Chapter 3

'affection'

After that, Sakura started going to the forest far more often than was necessary. Every day, if she could help it. The spring planting season was now well under way, and with Tomoeda's school dispersed her father had left for the city. Both children missed him, though Touya inevitably tried to substitute for her father by smothering her with rules and restrictions. Sakura suffered it in silence for once, and never mentioned any day trips to the woods for fear he'd outright ban them. She could tolerate her brother in the evenings if she spent the day under the trees, free as any wild animal and with the wolf to keep her company.

She was no longer shy about touching him. It became a greeting ritual to drop to her knees once he'd appeared, so that she could properly hug him and ruffle his fur, lavishing affection on her unusual friend. She'd learned that he especially liked to be scratched behind the ears and in the ruff along his jaw, and then finally under the chin. She needed no common language to know that he enjoyed her attentions, tail whipping back and forth as he lifted and turned his head to show her where. He'd even begun to lick her on the face, when she wasn't on guard against it, and afterwards she'd protest and wipe her skin with her sleeve but never really be mad. Actually, she thought it rather cute.

Hellos exchanged, Sakura would set out to tackle whatever particular chore waited. If she had none then she would simply wander, scouting for ripening fruit or picking flowers. She never had to worry about getting lost in the forest anymore; her companion was the best guide to be had and they'd both follow his nose home on a certain and straight path.

She was a little nervous, still, that she might have another encounter with bandits. The wolf saved her the first time but if men had arrows it could be dangerous for him. She worried even though she saw no one, but it didn't occur to her that she never met a soul because the wolf was making sure of it. At least, it didn't occur to her until he met her one morning with fur a little blood-spattered… and what might have been a strip of cloth fluttering between two teeth.

"I don't want to know," she told him firmly, and didn't think about it again. At least, not often.

- - - - - -

He was a wolf, of course, all the ear-scratching and tail-wagging notwithstanding. She heard it that night when the full moon rose over the treetops, provoking a lonely howl from somewhere in that black forest.

She couldn't remember ever hearing a wolf's howl so close before. Of course she knew it was him, there was no question of that. How eerie it was, his solitary cry in the night, rising up to the sky and then falling away, never quite stopping but fading into nothingness like the chime of a bell. As if drawn by the sound, Sakura opened the door and slipped outside, her bare arms freckling with goose bumps when he howled again. It was a cry of defiance, full of anger and fight. But when the sound began to fade it became sad. Sakura could not explain how that was, but standing there in the darkness his howling brought tears to her eyes. It was a sound filled with pain.

"Sakura." She jumped and whirled around to face her brother, standing in the doorway, though she could hardly see him against the gold blur from within. She blinked away the tears and prayed he could not see. "What are you doing out here? It's not safe."

"Don't be silly, brother, I'm just a few steps from the cabin. Nothing will come this close. I only wanted fresh air."

The wolf howled again and Touya frowned at the forest. "There it goes again. It sounds so close, I don't like it. Maybe I should wait up with a crossbow…"

"No!" Sakura almost shouted, and bit her tongue when he looked at her in surprise. "I mean, it could be dangerous. And besides, if you stay up all night you won't be able to work in the day. Now that Tou-san is gone, you have to." Her brother hesitated and Sakura smiled in the most reassuring way she could. "You don't want me to go hungry, do you?"

Touya rolled his eyes, but she knew she'd won. "You eat too much anyway, little monster."

"Don't call me that!"

"Come inside, before you catch a cold. Monster."

"Onii-chan!"

Sakura huffed and stamped a foot, but it was obvious he would not leave her alone out here. Whispering a soft goodnight to the wolf, she turned her back on the forest and went inside.

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Little by little, the days grew longer and warmer. Spring blossomed into early summer, as crops began to sprout their shoots and fruit swelled on the branches of trees. At night the sky became a velvety purple sprinkled with stars, and the moon rose large and pink over the trees. And every day was more beautiful than the last, the sky pure blue and a constant breeze rustling the leaves of the forest to keep Sakura cool. Even so she was puffing a little, trying to keep up with the wolf. They'd been walking for such a long time, and this day he'd taken her deeper into the woods than she'd ever been before.

"Can't we stop and rest for a little while? This clearing is just as nice as any other… hey, where are we going?" One question followed another with no answer, his steady trot never slowing, and after some while Sakura realized she could hear water flowing. "Hey, what's -"

The question stopped there when she followed him around an outcrop of boulders and found herself standing before an enchanting waterfall, flowing clear as crystal into the pond at her feet. Ferns and other waterloving plants had sprouted anywhere they could, between the rocks, reflecting in the pool's surface and turning it a soft shade of green. The picture was so lovely Sakura gasped in delight; she'd never dreamed such a place existed within the forest. And the day was so warm and no souls were near, now was a perfect time to bathe.

Eagerly Sakura pulled at the lace in her bodice and then moved to gather her skirt up. But in so doing her eyes fell upon the wolf, lapping up some water from the pond's edge. Thirst slaked, he backed away and sat, watching her.

Sakura hesitated. Modest though her upbringing was, there was no reason a female couldn't bathe once she was alone. There were no men about, there were no people about at all. Only a wolf, and what did an animal matter? It wasn't as if he knew, undressing before him shouldn't be an issue.

And yet, somehow, she just couldn't make herself do it. Wild animal or not, Sakura could not contemplate swimming with such an audience. Instead she settled for splashing her face and taking a cool drink, then settling herself in the shade of a tree. The soil just here must be very moisture-rich, and it bloomed with wildflowers. She gathered several, then leaned against the bark and began a flower chain. Only a few moments passed before the wolf sidled up next to her and lay down.

"Thank you for bringing me here," she murmured, and absentmindedly scratched behind his ears. "It's beautiful. But I just don't feel like swimming right now, so I'll do this."

His ears flicking back in her direction as she spoke was the only response. But even resting here in the shade was pleasant enough, and after a while she began to hum. The chain grew longer, and the wolf stretched and adjusted his position. This time he rested his head on her lap, and Sakura smiled drowsily. Such a perfect day… if only every day could be just like this. So… peaceful…

She felt disoriented, when she opened her eyes. The shadows were deep and dark, the pond pink with the reflection of the sky overhead. An incomplete flower chain and a large wolf were both on her lap, and finally an aghast Sakura realized what had happened.

"Ah! I fell asleep!" Startled by the sudden noise the wolf leapt to his feet, ears pricked warily, but Sakura paid him no attention. Flowers scattering to the earth, she jumped up and grabbed her collecting basket. The sun must be setting right now over the trees, she should have been home hours ago!

She put one foot forward but stopped short at the unexpected tug. Surprised and a little harried, Sakura saw the wolf had taken her skirt in his teeth.

"Stop it. I have to go now, there's no time to play." Impatiently she tugged at her skirt but the wolf didn't let go, digging his paws into the path and actually trying to pull her back. "Hey, stop that! You'll rip my skirt. Stop it, let go!"

His ears flattened at her sharp tone and he whimpered, his eyes full of pleading as he looked up. Instantly Sakura crumpled with sympathy. "Oh, I'm sorry, but I really do have to go. My brother will be worried, I have chores to do. I can't stay out here in the forest all night… I don't belong here."

As gently as she could she worked her skirt free of his grip, and this time he did not resist. And rushed as she was, Sakura was seized with a horrible guilt. Was the wolf so lonely, that he couldn't bear to see her go home? He must spend every night alone.

"I really am sorry, but I have to go." The shadows were growing deeper and before it could get completely dark Sakura set off at a fast pace, a walk that could almost be a run. The wolf loped easily beside her, showing her the way, for she could have never hoped to find her way home without him. But it was getting harder and harder to see and she knew she was just too late, that she was already in trouble. Anxious as she was to get home, when she heard her brother's voice calling for her a lump of dread formed in her throat. Maybe spending the night in the forest wasn't such a bad idea after all…

"Sakura! Sakura!"

"I'm here!" she called out. "I'm coming!"

"Sakura!" The immediate relief in his voice made her cringe, knowing how worried he must have been, and now she could hear him crashing through the bush in her direction. Quite unexpectedly, the wolf growled.

"Eh? What is it?"

The wolf was staring at the darkness between the trees from where her brother had called, and now his lips were pulled back in a deadly snarl.

"Sakura, where are you?" Her brother was coming closer.

"Shh, stop it! It's just my brother, he's not a bad person. He came to find me because I was late." The wolf didn't even look at her, that menacing growl still rumbling in his throat, and Sakura felt a twinge of fear for her brother. "He'll be here in a moment, you have to go now. He'd never understand if he saw you."

She could see his tall form in the shadows now, getting closer, and still the wolf hadn't moved. "Please! I promise I'll come see you tomorrow, just… please go now." Delicately she placed a hand on his back and he started, almost causing her to flinch. But the growl died off when he looked at her face, and with another undecided glance in Touya's direction he bolted. His tail had just disappeared into the bushes when Touya burst into the clearing.

"Sakura! There you are, where were you? Don't you know what time it is?" Sakura shrank under her brother's furious glare, clasping her hands apologetically.

"I'm so sorry, brother, I didn't mean to. I was gathering flowers and the sun was so warm… I fell asleep. It was an accident."

He huffed, not looking appeased. "I've told you before that these woods are no longer safe. And then you go and fall asleep in them? What if someone had come along? Or a wild animal?"

"Silly, nothing happened! I'm fine, can't you see?" As if she ever had to fear someone hurting her again, with the wolf nearby! Sakura smiled as charmingly as she could, praying her brother wouldn't ban her from the forest and content himself with only a scolding. He opened his mouth to speak and then hesitated, shooting a sharp glance at the underbrush. "What is it?"

"Nothing. Let's get home, it's late." He clapped a possessive hand on her shoulder and steered her back the way he'd come, surprising her by not speaking a single remonstrative word. But he kept looking over his shoulder the whole way home.

- - - - - -

"Sakura."

She rolled over in bed to see her brother, looking wide awake and very serious. He'd hardly spoken five words throughout all of dinner, scrubbing the dishes afterward, and then changing for bed. Now in the dark cabin, with only the moonlight in the window to illuminate his face, his black eyes bore into her and pinned her to the sheet. "You'd tell me if something happened, right?"

"What?" she asked lightly, feigning obliviousness, but he didn't seem put off.

"You're acting differently lately, you have a strange look in your eyes sometimes. And you're always disappearing. You're not meeting with a boy, are you?"

"No!" Sakura denied quickly, anxious to erase that fearful look from his expression. "No, I promise I'm not. Nothing's happened at all. Now I'm tired, so let me go to sleep."

She rolled over and tugged the sheets to her chin determinedly, ready to fake sleep even if she didn't feel the need for it. Touya, thankfully, chose not to pursue the conversation and after a moment felt him roll over to his side of the bed and lie still. But it was more than her afternoon nap keeping Sakura awake. He asked her if she was meeting with a boy and she said no, and that was the truth.

So why did she feel as though she'd lied to him?

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Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.