The Power of the Moon

PART 39

Ayumi grunted in pain, her eyes slowly opening. The first thing she felt was the rain hitting her face, but it had also been hitting her exposed wounds.

Why am I in the middle of the forest?

Ah, that's what happened. She thought to herself. I blacked out just a bit after fighting him.
Byakugan!

Tenji is dead.
And this isn't good, I lost a lot of blood.

Madara, where are you? Ayumi looked up hopelessly into the sky. She didn't have an ounce of energy to move a limb.

She began to hear faint voices from a distance.

"Ayumi!"

"Ayumi."
"Ayumi-sama!!"
"Ayumi...!!!"

Four shinobi surrounded her, and she saw Koniko, Kaouru, Kenzo, and lastly... Madara. Ayumi hesitated to meet his eyes, she was mentally preparing herself for a scolding.

"I'm okay." Ayumi managed to speak, perking herself up by her elbows. The movements took every ounce of her willpower. "I'm fine, really."
"Incredibly stubborn." Madara sighed, annoyed. "I'm carrying you whether you like it or not." He lifted her, one arm under the crook of her legs and the other supporting her back.
Koniko chuckled.
"Hooo!" Kenzo eyed Ayumi's dangling arm. "A ring?"

"Hm? Oh." Madara looked away, walking forward nonchalantly. But Kaouru was inquisitive and she put two and two together rather quickly.

"Ew! They're... together." Kaouru flung her arms.
"Baka! Have some respect!" Koniko nudged Kaouru.

"But he's so scary! Like a monster. Didn't even know he was capable of that?!" Kaouru pointed a finger at Madara, who only kept his eyes on Ayumi's.

"Beats me! Dunno who'd love someone as ugly as the missie over there." Kenzo
"Kenzo!" Koniko pulled his ear.

-

They had been in Madara's cottage now, and Koniko had been tending to the two children meanwhile Madara focused on wrapping, and stitching Ayumi's wounds. The procedures had been all too familiar with him, as this was how he'd treat Izuna and himself after strenuous battles.

"I can do it myself." Ayumi mumbeled, looking away, but he paid no attention to her complaints. it stayed quiet between the two as Madara worked. He didn't mind taking care of her in this way, in fact he'd have trouble trusting her life in any one else's hands.

"I know you're expecting a scolding of some sort from me." Madara admitted, wiping dried blood away from her inner upper arm with a hot cloth. "But I think you fared quite well. He was older than the both of us combined."

Ayumi stayed silent for a moment, slightly shocked. It would take her some time to get used to his acknowledgments. "I appreciate that Madara." She smiled, her eyes travelling to her bandaged arms and torso. "And this too. But I couldn't stick to my oath of not killing." She winced as Madara had placed alcohol on a deep cut near her under arm.

Madara could see that she was disappointed in herself. Ayumi kept thinking that surely Uehara had been looking down at her sadly from the heavens.