Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ Destiny's Warrior ❯ chapter ten ( Chapter 10 )

Ryo moved cautiously around the savannah surveying the land. 'I really don't know why we are even sending out someone to scout.' He thought. 'No one would even think to look for us out here, but whatever.' Ryo continued to move and scout around unaware of the flying dragon over his head or the now spreading fire. He had gone a good ways when he looked up and saw a group of animals running towards him. Ryo quickly moved out of their path for fear of being trampled.

'They look like they're really scared of something.' Turning around he saw what it was, a gigantic silvery flame was almost upon him, burning the ground and the grass. Ryo turned on his heels and started wildly running towards the river anxious to get away from the impending flame. Ryo turned his head and saw the flame was quickly gaining. Ryo ran harder and made it to the cliffs when he realized that he was trapped. He would have to climb up the side of the cliff if he wanted to get away from the fire. Ryo started his upward climb and got about halfway up when he lost his grip and went tumbling down. He hit the ground with a thud. He tried to get up, but fell down again, his vision blurring slightly. Suddenly he saw a dark figure emerge from the flames, it was a woman, but the smoke was blocking her face.

"Mia?" Ryo said weakly as he slipped into unconsciousness.

Sakura frowned and knelt down and flipped Ryo on his back. She looked to the left, then to the right. She stared at his face for a moment as she moved a lock of hair from his face. Picking him up she turned and started running towards the river. 'I better hurry,' she thought, 'the other warriors will have seen the smoke from the fire by now and will come to help Ryo. I have to get him to the other side of the river.' Sakura ran as fast as she could; the unconscious Ryo in her arms. She finally made it to the river and jumped in. She situated Ryo in her arms and started swimming towards the opposite shore. Once she felt the ground underneath her, she stood up and carried Ryo up onto the bank. She placed him on his back, bending over tried to return her breathing to normal. She was surprised when a warm tongue licked water from the side of her face. Looking up she saw Kero who had once again disobeyed orders to stay home.

"Kero" she scolded, "You were supposed to stay home!"

Kero had the graces to look humbled as he licked her hand.

Sakura sighed, it was hard to stay mad at him, "What am I going to do with you?" she said with a smile. "Ok, you can stay; I'll probably need all the friends I can get."

Suddenly she heard Ryo moan, turning around she saw him stirring.

"Your awake." She said to him. Ryo sat up and rubbed his head. Ryo looked at Sakura in shock and opened his mouth to say something when voiced interrupted.

"Ryo!" a myriad of voices called as the other Ronins, Mia, and Yulie came into view. 'So that's Mia and Yulie.' Sakura mentally thought. 'They don't look like they will be that much of a concern.' White Blaze ran past the Ronins to stand in front of Ryo. He spread his paws apart and growled menencenly at Sakura. Kero jumped in front of Sakura and returned the growl at White Blaze his hackles raised.

"Let him be, Kero." Sakura said. Kero sat down at her heels, but kept his teeth bared, tail twitching alertly.

"Dude, you alright?" Kento asked as he helped Ryo to his feet.

"Yeah," he weakly said, "I'm fine," his voice growing stronger. "But she saved me." The others looked at Sakura suspicion etched in their faces.

"You saved him?" Rowen asked. "Why?"

"I have come to ask to join the Ronin warriors." Sakura humbly said. The Ronins looked at her with a mixture of surprise and disbelief.

"What?" Sage asked. "You expect us to let you stay with us? You must be crazy."

"Why?" Sakura challenged.

"Because your one of Talpa's warlords. One of the top ranking warlords if we aren't mistaken." Sage countered.

"I am not one of Talpa's warlords anymore." Sakura said suddenly pretending to be interested in the rock at her feet. "I have seen the pain and misery I've caused and so I wish to join you in your fight against Talpa to make amends for the terrible things I've done."

The Ronins looked at each other and then at Sakura unsure of what to make of it.

"Please," she continued, "give me a second chance to show you that I truly have changed."

"You will excuse us to confer amongst ourselves won't you?" Sage said bitingly, more of a demand than a question.

"Of course," Sakura bowed humbly as she stepped back awaiting there verdict.

The Ronins, Mia, and Yulie gathered together each face showing the surprise and distaste that they held for her.

"What do you think?" Sage asked.

"I think we should get rid of her while we have the chance." Ryo said trying to ignore the way his heart beat faster when she spoke.

"But, Ryo," Mia said reprovingly, "She saved your life."

"From a fire she probably started." Sage argued.

"We have no proof of that." Cye stated. "And the fact still remains is that even if she did, why didn't she let Ryo die? She had the perfect opportunity to."

No one could really come up with a logical answer to that question, but they were all still doubtful for Sakura's intentions.

"Well, Ryo, it's up to you." Rowen said. "We'll go with whatever you decide."

"Why me?" Ryo asked. He did not want to be put in charge of this decision.

"Because you're the one she saved and we figure you will probably give her a more fair chance than anyone of us would." Cye said.

The group turned around to face Sakura, who had her hands clasped in front of her with an unsure expression on her face.

"You can stay… for now," Ryo added. "That will give us enough time to decide whether or not she is on our side." He said quietly to the others. The others nodded their agreement and Sakura smiled triumphantly, as they started heading off towards their campsite, flanked on either side by one of the Ronins.

'Perfect,' Sakura thought to herself. 'Now that I'm in… I can find out what makes these guys so unbeatable and then…' She laughed under her breath as she looked up at the sky and saw a dragon and a rider flying away into the sunset.