FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

She faced the world with a wide smile as she walked out of the restaurant, her stomach full and satisfied with the food that she had been served. She was happy to return, she hadn't been to this town for quite some time as the last time she was here. She remembered that hectic day when he had been arrested by the city guard, then helped him escape during his own execution. Now she was here alone, feeling like she needed to take a break and see the world once more, as well as get some shopping done as she had her eyes on this wonderful summer blouse that she had seen in the window earlier that morning. It was a sleeveless top with a very unique black, red, and pink pattern, like petals of several different flowers mixing in a stiff breeze. She was happy, but this city did bring back some memories of another time in her life, she wondered how he was doing, if he was still the same reckless fighter that she remembered. These memories also brought a lot of sadness to her as well, as their had been a few tough situations in that life style, and the moments when she thought she had just lost that reckless fool, but she was going to make today a good day, so she shrugged off the sadness and went about her small journey to a clothing store that was only a few blocks away. It wasn't as packed as it had been when she passed by earlier that morning... but that only meant she would be able to get a few things and be out and on to the next store relatively quick.

"Hello, thank you for choosing our store to do your clothes shopping!" The clerk greeted her as she walked through the door, making the bell chime to signal a customer. "Is there anything I can help you with today?"

"Uhm, yes, actually... where can I find that black, red, and pink shirt that you have in the window?"

"Oh, follow the signs to the changing rooms and turn left, they should be on the last row," She smiled widely.

"Thank you," She smiled back with a wave before walking where she had been directed.

They were right where the clerk said they would be, now she just needed t find her size. The biggest problem with finding clothes is that each brand had their clothes marked the same size, but each one still fit differently. She decided on trying the medium and large first as they seemed to be the same size as the shirt she had on. Sadly though, the days of wearing a coat were on their way fast so she would have to look for one after finding a shirt that fit.

"Okay... well, I hope these fit," She smiled as she walked into one of the changing room stalls.

She locked the stall and proceeded to lift her shirt up over her head. She adjusted her bra before grabbing at the medium first, bunching it up as she lifted it to her head. Before she had a chance to pull it down around her neck, a loud crash as if the wall had just collapsed sounded outside the stall. She quickly through the shirt down on the bench before grabbing hers and putting it back on. She opened the stall and stepped out to see what had happened, only to find a rather large hole in the wall to her left, and a pile of rubble with a lone arm sticking out from underneath it. It was a furry hand, with perfectly sharpened black claws. She started walking towards the pile curiously, but it started moving. She gasped as he suddenly stood, the rubble falling from his bloodied body. His back fur was heavily matted with sweat and blood, and he had a massive gash across his chest. His duster was in shambles, it had been completely shredded but what she could only guess were massive claws.

"Kuro..." She said softly before lifting her hand up to her mouth.

He reached up and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth before stepping through the hole and disappearing out of her sight. There was something very different about him, looked like he hadn't gotten any sleep in months, his eyes were lifeless, and his ears were drooping quite badly. She left the shirts where they were as she ran out the wall to see where he had gone. She didn't have to go far to see him staring down a rather large demon, standing at almost 10 feet, and she noticed that he didn't have any weapons on him at all, but she could see the strap on his waist, where the scabbard for his sword had been ripped off. He growled rather viciously as his right arm lit up with his signature blue flames before he charged forward recklessly. She watched in horror as the large claws swung and opened new wounds on his left arm which changed the direction of the attack before he jumped up, shoving his flame covered arm through the demon's chest. He fell back to the ground, holding something in his hand... it was the demon's heart. He let it fall to the ground and walked away as the demon melted away into a pile of ashes. He had changed, rather greatly in the time they spent apart.

"Hey... Kuro!" She jogged after him. "Kuro, wait, it's me!"

Her good mood was ruined as he seemed to ignore her and keep walking. That wasn't the case she soon found out as he suddenly collapsed to the ground. She ran up and dropped to her knees beside him and rolled him over. His healing factor was working, but it wasn't working fast enough. He didn't look like he used to... he looked like he had walked through a world that hated him but couldn't win against him even after tiring him out. She looked around to see a slowly gathering crowd, ready for him to make the slightest movement. She needed to do something before the city guard arrived. She grabbed his arms and started dragging him away... he had gained some weight... but she could tell that it wasn't a physical weight, she could tell that he was still very much in shape. It seemed more like an emotional or mental burden that manifested itself on his body... made him heavier.

His eyes snapped open at the sound of foot steps approaching him. He sat up, his chest and arm screaming in pain at him, but he fought through it anyway. He got to his feet as the foot steps kept getting closer and closer... the ball of blue flames forming in the palm of his hand. The foot steps suddenly slowed down before the sound of something falling and very feminine grunt reached his ears.

"You're up!" She gasped as she came around the bend and saw him. "You shouldn't be moving with those injuries!"

"Miroku?" He asked as the flames were extinguished.

"Uhm... hi, Kuro," She smiled nervously as she walked up to him, carrying her belongings as well as his sword and a few bandages.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, I was on the other side of that wall you went through, I followed you out, then when you blacked out, I dragged you away before the city guard had a chance to show up," She said as she sat down looked at him.

"How have you been, Kuro?"

"You don't to know the answer to that..." He sighed as he laid back down with a grunt. "And I don't feel like explaining it."

She looked him over... he was still in wonderful shape, if not a little underfed as his ribs were showing, but his arms were still well defined, and she could see the ridges of each muscle through his fur. His appearance had changed a little, his slitted eyes were a very dull gray and very thin, the pink lines under each eye were a bit thicker, longer, and sharper. The tuft of fur he grew like hair was longer, hanging over his right eyes and past his muzzle, and the pink swirl on his tail was very jagged and rough. He still had the same cross shaped scar on the bottom right of his stomach, and the same angelic rune over his heart. She felt she would find some scars hidden under his fur as well, scars from wounds that she had probably treated for him when his healing factor wasn't helping him.

She hadn't changed much physically either, her bright white hair now short in the back and longer in the front, her white ear, the black fur that covered everywhere else excluding the tip of her tail and from her breasts down to her sex being as white as her hair. The three white dots on each shoulder. Her breasts were large, matching her heavenly curved hips and bottom, hidden beneath a blue and red shirt and slim jeans that drew attention to her curvy hips. He doubted she noticed him looking her over though, his doing their normal and seeing certain details without moving, a trait she knew he had and used quite effectively over the years. He finally tilted his head and looked into her emerald green eyes... he had missed her... more then his battered body and rugged soul could convey to her.

"I brought some ointment and bandages for your chest and arm," She said softly as she pulled a clothe out of her bag and poured some water from a canteen on it before slowly moving to clean the wound and wash away what had dried so the bandages would actually stick to him. "You were having a really hard time with that demon... weren't you"

"I won in the end," He said as he closed his eyes. "I always catch my prey."

She gave a halfhearted smile at his smug attitude... something she knew wouldn't change no matter what he went through. He hissed a bit as she started applying the ointment to his chest before putting the gauze and tape over it to keep it from getting infected. She then went about repeating the process on his arm... it wasn't nearly as bad as his chest, but it would become worse his healing factor never fixed itself and she never treated it.

"So what brought you back to the city?"

"Not much... I felt the need to get out and travel again... maybe do a little sketching here and there," She said as she continued to focus on her work. "I was even thinking about stopping by the temple... see a few old faces."

"That's not going to happen," He said with a different tone, one that took her by surprise. "The temples gone... the Holy Order has been disbanded."

"What happened?"

"Lady Rosary was assassinated... then everything fell apart because everyone was at each other's throats over leadership," He explained as he opened his eyes and looked at her again. "But can't exactly just stand here and let the demons keep attacking innocent people when I still have the power to stop them."

"There's got to be more to it then that," She said as he gave him a questioning look. "I watched you fight that demon... that's not the way you used to fight."

"Well things change... you have to adapt, give up, or die," He said as he closed his eyes again. "Since when have I been known to give up or be careful in a fight... you know more then anyone, I get beat up because I don't care about getting injured as long as I get the job done."

"You know what I meant Kuro," she said as she gave him a stern look.

"Just fix my arm so I can go find the next demon... there's one more that's been causing chaos in this city."

She grit her teeth to avoid yelling at him... this wasn't her Kuro... the one that would shield and protect her at the risk of his own life. The one that would often find himself in her arms when he put her in a position that required him acting as a shield. The one that she had spent many loving, blissful, joyous nights under the star lit sky with ending with her head on his chest and his strong arms wrapped lovingly around her. This was a hollow shell of what Kurojaki used to be... he was broken and uncaring now... but she could feel him still. She could feel that there was still something deep inside him, locked away so he wouldn't have to feel that pain ever again. It was very typical of him to lock who he truly was away just to get the job done.

"There... I'm finished," She said as she backed up a bit.

"Thanks," He said before he sat up and got to his feet. "I'll see you around... I got a mission to finish."

"Kuro, I..."

"Don't follow me this time... you getting hurt is the last thing I want to happen," He said as he looked over his shoulder at her... a small gleam in his eyes before he started walking away again.

"What really happened to you Kuro?" She asked herself as she let him walk away.

He looked down from where he stood on the ledge of city hall. His last target was a ravage demon... one of the most fierce according to humans. He knew well that the worst demons to ever spawn in the mortal world were dealt with before they came into contact with anyone else. This was still going to be a tough one though... he didn't know what type of raver he would be facing, and they were usually hard to kill with their armor like scales. He wouldn't be able to penetrate unless he used his soul flames but he couldn't use them fully as it would drain his energy even faster. He doesn't quite know when he started losing control of them... but he wanted it back, he just couldn't figure anything out. Now wasn't the time to be thinking about that though, the demon had finally made its presence known, the feeling of death and blood washing over his body in an attempt to identify him. This demon was clever... but not clever enough.

"Found you," He said as he started running to the other side of the roof. "And I won't let you get away."

He jumped off the roof, falling to the earth rapidly, his eyes glowing that dull gray as the moon's glow landed perfectly on them. He soon disappeared into the shadows, a loud crash being the only hint given to his landing, until the battle ensued only second later. It was a hard battle as well... it was an elemental ravage demon. The elemental types would be able to control any type of element they came into contact with, but they could created fire, and earth was ever abundant around them.

She stood at the window with her arms crossed over her chest, looking over the city with worry from her hotel room. She couldn't sleep, she was waiting to see any signs of a battle... she was too worried to let this just slip past her. Kurojaki wasn't right, he wasn't taking care of himself, she felt she needed to help him in any way she could... she wanted to help him go back to normal. Question was... will this Kurojaki let her do it.

He skid across the ground. sparks and dust coming from the ground as he tried to use his sword as a break. He finally came to a stop, dropping to his knees and panting in exhaustion. The demon started gathering chunks of concrete from the rubble they had created, forming what seemed to be a volley of shrapnel to throw at him. He forced himself to move as the rubble was pushed towards him... his legs screaming at him as he dived behind a collapsed wall. When the volley had past, he ran from cover, the tip of his sword creating sparks as it dragged on the ground. He suddenly vanished in thin air before appearing behind the demon a blade made of flames, a large spurt of blood bursting from the wound on it's chest with more leaking from the corner of it's mouth only seconds later. He turned with a growl, raising his sword to finish it off, but the demon surprised him as its tail swung and knocked his feet out from under him before hammering him into the ground repeatedly. It hurt, and it was pissing him off, he could hear and feel bones cracking and breaking with each hit. He suddenly lifted his sword, impaling the tail before he wretched the blade off to the side, almost severing it. The demon turned, but he was ready as his body lit up with blue flames... an explosion soon occurring, one that covered not only the demon but a few buildings as well.

She frowned as she saw the blue light on the other side of the city... Kurojaki had found the demon and was fighting him. She grabbed the bag she had packed earlier before leaving her hotel room, hoping he was okay, but knowing he was probably injured once more. Once she was outside, she was at a run in the general direction of the battle she had seen. She would be able to follow the sound as well as the destruction once she got close enough. She was having trouble understanding what she had seen though... was Kurojaki using his flames... or was the demon using an attack that looked similar.

"Come on," She said as she started panting, running block after block.

She could finally here them... the sounds of steel clashing with another object. she could tell it wasn't steel, but it wasn't anything as soft as wood. She rounded the corner to see the nearly destroyed street... one that was luckily not a residential area. Kurojaki stood over the over the demon, looking down on it with his sword in its chest. His duster was now useless, only one sleeve still on his body, bunched up around his wrist. He fell to his knees, his sword slipping out of the demons chest and falling to the ground as it started to disappear. She watched him closely... watched the small clear droplets glow in the moonlight before they splattered against the ground. She slowly walked up, but it turned into a quick drop to his side as he fell on his back. He was conscious, but he was in immense pain... she could see it in his eyes. He was suffering, from something that had gotten out of hand before it could be put to rest.

"I told you not come here," He said as he looked at her. "Why?"

"Because... I'm worried about you," She said as she started feeling through his fur for any wounds... but she was finding a single injury, though he did growl and kick as she pressed a bit harder around his ribs. "Sorry, sorry."

"It's okay... it's just a few broke ribs," He said hoarsely.

"Why are you doing this to yourself Kuro?" She asked as she looked into those watery eyes.

"Because I have to..."

"Don't give me that bullshit," She said as looked away. "This is not you, you don't do things this recklessly... look at this street, the Kuro I know would have left as much as he could intact."

"The one you don't know doesn't."

"Fine... you want to be this way," She got up to walk away... but she paused.

He was holding her hand firmly... but she hadn't even noticed that he had taken her hand in his. She looked over her shoulder at him, seeing the shadow falling over his eyes as the man he had become locked them away in the depths of his existence. She shook her head and bent down to pick up his sword before helping him up and looping his arm over her shoulders. She helped him walk away, leaving the fading demon as it was. She didn't know what this would hold for her, but she had to do something. Kurojaki had helped her, no it was her turn, before he fell and couldn't get back to his feet ever again.

He woke up bathed in the warm sunlight, a soft pillow under his head. His eyes slowly fluttered open, the realization that he was naked slowly coming to him as he looked around. Miroku was no where to be seen, though he didn't remember much having fainted from exhaustion when she sat him down on the bed. His sword was standing next to the bed, leaning against the night stand... he was thankful that she kept it close to him.

"Oh, hey, you're awake." She said as she opened and walked through the door carrying a shopping bag. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay, the healing factor finally started to kick in," He said softly as he swung his feet off the bed and looked down.

"Here... I got you some things," She said as she held out the bag.

He took the bag and set it down beside him before opening it and reaching inside. He pulled out a new pair of black jeans with a new red strap attached to the same hanger. He looked around and saw his beat up pair from the previous night laying over the chair in the corner, wore out and faded. Next came a new hooded duster, jet black, just like his fur. He cracked a halfhearted smile as he also pulled out a bar of soap, an obvious hint to how she wanted to be repaid.

"You didn't have to do this for me," He said softly.

"Well... you didn't seem to have any replacements, or any money," She said as she sat down beside him, gently nudging his side with her elbow. "Why don't you go get cleaned up, I'll go get us some breakfast."

"Thank you... Miroku," He said softly before grabbing his new jeans and getting to his feet. "It means a lot to me."

"You're welcome," She smiled to herself before getting back to her feet and walking down to the lobby to have room service brought up to them.

He turned the shower on, the water cold and refreshing against his skin... it was welcoming on his sore muscles and battered body. He let his fur soak before finally grabbing the soap and slowly lathering his body, feeling relief as knots were worked free and the matted fur was scrubbed to it's original silken state. He smiled, noticing the smell of the soap... it was the soap he had used often in the past. It was meant as a joke after he accidentally used her soap, but it became a full time thing because she liked how he smelled like that, a demon smelling so comforting and pleasant. He shook his head and went back to lathering his body, thoroughly working the soap into his tail, almost whining at the force he used to scrub the thick layers of fur. He set the soap back down and started washing the suds away, running his fingers through his fur, feeling the scars hidden under his fur... the memories of his battles flashing before his eyes in slow motion, watching his friends die, watching the people he had grown close to lose everything over something stupid. Then there was his memories of the time spent with her... the happiest he had ever been in his life... the love he felt for her, deep in his soul. Something he would never be able to explain because no word could hold up to the standards of those feelings.

She thanked the woman as she left, leaving cart of food behind for them to eat. Sat on the bed and looked over at the bathroom door, still hearing running water coming from the other side. He was Taking longer then she thought he would... but he was extremely dirty, and his body was pretty beat up, so he was probably taking his time and being careful. She understood, she would give him as much time and space as he needed... after all... it wasn't every day you went through something like this, on both sides of the situation. She still wanted to know what had happened to him,the thing that pushed him over the edge, but it was clear that approaching the subject only angered him and drove him away. She heard the click as the nob turned and he pulled the door open, no steam, just what she expected from him. He stepped out, her eyes growing a bit watery, she forget how much damaged was revealed when he was fresh out of the shower. His fur was just damp enough to point in any direction it wanted, revealing the scars that were hidden under the fur. there were scars she didn't even know he had on his stomach, the obvious one being the 'X' on his stomach, but there were a few new ones that looked pretty serious.

"What?" He asked as he looked over himself. "Did I forget to wash some suds off?"

"No, you're fine," She smiled as she got to her feet and walked towards the cart. "Come on, I had some breakfast brought up. Nothing special, just your basic breakfast items, eggs, bacon, toast, and some orange juice, or milk if you prefer."

"I'll have some milk if you don't mind?" He asked as he walked over to his previous pair of jeans and started removing his straps and belt, putting them on as he went.

"Of course," She was happy to give him some milk, she was happy that he was acting a little more normal then he was the day before. "How much?"

"Full," He said as he slipped his sword between the straps. "I'm gonna have to make a new sheath."

"Here," She said as she held out the glass to him. "What are your plans now?"

"I guess, go where ever I need to be," He said before taking a long drink from the medium glass, drinking down half the milk she had poured.

"Well... if you don't mind, I'd really like you to escort me to the next town," She said, looking down shyly. "It's okay if you don't want to... I just thought it'd be nice to have someone with me."

"Okay," He said. "I'm ready to go whenever you are."

"Let's eat first," She smiled.

She walked down the road with him at her side, happy to see something familiar. He had his hood up, but he was constantly scanning around them. Sure, the threats had died down significantly since the last time she saw him... but that didn't mean there weren't any. If he was looking around, that means there was always a threat for him though, she knew that much... that would not change with Kurojaki living the way he did... and being a demon himself certainly didn't help matters.

"Kuro?"

"Yeah?" He asked as he looked at her.

"What exactly have you been doing since we parted ways?"

"Mainly just taking job after job, kept my mind focused on something else," He said as he looked down. "Traveled with an old friend for a little while, but I eventually came back and started working out of the temple again... then you know the rest."

"Yeah," She said softly. "So you've just kept fighting?"

"Yes... it's what I do, It's what I'm good at," He said as he looked down at his sword, holding it as it had gotten uncomfortable, loosely dangling from one of his straps. "When have you known me to do anything other then fight?"

"I see your point," She shook her head with a smile.

She didn't know why she asked that when he said the same thing in the past. The only time she fully accepted it was after she had seen him give in to his inner demon... admitting to her that fighting and killing were a part of who he was because of what he was. She shook those thoughts away and focused on the present. This was where she needed to be, here where the only thing that mattered was helping him put the pieces back together.

"We're going to hit the canyon in about another mile," He said softly as he looked ahead.

"Damn... I still don't like taking that path,"

"It's the the only usable path, they keep trying to make other paths, but with this place being on the fault line, those paths don't even last a year," He says as he starts looking around, eventually drifting off to the left a little and cutting a decent length of vine down from the trees. "But if it makes you feel better, I'll tie us together."

"Okay... thank you."

He was proven right... everything looked worse than it did when they passed through together last time. But that same path was still safe for them to use, and she wanted to go to the next town, and possibly further if he was willing to keep his feet traveling the same roads. He seemed focus though as he tied the vine tightly around her waist before tying it around his own. The path was big enough for a horse to pass on, but it needed a few more feet for people to be able to walk side by side. He took point to dig at the ground with his sword and make sure everywhere they stepped was solid, but neither of them could shake this eerie feeling they both had. But they continued forward as they were already out on the ledge, literally.

"Okay, we keep this pace we'll be on the other side before we have to make camp," He said before stabbing at the ground and taking a step forward. "Just stay strong and don't be afraid to take my hand if you need it.

She smiled at those words... the way he spoke them. She happily accepted them immediately as she really hated this path. He held her hand firmly himself, knowing that he was her life line here. He would most certainly survive the fall, but he didn't have a mortal body like she did... that was one of the things he liked about her though. The hours passed as they continued in silence, not for lack of trying, but because of the need to stay focused on reaction time. It wouldn't have done them any good though... because there was no solid way to react as the rumble sounded, the ground starting to shake fiercely. She tried to grab onto him with both arms as he dug his sword into the wall to keep them steady while he tried to do the same to her with his other arm. Tragedy struck as the falling rocks knocked him off the ledge, but he managed to dig into the canyon wall with his claws while her first reaction being to grab his sword as he wasn't there anymore. It lasted for a few more minutes before finally subsiding, a loud laugh being heard from over the edge which confused her.

"What are you laughing at!?"

"I think that's the first time I've been here during an earthquake!" He yelled back, still chuckling as he started climbing back up. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine... but I might have to sit for a few seconds... my legs don't want to work right at the moment," She said as she slid to her knees and crawled to the edge. "What about you?"

He looked up to see her head poke over the edge too look down at him. "Don't get too close to the edge!"

His words came too late as the edge gave way, the earth quake having shaken just enough loose. He reached out and tried to catch her hand, and succeeded, but she had gained to much momentum and pulled him off the wall where he started falling with her as well. He pulled her against him and wrapped one arm tightly around her as her scream echoed in the canyon. She watched as the blue flames suddenly engulfed them... the flames lapping at her body, but no pain, she wasn't being burned. Then complete darkness took her vision as the loud crash sounded and she felt her body bounce... soon nothing existed to her she delved deep into her own mind.

She woke to the smell of food, the warmth of a fire, and the sound of boiling liquid. She suddenly sat up as the memory of falling flashed before her eyes. The darkness returned to her eyes though as accidentally headbutted his chest. The scent and the warm feeling from the contact though, she let it wash over her as the gentle arms wrapped around her. She started crying, her arms wrapping tightly around him, not noticing the slight welts on his back.

"Shshsh... you're okay Princess," He said softly, sounding different then before. "I told you I would protect you with my own life... remember. I'd give my soul to save you... if you weren't..."

"If I wasn't already holding it," She said through her sobs as she continued to soak his fur with her tears.

"That's right," He said as he brought her in closer and wrapped his tail around her as well. "You're safe."

They sat like that for quite a while, letting her work off the rush of emotions that assaulted her. He couldn't begin to imagine what this was like for her... but he knew she needed to get it out. His hand gently rubbed her back, holding her until she finally calmed down and pulled away on her own.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he sat back and looked at her.

"Yes," She said softly before looking at him. "Thank you... Kuro."

"No need to thank me," He said as he turned towards the fire once more, grabbing a carved stick out and stirring what seemed to be a pot that he chipped himself. "The food's almost done if you're feeling hungry."

"Okay," She said as she looked around, the walls of the canyons towering over them, but her eyes soon found themselves on him again. "So what are you cooking, it smells pretty good?"

"There wasn't much I could find, but luckily I ran across a stream," He said as he continued to slowly stir the pot. "I found some onion, some cattail root, and I even managed to catch a rabbit."

"I remember you cooking something like that once," She smiled.

"Yeah... I've always been good at improvised meals in times of need," He chuckled as he looked over his shoulder at the sound of her stomach rumbling. "Would you like a bowl?"

"Yes, please," She said, watching him do what he done best.

"Here you go... eat up, take as much as you want," He smiled as he set the bowl and a spoon in her lap before he got to his feet. "I'm going to go back to the stream and see if I can't find some more fire material for the night."

"Okay," She said as she watched him walk away. "Don't be gone for too long."

"Don't worry... I won't be."

She sat and ate quietly... thinking to herself about what had happened. she didn't really know what to think... it felt a bit out of the ordinary... but at the same time, it felt like someone had been pulling the strings when it happened. She couldn't point a finger, or think of anything that could explain it as anything other then mother nature being mother nature. The comfort from Kurojaki had been honest and real, as well as the affection, but she could still tell he wasn't fully there, he was still to distant and closed off, which only added to her confusion. She continued eating as she let her mind dwell on it, thankful that his cooking hadn't suffered the same fate as the rest of him.

"Well... it won't last all night, but it'll keep us warm for most of it," He said as he walked into the light carrying bundles twigs and dry cattails.

"You should eat too Kuro, you need your strength," She said as looked at him with a bit of worry in her eyes.

"I will, just as soon as you tell me you're done eating your fill," He smiled reassuringly as he sat down and added a small handful of twigs to the fire. "Don't worry about me, okay, of all the times anyone could pick to worry more about themselves and no one else, I think now's a good time for you to do it."

"Okay," She said before she continued eating.

He sat back and watched the fire in silence as she did as instructed and helped herself to another bowl. It wasn't long before she was full and feeling tired once more, laying back down on what she now noticed to be his duster. He went about eating as she slowly went to sleep, a tired she was unfamiliar with taking over her body and mind. It was too long though that she woke up with a gasp, the falling having turned into her own personal nightmare now. She sat up and looked around to see Kurojaki asleep on the bare ground, his back to the slowly dying fire. He looked peaceful, his face holding soft, innocent features, almost angelic to her. She quietly scooted up to him, dragging his duster with her as she lied down beside him and got as close as she could to him, his scent filling nose as she lay only an inch away. She closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep but was taken by surprise as the arms wrapped around her and pulled her into strong, protective arms.

"Kuro, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wa..."

"Hush... get some sleep," He interrupted with a smile.

She nuzzled into the soft fur of his chest, sighing as she started to relax once more and fall asleep. His embrace made her feel better, it comforted her and made her feel safe, which only reminded her of the amount of times he told her it was his duty to protect her. He even tried to protect her from her nightmares... and she let him do just that.

The day was warm as they walked the canyon floor, looking for a place to escape so they could get back to the main road and get to the nearest town. It didn't look like they would be getting out any time soon though... It was starting to look more and more like their best bet was to hike the entire canyon. It had to level out somewhere as the stream was floating in the same direction they were walking, but there was no way of knowing how far this canyon actually went, even to a demon that had been to several places in several different regions. They would endure though... she had Kurojaki to keep her hopes up, and the will to keep going that she needed. Kurojaki didn't back down from a challenge, and, he managed to spread that same feeling to her when he spoke to her, thought she hadn't noticed it before, noticed that he was feeding her his high spirits, she wondered why he done that. The answer was obvious... he wanted her to be able to over the challenges with him.

"Kuro... can we stop for a few minutes?"

"Yeah," He said as he looked at her, following her lead as she sat down.

She didn't really talk, she wanted to, but he seemed to be deep in thought. She wanted to know what he was thinking, but at the same time, there was no telling what he could possibly be thinking about. She left it alone, she wouldn't bother him, he would share in his own time. He started looking around, focusing greatly on the canyon walls... like he was looking for something.

"What is it Kuro?"

"I think I might be able to climb us out of here," He said as he kept looking around. "Just need to find a place soft enough for me to sink my claws in, but hard enough to support our weight."

"Really?"

"What... don't think I can do it?"

"No, I think you can, just..." She looked around as well. "Can you really handle another entire body of weight added to yours?"

"who do you think you're talking to?" He smiled as he undone one of the straps around his waist and looked at her. "We just have to put your arms around me and bind them that way if you faint or something, you won't fall."

"Do you really want to be stuck in this canyon, finding out how far it actually goes?" He asked with a smile. "Or would you like to go find a hotel and have a nice long bath before crawling under the sheets?"

"I guess you have a point," She chuckled at his confidence. "Alright... it's worth a try."

The canyon was about five stories high, he guessed... it would be rough going, but he knew he could do it, especially if it meant getting her somewhere safe and sheltered, with actual food. He walked up to the wall and gave it a quick test climb up a few feet before dropping down to her and nodding his head. She swallowed the knot in her throat and wrapped her arms around him, letting him bind them with the leather strap before she wrapped her legs around him as well. He started climbing, he wasn't making the mistake of moving too fast in the beginning, he was taking his time and judging his hold carefully before moving, using much less energy than he would otherwise. There were a few slips here and there, which was to expected, but he didn't stop, he didn't falter, he kept climbing, even when she could feel the stress in his body. It felt like it had been hours when they finally reached the top, his arms coming up over the ledge as he pulled them up, rolling her onto solid ground before removing her arms from around him, which had been a mistake. He slipped off the edge, but he caught himself, dangling from one arm before finding his footing and pulling himself back up to join her. They hugged and cheered at their success in reaching the top.

"You were incredible Kuro!"

"All in a days work for a demon," He said as he started looking around. "Our camp is back that way, which means the road into the closest town is some where over there."

He was pointing northeast, that was the direction they had to go. It was a bit more walking, but the fact that they knew where they were know made it less of a burden to them. She followed him, a new bounce in her step, something successful happening, helping to boost their spirits and energy greatly. She was even happy to see the forest, it provided shade and better places to rest.

"We better be careful when we reach the forest," He said as he looked at her. "I'm sensing a lot of activity in the trees."

"Okay... I'll let you lead the way," She said as she continued to follow him.

He wasn't exaggerating when he said 'a lot of activity' in the forest, she could hear the sounds, remembering some from when they traveled together. He was quiet as he led her through the trees, often changing direction, and a few times, completely stopping and pushing her behind cover. When they reached the road, it was a different story... she knew that only the brave one's still attacked city's and roads. Brave was what she saw as they neared the town though... a few openly running across the road in front of them. Kurojaki didn't stop or show any fear though, even to the ones she knew posed a threat to them. But in some situations, she knew that it didn't work out so well.

"Duck!" He grabbed her shoulder and pulled her to the ground with him as the air suddenly moved, blowing in three directions, ruffling her hair a bit from the force. "Fuck, cloaker."

"You mean,"

"Yes, one of those," He said as he removed his duster and handed to her. "Stand there, don't move unless I tell you too."

"Be careful Kuro," she said as he took a few steps forward.

He couldn't place this one... it was good. He didn't feel a single thing coming from it as he stood out in the open as a perfect target. He soon found out why though as he turned and ran towards Miroku. The demon appeared with it's claws raised, striking down at her as she recoiled away from it with dust kicking up around them as he slid to a stop before her with his arms spread out. He took the attack to his chest, staggering a bit. She wanted to reach out and pull him back as the demon raised his clawed hand again, but she didn't. Flames danced across his body the minute she touched his shoulder, but it was like before, she felt no pain, it wasn't burning her at all. She couldn't say the same for the demon he now faced.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he turned to her, revealing that he hadn't been harmed.

"I'm fine," She smiled as she looked him over. "You never change... do you?"

"Well... everyone changes," He smiled as he held his hand out to her. "Some things will never change though."

"Really... try naming a few," She giggled as she took his hand.

She was taken by surprise though as he suddenly pulled her against, his lips pressing against hers. She relaxed though, returning the kiss as her her hands came to rest on his shoulders. She knew... some people did change, some just lose the normality in their lives and need something they knew, but they would still be different in the end. They both had changed, but they still felt the same way towards each other, she was fine with Kurojaki's new habits, he didn't care that she had new ones as well, it meant something new to learn about each other. To him... he didn't care... it meant more for him to fall in love with. They could live with the changes, even if it took some time getting used to a few of them.

"Wow," She said as they broke away from each other, his arms still holding her against him.

"What?" He chuckled.

"Nothing... just... just wow," She said as she looked up into his eyes... his silver eyes. "Kuro?"

"Come on, let's get into town," He smiled as he picked her up and started walking down the road.

"I can walk you know, I do have two legs that work just fine," She said as she looked up at him.

"Just humor this battered demon," He smiled as he looked forward.

She woke up, noticing the arm that wasn't around her, that he wasn't there at all. She sat up and looked around, not seeing him anywhere, the bathroom door open, no sign of him. She got to her feet and started getting dressed before rushing out of their room and out of the hotel. It wasn't like Kurojaki to up and leave like that... at least she thought it wasn't. She spent the better part of an hour asking people if they had seen him and fallowing the directions they gave her, until they led to the other end of town, feeling her heart sink as she stared down that road.

"Are you okay dear?" The lady asked as she walked up to her.

"Yeah... just looking for a friend I was told went this way," She said, putting on a fake smile.

"Was he wearing a black jacket, had pink lines on his tail?" She asked.

"Yes... you saw him?"

"Well... it might have been him, I think he was walking to the springs just outside of town, though I don't know why, no one goes there."

"Which way is it?" She started walking in the direction the woman pointed. "Thank you ma'am."

It really wasn't that far away, but she wasn't expecting what she saw when she got there. His clothes lay in a pile in the grass, and he stood in the water, cupping some in his hands and lifting the water to his head before letting it fall over his head and body. Her breath caught in her chest, her tail starting to sway back and forth happily. He started walking up into the grass, smiling as he noticed her watching him closely.

"Good morning beautiful," He said softly, walking up to her and taking her hand before bowing and kissing her knuckles. "Sorry for not leaving a note or anything, I thought you might like to sleep a bit longer."

"It's okay," She said as she followed his gentle tug until they were sitting in the grass where his fur started drying. "What are you doing out here?"

"Just refreshing myself, and calming everything down," He said softly as he looked up at the sky. "Thinking about what I'm going to do now... I don't really have anywhere else to go but jump from here to here."

"What do you want?" She asked softly as she scooted over, leaning against him, her head on his shoulder as her hand gently twirled the fur on his chest. "Where do you want to go?"

"I can't answer that," He smiled as he let his head rest against hers. "What else do I have left besides you?"

"Well... there's your good looks," She giggled. "Your charming nature, your will power, those pink lines that trace the bottom of your eyes..."

"I could start selling my body to the rich and clueless," He joked as he let his hand slither along her back before landing on her left hip. "No... how about we enjoy a nice morning here instead of wondering about what the future holds?"

She lifted her head to look at him once more. He was making quite the kissable face, his eyes slightly glazed over as he looked off into the nothingness that surrounded them, holding a small smile, his ears perked up but still laying back a little. She didn't stop herself when she gently cupped his cheek and turned his head into the kiss, their lips molding together like, their tongue meeting in the middle, fighting for entrance into the other's mouth. She slowly stretched her legs out, pushing against the grass and forcing him to lay back as she won, her tongue slipping past his, only to become entangled in his as both his arms wrapped around her. She felt her body start to heat up, her thighs rubbing together as their kiss only got deeper and deeper. She slid her leg over him, straddling him as they remained kissing, her body shivering as his hands started traveling over her body. She broke the kiss, sitting up and looking down at him as she grinned and grabbed the bottom of her shirt, slowly lifting it, revealing her black lace bra to him. He suddenly sat up, grabbing the blue top and twisting it in his hands until her wrists were bound together at the back of her head, his lips pressing to hers again. Her eyes closed with a pur as he pushed his tongue into her mouth this time, his free hand tracing along the waist of her jeans before slowly sliding beneath them and firmly grasping her pantie clad rear. He broke the kiss, tracing her jaw with nibbles before nipping at her neck. Gasped with each one, shivers running down her spine, her red wings starting to sprout from her back. She could feel his own arousal burning as it strained against her hot nether lips, trapped under her jeans and panties. He reluctantly let her go, but kept his hand trapped in her pants.

"You're mean Kuro," She hissed slightly as he bit the base of her neck. "But I will get you back."

"I won't stop you," He grinned confidently as she leaned against him, freeing her hands of her shirt and undoing her jeans before pushing them down.

He helped her get out of her jeans, but stopped her as she went to untie the small ribbons at her sides. He finally brought his hand away from her butt, he nuzzled her breasts, nipping at the edges of her bra gently as his fingers worked the ribbons loose, her panties falling into his lap. She gasped as his hot rod pressed against her damp, bare cunnie, feeling his hands glide along her back and undoing her bra. Her red wings continued to grow and change as he gently grasped the back of her neck and pulled her into another tongue filled kiss, his other hand tracing an invisible trail through her fur, over her hip and slow circle around her belly button before slowly moving to trace over her folds with a feathery touch. He stole a gasp straight from her lungs as his fingers slipped inside her wet, silky tunnel, her back arching a bit at the intruding fingers. She broke the kiss to moan as she looked at him with half lidded eyes, reaching between them and grabbing his hard shaft, stroking it as he took a nipple in his mouth and started nibbling on it, his fingers twirling around inside her, her hips starting gyrat with them, grinding her clit into the palm of his hand.

"Kuro," She groaned his name as he continued to work her over, her juices flowing quickly now, dripping from his knuckles into his lap.

He didn't answer her, instead choosing to let his actions speak as, letting the way he moved, what he did to her, letting his physical being talk for his feelings, which couldn't be put into words. Her wings were now at there maximum size, his cock starting to throb in her hands. She released him and pushed his hand away as she raised her hips, spreading herself as she let the tip of his shaft tickle over her clit and the sensitive flesh until finally she felt it poke at her tunnel, dropping down and taking his entire length inside her at once. Both of them stiffening and moaning as they embraced, panting as their bodies adjusted for what came next as he placed his right hand on the ground behind him, to keep himself up. He slowly opened his eyes to see the angel before him, feathered wings and all. She was beautiful, her eyes closed and her mouth agape in pleasure. They were connected now, joined as one single embodiment of passion, bliss, and love. She could feel how he felt, hear what he was thinking about her, knew that he felt like he belonged when she was around. She felt the same way, and she was showing it too him now, letting it all out as they moved together as one. Her hips started to raise before falling back down, his hips thrusting up to meet her, making her gasp and moan once more. She couldn't open her eyes... she was looking at him with her body, letting the pleasure say the words she was unable to say in this moment. He couldn't keep his eyes closed, he wanted to overwhelm his every sense with the woman before him, their bodies depending on each other as they asked and received more. Her began to pick up in speed as she felt his slowly growing knot slip in and out of her, each time it went in, pressing against that sensitive spot inside her. She could feel it welling inside her as she continued to fall on him, an intense desire to reach that edge driving her to keep going. Without warning, it hit, a silent scream escaping her lungs as her body arched into the air, her wings tail raising as her juices burst forth, soaking his hips pelvis in her sweet juices. Kurojaki whined, feeling her inner walls squeeze and massage him, begging for his milk as his knot continued to grow inside her. She slumped against him, her body still shaking as she nuzzled into his neck.

She didn't stop for too long before pushing him down on his back though, her hands landing on his chest as she looked down into his eyes and started raising her hips and dropping them again. He groaned and let out a few quiet growls as she scratched his chest and continued her assault on him. He was slowly losing control of it though, grabbing her hips and surprising her as he rolled. She giggled as she lay in the soft grass on her back, her wings spread as she looked up at him. His cock throbbing and burning against her slick folds as he looked into her eyes before kissing her, his hips moving of their own accord as he pulled back, suddenly thrusting inside her up to the knot, making her moan into his mouth. Her eyes squeezed shut as he grabbed her hips and lifted them slightly, reaching new depths as his knot slammed against her opening, now fully engorged. He wasn't ready yet though, he wanted to bring her over the edge with him, wanted her to fill that bliss one more time as he had decided he would go as far as he wanted, not knowing what the future held for either of them.

"Oh, Kuro," She gasped as her nails dug into his back, but he didn't mind as he wanted her to feel this way.

He finally gave one solid thrust, forcing his knot inside her and howling as the floodgates burst open, spilling copious amounts of his cum inside her as she shook, her second orgasm rocking her even harder as his pulsing knot massaged her g-spot, increasing her pleasure and making her ride her ride her orgasm out for much longer. Her walls milking him for all he was worth until his arms gave out, and he gently laid against her, her arms hugging him tightly as she nuzzled against him, not minding his weight against her during this... he wasn't heavy to her, he was a part of her.

"I got you," She said through her panting before biting his neck, his cock twitching inside her as a few more spurts spilled forth from the pleasure. "I told you I would get you back."

"Yeah," He chuckled. having a hard time catching his breath as well before he lifted his head and looked her in the eyes. "But you're literally stuck with me now."

Her smile was soft, one of content, she was fine being stuck with him, even if it really was for only a few minutes in reality. She didn't care about anything but the moment they shared right here, right now. He gently nibbled at her ear as he was close enough to reach it, making her squirm and giggle.

"Stop, that tickles!" She cried as she playfully smacked his arm.

"I'm sorry... how about I do this then?" He pushed up off the ground just enough for their nose to touch before he tilted his head to the side and kissed her once more.

It was shorter then the previous ones, but it was still deep and loving. He pulled back and looked into her eyes, she was happy to see the brilliant silver they were now, shining like life had been returned to them, a new fire having lit, making itself known. He wrapped his arms around her and rolled, letting her rest on top of him now, her head on his chest, her ear over his heart. So what if he was a bit reckless, and a bit depressing now, he was still same Kurojaki that cared about her, loved her, protected her at his own risk. He just had a new flavor, she was fine with that, as long as she never had see the Kurojaki that hid behind guard walls again.

"Hey, Miroku?" He asked softly as he wrapped his arms tightly around her.

"What is it... my Kuro?"

"Well, I just want to say," He made the face that meant he was blushing, it was how she knew he was blushing as his black fur hid his red cheeks. "I mean... I love you..."

Her eyes watered a bit as she kissed his chin. "I love you too, you strong, brave man."

They lay basking in the sun, their hearts filled with joy, their bodies exhausted from their activities, and their minds at ease as they rested. Nothing in the world willing to disturb this joyous moment... for fear of the demon's wrath, and the ferocity that came with protecting who he held closest to him.

End