DISCLAIMER: I don't own & co.
A/N: I would like to thank my loyal reviewers who have pretty much reviewed this story since the beginning. Oh yea in this chapter someone will die.
Inuyasha: "Fifty bucks says it'll be the toad. But I wouldn't be surprised if Katsue got it."
Katsue: "I hope it's the toad boy too. But wait why would anyone want to kill me? Oh never mind, forgot I had a psychotic bitch for a older half sister."
Kouga: "No ones killing Katsue with me around."
Inuyasha: "Then I guess there will be two deaths doesn't it?"
Kouga: "Are you saying I'm gonna die too?"
Inuyasha: "Yup wolf wimp."
Kouga: "Shut it dog turd."
Aradia: "Both of you shut it. I have the power to make my next fic to have a Kouga/Inu pairing if you get on my bad side. Either of you wanna test my temper?"
Kouga & Inuyasha: *shake their heads "no" very hard*
Aradia: "Good now on with chapter six."
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Chapter Six; Losses, Gains, Grief, And Killing Sprees
"Are you sure we are headed in the right direction?" the exterminator asked Rubii. The sun had set a few hours ago and they had been traveling since Kagome and Inuyasha had gone through the well that morning. Oni and Rubii told them of a village in the Southern Lands that had been terrorized by a demon who might have a jewel shard or two. They had ridden on Kirara until they reached they border of the Southern Lands around sundown, Oni and Rubii insisting it would safer for them if they rode on one of them in their true forms. Since then they had been riding on the back of Oni, who looked a lot like a humongous black fox with a cattail a bit smaller than Katsue. Rubii sat at the head of them, then Miroku, then Sango with a sleeping Kirara in her lap. Sango had to yell her question again to get the girl's attention.
"Yes Sango I am sure. Oni says we will stop soon to make camp and get there in the mor-" Rubii was cut off when Oni suddenly stopped and was now growling. She sniffed the air and hissed, hopping off Oni quickly, Kirara followed suit. The humans gave each other confused looks.
"What's wrong?" asked Miroku, receiving a threatening glare from the young demon girl. "Oni wants you both off his back now," she hissed. Miroku and Sango complied without questioning why and jumped from his back. Upon landing Miroku's hand "accidentally" grabbed Sango's butt. Before he knew it Sango had Hiraikotsu over her head and he was on the ground. As he rose up he was immediately backhanded into a tree. He looked up to see that Oni had changed back into his humanoid form and was fuming.
"NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR YOUR ANTICS MIROKU!" the young teenage demon screamed. He calmed himself before turning away from the monk. "Something is headed our way. I think the demon we told you about has come to greet us in an unpleasant way."
Miroku was back on his feet and was sensing an evil presence drawing nearer. He got into a defensive stance with his staff out in front of him, Sango had Hiraikotsu ready to throw, Kirara had transformed, and Oni and Rubii were ready to fight or get their human companions out of there. Then the demon appeared before them and Miroku had to hold back a curse.
"Kagura! What the hell are you doing here?" cried the monk. Kagura frowned, "Why do I ever come to you morons? Naraku sent me, But tonight it isn't for you or the exterminator." she pointed to the demon children, "I'm here for them." Oni and Rubii got big eyed and couldn't believe what she said. Miroku and Sango couldn't believe it either but they stood in between Kagura and the children.
"Why do you want them?" yelled Sango. Kagura shook her head. "I don't want them. Naraku wants them dead. I don't know why, I'm just following his orders. Now say good bye to them." Kagura then went through the exterminator, monk, and saber cat to the children. She tried to hit them but found they were only illusions. She looked around to find quite a few copies of the young demons.
"WE DON'T JUST GET LOOKING CUTE FROM OUR KITSUNE HALF!" cried the kids, the illusions seeming to yell too. Sango and Miroku were impressed, Shippo was a full kitsune and wasn't quite as skilled, but they still knew the tricks wouldn't work for long. Sango took the chance to fling her boomerang at the demon. Kagura dodged it just in time then went back to finding the two demon brats. She pulled out her fan and used it's attack on all the Oni's and Rubii's. The attack left a terrified Oni on his knees shaking his little sister. Kagura smirked and started walking over towards them, listening to the boy trying to get the girl up.
"RUBII GET UP! I KNOW YOUR STILL ALIVE, GET UP!" Rubii groaned in response. Oni frowned then helped the girl up. He turned to see the woman who had attacked them was coming steadily closer. "SANGO, MIROKU HELP, RUBII'S HURT!"
Sango looked up and ran out in the way of the Kagura. She pulled out her katana and slashed at the demon, Kagura blocked using the fan. This went on for about two minutes before Kagura blew the girl away with an attack into Miroku, knocking them both away. But those two minutes had been enough to have Kirara put some distance between Kagura and her two targets. Oni was clutching the little girl to his chest, looking back every five seconds to make sure they weren't being followed. Unfortunately should have been looking ahead. If he had he would have seen a pure white girl holding a mirror. Kirara had to skid to a halt, accidentally throwing her passengers off.
Oni protected his sister and felt most of the impact when they roughly hit the ground. He checked to make sure Rubii was ok, not happy to see she was out cold, one of her ears were spilt, she was covered in deep cuts from the earlier attack by Kagura. He then noticed a pair of feet enter his line of vision and looked up. He saw a white haired girl, then the mirror, then nothing.
~*~*~*~
Kagura had knocked Miroku and Sango out and had arrived just in time to see Kanna steal Oni's soul with her mirror. Kirara had tried to stop it but was knocked unconscious by Kagura as well. She approached Kanna cautiously as she made the boy rise, still holding his unconscious sister.
"I have done my part of the job, now it is your turn," said Kanna in her usual emotionless tone. Kagura shrugged. "Why not see how well our new "recruit" follows orders?" The girl nodded then turned to Oni. He stood there staring into space, the lack of life in his green eyes able to creep anyone out. He turned his head to the sound of Kanna's voice.
"Kill Rubii." He didn't seem to notice anyone had spoken to him until he dropped the girl to the ground. Rubii opened her eyes to see her brother standing over her. She smiled for a moment till she saw the other two demons and Kirara wasn't moving.
"Oni we have to get out of here!" She got up and started tugging at his haori, then looked into his eyes and took a step back. 'His eyes look so dead.' was what she thought before her big brother thrust his hand all the way through her stomach. She gasped and looked down as he quickly pulled his arm from her stomach. Her expression turned from shock at what her brother did to anger at the two demons watching them. She started stumbling from the boy toward them falling down when she halfway there. "You bitches, what did you do to Oni?" she managed to choke out before she felt the need to shut her eyes and fall asleep.
Kagura stooped next to the girl and checked for a pulse. When she couldn't find one she got back up and nodded to Kanna. She turned to Oni, noticing that he was crying. He still didn't have his soul, but somewhere in the back of his mind and heart he knew what he had just done and couldn't forgive himself for it. She shook her head. 'Why on earth Naraku wanted us to do this I have no idea. All I know is that he'll regret it later when the hanyou and his friends come to pay him back for causing this.' "Come boy." Kagura took the feather from her hair and threw it to the ground. When it got larger she stepped on to it, Oni following without asking any questions. Kanna stepped on to it after them and soon the three took off into the night, leaving the site behind.
~*~*~*~
Miroku woke up with his head throbbing from the pain. It took him a moment to register that it was still dark; it took the a little bit longer to realize Sango was on top of him.
"Sango-sama, get off me." When he realized she was still out cold he pushed her off and got up. He remembered why she had been on top of him in the first place, they had been trying to keep Kagura from going after the children and she knocked them away with an attack that knocked them out. He prayed that the two kids they had sent away on Kirara were ok. He didn't know how to get his companion up for a moment then slapped himself upside the head. 'I know I'll regret this later but it's an emergency.' He grabbed Sango's butt without a second thought. Her eyes burst open and he was flat on his back with a new throbbing bump on his head, courtesy of Hiraikotsu. 'Works every time.' thought the monk with a smirk as he got back up.
"I'm sorry Sango but you were out cold, I didn't know how else to wake you," said the monk tactfully. "EVER HEARD OF COLD WATER?" The exterminator was fuming for a moment then realized why she had been out cold. "Where are Oni and Rubii?"
As if to answer her question Kirara came to them in her housecat form, meowing sadly. It bothered both humans neither of the demon children was with her. "Kirara where are Oni and Rubii?" asked the exterminator. The cat bowed her head and walked away, Miroku and Sango got the idea and followed. When they saw what they thought was a sleeping Rubii a few feet away they rushed toward her. Miroku was the first to realize that the child wasn't sleeping he tried to get Sango to stop going towards her but wasn't able to. Sango kept going towards the child until she stood above her body, seeing the bloody hole in her stomach. Sango shook her head and felt a little sick. Miroku stepped up beside her and rubbed the woman's back, his hands not straying any further down.
"I can't believe she actually killed her," choked out the exterminator, comforted a little by the presence of the monk behind her. "Even after all we have seen and done, it's still hard to take it when you see something as innocent as a child dead, especially one you know. I know she wasn't with our group long but still."
"I understand Sango. If you feel this bad about the girl's death just imagine how upset Katsue will feel." Sango nodded then looked Kirara, "Is Oni alive?" The demon made as if to shrug. The humans got the idea; Kirara didn't know what happened to the boy. This would make the blow even worse for their cat demon friend.
Miroku stopped rubbing Sango's back and went over to the child's body. He said a prayer for her then scooped her up carefully in his arms. Sango nodded. They both knew Katsue would want to see her sister, no matter how much it would hurt. They were about to go to leave when they saw six people coming toward them. It only took a moment for them to realize they were three black haired male and a female cat demons, and a red haired female kitsune with blonde highlights that had a resemblance to Rubii and Inari. One of the males looked eerily like Oni except for his ears. This male's green eyes stared at them with pure hatred while the female kitsune's blue eyes watered as she buried her face into the male's chest.
"What have you retched humans done to my daughter?" thundered the demon. He turned to the cat demons and growled something at them. They nodded and before Sango and Miroku knew they were each being roughly held by a demon and the female was carefully holding Rubii's body and brought it to her parents. The kitsune removed her head from the male's chest and looked at the child again, only to start crying again. "Osuneko it is Rubii! But I don't think the humans did this."
"Neither do I Mesuno. I don't smell her blood on them, but we shall still bring them with us to explain to us why they had our child's body." With that he transformed into a large black cat that was about double Sesshoumaru's size and started off, shortly followed by the kitsune and the female cat demon after they transformed. Sango and Miroku turned to their captors then to each other, not wanting to know what would happen next.
"You heard the Lord Osuneko, you two are coming with us," hissed the one holding Sango. Miroku gulped, "And will you be making us walk?" His captor shook his head. "No we shall carry you, don't worry we aren't as cruel to humans as you may have heard. Those are just rumors started by blasted dog demons. We will let you go now but if you run we will chase you and the consequences won't be very pleasant." The two humans nodded. The demons released them then bowed. The one that had been holding Miroku spoke again. "I am Mori and this is Yuri, we are the younger brothers of Lord Osuneko, Great Demon of the Southern Lands. We shall bring you to the palace now." With that said the brothers changed into their larger cat forms. The one that had introduced himself as Mori knelt down for the humans to climb onto his back, which they quickly did. Then they were off in a flash, quickly catching up to the others ahead. Sango turned before the clearing was totally out of sight and signaled for Kirara to head back to the village. As soon as they were out of sight the little demon obeyed and went in the opposite direction.
~*~*~*~
Katsue felt the change while she slept. As it happened she squeezed her eyes shut tight and gripped whatever she had been holding in her sleep tighter. As her nails grew and sharpened she felt something wet and warm spread across her hands. Her nose told her it was blood and, to her surprise, not her own. Then her nose registered she wasn't out in the woods any more; someone had brought her back to the house. Her ears, now back to their usual shape and position, focused on the steady rhythm of a heartbeat that wasn't hers. She finally realized that she was holding someone very warm and that that someone had their arms around her shoulders and waist. She dared to crack an eye open to see who was lying beside her and gasped. Kouga was sound asleep without his chest plate, looking content just laying their in her arms and having her in his.
With one thorough glance around the room with her sharp eyes she found his chest plate against a wall by the fire, four long gashes in it made her remember what happened the night before. Katsue had gotten into a fight with Kouga, he kissed her, she ran, she got beat up by Shinoko, and then she was here in the demon's arms. She supposed Kouga rescued her and brought her back here, how he got past the barrier she didn't know. But what on earth made him get so cuddly with her and why had he kissed her earlier? She would have to ask him. Katsue pulled her arms from his waist then pushed him gently. His eyes opened slowly and he smiled at first, but it quickly turned into a look of annoyance. "What is it Katsue? I was having a good dream that was about to get really good."
Katsue was taken aback that he actually called her by her name then remembered why she had woken him. "What are you doing here Kouga? And why do you have your arms around me?" Kouga smirked, "I'm here to make sure my friend would live through the night, and I could ask the same about your tail." Katsue was confused for a moment. 'He thinks of me as a friend? WAIT A MINUTE WHAT DOES HE MEAN HE COULD ASK THE SAME ABOUT MY TAIL?' "What did you mean by that question?" Kouga didn't say a word; he just kept smiling and looked down at his own waist. She followed his gaze and finally got what he meant. Her tail had wrapped itself around his waist in the short time since she had changed back into her demon form. She blushed and retracted the appendage. "I'm sorry my tail kinda has a mind of its own. Do you smell blood?"
Kouga nodded, "You dug your claws into my back when you changed back." She frowned. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to. I just like having something to hold when I change and it usually ends up with holes in it." The wolf demon nodded once again and smirked, "You don't have to apologize. It's not like your dull baby claws could really hurt me. Now about your injuries from last night." He finally broke the embrace and sat up.
She was about to sit up as well but he pushed her back down and shook his head. "You had a couple of bad injuries last night, I want to make sure all of them healed." His hand gently went over her face, sending shivers down her spine in the process. "All those cuts and bruises are gone, but it wouldn't really matter if they weren't. Your face is the same with or without them." Katsue didn't know why her heart felt heavy when he said that. It actually sounded like he meant it. 'But what does he mean?' "All my injuries are healed Kouga, you don't need to check. They heal instantly when I change back so you don't have to worry."
He had no idea why she had a sad look in her eyes, but he felt the need to change it. "Yea I guess I don't have to. But you reek of blood; I wouldn't be surprised if Inuyasha could smell it from Kagome's time. I think you need to take a bath." With that he scooped her up before she could say a word, went into the bathhouse, and threw her in the water. When she resurfaced she was red and not from the hot water.
"KOUGA YOU JERK! HOW DARE YOU! I WILL KICK YOUR ASS WHEN I GET OUT OF HERE!" shrieked the soaked cat demon. Kouga was laughing his ass off but on seeing her surface he tried sobering up. "Forgive me, I wanted to see the look on your face Sue-chan." He noticed her face go completely blank after he spoke. "Sue-chan what's wrong?"
"Why did you call me that Kouga?" She was staring at him, knowing her face couldn't hide any of the emotions she was feeling. 'How the hell does he know that name? No one's called me that since I was three and mother was still alive. Not since⦠Kou-kun.' "HOW THE FUCK DO YOU KNOW THAT NAME KOUGA?" By now she had gotten out of the tub and was shaking the wolf demon by the shoulders, her claws digging into him and making him bleed, and was pretty hysterical. He couldn't think of why she was acting like this but he could think of a way to make it stop.
"OWWW! Why did you do that?" she whimpered after Kouga slapped her across the face. He gently placed his hands on her shoulders. "I'm sorry but you were hysterical and that was the first thing that came to my mind. Now why the hell are you acting like a crazy woman?" He brushed some wet strands of hair away from the girl's face and smiled at her. "You can tell me Sue-chan."
She looked at his face and took an unsteady breath before talking. "There was only one person who called me that, a demon boy named Kou-kun. For the first three years of my existence he was my best and only friend. He may have been five years older but we couldn't give a damn about that. We were practically inseparable, not even the gods could tear us apart. That is, until the night of my third birthday," at this part her eyes started to water and she buried her face in Kouga's chest. Her crying was too soft for even his ears to hear but the scent of tears invaded his nose and it was wrenching his heart apart. "Go on," he whispered, "I want to hear the rest."
The girl drew her head back and nodded. "That day Kou-kun and I were out late playing. My mother would be human that night and she was out looking for me, so we could get in the house before the moon rose and be safe. She found us just as the sun set. She sent Kou-kun back to his den and we ran for our home. We reached the front of the house just as she started turning. Oh god I'll never forget what happened after that."
~*~*~*~FLASHBACK~*~*~*~
"Mommy we have to get in, come on mommy!" Katsue was pulling on her mother as she was changing. She watched as her mother's fangs and claws became dull and her beautiful silver eyes turned green. It had always fascinated the girl that her mother's hair stayed it's beautiful golden color but now wasn't the time to be marveled. She smelled a demon she didn't know coming towards them, and she knew her mother could smelt it right before hear sense of smell started going weaker. When the change was finally done her mother turned to her daughter and hugged her so fast the girl hardly knew she was embraced. She looked into her mother's face and saw fear and knew this was serious; her mother was never afraid.
"My little Katsue get in the house and don't some out for anything. You understand?" When her daughter nodded the woman thrust open the door and pushed the child in, quickly shutting the door and locking it. The little demon went to the window to watch as a female cat demon with storm gray hair approached her mother from the shadows.
"Hello Aiyana. I haven't seen you since you killed my big brother," said the woman, her voice brimming with hatred. Aiyana took a step away from the house and growled at the demon. "Your big brother tried to kill my child. I could not allow him to do it again. Shinoko, go back to the palace. Leave my child and I in peace; we are no threat to you and your twin's claim as the next Great Demons." "You think I'm worried about that? Foolish half-breed, I'm here to make sure you can't create any more threats to that claim. Say goodbye to your little bitch of a child, this will be the last night you can do it." With that the demon called Shinoko attacked Aiyana. She kicked, punched, and slashed at her, but no matter what she couldn't make her victim scream. She finally got sick of the silence and decided to use her own trick to make anyone submit to her.
She lowered herself to the bloodied woman's ear and whispered something Katsue couldn't make out. The girl had been restraining herself from rushing out to help her mother to keep the promise. By now the girl was crying at seeing her in so much pain. Then she heard her mother's voice. "Katsue forgive me for what I'm about to do." Then Shinoko started up the torture again, this time she screamed loud enough to wake the dead on the other side of the planet. The girl had to cover her ears until the screaming finally stopped and she looked out the window. Shinoko was gone and her mother was on the ground, motionless. She sniffed the air to find Shinoko was nowhere near so she burst outside to help her mother. The girl started shaking her mother to wake her up but nothing happened. The three year old didn't understand why her mother wouldn't wake up so she started crying.
"MOMMY! MOMMY! WAAAAAHHHHH MOMMY, PLEASE, WAKES UP!"
"I'm sorry my angel, Aiyana will not wake up."
Katsue turned to find her father behind her. Tears were coming from his eyes as he lowered himself to pick up the girl. "I'm sorry Katsue, your mother will not wake up. I wish I could have gotten here sooner. I'm sorry." Katsue didn't say anything for a moment then said the first thing that came to her mind. "Can I stay with Uncle Ookami and Kou-kun if I can't stay with mommy?" Her father shook his head and frowned. "I'm sorry once again, but I could not bare losing you if something attacked them. We shall go home now." Without another word he turned and started running to the south. She looked over her father's shoulder to see Uncle Ookami, Uncle Uchyo, and what she thought was Kou-kun sleeping on Ookami's back. Katsue waved goodbye to them, thinking one thought. 'Don't forget me Kou-kun. I'll be back to see you some day.'
~*~*~*~END FLASHBACK~*~*~*~
"So what happened to make you so upset?" Kouga asked. He knew he was the boy she called Kou-kun, that was what she always called him when they were little like he had called her Sue-chan. 'I wonder why she didn't recognize my scent when we met two months ago? HELL why didn't I recognize HER'S?' He decided to just listen to what she would say.
She looked at him in disbelief. 'He doesn't think my story is boring or wishy-washy? And I can't believe he's still holding onto me.' "Well my father brought me to his palace, and I was scared almost shitless to see that my mother's killer was one of the first people to greet me when I arrived. It shocked me to find out she was my half sister, let alone related to me. Later that night Shinoko and Nikuta came to me in my new room. She had him put his hands on my head and say some weird words. When he took his hands away I felt like something was missing. Then I realized what it was; I couldn't remember what Kou-kun looked like or smelled or even his voice. Shinoko threatened that if I told father that she killed my mother or of anything else she may do she'd have Nikuta make me forget everything else, so that I'd never even know he existed." Kouga started to growl at this and he pushed her at an arms length away. "So you let that bitch beat you up and treat you like trash just so you could keep those stupid memories? If the guy really cared about you he would have come after you." 'Then why didn't you? Aw shit she's gonna cry again.'
New tears were forming in her eyes; her voice came out in choked whisper when she spoke again. "Not if he was dead." The look that he gave her made her go on. "Shinoko told me that she killed him. I didn't want to believe her but something made me. I guess it was the thing about not being able to even imagine his scent or voice or have daydreams about him but I still don't want to believe he's dead." "Then don't." She looked at the man in confusion. "What?" Kouga smiled as he pulled her back into a tight embrace and nuzzled her neck. "Don't believe it because it isn't true. He's right here." This only made her more confused. "Kouga what are you saying? Why are you acting like this?"
He pulled his head away from her neck and growled. "Stupid girl I can't believe you still haven't figured it out. K-o-u-g-a. Drop the g-a, add -kun, and you'd have that stupid nickname you gave me 'cause you couldn't say my whole name! Damn you're thick headed." Katsue shook her head in disbelief. 'It would explain some things. Kou-kun and I did argue a lot and he was a wolf demon. It would also explain why I feel so safe with him and so at home.' "Ok let's say I want to believe you really are him but I'm still uncertain, how would you prove it?"
"I don't have to. Cat demons can tell when people are telling the truth can't they?" Katsue nodded and started crying as she flung her arms around his neck. He thought he heard her say "I missed you" but it was hard to tell through the sobs. 'KAMI THIS GIRL GETS EMOTIONAL AFTER SHE TRANSFORMED!' "Ok stop with the crying, you've cried enough for one day. It's time for you to cheer up." Before she knew what was happening he had jumped into the water taking her with him. He kept the two of them under for s few minutes before coming up, both of them gasping for air. The cat demon was laughing her head off when she caught her breath.
"You ass you still act like your eight! I can't believe you!" she exclaimed, hugging him tightly. He chuckled, "And I can't believe you. You're still a wench who drives me to the brink of insanity." "Do you have that a problem with that Kouga-kun?" "Not a bit Katsue-chan, not a bit." Without another words he captured her lips in a bruising kiss that caught her off guard for a moment. She had just started melting into it as he lightly bit into her bottom lip, making her gasp and taking the opportunity to slid his tongue into her mouth. 'God she tastes good and this feels so fucking right. Hmmm, not a bad idea.' He slid a hand to the clasps on the dress. He had gotten the first one undone when she grabbed the hand and put it around her waist. She broke the kiss and he could tell she was blushing. "What's wrong Katsue?
"We going a little bit to fast," she whispered. "I'm sorry I'm just worried about my little brother and sisters and want to get back to them as soon as possible. Do you understand?" He nodded and kissed her forehead. "I understand, no need to explain. Now come on, you need to change."
That comment had the girl laughing, "Well if you think your going anywhere in banged up armor and that loincloth, your nuts." She pulled him out of the water and dragged him to the room her parents stayed in. Within a blink of an eye she had a yukata on over her dress and was rummaging through a closet for clean, dry clothes. It didn't take her long to pull out a black haori and matching pants for Kouga and tossed them at him. "Go to my old room, change, and then I think something was cooking yesterday if your hungry, I have no idea if it's still any good but I'm sure it's still there, I didn't touch any of it."
The wolf demon got a sly smirk on his face, "Now why can't I stay here and watch you change? Or the other way around." She gave him a stern 'not-now-or-else' glance. He got the point and left the room and went into the room next to it. He changed into the outfit then went back into the living area to see about that food the cat demon spoke of. He found it still over the fire and, by some miracle, not over boiled. He was looking for a bowl when he heard the door to the room Katsue had been in slide open. He turned to see her in a green, short-sleeved kimono. She smiled at him when she noticed he had seen her.
"You look good in clothes besides armor," giggled Katsue. "I should make you wear a haori and pants more often." "We'll see how that works out. Where are the frigging bowls?" asked Kouga in a frustrated tone. Katsue smiled and took over the preparing of breakfast and made Kouga sit down. After she fed the both of them and cleaned up she led him out the door and started walking for the village. She was debating with herself on whether or not to pick up the pace or keep it the same when she got a strange feeling in the pit of a stomach. This feeling told her something was very wrong with her younger siblings. It made her legs buckle beneath and fall to the ground. Kouga knelt beside her and picked her up, worry was etched on his face. 'Maybe she didn't fully heal.' was the thought that plagued his mind as he helped her sit up. "What's wrong?"
She looked at him, the expression on her face mirroring his "We have to get back to the village as soon as possible," she said. He nodded then scooped her up into his arms and took of at top speed.
~*~*~*~
Kirara arrived at the village just about an hour after the sun rose, exhausted and ready to collapse right there. But she had to get to Kaede's hut, Inari needed to know what happened to her twin and big brother. She wearily made her way to the hut and entered. Kaede was awake, Inari was helping the old woman make breakfast, and Shippo was still asleep. With a new burst of energy the fire cat ran up to Inari and started pawing at her leg.
Inari looked down and smiled. In a sweet tone she said, "Good morning Kirara. Where are Miroku, Sango, Rubii, and Oin? They will want breakfast as well I guess." As she listened to the cat's meowing her heart sunk deeper and deeper. The next time she spoke her voice was barely a whisper. "No." She let the bowl she was holding fall to the floor and break, the sound rousing Shippo and making Kaede look at her.
"What is it child? Are ye alright?" asked the priestess. The now fully awake Shippo poked his new friend in the side. "Yea, you ok?" All they received from the girl were sounds of growls and choked sobs. Shippo turned her to face him. When he looked into her eyes his breath caught; all the green in her eyes was now focused to where her iris should be and it was surrounded by a deep blood red. The eight-year-old girl started to shake in his grasp, making him back away. The girl looked up at the kitsune and the human and hissed; the sound was dripping with hatred and sorrow. 'What did Kirara say to make Inari like this?' Thought both of them. Then the girl screamed loud enough to wake the whole village.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" With that she slashed Shippo across the face and jumped up, tearing through the roof. Some of the village men saw the demon child bursting from the old woman's hut and tried to go to restrain her only to be cut to ribbons. Kaede, Kirara, and Shippo ran out of the hut, shocked to see the small girl destroying anything that moved. They quickly came out of their shock and Kaede and Shippo started getting the women and children away while Kirara transformed and tried to subdue the child.
While fighting the fire cat and destroying the humans that got in the way, one thought ran through her head. 'Rubii is dead and Oni is missing. This demon and the humans they were with let those things happen to them. I'll make them and bitches that took my brother and sister from me suffer for this. Rubii, Oni, I promise I'll make them suffer.' Those thoughts kindled the rage and sorrow that were growing in her, making her more and more bloodthirsty. Kirara was having trouble keeping the child back. When she got distracted for a moment Inari knocked the other demon into one of the houses, knocking her out when she threw the punch. By now the once blonde hair and fur the girl had was burgundy red from all the blood she had spilt and any demon could smell the blood for miles.
It was surprising that any of the villagers were still alive, but those that had been with Kaede and Shippo did. From a distance they watched as the girl beat up the poor fire cat. Shippo was clutching his fists hard enough to draw blood. He wanted to try and stop Inari and save his other friend Kirara. He was about to go off to help when a strong hand clutched his shoulder. He looked up to find that the owner of the hand was a very upset Katsue who had Kouga's arms around her waist for support. The demon shook her head to the younger demon and escaped from the wolf demon's embrace. She then approached her sister quickly yet cautiously and before the child knew it she was on her back and trying to escape the older demon's grasp.
"LET ME GO KATSUE!" screamed the child. Her big sister ignored the plea. "Not until you are in your right mind. Now tell me what the hell happened." The girl kept on struggling as she spoke. "RUBII IS DEAD, ONI IS MISSING, AND MOMMA AND PAPPA HAVE MIROKU AND SANGO NOW LET ME GO!" Katsue didn't loosen her grip on the girl, even though what the child said hit her like a ton of bricks. Instead she wrapped her arms around the girl in a hug that would crush a human's bones easily. She started rocking back and fourth, rubbing the little girl's back, and saying, "It's ok Inari, it'll be ok," in a soothing voice. The effect of this was amazing, for the girl stopped struggling and simply fell asleep, slightly whimpering but definitely asleep.
Katsue stood up and carried her sister toward the others. The remaining villagers backed away from her as she got closer but she paid them no heed. She handed Inari to Kouga before turning around and heading for the forest. "Where are you going?" asked Shippo. Katsue looked at the kit for a moment then went on her way. "I'm going to try the well. Take care of my sister until I get back. If she wakes up keep her calm and happy. Kouga, if I'm not back before sundown I guess that means I'm in Kagome's time or someone killed me. Hope it's the first one." Without another word she ran into the forest before someone could follow and didn't stop until she reached the well.
'God things have really gone to hell in just one night. I shouldn't have gone away. If I hadn't none of this would ever have happened.' She started crying and now couldn't stop as she leaned over the well. The sound of a branch crunching under someone's foot made her turn around. There was Kouga, still holding Inari and slowly approaching her. "I'm sorry about your sister Katsue. I promise I'll make whoever did it pay." He was now beside her and handed the little girl to her. He then wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck. "Are you going there to tell Inuyasha and Kagome?"
"Yes. And we have to go get Sango and Miroku we'll need them. Do you want to come with me?" He shrugged, "I'm already here, so why not? And we should probably take your sister too. Everyone at the village is terrified of her." Katsue nodded. "Will this work?" "Works for them doesn't it? Anyway no one has really tested it besides them. Well here goes nothing." Kouga held onto Katsue tighter as did she with her sister as they jumped into the well, not knowing what would be at the bottom of the Bone-Eaters well.
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A/N: YAY I'M DONE WITH THIS CHAPTER! So whatcha think? It took me awhile to get it started but I got it written.
Inuyasha: "Yea she was playing that Game Boy thing."
Aradia: "Do you want me to write a Kouga/Inu fic?"
Inuyasha: "Hell no."
Aradia: "Then shut up. Well that's I'll I have to say except see ya. Hope y'all liked this one. R&R!"
