Chapter 21: Ominous Threats
"You have something that Ura wants."
"And what would that be?"
Katsutoshi's lips curled into the hint of a smile, and his sharp blue eyes sparkled perceptively. With a dramatic sweep of his arm that caused the long, silky sleeves of his kimono to rustle, he gestured to the ivy-covered windows.
"See for yourself."
Sesshomaru did not move from the door nor made any motion to indicate that the kodama's statement had captured his curiosity. He merely stared across the single-roomed cottage with an expression of indifference on his face. After an awkward silence, Katsutoshi heaved a disappointed sigh and dropped his arm to his side.
"Very well, I will explain. This Ura has a fascinating obsession with your charming hanyō pet, Tora-san."
The daiyōkai's golden eyes narrowed and fingers flexed ever so slightly, and the small movements did not escape Katsutoshi's notice. He eagerly continued his elucidation, placing a slender hand at his chin and lifting his eyebrows to look thoughtful.
"Apparently, Tora-san is a legendary samurai among the humans – which at first puzzled me, being a mere woman, but since discovering that she has yōkai-blood flowing through her veins, everything starts to fall into place. As a hanyō, she would be stronger and more agile than the ponderous humans."
"Your words are tedious."
Sesshomaru's irritation was clear in his condescending tone. He extended his clawed hand and sliced through the vines covering the door. More vines grew instantly into the vacant place, thicker and covered in more wicked thorns than the first. The daiyōkai laid his hand on the hilt of one of his two weapons as a warning.
"Your tricks are no longer amusing, Katsutoshi," he snapped.
"Oh, I sincerely apologize, but I am not quite finished," the kodama replied with a smile. "Where was I? Oh, yes. Six or so moons past, this Ura sent an envoy to entice Tora-san into joining his forces. His men were brutally slaughtered, and she vanished. Rumors have spread among the humans that it was all the lady samurai's doing, but I would not be mistaken in assuming that you had a hand in that, would I?"
Sesshomaru cast a cold, scornful glance over his shoulder. "Your objective is clear."
"Then you consent?" Katsutoshi asked dubiously. All the kodama's pretense and dramatic airs were suddenly gone. "You will allow me to use the hanyō to discover Ura's true nature and intentions?"
"Do as you please."
The daiyōkai's detachment struck Katsutoshi, and though he had received the answer he had been aiming for since he first lured the human girl into his enchanting garden, he found himself vaguely puzzled. A moment ago when he first mentioned Ura's fascination with Tora, the daiyōkai was clearly irritated yet now his entire demeanor was apathetic.
"You do realize that this will be extremely dangerous, and your precious pet will most likely die."
Sesshomaru gave a soft chuckle and cast a glare over his shoulder. The look in his narrow, golden eyes was chilling. "If she is as weak as that then she deserves to die."
"Interesting… you feel nothing towards those who serve you yet when the little human girl was in danger, you were amusingly enraged and came running to her rescue like a trained dog."
In the blink of an eye, Sesshomaru's hand enclosed on the hilt of his second katana, swiftly drew the blade, and lunged across the cottage. Katsutoshi crossed his hands in front of him and the cottage groaned as thick plant stalks sprouted from the ground and rapidly wove together. Sesshomaru's blade slammed into the hastily grown wall separating the two yōkai, and the sickening smell of acid burning wood filled the air.
"It seems I struck a nerve," Katsutoshi taunted. His voice softened as he murmured. "Put away your sword, Sesshomaru. I have no intention of fighting you… today."
The daiyōkai's sword glowed in an eerily purple light, and the wall was sliced into two pieces. The branches withdrew and vanished, leaving only the disturbed earthen floor as evidence that they had even existed. With his yōki hissing around him and his weapon before him, Sesshomaru glared at the kodama. In spite of his anger, he knew that his former companion could have mounted a much stronger defense and even a swift counter attack.
Composing himself, Sesshoumaru returned his katana to its sheath.
"Your manipulations have never worked on me, Katsutoshi. Next time you anger me, I will cut you down."
"You can try," Katsutoshi replied with a grin. "Might I make one small suggestion?"
Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed and his lips pressed into an annoyed frown.
"Where we are going will be far too perilous for the human child. It would be best to leave her here, protected by my barrier."
"And I am to believe that you offer this out of the goodness of your heart?"
"You insult me, old friend."
"Hmph."
The daiyōkai turned and stalked towards the door. His countenance made it clear that the discussion was over. Katsutoshi relented and with a flick of his wrist, the vines retreated mere seconds before the daiyōkai violently slide the door open. Without a word, the forest yōkai followed Sesshomaru out of the cottage. He turned his attention on the hanyō.
Tora stood beside the little girl, returning her weapon to its sheath. To an inexperienced eye, she would appear relaxed and unconcerned, but his sharp eyes noticed as she scanned both the daiyōkai and him, analyzing their body language. The slight tension in her muscles told him that she had perceived a possible threat. Her hand never left the hilt of her sword, and she laid the other casually on Rin's shoulder. A protective move. Should the situation turn dangerous, she would be able to control the girl's movements.
Her instincts were good. He flashed a charming smile as he moved closer and watched in quiet amusement as she pushed Rin behind her.
"Jaken, you, Rin, and Ah-Un will remain here," Sesshomaru ordered darkly.
"But m'lord!" the little yōkai whined.
The daiyōkai's foot shot out and kicked Jaken, knocking him backwards and the staff of two heads flew out of his grip.
"There will be no argument," the daiyōkai snapped, and the creature groveled what could have been an apology. "Now go bring Ah-Un into the garden." And Jaken scurried to fulfill his lord's command, whining incoherently as he did.
"Before we leave, I will form a new barrier," Katsutoshi announced. "And I will need something from you, Tora-san…"
Without warning, his hand reached towards Tora's face. The lady samurai immediately reacted to the potential attack by bringing her right hand up, and only his quick reflexes prevented Katsutoshi's nose from being smashed by the heel of her palm. In that moment, the calm of the garden was shattered as the forest yōkai and hanyō went to blows.
The lady samurai was faster and stronger than Katsutoshi had anticipated, but he pressed her hard, preventing her the time and space needed to draw her weapon. Tora dropped to the ground and his open fist caught nothing but a few strands of hair. She swept a leg at his feet and then was back up, aiming a punch at his side. The kodama immediately blocked, and the hanyō brought her elbow up towards his stomach. He watched as her hand grasped the hilt of her sword so when she pulled her arm back from the blow, the blade was yanked from the sheath.
Katsutoshi leapt out of the weapon's reach, his kimono fluttering and shimmering about him as gracefully butterfly wings. As he calmly stood, he held up strands of ebony hair.
"A hair will do nicely. Thank you, Tora-san," he said with a grin. "I will need one from you, as well, Sesshomaru."
"Would you like to pluck it yourself?" The daiyōkai's voice was dripping with sarcasm.
"That is not necessary. I know your strengths already," Katsutoshi replied. "I was merely testing our precious Tora-san, though I must admit, I was surprised you did not jump in to save her."
A look of disgust was momentarily visible on Tora's face as she returned her blade to its sheath. With her dark eyes narrowed and a small disapproving curve to her lips, she radiated a dangerous presence. Though her physical appearance had not changed, in that moment, she seemed less human and more youkai.
"I need no assistance to fight a pathetic kodama such as you. Try that again, and I will kill."
"I seem to be getting a lot of ominous threats lately," Katsutoshi murmured with a quick glance towards the daiyōkai.
"Katsutoshi, the barrier." Sesshomaru ordered as he held out a strand of silver hair.
"Yes, yes." The forest yōkai muttered as he snatched the strand, and then he moved to the center of the garden. He looked around to be certain that Jaken had returned with Ah-Un. Then, taking a deep breath, he clapped his hands together in front of him. "Let's begin."