Neko gestured wildly, but Jack couldn’t make head or tail of what she was saying. Shrugging, he shook his head.

Giving up on signing, Neko grabbed Jack’s arm and pulled him off the road and into the forest. She led him up a rise to a small clearing, where she urgently pointed to Tamagashi village below.

In the gathering gloom of dusk, Jack saw a bright red fire burning out of control in the square. To his horror, one of the farmhouses was ablaze.

7 Baby

7

BABY

Jack sprinted down the track, hard on Neko’s heels. For such a small thing, she was as fast as a fox. And she had also proved very persuasive – she’d mutely entreated him to return to the village, unwilling to let go of his arm until he agreed. Jack could only presume that Akuma was raiding the farmers’ rice store, the harsh snows having encouraged him to seize provisions early.

The two of them burst from the forest and ran along the muddy track into the village centre. All the farmers had gathered in the square and were now staring in horror at the inferno before them. The thatched roof of the farmhouse was alive with flames. A few men were trying to douse the blaze with buckets of icy water from the pond, but their efforts were making little impact and the fire continued to spread.

A woman wailed, struggling in the arms of a round-faced man with thinning hair, who appeared just as tormented. She seemed desperate to throw herself inside the burning building.

Neko and Jack came to a halt beside Sora, whose face was more anguished than ever.

‘Where’s Akuma?’ demanded Jack, looking around for the bandits.

‘Akuma?’ gasped Sora, shocked by the name almost as much as by seeing Jack again. ‘No … no bandits. A cooking pot full of oil spilt and set the house on fire.’

Jack sheathed his katana, annoyed that Neko had dragged him back just for this. Tragic as it was, it was of no concern to him. He turned to resume his journey.

‘B-b-but their baby’s still inside,’ Sora exclaimed.

Above the roar of the flames and the mother’s own cries, Jack now heard the screams of a small child. The farmhouse was close to collapsing, but the farmers still stood doing nothing. It was clear they were all too scared to risk their lives.

Jack lost no time. Passing Neko his swords and pack, he ran over to a nearby shed and ripped away the cloth sacking that hung from a window. He then seized a full bucket from one of the farmers and threw it over himself. Shuddering with the cold, he grabbed a second bucket and soaked the sack too. Wrapping himself in the sodden cloth, he took a deep breath and charged into the blazing farmhouse.