InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Facets of the Living Jewel ❯ Qualis pater talis filius ( Chapter 52 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters. Ms. Takahashi does. I do, however, own this story's plot and I like the demon side of Inuyasha!

 

Caution: There are some portions of the chapter that deal with whelping. Since most of you don't mind blood and guts in action sequences, I assume you won't mind the blood and mucous of birth. If you do, skip the portion that begins “Kagome grimaced at the memory of the whelping” and pick up the narrative again at “You are still in pain, houshi.”

 

Voting at IYFG is still going on (I think) so I don't know any results yet. I'd like to send a big `thank you' again to all those who nominated `Facets' for awards, and thanks for supporting me!

 

Symbols for thoughts:

[Inudemon]

(Inuhuman)

`Inuyasha or Others'

 

 

Qualis pater talis filius

By Licentia poetica

 

Two mornings later, Kagome and Shippo stared out from the Kai-wolves shed into the early morning mizzle, trying to discern Inuyasha through the mist.

 

“Do you think he's mad at me?” Shippo asked quietly.

 

“Why would he be angry, Shippo?” Kagome stroked the kitsune's head. “You didn't say anything when I wasn't around, did you?”

 

Shippo ducked his head and looked sheepish. “I told him he'd better be a nicer papa with all the pups around.”

 

Kagome glanced back at Aoi and the three squirming, day-old pups nursing at the Kai-wolf's teats. Two were brindled like their parents and the third, the smallest male, was white. She smiled at the sight of the runt suckling; he was alive because of her intervention, and though small he was a fighter.

 

`I wonder what color his eyes will be when they open.'

 

The pups' arrival had suspended training the day before; Shippo had come running to Kaede's hut in the mid-morning with the news that one of the pups had been born but that Aoi was in pain and the next pup wasn't coming out. Kaede was busy in the village delivering a human baby, so Kagome and Miroku, frustrated with their lack of progress, had run up the hill with Shippo to see what they could do. Shiro had barred their way, so Kagome had sent Shippo and Miroku to ask Inuyasha for his help.

 

They had arrived at the clearing where the vortex had been just in time to see Yourei Taisei disarm both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru simultaneously; the Tenseiga and Tetsusaiga spiraling through the air and thudding on the rocky ground nearly at Miroku's feet. Miroku had told her that he had feared for his life as the two pupils stalked up to him to retrieve their katanas.

 

“Because you saw them disarmed?”

 

“That, and the news I brought, Lady Kagome.”

 

“Why were they angry about that?”

 

“Sesshoumaru said something about…your abilities as an alpha female.”

 

“What?”

 

“He didn't think you could help with the pups because he doesn't think you are handling Rin correctly.”

 

“That arrogant…” Kagome had seethed. “Doesn't he see that she wants to stay with him? It has nothing to do with me!”

 

“I am aware of the situation, Lady Kagome, but Lord Sesshoumaru is a demon. He does not understand her human emotions.”

 

“Hhmmph.”

 

“Inuyasha was…not pleased and Shippo barked something at Lord Sesshoumaru. He raised his hand to strike the child and I thought we were both dead, but Inuyasha beat his arm down. I thought they would begin fighting, but Yourei Taisei-sama intervened. He walked right between the two of them and asked me why I was interrupting, and after I explained the situation he made some comment about Inu demons and their…I believe the phrase he used was…provincial Pack laws.”

 

“What?”

 

Miroku had given her a wry grin. “If I thought Lord Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha were angry before that, well…I believe the temperature dropped several degrees on one side of me and heated to boiling on the other.”

 

“I can't believe that Yourei Taisei would say that. There must be some reason!”

 

Miroku had shrugged. “He allowed them to go for the day, but expressed his extreme disapproval and warned them that he would not tolerate any more absences from training for any reason. He told them that they were no match for him and that they were uhh… `scions of a weak line,' and then he left. Luckily Inuyasha left immediately to find you; the youki was almost poisonous.”

 

Kagome shuddered, remembering the burning anger that had radiated off of Inuyasha as he marched up to the shed and grabbed her, pulling her roughly to his chest and stroking the top of her head with his chin. He had remained irritably silent until Sesshoumaru strode by moments later, then had growled something that caused Shippo and the Kai-wolves to flatten themselves to the ground. The Inu no Taisho had stopped in his tracks. Without turning around, Sesshoumaru had growled something in return and she had winced at the clash of youki between the two males.

 

Shippo squirmed under her hand, bringing her back to the present. “Everybody seems so…mad.” He gave her a furtive glance and began stirring the dust at the entrance of the shed with his foot. “Even you.”

 

Kagome sighed and fiddled with her necklace, a thong holding a tiny glass bottle containing Kouga's shards. She tapped the bottle against her chest while saying “Everyone's a little on edge, Shippo. Miroku's hand is obviously still hurting, but he won't tell us so Sango and I are worried. We were trying to create a mind meld so that I could help Miroku, but…the first day I couldn't seem to connect with him and yesterday…well, the puppies kind of took over the day.” Responding to the worry in his big green eyes, she knelt down by the kitsune and gave him a hug.

 

“Why is everybody else mad, then?”

 

Kagome began scratching softly behind Shippo's ears. “Well, Sango's arm got infected when she tried to turn that big puppy inside of Aoi to help it get out. Although the antibiotics I have from my time are helping, Miroku's worried about her and that makes him a bit short-tempered.” She sighed and stared out into the slowly brightening mist, her hand stilling on the back of his head. “Rin isn't comfortable around the villagers at all, and she still won't respond when Inuyasha tries to Call her, so Sesshoumaru is angry with Inuyasha, and Inuyasha is…well.” She sighed again and chewed her lower lip. “Inuyasha is angry with Sesshoumaru because he said something about me being a bad alpha.”

 

Shippo smirked. “Yeah, I called him a…” he bit his lip suddenly and looked at her with wide eyes. “Uhh…I said he was mean.”

 

Kagome gave him an arch look. “Did you? Hhmm.” Taking pity on his guilty face, she smiled and ruffled his hair. “Thank you for defending me, Shippo. It helped, and I think Sesshoumaru changed his mind later when I helped save those two puppies.”

 

She grimaced at the memory of the whelping. Sango had arrived to assist, insisting that she had experience from her old village and knew what to do. After Inuyasha spoke Inu to Shiro and Aoi, she had tried to use her left hand to turn the large pup, which was presenting sideways in the birth canal. When she couldn't turn it, she had tried with her right hand and the effort had split the delicate scabs on her forearm, causing her to bleed heavily again. Inuyasha had pulled her away with a snarl, carrying her back down the hill to Kaede's house and yelling for the elderly miko at the top of his voice. Midoriko had intercepted him and insisted she would replace the bandages on Sango with Kohaku's help, shooing Inuyasha back up the hill.

 

In the interim, Miroku had inserted the long fingers of his left hand into the birth canal and had used his right hand to press on the outside of Aoi's stomach. The bitch had tried to bite him, but Kagome had grabbed her head and held it, looking deep into the blue eyes and crooning softly. Aoi had given a yelp of pain as Miroku pulled his hand out, the front feet and nose of the largest pup squirting out of the canal after his fingers. The amniotic sac was broken and the pup hadn't been breathing.

 

`It was lucky I managed to remember that article I read ages ago.'

 

She had picked up the pup in a towel and swung it in an arc while bracing its head, using centrifugal force to bring the mucous and fluid out of its lungs. Still, after clearing the air passages, she had been forced to breathe for it, placing her lips around its bloody, slimy muzzle, yelling in triumph when it began to complain loudly after she puffed air into it twice. She had placed the puppy next to Aoi, who began to nuzzle and lick it, and had grabbed at a proffered towel before rising up to wipe the mucous and blood from her mouth.

 

She had frozen in place, the towel at the corner of her lips, when she had seen who had handed it to her. Sesshoumaru had stared at her enigmatically, then had spun on his heel and turned to Miroku.

 

“You are still in pain, houshi. Do not seek to hide it from your Pack Leader or this Sesshoumaru.”

 

Miroku had paused as he wiped his left hand clean with one of her towels, glancing at her furtively as she stared at the red inflammation beneath his prayer beads.

 

`He didn't say anything, just went after Sango. I wonder why we can't connect? I have to be able to help him, somehow.'

 

Sesshoumaru had watched him leave before stalking out of the shed himself, passing a glaring Inuyasha without a word.

 

The white puppy had been born next, and she had massaged the little thing for five minutes before it began to respond. As she had placed the puppy next to Aoi, she had felt a brief, gentle touch on the top of her head. Inuyasha stood next to her and had growled something to Shiro and Aoi. The male Kai-wolf had whined at her before Inuyasha pulled her away.

 

Shippo had brought her a drink of water.

 

“Get the guck out of your mouth.” His nose had been wrinkled and he had looked nauseated.

 

“Thank you, Shippo.”

 

“You're brave,” he had shuddered. “I don't think I could have done that…the…mouth thing.”

 

“If you knew it meant saving their lives you would be brave enough.”

 

Shippo had shuddered and looked up at Inuyasha. “Would you do that?”

 

“Keh. I've done worse things, pup.” Inuyasha had looked askance at her. “Why'd you save the little runt? It's gonna have a hard time.”

 

She had watched the little white male squirm in to compete with the largest puppy for a teat, his persistence paying off after a few moments. “Yeah, but he's a fighter like his daddy.” She had given him a coquettish grin. “And like his Pack Leader.”

 

“Keh.” Inuyasha had looked away, his face reddening slightly.

 

Shippo had petted the little male under Aoi's watchful eyes before standing up and fisting his hands. “Little doesn't mean useless, ya' know.” He hadn't made eye contact with either one of them.

 

Inuyasha had raised his eyebrows, then had picked up the kit by the scruff of his neck and tossed him in the air. “Nah, little is good for lots of things. Like throwing!” He had mock-growled and caught the giggling Shippo, lobbing him from hand to hand for a moment before Aoi had growled fiercely at them.

 

“Keh. We're too close to her den.” Inuyasha had swung Shippo up onto his shoulder. “Better move away.”

 

They had moved to a corner of the shed and had watched Aoi for several hours after that, but no more pups had been born.

 

Late in the afternoon a thunderstorm spawned by the heat and humidity had spat lightning and hail over the village. Throughout the rest of the evening and most of the night several squalls passed through. Her sleep had been restless even though she was cuddling Shippo and they had both been wrapped in Inuyasha's embrace. Lightning strikes and the subsequent thunder had awakened her numerous times. Each time she had started awake, Inuyasha had rumbled the Pack Call to her, soothing her back to sleep.

 

`It felt so natural last night, the three of us together.'

 

Shippo pulled his head from beneath her hand and she realized she had lost touch with the present again.

 

“So how come Sesshoumaru stayed with us again last night?”

 

“Well, I think he wants to make sure that Rin is comfortable here. She seems to be calmer now, though I don't think she's going to be happy when he leaves. He's here to study with Yourei Taisei, too, though he and Inuyasha seem to be very angry with him.” Almost to herself, she murmured “I wonder why he stays. He's already skilled with his katana.”

 

Shaking her head to dismiss her thoughts, she gave the kit a kiss on the top of his head. “Don't worry, Shippo, you haven't done anything wrong.”

 

“I just wish I could help. I'm no use to anybody.” Shippo squirmed away from her and walked to the edge of the shed entrance, folding his arms and taking a wide-footed stance that reminded her of Inuyasha.

 

Kagome suppressed a smile. “Do you know how you could help? Really help?”

 

Shippo looked back with narrowed eyes and a pout. “I don't wanna do some kid thing.”

 

“It's not a kid thing, but it's a responsibility that involves a kid...and puppies.”

 

Shippo shot a sly glance at Aoi, who was bathing the white pup while the largest still suckled. “What?”

 

`He's starting to act more and more like Inuyasha, gods help me.' Kagome placed her hands on her thighs, wanting to reach out and touch the kit, but knowing from her experience with Sota that he would reject any demonstration of affection in his current mood. “Find Rin. Bring her here and the two of you can help Aoi take care of the puppies. Bring her fresh water, cuddle the puppies, and…make sure you talk to Rin. Remember, she's used to being around demons all the time. She must feel awkward and uncomfortable there in Kaede's hut.”

 

“Why can't I hunt or something? Why do I have to take care of kids and pups?”

 

Kagome resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “Well, when Inuyasha gets back you can ask him to take you hunting next time, but right now…” she paused, trying to remember everything she had learned in biology about canine behavior. It wasn't much. `Gah! This is what I get for trying to cram too much into my brain too fast! I'm just going to have to wing it.'

 

Trying a different tack she sat down, crossing her legs, and rested her elbows on her knees while supporting her chin. “Shippo, don't you think it's important that Aoi learns that we don't mean any harm to her puppies and that they learn to recognize us?”

 

“Well, yeah.”

 

“You're a part of the Pack, right? You're…well…my son, right?”

 

Shippo turned beet red. “She's never said that out loud!' Turning halfway toward her, he folded his arms tightly around his chest and spoke in a neutral voice, afraid to acknowledge his need. “Uhh…yeah. So?”

 

“So as the alpha female I'm telling you to make sure the new members of the Pack know who you are and that you're important. You can do that by helping Aoi with the puppies and by making sure that Rin has a full demon to talk to, so that she feels more comfortable. I have to work with Miroku today, so I can't do it myself. Can you do it for me?” Kagome reached out a hand, hoping he would take it.

 

Shippo stared at her hand and pursed his lips. “This isn't just to keep me out of the way?”

 

“No, Shippo. It's important that the Pack is close knit. I think that's part of the problem with Rin.” She kept her hand out, refusing to lower it even though he hadn't taken it. “If we don't make her welcome then there will be more problems with Lord Sesshoumaru. I don't want to fight him while we fight Naraku and his other incarnations.” Her brow furrowed as she thought of Kanna. The girl had disappeared and Inuyasha had been furious at Kohaku ever since. “Please, Shippo?”

 

Slowly, Shippo raised his hand to hers and grasped it loosely. “On one condition.”

 

Kagome cocked her head to the side, concerned at his somber tone. “What?”

 

“I get more Pocky.”

 

Kagome burst out laughing. `He's still just a kid. I was expecting something else, after he was so serious!' She narrowed her eyes and shook his hand. “It's a deal. I'll get you more Pocky, you little rascal.”

 

“Two boxes? You ate almost all of my last one.” Shippo's voice was plaintive.

 

She pretended to think hard. “Well, if you're really good and don't fight with Inuyasha…I'll get you…three.”

 

Shippo smiled and gave her a hug, but as she pulled away from his embrace she noticed his sly, triumphant grin and realized that she had been conned. She held up a finger in admonishment. “No fighting with Inuyasha!”

 

His green eyes became guileless again and he held up his right hand. “I promise!”

 

`Little scamp.' Kagome couldn't help but smile and shake her head.

 

A soft whine from Aoi made Shippo leap to the front of the shed again. He peered out into the dissipating mists and barked a greeting as Inuyasha strode from the forest accompanied by the rest of the Kai-wolves. He was carrying a full grown, gutted serow and the haunch of another.

 

Inuyasha gave a soft Call and Aoi stood up and moved away from the makeshift den. As she was greeted by Shiro and the other Kai-wolves Inuyasha tossed the haunch down in front of the shed, answering Shippo's short bark with one of his own. The kitsune jumped back from a greeting tussle with Bandit and Jinx and looked up at Inuyasha expectantly.

 

“Make sure Aoi eats that, pipsqueak. But get rid of anything left over. It's your job to help keep the den clean so the predators stay away, got it?”

 

Shippo grinned at Kagome. “Sure, Inuyasha!”

 

Inuyasha glanced between the two members of his Pack, noticing that Kagome was trying to suppress a smile as she was greeted by Jinx and Runt.

 

“What's going on?”

 

“Nothing, Inuyasha. Shippo and I have just come to an…agreement.” Kagome gave a feral grin and the hair on Inuyasha's nape rose before he realized she was looking at the kitsune.

 

“I hope you realize, Shippo, this means you'll have to clean up after the puppies, too.” Kagome nodded at the blanket swaddling the three sleeping pups.

 

A horrified look appeared on Shippo's face. “You mean the shi…the…poop?”

 

Kagome smiled brightly and nodded. Shippo started to protest, but Kagome held up three fingers. “Ah, ah, Shippo!”

 

[What has our bitch done?]

 

(I think she just outsmarted Shippo somehow.)

 

`Hhmm. Better not to know.'

 

Inuyasha shifted the serow on his shoulders and turned towards the village. “C'mon, you two. I'm hungry and I wanna give this to Kaede. She can use some for us and let the villagers have the rest.”

 

Shippo pattered after Inuyasha, grumbling under his breath. Grinning, Kagome watched them go while scratching Runt's ears.

 

“Oi, Kagome! Hurry up! I'm hungry and I want some ramen!”

 

`Ramen and Pocky…' Kagome smiled to herself as she followed.

 

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

 

In the early afternoon, Shippo peered from a tree he had climbed to watch Inuyasha's training session. The morning mists had evaporated in a brisk breeze, revealing soft puffy clouds scudding across a clear blue sky. Stealthily, he made sure that he could see most of the area that the vortex had cleared which had become the unofficial dojo for Yourei Taisei.

 

`The breeze will help hide our movements.' He looked down and motioned to Rin, letting her know it was safe to come up and join him on the branch. As she climbed he was surprised at the skill she showed; the branches of the tree hardly moved. `I was afraid she'd give us away.' He suppressed a nervous shiver at the thought of being caught by any of the adults on the training field.

 

`I'm sure we're downwind, but I hope they don't sense my youki. I kept both my promises, anyway, so they can't get mad…I hope.'

 

He had made sure that water was available for Aoi and that the den was clean, but the pups were always sleeping and he was bored after playing with Rin and the Pack for several hours. After hearing what he had in mind, Rin had agreed to join him.

 

`I think she just wants to watch Sesshoumaru.'

 

Shippo sniffed the clean air and frowned at the scents coming from the training field.

 

“What do you smell?” whispered Rin.

 

`It makes sense that she knows the smells are important,' Shippo thought as he scooted over on the branch to give her more room. `Most humans wouldn't care, but she's lived with Lord Stonyface all these years.'

 

Whispering back, he let her know what he could sense. “Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru are both angry. Really angry! Kirara is…irritated, I think, but her smell is like that a lot. Maybe she's just tired.” He peered out onto the training field again, craning his head to locate Kirara. “I can't see her.” Taking another long sniff, he furrowed his brow in concentration. “Yourei Taisei is…I can't figure his scent out at all.” He cocked his head to one side and opened his mouth, breathing in through both nose and mouth.

 

“What are you doing? You look funny!” Rin giggled, putting her hand over her mouth to muffle the sound.

 

“Inuyasha taught me this,” Shippo huffed angrily but quietly. “It's a way to increase the amount of scent so you can analyze it better.”

 

Rin nodded, unfazed by his irritation. “Oh. You still look funny.” She looked down through the tree, swinging her feet in and out and causing the branch to bob up and down.

 

“Stop that, Rin! They might see us!” Shippo hissed.

 

“The wind is stirring the trees and they won't notice. Why are you so afraid of them?” Rin smiled at him guilelessly. “We aren't doing anything wrong.”

 

Shippo gulped. “I'm not afraid…I just...” He looked askance at her. “You're not afraid of Sesshoumaru?”

 

Rin gaped at him. “Lord Sesshoumaru?” She shook her head in shock. “Why would I ever be afraid of my Lord?”

 

“Because he's mean and hates humans.”

 

Rin smiled again. “Silly! I'm human and my Lord doesn't hate me.” She frowned at him and made a fist. “And you take that back about Lord Sesshoumaru being mean, or I'll punch you. Lord Sesshoumaru has always been kind to me.” Suddenly her lips thinned and she gripped the branch, hunching her shoulders. “Much kinder than humans have ever been.” She began to tremble. “I don't want to live with humans again.”

 

Shippo awkwardly patted her on the shoulder. “Don't worry, Rin. You'll see. Kagome and the rest of the humans in the Pack are nice. They take care of me, and they'll take care of you, too.”

 

“I miss Jaken, and Lady Mine, and Lord Roiyaru.” Rin wiped away a tear and sniffled. “I don't want Lord Sesshoumaru to leave me here.” Her tears began to fall in earnest.

 

At the smell of her tears, Shippo panicked. “Don't cry, Rin, please! I'll make sure you're happy, I promise! I…”

 

Further words stopped in his throat as Yourei Taisei appeared below, arms folded and face stern with obvious disapproval.

 

“Down. Both of you. Now.”

 

“Uh oh.”

 

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

 

Inuyasha was standing at the ready position, growing more and more irritated.

 

(Why are we standing here? Taisei left to get the brats over fifteen minutes ago.)

 

`Sesshoumaru hasn't moved. We're not gonna move.'

 

[Something is wrong. Yourei Taisei'syouki has disappearedfrom that area.We could sense that even though theywere downwind.]

 

`Doesn't matter. Our asshole brother won't move, so we're not moving.'

 

(Maybe we should ask our asshole brother what he senses.)

 

“Oi. Baka no Taisho. Can you sense Yourei Taisei and Shippo?” Inuyasha whispered.

 

“Following discipline seems to be one of your failings, hanyou. We were to remain at the ready stance, which means no talking.” Sesshoumaru's voice was pitched low, but it vibrated with intense emotion.

 

[He is angry, but not at us.]

 

`No shit. I'm angry too. Taisei's been a flaming asshole for the last two days.'

 

(There must be a reason. He's always got some plan.)

 

[He is trying to infuriate us.]

 

`Yeah, well, the bastard can just keep trying.'

 

Suddenly a tremendous burst of wind and youki blasted both brothers as Yourei Taisei stooped on them in his falcon form, pulling out of the dive just above them and battering them with the force of his wing beats. He screamed his hunting cry at full voice as he circled over their heads. Inuyasha flattened his ears and squinted against the sand and gravel kicked up by the down strokes of Yourei Taisei's wings.

 

“Shit! He's got Rin and Shippo!”

 

The kit and the girl, pale with terror, were clasped in Yourei Taisei's talons as he planed through the air above the two brothers.

 

“Your pups require discipline that you have not given them. You require discipline.” Yourei Taisei's words resonated with the shrieking cry of the falcon, though he had shifted his form enough to speak. He hovered for a moment, the two children held forward in each wickedly taloned foot.

 

“Fight Inuyasha. Fight Sesshoumaru. Fight each other to determine which child I should drop.”

 

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

Translation:

Qualis pater talis filius: Latin: As is the father, so is the son (like father, like son).

 

Thanks:

First, thanks to Inaqui and RPW The Hun for beta work!

 

Second, thank you to Haruka for nominating this story for the MM “Featured Fan Fiction” (boy, try to say that three times fast). I am honored!

 

General thanks: WOW! The reviews have been so kind and I'm amazed: `Facets' has received over 340 reviews at FF with almost 23K hits, and it just topped 200 reviews and is pushing 58K hits at MM. I am SO blessed! Thank you, my loyal reviewers who keep me writing (you know who you are, you wonderful, supportive people) and thanks to my new reviewers as well. Anyone who is reading: thank you, ab imo pectore! (From the bottom of my heart…well, literally from the bottom of my chest, but how romantic is that?)

 

R&R thanks:

 

PM: taishorin

 

FF:

Photographing Poetry (Hey Pho Poe!), Moonlit Showers aka InuKag Fan, lunerfox, yoyo person (sorry for the wait, although it was better this time! If you're pointing to the Western Lands you're probably pointing in the right direction), hanyou master, Lady Niltiak, Moomoogirl1, Ashtari, Murasahki-chan, Mrs. JediK1, Sheep the Adventurer, luvininuyashainatlantaATL1, XxkittiexxstarxXl3, Fenikkusuken (bless you, Feni!), Archangel Gabrielle, Empatheia, Inuyasha05, Wings of Tears, SylverAngel, Neko-Lady

 

 

MM:
bluezinthos: Thank you! I love Kirara, too, but I confess she's patterned after Patches, who owns me and is coaching from the sidelines (she's been rather put out that I bother to write about dog demons at all). I agree humans hold grudges and can be just as cruel as the demons portrayed by Ms. Takahashi; I've tried to make that clear. As for why Kagome and Miroku are having trouble with the mind meld…well…you'll find out soon (heh, heh).

 

Leo-mae: Not dead yet! Sorry, I know I promised you the fight between Inu and Sesshy in this chapter…don't hit me! No, please! I promise, I swear, it's in the next chapter (I'm already working on it). So, you don't like YT, huh? A bit arrogant, sort of cruel? Heh, heh…I think you're right! But just wait, you ain't seen nothin' yet (teachers can be so mean)!

 

Kagome313: Thanks for leaving a new review, and I love Kirara, too! As for Kanna, the souls, and the blood: you're right…I won't tell you…yet...maybe never! Mwahahaha! *cough, cough* Man, I've got to work on that evil laugh…

 

Caitriona695: Thanks for the double R&R! I confess to having fun writing both the three voices of Inuyasha and the character of Kirara…I'm glad you like them both! You're right though…only a cat would express their love by digging razor sharp claws into your flesh…OW! Bad Kitty!

 

Inuyashaloverr: And yet still I thank you for your time and your support! I love Kirara's character (I think it's obvious in the way I write her). As for Kanna, Kohaku, and Sango's blood… (heh, heh)

 

Taishorin: Thank you for a very kind review! I've worked hard to bring some of my knowledge in without making it boring, so I appreciate your comments. “…originality …in-depth into the characters …`can't stop reading' kind of enjoyment.” Wow! You made my day! My week…my month!!

 

BiggestInuyashaFANever: Thanks for the multiple R&Rs! I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much, and now that I'm less hassled the updates will come fairly quickly!

 

Okaasan-7: Thanks for the multiple R&Rs! Unfortunately, it will take you a while to get here and find this thank you (Fons, fons, fons was quite a few chapters ago!). I hope you actually see it, because I am grateful for the reviews!

 

 

Bless you all, and thanks again!

 

iPoe