Chapter 29

Shura awoke slowly to a muffled, thudding sound reverberating in her right ear. Her senses were sluggish to respond, but eventually as her mind sharpened she was able to identify the noise…it was a heartbeat. Opening her eyes wide in surprise Shura's sight focused on a padded blanket that had been placed over her. The object, she recognized was Kagome's sleeping bag. Moving slightly, the demoness felt a sharp prick of pain in her chest and braced. The movement caused a light grunt to sound and Shura tensed even further when the warm surface she was presently resting on shifted beneath her.

"Feeling any better?" a familiar voice questioned, and in a dread moment of panic Shura's eyes darted rampantly until they found her father.

Whew… the she-demon's tension escaped her in the form a heavy sigh when she saw the dog lord to her left was still asleep. Heaven only knew what kind of fit he'd throw if he happened to see her and Matyeo bundled together like they were.

"Ok, I suppose," she finally replied dryly. Again she felt shifting and seconds later a clawed hand pushed gently into her scalp, just behind the ears.

"I'm glad. You know, you had me worried for a while" cooed the dragon as he started to massage lightly with his clawtips. The sensation made Shura shudder heavily, though it was not at all in pain.

"Sorry," she at last replied quietly, not wanting to spoil Matyeo's comforting gesture with a some misplaced comment of arrogance. Letting out another sigh Shura cast her stare slowly across the campsite to see how everyone else was faring. To the right Ah-un's bulk of a frame was first to catch her attention. The creature was dozing peacefully close by, Rin napping atop his back. Beyond the dragon she could just barely make out the forms of Kagome and Inuyasha, both of who were laying motionless and breathing unsteadily. It was startling at first, to see her uncle sporting a human frame and jet-black hair in place of his usual doggish features, but the moment was short lived. Shura's ventures as a healer had made her well versed in normal half-demon physiology. Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Zala and Kirara were situated near the two of them, shifting every now and then to re-apply a cool compress, gather more water, or check a bandage.

A faint voice sounded in the air making Shura perk her ears in reflex and put a halt to Matyeo's massage.

"Kagome…." The voice murmured and the she-demon recognized immediately that it belonged to Inuyasha "I'm sorry Kagome…please don't die…" the plea made Shura's chest tighten in sorrow. Seeing others suffer, had never sat well with her. Matyeo seemed to sense her distress for he drew her a tiny bit closer and shifted his kneading clawtips to between her shoulder blades.

"I know what you're thinking," noted the dragon gently after a moment and Shura couldn't help but tilt her chin upward to look Matyeo in the eyes. "And I don't think it's a good idea." Shura's face saddened.

"He's my uncle, Matyeo, and Kagome is his bond. I can't just sit by…"

"Sango and Miroku are taking care of them," Matyeo was quick to remind her, but Shura remained uneasy. Talented as both mortals were, she knew far more secrets when it came to matters of healing.

"I just need to go and gather a few roots, I've seen them growing around this area it won't take me long…" Matyeo curled his upper lip slightly exposing pearly fang tips in a gesture of disapproval. Bit he did not argue further. As much as he may have disliked letting Shura go wondering about while she was still recovering, forcing her to do otherwise simply to satisfy his own concern seemed even less appealing. "I knew you'd understand." Shura purred with a gentle smile. Then as she gathered herself from the ground and slowly tested the limits of weakened muscles the she-demon made it a point to place a tender kiss atop the diamond-mark centered on Matyeo's forehead.

"Just promise you'll be careful," the dragon mumbled as she started to walk away. To that the she-demon snorted lightly.

"You worry to much Matyeo," she observed in a distinctly Inuyasha-ish retort. With careful steps Shura walked a bit closer to her uncle's group, then with a hand gesture summoned Sango to her.

"Would it be alright if Kirara accompanied me?" Shura inquired after a few moments of relaying her status, and explaining her present intention.

"That's fine with me," Sango approved. Though her voice carried the same note of hesitance that Matyeo's did the girl had other concerns and wasn't about to start adding unnecessary arguments into the equation. With a gesture of the head Sango motioned to her demon friend and the saber-cat obeyed, rousing from nearby Kagome and Inuyasha to walk alongside Shura.

Matyeo watched as the pair of demons departed through the underbrush and vanished from view. He couldn't deny that Shura's request for company had relieved his worry slightly. In truth he would have liked to accompany her himself, but with Sesshomaru still unconscious it would be unwise and irresponsible to leave the dog lord unguarded. In any case even if Sesshomaru had been well, Shura was as stubborn as her old man and probably would have refused his escort on principle. Either way it didn't matter, as long as she stayed safe.

The dragon's stare drifted slightly until both golden iris's had come to focus on Inuyasha and his company. Zala was still sitting among them, her weary frame resting against a solid tree trunk. At first glance her face appeared placid enough, but further study quickly revealed the lingering dared that raged within her body and mind. She may have found a group of comforting allies and assured her future in a safe environment…but that didn't change the fact that her baby would be coming any day, weather she was prepared or not. The dragon saw this worry, and it made his heart throb with pity. After everything this poor woman endured, the least he could do was ensure she could relish the first precious moments of motherhood in peace and safety.

With the tip of his foot the dragon nudged Ah-un into alertness, then after rising to his feet he went to Rin, rousing her with a much less insistent backrub. Both the girl and the demon were slow to stir, but after several minutes of persistent intrusion the pair eventually came completely to their senses. Once he was confident both the girl and dragon were awake and alert, Matyeo approached Zala. The mortal woman, as well as the monk and demon slayer lifted quizzical eyes to him.

"Something you wanted Dragon lord?" inquired Zala timidly. Exhaling lightly Matyeo dipped into a crouch and stared with keen, golden eyes.

"My castle is not far from here. With en escort you could make it in half a day." the woman's face wrinkled in worry.

"Why are you saying this?" she asked, though it was plainly obvious she already knew.

"I think it would be safer for you and your child if you went ahead of us. Ah-un knows the way, he can take you there." Zala's gaze never wavered but the reflection in her eyes revealed the depths of her inner conflict.

"I'd…rather not be alone…" the mortal woman finally admitted after a long moment of quiet deliberation.

"I imagine not. That's why young Rin will be sent along to accompany you." Matyeo replied calmly, "Isn't that right Rin?" the dragon turned his head towards the child clutching Ah-Un's reins. Not wanting to disappoint her dragon friend the girl gave a smile and a cute bow for emphasis.

"Yes Lord Matyeo," she agreed. That seemed to ease Zala's tensions a little for she looked curiously over at the twin headed beast and the girl leading him. Both of them seemed confident enough with the request.

"I suppose it would be best." The woman at last conceded with a sigh. Smiling warmly the dragon rose and then helped Zala to her feet. The drain on her body was even more evident when she was standing. Gently Matyeo guided her aboard Ah-Un's back, after which he filled the dragon's saddlebags with pouches of food and some of Kagome's clear water containers. Rin hopped into place shortly afterwards and taking hold of the rains she eased Ah-Un into the sky.

"Travel safely," Matyeo called after the threesome, to which Rin eagerly and confidently called back

"We will!"

As the twin-headed dragon slowly drifted out of eyesight towards the few remaining, mist covered peeks that concealed Matyeo's palace a dozen sets of glittering sapphire eyes watched him pass.

One of the sets owners shifted uneasily as the dragon slipped by, disrupting the air current that held her aloft and almost ruining the cloaking enchantment that kept her invisible to those on looking.

"Let them go…" she was abruptly scolded by her ranking commander "there is more important game to be found here," both demons averted their eyes back to the group they had been watching….


"They must be around here somewhere…" Shura mumbled out loud to no one in particular as she scanned her surroundings. Beside her Kirara let out a snort of disapproval, apparently not even she believed Shura was healthy enough to get the task done. "I heard that," the she-dog scolded lightly, to which the felid rolled her eyes. After several more minutes of careful spying Shura finally caught sight of the blood-red leaves she was looking for. Approaching the plant Shura knelt to the ground and with her one good hand dug at the earth until the flora's plump, brown roots were exposed. Being that her left arm was tied in a sling, it took her several hard pulls with her other arm to finally pry the aforementioned roots from the ground.

"See, I told you they were here," commented the she-dog with a smirk. "All we need are a few more, and we'll be done." Taking the remark as a cue, Kirara glanced around until she too found a plant with the same scent. Then after clamping down on the objects leaves with her fangs she ripped the entire thing from the earth with one swift movement. Shura couldn't help but giggle when the cat demon held up her head proudly.

"Wow you're better at this then I am Kirara, I should go gathering with you more often." Mused the she-demon as she rose and prepared to take the plant from Kirara's jaws. A burning pain in her left eye stopped her cold.

The throb of her dragon's eye was unmistakable and it made Shura's blood go cold with dread. A vision passed before her, revealing the encroaching threat upon her friends and family— a scouting band of witches similar to her mother, except their wings and garb were silver.

The vision faded and only then did Shura become aware of Kirara's snarling. The cat demon was staring into the distance intently, her hackles and mane raised in alarm. Immediately Shura followed the cat-demon's gaze. The same witches from her vision were gliding through the forest in the direction of camp!

"Kirara!" Shura barked "after them!" as she spoke Shura pulled herself atop the feline's back and clung tightly to her cream colored ruff. The cat demon didn't argue; in her weakened state Shura's pace wouldn't have been fast enough. And each would need the others help if they were going to slay the intruding witches.


"Please! Help me! Pappa!" Shura's haunting, puppyhood wails reverberated through Sesshomaru's mind, as did the same terrible images that always accompanied them. The vision was the last in a long string of feverish nightmares that seeped through the dog lord's slumber bound mind, and with this final scene he could bare it no longer.

Tearing back into consciousness Sesshomaru was aware of the figure leaning over him long before his eyes opened and out of reflex he lashed out a clawed hand in self-defense. His fingers coiled tightly around the front of a silk shirt, but the figure didn't move.

"Easy Master," assured a familiar voice causing Sesshomaru to force his eyes open. A blurred, emerald haired demon with fin ears and gold eyes gradually came into focus before him. "It was just a nightmare. You're safe." Blinking hard Sesshomaru released the youth's collar and proceeded to massage his throbbing head. Something he couldn't name seemed to be making his mind burn.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken's high-pitched, impish howl rang harshly through the dog lord's ears, making his head throb all the more "At last you've come too!" Sesshomaru didn't even turn an eye to acknowledge the subordinate standing to his left: Jaken's relief-stricken squeals painted enough of a portrait of what he would see. Instead Sesshomaru focused on locating his kin. When his daughter's scent didn't register as strong as it should have, the dog lord became suddenly alarmed.

"Where's Shura?" he asked trying not to sound panicked. Matyeo rocked back from his previous kneel onto his haunches.

"She went gathering. She'll be back soon" the dragon replied calmly. To that Sesshomaru forced himself upright. Under any other circumstance he wouldn't have been so concerned, but this time was different. His senses may have been groggy, but his instincts were as keen as ever, and they were blazing a warning.

"Retrieve her at once," he ordered with a sternness that made the dragon flinch. Though the dog lord hadn't bluntly stated such, it was obvious from his tone that he held Matyeo responsible for Shura's actions. And that in mind would tear him apart should any harm happen to befall the girl.

"But master…" Matyeo tried to interject, but before he could point out that he had not let Shura simply go wondering off without a protective escort Jaken cracked him hard over the skull with his staff of two heads.

"You heard Lord Sesshomaru hatchling! Now off with you!"

The insult sent Matyeo into scowling. After all, hearing the telltale remark from Sesshomaru was one thing, but from his servant. It took all of the dragon's inner restraint not to throttle the imp right then and there.

"Forgive me, I will go at once," was all he said before rising and starting in the direction Shura had left from. Sesshomaru watched as the dragon started to leave all the while nursing the baseball sized lump Jaken had created atop his head. Any other time he would have scolded the imp for acting so uppity but on that occasion there were other more pressing matters to be concerned with. Though he still couldn't see, scent, or feel any ominous demonic presence, years of past experience were playing Sesshomaru's insights like a harp. He knew something was out there watching them…but what? A chill ran up the dog lord's spine, and it was in that instant he noticed the dragon had stopped in his tracks and was staring curiously into the sky.

"Matyeo? What is it?" Sesshomaru barked. No sooner had the question left his lips then something cool and soft landed lightly on the dog lord's cheek. Touching the spot with his fingers Sesshomaru felt the object dissolve instantly much like a snowflake.

"What in the world…" exclaimed Jaken as he too encountered the tiny, crystalline objects that had started to fall all around them, "How can there be snow at this time of year?"

"This is no ordinary snow," came Sesshomaru's answer. And in fact he was very right. For although the flakes mimicked the temperature and texture of winery ice-shavings their unnatural cherry-blossom color revealed they were tainted with deceit.

"Wow…pretty…" mumbled Matyeo sleepily, his face already beginning to flush from the spell. His remark was followed quickly by those of an equally entranced and curious Sango, Miroku and Shippo who themselves had wondered into the open to investigate the phenomenon alongside the dragon.

"Don't let them touch you fools! It's a trap!" Sesshomaru wanted desperately to warn as he tried in vein to stand. But the words never made it past his throat. An intense, fatigue suddenly made his body to heavy to move. Even his jaws didn't want to work properly. Sinking backwards, Sesshomaru caught a final glimpse of Matyeo and the three others near him. All four had collapsed to the ground and just beyond them emerging from the foliage were the unmistakable outlines of witch demons.

"Strange…" Sesshomaru's thoughts barely came in coherent sentences as he fought to stay consciences "these witches…not the same..."


The lead scout inspected her band's progress and smiled approvingly. All eight of the remaining prey had been successfully incapacitated. Now all that was left was to transport them back to the colony.

"Commander," the witch turned when one of her subordinates addressed her. The scout was inspecting the pair of injured mortals.

"This one's doesn't look like she'll last much longer. Her souls has been injured." The commander snorted and tossed back a lock of her silver hair.

"Bring her anyway, dying or not she's got some fine power brewing in those veins. It's worth trying to extract before we turn her into stew."

The scout's sapphire eyes lit up at the thought of fresh mortal.

"Yes commander," she readily agreed.

The scout leader averted her eyes back to the remainder of the prey items, and her eyes lingered over the fare-faced dog demon and handsome dragon.

"Queen Sityra will be sure to reward me for this capture," she thought proudly to herself. Even now she could imagine the look on her high-rulers face when she brought forth not only fresh mortals for cooking, but royal demon suitors as well.

"Watch out commander!" a shrill warning reached the band-leaders mind just as a sphere of power soared at her head. Darting out of range the witch hissed out a warning, but seconds later she was greeted with a snarling feline.

"Wrenched beast!" she snapped angrily. Forming an electric sphere between her palms the witch sent a paralyzing charge into the lunging feline's body, stopping her assault and rendering her unconscious. "Ha, serves you right," she started to snap arrogantly at the fallen demon, but her overconfidence was spoken to soon. Another energy blast, stronger then the first hit her hard in the chest, sending her toppling to the ground.

Wincing hard the witch commander forced open her eyes to see the slightly blurred image of a feminine dog demon preparing her claws for striking.

A chorus of shrieks and a rather dazzling array of flying orbs of magic erupted into the sky, reassuring the witch commander that her scouts were still there and would do their part in engaging the threat. To her surprise the dog demon managed to avoid the multi-colored onslaught of energy charges almost as feverishly as they were being thrown.

Growling at the sight, the witch commander got to her feet and prepared a second paralyzing charge, fueling its power with her anger. Then she aimed it at the preoccupied dog demoness.

"Take this!" she screamed, releasing the orb from her fingers. The charge did its work well, catching the dog demon in mid air and causing her to emit a horrendous howl of agony before falling limply to earth. Smirking with approval the witch commander approached and stood menacingly over her newest victim. The dog demoness's body still twitched sporadically in protest to the charge but she paid no mind to it.

"Take this pair as well," ordered the scout head as she motioned to the dog at her feet and the feline several yards away "their power could be useful and their pelts will make fine trophies."


"What?" Kusoa exclaimed as she stopped mid flight "but that's impossible…" her thought didn't take long to travel.

"What happened?" Mura's authoritative voice rippled through the young blackwing's mind.

"It's the travelers," Kusoa replied in a bewildered panic "They're mental signatures just disappeared…I can't sense them anywhere!"

"That's because they're being hidden." Informed the witch queen in annoyance.

"But, who would be able to…I mean—" Kusoa's thought broke off when she received a most hostile vibration from her queen's mind.

"No matter. We already know they'll be heading towards the north dragon castle soon enough. In the meantime return to the castle." Mura's signal broke off, leaving Kusoa annoyed and curious at the same time. What could Mura be scheming?