Many thanks to Lady Macbeth's Murderer and kittenhood! Your reviews spur me on! XD! This chapter's for you!

Illusions

Kyuu wasn't as aware of the changing of bed sheets or the rushed pace of the maids as they swarmed into Faylin's room. All he could hear was the slowly fading beat of Faylin's heart. Her pulse was so soft… She looked so pale. So fragile lying among the red stained sheets. Yet even though his heart broke for her, she shed no tears at her state. Her arm lay limp over the side of her bed. Hands dabbed at cuts and cleaned wounds, dressing them neatly.

All Kyuu could do was curl up at her arm and reassure it with his presence. It felt so paltry compared to the servants who raced in and out of the room with fresh water and bandages. He held onto the arm as if it were his lifeline, before he reached up and caressed Faylin's face. He could feel the silent prayers welling up inside him…

Don't go. Don't go…

He heard a gurgle rise from her throat as if she was attempting to speak. He laid a hand over her lips and nuzzled her cheek. She needed to rest. She was so foolish. She should think of herself more. If she… If she died…

His chest contracted so painfully that he had to use a fist to steady it. His eyes squeezed shut. It shouldn't hurt so much… He hadn't known her for long… The hand that he had grasped softly petted his head. He looked up only to find Faylin sweating profusely, spine twisted as her body thrashed wildly to expel that which had trapped her. The maids darted swiftly away and cowered. Faylin's skin glowed ethereally pearly white under the moons gaze. There was beauty even as she convulsed in the throes of pain. She coughed up more of the red liquid. But this time it was mixed with a foul smelling black substance that emitted such a dark aura that Kyuu was sent stumbling by the sheer force of it.

Kyuu ignored the shrieks of the maids and startled cries. He didn't have time for them. There was something much more important going on… He could hear where they could not. See what they could not see.

She was crying.

No tears fell from her cheeks. Yet her soul bellowed straight into his. Somewhere… Somewhere Faylin was trapped in a nightmare. A place with no light, no hope… And so, so much suffering. He had to find her… She didn't deserve this! Each step toward her felt like walking deeper and deeper into a furnace. The force holding his back seemed to press relentlessly against him till he was sure that his breath had ceased in his body. A trembling hand fisted in his snowy hair. Not so hard that it hurt, but the stands had been drawn taunt enough to signal that she was there. He had made it…

His mouth was so dry it took a while to form the words. "Let me in."

And everything around him crumbled.

The room surrounding him rushed by like a speeding train. Colours flashing by so fast that his mind couldn't place them before they went! He was sure that he would regurgitate on the floor- wherever the floor may be- when his surroundings simply… Clicked.

There was nothing at all familiar about this place. It was humid, hot and the sound of crickets chirping rang loudly in his ears. "Faylin?" he called out in a hesitant voice. A pale mist circled his feet, spreading out over the entire jungle floor. It was like a maze… A thump behind him drew his attention. He had a second to turn around before he was caught by the waist and slung over a broad man's shoulder. Surprise flashed across his features before he began thrashing about, trying to loosen himself from the man's grip. The arm around him tightened as the man ran through the undergrowth.

He stood at least two whole heads taller than Kyuu, a bare muscled back and torso, a stern mouth, stubborn chin. The hardened looks of a warrior. He carrier a spear in one hand, carved with strange lines and symbols. Eyes yellow as a cats and short cropped hair with a long, thin pigtail trailing behind. "Who-?" Kyuu tried to ask only to be jostled about and have the wind knocked from his lungs.

"Later," the man answered choppily. "Running. now." Kyuu tried to sight the pursuer, any pursuer but there was no one in sight.

"Who. Is. Chasing. Us?" Kyuu gasped out.

Light yellow eyes flashed dangerously. He whipped out a hand sending wave a white light blazing through the dirt. The ground trembled fiercely before tearing in two, sending dirt flying. A trap door was revealed beneath the earthy covering. A rope ladder poked ever so slightly out of the rim of the hole. "You can't see it." The man told him, sliding down the rope ladder with ease. "They never see it."His voice carried a deep hatred that laced like venom into his words. It was as dark as night in the underground cave. And it smelled damp and slightly like sewage. Kyuu's nose twitched in protest and he held up a hand to stifle it.

"They?" Kyuu questioned, no longer feeling scared. It was strange but he felt comfortable in this man's presence. He had always been a good judge of character… Perhaps due to his animal instincts. So he felt no qualms about not questioning it now.

"No one ever sees it. If you aren't careful you'll wind up just like her. And it'll be too late."The man rambled. Alarm rose in Kyuu at the mention of 'her'.

"Her?" he tried his best to make sure it didn't come out as a shout, that he didn't grasp the man's neck and try to throttle it out of him. (A foolish idea to be certain since the man was at least twice his size.) "What was her name? What did she look like?"

The human rubbed his chin absent mindedly. "The weak one. I don't know… Long wavy hair. Short." His description was brief. To this huge man even someone as tall as Faylin may be considered short. Dread filled him. His sky blue eyes filled with horror. Whatever had taken her was enough of a threat that even this great man fled in terror! How could he compare?

Kyuu jumped to his feet, suddenly unable to sit and do nothing. He was not strong or smart. But he had a heart as brave as any lion! He would save Faylin. "You can't leave." The man told him, staying a hand to prevent him from escaping. Ignoring the man's protests Kyuu started up the ladder.

His golden eyes narrowed at the white eared whelp. He began to warn him. "You take one more step up that ladder and I'm going to-" Kyuu took two more steps up only to be hauled back down by a meaty arm around his waist. He struggled in the man's grip, infuriated with his own lack of muscle power.

"I told you-!"The man began but Kyuu rounded on him as he started.

"You may be content to hide away here! But I have to rescue…" He fought his bonds again. "Faylin!" He punctuated her name with a burst of energy, teeth bared. Panting now, sweat dotting his brow. He wouldn't escape so easily… His mind was reeling. He had patience. But it didn't apply in this situation. Not when she was in danger. Not when she was hurting so bad in a place he couldn't reach her. He clawed at the huge warriors arms in a bid to free himself, to no avail… Kicking and thrashing, twisting and flailing.

The man wouldn't let go!

Hot tears of frustration welled in his eyes and he shook his head to clear them. He couldn't cry here! Not like this! How could he be so weak? Trapped by a single arm, unable to free himself… It was just like that time… With those hunters. So many hunters… He failed to notice a damp spot on the floor, just bigger than the head of a pin. The stamp of a tear.

"Don't cry Kyuu."The voice was rough but the hand caressed his head in a petting motion so soft and gentle it felt like a breeze upon his hair. But even as he heard it he couldn't believe it. Hearing the same words again from another's lips seemed impossible.

Then he looked up into familiar golden eyes.

Puzzlement was ripe in his features. How could he not have seen the resemblance? "Faylin?"