Kaede had heard Asuka's reply and disbelieved her completely, watching her energy drain from her wounds and knowing instinctively she was going to slip up soon. She had tried to hack her way towards her but she had been too late, watching as the sword tore through her. She had cursed loudly and verbally, her hacks and slashes becoming more monsterous and demonic and her red hair bristling and whirling like lightning. Suddenly there was an explosion from somewhere and shards of rock rained down upon them, hampering them but also smashing the dolls to pieces, giving Kaede and opening to rush past the Miko and charge at Asuka.

The Ronin was a whirlwind of flame and sword but her slashes were weakening and becoming sloppy, Kaede dodged once and then caught the slashing blade on her braced arm, a slight sickening crunch sounding around them. However it forced Asuka to stop and look at her which was her main goal. "I asked whether you were fit, not whether you could fight. Your honourable stand will get you killed and us undefended!" She grabbed her arm with her wounded hand and turned to the Bear spirit, sprinting towards it, stopping briefly to bend and hoist the Princess over her shoulder. "Much appreciated Forest Spirit. Miko, get on as well, heal Asuka-dono while you're up there. We may need to flee quickly later." The little Miko hopped up with the Princess and Kaede jumped and climbed them all onto the great bear's back as he plowed through the dolls and bashed through the gate away into the country, finally out of the city. Kaede kept a close watch on the gate, ensuring no one was following them, the Princess and Miko still on her large strong back and Asuka next to her on the Bear.

The pain....it felt like no other that had been Asuka's misfortune to endure, hot, searing, and torturous. She could barely stand upon her own two feet after losing that much blood, puddles of it left scattered upon the battlefield and absorbing into the muddy red soil below her, but if she was destined to die upon these damaged grounds, then a thousand, no two thousand shall follow her into the gaping, infernal jaws of Jigoku. Was she insane to force her wounded physical being past the breaking point, to a degree of causing mortal damage to herself while unto others. Nevertheless, the ronin remained in the haze of encroaching death, battling against not just the puppet minions that surrounded her, but the ferryman who was coming forth to take her soul to Hell.

Her heart was threatening to crack through her ribs, such a dangerous pace it kept, rising with every violent undulation. Her breathing, it was shallow, barely a whisper from the battle cries she shouted unto her foes, and her form, it still showed flaws, a sloppy delivery of ever strike, was she wanting to die here? There was no technique, just a dying woman giving one last fight before she fell, but soon her blade struck something hard. It rattled her arm, weakened from the frantic and maniacal swings of her sakabatou. Her eyes, glazing over and weary, met with a familiar set of crimson, worrisome were they but also stern. "Ka....Kaede...dono......" Blood seeped from her mouth as the ronin forced herself to utter the strong woman's name, every nerve shivering..... "I-I was....f-foolish....that I...was....but.....d-death shall....not have me....that it....won't...."

The last sight Asuka noticed had been Hanami rushing to her aid, issuing some sort of talismans that stopped the approaching puppets in their tracks. Soon....darkness....everywhere around her, only a faint voice asking is she was alright echoing in her ears. Was this it? No...Asuka could still feel a pulse within her, but slower and slower it became. I must carry on....for Hime-dono...for my comrades.....I cannot die....not now....

"I-I... can not, Kaede-dono. This is no simple back sprain, or puncture wound." Hanami touched Asuka's forehead gently, rubbing her hot skin in a soothing manner before looking to Kaede, concern filling her eyes. " Kushiami-san has been hurt badly, and I will not be able to tend to her like this. We must stop when we get away from here or..." Her voice drifted off as she saw the spirits in the surrounding areas following the moving bear. She knew they were waiting for Kushiami-san, they were always attracted to people on the brink of dying. It didn't help that Mizuki was right beside her, passed out and bleeding too, but her injuries weren't half as bad as Kushiami's. She could still see her aura shining brightly despite everything she had been through today.

Shuffling through her medicine pouch, she saw Kaede put her hand right under her nose to offer her a small vial of clear liquid. "Th...thank you, Kaede-san." She uncorked it and poured a little onto a cloth from her medicine pouch. Gently, she patted it onto the worst of Kushiami's wounds, figuring it would act much faster if it was applied directly. Hanami smiled as the blood began to harden and eventually stopped flowing so quickly. She did the same for Mizuki, but using a completely new cloth and then bandaging them both up hastily.

"They should be fine..." A sigh of relief escaped her lips. "The dead get excited when they think someone is joining them." Looking around her, she noticed the spirits began to falter in their chase and frown. "Be gone, spirits. Today is not her day." She said as a-matter-of-factly.

((Better idea.))

Akane was prepared to battle the lone puppet and quickly leave to find the princes, but there was movement. No not the peasant scurrying about, but the shadows of Kunoichi on the roof tops following Kouko. It was obvious what her choice was going to be. "I leave the last puppet to you . There are more pressing matters to deal with." Akane left Shiroko and followed after the four Kunoichi jumping across the roof tops.

The alleys was an easy way to keep up with them without being spotted. She noticed multiple destroyed puppets and one dead Kunoichi. It was the work of the others which meant they weren't dead yet. Akane tried keeping her eyes on the Kunoichi as they glided through the air. For a brief second she noticed a missing member. The sound of feet hitting bamboo was just loud enough attracting Akane to the roof to her right. A Kunoichi clad in dark clothing was already falling through the air with a very threatening looking blade. Akane with both hands spun her Naginata around in a blur and cut the woman out the sky. A deep gash in her throat spurted out blood as she smacked into the ground. Akane didn't bother to finish her.

"You should've picked a different lord." she quipped with arrogance as the Kunoichi struggled to stop the bleeding. There were three more she took off after, but they had dispersed. Noticing their comrade was down they let one left to be followed while the others waited for an opportunity to kill her. Akane knew what was going on and was predicting the most likely way they would attack.

"Up high? No I would notice. On my flank" A brief glance behind her as she moved around corners told her no. The sounds of battle could be heard ahead, but there was no sign of the other enemies.

"What about through a-" The door on her left shattered with a blade shooting out from the debris. From behind four Kunai were thrown. There was no denying how skilled they were. However, as her heart starting beat even faster her mind had the time to see how she would destroy her opponents.

"First intercept the blades on my left." She held up her hand and caught each blade in between her fingers, dropped her naginata and used her wakizashi cut the string attaching the blades to the kunoichi. Akane rolled forward evading the kunai from behind and swiftly turned around and threw two of her acquired blades towards the other adversary merely forcing him to evade. It took three seconds for her to do this surprising them with her agility. Her first opponent was trying to flee inside the building she attacked out of, but Akane closed in driving her blade through the back of the enemy's neck. From behind the second assailant tried to immediately catch the Slayer off guard, but quickly found himself with a blade in his eye. "Well you did try."

Blood now stained her clothes and her heart beat was a little erratic. She didn't like these types of fights at all, but she needed to keep going. Akane never let her weak heart stop her. Quickly she grabbed her naginata and rushed towards the battle the others were fighting.

From the looks of it they were fighting to try and keep the enemy and a trees spirit away from the Princess. "What a shame. I'll actually have to deal with almost an army of fools." Almost in anticipation her heart started beating faster. At these times she knew what was going to happen. There was no need in stealth for her, but she could easily find anyone who was trying to use it themselves. Demons were often rather skilled at this. Sometimes like animals. As the last kunoichi had his arrow prepared Akane grinned and was ready to jump into the battle. He fired from concealment on her right. With one hand she grabbed it as the arrowhead broke the skin causing some blood to run down her face. "There you are."

The battle raged on. She fought, distracted, and lured enemies away from the main group while trying to battle the last rather skilled Kunoichi. It was hard on her body, but non of them were a match against her inhuman reflexes and intelligence. Eventually she defeated her pursuers and escaped with the rest of them resting on the tree spirit nearly passed out. Her stamina was nearly depleted and her heart wouldn't be able to take much more of the fighting. For now she was relieved that they were escaping.

Noriaki let out an impressed whistle as she watched Yuki scale the building with a single vertical jump, not so much as weighed down by the size of her blade or even the extra amounts of supplies she carried. She rubbed the back of her neck, looking up, and then looking around for things to help her scale to the top of the building. But then, Noriaki spied something far more important. Noriaki just so happened to peak into the brewery that Yuki had just left, and she almost did a double take. Stepping out from the back room, carrying a crate of what probably contained sake, was a young woman, hair dark as the night sky and pulled back with a braid. Her eyes were a lovely chocolate color and she was attired in commoner cloths, a workman's outfit no doubt. Noriaki could see the woman's arms struggling to carry the crate, and with a final glance towards the roof - Yuki could handle things, right? - she entered the brewery and approached the woman.

"My working class queen, your hands should not be burdened with such a dirty task as carrying a crate, and no sweat should dare stain your otherwise flawless skin. Pray, let me assist you, so that you may continue your duty as the most beautiful thing in this very establishment."

The woman laughed. That was good. She then allowed Noriaki to take the crate. That was even better. And then she asked for Noriaki's name. And that's when Noriaki knew she was in.

"My name is Noriaki Okamoto, remember it well, my lovely, for soon it shall be on the edge of your memory and on the tip of your tongue, and said tip will be having a wonderful encounter with the tip of my own tongue. And as our lips and tongues part, the first words from your lips will be the name on the edge of your memory, the one you, until heretofore, never knew you wanted to remember oh-so fondly as the dashing, charmin, beautiful poet that stole your heart and your body."

The way this woman blushed set Noriaki's mind ablaze with its beauty. She may have just been some simple working-class citizen, but beauty could be found even in the ordinary. While not as voluptuous as some of her more recent associates, this woman had a charm that you just didn't, couldn't, get from women used to danger and excitement. Noriaki followed the woman, who was blushing and giggling and had trouble looking away from the flirtatious armored woman, to a small horse-drawn cart.

She, the woman that is, was from a nearby village and was here to pick up an order for her father, who would have made the trip himself but had come down with a terrible cough. Being the dutiful - and beautiful - daughter that she was, she made the trip in his stead. And now Noriaki, who was simply ignoring the sounds of something happening elsewhere in the city, found herself seated next to the woman as she took up the reigns and began their trek to the village.

"Please, do me the great honor of allowing me to accompany you on this delivery, for I do not wish to remove you from my sight, or my mind for a great long while; my lady, you have me smitten."

A simple sentence was all it took.

Noriaki had no idea how long the journey took, but the village was not terribly far - or at least the passage of time didn't phase either woman, and it seemed to be a decent enough place. Noriaki was quite sure she heard a loud boom, an explosion or something, but it was probably nothing, just her ears playing tricks on her, and the woman at the reigns clearly had her thoughts on anything other than the place they had just left. The sun clearly moved along in the sky as they continued on their little journey, passing the time with idle conversation. Arriving at the woman's home, Noriaki completed the delivery and, in lieu of a monetary payment, took her reward by locking lips with the woman. And then shutting the door for a most undeserved reward.

"Will you see me again?" the woman asked as Noriaki was fastening her blades to her hip for the second time that day.

"In my sweetest dreams, my lovely." With a non-committal smile and a blown kiss, Noriaki left the woman's room and took a jar of sake from the crate for herself.

Stepping out into the village proper, Noriaki was idly sipping from the jar, paying no mind for proper preparation or service, just wanting to enjoy the beverage. Noriaki approached the entrance to the village, now realizing that she was supposed to be guarding a Princess. Whoops. It was probably fine. They'd probably stop near here, for supplies or something. And if not, well, there were plenty of fair maidens in this village. Sure, they may not have the red hair and the va-va-voom figure of a certain someone, but at least village folk didn't smell of blood. And so willing to cater to Noriaki's whims.

She as completely oblivious to what had transpired, but as far as Noriaki was concerned, her day was going excellently.

As the tree spirit bolted down the dirt path, its massive size moving swiftly away from the city It could sense dark corrupted spirits following them, spying for the enemies. Quickly, it neared a dense forest before crashing inside, easily weaving its way passed trees. The air felt lighter and pure do to the more holy spirits that resided within these woods.

Slowing its pace, the wooden bear spirit stopped in a small clearing, varieties of flowers decorating the soft grass. A giant tree was in the middle, its large roots sticking out, surrounding a large opening within the trunk that could easily fit twenty people as the inside had a spiral wooden staircase up to other levels.
A clean stream trickled over some rocks and over the left side of the clearing.

Laying down to let the group off, the tree spirit waited patiently until they were off before looking at them, standing on its hind paws. "You may recover here... Those before have odd magic on their side, but this place will keep you all safe for a little while."The Tree Spirit spoke.

Kouko saw the Tree Spirit barrel past her position. Jeez, that thing could move fast. She'd managed to stop the bleeding and bind her arm but now she had to catch up with the others. Glancing behind, she sensed that there was little time to spare. She had to hurry, lest she get caught in combat again. Before dashing away, she releases a quick Ki blast from her sword, fending away the dark energies in pursuit before she turns and runs after the Tree Spirit. The spirit crashes into the forest, and Kouko dives in after. She could sense it as her surroundings became sacred. It reminded her of the presence of Akaruime. It passed a certain point where she thought that, even if she wasn't able to feel it, she would know that this place was sacred ground. If she were not following her comrades or carrying the God-given sword, she would dare not tread further, for risk of disturbing the spirits with her presence.

She reaches the edge of the clearing and stops to examine her surroundings. Was this its home? She stays a moment, catching her breath before she goes further, crossing the field to join the others. She lifts her hand in greeting, moving as light on her feet as she could. She's done her best to move silently until then, and she keeps making the effort. She stops beside the ronin, miko, and Mikoto. The ronin was weak, she could sense the ebbing life. She crouched and put her palm to the ronin's chest. It seemed as though the priestess had already treated the wounds. "..." She carefully examined her, sensing out the flow of vitality in her body. Or attempting to. She sighed after a moment, relenting. She couldn't manage it. She'd never had much reason to attempt this application of her Ki before... she would have to train. For now, she could only offer small amounts of Ki to replenish the ronin's vital energy. She would need a night's rest before she would feel confident about fighting again. "Miko-san. My arm will need tending shortly. I removed leaches, but the wounds need a proper dressing." She speaks very softly over the silence of the wood, letting herself roll back and lay down.

"Thank you, tree-spirit..." She said softly, climbing down from the spirit's back and admiring the beautiful wooded area for a moment. The change of scenery was just what she needed to focus, and recenter herself from all of the chaos earlier by meditating on the sacred grounds. The spirits might like someone to talk to, and hopefully wouldn't mind her picking some of the rare herbs in the area. I bet the Princess will want to join me... Hanami looked to her comrades and exhaled deeply through her nose, ready to get down to business.

"Miko-san. My arm will need tending shortly. I removed leaches, but the wounds need a proper dressing."

Hanami looked down at the little warrior that had come over, nodding briefly as she inspected her arm. "I will come find you shortly, Kouko-san." Placing a light hand on her shoulder before walking over to the stream nearby, Kaede following closely behind with Mizuki and Kushiami, setting them down on the stream bank where Hanami stood.

"Thank you, Kaede-san. You've done enough." Hanami caressed the half-demon's cheek, smiling in gratitude. "Maybe you would like to go relax too?" She said before turning and sitting down between Kushiami and Mizuki. Closing her eyes, and pressing her hands together like she was about to pray, she began transferring her energy to both Mizuki and Kushiami, with a concentration on a very wounded ronin. All three of their bodies glowed, and the two unconscious ones may feel their bodies being pleasantly warmed as her light washed over them, healing them both from the inside out.

About ten minutes had passed, and Hanami would be expecting four eyes to open. In the mean time, she wet a cloth in the cool stream and washed the dried blood from around Kushiami's mouth. She thought about putting both Mizuki and Kushiami in the stream, but didn't want them to be upset that she'd undressed them.

((decided to move this a lil))

Kushiami was unaware of how long she may have tarried in that ever-foreboding darkness, dead but alive at the same, caught between the brink of the living and the departed. In the void of black, she could hear the whispers of the spirits calling to her from their harrowed tombs, lulling her unto her own final resting place, yet she resisted their charming melodies of hereafter and rebuked the final embrace of death, but it was a struggle. The wraiths, they latched onto her ankles and tugged her forward to their realm, the stench of carrion rotting upon a barren field choking Asuka and tainting the air heavy with death. "Leave me be, spirits of the lost, that you must!" She called to the aberrations ferrying her to her end in desperation. My time to depart is naught! I must return home, indeed I should!" Were they deaf? Did they not hear her pleas? Could the dead not understand the strife of the living, having once dwelled in their world? Still they carried Asuka through the darkness, forbidding to let go until....something chased them away, a light, brighter than the sun, the stars, and the moon in the heavens above, so...welcoming to the fallen ronin, as if the light embraced her in warmth. There was a presence within the gleaming warmth which Asuka could feel looming close to her, its comforting hand resting upon the samurai's head as it whispered, "Your time has not come yet, samurai. Return to the living, for your companions need you....."

Suddenly, the light grew brighter, but something felt off, a familiar pain had returned to Asuka's abdomen, sharp, but not as agonizing as before. Her eyes fluttered open softly, and she looked forward to behold....Hanami had healed her. "Mi....Miko-dono....." Her voice was hoarse and quiet, the small stings of her wounds jarring her a little. "You've saved me....that you have......I thank thee with much.....gratitude...." Death would've had her had it not been for this maiden. Asuka owed everything to Hanami. Her head fell to the side, her vision blurry for a moment but slowly refocusing. There was someone else lying next to her. Hime-dono! Was she hurt? It didn't look so, scratches merely compared to Asuka's wounds, but the samurai was indeed worried for the Princess' well-being. But if Hanami could heal such a turmoil as Asuka had endured, then surely the Princess was in safe hands. Asuka merely returned her gaze to the sky, noticing how a canopy of green seemed to have appeared. Were they not in Kyoto anymore?

On the bear Kaede could feel the latent adrenaline and strength that came to her in a fight begin to ebb. She started to really feel her wounds, her hand shaking and each movement becoming a chore. Distantly she heard people speaking but she did not feel up to replying, except for Asuka.. "Damn right you were foolish! Its a soldiers responsibility to survive and be fit to fight for the long run. Weren't you in a siege before?" She had growled under her breathe while pushing the small vial of coagulating oil into the Miko's hand so that she might stabilise the Ronin. After that she said very little, maintain a tight and strained look to her face when they arrived at the small forest and only nodding with brisk gratefulness to the great forest spirit that loomed over them all.

Finally, once all of the wounded had been settled and the Miko had suggested she rest, Kaede gladly acted upon the suggestion. She stripped off her vast weaponry and basically fell into the stream, careless for clothes, just letting the clear stream soothe her wounds and the cold rid her of the ache in her muscles. Once she was acceptably relaxed she dragged herself from the water, grabbing her sword from the bank on her way, her clothes clinging to her dripping form as she dragged herself over to the Miko and collapsing next to her patients. Her breathing was laboured and anyone who touched her would tell she had a fever from the poisoned dagger, but Kaede knew she could just sleep it off and she'd be fine.

However she briefly heard Asuka's quiet and stammered return to consciousness and dragged herself up to crouch next to the wounded ronin. She scowled down at her slightly, noting her concern for the princess and slight confusion. "Welcome back to the living! Our Princess merely tired herself a little, she'll be fine with care. You on the other hand are more full of holes than I am. Honestly, what were you doing! You had me worried." She growled and grumbled to herself before slumping back with an exhausted sigh.

Everything was dark, and only the mild amused laughter echoed within the darkness. Mizuki was unsure who it was, it sounded familiar, a voice she should know as well as her big brother Yukimura. It was a calm voice, mature even, yet she couldn't make out the words. She was so tired.... She just wanted to sleep a little more, but she had to wake up. Even for a little bit.

Mumbling a little, her golden gaze slowly opened to reveal a pleasant light among a luscious green of the forest. With a soft groan, she slowly sat up shaking her head a little before tensing as she examined her arms thoroughly. They were no longer black from the corruption from the beads. But where did it go? Energy like that didn't just disappear. Could she be poisoned or turn into what the Tree Spirit was? Yet she felt fine other then the slight soreness from her injuries that were healing a little quickly.

Worry then took over for her guardians and she saw Hanami, Kaede, and Asuka around her. "Are you all okay? I'm sorry for the trouble." she said gently, not hesitating in looking them over and frowning at Asuka's serious injuries.

Akane found her way off the tree spirit and onto the grass face first. It was difficult to not immediately fall to sleep right there, but she needed to at least make sure the Princess was safe for the moment. Well first was her standard routine when amongst people. As she looked around to see some of the guardians either injured or taking care of the Princess she decided to do a head count.

"So how many of the sub par Guardians actually made it out? Maybe its because I haven't eaten in the last few hours, but there should be more of us." she had to stab her naginata into the ground and use that to keep herself up right for the moment. Akane did feel a little proud not getting really injured, but that took far too much out of her. There was a very good reason she didn't like multiple partners or multiple opponents.

Kouko sat up slowly, looking around. She'd come out mostly fine from the encounter. That masked man had surprised her as he fled... leeches, how disturbing. She shudders before getting to her feet and following after the Miko. Washing her arm in the river didn't seem like a bad idea, though the Priestess had said she would come find her in a moment. She should be patient.. When Akane asks about who was missing, she took a moment to look around. "The buffoon is missing."

Whatever the case, she takes a seat next to the stream and gathers water into a cupped hand, sipping at the liquid. All that exertion had made her thirsty. A thought occurred to her... was this sacred water? If so, it would definitely be good for cleaning wounds. She produces more bandages before unwrapping the current ones on her arm. She didn't have a chance to clean it very well, before, either. She would do that while waiting for the Priestess.

Hanami blushed slightly when Kaede came to rest beside her patients with her clothes sticking to her curvy figure. Averting her eyes and sighing, a smile crept on her lips as Mizuki and Asuka's eyes fluttered open. It worked! She was glad to see her comrades in much better condition than before. Her work was still incomplete though, the little warrior still needed tending to, and the demon slayer had just come over, looking very...unwell? Reluctantly, she looked back to Kaede when she heard her stressed breathing. She made a note to check on her later, but then reconsidered when the half-demon woke up and started scolding Kushiami.

"We're fine, Princess. You shouldn't worry so much." Smiling, she unlatched the bag hanging from her quiver that Obaa-san had given her earlier. It was still mostly full, save for a few of the items that had fallen out during their battle. Hanami set it down beside Mizuki, feeling much lighter on her feet even while sitting.

"Ladies, enjoy yourselves. I will be back soon." She got up from the ground, feeling slightly light headed and wobbling just a bit. Perhaps she had pushed herself too far?

Better not to complain, it's just a scratch.Wrong. She touched the line of dried blood where she had been cut earlier, but then stopped when Yuki and Akane sent insults their way. She sent suspicious looks their way in response. They hadn't even done anything useful to be talking that way... Exhaling deeply, she apologized to herself for thinking unfriendly thoughts and continued on her way.

"Hiryuu-san?" She greeted with a warm smile as she knelt down beside her, looking over her wound again before pulling out some bandages. She gently took the woman's tiny arm into her lap, and began bandaging it up... in whatever way Kouko thought was the proper way. "All done." She wiped her forehead, which was unnaturally hot and a little moist. "You did a pretty good job on your own." Feeling short of breath, and her vision blurring. "I'm... impressed..."

Hanami looked in her medicine satchel for... something to help, but when she found it, she collapsed into the stream, clutching the small vial in her balled hands. Had she died? No. She had been poisoned.

Such the reprimanding that Asuka took for her foolish and not so well thought out actions from Kaede, but it was a little less fiery than the static the injured warriors caught from their fellow guardians. She hadn't the damndest idea it would upset her crimsoned companion so greatly, but at the same time she felt honored somewhat that Kaede-dono was worried of her safety. It showed to the former samurai how much had changed between the two, from bitter foes upon the heated plains of war to allies now of the same cause. Though the half demon was stern with her, Asuka couldn't help but smile brightly and give a humorous chuckle, wincing a bit from the small bouts of pain from agitating her recently dressed wounds. "I am indeed glad you are safe too, my friend, that I am...." She replied to Kaede, struggling to lean forward and rest her arm on the woman's muscular shoulders, Asuka's abs more sore than ever. "And it is indeed good to be back in the world of the living, that it is." Soon after, the Princess had awoken, right as rain.

"There is no need for apology, Hime-dono, that there isn't." Asuka looked to the newly awakened Princess, about with the same warm smile she had given Kaede. The ronin was just happy none others were injured as bad as she was...or worse. "A samurai is to serve those he or she vows their loyalty to, indeed they are, even unto death. There was no trouble at all, but please, don't go running off next time, okay? I was afraid you may have been injured worse, that I was, but I can see my fears were only fantasy. Oww.....I wish I could say the same for me, that I do." She glanced down at the reddened gauze entrapping her torso, wrapping around every curve of her figure tight. Asuka will admit, it did feel quite uncomfortable, but it was better to feel constricted than to bleed out horrendously. She gave a light nod to Hanami as the miko said for the women to enjoy themselves as she walked away, but upon observation of the girl, Asuka could sense something was indeed amiss....

She swayed left and right and left.....and her footsteps grew weaker and weaker with each move of her feet. It was strange....as if...she were losing her will to continue. "Miko-dono?" The ronin gave a voice to the girl in concern of her, when suddenly- "Miko-dono!!" She collapsed into the stream, sending a spike of terror through the samurai's heart! Without any regard to her own, Asuka was already stammering to her feet and rushing, more or less limping recklessly towards the stream. "Miko-dono!!" She plunged her body into the crystal clear waters, so cold and so brisk to the touch of her frail skin, but nevertheless, she fought the cold and the swift current that was carrying away the woman's seemingly lifeless form. It was then Asuka had realized an error......what was she doing throwing herself into water when she couldn't swim? Immediately, she felt pulled under by the current of the stream, a gush of water assaulting her mouth and choking her. She emerged again coughing, each one jarring her body with pain from her ribs and her abdomen. "Miko-!! Miko-dono!!" Finally, she was in reach of the girl, grasping her hand and pulling her close. "I got you!" Now frantically, she grasped to the side of the stream, anchoring herself to the muddy bank, staggering arms fighting against her struggle to pull herself and the miko onto shore.

It took all she had, but soon, she dragged herself and Hanami up the steep incline, falling next to the miko and coughing out the rest of that icy water trapped in her lungs. "She....she needs help!!" And so did Asuka again by the looks of it, but Hanami's aid should come first.

Mizuki smiled at Asuka's reassuring words but her ears still drooped a little. Despite the kind words, she still felt a bit guilty. Perhaps she should have just made this journey by herself? Her brother and father might be willing to let others die for her, but she wasn't like that. She didn't realize Brother Yakoto would go so far.. To use such dark artes against them. Even controlling peaceful spirits such as this Tree Spirit. Hanzo didn't even kill her, he had only tested them..., examined them. He was probably only watching so he could examine their abilities and weakness's. He also managed to do something to the Princess. Some sort of jutsu on her putting a invisible symbol on her forehead, as well as take some of her blood.

What purpose?

Perking her ears softly as Yuki seem to voice her disapproval of the others. "They did their best, Hanzo is no easy opponent.... And he wasn't even trying this time. So I'm glad to have chosen such fine companions." she said thoughtfully before examining everyone else before frowning.

"I hope Noriaki will be alright..." she said in concern, blinking curiously as Hanami went to help Kouko, but seemed to wobble.

Eyes narrowing in concern, her sensitive nose sniffed before her eyes widened. She smelled off.... Why? Something bad... Her golden gaze widened as she watched The priestess fall into the stream, Asuka quickly jumping in after her.

"Hanami-San, Asuka-San!" Mizuki called out in concern, and within a second, she sped to their side as Asuka managed to pull them both out.

Quickly, Mizuki started sniffing them in examination. Asuka seemed alright for now, but the source of the smell was coming from a scratch on Hanami. "Posion?" she questioned softly unsure but she thought she smelled something like this from one of Hanzo's medicines. It might of been from one of the Kunoichi's that attacked.

Unsure what to do, she allowed sheer instinct to guide her. Quickly she put her mouth around the scratch, ginger sucking on the injury. At the taste of human blood, her gold eyes flashed red briefly and her arms sparked with the corrupted energy from before but she ignored it until she pulled away, coughing a bit.

The tree spirit came closer, it's green eyes glowing before it reached its paw out, a wooden bowl forming in it with a glowing green liquid. "Quickly... Have her drink this... It will quell the poisons within her bloodstream... Then she will need rest." It instructed.

Mizuki sighed in relief, taking the bowl with a grateful smile. "Thank you Tree Spirit-San..." she said before bringing Hanami on her lap and gently tried to have the human girl drink the liquid.

Akane wasn't surprised the Bufoon wasn't there. She was either dead or completely ignored the battle. Either way she was of little use to them other than entertainment. At the moment she made sure to go towards the steam to wake up and wash some of the blood off of her. The idea of floating down the stream would have been wonderful, if the sight of the priestess floating down the stream passed out didn't come up. At that point she attempted to hold back a laugh before going into help.

The princess and Asuka were quick. When the spirit showed up she knew that whatever ailed Hanami would taken care of soon. Asuka appeared to be in some trouble which prompted Akane to attend to her. "Why are the pretty ones so reckless?" she said while looking in her pack that was nearly torn up in the battle. It was obvious that Asuka was in some pain which Akane new the best thing for that. A small bag filled with a black looking material grounded up into a powder.

"Don't worry this is a mix of some special herbs and um...Demon bone. It will deal with pain, speeds up less severe injuries such as your bruises, and increases sensitivity in certain areas." Her smile gave away that she was joking about the last part, but was likely correct on the actual benefits. "Take a pinch of this and you should be fine." It had a very very strong after taste which was a reason why Akane rarely used it. Of course the woman next to her didn't need to know that.