1 Chapter 8

"Sakura, do you and Syaoran want to go to the craft store with Rika, Chiharu, Naoko, and me?" Tomoyo asked after school. "We're buying paint for the art project, and we're going to split the cost."

Sakura smiled. "That sounds great! Is that okay with you, Syaoran?"

Syaoran nodded. He heard Naoko whisper, "Have you noticed that Syaoran has always been around Sakura lately? I wonder..." Rika and Chiharu giggled. Syaoran blushed a little.

Suddenly Syaoran stiffened. Had he just sensed... But it was gone now. He shrugged. There's not much I can do about it right now, so there's no use in telling Sakura about it, Syaoran reasoned. Besides, it's gone now. But still, he felt a little uneasy as he and the five girls started walking down the street.

As they walked, the girls chatting casually and Syaoran feeling rather awkward, suddenly Chiharu spoke up. "Hey, what's that?"

"What's what?" asked Sakura, and everyone became quiet, listening. There was a soft sound of crying.

"Where's that coming from?" wondered Rika.

"I dunno," Naoko said softly.

Sakura started walking around, looking for the source of the crying. There was concern written all over her face. Once again, Syaoran was moved by her compassion. Few people would go out of their way to do what she was doing.

Everyone followed Sakura at a distance as she entered an alley. The crying grew louder. Suddenly Syaoran saw her: a little girl sitting next to a garbage can, crying into her hands. Sakura crouched next to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey there," she said gently. "What's wrong? Are you lost?"

Suddenly Syaoran sensed something: the presence of the dragon. Trying not to panic, he attempted to figure out where the sensation was coming from. Then it hit him. The girl.

"Tomoyo," he hissed. "Remember what I told you earlier, about what's after Sakura?" Tomoyo nodded, her eyes filling with fear as she realized what Syaoran was implying. "Get Chiharu, Rika, and Naoko and get out of here, now! And whatever happens, don't come back, got it?" She nodded again.

"Hey, you guys," Tomoyo said, smiling brightly, trying to cover up her worry. "I think Sakura's got this under control. Let's get going before it gets too late."

Chiharu shrugged. "Okay." And the four girls walked out of the alley.

Suddenly, Sakura cried out. Syaoran turned to see the little girl violently digging her fingers into Sakura's arm. He could see Sakura starting to bleed. She tried to push the girl away, but could not.

"Sakura, it's the dragon!" Syaoran called, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "Don't be afraid to fight!" But Sakura seemed frozen.

Syaoran held the black orb and concentrated until it became a sword. He brandished his sword and took a fighting stance, glaring at the girl/dragon. "You may as well show yourself," he growled. "I know what you are."

The girl, never taking her eyes from Syaoran, began to glow. From the glow emerged the same dragon he had seen a couple of nights ago at Sakura's house. It was now razor-sharp claws, not small fingers, digging into Sakura's arm. She groaned slightly, gritting her teeth, pain on her face.

It suddenly hit Syaoran that what he had sensed after school was the dragon eavesdropping to find out where Sakura would be. He cold have kicked himself for not checking it out then. But it was too late for that now. I've got to get her away from the dragon! he thought frantically. I have no idea how to tell if it's draining her magic! But how can I do it without hurting Sakura?

Suddenly, he caught Sakura's eye. She winked at him, pulling a card partly out of her pocket with her free arm. He nodded slightly, understanding. He smiled wickedly.

"All right, dragon," he said silkily. "You think you can take me? Bring it on!" He began going through the motions of his training, taking different stances with his sword, punching, kicking, and slicing the air, every once in a while glancing at the dragon and smiling smugly as if to say, There's no way you're good enough to ever beat me. The dragon watched him intently unaware of Sakura reaching for the key around her neck.

Syaoran suddenly took a fighting stance, an evil smile on his face. "You think you're pretty smart, don't you, dragon? Well, you're wrong."

The dragon looked startled, uncomprehending. Then Sakura's voice rang out, loud and strong.

"Oh key of the star, with powers burning bright, reveal the staff and shine your light! Release!"

The dragon, blinded by the bright light, released Sakura's arm. She quickly scrambled away, staff in hand, and took a stance next to Syaoran. The dragon looked around frantically, suddenly realizing that it had cornered itself in the alley.

Sakura pulled a card out of her pocked, closed her eyes, held the card briefly between her fingers, then tossed it in the air. "Windy card, bind the dragon! Windy, release and dispel!"

Syaoran watched the Clow symbol glow beneath Sakura's feet, a magical wind whipping her hair and school uniform about her. Her face was intense. The entire scene... her spirit, her beauty... it took his breath away. He watched as if in a trance.

The Windy spirit emerged gracefully from the card at the tip of Sakura's staff. It flew towards the dragon, wrapping itself loosely around the lizard-like creature.

All of a sudden, the dragon beat its wings, using the magical wind to lift off of the ground. "No!" Sakura cried, realizing that her plan had backfired. But it was too late. The dragon flew higher and higher until it was out of sight.

Sakura gritted her teeth as Windy returned to a card. Syaoran could see the determination in her eyes.

"Fly!" she called. She was surrounded by light so that for a second Syaoran could not see her, but then the light faded, revealing a winged Sakura.

Syaoran had seen her like this before, but it never failed to take his breath away. She's an angel, he thought, staring at her in awe.

Sakura beat her wings once and lifted off the ground. "You coming?" she asked, reaching out to him with her good arm. He smiled and took her hand, trusting her completely, and they took to the air.

When they were flying above the buildings, Syaoran hanging onto Sakura's hand still, they looked around for the dragon.

"Where could it be?" wondered Sakura.

"I dunno," replied Syaoran, "but I don't think we'll ever find out this way."

Sakura sighed. "I think you're right." They returned to the ground. Syaoran was reluctant to let go of her hand, but he did, blushing slightly. Sakura's wings disappeared, and she fell on her knees.

Syaoran knelt beside her worriedly. "Sakura, are you all right?"

Sakura nodded without looking up. "Syaoran, I was so scared... I could feel it probing at me, trying to find a way to channel my magic to itself... Then it got away..." She looked up at him, her gorgeous emerald eyes filled with fear mixed with... something else. Don't kid yourself, Syaoran thought, shaking his head.

"I'm scared..." Sakura continued. "But having you there with me... I knew I'd be okay." She smiled weakly.

Syaoran blushed. "Don't worry, we'll catch that dragon soon. Now come on, let's get you home before Touya starts to worry. Besides," he added, looking at her arm with concern, "we'd better clean that up."

Sakura nodded, smiling. Syaoran smiled back, filled with a warm, comfortable feeling that overshadowed his fear and worry. He and Sakura walked out of the alley and toward her home.

Author's note: Thanks again for the sweet reviews, you guys! Keep them coming, they're very encouraging. The only reason I used the English incantations is because that's all I know. Oh well, it doesn't affect the plot any. I have the next chapter in mind already... Hopefully it'll be up by the middle of next week. We'll see how it goes. Maybe even sooner than that! ^_^ Ja ne!