Author's Note!
Thank you SO much for all your reviews!
Listen to this song... 4everaudio by: the veronicas it ROCKS!
And my friend gets to go to the set of the OC tomorrow! I HATE HER! Her dad's a movie start so she can do that stuff but STILL! cries I wanna meet SETH!

Love of War
Chapter Nine: Scrying

"So what are we supposed to do?" Sakura asked under her breath, her eyes darting around her for signs of the Li clan…or Syaoran.

Touya shrugged. "I don't know Sakura. I thought about what you said, and you're right, we don't have anywhere to go. As far as I know the only Li in Japan are the ones we are with, all the others are in China."

"That's where they're taking us." Sakura said softly. "To the coast, to be taken to China"

"You can't get on that ship Sakura." Touya said gruffly. "You must stay away from the coast for as long as possible"

"Why? What are you saying?" Sakura asked, "You aren't going to…leave me, are you?"

Touya sighed and set his hands gently on his younger sister's shoulders. "I can't stay here, with the Li, Sakura, you know that. I'd kill them all while they slept. Besides, you're more safe here with that kid than alone, without protection, with me"

"But I want to go with you!" Sakura pleaded. "I can't stay here any longer, what if we do get to the coast? I don't want to live in China!"

"You wont, Sakura." Yukito said. "Touya and I are going to go and get reinforcements from the north. It's wont take us any longer than a week or so. Keroberos will stay with you and guard you, he wont let you get onto a ship."

Sakura sighed, knowing that she'd lost the fight. "Fine. As long as you come back," She stared up at her brother. "Promise to come back"

Touya smiled, "Don't worry about it squirt"

"I told you, don't call me squirt!" Sakura hissed.

Touya laughed and hugged the sixteen-year-old tightly. "We'll be back for you and Tomoyo soon." He whispered in her ear.

Then Yukito gave Sakura a small hug, and as the group heard Syaoran's shouts for Sakura, the two boys disappeared into the forest.

"Sakura!" Syaoran said, striding up to the girl. "What are you doing here? I thought you were with your brother, it's not safe out here alone."

Sakura turned and smiled. "I know, sorry for worrying you Li. Touya and Yukito left, they can't stay with us"

"What?" Syaoran gasped. "They can't just leave!"

"Oh yes they can." Sakura said, holding out her arm as Syaoran tried to push past her into the forest. "They were never your prisoners in the first place Li. They can come and go as they please"

Syaoran frowned, she was right. And did she ever know it.

"Fine." He said hotly, grabbing her arm, but not tightly. "But you have to come back to the camp."

Sakura nodded. "I know"

Then they turned and walked back towards the camp, the sound of laughter and talking filling the air.

XxXxX

"Eriol!" Syaoran said, walking up to his friend. "Where's Meilin?"

Eriol looked up from his food, his arm was draped casually across Tomoyo's shoulders. "Um…I haven't seen her since the attack. Why?"

Syaoran sighed and walked away. "Never mind"

He had a favor to ask of the Card Mistress.

"Sakura?" Syaoran said, walking into the small tent that Sakura and Tomoyo shared. Sakura had been given new clothes, and was now wearing a soft cream dress that draped off her shoulders and fell above her knees. She looked stunning, and Syaoran couldn't help but stare.

Sakura smirked. "What? Hello, Li?"

Syaoran snapped back into reality. "Oh, yes. I was wondering if you could possibly do me a favor"

Sakura shrugged. "Sure. It depends what it is"

"Can you scry?" Syaoran asked.

The auburn-haired girl blinked, her emerald eyes confused. "Scry? Well…yes. I haven't in a long time though"

"That's all right." Syaoran said, walking to her side and sitting down beside her. He held out a small silver dagger with red rubies in the handle. "Can you scry this?"

Sakura looked at the dagger apprehensively. "Whose is it?"

"Meilin's." Syaoran said.

Sakura frowned. "I wont do anything for her"

"Please?" Syaoran begged. "Meilin went missing after the attack, no one's seen her since. Can you scry this and find her?"

Sakura turned her head away, unable to look him in the eye. If she did, look him in the eye, she'd have to say yes. But she didn't want to, she didn't care where Meilin was or what had happened to her.

"Please Sakura?" Syaoran said, darting in front of her so she had to look at him.

Sakura smiled softly when she saw the urgency in his amber eyes. She sighed, "Fine"

Syaoran smiled and handed her the dagger. "Thank you!"

"Yeah, yeah." Sakura muttered. "Just be quiet while I do this"

She wrapped her hands firmly around the dagger, careful not to cut herself on the sharp blade. She closed her eyes and imagined Meilin; the way she looked, spoke and acted.

The image of Meilin began to fade as a new picture took place in Sakura's mind. It was dark where Meilin was, and a pod of small fires lit the large are she was in, a cave. Meilin was sitting by a fire, drinking and laughing with a group of men, both Chinese and Japanese.

"What…?" Sakura whispered, trying to get a better look around the place.

Syaoran watched Sakura carefully, her eyes closed, as she scryed for his cousin, the way her features changed from interested, to confused. She was, really, beautiful. Even for a Kinomoto.

Sakura suddenly gasped and dropped the dagger, her eyes snapping open.

"What?" Syaoran asked. "What did you see?"

"She's…all right." Sakura breathed, her eyes filled with confusion. "She's with a group of men, both Chinese and Japanese"

Syaoran got a sinking feeling in his stomach. Both Chinese and Japanese. "No…she couldn't be"

"With Doremi." Sakura said, finishing Syaoran's sentence for him. "Yes. She's with him"

"But doesn't she know?" Syaoran said, his anger rising as he quickly got to his feet. He began to pace the length of the tent. "Doesn't she know that Doremi wants me dead? Wants to ruin the Li clan?"

Sakura shrugged, staying seated on the floor. "I don't know if he told her that much. When Doremi ran away, he probably ran into Meilin and made her an offer she couldn't refuse."

"What kind of offer?" Syaoran snarled. "What kind of offer would make her turn her back on her family?"

"Her life." Sakura said softly. "Maybe she had no choice."

But no, that wasn't the case, Syaoran and Sakura knew that. Sakura knew because she'd seen Meilin's smile, she wasn't afraid or being held against her will, she'd gone there on her own.

Syaoran knew because he could sense it. He could sense Meilin's unhappiness with the Li clan for a long time now. But why?

He continued to pace the length of the small room, his eyes angry and full of thoughts, thoughts that Sakura couldn't quite make out.

"Syaoran, don't worry about Meilin." Sakura said, getting to her feet and watching him pace. "She'll be fine"

"I know that." Syaoran snapped. "I'm not worried about her, I'm wondering why. Why would she turn her back like that?"

Sakura didn't say anything, what could she possibly say? As far as Sakura could see, Syaoran was dead on, Meilin had turned her back on the clan.

Syaoran suddenly stopped pacing and turned to Sakura.

"What?" She asked, wondering why he was staring at her.

"You called me Syaoran." He smiled wickedly. "You may as well give up Sakura and just call me by my name before you make even more of a fool of yourself"

Sakura felt her cheeks heat up, she had called him Syaoran too. "I don't think so Li"

He smirked and took a step towards her, seeing her embarrassed made his bad mood go away, for the moment. "Come on, you know you want to call me Syaoran"

Sakura shook her head, determined not to let her smile creep to her lips. "No way, Li." She said the "Li" with some highlight, as if to say to Syaoran that she meant not to call him anything other than Li again.

He took another step towards her. "Come on, just say it"

"Get away from me Li." Sakura said, backing up slowly as he took a few more steps towards her. "I'm warning you!"

"Oh, and I should be afraid of you?" Syaoran smirked, he was playing, flirting, but he didn't care. He should have been more upset about Meilin, but it came to no surprise to him, just confusion, and he didn't want to let himself be bothered by it.

"Yes, you should." Sakura said, reaching for her star key that was hanging off a chain around her neck.

Before she could even touch the chain, however, Syaoran was in front of her, grabbing her hands in his.

"Say it." He said, his face inches from hers.

"I wont Li." Sakura said stubbornly.

He smirked and let go of her hands, snaking his arms around her waist and pulling her to him. "Say it Sakura"

"No." She said, getting a little dizzy with his proximity. Why did he always have to be so close? His hold on her so comforting?

"Say it." He whispered, his lips inches from hers now.

"Li." Sakura smirked wickedly.

Syaoran pulled away from her slightly, his eyes alit with something. Amusement?

Instead of letting her go, as Sakura had planned, his grip on her waist only got tighter, crushing her against him. "It's not that hard." He said.

Sakura shook her head. "Li, Li, Li, Li!"

Syaoran smirked and leaned forwards, "Fine then, have it your way." and pressed his lips against hers.

Sakura wasn't that much surprised by his actions, she was pretty used to his forwardness by then. But every time he kissed her, it was harder for her to stop and push him away.

She knew it would be hard this time.

So Sakura gave in. She let Syaoran kiss her, she let herself get caught up and kiss him back. She would regret it later, but at the moment all she wanted was him.

Syaoran smirked in his head, she was so easy to play with, too trusting. All he'd wanted was her to say his name, but the closer he got to her, the more he no longer wanted his name to be heard, but wanted Sakura herself.

This time, when he kissed her, she didn't push him away or struggle. He felt her relax against him and kiss him back. He even felt her hands snake around his neck, pulling him closer and more into the kiss.

Soon Syaoran found himself too caught up in the kiss to realize what he was doing, letting his hands trail to the edge of Sakura's dress. But she didn't stop him, she didn't push him away or say no.

What was he supposed to do? He didn't want to stop, he wanted to go further, but he didn't want Sakura to be angry with him later.

Just as he was thinking of what to do, to stop or go on, she said it.

"Syaoran"

He smirked, his lips parting from hers. It took some strength, but he did it, he was the one to pull away.

Sakura looked at him, her lips swollen and her breath ragged, confused.

Syaoran had a grin on his face.

"What?" Sakura asked.

"You said it." He laughed. "You said my name"
Sakura felt her cheeks heat up. So that's all it had been about? Just to get her to say his name?

"Fine." She smirked. "You win, Syaoran"

He smiled and wrapped his arms around her once more. "Now then-"

Sakura laughed and ducked away before she could get caught up in another kiss. "I don't think so. You have to leave"

Syaoran gaped at her. "Why?"

"Because I'm tired and I have to go to bed. Besides, it's after dark and Tomoyo will be coming in soon. Do you really want her to see you in here?"

Syaoran shrugged. "I don't think she'll care, she's probably spending the night with Eriol anyways"

"What?" Sakura shrieked.

Syaoran jumped and covered Sakura's mouth with his hand. "I'm joking! Just joking!"

Sakura glared at him, pulling his hand from her mouth. "You jerk"

He smirked and duct as she tried to backhand him. "Too slow Card Mistress"

She smirked. "That's right, and I can blow you out of here," She raised a card in her hand that said "Windy".

"No!" Syaoran gasped, throwing himself at Sakura and knocking the card from her hand. The two fell to the ground in fits of laughter.

"You are so weird." Sakura giggled, turning on her side so she could look at Syaoran.

He smirked. "You have no idea"

Then he leaned forward and kissed her.

Okay! Review hope you liked it!