A/N - I've finally realized why I'm so dissatisfied with the first parts of this 'fic. XD I wrote them before I'd established the 'soundtrack' playlist, and I wrote them having only seen about three episodes of the anime. Things don't really start getting good until... partfour or five, and in my opinion the first really good part is #6. >D So. Endure this until we reach the good stuff. XD

Tohru screamed as Kyo's claws tore at his cousin again. "Kyo-kun, no!" Shigure seemed to be trying to grab Kyo's left arm, and she realized what he was doing. An idea struck her. "Shigure! Try looping it around his spikes!"

The man heard her. Just when seemed like he would lose his grip, he dropped it over one of the long spikes on Kyo's neck, and regained his hold on the collar. Kyo gave a terrible keening screech, and started to thrash back and forth as the bracelet's powers battled those of Kuroi. Shigure was torn loose, as was the collar. He struck the wall quite hard and fell to the ground, unmoving. Tohru clung to Yuki so hard that he could feel his uninjured arm falling asleep, but he was just as tense. Finally Kyo transformed, a human once more.

"Shigure?" cried Tohru, jumping up and dashing to his side.

Kyo sat up, groaning and holding his head. Then he saw Shigure and he stiffened, his eyes wide and horrified. "What have I done?" he breathed.

Tohru knelt down beside Shigure, and sucked in a breath as she saw the extent of his injuries. "You're alive," she gasped in relief, although as soon as she saw the angle of his neck, she knew. He wouldn't survive. His spine had snapped on impact.

Yuki ran up to them, and he too gasped at the sight of Shigure. His leg was trapped beneath him at a strange angle, the bone crushed. His chest was soaked with blood from the gashes inflicted on him by Kyo's claws, and if it hadn't been for the slight rasp of his shallow breathing, Yuki would have thought he was dead.

Shigure moaned and tried to struggle upright, but fell back, convulsing painfully in a coughing spasm. "D-don't try to move," stammered Tohru. "You're going to be okay."

A faint smile crossed his face. "Always the optimist, Tohru-chan," he whispered.

"Just relax, Shigure," said Yuki. "We'll get Hatori here soon, and…"

Shigure shook his head slightly, wincing at the movement. "It's… too late for that. Listen… I know… you can keep going. You'll be… fine… without me."

"Shigure, no…" Yuki bowed his head and buried his face in his hands. Tohru leaned her head on his shoulder, trying to comfort him without transformation resulting.

They jumped, startled, as footsteps rang out behind them. It was Hatori. "Is everyone okay? I felt…" He trailed off, looking stunned. "What… happened?"

"Kyo happened," whispered Yuki bitterly, his eyes closed.

"It wasn't his fault," Tohru said quickly. "It was…" Abruptly she broke down into tears, unable to continue.

Hatori crouched down beside them. "Come on," he said gently. "It's going to be okay." He helped Yuki to his feet, and his jaw tightened at the sight of his friend's lifeless form. Too much loss.

The two followed him silently as he made his way over to Kyo, who was still frozen on the ground and shivering in a state of shock. "This wasn't your fault, Kyo-kun."

Hatori was as grief-stricken as the rest, but his calm presence helped pull everyone together. Talking gently, his arm around Kyo, he prepared to leave the cavern. But then Tohru froze, bursting into tears.

"Hatori! We can't just leave him!" Sobbing, she dashed over to Shigure and tried to pull him upright. "Please, what about Shigure?"

The sight of her hysterics made tears well up in Hatori's own eyes. Softly but firmly he pulled her away. "It's too late for him, Tohru," he said, his voice gentle. "But Yuki and Akito are hurt. They need help. We'll come back for him, Tohru, I promise."

Tohru never knew how Hatori managed to get all of them into his car, parked in the forest outside the tunnel, and drive away. Tohru was sobbing, Yuki looked faint from the pain of his broken arm, and Kyo was still shaking and refusing to speak. "It's going to be fine," Hatori insisted, but it was a hollow promise. As Tohru looked out the window at the receding dark spot in the landscape, she knew things would never be the same again.