Hi Hi! I'm back and I come bearing Gifts! ....well no....not really, Actually I just came with Chapter five. Thanks to all those people who reviewed. You truly have spoiled me with your wonderful comments. I'm glad that you like my story. To tell you the truth I didn't think very many people would review, but thanks to your support, I've found the inspiration to keep writing. Read and enjoy!

Oh yeah..... and...Disclaimer: What's mine? The plot. What's theirs? Everything else. Is Life unfair? yes.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Last Time: "Wha--?" Sakura said before wave after wave of pain assaulted her head.

Sakura collapsed to the floor. Her body unmoving.

"SAKURA!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Chapter 5: Warnings

Sakura was swirling in colors of bright lights, she felt weak. It was hard for her to breathe. It was very much like a dream, only it wasn't. Colors danced in her line of vision, then it shattered, like glass breaking. Sakura inhaled. Meiling? What was she doing here? "Meiling!" Sakura called. Meiling was sitting the floor, her feet curled underneath her, hands on her thighs, staring blankly into a mirror. She didn't look up when Sakura called her name. "Meiling?" Sakura tried again, this time uncertainty laced the emerald eyed girl's voice. Still the black haired woman showed no sign of hearing her.

Sakura began to make her way to the girl, but every step she took, Meiling seemed to drift further away. Suddenly the mirror shattered, sending shards of glass in every direction, Sakura shielded her face from the jagged edges of the debris. Sakura looked around, where did Meiling go? Turning around she saw Syaoran. "What the...?" Sakura blinked. Syaoran drew his sword and stabbed it into the ground. He kneeled onto one knee, blood began to drip from his hands, his breathing became heavy, head bowed down. "Syaoran!" Sakura cried as she watched him crumple to the ground. The scene changed yet again. The little kitten that Fa Ling had found was curled in lying position, staring at her with piercing amethyst eyes. "Time is of the essence." It's cold voice said. Sakura began to take in gulps of air as she struggled to breathe "I don't understand" Sakura gasped. The cat chuckled, tilting his head to one side. "Are you prepared to lose everything?" It asked. "What?" Sakura's eyes widened. "One chance, put aside those you love and fight for them"

"Put aside....?" Sakura repeated, still confused.

"Past, Present, Future. It all depends on you. Put aside those you love in order to fight for them."

"Please..." Sakura begged "I don't understand, if I put away those I love, how will I fight for them?"

The cat smiled, and tilted her head back, closing her eyes in leisure. "Are you prepared to lose everything? A Battle does not begin when one is expecting it. It begins once one has prepared for the worst."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Syaoran was becoming frantic. Why wasn't she waking up? She was breathing, that was a good thing, but her breathing had slowed considerably, that was a bad thing. "Sakura." he pleaded with the unconscious woman. "Please wake up." He said as he began to gently shake her. He had moved her onto the couch and was currently sitting beside her. "Sakura-chan...." Fa Ling's tremoring voice drew he attention. Syaoran looked up. He had forgotten that Fa Ling was still there. Her brown eyes wide with fright, clutching the cat tightly. "Syaoran is she....?" her question was left unspoken. "No." Syaoran said, but there was the slightest trace of uncertainty in his voice.

A loud crash coming from Meiling's room caught his attention. Syaoran cursed. "Fa Ling, stay with Sakura." the amber eyed boy ordered as he began walking to Meiling's room. Fa Ling nodded meekly and sat in the place that he had occupied. Syaoran made his way to Meiling's room, intent on getting mad at her for breaking whatever it was that she broke. As he opened the door, all thoughts of anger fled. What he saw horrified him. Meiling was sitting on the floor. Her hands, face, arms, everything, was covered in blood, yet she made no move to call for help, or even acknowledge his arrival. She was staring at the bits and pieces that were left of the full length that had shattered, not uttering a sound. He looked around, bewildered. Every mirror in the room was broken, shards of glass lay everywhere. "Meiling?" He asked tentatively. She slowly looked up, her eyes had gone completely blank staring straight at him, as if she was seeing something else. "Syaoran?" Meiling's voice sounded frightened although her face was expressionless. Syaoran was getting really unnerved. Meiling was still Meiling....and yet....somehow not Meiling. It was really freaking him out.

Meiling returned her attention to the glass, once again ignoring the sorcerer. Syaoran began making his way to her when he heard Fa Ling's ear piercing scream. "Dammit" Syaoran growled as he rushed outside. Fa Ling was standing against the wall her eyes wide with terror as she stared at a shadow looming over Sakura. It was cloaked and all you could see was it's red-green eyes staring hungrily at the card Mistress. The kitten was on the floor hissing, it's violet eyes blazing. "What the---" The shadow turned it's attention to Syaoran and lunged before the startled man could react. It's body evaporated into a black mist that was seemingly sucked into Syaoran's skin. He blinked rapidly, reaching for the Card Mistress. "Sa....kura..." he gasped before he passed out.

Fa Ling stared in wide eyed horror. "Syaoran!" she screeched. She rushed towards him, shaking him with all her might. "Syaoran! Syaoran! WAKE UP, Syaoran!!" Fa Ling sniffed. She picked up the Kitten and rushed into Meiling's room, hoping to find help, only to discover the girl covered in blood and lying unconscious on the floor.

Fa Ling backed up against the door, sinking to the floor, sobbing quietly. She was alone. And she had no idea what to do. She hugged the kitten close to her body. "What am I gonna do?" Fa Ling wailed. Get help. Fa Ling's head snapped up. Who said that? She looked around the room. "Hello?" Fa Ling asked, her voice trembling. "Who's there?"

Silence.

Me. I'm here.

Fa Ling looked around frantically. "Who?"

That's not important. Get help.

"Help? oh, of course! But from whom?" Fa Ling said, trying to act mature and not scared of her current position, which was very hard to do.

There was a long pause, as if whoever was talking was thinking about who would help them and not freak out over this. Finally the voice answered, somewhat hesitantly.

Clow Reed......he'll help you.

Fa Ling stared blankly in confusion. "But -but, Clow Reed is dead."

She blinked. Once. Twice. Then she slapped her forehead. "Eriol-san! Of course!" she rushed out of Meiling's room and ran into her own to get into something suitable for going outside.

After dressing into comfy green sweatpants and a fuzzy red sweater, she ran and got her backpack, and stuffed it with random things that she could find, food, some money, a map, and other miscellaneous things. Fa ling walked into the kitchen and got her ring of keys hanging from the key rack. Her little hands trembled as she heard thunder rumbling outside, rushing back into her room she grabbed her Chinese style umbrella. Fa ling had never been more scared in her life. Eriol-san was staying at Tomoyo-san's house, and her house was on the other side of the city, a three hour walk. She couldn't take the train, she'd never been on one before, and she didn't know where to stop and where to stay on. Besides they probably wouldn't let a little girl get on the train by herself. She was stuck with walking.

Fa Ling took a deep breath and stepped outside of the apartment, just as rain began to pour. Fa Ling sighed and looked down at the side purse she was wearing, the kitten tucked safely inside. "Just my luck huh? I'm sent to get help, and nature decides to make things more interesting by sending us a storm" Fa Ling shook her head.

She walked downtown and saw that it was almost deserted, because of the rain, people had decided to put off their shopping, an therefore making it look like a ghost town. Fa Ling looked around the corners in caution, she had never in her life felt more alone then she had now. Uncertain worries came screeching into her head. What if she went to the wrong house? Could that voice be trusted? Was leaving Sakura, Syaoran, and Meiling really the wisest thing to do? What if they woke up and she wasn't there? Fighting the cold swell of dread, she took a deep calming breath and continued to walk. Looking at the stores to try to calm the butterflies fluttering frantically in her stomach, Fa Ling clutched her umbrella to her, to keep out the cold rain and munched on the few snacks she had packed.

After about an hour's walk she decided to take a break, she was exhausted, and she was hungry, having eaten all her food already. She walked into a nearby cafe, she looked around uneasily. The people here didn't look very friendly, in fact they were looking at her quite unpleasantly. Swallowing the large lump that had formed in her throat she walked to the counter, the person at the counter was a fragile looking girl who smiled at Fa Ling timidly. "Hello" she said kindly "How, can I help you?" Fa Ling smiled, at least not all the people here were mean looking. "Can I have some hazelnut tea please?" Fa Ling asked. She thought for a minute, then added "And fried rice and an order of Ra-men and a slice of pumpkin pie." Fa Ling paused again, hesitant then asked "Would it be too much to ask for some cream for my friend?" She asked gesturing to the kitten. The girl blinked, then smiled, "Of course not" she answered in a soft voice. Fa ling walked over to a secluded area, still uncomfortable with the stares she was getting. When her order arrived, she temporarily forgot the stares as she ate. She looked to the other side of the room when she finished her Ra-men and fried rice. There was a person there that was cloaked, he had what looked like an ornate staff, decorated with rings, that made a soft chime-like sound when he moved. Fa Ling's attention was drawn away from the man by some unfriendly looking men walking in her direction.

When the men got to her their leader grinned, and evil looking grin, "Where's your mother?" he asked. Fa Ling's first reaction was to panic, but then her years training as a member of the Li clan kicked in. "She's dead" Fa Ling answered coolly, then ate a mouthful of pumpkin pie as though she expected them to go away. Although she had taken her eyes off him, Fa Ling was well aware of his presence, another thing she had learned from being a member of the Li Clan. "How's about your father?" the man growled. "He's dead too." Fa Ling said nonchalantly, shrugging as if it didn't matter and continued to eat. All around them movement stopped. The man's eyes narrowed, "I don't like your attitude" he snarled. Fa Ling shrugged again "That's your problem, not mine." The man grabbed her still hot tea and spilled half of it on the floor, as if to teach her who was boss. Whatever message he was trying to convey, Fa Ling ignored it. "That's supposed to go in your mouth, you know, not on the floor" Fa Ling said, looking mildly amused. The men behind him looked from him to Fa Ling with nervous eyes. "And you'll have to pay for that too" Fa Ling informed him, her face unreadable. "Don't cross me, you little brat." He growled. Fa Ling sighed. "You crossed me first, or did you manage to forget that already?"

"I don't think you know who your messing with"

"I don't care."

"That's it. Your asking for it." With that the man lunged at her. Fa Ling kicked off her chair and did an elaborate back flip, she slammed her thumbs into the soft spot of either side of his neck as she landed behind him. His gave a surprised grunt, his eyes rolled back and he fell forward in a dead faint. Fa Ling clapped her hands together as if she were getting rid of dust. She was standing on his back. Fa Ling looked at the mug of tea she had left, looked at the man, then poured the rest of the mug's contents onto the man's back. Looking over to the counter she said, "Could you please put my lunch on his tab?" The girl at the counter looked astonished, then she grinned. "Sure"

Fa Ling looked at her and grinned "And while your at it, could you pack a French silk pie and a Pumpkin Pie and some cold Ice tea in a bag to go?"

The girl blinked. "two entire pies?" She asked looking dazed.

Fa ling tilted her head to one side. "The French silk pie is for my cousin, and the pumpkin pie is for me." she looked at the man she was standing on. "Add all of that to his tab too"

Fa Ling made her way out of the Cafe when she collected her food. Ignoring the astonished stares of the men as they parted to let her through. Fa Ling looked into the corner, the man was gone. Must have left before the trouble started. Fa Ling thought.

She calmly walked out of the Cafe and when she turned the corner, grinned widely, she jumped up and down feeling proud of herself. The Kitten, walking beside her stopped, tilting her head to one side, a silent question. "My Frist Fight!" Fa Ling chirped, "And I won!" Scooping the kitten into her arms she skipped along the sidewalk. Still grinning. Syaoran had taught her to fight. She remembered him telling her to memorize all the pressure points in the body and what happens when they are pressed. "Memorize them Fa Ling," he had said, " If you can't win in strength, you can win by having more knowledge then your opponent." He had been very patient in teaching her, not getting mad of frustrated when she did something wrong, just correcting her and moving on. "My first fight and I won!" Fa Ling giggled, "Wait till I tell Syao--" A shadow fell over them "--ran?" Looking up she saw a man that looked like the one that she saw in the Cafe, only without the staff. Where had he put it?

A male voice asked "What are you---?" Then he saw the Cat, "You-" he reached for her. Fa Ling backed away.

"What...?" She squeaked.

"Where is she?" The man growled.

"Who?"

"Give her back!" he snarled, making another lunged for Fa Ling.

Fa Ling gasped as she felt hands go around her neck.

"Syao---"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Oh dear....maybe I was a little harsh on Fa Ling......oh well.. Well what do you think? Like it? Hate it? I must know! R&R and sit and wait patiently for the next chapter. Pay attention now, this is where it gets a little confusing (tee hee, I'm so mean...making you wait and all.)