Reiha woke on a totami mat, covered in a heavy fur pelt. For a moment she thought she was back in her small pelt. She imagined the cool moring sun shining through the small window, falling on her face. She almost smiled at the fond memory, until she was abuptly brought to her waking world when she heard footsteps approaching where she lay. She jumped to her feet and fo the first time took in her surroundings. She was circled by cold grey stone, the tatami mat was layed out on the floor to her right. On the wall opposite her current position, leaned an armored chest plate, and a single sword. The white pelt sprawled on the floor behind her seemed almost familiar and she found herself staring at it.
She was small, sliding on a polished wood floor, socks on her feet. Her hair was tied up in an elegant knot. She heard heavy footsteps coming across the large hallway and bowed as the man passed. She looked after him but all she saw was a white pelt falling over his shoulders.
A shiver shook her from what seemed like a memory. "You are cold." a low, cold voice spoke from the entrance to the cave to the left of the amor. She felt fear start to take over her mind and bodyy. She slowly looked away from the pelt, raising her gaze to the man who had spoken. He was tall, long silver hair framed his pale face. On his forehead a perfect cresent moon surrounded by the silver locks. His eyes were a familiar golden color. Their eyes had only met for an instant, but an instant was enough for Reiha to feel as though she had looked into his eyes before, somewhere long long ago. The man had walked into the cave and was now draping the pelt over the small womans shoulders.
"Reiha." he whispered her name, she almost hadn't hear him. She didn't answer, for a long moment, she was lost in how sad and distant his hushed voice had been when he had said her name. My name? She looked over her shoulder at the familiar eyed man. "How do you know my name?" her voice sounded surprisingly strong for the whisper that it was. The man sighed and looked away from her gaze with only his eyes. "You really do not remember." his voice was louder and stronger now.
"Who are you? Why did you take me? Where am I?" the questions sped past her lips, as she turned to face this stranger. He was looking at her again, but his gaze seemed to somehow be looking through the her she knew. "You know me, and I could not leave you in the rain. I am taking you to my grandmother, she will help you ragain your memory."
"My memory?" She wondered outloud.
"Your demonic aura aswell." He said securing the plated armor to his chest. "Leave the mat." it was said as an after thought as he took the white pelt and placed it over his right shoulder. He walked towards the cave antrance. Reiha had to run to catch up to him.
"What do you mean 'my demonic aura'?" she asked as the red flowers on the sleaves of his kimono came into view against the white world he was standing in. She glanced at her sandals than again to the snow covered mountain. She looked to him. He was crouched with his back to her his arms looped by his sides. She stepped in his footprints and wound her arms around his neck. As he stood he wrapped his arms around her thighs. "Your Youkai." He finally answered. My what? "Somehow, someone sealed your Youkai, and your memory. You cannot remember any of your demonic past." He spoke as if he had read her mind; her memory of her past, other than that of the small village, was gone.
"And your grandmother can help me?" she spoke quietly for her voice was directed into his pointed ear.
"That is my hope." He jumped and it was as if they were flying. The air was cold, but Reiha could barely feel it against the heat of his body. They did not speak as the moundtains of snow flew under them, and slowly turned into a lush forest.
"I didn't know trees grew up this high up." The woman spoke taking in the scent of the forest.
"They don't. Not without help." He looked at the forest he would be landing in. "My grandmother must have some help." He thought out loud. He set Reiha on her feet. She looked to the tops of the trees.
"What do you mean 'help'?" She looked at the demon.
"Youkai help. You'd be able to sense it." The man turned and walked into the forest. Reiha jogged to keep up with his long strides. She constantly looked around deep into the woods around her looking for the 'help' he had spoken of. A small smile formed on her lips, and the man noticed the change in her scent. He risked a glance ar her.
"Are you sure we are allowed this far from the palace?" A small Reiha dressed in a pink silk kimono stood on the edge of a forest wearing a worried look on her small brow. "Yes Chiyo took me there, and I wish to show you." a young boy with shoulder length silver hair and a perfect cresent moon on his forehead grabbed the young Reihas' hand, and pulled her into the forest. They ran in silence until the sun began to turn the world above them orange. Reiha slowed to a walked and looked to the orange sky. "Reiha." the boy called out to her. she followed him deeper into the forest. Few fireflyies drew her attention away from the boy for a few spare moments. A smile touched her lips as the boy looked to her, her light blue eyes followed a single small yellow light as it danced in the growing darkness. The boy took her wrist, "We are almost there." He said sniffing the air, Reiha did the same. Only moments later he froze in his tracks. "Close your eyes." He said turning to the girl. She did as he requested. The child with golden eyes and a perfect cresent moon took her and, and lead her only a few small steps. "Open your eyes." Reiha opened her eyes and her vision was filled with hundreds of little dancing lights. There was a small lake reflecting the dissapearing sky. The sound of a small waterfall filled her ears. She looked to him. "Sesshomaru, this is beautiful." the smile that touched her lips, now touched her face.
"Are you okay?" The Reiha who didn't know who she was asked. The man was shaken from his memory. "Yes." his answer was quick. "We are here." he began to walk up a stone path Reiha had not seen. She followed closely behind him.
"I recogniize those scents." the voice of an elderly woman came from the end of the stone path. The beautiful man leapt the remaining stone to the womans side. he had said something close to her ear. The woman shared his golden eyes, silver hair and pointed ears. She however, did not have a cresent moon on her forehead, the markings on her cheeks were jagged and blue, in comparison to his smooth red double markings. The woman was wrinkled and small, but by no means frail.
"Reiha, is it?" The old demon asked. The younger of the two nodded. "I am Haru. Why has my grandson brought you here?" Her voice was full of peace and kindness. Reiha walked to the elder woman and bowed. "He said you could help me ragain my youkai, and my memory." Reiha did not look the woman in her golden eyes. "Come inside child." Haru said extending a clawed hand.
The old woman lived in a well furished hut; much bigger, with more rooms than the ones in the human village. "I thought I smelled youkai in your blood. Do you remember anything of being demon?" Haru asked as she ground a mix of herbs. Reiha sat opposite of the elder woman. "I do not." she said watching as Haru mashed the leaves into a paste. "Grandson, go to the stream and fill this with water." Haru said holding a bucket for him to take. He stepped off the wall he was leaning on, took the bucket and left.
"Is he always so silent?" Reiha asked in a hushed voice. Haru almost laughed. "Drink this." she said mixing the paste with the little water she had left. "Your youkai shall return to you." She handed Reiha the cup. Reiha closed her eyes and reflected on her human life, her human friends, her half demon friend and the demon that killed him. She opened her ocean eyes and drank the contense of the cup. She waited, Harus' golden eyes stared through her.
Reiha felt her heart pound once painfully in her chest, than again. Her stomache tightened and she felt ill. She ran outside to an enormous tree, she rested her forehead against the rough bark. Again her stomache tried to refuse her last drink. She clenched her jaw and a deep breath in through her nose, the air smelled clean and crisp. Another wave of pain shot through her chest and felt what she thought to be new claws dif into the tree. A cloud of demonic energy painfully erupted from her body, and a scream tore through her throat.
"Sesshomaru don't!" Reiha heard the familiar voice through her own scream. Reiha fell silent, youkai flowed around her for moments more before settleing into her now demon body. She looked to her hands, which were now her weapons. She looked to the ground and the moss she was kneelingg in, it was a more vibrant green, her vision had improved aswell as her sense of hearing and smell. Reiha finally looked to the two demons staring at her.
"The seal is broken. You are as you were born." Haru spoke with a smile on her face, she turned to her grandson; "Her youkai is restored, but I cannot touch her memory, a priestess sealed that." Sesshomaru only nodded once, than looked to the now demon. She had changed, since his last memory of her. She was still much smaller then him and still lacked any facial markings. Her hair was much longer alswell. But her eyes, her eyes never changed, only the pupil changed shape, the color, depth and kindness stayed, even now. Reiha met his gaze. "Your scent, it is familiar. A dog youkai." She paused for a moment. "What am I?" The expression she wore reminded Sesshomaru of a child. "You are a miix, your father was a dog youkai, and your mother was a wolf youkai." The man expalined. Reiha nodded, then looked to her clothes. She had to strifle a laugh as she recognized the familiar clothing.
"What is funny, child?" Haru asked.
"A demon clothed as a priestess." Reiha replied with a small laugh. Haru joined with her own laughter.
"Grandson"
"She's already heard my name. You may say it now." Sesshomaru inturupted. Haru sent a glare in his direction.
"As I was saying. Run into the villafe at the bottom of the mountain and buy her clothes suitable for a long trip down the mountain." Haru tossed him a small leather poutch full of coins. He caught it in his right hand and began his trip down this enchanted mountain.
Now Haru turned to Reiha. "You and I will be training. I will teach you the basics of battle and how to use your scenses to your abilities." She walked in a circle around the young woman. "You cannot wear that. I may have something for the time being." The older woman turned back into her hut, Reiha could hear the woman mumbleing about her clothing, and soon followed.
Haru was rumaging through a box full of fabrics. She held what look to have once been a shirt. "This will do nicely. Take those off." She said pointing a clawed finger to the white and red cloth the other demon wore. Reiha slowly removed the clothing from her body. She stood in a corner of Harus' hut covering herself with her arms folded across her chest. "Put this on." Haru said holding the black cloth out to the woman. Reiha quickly took the cloth from her, and the clothed herself. She tied a peice of the material Haru had cut, off of one of the long sleeves when she removed them, around her waste. The shirt only came to mid-thigh. "Are you sure this is decent?" Reiha asked as she walked into Harus' vision. "It will be for now." The older woman replied, leaving the hut.
Outside the woman was marking set trees with claw markings. Haru turned and walked to Reihas' side "The first technique i'm going to teach you is simple and you will not use this after your memory is regained." Haru dug her claws into her forearm drawing blood. "Blades of blood!" She yelled as she swung her blood covered claws in front of her. Her blood, as she had said, turned into blades and left the marked trees with a few gashes. "Now you." Haru said turning to look at Reiha. "Focus your youkai into your blood on your claws." she finished. Reiha took a deep breath and as she had seen Haru do, she dug her claws into her left arm. To her surprise it did not hurt. She channled her youkai into the blood she felt on her claws. "Blades of blood!" She shouted as she mirrored Haru. Reiha smiled as her blood turned to blades and flew into the trees, leavings wounds in the bark.
"I did it!" She turned quickly to Haru, a smile lighting her face. Haru, however, wore a different expression, something caught between shock, disbelief and excitement.
"You did child, and your wounds have healed." Haru smiled. "There is nothing left for me to teach you." The old demon motioned for Reiha to follow her into her alrge hut. Reiha followed the woman through many rooms and finally to one sliding door. "I will answer your question about my grandson now." Haru said as she slid the door open and stepped onto an unpolished wood deck overlooking her enchanted mountain-top. she kneeled on a pillow near the edge and patted the pillow next to her. Reiha knelt beside her. The view was breath taking. She could see the wind blow through the trees like a wave, and she could faintly hear the leaves rustle from miles below her.
"My grandson was not always so silent. In fact, he used to be quite lively." She began, "He used to run and laugh. As a child of a great youkai lord, Sesshomaru lived a wealthy life. Anything he wished, he recieved. "She stopped for a moment, as if letting a memory play through her mind. "He used to have a playmate. Her father was the Lord to the Southern Lands. My son hat set a meeting with the Southern Lord, who brought his young daughter along. He had said his mate had recently passed, and the young child begged to attend the meeting with him. " She smiled at the memory. "My son laughed. He said Sesshomaru was near her age and would likely do the same. He called the boy out from his chambers and into his office, I saw him on his way there, I remember I made him change, for she was dressed in a fine pink silk kimono. But from that day forward, the two were inseperable. My son and her father used to say: 'They'll combine our lands someday.'" again Haru smiled. "Then his mother fell ill and passed away, he mourned her for a long time, and in that time his playmate did not come around as often. My son arranged for the Southern lords daughter to come and once again play with Sesshomaru, it was the right thing to do and the boy grew less and less sad with each day." The smile fell from her face and her eyes darkened. "The southern lord send word to my son that his daughter had gone missing. He and his men were scowering the lands, but they had found nothing, not even the childs scent. She paused, thinking how to phrase her thoughts. "Sesshomaru recieved everything he wished for, wish the exeption of his dear friends' return..." Haru looked to Reiha, she was staring into the wave of trees the balcony overlooked. Her eyes looked so deep, Haru almost thought she saw an ocean wave cross the iris of Reihas' eye. She looked sad for the little boy of Harus' memory.
Reiha slowly drew her gaze to Haru. "I know you... Don't I?" The old woman smiled, "You do, from a very long time ago."
Dusk had fallen on the two women and the mountain they overlooked. "How much longer until Sesshomaru returns?" Reiha asked drawing a blanket over her shoulders.
"I imagine any moment now." Haru speculated as she sniffed the air. "We should head into the main room." She said standing slowly. The two made their way to the room quickly, Reiha had caught the mans' scent in the air she walked. She knew he would be waiting.
"Welcom back." She greeted him with a smile. He mearly looked to her. She always used to say that. Sesshomaru remembered a smile touching the corners of his mouth. "These are the kimonos she will need." H said holding heavy folded fabric in his strong pale hands. "Thank you, child." Haru smiled at her sons' son. Taking the fabric, she faced Reiha, "You will wear these down the mountain. You need to familiaritize yourself with your youkai again." She explained, watching the young woman's cheerful expression fall.
"I will go alone?" Reiha paused between he last two words and panic edged itself into the last word.
"You will." Haru said as though it was a small task. She side glanced at Reihas face. Her crystal blue eyes were wide with fear. Haru slightly chuckled, "You need not fear, you have the strength, wit, and speed to be at the bottom within a day." Reiha took a breath in, exhaling she said: "I shall change." she took the heavy fabrics and walked into a room connected to the main room.
Haru lead her grandson out to the patio overlooking her forest. "I told her your name." Her warm golden eyes met the cold gold of his. "She deserved to know. You took her, Sesshomaru." Her voice grew more and more serious. "If she had remembered anything about you I wouldn't have." Her voice fell calm. "She does wish to remember." Haru looked to the forest. "Reiha will remember you Sesshomaru." The man glanced to his grandmother, he seemed to believe her. The two heard the womans approach, she had dressed quickly. She walked into the room and bowed before Haru. "I can never repay you for your kindness. Thank you." she did not look the older woman in the eyes, she mearly looked to her own feet.
Reiha stood and turned to the door, "I shall take my leave." and she slid the door open.
"I take my leave as well." he started for the door.
"You may not follow her. It is her journey alone down the mountain." Haru continued to explain, "Her youkai is new to her. And it's grown as strong as she has. She needs to recognize her own strength. You are not to interfere with her." The old demon turned away from her grandson and walked to a different balcony, one she could see Reiha from.
Reiha stumbled through the forest, facing every noise her heightened sense of hearing picked up. Her eyes darted around the forest which seemed much more alive this time. Calm down, you can fend for yourself. She wasn't sure if she could believe the familiar voice, her own voice, in her head. She reached a clearing surrounded by the tallest of trees. This place is so pretty. She thought as she heard a strong gust of wind rustle through the trees in front of her. The wind blew across her face and through her kimonos. A smile found it's way to her face. And she took a breath of the cool air. "Run." Her voice told her, and she did. She ran from the clearing to the edge of the snow, it couldn't have taken her more than an hour. Reiha could smell Sesshomarus scent above the snow, he had flown over it when he returned with her kimonos. She felt something hot in her chest, and it began to spread through her limbs to the tips of her fingers and toes. Again she felt the sudden urge to run and she had to try to stop herself from doing it.
She heard the snow compact as she stepped into. She felt the coldness of the snow through her thick socks. She could not run here in this cold air, it seemed to freeze her throat and lungs with every inhale. The snow got deeper and deeper as she got farther away from Harus' home. Her socks were frozen to her legs and feet, and her kimonos were beginning to freeze in the wind. A storm... She had always been told the village dogs could smell a storm, she never believed that until she, herself, smelled a storm on the wind. Reiha knew her first priority was to find shelter, she jumped to a tall rock and looked. Its white for miles.. There is no shelter.. Reality dawned on her. She felt her youkai diminish and the cold set in. She wrapped her clothing tighter around her body and continued towards the storm.
Sesshomaru watched Reiha from the skies. He also could smell the fast approaching storm, she would have to make it to the cave he brought her too. He felt her youkai for the most part, disappear. Had he not been able to see her, he would have lost her. As the sun began to set, the mountain turned a firey orange, and Sesshomaru watched as Reiha slowed her pace. He lowered himself from the sky to the snow she was walking through. He could smell her now, she was cold. His instincts told him to help her, but his grandmother had told him not to. He stood still in the snow and watched as the woman stumbled slowly through the very thick snow.
Night is falling and that storm is nearly here and I don't see any place to go... She caught scent of the man following her. She thought to look for him, but chose not to.