Chapter 17

(Kaoru)

Kenshin had curled up in my lap and fallen asleep not long after I learned his name. His head was pillowed on his arms, which were resting in my lap. The rest of his skinny body was curled around my knees, his wings folded tightly against his back.

I petted his crimson hair gently, tears still falling down my face periodically. Even though he was sleeping his breath was strained and panting, his face showing how difficult it was for him to breathe.

Yahiko was sitting by the door, waiting for Megumi to return. He was watching me quietly, watching as Kenshin struggled for each breath. He spoke suddenly. "What happened to him Kaoru?"

I looked up at him, and then sighed. "He was a slave Yahiko. I found him in the river."

His face hardened, and he eyed the leather collar lying near him. With tentative fingers, he picked it up, examining it. "Oni…Demon?" He looked at Kenshin. "Him? He doesn't seem that bad…"

I traced the large cross scar on Kenshin's left cheek. "We have no way of knowing his past Yahiko."

Megumi's voice sounded, and Yahiko slid open the door. The lady-doctor came in with armfuls of bandages and medicines, and after setting it down she frowned at me. "Did you move him tanuki?"

I shook my head, knowing she meant Kenshin. "He woke up Megumi. He put himself in this position."

Megumi knelt beside me, looking him over. "He was awake? What did he do?"

I looked down at him. "He was very frightened, as well as jumpy. You have to move slowly around him, or he thinks you're going to hit him. His eyes Megumi, they're so…lifeless. They are dull, as if he has no more hope. He can't speak either; it was like dealing with a child. We figured out his name is Kenshin."

Megumi put a hand on Kenshin's forehead. "He's got a fever, but it's not as bad as it could be. And we need to watch his wounds for infection. I need to finish bandaging the rest of his injuries. I ran out of supplies." She pulled a warm quilt up over his thin form. "We also can't let him get cold. Because he's so malnourished it could kill him."

Kenshin stirred, whimpering in his sleep. I stroked his hair and whispered to him and he calmed. "I'll watch him Megumi, don't worry." I looked up at her. "Why is his breathing so strained?"

She shook her head. "I'm not sure Kaoru. I noticed that he takes larger breaths than regular people when I was examining him. I'm not sure why though."

Kenshin's eyes suddenly snapped open and he flung himself towards me. He spotted Megumi and whimpered, sinking closer to me. His wings arched up automatically, the blanket sliding from his feathers.

I petted his hair gently. "It's okay Kenshin, she's a friend. She will not hurt you, I promise."

The thin redhead glanced up at me, and then looked back to Megumi with now curious eyes. The woman held out a hand slowly. "Hello Kenshin. My name is Megumi. I'm a doctor, and I'm going to help fix you up." She spoke slowly, as though Kenshin had trouble understanding her.

I frowned. "Don't speak to him that way Megumi. He's smart; don't treat him like a child." I murmured.

She frowned back at me, but she was distracted as Kenshin's fingers hesitantly touched hers. She smiled reassuringly at him. "It's alright, I won't hurt you."

When he finally put his hand fully in hers she smiled. I encouraged him happily. "Good Kenshin."

"Okay Kenshin, I want you to lie on your stomach so I can finish bandaging your wings and back," Megumi said gently.

Kenshin moved slowly, gingerly. Once he was on his stomach he set his head in my lap. I stroked his hair gently, by now knowing that he was content with the motion and it helped to keep him calm.

"Could you spread your wings for me Kenshin?" Megumi asked softly, reaching into her bag. Kenshin spread them slowly, being careful not to hit anything.

Megumi began to touch his wings carefully, applying ointment and medicines to open wounds. I could see Kenshin's muscles tense, but he did not move away from her.

When she finished his left wing she began to examine his back. "Lift the left wing please." It rose slightly and she peeked beneath it to check a cut on his shoulder that went beneath the limb. "Alright." She moved onto his back between his wings and he lowered the left one back to the floor. There several whip lashes lay on his pale skin. She sighed. "This one's starting to get infected. I'm going to have to clean it out." She put a hand on Kenshin's wing. "It's going to hurt Kenshin, and there's nothing I can do to stop it."

Kenshin shivered, and then nodded, burying his face in my lap, his hands clenching in my hakama.

As Megumi cleaned out the pockets of infection Kenshin whimpered and whined, but he was still throughout the process. I stroked his hair quietly, telling him how brave he was being.

Megumi praised him as she finished. "Good Kenshin, you did wonderfully. I'm going to keep going now." As she moved on Kenshin relaxed, looking up at me with his dull amber eyes. He smiled at me, and I smiled.

"You're being very good Kenshin." I said, touching his face. Every time I touched him he tensed, but he never moved away.

"G-g-good…"

I gasped. "What?"

Kenshin flinched as my voice raised, and I instantly calmed myself. "No, you're not in trouble. What did you just say?" I asked.

"G-good," he repeated softly, still looking at me with fearful eyes.

"Megumi! He spoke!" I said happily, looking towards her.

She looked up from her position at the end of Kenshin's right wing. "I thought you said he couldn't."

I looked down at Kenshin. "He must have meant he didn't know how."

Kenshin cocked his head. "Good?" he asked.

I smiled widely. "Hai Kenshin. Very, very good." I watched as a smile spread across his face. We were making progress.