Shitza: Hope you like this chapter, I tried to make it longer then usual. School starts in some few days and I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update, but I'll try as often as I can. Hope the teaches won't give me too much, see you soon!

Shitza

Chapter 7 A walk through Water

Kohaku was in a bad mood when they left the inn. He was still thinking of what the phoenix had said, and he couldn't help it, feeling as if all was lost. They were riding on Dinkes, horselike creatures with scales and fire, instead of coat and mane. Chihiro had been rather sceptic about riding burning horses, but since the horses fire didn't hurt her, she did agree, after much fuss. Kohaku laughed when she sat up on the horse, with that nervous smile on her lips.

Many looked at them when they left, they looked kind of odd, in the dark clothes they wore, especially since they looked very much like the thieves that was rumoured to live somewhere nearby. The only different was that the thieves never showed up in public like this, and they didn't have any large sacks on their shoulders.

The reason for them wearing the same clothes they had wore visiting Xing's friend Monhu. The reason... someone had during their visit sneaked of to their rooms and stolen their cloths. Lin had found this rather annoying and raging tried to go back to teach those things a lesson. Yet she hadn't come far before Xing had stopped her. Even if the earth spirit looked rather aged, he still had very strong arms.

And so Lin had told them they'd leave early in the morning, and so they had. It was chilly, and Chihiro was thankfully keeping her fingers over the Dinkes fire mane. The fire might not burn them, but it was comfortable warm. Chihiro shot grateful comments at this, if the fire hadn't been there... brrr!

Lin was in a rather good mood, as she steered them towards Intera. Even if Lin still hadn't received her old name, small pieces of her past came back when she thought about it. She wondered why, could this be from where she had come from.

Yet the journey was long, and tiredly. Through a stone passage, an unexpected snowstorm and a great desert. It was if the world itself tried to hinder their journey. Worst of all was this daggering feeling of being watched. They could all swear that they had seen a pair of eyes, watching them. It could be one of Yubaba's spies, but also something worse. Yet, whenever they could swear that they saw the mysterious eyes, the eyes disappeared instantly. Chihiro felt uneasy, riding in the middle of nowhere. She wished she knew more about what happened.

Days passed by, even if they tried to keep up a good pace, they couldn't stop the time going. Kohaku especially felt this. He could often feel the stinging on his finger as the ring stole small, small amounts of his strength. He had started to get nightmares, over and over again. They were always the same... 'Protect her, or she too will die', He wondered what they meant. He looked over at Chihiro, who rode beside Deko, listening, or rather looking, on what he said. He told her stories of the good old time, the time peace lived in all corners of Kamikakushi. Kohaku also remembered that time, before he had lost his river and become like this. The stinging returned, he tried to ignore it.

Chihiro looked carefully over at Kohaku. Somewhere she could feel his pain, deep inside of her heart. She wondered what he thought, he seemed scared somehow, and she wondered about what. What drove him scared? She was confused.

The answer, was she. Once he thought he had lost her, but then when she returned hope had lightened in his heart. But now, after they had met the Phoenix of Earth, his hope had slowly died out and he felt guilty of driving her into this hopeless journey especially since he knew he would never make it and he must tell her about his feelings before, before...

"Kohaku, what is it?" Chihiro asked.

He almost fell of the Dinkes he rode. He had not noticed her coming.

"Nothing, it's nothing, really." He said smiling back. Chihiro answered the smile.

Lin, who was still in the lead suddenly stopped. They were standing by a giant lake. She said something, in an unknown language, and to their great surprise, something down there answered.

"They say we can walk over" she translated and walked out in the water. Or rather say walked on the water. Chihiro stared as Lin walked on the water as if it was made earth. Xing was scratching his beard, mildly impressed and Deko sort of giggled. Kohaku just stared at the lake, with some sort of fright in his eyes. It was if he had been there. And the memories of it were frightening him, somehow. She wondered why.

"Lin!" he called as the woman had made it half across the lake by now. Xing and Deko had followed the old worker, but still both Chihiro and Kohaku hadn't let themselves follow. "Are you sure it is safe!"

"Of course, dragonboy! Come over here, it's safe. They say they won't hurt us."

Kohaku nodded and began walking. Chihiro followed, she took hold of his arm as the two of them began walking over. It felt weird walking on water like this. She kept as close to him as she could. Kohaku kept his eyes on the shore they were heading for. At the middle of the lake... it happened.

Frightened they saw the lake, redden as if the water had turned into blood. Yet, it was still water. Kohaku looked at it, wide eyed. Chihiro gasped as images of death appeared and all of them came from a white dragon. It was Haku, it was he in his dragon figure.

It was a memory, a memory from old time. She saw as the dragon killed dozens of inhabitants and steal a golden arrow from a temple, in the city from the deep. Chihiro looked questioning on Kohaku.

"It's something I did, when Yubaba had her power over me. But that time is ended. When I can regain my life, she'll pay for that."

Chihiro nodded, yet she was scared. There lay shadows of a deep hate in his eyes, a hate she tried to understand, but couldn't, even if she knew a great part of what Yubaba had done. But he knew something that she didn't and that was worse then anything she'd heard of before.

They soon arrived to the others, who were waiting. Xing stared at Kohaku and began murmuring if this was such a good idea at all. Lin stared at him.

"Some things he may have done have been wrong, but he regret them. He needs his power to help us."

Xing hesitated but nodded.

The Phoenix of Destiny sighed. He was worried. 'What if they didn't make it, what if something went wrong?'

Suddenly, someone knocked at the door, yet he didn't bother opening. He knew who it was, and she had to go her way, he had other things to be concerned of.

It knocked again, but when he didn't answer he heard the stone door get blasted to dust.

"Fire Phoenix, stop blasting my doors, please!"

Her hair flaming, like it usually did whenever she was angry almost blew out in real flames.

"Let me guess, I do already know. It's that cave again."

She nodded. "Are you going to help us or not?!" she asked demanding.

"No, I have other things that needs to be concerned. You go and empty that cave before the water reaches here. There's a old trunk that's keeping the water from flowing. There's something that's happening and all you Phoenixes can think of is overflowed tunnels. SHE is here and Peace will soon die. There are things that needs to be concerned by."

The Phoenix of Fire's face darkened before paling so much she looked like a flaming piece of snow. If that was even possible.

Night fell quickly, and they had lit a small fire. Lin and Deko were busy making dinner. Xing was polishing his staff. Kohaku sat by a tree, thinking. Chihiro walked over to him, wanting to know more about what had happened.

Kohaku saw her, awestricken that she still wanted to talk to him, especially after what she had to witness. The memories of what he had done still haunted him. Mostly he hadn't done things like this, but... why? Why did they have to cross that lake.

"Hi" she said shyly.

"Hi" he said, not sure about what he would say.

She looked down, upon the grass.

"Kohaku, what was that, back there by that lake? I saw so much, so much I couldn't believe. Was it you had to do?"

He sighed, he had to tell her, or else he might loose her friendship forever.

"It was a old task I had to do, for her. She sent me to that lake, to collect a ancient magical arrow. She never told me it's ability, but she said that I had, in any way there were, to get it. And so I did, I stole it, murdering dozens of them."

A tear trickled down his face. There was a moment neither of them said anything. Then Chihiro spoke.

"I... I never knew she made you do things like that. What a awful witch she is."

He looked at her. She had her face, buried in her hands. She was crying.

He put a calming arm over her shoulders.

"Chihiro, there's something I need to tell you. Something I must tell you now, before it's too late...

... Chihiro, I love you."

She stared at him, her tears were gone. Suddenly, she smiled.

"I love you too!"

And, as the sun rose. They found each others love, that night, that morning.

To reviewers:

Velf: Don't expect these kind of updates for the upcoming year till next holiday. School starts, and I have no idea of how hard it may become. Hope you liked this chapter.

Fufa: Here's your answer. Hope you liked it. Came a bit sudden, didn't it.

Winter- iel –o burzum: Hope you liked the story..

Love Shitza