Disclaimer: Here we go again. This one doth not own Rurouni Kenshin.

A/N: My sister really helped me on this chapter. In fact she co-authored it in several places… go thank her.

Note from her sister: When she says 'in several places' she means the second half of the chapter.

Claw & Fang

Chapter Three

Kenshin POV

I awoke with the sound of my alarm clock ringing in my ears. Predictably, I was sore from head to toe. Damn those stupid training sessions. I sighed. Oh well. I should be used to it by now.

I stood quickly, trying to stretch the stiffness away from my limbs. I hurried and took a quick shower, changing into a long-sleeve shirt and baggy jeans before rushing out the door. I would be late if I didn't hurry; I had to run to school too. I made a mental note to set my alarm for an earlier time.

Upon arriving at the school, I began to remember some of yesterday's events. I sighed again and tried to blend in to the crowd, hoping that they would ignore me and the rumors that would have spread around.

I slipped into Hatoyama-sensei's classroom just as the bell rang, and decided to look for Kaoru and Sano. Shrugging when I didn't see them, I went to the side of the room I had sat at yesterday. Luckily, there were a couple of seats open next to me.

Suddenly, the door banged open and in came a panting raccoon, a red-colored hawk gliding in behind it. I smirked slightly, knowing that the raccoon was Kaoru and the hawk was Sanosuke. Although, I don't think that Hatoyama-sensei was quite as amused as I was.

She stood and waited for her students to change into their original forms, tapping her finger on her desk impatiently.

"Sorry we're late, sensei," Kaoru apologized. "My alarm didn't go off and I missed the bus…"

"And I slept through my alarm," Sano added. Big surprise there.

"Just don't let it happen again," Hatoyama-sensei said, shaking her head, going to mark the pair 'tardy', "I don't like being mean before second semester."

"Hey Kenshin," Kaoru said, dropping into her seat.

"Hi," I replied and turned my head to Sano. "What kind of hawk are you?" I couldn't help but ask; I was curious.

"Harris's hawk," he said. Later I would come to wonder about this, for he certainly didn't act like a hawk, nor did he look like one. He was more like a rooster on steroids, but that's another story.

"Nice," I replied, giving him a faint smile. I vaguely wondered if he had heard the rumors yet, and I could feel the flash of unwanted emotion pass through my eyes; resentment. I knew he had seen it.

He frowned, and opened his mouth to speak but was cut short by a glare from Hatoyama-sensei. He simply dropped into his chair.

Well, his attention was diverted for now, but I knew that he wouldn't just let the subject drop. I honestly didn't know why I didn't tell him, though. My brief slip on my mask was caused by my resentment of the rumors themselves, not of the fact that he was a Harris's hawk, although that was probably what he was thinking, considering he couldn't read my thoughts.

I sighed, waiting for the long and boring lesson to end. I found myself nodding on and off, still tired from getting my ass kicked during training so many times the previous night.

I must have fallen asleep, because frightening visions started leaping through my mind. I saw the rotting faces of long deceased soldiers, each carrying thin blades. I saw the pale faces of Tomoe and Enishi, turning to flee from their assailants. I watched as Enishi pulled out a concealed sword, then stop and face his opponents. He sliced through skin and bone inexpertly, trying to give his sister time to escape, cursing the necromancer and his art of forbidden magic.

He was far too out-numbered, and Tomoe hadn't made it very far before a sword sliced its way through his body, sword falling from his hand as he screamed for his sister to run faster.

I had been sitting in a tree, I remembered, letting time flow around me, unconcerned until I heard Enishi's panicked voice. I had been about to leap down when I saw Tomoe coming, running at top speed. I scrambled out of the tree as fast as I could and went to ask what was going on, but all of a sudden, her pace went even paler and she stopped. I looked on as she glanced down at the sword now sticking through her chest, falling forward, the surprised look never leaving her face.

Sano POV

I was still, surprisingly, awake. I glanced over at Kaoru, who was conked out, slowly sliding out of her chair. I turned to my left and looked at Kenshin, who was also asleep, but seemed to be having a nightmare… a day-mare… a nap-mare… a whatever-the-Hell-you-want-to-call-it-mare.

I frowned as his features twisted, carrying more emotion in that one look than I had ever seen him use before. It almost scared me to see him look like that, so I decided to wake him up.

"Wake up, Kenshin," I said quietly, gaining no response. "Up and at 'em, Red." Still no sign that he had heard. "Rise and shine, sleeping beauty!" I gave up trying to wake him up with words and resorted to poking him in the side.

My finger never made it that far.

As soon as my hand was three inches away, his eyes snapped open and it was caught in a death-grip. I saw him blink in surprise once, hastily letting go of my hand.

I'm pretty sure my mouth dropped to the floor at that point. I mean who'd ever a thought that the shrimp would have that strong a hold… let alone that fast a reflex… speaking of shrimp though… maybe that's his other half? It could be I mean he is small… and has red hair… OR MAYBE HE'S A LOBSTER! Seriously that grip man… damn strong for such a wimpy looking guy…

Kenshin POV

I half expected Sano to be really pissed… I know how much my grip hurts, I did learn from Hiko. I watched his expression change from surprise, to confusion, and then brightening as if something had just dawned on him.

"Hey!" Sano said really loudly, earning him a glare from Hatoyama-sensei. "You're a lobster aren't you?"

By then, Kaoru had woken up. She looked at Sano like he was the biggest idiot in the world, which at that moment he might have been…

I was still staring at him rather incredulously. Seriously, what the Hell? A lobster? Who has ever had a crustacean… oh wait… better not answer that… Damn. For all I know I could end up one. Shit.

I must have been staring into space for a few minutes while I was thinking about that, cause Kaoru and Sano were both looking at me as if expecting an answer. That's when Kaoru said, "Well, Kenshin? We're waiting."

The only thing that came to mind was, "For what?"

"An answer, baka deshi." Oh that really, really bites.

"It might help if I knew the question."

"Oh. Right. Sano, what was the question?"

"Actually, I just wanted to make sure Kenshin was still alive over there."

"Okay! So I space out once in awhile! What's it to you?" I said a little more harshly than I had intended.

"Geeze someone woke up on the wrong side of the… desk? What were you dreaming about anyway?"

I was about to answer (not really) when I sensed a slight flare of ki coming from the front of the room. I ducked for cover. Sano's eyes widened and he averted his attention to the front of the room, where Hatoyama-sensei was currently throwing her marker, and eraser, at us to get us to shut up.

"Didn't I tell you I don't like to be mean the first semester? You guys are trying very hard to mess up that plan though!" came the yell. We quickly chorused, "I'm sorry, it'll never happen again."

She knew full well that we were lying, but let it slide anyway.

About five minutes later, the bell rang and we high tailed it out of there.

A/N: Sorry about the shortness of the chapter! Please R&R! I'll try to get the next one out as fast as I can (much longer too, hopefully)!