Authors note:

I've been using different quotes for thoughts in the story....(), <>, * *...etc...but this time it's settled! It's gonna be [ ]!!

More, chapter 4!

~~~~~

Chapter 4

~~~~~

Sakura and Syaoran continued their journey in Ometin. They stopped in front of a huge wood. The trees in the wood are so close together, Chocy could only barely squeeze through it. The trees aren't only close, they are tall too. Everyone of them are at least ten meters tall. Inside the forest was dark, the leaves of the trees had covered up the sunlight. Chocy could had ran through it like he usually does,but the trees are too close together, if he ran in full speed, it would have hit.

Sakura and Syaoran jumped off Chocy, trying to figure out which way is better, going through the woods, or around it.

"Let's go around it, it looks scary..."Sakura suggested.

"But it might take much longer." Syaoran argued. "Just look how long it goes." he pointed. He was right, it does go on forever, so she gave up, and went in to the woods.

They walked for 30 minutes, Syaoran in front to make sure it's safe to walk, and Sakura at the back, holding Chocy. Suddenly,a net came up from the ground, and lifted them up high into the air. They were dangling on a tree before they realized what happened.

"And I thought you were supposed to make sure it was safe to walk." Sakura complained.

"Hey!" Syaoran shouted angrily, "No one would have seen that coming!"

"And I thought I caught it." A voice came from the bottom of the net. "Who are you, and why are you here?"

It was a young girl, a bit older than Sakura and Syaoran, she dressed like a ninja, but not quite. She also looked mean.

"I...I'm sorry, can you let us down first?"Sakura asked gently.

"How do I know that you're not invaders." The girl asked with a mean voice."I come in peace." Syaoran joked. Sakura hit him. "Really," Sakura tried to talk her in to it. "we didn't come in the woods to harm you..." The girl took a better look at them. "Hmmm...." she said. "Yeah...you look too weak for a bunch of invaders." [weak?] Syaoran thought. [I could take out 10 of you.] The girl let the net down, then cutting the rope. They dropped on the ground, "...thanks..." Sakura said. "But next time, you could let us down gently."

"Who are you?" The girl asked, still a little mean.

"My name is Sakura, this is Syaoran and our chocobo Chocy. We're just...." She remembered Shi Shi, telling them not to tell anyone about their true identities ---- the legendary heroes. She hesitated, then came up with: "traveling through the world, we're travelers." [Is that the best one she could think of?] Syaoran thought.

Silent. Then the girl said, "Nice, I'm Kyn, but it's getting dark, you can't sleep out here in the wood. It's way too dangerous. Why don't you stay at my chamber for a night, you can't cross these woods before the sun sets."

"Really?" Sakura asked, "Is that okay? Then we'll do it, thanks."

"Great, come this way." She waved. Then walked ahead.

Sakura was flattered, she never thought that Kyn would be nice enough to let them stay at her chamber. "Oh, yeah, one more thing." Kyn added."You have to work for you stay."

"What...?" That wiped Sakura's smile off her face.

"You don't think you'd stay for free, do you? You'll have to cook, clean, wash...."

[It's just too good to be true, isn't it?] Sakura thought.

~~~~~

Back at Kyn's chamber, Sakura put down her backpack and rested her feet while Syaoran sat down at a stair's step, petting Chocy. Then Kyn came along and ordered them to go out and help her on her hunt for tonight's dinner. "We have to hunt down something or we'll all eat mud for dinner."

Sakura was still tired from the walk, but she has no choice but to go. Sakura went to Chocy, and told him to be a good boy and stay while they were gone. After that, they're off to hunt.

Kyn was carrying a bow and some arrows with her, looking around for some prey. Then she heard something, she stopped and looked around. It was a round headed creature with a cow like body, only one or two feet tall. One of those Ometin animals. She wind the arrow, aimed, and shot. It was a direct hit, it hit the creature's rib, then it laid down and didn't move a muscle, it was dead. They walked closer to it. Sakura turned away, feeling sorry for the poor creature. The way Kyn killed that creature was smooth, and emotionless, with no concern about the creature's pain and feelings, Sakura hated that.

"Great, we've got a prey, you." She pointed to Syaoran, "Carry it." Syaoran frowned. Then put the corpus over his shoulders. "You were very professional at...killing." Syaoran commented. Kyn turned around and looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"It's not too often that you see a girl so good at walking around shooting animals."

"You have to be when you're trained to be a ninja." She said, quietly.

"Ninja?" Syaoran and Sakura both asked surprisingly.

"I'm a child from the famous ninja family, I'm suppose to live independently in the woods until I'm ready to accept the great ninja test."

They were all silenced for a minute. "But...living here is getting difficult." she continued. "Since it came..."

"It?" Both Sakura and Syaoran asked.

"I don't know what it is either, it was a very strange and strong creature. It all started about a mouth ago...I was hunting as usual, just when I got a prey it came out! It hit me on the shoulder, making me dropped my prey and ran off with it! From that day forward, I kept finding animal skeletons around the wood."

"Skeletons...?" Sakura said with a shaky voice.

"It's been eating other animals in the wood, you know what that means?" She stared at Sakura, "No...no, what does it mean?"

"It's going to be harder for me to find other preys, that's why I put up all these traps , to trap it. Still...that thing is pretty strong, it's going to get more dangerous once it gets dark. But....it's also a good opportunity...to prove myself that I'm ready to take the great test. That's why I want to defeat it." She slammed her fist into her palm.

"Sorry to interrupt. But if you're gonna stand here and keep blabbing on about this thing, I'm pretty sure it will get us. Plus my arms are tired from carrying this animal."

"Oh, that's right!" Kyn said. "We have to go, the sun is almost setting. She turned and ran toward the chamber.

Something was spying on them, it moves closer them, cautiously, not to make noises. It followed them for a while,patiently waited, until it got to a close enough distance, it leaped into the air. The shadow of it came closed to Syaoran, Kyn noticed it right away, and pushed Syaoran back. The thing scratched Kyn's shoulder, riping away piece of her clothes, but it didn't harm her physically. "Kyn!!" Syaoran and Sakura shouted. "Stay back!" she yelled. "This is too dangerous for you, run! Run for the chamber! I'll handle this." [I have to handle it, I have to prove myself as a ninja!] she thought.

The creature was big, lion like, looking more like a beast. It attacked with great deal of speed and strong forces. Kyn must act carefully or she could be killed. It jumped towards her, jaws opened, trying to bite her, she leaped sideways, avoiding the attack. The beast swiped its tail, slapping her face, she did a back roll and landed back on her feet. Kyn pulled an arrow out of her back, wind it up and shot it, it bit the arrow into two like a tooth pick. Kyn backed up a little. The beast knew it had the advantage.

Syaoran watched the fight in fear, Sakura pulled his arm, and began to run. "What are you doing?" She asked, "we have to go!" They ran for a second, then Syaoran let go of Sakura. "You go on ahead!"

"What?" she was shocked. "What about you?"

"I'll try to help Kyn!" he started to go back where Kyn was. Sakura grabbed his arm, "You can't, you'll get hurt! She's a trained ninja she'll be fine, didn't you hear her?"

"No..." Syaoran said. "Not this time...not against that." She saw the look om Syaoran's face, there was softness and kindness that he only had in front of her. [Why...] she thought, [why is he so worried about her? Didn't they just met? How come he has to do this?] she didn't like the idea of Syaoran caring for another girl, there's a pain inside of her, a pain she had never experienced before. It hurts her.

Syaoran ran back, and saw Kyn, defeated, leaning against a tree, her wounds weren't serious, but she was exhausted. Syaoran ran in front of her and brought out the sword. "Stay behind me!" He said.

"What are you doing?" Kyn shouted, "It's too dangerous, you can't handle him!"

The beast jumped towards Syaoran, Syaoran swang his sword, cutting off some of its fur. It lifted its paw up, ready for another scratch, Syaoran took the chance, swang the sword wildly and injured its eye, it roared in pain and retreated. Syaoran breathed quickly as he collapsed on his knees, he turned back and asked Kyn, "You alright?"

"Yeah..." she answered. "You're good."

He smiled. "I've been doing a bit of training myself." He helped her up. "Thanks." she said. "For saving me."

"Hey, you saved me first remember?"

Sakura saw it all, how he ran anxiously to save her, how he fought against the deadly beast to save her, and how he gently helped her up. Each and everyone of these actions hurt her in a way she could never imagine. Tears came down on her face, didn't know why, and didn't know how. Syaoran saw her, and began to walk towards her. [No...] she thought. [Don't...] Then she said. "Don't come....any closer..." he stopped. "Sakura?" She wasn't herself,"Are you okay...?" [Am I okay?] She thought. [I'm better than ever, what's wrong with me, I can't stand it anymore. Stop calling my name, stop talking to me....] He walked closer. "Sakura...?" [Stop it!! Stop everything!!! Stop walking towards me, stop asking me, stop.....]

[Stop....being so nice to....another girl...]

[I...I don't want you to risk you life for another girl! I don't want you to runaway from me like that! I don't...]She shook her head, backing up from him."I don't want it!!" She shouted, and ran off into the woods.

"Sakura??!!!!" Syaoran yelled, he tried to catch up to her, but she disappeared into the woods. "Wha....why did she run off?" He said, confused, to him, all he did was saving someone that saved him before, what's wrong with that? Kyn came to him,and said "You better go find her, it's getting dark."

"Why...it's not like her at all, why would she run off like that, did I...do something wrong?" Kyn felt guilty, she knew that Sakura was upset because of her."It's a girl thing...now go!" Syaoran nodded, and ran to find her.

~~~~~

[How could I just walk off like that? If dad was here, he would've said how rude I am.] Sakura was wondering around in the forest. It's getting dark, she has been walking around for half an hour, the air was getting cold, she wants to go back, but was too ashamed of what did she do. [But it was my fault, I have to go back and apologize to Syaoran...] She turned around, trying to go back to the chamber. [If I could that is....oh great, I'm lost....] Every direction she turn, it looked exactly the same, trees,trees, and more trees. She couldn't tell where she came from, so much for where to go...

She wish Syaoran was here, he'll know what to do, he always does. Always there for her, always protecting her. [I wish he's here, I wish I can see him, why? Why did I run out on him like that if I knew I'll miss him? Is he worry about me too...?]

~~~~~

Syaoran ran around in the wood. The night has come, and the air is getting chilly, and what's worst, the beast that attacked Kyn was is still out there. Sakura could be in real danger. He didn't know where she is, or where is he going, he keeps running forward. He didn't care where he'd end up, as long as he ends up with Sakura by his side.

He kept going and going, till he sees something in front of him. He stopped

The chamber.

[Great!] He thought, [I've been going in a huge circle!]

He was about to take off again, but he paused, and looked back to the chamber.

~~~~~

It moves in a smooth motion, barely making any noise, it was looking for preys, looking for innocent animals that are too weak to fight back. The last fight with that human really made him hungry. It shifted its view from left to right, groaning softly, it saw its prey.

A defenceless little girl, out here in the dark, with no guardians to protect her, scared, and lonely.

Sakura.

~~~~~

Kyn was putting bandages on her wounds, sitting beside the fire place, she looked at her ninja suit. It was torned by the beast, she thought of her fight with that beast, completely defenceless against it, she feels ashamed, beaten. [I'll never become a ninja...]She thought, hugging her legs. [I can't even beat that silly little pup....]

She looked at her bow, [No....] She picked up the bow. [I am Kyn, the ninja, I will not give up!]

She grabbed her bow and ran out of the chamber.

~~~~~

[Syaoran...he's probably still mad at me for being so rude...] Most people would think of how to get to the chamber if they are in Sakura's position, but right now, Sakura is just thinking about how mad Syaoran will be when he finds her. How unusual...

Then she heard it, movements, in the bushed near her, she became alarmed, she looked at the direct of which the sound came from. "Syaoran...is that you?"

There was no answers, her heart pounded faster, as she look around. [The clow cards!] She thought, [I'll use them to protect me!! She toke out the key, but when she searched around her pocket, she remembered that her Clow cards are in her backpack!!

The noise became closer, and faster...she looked around and couldn't see a thing but trees. It gets closer, and closer...until...

It attacked her.

It leaps into the air with its powerful back leg, and opened its jaws, preparing to serve her as a meal. Its teeth were just inches away from her...

"Thunder! I call upon you!"

Lighting stroke the beast, sending it flying a few feet away from Sakura. She turned to looked...

"Syaoran..." She was more than graceful to see him, he was riding Chocy, with his sword and her backpack. "Sakura!!" He called. "Are you alright?"

[My hero...] Those were the first words that came to her mind when she saw him. She ran towards him, and squeezed him like a stuffed animal. He almost suffocated. "I was scared...really really scared..."

"Scared of the beast killing you?"

"No...scared that you may never talk to me again..."

"Oh..."(sweat drop) + (blushing)

[Um...sorry to break the moment guys..] Chocy thought as it tapped Syaoran's shoulder. [But I think the hot dog you just fried isn't quite happy.]

It was pisted alright, its face was redder than a rotten tomato. It's tail swung back and forth, like tauting a prey...its nose is blowing out steam....

Then it attacked, once again, it jumps towards them.

"AAAhhhh!It's coming!! Sakura!! Stop squeazing me!!I can't move!!"

"What...?" She turned around and saw the mad beast."AAAAHHHHHHH!!" Too bad it only made her squeazed harder...

And when it was about to reach them....(come on now, you all know how it will turn out, you can guess...)...an arrow hit it right in its head.

It fell on the grass, Sakura and the others look to the direction where the arrow came from...

"Kyn..."

She was still holding the same position when she shoot her arrow. Then she finally relaxed when she saw the beast collapsed. She breathed hardly...and finally said."I...did it....?"

But the beast still managed to stand up, and made a counter attack at Sakura and Syaoran. Sakura released her staff, and used the card "jump" just in time, Kyn watched in fear, as she see the beast still moving --- with the arrow on its head!!How disgusting!!"It can't be...IT CAN'T BE!!" She cried.

Sakura and Syaoran were still in the air, and something caught Syaoran's eye...[What?] He thought. [That means...] "Sakura, when we land, I'm gonna go for its left back leg, you'll go grab the crystal!"

"What?" Sakura said. "Does that mean that thing is a missioner too?"

"I'm not sure...I thought I saw something like a tattoo at its back leg...I'm going to give it a shot!"

"But what if it wasn't!You'll be killed."

"Sakura...we have to take the chance. Look at it! Kyn shoot an arrow at its head and its still moving! Sakura you have to trust me!"

Sakura looked Syaoran in the eyes, her worriness suddenly became courage, and nodded as a respond.

"Here we go!" Syaoran yelled as they landed. He ran towards the beast ---- head to head. Sakura stayed behind him, and reached for the crystal.

"What are they doing, are they insane?" Kyn commended. Unlike Kyn, Chocy, was sitting beside a tree, watching them, he knows what they're doing.

Syaoran ducked as the beast slashes with its claws. He brings the sword in front of him, and cut its left foot. It shines as he cut it. The beast screamed, it gives Chocy goosebumbs, Sakura used the crystal to suck its soul, just in time.

Syaoran breathed hardly as he sat on the ground. Sakura came to him with the crystal in her hand. "I caught it..."

Syaoran patted her head. "Well done..." Sakura smiled. ~~~~~

"Heroes....I never knew the legend was true. I've been in this forest so long I never knew that the missioners were on the loose." Kyn said as they prepare to leave in the morning.

"Please Kyn...please don't tell anyone about this...!" Sakura begged.

"......" Kyn shook her shoulders. "What are you talking about? Don't tell anyone what?I don't know anything." Then she turned around to the chamber, and waved. "Catch you later."

[Thanks...]Sakura thought.

~~~~~

They walked in silence. Chocy wasn't getting used to it at all. Then finally, as if the day would never come, they had reached the exit of the lost woods, and a great big flower field welcomed them. Sakura ran in excitement. "Wow~!" Chocy followed close after her. She picked a few flowers. "Let me make you a flower ring, Chocy!" Chocy nodded, and cheered. Syaoran looked at this peaceful sight, and sighed.

He walked close to Sakura. "Are you...still...mad?"

"Huh..what...?"

"Well, you look pretty upset when you took off yesterday..."

"Oh...that..." Sakura didn't know what to say, she didn't know what made her do that. She was just mad when she saw Syaoran and..."It's no big deal," she shrugged, "let's shake our hands and make up, like nothing had happened." She took out her hand.

[Oh please...] Chocy thought. [Everyone's heard of kiss and make up, but who'd heard off shake hands and make up??]

Syaoran lift his shoulders."Ok...I guess..."

[Oh please, you not really gonna do it are you? She'll think you hate her!] Chocy thought(with a dirty mind). [Don't you put out that hand...no!Geez...you need help, you have absolutely no experience with girls, here, allow me.] The Chocy kicked Syaoran, making his lose his balance and fall on top of Sakura and landed on a flower bed.

[There you go...]

Neither of them moved. Then Syaoran got up, and looked at Sakura. "Sorry...I didn't..."

"You did that on purpose!" Sakura cut him off.

"No!! I..."

"So...we made up right?"

"??"

She smiled. "Let's just move on!!" She sang as she got up.

Syaoran got up after her. "I don't get girls." He commended. [Kid, you'll need a lot of help.]Chocy thought, as they head of to their next adventure.