Heirot

Shinobu believes Kyosuke, and it puts her mind at rest. She closes her eyes, takes a deep even breath. Slowly, despite the sway of the horse, she manages to fall a sleep against Kyosuke.

The day passes, and it isn't long before Kyosuke is forced to stray from the river, though he makes sure to fill some canteens before they do so. The samurai has finally managed to find a path worn into the grass. He isn't entirely sure how old it is, but it looks man made. ...Of course, night falls before they get to the supposed village, so the two are forced to camp out again, with Kyosuke worried about Shinobu.

When camp is set Shinobu takes the blankets and builds their bed near the fire. The fever is getting stronger and it makes her feel colder. Her skin glistens with perspiration. "I'm sorry, I don't think I am hungry." She runs a hand through her long hair lifting her gaze to see him. "I'm just going to sleep I think."

Kyosuke shoots Shinobu a worried look. "Can you eat a little anyway?" he pleads. "You need to keep your strength up." He's preparing more soup, trying to give her something easy to swallow, but he isn't sure if she can keep it down.

Shinobu nods. "I will eat," she succumbs, knowing it will make Kyosuke worry less. So she curls on the blankets near the fire and waits for him to finish readying their dinner. She closes her eyes and listens to the sound of the large field around them and the forest beyond. "Is it safe to camp in the open like this?"

Kyosuke manages a genuine smile, one of the few he's managed today between worried glances and the reassuring ones he's shot Shinobu all day. He sits closer to Shinobu, stirring the soup idly, before nodding. "Should be. We're far enough from Hepian that Arken patrols shouldn't be nearby." They'd also made a considerable distance from the sacked village they stumbled across.

Shinobu smiles. "That's good," she whispers, closing her eyes as she waits for the dinner to be ready. "I think we'll need more blankets," she mutters through half clenched teeth. "If winter is setting in and we don't find our way home then we are going to need better blankets."

"We can get more blankets when we reach a village," Kyosuke replies, but wonders if it's really the chills from her fever bringing those thoughts up. Just in case, he wraps an arm around her, trying to share some of her body heat while ignoring how hot her skin feels against his. It isn't long before the soup is finished though, and he gives Shinobu a small bowl full.

Shinobu takes the bowl and eats it slowly, but by the time she's halfway finished she sets the bowl by the fire and curls up on the blankets feeling queasy. "I think I need to sleep now," she mutters, pulling the blankets over her.

Kyosuke can't help but look worried again, but doesn't object. Hopefully Shinobu can keep it down this time. He just finishes his own meal off then slides under the blankets next to her, hoping desperately that they can find a village tomorrow.

It doesn't take Shinobu long to fall a sleep in Kyosuke's arms. She feels so drained of energy. She rests against him, her skin on fire, and her breathing grows short and shallow through the night.

Throughout the night, Kyosuke idly strokes a hand through Shinobu's hair, still eyeing her with worry. When morning finally breaks, the samurai is immediately up, readying everything. The smell of reheated soup is fresh in the air... and the samurai isn't sure whether Shinobu can stomach any more. He hopes she can, even a tiny bit.

Shinobu blinks her eyes open to the sun and closes them. She glances Kyosuke's way. She shivers trying pulling the cloth tighter around her. Her skin was pale and dark circles hung under her eyes. Her lips were chapped and dry from her panting through the night. She moved to sit up, and collapsed back against the blankets as dizziness took her. "Water..." she whispered to Kyosuke. "Please, hand me the water."

It's getting worse. Kyosuke passes one of their waterskins, filled with water from the river, over to Shinobu, along with a small bowl of soup. He's only hoping that she eats more soup, but he's not expecting anything. "I'll try to clean up as quickly as I can," he says, wanting to head off as soon as possible.

Shinobu drinks the water with what little ability she has to hold her hands steady. She doesn't touch the soup, and when she's had her feel of the water she closes the flask and slips back under the blankets to rest. "I'm sorry, I'm not hungry..." she tells Kyosuke with a soft voice.