Thanks to AN1M3, ElementistMagicAkua and .-RINGY rina-. for reviewing, hope you enjoyed the cookies

Disclaimer: Not owning Bleach or DGM,

and on with the chapter with a new tortoishell cat watching me and attacking my fingers...

Chapter 6 - The Demons

The shrine was quiet but for the soft noises made by its carer. A fog clung to its roof, remnants of all the incense burned that day, the small breeze wafting through could do little to it but draw out long, thin, finger-like tendrils. The larger candles were left burning through the night, as a warning to keep demons away and a beacon for travellers in need of a place to stay. The carer of the shrine said a quick prayer to the fire goddess it was dedicated to before leaving. The stone likeness of the goddess seemed to close its eyes with the man's leaving, hiding the burning orange orbs from sight. Travellers arrive throughout the night, all with little in common but the need of a place to rest.

A demon watches the shrine, looking for someone specific but not finding them. The wind picks up, blowing out the light from the candles, hiding the shrine from the gods' view, leaving it at the mercy of its watcher.

Screams echo throughout the valley, waking those in the nearby village. Blood floods the shrine, running down the steps and into the grass around it. The scent of death is carried by the wind, forcing people within their homes, unable to try and help any survivors. A child's head rolls away from the shrine, no longer attached to its body. The demon retreats, its hunger temporarily satiated, returning to the hideaway that serves as a substitute home until it finds its quarry.

Another dreamless night passes, giving Saeko no hint to the location of Aizen or the Millennium Earl. The golden fluffy tail of Timcanpy tickling her feet breaks the continuation of nothingness, her bright sapphire eyes betraying no hint of the cloudy blindness that comes from her visions.

It had been almost a week since the large group split into three, so far turning up no results apart from the occasional group of hollows and akuma.

Saeko exited the tent, desperately wanting something to come to her, to let her see the right location, but not getting anything useful. No visions had come to her since that night she retrieved Timcanpy, who for now was a messenger between the groups, and she was going into a depressed state from it, thinking herself no use if she couldn't do that which was her reason for being brought along.

Nel, Lavi and Allen all tried to cheer her up, to no avail, Ichigo was lost on what he could possibly do to help so stayed out of it and Hichigo was doing his part by saying that if she couldn't do anything they should leave her to go back, the comment being met with Ichigo's fist in his face before walking on.

By the end of the day, the whole group's mood was miserable. The village they found themselves at did lighten it a bit, with the happiness from getting a night's sleep in a bed rather than a tent, but it soon lowered again when they saw the state of the shrine there, blood had stained the floor, a day's worth of scrubbing not making a difference, the statue of Trina, the Goddess of Fire, laying in pieces over the floor, smashed into fragments so small it would be impossible to fix. The walls and ceiling of the shrine were blackened as if a great fire had raged there, though there was no evidence of anything of the sort on the floor or the outside. Lumps of wax littered the grass around the shrine, showing the path of candles knocked over that had since been picked up.

Saeko kneeled beside the shrine, murmuring a quiet prayer to the gods that her visions return so she may have the power to help protect her world and find out what destroyed the shrine, that she may prevent it from repeating the action. The girl was given no obvious response, but she has always known that the gods are always mysterious in their ways and if possible give a riddle instead of a strait answer. Leaving the shrine to its carer, knowing they could do nothing, the group made its way into the main part of the village to see if there was a place they could stay for the night before continuing on its way.

Most of the villagers were suspicious of any travellers after the events of the night before, but there was one old lady who lived alone who claimed to not be so superstitious as 'that rabble'. They were provided with food but were asked to prepare and cook it themselves as the woman was too old to stay on her feet long enough to do much of anything, not that anyone was complaining, just having decent food and a proper kitchen was an improvement on what they had the past week and would having for many days in the future. Lack of beds left the boys sleeping on the floor, but there was a large and fairly fluffy rug that made it much better than a tent. Ichigo made sure his albino look-alike was sleeping at the other end of the rug to him, protecting him from the spontaneous need of the other to cuddle.

Fire, candles on the edge of my vision with the night closing in around me, the murmur of voices just on the edge of my hearing. I move closer to the blue stone shrine, a dedication to the Goddess of water Talia, without knowing why, I hide in the bushes near it, not daring to enter, watching the travellers taking refuge in the light of the light blue candles. The statue on the altar holds the same regal air as any other statues of the Gods, hair of china black swirling round, getting its blue sheen from the light of the candles, the bright eyes of sapphire watch over those resting for the night.

A strong wind blows towards the shrine, threatening to extinguish the small flames keeping it light but the candles hold, not relinquishing their light to the night. A low growl comes from the undergrowth at the side of the shrine to my left, a demon briefly letting itself show before disappearing once more into the darkness, fast enough that others may think it only a trick of the mind but I notice its presence, waiting in the shadows. I stay where I am, knowing its only a matter of time before it notices me but knowing it will sooner if I move.

My mind leaves the demon and focuses for a while on the ragged group that takes refuge in the shrine, only one child is there but most of the others are elderly, I know if the demon manages to attack maybe a couple will be able to fight back, or even run away.

The quiet rustle of a barely moved leaf brings my thoughts back to the demon, seeing it a scant few feet from my position. Its form is that of a giant wolf, large enough to look down into my eyes, its fur is jet black with eyes like molten gold that hold great intelligence in their depths. My body freezes, not letting me run from it but the demon doesn't attack me as would be normal, for now it just stares, as if it knows me from long ago and didn't expect to see me here. The demon slowly starts padding forward, speeding up as I slip into darkness...

Saeko woke suddenly, before the dawn had broken feeling that somehow the demon she had dreamed had cared about her. Shaking her head to rid herself of the notion she gets up, knowing that the dawn is not far off so there's no point in returning to sleep. She wandered to the kitchen, passing through the main room where the boys were sleeping and chuckling softly at Allen who had somehow draped himself over Ichigo during the night, thinking on what to do for breakfast before they move on. A cheering thought to go with the fact they had to go on again was the fact they now had a heading, the shrine of Talia, to the north.

Lavi finds the girl in the kitchen, preparing a breakfast of porridge, an extra large portion for Allen, ready to heat whenever people wake up. She tells Lavi of the dream, including the location of the shrine in it, in doing so explaining her suddenly happy mood that had seemed to come from nowhere.

A surprised yell from the next room announced the awakening of Allen, the white haired exorcist discovering the position he had somehow woken in. The noise woke the other two boys, neither any the wiser as to what had surprised the cursed one, whereas the two in the kitchen shared a secret smile, knowing exactly what had happened.

After breakfast shared with the old lady, the group set off northwards, heading for the shrine as it was the only lead they had to anything. Timcanpy rejoined them as they reached the edge of the village, showing them the lack of progress everywhere else and the constant fighting that was going on between Kanda and Renji.

Nothing eventful happened during the long trek north but Saeko was slightly on edge the whole way, suspicious of the demon in her dream, feeling it knew her and was waiting. The others didn't appear to notice, so no questions were asked for which she was thankful, she didn't feel she would be able to explain the feelings she had, of knowing the demon was waiting for her with no proof, of seeming to know the demon from before when she couldn't remember anything from before three years previous to her arrival at the hospital.

She was saved from her thoughts by their arrival at their destination, the shrine shining a deep blue in the sunlight with the lightly shadowed interior showing the splendour that should have been present in Trina's shrine. The statues eyes reflected Saeko's own, the bright sapphire that was only found in the highest quality stones.

The girl knelt at the alter, praying to the Goddess that the demon may move on without finding her. This vain hope was dashed as the giant wolf made its presence known, a low growl coming from its throat as it noticed the others around her, all of them pepared to fight off the demon. Saeko made her way to the front of the group, trying to recall where she may have seen it before. She acted as a barrier between the demon and her friends, somehow knowing it wouldn't attack her and keeping the others behind her to prevent them from attacking immeidately.

Her actions made little sense to her, she could understand protecting her friends but not protecting the demon. She was spared from her thoughts by the demon's movement, it relaxed the stance it was in previously, ready to attack, and lay down, watching the girl it had been searching for.

To the confusion of the others, Saeko walked slowly towards the demon, trying once more the find the lost memories she needed. When she close enough, the wolf licked a hand that had been trailing by her side, showing her that she needn't fear him, and releasing the memories he had sealed all those years before.

Ok so please review, it doesn't take long, i don't mind critisism it helps me improve

Till next time

Your attacked-by-cat-while-writing author

Kouseki