He was disappointed to see that it was nothing more than a horse with its rider slumped across its neck. The rider wore strange armor, carried a even stranger katana tied at their side for it seemed that the blade spilt into two half's, and the rider was slight in height. Keiji was at first surprised by the strange sight, and then moved over to the contently munching horse as it enjoyed the rich green grass that grew at the base of the falls. Upon drawing closer, the horse looked up him, gave a peevish whistle, and returned to its meal.
Exasperated by the animal's antics, he first tapped the rider gently on the shoulder to see if the rider had simply fallen asleep after a long journey and that being kind enough to wake them would prevent them from further embarrassment, or worse. Instead the rider moaned and drew a ragged breath.
This time, he pulled the rider backwards and noticed the red stain upon the rider�s chest. He pulled the rider off the horse and laid the rider in the grass and felt for a pulse, his concern deepening. Beneath his fingers, he could feel their heart beat out a slow and ragged beat that was beginning to slow. He was no expert, but he could tell, that soon, without the help of his mother, whoever this was, would die.
Another poor wretch who had fallen pray to Kazuo�s hands and had managed to stumble upon the falls. Yet, many died, and Keiji had found that all to often, he was burying the people who had come to them in their final hours. He resettled the rider on the horse and mounted up behind the rider, pulled the mount's head up, kicked it in the sides urging the horse forward.
The animal surged forward with a annoyed whinny and its owner moaned once again. Keiji knew the forest well and was able to reach the temple far more quickly than had he tried to come the way he and his mother had, so many years ago.
Juzo meet him as he halted the animal and slide down its side, pulling the rider down into his arms.
�Best get this one to your mother, Keiji.� Juzo pointed out as he lead the horse away.
Upon hearing the commotion, his mother emerged from the temple, took one look at the figure in Keiji�s arms, gave a weary sigh, and gestured for Keiji to come to their part of the compound. Once he had laid the figure out upon the mat his mother had laid down, she turned and gave him a significant glare. Bowing, he left, knowing not to interfere with his okaasan when dealing with the injured.
Memorable instances between her and Juzo had often proved that interfering when she was in this mood was not the wisest of decisions. She took to dealing with the injured as something along the lines of personal and the cloud of grief that would not let her enjoy the life she had come to live in the temple. Did she attempt to save every life that came within her sight as a act of atonement for the loss of Masake, or was it maternal compassion? She was not at fault, Keiji sighed in silent disgust, Kazuo was.
Still pondering the mystery, he bumped into Juzo as he emerged from the temple�s stable.
�A word, lad.� Juzo said as he grabbed the younger man�s arm and lead him to the steps that lead to the pools of the falls. There they sat, where Keiji had often sat and listened to the old man give him his lessons, waiting for whatever the old man had to say.
�Yes?� Keiji asked.
�You do realize that you have rescued a ninja?� Juzo asked after a long period of silence.
�That was a ninja? I have never seen one before. They don�t follow the ways of bushido, do they? Don�t they follow their own code of honor?� Keiji replied, surprised at Juzo�s tone. Only when the man spoke of Kazuo did he have that acid edge to his voice.
�Some do, most don�t. They are a awful lot, that they are. Be warned, this one could, if he lives, it could mean trouble. Ninjas knowing about the Temple of the Falls is a ill omen.� Juzo explained.
�I am sorry, I acted and I did not know. What will we do about him?� Keiji asked.
�He�s a she, Keiji.� his mother said as she suddenly joined them.
�Maya! How long were you standing there?!� Juzo demanded.
�Long enough. Turns out that our guest will live, the katana missed the heart, the wound will not be fatal. However, the gear she had with her suggests that her master is our daimyo, so as to how she managed to land herself in the condition she is in, I do not know. We�ll have to wait until she regains consciousness. By the way Juzo, get your eyes back inside your head, and your teeth together. Just because she is a ninja doesn�t mean the end of this temple. If it were bandits, I could see why.� Maya sighed.
�I�ll take first vigil then, if its all right, Okaasan.� Keiji asked as she turned to leave.
�Of course. If she wakes, don�t tire her with too many questions, I doubt she has the strength.� Maya replied.
The room was dim. The slender form before him shocked him. So this, he thought as he examined the armor and weapons his mother had removed, is a ninja. He examined a odd shaped star that lay among the interesting armor and swore aloud as he withdrew a bloody finger from the star�s edge. With his finger in his mouth, he put the star away, content not to explore whatever this ninja had stored away, fearing nastier things in the pouches that looked curious, with their odd lumps and bulging sides.
Suddenly the form before him jerked and sat upright.
�You,� a voice hissed, �What have you done to me? Why am I here?�
�Easy, I found you slumped across your mount and I brought you here. You were wounded and my okaasan saved your life. Any longer and you would have died.� he replied, surprised at the tension the cool gray eyes portrayed.
In fact, he noted, the woman seemed to be nothing more than tense energy, all of it ready to erupt on a seconds notice. To his relief, she relaxed and laid back once more.
�Curse that foul Kazuo!� she snarled inhuman rage playing in her eyes.
�You have crossed paths with Kazuo? Tell me, did he do this?� Keiji demanded.
�Yes. I was sent to assassinate the man, but I was caught and was forced to fight him in a open duel. Needless to say, I lost. The black katana he carries missed its mark so I guess I am lucky.� she replied.
�That monster, but tell me, why did the daimyo send you when he could have sent a samurai?� Keiji asked.
�Ha! They are cowards, the whole lot of them. But the why I was sent was because Lord Dayu, the head of my clan, despises my very existence. When the daimyo gave the order for a member of our clan to assassinate Kazuo, Dayu ordered me to serve the order, and I, like a baka, obeyed.� she replied, the dark rage deepening behind her eyes.
�Shameful for a clan leader to hold such beliefs. . .?� Keiji began as he tried to see what was the name of this mystery woman.
�My name is Risako, and yours is?� she replied.
�I am Keiji, son of Masake and Maya.� he answered, grateful to see the more of the tension begin to leave Risako�s form.
�I have heard of Lord Masake, one of the few samurai had I ever meet, would have respected beyond all doubt. Is he here? If so, I wish to report to him some troubling information I heard before I was caught.� she sighed.
�My father only rests here. Kazuo claimed his life about ten years ago, but, I will hear your report. I have sworn to stop Kazuo, for my father�s honor and mine as well.� he replied.
�Then listen well, something foul is afoot, and if he succeeds, there will not be enough temples like this one, to bury all the dead.� Risako answered him, �I will tell you all I know, on the condition that I go along with you.�
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