Sakura and the Big (Slightly) Bad-Tempered Wolf

Chapter Eight: Babushka Wolf! (Wolf inside a boy inside a wolf…)

I'm back! I'm finally back!! And for any of you who might actually be interested. I HAD A GREAT TIME ON MY HOLIDAY!! ::Does happy dance:: I had so much fun. We went snorkeling and horse riding and white water rafting (consecutively too, I tell you, my butt was sore after that) and went to all the theme parks ( :D :D :D The lethal weapon roller coaster at Warner Bros. MovieWorld is such a cool ride. It's suspended instead of one you sit in and it goes at 80 kilometres/hour and you experience 4G forces. :D We got pictures!!) and and and, IT WAS GREAT!! Anyway, I'm back now (though I'm going away on holiday again in about 2 weeks D) but I've actually got a big juicy chappie for you to read. And I should have another Liquorice Allsort up soon to. (Using some of my holiday as a base plot). Yay!!

I was considering turning this chapter into two, but I couldn't really find a good place to cut it. It would have involved cliffhangers and re-writing it and I figured you probably didn't want to wait even longer, so that decided me. I'll post it as it is!!

On with a nice long chappie for oy uto sink your teeth into. Enjoy! ^^

OOOhh, before I forget. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED!! I'm in a I'm too damn lazy to go through all the reviews and thank everyone individually, but just know that a big whooping great THANK YOU!! goes to everyone who reviewed.

Oh but I'd better thank Bunni, my editor, as I did kinda through a rather large chapter on her then buggered off to the other side of the country on holidays, leaving her to wade through the aforementioned chapter of largeness. Thank you!!

Anyway, on with the story!!

Eriol's POV:

I grunted as I tugged my robes from the thorny rose bushes, then grimaced as I heard yet another rip. Even my wardrobe was going to have trouble fixing that. Feyfox, followed by her troop of miniature cameras, was squinting at the screen of the thing in front of her. It looked something like a palm pilot, which, according to Feyfox, was suppose to be a much more accurate way of detecting peoples aura's than just sensing, but apparently it wasn't being very accurate. Scowling unpleasantly, she flew over and smacked it against the trunk of a tree.

"Having trouble Feyfox?"

She glanced up at me, then at Tomoyo. "Does he always state the obvious, or is this just an annoying phase he's going through?"

Tomoyo replied with absolutely no hesitation. "It comes and goes."

I huffed silently to myself and tugged again at my tattered robes (ignoring the resulting rip) and trudged on. The device Feyfox was carrying (and occasionally whacking against the nearest stationary object) was indicating that our friends where somewhere to the north/east of the castle. This particular area happened to contain a vast rose garden which was a favourite for most of the people living in the castle because of the various paths and benches that gave you the best views of the surroundings. Of course, I was at a point were I'd gladly take a flame-thrower to the whole place. You would too if you just spent the last half hour trudging through a place that basically amounts to a photosynthesizing iron maiden.

Damn thorns.

"Hey, I think it's homing in on them!"

I became aware of a high pitched (but slightly off-key, probably due to the numerous dents it had acquired) beeping coming from the device. She scratched her chin and squinted at the screen, then looked up and pointed. "They're over there…approximately 10 metres."

I looked in the direction. All I could see was more of those cursed rose bushes and a few insects fluttering around but no indication whatsoever of a green-eyed card mistress or her wolfish acquaintance.

"Right."

But, as fate would have it, upon the end of our 10 metre trek we came upon no Sakura or Syaoran. Only more rose bushes.

And a pinky coloured butterfly…

Followed by a giant electric green dragonfly.

I frowned.

"Tell me Feyfox, do you usually see dragonflies that big?"

She glanced up from her device and frowned as she watched the dragonfly flit around the butterfly and shook her head.

I rubbed my hands together and slowly crept over to butterfly and dragonfly currently perched on a branch.

"What are you-" I silenced Tomoyo with a look, then held out a hand and touched the butterfly on the wing. It disappeared in a whirl of pink dust and a scrap of material floated to the ground. Immediately my senses did an about face, telling me that the aura I had been tracking for the past half an hour or so was in actual fact in an opposite direction, back in the castle. I grinned and tapped the dragonfly on the tail; it too disappeared in much the same way that the butterfly had.

Tomoyo looked confused as I passed. "What was that?"

"That, my dear, was the manifestation of a trick I'm now regretting ever teaching Sakura."

We finally made it back to the castle without further incident; my robes far beyond having anything left to rip. We gathered in the main entrance and my senses (and Feyfox's currently smoking device) indicated that Sakura and Syaoran were somewhere above us. We headed for the stairs and went up…

And up…

And up…

I started to curse the absence of lifts in this whole gods-forsakened castle then remembered that I was one of the strongest sorcerers around and started to curse my own stupidity as I conjured one up on the nearest wall.

So we all stood in silence inside the little room, all eyes turned up to the little board of numbers as they consecutively lit up.

12…

13…

14…

I shot Feyfox a glare when she started to hum to the music softly playing in the speakers I didn't remember adding in.

16…

17…

Tomoyo started to fiddle with a button; her nails made a soft rhythmic click on the plastic

18… *click*

19… *click*…"do-do-doo…dum-da..dum…"

I gritted my teeth.

The lights stopped at level 20, an airy female voice announced 'Doors opening' as the doors slide open to reveal a bewildered looking maid. After a brief explanation to the maid, the doors once again slid shut and the airy female voice declared 'doors closing'. Come to think of it, I didn't remember adding that either…

After what seemed like a lifetime the final light lit up, the female voice said her thing and we stumbled out into a hall. The hall was dark despite the torches in wall brackets but we could easily enough see the door in the shadows in front of us. This was the east wing of the castle and the door opened to a garden that was built onto the roof of the castle. The moonlight poured through the door as I opened it and we crept out quietly and paused behind a row of hedges. Feyfox grinned and pocketed her device then tapped each of her cameras, which flew off and disappeared among the trees.

I knelt down and indicated to my comrades to lean in so I didn't have to speak too loudly.

"Okay, now the point here is to be as unintrusive and quiet as possible, I didn't just spend the last 45 minutes trudging throu-what's wrong?"

Tomoyo had gone slightly red in the cheeks. "err… it's just…" Her eyes darted around before looking back at me. "Should we be up here if she's giggling like that?"

"What are you talking abo-" Then I heard it.

Sakura giggling… followed by Syaoran chuckling… followed by giggly Sakura saying, "Oh stop it

Syaoran… that's' naughty…"

My eyes went so wide I think they cleared my frames.

I swallowed "Err… that's a very good point…" Then cleared my throat when my voice came out all squeaky "anyone up for some coffee?"

Feyfox grinned and looked up from another of her little devices that looked exactly like the last but less beaten. "Don't you want to tape anything?"

Tomoyo blushed. "Oh course not! Not when they're…they're…"

Feyfox rose an eyebrow "stargazing"

We both blanched "what?"

Feyfox gave us both a weird look.

"You two have to get you minds out of the gutter, they're just looking at the stars and making up names for the constellations. I believe what Sakura was referring to as 'naughty'-" She paused briefly and gave us a look, "was a name that Syaroan gave to one of the constellations…of which he called 'Eriol, the egotistical, because of his exceptionally large head'." She looked up and squinted. "Personally, I think it looks like an elephant, but to each his own…"

Tomoyo and I glanced at each other and peaked out from the side of the bush. Syaoran was leaning comfortably against the parapet looking up and Sakura was leaning on him with her head nestled into his neck, gazing at the stars he was pointing out with a content smile on her face. Tomoyo let out a sigh as we pulled back then grinned and pulled out one of her cameras.

I heard the door open behind us and turned to see Leo and Garret enter the rooftop garden.

"Did you find them?"

Feyfox grinned. "Yeah we did, and Eriol and Tomoyo thought that they were-"

"Now you listen here Feyfox, we were merely-"

"SHHH!"

We all glanced at Tomoyo. "Don't you guys hear that?"

Garret frowned "Hear what?"

With a start, I realized that I couldn't hear either Sakura's or Syaoran's voices. No giggling, no chuckling, nothing.

All I could hear was a deep animalistic growl from the shadows...

Sakura's P.O.V.

I was deliriously happy…leaning against him with my head resting in the crook of his neck. One hand was entwined with mine, the other was pointing out various unrecognizable constellations and giving them whatever unusual name he could think off. His voice rumbled pleasantly against my cheek when he spoke and I was feeling all warm and drowsy all over.

"And you see that other one that looks like a person with a weird shape next to the head? That's Tomoyo the paparazzi queen…no further explanation needed."

I smiled and smacked him lightly on the arm.

"You're talking about my best friend there you know…"

He grinned as looked down at me and planted a quick kiss on the end of my nose. "Yeah, but you know it's pretty appropriate…" He eyes locked into mine again as he tilted my chin up gently with his hand before his mouth lowered and captured mine in a kiss that made my heart feel like it was doing a rendition of the Riverdance in my chest.

He broke off but didn't move away. Instead he started to place tiny kisses along my jaw, then down my neck. I started to giggle as it started to tickle. But then he stopped. I blinked confused as he started to make a low slightly menacing rumble in the back of his throat and pulled away, staring off at something in the far bushes. I frowned. The noise he was making sounded like a growl, but not a humans imitation of one, this one sounded more real…more animal. And I wasn't sure if it was just the moonlight, or the fact that I was admittedly a little delirious from the current events, but there was something about his eyes. The light reflecting off them sort of shifted…like they were changing colour depending on the angle you looked.

"Syaoran…what's wrong…"

"I can smell them…" His voice sent a shiver down my spine. It wasn't his normal voice…it rasped more, but not like his voice was hoarse…more like he was still trying to growl at the same time as he was speaking. That voice would fit right into one of those horror movies. His hand slipped out of mine and he stood up in a crouch, his eyes never leaving the bush. The way he was standing made him look like at any moment he was about to take off on all fours. I crouched beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder and said in a whisper.

"Syaoran…what's going on…?"

He glanced at me, a slightly sly grin on his face and replied. "I'm going hunting." Then he slipped into the shadows, his feet not making a sound as they touched the ground; the only indication that he was still nearby was the almost inaudible growl.

Eriol's P.O.V.

Garret looked around a little uneasily. "Okay, that's just a little creepy…"

I felt Tomoyo put her hand on my arm. "Do you know where that's coming from?" I shook my head and frowned. "I'm not sure, it seems to be coming from everywhere at-

IIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!"

Syaoran had stepped out of the shadows right next to me. Although I think the word 'melted out' would be far more accurate. I put a hand to my chest in hopes that it might actually stop my heart from leaping out then keeling over in the dirt. I tried to compose myself and secretly hoped everyone would forget the shriek I had let out. "Oh it's just you Syaoran, you gave me a real fright…"

"Good, I was supposed to."

There was an exasperated sound from behind Syaoran as Sakura appeared and stood next to him. "I suppose you're all going to say that it's all just a big coincidence that you just happened to meet up here hmm? I mean is it really too much to ask to have a little privacy around here?"

She frowned at us then slipped her arm into Syaoran's. That seemed to snap him out of whatever state he was in and his cheeks started to redden.

I smirked. "Still blushing descendent? I thought you would have stopped that little habit…linking arms seems pretty small in comparison to what you were doing not 5 minutes ago…"

He glared at me. "And you're a sick perverted freak for watching."

Ahh, there's the good old moody Syaoran we all know and love…

"Not up to public displays of affection yet are we descendent?"

"Shove it Hiiragazawa."

"Such harsh words, they wound me deep."

"I can think of a few more that are harsher…"

Tomoyo huffed and stepped between us. "Now come on you two. I know it's asking a bit much,

but try and act civilized."

"Hey, I'm far more civilized than that four eyed blue-haired freak of natu- I'm very civilized."

Tomoyo shook her head, paused then leaned closer to Syaoran. He backed up looking nervous. "Wh-wh-what are you doing…"

She leaned back again and grinned slightly. "You know Syaoran, that colour really suits you…"

Syaoran just looked confused and glanced behind her at Leo and Garret with a 'Do you know what she's babbling about?' look on his face. Garret, rubbing his chin, discreetly tapped his lip with his finger. His eyes darted to Sakura then back to Syaoran and gave him a very long steady look. You could see Syaoran trying to put the pieces together.

You could see the moment he did.

Syaoran blushed.

Tomoyo, oblivious to the exchange besides eyeing the obvious reddening of Syaoran's cheeks

continued on in a dry voice. "Although you might want to use a mirror next time, makes it a lot less smudgy."

She smirked slightly and turned towards the door after giving me a look to follow. Ahh, good ol' Tomoyo, you could always rely on her to turn the tables on an embarrassing situation.

Sakura and Syaoran just got redder. Leo was biting her lip, trying not to laugh and probably would have been able to control it if Garret hadn't walked over and said in a whisper that was perhaps a little bit louder than he had intended.

"You've got lipstick on your teeth too."

Leo started to choke. Garret had to literally drag her away. Not quite soon enough though, her laughter echoed up the stairs and into the night.

Sakura's POV:

I buried my face in my hand and shook my head. My night, of which started out so blissfully wonderful, just had to end up like the third circle of hell didn't it? I glanced at Syaoran. He was frantically trying to rub his teeth with his hand. "It's off Syaoran…"

He sighed. "You'd think that once they had gotten together they'd be too pre-occupied with each other to annoy us." He ran a hand through his hair, then swatted at something small and black that was hovering by his leg. "But obviously not."

I smiled slightly as we made our way downstairs. "So, are you going to come back with us when we go back? We have to leave in a couple of days."

He grimaced and held open the door to the stairwell. "I can't, mother talked to the King and Queen and now they want to set up a permanent portal between this world and ours in the clan mansion. She wants me to stay here for a while to sort out all the paperwork and be the clan's representative." He glanced at the ground and continued in a voice less sure than before. "You could…you could stay a little longer…I mean we could convince Eriol, Tomoyo and Keroberos to go back and just have some…time to ourselves…"

My stomach did something of a triple somersault at the concept of some quality couple time with Syaroan, without the ever-present camera and best friend hovering in the background. It's a concept that sounds too good to be true.

In fact, it is too good to be true.

I sighed and leaned my head against his shoulder as we descended. "Dad and Touya are expected us back on Tuesday and you know what Touya is like. He's even more paranoid now that he's moved out. He seems to think just because he can't watch me 24 hours a day then its just inevitable that I either get myself into trouble or trouble will get me." I frowned "He really should see a psychiatrist."

"No arguments there."

"Anyway, I'd love to, but I can't."

He sighed. "Oh well…I guess I'll just have to visit you once all this clan business is sorted out,

before I have to go back home again."

I stopped in my tracks. "You have to go back?"

A pained expression flittered across his features. "The clan expects it of me, they still haven't given me complete freedom and until they do, I'm stuck back at the mansion. But I think I can get the portal set up quicker than my mother estimated, so I might have some time to visit before I have to go back."

I grinned broadly at that proclamation and snuggled up to him a little more as we neared the bedrooms. We stopped outside of mine and he faced me, a hand on the side of my face. "I've got some stuff to do before I go to bed…" He smiled and gently kissed me before stepping back.

"Sweet dreams Sakura."

I knew I had a goofy smile on my face, but quite frankly, I didn't care. As my stomach once again performed gymnastics I stepped back, said a very dreamy 'G'night' and bumped into the door. He smiled as he turned and slowly walked down the hall. I sighed and grouped blindly for the doorknob behind me and after several unsuccessful seconds I finally found it…only then ot land rather ungracefully on my back.

Tomoyo's slyly grinning face appeared above me from my position on the floor. "Well, you certainly seemed to be enjoying yourself tonight, hmm?"

My giddiness was gone in an instant. "Tomoyo, what are you doing in my room?"

She gave me a hand up and went to sit on the cushy chair next to the bed. "Can't a girl even say goodnight to her best friend in the whole world anymore. Really Sakura, I'd have thought you'd have more heart."

I rolled my eyes slightly, not buying her 'woe, woe is me' act as I walked into my closet to find my nightgown. "I'm not buying it Tomoyo, what do you want."

She was smirking when I walked out. "Well, if you want the truth, I'm here to squeeze out all the

juicy details I missed whilst trudging through a rose garden trying to find you."

"Is that why Eriol's robes were all torn up…I have to admit though, his little wizard boxer shorts are awfully cute."

She grinned. "They are aren't they, I don't even think he noticed that the were showing." She giggled then frowned. "Stop changing the subject."

I crossed my arms in defense. "There's no use trying Tomoyo. What happened between Syaoran and I is strictly our business and I'd appreciate it if you'd stay out of it."

She smiled and nodded. "Okay, okay, I understand. But this doesn't mean that I'm going to stop trying to get you two on tape." She grinned that starry eyed smile that so often sends chills down my spine. "You two are just two kawaii to pass up."

I let out a sigh as I ushered her to the door. "Goodnight Tomoyo…"

"Goodnight Sakura, have fun dreaming about Syaoran…"

"Tomoyo!" My small outburst was lost on her as the door closed and her laughter softly echoed

down the hall.

I shook me head as I went to get changed and washed up before bed and noticed that Keroberos wasn't back from where ever he had ventured. No matter, he'd just probably chew my ear off with questions. 'Where were you', 'What were you doing', 'Did the brat touch you?' 'What did he do?' 'You only ever have that look on your face when either you're thinking about him or he's done something you think is really kawaii'. 'If I find out that he's done anything to you, I'm gonna rip his head off, chew it up, spit it out and sell it as cheap cafeteria food.' I huffed. Keroberos actually wouldn't say those things, but that's only because he's already used them and he always comes up with something new. I flopped back on my bed and stared at the canopy of my bed when I heard footsteps approaching my door. I turned my head to see Keroberos, something cakey hanging out of his mouth, stroll through the door.

I smiled. "Hello Keroberos, have a nice evening?"

He stopped and eyed me suspiciously. "Just exactly how much time did you spend with that gaki anyway?" he leaned forward and looked even more suspicious. "He looked awfully happy when I passed him in the hall…it's unnerving when the brat's happy…"

I rolled my eyes and rolled onto my back again. "Oh give it a rest Keroberos… we just kissed… jeez, it' not like I'm pregnant or anything."

"YOU'RE PREGNANT?!?"

"What?! No of course no-"

The door swung open and Tomoyo, Leo and Hallanna poked their heads in. "ARE YOU PREGNANT?!"

My nostrils flared and I lost it. "NO, I'M NOT, NOW GET OUT OF MY ROOM!!!" The three cowered as though I had somehow just acquired several more feet of height, a flaming background and little devil horns.

"Okay okay, don't have a cow…"

"We're going, we're going…"

"…You know, shouting probably isn't the best thing for your baby…"

"OUT!"

Syaoran's POV:

I was smiling as I strolled into the armory and selected a light suit of padded training armor. I was still smiling when I selected a heavy broad sword from the racks having realised that my sword was back home and I would be unable to retrieve it. (I wasn't sure where I left it and the transport spell only works if you know where something is) I figured nothing could ruin the mood I was in. Even Eriol with one of his stupid tricks wouldn't be able to drag me down. I hefted the heavier than I was used to sword in a double-handed grip and began training. I obviously hadn't been able to do anything when I was a wolf so a bit of catching up was in order. I also had a bit too much energy than I knew what to do with and I figured training would stop me from hollering at the top of my lungs and laughing for no particular reason.

I wasn't sure how long I had been training for but when I heard the door to the training room open, my armor was stifling hot and my grip was starting to slip because of the sweat. I paused and placed the tip of the sword on the ground and leant on it like a cane. I heard the footsteps get closer and I wiped my sweaty hair out of my eyes. "You know, nothing you do or say is going to ruin my good mood, ancestor," I hissed the ancestor part as I turned to face my visitor. "So you might as well-oh hello Garret, sorry, I thought you were Satan."

He smiled slightly. "No apology necessary." He eyed the sword and the sweat pouring down my face. "Any reason why you're training at 1:30 in the morning?"

I shrugged. "I haven't been able to train for a while."

He nodded. "Fair enough…but still…1:30 in the morning?"

I ran a hand through my hair and tried not to grin too stupidly. "I just had a good night, I don't

really feel like going to sleep just yet."

Garret smirked. "Yes, well you might want to avoid looking too happy…"

"Why's that?"

"Well…there's a rumor going around the castle…"

I eyed him suspicious. "What rumor."

He rocked back and forth on his heels and grinned. "That you got Sakura pregnant."

"WHAT?!" There was a loud reverberating 'CLANG!' as the sword I had been holding fell to the stone ground.

Garret, looking a little smug, continued. "Rumors travel pretty fast in this place, even at night." My hands clenched as I counted slowly to ten and took a deep breath. "Do you know who started it?"

He shrugged. "Nope… I just heard it from a maid who heard it from another maid who heard it from someone else… but remember what I said, don't look too happy otherwise it will just encourage them." He clapped his hands together. "Well that's all I came in to tell you, so I'm off to bed. I'd suggest you do the same otherwise you'll have another rumor on your hands about late night liaisons with certain card mistresses." I ran my hand trough my hair again as he turned and walked off with a wave. " 'Night"

It was a little later, after I had changed and was heading back to get some sleep, when I began to see the absurdity of it all. Not so much the rumor, whom I'd imagine Tomoyo and Eriol had something to do with, but Eriol and Tomoyo themselves. They really need to get out more if they have nothing better to do than follow Sakura and I around and embarrass us all the time. Keroberos too. Maybe we should create another guardian to keep him company. I chuckled quietly at the concept of a female stuffed animal with an appetite and a personality to match Kero's when I stopped, hand hovered above the doorknob. My smile dropped as I looked at the nameplate.

'Sakura'

Sure, it was okay when I was a wolf. I could go in there in the middle of the night and fall asleep on the floor and no one would bat an eyelash. But as a human…the rumors would travel so fast through this castle that you'd probably get whiplash by the time it reached you. I placed a hand on the cool polished surface of the wood and breathed in. I could smell her, Keroberos too, but her most of all and I felt that it would drive me mad if I stood there a moment longer. I turned and jogged to my bedroom, closed the door and leant against it.

Looking up around the room didn't prove too helpful either. I would have thought that in terms of perspective, the room would look a bit smaller than what it did when I was a wolf, but it didn't. If anything it looked giant. I walked over to the bed and sunk beneath the warm covers, closing my eyes from the sight. After several minutes of tossing and turning I threw back the covers and walked over to the fireplace. The dying flames cast an orange glow over the woven rug on the floor and the overstuffed chair in front of it. It looked inviting so I curled up on the chair and tried once again to sleep.

But sleep never came.

I tried curling up on the rug itself…maybe there was still a few wolf characteristics in me that wanted to curl up in front of a warm fire…

Not even a wink.

I pulled a pillow and a warm blanket off the bed and walked out onto the balcony. The frosty air bit into my skin and I pulled the rug around me tighter as I sat down on the stone bench against the parapet. I lay down and listened to the sounds of the night. It was oddly comforting and I felt my eyelids start to droop.

I was lulled to sleep by the sound of crickets and the night birds calling from distant forests.

Syaoran's POV:

Someone was poking my arm.

…Someone obviously had a death wish.

I grunted and jerked my arm to stop the annoyance but a hesitant voice persisted. "Err… Master Syaoran sir, you're mother wishes to speak to you…"

I made something resembling a growl in the back of my throat and pulled my pillow over my head. "mmmGo-way, tell her I'll call back later…"

"Err…umm…actually-" The unsure voice was broken off. "Xiao Lang, why on Earth are you sleeping on the balcony?"

I pulled the pillow back and squinted through the glare of the early morning sun to the presence that was standing in the balcony doorway. Yelan Li, my mother resplendent in her robes, was looking at me with an unusual expression on her face. Something bordering on confusion and slight amusement. I sat up and let my pillow and the blanket fall to the ground and ran a hand through my hair. Trying to blink some of the sleep out of my eyes I wearily replied, "What are you doing here mother?"

She smiled slightly and swept over to sit on the wrought iron seat in front of me. "I decided to pay a visit to the room the portal is to be set up in only to find it already set up and ready for use." She gazed down at me and smiled slightly in admiration. "Several days before we expected. I must say I am impressed Xiao Lang. As are the elders. But why did you not come to us to inform us of the portals completion?"

I tried not to grimace too noticeably. Great, just great. I go to all that effort finishing that stupid portal early so I could go see Sakura but noooooo, all those plans just go flying out the window don't they? My mother was still waiting for my answer, so I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck to work out the kinks. "I uhh haven't been sleeping well lately and I was really tired after finishing it. I just wanted to get some rest before informing you."

Her gaze swept over my makeshift bed on the balcony bench. Where before it had just been the stone bench, a pillow and a blanket, it had now been changed to a normal bed. "I can see why you haven't been sleeping well, out here in the cold. Why are you not sleeping inside?"

I shrugged. "I just haven't been able to sleep in that room since I was changed back. I just feel more comfortable outside, that's all."

She seemed to be regarding my answer but bowed her head slightly in a nod of acceptance. A maid walked in at that point to place a tray of tea and some breakfast on the table then bowed and walked out. My mother gestured for me to join her at the table. We ate in silence for a few minutes until my mother gave me a steady look over her teacup. "So, Xiao Lang, my sources say that you and the card mistress have been spending a lot of time together lately." I didn't miss the sly look twinkling in her eyes, even though the rest of her face stayed motionless.

"Sakura went home more than a week ago mother."

"I am aware of that, I was actually referring to the time before she went home.

"

I bit into a piece of toast. It was always a little unnerving when my mother started becoming interested in my life outside of training and clan business. I needed to choose my words carefully. If my mother starts to get ideas, then my sisters would catch on and the last thing I wanted to happen is for Sakura to be scared of by that pack of overzealous hyenas. "What exactly have 'your sources'… said about us…"

She merely smiled. "You do not have to be so suspicious, son. You forget that I am still your mother under my position in the clan and therefore am interested in your life and in the people you care so much about."

My expression didn't falter. "You're avoiding the question mother, what has been said about us." I narrowed my eyes and gave her a look that to any other person, would have nailed them to a wall. "And more importantly, to whom…"

Her smile became very Eriol-like.

My eyes narrowed even more, which could have nailed someone to a steel plated wall with a drinking straw. "You didn't…"

There was a crash, as is made by a door being thrown open a bit too enthusiastically, followed by a shriek that could put a banshee to shame. My nostrils twitched as I caught a strong whiff of an all too familiar perfume. I became aware of rapid footsteps. My mother watched me stoically as I reached behind me, plucked my pillow off the ground, and covered my head with it.

Then… all hell broke loose.

There was a shriek and I was violently thrown back as I was hugged enthusiastically by my sisters.

"Hello little brother!"

"We missed you!"

"Did you miss us?"

"Of course he missed us, we're his sisters!"

At which point they dissolved into giggles and I became aware that I was rapidly running out of oxygen.

"Aiiirrr…Aiiiirr"

"… Little brother is trying to say something…"

"Maybe he's going to tell us about kawaii Sakura-chan…"

There was a chorus of 'ooohh's.

"Aiiirr… can't breathe… can't breathe…"

Their grip eased slightly for a moment and took the opportunity to make a break for it. Stumbling back from the pack gasping for breath, I fell back onto my balcony bed panting. I gave my mother the strongest look I could muster given the fact that I was red in the face, looking extremely disheveled and still having trouble respiring. "Of all the people, you had to tell them."

My mother's expression didn't even flicker in the slightest. "They did not hear it from me."

"No! We heard it from your friends"

"Kawaii chibi-Clow-san and kawaii Tomoyo-chan sent us a letter"

"And pictures! Look, if you flick the pages really fast it looks like you're moving!"

"And we got videos! But the photos are better"

"Much better. We never knew you were such a romantic little brother."

"See! We knew you'd benefit from all those romantic movies we made you watch."

"And you said they were a waste of time…"

"Kawaii Sakura-chan was swept off her feet!"

And, once again, they dissolved into giggles.

I whimpered and tried to hide under my pillow again.

"Ladies, I need to talk to him for a few minutes alone. I believe the grounds here are simply breathtaking. Why don't you ask one of the attendants to escort you around."

There were murmurs of a conversation I couldn't quite catch then a "Okay!" followed by the sound of retreating footsteps. Mother pulled the pillow off my head and sat beside me on the bed. "Now, tell me Xiao Lang, how have things progressed with you and Sakura."

"I thought you said you had you're sources."

"They can only tell me what others have seen, I want to know how you feel."

I blinked. "How I feel?"

She nodded and smiled calmly at me. "About the card mistress, Sakura. You care for her, correct?"

"Of course I do."

"Deeply?"

I blushed and tried to avoid her gaze, but her eyes made my neck stiffen so I couldn't look away.

"… Of course… I-Where are you going with this Mother… ?"

Her expression softened and I got the chance to look away. "Do you love her?"

I looked up at her sharply and gazed at her before looking away and blushing furiously as I fiddled with the hem of my shirt.

"Have you told her?"

I swallowed and considered my answer. On one hand I couldn't lie, but on the other hand, we are only young and Sakura probably doesn't want to think of the kind of commitment my mother wants and the clan requires.

"… I take it from your silence that you haven't"

I looked up at her again. "She's only 16 mother. She has so much life to live. I don't want to take that away from her. I mean, I'm only 16, the only sort of commitment I should be talking about is how Suzie high school and jock boy Hank have had a heinous break-up in the quad for the 5th time this week."

My mother gave me a very strange look.

I shook my head and waved a hand around in the air dismissively. "One of those movies they mentioned… made me think of it. Anyway, you know what I mean."

The small smile returned. "I do, but you are wise and mature beyond your years Xiao Lang. As is the case with the card mistress Sakura. Your experiences have forced you to grow up much faster than others your age and does that not count for something?"

"Yeah, it means my lack of a childhood will result in me seeing a therapist sometime later in life…"

"And you'll be glad to know that the Li clan has the best therapists around"

"Thank you mother, that was so very helpful of you."

She smiled and placed a comforting hand on my back. "Do not worry Xiao Lang, if it is time you want, then it is time I shall give you." I opened my mouth to speak, but she raised a hand to stop me. "And do not worry about the elders, I shall speak with them into allowing you more time to… further establish the bond you and Sakura are creating, before anything is finalized."

I was about to smile thankfully at her.

"Wait… what do you mean by finalized… you're not telling me something aren't you…"

"Nonsense, I tell you everything of importance. Now tell me why you have not been sleeping properly lately."

"Don't change the subject mother. What do you mean by finalized…"

"Do not concern yourself with that my son, if anything it is for your own good."

I eyed her face, but I could see in her eyes that she was not going to say anything else on the matter. I sighed and ran my hand through my hair.

"Now about these restless nights…"

"I don't know… I just can't sleep in the room… it feels huge and so claustrophobic at the same time. And I keep having these dreams…"

"Recurring? Do you think they are prophetic?"

"I don't think so… they are sort of similar… but they're never exactly the same. Well… they start off the same, then it goes differently form there."

"Okay, explain to me what happens."

"Well, I'd dream I'd wake up and I'd hear howling and other noises in the distance… just general night time noises. Then there is this flash of green, then a flash of pink and suddenly I'm a wolf again. I'd run off somewhere and…. I don't know… it always feels like I'm searching for something but I can never find it. Then I just come back here, there's another flash of green and pink, I'm human again and then I wake up." My mother was regarding me with a thoughtful expression.

"These started when you changed back correct?"

"Yeah. Well, a few days afterwards… more… more the night that Sakura left…"

Her expression became more thoughtful. "Perhaps you just miss her and it is she who you are searching for in your sleep. Perhaps it would be good if you pay her a visit before you come home."

My head shot up in mild surprise. "Really?"

She nodded; a small smile on her face. "I believe you two have much to discuss."

I couldn't hide the grin that forced its' way onto my features. "I-well-I…" I let out a breath to calm myself but my smile didn't disappear. "Thank you, this means a lot to me."

Sakura's POV:

I sighed and rolled over…then sighed again and rolled to my other side.

I saw Kero give me a side-wards glance before turning his attention back to the game.

I sighed again and roll-"WOULD YOU STOP THAT!"

I tried to look innocently at the enraged stuffed animal guardian as he hovered above me; his little fists clenched in anger. "Stop what Kero?"

"All that sighing and rolling and looking wistfully out the window which the brat is not going to climb through any time soon." He folded his short arms and looked thoughtful. "At least not anytime I'm around that is."

I rolled my eyes and sat up. "Oh, so you're my bodyguard now…"

"Bodyguard, guardian… you say to-may-toe, I say to-mah-toe…"

I crossed my arms and pouted. "Well, maybe I wouldn't be so restless if you hadn't taken away the message."

I screwed up his nose. "Is that what this is about? You've seen it like a hundred times." His eyebrow started to twitch.

"YOU KNOW WHAT HE SAYS WORD FOR WORD! WHAT POSSIBLE REASON DO YOU HAVE TO WANT TO WATCH IT AGAIN?!?"

I smiled dreamily and flopped back on my bed, hugging one of my ever-present stuffed animals. "Because I can see his face and I can imagine he's here and kissing me again and did I mention he's a really g-"

He covered his ears with his paws and turned a very interesting colour.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP!"

"Can I have my message back?"

"YES! JUST DON'T GO INTO DETAILS!"

I smiled cheerfully. "Okay! Thanks Kero!"

Kero, muttering something indistinguishable to himself, flew off to where ever he had stashed my message from Syaoran after he got sick of having to listen to it over and over again. It's not my fault it's so sweet and makes my insides go all mushy and my spine go all tingly. Syaoran had given it to me just before we had to leave through the portal Eriol had made to take us home… right before… right before Syaoran… err…

I felt my face go scarlet.

Who knew Syaoran had it in him…

^^ FLASHBACK!! ^^

Everyone was gathered around as Eriol finished up the spell and the crackling portal sprang to life. We were saying our last good-byes to everyone when I came to the last person in the group watching our departure.

Syaoran.

We hadn't been really able to say a proper goodbye. The castle had been something of a

madhouse. There was the farewell feast and what felt like thousands of things to organize and amongst all that and everything else we really hadn't had much chance to be by ourselves. Very much aware that everyone was watching us I timidly stepped forward and looked up at him shyly. His face was extremely red as he shakily pulled something out of his pocket. "Umm… h-h-here… I uhh… you just press the button… it kinda explains itself." His eyebrows crinkled in an expression I couldn't place and he placed the wrapped bundle into my trembling hands before hesitantly reaching up and placing his hand on my cheek. I could feel all the eyes on us, but all I wanted to concentrate on was the feeling of Syaoran lifting my chin and the way it made my stomach go all crazy when he looked into my eyes. He seemed to be considering something then lent forward and gave me a quick chaste kiss on the lips before pulling away. His face was bright red and his expression was just as confusing as it had been before. He looked embarrassed, self-conscious and sort of… I don't know… disappointed?

"I-I-I- guess I'll see you soon…"

I nodded, smiling shyly and stepped back. "Yeah… see you soon Syaoran"

Garret patted him on the back and said something to him I didn't catch as I felt Tomoyo tug on my wrist. "C'mon Sakura, we've got to go." I nodded as I turned to look at her. She smiled and started to pull me towards the crackling doorway. I could see my basement on the other side.

Tomoyo smiled and waved as we stepped up to the doorway.

"Bye everyone, thanks for everything!"

"Bye!"

"We miss you already!"

"Bye!"

"Goodbye!"

"WAIT!"

Everyone paused and turned as one to look at Syaoran. He was breathing hard, looking like he just ran a marathon but his gaze was fixed on me.

Leo frowned and gave Syaoran a slightly worried look.

"What's wrong Syaoran?"

His look became slightly desperate as he watched me. Then he let out something that I could only describe as a whimper, took three large steps forward; one hand snaked around my waist, the other dug itself in my hair and he gave me the most searing and passionate kiss I had ever had the pleasure to experience. He pulled back and leaned his forehead on mine. His hand still buried in my hair and his eyes were closed, he said in a hoarse whisper, "I'm going to miss you so much…"

I nodded, feeling like I was going to cry or giggle or swoon or something. "I'm going to miss you too."

Someone started to chuckle and Syaoran was tugged back by his collar. "Come on lover-boy, Eriol can't keep that portal up for very much longer."

He was pulled back and I stumbled back through the portal. He was the last thing I saw as it closed up.

~~~~~~~~

^^FLASHBACK ENDS!^^

I shook my head. Boy, was I a space-case after that. Tomoyo was practically in hysterics.

"OH MY GOD! DID HE FRENCH KISS YOU? HE FRENCHED YOU DIDN'T HE?… OH MY GOD, SYAORAN FRENCHED KISSED SAKURA!… AND I DIDN'T GET IT ON CAMERA!!"

At which point she burst into tears and had to be taken home by Eriol. Kero was just standing there looking at where the portal had been, his jaw hitting the floor, his face a very interesting shade of brown. Sort of a mix of sickly green, his normal yellow colouring and red rage. The rest was kind of a blur until Dad came home, a psychotically paranoid Touya in tow. Dad asked a few questions in which my answers consisted of very dazed sounding "Uh… yeah… great…" Then Touya pounced and all but sat me in a small dark room and shone a desk lamp in my face.

And that was before he saw the hickey.

Oh yes… I had a hickey.

At some point Syaoran had given me a hickey.

Ahh, then all hell quite literally broke loose.

I'm surprised Touya didn't burst a vein, or at least grow a few grey hairs in the process. Talk about you're third degree. Not only did he go on for at least an hour and a half about how that 'good for nothing stinking gaki has no right, NO RIGHT to touch me in any way shape or form. And he should not UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES go 'mark his territory like the hormone driven mangy dog that he is' but he actually tried to ground me for the rest of my life.

I tell you, the fun just never ends at my house.

I glanced up as Kero floated in, carrying the little sphere, mumbling something incoherent and probably rude about Syaoran as he went. He dropped it in my lap then hovered just in front of me.

"There… but if you start swooning and sighing again I swear I will take that and drop it over a bridge or something… clear?"

I grinned sweetly. "Transparent."

"Good… now if you'll excuse me… I'm… going to… hide somewhere so I don't have to listen to the brats voice one more time…."

I watched him as he floated out, once again muttering things to himself and waited for my door to click shut before picking up the ball and twisting so I was lying on my stomach. It was metal, as far as I could tell and seemed to have a skin… or a coating of some sort of magic, making a kaleidoscope of colours shift across the surface. A small depression was the only marking it possessed and I gleefully pressed it. The shifting colours started to speed up and the ball floated out of my grasp and hovered about a metre and a half in front of me. A small beam of light shot out in front of it, widened, then formed a sort of screen filled with static. Like a projector does but without the white screen backdrop. I got myself comfortable as the static cleared and a very close up image of Syaoran appeared. He leant back and a bit of the background became visible. He must have made it on that balcony he seems to like sleeping on now. You could see the stone parapet behind him and part of the moon shining just near his head. He cleared his throat and sat with his arms resting on his knees.

"Uh… hey Sakura… umm, I was going to finish that letter I mentioned before, when we were walking back to the castle and give it to you before you left to go home, but I got this idea. Well, Eriol actually gave me this idea…" He grinned lop-sided and continued.

"Which I guess is the first time he's had something I actually agree is a good idea…"

He coughed and seemed to be looking pointedly at something behind whatever had been recording this before blushing slightly.

"Anyway, I uh thought it might be nice to give you something… sort of more… personal… instead of a letter that has admittedly been stuffed out of sight from my sisters more than a few times and has handwriting that is a little hard to read. Plus I can show you more with this thing…"

He paused and blushed, then waved his hands at the camera.

"Not like that! I mean, ah jeez" I grimaced and ran a hand through his hair muttering to himself, but it was loud enough for the recorder to pick up. "Of all the ways to phrase it… ugghh… I've been around Eriol for too long… that freaks' starting to wear off on me…"

He looked back up and continued in a louder voice.

"Right, well umm anyway, I've learned a lot of new spells… I could teach you some time! Uuhhh, I mean, that is, if you'd like. I mean when I come to visit I probably won't be able to stay for long, but I think we could work something out…"

He shook his head. He does this a lot through the message, whenever he gets a little flustered and starts to gibber. He's so adorable when he gets flustered…

"But we'll sort that out later. Ooh, umm, this one's is pretty neat. My mother taught it to me. I'm not entirely sure why she did though… it doesn't really have much of a purpose. Well, I suppose it just gets you to control your magic more… but the spell itself doesn't really do much."

He brushed his hands on his legs then pulled an ofuda out of his sleeve. He flicked it into the air and muttered something I couldn't quite catch and held his held his palm up flat. The ofuda sparked and went stiff as it quickly flew up against his raised palm. He made a complicated gesture with his free hand then held that one out horizontal in front of the recorder. A small squirt of water sprayed out of the ofuda and pooled on his flat palm. His lips were moving rapidly, like he was chanting something but without actually making a sound and the pool of water in his hand started to glow. It went a sort of crystal white, the light cast by the moon making it look like it was made of glass and the puddle started to bulge and bubble up… before making a tiny moving replica of the spirit of the dash card. The little animal spirit flicked it's tail and tilted it's head to the side as Syaoran stopped chanting and opened his eyes. The little crystalline replica and Syaoran looked at each other for a second before the 'chibi-dash' turned to face the recorder, crouched and bounded into the air. It looked like it was going to bound through the screen but it stopped just before and tapped it with its nose, causing ripples to radiate from where it touched. Sort of like it kissed the screen I suppose. Syaroan muttered something in the background and the 'chibi-dash' turned and dived back onto his hand, turning back into the small puddle of water. Syaoran muttered something else and the puddle disappeared as the ofuda zipped up his shirtsleeve again. He grinned, obviously quite proud of himself.

"Pretty neat, huh?"

I giggled. He's so adorable when he grins like that. Ahh, the hell with it, he's just plain adorable, so let's just leave it at that…

He did a few more spells, but stopped when he kinda lost control of one and blew up a small section of the parapet. Then he went on to say what he had been doing all those years that he went back because he never really had a chance before. It was mainly training and lessons in preparation for when he takes over the role as leader of the clan and that sort of stuff but still pretty interesting. At the end of it he got all flustered and blushed again as he said goodbye, kissed his fingertips and placed them on the screen of the recorder, causing the same rippling as before. Then the screen filled with static again. I sighed and placed sphere in a box under my bed, the one covered with so many protection spells that Kero, in his true form couldn't wrestle open. He'd tried, several times, failed miserably each and every attempt. Plus the spell ball had the added advantage of only being able to respond to my magic, in other words I could only open it and the only way anyone else would see it is if they happened to be watching when I was. I smiled happily to myself. Ahh yes, life was good. Everything was back to normal… well what I consider normal anyway… Touya had been dragged kicking and screaming back to his apartment (well, there was definitely kicking, the screaming was somewhat quelled by the gag.). Kero was back to his stuffed animal self, foe of video game enemies everywhere and eater of anything that resembles food in the slightest. Dad was jetting around the town going from his teaching job at the university, to various museums to study lost artifacts from… wherever it is they came from (that is, after all, what he's paid to find out).

Ahh yes, I doesn't get any better than this.

Well, it would be better if my 'oh so adorably cute' boyfriend where here, but I'm content enough with the knowledge that he would be visiting soon.

Yessiree, nothing could spoil the good mood I'm in…

~~~~~~~~

"HE WHAT??"

Yelan Li was a force to be reckoned with if and when she was mad, but that was nothing compared to the considerably shorter and younger Princess that somehow managed to instill the same amount of terror without the added height, robes or always composed expression. The four Li sisters glanced nervously at each other before answering.

"Well, we were walking in the gardens like mother had suggested…"

"They're really lovely by the way. You're gardener does a wonderful job…"

"Yes, but then this lady with red and orange hair pops up from behind us and asks us whether we were related to Syaoran Li…"

"And of course we said yes"

"And then she hands us this tape saying that we'd probably want to see it then."

Yelan Li, who was sitting on a chair looking out the window, gazed at the sisters. "What happened then?"

"Well, we decided to go up to little brothers room because we didn't really know any other room we could use to watch."

"And we thought that maybe he might want to watch. We're very considerate of our little brother."

All the sisters nodded at once. Yelan continued to press them for the story. "What was on the tape?"

"It was when kawaii Sakura-chan and her friends were going back home through the portal…"

"And… and… oh you have to see it mother, it's so cute!"

"Little brother has been paying attention to all those movies we made him watch!"

"Who knew he could be so…forward"

"Zealous"

"Spirited"

"… vivacious"

"Ooh! That's a good one!"

"And then he turned into a wolf?"

"Well, it was more he got angry and started to make this really scary sound in the back of his throat…"

"Then 'poof!' he was a wolf…"

"Poof?"

"Well, it was more 'green flash' 'pink flash' 'poof!'…"

Yelan gazed out the window to consider this, then turned to Leo who had a half-disbelieving, half-scared expression on her face.

"Did Master Felix mention anything about Syaoran being able to change back to being a wolf?"

Leo shook her head, then stopped and looked thoughtful.

"Well… he did say there would be complications… He wrote a list of them down that he could find and gave it to me to give to him, but I had to give it to Master Eriol because Syaoran was busy at the time."

She frowned.

"Master Eriol should have given it to Syaoran before he went back home."

Yelan nodded; a half smile on her face. "He must have his reasons for withholding the information from Syaoran then. I will use the lasin board to locate Syaoran and bring him back."

She turned to her daughters. "Meanwhile, why don't we proceed to the sun room and have some tea. I've heard the view there is quite breathtaking."

There was a general murmur of agreement and the troupe of finely dressed woman strolled out.

Meanwhile, in a sun speckled clearing in the nearby forest…

"Uggh! I can't believe it! After all that… I'm barely human for a week and my sisters have to come along and mess it up. AND NOW I'M TALKING TO MYSELF! GA!"

He continued to pace back and forth, his movements creating a circular path in the tall grass. "I bet Eriol had something to do with this. He's always to blame for my torment… it's like a hobby for him…"

"Syaoran? Syaoran Li… is that you?"

He paused and gazed up into the trees, spotting a slightly chubby but recognisable chipmunk sitting amongst the leaves.

"Oh… hello Rodney. How are you doing this bleak and depressing morning…"

Rodney cocked an eyebrow and hopped onto a lower branch. "Well… I'm doing fine and I personally find this morning to be warm and cheerful… but to each his own."

He tilted his head to the side and asked skeptically.

"Weren't you supposed to have been changed back?"

"Yeah, I was."

"Ooohhh…" Rodney froze and looked slightly panicked. "Oh!" He grinned and gave Syaoran the thumbs up. "You look great!"

"I don't normally look like this. What I meant to say was I was changed back and for a few blissful moments I'm happily human again and then what happens?! I change back into a bloody wolf!"

Rodney crossed his arms over his chest and said conversationally. "Being an animals' not that bad you know…"

Syaoran shook his head. "No, it's not that I don't like being a wolf… it's just… there are certain… perks in being human…"

Rodney's eyebrow quirked up again. "I take it there is more to it than you just being a wolf… that there is another involved… and that it is a she… who's human?"

"Right in one… well… four actually…"

"Ahh…"

"Yeah… 'Ahh'"

"So what are you going to do now?"

Syaoran shrugged. "I've got no choice. I've got to go back to the castle and get Master Felix to change me back…" He grimaced, looking like he was in pain and made a strange half-exasperated, half-whimper sound. "Mother had even given me permission to go visit Sakura before I had to go home… Of all the rotten luck…" He threw his head up to the heavens and practically howled out.

"WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SO CRUEL?!?"

Because I can ^o^

Hehehehe, I love being evil to Syaoran. He is just so…fun to be evil to. ^^

Well, I think that's the longest chapter I've ever written to date…hoowee. Anywho, I've got to get on with more chappies and stuff. Ciao till later!!