A/N: I apologize for the long wait. Writer's block is a bastard when dealing with it. I hope this chapter makes up for it.

The sound of the door opening, followed by loud barking, was what woke her.

Shizuru jerked, glancing over the bed sheets to see her master rushing into the room, excitement evident on her face. Following her just as excitedly was Duran, who, upon seeing her, jumped on top of her bed to cover her face with licks.

Shizuru twisted, trying to get away from his slippery, wet tongue. She was still sleepy and this was one wake up call she'd rather do without. One of her hands pushed Duran's face away gently while she used the other to sit up in bed. She rubbed one eye, wondering where Natsuki had gone. She'd been here only moments before.

When she didn't see the other girl anywhere nearby, Shizuru took this moment to slip out of her bed and stretch. She raised her arms high above her head, hearing a few delightful pops. She rolled her shoulders, working out the kinks. Just as she was about to stand, she was hit by a dark blue shirt. Shizuru scrambled to pull off the offending piece, tugging it down just in time to have her face assaulted by another object; a pair of breeches. She grabbed the clothes and threw them down on the bed, staring at them with wide eyes. Shocked and breathless, she looked over her shoulder to see Natsuki rummaging through her dresser.

Where did she get these clothes from? I don't remember having them in my closet or my dresser. Shizuru briefly wondered if Natsuki had brought them in with her. It's possible. It's not as if I was paying attention to her since I just woke up.

Shizuru sighed, still tired and wishing she had gotten a few more hours of sleep. Although she usually woke up at this time, it felt like she hadn't gotten any sleep at all last night. Her eyelids drooped and her body threatened to fall back onto her bed. A few minutes of rest wouldn't hurt, now would it? She laid down, curling her body and closing her eyes. She was dozing when Duran gave an extra loud bark, causing her to start. In her surprise she bumped into something soft. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Natsuki peering at her curiously.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "Still sleepy?" She grinned when Shizuru looked away, embarrassed. "There's no time to be sleepy Shizuru! Hurry up and put these on! Mother's finally letting me outside!" She shoved a pair of boots and a jacket into Shizuru's hands. She whistled to Duran and hurried out of the room, probably to go get ready herself.

Shizuru watched her go with a slightly amused expression. This was the happiest she had seen of Natsuki for weeks. Ever since she had caught that nasty bout of sickness, Saeko hadn't let the younger girl out of the house for a second. Even when Natsuki had recovered from her fever, the Noblewoman had used her swollen ankle as an excuse to keep her inside, always saying, "Your ankle needs to heal. It won't get better if you walk around and keep putting pressure on it," whenever Natsuki would whine about the fact that she was being kept cooped up inside the mansion.

Then there was the matter of her own sickness. Shizuru, while used to cold rains and weather, had been weakened from having spent so much time around a sick Natsuki. Karma had caught up with her and she found herself sick in bed as well. Admittedly, she hadn't had to stay in bed as long as Natsuki, even if Saeko had kept an eye out for her every once in a while.

But that was all past and gone, and Shizuru was left thinking about another dilemma; Natsuki's promise of riding. The younger girl had said she wanted to take her riding. A perfect chance to get Natsuki to open up more in her presence, correct?

Then why did she feel anxious as she dressed? Her hands shook slightly as she pulled off her night attire and pulled on the outfit Natsuki had left her. Fingers clumsily buttoned up the jacket, pulled up the breeches, and tied the laces on her boots. If I wasn't so frightened of those beasts, I would be looking forward to this day as if the sky had begun to rain gold!

Sighing in resignation, Shizuru straightened and fixed out any creases in her clothes. One thing she was learning from nobility. Appearance was important. So she left the room with a slight smile on her face.

Natsuki's door was open and beyond it, she could hear shuffling, accompanied with excited murmurs and barks. Poking her head through the crack, Shizuru saw that Natsuki was just finished dressing herself. She was seated on her bed and Duran was in front of her, tail wagging and brown eyes bright. The excited pooch had his paws on her knees and Natsuki was talking to him happily.

"Today's going to be great Duran! No more sleeping with so many pillows, no more staring at the ceiling in boredom, and best of all, no more awful medicine!"

Duran barked, driven by his master's animated words. The pooch's tail waved furiously and his pace increased when he noticed Shizuru standing by the door. Delighted, he pushed off of Natsuki's lap and ran to her, tongue reaching out to lick her face as was his usual greeting.

She let out a small sound, something between enjoyment and laughter. Pushing Duran's wet muzzle away from her face, Shizuru faced Natsuki and bowed. She still felt awkward in the outfit Natsuki had given her, but she would bear it. Seeing the younger girl with an expression other than annoyance or anger made the awkwardness melt away.

"Ready so soon?" Natsuki asked as she stood. At Shizuru's nod, the younger girl led them out of the room and down the hallway.

I wonder if we'll have breakfast today. The last time Natsuki-sama wanted to do something early in the morning, she didn't let me eat for long. Shizuru's eyes strayed in the direction of the dining room as the two stepped down the stairs. Her stomach growled when she caught a whiff of this morning's breakfast. Her mouth watered at the delicious scent and she gulped, feeling hungrier already.

"Ami's preparing us a picnic lunch. While I'm saddling up Cloudynight, you can eat a snack," Natsuki said, snapping Shizuru out of her thoughts.

The older girl blinked, sheepish, and wondered if Natsuki had noticed her staring in the direction of the kitchen. Yet when she turned to face the younger girl, she was only met with the sight of dark blue hair.

She must have heard my stomach growling, concluded Shizuru.

When they got to the end of the stairs and were approaching the entrance, Shizuru noticed a small figure in front of the oak doors. Alyssa had her hands pressed against the dark wood, trying to steady herself. She made a small, gurgling noise when they approached.

"Alyssa, what are you doing here?" Natsuki asked as she stopped in front of her sister and picked her up. Alyssa tugged on Natsuki's hair, a stubborn expression overcoming her face.

"Want to go with!" she said, sky blue eyes set so determinedly that Shizuru was at a loss of how to answer her. The brunette turned to face Natsuki, watching her bite her lip in indecision. There was a long pause before the younger girl faced her sister.

"No, you have to stay here Alyssa. I can't fit you both on one horse without worrying about either of you falling off," she said firmly.

Alyssa cried, tugging harder on Natsuki's hair. Shizuru winced from behind her master, watching the younger girl's face change from a determined look to one of pain. I'm glad that's not me. Not a second later, she felt a bit guilty when she realized she was supposed to be helping Natsuki, not watching her cringe as the blonde child fussed. Moving from behind the Noble, Shizuru quickly untangled the tiny fists from dark blue strands and transferred the girl into her own arms. It was done so quickly that Natsuki was left blinking from surprise.

Shizuru shifted Alyssa in her arms and stroked her hair, trying to calm the fussing girl. Natsuki gave the brunette a grateful glance when she realized what just happened. Shizuru returned it with a small smile of her own.

"What's going on here?"

Both of them turned sharply to the source of the voice.

Saeko was walking toward them with Ami just behind, holding a picnic basket which Shizuru assumed held their lunch.

"Alyssa wants to go riding with us Mother," Natsuki explained.

"Is that so?" Saeko glanced over at her youngest daughter. Alyssa blinked her large, watery eyes, trying to plead with her mother, bottom lip pouting. Saeko smiled sympathetically and took her daughter from Shizuru. "I'm sorry Alyssa, but it wouldn't be safe for you. Perhaps another time." When Alyssa began to cry again, Saeko added, "Perhaps we should go play in the gardens with Duran? You'd like that wouldn't you?"

The little girl paused, sniffling. She hesitated, before reluctantly mumbling, "Okay."

A grin spread on Saeko's face and the Noblewoman turned to her older daughter and Shizuru. "Now that that's cleared, you two can be on your way. Just be careful. I don't want to see or hear about anymore injuries," she said sternly.

Natsuki nodded vigorously and grabbed both the picnic basket from Ami and Shizuru's wrist. She ran out of the mansion, Shizuru stumbling from surprise at the sudden quick pace. The two rushed down the road, following the fence line all the way to the stables. Shizuru could already hear the horses stomping their hooves on the ground or neighing in their stalls.

The stables seemed larger than she remembered; something she found odd considering she had been here before and gotten a good look at them. Perhaps that was her fear speaking then. It certainly explains why the building looks so much bigger. Shizuru gulped and glanced nervously at Natsuki, who, in return squeezed her wrist gently and led her inside.

As usual the horses poked their heads out, wondering who had entered. When they saw it was Natsuki, they began to fuss, obviously recognizing the young Noble as someone who brought them food. The tips of their ears quivered with eagerness and many of them looked disappointed when Natsuki passed by.

Shizuru couldn't help, but be slightly amused at their actions; her earlier anxiety dwindling a little at the sight. They're more like puppies than horses. In fact, they remind me of Duran. She glanced at the back of her master. I wonder if people act puppy-like around Natsuki too. Shizuru blinked, frowned and then dismissed the thought. No, that's probably just me and my imagination.

The tawny-haired girl was brought out of her reverie when she bumped into Natsuki. Surprised, Shizuru glanced over the other girl's shoulder to see why she stopped. A silvery head peered out over the stall door. Shizuru recognized the mare at once. Natsuki set down the picnic basket and told her to wait for a moment so Shizuru stood there awkwardly, feeling the horse watching her, but unable to meet the brown-eyed gaze. Shizuru was inwardly grateful when Natsuki returned, holding a saddle and a bridle in her arms. Balancing the equipment on one arm, Natsuki unlatched the stall door and slipped inside. After a moment of hesitation, Shizuru followed.

Cloudynight pricked her ears, bobbing her head in eagerness when Natsuki moved to her side to place the saddle on. The mare reached out her head when Natsuki presented the reins to her. Shizuru watched in awe as Cloudynight kept still while Natsuki fastened the harness. Her docile nature made Shizuru's anxiety ebb a little more. Perhaps this won't be so bad, she thought. When Cloudynight was saddled, Natsuki led the mare out of the stall and down the stable rolls, other horses calling out to the Noble. Shizuru twitched, grabbed the picnic basket, and followed Natsuki quickly, glancing at the excited horses in a skittish manner.

Shizuru realized it was a beautiful day to be outside when they exited the barn. The sun was shining, a cool breeze blew, and the song of morning birds echoed in her ears. The wind flew over her skin in a gentle brush, making her shiver, but not in an entirely unpleasant way. She sighed softly, allowing a smile to cross her face as she padded after Natsuki. She paused when Natsuki did so. The younger girl shuffled about Cloudynight's gear and made sure everything was in place before turning to Shizuru and asked, "Ready?"

No, Shizuru's mind answered abruptly. Nevertheless, she nodded slowly, trying to steady her rising nerves. Natsuki smiled at her answer and the sight caused warmth to bubble in Shizuru's chest, calming her for a split second. Then she remembered the picnic basket in her hand. She glanced at it and held up to Natsuki, unsure of what to do with it.

"Oh don't worry about the basket." When Shizuru gave her a confused look, Natsuki gestured to Cloudynight. "She'll carry it." Then, to the brunette's surprise, the mare reached around Natsuki and grabbed the basket, the handle held right between her teeth. Shizuru gaped at the gesture and stared at Natsuki, who just shrugged her shoulders sheepishly. "She's a very well-trained horse," the younger girl said as if all horses knew how to carry picnic baskets. "Now come on! We've wasted enough time already! It's time to set out." Natsuki pushed her left boot into the stirrup and swung onto Cloudynight's back with effortless grace. Once settled, she held out a hand toward Shizuru.

The older girl glanced up at Natsuki, taking in the friendly face. Then she glanced at Cloudynight, noting the obedience in her stance. Then the brunette stared at the full height of the horse, feeling her anxiety come back full force. She shifted in her spot, her heart picking up pace and thudding against her ribcage, nerves stirring. Her fingers gripped and fiddled with her shirt, teeth biting her lip.

"Shizuru?"

Shizuru snapped her attention back to Natsuki, noticing the crease in her master's brow. The cobalt-haired girl looked at her with concern flickering in her viridian eyes. Her hand was still outstretched, still waiting for Shizuru to take it.

"Are you alright?"

Natsuki's voice was warm and her words washed over Shizuru like rays of sunlight. The brunette watched as Natsuki leaned a little closer, her hand reaching toward her.

"You can trust me," she said, softly, kindly.

Shizuru swallowed and, thrusting down her skittish nerves, reached up and gripped Natsuki's hand. Strength flowed through her as Natsuki gave a heave and pulled her up. She settled behind the Noble, fumbled a bit before she grasped Natsuki's hips, awkward about putting her hands there, and finally calmed when Natsuki glanced at her soothingly and without a hint of irritation.

"Let's be off then." Natsuki steered Cloudynight into a walk and they headed down the road.

Shizuru tensed, unused to the rocking gait of a horse. She bounced along with the saddle, once or twice losing her grip on Natsuki. She would have fallen off too had it not been for Natsuki quickly grabbing her arm and tugging her up again.

"Wrap your arms around me," Natsuki ordered when she saw Shizuru was having a difficult time staying on. Shizuru did as she was told and wrapped her arms around Natsuki's waist.

Even at a walk I have to hold on to her tightly! Shziuru thought, feeling vexed about her situation. She glared at Natsuki's shoulder, feeling unusually irritated, more so at herself for being easily embarrassed than anything else. As if sensing her irritation, both horse and Noble stopped what they were doing. Natsuki turned in her seat, facing Shizuru.

"The ride is a lot more enjoyable if you let yourself relax Shizuru. Don't worry about anything else, just sit there and enjoy yourself," Natsuki said, placing her hand on Shizuru's arm and giving it a faint squeeze.

Crimson eyes lifted and glanced at the viridian pair in front of her, seeing the genuine sympathy. Shizuru released a sigh before forcing herself to relax, slowly unwinding the tension from her body. She gave Natsuki an awkward grin. Natsuki returned the look with her usual smirk. The younger girl turned back around and clicked her tongue. Cloudynight snorted and resumed her walk. Keeping in mind with what Natsuki had said, Shizuru slowly found herself enjoying the steady, rhythmic feel of the horse beneath her.

When they veered off the main path and down a smaller trail, the brunette found herself without her earlier anxiety. She lifted her head, staring over Natsuki's shoulder and felt a quiver of excitement as they entered the forest. The way the sunlight shone through the trees and dappled the ground with spots of light made the forest seem beautiful. Wind whistled in her ears, accompanied by the faint singing of birds. The trees rustled, their branches moved by a short breeze. The scents of the forest, a mixture of woodland and flowers, made her nose tingle delightfully. The cool shade of the trees made her cheeks flush slightly, a soothing welcome. It was as if the two had entered a new and magical world. Shizuru sighed and tentatively placed her chin on Natsuki's shoulder. When the younger girl didn't object, she leaned a little closer and settled into a comfortable position. She was just dozing when Natsuki's voice spoke up.

"Oh look a fairy."

What?! Shizuru snapped her head up, glancing around vigorously, trying to spot the fairy Natsuki had saw. There was nothing there, but trees. She blinked, confused. I don't see any fairies. Laughter near her ear made realization dawn on her. Shizuru blinked again and stared at Natsuki, slack-jawed. She tricked me! The younger girl continued to laugh, a hand clasped over her mouth, trying in vain to muffle the sound. When she saw Shizuru's face, her laughter only increased.

"You should've seen your reaction!" Natsuki gasped between bouts of mirth, moving her arms to hold her side. Cloudynight, sensing her master's joviality, whinnied. To Shizuru it also sounded like laughter. The older girl sat there, dismayed until Natsuki finally calmed down.

The Noble wiped tears from her eyes, an occasional snicker leaving her lips. "I-I'm sorry Shizuru. I just couldn't resist. It was just too tempting." Natsuki laughed again, washing away the sincerity of her apology.

Shizuru sulked, her lower lip protruding in a hurt pout. She couldn't believe she'd been tricked so easily! Anyone with enough sense in their brain would've known fairies were purely fictional creatures. How naïve could she be?

"Shizuru?"

Shizuru snapped out of her thoughtful state and turned her attention on Natsuki. The younger girl was looking over her shoulder at her with a worried eye.

"Are you alright?" she asked. Shizuru blinked. Was that regret in Natsuki's voice? Her question was answered when Natsuki continued. "I wasn't trying to hurt your feelings. I just thought you needed something to help you lighten up and I…" Natsuki trailed off, apparently at a loss at how to explain herself. So Shizuru shrugged off her hurt feelings and cracked a tiny smile at her master. It looked as if it worked because Natsuki visibly relaxed and turned her full attention on the trail again.

They settled into a comfortable silence once more. I wonder when we'll be stopping. We haven't been riding for long so I doubt soon. Even if I wish we could stop for something to eat. A snack if nothing more. Shizuru tilted her head and stared at the picnic basket dangling from Cloudynight's mouth. Her stomach growled at the thought of the food in there. I hope none of it has spilled. It would be a shame to spoil lunch. She bit the inside of her cheek, wondering how she could ask Natsuki if they could stop for a quick bite. She was about to prod Natsuki on the shoulder when the Noble suddenly steered Cloudynight onto a smaller and fainter trail. The brunette blinked in confusion, looking over her shoulder to see the main trail disappearing from view. Just where was Natsuki taking her? It couldn't be the lake, they could have just walked down there from the road. It couldn't be the waterfall where Natsuki had taught her how to swim since that had a secret, invisible path to it. She doubted it was the garden. The last time she had been there she had noticed it was blocked on all sides by a stone wall, save for the side that led into it. For a brief moment, Shizuru wondered if Natsuki was leading them off the estate. That couldn't be right though. The Kugas' property stretched for miles and they hadn't been traveling for very long. Out of options Shizuru was left to ponder the idea for a good ten minutes until Natsuki clicked her tongue, shifted her weight and sent Cloudynight into a canter.

Shizuru gasped and tightened her hold on the younger girl's waist. The wind roared in her ears as the two sped down the trail, covering the ground in minutes. The growing, almost thunderous sound of hooves beating against the ground made her stomach flip. She shut her eyes, feeling excitement and fear roll together in her stomach. The fear sparked when Natsuki said, "Hold on! We're jumping a log."

If it was possible, Shizuru gripped Natsuki even harder. She felt the apprehension in her grow, twisting into a tight knot in her stomach. She could plainly hear Cloudynight's hooves hit the ground then, silence. Shizuru stiffened as she felt them leave the ground, jumping into the air. For a moment, that's how they stayed, suspended in the air. Her stomach heaved, settling somewhere in her throat. Then they came down onto the ground again, but to Shizuru's surprise, Cloudynight landed softly, gracefully. She blinked open her eyes and stared in shocked, turning around to see them leaving the fallen trunk. Turning back, Shizuru could see that they were nearing the end of the trail and leaving the forest behind.

In front of her, Natsuki shifted again and caused Cloudynight to stop. The mare ceased her pace and lowered her head a little, dropping the basket held between her teeth. Shizuru peered past Natsuki, her eyes taking in their new surroundings. A vast meadow lay before them, accompanied with rolling green hills and the ever-present sky. Shizuru gazed at it in wonder, never having seen so much green in her life. Her fingers relaxed, finally relinquishing their tight hold on Natsuki's shirt. The rest of her body settled back onto the saddle. She was stunned, wonderfully stunned.

Natsuki turned around to face the brunette, her bright green gaze twinkling and a familiar smirk on her. "Like it? This is what most of the Kuga estate looks like, but this particular spot is unusually beautiful." Shizuru's stunned silence seemed to please her for she let out a short laugh before moving and slowly guiding the older girl off the gray mare.

Despite having enjoyed the ride, Shizuru was grateful to be on solid ground again. She looked around the large, grassy area, taking in the scenery while Natsuki slipped off Cloudynight's saddle and bridle so the mare could prance around without the equipment bothering her. Out of the corner of her peripheral vision, Shizuru watched Natsuki whisper a few sweet words to Cloudynight before grabbing the picnic basket and letting her go off to frolic.

She watched the dark horse snort and swivel on her hooves, racing into the meadow. Cloudynight pranced, whinnying softly and kicking into the air. She bounded, she leapt, she ran through the tall grass. Vaguely, she tossed the idea in her head that Cloudynight was dancing. And what a beautiful dance it was.

The tranquility of it all made her jittery nerves relax and she found herself willingly (and happily) following Natsuki when the younger girl tugged her over to the foot of a small hill.

What are we doing here? she wanted to ask, but of course couldn't. So she just silently stood there as Natsuki bent down and began to set up their picnic. The question continued to nag at her as the Noble continued to lay out their lunch, taking some sandwiches, drinks, and a few pastries. She finally made an awkward, restrained noise in the back of her throat to get Natsuki's attention. The blue-haired girl looked up and blinked, fixing her gaze on the brunette standing before her.

"Something wrong?" she asked. Confusion flickered in her eyes when Shizuru glanced at the picnic and then at the surrounding area. The older girl repeated this action twice before realization dawned on Natsuki's face. "Oh, you were wondering why we're here and not someplace closer?" she asked. When the brunette nodded, the younger girl looked down and mumbled, "Well, since your duty is to basically follow me around all the time, you never really get to see all the best spots around here and it's because I have a routine. You know, wake up, go to the stables, spend some time with the horses, then play with Duran, and then dinner with my family. That makes for a boring day doesn't it?"

Shizuru didn't know whether to agree or disagree, so she wisely chose to remain neutral. Natsuki continued in a quieter voice. "So I thought that today I'd take you here and we could just relax. After the ride of course!" Natsuki twiddled her thumbs and glanced up at Shizuru through the screen of her bangs.

Shizuru felt her stomach flip. The look on Natsuki's face and the tone of her voice made her feel strange. Is she… Does she feel shy? Her thoughts were confirmed when Natsuki glanced down again. Shizuru felt the corner of her lips twitch. How cute. With that thought in mind Shizuru settled down on the grass in front of Natsuki. She grinned when the younger girl looked at her curiously. Natsuki's face brightened and she returned the grin with one of her own.

The happy silence was broken by a rather loud growl.

Shizuru grimaced and clutched her stomach. She hadn't realized how hungry she was. She gazed imploringly at Natsuki. The cobalt-haired girl laughed at the pleading look and said, "I guess it's about time we ate. You're obviously hungry."

Shizuru licked her lips as Natsuki grabbed a neatly wrapped sandwich and offered it to. She took it gleefully and began to unwrap it whilst Natsuki grabbed a sandwich for herself. She was just about to start munching happily away when Natsuki gave an indignant cry.

"It's empty!" Natsuki was staring at her sandwich in a horrified manner.

Shizuru blinked and lifted the top slice of her own sandwich. There were slices of lettuce, tomatoes, and ham. She hardly found that empty. The sound of rummaging made her look up.

"Here it is!" Natsuki took out a jar filled with a white substance Shizuru was recognized quickly. The younger girl took out a plastic knife and proceeded to lather her sandwich with the mayonnaise.

Shizuru gaped at Natsuki, feeling a small tingle of disgust and morbid curiosity as Natsuki took a large bite out of her sandwich. Despite having seen the addiction to mayonnaise before, she couldn't help, but to still feel nauseated whenever she witnessed the sight. She shuddered as she watched her master stuff her face. How can she bare to eat all that? And to do it happily?! Shizuru made a disgusted noise in the back of her throat. Apparently Natsuki heard her because she chose that time to divert her attention from her sandwich.

Natsuki swallowed the last bite of her sandwich and held out the half-eaten food. "Oh, I'm sorry, I never asked if you wanted one with mayonnaise." After a moment's pause, as if she herself didn't want to share, she added, "So…do you?"

Shizuru reeled back in horror. She shook her head rapidly.

Natsuki frowned. "Are you sure?" she asked.

Shizuru nodded just as rapidly.

The younger girl shrugged and went back to eating her sandwich. I guess everyone has their quirks, Shizuru thought. She went back to eating her own food. For the rest of their meal, they sat in a comfortable silence. They went through the picnic quickly, eating the rest of the sandwiches and drinking the cool juice (sadly no green tea) Ami had packed them. To their delight though, the elderly maid had even slipped in a few sweet and tasty pastries for dessert.

Shizuru was just licking the remnants of her dessert off her lips when she got the second surprise of her day. Cloudynight had gotten bored with exploring around the meadow so she had trotted back toward them. She sniffed around their little resting spot before moving to Natsuki's side.

Natsuki, unlike Shizuru, had still been eating her last pastry. However, she didn't get to finish it because Cloudynight chose that moment to snatch the sweet bread from the Noble's hand. The mare fled with a triumphant whinny, kicking dirt in her haste to run off with her prize. Natsuki stared in shock, but she was only still for a moment. The younger girl let out an angry yell and scrambled to her feet.

"Cloudynight! Get back here with my food!" When all she got back in return was a buck and a gloating cry, Natsuki took off after the horse.

The two then began a game of cat and mouse. Natsuki chased Cloudynight around the meadow, waving her arms and angrily telling the gray mare to give her back her food. However, whenever she got close enough, Cloudynight would rush away. They ran until they were running in circles.

Shizuru felt a strange, bubbling feeling in her chest. The image of Natsuki chasing Cloudynight around, her dark blue hair flapping behind her and her face flushed pink from exertion caused the feeling to burst from Shizuru's chest. The brunette laughed, a light, open laugh. She gripped her sides, unable to contain her mirth. She toppled over, tears beginning to prickle the corners of her eyes.

"Oi! What are you laughing about Shizuru?"

Natsuki's flustered and angry voice only made her laugh harder. Shizuru rolled around in the grass. My sides are going to burst!

She barely registered the sound of approaching feet over her laughter.

"I'll give you something to laugh about!"

Shizuru's laughter died instantly. Her eyes snapped open and she jerked up to see Natsuki heading toward her. Uh oh, she thought. The brunette scrambled to her feet and ran away from the fuming girl. She hurried up the hill, trying to escape the quickly-gaining Natsuki. Alas, the hill proved to be harder to climb than Shizuru thought. Just as she was reaching the top of the hill, she was tackled to the ground. Natsuki's triumphant "Got you!" was swallowed by the rush of the wind and the younger girl's surprised yells.

They tumbled down the hill, entangled in each other's limbs. Shizuru's vision was consumed by cobalt hair, green grass, and pale sky. The two girls landed at the bottom of the hill with a thud. Shizuru gasped, trying to catch her breath. She flopped on the ground, wheezing. However, she didn't have long to rest.

As soon as Natsuki had recovered, she brought her fingers down to Shizuru's sides and began to tickle her. The bubbling feeling returned, causing Shizuru to laugh once again. She struggled, vainly trying to escape the teasing fingers. She only managed to further Natsuki's amusement.

"Who's laughing now?" Natsuki asked, smirking. Shizuru wheezed between laughs, all the while thinking, I'm the one still laughing! Finally Natsuki relented and the two flopped back down on the grass. Shizuru panted, glad to finally catch her breath. She turned her head when she heard a new sound near her ear. Crimson eyes widened in surprise.

Natsuki was laughing. Her face was an expression of open joy. Shizuru sucked in her breath, quietly watching Natsuki in a rare moment of true happiness. The only thing that didn't sit well with the older girl was that Natsuki's eyes were closed. She wanted to see how her master looked like with her eyes open and happy. Hesistantly, she reached out her hand and brushed her fingertips against Natsuki's cheek. The Noble's eyes opened and she stared in surprise. Shizuru smiled tenderly and Natsuki, her features softening, smiled back with equal tenderness. The younger girl scooted closer and rested her head on Shizuru's shoulder. She sighed happily, viridian eyes warm and sparkling. Shizuru's heartbeat quickened.

So warm.

That warmth…

It flowed from her chest and through her body, all the way to her fingertips and toes.

"That was fun wasn't it?" Natsuki asked, voice soft and unusually delicate.

Shizuru grinned and scooted closer. She and her master were wrapped in a loose hug and frankly, she didn't want to move from it. Though a glance at the sky dampened her spirits. The high sun had lowered and the blue skies were tinted with orange and pink. They would have to go back soon if they didn't want to be late for dinner. A yawn next to her ear told Shizuru it would have to be very soon. Inwardly sighing in defeat, Shizuru wrapped an arm around Natsuki's torso and used her free hand to push them into a sitting position. Natsuki twisted in her grasp and groaned, obviously getting tired.

"We have to go don't we?" she mumbled.

Shizuru nodded, her cheek brushing against Natsuki's. The tired girl sighed and stood up; the brunette quickly followed her lead. Together, they climbed back up the hill. Cloudynight stood at the bottom patiently waiting for them. The mare continued to wait until they walked down. Then she stepped forward and let Natsuki saddle her up while Shizuru put away their picnic. When the brunette was done, Natsuki helped her up into the saddle once again. Shizuru wrapped her arms around her master's waist, feeling more comfortable than before. Silently, the trio headed back.

--xxxXXXxxx--

Shizuru closed her room's door and walked over to her bed. Kiyohime laid lazily in his tank, a bundle in his slender body. Shizuru chuckled and guessed he had eaten well too. Her stomach was full from tonight's diner. As soon as she had bid goodnight to Natsuki, she had retreated to her bedroom.

Kiyohime hissed when she reached into his tank to gently pet his head. I wonder if that's the equivalent of a purr. When the small snake nudged her hand playfully, she guessed she was right.

After making sure he was warm enough, Shizuru dressed in her night wear and settled into bed. As she drifted off to sleep, she thought about today. The warmth, the joy, the reel of emotion. Her stomach tingled and something pricked behind her eyes, but in a good way. She blinked, nuzzling into her pillow. Bliss, this had to be bliss. Fervently, she hoped the coming days would be as enjoyable as today.

That same hope was reflected in her dreams, where she was wrapped in the bond between her and Natsuki. Blissfully so.