InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Into the Fire ❯ Half The Blood ( Chapter 16 )

 

“…Ryoushin?”

He heard a familiar voice calling him, so soft like a gentle breeze. He could feel his own eyes blinked. Once, twice, more until he saw a female figure standing before him.

“Ryoushin…?”

It was Shouri, his mate, who called him. Her hand was on his shoulder, her green eyes stared at him, her face was laced with worries. He shook his head several times to rid the dizzying cloud that blanketed his mind before finally letting his eyes rested on her comforting face.

“What is the matter…?” She asked, unable to hide the chariness from her voice. “You suddenly descended from the air onto the ground, so fast you almost threw me off your back…” She rubbed his arm in a soothing manner, her anxiety grew as she saw his pallid face, his confused eyes.

“Beloved…” She whispered softly. “What is the matter…?”

He looked around him and found that the rest of their pack had also gathered nearby, most of them were staring at him like he had grown two heads. He shifted his eyes back to his mate who was still standing in front of him, looking at him with obvious concern.

“…It is nothing…” He said to assure her. “…I thought I…” He paused to scan his surrounding, yet whatever he saw was already gone. He tried hard to swallow before he continued,

“I just think that it is time for us to proceed on foot…”

A relieved smile slowly bloomed on her lips and she gave out a chuckle, though it was still tainted by nervousness.

“You could have told us in a less dramatic action, Shin-ai…” She told him, giving his arm a little squeeze. He forced a smile to curl on his lips before he took her hand into his and returned the gentle gesture.

“It is but a little more than one day of walking to the foot of the mountain…” He said, loud enough for everyone to hear. “And there is still time until we have to camp for the night…”

“Then let's not waste more time here…” He heard the hanyou dressed in red cloth said. “It's not like we haven't wasted enough time already…” He continued with his grumbling.

Ryoushin turned around to stare at him with a pair of icy blue eyes.

“…That is exactly my point…” He said coldly before he walked towards the Kirin who stood still waiting, ignoring the half-mocking grunt the hanyou muttered under his breath. He took the sacred beast by its antlers and whispered his gratitude in its ear. Now that they were to continue their journey on foot, its service was no longer needed. For a moment, the beast rubbed its head against his hand before turning around and flew back to where it came from. He watched the Kirin flew away until it disappeared beyond the grayish sky, until it vanished from his sight.

“…Come…” He murmured as he took Shouri's hand in his, leading her to enter the darkness of the forest, going further east towards the Mountain of Gods. Shouri had her eyes fixed on her mate's back, his hand was still holding hers, pulling her gently to follow him. A thin frown of concern marred her fair face. The mating marks that connected them both caused her to be more aware of the shift in her companion's mood. His face, his expression when he was suddenly forced to land on the ground flashed before her eyes. She knew he was lying, she knew he was not telling her the truth behind the reason of his uneasiness. She felt him tightening his hold on her hand, squeezing her fingers slightly.

`…Is it the dragon…?' She thought as they moved through the trees. And once more, she coaxed herself to believe that the reason for her mate's distress was indeed his coming battle with his mortal enemy.

`It must be the dragon…'

 

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The pack moved along slowly, making sure that they did not attract any attention from the beasts of the forest, or any of Naraku and Seiryuu's minions. The sun had set, leaving only dim traces of orange and fuchsia far on the west horizon. The dense leaves above became a barrier that prevented reminiscent of the sun to penetrate and light their path. Torches of flickering fire they held in their hands were the only source of light they could manage, dim glows guided them as they traveled deeper into the woods.

Soon enough, the sky turned completely dark, giving a chance for the moon to rule the night. Shouri looked up, watching the sky through a small patch of clearing above them, appreciating the few silver rays that managed to make their ways and shine through the trees.

`It's a beautiful night…' She thought, picturing the world outside the dark forest, her lush green homeland, the ethereal beauty of the grass-coated plain outside the eastern palace when bathed in moonlight. `…It's the night of the full moon…' She added to herself, noticing the unusual silver spark in each ray.

A loud grunt, followed by an even louder curse startled all the pack members. Shouri, along with the rest, stared at the source of all noise: the hanyou Inuyasha. At that moment, `hanyou' was not the appropriate word to describe what he was, for his appearance had changed into something that had no traces of youkai blood whatsoever. Shouri's eyes widened for she was half stunned, half curious at the transformation.

The Inuyasha who was now standing amongst them no longer had silver tresses, but jet black hair like that of a human. His pointed triangular ears disappeared from the top of his head, substituted by one tapered membrane on each side of his head. His fangs, his claws, all his physical clues which led to a conclusion that he was a hanyou, had now gone. He had transformed into a full human.

`…So this is what happens when it is the night of the full moon…' Shouri mused.

The newly transformed being, himself, had an alarmed look on his face as he scanned his surrounding, watching all the full-blooded youkais that encircled him, as if trapping him within an invisible cage. His eyes shifted from one face to the other, until they were fixed on one figure: Sesshoumaru.

Kagome could feel her heart drumming within her chest when she witnessed the two brothers glaring at each other. She could feel Inuyasha's heightened sense of defense when he laid his palm on top of Tessaiga, ready to unsheathe the blade whenever Sesshoumaru felt like to attack. She shifted her gaze to the youkai lord who stood still on the opposite side, watching Inuyasha with his usual stoic face. Whether or not he was surprised to see Inuyasha's human form for the first time, no one could tell for those amber eyes, as well as his indifferent façade, never failed to conceal his emotions. If the taiyoukai were still determined to take over Tessaiga from the hand of his half-brother, this would probably be a perfect opportunity for him.

`Inuyasha…!' She screamed inwardly, her heart feared for him. Even she understood that in his human state, Inuyasha was barely a match for such a skillful taiyoukai.

Inuyasha watched the motionless Sesshoumaru cautiously, keeping his hand on the hilt of Tessaiga, waiting silently for his half-brother to make his first move. And yet, the taiyoukai's respond was just a contemptuous smirk on his perfectly sculpted lips.

“…Just when I thought you cannot be more pathetic, Inuyasha…” He said. “…Once again you proved your lowly standard, you loudmouth scum…”

The fiery and short temper of the hanyou Inuyasha stayed within his human-self, apparently, for he unsheathed his sword abruptly after the last word was spoken. Growling in fury, he raced towards the youkai lord who stood unwaveringly, waiting calmly for the attack. Inuyasha leaped in the air, his two hands were holding Tessaiga, raising the blade high above his head. An admirable bravery, it was, yet with a human body, he stood no chance against Sesshoumaru.

Almost at the same time, the full-blooded youkai also leaped high in the air, higher than his half-brother. His hand gripped the back of Inuyasha's neck as they both plunged onto the ground, the power of his grip forced the younger male to land with his face down. The taiyoukai landed gracefully on the ground, still keeping his hand on Inuyasha's nape for a while longer to pin the hanyou's body, crushing him against the hard earth beneath.

“…Stay on the ground, Inuyasha…” He said, his stoic voice never faltered. “…where you belong…”

With that said, he lifted his hand, releasing the body that lay writhing on the ground. Inuyasha's transformation into a full human did not provide even the slightest temptation for him to seize Tessaiga. Winning the legendary sword with such a cheap method would not be considered as a triumph by the honorable youkai lord. With his unwavering poise, Sesshoumaru rose to his feet and walked away, rejoining his small pack that had been watching all along. Jyaken, of course, greeted his master's return with a lengthy congratulatory speech, which the youkai lord responded by stepping on the tiny green imp's body, squeezing a high-pitched shriek out of the poor vassal.

“…That bastard, Sesshoumaru…” Inuyasha growled when he had his face off the ground. With the back of his hand, he wiped beads of blood that trickled down the corner of his mouth. His comrades surrounded him, checking his injuries. Kagome kneeled before him, examining the damage on his face. She sighed in relief when she found only several bruises and shallow cuts, nothing life threatening. She had to admit, things could have been a lot worse…

 

Ryoushin had been watching the whole scene silently. The hanyou's transformation into full human form did possess some interest, yet it mainly evoked revulsion within him. Just what they needed, he thought sarcastically. Another human to clutter his sight, a waste of a perfectly good air... He watched with pure fascination when Sesshoumaru crashed his half-brother's body on the ground, though secretly wondered why the youkai lord did not kill the weak creature on the spot.

Oh…Wouldn't that be a perfectly beautiful sight…?

But above all, he could not understand why that boy would not kill all these humans. That boy had always hated humans, hadn't he? But come to think of it, that boy was weak since childhood, perhaps since the day he was born, unwilling to kill even one creature… He was the one who had to force that boy to spill blood. Like that time with those bears…

Yes, that was a good night…

If only…

His eyes shifted to his side before finally fixed on a female figure standing next to him. If only this little dog did not show up to interrupt his fun, he would have spilled more blood that night. He eyed the female inu, noticing the strain in her neck as she tensely watched the fight between the youkai lord and the hanyou. He could almost see the veins on her throat, concealed beneath her fair creamy skin, filled with fresh blood that flowed throughout her delicious young body. He wondered what kind of sight she would show him if he sliced her throat open, when her blood cascaded down her breasts, soaking those beautiful silver mane…

Would it be as beautiful as the sight they both had seen in their dreams - the sight of that raven-haired beauty on the verge of death, when her blood spilled onto the tatami underneath her falling body?

Now that the thought of the black-haired female entered his mind, he wondered who she was, what her name was. Strangely, he could not remember, though he knew there was a time when she was important to him. But, does it matter?

Not anymore…

He felt a soft tug on his hand that caused him to turn his head to the side. It was the little dog who took his hand in hers, pulling him gently, signaling that it was time for them to proceed their journey. She smiled at him, completely oblivious to the fact that he was no longer that stupid blond mate of hers. So he gazed at her with his bright sapphire eyes and gave her hand a little squeeze, which she innocently responded by a little loving gesture of her own.

`Fool…' He hissed inwardly, hiding his smirk of satisfaction beneath his perfectly calm, gentle façade.

 

 

He flinched when he felt the sharp pang in his head that attacked him, vicious and mercilessly, as if an invisible hammer was pounding the insides of his skull. Instinctively, he raised his hand to massage the bridge of his nose, trying to rid the throbbing he suffered, striving to suppress groans of pain that were about to escape his mouth.

`…Ryoushin…'

It was that voice again, the familiar voice that beckoned him to return to his own realm. A hard tug startled him and he shook his head to rid the cobwebs that had shadowed his mind. As the haze cleared, the pain subsided, leaving his clear gaze to collide with a pair of bright emeralds. Shouri was staring at him, her body leaned slightly towards his, a half frown and half smile was on her face. His hand was enveloped in her warm embrace, it was her who yanked at his arm and brought him back into his senses.

“…Ryoushin?” She called his name one more time. “Is something wrong?”

He could hear a sliver of tension that tainted her voice and immediately, for he did not want her to be troubled once more, he shook his head. Letting his eyes wondered around him, he noticed that the scenery surrounding him had changed. He was no longer in the same place he remembered before he lost consciousness. The remainders of the pack were ahead of them, walking down the path between the trees before them, leaving Shouri alone with him at the end of the procession. Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha were no longer engaged in a brawl though the hanyou was still in his full-human form, judging from his jet-black crown.

`What had happened…?' He asked himself.

Yet, before he even had the chance to search for the answer, Yuusou approached them, a tense and wary look was on his face. Ryoushin observed the emotions on the male inu's face, slightly baffled at how blatant they were, betraying the usual calm and composed he always bore in his demeanor.

“What's wrong?” Yuusou asked. The question was mainly directed to Shouri rather than to the tiger, whom his eyes now regarded more as a threat than anything else.

“Nothing…” Shouri answered, following a brief pause. She too, had noticed the chariness in her cousin, shown both in the tone of his voice and the way he held his gaze at Ryoushin. For now, all she wanted to do was to prevent suspicions from uprising. She wanted to protect her mate. “We were just talking…” She added, keeping the poise in her voice.

Yuusou did not respond, his eyes shifted back and forth between Shouri and her mate, his sharp intuition sensed that something is wrong. Finally, he nodded curtly and took Shouri's hand in his, pulling her to walk alongside him, a place he considered much safer than next to her own mate.

Being yanked away in such a rushed manner, Shouri had no option but to follow her cousin, but not before she glanced over her shoulder and gave Ryoushin a quick smile. A smile that was responded by a weak one of his own, for his mind was still busy trying to solve the blackout mystery he just experienced. Accidentally, his eyes captured the sight of the narrow bulge on the side of her obi, a proof that the dagger he gave her was still there. Knowing its presence so close to her, as well as its ability to protect her gave him some sense of peace.

He started walking to follow the long procession of both youkais and humans. Not even two steps, the pain returned with a vengeance, the tattoo on his forehead glowed red as if it was ablaze. His hands grasped the sides of his head, trying to make the pain disappear, yet all he achieved was the opposite result. He shut his eyes tight, striving to hold back painful moans, desperate not to let anyone found out about his dangerous condition.

`… Not here…' His mind screamed. `…Not now…'

A sound of laughter swirled within his mind, tormenting him, mocking him as he writhed in suffering. He could picture him already, with his raven haired and his blood red eyes, taking pleasure in every bits of his agony.

`Go away…' He writhed inwardly. `Leave me alone…'

The owner of the laughter answered with another round of pain, as if the devil itself was within his mind, determined to torture him to the point of insanity. He forced himself to stand straight and start walking, otherwise the others would undoubtedly wonder what was happening to him.

`…What do you want from me…?' He asked silently, his face cringed for every step that he took seemed to double the pain he had to endure.

`…Blood…' The evil hissed, the sound of it sent chill down his spine. `I want blood…'

`I have given you enough!' He spat.

`Do it…' The evil spoke again. `Summon a beast… Let it devour one of them…'

`No…' He tried to resist and yet, his resistance was met by another devastating blow. He could feel his own strength failing, his body was half numb from the pain. Soon, very soon, he would loose his consciousness, his conscience. And when he does…

They heard a deafening roar…

 

Several jumped in alarm when they heard it. A roar, a loud roar of a beast, and it came from a nearby place. They all stared at the dark path before them, the path that had not been touched by the light of their torches. Eerie silence but the ferocious rumble of the creature enveloped them, and they all stood waiting.

`What is it now…?' Yuusou thought charily, his hand was already on the hilt of his sword, Toueijinmaru. `Is it a youma…?'

For a moment, there was a complete silence. And then, there it was: the source of the roar, looming from beyond the darkness of the forest. It was a creature that resembled a large feline cat, a leopard with snow white pelt covering its head and neck. And beyond, it was covered in scales, much like the shimmering aquamarine scales of a sea dragon. It parted its mouth, showing rows of razor sharp teeth and one long tusk that peeked from each corner of its mouth.

Yuusou breathed out a sigh of relief. `…It's only a hikyuu…' He thought, releasing his hold of his sword.

He did not even have the chance to announce that they were safe when the hikyuu raced towards them, throwing him back to the state of alarm. As if it only had eyes for the humans, it lunged at them, challenging them with another roar. With a loud curse, Inuyasha pulled his sword, which remained in its original form although it had been released from its sheath. The absence of his youkai energy prevented Tessaiga to transform to its larger, crescent-shaped blade. He raced forward to meet the ferocious beast that stopped all of a sudden, as if it was just waiting for him to come to it.

“…NO! Stop!!” Yuusou yelled at the hanyou, who paid not the slightest heed to the loud warning.

Inuyasha leaped in the air, clutching Tessaiga tightly in his hands. Just when he was about to strike the awaiting beast, it charged its scales at him, covering his body with hundreds of glowing scales, causing the hanyou to scream aloud due to the piercing pain that overwhelmed him. He fell onto the ground, crashing on the hard surface with a loud thud. He writhed on the ground, suffering not only from the pain of the rough landing but also from the countless scales that pierced him. Much to his surprise, the scales gradually disappeared, as if they were absorbed by his body. He tried to raise himself to his feet, yet his limbs failed him, pushing him back to the ground. His vision was blurry, his legs and arms felt weak, as if all of the bones within his body had melted.

`…Shit…' He cursed inwardly, still struggling to get up. `What is happening to me…?'

Meanwhile, Shouri stood next to her mate, her green eyes followed the flow of the fight with hidden wariness. Those aquamarine scales and the way they leaked into one's body. It was…

“Moudoku…” She whispered softly, as if to herself.

The male who stood as Ryoushin grinned when her soft whimper reached his ears. Moudoku was one of the rarest and most dangerous poisons, for it never failed to take the life of even the most formidable opponent. From centuries ago, it was included as a component of the eastern land's most poisonous needle. Being the granddaughter of the Lord of the Eastern Lands, it was impossible that she was not aware of what the poison could do to a mortal's body. If paired with the right poisons, it could kill a youkai in a matter of seconds.

`That stupid tiger…' He hissed inwardly. `He could've summoned a bloodthirsty youma that will devour them all in a blink of an eye… But instead, all he let me have is this poisonous cat…'

But it is alright… He thought as he let a wicked, lopsided grin appeared on his lips. The tortured expression on the hanyou's face was amusing enough. At least for now…

Somehow, the hanyou managed to bring himself to his feet. His body staggered, tottered as if he was about to loose his consciousness. He tried to focus his eyes on his enemy, yet all he saw was hazy clouds, distorted visions.

After the hikyuu charged its first round of scales, its body was covered entirely by thick white pelt, the same fur that adorned its head and neck. A brief moment later, a new set of scales grew on its body, concealing the white coat beneath.

Shouri gasped, looking very much stunned when she saw the hanyou was ready for more. Though his body was failing, he forced himself to launch his second attack.

`Stupid…are you?' She whispered to herself, her eyes widened as she watched him lunged at the awaiting beast, only to be struck by the second round of piercing scales. History repeated itself and the next moment, Inuyasha was back squirming on the ground.

“Inuyasha…!!”

Sango reached for her giant boomerang she hauled on her back and rushed forward. With one powerful swing, she launched her hiraikotsu at the hikyuu. The boomerang flew directly towards the beast and as if the weapon was a small child's toy, it caught it with its mouth and hurled it away, beyond her reach. Looking angrier than ever, the big white leopard moved forward, each step was a threat towards the humans.

Jyaken, who was hiding behind his master, looked up to see that his lord Sesshoumaru was watching the fight intently. His stunning amber eyes slightly narrowed, though the rest of his face still maintained its indifference.

“…My Lord…” He whispered, no louder than the sound of a breeze. “…Should we help them?”

There was a pause before Sesshoumaru answered, throwing a cold glance towards his ward in the process.

“This is not our battle…” He said. “Stay out of it.”

The hikyuu, with its renewed scales, was now within a short distance to its preys. Miroku stepped forward and released the string of pearls that bound his right hand, releasing his curse of the black hole. Once his kazaana was exposed, it started to suck in everything in front of him. Everything, but the monster itself. It planted its claws so deeply into the ground that all the monk did was sucked in the scales of the beasts into the hole on his palm. He grimaced in pain when the Moudoku started to affect him and starting from the tip of his fingers, his flesh slowly turned black.

“Stop!!” Yuusou shouted, trying to defeat the noise of the whirlwind. “You'll die from the poison before you got it!!”

And yet, as if the monk was unable to hear the warning or just plain stubborn, he continued pulling the source of the poison into his body. Shouri moved to help the devastated and weakened monk, yet a strong hand pulled her body back. In a flash, she turned around, staring straight into the bright sapphire eyes of her mate.

“…Ryoushin…?”

“No.” He sternly said, his face was unusually cold. “It is dangerous… and besides,” He cocked his head towards the monk, to the direction where an indigo blur moved. “Yuusou is already taking care of it…”

The eastern prince moved swiftly and landed behind Miroku. In a blink of an eye, a glowing green barrier appeared around them, encasing them within the transparent bubble. The barrier protected them from the scales, blocking each and every one of them that were supposed to flow into the black hole.

“It's fine now…” Yuusou told him. “Close your kazaana…”

Miroku wrapped the dark blue cloth back on his right palm to cover his entire curse before he dropped to the ground, panting from the agony. Using his full-youkai speed, Yuusou leaped high in the air, taking advantage of the charging time the hikyuu needed to renew its scales. His swords, gleamed with green aura, struck the beast on its forehead, slicing its body into two. With a deafening shriek, it fell onto the ground, dead.

He flicked his sword to rid the staining blood before putting it back in its sheath. He shifted his gaze at the victims of the poison: the unconscious hanyou and the monk, who was still conscious for it was only his hand that was affected, at least for now…

“They are badly poisoned…” He told both men's comrades who rushed forward as soon as the fight ended. ”It is a dangerous poison called `Moudoku'. Chances are, they will not last for the night.”

One of the women, the one with strange garbs, looked at him with tears staining her dark brown eyes.

“Surely there is an antidote for the poison…?” She asked him, her voice quivered from fear. “Tell us where we can get the antidote!”

“Do not waste your time and energy.” He told her as he returned her gaze with his bright emerald eyes. “The antidote for Moudoku has to be specially cultivated. It only grows in one place.”

“I don't care where it is!” She almost shouted. “Tell me and I'll go and get it!”

He stared at her for a moment longer, his cold face remained. “There is no way that I would tell you…” He told her before he turned around to leave. His one and only duty was to protect Shouri. Saving humans, not to mention strangers, was not in his agenda. His eyes caught the sight of Ryoushin and at once, his face hardened. He approached the male tiger, silently thankful that Shouri had moved away from his side.

“Why did you not stop the hikyuu?” He asked, his straightforward manner caused the other male to arched one eyebrow.

“I tried…” Ryoushin answered, keeping his face as calm as still water. “But like a deranged beast, it defied me…”

The tiger was about to leave when the male inu laid a strong grip on his arm, holding him in place.

“Funny, is it…?” Yuusou said, his eyes delved deep into the other's. “Hikyuus have been known as harmless creatures, despite their beastly appearance. I am sure you, as the rightful heir to the Mountain of Gods, the one who also controls the beasts of this forest, are aware of this fact. Why do you think it attacked us?”

The corner of Ryoushin's lips curled into a smile. Perhaps to other's eyes, the smile was perfectly calm and gentle and yet, it did not fail to send chill down the inuyoukai's spine.

“Well…” The holy tiger said. “It only provides more proof that the creature is indeed deranged, doesn't it?”

Yanking his arm out of the inu's grip, Ryoushin started to walk away. Not even three steps, he turned around, the same smile was still pasted on his face.

“Perfect timing, isn't it?” He said, causing the other male to frown in response. “It is time to camp for the night…”

 

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“…Are you going to save the hanyou…?”

The silver haired female startled when a male's voice reached her ears, her back lifted off the rough bark of the tree. Shifting her eyes slightly to the side, her sight captured the shadowed profile of her cousin, standing on the other side of the tree she leaned on.

“Why should I…?” She hated to hear her own voice quivering, an undeniable proof of her hesitation. She despised it even more when she heard Yuusou's soft chuckle, as if mocking the mental battle he knew was taking place within her mind as they were speaking.

“Why should I save that half-breed? His life or death does not interest me at all…” She repeated before she realized that she had made it even worse for herself. Another chuckle came from the other side and in a blink of an eye, the owner of the low laughter appeared, towering before her sitting form.

“Then why are you sitting here, debating with yourself?” He asked, dropping his body to a half-kneeling position, bringing his eyes to the same level as hers. She cursed inwardly, loathing his cunning ability to see right through her.

“I am not debating with myself.” She denied him with a tight voice. “I have made up my mind not to save him…”

“If you want him dead, you should kill him with your own hands…” He said, a tiny teasing smile appeared on his face. “…It feels much better that way…”

“There is no need for that…” She said dryly. “Moudoku spreads fast within the body… In his human form, he will not even survive the night…”

“You can save him, you know…” She heard him spoke. “The antidote for Moudoku is rare indeed, and it only grows in one place: our lands. We have those remedial herbs in abundance. You do have the means to save him…”

“I do not have the antidote with me…” She responded, her tight voice did not falter.

“Liar...” Yuusou hissed. “You know that Moudoku is one of the components in our poisonous needles. We have to take the antidote wherever we go. All of us do… Even grandfather does it too…”

“I ran out…” She said, cocking her eyebrows at him, causing him to grin widely in response.

“Even if it is true…” He took a small paper sachet from beneath his kimono, holding it before her by his index and middle fingers. “You should have known where to find more…”

Shouri let out a deep, deep sigh, staring at her cousin with blatant irritation in her eyes.

“What are you trying to say?” She asked him, tired of his mind games.

He forced her palm to open before putting the pouch in her hand. She stared at him questioningly, yet he only smiled as his response.

“Let's make this more interesting, shall we…?” He spoke softly, closing her fingers around the paper sachet. “Now that you have the antidote, what will you do…?”

She remained silent, her eyes were fixed on her closed fist that contained the antidote potion of Moudoku, those eyes that did not shift when her cousin rose to leave her.

“…Now the decision is in your hand…” She heard him said. “You can go and save the life of a hanyou, or…” Leaving his words for her to complete, he disappeared from her sight.

She stared at the potion in her hand for a long time, her pointy ears heard the cries of those human females who were trying to save the hanyou and the monk. She crushed the potion within her tightened fist, silently cursing her cousin, blaming him for the raging ache she felt in her head right at that moment. She shook her head furiously, wanting to cover her ears to block all noises out, wanting to walk away and have nothing to do with any of it, yet the potion she held in her hand spoke differently.

“By all Gods…” She hissed, cursing herself before she rose to her feet. Almost stomping angrily, though she was not sure where all the fury stemmed from, she approached the hanyou. He looked nothing more than a mere human with his long black tresses, lying on the ground. His face was pale, a sign that his life force was draining out of his body. She saw the strangely garbed girl, Kagome, was kneeling next to his motionless body, trying to pour water down his throat. A task in vain, it was, for the hanyou's closed mouth refused to gulp even a single drop of liquid, causing the ground beneath him to drink more than the creature himself.

“…Water will not do him any good…” Shouri's cold voice startled the human girl, who turned around in a flash to look at the female youkai, her dark brown eyes could not conceal the fear that clouded her entire being.

“Step aside…” The inu princess said, commanding the other female to remove her presence from the side of the motionless body. Reluctantly, the girl made way. Shouri knelt next to the hanyou, her hand grazed his forehead, feeling the strangely high heat of his body. She knew that in his state at the moment, the Moudoku had spread throughout his entire body. She could hear the Kagome's soft sobbing, muffled by those hands that were covering her mouth.

“…Is he going to survive…?” Shouri heard her meek voice. The female youkai turned to look at the human, her green eyes were watching that fearful expression, those tears that started to well up within a pair of brown eyes. She took a brief pause before she answered,

“…Yes…”

Ignoring the long, relieved sigh that came out of Kagome's mouth, Shouri scanned her surrounding until she spotted a small, narrow concave on a wall of rock a few feet away from where they were. She took him by the back neckline of his kimono and dragged him towards the cave. He was unbelievably light, she thought as she laid him on the cave floor. She left him there, still unconscious, and went back to the open air to check on the other human male, the monk.

Miroku was lying on the ground, bearing a painful expression on his face. His left hand was clutching his right one, the one that suffered the curse of the black hole. Shouri took his right arm and slid the sleeve of his dark blue robe up to his shoulder. Sango, who remained by his side, let out a loud gasp when his entire arm was uncovered, revealing the poisoned limb to her view.

“…Houshi-sama…” She whispered.

Shouri examined the arm she held in her hand, her face cringed when she saw how the monk's flesh, from his fist up to his elbow, had turned black from the poison. She heard footsteps behind her, and at once knew that it was the other girl, Kagome, who was now standing behind her, watching the monk.

“…How is Miroku?” Kagome asked.

“Not as crucial as the half breed…” Shouri said. “But we have to act quickly, otherwise the poison will affect not only his arm, but his entire body…” She turned around to look at the brown-eyed girl.

“Bring me a bowl…” She commanded. “The biggest one you have…”

As Kagome scurried away to carry the order, Shouri whispered to the injured man, causing him to open his eyes to stare into her emerald depths.

“Monk…” She called him. “To get rid of your poison, I will have to bleed you…”

“…Shouri-sama…” His voice sounded choked when he spoke. “You should take care of Inuyasha first… I can wait until you are finished with him…”

“Though his condition is worse than yours…” Shouri responded as she shook her head slowly. “Your treatment cannot be delayed…”

The moment she completed her last word, Kagome came running with a plastic basin. Shouri's forehead frowned when her fingers made the first contact with the large bowl. The material she held in her hand felt smooth, almost waxy, with a luster similar to that of nicely finished earthenware. It was light, almost weighed like nothing, a proof that it was not made out of clay. Never had she seen such an odd craftwork before. However, she could afford no time for such insignificant notion, she thought as she prepared to bleed the man in pain.

She placed the basin underneath the elbow of the monk's injured arm. With the sharp tip of her thumbnail, she jabbed deep into his flesh, inflicting a wound on the joint of his forearm. Thick, black blood gushed from the gaping wound, trickling down to slowly fill the basin.

“Make sure that he keeps bleeding…” Shouri told the two human girls, who nodded at her instruction. “His blood may lump after some time, but you have to manage to keep it flowing… We need to get every single drop of poison out of him…”

Certain that the poison within the monk's body will drain in no time, she rose to go to her other patient, the half-breed turned human, who was still unconscious when she returned to him. She lit the fire to light the dim cave before she took her place next to his body. She watched his pallid face, the unmoving body, her fingers clenched into a tight fist when she recalled the day her grandfather spoke about her father's betrayal.

`He did not even bother to come for your mother… Instead, he turned to seek the company of a mere human…'

And there she was now with the object of her mother's misery at her mercy. So weak and helpless, unconscious, dying…

`What would you do if you are in my place, Mother…?' Her eyes bore into the human body before her. `He lives because you suffered… This illegitimate fruit of the relationship between father and that woman…'

Slowly, so slowly, she raised her quivering fingers, reaching for the hanyou's neck. When she laid a firm grip there, she could feel his slenderness, she could feel how fragile he was.

`…It will be so easy…' She mused, tightening her clutch around his neck, the tip of her talons were digging into his flesh. `So easy…just like snapping a twig…'

She could feel herself trembling that for a moment, it seemed that she was the weak one within that small cave, forget the still creature that lay beneath her deathly grip. She gritted her teeth and once more, applied more pressure to her already tight clench, wanting to break his neck in one snap. Dark clouds of hatred and vengeance lurked deep within her heart, she knew it, and she could not understand why she hesitated. For a long time she remained in that position, kneeling beside the hanyou's body, her fingers around his neck until she could no longer bear the tension. She tore her trembling hand off him, her breathing slightly labored, and she backed away as if the body before her was ablaze.

`…Oh Father, it's your fault…' She cursed inwardly, wiping her suddenly exhausted face. `Look at what you have done to us…'

“…Why did you not do it…?”

All of a sudden, a weak, yet clear voice reached her ears. In an instant, she lifted her drooping head to stare at the awakened creature. He was staring back at her with his dusky ebony orbs, so dim and weak due to his poisoned state.

“…What…?” She asked him back, her voice sounded as fragile as he was.

“Why did you change your mind…?” He asked again. “You were so close…”

She was silent, her eyes slowly shifted to watch the dancing shadows cast by the flickering fire, yet the whole time her mind was filled with the thought of his queries.

Why did she change her mind? Why did she not kill him? Why did she not grab the chance that was right in front of her?

`Because it is not his fault…' She heard a voice within her said, making her sigh deeply. `Because it is beyond his control…'

“I do not know…” She decided to lie instead, earning a soft grunt from the hanyou.

“Well you had your chance…” He grumbled, fixing his hazy gaze on the stalactites hanging from the cave's roof. “I can assure you that you will not get a second one…”

He tried to prop his upper body on his elbows, struggling to get up, yet the poison had consumed all of his energy, leaving him weakened and helpless. Quietly, Shouri watched him gave up and dropped his back on the floor, his entire body was damp with perspiration. She moved closer to him, her fingers were playing nervously with the small paper sachet hidden within the inner seam of her sleeve.

Inuyasha sighed, cursing his unfortunate luck. First, it was the night of the full moon, the one night he had to turn into his full human form. Second, the sudden attack of the hikyuu had resulted in his poisoned and feeble state. But above all, he hated the fact that he had shown his weakness in front of his half siblings, those who would probably use this knowledge against him in the future.

“What did you think you were doing…?”

The low, emotionless voice of the female inu snatched him from the realm of his thought. He forced himself to turn around and stare at her, the flickering torch had changed the color of her eyes into ethereal aquamarine.

“Why did you do it…?” She asked again. “Why did you fight the hikyuu? Did you think you have a chance against the beast in your human form?”

“It doesn't matter whether or not I have a chance against that monster…” He murmured. “They are my friends out there… and they were in danger…”

`Friends…' That one word rang deep in Shouri's mind, for it was a concept she did not understand. Youkais surrounded themselves with those who were bound to them by blood. Mates, offspring, pack members… Though some, like wards and servants, were bound to them by loyalty, in the act of exchanging protection for voluntary servitude. However, a youkai who associated himself with unrelated beings was unheard of, at least to her.

`…Well, a hanyou…' She reminded herself. `Because he only has half the blood…'

“Are they so important to you?” She asked him, secretly alarmed by the curiosity she heard in her own voice. “Your friends… Are they worth risking your life? Would you sacrifice your own life for those strangers?”

“They are not strangers!” Inuyasha snapped. “They are my…” He had to stop for his energy was expiring, his breathing labored due to his mounting rage.

“…friends…” He continued weakly, tilting his head to the side. With his slightly blurred vision, he watched the female inu sitting still beside him, observing him.

“Oy…” He called her. “Are you here to watch me dying…? I'd prefer someone else to keep me company if you don't mind…”

“You did not answer my question, hanyou…” Shouri ignored his request. Again, she was quite taken aback by her rising interest in this creature. “Are those humans you referred to as `friends' worth risking your life?”

Inuyasha turned his head to the other side, to the rocky wall surrounding the small enclosure they were in. There was only silence but the cracking sound of the burning logs.

“…They are my most cherished companions…” He said softly.

`So you desire to protect them…' Shouri whispered inwardly. `…Do others scorn you for wanting to protect those you love? Do they consider you weak for feeling such emotion?'

She shook her head, almost chuckled at the irony.

`We are more alike than I thought, you and I…'

Without warning, her hand reach out to him and in a blink of an eye, she had his neck trapped within her grip for the second time. Reflectively, Inuyasha grabbed her clutching hand; an attempt to loosen her fingers that started to choke him, as if trying to force life out of his body. A futile effort, it was, for it only caused her fingers to tighten around his neck. She could feel him resisting underneath her grip, his weak body trashed to give out its final fight, his mouth was parted open in a struggle for breathing. Gradually, she increased the pressure of her grip, until his mouth gaped wider and he was truly suffocating, his already pale face turned white from the struggle. Then, swiftly, she fished the potion out of her sleeve and poured the content inside his gawking maw before she yanked his jaws close, releasing his tortured neck at the same time.

He was panting on the floor, suffering not only from her powerful grip but also from the extreme bitter taste of the powder she poured into his mouth. Over and over again he coughed, feeling the urge to vomit for whatever potion she forced him to swallow was the worst thing he had ever tasted. His neck was all bruised, heart pounding within his chest, body drenched with beads of perspiration. He stared at her with fire in his eyes and though his body was in its most feeble state, he had not lost his will to fight, she noted with some glee.

“…What…” He strived to speak, forcing himself to ignore the pain in his throat. “…What was that awful thing you just feed me…?”

“The antidote for the Moudoku inside you…” Shouri replied coldly, her green eyes were looking down on his sprawling body. She almost smiled in silent amusement when she added,

“I did get your mouth to open, didn't I? Just one second before you were choked to death…”

The hanyou growled in fury, though his condition still did not allow him for barking aloud.

“…Bitch…” He muttered under his breath, yet audible enough for Shouri's finely tuned ears to hear his grumble. With one quick swing of her arm, she gave him a powerful slap, printing her fingers on his right cheek. She pushed him hard against the cave wall, crushing his back against the rocks. He groaned from the pain and before he could speak some more, she laid another grip on his jaws, keeping it shut.

“I will watch my mouth if I were you, little one…” She hissed. “I can break your neck as easily as breaking a twig... And this does not apply only to the times when the full moon turns you into human…”

With that said, she let him go. He only scowled at her, his hand was once more rubbing his aching neck. Reaching behind her back, she picked up a jug full of water she took with her when she returned to the cave. She extended her hand to silently offer the vessel of water to the panting hanyou, who took it hesitantly before taking a gulp. She watched him drinking the water greedily, so desperate to sooth the raging pain in his throat, also to rid the disgusting taste of the potion powder.

“…If it was him…” She heard him murmured when the jug was finally dry. “…He would not be so hesitated to kill me…”

Shouri stared at the lowered head, her eyes turned into a pair of emerald slits. “Who?” She asked.

“That bastard you called `Nii-sama'…”

Immediately, her body stiffened when she heard his insolent remark. Coldly, she reprimanded him,

“…Did I not teach you to watch your mouth, boy?” Already, her hands were itchy, wanting to slap him again for his lack of respect. However, she reminded herself that the light torture she had imposed upon him earlier was enough for one day.

“Try not to be so casual with my brother and give him the proper respect he deserves…” She added, which was responded with a low, yet clearly noticeable grunt from the stubborn hanyou. When she was about to rise to leave him, his words stopped her.

“…You are not quite like him, are you?”

His question, spoken with a low voice, stunned her to a great extent. She stared at him, returning his unwavering ebony gaze.

“What do you mean…?” She asked him, failed to keep tension out of her voice.

“As I said…Sesshoumaru would not hesitate to kill me, or anyone in that matter…”

Shouri tried to hide her smile as she acknowledged the truth behind her half-brother's remark. Unfortunately, in her brother's book, that hesitation is called `weakness'. Sitting still, she kept her silence as the hanyou continued,

“…His eyes are always empty, devoid of any emotions…” He murmured. “But yours are different…somehow…”

She lowered her eyes, fixing her gaze on her hands that were neatly folded on her lap.

“I guess…” She said, a sad tone was in her voice. `It's not just his eyes that are devoid of emotions… His heart too…'

Quietly, she gathered the empty jug and prepared herself to leave the cave. Yet, the hanyou stopped her once more.

“…I heard you are with pups…” He said, causing the female to abruptly turn around on her heels and glared at him cautiously.

“…How…” She started to question him, almost yelling. The rise in her voice, as well as her disturbed tone, was enough proof that she was greatly bothered by his knowledge of the pups. Aside from her and Ryoushin, the only other creatures that knew about her pregnancy were Yuusou and Kishi. The old retainer rejoiced at the news, and apparently could not wait to serve his third generation of the holy tigers. “How did you know that…?!” She asked.

“If it's such a big secret,” Inuyasha started with his verbal defense. “You may want to check your surrounding before you blurted stuff out!” He paused for a series of low grumbles, ignoring the awaiting female who had her arms folded across her bosoms.

“…I accidentally heard your conversation with the tiger by the riverbank…” He told her.

“…Oh…”

Silence fell in that small cave. Shouri tapped her foot on the ground, wanting to leave the suffocating, uncomfortable atmosphere. The fact that Inuyasha found out about the twins before Sesshoumaru distressed her to a great extent. There was a slight desire that nudged her to pass the good news to her brother, yet her heart fell into sadness when she realized that chances were, he would not be so delighted to find out. He would call the pups abominations, spawns of the devil, or other disdainful names that he had ever used for Ryoushin.

“Can I…” Inuyasha's low voice ended her deep contemplation. She stared at his lowered head, wondering why he looked so bashful all of a sudden.

“…Can I feel them…?” A faint pink blush appeared on his pale face. “…The pups, I mean…”

Shouri was stunned to hear the request. No one had been given the liberty of feeling the children within her womb but her mate, Ryoushin. How appropriate would it be to have her half-brother, one who was practically a stranger to her, touch her belly?

The answer was not at all, and she knew it. Yet she returned to his side, kneeling down on the ground and for a moment, did not know what to do. Then, with awkward moves, she took his hand and laid it on top of her belly, letting him feel the pups swimming within her.

“They may feel a bit faint…” She told him. “But they are in there…”

Inuyasha pressed his palm against her, his eyes were sealed tight in an attempt to sense the faded flutters within her womb. It was hard for his human physique to feel something that was as light as the flap of a bird's wings, now that he was temporarily deprived of his youkai attributes. Still he tried, focusing all his senses to his palm, until he caught the soft pounding with his hand.

“…They're there…” He whispered, his eyes were still closed. “I feel them…”

He savored those soft movements underneath his palm for a little while longer before pulling his hand back to the side of his body. He turned away, looking very much abashed.

“Um…well…” He murmured uncomfortably. “…Thank you…”

She looked at him, watching the pink shade on his face grew slightly darker. She was surprised when she found herself smiling, though she does not know what the meaning of that smile yet. Old wounds take time to heal, and her abhorrence towards her half-brother was not one that could easily diminish. But at least for now, it felt good to smile…

“…I will send your comrades to look after you…” She said, gathering her things before she walked out into the open air.

She breathed the air of relief. Somehow, she knew that she had made the right decision…

 

When Shouri checked on Miroku, she saw that the monk's blood almost filled the basin placed underneath his elbow. Kneeling next to the dark blue robed man, the female inu took the bleeding arm in her hand, examining the flesh that had started to return to a healthier color.

“…He had bled a lot…” The taijiya told her, looking at the puddle of blackened blood with a face filled with trepidation. “A little more and he would die of severe blood loss…”

“This is the most effective way to rid the poison… It just had to be done.” Shouri responded. The antidote for Moudoku is a very rare potion, which was why she always reminded herself to use it sparingly. In Inuyasha's case, it could not be helped. It was impossible to treat him the same way she treated the monk, for she would have to drain every single drop of blood running in the half-breed's veins. She just had to use the antidote on him. Using her index and middle fingers, she applied some pressure on Miroku's gash, stopping the blood that gushed out of the gaping wound. “Your monk will survive…” She told Sango, earning a relieved sigh along with a smile from the taijiya.

Miroku stirred, his eyelashes fluttered before he opened his eyes, staring straight into the green eyes of the female youkai. He blinked his eyes a few times before a smile was curved on his lips. His uninjured arm reached out, taking Shouri's unoccupied hand into his.

“…Fair maiden…” He whispered, rewarded with a sharp glance from the female herself. Oblivious to the silent warning, he continued to deliver his infamous, if not too frequently repeated line,

“Will you bear my child?”

Shouri kept her mouth shut, a pair of emotionless green eyes stared at the male who had dared to touch her hand in such a casual, indecorous manner. In her heart, she knew that she could not blame this man before her, since human's sense of smell is indeed blunt, resulting in their incapability to distinguish between mated and unmated females. But still…

A sliver of humor flickered within her orbs when she spoke to him, maintaining her cool, monotone voice,

“…I belong to someone else, monk…” And to herself, she added, `…And I'm already bearing his children…'

Unable to hide his astonishment, as well as his disappointment, Miroku released his hold, dropping her hand on the ground. Hiding her smile beneath her emotionless façade, she reached for another paper sachet of the antidote and poured a little of its content over the cut that already started to heal. Taking a long strip of white cloth, she started to bandage the wound on the monk's forearm. When she finally covered the entire gash, she pulled the remaining strip together to form a knot. A little too tight perhaps, but it was not unintentional, she thought as she took pleasure in witnessing the sudden grimace that appeared on Miroku's face.

The air was foul with the dark vengeance of an infuriated woman. The monk surely had not noticed the drastic shift in his companion's mood, but Shouri could already taste the fuming rage.

“…Good luck, monk…” She whispered under her breath, loud enough only for him to hear. As quickly as possible, she rose to leave the poor man with a very, very angry Sango…

 

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