I walked through the palace halls. My pace was fast with anger. How dare she run off without telling anyone where she went! How dare she steal from me to get away with it! "Damn it!" I spun to punch to wall but my hand was caught. I followed the arm and saw Yugi staring at me a confused look on his face.

"Reeka, punching a wall isn't going to solve…" He started but I quickly cut him off.

"She's gone, Yugi." I told him. "She's gone."

Yugi let go of my fist and went to embrace me. "Reeka, she not gone. We'll find her."

"No!" I shouted and took a step away from him. "She's gone! She took my cover up and the scent hider! We're not going to find her and she's not coming back!" Yugi stared at me. His eyes were wide from my sudden outburst. I studied his face before narrowing my eyes at the floor. Then I turned and ran from him. I ran out the front door. I spotted Nasuku talking to Mushi and Hazari and ran at him. Hearing me, he turned.

I stopped in front of him. "Keema is not coming back." I said anger still easily heard in my voice. "Well not anytime soon."

"And how are you certain of this?" Nasuku asked.

"Nasuku, she took the bottles. The cover up and scent masker are gone." I said in a quiet voice so only he, Mushi, and Hazari could hear. "Keema's gone, she's long gone."

"No." I looked past Nasuku and saw Mushi shaking his head. He did not seem to accept what I had told him. "We will find her."

"Mushi," I said gently. "If we keep searching for her we will only tire out our soldiers and servants. We need to call them back." I knew he was hurting. You could see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice.

"Fine!" Mushi shouted. "Then I'll find her myself and when I do she's going to regret doing this." Then with that he turned and ran out of the courtyard.

"Mushi!" Nasuku shouted. "Get back here!"

"Nasuku, he is no longer your soldier." Hazari said drawing our attention to him. "He can make his own decisions now. If he wishes to waste his time let him then maybe he will realize searching for her like this is useless." I nodded to Hazari agreeing, but Nasuku did not.

"I don't care who he is now." He said. "Mushi is needed here not running around looking for someone who will not be found." Nasuku walked past me and to the palace gates but then I saw my father jump from the palace roof and land next to Nasuku. They spoke for a moment before Nasuku stepped aside and my father exited instead.

"Keema!" Mushi shouted as he jumped from branch to branch in the forest. "Damn it, Keema!" He shouted. Finally stopping on a limb, Mushi wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his arm. He had been searching for hours and he was no closer to finding her. He sat on the branch. Sighing, he leaned against the trunk of the tree. "How could you do this to me, Keema?" He asked no one in particular.

"You care deeply for my daughter."

Mushi jumped at the sound of his lord's cold voice. He looked around and spotted Sesshomaru standing below him. He jumped from the branch and landed in a bow before him. "I only wish for her safety, My Lord." Mushi responded as he stood.

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at the young general. "Is that so?"

"Yes my Lord."

"Why do you lie?"

Mushi stared at his former lord then diverted his eyes. Yes why did he lie about it? Why was it so hard for him to admit it? Why couldn't tell the world that he loved her? Why didn't he trust her and everyone else? Because he had been hurt so many times before. Because so many people had been taken from him. Now, he was just afraid if someone knew they would take her from him just as everything else had been. Mushi looked at Sesshomaru and sighed. "Because, my Lord, I do not wish to loose her." He said honestly. He met Sesshomaru's eyes then looked away.

"Like everything else?" Sesshomaru said suddenly.

Mushi quickly looked at Sesshomaru, his eyes wide. "How did you…?"

"I've known of your past. Do you believe I did not hear of your escape? Do you believe I did not receive a letter from Lord Karashima stating to keep an eye out for you? I knew it was you the second you arrived at the palace gates, and threw yourself at my feet." Sesshomaru said emotionlessly. Mushi glared at the forest floor as the memories returned.

Mushi stumbled aimlessly through the rain. He leaned against a tree and tilted his head enjoying the cooling water. He could feel his legs beginning to grow too weak to continue but he refused to sleep. He could not risk being caught and Lady Kasera's treason being proven. He knew Lord Karashima would kill her. He was a cruel man and would do it without a second thought.

Mushi pushed from the tree and stumbled on. He would not allow her to be killed for helping him. He walked on long after anyone else's legs would have given way. Finally he came to a large rock gate. Two men, with their swords drawn, stood on the both sides of the gate staring at him.

"Please state your reasoning for coming to the Western palace." One of them said.

Mushi stared at the guard panting as he leaned against a tree. 'Western lands?' He thought to himself. 'I've traveled that far?' He winced as pain ran through him from his beaten body. He fell to his knees coughing. The two soldiers dropped their swords and ran over to Mushi.

"Sir, are you ok?"

They helped him up as he continued to cough. The guard on his left looked at the other. "I'll get General Nasuku." He said and ran off. The other nodded.

Mushi leaned against the guard still with him and closed his eyes, resting. He was exhausted. 'The West. Wow. I never imagined I had traveled that far, to the palace of Lord Sesshomaru. Maybe I can make a new life here.' He opened his eyes when he heard the sound of boots in the mud. He saw a concerned looking man with the guard who had left.

"My god." The new comer said as he looked over Mushi. He had mid back black hair in a loose ponytail and dark blue, caring eyes. "How long have you gone without sleep? Here come with me." Nasuku said as he had Mushi lean on him along with the other soldier already holding him up. They led him through the palace gates.

Suddenly a thought ran through Mushi's mind. He looked at Nasuku. "You are the general of the West, right?" He said, speaking for the first time.

Nasuku turned his face to Mushi, nodding. "Yes."

"Let me join the army."

"What?" Nasuku asked suddenly. "But you can't join not in the state you're in now. Not only that, but we have no information on who you are or where you came from. The qualification tests also ended last month. We won't be accepting any more new soldiers until next year. You'll have to come back then."

Mushi ground his teeth together. How could he be accepted before next year?

"General."

Nasuku and the other guard stopped moving as their lord's voice floated from behind them.

Nasuku moved from Mushi and turned. "Yes, Lord Sesshomaru?" He asked.

"Who is this?" Sesshomaru said as he approached Mushi.

"I'm not quite sure, my Lord."

"My name is Mushi." Mushi said cutting into the conversation, his weariness causing him to use his real name. "I come from the North." He pushed from the soldier holding him up and turned to Sesshomaru. "I can fight and have experience pain and fear. I will not run from any enemy." Mushi fell to his knees before Lord Sesshomaru, bowing. "Please allow me, Lord Sesshomaru, to become one of the men who risk their lives for your lands, who will at any moment go into battle and fight with all of their heart. Please allow me to become one of your soldiers."

Nasuku turned to Mushi. "But I have already told you, the qualification tests are over and we do not have enough…"

"Let him join." Sesshomaru said cutting off Nasuku.

Mushi's face lit up as he stared at Sesshomaru's cold one. He bowed again. "Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru."

Nasuku went to argue but instead just sighed and smiled. "Alright then." He said and helped Mushi up out of the mud. "Come on, Mushi. Let's go find you some dry clothes." He said as he smiled warmly at Mushi.

"My apologizes, My Lord, for believing you did not know." Mushi said as he bowed. He straitened again to see Sesshomaru walking away. "My Lord?"

"When you can prove that you are worthy of her and that you love her then she is yours." Sesshomaru said without looking back. "But until then you are nothing to each other."

"But what of her now?" Mushi asked. "She is missing shouldn't we look for her?"

Sesshomaru paused for a moment and looked over his shoulder at Mushi. "She will return when she finds she is comfortable doing so." He began walking again.

Mushi went to argue but stopped and sighed. "Yes, my Lord." He replied as he followed Sesshomaru.

I approached Nasuku as my father walked into the woods. "Nasuku, where is my father going?" I asked as I leaned against him, my voice full of sadness.

Nasuku wrapped his arms around me and kissed the top of my head in a comforting way. "He wanted to speak with Mushi." He replied.

I nodded and turned in his arms before burying my face in his chest. "Why is she doing this to us, Nasuku?" I asked clutching his shirt as I felt tears begin to form in my eyes. "Is this some cruel way to show me how she felt when I didn't return from the war?" The tears ran down my face and soaked through Nasuku's shirt.

Nasuku placed a hand on my head and hooked the other under my knees, picking me up. He rumbled low in his chest, trying his best to comfort me. Knowing I didn't like people seeing my weakness, Nasuku quickly ran across the courtyard and jumped up to his windowsill. He pushed open the unlocked window. He crawled inside. Shutting the window Nasuku kissed the top of my head. He then walked across the room and sat on his bed with me in his lap.

Once on his bed, I felt him lean forward before he began sucking on my neck in a comforting way. I didn't respond to him. My mind was somewhere else. Why had my sister run? What was so important and dangerous that she couldn't tell us? All could hope was that she wasn't in too much danger.

"Lady Reeka!"

My head shot up, hitting Nasuku's forehead. He let go of me as he rubbed his forehead. I ran to the door. "What's wrong, Yoko." I asked when I opened the door. Yoko had a worried look on her face and she looked close to tears.

"My son." She said. "He-he-he's gone! He went with Lady Keema."

I just stared at her before asking, "When did he leave?"

"I don't know." The kitsune replied tears streaming down her face. "I-I went to w-wake him when you woke up the other s-servants but he was g-gone."

"Oh Yoko." I pulled my personal servant into a tight embrace. She had been there for me my whole life she disserved for me to be there for her. I felt Nasuku standing behind me.

"Did he leave any clue as to where he and Lady Keema went?" He asked.

Yoko shook her head and pulled a note from her pocket. "This is all he left." She said. Nasuku took the letter. I leaned over his shoulder to read it while Yoko continued to clutch my shirt sniffling.

Dear mom and dad,

I have left with Lady Keema. Please do not worry we will be fine. I cannot tell you where we are going but I promise I will return with Lady Keema in one piece.

Haku

Nasuku and I stared at each other while I held Yoko against my chest. Nasuku leaned over and spoke to me. "Mushi cannot know about this."

I nodded understanding. In Mushi's state of mind if he heard anything about Keema leaving with another man he would probably go into a rage. "Alright." I attempted to lead Yoko into Nasuku's room so we could speak with her privately, but when she noticed Yoko pulled from my grip. She bowed.

"My Lady, I am not permitted to enter the room of Master Nasuku." The kitsune said keeping her eyes locked on the ground.

Nasuku bent over and leaned his head under hers so she would meet his eyes. When she did he smiled, grabbing her attention. Her eyes stayed on him as he raised his head. I sighed he still used his looks to help him out.

"Now Yoko, I am allowing you to enter." Nasuku said as he grabbed her hand lightly in his and led her into the room. She resisted at first. I held her other hand.

"Yoko, please do not look at yourself as a lesser being. You are an equal in the presence of Nasuku and I." I told her. After my kind words she entered the room without complaint.

Nasuku had her sit in chair and kneeled before her, meeting her eye to eye. I stood next to her. "Now, Yoko, would you please try and remember the first time Lady Keema came in contact with your son?" Nasuku asked.

Yoko wiped her tears away and took a deep breath. "T-the first t-time they met was about four years ago in the c-courtyard." She started. She stared at me and I nodded encouraging to continue. She calmed herself before going on. "It was a break-day and so my son, Haku, and I were sitting on the courtyard stairs speaking. Later in the day Lady Keema came out of the palace doors. She smiled warmly before sitting with us.

"We spoke with her for many hours before she announced she was going to go back inside. Everyday after that I would notice Haku speaking with Lady Keema. They became very close friends. They were always together. Lady Keema treated him like an equal, barely ever giving him commands." She paused and began crying again. "I just hope he's okay." She cried out.

I hugged her again while Nasuku stood and sighed. We still had no idea where Keema had gone but we did know that she was no alone. She had a friend with her and from what Yoko had told us he would not leave her side.

When Yoko had recovered enough I walked her to my room. I had her lay down. She complained but did not attempt to leave. I told her to rest and quietly left the room. She was out before I closed the door. I smiled. She disserved a good bed this night.

When I returned to Nasuku's room he was sitting in the chair Yoko had been sitting in. He had elbow resting on the arm of the chair with his chin in his open palm. He was thinking. I walked over to him.

"We still don't know where your sister is." Nasuku said suddenly. I blinked at him before smiling.

"It's alright." I told him. His eyes slowly moved to meet mine with a questioning look. "I'm just glad to know that she is with someone who will stand by her side." Nasuku let a small smile slip.

He held out an arm, welcoming me to him. I quickly settled in his lap. He wrapped his arms around me.

A young fox demon sighed as he stumbled through the forest following Keema. He had short orange hair that barely covered the tip of his ears and bright green eyes. He was no older than eighteen. "Lady Keema."

"Yes, Haku?"

"Where exactly are we going?" Haku asked as he stopped and set the shoulder bag on the ground. He moved his shoulder in a circular motion trying to relieve the pain then picked the bag up again. He placed it on the other shoulder.

Keema stopped, her short ponytail swaying slightly behind her. Haku bumped into her from running to catch up. He quickly apologized as he backed up blushing slightly. She turned to him slowly focusing on the ground.

"I can't tell you that." Keema replied. "Soon I will ask you to return to the palace."

Haku frowned. "What? No, I refuse." Keema stared at him in shock. He noticed her look and almost apologized for his rudeness, but shook his head and went on. "My Lady, I will not leave you alone. I will go with you wherever you go."

Keema shook her head as her expression became harsh. "No, you will not." She told him.

"But–"

"It is not your place to speak out against me." Her eyes grew cold as she proved she was the daughter of Sesshomaru. Even with the royal marking on her forehead covered Haku could still sense the power radiating from it. The energy grew stronger as her anger increased. "You will do as I say, Haku."

Haku was taken back by her tone but sighed before nodding. "Yes, Lady Keema."

Keema studied his face before holding out her hand. "Haku, give me the bag." She commanded. He was hurt to know she wanted him to leave so early, but he handed the bag over without complaint. Keema smiled. "Thank you. Now, go back to the palace. Do not speak of where we have been or where I am heading. Do you understand?"

Haku nodded. "Yes, My Lady."

"Good." Keema said. Haku stared at the ground. She placed her hand on his shoulder receiving his full attention. "Now stay safe." Haku nodded. "Alright. Good bye Haku." Keema turned from him and walked away.

Before she was out of sight Haku shouted after her, "Lady Keema!" She turned to him. "You stay safe as well." Keema smiled and waved before continuing on her way. Haku frowned before jumping into a nearby tree. He turned to head back west but stopped. He turned north. Could he really leave Keema alone to defend herself against who knows what?

Quickly Haku made a decision and followed Keema. He stayed in the shadows and stayed downwind from her as he followed her for many hours. The scent of fire caught his attention and he stopped in a very tall tree as he spotted a large campsite. There were three fire pits with blazing fires, lighting up the forest in the dark night. He quickly looked for Keema again. He spotted her. She had her back to him with her shirt off of her shoulders around her waist. Haku blushed. What was she doing?

Haku watched as Keema tied a silk cloth around her chest. She had trouble getting the knot to be tight but eventually got it. Then she placed her shirt back in place. Turning he saw that she now had the front of a man, her breasts bond. Haku frowned in wonder.

Keema feeling she was being watched scanned the trees around her. Haku hid behind the trunk of the tree he was in, baring hiding in time. When Keema was sure no one was there she turned to the campsite. She entered the campsite. Three men ran to her.

"Who are you?" They said together.

Keema smirked as a man would and replied, "Moichuri."

The men shook their heads. One spoke up, "We received no orders to let a Moichuri into the camp."

"I am a late soldier." Keema said. "I have already contacted General Nata. He has approved. I just had some matters to attend to before I came."

Haku's eyes widened when recognized the name. General Nata? This was Nata's campsite? Haku ground his teeth together as he dung his claws into the tree bark. He had to fight the urge to jump down grab Keema and run her back to the Western palace. He knew he could do it, but Keema would probably punish him later for disobeying her.

Haku frowned. What was he to do?

Well there you go, another chapter. I know it's not long but it's something. Be happy.

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha.