ShadowMoon - Fanfictions - Feudal Honor / Chapter 7 by Chibi Washuu

Feudal Honor

Chapter 7

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A Ronin Warriors/Yoroiden Samurai Troopers Story

Finally! At long last, here is chapter 7! Um, about Ryo's navigation system, it's some 'big ninja secret' that I happened to find in my research. You drive a foot-long stick into the ground in a fairly clear area and place another stick (length doesn't matter) on the ground at the end of the shadow. You then wait about 15 minutes for the shadow to move and place a third twig at the end of the shadow. With your right foot on the first twig and your left on the second, you are facing True North. Interesting, ne? ^_^ Anyway... let me be quiet so you can read. You've waited long enough for this chapter.

***

"Don’t tell me we’re lost!"

Touma was at a loss for words. Was it his fault that he had no sense of direction? Running aimlessly through the wilderness for two years would do that to a man.

Seiji sighed in exasperation, covering his eyes with his hand. "I’m surrounded by morons," he muttered.

"Forgive us for not being perfect, Seiji-sama," Ryo said from the trees, spitting out the title like something vile. He jumped to the ground and continued. "If you want, I can point out the correct direction." He bowed in a way that was neither proper nor polite. Without waiting for an answer, he walked away and over to a dead tree. Once there, he pulled off three branches, one about a foot in length. Armed with the twigs, he made his way to a small clearing and drove the foot long stick into the earth.

Seiji and Touma watched the ninja’s actions with a mixture of skepticism and awe. What was he doing? How was this going to get them back on track? After about 15 minutes, Ryo stood in the clearing facing them. "We go that way," he said, gesturing behind him.

"How can you be sure?" Seiji asked.

Ryo smirked. "Sore wa himitsu desu."

Touma smiled at this, but it only proved to infuriate Seiji. "The ninja have perfected navigation," Touma murmured, just loud enough for the blonde to hear. "It would probably be best not to argue." He then headed to where Ryo was standing. "We go south."

The day passed without further incident. When night fell, the party decided to stop near a small stream. The three sat around the small fire they had built, completely silent, watching each other. Unnerved by the stillness, Ryo unsheathed his sword and ran the edge along his tongue. No blood. After stirring the broth that sat over the fire, he took a stone out of a small pouch and started sharpening the blade.

"How do I know you’re not going to poison me?" Seiji asked after another long moment.

Ryo grinned mockingly. "You don’t." He lifted his blue eyes and caught Seiji’s gray ones. "You’re going to have to trust me."

Touma smiled slightly at that. Telling a samurai to trust a ninja was like denying him the honor of committing seppuku¾ ritual suicide. But with these two, it was a far worse thing to ask. Seiji would never trust Ryo in a million years, and the ninja knew this and was using it to his advantage. It was almost funny. He had given up on trying to be the peacekeeper between the two. Now he would let them quarrel, but if things went too far, he would step in. Or he would let an arrow go between them again; that seemed to work fairly well. But why did he have the funny feeling things would never go that far?

Seiji narrowed his eyes and met Ryo’s gaze evenly. What was this guy up to? Was he going to poison him? It wouldn’t help him get back into the clan; he had already been disgraced in their eyes. So what was he getting at? And why the hell did he suddenly trust him? It made no sense. "Fine," he spat. "But I..."

"Shh!"

The three fell silent. Ryo stood slowly and noiselessly, his eyes watching the area off to his left. "Stay here," he murmured, slipping quietly into the brush.

Seiji sniffed. "Like hell I’m going to stand by like a child that needs protection!" He drew his sword, the blade glittering in the moonlight.

Touma loaded his bow and waited, watching the underbrush intently. There it was again, a rustling of dry leaves.

Seiji looked over his shoulder. He could feel the eyes. There were a lot of them, and they were surrounded. "Damn," he cursed quietly.

Ryo suddenly burst through the undergrowth, along with another figure. The two rolled on the ground for a moment before the ninja deftly kicked him away into a nearby tree. The ring took this moment to break, adding to the overall confusion of the situation.

Seiji blocked the enemy’s attacks easily, but the sheer numbers began to wear on him. "There’s too many!" he called to the other two.

"Tell me about it," Ryo said over the clanging of metal. He blinked as the soldier he was fighting suddenly went down. Seeing the arrow in the other’s back, he grinned at Touma, who had positioned himself in a nearby tree. "Thanks. I owe you one." He whirled and came blade to blade with yet another opponent. "Damn it! I’ve had enough!" He gave his opponent a swift kick in the groin and took his head before taking the sword as well. Now armed with two katana, he whirled around to face whoever came before him, immediately locking blades with yet another enemy.

Seiji was barely hanging on. Three of the bandits had ganged up on him, and he was having trouble blocking the three of them at the same time. He swept one off his feet and as soon as his head was freed from his shoulders another came to take his place. There was no end to them! He backed up slowly as he fought the bandits off. Suddenly, he ran into someone behind him. Readying his sword, he looked over his shoulder to see Ryo doing the same. "You watch my back, I’ll watch yours."

"Deal."

The two fought, back to back, for what seemed like an hour. Finally, the last of the bandit gang lay dying on the ground at Ryo’s feet. The ninja gave him a swift kick in the ribs before turning to Seiji. "A battle well fought, samurai-sama," he said with a grin.

"Thank you. Same to you."

Ryo’s eyes flashed and he pushed Seiji to the ground. "Down!"

Seiji hit the ground hard. He looked up over his shoulder to find Ryo’s sword in the stomach of a would-be assassin. The assassin’s face mirrored complete shock as he slid off the end of the katana.

Seiji stood quickly. "You saved my life," he said quietly.

"Forget it," Ryo said, wiping the blood off the blade. He nodded to Touma who had joined them. "Let’s get out of here."

Whew! That was a close one for Seiji-kun! Are they ever going to get to Hagi? Find out next time in Feudal Honor: Chapter 8!