Disclaimer: Not mine. If you've read the previous chapters, you've probably gathered as much, but I figured I'd mention it anyway.
A/N: Finally, finally, finally I managed to get another chapter up. Though it's shorter than I intended, but 'tis the season for midterms…. But with any luck, the next piece should be up soon.
To LYNNSTORYTELLER: Thanks. ^_^
To Shadow Fox777: Glad you like it. Yup, the journey has started, though they haven't gotten too far yet – as for where they are, well… we shall see. …Eventually. ^^;;
To DragonDancer1014: Here's an update, at last. (Now I want more of "What Goes Around." Right now. ^_^) Glad you think I have Hiei's personality down well – hope I manage to keep it up.
To Cam: Thanks. I shall do my best to update in a timely fashion. ^_^
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Chapter Four
…You have any better suggestions…?
He was beginning to wish he'd had a better suggestion, though he still couldn't think of any. They hadn't found the end of the path yet, or indeed anything other than more trees. As a general rule he had nothing against trees – in fact he had a hazy impression that they were better company than most people, though he couldn't remember any specific people to whom this sentiment might refer – but currently, some sign that they were not doomed to wander lost in this wilderness forever would be welcome. Even walking into a trap of some sort wouldn't be entirely bad, if it at least gave some clue to where they were. Or broke the monotony, at the very least.
How many traps have I walked into, to think of them so casually? It was a strange feeling, to have a thought that seemed automatic and natural, and then to realize that he didn't know why it seemed that way. It didn't help that cold and fatigue were making his mind move more slowly than usual. At first he and the girl had talked some as they traveled, but the conversation had lessened the further they went, and by now had mostly settled into tired silence. That was all right – he found that conversation did not come very naturally or comfortably to him, and at any rate it was hard to find much to say when neither you nor your companion could remember anything. Silence was far less awkward.
He wasn't sure how long they had been walking. He thought it was about five days, but time and memory seemed to have gained a habit of blurring disconcertingly. It could have been more, or less. They had stopped a few times to rest, but he didn't like to stop for too long. The sooner they found where the path led, the better. His body was sore and tired from the constant effort of trudging through the deep snow, but it wasn't going to kill him. He could stand it.
He found himself rather envying the girl's resistance to cold, though. He carried his makeshift torches cautiously, with his hands as near to the flames as they could be without burning his fingers. Occasionally he leaned his face close to the welcome heat as well, but he had to close his eyes to keep the woodsmoke from getting in them and stinging.
This, it occurred to him after a while as he trudged along, made very little sense. Not that much else that was happening made sense either, but this was downright inconsistent. The wood, as far as he could tell, wasn't actually burning. The fire… clung to it, for whatever reason, but it seemed to have no actual effect – the wood hadn't even become singed. So where the hell was the smoke coming from? For that matter, the fire didn't burn wood, but it did warm things, and melted ice and snow, so it wasn't completely ineffectual…. Strange.
He was beginning to get the rather confused and surreal feeling that he was in a world that someone hadn't thought out very carefully. Bemusedly, he wondered who that someone might be. It was a ridiculous notion, but the thought began to nag at his mind, and he couldn't bring himself to entirely ignore it. Certainly the place wasn't entirely normal, at least. Whatever normal was. Is there such a thing?
Hn… pointless question. There must be better things to think about
Part of him wondered why he was tolerating the girl's company on his journey so calmly. Not that it didn't make sense – they were in similar situations, apparently, and he did owe her for the help she'd given him. He balked at the thought of being indebted to someone, particularly someone he wasn't sure he trusted. If they traveled together and he was able to discover where they were or what had happened to them, he could consider her repaid and they would be on more even ground.
Also, the odds of two entirely unrelated people finding themselves to be lost in the middle of the same forest, with no memories, but for entirely unrelated reasons were presumably fairly low. Granted, he couldn't back this up with any statistics at present – but even without the feeling that he knew the girl from somewhere, it was probably a safe assumption that there was some previous connection between the two of them. In the interests of regaining his memories, it was best if they stayed together for the time.
It did make sense, but it still bothered him. He didn't know if he really had known her before this, or if perhaps she just reminded him of someone that he did know. Or if his mind was only playing tricks on him. In any case, over the last few days a nagging sense had begun to arise that he should trust this person, that she was almost a… friend.
Perhaps he couldn't currently remember much of his life or anyone he'd known, but he was fairly certain that friend wasn't a word he had used often, if at all. The very concept seemed alien to him. The mere vague thought of other people caused his mind to react with… perhaps not dislike, exactly, but at the very least annoyance, a good deal of suspicion, and a strong sense that most of them weren't worth putting up with for any longer than one absolutely had to.
So why should she, who I don't even know if I know, be any different?
He had no reason to trust her. ...Other than the fact that she probably saved my life…. He shook his head. If she was truly in the same situation he was, then that had only been the sensible thing for her to do. He refused to assume anything else. Still, the strange sense that she was on his side would not leave despite this refusal, and it was beginning to worry him a little bit. It would be far too easy to be lulled into dropping his guard….
He had to admit that he wasn't entirely clear on what dire consequences this could have, under the circumstances. But the more suspicious side of his brain insisted that it was best to be cautious, particularly towards anyone who seemed so harmless. So he was.
He gritted his teeth. He needed his memories back. The confusion of distrusting someone because he felt like he should trust them was going to give him a headache soon. He snorted softly. Well, with any luck, I'll be too numb from the cold to notice it….
* * * * *
The girl glanced over at her traveling companion a little uncertainly. He had been very quiet for the last few days, but then, he still had to be very tired, didn't he…. The cold was taking its toll on him, though he seemed to be ignoring it with admirable determination. She couldn't help but feel sorry for him, but she guessed that sympathetic words would not be welcome, and it seemed there was little that she could actually do to help him at present. She sighed; it didn't seem fair that she was having such a relatively easy time of things and yet could do nothing for him. She didn't like feeling so powerless.
She had tried to offer, once, that he lean on her for support and balance as they walked – he had difficulty staying on his feet at times in the deep and uneven snow – but he had given her such an intense and forceful glare for this suggestion that she had hurriedly dropped the subject. All she could do was be there, in case he did need help. Though she wasn't sure even her presence was entirely welcome; she didn't think he really trusted her, though she didn't know why. She wondered, wherever she'd known him from, if she had considered him a friend. Somehow, she thought so, but he didn't seem to think the same.
Well… welcome and trusted or not, they were both in the same situation. It was best that they stay together. She didn't want anything bad to happen to either of them.
* * * * *
Thus they continued on for some time, both lost in their respective thoughts. And then they stopped, suddenly startled back into awareness. They had, at last, reached something new, though it was not the hoped-for edge of the forest. It was a fork in the pathway.
…Great. Just what we need. A choice, with no good way to choose except to rely on pure luck. The black-clad figure glared briefly at the two narrow paths branching off to the left and right. He didn't think luck was something he liked to depend upon.
Well – a choice still had to be made. He glanced over at the girl. "Any suggestions?"
She stared back and forth, concentrating. "I… if I've ever been here, I don't remember it at all." She shook her head. "I'm sorry."
"Hn." He shrugged. "Left, then." He started forward.
She hesitated. "We've been walking for a while. Do – do you want to stop and rest for a few hours?"
He turned to look at her, eyebrows slightly raised. "Are you tired?"
She sighed. She wasn't, really, and she doubted he'd believe her if she said she was. And even if she had been, she could hardly insist on stopping for her own sake if he could keep going. But he had started stumbling more frequently than usual, and she didn't want him to fall over dead from pushing himself too hard. "No. But –"
Before she had a chance to finish, he shrugged again and turned away, once again starting down the path. "We'll go a ways farther, then."
Well, at least that sounded like he might consider stopping at some point. Again she sighed, and started after him.
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A/N: As always, feedback is welcome. ^^