tale of River and Wolf, Ninja Gaiden RPG part 2

[Ligthingtooth]

Kawamaru gasped for breath. he stood leaned up against a tree, resting his sweat forehead to his forearm. he looked up. amber eyes searched around in the woods he had gotten into. the dark woods frightened him as he realized he had no clue as to where he was anymore. he had been running a haze and he had not known where he ran to. he looked behind him, the river was probably far away. he tried to stand up strait but the wounds covering his body screamed by the movement and he cringed for a few second from the pain.
"this was a dumb idea.. why did I go so far from the river.." he cursed frustrated.
what had seemed like s simple mission from Mikami had turned into a living nightmare. during the mission he had gotten to far from the river and had been attacked by purple fiends. at first he had believed he could take them but soon enough realized as he was beginning to lose ground that he was in over his head. trying to get back to the river where he would have the advantage the fiends had been merciless in their attacks. in the end Kawamaru had been forced to run to try to get away. he had ran from the grassy field they were on and into the closely woods where it seemed for now that he had lost his followers.
a sound made his eyes shot open and he looked around frightened. he stood still and listened. there it was again.. Kawamaru held his Lunar staff ready hearing that the sound was closing in on him. he could hear the fiends sniff and growl knowing that he had been leaving a blood trail for them to follow.
he thought over his options. he could run on and hope to lose them again.. or he could stay and fight. he knew that there was to many left of the fiends to come out of it alive.. perhaps if he was in water he could have taken them but not here on land, in this dense woods. he stood his ground knowing he would be fighting to his end here... then he remembered Mikami, and those words she had spoken to him after he had saved her from black spider ninjas on how she was gonna treat him better. she had been treating him much better and he wanted to stay by her side.
<not like this.. I'm gonna at least get back to see her one last time.> he growled and hurried of again hoping to come to some point where there was a body of water he could use.
soon enough he could hear the fiends almost breathing him down the neck. his wounds hurt and he was beginning to feel weak by the blood loss he had suffered. his eyes was getting foggy and it was hard to focus.
not long after he began to lose his strength and nearly feel to his knees. he supported himslef to the lunar staff and managed to pull back up and keep going. and for a little while there he manged to get a little head start on the fiends.
but then soon after he feel to his knees. he stood leaned on his hands and panted for breath he saw his blood drip down on the green grass below him. spots danced before his eyes.
"mi..kami.." he gasped and his strength gave away. he landed on his stomach and lay still. he heard the fiends were closing in again but he had no strength to move any more. as the fiend heads began to hover over him Kawamaru cursed as he finally passed out.

[cant catch me!] Kaze barked and bolted onwards through the woods of his home.
[hey! give that back!] Ryoushi laughed as he hurried after his friend. between the wolf fangs were Ryoushi's shoe. the young ninja had to hop after him, the wolf grinning and just jumping around him. Ryoushi lost his balance and tripped and to Kaze's surprise fell over him.
[oof! hey, that's cheating!]
"I didn't to it on purpose." Ryoushi hissed as he crawled of the wolf. he took his shoe and put it back on.
Kaze suddenly stood up quickly and sniffed in the air hard.
"what is it?" Ryoushi asked, knowing that that never was a good sign.
[fiends... and blood.. and loads of it..] the wolf growled.
"blood? fiend, animal or human?" Ryoushi asked worried.
[human..] the answer came short.
"let's go." Ryoushi said and hurried after the wolf as he followed the sent on the wind.
it was not long after that they came to where Kawamaru had collapsed. the fiends stood over him and discussed what to do next.
[purple fiends.. it had to be them.] Ryoushi felt goosebumps cover his body. Kaze growled low.
[is he alive?] Ryoushi asked careful.
[barely.. but who is he, and whet is he doing in our lands?] Kaze asked confused.
[we just have to ask him I suppose..] Ryoushi sad and drew his bow.
[you ready?] Ryoushi asked as he lay the two first arrows on the bow. the wolf nodded.
soon after Kaze slide down the little hill they were on. Ryoushi stayed hidden where he was. the wolf carefully sneaked closer and then with the order of his master when he was close enough jumped over one of the fiends at the same time as two arrows hissed past and killed two of them. as the first ones fell two more arrows hit their marks and two more of them fell. the fiends were taken by surprise. kaze bolted between them so quickly and strike for all angles it seemed like there was more than one wolf and the arrows came from all angles as well.
"shit, the dog lovers are here, scram. we cant take all of them." one of them called and the purple fiends hurried of believing the entire clan were there.
after a little while so that they were sure they had left Ryoushi and Kaze moved up to Kawamaru.
Ryoushi shook his head seeing the state the ninja was in. "they don't go easy on anyone do they?" he asked worried as he checked the pulse.
"it's a wonder he is alive.."
[but now what? we cant take him to the village..] kaze whined.
"let's take him to the cave.. we need to get those bleedings stopped pretty soon." Ryoushi said as he carefully lifted Kawamaru up and over Kaze's back. The wolf shifted under his weight but could carry him.

not long after, the reached a cave hidden not to far from the waterfall where Ryoushi usually trained.
Ryoushi moved Kawamaru of Kaze's back and lay him down on a improvised bed.
"looks like we are gonna have use of this place again. Ryoushi rested here when returning from missions and were to hurt or to tired to return to the village right away. that meant that he had both a bed ready as well as medicine and bandages ready.
Ryoushi removed the torn shirt and began to cover the wounds in a a sticky good from some healing plants he knew of. as soon as the bleeding was stopped and the good was placed he bandaged the wounds. Kaze looked on worried. Kawamaru looked really pale.
[will he make it?] the wolf asked carefully.
"I don't know yet.. it will be up to him I guess. I done all a I can right now.. now we have to wait and see." Ryoushi said worried as he placed a cold wet cloth to Kawamaru's forehead to counter the rising fever.

--------

it was some time later that Kawamaru was slowly returning to himslef. for a while he just lay still with his eyes closed. he could hear the spark of a fire somewhere beside him and felt warm and safe. he tried to shift when his wounds let him know they were still there. he growled in pain as they did.
a low whine made him open his eyes and slowly turn his head. before him lay a silver grey wolf with a steel armor and a strange headband on. the wolf head tilted as they watched each other.
"You are awake." a voice said. a radder small grey dressed ninja came in. in his hands he had a bunch of strange leaves. he noticed the same strange head band on the ninja that was on the wolf.
"where.. who?" Kawamaru manged to ask but his voice were raspy.
"You are in a cave in the white dog Ninja clan territory." the ninja seemed to smile. "My name is Ryoushi and this is may friend Kaze." he said and pointed to himslef and the wolf.
"white..dog? the fiends.." Kawamaru said and realized that they could still be on his trail. he tried sit up quickly but his wounds screamed as he did.
"you don't need to worry. Kaze and I manged to chase them of." Ryoushi said and carefully pushed him back in the bed.
"besides.. they never come to this place.. I don't know if it's since there is a lot of fiend bones here.." Ryoushi smiled.
"you can rest here.." he said and handed him a cop of clean water to drink.
"can I ask where you are from?" Ryoushi asked and sat down. Kaze layed down next to him.

[rikimaru]

<my name is kawamaru... i come from the green waterfall village, you saved me from those fiends? i have to thank you then> said the red headed ninja blushing, he still had some problems with his voice
<i was sent on a mission by the mistress of my village , everything started few days ago when the flow of one of the two rivers that crosses our village started to bring peasants corpses, those people were horribly mutilated and with them arrived also a strange blue liquid that polluted the waters, my mission was to find out where that liquid came from and discover who murdered the peseants, but running up the river following the awfull smell of that polluting substance suddenly i found my way blocked by an incredible ammount of purple fiends that were watching the area, so i tried to flee but they were to many for me alone and i got lost, this is how i arrived where you found me>

[Ligthingtooth]

Kaze whined worried.
"I see. you had quite the bad luck then.. the purple fiends seem to hang around the river.. " Ryoushi said and thought silently for a moment..
"come to think of it.. people in the village has been concerned about the river of late... but thanks to the amount of purple fiends there now one has been sent to check..." he said and looked out of the cave. rain had began to fall and a hard wind blew outside bending the trees.
"the Green River clan.. I only heard tales of your clan. I take the fact that you even came here alone, means that you are a master in your clan.. I am quite honored to met you Kawamaru." Kaze growled low.
"oh I mean we are." he smiled and petted Kaze's head that waved his tail slightly.
"is there anything you want.. Kaze hunted down a few rabbits if you are hungry." Ryoushi said and stood. he moved over to the opening and took the rabbit meat he had prepared.
he smiled as he came back beside the fire and placed the rabbit meat over the flame.
"I am afraid this is all we have to offer at this point.."

[rikimaru]

"can i have some, please?" asked kawamaru lowering his eyes, he was starving but he was too shy to ask for some food before
"it's good to change sometimes, usually all i eat is fish" he said smiling slightly to his two rescuers and blushed again
"actually the name of the clan is green waterfall clan, his name and the one of my village are due to a beautiful waterfall that lies there, his waters seem green because of the algae inside of it, every single activity in our village is bonded to the rivers, our rice plantations couldn't exist without the river's water and also our fighting tecniques are related to the water and the river itself, my rank is ninja master and the leader of my village is the only person survived of the royal family, she is named mikami" kawamaru's eyes shined with a special light saying that name.
<can i ask you something? what you ment before with we are honored? that's not a regular wolf right?> said the shy ninja taking the first bite of the rabbit's meat that was now ready.

[Ligthingtooth]

"take as much as you want." Ryoushi smiled as he handed Kawamaru a new piece before giving Kaze one of the raw ones.
"I've heard a lot about you clan and of how you are the best when it comes to water technic, but I never knew you were so dependent of the river itself.." he said with a faint smile.
Ryoushi looked down to Kaze at the last question and smiled.
"you know you are the second person to pick on that. most people take Kaze for a simple dog.. Kaze is my best friend and he understands everything everyone says. it's unusual for a Dog of the White dog clan to understand others.. one is usually only connected to ones own dog mentally and can only talk to him alone.. Kaze is then again not a dog at all so I guess it would make sense that the fluid had some different changes.. you see the head bands we have on have a needle on the inside here." he said and pointed to his moon marks. "the needle when inserted is dipped in a fluid that enable us to get a metal connection to our dog.. I was not born of this clan but left here as a child.. I was trained as one of them and so I earned the right to wear this.. the fluid also had a little different change to me as well as I can understand and talk to all kinds of animals.." Ryoushi said with a smile yet looked confused for a second.. "don't know why I told you all that.. it could not have made much sense..." he said looking and feeling a little dumb.

[rikimaru]

kawamaru took another bite of the rabbit's meat and said "oh, that was very interesting instead, those are really great gifts you both have, i guess i must treat you as one of us then> said kawamaru looking at kaze <it's a very nice thing to understand what the animals say, but i 'd never want to understand what the fishes say when i pull them out of the water, i guess i could never fish or hunt anymore like that, also sometimes animals are very lucky to not understand what we humans say, we could be very stupid or mean> said the green waterfall clan ninja watching the storm that was rising outside the cave.

[Ligthingtooth]

"to be honest.. that was a problem when I first found out I had this gift.. but then as I talked to more of the animals of this woods I learned to respect them. the animals we kill are those that are old and not gonna live for much longer, if they get away I give them the chance.. but luckily I don't understand fish." Ryoushi laughed. Kaze barked and waged his tail.
"do you have any theory as to what is happeing at the river?" Ryoushi asked worried as he threw a new piece to Kaze.

[rikimaru]

kawamaru's face suddenly became serious "i have a theory and is nothing good, i'm pretty sure that the place where i got attacked by the purple fiends was near the entrance of an ancient underground temple, the gates of the temple are hidden behind a waterfall very close to that place".
"i also think that the substance that polluted the river was organic, it must be the body secretion of some unknown creature, and considering the quantity of it that creature must be enormous, i think that those purple fiends were guarding it and they are using that ancient temple as a base, this could be a big threat for both our villages". said that kawamaru finished his meat "i'm full, i hope you won't mind if i lie down a little bit more , i'm still feeling weak and the wounds are hurting really bad, still we can continue this conversation i don't feel sleepy, we don't have much choise on what to do, untill this storm is over we better not move from here" said the redheaded ninja and lay in the bed again.

[Ligthingtooth]

Ryoushi nodded but as he looked out on the rain his face became serius and worried.
"if you are right, Kawamaru then we may not have much time.. this storm migth clear the water a little.. but unless we get rid of the reason of it, it's only a matter of time.." he said worried. he then turned to Kawamaru and smiled.
"get some rest.. I'm gonna go and report this to my leader. Kaze will keep you safe while you sleep. I'll be back before you know it." he smiled and stood.

[rikimaru]

kawamaru nodded "be carefull..." he said after few seconds but the wolf ninja was already far away, the big grey wolf was watching him, he closed his eyes and fell asleep at the opposite of what he said before.
When he woke up the first things he heard were the birds singing very loud, when he opened his eyes he saw that the storm was over, ryoushi was back already.
"how much did i slept now? it's already passed too much time since i leaved my village, they would start to worry now, i must go back there and advice them of the danger, maybe someone is been sent to look for me, i only hope nobody of them is in trouble for my fault, i must go now " said kawamaru and stood up now he was feeling well, then he looked around "there it is" he said and took his lunar staff.

[Ligthingtooth]

Ryoushi looked worried on as Kawamaru stood up.
"are you sure you are fit to travel yet? your wounds were quite deep.." he said and stood as well.
"if you wont mind.. We would like to help you.. my leader have asked me to help you in any way we can specially since this concerns both of our clans.." Ryoushi said as Kaze barked agreeing. Ryoushi took his bow from where he had been sitting and placed it behind his back.

[rikimaru]

<still hurts a little bit here and there but i feel i can make it, your help will be precious because i doubt we'll find the way back to my village free from enemies, i also need to take you to my leader so we could make a common plan for our two clans to face this threat and also give you a reward for saving my life... i guess> kawamaru laughed.

[Ligthingtooth]

"We need no reward. I been at the mercy of the purple fiends once. I am not gonna let any one else suffer at their hands." he said and his voice had a point of anger in it. Kaze began to growl low.
"and I belive I know a way back to the river with very few Fiends along the way. we have spend a long time getting to know the woods here." Ryoushi smiled.

[rikimaru]

"good, i'll follow you then" said kawamaru smiling, he was starting to have some confidence with these two strangers, a very unusual thing by kawamaru but something told him he coulded trust them even if he didn't know the reason of it.
Kaze and ryoushi started to run at an incredible speed through some hidden paths kawamaru never even noticed.
"hey, don't you think you're going a little too fast? I am still convalescent you know" said the redheaded ninja smiling , suddenly a rustling came from the leaves of a bush behind them, two purple fiends shown up.

[Ligthingtooth]

"Kawamaru duck!" Ryoushi called as he saw them and skidded to a halt as he turned around. an arrow already resting on the bow as Kaze jumped over Kawamaru and attacked one of them. Ryoushi's arrow took out one of the eyes of the other and it roared in pain as it held to is wrecked eye.