Disclaimer - I do not own Mai Hime. It is owned by Sunrise~
AN - Things have been sooo crazy lately. Work, work, work and yet still more work! D;
It has been destroying my creative drive. By the time I get home from my 9 hour work days, all I want to do and usually end up doing is falling right to sleep. This is not good for writing D:
It also leads to limited-to-no-inspiration for my stories ;_;
But I decided to try to fight back lol. I downloaded this neat little app to my phone, that allows me to write and edit short stories. So, I snuck time away from work here and there to write a couple paragraphs at a time for a new fic~ The idea for this story came suddenly to me (as most of my fics do lol) and I decided to go with it, as it's the first bit of creative work I've been able to get out in weeks. I do of course plan to continue my other fics, and I plan to use this new phone app to help me do so =3
That means of course that any new updates from now on, won't be as long as my updates in the past have been. But it's still good and better to get updates that are a bit shorter than no updates at all, right~ =3
I'll try to continue sneaking time away from work to continue working on my other fics, but in the meantime I hope you all enjoy this new story! =3
~Follow Me Into The Light~
Natsuki slipped and fell, as she rushed through the dark forest canopy. She felt her pursuers following swiftly along behind her. Her breath came out in low, harsh pants as she quickly scrambled back up to her feet.
She couldn't allow them to catch her.
The dark-haired young woman kept running through the dark forest, slipping around the trunks of the massive trees that stretched high into the midnight sky.
Natsuki slipped once more, and could almost feel the ethereal fingers of her pursuers brush lightly across her neck, causing her blood to run cold. A whimper escaped her lips as she once again forced her body to rise, and move deeper into the dark forest. Whispers slipped passed Natsuki's sensitive hearing, and she cried out as she raised her hands to cover her ears in a desperate, futile attempt to keep the whispers out of her mind.
She never saw the edge of the sloping hill. She didn't realize that the next step would send her careening off of the edge of the hill, down its sloping face, tumbling head over heel.
And she never saw the small rock sitting at the bottom of the hill, as her abused body continued to tumble downwards.
A soft, sharp crack filled the air, as Natsuki's head made painful contact with the rock.
Natsuki felt her body sag heavily against the soft earth beneath her, as her vision began dimming and a steady ringing filled her ears.
Its okay now, Natsuki thought dimly to herself. Its okay. If this is how it's supposed to end, then this is fine. I'll just go to sleep now...
And with this last thought filling her mind, Natsuki allowed her weary eyes to close as she felt the whispers draw closer, and the ethereal fingers reach for her.
But just as Natsuki was about to allow her body to succumb to oblivion, a light shone brightly above her, cutting down and through the shadows that reached forward to claim their prize.
A powerful, crystal clear voice that was the sweetest thing Natsuki had ever heard rang out through the darkness, banishing the shadows which seemed to instantly sense the power within this voice. They cried out in fury as they slipped back and away to whence they came.
Natsuki then felt a soft, light touch that brushed smoothly across her heated forehead.
"You are bleeding and have a fever. This is not good. I will treat you. Fear not, I will not allow the shades and shadows to trouble you again. But we must hurry. It is not safe to be out in the forest at night like this," the sweet, lilting voice spoke near the half-comatose girl's ear.
Natsuki slowly struggled to her feet with the aid of her rescuer's arm held lightly around her waist. She stumbled slightly as her world tilted in a dizzying vertigo, and the arm around her waist tightened to keep her from keeling back over to the ground.
"Careful now. Must watch your step. Forest floor full of many things that can halt movement. Come, stay close by my side and I will lead you to safety," Natsuki's rescuer said gently into her ear in a soft, halting way of speaking.
The raven-haired young woman nodded her head in assent, which she immediately regretted as a ripping pain tore through her head, and she almost collapsed against her rescuer's side.
"This will not do. You are almost dead on your feet from fever and head injury." Natsuki could practically hear the frown in her rescuer's voice, and she wanted to apologize for being such a burden. But it was getting so hard to keep her eyes open and think, much less get words past her cotton-filled mouth and dry lips.
"I did not want to use this...this is a special power to only be used in times of dire crisis. Think this situation considered dire crisis," the lilting voice said with wry humour.
A small smile twitched up the corner of Natsuki's lips, as she silently agreed with her rescuer.
Natsuki then suddenly felt and saw with her dimming vision a soft, gentle glow of light. It slowly enveloped her form, creating a warm halo of light around her body. Her rescuer began whispering softly in a language Natsuki neither knew, or even remotely recognized. Then with a swift gust of wind, Natsuki felt her body whoosh and the dark, foreboding forest that once filled her vision was replaced by a cheery warmth, as she suddenly found herself standing in a cozy room.
Where...? Natsuki thought dimly to herself as she allowed her head to make small movements, to be able to look around at her new surroundings.
Wait...how the hell did I just get here? We were just in the forest...Natsuki's thoughts trailed off as the body beside hers sagged slightly. Natsuki struggled to keep her balance, but she quickly found herself and her companion slipping slowly to the warm, wood-paneled floor beneath them.
"I apologize," Natsuki's companion said in a slightly breathless tone. "That level of magic always drains me quickly."
Natsuki's slightly muddled thoughts immediately screeched to a halt.
Wait, what...magic? Natsuki thought weakly to herself. But magic has been outlawed! And all who are even suspected of dabbling in it lose everything...their possessions...their lives. Who is this person who has risked exposure and possible death to save my life.
These were Natsuki's last thoughts as her over-stressed, injured body pitched forward and the now-welcome call of oblivion and darkness cradled her in waiting arms, and she passed out.
~o~o~o~
Natsuki eventually awoke to the feeling of a cool, damp cloth lightly patting her face. The raven-haired young woman lightly scrunched up her face in pain, as the damp cloth brushed over the spot her head had struck the rock earlier. The cloth's path paused briefly, as the hand holding it stilled.
"You are finally awake. It has been over 6 hours since you first passed out. I began to worry as it is not good to sleep with head wounds. But you would not awaken, so I let you continue to sleep. How do you feel now?" the soft, lilting, halting-speech voice spoke from beside Natsuki's side.
Natsuki groggily blinked the sleep and exhaustion from her eyes, and did her best to focus in on the figure waiting patiently next to her. As Natsuki's vision cleared her breath caught as a true vision was revealed to her jade-green eyes. Waist-length honey-coloured hair...brilliant, flashing, garnet-red eyes...a soft smile pulling up the corners of supple lips...a figure that was slender and fit, covered by what appeared to be well-softened leather.
"Who...," here Natsuki had to stop and lick her parched lips before she could continue. They honey-haired woman immediately reached over to a small, rustic, wooden table and lifted a small carved wooden mug filled with fresh spring water. She carefully brought the mug to Natsuki's lips, and Natsuki sipped greedily at the cool, refreshing liquid as it slid passed her lips and down her parched throat.
"Thank you," Natsuki whispered softly and a tad shyly, as the mug of mostly-finished water was placed back on the table.
The scarlet-eyed young woman before her smiled lightly in response, and once again sat patiently waiting for Natsuki to speak.
"May I ask...just who...who are you? What are you doing here in this place? Are we still in the forest? How did we get from the forest to here? Did you really use...magic...?" Natsuki finished her tidal wave of questions, by gently trailing off on that last word.
The chestnut-haired young woman before her merely smiled softly, and gently whispered as she lightly stroked her fingers down the side of Natsuki's face.
"Sleep, my weary new friend. All answers to all questions will be answered in time. For now...sleep..." the woman whispered softly as she leaned forward...and lightly brushed her lips across Natsuki's.
Natsuki's eyes shot open for a brief instant at the petal-soft brush of lips across hers, before she felt the tug of sleep pulling fiercely against her being again.
"Did...did you just...use magic...to put me to sleep..." Natsuki slurred out drowsily, as she fought to keep her eyes open.
"Shh shh, sleep now. You are safe here...with me. I promise you, no harm shall befall you within these walls. There is magic in all things. Even in a simple press of lips. So please, dear one...sleep..."
Natsuki finally allowed her eyelids to drift closed...her last sight before she fully succumbed to sleep's waiting arms...were of sparkling, ruby-red eyes...long flowing chestnut locks...and a beautiful, gentle smile.
And finally...Natsuki slept.
AN - Hope you all enjoyed! Not really sure if this needs to be continued. It was just really great to be able to write something again ^^
Would you guys like to read more of this story? Or should it be left as is? Please review and let me know what you guys thought of this new story ^.^