All characters, unless stated as original creations or additions, belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media and Shogakukan. Blame them. I'm just taking their characters' concepts to a different place. Also, feedback would be appreciated. Writers do not improve without criticism and suggestions from their audience.
It was winter. Snow covered the hills and valleys like a white blanket while driving winds now kept everyone indoors. The inclement weather, however, was nothing to Sesshōmaru, Demon Dog Lord of the Western lands. He flew across the sky with faithful A-Un trailing behind and the sycophantic Jaken riding atop the two-headed dragon, shivering against the cold winds despite the blanket wrapped around him.
They were close to the borders with the realms of the other Demon Lords, including the aggressive Panther Tribe. Jaken's lord had been quiet, as was his wont, but rarely did they travel to the edge of their lands like this. There was nothing of importance here. Human villages and castles dotted the landscape but those were hardly of interest. Jaken could only wonder at what was pulling his lord so far west.
Without a word, Sesshōmaru descended and gracefully set his feet on the ground. The snow flurries limited how far they could see but Sesshōmaru stood, almost expectantly. Jaken sidled up beside his lord and was about to speak when a figure became outlined against the snow.
A moment later, the wind, as if commanded to do so, parted to reveal the person. Jaken gawked and sputtered. Only one demon he knew had the power to control the wind and she had died. Sesshōmaru frowned and took a step forwards.
"Tōran."
Her name was greeting enough and Sesshōmaru's voice reflected his dismissive mood. It was flat and hollow to Jaken, despite coming from such a regal voice. She, however, seemed to take pleasure at the mere sound of her name on his lips, purring audibly despite the wind.
Again, Jaken sputtered and took a step back at the appearance of an old enemy. She too, he realized, could control the elements!
"Hello, Sesshōmaru. I knew if I threw my scent into the wind, you would come. Dogs are good like that, they come when you beckon them," she smiled, flipping her long blue hair over her shoulder as a gesture of superiority.
The last three times they had met, Tōran had led the Panther Demon tribe to war in a bid to conquer his realm. They had first met over two hundred years ago, when Sesshōmaru's father challenged Tōran's father to combat while their armies clashed. Tōran herself had been a captain leading her Panthers against Sesshōmaru's own demon warriors. When the previous Demon Dog Lord slew the Panther King, Tōran had led the retreat of the Panther tribe.
Fifty-four years ago, upon learning of the death of Sesshōmaru's father, Tōran had led another invasion. Sesshōmaru, inheriting the mantle of Demon Dog Lord from his father, met them on the field of battle with a host of his father's demon warriors. Despite the loss of many demons, Sesshōmaru turned the tide of battle and forced the Panthers back once again. He had let them flee unmolested due to the pitiful state of his own forces. Sesshōmaru then had dared to hope the thrashings given to them by father and son would have ended their dreams of conquest.
Yet, again, four years ago, the Panther tribe had invaded with the intent to resurrect their lord using the Shikon Jewel. Again, Sesshōmaru had beaten them back with his own power, though Jaken had to give credit to the mongrel Inuyasha as well for helping that time.
They had retreated after Sesshōmaru used Tensaiga to restore the souls of Tōran's siblings to their bodies, having been killed by their father to regain his own power. Without those souls, Inuyasha had dealt the killing blow. Sesshōmaru, however, had already known the outcome and departed after delivering his crippling blow to the Panther King.
Here she was again, the Panther Demon who most closely rivaled Sesshōmaru in power.
"Three times were not enough? Must I beat you nine times before you admit defeat?" Sesshōmaru asked. She had been his equal four years ago; before he had his left arm restored and attained his personal sword, Bakusaiga. Now, Jaken felt confidently, Lord Sesshōmaru was the stronger of the two.
She smiled wider, placing an arm on her hip. "Didn't your brother tell you? I called off the vendetta. No, I came for two reasons, though one is bit more trivial than the other."
"Oh?" Sesshōmaru raised an eyebrow.
"Oh indeed," Tōran said, "Two weeks ago, the Northern Troll Demon clan sent an emissary to me. They asked if I would be willing to aid them in another invasion of your lands and at the end, we would split it in half."
"What? How dare you, after all that Lord Sesshōmaru did for you! This is how you repay his graciousness?" Jaken spat viciously when his liege suddenly bowled him over.
"Do not interrupt, Jaken," Sesshōmaru ordered.
Tōran stepped closer, drawing nearer to Sesshōmaru, with the graceful slink of a cat, her predatory gaze locked on him. "I declined, of course. The only one who can defeat you is me. I see you found your left arm and a new sword. I can also feel that your power has surpassed your father's but then… I have not wasted these past years either."
A powerful gale swept around them, tossing Jaken into the air and A-Un caught the little imp with both of his mouths. Sesshōmaru merely stood his ground, gazing from side to side as if examining something. "You always were a worthy opponent. It was only a matter of time until you ascended and became a daiyōkai in your own right," Sesshōmaru commented.
Tōran smiled triumphantly at the praise, throwing her hair back and preening herself over his acknowledgment. "The other matter is less important. However, I do have to admit, you arrived sooner than I expected. I didn't think that my limited wind powers could have allowed my hair to reach you so quickly," she said lightly.
"It didn't. You cannot compare to the free wind," Sesshōmaru responded cryptically before turning to leave. Jaken stared at his master. That reference made no sense to him. Thinking hard, the little imp tried to remember what had started them on this journey but the cold wind was making it difficult.
From what Jaken could recall, the three of them had been travelling to seek out a powerful enemy to challenge when his lord had stopped to snatch something out of the air and sniff it. Jaken had not paid attention to it back then but his lord's face briefly, almost imperceptibly, changed to one of disgust. Nevertheless, they had continued onwards for a short while. Now that Jaken thought about it, the chances of a strand of hair simply finding its way to Sesshōmaru-sama were … incalculably small. Jaken did not know of any living demon with such a powerful control of the wind. Tōran's bursts of icy wind could not traverse the entire land. Then the imp caught the reference.
"Sesshōmaru-sama! Wait for me!" he cried, realizing that his lord was already some distance away. Jaken started running after him when he was stopped.
"Tell me, Jaken," Tōran said suddenly, causing the imp to freeze on the spot in panic. He had turned his back on the leader of the Panther Demon tribe. Was she going to slay him? And she knew his name? Of course, she would! He was the great Jaken! That didn't change the sudden danger he was in. Lord Sesshōmaru was too far away to intervene! "Does he always pretend to be so uninterested when he's actually dying to know something?"
Chapter Notes: I am taking some liberties with the characters, obviously, though I hope these are in keeping with the characters. I had initially planned to have all the notes at the end but I think placing them at the end of each chapter is more fitting. I have made several changes to the language so it flows more smoothly.