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A young blonde man came trekking through the snow, he was shivering violently as he continued to scale the mountain. He had to get there, he had to make it. This was his only chance. He had to do this.
He panted as he finally made it to the shrine, he dug his feet out from the snow and yanked himself onto the stairs. He knew he needed to get inside. The wind was blowing his fluffy hair and the snow around. He shivered more as he climbed to through the torii. He rushed inside as the blizzard began to really come down. He looked around the room.
The room was rather empty, and the holes in the ceiling made it more apparent that it wasn’t going to warm up in here. There was a broken statue of a wolf like creature and an alter in front of it.
“There we are…” He mumbled softly as he approached. He knelt down the moment he was in front of the alter and removed his bag from his back. He pulled out some fine linens and some fruit, placing them on the alter before closing his bag and placing it on his back.
“Hello?” He looked around for a moment or two before sighing. “I don’t know if you can hear me, but please… I was told by my teacher in the past that you can come here and ask for your friends’ safety and health… and that it tends to help…”
He slipped his bag back off and routed around inside of it for something. He wanted his journal, to make sure he had made it to the right place. Once he had located it, he flipped through the pages. He was skimming it, looking for a specific word or drawing.
“Here we are.” The young man looked over the directions. He looked to the drawing he had made from his teacher’s descriptions of the place. “It would seem I’m in the right place.”
“Mistress Okami,” He paused, trying to think over his words. “I would like if you could protect my friends from harm and I would appreciate if they could stay in good health.” He placed his hands together. “Please, Okami! I’ll do anything for the safety and health of my friends!”
A figure stepped out from the hallway leading into the shrine.
“Who are you?” The female’s voice rung out.
The young man yelped as he turned to face the women. She was beautiful, with long white hair that reached her shoulder blades. She had a scowl on her face.
“M-My name is Zane Jelm, I’ve come here to ask the shrine’s goddess for help. I wanted her to keep my friends safe after I die.” Jelm sighed.
“Why not wish for your own health and safety?” The woman asked as she slowly began to approach.
“Because, all my life I have cared for others. I care not for myself. I care for others more. I realize how unhealthy that can be but I have no interest in myself.” Zane stood up, turning to face the woman.
“You have even brought offerings?” The woman walked around the podium and sighed. “You should wish for your own health and safety.”
“I… I just want my friends to be safe and healthy after I die. I want my brother to be safe and healthy as well.” Zane looked away. “May I ask, who are you? My teacher told me that no one lives here anymore.
“My name is Okami.” She smirked.
“Okami!?” Zane cried. “You’re the goddess of the shrine?!” He lowered his head and bowed to her. “I am so sorry for my rude behavior!”
“You were not being rude; you were keeping to your beliefs.” Okami approached him and he let her.
“Thank you for understand, Lady Okami.” Zane did not stand from his position on the floor.
Okami didn’t say anything else, she simply looked him over. She sensed no malice from him. Only kindness. There was something she couldn’t place though. She felt as though she knew him.
“Have we met before?” Zane seemed to read what was on her mind.
“No. We have never met before.” Okami sighed. “Rise. You have no reason to bow to me, and just Okami will do.”
Zane did not rise, however. “You are the goddess of this shrine and deserve respect. Even if you might harm me, I ask that if you do, you at least keep my friends and family safe.”
“I will do what I can, but how can you be so sure that you are to die?” Okami blinked.
“I continue to see visions of my own death. Mainly myself getting poisoned by someone. I am not sure who, I have never seen their face.” Zane mumbled.
“You seem rather sure this is your death you are seeing, but have you ever seen your face or who it is? Perhaps you are seeing another person’s death.” Okami suggested.
“I have never seen my face, no, but I know in my heart that it is me who is being poisoned.” Zane looked away. “I apologize, mistress Okami. I need to know my friends will be safe despite me being dead. I do not wish for my friends or family to be harmed. I do not want anything to happen to them.”
“I will keep them safe. Allow me to go get some amulets to keep them safe and healthy.” Okami turned and left the room.
Zane slowly stood up, looking around once more before walking into the hall way. It had been snowy, yet he could smell flowers like it was spring.
He wondered deeper into the shrine, finding his way around. What he found was a dying garden in the middle of the shrine. The only thing that was alive was the cherry blossom tree in the middle, but it didn’t look very well either. He gasped in shock and covered his mouth; this made his stomach twist.
“Oh dear.” Zane walked forward and reached a hand out. “My word.”
“Hey!” Okami shouted, snarling. “How dare you enter this part of my…” She froze up. How long had it been since she had woken up? How long had it been since she cared for her garden?
“What happened here? Why are there so many flowers dead?” Zane turned to look at her.
“No one has… believed in me for such a long time, I suppose…” This made her stomach feel like it was twisting. She bit her lip.
“You… You plant your dead here.” Zane stepped onto the dirt before kneeling down. His kimono was getting dirty, but he cared little about such a thing. “I’m afraid that there is not a way to revive these plants. I am so sorry.” He sighed and looked away from her.
“How did you know that?” Okami growled.
“That the plants are dead?” Zane blinked.
“No, that we buried our dead here.” Okami narrowed her eyes at him.
“I… I do not know. It was just a feeling I had in my gut.” Zane looked away.
“That’s impossible.” Okami scoffed.
“It’s not impossible. Just unlikely. Perhaps I have seen it in one of my visions of the future…” Zane mused. He took out his journal from his kimono and opened it up. He looked through it for a moment or two before placing it back in his kimono.
“No, I have not. I apologize. I just… somehow knew.” Zane sighed and looked to her. “I am sorry for your loss.” It wasn’t an uncommon practice to bury their dead and plant crops above them or flowers. However, most the time it is some distance away from the clan or area, rather then smack dab in the middle of it.
Okami said nothing for a few minutes, she simple stared at him in disbelief. “You should not be here.” She grumbled.
“I… May I care for your garden… before I start my trek back home?” Zane asked. “I cannot in good conscious leave this garden in such a state when I perhaps can help fix it.”
“Don’t you dare.” Okami snarled.
“Please, let me. I beg of you.” Zane sighed.
“Fine, but do not touch the tree.” Okami snarled, turning and walking away.
“Alright.” Zane nodded his head. He soon got back to work. He was cleaning up the dead plants that he knew he couldn’t save and using his magic to clean up and revive other plants.
Zane used the dead plants as fertilizer for the plants he managed to use magic to bring back from the brink of death. He was exhausted by the time he was done. He rubbed his face and carefully got up. He was muddy and his kimono would be a pain to wash later, but he didn’t care. He managed to salvage a decent amount of the plants. He smiled as he looked over the amount of plants that were left. He sighed after realizing there was a lot less then he remembered.
“I should have some seeds in my bag…” He mumbled. He removed his backpack and took out some of the seeds he had. He planted them where a lot of the other plants had been and sighed as he looked to the dying tree. “I have to do something.” He mumbled as he approached the tree.
He had to do something. This tree wouldn’t survive if he didn’t. He had to help. He looked around, looking for Okami. She wasn’t out here.
“Thank goodness.” He carefully looked over the tree. “This isn’t good.” He looked around. The tree was rotting. He placed a hand to the trunk of the tree and concentrated. He didn’t have much energy left, but he had to use what he did have left to heal the tree.
His vision went black as he used the last drops of his magic to heal the tree.
When he came to, he didn’t know where he was. He could feel something plush underneath him. When he sat up, he was in a new kimono and it looked like his other one had been cleaned. It laid on the nightstand beside the bed. His backpack sat in the bed beside, he looked around. Okami was there, she was sitting beside his bed.
“Hello, Okami.” Zane smiled a little bit.
“What did you do?” She growled.
“I healed your tree.” Zane smiled at her.
“You… You went against my orders!” Okami hissed.
“I know but… the tree was dying. It needed help! I couldn’t in my right mind let it die!” Zane snapped back.
“You…” Okami sighed, “Thank you.”
“It’s alright, you’re allowed to be mad.” Zane smiled at her.
“I’m mad that you went against my orders but I’m not mad that you helped save my tree.” Okami rubbed her head.
“I’m so sorry for disobeying your orders, I had to help. I’m sorry that I disobeyed.” Zane rubbed his face and got up. “I’m so sorry.” He looked away.
Okami reached her hand out and placed it to his head. “I need to make sure you’re alright.”
“I need to leave; my family will be worried if I do not.” Zane sighed.
“You shouldn’t leave. You need to stay here; the storm outside would kill you.” Okami sighed and rubbed her temples.
“I need to leave; I told my family I would be home soon. I told them I would be back in a week or two. I cannot spend anymore time here. They would be worried sick if I do not come home.” Zane sat up; the world was spinning.
“Lay down. You used way too much magical energy to be sitting up.” Okami carefully pushed on his shoulders, pushing him back down.
“Thank you for your hospitality.” Zane sighed, “Thank you.”
“You need to take care of yourself.” Okami smiled at him and sighed. “You might be sick.”
“I can’t be sick! I need to get home!” Zane cried out.
“Please…” Okami sighed. “I don’t want you dying on your way home.” She rubbed her temples.
“I won’t die!” Zane snapped. “My family will be worried! I have to get home.”
“Zane, you need to rest. I’ll send a letter to your home to let them know what’s going on.” Okami looked away from him. “I cannot in my right mind let you leave.”
“I do not want to be a bother. I do not wish to be a pest. Please let me leave.” Zane tried to sit up again, the world was moving. He was swaying.
Okami carefully pushed him back down again. “You need to rest, please get some more sleep.”
“Fine.” Zane grumbled, turning onto his side and curling up. He just wanted to go home. He wanted to see his brother again. He wanted to see his daughter again.
“I will write a letter and send it to your family. Please get some rest.” Okami patted his head and left the room. “Thank you for staying.”
“Thank you for letting me stay.” Zane nodded his head.
Okami left the room, closing the door with a small sigh.
“You need to care for yourself…” She mumbled to herself. She headed off to go take a bath while Zane rested.
Zane sat himself up, rubbing his face. He groaned and looked around. He staggered to his feet, leaning against the wall. He nearly collapsed. “I… I need to get home. They’ll worry… They won’t understand Okami… they won’t understand…” He rubbed her face. “I need to get home.” He panted. He rubbed his face.
Zane leaned against the wall, groaning. He felt sick. “Okami?” He asked. “Help?” He collapsed to the floor, his vision going black once more.
When he woke up, he was in the bed once more. “Oh dear.” He groaned.
“I told you to stay in bed.” Groaned Okami.
“I know but I need to get home! My family won’t understand! They’ll be scared! They’ll be worried and I need to get home! I don’t want to worry them!” He cried out.
“Zane, you’re sick. I will strap you to the bed if I must. Please don’t make me do so.” Okami narrowed her eyes.
“Fine.” Zane grumbled. “I’m sorry.”
“No, you’re not. You’re just worried about your family, so I will let it slide. This time, stay in bed.” Snarled Okami.
“I will try to. What do I do if I need something or if I need to use the bathroom?” Zane asked.
“Call me, I will help you.” Okami smiled a little bit.
“B-but what if I need to use the bathroom?!” Zane squealed, his face going bright red.
“I will help you to and from the bathroom.” Okami deadpanned.
“I’m sorry.” Zane sighed and rubbed his face. “I will… I want to try to get to the bathroom myself.” He looked away nervously. “I’d rather not bother you.”
“Zane, I will help you. I would rather you not hurt yourself.” Okami sighed.
“I will not hurt myself!” Zane cried out. “I will be fine! I need…”
“It’s okay, Zane. I will not join you in the bathroom, I will only help you to it.” Okami saw no problem with helping him into the bathroom. She saw no issues at all.
“I… Fine.” Zane looked away, blushing. He knew better than to keep arguing. He wouldn’t get himself anywhere. “I apologize.” He sighed. He felt a bit guilty. He didn’t want to upset Okami, she was being nice enough to help him after all.
“It’s alright, you have no reason to be so upset.” Okami took a deep breath. “You’ve not done anything wrong, so please stop apologizing. I understand why you’re nervous. I understand what’s wrong. I want to help you, Zane. Please understand that I care about you and I want to help you get better.”
“Why do you care about me though? We just met. We don’t know each other at all.” Zane grumbled.
“I know we just met.” Okami snapped at him. “But I care because for some reason, I feel like I’ve known you for a very long time. I feel like I’ve known you for years.”
“I…” Zane looked away. “I feel the same.” He sighed and looked away. “I know that you’re a good person, I know you’re just rough around the edges. I’m just… I suppose I’m scared; I don’t wish for my family to be harmed. I don’t wish for anything to happen to you. I’m very worried and I don’t… I need to care for my little brother. I don’t know what to do. I’m sorry.”
“It’s alright, I understand why you’re upset. I understand that you want to go home, but you need to get better before you go home. Or else you might make your little brother ill as well.” Okami crossed her arms.
“I suppose you’re right.” Laughed Zane.
“So, you will stay?” Okami raised a brow.
“I will stay. Thank you for your hospitality.” Zane smiled a little bit.
“You’re welcome.” Okami smiled and rubbed his head. “Now get some rest, I’ll go make you some food. I’m sure your hungry. You looked malnourished.”
“Thank you.” Zane rested back against the pillow and yawned. He felt the exhaustion finally hitting him. He yawned loudly.
“Get some sleep.” Laughed Okami. “You need to sleep.”
“I will. Thank you.” Zane smiled a little bit. “I appreciate your kindness.”
“Thank you, I appreciate you fixing up my garden.” Okami smiled at him.
“Wait a moment.” Zane realized something. “Did you change my clothes?!” His face went bright red.
Okami laughed and turned away from him. “Perhaps.” She left the room as Zane let out a panicked squeal.
“Okami!” He cried out.
Okami rolled her eyes and shut the door behind her as she laughed.
“Perhaps… I won’t be alone anymore after all… Valerie.” Okami blushed lightly as she began walking towards the kitchen. “Maybe I won’t be alone after all.” She wore a small smile on her face.
The End.