You Illuminate My Path

Chapter 4: World over Yonder

(Nanami's P.O.V)

I go outside to check up on (Y/n),
wanting to thank her for helping me.

"Lady Nanami!" I hear Onikiri call me.
"Yes? What is it?" I ask.
"It's Lady (Y/n)! Hurry!"

I follow Onikiri into the yard, where I see (Y/n) sit, trying her best to keep herself up.

Her (s/c) skin is smothered with blood.
Her (e/c) eyes look dead.
"(Y/n)!!!" I yell, before she collapses onto the ground.

I run to her, eyeing the deep cuts on her forearm.
"W-what is this..?"
"Lady Nanami! You must take care of her wounds! Quickly!" Kotetsu says from behind me.
I nod and carry...well, drag (Y/n) to her room, where I cleanse her wounds, and wrap them in bandages.
Thereafter I leave her to rest, as I go to pull the remaining weeds.

(Y/n)'s P.O.V)

I wake up with a stinging pain in my arm.
I'm laying in my futon, safe and secure.
My arm's wrapped in bandages, but they are slowly getting soaked with blood.

Lightly I unwrap the bandages to take a look at my injury.

In an instant I remember when Tomoe clawed at me, not really seeming to care.
It hurts. Not alone what he had done to me, but his face. It seemed so cold and careless, as if he were a completely different person.

I feel the tears well up in my eyes, but I quickly wipe them away.
I put on new bandages, change into a (f/c) sweatshirt and dark blue shorts with black thigh high socks.

I rush out of the room and nearly run into Nanami, who carries some rice cakes and tea on a tray.

"Oh, you're awake. How are you feeling?"

I take in a deep breath and smile.

"Nah, I've been better."

"I see. Do you want to eat?"

She holds the tray in front of herself.
Do I have time for this? I need to get to Tomoe...

But since I have lost so much blood, I should maybe eat something with a lot of iron, so I can regain myself.

"Yeah, that'll be great!" I say, taking the tray from Nanami.

I go to the kitchen to eat.
While I'm doing so, Onikiri and Kotetsu pass by.

This is a perfect opportunity to ask them about Tomoe.

"Hey, Onikiri? Kotetsu? May I speak with you for a moment?"

They both nod and settle down in front of me.

"Tomoe, who...who is he?"
My voice trails off. Asking about Tomoe is something I don't like doing. Even though I hardly know the guy.

"Master Tomoe? He's Mister Mikage's noble Familiar," they both say.

"Familiar?"

"Correct."

"What's a Familiar?"

Onikiri and Kotetsu look at each other for a moment before answering.

"A Familiar, is a noble servant to a God."

"Master Tomoe used to be a wild fox, until Mister Mikage made him his Familiar.   
And so from that day, Tomoe has been serving him! Until Mikage went missing for twenty years ago.....
Tomoe was clearly upset about it, but now....
Tomoe has turned back into that wild fox he really is!!"

I wait for a moment to let their words sink in. I see...so Tomoe....was abandoned.
I sense someone else's presence in the room.
It's Nanami.
She sits down beside me, and proceeds to eat as well.
"Huh, well now it's understandable— why he is so rude," she mumbles with her mouth full of rice. I can't help but laugh.