Disclaimer: The characters Tsukuyomaru, Shiori's Mother, Taigokumaru, and Shiori belong to their respective owners. (i.e. not me.) Though Shiori's mother's name (She wasn't given a name in the series… at least not to my knowledge.), Hansuke, and any other character that walks out of my demented little head is mine and mine alone.
Summary: The love that lasts the longest is the love that can never be. The tragic tale of Tsukuyomaru and Kaori, Shiori's mother.
Warning(s): Some blood, violence, sexual content, and character death.
A/N: Howdy! It's a snow week—in Georgia, go figure—so I decided to put fingers to keyboard and get the plot bunnies to stop jarring my brain. I've recently rekindled my passion for Inuyasha by re-watching the episodes. Anyway, I've always thought that Shiori's mother and Tsukuyomaru was a pretty underrated couple. Even though they were only mentioned in passing on like two episodes, I still think they're story is sweet and tragic and deserves to be told. Is this is what I've come up with. Hope you enjoy!
The Eastern Shore
Chapter one
A small herd of spotted deer bolted through the forest, narrowing dodging tree trunks in their hysteria. Eyes dilated, minds numb with terror, they tactlessly dispersed into the dark thickets. Their aerial pursuer skimmed the tree tops pinpointing his desired prey through the gaps in the canopy. Without the safety of numbers the old and the lame quickly became easy pickings.
A doe with a severely cracked hoof became the prime target. As she clambered over a fallen log the predator dive-bombed, intercepting her. Long fingers buried into her furry flanks like an eagle's talons through sand, effortlessly wrestling her to the ground. She mewed and flailed uselessly before the predator clamped down on her jugular, tearing open a ragged, spurting wound. Nuzzling aside loose flaps of fur and flesh, he then latched on to her neck, sucking in time with her pulse to get the best effect. The deer's cries soon died into a low gargle and her fierce jerks into mere muscle twitches as her captor greedily drained her life force.
As quickly as the gory assault started it was over. The hunter slowly detached himself from his prey, gently setting it down on the leaf cushioned floor. He petted the doe's muzzle as he stared into her huge vacant eyes, feeling a pang of guilt for the life he took.
"Sorry, youngling," He licked his reddened mouth, "but a bat must eat."
"A tad sympathetic toward the food supply, eh, Tsukuyomaru?"
Tsukuyomaru rolled his eyes at his friend who hovered just above him, irritated and embarrassed at being interrupted, "There's nothing wrong with respecting what you take from nature, Hansuke."
"Whatever you say," Hansuke swooshed his wings nonchalantly, while he brushed his hair out of his eyes to take in a bird's eye view of the forest. The herd of deer had started to regroup a half mile away. "There was a great stag tromping through at the lead. Why didn't you take him?" The man's narrow face stretching in to a teasing grin. "Don't tell me that Taigokumaru's son cannot take down a more suitable prey than a tiny doe."
"Her hoof was badly split," He held up the deer's left rear leg. The displayed hoof sported a thick crack up the first toe, all the way up to the furry ankle. Tsukuyomaru shrugged, "It was in the beginnings of a nasty infection. Best to take her out before she suffered too much."
Hansuke clicked his tongue, "Well, aren't you the considerate one," Tsukuyomaru shot him a look. Hansuke smiled, "So, are you done yet? I want to get into some real hunting."
The bat sighed, "If you mean the senseless slaughter of humans," then stood while dusting off his hakama and righting his chest plate. The blood spatter had already begun to oxidize on his clothes. "Then yes, I suppose." With one good kick off He was in the air alongside Hansuke, wings spread wide.
"Ah, don't act all high and mighty," Hansuke swatted his friend with his wing before taking off. He gave a twisted little smile over his shoulder, "I'm like you. Just controlling the population."
"Yeah. Right."
There was a small village on the edge of the sea. A simple, quiet human village that laid smack in the middle of the demon bat clan's hunting grounds. Tsukuyomaru figured that's where they were going. It was Hansuke's favorite spot.
"Seriously, humans are bat demons' natural prey. Why's it bother you so much?"
A shrug. "Excuse me if I find it a bit disturbing if my food has a face like mine."
"But they're not like us, not really."
"More than you would think."
Hansuke frowned and gave the man a curious look before shaking his head. "Tsukuyomaru, my friend, you are a strange one."
Tsukuyomaru chuckled. "So, I've been told."
They were getting close to the sea now. Tsukuyomaru twitched his nose as the salty air stung his sensitive nostrils. The young bat demon heard his friend's satisfied breath of a laugh. Obviously Hansuke had found something—someone—to his liking. Tsukuyomaru scanned the woodland below to see what had caught his Hansuke's eye. At short row of torches bobbed in like dancing fireflies just a little ways off. It was a caravan of human merchants. Despite thorough warning and rumors about the 'evil bat creatures' that roamed the forest, they pressed on through the wilderness in hopes of reaching the next town before dawns light.
Tsukuyomaru shook his head in pity. The humans had been down wind but their torches were a shining beckon in a dark abyss. They didn't stand a chance.
"Dinner time," Hansuke smiled, wings giving a giddy twitch, "You sure you do not want to joy in the fun?"
Hansuke always asked this and Tsukuyomaru always said, "No."
"Ha, your loss," Hansuke grinned one last time at his friend before tensing his body like a bowstring. With a great burst he took off like a shot, closing in fast on his unsuspecting targets.
Tsukuyomaru watched him go. He shook his head, dipped his right wing to make a U turn. He wasn't going to stay to watch the carnage that would ensue. Instead, he coasted in the directing of the open sea. Being an air dweller Tsukuyomaru was not much for water but he liked to hang in a high branch and watch the waves crash on the beach.
Midnight torrents rise in elegant but mighty surges, touching the cobalt sky, before breaking violently against the shore in foamy tendrils. Small crustaceans gingerly unearthed themselves from their tiny burrows, sidewinding across the lonesome stretch of beach to be swept up by the swirling surf. A lone figure quietly sat on a large piece of driftwood. It was peaceful on this stretch of sand.
The demon's brow furrowed as he did a double take on the feminine shape on the driftwood. How odd and foolish. Most humans that were native to these parts scattered for refuge at the first sign of dusk. Maybe she wasn't from around there? Tsukuyomaru shook his head. No, she wore the same plane pastel colored kimono andMo-bakama as all the other village women, hair loosely tied back with a thin ribbon. The young woman just sat peacefully perched, toes wriggling in the sand as if she wasn't in mortal danger. She was pretty. Not the classic beauty, but endearing with her thick brows and small nose. Her heart-shaped face was upturn toward the waxing moon, completely serine. What was she thinking? Who was she?
Tsukuyomaru shifted forward on his branch, wings flattening on his back to get look at the human female. The bat had always paid great attention to detail and an insatiable curiosity regarding living creatures. That's what made him a great potential assent to his clan but also made him a virtual outcast among his kind. The members of his clan were brash and arrogant, constantly browbeating never analyzing to find a better, more peaceful course of action. That wasn't Tsukuyomaru. He liked to study creatures, especially the abnormal one. This woman was odd and he wanted to figure out what made her tick.
"Tsukuyomaru!" Damn Hansuke. Tsukuyomaru popped his head pop through the canopy. Hansuke burst through the tree line not far off, waving a hand at him. "Tsukuyomaru, I'm done. Let's head back!"
The bat waved his friend off, "Coming!" turning back to face the human. He quirked a brow when noticing the driftwood was suddenly vacant. The woman was gone, the waves washing away her footprints.
A/N: Well, that's it. Good? Bad? Hopefully good. Feedback's always welcome. And I know this chapter's short. They're all going to be about like this. So, thanks for reading. :)