Conflicting Emotions

Kagura faced Kouga head-on. Rain clouds were gathering, and the sky was the dull color of lead. Lightning crackled through the sky, bright flashes against the impending gloominess. Thunder roared, sending little children to their parents crying in fright. The wind began to pick up, swirling around the two combatants. Dried leaves skittered along the ground, and the unearthly screeches and howls of wild demons filled the air. The demons at Kagura's back salivated for the wolf prince's blood, and they both knew it.

Kouga glared at the creation who had killed his entire tribe. Ruby red eyes stared back impudently, a fan held gracefully in one hand, half open. The white feathers in her hair were conspicuous against the darkness of the ebony strands. Turquoise bead earrings were in her earlobes, and she wore the clothing of a professional geisha, possibly by Naraku's request. She was poised in a fighting stance, wary of a sneak attack.

Kagura gazed back coolly at the prince whose clan she had slain so coldheartedly. His long hair was pulled in different directions by the wind, and his cerulean eyes sparked with anger and hatred. The sword at his hip was an object of curiosity to her, she had never seen him draw it in any battle yet. Wasn't it powerful enough for him? Was it useless, like Sesshoumaru's Tenseiga? He resembled a girl just a little bit, with that pelt wound around him like that, just like a short skirt.

The silence between them was broken by Kouga's enraged snarl, his pointed canine teeth flashing white. "Are you so stupid that you can't talk, wolf?" Kagura sneered lightly, flicking her fan completely open. The winds picked up speed at their mistress's command, shrieking unnervingly. With a wave of her arm, the demons behind her surged forward, bloodthirsty and intent on the prey. Just as the demons at the head converged on Kouga, Kagura plucked the white feather from her hair and spiraled upwards, to get a better view of the battle.

Kouga's roar was ripped from his throat, and he jumped to attack. His fists and feet lashed out at anything moving nearby, and the Shikon shards lent him speed and power. He fought ferociously, and within minutes, the demon horde Kagura had brought with her were all gone. She landed on the ground, fan held in a defensive position, crimson eyes shrewd. "I could resurrect them, you know. I could make things a hell of a lot harder for you," she studied him. Kouga gritted his teeth.

A barrage of wind blades flew at him, and he dodged them, only to be marked by another wave of Kagura's attacks. One curved arc of wind struck him across the shoulder, sending blood flying all over. The thick viscous red liquid dripped out of Kouga, and his hands and clothes were soaked in it, from the demons he had killed. He charged at her, but she wasn't standing there anymore.

A mini tornado sucked up leaves and twigs as it sped towards him. He dove out of the way, rolling and then coming to his feet again. The twister undid itself with a flick of Kagura's fan, which Kouga was coming to hate.

"Ready for some serious fighting, wolf?" Kagura asked. Kouga looked up to see her perched on a tree branch, sitting and swinging her feet as though she hadn't a care in the world. Kouga growled wordlessly, and sped towards her, fist thrust out. Kagura bent backwards to avoid him, and he used a leg to throw her off the branch. She turned a somersault in the air, and landed on her feet. A rush of wind attacked Kouga, forcing him backward. Dirt flew into his eyes, and he narrowed them. They were beginning to water, and he growled again in frustration.

"I will kill you, wind witch!" he shouted, and got a mouthful of dirt for his effort. "Repeat that, wolf. I didn't hear you talk," Kagura's voice swirled through the wind. Kouga smacked himself mentally. She was generating the wind, and it must have blown his words away. How stupid could he get?

He lost his footing, and the violent gusts of air sent him tumbling head over heels in a manner that was definitely embarrassing. Kouga swore to himself. If the puppy boy was here, he'd never hear the end of it.

Out of the blinding buffets of wind shot a dozen wind blades. He managed to dodge them just barely, but another dozen came his way, from another direction. Kouga swore and ducked, just as another barrage came barreling his way.

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Kagura dismissed the winds by snapping her fan shut. Walking over, she eyed the barely conscious wolf prince, who cracked open a azure orb to watch her.

"I could kill you where you lie," she said, tapping her fan on her chin thoughtfully. "Then do it," he ground out. She gazed at him a moment more, then stepped back. "Today you will live, prince of wolves," she tugged the feather from her hair.

"Why?" Kouga croaked out. "Because I don't want to soak my hands in blood anymore than I can help it. You owe me, wolf," she smirked. A torrent of wind swirled around her, and she rose in the giant flying feather. Kouga pulled himself agonizingly to his feet as she ascended higher and higher.

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Kagura sat by herself in the field of flowers, watching the birds fly free across the sky, chirping to each other. She had dreamed of this moment, thinking she could take Kanna away, live in a normal village as their protector, live out her life in freedom. She had thought that freedom would last much longer than a day then. The steady pulse of her heart was obvious to her, and right now, she didn't like it too much. Each beat drove her closer to death's door. She had finally earned her freedom, and she couldn't use it to do anything but sit in a flower meadow. This was really, really pathetic. She shouldn't have put it past Naraku to have injected poison into her heart. Other than being pathetic, this was also highly ironic. It was so like him, how could she have missed it? She plucked one flower, admiring its soft silky petals, stroking it lightly with one finger.

"You are dying, wind witch," a matter-of-fact voice stated behind her. "Oh, thank you for telling me. I really didn't know," she said sarcastically, knowing exactly who was there and not wanting company.

"Did you come here to gloat at me?" she asked abruptly. "No, I did not," the voice sounded faintly shocked. She narrowed her eyes, but let the matter rest. She could practically feel her life slipping away anyway – why did it matter? Why did anything matter?

Her breathing began to slow. The light of her life was flickering, preparing to go out for eternity. Kouga came to sit beside her, enjoying the soft breezes that surrounded her, forever keeping her cool. In her beautiful ruby eyes, he could see regret for everything she had done.

"I'm sorry… for killing your clan…" she murmured after a while. Kouga studied her more carefully. Her hair had lost its healthy shine, and her skin looked much paler than usual. He brushed her arm with a finger. She was cold and clammy. The fire in those red eyes was exhausted, her life giving out. In those eyes – he believed he could see genuine sorrow for what she had done while under Naraku's thumb.

Kouga exhaled. "I forgive you," he whispered. Kagura smiled at him, a smile born of grief and tiredness. "Thank you," she said. As he reached out to touch her hand, her eyes fluttered closed, her heartbeat slowing to a stop. Her body began to crumble into dust as Kouga watched, aghast.

When Kouga stood to leave, bowing his head in memory of the wind user who had slain so many and paid the price in the end, he could have sworn he heard far-off happy laughter and a whispered thanks, as flower petals danced by him in the brisk breeze.

owari