Hi again Minna again this is Waffletime's chapter still! Hope you are ok with the cliff hanger! Couldn't help with doing that. Well here is the next chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything

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Recap: His voice was like honey and Natsume closed his eyes in bliss. Then he collapsed.

"Takashi-kun?" his voice was alarmed as he caught him and held him up.

"You…made…me…faint", he accused him dizzily. But all the uncertainty he had before seemed to just slip away from him.

Matoba laughed, clearly amused. "Do you want breakfast" he asked innocently.

Natsume only nodded, and Matoba led him down a few halls until they were outside on a balcony. There was a table with food and tea, it all looked delicious.

A couple miso soups and pickled vegetables later, Matoba had brought Natsume to the same forest where they last saw Natori, Hiragi, and Madara. As far as Natsume knew, Natori wanted to use him, force him to work for him. All he could do was trust Matoba.

Madara PoV

"Natsume lost his memory?" Hinoe asked in surprise.

She was sitting on a rock, arms folded, and Madara was in front of her, along with Natori and Hiragi.

"That's what we believe. When he found him in the woods, he was acting like he didn't know who we were. Then he willingly drove away with Matoba" Natori said. His voice was lightly laced with anger.

Hinoe sat for a moment in though, then suddenly she gasped as though an idea appeared. "Well, I don't know what exactly he has done to Natsume, but there's an Ayakashi medicine that can restore one's memory."

"Yeah? Then let's go get it." Madara was already proceeding to take off when Hinoe spoke again.

"The only problem is…" she said looking at her feet.

Madara relaxed but his movement had a slight undertone of impatience. "What now?"

"It's deep with a cave that's said to be the dwelling of a greatly feared yokai" she finished.

"Then let's go." Natori said without hesitance.

Natori climbed along his back and they all followed Hinoe in haste, and the forest blurred underneath them.

'No one else gets to take my prey. We've got to save that brat', Madara thought.

Natsume PoV

Natusme and Matoba had been walking for a while now. But it wasn't just them, of course Matoba had brought several of his strange shiki as well. They were all there for one thing: to find NAtori and MAdara.

Natsume wasn't exactly sure what Matoba would do once he found them, but he had the idea that it wouldn't be anything good.

"Can you sense it?"

Natsume looked over at Matoba, who was looking at the sky with intention.

"Sense it?" Natsume questioned.

Now Matoba looked down from the sky and into Natsume's eyes. "Don't tell me you forgot how to sense spiritual presences."

"Uh…" Natsume said uncertainly.

Matoba sighed and a light smirk formed on his lips. "Just close your eyes. Feel everything around you and focus only on that."

Natsume did as he was told and closed his eyes. He wasn't exactly sure what he was doing, but suddenly everything seemed to still. The wind blew gently as autumn air should. There was the humming of bugs, the swaying of grass and the rustling of leaves…and then, suddenly, he felt something. The presences of all the shiki. It came out of nowhere, but he could sense them alla round. He could even feel Matoba behind him.

He opened his eyes in surprise, and lost his concentration.

"Did you sense it?" Matoba asked.

Natsume turned to look at him , and shook his head. "Sorry, no." he answered simply.

Matoba smirked and crossed his arms. "You can't always just depend on your sight. Sometimes ayakashi will come out of nowhere and attack. Try again, Takashi-kun."

Natsume nodded with a new determination in his eyes. The unimportant thigns faded out and he let his senses guide him. He was focused, he was alert, and although it was faint, he felt it. He felt it! Madara's presence. Natsume opened his eyes and smiled in triumph.

Matoba could tell by his expression that Takashi had done it. He reached out his hand and gently rubbed his thumb over Natsume's cheek, "Well done." He said.

"Ththank you." Matoba pulled his hand back and Natsume turned to the direction he'd sensed it. He pointed toward it with complete certainty. "It's there. I know it."

Matoba nodded. He really is convenient. "Good, shall we go?" Natsume nodded, and they continued up the forest path as they had before.

-Owari-

Sorry took a bit to write out the chapter again this was Waffletime's chapter and I just had to write and post it for him/her.