The days were starting to pass and Rusc wasn't getting any better, her condition seemed to gradually worsen; she was paler than death itself, and drenched in sweat, and her bright red hair didn't seem so bright, its color seemed duller somehow. It was early morning and the morning dew brought a sort of freshness with it that made Ariwa hopeful, but looking down at Rusc, at her blue kissed lips he couldn't help but frown.

She was getting worse, that was obvious. Ariwa bit the inside of his cheek, feeding the fire that was dying yet again. She would be fine if she was warmer, he thought fanning the fire some, if he could get her warmer she would be fine, he told himself, repeatedly like a mantra. He didn't really believe it though, this wasn't a slip in a cold lake, this was something only medicine could solve...medicine meant going back, going back to Tokutomi, it meant betraying Rusc. He heaved out a sigh, he didn't know what to do, he wanted to cry out for Rusc's help but in her condition he would have been lucky to get a grunt in reply.

He wiped the dew from her face with his sleeve and heaved out a sigh, he was hungry but he didn't dare leave her; he wondered how long he'd stayed like that still by her side, not moving not eating, he hadn't been like that the first day or so, no the first day he tried his hand at hunting, small things like rabbits and birds, but he wasn't very good at this-after a while he had given up hunting, and just sat there, sat with her, occasionally he would chew on blades of grass he tore from the ground, sucking out what little moisture they could give him, but it was never enough.

Though he never noticed much, he had been too preoccupied with caring for Rusc, making sure she was alright, that she was safe and breathing; he didn't know why but it felt as though doing protecting her was the most important thing in the world-he never noticed how weak he was, how fast his own health was slipping away through his fingertips.

Ariwa didn't notice when the sun set far beyond the trees and the moon rose above them, he had been in an out of consciousness most of the night, the forest was so quiet, it was as though it were mourning them already. We're not dead yet, Ariwa wanted to shout into the night, but he didn't have the lungs for it, he coughed out a laugh, just moments ago he could run to the moon and back and now, now he was knocking on death's door, he wondered if it had something to do with Rusc's blood, it wasn't impossible he thought alternating between watching the forest and watching Rusc. The forest was so still...with the exception of the very faint flicker of ghostly lights bobbing in and out of his vision from between the trees. Some evil specter he thought, barely conscious.

Darkness fell upon them, and he couldn't tell if he was awake or dreaming, maybe he was doing both, he heard stories about that sort of thing.

The darkness was cold and engulfing, suffocating almost, he felt as though he would never leave it. And he didn't want to.

He didn't want to return to the pain, and the cold, and the hunger...and Rusc.

She was there...with him, in the dark, her plum skin returned to its usual vibrant color, she looked better, better than he had ever seen her and she smiled at him.

"Ebbisu," she whispered her voice breathless, "You took such good care of me," she continued. Ariwa flinched at her words, her strange accent was all but gone, Ariwa pretended not to notice, she was probably still recovering he assured himself.

"Rusc...you're alright," his voice was a harsh croak.

"I am now," her voice trailed off. "Thanks to you...Ebbisu."

"But I-I didn't...I didn't do anything."

"You did enough," Rusc said softly before reverting back to silence, Ariwa took a moment to drink Rusc in, her fiery hair was like a candle that illuminated the darkness around them. And she was smiling. "I was in a really bad place...but I'm not now...because of you...because you're here," she continued.

"Rusc what are you saying?"

"I need you Ebbisu," her voice was barely a whisper and she seemed to tremble in the darkness her bright eyes beckoning him to come closer, he took a deep and shuddering breath.

He took a slow step forward, sucking hard on the stiff cold air, it felt like nothing, like breathing in absolutely nothing, and it was then that he realized how far away Rusc had truly been, the distance was so great and yet, she was so terribly close, if he wanted to he could have reached out and grabbed a lock of her unkempt curls, but there was this weird feeling he just couldn't shake, the feeling that he couldn't touch her, no matter how hard he tried.

"Please Ebbisu, I need you," her voice was farther away now than ever.

He took another step forward but something stopped him short.

"Lord Sesshomaru look there are people!"

Ariwa looked around, there was a little girl's voice but no little girl, it was just him and Rusc.

"Ebbisu I need you."

"Rusc I-

"Quiet girl what are you going on about?" another voice, a shrill voice.

"Look between those trees, there are people there master Jaken!" the girl again.

"There are people here..." Ariwa muttered looking around but there was nothing, just darkness and Rusc still too far and too close. Her eyes screaming for him.

"Ebbisu please!" she was howling now.

"Rin where are you going! Get back here at once young lady or you will be left behind!" the shrill voice howled.

"But Lord Sesshomaru look! It's a man and a woman...I never seen hair like that," the little voice gasped and Ariwa was certain someone was with them.

"Where are you!" he gave a nervous shout spinning around to find the source of the voices.

"Wait! Lord Sesshomaru, Master Jaken, I don't think they're okay...they look sick."

"Rin, Leave them it's none of our concern," another voice.

"But Lord Sesshomaru, we can't just leave them there it's not right...we should help them."

Silence.

"Please don't leave us! Rusc can you hear it? There are people" Ariwa asked looking over to Rusc who was farther away now than she had ever been.

"Please Ebbisu," she muttered her voice so desperate it hurt.

"Rusc," he muttered weakly he wasn't sure why she wanted him so badly, he took another step forward but he didn't seem to get any closer to her, she was just as far as ever if not further. And there was something else, something horrible. Creatures, tiny little ugly things; all teeth and eyes, with mouths too wide for their faces, they barely reached her knees. And they clung to her legs as though for dear life. "Ebbisu," she whimpered.

Her name caught in his throat, he took a moment trying to process everything. He took a moment. "Get away from her!" he shouted, rushing to Rusc, trying his best to scare off the creatures with little luck, with every step he took Rusc seemed to move farther and farther away from him. "Rusc!" he tried to run faster, but it wasn't a matter of speed. Still he chased after her, trying his best to catch her, if he could just grab her hand everything would be okay, he told himself. But he couldn't, the task was just impossible, it was as though Rusc didn't want to be saved, as though she were trying to get away from him, get as far away as possible.

"Rusc!" he blurted jolting upright, he was in the forest again, the morning sun burning his retnas, he gave a weak wince, turning to Rusc, just as still and pale as ever.

There were people with them, though he couldn't see them. The sun had been to bright for that sort of thing, he could just feel them, feel their eyes on him. Suddenly he was aware of how cold he was. He flinched, taking a deep breath.

"Please...she nuh-needs...help," he muttered, weakly before succumbing to the darkness once more, but this time Rusc was not there.

"We have to help him Lord Sesshomaru, please use your magic sword on them!"

There was a long silence before there was an answer.

"Rin My sword only works on the dead...these two aren't much alive but they aren't dead either, the tensaiga won't work on them," a cold voice explained.

"Then we can take them to Jinenji...he helped me save master Jaken maybe he can help them too! I know the way, please My Lord!" the girl was pleading, maybe even crying.

"Lord Sesshomaru help them? Whatever happened to them is none of our business! Right Mi'lord?" the shrill voice hissed practically begging for approval.

"Jaken help Rin get the demon and the human onto Ah-Un."

"Thank you Lord Sesshomaru!"

Silence, and darkness, and nothing but that. Ariwa felt the cool grip of death tighten and shift through his bones as his body grew limp, he couldn't bare to stand anymore, though he wasn't quite sure if he was even standing to begin with. If Rusc was dead, he would be joining her very soon he thought. And he wasn't afraid to admit that he didn't mind seeing her again.

Cold air tickling his face, even in the void of the darkness his senses weren't completely dulled. He was moving, being moved somewhere...else.

"Rusc...I'm coming to you..."