I know this is a weird change, but I will no longer be writing in one person point of view. I just don't feel that I'm playing Katsura right *sigh* oh well. Maybe I can capture her personality better if I was in another point of view! Wish me luck!!

Chapter seven

Reality Check

" Where do you think she could be?" Kagome asked, looking behind a large tree trunk.

" I can't catch that basterds sent anywhere. They must be long gone by now." Inuyasha growled, scratching the back of his head.

The group were still searching for Katsura. They had been worried that if in the wrong hands; Sesshomaru's hands, that she would be in much danger. They kept up there search for days. Weeks.

Inuyasha suddenly froze, smelling the air one last time, " Hold on a second..." He sniffed again. " That couldn't be..."

Kagome turned to her half-demon companion, " What is it, Inuyasha?" She asked, giving him a somewhat concerned look.

" I smell something familiar..." He closed his eyes, focusing on the peculiar sent that invaded his senses. It was a blur, but he remembered the sent from somewhere...." Its that girl!"

" What girl?" Sango's voice could be heard not too far behind, where she and Miroku had been previously searching for the full fledged demon.

" That little girl thats always with Sesshomaru!" He growled again, " I'm sure if we find her, we'll find him! And if we find him, we'll find Katsura, too!" He grabbed Kagome's wrist, pulling her on his back in a hurry. He lept into the air, not bothering to give his other friends any time to catch up.

-

Katsura silently stumbled over the thick brush of trees and bushes, trying to spot that destinct pattern of the orange kimono Rin always wore. It shouldn't be too hard to spot, right? She thought to herself as she pushed back a heavy branch. Her ears twitched as she heard a squawking sound from above, and her eyes shot upward, catching the sight of a large bird circling overhead. Great, She thought, Just what I need. More noise...

She continued on her way, stepping out into a small clearing for some rest. It was early in the morning, and she had been up sense late last night, alone, trying to find the girl that had recently gone missing. Sesshomaru had been a little depressed, but hadn't shown much of it. It was a little easy to tell, though. There wasn't the same spark in his eyes. The same fierceness that would have made even the strongest of demons cower, and bow to his knees. That spark was no longer there. Shit, She cursed, If he wasn't so damn difficult, I wouldn't be out here searching. Why'd he have to be so...so.., Her brows furrowed, and she looked to the ground. She could feel the blush creeping to her cheeks, and she knew the real reason why she was searching for Rin. Sure, she was worried about Rin...but there was someone else that was circling her mind as well. She shook her head, ridding herself of her silly thoughts as she continued her search.

The squawking never stopped. She tried several times to throw something at the invading bird, but it just wouldn't go away. There had been multiple birds flying past her, and she was getting awfully annoyed. " You stupid birds never shut the fuck up!!! Bah!!" She threw a large stone at one of the enormous birds, hitting her target perfectly. What an arm, ne? She smirked, turning back to where she was headed. Something in the corner of her eye stopped her, though, and she couldn't help but turn around again. Her hazel eyes widened. A group of the same birds flew by, one of them holding its squirming prey with a tight grip. "Rin!" Her voice rang out, and she ran. She might have been small, but she was still pretty fast. She lept into the trees, pushing through branches and leaves with such agility that would put any demon to shame. Another color caught her attention. What was that? Red?

" Ah!! You baka, what are you doing here?!" She yelled, sighting a certain half-demon and his female shard locater.

He was in just as much shock. " What am I doing here?! You wench! We've been trying to look for you for ages!" He yelled back, never stopping his pace.

Katsura grumbled and kept her pace. Catching up to that bird was her top priority. " shut up! I'm trying to take care of some buisness!!" With a leap of faith (or something like that) she jumped out of the trees, her small hand taking hold of the little girls ankle. Rin jolted in surprise, her tear stained cheeks still red.

" Katsura! You found me!" She smiled happily, the smile soon dropping. " How are we going to get out of this mess?" She asked, looking up at the bird, who had just noticed the added weight. It squawked discomfortably and tried to shake its leg, but to no avail. Katsura was holding on too tight.

" Basterd bird!" Inuyasha's voice shot out from the trees, reaching Katsura's sensitive ears. His claws tore through the birds wing, and it screeched, letting go of Rin. Katsura pulled Rin close, turning in the air to land on her feet. She sprinted away, leaving the group behind her. Sadly, they also began to chase after her, along with a group of angry birds.

" Shit!" She cursed again, looking around for a place to hide. " This is most unfortunate..."

She soon found refuge in a hollowed out treetrunk, and quickly placed Rin inside. There wasn't enough room for two people. " Guess I'm going to have to help kick some major ass..." She mummbled, turning to where she had just run from. It didn't take long at all for the group to catch up, the group of birds following closely behind. "Tch.." Katsura stood, angry as hell, and lunged into the air. She pulled her fist back swinging it straight into the beak of one of the birds. She landed on a second birds back, and she pulled on the feathers, stearing the bird in another direction. Inuyasha and his little gang of friends desided to help as the amount of birds grew in quantity.

" Wind scar!" A bright flash and a great wind scattered the bird and killed off most of them. But the number of birds only continued to grow.

" Ow!" Katsura swatted at a smaller bird that had pecked at her arm. This was just rediculous.

Sango used her bumarang, Miroku used wind tunnel, Kagome used her arrows and Inuyasha used his sword. Even Shippou and Kirara were helping out, but the birds just cept coming. Katsura yelled in frustration, using her sharp nails to dig into a birds skull and tip its head clean off. " Why wont these stupid birds go away?!" She yelled, landing on the ground beside a tree before the headless birds body could lose altitude and crash into something.

A small laugh was heard from a distance. It was a dark little laugh, but not at all sinister, though one might think so. Katsura's ears perked up from the familiar sound. There, sitting on a boulder, with her tail swaying from side to side, was Panic. " Tsh," Katsura looked at her friend. " Where'd you come from?"

" Where indeed?" She smiled, " Somewhere you do not know, I'm sure." She lept from the large rock and landed next to the little elf. She towered over her, her shadow falling over her like a dark veil. " I wish to assist you, but only if that it what you desire. I'll be on my way, just speak one word." She lifted her index finger, " but only if it is what you most need be."

" What are you talking about? Why can't anyone else hear you? See you??" Katsura asked, having just noticed the group behind her. They were trying to devise a plan. They hadn't even noticed Panic's presence.

" Only that in you, which is me, can hear what I'm saying, lovely." Panic laughed slightly, standing up straight.

" Stop playing with my head!" Katsura huffed. Panic was a handfull. That was for sure. " Alright alright. Help me out."

" Nein, my lovely." She smiled, " I believe you can do the rest..." and with that, the cat demon dissapeard, leaving behind a small black fog that only lasted for mere seconds. Katsura's eye twitched. " What was that about...?" Katsura turned, eyed widening the slightest bit. The group of friends... were sleeping! And the birds were lone gone. What had happened? Katrura shook her head. This must have been all Panic's doing. And what was up with the talking in riddles deal?

Katsura sighed, pushing the thought out of her head. Sly little cat. Or should I say really fucking tall as hell cat? Meh. Katsura picked Rin up, who had waited patiantly. " Is it safe now, Katrura-chan?" She asked, looking up with a smile. Katsura nodded. " Its safe."

They walked for what felt like hours. They both had no clue where Sasshomaru was. He was no longer at the camp site. " Damnit." Katsura cursed, looking skyward. It was already dark. Rin stumbled, having been very tired. Katsura lifted her up and carried her, looking around for any sign of the dog demon. She didn't dare make a single sound. She didn't want to attract unwanted attention.

Soon, the two females found themselves at a three path fork in the road. Katsura huffed, wondering which way to go.

" Hello, beautiful." A purr came from a high medium high branch to Katsura's left side. She turned, trying not to disturb Rins slumber. " Panic? Why are you in that tree?"

Panic looked up at her friend with glowing silver eyes, " Why indeed?" She asked, only making Katsura expiriance Deja-vu. Panic was laying casually on the branch, her arm proping up her head. She smiled down at her friend.

Katsura looked to the roads. Panic was the kind of person that seemed to know something about everything, though it was clear that she didn't. It just seemed that way. It wouldn't hurt to ask..." Which road should I take...?" Katsura asked, looking to her friend high in the tree.

" Depends on where you want to go...?" She responded, twisting around in the large branch, her face looking at her friend upside down.

Katsura looked down at the ground. She had no idea where Sesshomaru was.. so.." I don't really know..." She looked up at Panic, feeling like she's seen this happen before somewhere.

" Then, " Panic said, " It doesn't matter where you go." She purred, smiling again.

It dawned on Katsura, suddenly, and she made a face. " I'm never watching Alice in WonderLand with you ever again..."

" Never say never, darling." She purred again, " It is him you are seeking, is it not? The dog demon?" Panic asked, turning back around on the branch.

Katsura nodded.

" You know, seeking is not always the way to find. Sometimes it is better to let others do the finding." She smiled again, her white, sharp teeth aparent in the moons glow.

" That...makes some sense. Are you saying I should stay here? Maybe he'd be able to find us?" Katsura asked, finding her friend to be gone from the branch. Her voice, though, could still be heard. " I say whatever you think I said. Whatever you think I said is what came out of my mouth, or so you thought. Just keep waiting. Eventually you will find your answer..." Her voice seemed to fade away, and Katsura could only huff in frustration. "Why can't she just speak normally...?"

Katsura held Rin close, and leaned against a tree. It was so late in the night. She wondered if Sesshomaru was still even looking for them. Katsura tried to keep awake. She was so tired...Her eyes fluttered, and sleep finally found her, engulfing her in a relm of dreams....

--

Warmth? What was that feeling...? Katsura asked herself, looking up into a bright blue sky. She lifted herself off of the ground, smelling something a little odd. A fishy oder. " Ugh..." She moved her hand in front of her nose, looking around. Her eyes widened. " Rin?" The girl wasn't in her arms anymore. " Where'd you go?"

" Katsura, I'm right here." Rin said, smiling. She turned around, handing Katsura a small stick with a small fish at the end, cooked, of course.

" Um...Thank you..." Katsura took a small bite, but grimiced, setting the fish on a near by flat rock. " Where'd you get the fish?"

" Sesshomaru caught them." Rin smiled, pointing to her right.

Sesshomaru...? Katsura followed Rin's finger, her hazel orbs finding the person who'd found her first, resting on the branch Panic was sprawled on last night. She sighed in relief. " Wow. To think that crazy woman loved to just mess with me..." She mummbled.

" Katsura..." Sesshomaru's voice found her ears and she looked up, hazel meeting golden. She couldn't help but blush. " Come here..." He gestured for her to come closer, and Katsura nodded, standing silently. She pat Rin's head. " I'm glad your alright now, Rin." She said before walking across the clearing. She stopped a few feet away from the base of the tree, and looked up, waiting for Sesshomaru to react. He just sat there, looking at her. He stared and stared, but it wasn't a look of menace or hatered. It was something else. Katsura could'nt quite put her finger on it. " Well, if you have nothing to say..." She was about to turn away, when Sesshomaru lept out of the tree, landing in front of her and taking the side of her face with his hand. She flinched, but his touch wasn't rough or threatening. It was gentle...

She looked up, her eyes meeting his once again. He leaned in, and she stiffened, closing her eyes. She felt warm lips on her forehead and she let out a shakey breath, deeming it safe to open her eyes again. Sesshomaru didn't smile, but he did smile with his eyes. " Thank you...for saving Rin..." He said, standing back. His hand left her face slowly, and he retreated back into the tree. She nodded, " Uh..yeah. Sure thing..." and she turned, hurridly making her way back over to Rin.

What was that about...?

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Ne, ne, it was fun to write! Finally! It came a little late... xD but at least it still came! I hope you enjoyed it! Sorry its so short!