InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Facets of the Living Jewel ❯ Fas est et ab hoste doceri ( Chapter 31 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters. Ms. Takahashi does.

 

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[Inuyoukai]

(Inuhuman)

`Inuyasha or others'

 

Fas est et ab hoste doceri
By Licentia poetica

 

Sesshoumaru allowed the faint warmth of approval to seep into his youki but kept his face expressionless as he watched Rin playing with his pack of pure white borzoi, her infectious musical giggle resonating within the hei as the large inus gently romped with her. `She is growing again. Humans and their strange growth habits.' Her summer yukata was almost an inch above her ankles though she was still tiny, barely reaching above his waist.

 

“Such a small, frail vessel to contain so much joy! Mine is enamored of her,” Roiyaru commented, his voice almost a gruff, playful growl.

 

Raising one eyebrow in surprise at the tone of voice, Sesshoumaru glanced back at the short, burly inuyoukai standing in the properly submissive place just to the side and one pace behind him. Roiyaru and his mate Mine had been beta to Sesshoumaru's mother and father and it was their loyalty to him, the pup that they had helped to raise, that had been one of the reasons why he was able to establish himself as Inu no Taisho. Noting the calm and approving acceptance that the broad-shouldered male showed toward Rin, he narrowed his eyes for a moment and parsed through the scents swirling through the hei. `His voice and scent…one would almost believe he accepts her as Pack, but is he only seeking my approval as his new alpha?' Taking a moment to analyze the myriad smells, almost overwhelming after his solitary sojourns, he suppressed a snort of irritation. `There is no subterfuge in his scent, but there are others who are tolerating a human only because of their fear of me or their hope to placate my mother.'

 

He returned his attention to Rin, studiously ignoring several beautiful, but in his opinion weak, inuyoukai bitches standing to the side, each from a different subservient Pack and each vying for his attention by posturing and cooing compliments to the human girl. His lip curled slightly as two in the forefront of the group bumped into each other as they bustled forward with false concern. Their snarled razor-kiss apologies added the harsh tang of aggression to scents already muddied by the pervasive stench of anxiety emanating from the entire group of inuyoukai. `I have my mother to thank for these vapid, obsequious bitches, but at least my reputation for ruthlessness has kept them from daring to approach within striking distance.'

 

He turned his attention back to Roiyaru as the beta growled a warning to the agitated females before muttering, “The Packs seek your favor, Lord Sesshoumaru…several of the alphas have even sent their own pups! Is there one that you would consider a companion for you on your journey?”

 

“If I need a simpering toad by my side I will take Jaken with me. I have no interest in weak females that my mother has hand-picked to ensure her grasp on power.” Roiyaru choked back a laugh and stepped closer, raising a hand in a gesture which Sesshoumaru recognized from his youth. He had watched the beta slap his father on the back and initiate a friendly tussle many times as the two older inuyoukai shared a laugh. `Do not presume, beta.'

 

Sesshoumaru flared his youki in the equivalent of his inu form's raised hackles and Roiyaru's hand hesitated in midair before the beta dropped it back to his side. There was a moment of absolute silence before Rin's laughter pealed through the hei again.

 

“I apologize for my familiarity, Lord Sesshoumaru,” Roiyaru growled softly, keeping his eyes averted.

 

Sesshoumaru remained silent as he veiled his youki again, raising one eyebrow slightly at the faint scent of sorrow emanating from his beta. `Regret? I am no longer a pup and that Pack was dissolved long ago. I am Inu no Taisho and above such Pack behavior.'

 

Roiyaru growled in approval as Rin began to sing a nonsense song, unknowingly mimicking a pup's high Pack Acknowledgement, and Sesshoumaru suppressed a smile of satisfaction. `At least I can trust him with Rin. She will be safe here at the tono under his protection, especially if I also threaten Jaken with swift punishment should she come to harm.' His lip lifted in a snarl as he thought of the toad-imp's inevitable screeching protests at being left behind. `It is of no consequence. I wish to be alone for this…task.' He turned his gaze back to Rin and watched Roiyaru's mate ignore the other female inuyoukai and follow the child protectively through the boisterous inu pack. `Mine is the ranking bitch until I claim a mate and she is treating Rin like one of her own pups. The others will follow her lead for the short time it takes to finish this unpleasant duty.'

 

Rin grabbed on to the ruff of the alpha male with both hands and Mine admonished gently, “Be careful, Rin! They are not pets.” Trained and proficient in the art of hunting wolves, the borzoi pack tensed as the male turned his head toward the girl and knocked her backwards onto her bottom with his shoulder.

 

Sesshoumaru gave a subsonic warning growl and several of the borzoi flattened to the ground while the group of inuyoukai females raised their voices in whines of false concern. The alpha male, who could have snapped his jaws and killed the child instantly, flicked one ear in response but continued to move forward, pushing his nose under Rin's hands and beginning to lick her face. She gave a peal of laughter and pushed the male's head away, scrambling to her feet by pulling on his ruff. The male braced against her weight and gave an affectionate growl.

 

`Hnn. Unusual, but it satisfies my last concern regarding the girl; the borzoi will protect her as well. As for the rest, I have made it clear that I will deal viciously with anything that hurts her and that will be sufficient.'

 

Satisfied with his decision to leave the tiny human in the tono while he honored his word with Yourei Taisei and arranged for a permanent situation for her, he inhaled deeply. Just as he began to open his mouth to convey his orders, a faint, distant, but powerfully evocative Cry resounded over the courtyard and all heads but his snapped upwards to listen.

 

“AAII, AAII, OOOOOOOOIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEAAAH!”

 

Sesshoumaru's hair began to stir with the power of his youki as his entire Pack turned their heads to see how he would react. `A Pack Cry. Even I, the Inu no Taisho, feel a yearning to answer that Cry, so much of my father's charismatic power is in it. I know who has voiced it: Inuyasha.' The fury that nearly overwhelmed his normally stoic calm made his eyes bleed red and he began a subsonic growl that vibrated the earth beneath his feet. `Years of preparation, negotiations, cunning manipulation, and carefully planned battles have just been called into question by the most basic, ritual, and animalistic of Inuyoukai traditions: the Pack Cry. Damn the pup! Ignorant, stupid, half-breed!' As it occurred to him that the ignorance was probably his own fault his growl escalated in volume. `I never bothered to teach him Pack Law. I never thought it worth the effort, never thought that the hanyou with his weak human blood would live this long.'

 

He became aware that Roiyaru was staring at him and he glared back until the beta turned his head and eyes to the side, acknowledging his supremacy. He raised his furious gaze and noted that the rest of the inuyoukai had also averted their eyes, but the borzoi quivered with tension as they furtively glanced at him; their desire to run to the owner of the Cry warred with the knowledge that he was Pack Leader. `I had no need to use the Pack Cry or the Call before, relying solely on my personal power to maintain control, but my bastard half-breed brother has just taken that choice away from me.' He allowed his instincts to take control, using his livid anger to fuel an almost instantaneous transformation into his true youkai form, and answered the challenge to his leadership. Ignoring the inuyoukai scrambling out of the way of his massive form he threw back his head and, projecting his voice by using only a portion of his youki, snarled “Non-pack! This is my territory! You will answer to me!”

 

He stood for a moment to watch the effect of his transformation on the residents of the tono and gave a low growl of satisfaction as his obvious control over the power of his youki and the sheer size of his true form overwhelmed the memory of the Pack Cry, reestablishing his dominance and authority. The borzoi cowered beneath the shadow of his youkai form and several of the lesser inuyoukai whimpered. All kept their eyes averted and heads lowered.

 

All except Rin. She stared up at him with her hands over her ears and a rapt expression on her face. As he stared down at her she smiled.

 

`She still does not understand, but her ignorance of the proper behaviors will serve my purposes at this time. Few will feel compelled to test the abilities of a child who does not show submission when all others are intimidated.' He growled in warning as a lower inuyoukai male surreptitiously glanced at Rin and made a slight movement toward her. Satisfied with the immediate cowed response from the male and the continued submission of both the borzoi and inuyoukai Packs, he transformed back to his humanoid form.

 

Rin kept staring at him with wide eyes through the transition, her hands still clapped tightly to her ears. `Is she frightened?' Her scent was obscured by the overwhelming stench of apprehensive excitement from the Packs, but her stance gave him the odd desire to reassure her with a gentle touch and reaffirm her status as his own. Yet Pack Law required that he show no weakness while his leadership was in question and he remembered too well the snide comments from his youthful peers about his father and Izayoi, so he firmly smothered the feeling. `I became Inu no Taisho too recently to risk losing it by showing fondness for a human. Besides, it will put Rin in danger by acknowledging her fear. Damn Inuyasha for destroying my plan!'

 

Mine stepped up behind Rin and placed her hands on the girl's small shoulders. Bowing her head to him in respect, she spoke to the ground, her voice pitched to carry to the entire tono. “Lord Sesshoumaru, I pledge to guard Rin while you answer the challenge. Be at ease, she will be safe.” Her scent broadcast her protectiveness and the other inuyoukai females averted their eyes from the young human.

 

He gave an inward sigh of relief, his face expressionless in spite of his surprise at Mine's actions. `She understands more about humans than most...why do my betas accept a human so easily? Was it Izayoi? There is something that they have not told me about my father's role…some reason for their acceptance of Rin other than their obvious fear of me?' He gave a short, almost inaudible grunt of approval and watched as Mine began to softly stroke Rin's head, coaxing the small hands away from the child's ears. As Rin relaxed and leaned backwards into Mine's embrace, he suppressed a sense of relief that he would not have to ease her fears. `The bitch is invaluable; she has made it clear that there will be no changes until I return and she is excellent with Rin. She has also affirmed her trust in my leadership and I have not had to reveal my weakness for the child.'

 

Roiyaru glanced at him surreptitiously and he concentrated on his anger again to muddle any telltale scents that might give away his feelings. Ignoring the borzoi alpha as it stepped tentatively forward, body tense and scent tinged with fear, he ordered, “Stay with Mine, Rin.” Without pausing to see if she acknowledged his command, he faced Roiyaru and stated “This Sesshoumaru will return when this matter is settled. Inform the betas of the other Packs as they arrive, as no doubt others heard the Cry.”

 

“As you command,” Roiyaru bowed in acquiescence and backed away as a cloud of youki began to form under Sesshoumaru's feet. The beta inuyoukai stopped near the nervous alpha borzoi and placed his hand on the male's head, stroking lightly. The large inu turned his head just slightly into the pressure of Roiyaru's hand.

 

`The alpha required reassurance and Roiyaru gave it? To need another's touch is weakness. Yet—' He was preparing to rise into the air when soft, quick footfalls and a low cry stopped him.

 

“Sesshoumaru-sama!”

 

He looked down at Rin as she looked up earnestly into his face, her hands clasped before her. As he raised one eyebrow in query, she smiled at him with the same grin that had caused him to save her with the Tenseiga. `Now she knows what it means and yet she cannot help doing it. Still, it serves my purpose.' He did not return the smile, sending the message to the other inuyoukai that, at least to him, she was still a pup and her bared teeth were not a serious threat.

 

She spoke so quietly that as close as they were standing he could barely hear her. “Rin was not scared, Lord Sesshoumaru. You were just loud.” She lowered her gaze and gave him a small bow. “Lord Sesshoumaru was very beautiful.”

 

`Amazing.' Once again she had intuitively understood his concern for her, even though he had certainly suppressed all signals for her weak human senses. `I could break her with a touch, yet she reassures me in spite of the fact that she must have been startled by my true form. I begin to understand Father's interest in humans.' He kept his expression and scent completely neutral as he answered “Thank you, Rin.”

 

She reached up and lightly patted his kegawa before turning away and skipping back to Mine.

 

Ignoring the strange feeling of contentment that burgeoned at her touch, he conjured the remainder of his transportation cloud and left the tono behind, feeling an odd pain in the region of his chest as Rin called out her goodbye accompanied by a chorus of howls from the borzoi. `It is nothing. I must concentrate on altering my carefully laid plans. Damn Inuyasha! I had not planned to kill him, but the situation is different now…I must reassure the Packs that I am superior in power.'

 

Because he was already far away, he did not see his Packs gather around Roiyaru and Mine, reaffirming Pack by touch and caress. Nor did he see the troubled look exchanged between his betas as Rin snuggled into Mine's arms, or hear their whispered exchange.

 

“Damn her.”

 

“Hush. It's too dangerous.”

 

“It will be better when he has a mate.”

 

Mine shook her head as she stroked Rin's hair. “No. She will make sure that it is worse.”

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Inuyasha growled a soft command to the Kai-wolves and then spoke in Japanese to Kagome. “Sesshoumaru is coming and I want you out of the way. Go back to the village.” Shiro and Bandit remained standing to his left, growling and staring into the forest, but Aoi and Jinx trotted up on his right in answer to his summons. “Take Aoi and Runt, they'll guard you.” He opened his mouth to growl an order to the Kai-wolves but Kagome walked up to him with her hands on her hips and eyes flashing.

 

“I am not leaving! You didn't sleep last night, you've been doing katas all afternoon with Yourei Taisei, and you're tired!” She crossed her arms in front of her and stared at him with a stubborn set to her mouth. “I'm not exactly useless, you know.”

 

[Aoi will not leave her mate, either. What you want them to do is not Pack.]

 

(If she stays she'll get hurt!)

 

“Damnit!”

 

He turned to appeal to Kagome once more but the thunder of displaced air and a spike in youki indicated that they were out of time. With a huff of irritation he turned to face his brother.

 

Sesshoumaru stepped off his transportation cloud with careful deliberation, his hand on the Tenseiga's tsuka and his eyes blood red. His hair whipped wildly around his body as the cloud of youki disappeared.

 

“Get back, Kagome!” Inuyasha stepped forward with his right foot, left thumb loosening the Tessaiga in its saya as his right prepared to draw the katana.

 

The Kai-wolves matched his forward step but the Tessaiga resisted him, remaining within the saya when he tried to draw it. He could feel the warning of the katana through the tsuka as energy crackled around his hand. `What! Tessaiga?'

 

Sesshoumaru released the Tenseiga and formed his seishou whip. Impossibly quick, he slashed the whip at the Kai-wolves and caused them to leap backwards and away from Inuyasha.

 

“Bastard! Leave my Pack alone! Your fight is with me! Sankon Tetsusou!” He leaped and lashed out at Sesshoumaru, who almost lazily leaned back from his strike.

 

“Yes, half-breed, you will fight with this Sesshoumaru.” Sesshoumaru's voice was cold and calm. “Your…Pack?” He glanced dismissively at Shiro and the Kai-wolf snarled in return, though he side-stepped closer to Inuyasha. “Heh. Mongrels. It is fitting.” In Inu, he spoke to the pack of Kai-wolves. “This is Pack Leader right. Withdraw. It is useless to wait for him; he will not win, and I have no use for half-breeds.”

 

The Kai-wolves growled at his words but most backed away, acknowledging Pack Law. Shiro walked forward with his hackles raised and snarled, “We would not follow you. Your scent is anger but you do not voice it…why would we trust an alpha whose scent lies?” Ignoring Sesshoumaru's response, a narrowing of blood-red eyes, he looked at Inuyasha for guidance. “Leader?”

 

“Protect our mates,” Inuyasha answered in Inu, motioning with his head toward Kagome and Aoi. Shiro and Bandit trotted to Kagome's side but Jinx ignored the gesture, growling at Sesshoumaru with hackles raised and eyes snapping in anger. “I will eat your stomach when Leader tears your throat out!”

 

Inuyasha glanced at Jinx in surprise and Sesshoumaru used his momentary distraction to lash Jinx with the whip. As she yelped in pain and tumbled backwards, Inuyasha growled and leaped for Sesshoumaru's throat.

 

Kagome watched in horror as the two brothers fought. For a moment they blurred with impossibly quick motion and then poison dripped from Sesshoumaru's hand as he danced back from Inuyasha's strike. Each had obviously struck a blow; the cloth across both of their chests was ripped and smeared with red blood. `Why aren't they using their katanas?' She reached for her powers to protect Inuyasha.

 

Immediately she felt herself trapped in the Nexus. All paths before her were dark and most were so black that she could not see any outcome, except that she had chosen to create a barrier around Inuyasha to protect him from Sesshoumaru. `I can't protect him? What good are my powers if I can't protect my loved ones?' Two other dim paths were still possible. In one, she readied a purification arrow to use against Sesshoumaru when an opening presented itself. In the other, she went to Jinx and helped ease the pain of the burns from Sesshoumaru's whip, letting Inuyasha handle the altercation with his brother.

 

The first path called to her head. `It makes sense to use an arrow, even though this is Inuyasha's brother! It's something I know how to do, an action I can take.' It seemed like the right choice, but she hesitated. The second path called to her heart. Jinx was hurt, but more importantly it gave Inuyasha the freedom to make his own choices where his brother was concerned. `The first path gives me the power. The other gives it to Inuyasha.' She mentally sighed. `I'm tired of being passive! But he has the right to decide what to do and Sesshoumaru has always held back from killing him before. I could always choose to use the arrow later.'

 

Grinding her teeth in frustration, she let her heart guide her and chose the second path. As she moved to connect with time again, she “reached” for Inuyasha in her worry, and felt the mind meld that they had created when she fell off the Time Paths slip into place. `I forgot that he is connected to me now! Inuyasha!' She sent her love and energy across the meld, knowing that he needed them. She felt his shocked response, so she cut off the connection to let him concentrate on the battle and turned to Jinx, comforting the injured Kai-wolf.

 

Inuyasha heard Kagome's call in his mind and felt a rush of energy fill his body. Muscle aches from the long afternoon eased, but his body was momentarily frozen during the mind meld. His temporary stasis gave Sesshoumaru an opening and, as Inuyasha shook his head in reaction, he was struck across the face by his brother's whip.

 

With the back of one hand he wiped the blood from his cheek, snarling, “Sesshoumaru, you bastard! Poison? Afraid to fight me when I'm at full strength?” He leaped forward to strike with his claws but Sesshoumaru quietly and methodically used his whip to drive him back toward the tree line.

 

“This Sesshoumaru only used enough poison to cause pain, unless you are weaker than he thought.”

 

Refusing to respond, Inuyasha took a deep breath, centering himself and recited the dojo-kun, `Hitotsu. One. Cultivate courage and tenacity.'

 

[Let me fight!]

 

`Keh.'

 

He gave his Inuyoukai personality more control and began to fight back in earnest, allowing his youki free rein to increase his speed. Swiping his hand across the shallow, poisoned cut on his chest, he threw Sesshoumaru's own poison and his blades of blood at his brother. “Hijin Ketsusou!”

 

Avoiding another whip strike as one of his blades sank home in Sesshoumaru's leg, he began an attack on Sesshoumaru's armless side, rolling under the whip and leaping from the ground to punch Sesshoumaru hard in the jaw.

 

(Shit, we actually hit him?)

 

`Shut up!'

 

Both brothers paused and Sesshoumaru wiped a small trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, staring at Inuyasha.

 

“This Inuyasha does not seek your power, Sesshoumaru. We seek only our own Pack.”

 

Sesshoumaru raised one eyebrow and Inuyasha stepped back into a guard position, claws extended.

 

The taiyoukai analyzed the scents in the air. `His scent…is this what the Tenseiga was trying to tell me when I first arrived? It resisted and would not allow me the iai-jutsu to end the conflict immediately. I have learned to pay attention to the katana, but this…,' he schooled his expression into bored indifference and stated calmly, “Your scent has changed, hanyou. Have you finally acknowledged our father's blood?” He felt Inuyasha's youki pulse with strength as the hanyou glared back at him, the youkai markings on his cheek bones stark against the color of his skin as his eyes turned to a copper shade.

 

“I always had his blood, brother. No one ever bothered to tell me why the old man sealed it,” Inuyasha snarled.

 

Sesshoumaru raised one eyebrow again at the nonverbal signals Inuyasha was sending him. `His posture…he recognizes me as Pack. I can still use him, if he will submit. He will know the Inuyoukai way. I do not have to kill him.' He ignored the feeling of relief that filled him; it was a weakness he could not afford.

 

“Draw your weapon, Inuyasha.” He put his hand on the Tenseiga's tsuka and the katana no longer refused his touch. He slid it out of its saya and gracefully took the stance that prepared him for a Tsubazeriai.

 

“Why? You want the Tessaiga? You're not gettin' it, asshole!” Inuyasha ran forward, clawed hands outstretched.

 

`Hnn. He obviously does not intend to use the Tessaiga. I will have to change that.' Sesshoumaru leaped sideways toward the Kai-wolves and Kagome. Tucking the Tenseiga under his regenerating arm, he flicked his seishou whip at Kagome. She stood her ground, throwing a hand up to protect her face, but the tip of the whip lashed a weal along her forearm and she gave a cry of pain.

 

Inuyasha roared furiously and drew the Tessaiga.

 

Sesshoumaru ran forward and engaged his brother in a Tsubazeriai. “You are so predictable, Inuyasha. This Sesshoumaru would not seriously injure your miko.” He nearly stepped back as Inuyasha raised his head; the deadly cold of his gaze was a stark contrast to the blazing fury in his scent. `He has learned some control. Well, this should be interesting.'

 

Pivoting to force Sesshoumaru away from his Pack and Kagome, Inuyasha began using the batto-jutsu of the kata forms.

 

Youki energies began to spark from the blades as the two fought. Step by step, Inuyasha forced Sesshoumaru away from Kagome.

 

“She is my mate. I swear I will kill you if you touch her again.” Inuyasha did not feel the usual separation of his youkai and human selves; they were acting as one.

 

Sesshoumaru pivoted and forced Inuyasha to leap to the side to avoid a vicious slice at his belly. Taking advantage of the momentary lull as Inuyasha recovered his stance, he asked, “Why do you choose a human? She will die soon.” He was honestly curious and he had his own reasons for asking, but he had touched a raw nerve in Inuyasha.

 

Placing his entire being behind an overhead strike, Inuyasha released the Tessaiga's basic attack. “WIND SCAR!”

 

Hell broke loose.

 

Sesshoumaru had to use his fastest speed to escape the energy blasts racing at him, but could not avoid the boulders and debris that the blasts kicked up. One of the smaller boulders knocked him to the side, saving him from the worst of the explosion, but he was forced to roll away from the rain of stones and mud. As the blasts ceased and the thunder of the explosion rumbled into the distance, a shaft of the setting sun pierced through the dust, revealing a long, broad avenue of disturbed earth and broken tree branches.

 

Eying the damage, Sesshoumaru felt a small amount of concern. `Finally, a blast worthy of a son of my father. Will I have to kill him, after all?'

 

He was used to Inuyasha hanging back and did not have time to do more than react as Inuyasha raced forward, the Tessaiga held in both hands. The two brothers simultaneously began their attacks.

 

“Meidou…”

 

“Bakuryu…”

 

With a shriek that deafened Kagome and caused the Kai-wolves to howl in pain, a giant bird of prey came plummeting down from the heavens. Stalling just before it hit the ground, it struck with fisted talons, hitting Sesshoumaru first and then battering Inuyasha to the ground when he turned to defend himself. As they both dropped, it grabbed them in its talons and mantled its wings over them, glaring with implacable golden eyes at Kagome and the Kai-wolves. The Tessaiga and the Tenseiga fell uselessly to the ground.

 

Kagome stared in shock at the raptor. It was a huge falcon, as big as a house with dark slate-blue feathers on its back and wings. The top of the head was black and markings that looked like a dark stripe ran down each side of its face. The legs and talons were bright yellow, contrasting sharply with the red of Inuyasha's suikan.

 

Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru stirred in the tight grip of the talons and the falcon looked down at them, opening its beak to voice another deafening shriek. Inuyasha's ears flattened to his skull as he pushed ineffectually at the talons cutting off his ability to breathe. Sesshoumaru stared up into the face of the falcon youkai and his eyes grew red, but then their glow faded as the shock of the blow and a lack of oxygen took its toll. Both forms fell still.

 

“Leader!” howled Shiro. The alpha male sprinted forward with a snarl and the rest of the Kai-wolves attacked, defending Inuyasha.

 

The falcon beat its wings once, creating a whirlwind which blasted the Kai-wolves off of their feet. As they struggled to right themselves it rose in the air and hovered there, continuing to create gales of wind with its wings and forcing the Kai-wolves back.

 

`Oh gods! What if it flies off with Inuyasha!' Kagome braced her feet against the wind and readied her bow, but hesitated as the falcon cautiously set the brothers back on the ground. It did not release them from its talons but stared at her, then gave a soft croon as it looked over to the katanas and then back to her.

 

`Is that…I think I recognize the pattern on its face. I hope I do, anyway!'

 

The Kai-wolves began to stalk the falcon again and it raised its wings.

 

“No! Aoi, Shiro, no!” Kagome pushed on Aoi's haunches while tugging on her neck, causing the Kai-wolf to sit. Aoi glared at her. “Good girl. Now, stay!” Kagome held her hand in front of the Kai-wolf's face. Aoi's blue eyes flicked to her face and back at the hand.

 

“I should bite her,” Aoi said in Inu.

 

Kagome, not understanding the clipped barks, went to Shiro next. The falcon and the other Kai-wolves watched with interest.

 

“Si…” Kagome stopped herself just in time. `I don't know the extent of Inuyasha's injuries and I don't want to make them any worse.' She began to perform the same motions with Shiro, but he sat before she could cause him the indignity of obeying her.

 

The alpha Kai-wolf cocked his head at her. `The falcon is not flying away and Leader's chosen seems to be relaxed. Perhaps this is her way of protecting the Pack Leader?' He stared at the falcon and deliberately yawned. “Sit,” he ordered the other Kai-wolves.

 

Kagome wiped her sweaty hands on her yoga pants before cautiously stepping forward to the katana blades. She came within striking distance of the great, hooked beak, but the falcon merely followed her with its eyes. She picked up the Tenseiga and the Tessaiga, holding them gingerly by the tsuka, and gazed up at the face of the raptor.

 

A long minute went by as the giant falcon inspected each of the limp forms in his grasp and Kagome began to fidget.

 

After making a sound that Kagome could only interpret as a satisfied chirp, the falcon quickly transformed into the taiyoukai she knew as Yourei Taisei.

 

He nodded at her. “Thank you, Kagome. Guard the katanas. We must take these two to recover from my blows.” He picked up Sesshoumaru and tucked him under one arm with an ease that belied the Inuyoukai's height and weight, adding amiably, “Although I pulled up from my stoop, they may be unconscious for some time.”

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Translations:

Fas est et ab hoste doceri. Latin: It is proper to learn, even from an enemy (Ovid).

 

Japanese:

Tono: feudal lord, mansion, or palace

Roiyaru: loyal, also royal

Mine: female name, two syllables (not pronounced like `mine' in English. More like Mee-neh): a resolute protector

Kegawa: fur, skin, or pelt (the mokomoko-sama or furry thing)

Seishou: spirit, energy

Sankon Tetsusou: literally “soul shattering iron claw”, the “iron reaver soul stealer” (bleah, I like the first better) of the anime. Please note, Inuyasha fans, that I have some friends reading who don't (GASP) follow the manga or anime.

Hitotsu: One

Iai-jutsu, batto-jutsu: Iai-jutsu is the art of drawing the katana from the saya and striking the opponent instantly with the same motion; batto-jutsu is the art of wielding a katana in actual combat, with emphasis on cutting technique.

 

Borzoi: Russian wolfhounds. They are tall, aristocratic dogs with long, thin, narrow heads. Sesshoumaru's youkai form looks very much like these dogs: check out http: //www .pet.gen.tr/2002/dogs_pics/dogs_33. jpg (remove the spaces). There are other similarities. This breed is affectionate with people they know well, but are more free-thinking, and less willing to please humans than some breeds. Training of this breed has to be based upon mutual respect. Quiet dogs, rarely barking, they are sight hounds and hunters. Oh yeah…and Russia is west of Japan.