As Sakura entered the shadows of the forest, she let out a long sigh. It was like the tightly coiled springs inside her had unwound and she was finally able to let down her defences. She knew there was no need to be alert here. No danger could pass beneath these warded trees.
As she walked further into the forest, Sakura's cold demeanour began to vanish. Her steps were lighter, almost a dance, instead of their usual careful precision. The indifferent mask on her face slowly melted, so you could see the twinkle in her eyes once again. All the strain and worry were gone, peacefulness and playfulness replacing them. The tiny stress marks on her forehead and around her eyes disappeared, leaving only Sakura's open and youthful face behind. Gone was the battle hardened Guardian Sakura was forced to become. Now there was no Guardian, only the young woman Sakura, walking contentedly down the woods makeshift path.
'Ah…how good it feels to be home.' Sakura thought, glancing at the wilderness all around her. Although technically she lived in thru palace, only in this enchanted forest did she feel truly and fully welcomed. The only place she considered to be her true home.
"Took you long enough," the deep voice started Sakura out of her thoughts and, as she jumped and whirled around, deep laughter filled her ears.
Recognising whom it was, Sakura scowled and swatted at the intruder's arm playfully. "Syaoran! How many times have I told you? Stop scaring me like that!" she glared furiously at him, but it didn't have the slightest effect on him. It never did.
"Wasn't trying to." Syaoran shrugged mock-innocently. "I can't help it if you don't hear me coming." Sakura's scowl was still in place. "Oh come on Sakura, lighten up." Syaoran casually draped an arm across her shoulders, "Haven't we had enough of frowning"
Sakura sighed and gave up. Instead she snuggled in closer, under his arm. "Yes we have." she murmured quietly.
All Syaoran's cheekiness was gone now as he led her down the path. "Come on, let's go home. Kero is sure to cheer you up. He has lots of new stories to tell you"
"I'll bet." Sakura grumbled. This was an old routine of theirs. "Well I hope he is not looking for more food. I forgot to bring him some again"
"Hmm?" Sakura asked, not quite hearing him.
"Said I love the light"
Sakura looked at him queerly before shrugging. Syaoran was always weird at their reunions. "It's good to be home"
Syaoran and Sakura continued walking along the path, telling each other the newest happenings in their lives.
Hearing about how the elders have been pushing Sakura too hard again made Syaoran angrily glare around the forest. Why must they always push past their boundaries?
"I'm sorry Sakura," he murmured with his head down. Sakura blinked at this surprised. Why the hell should he be sorry? When she voiced her thoughts he stated, as if it was extremely obvious, "It was because I was gone they worked you so hard." Sakura shook her head in astonishment, "If I has been there to counter-act their orders, you wouldn't have had to sneak away like this." His expression told Sakura he was serious about this. Still she couldn't contain the muffled laugh that escaped her lips.
"Syaoran, you're such a dink." she grinned. That got his attention. "It wouldn't have mattered whether you were there or not. They would have found a way to wriggle around your commands. Remember," Sakura said with a matronly look, "Until you are made Leader of the Clan, they can still supersede your authority"
Syaoran bowed his head again with defeat. "I know…but still!" his head came up with renewed stubbornness. "I could have done something to help"
"You can't always be there to help me Syaoran." soothed Sakura warmly. "If you hadn't have left, you would have burst from the strain. Even you need some time off every once in a while"
Syaoran grinned ruefully. "I should be saying that to you"
"I would rest if I could." sighed Sakura, both she and Syaoran now back to walking down he path. Somewhere during their conversation they had stopped and were facing each other. "But the Elders"
"Always with the Elders!" Syaoran burst out flinging his arms up into the air with exasperation. "Why do you give them total control over your life"
"I didn't give it to them, "Sakura whispered softly. "I wasn't given a choice remember"
All of Syaoran's anger melted and her sighed tiredly before wrapping Sakura into a comforting hug. "I'm sorry Sakura. I know you didn't choose for things to be this way. I just wish the Elders didn't control you totally"
"They don't." Sakura's gentle smile floated up to him. "Otherwise I wouldn't be here right now"
Syaoran smiled back, something that was very rare for the usually stoic Li warrior. "Good point"
"Besides, they can only control my life in this world and time. Not the others." The reminder of this didn't help Syaoran's mood for some odd reason. "And soon, not even here will they have power." Her words echoed with an ancient promise, not unheard by the two.
"Let's hope so Sakura." Syaoran sighed lightly, resting his cheek against the top of her head. They were once again cuddled together, lazily walking the trails. "For both our sakes."
As she walked further into the forest, Sakura's cold demeanour began to vanish. Her steps were lighter, almost a dance, instead of their usual careful precision. The indifferent mask on her face slowly melted, so you could see the twinkle in her eyes once again. All the strain and worry were gone, peacefulness and playfulness replacing them. The tiny stress marks on her forehead and around her eyes disappeared, leaving only Sakura's open and youthful face behind. Gone was the battle hardened Guardian Sakura was forced to become. Now there was no Guardian, only the young woman Sakura, walking contentedly down the woods makeshift path.
'Ah…how good it feels to be home.' Sakura thought, glancing at the wilderness all around her. Although technically she lived in thru palace, only in this enchanted forest did she feel truly and fully welcomed. The only place she considered to be her true home.
"Took you long enough," the deep voice started Sakura out of her thoughts and, as she jumped and whirled around, deep laughter filled her ears.
Recognising whom it was, Sakura scowled and swatted at the intruder's arm playfully. "Syaoran! How many times have I told you? Stop scaring me like that!" she glared furiously at him, but it didn't have the slightest effect on him. It never did.
"Wasn't trying to." Syaoran shrugged mock-innocently. "I can't help it if you don't hear me coming." Sakura's scowl was still in place. "Oh come on Sakura, lighten up." Syaoran casually draped an arm across her shoulders, "Haven't we had enough of frowning"
Sakura sighed and gave up. Instead she snuggled in closer, under his arm. "Yes we have." she murmured quietly.
All Syaoran's cheekiness was gone now as he led her down the path. "Come on, let's go home. Kero is sure to cheer you up. He has lots of new stories to tell you"
"I'll bet." Sakura grumbled. This was an old routine of theirs. "Well I hope he is not looking for more food. I forgot to bring him some again"
"Hmm?" Sakura asked, not quite hearing him.
"Said I love the light"
Sakura looked at him queerly before shrugging. Syaoran was always weird at their reunions. "It's good to be home"
Syaoran and Sakura continued walking along the path, telling each other the newest happenings in their lives.
Hearing about how the elders have been pushing Sakura too hard again made Syaoran angrily glare around the forest. Why must they always push past their boundaries?
"I'm sorry Sakura," he murmured with his head down. Sakura blinked at this surprised. Why the hell should he be sorry? When she voiced her thoughts he stated, as if it was extremely obvious, "It was because I was gone they worked you so hard." Sakura shook her head in astonishment, "If I has been there to counter-act their orders, you wouldn't have had to sneak away like this." His expression told Sakura he was serious about this. Still she couldn't contain the muffled laugh that escaped her lips.
"Syaoran, you're such a dink." she grinned. That got his attention. "It wouldn't have mattered whether you were there or not. They would have found a way to wriggle around your commands. Remember," Sakura said with a matronly look, "Until you are made Leader of the Clan, they can still supersede your authority"
Syaoran bowed his head again with defeat. "I know…but still!" his head came up with renewed stubbornness. "I could have done something to help"
"You can't always be there to help me Syaoran." soothed Sakura warmly. "If you hadn't have left, you would have burst from the strain. Even you need some time off every once in a while"
Syaoran grinned ruefully. "I should be saying that to you"
"I would rest if I could." sighed Sakura, both she and Syaoran now back to walking down he path. Somewhere during their conversation they had stopped and were facing each other. "But the Elders"
"Always with the Elders!" Syaoran burst out flinging his arms up into the air with exasperation. "Why do you give them total control over your life"
"I didn't give it to them, "Sakura whispered softly. "I wasn't given a choice remember"
All of Syaoran's anger melted and her sighed tiredly before wrapping Sakura into a comforting hug. "I'm sorry Sakura. I know you didn't choose for things to be this way. I just wish the Elders didn't control you totally"
"They don't." Sakura's gentle smile floated up to him. "Otherwise I wouldn't be here right now"
Syaoran smiled back, something that was very rare for the usually stoic Li warrior. "Good point"
"Besides, they can only control my life in this world and time. Not the others." The reminder of this didn't help Syaoran's mood for some odd reason. "And soon, not even here will they have power." Her words echoed with an ancient promise, not unheard by the two.
"Let's hope so Sakura." Syaoran sighed lightly, resting his cheek against the top of her head. They were once again cuddled together, lazily walking the trails. "For both our sakes."