Bonds

For a while, or maybe for the whole eternity, the Time lost its meaning. Kazuya´s tired body and tortured mind had no more energy left to deal with the things like the running minutes, or even hours. There was just he, the throbbing pain in his chest, the steadily growing fear in his heart and a handsome gunslinger with frightfully high fever.

Kame hadn´t realized that he was fondling Jin´s hair gently with his shaking hand; he had no idea if the time stopped or if it was still moving forward. He wasn´t able to pay attention to his surroundings, until the fur entrance was shifted again, letting the white light from the outside to get in and Liwan entered the wigwam, followed by another Indian, with the stretcher in their hands.

Their presence made him look up and Liwan froze on the spot repaying Kame´s glance. He didn´t understand why, but from some reason the Indian´s face showed some hesitation and also worries. Liwan spoke slowly then, considering each word carefully.

"Father said to bring him," he moved with his head to the sick gunslinger.

"Where to?" Kame´s voice was shaky and he still couldn´t think properly; it was as if some dark blanket fell over his mind.

"Healing tent..." Liwan replied. "You can go with us," he added in a calming tone, which Kame didn´t even notice.

He just nodded and got up on his feet. The Indians placed Jin onto the stretcher and taking it up both at the same time left the wigwam again, with pale Kame in their tracks. He followed them carrying oblivious Jin farther from the former pueblo, into the woods. He was going forward blindly, not thinking about anything and sinking into the gloomiest mood of his life. It was a miracle that he was still able to make his feet move.

Soon the small group reached another Indian tent, which was built up on the small glade next to the bubbling streamlet. It was not any usual wigwam; it was a very special thing, which Indians used for healing the sick ones and for expelling the bad spirits from their bodies. It took a long time to prepare it properly, so that the cover didn´t let any warmness piled up inside to escape. The big fire was flickering next to this shelter and the old shaman was sitting there in the meditating position, waiting for them.

The man was already so old he could have been Liwan´s grandfather, but even though the color of the shaman´s eyes faded into faint grey after all those years, their influence still pierced Kame through, when the Indian opened them and focused his glance directly at him. The Shaman raised his hand and with a short gesture invited Kame to go closer. Liwan and the other Indian put the scratcher down meanwhile and started to take off all those layers of blankets and clothes from Jin.

Kame approached the shaman hesitantly, not very willing to leave Jin off his sight. The old man stood up with the trappings in his long hair and necklace rattling to each other. Without any words, he placed both his surprisingly warm palms on Kame´s face. He trusted the man enough not to back off, so he just remained standing there, while Shaman studied his face for a few seconds. Neither of them said a word, but somehow Kame was sure that the old man saw that loss and pain in his eyes. Shaman´s face got darker, and then he let him go, stepping aside.

"Go back to the village," he said sharply to the other two in his mother tongue. "But you stay, Kazuya."

It was an order, which left no space for objections. As if Kame had any. He wanted to stay, by Jin´s side. Liwan´s expression was clearly showing that he would have rather stayed there too, but seeing his father´s strict look, he just gave the last glance to Kame, before turning and going away, following the other Indian back to the pueblo.

"Undress yourself," Shaman said then.

Kame was a little surprised by the order, but before he could ask anything, Shaman stopped him, raising his open palm in the air: "No talking from now on."

Therefore, Kame just nodded and started to strip the clothes off himself, which was hell of a job, with his hands quite weak all of the sudden. Meanwhile the Indian shaman started to move around lying Jin, who was almost naked, only in bandages and underpants, and he was humming a melody, which Kame heard only once in his life. It was when he was only a small boy and treated like this as well...

He took his boots and trousers off too, and even though he started to shake because of the cold air almost at once, he was waiting for next instructions. Shaman finished the third circle around Jin and stopped shaking with the special tambourine, its sound vibrated through the light mist lying on the glade. Then he indicated Kame to move with the older one.

He took a deep breath, leant down and grasped Jin from below for the arms. As gently as possible, he dragged him backwards, right inside the small wigwam, which entrance Shaman opened, but otherwise he didn´t help him to move with the unconscious one.

The inside of the shelter was very different from the outside. There were many stones heated up in the fire and put into three circles around a fireplace full of embers in the middle and the bear furs spread between.

Kame dropped motionless Jin at one of them and just from the pure instinct, he sat down behind him, letting the other one´s head rest in his lap. Shaman just gave him a short glance and nodded, continuing his humming again.

It took only a minute and Kame started to feel hot and dizzy. There was a mysterious odor in the air, as Shaman burnt some herbs in the carbons and the temperature inside the tent was at least thirty degrees higher than out of it. The Indian kneeled down, placing his free palm on Jin´s forehead and closing his eyes. Kame just kept looking at that face, trying to keep his breathing steady, with both hands resting on Jin´s shoulders. There was nothing more he could do than just be there for him.

Shaman opened his eyes again and pulled back.

"He was touched by Evil Spirit," he said in a hoarse voice and got up to take the prepared liquid medicine from the flat stone close to the fireplace. "It is dragging him down into darkness and it will not let him go back to us. So we must make that spirit to release him."

From some reason, the chills ran across Kame´s spine hearing the words. He was not overly superstitious, but Shaman was experienced enough to know what he was talking about. And there was nobody more evil around than Grenet...

"Make him sit up," Shaman asked him then.

Kame pulled Jin´s body up into the sitting position, supporting his back and feeling his skin even hotter than a few minutes ago. He was holding his head, while Shaman made the young man to drink the potion. When Kame let Jin lie down again, instead of humming the old healer started to sing, in a deep voice in the Indian language, calling for the judgement and mercy of Manitou.

The heavy atmosphere influenced Kame too. His vision got blurry and he felt the drops of sweat going down his skin. The singing echoed in his mind and his heart started to beat slower. He kept holding Jin, his look attached on his face, until the cold hand touched him.

He couldn´t help but raise his head and look into the grey eyes.

"You were touched by the Evil Spirit too..." the deep voice said. "Not your body, as him, but your soul."

Kame heard the words, but it was somehow difficult to understand their meaning.

"Lie down," Shaman said, his voice almost unrecognizable, but clear enough for Kame. "Next to him."

Kame moved slowly as if he was dreaming, and obediently let his body rest right next to Jin, only further from the fireplace in the middle. As soon as his head touched the fur below, the heavy blanket covered his thinking completely. The guttural singing sounded subdued, the strange hum filled his mind. His eyelids closed themselves, he couldn´t prevent it even if he wanted to. The last thing he did consciously was that he moved with his left hand and found Jin´s. In the next moment, his mind floated away into the dark dreamland...

***

There was darkness, pain and burning.

He was lost and hopeless, unable to move, tied up by the greedy tentacles of an invisible monster.

Then there was a voice – soft, pleading, familiar.

And then also a touch, which was caring and warm.

That touch made the darkness withdraw a little and then a light appeared. The burning got tenser for a minute, before easing up.

He could breathe again, and then he saw that handsome young man… With the brown hair, gentle lips and proud nose. The goldish eyes were looking at him, from the distance.

Kazuya...

He was happy to see him, but something was not right. Kazuya was sad, very sad.

Jin wanted to go toward him, to hug him, to comfort him, but he couldn´t move yet.

And there was that darkness again, taking its space back and indulging also Kazuya in it.

No!

He won´t let this to happen; he will fight that black bitch!

But he was not strong enough, he was suffocating and he was so desperate from not being able to help and then...

Then there was that touch again. He really felt it this time, on his right hand. It was the grip of Kazuya´s hand; he was sure about it. And it gave him the strength to keep fighting.

The blackness started to fade once again and there was the yellow shine and then… Kazuya again.

Only this time he was close, next to him, holding him, watching him with those eyes full of sorrow.

Jin squeezed his hand as much as he could, because he was just not able to move with any other part of his body. Then finally, the ugly darkness gave up and Jin felt as relieved as never in his life. Still squeezing the warm hand he fell into the dreamland, only this time it was full of light...

***

The quiet cracking of embers and even quieter breathing of two sleeping young men were the only sounds disturbing the heavy silence inside the wigwam. The old shaman was sitting motionlessly on the opposite side of the fireplace. He was watching over it carefully, keeping up its hotness, as he was changing the stones around regularly and kept bringing the new embers from the outside fire. And he also kept an eye on both sleeping men, who were not able to perceive their surroundings, as they were lost deep in their subconscious.

They were breathing steadily now, after the long hours during which he almost stopped believing that Manitou would decide in favor of the sick youngster and the fever would cease away. But it did, in the end. Evil Spirit lost this fight. As soon as the dangerous, almost purple color started to fade away from the young Akanishi´s face, Kazuya´s sleep calmed down too.

Shaman was looking at them, letting himself wander in many thoughts and memories for a while. He noticed how Kame reached for the other´s hand, and how he didn´t let it go even for a second of the whole long time, when their invisible match with the darkness was going on. Then he also saw how the older one grasped the slim hand back. At the moment Shaman also realized that both of them were breathing almost in the exactly same rhythm and he finally understood that strange expression his son Liwan had, when he was talking about those two.

There was something, what his young son and student saw, but he couldn´t understand it. Not many people could. The old Shaman had already experienced something similar during his long life. Only once and it was pitifully short, but he knew very well, what he was looking at, even though it was not anything tangible. A person with the closed mind and evil heart would be never able to see it.

It was that special bond between two persons, two soul mates, who were lucky enough to find each other. It was something indescribably precious.

Shaman felt it, saw it, and he knew that those two did not realize it yet. He just hoped they would find out about it sooner than he did...

***

Jin didn´t know what made his brain leave the comfortable unconsciousness and aim for the reality again. Actually, it was like he didn´t know anything at all for the first few moments. He just felt that he was resting on some place unknown to him, with absolutely no idea where that might be and how he got there. Nevertheless, he also felt safe. That was strange and it forced him to think more.

How can I feel comfortable, when I don´t even know where I´m?

Then he realized the warm touch in his right palm. And then he remembered.

Jin opened his eyes. It was not as difficult as before, it felt a little unnatural, but he could see without any problems. There was a very strange ceiling above him, made of some animal skins, very yellow, but dirty from smoke at the same time.

He felt hot and dizzy, but his head was surprisingly clear, so he doubted he felt like this because of the fever. There were still those itchy bandages all over his body and especially his back was slowly awaking in quite annoying aching, but otherwise... Otherwise, he was actually shocked how well he felt. In comparison with what he felt the last time when he was fully conscious, some numbness in his body and a horrible headache was nothing at all.

Then he turned his head to the side and deeply breathed out in relief. He was a little afraid that he was only dreaming Kame´s presence out, but the younger one was there. Lying right next to him, his fingers in Jin´s right hand, with his eyes closed. The younger´s face was turned toward him, and his features were not at peace, but strangely contorted in the tense expression, but Jin never saw anyone more beautiful and more gladly. Kazuya was apparently alive and only this knowledge made him feel even better.

Only then Jin also noticed that the younger one was almost naked, as well as himself. But he didn´t feel any coldness, so it really had to be warm on that place. He couldn´t prevent his eyes from slipping lower, across Kame´s neck, slender shoulders, the chest with small nipples and flat abdomen... Kazuya was very slim.

There was some movement and the wave of cold air flooded Jin before it was cut off again. Jin looked up to the face of a very old Indian, who just entered the tent or whatever else was the place he was lying in. The man kneeled down and leant to him, looking into his eyes.

"How you feel?" the Indian asked by the strange accent. "Pain?"

Jin cleared his throat, so he could respond.

"A little..." his voice was hoarse from not using, but it wasn´t as weak as he remembered.

The Indian nodded and touched his forehead, then his temples and chin and both wrists. His fingers were cold, dry and obviously skillful. Jin guessed this was the man Liwan was talking about – the old shaman, Liwan´s father.

"What about...Kazuya?" he asked fighting against the scratches in his throat. He had to be sure; it was strange that Kame was lying here with him.

The Indians eyes pierced him through, but Jin repaid the sharp glance firmly.

"Sleeping," the short answer was. "Here. Drink this."

The liquid in the mug, which Shaman placed to his lips lifting his head up, smelled quite ugly, but Jin knew Kame wouldn´t have left him in the hands of somebody not worth of trust, so he obediently drank all the content.

"Sleep," the Indian said then.

"But I just..." ´woke up´ was what Jin wanted to say, but he already felt his eyelids closing again, suddenly heavy as stones.

Oh, hell, what was in that potion?

He didn´t want to go to that unconsciousness again. He wanted to...

"You need rest," he just heard the strict Indian´s voice, before he got lost in the blackness.

***

Waking up from the forced, but so much needed sleep under the influence of special herbs made Kame feel like having quite a hangover. Some ugly bells were ringing in his head; his mouth was dry as desert and it was difficult to open his eyes.

The wigwam was not so hot anymore, but the warmness was still there. He sat up and waited until the ground under him stopped swinging. Then he turned to the figure next to him, to the man whose breathing he perceived since the second he woke up.

Kame observed Jin´s face for ten long seconds, before he let himself relax a little. Except the bandages and bruises, Jin´s skin turned to its usual color, there was no sign of sweat or redness. He was breathing slowly and regularly. The fever was gone. That was what Kame could see, but he needed assurance of the old shaman.

The pile of his clothes was folded up near the exit, so he dressed and left the wigwam as fast as possible, not to let inside any unnecessary coldness.

The mist was gone, but it was still raining. According to the dim light, Kame assumed the evening was close. Right next to the tent, on the same place as the old shaman before, he found Liwan feeding up the fire. When Kame appeared outside, he raised his head from the content of a small pot on the stone near the fire.

"It was about time, Sleepy Turtle," he welcomed him with a friendly grin.

Kame approached the fire, buttoning his coat up hastily. It was cold as hell.

"What´s up with that nickname, I´ve not heard it from you for ages," he murmured. "Moreover, I couldn´t sleep more than a few hours."

"Few hours?" Liwan raised both his eyebrows.

"Sure, we went in sometimes after noon, so..."

"After noon, that is true," the Indian interrupted him. "But it was yesterday, my dear Kame. You slept for the whole day and a lot more."

Kame stopped folding his hands above the fire surprised: "So long? Why didn´t you...?"

"You needed to rest," Liwan said firmly. "And now you need to eat," he stated, giving him the full plate of hot meat with beans and small potatoes.

Only when Kame caught the attractive scent of the food in front of him, he realized his stomach was grumbling furiously asking for any food within his reach. He sat down next to Liwan, taking the plate from him gratefully, and he put the spoon into the mixture. Before he used it, he looked at the Indian once again.

"What about Jin? How is he? He looks better..."

Liwan nodded, smiling at him encouragingly: "Father says Akanishi will be all right."

Only after this statement, Kame allowed himself to stop worrying and started to throw the delicious meal inside of him hungrily. Liwan was right, that he needed to get his energy back. Jin was going to need his help...

***

The first light of the next day awoke the lively movements in the almost abandoned Indian pueblo, even though the morning was chilly and the grass covered with the light rime. The sky got unusually clear, revealing the beautiful blue color above the rests of clouds, but the more coldness fell onto the mountains, which were the natural protection of the village, and which peaks were already powdered with the first snow.

Kame was watching those few Indians left loading up everything, what could be used during the winter season, on their horses, leaving only one wigwam standing. That was the place, which had the most of his attention. Wrapped in the warm poncho, he kept his focused look on the moveable part of Indian´s shelter. As soon as the shaman´s face appeared there, Kame left his spot at the tall tree, over which he was leaning.

Shaman walked to his horse, which was watched over by one of the Indian warriors, but even though he didn´t look in Kame´s direction, he just patted the animal and didn´t get on it yet.

"I did what I could for him," the old Indian said before Kame could even open his mouth. "But my tribe also needs me now."

"I understand," Kame reacted in Indian language. "I cannot thank you enough for saving his life, Cloud Dancing."

"No..." Shaman shook his head. "It was Manitou, who decided he is not ready for the Eternal Hunting Grounds yet."

"Yes, I know..." Kame admitted, knowing it would have been useless to argue with the Indian about it. "But not being for your skills, he wouldn´t have survived."

Shaman turned to face him directly with serious expression.

"Not only my hands dragged him out from the darkness, young Kamenashi. But also yours. He would not be here among the living without you."

Kame stared at the old man surprised by his words.

"What do you mean?" he asked confused. "I didn´t do anything..."

A small smile curved Shaman´s lips, changing his serious face into a completely different man.

"The naivety of youth..." he stated, while seeming almost amused by Kame´s surprise. "You can believe me that you have a big credit on saving his life, Kazuya."

Kame stood there dumbfounded, while Shaman mounted his horse with a surprising ease considering his age, and looked down at him once again.

"My son will stay. He is skillful enough to ease up the healing process and he can lead you to us later. You both will be welcomed at our fire."

That was another shocking news for Kame. He didn´t expect Shaman being that nice towards Jin as he was just some foreign White Skin for the whole tribe.

"Don´t be so surprised," another voice joined their conversation. It was slightly smirking Liwan. "Akanishi managed to make quite a name already."

Kame really didn´t know what to say.

"But for now," Shaman spoke again, his tolerant smile already gone, hidden behind the wrinkles. "No riding, no heavy stuff, not much moving. His wounds need to heal properly."

Kame nodded in understanding; he knew well that Jin had to be very careful from now on.

"And one more thing..." the old man made a short pause. "I want you to know we will serve a ceremony for your mother, for the peace of her soul in the Hunting Grounds."

Kame was once again hopeless about how to react, so he just lowered his head in the sign of gratitude.

Shaman parted with them by moving his right hand in the circle in front of him, and both Kame and Liwan repaid him the same. Then Indian made his horse move and along with him, all remaining members of the Blackfeet Tribe set off toward the mountains.

Liwan touched Kame´s shoulder and made him tear his eyes off the departing short line of riders and walkers.

"He is finally awake," he said, when Kame focused on him. "And he was asking for you."

Kame was relieved to hear the information, as Jin remained in the deep sleep all that time, not waking up even when they removed him from the healing tent here, back to the pueblo. But at the same time, the pinch of nervousness settled down in his stomach.

"Go," Liwan nodded in the direction of the last wigwam. "I will prepare some breakfast for us. Manitou knows we all need it," and following his statement he left Kame standing there.

Kame took the water he had prepared before and some of the dried sticks covered by the simple shelter from the conifer branches first, before taking a deep breath and approaching the wigwam´s entrance...

*

Jin was wrapped in the layers of warm and very comfortable furs near the fireplace in the middle of the shelter very similar to the one in which he woke up before, only a lot bigger, and he was staring surprised at the stuff on the opposite side. There was one huge leather bag, two sacks with the things for sleeping under the open sky and the wooden box of an unusual shape. It was something, what he definitely didn´t expect to see on this place. Those were his things, which he had left in the room of Harada´s Saloon.

The entrance of the Indian wigwam, which this shelter definitely was, moved and stole his attention from the unexpected, but very pleasant surprise. The slim male figure in the tight leather trousers, high boots and dark blue poncho, which Jin had already seen once before, stepped inside with the load of wood in his arms.

The moveable part of the tent´s wall fell back on its place. The dark and yellow brown color of two pairs of eyes met in the gold light created by the fire. They were looking not only at each other, but inside the other, sinking deeply; full of pure joy just from being able to see the other one again.

Jin was the first one to smile, only a little, in the subconscious worries from the pain, which could be caused by the movement. But his lips or face didn´t protest even a little; his muscles were only a little tense. He allowed his lips to move more widely, savoring this moment when he finally had a reason to smile.

There was a short hesitation on the younger one´s face, as he studied Jin for a while, before the serious expression eased up a little and Kazuya smiled back.

"Hi..." Jin said, his voice not sounding with the usual strength, but it was clearly recognizable.

"Hello, sleepyhead..." Kame reacted softly, before cutting off the connection of their eyes and approaching the fire.

Kame put the sticks down on the rest of the wood, which was brought there before, and added some of them on the fire. The air inside the wigwam filled with the cracking of too dry parts of them. He remained crouching close to it and looked at Jin again, who was still watching him.

"How do you feel?" he asked in a quiet voice, his smile already gone.

First Jin had to stop wondering about how nice it was to see those little flames mirroring in Kame´s eyes, before he was able to focus at his own condition.

His head still hurt, not so much as before, more like some distant drums were playing somewhere deep in his temples. He was sitting with his shoulders low and back hunched, afraid of any sudden movement, as he felt the tension in long lines across the whole back and very unpleasant itching on many more places. And the muscles on his stomach were still protesting about the sitting position.

After a few moments of examining his body, he also realized that he was a little tired and thirsty as hell, and he needed to pee, which already felt quite urgent. But in general...

"Well..." he started slowly with a small grin, considering his words under the observing Kame´s look. "Except a few annoying feelings and urges surprisingly well."

"Really?" Kame requested the assurance again.

Jin went into the serious mood then as well.

"Really..." he confirmed. "Considering my... physical state."

Kame repaid his glance for a while, before he moved again and sat down next to Jin on another bear fur.

"Here. Will you try yourself this time?" he was giving him a small flask, so far hanging on his elbow for a thin strip.

Jin stared at the water holder for a moment, before he pulled his right hand out from the hideout of blankets and reached for the flask, forcing himself not to think about it too much. His fingers gripped around it and he hold his breath. It was pinching a little, in all his finger tops covered with the thin bandages, but it was not unbearable. Kame was watching his face carefully, when he slowly released his own hold on the water and let it rest in Jin´s hand.

Jin breathed out deeply in relief. This small success, something so trifle, what he considered as matter of course before, made him excited. When he was able to open the flask, bring it to his mouth and drink five long gulps of the cold water from it, without spilling even a single drop, he fully realized how much better he was. It felt like a miracle...

He put the water aside, but not too far, quite sure about he would drink soon again, and focused back on Kame, who was watching him silently and obviously relieved, but also somehow sad. Then Jin noticed something in those eyes in front of him. It was not the same look he had seen the last time. There was deep sorrow hidden in them. Sorrow, which brought him a bad hunch. Something happened while he was out of his senses, he just knew.

"I don´t remember much... What was going on with me?" he asked.

"Your wounds became infected," Kame replied. "You had a high fever, higher than before. The shaman of Blackfeet Tribe helped you. He said you should be all right; the infection is gone. You just have to take it slow."

"Well, I don´t think I feel like rushing anywhere," Jin murmured. "But for how long I was out? How did it go in the city? What about your mother? Grenet? What...?" Jin couldn´t stop asking the questions, once he started, but the pain settling down in Kame´s features, made him almost choke on the next question. "Kame, what happened?"

The other one avoided his look suddenly, looking into the flames again.

"We don´t have to talk about it now, Jin. You just woke up; we have to get you together first and..."

That made Jin only worry more. He interrupted Kame urgently: "I need to know."

Kame remained silent for a while, before he started to talk in a quiet voice: "We arrived there too late... Grenet set up a fire in our house, with my mother inside."

Jin stiffened in horror. Oh, no...

"Lena and her father got her out, but it was too late. Dr. Best did everything he could, but... But she..."

Any good feelings inside Jin disappeared within a blink of an eye. It was as if he was put under the ice-cold waterfall. He couldn´t tear his eyes off Kazuya´s face, which was contorted in the heart breaking sadness and off his eyes, which were shining unnaturally with the suppressed tears. Feeling Jin´s stare, Kame lowered his head and closed his eyes.

"She suffered from quite extensive burns. She passed away two days ago..." he whispered in a broken tone.

The horrible information, which Jin feared, hit him hard, leaving him in a painful shock. Seeing Kame like this and knowing there was nothing, absolutely nothing he could do... It made him want to cry too.

"I´m... I´m so, so sorry..." he managed to get through the throat stuffed with the bitter guilt. The other one remained motionless and silent. "I´ve never meant to..." Jin continued, hoping to awake any reaction. "If only... God, I´m sorry, Kame. Not being for me... This is my fault. If there is anything I can..."

Suddenly Kazuya raised his head and his eyes froze the next words on Jin´s lips.

"Stop. Just stop," the words came out forcefully, in a hoarse voice, which shivered with Jin from head to toes.

Kazuya stood up and made three steps toward the exit, before Jin was able to force himself speak again: "Kame!" he called out desperately. "I´m just..."

"I´ll bring you something to eat," the younger one said without looking back and left the wigwam.

*

But it was not Kazuya bringing him the plate full of stew beans and slice of bread, which was of a quite strange shape, but tasted much better than the one Jin was used to. Liwan was the one entering the wigwam a few minutes later. He didn´t say anything about Kame and somehow, Jin couldn´t make himself ask about the other one.

The Indian watched over him, when he ate everything what he was given slowly, he checked the bandages on his back and stomach, while Jin avoided looking there, as he knew that wound had to look awful and he also handed him the ceramic container, which served as the potty.

Jin was grateful to the man that he was not making a big deal from his other needs as well. It felt uncomfortable at first, when he was forced to do this in that old house, but the Indian´s attitude somehow calmed him, made him persuaded it was nothing what he should be ashamed of.

After the Indian left him alone again, making him lie down first, the dark guilt didn´t fall into Jin´s heart only, it also clenched his throat. He stared on the ceiling above his head, colored by the morning light, sinking in the gloomy thoughts. He brought nothing else than misery to Kazuya´s life. He had no right to drag him into his revenge. If the younger one didn´t get him out of the farm, he would have been probably dead by now, but Kame´s mother would be alive. This price was simply too high...

***

To Jin´s growing uneasiness, Liwan was also the one who brought some lunch and dinner for him, including a lot of water and some hot potions. At least he informed him about most of the stuff, which happened while he was not conscious. Jin got to know about the arrival of soldiers and Grenet´s arrest, which made him feel a little better. At least that bastard couldn´t harm anyone else from behind the bars. Liwan also told him that he was in the Indian pueblo again, only with him and Kame, as the others had already left for the winter resort. The winter was coming fast...

Liwan behaved towards him surprisingly calm, without emotions, but it still felt that he had some more respect to Jin than before. And he was glad that there was at least someone, who talked with him. When he was awake now, and could do literally nothing, the minutes were long as hours.

In the evening, the Indian forced him to drink a full mug of some smelly potion. Jin was determined to stay at his full senses, until Kame would appear in the wigwam too, but it was the same medicine, which the old shaman gave him before and it made him fall asleep in no time, sinking into the dreamless but comfortable darkness...