"Quickly! Take them down now!" the scream engulfed the battlefield as more corpses fell on the ground, slain and tattered.

Only two figures remained among the bloodbath. One with long black hair that reached the back of the knees and the other with long white hair that flowed gracefully in the wind and reached lower than the thighs. As attractive as they looked, the two held quite ferocious traits ; long sharp claws decorated their fingers as blood dripped from the tips, the slit pupils that hid among the red pools and long thick lashes and of course the red markings around the eyes, as if it was smudged blood used for eye shadowing, but most important, the black cat ears that were twitching at every sound around them and the tails that swished erratically at what they had caused. The two women sat back to back before they turned to face each other with victorious grins.

"Seems like we won again, eh, Marika?" came the humorous laugh of the white haired cat demoness towards her partner which in return patted her shoulder and looked around at the hundreds of corpses around themselves. "Indeed" she agreed, the older woman smiling to herself.

"Kaya…we also need to take our pack members back" she also added to the white neko. The younger one just huffed and rolled her eyes "Must we?" came the whining of the young woman and when she met with the stern expression of the older woman, she knew it was no way to turn back. "Fine" she mumbled and proceeded with following the older cat and collect her fallen mates.

The pack, more like the royal family they had consisted of a clan named Nekumite, and they were known as the Assassins of the North. The royal family was well known 100 years ago due to their stealthy skills and gorey ways they would slay their victims, not to add the strength and tenacity they had on their side. It was a time where they expanded their territory towards the Western Lands and that was when the Inu youkai took them out, leaving only few of them to see the daylight.

For 100 years they have been hiding, protecting the little cubs that they had and hoped that one day they will become the powerful and feared clan they once were. Kaya was the only daughter of the current leader and she was also a feared assassin in the youkai realm, one that would stop at nothing to bring one down. Her ferocity proved to be helpful in such battles and as much as her father would hiss at the idea of her fighting, he couldn't stop the killing intent she was showing towards their enemies.

Finally, when she reached the age of 50, she was allowed to participate in huntings and then came the small battles for territory until it reached here, at quite the wars between clans. Now she was standing with pride above the corpses that she had slain, her eyes as playful as ever while her blood red lips were contorted in a devilish smile. If only they knew how much she enjoyed these moment, the fresh smell of blood, the scattered limbs across the plane. It was an incredible feeling of dominance.

She was 125 now, and it had been quite a while since she last fought someone worthy. The older cat, by the name of Marika was her only friend and a woman as deadly as she was beautiful. She was the general that taught Kaya how to fight like a true warrior, lending her some of her skills in the art of swordmanship and assassination. The little one, however, chose her own weapons and those were two axes which she wielded expertedly during fights.

With little effort, the two women grasped four more corpses and hung them each on their shoulders before heading home. From a young age, Kaya didn't know the meaning of home, mainly because at that time they were still on the run, hiding in caves temporarily and then seeking other places to hide. It was painful to do so and when they finally settled within a cave and created their own secluded paradise, Kaya was more than happy about it, having a home to come back to.

Her father, the cat Daiyokai, welcomed them both with his usual warm smile, his eyes brightening at the sight of his daughter and her victorious grin. The corpses of their comrades were to be buried and given the respect they deserved for fighting alongside them, and as soon as they were taken away, the two knelt before the powerful demon.

Higure, the leader was a still attractive male and his many concubines could agree to that. He lost his dear mate during the battle with the Inu daiyokai and these other females were there to fill in the hole he kept in his heart. Even so, he made sure that he showered his daughter with the love only he could give, making sure that she had everything and was protected from anything. Imagine his surprise when the little girl refused to remain under his wing and simply rebelled against his will to keep her royal blood unshed.

As much as it pained him, he couldn't help but feel some sort of pride within him whenever she would come back home with another tale of her battles. "Welcome back, Marika…Kaya-chan" he greeted as he stood up from the furs and silks he had stayed on, to walk towards his dearest daughter and embrace her. "Are you hurt, my little koneko?" he asked starting to examine her exposed flesh, on her legs and on her arms. The young girl huffed and pulled her arm away from her father "I'm fine" she exclaimed with a tinge of irritation before she departed to her own chamber where she took refuge within her furs laid on the ground. Her chamber was just a room built within the hard rock of a mountain, above the save haven her clan created between three mountains, a secluded place down at the feet of those mountains where the climate was gentle and they could build their own huts and palaces, hidden from curious eyes. The whole 'village' was protected by a barrier that three of the elders held up for no demon to sense them.

Given the loss they went through, it would have been expected for them to be poor and live poorly, but the moment that you walked inside the protected shelter, it was ornated with golden beads, pearls and candles lit everywhere that left behind the delightful smell of lilies and roses. No one was poor and gold and silk, luxurious furs and rubies, they were everywhere and decorated almost every hut. It may have to do with the fact that cats were usually attracted to shiny things, but it was something that they liked having : luxury.

Later that night, Higure gathered some more clan leaders that he made amends with to discuss the future of their clans and the probability of them getting back their lands. Naraku had been defeated and now there was chaos everywhere, demons going about and killing each other and in this whole chaos, there were only the strongest daiyokai that survived and that also happened to be Higure and his clan.

As they gathered around the table with the feast settled on it, the clan leaders began their heated discussions, mainly about the Western Lord that nobody seemed to like.

"We have to take him down or make him go into submission to us!" one yelled as he fiercely looked at Higure. "He destroyed our clans…he killed so many of our own! Higure-sama…you know that more than anyone else" he added, placing his eyes over the leader's black mane and twitching black ears. He was annoyed at the propose to kill the Inu daiyokai. First of all, he was more powerful, second of all…he didn't know him at all, but rumors of him were heard everywhere, how merciless he was and how dangerous it was to approach him.

"We need to send an assassin after him" another concluded and the rest liked the idea as they nodded in agreement. Higure's ears perked up as he heard and his jaw clenched thoughtfully. "I'm not sure…if we have a good enough assassin" he muttered.

"But of course we do…you do…Kaya's name is on everyone's lips, her battles, her victories…she's an exquisite warrior, assassin…she is perfect!" the first one exclaimed, stating out the obvious. Higure's eyes snapped towards the man dangerously as they gleamed with the desire to severe his head from his body. "My daughter will not go anywhere close to that monster" he roared as he stood up from the table, his pupils slitting dangerously at the lizard yokai.

He left the meeting shortly after, his breaths in hitches as he sat down on his throne in the biggest room of the traditional palace built for him. His thoughts were set on his daughter being in such danger and he couldn't even comprehend why they would suggest that. His long and slender tail wavered impatiently, angrily as he narrowed his eyes. He only had one daughter and if she were to go on such a mission…the odds weren't in her favor. She was still young! She was still learning, add the playful demeanor and the recklessness she had from her mother and she was the opposite of who they needed.

"My lord…" a small voice came from within the room as his eyes searched for the source "What?" he hissed as his eyes fell on a servant "The leaders threatened to go into war with your majesty if you don't agree with their proposal" he spoke in a tone that shivered. What? They already decided? It was impossible to go to war with nine other clans at once! And they all agreed to it too! Traitors!

Even if he was a Daiyokai, there were two others like him, and the rest were yokai, superior ones. It was an impossible feat. "Tell them I will have my answer sent to them tomorrow…through a messenger" he spoke gravely, not even bothering to look at the male as he left.

With a heavy heart, he stood up from his place and walked slowly, painfully slowly towards where his daughter was now. The room within the mountain, something she created by herself, where she liked to stay all alone and meditate, where she would practice her fighting. As much as he pleaded that she would live down in the village with him, she refused and remained secluded in here. This was after all…the first home they stayed in, when they found the land, the hiding place. It was so dear to her that she rejected the offer to live down at the foot of the mountain, as if she liked watching over the village from her upper position.

As he walked inside the dimly lit room, from the three candles that fluttered, his own amber orbs settled on the sleeping figure among the furs. He gently sat down and stroked her ears lovingly "Koneko…" he began softly as the young woman stirred to an awakened state, her red orbs gazing hazily towards her father. "Mmm?" she groggily groaned as if questioning his presence. "Tomorrow…tomorrow we are going at war…" he added in a hushed tone. That word truly started the cat, because her eyes opened wide and she sat up "What? Why? " she blurted out, now more awake than before. Her father, surprised, just lowered his head "They wanted me to send you away…to kill the Inu Daiyokai, the Western lord…I can't risk your life…" he confessed with a hoarse tone.

"Father…" she trailed off as she leaned her head on the back of her father "I will be okay…please don't burn down the ties we made with them…it's important and if I can play a part in this…I will, even if you won't allow me to" she spoke wisely much to her father's surprise as he turned just barely, his eye catching sight of her silver locks falling messily over his back. "No…I won't allow it" he grunted. The young cat raised her head from her father's back with a concerned look.

"Father, I appreciate what you do…and it means very much for me, but this is my decision and I want to be the one to kill the one that made us suffer for so long" she spoke softly as her hand rubbed the shoulder of the old male. "Trust me, father, I will be fine and I will return home…have some faith in me" she chuckled as he gave her a weak smile. "I do have faith in you, but-" "No…father, let me do this" she interrupted him with authority in her voice. As much as he didn't want to, it was too late now to change her mind and he just huffed. She would do as she pleased anyway…that's how she grew up like.

The next day, his daughter's departure was voiced officially, the other leaders being quite pleased with the outcome of their pressure. Higure was more than upset that day, as if losing the only person that mattered, after all, she was the reason he built all this up, for her protection, for her well-being. His eyes remained on the white furred cat that stood in front of him, his daughter having turned in her normal form as she was ready to go. The head of the enormous white cat bowed down and the man gently patted it's nose affectionately pressing his forehead on her fur. "Stay safe koneko…" he murmured before Kaya left the safe haven.

He never felt so heartbroken. He was letting go of the last person that had meaning to him, his own daughter, his flesh and blood and as much as his chest ached, he had to remain on his feet and let this carry out. He was going to show her that he had faith in her. Yes! She would return soon, he was sure she would be back as always, with that victorious smile on her face…like always…