Kaede had brushed off every concern for her well being. She could feel the poison from the first blade pumping through her blood and stinging but other than that it did not affect her. She would be rid of it before long. At Mizuki's question about her other supposed Guardians Kaede huffed angrily. "As far as I'm concerned those who fall behind are left behind, Guarding you is their priority and they are doing a piss poor job." She watched Asuka attack their enemies with great relish and desperately wanted to join her. But the princess needed guarding and she was the best to lead them out. It was with relief that she saw Asuka catch up to them, finding herself trusting the Ronin most despite their previous enemy status. They were so close to the gate when suddenly the ground shook and Kaede was not in time to turn around before the princess had been snatched from them.

She sensed the spirit's malevolent and agonised aura, flinched slightly in sympathy, the thing was in such pain. She was about to go and grab the princess back before she actually did that herself and at that point Kaede took up position in front of her. "Princess stay behind me or close to one of the others if I am attacked." This happened quickly, the giant broken paw descending upon her whereupon she pushed Mizuki into Asuka to protect before punching the claw to pieces above her, though her hand bled and cracked under the blow. She whirled around to the Miko. "Hanami-san aim for the masked bastard!" She gestured to the Spirit controller above them on the gate top before dodging once again out of the way of the Bear spirit's enormous fists and jumping ontop of it to run along its arm to its shoulder. She had a go at slicing through the demonic beads around its neck but of course her blade simply bounced back and she had to narrowing escape being bitten in half. She jumped down its body and skidded back to the group of her comrades. "Beads will need spell breaking! Or the Miko could bless one of our swords?"