~*~*~*Feral Eyes*~*~*~

Disclaimer: I don't own CCS or any of the characters.

Summary: AU. He wanted to inherit Clow's power. She just wanted to help her dad. Then, the unexpected happened. Now the future of Tomoeda rests in the hands of a teenage girl and her little wolf.

Chapter 3: The Firey

It was late in the day when the girls returned to Tomoyo's home. Dinner came and went without much discussion, and Tomoyo requested that the girls take dessert in her room, much to Kero's delight.

"Cake!" He cheered as they entered the room.

"As promised." Tomoyo smiled.

The strawberry shortcake practically flew from her hands as Kero launched it directly into his mouth. "Mhmmph!"

"Kero..." Sakura sighed. "Take it easy while I take a bath, okay? I just need to relax."

Tomoyo nodded. "The towels are already in the bathroom for you, Sakura. And there's a robe too."

"Thanks!"

The door swung closed and the room was silent for a moment. Then, Kero frowned. "I'm worried about Sakura."

"Why?"

He floated to the ground, cross-legged, "She could get hurt. She almost drowned today. I couldn't protect her."

"But she made it through okay."

"But what if she didn't?"

"Kero?" Tomoyo took a seat next to the troubled guardian. "May I ask a question?"

He nodded.

"What happens when Sakura collects all of the spirits?"

"Kiddo, you ask some really tough questions. Unfortunately, I don't have an answer." Kero put a hand to his chin. "The only thing Clow told us is that the country will be at war again and someone will have to step in to stop it. Someone with power. Someone -"

"Sakura." She said flatly.

"Yes, Sakura."

"So, she has to stop a war? How can she do that, even with magic?"

Kero's shoulders sunk. "I don't know. I wish I did."

"But, you know, Kero, Sakura is stronger than she looks. I know she'll be all right."

"She's really lucky to have a friend like you." He brightened.

She laughed madly. "Anything for my cute, little Sakura!"

He staggered back a bit. This girl was something else. "Well, we're going to have to head to the other shrines, and the sooner the better. How soon do you think we can leave?"

"Tomorrow."

"Do you think that your family will be suspicious of two girls going off on an extended trip?" He asked. "I mean, won't they stop you from going?"

"Maybe." She thought for a moment. "But if they think we're going to the city to stay with Sakura's brother, maybe they'll be more comfortable with it."

"Do you think they'll believe that?"

"At least for a while, but by then, we'll be halfway to the next shrine." Tomoyo grinned.

"You know, I'm going to have to keep an eye on you. That's sneaky."

"I'll take that as a compliment, Kero."

"So, tomorrow then?"

"Tomorrow."

Sakura slipped carefully into the steaming water. Her muscles ached from the day's activities and the soothing water felt like a dream. Well, aside from the stinging in her arm. The bite marks still marred her skin. She closed her eyes and breathed a deep, relieved sigh. The wolf had seemed somehow sad, not mean. And his eyes, they were so- something she just couldn't pinpoint. She couldn't help but wonder if she'd ever meet him again. Yes, him. Something about the wolf was just decidedly male. Sakura let her thoughts trail away as the warm water eased her mind. The steam filled the room with a warm haze.

But it was getting hot, much hotter than it should be. Sakura opened her eyes and panicked. Everything around her was on fire! The ground, the sky, everything. The bath was gone and she was naked amongst the rolling flames. They jumped and licked at her bare skin, yet somehow, she was unscathed. "How am I not burning?" She thought out loud.

Then, she noticed the blur. It was barely there, but if she stared hard at her arm, she could see it. She touched it hesitantly: it wobbled under her fingertips. "Water?" Somehow, a shell of water was protecting her from the heat. "But how?" A roar erupted in the distance. Something grew out of the flames; it twisted and writhed, revealing a gaunt figure with blazing wings. It grinned and dived at her. The wave of fire engulfed Sakura.

She screamed. Her head was barely above the water and it felt like a deflated balloon. Gasping, she managed to lift herself out of the tub and flop over onto the floor. The cool tile slowly brought her senses back. Carefully, she took in her surroundings. Tomoyo's house. The bathroom. No fire. Good. The mark on her ankle stared back at her dauntingly.

"Sakura!" Kero yelled as the bathroom door gave way. "What's wrong?"

She looked up. Then down. Then she screamed again and launched the nearest object at the tiny guardian. "Out! Now!" The wayward shampoo bottle whirled through the air at breakneck speed before catching Kero and launching him well into the hall.

"Sakura! I heard you scream and then Kero went running off-" Tomoyo appeared in the doorway, out of breath and looking worried. She glanced from Sakura to Kero and back again. The little fur ball looked dazed, but otherwise okay. Sakura, on the other hand-

"Are you okay, girls?" A voice called from downstairs.

"It's fine, Sakura just thought she saw a bug in the bath." Tomoyo responded quickly.

The voice seemed satisfied for the moment.

Tomoyo turned to her friend, "Sakura, it's okay. I'll get you a towel."

Her friend panted and held her head in her hands. "Tomoyo?"

She handed the towel over. "Yes?"

"I think I'm okay now. I had a bad dream and Kero kind of scared me more." She explained.

"A bad dream?"

Sakura was on her feet now. The air seemed lighter and cooler now. "Is he going to be okay?"

"Kero is the 'guardian of the seal,' I'm sure he'll be fine after a little thing like a shampoo bottle. It looks like you clocked him pretty good though, ne? I didn't know you could throw like that." Tomoyo grinned. Anything to change the subject.

"I didn't know I could either."

"Come on now." The dark-haired girl helped her friend down the hall and into some pajamas.

At least Sakura guessed they were pajamas.

"Tomoyo, about these pajamas-" She blushed. "These aren't mine." The frilly pink slip had to be Tomoyo's handiwork. It was made of silk, no doubt, and the spaghetti straps and plunging neckline made her feel rather exposed. This ensemble looked like it'd fit be better suited for a fancy party or some other non-sleeping activity. "They're a little fancy, and um, revealing-"

"But they were made for you. And you look so cute in them!" She cooed.

"But-" The cool air sent chills up her bare arms. She hugged them to herself for warmth and modesty.

The stars faded from Tomoyo's designer-crazed eyes. "So, feeling better then?"

"A little chilly, but yeah."

"So what happened?"

She hesitated. "I just had a bad dream." And then she lied. "It's okay though. I don't even remember what scared me so much. Maybe my head slipped under the water for a second there."

'What aren't you telling me?'

"Huh?" Sakura looked at her friend carefully. She was certain that Tomoyo hadn't moved or said anything, but just now-

"I didn't say anything, Sakura. But I am glad to know that you're feeling better. Please be careful not to fall asleep in the tub next time." She chided.

"And no more, ugh, shampoo hurling." Kero wafted into the room and plopped down on the bed. "You almost killed me with strawberry scented soap. What a horrible way to go." He whined.

Sakura looked at her feet. "I'm sorry, Kero. I didn't mean to throw it that hard, I just-"

"S'okay kiddo. You just used a little magic with that throw." He brightened. "I'm kinda glad to see you're getting better at using your power. Just don't test it on me, okay?"

"Sorry." She rubbed her hands together nervously.

"Extra dessert."

"What?"

"You heard me." Kero announced. "I'll accept extra dessert as an apology. And I want cake. It had better have ice cream on top too; lots of it." He waved his arms in a big circle for emphasis. "Got it?"

Sakura brightened, catching on. "Okay. I'll go get it now!" She scurried from the room.

Tomoyo watched the door and waited.

One.

Two.

Three-

The door swung open and a cherry red Sakura popped in, grabbed her bathrobe, and stormed out of the room again.

Tomoyo giggled.

After much dessert and packing, the girls settled into bed. Kero waited until they dozed lightly before slipping out the window. Quietly, he floated away from the house and settled in the higher branches of a nearby tree. He looked up at the slim moon and sighed. "Clow, am I doing the right thing?" He frowned. "Sakura is a good girl. I don't want to see anything happen to her. I hope you've got something up your sleeve, Clow, because if you mean for her to stop the disaster the same way you did, then-" The cool air ruffled his fur slightly as he knit his brows together. "She's a little clumsy and doesn't really have a handle on her magic yet, but she's giving it her best shot."

Kero stared skyward, "She nearly killed me with a shampoo bottle, Clow. A shampoo bottle." He spat as though the word were poisonous. "She's strong. Her magic has grown a lot in just the short time I've known her. She's got a lot of potential, ne?" The stars twinkled lightly. "Clow, I haven't been awake very long. I don't know what the future holds, but I really think that Sakura will be able to get through it. I'm gonna do everything I can to make sure of it." Nodding to no one, Kero drifted back to the house and Sakura's pillow. He patted her head gently before curling up next to her. "Good night, kiddo."

"Wait-"

"Sakura?" He whispered, lifting his head to observe his mistress. Her face was slightly contorted, as though she were concentrating. She had an arm outstretched and her hand was grasping the blanket.

Kero reached a paw towards her, and hesitated. Sakura's face relaxed as did her grip on the blanket. Her breathing settled and she slept peacefully as though nothing had happened. He waited a minute more to see if anything happened. When twenty minutes passed, he resigned himself to sleep. He'd have to ask Sakura about it tomorrow.

Those girls did not know how to pack a proper picnic lunch. What was this? Some kind of peasant vegetable? The wolf nosed the errant greens aside in his quest for something better at the bottom of the basket. His searching ended with a rice ball. It was better than nothing and he'd already eaten the meat from the sandwiches. Oh well, anything was better than having to hunt. The word hung in his mind. Somewhere inside, the desire to chase down small animals, rip them to shreds, and eat their innards was there. He could suppress it easily, but it was definitely there. Jerking the now-empty basket aside, he stared heavenward.

How long would it be before the desire to hunt grew too strong? How long before he couldn't control himself? Couldn't think? Would the curse turn him into just another creature in the wild? His stomach lurched. The nobility of Tomoeda hunt wolves for sport. Normal people would kill a wolf as soon as they saw it.

But she wouldn't. The auburn-haired girl popped into his thoughts, unbidden. She had approached him willingly. She didn't back down when he snarled at her. Not even when he bit her. God, he bit her? The feeling of his teeth in her flesh was haunting, it was eerie, but he couldn't shake the uncomfortable sensation all evening. And he hadn't really intended to bite her at all. He was just going to scare her and collect the spirit that was rightfully his. It was rightfully his, right? Of course it was! He scolded himself for even considering the idea. It was his birth right. Of course, this was all just a test of his strength.

Shaking the thoughts from his head, he pondered his next move. The girls would probably head for the next shrine soon. With that in mind, he padded away towards the Daidouji estate.

"Wake up, Sakura." Tomoyo whispered, shaking her friend gently.

"Hmm?" The girl stirred, partly opened an eye, and then turned over.

"Sakura!"

"Hoe…"

"Wake up. We need to get going now." Kero urged, peeling back the covers.

"Five more minutes?"

"I'm afraid not, Sakura."

Finally, she blinked and sat up. "What time is it?"

"Earlier than you'd usually get up, I'd say." Kero crossed his arms haughtily. "Now, c'mon kiddo! It's time to go."

"Go?"

Tomoyo smiled. "Sakura's a little slow on the uptake early in the morning." She put a reassuring hand on Sakura's shoulder. "We're leaving for the other shrines now. I've already packed your bag."

"What?" Sakura jerked into sentience. "We're going where?"

"Shh." Kero urged. "Keep your voice down. We don't want to wake the whole house."

"But won't your mom worry-"

"It's okay, Sakura. I talked to her about it last night." Tomoyo smiled brightly.

"You did?"

"Yes, and she had no problem with us going to visit your brother and father for a few days."

"Well, I suppose- wait a minute!" Sakura curled her feet under her and stared hard at Tomoyo. "I thought you said we were going to the shrines?"

The dark-haired girl grinned wider. "We are."

"So, the whole story about going to visit Touya and Dad is-"

"A little cover up." Kero finished. He frowned at Sakura's less than satisfied expression. "Look, we can't exactly spread the word about this little journey. But this is important business! The whole world's at stake."

"But, Kero, I don't like lying to people. And I don't want Tomoyo's mom or my family to worry." She unfolded her legs and rubbed the mark on her ankle. "But, you have a point. This is real, and I don't want anything bad to happen to you or Tomoyo, or my Dad, or Touya."

"Aw, I knew I could could on ya, kid." The guardian floated over to her shoulder. "Now come on. After you get dressed and we have some breakfast, we'll set out for the Ruby Desert."

"The desert? But there's nothing out there, well, other than sand, I mean. Isn't there?" Sakura asked.

"The desert is home to the shrine of the fire spirit."

That afternoon, Kero attempted to explain things to Sakura. That didn't go over as easily as he'd hoped. As the sun set, Kero tried for the fourth time. "You gain power as you go. Each spirit becomes a part of you. And I can't tell you where the other shrines are yet. I don't know. They are revealed to me when you get a new spirit."

"So, let me get this straight. Each one of these spirits is an element and when I collect them, I get stronger?" She tilted her head to the side for a moment. "And you were Clow's guardian, but you don't know where the other shrines are?"

"It's like I said," Kero replied hastily, "There are six spirits, one for wind, water, fire, earth, the sun, and the moon. Each spirit resides at a special shrine that is hidden away from everyone, including those with magic. It takes a lot of looking to find one - and even then, the shrine has to want to be found." Kero stated. "And when you obtain a spirit, you gain it's power."

"Like?" She stared blankly at him.

Kero sighed. Sakura could be dense at times. "Like, you flew remember? At the Water shrine? That was Windy's power."

"So, what does Water do?" Tomoyo asked.

"Well, Water, naturally gives you control over water" Kero stated matter-of-factly.

"Anything else?"

'She went this way.'

Sakura stopped.

Kero perched on Tomoyo's shoulder and shrugged. "No clue. Each element is unique. The obvious power lies in their elemental control, but there are more subtle benefits for some spirits."

"For example?"

"Well, like fire. Fire represents strength. So when Sakura absorbs the fire spirit, she'll get physically stronger too." Kero explained. "I'm sure the other spirits have some subtle abilities but-"

"But?" She drawled.

"I forgot."

Tomoyo giggled, "So, what do the other spirits represent then?"

"Well," He puffed out his chest proudly, happy that someone who understood what he was saying wanted to hear more, "wind represents agility, water is-"

Sakura stopped walking.

"Sakura, is something wrong?"

She looked at them nervously. "Did either of you hear something?"

"Nope."

"Nothing, sorry." Tomoyo frowned. 'I hope she's feeling okay.'

"I'm fine, really."

Kero looked confused momentarily. "We never said you weren't, kiddo." 'Did she hit her head when she fell last night?'

Sakura stamped her foot in defiance. "No, I didn't hit my head! I'm fine!"

"Whoa." the tiny guardian waved his arms wildly. "Hold up a sec." Then, staring hard at his Mistress, he thought, 'Can you hear me?'

"Of course I can."

Tomoyo looked confused. "Can what?"

"Hear Kero," she replied, "I'm not deaf-" It clicked all of a sudden. Kero hadn't opened his mouth to speak, but she'd heard him clearly.

"But he didn't say anything."

"Kero?" Now she was really confused. "How did I-"

He grinned.

Sakura shifted nervously. "I heard you."

"Yup." The grin broadened.

"But how?"

"Another side effect." Kero settled on her shoulder and cleared his throat. "As I was about to explain, water represents intellect. One of the abilities associated with that is clairvoyance. You know, the ability to hear and transmit thoughts? Go figure." The little guardian tapped Sakura lightly on the temple. "Clow Reed had mastered a minor telepathy using water magic. He could understand others near him or send short messages. It has a limited range of course."

'So she can hear my thoughts?'

Sakura turned to face Tomoyo, surprised to see that she hadn't in fact, said anything. "Um. Apparently I can."

The girl froze for a second, then leapt at Sakura. "That's so cool, Sakura!" She hugged her tightly. "You're turning into a real magical heroine. And on top of that, it will be so much easier to discuss magic in public now!"

"Kero?" The now-dazed girl struggled to comprehend her newfound ability. "How do I shut it off?"

He shrugged. "I dunno. Clow always just seemed to concentrate before he talked to us mentally. Maybe you need to un-focus?"

"That's a lot of help." She sighed.

"Look, now's not really the time to stop and figure this out." He explained. "We need to get to the Fire Shrine sooner, rather than later. For now, just don't focus too hard on any one person. That should keep you from hearing anything you don't want to. We'll stop to rest for the night soon."

"If you say so-" Honestly, Sakura felt terrified by this new power. The regular, flying, laser beam shooting kind of magic was scary enough, but add to that hearing everyone's internal monologues? No thanks. So, just don't concentrate on any one person, right? That couldn't be too hard. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

'Why am I doing this?'

"Huh?" She jumped a little. The voice she'd just heard, it didn't sound like Kero or Tomoyo. "Did either of you hear-" And she stopped. Her friends looked back for a moment, concern written into their features. Sakura suddenly felt embarrassed. She was worrying them over what was probably nothing, right? So she waved them on. "Never mind. This is just going to take some getting used to." For the next several hours, Sakura tried very hard to focus on the ground. It didn't talk back.

'Why am I doing this?' Thought the wolf for the second time. The question had been plaguing him all day. Why had he set out to the Wind Cave in the first place? The answer popped up immediately. It was because of the rules. If he wanted the support of the clan, he had no choice. But they hadn't told him that this would happen. And they probably didn't know and didn't care. It didn't matter that he was a furry mess right now. No, all that mattered was gathering Clow's inheritance; his magic. And right now, someone else was stealing that inheritance from him. He stopped. The Wind spirit's words played again in his mind. He would never forget them:

"…you have the gift, but you are not the one. This is not your destiny. Only one who is proven worthy may possess Clow's power."

Just what was the spirit talking about? 'Not your destiny.' He snorted. 'Only one who is worthy.' Bah. This was most certainly his destiny. What was not his destiny was being stuck as a flea-ridden wolf until he could undo this ridiculous curse. Fleas. That was something he'd rather not think about.

He sniffed the ground absently, deciding to focus on the task at hand. It hardly took any concentration to find Sakura's aura. That was another odd thing. Since becoming a wolf, his senses had sharpened, but that's where the benefits stopped. He couldn't use magic in this form. Oh, he'd tried. Attempting to call lightning had done little more than make his fur tingle. Yet, for whatever reason, auras, especially hers, were easy to spot. It was pink, unusual for an aura to begin with, but it bounced too. The little trails of lingering magic felt alive, dancing with life in the wake of their master. He felt drawn to it.

He paused. Drawn to it? Her aura? Somehow the thought was unsettling. It must just be this form. The curse required him to follow her, right? So naturally it would help if he could easily sense and follow her. Right? Right. He swung his head in a nod. Of course he was right. So, why didn't he feel any more at ease?

"Alright kids, last stop before the Ruby Desert!" Kero announced brightly. He pointed to a distant trail of smoke rising over the hills.

It was much-welcomed news to the girls who had been walking for two days straight. "A town?"

"Yup! Best get a cool drink and plenty to carry too." He sniffed absently. 'A bath might not be a bad idea either.'

"Kero! I heard that." Sakura grumbled.

"Oops." He grinned sheepishly. "Haven't learned to control that yet, huh?"

This did not make Sakura feel better. Her fists curled at her sides. "Kero-"

"So, what kind of town is it?" Tomoyo asked calmly, ignorant to Sakura's building rage.

"I dunno. Last time I was here was a loooooong-" he spread his tiny arms wide as if stretching the word, "time ago."

"So how far is it to the shrine?" She continued.

"Shouldn't be more than a day's walk."

"That's not so bad."

"Assuming we can find it."

"What?" Sakura blanched. "What do you mean, assuming?"

"Well," Kero floated over to her shoulder. "The desert kinda looks the same all in all. One dune is the same as the next and the sun is hot-"

"So, it's easy to get lost." Tomoyo finished.

"Then how are we supposed to find the shrine?" She cried.

In a flash, Kero vanished into her backpack. She jumped, startled by the sudden movement. "Kero?"

"Afternoon ladies."

The deep rumbling voice made Sakura spin fast. Her heart leapt into her throat. Tomoyo just smiled at the burly man now lumbering over to them. "Hello sir."

"What are two young ladies like you doing out here on the borders? You don't look like you're from around here." He reached up to scratch at his thick black beard with an oversized hand. Compared to the girls, this man was a giant. "There's nothing out here but desert and soldiers."

Tomoyo didn't miss a beat. She simply said, "Oh, but that's why we're here. We came with the trade caravan to see the desert. Our father promised that we could make the trip this summer."

He laughed out loud, his chuckles boomed in their ears. "To see the desert? How boring! Kids these days! Imagine, you actually wanted to see the-" He slapped his chest hard. "the desert!"

"Is there something wrong with wanting to see the desert? We've never seen one before." The dark-haired girl asked sweetly.

He stifled his laughed quickly. "Sorry girls, it's just that the Ruby here," he gestured backwards, "is just a big sandbox. It's no place for young ladies."

"So what are you doing here?" Sakura whispered, finally locating her voice. Her green eyes twinkled with innocence.

"She does speak, eh?" He smiled. Leaning down onto one knee, he lowered his voice. "Right now, we're on the very edge of Tomoeda's lands. The desert is vast, and this is one of the only trading posts along this side. It's a precious stop for everyone traveling along the Ruby. But right now, the rumors are flying and people are scared. Scared people do stupid things. That's why I'm here."

"Rumors?" The girls replied in turn.

"War."

He paused, letting the words hang in the thick silence.

"Now, there's no need for the two of you to worry." The man stated matter-of-factly. "You just go see the desert and turn right back around and go home with the next caravan going that way. Don't stay longer than you need to, and don't stop to talk to strangers."

They nodded dumbly.

"Not all of 'em are as nice as me." He pulled back the lapel of his jacket, revealing a shiny, silver metal badge. Smiling, he waved a hand at them. "Go on, you should go see your desert now before the sun goes down. Just be careful."

Sakura stared blankly.

"Thank you, sir." Tomoyo tugged gently at her friend's hand. "Let's go, sis. We've come this far and we need to hurry." Reluctantly, she let herself be pulled toward the town.

Coming upon the town square, it was clear that things weren't quite right here. People looked around too much. They looked nervous and hurried, as though they were scared mice watching for a hungry tomcat. Sakura still seemed dazed, so she pulled her along until they pulled away from the crowds of the square.

"That was close." Sakura mumbled quietly.

Tomoyo nodded. "It was nice of him to tell us all that. We were lucky that he was an officer."

"Yeah, that could have been a lot worse. I didn't recognize his uniform though."

"It's the uniform of the royal military's middle ranking officers. I've seen them in the city before. It must be serious if they've been called in." Tomoyo frowned.

"I heard something he was thinking." Sakura leaned closer, looking nervous. "He was thinking. It won't be long before they come here too."

"Who's they?"

"I don't know. But he sounded afraid."

"Of course he is." Kero's voice sounded from within the backpack. "I thought this might happen."

"Shh." Sakura nudged the bag with her elbow. "What might happen?"

"I'll tell you later. For now, get your supplies and let's get out of here."

Tomoyo stepped forward. "He's right. I don't like the paranoid look on the faces here. Let's hurry."

"Okay."

After an hour of shopping, the girls slipped out into the desert. It was just like the officer said, a big sandbox. The sun was still blazing, even as it sank behind the horizon. The sands whipped at their faces and stung their skin. Kero wisely remained in the backpack until the sun finally dipped out of view.

"We've been walking all night! Where is this thing?" Sakura whined. Sweat beaded on her forehead.

Kero frowned. "It shouldn't be far from here. Can you sense anything?"

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. But nothing reacted. "All I sense is the terrible sunburn I'm getting."

"Hmm."

"What's wrong, Kero?" asked Tomoyo.

"I could have sworn that the Fire Shrine was right here. At least, it should be." He put a paw to his chin. "But this isn't right."

"What isn't?"

"There should be something here, ruins at least. The Fire Shrine used to be a temple, carved into the desert rocks." He scanned the line of empty dunes. "We're either totally lost or-"

"Or?" Sakura started, but then she felt something odd.

It started as a tingling on the back of her neck, but then it spread. In a matter of seconds, her whole body felt like it was burning. "Hot-" She gasped.

"Sakura?" Tomoyo grabbed her by the shoulders. "What's wrong."

She clenched her eyes shut, and raised a finger to point off into the distance. "There." She hissed.

Kero took a protective stance in front of his Mistress. "It's coming."

Tomoyo looked up in time to see the flaming inferno racing towards them. It spun and twisted with unearthly heat. The flames contorted into an evil smile and from them a winged girl's figure appeared. She sneered at the group.

"What does it want?" Tomoyo cried.

The spirit pointed at Sakura.

"It wants to fight her. It's a challenge." Kero translated.

"Challenge Sakura? But why?"

"Firey is a powerful spirit. It won't accept a Master who can't beat it in a fight." He explained quickly. "Whoa!"

The group scattered as a fireball charred the ground where they'd been standing. "Fine, I'll fight!" Sakura yelled, breaking into a run. The spirit grinned. The challenge was issued and accepted. It followed Sakura from a distance launching haphazard fireballs in her general direction.

"How am I supposed to fight something made of fire!" Sakura yelled.

"You've got to use magic, kid!"

"But I still don't know how!" She whined, barely dodging another fireball.

"Remember how you flew? Just focus and the magic will come to you!" He shouted.

Sakura tried to concentrate while running. Another blast nearly caught her. "I can't focus when I'm running for my life!"

"You've got to fight back!"

Why did it always come down to fighting. "Agh!" A fireball singed her leg.

The spirit hovered over her, amused.

That prideful expression was infuriating. Sakura clenched her fists. "I hate fighting!" The wind suddenly gushed around her, forcing the spirit back. "What was that?"

"Magic kid!" Kero cheered. "Keep it up!"

She nodded. Now if she could only do that again. Gritting her teeth, she concentrated. The wind stilled, but only for a split second. Sakura burst into the air. "All right!" WIth a whoosh, she flew towards the spirit.

"Kero, Firey doesn't look worried. It's like it knows something." Tomoyo asked, a tremble in her voice.

Kero frowned. "Of course! Wind will only fan the flames! Sak-"

Before he could warn her, Sakura attacked with a blade of wind. It slammed into Firey's body, but didn't cut. Instead, its body burned brighter and the flames joined back together, bigger than before. She held up her arms to shield herself from the heat.

The guardian beast watched the fire spirit swell up as if breathing deeply. "Sakura! Get out of the way!"

Firey exploded. A nova of fire pulsed outward, knocking Sakura to the sands below. She hit with a soft thud before tumbling down the dune. She didn't get up.

"Sakura!" Tomoyo shrieked.

Kero watched the spirit warily. A hazy glow emanated from its body as it reformed its shape. The shape became a body; the body raised an arm. Sparks flickered and ignited into a blazing sphere at the tip of its finger. Panic welled in the pit of his stomach. Time slowed to a crawl as he watched the flames leave the spirit and fly towards his fallen Mistress. "Sakura!"

'Idiot!'

"Wha-" Sakura stirred. She managed to turn her head just in time to see the inferno heading straight for her. Her brain said move, but her body wouldn't cooperate. It was happening too fast! She was going to be roasted alive! In panic, she squeezed her eyes shut tight.

There was a sudden, urgent tug at her collar. Then, a sense of weightlessness. She blinked. The ground was speeding by under her. A familiar shadow coasted along the dune in tandem with her own. After a second that felt like an eternity, the wolf dropped her unceremoniously on the sand.

"Ow! That hurt!" Sakura yelped.

The wolf growled. 'Above!'

She didn't even need to look. Rolling to the side, she had a clear view of the wolf leaping gracefully away. He turned to her. 'How did she dodge? Did she actually sense it coming?'

Ignoring the wolf for the moment, Sakura focused on the fire spirit. It didn't look happy. "Okay, so wind doesn't work. It just makes the fire hotter."

'Of course it does. If you want to fight fire, you need water. Idiot.'

That voice again. And again, the wolf stared at her. It had to be her imagination. Honestly this whole mess was like something out of a dream-

A dream.

Firey glowed with wrath, upset that its attacks kept missing. And it didn't like that wolf much either. If he hadn't interfered, the girl would've been toast already. It was time to get serious. Time to get rid of this little girl and her furry companion. With a soundless howl, the spirit erupted in flames. The sand beneath it melted into glass.

"Think, think, what was it-" Sakura mumbled.

'Don't think, run!' Came the strange voice.

It was quickly echoed by Kero and Tomoyo's yell. "Run Sakura!"

She blinked hard and spun around. The wolf was already running away fast. Kero and Tomoyo were still yelling from their position. She heard it before she saw it. A roar erupted nearby. A familiar roar. One she'd heard, but couldn't quite place. The flames grew and writhed; they twisted to reveal the spirit, wings blazing. Time ground to a halt as memories locked into place. The inferno erupted, lashing directly for the teen. Suddenly, Sakura knew what to do.

She closed her eyes.

The flames rolled over her in waves.

"Sakura!" Tomoyo cried.

A wolf howled.

The smoke cleared.

And Sakura stepped forward, unscathed.

"Sakura!"

The fire spirit screamed in fury. It barreled towards Sakura, launching fireballs as it went, but they sizzled and dissolved harmlessly as if they were hitting an invisible shield.

"It's just like my dream." She whispered. "The water is keeping me from getting burned." Magic and adrenaline surged through her. Now she could win! But first-

She extended her right hand and the hazy shield bubbled. From her palm, a spear of water shot out. It wiggled and oozed until it was vaguely sword-shaped. Sakura flicked her wrist and it solidified into ice. She was impressed. Even in the desert heat, the sword wasn't melting. And odder still, it didn't feel cold in her hand.

Raising the sword high, she charged. Her feet barely touched the sand as she ran, fueled by the swell of magic energy. Seeing this, the fire spirit panicked. It hurtled fireball after fireball at the girl to no avail. Volley after volley fizzled out, leaving Sakura mere feet from the spirit. In one final burst, she leapt into the air, high over the spirit. She brought the sword down in front of her. "Haaaaa!"

In one stroke, the fire spirit was cut in two. The pieces flared and turned to ash, falling like black snow onto the desert sand. Sakura landed lightly. Her sword and shield dissipated. Almost instinctively, she reached down into the ashes and pulled up a card. The fire spirit's slumbering image looked back at her. She turned towards her friends and held up the card proudly. "I did it." She smiled.

The card vanished.

Sakura went pale and slumped to the ground in a heap.

"Sakura?"

"Kid!"

The two friends rushed to her side. "Is she okay?" Tomoyo asked, dropping to her knees.

Kero didn't reply.

Tomoyo put a trembling hand to her friend's forehead, then leaned down to listen for a heartbeat. "Her breathing is shallow, but steady."

The guardian remained silent.

Tomoyo's suspicion grew. "Kero, you know something and you're not telling me."

"Well," he landed on the ground next to his Mistress. "It's probably because she used the water spirit's power. See, water is a powerful element, and normally you could draw it from the air but-"

"But?"

"But we're in the desert. There's not a lot of water anywhere. So she probably had to draw it out from her own body." He slumped his shoulders sheepishly.

"No wonder she passed out! She's dehydrated!" Tomoyo pulled a canteen from her bag and dribbled the contents into Sakura's mouth. Thankfully, the color returned to her face quickly. Tomoyo let out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. It was all right now. Sakura was all right. She was going to be okay.

"Y'know, I can't help but wonder about that wolf." Kero said suddenly.

Tomoyo pulled a handkerchief from her pack and soaked it with water before responding. "What makes you say that?"

"He's staring at us."

"He?"

"He's a he all right. Some things guardians just know."

"I'll take your word for it." She slowly looked around. Sure enough, there he was. The big brown wolf stared at them from a few hundred yards away. It was definitely the same wolf from the water shrine. Their eyes met for a split second. Then, he bolted, disappearing beyond the next sand dune. "Well, he's gone now."

"I wonder why he keeps runnin' off like that?" Kero asked.

Tomoyo dabbed Sakura's forehead with the damp cloth. "Hmm. I wonder."

A/N: That's it for Chapter 3. As always, thank you for your patience. My computer was out of commission for almost two months and I didn't have many opportunities to write. It's back now, so I hope to update faster from now on. Please read and review. Thanks!