______
The group was now a quartet, composed of:
Syaoran, who walked in the lead; Sakura, cradled limply in Syaoran's arms;
Tamaya trailing 3 feet after; and Peliopes following silently. Perhaps
their group would be most accurately a quintet, but Gharen was a free-lancer,
he came and went as he pleased. They traveled for 3 full days, Gharen appearing
from the darkness to bring food he'd hunted, or news for Peliopes' ears
only.
The journey had left its
mark on Sakura, lack of food and energy left her vulnerable to the many
sicknesses that plagued the Dark Forest. It was on the fourth night, after
two days of raging fever and coughing, that she woke with a start.
Syaoran was nowhere in sight, but there was no doubt that he was nearby.
The air within the tent was frigid to her, but she ignored it. Sitting
up proved much easier this day than the last, and she stretched out her
arms to exercise muscles that complained of the floor's many rocks and
sharp pebbles.
Looking around, she became
more aware of her surroundings. There was a small dimly flickering lamp
on a short table near her bed. A wispy line of smoke curled around, and
the smell of burning animal fat reached her. After she was sure she could
stand on her own two feet, Sakura risked a glance outside of her confines.
The other tents were dark, but there was a light shadowy outline on one,
which meant someone was occupying it. It was a wide clearing, strange choice
when you're in such a dangerous environment, but her uneasiness dissipated
as she spotted a small form in the trees. Gharen.
" Oh." A little gasp escaped as her stomach complained. " I wonder if I can eat anything here?"
She crept silently out of the tent, and to her complete surprise, discovered the air outside was no longer cold. In fact, it was warm to the point of discomfort. After another insistent growl from her tummy, she walked in the direction she'd seen Gharen; he being the only one awake. She found him sitting like a mother bird at her nest, with legs tucked beneath him. One would almost expect him to preen his feathers, if he had any.
" You are awake." He said
simply, his eyes still on the forest.
" I've had as much sleep
as I can handle."
Silence insued, then.
" Where did all this stuff come from?"
" Our camp." By that, Sakura assumed he meant Peliopes too. " We found our fellows on the second day of your fever. They helped erect all the tents and cook meals."
More silence.
" You should return to your tent. That boy...Syaoran...will certainly not be pleased."
Sakura didn't answer. A blush crept up her cheeks as her stomach once again growled. Gharen only flicked an eye back.
" You are hungry. Come. If you will not sleep to regain your strength, then you shall eat."
Gharen got up with a heave, then walked back towards the tents, Sakura following after. He walked with an almost arrogant sureness, and it still frightened her a little to see the huge dagger-like claws on his front toes. But, after talking with him, even for such a short time, she realized that there was some humanity within him, long before the scars of Marckas had riddled his body.
Hidden beneath the bough of a low tree, a small pot simmered atop a meager flame. He motioned to it, then seated himself beside it; Sakura partaking of the broth inside. It was warm, and filling, and she savored its rich flavor.
" He is brave, that boy
of yours..."
" He's not mine..." Sakura
felt her face grow warm.
" Oh?" This was the first
time Sakura had ever heard surprise in Gharen," Strange. You humans are
such contradictory creatures. You care for him, and yet, you try everything
in your power to deny that."
" It's hard to explain."
" I do not believe I wish
to hear it. The animal way of living is simpler, and I fear your strange
behaviors will taint my ideals."
Sakura just sat quietly, pondering what he'd said.
Her thoughts were interrupted, as a pained yell echoed through the forest. Gharen was immediately on his feet, and Sakura unsteadily beside him. Out of the brush, Tamaya plunged, heaving for breath.
" What is it?"
" Syaoran's hurt!"
" WHAT?"
Sakura was up and running before another word could be said. Her lungs burned, but she ran for all her life was worth. Suddenly, the trees parted from around her, and she found herself in a region filled with hot springs. So that's why their campsite was so warm. Sulfurous fumes wafted through the air, which made her cough and choke; her ailment was helping either. Steam rose from vents in the floor, sometimes in billowing clouds, sometimes in spurts that could boil flesh. Beneath these poison clouds were bubbling pits of sulfur, ammonia, and what little water there was. And in the middle of it all, Syaoran stood shakily on his left foot. The fabric of the right leg of his breeches was seared off to the flesh, and angry red welts spotted his skin. He winced, looking desperately for a way out, but he couldn't see the way through the mists. He squinted and coughed through the smoke, holding his breath to keep from inhaling the fumes. Surveying the bubbling cauldrons of muck, much to his horror, he saw Sakura scanning the banks. The mists, seemingly sensing his distress, soon moved to cover his view of her. He called out into the blinding white.
" Sakura! Stay away!"
" No!"
" NOW! You're still not
well! Go to the tent! I'll be there shortly!"
Sakura sighed in disgust. You'd think he was just out picking berries.
" I'm coming out to help
you!"
" NO!"
" Yes!"
" You're lungs are still
healing! If you breath the air, it could kill you."
" Well, the air
where I lived was just as bad, and as far as I can tell I haven't died
of that, yet." He was surprised. She'd never really seemed the kind to
be sarcastic.
There was a silence, then slowly the sound of footsteps echoed.
______
Sakura took careful steps, trying to be sure she didn't accidentally become broiled.
" Eww," Coming close to one of the pits, Sakura felt the overwhelming sensation to throw up.
As she took another step forward, there was a rumbling sound.
" Huh?"
A whoosh, and 3 feet of boiling water came spurting out of the vent to her right. She screamed, tumbling down and watching incredulously. There was a shuffle from her far left, and a voice rang clear through the mists.
" SAKURA!"
" I'm fine." She touched
a burn on her cheek. It wasn't that bad, the skin was just red. She moved
further forward, reaching through the fog. Suddenly, a hand came out and
grabbed hers - she jumped. Syaoran materialized out of the steam, and she
immediately began to fawn over his leg.
" Syaoran, you're burned!"
" I can deal with it.
We should be getting YOU back to the tent."
Despite Sakura's protests, as
soon as they'd found a way clear, Syaoran rushed Sakura back to her tent
as fast as he could limp. Finally after he'd settled down from scolding
her like a mother hen, she sat back and sighed sadly. Why did he want to
always keep her cooped up in here? It wasn't as if she were going to pass
out again. On the contrary, she felt as energized as those glowbugs that
used to live outside her home. Perhaps he thought she was weak. Well, she'd...
Suddenly, she heard laughing from outside. Hey! Syaoran sat laughing sheepishly,
as a girl that sat dangerously close to him laughed as well.
And, not surprisingly,
Sakura found herself seething.
" I turn my back for a second and the vultures move in." Sakura threw the flap of her tent aside and stormed over to her bed, throwing herself down. It wasn't fair.
Ever since she'd gotten her voice back, it seemed like he didn't like her as much. Sakura shook her head. Fine. She could handle herself. She could already begin to hear her singing voice come back, and when her throat had healed completely within, she'd leave. She'd find her way back home, back to all the stuff she knew, and be happy again. She didn't need Syaoran... and it seemed like she was only a burden to him anyway.
" I'd be getting two things out
of the way." Even as she said this, tears came to her eyes.
" I can do this..." She tried
to convince herself. " I'll be able to do it when the time comes. All I
have to do, is turn around."
******
Syaoran continued to keep the pasted smile on his face, as the girl left. Then, with a huffed sigh, he sat back, massaging the muscles around his jaw.
" You'd think you were a king the way you smiled at all the commoners." Tamaya remarked as she walked up slowly," By the way, breakfast is being served."
" Tamaya!" A genuine smile, less painful when you're doing it because you want to," It's etiquette really, just trying to be polite."
" So, you're telling me, she didn't strike you as pretty in the least?"
" No." Syaoran took that back," She was pretty. But, not my kind of pretty."
Tamaya caught the wistful glance he threw at the tents, surreptitious as it was. He continued to polish the gold staff. It gleamed with care in the sun. She sighed and watched him try to look busy.
" You know, you really should
tell her."
" Who?"
" You know who."
" I don't know. Enlighten me."
" Sakura!"
" You're right, I should."
This caught Tamaya by surprise.
" So, you're going to?"
" Yeah."
" When?"
" Right now."
Tamaya's eyes went bright.
"...I'm going to tell her that
breakfast is ready, and see what she wants."
" OH!" Bright changed to infuriation.
Syaoran only laughed as he sauntered over to the group of people at the far end of the clearing cooking wonderfully delicious foods. Tamaya thought he was postponing the inevitable. She was right.