A/N: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Takes a breath Guess who's back for the second round? Lol, I'm veeeeery sorry it's taken me so long, but I have writer's block, and school, and work, and have been writing another story to help jog memory for what I've already done… Still debating if I should post the other one… It's original, anyways Well, hope you enjoy this, it took ages, even though it isn't long
Disclaimer: Yadda yadda yadda I dun own it, you know that.
"Ferio-kun, we need a place to rest…both Windom and Kaze are getting tired…" Fuu spoke to Ferio in the wee hours of the morning, the pair of them riding side-by-side since they had split with the others, hours ago. Lamps were held out in front of the horses by a rod from their saddles, the clinking of glass and candle base hitting metal made them both feel sleepy. Ferio turned to her, his golden eyes eerily glowing in the moonlight, and he smiled his usual lop-sided grin,
"I suppose we should…there's a patch of trees just up ahead that look comfortable" and pointed out to a spot ahead, before dropping his hand heavily. Fuu smiled softly, and set Windom to a trot, Kaze, Ferio's horse, following. They both dismounted, and undid their saddlebags, pulling out fleecy blankets and pillows. As they tied the two horses to some trees and gathered twigs and leaves by lamplight, Fuu began to ponder, before asking Ferio something, her soft voice louder in the still forest, "Ferio-kun…Do you think we'll defeat Debonair?"
"…I honestly don't know, koi…" he looked up from collecting leaves to sleep on, the glimmer in his eyes fading. She wished she could find the manshin quicker, to save Emeraude-hime, but…something pulled in her that she wanted Emeraude to suffer for what she put her though in her childhood, just to make her feel the pain she did. 'No' she thought, and banished the thoughts, though they still hid in her mind. Suddenly, she felt warm arms around her waist, his head resting in the nook of her neck. She inhaled his scent, before looking at him as best she could, then felt warm lips on her cheek.
"Let's make a fire and have something to eat, then we can sleep for a few hours…is that alright?" Ferio suggested, his breath travelling down her neck and under her collar. She sighed lightly, not wanting to pull away but undid the clasped hands of her love and held up her lamp, "Fine with me, dear" and she smiled cheekily, giving him the lamp, then set up the beds near the soon-to-be fire place.
"Clef…Clef?" Umi whispered to the sleeping Mage, shaking his shoulder slightly. They had both gone to sleep in a clearing, keeping close to contain body heat. The royal blue blankets covered them both, but Clef had insisted that they keep close, as these parts got cold at night. The mage gave a groan, still in sleep, and muttered something, his face away from hers, "Umi…Umi, hold on…" Umi held her breath at this comment, before shaking his shoulder a little harder, "Please Clef, wake up, your having nightmares…" he rolled onto his side, now facing her, his shirt un-buttoned somehow, revealing a nicely built chest… She shook her head and blushed, how could she be thinking thoughts like that at a time like this… as she shook him again, however, the blankets slipped of him, revealing more of his bare torso to her. She blushed deeper, before thinking drastically, and kissed him swiftly, hoping it would wake him.
How very wrong she was.
Clef's arms absently wrapped around her, and pulled her closer, pushing her head into the nook of his neck, his had supporting the back of her neck. Umi 'mmmphed' in surprise and tried to un-fasten her lips from his throat, but this only forced his arms around her tighter. Trying to push him away, her bare legs and feet scrambled against him, but to no avail. Only when she was about to give up his eyes opened slowly, before looking down on the sleek blue hair his hand was under. He pulled her head up gently, and fire spread across his face as he let go, apologising franticly, nightshirt still undone, which made the pair blush even more. He done it up quickly, before speaking, his voice raspy and hoarse, "Did I hurt you?"
"No, unless you call hugging an injury…what were you dreaming, you had a worried look on your face…" she knew exactly what he was dreaming, but waited for an answer, "…I was dreaming about…You, being hurt…and I couldn't do anything about it…"
"…And she was bleeding really badly! Lantis, I don't want Umi to die!" Hikaru sobbed as Lantis held her in his arms, in a dark clearing near a stream. "Hush now, She'll be fine, Clef is with her…" pulling away from her for a moment, holding both her shoulders, "We won't let anything harm any of you girls…"
"…Nothing?" Hikaru questioned, her lower lip trembling, trying to hold back her tears. Lantis nodded, a soft smile on his features. Hikaru snuggled her head into him, a smile on her face, but her eyes said it all.
"…So, you dreamt of Umi…being murdered?" Hikaru shifted under his gaze, but stayed silent, fearing if she said what she saw, Umi's fate would be jinxed.
"…Ferio, I will not let that happen to her!" Fuu growled softy as she pulled on his arm, packing up to leave at three o'clock in the morning. Ferio looked at her with a hard gaze, "Fuu, it's pointless, she's left for a different route, she's probably miles away by now!" and pulled her back into his arms, wrapping themselves around her lithe body, holding it close. Fuu tried to resist, but was futile, and quietly gave in, before a heartfelt cry escaped her, and sobbed into his shoulder. He tightened his grip on her, and let her cry, knowing the anguish that would be running through her body. She pulled her head back, and wiped her eyes with her free hand, "I cannot let her, Ferio, she is the closest I have to a relative…I will not…" and she broke into tears again, in the dark, elusive forest, with her true love at her side.
"Umi…we're nearly there, please wait a moment…" but Umi growled again, her teeth gritted, "But I can't wait, that's the problem…I NEED A HOT WATER BOTTLE!" she shouted to the small grove they were walking through, the warm sand underneath them inviting as the scent of the ocean wafted over them, and she calmed a little, before she clutched her stomach again. Clef winced as the sound of her pain, the same sound that was all to familiar in his dream, before he stopped, and slid off his saddle, and strode over to Celes and his owner. She looked down on him as he offered his hand, and was about to take it, when she almost doubled over in pain. Clef flinched yet again, before he took his skin of water off his belt, and muttered a charm, and the water inside was heated instantly. When he held it up for her, she snatched it off of him, and held it to her stomach, the heat soothing her cramps. She bit her lower lip as she looked down on him again, and apologised, "I'm sorry for being so rude…" Clef only held a finger to her lips; before asking her softly, "Do you need more?"
She gave him a look, "Need more what?" before crimson surfaced onto her cheeks, "You shouldn't know about such…feminine matters!" He chuckled, and walked around the other side of her, to her back saddlebag, and started to search through her toiletries. He found what he was looking for, before passing them to her, and helping her out the saddle without her stomach cramping her again. She smiled at him mentally, "He is a thoughtful person…I'm curious to see how he knows about these things…" and she looked down to the warm skin of water on her stomach, a little smile of her own playing on her face. She gasped as she felt hands around her stomach, before they trailed to the back, and she felt a length of material around her. Clef secured the knot he had made, before re-appearing at her front, going to mount again, "I tired it to you so you could ride without it slipping…" and he rode on without another word, looking out to the sun-kissed sands and ocean in front of them, watching, and waiting for a sign…
"Lantis? Are we nearly there yet?" Hikaru asked tiredly when they got to the base of the volcano, her hair sticking to her face form the humidity. Lantis couldn't reply as he looked up at the fire mountain, and saw a winding staircase in the distance. He only pointed out the path, a confused Hikaru following. As she caught up to him, she asked him in breaths, her small form bouncing in her saddle, "How…did…you…know…where…we…were…going?" Lantis looked to her, "patterns… on a mountain and volcano alike…equal a staircase…"
When they stepped off their horses and to the very face of the volcano, instantly Hikaru wanted her clothes off. She only looked wide-eyed at Lantis, who was wearing full black, yet not sweating a drop! She shook her head, before pinning her braid onto her head, and took off a layer of clothing, leaving only her tank top, cotton under-shorts, as well as her boots and gloves. Lantis turned his head slightly, and raised an eyebrow, before walking on, sword in hand, ready to do battle with whatever faced them. Hikaru thought she should have done the same, and summoned her sword, a feeling of enemies near, the dream she had still replaying itself in her mind.
Year 11 is an arse… Well, I'll try to update often, okie?