{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!}

So that was it, but Nabiki didn't think it would be wise, or very nice, to pry further. In fact... "I remember when... the phone... Daddy... and the hospital..." She blinked back pointless tears. "We had to all go to the hospital and no one would say why. He looked so... serious. He wasn't frightened, but I was. Because she wasn't there and we were going to the hospital..."

Nabiki sniffed and looked down at the ground. "I knew, I just knew there was something wrong, that something had happened."

Kuno walked stoicly beside her, his face hot from the pity he was keeping at bay.

"It was so fast... She... she... Right before our eyes. I watched her... And I couldn't help her. She wouldn't wake up, she didn't come home with us. She wasn't there when I had the nightmare, or when I hurt myself, when I ran out in the road and... and..."

Kuno suddenly stopped walking and took her into his arms. It was perfect timing as Nabiki started crying. She clutched at him desperately, trying to find a way to escape the awful, awful memories. He held her gently, that burning unwilling to go away. He could always...

He growled, a careful, gentle growl that she would understand better than any words. It worked better than speech, came from someplace more sincere than his brain. After all, when he didn't know what to say, he didn't need to say anything at all. He just instinctively knew what kind of sound she would respond to.

The growling was as far as Kuno went though. Actually changing would have simply been a distraction, and maybe it would have taken her mind off things, but that wasn't what Nabiki needed. He sighed, wondering if he would only ever be the most available option and nothing more to her.

Looking profoundly depressed, he stroked the back of her head, as that was the only thing useful he could do.

After a few more minutes, during which time Nabiki's crying slowed, they resumed their walking without conversation.

"Sorry," Nabiki said eventually.

Kuno nodded, but still didn't say anything. He just didn't have anything that worth talking about, nothing that would really help, and he'd probably just end up saying something stupid. Nabiki hated it when he said stupid things, and he was beginning to feel the same.

"Say something," she said, looking straight ahead.

"What would you like me to say?"

"I don't know. Anything."

Kuno started to say something, then closed his mouth. "Uh..."

"Oh no. Don't tell me you're speechless! And I don't have any witnesses!" Whether her sadness had actually departed or she was just doing a good job of hiding it, it wasn't obvious.

It didn't seem to matter though, at least not to her as she poked him in the side with nails a bit more pointed than normal.

Kuno twisted away from her with a cry of surprise. Her grabbed Nabiki's wrists and pulled her toward him until she collided with his chest, face upturned.

Her smile faltered when she saw the look on his face.

"Are you feeling well?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Nabiki answered quickly.

"You are positive?" Kuno didn't release her wrists.

Nabiki nodded, what was left of her smile disappearing. "Really, I'm fine. I just... haven't talked about that in a while. Guess it hit me a little harder than I was expecting it to."

Kuno released her wrists, holding her gaze with eyes filled with tender caring. "I am sorry for your loss."

Nabiki looked away, but didn't move. "Like I said, that's life. You learn to deal with it."

"Or you go mad."

"Or go mad," Nabiki repeated quietly, still looking out into the darkness.

"But you would have no worry of such a thing. You are strong and would not fall into such a trap like I..." Kuno suddenly realized what he was saying and fell silent.

Instead of speaking as he expected her to, Nabiki stayed quiet. Her hand found its way into his and squeezed once. Their hands pulled apart and she said, "It's not as difficult as you might believe, Kuno-chan."

"No, I do not believe so, but then... many think I am an expert on that subject." And he wished that he wasn't, wished that he had no idea what emotional abuse really was and what the best way to protect himself from it was. No, he didn't really want to know any of it, but it was too late.

"Let us rest for a few moments," he offered, finding a spot amongst the trees that afforded them the best protection from the stiff breeze.

"But we just left a little while ago."

"It matters not. Sit with me. I think we both need this." He practically dragged her to the ground and pulled her so she was sitting against him between his legs. "We can wait 30 minutes if need be."

"Kuno, why do you insist on treating me like a child. You know very well I can take care of myself, so..."

"We can take care of each other. There is no need for you to always wear your mask around me. I would never use such a thing against you. You would be happier..."

Nabiki shook her head. "I might be happier for a little while, but after that... What happens when... when I have to put the mask back on? What happens then because I'll know... I'll know what it's like, but I won't be able to go back."

She fidgeted, trying to find a little more comfort on the cold, hard ground. There was more she wanted to say, maybe that she needed to say, but how? How to explain it when it... it hurt just to think about.

"You are not required to. Is it not better to live happily than..."

"You don't get it. You don't understand everything that I've gone through to... to hold it all in, to not let it get the best of me. I can't... I can't let it out or I might... might..."

"And there are those who would help you. This would not be something you would have to deal with by yourself."

Nabiki wiped the side of her hand across her eyes and laughed bitterly. "Oh, sure. My family, you mean? I can tell you what their reactions would be: they wouldn't believe me. They'd think it was a scam, a way to get something out of them. Oh sure, if I kept it up long enough, they'd believe me. But then they'd think I was sick or something.

"And I will not go through that. Not with them, not with anyone. So you see, or maybe you don't, that if I do that, I'm just setting myself up for..."

"Being happy? Happier than you are now? Or are you afraid that you shall 'lose face' with your family?"

"What's it to you? How I deal with my family is my own business; I don't really appreciate you trying to tell me how to deal with them."

"Even if it means you sacrifice your happiness so that you can continue to put on a false front, to always wear your mask? Can you not look ahead to see what this will do to you in the future? What if..."

"You... you don't know anything about me or my 'masks', so I suggest you just keep quiet. After all, what kind of road were you headed down before?" Nabiki asked, quite angry.

"Damnation. Pain. Suffering. Loneliness. Unfulfillment. Shall I go on? I know that you could see yourself there as well. Did you ever see yourself as not alone in the future?" Kuno didn't care much for the conversation, but it was necessary. He thought it was necessary.

"No. Just because I don't latch on to someone in high school doesn't mean I'll die alone, no matter what people think. I still have all of college to..." Nabiki ground to a halt. "I... I had... all of college," she said quietly.

Kuno realized he had just dredged up one of the worst things possible, especially in Nabiki's current state. She was liable to flat out kill him for it, but he wouldn't let her in this case; he couldn't leave her alone. "I am sorry," he said barely above a whisper.

"I know," she answered weakly, without any remaining anger. Her body rested limply against his, seemingly drained.

Hesitantly, Kuno put his arms around her and, with her hands in his, settled them on her stomach. "Please," he whispered, "do not... don't do this to yourself. I know it's not your choice, but self destruction accomplishes nothing."

"I hate all of this," Nabiki answered simply.

"I know. I do too."

"You're the only thing that reminds me of home."

"I will be here for you until we return home. That I promise."

Nabiki shivered against him. "You promise?"

"I do."

She rested against him, not so passive anymore. "Good."

"Shall we go? I believe we have a swamp to locate."

Nabiki nodded. "Yep. We did waste a little time here, didn't we?" She got to her feet and tried to wipe the snow off herself.

Kuno stood and did the same, though it had since melted. "I think it was needed, this time truly alone." In truth, it seemed like Nabiki needed the time and he was just along for the ride. But Maybe it had helped him, helped him see past his own problems, or past whatever short-sighted selfishness that seemed to possess him with alarming regularity.

They resumed their trek along the river, heading farther and farther away from the only thing they knew in the strange world. Snow came down sporadically, at first as tiny, wind-whipped chunks of ice and then as fat, wet flakes.

As night approached, the snow, sometimes driven by great gusts of wind, fell around them, adding to the dark, eerie peacefulness of the forest. Kuno decided that it would be best to stop and rest, at least for a little while. Their stamina and constitution had been increased, but it couldn't hold up indefinitely if they walked non-stop for as long as they had without food.

Finding some semblance of shelter under a group of tall pines, the thick ceiling of needles catching most of the falling snow, they rested, hiding their own doubts, keeping them silent.

"Should I find us something to eat?" Kuno offered, sitting on the thick layer of dead needles that formed a soft cushion over the frozen ground.

Nabiki shrugged listlessly. "I'm not really hungry," she replied, sounding very tired.

"It appears you need something to revitalize you, even if you are not hungry." He wasn't going to let this drop, no matter how much she denied she wanted food. Whatever was wrong, it wasn't from an upset stomach. "We can go together," he suggested, standing slowly, watching Nabiki carefully. He suddenly felt as if he had to watch her, make sure she didn't do anything foolish and hurt herself. He hated treating her like a child.

Nabiki shook her head, not looking once at Kuno. It wasn't even the pain of changing that made her decide not to go. She simply didn't feel like moving. "You go on. I'll just... rest here for a while."

Nodding, Kuno decided he wasn't worried about her hurting herself, but rather, her wasting away. That prospect was even more frightening. He couldn't really stop her from not caring whether she lived or died, whether she ate or drank, or was simply indifferent to an outside threat. How could he protect her against her own apathy?

And he couldn't get mad while he was so worried about her. The situation which had developed in only the last few minutes was now making him insanely frustrated.

Speaking gruffly, Kuno said, "Fine. You wait here." Not that he expected her to go anywhere. And still she wouldn't look at him, even after he had changed and was standing right in front of her.

Sighing softly, he turned, looking back frequently, and left to hunt.

It took him longer than necessary since he hadn't tried very hard, but his catches were impressive anyway. It would be enough until they stopped again.

He found her still in the same spot, looking like she hadn't moved an inch, and dropped everything at her feet. Nudging a fat, flightless bird that hadn't been able to run fast enough at her with his toe, Kuno watched her refuse to even acknowledge its presence. Now he was starting to get angry.

With a sudden burst of inspiration that he hoped wouldn't backfire horribly, Kuno reached down and grabbed Nabiki's arm roughly. But not too roughly; he didn't want to hurt her, just... annoy her. He pulled her to her feet, startling her enough so that she actually looked somewhat frightened.

Once she was standing, her legs firmly under her, Kuno shoved her away, wearing a vicious snarl.

Nabiki stumbled back, a surprised look on her face. Almost falling, she managed to steady herself against a tree. "Wha..."

Kuno marched at her, his hands clenched into fists. He was still snarling, appearing angrier than he felt. A tiny amount of satisfaction made itself known to him when Nabiki backed away. There was no fear from her though, only surprise. Apparently, she knew that he wouldn't hurt her, but his behavior was still very unexpected.

He reached out to grab her arm again, but she jerked it away. Snorting at her, Kuno put his hand on her shoulder and spun Nabiki around, putting her off-balance. He exerted force, making Nabiki drop to her knees. He was actually getting worried because she wasn't responding at all to his rough treatment. That should have sent her over the edge right away.

Instead of stopping, Kuno continued with his plan, hoping he could get Nabiki to react. Kneeling down behind her, he reached around and opened her shirt. With a single, smooth movement, he pulled the shirt off her back and down her arms.

This was surely something Nabiki wouldn't stand for. After those few times he had treated her unforgivably, she had not hesitated to tell him what she thought of his rough and forceful technique. But this time...

He pulled her bra off, wondering why she even bothered wearing one, and then started on her pants. That seemed to pierce her brain that something was about to happen that she wouldn't be happy with. Finally, she tried to pull away, but her struggles were still somewhat weak.

Kuno held her tightly as he tried to undress her the rest of the way, waiting for her to get really angry at him. She lashed back at him with her elbow when he managed to get her pants down to her knees.

Faking injury, he fell back a little, allowing Nabiki to scramble away. He didn't give her enough to time redress though, quickly following behind her as she moved through the snow.

"Get away from me, you bastard," she said loudly, anger finally in her voice. She rolled over from her hands and knees so she was on her back.

Kuno looked down at her and licked his chops at the sight of her naked flesh and the angry expression on her face. He advanced, grabbing her ankle and pulling her toward him. This was getting good.

Nabiki kicked at Kuno's face only to watch her foot impact his cheekbone as he turned his head slightly to the side. As his free hand started to tug at her pant leg, Nabiki tried to push his hand away with her foot, but he was far too powerful, or at least his grip was too strong. Didn't he understand she didn't want him touching her?

He had done this bullshit before and knew how much she hated it, like she was just his bitch and ready for him any time he wanted her. Nabiki almost screamed aloud when the pain suddenly ripped through her. Managing to keep it to a strangled whimper, her entire body tensed as the change started.

Kuno released Nabiki's ankle and backed away as he watched her go through the process of changing. She had finally gotten mad enough. Hopefully, that would keep her from falling back into whatever had been wrong before. Of course, he still had to deal with her, and as she changed, he thought she looked mighty pissed. At him. But it was all the price of love.

Nabiki stood up, shedding the last of her clothing, and glared, not just angrily, but hatefully at Kuno. That had been completely unacceptable, and she wouldn't let him get away with it without getting back at him. As she stalked toward Kuno, she was more than happy to see him back away.

She growled and was preparing to attack when Kuno seemed to lose his hesitation, which increased hers. Nabiki watched warily as he dropped to all-fours, his head very low to the ground and all muscles tensed. His aggressive stance impressed her with its form, but this was no time to give in to her base desires.

Their eyes never leaving each other, the two circled. Kuno seemed to inch along, his body in the oddly threatening position, while Nabiki took small, even steps, debating if she should do as Kuno and switch to her more natural carriage. She waffled for a moment, the decided and got herself lower to the ground.

It seemed that even though Kuno was posed to attack, he was going to force her into making the first move. With no alert (she hoped), Nabiki lunged forward, mouth open, claws out in front of her, ready to tear into Kuno.

He was a little faster than she had expected though and was able to roll out of the way. Kuno was waiting for her when she recovered from the attack. Snapping at her savagely, saliva flying from his mouth, he came inches from tearing a sizable hunk of flesh from her arm.

Nabiki turned, half standing, and with the palm of her hand smacked Kuno in the head. With his neck extended in such a way, the blow was more vicious than she had anticipated, and he was knocked to his side.

Appearing as ungraceful as a slug, he squirmed on his side, kicking up pine needles. Struggling to get to his feet, Nabiki's attack doing more damage than he imagined it would, he rose slowly. The look on Nabiki's face was warning enough that he would not underestimate her again.

Nabiki watched and could see that she had actually hurt him. Well good. That was what she had tried to do, but Kuno was a stubborn jerk and just didn't know when to quit. She gave a wolfish grin when she saw how unsteady his legs were. It was time to show him once and for all that he couldn't use her like a toy.

Charging forward, arm raised to strike, Nabiki was about to bring her arm back around in a near-fatal blow, when Kuno caught her by surprise. He had been faking his injury to a certain degree and countered her wild swing by ducking and tackling her to the ground.

The air was forced from her lungs as Kuno landed on top of her and pinned her arms. Not simply giving in, Nabiki snapped at him, trying to latch on to his neck, not holding back on the growling so Kuno would know how pissed she was.

Kuno wasn't holding back either, and as he pulled his head and neck out of Nabiki's range, he snarled and snapped back. The two continued the futile show of anger until they simply stopped, each panting heavily. Shifting, Kuno moved and released Nabiki's arms before laying his head on her chest and sighing heavily.

No, he hadn't wanted to do it, to threaten her, to anger her, but she had been in such a funk... Kuno began to change back and hoped Nabiki wouldn't take the opportunity to attack him. He wasn't in any shape to defend himself, being too relaxed in his current position.

Nabiki reached up and stroked the back of his head with one massive hand. There were no hard feelings, not when she knew why he had done it. It was impossible to stay angry at him, even when she wanted, needed to. So easily had Nabiki been subdued by her "curse" and Kuno, and she had been powerless to fight either.

But why couldn't he understand? Understand that this was something she _had_ to fight, not like him... There was no giving in, no letting it have its way with her body and mind. Not until she was good and ready to accept things to her satisfaction.

Suddenly rolling over and growling softly at Kuno, Nabiki pinned him down and stared into his eyes. She could see that there was no fear or anger there, only understanding and caring and... No point in denying it, she already knew how he felt, so why was it so hard to comprehend? Well... it wasn't. Hard to believe? A little. For so long Akane, and Ranma even, and now...

And yes, it was even a little scary. The depths she saw of his idiocy, his stubbornness, his ego... love. So intense, and still she didn't know why.

Nabiki stood and tried to shake off the weird feelings. She didn't like the sensations, the combination of physical sensations, emotions and thoughts were all competing for notice. They all wanted her to know that there was something desirable about the person she was with. They didn't want him to go anywhere without them, but Nabiki was more than just the sum of her parts. She didn't want a permanent relationship with Kuno, no matter how much her body argued with her.

"I am sorry," he said, rising from the ground. "I did not want to..."

Nabiki waved him off. It was starting to look like the animal had a mind of its own and it wasn't happy being cooped up all the time. No matter how much it hurt, it wanted to be let out once in a while. Maybe that meant she was coming to terms with it, or maybe it was just being a huge pain in the ass.

She shied away as Kuno ran his hand through the fur on her back. It felt nice, but a little strange, and definitely not something she was used to.

Kuno's hands became a bit more forceful as they ran through her fur, and very shortly, she was weak-kneed from the feeling. "It can be pleasurable beyond human senses," he said to her quietly.

Nabiki groaned and sank to the ground. She had done it to him so many times and had never known. The pleasure was maddening, sometime light and teasing, other times nearing pain. She rolled to her back and felt Kuno's hands follow her movement. He was straddling her body now and...

Nabiki's eyes snapped open and she shoved Kuno off her. Just what did he think he was doing, right in the middle of the forest like that? The nerve. And to suppose she would agree to it. Kuno was getting bold, a development Nabiki wasn't sure she liked. He was easier to handle when he backed off and gave in to what she wanted.

Again, when she looked at him and expected to see frustration or resentment, he was smiling. That was a little infuriating in its own way. Grunting disapprovingly at him, Nabiki stood and brushed herself off. This was no time to be goofing around; they were on a very serious mission. So now she just had to turn human. No problem.

Nabiki waited. Just... turn human. Just like that. Turn human. The way she had done all those times before, even if she wasn't sure how, she wanted to be human again.

Kuno came up behind her and whispered seductively, making her feel that the tables had turned again, "You have to want it. Like nothing you have ever desired before. Want it..."

Unfortunately, the only thing Nabiki was left wanting was the person whispering in her ear. And while she was reasonably comfortable being unclothed in her wolf form, she wasn't immune to the sensations this state often presented. Kuno standing behind her, being able to feel his body against hers... Damn him for tempting her.

Her entire body quivered , and the painful process of changing began. She made a whining noise that sounded pitiful even in her own ears. She was fully aware of what was coming, and she wasn't looking forward to it. But Kuno was there, holding her, his other hand stroking her skin as it changed, and finally coming to rest on her stomach.

Kuno hated to watch Nabiki go through the process. It was that it was a very painful process for her, even though she probably should have been used to it by then. She was probably just tightening up in anticipation, fighting it.

And as she changed under his hands, he thought of how nice it would be to... experience her during that change. It was at that moment that Tatewaki Kuno admitted to himself that he was a pervert of the highest magnitude.

"Nabiki, please..." He was all set to start begging.

She shook her head, understandable as she was in the middle of something she likened to having her teeth drilled minus the novacaine.

"I need you this moment," he said, his desire spiraling out of control. The whole situation, egging her on, attempting to... force her... It had gotten him so aroused, he couldn't believe it. Usually it was Nabiki who attacked, pouncing on him, but not this time. "Please."

Nabiki didn't say anything. She was still making an effort to speak and get her breath back. Kuno was such a pervert, begging for it at a time like this. It was the last thing she needed . Pushing him away, she sat up and looked around.

It was strange, she felt... confused, disoriented, and that didn't usually happen. In fact, she felt strange all over. Something very odd was going on, but what?

"Get the hell off of me!" she yelled and shoved Kuno away. "I feel like crap and you think I want you crawling all over me? Get a clue." Nabiki put her hand to her face and felt the entire world slowly revolve around her, like she was on some great carnival ride.

"Are you sure you are..."

"Leave me alone!"

Kuno moved away at Nabiki's command, looking at her pitifully.

"When I say leave me alone," Nabiki said, holding her head in her hands and her eyes shut tightly, "I mean leave me alone! How difficult is that for you to understand?"

Staring at her, on the verge of tears, Kuno couldn't even manage words. It was obvious that she was upset; he had done that on purpose after all, but this time, her anger struck him deeper than before. This time he was torn and didn't know what to do. The strongest impulse in him was to run, the pain of another rejection eating at him, but that was an impossibility. Running away wouldn't accomplish anything, even if it hurt to stay there at the moment.

"I will not leave you alone," Kuno said, trying to give himself courage. He never considered himself a coward, but this was one enemy he could not fight.

The glare Nabiki gave him was enough to send a lesser man running, but not him.

'Protect her, Tatewaki. Protect my little sister.' Kasumi's words still ran through his head, and if it wasn't just for himself, he would protect Nabiki for her family. He wouldn't fail her, or anyone else, again.

"I will not leave you. I must protect you, even if you do not believe you need it. That is final." And a good thing it was because he didn't think he'd last much longer against her very tangible anger.

Instead of saying anything, Nabiki just glared, her lips forming a half snarl. Not even she get bust through Kuno's stubbornness. If he had it in his mind that he was going to protect her, then nothing she could say or do would change that.

Nabiki turned her head and closed her eyes. "Your fault," she said quietly.

***

"When will you learn that I don't love you and never will?"

Somehow, that never bothered him. It never stopped him. "That is what you say, but I know it is a lie. Your sister said it. The pig-tailed girl said it..."

"And they didn't love you. Ranma is the pig-tailed girl; he couldn't love you!"

"But you can. You do. Stop denying your feelings..."

"My feelings? What about your reality? You have no idea what's going on in the world because you refuse to accept any of it. Don't talk to me about denying anything until you deal with it yourself."

A dream. Nabiki told herself it had to be a dream. It was impossible to get even a half-intelligent conversation out of Kuno, so it just had to be a dream.

"It matters not anyway. You have very little choice in the matter now. Together, we rule our own army, our own land..." He swept his arm out dramatically, and they both turned to look at what he was gesturing to.

A vast forest stretched out, completely unbroken, and a little frightening in its size, but even more worrying were the masses of people... half-people, semi-human, more wolf than man or woman, and all of them staring up at them with red glowing eyes.

Nabiki sat up suddenly, her breath catching in her throat. For a bare moment, she felt like Ranma again, checking herself to make sure she was still human.

Discovering that she was indeed human, she looked over at Kuno where he had laid down in their make-shift shelter. She was mildly surprised to see him up and awake as well. "Kuno-chan?" Nabiki said questioningly under her breath.

His head turned slowly and he looked at her, his eyes faintly luminescent. Nabiki wondered if hers were too, but she had no way of knowing.

"I dreamt," he said simply.

"Of us?"

"And... others."

"The same dream? A forest and..."

"Others," Kuno repeated emotionlessly.

Nabiki nodded and stared at Kuno. They had shared the dream. Even though it hadn't been particularly frightening, it had been... disturbing. What she was supposed to make of it, where it had come from, she didn't know. Was it some strange twisted dream dredged up from the animal inside her, or was it a premonition, a glimpse of the future? And if it was the future, how... and why? They were questions she didn't really want answered.

Her contemplation was ruined by Kuno moving next to her, though he thankfully refrained from speaking. She tolerated his proximity for the time being and laid back down. Whatever had caused that dream, whatever had brought it on... She couldn't let it get to her. She just couldn't.

Eyes wide open, staring into the darkness, she waited.

***

The weather changed rapidly as they traveled south. The snow gave way to sleet and cold rain, then warm rain, then no rain at all. A few days of uneventful travel, the weather changing to warm and tropical in quite suddenly was the only thing of note.

And even though the weather was warm, the strange vegetation and trees, living without sun, were of no type Nabiki or Kuno had ever seen before. How they survived at all was a complete mystery.

"Maybe she was wrong. Maybe we already missed the mountains," Nabiki said, straining to look through the trees. Anatalia had said they would be able to see it, no problem, but Nabiki was starting to have her doubts about that. They had been walking for over a week and there hadn't been any sign.

"Have faith," was all Kuno would say, which didn't help in the least.

"Right," Nabiki mumbled. "Have faith... We're going to just find a mountain who knows how far away in the dark like this. For all we know, this could be some sort of trap."

"You know that is not true. We simply need to continue on and eventually..."

"Eventually?" Nabiki interjected. "Yeah, and eventually we'll be dead. I'm not putting any bets on eventually." She scowled in the darkness. Things were really starting to get ugly.

"Eventually," Kuno said quietly. "I wouldn't allow it. Everything I am capable of... I wouldn't allow it."

"Quit being so mel... Just stop it. There's no way we'll be able to predict if something will happen. I'm expecting the worse, but I am _not_ counting on you or anyone else to save me. And I think... I think you shouldn't count on it either." Nabiki's scowl had changed to a snarl.

"I will. Nothing you say will change that."

Nabiki sighed. She knew what he was going to say.

"You... There are things I value more highly than my own life. You know this. Say what you will, it will change nothing."

Nabiki felt him grab her hand and lift it to his lips. He kissed it gently, then released it. Talking to him was completely hopeless. There simply wasn't any way she'd be able to convince him of anything he didn't want to believe. Not that that came as any surprise.

"Kuno-chan," Nabiki said, putting her hand to her forehead, "I think I need..." If they had been at home, she would have said that she needed an aspirin simply out of habit. But out in the wilderness, in this place where they probably didn't even know what aspirin was... "I don't know. My head hurts."

Kuno felt her forehead, checking for fever. "I feel no evidence of sickness."

"I don't know. It kind of comes and goes. Sometimes I feel sick to my stomach..." Nabiki swore silently under her breath. She knew exactly what the problem was, and it wasn't related to any flu or cold. "Just some water. I think that would help," she said.

Continuously telling herself to be strong, that she didn't have anything to fall back on, Nabiki relaxed. While it wasn't unexpected, it wasn't the best time to be getting a stress headache either.

"Perhaps you should..." Kuno didn't know quite how to say it. "It might be easier if you were... You know."

Nabiki groaned, figuring it would be something like that. "I don't want to..." But she knew he was right; she had just been hoping for an alternative to present itself.

"The pain will only be for a moment," Kuno said quietly. "It's not as bad as you'd like to believe it is."

"Don't try to help. It's not working," she warned, but could feel her control slipping. Again, it was like her other nature was trying to escape, forcing its presence out, exerting control... "Damn it," Nabiki said tiredly. "This really _is_ your fault, Kuno-chan," she said and started to change.

Seeing the process begin, Kuno worked to loosen some of her more restrictive clothing, trying to prevent it from tearing. The sensation was simultaneously exciting and creepy as her body shifted under his hands.

The fact that it felt like ten thousand ants squirming under her skin was almost enough to make him yank his hands away, but as the outward physical changes happened, Kuno found himself wondering just what it would feel like... One day, he planned on finding out.

Moments later, Nabiki stood, shaking her head, gently pulling off her clothes. Kuno had actually gotten something right for once and had saved the button and zipper of her pants and her bra from being torn. She knew she should have tried some of Ranma's cheesy black pants instead of bringing her own clothes.

But again, that was one of those things she wasn't going to compromise. Changing into a wolf... she wouldn't let that get the better of her, and she would not change her routine because of it. Yes, it was stubborn of her, but Nabiki had to draw the line somewhere.

"Is that better?" Kuno asked, looking at her as he gathered her clothing.

Nabiki sighed and nodded. Her headache had been reduced to a mere annoyance, and that was fine, but she had to deal with the way she was now. Unfortunately, that was mostly a problem she made for herself.

"I am happy to hear that. Shall we continue on?" Kuno looked at her for another moment, then offered, "Would you feel more comfortable if I changed as well?"

Swallowing a portion of her pride, Nabiki nodded again. It made her feel like she was on more even ground with Kuno. When he was human and she was not, she felt like she was at a huge disadvantage. Partially it was her lack of ability to speak, having always used that as a weapon.

As Kuno changed, Nabiki watched him, wondering how much longer she would have to deal with it all. She punched Kuno sharply in the chest when he was finished for being such a nuisance.

That only drew Kuno's undivided attention to her though, and he was immediately dancing around her and snapping playfully at her tail.

Nabiki growled at him, swiping lazily with one claw as he got close, until he got over this little mood. It was so cute and playful, it almost made her ill. This just wasn't the time or place to be acting like a twit.

Seeing that she seemed to be better, and having a pretty good idea why, Kuno stopped his teasing. She was partly right, the mood he had picked up from her growling, the annoyance she felt... Maybe it wasn't a time to be silly, but it wasn't a time to be a stick in the mud either. They couldn't afford it.

Scooping up their things, Kuno stood upright and began walking. There was something about the way things were at the moment that made Kuno feel satisfied. He could hear the river, the forest around him, the darkness pierced by his superior eyesight...

This would be something he would enjoy doing back home. Not many people saw the sun rise from the peak of Mount Fuji; it had to breathtakingly beautiful.

Making a contented grunting sound, he felt a sudden burst of energy. He looked back at Nabiki, who was following him at a casual pace, and gestured with his head.

She shrugged and nodded in response, though she wasn't sure how long she'd be able to keep it up. Her body seemed to be unfailingly uncooperative, ready to do whatever necessary to make things difficult for her.

Kuno adjusted their things so that they rested on his back and were strapped firmly across his chest. He then dropped to all fours, testing to make sure their bags wouldn't bounce too much. Feeling them well in place, he started walking briskly, barely keeping himself from just running off.

Nabiki watched him walk for a bit. If they traveled like that, they would find their destination quicker, but that didn't mean she had to like it. Or admit it if she did.

She squatted down and put her hands on the ground delicately. The position felt more natural, yes, but it was also quite strange to be walking like that, especially outside.

Letting out a yip that might have been triumph, Kuno began to run at a leisurely pace through the tree. After a few moments, he took off with a burst of speed and ran full out.

He could hear Nabiki following behind him, her breathing quicker than his, the length of her gait shorter than his own. The steady sounds sounds of her presence existed at the back of his mind as he ran, tuning out almost everything else.

The forest unfolded before them, mile after mile, the river continuing its steady path south. All through the night, seeing nary a living creature cross their path, they ran. Drinking from the river as morning approached, they slowed their pace.

For Nabiki, it was the one thing she had been frightened of. It felt good. It felt good to be out and running, and the weird funk and mood swings were gone. She felt better running free in the woods, in a powerful animal body, than she ever had before.

If the weight of their current task hadn't been on her mind, then the idea of fleeing into the woods and staying there would have been foremost. It would have been nigh undeniable.

And yet, there was one thing that was plaguing her.

Barking out, Nabiki called for Kuno to stop, and leaned against a tree. She placed her hands on her chest where, in her human form, her breasts were located. As a wolf, they lacked any sort of shape, the only evidence of their existence being her nipples hidden within her fur.

With her hands over the areas though, Nabiki could feel how they were slightly swollen. Swollen and sore. It couldn't have really been from the running; she didn't have the same problems running for long distances like she did when she was human.

But ah yes. It was just about time for something else to crop up as a problem. If it wasn't one thing when she was human, it was something else when she was a wolf. Snorting with disgust at herself and her condition, she tried to massage her discomfort away.

In her book, groping herself wasn't high on the list of fun things to do on a Saturday night. Then again, she didn't even know what day it was, so heck... A few minutes rest wouldn't hurt anyway.

Kuno sat on the ground at her feet and waited. He wouldn't admit, and it wasn't all that bad anyway, that all that running had been slightly uncomfortable in... his sensitive areas. It probably wasn't possible to find an athletic supporter in his size though. It couldn't be any worse than horseback riding though.

Sighing, the soreness was fading, but Nabiki knew that if they started running again it would be back. They could get along just as well with brisk walking, and hopefully, that wouldn't cause any future discomforts.

And while they were stopped... The combination of sounds roughly translated to "let's eat," to which Kuno agreed.

Not waiting a moment longer, Kuno was up and gone into the night, with the clouds gathering overhead, signifying the approach of "day".

Nabiki felt a tiny pang of guilt for not helping, considering that she never helped, but he never seemed to care. Kuno enjoyed it all, the hunting, the killing, enjoyed being a wolf. Enjoyed the strength and the power, and at least that much she could agree with.

Listening, she could hear him running, chasing something, and the squeal of fear and pain as whatever animal was caught. That sound, the sound of prey being brought down, it excited her in a way nothing else did. Kasumi informing everyone it was dinner never did it, never made her feel that way. Thankfully.

Sighing to herself and at her... foolishness, Nabiki relaxed and waited. She couldn't help it, but she sure felt stupid, getting horny over dinner. Her stomach rumbled ominously, and it almost sounded like a warning. Damn. If she wanted to be grouchy, she would be and her stomach had no say in it.

Nabiki moaned pitifully and held her face in her hands. And now she was talking to herself. That was just flat out insane.

Curling her tail around her legs, Nabiki rested her head on her crossed arms and waited. She felt herself slowly drift to sleep and didn't bother fighting it. There was no point in fighting it, just like everything else. There just wasn't any point.

It was in that state, between sleep and consciousness that she heard, or rather felt it. She was sinking into herself, a sensation she couldn't begin to understand, and could feel the conscious life within her.

They waited in audible silence, but she could almost hear them cry out pitifully. They cried and whined and were never satisfied, wanted more of everything she could give them. More food, better food, more blood... They wanted to be whole, to be alive, to be separate from her. But they needed her and they would wait until the time was proper.

Nabiki growled, her ears twitching, as she slept. Kuno watched with curiosity, wondering what it was she was dreaming about. He spat out his catch unceremoniously to the ground. It didn't matter what she was dreaming. If she was asleep, she obviously needed the rest. Food could wait, and so could he.

Some time later, she didn't know how much, Nabiki awoke to find herself in front of a sizable fire. She blinked, her pupils contracting to deal with the light, and looked at the person on the other side of the blaze.

Kuno looked back at her, dried blood still smeared around his mouth, his fingers still stained by it. "When I returned, you had fallen asleep. I thought it best to let you rest," he said, reading her questioning gaze. "I was not wholly sure of why, but assumed it was related to your..." He trailed off and gestured toward her stomach.

Nabiki nodded and looked at the animal laying on the ground next to the fire. Her stomach was immediately awake and demanded to be fed.

"It is yours," Kuno said, following her gaze. "I have eaten already." He didn't realize that the evidence of his meal was smeared all over his face still.

Nabiki poked at the animal, finding the concept of eating it (at least while she had her full faculties) a little disgusting. Her rational mind thought so, but her more basic instincts didn't care.

Very briefly, the thought of cooking it passed through her mind, but there was also the memory of the sweet, raw flesh burned into her memory. The idea of enjoying such a simple pleasure was too hard to ignore, and especially when she was in such a... irrational form.

She lifted the heavy animal, the blood having pooled and making it seem heavier, and held it in her hands. Dead, glassy eyes stared back at her, and Nabiki could almost see the fear still in them. Even if she wasn't currently a killer, she would end up as one. She wouldn't be able to deny it forever.

It was simply the basic nature of what she had become; killing went along with everything else. After all, when blood was so very sweet and warm, almost irresistible, how could she not kill? How could she deny herself that pleasure?

Without further consideration, her jaws closed and removed the head of the animal, crunching down on the delicate spine. Holding back the sudden surge of savagery on her, she ate the animal with her eyes turned away from Kuno.

He was watching her, she knew it. But she couldn't look at him while he was watching her do something so... Her train of thought abruptly derailed when she could no longer hold back the animal within her.

Growling, she tore off a piece of flesh from the animal and shook it slightly before swallowing it whole. Somewhere in the back of her mind, like she was two different people, she watched herself do these things, wondering when she, her real self, the person she had been before, had slipped away.

Finished with her meal, Nabiki felt the urge to change back, but this time she rejected it. No, she was fine the way she was and didn't need to change back to that small and weak form. This would be a time that she would not be denied because there wasn't anything wrong with enjoying her abilities, her heightened senses.

Her eyes focused like twin lasers on Kuno on the other side of the fire. Heightened senses that were now picking up the signals he was unknowingly sending out. Or maybe he did and just couldn't control them. Well, he was only a male and they had their weaknesses when dealing with females.

Ever immodest, Nabiki knew she was the most overall intimidating female he had ever encountered, and whether he was an alpha male or not, he would defer to her. Besides, how could he be an alpha male when he had no pack?

Nabiki snorted, her eyes locked with Kuno's. Ego. It was all about ego, though she was glad he felt qualified to be an alpha. Spineless sponges she just couldn't stand. She wanted a man, not a dead fish.

The signals suddenly doubled in intensity. As if he knew what she was thinking, he wanted her. Desperately. And yet, he was afraid of her. Well, if he wanted her that badly, and the jump in his signals again indicated that he did, then she would oblige. But on her terms, not his.

He wanted her, but she would have him.

"You... you are not ill again, are you?" he asked, seeing the surprising flash of red in her eyes. Rarely had he seen them glow so brightly, and never for any extended period of time. It made his heart hammer in his chest, partly with fear, but mostly with desire.

Nabiki shook her head and stood slowly. Her tail moved slowly back and forth, like a snake charmer and Kuno was her snake. His eyes were riveted to hers and she could see the almost glazed look in them. That was what he had used on her before, she knew it. He almost looked like he was going to pass out.

Kuno felt himself sinking into the depths of those pools of fire. He didn't mind it, losing himself like that. Far from it really. To simply lay back and let things go, to give himself up to her sounded like the most wonderful thing in the world. A quiet moan escaped from between his parted lips.

Nabiki's ears pricked forward as she heard him moan. He was definitely waiting for her, definitely ready. With a snarl, she leapt over the fire and pounced on Kuno.

He fell backwards under her attack, not resisting her at all. His limbs all felt like they weighed a hundred pounds, yet his body was as light as a feather. Nabiki's weight on him was comforting, like that of a feather comforter.

Only this comforter had teeth and liked to use them. There was no fight in him, though, no defense for him to put up. Her eyes held him completely immobile, though he was floating and his entire body was...

Kuno's entire body arched as Nabiki's claws came within millimeters of ripping him open and stripped him of his clothing. The thin furrows of skin she peeled off with her claws bled shallowly, which she lapped up with enthusiasm.

The trails of fire she made then cooled with her tongue deepened his state of paralyzed pleasure, his muscles relaxing even as they clenched from the sensations. He managed to raise his arm, fighting off the heaviness for a moment.

Nabiki grabbed his wrist and squeezed almost to the point of crushing bones. She watched his face until she saw pain register on it, then loosened her hold and slammed his arm back to the ground. Growling in warning, Nabiki's eyes flared, and she saw them reflected in Kuno's.

That was better. He would not resist, he would not act unless she wanted him to. What her rational mind was beginning to regard as her animal self, since they were definitely two separate entities that somehow shared on brain, wasn't willing to be dominated, and most definitely not by Kuno. There was that connection between them that made them... mates, but that didn't mean she respected him.

And that wild animal, the one that understood raw emotion better than anything, was even less inclined to respect him. Only in his moments of anger, of fear, of pure sexual desire did she find the person she couldn't resist in him.

Nabiki suddenly cut off her control, her suppression of his will. Almost immediately he returned to full alertness, awareness returning t his eyes. She pushed off him and crouched low to the ground. Her eyes were fixed on Kuno as he sat up slowly, somewhat bewildered by what had just happened.

Nudging his arm with her nose, Nabiki began pacing back and forth beside him. This, she abruptly decided, was what she wanted. As long as she was controlling the flow, the pace of events, she could deal with it. That normally left Kuno off-balance enough anyway, as she pulled, pointed and directed him...

Kuno stood and watched Nabiki carefully. He knew better than to walk blindly into the spider's web, and Nabiki was the deadliest spider he knew. "And what is it you want?" he asked, turning as she circled him.

Nabiki butted her head up against his thigh, her tail snaking between his legs to press forcefully against his groin and tickle his stomach with its tip.

"and you were the one denying me earlier. Your motives are a mystery to me," he said quietly, allowing her tail to have its way. He would not be able to resist her, she would not allow him to deny her, that much he knew.

Nabiki looked up at him and snorted. She then moved around him and crouched down. She wriggled a bit, pawing at the ground, sending some very clear signals. Twisting her head around, eyes glowing steadily, Nabiki whipped her tail back and forth, striking Kuno's legs.

"This is not a joke? You are not going to attack?" He eyed her, wary and lustful at the same time. Not often was he openly invited into such a situation by her. There were the few times he had pushed her, and the times she had attacked him, but very rarely did they ever "invite" one another.

Kuno growled, the sound weak while he was human, but Nabiki responded, knowing what he meant. His warnings didn't mean much to her, but it was one of the things they did out of instinct more than anything. It was the same with him biting her neck, and the violence.

And though it may have been only instinct, a ritual of sorts, it was one that somehow enhanced the experience. This, Nabiki knew, had everything to do with allowing herself to enjoy it, to accept it. That was simply the way things were, the way she allowed things to be.