A/N: SORRY, SORRY, SORRY, SORRY, SORRY, SORRY!

I'm so very, very sorry that I have not been able to update this story for a while. You see I was sick two weeks ago, and I've had LOADS of make-up work in school. So IP hadn't really had very much time to work on the story recently. And then, when I did try to upload it, I had a bunch of problems. But finally, FINALLY it's here! So PLEASE forgive me! This chapter is a little longer then the others as my way of apologizing. Plz don't hate me!


.Disclaimer: I do not own the Fruits Basket characters. However, I do enjoy manipulating them in my story.
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Chapter 11: Cat-fight
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Springtime was Tohru's favorite time of the year. It was when everything that had been fast asleep during the harsh winter months, reawakened and flourished in renewed splendor. As she and Kyo-kun walked through the vast forest, she marveled at the scenery. Young, green grass mixed with the mulch and soft moss carpeted the forest floor. In the places where streaks of sunlight found their way in, beautiful blue violets and buttercups sprinkled the moist earth. Great, massive trees towered over them, spreading their branches as far as they could reach and their lush, green leaves created a shady canopy over everything.

Tohru looked up into the branches and saw all kinds of birds enjoying the beautiful weather. Green sparrows darted in and out of sky and pair of grey turtle doves nestled next to each-other, listening to sweet melody of an unseen nightingale hiding somewhere nearby.

A tiny yellow butterfly fluttered over to Tohru and the cat cradled in her arms. It landed gracefully on the kitten's soft, pink nose. Tohru giggled. The kitten twitched and startled away the insect, but flailed his paws in the air afterwards to try and catch it. But, his little struggle was unsuccessful.

"Now, Now," Tohru told the orange cat with a brandishing finger, "You shouldn't pick on animals smaller than you."

The kitten ignored her, too busy chewing on her arm. Tohru rolled her eyes and tickled his underside playfully.

Unexpectedly, her belly growled so loud that Kyo-kun, who was scouting up ahead, turned to look back and stare.

Tohru blushed and mumbled some nonsense at having been caught during such an embarrassing bodily function and scrambled to catch up to Kyo-kun.

"You hungry?" Kyo asked when she reached his side.

"I'm fine!" she smiled and shook her head.

Yeah, right.

What is that supposed to mean?

That was a total lie- you know that AND Kyo-kun knows that as well.

So? Even if I am hungry, which I'm not, it wouldn't be polite to concern Kyo-kun with my silly problems. I'm sure I can withstand a few hunger pangs!

Uhhhh…huuuuh, you say that now, but-

Hush! If you don't keep quiet, I'll lag behind again.

Tohru waited for a sarcastic comeback, but was met by silence. She smirked and followed with a triumphant bounce in her step.


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Kyo-kun and Tohru walked for a long time. They walked until their legs were stiff as boards and they were achy and tired. Tohru felt the raw blisters on her feet sting painfully with each step she took. Unfortunately, she had a feeling that they were no closer to the house then they were when they had started out early in the afternoon. Of course, there was no way she'd actually voice this opinion- that wouldn't be very kind to Kyo-kun, who was currently seething his annoyance.

But that wasn't what was troubling her. Er, well, of course it was- but not quite as much as the feeling that something was significantly wrong about the direction in which they were headed... It was like one of those instinctual sensations that a person feels right in the pit of their stomach- one that refuses to go away. Since the rest of her body had long since gone numb from exhaustion, the odd insight was all the more obvious.

She dragged her feet through the dirt and squinted at the sky. The sun was going to set soon and Tohru was almost positive that there was no way that they were going to reach the house by nightfall. Which meant-?

Spending the night in the woods-

All alone-

With the wild animals-

And the dark, spooky shadows-

And the bloodthirsty villains lurking in them.

For some reason, that thought gave her a renewed sense of determination. Tohru hurriedly marched past Kyo-kun and took the lead up front. She stopped at the top of a hill in an open section of the woods to wait for Kyo-kun to catch up.

Tohru took the moment to gaze ahead. It was a really beautiful picture- she had a perfect view of the area. The sun was setting in the not-so far-off distance. Reds and oranges painted the sky and splashed warm, orange-yellow shadows over the trees, bathing the entire landscape in gold.

"Isn't it pretty, Kyon-kichi?" she said breathlessly to the kitten she held.

Soft, pale clouds floated and a flock of small birds flew by. Swirls of smoke from someone's fire climbed the sky, darkening the pink-orange backdrop. And-

…Smoke?

Wait, but that meant-

"Kyo-kun!" she pointed, hopping up and down excitedly. "Hurry, Kyo-kun! Hurry up!" she squealed, delighted.

"Huh?" Kyo-kun said tonelessly.

"There is a town nearby! Look! Look!"

His eyes followed her arm and saw that past the field of wheat that separated them was a cluster of old houses.

"Thank God!" he sighed. "Alright, now we can at least get in contact with Shigure to let him know that we are ok."

"Mhm!" Tohru nodded and grabbed his hand.

"C'mon, Kyo!" she gave him a dazzling smile "Let's go."

Kyo looked down at their entwined fingers then back at her. "Yeah." he said, the corners of his mouth twitching upward "Lets go."


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It was a little strange that there would be a house in the middle of the woods, all by its self, but there was definitely one there. It was more of a lean-to, or a hovel, actually- but it looked like it had been fairly well constructed. A fire–pit, not to far away, had recently been doused in water, and hot steam mixed with charred ash and smoke rose up. Next to the house was a small garden with a few rows of carrots, corn, tomatoes, and onions. As soon as Tohru and Kyo-kun approached the building, a person who must have escaped their notice until now, went inside and slammed the door. Tohru only caught a glimpse of clothing.

He must not have seen us, she thought.

They walked up to the hut and Tohru knocked nervously on the door. "Um, please forgive our intrusion!" She bowed in repentantly.

No answer.

Tohru bit her lip nervously. "We are really very sorry to interrupt you, but we have been lost-"

"-Hey! We were not lost, dammit! I knew where we were going!" Kyo interrupted heatedly.

"Oh- I'm sorry Kyo-kun…" she hastily apologized then turned back to the person on the other side. "Anyway, we really need to contact our friend so he doesn't get worried and um, I was hoping that you would be so kind as to let us borrow your telephone or at least point us in the direction to where we could find a pay-phone nearby."

Tohru waited expectantly for someone to open the door, or make an answer her request, but there was nothing but silence.

She frowned and stepped back. Then, she faced Kyo. "Huh… this is rather odd, isn't it Kyo-kun? I could have sworn that I saw someone over here."

"Me too. I know he wasn't just a figment of my imagination. Jeez! What the hell did he run away for all the sudden? You'd think that he saw a monster or something."

"Hey," he barked loudly, "I know that you are in there, dammit! Were not gonna rob you or anything- We just wanna use the freak'n phone!"

But still, no-one answered.

Kyo really didn't need this.

He was tired.

He was hungry.

He wasn't in the mood to deal with some messed up group of people who hid when they had visitors. He'd been walking for hours on end and now that he'd finally found a family who might be able to help them out a little, they didn't even have the common courtesy to open the damn door and give them directions. What the fuck was up with that?

He growled and banged on the door.

"God- Open the freak'n door, already! We just want directions!" Kyo shouted.

"Kyo-kun-" Tohru tugged on his sleeve, "its ok -really- we can go ask someone else."

"Yeah?" he whirled around to face her "And just who the hell you suggest we go to?" He waved his arms at the surrounding area, "In case you haven't noticed, there is no-one else here!" he yelled.

"Kyo-kun- please calm down…" Tohru said meekly, while trying to pull him away from the house.

Kyo clenched his fists and counted to ten. He then slowly unfurled his trembling fingers and sauntered irately over to a moss-covered log on the ground a few yards away and dropped down, his back to Tohru and the yurt.

Tohru stood where she was and watched him. He shoulder muscles were so tightly drawn that she could see his body shaking. He seemed really upset. She supposed that their long day had finally taken its toll on him. But still…there was no reason to get that worked up…

Well, at least he's not going to tear down the house anymore, a voice in the back of her mind drawled thickly.

Tohru shook her head. You know that's not much of an upside don't you? Kyo-kun can be so unpredictable when he is angry.

Whatever. Besides, if he acts like that, I don't blame the poor person for running away- I'd be scared of him, too.

Tohru narrowed her eyes, though she inwardly agreed. Kyo-kun needed to try and not be so demanding and violent when dealing with people. He really was the kind of person who people were drawn to, but once he opens his mouth and starts tossing out insults, they back away from him. Tohru was certain, that if he just learned to curb his temper, the rest would come naturally, and he'd be surrounded by swarms of friends and people in no time at all.

So she said, "Kyo-kun, you shouldn't be so aggressive…You don't have any reason to yell at the poor man. I'm sure he has a very good reason for not responding."

Kyo couldn't believe what he was hearing. So now he was the guilty party?

He spun around and said, "I'm not too aggressive!"

Tohru shook her head." Yes you are."

Kyo jumped to his feet and grabbed her shoulders, gripping them tightly. "DAMMIT- I SAY I'M NOT!"

Tohru stood her ground. "Apologize. Kyo. You know that it's the right thing to do."

But, she felt that she was going too hard on Kyo-kun, it was really hard for her to act like this- Kyo-kun was probably going to hate her for it, but it was for his own good. So she added with a hopeful look, "Besides, if you apologize I'm sure he will help us."

"Depends," A voice said from the hut "What do I get in return?"

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A/N: ENTER: the mystery-man-san!