REWRITTEN!

Wind whistles, grasses flicker, voices sing.

The world she lays in a world of terror; of demons and fear, of war and deceit. A young girl forced into a world of uncertainty and unforgiving terrain. She is the last of her kind, yet also the first.

A young demon she was. A small, young, beautiful creature. Her voice was a soft as the petals on the flowers around her, and her song was barely heard. She lay in a field of grass and pink petals, her midnight-black hair splayed in a halo. Her pale skin was graced with rose cheeks, red lips, and curious red markings: they ran from the corners of her eyes in needle-like lines, down from her cheeks in the same fashion, and on her neck as if scratched by another demon. A black tail twitched in the sunlight. Her eyes were closed.

The only one who could hear her song gracefully stood against a large tree, his red eyes smiling down on his eldest daughter, her tiny body one of the only things he had left to cherish. His own black locks blew in the calm breeze, and his own red markings seemed to glow. He hadn't the heart to bother her. But he had to.

"Shikyo…" he called with a strong and deep voice; the voice of a commander, a Lord. The Lord Shikane of the southern grasslands. The girl sat up straight in an instant, turn her head to stare at her father. She had bright, lively pink eyes, "Time for us to leave."

Her liveliness dimmed for a moment. "Must we?" she whined, standing upright and walking over to the tall and kind-looking demon. Shikane lowered to his knees to brush the few remaining petals from the girl's white kimono; it had large black lotus flower designs on the bottom and red seams. The arms were too long for her.

"Yes, we must," he replied, picking her up in her strong arms. She fit perfectly into his chest, "We are meeting a very special friend who is going to help us. He is very kind, and has a song of his own, so you won't be lonely with your sister gone."

"I don't care about Murukina! She chose to run away; I don't care what happens to her!" she insisted, gutting out her chin to emphasize the point. But it didn't fool her father, and they left without another word.

Shikyo awoke from a dreamless sleep, startled by an unknown laughter. She lay on a soft, comfortable futon, surrounded by large, regal red tapestries adorned by white flowers and dragons. Through the rice paper door she could see the shadows of people.

"Father?" she called, moving her thick hair out of her eyes. Her nerves were acting up, shown by an erratic beat her tail now danced to. Her stomach growled with more ferocity than her own vocal chords could muster. She went to move aside the door, but stepped back as someone else got there first.

It opened slowly, gracefully, to reveal a tall, slim female demon. She had long white hair in pigtails reaching her waist, and a small crescent moon pasted on her forehead. She was dressed like royalty.

"I see you're finally awake." The woman laughed airily. "We have been waiting for you to wake for some time now. Were you tired?"

Shikyo nodded sheepishly.

"Are you hungry?"

She nodded again. This time the woman held out her spindly hand. Shikyo took it shyly, as if it might bite her if she held on too tightly.

Shikyo was led into a large, echoing room. It had red and white walls, with a long, low table on the floor. Shikane sat here, eating peacefully, while having a light conversation with a powerful looking male demon. Another, younger demon sat beside him, possibly in young adulthood in demon years, around 200 years old. Shikane was the first to notice the girl now left standing alone.

"Come here my girl!" he hooted. Shikyo slid into a space in the table, next to the young male demon, but decided better and slid a little father away. He had given her a look that had somewhat scared her. The side of his soft, angular mouth twitched. He wanted to grin. Shikyo could smell that he and this other man were dog demons.

Shikane smiled and saved Shikyo from any more embarrassment. "Shikyo, this," he said calmly, gesturing with a pair of chopsticks to the older demon, "is my great, great friend Inutaisho."

Inutaisho smiled and said, "Hello, Shikyo. I have hear very much about you and your sister from your father." Shikyo blushed lightly and slid even further away. Inutaisho laughed. "You're such a beautiful young girl. Do not be afraid to speak."

Shikyo nodded, unsure. She slid a little closer this time, but still keeping her distance from the younger demon. He looked at her with interest from the corner of one of his penetrated golden eyes, his silver-white hair laid over one shoulder.

Shikane noticed this. "And yes… This here is Inutaisho's son; Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru really looked at Shikyo this time. He smiled a small, almost non-existent smile, and promptly turned back to his father.

"Are you alright here for a moment with Sesshoumaru?" Shikane asked Shikyo as he stood. Inutaisho did the same. "We'll be right outside the front of the palace; we have things to discuss, but it will not take us very long, darling."

Shikyo nodded curtly, intent on struggling through this strange man beside her. Her tail betrayed her confidence, though, as it wrapped itself tightly around her body like a boa constrictor. Shikane smiled as the two men left.

Sesshoumaru stood quietly. "You don't have to be frightened," he said lightly, "I hear you're a rare Lunar fox demon… Is that correct?"

"I suppose so…" she muttered shyly, unsure as to what rare really meant. Sesshoumaru pondered on the thought for a moment.

"Do you know why that is so special?" he asked her? She shook her head no. "Do you know the story of your ancestry?" Another no. Sesshoumaru sighed.

"Many, many millennia ago, there were four what we call now Universe demons. They were the Solar demon Rukaimon, Lunar demon Tensuda, Light demon Ayane, and the demon of Darkness Dairuga. These four demons, all male, had plans of dominating the world with their powers. But, to dismay of Ayane, the Light demon, Rukaimon, Tensuda and Dairuga fell in love as soon as they tried to make this plan a reality. They released their efforts on world domination to live peacefully with their new mates. Ayane was not happy about this. He took to action, and destroyed his fellow Universe demons… but not before they had produced live heirs to their legacy. Although he tried, Ayane couldn't lay a hand on these newborns; their mothers were chosen for mates for their strength and cunning, and they were protective of their children. He lay in wait. But, he waited for too long. These children, two males: Daisuke, the heir of Darkness, and Shikane, the Lunar heir; and one female: Tsubame, the Solar heir. They all grew older and much more powerful, and when their mothers relayed past events, they took off with the pure, driven intention to kill the murderer of their fathers."

Sesshoumaru stopped for a moment. "Keep going!" was what he got in response.

"But, while they were gone, Ayane crushed Sakora, the mate of the Solar demon and mother of Tsubame, and Stahaba, the mate of the demon of Darkness and mother of Daisuke. The children succeeded in finding Ayane and destroying him."

"So…" Shikyo mulled over what she could understand of Sesshoumaru's story, "My father did allthat!"

"Yes. He's a great man. Along with you and he, the only remaining Universe demons are your aunt Tsubame, uncle Daisuke, and cousins Shiruba and Shiba. Also, your grandmother Sarabi, and great-aunts Hiko and Kurasu are also alive, but I doubt you have ever met them."

Shikyo was silent aside from a small and fluttery "Wow…" Before she could ask the question reeling in her head, her father returned. He and Inutaisho were smiling and laughing together.

They all sat back down as more food was brought in on porcelain dishes by a young demon. Shikyo's stomach growled again, loudly. The three men around her laughed. She blushed.

When they all had finished their meals, Sesshoumaru stood and faced Shikane and his father. "I would like to show Shikyo the garden. May I have permission to do so? She would enjoy the flowers there."

"I think that would be a great idea," Inutaisho smiled, "Don't you, Shikane?"

"Of course!" Shikane clapped his hands together, "What do you think about that, darling?"

Shikyo nodded and smiled truthfully. She took Sesshoumaru's outstretched hand, and he led her out of the room and out a back doorway.

The breeze was still present from before. It blew Shikyo's hair back from her forehead. As she looked around with her wide opal eyes, all she saw was flowers. Flowers of every color, size, and species. She couldn't believe the sight. She glanced up to notice Sesshoumaru looking down of her with his almost frightening yellow orbs. His eyes were sparkling with something she was unsure of.

"Do you like it?" he asked her as he led the small girl to a strangely still pond. The breeze didn't seem to affect it. Sesshoumaru sat down at the edge and disturbed the clear water with one of his long fingers. Shikyo sat beside him.

"I really do," she replied, "Thank you."

The breeze grew stronger, making Shikyo's tail dance involuntarily again. As it did so, it blew into the pond. Shikyo let out a strange hiss and jumped aside, only to find her body now within the lap of Sesshoumaru. She laughed embarrassedly and tried to crawl away but he picked her up instead. She blushed madly.

Sesshoumaru walked along a long path lined with purple and pink flowers. The moonlight shone down of Shikyo's face, making her skin look pale white, and the thin, red markings stood out like blood on snow.

"You have very beautiful eyes," Sesshoumaru muttered, not looking at her. Shikyo smiled and looked at the black night sky. He placed her on the ground lightly.

She was now standing on a circle of cobble stones. Coming through the stones was a large, benevolent cherry blossom tree. Shikyo stared at it in awe. As soon as she was about to touch it, though, she heard her father's characteristic voice cut through the silence. He was telling her to come back inside.

Sesshoumaru held out his hand again. "Shall we?" Shikyo nodded and walked back with him in silence.

When they entered the hallway of the palace, Sesshoumaru stopped. He let go of Shikyo's hand, knelt down, placed a small, innocent kiss of the girl's cheek, and filled the empty space of her hand with something else. He stood silently and walked away, leaving her alone. Shikyo opened her hand slowly to reveal and beautiful purple, pink and white blossom; her favourite colors. Her tail danced again, this time out of happiness; she smiled to herself.

Thank you….

"Keep still, child!"

"It hurts! How can I possibly keep still?"

"Urgh! Shi, please. I'm sorry! Stop moving!"

Shikyo, tail twitching to the beat of her erratic heart, stopped squirming long enough for the man behind her to finish pulling free a treacherous burr from her nest of black locks. She yelped when it snagged a silky strand, and her tail whished violently on the ground. The man rolled his eyes and laughed at the 10 year old. She was the only one that could make his emotionless face break out in laughter. Shikyo looked up and smiled her shimmering smile, baby fangs starting to show their presence.

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru," she said. She stood and hugged his waist, the only place she could reach.

He stood there and chuckled softly. He felt her soft, midnight hair. "You're welcome, Shi."

The two stood in front of the cherry blossom tree Sesshoumaru had shown her when she first arrived here, 4 years ago. Shikyo had never known what it was about until many months after.

Shikane took Shikyo to Inutaisho for safety. Their lands, the southern grasslands, had been rampaged by a boar demon not long before they had ventured to the western plains. It had destroyed everything in it's path,. Shikane's mate, Sabini, killed the demon, but died as it fell upon her in it's last moments. Shikyo and Shikane journeyed to Inutaisho so they would have a safe place to stay, and that is where they stayed for the past 4 years.

Shikyo climbed to the top of the tree then. Waving at him from a flimsy branch, she hung upside down, her tail swishing in her face. The furry appendage tickled her nose and made her sneeze, losing her balance. She tumbled out of the tree but didn't' hit the ground; she found herself is Sesshoumaru's arms, yet again. He laughed at her hair, as it was spread across he face so nothing was shown but her nose.

Sesshoumaru had become Shikyo's protector. He had stood by her all these years whenever her father was away, spending every waking hour with the child. A few very old and not-so-wise demons thought it unwise for a 200 year old demon to have such a close bond with one so young. Their father's brushed the accusations off. Shikane and Inutaisho thought the bond was great; Shikyo got the protection she needed, and Sesshoumaru found someone to break his cold exterior. It became a possible win-win situation.

Sesshoumaru set Shikyo down as Inutaisho come out of his palace that the Lunar demons had called home for the past 4 years. Inutaisho's face was cold and hard, lined with the scars of long ago cried tears.

"Father…" Sesshoumaru said, his voice low and cautious, "What's happened?"

The white demon was silent for seemed like an eternity to Shikyo. He finally stood straight, jaw set, and said quietly, "Shikane has died."

Shikyo stared into oblivion. She stood at her late father's grave, warm tears making path down her pale skin. There was nothing to do with herself now. She knew she was an orphan now, a 10 year old demon with no parents. She was alone; no mother, and now no father. Sabini and Shikane, Lady fox demon and Lord Lunar demon, gone.

She wasn't alone at the great Lord's resting place. Many demons had come to comfort the child, but she had shrugged them all off, unwilling to accept their sympathy, and walked off on her own. She had grown to hate pity, an attribute most probably learned from Sesshoumaru.

She made her way back to palace with a frown on her face, her mind reeling with thoughts of her father. Without watching where she was going, she found herself at the cherry blossom tree. She stared up at it for a long time before tears welled into her eyes again, and the child broke down in a fit of emotions; sadness… betrayal… hatred. Her father had said he would always be there for her, and now look! Now he would never be with her again. He was a liar!

Shikyo was on her knees, sobbing, when she heard the footsteps she knew by heart. She didn't bother to check who it was; she knew it was Sesshoumaru.

He knelt down behind his small little friend. His head was hung low. Sesshoumaru missed Shikane as well. He just wasn't the best at comforting.

"Shi…"

Shikyo turned around slowly. Her face was lined with salty tears, and her eyes were red and saddened. Sesshoumaru had never seen the girl cry before. She was a very strong spirit, and was most always laughed or smiling. It hurt him softly to see her like this. Shikyo hugged him quickly like she though he may leave her like her father did.

"Please…" Her voice sounded so very weary and softer than usually. Sesshoumaru hated it. "Please, Sesshoumaru… Don't leave me too."

He looked down at the top of her had. She was so young… had lost both her parents, and a sister than had run away a long time ago. He lightly hugged the poor child back. "I won't."

"Do you promise?"

"… I promise."

Another 6 Years Later

"Where are you going?"

Sesshoumaru stopped in his tracks. He had hoped that his absence wouldn't be noticed by the teenager, but they were hopes made in vain. He could smell her behind him.

Sesshoumaru decided to leave the palace of his father to travel. There was news of a strong demon coming to power, and he wanted to investigate. He wanted to escape without having to pass Shikyo first.

He turned around and looked into her eyes. She stood at the end of the hallway, and he was at the other. They were far apart, but his eyesight made it clear to him that the look on her face was not the once childish smile she used to wear. She was 16 years old now, still considered a child, but now growing into a woman. She was angry.

"I'm leaving," he said cautiously.

She snorted and crossed her arms. Her face was more angular, becoming more mature, and her childish roundness was almost gone. "Well I understand that," she said.

Sesshoumaru turned around again to leave. He didn't wish to deal with this teenager right now. He didn't get far.

Her now fingers, which were now growing their first claws, grabbed the back of his kimono. She was becoming stronger as well in her age. But not strong enough to deal with him.

Sesshoumaru whipped around and grabbed the girl by the neck, not tight enough to cut of her air supply, but enough to hold her off the ground. "Don't push me," he warned, but her eyes were strong, their pink glow ominous and angered.

"I won't let you leave," she growled, her fingers clawing at his wrists, "You promised me."

"That was long ago. You are old enough to take of yourself." He let her go. "You no longer need my protection."

"How do you know?" she yelled, her hair billowing like a black cloud around her shoulders. Her markings were becoming more vivid with age, and as her anger rose, so did their shimmer. Her eyes were now squinted. She was hiding tears.

"Don't do this," he warned her again, but it was too late. The tears ran down her face without her permission.

"You can't leave!"

She flung her long, gangly body at his chest, hands gripping at anything she could, and drying her tears on his armor. Sesshoumaru looked down at her. Having enough, he pulled her off and stared into her eyes.

They were always so penetrating.

"You have to let me leave," he said, his voice softer than before, "I will return eventually. You must stay here and live your life."

She growled at him, baring her fangs that were now close to maturity. "I am living my life! It was with you around me! Sesshoumaru please don't go, I need you… I have no one else."

"I can't stay."

"Do it anyway."

"No."

"Yes! You liar, you said you would stay with me!"

"I am not a liar."

"Yes you are!"

She kissed him. She held on for dear life. He pushed her away.

"Let me go."

Her eyes had grown to epic proportions, this time with absolute ferocity. Before she knew it, her small claws had raked themselves across her cheek, in the exacts spots that his purple markings were. He looked at her. And walked away.

"You'll regret this!" She screamed after him. "I will never forgive you! Just wait! I will never forgive you!"

"Inutaisho!"

Surrounding the palace of the western plains was a small army of dreadfully ragged male demons; dogs, foxes, wolves, panthers, birds, and many others. They were all allied for one cause, and that was Shikyo.

This day just so happened to be the first day Sesshoumaru had returned. He had come into view of his father's palace only in time to bear witness to the dreadful army of cretins. He knew why they were there.

After the news of Shikane's death, many demons started a plan to kidnap the last remaining Lunar demon alive, a chance they could only take once. Her supposed power could not be passed by, and the opportunity couldn't be given up. It took them 7 years, but finally they gathered enough power-hungry mongrels to try and overtake the western Lord's palace.

Sesshoumaru leapt down the hill leading to his father's palace, crshing through anyone who got in his way. These were weak mongrels, but enough of them could cause a small inconvenience, and a danger to Shikyo. He barrelled through the barricaded door and closed it behind him.

He looked around for the girl he was saving. Shikyo sat in a small corner, her face buried into her knobbly knees. She was curled into a small, tight ball, he tail wrapped securely around her now-developing waist. Her hair was a mess.

Sesshoumaru walked briskly towards her and picked her teenaged body up. She said nothing to him. Inutaisho came into view.

"They have come to take her away." His voice was as strong as his armor. "They believe she should be with one's of her own kind, the remaining fox demons and their allies."

"And you are going to allow them?" Sesshoumaru asked, "You're going to allow them to take her away?" His voice had started to rise, and his father stood his ground.

"Sesshoumaru," Inutaisho started, "I would never willingly let them take that girl away from here." He started to raise his own voice. "I hope you understand that."

Shikyo trembled from the vibrations of the men's yelling. Sesshoumaru held her tighter and stared at his father. "My men are blocking the exits, but these savages will do anything to get the her."

The blocked door didn't last long. Inutaisho's men were ploughed down as dozens of barbarians trampled in. Inutaisho jumped protective in front of his son and Shikyo. "Take her anywhere safe! Make sure they cannot get to her!"

Sesshoumaru obliged to his father's requests for the last time in his life. He carried Shikyo to the safest place he could think of: the cherry blossom tree.

He placed her on a sturdy branch. "No matter what," he said sternly, "Do not leave this tree, and do not leave with anyone. Not even if they resemble myself or Inutaisho. There are many shape shifters. Do you understand?"

She stared at him with watery, angry eyes and said nothing. Past betrayals were still remembered on her part. Sesshoumaru left her. Again.

Sesshoumaru found himself caught in a battle with someone he presumed to be the leader of this makeshift army, a barrel-chested fox demon. The demon refused to give up, even though his body was slashed to bits by Sesshoumaru's sword. He continued to call Shikyo "Princess of the Night." Sesshoumaru was growling on the inside; this man had no right to speak of Shikyo that way. This man didn't deserve to have Shikyo.

Sesshoumaru eventually got fed up and sliced the fox with his claws, left him bleeding profusely from his neck on the ground. He was about to take down a few more while he had the chance, until he heard a fox's scream that wasn't the barrel-chested man.

He ran as fast as his legs could take him towards Shikyo's scent. He saw a burly fox demon through the trees, holding a wriggling Shikyo in his tree-limb arms. Sesshoumaru realized his mistake. This was their leader. He had bypassed this man many times while fighting the others… Sesshoumaru thought for too long.

The demon ran away, quicker than Sesshoumaru anticipated. He tried to follow, but their scents had been masked. He only ran into more of the mongrel army. They were no problem to defeat, but Shikyo was lost.

He had lost her. He had left her, and now he lost her… again.

"No…" he sighed, letting the thought sink in that it was his fault she was gone.

"NO!"