Warm Stones

Before Sango was born, her father brought an injured nekomata to his wife. The bloodied thing looked so innocent, almost like an ordinary cat. Forgetting this momentarily, she immediately took the poor twin-tail into her arms. Then she raised her eyebrow questioningly at her husband.

"I thought you could help it. I've seen you before, nursing birds with injured wings and dogs with broken legs and poor spirits." She wasn't one who liked to go into battle or make weapons. No, his wife was a healer to the many people of this village.

"This is no ordinary animal," she commented.

"I'm aware. You should have seen it, larger than a wolf! In the middle of the mission, we thought we were done for when this creature leapt in from the skies and tore a chunk out of that monster's neck. I don't know what compelled it to fight for us, but it got hurt in the process. I owe my life, and the lives of many brave men here to that nekomata. I couldn't simply leave her there after to be the prey of any creature that passed by. Bringing her to you is the least I could do."

She nodded solemnly and got to work. If this was a youkai, it would recover fast even if the damage was severe, but it needed the time. Smiling to herself, she knew her husband had a good heart. Though they were only recently married, she always knew it was true. Unlike many other humans, who were wary of any and all youkai, her husband was a good judge of character when it came to man and demons. To owe his life to this small creature, she wondered what magnificent power it held behind its unthreatening appearance. With deft hands, she cleaned the cuts and wounds, wiping away the dirt from its cream-colored fur. While she was doing that, she took in the strange patterns of it. Black coated her ears, tipped all four of her feet, and made stripes over two tails. The most striking and bizarre was the diamond shape at the center of her forehead.

After she was all done, she heard a weak mew from her patient. Slowly, the cat's eyes began to open. They were striking; a bright red that held no malice. No, not quite red like she had seen from many enraged youkai... they were different. Like coral...

"Hello little one," she greeted, putting her hand to its nose so it could catch her scent and know she meant no harm. "You took quite the damage from helping my husband and my people."

Another soft mew was the response.

"I am grateful. It's because of you that my husband returned home. You are welcome to stay in that home as long as you wish."

Seemingly satisfied, the exhausted nekomata shut her eyes once again.

After a few days, it began to walk around again. If it was an ordinary cat, it would have taken weeks before it could walk on a sprained leg, but this was not the case.

In another weeks time, the nekomata was freely roaming the premises of the Exterminator Village. When she wasn't in his home and with his wife, she was trotting along the side of the headman himself. Day by day she was getting stronger until finally, amidst a training session of the highest ranked taijiya, she showed her true form to him once again. Everyone who witnessed was taken aback.

With a fierce sound, she transformed in a burst of fire. Her fangs were long like daggers that grew from her mouth. She was larger than any wolf or tiger, and flames seemed to lick at her paws, though she gave no notice. They died down as she stood there.

"This is the form of the nekomata that saved us," announced the headman. He turned to look her in the eyes. "You will always have my gratitude, and our home is yours for as long as you like."

As if to answer him, she lifted her head and made a roar. While that was intimidating to many of the villagers there, they were soon shocked as the creature suddenly slid down under their headman and lifted him onto her expansive back. Before they could move to him, she leapt into the air.

His breath was taken away. Only once had he experienced flying through the skies, and it was as he tackled a winged demon for a brief few moments. Now he was suspended, hovering above his town.

"You are truly incredible..." he breathed as he pat the head of the nekomata. "Will you stay with us? Fight along side us?"

The sound she made was unmistakably amicable, an affirmative answer.

As was tradition in his family, she was named after one of the stones of the earth that meant strength to their line. The cat was named Kirara.

In a few months' time, the village received more good news. The headman's wife was pregnant.

For the entirety of the pregnancy, Kirara never left her side. On nights when her husband was unable to be with her, out to help another village with their demon problems, the twin-tail would sit on her lap to keep her company, purring to lull the baby inside her.

The baby was born. It was strong and healthy and beautiful, and while it was a disappointment to some that their headman had not been given a male successor, he proudly held her in his arms and announced her name was Sango, coral.

When the town was done celebrating, the new family sat in their home by the fire. Kirara peeked over the mother's arms.

"Kirara," her master said, "We must always protect our family."

She mewed in agreement. She would forever protect this girl.

Sango was a good baby. She only cried a little, and only when she needed something. She was never afraid, which actually scared everyone around her. It was clear that she was curious, and she was undoubtedly strong. The combination led to her doing everything early. She crawled on her own faster than any other baby, and it wasn't long before she began to stand and walk, ready and willing to explore the world around her.

And because she never cried, Sango was worrisome for her mother. She would set the girl down and turn away for only a moment before she was gone! She thanked the gods that Kirara could always find her. The nekomata was nearly always by her. She would catch her if she stumbled, lead her back home, comfort her in those rare moments that she did cry, and would alert her mother when it was clear she had lost sight of her daughter.

And so it was, Kirara stayed by the girl's side constantly until she was old enough to understand the world around her.

No one could abate the girl's curiosity though. She was fascinated with the training sessions, watching the taijiya master their weapons and practice their skills. Even at a young age, her feet twitched with the desire to join them.

Sango was obedient though, and when she could, she helped her mother at home, tending to the wounded. She fetched the water and carried the pail with beaming eyes, telling her mother about how she hadn't spilled a drop. It amazed her how strong her daughter was for only a little toddler.

The girl had wild dreams. Carrying water became a simple duty, and she began to tell her mother and the taijiya around about how one day she would be with them. One day she would go off with them and make sure they never got hurt. Then her mother would have a break from taking care of people, and she would make the world a better place by exterminating all the bad demons.

"Only the bad ones though. Demons like Kirara are good!" She'd say, motioning to the bundle of fun at her feet. "She's so good, she'll even help me fight too!"

While some merely patted her head and laughed it off, her mother was keen on listening and would tell this all to her apprehensive father. His own father had put him into training when he was very young, only a few years older than his daughter now. It was a tradition in their line to begin honing their skills early. Sango wanting to fight was strange, as most of the women in the village seemed happy to stay away from youkai and felt happy just to learn the basics of self-defense.

Maybe over time she would join their line of thinking and content herself to knowing basic techniques, like how to tell if a person was actually a kitsune, the different ways to feel for youki, and how to run away from them if in a bad situation.

Yet every time he spoke to his daughter about demons, the next day he would see her off in the yard with Kirara, excitedly imitating the exterminator's training exercises whilst reviewing his words.

As Sango's legs and arms stretched in length, soon her mother's belly began to stretch in width. She was with child once again.

This time was different though. She thought her first pregnancy had been about as difficult as the other women, but this time it hurt more. She felt more sick, more nauseous. Weaker. So weak that she didn't want to get out of bed for the last two months of it.

Kirara transformed to her larger self to help the woman out of bed when she needed to get up, her daughter taking hold of her hand as extra support. They worked as a team to get her out and back in to her bed.

On the night of the new baby's birth, Sango was not allowed in the room as the midwives helped her mother through it. She heard noises and they made her anxious. Her father sat outside with a stoic face. This was happening weeks before his wife was due.

To calm herself down, Sango pet Kirara. It kept her hands busy, it kept her legs still.

Finally there was a piercing noise. Crying. Instantly, she saw the relief flood in to her father's features. That was good. She felt much better now.

When her father was called into the room, she was told to stay put. The bad feelings came back.

She didn't like it. Without warning, she got up, Kirara jumping and landing on the ground with grace. Sango flung open the door and saw her father with her mother's hand in both of his. Was he crying...? She ran to her mother's side and knelt down. Kirara quickly appeared next to the girl, a sound of concern rumbling past her mouth.

"Haha-ue!"

With a weak smile and hair plastered on her face with sweat, she tilted her head towards her daughter.

"It's okay Sango," her pale hand came to brush her daughter's cheek.

It wasn't okay, and she knew it.

"You promise me you'll take care of your brother." Her head motioned over to her own sister, Sango's aunt, who sat her foot holding a bundle in her hands as tears streamed down her face.

"I promise!"

"You're a strong girl. You protect him, Kohaku. Same for you Kirara. You protect our family..."

Finally, she turned with a worn out face to her husband.

"She's strong. You remember what I said to you. Promise me..."

He nodded. "I will..."

For just a second, the smile on her face was bright. Soon it faded, the light in her eyes dimming before they closed shut.

"Hahe-ue?"

She had dealt with people dying before. She had never feared it would come to her family though. Not when her father was the strongest man of all, and her mother was safe at home. This was something he could not have protected her from though.

That night, she cried into Kirara's fur until she fell asleep.

Kohaku was not like Sango. He was very weak as a baby, and small. For the first few weeks, they all feared he wouldn't be able to make it.

Sango believed in her brother though.

"He's strong. He'll be okay," she murmured to Kirara as she heard him cry.

With resolve, she got up and went to him. Her aunt, caring for the infant in place of her sister, appeared after her, watching the girl take her brother into her arms.

"I'm strong. I'll take care of him. I'm his big sister after all."

Kirara mewed in agreement.

Sango was the one who taught Kohaku to walk, with Kirara there to catch him at all times. They worked together to watch over the boy when their father left to his duties.

Sango swore to both of them that one day, she would definitely join him.

When Sango was eight and Kohaku was three, they were perfectly capable of being left at home alone. The boy was gentle and even more obedient than his sister. He never went out of bounds or messed around with things that were dangerous. He was very easy to take care of, and the headman had no worries about their safety. Sango was responsible after all, and the village was safe. Kirara made sure of that.

That was the year that she insisted she begin training.

"I'm going to join you one day, Chichi-ue. I need to be stronger to protect our family, to take care of Kohaku, too."

He couldn't refuse the fire in her eyes, nor the last wish of his late-wife.

"You'll start in the summer."

After one year, Sango was introduced to the weapons vault. With Kirara, her favorite sparring partner, on her shoulder she walked through as her father told her about the various tools that they had used over time. There were great swords, arrows, clubs, rings, knives, and a few unique items that were fascinating. Amongst them all was the most special thing she had ever laid eyes on: Hiraikotsu, her grandfather's weapon.

She ran her hands along its broad surface. It called to her.

"This one..."

Her father tried to explain it was an extremely heavy weapon, one that was hard to use. She ought to get something more suited to her body. If she used the Hiraikotsu, it would toss her around like she was a rag doll.

She shook her head.

"I can do it."

At first, Sango trained with smaller versions of the boomerang. Her father hoped that it would show her how difficult it was to wield. She kept asking for it to get larger. She'd get proficient every time it did. She knew how to get it to return to her every time, and where to move to catch it.

"Kirara!" The cat transformed and leapt to her. She climbed on.

"We're both going to have to know this. You're my partner, after all."

She threw the medium sized weapon across the field.

"Let's go!"

Sango's training was well-rounded. All her life she had learned about various powders and poisons and plants. She also knew the lore of her home's construction, and the cave of the miko Midoriko, that was only a few paces away. There was the history of the Sacred Jewel, a story she had heard her mother tell her many times before bed.

"Midoriko was a powerful priestess as well as a warrior. In that cave she fought off hundreds of demons by herself, giving life to the Shikon no Tama where she continues to fight."

Inspired by the tales of this capable, woman warrior, Sango fought hard to follow in her footsteps. She may not have had any spiritual powers, but she could become strong if she just kept training.

Though she focused on attaining her grandfather's old weapon, Sango learned how to use a sword as well, and blades that attached to her arms. She had done the best out of all the training slayers her age, and even advanced past them. It was all to get what she wanted: get out in the field with Hiraikotsu to fight alongside her father.

With a weapon like Hiraikotsu, it was important that she knew what to do in the event that it did not return to her. No matter the field, Sango excelled. Often she was put in hand-to-hand combat situations, but other times she was given a partner.

Her favorite times were working on syncing with Kirara. They flew through the obstacle courses, they prove their skills at dodging, at timing, at range and communication. If Sango leapt into the air in a certain way, Kirara was there to catch her and take off.

Kohaku was there to cheer her on from the side, proud of his sister. He never really wanted to fight, and maybe since his Ane-ue was so great, he'd never have to worry about it.

The day Sango was presented with the real Hiraikotsu was on her tenth birthday. It was heavier, smoother, and more powerful than any of the smaller replicas she had handled before it. With her first throw, she knew then why her father had told her it wasn't meant for an ordinary person. It was devastating how strong it was. It could tear through things; it was solid. It would have knocked her out if she didn't know what to do. What she held in her hands was not only a weapon, but a dire responsibility. She had to know what she was doing, where it would go, because it had the ability to damage so much.

Sango had gotten used to how she was supposed to use it. She knew what flicks of her wrist would angle it just so, the motions her arms needed to make, and with her being a slender built girl, she also knew how much of her weight she needed to throw in order to make it fly through the air. She also knew well that she had to control her catches- the hardest part.

Throwing the heavy weight was one thing, but the rebound was another. If she wasn't careful, it would break her wrist. She'd nursed a sprained wrist a couple of times, and a broken bone once from the return. It wouldn't happen again if she could help it.

"This is going to be different than all the other times, Kirara. Can you handle our weight?" she asked in concern.

Kirara roared, and Sango smirked in return. "Of course you can!"

Their first mission wasn't even two months later. Sango was made her own taijiya outfit. As the headman's daughter, her colorings were different. He ordered the outfit specifically for her, and the moment she donned it, she loved the feel. It took her a long time to get used to the weight of it. Sure, she had trained in a similar uniform, but this was different. It was real, and all the hidden compartments were meant only for her body. Her armor was made entirely out of pieces from her family's exterminations.

Kirara sat on her shoulder as they travelled. The nekomata's presence brought her infinite comfort, like she was bringing a piece of home with her.

Surrounded by her allies, her family, and sent off with the well wishes of her hometown, Sango couldn't help but feel excited rather than scared. She told Kohaku before she left, "Kirara and I are going to make the world a better place. I'm going to fight and protect us."

"Kirara!" Sango shouted as the demon's tail came swinging her direction.

After so many missions together, the twin-tail knew what that specific tone meant and came swooping down just in time. Sango fell into place on her back and they soared through the air. Quickly scanning the area, Kirara swept past the place where Hiraikotsu had landed, Sango reaching out to grab it in her hands.

"Let's go!"

Years passed, and when Kohaku reached the right age, he too, was sent of to training. Like she did with his sister before him, Kirara acted as his partner. Kohaku had chosen the chained sickle as his weapon. He didn't have any desire to carry around something as heavy as his sister's boomerang, but he liked the idea of a weapon that he could catch and have return to him.

In their after hours sessions at home, Sango would explain to him about how to catch a returning weapon. His sickle would be sharp one day, not the blunt practice object he was given, and he'd have to make sure he always caught it at the handle.

For hours, he would stand in their yard, practicing his grip and hoping that he'd make both his father and his sister proud. He still didn't want to fight, but he could at least defend himself. That's all he wanted to do, but his father seemed to have other plans.

Sango was skilled enough to be on her own now, especially since they primarily dealt with smaller, weaker demons anyways. It was mostly oversized bugs or pests. The exterminators knew never to underestimate a demon's power. It was the ones that looked human that were to be avoided. As long as there was respect and a balance of power, it was fine.

Sango became a hero amongst the people. She had shown that she was more than capable, as a warrior and a woman. In fact, it was agreed upon that she was simply the best. She was the shining pearl of the Youkai Taijiya Village. How they had raised such a beautiful, talented girl was beyond them. Their home was tight-knit after all, everyone was part of the community. Whenever Sango left, she was welcomed home by everyone she passed, none more enthusiastic than her faithful nekomata and loving brother.

While she got a thrill out of her solo excursions, the feeling of being qualified and professional at her work, Sango would always remember her father's words the first time he sent her out on her own:

"Even when you are alone, the soul of our village is with you. While you are gone, we are waiting to welcome you home. We are there in your heart."

She would carry this message until the day she died.

Today she had dealt with a centipede, and in the shreds of its carcass, she found a fragment of the Shikon Jewel. Its power had made the lowly youkai into a more intense battle, and she could hardly pick out any useful parts to bring home. Well, centipedes never really had much to give anyways. Her father would be happy with her other find though.

"Oi! She's come back!"

"Sango-sama!"

She looked up and saw the men at the watch tower call out to her as she stepped into their sight. With a heavy noise, the wooden gate was lowered to open for her.

"I'm home!" she called out excitedly, raising her hand in greeting. As soon as she stepped into the village, they raised the gate back up, as they always did. Immediately she headed out for the smith's workshop.

"Welcome back, Sango," one of the village women greeted as the girl kneeled down and began unwrapping her haul.

"What was the prey?" asked the smith.

"Giant Centipede," she answered back with a smile. "It's not a lot, but I brought back a few legs and some shell. You can use it to make armor, can't you?"

Before he had a chance to answer, they both heard a familiar noise. Sango turned her head and saw a little fur ball bounding in her direction.

"Oh!" Sango exclaimed. She certainly had found her quickly.

Kirara leaped up onto her shoulder, hugging her and purring wildly. She missed going out with her mistress, but today had been an important training day with Kohaku.

She petted her happily. "Shh, shh. It's alright, Kirara... Were you a good little one, hm?" The twin-tail mewed excitedly.

Soon after, she heard the padding footsteps and swinging chains of her eleven year-old brother.

"Ane-ue! Welcome home!" He seemed just the slightest bit out of breath, chasing after Kirara to find his sister with important news. "Chichi-ue... I mean, the headman, wants to see you!"

Holding Kirara to her shoulder, she got up and greeted Kohaku with a smile.

It was good to be home...