Off To Carve a Path

"Ashina Castle"

you were someone who didn't like travelling alone but you didn't really wanted to miss the opportunity of going with somebody. thinking of your survival rates, you were new and the man looked much more experienced in the work of survival and bloodshed than you. deep in thoughts whether to ask this man out to join you with your journey to meet the great lord of Ashina, you saw the man waving his hand in front of you in a manner to get you out of that 'world of deep thinks'.

"hey, you okay?",sekiro teasingly asks you while still waving his plam on your face. "you seem to drift in deep thoughts a lot,nonetheless...my time here is over,I got much things to do..we shall meet again y/n-"

"join me sekiro.." you told in a hint of slight fast tone before turning away and looking towards the direction opposite of you two knowing it's not better to stand here idle because of wild and ferocious beast.

he looked aback for a second before asking you mockingly again, " i-..what!? lady,you know...",he took a deep breath and shook his head holding the gap between his eyes with finger and pressing it hard in annoyance 'perhaps I shouldn't have crossed paths with this woman'- he thinks in deep deep regrets.he looks down for awhile before rising to your face again,"but for what reason? what would I get? and mostly how should I come to know if your just using me for your survival? any deal , proofs? cause, I talk business as always first",he frankly spat out tilting his head with an expressionless face rather a bored one eyes shiny gold , don't know why but looks like his body reacts a bit different at night and darkness.

you sighed feeling the time wasting by in this worthless conversation of new,"reason you say?well said as a samurai-"

"I am not a samurai.",he tilted his head with brows furrowed and gaze of his heavy lid eyes still on you .

your hand on katana's grip got a slight tighter 'what if he is the enemy's men of Usui clan or more dangerously the interior ministry's spy?' your head was all red with alert,ready for any lethal moves by the man, "th-then who in the world are you..?"

he scared the shit out of you but you cared less. while you thought of talking with him in a way as if chatting with a samurai,you didn't expected that he isn't. perhaps,he is one of your type but right now for you , standing this close to a man knowing he neither is a samurai was as if standing near the death and welcoming it by sweets. you froze within your place before the man before you started pushing his lips again as if he was done with this long chattering.

"I am a shinobi..if your asking for my lord,can't say that but for now it is better to know" he folded his hand and expected a reply from you and your identity

you were relieved to find one such person like you but that does could also mean he is still rookie cause if it is then you were sure he was pleased with your offer as you both's final destiny was Ashina Castle. "I am a kunoichi and yes I can't to say my lord's name and identity"

he cracked his neck from right to left and started again, " very well then , if this is over now pls don't annoy me once agai-" and yes , poor sekiro was intruepperd absurdly with his actions again. he hated this,he never talked this much in his life and to be honest not even with his lord. he hissed when you started with your curious questions again.

"eh! don't leave soon!..be patient sekiro..don't hesitate-" and yes he finally turned his back on you giving up all this conversation and ignorigly kept walking. " yah! sekiro! i am not finished with you! give me an answer at least!",you screamed his name in irritating manner.

he stopped in his tracks only to turn a slight head to his shoulder and said something that made your day "hesitate and you lose,hesitation is defeat.", the words were wise and so does that mean he accepted to accompany you and help carve this path of yours?

"we don't have much time,the sun will rise anytime and we have to get till mibu village not far from here from my remembrance...buckle up,we both are in this and yes don't you dare think about this as of i am doing is just because your a fine women. take this as an opportunity, a very rare one and be thankful" , he plainly said or much likely ordered you.

"heh,opportunity",imitating him you both foot off to mibu village.

After marching afoot for almost 3 hours of pain, you both arrived somewhere.

Hidden Forest.

it wasn't called 'hidden' because people couldn't find it,but rather this forest was covered with mist and shiny golden butterflies all over the place. big trees with branches stretching as long as rivers were covering most of the sky which made the forest more like out of a fantasy one. you heard of shinobi's and kunoichi's coming here and training their illusion techniques for a better purpose and especially some kunoichi's taking the golden butterflies of this forest who were of course could hurt, would attach them to their shuriken's to add a hint of beauty and grace to their way of fighting.

other than all,some also said that the souls of the corrupted heroes and people who died with bloodshed midst the battle or were stabbed after being betrayed by their own or even sometimes the ones who committed harakiri, an act of showing honor.

these were stories after all, who knows if these are real or not but after witnessing the forest with your eyes,you can tell that these were absouloutly true. not sure about the souls and stuff but looking at the forest it was spectacularly amayzing.

your eyes were glittering the moment you step your foot in.

seeing the shine in your eyes and the way you look at those shiny butterflies with a distance awed sekiro. for the first time a slight smile came to his plain and chapped lips of him. well,he was surprised to find out smiling and staring at you with adoration and hitting his reality when you turned and stared at him.

you both stared for long enough as if having an eye contest,not even blinking once.

sekiro cleared his thoart with a husky and masculine voice before speaking again. shutting his eyes close,he looked away in other direction and gulped. how can a women be so dangerous ,beutifull,delicate and gracefully with moves? 'what a dangerously beutifull combo...' he frankly admitted himself in his mind avoiding any more eye contact.

"follow me", he went towards the branch which was hanging with another branch which made a way to land.

you looked down,it was so misty and foggy down there and you weren't sure if going down there or walking this thin or weak looking branch was fine and safe. both looked risky as f***k.

"hey sekiro,you sure this is all fine and safe?",you stopped him from going any further while he remained silent and idle turning his gaze with a questionable look on his face.

"why?,yes it is...but I can't guarantee you. after all you're a kunoichi...you should be well prepared if anything goes wrong or we get lost here..",he hummed with a nod,understanding it's your first time ever experiencing it.

"hm,I see...scared?",he smirked while looking at you mercilessly.

"what me? scared? ha-ha so funny. i ain't scared! i can do this,I was just taught 'you' didn't have done this before hmph.",you lied. you were scared to heavens. you knew lying won't help but you were stubborn as said since childhood.

"alright then y/n,just had a taught of helping you pass this tree with a little help of my grappling hook but looks like you came prepared.thanks,made things easier for me..now,without any further delay follow me",he sarcastically spat in between both of yours and his argument leaving you with a 'i am so done with life face' before surprising you with his grappling hook attached to his prosthetic hand.

"meet me on the path which leads following the branches.",he left you there as if he gave you taste of your own bitter medicine.

"a-aye! sekiro! wait for me!!i didn't meant like tha-",you rushed towards him which caused you to flinch and accidently trip you off the branch.

"AHH!-",you closed your eyes shut closed tight knowing that with a great force your head is gonna crash to the ground,being ready you found someone holding your arm from the branch you were hanging. you looked up with wide eyes,furious with anger and regret filled not surprised to find sekiro holding you tight making sure you didn't fell down the valley.

"sekiro...",you just stared him..a lifesaver or life'player' whatever the hell,he made you feel butterflies in stomach.

he pulled you up and helped yourself dust of the dirt. he knew you've got a hurt here or there near the knees but he wanted you to speak yourself up.

you grabbed your right knee and hissed in pain,'that is sure gonna leave a life long bruise'

"hurt?" he asks you out of worried manner but of course what is sekiro if he didn't made no expressions. he asks you out worriedly with no expression on his face.

"huh?thanks sekiro,I think I am fine", sighing with a rapid heartbeat beating and cooled down,thanks to sekiro, you tilted your head and turned back to find sekiro still standing there...stiff.

"oh forgive me,I am tipsy sometimes,I promise I will be more aware form the next time onwards",you told him just in case he was mad with you but it looked as if he was looking downwards more than looking mad. you can easily say that he looked concerned about something. his brows got together and thin lips went a bit more thin,his face as he looked downwards was cold and plain.

he quickly stared at you which made you flich with open mouth "h-hey sekiro yah,don't scare me like that,I told you that I will be more careful the next time onwards",you laughed awkwardly that the man was still staring you.

and with no time wasted you saw the taller figure take his right hand to his katana's grip which made your fight or fright mode on. ' shit,this is not right...'

"sekiro,what the hell? are you o k a y?",you worrildly asked him. why was he acting so odd all of a sudden? what has gotten into him? a parasite of shura perhaps? 'no no no y/n,what are you thinking right now! think of ways to defend yourself!'. your mind went blank as he unsheated the sword and looked right towrads you. 'this is so wrong.'