Disaster is narrowly avoided by the quick thinking of none other than Kuromakaze. A truce is called in the aftermath for no one wants to wait around for the arrival of the Shiro Tenko and their lord, Kuromaru.

145 years before the search for the jewel shards

Chapter 38: Flying the Blue Third

I find it amusing that neither Kuromakaze nor myself had any interest in seeing Kuromaru that day. While his group was too battered to fight any time that week, I simply didn't want to discover what my idiot uncle would do if we met again. Even if I was the Taisho, he was foolish enough that I feared he might still try something. It didn't help that Kenji didn't disagree.

-Inuyasha

"This world cannot be allowed to end!" Kuromakaze roared and hurled the cyclone at the wolf demon.

Tsubame ran with the other wolves in their futile attempt to catch Kenji. She didn't know what was happening or why but every instinct screamed of impending disaster. However, it all seemed hopeless. They weren't gaining any ground; they were barely keeping up.

She caught movement from the corner of her eye and she glanced over. The biggest cyclone she had ever seen was descending toward them all. She looked back at Kenji and cried out to him seconds before the monster wind fell on them, lifting the group off the ground. The wolves howled and screamed as they were spun within the wind.

"Tsubame!" She looked up at the sound of her name and saw Kenji reaching for her. She reached her own hand to him and grasped it. He pulled her to him.

"What's going on?" she shouted over the roar of the wind. She looked around for their comrades. They were further away in the whirlwind but some had taken hold of each other like she and Kenji had.

"Hell if I know," said Kenji.

The cyclone then fell apart and the entire group found themselves in free fall a hundred feet above the ground. Being demons, the landing wasn't fatal but the sticky mud didn't make it pleasant either. The wolves coughed and spat the mess from their mouths.

After several minutes of everyone collecting themselves, Kenji spoke. "Was the world just saved by Kuromakaze?" he asked in flat tone, as he lay on the ground, stunned now that the threat had passed.

"What do you mean?" asked Tsubame, wiping mud from her face and pulling leaves from her hair.

"The Jewel of Life was trying to reform and that wind came from the castle; it had to have been Kuromakaze," replied Kenji without moving.

"Why does that mean he saved the world?" gasped another wolf.

"Kuromakaze saved the world," said Kenji still too shocked to hear his comrades. "This is going to kill Kuromaru."

Tsubame and the wolves looked at each other then she said, "Then let's hurry and tell him so we can be done with him." Kenji didn't respond.

The moment Kenji was blown away the ground stopped cracking and the trees ceased toppling. The link between the remaining three jewels and the core piece weakened. The pull lessened and Kaiyoshinju broke free of her water prison with a roar. The prolonged use of her power sent her demon half into raged and she soared into the heavens as a red eyed, violet dragon. She vanished into the clouds forgetting her purpose in being their only knowing her desire to escape it.

With her departure, the final nail in the proverbial coffin had been set. Soranoko felt her control over the wind return and quickly lowered everyone to the ground just as the mighty oak finally gave. Xeno, Scheherazade and Yamibi tumbled over each other midair at the sudden release. The three managed to regain enough control to land with grace on a tree several yards away rather than tumble into the mud and rocks below.

Last, the pillar of light thinned and faded into nothing, plunging the entire area into darkness. Saben stared where the Taisho had been standing when he was swallowed by the light. What appeared gave Saben pause.

White, flameless wings rose from the Taisho's back. A tail with mane of white hair along the top of the spine protruded from under his armor. His shoes were broken because his feet had lengthened and expanded into something akin to dragon's feet. His dog-ears had vanished and been replaced by a set on the sides of his head that were long like rabbit's and swept back. The glow of green appeared along his eyelashes as they fluttered before the Taisho fell forward.

"Taisho!" cried Saben and leapt, catching Kakiboufuu and pulling him back. "Taisho! Taisho! Wake up! Taisho!" The clouds above them parted revealing a sky that was growing lighter. Golden light broke the horizon beyond the castle and lighting it and the trees, revealing the devastation the battle had released. The town that had sheltered in the keep's lee was gone, swept away by the flood. More than half the forest was either burnt, washed away or knocked down. Part of the castle, the lower levels, had collapsed in a landslide.

Saben felt his heart leap into his throat. We believed Sesshomaru-sama was in the dungeons beneath the castle, he thought. Did water from the flood penetrate the lower reaches? Is that why parts have fallen in? Damn it!

Naomi kicked the fallen boards out of her way as she carried her father the final few feet out of the lower reaches and into the morning light. "Did that really take all night?" she gasped, exhausted from fending off floods and collapsing buildings. She looked around but there wasn't another soul to be found. The area was scattered with debris and mud. She spotted the main gate or what was left of it. The walls on either side as well as the gate had slid out and down when the hillside beneath had given way. The clay titles of the walls' roof were now at knee level.

"Naomi, I can move now," said Sesshomaru.

"That's great, Chichiue," she said gruffly. "Can you slog your way through this?"

"Better than you can with my full weight on your back," he replied and pushed himself off her. As she feared, he wasn't able to support his full weight, but with her help he could walk. They trekked across the open courtyard, sinking to their knees in the filth.

Weakened from days of torture, starvation and dehydration, Sesshomaru's strength was a fraction of what it should have been even without his celestial power. While Naomi's healing may have been necessary to help him recognize his surroundings, it also had drained her father of what little reserves that remained. His endurance was at its limits and moving through the muck quickly exhausted him.

Naomi herself was tiring. The simulacrum she created, the healing and the barrier she had been forced to maintain while carrying her father up several flights of stairs was starting to take its toll. It was with great relief when they reached the collapsed wall, however, that feeling was short lived. The path down had been washed away. The entire side of the castle was nothing but slippery mud, boulders, chunks of wall and splinters of gate. While Naomi could have navigated the mess, her father, with an immobile spine, could not.

The wind teased their hair giving Naomi an idea. "Chichiue can you spread your wings? We can glide down, its only ten yards and the wind is strong."

Unable to move his head, Sesshomaru glanced at her and replied, "No." He didn't elaborate and Naomi wondered if the iron was interfering with his wings or even threatening to do them harm. She had not realized his losing his celestial power meant he could not summon his wings that were part of his celestial form.

Naomi chewed her lip then helped her father to sit on the remains of the wall. He was deathly pale and sweating. Now what?

Soranoko took in the sight of the bedraggled inuyokai around her then spotted the firebirds now sitting in nearby trees. She walked up to one of them and asked, "I hate to be such a bother, but can you help us locate our remaining comrades?"

The yellow firebird she spoke to hopped from one foot to the other then bobbed its head. The whole flock took off and scattered. Soon the yellow phoenix returned and circled overhead.

"I think we are supposed to follow," said Soranoko to the others. "Is everyone able to walk at least aided?" Calls of assent returned and the group of battered and weary demons trudged forward after their guide.

"Why are we heading back?" asked a young wolf demon as the pack jogged up the path that Kenji had made. "I thought we were going to tell Kuromaru how his youngest saved the world."

"As tempting as that is, it can wait," replied Kenji as he stomped the ground again forcing another ten yards of hard-packed dirt to rise above the muck. "It wasn't just Kaiyoshinju there, the dogs were there too. If they're still fighting, a few fresh warriors might make things easier for them."

After a moment of silence, he added, "Besides I can't stomach the idea of Kuromaru taking the credit for ending this war. If he rides in there after Kuromakaze's forces has been weakened by the dogs, it will go down as his victory. If today's the day the Kuro Tenko are defeated then I want the credit to go where it's due. And I want Kuromaru to remain in history as a fool who got lucky someone else was able to bail him out." He looked over his shoulder and barked, "Understand?"

"Hai!" everyone shouted and no further arguments were offered.

It wasn't long before they came upon the twenty foot high path the Jewel of the Land had created. Kenji hit the side of it and the path edge crumpled into a stairway. From there they followed it straight back to Castle Arai.

Naomi searched the paths to the higher levels, expecting samurai to appear at any time. She, therefore, was taken by surprise by the call that came from behind her.

"Oi! Fair maiden, how goes the battle? Is it over already?"

She looked down to the end of the landslide and saw Kenji, several members of his pack and a few demons she didn't recognize, standing on a raised pathway.

"Oi yourself, wolf!" she called back. "Get us down from here before the samurai show up."

Kenji shaded his eyes from the glare of the rising sun and asked, "Is that Fluffy with you?"

Sesshomaru growled but said nothing. Naomi called back, "No tail pulling today, Kenji. Chichiue's is in really bad shape."

"Must be, he didn't try to kill me yet," said Kenji.

"Oi! The prisoner is out of his cell!" Naomi whirled around and squeaked. There were the samurai she had been afraid of.

"Hurry, Kenji! I've got nothing left," she shouted over her shoulder.

Kenji raised a path toward the castle and ran up while raising more of the earth and pushing his way through the wreckage. The samurai began to move toward the stranded pair, swords drawn. Naomi unsheathed her claws but in the muddy terrain, their swords would have the advantage.

"Withdraw, men." The samurai froze and looked back confused. Kenji appeared a moment later beside her and paused. Naomi glanced up to the source of the order. Kuromakaze sat on the edge of the ramparts leaning heavily onto his black naginata. The dark, curved foot and half blade at the top of the five-foot staff gleamed with murderous intent in the morning sun but he made no moves against them.

Naomi was startled by his changed appearance. It was clear he had been in the midst of the battle; his armor was dented and his clothes were scorched. However, the strangeness of his appearance lay in his ashy skin and sunken eyes. He looked as if he had been starved for a month.

"What? You're surprised that I have limits?" said Kuromakaze in a mocking tone. "I was already out of power before the fiasco with the Jewel of Life. I overdrew when I blew that wolf away. I cannot continue this battle, nor will I try. I suspect your uncle is in the same pathetic state."

"I'm here now and fresh. I could end you myself," stated Kenji, dropping into a horse stance as he readied his attack. The samurai raised their swords.

"You could, but the troops inside the castle are fresh as well and the castle is dangerously unstable," said Kuromakaze without a trace of worry or fear for Kenji's threat. "If you try to take on my fresh warriors you'll need to use your earth magic. If you do, the castle will give way and who knows which way it will slide. It may fall on the side where all your allies are currently regrouping or it may not. Then there is the fact that Reihane is too weak to move on his own. If the castle were to give, he would be buried alive no matter which way it fell. Are you really willing to risk that?"

"Tsk!" Kenji rose and dropped his hands.

"The Taisho's objective has been achieved; he has recovered both his niece and brother," said Kuromakaze with a dismissive wave. "So just go already. I won't try to stop your withdrawal. I am abandoning the area myself."

"Why?" snarled Naomi.

He smiled that eerie smile again and replied, "The Shiro Tenko will be arriving tomorrow. While I would have enjoyed the pleasure of finishing them off for good, this battle has left me with too little resources at present to do so. The castle cannot defend against their attack now nor can it be repaired before they arrive. While I am not so foolish to have my entire army in one place at any given time, my reserves would not arrive before the Shiro Tenko even if I sent the summons now. So taking the survivors and abandoning this location is the only logical choice I have."

"Did you calculate the option of us waiting here for the Shiro Tenko?" snapped Naomi, growing more irritated by the second and wishing she had enough power to blast that smile off the hanyou's face.

"Even I know of the bad blood between your uncle and Otou-san," said Kuromakaze with a laugh. "You won't wait for them. Inuyasha's primary objective, once he hears the Tenko lord is coming, will be to clear out as fast as he can."

"Inuyasha?" whispered Kenji in surprise and rising fear.

Naomi opened her mouth to offer a retort to Kuromakaze's statement but Kenji tugged on her shoulder, silencing her.

"Let's go, Naomi. I'll help carry Sesshomaru-sama down but let's go," said Kenji. "I hate to agree with the bastard, but he's right. There is bad blood between Inuyasha and Kuromaru. You'll want to be gone before he gets here."

"How bad?" asked Naomi in disbelief.

"Real bad, but that is for Inuyasha to tell you, not me," replied Kenji. "Just understand you want to be gone before he gets here."

Naomi glared back at Kuromakaze sitting there powerless with only a bunch of human samurai to protect him. She clenched and unclenched her fist in frustration before turning her back on him. She half expected arrows to fly now that she looked away; she didn't believe he knew the concept of honor. However, nothing happened and she and Kenji were able to help the ailing Sesshomaru down the path to the rest of the pack.

She looked back to the castle and saw their banner had been replaced with blue, white, red and black streamers. Black held the top followed by red, blue then finally white. Black, being first, signaled the end of the castle, all surviving troops were to abandon it and fall back to a secondary defense position elsewhere. Red, as the second color, indicated that a second attack was imminent and evacuation was to occur without delay, there would be no lingering to recover possessions. Blue, as the third, meant the current battle was over and no further fighting was permitted; it was effectively a truce flag. The final white was a simple statement and explanation; the castle had suffered massive casualties and could no longer maintain the position.

Naomi sighed. At least they seem to have made it official, she thought, irritated.

With the flags on the pole, the survivors of both sides would know the field was being conceded to the attackers. If the blue and the red were reversed, it would have meant there was no secondary attack to worry about and that those warriors that remained in the castle were expected to join the fray. There were some survivors for the Kuro Tenko and they staggered out of the woods, dazed and bedraggled. A tsuchitenko knocked the side of Kenji's path and created a stairway up to the top. There they used the route to regroup and walk back toward the castle. A few spared the group a nasty glare but most were too exhausted and just grateful to be alive to care.

The wolf demons and company began to walk up the path as Kenji expanded it toward where he remembered the pillar of light being.

Soranoko, Yukibi and their growing number of inuyokai survivors slogged through the muck as they followed the firebirds forward. Soranoko jumped back when she caught movement from the corner of her eye. She raised her fans in attack and Yukibi summoned her fox fire; she had lost her spear. It was a Kuro Tenko, a fire user.

The man raised his hands in surprise and shouted, "Truce! Truce!" He pointed toward the castle. "Look!"

Soranoko and Yukibi held their ground but one of the inuyokai cried, "He's right. The truce flag is flying." Soranoko glance over toward the castle and saw the four colored banners flying in the morning wind. Soranoko lowered her fans as Yukibi put out her fire. The hitenko shook his head and trudged on.

Yukibi shook her head as well and said, "Well at least we won't have to attack everything in sight now."

"Are they really going to honor that?" asked one of the inuyokai. Soranoko was wondering the same thing; though, the first impression was that they were.

Yukibi turned to face the questioner. "Haven't been outside Tenji have you? Those banners were created by the Tenko, they don't exist outside their territories. It was created for the Tenko civil wars. Kuro Tenko were just as much responsible for their creation as the Shiro Tenko. They won't abuse them."

"Why not?" muttered Soranoko but sharp eared Yukibi heard her anyway.

The white kitsune turned back to address the wind sorceress. "Dishonoring the banners may grant one or even two victories but ever after you won't be able to use them even if you need them. Devil Tenko were not born idiots. They know better than to sacrifice a long term benefit for a short term success."

Soranoko said nothing more. She couldn't see the validity of the argument but she didn't want to debate it any further. Right now, the truce seemed to be standing but she wouldn't drop her guard. The group moved forward again passing other weary survivors from the Kuro Tenko but none offered any challenge.

Yamibi glared at the castle in fury when she saw the banners flying above. With the disaster averted, she wanted to continue what she began, but the blue third said that would have to wait. She growled in frustration even as the more rational part understood why they were flying. She considered violating it and attacking anyway, despite that violating a truce flag would mean death or exile. Consequences meant nothing to her; she just wanted her revenge.

Xeno saw the hungry look in her crimson eyes and readied himself. He watched Yamibi trying to anticipate when she would attack. Truce flag or not, he could not allow her the first strike. If she attacked now the Taisho was finished. Kakiboufuu lay in Saben's arms unresponsive to his subordinate's calls, still in his celestial form. That form was tougher but not invulnerable and, in his unconscious state, it would easy for her to slay him with a single strike.

Help came in an unexpected form.

"Yamibi! Stand down already," shouted Noriko as she appeared among the trees.

"Why should I?" the female hanyou snarled. She raised her hands as if to strike and Xeno prepared his own, however, her attack never appeared. Noriko, without saying a word, struck the hanyou with her own celestial power. Yamibi shrieked and fell to the ground. Noriko stalked forward and grabbed the woman's raven hair.

Pulling up on the thick locks, Noriko said, "The blue third is not a suggestion, it is an order. Do you remember what happened the last time you ignored one."

Yamibi's eyes widened in fear and she hissed, "There is no way you could know about that."

"It was in my interest to know," Noriko said with a smirk. Then her expression grew serious again. "Now move." She dragged Yamibi to her feet. "Besides," she added once Yamibi began staggering toward the castle, "you wouldn't have gotten your revenge today anyway. Naomi and Sesshomaru are heading this way as we speak. Your death would have accomplished nothing."

Yamibi froze and whirled. "You lie!" she shrieked. "I killed Naomi!"

"You really are pitiful, Yamibi," said Noriko with open contempt. Yamibi howled then leapt into the trees and ran off.

Xeno watched the exchange in wary puzzlement. Once Yamibi had disappeared he asked, "Not that we are ungrateful, but why did you stop her? Wouldn't it have been in your best interest to let her continue? None of the blood would have been on your hands and you would have been rid of the one responsible for undermining your authority."

Noriko leveled her blue eyes on him then glanced at the celestial demon, her gaze brightening with lust and hunger. "Warlords are not undesirable," she replied then walked away, vanishing into the forest.

Xeno frowned in disapproval. "Power hungry woman," he muttered but was glad it meant there would be no unexpected attacks for the day.

"Hear that, my lord, your power and ruthlessness has made you popular with the ladies," said Saben with a weak laugh, not expecting a response. To his and Xeno's surprise, one came.

"That'd just what I need, an aggressive lover," groaned Kakiboufuu. He raised his hand to his head and moaned.

"Thank the gods, you're awake," cried Saben. He then hurried to inform the Taisho of the change in events. "The blue third has been raised. There won't be any more fighting today."

"What colors fly?" asked Kakiboufuu with his face still buried in his hand. When Saben replied Kakiboufuu pulled his hand from his face and looked to the castle in disbelief. "Red second? But who is coming?"

"I suspect it would be the Shiro Tenko," said Xeno, trying not to sound mocking. The Taisho was disoriented and obvious answers would not come to him while his mind still gathered itself. "They're the only other hostile group to the Kuro Tenko around." Kakiboufuu blanched then grunted as he tried to move. As he did, his wings folded and vanished and the rest changed back into his hanyou self.

Xeno watched him for a moment then added, "It seems Sesshomaru and Naomi made it safely out of the castle and are on their way to this location."

"They're both alive?" asked Kakiboufuu in disbelief, staring at Xeno.

"Apparently," Xeno replied. The relief on the young Taisho's face reminded the fire demon how much the touch and ruthless words and actions were just a façade.

Soranoko and her group appeared, as did smaller groups from other directions. She glanced at them and sighed. "Finally, I'm so sick of all this mud. At least we can rest until it dries. And by then maybe the Shiro Tenko will be hereand give us a hand."

"Uh," said Kakiboufuu, his face pale and looking apologetic as he stared at his weary troops.

"Is there a problem, Taisho?" asked Xeno, remembering his earlier reaction to the news of the Shiro Tenko's potential arrival. The ground beneath them rose ten feet into the air in a large plateau and the mud reformed into hard packed earth.

"I hate to spoil the mood but you can't wait for the Shiro Tenko," said Kenji as he and his pack appeared.

"And why is that?" demanded Soranoko. "Everyone is hurt and we just spent the last half-hour sloshing through knee deep mud. Why can't we wait for allies?"

Kenji sighed the glanced over at Kakiboufuu. "You really didn't tell them anything?" Kakiboufuu just shrugged in response.

Naomi sighed as well as Soranoko looked between the two in confusion. "There is supposedly bad blood between the Tenko lord and the Taisho. Are you certain this can't be reasoned out?" She directed her question toward her uncle.

The wolves all waved their hands in front of their faces as Kakiboufuu replied, "If my uncle were reasonable my wife would still be alive."

"Eh?"

"Never mind, Naomi," said Kakiboufuu and hopped down from his tree, his senses returning to normal. "Reconciliation is not possible and I rather not find out if he will abandon the matter just because I have become the Taisho."

"If he doesn't," added Kenji, "it will mean further divisions within the ranks and it all goes Kuromakaze's way."

"So we really can't stay," muttered Soranoko exasperated.

"It would be best if we didn't leave tracks," said Kakiboufuu.

"We're too exhausted to fly, Kakiboufuu-sama," snapped Soranoko, barely remembering to add the honorific to his name.

"Easy, Fufu," said Kenji with a smile. Soranoko flinched then glared at the wolf demon and Kakiboufuu coughed. "I can make a path and escort you all until nightfall. Then we'll part company. I'll head back here, collapsing the path as I go and hopefully will arrive before Kuromaru does. At that point, my wolves, fellow scouts and I can kick back and look bored for the Tenko lord. We'll avoid bringing up the identity of the Taisho. Sound like a plan?"

"A very agreeable one," replied Kakiboufuu.

"Wait," said Sesshomaru and everyone turned to face him. "My swords, Bakusaiga and Tenken. I need to find them."

Kakiboufuu took in his brother's broken state then stepped forward and wrapped his arm around Kenji's neck before speaking softly into his ear. "How stable is the castle, right now?"

"Not very," replied Kenji in an equally quiet voice. "The only reason I didn't nail Kuromakaze before the banners went up was because any fighting would result in the castle collapsing. For a simple search, it's stable enough but who knows how long that will last."

Kakiboufuu hummed as he considered his options then said, "Aniue isn't going to like this, but we'll have leave without them. Leave us at sunset and, if possible, check the castle after you get back. The swords will smell and feel like Aniue. If you find them, handle them with care and return them to us at your earliest convenience. It might do Aniue some good to be without them for a while so don't sweat it if you can't return them until after Kuromaru bites it."

"Understood," said Kenji.

Kakiboufuu separated from the wolf and approached his brother. "Sorry, Aniue," he said then placed his left hand on Sesshomaru's forehead. Sesshomaru's golden eyes fluttered then closed. Kakiboufuu caught him as he tipped forward.

"Oji-san!" cried Naomi in alarm.

"He shouldn't be moving with these injuries," said Kakiboufuu as explanation. "His youki is almost non-existent. If he doesn't rest now his heart will fail. So unless you want to see your father shrivel into an old man and die, don't complain about my methods."

Several of the clan gasped in horror. Naomi shrank in shame. Saben jumped out of the tree and reached toward the unconscious demon. "I am ashamed to admit that I have the fewest injuries and am the least exhausted. At least allow me to carry Sesshomaru-sama," he said.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of, Saben," said Kakiboufuu. "You helped keep away those who would have attacked me as I readied my spell. You even stood against Yamibi though you were outclassed." Saben flushed with embarrassment and looked away. "I need to carry Aniue to maintain the spell I put on him, but how about you help the worst injured make the trek?" The young man bowed and walked away as Kakiboufuu slid Sesshomaru onto his back.

The Taisho took in the sight of his battered and exhausted clansmen, regretting his need for a hasty departure. He then turned his attention to the remaining firebirds and said, "Thank you for your assistance." The firebirds called an acknowledgement then turned and vanished. Kakiboufuu was tired and he hurt all over. The after effects of the Jewel of Life's attempted revival were setting in. Sesshomaru was never a lightweight to begin with and the iron in his body only made things worse. Trying to ignore the trembling in his knees, he started forward.

It was going to be a long walk home.

When Kuromaru and his stunned troops arrived midmorning the next day, Kenji and his party were sitting on their own plateau shooting dice. Sitting beside the pack leader was a long, thin box. Kuromaru hardly paid it any heed to the item as he fumed at the sight of the wolves fooling around in enemy territory.

"What happened? Report!" the Tenko leader barked.

"Your son received an unexpected ass whooping," said Kenji, while his eyes fixed on the cup Tsubame was using to shake the five dice. The typical dice shoot was with two dice but the wolves weren't anything if not unconventional. It was still a han/cho (odd/even) call but with five dice, the money went to the one who not only won the call but called the actual amount of pips first when the dice were exposed. Tsubame was the count checker and held the place of "house". If no one called it right, she got the pot. So far, she was killing them.

Kuromaru glared. He hated being reminded that Kuromakaze was his child. "I can see that!" he roared, his horse neighed and danced but the demons didn't look up from their game. They made their calls and waited with bated breath for the dice to roll. Kuromaru drew water from his bottle and shot it at the offending dice. They flew away into the mud below.

"Oi!" shouted Kenji and snarled at the Tenko lord.

"Now that I have your undivided attention," Kuromaru said, through clenched teeth. "Tell me exactly what happened here."

"What else is there to tell?" replied Kenji, rising from the ground and brushing the dust from his black fur. "He pissed off the inuyokai. They came in and messed the place up when he was preparing to annihilate your troops. He flew the blue third. They left and he and his remaining troops high-tailed it out of here before you showed up."

"Why didn't you follow him?"

"Didn't wanna die."

"You just let a prime chance to kill Kuromakaze slip away?" Kuromaru had turned beet red and Kenji was struggling not to laugh. The rest of the scouting party were biting their lips as well.

Kenji, with great dignity, raised his right hand in the direction of the castle and said, "He had raised the blue third. To attack him then would have violated the truce of the blue third."

"Well this campaign's awash," said General Iken Makoto. "Let's get back 'fore that over-thinking pup gets his reserves and launches an attack 'gainst our unprotected asses.

"We are not going back! We are finishing this!" roared Kuromaru.

"That's what you said the last three times we did this," said General Makoto. "Are you that determined to keep making the same mistakes? We don't know where he went but we do know that wherever it is there will be fresh men waiting for our attack. He was waiting for us this time and we got lucky. Do you want to tempt the gods again and hand the entire country over to Kuromakaze? I say we go back and think about rebuilding our army while he's nursing his wounds. Even I realize that the pup is slow. If he's wounded, he'll sit tight until he's better unless provoked. We can't afford to provoke him. We can't even afford this campaign."

"Are you questioning me?" demanded Kuromaru as he whirled to face the scruffy wolf hanyou.

General Makoto met his eyes unafraid and replied, "I'm not the only one." Kuromaru searched the gazes of his officers and blanched. All of them were fixing him with the same hard stare as Iken Makoto. Faced with the lack of support and no enemy in sight to challenge, he turned his horse around and led the way back to their castle.

The pack rose to their feet and Kenji picked up the box he was guarding, glad Kuromaru hadn't noticed it. It would have brought up questions whose answers would have led to the more dangerous questions. Sesshomaru's missing swords had been found within an hour of Kenji returning to Castle Arai. They were packed away in that box within the well stocked armory. The swords' auras had protested his touching them so he had simply closed the box and brought it outside with him. He didn't think he would be able to slip away long enough to return them while Kuromaru remained as lord.

As they followed after the retreating army, Iken Makoto leaned from his horse and whispered in his ear, "Is that what really happened, Kenji?"

"I may have left out the part about Fluff-puff-sama's capture being the reason for they're being there," replied Kenji in a hushed voice. "And I lied about the part where they arrived while Kuromakaze was waiting for us. But it's fairly accurate otherwise." General Makoto snorted but said nothing more as he rode ahead.

Author Chat:

My villains tend to be fairly practical. Kuromakaze will make short term sacrifices if it grants him long term success and never the reverse. While most modern humans will scratch their heads in confusion over this concept, he is one who understands true solutions are found only in the long term plans.

I also couldn't resist the idea of world destruction being averted by the very practical if evil villain. He wants to rule the world not a graveyard. So he will do all in his power to protect the world from devastation. Funny, huh? He and Kakiboufuu are completely united in their desire to protect the world. Too bad they can't agree on who should rule it.

Chapter 39: A Brother's Duty

The inuyokai return victorious but also weary and injured. Aid for Sesshomaru is slow as he needs time to recover his energy. However, what angers him the most is his brother's willingness to harm himself.

Translations:

Tsuchi: earth

Hi: fire

Mizu: water

Ki: wood

Kane: metal

Kaze: wind

Himizu: as discordant as fire and water

Hikaze: fire wind

Tenki: weather

Enzeru: angel

Hanyou: half-demon

Obi: the sash that is wrapped around a woman's waist to hold her kimono closed.

Matte: wait!

Shoji: sliding door.

Engawa: veranda, walkway running along the outside of the buildings.

Temee: you, derogatory term, very insulting.

Kisama: you, derogatory term, more vulgar than temee

Ano: uh

Hai: Yes

Aniyome: elder brother's wife; sister-in-law

Hime: Princess

Waka: Young lord, used for the son of a noble.

Otouto: Little brother.

Onii-(_): Big brother, general. Honorific added on to end, determining level of respect of love. (Can also be used when addressing a young man.)

Aniue: Big brother, formal.

Imouto: Little sister.

Onee-(_): Big sister, general. Honorific added on to end, determining level of respect of love. (Can also be used when addressing a young woman.)

Aneue: Big sister, formal.

Ojii-(_): Grandfather, general. Honorific added on to end, determining level of respect of love. (Can also be used when addressing an elderly man.)

Obaa-(_): Grandmother, general. Honorific added on to end, determining level of respect of love. (Can also be used when addressing an elderly woman.)

Oji-(_): Uncle, general. Honorific added on to end, determining level of respect of love. (Can also be used when addressing a middle-aged man.)

Oba-(_): Aunt, general. Honorific added on to end, determining level of respect of love. (Can also be used when addressing a middle-aged woman.)

Mina wa ookii aho desu: Everyone's a big idiot.

Sumimasen: Excuse me.

Oyaji: Father, informal masculine.

Otou-(_): Father, general. Honorific added on to end, determining level of respect or love.

Chichiue: Father, formal.

Ofukuro: Mother, informal masculine.

Okaa-(_): Mother, general. Honorific added on to end, determining level of respect or love.

Hahaue: Mother, formal

Otaa-sama: Mother, said by children of court nobles to their mothers.

XX-(blank): Intimate or rude address depending on usage.

XX-kun: Male honorific, friendly

XX-chan: Female or young boy honorific, friendly

XX-san: general honorific, polite, (Mr. or Ms.)

XX-sama: formal or very polite honorific, used for those of superior status or to show great respect. (Lord or Lady)

XX-dono: more formal honorific, more respectful than XX-sama. Derived from tono = lord.