An Arrowed Heart and The Lost Priestess
Chapter 10

An: YAAAAAY! Wow I soo need sleep! I work over nights and have yet to sleep! YAAAAY! Well here is your update. I don't know if I like how I ended it but oh well!

I hope you like it! PLEASE REVIEW!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of Naruto or Inuyasha! All of that goes to Masashi Kishimoto-sensei and Rumiko Takahashi-sensei!

"I needed to show you I wasn't just a dream. I know where you are and I will come for you. There is no escape. See you in your dreams Sa...ku...ra...chan," he faded fast leaving just his creepy smile before that too disappeared.
Sakura sat there in complete terror, and the worst part was she had no idea what to do.

The weeks that followed Kaede and Nihon were stuck together like glue. Kikyo had Kaede wear an eye patch so travelers weren't frightened of her eye, if the wolf that was as tall as she was didn't.

Sakura trained with Mizuru in a much healthier way that didn't involve a down pour every day. Sakura meditated and rested but never slept in those weeks and the effects were starting to show.

Mizuru was training with her when he noticed that basic tasks exhausted her but she refused to give up. It was rather heartfelt to watch her work at it.

"Mizuru I was thinking," Sakura peeped up after training one day.

"Yes mistress?"

"I know how to fight off a group of people and beasts but I have no idea how to fight off demons. I think I need professional training, but where would I go for that?" Sakura asked openly.

"Well I am a demon so how much better can you get?" Mizuru spoke slightly insulted.

"You are just one demon that has a lot of different strengths that a human doesn't. I need a human prospective so I can best use the strengths I have." Mizuru grumbled a little bit as she made her point.

Mizuru let out a long sigh, "There is a group of people that fit the description you're looking for. The village of the demon slayers is the only place to find such training. Only problem is getting there, we would have to fly and getting there without being attacked is a stretch," Mizuru mulled over his options.

"How exactly do we fly there?!"

"I was flying during your hair training or did you forget?" Mizuru asked slightly annoyed.

Sakura's face made an O shape as she remembered. "Ooooooooh yeah I was meaning to ask you about that but the constant face plants must have knocked it out of me," she laughed a little.

Mizuru shook his head and started pacing trying to figure out what they were going to do.

"If I can see where to go I can do a form of a teleportation jutsu," Sakura offered. Mizuru thought back to the day they left and how she appeared out of nowhere in a swirl if chakra blossoms.

"The village will have defenses other than the people," Mizuru contemplated whether or not it would work.

"Well we could try," Mizuru finally decided. He jumped off the stump he'd been sitting on and changed in his whirlpool taking his larger form.

"Wait we're leaving now?" Sakura asked a little startled.

"Now is as good a time as any," Mizuru walked up to her and motioned for her to get on. Mizuru knew the journey would take a few days so it was the perfect time for Sakura to truly sleep and not fake it.

"but we haven't said anything to Kikyo or Kaede or Nihon," Sakura panicked a little not sure if she was ready to face a possible village full of anger demon slayers.

"We can fly by and tell them now before we leave." Sakura climbed on and grabbed hold of Mizuru's black mane. Mizuru ran a couple strides before leaping in the air and running across it as easy as if it were ground. They flew up above the trees and headed for the village a ways away. They trained away from the village so the villagers wouldn't fear her powers and think she was a demon again.

They found Kaede and Nihon not far from the village picking herbs like usual. Kikyo needed more herbs for this man in a cave she had found. He was burned from head to toe and couldn't move at all. Kikyo had asked if Sakura could heal him at one point in time but the man had an evil about him. An evil that filled his chakra, in a way that was not typical for an ordinary bandit. No this man had done far worse and would do more if he were able. Sakura lied to Kikyo after looking at him saying the burns were too deep and would never heal. Kikyo accepted the answer and continued to care for the man. Sakura left Onigumo to his fate and tried to keep Kaede away from him. Kikyo needed Kaede to help so Sakura had to settle with Nihon watching out for her. They landed at the edge of the clearing and walked to the pair. Sakura giggled a little at the pairs new matching eye patches. Mizuru frowned.

"The lack of sleep really must be getting to her," Mizuru thought to himself.

"Sakura-sama!" Kaede smiled. Sakura liked being on Kaede's good side. The girl was a very warm presence for her, and had been treating her like an honored sister since she first looked at her with Nihon's eye. Nihon hummed a happy greeting and continued nosing through the brush for the herbs they needed.

"Little pup! Nihon found more," he called. Mizuru sighed and knew he was going to have to talk to the pup sooner or later.

"Nihon Kaede, I have to talk to you for a second," Sakura called for them. They made their way back over to the pair.

"What is it Sakura-sama?" Kaede asked simply.

"Mizuru and I are going to the village of the demon slayers. I need to learn from them," Sakura knelt down in front of Kaede.

"I need you to stay away from Onigumo. I know your sister wants help with him but there is something about that man. I don't want something to happen to you. Please just stay away from his cave, ok Kaede," Sakura begged the young girl.

"I can do that. He scares me too. Nihon and I will only gather the herbs for sister Kikyo. We won't go into the cave, promise," Kaede smiled and leaned against Nihon.

"Nihon doesn't like man in cave. He wants Sakura-sama every time little pup and Nihon see him."

"thank you for telling me Nihon. I'm counting on you to keep them safe ok?" Sakura asked as she ruffled the fur on his head. Nihon hummed happily.

"Alright mistress let's be on our way. Nihon take Kaede to Kikyo and tell her where we've gone. Keep a watch over them," Mizuru nudge Sakura. She stood up and went to climb on Mizuru. Sakura was stopped by Kaede's arms wrapping around her waist.

"Come back safe Sakura-sama!" she let go and jumped on Nihon's back. Kaede's laugh echoed through the woods as they ran back to the village.

"They are so sweet together," Sakura said quietly and yawned.

"The trip will take a few days; you can sleep on my back mistress. Nothing is going to happen," Mizuru suggested as Sakura climbed onto his back.

"I'll be fine Mizuru. Let's get going," she sat on his back. Mizuru shook his head and smirked to himself.

"There is an old tune that I heard a woman humming to her child long ago. Do you mind if I hum it to you, mistress? It is a lovely song," Mizuru asked her as he took to the air. Sakura thought about it for a moment.

"Sure I wouldn't mind."

Mizuru started humming. He felt Sakura's weight drop against his back and her soft breaths against his fur. Mizuru smiled as Sakura slept on his back.

"I don't know why you were avoiding sleep but you need it. Please sleep well my blossom," Mizuru traveled through the air with ease to the rhythm of Sakura's sleeping breaths.

Sakura woke up to find the day's light gone. She also found herself on the ground and Mizuru lying on his side next to her. She stretched out on the ground happy she didn't dream of that guy again. She sat up and scooted over to Mizuru. She started petting his fur and noticed two things.

First his fur was wet and it was also cold. Sakura brought her hand to her face to find it stained red. Sakura gasped softly and scooted to Mizuru's face. Mizuru's eyes were open and lifeless.

"No No No No No," Sakura grabbed the sides of her head and shook it back and forth really fast. A hand rested Sakura's shoulder making her look up. Kikyo looked down at her with sad eyes.

"I'm so sorry Sakura-san, you fell asleep on the way to the village of demon slayers and they shot him down. Thank god you aren't hurt," Kikyo knelt next to Sakura and pulled something out from behind her back.

A creepy smile filled with fangs spread across her face. "Now I can kill you myself," Kikyo laughed maniacally.

"Ki Kikyo! What's wrong with you?!" Sakura stared at her in horror.

"Nothing is wrong Sakura-san. I just see what you are clearly now. You are a demon!" Kikyo throughout a wild battle cry and swung the arrow she had pulled from behind her back down at Sakura. Sakura rolled out of the way barely in time to be nicked by the arrow in the arm. Sakura stood in a defensive position ready for Kikyo to attack again.

"What are you talking about?! I'm not a demon Kikyo! I helped your sister and helped you! I'm not a demon!" Sakura panicked when she noticed a small spider mark on her hand. Waves of realization crashed into her. The person in front of her was not Kikyo. It was that man.

"YOU!" she spat at the impersonator. The Kikyo look alike laughed maniacally again. The image melted and the man with his creepy smile stood in front of Sakura.

"It took you long enough Sa...ku...ra-chan!" he laughed.

Sakura sighed and relaxed her stance just a little bit, "If you are here that means this is a dream."

"How can you be so sure Sakura? Remember what I did to Kaede? I could easily do it again," the guy walked around Sakura like a slimy snake.

"I've had my fun for tonight. See you again," he waved and left with his creepy laughter following behind him.

Sakura sat straight up gasping for breath. She looked around to find herself in the same spot she was a second ago. Mizuru was lying next to her but she could see his chest rise and fall as he slept. She looked around again to see if that man was anywhere in sight but he was gone.

"It really was a dream," Sakura sighed and stood up to stretch. She winced and looked down at her arm. There was a long bloody gash down her arm where the arrow in her dream had hit her. She really had no idea what she was going to do about this man. The fact that he couldhurt her in her dreams really spooked her.

A rustling noise caught her attention. She looked at the trees around her wondering where it was coming from. She ducked just in time to miss being hit by a giant boomerang. Sakura stayed down as it made its way back to the source cutting down trees all the way. Sakura stood to find a man dressed in a strange jumpsuit with armor and a metal face mask.

"Um Mizuru I could use a little help," Sakura said as she noticed the man was the one who threw the giant boomerang. Mizuru jumped in front of Sakura and roared, which surprised the man quite a bit. Sakura peeked around Mizuru to find that there was a creature in front of the man as well. Sakura stared at the creature that roared back at Mizuru for a while. The creature had two tails that were on fire. It was cream and black and looked like a cat the size of a horse. It looked a lot Mizuru now that Sakura thought about it.

"I don't know what manner of demon but I will not let you pass! Kirara you take the neko demon and I have the pink haired demoness," the man shouted as they sprang forward.

Mizuru stared at them and tilted his head. He sat down and laughed to himself. Sakura stared at him in disbelief.

"Mizuru," Sakura questioned and stepped closer to Mizuru.

"Don't worry. That demon is an old friend of mine," Mizuru said as he turned and faced the other neko, who had stopped mid stride and stared at Mizuru puzzled.

"You didn't want her to be alone so you came back. You always were the most loyal, Kirara."

AN: Well 10 chapters down many more to go! I hope that everyone keeps reading! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!

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TTFN TA TA FOR NOW!

Tigress-of-the-Grove