was moving, not enough to be the rest of the villagers, but maybe. Maybe these were some people for some reason separate from the rest, more important? Either way, it wasnt enough to waste his whole army on.
"Get me the closest scout team!" Tenchiru barked at the nearest soldier.
The young rookie nodded and ran off to follow the orders. A few minutes later he returned, a group of six men following him.
"Right, I want you to scan the mountain over there" Tenchiru said, indicating the moutain where he saw the figures moving. He carried on, his eyes narrowing "And who ever you can get, keep the survivors and bring them to me".
"Yes Tenchiru sama" the leading scout said, bowing and then turning and directing his team up the mountain.
Tenchiru watched them go, smiled, and then mounted his own horse.

Kaida stopped, indicating that Hoshiko and Michiko should do the same. The army was moving, down the pass, this was good for her, by Kaida feared for the surviors and the next village. They waited a few minutes while the army moved into the pass and disapeared behind the side of the mountain, before standing up and making her way up the mountain again. After a while it started to get dark. Kaida headed for a dense wood on the side of the mountain where they could stay the night and set up camp. Her little smoke free stove provided a hot meal before they slept, well if you could call it sleep, Kaida stayed up all night, perched in the branches of a near by tree and Hoshiko kept drifting off and then suddenly jerking back awake. Kaida watched as the time slowly slipped by. Just as she started to think they were fine she heard the soft crunch of somone stepping on dead leaves and then stopping, as if trying to be silent. Kaida readied herself to attack, she could heard soft footfalls coming closer. A dark shape apreared beneath the leaves, Wobbleing in their clumsy attempt to go unnoticed. Kaida waited till the last of them had passes beneath her, four of them in total, she dropped noiselessly behind the last one and jabbing her small knife into the side of his throat with one hand and covering his mouth with the other. She let him down and then silently crept behind the next victim grabbing him from behind by the back of his head and the front of his mouth in one swift twist she broke his neck. The slick click of the bones breaking going unnoticed by the surviving two men. Kaida straightened and concentrated on her next victim, then being sure she had pinpointed the correct spot jabbed her fingers into the back of the victims neck, breaking the nerves and causeing him to drop lifelessly. Kaida caught him before he could make any noise and slowly lowered him to the ground. The remaining scout had just reached the edge of the clearing where Hoshiko and Michiko lay, he waited a second and the signaled behind him to what he though was his men. After getting no response he turned and gasped, the scene that lay before his eyes was three of his men lieing face down behind him, still. He turned back to the clearing, fully intent of killing the sleeping figures but he never managed to even turn his head, because the handle of Kaida's short sword slammed into his temple, making him drop to the floor.
Kaida admired her work, all for men dead with nothing but a gasp. Her glory froze in her heart when she heard clapping coming from behind her. She spun around to see two men, one holding a crossbow leveled at her chest and the other holding a two handed sword.
"I must say, a very impressive performance but I think the win is ours" the sword holder said, smirking.
"You seem very impressed with yourself" Kaida replied.
"Ye.." the sword holder started, his grin spreading.
"For a failure" Kaida finished. The two mens faces fell, their faces confused by both the determination and confidence in Kaida's voice. Kaida chose this moment to leap to the side, now between the men and her sleeping charges. Now confidant her charges were safe Kaida took three of her shurikens and sent them flying, one into the head of the crossbow man the second into his crossbow and the third bounced harmlessly off the sword of the second man. The Sword man advanced quickly, but swung his sword recklessly in a diagonal stroke, obviously unpracticed. Kaida lept up and landed on the flat side of the sword, and brought her foot up catching him under the chin and snapping his head back. The man dropped.

Hoshiko woke with the sun on her face, she blinked, her eyes adjusting to the light. She glanced around the clearing and saw Kaida at the stove, cooking breakfast and then she noticed the pile of dead bodies at the far end, Hoshiko frowned and then turned to Kaida.
"Did you do that" she asked, quite confused.
"Yes, did i disturb you last night?" Kaida asked as if concerned.
"Umm, no, you did a good job" Hoshiko said, a smile washing over her face. For the first time in the past twenty-four hours she felt hope. Kouran could still be alive and with Kaida at her side Hoshiko was sure there was no danger for her nor Michiko. After breakfast Hoshiko took Michiko and made her way out of the trees and stared down to where Kouran could still be alive. A light wind teased a strand of hair from behind her ear as she stared out over the golden sun stroked landscape. Hoshiko lost herself in the hypnotising clouds, which formed as many different shapes as her imagination could make. She heard the slight change in the wind and the sound of the grass cushion somebody land behind her. Hoshiko turned.