Nana had tears in her eyes as she felt Yuki hug her. She did not know why, but she suddenly felt like she had someone to lean on once more. “Yuki…. Please don’t ever do anything so reckless again….”

“Mm…. I won’t do that again.” Yuki promised. She knew she was very close to dying this time around. If not for Nana, she would have been eaten, and her goal to save her kin would have been just a dream. “For now, we should move and find a safe location. Your bleeding and the scent will attract demonic beasts.”

“Okay….” Nana nodded as she slowly got up. The ingestion pain in her back hurt, but she knew she could not take care of it at this time.

    “Come.” Yuki grabbed Nana’s hand and pulled her along. Since Nana went out of her way to save her, she would be sure to keep Nana alive. They just needed a hidden spot that they could seal off to protect themselves and recuperate. As long as they regained their strength, they could head back to the sect.

Meanwhile, sometime earlier… 

“Help!” Ami cried out as she limped towards the camp with the elders. Elder Nishikawa stood up and looked at Ami and Ai. She then looked behind them and did not see Yuki or Nana. “Ami, what happened!? Where are Yuki and Nana!?”

    “Demonic beast wave occurred. Yuki originally stayed behind to find off a group of wind wolves that locked on to use while Nana broke through the encirclement. But as soon as we broke through, Nana turned around and went back to help Yuki. We have not seen them since.” Ami replied honestly. She hated herself for leaving her new friends behind. But she knew she and Ai would have just died if she did turn around.

    Elder Nishikawa gritted her teeth as she turned towards the elders who were all sitting around the fire eating food and yelled out: “Who was supposed to be keeping watch on Yuki and Nana’s team!? I can see a ton of you elders here, but not a single one of you out doing your fucking job! Where is  the elder who was supposed to be watching over my disciples!?”

Not a single elder spoke up, but many turned to look at a certain elder who had a thick chunk of meat in his hand that was now frozen as Elder Nishikawa’s eyes fell on to his person. “I…. They were hiding in a cave, so I thought they would be fine….”

“You thought!? This is training! I know you cannot always save them if something unexpected happens, but you are to keep an eye on them! Why the hell did you just leave them be!? Now, look!” Elder Nishikawa pointed at Ami and Ai, who were worse for wear, and then gazed coldly at the elder in front of her. “You were just promoted to a lower elder. For someone who has just become an elder, you are already slacking off!?” 

With a snort, Elder Nishikawa turned and tossed a bottle of healing pills to Ami before racing into the forest. She would find those two, whether they were dead or alive. As for the elder who she just scolded, he was pale in the face. The sect had three tiers of elders. The lower elders who had just joined and waked in the outer sect. And then the regular elders who oversaw more important things within the sect. Then there were the grand elders like Elder Nishikawa who would take in disci0ples and teach promising new youths. 

This chain allowed the elders to work up in rank and promoted friendly competition amongst even the elders. But one thing that was a golden rule for all lower and regular elders. They had to follow the orders of those above them. And lady, for this elder, he could tell his days were numbered in the sect. He would either be demoted back to being an inner disciple or, worse yet, demoted to being an outer sect disciple. The only thing worst was having his cultivation abolished and being thrown out of the sect. 

“You should get off your ass and get into the forest and hope you can find those two disciples alive and well, or you will not have a good time from now on. Elder Nishikawa is known for being petty when it comes to those she is looking after. A lower elder tried to hit on that girl Rin once and ended up being smashed to the point they could no longer walk for the rest of their lives. Crossing her is like crossing a rank nine demonic beast.” One of the elders decided to give some friendly advice. The elder in question quickly tossed his meat down and rushed into the forest. The last thing he wanted was to end up completely useless.

Back on Yuki’s die of things. Yuki had come across a small cave that was not very big or deep but had a huge rock next to it so that she and Nana could hide inside. Yuki had Nana go in first before sealing off the entrance and getting things to make a fire. Only when she had everything needed did she enter the cave to find Nana hunched over, hugging her sword. 

“I will help you remove your robes after I make a fire,” Yuki said as she sealed the cave off, only leavening enough space to allow air in and the smoke from the fire out. Since the area around them was only about fifteen feet in all directions. Yuki made the fire right at the entrance to the hole at the top of the entrance would act as their chimney. 

Only when things began to warm up did Yuki walk over to Nana and help her disrobe. “It might hurt while I pull your robe and inner wear away from your wounds. So bare with me for a few minutes.”

    “It’s fine. Do what you need to do. I can handle the pain….”