From: Rurichan and Harichan <ruri_hari@yahoo.com>

Ooops sorry about that.

Miss Led: I like this story ^_^ and the part about Aoshi laughing was a
nice touch. 

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Originally this was a webpage only story as an offering to whatever
webpage gods are out there (I hope I found a permanent home.) but I
lied :)

~In the Heart of the Wolf
A Saitou Fic

Prolouge: Endlessly Dark Sky
"she is made for him as Tokio is for me."-- Kokoro Ch 8 by Jade One

   Kaoru woke up startled by the sound of banging on the door or the
Kamiya gate. She pulled on a haori over her plain white robe and slid
open the door wincing at the bite brisk dampness of the cold night air
and the light of the half-moon.
   She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up.
   “Go back to bed Kaoru-dono.” he said as he walked past her silently
and fluidly as he melted back into the darkness.
   The pounding did not stop, but it did slow down a bit.  Kaoru’s
heart almost beat along with the insistent pounding as she watched from
her door at the spot where he had turned.  Her ears straining to hear
what was going to happen next.
   The pounding had stopped.  Kaoru could almost hear the sounds of
voices.
   “... elp me...”
   “... saitou ...?”
   Kaoru’s eyes widened. Sleep had left her a while ago, so Kaoru was
now awake. She walked to the end of the wooden walkway and saw that the
sitting room was lit. She could hear muted voices inside.
   The door slid open, Kenshin met eyes with her and he said, “Make tea
please.”
   Kaoru nodded as Kenshin slid the door shut again. She shuffled to
the kitchen, no longer aware of the cold night air or the darkness. 
She had grown accustomed to it.  The night seemed as if it was
anticipating something, as if... as if...
   Kaoru wondered as she took out four cups and placed them on a tray.
What was going on? She placed the tea pot next to cups as she wondered
what Saitou was doing here in the middle of the night. Her thoughts
were interrupted by the sound of the kettle. 
   She quickly took it off of the fire not wanting to make any noise.
She added tea leaves and poured the water.  The steam warming her hands
and then quickly leaving them cold again.
   She took the tray in her hands careful not to spill and then
shuffled back to the room.
   As she approached the room, the door slid open and Kenshin stepped
aside to let her in.
   “Arigatou,” Kenshin said softly as Kaoru entered.
   Kaoru put the tray on the ground then looked up, she managed not to
gasp at Saitou’s face. It was haggard and pale.  His eyes that were
once cold and calculating, were lifeless and dull.
   “Kenshin... what... happened?”
   Kenshin pressed a cup of tea into Saitou’s hands.
   “Kaoru-dono...” Kenshin started to say, he looked at Kaoru for a
moment as if he remembered something important and then said looking
down, “... Tokio is missing.”
   Kaoru’s eyes widened. “But... but... how?”
   “I don’t know!” Saitou said distraught. “I don’t know...” he said a
second time, more slowly and calmly.
   Kaoru smiled at him and said, “It will be all right, we’ll find
her.” she said. “We will help you. For now rest, worrying about it now
won’t do anything.” She rose and opened the door. “I’ll come back with
a blanket and futon, he sleeps here tonight.” she said in a tone that
seemed to add, 'and I won't take no for an answer.'
   “... thank you...”
   Kaoru turned to look back at Saitou, “There is no love lost Saitou
for the many times you’ve tried to bring the battousai out, but
tonight,” she paused a moment to gather her thoughts, “tonight, I’ve
seen into the heart of your soul, rather, tonight I saw how your
soul was taken.” she slipped out of the room to fetch the blanket and
futon.

---------------------
Rurichan

note: the title of the prolouge came from the Ruroni Kenshin Movie
soundtrack (which is very good background music to write Kenshin
fanfics to)

visit her nomadic fanfiction page at:
http://members.xoom.com/_XOOM/Haruchan/rkff/rkffmain.htm
includes notes and ranting for "Wolf" and a new banner! ^_^
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