Thank you for all those that reviewed. Here is chapter 2 **EDITED**
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.
"Move on!" Sano`s loud voice shouted through the billowing winter winds.
"Sano, we mustn't push the elderly too hard" our chief father told us, he too himself was elderly, and it was hard enough of him to keep up with the young warriors of our tribe.
"Of course father, we will rest, but we need shelter" he stopped and looked at the huddled elderly men and women that were shivering and breathing hard.
"The forest is the only source of shelter around here" and upon hearing those words, everyone's head turned slowly towards the black forest.
"No!" Misao screeched her eyes wide and terrified. Everyone looked towards her, all understanding her outburst, she had spoken there thoughts.
"Misao, if we stay together we will be safe" the chief father placed a hand on Misao`s shaking shoulder.
"Its in there" Misao stated the obvious. But we all knew and understood her fear.
"It would be incredibly foolish to attack us as when we are at our most alert state of mind" our father smiled weakly, it must have been incredibly hard for him to encourage his people when his thoughts were also shaken.
"Everyone, head to the edge of the forest, we rest there for the night" A warrior shouted and pointed his weapon towards the forest.
We all walked slowly in silence, gripping our furs tighter around our bodies as the wind blew harder, I squinted up at the dark trees that protected so much evil within its dark belly. The winds were howling so hard it threw one of the elders off her feet, we all stared wide eyed as we helped the elder up. It was as if the gods were warning us, not wanting us to enter such a place.
I had always loved venturing into the forest even when I was a mere child, the adrenalin that I felt knowing I was in such a dangerous place excited me, but now, as I stood at the edge of the forest with my family and friends, I had never felt more vulnerable nor scared in my entire life. We were being hunted, and we were walking on predator's territory. I straightened myself slightly as we entered the forest and walked a few metres in, we didn't venture too far, and we picked a spot with an easy escape route and with enough shelter from the violent wind.
The men shouted orders amongst themselves, leaving the women to settle themselves and prepare the food for the night. A fire was made and the women, some with small children huddled closer to it. Misao sat next to me, her eyes wide and frightened.
"I would rather be out there than in here, I feel like bait" she muttered through chattering teeth, her lips were blue.
"Here" I took a hold of her hands and placed them out closer to the fire.
"Kaoru I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight" Misao muttered, I looked at her, I was quite sure none of us would get any sleep tonight.
"It's watching us" she whispered, so only I could hear.
"What do you think it wants?" I whispered back, this one thought had been bugging me ever since I had been told the creature wanted something we had. If I could find out what it was, I would gladly offer it to spare any more lives of my people.
"I heard the elders talking a while back" Misao paused and looked up at one of the elders who were nestled closer to her life partner. "They have felt its presence, and believe one of us have stolen from it" Misao glared into the flames.
"Stolen what?" I asked with wide eyes.
"They don't even know what kind of creature it is, never mind what has been stolen" Misao was struggling to keep her temper under control, she was hurting, she didn't take surprise well, and this was a surprise to us all.
"Someone here has betrayed us all" she growled and closed her eyes. I sighed and looked out to the people of my village, looking every one over, trying to uncover the criminal with my eyes. But it was no good, Hynian`s were known as trustworthy creatures of this land, and so I couldn't possibly pin point anyone out.
We all ate in silence, our bellies full and our bodies worn out; we slowly, one by one drifted off to sleep. The men were adamant they stay awake and watch out in case the creature decided to attack in the middle of the night.
I lay next to Misao, cuddling each other trying to keep each other warm with our body heat. We felt safe with each other, but it was hopeless, Misao wouldn't stop fidgeting, breathing deep and muttering encouraging words to herself to try and rid her of whatever disturbing thoughts she may have. I was slowly falling asleep, my furs wrapped around me and my delicate flower close to me. My eyes shot open when I felt the flower beating once more and I opened my furs slightly to see the glow of the flower had dimmed, it was dying. I bit my lip, I needed to find it some water, but I couldn't bear to think of waking the others, it would frighten the elders to the point of a heart attack.
My eyes opened at the sound of a flickering sound, and I was shocked to find a single firefly buzzing close to my face, I leaned back and stared in bemusement, the firefly was floating and it looked lost, it was rare that you would ever see just one of them.
I froze, I was sure my heart stopped beating and my eyes hurt with how wide they were. Because the firefly had floated away, and illuminated the face of a male creature, with amber eyes. He was staring me dead in the face, no emotion on his face, just a concentrated look, as though he was studying me with great interest. My voice caught in my throat, I wanted to scream, but if I did I may anger the creature and cause a commotion that we certainly did not need. I flinched when the creature held its hand out, as if wanting me to either take its hand or give it something, so I just sat there and stared at the creature. I was afraid he would lash out at me, and I slowly moved my hand towards Misao`s sleeping figure, and poked her side hard. I heard her mutter a few words, and then her body fidget, she must have forgotten all about her fear. That thought was soon corrected when her whole body shot up and she stared open mouthed and wide eyed at the very thing that wouldn't stop looking at me, he still had his hand out to me.
"Show it to me" he spoke and we both jumped, Misao had had enough staring, for she opened her mouth and screamed as loud as she could. The piercing scream ripped through the silent night and must have disturbed everything in the whole damned forest. The high pitched scream created more screams of surprise from the women and howling cries from the young ones. The strange creature vanished.
"Danati it was there!" Misao shouted to one of the guards, she shook uncontrollably and her face was pearly white.
"Its all clear Sano, there's nothing there" the guards had ran around our little camp fire and found nothing. There weapons drawn and bodies panting from shock and quick movement, they all looked towards Misao and myself.
"What did you see my child?" An elder walked up to Misao and cupped her chin with her wrinkly hands; Misao gulped and stepped back slightly.
"I'm not sure...it was a man, defiantly a man, but his features are nothing I have ever seen before, he had blood red hair and bright amber eyes" Misao stuttered. The description of the mysterious creature had everyone holding there breath, as though they expected it to jump out at them.
"It wanted something, from Kaoru" Misao frowned at that thought. And with those words, everyone turned there gaze to Kaoru, who was looking utterly horrified and confused.
*
"Move!" A bulky man shouted as he stormed up to huge wooden doors guarded by two soldiers.
BANG!
"Tomoe we have a problem" the bulky man growled.
"This better be good" Tomoe hissed threateningly showing her sharp teeth in the dim lit bedroom.
"He has awoken" the bulky man held his breath, waiting for her reaction. He witnessed as the ghostly pale beauty in front of him faltered in front of him, her features frozen, slowly letting what he said sink in.
"Your lying" she whispered stepping back, her pupils dilating into slits, her animal was erupting within her.
"Lord Battousai has awoken" he repeated more clearly.
"Where is he?!" Tomoe hissed she shook with anger; she was most certainly planning her revenge. The personal bodyguard of Tomoe had witnessed her anger on many levels, but this, he had never seen her so silent, she was like a volcano, waiting to erupt.
"He is hunting her down" the bodyguard regretted his choice of words, he knew it would hurt her, hearing the words she so longed to hear. He heard her breath in sharply, and she bit her lip drawing blood.
"Leave, now" she demanded, he left instantly.
When she was alone, Tomoe fell to the comforts of her luxurious fur bed, the tears streamed down her pale cheeks. She was known for her icy moods, her unkind words. Tomoe had a tongue as sharp as a razor; many creatures had been executed with just the mere utter of a few words from her small yet deadly mouth.
"Battousai" she whispered, clawing at the warm furs of her bed.
"I will find the devil that has awakened you from your slumber, and I will serve you its heart!" Tomoe screamed, her voice echoing shrilly through castle halls rattling every window.
*
She was beautiful, the most beautiful creature my eyes had ever come across. I watched her as she walked, scared of her unfamiliar surroundings, anxious of the predators that lurked behind the shadows, frightened of the unknown.
She was afraid of me.
"Mine" I moaned into the night.
Her protectors were mere weak and pathetic kittens; he had proven how weak they were by decapitating one of their strongest. Humiliating their race by hanging the one of there dead by there watchtower bell. The bell that warned them of the dangers heading there way.
He was desperate to feel her, smell her, touch her, make her squirm with the pleasure he could produce with a single breath. To hear her voice calling out his name. He needed her name. He wanted to know the name of the female that was to be his.
She had chosen him.
*
I felt incredibly lonely, my friends and family turning there back to me, ignoring me, silencing me with there glares. We carried on walking the following morning, walking along the edge of the forest, we were nearing our sister village, and I knew long hours of questioning and lectures awaited me.
"Kaoru, you took that flower didn't you" Misao muttered, her head low and hid under her hood hiding her face.
"Misao, you can't possibly blame all of this on me" Kaoru stopped for a moment.
"I don't know, I'm not sure of anything anymore Kaoru" Misao whispered before moving quickly ahead to stand next to her mother.
Once again the silence was as chilly as the wind that lashed against our faces, I felt like I was being slapped repeatedly. The accusing looks I kept being given, the cold shoulders and whispered insults. My own people were only bearing my presence to keep our 'father' happy, he was the only one who still had faith in me, and that is the only thing that kept me walking in this line.
"Come to me" a voice whispered in the wind, it was as clear as crystal, and my head spun in the direction of where I heard it, in the darkness of the forest. I frowned, ignoring the winds that played with my mind. It wasn't far now, a few miles ahead was the safety of our sister village.
"Mine" there it was again, I was sure of it this time but baffled all the same. I looked to where I knew the voice was whispering from. I squinted, expecting to see something in the darkness.
"Kaoru!" Sano`s voice boomed and I jumped, rushing ahead to catch up with the rest of the group.
The voice followed me, all the way to our sister village, and by the time I got there I was certain it wasn't the winds playing with me. I was most certainly not hearing things, there was someone out there calling me.
"Bakura, we have heard of your misfortune, and the evil that follows you, please please make yourselves at home" the chief of this village welcomed our father. The village was heavily guarded, and the security alert was at its maximum, they had surely been told of our misfortune in great detail.
"Everyone please, follow me as food and warmth awaits you" he smiled to us and guided us out of the harsh weather and towards a huge hut held up together with tree trunks and strings.
I kept quite as we all made our way to what I presumed was the chief's hut. I was afraid of the questions they were to ask me, afraid all of these misfortunes somehow being my fault. I couldn't see how, I had done nothing. Nothing to deserve such an evil presence looming over me and my loved ones, if I had I wanted to know what my wrong doings were.
We entered the enormous hut, it was bigger inside. A row of exactly ten tables lined the centre of the hut, each table laden with gold plates and cutlery, the plates mounted high with enough food to feed our village for the next month.
"Our home is your home. Do not hesitate to ask for anything, please eat, you all must be starved" he smiled his big warm smile and threw out his arms directing us to the delicious feast in front of him. So we all rushed down to the delicious looking and smelling food. It was the most exquisite taste my mouth had ever devoured, my mouth watered and my eyes roamed over the rich tasting food greedily. I knew I wouldn't be able to leave this table for at least half an hour once I was full; there was no way I was going to move.
"Kaoru, may I have a word" I looked up with a gob full of seaweed and mashed tree bark. I nodded, reality returning back to me. I hadn't evaded the interrogation I was to endure.
So I quickly followed glancing back envying the others who stuffed the delicious food into their mouths and laughed amongst one another, feeling safe within there brother and sisters home village.
We left the dining hall and main chiefs hut, into another hut and into a dark room lit dimly with a candle. Inside sat three elders, they must be the elders of this village. They all wore black robes, but their claws and dark midnight black hair couldn't disguise them, they were one of the oldest Hynian`s. I bowed to them deeply.
"Kaoru Kamiya of the southern village" one elder spoke and my skin crawled with how ghostly they voiced there words. I had to lean forward to hear them.
"Bring us the object of your desire" another spoke and my head whipped quickly to face them. I was knelt in front of them and I could feel the looming presence of the men behind me quickly leave the hut.
"I don't understand" I whispered nervously.
"The object of which you have brought so much misery" another spoke as if by just repeating it would be clear to me.
"All I carry is my furs" I muttered.
"You have brought this misery upon yourself and your people" the middle elder spoke, she seemed to be the main elder, obviously the wisest of all three.
"What?" I asked suddenly falling back off my knees and onto the soft cushion behind me.
"Your ignorance has blinded you of the troubles deep within that forest" again the middle elder spoke, I frowned.
"What are you trying to say?" I had had enough of these wise words, I just wanted whatever they had to say, accuse more like, in black and white, for them to just spit it out.
"Kamiya Kaoru, the day you picked that flower, the day you ripped it from the holy grounds of the forest, you awoke a beast, and bonded yourself to him, pledged yourself in body and mind. Your silent oath is still in process, it has yet to end and you will unite with this beast" the elder's words rang in my ears.
My eyes widened as I looked at each one of them, suddenly I had the desire to laugh, their words were like a story but the only thing that stopped the melody of my laughter from erupting within me was the beating against my chest. I choked and looked down to my chest. The elder's interest perked up and their heads lifted slightly.
The flower, it was beating hard.
You could see it moving under my furs.
"He is calling to you" the breathed words echoed around me.