A/N Hello again beautiful humans! This author's note is just to remind you all that you are wonderful and beautiful people and that every single one of you who read this story make me so happy. It really brings a smile to my face every time I see a new person follow, favorite or review this story! You bring so much joy so I wanted to leave a sweet little note in the hopes that I may be able to bring you a little bit of that joy that you bring me :) thank you all
While Lucy and Mirajane slept Lisanna sat by the camp fire completely awake and alert. She had the feeling all day like the were being followed and it didn't sit well with her. They had been traveling for two days including the journey on the train. The feeling of being watched and the excitement of potentially finding the love of her life within the next few days kept her awake and alert as she watched the flames of the fire dance. Embers floated upward until the fire in them died and the floated down, reduced to small flecks of ash.
She looked into the flames, she couldn't help but find it amusing that something so beautiful, something that provided so much warmth, could be used as a weapon to harm people. The brighter the fire, the faster it burns.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a stick breaking close by and a rustle in the bushes.
"Is someone there?" She whispered, trying not to wake the two sleeping women with her if there was no danger.
"Lisanna?" A voice that sounded suspiciously like Natsu whispered before the rustling in the bushes increased as though someone was walking through them.
Lisanna stood up with her eyes narrowed toward the noise when an exhausted looking Natsu appeared.
"What are you doing here?" She whispered in a harsh voice crossing her arms across her chest.
"Making sure my mate stays safe". Natsu shrugged but made sure to keep his voice quiet.
"What? And she wouldn't be safe with us?
"Not as safe as she would be with me".
"If she finds out you have been following us she is not going to be very happy".
"Worth it if I can ensure her safety".
"Can you not see what is wrong with stalking your girlfriend for two days without her even knowing?" Lisanna hissed the words hoping a harsher tone might make the young dragon slayer understand.
"Of course I can!" Natsu whispered in a voice almost to loud to even consider a whisper, more like a hushed shout.
"Then why are you doing this it?". Lisanna spoke more gently and sat back down on her sleeping bag with her legs crossed.
Natsu fell to his knees with his shoulders slumped.
"I can't lose her again, I refuse. I would rather die a thousand deaths than ever have to go through that again. I can't sit beside her for another month wondering if she will ever wake up or if her soul is gone". Natsu's voice cracked at the last part but his eyes stayed dry.
"I won't tell her you're following us". Lisanna gave in.
"Thanks Lisanna, you're a real pal". Natsu smiled though his voice still held a sad tone to it.
Lisanna watched as Natsu stood up and walked toward a sleeping Lucy.
"What are you doing?".
"I want to hold my mate, she will wake up feeling most rested if she sleeps near me". Natsu explained as though his conclusion was only the logical one.
"What if she wakes up?" Lisanna's voice took on a more panicky tone even though it was still a whisper.
"She won't" Was Natsu's only reply as he layed on his side and wrapped his arm around Lucy's still sleeping form. As if unconsciously sensing him Lucy moved her head into his chest. A smile appeared on her face and Lisanna could have sworn she heard both Natsu and Lucy let out a sigh of contentment.
"Just make sure you are gone before she wakes up okay?" Lisanna felt a small smile tug at her lips.
"I will don't worry" Natsu whispered but he didn't take his eyes off Lucy's sleeping form as he played with her hair. He was still on his side looking down at her cuddled into his chest and Lisanna wondered if that was what pure love looked like.
She stifled a yawn as she layed down to finally go to sleep, to dream of the moment she would finally know a love like that.
True to his word Natsu was gone when they all woke up, and Lucy woke up with a smile on her face and the tiredness completely gone from her eyes.
"So who's ready for another day of hiking?" Lucy spoke in a cheerful voice.
"You seem happy this morning Lucy, good night sleep?" Mira commented while stifling a yawn and stretching her arms.
"Surprising yes, I'm also excited because today we get one step closer to finding Lisanna's soul mate!" Lucy clapped her hands together in excitement.
"Well let's have some breakfast then get hiking? If we keep going at the rate we have been this trip might be a bit shorter then we thought." Lisanna spoke while looking in her bag for food.
They all ate quickly, packed away their things and got ready to start walking.
"You know, it's a little strange that we haven't ran into any trouble at all yet? Not even a Vulcan has crossed our paths. I'm grateful and all but I was expecting at least something" Mira commented.
"Yeah it is a little weird but the less trouble we have the sooner we get to the real fun stuff" Lucy spoke while adjusting the bag on her back.
"Yeah, lets not jinx anything" Lisanna giggled. It occurred to her that perhaps a certain dragon slayer may have been the reason for the lack of trouble but she couldn't be certain. They hadn't heard anything that sounded suspicious or like it could be coming from a fight so if he was somehow keeping the trouble away from them he was doing it very silently.
The rest of the hike passed mostly in silence with the occasional bits of conversation and stopping for snacks or for a few minutes rest. Before they knew it the stars had reappeared in the sky and it was time to set up camp for another night.
"Reckon we will find this temple soon Mira?" Lucy said from her sleeping bag as she stretched her arms in front of her.
"I think so, I kind of wish Lisanna could use her takeover power to turn into some big creature and carry us there but then we run the risk of missing it, its apparently really well hidden so we have to stay alert". Mira said it a tired voice, already laying down.
"Yeah doing that might be the faster way but this way is more fun" Lucy added as she shifted to lay down.
Lisanna just stared at the fire again, knowing as soon as Lucy fell asleep that Natsu would be back to hold her.
Lisanna hoped that whoever her soulmate was, that he would want to hold her that much. She look up to the sky that held thousands of stars and wondered if whoever her soul mate was, was looking at the same sky.
'Tomorrow could be the day, I really hope it is'.