Chapter Six
The Coming Storm
The rain outside sounded like it was heavy enough to split the earth open, trees shook and bowed under the weight of the howling wind, sometimes snapping backwards and falling with a crash to the forest floor. Rio, Naoki, and Suzu watched from inside the hollow of an ancient pine tree as the Sugami forest was torn apart, falling in debris all around them.
"Stop crying Suzu," Naoki hissed, and then seeing the look of hurt on her face "This tree is a thousand years old, it would take the Sky God himself to knock it down."
"What about the Plague Goddess?" Suzu whispered, and Rio flinched at the words. Her eyes met Naoki's and he pulled back his lips into a sneer.
"The Plague Goddess can't do anything while she's trapped inside such a weak vessel."
"She can poison you to death,"
Naoki fell silent at the harshness in Rio's tone, all three of them were surprised by her outburst. For a moment, Rio wondered if she had really spoken at all, or if it were Ekirei rearing her ugly head.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice barely audible under the hiss of the rain. Naoki said nothing, and the three of them sat in silence for what felt like hours, waiting for the rain to let up. Eventually, Rio noticed that Suzu had fallen asleep on her lap. The poor thing looked devastatingly tired, and older somehow, maybe thinner.
"Hey," Naoki's voice jolted Rio out of her thoughts, she looked up at him but he was facing away from her, towards the opening in the tree. "Do you remember a few months back...when I called you useless?"
Rio bowed her head, she did remember, she had been so upset then, she had ran to her room and cried all night. The memory was still raw, despite everything.
"I..." Naoki began.
"I agree with you," Rio cut him off, Naoki turned to look at her, his damp hair sticking to his face and hiding his expression. "I can't do anything by myself, I can't even perform the summoning dance to speak with the Goddess," Rio continued, her voice raising in pitch and earnesty with every word. "I feel her always, gnawing at the back of my mind, showing me picture after picture of terrible things, but she never actually shows herself." Suzu stirred restlessly on Rio's lap and she dropped her voice. "But she's not the coward, I am. When you said I was useless you were right, I am useless, and I'm sorry."
Naoki said nothing, but he rested his cold damp hand on Rio's.
Morning found the three of them curled up inside the hollow of a tree as the sun spread dapples of light across their upturned faces.
~x~X~x~X~x~X~x~
Kajiri village shone like a gem in a sea of leaves. Rio could spot it a mile away, small bamboo houses covered in swathes of brightly coloured silks. The oppressive air of the forest seemed to lift, leaving Rio feeling relieved and light.
As they approached the outskirts of the village, Naoki held out his arm, blocking Rio's path.
"You need to wait here," his voice was a command, and Rio stumbled backwards, startled.
"Why?" she asked,
"Do you want to be captured? Everyone will be looking for a girl in priestess robes with white hair and red eyes, if you walk into the village looking like you do we'll be captured in no time." he turned and pointed to a tree stump a few feet away, jutting from the earth like a broken thumb. "Sit still and wait while Suzu and I find you some new clothes and some colour for your hair,"
Rio looked at Suzu for support but the little girl was looking at her feet, steadfastly determined not to get involved. Rio pursed her lips and stalked over to the tree stump, sitting down and crossing her arms like a petulant child. Naoki scooped Suzu up over his shoulder and headed into the village as Suzu waved an apologetic goodbye.
~x~X~x~X~x~
Rio was going out of her mind with boredom, or maybe it was anxiety. It had been hours since Naoki and Suzu had gone into the village, and there was still no sign of either of them. Rio laid down in the damp grass and closed her eyes, it was going to rain again before too long, and what would she do then?
What if Naoki never came back?
What if he had been hurt, or worse?
What if he had meant to abandon her all along?
Rio clenched her fists until they hurt, Naoki wouldn't abandon her. He was coarse and could be incredibly cruel, but he would never abandon her. At any rate, Suzu wouldn't let him. Rio repeated this to herself over and over again until she started to believe it, and by that time she was beginning to drift off into a restless sleep.
~x~X~x~X~x~X~x~
A/N: I'm sorry this chapter was so short, I promise I'll make up for it in the next chapter. If you like it please comment, I love constructive criticism.