It was nearly an hour later before Sori finally found his way back to him. Shuuhei picked up the tomcat and cuddled him to his chest, grateful for the small amount of warmth that the creature gave him. He shivered slightly, wishing he had the tattered blanket that Renji carried around with him. It would be a great help, even in the condition the ragged cloth was in. Sori crawled onto his shoulders a few minutes later, curling around his neck in a feeble attempt to warm the spot up.

Shuuhei was grateful to the creature for attempting to help him, but the constant glow of the moon above and his bare feet sliding through the frost-slick grass below were doing little to help him. If he could make it to the pointed stone that he seen in the distance, he would be fine; there was a hot spring there, and the water would surely be warm enough to get him through the night. But there was still one problem.

He still hadn't found Renji and the others.

It couldn't be helped now. All that mattered was his safety. If he died out here, then the one thing he strived to protect would be lost to him forever. And the world, as he was the only one that knew of its existence.

Wrapping his arms around himself tighter, Shuuhei realized that he could only feel the numb sensation of cloth sliding along his arms and torso. It was as if his skin had swollen in an attempt to block out the biting cold digging into him like a dagger. The servant shuddered in fear, trudging along the open field in utter defeat. Stupid tattoo on his face. He closed his eyes, too tired to hold them open, his features numb and freezing as he did so. The brunette lost track of all time, consumed by the numb fire spreading through him and the way his body seemed to be shutting down to conserve heat.

Shuuhei stumbled, Sori's claws digging into the back of his neck. But again he felt nothing but a few numb pricks, if that. Forcing his grey eyes open, which were now as pale as the moon above, he seen thick steam rising into the air before him. Somewhere in his mind, the servant registered that this was his destination. Sitting on the surprisingly warm ground, he went to reach towards it. But he paused just before touching the surface. You weren't supposed to go from a cold temperature to a warm one in such a short amount of time. It was better to warm up by the water's edge first.

Sori crawled down from his shoulders, stalking off and around the pool, exploring where Shuuhei had taken him. The cat looked up at him with a look, as if demanding what they were doing there. The boy gave a weak smile, waving his hand as his body began to settle into a warmer state. Sori let out a strange meow but Shuuhei thought nothing of it, instead shifting a little closer to the edge of the water.

He worked the cramps from his limbs, and his chattered ceased to irregular shivers throughout his body. Curing up by the water, he only intended to get more comfortable, but his mind soon surrendered to sleep.

A wet sensation made his eyes flutter open moments later, and his mind dimly registered that he was having a dream. Shuuhei sat up, glancing around with confused grey eyes. The world around him was dark, and he was no longer lying by the edge of the hot springs. Every bit of warmth had seeped from him, but he was not cold. The shiver that passed through him was more of uncertainty than anything else.

The dog was there, and so was his mother. The woman had no face, just like all the other times he seen her. Shuuhei did not have one to place there, for he could not remember what she looked like, and dreams were only memories amplified for the dreamer to feel pain.

The servant attempted to stand, but his hands slid uselessly against the grass. His head lowered to view his palms, stained crimson from the pool of blood around him. And then he knew, knew with all of his heart, that this was the place where he should have died. That this was the place where his only friend had been killed. Where he gained something to protect.

It played out like a horrid movie in his mind, agonizingly slow yet progressing way too quickly. A feeling of dread went through him, the type someone feels when they know someone shouldn't open the door, because god fucking dammit, the killer is right behind it! And yet they do, before they are violently killed in front of the audiences' eyes. Or in his case, the face of a beast that was long said to be extinct.

The dog ran towards him, its eyes wild and panicked. Shuuhei reached out for the creature, only to notice the foam dripping from its muzzle as it went flying towards him. He barely managed to shift out of the way, his own grey eyes filled with tears. For the animal that had befriended him so long ago was suffering from a disease that was long ago said to be purged from the land. He turned to face the dog, and in its eyes, which were glazed with madness, he saw no recognition. His friend did not know who he was.

Shaking, Shuuhei tried to run, but the blood around his form made him slip and fall. The dog was suddenly above him, teeth and claws digging into his flesh. He cried out in pain and fear, their bodies a squirming mass as he tried to throw off the one who had been his friend. And just like that, it ended, leaving him aching in the dust. His own blood ran to mix with the pool around him, and his quivering grey eyes stared at an angry sky.

And although this wasn't what had happened in his waking hours, this is how his mind chose to torture him. Trembling there on the ground, he heard the dog making strange noises and looping around, and it wasn't until he heard a loud howl that it stopped completely. Just before he began to slip away, a smooth object fell into his palm. It was warm, and from what his glazed eyes could tell, it was glowing a soft yellow. As he fell asleep in his dream, he awoke with a jolt in his body.

Shuuhei bolted upright, heart beating rapidly as he stared down at the pool. And held in his palm, still pulsing that same gentle light, was the orb of the fallen.

I know, I know, you're probably all wondering where Renji is right? I'll get to him soon, but I figured it would be interesting to play around with Shuu's backstory and such for a little bit.

And if you figured it out, this is how I made Shuu get his scars. The disease isn't rabies, although it's modeled after that. But the dog did bite/claw him, so you'll see what went from there here soon.

Anyways, hope you enjoyed, and I'm sorry about the wait! -Shuu