Vampire Hunter D: Pilgrimage of the Sacred and the Profane by Hideyuki Kikuchi

Author:Hideyuki Kikuchi [Kikuchi, Hideyuki]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, Fiction
Published: 2012-08-22T04:00:00+00:00

THE DARK FOREST

CHAPTER 5

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I

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As the Hunter and the girl returned to the wagon, they were met by Granny’s wrath-filled visage. Despite having defeated the sand men by some means even D didn’t understand, she didn’t seem confident in herself. There would be more trouble related to Tae, it seemed.

“The water’s shot,” Granny said, pinning Tae with a reproachful gaze as she did so. “Before she ran off on us, the girl left the spigot on the tank open. We’ve shut it again, but given the number of us, what we have won’t last half the day. If we spread it thin as possible, we’d still only get three days.”

“If there were only half as many of us, it’d last six days,” Clay interjected with amusement from high in the saddle. “Care to see who’s gonna get to drink that water?”

The space between all of them was strung with invisible threads of tension.

“You’ve got a point there,” Granny said, looking as she did at Lance from the corner of her eye. “I suppose we can’t let those that aren’t pulling their own weight drink our water.”

Lance lowered his eyes. He was well aware of where he stood.

“How long would it last between four people?”

At that abrupt question, Granny stared at the young man in black with astonishment. “Well,” she replied, “barely a day and a half, I suppose.”

“Make it two.”

“I suppose we can manage that. But traveling by day should be a lot more painful for you than it is for us.”

“The night makes up for it. He can have my share.”

The old woman turned and exchanged glances with Clay. “Now, this is a surprise. I didn’t know you were one to worry about anyone else. And here I thought you had liquid darkness flowing through you instead of blood. That’s very kind of you, but me and Tae will take it instead.”

But Granny was in for yet another surprise.

Sulkily, Clay said, “I don’t want any either.”

Not only did Granny have her mouth agape, but Lance didas well.

Gazing steadily at D, Clay said, “If he ain’t drinking, there’s no way I’m gonna keep wetting my whistle. If anybody could accuse me of taking the easy way out, I’d never live it down.”

“Oh, dear me, if that’s not enough to bring a tear to my eye,” Granny said, bowing her head as if deeply touched. “I’ve lived a good long time, but I’ve never heard anything as fine as all that. Yes, indeed—you men can be mighty impressive. Good enough. I’ll give both your shares to Tae.”

It was just like the crone to make no mention of what would become of her own share of the water. But just then a third shock was delivered to Granny.

“That won’t be necessary,” the girl declared.

“How’s that?” asked Granny.

Everyone turned to the girl, who met them with a distant look in her eyes. She was staring off in the same direction she’d headed during her escape. The fact of the matter was that Tae had someone to guide her.

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