34The song, Better Run Through The Jungle by CCR is what I envision as background for the opening scene, as a camera pans across rolling hills and sinking valleys filled with trees from on high, before eventually dropping and closing in on our hero. This is what I see. : )
Junichiblue
Into the Jaws
"You and me both, buddy."
The young man's core muscles grunted in protest, fists curled around the hard earth-worn leather straps that chained his wrists to tightening reigns.
He swore aloud, barely saving himself from an ungainly catapult and a merciless landing into to the hard, kiln dried earth that was his path, when Zangetzu repeated his gruff complaint loud and clear, and came to a dead stop.
Under the tiredweight of his hooves, dry sticks and even drier leaves snapped and crunched in an empty, hollow tribute to the hefty weight of a hard earned life. Zangetsu snorted his frustration for the umpteenth time and shook his head side to side almost violently, long black strands of hair cascading down his lean neck, causing just enough of a breeze against his skin to tease but not quite cool him.
"Alright. Alright. I'm getting down. Don't be such a nag."
The last word prompted an affronted whinny and a single, heavy foot stomp.
It was the exact response Kurosaki Ichigo expected from his sable-haired stallion, as he attempted to dismount the steed as gracefully as one would expect from a man who was nearing exhaustion and probably suffering heat stroke on top of dehydration.
Ichigo swung his leg over the broad back end of his horse and stumbled as his right foot hit the ground. He grumbled, trying to keep his balance on one shaking leg while his left foot remained stubbornly caught up in the stirrup. Ichigo swore and tugged once, one hand braced against his horse's solid, stubble haired hind quarters, the other reaching to grab the strap. He teetered like a scrawny evergreen ready to fall, as he fought to free his foot.
Zangetsu's long neck craned around, and the beast watched its owner's strange antics with mild interest, a thin ray of sunlight illuminating large chocolate eyes. If he'd had a proper eyebrow to raise, he would have. As it were, he cocked one ear back, just as effective an expression if Ichigo had looked up to see it.
Ichigo tugged again, harder this time. There was the briefest of pauses. And then he yelped as the old, worn-out piece of leather attached to the metal foot-rest finally gave way under the strain, and broke, sending the unprepared rider careening backwards, arms windmilling.
Zangetsu stood calmly and flicked an overlong ear as he regarded his strange keeper who now lay sprawled on the ground. What appeared to be a valiant attempt at flight had gotten the young man nowhere, and he had landed harder than hard on his flea-bitten ass.
"Shit! Nnghh!" Ichigo clutched with not quite touching fingers at his tailbone as he arched in pain. "Goddamn... sonofa...!"
One long ear flicked back like a sharp rebuke before coming back up to a tall, brown, condescension.
"You're one to talk," he grunted up at him through grit teeth. "Don't think I don't know what you're saying in that horse voice of yours."
Ichigo scowled up at the stallion who towered above him. Zangetsu, or Zan as he was usually referred to with affection, whinnied and rocked his head up and down, mane dancing, clearly pleased with the show his master was putting on for him.
"Oh, you think that's funny do you?" Ichigo drawled, cocking his head to the side as he sat on the dusty ground, trying not to wince in front of his horse any more than he had to. He moved to get up, then hissed out another curse. The ground wasn't as soft as it looked. And it didn't look soft at all. His ass was already sore and no doubt bore unsightly bruises from many hours of sitting throughout the long arduous journey and navigating the rough terrain of the country side.
Zan nodded again, and despite himself, Ichigo's scowl soften into a somber smiled. At least Zan was happy, and that was something to be grateful for. Ichigo hadn't had much to smile about for awhile now, and he'd take just about any reason he could get at this point to let himself feel something other than anger or dread, or loneliness. He was surprised he even had any sort of humour left about him at all after the last few weeks.
He slowly dragged his sorry self up from the cracked clay earth, and smacked the powdery dirt from the back of his pants with the calloused palm of his hand. The dust hit his throat and he coughed.
It hadn't rained more than a spit in weeks, and the whole country side was ready to go up like a box of kindling.
So was Ichigo's throat. By the Gods, he was thirsty. It hadn't rained at all in days, and water had been scarce. He'd been downing his last full container of water only a few hours ago when he had realized Zangetsu was nearly panting. He hadn't had the heart to deny his old friend the relief he so dearly deserved. And it made as much sense to keep his horse hydrated as it did himself, especially since Zan was the one doing all the work.
Without Zan, Ichigo might as well have been a carcass on the side of the road.
He owed his old friend his life many times over. After all, he'd only narrowly escaped with it.
It had been, what... three weeks, maybe less. Didn't matter really. Nothing mattered now but putting as much space between them and that town as they could. As fast as they could.
The two of them had bolted, leaving behind the tattered remains of Ichigo's life, and that was the fine point of it. Ever since then, they'd been on the move, taking refuge in the hilly countryside far off the travelled road.
One horse, past his prime, and one teenage boy, barely a man. Putting as much distance as they could between them and the place he used to call home.
Ichigo stared long and hard back down the path they'd come, watching for ghosts, listening to the birds speak and the trees whisper.
They were being followed.
Their departure had been hasty. His family, murdered. The townspeople, screaming for his blood. Still in shock from the murders and the growing dark allegations, he'd left in the middle of the night, with only a few scraps of food, water, some coins, and the clothes on his back.
Ichigo looked to the sky, to the large patches of blue that he could see between the canopy above. He didn't have a timepiece, but he guessed it was past the dinner hour. Scattered shadows stretched across the path he'd followed as they worked their way downward, into the valley, and hopefully, towards water. He had at best a few hours to reach his goal. If they didn't find water before the sun set... well... Ichigo really didn't want to think about that.
Ichigo grimaced and ran the back of his bare arm across his forehead, no doubt leaving a line of dirt there in the process. That had been his luck of late, so why not?
Whatever. Dirt would only serve to act as camouflage. That would be a good thing. Too bad it didn't keep out the heat. They'd been trudging along for almost the entire day, trying to stick to the shadowed animal paths to avoid the suppressing heat. It had to be well over thirty degrees, maybe a few less in the shade. But still. They were both in real trouble if they didn't get fresh water soon. Man or beast, you could only go so long without it.
Ichigo worked his tongue around his mouth, thinking hard about bitter things like sour grapes and juicy lemons, anything to trick his mind into producing some saliva so that he could swallow without the sides of his throat sticking together.
The rush of warm air against his face brought him back to his surroundings. Zangetsu's long thick eyelashes fluttered over wide brown eyes as his friend tried to tell him they had to get going.
"Yeah. I know. Good boy, Zan." Ichigo ran his hand down Zangetu's long snout and patted his muzzle before he grabbed the reigns that hung from the stallion's neck. Not that he needed to. Zan would follow him anywhere. He was more friend than beast.
A pull on the reign jerked Ichigo's arm back.
"Hey," he complained, turning. "Cut it out, you dumb horse." Ichigo frowned and gave the leather strap a countering tug, but Zangetsu was like a mountain. Ichigo sagged, eyes dark and tired. "What is your problem?"
The horse snorted and shook his head.
"We can't stay here," Ichigo snapped, frustrated. "They'll find us." He looked hard at his friend, all the weight of their predicament clear in his eyes. "And you know what they'll do when they find us."
Zangetsu only shook his head, dust shaking from his mane as he did.
"It'll be quick for you." Ichigo reached up and poked the horse in the forehead. Zangetsu let out a grumbling snort and stepped back.
Ichigo turned away, unwilling to dwell on his fate any further. If he got caught, it was sealed. He took up the slack in the reigns and started forward, only to be yanked to a standstill for a second time. He twisted around, thirst and hunger tearing away at the last of his patience.
"I'm NOT kid..." Ichigo stopped mid sentence, wary brown eyes following the unexpected, sideways nod of the stallion's head.
Anger forgotten, his voice came out low, cautious. "What is it, Zan?"
Zangetsu was trying to tell him something. He studied the thick bushes to their left. Something seemed off.
He stepped closer, eyes scanning through the leaves, watching the trails of sun leak through to the open space behind. Then he realized what was off. There was space behind the bush. He reached out and took hold of a cluster of branches, and pulled at it. The whole thing moved.
"What the hell?" Ichigo set the large chunk of cut bush to the side, and stared at the thin trail that wended its way through the forest's underbrush. Ichigo was awed. "Somebody's living out here?"
A whinny came from behind him, the sound of agreement. Ichigo straightened, a thread of hope renewing his strength.
"Nice catch, Zan." He grinned at his friend, who nodded back. He turned back towards the empty path.
"You think they're friendly?" Hot air blasted over his shoulder.
"Yeah, I doubt it too. If they're hiding themselves, they probably don't want to be found."
He felt a tug on his shirt collar, and he stepped back to lay a soothing stroke down the side of his horse's long neck.
"Maybe we can trade labour for food."
A hard nose nudged his shoulder.
"Yeah. I'm not sure how I feel about it either, but look at it this way. That trail slopes down. And what's down at the bottom of a valley?"
He asked as if he expected an answer from his beast, but he knew he wouldn't get one.
"Water, Zan. I haven't seen a way down to the valley yet, and if we don't find water soon..."
Zangetsu seemed consigned, ears flicking back and forth as the bugs began to find him in earnest as the dusk approached.
"You go in first."
The stallions big brown eyes flicked sideways, and Ichigo sighed.
"..because I have to put the branches back in place, you dope. So no one follows us. Like I'd ever sacrifice you."
Zangetsu let out a deep rumbling sound and ambled forward, his broad frame brushing the sides of the path as he disappeared into the shadows. Ichigo snapped a small branch from across the path they'd been on and scrubbed away the telltale signs of their movements in the dry earth.
Then he followed, swallowed up by the forest, the traces of their journey soon to be washed away by the coming storm.