Shota trudged. There was simply no other word for it. Honshu was a very big island and it was taking him impossibly long to reach his sister. He'd be late, he knew it. It would be bad for him, bad for Azuki, and would disappoint his parents if they lost their human identities because of his slowness, but he just couldn't go any faster! His feet hurt, as he'd just had to get new sandals. He was hungry, too, and he didn't know how far away the next village was. As he approached a bend in the road he heard a roar that echoed inside his head.
"OUCH!"
He began to jog towards the sound. Suddenly he heard men's voices, only this time with his ears.
"What's wrong with your horse?"
"Lazy." Shota heard the slap of a whip. "Move on!"
"IT'S MY FOOT! THERE'S A ROCK IN IT!"
As Shota rounded the co
