Yuna stood motionless for a few minutes. What she saw lying on the floor in front of her, she just couldn't believe. However, she calmed down again and stepped even closer to the black figure, which was not moving.
In a slow and trembling voice she asked: "Uh ... Who are you? Do you hear me?"
When she got no answer she moved closer to the figure. Yuna couldn't see the face because the person was facing the ground. She grabbed the person by the shoulder and rolled them onto their back. She was amazed to see a boy wearing a black mask.
Once again she repeated her question: "Do you hear me? Is everything all right with you?"
And again she got no answer. Suddenly she noticed that the boy's body was damp.
"Oh my god ... he's bleeding!"
She quickly picked it up and carried it into her house on her back. It was extremely difficult for Yuna and she accidentally dropped it. She put it on her bed and quickly found a cloth to wipe off the blood.She opened his jacket and saw a cut, probably made by a sword.
"He must be a shaman," she mused.
With the utmost care she wiped the blood away and wrapped a bandage around his wound. The injury wasn't life threatening, but it would take a long time to heal. Yuna wondered how the boy could be hurt so badly. Was he a shaman of Hao? She didn't know him, but instinct told her she could trust him. She looked at him for a while, wondering whether to take the mask off him. Her hands went to his face. She hesitated. But then her hand reached for the mask. Suddenly he woke up and held her hand in his.
Recovered from the shock, she said: "You woke up at last."
"Where ... where am I here? Who are you?"
The shaman coughed.
"I'm Yuna Asakura. I just saw you lying on the ground in the forest and then I carried you into my house.Why are you actually hurt so badly? "
The boy didn't answer her and looked away. Yuna smiled.
"If you don't want to tell me, I won't force you to. But you have to rest. Your wound is not very deep, but you still can't get out of bed. I'll make herbal tea while it is. It helps very well in case of injuries. "
The boy looked at her questioningly.
"Aren't you afraid that I might harm you? You don't even know me."
"You are right. But my feeling tells me that you are not a bad shaman."
"How do you know that I'm a shaman?" Asked the injured man, surprised.
"Well ... A cut like that can only have been made by a shaman and since you have no other injuries, I have come to the conclusion that you must have defended yourself. A normal person would be dead with your opponent."
Yuna couldn't see it exactly, but apparently he was amazed at their combination."So that's it."
She smiled again.
"Yes. I know you don't want to tell me about yourself, but you could tell me your name, right?"
"My name is Horo ...", he hesitated, "Horo Usagi."
Yuna was surprised at his hesitation, because after all she just wanted to know his name. Maybe he lied to her too. But she didn't worry about it any more and just wanted to nurse him back to health. She got up and went into the kitchen to make the herbal tea. When the water in the kettle boiled, she took it off the stove and poured the hot water into a teapot, where the healing herbs were already there. Just as she put the kettle aside, she heard something fall. It came from her room. She quickly rushed there and saw Horo, who broke a vase because he was trying to get up.
"What are you doing there, Horo? You are badly injured and you can't get out of bed!"
"I have to. Don't worry about me."With these words he held on to the edge of the bed and slowly tried to get to his feet.
"No! How can I not take care of you when you can't even walk properly?"
Horo didn't listen to Yuna and kept trying until he walked unsteadily and laboriously towards the door. But he was too weak. His legs fell over and he was about to fall forward. Yuna didn't think long, ran to him and grabbed his arm to bring him back into balance. However, she then lost her balance and fell - dragging Horo with her - to the ground. So Horo landed on her and their faces were only a breath away from each other. Both stayed on the ground for a long time. Yuna looked deep into his eyes. He was warm. Her heart was beating like mad and she thought it was going to pop out soon. But for a tiny moment she wished that this moment would never end. As if enchanted, they both did not move until Yuna could again come to a clear thought."Uh ... Might ... Could you get off me? I can't breathe anymore ..." Yuna stammered.
"Of course ...", Horo slowly tried to get up again.
Yuna helped him to his feet and led him to her bed. She noticed how her face was glowing. It was probably red as a tomato, she thought. She didn't know what to say, just like Horo, who was sitting on the bed and looking to the side.
"The ... the herbal tea is ready, I'll get it. And don't try to get up again. You are way too weak."
Embarrassed, turned and went into the kitchen. Horo raised his face and watched her for a long time until she disappeared into the kitchen. She still felt her heart beating. Yuna thought back to the moment when she looked deep into his eyes and her heart beat faster again. She shook her head.
"I mustn't think about it anymore ..."
Yuna tried to forget everything again. But deep inside she longed for the warmth and she wondered who this mysterious shaman was.