The rain eased a little.
The Divine Child of Rejuvenation gnawed on the provisions Wolf had brought back.
The coarse cakes had been soaked to mush, but they could still fill her stomach.
"Did you find food?"
The Divine Child of Rejuvenation had asked softly when Wolf first returned.
Wolf had grunted an affirmative and pressed the food into her hands.
Wolf really was a man of few words.
Ninjas who talked too much generally did not live long.
The exceptions were usually senior ninjas and the leaders of ninja groups, who needed to be articulate because they had to command battles.
The Divine Child of Rejuvenation said little else. Ignoring the blood on the outside, she ate the food within.
Such was the way of survival.
Wolf did not eat.
He merely wiped his blade with care.
Only after making sure the scabbard was dry and the blade clean did he sheathe it.
Rain fell in the mountains all night, stopping only when the first pale light appeared on the horizon.
The air was heavy with moisture, everything was damp, and the wind made it feel cold.
Facing the morning sun, Wolf spread out the map and studied it.
The Divine Child of Rejuvenation faced west, palms pressed together, reciting sutras.
Listening to the sutras brought peace to Wolf's heart.
This was a simple map he had drawn by asking people he encountered along the way.
"There's a village ahead," Wolf said briefly.
The Divine Child of Rejuvenation packed their belongings. "All right, let's go."
Wolf shouldered his bundle as well and led her down the mountain.
He deliberately avoided the site of last night's carnage, reaching the main road and following it onward.
The dirt road was a muddy mess and particularly difficult to walk on, so their