The Winter That Brought A Stray.
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, all credit goes to Rumiko Takahashi.
Note: This story will start rather slow, and chapters will be short. However, please be patient and respect the adventure that is to come.
-A Dragon's Captive-
Over the center of the western lands hovered an enormous dragon three-eyed black dragon with a pretty little mortal within his claws. The eye between his spiraling horns contracted, from the mists, appeared demonic forms. Winged scamps from the land of Yomi hovered around the human in his talons. They came for the princess. Ranmaru feared that the girl would die until he heard the slight of a heartbeat. One of the servants from Yomi reached for Kagome and grasped her by the wrist, trying to pull her glowing soul from her body. She was about to give in when a divine voice whispered into her ear.
Do not give in, princess! Your story does not end here, for you've only just begun! Use your inner power, send them back to Izunami screaming!
Ranmaru watched silently as blushing flames spread from her hand. Her soul reached out and grasped the demon by its gray face. Perhaps the little princess was not as weak as the dragon initially thought. She clenched her jaw and chanted a prayer her mother taught her. The words caused the flares of her soul to thicken, spiraling up her arm toward the demon. The dragon felt the purity caress him and warmth spread throughout his entire being. He found it strange that her power did not seak to harm him.
Just who is this princess? He wondered, watching the collector demon's demise. It screamed as the fire purified it into glowing blue ashes. It looks like there's more than meets the eye to this lovely princess, Ranmaru thought amusedly.
The other demons quickly shook their heads and turned tail. They flew away into a portal that bridged the two worlds. The portal swirled and shuddered, collapsing into itself which ended in a burst of black flames. Cowards, thought the dragon as he released a puff of smoke.
"Death has yet to claim you, as your heart beats still. Open your eyes! Southern princess, awaken from your slumber," a mysterious voice called out to her.
Ranmaru smirked as contractions of the mortal's heart grow stronger. She gasped, sucking in as much air as her lungs would allow. The loss of blood from the wound on her shoulder complicated her breathing. Slowly Kagome opened her eyes, rousing from her stasis. She glanced around dizzily only to find that the scales under her fingertips were of shining obsidian and not ivory. She peeped down over the side of the scaled appendages discovering that she and the beast were drifting in the fluffy clouds.
Panic gripped Kagome as she whipped her head back and gaped up at the dragon that held her. His enormous head appeared through the thick dark smoke. Fumes puffed from his nostrils and ash dripped from his open mouth. A wide grin of great serrated teeth greeted her, and three fiery red eyes bore into hers. A crown of fire spread from his twisted horns. She shivered in terror at the monstrous creature that possessed her.
"Fear me not Amyra (Princess). Though you smell delicious, know that I do not seek to cause you harm," the black dragon assured. Well, he tried. To her, his voice boomed like thunder and sizzled as cool summer rain did on a hot stone. She drew no comfort from the tone; it only served to quicken the pace of her weak heart.
"T-then why did you chase me? Who are you? Why did you attack my friend," Kagome shot off.
"My name is Yu Ranmaru. My mission is to deliver you to Amyr (Prince) Naraku of the East, son of Malik (King) Zasamael who rules over the Saahi Nation across the sea. My Amyr requested that I deliver you to him alive and unharmed. Your dragon friend, on the other hand, was an expendable nuisance," Ranmaru replied simply.
"Prince of the East? What could he possibly want with me? Where is Li Yuhua now," she asked slowly.
"Lying dead in a field somewhere for all I care. The toxin I injected her with is almost certain to cause death, so rest assured she's no longer able to assist you. She was weak. Quite a pity though, I expected more from a dragon of the Li family. Oh well," he guffawed. Tears welled in Kagome's eyes as she thought of her friend.
Li Yuhua got hurt because of me! She's dead because I asked her to help me, Kagome sobbed internally.
"Oh my dear Li Yuhua, forgive me," she cried. The dragon's nose flared causing discs of ash and soot to fly out into the air.
"Tsk, Tsk, now princess. That slave dragon is not worth the tears you shed. I did her a favor," Ranmaru laughed.
"You monster, how can you be so cruel? Li Yuhua was my friend and she would never hurt anyone without a just cause! She was kind, and she was a better dragon than you!" The princess spat.
"A pretty thing you are, but mouthy. Hm, I think I liked you better when you were sleep." The dragon hissed causing a plume of violet fire to escape the corners of his mouth.
Kagome felt the grip on her tighten on her. She panted loudly, trying to draw breath into her lungs. Her vision hazed and her lids fell over her disoriented blue eyes. He watched the princess in his grasp slump over. He didn't want to silence her but she'd be more easy to deal with like this.
Perhaps the little lotus flower would accept him better in his human form when they landed at the edge of the Eastern border of Saahi. He was interested to see how this little lotus would fair in the desert city of Aroura Zahia. Ranmaru suddenly turned his attention away from his captive and sniffed the air once. His lip curled up and a growl ripped from his leathery throat. If ever a dragon did look unamused, it was Ranmaru who pulled off such a feat. The stench reeked of crows. Oh, how he hated those damn birds.
End.
Note: Oh, looks like someone's got a soft spot for our princess. Er, maybe? Do you guys think Ranmaru would be less frightening in his human form? Poor Kagome! Who will save her from this mean dragon with a hatred for crows?
Feel free to drop a review and let me know what ya think! Constructive criticisms are very much appreciated.
Until next time, GR.