Prologue
Pain cursed through her body with the subtly of a rusted razor blade those edge had been grounded against a flat rock. The slightest of movements caused the pain to sheer throughout seemingly magnified by a tenfold. Though she couldn't find the strength to open her eyes she knew very well that her clothes lay to tattered rags thrown around the area. Through the pounding of her aching body she was dimly aware of the crackling of branches underneath an unseen weight. Instinct born of fear caused her to lay still yet the concealed invader of her sphere of pain had seen her and she flinched away from a clawed hand. Even through the haze of brought on by sheering pain and half starvation coupled with dehydration, her mind screamed that the hand belonged to the one who had treated her so and a whispered cry escaped her parted lips.
A low growl escaped the other being, its warm breathe tickling the back of her head but this sound was much deeper than the one who had caused her such pain. Though she couldn't see the other being that had come upon her, she could feel his eyes on her neck especially the place where the raw bite mark was. She knew that it meant she literally belonged to the one who marked her and unless another youkai who was stronger than the first took interest in her, she would remain subservient to the marker. As she had been told, it was very rare for another youkai to even consider touching one that was marked simply because of the fact that the other youkai was unaware of the strength that the marker possessed. These thoughts swarmed in her head as darkness finally came upon her once again. Only when she was unconscious did the other pick her up and dissolve into the shadows, holding her stilled form.