InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Chosen ❯ Shadow's Secret ( Chapter 10 )

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha…It's that simple. Shadow, Death Strike, Mikel, Faele, Falcon, the Evenstar family, etc…are mine. Ask before you borrow them.

 

Italics = thinking

“….” = talking, or singing

*….* = telepathic speech

 

 

Chapter 10: Shadow's Secret

 

Shortly before dawn, Death Strike woke Koga, InuYasha, and Kagome from their peaceful dreams. Leading them a short distance from the rest of the group, she stifled a yawn before explaining why she had them up so early.

 

“Today's lesson falls to me to teach you because Shadow does not have a mate…yet,” Death Strike explained as she stifled another yawn, “Shadow mentioned once that mated fae pairs are supposed to fight in tandem, yes?”

 

Koga and InuYasha exchanged a glance and then nodded slightly.

 

“Well that's what we're going to learn this morning…to work together as a team. No weapons yet…as we have yet to teach Kagome swordsmanship. That's Shadow's job though; hell, Shadow is still teaching me how to fight with a sword!” Death Strike chuckled, “Anyway, just claws today. This is basically so we can get an idea of how our mate will react to having a partner in battle. So Koga and me against you and InuYasha, ok, Kagome?”

 

Kagome nodded and smiled at her mate. Koga and InuYasha exchanged another look and shrugged. The four wandered off into the forest in search of another clearing where they would not disturb the rest of their companions.

 

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Shortly after dawn, Sesshomaru slowly regained consciousness and rolled away from Rin…only to encounter a large, warm lump of black fur. With a grunt, he sat up to get a better look at what he rolled into. His eyes widened slightly as he realized that it was Shadow in her fae form. Unable to resist, he reached out and caressed her fur; scratching gently behind her semi-erect ears.

 

One sleep clouded, silver eye opened just wide enough to peer at him and his heart ached at the sadness that eye held in its depths. The black and silver wolf sighed and closed her eye again; slowly pulling her ear from his gentle claws. He pulled his hand back as she pulled away, stung by her actions. She whined softly as she pressed her ears back against her head and Sesshomaru heard her song echo in his head.

 

---------------------Flashback--------------------

 

She is so beautiful...and so strong…he thought as he watched her. He nearly gasped when she threw the panties he had taken from her clothing, into the fire. He watched the tears roll down her cheeks as she bowed her head and sang softly…her voice laced with tears and pain:

 

“I miss my friend
The one my heart and soul confided in
The one I felt the safest with

The one who knew just what to say to make me laugh again
And let the light back in
I miss my friend

 

I miss my friend…”

 

---------------------End Flashback-----------------

 

Sesshomaru came back to his senses as Shadow got to her paws and slunk away; ears flat, head bowed, her tail slightly tucked between her legs. She looked so depressed that he had the fell prey to the urge to simply gather her into his arms and tell her that everything was going to be alright. He grabbed her before she was too far away and pulled her to him. Shocked, she fell out of her fae form as he situated her in his lap and pulled the blanket around them. His tail wrapped itself snuggly around her waist as the taiyoukai scooted his back up against a tree. His arms snaked around her and pulled her snuggly against his chest as he pillowed his chin between her ears and inhaled her scent.

 

Finally realizing what was happening, all Shadow could do now was let him hold her. Confusion reigned supreme in her still half asleep mind as she relaxed and let her head rest against his chest. Sighing once, she slowly drifted back to sleep.

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Arriving at a decent sized clearing, Kagome stopped and turned to her cousin. Death Strike nodded and they waited for their mates to catch up to them.

 

“What's taking you two so long?” Kagome hollered over her shoulder. She was eager to learn how to fight with InuYasha. Moments later, the two males wandered into the clearing and over to their impatient mates.

 

“Well, now that we're all here, and can speak in a normal voice, this is what we're going to do. We're going to learn how to fight in teams. Soulmated pairs fight in tandem for two reasons: one) they are so close that they can usually predict each others moves and two) if one were to die, the other would also die. That is the price of a soulmate bond,” Death Strike explained to those assembled.

 

“Wait a minute mates don't usually die together. The widowed don't usually ever take a second mate if their original mating bond was strong, but I've never heard of the mate dying,” stated InuYasha in confusion.

 

“That's true, but those are normal mate bonds. Although if that bond is strong enough the widowed mate will still sometimes follow their mate into death, but you're right InuYasha…it doesn't normally happen. However, we are linked by soulmate bonds. When a soul is created it is whole…and is neither gender yet both at the same time. When it comes time for that soul to be `born' it splits in twain, one half becoming male and one half female…usually. Some times, for whatever reason, both halves end of the same gender…like Faele and Falcon. Anyway, when soulmates finally meet and mate, they complete each other, making the soul whole again. Once the soul has been completed it will do everything in its power to remain thus and the result is that when one mate dies it half of the soul calls to its other half from beyond. Wanting to be complete the living mate will die in order to be with their other half. Death is almost instantaneous, so there is no pain for the widowed mate. It's kind of confusing….” Death Strike shrugged as the other three stared at her in shock.

 

“So if InuYasha dies…I die too? That simple?” Kagome gasped; the concept just not wanting to sink in.

 

“Yes, Kagome, but don't worry…neither of you will be dying anytime soon,” Death Strike reassured her, “Ok, now lets get to this lesson….”

 

 

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Around lunch time the four wandered back into camp. Kagome's jaw dropping in shock at the scene she found. Sango and Miroku were working together to fix lunch as Shippo, Kirara, and Rin chased Jaken unmercifully. To them it was just a game of tag…to Jaken it was torture. The dragon, AhUn, lay nearby watching the children's antics as Kagome glanced around for her missing cousin. Slapping one hand over her mouth, Kagome grabbed the sleeve of InuYasha's hoari, yanked once, and then pointed at Sesshomaru.

 

InuYasha's jaw dropped at the sight. Sesshomaru was leaning with his back against a tree with Shadow sitting in his lap. His eyes were closed and he had one arm wrapped snuggly around her back as his other rubbed behind her ears and caressed her ebony locks, while his tail wrapped itself snuggly around her waist. InuYasha grabbed Kagome's arm as she took a step towards them and he shook his head no when she looked back at him.

 

“Shadow's asleep…I can tell by her breathing, but Sesshomaru is awake. Don't bother him,” InuYasha whispered into Kagome's ear. With a nod the two of them joined Sango, Miroku, Death Strike, and Koga by the small campfire for lunch.

 

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After lunch Shippo and Rin curled up together and fell asleep, so Kagome decided that they would rest where they were for the day and continue on the next day. Kirara slept in Sango's lap and Jaken had gone to sit beside AhUn not long before. The children had run the little toad ragged. The other four adults sat together talking quietly amongst themselves when a startled gasp caught their attention.

 

Kagome turned in time to see Shadow fighting her way from Sesshomaru's arms; nearly yanking his tail off in her haste to get away from him. Finally free of him, Kagome watched Shadow take a step back, the fae's eyes wide with surprise and something else Kagome couldn't quite place. Sesshomaru slowly got to his feet and then reached out for her, but Shadow stepped back again only to collide with her sister. Kagome wondered when Death Strike had gotten up, but watched as the younger twin whispered something into her sister's ear. Shadow growled and narrowed her eyes at her twin before suddenly shifting into her fae form and dashing off into the trees.

 

“What just happened?” Kagome finally asked.

 

No one answered her. InuYasha and Koga both shrugged, which annoyed Kagome. Turning her attention to Death Strike, she found her cousin and Sesshomaru talking just out of hearing distance.

 

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Death Strike sighed as Shadow raced off into the trees. Turning her attention to Sesshomaru she crossed the distance between them and laid a hand on his arm.

 

“We need to talk,” she said softly. He glanced at the others and she shook her head. “Away from the others. Right now they don't need to know about this, but since you seem set on courting my sister, you do.”

 

“Indeed. I have a question to ask you…” Sesshomaru began, but Death Strike cut him off.

 

“Let me guess, you want to know what was wrong with Shadow last night?” she cut in, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

 

Dumbfounded, Sesshomaru nodded.

 

“I, too, was awake last night…Her deep sadness woke me from a very peaceful dream, but when blood calls to blood it is required that you answer. You were not awake when she spoke to me after her song; although I am sure she thought me still asleep. Yes, I know why she was so sad, and although she does not speak of it I think, since you wish you court her, that you have a right to know,” she said with a sigh. Motioning for him to take a seat, she sank down on her knees and got comfortable.

 

“As you know, when a female Demon Fae is released from her binding she must undergo the Blood Ceremony. At that time she may take that male as her mate. Shadow and I were only 12 at the time of our ceremony. We chose a set of brothers…our very closest of friends for our ceremony. The four of us had been practically inseparable since a very young age, and, as you may have guessed, they were Demon Fae as well,” Death Strike explained, keeping her eyes on the ground, “They were older than us and had already gone through their ceremonies…thus they could help us in ours. Anyway, we had decided to not become mates, as Shadow and I were a bit young. After the ceremony, we were even closer than before; after all, we had just shared a very intimate experience. At 16, I took as my mate, my ceremony bonded, Gray. Everyone thought Shadow would mate his older brother, her ceremony bonded, Matthew shortly thereafter. They did not ever become an acknowledged mated pair as they had planned because someone else intervened.

 

Matthew had started courting another female, Sindel; since he had not originally planned on becoming Shadow's life mate, but then he found out that Shadow was carrying his pups. Together, he and Shadow decided to wait until after the pups were born to hold their mating ceremony. Shadow had two beautiful pups…if you could call them that, since the boy was a dragon and the girl a phoenix…but they were the most powerful pups that had been born in generations! Well, other than Shadow…anyway, the other female grew jealous and vengeful. The evening that Shadow and Matthew were to meet and make their bond official…Sindel slew Matthew. Shadow arrived to find him dying…” Death Strike paused to wipe at a tear that was sliding down her cheek, “He died in Shadow's arms, but he made her vow that she would not kill Sindel in retaliation before he took his last breath…Shadow agreed, but neither knew about Sindel's most heinous act at that time.

 

Shadow had left her pups with Gray and myself for the evening…I had just returned from an audience with my father when Sindel arrived,” Death Strike buried her face in her hands, “She told us that she had come for the babies. We refused her and she fought us. I had not mastered my powers very well yet, so Gray did most of the fighting. I called for my kin's aide, but being as defenseless as I was, Sindel used me against my mate and my kin did not arrive in time. She threw one of her strongest attacks at me and I panicked. Gray jumped in front of me and summoned a shield, but he was no where near as powerful as she…the barrier failed…” she took a deep breath, “…and he died. I caught him as he fell, but he was already dead. I let my anger control me as I followed Sindel to the nursery, knowing all too well that I was no match for her, but I was already too late. Shadow's beautiful children, naught more than a few weeks old, were dead as well. Sindel had brutally shredded the infants…dismembered and decapitated them in her fury. I was violently ill, and that is how Mikel and our father found me. Shadow arrived only moments later, but her vow to Matthew prevented her from seeking vengeance for either him or the pups…” Lifting tear filled eyes, Death Strike locked gazes with Sesshomaru, “Today is the anniversary of their deaths…that is why Shadow mourns. Five years have passed and she has neither forgotten nor sought a mate in all this time.”

 

Death Strike sighed and the glanced at the rest of the group. Amazingly they had not wandered over and joined the conversation. For that she was thankful. She watched as Sesshomaru sat there and tossed her words around in his head. Deciding she'd given him enough time, she spoke again.

 

“Now you know Shadow's secret. So now my question for you is: what are you going to do to help your soulmate?”

 

Sesshomaru looked up swiftly, his shock evident in his eyes even if his face didn't show it. “Soulmate? I'm not her soulmate.”

 

“I beg to differ. Mikel and I have both seen the link with the second sight. You are indeed her soulmate and I warn you, it will not be easy to win her. Shadow made a vow shortly after the death of her pups that she would not mate a male that could not at least match her in a fair fight. Only one as strong as she will be able to stand up to Sindel…and the only male as strong as Shadow is her soulmate. Only her soulmate may seek vengeance for the wrongs that have been done to her by the fire drake, Sindel.”

 

“You're saying that although her vow keeps her from killing this Sindel, if I were to mate Shadow, I would be able to kill the fire drake for her?”

 

Death Strike nodded and then got to her feet. A wolf's sorrowful howl echoed through the trees and she sighed. Her eyes met Sesshomaru's and she smiled sadly before walking back to her mate and cousin.

 

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Kagome watched as Death Strike sat with the taiyoukai and spoke animatedly. Once, she buried her face in her palms and Koga moved to go to his mate, but she held him back.

 

“I think they wanted to talk alone,” Kagome said softly to the wolf and with a grunt he sat back down.

 

Sango had managed to start a conversation between the five of them, and shortly there after the children had woken up and gone back to tormenting Jaken. Now, as Death Strike made her way back over to their group a low, mournful howl echoed around them. Involuntarily she shivered and scooted closer to InuYasha. With a soft purr, he pulled Kagome into his lap as Death Strike took a seat beside her mate and leaned her head against his shoulder. Although her eyes shined with unshed tears, somehow she managed to keep them inside, but InuYasha and Kagome could smell the saltiness and knew.

 

Kagome and InuYasha exchanged a glance before both turned, expecting Sesshomaru to come sit with the rest of them. Instead they were surprised to see him disappearing into the trees. They exchanged another look between them and turned their attention back to the conversation happening around them.

 

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He found her sitting on a large, flat stone with her muzzle still pointed to the clouds. Her eyes were closed and she was perfectly still; had he not heard her heart beating, he'd have sworn she was a very lifelike statue. For a moment he simply stood watching her, contemplating what her sister had told him. So, she won't mate unless the male proves he is as strong as, or stronger than, she is…he thought. So how do I prove that I am stronger? He was dumbstruck by the question. When had he started to see her as his mate? Hell, when had he decided that he wanted her? He shook his head to clear his thoughts and looked back to the wolf…only to have his gaze meet hers.

 

*What do you want?* she asked softly, but he still flinched at the feeling of her being in his mind. That was something he was definitely not used to.

 

“You…” he said softly in reply, his eyes still locked on hers. Then he did something he didn't know he could do…he took fae form.

 

Shadow's ears perked slightly as she felt him tug on her powers so that he could assume fae form. She had seen his true form and had been grudgingly impressed, but as she gazed upon him now she was forced to admit that he was not only very attractive, but that he was also her soulmate; just as Mikel had hinted. He looked exactly like he did in his demon form, just smaller, except that in his fae form the large ruff of fur that wrapped around his chest and upper back was gone and his ears were similar to the one's InuYasha sported.

 

*I think I like you better this way,* she sent as she padded from her perch to his side. Slowly, she padded around him, taking a closer look at his smaller form. He still sported the magenta stripes on his cheeks, ankles, hips, and shoulders. They make nice accents…plain white gets boring after a while, she thought as she trotted around him. She noted that his blue crescent moon remained as well and it made her smile inwardly; she liked that marking for some reason.

 

*How'd this happen? I was supposed to take true form! Why am I so small?* the shock and anger were evident in his telepathic voice and she chuckled.

 

*You used my powers to take fae form. Obviously my brother was correct when he hinted that you were my soulmate,* she replied as she sat back on her haunches, curling her tail prettily around her paws.

 

*But don't we have to be mated in order for me to use your powers?*

 

*Usually, yes. However, since we are in such close proximity and we are both rather powerful, you were able to summon them without the mating bond.*

 

He watched as she shrugged, entranced by her graceful movements. He was slightly amazed by how fluidly she moved. As quick as a snap of someone's fingers he knew how he was to prove he was stronger. With a low growl he pounced; landing where she had been sitting only seconds before, but she was no longer there. He looked around confused, only to discover her a few feet away, tail wagging playfully as her eyes twinkled with merriment.

 

*Catch me…if you think you can…* she sent him, and then bounded off through the trees.

 

Sesshomaru chuckled, immediately regretting the action as his ribs suddenly ached…reminding him that he wasn't fully healed yet, but he wouldn't let that stop him. Determined that he would not let her get away, he leapt after her. He raced through the trees behind her, astounded by how fast she moved, but was able to keep her in sight. He didn't know how long they had run through the trees, but suddenly they were back at the campsite and the distance between them closed rapidly. He took the chance and leapt for her, only to yelp as her paws impacted with his stomach as she rolled onto her back. With a growl, she flipped him over her head and shifted back into her human form. Amazingly, she was fully clothed as she stood there on two legs. He followed her example and moments later, he also stood on two legs, fully clothed. Simultaneously they drew swords and Shadow growled as the other members of their group gasped loudly in surprise. InuYasha moved to help Shadow, but Death Strike held him back.

 

“You cannot interfere. This is for Shadow to win or lose alone,” Death Strike told him, slowly removing her hand from his arm. InuYasha nodded and turned back to watch.

 

Shadow growled again; only to have it echoed by Sesshomaru, but this battle was not to be. A high pitched whistling rang through the trees behind Shadow. Her ears swiveled to listen better, but as she turned her head to look, a sacred arrow embedded itself in her back. Her eyes widened as she dropped her sword, her mouth falling open in a silent scream. The arrow in her back flared a brilliant blue as Shadow's eyes glowed brightly, but then the arrow's powers dissipated and Shadow's eyes closed as she fell forward, unconscious.

 

Sesshomaru rushed forward to catch her as the rest of the group members either scrambled to grab weapons or rushed to Shadow's side. Death Strike knelt by her sister, growling loudly as her eyes blazed. Koga and Kagome stood by her side as InuYasha sniffed the arrow, Miroku, Jaken, and Sango stood with weapons ready, by Shippo and Rin; Kirara and AhUn standing to either side of the monk and demon slayer.

 

“Kikyo…” InuYasha growled….

 

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Author's Note: And I'm going to leave it at that for now. *cringes* Don't kill me, I'll have the next chapter up soon…don't worry.

 

Review Responses:

 

WoodShop2300 & Taeniaea: Thank you for the reviews.

 

InuYashasLoveLorn: And now you know lol. I was wondering if anyone was going to ask why Shadow had her moments of sadness. Hope the background story wasn't too much of a let down.