A/N: I know it's been a while and I'm sorry. Some want to know a little more about Damian and wanted to know if I could put his history in this chapter but I'm not going to go and spoil the story. Someone in this chapter knows who he is... giggles But I'm not telling any more. No, nothing is said about Damian here, but you just wait and see.

The Leopards Shadow

Sweat collected on her brow, arms and legs moving restlessly in her sleep as a burning pain blanketed over her body. A moan escaped from her lips as she tossed, causing more pain to course over her all ready pained body. She vaguely heard voices around her, hands pressing themselves against her brow.

Pain was spreading throughout the room, she could taste it with every breath she drew in, and yet she didn't know what there was to panic about. No matter how hard she tried, her eyes wouldn't open and her arms only moved when they felt like it not when she told them too. Something wasn't right. Something wasn't right at all.

Another moan came from her and people moved quicker around her. Orders were shouted all over the room, restraints were placed around her wrists as she felt a warming pressure coming from her nails. No! She body all but screamed at her, the pressure stopped the moment her mind revolted against it. She was weak and had no clue why.

Hot liquid was passed into her mouth and she had no choice but to swallow it. Bitterness ran over her tongue, threatening to choke her if she didn't swallow, the foul taste trickling into her stomach. The pain was quickly replaced with a relaxing sensation and she found herself slipping deeper into the darkness that had already placed a firm hold over her body.

Chi-Chi sighed deeply, fingers grasping a thin silver glass tightly for a moment before setting it down on the silver-tinted table beside the canopy bed. Padded leather cuffs were wrapped around Bulma's wrists, their ends tethered to the posts to keep her arms out and pulled tautly so the limbs wouldn't thrash around.

Elizabeth hovered in the doorway, lips opening and closing before shaking her head. "If you want to say something, feel free to do it."

"I'm just worried about the Lady Bulma. It's been almost a week since she was attacked and yet she has yet to wake from her sleep. Is she going to be all right?"

Brown eyes looked over the body of her maid, sadness filling her thoughts. "Come here Elizabeth." She spoke softly, beckoning the woman closer to the bed. Gripping the dark blue quilt that was thrown across the bed, Chi-Chi pulled it down to bare Bulma's milky torso. Green eyes fell between the middle of the woman's breasts and widened in horror at the sight of the black veins that seemed to have webbed out from no where to spread from collar bone all the way down to her navel.

"What...?"

"Poison, I think. I don't know, Damian doesn't know...no one does save for one person."

"Who?"

"The person that tried to kill Bulma."

Damian burst through the door walking to the large bed in few steps. "How is she?"

"Not well. We've had to restrain her to keep from scratching at her skin. I don't know what to do with her Milord..."

"Do everything that you can. I'm going to be away for a while," He shook his head, holding up a large hand as his blonde locks swept over his back. "I'm going to see if there's anyone out in the neighboring cities that knows how to cure what ails my fiancee."

"But it's too dang– " The rest of the sentence stopped in mid air as Damian left the room with a snap of his billowing cape. "Men!" She growled, throwing her own hands into the air as she jerked the covers back over Bulma's sweating form. "I've tried everything I can think of save draining her almost to death and replacing the lost blood with that of her own kind."

"But isn't she one of the last?"

"Yes! That's why I haven't tried it now isn't it?" Chi-Chi snapped, eyes flaring. "If there was another of Bulma's kind, do you not think I would have tried that all ready? Honestly woman, use that head of yours!"

Elizabeth broke out into tears and fled from the room with her hands covering her face. Perhaps she had been too harsh on the woman, but the strain that was on her mind wouldn't let up until Damian found a cure. There had to be one out there, there just had to be.

Please, to whoever can hear these silent prayers of mine...please send forth the remeady to what ails my friend quickly. Please, I beg of you. I'll do whatever it is that you want me to do if you just spare her life.

But what she didn't expect was her prayers to be answered as quickly as they were. Night was in full reign now as the moon hung high in the sky only allowing a few more hours of precious darkness before the sun rose to take her sisters' spot in the sky and by then, she hoped that Damian would have found a good hiding place to keep out of the light.

Another handful of hours passed as her weary, blood-sot eyes flew to look out the window once more. Pink was starting to fight its way against the midnight blue, lightening it with every passing moment. Dawn was coming, and coming quickly. Fear tightened its grip on her throat as she ran to the window and threw it open. Surely Damian would have found a resting place long by now, but there was still that lingering fear that he hadn't.

The sound of pounding hooves reached her ears through the open window and due to her particularly good hearing, she knew that they were still far off but heading quickly in the direction of the castle. Callers, at this time in the night? Dashing to the wash stand that was set up for her purposes, she splashed cool water onto her face and quickly wiped the liquid off with a cloth before quickly looking back to the bed where the bound Bulma lay. Chewing fiercely on her bottom lip, she took off down the hall and ran down the stairs, careful not to trip over the hem of her dark green dress. Jumping from the last three steps, she flew around the corner, the soles of her slippers skidding, forcing her to hold onto the corner of the wall for support, Chi-Chi ran into a strong chest and almost fell backwards if it hadn't been for a pair of strong hands to catch her.

"Watch it Miss!"

"Lucas! I need someone to go upstairs and look after Bulma. There is someone coming to the castle and I have to get outside before they come here and see who they are, and what their purpose is!"

The aging man nodded his head and turned around quickly, "Make sure you put on a thick cloak. It's cold outside."

Chi-Chi nodded her head, thankful at once that her hip-length hair was bound up tightly against the back of her neck. Quick feet carried her into the cloak room where she tugged down her winter cloak. Black in color, though the hood and underside of the cape were lined with white and black feathers, feathers that she had molted from years before.

Damian had been kind enough to get a seamstress to sew them on so they were all laying down flat against her back, and the poor woman was almost ready to cry when the cloak was handed to Chi-Chi. Throwing the broad piece of material over her shoulders, nimble fingers quickly clasped it around her throat, and as she drew up the hood she raced outside.

She could see the horses, large black beasts that were almost ready to collapse with the effort of running such a long way in the snow. There were six of them all in total, all stallions, all black, and all panting for air when they were pulled to a halt in front of her. The carriage that they were came to a rolling stop and just as it have finished moving, the door flew open.

A man jumped down, his hair in a spiky mess as his large figure landed with a thud, feet slipping slightly on a patch of black ice. White feathers danced across her view as she started to walk towards the open door when the man rushed right passed her and started running up the steps.

"Excuse me but can I help you with something?" She asked calmly.

Startled, he turned around and almost fell down the steps as his dark eyes fell on the tall woman standing protected against the cold air with the most unusual cloak. "Please, my... my friend is wounded..."

"Wounded? Bring him inside, quickly now!" Picking up the hem of her dress she bounced up the steps and into the house. "Geoffrey!" She shouted, voice echoing throughout the vast halls until the man being beckoned came running from wherever he had been. "I need another room prepared right now, it's important. Stock the fires, hot water, my box, and clean bandages. There is a man outside whose friend is injured. Also, send someone else to prepare another three rooms and have Leon tend to the horses outside."

"Yes Milady." He ran around the castle, ordering people about, his favorite thing to do before jogging up the stairs and down the hall. He faltered for a moment as to where the injured person should stay and decided without a second thought that they should stay in the room next to Bulma's so Chi-Chi, the resident healer, didn't have to walk up and down the stairs all the time. Making sure not to disturb the sick Bulma, he quickly stocked the fire and forced it into a raging frenzy to fight back the chill from the room.

Women scurried in and out of the room, placing bowls of steaming hot water along side the bed, filling up the broad table with bandages and water. He quickly pulled down the scarlet bed covering and fluffed up red and gold pillows. He heard Chi-Chi calling for him and ran down the stairs.

"The room beside the Lady." He panted out of breath.

Unclasping her cloak she nodded and as she tossed the winter garment to him, she looked behind her to make sure that the man she had talked to previously was following her. "Right this way. I'll show you where the room is and then you can arrange to have your friend brought inside. I don't know how wounded he is, but I know I can heal him."

"Thank you." He followed her swaying form up the stairs, down the hall, and up another flight of stairs into the awaiting red and gold room.

"I hope that this is adequate enough."

"If you can heal him in this room, then this is just fine. But why so far upstairs?"

Dark eyes met as they looked at each other. "I have another person to look after. She's right through that door." Nodding her head, he followed her gaze to the door that joined the two rooms together.

"Right."

"So bring him up and I'll be in that room."

Chi-Chi walked to the closed door and opened it, stepping inside the blue and silver room to check on Bulma. Moments later, she heard footsteps running down, and then up the stairs. It was going to be a long, long day. Bulma moaned in her drug-induced sleep, head tossing and turning as she tried to pull her arms free from the binds that held her hands away from her chest, torso lifting up off of the bed as fingers clawed aimlessly at the air.

Hushed voices came from the other room and as Chi-Chi dipped a cloth into a bowl of cool water, she tried to listen to what the people were saying. She caught the voice of a woman, panic and anger rising from her and yet no matter how good her hearing was, she couldn't make out what was being said. Quickly sponging off the sweat from her friends' forehead, she ran the damp cloth over the feverish flesh of the slender, pale neck and pulled the blanket back to swab at the poison-mark.

An pained cry came from the next room, forcing her to jump to and look to Elizabeth who had fallen asleep in a chair against the wall. The cry had startled her out of the light sleep that she was in and when her green eyes snapped open she looked instantly guilty. "I'm sorry Milady. I didn't mean to doze off like that."

"It's all right, there is a man in the next room, wounded but to what extent I have yet to see. Find someone to come and look after Bulma. You go down to the kitchens and have Marie make some strong tea. Lots of it."

"Yes Milady."

With the rustling of the hunter green dress, she moved smoothly into the other room to observe the people huddled around the bed. "If you'd all move and step away from the wounded, then I shall be able to tend to his wounds."

The two men stepped away but the woman stayed, head turning to glare at Chi-Chi. Milky pink eyes stared at the healer from under a fringe of dusky pink hair. "Kill him, or cause him harm in any way, wench, and I shall make sure that I have your heart beating its last beat in my hand."

"Just try it. You are the guest in this castle, not I. Now move or he shall die."

Muttering under her breath, the pink-haired lady stepped away and went to stand with the tall black haired man, along with a short bald one. The heat from the fire radiated outwards towards the room casting its flickering glow along the walls. Panting from the bed, covers drawn up to slim hips, a man lay, bleeding from an open stab would to his left side. "How long ago was he stabbed?"

"No more than a half hour passed." The woman sneered

"Did you see who stabbed him?"

"No." The taller man and the woman replied at the same time.

Looking at the angry gash her eyes were drawn to a small black dot that was slowly growing bigger by the moment on a piece of the tattered flesh. Lifting up her right leg and yanking the skirt up to her hip, she quickly unsheathed the dagger that she kept there for emergencies and cut away the blackened flesh.

"You wench!" The woman shrieked as Chi-Chi walked to the fireplace and tossed the chunk of skin into the burning embers.

"Call me that again, and you shall be escorted out of this room with the print of my fist on your cheek. Gentlemen, if you'd kindly restrain that woman before I have to do something that'll cause her harm."

Dove grey sleeved arms were gripped roughly by the two men, holding the woman back. An angry scowl formed on plump lips as she was pinned to the spot. "Filthy trollop." She hissed.

Black brows knit themselves together as Chi-Chi looked over the man on the bed, hand holding a thick wad of linen over the bleeding wound. "It's not to serious. Did any of you see what the person looked like that attacked this man?"

There came no replies. "I'll take that as a no." Fingers left the material that was covering the wound and quickly threaded a needle. Pinching the flesh together, she stitched it up rather quickly and washed her hands after applying a thin layer of a clear balm to the stitching.

"What does it matter if we saw the person or not?" The woman spat out.

Chi-Chi turned on her and took a few steps closer. "What's your name?"

"Keniko."

"Keniko, that blade that the man was stabbed with was poisoned."

"But how do you know that? Who are you anyway?"

Coughing, Chi-Chi lifted her head and tossed away the rag she had dried her hands with. Slim fingers wound themselves around the grey covered arm, yanking her away from the two men. Keniko let out a startled yelp and tried to jerk her arm free but found that the digits around her limb contracted harder. She stalked into the blue and silver room and to the bed. Making sure that the pink-haired woman could see, Chi-Chi pulled back the covers that were over Bulma.

Pink eyes widened as they looked upon the laying figure, arms held away from her body and bound with leather that was tied to two of the posts of the bed. A black mark was spread over the milky chest, web-like veins filled with poison. "That is how I know."

"Let.Me.Go."

Fingers removed themselves as Chi-Chi turned and walked into the other room, followed by a fuming Keniko. "I am Countess Chichandra. Chi-Chi for short. I am a healer and right now this Mistress of the castle. Lord Gale is not around and shouldn't be for the next few nights."

The black haired man licked his lips. "Lady Chi-Chi, forgive Keniko's hostile ways but she is just worried for her fiancee. We all were. I am Goku and he's Krillin. He doesn't talk."

Elizabeth walked in with a large silver tray filled with a full tea set, and a heaping plate of steaming scones. "I thought you'd be hungry Milady. You've yet to eat something since the Lady has fallen ill."

"Thank you Elizabeth. But if you'd kindly take the tea and these people into my sitting room, I'd gladly appreciate it. I'm going to check on Bulma before I go and sit down."

"Yes Miss. Please, if you'd all kindly follow me."

Goku turned and looked at Chi-Chi, the poor woman falling asleep on her feet. "Are you sure you don't need any help?"

"Not that I know of."

"Then I'll stay and keep you company while you look over your friend."

Krillin looked at Goku and shook his head slowly before following the blonde woman out, Keniko walking out of the room without so much as a glance over her shoulder to her wounded fiancee. "If you're sure..."

Picking up a handful of her skirts, she turned with one smooth motion and walked across the room and into Bulma's room. "Who is she?" Goku asked slowly, looking down into the pale face of the azure haired woman. Blue lashes were spread against the tops of her cheeks, light bronze freckles dusted the bridge of her nose and cheeks.

"Lady Bulma Leopaw." She slowly moved a wet cloth over Bulma's heated flesh. Her head turned his way and that, damp bangs plastering themselves to the moist brow. Working the blanket down, she uncovered the black mark and sponged it off. Goku adverted his eyes before he realized that Chi-Chi was talking to him. "You see the mark? T'was a poison tip that has made this and there is nothing that I can do for her. I have tried everything and yet there is nothing. Damian has left us for a while to see if he can find a cure for his soon-to-be-bribe."

"How long has he been out looking?"

"Not for to long. He left a few hours before you arrived. I wish I knew where he was, but haven't been able to get out and send word to him. But what about that man? Who is he?"

"His name is Vegeta. Any more than that, and I'll be giving away secrets. I do hope that you understand Lady Chi-Chi."

She nodded her head, pushing back a stray lock of hair that fell down her face. "I understand. We all have our secrets do we not? I just wish I knew what to do for my friend. You see, she is getting weaker and weaker. Her stomach rejects anything we try to give it and that mark...that mark is surely going to kill her!" Tears pricked at burning eyelids as she fought with the tears that wanted to be let free.

Goku rushed to her side and placed a large hand on her quivering shoulder. "Hush now, let's go and get a cup of tea into you."

"I...I shall be right with you. I'm going to go and check on your friend quickly. Wait for me out in the hall."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure Lord Goku, I'll be all right."

He stepped away from her after allowing his fingers to tighten momentarily before walking out of the room. Lightly stepping between the doors she looked to the wounded man and clicked the tip of her tongue against her teeth. Blankets were sliding down his right hip allowing the firelight to flicker off gleaming, well muscled upper thigh. Pulling the cover back over his hip, she let out a startled yelp as a furry black appendage wrapped itself around her wrist. Dark eyes roamed up his features to widen even more at the sight of slightly rounded feline ear-tips twisting on top of his head. Jerking her head away, she turned from the room and stormed into the hallway to stop in front of the obviously startled looking Goku.

"Lady Chi..." He was cut off as a slender index finger was pointed at his face.

"You dare keep such a secret from me?"

"I...I don't know what you mean..." He licked suddenly very dry lips.

"I know full well Goku that you know exactly what I'm talking about. You dare keep from me that he is part of the Kingarni?" (were-panther)

Shaking his head, Goku held up his hands, "Listen to me, it's not that I withheld it, but if people knew his...wait, how did you know what he is?"

"I know, because I am not stupid. Bulma is Kinlarni (were-leopard), one of the last few of her tribe. They have said that there is another being such as herself somewhere that knows of a great secret, but someone tried to kill her, much like they did with your friend. Only he was in his human form, and she wasn't."

"You mean to tell me that this....assassin attacked Bulm..."

"Lady."

"Attacked Lady Bulma while she was shifted, and lived?"

"Yes." She was getting annoyed and tapped her foot, arms crossing over her breasts while she glared.

"Vegeta would never let someone live after that."

That was all she could take. Storming into Bulma's room she went to the opened window and stood on the ledge. Goku looked at her and started to run forward as she stepped back. The wind whipped the dress about her legs and with a final step and a cry from Goku she was gone. Running to the window he looked down and expected to see Chi-Chi's broken body lying in the snow below but only saw her dress.