InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Coyote Child ❯ Chapter Fourteen ( Chapter 14 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: terri botta 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 09.17.2008 | Pages: 7 | Words: 4.5K | Visits: 12.1K | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 09.17.2008 | Pages: 7 | Words: 4.5K | Visits: 12.1K | Status: Work In Progress
The Coyote Child
By Terri Botta
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Sole copyright belongs to Viz and Rumiko Takashi. I'm poor so don't
sue.
Rating: R for later chapters.
Pairing: Inuyasha/Kagome
Summary: Inuyasha and Kagome are asked to adopt a coyote-hanyou baby from Arizona.
Email feedback to: isilwath@comcast.net
Webpage: http://www.wordsmiths.net/Botta
Navajo words:
Hataalii - medicine man
Yah-ta-hey hello
Author's note: Here it is. Thanks for your patience. Please note that in the TLO universe Tenseiga never
became a killing sword. Also, I've written a Twilight Fan Fic called Pulling Down Heaven. It's up on
FF.net: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4378125/1/Pulling_Down_Heaven
*** ****
Chapter 14
Things were in a bit of an uproar when they got back to the hogan. Having been
gone all morning, and most of the afternoon looking for any evidence of the Terror Bats'
patron, they were surprised to find everyone engaged in a flurry of activity.
"Oi!" Inuyasha called as he and his mate got out of the Jeep. "What's going on?"
Yukio saw them and came running over, relief evident on his face. "Otou-san!
Kaa-san! I am so glad you're back."
There was a hint of crazed panic in his son's eyes that made him clench his teeth.
"What
happened?"
"The pup laughed," Yukio answered as if the simple, nonsensical statement
explained everything.
"Huh? What? The pup what?" he demanded, instinctively reaching for his sword.
Yukio took a deep breath. "He laughed. Apparently that's a big thing in the
Navajo culture. They're planning a big party tomorrow, and I'm the guest of honor."
"You? Why you?"
"Because I was the one who made him laugh," his son admitted.
"Who is that?" Kagome asked suddenly, taking his attention from Yukio's
blathering. So the pup laughed? So what?
He turned his head to see who she was looking at and saw an old man talking with
Ruth. The human was bent with age, but he reeked of Power. Just what they needed,
another Navajo bouzo. He almost growled.
"Who? Oh, that's Ben. He came to see the pup. He's an hataalii. I should also
warn you that he's one of the men who killed the last coyote-hanyou pup that was born
on the Navajo reservation."
"And you let him near Peter?" his mother gasped.
"No, it's ok. Ben doesn't mean him any harm. He feels terrible about what
happened the last time, and he came here to help," Yukio assured them.
"And do you believe him?" Inuyasha asked.
His son nodded. "I smell no deceit on him. If he's lying, he's lying to himself
too."
He grunted softly. He trusted Yukio's nose as well as he would trust his own, and
if his son said the man wasn't lying, then he wasn't lying.
By now the old man had seen them, and Inuyasha had no doubt that his
concealment spell was as useless against him as it was against the Medicine Man in Utah.
He steeled himself and loosened his hold on Tessaiga's hilt in preparation for meeting the
man. It would do no good for him to slice something off if he got angry enough to draw
the sword.
"Yah-tah-hey. Yah-ta-hay, my friends," the man greeted, a wide smile on his lips.
"Welcome back."
"Thank you, Ojii-san," his wife replied, stepping up to meet the old man.
He scowled as Kagome accepted the hataalii's handshake, uncomfortable with his
mate touching the stranger, but he knew better than to make a fuss.
"I am Benjamin Dailey. You must be Yukio's parents, Kagome and Inuyasha
Fushikenwa."
"Yes, Benjamin-san. We are pleased to meet you," his mate replied, bowing.
"Speak for yourself," he grumbled under his breath, but only Yukio heard him
and snickered.
"And I you. Please call me Ben. Your son speaks well of you. He is a fine man."
"Thank you, Ben-san. Yes, we are very proud of Yukio," Kagome answered,
maternal pride in her voice.
He fluffed with pride himself; his eldest was one of his finest sons, and he could
not ask for a better beta. But he couldn't allow the old man's praises to get him to let
down his guard. No matter how friendly he might be now, Yukio had admitted that the
hataalii had murdered a helpless pup in the past.
"Oi! Is it true you killed the last Coyote pup?" he demanded.
"I was one of the men, yes. I was a boy then, and I participated in the mob that
went for the child," the old man admitted.
"Huh," Inuyasha huffed, surprised by the hataalii's frank answer. He had
expected at least some hedging or circling of the issue, but the man had just come out and
admitted it. "What makes you think you would be welcome here now? You think you are
forgiven because it's been a long time?"
"No. I ask no forgiveness for my part in what happened. There is no forgiveness
for it."
Inuyasha blew out his nose and nodded. "No, there isn't. There is no forgiveness
for murdering helpless pups."
"It was a shameful thing, but I am here now to make sure the same thing does not
happen to this child. I do not want to see the mistakes of the past repeated."
"Benjamin has pledged to speak for the pup to the other Elders," Yukio explained.
"He hopes to convince them to leave Peter alone."
"Just hopes?" Inuyasha countered. "What if he fails and a mob comes after we're
gone? Do we want to take that chance?"
"You won't need to. If there is danger, I will take Sara and my son away from
here," Temeh interrupted, coming to stand next to Yukio.
Inuyasha noticed that the coyote youkai stayed on the opposite side from the old
man. `Feh. Bodies might be buried but they're shallow graves.'
"And what if there are too many to fight?" he heard Kagome ask.
`He'll die trying to save them. No need to ask that dumb question,' he thought
with a scowl.
"Kohteh and Kohmeh will warn me well in advance if there is a mob coming."
`If the mob doesn't get them first...' But then he realized that the coyotes would
probably run from the mob well before any of them could get a hand on the animals.
Youkai coyotes were twice as fast and wily as their normal counterparts.
"Could you outrun them?" his mate pressed.
"If I transformed, yes," Temeh replied with complete conviction. "I am at my
most powerful when I am in my true form."
Inuyasha nodded. He knew that from his experiences with his brother. The true
demon form was always the most powerful, but not always the best. Sesshoumaru's
missing arm gave credence to that.
"Feh. You'd just make a bigger target," he taunted, crossing his arms over his
chest. He knew he was picking a fight, but after what he had seen of how the Navajos
treated coyotes, he wanted to make sure the kid knew what he was getting into.
"It will not come to that," Ben assured them. "After tomorrow, the others will see.
They will understand that he has come to help us. He will lead us back to hozho."
He snorted. It sounded too much like `grand destiny' to him, and he balked at the
idea that the pup's future was already decided. He knew all about destiny and fate, and he
hated both. If destiny and fate had had their way, he would have been dead for centuries.
"Oi, why don't you let the pup learn how to walk before you start deciding what
he's gonna do?"
Ben laughed and nodded. "Yes, of course. He cannot lead us anywhere until he
can at least crawl."
"Feh."
"But now is a time of celebration. The boy child has laughed. He is ready to leave
the Holy Ones and join his human family," the hataalii said. "We are planning the A'wee
Chi'deedloh for him to welcome him to the People."
"Is there anything we can do to help?" Kagome asked. "We need to go to a town
to get gas so we can stop at a market and pick up any food and supplies you need while
we are there."
"I will bring the sheep we will give for the feast and the salt for the ceremony.
The child's grandmother has all that she needs for the Laughing Party, and the guests will
also bring food, but if you wish to contribute, anything you bring will be welcome."
"Is there anything that I, as the one who made Peter laugh, should bring?" Yukio
questioned. "Temeh, I know you said that normally that person would be the one to host
the party."
Temeh nodded. "Yes, yes. But you are not Navajo. You are not of the People so
you are not expected to know our ways. I have assumed the role of host in your place."
"What we can bring?" his mate said, placing her hand on their son's arm.
"Food is always welcome. You know the Navajo staples: corn, beans, bacon...
Any of those things would be a good gift to bring for the feast."
"We can pick up some things when we get gas for the Jeep."
"Yes, that's a good idea," Temeh agreed.
Seeing that his mate would now be involved with party planning, he removed
himself from the conversation and let Kagome discuss the event with the bouzo and the
coyote-youkai. He hated big parties and ceremonies, and he knew his son shared the same
sentiment.
"What happened while we were gone?" he asked his eldest.
"Temeh dug a new well," Yukio replied.
Inuyasha blinked. "He did?"
"We spent a good bit of the afternoon shoring it up, setting the pipe, and making
sure the pump worked, but now Ruth and the neighboring hogans have a local source of
water. He dug it deep enough that it'll never run dry."
He tilted his head into the wind and breathed deep, catching the scent of water.
"It's clean," he said.
"Yeah, we tested it," Yukio agreed.
"That was a good gift."
"A priceless gift. Temeh gave it to seal a new Pact between his clan and the
Navajo."
"Feh. He's just a pup. He didn't have the authority to do that," he argued, crossing
his arms. Secretly, however, he was impressed. Doing that took guts, but he didn't want
to ease up on the kid too much because he didn't want it to look like he was going soft.
"Whether he did or didn't, he did it anyway, and it isn't like he made any new
promises. He just renewed the original pact between them," Yukio replied with a shrug.
He gave a grunt in answer, but otherwise stayed silent.
"Is it true that you and Okaa-san need to go to town?"
"We need gas for the Jeep. Tank's half empty and the spare cans need refilled,"
he replied.
"I'd like to go with you when you go."
He gave his son a look. "And leave the pup unprotected?"
Yukio winced, but he could see the stress on his son's face. "No, but I was
hoping..."
"That I would stay here and guard the pup whole you went with your mother."
Yukio flushed and looked away. "Yes. Tou-san, I need... I need some fresh air."
`More like he needs some time away from the Cree woman's scent,' he reasoned,
casting a quick glance where Emma was talking with Sara and the old woman. Emma
was holding the pup while Sara helped her grandmother with a handloom, and Inuyasha
didn't miss the look of contentment on her face.
`Yeah, he definitely needs some time away from her. Push too much here, and
he'll run like the flea at the first sign of trouble.' "All right. I'll stay while you go with
your mother. But don't blame me if we get kicked off the reservation because you left me
alone with them."
Yukio laughed and patted him on the shoulder. "Surely you can keep your mouth
shut for a couple of hours while Kaa-san and me are gone."
"Feh."
His son laughed again, but he could see the relief in Yukio's eyes.
`A little time away from her might help him work some things out.'
They watched as Kagome finished her conversation with the whelp and the
bouzo, then waited as she came over.
"The nearest gas station is about 2 hours away. We should get going," his mate
said.
"Otou-san is staying here to guard the hogan, Kaa-san. I'll go into town with
you," Yukio answered.
His mate gave him a look that said they'd talk about that later, but she smiled at
their son.
"It's been a while since we've gone out together just the two of us."
Yukio laughed. "It's just like going out with Tou-san, only without the road rage
and impatient glares."
"Oi!" he growled, but then added more softly, "Hey, check the cell signal where
you're going. Call home if you can. Make sure everything is okay there."
Kagome nodded, understanding that they both were missing home and ready for
the trip to be over.
"Do you need a phone?" Temeh asked, overhearing them.
"Do you have one that works here?" his mate answered. "Ours has no signal."
"Sure. I've got a satellite phone. You need one out here. Its in my bag. I'll get it."
When the coyote-youkai had gone to get his bag, Yukio turned to him but he
growled a warning.
"What?" his son asked innocently.
"Don't start about the damn phone," he complained.
"But Tou-san, I wasn't going to say a word." Yukio was all mock-angry and
offended, but his eyes were laughing at him.
He growled again, but he mate rubbed his arm to soothe his temper. It worked... a
little.
Temeh came back with his phone, and Inuyasha frowned even more because it
was one of those fancy iPhones that his son, Miroku, loved so much the kind that
played music and showed videos and sent email. He'd punctured four of them with his
nails before he gave up on the stupid things. When the kid offered it to him, he waved
toward Kagome so she could take it. If she broke it at least it wouldn't be his fault.
Still he perked his ears up as she thanked the kid and dialed home. His son,
Tetzukasu, answered on the first ring.
"Hi Mama," his dragon-hanyou son greeted cheerfully.
"Tetzu, how did... Oh, of course, nevermind," Kagome replied. "How are things
there?"
He huffed. Of course Tetzu would have known they were going to call; he had the
Sight.
"We're all fine, Mama. Ian's here and Eri and Izayoi. Do you want to talk to
them?"
In the background, Inuyasha could hear his youngest clamoring for the phone.
"It sounds like Ian is insisting that he talk to me," Kagome answered, a smile on
her face.
"Kaa-san, Kaa-san! When are you and Aniki and Tou-san coming home?" Ian's
voice begged.
"Soon, baby. We're almost done here. Are you being good for Tetzu?"
"Yes, but I miss you. I want you to come home today." There was a definite
whine in the pup's tone.
"Oh no, Ian, I'm sorry, but it'll be another day or two at least."
"No!"
He grabbed the phone from his mate and growled into the receiver. "Oi! Don't
you talk to your mother like that!" he scolded, then added, :Pup obey leader-male and
pack-brother.:
Ian whined low in his throat, but he heard the submission.
:Sorry. Sorry. Pup sorry.: "Sorry, Tou-san, sorry."
:Forgiven.: "It's okay, pup. We know you miss us. We want to be home with you
too."
"Are you coming home soon, Tou-san?"
"As soon as we can. You want to talk to Aniki?"
"Yeah!"
He handed the hated iPhone to his eldest and crossed his arms as his two sons
talked.
"How many pups do you have?" Temeh asked suddenly.
It was an odd question because almost anyone who was someone knew he and
Kagome had raised over thirty orphaned hanyous. Then again, the kid was barely out of
diapers, so maybe he didn't know as much as he thought he did.
"Twenty-eight," he answered.
Temeh's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "Twenty-eight?"
He shrugged. "Had thirty-four but six died."
Technically he'd lost ten if he counted the four miscarriages Kagome'd had
before she gave birth to Ian, but he shied away from the memory. He didn't like to think
of all the suffering and loss they had been through before Ian was born.
"Wow," Temeh breathed. "How did..."
He saw the kid trail off, his eyes sliding over to Kagome, sizing her up. He
scowled.
"They were adopted," he snapped. "Only my youngest is our biological child."
Temeh nodded as if he'd just remembered something. "The invitro pup."
He grunted in acknowledgement and watched as Yukio finished talking and hung
up the iPhone.
"Well, everything is fine back home, but Tetzu would like us to return as soon as
possible because he's needed back in New York."
"I'm thinking the day after tomorrow," he answered.
"Yeah. One more day to tie up loose ends," his son agreed, then thanked Temeh
for the use of his iPhone as he handed it back.
"Well, we're off," Yukio announced cheerfully.
"Get more ramen," he said just for something to say.
His son grinned and his mate gave him a kiss before they got into the Jeep and
headed off. He swallowed a sigh and quelled the pang of longing as he watched them
drive away.
"It's hard to be away from your mate," Temeh commented.
He looked at the kid and realized that the boy probably understood that feeling
better than most.
"Yeah, you could say that."
88888888
Sesshomaru sneered and looked down at the battered demon who had been tossed
at his feet. His guards had brought the idiot in on his orders, and dragged him into the
office he kept in Tucson. He disliked the desert city, but he found it convenient to have a
base of operation near his son's Las Vegas empire without seeming like he was hovering
too close. He had told his agents to bring him the one who was guilty of importing the
demon bats, and meddling in plans he had been setting in motion to use less than
conventional means of harvesting uranium from Navajo lands. Now, of course, those
plans were completely disrupted, and they would have to be put on hold until scrutiny of
the situation died down. He was not pleased.
"You are Deveran?" he asked, his voice cold. The scent of the scum's blood on
his split lip was an affront to his nose, but he kept his face calm and expressionless.
"You know I am," the pathetic creature rasped.
"Hmph. You know who I am?"
The prisoner ventured a quick glance up at his face, and he was pleased that his
servants had complied with his demand that the upstart remain relatively unharmed upon
capture. What injuries he had sustained had been incurred because he had fought when he
was ambushed. His guards knew their orders, but nothing told them that they were not
permitted to defend themselves.
"You are Nishitaisho Sesshomaru, the Lord of the West."
He grunted in a satisfactory way. At least the unfortunate fool had heard of him. It
would make things so much easier.
"Then you know you have encroached on my territory."
The demon hissed in defiance. "You have no claim to the Navajo lands!"
"I am Lord of the West and High Councilor of the Western and Eastern
Hemispheres. Everything is under my claim," he corrected calmly, but the anger was
simmering just under the surface. Aside from endangering the very long term and
elaborate plans with his recklessness, the peon had brought disgusting carrion-eaters
close to his middle son's domicile. Sesshomaru was not amused.
The prisoner scowled and spat on the floor. The action only sealed the upstart's
fate, but he didn't bother to tell him that. "That's what I think of your claim."
"Hrrm. We have found evidence of your involvement in the smuggling of illegal
youkai into this country," he stated.
The prisoner spat again. There was acid in the saliva; it burned his expensive
Persian rug. His temper was rising. Too bad his intended victim was too oblivious to
notice how close he was coming to death.
"You admit to bringing in the Hyakki koumori?"
"Something had to be done. The damn tribal humans wouldn't let anyone mine
for the uranium."
It was as close to a confession as the idiot had gotten since he had been captured.
"I see." He casually leafed through a set of papers on his desk. "It says here that
you have ties to Itochu Corp. What is your connection to them?"
The prisoner clamped his mouth shut and bared his teeth.
"Could it be that you conspired with your brother-in-law to convince the Navajo
Nation to allow mining on their land?" He saw his captive blanch and flinch. "Oh yes.
We know of your relation to Serratis. We picked him up this morning. He has been...
very cooperative."
He was also very dead, but Sesshomaru didn't see how telling his latest prey that
little fact would help his cause any; although he had considered giving the idiot his
brother-in-law's head just for the pleasure of seeing the terror on the demon's face.
"You do know that would be constituted as stealing from me and attempting to
usurp my claim," he said calmly.
"You were doing nothing! You let those stupid humans tell you no! That uranium
is worth millions!" the creature ranted.
"Did it ever occur to you that there are other ways of gaining access to minerals
that do not involve mining? Your ill-planned scheme has upended a number of plans to
extract the uranium without the knowledge of the humans living on the land," he
informed. "And what care do I have for millions when billions are already mine? What
significance could a small deposit of rare metal have to me when the world is at my
feet?"
He took a step forward, allowing the captive's growing fear feed his bloodlust.
Had Tenseiga not repudiated him when he used it to revive an enemy only to kill him
again, he would have done the same now, but the sword pulsed a warning and he pulled
Toukijin instead.
"You brought disgusting carrion-eaters close to my son. You allowed them to kill
humans and call attention where no attention should have been. And you endangered the
lives of my brother, his wife and my nephew."
Seeing the sword, the prisoner trembled and prostrated himself. "Lord
Sesshomaru. Forgive me. I will never make that mistake again."
"No, you will not."
He raised the blade. Toukijin pulsed with feral glee in his hand.
"My brother's life belongs to me."
He struck, slicing the peon's head neatly off his shoulders. When the body
stopped twitching, he pickled up the phone on his desk and rang his assistant.
"I need a clean-up crew in my office immediately."
"Yes, Nishitaisho-sama, I will call custodial services right away," the voice on the
other end promised.
He eyed the growing bloodstain on the carpet and scowled.
"And get me a new rug for my office. This one is soiled beyond repair."
He didn't wait for the acknowledgement before he hung up. Sheathing Toukijin,
he stepped over what was left of the up-and-coming demon lord, and walked out of his
office.
He didn't bother to close the door behind him.
By Terri Botta
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Sole copyright belongs to Viz and Rumiko Takashi. I'm poor so don't
sue.
Rating: R for later chapters.
Pairing: Inuyasha/Kagome
Summary: Inuyasha and Kagome are asked to adopt a coyote-hanyou baby from Arizona.
Email feedback to: isilwath@comcast.net
Webpage: http://www.wordsmiths.net/Botta
Navajo words:
Hataalii - medicine man
Yah-ta-hey hello
Author's note: Here it is. Thanks for your patience. Please note that in the TLO universe Tenseiga never
became a killing sword. Also, I've written a Twilight Fan Fic called Pulling Down Heaven. It's up on
FF.net: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4378125/1/Pulling_Down_Heaven
*** ****
Chapter 14
Things were in a bit of an uproar when they got back to the hogan. Having been
gone all morning, and most of the afternoon looking for any evidence of the Terror Bats'
patron, they were surprised to find everyone engaged in a flurry of activity.
"Oi!" Inuyasha called as he and his mate got out of the Jeep. "What's going on?"
Yukio saw them and came running over, relief evident on his face. "Otou-san!
Kaa-san! I am so glad you're back."
There was a hint of crazed panic in his son's eyes that made him clench his teeth.
"What
happened?"
"The pup laughed," Yukio answered as if the simple, nonsensical statement
explained everything.
"Huh? What? The pup what?" he demanded, instinctively reaching for his sword.
Yukio took a deep breath. "He laughed. Apparently that's a big thing in the
Navajo culture. They're planning a big party tomorrow, and I'm the guest of honor."
"You? Why you?"
"Because I was the one who made him laugh," his son admitted.
"Who is that?" Kagome asked suddenly, taking his attention from Yukio's
blathering. So the pup laughed? So what?
He turned his head to see who she was looking at and saw an old man talking with
Ruth. The human was bent with age, but he reeked of Power. Just what they needed,
another Navajo bouzo. He almost growled.
"Who? Oh, that's Ben. He came to see the pup. He's an hataalii. I should also
warn you that he's one of the men who killed the last coyote-hanyou pup that was born
on the Navajo reservation."
"And you let him near Peter?" his mother gasped.
"No, it's ok. Ben doesn't mean him any harm. He feels terrible about what
happened the last time, and he came here to help," Yukio assured them.
"And do you believe him?" Inuyasha asked.
His son nodded. "I smell no deceit on him. If he's lying, he's lying to himself
too."
He grunted softly. He trusted Yukio's nose as well as he would trust his own, and
if his son said the man wasn't lying, then he wasn't lying.
By now the old man had seen them, and Inuyasha had no doubt that his
concealment spell was as useless against him as it was against the Medicine Man in Utah.
He steeled himself and loosened his hold on Tessaiga's hilt in preparation for meeting the
man. It would do no good for him to slice something off if he got angry enough to draw
the sword.
"Yah-tah-hey. Yah-ta-hay, my friends," the man greeted, a wide smile on his lips.
"Welcome back."
"Thank you, Ojii-san," his wife replied, stepping up to meet the old man.
He scowled as Kagome accepted the hataalii's handshake, uncomfortable with his
mate touching the stranger, but he knew better than to make a fuss.
"I am Benjamin Dailey. You must be Yukio's parents, Kagome and Inuyasha
Fushikenwa."
"Yes, Benjamin-san. We are pleased to meet you," his mate replied, bowing.
"Speak for yourself," he grumbled under his breath, but only Yukio heard him
and snickered.
"And I you. Please call me Ben. Your son speaks well of you. He is a fine man."
"Thank you, Ben-san. Yes, we are very proud of Yukio," Kagome answered,
maternal pride in her voice.
He fluffed with pride himself; his eldest was one of his finest sons, and he could
not ask for a better beta. But he couldn't allow the old man's praises to get him to let
down his guard. No matter how friendly he might be now, Yukio had admitted that the
hataalii had murdered a helpless pup in the past.
"Oi! Is it true you killed the last Coyote pup?" he demanded.
"I was one of the men, yes. I was a boy then, and I participated in the mob that
went for the child," the old man admitted.
"Huh," Inuyasha huffed, surprised by the hataalii's frank answer. He had
expected at least some hedging or circling of the issue, but the man had just come out and
admitted it. "What makes you think you would be welcome here now? You think you are
forgiven because it's been a long time?"
"No. I ask no forgiveness for my part in what happened. There is no forgiveness
for it."
Inuyasha blew out his nose and nodded. "No, there isn't. There is no forgiveness
for murdering helpless pups."
"It was a shameful thing, but I am here now to make sure the same thing does not
happen to this child. I do not want to see the mistakes of the past repeated."
"Benjamin has pledged to speak for the pup to the other Elders," Yukio explained.
"He hopes to convince them to leave Peter alone."
"Just hopes?" Inuyasha countered. "What if he fails and a mob comes after we're
gone? Do we want to take that chance?"
"You won't need to. If there is danger, I will take Sara and my son away from
here," Temeh interrupted, coming to stand next to Yukio.
Inuyasha noticed that the coyote youkai stayed on the opposite side from the old
man. `Feh. Bodies might be buried but they're shallow graves.'
"And what if there are too many to fight?" he heard Kagome ask.
`He'll die trying to save them. No need to ask that dumb question,' he thought
with a scowl.
"Kohteh and Kohmeh will warn me well in advance if there is a mob coming."
`If the mob doesn't get them first...' But then he realized that the coyotes would
probably run from the mob well before any of them could get a hand on the animals.
Youkai coyotes were twice as fast and wily as their normal counterparts.
"Could you outrun them?" his mate pressed.
"If I transformed, yes," Temeh replied with complete conviction. "I am at my
most powerful when I am in my true form."
Inuyasha nodded. He knew that from his experiences with his brother. The true
demon form was always the most powerful, but not always the best. Sesshoumaru's
missing arm gave credence to that.
"Feh. You'd just make a bigger target," he taunted, crossing his arms over his
chest. He knew he was picking a fight, but after what he had seen of how the Navajos
treated coyotes, he wanted to make sure the kid knew what he was getting into.
"It will not come to that," Ben assured them. "After tomorrow, the others will see.
They will understand that he has come to help us. He will lead us back to hozho."
He snorted. It sounded too much like `grand destiny' to him, and he balked at the
idea that the pup's future was already decided. He knew all about destiny and fate, and he
hated both. If destiny and fate had had their way, he would have been dead for centuries.
"Oi, why don't you let the pup learn how to walk before you start deciding what
he's gonna do?"
Ben laughed and nodded. "Yes, of course. He cannot lead us anywhere until he
can at least crawl."
"Feh."
"But now is a time of celebration. The boy child has laughed. He is ready to leave
the Holy Ones and join his human family," the hataalii said. "We are planning the A'wee
Chi'deedloh for him to welcome him to the People."
"Is there anything we can do to help?" Kagome asked. "We need to go to a town
to get gas so we can stop at a market and pick up any food and supplies you need while
we are there."
"I will bring the sheep we will give for the feast and the salt for the ceremony.
The child's grandmother has all that she needs for the Laughing Party, and the guests will
also bring food, but if you wish to contribute, anything you bring will be welcome."
"Is there anything that I, as the one who made Peter laugh, should bring?" Yukio
questioned. "Temeh, I know you said that normally that person would be the one to host
the party."
Temeh nodded. "Yes, yes. But you are not Navajo. You are not of the People so
you are not expected to know our ways. I have assumed the role of host in your place."
"What we can bring?" his mate said, placing her hand on their son's arm.
"Food is always welcome. You know the Navajo staples: corn, beans, bacon...
Any of those things would be a good gift to bring for the feast."
"We can pick up some things when we get gas for the Jeep."
"Yes, that's a good idea," Temeh agreed.
Seeing that his mate would now be involved with party planning, he removed
himself from the conversation and let Kagome discuss the event with the bouzo and the
coyote-youkai. He hated big parties and ceremonies, and he knew his son shared the same
sentiment.
"What happened while we were gone?" he asked his eldest.
"Temeh dug a new well," Yukio replied.
Inuyasha blinked. "He did?"
"We spent a good bit of the afternoon shoring it up, setting the pipe, and making
sure the pump worked, but now Ruth and the neighboring hogans have a local source of
water. He dug it deep enough that it'll never run dry."
He tilted his head into the wind and breathed deep, catching the scent of water.
"It's clean," he said.
"Yeah, we tested it," Yukio agreed.
"That was a good gift."
"A priceless gift. Temeh gave it to seal a new Pact between his clan and the
Navajo."
"Feh. He's just a pup. He didn't have the authority to do that," he argued, crossing
his arms. Secretly, however, he was impressed. Doing that took guts, but he didn't want
to ease up on the kid too much because he didn't want it to look like he was going soft.
"Whether he did or didn't, he did it anyway, and it isn't like he made any new
promises. He just renewed the original pact between them," Yukio replied with a shrug.
He gave a grunt in answer, but otherwise stayed silent.
"Is it true that you and Okaa-san need to go to town?"
"We need gas for the Jeep. Tank's half empty and the spare cans need refilled,"
he replied.
"I'd like to go with you when you go."
He gave his son a look. "And leave the pup unprotected?"
Yukio winced, but he could see the stress on his son's face. "No, but I was
hoping..."
"That I would stay here and guard the pup whole you went with your mother."
Yukio flushed and looked away. "Yes. Tou-san, I need... I need some fresh air."
`More like he needs some time away from the Cree woman's scent,' he reasoned,
casting a quick glance where Emma was talking with Sara and the old woman. Emma
was holding the pup while Sara helped her grandmother with a handloom, and Inuyasha
didn't miss the look of contentment on her face.
`Yeah, he definitely needs some time away from her. Push too much here, and
he'll run like the flea at the first sign of trouble.' "All right. I'll stay while you go with
your mother. But don't blame me if we get kicked off the reservation because you left me
alone with them."
Yukio laughed and patted him on the shoulder. "Surely you can keep your mouth
shut for a couple of hours while Kaa-san and me are gone."
"Feh."
His son laughed again, but he could see the relief in Yukio's eyes.
`A little time away from her might help him work some things out.'
They watched as Kagome finished her conversation with the whelp and the
bouzo, then waited as she came over.
"The nearest gas station is about 2 hours away. We should get going," his mate
said.
"Otou-san is staying here to guard the hogan, Kaa-san. I'll go into town with
you," Yukio answered.
His mate gave him a look that said they'd talk about that later, but she smiled at
their son.
"It's been a while since we've gone out together just the two of us."
Yukio laughed. "It's just like going out with Tou-san, only without the road rage
and impatient glares."
"Oi!" he growled, but then added more softly, "Hey, check the cell signal where
you're going. Call home if you can. Make sure everything is okay there."
Kagome nodded, understanding that they both were missing home and ready for
the trip to be over.
"Do you need a phone?" Temeh asked, overhearing them.
"Do you have one that works here?" his mate answered. "Ours has no signal."
"Sure. I've got a satellite phone. You need one out here. Its in my bag. I'll get it."
When the coyote-youkai had gone to get his bag, Yukio turned to him but he
growled a warning.
"What?" his son asked innocently.
"Don't start about the damn phone," he complained.
"But Tou-san, I wasn't going to say a word." Yukio was all mock-angry and
offended, but his eyes were laughing at him.
He growled again, but he mate rubbed his arm to soothe his temper. It worked... a
little.
Temeh came back with his phone, and Inuyasha frowned even more because it
was one of those fancy iPhones that his son, Miroku, loved so much the kind that
played music and showed videos and sent email. He'd punctured four of them with his
nails before he gave up on the stupid things. When the kid offered it to him, he waved
toward Kagome so she could take it. If she broke it at least it wouldn't be his fault.
Still he perked his ears up as she thanked the kid and dialed home. His son,
Tetzukasu, answered on the first ring.
"Hi Mama," his dragon-hanyou son greeted cheerfully.
"Tetzu, how did... Oh, of course, nevermind," Kagome replied. "How are things
there?"
He huffed. Of course Tetzu would have known they were going to call; he had the
Sight.
"We're all fine, Mama. Ian's here and Eri and Izayoi. Do you want to talk to
them?"
In the background, Inuyasha could hear his youngest clamoring for the phone.
"It sounds like Ian is insisting that he talk to me," Kagome answered, a smile on
her face.
"Kaa-san, Kaa-san! When are you and Aniki and Tou-san coming home?" Ian's
voice begged.
"Soon, baby. We're almost done here. Are you being good for Tetzu?"
"Yes, but I miss you. I want you to come home today." There was a definite
whine in the pup's tone.
"Oh no, Ian, I'm sorry, but it'll be another day or two at least."
"No!"
He grabbed the phone from his mate and growled into the receiver. "Oi! Don't
you talk to your mother like that!" he scolded, then added, :Pup obey leader-male and
pack-brother.:
Ian whined low in his throat, but he heard the submission.
:Sorry. Sorry. Pup sorry.: "Sorry, Tou-san, sorry."
:Forgiven.: "It's okay, pup. We know you miss us. We want to be home with you
too."
"Are you coming home soon, Tou-san?"
"As soon as we can. You want to talk to Aniki?"
"Yeah!"
He handed the hated iPhone to his eldest and crossed his arms as his two sons
talked.
"How many pups do you have?" Temeh asked suddenly.
It was an odd question because almost anyone who was someone knew he and
Kagome had raised over thirty orphaned hanyous. Then again, the kid was barely out of
diapers, so maybe he didn't know as much as he thought he did.
"Twenty-eight," he answered.
Temeh's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "Twenty-eight?"
He shrugged. "Had thirty-four but six died."
Technically he'd lost ten if he counted the four miscarriages Kagome'd had
before she gave birth to Ian, but he shied away from the memory. He didn't like to think
of all the suffering and loss they had been through before Ian was born.
"Wow," Temeh breathed. "How did..."
He saw the kid trail off, his eyes sliding over to Kagome, sizing her up. He
scowled.
"They were adopted," he snapped. "Only my youngest is our biological child."
Temeh nodded as if he'd just remembered something. "The invitro pup."
He grunted in acknowledgement and watched as Yukio finished talking and hung
up the iPhone.
"Well, everything is fine back home, but Tetzu would like us to return as soon as
possible because he's needed back in New York."
"I'm thinking the day after tomorrow," he answered.
"Yeah. One more day to tie up loose ends," his son agreed, then thanked Temeh
for the use of his iPhone as he handed it back.
"Well, we're off," Yukio announced cheerfully.
"Get more ramen," he said just for something to say.
His son grinned and his mate gave him a kiss before they got into the Jeep and
headed off. He swallowed a sigh and quelled the pang of longing as he watched them
drive away.
"It's hard to be away from your mate," Temeh commented.
He looked at the kid and realized that the boy probably understood that feeling
better than most.
"Yeah, you could say that."
88888888
Sesshomaru sneered and looked down at the battered demon who had been tossed
at his feet. His guards had brought the idiot in on his orders, and dragged him into the
office he kept in Tucson. He disliked the desert city, but he found it convenient to have a
base of operation near his son's Las Vegas empire without seeming like he was hovering
too close. He had told his agents to bring him the one who was guilty of importing the
demon bats, and meddling in plans he had been setting in motion to use less than
conventional means of harvesting uranium from Navajo lands. Now, of course, those
plans were completely disrupted, and they would have to be put on hold until scrutiny of
the situation died down. He was not pleased.
"You are Deveran?" he asked, his voice cold. The scent of the scum's blood on
his split lip was an affront to his nose, but he kept his face calm and expressionless.
"You know I am," the pathetic creature rasped.
"Hmph. You know who I am?"
The prisoner ventured a quick glance up at his face, and he was pleased that his
servants had complied with his demand that the upstart remain relatively unharmed upon
capture. What injuries he had sustained had been incurred because he had fought when he
was ambushed. His guards knew their orders, but nothing told them that they were not
permitted to defend themselves.
"You are Nishitaisho Sesshomaru, the Lord of the West."
He grunted in a satisfactory way. At least the unfortunate fool had heard of him. It
would make things so much easier.
"Then you know you have encroached on my territory."
The demon hissed in defiance. "You have no claim to the Navajo lands!"
"I am Lord of the West and High Councilor of the Western and Eastern
Hemispheres. Everything is under my claim," he corrected calmly, but the anger was
simmering just under the surface. Aside from endangering the very long term and
elaborate plans with his recklessness, the peon had brought disgusting carrion-eaters
close to his middle son's domicile. Sesshomaru was not amused.
The prisoner scowled and spat on the floor. The action only sealed the upstart's
fate, but he didn't bother to tell him that. "That's what I think of your claim."
"Hrrm. We have found evidence of your involvement in the smuggling of illegal
youkai into this country," he stated.
The prisoner spat again. There was acid in the saliva; it burned his expensive
Persian rug. His temper was rising. Too bad his intended victim was too oblivious to
notice how close he was coming to death.
"You admit to bringing in the Hyakki koumori?"
"Something had to be done. The damn tribal humans wouldn't let anyone mine
for the uranium."
It was as close to a confession as the idiot had gotten since he had been captured.
"I see." He casually leafed through a set of papers on his desk. "It says here that
you have ties to Itochu Corp. What is your connection to them?"
The prisoner clamped his mouth shut and bared his teeth.
"Could it be that you conspired with your brother-in-law to convince the Navajo
Nation to allow mining on their land?" He saw his captive blanch and flinch. "Oh yes.
We know of your relation to Serratis. We picked him up this morning. He has been...
very cooperative."
He was also very dead, but Sesshomaru didn't see how telling his latest prey that
little fact would help his cause any; although he had considered giving the idiot his
brother-in-law's head just for the pleasure of seeing the terror on the demon's face.
"You do know that would be constituted as stealing from me and attempting to
usurp my claim," he said calmly.
"You were doing nothing! You let those stupid humans tell you no! That uranium
is worth millions!" the creature ranted.
"Did it ever occur to you that there are other ways of gaining access to minerals
that do not involve mining? Your ill-planned scheme has upended a number of plans to
extract the uranium without the knowledge of the humans living on the land," he
informed. "And what care do I have for millions when billions are already mine? What
significance could a small deposit of rare metal have to me when the world is at my
feet?"
He took a step forward, allowing the captive's growing fear feed his bloodlust.
Had Tenseiga not repudiated him when he used it to revive an enemy only to kill him
again, he would have done the same now, but the sword pulsed a warning and he pulled
Toukijin instead.
"You brought disgusting carrion-eaters close to my son. You allowed them to kill
humans and call attention where no attention should have been. And you endangered the
lives of my brother, his wife and my nephew."
Seeing the sword, the prisoner trembled and prostrated himself. "Lord
Sesshomaru. Forgive me. I will never make that mistake again."
"No, you will not."
He raised the blade. Toukijin pulsed with feral glee in his hand.
"My brother's life belongs to me."
He struck, slicing the peon's head neatly off his shoulders. When the body
stopped twitching, he pickled up the phone on his desk and rang his assistant.
"I need a clean-up crew in my office immediately."
"Yes, Nishitaisho-sama, I will call custodial services right away," the voice on the
other end promised.
He eyed the growing bloodstain on the carpet and scowled.
"And get me a new rug for my office. This one is soiled beyond repair."
He didn't wait for the acknowledgement before he hung up. Sheathing Toukijin,
he stepped over what was left of the up-and-coming demon lord, and walked out of his
office.
He didn't bother to close the door behind him.