Haku thought that he should get around to making his future mate breakfast. She must have been starving by now but had not complained once. She had been fairly occupied, however, and a small amount of magic had kept her comfortable even though she did not know it. He grinned to himself. She did like to be independent and would be furious if she knew he was still occasionally helping her out. She was sleeping beside him now, her head resting on his chest, her body was cuddled into his side, and her chocolate brown tresses were fanned out over her pillow. Her soft, yielding body, had the power to drive him wild with desire; and yet sometimes, like now, all he wanted to do was hold her and feel her close to him. He still had a sense that the sands of time were pouring against them. Never had he been so aware of the passage of the days, sometimes even hours. Every moment he had with her was precious. If he could have offered her immortality, he would have, but even the Lord and Lady lacked the power to do that. Besides, she was just the type to refuse such a gift; if it were within his power to bestow it, he would have given her no choice. He would have forced the life of the immortal on her and suffered the consequences. He just wanted to be with her forever and in truth that was not even long enough. He knew the mortal body was built to decay; it was its nature. She would age and die, and it would tear him apart to watch. He could delay the process somewhat. He may be able to nurse her through to 140, but that was the upper limit. That was still far too short! He held her closer, causing her to sigh in her sleep. He did not know if he was strong enough to endure such a thing. That had been one of his main concerns in asking her to be his mate. That in a few short years he would have his heart broken, and his beautiful mate would be lost to him forever, leaving him an empty shell. He had thought that she would laugh at his fears when he voiced them. Instead, he had been treated with sympathy and understanding. Her empathy and understanding never ceased to amaze him. She also had an answer for everything, which was slightly annoying, but her words had given him a form of comfort.

"Every moment you spend worrying about such things is time you could have spent enjoying our life together." Haku decided not to dwell on his fears and make the woman he loved some food.

Haku padded down the stairs quietly, having left Chihiro sleeping soundly in his bed. He grabbed some trousers discarded from the previous night as he walked; he grinned to himself as he slipped them on. He bypassed the kitchen entirely; only the freshest produce would do for what he had in mind. He walked out the front door and then down the cliff steps to the black beach. He crouched down at the water's edge and placed a hand on the surface and closed his eyes. It was some time before the one he had called arrived; she had a long way to travel. A pale face surrounded by green kelp-like hair rose from the water and regarded him with limpid, sea-grey eyes. The Kappa swam closer, but Haku remained still, only opening his eyes. Eventually, the creature was pulling itself up the beach; her legs though strong looking usually took some time to adjust to dry land, so the Kappa approached the river god on all fours like the lowliest supplicant. She would not be able to leave the water for long; if she dried out, it could kill her. Before him, she laid two large blue lobsters. Haku smiled at her gently. Kappas wore no clothing and while they were indeed pleasing to the eye they had never tempted him. Their cold and calculating minds and hearts were not capable of the warm affection that he had craved and now found in the arms of a human. Besides, they were well known for drowning and eating humans that swam in their rivers or lakes. Haku did not mind having slightly malevolent creatures in his domain; they knew they had to be peaceful and benign to live there.

"Thank you," said Haku softly. Kappas could not make sound out of the water, but they had the gift of telepathy.

"They please you, master?" asked the Kappa, her low voice seeping seductively through his mind.

"Yes," he replied, "they do."

"I can bring you more," offered the Kappa.

"Not now," he replied, "but I may need your services in the future if you are willing."

The Kappa nodded slowly; she had her head on one side, and the grey eyes considered him. "May I ask a favour of you master?" her voice whispered in his head.

"You may ask," he replied graciously.

"I would ask for a blessing from you."

Haku thought for a moment. His dislike for the trappings of Godhood was famous. He very rarely bestowed blessings. But the Kappa had performed a service for him, and it was a frivolous request, to begin with, the least he could do was increase her chances of good fortune. He nodded and moved to lay a hand on the spirit's head. However, the Kappa latched on to him and mashed her cold, clammy, bloodless lips against his. Haku was taken aback for a moment and then a little angry; no lower spirits took liberties with him! This was not the blessing he had intended to bestow.

He pulled himself away and growled a sharp warning to the creature. To his surprise, a cruel smile touched the creature's lips, and then he felt white-hot rage flood his soul; the emotion was not his. He turned his head to see Chihiro standing at the top of the cliff. She must have seen everything. Haku knew that he was in serious trouble.

"You're banished," he hissed at the Kappa. The spirit shrugged.

"I care little, my charge is complete." The Kappa sank into the water. Haku knew he had just been played for a fool.

Chihiro had awakened to find herself alone. She called Haku's name a few times but received no answer. She threw back her bedclothes and then thought better of it. There seemed to be a slight chill in the air. She wrapped the bedclothes around her body and shuffled out of Haku's room and into her own. Having located suitable garments, she dressed quickly. She glanced out of her window and saw Haku heading for the beach. Thinking that he was attending to his river, she decided to follow him. She preferred contact with the river when its full attention was not on her. The huge presence could be far too invasive at times, and she did not want Haku knowing her every thought. She trotted barefoot through the black stone corridors and out of the pebble-shaped house. She saw that Haku had bent down at the water's edge and had a hand on the waters surface. He was as motionless as any of the boulders that littered the cliff line. An air of ethereal silence seemed to percolate out of him, and Chihiro knew that he was far way from her. She shivered in the chill air and hugged herself, feeling a little lonely. She did her best to shrug off her pensive mood.

"I've certainly not made things easy for myself," she thought, "but I had little choice in the matter I think. I get the distinct impression that we were meant to be. Why, I don't know, but we are important. Not everyone can say that they have found their soul mate, the one whom fate has ordained would be yours."

With a lighter heart Chihiro moved towards the stairs cut into the cliff, but then she stopped. The water before Haku parted to reveal a beautiful water spirit woman; she had alabaster skin and shining green hair. Chihiro thought that she must be seeing a Kappa; she was shocked that Haku allowed a spirit known to drown humans in his river. She knew there was no danger to her, but it was the principle; if he was going to have a human in his life he was going to have to be less blasé about such things. The beautiful water spirit moved up the beach and must have spoken to Haku, though she did not move her lips, and he answered, though she could not hear his words. Chihiro felt her heart grow cold and the self-confidence that had been steadily increasing since being bonded seemed to run out of her feet. How could she ever compare to something so lovely? She must have been mad to think that... but no, the dragon's eyes remained on the Kappa's face; he seemed to be merely conversing with the creature. Chihiro sighed and rolled her eyes at her insecurity.

"You idiot! You have just agreed to be the equivalent of his wife, and when the first naked trollop turns up, you think the worst. You are an insecure and cynical individual, Chihiro."

She saw the Kappa put what looked like two lobsters at Haku's feet and her stomach growled. How long had it been since she had eaten? She could not remember. However, her empty stomach was forgotten when she saw the Kappa throw her arms around Haku and push her lips against his. Chihiro just stared; she watched disbelievingly as the white hands ran possessively over the skin of Haku's back. She felt numb; had she been wrong? But Haku seemed as stunned as she was and after a few agonising moments, he flung himself back from the creature. The Kappa's eyes flitted to Chihiro for a moment, and it smiled. Chihiro felt the cruel knife of jealousy stab and twist into her stomach and rage boiled in her veins, white-hot and heady. She ground her teeth and shook. The Kappa sank back beneath the water. Haku had seen her now; she felt his fear through the Tac'Tal; he was afraid of what she was going to do.

"I don't give up that easily, dragon," she thought bitterly. Her anger was not directed at Haku; he probably thought she was about to leave him. But Chihiro had seen all she needed to know in the look the Kappa had given her. Chihiro's territory had just been invaded. Now, she could be a feeble human and just let the insult pass, or she could show this entire cavern that she had claws of her own. She took a deep shuddering breath and tried to master her anger. When she was in control once more, she walked down the steps at a regal pace.

"If I am to be mistress of this place I will have to start acting like it," she thought. "I'm not to be toyed with, and no one but me touches my dragon!"

At the bottom of the steps, Haku rushed over to meet her. The look on his face almost made Chihiro laugh. He looked nervous, agitated and quite miserable.

"Chihiro, I know what it might have looked like but..." Chihiro stopped the flow of anxious words by patting Haku on the cheek maternally.

"Explain in a moment Haku, I have something I have to do."

She walked to the water; it was millpond still, and she slipped one of her bare feet into it. If the river had nails it would have been biting them; the disquiet and fretfulness she felt from it was mirrored on Haku's face. He knew she was furious, but she let the thought trickle from her guarded mind that her anger was not directed at him. She heard Haku let out a sigh of relief from where he stood beside her. Calmly Chihiro asked the immense presence that was Haku to get the Nygel for her. Haku was puzzled, but he did as she asked, only too pleased to be getting off so lightly. Within moments the long white striped nose of the Nygel broke the surface snorting water. Waterweed trailed from his mouth on which it was champing rhythmically.

"What?" it asked, with its voice muffled by weed. Haku glared at it, and it winced under his gaze. "Yes, mistress?" it rephrased.

"How fast can you swim?" asked Chihiro, still managing to hold onto her temper; she did not want to insult her only friend in Haku's domain.

"Oh, incredibly fast," boasted the Nygel, "I can gallop along the bottom if I need to. I'm faster than most of the fish."

"My, that is fast," Said Chihiro lightly. "Can you swim faster than a Kappa?" she asked.

"Of course," the pony nickered.

"Well then, I have a favour to ask, and if you do this for me, I will groom you every time I visit." The Nygel bared its flat white teeth in a horsy grin.

"I take it you want me to get the Kappa who shot past me a few moments ago?" Chihiro smiled.

"If you could, that would be very helpful," she said sweetly; the water horse turned, but Chihiro called out to him again.

"Oh, and Nygel..."

"Yes, mistress?"

"If she refuses to come, use your teeth." The pony snorted a laugh and dipped its head beneath the water.

"Chihiro, what are you doing?" asked Haku quietly. "I already banished her. If you had asked I could have brought her to you."

"This is my business Haku," said Chihiro still staring out over the lake. "Don't kid yourself that this was anything to do with you; this was aimed at me. It was a clumsy attempt by someone who does not understand us, but I still want to find out why I'm a target." Haku prudently decided to let Chihiro do what she thought she had to; he did not want to argue with her in the mood she was in; he knew he would lose. He looked in the depths of her brown eyes; they were murderous.

Presently, the water horse re-surfaced, dragging a squirming kappa by the hair. Chihiro decided to bring some sugar cubes for him on her next visit as well as some grooming brushes. The spirit had class.

The horse dragged the Kappa up the beach and deposited the quivering creature before Chihiro. The kappa glared at Chihiro and was trying to communicate her disgust. Chihiro took hold of Haku's hand.

"Make me understand her!" she hissed at him. He nodded and gently helped her open her mind to the spirit's words and then released her hand.

"... and how dare you do this to me, human! You have no right to treat me this way. You would not be so brave if you did not have a dragon behind you, child of apes! I remember when your people could barely talk and you think you can send this low beast after me!" The Nygel flattened his ears and bared his teeth, gnashing them threateningly at the Kappa.

"Such impoliteness from one in such a compromised position," said Chihiro to the Nygel, who snorted in agreement. She met the kappa's icy gaze and refused to look away. "Tell me, do all Kappas have such little regard for their well-being? I suggest you speak more softly to me." Chihiro knelt before the Kappa, coming down to the creature's eye level. "You should take my advice," she said seriously, "because you are very much in danger of pushing me too far. Please don't make me angry; I would hate for Haku to see the vile side of human nature."

The Kappa did not reply; it just continued to glare at the human. Chihiro saw the black nails on the end of its webbed fingers extend to make serviceable weapons. She was not in the least impressed; she had seen Meeka's claws unsheathed; now they were noteworthy weapons.

"Have a care, human," whispered the Kappa's voice in Chihiro's head. "That pale flesh of yours can be easily filleted." Haku shuffled beside Chihiro as if about to do something.

"Don't you dare!" she thought at him, he stilled immediately. Chihiro sighed deeply returning her attention to the angry and armed Kappa.

"Why doesn't anyone ever listen to me?"

She grabbed the Kappa's wet, cold hand and rapidly twisted it 180 degrees so that the nails were pointing back at their owner. The Kappa raised her free hand to deliver a shredding blow to Chihiro's face, but Chihiro had changed her grip, and she bent the Kappa's middle finger back on itself. Chihiro felt the joint crack in protest, and the Kappa screamed with pain in her mind. The creature's eyes bulged, and her mouth gaped as if trying to form words that could not be uttered. It whimpered pitifully in Chihiro's mind; all traces of malice and overconfidence were gone, she just shivered, it was all the Kappa could do to remain upright. Chihiro smiled darkly and silently thanked Rin for teaching her dirty tricks as well as the serious art of fighting. Pressure points were an easy way to subdue an unskilled or careless opponent.

"Now," said Chihiro happily, easing the pressure on the Kappa's finger joint slightly. "You are going to show me how polite you can be to me or the Nygel here shall take you by that quite lovely hair of yours and drag you all the way to the desert beyond the western mountains and maroon you there. That will be much more painful than what I am doing now, and it would probably kill you. So I'm going to let go, and you are going to tell me everything I want to know. If you are a good little fish, I'll let you go. Is that clear?" The Kappa nodded dumbly its eyes wide and very frightened.

Chihiro slowly let go, and the Kappa snatched its hand back, cradling it to her breast. One of the Kappa's nails had nicked the tip of Chihiro's index finger, and it had started to bleed. Chihiro ignored the blood; the Kappa moistened its lips and tried desperately to avoid looking at the bright red drops, but Chihiro saw the hunger in the creature's expression as well as its fear. Chihiro stood and regarded the Kappa coolly.

"Kindly stop thinking of me as your next meal and tell me why you threw yourself at my dragon? How could you disrespect a God of his standing in such a way?" She was beginning to sound like she belonged here, speaking as she was; the spirit world was starting to rub off on her. She would be thinking in terms of honour codes and debts by the end of the year if she were not careful. Haku moved beside her, but she ignored him. However, she felt a trickle of smug pride from him through the water. He was pleased that she was defending herself and his interests; it bolstered her confidence somewhat to have his approval of her actions, even though she told herself that she did not need it.

The kappa glanced from dragon to human and started to stammer her reply.

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