[Kanji_The_Wanderer]

Nozomi's head on me makes me feel better. Before the man told me she died of a broken heart I already knew why she had left this world...

"Everyone I come to love dies...I don't have anyone dear to me. They are all departed." Nozomi is next to me. I can feel her body heat. Without thinking it I turn to her and embrace her deeply into my chest. We are still kneeling in the dirt. I place my head on her shoulder, and I can smell a sweet scent. Then suddenly I realize what I was doing.

I pull away. " I-I am sorry Nozomi." I stand up and wipe the dirt from my knees. My clothes are still all wet.

I face the old man. "She was my wife..." said the man. "We married about 5 years ago. I never met her daughter Shima, but she always talked about her."

Hearing someone say Shima's name out in the open was very weird for me. It really hit a soft spot. I wiped away the tears that continued to come from my eye.

"You kids can stay in my house for the day if you want. You lot must be tired." Ah, I can see your friend the young lad, has already made friends with the locals. He points to Ichirin talking to the woman. "Come in you two. I will prepare a hot meal and you can stay in my extra room. There are 2 beds in there and a nice soft bear skin on the rug. The beds are big and my blankets are plentiful. You all must be tired, where you coming from?"

"Disan..." I manage to say over the light tears in my eye.

"Ho, ho." laughs the man. "That is a long ways. Two days worth of traveling at least. I used to work in Disan in my youth."

"Yes, we traveled quick. So we made it over night." I say again trying to get my mind off of Shima and Zeneba. "well follow me indoors. My fire is burning with fierce heat. You'll dry in no time." We follow the man to the house.

"Ichirin!!!" yells Nozomi. "When you are ready come inside the house! We can stay!!" Nozomi waves to Ichirin and comes inside with me.