𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘰𝘯 犬夜叉 ♡ ; 𝚗𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚔𝚞 𝚡 𝚘𝚌

TOUGH RABBIT

Silence crept alongside the hallowed forest like a snake would at the ankle of its victim. The air still and humid. Slightly sticky. Not a breeze or inkling of thereof amongst the thicket of trees. It was the middle of a summer afternoon and not even the cicadas were at play in the ears of those who welcomed and those that didn't. The only sign of life was the rustling of bushes and the crumpling of leaves against the heel of a certain mistress.

Her eyes sharp, pointed upward at the corner like a fresh almond that was shaken from its root and cascaded into the river. Skin a milky white that gleamed translucent in the skylit breeze. Clear of any stress or chaos that may have glimmered confidently alongside of the cheek of a peasant. Her movements mocked that of the wind; poised. Hair an inkling of moonlight skies whom carried the hue of the sky in between her locks. Lips tinted rose and eyes an equal shade of burgundy. She motioned through the forest with unneeded precision, but if one were to catch a glimpse of her, a curse befalls the man as he may have frozen in stone or dissipated in the breeze with the blossoms.

"Hmph. The merchant who sold me this... necklace, said even greater gems were being held by a demon to the west." a wispy woman with jet - black hair trimmed neatly to her belly button held a small silver pendant in her palm, carefully bouncing the trinket up and down in her small hand, careful not to bounce it too high or too low, willfully allowing the morning sun to gleam off this shined token of sparing someone's life. Neatly fastened into a low ponytail that nestled at the nape of her neck like that of a newborn against the breast of its mother, she stood in observance of the clearing around her.

The ground had no sign of footprints and she couldn't smell an animal or its defecation within the radius surround her and it brewed irritation in her. She had walked for what felt like miles, but she began to stop counting the distance and counted the sunrises that caught her under the shade of the largest oak.

She counted 5 already.

Her full lips curved into a scowl, hand placed on hip. She used her free hand to fetch inside of her breast pocket for a small, humble pendant that was gifted to her by a merchant. Eyes holding an overcast of red, she analyzed the craftsmanship of said jewelry and rated it novice at bet. But still, cute nonetheless and she spared no silver or brass for it. She dangled the charm between her index and middle finger, watching the noon sun speckle off the glimmering stones of what appeared to be jade but it had a sullen purple hue that could have been amethyst. Or it could have been cosmetic and dyed these colors according to the lye that was around whoever put this together. Either way-

"The merchant was too insistent on handing this bit of jewelry off of me. What a pity for it to be cast into the ocean like a sickly fish. It wouldn't hurt to hold onto it until I find what it is I'm looking for."

With precision, she pulled a cream-colored handkerchief from her inner lining and folded the cloth so to carefully tuck the jewelry inside for protection and for securement that, if it were to be cheap theatre jewelry, it wouldn't stain her skin from its cheap mercury. In angst, she fidgeted her sash to the left, then to the right before letting her body lean into the movement as well. She grew tired, and hungry. The saltwater from the ravine could sustain her for only a moment's longer until she feared collapse. When she closed her eyes and tilted her head towards the sun, she imagined the essence of freshly cooked cabbage soup wafting into her nostrils. The flickering of the flame holding fresh fish caught from the ravine, or even-

Her stomach groaned, begging her to stop the illusions. With retreat, she leaned over only slightly to hush its qualms, rubbing her hand in circular motions over her abdomen.

"Just a little longer," she sighed, barely believing her own words. "I just need a little longer. It's strange though,"

She stood to her feet and tried to take a whiff of the air again, but nothing. "It's as if there's no apparent wildlife for miles. Which is odd because east of here has flowers and bees in abundance. The merchant says go east and I am doing just that, but I fear the more east I go will lead me off to the ends of the earth with an empty stomach. Oh.. How I could just taste the tough skin of a rabbit."

Her mouth dried instantly. She hated rabbit, but she knew around the fields and the meadows, besides fish, rabbits were the only sources of nutrition. The thickness, the texture, the fat, it all made her queasy, but having a bit of hare in her stomach sounded much more tempting than salt water and false promises.

Motioning forward, the immediate smell shook her to her very core, causing the hairs on the back of her neck to stand straighter than porcupine quills. "This forest... it does not seem to be real in any way at all. Why is it so quiet?" she pondered aloud, stepping forward. She tapped the hilt of her sword, eyes bouncing rhythmically back in forth in suspicion. "Is it the soil? No, it's a healthy shade of black and moist for the mile. Just what," with another step forward, the pungent odor of brimstone speckled each fiber of her being. To the point she even tasted the bitter, forsake aroma.

Go East, lass! East is where you will find your treasures. Jewelry and riches beyond measure. Why, this charm here was just a mere example of the riches that are just in mass abundance in this castle. But you must go true East. Only then will the castle reveal itself. Either the castle, or the head of the castle- Naraku.

Hesitation turned to fear to neutrality. Mei knew her destination was close and by the thickness of the viscous musk around her, she knew this "Naraku" had to be close.

"Would it be worth it, I wonder," Mei thought aloud, walking closer towards the scent, "Is this worth the risk of potentially losing it all for a few measly tokens of wealth? Would this really be worth that chance?"

Before she could even respond to her own thoughts, her stomach roared in approval. This time, the rumbling crept alongside her lower back and pinched at her lower back.

"If it means a meal, well, what have I really to lose?"

I've nothing left to lose but my own life.