Note: All characters are above 18 years old, duh.
With the clean weather of the spring, the leaves of the sakura trees gently fell down around the young samurai. Feeling the breeze she striked again at the air, like she would at her enemy. Already after many swings her arms felt heavy, muscles pulsed sorely as she raised them again, just to strike down her wooden sword. Hearing in her memories the voice of the sensei, she breathes in peace and with rhythm. Wanting to become better she once again striked the air before her again, swinging at the invisible target, and this time the pain in her arms answered with its own assault. Not showing any emotion she would raise the sword again if not for the familiar voice.
"You do know that, you need some breaks?"
Looking at the side of the training circle, just next to the gate made of trees, the shrine maiden stood, white top with red pants, matching pink hair with her lazily lying fox ears on the sides. Yae Miko smiled seeing the samurai, raising her smooth hand to her red lips in welcoming motion.
"Oh, it's you. How long did you spy on me?" Samurai stood tall, her sword lay low as she turned to Yae.
"Enough to know you do need a break."
"I can't agree. I just started" at those words Yae laughed, taking a step closer to the samurai. Her white clothes were in stark difference to all black kimono of the samurai. As she reached a step away from the girl, her thin smooth hand rose and moved the sweaty string of purple hair away from the samurai cheek.
"You are here for around two hours now dear. A young woman like you shouldn't be alone in a forest, all by herself."
"Same goes for you."
"I have you, Ei" shrine maiden turned around and started to walk away between the trees. Ei with her wooden sword and pain in arms followed her, knowing she would not win that round. Training can wait but the mischievous fox Yae is, wouldn't ever wait when her plan was already in motion, If not now, Ei would hear quickly again from the girl, trying to find another little exploit to make her abandon the training and join her in any activity she would choose for them too.
Walking under the roof of the crowns of pink leaves, they slowly walk to the shrine building a little away from the training grounds. Wind chime the sounds of peace around them, as the falling leaves cover them almost like it wanted to protect them.
Without a miss Ei stopped as she heard little shuffling on their right, quickly wrapping her fingers around the sword hilt. There in the green forest greenery a small like a ball creature rolled closer, it white eyes quickly thinner down as it saw the girls. It jumped up and with it similar to a leaf of a fern, crown on the top of its head, started to spin it as it flew closer. Ei waited patiently as the creature approached, only when she could feel the air being manipulated around her by the creature, close enough so she could clearly see little being angry eyes, she swung the wooden sword across before her.
The green ball flew away and struck the tree hard, enough to rain the pink shower of fragile flowers down. Yae with no fear, more of a curious look on her smug face, joined Ei as they approached the creature. The pink haired shrine maiden grabbed her hogei and slapped the little creature with it.
"How dare you mister! This is a sacred place, how dare you attack this lady, that is our quest!" Yae put her hand on her hips, like scolding a kid after he did something wrong.
"Wait. You know it?" Ei asked, relaxing her grip on the sword.
"Of course. After all, I'm the one that takes care of those woods. This little fella is an elemental being that is really rude!"
The little creature jumps in place like a balloon filled with water, looking up at the two girls. First at Yae with round eyes, then at Ei with his eyes getting thinner, confused. Then its little crown of fern leaves started spinning before its eyes rounded up and it started to quickly run, or rather jump away. Ei stood confused as well, just to hear the laugh of Yae.
"This little ball confused you with a trespasser. Poor thing didn't seen me first~."
"Oh. Well it attacked me first." Ei turned her face away from Yae's deep stare and her very familiar smug smile.
"Hehe, don't worry, I knew it would do nothing to you miss samurai~ Those little beings mostly scaring the people, they don't hurt them."
"Wait, you mean you knew it was here and didn't tell me?" Ei returned her eyes to Yae's deep pink gaze, only to blush at her next words.
"I do like to see you in action Ei~"
Fox Maiden turned to return to the path, Ei closely behind her still blushing.
The short journey down the mountain was uneventful as the weather still calmly caressed nature all around the two girls with its gentle breeze. Step by step they walked on stepping stones pathing their way down, circling around the obstacles like trees and bushes. The whole path was barely recognizable in some places, patches of deeply green grass reclaiming the ground from the stone. Ei thought about the words of the high priestess, telling her that she will always be welcome in those parts, even though the Shrine has not acclaimed any samurai for many years now. After the end of the civil war the region of northern mountains were free of conflict and even the great fort standing proudly at the highest peak, stood empty. Now she couldn't see it as the pink leaves covered the sky with its own beauty.