Athena

Sleep

At the house . . .

"Here ye are Rose, ye may stay here for however long may suite ye needs." She showed me a small wooden house on the outskirts of town.

"Thank you Lady Kaede." I told her.

"Twas no trouble at all." She told me.

"Have a good night." I told her as she walked back to her own home that wasn't far from the one she lent me. I sighed to myself as I heard my stomach growl, I looked around to make sure no one was watching and focused on the purple chakra that made up the mixture of the Kyubis and my own. Feeling for it I let it over come me and switched in to my animal form. A soft purple glow surrounded me and I shook my head as I fell to the ground. I rubbed my ears with my paw and shook my head. I headed to a small pond I had seen out of the corner of my eye, and noticed one thing immediately I had more than one tail, I looked behind me and noticed 9 blonde tails with white tips. I nearly had a heart attack, I watched mesmerized by the gentle swaying of each individual tail until a hiss interrupted my thoughts. I looked down and saw that Emily was still on my neck, so I nuzzled her head, she quieted down for a bit and seemed to go back to resting. I looked into the water again and noticed that my eyes had changed as well. My eyes were now a deep dark rippling blue with cat like eyes. I opened my mouth and saw perfect white teeth.

I stretched out my limber body, shaking out I looked to the woods. I ran into the woods and leaped into the trees peered down onto the forest floor. I sat there for what seemed like hours until a small rabbit ran across the clearing, fighting my instincts for a bit I watched it silently, waiting, and then I pounced. I grabbed it by the back of its neck and killed it before it could struggle.

I walked back to the small house and changed back into my human form, I held the rabbit in my hand and sat at the edge of a small piece of wood by the side of the house. I took out a small knife from inside my sleeve and pulled out a small knife. I made sure to empty out its organs and fed them to Emily who hissed happily in return. I skinned it of its fur witch I left out to dry. I grabbed some wood that was in front of the house and walked inside, the inside was modest, just a small room with a small pit with a pot over it. I looked at the pop to see it extremely dirty. I grabbed the pot and took it to the lake and washed it out with the cold water, and kept a little in it to cook with.

I walked back inside and cut up the rabbit in small pieces and put it in the pot along with a few leaves of the herbs I had picked earlier. As I slowly cooked the meat I could see the sun setting through the door. I looked at Emily who had curled up in my lap when I had sat down to cook. She was coiled in a circle around herself, I grabbed her and set her in my lap to be comfortable, she shifted a little but otherwise didn't wake up.

I continued to stir the meat as it cooked slowly over the fire, I knew I would have to scavenge for other food later, but that didn't bother me much, I knew how to find what plants to eat and not eat. Right now I had no care in the world, and that was how I liked it.

I ate the rabbit when it was done and laid down on to my side as I curled up into a ball as well, finally getting some rest for the night.

Next day . . .

I woke up in the same position I had fallen asleep in, I sat up and rubbed the sleepiness out of my eyes, I looked at Emily and placed her on my head too continue her rest. I stood up and gathered what was left of my rabbit stew and put it in a small container in my sleeve and left the same way I came. I passed by each small house but no one seemed to be awake at the moment, I passed by Lady Kaedes house and looked inside, I noticed that she had yet to put on the jar of paste, and was shivering in her sleep. I walked in and also noticed that there was a demon in there asleep with her, he didn't seem to be causing any trouble, and had a rosary on him as well. I shrugged it of and moved to the old woman. I picked up the jar and took a small amount of paste out. But before I could touch her she woke up and nearly stabbed me with the knife in her hand. "What are ye doing here?"

"You have yet to use the medicine I have given you so I plan to apply it myself."

"Ye will do no such thing." But before she could struggle I placed a seal upon her chest.

"This may very well save your life one day so calm yourself." I reached into her shirt and rubbed the salve in circles. Her skin seemed to smooth out at my touch, I continued to spread It up and down her body leaving only very sensitive parts untouched. "There that will do." I wiped the dust of my skirt and stood up, "The seal should fall of once I leave, you should try to work out any muscle kinks in the mean time." I walked out the door and through the village again. I walked along the road that lead away from the village and started on my journey, I wanted to explore this world to its fullest.

As the time seemed to pass by me I found myself growing bored and I pulled out my flute and sat down under a tree to rest my feet, then I started to play the song I had played when I had left the last world. Emily seemed to be awake at that moment so she slithered down to my neck to have shade. I sat there simply playing the flute for what seemed like hours until night finally fell. I sat up form my spot on the ground and hopped into the tree. I hopped from tree to tree until I finally found one that seemed suitable to sleep in, I laid on a large branch clos enough to the ground, but high up enough that no one could see me. I rested my head on my hands and had one leg slightly off but still on the branch. I took a bit of bread out of my sleeve and nibbled on it a little so that I didn't go to sleep on an empty stomach. And slowly but surely sleep over came me.