It was the day that started her seventeenth cycle. Bast stood on the outskirts of what was left of Kul Elna and sighed. Nine years had passed since she had last been here. That night still hunted her on occasion. She sighed again and returned to her horse. Kura had died three years ago, and Kena had given her this one. It was a beautiful Arabic, young and strong. She smiled as she patted its neck and mounted it. Tugging the reins, she led it to her former treasure cove.

The rock opened with little effort. The treasure inside was still good, and Bast rummaged for something she could sell. Coming across a golden goblet, she wrapped it in cloth and tucked it in her saddle bag before leaving the cove and riding off. Her first stop was the cave where she had stayed after receiving the scar on her arm. There was nothing that said she had been here for several days. She shook her head and turned for Alexandria.

She traded the goblet and turned down the offer to stay for lunch, leaving the city as quick as she could. She tried her best to stay away from the pharaoh's army as much as possible right now, not wanting them to see the sapphire she wore around her neck. About a mile from the city she turned in her saddle, looking out to the city walls.

"Sorry, Kena," she said to the wind. "But things must change once more." She turned straight and patted her horse. "Forward, Zahur, we must move." She stirred the horse into a run and rode along the river.

Sundown came quicker than she expected. She slowed her tired horse, Zahur happily complying. Turning into the valley, she traveled deep into the rock until she found a cave. She dismounted, frowning at the smell of blood. A fire was lit inside, but it was almost gone, the wood nothing but burning ash. She let Zahur go, knowing he would stay in place, and entered. She gasped at the scene. A boy slightly younger than her, bruised and bloody, was unconscious near the fire. She rushed to him and turned him onto his back.

The boy had a cut on his face under his right eye. It seemed to come from the eye itself and came halfway down his cheek. Two more cuts crossed the first, one parallel to the other. She looked the rest of him over, unable to find anything other than broken skin that had already begun to heal. Hovering her right hand over the wound on the boys face, she called the shadows and began to heal it. She was halfway done when the boy woke, grabbing her and causing her to lose her hold on the shadows. He scrambled to get away from her when he saw them.

"Who are you and what were you trying to do?" he demanded. Bast frowned at this boy.

"You are bleeding," she stated, giggling when he growled. "Honestly, did it seem like I was trying to kill you?" She tried to inch toward him, but he backed further away.

"You can never trust a shadow mage," the boy replied. Bast sighed, running a hand through her black hair.

"Look, you are covered in blood and your face is bleeding still. You probably have a broken bone or two as well and you look like you have not eaten in a year." The boy blinked, shock spreading over his cut face. "Let me use my magic to heal you and I might give you some food."

"Ra-damned it," was her answer. She sighed again and glared at him.

"Do not Ra-damned me, Boy," she ground out. "If Ra was involved here you would still be unconscious and I could heal you and get out of here. But you are awake and I will not leave until you are healed and fed." The boy blinked again, surprised at her forwardness. He grumbled something and sat down on the ground. Bast nodded slightly at winning before lifting her hand to his face again.

He winced when the shadows gathered around her hand and began to pull his skin together. As she did this, she began to run her left hand along his chest and legs, looking for any breaks in the bone. Finding a couple ribs on his left side fractured, she was able to heal them quickly. She then checked the cut on his face. The scar tissue had connected and healed, so she left him be while she went to get Zahur. She drove a metal stake into the wall and tied the horse up before taking off his saddle bags and returning to where the boy sat.

"What is your name, Boy," she asked as she poured water onto a cloth and cleaned the blood from his face. He looked at her, his amber eyes dark.

"I am Bakura Kaito. Who are you?" Bast looked up at the surname. She glanced at the boy, frowning. Sitting back, she watched him, her eyes searching his for something. "What are you looking at?" he asked, looking to see if something other than blood was on him.

"Kaito," said Bast, causing the boy to look at her. His eyes narrowed as he did. "Akifa." Bakura jumped up, wincing as he did.

"How do you know that name?" he yelled. Bast scratched her ear as she stood as well. She lifted her left arm and pulled up her sleeve. Bakura looked at the scar for a minute before falling back into his sitting position. "Ra be Damned. That healer was right. Bast Magi, is that really you?" Bast nodded, smiling at him. "Prove it. I need more than your scar." Bast's smile widened as she stood, turned her back to him, and loosened her shirt so it fell off her shoulders. She heard him stand and approach her, and then felt his cool fingers trace the circle around the pyramid.

"Do you believe me now?" she asked, fixing her shirt and turning back to him. He nodded, but swayed a second later. Bast caught him as he fell and laid him down on the rock. She pulled an extra shirt from her bags and placed it under his head, and then took her cloak and spread it over him. She then added wood to the fire and began to cook some of the meat she had with her. As it cooked she found one of her extra water skins and handed it to Bakura, who took it happily.

He watched her as she took the saddle from Zahur. She brushed the horse down and forced him to drink some water before returning to the fire side.

"What happened to Kura?" the boy asked. Bast frowned for a second before she answered.

"He died," she said. "Kena gave me Zahur for my birthday the same year."

"Oh," said Bakura. "Mena died two years ago." Bast nodded.

"When did you change your name?"

"Not long after you left me. I kept my surname for the hell of it."

"Why Bakura?"

"Sounds cooler than Akifa." Bast laughed, taking the meat from the fire and cutting it into smaller pieces. She placed some on a clay plate and handed it to the boy. "I've gotten so used to eating raw meat." Another laugh found its way out. Bakura glared at her and she just smiled.

"I take it you got into some trouble," she said. Bakura nodded.

"Rouges," he said. "Damned bastards." Bast laughed again, causing Bakura to growl. "What now?"

"Nothing, my friend. Those morons get so damned annoying, that is all. I have met up with quite a few here of late. Something about a pretty face with an even prettier necklace." She let out an annoyed laugh. "Bastards never know when to leave me alone. You would think my eyes are enough to drive them away." Bakura stared at his almost empty plate for a second before he looked up at her.

"Bast, I have a question." The girl raised an eyebrow, but urged him on. "What exactly are you?"

She bit her lip. Chewing on it for a minute, she looked out the cave entrance while she contemplated his question. Finally, coming to a decision, she looked at him.

"Do you know of the cat goddess, Bast?" He nodded. "Well, it is said that she sent her only son to this world to live among the mortals and protect them. When Ra found out what she had done, he allowed the son and his mortal wife to stay among the other mortals, but he had to live as a mortal. He was given a mark, the pyramid with the Millennium eye, to wear upon his back. He was told that every first child would bear this mark, and only that child would obtain the abilities granted to the cat goddess."

"So you're the descendent of Bast? That explains the speed and the green slit eyes." Bast laughed at him. His amber eyes hardened as he looked at her.

"Yes, my friend," she said, putting her empty plate to the side. "But speed and agility are not the only things I have to my advantage. Because of the Millennium eye I can control the shadows with ease. I can also teach others how to use them."

"Can you teach me?" asked Bakura. Bast looked at him, sensing something behind the question. The amber eyes told her nothing as she searched them. The boy had placed a hard barrier over his emotions. She sighed, unsure, but agreed to teach him.

"Just follow my rules, alright? The shadows are known for destroying those who control them." Bakura nodded. "Good, now sleep. As you do, the bruises will heal themselves." She stood and left the cave and walked a distance away, the shadow magic dancing around her. After a few minutes she stopped, looking about her. "I know you are there. Show yourself."

"Since when are you allowed to order me around, Child?"

"It is you, Mother Bast. Had I known I would not have said it as such."

"I forgive thee. You seem troubled, My Daughter." Bast snorted in reply. The presence seemed to be amused by this. "What troubles you, My Child?"

"I am unsure," Bast answered, blinking as the presence materialized before her. A beautiful woman with high cheek bones, long shiny black hair, and bright green eyes. Bast fell onto her right knee, her head bowed politely.

"I feel you know some of your problem. Please, tell me what you are thinking."

"My Lady, for the past year I have suffered from nightmares. Dreams of the night I watched Kul Elna die. I was a part of the ritual, and I only saved the boy because he was there. Every night I watch them die again, I see the eyes of the young child I stayed with my first night there."

"Child, you must return to Kul Elna, this time to confront your fears. As for the boy, Akifa, you were destined to save him that night. As he was destined to save you. It is a cycle that will continue between the two of you until the end of time."

Bast looked up at the deity before her. Kind green eyes met scared ones of the same color. After a moment, the Goddess nodded and disappeared. Bast stood and sighed, brushing her hair behind her ear and heading back to the cave. Bakura was asleep and Bast decided it was a good idea to do the same.

She woke before Bakura did as the sun began to peak over the horizon. She was saddling Zahur when Bakura woke, sitting up with a groan and looking around. When she saw he was awake, she handed him a piece of bread and returned to her packing.

"Where are you going?" he asked. Bast spared him a look as she tied the saddle bags secure.

"I am going back," she answered.

"Back?"

"To Kul Elna." She heard Bakura jump up.

"Why? What would be the point?" She stopped what she was doing and turned to him. He seemed angry, or was it fear?

"Because," she said, locking eyes with the boy. "I need to face this. I need to apologize, to atone for my crime. I did not protect them, and I am sorry for that."

"But, it wasn't your fault. It was the Pharaoh!" Bast nodded.

"I know, but I still feel their pain. I have to go back."

"Then I'm going with you," he yelled. Bast blinked as the boy shoved the last bit of bread into his mouth and pulled Zahur free of the rock. "Come on." Bast smiled and mounted Zahur, pulling Bakura on behind her and riding off in the direction of Kul Elna.