Shrine Maiden [BNHA]

Chapter One

A/N: Sorry for the teaser everyone haha, I've never done that before but was feeling especially sadistic today... my bad

~ Erina's POV~

Flashback: Age 6

Present: Age 14

               Sweat dripped off my brow as I struggled to follow my sister's instruction. Being the youngest of five children, it was up to my older siblings to instruct me as they had been instructed by our parents and grandfather in the ways of protecting and maintaining the shrine. I struggled to draw back the bow string of my longbow, it was heavy.

My eldest sister Emiko watched me struggle with a frown, she looked around to see if we were being watched before she let her stern face fall and offered me an encouraging smile, "You can do it, Erina. Focus. Breathe."

I struggled to maintain my grip on the bowstring drawing it back to my ear like Emiko had taught me. My arms shook from the weight of the bowstring before I found my focus and resolve as my gaze fell on one of the stone guardians in the courtyard and a sense of peace and calm washed over me. I released the string as I exhaled slowly and the arrow sung as it soared through the air hitting the target dead center.

Emiko grinned proudly, "I knew you could do it, Erina!" She applauded with a cheer as she went to retrieve my arrow. "If that wasn't beginner's luck, I think you might just surpass mother in archery."

I couldn't help but grin back at my eldest sister as she returned with my arrow. "Really?"

"Mhm, come on let's practice a bit more then you need to meet Eiji for your sword lessons." Emiko smiled.

We practiced for awhile longer, each shot I fired hit the dead center of the target. Emiko looked so proud and gave me a hug before sending me off to find my eldest brother for my sword lessons. As I took off through the woods to meet Eiji at the caves he liked to train at, I heard what sounded like the voices of children. That was odd, people didn't often wander to our shrine, it was located just on the outskirts of Musutafu city surrounded by thick forests and a small mountain range.

The voices were getting closer and appeared to be moving fast, they sounded panicked. A cluster of boys about my age broke into my clearing in a panic. I heard something tearing through the forest behind them, they must have disturbed one of the many predators in the forest. I slung my bow off my shoulder and knocked an arrow.

"Get down!" I yelled calmly and watched as four of the five boys dove to the ground without question. The fifth boy, who appeared to be their leader, hesitated and fixed me with a sharp look from his wild crimson eyes. Reluctantly he moved out of my way just as a large bear stormed into the clearing.

I released my arrow calmly aiming for the ground at its paw giving it pause. It hesitated and let out a loud roar of protest snapping its teeth at the gaggle of boys causing all of them, except for their seemingly fearless leader, to cry out in terror.

"Leave them be." I released another arrow it hit the ground next to the bear's opposite paw. It let out a growl as I knocked a third arrow but reluctantly turned and walked away.

Once the bear had disappeared, I returned the arrow to my quiver and went to retrieve the two I had fired. The four boys who'd dove to the ground at my warning scrambled to their feet and turned to me. I could hear them muttering about my attire, the traditional attire of a shrine maiden, a white haori and red hakama.

"Is she a ghost?" One of the cowardly boys asked warily.

"Of course, she isn't a ghost, idiot." The leader with the spiky dusty blonde hair snapped as he fixed me with a hard look.