Kana From Hell: Part Twelve

 

They ran through the forest, ducking under branches and moving through the thickets.

Behind her, Kana could hear the wet, slapping sounds of reptilian feet. She risked a glance and saw several Kappa grouping together.

They were moving faster towards them.

Ren halted suddenly as they came to a large tree.

"Stop squirming, old man," Ren complained.

"I have been bouncing about in your arms for too long. It's making me nauseous." Toshihiro whined.

"We are running," Ren pointed out. "Of course, there will be some jostling around."

"You needn't carry me. I am perfectly capable to run by myself."

Kana noted Toshihiro was grasping the Kappa's hand tight.

"This isn't the time to argue." Ren reminded him.

"I need a break," Toshihiro said.

"We need to keep moving," Ren said.

"We should find a place to hide," Kana interjected after noticing how harried Toshihiro looked. There was glistening sweat on his face and he was gasping with either fright or exertion, she couldn’t tell.

Ren scoffed. "I'm going to go ahead and see the way out. The last thing we want is to..."

"Watch out!"Kana reached him quickly and pushed him back with surprising strength.

"What...oh..." Ren looked down and saw the pit that was partially covered with leaves and branches.

It appeared to be a trap set by hunters.

Ren looked at Kana who was looking at the pit too. Her left hand was still on his stomach and he could feel her strength.

The trio came closer to look at the pit and the two men stared at Kana questioningly.

She had no idea what had just happened. She didn't know how she knew the trap was just a few feet away from him nor could she comprehend how she managed to hold back a man that was taller and stronger than her.

She pulled her left hand back and saw the scar running down her elbow. She thought it must be the sunlight that was responsible for the glow but she also knew that it was impossible for a scar to illuminate.

She touched it and then suddenly felt it burn. She screamed as her arm caught fire.

In the next instant, she found herself in a circle of fire. Two large entities approached her, one with the head of an ox, the other with a horse's head.

Both of them carried spears.

"You won't escape us for much longer," they both said before charging at her.

"Kana!"

She woke up to find herself lying on the ground and both Ren and Toshihiro looking down at her.

Ren offered his hand and she took it and got to her feet.

"What happened?" Toshihiro asked.

Kana opened her mouth to tell him about the gatekeepers of hell but then she glanced at Ren and kept her silence.

She wasn't ready to trust him yet. He had after all, not even shown his face yet. If he didn't trust her yet she had no reason to trust him yet.

Behind them, somewhere at a distance, they heard loud thumps and then a pained cry.

"The Kappa. They must have fallen into the traps," Ren said. "We are safe for now."

Toshihiro gestured they keep walking and so they did.

Ren held back to match Kana's pace and then whispered, "Thank you for saving my life. I owe you."

Kana didn't reply and moved forward to join Toshihiro.

Behind them, Ren adjusted his mask so that his companions wouldn’t see him smile.