InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Woman & Child ❯ The Curse ( Chapter 5 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Sesshoumaru watched as Shori snuggled into his chest, her actions from moments before disappearing in his mind. He had already been angry and he pushed her too far.

“Tell me about your curse.” Sesshoumaru asked. “I assumed you would want to be a wolf.”

“I want to be a wolf youkai, not an animal.” Shori sighed. “I won’t be youkai or human. I would just be ookami.”

“Who did it to you?” Sesshoumaru asked.

“When I was young, my father sought out anyone with a magical aura. Then he found a youkai witch.” Shori thought back on her childhood and the witch who could not complete the spell.


The leader of the ookami clan looked out on his pack with electric blues eyes. He grinned a toothy grin, he fangs gleaming in the sunlight. He was the largest of his tribe, with a muscular build and strong jaw. He looked more like a perfect sculpture than a living thing. He wore a large gray pelt on his back and carried a short sword on his side. He was majestic and wise beyond his years.

“Papa!” A little human girl, not even six with long dark hair and happy brown eyes, ran up behind the wolf leader. His face softened as he bent down to pick up the happy child.

“Shori! Where have you been?” The wolf asked in a deep tone that matched his stature. Shori reached for her father’s long dark gray hair, it wasn’t gray from age for he still had many years ahead of him for that.

“Papa, Naoto is teasing me again!” Shori whined.

The wolf sighed. “Oh Shori, what has that disobedient pup said now?”

Shori was on the verge of tears. “He said that I couldn’t lead our clan because I was only human and none of the wolves would respect me! I want to be like you Papa! I want to be a wolf too. I hate being a weak human!” Now the girl was crying uncontrollably and the wolf held the girl close.

“Stop your tears, my sweet. I will find a way to make you ookami. I swear on my life you will be youkai.” The wolf buried his face in the crying girl’s hair. “I promise.” He whispered.

Good to his word the wolf leader sent out scouts to search the lands for anyone with enough power to grant his request. Many refused, saying that changing a human to youkai could be dangerous and evil. But the leader persisted. He was determined to make his daughter happy. He didn’t care if she was human and knew the rest of the clan didn’t either. The little girl would be a great leader nonetheless. But this is what Shori wanted and the clan wanted her happy. So they searched for two more years before one of the scouts returned with a young good youkai witch. She heard the ookami’s cry and offered her assistance. The small lovely woman stood before the youkai lord. She was a small slip of a girl. With bright blonde hair and piercing green eyes. She was slightly pale to be from the south as the leader’s scouts claimed.

“Katsuyori-sama.” The petite witch addressed the leader of the wolves with respect and bowed low.

“Woman,” Katsuyori boomed in his masculine voice. “You have agreed to assist this clan?”

“Yes my lord.” The witch responded.

“What is your name, I can’t very well call you woman all the time.” Katsuyori smiled charmingly.

“I am called, Chikako. I hail from the deep south, and your wolves have sought out my services.” Chikako explained.

“And what payment do you require?” Katsuyori narrowed his eyes.

“Your clan has knowledge of herbs and medicines that others only dream off, share your knowledge with me and I would be eternally in your debt.” Chikako coughed violently, then composed herself.

“You are ill.” Katsuyori pointed out.

“Aye, I fear my life in this world is almost over. It is a sickness passed down on me from my mother. She told me that wolf youkai have a better knowledge of herbs than anyone. After I began to get sick I sought out ookami, but none of them would or could help me. Then I heard of your kind clan. Before I could seek you out, you found me first.” Chikako smiled.

“Please, allow me to learn from you and I will use my cursing spells to make your daughter youkai.” Chikako pleaded.

“Yes, you will reside in my clan and study from our elders with Shori everyday. In exchange you will make Shori youkai.” Katsuyori smiled brightly.
“Arigato, my Lord.” Chikako bowed again.

Katsuyori laughed. “I’ll have none of that bowing and ‘My Lord’ crap! I’m Katsuyori, nothing more nothing less.”

Chikako almost bowed again in understanding but instead smiled. “Arigato, Katsuyori.”

Chikako immediately loved the little human girl who wanted to be youkai. The witch could understand why the wolves wanted her to be happy. They didn’t care if she was human or youkai. She would be a kind and strong leader anyway. The seven year old girl was bright and sweet. She also didn’t take being teased lightly. There was a unruly little boy Shori always played with and the wolf, Naota, Chikako remembered, always teased her about being only human and not being able to keep up with his speed. But it was all in good fun, saying that even if she was youkai she was still only a girl. But Shori was quick enough and much more cunning than the boy and she would always outwit him and come out on top. The little boy always stalked off defeated but he would be found by her side moments later. It was clear that he cared for her deeply.

Chikako prepared for the curse she was to bestow on the sweet girl. It was take many months and much energy to fulfill the curse. It wasn’t like cursing a youkai to a mortal life, that was easy. But reversing it was the hard part. Giving so much power and a certain kind of power was difficult. The girl wasn’t becoming just any ol’ youkai, Shori was to be ookami. So every full moon, the night when the wolf is most powerful, Chikako soaked her magical herbs and waters in the moonlight and made Shori bathe in and drink from it.

After the third moon, the clan began seeing the change in their princess. She was faster and stronger. But that wasn’t enough. The youkai was within her but undeveloped. She was more wolf some of the time than human. Chikako taught Shori how to control her transformations until her youki could fully emerge. But when the moon was full the wolf within her was at it’s strongest and the girl couldn’t control the change.

Chikako became more and more ill. She and the wolves tried many different herbs with healing properties, but it just prolonged the inevitable. Then one full moon she didn’t get out of bed. Katsuyori and his clan surrounded the dying girl. A small white wolf with sad blue eyes sat next to Katsuyori. The wolf whimpered softly. She cared for Chikako and could sense the sadness of Katsuyori who grew to love her.

Chikako reached up and stroked the wolf’s thick white fur. “Forgive me, Shori.” Shori whined and nuzzled her hand. A tear slipped from Chikako’s eye. She looked over to Katsuyori and took his hand in hers. “My dear Katsu. I thought I could help your clan, but I failed. I wasn’t strong enough.”

Katsuyori looked heartbroken as he stroked her golden tendrils from her sweet face. “Chika, you’ve done your best. That’s all we could hope for.”

Chikako coughed. “Katsu, there is a way to complete the curse without me. But you must do it before young Shori’s twentieth year. If you wait any longer the full moon will release her wolf for good.” There were shocked gasps and murmurs heard throughout the cave.

“She will not be human or youkai?” Katsuyori questioned.

“Her youkai is deep within her. It is there but the primal animal is much more dominant.” Chikako explained in a strained whisper. Katsuyori wanted her to rest but she refused, she knew she would never wake up once she closed her eyes and then it would be too late to explain how to bring out the girl’s youkai. “A miko, A powerful miko with enough purifying energy to wipe out one hundred youkai.” Chikako strained. “The miko must put her energy into Shori, causing her youkai to revolt and defend itself. But Shori must be quick and kill the miko before she is completely purified. Because the miko will be using so much energy to bring out the youkai to purify it, she would not be able to stop until it is destroyed. And that means all of Shori. She would be youkai.”

Shori seemed to wince at taking the life of a human for her own personal gain, but Chikako smiled reassuringly. “Oh my sweet Shori. If you can find a miko willing to give her life for you, be sure this miko will not go to hell and will be blessed. I promise you.” Shori wagged her tail slightly.

“Please take care of yourselves. I will always watch over...” Chikako dropped her hand and grew still. The cries of mourning filled the cave when Chikako passed on. Shori howled sadly as did Katsuyori. Chikako was sent off to the next world as a wolf.

Ten years later...

Shori ran after her beloved Naota. She had grown wonderfully, tall and lean. Long magnificent dark hair. Her father refused to have anyone cut it and Shori was grateful for that. It was announced when she was only ten winters that she was to marry Naota. Being so young she wasn’t hesitant on expressing her displeasure. But her father assured her it would be a long time before the time came for the mating.

After Chikako’s death, the ookami clan searched high and low for a miko that would be willing to give her life for their wolf princess, needless to say there were no takers. And even some wolves were lost to purification in the process of searching. Katsuyori knew that none of the mikos compared to the powers of the legendary Midoriko anyway. He needed a miko of her power to complete the curse. He had heard of a miko named Kikyou who once protected the shikon no tama but she had died almost forty years earlier. He never gave up, he planned her future as if she had one and believed that someday she would be fully youkai.

And now after ten years they still hoped and planned for the young princess. The search was even more desperate since her marriage to Naoto was so close. But still no hope. And one day the search completely ended.

The injured inu-ookami mixed youkai was brought in the face Katsuyori. He would never turn away his own kind even if it was a mutt.

“What happened to you?” Katsuyori questioned. Shori was sitting next to him, glaring at the male with untrusting eyes.

“My lord my name is Zasshu of the inu youkai tribe.” The trembling youkai said. Shori sneered.

‘Zasshu, mongrel, a fitting name for one such as him.’ The princess thought to herself with a smirk.

“I wanted to join your clan and know the other half of my heritage. When my pack heard of my insolence they attempted to take my life.” Zasshu continued. “I humbly ask you to allow this rogue to join your clan. I will be loyal and follow your family till the end of my life.” Zasshu kept his head down and waited for the response. Be it death or acceptance.

Shori gave her father a worried and doubtful expression. “Father,” she whispered. “I don’t trust him. He is one of them.”

Katsuyori raised his hand and signaled for her to be silent. “He is also ookami. We give all our brothers the benefit of the doubt.” Katsuyori stood. “Raise your head, brother.” He commanded and the youkai did as he was told.

“You are welcome here. But my daughter has her doubts. If it is true that your intentions are clouded, know that she will not hesitate to kill you.” Zasshu gasped and eyed to woman who held a long spear and glared down on him. The frightened youkai watched as both father and daughter disappeared out of the cave.

Then the sickness came. Everyone became ill within a matter of months. Shori remembered long ago when Chikako struggled for her life on her futon, wrapped in furs and lost the battle for survival. And now the same thing was happening all over again with the entire pack. Naota was the first to go. He kissed Shori playfully and seemed fine. Then he collapsed and died days later. Then everyone else followed one by one they dropped like flies. Shori watched as the sickness progressed and knew it was the work of poison. Some of the stronger guards brought Zasshu to face Shori. Her father was sick and couldn’t get up, so that meant that Shori was now in command. She looked down on the youkai that was on his knees and glaring at her.

Shori sat down cross legged in front of him and crossed her arms. She had been crying for days but toughened up fo the interrogation. “What have you done?” Her voice was low and menacing. It made Zasshu swallow hard. He knew his death was imminent. This was a suicide mission and was warned that once he left his pack, there would be no coming back. Zasshu loyalties were unquestionable to the inu pack and agreed to the mission at the cost of his damned soul.
“It is a poison, created by our healers to destroy your clan once and for all.” Zasshu said as his heart pounded in his throat. “I was ordered to gain the trust of Katsuyori and poison the wolves.”

“Where is the antidote?” Shori’s voice remained even.

“There is no antidote, Princess.” Zasshu looked up. “You are more human than wolf so you were not effected, but know that Lord Keiji will come and destroy you himself.” Before Zasshu could take another breath Shori swung her spear and nearly cut his head in half. It wasn’t enough to kill him. She stood over him as he clung to life.

“Suffer.” She whispered and walked away. Zasshu did indeed suffer as the life and his blood drained from his body.

Shori stood in the shadows with tears in her eyes. Her father was barely clinging to life. He was always so cold so he was wrapped in many furs. He still looked so large to her, even though under the fur he was so frail and small.

“Shori.” Katsuyori whispered softly. “Did you really think you could hide your scent of waterfalls from me?” The usually jovial man sounded so sad to her. “Come let me see you.”

Shori took a step forward but paused when Katsuyori coughed violently. “Father?” Her voice was weak from crying.

“Come my brave little cub.” Katsuyori couldn’t sit up and it tore Shori apart not being able to be thrown in the sky and caught again by protecting arms. “Shori?” Shori swallowed hard and kneeled besides her father.

Katsuyori squinted and smiled. “Oh, you look just like your mother.” He laughed softly when he saw her disbelieving look. “But you do. You see it was your destiny to become our daughter. So naturally it was already determined that you would resemble your true parents.”

Shori smiled as a tear slid down her cheek, her father always knew the right thing to say. “Father, I’m not strong enough. I can’t lose you.”

“I took you as far as I could. Now you must continue on your path on your own.” Katsuyori smiled. “Oh be brave moonshine. Remember you will never be alone. Your clan will always be there to guide you.” Katsuyori grinned his toothy grin. Shori smiled sadly. “Oh no that is not how the moon shines.” Katsuyori chastised. Shori giggled and gave her father a brilliant and beautiful smile. “Ah a smile to make the stars fall in love and the morning sun jealous.” Those were the last words of the great wolf leader, Katsuyori.

After a month Shori finally buried the last of her kinsmen alone. Not even her own wolves and their cubs were spared. There was no one left except her. She was the princess of a dead tribe. Word spread quickly of Katsuyori and his clan’s demise and the inu came to scavenge the area. Shori wouldn’t just leave her dens to greedy, filthy dogs. She attempted to fight them off. But she was only human and their numbers were large. She attempted to go wolf and was captured and thrown into a cage. She didn’t know how long she spent in that cage with no food and the only water she was given was splashed in her face by youkai looking for a laugh.

Then Keiji made his appearance. He wasn’t at all regal and distinguished as her father. He had jet black hair and golden eyes, he wore a gray silk kimono with deep purple markings. On his fair face was one dark red stripe on each cheek. He was a large muscular youkai and very handsome, at least Shori would have thought so if she didn’t hate him so much. “Ah, the fallen princess of the wolves.” The inu leader said in a sickeningly sweet baritone voice that made Shori cringe.

“I am not defeated yet, bastard.” Shori snapped back.

Keiji reached into the caged and grasped the girl by the chin roughly. “Oh I will break you slowly.” He smiled. “Soon you will bow down to me.”

Shori snipped at the leader and growled. “I will never bow down to a filthy dog.”

Keiji jerked his hand away to avoided getting bit. He stood and glared down her. He kicked her cage with enough force to knock it against the wall and fall into pieces. Shori groaned in pain and tried and failed to compose herself. Keiji and a group of his dog youkai surrounded her.

“The princess is humbled.” Keiji smiled. “Do with her as you please.” In an instant youkai where upon her, laughing and clawing away her clothing. She struggled under the pain as claws touched her in intimate places. Then a painful scream was heard and the hands stopped. Shori opened her eyes to see Keiji holding on youkai by his crushed hand.

“Do with her as you please, but you will not take the princess in that way!” Keiji roared angrily. Shori looked up with confused eyes, Keiji looked down her and smiled. He walked away and left her to her fate.

Over the next few weeks Shori suffered unbearable torment. Whipped, tossed around, force into labor. She didn’t think she would ever endure it, but the inu always held back just enough so she could survive. The fed her and gave her water at the end of the day and forced her to sleep alone in a cold cage in the middle of the den floor, surrounded by horny youkai males. Shori used the forced labor to her advantage. She was made to sort herbs and tend to the fields. That gave the former princess opportunity to gather what she needed to bring the dogs down. She would have to get to Keiji first but she hadn’t seen him since the first day and wondered if she would ever see him again. She had already begun putting her poison in the water supply, but it would be a long time before it would take effect. She would have to fight her way out and get a larger dose to the dogs. But she wasn’t strong enough.

“Father?” She whispered one night. “I am lost, please help me through this torment. Help me defeat my enemies.” Then she heard footsteps and opened her eyes hopefully.

“Ah praying to your fallen wolves I see.” It was the voice of Keiji. Shori cringed. “My inu tell me that you have been very obedient, now you are ready to become my bride.”

Shori gasped and backed away in her cage. She couldn’t get far and was pulled out by her hair by Keiji’s servants. “Take her to my den and clean her up.” He ordered before disappearing. Shori found her chance at freedom slowly slipping away when she was dragged to the hot springs. They would take her clothing and the hidden herbs within it. Shori stealthily pulled a small bag from her sleeve and put it under her tongue. Her remained silent as she was cleaned and dressed in clean clothes. She was touched gently now and led to Keiji’s room. She was left completely alone and looked around the room. It was mostly bare except for the futon and small table with a jug of sake on it. Shori walked over to the sake and kneeled next to it. Inside her mouth she pierced the bag with her tooth and pretended to drink the sake. She didn’t know who was watching her with her weak human senses and couldn’t take the chance of being caught.

“So you are making yourself comfortable I see.” Keiji was behind her. Shori put the jug down and kept he torn bag in her mouth. As expected Keiji pulled the jug from Shori’s fingers and downed it’s contents. He wiped his mouth and smiled. “You will enjoy being the princess of the dogs.” Keiji smiled. “We will protect you in a way your weak wolves couldn’t.” Shori said nothing as he slammed her against the wall and assaulted her neck with his mouth. She said nothing and struggled under his grasp. She kicked him in the genitals and scrambled away. Keiji snarled and pinned her to the ground. “Do you want to know what we do with unruly bitches!” Shori gave out a muffled cry as Keiji sunk his teeth into her shoulder. She went limp under him and he continued his ministrations with his mouth. Shori could feel him waver and compose himself. She grunted with frustration and her eyes widened when she felt him part her legs. She struggled again and Keiji bit down on the same spot.

Shori felt something firm pushing against her tight folds and she struggled again. This time the feeling was gone and Keiji fell back hard. He just sat there blinking and shaking his head. He looked up and glared at the woman standing before him. “Bitch, you will submit to me.”

‘He still hasn’t realized he’s been poisoned?’ Shori thought. ‘He must think he’s drunk.’ Shori opened her mouth and dropped the small bag in front of the youkai lord. Keiji looked at the bag with a confused expression. Then he smiled.

“Human women are strange indeed.” He laughed.

Shori frowned. “And youkai males are fools.”

This caused Keiji to growl and lunge towards the hime. Shori used the momentum to flip over the doomed lord and land on top of him. She punched him and continued to until he pushed her off. Shori dodged his attacks and prayed that the night was close. It would be a full moon. Keiji knocked the girl into the wall and Shori tried to compose herself. But it was too late, Keiji was on top of her.

“Ah, I fight for dominance.”

“No, I fight for survival.” Shori pushed off the lord and continued to punch and kicked. Keiji was losing, the poison had weakened him considerably. Then she found her opening for the kill. Keiji pulled his sword from the sheath and attempted to scare her. But he stumbled and Shori snatched the blade from his hands. Keiji was shocked and moved towards her. Shori easily dodged to the side and rammed the sword into his open side. Keiji roared in pain and Shori quickly slid the sword out and spun around taking his head clean off. The sword clattered to the ground and a white wolf howled it’s victory.

Some of Keiji’s soldiers heard the commotion and ran into their leader’s den. They saw the headless body of their Lord and a large wolf snarling at them. They’re first reaction was to kill the wolf. Shori managed to jump and dodge the inu attacks. It was much easier for her as a wolf. Twisting and quick movements were at they’re best as a wolf. Shori bit and scratched her way out of the dens. Luckily for her, only a few soldiers were in the dens. They were mostly stationed outside, and it was much easier to slip away in the darkness of the trees.

A few days later Shori was hunting for much needed food. She wasn’t given her usual red meat while imprisoned and she missed it. She held her spear tightly as she spied a wild pig grazing. She moved in slowly and raised her weapon. She was about to release when a young youkai jumped from the trees and attempted to catch the pig who had easily squirmed from the boy’s grasp. The youkai fell back and coughed violently. Shori stepped out of the trees and recognized the boy as inu. He looked up with nervous eyes and coughed again.

“What a pretty lady.” The youkai said weakly. “You wouldn’t have any food for a lowly youkai as myself.”

Shori shook her head and began to walk away. The youkai didn’t recognize her and she wanted to keep it that way. “Wait!” He yelled.

Shori stopped and turned. “Go back to your clan, you are ill.”

The youkai stood up after a struggle and frowned. “I don’t have a clan to go back to. They’re all dead.”

Shori wanted to smile but didn’t. “They are all dead, you are sure?”

“Yes, after our great Lord Keiji was murdered by the wolves, a great sickness swept upon our clan and they all died.” The youkai looked defeated. “I will dead soon too. They were my family, they raised me from a pup. They taught me everything I know and that was all taken from me by a wolf princess.”

Shori frowned. For the first time in her life she felt guilt. She took away someone’s family, just like her’s. She got vengeance and was now no better than a dog. Shori turned away. “It is dangerous out here for a weakened youkai. You should return home.” Shori knew he didn’t have much longer, and she also knew she couldn’t bring him back to her dens. She left him to his fate and walked away to her’s.

The next day she found him propped against a tree, dead. She buried him and said a prayer. She spent the year praying for forgiveness and waiting for her curse to consume her completely. And then one day that all changed when she heard the voice of a little lost girl, far away from the village. The dirty little girl was lost and looking for her Sesshoumaru-sama.




End Chapter Five
Next: Please join hands