Chapter 240: Orchid

The young warrior's swirling, disordered thoughts were interrupted by a sudden noise. From Ichiro's right side, a flying animal darted before the horse's eyes. 

"Hiii!" Ichiro whinnied, inadvertently raising itself up on its hind legs and waving its front hooves in the air. "Hey! Calm down, Ichiro!" Yoichi gulped, clinging to the horse demon's red mane and managing not to fall out of the saddle. 

The Inoshuma returned to an upright position and, breathing out of its nostrils, stepped back and looked around. At the same time, Yoichi's gaze was quick enough to identify the small animal that had flown past them without a trace. 

"A bat?" he said, pausing to look in that direction. His reasoning lasted a few seconds longer than it should have. "Bats come out to hunt at night and sleep during the day. If there are any in this area, there's probably a cave around here somewhere," he added as if his horse could give him advice.