Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Inuyasha, but I do own the characters that I have created myself.

A note to those that have chosen to read this story. Even though I first published this story in '05' I was not currently writing. I've still been working out the kinks and am only now really starting to write the story. I plan on updating at least once a week, maybe more if my muse stays strong. Thought you ought to know!

Chapter 1

"Poison Strike!"

Sasha watched as the snake youkai were cut down by her attack, their screams of pain silenced abruptly as the life fled from their torn bodies. The survivors hissed their fury, launching themselves at her in a second wave, claws and fangs flashing wickedly in the sunlight. Several of them spat poison at her, red eyes ablaze with blood lust. Sasha remained unalarmed, merely leaping out of the line of fire, the harsh sound of the poison striking the dirt filling her ears. Its sizzled ominously as it ate away at the dirt and grass, leaving behind a thick black sludge that assaulted her sensitive nose with its acrid scent. Immediately upon touching the ground she sprang forward, moving too fast for their eyes to follow. Her claws slid through one of the snake's throat like a sword through paper, ducking the crimson spray.

Landing directly behind them, she turned, ridding her claws of the blood with a surge of her youki, burning it off. The snakes regarded their newly slain comrade, before turning towards her. "You will pay for thisssss offensssse, dog," one hissed angrily, its forked tongue tasting the air with a flick before retreating into its mouth once more.

"Your clan is responsible for the destruction of three villages. This behavior will not be tolerated any longer." Raising a hand her claws began to glow a pale purple, the eerie light reflected in her amethyst colored eyes. Then with a surge of power she was among the survivors, her claws slicing through scaled flesh, followed closely by the warm splatter of blood. It was the work of the moment for her to slaughter the smelly reptiles, leaving them no chance to shriek their dying curses. Turning back she was met with the sight of torn body parts with blood seeping into the earth. The stench of their blood was thick in the air, and her nose wrinkled in disgust.

With one last scathing glare at the remains, she left the meadow, returning the way she'd first come. The forest around her was silent, not even her acute hearing able to pick up the faintest trace of bird song. Obviously the sound of battle had frightened the wildlife away, along with the stench of blood. Normal blood would no doubt attract the predators of the forest, but the acrid stench of the poison that lingered in the snake blood would drive them away. It would however attract the lesser youkai that lived within this forest, each one eager for an easy meal. The village nearby would have to send some men out to burn the bodies, or risk drawing the attention of more youkai looking for food.

Leaving the tree cover, she came within sight of the village, the smoke from their cooking fires reaching her from atop the hill that overlooked the valley it was built in. She could see the humans going about their daily tasks, completely unaware how close they'd come to death this afternoon. The snake youkai had been intending to make this village their next stop, killing all of its inhabitants and feeding on the dead, animals and humans. Like most demons, her father did not like humans, but he didn't like demons that disobeyed his orders even more. Her father understood that angry humans tended to band together, and although demons were more powerful, humans had sheer numbers on their side. She smiled, it had been his intent to send his men out after them she knew, and he would be absolutely livid when he found out she'd taken care of the problem herself.

Sasha was about to turn away when she noticed a small group of children playing near the edge of the village. They were tossing a ball back and forth between them, using only their feet or body, their hands apparently prohibited. The sight of the children playing tugged at something in her heart. Thinking, Sasha frowned. If she left, there was no telling how long it would take the humans to realize that they had a youkai killing ground so close. By the time they found it, it might be too late, and other youkai would have already settled into the area.

With a sigh, she began to make her way down the steep incline, her youkai heritage making it easier to remain balanced on such rocky terrain. She couldn't believe she was doing this. It was a fact of life that humans despised demons, and here she was, going out of her way to warn them. Her father would definitely not approve. While he respected their sheer numbers, he usually referred to them as nothing more than intelligent beasts, despising them for their stench, their shortened life span, and weakness in all things when compared to youkai. Sasha did not share her hatred of humans. She did not like them per say, but she wasn't about to leave them to a possible youkai infestation without warning. All she had to do was look at the children playing and her mind was decided.

It was the frightened shriek of a human child that warned Sasha her presence had been detected. She picked up the sounds of panic as the humans reacted to the child's cry, its mother snatching up the little girl and sprinting for the apparent safety of the village. The huts were small, and apparently made of wood, straw thatching shielding them from the elements. The men ushered the women and children into the huts, grabbing anything they could use as a weapon, ranging from battered spears and swords to pitch forks and cleavers. The armed men ran to the edge of the village, weapons held in white knuckled grips as they anticipated her attack.

The sharp scent of their fear assaulted her nose, edged with fury and the burning desire to defend, and she fought the urge to wrinkle her nose. Some, her father included, considered it an annoyance to be able to smell the very emotions of a human as well as other unpleasant things, but Sasha found it intriguing. Their emotions were so strong, so vibrant, as to color their very scent. It was something that humans and youkai shared in common, the ability to feel, even though most youkai refused to acknowledge that they did indeed feel. She couldn't help but be impressed by the sheer bravery of the village men. While most villages were able to defend against lesser youkai if they had a miko with them, this village had none, and they still held their ground. She also knew that most humans had been taught from birth to beware the youkai that resembled humans, for they were the most dangerous.

Keeping her face carefully blank, Sasha slowly approached the villagers, stopping a stone's throw from the nearest man. When she spoke, her voice sliced through the silence that had descended over them all like a thick blanket, "Where is your headman? I wish to speak with him."

The men seemed taken back, and she wondered if it was because she spoke to them, if she didn't attack them, or that she asked for the headman. She figured it to be a combination of all three. Their surprise only lasted a second, however, and soon they were bickering amongst themselves in harsh whispers, those closest to her watching her with a cross between awe and terror.

This continued for a while, and when Sasha was moments away from losing her patience, a single voice rose above the rest, "Enough! Let me through." Following the outburst, the men reluctantly parted to reveal a man that looked to be well passed his prime. His hair and beard were stark white against the tan skin that appeared to have the consistency of leather. There were deep crows feet etched in the corner of his sharp brown eyes, as well as lines of strain around his mouth. Sasha was surprised at his apparent age, not many humans living past their prime due to sickness and bandits, as well as youkai raids. Yet as old as he looked, his voice rang out strong and clear when he addressed her, "What business does a youkai have with our humble village?"

"Be at ease, old one," she responded coolly. "I come only to bring you and your people a warning." She pointed up to the ridge she'd just descended. "In a meadow just over this ridge you will find the bodies of many serpent youkai. It would be in your best interest to dispose of the bodies now before they attract the scavengers of my kind." They both knew that should a scavenger youkai find the bodies, it would doubtlessly take up residence here, hoping to find some more food. By then their village would be at risk. Her duty discharged, she turned to leave. Now the humans were warned and the job would be done, and swiftly.

She stopped when the headman spoke again. "We have heard rumors of a group of serpent youkai that have decimated three villages so far." At the headman's words there was another gasp, followed by frightened murmurs. He continued, "Judging from the blood stains on your clothes, Youkai, I believe we have you to thank for our village's continued existence."

Sasha did not turn, but she did look over her shoulder, meeting the old man's keen gaze. "It had to be done." Looking back she slowly walked away, her long black braid swaying gently with every step. Reaching the ridge, she scaled its steep incline in two leaps, pausing to survey the village below. She could already see several of the men gathering supplies to deal with the bodies, holding unlit torches and weapons. Since they did not have a miko or priest to purify the youkai remains, they would need to be burned, then the ashes gathered up and buried. They would need to keep a sharp lookout for the next few days, since some youkai would be able to tell that blood had been spilled recently.

Upon looking back, she was surprised to see the headman still standing where she'd last seen him, and she knew that he was watching her. Since she was far enough away so that he wouldn't see it, Sasha let herself smirk. He was no doubt intrigued by the appearance of a demon that didn't despise humans. She shook her head. A rare find indeed.

With a resigned sigh she took off through the trees, taking a direction that would lead her back to the palace. The last thing she wanted to do right now was return home, since there was inevitably a lecture waiting for her. Her father would be furious to discover that she had once again snuck out of the castle, and his ire would no doubt increase once she told him that she had taken care of the serpent youkai herself. Again, and definitely not for the last time, Sasha wished that she had been born male. She knew her father was furious that she didn't act the proper youkai noblewoman, but she couldn't help it. She would not her father control her life, as he wished.

When she'd taken to the sword as a pup, her grandsire had been the one to train her, ignoring his son's protests about propriety. While it was the norm for a female demon to learn how to fight, her father had believed that she be taught only enough to adequately defend herself. Under her grandsire's careful tutelage, however, she had proved to be a natural with the blade, and he'd eagerly taught her everything he knew. Looking back, she knew that the time she'd spent with her grandsire training had been some of the happiest times of her life. It had always been a source of contention between her father and herself, just one of many. There was no love lost between them, but she did want his respect. She was a born fighter, she was just waiting for him to realize it too.

Leaping into the boughs of an ancient tree she could see a castle looming in the distance, sitting proudly on the large hill, overlooking the surrounding forest. Even though she considered it her prison, Sasha couldn't help but admire her home, the domain of the Taiyoukai of the East. It resembled the great castles that the human lords used, but there the comparison stopped. Instead of human guards, it was armed demons that patrolled the high wall that encircled the compound. She smiled, taking in the scent of the cooking fires as the cook worked diligently on the meal that would most likely be served for dinner that night. She could even see people going about their work, resembling ants running around the entrance to their hive.

"You can come out now, I know your there, Hikaro." She smiled as the sound of swearing reached her ears, followed by a rush of air as he leapt up beside her on the branch. Sasha chuckled, having picked up his scent about a mile back, "Your going to have to do better than that to get by me, Captain. What are you doing out here?"

Hikaro, Captain of the Guard, eye his lord's daughter warily. "Your father sent me out to find you, thinking you were set to go after those rogue serpent youkai." And judging from the scent of blood that lingered around her, as well as the ominous stains decorating her tunic and trousers, she'd already taken care of the matter. He winced inwardly, already anticipating the explosion that would result. It was common knowledge among those that served the Taiyoukai that between his three children, Sasha was the one he loved the least. Lord Kijaro despised his daughter's independence, and he didn't take it well when she defied him, which, sadly, happened on a regular basis. "I see you already handled the problem," he stated calmly, his face carefully blank.

Sasha was silent for a moment. "I'm not sorry, you know," she said. "My grandsire taught me how to fight, and I'm damn good at it. I'm not some trained puppy that comes when my father calls." There was an underlying edge of anger to her words, but her face was unreadable, her eyes fixed on the distant castle. Her home, her cage.

"You did what you thought was right. No one can fault you for that."

She snorted, turning to face him, smiling gently. "My father will not share your opinion, but I am grateful for it regardless." Looking back at the castle she lifted her chin in soundless defiance, "I suppose we had better return to the castle. Delaying any longer will only increase my father's temper." With a surge of youki she was away, bounding through the tree tops, Hikaro hard put to keep up with her. Instead of heading for the main gate she circled around the wall that encircled the compound. With a leap she cleared the wall and landed in the vast garden that was her usual sanctuary, Hikaro landing silently next to her.

Inhaling deeply she took in the comforting scents of the flowers, noting the pervasive scent of cherry blossoms. The tree stood off to the side, its branches swaying gently in the breeze. It was ancient, having stood in the garden longer than even her two hundred years. It had been her favorite place as a pup, and even as an adult she still sought refuge beneath the swaying branches laden with sweet smelling cherry blossoms. The tree had been a gift from her grandsire her grandmother shortly after taking her as his mate.

Moving toward it, she laid her hand against the smooth trunk, feeling its warmth settle in her bones. Her grandsire had told her often that he believed a part of his mate still resided this tree, and Sasha had come to believe him, since the tree seemed to contain a special aura about it. After her grandsire's death, she'd fled to this tree in tears, only to suddenly feel lightened upon touching the age worn trunk. It was her belief, that the spirit of her grandparents resided in this tree, offering silent comfort to her in her time of need.

The sound of a throat clearing behind her drew her from her thoughts, and she turned. Hikaro bowed apologetically, "My Lady, it would be best if we proceeded to your father."

"You are right, I had best get this over with as soon as possible." With one last look at the tree she headed for the side entrance that led into the palace. As she strode through the corridor that led to her father's study, the servants that passed her avoided meeting her gaze, some going so far as to duck out of the way entirely. She frowned. That didn't bode well. Obviously her father was furious. As she walked, she refrained from snarling at the looks of pity that flickered on some of the servant's faces. While they feared her father's wrath she did not, and would not. She was the daughter of a Taiyoukai, she would not cower from her punishment. As Hikaro had said in the forest, she had done what she thought was right.

Finally she stood outside the study, facing the sliding door with carefully buried apprehension. Lifting her chin she straightened her shoulders. Reaching up she gently tapped on the polished wooden frame, then waited for a response.

"Come in." The voice was male, and sounded very angry. Sliding the door open she stepped through, and Hikaro closed it behind him as he followed her into the room. The room was richly decorated, the colors consisting of dark browns and dark reds, the velvet curtains pulled back to let the sunlight stream through the partially opened window. Situated in the back of the room was a low desk strewn with paperwork, and seated behind it was her father, Lord Kijaro, Taiyoukai of the Eastern Lands.

At first glance one would think there were no similarities between the two of them, Sasha's waist length hair inky black while her father's shoulder length locks were a rich brown with golden highlights that shone beneath the touch of sunlight, as they were now. Where her eyes were dark purple, Lord Kijaro's were a piercing pale blue, making her think of the thick sheets of ice that never melted in the mountains to the north. A single dark green strip adorned each cheek and wrist, declaring him an Inuyoukai of the East. The golden sun on his forehead proclaimed him the Taiyoukai of the East. Sasha's crests were dark blue, the only thing she'd inherited from her dead mother, and her forehead was bare, since only the Taiyoukai or the heir had the sun mark.

Her black hair and purple eyes were from her grandmother, and just like her grandmother she possessed the rare poison trait, her claws capable of ejecting poison strong enough to melt dragon hide. Her father had been shocked when he discovered his third born had such an ability, since it usually appeared in the first born or not at all. It was just one of the reasons he refused to love her, as well as blaming her for the death of his mate who had died bringing Sasha into the world. He believed that the strain of carrying a child that possessed the poison trait had been too much for her body to withstand, since she had not possessed it as well.

It was common knowledge that those born with the ability to produce poison within their bodies were stronger than the common Inuyoukai, and far more lethal in combat. They're very blood was a poisonous toxin capable of melting dragon bone, a weapon at hand even if disarmed. It was rare for a Inuyoukai bearing the poison trait to mate with one that didn't, since the sharing of blood was required, and it took a strong youki to burn the poison from the body. It was not impossible of course, since her own father was the result of such a union. It had only been possible since her grandsire had been stronger than his mate, even with her poison abilities. He'd merely used his own power to burn the invading poison from his system.

Lord Kijaro refused to look up as she entered, seeming content to make them wait as he finished scribbling something on an official looking document. The ink was overpowering, hence the open window, but it was a necessary irritant. Finally he put his brush down and set the document aside to forgo a chance at smudging the newly applied ink before it had dried. When he finally did look up at his daughter it was to glare at her. "Sit down, Sasha." He pointed to the seat across from his desk, and she obediently took her seat, recognizing the fierce look in his eyes.

Once she was seated, he turned his gaze to the Hikaro. "Make your report, Captain."

Hikaro bowed, "My lord, I did as you ordered and went out to retrieve Lady Sasha before she could confront the rogue youkai. I had just left when I saw her approaching the castle from the direction of their last known location. I made myself known and determined that she had already handled the situation. I then escorted Lady Sasha back to the castle." Hikaro bowed once again, then stared straight ahead as he waited for further instructions.

The silence stretched for a long moment before Lord Keiji nodded. "You did well Captain Hikaro, you are dismissed." The captain hesitated briefly, then bowed once again with a murmured "my lord" then slipped out the door. Alone with her father, Sasha merely watched him, her face a blank mask to disguise her trepidation. He was angry, she could see it in the hardening of his eyes, the stiffness of his shoulders as he braced his chin on his hands. When he finally did speak, his voice came out as a harsh growl, "You are a disrespectful bitch. I should thrash you for your continuous disobedience. I specifically told you to leave the rogues to my men."

Sasha did not reply, keeping her eyes cast down. He continued. "You have chosen a most inopportune time for your aimless rebellion. Lord Karasu has sent word that he wishes to speak with me on an important matter. He will arrive within a week."

Unable to contain herself, Sasha scowled at the mention of the younger brother of the Southern Taiyoukai, Lord Kokuya. She'd despised Lord Karasu for as long as she could remember, thinking him more snake than dog. "May I ask what he wants?" she bit out, unable to disguise her disgust.

Lord Kijaro stared at her for a moment. "He has not said. He declares it as a matter of great importance however, and I am inclined to see him, as his brother is my ally."

Sasha wished to object, but did not, instead she asked, "Do you have any suspicions at least? I do not trust that man, Father. That one plots as easy as he breathes."

Lord Kijaro silenced her with a look, the steel back in his eyes. "I care not for you opinions, Sasha. You defy me at every turn and I am of the mind to lock you up and throw away the key." He took a deep breath, regaining some measure of control. "As for your punishment, you are hereby confined to the grounds of this estate until I say otherwise. I haven't the time to deal with you properly." Sasha nodded stiffly, but her father continued, his voice taking on an ominous cast. "I have decided that your random acts of defiance are at an end. If you so much as step another toe out of line, when Lord Karasu gets here, I will offer you to him as his mate as a way to make peace between our families permanently. Is that understood?"

Sasha could only stare at her father's implacable face, fighting back the fury that raged just below the surface, threatening to tear her apart. Her throat closed up from the force of the screams she could not vent, found that she was completely incapable of speech. For years she and her father had butted heads, and there had never been any love between them, but never, had she ever thought he would go this far. He knew how much she loathed Lord Karasu, and he apparently knew that the bastard favored her, something that Sasha tried not to think about.

Uncaring of his daughter's shock, Lord Kijaro glared at her, "I said, is that understood?" Still lost for words, she simply nodded. Satisfied, he went back to his work, waving a hand at her in dismissal, "Then you may go. And keep my warning in mind Sasha. You know I will not hesitate to follow through."

In a daze, Sasha stood, and left the room, silently closing the door behind her. Still trying to come to terms with her father's threat, she slowly walked down the hall, instinctively seeking out her older sister, needing to feel the calming influence Mali possessed. Slowly, rage began to churn low in her belly and her claws dug into the flesh of her hands, the sharp scent of her blood coloring the air. Now close to running, Sasha darted down the hallway as she neared her sister's room. Outside the door she hesitated, lifting a hand then leaving it hovering over the frame. She desperately wanted to throw herself in her sister's arms and cry at the injustice of it all, but held back. What good would come from telling Mali? She would only end up dragging her sweet older sister into her problems, and she knew that there was nothing that Mali could do to help. She'd dug this hole, and now she was going to have to lie in it.

She was about to walk away when she heard her sister's voice through the door, "Sasha? Why are you standing out there?"

Knowing the moment to flee had passed she pushed the door open, then looked the room over before turning towards her sister. It was elegantly furnished, with filmy curtains pulled back to reveal the open window and distant wilderness. The futon was folded and pushed into a corner, with a small wooden table sitting in the middle of the room, colored cushions scattered around it. There was a small dresser placed off to the side, a mirror and pots of colored powders sitting on its surface. Other than that the room was sparsely furnished, yet still seemed to mimic Mali's quiet nature.

"Sasha, what's wrong? You look pale." Turning towards her sister, in spite of the rage that continued to surge through her, Sasha couldn't quite contain her amusement that they were related, looking so different from one another. Sitting on a cushion, Sasha saw a beautiful demoness with shoulder length hair a rich chocolate brown. Mali's features were sharper than her own, with a pointed chin and wide green eyes that saw everything and missed nothing. Her crests were the same shade of green as her eyes, the stripes adorning her cheeks and wrists. Unlike herself, Mali wore a silk kimono, the sleeves and hem covered with dark green spirals while the rest of the fabric was the pale blue of early morning sky. The obi was dark green as well, and perfectly tied. In Sasha's eyes, her older sister was the perfect lady from the tips of her dainty claws to her slipper clad feet.

Mali's smile of welcome shifted into a frown as her sharp green eyes flicked over her little sister's face. "Sasha, what happened, and why do you reek of blood?" She wrinkled her nose at the coppery scent that exuded from her little sister.

In the face of her concern Sasha felt her composure crack, and to her horror tears began to slide down her cheeks with increasing force. Here she was, an Inuyoukai just reaching full maturity, and she was crying like a pup with a stubbed toe. But once she'd started she didn't seem to be able to stop. Alarmed by Sasha's behavior, Mali leapt up and hurried towards her, enfolding her in a tight hug that reduced the rest of her composure to dust. Leaning her head on Mali's shoulder, Sasha began to sob, shedding tears of anger and despair, desperately trying to ease the sharp ache in her chest.

When the tears finally began to slow, and then stop, Mali spoke. "Sasha, tell me what's wrong. Was it father again? Where did this blood come from?"

Sasha refused to look up, her voice muffled against her sister's shoulder, "Remember those rogue snake youkai that were attacking villages? Well, I thought Father was taking too long to take care of them, so I did. I destroyed them before they could get to the next village. I was on my way back when Hikaro appeared out of no where to escort me home. Father had obviously discovered that I was missing and sent him to intercept me before I could confront them."

"Father was extremely displeased with me." Her voice was dispassionate, worrying Mali further.

"What happened Sasha?" Mali brushed a strand of black hair away from he face. "Did Father beat you again?" It was one of his more common punishements.

Sasha shook her head, "No he didn't beat me. But right now I'm almost wishing he had. I would have definitely preferred that to what he did do." Sasha paused, then sighed. "I wish I hadn't killed those youkai."

"Why?" Mali pulled away to look into her eyes, "You did what you thought was right. Don't doubt yourself now, you'll let Father win." She'd always supported Sasha's little acts of defiance. She'd never forgiven their father for not loving Sasha as much as Keiji, their older brother, or herself.

Sasha gave a self-deprecating smirk, pulling out of her sister's grasp. "Huh, let him win, you say?" She turned away to look out the window, her hair blowing gently with the breeze that slipped through the open glass. "To let him win would mean that we were on equal footing to begin with. I have never equaled our esteemed father in anything." Her words were harsh against her ears, filled with a biting sarcasm. "Father decided that my "random acts of defiance" are at an end. I so much as step a toe out of line, he's going to offer me up to Lord Karasu as a way to seal the peace treaty between our families."

Mali gasped, a hand reaching up involuntarily to her throat. Now she understood the reason Sasha had been acting so strange. With a sigh she reached for her, "Sasha...it's going to be okay."

"It is not okay!" She side stepped her sister's outstretched hand, eyes blazing. "That bastard is going to hand me over to Karasu the minute I piss him off again. I might as well kiss myself good bye now!"

Reaching out Mali gripped Sasha's shoulder, making her turn so that they looked each other in the eye. "Then we're not going to give him a reason to." When Sasha made to open her off, Mali shook her head, face determined. "No, we're going to make sure he doesn't carry out his threat."

"And what happens if he does?" Sasha asked grimly.

"Then you're going to run away."

Sasha gaped at her older sister, "What!" She couldn't believe that Mali just said that.

Mali glared at her, "You heard me. If Father tries to hand you over to Karasu, you better run as fast and as far as possible. That man is down right evil, and I won't let him touch you, not if I have to shove you out the door myself." She smiled, "But lets not get carried away. We'll let Father calm down, then later, after Karasu leaves, I'll have a talk with him. For now, we're going to go to the bath house and get rid of that smell. I don't know about you, but the stench of blood is getting to me."

Mali grabbed her hand and towed her out of the room. Sasha let herself be led to the bath house, face grim. Her sister laughed at the look on her face, "Don't worry Sasha, everything is going to be fine. You'll see."

Following her sister, Sasha couldn't shake the impression that things had only just begun getting worse.

Please review and let me know what you think!