A/N- SORRRYY! Frickin school…English… EVIL. Anyway, lots has happened since the last chapter, none of which is at all necessary for you to know- I got 2nd place in my horse show! Yay. Anyway. I highly recommend going and checking out Zaleone's fic "An Unforeseen Complication" it's a great Juuroumaru/Sesshoumaru fic she's just started.

So, enjoy, flame etc. any comments, you can email me Kay. English test tomorrow. G'night.

Juuroumaru's first instinct, as he slowly returned to the world of consciousness, was to fight off the little hands that groped at his arms and legs. Hands tugged at his hair, dangerous claws brushing his scalp. Murmuring voices, just beyond his perception spoke above him and he strained to understand.

Something cool and heavy had been placed on his head, cloaking his eyes and forehead. This caused everything to go even a shade darker of dark (It's possible!) which frightened him more than it should have.

For a moment, he was sure he had plunged back into one of the horrible nightmares that had plagued him. The insistent tugging and utter darkness frightened Juuroumaru and his only console, his solitary comforter was no longer there. He groaned and thrashed, trying to fight off the small hands, but it was impossible. His muscles felt sluggish and heavy, and he was quickly recaptured. The cool heavy thing that had been pressed against his head was removed and Juuroumaru opened his eyes, looking around frantically.

He blinked.

The forest.

Then he was… alive?

Above him, splayed out like the fingers of a brittle hand, spread a canopy of trees. The first stars of night poked through, and the silver moon lighted patches of thick vegetation. He looked from side to side, seeing a blur of eyes and faces, illuminated by firelight and flickering with shadow. The callous hands that held him down trembled and then removed themselves all together. Juuroumaru sat up slowly, fighting the aching in his head and nearly retching at the sour, pungent smell that hung in the air.

Grouped around him in an array of sizes of colors was a gathering of youkai. Their eyes seemed to burn out of the darkness, their very faces flickering in and out of focus. Most of them had scooted a good few feet back when he had begun to a move, but a curious few lingered. Most of the group were narrow, witty looking fox youkai, some, shy feline cubs who hid in the protection of their mother's thick coats, and a precious few scatter of bears.

All of the youkai regarded him with something akin to awe. Curious, furtive looks were shot his way and a few simply stared in shock.

Trembling, Juuroumaru scooted backwards, scattering the small grouping that had been regarding him from behind. He winced as something sharp slid quite effortlessly into his palm, but it didn't stop him. He continued moving backwards over feather soft grass and smooth pebbles. No one tried to stop him, but their bright eyes followed him the whole way.

The group was far larger than he'd first perceived. From an outsider's point of view, he was able to realize the sheer size of the pack and he couldn't help but feel intimidated by them. In the background, beyond the youkai and the firelight, he could make out a dark hole, a cave, also filled with peering eyes and vague shapes of bodies.

A pretty blue-eyed fox edged towards him, and his rapidly focusing eyes shifted to her immediately. Red-gold locks that reminded him of Kyo's framed her pixie face, and her mischievous, slanted eyes made Juuroumaru nervous.

When she was within arms reach, she slowly extended a small, refined hand and, reached out to touch Juuroumaru's bruised, slashed arm. Juuroumaru twitched and jerked away, a glare forming on his bruised, battered face. The fox seemed unfazed, her hand poised in the air at the spot where she had made brief contact.

Her hand flicked back into her waistband, producing something akin to a wineskin, corked with some thick bunch of herbs. A low murmur rippled throughout the group, as well as a few sly grins. Juuroumaru's eyes frantically switched to the other youkai, noticing that they too held bottles. She uncorked the bottle and an overpowering scent filled Juuroumaru's nostrils.

The fox stepped closer to Juuroumaru and before he could protest, she pushed the wineskin against his lips. Juuroumaru shook his head in protest, dizzied by the smell of the amber liquid. She did it again, more persistently, successfully tipping a small amount into Juuroumaru's lips. Juuroumaru spit it out on reaction, but not before the taste had entered his mouth. It was wholly sweet and bitter at the same time. Its aroma dizzied him and he whimpered unknowingly.

He stared at the bottle with horrified fixation. The amber liquid within brought memories of warm eyes and gentle caress. At the same time however, harsh blows and anger assaulted him in the same look.

He shuddered at the memory and the fox took the opportunity to push another small quantity into his mouth while he desperately tried to deal with his pain. Juuroumaru sputtered and coughed, convulsing at the present pain, but it seemed suddenly warmed by another feeling that spread through his belly as the liquid rushed down through him. He felt a blissful smile tug at his lips at the fierce taste which seemed to numb his pain

This time, when his eyes connected with the golden liquid, it was slightly blurred and less hurtful to see. He closed his eyes to the blur of faces around him, feeling as if he were spinning wildly. Without warning, his hand thrust out and jerked the wineskin from the smirking fox. He pressed it to his lips and downed it in a single, painful gulp. It burned all the way down and Juuroumaru wallowed in the taste. Faces were no longer visible and Juuroumaru slipped into the blissful oblivion.

Suddenly, the fox's fingers laced with his own and she was pulling him towards the fire which had been stoked to a raging blaze. He stumbled after her, the ground coming frightfully close to meet him. He closed his hand tighter around her delicate one.

When they were a few feet from the fire, a crude beat was drummed on the ground and the fox drew away from him and began twisting and turning, writhing before the firelight. To Juuroumaru, she was little more than a lithe blur, moving with a seductive nature that begged him to join. Others of the clan had taken deep swigs from their wineskins and risen as well, dancing their own interpretation of the full moon's festival.

Juuroumaru swayed slightly, seduced by the drumbeat and the flickering lights. Without warning, or in his foggy mind anyway, he was bodily pulled into the dance by a grown fox and for a moment, the world disappeared.

Than he was dancing, stamping his feet and leaping with the rest. His arms snaked upward, clawing towards the sky before falling, falling low and sweeping around to hold his own shoulders. One hand brushed a small discrete but entirely intended bite mark on his neck but he didn't care to remember how he had gotten it. Caring hurt, and right now, he didn't want to hurt.

He danced harder, shaking with effort, as his body seemed to rip apart painlessly. His eyes found the now blazing fire and a disapproving face seemed to look up from the flames. Silver hair and sad amber eyes were locked with his and his alone. Juuroumaru shuddered and looked away, his hand finding a nearby wineskin. He downed the content, feeling again the heady, pleasurable rush that he had felt only in one other situation.

The burning sensation brought tears to his eyes and he swiped them away to perceive his new world.

The trees, the sky, the youkai- they all met in one fantastic blur of color and light. Pain and memory were no longer his. This was his. This array of hazed beauty, free of hurt or thought. His eyes found the fire again. The flames danced higher than ever and Juuroumaru followed into the blissful oblivion of the midnight sky.

A/N- wootles.