Chapter 9 – Western Taiyoukai
"Your name, demoness?" the taiyoukai purred in his baritone voice.
Katana glanced up before setting the kit down. She was surprised he hadn't awoken, but whatever… at least he was safe. "Katana…"
"Katana," he said as if trying the way it sounded on his tongue. "I have never heard of you, Katana… a black inuyoukai is rare, and most mated by now."
Katana lifted an eyebrow and smirked, "I was once ningen, so you would have never heard of me."
"Ningen?" Sesshoumaru asked.
"Hai…" Katana breathed. She knew they were going in circles, but she liked this… for once she was talking to the taiyoukai of the west.
Lovely, isn't he… her youkai purred looking through her eyes?
"Shut up," Katana growled aloud.
Sesshoumaru growled as well, "What?"
Lifting her eyesight to his, she quickly bowed low saying, "Excuse my behavior, taiyoukai. My beast, or inner youkai does not know when to shut its mouth…"
Once again she got the famous, "Hmm…"
"The kit is yours?" the sudden question cut her off guard, and she gave a look of surprise. From all the months of keeping her mask, she quickly realized that it had fallen and tried to fix the problem.
Shaking it off, and returning to her emotionless state, she nodded saying, "Hai, he is mine. Though, not my son, he is my responsibility."
"I see," Sesshoumaru said. She knew that he'd understand, since he was 'raising' Rin. Well, unless something had happened but she doubted he would allow something like that.
Thinking the conversation was over when he just began to stare, she bowed once more, and backed away. The kit in her arms began to stir, and she looked down at him, waiting until he woke.
Shippo nearly jumped when he found Katana so close to him. He shrank from her, and wondered what she was doing. Eyes wide, he pushed away from her, and stumbled to his feet.
Lifting an eyebrow, Katana kneeled before Shippo, pressing the back of her hand to his forehead. She saw the horror in his eyes, and realized it was her that scared him. Sighing, she said in a bored tone, "Calm down Shippo, I will not hurt you."
Sesshoumaru watched with interest as she talked to the kit. Though, he couldn't place it, he was sure he'd seen the kit somewhere. His own eyebrow rose at the kits behavior. If she was his guardian, why would he act in such a way? Well, then again she did say she was once ningen, so the kit could be adjusting to her new form.
As he watched the kit moved farther away from the demoness, making her stand suddenly. As he watched, she rubbed at her temple, while the other hand rested on her well-rounded hip.
After calming her headache, Katana glanced down at Shippo, who seemed frightened beyond belief. "Very well, protect yourself kit," she hissed.
Shippo gasped at her tone. She was glaring now, and had placed her hands inside of the things she called 'pockets'.
"You are a waste of my time! I should have left you with Inuyasha," her eyes were flashing with anger, "None of you understand!"
Shippo crawled away from her, and ran into Sesshoumaru's feet. Gulping from whatever was behind him, he glanced up, and suddenly got back to his feet and ran straight for Katana. "Katana, help! Sesshoumaru!" the kit ran behind her legs, staring at Sesshoumaru in more fright then what he'd shone to her.
Katana glanced down in boredom. Stepping away from the kit she turned toward him, and said, "Why should I kitsune?"
"Kag… Katana?" Shippo whimpered. There was no way he could protect himself against the Western Taiyoukai. Shaking with fear, he whimpered, "On… Onegai."
"Say it," Katana snapped.
Shippo opened his mouth to say something until he remembered what she used to say to Inuyasha. Inuyasha, say it! Kagome would always say that when she wanted him to apologize, which he only did half the time, the rest he was sat. "Gomen ne," he whimpered.
Bowing her head, Katana allowed the kit forward, and watched as he wrapped his arms around her waist. He began to cry into her shirt, and she felt the need to comfort him suddenly. Placing an arm around his head, she pulled him closer, but not enough to show she cared. After all, kitsune's and inu's didn't get along the way she did with him.
Sesshoumaru growled at the sign of affection. True, the kit was too young, but his beast rose its head when the beautiful, graceful, and what seemed to be dangerous, female showed a small amount of affection toward the… kitsune. It would seem that his youkai finally found the female it wanted, and never before had it found a female that interested it. Though why this one would be different, that was beyond him.
Kill the baka kit, his beast growled once more.
Iie, that would be dishonorable, and he is only a kit, Sesshoumaru growled back.
The beast snarled, showing off its white fangs; She
is mine. I smell her power, and she is perfect for us. This beast
will not allow a stupid kit to take her. Can you not smell the
affection and semi-lust from him? Hai, I can, but that is no
reason to kill one so young
Suddenly, and without reason Katana allowed her hand to fall her to side, and moved away from the kit. She could smell the small amount of arousal from him, and it sickened her that the kit thought of her that way. He was like her adoptive son, and she wasn't going in that direction with their feelings.
Turning back to the taiyoukai, Katana bowed once more. "Gomen, that you had to see such a strange, and disgusting sight, Sesshoumaru-sama, but my old ningen ways act up once in a while," she took a glance at Shippo, disgust written in her eyes. Not only could she smell that, she could also pick up the hatred Sesshoumaru was giving off, and it had begun with that hug.
Sesshoumaru nodded in understanding, before saying, "Ningen are disgusting creatures, with disgusting ways. You have certainly bettered yourself Katana…"
She cut him off right there, "First, taiyoukai, not all ningen are that way. True, some are disgusting, but the ones I know aren't. You would do well to shut your mouth about such things."
"You would do well to shut yours, as well, Katana. This Sesshoumaru will not be so nice as to spare you," he hissed, his fangs bared to the world. He was higher in status then her; she should not be talking to him in such ways. When her claws twitched, he backed down, not wanting to fight a female unless it was for mating rites.
With inuyoukai, they had to fight with the female they wanted, and win if they were virgin, and didn't give themselves willingly. Of course, any female would give them self to him willingly, but she seemed to be different, and was even willing to fight him. True, most females gave themselves willingly to any male these days, but this one seemed to be feistier, and more lethal than most.
With a speed only known to their kind, she pulled the sword from her side, glaring at the taiyoukai she hissed, "Do not temp me, Sesshoumaru. I will not bow down like every female you smell of, nor will this Katana take orders from the likes of you."
Sesshoumaru growled, his eyes mere slits. Snarling, he was temped to do as his beast commanded, and discipline her. His mind played out different torturing ways to discipline the demoness enough to make her whimper in pain. His clawed hand found itself a top the hilt of Tokijin, but he stopped himself from attacking her.
Calming his raging mind, he bowed to her. True, it was beneath him to bow to a female, but the power she was radiating gave him the right. His voice was once more neutral when he said, "Though my mind will not change, Katana, forgive this Sesshoumaru for… disapproving of your friends."
"You do not know my friends," Katana replied.
"That may be true, but what I said would have included your friends, therefore, it is best that you merely except my apology," Sesshoumaru blinked.
"Very well, taiyoukai," Katana said, then looking down at the still tired kit, "We must be off, taiyoukai. Shippo here still needs sleep, and I will not be staying here for him to rest."
Sesshoumaru nodded, and walked the opposite direction. His mind was set, he would have the female, but it took time to court such a fine woman. This demoness would be different then the others, true, but in the end, she would be beside him when he awoke, and she would be wearing his mating mark as well.
Katana took leave, after lifting Shippo into her arms so he could sleep. She wanted to put distance between them and Sesshoumaru. When Shippo relaxed, and finally fell into the land of dreams, she walked off… deeper into the night.
