Samurai; Lost in the Time Rift 2.1

The Encounters

2.1

The cavern extended far in their journey with the group holding close to each other to avoid being snapped by any predators. They have not met any serpents but they did encountered many small creatures that hid when the lights from the torches reached them but their hiding were betrayed by their glowing eyes. They are not big creatures; more of cat sized but they lack the furs and tail. Despite that similarity, they were swift in their movements. One Hohei tried to grabbed one of them but failed many times. It was Gunso who did the trick well; he made a lasso out of some ropes and attached it to the yari. He had borrowed one of the dead samurai's yari and now was using it to bait the small creature. It worked as he managed to lassoed one of them. It created a commotion of shrieking and mindless jumping among the creatures.

"Gunso, what did you do?" Taisa Mori asked of his aide as he looked at the small creature now tied to the yari. It was build like a cat with the looks but this one ran on its hind legs. It showed its talons but the samurai was not impressed.

"A cat who walks on two legs; we are afar from our home." Taisa Mori sighed while the creature struggled to get itself released from the rope.

"I think its safe to eat. Shall we had it roasted over the fire? I doubt it would taste well eaten raw." Gunso Mita fancied the fresh meat to the rice cakes. He looked at the cat creature closer and noticed its snarling and then the lashing out with the talons.

"Its more fierce than my wife." That made the crowding Hohei laughed at their leader but Gunso swung the creature over them.

"Who laughs the loudest would get this creature to bed with?" That drew their laughter away.

It was then the group of men felt the stinging pelting from the creatures. They were throwing small rocks at the men; and it was not few but many.

"Curses to them! Why are they throwing these stones?" Gunso Mita sought cover with the arms but the stones are too numerous to shield. He dropped his yari and then the small creature there managed to escape. Once the creature ran off, the stones throwing also stopped.

The sounds of the shrieking creatures brought in more creatures and there was one who was eager to accomplished that the previous one failed. The large bluish green serpent slitter towards the commotion. The car-like creatures saw the serpent and went into the frenzy of more shrieks and jumping. The serpent had grabbed two of the creatures and fed on it before it went for the group of man.

"Torches to hold it back." Taisa Mori shouted out. "Sun, wet your arrow and burned that thing."

It was Gunso who tossed the large container of sake at the serpent before he rushed out towards it. He evaded the two swinging heads and lighted up the sake spilled on the body. The serpent recoiled back in pain but the samurai's were relentless in their arrows and then the thrust of the yari by Gunso into its flesh. The serpent was wounded and slitter further back but then the unseen before happened then. The cat-like creatures then stated their bombardment of the stones while shrieking out. The serpent stopped in its withdrawal and pushed for the cat-like creatures. It grabbed another two more but it bit into them and then discard the dead creatures. It went for the others but the cat-like creatures are retreating and those on the safer grounds are throwing the stones.

Taisa Mori had seen enough of these serpents as he charged forth with the katana raised. Edo saw the Taisa action and followed suit with the naginata swinging. He took on the right head which was still looking for preys. The naginata slashed at the lower neck and then thrusted in by Edo. He pushed hard at it slashing the flesh downwards, while the others of his group attacked the head.

Taisa Mori had his katana slashing into the wounded neck cut by Gunso while the later was using the yari to thrust at the lower jaws of the serpent. The other Hohei came to assist while Bento grabbed another sake container and threw it on the midriff of the serpent. He threw in the torch to light up the area which soon spread into consuming orifice. The serpent soon succumbed to the wounds and dropped dead. The group of men all cheered and no one noticed the arrivals of the large man-like creatures.

Satui held back its warriors as they watched the so named slaves jumped in joy on the slaughter of another Guardian. The second in command of the warriors; Zarin wanted to charged at the slaves but Satui stopped the warrior.

"They are not the same. These are armed." Satui cautioned the other. "We would study them before we attacked."

"The Guardian died. Not one but two now. They would soon be in the Temple. We cannot have that soiled by those who are uncleaned." Zarin pulled away at the arm that held it back but the dagger pointed at the neck was a more firm deterrent of action.

"Disobey me again, Zarin, and it would your blood on these sacred grounds." Satui pulled back his short dagger carried by it on the left side of the waist belting. "We would observed for now."

Zarin disgusted by the leader crawled back to the rear and sulked. Another of the creatures joined it at the rear.

"Satui is a fool. We ought to killed those slaves." Torib, the related by blood of Zarin muttered out to its own bloodline. "We can sneak in around, and do the tasks."

Zarin slapped the other for the silly idea. The shout by the beaten Torib was heard not by them but by the men paces away.

"Did you hear that?" Taisa Mori asked of the Gunso.

"Yes, I did. It sounded like man but it can't be us. We are all here." Gunso replied. The rest of the men are busying splicing up the serpent for its needed fats. The farmers are packing it so that it can be used.

"Shall I investigate, Taisa?" Gunso volunteered to go but Taisa Mori denies it.

"I am short of men power. I cannot afford any more losses." Taisa explained. "We would move but you bring up the rear with Iza."

Gunso Mita nodded and went to looked for Iza. He passed to Iza the yari but the later declined. He prefers his own bo.

"Who was the fool who almost exposed us all?" Satui demanded from his group of warriors. He looked at Zarin and then at Torib. "I cared not whom it was now. But do it again, and both would be punished."

The large creatures soon felt the pelting of stones by the cat-like creatures. They had seen the large creatures and turned on them now. Satui commanded its warriors to withdraw back from their line Across the cavern, Gunso Mita heard the commotion at the rear and wanted to check. But Iza stopped him.

"Your Taisa told us to guard the flank and not run after possible predators." Iza grabbed hold of the Gunso. "We were lucky with the last two serpents but what happened if its three or four of them against us all. I doubt the two of us can handle it or even all of us for company."

"Bah! You are a coward." Gunso Mita remarked back as he pulled his arm off the farmer grasp. "Even if five serpents are there; none would passed me."

"Samurai talks! They are as loud as my fart." Iza laughed as he took up his walk to catch up with the rest. Gunso Mita was not impressed but he soon followed on. It was then he noticed the little cat-like creature he had earlier captured sitting there on the boulder.

"You are a lucky one to escape my trap. I would get you the next time we meet." Gunso Mita took his leave but soon felt the presence of the small creature who tagged behind him. He paused and turned back. The small creature stood there and remained unmoving.

"Its your fate if I decide to have roasted meat again." Gunso Mita turned back and continued on the walk.