So, I'm good at missing deadlines. That's what I've learned. Also, I've hit my first ever writer's block with this story. Hooray for my great timing. I think it has something to do with the sheer amount of time I had to spend away from the story while recovering from surgery. :/

Alas, not all hope is lost. I do still intend to finish the story I'm just working on something else to try and clear the block. That said I'm writing a HP/ Supernatural crossover right now if anyone is interested in that. I'm not sure when I'll post it.

This might be the last chapter for a while so enjoy it guys, and I'm sorry for missing the Christmas update. Cheers!

The battle was dying down much to the relief of the citizens of Irontown. Most of the samurai had retreated after the destruction of the explosives and those that had stuck around seemed to only be buying time to make sure Irontown's gunmen didn't give some new bullet holes to their injured comrades.

A wild cheer went up as soon the last samurai ran off. They had defended their town against massive odds and won. Eboshi was about ready to order everyone off for a small celebration but her eyes caught on Harry who was watching the tree line where the last soldier had disappeared. He didn't seem happy with the outcome, or even at ease. The tense set of his shoulders made her own wariness resurface. She was about to ask him what was wrong when he spoke of his own accord.

"That was too easy."

She blinked back her confusion before giving him a small smile. "We did have magic on our side."

He shook his head. "That's not what I meant. If they really wanted to take this place they would try harder. They would have more soldiers and they wouldn't quit so easily…"

"What are you saying?"

"They were testing us. They wanted to see what Irontown was capable of…"

"And they saw that we're capable of defeating them." Eboshi said proudly.

Harry shook his head. "We threw away our trump card too easily. I didn't see what they were doing until it was too late and I'd already revealed myself. Now that they know I'm here they can perform counter measures. We've lost the element of surprise."

Eboshi didn't feel like celebrating any longer. She felt like smashing her head repeatedly against one of the wooden posts that made up the defensive wall. "What do we do?"

Harry looked in her direction for the first time before looking back out over the wall. "I've been in a war before…" he trailed off for a minute as if lost in thought. "But it wasn't this kind of war."

She stared at him in amazement. She didn't know spirits fought wars. Well, he was technically fighting in this one but she had guessed this was a particularly rare occurrence.

"I don't know precisely what we should do, but it would probably be best that we make sure everyone can be ready at a moment's notice. Now that they've seen what we're capable of they'll probably try to find a way to form a sneak attack…" he glanced at her again. "I need sleep. Wake me up if anything happens."

He left a furiously thinking Eboshi standing on the battlement as he made his way down the stairs toward his tent. His eyelids drooped with the anticipation of flopping into a bed and sleeping. As he walked he caught a strange scent in the air. He hadn't realized he'd stopped walking until someone dropped a tray full of rice bowl somewhere to his right and he snapped out of his daze.

He glanced around for the source of the odd smell and saw nothing. He scrunched up his nose in confusion and took another small sniff of the air. He felt ridiculous as he followed his nose to a small pool of red liquid on the ground. He knelt down. The smell was definitely coming for that pool. Hesitantly he dipped a finger in the stuff and grimaced at the cooling temperature of it. He raised the finger to eye level watching as it slowly dripped from his finger. Glancing to his left he noticed more pools of it leading away. The one he was kneeling next to was by far the largest he could see though. Curiously, he followed the trail.

It led in a straight line for several meters before curving off in the direction of his tent. He sighed and shrugged. He had been heading in that direction anyway. The pools seemed to grow larger the further he walked as if whatever had been made had been sat there longer and longer as the person carrying it grew weary. As he rounded the final corner that would put him in front of his tent he stopped.

Laying there, on his side, growling at San was an injured Koji. It became clear to Harry in that moment what he had been following. Blood.

Tossing aside his confusion about the smell of the stuff he hurried to Koji's side.

'You're here.' Setsuna greeted in a relieved voice making the other two look up from San's failed attempts to staunch the blood flow. 'My idiot brother refused to bother you while you were…'

"It's fine." Harry said gently moving San to the side so he could see Koji's rear leg. He felt like he barely had the strength to walk to his bed right now, but he knew that was just his human perception of energy. He tried to ignore it. He knew that he had massive reserves of energy within him that he mostly left untouched, and he could draw on the forest if he ever really needed it. He ran through a mental list of healing spells he knew from before, and realized he was sorely lacking in the medical field of knowledge. He bit back his frustration, and chose a different route. Instead of using mental incantations like he did for levitation he simply pushed forward his magic willing it to do his bidding and praying it wouldn't make the problem worse than it was. Koji's leg was a mess and he'd likely lose it without Harry's help so he was at least hopeful that he wouldn't make it worse.

To his surprise and relief the magic began knitting muscle back to together. Harry wanted to let out a sigh of relief but held it back in fear of losing his focus and unintentionally screwing up. Koji shifted obviously uncomfortable under the touch, but it was enough for Harry to lose focus on his magic and sure enough it struck out cutting a sizeable gash into his own arm and another three or so inches from San who had been sitting beside him watching in awe. Harry couldn't contain the cry of pain and his magic instantly returned to him almost apologetic in nature as he felt the thrum of power around the injury.

"Are you okay?" Kaya called.

Harry hadn't seen her before in his focusing on the injured wolf, but she had probably been stood there in the tent flap the whole time. He gave a curt nod slapping a hand over the cut and glancing down at Koji's mostly healed leg. It was no longer bleeding and most of the muscle had re-knit itself. It would have to do. Koji looked at him speculatively before withdrawing his leg. Harry gave him a wan smile.

Setsuna was less calm. He was pacing side to side watching the whole ordeal nervously. It was a dramatic change from his normal demeanor.

Harry stood moved to pass Kaya in the tent entrance. Kaya made to reach for Harry's arm but was stopped by San. Harry blinked but said nothing. He was tired, so tired. He just wanted some sleep.

Kaya stared at her hand for a moment before turning to glare at San. "He was hurt! Why did you stop me?"

San returned the glare full force. "I stopped you-!"

"San." Setsuna gave her a gentle push. "Tend to Koji. I will take care of the human."

San sent a harsh glare in Kaya's direction before moving to her brother's side. Setsuna was right of course. Koji still needed looking after.

Setsuna moved forward eyes glued to the tent and beyond the entrance to the bed Harry had flopped down on. Kaya felt her anger taper down a bit. "You're worried about him." She said trying to keep the awe from her voice. She wasn't sure if it would annoy the stoic wolf, and she most certainly didn't want to risk annoying one of the few beings who'd treated her fairly since arrival.

Setsuna's gaze flickered to her for no more than a second before returning to Harry. He didn't dignify her utterance with a response choosing instead to edge as close as he could to the tent.

"Can I ask you something?" Kaya said leaning back against the material and sliding to the ground.

Setsuna's tailed flicked in an irritated fashion, but there was no negative reply.

"Why did she stop me?" Kaya said drawing her knees up to her chest and glancing around. San and Koji had long since vanished, to where she was unsure. "Does she hate me? I've never done anything to her."

Setsuna let out a scoffing laugh. "San hates all humans on principle." He said not turning his gaze on her much to her relief. "But that is not why she stopped you."

"Then why?" Kaya asked with confusion.

Setsuna seemed hesitant to answer. "The Forest Spirit who ruled this place before him could kill with just a touch. His blood poison to the living."

San blinked back her surprise. "I thought San didn't like me."

Setsuna said nothing for the longest time. San feared she had upset him in some way. "San may not seem the noblest of people at times, but she is far from allowing someone to die if she has the power to stop it." He finally said and it was clear that he didn't wish to continue speaking on the matter so Kaya let it drop.

Harry felt different when he woke. A certain serenity had settled in his mind throughout his sleep and he was unsure what had caused it. Normally he supposed he would have welcomed the calmness, but right now he felt himself struggling against it. It felt repressive in a way like he wasn't feeling his normal emotions.

He sat up shaking his head. A twinge on his arm caught his attention. The skin there was just slightly parted and a clear, almost green, liquid was seeping out. He panicked grabbing the sheet which had twisted around his legs and pushing it roughly to the wound. Thoughts raced through his mind. Had he gotten an infection of some sort by not treating the wound before falling asleep? Was he going to die?

Now that he thought about it could spirits even get infections? Were their bodies susceptible to that sort of thing? Was he because he'd once been human? Calm thoughts swam through his mind from the forest which had felt his panic. He took a calming breath allowing his mind to slow down. He pulled the sheet away and looked at the wound closer.

The cut didn't look infected. In fact it didn't even look irritated like an open wound should. He didn't feel any pain either. It was like the skin had simply split. He pressed a finger into the seeping liquid and lifted it away. It reminded him of river water. "It's blood." He said in sudden understanding. He no longer bled red blood like a human.

Concentrating like he had the previous day he felt the cut slowly pull together. It was much easier this time with the amount of rest he'd gotten. He opened his eyes and glanced around. The sunlight shone through the material enough to illuminate the confined space. He made his way over to a kettle he'd procured and set a small fire under it to make himself some tea.

He let out a small sigh as he dropped into a chair. His head still felt a bit foggy but he pushed concerns about that to the side for the minute. Instead he focused on a nagging feeling in his gut that something was wrong.

"You're awake."

If Harry hadn't heard the girl raising the tent flap he most likely would have made some highly undignified noise at her sudden entrance. Instead he twisted his head to the side just the smallest bit so he could watch Kaya enter.

"I was worried."

"How long was I asleep?" Harry asked removing the kettle from the fire as it let out its shrill squeak.

"Nearly a day."

Harry blinked. It hadn't felt like that long. "Have there been any signs of Asano's men?"

Kaya shrugged. "I suppose not. Lady Eboshi said to let you sleep after all."

Harry nodded. "Tea?"

She nodded. "Can I ask you something?"

Harry glanced up before nodding.

"Why are you so nice to me?" she asked catching him off guard. "Ever since I arrived here I've been greeted with nothing but suspicious glances or outright hostility, except from you. Why?"

Harry slid a cup over to her. "That makes two of us."

"What do you mean?"

"The hostility. Iron town seems to be chock full of mistrust these days. It took a while before they even believed I would not murder them on sight. Humans are quite curious that way." Harry had to stop himself from shaking his head in confusion. He had no idea where that last statement had come from. "As for the way I treat you. I don't see a reason to be hostile. You've done me no harm, nor do you intend to from what you've told me. Besides, the forest likes you."

"The forest?" she said with mild shock. "What do you mean by that?"

Harry leaned back fixing her with a knowing stare. "I've noticed the way you've been looking at me since you came in." he said. "I know Setsuna told you about me. What I am…or very close to what I am."

Kaya didn't meet his eyes this time and he knew he was right.

He let out a small sigh. "It's not easy. Is it?"

That seemed to startle a reaction out of her. "What?"

"What you're doing. Trying to save people. Having people put their faith in you. Putting your faith in others. It's all a bit complicated to sum up."

Kaya looked ready to cry. Harry smiled but he didn't really feel warm or empathetic at the moment even though he knew he should. He should be able to connect to what this girl was going through on a personal level. His life had been all about sacrifice for others after all. He felt muted worry about his lack of feeling.

He stood. "If you want to continue this conversation we should do it while we find Eboshi. I'd like to know how things are going."

She nodded blinking back tears. "I'll be fine." She said with a smile. "You go on ahead."

Harry moved past patting her shoulder.

"Harry." She said and he turned back. "Thank you."

He gave her a smile before leaving.

Ashitaka hugged his blanket tighter to himself to ward off the morning chill. He glanced over to San again and a small smile crept on to his lips.

"You look insanely happy."

Ashitaka couldn't suppress the startled jump the voice caused. He turned back to see Harry crouching down behind him.

"Good morning." Harry greeted.

"Morning." Ashitaka said righting himself. "I heard you were injured."

Harry's head tilted to the side just the slightest bit. "I'm fine."

Ashitaka nodded not contesting such. He had no idea how spirits healed nor had he seen the original wound to know how badly he'd been injured.

"Did you sleep yet?"

Ashitaka shook his head. "No. The only way I could convince San and the wolves to sleep was if I took watch."

Harry nodded beside him. He was watching their sleeping forms with something akin to interest, though Ashitaka had to admit he seemed much less open today.

"Are you sure you're feeling okay?" he asked.

Harry just nodded again. "Have you seen Eboshi?"

"I heard she went for some sleep in one of the tents nearer to the wall. She didn't want to be far in case something happened but she needed sleep eventually."

"It's best she rests now when nothing's happening." Harry agreed.

"Do you think it will get much worse?" Ashitaka asked burrowing into his blanket. "Eboshi seems to think it will."

"I'm not sure. I don't know the enemy well enough to guess." Harry admitted finally moving from a crouch into a seated position. "You were with the gunmen?"

Ashitaka nodded. "I don't think we could have held them off without your help though. There were so many. I can't even imagine what else they could throw at us."

Silence descended over the two as they stared out at the slowly lightening sky. Several times Ashitaka glanced over ready to start up another conversation only to see the blank look on Harry's face and hesitate. There was something off about him that Ashitaka just couldn't place and it was driving him nuts.

A shout went up after what felt like an eternity to Ashitaka. He glanced in the direction it'd come from. "What do you suppose that was for?"

"I'll go check." Harry said pushing himself up. "Stay here."

Ashitaka watched him leave with concern flickering across his face.

"What's going on here?" Harry asked approaching the commotion with even steps.

A few of the people on the outskirts of the crowd turned and, upon seeing him, backed away in difference. Harry made his way to the center of the disturbance this way.

Jigo was there trying his best to shield his body from the angry townspeople.

"Stop." Harry said and the word was somehow loud enough to garner attention from everyone present.

The people closest to Jigo backed away hesitantly when Harry moved closer.

"What is going on?"

"He was trying to get away." One of the men said stepping forward and pointing an accusatory finger. "He was trying to get the gate open when we found him."

Harry's eyes travelled to the man and then back to Jigo who was slowly uncurling, though he appeared to be injured. "Are you alright?"

Jigo hesitantly nodded eying the people behind Harry and then Harry himself. Confusion was evident upon his face, but so was a healthy amount of wariness.

"Were you trying to leave?"

Jigo's eyes narrowed. "Can you blame me?"

Harry's head tilted to the side. "No." he answered honestly. "But they will."

Jigo's eyes returned to the shifting masses.

"You should not make hasty decisions."

"Who are you kid?" Jigo asked still sitting hunched over as if expecting another strike.

"No one of import." Harry said with a small smile that made him look almost serene. Jigo was creeped out by it. It made the kid look high. "I suggest you follow me. Unless you'd prefer I let them return to their sport?"

It was a genuine offer which sort of frightened Jigo. Did Harry honestly think he wanted to be pummeled to death by angry townspeople?

"Wait a minute!" one of the men cut in. "He was trying to leave!"

"I doubt he'll make the mistake again." Harry said moving back in the direction he'd come from leaving Jigo to scramble after him or be left to the still angry people.

That's it for now guys. The chapter's short too. Hmph.

If you're interested in the supernatural HP crossover I should have it up in a few weeks. I'm writing quite a bit before I post so I'm not sure when I'll put it up.

Well, 'til next time.

~Kanathia