InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Inunori ❯ Attacked and Saved ( Chapter 1 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
Inunori was a dog demon born to be the leader of the eastern tribes and to bring together, at last, the dog demon tribes. From her birth she was destined to marry the first son of Inutaisho. They were only to meet when Inunori's parents determined her ready to marry. Her parents were killed in a battle against a wolf tribe. During which Inunori was badly wounded. Inunori was barely able to escape with her life and was badly wounded. From her weakness the demon symbols on her body faded to a barely there marking that looked like bruises. Only one other demon was able to escape from the carnage, a young fox demon under the protection of the tribe, called Saurina. Saurina managed to half drag Inunori away from the battle.
“Saurina, my father-” Inunori gasped gripping her stomach.
“He's dead mistress.” She paused trying to decide of she should tell her all. “They all are dead mistress, your mother and father, the guards, and most if not all of the tribe. I'm sorry.” She touched Inunori's brow gently.
A single tear dripped from her eye. “Saurina,” she gasped slowly. “You must go to Inutaisho. Tell him what happened to us. I am not strong enough to make it all the way there.” She sucked in a pained breath. “He needs to know about this.”
“But mistress-”
“GO!” She coughed and collapsed back against a tree. “Someone is coming. I can just smell them over the stench of blood. I will either be in the hands of humans or dead by sunup. He must learn of what happened,” she took in another deep shuddering breath and continued, “and I want you safely away from here. Those damn wolves may come after you. Go.”
Saurina look towards the humans that she could now hear and stepped away from Inunori. She stood strait and tall for her child like frame and gave a deep bow. When she stood up there were tears gathered in her eyes. She ran a few steps away and transformed into a bird and flew off.
Inunori gasped and painfully shifted her body. She must have yelped in pain for the humans began to move closer quickly. Inunori barely caught a glimpse of a female human face and a few of her guards before passing out from blood loss.
It was the next morning, Inunori felt a cool cloth being swiped across her brow and cheeks. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up into shimmering brown eyes. Suddenly she was hit with the scents around her. The herbal poultice someone had smeared over her wounds, the sweet scent of healing incense, and most prominently the scent of human.
“Where am I?” she croaked.
“Shh. You are safe here. We have bound your wounds.” The woman gently brushed the cloth over Inunori's lips to ease the dryness. “What is your name?”
She thought for a moment, trying to decide if the truth was best. “Inunori,” she said her eyes growing heavy from the incense. “My name is Inunori.”
Days past. Inunori spent a lot of time with the woman who had found her, Princess Izayoi. One day they were out in the garden, even though Izayoi thought it was too soon for her to be up, and Inunori scented Saurina. She knew that the humans here hadn't seen her, or they would have killed her. As it was, Inunori covered her demon markings when in the presence of others. The markings were brightening and it was becoming harder to hide the crescent moon under her collar bone.
“Would you mind bringing me a drink,” Inunori asked Izayoi. “I'll just rest here for a moment.” She sat down on a bench near the wall to the gardens. Not to far away there was an arch guarded by two men. It was open to the woods and was the way that Izayoi had found her.
“Of course,” she responded pleasantly. “I told you, you didn't have enough time to heal.” She smiled gently and went back to the keep.
Once Izayoi was out of hearing distance, Inunori distracted the guards long enough to slip through the arch. In the woods, she followed the scent until she found Saurina.
“Mistress!” she exclaimed throwing her thin arms around Inunori's waist. “You are safe! I told Master Inutaisho what happened, he was much aggrieved.”
“And Sesshoumaru? Was he there?”
“Yes, mistress. He wanted to come for you, to storm the castle. He said that you should not be left to be finished off by the hands of humans.”
Inunori was both excited and annoyed by the words of her future husband. “Does he think me so weak as to be killed off by these people?”
“Oh no, mistress! It's just that you were so badly wounded and it wouldn't have been very hard to kill you.”
Her body that had tightened in affront loosened. “You are right. I want to go home. What does Inutaisho plan?”
“He plans on taking you from the castle tonight.” Saurina straitened proudly. “He sent me to let you know of his plans. Master said to tell you that he will come after sunset. When you hear the howl on the wind be ready to leave. He also said to give you this.” Saurina handed Inunori a bundle wrapped around her sword. “So that you have your own clothes and in case of trouble.”
“He went to the battlefield,” she murmured. “Did he-?”
“He saw to the proper burial of most of the tribe. He was just waiting for the right time to get you to bury your parents.”
“Inunori!” Izayoi called worried.
“I must go.” She clutched the bundle to her chest. “Thank you Saurina.” She turned and went back through the arch.
“Where did you go?” Izayoi asked angrily. “I was worried that you had-” she cut herself off noticing the bundle. “You remembered something?”
That was the game she had been playing. Inunori had told them that she only remembered vague details about what had happened. Which wasn't exactly a lie, Inunori could not remember how she had gotten so far from the battle.
“I am sorry Izayoi. I remembered where I had left some things…I couldn't just leave them for anyone to take…and I didn't want to be thought silly by the guards if I was wrong in my memory.” The lie slid smoothly from her lips.
“Come we should go back inside.” Izayoi slipped her arm through Inunori's and tugged her along. “Did you know that your name means dog child of ceremony? That is what the old woman healer said.”
“I was named for my people,” Inunori let slip before she could stop herself.
Izayoi's eyes widened and she gasped. “Does that mean-? Are you-?”
Inunori stopped. “Yes, I am a demon,” she said quietly. “It is why I healed so quickly. I know that you must hate me now, but I must beg your indulgence for but a short while longer. My lord will come for me after sunset. If you want to keep your guards alive you will tell them to leave the castle…and go with them.” She stopped and looked away. “I don't want to take the chance of someone who has been nothing but kind getting hurt.”
Izayoi reached out and touched Inunori's arm. “I will send away the guards, but I will go nowhere. If this lord is such a beast as to hurt a defenseless woman-” She clenched her hands in anger.
Inunori looked at her. “You think that Inutaisho was the one who injured me?” Seeing that she was correct she continued, “I was injured in battle against those damn mongrel wolves. They killed so many…”