“He came soon after you left,” Shiori explained to Masato as they rode home the next day .

“Once I’d told him where you’d gone, we took one of the carts delivering fireworks for the festival and followed your path.” Then she covered her mouth and laughed. “I thought Jiro-san was crazy to take the cart, but perhaps he had planned this all along. You can never tell with that man.”

Masato nodded, still in wonder at the re-appearance of his teacher. What she said was right- his master so was full of tricks, who knew what he was capable of? He had escaped the Kurokawa at the temple, after all!

The Inuyama samurai had slowed once they’d returned to their own land, waiting to see if any survivors caught up with them. As it turned out, Jiro’s distraction had allowed more than a few men to escape the Kurokawa-backed trap, and by the end of the second day the party of fourteen had grown into one of nearly fifty. Of those fifty, many were hurt, but they were still luckier than the other half of the men- gone into Sugura lands, never to return.

Among the survivors had been Inuyama no Tetsuya, whose group had been one of the last to rejoin the survivors.

The normally handsome samurai was a mess of dirt and blood, and not riding his own horse, but he was still alive, and after seeing his elder brother, came to personally thank Masato’s master for the distraction. Jiro had put it off as Shiori’s idea, which was at least partially true, and Tetsuya had promised to come repay her for the fireworks and assistance later.

It was on the second night since the escape, when Masato was sitting on a log eating barbecued meat, that Jiro finally came to him.

Masato had just started to tuck into the food after the long day’s ride when nimble fingers suddenly reached over and plucked the fox spoon from his hand.

“And, where did this come from?” Jiro asked, examining the spoon as he sat down next to his apprentice.

Masato smiled proudly. “A girl gave it to me, master.”

Jiro almost immediately popped the cover off, revealing the hidden knife. “You sure she liked you, lad?” He held up the blade to study it in the firelight.

Masato nodded. “Uh-huh. I’m going to see her again someday to thank her for it.”

His master slipped the cover back on and handed it to Masato. “Just make sure you’re careful, lad. A girl who has this kind of trick around will have a few others as well.”

“I will, master.” Said Masato, not really understanding.

After a brief pause, Jiro said- “I should punish you, you took the young lord into the middle of an enemy trap. If anything had happened, it would have caused a great crisis in the clan.”

Masato wanted to protest, but instead he just hung his head and waited for the inevitable.

“However, if our lord sees fit to leave you be, I won’t press the issue.” Jiro continued. “I’ve wasted enough time on you already, and I don’t know how many years I’ll have left.” Then he smiled and rubbed his shoulder. “Not many if I continue to take such foolish risks.”

Masato waited a moment, and then, deciding the time was right, asked- “Sensei? Why are you still alive?”

His master laughed. “Want to get rid of me that badly, eh lad?”

“Oh!” Said Masato, realizing what he’d just asked. “No! I don’t mean I want you to go, I just…”

“…Want to know how I escaped the temple when the bridge was cut?”

Masato nodded that he did.

“Well lad, if you’re expecting something like a demon showed up, or I rode a cloud to safety, I’m afraid I’m going to disappoint you.” His master answered with a wry smile. “The truth is, I used the bridge just like you.”

“But!” Masato said, surprised. “The bridge was cut!”

“No,” Jiro answered. “One end of the bridge was cut, I just happened to also be holding onto it when I cut it. I figured there was no escape, so I took a chance and held on tight. As it turned out, the bridge swung out after it went over the falls and hung down from the first landing. All I needed to do was climb up it to the top and I could cross the rest like you did.”

“Oh!” Said Masato, bobbing his head in understanding. “That’s why Shiori said you came just after we left.”

“With the meeting coming so soon, I needed to warn our lord, and I knew she’d know where to find him. I just didn’t expect you to do the same, lad.”

“Yes…Sensei…” Masato said, slightly embarrassed at the reminder.

“Well,” said the master, after a moment of gazing at the camp. “I did tell you she was the right person to see in times of trouble, so I guess I have to take some of the blame for that.” Then he hit Masato on the shoulder and stood. “Eat up, lad. Tomorrow we ride for home, and I doubt we’ll be there long.”

“Sensei?” Masato asked.

“The Kurokawa know we prepare for war, lad.” Jiro said gravely. “The Sugura are also against us now, and have sided with our enemies. Whichever we fight, there are dangerous days ahead for the Inuyama clan. Our lord will need everyone able, even boys and old men.”

“Yes, sensei.” Masato said firmly. “I’ll be ready.”

Jiro looked at him, his stern expression softening. “After today, lad. I believe you are. I believe you are.”

 

FIN

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As the blue and white tide washed down on the hundred Inuyama samurai from all sides, Masato heard Tetsuya scream out- “Protect the lord! Protect your lord!”

Then, with his sword drawn the handsome young Samurai yelled at his lord brother- “Elder brother, flee! I will lead the charge to freedom.” He then pointed at the Samurai around Masato and yelled. “All of you, protect our lord and get him and these boys to safety! Escape back to Inuyama land!”

“Brother!” Cried Lord Inuyama, but it was too late, for the intense young man had already wheeled his horse around and was leading the charge back up towards the single road that led to freedom. The Lord Inuyama rallied his men and also took off in that direction, as Masato started to- until he realized Taro wasn’t following them!

This was enough to spur Masato into action, and spinning around, the young samurai apprentice turned and grabbed Taro by the shoulder. The younger boy, who was too paralyzed with fear to move, looked at him in surprise, and Masato looked him right in the eye.

“Let’s go, young master!” Masato challenged him. “Last one out of the valley has to kiss the other’s feet!”

At first, Taro just stared at him, and then the young lord started to grin.

“You’re on!” He said, kicking his horse and taking off after his father.

Masato watched him go, and then with a glance back at the onrushing soldiers, he too began to ride for his life.

*    *    *

Masato quickly came to see the situation as hopeless.

With Tetsuya and the other Inuyama generals at the vanguard, the green and gold samurai horsemen raced up the field toward the entrance to the mountain pass and freedom. From both sides, the Sugura soldiers rushed down, and as they encountered groups of soldiers a few horsemen would break off to hold them while the rest of the riders went around and continued on. This happened again and again, and slowly the number of riders around Lord Inuyama, Taro and Masato began to drop until there were less than a dozen in total.

There was still, however, quite a distance to go.

And, as Masato watched, more troops came rushing out to form two lines of spears across the end of the field and the road to freedom.

The Sugura had clearly planned this in detail, and had no intention of letting them escape. The moment the Inuyama party had entered the lowland field for the meeting they had already entered the tiger’s den, and their own destruction. He and Taro had truly been too late, and had only gotten themselves caught in the trap as well.

Lord Inuyama shouted for the people with him to halt, and the riders reined in their mounts.

“We cannot escape that way,” growled the lord, then he looked right at Masato. “You! You’re Jiro’s boy, are you not?”

Masato hesitated, and then indicated he was.

“These traitors are after me, not my son.” His lord continued. “You have proven his brave companion, now honor your loyalty to me and escape with him into the forest.” He gestured to a nearby patch of tree line with no soldiers near it. “I will lead the fight away from you.”

“Father! No!” Shouted Taro.

“Get him home,” the lord told Masato, giving his son a long parting look. “Son, I…”

“My lord, look!” Cried one of the other riders.

Masato, like everyone else, stopped to look at the entrance to the pass above them. There, beyond the enemy lines, a wheeled horse cart had appeared- minus the horse. The cart was rolling down the field toward the enemy from behind, and Masato could see what looked like a sparkles coming from inside the cart as it rushed downhill.

Suddenly there was a loud pop from the cart, and then another, and huge plumes of blue and red and gold fire began to erupt from the cart and shoot in all directions. Then more explosions, each one faster than the last, and more fireworks exploding out from the cloud of smoke that surrounded the cart.

The lines of Sugura spearmen, who turned to find themselves facing this monstrous sight coming right at them, began to break and run in all directions.

“Quickly!” Shouted Lord Inuyama as he urged his horsemen to move. “Ride for the pass!”

As they rode through the confused and scattered troops, Masato turned his head to watch the cart continue its path down into the battlefield, having a similar effect on the other troops below. The huge showers of orange and yellow sparks were causing chaos, and the cart itself was heading right for the enemy encampment.

Masato found himself wishing that the cart would blow up right in Lord Sugura’s face, but was disappointed to see the cart hit a rock before it reached the camp and tumble over on its side into a cloud of smoke and colored fire. Oh well, one could only hope for so much!

Lord Inuyama’s small party rode up through the pass and onto the mountain road, and there, waiting for them were two more riders on horseback.

Masato immediately recognized Shiori, now dressed in a travel jacket and pants, with her hair tied up with white cloth to make her look like a man to those who didn’t know her. But, it was the other rider who made Masato’s eyes nearly fly from his head.

Sensei! It was his teacher, Jiro! Alive!

“Jiro!” Lord Inuyama shouted. “I should have known if the boy was about you would be too!”

“Always where you need me, my lord.” Replied Jiro, cheerfully. “Now, my lord, we need to hurry. These woods aren’t safe.”

“Lead the way!” Ordered the Lord of the Inuyama, and they followed Jiro to freedom.

 

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Thanks for reading this! If you're enjoying the story please consider donating to help keep the stories going. Also, feel free to leave comments and suggestions! I'm always happy to hear from you. Come back next Monday for the next part!