Kuda walked into an old and rotting away hut that villagers had appointed her to. They promised her that even though the woman Kuda was seeking was not a priestess, this woman could even do a better job. And Kuda knew that for miles she wouldn't find another great priestess, or even a priestess at all. So she took her chance and walked into the hut, calling out for anyone. But the hut was empty, and dead black birds were laid out in a line on a table in front of her, from the ceiling hung herbs and plants Kuda didn't recognize, and among the wall there were many shelves with many different bottles. This is a witch's house, Kuda thought, why would they send me with a witch? I wanted to know about demons, not to curse someone! And Kuda jumped a little when she felt a strong hand squeeze her shoulder.
"Princess Sugoi Senshi Takemisho, what an honor to be visited by such." And old and crackly voice spoke behind her.
"How did you know who I was?" Kuda asked a bit angered and astounded.
"Nothing can fool these eyes, " the witch said pointing to her own eyes, "no matter how old they are. I take it you are not here for a curse, are you Sugoi-sama?"
"No, I am not here for a curse. I actually wanted more knowledge on demons, but I don't see how you're going to be of any help with that." Kuda replied.
The witch laughed and walked around Kuda and began collecting the bird's dead bodies. "My dear, I am an expert in demon knowledge, and can tell you your future too, if you like?" The witch offered the last statement while nearing her wrinkly face to Kuda's.
Kuda backed her head away from the witch's, "No thank you," she replied, "I don't wish to know about my future."
"Pity," the witch mumbled as she licked her dry lips and looked closer into Kuda's face, "but I'll feel remorse if I don't tell you that your future looks horrendous-"
"Thank you for spoiling my future and telling me such an awful thing," Kuda interrupted angrily.
"You didn't let me finish!" The old woman yelled at her, freezing Kuda in her place. The old woman licked her lips again and smiled a toothless grin, "Your future is horrendous because it is filled with so much power and dominance. I very much prefer peace, but there never is, isn't?"
Kuda frowned at the old woman and spoke quietly, "Juts tell me what you know about shape-shifter demons."
The old witch returned to collecting her dead birds and spoke while she began to throw the birds into a pot, "For one, they are worthless demons. Simply good for pulling tricks and scheming all the time, not to mention their horrible attitude that they are born with!"
Kuda couldn't help but laugh at the last part. "I think the horrible attitude and scheming all the time makes up for being a worthless demon." Kuda said.
The witch turned an eye at her, "Yes, despite being worthless and could easily get killed, isn't strange many live today like such as your self and your sister?"
"And Takemisho."
"Takemisho?..." The old woman burst out laughing, making Kuda looked at her confused. "That pathetic human is still believing he is a demon? How hilarious!"
"Isn't he a shape-shifter just like my mother? That would mean I would be a half demon if he was human, but I'm actually a full demon..." Kuda said still a bit confused.
"Sugoi-sama, that man has lived for over a hundred years just because he has been coming to me for youth restoration. He finally decided he wanted a strong heir in his line if he should ever die, and he managed to destroy a shape-shifter to get what he wanted, your mother."
"But then I would be a half-demon, that is more for lower disgrace to his line!" Kuda said angrily. And she was worried then, for her baby would come out even more worthless that she had thought.
The witch 'ah' loudly and waved her hand in the air. "Apparently your mother didn't tell you how shape-shifters are born."
"Exactly what I came to find out." Kuda replied and was thankful that she didn't have to say was pregnant, and even less wanted to mention that the child was from Lord Sesshomaru.
The witch walked over to her shelves on the wall and began to look over her potions, "Shape-shifters are truly blessed, and this is another reason how it makes up for being a worthless demon. A shape-shifter can have a strong child if they wanted too, and they only had to mate with stronger demon. Isn't that amazing? And the child result would be strong, with the same blooded whose parents created it. That is why your father had you; you are stronger than a human, but still carry his pathetic blood inside of you."
Kuda blinked and leaned against the wall. Then this child will become just like Sesshomaru, a strong full fledged demon as well, she thought. She let out a sigh of relief and sadness, but the child won't look anything like me like I hoped. And Kuda leaned against the wall quietly for a moment, watching the old woman hobble back to her pot and open bottles and throw contents from the bottles into the pot. And as she did, the five dead birds that were in the pot flew up screeching and cawing. Kuda looked bewildered and took a step back from the flying birds above her head.
"Behave you little twits, behave!" The witch yelled at them and the birds stopped cawing and perched upon the shelves on the wall. The witch smiled again and looked at Kuda, "My poor babies had died just last night, and I couldn't go on with another day without them!" She said and began to pet a bird's head while cooing at it. But just as she began to coo at it, the bird squawked and threw a bite at the old woman's finger. The witch screamed out of pain and anger and angrily slapped the bird, sending the bird squawking to the floor. "Though they have moments that they have an attitude!"
"Well, thank you for filling me with information I needed. I'll make sure to come to you whenever I start seeing wrinkles on my face." Kuda replied.
"Before you go," the woman said and Kuda turned to look at her, "what's the baby's name?" the witch asked with a soft smile on her face.
"Why you snoopy old witch! Keep your old eyes and mind in your own life!" Kuda yelled at her angrily.
"So you still don't have a name for the baby?"
"I don't know if it's a boy for a girl," Kuda replied calmly.
"Well, the baby is-"
"Don't tell me," Kuda interrupted again, "I want to know myself when's it's born."
The witch smiled and nodded, "Alright, but if you need anything for your pregnancy, you can come for me for help."
"Thanks," Kuda replied while lifting the door blanket, "I'll keep that in mind."
"Where were you?" Sesshomaru instantly confronted her once she walked in through the gates.
"No where special." Kuda replied tiredly.
"You have the scent of a witch on you. You haven't done anything to our child, have you?" Sesshomaru asked.
"Not much," Kuda replied and stopped walking and laughed at Sesshomaru's glowering face. "I'm just kidding, you can't really take a joke, can you?"
"I just want the child to be safe." Sesshomaru replied.
"Then the child will be dead in a couple of days if you don't care about me either." Kuda answered and began walking again.
"I don't love you to care enough for you. I only care for the child." Sesshomaru replied.
Kuda stopped walking and gave him a pained face that half melted Sesshomaru's stoic expression. "I didn't mean it like you had to care for me because you loved me. I meant it in another joke. If you don't care for me and I should die, then how will you care for the baby, get it?" After a moment passed with Sesshomaru replying nothing, Kuda shook her head and began walking once more, "Sometimes you can be such an idiot. I don't know how Shinku can't stand you." Kuda muttered more to herself than to him.
"Katsuro's gone."
Kuda spun around to face him. "Tell me you didn't kill him!"
"No, he requested a few days to spend with his family." Sesshomaru replied.
Bastard, Kuda thought angrily, he just left so he won't have to be in my plan so much. "Oh well then," Kuda sighed, "I guess I will have to spend some lonely nights on my bed." Kuda grinned when she heard Sesshomaru growl angrily and quietly. "And speaking about nights, last night when I visited the witch, she told me a very interesting thing about our child!"
Sesshomaru stopped his growling instantly and his anger was forgotten. "What interesting thing," he asked.
Kuda smirked and answered, "If you want me to tell you, then you'll better start behaving yourself around me."
"It's you who has to behave, not me." Sesshomaru answered, his anger once more returned.
"I'll try my best, Lord Sesshomaru, can you as well, My Lord?" Kuda said with a wary smile. "Where is Shinku?" Kuda asked before Sesshomaru even had time to respond.
"Her father needs her home for an important family matter." He replied.
"How sad, with her being gone it's just plain misery." Kuda said with sarcasm dripping from her mouth. "Hey that reminds me, my stomach is also in misery. I hope Katsuro left some of his rice balls made for me."
"He left a stew, boiled rice, sushi, and miso soup."
Kuda looked as Sesshomaru in disbelief, "Why so much food!"
"He said you will need to stay healthy for the child and he will be gone a majority of days." Sesshomaru replied.
"Well," Kuda said," I'd better get started. That food won't eat itself, now will it!" Kuda said ecstatic to actually know she would be able to eat as much food as she could.
Kuda sat on her tatami mat with two candles lit beside her on the little desk. She was reading a scroll she had picked up from the village, almost like a bed time story that she was reading to herself. But soon her concentration got side tracked when her mind wandered off to the baby growing inside of her. How will it feel, she thought, how will I feel? After everything dangerous that has happened in life, this is probably the most frightening situation I am in. But her thinking was interrupted when her door slid open. She raised her tired eyes to see who had opened her door and she was not surprised to find Sesshomaru.
"You aren't asleep," he said walking in and sliding the door closed behind him.
"No, I'm not." Kuda replied and went back to reading the scroll. "What do you want," she asked not looking at him.
"I simply wanted to make sure you were alright," he replied.
"Well I'm alright, so you can leave," Kuda answered.
"Is it that damn Katsuro's fault that you can't sleep?"
Kuda sighed and closed the scroll, knowing she wouldn't be able to finish the story with him in there. "That and because you are intruding in my room." Kuda spat at him angrily.
"You said you would be spending lonely nights, so I came to give your company." Sesshomaru said and Kuda hear the mocking tone in his voice.
Kuda smiled at him and covered herself with her sheets, "I said that as another joke and I really don't need your company, so you can go back to your own room."