Barrow Fields If all goes as planned

@Yuudai

 

Champagne pink eyes wandered over the rolling expanse of what seemed like an endless field of grass and glittering snow. It seemed like just the other day that she had made a paste from frosted orange blooms and placed it on a simple scratch due to caution she learned at a young age. Was that the other day? Time seemed to blend together, molding from a day to a month. How long ago had she convinced the samurai to leave the court of the false queen to fine the real one, their friend?

She thought of the time she was being taught by her brothers, simple self defense if someone were to come up on her and there was no one to protect her but that was beginning to fog over. How was she to protect herself when Yuudai was not near her, she was but a delicate healer.. easily overtaken.

He held the rabbit firmly between his teeth, as he returned from a quick hunt the days had drifted since they last ate. It was getting tiring, eating only small game. It was a constant battle for food, and shelter, and warmth. Yuudai had never missed the comfort of a pack more than in the last month.

Hiromi was up, eye lost in a day dream. Smiling around the white furry bunny, Yuudai gently released the rabbit at his feet. Taking a seat in front of her. “Here, I brought you something to eat.”

For awhile she seemed to stare out at nothing, her mind was clouded with fogged over memories that seemed to fade the more she tried to grasp and remember. The flash of white fur with a similar slash of charcoal, her twin, Daisuke. Laughter as he and Eiichi tumbled and got covered in mud as they tried to show her how a spar worked, this caused her to smile but it was all still fading every second she tried.

Here, I brought you something to eat.

His voice broke the haze, her mind coming back to the present. She looked down at the rabbit with a smile, the ivory coat blending with the snow and ground. How he could spot them so easily she could not understand, much like how he could not under stand her flowers. "Thank you." The healer smiled, she pressed her nose into his shoulder to show her gratitude before nosed the hare slightly at him as in indication to share. She did not think he was eating enough. Sure, she had lost weight without a pack supporting them but she could afford to loose a few where he had to keep up his strength. 

Knowing that he would not take a bite until she did, she leaned down and did just that. Once her bite was swallowed she cleared her throat, asking without any warning. "Yuu.. would you teach me how to protect myself?"

He waited until Hiromi had some before heading in for a piece of his half. With both of them eating this wasn’t going to last long. Just as his jaw spread to take his share, Hiromi asked her question. Slightly confused he pulled away, face scrunching in puzzlement. “That’s what I’m here for.” Thinking the problem suitably answered, he turned his attention once again on the carrion, continuing his meal.

That’s what I’m here for. Ah, yes, she knew he would respond with that. She nodded as she took another bite of the meal he had caught for them, how should she words this where he would give in to her request? A samurai was made for protection, a samurai was what Yuudai was. She was a healer, something delicate. A duchess, something to be protected but what about when he went.. That was it! "What about when you are hunting, or scouting ahead?" She questioned, "how will I fight off someone who means me harm until you come to save me?" She had not looked at him as she thought of this, what would she do if he did not teach her?

He was mid bite when her idea finally clicked, and her logic tumbled delicately from her lips. Slowly he finished chewing, a scowl forming on his brow as he thought about what she said. He didn’t want to teach her how to fight, but he also didn’t have a better answer to her question. It was a valid point. He swallowed with a huge sigh, “Is that really the reason, or are you just trying to get your way?” The answer didn’t really matter. Now that she had stated a fair lapse in her security it was his duty to rectify it. He had to teach her how to protect herself. With it just being the two of them, there might come a time when he wasn’t there to defend her.

She had to huff at that, she was trying to get her way but she was seriously concerned about being too frail to hold an assailant off until Yuudai could come and help her, or even to get away from an attacker. Did she think she would be attacked, no, but it was always good to be prepared. Had she not uselessly put a past on a scratch to make sure an infection did not start? Did she not always roam a location to find an herb within her line of sight?

She considered his words, she was probably silent for too long to make him think she was genuine, well she was! "It is the reason.. I.. I can't remember the lessons that Eiichi and Daisuke taught me.." it was easy to tell that it bugged her that she could not remember the simple instructions and actions they had taught her, how much more of them would slip away from her grasp now that they were.. gone?

His frown morphed into sadness, as he looked back at the rabbit. He did not want to speak about the Pass. But Yuudai did miss it, more than he really thought he should. “Hmm.” He grunted. Yuu didn’t honestly believe that Hiromi was being honest, but at the moment it didn’t really matter, and it seemed the issue stemmed from the Pass and Hime. Which was a topic he wanted to avoid.

Side-stepping the potential elephant in the room, Yuudai nodded. “Alright I’ll give you a review.” Of course he conceded, when had he ever disappointed her.

Did he think her insincere? She had meant every word that she had said, she was concerned for when he was no longer around. She knew that once they had found their queen that she would no longer be his priority, that this time together would.. disappear.

With a visible shake of her delicate skull she looked back up at him, lavender to blush. He would give her a review, just as her brothers use to do. Wait, is that what they use to so? "thank you Yuu.." She spoke softly, moving to press her forehead against his chest before backing up once more.

He nodded his head with a grunt, heading out of the tree on the border of the fields striding out into the vast space of the rolling snow. “Come, I’ll show you the basics in a spar.” He called back at her. Yuudai’s feet spread apart, his head lowering to the ground. His ears pulled forward, pale violet stalking her every move. “Attack me.”

She watched him, how he moved, how he set himself. She followed and did what he did, she flattened her ears when he did. The healer spread her legs apart, her stance wider than she was use to. Uncomfortable. Then he told her to attack him, um, do what?

"Attack.. you?" she questioned before slinking forward, smooth and graceful, like a dancer before she sprinted. She aimed for his muzzle, her teeth bared but not a single defense raised.

He nodded encouragingly at the opposing woman, which was enough to get her on the move. He couldn’t really call it an attack, the definition not quite fulfilled by the woman’s lunge? It was easy for the more experience warrior to side step the teeth aimed for his maw, and quickly pushed his head under her side, pressing hard up against her belly to try and get her off her feet and on her side where he could pin her.

Well that didn't work, he easily side stepped her pathetic attempt before he made a move of his own. He pressed his nose into her belly causing a sharp yip to escape her lips out of surprise, he pressed hard. It threw her off balance and onto her side with a small oof. The wind knocked out of her by this simple act. This was not going well.

Bracing himself on top of her, nose to nose with her, he grinned cheekily. “You ok?” His genuine concern belayed the sassy grin on his lips. Assuming she was, Yuu stepped back letting her come to her feet. “The face is a small target. Aim for something meatier, the neck, the shoulder… etc.” Shaking any snow that might linger on his pale fur, Yuudai took up the same stance. “Try again.”

He pinned her, nose to nose, champagne to lavender. A blush creeped up her cheeks as she then did something spontaneous, she quickly tried to lick his nose before he backed away. How's that for okay? She could feel what would be a bruise tomorrow on her side before she nodded at him, okay, meatier targets. She placed back and forth, because of how light she usually was on her feet it looked almost like a dance.

Larger targets, face is too small. She shook her head to clear it as she charged at him once more, she side stepped before baring her teeth to bite at his shoulder. That was a large target.

WaiT! What?! The sudden memory shocked him. Had she really done that. *Cough* How improper. He shook it from his mind. His lapse just long enough for him to miss her advance. Her teeth sinking deeper into his shoulder than he anticipated, a grunt of pain seeped from his lips. He stopped suddenly, stopping their spar, waiting for her to let go.

“Himori, please let go.” A prime reason why emotions never followed you onto the battlefield. They distracted you from the here and now.

She found her mark, found purchase in his fur and then further. Further than she wanted to, further than she meant to. He gave a grunt of pain causing her ears to fall against her skull, she hurt him. She hurt him! He did not have to tell her to let go, she was already disengaging herself from him. Her tail tucked between her thighs as she looked up at him with concern and an apology.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked you to do this." she said instantly as she lowered her eyes from his, she had never meant to hurt him. What made him mess up, she was sure he would have dodged her like the last attempt.

hope that's enough

“No Himori, it was my fault.” Yuudai spoke gravely, it was a stupid mistake, “I was ... distracted. Forgive me.” He dipped his head, bowing low. “It wasn’t your fault.” Yuu whispered, still bowed. He peered at her, straining against his lowered position.

It hit her then, what made him stagger. What she had done before she had launched into her attack, she had licked him in spontaneity and defiance. That's what it was, right, why she had done it? Her eyes moved to his just ask he dropped into a bow. This was not his fault at all but hers, all hers. She asked him to do this, she had.. kissed him on the nose, she had injured him

"no no no.. please rise Yuu." she gave a soft croaking sound as she pressed herself into him then back up quickly. "this is my fault.. I.. I am sorry.. I didn't ask to.. and I caused your studded.. I..."

wrap up?

“Shh, Hiromi. I’m fine.” Yuudai advanced on her retreat. It didn’t hurt that much to begin with, merely the shock of the injury that had brough forth his grunt of pain. “Come on…” He flicked his head slightly, back in the direction of their temporary den. “I’ll let you patch me up.” He wouldn’t move away until she made the first step.

He was trying to reasure her. He was okay, he was alright. Slowly she lifted her champagne eyes to the place she had bitten him, she could not see if she broke the skin due to his fluff but that did not mean she had not. There would be a bruise, that she was sure of. Ah, why did she adk him if he would teach her to fight? Stupid, she should have listened to him. "O-okay.." The flower replied in a stuttering voice as she looked away from him and back at their temporary lodging, She would like to look at the injury further, and he was going to let her instead of being stubborn. With a shy smile she moved away from him and began to walk to their den. She knew he would follow, after all he had suggested this.