InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Leiko ❯ Into the Demonslayer's Village ( Chapter 10 )

Chapter Ten

Into the Demon

Slayer's Village

 

Yamianu looked at the samari before him. He looked very pathetic. Kari and Keiyo came from behind a clump of bushes and stood staring at the man that had walked into their midst. Leiko looked at Kari and her mouth dropped.

"You have silver hair now." she said.

Kari smiled slightly. "On the night of the new moon I turn into a full demon. When the full moon comes I'll become a full elemental angel."

The stanger stared at the people he'd stumble upon. Leiko turned towards him and smiled slightly. He returned the smile warmly. Yamainu growled when he saw the way the young man looked at Leiko. He took his jacket up and drapped it around her shoulders. Leiko glanced at him, but said nothing. She was used to his strange actions when other men were involved.

"Who are you?" Yamainu asked, letting his hands remain on Leiko's shoulders.

"I'm Sasuke." he said. "I've been training for many years to become a samurai like my father was."

"What village are you from?" Leiko asked.

Sasuke turned his eyes on her. "I'm from a demon slayer's village not too far from here. It's been so long since I last saw my family that I decided to return home." he said.

"It's not safe to travel alone." Kari said. "It's even worse to travel alone. You don't know what's out there."

Sasuke chuckled. "My dear lady, there is no real need to fear for one such as I. My master trained me well." he said.

All of a sudden a massive creature leapt from the undergrowth. It launched itself Sasuke and grabbed hold of his throat. He let out a scream and tried to pull away. Yamainu grabbed the creature by the scruff of the neck and flung him away. He growled and went after the creature. It snapped at him but Yamainu dodged the massive creatures powerful jaws. He leapt into the air and delieved a swift kick to the creature's muzzle. It yelped, turning an evil glare on Yamainu.

"Leiko, if this thing kills me I wanted you to know that I love you." Yamainu said as he charged at the beast.

It grabbed him by his newly-healed are and flung him to the side. The creature whirled, turning its baleful glare on Leiko. With a low growl, it lunged at Leiko. She threw her arms up in front of her to protect herself. Garou leapt forth to protect his mistress and grabbed at the creature's throat.

Garou yelped as his opponet sank its teeth into his haunch. He leapt back then charged once more. A noxious cloud filled the air around the massive black wolf. He leapt into the air and out of the cloud's path. Leiko ran to her friend and held him back before he could ready himself for another attack.

"Shadow!" Kari cried. "Stop!"

The creature skidded to a stop before he sank his fangs into Garou. Leiko saw a black cloud form around the monster. When it cleared she saw that it was nothing more than a wolf pup. It could transform like that demon cat her father had told her belonged to the demon slayer Sango. She stroked Garou's head while he glared at the creature that had attacked him. His golden eyes glowed with anger. Yamainu stumbled back up to the others and smiled sheepishly at Leiko.

"So," Keiyo said, grinning impishly. "You love her, huh?"

"Wh-No it was just that I thought...I never said anything like that so shut it you little brat." Yamainu stammered.

"I'm older than you!" Keiyo cried.

She jumped at Yamainu. Her spear was in her hands and she swung it at him. The flint tip grazed his cheek, drawing a small gash on his tanned flesh. Yamainu grabbed hold of the cougar demon and tossed her away from him. Keiyo was on her feet again, prepared to go another round with the wolf youkai.

"Enough!" Leiko cried. "We're not suppose to be fighting one another."

Keiyo and Yamainu froze and put their heads down. Keiyo jabbed Yamainu in the knee with the butt end of her spear. He countered by knocking her on the head with his fist. Leiko tossed an angry glare their way. Both smiled at her in mock innocence.

Leiko turned towards Kari and the wolf pup that she had called Shadow. "He's yours, Kari?" she asked.

Kari nodded and picked the wolf pup up. "Yeah. He stumbled into the wolves' den a few years back. He was wounded so I took care of him. Ever since then he's protected me from everyone. The only thing is that he doesn't like anyone else." she said.

"Oh great." Yamainu scoffed. "Just what we need. A wolf that'll kill us in our sleep."

Kari glared at the wolf youkai. "He won't kill any of you since you're my friends. He just doesn't like anyone else but me." she said defensivly.

"He must not have had may friends as a child." Keiyo said.

Shadow growled at the cougar demon. "You're awfully brave for such a small demon." he said.

"He can talk?!" Sasuke cried in disbelief.

Leiko had all but forgetten the young samurai in all of the action. She looked at him and then back at Kari and her wolf pup. Yamainu rubbed the sore spot on his shoulder where he'd fallen when he'd battled Shadow.

"All the wolves can talk." Yamainu said. "It's just a matter of wanting to. Isn't that right, Garou?"

The black wolf's head came up, his eyes rolling to look at Leiko. "You just had to say something." Garou growled. "I prefer if I were seen as nothing more than some mangy animal."

Leiko looked up into Yamainu's eyes. Garou could talk! How was that possible? She continued to run her fingers through his coarse black fur. Kari smiled at Leiko's pure surprise. The wolf demon enjoyed having the upper hand in certain situations. Knowledge was one such situation.

Yamainu yawned mightily and stretched. "Look, I'm wore out. Sasuke, there's some leftover fish if you want it." he said. and dropped to the ground.

Keiyo plopped down in front of the fire and fell asleep. Kari and Shadow moved to the edge of the firelight to pass the night in complete darkness. Leiko tossed a slight smile in Sasuke's direction, moving to lay beside Yamainu. She felt Garou lay close to her back and felt his fur rub the bare skin of her arm that had excaped the cover of Yamainu's jacket. Her last conscious thought was of how much she wanted morning to come so she could be a hanyou once more.

 

Sunlight burned Leiko's eyes. She sat up slowly and looked around her. The wind blew her long hair in front of her face again. It was silver once more. Leiko leapt to her feet, examining herself once more. She was a hanyou again.

"Yes!" she shouted. "Whoo-hoo! I'm a hanyou again!"

Shadow lifted his head up from the ground, yawning and shaking his head. "You're happy about somethig you knew would come about anyway?" he asked.

"She lost her strength for a complete night." Garou growled. "Your owner may change but she goes from hanyou to full demon on a new moon."

Leiko wrapped her arms around Garou's massive neck and pulled him away from Shadow. Why did these two have to argue all of the time? She rose to her feet and turned to the rising sun. No trouble had come during her night as a human, but she knew that it was only a matter of time before one of the Souls attacked her while she was vunerable.

"So, you're not a human?" Sasuke asked, disappointed.

"No." Leiko said. "I was once, but I made a wish on the Shikon no Tama to be a hanyou."

Sasuke nodded in understanding. "So you are the protector of the Jewel now?" he asked.

"Yes, she is." Yamainu said, getting irritated with all of the young man's questions.

Keiyo glanced at Leiko and winked. The dog hanyou rolled her eyes, tying her sword around her waist once more. She was in no mood for Keiyo's crazy theories. Kari and Shadow were ready to head on.

"Which way now?" Kair asked.

Leiko shrugged. "I don't feel anything." she said simply.

"Come to my village." Sasuke suggested. "They could offer you some supplies. Yours seem to be exhausted."

"We prefer to travel light." Yamainu growled.

Leiko shook her head. Yamaiu was being crazy. It couldn't hurt them to have a few things. Medicine would have been a welcome item, no matter how primative. She turned to Sasuke.

"We could use some herbs." she said.

Sasuke nodded. "Then it's settled. You're all coming with me." he said.

Shadow became engulfed in the black cloud that transformed him and when it cleared he was the monster he had been the night before. Garou growled lowly. It was clear to Leiko that her friend loathed the demon wolf. Kari leapt onto his back and looked at Leiko. She turned on her heel, waiting for Sasuke to indicate their direction. The young samurai started walking to the east. Leiko sniffed the air and caught a whiff of smoke coming a few miles off.

Now that she was a hanyou once more she could have found Sasuke's village without his help. Yamainu fell into step beside her. Garou was on her other side with Keiyo on his back. The samurai was a few feet ahead of them and Kari and Shadow made up the rear. Leiko caught Yamainu casting evil glares in Sasuke's direction.

"Why are you so worried about him?" Leiko whispered.

Yamainu snapped out of his angry trance, looking down at her in surprise. Was he really so transparent with how he felt about the samurai in front of him? Keiyo was looking at him with one of her knowing stares. He turned away from them, grinding his fangs in frustration. It wasn't like he was jealous or anything.

For the duration of their journey, no one spoke. Every so often Sasuke would offer some bit of news about how much farther it was, but other than that no one else felt like talking. Each was lost in their own thoughts. Leiko saw a tiny line of smoke rising from a cottage just above the horizon. Sasuke took off in a sudden run. The others looked at one another for a moment then took off after him.

When they came to the outskirts of the village, Sasuke came to an abrupt hault. Leiko would have slammed into him had she still been human, but being a hanyou she leapt over him and dropped back into the dirt. She sent up a tiny cloud where she landed. The group stood looking out at the village before them.

"Welcome to the Demon Slayers' village. Lady Sango and Lord Miroku will be pleased to have guests." Sasuke said.

Keiyo gulped. "That's if they don't want to claim our hides first." she said.