Disclaimer: I do not own MR. YAOI Tiger x Hare.

Awakening

Digging his hands into the sand, Hare heaved his body out of the water. So cold, his fur soaked clean though, even his scarf clinging to his neck. ~I remember now. I remember everything.~ His thoughts drifted back to when he had lived upon Eternity Mountain, watching over his children upon the lands below. He was, in a sense, their father, even though it had been the universe who had created them all. He watched over them, protected them since they had come into being. The guardians just were... everytime a new breed appeared on the land, a guardian appeared on Eternity Mountain.

Sometimes, on rare occasion, two guardians would bond and create the new breed themselves, through love. No, they didn't really give birth like the monsters and humans did. But, their love would draw two of their own species together upon the land to create a child for them. A guardian would then appear, usually sticking close to its parent guardians unless it to chose to bond. Bonding was sacred, special. There were no limits because it was so rare for guardians to find love amongst themselves. The union was beautiful and honored by all. Truly, Hare wished he too could find a bond like that.

But, back to the more pressing problem at hand. What had happened to the others? Hare didn't know. Perhaps, they had escaped or perhaps Moo had taken them prisoner. ~Tiger.~ His eyes widened, remembering that when he had fallen, the other guardian had still been fighting. Was he dead or...? His heart clenched painfully, leaving him gasping for breath. What was this feeling? He'd never felt it before, so painful. The monster struggled to his feet, realizing for the first time what form he was in.

~I'm a hare. A real hare...~ It must have happened when he had fallen the first time. Plunging into the water of an icy river, then washing upon the shore without memories of his past. It wasn't soon after that he began thieving, knowing no other way to gather food or money. Then, that tournament had drawn him in, until Genki and Tiger had arrived. The strange pull he felt towards the monster that had challenged him. Then, trying to hide his feelings by stealing their money and teasing Tiger of the Wind. He didn't know why he had done it, just that something had been strangely familiar about him.

~Must have been the fact that the Tiger guardian and I are always at odds... or... we were.~ Sadness creeped back into his heart as he set off through the woods to rejoin his teammates. He had to continue to travel with them, now that he knew where the Phoenix was. If he could find the Phoenix again, he could get help and figure out where the other guardians were. Until then, he had to act normal... like his old cheery self. The frown slowly became a fake grin, the pain of the past still aching in his heart.

~*~

The entire group was tramping through the woods, hoping to get to find Hare before something else did. 'Hurry up, you guys!' Genki screamed, racing down the path on his rollarblades. 'Geesh, you'd think Hare was actually important or something,' Suezo mumbled to himself. All of them had been the bearers of Hare's tricks at times and it really was starting to wear thin. Unnoticed by the group, someone was watching them from the shadows.

~Maybe I should... be on my own for a while. After all, it's not like they really need me around. I'm not much use to them.~ Hare turned away, fading back into the bushes to avoid being found. He just needed a bit of time to sort things out, figure out what needed to be done, before joining with them again. For now, he'd just follow from the shadows.

~*~

Tiger opened his eyes, scanning the woods around their campsite. Genki had made such a fuss about not finding Hare, even refusing to sleep. The brat... didn't he know that what he was seeking was following him? Tiger of the Wind wasn't surprised. He had been the only one to notice the lone figure watching them earlier, but the strange look in the bunny's eyes had made him keep his silence. It was not the mask he usually wore, no... it was almost sad.

The tiger shook his head, snarling to himself. The hare was no more than a prankster, a trickster at heart. What did he know about pain? Then again, he claimed to have amnesia or something. Baka, probably didn't want to admit all the thieving he had done. Not that Tiger was any better. Two thieves in the group, for different reasons.

Golden eyes caught a movement in near the edge of their camp, brown fur coming into view. Half closing his eyes as not to make the creature aware of his alertness, Tiger watched as Hare stepped gracefully towards the fire. The frown on his face revealed that he didn't believe anyone was watching. This could prove... enlightening.

Hare paused near Genki's body, half draped under the blanket. His dark eyes tried to peer into the boy's soul, half hoping to find the answers he sought. Nothing, only the silence of sleep. Keeping his steps as light as a feather, he crept towards the opposite edge of the circle. ~Tiger.~ His body froze on instinct, half expecting the beast to leap at him. ~No, he's asleep... good. I'm not ready to answer any questions or accusations yet.~ The monster took a seat in the only empty space, which was a bit too close to Tiger of the Wind's form for comfort.

But, the hare soon forgot his nervousness, focusing on the burning flames within the fire. ~The Phoenix...~ His hand drifted unconciously to the scarf around his neck. ~The reason I wear this... to hide the truth.~

Nearby, Tiger was still watching, studying the thoughtful creature gazing into the fire. He seemed to be thinking hard about something, and touching that damn scarf again. ~What is he hiding under there? Is he the enemy? Could it be Moo's symbol?~ Tiger wouldn't have been surprised, but he intended to find out.

...tbc...

Author's Note: Reviews! Sorry, but I'm addicted to good reviews. Constructive criticism is welcome, but stupid flaming is just going to be ignored. See you all next chapter! Ps. If you like monster fics, check out my Ushio and Tora ones. About a demon hunting teenager and his partner, a giant tiger-like beast. YAOI fans welcome for my other fics too! (currently, Fake (x-over with Ushio and Tora fic), DBZ, and GW)