"Ok that settles it I'm never going into the woods again." Hope said as she came around.
Sitting up she took in her surroundings for the first time. She saw that she and Kennedy were in some kind of a ring made by some small rocks, while Faith and Buffy were in another.
"Welcome back to the land of the living." Kennedy said from where she sat in the circle.
"Could say the same to you, How's your head?" Hope asked.
"As well as it can be after been slammed into a tree." Kennedy replied as Hope began to walk to the edge of the circle.
"I wouldn't try to cross those." Buffy said
Faith picked up a small stone from the ground and threw it towards the rocks in their circle, it hit something and bounced straight back.
"You have got to be kiddin'." Hope said before punching the barrier repeatedly, realizing it was no use she sat back down.
"You think we haven't tried that, B here got tossed she hit the thing that hard." Faith said
"Do we know anything?" Hope asked.
"No but I think we're about to." Buffy said pointing to two demons who were headed there way.
"That was a prime kill last night but have I got a treat for you." the smaller of the two said as they walked towards them.
"Slayers, how..." the larger demon asked.
"They were found wondering the woods, they must have slipped through the barrier like the humans did." the smaller demon replied.
"This is truly a great challenge." the larger demon said as he looked the slayers over.
"That one." he said pointing to Kennedy. "I sense new power."
"Excellent choice. This will be the fifth slayer you've fought am I correct?" the smaller demon asked.
Hope stepped in front of Kennedy, she couldn't let the demon fight her. In the future Kennedy would have kill him in a heartbeat, but this wasn't the future. Kennedy's fighting skills were improving with each day they trained but if she fought this demon he'd kill her, no doubt about that.
"You killed those people didn't you?" Hope asked already knowing the answer. The only answer she received from the demon was a grin.
"I'm guessing you've never lost a fight either?" Hope asked. The demons smile widened.
"What'd they last three minutes, Five? You want a good fight something with a challenge, you really think she can give you that?" she said pointing at Kennedy who was about to defend herself but was interrupted by the demon.
"I have made my decision." was all that the demon said.
"You sure about that?" Hope said before grabbing Kennedy and throwing her into the barrier.
"What the hell are you playing Hope?" Buffy shouted
"She knows what she's doing." Faith muttered.
"You'll fight her, you'll win then what the fight will have been as empty as the rest." Hope said pushing Kennedy back down to the ground with her foot.
"Look at her! she can't even fight her own kind, what kind of a fight could she possibly give you!" she yelled at the demon.
Kennedy who was now on her feet swung at Hope, punching her in the face she was just about to go for another attack when Hope grabbed her by the shoulders and head butted her, letting go Kennedy fell to the ground unconscious.
"Woops how's she gonna fight you now." Hope asked as she walked to the edge of the circle.
The demon stood there for a few seconds clearly pissed off suddenly his hand shot through the barrier and seized her by the throat.
"You wish to fight me slayer? Do you wish to die?" he asked from where he stood outside the barrier.
"Who say's I'm going to?" Hope asked, if the demon wasn't pissed before he was now.
"Bring her to me." the demon said before throwing her to the other side of the circle and walking off.
The moment the demon was gone Hope knelt beside Kennedy to see if she was alright, then turned to face the others.
"When she wakes up tell her I said sorry ok." she said.
"Why?" was all Buffy asked.
"Do you honestly think she could have beaten him?" Hope asked.
"Hope he could kill you." Buffy said understanding now what Hope had done.
"He won't." Hope replied.
"What makes you so sure?" Faith asked.
"What's the first rule of slaying?" Hope asked before the barrier was brought down and the demons dragged her away.
Buffy and Faith looked at each other for a second before turning to see Hope been dragged away.
"Don't die." they said in unison.