Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Of Men and Myth ❯ Chapter 10 ( Chapter 10 )

Chapter 10

 

The next morning Wufei awoke to the smell of fresh meat cooking. He sat up stretching and yawning widely. He and Inu had gotten back late from their hunt and Wufei had hardly slept at all. He had worried that if Inu was called back in the middle of the night the fox would leave without waking anyone. Part of Wufei wanted that. If Inu left then the dragon would not have to kill him, but Wufei knew his duty well enough.

 

At last it had taken Inu agreeing to being tied up for the dragon to be comfortable sleeping. Now Wufei found that the ropes he had used were still tied to a tree, but Inu was no longer with in them.

 

The dragon bolted up franticly looking around. How could he have been such a fool? Of course Inu could escape, why else would he agree to being tied down in the first place?

 

The dragon relaxed when he found Inu sitting over a fire roasting rabbit. The fox smiled as Wufei came over, “hey sleepy head. I wasn't expecting anyone to be up for another hour. The food's not done yet, but if you want to grab some fire wood that would be great.”

 

“And just what are you doing untied?”

 

Inu shrugged, “hey, I said I'd agree to being tied up. I never said I'd stay that way. I got hungry and since we'd already eaten all the meat we caught last night, I figured that I'd go hunting. They'll be enough for everyone once it's done but the fire is really low and some wood would help.”

 

Wufei eyed the fox questionably as he went to go get the wood. Inu had looked a bit pale and that sneaky smile was gone from his face. Also there was a strange gleam in his eyes. One that, Wufei could have sworn, held fear. The biggest clue that something was wrong was simply that the fox was being nice. Wufei returned and deposited the wood at Inu's feet. Then he sat down beside the fox closing his eyes and enjoying the heat of the fire. He knew something was wrong, but he would not question Inu. He had never been one to pry into the lives of others and he was not going to start now.

 

“I can feel him again.”

 

Wufei opened his eyes and looked at the fox. Inu had his head cast down, his eyes on the roasting rabbits. If he had not been in human form Wufei was sure his ears would have been drooping.

 

“What?”

 

“King Barton, he's awake and I can feel it.” The fox wrapped his arms around himself and a shiver passed through him. “He's angry too, very angry. When he gets angry like that things go crazy. He'll have someone lashed just for looking at him the wrong way. I don't want to go back there. I just can't.”

 

Wufei nodded slowly. He was not certain how to handle this new calmer version of Inu, and had not expected the fear that he could smell on the fox. “You will not return. I will not allow it.”

 

“No, you'll kill me.” The foxes voice was but a whisper. Wufei sighed, “Do you think I want to end your life? I don't have a choice in the matter. I can not let you return to that man and stand the chance of becoming a great threat in the future. No, I will not allow that to happen.”

 

Inu nodded but did not give any farther answer. Instead he stocked the fire and turned the rabbits over. Then he stood. “These are almost done. I'm going to go wake the love birds.”

 

“Inu wait a moment.”

 

The fox paused turning back. That smile of his had reappeared and that odd light was gone from his eyes. “Yes, my little hatchling?”

 

Wufei growled in announce, “I am not a child, fox.”

 

Inu smile only widened as he eyed Wufei like a piece of candy. “No, most certainly you are not. So what was on your mind?”

 

Wufei snorted, he sure did seem to be feeling better. “I want to go and see if Prince Heero or Duo have been captured. You'll be coming with me. I don't trust you to stay here alone.”

 

“You're asking me to go back there?”

 

“No I'm not asking. You have no choice in the matter. Don't worry, I will not allow him to take you back. You have my word.”

 

Inu gave a curt nod. He turned away from Wufei trying to hide his face. It was to late however, the dragon had seen the fear and hopelessness that resided there. For a moment Wufei reconsidered going back. But he could imagine Treize's response if he returned home without either Heero or Duo, and for the sake of an enemy at that. Besides Wufei had made a promise and he would keep it. He had told Inu that he would try to kill King Barton and, if he was unable, then he would kill Inu. Since Wufei could no longer kill the fox, it left him with one option. And dam all foreign policy to hell he would have justice, even if he had to claim it with his own two hands.

 

~~~

 

Duo yawned stretching his wings. The tiny cave seemed quite empty and when Duo felt around he found nothing. The demon's eyes snapped open and he was greeted by the glaring mid morning sun. The demon growled trying to stand up. Where the hell was Heero? How could one little human get into so much trouble?

 

“Don't move Duo, you need to rest.”

 

The demon sighed and shifted his weight back down. He wasn't sure if Heero had meant that as an order or not but it had come out as such. “Heero I don't have a life threatening condition. In fact, the worse thing that could happen was that one of these cuts could get infected. Besides, you didn't seem to think that I was too injured to move last night.”

 

Then Heero did something that Duo would never forget. The emotionless marvel actually blushed. Duo smiled, that was almost worth being ordered around. “Heero I promise to take it easy. I can not stay bogged down in this cave though. It's driving me crazy.” Duo had always lived out in the open and among the trees. This was worse then that damned castle.

 

“Alright, but we're not going anywhere for a while. The sun is already halfway through its rotation. We'll move once we have the cover of night.”

 

Duo nodded standing up and making his way for the mouth of the cave. He preferred traveling at night anyhow. It was what he was used to. “Man I'm starving. Am I allowed to go hunting or is that to harmful to my health?”

 

“There's food cooking already, and there's a stream a little ways away.”

 

Duo nodded and made his way over to the fire. Whatever Heero had cooked smelled wonderful and the demon immediately started digging in. Heero sat down beside him and began to eat as well, though at a much more controlled pace.

 

“What about Wufei and the others?” Duo was concerned for their safety, though more for Wufei then the others. In the short time the two had been traveling together Duo had developed a friendship with the dragon. It was still strange that he felt concern for a mythical when just a few days ago he would have loved to see Wufei drop dead. Of course, he had also thought of Heero as his greatest enemy and oppressor.

 

“That dragon is perfectly capable of taking care of himself. As for the Barton prince, he does have a mythical of his own. He will be fine.”

 

Duo nodded, he wasn't happy about it, but in all honesty he didn't feel up to going anywhere anyways. “So then, it seems we've got a whole day to do whatever we what. Do you have any suggestions?”

 

“Yes, you are going to rest and I am going to scout the area around us for any possible threats. We'll leave at dusk.”

 

Duo moaned, he had already been asleep for half the day. “Oh come on Heero I'm fine. And I'll be able to hear anyone long before they approach. How do you think that demons have gone unfound by your people for so long? No human will ever sneak up on me.”

 

“Hn. It's not a human that concerns me. It's that fox Inu.”

 

“Inu!? Ah don't worry about him. He's on our side. Well at least for the most part. Besides, he wouldn't hurt me.”

 

“He will if his bonded orders him to.”

 

“Ya but he's managed to weasel out of orders before. Besides the last time that I saw him he was with Wufei and I'm sure that dragon will keep him under control.”

 

The prince did not reply. He just kept going. “Heero please wait. I'll rest but I really don't want to be alone. A lot has happened to me and I, well I need you. I need to know you'll be there for me.”

 

“Duo I'm going to scout the surrounding area, my not going on a year long excretion. I will be back shortly.”

 

Duo sighed but nodded. Since when was he in such need of company? He had always been a loner. Things were different concerning Heero. He needed the human, and somehow he felt that if he let him go now, he would lose him again forever.

 

~~~

 

“He's calling me Wufei.”

 

The dragon stopped in his tracks. They were almost to the castle. `No not now, we're so close.'

 

Wufei gave a curt nod. “You are going in that direction already. I see no reason not to continue.”

 

Inu blinked, “you idiot dragon I won't be able to help you find your prince. I'll have to go straight to King Barton. If he questions me I'll have to tell him everything, and than he'll come after you and the others. I can't have that. You have to kill me Wufei. Then you can go after your prince.”

 

The dragon shook his head, “my target is no longer the prince. I will go with you to King Barton and I will kill him myself.”

 

“Oh I wish you hadn't just said that. If he orders me to kill you I'll have to obey.”

 

“Then I will simply have to strike before he can make that order. Do not worry, fox. I can take care of myself.”

 

~~~

 

Heero watched from the cover of the forest as the king's bonded dragged Wufei towards the castle. He waited until the pair were out of sight before pursuing them. `It's seems I will have to perform a rescue mission. I just hope that Duo has the intelligence to stay put.' Heero knew that was unlikely. Judging for the braided baka's past choices, his hopes were indeed futile.