The moment his foot made contact with the branch of the tree, he shot back through the night skies, silent as any assassin.
"Tell me about her, Mai," he ordered to the woman on his right, not bothering to look at her when he spoke, golden eyes intent on the path in front of him.
"She's the miko of the Shikon no Tama, Tetsuo-sama." The woman responded, "It was she that was as foolish enough to give the Jewel to your half-cousin, and it was she who was appointed leader of the Eastern Wolf Tribe when InuYasha took down the previous leader. She's adept in the usage of the bow and arrow, her miko powers rumored stronger than any before."
"Weaknesses?" he asked to the other, who ran on his left.
"Nothing that is noteworthy in her physical capabilities. Mentally, she is incapable of sacrificing others for her own benefit."
They were assassins, trained and built to murder without warning. Mai and her twin, Rei, studied their target. Tetsuo was the one that killed, ending the lives of those he was sent to kill without hesitation. Together, they had never failed. There were no doubts that they would fail now, in the face of this misplaced miko.
Her scent exploded then, growing stronger suddenly as the forests opened up, and the three landed without sound on the grass below them.
"There she is..." he muttered to himself, scaling the demon slayer's village carefully before further orders came from him, "...Mai, Rei, it's time we tell them we're here."
---
She hummed to him, rocking him back and forth in her arms, keeping him warm to her chest. Kaoru had told her the baby's name was Ryo – a name that seemed so fitting for the young child she held in her arms. But this infant posed such a big responsibility in her life. She was the last thing they had. Their father had fallen by the hand of the monster she had allowed InuYasha to become, and their mother... Neither of them knew her. Even Koga, the leader that only Kaoru really knew, was gone. She was it. She was the last resort, their only.
"Here, Kagome," Sango said quietly, kneeling down beside her friend, "Take this."
In her outstretched hands Sango offered her a sling for the child, made of strong blue fabric and fitted to wrap around and over her torso and hang down over her shoulder.
"Sango," Kagome's voice was a whisper, as to not wake the baby in her arms or the child that had collapsed in exhaustion at her side, "I can't accept that from you. You'll have a baby to take care of soon enough, as well."
"We have plenty of them, Kagome, and they are not difficult to make. Please, accept it. You're arms will tire easily from carrying around a quickly growing youkai child." Sango insisted, moving so that she was behind her friend, carefully slipping the sling over the miko's neck.
Kagome complied to Sango's wishes with a sigh, carefully moving so that she could slide one arm inside the loop of the sling and not disturb Ryo. And once it was situated around her and correctly hanging, she gently lowered the sleeping infant into it, sighing in content when he didn't protest once against her movements.
"Thank you, Sango." She mumbled, watching the demon slayer toss a blanket over Kaoru's sleeping form and feeling her own fatigue descend upon her.
"Kagome, you should try and get some rest... Miroku has already retired for the night, so you could even sneak in a bath if you wanted to. I can watch Ryo."
"No, Sango, it's all right. I think I'll just go to bed now, out here with Kaoru."
"Are you sure?"
She nodded with a small smile, feeling Ryo shift slightly in his sling. The day had been long, and if the baby allowed it, she wanted to just sleep the night through. Tomorrow, she could sort through everything that happened...
But, of course, the universe had not taken a liking to her. Just as she positioned herself against a wall, closing her eyes and slouching back, a loud crash sounded through the night, ruining her wishes for any peace.
Sango was up in a flash, having only just stood to leave the room, her hand grabbing for the Hirakotsu that leaned ready up against the front wall. Kaoru's eyes snapped open as he bolted into an upright position, lips pulled back to show his fangs. And Kagome quickly got to her feet as well, talking hold of the bow and arrow Sango had dug out from the old demon slaying weapon storage.
It took the two women less than a moment to make their way outside, followed by a sleep dazed and confused Miroku, clutching his staff and still dressed in his white sleepwear. Kagome has ushered Kaoru back into the house when he tried to follow, carefully handing over his brother. She couldn't let them get hurt.
"Which one is it?" The voice was a whisper on the wind, melodic and haunting from the darkness of the shadows.
Kagome's senses shot out in front of her then, creeping through the camp and stretching out beyond it's perimeter. There were three of them. One still standing outside the perimeters of the village grounds, two moving at speeds that made it impossible for her to pinpoint their locations. But she'd need not know the information – she already knew who they were, what they were, and why they were here.
"The one dressed in the strange garb, my sister, with the bow in her hands," another voice responded slowly, and Kagome could feel them coming closer to her, now able to sense their aura's more closely.
They were circling them, pinning them together, as they ran around and around the home. She was the prey, and they were closing in on her, giving her no room for escape.
"Who are you?" Miroku called out to the nothingness, "Why have you come?"
There was a ghostly laugh, "You do not know, monk, what type of situation the miko you house is in?"
"Don't worry," began the other, "We're only here to kill her. Unless you get in our way, you and your mate can leave without a scratch."
"You aren't going to be killing anyone today," Sango hissed, readying her weapon as she stepped into a stance.
"Oh? And I assume you think that you, a single taijiya, can stop us?"
"We can stop you." Miroku responded.
"You're display of courage in impressive in front of the face of death, monk, but it shall do you no good. All you do know is threaten the welfare of your family by interfering with our matters."
They were closing in, but slowing down. Kagome nocked a single arrow, leaving the string lax.
You're going to give up and let them kill you?
No. She wasn't going to do that. She might have, once, but now she had two children depending on her. They had nothing left but her, and she couldn't let them down.
"You won't be able to kill me..." she told them quietly, knowing they would hear as she slowly fed more power out onto the landscape, "...I won't let you kill me."
"One mere miko shall not be our downfall," the second voice said, a bit of humor in her voice.
"You'd be surprised at what I can do." They were closer, and finally she could see them in her mind's eye.
She pulled the string back, waiting. She could feel them running around and around and around, she swore she could hear the ghostly sounds of their footsteps. But maybe that was just her heart pounding away in her ears, the rush of blood and adrenaline peaking her senses to a new high. She would have to time it right, down the very millisecond. If she failed at that, she lost her life.
Subconsciously, she noticed that the third aura had moved inside the range of the grounds, but was still far away. Just far away so that their would be no danger from him, yet.
"Pray tell, miko, what can you do?" the first voice asked, mocking her.
She pulled back on the string a little farther, her senses at all time high.
"I can do this."
Now!
She let the arrow fly, releasing all she dared into it.
A second later there was the smallest crack, a surprised gasp. Kagome's arrow had hit, and the target had come to an automatic halt in front of them. Only for a moment did Kagome see the woman, dressed in her black outfit that resembled Sango's, and only for that minute did she get to appreciate the beauty of a female daiyoukai. The woman, even with an arrow sticking out between her eyes, was inhumanly gorgeous. The flaming red hair shone like no other in the night, the flashing green eyes so filled with pain and shock seemed to captivate the miko in the last second's of the woman's life. But then, the second in which Kagome stood entranced passed, and an echoing scream ripped through the night. Unlike nothing she had ever heard before, Kagome couldn't help but cringe at the painfully beautiful sound as the woman disinigrated with purifying power, glowing pink for only an instant before she turned to dust.
And what followed the scream was nothing. Just silence. The silence that held all shocked, captivated, and immobile. It felt as if the world had suddenly stood still just for that moment, as if the universe was frozen in shock. But then, much too late, Kagome realized that the third demon had come into view, and the second was standing near and off to the side, staring at the spot where her comrade had just been.
Golden eyes met with hers, and the world shattered a million times over as the man unleashed his raw youki down upon her.
It was overwhelming and blinding, near to forcing her down on her knees. She wondered if this is what it would feel like to have Sesshomaru standing before her, unleashing his own youki down upon her. No doubt, she would be whimpering on the ground on such a situation. But this man, this daiyoukai, was not that strong. He was strong enough to torture her with only his raw youki, but nowhere near Sesshomaru's level. Yet, you didn't have to be Sesshomaru to kill her.
"You've shot down my comrade, miko." His voice was rough and cold, twisted with emotion, "I will ensure your death is long and painful."
She forced her eyes to stay open, though they were weighed down with his power.
"You can't kill me," she was openly defying him, something no mere mortal would ever do in the face of such a youkai, "I won't let myself be murdered."
His eyes flashed with anger for that one moment, and then he was gone, too fast for her to see.
"You think you can stand up to me, bitch?" she could hear his voice from all directions, swirling around her, "You think that you can stop me – an assassin of youkai?"
"I killed Naraku."
"Naraku was a mere hanyo. A great annoyance he may have been, but he is nowhere near my power." The man snapped, "Now, miko, tell me your name so I know who I am killing."
But before she could answer the second female lunged, a flurry of red hair like the other woman's cascading around her. Sango was quick to step in front of Kagome, fending off the demoness with Hirakotsu, glaring down the woman as she snarled. But even Sango, with all her years of training, was no match. In the span of a second Sango was thrown to the side, violently skidding to a stop on the ground below. Pure instinct lead Kagome to follow in a similar fashion, to narrowly avoid the woman's claws. Miroku was quick to attack as the woman gathered herself up out of the wall she had just thrown herself through, slapping a pair of sutras on the demoness.
They were ineffective under her strength, and in the next second Miroku was punched in the jaw and sent flying, hitting the ground violently many feet away, bouncing a few times before he came to a complete halt.
"Bitch..." Kagome looked up at the woman, eyes wide when she realized she looked the same as the one she had just killed, "...You killed my sister! I'll rip you to shreds!"
As the demoness swung her fist downwards, no doubt to crush her skull, Kagome quickly rolled out of the way, scrambling up to her feet and grabbing for another arrow. But her opponent was much to fast, and she found herself thrown to the ground seconds later, weapons out of reach.
Fuck...
She tried to pull herself up to her feet, but the actions were proved pointless when she found herself pinned underneath the female daiyoukai.
"How should we kill her, Tetsuo-sama?" the woman was looking at her, but speaking to someone else.
Only then did she notice that the male was standing beside them, and her gaze turned to meet his form.
Shockingly, he reminded her of Sesshomaru. They had the same pale skin, the same silver hair and golden eyes. But his hair was short, matted and messy atop his skull, and his eyes were full of emotion and rage that neither Sesshomaru or InuYasha could possibly obtain.
"Why do I deserve death?" Kagome spat out, stalling as she began to spread her miko powers throughout her body.
"You, miko, do not belong in the ranks of youkai society. Not only have you killed a comrade of mine, but to rid you from our world you must meet your end." The man said in a growl, kicking dust in her face.
And then, as she blinked away the dirt in her eyes, she caught sight of the stripes that lined his cheekbones.
"You're inuyoukai." She stated numbly, desperately trying to get her powers to spread completely.
"What of it, miko?"
She had to think fast, "Who sent you to kill me?"
"You're about to die – such information is pointless."
But she already knew the answer. This assassin was inuyoukai, powerful enough to take down and withstand her miko powers. Only Sesshomaru could have sent him.
Damn dogs.
"Now, girl, tell me your name." he ordered, "I like to know who I'm killing, and I wasn't given such information when I was given this mission."
"Tell me yours. I would like to know the names of my murderers."
"Tetsuo..."
"...Kagome."
Finally.
The moment she could, when her powers had spread throughout her body, she released them. The woman atop her screamed, jumping up as her hands smoked from the purifying powers, and Tetsuo took a step back. Taking the advantage, Kagome rolled over and grabbed an arrow that lay on the ground, shooting her powers through it.
But then a foot came down upon her chest, hard, and it knocked the wind out of her.
"Bitch!" Tetsuo yelled, applying more pressure to her ribcage, "Do you really wish to die so painfully."
She still held the arrow in her hand, her grip tightening around it, "I'm not going without a fight, you bastard."
With a movement too quick to be seen by any eyes but a youkai, Kagome stabbed the arrow into the daiyoukai's foot, rushing her powers through it. He screamed and cursed, letting up on the pressure, and with a quick push she was out from under him, scrambling back up to her feet. It took only a second for her to find herself on the ground, though, head spinning with the hit she'd gained from the fall.
The demoness was on top of her again, growling.
"Just fucking die!" The woman, teeth bared, lunged at her throat.
Kagome shut her eyes, prepared herself. She was about to die.
But... where was the pain?
A sudden snarl snapped her eyes back open, as did the sudden relief of weight from a top her. She should have been shocked, scared, or even relieved, but the sight of him knocked the air out of her again.
"Sesshomaru..."
There he was, her cold savior, standing in front of her with sword held high at the other male's neck, his name a ghost on her lips.
"Tetsuo, leave."
The sound of his voice reminded her to breathe, and to act. In a moment, she jumped back up to her feet, retreating back a few steps.
"Sesshomaru, what the hell are you doing?!" Tetsuo asked in a panicked voice, full of shock and disbelief.
Kagome watched as Tetsuo stared at the daiyoukai in front of him with wide golden eyes that resembled many of the youkai she knew.
"Tetsuo, you will not disobey your leader."
"Sesshomaru, you just saved her! Why!? You agree – she's not supposed to be leader of a youkai tribe!"
"I've warned you once, and shall not repeat myself."
Sesshomaru spun suddenly, Bakusaiga cutting through the air in a grace she had never seen. Kagome's eye traveled quickly to see why he had done such a thing, her gaze falling upon the woman who stood in front of him, shock written across her features. After a second that seemed much too long, her neck began to gush blood, a sight that made Kagome nauseous. And with a sickening sound the woman's head fell from her neck, hitting the ground with a loud thud as the body collapsed beside it.
"A stupid female to attack her superior," Sesshomaru muttered, turning back to the man in front of him, "Now I will have to kill you, cousin, for seeing this ordeal."
Tetsuo's expression went from shocked to angry in a split second, "You're a traitor to your people, Sesshomaru! Have you turned into your father, after all, falling for pathetic little humans?!"
Sesshomaru's growl was low and ferocious, chilling Kagome to her core. But she had heard what Tetsuo meant – Sesshomaru had told her that he would kill her. She had no doubt in it, and he had no hesitation in his words. So why had he saved her? He had no debt to her, she was indebted to him. It made no sense.
"Speak nothing of which you do not know. Now, prepare yourself for death."
Bakusaiga was raised high once more, but Tetsuo didn't seem to notice.
"I'm not dying here."
Suddenly, there was a burst of smoke, and Bakusaiga clattered to the ground. Kagome began to hack and cough, bringing her hand up to her mouth, eyes watering. Through blurry eyes did she manage to see Sesshomaru, with a fire in his eyes, block his mouth with the sleeve of his own kimono as well.
Poison... her mind registered, fading in and out.
And then all went black.
A/N: This story has been nominated again for the InuYasha FanGuild Awards, in the Darkfic/Horror section! Thank you to all!
Oh, and to anyone who has been reading this here because Dokuga was down, I'm happy to announce that Dokuga is back up and running! All that's left to do is work out all the tinie tiny glitches!