Under the Full Moon

Chapter One: The Young Heir to the Western Lands

I walked behind otosan as we traveled to the Western Lands. Surround us where otosan's guards, his most trusted ones anyway. Otosan is always traveling to the Western Lands at least once every year and for some strange reason, it's always me he's taking with him. Though I don't know why. He never talks to me unless he ordering me to do something or he needs something to take his frustrations out on. Ah but what can I say. I hate him as much as he hates me.

I drifted off and looked at the scenery around me, making sure not to bump into anyone, more specifically, otosan.

"Hakidonmuya love," Otosan said suddenly, using his smoothest voice. "I know you did not want to come to the Western Lands with me,"

What makes you think that otosan?

"but is it really necessary to give me the silent treatment?" Otosan finished, not even bothering to glance over his shoulder at me.

Ah otosan, otosan, otosan. I'm always giving you the silent treatment, but pray tell; why are you suddenly being nice to me? Is it because there are guards around?

"Hakidonmuya? Are you listening to me?"

If you would turn around otosan, you would notice I'm not. I'm enjoying the scenery or at least trying to.

I heard otosan sigh but still refused to look at me. "I promise we won't stay long this time,"

Why do you care? Why are you even talking to me?

"but I do have business to attend to with my friend."

Ah of course, business. Otosan, the Southern Lord, was friends with the Western Lord. Once they had been enemies, trying to overcome each other's lands but now, seeing how they misunderstood each other, they became friends. How bothersome really… However, I do respect the Western Lord. I often talk to him about everything, except my family and my past. He, unlike that heir of his, was kind to me.

"Hakidonmuya…" Otosan said, sounding a bit annoyed and frustrated with me.

I sighed and looked at otosan, who had still kept his back towards me. "I won't have to deal with him will I?"

"…InuTaisho's pup?"

Yeah…him.

"I don't see why you wouldn't want to. Sesshoumaru is,"

An ass.

"a pup with high respect. He has potential for becoming a powerful youkai."

I wrinkled my nose and looked back at the scenery. I hated that bastard. Normally I'm a nice girl, aside from my complete hatred for humans. I rarely get angry though I'm sarcastic and sometimes speak my mind. I also like to taunt those with their weakness. But as I was saying, I'm usually a nice girl but when one gets under my skin, they face my wrath. And that bastard, easily got under my skin.

"You should show more respect when you mention him, Hakidonmuya. He is five years older then you."

Rive years older then me? I think not otosan. Oh perfect Sesshoumaru is eighteen-years-old. I, your daughter, am seventeen-years-old. Now, if I am right that is a one-year difference, not five. Even he knows that and he hates me more then you do.

"How old is he otosan, I forget."

Otosan rubbed his chin, thinking. "Eighteen I believe."

"So that would make me thirteen?"

"You are thirteen."

"Ah of course, I forgot that too." I mumbled, looking away as I felt a pang of anger. I glared at the trees surrounding us as we moved on towards the Western castle. The gravel road felt hard and sharp under my bare feet as I slowed my pace. If otosan would pay more attention to me, he would see that I don't even look like a thirteen year old pup.

"Ah Hakidonmuya, I want you to show respect towards him. He does have a higher status then you, like your oniisan, whom you also don't show respect too." Otosan said rather coldly.

Oh yes that's right. The heir to the Southern Lands, oniisan Ahiga, was well respected in my lands like otosan. Otosan spent almost every second with Ahiga, training him to be the strongest youkai around. He even taught Ahiga everything that was needed to know. Okasan, whom I've only seen her approach me when I was a child. She loved Ahiga like there was no tomorrow. She got everything he wanted. My family, you see, is very firm on the woman doing the man's bidding. Women were not allowed to fight or even hold a weapon. If they were being attack they were to either run or wait for their mate to rescue them. There was only a slight problem with my family's' tradition, I fought and I was damned good at it too. Once oniisan found out about it, and I beat him into a bloody pulp. I was surprised at how easy I defeated him but in the end, we made a deal. He would not mention my fighting to either of my parents and I was not to mention him loosing to me at fighting. If otosan found out about this…he would have my head served to him on a silver platter. But someone else found out about it, instead of otosan. Mr. Perfect and highly respected found out about my fighting when we first met. Actually, he was the first to know about it. He…tested my strength and fighting skills and…I lost and I hated him for that. I had gotten the feeling that he went easy on me. Since then I had trained harder and harder each time we fought and each time we fought, I made it clear that I was going to be difficult to beat. It got harder and harder for him beat me and he stopped going easy on me. There were times when I won and there were times when I lost.

"Hakidonmuya are you listening to me?" Otosan growled angrily when he realized that I was zoning out on him.

"Yes otosan." I lied with a blank face.

"You are to be nice Sesshoumaru. Show him respect and don't even think about giving him an offending look. Oh and do watch your tongue. Do you understand me?"

"I understand you." There was no way I was going to show respect for Sesshoumaru. The only one who had my respect was Lord InuTaisho.

"If I catch you disrespecting Sesshoumaru in anyway, I'll make you regret it."

"What's the worst you could do?" I spoke without thinking, but didn't regret it.

Otosan then stopped, causing the soldiers and me to stop as well. He then looked at me for the first time, though I must say he could muster a better glare then that. I wasn't imitated by it. "InuTaisho and I have been discussing ways we could strength the alliance between the two lands… I'm sure you don't want to be that way now do you?"

I glared at him and he smirked with a triumph look on his face. He then started walking again and everyone walked with him, making sure no harm would come to their Lord.

A soldier walked up to otosan and they quietly started a conversation. But alas, thanks to my demonic hearing, I could hear them.

"…are almost there Milord." The soldier spoke and when I heard those words my heart sank. I really hated going to that place.

Otosan nodded his head. "Great…"

I toned the two youkais out and looked at the ground, my somewhat short black hair fell out of place, gently rubbing against her face. Unlike otosan and oniisan but like okasan, my hair was pitch black. However I shared the same silver eyes otosan and oniisan had. My silver eyes were the only things I had in common with otosan. Both oniisan and me had okasan's markings, though oniisan had otosan's as well. I had two silver strips, starting at the end of my jawbone to the middle of my cheeks on each side of my face. Oniisan had these markings – thought they were black -- as well but he also possessed otosan's markings. Ahiga had two black strips surrounding his eyes though it didn't completely surround it but rather stopped in the middle of his eyes.

I had all the fancy stuff many youkais had. Claws, fangs, pointed ears, all the works. I did not, however, have a tail though I really loved soft stuff. I could get overly obsessed with it sometimes. When I was still a pup, I would always play with Lord InuTaisho's pelts. Sesshoumaru as a pup as well enjoyed playing with them and often fought with me over it. It was then when Lord InuTaisho started wearing two pelts instead of one, but that didn't stop us from fighting over them.

I, like both of my parents, am an inuyoukai. I did seem to inherit otosan's poison abilities, though he didn't know. He was a bit disappointed that Ahiga did not.

"We'll be there soon." I heard otosan say to me and then continue his conversation with the soldier.

"Oh joy."

I stopped and watched as otosan and some of the soldiers walk towards the castle of InuTaisho. While half of the soldiers followed otosan, some stayed with me, keeping a watchful eye on their Lord's offspring.

"Hakiiiiiii…"

I looked down at the small kitsune youkai. I thought it was interesting how kitsune youkais grew differently from other youkais. This kitsune, was forty-years-old and she looked like she was four years old. Though she was forty years old she acted like a four-year-old. She was older then me yet she wasn't it. Ten years for her is one year. So in a hundred years I would be a hundred and eighteen years old while she would be ten.

The kitsune had wild orange-reddish hair and light gray-bluish eyes. Her eyebrows were short and sharp looking but it looked good on her. This kitsune always wore this neko-eared hat that her mother made for her. The hat was a dark blue color and to me it seemed to big for her but nether less it made her look cuter. The kitsune had a skinny tail that didn't match the color of her hair. It was a light yellowish color with a white tip.

"Nani?" I asked, surprised that the young child didn't bug me during the journey here. This was the first time I was hearing from the overly hyper kitsune.

The kitsune looked up at me with a huge smile. "Haki looks sad, why?"

I looked back at the soldiers who were waiting for me to follow my otosan. "Leave." I ordered.

The soldiers looked back at each other, unsure of what to do.

"Leave. I'm close enough to the castle so no one would dare to attack me." Except him…

The soldiers bowed and headed for the castle. When they were out of earshot I looked back towards the kitsune, Sinopa. "No reason kitsune. I just hate coming here."

Sinopa looked up at me and cocked her head, resulting with her hat tilting over the side of her face. "Why?"

I tensed and looked around, searching for the familiar sight. No, he wasn't around. I sniffed the air and immediately caught his scent. Damn it. I thought, hoping that he had gone off on one of his little journeys. He may not been within my sights but he was around all right.

I sighed and stood up straight. "Let's go." I said to the young kitsune who jumped up and followed me as I walked to the castle.

"Leave me alone."

"As much as I love to, I happen to be going the same way you are." The all to familiar voice stated.

I glared at the taller youkai. Not even five minutes and he's already under my skin. I withdrew my gaze from him and fell silent, not wanting to talk to him. Sinopa ran away when I bumped into Sesshoumaru. My guess was that she went to go bug her otosan since she was afraid of Sesshoumaru. Can't blame the girl but growing up with him, I can't see why she would be afraid of him. He's just an ass.

"Oh yes, since you are here I might as well tell you now." Sesshoumaru said coolly and looked at me. "We gave your room away to Tai so you'll have to sleep somewhere else."

I glared at him. "And where do you propose I sleep? With the human slaves?" I asked dangerously, gritting my teeth.

Sesshoumaru seemed to think of a different answer but then went with my own. "They are the only ones with all that extra room."

Because they sleep outside you bastard! Wait…wait…didn't he do this last time I was here?

I harden my glare on the youkai. "Again Milord?" I asked in a mocking tone.

Sesshoumaru noticed it and glared at me. "Again what?"

I sigh and then smile at him, which just pissed him off more. I enjoy nothing more then mocking Sesshoumaru. To me, treating him like a kid was mocking him as well. This is going to be fun.

"Did you not do this last time I was here? Saying there was no free room for me and sending me off to stay with the slaves. Ah I do believe you otosan was more then happy to kick some youkai out of a room for me."

Sesshoumaru looked away from me but I could see him narrowing his eyes but then he smirked. "Not last time. Two summers ago I believe and my otosan has better things to do then to humor you every time you come."

I held my tongue and glared at him. Honestly I wanted to tell him off like usual but I had a feeling otosan was watching me so therefore, I shall be nice…for now.

I slowed my pace so I was not walking side by side with Sesshoumaru. It would be foolish to walk in front of him, seeing how he is taller then me with longer legs. He's kicked me in the ass too for walking in front of him when I was younger. Evil brat he was back then…and still is.

"Ah little Sesshoumaru." I heard otosan's voice speak through the air and I looked up, only to see otosan standing in front of us. I almost bumped into Sesshoumaru but I caught myself before I did.

"Lord Tyee," Sesshoumaru said respectfully but didn't bow. He didn't have that much respect for otosan plus I think he was just doing what he was told to do, by his own otosan. Wait…I could use this time…to escape and talk to Lord InuTaisho before Sesshoumaru gets a chance too. Yes!

I stepped forward and nodded my head towards my father, who didn't seem to like the lack of respect he was supposed to get. "Otosan, as much as I wish to stay and talk to you and Lord Sesshoumaru, I do have other things I must get to. Sorry otosan," I turned to Sesshoumaru and made sure otosan didn't see me sticking my tongue out at Sesshoumaru like a child would.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at me and growled with annoyance.

"Little Lord Sesshoumaru." I said mocking him as I gave him a mocked bow and quickly left, taking this situation to my advantage. God I love being an evil bitch sometimes.

Words and Meanings:

youkai – demon

hai – yeah

hanyou – half youkai, half human

taijiya – youkai exterminator

nekomata – specific cat demon (Kirara)

neko – cat

inuyoukai – dog demon

inu – dog

miko – priestess

otosan – father

okasan – mother

oniisan – older brother

houshi -- monk

nani - what