Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, I'm just using them.
Chapter 2
Saito's POV
I felt an intense heat beside me and I slowly opened my eyes. I was lying beside a fire and my side was bandaged. I rose slightly and saw the Battousai asleep across from me. He was gripping tightly to his sword and I looked around for mine. It was gone, probably at the bottom of the river. I reached for a piece of wood and the Battousai woke with barely a start. He watched me closely, but I just put the wood on the fire.
"So you're finally awake." He said quietly. "You've been unconscious for nearly four hours."
"Why did you pull me out of the river Battousai?" I asked sitting up carefully. The wound in my side was bleeding through what looked like part of my shirt. The Battousai remained silent.
I saw my clothes beside the fire and reached for them, but the effort of stretching tore open the wound even more and I winced. The Battousai leaned over and handed me my clothes. I swore under my breath and pulled on my shirt. It was still a little damp, but at least it wasn't frozen. The Battousai was pulling on his clothes as well.
"Why did you save me Battousai?" I ask again my voice deepening slightly. I was in no mood to be ignored.
"Why shouldn't I have saved you Saito?" He answered staring deep into the flickering flames. He glanced up at me and his eyes were a dark, calm purple instead of the striking gold I had come to know. This Battousai was calm and almost peaceful. He stared at me a moment longer and then back into the flames. I looked around the grove of trees we were in and heard the wind begin to pick up.
"We need to get to a safer shelter. There is a storm brewing out there Battousai." I said stiffly standing up. I limped to the edge of the trees and took in our surroundings. "There are caves not far from here; they would make a better shelter."
The Battousai said nothing when he stood; he just put out the fire and headed towards me. He studied my movements as I studied his. He was limping as well, but the damage was minor and he had a bruise forming along his neck; probably from when the bridge collapsed. I limped forward and he fell in slightly behind me.
Kenshin's POV
Saito walked to the east and didn't talk. It was strange, we were trying to kill each other not five hours ago and now we were both trying to stay alive. I rubbed my right knee as we walked; I had hit it on a rock trying not to drown in the river. Saito's question was bothering me. Why had I saved him? I close behind Saito because it had started to snow and it was getting hard to see.
"How much farther to the caves?" I asked before I sunk hip deep into a snow drift. I saw Saito turn to watch me and I glared as he smirked at me.
"Stuck?" He asked watching me struggled to stay upright. He moved forward quickly and grabbed me by the front of my shirt. Saito hauled me forward and out of the snow bank. He held me up so my feet weren't touching the ground for a moment and then put me on my feet. Saito turned and walked away before I could say a word.
I let out a curse and continued to follow him. As I walked, I watched the path and began to see blood red snow. Saito's wound was bleeding badly again and I knew if he didn't rest soon that he would die. Why was I suddenly so worried about my rival's health? He had been trying to kill me for years and I had been trying to kill him. Why were we helping each other?
'Why'd you save me?' Saito had asked. Why, I had no idea, but we were still alive because of it. I was so lost in thought that I ran right into Saito as he stopped.
"Watch where you're going Battousai. The caves are just ahead, but the pass getting to them is dangerous this time of year so pay attention" Saito ordered. The order was to keep us alive, but it still irritated me.
Saito's POV
I watched the Battousai's eyes change from purple to gold instantly and tensed for an attack. He didn't move; he just waited for me to continue to the caves. The wind howled through the pass and I stayed alert for the possibility of a rock slide. There had been one here not two weeks ago and it had killed one of my messengers. The Battousai's limp was getting worse and I felt weaker than before. I glanced down at the ground and saw my blood dripping onto the white snow. I saw the caves and entered the nearest one. It was big enough for the two of us and I saw the wood pile was still there.
"Start a fire if you can." I said sitting down against the nearest wall immediately. The Battousai ignored me and kneeled down in front of me. "I am fine Battousai."
"You're bleeding badly and I have to stop the bleeding if you are to live you stubborn wolf. Don't argue with me because you're in no position to win." He said in an angry voice. He reached forward to take off my shirt and I caught hold of his arm. He easily brushed away my hand and yanked at the fabric. I growled and I saw his fist flying towards me but could do nothing about it. I felt the punch and then nothing.
TBC….