InuYasha Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Cry of the Wolf ❯ Truth in the lies ( Chapter 3 )

Cry of the wolf

Part three: Truth in the lies

By Lance the Flamesniper

Kagome and the Senshi followed Kouga to the clearing where he scooped the protesting scientist over his shoulder. It was clear by the colorful language that she was not obliged to being treated like a sack of potatoes.

"Let me go this instant you damned mangy, flea-bitten, mongrel!" Was one of Dr. Wilkes' lightest protests.

"Hush you!" Kouga snapped as he looked to the Senshi. "As you can see I kept the Alpha of your exploratory pack with me to show you that some are still alive."

"All we see is one wolf," Sailor Uranus growled. "Where are the others?"

"In my cave of course," replied Kouga as if that were obvious. "I have taken great lengths to keep them healthy. Despite their rude behavior."

" 'Rude behavior'?" Sailor Neptune asked.

"Yes. Imagine, coming into my territory and not even bothering to bring a gift. Terribly rude!" Kouga shook his head.

Kagome for her part could barely hide her mirth at seeing Sailor Neptune's oh so elegant face fault. As physical as Kouga was, he also possessed a sharp wit and keen intellect that he preferred to keep hidden from would be enemies. Still one thing bothered her.

"Uhm Kouga where are the other wolves?" Kagome asked.

"Yeah Wimpy Wolf where's your lackeys?" Inu Yasha added.

"Almost two millennia and he's still spoiling for a fight?" Kouga asked to Kagome.

"Well you know him, always looking for a challenge," the miko shrugged. "And even though he'll probably deny it to the day he dies, you were always that."

"I suppose that's true. As for your question about my pack mates," Kouga replied as his cheerful mood collapsed. "We'll see them soon enough."

The tone in Kouga's voice set off a set of silent alarms in both Kagome and Inu Yasha's minds. For as long as they'd known the ookami youkai he'd always been proud of his pack, despite their repeated bouts of idiocy. But now, he spoke of them almost as if filled with sorrow. Nothing they could imagine, however, would prepare them for the truth.

As they crested a hill a valley opened before them. From the look of it, it was one of the troughs cut by the impacts that triggered the Great Freeze. Unlike most of these unnatural valleys this one was different. In neat, evenly spaced lines inside the trough there were plinths of the blackest obsidian that any of the travelers had ever seen. In the center, however, was a massive building made of black obsidian that was shot through with streaks of red arranged in such a way that it looked like the building was ablaze. To Kagome's eyes it looked disturbing yet also beautiful.

"A necropolis," Uranus uttered in awe.

"What... what is this Kouga?" Kagome asked.

"It's the Valley of the Fallen," Kouga replied as he waved his arm. "Kagome, Inu Yasha, Sailor Senshi, I present my pack mates."

"Wh-what!?" Kagome stammered. "You mean..?"

"Yes. They're all gone Kagome. Only Kouga remains," The wolven lord responded as he walked into the necropolis. "Come now, we must hurry. There are things in this area that feed on sorrows. I do not wish to join my pack in their journey to the holy mistress just yet."

"What do you mean by things that feed on sorrows?" Kagome asked as they walked. All around her the plinths reached heavenward. They were not plain obsidian as they all first thought, on many all of them were kanji and a date. Kagome assumed that the date was a death date. A number listed all the dates with the letters `G.F.' followed. G.F.? It must mean Great Freeze then the year after the event. By wolven reckoning this would be G.F. 550. To her shock most of the wolves according to the markers had died during the last few years: time of the Black Moon War.

"The cretins of the False Moon found the place we put Dark Light. They awakened him, though I don't know where he's gone, his wasps and low level demons come around often."

"Dark Light?" Uranus asked. "Naraku?"

Inu Yasha's eyes narrowed. "Naraku! Who are these people of the 'False Moon'? And how did they find him?!"

"I don't know who the followers of the false moon are. They came to my pack asking for an alliance against some city made of crystal. The man who spoke with me was named Rubius ...I think," Kouga shrugged. "I refused. So did the Western Lord. Next thing we and the other surviving youkai knew we were under attack. We battled them fiercely, though not without cost," Kouga sighed as he motioned with his hands. "In the end they could not beat us and their other enemy so we were left alone. Though among the fallen was the Western Lord's mate and their unborn pup. Probably the worst mistake the false moon made. Not that being left alone was enough for most of the youkai. Any chance we'd get we'd attack their scouts or stray troops."

At the mention of Rubius, Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune stiffened. This youkai and others of his kind had battled the Black Moon, and fended them off. If his story was to be believed it was a pyrhhic victory defined. All the graves around them proved that. Still this warrior had survived somehow and had kept fighting.

"Sesshoumaru's mate? Rin! She's...dead?" Kagome whimpered her eyes tearing up.

"Yes along with Jaken and many of his retainers. I myself lost three cubs to the freeze and two more to the battle. They and my mate are there," Kouga responded waving to the building. "Thus the reason I shall be going back to your crystal city with these scientists and you."

"What?" yelled Sailor Uranus.

Kouga gave her a cool look. "I have a matter that I must speak to whoever is in charge about. After all the crime of murder has been dealt with, but justice has not yet been fulfilled."

 

For Setsuna Meioh life was rather dull. All she really had to occupy her time was keeping the future intact then once that future came to pass to maintaining it. Admittedly that future had altered a great deal over the passing of centuries.

The biggest of these changes being the fact that Crystal Tokyo was not a cold, sterile utilitarian environment as was the original plan, not to say that she'd liked that plan very much. Truth be told she preferred the idea of children playing in parks, music in the air and life all around. That didn't mean she didn't work hard to keep threats away.

At the moment however she was banging her head against the nearest pillar repeating the word stupid over and over. She'd been aware of the wolf Youkai, of all of the youkai actually. They'd been vital since the battles they waged against the Black Moon Clan had made it possible for Crystal Tokyo to survive. It was unfortunate that the Youkai races were on the edge of extinction, very unfortunate really. But for most of the races it was easily fixed as long as there were females of their race alive.

Now however, thanks to three fools with crossbows, not only was the wolf youkai now going to be extinct but also introduced into Crystal Tokyo.

The worst part was that when she looked to the Gates to see what this would cause, she got murky images. As if something were blocking her viewing.

It was early evening when the group reached the caves. Kouga's caverns were not at all what the Sailor Senshi had expected. Kagome was also impressed by what she was seeing. High arched ceilings were carved out of the living stone with many paths and corridors expanding out of the main hall. The walls were decorated with carved crystals that caught the available light causing it to dance and catch the eye. Off to one side a massive stone room with polished wooden floors that had enough scuff marks to make it clear that it was a training hall. Across the main hall was an elegant yet intricately simple tearoom, thus once more surprising the Senshi.

 

"Feel free to make yourselves at home while I tend to my guests. We'll leave for your city in the morning," Kouga replied as he stalked off.

"I don't trust him," Sailor Uranus said after he'd left.

"Couldn't have guessed that," mumbled Inu Yasha.

"His story isn't believable! His people couldn't have fought the Black Moon! Only the Senshi have been able to do that," Uranus stated smugly.

"I see. I never thought you were that arrogant," Inu Yasha muttered disdainfully.

"What?" Sailor Uranus asked, clearly not understanding what she'd just said.

"Do you really think the Sailor Senshi fought alone? If that's the case I can name families you can tell that their loved ones weren't slain by the Black Moon. That their contribution was just a bad dream!" the inu hanyou yelled. "I can name easily a dozen clans who would be delighted to her it!"

"I for one am glad you'll tell me it was all a bad dream," Kouga snarled as he returned. "I might even believe you if I hadn't seen Hakkaku, Ginta, Saiyako and the others die."

"That's not what I meant," Uranus protested.

"That's exactky what you meant!" Kouga snapped. "Were you human I'd think you were just like most of the poachers and other vermin that I run off my lands. People who believe that the ends don't matter as long they can feel justified!"

"What do you mean 'were you human' Kouga?" Kagome asked confusedly.

"These two are youkai," Kouga replied pointing at the Senshi. "Or hanyou maybe. I'm not sure which species they are, but they ain't human. Their scent's all wrong. But I can't believe I missed that earlier."

"Why you…!" Sailor Uranus snarled as she lunged for Kouga.

Kouga sighed, looking for a moment as if he were weary to his very core. The image only lasted a moment before he was a blur of motion sidestepping the sky senshi while at the same time using her own momentum to send her careening into the wall. "Losing your temper will not change the facts my nose presents."

"Inu Yasha?" Kagome asked.

"Yeah?"

"Could Kouga's nose be wrong?" The miko asked, even though she was sure she knew the answer.

Inu Yasha stepped toward the downed senshi and inhaled deeply. His face took on a puzzled look then he inhaled again. "I never noticed before, but Kouga's right! They are some kind of youkai."

"We are not demons!" Sailor Neptune huffed indignantly.

"This conversation would be better suited for the light of day. For now, I recommend rest," Kouga replied. "Down the hall to the left you'll find sleeping quarters you may use any of the rooms."

"And what of you?" Uranus asked skeptically.

"I'll be in this room. After all someone needs to tend the fire."

"Don't worry Sailor Uranus," Kagome soothed. "If Kouga-kun wanted to hurt us he would have already."

"If you say so," Uranus replied as the senshi walked down the indicated hall.

Once they were gone Kagome turned to Kouga." Are you okay?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure." Kouga sighed wistfully. "I'm not sure if I'll ever be okay again."

TBC