 |
My Inu Fanfic |
This is where I'll type my inu fanfic instead of on my main character's one, because it is already packed with other s**t. |
 |
Magickal Tear
Community Member
|
Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2006 @ 08:49am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2006 @ 04:25am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Magickal Tear
Community Member
|
Magickal Tear
Community Member
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2006 @ 08:13am
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
 |
My Inufic Chapters 1-4
Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the characters you may recognize from the anime/manga "Inuyasha" (i.e. Sesshomaru, Rin, Jaken) Though there are a few original characters Author's Note/Warnings:
~This isn't a story based around Inuyasha's group, but of his brother, Sesshomaru's
~This is a yaoi fic and there shall be mini lime/lemons in later chapters, but it'll be kept PG13 for the sake of gaia stare
~Don't think there is any spoilers (let me know if you see any)
~and Japanese termnology will be used in the fic so...
Know the lingo:
Inu - dog demon
Neko - cat demon
Ookami - wolf demon
Ningen - human
hanyou - half demon
Youkai - demon (or demonic energy)
haori - shirts of the times
kuro - black
yasha - female demon
jyaki - a demon's (evil) power
"yase ookami" - wimpy/weak wolf
If I missed any, plz pm me
Now on to the fic... ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chapter 1
The inu lord rubbed his left arm subconsciously. Ningens knew nothing of pain or stamina. They knew nothing of power. It had taken him several painful years to completely regenerate his once severed arm. Even with the so called disability, no one had proved to be even a threat. He was used to being one of the strongest youkai around, and the slight disadvantage changed nothing.
It was no wonder why he despised humans so, they had little to no stamina or strength. His young female companion especially. He always had to temper his pace because Rin could never keep up on her own. She hadn’t really grown physically stronger or increased her stamina despite the fact she was now a teenager. When they needed to travel quickly she was still forced to ride Ah-Un. She was riding the beast now, resting in front of Jaken, not fifty feet behind him.
Once again the two were bickering. Rin was demanding that the imp should try and convince their lord to pause and make camp for the night. Jaken adamantly refused, declaring that only Lord Sesshomaru could say when it is time to rest and never to question him.
The inu couldn’t understand why she was so grumpy anyway, she had been riding his dragon the entire trip, expending little energy herself. If anything it should be Ah-Un who should be complaining and refusing to continue. The beast was carrying their few sacs of supplies and both Rin and Jaken.
Though they tried to keep their fight somewhat quiet, Sesshomaru had no choice but to listen in. They were traveling through enemy territory and he couldn’t chance toning any of his senses down, for his sense of smell was already overwhelmed with the sheer stench of the youkai traveling below and the fresh rain from the night before blending all the various scents together.
Having been forced to listen to them for hours on end, ranting about one thing or another, he was now thoroughly irritated. Though the only indication of this was the slight clenching of his jaw. A moment later, Rin shrieked as the imp yanked on her hair. Sesshomaru’s ears twitched and he growled low in his throat, turning to glare warningly at the pair.
Barely managing to make out the growl amongst the cries, Jaken looked to his lord. The imp took in the slight tick in his master’s jaw and his eye twitched. At the aggressive glare and suppressed threat, Jaken promptly let go of her hair and froze, slipping backwards off the dragon.
Lord Sesshomaru merely crossed his arms and cocked an eyebrow as the little green demon fell. Once he disappeared out of sight Sesshomaru glanced back at Ah-Un and the wide eyed Rin. The dragon let out a low keening cry and the inu, though frowning, nodded at the beast. They both gracefully descended into a nearby clearing.
Rin jumped down and ran to find her controversial friend. Calmly following her after a few moments he paused after just a few steps outside the clearing. Blinking up at the imp, dangling haphazardly from a high tree branch, Sesshomaru’s lips quirked slightly as he noted that the teenager had streaked right past him in her mad rush. The dizzy imp became even more confused at seeing his master nearly grinning up at him. At a particularly loud shriek from the girl, calling his name, Sesshomaru’s near-grin became an instant scowl.
“I’m going to take a look around, go and set up camp in the clearing.” His voice becoming even more condescending he scoffed, “If you get lost Ah-Un will show you the way, wait for me there.”
Sesshomaru stalked silently through the forest, scouting the surrounding area for any possible threats to his weaker companions. The longer he wandered, the more his desire to return home grew. They were only a few days of traveling away. Though the travel time would be cut in half if it weren’t for the pathetically low stamina of his companions.
As he wandered, the scents became even more overwhelming though he couldn’t hear or see any demons. The fresh rain had stirred up so many different scents it was hard to filter out the non-threatening ones. A little unnerved by this fact, he tried to focus his youkai more. The only scent he could single out for sure was that of a nearby river. Easily turning in the direction of the river, the inu slightly picked up his pace. As he approached, the rumble of a distant fight steadily grew. The reeking scent of fresh blood slowly became more distinct in the air. The noises grew louder and more distinguishable as he neared the river. They were a mixture of growls and howls.
What was the ookami youkai doing here, so far south and this close to his homelands?
*~*~*~*~*~*
The inu broke through the last of the thick brush and promptly froze. Sheer havoc reigned in the clearing across the river. Wolf demons and their wolves ran in all directions, all with the intent of attacking. For a long moment, Sesshomaru couldn’t even find their enemy, but then he saw a streak of pale blue sprinting amongst the trees, a neko female. Gauging her speed he noted that the only ookami who even had a chance at catching her was the ookami leader himself, catching sight of the familiar blur that was Kouga. But even he struggled to keep up.
The inu crossed his arms, instantly taking in and sorting out the mass chaos. He focused his youkai on the neko, trying to see her better. She had ears like his despised hanyou brother, Inuyasha, but they were pinned back as she easily kept the distance between her and the wolf. Her pale blue hair blocked her face from his view, making him wonder if she was from a far off tribe or from the hidden one that was believed to live somewhere east of his lands. He had never seen any of the legendary tribe, but remembered a scroll regarding them in his childhood. The only visible way to distinguish tribes was their general coloring, which was generally a haphazard guess, and legend said that the water neko tribe that lie in the East, wore an elaborately decorated armband, declaring their origin.
The inu held a slight grudge towards nekos in general due to the stark difference and natural competitiveness between their species. But he held a certain respect for the renowned water nekos of the East. It was said that they were extremely talented warriors, who honed their skills to near perfection. Though their skills weren’t what had earned his hidden respect, it was the fact that though they held immeasurable power, as neighbors they had never once instigated any troubles near his lands. They were not exactly allies, but neither were they enemies. They were a little-known, yet peace loving clan, in fact, he’d never even encountered one.
The neko in question spun in mid-leap to strike out at the bothersome wolf. As her arm outstretched, brandishing her claws, something flashed, catching the inu’s sharp eye. An intricate silver armband. This female neko was indeed from the tribe near his lands. This was becoming interesting, a female youkai, from a mysterious clan…
Sesshomaru glanced around again at all the ookami. Nearly twenty youkai and at least forty of their ookami followers against a single lady neko. Not quite fair but apparently she had already made several good attacks, cause at least thirty more lay wounded or dead amongst the brush. She had made her dent, but at a price. She too had obviously taken a few good blows, most likely by their leader, Kouga. The inu could smell her trails of blood through the trees, and frowned, wondering at the slight burst of anger, wondering why it bothered him in the least. He mentally shrugged it off, supposing it was because he knew of their peace loving ways.
Uncrossing his arms he calmly took a few steps into the clearing, his demanding presence alerting nearly all the ookami, causing them to practically trip over themselves in effort to escape. His entrance had alerted everyone with the exception of the main pair. The ookami prince and the pale blue demoness were now locked in hand to hand combat. The inu instantly knew that the neko’s speed was in flowing, continued movement, not in close quarters, the ookami’s jewel shards gave him the speed advantage here.
Blood ran freely down the woman’s legs to gather in a crimson pool. She had been losing her lifeblood at an incredible rate throughout the battle, it was a wonder she was still standing, let alone fending off Kouga.
She brought her leg between their closely locked bodies and kicked him off her. Sesshomaru started to move towards the pair just as the yasha raised her hands before her, stacking her fingers in a small pyramid. Everything seemed to start to slow down, her eyes drifted closed and her pale blue hair began to drift upwards, as if it were floating within water. The markings on the inside of her wrists began to glow a bright, yet pale blue and the small markings beneath each of her eyes glowed a soft lilac. He could feel a sudden burst in the demoness’ jyaki, warning him of the impending attack. Sesshomaru paused, having only managed to complete his first step, but something in the grim attack about to be unveiled boded ill, making him hesitate, trying to read the exact level of threat.
At the hushed footstep, the neko’s ears twitched. Her eyes drifted open and they slid to see the newcomer. Brilliant lilac-colored eyes clashed with gold. The instant their eyes met, the yasha let her jyaki power-down, her eyes fading to a soft lavender. In that single instant, Sesshomaru felt an odd stirring in his chest and in his mind.
That seemingly never-ending moment was abruptly put to an end. Their eyes were tore apart a mere instant later. Kouga had seen her hesitate in her attack and took advantage of it, slashing across her chest in a wide arch, sending even more blood flying.
When the ookami attempted to follow it up with another slash, the inu lunged forward and caught his wrist quicker than he could blink. As the neko hit the ground she sharply cried out in pain. Instinctively reacting to the wrenching cry, Sesshomaru jerked the wolf’s arm behind his back so violently it brought the ookami prince to his knees with a cry of his own. His gasp turned into yelps as poison dripped freely from the inu’s claws and burned his skin. Sesshomaru’s eyes had turned blood red and the demonic markings on his cheeks had become a harsh violet and vivid in his fury.
With a sweep of his hand he threw the ookami to the ground. His sword hissed as he unsheathed the deadly Tokijin. Sesshomaru pulled it back to attack, completely determined to rid this world of the filth lying before him when a soft mew escaped the neko. Looking over at the bleeding demoness, his eyes faded back to gold and his markings once again became normal. He deftly lowered Tokijin and replaced it in the sheathe.
Turning his cold eyes to the ookami, he said in his usual soft and deadly tone, “Never near my lands again, yase ookami.” Kouga rose clutching his wounded arm and scowling darkly, then disappeared into the brush.
His face unreadable, Lord Sesshomaru knelt and lifted the wounded yasha into his arms. He turned towards his camp and kicked off into the air. The inu traveled at top speed, knowing he would be unable to save her himself. His healing skills were decidedly lacking considering he was the one normally wounding others, and he was no longer carrying Tensaiga as the blade was getting a general repair. Some small part of him was determined that this neko lived, the mystery surrounding her seemed to call to him telling him something else was at work here.Chapter 2
Sesshomaru silently landed at their campsite. Feeling out of place with the neko in his arms, he quickly spotted his two companions sleeping on the two headed dragon, as the ground was still muddy from the rain earlier. He advanced on the pair, promptly kicking the imp awake. In his discomfort at the entire situation, he didn’t bother to reign in his strength, making poor Jaken land in the mud a few feet away with a decisive plop.
The imp gained his feet with a nauseating sucking sound, then looked up at his lord. Upon seeing the bleeding demoness in his master’s arms, Jaken panicked and started running around like mad, grabbing anything that could be of help, completely ignoring his master’s predicament and leaving him just to stand there. Still feeling awkward, Sesshomaru knew Rin would be a little more composed and more help than the incompetent demon.
“Rin, wake up” he commanded softly. The girl blinked and woke up almost instantly, stretching and yawning before she slid off the dragon, gaining her feet. Sinking slightly in the mud, she ended up at eye level with the neko. Her eyes went wide, not with shock but with awe, as if he carried injured demons all the time.
Rin gently touched the small purple markings beneath her eyes, they were shaped like inverted triangles, softly enhancing her gentle facial features.
“She’s beautiful” she whispered so softly that Sesshomaru barely heard it, even with his heightened sense of hearing. He frowned, wondering why the ningen was wasting time and shifted the demoness in his arms pointedly, effectively drawing her out of her wonder. Rin glanced up at him then back down to the girl.
“Milord, we don’t have anything to lie her down on,” she announced, as if the inu hadn’t bothered to notice, when inwardly he was nearly frantic to be rid of her and the responsibility of her care. He shifted her again, not able to find words to voice his discomfort at the entire situation.
“I can’t exactly take care of her while she is in your arms,” she said, frowning. Sesshomaru thought for a moment, glancing around the clearing, then glared at her, as if saying, “like I want to hold her?” and turned, setting the neko upon Ah-Un’s back. Rin watched in curiosity as the inu lord uncurled his tail from around his shoulder and took off his armor and haori in a few deft movements.
Rin stared in awe for a moment as Sesshomaru bared his chest. She had forgotten how beautifully built he was, his cold demeanor tended to make her forget. She had only seen him shirtless a few times, and only when his haori got ruined in battle. Sesshomaru was meticulous even in his about bathing and didn’t let anyone accompany him for his daily rituals, not even Jaken, the only one he didn’t mind being near was his ever-present companion, Ah-Un. He always left in his full gear, and came back the same, only difference was freshly changed clothes and his slightly damp hair.
Rin watched as he carefully laid out his haori on the ground in front of her. Still silent, he picked up the pale neko and placed her upon it. Without a word or a backward glance, he left in the direction of the river, probably for another bath, Rin thought to herself.
Rin had Jaken set up all the supplies needed while she undressed the neko down to her underclothes to get a better look at all the wounds. Rin made sure to clean out them all, yet hesitated on the biggest one, the last wound she had received, a giant gash from her lower right side of her ribcage to the left side of her collar bone.
The ningen cut through what was left of the cloth that bound her chest to reveal the worst of the wound. Jaken looked away as she modestly covered the yasha with Sesshomaru’s haori, leaving only the laceration to view. Rin leaned down and inspected the wound and cocked her head curiously. There were minute traces of her master’s poison preventing the demoness from healing herself.
Had her master been the one to nearly kill the neko? He had been the one to carry her here… had he felt guilty for it and brought her back for healing? Is that why he felt so awkward? Because he had hurt someone he hadn’t planned to? Jaken’s voice broke into her thoughts.
“What is that marking on her chest Rin?” he asked from where he stood at Rin’s shoulder. She glanced up from the poisoned wound to a demonic marking centered just below her collarbone between her breasts.
“It looks like a blue star in front of a crescent moon,” she said in wonder. This only made things even more confusing. Sesshomaru had a crescent moon on his forehead. Were they connected somehow? After a long moment, Rin couldn’t stand the confusion anymore and shot to her feet, nearly knocking Jaken flat. She spun and darted into the brush that Sesshomaru had disappeared into earlier. She wanted answers and she wanted them now.
The girl had completely forgotten that she was supposed to care for the neko, leaving a stunned and confused imp to tend to her.
Jaken stood in shock, starring at the swaying leaves that had swallowed the young ningen. After a moment he looked down at the neko lying at his feet. The imp sighed, knowing he had been forced into taking care of her because of Rin’s impulsiveness.
When he kneeled to bandage her main gash, the demoness mewed softly and shifted. Her eyes drifted open slightly and she stared at the green demon before her for a long moment. His presence finally seemed to sink in and her eyes shot open. She was instantly on her feet, pulling the strange haori around her, knocking Jaken to the ground.
“Who are you? What am I doing here? Where exactly is here?” she demanded, swaying unsteadily on her feet. Seeming to disregard her own questions, she mentally dismissed the little demon and glanced around the clearing. Not recognizing her surroundings, she simply decided which way was east and staggered in the general direction.
Jaken jumped in her path, shouting a hysterical “Wait!” and nearly got run over by the unsteady woman. Seeing her suddenly pale face, he realized she was close to fainting from the extreme loss of blood. The dragon apparently also sensed the neko’s state and swiftly launched forward, its tail curling around the woman, catching her, then leaned her against its side.
“It’s alright, Lady Neko, you’re safe. What is your name and why are you attempting to rush off? You are seriously wounded” he scolded quietly. The woman frowned, still staring east. “My name is Tsukiko… I must hurry, my wounds matter not,” she said simply, her eyes glowing in their fierce determination to continue on.
“Why must you hurry? You must heal or you will die,” was his now incensed response. At this, Tsukiko gingerly stood up again, the tail still wrapped around her waist went unnoticed as she started forward again, Ah-Un slowly moving along with her. Her next soft words chilled Jaken like nothing else.
“The inu’s lands are under attack, I must tell my village. They must go to his aid. The warriors there are no match for the attacking force, they will die.” She paused as she became lightheaded, falling to kneel on one knee. Everything fell silent for a long moment as Jaken took in the devastating news. Then he somberly approached and silently stood before where she now kneeled. He hissed a command at Ah-Un, resting a steadying hand on her shoulder as the dragon’s tail uncoiled from around her waist. The beast backed away and swiftly took to the sky.
Looking at the demoness once more he saw the silent tears filling her lavender eyes. The insolent demon turned uncharacteristically kind and gentle at the sight of her upset. He patted her shoulder soothingly and softly said, “Now, please tell me everything, I am a servant to the inu lord.”Chapter 3
Sesshomaru sat quietly at the shallows of the river’s edge, brushing his freshly cleaned hair, contemplating the days events. He couldn’t help but want to know what was going on between the ookami and neko tribes. What could the nekos have possibly done to enrage the ookami tribe enough to draw them this far south. He wished he could take his usual indifferent view of everything but today’s incidents sparked his interest, it was just so odd. He hated feeling involved though, so he did his best to distance himself from the actual happenings, seemingly cold and uninterested.
He felt the ground beneath him shift lightly as Ah-Un landed behind him. After a moment he stood up, knowing he was wanted back at camp by the way the two headed dragon kept fidgeting. The inu patted Ah-Un reassuringly before taking off towards the campsite.
Sesshomaru had been able to hear Rin’s frantic run through the woods from the river’s edge, but had thought nothing of it at the time. It was becoming a common occurrence these past years, as her willfulness got a bit carried away. It disturbed Sesshomaru, he didn’t like that the girl who often traveled at his side was no longer the docile, obedient little ningen she had been, but now a headstrong teenager. He needed to find some way to reign her in without getting too involved. He just didn’t need the hassle of the impulsive ningen when he already had to deal with his servant, Jaken. The inu motioned for the dragon to go and fetch the girl.
Focusing once again he realized that the neko’s scent had faded. She was no longer at the campsite with the imp. After a moment, he caught her scent. The yasha was now heading east. He could smell her panic and anxiety in her scent, along with minute traces of blood.
She had obviously healed almost completely. Many demons had the ability to heal themselves, but it took time. Sesshomaru had thought that with the severity of her wounds it would at least take a day for the wounds to mend enough so they wouldn’t reopen, not just an hour or two…
The inu landed at their clearing, naturally silent. When Jaken didn’t immediately notice his presence, he decided not to waste time and just get to the point.
“Where is the girl, Jaken,” he asked rather harshly. The imp barely flinched at the underlying threat in his master’s voice. Shrugging, he muttered, “Oh, the dim-witted girl went running off shortly after preparing to heal the neko.”
Sesshomaru’s eyebrow twitched. He was one of few words and greatly disliked having to explain or repeat himself. The inu hadn’t meant Rin, Jaken should have known that. The imp was acting somewhat odd… He hadn’t risen to his feet when his master approached, he hadn’t shouted “Milord” or continued ranting about Rin’s insolence. Jaken still sat upon the ground, legs folded, staring at the Staff of Two Heads, slowly spinning before him, once again silent.
Sesshomaru cleared his throat pointedly, “Jaken, I meant the neko youkai. What has happened?”
His master’s presence finally seemed to sink in. Jaken shot to his feet, knocking his staff to the ground in his rush and ran to his side shouting “Milord! You‘re back.” The inu merely blinked in response in his usual disinterested way.
“You mean Tsukiko, Milord? The neko?” the imp asked stupidly. The inu was tempted to smile at learning the attractive demoness’ name in such an odd way, but old reactions and habits took over. He glared and practically growled, “Any other nekos I have saved?” Then immediately frowned at the way it had come out, he hadn’t wanted to bring attention to the fact that he had actually helped someone, let alone his blood rivals, the nekos.
Thankfully, Ah-Un and Rin interrupted the unsettling moment as they descended into the small clearing. Rin tried to climb down but the dragon blocked the way with it’s tail, and the ningen scowled.
This seemed to trigger something within Jaken. He rushed over and climbed onto the beast’s back, behind Rin, yelling, “Milord! Your lands are under attack by thousands of demons! We cannot handle it alone so Tsukiko left to warn her village and her allies but I am unsure that she will be able to complete the journey unaided. She is still weak, but insisted on going as soon as she was able to move. I was forced to wait here for you so she left without me, we must make sure she is able to complete the journey. The fool neko will probably die on the way.”
The inu had gone completely still. His eyes dilated at the news, becoming a deep crimson red. Someone dared to declare war on his lands. The one thing that belonged to him alone, that had been meant just for him. His useless sword Tensaiga meant nothing, but to him his lands meant everything. The demonic stripes upon his cheeks stretched and darkened in his instantaneous fury. Instinctively looking towards his lands, his gaze fell upon Rin and hesitated. His anger faded enough to regain control of himself again. After a long moment of deadly silence, he spoke.
“What shall we do with Rin, she cannot accompany us if the numbers are truly that great. Not even I could keep an eye on her in that chaos. If it truly is a serious attack there will be many elite among the masses, and they will demand my complete attention. I cannot have a ningen distracting me.”
Jaken stared, dumbfounded. Sesshomaru had never openly showed any worry for the human girl. It was well known how he abhorred humans and hanyous with their inferiority. This whole situation proved how serious of an ordeal it was if it had Sesshomaru speaking such. The imp wanted to tease him for it, but knew it would be a fatal mistake. Knowing this, he tried to appease the inu.
“Tsukiko said the girl will be safe in her village. It is well protected, there are warriors there at all times. She said that they always leave a few behind to protect the place and the weaker nekos.”
Sesshomaru nodded, his worry appeased. Then he told his servant, “I will meet you at her village then. I must talk to one of the nearby youkai tribes to see if they can help. They owe me a favor.”
*~*~*~*~*~*
They had caught up with the injured Tsukiko rather quickly and Tsukiko joined them atop the dragon. Rin was now looking down to the undying forest below Ah-Un. She couldn’t believe the natural beauty of it. Not one tree shown any sign of ill-health, each tree bore its own striking shade of green. The whole forest seemed impossibly lush with its many streams, rivers, and lakes. She couldn’t help but lean to the side to glance down from her perch. Even Jaken eyed it in muted respect.
They approached a small mountain range and Tsukiko slowed Ah-Un down. They drifted above a stunningly beautiful waterfall amongst the mountain. It was rather difficult to see at first because of the dense foliage. It was decently large and at the bottom, the water formed a pool with a small stream flowing to the west. Looking at their surroundings, Tsukiko’s eyes softened and she smiled.
“There are only 2 entrances to my village. One of them is by the waterfall, which is the one normally used by us nekos, but I doubt that your dragon would appreciate getting wet,” she said with a small laugh, her lavender eyes shimmering. Some of the worry and pain had left her features as they had gotten close to her village. She now held Ah-Un’s reins loosely in her hand and easily guided the beast to gain altitude. The closer they got to the crest of the mountain, the more light-headed Rin & even Jaken got. Something about the climb wasn’t usual.
“What is this cursed sensation, Tsukiko?” Jaken demanded. At first the neko merely blinked at him, as if she had no idea what he was talking about. But then it dawned on her.
“Sorry, I forgot to warn you. There is a barrier up ahead, approaching it makes ningens and youkai alike grow faint, to discourage them from discovering our village. If it wasn’t for my company you all would have been passed out by now, including your dragon. With one of the water nekos by your side, the effects fade.”
Ah-Un landed just below the peak and Rin started wiggling in her curiosity to see this mysterious village. The dragon’s tail once again came up to keep her in place as it carefully jumped the remaining feet and stopped. They found themselves on a small ledge overlooking a small valley. The beauty of the forest surrounding the mountains couldn’t compare with the sheer tranquility found here. Numerous natural springs flowed from within the valley, giving the trees a healthy glow. The valley walls provided protection from damaging winds and bad weather.
As they descended, Rin searched for signs of the village but couldn’t see anything through the dense foliage. Even Jaken was confused. He couldn’t smell or sense any demons or even humans below. All but Tsukiko shuddered as they felt themselves pass through an invisible wall of energy. As they slowly passed through it, they felt a curious cold sensation, as if descending into a still pool of freezing water, only vertical. Jaken was suddenly hit with the scent of neko youkai and could now hear them below.
Tsukiko guided Ah-Un through the top canopy of trees and a small village came into view. Huts and lean-tos of nearly every size scattered amongst the trees with nekos milling about their business. Everyone but the children stopped to watch their decent, most with a curious light in their eyes.
Both Jaken and Rin’s gaze was instantly drawn to a light colored demon near an odd totem in the center of the village. He was wreathed in white and gold. His haori was immaculately white, showing off his golden sashes perfectly. His hair flashed a pale blonde and by the depths of his golden eyes you could tell he was wise beyond his years.
Tsukiko leapt of the dragon’s back a good fifty feet above the ground to land before this golden neko. Despite her injuries, she landed easily before him and gracefully sunk into a half bow and ducked her head in respect. He mirrored her action, showing that they were of equal status within the neko village. To Jaken’s surprise, the few villagers in the area bowed fully in greeting Tsukiko, who grinned and bowed her head in acknowledgement, signifying her high rank.
The pale blue demoness opened her mouth to speak but hesitated when she met his eyes, knowing how sharp his instincts and senses were. She knew he was already breaking down what he already knew. His critical eyes took in her odd clothing, the inu’s white haori.
“Kenaku…” she started but stopped again when he gently reached out and rubbed the edge of the fabric with his claws and delicately sniffed the air without moving. His eyes then darted towards the pair on the odd looking dragon.
Looking back to Tsukiko, he simply mouthed “The inus?” having smelled the Taiyoukai upon the shirt and remembering someone telling him about the two headed dragon being a constant companion to the Lord of the Western Lands. Tsukiko nodded gravely. Turning on his heel, Kenaku lightly jumped to stand before one of the smaller huts and pulled the dark draping that blocked the door to one side, his claws flashing furiously.
Rin was so entranced in the whole situation, she didn’t realize she had started pulling on Ah-Un’s hair in her anxiousness. With two low keening cries the twin headed beast voiced its distress, just as the golden neko ducked his head inside the small hut and apparently discussed something with its occupant. Jaken would never know for sure because the dragon’s cry had overpowered his sensitive hearing, blocking out all other sound.
Letting the draping fall back into place, Kenaku signaled for Tsukiko to follow him to the main lodge. When she frowned, glancing back at Jaken and Rin, the male neko strangely ran two fingers across the side of his neck. It apparently represented something, because she smiled and nodded. Following him, she left the two guests alone and disappeared into the cabin.Chapter 4
For a moment the neko villagers stared at them, leaving Jaken feeling strangely unsettled and alone. Feeling decidedly exposed, he fondled the handle of the Staff of Two Heads, trying to draw some form of comfort from its presence. He was so used to having Lord Sesshomaru standing before him, a nearly invincible wall between him and possible threats. It was definitely different without the intimidating youkai felling anyone who dared to challenge or anger him.
Staring at the flap of the small hut, he thought to himself. This whole situation was rather odd. His lord’s land getting attacked, finally meeting a demoness of a legendary (yet rarely seen) neko tribe and their hidden village? Then there was the strangely silent golden youkai… And now he faced dozens of nekos… with all the rumors about the extremely honed talent for fighting running through his mind.
He lost all track of thought when the drape fluttered open slightly. Suddenly all of his instincts went off, sending him into a panic. Something was seriously a threat, though he had absolutely no idea what it was. An instant later, the frightening smell of fire filled the air in one sudden burst. Ah-Un started thrashing about wildly, stamping its feet sending the two to the ground. Rin landed with an indelicate thump on her backside while Jaken landed on the back of his shoulders, nearly on his head.
Completely frantic, the imp started thrashing about trying to get himself upright again. He started cursing like mad but abruptly froze when someone suddenly appeared above him. The neko was rather pale but otherwise considerably dark for a cat demon. Being so close, his short black hair, which was haphazardly spiked about, blocked the light of day for the imp. Feeling distinctly threatened, Jaken attempted to overcome his rising panic, but something about this unusual neko seemed to scream “death.”
The young kuro neko cocked his head to the side and his dark red eyes flashed mischievously. Then the boy grinned, however this apparently didn’t calm the imp down, it only seemed to make him even more frightened because his oddly long fangs made it look decidedly evil.
Though it had all happened rather quickly, Jaken was losing his grip under the tension. Just when he thought he was about to burst, the darkly colored male drew back slightly, his wicked grin widening. Suddenly his face darkened as he bared his teeth and swooped down in apparent rage.
Jaken yelped, slamming his eyes shut and curling defensively into a ball. After a full minute, he realized nothing was ripping at his flesh, nothing was even touching him. He uncovered his eyes, only to discover the boy had paused. The neko’s dark eyes glinted again and a flashed another grin and then he blew a smoke ring in the imp’s face and laughed as he sputtered in shock and fury.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Rin sat watching the whole exchange from a few yards away. She couldn’t help but smile at the neko’s antics. She, unlike Jaken, had sensed something different in his presence, though what exactly, she couldn’t even begin to name.
The boy unceremoniously yanked Jaken to his feet, then promptly brushed past him to stand before the dragon. Obviously curious about the strange beast, he bravely stepped up to it and sniffed one of its two heads. Ah-Un sniffed back, just as curious, snuffling his hair with its snorts.
Jaken gathered his senses and looked about for the source of the fire he had smelled. He glanced up at the village totem to see the centerpiece aflame. Puzzled, he took a few cautious steps closer. The piece on fire was obviously made for that purpose, but it looked as if it had never been lit before this night.
Because of the smoke ring the demon blew in his face, he guessed it was he who lit the thing. The little youkai turned to look at him, only to see a now entirely non-threatening and curious kuro neko. He was gently pulling at Ah-Un’s ears, then poking its tail with the dragon trying to investigate him as well the entire time.
Ah-Un shifted when he tried to feel the scales on its back, revealing the girl to the neko. Now completely oblivious of the dragon he stepped towards her and knelt above her. His face hovered inches above hers, studying her. To his surprise, she boldly returned his gaze, studying his face as well, not shying away or completely freezing like most others would do, including youkai. Apparently this girl was rather daring, challenging a strange neko like that. He didn’t mind though, he secretly approved if anything. He didn’t really believe in tempering his emotions, to him it was the same as lying outright. If he was curious, he investigated. If he was angry, he killed. It was just the way he had always lived.
Rin continued to stare at him in wonder. None of the other nekos in the village were as darkly colored as him. He was only the second neko she had seen up close and his open curiosity helped her become bold in her own appraisal. His red eyes were intense in their curiosity and focus, the pupils were merely slits in the light of the fire. He cocked his head to one side as he looked at the rest of her build, revealing two mauve demonic stripes on either side of his neck. They looked like Lord Sesshomaru’s only longer. She quickly realized that the markings must have been what Kenaku had gestured to Tsukiko, they had been talking about this neko.
Suddenly a deep voice resonated through the small clearing, “Nanashi, get off the poor girl,” a large male youkai declared playfully with a somewhat crude undertone to it. At first, Rin didn’t understand why that was. She glanced back up at the boy, apparently named Nanashi, only to find a lop-sided grin and a slight blush creeping up his neck.
As she watched him stand up and back away slightly, she quickly realized what the newcomer had meant. Nanashi had straddled her legs in his single-minded curiosity, making their position strangely intimate. Rin felt her cheeks warm as he held out a hand to assist her. Once standing, she couldn’t meet his gaze and simply glanced around for Jaken. Despite the mutinous expression on the imp’s face, she hurried to his side, feeling strangely out of place.
Nanashi frowned at Rin’s reaction to the interruption. Why did she act ashamed? There had been nothing sexual in those moments in spite of what his friend had said, at least on her part. He had started to get aroused at her proximity, but she couldn’t have known that, she was only a ningen. She wouldn’t be able to smell the slight change in his scent. Unluckily for Nanashi, everyone else in the area could, for they were all youkai. Thankfully though, most of the nekos had had the grace to leave once the male had practically called him a lecher.
Nanashi swiftly leapt to stand before the male, grinning widely. They both slightly inclined their heads, not completely willing to show the other submissiveness. The kuro neko playfully punched at him saying, “Stop ruining the moment, Aki.” They both laughed lightly and walked off into the nearby brush.
“So, Aki, what did Kenaku say?”
“Not much, just that you must go outside the village to wait for the inu lord’s arrival and escort him in,” Aki answered softly. Nanashi paused for a moment, a thoughtful look in his eyes. He bowed his head slightly, his bangs fell in front of his face, blocking him from Aki’s view, “So an inu is finally going to enter our village again after all these years…”
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 05, 2006 @ 03:32am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chapters 5-8
Chapter 5
Tsukiko had left the lodge with the golden youkai at her side and went to give her guests a basic tour of the small village as the warriors prepared for battle. Jaken and Rin were very thankful for the distraction. They both were getting uneasy without anyone familiar by their sides in such unfamiliar territory.
After showing them the counsel lodge where all the villagers could discuss their concerns with either of the neko leaders she introduced them to their blacksmith. He proudly led them to his weapon storage where many incredibly powerful weapons were getting buffed and sharpened for the upcoming battle. They couldn’t help but notice the man’s skill and eye for quality in his materials. Even a few of the weapons here were almost as powerful as the legendary Tetsusaiga.
The more Tsukiko showed them, the harder it was for the imp to find something to nitpick at. The village was beautiful and decidedly organized. And he found reminders of their youkai blood and ancestry everywhere, proving they honored and valued their pureblood, which Jaken infinitely respected and approved.
Sesshomaru had finished his visit with his neighboring youkai. He had been surprised to find that they had been attacked too and were nearly decimated, only a few were healthy enough to try and protect the rest from invading youkai.
After leaving their lands, he rushed in the general direction of where he assumed the neko’s village lie. He had begun to slow down as he realized he really had no idea where it was. Thinking he was in the general area he sniffed the air for any neko scents, but he only found minute traces in the air. And those were of nekos long past, at least several weeks old and very faint. Frustrated he snorted his disgust at the wasted time. The inu stalked angrily through the dense forest, snaking through the many tree trunks, the suddenly thriving canopy above went completely unnoticed.
Lost in thought, he didn’t feel the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. After a long minute of trudging through the underbrush, his youkai blood sensed something. As irritated as he was, he didn’t bother to halt or slow his pace and simply breathed in all the scents. But, oddly, he smelled nothing but the abundant vegetation and wildlife. Confused at the mixed signals, Sesshomaru then focused all his youkai on listening to the various noises. Then, after waiting for an instant he detected the faint sound of a footstep not even 50 feet away. His jaw clenched slightly as he broke down the sound. It hadn’t just been a single step, it had propelled the stranger forward, meaning it had simply been the only one loud enough for the him to actually catch, which didn’t settle well with the inu. This must be one hell of a youkai to go almost completely undetected from a demon of Sesshomaru’s caliber.
Admitting to himself that his senses wouldn’t really help him detect the demon, he decided to go by his instincts alone. He stilled, closing his eyes, and ignored all his senses besides his gut instincts. An split second later his left arm suddenly shot out, catching the light-footed youkai leaping past by his throat. Even with his enhanced senses, Sesshomaru hadn’t been able to see or hear the demon speeding along, instinct alone had guided him. The strange demon’s intense momentum almost forced the inu to take a step back, but in sheer stubbornness not to show any weakness, he bared his teeth in silent fury and tightened every muscle in his body just to keep himself standing.
The inu turned his head to glare at the incredibly fast demon and gold eyes clashed with furious red ones. The inu lord was inwardly surprised to find it was a rather young male, though his expression didn’t waver from the usual one of haughty disapproval. The boy guarded his own emotions, only the slightly evident rage in his red eyes and his slightly rattling black tail belied his true agitation.
Something about the demon made him mildly curious. Sesshomaru discreetly sniffed the boy only to find that his scent was extremely subtle, making it difficult to break down. The inu inhaled in again several times, disconcerted that his senses seemed off. After the fifth sniff, his eyes dilated widely. This young one was a neko, and…
Staring at the darkly colored neko, he delicately arched an eyebrow, showing his surprise and curiosity. “You know you are rather fast for a…” A deadly light had entered the suddenly livid eyes, causing the inu lord to hesitate for a moment. The boy’s grip his regenerated arm tightened, taking some of his weight of his throat.
“What? Rather fast for a hanyou?” his voice virtually hissing as he spoke. His eyes flashed and he bared his long fangs in his fury.
With the suddenly fierce neko so close, Lord Sesshomaru was slightly tempted to deny his thoughts, but only for a moment. He had never liked hanyous and had never bothered hiding it from them, there was no reason to. So he wasn’t about to start now. The inu nodded and loosened his grip on the neko and let him slip to the ground, wondering what the boy would do next. But the younger one simply swallowed his anger and hurt, and gathered his control.
“I am Nanashi.”
“Your name means nothing to me, hanyou,” Sesshomaru said in his usual brusque tone, releasing the boy, letting him slip to the ground.
Nanashi’s eyes flashed dangerously again and the inu discreetly braced himself for an impossibly fast attack only to see the neko grin wickedly to himself, as if privy to a silent joke.
“You’re luckily it is Tsukiko who wishes to help you or I would leave you here without our clan’s aid,” he said in an oddly cheerful tones with a curt nod.
Wondering what all went unsaid in that one declaration, Lord Sesshomaru followed the hanyou as he headed northeast.
Tsukiko led her two guests into her own hut. The unearthly feel of the place made Rin stare in wonder. Candles were lit behind sheer pale blue cloths giving it the appearance of being moonlit. A large white pelt lay upon the floor, her sleeping mat. On either side colored statues of nekos stood to waist height. One was of a fiercely determined male wielding a bow with two arrows notched. The other was of a female, apparently spinning in a dance, brandishing fans, her hair fanning out as if she was in mid-twirl.
Rin immediately went to inspect the incredibly detailed carved stone statues. The imp bowed his head, he didn’t have to approach the statues to look carefully. He could see how the woman’s features resembled Tsukiko. And the deadly determination in the man’s eyes reminded him so much of those moments of when he had impeded her when she was trying to deliver the fateful message of the inu‘s lands being under attack. These statues were of her parents.
Jaken stepped to a low table on one side of the hut. Mounted on either side of the table were lavender bladed fans, lie resting open against the wall, showing them off beautifully. Mounted on the wall, centered between the fans hung an intricately designed silver bow and a quiver of arrows. And at the center of the altar-like space was a marble plaque.
The imp’s eyes widened as he took in the design. It was an exact replica of the demonic marking on Tsukiko’s chest. A pale blue star before a violet crescent moon. But how could that be? This tablet must be hundreds of years older than the neko. He couldn’t help but glance at her as he wondered.
The demoness in question stood smiling sadly as she told Rin about her parents. Seeing the soft sadness creep into the neko’s eyes, the imp felt a surge of protectiveness and loyalty which rivaled what he held for his lord. Something about her made him not even ashamed to be loyal to someone other than Lord Sesshomaru. In that instant, he knew he would try and protect the sensitive neko, even from the inu youkai, if absolutely necessary.
Nanashi carefully led Sesshomaru to the waterfall. Upon arrival the inu merely sniffed as if to smell the neko village, but quickly frowned. Nanashi smiled widely as he stepped towards the pool. He knew the strength of Kenaku’s barriers would prevent any detection, even from the taiyoukai. Easily slipping back into his carefree attitude he looked back at the inu.
“Come on, the village is through here,” he declared, earning a demonic glare. The inu scoffed silently at the notion of lowering himself enough to get wet in the presence of others. When the kuro neko waded into the pool of water to his waist and glanced back at him, he frowned even more.
“Nanda?” he demanded coldly.
“The village is through here, are you deaf?” the boy demanded with a grin, hinting at their earlier encounter. When Lord Sesshomaru merely stood his ground at the edge of the pool, Nanashi sighed.
“This is the only entrance to the village,” he lied. “You can stand there as long as you like, just note that I will not request our warrior’s aid in your stead,” he said softly before slipping beneath the water.
Sesshomaru’s eye twitched slightly in his agitation. He abhorred needing another’s aid, it didn’t suit him. But he knew that it wasn’t just his life in the balance, but his villagers and fellow inu. He knew he needed the help against the hoards of demons, just didn’t really know how to go about asking for it.
His jaw clenched at the thought of getting wet. He didn’t like being wet in front of others, it made it hard to remain haughty and demand respect when one was soaking wet, kind of ruined the sheer force of his presence. Realizing he had no choice if he wanted aid, he slowly entered the water
Chapter 6
The sound of giggles interrupted the calm silence within the tent. Tsukiko glanced down at Rin mischievously then darted out the flap in an instant. Rin gave Jaken the same impish look and followed, leaving him in the hut alone. When the giggles grew louder his curiosity was piqued.
He stepped out of the small hut and was instantly ran over by three neko children who were getting chased by his playful hostess. His newfound friend was the only one thoughtful enough to step over him, though she pretended to trip over his staff, sending the children in fits of laughter. The kids now had a head start due to her “fall.”
Jaken unsteadily gained his feet. He knew he needed to get out of the way or he’d risk getting flattened again so he backed up and sat down against the side of Tsukiko’s hut. He set his staff before him and settled for watching the nekos at play. The imp was tempted to grin when Tsukiko made an odd noise that sounded like a playful mix between a growl and a hiss as one of the little ones surprise attacked her from behind hooking his arms around her neck. The other two quickly joined in, one taking an arm and the other took her rattling tail.
As Jaken watched them all flail about the yard, he glanced a bit beyond the them when something flashed silver. His eyes went wide at the sight before him, and he nearly choked in shock.
Lord Sesshomaru stood just outside the circle of the yard and completely drenched, water steadily dripping from his clothes and hair. His silver bangs were plastered against his forehead above mutinous golden eyes. The imp had never seen him in so… unkempt. He always took such care to stay immaculate. He never seen a look of such utter distaste upon his lord’s face either.
Somehow, his master was obviously forced to get wet and hadn’t yet had time to clean up his appearance and wasn’t at all happy about suffering such an indignity. His golden eyes bored into Jaken’s as if it had all been his fault.
A high pitched squeak drew everyone’s gaze to the other side of the clearing to where one of the young neko’s grip had slipped and he had tried to catch himself by Tsukiko’s catlike ears. The demoness swiftly caught his arm and set him on the ground with a low warning growl. The small boy took off running, believing he was in serious trouble and the yasha, once again in good spirits, quickly gave chase.
“Look at Lord Sesshomaru,” Rin whispered into Jaken’s ear, making him jerk violently. He had completely forgotten that the girl had never left his side.
As instructed, he turned and gazed upon his master. The imp demon nearly did a double take when he saw the slightest hint of a smile upon the inu’s lips, his undignified state seemingly forgotten. For an split second, Jaken thought he saw a playful glint in his golden eyes, but it was gone as fast as it appeared, leaving the imp to wonder if he saw it at all.
Tsukiko had tried to streak past the inu after the boy, but his master snatched her up by the tail, his face expressionless once again. The demoness hissed indignantly at the slight pain and sheer surprise as she suddenly found herself dangling upside down only a few feet above the ground. Her face was forced into the wet clothing by her awkward position making her even more uncomfortable. Attempting to twist around to view her attacker, she mewled softly at the discomfort of trying to turn her body while someone had a firm grip on the base of her tail.
Jaken leapt up in fury, ready to protest the way Sesshomaru was manhandling their host, but froze when Rin shoved her hand over his mouth. Rin was watching the exchange intently, this was strange behavior for their lord and she wanted to know what he was up to. She wasn’t even sure he even knew for he was now frowning fiercely as he looked down at the yasha.
Tsukiko fisted her hands in the cloth and pushed herself away, trying to get some view of anything besides white pants and the grass beneath her. She was dangling around the man’s knees and couldn’t identify him. The only thing besides his pants that came into her field of vision was a golden sash, but she didn’t recognize the intricate designs on it. Whoever it was, he wasn’t from her village. She inhaled deeply, trying to catch his scent, but all she could smell was the wet cloth. Wrinkling her nose in distaste as she repeatedly had to readjust her grip on the wet cloth to keep herself from slamming into him again.
Tsukiko was getting seriously uncomfortable with the situation. She didn’t know who this was that was holding her in such a vulnerable way. And the sudden silence creeped her out. Someone would be laughing, maybe even guffawing and making wild suggestions to the man if it was a known guest. Apparently it wasn’t clear if he was a threat or not. It irritated her to no end that the only thing she knew about her captor was that he was a male youkai. No ningen or hanyou could hold her like this, and she could feel the unleashed power in the man’s hands and aura.
Frustrated that she couldn’t see his face or even get a good sniff of him, she reached up and grabbed a handful of his haori and pulled herself up slightly. Her weight tore the delicate fabric slightly, giving her an idea. Purposely tearing it a bit more she revealed a little bit of his pale stomach, earning a raised eyebrow from Sesshomaru.
Pulling herself up just a little more she ignored the burning sensation of the awkward twist of her body, utterly determined to identify the youkai. That determination and curiosity became blatantly obvious to everyone when she leaned close to the exposed skin so no more fabrics could interfere with her sense of smell. Her breathing quickened as she inhaled deeply to try and pinpoint his scent.
Sesshomaru grunted slightly in surprise when he felt her warm breath against his wet skin. His eyes slid closed as a subtle shudder passed through him at this new and unexpected sensation. He felt his strong instinctive response and growled in frustration with himself for not keeping control of the situation. He hadn’t even planned on snatching up the demoness. His grip tightened slightly, making Tsukiko twitch. She jerked slightly, instinctively trying to curl up into herself but the position prevented it and her lips brushed lightly against his exposed skin, making another wave of sensation pass through the inu.
Just as the youkai growled darkly in response, Tsukiko managed to recognize his scent. Her eyes went wide and the slits thinned to a faint line. The demoness’ heart skipped a beat as she remembered their earlier encounter with him, when she had been fighting off the ookami tribe. Those long moments starring into golden eyes…
“The inu” she mouthed silently, her grip on his clothes became lax. The man in question sucked in a short breath with a mix of a hiss and a harsh snarl and promptly released her tail.
Instinctively seeking purchase in the only thing she could, she grabbed a hold of his haori again as she felt herself falling. Barely managing to finish the flip, she landed kneeling just in front of the inu lord, with the youkai himself forcefully bending over her shoulders trying to keep his clothing intact.
The pale neko peeked her eyes open, and they instantly clashed with his furious ones. She stared for a moment, then, not knowing what else to do, she smiled brilliantly as if nothing was amiss. Sesshomaru simply glared pointedly to where her hand still lay fisted up in his ripped haori. Feeling decidedly chastened, she let go and slinked out from beneath him, instinctively keeping low to the ground.
As he stood, he took in the submissive gesture with a deep frown. He didn’t like the way the playful neko now tried to appease his anger, hinting that she may even fear him as a serious threat. The sight would normally please him, it was a sign that the one would no longer get in his way or even approach him again. He didn’t want the demoness to fear and avoid him, he had liked watching her playful antics and she seemed to be so full of life and joy. Yet he had seriously scared her. He didn’t like it but he didn’t know what to do so he simply stared blankly at a spot over Rin’s shoulder.
Chapter 7
Nanashi quickly stepped to Tsukiko’s side and offered her a hand, effectively taking away any options for the inu to step in. As the slim demoness took the proffered hand, the kuro neko glared at Sesshomaru darkly as he spoke to her, “Don’t mind the inu’s pathetic barks. He won’t lay a hand on you.”
With the mutinous glare sent his way, Sesshomaru easily slid back into his usual self, no longer uncertain, and his customary condescending mood once again evident. Nanashi’s voice held both a warning and even a bit of a challenge. Obviously the boy had sensed the arousal in his scent and was not pleased by the fact it was over Tsukiko. The male neko didn’t take it lightly, warning the inu off.
Sesshomaru briefly wondered why it mattered so much to the boy. What were his feeling and intentions towards the girl? Were they already mates and Nanashi was simply protecting what was rightfully his? They were definitely comfortable with each other’s presence and touch, he thought to himself as she gained her feet and leaned lightly into the other neko’s side.
Light footsteps approaching drew his gaze from the pair. A tall male, obviously a leader to Sesshomaru’s skilled eyes, stepped close to the two nekos before him. A tan neko took his place beside the golden youkai with a deep seated assurance in his place. With their arrival, Nanashi stopped glaring and bowed slightly in greeting, albeit grudgingly. He didn’t like being thwarted in his mini face-off with the inu.
“Welcome Lord of the Western Lands to Hitoshirezu Mizu Mura“ the tan one said with a deep, formal bow. Gesturing towards the golden neko at his side he announced, “This is Lord Kenaku and I am both his apprentice and his brother, Aki. Let’s get to the point, we hear your lands are under attack, is this correct?”
Sesshomaru merely nodded in reply. When the two stayed quiet for a long minute, looking at him expectedly, he knew they were waiting for him to ask for their help. Being the proud inu lord that he was, he refused to lower himself enough to ask for another’s aid. He was simply too stubborn to admit he needed help. He wasn’t used to being unable to handle everything on his own and wasn’t about to voice it. Apparently the elder brother sensed this, he nodded slightly at the inu then he gestured for his brother to continue.
“Our warriors are preparing for battle as we speak, so it should not be long before we can head out. What news of your allies?” Aki asked.
“Decimated” Lord Sesshomaru responded softly, without any semblance of sorrow or remorse, merely blinking at the nekos. Kenaku frowned at his apparent lack of compassion and looked to Tsukiko, knowing how caring she was he knew she would be upset by the tribe’s fall.
The yasha’s head was bowed and her lilac eyes were downcast, hiding her hurt from everyone, or at least from the inu lord and the villagers. Kenaku and Nanashi knew all to well how sensitive she was and she had never been one to turn her back on another’s pain. They were not fooled by the familiar stance. After a moment, she silently walked to the golden neko’s side and slid her hand into his, instinctively seeking his soothing presence.
Sesshomaru watched the silent exchange uneasily. He had never understood why people sought comfort in another’s presence. For him, all he ever felt when near anyone was annoyance and discomfort, so he simply avoided relationships in general. Without warning Rin yelled in fury at Jaken, obviously bickering again… Well, most relationships. Somehow he had gotten stuck with those two.
He heard the blue neko’s heartbeat calm to a steady rhythm again as Kenaku gently squeezed her hand reassuringly. Her stance grew bolder and she raised her gaze to meet his. Her eyes had darkened to a deep violet with the anger and disappointment now unmistakable in her heated gaze.
Nanashi was tempted to chuckle at all these new developments. His best friend had let her curiosity reign once again and had inadvertently aroused the high and mighty dog demon lord. Though he doubted she even knew her effect on him, he had to give her credit. She had ruined the arrogant inu’s constant front of being distant and detached from everything, even if for only a moment. Then the fool had been stupid enough to show his indifference towards his ally’s plight before the oversensitive Tsukiko. With that one word, he had shattered her idealistic views of the inu taiyoukai, knocking him down a peg or two. She had initially held him in high regards and had the utmost respect for him, but no longer.
Tearing her gaze away from the inu to glance up at Kenaku she softly said, “Let’s go talk to the warriors, my friend.” He nodded slightly and they walked off towards the other end of the village where the nekos gathered in preparation for the upcoming battle.
As Sesshomaru watched the female stalk away angrily, he had to admit, the girl was talented, she could sashay and stomp at the same time with apparent ease. Then he suddenly realized she was still wearing his original haori. Seeing as how she was nearly a full foot shorter than him, it appeared more like a dress than a shirt, falling to her knees. She had wrapped a giant sash around her, starting at her waist binding down to mid-thigh, making it modest enough to walk around in. It now held some semblance of a dress, making it presentable.
Aki coughed and cleared his throat uncomfortably. His brother and one of his best friends had ditched him. Now he was stuck with these two. An arrogant inu male watching his female superior stomp away a little too closely and his other best friend glaring daggers at the inu for it. Thoroughly fed up with playing diplomat and referee, Aki sighed and headed for the counsel lodge, not in the mood to deal with the two rivals.
Chapter 8
As soon as she finished her discussion with Kenaku and their warriors she went straight for her hut, wanting a moment of peace and solitude. Today had been too hectic. Landing in front of the flap blocking the entrance to her tent, she didn’t even bother to notice any of the youkai milling about the clearing. Her claws flashed furiously as she nearly tore it open and leapt inside.
The moment it closed behind her, she veered to the right, behind a dressing screen. She sat down on the chest there and gently began unwrapping the sash from around her waist and then draped it on the chest beside her. Then in a suddenly violent movement, she nearly ripped off the haori in her frenzy to be rid of it. Though his scent on the white cloth had been calming and reassuring earlier, now it only amplified her anger.
Sesshomaru sat cross-legged, utterly silent in his surprise at the violent intrusion. He had been told to wait at her hut and had been quietly meditating on the white pelt on her floor when the pale ball of fluff flew in here without warning or any acknowledgement.
She was now dressing behind the screen in the corner and was apparently losing the fight against the silk. Suddenly she whipped something over the top of it, grumbling under her breath as a familiar haori floated to land just in front of him. He heard something thump and then the yasha swiftly hissed furiously, whether in anger or pain, he couldn’t tell.
Tsukiko continued to hiss under her breath so softly he could only catch little snippets here and there.
“Ughh, I freaking smell like him… ******** arrogant inu… he doesn’t deserve to be lord… he’s already cocky enough as it is… thinks his allies are disposable… too handsome for his own good…”
At the last one, he couldn’t help but raise his eyebrow. He didn’t know whether to take it as a compliment or not. No one had ever really said anything like that before in his presence. Granted, he didn’t think the neko knew he was here, but still. It was odd. She could compliment but make it seem like an insult. Normally if there was any doubt to which it was, the inu lord would kill them without hesitation, yet now, he was only tempted to smile at this neko’s vengeful ranting.
Despite her obvious disdain towards him, she still thought he was handsome. He grinned slightly. Then he couldn’t help but wonder what he had done to initially anger her so. She was obviously in a snit about something. Was it the whole incident earlier? Had she actually noticed the change in his scent? Did the mere thought of him being aroused disgust her so much?
With a huff Tsukiko suddenly stepped out from behind the screen, running a small comb through her light blue hair in an attempt to tame it. Her hair looked shockingly pale against her new black sleeveless top. She now wore a silver skirt with slits on either side up to her mid-thigh, allowing her to move easily. The light material fluttered slightly as she moved, revealing knee high black boots. Everything she wore was of light material, nothing weighing her down or impede her speed, however slightly.
She set the brush down on a small table near the entrance. Just as the inu broke his gaze from the tantalizing shadows of her figure hidden beneath the lightweight cloth he realized the demoness still hadn’t noticed his presence. Which in itself was strange for him. He frowned, disconcerted at this and didn’t immediately see her claws curl around the drape blocking the entrance, signaling that she was leaving. His eyes weren’t prepared for the sudden burst of light and he instinctively squeezed them shut. He bared his teeth in face of the blinding glare and momentarily forget all about his hostess.
The light faded and he found himself alone, highly offended at her lack of acknowledgement. No one had ever ignored him like that when he didn’t make his presence a secret. He had been sitting in plain sight, in the middle of her bed of pelts. How the hell she missed him, he had no idea.
Tsukiko stepped out into the yard and automatically started for the counsel lodge, she spent so much time there it was practically her second home. She was still mumbling under her breath about how self-assured the inu was about his own allure when Nanashi landed at her side lightly, acting as if he had been there all along.
“Yes, the man should burn in the deepest fires of hell for being as tempting as he is,” he declared dramatically, earning a sharp look from a passing male neko and Nanashi ran his hand through his dark hair, grinning sheepishly. Tsukiko couldn’t help but giggle at her suddenly embarrassed friend. After a short moment, he cleared his throat and faced her again, letting his hand fall back down to his side.
“Anyway, I came to tell you we are prepared to leave. All of the warrior parties except ours has left now. Kenaku sent me to fetch you and the inu.”
“I don’t -” she started, but paused when she heard something behind her. Turning, she saw Lord Sesshomaru exit her hut, letting the drape fall closed behind him. He stood there, crossing his arms and cocked an eyebrow at the suddenly pale demoness at the kuro neko’s side. Nanashi frowned down at his friend, her eyes had gone impossibly wide and her lips parted slightly in surprise.
“What’s wrong?” he asked worriedly and a blush swiftly crept up her neck. She quickly bowed her head and her pale blue bangs blocked her face from the inu’s view as she inwardly panicked.
How had he gotten into her tent? And most importantly when? Had he heard her fit? Did he hear her whole rant?
Sesshomaru stalked forward to join the two in the center of the small clearing. Seeing how completely mortified the demoness was, he moved to stand by her side and discreetly grasped her wrist to get her to look up. Raising her head a little she saw he was facing Nanashi, silently reminding her of the neko’s presence. Knowing she would only kindle the boy’s curiosity if she didn’t put on a brave face, she raised her chin, once again confident.
“Where is everyone meeting?” she asked lightly, trying to ignore the silent question in her friend’s dancing eyes.
“In front of the blacksmith’s.”
“Alright, we will be there in a few minutes.”
With one last suspicious look between the two, Nanashi turned to join the rest.
Tsukiko sharply turned on the inu, ready to continue her earlier rant, but abruptly stopped when he raised a clawed hand for silence.
“Don’t worry yourself, lady neko. I missed most of what you had said earlier. I had been meditating before you came in.”
The demoness discreetly sighed in relief as the inu moved to walk past her to the gathering place. He paused once he was alongside her, shoulder to shoulder, each facing opposite ways. He cocked his head towards her, just enough to look her in the eye and his lips quirked slightly, hinting at his amusement.
“But it is nice to know I’m tempting."
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Magickal Tear
Community Member
|
Magickal Tear
Community Member
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 05, 2006 @ 03:19am
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chapters 9-12
Chapter 9 Sesshomaru slowed his steps as he reached the top of the slight hill and glanced back at his hostess. Standing a few paces behind him, she eyed the gathering with a mixture of pride and sorrow. By the way she bowed her head after a moment, he could tell she knew that not everyone would return, that many were likely to fall in the days to come. He felt a slight surge of relief that her innocence and naiveté did not stretch that far and yet a sort of sadness at that lost innocence. He honestly didn’t know how he would handle it if she was naïve enough to believe that everyone would return unscathed.
Turning away from the demoness he once again looked at the clearing before them. It seemed everyone left in the village had assembled before the blacksmith‘s hut. Warriors, women, children, and elders alike had come to say farewell to their loved ones. Many who were dressed for battle had a small circle around them, and they were saying their last respects as they waited to head out.
There weren’t as many warriors as Sesshomaru thought there would be. Little more than a dozen nekos there were wearing what he assumed to be their villages traditional lightweight armor in preparation for the upcoming battle. The fact that another dozen carried a sheathed sword at their side or a bow and quiver of arrows lashed to their back did not go unnoticed. But other than their weapons they did not appear dressed for battle.
After a moment, Tsukiko felt his confusion and quickly realized that no one had told him of their strategy. Just as she was about to speak, she spotted Kenaku at the center of the group. He was waving her over. Obviously, they had a few last things to decide before they left. She quickly excused herself and started for the golden neko leader.
As she weaved her way through the crowd, she didn’t see Nanashi coming. He was in the middle of a playful mock fight with a teenage neko. Without warning he hit her full force in the side as his opponent rammed him into her. She sidestepped out of the way, trying to keep her balance. Once clear she bent over slightly, trying to catch her breath. It felt like she had run into a brick wall. Still heaving she glanced up. Her gasps for air instantly turned into a low growl as she realized he hadn’t even noticed he had nearly flattened her.
Completely affronted, she stalked up to him and pinched his back roughly. He spun around with a yelp, inadvertently throwing the boy he was facing off to the ground.
“What was that for?!” he hissed.
“Watch yourself, Nanashi. You nearly squished me!”
“Gomen,” he said with a dramatic sigh. “Didn’t mean to. Anyway, did you need something? I‘m getting rather bored waiting for us to all leave.”
“Can you please explain what’s going on to Lord Sesshomaru?” she asked with a wicked grin. “He is still in the dark about our strategy and Kenaku needs to talk to me.”
Nanashi crossed his arms, suddenly no longer the playful neko, but a disgruntled youkai. He glanced over at the into see him hiding a smirk and he was suddenly reminded of Tsukiko’s painful reprimand. Just great, the inu had seen him yelp. Just what he needed, to give the already egotistical male another reason to feel superior.
Still somewhat lost in thought, he nodded dismissively towards Tsukiko and turned to approach Lord Sesshomaru. He couldn’t help but feel tense the closer he got to the intimidating male. There was a deep-seated rivalry between them, so this could very well turn ugly. Knowing now wasn’t the best time to get into a standoff, he forced himself to relax and even attempted to grin.
Sesshomaru was instantly suspicious. The malicious kuro neko was up to something… always plotting. This was the one who had deliberately humiliated him by tricking him into thinking the only way in was through the waterfall. Not even an hour ago he had seen one of the war parties take a path over the mountain. Nanashi had also led him to believe that if he didn’t come he wouldn’t receive aid when they apparently already knew and were preparing long before they had even arrived.
Now the demon had the gall to approach him, and of all things, he was grinning. The boy easily weaved through the crowd as he untied a makeshift bag that was slung over one shoulder, looping behind his back and around his waist to tie at chest level. The curious looking pack was made of dark red silk, a color that the hanyou seemed to favor.
Once unknotted, he held it out to Sesshomaru, that infuriating grin still on his face. The inu eyed it wearily at first. What could Nanashi possibly want to give him? He doubted it would be anything pleasant considering their instinctive enmity for one another. But, whatever was buried in the delicate cloth was over an arm’s length long and not a hand’s width wide. His gaze slid to the clawed hand that held it perfectly horizontal and up the lean arm that easily bore the weight.
Cautiously reaching for it, he glanced at the neko looking for any hint as to what was inside. His hand closed loosely around the cloth and he instantly felt whatever was inside pulse. His eyes went wide and his stunned gaze met Nanashi’s impish red eyes as he instinctively recognized what it was.
“I thought you would appreciate having it at your side for the upcoming battle,” the hanyou said lightly.
Sesshomaru stared in awe as he let the cloth slide off, the silk whispered softly as it revealed the treasure within. His Tensaiga… he looked up at the neko, realizing this may very well be some sort of peace offering.
“How did you…?” he asked, his voice so quiet Nanashi barely heard him.
“One of your comrades told me that it was getting repaired, fretting about you coming back alive since you don’t have it at you side,” he said faintly mocking.
Sesshomaru stood staring at it thoughtfully. The sword had been getting repaired far away from here, it was no easy trip. And he had only been in the village for about four hours. When had Nanashi had time to complete the journey? The young neko didn’t even appear to be worn out in the slightest like he should have been if he had rushed to get the sword before their war party left for the Western Lands.
Sesshomaru was at a loss. He was relieved to have his sword returned to him for he had indeed felt uneasy at the prospect of not having Tensaiga for the upcoming battle. From the sound of it, this was not going to be an easy win, it sounded more like a full out war. And though he was loathe to admit it’s usefulness, the sword had saved his life on more than one occasion.
But to the inu lord, expressing gratitude had never come easy. In his whole life very few have ever done him a favor, unasked and without requesting something in return. This time it was even harder for him to handle because Nanashi hadn’t been considered an ally or even on mildly tolerant terms with each other. The younger demon had been considered a rival. Now he didn’t really know what to consider the hanyou.
Not used to this confusion, his expression hinted at his thoughts for a short moment. Then his face once again became stoic and he blinked at the dark neko in front of him. He knew he couldn’t bring himself to thank him, he didn’t even know how. And his pride demanded that he not make a fool of himself by attempting to.
Recognizing the slight against him, Nanashi simply nodded. He hadn’t expected much of a thank you anyway. He knew it was near impossible to get the inu to express much emotion, especially gratefulness. He was too damn proud.Chapter 10
Rin weaved through all the unfamiliar nekos trying to find someone, anyone she recognized. But all she really saw were earth toned youkai. Apparently most nekos were either brown or gray in coloring. Oddly, the only ones she knew though were either really dark or really light. She had thought it would be easier to spot them in the crowd because of that, but apparently not.
A few minutes ago she had caught sight of Tsukiko’s pale blue hair, but the yasha maneuvered through her brethren far too easily for the ningen to keep up. For someone of Rin’s stature, it wasn’t easy looking for someone in a crowd such as this. It didn’t help that everyone seemed to ignore her as she stumbled about.
Frustrated, she stopped and looked about again. Through a small pack of young teens wrestling she spotted a sheen of silver hair. Lord Sesshomaru. With renewed confidence, she charged through everyone. Well, more like bouncing off the strong youkai and making them shift out of her way in surprise more often then not.
As she approached, the darkly colored neko, Nanashi, came into view. The stark difference between the two made her pause a moment in wonder. Nanashi was so dark. His tail and short hair were pitch black, as was his clothes. Her master’s hair was shockingly pale and long compared to the younger male’s. Nanashi’s dark clothes were accented with a deep, rich burgundy as was the symbol on the back of his shirt. His bright red eyes were expressive and his body language open and barely restrained while Sesshomaru’s body remained tense, his strength and control on a tight leash. His golden eyes, though intense, rarely hinted at what was going on inside his head.
The two youkai were literally as different as night and day. And it showed all the more when they stood beside each other. The only thing they visibly shared at the moment was their pointed ears and their mutual feeling of rivalry. Oddly though, that sense of rivalry seemed faint compared to the full-blown enmity from earlier. Rin didn’t mind their differences though, they were both intriguing.
Rin couldn’t help the rush of relief that flowed through her at finally finding people she recognized. She had been worried that everyone would leave before she searched them out. Now as she hurried toward them it became evident that they had formed a shaky alliance, albeit grudgingly. Sesshomaru’s glare was more aloof then angry and Nanashi just looked mildly irritated.
With a smile, Rin watched as Sesshomaru adjusted Tensaiga’s sheath at his side. Obviously, Nanashi had taken her advice from earlier. He had known their natural aggression and irritation towards each other could become fatal in a battle. It would only take an instant to forget they were on the same side and may not temper their attack to keep the other out of its path. Or they may hesitate to aid the other in a single moment of crisis.
Surprisingly, Nanashi had tried to bridge the gap between them, even if only temporarily, by bringing a peace offering.
“Hey you guys! It’s about time I found you,” she said brightly as climbed the slight hill. Both males turned towards her, Nanashi with a playful grin and Sesshomaru with his customary aloofness. Unfazed, she continued, “So what’s going on? When you two leaving?”
“We’re waiting for a few more of the warriors to get their gear. We’ll probably be leaving in ten minutes. The other parties already left though,” Nanashi answered light as he glanced about the clearing again.
“So why different parties though? Wouldn’t you be stronger force all together instead of spread out?”
“Not necessarily. We all have different assignments to help with the safety of his lands. Our party is making a stand at his castle, which seems to be the heart of the warfare. Two of the other parties are going around the main border of the Western Lands, securing the boundaries.”
“And what of the other groups? I heard you tell Tsukiko earlier that there were more,” Sesshomaru interjected softly.
“Oh, the main group is going to scout out the main trail all these youkai are coming from. Once they find a good spot they will separate. A few will continue on to try and discover the source of the attack while the rest will stem the flow of the demons to buy us some time to rest.
“The final party is going to the aid of your allies, Sesshomaru. Tsukiko requested it.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Tsukiko gathered the last of her weapons and went to where Kenaku stood at the center of the nekos. She was still slinging her bow over her shoulder as she stepped to his side. Her step faltered as she felt the sheer sense of disheartenment about him. The haunted look always present in his golden eyes had grown more apparent and he was lightly touching the jewel at his neck, drawing comfort from it’s presence.
He wasn’t looking forward to the fighting to come, but he knew he was an invaluable asset to the cause. Without his abilities, so few nekos wouldn’t have a chance against such odds, no matter their strength.
After a moment he looked down at Tsukiko and inclined his head slightly. It was time they get going. They had a lot of ground to cover before nightfall. With a quick prod he guided her in the inu lord’s direction and quickly set of to say his final goodbyes to the neko’s staying behind.
The yasha quickly approached the dog demon and the others. Once she slid between the inu and the kuro neko, she was pleasantly surprised to see the young woman named Rin. Completely dismissing the males, she eagerly embraced the ningen warmly.
“Rest easy while we are gone. We will protect the inu easily enough. My warriors are strong and I had a hand in training many of them personally. I know our strengths and weaknesses well.” She laughed lightly then continued, “We could take a few thousand youkai any day.”
With that she turned to Rin’s master and bowed her head slightly in respectful greeting. “We are ready to leave now. Please lead the way, Lord Sesshomaru.”Chapter 11
Sesshomaru set the pace, surprised that the majority of the nekos could keep up without too much effort. The inu lord could go a lot faster of course, but he had to adjust to the fact that he was no longer going to battle alone.
It was a fact he’d be hard pressed to remember when the fighting actually started. He would not be able to attack everything in sight, he would have to make sure he didn’t attack the nekos. It was odd for him to have others on his side, he had always fought alone. Now, not everyone on the field would be his target.
Though it looked like there would be plenty of others to aim at. The air was already getting thick with the stench of demons. It was overwhelming, sickeningly so. It hadn’t been long after they left the neko village that the scent had reached them. The fact that the scent was that strong from so far away boded ill for his lands. There could easily be thousands of youkai by the sheer thickness of the aura.
The terrain was now becoming more familiar to the inu. He was approaching his border now, with the nekos still keeping pace with him. He could feel their jyaki become more tense as they prepared for the battle, just ahead.
The sounds of screams began to fill the air. Some of terror and others of satisfaction as they wreaked havoc. With each cry, Sesshomaru felt his anger grow. Who would dare to raise a hand to the Western Lands?
Unconsciously, his speed increased with each step, forcing the nekos to follow suit. Soon only Tsukiko, Nanashi, and Kenaku could keep up, the others falling back to a more manageable pace.
After breaking through the final brush between him and his castle, his step faltered and he quickly landed on one of the guard towers on either side of the gate. The stench of youkai and blood was overpowering, everywhere he turned there were innumerable demons attacking his people, and the cries of pain, now had faces.
Miraculously, a few of the castle guards had managed to fend off the demons, preventing their entry to the courtyard and keep. But it was a losing battle. No matter how many his guards slew, dozens more came in their place.
Plumes of smoke covered the sky to the northwest, confirming what his nose had already told him. The villages were well on their way to being burned down, if not already completely destroyed.
He felt a soft hand curl around his own. A hint of pain showed in his gaze as he looked back at the destruction before him. He looked down at the pale blue neko with a hint of his usual aloofness. But Tsukiko wasn’t even looking at him, she was staring out over the sea of enemies, seemingly endless in their numbers. Her stance was unwavering and he knew that the softness of the small hand in his own belied the strength she possessed.
Instinctively, Sesshomaru knew that having the nekos of legend on his side would give him the best chance possible. No other allies would have increased the odds as much, he thought to himself as he watched the rest of the party join his guards at the gate.
Looking back at the demoness at his side, he knew she and her warriors were a major asset, vital to his regaining control over his lands, though he was still unsure how he felt about it. Despite all appearances, the perceptive yasha could feel the turmoil within Sesshomaru. The pain, the discomfort…
Tsukiko gently squeezed his hand and took a step towards the ledge. With a glance back at him and a toss of her head, she signaled him it was time to join the fray. They both landed lightly just ahead of the injured inu guards and were instantly in fighting mode.
Their hands slipped apart as they each moved to take opposite sides of the half circle the nekos made against the castle wall. No one had time to even watch their enemies fall to the ground to ensure they were truly dead and no longer a threat before another demon took its place. There wasn’t a single break or pause as the hoards of youkai continued the onslaught.
The inu had to keep himself in check, he had to fight his own instincts to attack blindly, trying to remember that he couldn’t endanger his new allies. He plied his acidic whip with precision, taking care to keep the nekos out of its range. He took special care to always take note of all their positions with each spin or twist of his attacks.
Tsukiko was the furthest away from him, blocking the space against the wall. She twirled in a succession of quick spins, wielding strange bladed fans. Each slash was done with such accuracy and just enough force to kill the youkai, hardly any energy wasted.
Kenaku, the golden neko chieftain, was by her side. It was obvious that he took his role as leader to heart because he took special care to keep an eye on both Nanashi and Tsukiko. But unlike them, his advantage was not based on speed, but on his sheer natural strength behind the slash of his sword.
The one closest to him was the cursed hanyou, the one named Nanashi. The kuro neko didn’t carry any weapons, he seemed content to simply fight with his claws. Oddly he held his own despite being unarmed. His speed and stamina appeared to balance out the seemingly disadvantage of preferring true hand to hand combat. Sesshomaru’s lips twitched as he couldn’t help but think to himself that hitting Nanashi wouldn’t trouble his conscious too much. Chapter 12
Once the masses of youkai were thinned out to a more manageable pace, Kenaku stepped out of the line of nekos and leapt atop the castle’s gates, inadvertently drawing Sesshomaru’s attention. The inu cleared the enemies in his immediate vicinity with one violent arch of his whip then turned to see what the older male was doing.
Kenaku pulled a small, wickedly sharp black dagger from a sheath hidden in the back of the golden sash wrapped around his waist. He slowly raised it so the hilt was nearly pressed against his forehead and he closed his eyes. Sesshomaru instantly sensed a large spike in the neko’s power level, but suddenly his aura gave off a curiously intense sense of calm radiating from the youkai. Suddenly, the soft yellow topaz embedded in the dagger’s guard began to glow and a small barrier formed, just large enough to completely surround the blade.
Everything seemed to slow down as the youkai bowed his head slightly, letting his forehead brush the gem. His hair lay resting against his pale cheek softly, but the instant the topaz grazed his forehead, between his eyes, it wildly flared out and up. His golden eyes shot open and the small barrier rapidly widened. As it grew every attacking demon it touched instantly turned to ash before completely disappearing.
Lowering the dagger, he shifted his stance and with an ease borne of years of handling blades, he threw it into the ground in the fortress’s courtyard, just in front of the doors to the great hall. Kenaku’s blond hair once again fell to rest upon his cheek as the barrier continued expanding until it protected the inu’s entire castle.
Lord Sesshomaru mutely eyed the barrier with measured respect. This was no flimsy shield, but a nearly impenetrable wall of energy. He felt a twinge of relief by its presence, it represented a safeguard for those of his villagers left unhurt. With a slight wave of his hand, he ordered the castle’s original guards to rest within it’s walls.
Kenaku moved to stand alongside Tsukiko and pointedly nodded in the direction of the burning village. He swiftly disappeared into the forest brush without waiting for a response. Turning back to the two remaining males, she silently raised a hand in farewell before calmly walking after the golden neko.
Now, it was up to just Sesshomaru and Nanashi to protect the barrier and the castle within. The moment the foliage swallowed up the second neko leader, the bombardment seemed to pick up, forcing the two back into action. With unspoken determination, they each took a spot on either side of the gate and braced themselves to fight. The inu cracked his whip, antagonizing the youkai into reckless attacks and the neko brandished his long and deadly claws threateningly.
Within a few moments they were nearly overwhelmed by the sheer numbers but they quickly adjusted their pace to compensate. Soon the smell of blood filled the small clearing and the ground could no longer soak up the blood fast enough as the bodies began to pile up. All of their senses were getting overpowered with it, and it only seemed to incite Sesshomaru’s rage. The arches of his whip steadily became wider and less restrained. His eyes were now faintly glowing red and the demonic stripes on either cheek had begun to stretch in his fury despite his natural restraint.
While the inu seemed to thrive amongst the bloodshed, it only seemed to deaden the neko’s senses. His movements became more mechanical instead of with the natural grace of earlier as he felt himself start to loose focus. The faces of the demons before him blurred and began to take form of those of his past.
Suddenly, Nanashi was thrown away from the main line by one of the higher ranking youkai. He hit the ground hard but curled into it, letting the momentum of the throw help him regain his footing. Apparently the demon hadn’t waited between attacks and simply followed him as he rolled out of the toss, because the moment he was standing and facing him the demon continued his assault.
Nanashi dazedly caught the elite youkai’s hands in his, trying to regain his focus on the task at hand as he fended him off. He vaguely felt himself be forced back, his feet digging into the ground under the sheer strength of the other. His opponent’s fighting style was based more on strength, while Nanashi’s was more on speed and agility giving him the disadvantage in this sort of standoff.
He felt a small tendril of fear slither up his spine as his surroundings began to become hazy and his memories fought to resurface. With a small yelp, he realized that the sensation of fear felt all too real. He quickly looked down as something forcefully curled around his hip, the pain slicing through his mental haze.
The neko’s eyes widened as he identified the source. It was the end of the acid whip trying to curl around his waist. Snapping out of his stupor, he swiftly twisted to the side so it wouldn’t continue to snake around him, simultaneously letting out a quick and intense burst of his jyaki, forcing his adversary back with a cry of pain. With eyes glazing over, the demon crumpled to the ground a few feet from him.
As the whip recoiled, Nanashi threw a grin at Lord Sesshomaru as he turned to face him. The inu, still in his own haze of fury, didn’t immediately notice him until…
“They’re not even gone ten minutes and you’re already getting kinky?” Nanashi called, his voice teasingly seductive.
The sheer absurdity of the statement halted the inu’s rampage. He froze for a moment then carefully lowered his hand, the green glow of his poison fading and his fallen opponents lay forgotten before him. Slowly turning, he stared at the hanyou and his eyes were immediately drawn to the large rip in his hakama, bearing the lightly tanned hip and a hint of upper thigh to view.
Nanashi couldn’t help but grin, the look on Sesshomaru’s face was priceless. His mask of icy aloofness was completely shattered as the words sunk in and he continued to stare at the bared skin. Though the cloth was torn and disintegrating slightly from his whip’s acid, the neko’s skin was completely unscathed.
Nanashi shifted his weight and Sesshomaru idly watched the play of muscles. A moment later Nanashi’s hand brushed against his leg, obstructing his view of the bared skin, snapping the inu’s attention back. Lord Sesshomaru quickly glanced up, with a slight glare as he realized his pulse had quickened. An elegant silver eyebrow raised, silently asking why the neko was unharmed.
The inu’s gaze was once again drawn to the hanyou’s hand as he reached up and lightly tapped an amulet around his neck with a single claw. The tarnished gold gem suddenly flared and became an electrifying white-gold and a barrier became visible, though it was unlike any barrier Sesshomaru had ever seen. Instead of a simple shade of purple it was an intensely bright white with golden streaks of energy seemingly dancing along it’s surface, reminding him of a lightning storm.
Just as abruptly as it appeared, the barrier faded. Though it had only been visible for a moment, its continual presence was now distinct to the inu. He could vaguely feel the energy surrounding the boy which he must have mistaken as his own jyaki. It was obvious that it wasn’t the hanyou himself that had originally created it, the energy was more focused then Sesshomaru believed the kuro neko could ever be. The barrier’s demonic signature was definitely not his own. Besides, he seriously doubted his demonic strength, seeing as how he was only a hanyou…
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
