Dying to Live

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

Tsukiko winced, as she pulled the tip of her finger back to take a look at it. As she and her brother Kei waited in line with the other villagers, she had apparently absent-mindedly bit the stubby nail of her index finger right down to the quick. Frowning, she restlessly wiped on her skirt an offending drop of blood that appeared at the edge of her wounded finger and thought back to the events she had witnessed during the day up to this point.

The girl knew she should have felt exhausted given that she had not slept in over a day, but like many people it seemed she had naturally gone from task to task without stop for hours. After the slayer and his friends lopped off the head of the last of the evil beasts that had returned to take their neighbor Hina's daughter, Emiko, everyone else huddled around barely had time to heave a sigh of relief.

Out of the sudden, unearthly quiet, the young slayer still dripping with wet, black demonic blood, had rapidly issued commands to his allies. They were to search the perimeter of the village thoroughly to ensure no monsters remained lurking to stage another attack. The heroes who had received the orders had cut away to ascertain the people's safety, while the slayer quickly and effectively issued orders to the villagers who had begun gain their bearings once again.

Tsukiko and Kei, being healthy and uninjured, had gone to help with the bucket brigade. Standing in line with their neighbors, they had passed the buckets one-by-one. Not far from where the brigade lined up from the village well to the burning building, several women had gathered to pull Hina, toward one of the huts that had been less ravaged by the monsters. Tsukiko had urged herself to focus on her one, single task. Yet, the wails of the mother of the lost child had threatened to cause tears to bubble up in Tsukiko's eyes and throat. She could not stop to cry and console herself in front of Kei though. She had needed to be the strong older sister, as they were no longer just hiding away in the village hall. No, their neighbors needed her and Kei – they had to make sure the fire did not rage on and jump to the surrounding buildings.

They had gone on like that for a long while, passing buckets until Tsukiko felt her shoulders down to her fingertips aching with fatigue. The whole front of her clothes were drenched with water that had sloshed from the constantly moving buckets. At last the slayer and Headman Kuga had gone to the front of the brigade line to speak to the men who had wearily been been throwing the buckets into the flames with little effect. From where Tsukiko had stood, she had rubbed her arms and watched as the slayer and their headman motioned to the structure. They had tried so hard, but now Tsukiko noticed that the flames had reached over from the opposite side of the building. The northern side of the roof had been fully engulfed. The flames had reached halfway down the walls. Upon the observation, after a few moments of talk, Headman Kuga had motioned for the people to back away. A group of the young men had been told to stand by and watch if any burning material drifted from the disappearing structure of the village hall, but otherwise, there had been nothing left to save.

Her arms like jelly, Tsukiko had motioned to Kei. Together they went away into the village to rest near the firepit, where some old men had lit flames for people to come and dry their clothes and warm their weary bones. Unspeaking, Tsukiko and Kei had held each other until the first streaks of silver-grey light worked their way across the dim, colorless sky.

It was the only moment all day that Tsukiko had nearly nodded off with her little brother huddled reassuringly against her side, when suddenly a gentle tapping awoke her. Momentarily frightened, Tsukiko had gazed around jerkily until above her, her eyes met gentle green ones, their color bright like summer leaves. It had been the beautiful youth with the too-perfect features and the auburn hair. Miraculously, his clothes which had been black with awful blood had shown cleanly again in the soft morning light. However, cuts and scrapes across his skin could not lie about the battle he had been in. Kindly, he had gone from Tsukiko and Kei to other people huddling around the village firepit. People would be gathering there soon by the firepit to listen to instructions from Headman Kuga and the slayer. It had been good that people had rested, but there would be much work to do before evening came again.

Tsukiko had helped Kei sit up, as the villagers gathered around the warm firepit. The girl had stared at the flames: it was amazing how different fire could be. In the firepit, where the flare was level and controlled, it was a welcome sight, unlike the raging inferno that had finished consuming the village hall as they all stood around helplessly.

Once enough of the people grouped together, the slayer had stepped up and cleared his throat beside Headman Kuga. Like the young man with the green eyes who had also stood nearby facing the crowd, the slayer still had battle scrapes, but his clothes and armor had been cleaned somehow.

"I have spoken already to a number of you, so you know my name is Kohaku, and I am a trained demon slayer," the slayer had started out. "I travel with Monk Miroku, who with his feat of faith, managed to lure many of the beasts away from the village last night. He has not returned yet, but before long, we will search the forest for him in case he was injured and cannot return on his own.

"My allies and I attempted to continue the defense of the village hall after the extraordinary attack by the wolves last night. Last night, I will admit we were not prepared for their viciousness nor their numbers nor the fire we now know was set by the late highway trader's daughter, which some of you witnessed. So we could not prevent the loss of the village hall or the child who was taken away last night by the enemy demons.

"I extend our group's condolences for your losses, but I regret the worst is not over yet. Night will fall again, and it is the pattern of pack demons such as these, to return to finish the hunt. Tonight, we must be prepared, and due to their numbers we require the help of all the village.

"With the help of your Headman Kuga, my allies and Monk Miroku when he returns, we will enact a plan to help us all defend the village, but what I have in mind can only work if you truly wish to defend this place. Otherwise, we can help you plan to depart the village, but keep in mind that will lead you to a life on the road for the foreseeable future in case you do not already have other nearby places to flee to. This is the time we must know who of you who are determined enough to stay and probably even fight if you can, and who will want to leave," Kohaku had finished firmly, his hands clasped behind his back.

The villagers looked around quietly, their faces white and drawn. An old woman had spoken up from the front of the crowd. "What abou' our sons? If'n we leave the village n' don't defend it, when they return from battle, they may ne'er reunite wi' us!"

Headman Kuga cleared his throat. "Indeed, Asagami-san, if we leave the village, that will mean that we mayn't return fer who knows how long. Decidin' to leave now will likely mean leavin' forer'r, 'n' our men away at battle will most likely not be able to receive word of where we've gone. So some o' ye may decide to leave – ye can if ye want. 'N' if ye will, ye should do it immediately – but others of ye probably have good reason t'stay."

"I'll stay!" a woman had shouted from the fireside. "My husband's father built our house with his own two hands – what would my husband say if I abandoned it?"

A few other courageous villagers had spoken up to show support for defending the village. Silence fell, and Headman Kuga and the slayer had allowed a few minutes of silence to pass to allow anyone to leave who still wanted. When none left, the slayer had spoken again.

"Ok, since you want to stay, my friends and I will certainly do our best to help you defend this place. That said, I have two more friends I need to introduce to you," the slayer had explained and turned to look over his shoulder before calling, "Ginta! Hakkaku!"

From a distance away, where they had not been noticed before, two men walked up. However, it was obvious they were not normal men. As they approached, like the rest of villagers, Tsukiko had studied their wild features. Both had shocks of silver-white hair, one with a cut like the dorsal fin of a fish, the other with a wisp of black hair blended with the silver. They wore assorted fur pelts paired with odd pieces of human armor plating over sun-darkened, rough-looking skin. These limited adornments were revealing of their lean bodies built of sinewy muscles, which were more reminiscent of those of animals than of men in their absolute tautness. In their eyes, their pupils were sharp and actively darted about as they had walked up to the crowd. They had not looked especially any more comfortable in front of such a large crowd of humans than the villagers looked in front these two "men". While many people were curious like Tsukiko, she had also noticed a mixture of some fearful and dirty looks on the faces of her neighbors.

"Ginta and Hakkaku are demons but also allies of Monk Miroku and myself. I decided it would be best to introduce you to them even though I understand that many of you are fearful of any and all demons – an understandable thing, particularly given what's happened here in the village of late.

"However, Ginta and Hakkaku also have an interest in bringing down these possessed wolf demons that terrorize Harumura Village. The monsters were the former packmates of Ginta and Hakkaku. The wolves were stolen from them after their leader who kept the peace in this region against many demon enemies succumbed to a more powerful foe. As a condition to our defense of the village, you may notice Ginta and Hakkaku will fight alongside us. Their expertise and strength to fight against this enemy you have in common is irreplaceable, and I request your understanding as you may come into contact with them."

Kohaku had regarded Ginta and Hakkaku, who were obviously nervous themselves, before looking over the village again, "Though I understand you may not wish to be close to each other, I assure you, Ginta and Hakkaku are trustworthy allies, and we are lucky to have their help.

"That said, let's turn toward the beginnings of our plan for the village defenses. We will begin by going out in to the forest in organized groups..." the slayer had started to explain.

Soon enough, Tsukiko and Kei had found themselves going through the forest led by Shippou, the unnaturally beautiful young man. They had been told to gather sticks, the longest ones they could find, like the size one might use for a crutch or a walking stick. The crowd of about a dozen villagers had searched for sturdy sticks on the ground. Some of the boys had also brought along a pair of pull saws to help cut some down low branches. Shippou had walked at a distance from which he could look over the villagers. With his staff out, he he had been ready to defend their group at a moment's notice. All the while, he had still also lent a hand to the demon man Ginta. While he seemed to prefer staying back from the villagers much to many of their relief, Ginta had climbed trees and rapidly tore down strong branches, which Shippou caught and threw in the villagers' handcart. Looking from time to time, Tsukiko had been amazed at the large number of branches Ginta and Shippou were able to collect in such a short time compared to the villagers. Thanks to all the help, soon the hand cart that Shippou had pushed was filled with branches, and they turned back.

Back in the village, the group Tsukiko and Kei had gone out into the woods with had returned to find another group of their young neighbors carrying baskets of brown pinecones. Luckily it was still barely the start of spring. A good number of dry pinecones had still been possible to find in stony nooks that Hakkaku and the racoon-dog demon, Hachi, were able to lead the slayer and the villagers toward. They had also unwrapped a large oil cloth's worth of raw beeswax that only the two demons were able harvest. Tsukiko had admired the huge motely lump of fatty looking yellow-gold material mixed with crisp lumpy brown clumps and wondered what they would do with it as Hakkaku turned it this way and that for Ginta to see. Soon after the wolf men had been approached by Kohaku who said something to them. Their expression darkening with a look that Tsukiko recognized as sadness, they had set the beeswax down and walked off toward the end of the village where Tsukiko had heard that the old men had been instructed to help move the bodies of the slain monsters.

There wasn't much time to think on that, let alone rest, before the slayer had begun showing them how to string up the pinecones on the village cooking spit. Quickly, the village women had all been shown how to tie twine to the pinecones and hang them high enough on the spit to avoid being burned in the flames but low enough to be quickly dried and roasted hot. Once a batch of the pinecones had been heated through, the slayer showed them how he had also heated a pot of the bees wax, and quickly they dunked one after another of the hot pinecones in the beeswax until they had coated the total amount of them. Kohaku had congratulated them that they then had at least a couple hundred fire-starters to help with their plan to defend the village.

It had been nearing lunch time so Kohaku excused himself to take care of other matters. Tsukiko had found herself glad for a break and found some of the other women looking the same. The girl's own hands had ached again from all the work of gathering in the forest and prepping the pine cones for dipping. Something else had begun bothering Tsukiko though. She had realized she had not seen Sessho since the night before when he had roughly pulled her and Kei from the burning village hall.

Tsukiko had encouraged Kei to go eat lunch and play with some of the other boys. While the boy had seemed hesitant to leave his sister, he was sensitive for his age, and so Tsukiko guessed that he probably realized that she could use some time to herself. After he ran off, she had turned to walk through the village a bit, looking around to see if she could spot the tall, long-haired man. His height easily set him apart, and he shouldn't have been hard to spot. Looking over her shoulder absentmindedly as she had walked, Tsukiko nearly ran headfirst into her neighbor's wife, who had been hurrying ahead with a basket piled with blankets.

"Inaba-san!" Tsukiko had squeaked, barely managing to steady the woman so that she would not drop her basket.

"Watch where ye're going, girl!" Mrs. Inaba. had said, trying to catch her breath from the fright of the near-collision.

"Inaba-san, sumimasen," Tsukiko had apologized bowing before the woman. "Can I help you with your basket?"

Mollified by the apology and the offer, the little older woman had handed the younger woman the basket. Mrs. Inaba had rubbed her hands as they started to move. Like Tsukiko, her older neighbor had to have been tired. "Where were ye headed, girl?" the stout woman with greying hair had asked more gently a moment later.

"Actually, I was lookin' for someone," Tsukiko had explained. "I dunno know if ye'd know, but did ye see the tall man wi' long, dark-grey hair 'round at all t'day, the one who came t'town with the monk's group?"

Mrs. Inaba had looked confused, "Who, the young slayer?" Mrs. Inaba had asked, sounding confused like Tsukiko had to be a bit dim to be asking. At that point who didn't know the slayer, Kohaku?

"No, no," Tsukiko had corrected her. "No, their taller companion – the pale, quiet one."

Mrs. Inaba had blinked appearing to try to think who Tsukiko could have been talking about. "Ye mean, the mean one?" she finally said emphasizing the final words.

"Uh..." Tsukiko had trailed. It was true that Sessho had seemed tense when he had pulled Tsukiko and Kei from the building the night before, but after he had gotten them out, Tsukiko and Kei had moved away quickly as soon as Tsukiko had been able to regain her strength out of her initial fear. "We mi' be talkin' 'bout the same person – he's wearing a navy haori 'n' matchin' hakama pants n' his hair is-"

"Long 'n' dark-grey," Mrs. Inaba had finished, her mouth turned down in an frown accentuated by her age-spotted, jowly skin. "Aye, that's the one. 'N' maybe ye didn't see, but he was very rough wi' people last night and even put up a fight wi' his companions. Some people saw the slayer had to hit him even to get him to stop wi' his troublemakin'. Turnt out his woman was caught in the fire in the village hall."

Tsukiko had gasped, her hands having flown to her mouth. "Oyamaa! Was she ok?"

"'Spose she'll be," Mrs. Inaba had replied, as they had walked over to the fire pit where the older woman gestured to put down the basket Tsukiko had helped carry. "The slayer saved that young woman – several of us led that man ye spoke of to Okabe's deserted hut 'n' helped him lay 'er down t'rest - tookt pity on the poor girl, we did. But I tell ye, 'spite the misfortune, that man is a disagreeable one-"

"Arigatou gozaimasu," Tsukiko had cut off Mrs. Inaba's complaining and turned to go, having finished helping her with her chore. The woman had looked annoyed, but Tsukiko's impatience had gotten the better of her. Besides she hoped that Mrs. Inaba would soon forget with all the goings-on of the day...

Walking quickly, Tsukiko had headed for the Okabes' hut. And immediately she had run straight into someone else again.

The beautiful youth with his auburn hair and shining leaf green eyes, Shippou, had looked down at her. Thinking back on it again, Tsukiko believed he must have stepped right into her path, but somehow she had not noticed him until he was directly in front of her. "You're in a hurry," he had smiled brightly, despite blocking her way.

The girl had opened her mouth, but looking into the unnaturally verdant green of the man's eyes, she had to pause a beat to collect her thoughts. "I'm lookin' for Sessho-san. I heard his friend was hurt in the fire and brought to tha' hut jus' there to recover."

"Ses-sho?" Shippou had said with a questioning, confused-seeming tone. His brow had crinkled, and he glanced sideways at Tsukiko. "Oh, that's right – I think I saw, you were talking to him yesterday, weren't you?"

"Y-yes," Tsukiko had replied hesitantly, beginning to read the odd air of the interaction wasn't coincidental. "I wanted t'see if he 'n' his friend were ok..."

Shippou had sighed and looked back at Tsukiko again. His expression seemed sincere, but he had not moved to allow her to pass. "Well, that's nice of you, and I appreciate it on Rin's behalf, but trust me - I don't think you should be talking to Sesshomaru right now."

Tsukiko had frowned and was just about to ask why when the voices of some of the villagers came up from behind her. Shouts of "Monk! Monk, you have returned!" came up.

Shippou had looked over Tsukiko's head, his expression turning hopeful. "Excuse me," the young man had begun to say to her, appearing to get ready to step around her, when his head snapped about to look over his shoulder. Perhaps he had been able to hear movement in the hut before Tsukiko could. A moment later, the worn covering on the door to the Okabe hut had flipped outward.

His face even paler, tighter, and more serious than Tsukiko had remembered, Sessho had strode from the hut ignoring and quickly passing out of Shippou's reach. His long, dark, tangled hair had flagged behind him.

"Sesshomaru! Sesshomaru," Shippou had called and hissed his name more anxiously in repeat, as he immediately took off after the taller man without a second glance at Tsukiko.

Curiosity getting the better of her, Tsukiko had crept forward to take a fast peak inside the hut Sesshomaru had left. As she lifted the door covering, a strip of grey day light had fallen over the reclining woman's face. A bit relieved to see that she was apparently still asleep, Tsukiko had appraised her for a moment. Long, shiny dark hair; thick black eye lashes; a delicate nose and features – as she was unconscious, it had been hard for Tsukiko to get a sense of the young woman, but she could she see that she was pretty. Tsukiko guessed she was probably around her same age, give or take a year or two.

Tsukiko had withdrawn from the Okabes' hut and had sighed and wondered where Sessho had gone in such a hurry. Since he had emerged around the same time that it sounded like the monk had returned, maybe had gone to see him. Walking, Tsukiko had headed back toward the village center.

People had been bustling around, and the girl had caught bits and pieces of people's conversation. They speculated about what the monk would do now that he was back to help the slayer with the plans that they had started. Tsukiko had been just about to head back to the fire pit to see about getting some of the lunch that the village had managed to cook despite all the business of the day so far. Yet just then, across the main intersection of the footpaths through the village center, she had caught sight of Shippou. She had watched, as he stood turning around and around. Stretching his neck this way and that, it was obvious he had been looking out for someone. Tsukiko had cocked her head, as she watched him from a far. Then suddenly, he had darted out of sight. Unable to help herself from her growing interest in these very unusual people who had come to their village, she had picked up her pace and followed in the direction that she had seen Shippou go.

When she had reached the turn he had disappeared around, she looked down the footpath between the huts and caught sight of the youth chasing toward the village outskirts. Moving quickly, she had turned the same right at the end of the line of homes and, looking down the way again, saw that the young, auburn-haired man was following along after the tall, slate-haired figure of Sessho.

Being that Sessho was a good distance ahead of Shippou, who Tsukiko was barely keeping up with, Tsukiko had pushed herself to run a bit faster. They had turned another corner back through another line of homes. When Tsukiko had reached the turn as well, she peaked around more cautiously, beginning to wonder where they might go from there. Where they had arrived then, they would reach a main avenue back toward the village center. Lo and behold, as Tsukiko had peeked her head back around, she watched as Shippou caught up with Sessho. He had been standing at the taller man's shoulder-height, being so much shorter than Sessho. While it had been too far for Tsukiko to hear, Shippou's posture clearly showed that he was arguing with his dark-haired companion. However, Sessho had not moved but apparently seemed to be just looking around the corner of the last house along the main avenue. This went on for a few minutes until Shippou had fallen silent and stood, arms crossed over his chest, staring at Sessho.

Tsukiko had started to doubt how long they would remain like this until suddenly Sessho darted around the building's corner, even surprising Shippou who had looked away from the taller man. Having covered her mouth, Tsukiko had silenced an excited gasp, as for a moment, the youth appeared to have missed that Sessho had stepped away. When he realized it, Shippou's head had reeled, and he scrambled after his companion. Giving a moment, Tsukiko had then finally allowed herself to creep forward.

At last standing where Shippou and Sessho had been paused a moment before, the girl had peeked around the edge of the building she leaned against with her left shoulder. Slowly, the scene slid into view, as she carefully leaned forward. Once more, she had not been close enough to hear the words, but she could clearly see Sessho's back to her, and past his body, it was obvious he was assaulting the Monk Miroku. Beside them, the slayer and Shippou had seemed to be fighting to get the taller man off their friend, though Tsukiko could then see that Sessho was physically the largest of the men.

Moving violently, the long-haired man, who had politely talked to her yesterday at her parent's abandoned home, had violently shoulder-checked Kohaku and Shippou aside before throwing the monk to the ground. Tsukiko had bit her lip, as she processed what was happening before her.

Soon after, Sessho had appeared to be finished menacing his comrades. Tsukiko had barely ducked out of sight as Sesshomaru strode back up the main avenue toward the village center.

The events she had witnessed stayed with Tsukiko now as she and Kei collected their portion of the gathered sticks from their neighbor.

Tsukiko and Kei walked over to the Okabes' hut. Most people were assigned to defend this location. Mostly young people in Kei and Tsukiko's age range, were setting up in staggered locations. They would rest and wait until the signals went up, indicating that they were called to defend. The siblings picked a spot right off the southeastern corner of the building that faced open space onto the village center. It would be easy to see if anything was approaching from where they now stood. Tsukiko was also glad to see that Shippou and Ginta were not positioned too far way. They stood close together looking over their weapons. However, just paces away from them, in a shadowy crook in the hut's wall, Tsukiko's vision also scanned over Sessho.

Leaning against the wall, shrouded in darkness cast by the building over him in the fading evening light, the wild-haired man held a battle sword easily out in front of him. Gripping with just one hand, he appraised it with sharp, cold eyes.

Tsukiko frowned as she assessed the slate grey-haired man's intimidating demeanor. While he may not be the person she had guessed he was yesterday, something told her that being near him in the attack again might not be worst idea after all.

:

Rin winced as she awoke to the sounds of people moving around, causing the old floor boards of the hut to creak under the pillow she rested her head on. She shifted, as her eyes barely cracked open to look at a pair of sickly elderly people who hacked wetly into their hands. With the window covering buttoned down tightly, the girl could barely see in the darkened hut, but she could tell the hut was crowded again like the village hall had been before the fire. The air in the small space was already hot and humid, crammed with sweaty bodies, and Rin felt her stomach turn reflexively. She guessed that the only free space left was around the futon she laid in. Sore, Rin turned her body slowly. A wild curl of her hair fell across her face, and she saw where the ends had been singed in the fire. A smoky odor clung heavily in the bedding and even to her skin, as she put her fingertips to her nose.

"Girl, ye've awakened," a woman whispered beside Rin through the dim grey light of the building. The woman sat close enough that Rin could see her a bit better than the others present in the hut. She looked a few years older than Rin herself and wore a concerned but kind look on her face. "Ye've slept through the day after yer ordeal with the fire. Night has fallen again..."

A shiver ran through Rin as the woman's voice trailed off punctuated by the sound of another of the villagers whimpering quietly from the packed shadows around them.

"I'm sorry I fell asleep here," Rin whispered back weakily, not sure what to say. She had been passed out for so long and was not too sure what was currently happening. However, with the sense of fear that hung in the air and the return of night, she felt sure that the people were once more awaiting the wolves' impending return. Cold sweat prickled her brow.

Hoping for a distraction, she focused again on the village woman who had spoken to her. She watched as her new companion glanced down at her lap, and Rin noticed as she reclined to accommodate a rounded, pregnant belly. A small toddler slept across her folded legs. "No need to apologize at all. Ye were injured in the fire, and ye wouldn't even be here still if'n weren't for these demons' attackin' our village. But I do hope yer friends can help our neighbors outside these walls who are in better shape to fight and defend our village – this could be our last hope," she breathed shakily, a protective hand resting on her stomach, and the other hand patting the sleeping child's head.

Rin's lips tightened as she registered the sad look on the woman's face. What would happen if they didn't save this place? And what if she herself died here in Harumura Village, as she almost had in the fire? Who would even miss her? The forebodding thought crossed Rin's mind. Uninvited, a graphic thought of Sesshomaru's face graced with one of his more recent dark and annoyed expressions flashed within her mind, leaving Rin feeling horribly empty; she pushed down the painful image. By comparison, Kohaku and his friends were warm and kind people, but they had not been acquainted long and couldn't possibly be too affected if she were gone. So truly, Rin didn't have any close relations who would care long for her passing. But for this woman it was different – there was a man out there somewhere who probably loved her, even fathered children with her. How horrid would it be if he returned only to find them dead and gone or not even know what happened to them at all?

So in spite of her own fright, Rin twisted up her courage as she gazed up at the woman: "I believe they can – they'll save your village," she said, barely comprehending the certain sound of her own voice, but praying that the words would be true.

:::

Note: Hey all ~ just rounding out some stage setting before we move back to the action again!

Big thanks for the new review to "Guest"! And also to edward-n-bella-fr-eternity1207: glad to hear that the InuxKag in the story is appreciated too – as I have seen in fics with SessxRin, they often just dominate everything (which is not always a complaint), but I like the contrast all the couples offer each other in stories as well.

Hope you all are hanging in there these days, my dear readers. Take care of yourselves, Origamikungfu.