Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Ich Liebe Dich ❯ Prologue ( Prologue )

Prologue

She had never felt more lost in her entire life, but at the same time she was content at being exactly where she was. Even if she had no clue of exactly where she was. Her hands reached up and she let her fingers play with the leaves made from green to almost black in the night. She looked around her as she heard the crickets chirp and animals shuffle through the grass quietly. Beautiful. Lovely. Almost perfect.

Almost.

She sighed and told herself not to be stupid, but then again, a wary smile took it place upon her lips; what else can she be? She looked around her and saw nothing but forest, and she closed her eyes, breathing in the night air with delight upon her face.

She loved it here, even if she got lonely sometimes. Here she could be by herself and be whoever she wanted to be, who ever she was meant to be. A ghost of a smile was felt, {And who is that exactly?} she thought, questioning herself. {Who am I suppose to be?} She had come here to find herself, to find out who she was meant to be, who she was. But she had no more answers then what she started with, just more questions.

She bent down as an animal approached her; slow and steady with wide eyes it watched her. It was small and had four legs, wide yellow eyes and covered in ocean blue fur, with a strip of bluish white that ran from under his jaw to his stomach. A baby wolf it seemed. She was not afraid, she never was here, here in this forest, and in this place she was at peace. She extended her hand for him to sniff, which he did promptly, trying to decide if she was friend or foe, food or not.

He gave a happy yelp of recognition almost and nuzzled her hand and she giggled. Picking it up she held it up to her chest, making a basket for it with her arms. He settled in, curling up against itself and seemed to be going to sleep, but she saw it was just a trick, his ears were alert for danger and his eye would open once in a while to inspect his surroundings. She looked down with a soft smile and lazily petted it unconsciously almost as she walked.

This was not the first time she had ran into this baby wolf, in fact this was the third meeting. She would guess he would know her scent complete by memory by tomorrow and this would have been the last time he need her to offer her hand to him. She walked unhurried through the trees and smiled gratefully when the small insects of light came out for the night, shining all the light that they could to provide sight for her.

She turned around and let the wolf down and watched it with soft as she stood back up. It was running around happily, yelping, and chasing after the glowing insects that were always just out of reach, but it didn't seemed to mind. Its squeals were the only sound in the night and the silence accompanied it whenever the wolf took a moment to catch its breath, like a magnificent duet.

Beautiful. Almost perfect.

A tear trickled down her cheek from her eye. Almost perfect, it was always almost! There was something missing and she knew what it was, but she didn't know how to complete it.

A companion, a human here, to be along side of her. To drive the loneliness away.

But who could come? She had been in this forest, in this place for two months, leaving the Aoiya to find herself and finding herself here. She had no doubt Okina had people searching for her far and wide now, but none came here, none ever came here, because they didn't know she was here. And they didn't know where 'here' was. She had left a note saying that she would be gone for a few weeks, but two months were pushing it. She knew, but she didn't want to leave, not yet. She need some more time, she needed a sign of some kind. For what she didn't know; but she waited. And had waited for a long time now. She was patient; no matter what others thought, she was patient.

A sound came from her left, and she instantly whirled around, kunai in her hand. She swept her eyes carefully over the terrain, tuning out the happy yelps coming from the wolf behind her, focusing soully on finding the presence that she knew was there.

" Looking for this?" a voice came from her back.

She whirled around and almost let her kunai loose before seeing whom the speaker was. " Himura." She said, relaxing her stance and slipping the kunai back into its hiding place.

" Misao." He responded.

He seemed to totally not notice the small wolf in his arms licking his face, his cheek, his scar. She stared at him and then she realized something. The light insects danced, the wolf 'woofing' happily, comfortable silence of a duet, and Himura standing there.

It was perfect.

Perfect.

She gave him a smile with a light shining in her eyes; this was what she had been waiting for. He nodded, his face unreadable. Slowly her let the wolf down and stood back up, and she waited.

" They've been looking for you." He said, his voice quiet.

And she closed her eyes and sighed. " Of course." She murmured back softly.

It was typical that he should be the one to find her, him being the only one knowing where she was. He had suggested this place to her and had come regularly to check on her, but never letting anyone know where she was. The first few weeks had been hell, getting use to new surroundings, animals attacking her because of her new presence in the place, the people that lived near the forest hunting her; thinking she was a mythical being. But Himura had always shown up at the nick of time and saved her, and her saving him sometimes as well. Not often but still it happened. Soon though, the place started to accept her presence and she became part of the cycle, that made the forest and those that lived near and in it, work together. She was part of it now, but for how much longer?

" Shall I get my things?' she asked.

He shook his head and pointed to the small bag by his foot.

" Oh." She said; her voice muted by wariness. " Of course. Shall we go now then?"

He nodded, picking up the bag and slinging it over his shoulder. She walked up to the wolf that sat upon a spot of chosen grass, looking up at them and wagging its tail with its tongue lapping out at the side of his jaw.

" I have to go now." She said quietly squatting down, " I most probably won't see you for a long while, if I ever get to at all. Take care of yourself."

The wolf tilted its head to the side, almost as if it was acknowledging what she said, as if it understood.

" Misao."

She turned to see Himura extending his hand to her. Mutely she took and let him pull her up.

" Time to go." He said.

" I know." She replied, looking back at the baby wolf, she bit her lip. " Can I-" Himura shook his head, " He can take care of himself Misao, and his pack will be looking for him soon, if not already."

Releasing a wary sigh, she let Himura lead her out of the forest.

{What will happen when I get back? what had happened while I was away? What will everyone think?} She was shaking, her hand was trembling and Himura tightened his grip. She offered him a shaky smile but it was wasted, since she faced his back. Looking over her shoulder she saw the woods which had been her home faded from sight.

***End Prologue***

Hiasobi: Please Review! It's alternate pairing, so yeah. Reviews appriciated, constructive critizism welcome, flames expected. *lol*