InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ New Life ❯ Chapter 38 ( Chapter 38 )

Year: 1536
Month: March

As the sun rose in a small village in Edo, Kaede rose with it. She stretched as much as she possibly could, feeling her joints creak and groan. After a few minutes, she pulled herself to her feet slowly and headed outside into the wee morning hours. Moving into Inuyasha's forest, she began the task of gathering herbs that she needed.

After a few hours, she moved back to the village. The sound of the children's laughter reached her ears and a smile touched her lips. Lifting her face to the sun, she gave a soft sigh of pleasure. She really did enjoy these morning hours. Soon enough the children found her. “Lady Kaede, will we be able to receive a story this afternoon?” Kaede chuckled. “I will be happy to young ones. Run off now to your parents and help them in the fields.” The children nodded and took off.

Looking at the village, she was pleased that the small village had grown over time. Ever since Kagome and Inuyasha had dubbed this their home, their small village had become known as one of the safest in the land. This had brought many to the village. The new arrivals had been surprised to find that the village did not discriminate and welcomed all peaceful youkai. In fact, quite a few hanyou's had taken up residence, helping in the fields and protecting the village. Already, some partial youkai children ran around with the young ones. Surprisingly, a tribe of kitsune had even come to live within Inuyasha's forest. Oddly enough, word had reached the village of the central territories changing and thriving. Already, word had reached them that an exodus of the youkai towards their village was coming, peacefully. The rumor was that they were coming to swear fealty to the new lord of the central lands.

Humming softly, she finished putting away her herbs, a few female kitsunes having arrived at her hut to help her. They usually helped throughout the day with her tasks. It was their sudden stillness and attentiveness that had Kaede pause in her work. They helped her to her feet and outside the door before they melded into the woodwork and fled towards the forest. A sense of foreboding sent a chill down her spine. She watched the other villagers coming in from the fields, confusion evident on their faces. She watched quite a few of the hanyous grab their young and take off to the forest.

Lifting her voice only slightly, she calmed the humans. “Return to the fields and continue on. It is obvious that something is coming. Ye all know the secrets that must be kept.” The villagers nodded and headed back to work. Working her way to where the new apprentice mikos resided, she flared her aura. Instantly, three young teenagers appeared. These three were in fact hanyous but their youkai had been purified enough that they appeared strictly human and their youkai senses were duller than the others. “Girls, go to the forest and erect the barrier. Something is coming.” The girls nodded gravely and hurried to the forest. She gave a few of Kagome's and Kikyo's ofudas to help with the barrier to one of them. It never failed to keep the youkai safe.

As she reached her hut, the sound of hoof beats echoed. Immediately some of the men ran forward, surrounding Kaede. She moved to the edge of the village. As she reached the edge, she watched horses spill out of the opposite side. They were prepared for war. That much was obvious. She waited as a man on a brown stallion moved to the front. “Where is the head miko of this village?” Kaede shuffled forward and bowed her head. “I am she. What can this old woman do for ye Milord?” The man sneered. “You can beg for mercy youkai lover.” He pulled his sword and let out a roar. Instantly the men at his side let out a resounding cheer. Before the sword could come down on Kaede, one of the men put himself in between them. Kaede instantly flared her aura, a barrier instantly separating the men from the villagers. As one, the villagers began to flee towards Inuyasha's forest. Kaede knew her barrier would only last so long. She was old and her power not as powerful as it once was. She would die with honor.

As the villagers ran into the forest, a few of the children paused and cried out. “Lady Kaede! We have to go back for her!” Almost as if by magic, a kitsune appeared and kneeled by the child. It was the mate of one of the kitsunes that helped Kaede. “Hush young one. Our mates are already awaiting the time to retrieve her.” He rose and turned to the humans. “Come, we have a place of safety for all of you.” Instantly the humans flocked to follow the kitsune that had appeared.

Kaede watched the man growl down at her. “You will die woman. We will find your villagers and cut them down one by one for harboring the filth that youkai is.” Kaede snorted. “You will not survive the forest. Know ye not of the protector of this forest and village?” The man scoffed. “This will not matter. Already armies are forming to rid this land of youkai and the traitorous humans that lie with them.”

Suddenly the barrier flickered. Instantly, the men pressed forward. The leader swung the sword he held. At that moment the barrier flickered, and it managed to swipe Kaede across the shoulder and neck. She dropped to her knees, the blood pouring down her chest. She felt her power give out as she fell unconscious.

As the barrier dropped, two blurs darted out of the shadows and took her body, fleeing into the forest. A wall of fox fire dropped between the forest and the men. The leader growled. “Ride through!” After a moment, they charged forward through the fire. A portion of the men stayed and began to ransack the village, destroying everything in sight. The rest headed into the forest.

As the two female kitsunes arrived at the Goshinboku, they moved to the back side and opened the hole in the ground. Goshinboku had allowed this of the kitsune tribe. The tree itself had taken to protecting the area more so recently, feeling the turmoil. He had already given many of his seeds to the kitsunes to plant in the new home they would be journeying to in the future. Once in, the tree sealed off the opening completely.

The moment they were underground, their mates took the form of Kaede and hurried her to the apprentices. Once there, many of the youkai began to help to stem the flow of blood and started the process of healing her. They were all indebted to her in some way. The humans watched on with worry and fear for their beloved miko. Fear coursed through them. The youkai had already sensed something amiss going on and now that the humans were revolting against the youkai was even more troubling. No doubt when they left, they would hear tales and possibly begin to receive more refugees. They only hoped that they would be able to stand against the onslaught that was coming.

It seemed months passed in their underground chamber when only a few weeks passed. The kitsune talented in the earth brought forth food to help feed youkai and human alike. The children spent their time playing quiet and small games, trying to stay out of the way of the adults. A group of youkai and humans ensured Kaede's health remained progressing. The three priestesses in training took turns healing Kaede's wounds. The people remained silent, waiting for their freedom.

After two months, the kitsune feeling the land, the humans were all gone. The opening of their hideout brought a hushed joy to those underground. Kaede, now able to move on her feet with help led the way. As the villagers returned to the village, a hushed silence filled them. Everything was gone. The land had already started to take over their village. Kaede stared at this with a grim look. Finally, she turned to the kitsunes. “Draw on the land to envelop this village completely. It will remain this way. We cannot let this happen again. We will live as one with the land.” The humans frowned in confusion. Turning to the headman, she smiled at him. “We will revert to the ways of youkai. The land will provide.” Understanding swept through the humans.

As one, the kitsune moved forward. Their hands began to weave their spells. Within seconds, the land began to grow. Water rushed from the ground forming a stream throughout the area. Trees and shrubbery began to grow high, thick and tall. Within half an hour, what was once a prospering village was now nothing more than a thick forest. A few of the kitsune moved farther forward. These ones were either black or white. They began to weave their own spells. Seeds were sent from their hands to make a perimeter around what was once the village. Plants began to grow quickly but these looked far more dangerous than anything anyone had ever known or seen.

Kaede looked to their leader. “What are those?” The youkai grinned. “Consider it our new protection. We will build a single shrine at the top between the Goshinboku and the well. Between the two, it will protect the building against anything that should get past that line of defense.” He turned to the rest of the humans. “We will begin to train you so that you will know how to bypass these defenses.” The humans nodded.

As they moved across the ground back to Goshinboku, the forest kitsune began to take down the trees. The land would give them the wood needed. The two female kitsunes kept close to Kaede, leading her to Goshinboku to rest. The three Priestesses moved to take the children, two of them having come with the kitsune clan, to teach them how to bypass the foliage and train. They would need to know how to fight and survive now.