DISCLAIMER

Again, don't own any mentioned copy-righted things... just Rose and other made-ups...

Chapter VI: Mixed Feelings

… As the White Cheetah circled around with the Black Lion, who was doing the same, they both glared into one another's eyes, looking like they are trying to tear into one another's soul. The Black Lion growled as this continued on as if time slowed down and 'tis mocking him. Finally, the Black Lion had had enough. With a roar that could probably scare ten cities at once, he leaped at the White Cheetah! His deep, menacing roar was countered by the opponents roar that is almost like any cheetah's roar, but more fierce than any other, and she leapt at the Black Lion at the same time. Claws clashed as they soared past each other, the White Cheetah nicking his shoulder and he leaving three purr-fect lines on her chest. The White Cheetah landed on her feet and turned with great swiftness and attacked the Black Lion again while he is a little off-balanced. Cheetahs have great advantages of speed and accuracy of swift turns, given the fact that she is really about 10 times faster and swifter than a regular cheetahs. But he, the Black Lion also has greater advantages on power and how long he could run before tiring. If he really wanted to, he could chase her until she collapses and be killed by him the easier way. But he has his pride. He will fight her to the death, and not on simple, yet entertaining, ways to kill her. The girl landed on his back and attempted to dig her claws and teeth into my neck. Quickly realizing this, I rammed myself into tree's, with her sporting the pain each time. She soon flew off of me and I strike her while she was off-guard. His teeth sank into the other predatory cat's skin between her shoulder bones. But he had forgotten one very important detail. Her flaming, purple mane of fire can hurt if she wishes. Feeling the intense heat near his face, he let go of her and placed himself some space between the wretched girl and himself while in front of her. Seeing that she is starting to lose some blood.

" Had enough? You could die very quickly if you gave up now, White Cheetah. Or die extremely slow by resisting." The girl smirked as she ignored the pain of fangs hitting skin and bones.

" The choice of giving up is extremely rare. It has as much chance of it happening as me shopping for clothes. And that has a very, VERY slim chance of that happening."

Seeing that she will not cooperate with this plan, he calculated that after a while, she'll get extremely tired chasing him around, and that's when he'll use his ultimate blow. He faked right and the White Cheetah went to the left. He pounced in her direction, but he missed, the girl catching the plan at the last second! Growling angrily, he went for the Cheetah's neck. Again, the attemption failed, but he was greatly satisfying that he caught her in the ribs and possibly has cracked a few ribs. Seeing his opportunity open as the White Cheetah tries to shake the pain off, he crashed head-first into her other side of the ribs.

After all these years of chasing her down, he will finally be able to kill her, release his curse casted by her great-great-great-great grandmother, Rose L. Master I. He smiles down at the soon-to-be-dead Guardian of Life.

" It looks like I win." He raised his paw in the air, right above the White Cheetah's chest, her heart.

" Good-bye… forever." He smirks and brought his paw down…..

WHAM!

" Arg!" He raised his head and looked around for his attacker… who was standing above the White Cheetah. " No… It can't be so!" It was the White Jaguar! As the Black Lion watched out of horror as the White Jaguar healed the White Cheetah enough to where she could stand without too much pain shooting through her body. " NOOO! She was my kill! I WILL kill you White Cheetah!" He launched himself at both figures, roaring his mighty roar. But to his despair, the White Jaguar is known as the most wittiest out of the bunch. He and the White Cheetah both leaped aside and charged at both sides as soon as he barely land on his paws-

" Lord Malshano?" Malshano, waking from his slumber, noticing the little girl that stuck her head in. He had been sleeping from training himself with his new sword, the Chaostic Life. Though demons like himself don't need to rest a lot like humans do, he hadn't slept for about a week, not wanting to see that prophecy that plays in his mind when he goes to sleep.

" Yes Rain?"

" Cosmos is here to see you, milord."

" Thank you Rain. Send him in."

Her face brightened to a big smile. " 'kay!" She rushes off. Malshano remembered well of how she came to be with him…

: Flashback:

" What a delightful human. She'll make a fine meal, don't you think so?"

" No! Let me go! Mommy!" The little girl wept while being dragged by the two human-eating demons.

" Shut-up human!" One swiped at her, causing her to knock her head against a large rock. She slumped to the ground, unconscious. Malshano stood off in the tree he stands on, watching the scene. He usually doesn't care what happens to humans. But being the case that it is human-eating demons who strives only on humans, he hates them the most. Still wondering why the hell he's going to help the girl, he leapt from the tree limb and landed in front of the demons.

" What do you want! You have no business with us!" One yelled. But as he attacked at Malshano, he looked like he was attacking air, for Malshano is ten times faster than the demons could ever achieve in their lifetime. The battle continued, but to Malshano, it was really too simple. He jumped to the hidden cliff, waiting for the demons to chase. Since he can't attack anyone except the White Cheetah due to the curse, he was going to let a high drop do the work. The human-eating demons spotted him. They launched themselves at him in top speed. Smirking, he let them get about two feet from him, then leaped straight into the air. The demons, with no chance to stop themselves, ran right off the cliff. Not wanting to see the results, he went to the girl's side. The girl has a light brown hair, which is about mid-way long on the back, from what he seen, she has brownish-gold eyes, and looked about 5 to 6 years old. There was something about this girl that reminds him of something. So, out of curiosity, he picked her up, went to a clearing far away from the smell of blood that is detectably too strong to Malshano, set up a fire, and set the girl near it to warm her.

He sat there, deep in thought as he watched the small girl breathing.

' Why do I care for this human? Wait… what is her aura? It isn't anything like a human. It's more like… a demonness. But I couldn't tell from where I perched before I interfered with those despicable excuse of demons.' Yes, there was definitely something about this girl . She completely fooled those demons, making them think that she is human, but probably unintentionally. He was suddenly snapped out of his world as the young girl began to stir. The flutter of her eyes told him that she is getting up from her dreamland.

" Whe-where am I?"

" You are here in my protection from those demons." She turned her head to see him for her first time. She sat up from her position on the ground. " Here. You must be hungry." He slide a plate of dried meat he carried with him to her. Hesitantly, she picked it up and, before eyeing him, she began to eat. For a little girl, she is being careful of eating instead of eating it greedily like most children, especially if they are hungry. He was impressed at her control of the greed of eating when starving. She finished one piece before looking at Malshano.

" Why are we here? And what is your name?" She is even more intelligent than most kids are before they reach a certain age. And she is even polite too.

" We are here to escape the wretched smell of blood. As for my name, it is Lord Malshano."

" Were you the one to save me?" He nodded. " Oh wow… Those things were so awful!" She was on the brink of tears of remembering those demons he rescued her from. But she kept the tears at bay, to his surprise. " I… I thank you… for… for saving me…" At that moment, she lowered her head. Tears were threatening to spill. He, without his knowledge, has gotten up and sat down to the little kid and pulled her hair away from her hair as a loving father would to his daughter. The kid ceased to have her tears build up in her eyes. He hates watching this little kid trying not to cry. Soon, she felt better to talk without having a lump build up in her throat if she tried to talk. " What is your name?"

" My name is…" She trailed off, trying to remember. Then he smelt fear and confusion coming off the girl. The collision of her head to the rock must have done the job of erasing her memories. " I can't really remember… but…" She brightened a little of remembering something. " I remember, I think… I think that it is Rain."

" Rain? I think that that name suits you, if that name is truly yours." And it does. Her aroma is of a fresh rainstorm over a forest area. Each demon has their own unique smell once they reach the age of 5 to 6. At least in humans years. He could now confirm that her true appearance is hidden by a simple, yet powerful spell that only one of the child's relative, though the spell can continue to stay effective even through the years of generation, for it is passed down to each person to keep them completely hidden from the humans. Only a relative of that family could break the spell, if whoever it is found out about the secrete.

" Yes.. I think that is my name. But what happened to me to make me forget even my own name?"

" I believe that was when you hit that rock with your head." She stared up at him in surprise. Then pain as her head started to hurt and remembered the demon knocking her upside the head.

" Now I remember that incident. Ow…" She rubbed her head where it throbbing.

" I suggest that you sleep now. Since you cannot remember anything of your past, you will stay with me."

She looked at him with hopeful and adoring eyes. " You will! You'll really let me stay with you?" She looked at him with more adoring eyes now as he once more nodded. " Thank you Mal- I mean, Lord Malshano." He loved that little girl as a daughter at such loving eyes looked up at her rescuer right then.

: End Flashback:

' No one can never pull that little girl from me, not while I'm alive. She is a daughter to me.' Now every time he walks into her eye sight, she would run up to him and hug him, though she only reaches his waist, even though she is still a bit taller than most kids at her age in human years.

" Well Malshano, it's nice to see you again." Malshano looked up to see Cosmos walking in with Rain behind him, smiling.

" What do you want Cosmos?" Malshano was annoyed that he came to his home.

" I just wanted to let you know that your requirements you asked and need are done and ready." Cosmos smirked.

" And why, do tell, that you reported this that a servant could do that for you?" Cosmos's smirk widened.

" I just wanted to annoy you like hell, that's all." He then turned and left the room before Malshano could remark to that. Rain just looks at her savior, waiting for him to say something.

" Rain. Come here." Rain was all too happy to comply to her Lord. " Tomorrow, you are to start training for self-defense. That way, if you are to come with me, you would be able to protect yourself if I am not around."

" Really? I'll try my best to learn what I need Milord!" She quickly hugs him.

" Go to bed now, little one. Your training starts at dawn."

" Yes sir!" She huged him again and ran out of the room to her room. Smiling slightly, Malshano settled again on his bed and rested his head on his pillow, drifting back to sleep, with the prophecy creeping on him again.