Title: "War Beat"
Author: Peonyqt1004
Chapter 2: The Forest Lady

Peony: Hello everyone! Back again for more? :-) Read and reveiw pleeeeease! REVEIW!!!! :o)

Kero: I'm not in this chapter either?! THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!

Sakura: Oooh, I'm a fighter! XD

Syaoran: Why do I have to be prince? *whines*

Peony: Cuz I said so!

Syaoran: Why could'nt I have been a bodygaurd and Sakura been a prince--

Peony: Cuz thats a cliched version!! This one is suppose to be more original then those! ^^+ I thought we already went over this...

Sakura: Hoe! The chapter is about to start! Peony also wants to tell you to read and reveiw "Look for me by Moonlight"!!! XD Syaorans soooo awesome in it!

Syaoran: *blushes*

Disclaimer: I don't own it! DO YOU FEEL BETTER BECUZ I TOLD U NOW?!

"The Forest Lady"


Sakura woke up from a deep slumber, tears still present on her cheeks. She got up, someone had healed and banaged her. She looked around the elegant room, so diffrent from her simple rustic home. She rubbed her still grimy face and looked up as the door opened. "Tomoyo..." Sakura croaked, her eyes hurt and her chest did too. "Shush, you've been through alot." She brought in a wash basin. "Wash your face, father ordered my ladymaid to make a nice steaming bath for you." Sakura splashed water on her face and sighed sadly. "My father is dead." she said flatly, "And my mother... and Tory... and Rika..." "Shush..." Tomoyo made a soothing sound. "Forget those memories for a while and take a relaxing bath. Heres a question, do you want trousers or a dress?" "Trousers please." Sakura answered. She got up painfully and made her way towards the steaming tub.

Syaoran pondered for a long time, he had to meet the queen. He had to ask for an army. He nodded, 'Thats it, thats what I'll do...' Pleased with himself he walked out towards the palace and came to the gate. The gaurds stopped him. "You may not enter without a crest or permission from the queen." Syaoran felt irritated, did they not know that he was a prince? "By the name of the Li kingdom, please let me pass." The knight gwaffed. "Whey are all dead, who are you kidding?" Syaoran growled. "LET ME THROUGH!" He lept towards the gate, the gaurds threw him down to the ground. "Go away filthy peasent, or you'll feel the bite of our sword." Syaoran growled. "FINE!" He withdrew his sword. The gaurds laughed again. "Where did you find such a nice sword your highness?" One mocked. Syaoran lept forward and attacked the gaurd who dared to insult him.

Sakura emerged from the bath, feeling a little bit better. She was dressed in brown trousers and a white silk blouse. She wore her regular brown boots and she felt quite at home. She walked regally towards the window, just to look down upon the world from there...


"LET ME GO!"

There was the sounds of clashing swords.

"I NEED TO SEE THE PRINCESS!"


Sakura looked down curiously and decided to see what was going on. She hurried down the stairs and ran out towards the gate. "Whats going on!" She demanded as she came towards the two gaurds. One was knocked off his feet and was lying there, stunned, and the other one had a sword up to his throat. "Who in the world..." Tomyo ran towards them, her tiara askew. "Whats going on?!"she demanded. "Let my gaurds go!" The gaurds scrambled back up as the peasent boy turned and faced them. "YOU!" Sakura replied, enraged. "Its that peasent kid who punched me!" Tomoyo glared at the peasent. "You have no buisness coming here!" "Yes I do!" The boy countered, his eyes prideful. "Do you not recognize this seal?" The boy took out his sword and showed them the hilt... It was the symbol of the wolf.

Opitus watched the army march by and smiled. "You have the whole world at your hands your majesty." Nubis smiled as he put on his armor. "I'm going too." Opitus stared. "To this war?" Nubis nodded. "I, Nubis Black Claw, have a buisness there to attend to." He tightened is belt and put on his helmet. "You are coming with me."


"How do we know if You are telling the truth?"

"I am!"

Sakura scowled as the boy came up towards the throne room with them. "Look." The boy said pointedly. "I am Syaoran Li, son of Queen Yelan Li and King Xiao Li. Belive my words." Sakura sighed out loud and glared at the boy. "This better be true." She growled, her eyes murderous. Syaoran glared at her. "Shut your mouth woman." "Well he certaintly acts all high and mighty." Tomoyo said, to ease the argument. "We'll see."


"Your majesty." Syaoran bowed. The queen looked down at him. "Syaoran? You certaintly look like a Li, the amber eyes, the brown hair, yes go on." "My country has been attacked by its own country men, men with dark powers, men who are going to destroy our people." The queen nodded. "The leading man is Nubis, the aiding magician is Opitus, they destroyed my family..." Syaoran gulped, his emotions were not to be shown in front of anybody. "I am asking you, if you can aid me in my mission, to destroy Nubis forever." There was a long pause. The queen closed her eyes for a long time and looked worn.

"I cannot help you."


The army marched, the black armor shining in the light, their sheilds glinting purple. Nubis nodded. "We are almost at Plumroots base... bring the princess prisoner... and kill the queen."

Syaoran loooked up, startled. "Why? You are our ally!" The queen sighed, "I am old and weary of battle, ever since my husband died in the war 20 years ago, I've been reluctant to lead my countrymen into battle... As we are speaking, our people are evacuating. We will not fight, we are allied with your people, but we shall not fight." Syaoran looked at her in disbelief. "Then you'll let Nubis gain more power?!" The queen shook her head. "Nay, not more... we do not help anyone... Come, if you want to survive, come with me and my people to our shelter in Pine growth." Syaoran stared at the queen, his eyes turbulent with disbelief, dissappointment, and anger. "No... I cannot come with you, not while these people are suffering." Syaoran replied, his eyes dark. "They killed my family, even if I am in this alone, I will fight." Syaoran felt dispair within him, but he knew, he could not forgive himself if he let Nubis continue to gain power and to kill people.

"Then I will go with you."

Syaoran turned around and stared, the girl whom he had punched before rose up regally towards him. "I want to help." He voice was quivering. "They killed my family too, without any mercy, the one I want to kill most is that wizard." She took a deep breathe, her green eyes looking sad. "I need to do something, my mother told me I'll find my path, and this may be the path I'm looking for." Syaoran glared at her, "Baka, you can't even lift a weapon!" Tomoyo stood up, "Mother, I'm going to." The queen stared at her daughter in horror. "No Tomoyo! You cannot! I won't allow it!" Tomoyo stuck her chin out stubbornly. "I am, and theres no way to change it!" Sakura bowed down. "Sorry, your majesty, I will gaurd her with my life, I am her bodygaurd, I shall gaurd both of them with my life, I am pledged to them, I must carry on my families name." The queen got up angrily and hit her hand on her chair. "NO! NO I WON'T LET YOU DIE TOO!" She shrieked. Tomoyo winced and smiled softly. "Mother, you cannot stop me anymore... I wanted to go out into the world, this is my chance." The queen blanched in anger and left the room swiftly, her lips prim and her face tight.

"You cannot come with me." Syaoran said, exapherated. "You are a gril!" Sakura shook her head. "I am a warrior." She replied. "I'm a Kinomoto, look." She raised her hand and scruched up her sleeve. "See this?" She asked as she pointed to the object right below her wrist. "Thats my symbol." It was a a cherry blossom with a dragon of white curling around it. "I need to live for this." Sakura replied. "I must protect you though I hate to." Sakura said snidely. Syaoran glared at her. "You can't fight." He said sullenly. Suddenly two metal fans were in his face. "Don't judge me because I'm a woman." She replied shortly and walked toward the gate. Tomoyo hurried after her, holding a knapsack. "Here! I have some food, water, and clothing in here, its light." Sakura hefted the sack onto her back and turned to speak to Syaoran. "Ok, I've heard what you said up there, it really touched me, even if I'm not working with you, or if you decide to ditch us, I'm fighting." Syaoran sighed, giving up, his face in a frown. "Sure, whatever, just don't hold me back too much."

The queen sobbed as she watched her daughter walk out of the gate. 'She's really leaving...' The queen closed her eyes, tears falling faster now. 'They all left me... Goodbye my child, good luck... please... come back safely....'


Sakura walked towards the city gates adn stopped. Syaoran did as well. "Do you hear that?" Syaoran asked. He put his head to the ground. He heard the ground viberate and hoofbeats... "They're here!" Syaoran exclaimed. The remaining villagers shreiked as they ran with sudden chaos out the other way. Syaoran bit his lips, they needed time. He gathered his strands of magic together and thrusted them towards the city doors. "We need time! I enchanted the door! C'mon!" The three ran towards the city drain. Tomoyo looked about, "Sakura, can you explode this?" Sakura nodded. A small pink ball of fire formed in her hands, she threw it towards the drain and the iron gates exploded. Syaoran indicated them to move out towards the drain, a little startled to learn that Sakura knew magic. The city gates thudded, over and over again. "Thy're trying to break in! The people!" Sakura turned back. "SAKURA!" Syaoran yelled, irritated. Sakura left them and waded through the drain and towards the people. "Over here! Ove--" The city gates bursted open in a blaze of fire.

The soldiers spilled inward, Sakura took out her fans determined to avenge her parents.

"IS SHE CRAZY?!" Syaoran yelled. "WE'RE OUT NUMBERED!" Tomoyo grimaced. "I can't really fight... I can heal but..." Syaoran pointed towards a small ditch. "Hide." He said tightly. "I'm going in to save that wretched girl."

She was pratically dancing. She flew about, killing many with her fan, but she was getting tired, the fight from two nights before had wearied her out. She was horrible when it came to strength, but she made up for it with quickness and agility. Instead of defeating an enemy with one solid hit, herse were many, like rain, they pattered and peirced and killed, the flashing of her fan was deadly... But 20 men against her were too many. She grunted as someone managed to actually cut her with a sword. She twirled into a dance of death. But collapsed as two men tackled her. Sakura struggled to get up, she felt weak and heavy, just as someone was about to kill her..."ENOUGH!" A voice called, a man with black hair and violet eyes walked towards her. "Stand up, tell me your name." She glared at him, "You don't need to know, you'll be dead!"

Nubis studied he girl, she was so pretty. Her large firey green eyes were like emeralds, Her delicate features were marred only by cuts from the sword... She was slender and thin, her brown hair shoulder length... Ah... she was a delight, how much more beautiful she would be if only she was wearing a dress and was cleaned up? Lust overcame him as he stared at her parted rosebud lips. "Dead?" He was amused. He came closer to the girl. "You killed my men." "You killed my parents." she spat back. Hmm... a bold one. "Oh really? I killed alot of people, how was I to know?" He shrugged and looked comical, getting chuckles from his men. Opitus emerged from the crowd, his eyes widened as he sensed her aura. "Thats the girl who threw back my magic." Nubis's eyebrows shot up. "Really? Interesting..." "My name is Sakura Kinomoto, I will avenge my family." Her voice sounded timid and weak, Sakura cursed herself and steeled herself against what might come. "I fight with honor, for my crest." She held up her wrist and the symbol of a white dragon in sleep with cherry blossom petals around it was seen. "This is my purpose, this is my reason."

"HYAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" Blood splattered everywhere, someone was leaping and moving agiley towards them. Nubis squinted. "Prince... Syaoran?!" He exclaimed in disbelief. Syaoran jumped in front of Sakura. "Betrayer..." He mummered angrily, looking Nubis fully in the eye for a breif second, and suddenly he quickly turned and grabbed Sakura by the waist and slashed at the people who attacked him, and jumped away, towards the drain, and was gone.

"STOP HIM!" Nubis cried, his face was significently paler then before. "KILL HIM KILL HIM!" The soldiers, stunned, awakened from their stupor and marched toward the ditch. "DON'T LET THE BOY LIVE!" Nubis cried out, he turned to Opitus. "I thought you told me they were all dead." He growled. The wizard shrank back. "The..they... He must've escaped my net... there might be a betrayer in out midst!" Nubis snarled, "It might be you for goodness sakes!" He whirled around. "I'll make sure there isn't a single betrayer in my sight!"


Eriol was terrified, he managed to escape and was making his way towards his friends home, his heart heavy. 'They're all dead...' Eriol wept as he came towards the wooden hut. 'I... I don't know what to do...' The door opened and Zachary opened the door. "Well... you're alive!" Gazing in wonder, Zachary opened the door wider. "Come in come in... I can't believe it... How did you live?"

Tory opened his eyes and blinked. He sat up and frowned, who was he? Wait... why was he here? He looked around, the smell of burning corpses made his eyes water. He got up unsteadily, his sword at his side. "Who am I?" He asked praticually nobody. "Where... where am I?" Wincing, he clutched his bleeding head and made his way away from the site of many deaths.

Sakura pushed herself away from Syaoran. "I've got feet you know." She said shortly. They ran towards the ditch, "Tomoyo! Run, we have to go!" Tomoyo nodded and ran after them, then realized something. "MOTHER!" Tomoyo screamed as she turned around. Sakura and Syaoran managed to haul her up and drag her towards the forest of darkness, the forest behind the city of Plumroot.

"TOMOYO!" The queen screamed, the army was already here, they got here so early. Desperate, she got up and grabbed her husbands sword which stood rusted on the wall. She unsheated it. She didn't know how to use it very well, but she would try... She needed to find Tomoyo... She opened a door and was startled by a scream. She looked down the stairway and saw one of her servants pleading with a soldier dressed in black not to kill her son. The soldier laughed, spit in her face and kicked the baby away from her and stabbed the woman. The baby lay crying on the floor. Enraged at such a cruel act, the queen bursted forward. 'Syaoran Li was right... It is not right how they kill people... we must fight...' She swung her sword in a graceful arch about her head and decapitated the enemy. She swung the sword over and over again, not letting a scream escape her when arrows finally struck her down. She had failed... but she hoped her daughter would make it...

Tomoyo was sobbing, clutching onto Sakura she whispered over and over again. "Why? WHY?" Sakura soothed her friend, it pained her to see her friend like this. "Your mother mayhaps died fighting, its an honorable death." Tomoyo became hysterical, Syaoran looked away and sat low in the thickets and indicated for them to shush. Tomoyo's hysterical weeping died down as a shadow came over them. "They're not here, no damned soul will want to go through here!" A voice said loudly, swinging a sword to cut a path. Sakura pushed Tomoyo low and she crouched, ready for another battle. "Didn't you know?" another man asked, "Tis' where that woman died, whats her name... Um... " "Just call her the damn lady of the forest a'iite?" One of them said, his country accent was strong. Their footsteps got farther and farther off. Syaoran sighed, "We're going to be ok..." He looked up at Sakura's face and looked at her quizzically. "Whats wrong?" Sakura's face had became completely pale, her eyes were large and frightened, her her voice came ou in a high squeak. "Gh-gh-ghosts!" She exclaimed looking around her. "Nah, thats not real." Syaoran said, looking at Sakura in mild amusment. "Ghosts aren't real Sakura, don't be such a baby." Tomoyo smiled. "Did you not hear of the legend? The forest lady lures off men into the woods and feasts on their souls, leaving an empty shell behind..." Tomoyo giggled as Sakura's eyes started to cross in fear.

"Cut it out." Syaoran mummered. "She's really scared." Tomoyo's face suddenly became dead serious. "There have been cases where people did dissppear in this forest." Sakura gulped. "R-R-really?" She asked, her voice high pitched. Tomoyo nodded. "Don't worry, it all probably their own fault, this forest is massive, they probably got lost and died."


Syaoran had to keep watch, he didn't mind, he loved looking at the moons and stars. They had set up a little fire, it was easy for him, he learned how to light cannons and such, so this was no problem. The girls were fast asleep, he sighed, Sakura seemed to be having a troubled sleep. She kept mummering words and crying out in the night. He didn't know why she was scared of ghosts, but it was amusing. Syaoran saw something white pass by the corner of his eye. "Huh?" He shook his head. He shouldn't get sleepy now, he was imagining things already. The white something passed by the corner of his eyes again. He turned around, ignoring Sakura's whimpering and whispering. He heard sobbing, from not far off. He got up and decided to follow it. "Oh... child... my child!" A voice cried out passionately. Frowning, Syaoran stepped into a clearing. A woman all in white was crying and leaning over a dead body. "My child..." She cried out again. "Someone... please... help..." Syaoran stepped closer, the woman suddenly stilled. "Did you come to help me?" The woman asked, her voice was sweet and high. Syaoran was entranced by the scene. "Yes." He replied, stepping forward again, he stared at the woman. The woman slowly looked up, her longwhite hair covered her face. "Thank you..." She breathed, and suddenly her eyes met his. Her eyes were white... as white as snow... and her face was pale and the smell of rotting corpses nearly made Syaoran faint. She smiled at him, he suddenly found her smile quite charming. "Come with me..." She beckoned, going ahead of him. "Come..." Helpless and mesmerized by the woman, he stepped forward.

Sakura woke up, a strange cold feeling was at the pit of her stomache. Her friend Tomoyo stirred beside her. Sakura wiped away ehr sweat and looked around. "Syaoran?" Sakura pursed her lips, her eyes wide with fear she got up, where did he go to? She saw a path, created by someone walking.... Sakura followed it ad came across a clearing... She saw Syaoran following something in front of him.

"Syaoran!"

Syaoran twitched, he heard someone call his name. The woman smiled again, "Ignore that girl... come... come with me..." Syaoran obeyed, the voice behind him seemed to fade away.

"SYAORAN!" Sakura called, something was wrong, she ran towards him and grabbed his arm. "Syaoran!" His eyes looked glazed.... and stupified. She slowly turne to look at what he was looking at. It was a white corpse, washed white by the moonlight, its eyeless eyes and its terrible dead smile looked at her. It opened its mouth. "His soul is mine for the taking..." Sakura was frozen in fear. A ghost... a real one... She felt faint, she let go of Syaoran and her eyes started to flutter. "Thats my girl..." The ghost said, smiling sickeningly.

Sakura was frozen, petrified, she watched as the ghost lured Syaoran near a cliff... no... no... NO! Sakura saw the symbol of her family underneathe her wrist. She lifted up the symbol and gulped, it was as if the dragon uncurled and was talking to her.

'Save him, your honor... Kinomoto... he's a Li... Protect him!'

"But he cares nothing for my protection..." Sakura said weakly.

'Care or no, he's a Li, it would be dishonorable if you let him die when he is under your care.'

"But... the ghost..."

'Defeate your fears, or it will defeat you!'

The dragon dissappeared and her tattoe was a tattoe again. Sakura grabbed her fan tightly. She ran forward.

"Syaoran..." The ghost woman said bewitchingly. "Look... isn't this beautiful? Look at this place, so peaceful... so beautiful."

Syaoran looked down at the scene, indeed, the water was beautiful, Koi swam about the lake, but it was a murky green color. But the rest of the landscape around the lake was beautiful.

"You can come with me, it would keep you safe from Nubis...'

Syaoran flinched and stepped back. "But I want to kill him." The ghost woman became angry. "KILL HIM! He will die with age! Like everyone else in this world!" Syaoran looked dazed. "But my parents... they were'nt able to die in such a peaceful way..." "DO AS I TELL YOU OR I'LL FORCE YOU!" The ghost shrieked, all of a sudden, Syaoran saw the ghost as it really was, it was a corpse, a living corpse, a zombie... a ghost. "NO!" Syaoran yelled out loud, he snapped out of his daze and saw that he was nearly stepping off the cliff. "BEGONE YOUR SOUL IS MINE!" The ghost pushed Syaoran off the cliff and cackled in glee as it dissppeared in a wisp of white smoke.

"NOOOOOOO!" Sakura grabbed Syaorans wrist. Syaoran looked up at those green eyes, they looked determined. "You were a fool." She said, panting slightly. "That was the forest lady... Get up... here give me you other hand." Sakura yanked him up and sighed. Syaoran clambered up and stared at Sakura. "I thought you hated me." Sakura grinned slighty. "I do." Syaoran glared at her. "Then why in heavens name did you SAVE me?" "My honor." Syaoran's face became sour and he blew his long bangs away from his face with an exaspherated sigh. "Ok. Thats it?" Sakura nodded. "Lets get back to camp, Tomoyo's waiting."


"Bread soup?" Syaoran asked, irritated. "Thats peasent food!" Sakura glared at him. "Peasent food or no, I'm eating it, Tomoyo, here, you'll like it. If you don't eat it, we will." Syaoran grumbled and took his share quickly, his stomache winning over his stubborness. He grudgerly ate a bite, it was gone in a twinkling. Sakura looked at his clean bowl, "So you liked it." "NO!" Syaoran replied hastily. "It was because I dont want to starve to death!" Tomoyo rolled her eyes. "Right." "Look, the army has probably passed this forest by now, lets take the path on the road." Syaoran interuppted, feeling humiliated. "Ok." Sakura agreed hastily. "Of course!"

Nubis stared at the boy in front of him. "Whos this?" "He doesn't remeber who he is sir." A soldier replied. "But he really can fight. He bothered some of our soldiers so we brought him here." Nubis sighed, "Should I kill you? Or not?" Nubis's eyes strayed over the mans garments, it was ripped, torn, smelly, burnt, and very dirty. But one thing caught his eye, something he saw before. A strange marking beneathe his wrist. "Come here." Suspiciouly, the tall black haired teen stepped forward, his eyes narrowed. Nubis grabbed his wrist and stared at the symbol. A white dragon and cherry blossoms... Hmm....

**Flashback**

"My name is Sakura Kinomoto, I will avenge my family." Her voice sounded timid and weak, Sakura cursed herself and steeled herself against what might come. "I fight with honor, for my crest." She held up her wrist and the symbol of a white dragon in sleep with cherry blossom petals around it was seen. "This is my purpose, this is my reason."

**End Flashback**

"Well well well.." Nubis said, he eyed the taller man, and grinned. "Let him live I'll see what to do with him, but meanwhile, dress him in something more suitable and get him clean. We might need him later." Nubis eyed him with interest. This was what he could use to bring the beautiful... Sakura Kinomoto to him.


To be continued...


Peony: READ AND REVEIW OKI DOKKKKK~! XD