Author's Note: ACK! Sorry! This is a really short chapter but I have to work five days a week and I am TIRED!!! But I will keep trying! Also, it kinda rankles me that only one person reviewed!!! L But hey-- it was an awesome review; much better than ten bad ones!!

A rough jolt brought Naga back to consciousness.Wha--? She opened her eyes, only to see nothing but darkness; for a moment she wondered if she had gone blind. Then her eyes adjusted and she saw that there was no light; it was night. Something pressed into her side... a wall. I'm dead... why is it so dark?

Then pain hit her like a physical force; suddenly all feeling returned no, not dead. 'hurts too much. Lying on a narrow mat, Naga groaned and fought not to be sick.

A shadow moved and became a man... no, youkai.

Heart pounding so loud she knew the creature could hear it, Naga pressed herself against the wall, knowing there was no escape.

Something flickered and then she squinted as light flashed around her; a large candle.

"You are awake," the youkai cleared his throat. The flickering light must be playing tricks, because she could have sworn she'd seen a look of embarrassment in the youkai's face.

Naga opened her mouth to speak but heard only air whistling through her lungs.

The lord's mouth twitched as he watched Naga try again, with a half perplexed, half fearful look on her face.

"Damaged, I see. Maybe permanently. Either way there will be less insolence from your mouth." He crossed his arms, eyes reflecting in the light as his voice rumbled from his throat.

Naga stared at him, fear lurking in her expression; how much longer would she live? Did he plan to torture her until the novelty bored him and he snapped her neck? Wishing she could speak, Naga curled herself inward, hoping to cushion her throbbing arm from any more pain should he decide to toy with her.

The youkai must have smelled her fear; for a moment he seemed to swell as animal instinct tried to surface, then the wild look subsided. He stepped forward, hands poised in front of him.

Naga flinched, wished she could scream; just as she prepared herself for pain, hands somewhat gentle gripped her shoulders and pushed her back to lie flat on the small mat.

"The break; it will be set" the youkai said lowly. When she winced away from his touch, he countered with a menacing "Lie still, damn whelp. I have no use for crippled slaves!"

A strong arm pinned her firmly; as fingers probed the break, Naga tried to will away the pain, teeth gritted. Slave? What does he mean by---!!

Grabbing her injured arm by the wrist, the youkai gave a sharp jerk; Naga's mouth opened in a silent scream and there was a sickening noise as the bones settled back together, raw nerves grinding. Back arching, she dug her nails into the first thing she found-- his bare arm.Oh--my--gods! Kami!

Naga slumped in a boneless heap back onto the mat, tears running of their own accord down her face. She stared up at the not-man through them, eyes accusing him. You. You did this to me...

He bared his teeth at her look. "Am I to apologize to you, girl? The lord Hiten needs no-ones forgiveness." Hiten glanced down at his biceps; blood trickled sluggishly from gouges.

To Naga's dismay, the youkai proceeded to bind her arm, though he did it roughly.

After handing a wetted cloth and a bowl to her to "wipe the filth away," the lord stalked out of the cramped room and closed the screen behind him.

Naga complied with the youkai's wishes, not because he ordered her to, but because both she and he knew it was necessary. She drank the remaining water in the bowl, though it was bloody and dirty and felt her thirst leave.

In the next few days she lay in that dark and musty space, not caring of the hours that passed as she slept. Her stomach twisted in on itself at the thought of food; lord Hiten rarely brought her water and when on the rare occasion he remembered food, it was always meat-- raw meat. Naga managed to gag the bloody flesh down; she suspected the youkai didn't understand the human need for more than raw meat.

Her voice had not returned; Naga had finally concluded that the youkai had crushed her throat. She had accepted it with no tears, only a grimace on her face as she resolved herself to her injury. No more laughter, or singing, or words. How can I defeat that? How can I communicate with that… demon? Kami!

Author's Note: Erk. Okay… can you say writer's block? Yep. Pretty pathetic after not writing for so long o__O But you try and come up with these complex things and how they fit into the story!!!!! Juts kidding! ^__O I will try to get more cranked out in the next few days!!! And seriously, tell me what you would like to see!!! Maybe you can think of something I can't!!! You never know!!

Thanks to kitty for the review, KA