Disclamer: Don't own Bleach

Wood Nymph

Ichigo sat upright and threw yet another stone to the snoring Keigo. Why he thought miserably was he grouped with Keigo. He felt around the ground again, looking for something to throw at the snoring machine beside him. He was amazed that his so-called friend could still breathe with all that snorting, but what amazed him more is that the other people in their group seemed to be immune to Keigo's snores. Chad, Ishida and Mizuro were sleeping like logs all around him, whilst he had been tossing and turning all night. He felt another stone and threw it once more. This time Keigo stopped snoring. Ichigo smiled at his moment of triumph. But Keigo then shifted his weight, scratched the part where he was hit and continued snoring again. The orange haired shinigami sighed in frustration. He got up and went out of the tent.

Ichigo was greeted by a gust of cold wind. The moon was full and so big that it was enough to illuminate everything the forest path. The stars were infinite in the midnight sky. He had walked this forest path earlier that day and he was sure he would not get lost. He slid his hand inside his pocket and he walked slowly to the clearing.
He called it his sanctuary. This clearing he was going to. It was a little way off the forest path, he discovery it yesterday while there were given the task to get some plant specimen. He was nearing the clearing when he noticed somebody dancing. He stopped. The moon was partially covered by clouds so he had a hard time recognizing the figure. The first thing that crossed his mind was a wood nymph. The figure had long flowing red hair and was wearing something white. He was enchanted by the figure's dancing. Then the sky cleared, and then he realized his "wood nymph "was no other than Inoue.

"Inoue?" He called as he walked near her.

She stopped dancing and turned her head. "Kurosaki-kun, how long have you been in there?"

"I just arrived.' He lied.

"Oh. Hehehe, what are you doing still up?"

Ichigo raised his eyebrows. "I couldn't sleep. Keigo was snoring."

She giggled a little. She looked different in the moonlight. Her features were illuminated by the pale light looking closer to a wood nymph. "I couldn't sleep as well so I took a walk."

He was about to say something when he heard a sound. He looked around to find the source of the sound but it seemed to be everywhere.

"Forest music"

"What?" he said

Inoue smiled. "Forest music, you could hear it as well."

The music grew louder as if the wind carried it. He turned to Inoue who was humming.

She smiled. "Would you like to dance, Kurosaki-kun?"

He held the back of his neck and turned his head away. "I don't dance." he muttered, blush creeping on his cheeks.

The same red tint formed on the girl's face. Her smile wavered a little. He noticed her expression of disappointment. He quickly thought of something to say or do. It's just a little dance you know. It won't hurt you. A voice inside his head said. And it will make her happy, you like her happy, right Ichigo. He made up his mind. He offered his hand to her. The red-haired girl took one look at his hand and then took it. She smiled as she placed her hand in his shoulder and intertwined the other with his hand. Ichigo awkwardly placed his hands at her small waist.

The dance was clumsy. Mainly because Ichigo doesn't know how to dance, he almost stepped on Inoue's feet twice. In the end they both laid on the grass looking at the stars.

"That one there is Vega and the other right there is Altair." Inoue stated as she pointed to two quite distant stars.

"You know a lot about these stars." Ichigo commented.

Inoue blushed. "My brother used to tell me that when I was smaller."

He sat upright and looked at his luminous wristwatch. 1:58 am.

He stood up and dusted his pants. "We better go back now. It's really late."

Inoue got up as well. "You're right Kurosaki-kun! They might think that Mecha890 had attacked us and ate us alive."

"Inoue…"

She smiled and walked near Ichigo. The youth's eyes grew big as she inched closer and gave his a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you for the dance, Kurosaki-kun."

"It's nothing." He croaked.

She began to walk she turned and said. "Ahehehe, come on then Kurosaki-kun."

Ichigo rubbed the part his "wood nymph" had kissed and quickly followed her. Ichigo did not know why but when he returned to his tent, he too became immune to Keigo's snores and slept peacefully that night.