Disclaimer: Inuyasha and co. doesn't belong to me. But Torikari and her family do!

AN: My first Inuyasha fic. Please don't flame me if you think it's really bad. Hopefully this
chapter will be longer and better than the first.


Swords, Talons and Love
Part 4


Mrs. Higuarashi was worried, Souta had vanished.
None of his friends had seen him, he wasn't in the house. She picked up the phone to call the
police when a thought occurred to her.
~Could he be in the Wellhouse? Could Kagome have taken him with her to the past?~
Resting the phone back in it's cradle she made her way to the Wellhouse, trying to figure out why
Kagome had taken him if she had.
Entering she walked to the well and peered inside. It certainly didn't seem dangerous.
Worry for her son made up her mind and Mrs. Higuarashi slid into the well.

Inuyasha was in an excellent mood, he had his pack, he was free of the prayer beads and best of
all he had Kagome. She belonged to him and he belonged to her now and forever, they both
knew that.
He and his pack bounded into the village, the villagers may have gotten used to Inuyasha but now
they panicked when they saw the 15 other dog demons.
The whole pack ignored them and followed their leader to Lady Kaede's house.
"Oi! Obaabaa! Where's Kagome and that pacifist wench?"
"I have asked Kagome to get some wood for me, and Torikari is with her followers West of the
Village." She eyed the Inu-youkai and the pack sitting behind him, not at all that surprised. "I
see you have a pack now, what brought this on?"
"The pacifist wench said we needed allies and I got some."
"I see." She nodded before noticing something odd about Inuyasha. "Where are the beads?"
He grinned and pulled the offending collar from the folds of his Yukata and tossed it to her.
"Kagome took 'em off."
Kaede smiled knowingly.
"Kaede-san, here's the wood . . . eh?" The wood was suddenly lifted from her arms by Inuyasha
and dumped in a neat pile by the fire.
Kagome blushed.
"Kyaa!" She squealed in surprise as Inuyasha picked her up in his arms. She thumped his chest
with her fist.
"Don't do that!" Kagome scolded before giving him a hug.
"Got something to show you." He murmured before lightly nibbling her earlobe, she squirmed as
he walked out the door.
Kagome's eyes widened as she took in the dog demons waiting patiently outside.
"This's my pack. They won't bite, but I might."
She flushed redder than Inuyasha's Yukata.


Mrs. Higuarashi could see the top of the well and smell the cool, clean air that wafted in.
Puzzled, but also curious she slowly climbed up one of the many vines dangling inside.
When she emerged from the well she found a bunch of youkai looking at her curiously.
"Ooooh! Are these feathers real?" She asked as she stroked Torikari's crest.
The others behind her shifted, unsure how to deal with this human who was feeling the crest of
their leader.
"Yes, they are. May I ask your name?" Torikari asked warily.
"I'm Kagome's mother! You wouldn't happen to know where she is would you? Or my son
Souta? He's vanished and I thought that he had followed Kagome through the well."
"Kagome-san is with Kaede-san, and I am afraid that I do not know the location of your lost
son." She gave a high whistle and two Eagle-youkai joined them. "This is Hunter," The black
eagle bowed. "and this is his sister Stryke." The smaller black eagle bowed. "They will
accompany you to the village and aid your search for your lost son."
Mrs. Higuarashi practically glowed. "Oh thank you very much!"
The two eagle-demons towered over her as they walked on the path through Inuyasha's forest.
"Oh my. Kagome gave us the impression that it was dangerous here even with that nice boy with
those adorable ears protecting her."
Hunter looked over Mrs. Higuarashi's head at his sister and rolled his eyes. Stryke returned with
a 'what is wrong with this woman?' look before answering her.
"The Western Lands are very dangerous. Our leader is here on a quest of vengeance against
Naraku. Not all demons are as friendly as those of the Southern Lands, such as us."
"Aa . . ."

"Kanada-san, may I buy something?"
"You may buy whatever you wish young Lord for you are the heir to our lands."
Shingo looked at Kanada in surprise.
"Pardon? What of Onee-san? I thought . . ."
"You are the heir once more now that you have returned to us. Your sister will rule until you are
of age to take the throne."
"And she will step down? Where will she go?"
"Who are you speaking of little brother?" Torikari asked as she landed and folded her wings.
"Nobody Onee-san." He broke away from Kanada and hugged her. Torikari took note of his
nails beginning to take shape into small talons. "I wish to spend the days before your battle with
you Onee-san."
"Of course Shingo-chan. We shall stay within the village as Inuyasha and Kagome-san have
taken to the forest to be alone."
"Nee-san, I do not want you to go. I do not want to lose you."
"Oh Shingo, you will not lose me. And I will not lose you, not again."
She knelt to his level and they clutched each other tightly.

Stryke tasted the air with her nostrils, no male humans on the air. There was the faint smell of
Kagome-san and Inuyasha, the slightly stronger smell of the young lord Shingo-sama and the
strongest scent was that of a wolf youkai prowling around.
A thought occurred to her and she froze in mid-step. Hunter looked at her with concern.
"Stryke-otoko?"
"I must speak with Torikari-sama immediately! Remain with Higuarashi-san and continue to the
village."
With a great 'whoosh' of wings engulfing and redirecting air Stryke flew for the village.

"Kagome-san, please calm down."
"Calm down? CALM DOWN?! How on Earth can I calm down knowing my MOTHER is
wandering around ALONE in this time?!!"
"She is not alone. My companions and I met her at the well, Hunter and Stryke are two of my
best warriors, they will aid her search for your brother and protect her."
Kagome finally stopped hyperventilating.
"Souta's missing?"
"Yes, we believe he followed you through the well."
Kagome rummaged through her pack and pulled out a family picture.
"This is Souta, if you see him please bring him to Kaede-san."
Under the feathers the blood drained completely from her face as everything clicked into place.
~Oh Kami-sama, what have I done? I should have known that Shingo is still dead, it has been 50
years after all. Souta . . . he is Shingo's re-incarnation. That is why his youkai powers were
suppressed.~
Torikari swallowed the lump in her throat as she realized what had to be done and bolted out of
the village before she began sobbing in front of Kagome.
"Onee-san?"
"Shingo . . . come here." She choked out.
He came over and she embraced him tightly, the tears were streaming around her beak and down
her face.
Stryke landed and looked at her heartbroken leader silently and knew that she had figured it out.
"I am sorry." Came her hoarse whisper as a sleep point was tapped and he slumped in her arms.
Still crying she rested her talon against the cut of her demon kiss on his palm.
"With this talon, I withdraw my kiss, my blood, your power and I suppress your youkai soul and
memory of your time beyond the well. You will only remember falling in, you will not know me
as your sister but as the woman who cared for you." Quickly she sliced her palm and clasped her
bloody hand to his.
"Forgive me." With sorrow-glazed eyes she looked at Stryke. "Take him to his mother before I
change my mind and keep him."
As soon as Stryke had taken Souta's sleeping form from Torikari she watched sadly as her Lady
flung herself into the sky with none of her usual grace.

"Souta!" Came the joyful squeal of one woman and one 15 year old girl as Stryke landed.
Grabbing the just waking boy they hugged him tightly. As the joyous reunion continued Stryke
sadly watched from a fair distance.
~A great sacrifice was made for your happiness Higuarashi-san. But it is not my place to tell you
and I doubt my Lady ever will. Should you remember us again Shingo, you will always be
welcome here.~