After Kohaku had treated him with great hospitality, Raiko made to find a place to rest. The short time he had to sleep before only made him even more fatigued, and despite the fact that there were new faces, he simply did not have the energy to chat. He went behind the demon slayer's house, shaded from the bright sunlight, and sat. Despite the commotion on the other side of the residence, he immediately fell into a deep slumber.
Hey
He could hear distantly.
Hey! C'mon, sleepy head, let's go!
Suddenly he opened his eyes and he found himself lying on his back in the grass. He could feel small hands shoving his torso, and he turned to find a small child who seemed distressed about him laying in the grass. She shoved him in a place that made him tickle and he moved so that she would't do it again.
Jeez, were you sleeping?
No, he said derisively, I was just laying in the grass. I can't lay in the grass?
No, you dummy, mother is waiting for us!
He turned and saw the woman in the white silhouette waiting for them some distance. She had her head turned in a different direction, so he couldn't make her face out. He felt that he should already remember her face, but he couldn't. Perhaps if he got closer...
Raiko? Are you all right? Why are you staring off like that?
He turned to the little child, whose features he could make out perfectly: hime-style hair, amber eyes and a small nose. But he wondered why he could not make out the woman's features, despite the sense of familiarity he felt with her. As he turned to find the woman, she disappeared, and Raiko sighed.
Don't worry, Okaru. I'm just admiring the scenery.
You're weird. - she said dismissively.- C'mon, or mom'll get mad at us!
Alright, alright. I could probably see her one more time...
The child stopped short of saying anything, and it was silent for a while, save the slight breeze and rustling of the grass. To their left stood a forest of trees in the distance. It was never-ending, apparently, since the rows of trees seemed to run the same distance as the mountain range opposite them, the mountain range of Kakarashi, where their city sat. Ahead of them was a monument, which payed tribute to the late empress of Kakarashi. Raiko and Okaru would come here when the sun was at its highest point in the sky, and they'd remain there for a while, with Raiko telling stories of how loving, how caring, how knowledgeable she was.
Finally, when the sun would begin to set, they would make their way back to the city before the guards would set up the nighttime barricades. Okaru made her way back to their home, but Raiko turned to watch the sunset from atop the gates. As he watched it, he saw the woman in white standing from in front of the monument. A veil covered her face as she seemed to be watching him from the distance....
Raiko could hear crickets from outside. It seemed that nightfall had fallen. He found himself lying on wooden floorboards. It had seemed that he had been carried inside from his original resting place. Instead of finding Kohaku, he remained silent, staring at a dark ceiling. His mind kept returning to the woman in white. She was becoming more frequent in his dreams, but he wasn't sure why. She was definitely trying to make contact with Raiko, but every time he tried to get closer, she seemed to get further and further away.
Mom... is it you? Why are you trying to contact me..?
He also remembered seeing Okaru. She wondered if she was missing her big brother. He hoped Raiden was keeping her safe, but he couldn't even verify that. The sudden rise of activity of the Sakuretsu and the lack of restraint on them worried him even more. He was far away from home, and he needed to get back to see his fears dissolve. For now, he would rest, and prepare himself for a long journey. On that note, he turned to rest, the sounds of crickets drifting him off to sleep...
Master Raiko Shono Community Member 
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