SERENITY

Chapter 09: Saved

"Caw! Head East! Caw! Demon is suspected to be lurking! Caw!"

Kio cawed then landed on top of her head. The crow's favorite spot unfortunately.

'So soon?'

Hikaru thought but complied without any protests anyway. She continued on her mission without any complaint as she is not the type to complain about  things.

...

Three weeks had passed since Hikaru became a demon slayer and started to take on missions. In these times she had been alone with only Kio to accompany her but it doesn't matter to her anyway. She just hope that she gets to see Reiko again and maybe have missions together.

She's currently venturing deep in the woods as she doesn't have any mission for the time being so she just decided to walk where her feet leads her to. And right now she was walking through the forest and had no any idea where she was but shrugged the thought anyway.

The forest was covered in mist even though it is still broad daylight. But what Hikaru noticed is that the air in the mountain was thinner, making it hard to breathe but with her training in her breathing and techniques, it doesn't bother her at all.

She just continued walking with Kio sitting on top of her head scolding her.

"Caw! Why are we here?! Caw! We should atleast stay in a village! Airhead girl! Caw!"

Kio shouted but she didn't even react nor felt insulted as she just continued to walk.

"Calm down Mr Crow and besides uhh I have no idea where is the nearest village is and my map was destroyed in my last mission"

Hikaru stated without any worries as if they're not lost at all. She was not really that good in memorizing directions so she always depended on the map Euko gave her but it got destroyed in her fight with the demon.

"Caw! You should have said so! Caw! Caw! Now we might spend the night here!"

Kio started to peck at Hikaru's head again but Hikaru grabbed her crow and held it against her instead.

"I sense someone nearby"

This made the crow silent and Hikaru stopped in her tracks as well. She tried to feel her sorroundings and sensed a person nearby, standing on top of a tree probably observing her.

"Is it a demon? Caw! Let's run! Caw!"

Kio panicked and tried to fly away but Hikaru held the crow on her grasp, not bothering to let go. This made Kio complain even more but Hikaru made no response. She glanced at her left.

"I'm sorry Mister but we're lost, Do you know the way down this mountain?"

The unknown person was surprised of her keen senses and the fact that she could tell that he is a man. He decided to show his self since he's been found.

Hikaru wasn't alarmed by when the man decided to show his self but rather she was startled because he is wearing a mask. Hikaru was creeped out.

"You're a demon slayer? What leads you here?"

His hair was short and gray, depicting of his old age, a red tengu mask covering his face and  dressed in a navy blue jinbei kimono with cloud patterns. Hikaru sensed inferiority within the man so she respectedly spoke.

"I was just walking not realizing where I was going and got lost Mister, can you tell us where the nearest village is? I'm sorry if we intruded?"

The old man didn't speak for a few seconds which made Hikaru anxious not because he was like observing her but because of the mask.