Zutao cursed silently as he caught sight of the other shinobi. It was going to be hard enough to overpower Yashamaru anyway; unless his freind co-opperated, and he doubted that.
"Hey Zutao, mind shareing?" One of them called over looking at Aiko lustfully.
"Prisoners Heiko, Yahsmaru and I are going to deal with them."
"just the two of you?" Heiko asked doubtfully. Zutao would have hit him but for the fact he was carrying Cora. "The orders come fom Koga-sama hmself, so shut up and open the gates." He lied swiftly Heiko nodded worridly and opened the gates for them. "Now go and do what you should be doing; training" snapped Zutao harshly.
"Yes Zutao-sama" He nodded. Heiko was worried, he had never seen Zutao this angry; only with the Iako in battle, but never with his own men. Zutao carried on into the darkness, cheaking occasionaly to make sure the women were following.

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Made by Lembas

Zutao cursed silently as he caught sight of the other shinobi. It was going to be hard enough to overpower Yashamaru anyway; unless his freind co-opperated, and he doubted that.
"Hey Zutao, mind shareing?" One of them called over looking at Aiko lustfully.
"Prisoners Heiko, Yahsmaru and I are going to deal with them."
"just the two of you?" Heiko asked doubtfully. Zutao would have hit him but for the fact he was carrying Cora. "The orders come fom Koga-sama hmself, so shut up and open the gates." He lied swiftly Heiko nodded worridly and opened the gates for them. "Now go and do what you should be doing; training" snapped Zutao harshly.
"Yes Zutao-sama" He nodded. Heiko was worried, he had never seen Zutao this angry; only with the Iako in battle, but never with his own men. Zutao carried on into the darkness, cheaking occasionaly to make sure the women were following.

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Made by Lembas

Yashamaru wondered around for a bit, meditating on what he should do. I should help Kuroda-sama, he thought, making up his mind. A few minutes after Zutao left the gates, Yashamaru followed.
"Hey, Yasha-sama. You helping Zutao-sama with the Iako? If so you're a little late, he just left," said Heiko who stood at the gate. Yasha nodded to him.
"And it's Yashamaru, not Yasha," he said, as he slipped out the gate.

"Zutao-sama, wait up, I am going to help you with the Iakos," he called, jogging to catch up...

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(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

Aiko paused to glare at the shinobi who had spoken, and eyed his lustful eyes with sheer contempt before turning hastily to follow Zutao. Had she been alone, she would have incinerated the man without hesitation, but now was not the time nor the place to renew heated animosities-not if their lord's daughter would be caught in the cross-fire.
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Mariko noted how Aiko stiffened slightly at the Koga shinobi's comments, knowing at once that her friend wanted to engage him in battle. She mentally breathed a sigh of relief as Aiko merely strode forward and slipped through the gate without incident. With that Mariko quickly followed suit, refusing to acknowledge the presence of the onlookers.
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As the minutes passed, the silence that surrounded the party hung about the group as a thick cloud. Aiko seemed perturbed and Mariko could only wonder what had troubled her friend so-though she guessed that part of it was to do with the injury to Cora. The silence was broken as a voice called from the distance, one that Mariko recognized as Yashamaru's. Seems we are to have another guard, she thought to herself.

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AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

"Chikushou bakabakashii" (Damn the stupid idiot) Zutao swore quietly as Yashamaru called out. However he stopped and waited; pasteing an apoligetic smile onto his face as Yashamaru arrived. "Sumimasen{sorry} Yasha-kun" he laughed "I thought you were just behind us." He smiled, before turning away and leading on. But as soon as his back was turned the smile faded to be replaced by a look of determination and guilt.

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Made by Lembas

(Sumimasen? translation please? lol)

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(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

[Edit; it means sorry]

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Made by Lembas

(okay)

Yashamaru nodded.
"It's alright, I just had to think," he said quietly, and fell silent. So again the group went on in silence. Everything was quiet except the whispering of the wind through the trees, and the rustle of some jack rabbit or forest mouse scurrying away as the group's aproach(sp?)...

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(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

(waits for the others)

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Made by Lembas

After a few more moments passed by in silence save for the sounds of the woods, Mariko turned once more to Aiko. "Where do you suppose we are going?" she asked in hushed tones.

"Shirimasen." [I don't know.] she replied in equally quiet tone. "But my guess it is a Koga hideout-perhaps one that even very few of the clan know of."

Mariko nodded and fell silent again. She longed to ask Aiko about Zutao-remembering the elder ninja's compliance to his request. But this was not the place to discuss such matters. It was much wiser to remain silent and wait to see what would happen.

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AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Cora groaned, and became aware she was being carried. "Kuroda?" She asked moaning, her body was still sore.

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Where do you go when your running away,
The cost of stopping is too great to pay.
~Amanda (saw this written in a washroom stall at a movie theater)

They reatched a point near the boarder and Zutao shook Cora genty awake before setting her down and pushing her to Aiko. "I love you; now let me regain my houner." As he spoke he drew his katana an held it to Yashamaru's neck. "Run Aiko, take the others." He said calmly loking straight into his freinds eyes.

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Cora looked at Aiko, still not fully awake yet. "Whats happening, Aiko? Where's Kuroda?"

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Where do you go when your running away,
The cost of stopping is too great to pay.
~Amanda (saw this written in a washroom stall at a movie theater)

Yashamaru sighed calmly when Zutao held his kantana to his neck. He just looked back at Zutao, then to Aiko, then Cora, and last at Mariko. His eyes lingered on Mariko for a second longer than the others, then he looked back at Zutao.
"I had a feeling this would be your intention. It may give you honor amung the Iako's, but you are dis-honoring your own clan. But I won't stop you," he said almost boredly. "So there's no need for the kantana..."

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(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08

Aiko froze at the scene before her. No! her mind screamed, I can not let Zutao risk himself for us she thought wildly. Her thoughts were broken by Cora's voice. "He is back at the Koga mansion," she whispered somewhat absently before turning back to Zutao.

"Zutao-kun, there must be another way," she pleaded. "If word reaches Koga-sama-" her voice broke then. I can not let you pay for my sins. she thought desperately.

Mariko observed the scene in shock. She first glanced at Aiko, understanding at once the tension that had filled the female shinobi only moments before. She loves him. she realized immediately. Her eyes then shifted to Zutao and Yashamaru, her gaze lingering on the latter a few seconds longer. "Why are you willing to let us go?" she asked, her voice tinted with a mixture of surprise and awe.

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AWESOME set by the AMAZING Lembas!!!

Yashamaru kept Zutao's gaze and did not look away. Though his eyes softened at Mariko's voice, but then hardened again. He crossed his arms, a motion that showed that he wouldn't use his Ebon Rope. He couldn't with his arms like that.
"Zutao-sama's reason, I do not know completely. My reasons are my own," he said, stealing a quick side glance at Mariko...

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(}--{)Imagination Inspires Ideas -Zandain(}--{)
Married Cloud Strife 9/17/08