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A Line Between Up and Down

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Time passed by, and now Syaoran is a young and strong dog. There were still much of him that resembles him of a wolf- his height, his sharp teeth, and his physical ability shows that he is a wolf, but his mercy towards animals smaller then him and his kind and gentle heart made him more like a dog.

It was another sunny day, and Neo had decided that they would be going hunting. "Hey Syaoran, we're leaving, you comin' or not?" Neo's voice came into Syaoran's ears from the doorway. Syaoran barked his reply and ran towards the door. Outside, Neo, Fujitaka and Nadesiko are already waiting for him.

When outside, Syaoran looked around, his eyes narrowed when he could not find any trace of Sakura. "Where is Sakura?" he murmured to himself. Next to him, Nadesiko chuckled lightly.

"Don't worry, Syaoran, Sakura is still asleep. She won't be coming with us today." Nadesiko assured Syaoran.

Syaoran grinned. "Is she saving up energy to torture me later when we come home?"

"Probably." Fujitaka replied as he trotted pass Syaoran and stood by Nadesiko.

Syaoran rolled his eyes. "You know what, I'm 100% sure that Sakura is you two's daughter."

Fujitaka raised an eye brow at Syaoran, "How so, my dear?" Nadesiko, on the other hand, started to giggle.

"The same annoyance." Syaoran said in a tone that somewhat seemed like trying to be stern, but his voice was wobbly and there were laughter in his eyes, and on his face- more like trying not to laugh.

Nadesiko couldn't help it but burst out laughing, while Fujitaka blushed. Seeing this, Syaoran couldn't control his laughter any more, and laughed along side Nadesiko. Fujitaka could do nothing but sigh.

The hunt was a great success, and they headed from home earlier then usual. On their way, Neo stopped by a shop to buy something for his mother, and he left the dogs wondering outside. The dogs were wondering around peacefully, when they were interrupted by a shout.

"Hey look, isn't that the wolf-dog that was freed sometime ago?" the sound came from a stranger, unknown to all. Everyone on the street turned their heads to see. Murmur passed through the street and people hurried their children inside. Searching for the owner of the sound, Syaoran narrowed his eyes and bared his teeth. They were the people that wanted to kill him before, and it seems that they haven't given up hope yet, now that they had found him, one already has him gun out and is aiming for him.

Syaoran growled as he ready himself for a fight. The man laughed at him. "Oh look, it is baring its teeth at me, I am so afraid." He mocked.

His actions angered Syaoran. He sprang up, aiming to bite the man laughing at him. The man was taken by surprise, as he scrambled to aim for Syaoran with his gun, and shot.

Everything happened at once. The bullet aimed for Syaoran, Neo running out from the shop, Fujitaka barked furiously, and Syaoran being hit...



When Syaoran opened his eyes, what he saw shocked him. He was not hit by the bullet, but by Nadesiko, who, was the one that was hit. She had used herself as a shield for Syaoran. "Nadesiko!" Fujitaka cried.

Syaoran shook his head unbelievingly. How did this all happened? Why, why did she do this for him? "Mother..." he whispered, and nudged Nadesiko lightly. The bullet had hit through her ribs, leaving her not much time.

"Don't grief for me, Syaoran." Nadesiko raised her head slightly to lock eyes with Syaoran. "Don't feel sorry for me, I did this to save your life, because I love you, even though you are not my real son." Her words where faint, lighter then a whisper. "Syaoran, my son, tell them, Fujitaka, and Sakura, that I love them with all my heart..." her words faded, and slowly, she closed her eyes.

"No!!!" Syaoran cried in anguish. Why is it that the people he loves always have to leave him? His mother, his father, his sisters, and now Nadesiko. It was always because of him. His mother might have been a wolf, but had looked like a dog, his father was a dog, but they were killed only because they had a son that looked like a wolf. His sisters, they all looked like their father, but were killed because of him.

Neo had long came out from the shop, and now he and Fujitaka are both fighting with the man with the gun, preventing the man from shooting. "Run, Syaoran!" Neo shouted, "Run away before he gets you! Go, go! Don't worry about me and Fujitaka!"

Syaoran took a last glance at Nadesiko, then at Fujitaka and Neo. There was no choice for him now, is there? Because of him, Nadesiko died, and Fujitaka and Neo hurt, when he had brought them nothing but trouble. He turned, and ran.

Syaoran ran aimlessly, as fast as his legs could carry him. He wanted so much to howl to the sky, to cry out his grief, he cursed and cursed himself, for being such a useless dog. Suddenly, he stumbled, and went flying through the sky, and fall heavily on a "thing". The "thing" was big- or huge, actually- brown, and was feeding its young.

Syaoran looked carefully at the huge brown thing- it was a mother bear! His instinct told him to run, but as his bitter thought came back, he stood up and got himself prepared to fight. There is nothing to loose now, he thought bitterly. Only my life, which, worth nothing.

The mother bear was protective of its young, and was ready to fight Syaoran in an instance. A swing of the hand sent Syaoran flying through the air. Syaoran staggered to stand up. A head butt, and a body slam. It all came too fast for Syaoran to dodge. If it was before, Fujitaka and Nadesiko would have been there, helping him out, guiding him, and encourage him. But, now, he is all alone, by himself. His senses came back to him as he dodged a slap from the bear and darted forward and landed on the bear's shoulder, taking the bear by surprise, and bit hard around her neck. The bear howled in pain, and started hitting where Syaoran was. Fists pounded on him, but he wouldn't let go of his clenched teeth, for he knew, if he dose, he will be the one to die. His bite on the bear went tighter. Suddenly, the bear swung around, and bashed herself on a tree. Syaoran cried out in pain, for he was between the tree and the bear, he dropped on the ground with a heavy thump, that wasn't all, for the bear, worn out as he is, fell heavily on Syaoran.

Everything around him went black, as he faded into unconsciousness.

-

Syaoran's eyes snapped open, and his head jerked up, panting. That was, another one of his nightmares- a nightmare of his past. He slowly inhaled the cold air of the dawn, and lied down again. It has been a year since that had happened, when he ran away from Neo and Fujitaka. A full whole year, since Nadesiko died protecting him. Syaoran rested his head on his forelegs, and slowly closed his eyes again, as he started to recall what happened after that.

-

"Get away from me!" Syaoran growled. The big wolf chuckled, amused by his actions. "Go away!"

"Now now, Syaoran, how can you tell me to go away when I was the one that found you and brought you back to my pack?" the big wolf, also the leader of the Li wolf clan, asked.

"Then throw me back to where I was and let me die there!" Syaoran shouted furiously. He has been kept by this big wolf and his clan for days. Not that this clan was evil or cruel to him or anything like that, but just because didn't want to live- he wanted to be gone, to have no worries nor problems.

"Sorry, but that is not going to work." The big wolf walked towards where Syaoran was lying, and said, "Because you, Syaoran, have been chosen by me, the Leader of the Li Clan, to be the next leader."

Syaoran narrowed his eyes at the Leader. "Why would you choose me, I am nothing but a trouble." To Syaoran's surprise, the Leader laughed.

"I have seen you fight, and I saw the ability in you." The Leader walked back to where it was sitting before, "besides, Eriol and all the others are no leader, so I had to seek another to be the Leader of the Li Clan when I am gone."

"Eriol? Eriol is here?" Syaoran would have jumped up if it wasn't because of his wounds. Eriol was Syaoran's close friend when he was small. Another question came into Syaoran's mind. "How do you know my name." Syaoran demanded.

"I'm glad you finally asked, my Grandson." The Leader laughed. "Your mother, Yelen, was my daughter, and sister to Eriol's mother. Any other questions left unanswered?"

Silence...

"What the hell is going on here!?" Syaoran roared.

Outside, Eriol winced at the volume of the shout. "Maybe Grandfather hadn't explain the situation to Syaoran properly..." Eriol murmured under his breath.

-

Remembering this, Syaoran smiled. Through out this year, he has been training day and night, hours after hours, and now, just this month, he had inherited the position of Leader of the Li Clan. He had strengthened the pack, and had enlarged their territory. He, Syaoran, had let everyone known, that he might have been a mongrel dog with wolf blood, but is certainly not to be messed with.

His last wish, was for Sakura, the daughter of Fujitaka and Nadesiko. He had promised her, that no matter what, he'll be there for her when he needed. But this, might just be the one and only vow that he cannot keep; for everything had changed, ever since the death of Nadesiko.

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A/n: hahahaa it's Syaoyue again!!! I know that I said that I wouldn't be updating this fic often, but since it is the holidays, I'll be a hard worker and write more and update often ^^

-Syaoyue. 7th July