#trustingdoctor

Ngh... My head. Neya wasn't sure why but her head was pounding, it felt like someone had threw her repeatedly into a wall. Although with a wince she quickly retracts that statement, make that two walls. She moves to place a hand on her head but suddenly notices the feel of gravel beneath her palm, it was also digging harshly into her cheek and side. Slowly Neya's eyes flutter open and momentarily she's confused as to why she was lying on the ground but then it all came rushing back to her.

The cliff. They had fallen off the cliff, into the river.

They were ambushed while traveling, it was normal. Nothing seemed off, Utsuho was with Pochi and Hikae at the front, Yakuma in the middle and she bought up the rear. It was pleasantly silent that warm afternoon and then when she hadn't been paying attention she'd tripped and lucky for her that rock was a lifesaver because the second she fell down something sharp went flying over her head. Neya was glad to have lost a few strands of hair rather than her whole head.

After that things just flew by like a blur. She could recall Utsuho, Yakuma and Hikae taking out so many men with ease, bodies dropping like a sack of radishes, it was a mess. Blood and detached limbs, and bandages for those left mostly intact with a few bumps and bruises were everywhere--courtesy of Hikae and Yakuma respectively--Even she had managed to take out a couple of her own. While in the middle of retrieving one of her tossed weapons after the battle, that had been embedded into the neck of one unfortunate bandit, she managed to spot him. Lurking in the bushes weapon--a gun!--aimed at Yakuma.

Reacting purely on instinct Neya lunged at the doctor knocking him to the ground while Utsuho delivered a devastating kick to the attackers stomach which sent him flying backwards. Heaving a sigh of relief she murmurs her thanks to Utsuho and stands up, reaching down to help Yakuma to his feet. Neither of the pair had time to make a move before the very ground below them started to crumble at their feet.

The last thing she remembered was missing Utsuho's extended hand by a hair, Yakuma calling her name and the heady taste of salt as the current of the rushing river swept them away.

That's right, she and... Yakuma. Eyes widening suddenly in realization at the thought of him Neya quickly lurches into an upright position with a sharp gasp.

"Yakuma!" Whirling around she frantically searches the river bank for her friend. When she does find him, her heart nearly stops she spots him a few feet away from her, lying on his stomach--somehow his hat managed to survive all the excitement as well and washed alongside the shore at his side--he couldn't be dead, could he?