Yawn…Double yawn…Boy, even one show a night can really take it outta you…We just finished 3 days of Annie at my school, and brother, am I tired…(falls asleep on the keyboard)

Shock: There she goes again…(shakes sister awake)

GS: What?! Oh…yeah…Just a note: I do not at all see Davis as a Benedict Arnold, or even more so, a lecher, but it just seamed like something a vain, love-sick guide in one of these stories would do. Bashing warning. *Falls asleep again*

Shock: Oh boy…Looks like I gotta finish the job. Disclaimer: Sis here doesn't own Digimon. But I plan to someday…*evil laughter*

Chapter 5

The group of three set out for Westwood that next morning. Davis was, despite his vain attitude, a good guide, and lead T.K. and Kari through the wood quickly and easily. That first night they slept under the branches of a great, twisted oak, each on their own pallet. Kari was nearest the trunk, T.K. next to her, and Davis farthest out.

That night, the guide snuck quietly away once he had made sure the other two were asleep. Once out of hearing range, he pulled a small sliver whistle from inside he tunic and blew on it softly.

For a moment, nothing happened. But the, a figure dropped from the trees above and landed in front of him, followed by another, and another, until there were about a dozen of them there.

The leader pushed his cloak back, then scoffed. "So, it's you, Daisuke." he muttered. "What do you want? And you better pay good this time."

"Plenty." he grinned, tossing a purse forward.

The leader bent down, scooped up the pouch, and dumped fifteen gold coins into his palm. Replacing them with a grin, he looked back up at Davis. "Alright then, Daisuke, what's the job?"

"I'm leading a couple through these woods." Davis's eyes shone mischievously. "And I'd like to have a little time alone with the lady. Midnight, my man, you and your band attack tomorrow. Get her away, if you can. Give me a chance to 'rescue' her. Then I'll take it from there."

"And this man with her?" Midnight asked, tucking the pouch away.

"Do what you have to." Davis grinned. "I don't care what you do to him, just get the job done."

"Got it." Midnight turned back towards his band.

"One more thing." the vandal stopped. "Make sure neither one finds out I set you up for this."

"Don't I always?" Midnight scoffed, and vanished into the trees.

~ * ~ * ~

The next morning went smoothly. They made about two miles in the woods, until finally breaking for a midday meal near a soft spring. This gave Kari, kneeling beside it, a chance to wash weeks worth of dirt and sweat from her face and hands.

T.K. pulled a loaf he'd bought off the woman in the inn from his bag and broke it into three pieces. He held one out to Davis, who took it. The guide seamed edgy, for one reason or another. T.K. was keeping a close eye on him, even as he set the middle portion on Kari's bag for when she was finished and started to eat his own.

Kari suddenly screamed. Both young men leapt to their feet, pulling swords from their sheaves. T.K. hadn't touched his since he'd gotten it from Ken three days earlier.

"Stay back…get away from me!" Kari was faced by about half a dozen men, pressing her back against the edge of the pool. "Leave me alone!"

"Back off!" T.K. raced forward, knocked one of them back, and forced his way in front of Kari.

Davis, at the same time, was fending off another group of six, obviously from the same band by the black outfits they wore, who were facing him. "Really, no honor these days!" he was muttering. "Attacking a woman!"

The largest one of all stepped forward to face T.K. "Sorry, kid." he muttered. "But orders are orders."

He gripped T.K. by the shoulder and the neck with one hand. Hitting just the right pressure point, he lifted him off his feet. The young man cried out as a wave of pain rushed through his body.

"T.K.!" Kari cried. "Davis, help him!"

"I'm…a little…busy…right now!" Davis called, still fending off the other vandals with his sword.

The large man finally threw the boy into a tree across from them. T.K. hit it hard and crumpled to the ground, stunned.

"T.K.!" Kari tried to move forward, but one of the thugs grabbed her arms. "Let me go! Don't you touch me!"

"I expected as much." the leader muttered. "The herb, Lost-Life."

One of the smaller ones pulled a greenish-gray herb from his pouch and held it under Kari's nose. She breathed in the vapors once and grew faint, twice made her pass out.

The leader, Midnight, grinned to himself. "Alright boys, let's go!"

In and instant, the gang was gone, taking Kari with them. T.K. tried to pull himself up. "K-Kari…no…" he groaned. "We've gotta…get her…"

"Stay put." Davis warned. "Wait until you get your strength back. I'll go after them!" with that, he dove into the woods, leaving the prince alone.

~ * ~ * ~

Davis stepped into the clearing, re-sheaving his sword. The gang was there, with the girl, still unconcious. "Here she is, Daisuke." Midnight pointed down at her. "We've done our job."

"Not quite." Davis knelt down and scooped Kari up. "The boy with her…That T.K.…He'll be back on his feet soon. Make sure he doesn't bother us."

"And if he persists?"

"Sword, if you must." Davis shrugged. "Though that herb of yours seams very powerful indeed…tell me, what is it?"

"Bainwolfie." Midnight grinned. "It can be deadly. One breath makes the victim helpless. On the second, pass out. The third, enough for a whole day. A fourth, and they sleep forever."

Davis grinned. "Well then…If it comes to that, let him take a fourth breath."

~ * ~ * ~

Ten minutes later, T.K. had managed to struggle to his feet, snatch up the sword and chase after the group. "That lying son of a…" he muttered to himself. "'Stay here, I'll get her' will he?!"

A sudden blow knocked him from his feet. He was up in an instant, and faced the men before him. "Persistent, are you?" the leader asked shrewdly.

"Where are they?!" T.K. pointed his sword at the older man's chest.

"Who?"

"You know exactly who I mean!" T.K. snapped again. "Kari and that…that weasel we hired as a guide! Where has he taken her?!"

The leader jerked his head back and to the right. "Over there." he muttered. "But you won't be getting past us."

"That's what you think!" T.K. raged, lunging forward.

Midnight jumped out of the way. The group started to gang up on the young boy. But he somehow managed to parry each of their thrusts, and dodge every swipe of the blade.

"Very skilled, I see." Midnight muttered. "But not in our favor…Lost-Life! The Bainwolfie!"

That same small member pulled out his pouch and undid the string. One of the larger members managed to get T.K. in a choke hold and low enough that Lost-Life could hold the herb under his nose.

T.K. held his breath a moment. He remembered what the herb had did to Kari, and wouldn't let the same happen to him. With one quick movement, he'd thrown the guy off and knocked the herb away, but after that he collapsed to his knees, energy sapped. He'd taken the first breath.

Midnight stepped forward and the crowd made way for him. "You should be down enough now…" he muttered, drawing out his sword.

T.K. reached for his own, but it was kicked away from him by one of the others. Midnight pushed the boy's head up to expose the neck, and drew an imaginary line with the point where it would be best to slit his throat…

But then he stopped. He'd noticed a thick gold chain hanging around the boy's neck, as well as the medallion attached to it. And he dare not hurt the one who carried that medal…

~ * ~ * ~

"Kari? Kari, can you hear me? Wake up!"

"Neeuh…Huh?"

Kari's eyes opened slightly. Someone was leaning over her, but it was so blurry she couldn't tell who. She blinked and it cleared to find…Davis.

With a gasp, she sat up. "Where am I?!" she gasped, glancing this way and that. "Where's T.K.?!"

"I'm not sure…" Davis muttered, glancing over his shoulder. "I lost track of him…we were both worried about you…"

Kari scrambled to her feet. "Then we have to find him!" she cried. "He could be killed!"

She started to move forward. Davis suddenly grabbed her by the wrist. "I think not…"

"What're you doing?!" she demanded, trying to struggle out of his grasp as he stood. "Let me go! Get off! Let go!"

~ * ~ * ~

T.K. and the vandals ran through the woods, searching for Kari and the guide.

"If you're working for Daisuke, why in the name of heavens are you helping me?" T.K. asked Midnight.

"We're vandals, not traitors." Midnight laughed, keeping pace. "There are only two things in the world we don't dare draw blood from: a woman and a member of our royalty. Besides, my baby sister lives in Westwood. It'd be a crime against me own blood."

"Really?" T.K. was interested. "She lives in Westwood?"

"Yes." Midnight smiled wistfully. "Her name's Mimi. She's married to the town doctor, a man named Jyou. You should look him up sometime, he's very skilled in his craft."

T.K. nodded, and just then Lost-Life popped his head through the trees. "Sir! We've found them!"

Before long, T.K. could hear muffled cries. As they drew closer and closer to the clearing, the sounds became more and more distinct:

"Get your hands off me!" Kari shrieked. "Don't you touch me! You get away!"

"That rat…" T.K. growled, fists clinched. "I'll show him! Daisuke!!"

The guide glanced up sharply as the young man burst through the trees. He stood glaring angrily. "You…You…" he growled.

Kari brushed her hair out of her eyes and sat up. Her face lit up when she saw her blonde-haired companion. "T.K.!" she gasped, and ran forward to him. "Oh thank god…"

T.K. gripped her for only a moment, then pushed her back so she wouldn't be harmed again and pulled out his sword to face Davis. Midnight and the rest of the gang appeared behind him.

"Ah! Midnight!" Davis grinned, seemingly have founding his powerful alley.

But Midnight just scoffed. "You're a fool, Daisuke." he growled. "This boy wears the crest of the Westwood royal family." he pointed to the large, gold metal around Takeru's neck.

It was the size of a large potato, flat, and engraved with one symbol that looked like a small spiral, and another that was a golden sun. "Not a one of us dares to harm him, or his companion."

"Get outta here, Daisuke." T.K. warned. "We'll not be keeping your company any longer."

"By my blood!" Davis shouted, suddenly lunging forward. T.K. parried his thrust and knocked him back, but he kept coming on and on.

Kari turned to the vandals. The whole group was just watching. "Well?!" she insisted. "Help him!"

"My sincerest apologies, dear lady." Midnight explained. "But we are still under Daisuke's pay. By our rules, we're not allowed to interfere with either side."

Kari groaned inwardly. T.K. was good, Davis was good, but T.K. was still feeling the effects of the Bainwolfie, and you could tell. She didn't want to risk losing him, not now…

Davis was starting to get the upper hand on the young prince. Neither one had yet to strike a blow, but T.K. was breathing hard, and the other was hardly breaking a sweat. He was winning this one, he was certain! Just a few more strokes…

An arrow suddenly flew forward, snatched him by the collar, and pinned the would-be guide to a tree two feet away. The arrow had pierced the cloth and held tight where he couldn't reach.

The men stared, wide-eyed, at Kari. She was the one who'd fired the arrow, and the bow was still in her hand. "Watch it, Daisuke." she growled, pulling another arrow out of the quiver at her feet. "One wrong move and I'll shoot again."

Midnight blinked, then turned to T.K. "Girl's got spunk." he said in a low whistle. "She always been that good with a bow?"

"Don't look at me." T.K. was grinning sheepishly. "Kari, where'd you learn to shoot like that?"

"Archery lessons, 'fore dad died." she muttered, lowering the bow a moment. "Gave Tai lessons in swordplay, too. Making sure we knew how to fight if push came to shove."

T.K. nodded, then stepped forward. He pulled the arrow out of the tree and pressed his sword threateningly against his neck. "Now get out." he warned, pointing in the opposite direction, back towards the inn. "Now."

With that, the guide took to his heels and ran from the woods, never once looking back.

~ * ~ * ~

"Thanks again." Kari sighed as the gang and travelers began to part. "We never could've made it without you."

"No need, dear lady." Midnight bowed. "We're always glad to help the traveler, especially fine young women such as yourself."

T.K. grinned and shook the leader's hand warmly. "Many thanks too, my friend." he said. "You're a great man."

"We'll show you the way towards Westwood." Midnight pointed in the correct direction. "And say hello to my sister, if you see her."

"Of course!"

Nightwing, one of the most skilled archers in the group, appeared from the trees with a fine willow bow and a birch bark quiver of oaken arrows. "A gift, before you go." he said, presenting them to Kari. "Of all the men I've ever seen, not a one has ever shot better than you."

Kari took the gifts thankfully, and, with a last goodbye, she and T.K. disappeared back down the trail towards home.