To Have You Here With Me
A/N Disclaimer: Inuyasha is not mine nor are its characters, I am simply borrowing them to create a piece of fiction.
A blur was passing through the forest, which is what it appeared to be to the mortal eyes of men. Only if one had the sight of a demon would they realise that it was panther youkai, eyes glinting in the dark as emeralds, coat of fur sleek and shiny like a pool of oil in the midnight hour. The youkai hastened to reach his destination, so that he could deliver a vital piece of information to his lord, the Supreme Lord that ruled over all the land.
The youkai tried to push his limits, straining himself with each step, leaping from stones, hacking away at vines and stray plants, running like his tail had been set on fire. The demon stopped for a breather and looked across the valley where his lord master's abode stood gracing the mountain side. With the adrenaline of accomplishment pumping into his veins giving him a burst of speed he reached the gates of the palace where he nodded at the two guards and rushed inside.
The palace was not lightly guarded and for those it appeared to be so, this naiveté resulted in their death. The palace was built a thousand feet above the ground cut into the sheer face of a cliff with the only way to the palace a narrow serpentine pathway cut within the mountain or through the air. The skies were constantly guarded by bird youkai. Anyone who dared enter their lord master's territory would be ripped to pieces with their talons.
"Shikegi, what took you so long? Do you not realise the delicacy of the situation? Do you wish for me to see the afterlife so soon?" berated the small green demon and while Shikegi the panther demon could not reply in affirmative however he wished to, answered, " I came as soon as I could Jaken sama. Where does our lord rest at the moment?" "Follow me," mumbled the green youkai and walked a few corridors before stopping in front of a grand pair of double doors. "May I help Jaken sama?" asked Shikegi in an amused tone to which little youkai huffed and tapped his staff on the doors. They opened without a noise almost as if they were curtains being swished aside. It was a room vast with many seats at the head end of which sat their Lord Master.
They stepped forward and Shikegi kneeled in front of his master with his head bowed low showing his subservience and his willingness to even forfeit his life on his lord's command. Although Jaken Sama remained standing and almost rude in his behaviour by announcing his arrival so loudly "Sesshomaru-sama, Shikegi has come with the news of the priestess!" The panther wondered how Jaken was still alive after all these years, but his musings were cut short as his lord's gaze set upon him. Taking that as an indication to speak the panther relayed to his lord that the priestess was spotted by a band of bat youkai travelling in the dark of the night towards the border of the Southern Kingdom and there were three men travelling with her on foot. The lord nodded towards his servants appeased with the information. "Prepare for the journey Jaken", commanded the quiet lord.
The panther and toad youkai left to fulfil the wishes of their lord. While inside, the demon lord turned towards the window could not contain his satisfaction at the news, "I am coming for you, RRRIIIIIIIIINNN".