CH 2
Ankeo woke with a start, sitting straight up in her bed. She was breathing heavy and the sheets and her shirt were drenched in sweat. "Kin.." she muttered to herself. She hadn't thought about him in a long time. It had been even longer since she had dreamed about him. When she was younger, she would dream that same nightmare every night. After her mother found her and found out what happened, her mother vowed not to lose her remaining family member. She had found 3 other women who had lost their husbands to the same band of demons, and all had only their daughters left. Aneko could remember the first time she had met Amaya. Amaya's almond eyes had looked at her from beneath long brown bangs and the 2 clicked with out saying any words. Amaya could usually be found drawing, reading or day dreaming. Amaya had introduced her to Sanyu. Sanyu had bounced right up to her, her blue eyes shined with mischief. Sanyu's love of the outdoors sometimes got her in trouble. She hated to be inside even on rainy days. Her mother hated to see her daughter muddy and soaked from rain. Her mother would also fight with her about the style of her hair. Sanyu liked her hair long but would only put it into a ponytail and wear it in no other way. Her mother thought she should do more with it or have it cut. Sanyu then in turn had introduced Amaya and Aneko to Suki. Suki, the youngest, kept to herself for the longest time. Aneko never was to sure of what was going on in Suki's head. Suki had it the hardest out of every one. Her mother was a Human, but her father was a youkai, making her a half-youkai. Her eyes and hair were of a crimson color announcing the mixed blood that coursed through her veins. The 4 young girls were all around the same age, and seemed to have one particular element of magick they worked the best with. Aneko, at the time 5 years old, became exceptionally gifted with fire, Amaya, the same age as Aneko, with air, Sanyu, a year older then Aneko, with earth, and Suki, a year younger then Aneko, with water.
A knock on her bedroom door brought Aneko out of her thoughts. "Yea? Door's open…"
Amaya's face peaked past the door to look at Aneko; " You ok? I heard you wake up… You screamed in your sleep, too."
Aneko looked at Amaya, studying Amaya's eyes behind her glasses. "You were awake? You should be asleep…"
"And you shouldn't be having nightmares about Kin still."
"Did I say his name in my sleep?"
Amaya nodded. She wasn't around Aneko when her kid brother was, but she knew how guilty Aneko felt for losing the basket that held Kin when they were attacked. "You want something to drink?"
"Is it to early to ask for a shot of whiskey?"
"Yes."
"Then No."
Amaya smirked. Aneko had a streak of trying to drink too much when something was bothering her. "You need to talk?"
"Nah, I'll be fine…what time is it?"
"It'll be about an hour before the sun rises."
Aneko's eyes went wide, "An hour?? And you're keeping me awake why?"
Amaya laughed, "Cuz' you were still talking to me. If you need something, just shout. I'm not going back to bed."
"But sleep is a necessity, Amaya! Go back to bed and get some!"
"Sleep isn't a necessity for me…but you do have to get up early. Don't forget it's your turn to open the clinic. So think of this as the first of the multiple beeps of your alarm."
Aneko grabbed a pillow and threw it at the door as Amaya slipped out. "Take that you stupid alarm clock!"
Aneko smirked as she looked out her window at the stars still in the early morning sky. "Kin," she whispered. As she looked at the stars, the feeling of something important came back. 'What does it mean?' she wondered as she laid back. As she laid there the feeling became anticipation. What ever it was, was heading towards her and would be here soon.