InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Facets of the Living Jewel ❯ Ex luna, scientia: Canis mala! ( Chapter 59 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters. Ms. Takahashi does. I do, however, own this story's plot and I'm owned by a cat.

 

Thanks to all who voted for `Facets' in the recent IYFG awards; it won third place for Characterization: Inuyasha! Poor InuDemon is off in a corner of Inuyasha's mind sulking because he was disqualified (that and where I left him at the end of the last chapter…temperamental characters, geez!).

 

Warning: although there is no lemon there are references to sexual situations in this chapter.

 

Ex luna, scientia: Canis mala!

By Licentia poetica

 

 

Kagome screamed in mental agony as she was forcibly pulled from a state of pleasured satisfaction into the fluctuating time streams of the Nexus. The threads writhed, distorted by the conflicting powers in the Shikon fragments as they flared against the creative time force of the Goshinboku. She was barely able to remain conscious as her miko powers were ruthlessly shunted aside by her time abilities, but somehow her mate connection to Inuyasha held and she was just able to hang on to his aura to keep from being overwhelmed.

 

She tried to remain calm, knowing that she had to make a decision before she could return. After mentally counting to ten and centering herself she squinted against the glow from the Goshinboku to peer into the time threads surrounding her.

 

She almost lost her tenuous hold on Inuyasha in shock.

 

She was given no choice. There were only a few paths and every thread, every alternative showed the same conclusion before going completely opaque to her vision: the formation of the Living Jewel. All paths were dark and shadowed, showing only her role in the Jewel's creation with any clarity.

 

`The gods are mocking me. All I want is to protect my loved ones and the information that would help me do that is withheld from me! The only difference in the paths is the order in which Miroku and Sango are added. Inuyasha comes first and other than that I really have no choice, but what does it mean? What possible difference does it make when they're added?'

 

As she was inexorably forced to move forward into the threads she desperately tried to form the mind meld with Inuyasha. Through the mate connection she felt his fierce, possessive love and an intense, predatory anger as he fought to pull her from the Nexus, but she could not project her thoughts to his mind.

 

`I formed the meld with his hanyou form…I don't think I can reach him until sunrise.'

 

The pressure to make a decision intensified into a painful demand and spurred her to action. Gritting her teeth against the ache, she tried to decide which time thread to choose but became confused as they seemed to coalesce, then part again.

 

`Something is wrong with the time threads. How can I choose a path when they won't stay still?'

 

The pain increased and she began to grimace against the intense throbbing, unable to move forward into any thread. She felt herself disintegrating in the time streams, pulled apart by the Nexus into the multiple threads, and she frantically tried to find a way out that would give her the time to form the Living Jewel. As if by chance a fragment of memory suddenly came to her, the words so clear it almost seemed as if they were being spoken in her ear.

 

`Kagome! Get your anchor!'

 

`I'm anchored. Boy, am I anchored!'

 

She reached for the power of the Goshinboku and a blessed respite from the pain washed over her as she anchored herself to its timeless strength. She gasped in relief but tensed again as a spike of pain throbbed in her forehead, increasing and then diminishing along with the beat of her heart.

 

`What is going on? How is it that I can feel my heartbeat in the Nexus?'

 

Concentrating on the sensations in her mind, she became aware that she was in two places at once. She was still trapped in the Nexus, but the pressure to form the Living Jewel was held in abeyance by the anchor to the Goshinboku. She could also see her physical body and the area around the tree, including a demonic Inuyasha who was currently throwing back his head in a fierce howl, anger evident on his face.

 

`At least time is moving there. Even though I'm not really in my body I can hold out until the sun rises and I can reach Inuyasha. There's still a chance to form the Jewel.'

 

Another pulse of pain stabbed through her forehead, but she ignored it as she reinforced her anchor to the Goshinboku and watched the tableau before her.

 

Inuyasha stopped howling and one clawed hand came up to gently touch her cheek, brushing her hair back behind her ear with a tender gesture that tugged at her heart. She could not feel his touch. He spoke to her, but she could not hear his words though she could tell that he was calling her name.

 

She tried to send him reassurance through the mate connection and he frowned in concentration. She felt a tentative mental touch, but as before it was at a subconscious level and she could not communicate her thoughts.

 

A pulse of agony stabbed through her head and she saw the pain echoed in the expression on his face. As it diminished he narrowed his eyes and brought his hand up to the taijitu on his forehead, then brushed the bangs from hers and rubbed his thumb lightly over the surface of her mark. She gasped as she felt the sensation.

 

`I can feel him touch me there. Why there? And why does it hurt there?'

 

She tried to communicate her need to form the Living Jewel without transmitting thoughts, projecting her emotions through the mate connection.

 

`Maybe he can transform back into the hanyou right now. Even with anchoring myself I don't know if I can last `til sunrise with this pain. What time is it now, anyway? Gaaah! A Time Lord shouldn't need a watch.'

 

She looked around to see where the moon was located just as another pulse of pain pierced her forehead.

 

`Wait…what was that glow in the Tree?'

 

She waited for another shaft of pain and saw that the pulse coincided with an increase in a dark glow of evil power from the Shikon shards embedded in the Goshinboku.

 

`Is that Naraku? Or the evil hanyou that fought Midoriko? Are the Shikon shards pulling power from the tree?' She narrowed her eyes at the dark power and clenched her mental fists. `I won't let them do it!'

 

She reached out with her time and miko powers to place a time barrier around the shards just as another throbbing pulse began. The pain was cut off suddenly and she gasped both at the relief from pain and at the backlash of power coming from the shards. They fought her barrier and she had to struggle to maintain it.

 

`If I could just reach out and pull them from the tree, but I can't move!'

 

She noticed Inuyasha rubbing his forehead again and knew that he also had felt the pain vanish. He touched her forehead again, but this time she could not feel him through the taijitu.

 

`What is going on?'

 

She ignored the lack of sensation and tightened her barrier against a flux of power from the shards.

 

`Oh no, you don't. I'll hold you there all night if I have to.'

 

She pressed down hard, using the technique that she and Midoriko had used against the time rip. The shards continued to pulse against her barrier but she stubbornly held it in place despite the fluctuations in power, gritting her teeth in concentration. Finally satisfied that her barrier would hold, she turned part of her attention to the outside world again just as four of the Kai-wolves ran up to Inuyasha, wagging their tails in greeting.

 

`He must have Called them. Oh well, I don't care…they're just animals and I don't mind if they see me like this.'

 

She watched with interest as he spoke with them. He was still holding her up with one hand as he used his body and gestures to speak with them and she could tell it was a bit awkward for him. She gave a mental giggle until she saw him gesture toward the village and his mouth formed the words “Midoriko, Miroku, Sango.” Jinx, Runt, and Bandit ran for the village as Shiro took up a guard position at Inuyasha's side.

 

`Oh, no! No, no, no, no, NO! Don't bring them here yet!'

 

She could not move her body, did not have a stitch on, and in true inu fashion she was still coupled to Inuyasha.

 

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

Kaede was startled awake by hoarse screams. She sat up quickly and fought off a bout of dizziness, mentally cursing the frailty of age that slowed her reactions. She shook her head slightly to center herself and looked around to take stock of her surroundings.

 

An arcane glow filled the hut, and in its light she could see Shippo and Rin sitting up on their futon, staring at Midoriko and Kohaku with open mouths. The glow came from Midoriko's chest and Kohaku's shoulder, and it was obvious from their pained expressions that they were the source of the screams. Kohaku writhed, one hand clawing futilely toward the glowing Shikon shard that was embedded in his back just beyond his reach.

 

Midoriko was flat on her back and immobile, her eyes wide and staring, her hands rigidly clasped at her chest.

 

`She at least has power and is probably fighting the shards. I should help the boy.'

 

Kaede turned to Kohaku and shuffled over to him, her old bones protesting the movements.

 

“Kohaku? I see the shard troubles ye. Perhaps I can help.”

 

The glow from the shards waned and Kohaku gave a gasp of relief, but he grunted in pain a few moments later as the shard in his shoulder began to radiate power again.

 

“The shard! It's burning me alive!”

 

Kaede held her hand just above his back and could feel heat emanating from the shard just before it dimmed again.

 

“I do not understand this, Kohaku. Why is it becoming hot?”

 

Shippo bounced up and scampered over to Midoriko. He tentatively reached out and patted the Time Lord gently on the face but she did not respond. Another glow pulsed from her chest and Kohaku hissed in pain as his own shard heated up again. Kaede clenched her fist and spoke sharply to Shippo as the kit reached out to touch Midoriko's hands.

 

“Do not touch her when the shards glow, young Shippo! We do not know what is happening and it may be that ye will be trapped by magic.”

 

“We can't just let them burn!” Shippo fisted his small hands and glared at her.

 

“I will make a poultice of herbs to shield us from the magic. You and Rin can place it on her chest and I will hold mine to Kohaku's back. Perhaps that will help.”

 

She shuffled over to her herbal remedies and lit a small lamp from the coals of the banked fire to see the labels. She had pulled out the ingredients that she required and was pouring the first herb into her cupped palm to measure it when Kohaku hissed once more.

 

He was hunched over in pain, but suddenly sat up straight. He experimentally flexed his shoulder and looked over at Kaede, his face puzzled. “I'm always aware of it, but for some reason it's stopped hurting and I can't…Lady Kaede…is the shard glowing at all?”

 

Kaede peered at his back and saw a feeble remnant of the glow die away. She stared for a few moments and the muted glow reappeared, only to fade again. “Aye, there is a glow. Ye do not feel it?”

 

“No. I…ever since…I've always felt...I've known…” Confusion and wonder warred for dominance on the young man's face, but finally a tentative smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “I can't feel it, but that's good. That means it can't reach me.”

 

Shippo patted Midoriko's face again, but the Time Lord was still unresponsive. “How come she won't move?”

 

“I do not know, young Shippo.” Kaede carefully poured the herb back into its sack and began placing the pouches back into their respective places. “But I would guess that a battle within the shards is keeping her occupied.”

 

She stood up slowly and hobbled over to the kit, staring down into Midoriko's face. The Time Lord's eyes appeared a fathomless, inhuman black in the dim light from the small lamp, but red embers began to burn in their depths as the glow from the shards increased. `Gods! What battle does she fight? Is my sister still in there with her?' Dropping slowly to her knees, she reached up and closed the Time Lord's eyes, trying unsuccessfully to stop her hand from shaking. She breathed deeply to calm herself as Shippo cocked his head to look into her face and forestalled the questions she knew he would ask by stating “Hopefully Lady Midoriko will wake up soon.”

 

He opened his mouth to speak anyway but suddenly Runt, Bandit, and Jinx burst through the bamboo door, panting harshly. They stopped short as Bandit came forward and poked his nose into Midoriko's face. He gave a short bark and began tugging at the Time Lord's clothing, pulling her toward the door.

 

“No, Bandit! Bad dog!” Kaede pushed the Kai-wolf's nose away from Midoriko. When he growled at her she shook her finger in his face. “No! Something is wrong with Lady Midoriko. Leave her alone!”

 

“Wait, Kaede-baba.” Shippo placed a hand on her finger and peered into Bandit's face, yipping softly.

 

The group of humans stared at the Kai-wolves and Shippo as they began a series of yips and growls. Jinx sat in front of Kaede and stared intensely up into the old miko's face for a few moments. As Bandit finished a long whining growl Shippo nodded and jumped onto the Kai-wolf's back. He turned to Kaede.

 

“I'll be back. Something is wrong with Kagome and Inuyasha wants Midoriko's help. I'll go with them and tell him what's happened here.”

 

Kaede sat back on her heels, watching in bemused silence as the three Kai-wolves raced out the door, Shippo clinging onto Bandit's ruff.

 

“They weren't bad dogs, they were just worried,” Rin yawned as she padded softly over to Kaede and patted her cheek. “I can teach you to speak some Inu so you won't get in so much trouble, Lady Kaede.”

 

Kaede stared at the child. “Trouble?”

 

“Jinx wanted to bite you.” Rin yawned again and reached down to pat Midoriko's cheek. “But then again, she always wants to bite things. She's kind of feisty.”

 

Kaede shook her head and began to pull the light cover up over Midoriko's hands to have something to do. She shuddered as the glow from the Shikon fragments in the Time Lord's chest was answered by a red gleam from underneath her closed eyelids. `Somehow I don't think I'll get any sleep tonight,' she sighed to herself as she sat back. Rin walked up and gave her a brilliant smile before flopping down next to her.

 

“That's telling an inu that you're bigger than them and they should pay attention to you.”

 

Kaede looked at the girl in bemusement. “A smile?”

 

Rin yawned and smiled up at her. “Yup. But sometimes it makes them mad, so you have to be careful. I get to smile at all of them, but I did it before I knew what it meant and Lord Sesshoumaru lets me.” She yawned again and crawled back over to her futon. “They all get scared when Lord Sesshoumaru smiles, but not me! I love it!” Her face fell a bit. “He doesn't ever really smile at me, though.” She lay down and began to pull the covers up over herself.

 

Kaede, mystified, watched Rin snuggle down into the bedding. `Thank the gods I never have felt like smiling in the presence of Lord Sesshoumaru. He probably would have killed me.'

 

Rin yawned a final time and closed her eyes, murmuring “Lord Sesshoumaru,” as she drifted off to sleep.

 

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

Kirara woke abruptly from a deep, restful sleep, her nose twitching at the scents of numerous Inus, both demonic and animal. Reflexively, she muted her own youki and dug her claws into the surface below her, preparing to leap into the air. It took her a split second to recognize where she was and she gave a little growl when she remembered.

 

`What has Pfffffft Hhhsssss done? Where has he brought me without MY permission?'

 

She dug her claws into his shoulder and ignored the stiffening of his muscles beneath her as she felt the unmistakable pressure of numerous youki impinging on her own. She gave a tentative sniff, trying not to inhale too much of the smell and still be able to analyze her situation.

 

`Inus. Too many of them!' She took another delicate sniff, suppressing a sneeze as her nose wrinkled in disgust. `There are youkai and…ugh. A pack of inu. How could I have slept so soundly that I allowed myself to be surrounded? Damn you, Pfffffft Hhhsssss! I should never, NEVER trust an inu, whether I acknowledge him as Pride Leader or not.'

 

She shielded her youki as much as she could and turned her attention to the sounds of growls and voices, muffled by the mokomoko-sama still shielding her. Most of the words were indistinct, but finally an urbane, smooth voice cut through the grumbling and she tensed her claws even further as she realized the owner of the voice was standing within reach of her, leaning up to speak privately to Sesshoumaru.

 

“Inu no Taisho, perhaps we should retire into the tenshu to discuss this…unusual situation further?”

 

Kirara gave a start as a growl rumbled beneath her.

 

“This Sesshoumaru has no need to discuss the neko, Lord Roiyaru. She is part of Inuyasha's Pack, and this Sesshoumaru has acknowledged his right to Pack Law within our boundaries. She is here to negotiate the time and manner of his Pack's acceptance into our Lands.” His voice was pitched to carry and she heard a few solitary growls in response.

 

Kirara snorted in disgust but was slightly mollified by Sesshoumaru's defense of her right to be there. `Foolish Rrowhhsss Pfffffft. He has brought me here in typical alpha male fashion, not thinking through the consequences and demanding obedience.' Kirara began to withdraw her claws from his skin as she focused on the powerful youki and taut muscles beneath her paws. `Or has he? He is expectant…waiting. What have you placed me in the midst of, Pfffffft Hhhsssss?' She tensed and flexed her claws into his shoulder again as another voice growled out directly ahead of them, angry and menacing.

 

“We must accept this neko and a hanyou into our Packs? The little neko is so frightened it doesn't dare stick its nose out to face us! The coward hides under your protection.”

 

Kirara immediately stuck her head out from under Sesshoumaru's kegawa, hissing sharply with anger and trying to remember every word she knew that would be insulting to an inu. “How dare you, you insignificant, miniscule, pygmy…rat! I am not afraid of you.” Eyes blazing red, she shrugged off the mokomoko-sama and arched her back, hissing at the burly male inuyoukai who stood directly ahead of Sesshoumaru.

 

“You dare insult me?” He stared at her, eyebrows raised, and seemed to be both surprised and amused by the sight of a neko smaller than his booted foot standing on his Pack Leader's shoulder, lashing her tails and bristling at him in anger. “You are no more than a mouthful for our Pack.”

 

Sesshoumaru gave a sharp bark of warning as the borzoi surrounding them quivered in anticipation, tensing to leap at her as she stood just out of their reach on his shoulder. “The Neko is not prey!”

 

The alpha male of the borzoi whined in response, but as Sesshoumaru gave another sharp warning growl he sat back on his haunches and turned his head to the side. The rest of the pack cowered, some of them slinking away.

 

Kirara continued to stare at the male inuyoukai who had insulted her. Without breaking her baleful glare she whispered in Neko “You brought me here on purpose, without my knowledge or consent, to face this idiot. Am I not correct, Pfffffft Hhhsssss?”

 

A quiet, noncommittal sound was her only acknowledgement, but she understood. She flexed her claws into his shoulder to express her irritation and whispered “We will discuss this later, Pfffffft Hhhsssss.”

 

She leaped down into the midst of the Pack and began to stalk toward the large male, ignoring the borzoi that towered over her tiny form and continuing to suppress her youki. Unbeknownst to her, as she stared up at the male the full moon was reflected in her eyes, turning them to malevolent, glowing silver. He stepped back slightly and she began to feel the excitement of the hunt, her muscles coiling in anticipation. `Go ahead, idiots. Assume I am a sweet little kitty and no threat.'

 

As if responding to her thoughts the borzoi's alpha male gave a snort and the large inuyoukai shook his head. `It's only the moon reflected in her eyes.' He smirked and broke eye contact, raising his gaze to Sesshoumaru. “Even the borzoi understand that Inuyasha should not be accorded Pack status. Look at her! She is small and weak. Why do you accept such trash into the Lands? Why should…”

 

Kirara did not wait for the male to finish his sentence. She uncloaked her youki and leaped at him, transforming in mid-air into her demon form and roaring a furious challenge. Startled by the flames and unprepared for an enraged fire neko larger than a tiger and blazing with a powerful youki, he fell backwards under her onslaught and had no chance to react before she skewered his chest, arm, and pelvis with three of her flaming claws. With a speed born of battle adrenaline and long experience she slammed him to the ground and placed her elongated canines at his jugular, biting down slightly and flexing her claws, coming dangerously close to his male anatomy as he attempted to roll away from her. As he gripped her forelegs with sharp claws she dug the claws of her free foot into the ground for purchase, stabbed him deeper with her other claws, and bit down until he ceased moving and withdrew his claws from her legs. She withdrew her fangs just enough to speak, leaving one dagger-like tooth embedded in his neck. When she spoke her voice was hissing and low, fury evident in the quivering of her muscles as she lashed her tails.

 

“Trash? An inu dares to call me trash?”

 

She became aware of threatening growls all around her that were suddenly stilled by a furious snarl from Sesshoumaru. `He is angry, but with whom? I can't see him and my nose is full of this idiot's stench.' She shifted slightly, adjusting her weight so that she could leap into the air if necessary, as a borzoi's quivering, scenting nose came into her field of vision. She gave a fierce growl of intimidation and heated the fires flaring from her paws, causing the inuyoukai beneath her to inhale sharply. A sharp bark came from behind her and the nose disappeared. `Hhhmm. This male is all bluff and is responding to me as if I am a dominant female. It's to be expected, but is this a test for me? What game are you playing, Pfffffft Hhhsssss? I am Neko and not to be trifled with.'

 

“Give me one good reason why I should not rip out his throat, Rrowhhsss Pfffffft.' She purposefully gave him the honorific while she spoke in territorial Neko, using the most demeaning inflections and caterwauling so that there could be no mistake what she thought of the male underneath her paws. She left the meaning of Sesshoumaru's title open to interpretation.

 

“Lord Ryouta is another of Lord Sesshoumaru's betas and Pack Leader to the inuyoukai of our northern border, Lady Neko.” The voice belonged to the inuyoukai that Sesshoumaru had called Lord Roiyaru.

 

`Time to teach them some manners.' She growled warningly and spat out “Rrowhhsss Pfffffft. I acknowledge only you. Give me one good reason not to eviscerate this idiot.” She damped down the fire surrounding the claws that were embedded in his abdomen to illustrate her point, but made no other move.

 

“He is this Sesshoumaru's Pack and under my protection. Release him.” The words were spoken in a calm, neutral tone, as if he expected her immediate and unconditional obedience.

 

She lifted her head and stared back at him, noting in passing that the full moon's light made his hair and clothing shine; he stood out from the rest of the Pack like a beacon. `I suppose I must follow this charade through. He did this for a reason, but I will teach him to use me as a tool for Pack discipline.'

 

“I will release him, but only under my conditions.”

 

He raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

 

She turned back to the male and hissed in Inu “You will address me as Lady Neko, but only when I allow you to speak to me, which won't be often. You will speak to my Pride Leader, Mmrrowhhsssaa, and the others of my Pride with the courtesy due to them. There are few beings that deserve my allegiance.” She gave him a moment and at his slight nod she quickly added “And you will apologize for insulting me. Now.” She waited with her fires flaring, claws still embedded in his flesh.

 

“You will apologize to Lady Kirara, Lord Ryouta,” Sesshoumaru added using the same neutral tone that he had used to address her.

 

`Damn him! He speaks so quietly yet he has taken back the authority from me.' Kirara heated her fires just a bit.

 

“I apologize, Lady Neko.” Ryouta turned his head away from her, but she could see from his frown that he was furious.

 

She leaned down and whispered in Inu. “I know your scent. If you try to harm any of my Pride I will stalk you and kill you. And you will never know that I am there until my claws rip your head from your shoulders.” She pulled back, damped her fires, and withdrew her claws paw by paw, shaking each one with distaste. She gave Ryouta a final glare before she turned her back on him to face Sesshoumaru. Her back muscles twitched as she felt the youki at her back flare and heard the male rise to his feet, but she refused to look back at him. `I know when to intimidate and when to kill, but this one worries me. If I were with other Nekos I would keep my eyes on him until he showed good sense and left, but I am among uncouth inus. They show indifference by turning their backs. Fools. Perhaps I should put some distance between us.' She reverted to her kitten form and walked delicately past the row of borzoi, flagging her tails and blithely ignoring every other being until she reached Sesshoumaru.

 

“I believe there were some negotiations to be discussed?” She leaped lightly up to his shoulder, turned around, and began to wash the stench and blood from her paws, wrinkling her nose in distaste. `Get me away from here, you arrogant inu. How dare you force me into this! The things I do for my Pride.' She ruthlessly tamped down on the feelings of relief that flooded through her when she was once again out of the Pack's reach.

 

“Lord Roiyaru, accompany us.” Sesshoumaru strode forward through the Pack and entered the honmaru, Kirara digging her claws into his shoulder both to hold on to her perch and to express her profound disgust with him. She continued to clean one paw to show her feigned indifference as they passed through the Pack.

 

“Well, that went better than I thought it would, Inu no Taisho,” Roiyaru whispered as they finally reached the door of the tenshu. He switched languages to Neko and said quietly “You are a formidable opponent, Lady Neko. You are almost worthy of being called a bitch.”

 

Kirara stopped cleaning her paw and glared at him, digging all four claws into Sesshoumaru's shoulder. She began to hiss quietly, but both inuyoukai felt the true menace behind the sound as her youki began to flare. Roiyaru stepped back as her eyes flashed to silver.

 

Sesshoumaru held up his hand. “She is truly a worthy opponent, Lord Roiyaru; however, this Sesshoumaru would not address her in Inu terms.” He glanced down at his shoulder at the incensed neko. “Perhaps you should purr, Lady Kirara?”

 

Kirara transferred her silver glare to the Inu no Taisho and her hiss tripled in volume. She leaped from his shoulder to the ground and faced both male inus, back arched, feet flaming, and tails lashing. Roiyaru stepped back as the intensity of her youki increased.

 

“You…arrogant…conceited… Pfffffft!” She spoke quietly in Neko, obviously aware of the need for secrecy, but her glare at Sesshoumaru was piercing and Roiyaru was secretly glad that the angry female was ignoring him. “I suppose you had that all thought out. To use me to ease the way for Mmrrowhhsssaa and my Pride to be accepted into your… your… Pack.” She spat the word with contempt and took one menacing step forward, her fires flaring under her tiny paws and her muscles taut with anger.

 

“And you were superb. This Sesshoumaru is pleased.” Roiyaru was amazed that the Inu no Taisho's voice was calm and measured in the face of the neko's blazing rage.

 

“I don't care whether you're pleased or not! You didn't ask my permission!”

 

“Why was it necessary for this Sesshoumaru to ask you? You should be flattered that this Sesshoumaru thought you capable of handling the situation. Inuyasha's Pack must come here to be recognized and countless negotiations were avoided because you acted as a true alpha bitch.”

 

Kirara hissed loudly and turned it into the unmistakable sound of a neko ready to attack as she gathered herself to leap. The caterwaul drew Mine and Jaken from the innermost recesses of the tono and a few curious faces peered through the gate of the honmaru.

 

Sesshoumaru growled a fierce warning and Roiyaru spoke Inu loudly as his alpha tensed, ready for her attack. “Lady Neko. Do not attack the Inu no Taisho or you will certainly be killed. We can negotiate the point.” Kirara hesitated, then slowly swept her angry gaze across the other youkai before turning back to Sesshoumaru and relaxing slightly out of her attack posture. Roiyaru whispered in Neko “The Inu no Taisho has spent years regaining his rightful place, planning his moves with great care and caution. You do not understand the honor that he has shown you.”

 

Kirara's eyes remained silver as she maintained her glare at Sesshoumaru but a shudder passed across the muscles of her back as she obviously tried to control her fury. She spoke softly but intensely, her eyes never leaving Sesshoumaru's. “If I am a true alpha bitch, then you are a true Neko. After all, a Neko never asks for anything and acts alone. You did not ask before you gave me this honor, you did not even deign to inform me of your plans before you risked my life and the lives of my Pride. Did we not have a…discussion about this earlier? When you asked me to…" she shot an angry glance at Roiyaru before returning her gaze to Sesshoumaru. “To plead? I congratulate you on your calculating use of my special abilities. Was it enjoyable to play with your prey?”

 

Sesshoumaru gave a low warning growl and Roiyaru had the uncomfortable feeling that he was in the midst of a conversation where he was unwelcome.

 

“Accept the results of our earlier…exchange. This Sesshoumaru does not give his trust easily.”

 

Kirara gave a great sigh. “Neither does this Kirara, especially when the trust has been broken.”

 

Sesshoumaru raised his eyebrows as she turned her back on him and flared into her demonic form. `I should be insulted at her words, but what did she expect? I risked Pack hierarchy on her performance.'

 

“I will inform Mmrrowhhsssaa that you will be contacting him regarding the time for his Pack to be recognized, but I will not be joining him for the…privilege.” She spoke over her shoulder, refusing to look at him.

 

“This Sesshoumaru requires the attendance of Inuyasha's entire Pack.”

 

Kirara finally looked back at him but did not reply to his statement. Her eyes were red again but her stare was definitely that of an aloof, proud Neko. She turned her head forward, leaped into the air, and was gone in an instant, running easily with the wind.

 

“What a magnificent female, my Lord. No wonder you acknowledge Inuyasha as a Pack Leader if she submits to him.”

 

“She is a jigokuneko and difficult to handle,” Sesshoumaru growled back at Roiyaru.

 

“Yet she has solved any problems that might have arisen regarding accepting Inuyasha's Pack; Lord Ryouta was in absolute submission to her and will not be able to continue his subtle rebellion against you. What a strong youki she has! So small in her kitten form, yet so indomitable!”

 

Sesshoumaru growled an acknowledgement and stalked into the tono, angry that his beta had almost echoed his own words regarding Kirara. `Damn that female. In a single stroke I have solidified my northern and eastern borders. Why did she make me feel that something went wrong?'

 

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

Kirara stretched her limbs and flew at her fastest pace to rid herself of the residual fear and anger that had flooded her body with adrenaline.

 

`Damn Pfffffft Hhhsssss. Damn him for using me without my permission, for putting me in a position where I would have to defend my honor in front of a bunch of worthless inus, where I had to fight for my Pride. Damn all inus!'

 

She ran on the wind, shuddering at the uncomfortable feelings within her. `Why do I feel this pain in my chest? I don't understand…I'm not even out of breath. Why do I feel like a lost kitten? I have not felt this way since My-Sango's Pride was killed by Naraku's demons.'

 

Suddenly she became aware of a mass of youki ahead of her and slowed her flight speed. In the bright moonlight she could see figures mobbing something in the air. `At night? Wait…those are demons.' She was about to go to ground to avoid being assaulted herself when the mob cleared for a moment and she could see what they were attacking.

 

Yourei Taisei.

 

He shredded two of the demons in his claws as he dove for the ground, one of his wings at an odd angle. Hundreds of demons followed him.

 

`Argh!' Kirara gave a loud growl of irritation. `He is My-Sango's sensei. Why did I have to choose to live among humans who fight demons! I have to go help him!'

 

She gave chase and swiped her claws across several of the stragglers, killing them before they were even aware of her. As some of them turned to attack she dove toward the ground and aimed for a massive ball of low-level youkai on the forest floor. She could see no sign of Yourei Taisei. She began to claw her way into the ball, biting and scratching, but suddenly she heard an explosion from the center of the mass. She leaped upwards and saw Yourei Taisei's tsunami kazangan ha take out a large group of demons in the area that she had just vacated. Twisting in the air as she was attacked from all sides she noticed an odd absence of demons in one section of the mass, directly opposite the area of the recently created lahar. She dove for the ground so that she could find Yourei Taisei and control the direction of the demon's attacks.

 

She found him in his humanoid form, slashing at the attacking demons with one of his swords, and gasped at the damage that had been done to him. `It's amazing he can still stand.' One eye was swollen shut and bloody. Great gashes bled freely along his head, arms, and back, and one forearm was obviously broken. He held the useless arm pressed tightly against his side and she could see blood flowing down his leg from a gut wound that he was trying to keep closed.

 

“Shrewd-Falcon!” she called, giving him warning, and landed next to his injured side when he spared her a glance. She said nothing else but kept her energy to attack the demons that still mobbed them from above. Kirara frowned as the attacks seemed to dissipate along one side, but there was no respite in the assault from the other directions and there was no time to investigate. Minutes passed as they fought together, slashing at innumerable demons, and a pile of dead bodies began to surround them, protecting them from ground attacks but obstructing their vision to the sides.

 

“Hold them back for a moment,” he gasped as the red and yellow triangles on his face began to glow. She rose in the air above them and attacked with renewed ferocity while he stabbed the Kiritsu into the ground and quickly pulled the Konran from its saya. The blood over the triangles on his face sizzled into vapor, giving off a sickly glow and a putrid stench. “Stand behind me!”

 

He stepped forward into a lunge, bringing the Konran up over his head in the judan chamae and striking downward in the judan chiri.

 

“Boufuu rekka ha!”

 

A tornado of fire blasted from the wakizashi and vaporized the bodies surrounding them along with numerous youkai. The few stragglers left alive huddled together and seemed about to attack, but suddenly they raced away as if summoned.

 

Yourei Taisei fell to his knees, then dropped the Konran and grabbed on to the Kiritsu to keep from toppling over.

 

“You must…warn your Pride,” he gasped. “I was…” he bowed his head for a moment, fighting off the weakness from loss of blood. “They call…their leader…Mouryoumaru. Thousands of them. Moving…” Kirara moved to his side to stabilize him as he nearly fell over. “Attacking…the village…day at the most.”

 

“Can you climb on my back? I will take you to My-Kaede.”

 

“No time. You are injured.” He lay down on his uninjured side. “I will heal. Go! Warn your Pride!”

 

She looked down at the bleeding scratches along her legs and rippled the skin over her back where she had received numerous painful cuts. “I am Neko. These are nothing and I will heal as well.”

 

“You don't understand. There are thousands of them with this Mouryoumaru, and they're moving fast.” He sat up and gripped Kiritsu. “I can defend myself. Go!”

 

“I will go, but I will return for you once I have warned Inuyasha. Do not leave this place, Shrewd-Falcon.” Kirara leaped away, running a bit slower than before. `I need another nap.'

 

After she disappeared Yourei Taisei slumped to the side, giving in to the weakness that he had held at bay to convince her to leave.

 

A small figure, blazing white in the moonlight, walked out of the woods. It came from the direction where Kirara had noticed the gap in the attacking demons.

 

`Kanna?' Yourei Taisei blinked owlishly at her; in his pain-blurred vision she seemed to be smiling.

 

She stepped close to him and looked down, her face impassive.

 

`I must have been seeing things. She doesn't smile.'

 

He realized he was wrong as she smiled avidly and raised her mirror.

 

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

Translations:

Latin: Ex luna, scientia: canis mala! From the moon, knowledge: bad dog!

 

Japanese:

Tenshu: main keep or tower of a castle.

Honmaru: innermost bailey of a castle (where the Tenshu is located)

Ryouta: male name; “well built”

Jigokuneko: hell cat

Kiritsu: Yourei Taisei's katana; order, rules, law. Special attack: tsunami kazangan ha (tsunami of earth attack)

Konran: Yourei Taisei's wakizashi; disorder, confusion, chaos. Special attack: Boufuu rekka ha (windstorm of conflagration attack).

Judan chamae: bringing the katana up over the head in a swirling motion.

Judan chiri: striking downward in a cut to the middle level.

 

 

Neko language:

Pfffffft: dog; with no specific tones this is usually an insult.

Mmrrowhhsssaa: Pride Leader with Neko ears, with specific tones for Inuyasha.

Pfffffft Hhhsssss: Bad Dog; never used with specific tones and considered a particularly rude Neko insult.

Rrowhhsss Pfffffft: Pride Leader (Pride Dog). An honorific???

 

Thanks to RPW The Hun for her beta work!

 

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Thank you all for reading!

 

iPoe