First of all, there is some mild lemon in this.  I would almost say
lime, except that there are some body part names used (though no
on-screen "act") and it is heavily implied.

Second, I know there are some spelling errors.  I've fixed the copy
that's on my web site, but not this one.  I'm more interested about
hearing about my grammar problems (and there was one right there).

Third, all previous parts available on my web site at:
http://www.emich.edu/public/llb/wisc.html

Also, I drew a little picture for this part (as mediocre as my
sketching ability is).  It can be found at:
http://www.emich.edu/public/llb/pics/K&N.jpg






{These characters are not property of me. I would never attempt to claim
them as my own. This story may not be used without my permission, and may
not be used to make money in any way, shape or form. Characters and
certain situations were created by Rumiko Takahashi, so don't try any
funny stuff!}


                    A Wolf in Samurai's Clothing
                         by Lara Bartram
                    ----------------------------


Chapter 4, part 2

	Kuno licked his chops eagerly and leaned forward in
anticipation.  Nabiki ran her fingertip through the gash in the rabbit
and lifted it to his nose, where his nostrils flared with the
tantalizing scent teasing it.
	She touched the thin line of his lips lightly until he finally
took her finger into his mouth and sucked aggressively on it, scraping
his teeth lightly on her skin.  He set the rabbit on the tree,
releasing Nabiki's finger, and pushed her over to the side so she was
on her back in the snow.
	Kuno pulled open the tunic-like shirt she was wearing, and with
ability born of much practice, he carefully unhooked her bra.
	She didn't feel particularly cold even though the temperature
was low enough to make the ground freeze.  Yet, she wasn't adversely
affected by it.  Her body was still reacting to the temperature,
especially with her chest laid bare, and her nipples had already
hardened.
	Grunting, Kuno exposed her chest and stomach completely.
Delighting in the sight, he was suddenly so excited that he didn't
know what to do because he wanted to do it all at once.  Her body, the
cold air, and the smell of the rabbit was beginning to overload his
brain.
	Nabiki reached up, fumbling a bit, and took hold of the
rabbit and pulled it off the dead tree.  Staring into Kuno's eyes, she
allowed blood from the quickly cooling body to dribble down the path
of her breastbone.
	Setting it aside, more within her reach this time, she ran her
fingers through the blood on her chest, then traced the curve of her
breast and swirled her fingertip around her nipple.  Wearing a smile
somewhere between amused and wicked, the heady scent of coppery blood
exciting her as well, Nabiki whispered, "Take them all off."
	The blood, the smell, the taste, the pure desire...  She hated
it.  She hated being a slave to her sense, but...
	Kuno quickly stripped her the rest of the way and immediately
had his own ideas on what to do.  Before going any farther, he lightly
brushed his fingers over Nabiki's eyes to get her to close them.  He
then reached for the rabbit, teasing her bare skin with the brush of
his fur.  No matter how much he enjoyed everything, it only got better
with the addition of blood from a kill.
	Sitting up quickly, he held the rabbit up and let the blood
spill out over Nabiki's stomach and lower, then back up over her
breasts.  The sight of her covered in the blood, writhing beneath him
would fuel his fantasies for a very long time to come.  He bent down
and began lapping up the blood when Nabiki grabbed a handful of fur.
	She glared at him, holding on very tightly, and said,
"Change."
	Kuno raised his eyebrows at her command, then quickly changed
back to human.  Instead of being held by the fur, it was by the hair,
and he was being yanked down for a heated kiss.
	Relaxing, he lowered his body and felt the thickening blood
squelch between them.  His whole body shivered against the feeling as
it created a slippery layer, growing slightly sticky between the two
of them.  How did she always know what to do to make him so desperate?
It was absolutely infuriating.  In a good way.

	"Two times in one day.  I do believe you are getting worse,"
Kuno said as they lay in the snow next to each other.
	"Worse?  In what way?" Nabiki asked.
	Sitting up, Kuno looked down at her.  Seriously, he answered,
"Each day, your insatiable appetite grows ever larger."  He smiled.
	"Don't even start.  You know I blame this on you anyway," she
replied.
	"Of course.  Forgive me."  He continued to look at her, his
smile gone.  It was still strange to him, the way he could gaze at her
naked form and not feel anything beyond mild arousal.  There had been a
time, not that long ago really, that the sight of a half-dressed (or
less) girl (namely Akane or the pig-tailed girl) would have him
drooling and twitching.
	Now...  He ran his finger up the outside of Nabiki's thigh and
felt the vague stirrings, but nothing that needed immediate attention.
If anything, it was a feeling of satisfaction, but not for the most
obvious reason.  The way his body worked now was just too confusing.
Whenever he actually tried to make sense of it, he just ended up
going in a circle.  He found it best to simply accept things and take
them as they came.
	If only it was possible to get Nabiki to do the same...
	Nabiki saw the unfocused look in his eyes and shook her head.
"And you call me insatiable.  Look who's talking."
	Kuno looked startled for a moment, then he grinned.  "The lady
makes a joke?  We shall see how funny she thinks this is then."  He
scooped Nabiki up, who immediately began to struggle, but maybe not as
hard as she could have.  Standing, Kuno headed for the river.
	"Not this again!" Nabiki protested, putting a little more
effort into her escape attempt.
	"Fear not.  It is only slightly colder than it looks.  And
cleansing for the both of us is in order."  At the river's edge, he
took a small step, letting the cold water cover his foot.  No, it
really wasn't that bad.
	"Think of it as simply a refreshing dip," he continued, and
started walking out farther into the water.
	The moment the frigid water hit Nabiki's backside, she
shrieked, more in surprise than anything else.  "Get me out of this
water right now!" she demanded.
	"That will cost you."  And then Kuno ducked and submerged them
both, maintaining his footing in the rushing current.  He knew she
probably wasn't enjoying it as much as he, simply because there was no
way his body could even come close to feeling like hers, wet and
squirming against him.
	This time, he emerged with her from the water and kissed her
before she could protest.  That was her problem.  She was either
serious or wickedly humorous.  Nabiki never relaxed, except for those
precious few days at lunch, which he sorely missed.
	"Relax," he whispered to her as the river flowed around them.
"Enjoy this."  He kissed her gently again, holding her body against
his.  Nothing overtly sexual about it, just comfortable, inviting...
His hands roamed slowly, carefully, not losing hold of her.
	He broke the kiss, listening to her murmur, maybe of protest,
and sighed.  "How could I ever not love you?" he whispered.
	"You seemed to manage it pretty well for a while there," she
answered smartly, still doubting his sincerity.
	"Your words are cold, but your body is warm.  Abandon your
protests, give in to your desires and leave your doubts behind," he
proclaimed loudly.
	Nabiki looked at him with surprise.  "What drugs are you on?"
she asked, blinking.  Still she held on to him, tuning out the
pleasant sensation of their bodies in contact with one another in the
cold water.  Suddenly blushing like a fool, she tried to push Kuno's
arms away so he would put her down, but he resisted.
	"Jesus, Kuno-chan.  What's wrong with you?" Nabiki asked,
becoming more confused by each passing moment.
	"Nothing could be more right!"
	"Did you hit your head?  Or get bitten by a bug?  Eat
something bad maybe?"
	"Nay!  And now..."  His voice turned quiet and bordered on
suave.  "Shall we continue, or do you truly wish to stop now?"
	"What is it with you tonight?"
	"Since you did not say no..."
	The words forming in Nabiki's mouth were forced out of her as
a squeak as he lifted her against him, letting her legs go and
pressing their chests and stomachs together tightly while they kissed.

	When they finally returned to the cabin, both wet and slightly
chilly, they managed to squeeze into the bed this time together.
	Before sleep overcame them, he whispered to her, "Sex with you
is the best thing that's ever happened to me."  He kissed the nape of
her neck before settling in.
	Sleep was not as easy for Nabiki to find.  What was it with
him that suddenly had him acting like an extreme loon?  And that last
thing he had said...  What was up with that?  But, she considered as
she yawned, he did have a pretty comfortable hold on her, and the
water had been nice, and maybe she could just... go with the flow for
a little while.
	That was when she finally managed to sleep.
	For most of the night, the two slept deeply, moving very
little in the cramp space afforded them, but eventually, Kuno started
to dream.  A dream of something dark and unpleasant.
	It wasn't anything visible, just an impression of an intruder,
someone watching him.  Watching him, watching Nabiki...  An intruding
male, which he didn't take kindly to.  However, when he looked around
for whoever it was, he couldn't see anyone.
	He couldn't see anyone, couldn't smell anyone...  Nothing, but
he knew there was someone just waiting for a chance to take Nabiki
away from him.  Not that he would ever allow that.  he would have to
be dead to allow that.
	Thankfully, the dream passed shortly, and the darkness
reclaimed him.

***

	Morning came early, seemingly extra early with the continuous
darkness.  Nabiki awoke first, slowly coming to awareness in the tiny
bed.  That was one thing she didn't mind about the whole situation:
waking up in someone's arms.  Even if it was only Kuno, it still felt
pretty nice.  And maybe he really wasn't that bad...
	But no one needed to know that either.  That could just be her
little secret.  She freed her arms from Kuno's hold, noticing
immediately where his hands fell, and stretched luxuriously.
"Kuno-chan," she said quietly, "are you done yet?"
	Almost in mocking, his hands squeezed her momentarily, then
they slid down to her ribs, tickling her slightly.  Of course, it was
from the soft fur covering his arms and brushing delicately against
her.
	Shivering a little, wishing momentarily she had her own fur
coat she could rely on, Nabiki pulled away from Kuno and sat up in the
bed.  She wasn't as tired from the previous night as she thought she'd
be, which was a plus, but there was now the whole death thing weighing
on her mind.  That was a fairly sizable minus.
	Bleah.  None of that was accomplishing anything.  But neither
was just sitting on the bed.  She was undecided.  She just didn't feel
up to life in general that day.  It happened to everyone now and
again, and Nabiki was not exempt from that.  And why was she talking
to herself like that?
	Oh yeah.  That did it.  Nabiki laid back down to get a little
more sleep.  Rolling to her back after a few moments, she exhaled
heavily.  From there, she shifted to her other side so she was facing
Kuno.  It didn't seem to matter though.  No matter how hard she tried
to sleep, there was just something not right that was preventing her.
	The bed itself was fine.  The problem wasn't there.  It was
something else.  Giving up on the idea of more sleep, Nabiki got out
of bed and paced the room.  Yes, the room.  That was it, but what
about it?
	"Come back to bed," Kuno said sleepily.
	Nabiki looked over at him and shook her head.  "I can't
sleep."
	"Why not?"
	What a twit.  "If I knew that, I'd be able to do something
about it and I'd be asleep."  She maintained her annoyance for another
second.  "There's just something not right here.  I don't know what."
	Kuno sat up yawning and stretching.  That was an interesting
feeling in itself as his muscles did their own stretching, changing
and changing back again.  It was like a really, REALLY good stretch.
	Nabiki's eyes glazed over when Kuno stretched, his chest
acquiring unreal proportions for a few moments.  Would going to the
beach be like this, staring at all the guys?  Or was it just Kuno?
Either way...  "Kuno-chan, stop that."
	"Stop what?"
	Nabiki rolled her eyes.  What a dip.  "I need some air.  I'm
going outside."  She slipped on some clothes and left the room,
feeling like there was a stranger watching her back.  Too bad for
Kuno-chan.  He could stay in there for all she cared.
	Leaving the home and stepping out into the cold air
immediately woke Nabiki up and refreshed her.  That weird feeling was
gone, which relieved her quite a bit.  Looking around, it was
apparently earlier than she had thought because the village wasn't
bustling yet.  If only the sun came, thens he'd be able to tell what
time it was.  Or at least know when it was morning.
	Not that it mattered because she enjoyed the silence, the
tranquility.  Nabiki decided then to go for a little walk alone with
just her thoughts.  Somewhat surprisingly, her thoughts were
particularly silent at the moment.  That made it all the more quiet in
the snow.
	When would Kuno realize that she wasn't like him and that she
operated in a different manner?  Ah, there was her inner monologue.  A
perfect way to start out the day, even with the pleasant walk.  Her
stomach growled to punctuate her thoughts.
	Her nose twitched unconsciously and her stomach growled again.
Eating for three.  What a pain.  It was looking like she'd have to cut
her walk short to get something to eat before she woke up the entire
village with her noisy stomach.
	Turning, Nabiki was planning on simply heading straight back,
but the small shape hiding amidst a clump of dormant bushes caught her
eye.  Her eye and her nose, and that was what set it all in motion.
The feeling hit her like a ton of bricks and she was powerless to stop
it.
	Desperately attempting to shed any clothing that might rip,
Nabiki fought through the pain, fought the urge to just fall to the
ground and give up while the agony rifled through her.  It was only
when the change reached her stomach, the on problem point, that she
did sit down roughly.
	Strangely, the cold snow made it not so bad, the wetness
somehow taking the edge off the pain in her arms and legs.  Moaning,
Nabiki put her hands, now with long, thin fingers and impossibly sharp
nails, on her stomach.  It felt like she had the most wicked cramp in
the universe, and it wasn't going away.  She knew she shouldn't have
gone out alone, but...
	"Just get it over with," she growled, her voice sounding
barely human, as another wave of pain hit her.  All this because she
had been hungry and a stupid little rabbit had caught her attention.
She really needed to get these changes under control in a hurry.
	Finally, with a great stomach-churning shift, it was done
with, and Nabiki was feeling a whole lot better, if not much happier.
Grumbling to herself, she collected the clothes she had shed, folding
them neatly.
	Crap.  She couldn't go back in her current condition.  Someone
would probably end up having a heart attack, or attacking her.
Great.  Maybe if she could just get Kuno-chan to...  Her stomach
rumbled again, letting her know its demands hadn't been met yet.  And
that damnable rabbit was still hiding over there.  Well, if it wanted
to live on the dangerous side, Nabiki was obliged to teach it a
lesson.
	The rabbit did little more than twitch its left ear and Nabiki
was off.  She covered the original distance between the little animal
and herself in three bounds, sending the rodent tearing off through
the snow.  Nabiki was faster, but the rabbit was more maneuverable in
its native territory.
	The chase, as the little creature seemingly ran through every
obstacle in an effort to annoy, was making Nabiki a tad upset.  It had
teased her with its presence, then had the nerve to run away.  Well,
she would make sure it learned not to toy with her when she was
hungry.
	And it was so annoyingly quick.  Growling, Nabiki tried to
force herself to move a little faster, but there simply wasn't enough
room among the trees for her to really go all out.  The rabbit darted
under a fallen tree that Nabiki was forced to hurdle.  Instead of
continuing though, the rabbit had found its way to its burrow
positioned beneath the tree and had scurried down it.
	Stopping abruptly in the snow, Nabiki turned and glared at the
fallen tree that had helped her breakfast to escape.  She could see
the little space under the tree where the rabbit had gone.  Maybe if
she was lucky...  Crouching down, Nabiki reached her arm down into
that little area and felt for... well, anything.  Feeling the hole the
rabbit had escaped into, she thrust her down into it as far as it
would fit.
	Unfortunately, that wasn't very far, and she couldn't get that
floppy-eared bastard.  Withdrawing her hand, she pushed the tree over
a little, and that was when the rabbit made its move.
	Instead of hiding down the hole, it had squeezed under the
tree to the opposite end and had been hiding there.  For fear of being
squashed, it started to run, which got Nabiki's attention.  Her head
whipped around to see the annoying little beast run off, much to her
consternation.
	... Until it was nearly beheaded by a set of claws piercing
its neck.  It was dead before it even knew what happened.
	Nabiki looked up sharply, caught totally off-guard by whoever
this stranger was.  She had been able to tell immediately that it was
not Kuno, because this stranger, this wolf had white fur.  Whiter than
white even.  This was not good.
	Nabiki yanked her arm and hand free the rest of the way and
jumped back, eyeing the stranger suspiciously.  Possibly even a bit
hostilely, considering her last encounter with a strange wolf, but she
was probably not using as much caution as she should have been.
	Instead of making any sort of aggressive move, the other simply
stood and watched her, his whole body perfectly still.  Backing away
very slowly, Nabiki couldn't help but stare, her attention at the
possibility of being in a very dangerous situation wavering.  Since
she hadn't actually seen any other... others besides Kuno and herself,
this one standing before her was fascinating.  There were a host of
little details about him that differentiated the two males, and that's
what she was looking at.
	This one's legs were a little longer, but his chest was
smaller, more compact.  His nails were shorter and Nabiki could see
they were much thicker and somewhat ragged with use.  But his eyes
were the strangest thing of all.  They weren't red.  They were white,
like the color in them had simply been forgotten.
	The stranger removed his claws from the body of the rabbit and
slowly backed away, putting even more space between himself and
Nabiki.  There was something in his eyes, those flat, almost dead
eyes, that she didn't care for.  It was like she was being sized up
again, the same way that vampire had done to her before.  She snarled,
just a little, at him.
	So this was her.  How interesting.  It was obvious she was
inexperienced, but he knew how difficult the pregnancy would make the
change and that didn't help her at all.  Not that that mattered.  His
little investigation had almost gotten him caught.  She probably would
have noticed him eventually, and then things would have gotten
awkward.  He really liked to be in control when it came to
confrontations, and surprise was his best ally in that sense.
	Oh well.  He would make an effort to watch the two more, maybe
see what the other one looked like, test his mettle.  And maybe, in a
bit of vicarious living, he could catch them doing something with
another rabbit.  Whatever they had been doing before smelled... very
intriguing, definitely worth watching.
	Continuing to move back, he watched her snarl at him and
couldn't contain his deep inhuman chuckle.  Oh yes, she would fit
right in to things.  He turned and ran just far enough away so he
could see what she would do next.
	Nabiki watched him run off into the trees, the mysterious
figure now capturing all her attention and curiosity.  Her nostrils
flared repeatedly as she picked up the mingling scent of the stranger.
She picked it up, a bit faint, and then again, stronger.  Suddenly, in
a rush of sensation, she could smell... everything.  Not like before,
not things here and there, but everything.
	This was what she had been missing before, what was really
impressive.  Everything seemed more real.  And that rabbit...  Nabiki
looked at it and immediately her mouth began to water.  She could
almost taste it.
	Still looking for the stranger amidst the trees, she
approached the rabbit slowly.  If the stranger was planning on
returning for his kill, she wanted to be ready for him.  If he wasn't,
then she'd just have to thank him for breakfast.
	The morning wasn't exactly turning out like she had planned,
but it wasn't all bad either.  She still had that little problem of
turning from a human into an animal...  But first, a little something
to tide her over until lunch.

***

	Kuno reawakened later, spread out in the bed.  It was nice to
have some room while he slept and not be reduced to a coat of fur to
keep himself warm.  Just one of those little things about Nabiki...
Such a bedhog.  But, then, it was very nice to wake up with someone
cuddled against him like she always did.  It didn't hurt that she was
usually naked.
	He started to get out of bed, the blanket around his waist
just in case anyone peeked in, still rather tired after the late
night.  Not that he minded; he could think of worse things to do late
at night than...  He sighed and tried to calm himself down.  There
just wasn't any call for that so early in the morning.
	The one sure way to kill his mood...  The smell.  Damn it, why
couldn't they just be left alone to go about their business?  Didn't
anyone have any respect for a physically bonding relationship anymore?
Didn't they know Nabiki was his?  It was something whoever had been
snooping around had better learn quick because he was prepared to
defend her, KEEP her, fight for her to the very end.
	Wait a minute.  Kuno looked around suddenly.  Um... just where
was Nabiki?  In a sudden panic, Kuno pulled on his pants, ignoring a
shirt and shoes for the moment, and burst from the room.  He could
smell she wasn't anywhere in the house, which meant she was outside,
which meant...
	Not sparing Rhodes or Anatalia any glances, Kuno threw open
the door and slammed it behind him as he ran outside.  The only
thought running through his head over and over again was that he had
lost her, maybe for good this time.  And even if he hadn't, every time
she left his sight, he would think that he had.
	It took him a moment to pick up her scent, a failing of his
worried mind, but when he did, he was off and running.  There was a
steady stream of curses running through his brain as each of the
scents, Nabiki's and the stranger's, grew stronger.
	No, he would never forgive himself if anything happened to
her, but if something did, something... permanent, he wouldn't
hesitate to kill himself.  This train of thought helped him even less,
and he doubled his efforts at locating her.  His breathing was getting
heavy as unwanted panic began to set in.  Kuno was forced to stop for
a moment and examine the woods around him.
	"Nabiki!" he yelled, unable to control his terror any longer.
"Where are you?"  He stopped and listened for any reply, but only the
sounds of the woods answered him.  "Nabiki!" Kuno yelled again, this
time his voice cracking.
	It was only when her shape merged from the darkness at him and
he almost fainted from surprise that Kuno felt better.  He actually
had tears of relief in his eyes as he went and embraced her tightly.
The fact that she was a wolf and why was unimportant.  All that
mattered to him was that she was safe.
	"You saw a stranger?" he asked, unwilling to let go even
though she was trying to push him off.
	Finally annoyed with his unrelenting hold, Nabiki took hold of
Kuno's arms and pulled them apart, freeing herself.  She pushed him
away and held him at arm's length.
	"Are you injured?  Where did the fiend go?  I shall..." Kuno
said, his face shifting from worry to anger.
	Nabiki let go of one of his arms and put her hand over his
mouth to make him quiet.  She led him back toward the village,
releasing him when it seemed that he had finally calmed down.  Making
a quick detour to get her clothes from where she had left them, Nabiki
resisted all of her wild urges to just be an animal, even if it was
only temporary.
	That was maybe the one thing she found more tempting than
anything else about her situation, that if she really wanted to, she
could just run off and leave everything behind.  The scary thing about
that though was that she knew if she did, she wouldn't feel the least
bit guilty about it.
	Leave her friends behind.  :eave her home and family behind.
Leave everything and she wouldn't feel bad about it at all.  Their
loss, it was her life to do with as she pleased, and there was no way
she was going to cater to their pathetic needs just because they
couldn't take care of themselves properly.
	After all, shouldn't Father have a job?  Shouldn't he be
bringing money into the household instead of being a useless lump
every day?  And Akane and Ranma, always breaking things...  When would
they learn some responsibility and just grow the hell up?  Nabiki had
never seen a more immature pair of 16 year olds than them.  Frankly,
she was getting sick of it all.
	Before she knew what she was doing, Nabiki threw Kuno to the
ground, pinned his arms and had his neck in her jaws.  She was about
three seconds from literally biting his head off.  Then his fear
washed over her, his fear of her, and all her anger and annoyance
disappeared.
	Even subconsciously, she was manipulating him, using her power
over him to wash away the helplessness she felt about her family.  She
used him to make her feel better, and strangely, it felt fine.  It
felt like it was the natural order of things.  That, in a way, scared
Nabiki.
	Was the natural order of things for her to come close to
killing people just as an easy way to make herself feel better?  If it
was, Nabiki had to admit she wasn't all that enthused with the idea.
She didn't care about treating Kuno like crap... did she?  But she
didn't want to murder anyone.  No, she was not a bloodthirsty killer.
She would never kill anyone unless it was absolutely necessary.
	But...  Kuno had killed plenty of people, and that hadn't been
necessary at all.  OK, time for rationalization to kick in.  Kuno was
like that.  He had quite a temper when it served his purposes, and he
was naturally high-strung and quick to act.  Of course he would go off
murdering people like that if he thought they deserved it.  However,
she was nothing like that.
	Nabiki Tendo would simply never get mad enough to go on a
vengeance-motivated killing spree.  And yet, vengeance wasn't beyond
her.  So what if she lost control, even once, and decided to take
revenge on the person that had insulted her the other day?  She would
be little more than high school yakuza then, even if no one else knew
it.
	All the brief moments she had spent considering her sudden
wild instincts, she had sat there with Kuno's life between her teeth,
just waiting to remove him from existence.  And she could have done
so, so easily...
	Nabiki stood up quickly, then ran off into the woods.
Things... things were getting too personal, too dangerous.  She was
getting too close to things she wanted no part of.  And she really
didn't want to do anything bad to anyone.  She just had to keep
telling herself that.
	Kuno would have no trouble finding her, but she hoped he
realized that chasing after her at that moment would be a very unwise
idea.  Yes, she could just run off and be a wild animal, but more than
anything, she just wanted to be home.
	Nabiki wouldn't feel guilty for leaving her family, but guilt
and sadness weren't necessarily related to each other.

	Kuno sat up slowly, missing where Nabiki had run off to.  At
the moment, he didn't think he'd be following her anyway.  She
apparently needed some time to herself, and who was he to go against
her wishes?
	He put his hand to his throat and felt where her teeth had
been only moments ago.  That had truly been the most terrifying
experience of his life, more than his initial encounter with the...
the person who had done...  It was so hard to think about his
situation in regular terms.  He had made due for a time, but now those
terms seemed so inadequate.
	They just didn't do justice to everything he had gone through,
all the physical and mental pain that he had endured.  He wasn't being
melodramatic or self-pitying (two things he knew Nabiki would have
accused him of), he was just being realistic.  Anyone who had
experienced what he had would feel the same way.
	And anyone who knew what Nabiki's teeth felt like on their
throat would have been just as afraid.  But the most worrying thing
was that he didn't know why she had done it.  She had never been
that... angry?  She hadn't seemed angry when they had been walking;
there hadn't appeared to be anything wrong when he had found her.  In
fact, she seemed more annoyed by his presence than anything.  So just
what had he done this time?
	Sighing, Kuno stood and looked in the direction Nabiki's scent
led.  He wanted to go after her, if only to find out what was wrong,
but he didn't want to test her mood either.  It was then that he knew,
he would never understand women.  They were their own species and not
meant for men to understand.
	Instead of heading back to the village or following Nabiki,
Kuno went and sat down on the ground with his back to a jagged tree
stump.  Whatever the problem was, he would be waiting when she
returned.

	Now that Nabiki was nearly an adult, and would be in only a
couple more months, there were two things she truly despised:
indecisiveness and lack of control.  At the moment, she was
experiencing both and hating herself for it.  When she couldn't be in
control of her own body, what was left?  Not her mind, that was for
sure.  She had lost that when she had given in to her want, her need
to have sex with Kuno.
	Even then, her body hadn't really been under her control, but
that hadn't occurred to her at the time.  It hadn't been as big an
issue as it was now.  Back then, she had basically lowered herself to
the level of a man, not being in control of her hormones.  But now,
she didn't even know what she was.
	Shaking her head ruefully, Nabiki was finally getting an idea
how Ranma felt.  She wasn't strictly human any longer, but she wasn't
an animal either.  She didn't know what to think of herself, how to
think of herself, which was ultimately frustrating because she had
never had to worry about such a thing before.
	There was one thing she definitely refused to be though.
Nabiki would never belong to anyone but herself.  Whatever Kuno called
her, his love or his reason for living, or her father calling her his
little girl...  None of that mattered.  She wouldn't be any of those
things for them.
	There was only herself, and how anyone else tried to co-exist
in her world would be on her terms.  And it was as simple as that.
She was her own master, and that was who she was.  Nothing more,
nothing less.
	Finally with something, no matter how insignificant, worked
out, Nabiki decided it was time to return.  So maybe she wasn't the
master of her own destiny (how could she be when she didn't believe in
destiny), but she knew she could be the controlling force in her
own...  Nabiki looked down at herself and sighed.  Her own life and
the lives of at least two others.  She figured she was already
indirectly controlling Kuno's life, but that was practically by his
own choice.
	Walking back slowly, feeling the chill of the air as an almost
abstract thing, Nabiki wondered just how much she could take.  How
much longer would it be until she DID give in?  When would she find
herself in the position that she had to kill someone?  Those were
questions she hoped she never had to answer.
	And now to deal with Kuno.  Jeez, what was she supposed to do
with him?  There were times he was so hard to deal with, not listening
to her, acting like a complete reckless fool...  A fool and an idiot
that was good in bed, and maybe some other things that she couldn't
admit.  Of course, not all that was her fault.  She hadn't actually
asked for a bunch of annoying emotional ties, but...
	Nabiki growled.  It would have to be him, wouldn't it?  It
would have to be the one that couldn't plan five seconds into the
future, the one who couldn't accept the obvious, the one that seemed
to enjoy getting the crap beat out of him.  Though, at least it hadn't
been someone completely pathetic like Mousse, or a schmuck like
Mikado.  Not that there were many other choices that weren't complete
strangers.
	Naturally, no ordinary guy, like the other Furinkan riff-raff
would do, so she would, of course, end up with the non-ordinary
riff-raff.  Why, oh why, did she have to live in Nerima?  Someplace,
some town where the people were normal... that was all she asked for.
To hell with profitable.  A simple, easy life was all she wanted now.

	Kuno stood up slowly as Nabiki approached.  She looked... 
tired.  And unhappy, but not necessarily with him.  Not to say she
wasn't annoyed with him, but he got the distinct impression it wasn't
only with him.  He watched her slow, even footsteps carry her toward
him and waited.  If Nabiki wanted to come to him, then she would.  No
words needed to be spoken.
	He did sigh with relief when she took his arm, no matter how
roughly, and forced him to walk with her.  Making an effort, Kuno
tried to move closer, to walk against her and enjoy her presence.
Because that was what he did.  Sometimes, not very often, he was a
simple person.  Doing things because they made him happy was an
uncommon thing, too uncommon for his liking.
	When he found something he liked, something simple he could
enjoy, he did it.  That was what he did.  Maybe it was a feeble effort
to maintain his own semblance of sanity, maybe it was something that
ate away at his sanity, those glimpses, almost forbidden, of simple
happiness...
	Even when Nabiki treated him like an idiot, like a child, in a
way, it made him happy because it was simple and straightforward.  She
didn't think much of him, but he knew that.  The lines between them
were very clear, even if they did cross every so often.  Simple.
	That's the way he liked things.  That was who he was.

***

	No one could actually tell the clouds overhead were
thickening, no one could really cared.  They were a fact of life, and
they did as they pleased.  In the deepening darkness of approaching
night, a rumble came from the clouds, slight and barely audible, but
it was there.
	A single snowflake fell lazily to the ground, accompanied by
that rumble.  It was joined by a second flake and the uncommon flash
of lightning.
	"Where do you think..."
	"You know they'll be perfectly fine.  Why do you insist on
protecting them like they were babes?  I don't understand."
	Anna looked worriedly back at her husband, then slowly closed
the door.  "I don't know.  They just..."
	"Look, I understand.  You know how... deeply, painfully I do.
But really, if anyone needed protecting, it would be us, and they
would do a better job of it than everyone in this village."  Rhodes'
voice had taken on the gentle soothing tone he used to placate his
wife.
	Inhaling once deeply and exhaling, Anna nodded and returned to
her preparation of dinner.  Her irrational, motherly feelings wouldn't
have been so bad if... if they hadn't know tragedy before.
	Rhodes sat down and was about to start mending a seam on one
of his shirts when the thunder started again.  "What the..."  Both he
and Anna looked upwards as if they would be provided with answers.
	The thunder came again, this time sounding like 50 trees all
falling at once and shaking the little house with its power.  "I had
better check on the animals before they panic totally," he said,
rising from his chair.  It was so strange.  The weather was never so
violent in the winter.  Never.
	He opened the door to see the scattered flakes making their
slow descent.  There was another crack of thunder that made him cringe
slightly, and that was when he heard them.  Two voices, growing in
pitch and volume, howling at...  Rhodes could guess.  Shaking his
head, partly at the couple, partly at the mysterious weather, he went
to check on the animals.

	It was sometime later, after Anna had gone to bed, but Rhodes
was still up when the two returned.  As they entered the house, Rhodes
looked at them questioningly, but said nothing.
	Kuno was wearing his usual happy, befuddled smile on his face,
while Nabiki was cradled in his arms.  By all appearances, she was
asleep.  When Kuno saw Rhodes looking at them, he blushed, ever so
slightly, and nodded his head in greeting.
	Rhodes quirked a smile at the couple, letting his gaze travel
down to the exhausted, yet happy look on Nabiki's face.  He arched one
eyebrow and looked back up at Kuno.
	Shaking his head in a feeble attempt to deny what Rhodes was
implying, Kuno's cheeks turned scarlet and he hurried back to their
room.
	Chuckling slightly, Rhodes turned his attention back to the
shirt he had been attempting to fix all evening.  "To be young and in
love," he said quietly to himself.

***

	"I don't want to go," Nabiki whispered.
	"Are you sure?"
	"No."
	Kuno understood, but would not say it.  Nabiki was scared.
Maybe he was a little scared himself.  Frankly, the unknown scared
him, and if things weren't unknown now, he didn't know when they ever
would be.  "What do you want to do then?"  He could predict her
answer; it was what he wanted to do too.
	"Go home."
	"Are you sure?"
	"No."
	Neither was he.  "Why is that?"
	Nabiki shrugged against him the dark.  "I don't know.  We've
come so far, and..."
	"It wouldn't be giving up."
	"I know!  You know, if I thought there wouldn't be any
difference, I don't... I don't think I would have ever done this.  I
don't even really care about myself now.  It's just... I don't think
it's right to..."  To force them to live in an unnatural state, or for
her to have to take care of them.
	"I understand."
	"You always do.  How do you manage that now?  You never did
before."
	Kuno's next words shocked Nabiki.  "I never made an effort
before."
	"Simple as that, eh?  You never made the effort before?  And
what about Ranma?"  It suddenly felt like he was playing some huge
joke on her, on all of them.
	His silence was proof of his sincerity though.  "I... I never
made the effort."
	"I know, you already said that."
	"Fine.  It was an effort I never wished to make.  Is that what
you want to hear me say?"
	"So you knew, but you never wanted to believe?"  Nabiki made a
tsking sound.  "Kuno-chan, that is so cliche."
	"It may be cliche.  It may even be true."
	Nabiki didn't know what to say to that.  It sure sounded like
he didn't even know why... if he...  "Kuno-chan, are you gay?"
	The outrage was quite clear in his voice.  "Of course not!
That is...  I would never...  Unthinkable!"
	She couldn't help it.  Nabiki started to laugh quietly, but
with increasing volume.  She just knew he was frowning at her, and
that made it even more humorous.  Always with that serious look on her
face.  "Well," Nabiki managed to say when her laughter died down,
"that's good to hear."
	"Is it now?"
	Immediately, Nabiki knew she had made a mistake.  He was quick
enough now to use a little slip like that in his favor, even if it was
only about his little fantasy that she really loved him.  That was
just ridiculous, but a quick comeback was more necessary than denial.
	"Yeah, or I just wouldn't feel right about this."  Nabiki
rolled over so she had her back to Kuno, then she pressed back against
him, wiggling.  Not quite seductively, but just enjoying the feeling.
	"You are correct," he answered, slipping his arms around her.
"I'm sure that would not feel as pleasurable as it does if I were...
if I was inclined toward the companionship of men."
	"I've always wondered... when did you start talking like that?
And why?  I don't remember when..."
	"I would prefer not to speak of it."  In that instant, his
voice had lost all semblance of familiarity or friendship.  He was
suddenly speaking to her as if she were Ranma.
	"But I..."
	"I will not speak about it."  And with that, he turned and
refused to say anything more.
	That hadn't been the right approach to take, but Nabiki knew
he would get over it and be his regular stuffy self again.  Yet, this
was a little mystery he wouldn't be able to keep to himself forever.
After all, he hadn't always been so obsessed with his poetry and being
a samurai.
	Hesitating for a moment, Nabiki rolled over and looked at
Kuno's back.  His body was still, the only movement coming from his
breathing.  She meant to put her hand on his back, but as she was
about to touch him, her hand stopped.  Deciding to stop thinking so
much, just this one time for his sake because they were in this
situation together, Nabiki gently placed her hand flat on his shoulder
blade.  They needed each other.
	Kuno's body twitched when Nabiki's hand came into contact with
his back, then relaxed.  She slid her hand from his shoulder up and
over his side, then she moved closer to him until they were almost
touching.  "You know, for claiming to love me so much," she whispered,
moving her hand up and down his side, "you sure like to push me away."
	His voice in reply was quiet and much subdued, and Nabiki knew
that he was hurt by something.  "You do not, and do not attempt to
tell me otherwise, love me.  Whatever emotion I show for you, apart
from base lust, is not returned.  I will not have you abuse more
knowledge about me when you feel it suits your purposes."
	"You don't trust me?"
	His answer was slow in coming.  "I trust you more than I
believe I should, but not as much as I would like to be able to."
Kuno's voice was still hard and hurt.
	And for some reason, the words he had said... hurt her.  The
fact that Tatewaki Kuno didn't feel he could trust her was...
laughable.  Insulting.  Disappointing?  "Well..."  Nabiki shrugged so
he could feel it.  "I'm sorry."
	"Your words are appreciated."  It was quite obvious that they
weren't.
	"I mean it.  I'm not just saying that.  I figure, in this
situation, we need each other.  We need to be able to trust each
other, turn to each other for help.  I trust you."  In their
situation, she couldn't think of an instance when she wouldn't; Nabiki
just couldn't imagine him turning on her.
	"True."
	At that moment, Nabiki just wanted him to face her.  "Is that
all you're going to say?  Why are you so damned..."
	"Melodramatic?"  Kuno finally did roll over.  "And why are you
expressing such interest in an animal which you care nothing for?
Honestly, the mystery of the real person hidden behind your exterior
would warrant my presence near you even if our situations had never
changed."
	"You mean you weren't interested before?"  It seemed that he
had recovered a little of his budding sense of humor.
	Kuno sniffed.  "Of course not.  I only desired..."
	"My sister.  I know.  So why did you always hang around me?"
She smiled.  "Everywhere I went, I swear, you were right there."
	"Mere coincidence."
	Nabiki nodded as she spoke.  "Uh huh.  Sure.  Anyway, that's
OK.  I'll keep your secret and won't even charge you until we get back
home."  She pressed his nose with her fingertip in a gesture of tired
playfulness.
	"Nonsense," Kuno grumbled.  "I never needed to follow you.  I
had a myriad of young ladies seeking to date with me.  Why would I
chase you when all you think of is robbing me?"
	Chuckling, Nabiki shook her head.  "You were pretty cute back
then.  What happened?"
	"I was tortured by your thieving ways."
	"Don't be so melodramatic, Kuno-chan."
	"Ah, your standard answer.  Dare I say it, Nabiki Tendo, that
you are becoming predictable?  I know with fair certainty when you
shall accuse me of being melodramatic.
	"I think," he said suddenly, looking thoughtful in the
darkness, "that each time you refer to me as melodramatic, that I
shall call you predictable.  Does that seem fair?"
	Nabiki was left speechless, but only temporarily.  "Kuno-chan,
I don't know what to make of you.  You may be melodramatic..."
	"As you are predictable."
	"Right, but you sure aren't any more."
	"I will take that as a compliment.  And now, I think it best
that we get our needed rest.  I believe the upcoming days will be
harsh."
	Nodding, Nabiki closed her eyes and tried to relax.  There was
nervous energy bubbling in her, just waiting to be released, but Kuno
was right.  Rest was important now, and she thought it would probably
be important in the near future.  She smiled slightly as his hand slid
over her side.  Big talker, still the same old Kuno.
	"Not too bad now either," she whispered to herself.
	"Thank you," he replied quietly, startling her.
	Shaking her head, Nabiki knew she'd have to keep herself in
check.  Those little nighttime thoughts would have to be kept quiet
and to herself.  No point in giving too much away that could be used
against her.

***

	"I don't know how much stuff you two want to take with you
because I know you're perfectly capable of fending for yourselves."
Rhodes looked quite uncomfortable as he spoke, obviously disagreeing
with the decision to travel to the overlord's stronghold.
	"You know, only half the struggle will be dealing with Maxim.
You have to get to him first," he continued, trying to be as hardnosed
as he could.  He could tell he was failing.  "You're going to have to
cross a lot of hostile territory...  Hostile.  People, things that
wouldn't take kindly to your presence.  Ones that would eat you
alive..."
	"Stop it!" Anatalia said loudly.  "Stop trying to scare them!"
	"You know very well that it's the truth.  Maybe if they get
scared they'll drop this foolish idea and go home!" Rhodes yelled
back, ignoring Nabiki and Kuno.  "You know those swamps..."
	"You don't know what you're talking about!"
	"I do.  I saw more men, more of their kind," he gestured at
the two teens, "more vampires disappear into those swamps than I can
remember.  And they knew the risks.  These two... they don't have a
chance."
	"We will take that risk," Kuno said.  He looked quickly down
at Nabiki when he started to smell her fear and uncertainty.  "We have
said before that we will risk death for this."
	"So now we will," Nabiki added, though her voice didn't sound
nearly as confident as her words.
	Rhodes shook his head.  "Risking death is one thing, but
walking to your certain deaths is something completely different."
	"There is no such thing as certain death," answered Kuno
defiantly.
	"Then you are a fool and your efforts will be in vain and your
lives will be wasted.  Don't you know, that's why his stronghold was
built at that location, to force any ground-based assaults through the
swamps, or into the mountains.  Quite simply, nobody goes there unless
they have permission or a death-wish."  Rhodes simply could not
believe the foolishness of the two.
	"We shall take our chances then.  And if you have no other
help to offer us, we shall be leaving.  We thank you for your
hospitality."  Kuno turned and headed for the door, Nabiki following.
He was about to open it when Anna's voice stopped him.
	"Wait!  I won't let you go like this," she said.  "I may not
know as well as my husband, but I know the way.  Follow the river
south.  When you can see the mountains in the west, go toward them."
	"See them?  But how..." Nabiki started to ask.
	"You will know.  They will be impossible to miss.  Avoid the
towns, especially those around the swamps.  They're nothing but
brutish animals there anyway."
	Now Nabiki was curious how Anatalia knew all these things, but
there wasn't exactly time to get into deep details.  "What about
getting 'permission'?" she asked instead.
	Anna seemed to hesitate at the question.  "You could try,
but...  Remember who you are dealing with.  To them, to him, you are
nothing."
	No, she couldn't resist.  "How do you know all this?" Nabiki
asked quickly.
	"Because...  All our lives are directly linked to Maxim.  Our
survival, or our death, is all in his hands.  It has been this way
ever since..."
	"Forever," Rhodes said coldly.
	Silence.
	"If that is all..."
	"I wish you luck because without it, you won't survive."  He
was deadly serious, and anyone looking in Rhodes' eyes could see that.

***

	"What do you think about the swamps he kept mentioning?"
Nabiki asked, ruining the snowy silence of the forest.  "Are you
scared?"
	"Nervous perhaps.  But there is nothing to be frightened of
until we actually encounter something.  I will make no judgements
before then."
	"Fair enough.  I have to admit, I'm not to excited by the
prospect myself.  Of meeting up with... whatever."
	"Understandable.  There has always been a quality about the
unknown that make it more frightening than the mundane world."
	Nabiki looked up at him and smiled wryly.  "You call this a
mundane world?"
	"More so than it was before.  Those moments before we passed
through the portal...  I was afraid then.  Afraid for you because..."
He shrugged.  "You know why."
	That she did, but the idea of Kuno being afraid.  That was
mind-boggling.  He was never afraid.  Yet... what did he have to be
afraid of?  Ranma thrashing him?  That wasn't scary.  Kodachi?  She
was scary, but she was also his sister.  Um... ridicule from the other
students?  Not scary and he wouldn't care.  "When is the time you can
remember being the most afraid in your life, Kuno-chan?"
	He looked at her suspiciously, then seeing she was serious,
thought over his answer.  "I think... when I was attacked.  I was sure
my life was forfeit when that beast pounced on me.  Though there have
been times that have come close to that."
	"Like when?"  This was fascinating.  Whoever knew Kuno would
be so open about this... and to her.
	"When you were kidnapped.  I felt the depths of such
despair..."  He looked at Nabiki, who was giving him an odd look.  "I
was afraid I would never see you again.  After... after you had almost
died, I knew I could never bear it.  I could never stand losing you."
	Flattering, but...  Nabiki opened her mouth to ask another
question, but Kuno was already speaking.
	"And what of you?  When did you find yourself most
frightened?"
	There weren't many times she could remember being scared
enought to really stand out in her mind, but there were a few.  "The
first time I saw you, in that alley.  I could barely make my legs
move...  You scared the living hell out of me, you know?"
	"For that, I am sorry.  I never intended to."
	"I was..."  VERY.  "...pretty scared when that vampire grabbed
me.  Some of the things he said..."  She shuddered a little.
	"The criminals in the alley?  They did not frighten you?"
	Nabiki shrugged.  "Sure they did, but that's something that
sits at the back of my mind everyday, that I might be mugged or
raped."
	"Truly?  How abhorable."
	"Yeah, well, that's life.  But... what about before?  What
scared you before?"
	Kuno sighed.  "You simply refuse to leave this alone.  Very
well.  My father.  He... he always frightened me.  Never that I can
remember was he a nice, kind man.  I can never remember a day that I
wasn't frightened of him.  I know... I know that is..."  His voice
broke then and he couldn't form more words.

end part 2