TOMOE'S THOUGHTS
Tomoe had remained silent right from when they left the cottage. She had been leading the way the whole time, every so often turning back to check with Fukushima that she was heading the right way. She had been the one slicing through the scrub of the forest, up ahead of the other two. She knew they had been talking about something, but she knew she had a job to do. They reached the edge of the forest now. There was a canyon just up ahead and she felt like running, but she reconsidered and decided to wait for the other two. A few moments after, the two men stepped out of the forest, and to Tomoe's supprise, Musashi was clenching at his side which was heavily bleeding again. He had long since stopped walking on his own and was being aided by Fukushima.
She thought to herself, 'How does he do it? His life is draining from his side, he should just rest. We should have left him back at the cottage. He seems so eager to push on, knowing the further we go, the further we have to trek back. He can't even walk on his own anymore. What is so special about this book. We are going to have to drag his body back to Edo. And Fukushima, he stands so tall there helping a man everyone has at least once thought of as invincible. Fukushima will be branded a coward in Edo, and Musashi a traitor, yet here they are, a coward showing his bravery, and a traitor showing he will not give up on what he believes in, a hero at his weakest point, he is still a hero, but he is better because we know he is still human.'
"It's not much further now," Fukushima spoke up, "we should make it there before dawn. The night sky is getting lighter."
"The stars... look beautiful... " whispered Musashi between weakened breaths.
Tomoe smiled gently, "save your energy Musashi san. You will need all you can get."

The cave