Ch. 3

"Find him," growled a voice in the darkness, "Why is this so hard to do?" He paced back and forth.

"Something or someone is preventing us to finding him, sir," murmured a servant.

"Well then get rid of it! Must I do this myself?" he hissed. 'We must get rid of the heir to the Raven Clan throne!' He thought carefully. "This is what we'll do..." he whispered. The man called forth a hideous creature. "Hisstria..."

"Sir?"

"Do not fail me this time. You will be assisted by Gorikithor, do not get him killed."

"Yes. I will not fail you sir," the servant bowed and faded into the shadows.

Mitsuko's stomach was growling by the time she was halfway from her home. 'Hmm...maybe I was a little too harsh on him. I didn't even get his name...' She sighed and then straightened up. "Well...I can't have everyone knowing that I'm a fragile flower. Even pretty flowers have thorns to it."

The moon began to appear as the sky began to darken. Mitsuko stopped and turned to look at the moon. "It's so peaceful..." she whispered. Suddenly, a brilliant flash of light appeared out of nowhere. It blinded her for a second, but when she opened them, she found herself facing the ground. There was something on her. "Uhh..."

"Ugh," was the only thing Mitsuko heard. 'So ladies and gentlemen, we have an ugh.'

"Um. Can you get off of me?" she asked impatiently. "I have to get home."

The thing slid off her with ease and stood up. Mitsuko gasped. It was the guy from her dreams. "Sorry. Hm? You look familiar...have we met?" he asked looking at her with crystal eyes.

"Uh..." stuttered Mitsuko. She looked at him briefly. He was a bit muddy, 'from the streets, probably...' she thought. He wore an expensive black leather jacket with a red shirt. She peered closely, 'it's...made of feathers.' He also had very sharp nails... 'He could kill someone with...those nails.' "I...you're...no. I don't think so."

"..." he looked at her intently. Suddenly his shoulders drooped. "I...remember you. Should've known you were here Mi," he chuckled quietly. "Long time no see."

"How do you know me? And why are you calling me Mi?" she started to back up. 'This is getting too scary. I...I have to get out of here.'

He looked appalled for a second and then he frowned. "But...you're my personal guard, one of the most important Tengu gurads of the Raven hengyokai...and I've always called you Mi, short for Mitsuko. But what puzzles me is why are you here? Please enlighten me," he sat down. "I have time."

"Well I don't. For one thing, I'm hungry. And another, I don't talk to strangers," she retorted.

"Ah. Your stomach always came first, how could I forget?" he waved his hand in the air and a newt-on-a-stick appeared. "Here, your favorite," he said handing it to her.

Mitsuko took the stick carefully and examined it.

"It's not poisoned," he said seeming to read her mind.

"Humph," she took a bite out of it. "Hey...it's good." Soon, the whole newt was gone. "What is it?"

"It's newt," he replied grinning.

"Whaaaat?" she looked shocked.

"Don't be that way Mi, you eat it all the time when I was with you."

"Mi this, Mi that as if you know me!" she mimicked.

"Ah. But I DO know you, and quite well too," he paused. "Quit stalling Mi, I don't have time for this."

"But you said you had time for me to explain what I was doing here, and I don't except for that I think you have the wrong Mitsuko!"

"...No. I don't think so. You always were like this when you were frustrated, and how do you explain the white tips on your hair?"

"I've had it since I was born."

"Exactly."

While Mitsuko and the hengyokai were arguing, two shadowy figures lurked by. They had watched the two of them arguing for a while and were beginning to get impatient.

"Should we get rid of the human as well?" asked a voice that sounded like grinding stones.

"Well, the master did say get rid of interferers..." said the other voice thoughtfully.

"I'll take that as a yes," grinned the first shadow. He suddenly pulled out a shuriken and threw it at Mitsuko with incredible speed.

The raven, sensing danger, saw the shuriken speeding at her. "Watch it Mi!" but before he could do anything, she had already snatched the star out of the air.