The Ties That Bind Us

-

By: Joist

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu-Yasha. But anything original (i.e. Ayamara, Gumiro, Apocalei etc) belong to me and only me! So no suing now!

A/N- ah, the long awaited chapter of "The Ties That Bind Us". Thanks reviewers! I appreciate you praising me!! ^_~ Oh yeah…I know I haven't done any of the changes on chapter one, but I hinted that Sesshoumaru was related to Ayamara by their mother, but I'm changing that to their father… *sigh* Sorry! I'll replace that chapter ASAP!!!

Oh yeah, I'm thinking of changing my pen-name to 'sharpie marker' or 'red sharpie', or something to do with Sharpie markers (the permanent ones). What do you think?

~!~!~!~

"Sesshoumaru doesn't know what danger can erupt from that piece of information," snarled Ayamara as she walked away from her brother's castle. Black wolves snarled and snapped at her from the sides, and some even dared to bite her ankles and hands. She did nothing to retaliate, seeing as if she harmed these wolves, her brother would be given no restraints to rid her soul. As was the rules of the youkai Lands of the North, South, East, and West…

Something above her popped, making some of the wolves jump back in alarm and surprise, but Ayamara seemed unfazed. She kept walking coolly, her head kept up high.

"Mistress Ayamara," said a squeaky voice. "Did you alert Master Sesshoumaru on the dangers in the Forest Still?"

"I did," said Ayamara. "But he refused to listen…or he was afraid to. Either way, it will take another visit to get him to receive the information, Gumiro."

"But Mistress Ayamara! We both sense the powers in Still! There is no doubt in my mind that another jewel or sword lays in its depths!"

Ayamara stopped walking, and turned stiffly to face the speaker. It was what seemed to be an off-white colored bird with a pure gold beak and feet; flecks of gold in its feathers; eyes of deep ocher; and the size of a normal (bald) eagle.

"Kasu ooburi," Ayamara said.

The bird squawked softly, then seemed to stretch and grow. Then, instead of a bird being there, what seemed to be a youkai sharing some similarities with Sesshoumaru (human-looking, but not human [ears, face]) with wings stood on the plain. His wings unfurled from his face to reveal ocher eyes, fair skin, and gold markings on the forehead and cheeks. He went to Ayamara's flanks, though he looked anything but a mere child.

"So what are you planning on doing?" asked Gumiro. "Are you really going to see Inuyasha and his company?"

"Of course," said Ayamara. "Did you think I was lying, Gumiro?" she asked.

Gumiro jumped away from a snarling wolf. "Well, no, Mistress Ayamara…but I didn't think you serious either…"

"Well I am. So come, Gumiro. Kasu tenma," she said. Gumiro nodded, and jumped up in the air as soon as Ayamara began running across the plain at top speed, some brace wolves following. He transformed into a white bird again, and flew after her.

At Sesshoumaru's castle…

Sesshoumaru was packing few necessities he, Jaken, and Rin might need on their new journey.

"M-master," said Jaken, hopping towards him. "What are you doing??"

"We're going to the Forest Still," said Sesshoumaru. "Get Rin. We leave as soon as possible."

"Eh…yes, Lord." Jaken scuttled away, his staff raised high above his head as he ran. (Can he?)

Somewhere…

"Inuyasha!" said Kagome. "Where are we?!"

"We're in the Forest Still baka [stupid/idiot], where do you think we are?" Inuyasha retorted.

"Well how was I supposed to know that," snapped Kagome. "*I* don't live in this time!"

Inuyasha murmured a 'thank you' to the Creators of Earth for that remark, and fortunately for him, no one heard. Well, almost no one.

"Ha, ha, very clever, little brother," said a voice. The whole company sprang erect, looking around wildly. "Up here, fools," said a voice. They all looked up to see a female youkai standing nimbly on a branch, a white bird perched on her outstretched hand. She jumped down, and landed near Inuyasha, who had Tetsusaiga drawn.

"Ah, Tetsusaiga…" said the youkai. "It has been a while since I last saw you…" She looked at Inuyasha. "As it has been for you, as well, Inuyasha."

"Who are you?" Kagome said suddenly, stepping up. "And how do you know Inuyasha?"

The youkai smirked. "Why, can't you see the similarities?" she said. But before she could finish, Miroku had stepped up and took the Ayamara's hand. "Dear woman, will you grant me the greatest favor of bearing my child?" he asked in a joking manner. But the youkai didn't take the matter so lightly.

"What!?" she screeched. "HOW *DARE* YOU!!" she yelled. She lifted her hand, and a long, red, neon whip appeared in her hand – a very long one that reached far beyond the trees' lengths. She began swinging it around her head, the tip slicing some leaves off of the trees. He barely had time to squeak an "eep!" before she had thrown the top high in the air, and it came back down aimed at his throat.

But before it could do any damage, a tree branch had gotten in the way, blocking Miroku.

"Stop it," said a new, emotionless voice. Everyone turned to see Sesshoumaru, Jaken, and Rin standing there.

Ayamara's gray-blue eyes sparked. "So you decided to join us, brother," she said.

Sesshoumaru didn't respond to her statement. "Leave the human alone, Ayamara," he said. "He does not deserve your attention."

"You're right," said Ayamara. "But I took much offense, as you can clearly see, for I would not want to mate with a human…like Inuyasha's filthy mother."

Inuyasha's ears twitched, and his eyes narrowed. "Who are you?" he demanded. "And what makes you think I'll let you say that without paying the price?" His golden eyes were flashing pools of hate and anger, and his ears were flattened slightly against his head – the pose for getting ready to strike *with* a warning, unlike the other times when he hadn't given one…

"I speak only the truth," said Ayamara. Before she could retaliate, Inuyasha had tackled her to the ground, and was slashing and punching at her body viciously, showing no relent. (A/N- never say anythin' bad 'bout anyone's mama!)

Ayamara cursed, and bared her fangs. Her legs sprung up from under her, and she kicked Inuyasha aside, and the two switched places. But she didn't hit him, nor harm him. She just sat on his knees, her feet planted firmly on his arms so he couldn't get up – much less, move.

"You idiot!" she yelled. "Don't you know who I *am*?!" She looked at Sesshoumaru when she heard a noise to see that Jaken and the youkai were looking on with amused expressions, clearly enjoying the show. She looked back at Inuyasha, wiping blood away from her silvery-white bangs.

"Obviously not," spat Inuyasha. "Now let me go!"

"I'm your sister you imbecile," she said softly, before slapping him hard across the face – leaving four, ruby red marks on his cheek. She jumped off him, and landed in the midst of Miroku, Sango, Kagome, and Shippo. They stood ready, their weapons drawn. Inuyasha stayed sitting on the ground.

Sesshoumaru stepped into the group, and pulled Ayamara away. "Let them be," he said lowly.

Ayamara allowed her other brother to take her away until they were a few meters away from the group – farther away so they were still in their range of sight, but Inuyasha could not here them. (Is that possible?)

"So where was this 'power' coming from here, Ayamara?" Sesshoumaru asked. "I sense nothing."

"It's deeper into the forest – near the heart, I believe. It will take many days for us to reach, even if we ran the whole way." She looked at Inuyasha. "But that doesn't seem possible, considering that our brother and his filthy human comrades will most likely want to accompany…" She looked at Sesshoumaru. "Us… and I personally don't feel like leading a group of grimy beings through a forest where their scent could be tracked for miles by *any* hungry youkai."

Sesshoumaru clenched his fists, and made a scratch in a nearby tree with his claws. "Humans are not as bad as you learned them to be," he said.

Ayamara made a skeptical face. "And this is coming from a long-time human despiser!" She snarled. "Let me think what I want, aniki." She turned, and began walking towards Inuyasha, smirking at the way Sango, Miroku, Kagome, and Shippo parted to let her by. She reached down, and held out her hand for Inuyasha to take. He reluctantly took it, and she lifted him with ease.

The two were silent for a few long moments, studying each other – or rather, Inuyasha was studying her, Ayamara was remembering him from the past. "I might remember you…" said Inuyasha slowly, as if choosing his words carefully. "But…I'm not sure…"

"I stayed for many moons after father and…" she made a disgusted face, though tried to hide it, "the human…mated and had you… To take care of you and stay close to Sesshoumaru. But you may not remember, though Sesshoumaru does."

Inuyasha's looked away from her blue-gray eyes. "I do remember you," he said suddenly. He looked back at her after he stepped back a few paces, his hands starting to tremble a bit. "You were the one that always played with me… But they weren't any ordinary games. No…they were the games you and Sesshoumaru played. The *dangerous* ones."

Ayamara didn't say anything, but her gray-blue eyes dulled as she remembered, then her face lit up in a small smile. "Oh yes…the games of 'Hide and Harm', 'Fox and Rabbit', and those training games. Such joy. But I always thought you enjoyed them, little brother!"

"Oh yeah, I really enjoyed games that had me as the butt of it!" Inuyasha shouted. "You almost *killed* me in some of those so-called *games*!!" He pointed an accusing finger at her, which she just smiled at.

"Well you should have said something, Inuyasha," said Ayamara. She twirled. "But I'm here now, and I bet you won't be terribly harmed by the games if we played them now… But right now, I've got to go Sesshoumaru the power in the woods. So until we meet again, brother…" Ayamara began walking towards Sesshoumaru, who seemed to be ready to leave.

"Wait!" Inuyasha called. Ayamara turned.

"Yes?"

"What power are you talking about?" Inuyasha asked, an eyebrow arched.

"Oh, a very delicate one. It seemed to be another Shikon no Tama…or sword. Whichever, I think Sesshoumaru and I would be very happy to find it. It could be used as a very powerful weapon for each of our respective Land-kingdoms."

"But…but we're looking for that, too!" Kagome said. "And the first Shikon no Tama!"

Ayamara froze, and she let out a pitiful groan. "Sesshoumaru…I don't *want* them to accompany us!" she said.

"Do you know where it is…Ayamara-sama?" Sango asked, stepping up. Her fingers were tense, ready to unleash her boomerang if necessary.

"Yes," said Ayamara shortly.

"Will you take us there?" asked Miroku.

Ayamara looked at Sesshoumaru, who glared in return. "Uh…Fine. Just don't get in my way, or I'll finish what I left off." Her hand glowed menacingly in Miroku's direction to reinforce her claim. He just nodded nervously in return.

"Fine. Let's go."

~!~!~!~

A/N- Stupid chapter, ne? *sigh* Sorry… Too much homework… Please read and review!