Squealing with rage, the boar charged after us. It plowed through the bushes as if they didn't exist, trampling everything in its path effortlessly — but I couldn't run fast because of Hotaru.
Run! Run!
We ran toward the river. Glancing quickly around, I spotted a small bridge.
Let's run there.
The bridge looked flimsy. I wasn't sure it would hold us, but I didn't want to fall into the river — the current would carry us away, and we wouldn't be coming back. Still, the boar was unlikely to follow us onto it.
Hotaru was already out of breath. That was bad.
We reached the bridge. The boar was right behind us.
We dashed across.
It swayed.
We fell.
The boar is already on the bridge. It remained standing.
Then it charged at us.
I tried to get up, but the trembling boards made it impossible.
Then… the world seemed to freeze... I don't know what happened — it felt as if time itself slowed down.
I saw the boar rushing toward us. It was already close. Its sharp tusks look dangerous.
Inevitable death…
Are we going to die here?..
I tried to push off.
In an instant, everything blurred.
Something yanked me back.
I fell and slammed onto my back.
"Woo-hoo-hoo!" the boar squealed.
When I came to my senses, I saw the beast tumbling from the bridge. It splashed into the river and was carried swiftly downstream, straight toward the waterfall.
The bridge was somehow still standing, though badly damaged.
And for some reason, we were already on the shore.
I had no idea how we got there.
Hotaru was nearby, flushed from the long run, gasping for breath.
"How are you?"
"My heart almost jumped out of my chest…" he wheezed.
"Do you understand what happened?"
"I closed my eyes from fear."
"Me too," I thought.
What had just happened? We were there — and then suddenly somewhere else. Very strange.
But now wasn't the time to dwell on it.
I helped Hotaru up. He soon caught his breath. We brushed ourselves off and managed to overcome the weakness and trembling left after our ordeal. After resting a bit, we started looking for another way across the river. The bridge was too frightening to use again. Fortunately, we found a ford farther upstream. We crossed there. The water was cold. I had to carry Hotaru — with his health, falling ill was not an option.
We returned to the traps and found ourselves lucky. Several rabbits had been caught. And no monsters this time. Five rabbits — not a bad haul: meat and fur.
After gathering our prey, we headed back to the village.
"That was scary…" Hotaru said, still trembling slightly.
"I agree."
"But we made it," he smiled weakly.
"Yes." I nodded. "Let's not tell the others what happened with us. No need to worry them."
"I agree."
When we returned, both Andy-san and Honoka-san scolded us. Well, Hotaru had disappeared without telling anyone — and then we came back dirty and carrying game. Of course we got scolded.
Oh well.
Despite the punishment, Hotaru looked happy and cheerful. Well, if he was okay and smiling, then everything was fine.
I'd come again tomorrow. I had work in the morning, but afterward I'd visit him. I should bring him something to read. I had a couple of books — and you needed something to do on a cloudy day.
Life was getting better. I was sure everything would turn out fine.
He'd recover. We'd train together. I was certain he'd make a good shinigami — at least I'll have a familiar doctor. And I'll have someone to watch my back in battle..
"Everything will be fine," I smiled on my way home.
***
Captain Retsu Unohana exhaled wearily. There was no end to the work, and unlike her subordinates, she couldn't afford frequent days off. As both captain and chief medic of Seireitei, her presence was needed everywhere.
Not only did she constantly have to treat the wounded — the arrogant nobility kept sending her invitations. And it was clear what they were after. They wanted internal influence over the shinigami, each one of them personally. And these pompous snobs were firmly convinced that money meant something to a true warrior. And since she was one of the captains who did not come from the aristocracy… the fact that she was a medic and a woman made her, in their minds, "easy prey." That she was the captain of a division of shinigami clearly did not bother them.
It seems that the peace had made the nobles lazy and foolish if they truly believed they could toy with shinigami without consequences. Yes, these fools forgot who they were and why the Soul King had granted power to the ancestors of these fools. They were no longer their parents' children, but the descendants of warriors long gone, and worthless on their own.
But the problem is that it's not possible to simply refuse. She had to attend, listen to their useless chatter, smile, and keep her murderous instincts in check — and then politely decline, as always.
One of them had even dared to offer her the position of his mistress. She had tried very hard not to smear the insolent man across the wall. Yes — since she was a commoner, they saw her as a doormat.
Shinigami were loyal first and foremost to the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, and only then to the Central 46. Let the nobles think what they wanted; the truth was harsher than their illusions.
But besides her, they weren't going after anyone else.
Zaraki was too wild and strong. They were simply afraid to even approach him.
Komamura was quite secretive and completely devoted to Genryūsai.
Mayuri was frightening enough — and half the nobility foolishly believed he was on their side.
Kaname-kun was dangerous and already known as incorruptible.
But Retsu herself had no time for this fuss at first, and then she was left alone.
Genryūsai had also asked her to keep listening at these gatherings for the time being. The old man clearly has something in mind. He has been preparing for something for half a century. But the old comrade-in-arms does not let anyone in on his plans.
Retsu herself really hoped that it would not turn into a war. She was tired of this madness. The former First Kenpachi was content as a healer and did not wish to return to what she had once been. Although at times she longed to cross swords again — especially with Zaraki — but he was still too young and too weak. She will be patient and wait. And when he grew stronger, she would test him.