If Giyuu wasn't late

I apologize

Danger?

"The sooner I leave, the safer you'll be." The black-haired boy told him this, as if he was supposed to understand. But he didn't.
"What do you mean danger? And you can't leave when you're hurt like this!"
He started to get up, "I do apologize for this, and I do very much appreciate your concern, but me sitting here idly is not good for anyone."
"You're hurt!" He tried to get him to sit back down on the futon, to rest,
"I've been much, much worse than this."
"If you're going to leave just please at least tell me your name?"
The boy sighed as he threw on his half-and-half haori, "I don't really like to give my name out.." Tanjiro was about to say another thing but was cut off by the answer to his question, "Giyuu Tomioka. That's my name."

"Mom, where did big brother go? He was out here not too long ago.."
"Shigeru, he's probably tired! Mom said he got back late last night!"
"Calm down, Hanako. He's just worried." Nezuko was holding their youngest brother, Rokuta, in her arms to the side. "Well why did he get back so late?" Takeo was next to her,
"Takeo, you know sometimes it's harder to get up and down the mountain because of the snow."
"Well-... yeah..." he looked off to the side, crossing his arms.

"Where are you even going to go?"
Tomioka looked at him, but didn't say anything. Instead he went for the door, and Tanjiro followed up behind.
Tanjiro got infront of him as they walked out to where everyone else was, and Tomioka a short bit surprised by how many other children he was greeted with. They all turned to him, only noticing the boy in front of him at first. But when they did see him, they were confused.
"Brother, who is that?"
Tanjiro turned his head, taking a glance back at who the question was obviously referencing, "Uh- mh.." he stuttered for only a moment, "this is a friend of mine from down the mountain. He got stuck out in the snow last night and so I helped him."
The other children, Tanjiro's siblings, seemed to accept this, but the elder of the two girls didn't seem to buy it. Even Giyuu himself didn't know why this boy was trying to help him.

There was a short, quick tapping on the window, to which they all turned to see a crow. Giyuu went to open the door and let the crow hop on his arm.
"It's a crow!" The little boy Rokuta exclaimed, to which Takeo added to with, "and it's got something around it's foot."
"A letter." Giyuu took the paper from around the old birds foot, and it flew to be perched atop his head. The children watched as he read it, trying to figure out what it said based on his expressions alone. When he finished, he folded it up, tucked it away, and turned to them.
"Thank you for helping me."
With that said, he left.

"Hey!" Tanjiro tried to see at least see where he was going, but as he got outside the door, Giyuu was gone.

How does master know? Did my crow see what happened? But what even happened? His mind traced back to all he could remember from the previous night; being sent on a mission, not being able to find the demon, then getting attacked. Was it a moon? Or Kibutsuji himself? Why can't I tell the difference? Trying to remember all of it, his mind came up with this; "You couldn't dream of defeating the Demon King."
It was Kibutsuji... That's why I'm alive... I'm a demon... But remain the same?... Is there something else wrong with me?

There wasn't anyone else around. At least, not that he could see. But what was that noise? It sounded like bickering between two individuals, one was angry, trying to get their point across. The other was a small voice; afraid of the other's tone, pipsquek-ey. They sounded close, yet just far away enough to where he could only barely understand what they were saying. It sounded as if they were arguing about him. From what he could hear, the angry one was trying to say that he was a demon. The other voice was going against that, saying it wasn't a complete guarantee, and that it was all just coincidence. They started getting louder, the voices filling the what should have been silence.
Then, as if something occurred to make them both scared, they stopped. Just as they did, another voice came around, seeming very annoyed.
"Quiet."

And now for the second time in the last 24-hours, he was asleep in the snow. His Kasugai Crow that had been following overhead with him came down to the ground, inspecting the unconscious body. Knowing Giyuu wouldn't awake on his own, his crow left to tell the master once again that something had happened to the Water Pillar.

"I see..." his voice was calm, with it's everlasting way to soothe, "we can send another Pillar in case there's still demons lurking... Would you please send Kyojuro to find my child Giyuu?" The crow lifted it's head out from underneath the master's hand and nodded, then left.

"Very well! I shall fetch Tomioka!" The Flame Pillar spoke loudly. Giyuu's crow led the way from where they were, although it was a little slow.

"What's someone like you doing here? I don't think I've seen anyone like you before."
"Ah, I am looking for my friend! If I ask would you be able to tell me where he's gone?"
"Oh, no.. I'm not very good with faces..." the young man's tone faltered, "but if there's something recognizable about him, then I might know."
"Thank you very much!" The Flame Pillar's smile never seemed to fade, and it usually had very positive influences on the people he spoke to, although he could be a bit loud. He explained how his friend, the Water Pillar, was seemed to be missing here. After a pretty short discussion, the young man he spoke to came to remember that someone who fit the description he gave had been seen going up the mountain. He bid a farewell to the man, then went on looking for Giyuu.