The Hero

We were traveling together. Although the weather seemed to get worse, my moods only increased as time went on. After my wounds healed, thanks to her, I was able to start helping around camp more. At first my sole duty was to help cook, since that took little physical effort. Eventually I was allowed to aid in gathering food, and later hunt. With my strength growing I felt closer and closer to her as well. My beloved leader stayed strong and vigilant, yet that soft and kind nature of her never ceased. Even when one of our own died after getting a particularly nasty wound from a Rusalka, she continued to lead with poise and grace. 

It was about a month after I had been saved by my beloved leader that I felt a change within me grow. As my strength grew, so did something else deep within. It felt warm, and welcoming, and seemed to have a life of its own. I kept it to myself, mostly in fear that revealing it would lead to disappointing her. Yet hiding such a thing as a life within you was hard to do. 

We were caught running from another fight. The opposing side had begun to use creatures to attack us. These creatures were small with pot bellies and rather ugly faces. They had hair that grew in patches, and it was hard to tell if they had noses at all aside from the large holes in the middle of their face. Their mouths were unsettlingly small with sharp jagged teeth that seemed to protrude in all the wrong ways. Large and round black eyes took up the majority of their ugly faces, many with scars or lacerations on their eyes. In some aspects, I found them pitiful. These creatures clearly did not belong in the light of day. Yet all pity for them quickly was forgotten the moment they jerred their ugly little heads and they raised their weapons. I raised my sword over my head as one came running towards me. As it jumped up at me, I allowed the blade to fall down into it's head. The Goburin fell with a splatter of blood, twitching as it's body struggled to process what had happened to it. I kicked it to the side and continued to move forward, protecting our leader and my fellow fighters without hesitation. 

The bottom of my boots became sticky from blood. I often found that during fights, I was not myself. The discomfort in my feet and the burning of my arms from swinging my sword didn't matter at all. She taught me that. She fought so valiantly without complaint. It mattered not if the fight had been going on for hours, she stood tall and without hesitation. It inspired me to move forward, to fight regardless of what I felt. 

This fight was no different. Until suddenly a man stood in front of us. He was tall, and wore robes that were reminiscent of evil itself. He raised his hand and suddenly the dead goburin around us began to rise. Their bodies were limp and swung about with little control. Most could not pick up their weapons again, however they didn't hesitate to throw themselves at us, biting and tearing at us without mercy. My beloved leader began to yell orders that fell upon deaf ears. Only I heard her cry. 

"Kill that necromancer!" She shouted. Her words rang true in my ears. Her gospel gave me renewed strength as my goddess gave me a new mission. I would kill that necromancer no matter what it cost. I crushed those goburin under my boots, feeling the evil leave as their feeble bones broke under my weight. I walked steadily towards the man causing us harm, that fire deep within me growing. It was no longer warm and welcoming, but burning and intense. It felt as if it were spilling over. The necromancer looked at me and grinned, his teeth white and healthy. He spoke, yet I did not listen. His words were not worth listening to. A dead man's words meant nothing. I raised my sword, however it was quickly knocked from my hands. The necromancer hung over me then, reaching forward to touch me with his corruption. 

It happened quickly. The will of my goddess filled me to my brim. All I could think of were her words, to kill. My entire body burned intensely before it pleasantly dissipated. The necromancer's body stopped moving suddenly, convulsing and hemorrhaging before it fell to the ground like a broken doll. With it, the army of undead fell as well. The battlefield grew quiet, only the wind and moans of the injured audible. The ground had become thick with blood around me, but it was not my own. I didn't mind. A cheer suddenly rose up, and soon I felt myself being helped up. Grey eyes gazed lovingly into my own before I was brought into a warm embrace. I felt tears spill from my eyes, and I wrapped my arms securely around her. 

"You saved us all, Elize. Thank you." Her voice said, and I cherished every word. 

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"Another trial from the goddess…" Whispers amongst the tribe rose as they dug out the snow. Men used makeshift shovels made of strong wood to move the heavy thick snow so that a path could be made. Traveling would be difficult in such conditions, but the threatening low roar of conflict was enough to push everyone to work their hardest. The sheow slowly lumbered through the snow to get to their breakfast, their fuzzy faces that normally were black appeared white. 

Himeko waved over at Kaeruko once she left the yurta. Renastu had woken up much earlier and was already hard at work with many of the men to clear a path for the tribe to leave this area. The scouts had gone off even earlier to ensure no chaos was ahead. Kaeruko shuffled over to Himeko, shivering at the cold as wet snow seeped into her pants. Himeko was a beautiful woman, with similar silky black hair and the most beautiful brown eyes. She did not at all look her age, and instead seemed closer to Kaeru than the other mothers around. Himeko gently placed a hand on Kaeruko's shoulder, squeezing it. 

"Kaeruko, there you are. I wanted to speak to you yesterday after everything but I couldn't find the time." She said gently, pulling her into a warm hug. "You and Kumako are always welcome to stay with us if you need. I know it may not be exactly the quietest place to be with Chihiro, but Hitsugaiya and I are always here for you." The two women stood together for a moment. It felt quiet and peaceful. The snow made everything seem quieter than normal. 

"Thank you. I know we can. We are doing alright. Although this move is making things far more difficult than I would like. We have barely had time to settle down and we are already moving again." Kaeruko looked down slightly, playing with the edge of her jacket that was covered in wool. 

"It is difficult. I wish that just for the winter we could have a break. We all need time to heal after everything, and it just feels as if the goddess has left us behind." Himeko sighed deeply, a tiredness showing under her eyes. "Though I suppose it is times like these that we most need to depend upon each other. So please, allow me to help you both if you need it. Why don't you stay with us tonight? Once we settle down and get moving, I am going to be making a big batch of soup using some of the winter vegetables we found nearby."

"Thank you.. I feel bad taking your food though. Its difficult enough this time of year.." Kaeruko muttered, suddenly feeling quite small and young again. She always felt younger, more vulnerable around Himeko. Perhaps it was simply how motherly she was, but on occasion Kaeruko wanted to just cry in her arms and pretend that she had no responsibilities any more. Himeko simply smiled brightly at her. Chihiro, who looked quite like a little puff ball in her winter garb, came running up to Kaeruko with an excited expression. 

"Kaerukone! Dad said you are going with us during the move!! Does this mean you can tell me one of your stories?" She grabbed onto Kaeruko's arm and began to jump up and down happily. "I want to hear the one about the faeries again!" 

"Your father said that, did he?" Himeko raised an eyebrow as she glanced over at Hitsugaiya. 

"Yes, dad said no one can say no to your pretty face mama." Chihiro beamed excitedly. "And he said that Kaerukone couldn't say no to me either!" She giggled excitedly as she bounced up and down. 

"As much as I hate to admit it…. I suppose your father is right, Chihiro. I can't say no to you. We will stay with you during this next move. Thank you for always looking after us, Himekone." Kaeruko felt her cheeks grow warm with affection. "Let me go tell Kumako. Thank you again." 

"Of course. We are always here for you. You are family after all. Go get you and your sibling ready for the move." Himeko hugged Kaeruko once again before she ushered Chihiro off. Chihiro waved happily before she ran to her father, no doubt to tell him the good news that her favorite big sister was going to be staying with them. 

Kaeruko shuffled off through the snow to awaken Kumako. They were soundly sleeping still, sprawled out on the futon with a peaceful expression on their face. For a moment, Kaeru walked quietly over to them. She bent down and gently placed her hand on their head. Their hair was rather unruly and messy, but it was soft still. 

"Kuma. Kuma, wake up. We have to start packing." She said, gently shaking their shoulders. They rolled around and groaned before slowly pushing themself up. The sheets fell slowly off of them, and they shivered from the cold. Their head continued to hang low as they forced themself to move. "Did you sleep well?" 

"Sure." They grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around their shoulders, sitting on the futon as they yawned. 

"Himeko offered for us to travel with her. I said we would." Kaeruko gave Kumako a cup of tea. She had prepared it before going out, since Kuma generally took awhile to wake up properly anyways. 

"Oh that will be nice…" They muttered, sipping the tea happily. "This is good." They noted as they forced themself to stand. They quickly went over to put on their overcoat and gloves. It was freezing outside after all. "How bad is the snow?" 

"Horrid. We are working to dig out now, but it will make the move that much more difficult." 

"Shit. Well, I guess that gives us more time to pack. Did Renatsuni leave already?" 

"He left early this morning. Although I suspect that he was not thrilled about it." Kaeruko walked up to Kumako and helped them tie off their overcoats. "Not that I want to rush you, however we do need to move quickly. I heard that the fighting is getting closer… It's amazing how quick they can move yet they can't be bothered to pay at least a bit of attention as to where they are crashing… Sorry, I shouldn't treat it like that. Anyways get moving, kid." 

"Yeah yeah. Are we taking the whole yurta down or…?" They downed the rest of their tea in one gulp before putting their cup into the bag that already was partially packed. They didn't have a lot, thankfully. It was easy enough to get ready to move, unless they had to completely take down the yurta. That always took forever, especially in the snow. 

"Yes, but leave that to the men. He wants us to start leaving as soon as possible. The scouts are out now and once they have secured a route we are out." 

"Seems rushed." Kuma shrugged and finished throwing their bedding into the bag. "Well we are basically done then. You packed a lot this morning. You should have woken me up before." They glanced over at their older sister, wondering if she really was okay. Sometimes she just had this far off look to her, and Kuma always worried. She took good care of them, but they worried she didn't take care of herself. 

"You looked like you needed sleep. Besides, we didn't have that much to pack. We just moved again after all." Kaeru picked up the bag with their cooking supplies and shoved it into the much bigger pack that the sheows would carry on their backs. Thank the goddess that the sheow didn't mind carrying heavy things. It would take so much longer to travel without them. The sheow were a staple of the tribe. A unique breed of herd animal that was said to be given to the tribe by the goddess herself, they were known for their unique mix of sheep and cows. Like sheep they had wool that was ideal for clothing and thread making, and they were resilient enough to survive the winter without much trouble. Like cows they were large and could carry heavy bags with little trouble. They also produced milk that was used for a variety of dishes. Sheows were also quite adorable, and were known for their good nature and general easy going attitude. The herd the tribe had was rather small considering, only about 100 sheows at any given time. Much more and it would be far too difficult to maintain them all, given the dwindling numbers of the tribe itself. Every family had at least one Sheow they were charged with taking care of. Some of the larger families could be in charge of 3-7 sheows depending on their position. The main herd keeper, a lovely elder by the name of Yukiko, ensured the rest of the tribe took proper care of their sheows and that the herd was in good health. If anything happened to one of the sheow, Yukiko fixed it. 

Kaeruko and Kumako were in charge of a single sheow, one they named Pinecone. She was named Pinecone due to the fact that her favorite food was pinecones, and she had a bad habit of eating too many and getting a stomach ache if she was not watched over. As far as sheows went, Pinecone was extra adorable. At least, she was extra adorable in the eyes of Kuma and Kaeru. Kaeruko carefully began to saddle her up and prepare her for travel. She stood quietly eating some hay as Kaeru attached the heavy bags to her saddle. It was good they had so little, any more and it would likely be too much for a single sheow to carry. Pinecone did her job well though. 

"Good girl. We just have a bit more to pack up and then you will be all set to go!" Kaeruko hummed, patting Pinecone's neck affectionately. "I promise after this move you will get a nice yummy treat." The futons had been packed up minus Kuma's, and the spun wool was light and easy to bring. The heaviest bags were filled with cooking supplies, and then the two spinning wheels. Thankfully those broke down easily and were made of a light wood specifically for travel. "Kuma, are you done packing yet?" Kaeru yelled out, only to receive a grunt in response. She sighed and waited for a second before going back into the yurta to check on them. 

"Goddess! I am almost ready. You really are annoying sometimes." Kuma groaned, quickly throwing their things into their bag. After a few moments they closed it up. "There, all done. Let me go put it on Pinecone. How is she this morning?" 

"She is ready to get moving. I promised her extra treats once we get to our next location. That seemed to be enough to satisfy her." Kaeru laughed softly, helping Kuma bring the bag out to the sheow. Everyone was getting ready to leave, if not already done with their preparations. They would have to leave soon. It really seemed a shame, they had barely been there a week and they already had to move again. It felt like they truly could not get a break. 

"Is the fighting really that close that we have to leave already? It must be getting worse if that is the case.." Kumako muttered once their bag was secured onto Pinecone. "Do you think we will be able to keep running from it at this rate?" 

"I don't know. To be honest, I am scared. But we have to trust in our leaders that we will be able to find a safe place to live." Though her words felt hollow even to her. How could anyone really escape that growing chaos? It was getting worse by the day, and it felt as if there was little hope of truly escaping it. 

-

By midday they were all ready to leave. The tribe slowly began to move in unison, following the scout's directions and the path that was being cleared out for them step by step. It was a slow process, however it was better than staying still. They traveled until late into the evening. There was no time to set up proper tents. There was still a long way to travel. So everyone simply set up to camp outside. Kumako and Kaeruko were thankful that they had been invited to stay with Himeko and Hitsugaiya. They had two sheow and it was much warmer the more sheow you had to cuddle by. Pinecone carefully laid herself down next to Mossy and Princess, the two sheow owned by Hitsugaiya. The family then huddled up together while Himeko made dinner for them all. It had been a day without many breaks, or much food. 

"This shouldn't take long, everyone. Make sure to stay by the fire and stay together." Himeko said as she pulled the pot out and began to throw in ingredients. It was almost like watching magic happen. She was able to turn a few measly ingredients into a mouth water stew. It even had meat in it. 

Kumako laid against Kaeruko, shivering a bit from the cold but relishing in the warm that came from their older sister. Chihiro was cuddled close to her father, who held a blanket around the two of them. Nearby another family sung a song to pass the time as they waited for food as well. 

"At least it isn't snowing or raining." Kuma mumbled, nuzzling their head against Kaeruko's shoulder. 

"It could be worse! Besides, whatever Himeko is making smells delicious. Did you change your socks out already? I don't want you sleeping in wet socks." 

"Yes of course I did. I'm not a child, I know how to take care of myself." Kuma said, although they didn't move away from Kaeru. "How long do you think we will be traveling this time?" 

"Renatsu said it would likely take two weeks to get to our next location." Hitsugaiya spoke up, glancing over at the two. "We are in for a long journey. That is why it is important to pace ourselves and take proper care of each other. Be thankful for your sister, Kumako. It is so important to have someone like her taking care of you." Kumako muttered something under their breath. Kaeru just laughed. 

"I don't think they would ever be able to admit to themself that they appreciate me. But it's okay. I would do anything for my little sibling." Kaeruko hummed, patting their head which only got more of a reaction from them. 

"Stop being annoying! Goddess.. You are lucky it is so cold, otherwise I would leave you to be all alone!" 

"Uh huh. Whatever you say. " 

Time seemed to tick slowly on. Kuma's cheeks burned from the cold. As soon as dinner was served, they ate and immediately went to sleep. They huddled up in their blankets and quickly fell asleep. Their sleep was quiet and dreamless, until suddenly they woke up in the middle of the night. Everyone else in camp was asleep. A strange grey seemed to fall upon the camp. There was no sound, not even snoring or slight movement from others sleeping. Kuma sat up and looked over at Kaeruko. She was sleeping peacefully it seemed, but no sound came from her. Kuma reached over and touched her face, just to make sure she was still breathing. They could feel air coming in and out of her mouth. They sighed and looked around, wondering why it was so quiet. Every small shifting of their blankets seemed like glass shattering. Eventually something compelled them to stand up. They had to use the bathroom. 

They slowly moved towards the woods to relieve themself. The wood was just as eerily quiet. The moon was out and yet instead of that nice clear skies, it was grey. Not cloudy, simply grey. It almost felt empty. After finishing their business they shivered and looked out towards the woods. Suddenly a wave of warmth came over them. They looked out and amongst the snow came a light. It was warm, and beckoning, the snow melting around it. Logic seemed to leave them as they followed the light, reaching for it in a desperate search for warmth. Their feet did not make a sound as they crunched through the snow. Their breath was quiet too, despite the sharp intakes of air and shaky release of breath. They stepped and walked. Time itself seemed to have quieted. Nothing moved, not even the biting wind. They stepped, stepped, stepped until suddenly it felt as if the ground underneath them just disappeared. It almost felt as if they were floating, just for a brief moment, until suddenly they were plunged into the light. 

It was warm. 

-

"Kumako!! Where are you?" Kaeru yelled out, wrapped in a blanket as she walked around the surrounding woods. Others echoed her call, though like her there was no response. When Kaeru had awoken she had found Kuma's blankets cold and empty. There was no trace of her younger sibling. No footprints in the snow, nothing. There was only so much that they could do other than pray that they had not gotten taken by a spirit, or worse. Kaeru did not cry or despair. She didn't have time for that. She continued to call, not minding the wind biting at her skin or that her hair was whipping her face without mercy. "Kumako!!!" 

The entire tribe was out looking. Renatsu leads the search with Kaeru, his face pale and stoic. He would not allow one of his own to disappear, he had promised them that much. Yet it truly felt as if the goddess had left them. The more emotional of their tribe cried that this was a further sign that they were alone. Children began to scare each other saying that the monsters were coming to get them next. The elders cursed Kumako for their foolishness, stating they had run off on their own and now were causing trouble for everyone. Kaeruko however knew that Kuma wouldn't have run off on their own. No, they wouldn't just get up and leave. They cared for their family. Kaeruko believed in that strongly, however that also implied that they were taken by force. Either way, a heaviness weighed on her chest. She couldn't lose them too. 

"Kaeru, why don't you go back and get warm? Your hands are turning blue." Renatsu walked up to her after some time. "We will keep looking. Don't worry, we will find them. You have to take care of yourself too." 

"No, I am fine. I will keep looking with everyone. They can't be far. They have to be somewhere near here, I am sure." Kaeru said stubbornly, calling out for them again. Her voice felt painful. The cold hurt her lungs, but it didn't matter. 

"This is not a suggestion. Go back and warm up. Eat something. We will keep looking and you can join us again once you have rested." Renatsu didn't raise his voice, but it almost felt like it. Kaeru turned towards him, her eyes gleaming with anger as she suddenly punched him hard. 

"Don't you dare tell me to go rest. I am not some weak girl who cannot handle herself. My younger sibling, my only family, has disappeared and you want me to go and 'rest'?! Do not throw orders at me! I will not stop until I have found them." She yelled, pushing pass him and calling for Kuma again. 

"Kaeruko!" Renatsu went after her, sighing deeply as he rubbed his injury. "Damn it! I am upset too! You can't just run yourself into the ground!" He yelled, running up to her to try and talk sense into her. Though he knew deep down there was little that would stop her. "Your mom and dad asked me to protect you! I am not going to let you run yourself into the ground. I've already failed enough. I can't fail you too." He paused as Kaeru stopped walking. She turned towards him, her face stone cold. 

"Do not bring my parents into this. They died protecting us. However, reality is harsh. We cannot depend on anyone else to protect us. It is not your job to ensure we are safe, it is my job. I have failed that job. So let me make it right." She said simply, turning back around and looking for any signs of her younger sibling. 

"You are so damn stubborn. Shit." Renatsu shook his head, yet he did not speak more. She was formidable, and he did not doubt that she would hit him again if he tried to stop her. The search continued for the entire day. The tribe did not move like they were supposed to. Renatsu had announced they wouldn't move on until they were certain that Kumako wasn't in the surrounding area, though he felt his own betrayal on the horizon. He couldn't keep everyone here. The chaos was coming, and the longer they stayed here… the more likely it would capture them all in its inescapable grip. That night was the last they could remain here. He didn't need to say that aloud. Everyone knew. The cloud of knowledge hung heavy over the tribe. Most of all, it laid heaviest upon Kaeruko. She did not stop looking, even after everyone else had returned. Hitsugaya had offered to stay with her to ensure she didn't get lost, but there was little even he could do to soothe Kaeru. She was wearing herself down in despair, the fear of what could have happened under her watch almost being too much to bear. She didn't let herself cry. It was a waste of energy at this point. All that mattered was finding Kuma. Her cries echoed through the trees, bouncing from place to place. Yet those cries didn't fall on any ears. The forest was empty. The only responses were from the trees and wind, creaking ever so persistently. They sang in mourning with her, as if the entire wood knew of the deep pain she felt. 

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Crying crying sappy tears 

Sighing Sighing for many years 

We creak and moan and bend and sob 

And creak and moan 

Deep within the woods lay a grave. Long forgotten by time itself, it sits in wait, breathing continuous life around it, intentional though it is not. We protect this place close and near, held to the bosom. She dictates to us who can come near. Her word is all, her word is life. 

Bones deep within keep our home strong. Should she fall, we'd crumble at dawn. 

Crying crying sappy tears 

Sighing Sighing for many years 

We creak and moan and bend and cry 

And creak and moan and move and 

die. 

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