The Samurai and the Snake (NINJAGO)

Chapter 2

The rest of the day was uneventful. Nya polished the weapons in the shop until there was not a spot left on them to clean. She waited all day for a customer to come by, but she only had the occasional person walk through the shop, browsing before leaving with a wistful expression. Weapons weren't a necessity, but it did bring a man great shame when he couldn't afford to protect his family. Nya ignored her anxiety as best as she could and retired to bed, praying that tomorrow would bring her good fortune.

After falling into a fitful sleep, Nya awoke at the crack of dawn to the sound of a distressed animal. A horse... Nya realized, sitting up. Flame? Grabbing her coat and sweeping it over her shoulders, she ran outside into the freezing air.

Sure enough, the dark brown stallion was thundering towards the shop, missing his cart and his rider. Kai, he- he can't be- Nya breathed shakily, her heart pounding hard against her chest. She slowed down Flame, calming him down. "It's okay, it's okay." She stroked the horse's coat, biting her lip in worry. "Where's Kai?" She felt ridiculous talking to a horse, but it seemed like her only option. Mounting Flame, she clutched onto the reins. "I need you to take me to him!"
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Kai found himself lying face-down on a cold floor. Grunting, he sat up slowly and shivered, surveying his surroundings. Dark walls, the bars of a cell, the distant dripping of water.. "A dungeon?" He whispered, seeing his breath as he spoke to himself. I've never done well in the cold... He thought, tightening the thin coat around his body. He closed his eyes, trying to recall what had happened before he ended up here.

Kai had been attacked by a pack of strange wolves, each black as pitch but painted with white markings, almost like that of a skeleton. He had lost Flame in the attack, ordering the stallion to warn Nya as he galloped back fo Ignacia. Somehow their horse had a way of knowing what to do on its own. He wasn't sure how he managed to escape the hungry wolves, but a shortcut into a grand gate definitely kept them away.

He had scrambled down the dark stone path into a crumbling castle, shivering and more frightened than ever. Slowly, he climbed the steps to the front door, knowing that he was going to need a place to stay for the night. As he knocked on the giant doors, he had the strangest feeling, almost as if he had known about this place before.

"H-Hello?" He called out uneasily as the door slowly creaked open. "I- I lost my way in the woods... t-traveling to the next town over? I need a place to stay for the night, a-and..." His voice faltered as he stepped inside, taken aback by the massive castle, as well as the absence of someone watching the door. "H-Hello? Is anyone here...?"

A low growl breaking the still silence caused him to jump. "I-I heard that!" He called out defensively, reaching for a sword and then realizing that Flame had taken it, along with the entire cart full of weapons. Cursing under his breath, he glanced around, trying to find the source of the sound. Someone or something was watching him.

Eventually, Kai grew sick of waiting. He walked away slowly, jumping once again when the doors closed behind him. "Just the wind, just the wind..." He muttered to himself, walking around to find anyone in the castle.

He continued to walk until he began to smell something delicious. Walking into a large hall, he gasped, finding a long table with a meal set atop it. Sitting at one of the chairs, he moved the plate closer to him and stared at the food. This couldn't be for me... I shouldn't take it. He thought to himself, but the gnawing hunger in his stomach protested. Glancing around, he slowly began to eat the bowl of soup and roasted duck. Yeah, never mind. This is delicious. He smiled to himself at the warm meal, reminded of the comforting meals his parents cooked before they had passed away.

After he had finished, he began to reach for seconds on the center of the table when he suddenly heard the sliding of a cup. He looked up, noticing the blue cup with an intricate white design, but nothing that could have made it move. Uneasy, he sat up and backed away. Maybe that was too good of a meal...