Oh kay! So this is my first time posting. I really hope you Enjoys it!First Ficcie written with my BestFwend 3 Ryokittie! Go check out her work too! Itsso Cutesy!

Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis belongs to NOT me! Darn!

Warnings: SHOUNEN AI! Boy x Boy Love! TezuRyo

Seigaku Knights

By:Chu Chu Kuni-Chan and Ryokittie

Chapter 1: When the Sky Roars.

The storm had been brewing for hours and Tezuka knew they had been lucky to get this far without being caught in a downpour. Checking behind him to make sure his page was still following him, he spurred on his horse in hopes of soon finding shelter for the night. However, with one look at the ominous rain clouds looming before them he let out a defeated sigh knowing that they wouldn't make it.

" We should find shelter soon. It looks like there will be rain."

"Mada mada dane, Bucho. Its just a few sprinkles of water."

Tezuka let out a disgruntled, "Hn." As the so called 'sprinkles of water' turned into flowing streams.

Thunder and lightning blazed across the sky causing his horse to become fidgety; he had to tighten his grip on the reins to keep the stallion in check. Seigaku was a fair weathered country and hardly did it ever get rain, sleet, or snow. Having brought their own horses this far away from home in such terrain may have been a mistake on his part. Tezuka meticulously made a mental note to buy local horses if ever he ever found himself hiking up the mountain ranges of Jyousei ever again.

Suddenly another clap of thunder resounded throughout the forest causing Ryoma's mare to rear up in alarm. Ryoma tugged forcefully on the reigns to no avail as the frightened mare continued to claw at the sky. "Ah! Dammit calm down."

"Echizen!" Tezuka turned just in time to see Ryoma ungraciously thrown from his steed, landing on the ground with a loud thump. The worried Bucho quickly dismounted from his own horse and rushed over to his page. "Daijoubu? Are you hurt anywhere?"

The rain was coming down in torrents now as Ryoma stared blankly past Tezuka and the Knight became immediately concerned. "Echizen!" The older man gently shook the smaller boy, "Echizen! Can you hear me? Did you hit your head?"

"Hnnn….Bucho…."

"Echizen, what is it? What's the matter?"

"I…I…"

Tezuka looked down anxiously at Ryoma's idle stare and felt worry pierce deep within his heart. He quickly shrugged off his cloak to wrap around his page and keep out the rain. "Echizen…"

Suddenly Ryoma's sharp, cat like eyes cut into Tezuka's view with a look of complete awareness and slight mischievousness, "Bucho, I want that apple!"

Tezuka's body tensed with astonishment and the soft concern in his eyes was replaced with glinting annoyance. "Echizen, we really need to hurry before our packs become further soaked."

Ryoma agilely maneuverd past his Bucho and walks towards the tree were the delectable fruit hangs, swaying back and forth in the harsh gale of the storm. "Uis! Just hold on…" the boy reaches desperately for the swinging morsel but his attempts are futile. Tezuka watches this with hidden amusement, observing that his page deserved it in part for making him worry earlier.

"We must hurry." Tezuka bid in what he knew was a tone full of mirth, at least by his standards.

Upon hearing the Knight's amusement Ryoma quickly turns around and glares obstinately at the older man. "Datte..!"

"Aaa, okay here." Tezuka relented and reached up picking the apple from the tree.

"Domo!" the boy chomped happily into his prize. "Ne, try some."

"Iie…Lets just hurry."

Looking a bit wounded Ryoma urged on his horse. "When do you think the storm will end ?"

"Hopefully by morning, so we can hurry up and deliver this scroll to Fudomine."

"Hm…hai. Ah! Look! I see a cave! Finally."

Noting the small indentation into the rocky hillside Tezuka nodded, "Hayaku."

The cave itself was dark and musky providing little else other then shelter from the rain. The small cramped space meant that the two would have to huddle close to keep from being trampled by the horses.

"Ugh," Ryoma sighed disgustedly tossing aside some damp branches. "Its too wet to start a fire…We should have at least left the horses out side."

"If you want to carry our packs tomorrow then that's fine." Tezuka quipped pressing further into the darkness. "Keep the scroll safe. I think the cave goes farther back."

"Mada mada dane! I'm not going to loose it." Ryoma replies cheekily and begins to unpack their supplies. Fidgeting with the soggy straps he settles down againts the cold wall trying to free their sleeping gear. Crack. "Nani?" Looking around nervously Ryoma lets a sigh of relief escape his lips as he sees a small rat scurry across the floor. "Che…I wonder whats taking Bucho so long." Finally managing to pull the bundles free he glowers, "Practically soaked through and through…and no fire wood. Great. Just great." Carelessly tossing his apple core aside he stiffens when he hears another noise. "Probably another mouse…" he mumbles shutting his eyes.

Suddenly a strong hand grabs his shoulder. "What the…" Startled Ryoma straightens with a jolt.

"Don't fall asleep yet. At least unroll the blankets."

Ryoma blushed at his obvious show of weakness in front of his Bucho. "Did you find a place to sleep?"

"Yes. The cave goes a little father back." Looking at the damp bed rolls critically he sighs. "At least it will be warmer back there. Come." Helping Ryoma gather their supplies he casually slipped his hand around Ryoma's wrist. "Its dark so let me guide you."

"Aah…hai." Thankful for the lack of light to hide his embarrassment he hesitantly questioned, "Ne Bucho did you see someone while we were coming here?"

"Iie. Doushite?" his voice was stern and comfortingly calm. Many would have described it monotonous, but after the months of training Ryoma had undergone supervised by his Bucho he had learned enough to be able to discern slight telling shifts in tone.

Reassured by Tezuka's composed confidence he yawned and bumped into his Bucho's back when the older boy abruptly stopped. "This is as far back as the cave goes. The rain should not reach us here."

"Okay. Good night then." Ryoma all but fell to the floor from exhaustion. Although he would never admit it to his Bucho he was sore all over and wanted nothing more then to curl up, even in damp blankets, and just drift off to sleep.

"Echizen you should remove your cloak. It is soaking." Tezuka reprimanded gently.

"Yada! Its cold." Ryoma answered groggily. Shifting uncomfortably against the wall he was too tired to fight back when strong hands gently untangle him from the wet garment.

This time a much softer voice worries, "You might become sick. Here, you can use mine."

"Bucho? What about you? It's worse if you become sick!" Ryoma protest softly although he was already being lulled by the warmth that still radiated from Tezuka's cloak.

"Daijoubu. If you had been more careful and followed me beneath the thicker canopy of trees then you would be drier too."

"Mada…"

"Just go to sleep. We have a long day ahead." Tezuka fondly noted his page was already soundly asleep. "Oyasumi, Echizen."

Ryoma lay awake in the middle of the night; his stomach growling and proclaiming to the tiny cave its enormous hunger. Shifting in the blankets he turns to his side and squints his cat like eyes in the general direction of his Bucho. Seeing the faint outline of the older boy he is severly tempted to brush a feather across the stern sleeping face.

"Ah Bucho…even in your dreams you must be stern." Ryoma allows a small smile to play across his lips. But, ultimately, unable to stand the gnawing hunger in the pit of his stomach the smaller boy finally resigns himself to get up and rummage through the packs. Quietly shoving back the blankets, Ryoma shivers as the cold night air assaults him. He then remembers Tezuka's cloak and turns back to grab it, wrapping it around himself. Nimbly making his way to the front of the cave where he had left the food packs with their mounts he pauses. Crunch. Crackle. Immediately regretting he left his sword behind, Ryoma desperately tries to calm himself. 'Its those stupid mice again, that's all.'

Upon reaching the mouth of the cave he is relieved to find that the storm has let up and is only a light drizzle. The horses too seemed pleased with the conditions and had ventured out further for some choice grass. Spotting their packs against the wall Ryoma debates just grabbing some bread and turning back or first bringing the horses back in. Guiltily he sighs, "Bucho would throw a fit if the horses got ill…besides, its only a bit of water."

Scurrying out he grabs the reins to both horses and slowly coaxes them back towards the cave. Giving one last scan of the clearing Ryoma decides that the noises were probably just the animals and his overactive imagination. 'Bucho would be disappointed at me. Getting so jittery over some night owls.'

Heading back for the packs and his ultimate goal of food he gasps when a rough hand covers his mouth and pulls him back. Struggling to get free Ryoma only manages to kick at his attacker, who seems to be made of stone, with no result. Feeling incredibly light headed, probably due to the fact that his captor's hand was covering half his face, he noted with some satisfaction that all the ruckus had scared the horses, before he finally slipped into unconsciousness.

To be Continued...

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