Leaning heavily upon his kamayari, Torii Rinzo surveyed the surrounding marsh. Trying to restrain his panting, the ashigaru watched the waving masses of reed for any sign of movement. He had been on the run since the fall of Lord Arai, first guiding the Lord's son to the safety of a village in the mountains, and then doing his best to avoid the numerous patrols looking for survivors such as himself.
Pushing the brim of his jingasa back from head Rinzo wiped a thin film of sweat and grime from his brow. Pursued by a small patrol of ashigaru, Rinzo had decided to loose them by skirting the edges of the marsh. The only problem was that he seemed to have gotten lost. Readying his kamayari, Rinzo put such worries behind him. He was a practical fellow, and getting lost in the was a small price to pay to avoid losing his head to the enemy. Moving to what he hoped was the south, Rinzo began making his way through the muck, ducking into a tall stand of reeds as he tried to follow the nearby river.
It was sometime later, while shadowing the river bank, concealed by thick masses of reeds, that Rinzo spotted one of his pursuers. He was kneeling by the water, drinking; his weapon thrust into the mud beside him, point glittering in the sun. Freezing in place, Rinzo studied the man with care. He seemed to be alone, and considering his present actions, certain that no enemy was near. The wind was gusting, and its noise through the reeds should help disguise the sound of his approach. Stepping forward carefully, Rinzo hefted his spear, gripping the shaft tightly.
The encounter was over in mere moments. Bent over as he was, his only armor a simple hara-ate, the enemy ashigaru died with only a minimum of fuss as Rinzo drove his spear point into the soldier's unprotected back. Pushing forward with the spear, his feet sinking into the soft mud from the effort, Rinzo forced the man over and into the water. Pulling the point out with a wrenching twist of his shoulders, Rinzo paused only to toss the man's weapon in after him before hurrying back into the sheltering confines of the reeds.
Rinzo admitted to himself that killing the soldier had been a risky stunt, but it had felt good to strike a blow, however small, against the enemy. Besides, the effect the soldier's disappearance might have on the others couldn't hurt.
Preoccupied with this thought, Rinzo almost didn't hear the sounds of approaching soldiers. Fortunately, they were still some distance away, and moving slowly, so all was not lost. Tossing his spear away into the reeds, Rinzo dropped to his knees, giving a silent prayer that he would be fast enough.
A short time later three men, carrying spears and wearing light harness entered the clearing. Stopping to rest, the three studied the ground with a mixture of irritation and bewilderment.
Standing straight, the tallest pointed at one of his companions. "Didn't you say he went this way? Well? Where is he?"
The indicated man stood, and glared at his accuser, "His tracks clearly showed him coming this way, it's not my fault you lost him."
"Lost him? You're the one who said he would have no trouble following someone in the marsh!"
"Silence!" The third man stood, cowing his two companions with a harsh stare. "It's obvious that he's doubled back and the longer we argue the less chance we have of catching him. Now, come on!" Hefting his spear, the man immediately turned back the way he came, the two others continuing their argument as they followed.
Sometime later the the clearing underwent a startling transformation as Rinzo pulled himself out of the mud and muck of the marsh. Rising unsteadily to his feet he silently cursed the ashigaru that had decided to stand directly on his back. Wiping unsuccessfully at the black mud that now coated his armor and his body, Rinzo sighed as he tired to drag his fingers through his hair. The long strands were now tangled with clay, and the waist length mass lay heavily upon his back. To make matters worse, there was no way he'd be able to do what he usually did at times like this; drop by the local geisha house for a hot bath, good food and pleasant company. Retrieving his spear, Rinzo shook his head in a vain attempt to remove more mud, heading away from the hopelessly lost ashigaru, hoping only that the mountain village would still be there when he arrived.