InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Mutt's Tail ❯ Farewells and Fights ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha or any characters from the show/manga that may appear in this fic…please…don't sue…I'm broke. *pulls out pants pockets and a moth flies away*

3: Farewells and Fights

In the night I crept back to the stables and grabbed the bag with the ruined robes, rushing the four miles to the hot spring. I washed the robes and hung them to dry. I dropped some rose petals into the water and smiled as the scent of roses bloomed in the air. I slowly stepped into the water and began to bathe. It had been a while since my last one. I scrubbed my own skin, strangely pale even through my sunbathing day in and day out. I was between Sesshoumaru and Inu Yasha's skin color. I began to brush my hair, sending the reddish-brown locks down my back. I usually kept my hair up in a messy bun but perhaps tomorrow I should wear it down in a braid. I stopped, what was I thinking, I would do what I usually do.

"Stupid Kikyo," I grumbled as I washed my hair, brushing it till it shone, I returned to my normal human form and gathered the robes, I would hide them in the God Tree's upper branches.

*****

"Meiken! Meiken! Wake up!" a young child cried and I blinked awake, I had probably only fallen asleep a few hours ago. I mock growled as the child began to pull on my hair and I sniffed. Hojo must have come and brought his wedding gift for Kagome while he was at it. I yawned and rolled over, pulling the child of its feet. "Hey! Wake up!"

I yawned as I rolled over again, pulling a blanket over myself.

"Meiken! No fair! Wake up!" the voice was getting shrill. Someone was getting annoyed with me. I smirked, keeping my eyes closed as I lay on my back. "Wake up! Wake up! Come on, you lazy dog! Meiken!" I rolled over again, trapping the small child underneath me. I opened one eye.

"Good morning, Shippo, is today the day you stay with us?" I asked as I propped myself up on my elbows. The young kitsune kit glared at me as he struggled to escape.

"Yep! Lord Hojo said with the wedding only six months away I should prepare to live here with him and Kagome!" the kit chirped and I smiled and I began to lavish his face with licks. "AAAAA STOP IT!" I giggled as I began to chase him, my legs reverting to canine form and my tail sprouting. I ran on all fours after him, barking here and there.

*****

I smiled as I walked out, still on all fours with the back of Shippo's vest in my teeth.

"Let me go! Let me go!" he giggled as I sat in the back yard, I began to tickle him.

"Meiken, let him go, please," Kagome giggled, but the small smile didn't make it to her eyes. I dropped Shippo and quickly became human.

"Ka…my Lady," I whispered as I approached her, her scent was sorrowful, as it often was when Lord Hojo was here. She loved him very much, but I didn't think that her love was the kind you would have for a man you would marry, more like the love of a brother. I was hit from behind as young Lord Souta and young Lady Rin attacked me.

"Meiken!" Souta cried as he stood next to the young girl he did not know was his betrothed.

"Rin catch Meiken!" Rin giggled and I smiled before pulling them both off of me. Rin was Hojo's half-sister, the daughter of his father's third wife.

"Ah, Kagome, Hojo, there you two are, Kaede is preparing the blessing for your trip. Sango is preparing the carriages," Kikyo said as she stepped around the side of the kitchen and I slowly moved closer to Kagome.

"Thank you, Kikyo," Kagome sighed and I stared at Kagome. She was wearing her formal miko robes. Something was up.

"My Lady, why are you leaving in such haste? Does it have to due with Sango's injuries?" I asked as I looked at her fearfully. Kagome sighed.

"Lord Hojo, Kikyo, could you organize the last of the details, I need to confide in Meiken for a bit," Kagome said and I watched the two leave. This was bad, very bad. "Meiken, you have been my loyal servant and my closest friend for your whole life. Sango and her fellow exterminators came across the first wave of a youkai army, those were just the scouts, but they managed to wound most of the exterminators, nearly killing Sango. Kikyo has been fighting for four long years to secure the Western Lands, it is now my turn. I am going to go to the Eastern boarder and meet this army with Kaede, Hojo, Sango, the exterminators, and many other mikos." I felt my heart drop. An army was coming, Kagome could be gone for years.

"My Lady, I will come with you then, I will be your bodyguard!" I cried as I held a clawed hand over my chest. Kagome smiled sadly as she brought my hand down.

"I will not risk your life being taken by another miko in accident," she said and gently patted my head. "You will stay here and protect the estate. Shippo, Rin, and Souta are your wards to care for. Kikyo is now the Lady of the Estate." I fought the tears building in my eyes.

"I…I will miss you," I whispered and Kagome nodded.

"I will miss you too, Meiken, be good and obey Kikyo," she said as she walked to the main courtyard. All the youkai and servants were gathered, watching the large caravan lead, I could see Lady Kaede, Lord Hogo, Lady Kagome, Lady Sango, and many other fine warriors from the nearby village. I waved as they started off, the horses moving at a fast gallop. I ran along the side.

"Good by, my friends, may the gods protect you!" I cried as I stopped, not far outside the main gate.

"Meiken, come back here, they are gone," Kikyo cried and I nodded as I turned, returning to the estate. The main gates closed behind me, I looked down the path in time to see the last of the caravan turn around the bend.

"She is gone," Koga whispered and I noticed how close the wolves were and I walked over to them, watching as Kikyo headed into the house, my eyes narrowed.

"What is it, Meinu?" another wolf growled and I snarled before turning serious.

"With Kikyo back I would advice we have a ceasefire, I will not bait you wolves, and you will not bait me," I said and Koga looked at me. I had helped to heal him many times in our youth and he knew the punishments Kikyo loved to inflict. Many of the wolves were new or too absent minded to remember her.

"What brought this on?" a young new one asked and I turned to Koga.

"Lady Kikyo and Lady Kagome are twins but they differ greatly in attitude, Lady Kagome is all that is good, Lady Kikyo….is not," I whispered.

"What Mein…Meiken is saying is that Lady Kikyo will not put up with any disobedience and she will not be gently with punishment. This is now a dark era," Koga sighed and I nodded.

"I will watch out for you, whenever I can I will use my status in the house to bring you word of what she is up to," I said and Koga nodded, we began to move towards the woods to hunt.

"We will watch your back and we will keep out of trouble," Koga said, I nodded, together we slit our palms and shook hands.

"Meinu!" Kikyo's harsh tone made me worried. I looked at Koga and quickly licked my palm clean.

"Good hunting…..Brother," I said and Koga nodded as I turned to run.

"Lady Kikyo, I am here," I bowed to her as I appeared seemingly out of nowhere. She looked happy despite the harshness of her call.

"Chasing after the wolves are you?" she asked and I shook my head.

"Only wishing Koga good luck in the hunt, I am beating him," I said, hoping she would buy it. She smiled and headed towards the pens.

"Meinu, you are going to help me train the two new inus," she said as she stepped into the pen area and I sighed.

"Yes, Lady Kikyo," I said and I noticed the two were now standing. Sesshoumaru was looking at us from half-lidded eyes while Inu Yasha was trying to subdue a snarl. His lip kept twitching and I could see the hate in those amber pools.

"Inu Yasha, you look tense, perhaps you would like to relieve yourself of it," Kikyo said and I looked at her as she waved her hand and the chain fell from his collar.

"Thank you…." He grumbled and Kikyo looked at him.

"My name," she said and I watched Inu Yasha closely, he was trying to be defiant and I began to feel frightened.

"Thank you, Kikyo," he grumbled, his ears flat against his skull. I fought the urge to step away from Kikyo. Her eyes were narrowed as she glared at him.

"My title," she ordered and I let out a whine only canines would be able to hear. Sesshoumaru and Inu Yasha both looked at me and I stared at the ground. "She cannot help you. My title, now."

"No!" Inu Yasha growled and I watched as his collar began to glow with a pinkish miko glow. I watched as the shock was sent through him, my skin rippling with fear.

"Now or the next one will not stop for a long time," Kikyo growled and I shook behind her.

"No!" Inu Yasha snarled and I watched as the pink glow covered him, his eyes growing wide before he screamed out, the glow was flashing, diving in and out of his body. His screams became worse and he fell to his side, trying to rip the collar off of him. Sesshoumaru was growling as he pulled at his chain, trying to reach his younger brother.

"Bad dog!" Kikyo screamed as she pointed at Sesshoumaru and his collar glowed and then began the same treatment on him. "Watch them both, Meinu, I'll be back in a moment." Kikyo hissed as she walked off, I didn't move a muscle, my eyes wide in terror.

"Please," I whispered as I shook, afraid to even blink as I watched Inu Yasha and Sesshoumaru cry out in pain. "I don't want to see this." I felt the tears falling as I watched their skin rupture from the miko energy, the scent of their blood filled the air, and their screams of pain echoing in my ears. "Not again."