4. Baring These Broken Fangs

Tailmon wasn't sure whether to be amused by the flurry of activity she had left behind, or concerned that they would catch up with her. She didn't quite understand the fuss. Perhaps the human was important, or they had realized their helplessness against a real threat. Either way, it didn't concern her in the slightest the farther away she got. She adjusted the human's weight, her small body a little hot against her fur. Was it sick or something? Vamdemon-sama would know better than she.

The human smelled sweet. Like candy.

The scent made her chest hurt.

She ignored it.

"I was searching for something, for someone. That was all I could ever remember."

Tailmon laughed to herself and shoved her past self away. Just because you were searching for something, didn't mean you were always going to find it. She continued her quick hops, making to get as far from PicoDevimon's dinky nose and those humans as possible. The sooner she was away, the faster she could please her master. Then a reward and rest.

What will happen to the human after that?

She scoffed at the thought and kept running.

When night fell, Tailmon didn't bother hiding a fire. If anyone came after her they were unlikely to be a real threat to her. If PicoDevimon tried to, well… she could always lie about that one.

The human… girl, was it a girl? It was likely to be. Humans concerned themselves with gender much more than Digimon. It wasn't like anyone lived long enough for it to matter to begin with. And when her master won, as he would, well…

Tailmon doubted she would live long enough to even care. Fickle man he was.

She lifted her ears, catching a sound on the air. The whipping of fabric, the smell of burned air after a lightning strike. She lowered her head. "All done, Wizarmon?"

"I'm afraid so." His voice was exhausted, most likely due to flying and hiding at the same time. She didn't like letting him out in the open. Call it… caring or something sentimental and emotional. Ew. He was a good trump card, covered the distant attacks she simply couldn't. He would be perfect in case her fellow soldiers thought killing her would get them anywhere. He stepped into view, sitting by the fire, practically slumping. How unprofessional. He must be tired.

His blue eyes, so much like hers used to be, she noticed, alighted on the sleeping girl. "Who or what is that?"

"A human." Tailmon tried not to let her voice sound too smug. "I captured it."

Wizarmon set his staff to the side, warming his hands through his gloves. "Why, exactly? The master will kill them."

"One of those Chosen was protecting her, it." Tailmon removed her gloves to paw at an ear. "She's likely important, one of them. And she evolved a Digimon who wasn't hers." She glanced at the human to make sure it wasn't conscious. Its breathing remained slow.

Wizarmon's eyebrow lifted beneath the brim of his hat. "Really? Are you sure it wasn't spontaneous?"

Tailmon shook her head. "Definitely sure. If that was the case, it would have affected more than one, considering how emotional everyone was over there… probably would have affected PicoDevimon as well or one of the other Digimon there even. Also she showed symptoms of exhaustion. There's a connection and I would rather it not grow further without research."

"He's not going to be happy you stole his mark." Wizarmon moved over to examine the girl, rolling her gently over onto her back. She hoped he wasn't going to spare the human or something. She wouldn't like to kill him over it.

Tailmon snickered with derision at the idea. "PicoDevimon didn't even notice he had a mark and he lost what he was after to begin with. If he complains to Vamdemon-sama, well, he'll have to justify his failure in the process."

"Ruthless, aren't you?" He almost sounded entertained.

Tailmon let out an amused purr. "And I live on because of it." She pulled her gloves back on. "I'll go get us food. They have teeth right? They can chew things?" Wizarmon didn't answer and she turned to look at him. grimacing a little. "This is good for us both. You did a lot of study into magic."

"I was expelled for my illegal studies of magic," he pointed out.

"Oh, he'll like that even more." Tailmon's voice grew dry and pained. She didn't even know why she was trying to work with him. He was always soft-hearted. And yet here she was. "Just don't let it run away, all right?" She hurried away before he could even think of refusing, off to get some fish. Wizarmon let out a sigh. He removed his gloves and felt the human's forehead.

She was hot to the touch.

Wizarmon grimaced. Tailmon needed to hurry back soon.

Hikari awoke feeling a mixture of floating and falling underwater.. Her head swam with the strength of the fever. It was hot, so hot. Yet there was a breeze over her face. Someone moved closer to her.

"Ah, you're awake."

She didn't know this voice. Hikari froze. The speaker paused and murmured something to someone a distance away. "Please relax, you are ill." His voice was quieter now. "Please. I know you are a prisoner and you must feel uncomfortable, but you mustn't make yourself worse."

She fought down the urge to ask why not? That was what her big brother would do. He would be defiant, he would be glaring and brave even when he shouldn't be. Right? But she wasn't her brother, now was she?

Hikari behaved herself, and opened her eyes.

She saw someone with thoughtful blue eyes and hair like dirty straw. He smiled with a once-sewn mouth. "Hello there," he said.

Hikari made to answer when there was a low sigh. "Don't be so friendly to her, Wizarmon. He won't like that."

"He won't know if you don't tell, right Tailmon?"

The other made a noise of discontent, but under this, Hikari thought she could detect fear. Hikari knew that voice. That was the person who had… Her stomach hurt.

"Where's Takeru-kun? And Greymon?" Her voice came out hoarse.

Wizarmon looked at her with puzzled lack of recognition and Tailmon snorted. "I doubt PicoDevimon managed anything, so they're probably fine. Even so, they won't be able to save you. The Chosen Children are dropping like flies."

Hikari flinched at the words, but not at the cat. For some reason, she didn't quite feel afraid of her. Something about her… ached. She wondered what the white fur would feel like under her fingers.

It was too hot to think about these things. She closed her eyes again. "Where… where are you taking me?"

"To our master's castle." Tailmon's voice grew sour and tired. "He'll find plenty to do with you, I'm certain."

Hikari frowned to herself. That sounded bad. That sounded awful. She needed to sleep, to gather her strength. But would she ever wake up again? Her head started to throb as she thought and thought.

She woke from her thoughts at the sound of a shrieking bird. Then a very familiar voice reached her ears.

"Hikari-chan!"

Sora. Her heart swelled. She was here too.

Tailmon sighed. "Oh this is a hassle. Go ahead of me, Wizarmon."

"It would be rude of me to leave you behind," he replied. In seconds, Hikari found herself stationary in the air. "Much as it pains me to do this..." He rested his staff at Hikari's prone throat and whispered. "Don't fight this and you'll be fine, I promise."

Hikari swallowed. Perhaps he wasn't so gentle after all. Perhaps no one was in this world, after all.

Her head continued to ache, just like before.