Jewel of My Mother
By: azuyama-chan
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or make any profit out of it. The pleasure belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.
Shippou happily munched on his lunch. The fish was really good, and he enjoyed it. Well, everything that Kagome cooked was absolutely scrumptious. The gang was sitting around the dying fire, as they ate their lunch. Inuyasha, who complained about the fish, was finishing his second. What a hypocrite. The kitsune thought.
Kagome and Sango were having a conversation while finishing their fish. Miroku was busy looking at Sango's behind, Inuyasha looked disgusted at the so-called 'monk's' actions.
Suddenly, an arrow whizzed through the bushes and trees. It landed on a tree, a couple of millimetres from Kagome's shoulder. Inuyasha passed Sango and jumped nearer to Kagome, to protect her if the challenger were to shoot. Miroku looked around, trying to find who shot the arrow.
Sango studied the arrow intently, noticing that it was a youkai arrow. Her eyes widened as the thought of Kagome almost getting killed. A youkai arrow carries the youkai's youki and it kills or weakens the target more than a human's arrow, depending on the strength of the youki. She was bewildered when she didn't sense any youki on the arrow. You see, only youkais can shoot a youkai arrow.
"So, I've got your attention now?" a foreign female voice said, bringing their attention to a tree a few metres away from where they are.
Inuyasha growled, baring his fangs. He positioned his hand and was ready to attack. "What do you want from us?"
The woman snickered. Her long slate grey hair is tied back. She wears a white dress, ending a couple of centimetres from her knees. Her dress had a belt of blue-grey feathers with black bars across them. The same type of feathers was on her wrists. She had orange boots adorning her feet. She gazed upon the group intently, with her purple eyes.
"I don't want anything from your pack, Inuyasha-sama." Her stress on Inuyasha-sama, made it sound insulting.
How can someone show respect and insult at the same time? Miroku thought.
"Enough of this, I'll get you for trying to harm Kagome." He growled and leaped towards the newcomer. He slashed at her, who dodged it.
She chuckled. "This will be fun." She dashed her way towards the forest.
I know exactly where to go.
--
"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled, crouching so that Kagome could get on his back. He held unto her and took off to the direction of the foe.
Sango changed into her taijiya outfit. Kirara transformed into her larger form, allowing Sango and Miroku to follow Inuyasha. Sango raised her Hiraikotsou and threw it towards the youkai. It hit the trees but not her, the huge boomerang returning to its owner.
Kagome shot an arrow towards her, but it missed. Good thing for the youkai, too. Since, it would have purified her. Darn. The miko thought.
--
Hiroto jumped from branch to branch. She looked behind her and saw that the hanyou and his pack were following her. She grinned and continued her way, increasing her speed.
"Almost there." She said as she saw her destination, coming to a view.
"SANKON TESSOU!" Inuyasha yelled. This time, it hit her left shoulder. Since he couldn't use the Tetsusaiga with Kagome on his back, he resorted with his claws. Even with that, he still had a hard time.
--
"Sango," Miroku got the attention of the taijiya, "Did you notice that the mark on her left temple."
"Didn't it mean dog?" Sango asked, remembering the kanji.
"Yes, and I think that it has something to do with Inuyasha's family."
"You're right. Kaede did tell us that Inuyasha's father was Lord of the Western Lands. Only youkais with great power can mark their servants." Sango recited from her memory. This was one of the things her father taught her.
"What about Jaken?" Miroku had a point. Sango tried to remember what else her father told her…
"Either he didn't want to, or Jaken is not really considered a good follower."
As Hiroto came to a view, Sango urged Kirara to go faster. They were now running side by side with Inuyasha. They gasped when Hiroto suddenly disappeared, except for Inuyasha who growled and cursed.
--
"Now, it's time for the other baka." Hiroto told herself out loud.
Have you given it, Hiroto? Her master told her. She knew that even though there was no one there, her link to her master made it possible for her superior to communicate with her.
"Not yet master." She said out loud, once more. She knew that even though she can hear her master in her head, her thoughts could not be read.
When do you plan on giving it? Her master's superior voice asked.
"Soon, master. Soon."
She placed her right hand on her chest, her dull nails touching her heart. A red splash appeared, coating her nails. As she moved her hand, her nails that were coated red were transforming into claws.
--
Inuyasha smelt blood on his left and saw two red glowing shuriken. Trying to dodge it, he leaped higher. Unfortunately he didn't jump higher, and the shuriken hit his ankle. He winced in pain, smelling his own blood dripping from the newly formed wound. This distracted him, and he didn't look for the perpetrator.
"Kagome, are you alright?" He said in a gruff voice, but still had a hint of concern. That is, if you dig deep enough.
"I'm alright." Good. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you Kagome. Inuyasha thought.
"What about you Inuyasha? You're hurt."
"I'm fine. Let's just focus on killing the wench first."
"Yoo-hoo." the voice of the one they were chasing, loomed over mockingly.
They saw that the so-called 'wench' was to their left, waving. Inuyasha let a small growl escape him. He quickly changed course, now following Hiroto. Kirara and the other two companions followed.
--
Hiroto accelerated until she was metres away from the pursuers. She came to a halt. She scanned the perimeter, smiling that the one she lured was near. Inuyasha and the gang emerged a few seconds later, with the typical Inuyasha greeting, or should I say…an insult.
Kagome noticed the thin line of string around Hiroto's neck. It wasn't just around her neck. It continued through the trees until it disappeared from her sight. Kagome looked and saw if anyone else saw it. Miroku and Sango didn't seem to notice it. Neither did Shippou. Inuyasha did look at the same area. I wonder if he can see it. Kagome thought, hoping that it wasn't like the last time, the incident with Yura.
"What the-?" Inuyasha said, shocked, for he smelled something awfully familiar. And I mean, awful. "Sesshoumaru!"
As if on cue, Sesshoumaru appeared out of the bushes, directly across Inuyasha. Hiroto was standing in between the feuding brothers. She smirked, irritating the hanyou.
"Now that you're all here…" Hiroto then took out two arrows. Throwing one to each of the two brothers, she jumped up. Wings erupted from her back and sailed away. Kagome noticed that the string was still there, around her neck.
--
"What the hell is this?" Inuyasha cursed for the umpteenth time. In his hand was the arrow Hiroto gave them. Her name was plastered on the arrowhead. It was a good thing for the gang that Sesshoumaru left after he received the arrow.
"Why the heck would she give us an arrow?"
"Maybe you should look at the note attached to it." Miroku told the hanyou. The gang studied the arrow, on its shaft was a piece of paper around it, and tied by a black ribbon.
Inuyasha opened it; the scent of the ink was different somehow. He knew that the writer was a youkai whose sense of smell was also very keen. If not, he would be knocked unconscious right now.
His eyes widened as his name was on the scroll, indicating that this was for him. Reading the letter, he was glad that as a child, his mother taught him how to read and write. Well, the letter was short.
All it said was, "I know how to help you, Inuyasha-sama. Take a three day journey, north to the western lands Bring your pack too, itoko"
The others read what was written on the bottom part of the scroll, since their view of the letter was hidden. It read Inu no kazoku which means the'Family of dogs'. They turned to the 'alpha' when he gave a gruff sound.
"We're going to the Western lands."
Author's Ramblings
This story was in my head for a long time. I just got around doing the story now. For all those reading For the Sake of Business, I'd like you to know that chapter 12 is on its way. Anyway, I hope that you would also like this story.
Ja ne!
azuyama-chan