It came again. Always on time.

Forgotten a lot of things, yet this one lingers.

What a pain.

Shaking his head side to side, maybe trying to shake off whatever memory that just came up, Crow stop in his tracks for a while. He squints his eyes trying to ascertain the surrounding. Since he parted with Granny Sae at the rest area, he's been walking presumably for half a day, but this so called Itsuwari village is still nowhere near. Wrinkles on his forehead, squinted eyes probably because the lack of light in this place and of course — sleep, he examines the small passageway he's on and switch it to his surrounding and finally to the sky only to be blocked by the dense tree crown, but at least he can still see the moon. He then started to tread ahead again after confirming his direction "at least I'm not lost.. I think" he tried to reassure

Although it was a cloudless night sky with the moon still hung on it, with the help of this dense forest, it is an of course that moonlight won't be enough to illuminate his surroundings, the only positive this darkness bring is, it heightens his other senses especially his hearing. So with drowsiness and exhaustion assaulting him from the past couple of hours, he still put on his highest level of vigilance, heavily relying on his ears to catch even the slightest of sound especially the sudden one.

He's been on alert since he entered this forest that covered the area near Itsuwari, but from the lack of presence of demons, coupled with the only sounds he has been catching are from bats, crickets and toads, it is safe to say his efforts bear no fruits. Because of this, he can't help but re-calling the information he got."Am I still too far from there?" He thought, "It shouldn't be, maybe it didn't just attack every passerby who take this road."

It was not recklessness that force him to brave the road at this late hour of the ox (1-3 AM) to Itsuwari. It was well within his plans to do so. From rumors and information he got along the way, most of the victims are last seen some time at night and disappeared by morning came. So most probably the demon only hunted at night. With this reason in mind he forced himself to continue his journey without rest, knowing he'll be near Itsuwari before sunrise and perhaps can chance upon the foul creature. But it seems like reality won't be playing out the same scenario as the one he has expected.

As he continues on, once in a while the moonlight that escaped through the gaps of the tree crowns will hit him, bringing along some memories from the past tempting him to drift his mind to it. Sigh. Exhaling the warm air from his lungs, his visible breath is forming a small thin cloud — sign of the cool air on a autumn night, flowing slowly toward the back as he walks forward.

It was much colder that night, and the moon.. the moon..

much more beautiful..

much more sinister..

Crack.

The sound of a twig breaking, broke him out of his reverie and with an instant his body tensed up, his left hand tighten the grip on his staff and bringing it to his side, he put his right hand in front of him in a blocking pose, ready for any incoming ambush. Upon a closer inspection, his pose were more like a samurai ready to drawn out his sword. The drowsiness and fatigue that has annoyed him a moment ago were gone instantly and replaced by alertness. His body were facing towards where the sound is coming from, still and steady, not making a single move. It was unknown he does it on purpose or not, he had already stopped breathing.

Tension filled the air. The suspense and pressure present can even paralyzed a man. He tilts his head to the right angle until his vision were clear out of the blockage of his hat. He waited and waited until a weak, scared and stammering voice come out of the darkness in his line of sight.

"T-t-t-t-traveler?"

"Show yourself!" he replied without lessening his caution.

He waits for a while but the owner of the voice didn't step forth out of the dark. But just when he decided to make a move, he heard the sound of footsteps, albeit slow it's surely coming towards him. When the figure were exposed to the ray of moonlight, he finally relax for a little, but he still maintain his stance.

The owner of the voice belong to a little girl, around 10 years of age . She was wearing a light green kimono with a contrasting deep blue sash. Her shoulder-length black hair were pulled back and tied into a ponytail. Her black gem-like eyes are fixed to the young man in front of him, she stare at him with fear but also with wonderment. Both of her arms were placed in front of her, using it like a basket to carry piles of plants and mushrooms she just harvested. At less than 5 meters from the man, she stopped approaching out of fear of this black figured young man.

"a-a-are you a traveler?" her round eyes staring at him without blinking

"I am. Who are you little girl?"

"I'm just a peasant from Itsuwari village" she replied with a weak voice "I don't have anything valuable, please don't hurt me mister"

"Itsuwari eh" he observed her from head to toe and can see nothing but a normal village girl. Finally he let out a sigh of relief and let down his guard. "Don't worry, I don't have such intention. Little girl, if you are from Itsuwari, it means it's not far from here right?"

When she feels the pressure emitted from the man were lessen, she also disperse he fear bit by bit.

"Are you lost mister?" she then .

Hearing her question, one of his brows twitched "Lost? What do you think I am? A cat?" he certainly feel a little bit offended, but still let out a smile and calmly reply instead.

"Yeah, I want to head there. Is it still far from here?"

She shakes her little head "No, it's an hour walk from where we are"

"An hour huh, could you help me lead the way?"

"Alright" after hesitating for a while, she then agreed to help him.

They then proceed towards Itsuwari, with a short but quick stride the little girl leading in front and Crow following behind. When Crow realized the direction they were taking, his brows twitched again "It seems I am lost".

Looking at the little girl in front of him, he felt a little perplexed. Why would a girl this young wandering the forest at this time of day and from the many type of wild plants she carried in her hands, clearly she was foraging for food. If she is from Itsuwari she should know there's currently a demon in the forest. Curious, he then opt to ask her.

"Little girl, are you wandering the forest to search for food?"

She startled a little bit, yet she doesn't stop "Y-Yes, our family doesn't own a farm so we depended on the woods for a living." Her voice were timid but at least she doesn't sound as scared as before.

"But why are you doing it at this late hour of the ox? Shouldn't you wait until sunrise?"

"I need to help tending the neighbor's farm in this harvest time, so I can get some provisions to last through winter." she replied rather casually.

Hearing that, Crow stopped in his track for a moment. His brown eyes were lock onto the small and frail looking back of hers for a while. Just to survive, that frail back were foraging foods in demon-infested forest, hours before dawn. Just to survive, that small slender hands needs plow and reap the lands. All of it not to live, but to survive. His brows were furrowed, there's an odd feeling gradually welling up within him, maybe it was anger but it was also something else.

Displeasure, at her family that can't take care of her.

Disgusts, at the villager who take advantage of her.

But mostly,

Anger, at himself for having no power to help her.

Sighing, he choose not to pry. . But of course he can't refrain from giving her a little bit of advice. "It's dangerous to wandering the forest at this time. You should wait until dawn or maybe do it hours before sunset." he

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"Especially now when..."He stopped in the middle of his sentence, there's a sudden feeling of dread that came to him. He turns into his 2'oclock direction with an open wide eyes he try to this uneasiness feeling that come from the dark.

Because of his unfinished sentence, the little girl felt something strange and turn around to face him, only to see he has stopped walking and not even looking at her, but at something far in front of them

"What is it mister?" she pace her black eyes between Crow and the place he was surveying. But she can't find anything out of the ordinary. But suddenly there's a whistling noise emitted from the dark, like something was ripping the air apart and coming at them at an extreme speed.

"WATCH OUT!!"

Crow jumped to the little girl and shove her to the left side with force. The many wild plants on her hands were hove away and scattered to the ground when she was hurled to the side before a tree stopped her and gave her quite a hard slap on the back. Trembling because of the pain, she slowly open her eyes and when one of them finally able to catch a glimpse of what happen, the sight that greets her was that young man using his wooden staff that were gripped tight by both of his hands were hit by something. A creature, maybe because of the pain or shock coupled with dusky environment it gave the appearance of a flying worm — writhing and wriggling — with a whip-like movement but it was much bigger and stronger. Because of its strength, he was carried off the ground when it hits him and it catapult him backward more than 10 meters.

With the help of his staff that planted to the ground, Crow successfully stopped himself thrown further, of course it was after a few hard somersaults on the ground. After taking the hit, his lungs were stagnant, refusing to pumps air for few seconds. There's something surging upward from his stomach, maybe it was water or foods he ate few hours ago, trying to burst out from inside him but he quickly suppressed it and held it down in his throat. Only his heart was working to help him, it beats with a quick and quicker pace as it was in rhythm with his trembling hands. After "re-energized" by the hit, his wide open eyes try to discern what kind of creature that just targeted them. But because of inadequate lighting and the facts that he just took a deadly hit, his hazy, blurry vision can't make out the creature's form, he only saw it hits one of the trees before it retreated to the dark.

Staggering, he pull himself to his feet and quickly return to the little girls side, afraid it will strike them again. Now, the little girls face were pale white, she can't begins to fathom what just happen in that brief seconds. what is that thing? who is this mister that strong enough to take hits from that monster? what is going on? Her brain constantly firing questions to the point it almost overheat making her wants to just sleep and pass out. But before she can do that, a stern heavy voice enter her ears.

"Get up! quickly get your things. We need to leave this place. NOW!" not paying attention to her distress, He's more concern about more incoming attacks.

After a scold from Crow, the little girl jolt out of her fright and quickly acknowledge his order. She only picks up the things nearest to her before she turned to Crow, her mouth moved a couple of times but no sounds were coming out, until she finally able to squeeze out some questions with brittle, quavering voice.

"W-W-W-What is that thing mister?"

"A demon" this innocent little girl starting to give him a headache. "If you're from Itsuwari how come you don't know? there's demon in the forest near your village for months"

When the word demon come up, she gave the expression of being choked as she stopped her breathing. "D-Demon? Wh-What should we do Mister"

Crow then pulled out a small knife that were wrapped by a navy blue cloth, he hands her the cloth and kneeled down, and facing his back to the little girl. "Use this to carry your food and then Climb up, do you have a house? or any shelter nearby?" He asked

The girl was startled by his action. First it was because he took out a small knife, but then, it was because he offered her a piggyback ride it. Of course she was a little hesitant, but fearing the demon would come up on them, she quickly do what the young man's asked. Quickly wrapping her forest's harvest tightly and make sure it wouldn't easily undone, she climb up to the young man's back.

"My house is that way mister, you just need to follow this footpath" she pointed at a small road ahead that leads to her house

Crow then swiftly dashed toward the way she pointed. while carrying a girl on his back, a staff on his left hand and a small knife on his right, he runs quite quickly, definitely wants to get to a safer area as quickly as possible. "How much further is your house?" Crow asked.

"If it's from here I usually take a little bit more than 30 minutes" trying to shield her eyes from the harsh wind, she shut her eyes tightly.

"Hang on little girl" he added his speed completely forgetting the pain and exhaustion on his body.

While he was running, he kept thinking that his endeavor to head to Itsuwari without rest might not be fruitless. At least he met the creature even though he was bested by it. "I can't catch its shape or form, but at least I got some idea about how it moves" he kept replaying the events in his mind and then he figured out one thing after analyzed it for a time— Its target was the little girl. "When I shove her out of the way, it tried to change its course to her. But why would it target her?" he wondered. He kept constructing different reasons why it would do so and cross-checking it with the information and experience he had. There's only one plausible explanation he can think of, one horrendous reason why it would target her. He take glimpse at the little girl and throw away his thought. It can't be.

After running through the thick woods for 10-15 minutes, they entering the part of the forest that were more spacious where the trees are not tightly packed together, sign they were nearing a place of habitation, like a village. Fortunately, the demon hasn't appeared on their path again. Later, they finally arrived at their destination following a few change of roads. It was a small house made out of bamboo and straws, more like a cottage, near a creek as they can hear the sound of burbling water. There are no other house around it making it a little bit desolate. Understandable. In a small and rural village like Itsuwari, usually the houses are set at distance apart, most of their lands are used as crop fields or farms for raising livestock. Moreover the little girl told him that her house is one of the many houses set up at the edge of the village.

When they arrived, Crow let the little girl down from his back and once he did so, he feels like his backbone is almost broke down from fatigue. Both of his legs were wobbly almost devoid of energy and only with the help of his staff supporting him, he can maintain standing up. In a way, he did so to maintain his dignity too and avoid appearing pathetic. He put on a straight face and briefly observing the area, there's only one thing on his mind and it keeps ringing after they arrived — sleep, I want to sleep.

When she climbed down from his back the little girl immediately pull down her upper body to bow to him. "Thank for your help Mister, F-For protecting me back then" giving a sincere gratitude with her weak timid voice. "If you wouldn't mind, Mister can rest at my house for a while"

"Then sorry for intruding" actually he has a half a mind to refuse, but he was really too exhausted this time and his strength was almost spent.

"O-of couse not" delighted that the young man took up her offer, she display her white teeth in a sweet smile. A bright innocent smile that adults rarely show anymore. "Please, come in"

She slide open the door and entered first as the owner of the house and then gestured the young man to invite him in and sit down. Only after she gestured him to enter then he politely step into the house and take off his hat. When he took off his hat, the little girl had a surprised expression on her face, at the forest because of it was dark and his hat was obstructing her view, she can only see a part of his face. She already guessed in her heart that this Mister is actually a young man but it appears he is younger than she guessed.

The both of them sit down in this small house that can fit in 3 people in lying position if they were squeezed tightly. It was very simple decorated with only a few things inside. The house only has one room which is the one they use now and no other. There is a small box at the corner of presumably to store clothes, on top of the box there are a couple of thick blankets to use at winter season. There are many varying utensils hang at the walls near the entrance door, from cooking utensils to the ones used for working the field. At the center of the room, there's a small Irori* (囲炉裏) and a small pot hanging down from the ceiling. The floor was not made from Tatami but earthen floor covered with straw mats instead. Most of the peasants in rural places are very poor and they usually live in a house like this.

*Irori: Japanese sunken hearth

After Crow sit down, he's tempted to just passed out but he successfully fight it off. The little girl sit down in front of him and both her hands were folded and rest on top of her knees. "I know it's a bit late, but let me introduce myself, my name is Nanako, mister can call me Nana" She introduced herself, for a girl so young she is really polite.

"Alright, I will call you Nana then. While me, you can call me Crow." He smile to her.

"Crow? what an odd name" she thought, but she didn't dare to say it out loud. "Mister Crow, you can rest for a while in here, I don't think the demon venture would venture here."

Crow nods his head as a sign of agreement. "By the way Nana, Where are your parent? have they leave to village to work the farm" He can't help but asked after noticing there are nobody in the house. The first thing he thought maybe they have gone to the village to work. Although it's still at the early hour of the tiger, considering the distance between here and the village it still make sense for them to had leave at this early hour.

Nana shake her little head, and replied with her usual expression. "My parent had passed away when I was still a kid. Now I live with my brother"

Learning her parents had passed away, Crow felt pity and also guilt towards this little girl because he can relate to her in a way. same as me huh. Not wanting to further this conversation Crow then inquired her brother's whereabouts "has he gone to tend the farm?" because her brother is nowhere to be seen too.

"My brother's gone to the capital" unlike her parents, when mentioning her brother she turned a bit glum, because her parents had passed away since she was a kid, maybe she's closer to her brother.

"So you live by yourself? what an irresponsible brother to leave his sister alone." His brows were furrowed clearly displeased with her brother's decision to leave her alone. Leaving the only blood he has at this place on her own, and she was just a kid no less. "How long has your brother in the capital? a year? two? does he visits you?

She can only laugh wryly when Crow accused her beloved brother as irresponsible. But she didn't defend him either because she was also displeased at her brother leaving her alone.

She shook her head a little bit and replied

"He hasn't been gone that long, he just left with a merchant about two weeks ago."