If you want to see the disclaimer, go back to the first chapter!

Oh! And Chapter 15 is funny!

Chapter 14: When Darkness Falls

            Tora cried softly as she ran. She was alone again and even worse, she had caused Aoi to get hurt! When she was out of breath and could run no more… she collapsed on the forest floor.

            "Tora…" Aoi had caught her scent! He worked faster, the sooner he found her, the safer she'd be!

            He almost missed her, but stopped just short of her convulsing body. She smelled of much salt water. He bent down and gently lifted both of them into a tree sat her on his lap; her head used his shoulder as a pillow.

            "…Aoi…" Tora cried into his chest.

            "Shh, its fine, I'm okay," Aoi hugged her tightly. "I'm just glad that you aren't hurt."

            "I deserve to be hurt," Tora sobbed again.

            "NEVER SAY THAT AGAIN! NEVER! DO YOU HEAR ME? NEVER AGAIN!" Aoi yelled harshly at her. Tora pushed herself away from him and looked away. "Tora… I…"

            "I'm sorry it was my fault you almost died," Tora stared at the ground, which was a good-sized drop.

            "…"

            "I'm mean, evil, and I don't deserve to live!" Tora tried right then to jump to the ground, but Aoi wouldn't release her.

            "No!" Aoi pulled her back to him and he held her, letting her cry against him. "I couldn't bear to live… if you… died…"

            "…"

            "I'd miss you far too much and I won't loose you! I… I love… you…" Aoi swallowed with much difficulty. He held Tora as she stiffened with shock in his arms, so he continued, "…Mikomi, Rekka, and the others were really worried about you! They would be mourning your death and be killed by a youkai without putting up a fight. Did you know that Mikomi is allergic to perfume?"

            "Is she going to die?" Tora snapped out of her crying quickly.

            "Shh… she'll be fine, but she's not going to be very happy with you for a bit is all," Aoi soothed her and hesitantly kissed her forehead. He landed on the ground, with her still in his arms.

            "Really?"

            "Yes, now you have no need to cry," Aoi rocked her gently and held her to him.

            "Beat it, youkai scum!" an angry voice yells. "Leave the girl alone.

            "Aoi, what's going on?"

            "I said beat it! Youkai scumbag!"

            "No," Aoi glared at the angry mob of human males. "Get out of here, Tora."

            "Aoi, what's going on?"

            "Tora, when I tell you to get out of here, I mean it!" Aoi pushed her behind him protectively.

            "Beat it!" they screamed at the young teenage youkai.

            "Give us the girl! She doesn't belong with you!"

            "AOI!" Tora screamed frightened as the men tried to grab at her.

            "Get to Mikomi!" Aoi yelled at Tora.

            "We're surrounded!" Tora yelled frightened.

            "Can you fight?" Aoi asked.

            "A little," Tora replied. She took a defensive stance.

            "Be ready for anything," Aoi whispered. They attacked. Aoi saw Tora fighting off two men at once while he fought about ten. "TORA!" he screamed when they struck her. He flew into a rage.

            Someone was coming, no make that a lot of someone's! Aoi smelled them, and tried hard to fight off the humans. "LEAVE MY FRIENDS ALONE!" Mikomi screamed in a near rage.

            "Inuyasha!" quite a few of them screamed.

            "YOU BETTER LEAVE MY FRIENDS ALONE OR YOU'LL BRING MY WRAITH DOWN ON YOU!"

            "Lord Inuyasha!" over half of the men ran away, the others attacked. Mikomi slaughtered all the humans that remained.

            "Are you two okay?" Mikomi asked, her claws dripping with blood and she was breathing heavily.

            "I think I am… Tora!" Aoi rushed to his friend.

            "Aoi, are you okay?" Rekka asked.

            "Aoi? What happened?" Tora asked as Aoi hugged her tightly.

            "I'll never let anyone hit you, if I can stop it," Aoi kissed her.

            "Aoi…" Rekka was in shock.

            "About time," Mikomi sighed and walked away to go get cleaned up.

            "Mikomi?" Rekka turned to find her, but she wasn't behind him. A trail of blood showed which direction she had gone.

            "Stupid, baka, idiot," Mikomi called herself when she found a spring. She pulled off her clothes and jumped in the slightly warm water.

            "Mikomi?" Rekka called. He found her clothes on a rock.

            "I'm such an idiot," Mikomi muttered to herself as she resurfaced for air. Rekka was shocked and embarrassed enough that he sat down.

            "Mi…Mikomi?" Rekka blushed when she turned to face him.

            "Epp!" Mikomi squeaked and sunk until the water covered her neck.

            "Sorry, I just wondered…"

            "SIT!" Mikomi yelled annoyed.

            "Ow! MI-KO-MI! That hurt!" Rekka yelled in pain.

            "You were peeping! Pervert!" Mikomi growled and quickly got into her clothes.

            "Didn't we already go through this?" Rekka sighed.

            "Huh?" Mikomi had been caught off guard.

            "I said I was wondering why you left… guess I know now… I'm sorry," Rekka huffed and began to walk away.

            "Rekka… wait!" Mikomi cried out. "I'm sorry about getting angry at you and yelling. I'm sorry about saying 'it', it's just…feh."

            "Mikomi no baka," Rekka smiled and hugged her tightly.