"Bye!" Kagome called to her brother as she jumped down the well with a bag stuffed full of food and other goodies for her friends on the other side of time.
Jumping into the well with a huge bag of goodies was easy enough, but climbing out was a little harder.
'Hey guys!" she called up the well, hoping one of her friends was near by. "If you could throw down a vine or something I'd really appreciate it!"
After an anxious pause she sighed. She dropped her bag and scrambled up the well and pulled herself up. She found a vine and wrapped it around a tree, the took both ends and jumped into the well again, making a loop around the tree. She tied one ends around her bag and then she pulled the other end to hoist the bag up.
It was much easier to think then it was to do. She was just beginning to regret bringing so much food when a clawed hand grabbed the vine right at the lip of the well and pulled it, hauling the bag clear out of the well and pulling her up as well.
She clung to the vine and looked down at her feet kicking helplessly a couple feet above the floor of the well.
"Could you give another tug please?" she asked.
At her request someone tugged on the vine so hard she came flying out of the well. She crashed into something hard and warm, an arm wrapped around her to keep her from falling back.
For a moment she enjoyed being in Inuyasha's arms, surprised that he wasn't pushing her back and calling her a stupid girl.
She opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was a toothy leer.
"Ack Kouga!" she exclaimed pushing him back.
Obediently he released her and let her stumble back, she fell on her backside with a wince.
"Kouga what are you doing here? I thought you were Inuyasha!" she exclaimed, hoping that if her cheeks were red he'd just assume she was angry.
The wolf demon shrugged with a carefree look in his brown eyes.
"I smell different then Dog-Stink," he chided gently.
"Well I'm not a demon," she said crossly, straightening up and dusting off her skirt. "I don't smell as good as you!"
Kouga's lips twitched into a smirk.
"I didn't mean it that way!" she retorted. "What are you doing here anyway?" she asked him.
Without warning he grabbed her and threw her over one shoulder, holding her in place. He took off running for the mountains, back to his den no doubt. Behind him his two minions ran, carrying her heavy yellow backpack
"You don't spend enough time with me 'n' the boys," he told her as the trees went by in a blur. "You spend all your time with Dog-Stink!"
"Inuyasha does not stink!" Kagome said coldly.
Kouga snorted in response.
"Put me down Kouga I mean it!" she snapped. "Or you'll be sorry!"
"Why? Is Dog-Stink going to make sorry?" he laughed mockingly. "The hanyou?"
"There is nothing wrong with being a hanyou!" she snapped.
He snorted again.
"Not if you like weaklings!"
Kagome was growing more and more angry. She didn't like the way he talked about Inuyasha. It grated her nerves when people belittled her dog-demon friend for being a half-breed. There was nothing wrong with it. Besides, as a half-breed he was more powerful then some full blooded demons!
"Put me down Kouga!" she ordered once more.
"I will once were back at the den," he promised, dodging a tree.
Kagome sucked in a deep breath. She'd tried to be reasonable. "Inu-Yasha!" she screamed.
Tweek, tweek.
Inuyasha's ears twitched twice. He looked into the distance. It had been faint, but definitely Kagome's voice.
He dropped out of the branch he was perched on and ran to the village. Sango was teaching Shippou how to weave while Miroku stood near by, pretending not to be staring at Sango. Rasha was sitting on the roof of a hut, pretending not to be watching the way Miroku watched Sango, scribbling periodically on a piece of parchment.
"Kagome's in trouble!" Inuyasha called.
Everyone was on their feet at once, running with him in the direction of Kagome's call. Everyone except Sango and Kirara. Inuyasha slowed down.
"Where?" he began.
"Changing into her demon fighting garb," Miroku explained. "Lady Sango wishes to be ready."
"Gee she's taking her clothes off and you're not hanging around?" Inuyasha asked sarcastically, beginning to run once more. "What's wrong Miroku? Feeling sick?"
Miroku pretended he hadn't heard, perched on Rasha's back.
Inuyasha skidded to a halt a second time at the base of a tall mountain. He sniffed the air and growled.
"Kouga!" he snapped.
"Kouga?" asked Rasha. "Who is this Kouga?"
"He's a wolf demon who has an unwholesome lust for lady Kagome," Miroku replied. "Ow!"
Rasha dropped him, straightening up. Her face grew dangerous.
She reached over her shoulder and grabbed her blue, enchanted bow. As always when she gripped her weapon, her priestess's garb transformed into a blue body suit.
"No one messes with true love!" she snarled, eyes glowing dangerously.
Without a word to anyone else she leapt at the mountain, leaping effortlessly from outcropping to outcropping.
Inuyasha and Miroku shared a look a shake of their heads.
Kirara burst out of the bushes and flew up the mountain, Sango and Shippou on her back, not pausing a moment, leaving the two boys alone at the base of the mountain.
"It seems to be our curse Inuyasha," Miroku sighed heavily. 'To be surrounded by beautiful, but headstrong women."
A tortured scream pierced the air, reaching decibel not possible for humans. With horror the two men realized that it was a demon woman screaming.
Miroku climbed onto Inuyasha's back and the hanyou leapt up the rocky terrain as fast as he could.
Whatever Kouga had done, he'd pay for it!
Inuyasha broke through a wall of trees that hid Kouga's den from sight, the Tetsusaiga raised high over his head.
The sight before him made him land badly, the Tetsusaiga skittering away harmlessly.
Rasha was holding onto Sango, crying fitfully, mumbling incoherently, while the demon slayer tried to comfort her.
Kagome sat on a rock, beside Kouga, who was holding three flowers in his fist, his two henchmen/friends/minions sitting on the ground, the contents of Kagome's backpack strewn around them.
"What's wrong?' Inuyasha demanded harshly, perturbed that his entrance hadn't gone quite as he'd planned.
"She just took one look at us and screamed," Ayame explained, from behind Inuyasha. The red headed wolf demon looked as confused as Inuyasha felt.
"There's three males and only one female!" wailed Rasha, sobbing wildly. "Isn't that terrible?" he raised a tear stained face from Sango's shoulder, lips trembling. "All the others were killed!" She burst into wild, form racking sobs and buried her face back into Sango's shoulder. "It's a matchmaker's worst nightmare!"
Inuyasha groaned and shook his head. He turned back to Kouga and snarled.
"Give me back kagome!"
"She's my woman!" snapped Kouga, jumping to his feet. "She deserves better then you Dog-Stink!"
"Nuh uh!" Shippou snapped, jumping between them. "She belongs to Inuyasha! Now give her back!"
Kouga kicked Shippou away, sending him rolling along the ground.
'Hey!" cried Kagome jumping to her feet. "Don't kick Shippou like that!" She picked Shippou up and sat back down, holding the little fox demon protectively, like he was her life's work. "It'll be okay," she told him firmly.
Everyone took sides, Miroku, Kirara, Sango and Inuyasha on one side, Kouga, and the pathetic remains of his pack, including Ayame on the other.
"Kagome is ours!" Inuyasha snapped. "And we aim to take her back!"
"She's our friend, and you can't just take her without her permission!" agreed Miroku.
"You can't even take her!" Sango snapped.
"Guys, Kouga, come on," Kagome cajoled. "We've got Shikon shards to find okay? I'll come visit Kouga later!"
But her words did no good, Inuyasha and Kouga were too eager to fight one another, and Kouga's remaining pack to loyal not to fight with him. Sango and Miroku and Kirara had to fight, lest Inuyasha face unfair odds.
The tension mounted, as both sides waited for someone to make a move.
"Hey look!" called Shippou, pointing to the sky.
Gliding effortlessly through the air, on large snow white wings was a young woman dressed in a gown or blue and orange, wearing a golden tiara. She surveyed the ground with a distantly interested expression, as she passed over the group she gave a regal wave, which some of them hesitantly returned.
"She's beautiful!" breathed Miroku as she passed.
"Yeah," agreed Kagome, now standing, still holding Shippou tightly though.
They all watched their anger forgotten as the beautiful young woman with long raven hair floated into the distance, almost as if the very air was keeping her up instead of her lovely wings.
When she was nothing more then a tiny speck in the sky, the tranquil spell that had been woven over them faded and Kouga swaggered up to Kagome, throwing an arm around her shoulders.
"It's an omen for us!" he declared boldly.
"Eeeeeya!" some one cried angrily.
The next thing anyone knew Rasha was there, holding Kagome off the ground, as if the ground was somehow dirty, stomping viciously on Kouga.
Inuyasha sheathed the Tetsusaiga and crossed his arms with a laugh.
"Heh, serves you right," he told the wolf prince as everyone just stared, wondering what had possessed Rasha.
"No, no, no, no, no!" Rasha scolded. "I know you're short on females, but that doesn't mean you can steal Inuyasha's!"
"I feel kind of bad for Kouga," Kagome sighed, as they casually walked through the woods, heading back for the village. She looked at Rasha. "Did you have to stomp on him so hard?"
"The clown is down!" Rasha replied firmly.
"What does that mean?" Shippou wondered.
Rasha tapped her nose knowingly.
Everyone shared a puzzled look.
"Hey bird brain!" bellowed a belligerent voice. "Yeah I'm talking to you chicken butt!"
They shared a look and took off in the direction of the voice. They burst into a clearing, but no one was there.
"Up there!" Shippou called, pointing.
Hovering vertically, carefully flapping her wings, to hovering place was the same beautiful woman who'd passed them on the mountain.
"Who's talking to?" Kagome wondered.
"Who knows," shrugged Miroku, craning his neck upwards.
"Well she must be talking to someone," Sango muttered.
"Why don't you and Kirara check it out?" Miroku replied distantly.
Sango looked at him calmly, then did a double take.
Miroku was staring up, like the rest of them, but unlike the others who were scanning the sky for the possible target of 'chicken butt' and 'bird brain' he was looking up the skirt of the woman.
Sango slapped him as hard as she could.
The woman's eyes flickered down to them, but she ignored them for the most part, staring straight ahead.
"Maybe she's talking to that little sparrow, flying away," Kagome suggested, pointing to a speck in the sky.
"Hey song bird, you want a piece of me!" screamed the pretty woman.
The sparrow, seeming to have had enough, wheeled around and flews straight for her, steadily growing in size as it approached.
"Uh, Kagome," Inuyasha said nervously, making sure the Tetsusaiga was accessible in it's sheath. "That ain't no sparrow!"
Within moments the bird was the size of a horse, and still approaching. It cast a huge shadow, almost blocking out the sun when it flew towards the woman. It's body alone was the size of a house, not including it's immense wing span to hold up such a large body.
"What's that it's carrying?" Sango wondered. In one large clawed foot the Wonder Bird held a large round object, large enough to fit Shippou into. The other talons, however her longer then Inuyasha's arm and very, very sharp.
"Young lady!" called Miroku weakly. 'Perhaps you'd better come down now!"
"What no?" the young woman, replied, pulling out a sword, with a flick of her wrist it turned into a long whip. "I've got her right where I want her! Hey Wonder Turd!"
The bird let out a loud squawk that was nether pretty, nor cheerful. The bird turned it's huge talons forward and flew at the woman, screaming.
The woman let out a war cry and flew at the bird in turn.
The fight was short and brutal, spiraling higher and higher.
Blood actually rained down on the helpless group, Kirara was the only one able to fly, and she dared not venture into such a dangerous battle without Inuyasha' and Miroku's help.
"We have to do something!" Kagome insisted tearfully.
The two combatants were just specks in the sky now, too far over head, but the large speck seemed to be doing much better then the smaller one.
"That girl will get killed!"
Suddenly, the smaller form, the woman dove down suddenly, plummeting straight for the ground.
With a loud cry the larger form tried to do the same, but was much less agile in the air with such large wings and body.
Those below realized that the large bird had dropped whatever it had been carrying and now the girl was diving for it, eyebrows set in determination, a look on complete concentration on her face.
She made no move to pull out of her dangerous dive, arms outreached for the object. Just two meters above the tree line she grabbed it and tried to pull out of her dive, but it was too late. She managed only to roll in mid air and then crash through the trees.
There was a thud as she hit the ground, a moment later, there was another. The group rushed into the forest where they'd heard her land.
She was on her back, crumpled, half sitting against a tree, her wings torn, raw and bloody, no doubts from such violence in the air as well as the plummet through the trees. There was a two indents in the ground. One from where she'd hit the first time and bounce, the second was where she'd hit the ground a second time and skidded into the tree.
Her once blue and orange dress was now reddish black from blood, hopefully not all her. Her sword/whip hung in the belt of her torn, stained dress.
Even though she was unconscious, she had her arms wrapped protectively around the object she'd rescued, holding it to her chest as though it was worth her life. On her face a happy triumphant smile.
Kagome approached first, laying her hand against the round object.
"It's warm!" she exclaimed in surprises, withdrawing her hand in surprise.
"Think it's an egg?" Shippou asked curiously.
Kagome looked and him and nodded, a large grin spreading across her face. "I think it's an egg!"
"She looks pretty bad," Inuyasha commented mildly.
"Rrrrraaaawk!"
The sun was blocked out and they were hit with rushing winds as the large bird dropped on them, hovering above the tree line, beating it's wings angrily.
They had to grab onto the trees and each other to keep from being blown away. After a long time the bird wheeled away in the sky, letting out a piercing, mournful cry and then disappearing.
"We better get her back to Kouga's," Sango commented. "It's closer then the village, and that thing might come back."
Inuyasha grumbled, but agreed she was right. They loaded the unconscious woman onto Kirara's back, in front of Sango and Miroku.
Rasha took the egg, holding it carefully they began their track back up the mountain.
"You think you can make it up the mountain with that thing?" Inuyasha asked her.
"Sure!" she replied. "I grew up hoping sand dunes! Rocks are easy, they stay in one place!"
As they walked, a peculiar sense of being watched fell on them. Rasha, Kirara and Inuyasha especially felt like something was out there and grew more and more edgy.
Kagome shrieked, the Tetsusaiga was out before anyone could bat an eyelash.
"I saw a shadow on that tree branch!" she said pointing. "Now it's gone!"
"Geez Kagome, way to freak us all out!" Inuyasha snapped, re-sheathing the tetsusaiga. Angry he was so nervous.
"Kagome!" whimpered Shippou, burring his face in the back of her leg. "There!" he pointed. They all turned their heads to see a shadow leap from the ground behind them and seem to disappear.
"Stay close," Miroku, ordered, taking hold of his prayer beads.
Slowly they began to cluster together, watching in every direction, in every direction, almost as once it seemed that the strange shadow lurked, dancing in and out of existence.
"What is that thing?" Inuyasha wondered.
"That, Lord Inuyasha," explained Myouga. "Is the Dancing Shadow."
"Where were you?" Inuyasha demanded.
"Well, I fell asleep in Kirara's fur and saw no reason to make my presence known," the flea replied sagely.
"The big birdie scared you huh?" Inuyasha demanded.
"Yes!" The flea bowed his head in shame. "Anyway, since you asked so nicely about those shadows I thought I'd explain it to you. It is the trade mark of the Dancing Shadow to see shadows, seeming to dance all around you before.... ulp!"
"Before what Myouga?" asked Inuyasha in a tight voice.
"The Dancing Shadow is a renown, mysterious assassin who's origins are unknown and who goes after humans and demons alike," Myouga explained. "It is often said that once you see the shadow, it is already too late!"
"Great, just great," muttered Inuyasha, taking hold of the Tetsusaiga again. "I wonder who she's after?"
Rasha cried out in pain. He whirled and watched as the shadow ran back to the trees, disappearing, almost as if it had never been there, except there was a deep gash down the demoness's back.
She fell to her knees, still holding the egg, eyes wide and mouth agape in shock.
Kagome hurried to break her fall, easy her down and setting the egg on the ground beside her.
Kagome got a good look at Rasha's back and gasped, three, crisscrossing wounds, deep enough to kill any human alone now adorned the demoness's back, blood poured out, spilling onto the ground and pooling.
"Just stay low and don't move," she ordered, trying to hold the edges of Rasha's wound closed.
Sango cried out, at the same time Kirara bellowed in pain and fury. Kagome turned. Sango held her shoulder, which was bleeding as Kirara bled from a wound down her flank. It appeared the woman and beast had both been hit by the same slash.
Sango, despite her wound targeted the Dancing Shadow and threw.
As if materializing for the first time the Dancing Shadow appeared, dressed all in black, face obscured by black cloth, almost negligently she pivoted and kicked, hitting Sango's demons slaying boomerang and changing it's course instantly. Sango ducked down to avoid having her head taken off.
A second later the Dancing Shadow was gone.
Miroku began to unwind the prayer beads from his hand, looking around, his staff lay forgotten in the grass.
"Hold still a moment," he ordered softly.
"There Miroku!" Inuyasha bellowed, pointing.
Miroku turned his wind tunnel loose in the direction of the Dancing Shadow, who was running along a tree branch.
"No!" groaned Rasha, surging to her knees, eyes glowing. Weakly she grabbed Miroku's wind tunnel hand and pulled him down, pressing her own palm on top of his, to keep his wind tunnel forced to the ground where it could to the least damage.
Eight daggers buried themselves in the ground behind them, eight daggers that had been aimed at Miroku's wind tunnel. Had even one nicked the edges it would have grown with potentially deadly side effects.
Rasha sagged back to the ground and didn't move anymore, breathing in shallow gasps.
Inuyasha looked around helplessly, left and right his comrades were falling, only he, kagome and Shippou remained. Not that those two would be much help.
He caught a surge of black and turned, bringing the Tetsusaiga up.
His sword clashed with that of the assassin. Out of the left sleeve of the assassin's clothes, a hooked blade appeared and was then raked across Inuyasha's chest. He hit the ground, propelled by the assassin's weight. As he rolled to his feet the assassin was already springing up, sword raised, aiming for the woman who'd battled the bird earlier, who had fallen against a tree when Kirara was injured.
"Long live the queen of the birds!" screamed the assassin in a female voice, shocking Inuyasha so badly, he was unable to move. But he saw the fingers of the badly wounded woman twitch.
The Dancing Shadow was female?
The assassin's sword came down, with enough force to slay a demon, just as the sword whip came up to deflect the blow.
The assassin and the woman she'd declared a queen stared into one another's eyes for what seemed like eternity.
"I wondered if you'd come," she whispered. "So those weren't just empt threats!"
"I never threaten!" the assassin replied in a hoarse whisper. "And I won't rest until you're dead!"
"Then you won't sleep today," the wounded woman responded cooly as the tip of Tetsusaiga was placed against Dancing Shadow's throat.
"Back up, nice and easy!" Inuyasha ordered. "One twitch and you're dead!"
"This is over!" she whispered to the bird queen.
"For today it is," the other woman responded.
Dancing Shadow stepped back, unable to do anything more, for now.
She ducked under the Tetsusaiga and ran at the tree line, jumping into the trees and disappearing.
Inuyasha turned back to the woman, declared queen, but she had already fallen unconscious again.
"Let's get to Kouga's den," Kagome begged, tugging on his sleeve, as he stared into the woods, ready to leap after the assassin. "Please? Between the Dancing Shadow and that bird we're in no condition to do anything else!"
Reluctantly he was forced to agree, Sango, Kirara, Rasha, and he were all wounded. Miroku was shaken up and Kagome seemed near tears, not to mention the extra baggage of the wounded woman they'd found.
Hurriedly they gathered everyone up, forcing Kirara to carry the wounded, even though she was wounded, they didn't have much other choice.
They hurried out of the forest, the trees offering too many places for shadows to lurk. Kouga smelled them coming a mile away at least. With so much blood how could he not, he stood at the top of his ridge and peered down on them disdainfully.
"So Dog-Stink," he called out. "I guess you got in over your head!"
Kouga was reluctant o let them stay, obviously fearful that the smell of the blood would attract all sorts of unsavory demons and animals, but unwilling to turn kagome away at the same time.
The egg, which kagome had insisted on bringing with them was bundled up in into's top, made of the fire rat's hair and set near the fire so it would stay warm.
Luckily for them she'd brought so much food there was plenty of supplies in her backpack for them to eat.
After having exchanged several terse words with Inuyasha however, Kouga led his pack into the forest to hunt for a more substantial meal.
Rasha was lain in the cave as Sango tended her, used to seeing some pretty nasty wounds frm her line of work as a demon slayer while the other woman was lain outside the cave, near the fire for fear of the stench of Rasha's blood disturbing her.
When the woman, who'd engaged the large bird in a fight, awoke her first question was about the egg.
She refused to sit still until she'd seen it. Gently stroking it's smooth surface she smiled, sitting next to the fire.
"Many thanks comrades," she murmured, enjoying the heat of the fire. "You shall be rewarded for your troubles most handsomely."
"That really isn't needed," Kagome replied. "It was our pleasure!"
The woman smiled at kagome warmly.
"My name is Sora by the way," the wounded woman said in a friendly voice. "And I really must insist that I reward you all in some way!"
"Like she said, you don't have to!" Inuyasha snapped.
"Now Inuyasha, kagome," Miroku chided, sitting next to Sora and addressed her. "Lady Kagome is correct. We need no earthly rewards." He looked her over appraisively. "If you would do me the honor of giving me a son to carry on my noble lineage, it would be most appreciated.
"Miroku you lech!" Inuyasha snapped in annoyance. "She's still recovering from a big battle!"
"Most of the damage is done to my wings," Sora responded, gingerly spreading them and wincing. "It will be a few days before I fly again, but other then that I function perfectly!"
"I'll say," Miroku muttered under his breath.
Kagome gave him a dirty look and had half a mind to jump up and slap him. Miroku gave her an innocent look and a shrug.
"As for this son," Sora continued, not noticing the exchange between Kagome and Miroku. "I'm afraid that's impossible until I return to my castle."
Miroku stared at her, then his eyes lit up gleefully.
"But you will?" he asked eagerly.
"Certainly," she replied nodding. "I'm afraid it will take some time before I'm ready to though."
"That's fine, understandable," Miroku nodded quickly. "One shouldn't rush into these things."
"And of course I simply must practiced a bit more, I've never tried it with a human before," Sora continued thoughtfully. "I think I want a little more experience before I start experimenting."
Miroku was staring at the attractive woman, as if she was his salvation, while Kagome, Inuyasha and Shippou stared at her as if she was insane.
"I never thought I'd meet someone who'd actually accept that offer," Inuyasha muttered.
"Me neither," Kagome answered.
"And of course I'm working on someone right now," Sora added, making everyone pause.
"'Working on someone?'" Miroku echoed.
She nodded.
"Of course I need to find a nice strong male yukai to finish that off! You know how ti si when inspiration strikes you just have to go for it, no matter what!" She laughed.
Miroku looked at Inuyasha and Kagome, suddenly a little less certain about her acceptance then before.
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather a daughter?" Sora asked suddenly. "I think you'd make a good daddy for a little girl."
"No, I need a son to carry ob my line of work," Miroku answered.
"It may take couple of tries then," she warned him. "Like I've said, I've never tried a human before."
"That's fine!" Miroku sang gaily.
"This is disgusting!" Kagome muttered darkly.
"Heh!" snorted Inuyasha in agreement.
"Give me your hand," Sora ordered.
Without thinking Miroku extended his wind tunnel hand. The woman casually drew a knife out of her dress and made a move to slash his palm.
"What are you doing?" demanded Inuyasha, jumping to his feet.
Sora paused.
"I need his blood if he wants a child," she replied calmly.
"If you cut his palm his wind tunnel will grow and suck us all in!" screeched Kagome.
"Oops!" she laughed, grabbing his other hand. Without hesitating she slashed that palm and pulled a velvet back out of the front of her dress. She opened it and pulled out a crystal vial, she flicked it open and held it under Miroku's hand, ordering him to make a fist. He did as he was told, blood slowly dripped into the vial, once the vial was full she shut it and released his hand, pulling a bandage out of the same velvet bag and offering it to him.
She put the vial int the velvet bag and dropped it back down the front of her dress.
"What was that for?" Miroku asked curiously as kagome wrapped the bandage around his wounded palm.
"Well, I can't very well create you a son if I don't have your blood!" the winged woman laughed. "I mean honestly, my magic is strong but not that strong!"
"Magic?" asked Miroku.
"Yes," she replied frowning. "You did know I was the Bird Queen didn't you?" she asked him.
"No," the monk replied frowning.
She didn't look pleased.
"Then how did you know I poses magic similar to Urasuai's?" she asked in an unpleasant tone.
"Who?" asked Miroku frowning.
"The witch who creates her army out of clay and deceased souls," Sora replied. To Kagome, it sounded as though this woman was helping Miroku study for an exam. "Only I use blood and souls that have not yet attached themselves to bodies and spin flesh from them."
"I didn't know such a thing could be done," Miroku admitted.
"But then why did you ask me to give you a son if you didn't want to spin one for you from blood and a fresh soul?"
Inuyasha fell over laughing, suddenly understanding. Kagome sent him a dirty look, trying to stifle her own giggles.
Miroku glared at them, he turned back to Sora and suddenly felt at a loss to explain what he'd meant.
"I meant give me a son in the traditional manner," he explained.
Sore blinked, frowning, turning that over in her head, trying to make sense of such a strange comment.
"Oh!" he breathed nodding, like a light bulb had turned on. She blinked twice, suddenly she looked much less friendly. She turned to Miroku with a glare.
"Pervert!"
The sound of his slap echoed down into the woods scaring the deer Kouga and his mean were following.
Kouga looked up at the mountain, in the direction of his home and grumbled.
Sora stormed into the cave angrily, leaving Miroku clutching the side of his face, moaning in pain.
"Ha ha," Said Kagome unsympathetically.
"Serves you right," agreed Inuyasha.
"Some friends you are!" Miroku muttered.
"Ho there Dog-Stink!" called Kouga, trudging up the hill. "Could you all make some more noise? I don't know that you've frightened all the game into hiding yet!"
"It wasn't me, Miroku was putting the moves on Sora and she didn't like it," Inuyasha said between clenched teeth.
"And another thing you hentai!" Sora began storming out of the cave, shaking her finger in Miroku's face. "I am Sora, Queen of the Birds, yukai, I have the power to create life! What on earth makes you think I would ever consent to the touch of a mere monk?" She paused, catching sight of the three male wolf demons, and the sulky Ayame, who wasn't pleased that Kagome had returned to steal Kouga from her.
"Well," breathed Sora softly, eyes only for Kouga. "Aren't you a magnificent creature?"
Slowly, she walked towards him. She ran a hand gently down his arm.
"Athletic and muscular," she purred. She trailed his fingers over his abdomen, as she walked around him, looking him up and down unashamed of her bold stare.
"What's he got that I don't?" Miroku muttered?" sulkily. Kagome brought her fist down on the monk's head calmly.
Sora leaned on Kouga, staring into his face, while Kouga looked around nervously, unprepared for someone to come onto him so strongly.
"Such cute ears!" She tugged on his pointed ears. She gave a throaty chuckle. "I'd almost given up ever finding anyone as perfect as you!" She gave a girlish giggle and clapped her hands. She wrapped her arms around Kouga's neck and hung off him fro a moment. "I need you she whispered. "Will you help me?"
"Ah....sssure," he stuttered.
Sora gave a warm laugh and grabbed his hand, the same knife she'd used on Miroku only moment's before flashed out and she left a deep cut on Kouga's hand.
"Hey!" protested Ayame, not wanting to see her beloved leader get hurt. "What do you think you're doing.
Sora produced the same velvet bag with vials and dripped Kouga's blood into the vial before flicking the cap back in place and dropping it back into the bag which again disappeared down the front of her dress.
"Your blood, plus the blood I harvested from the dragon demon and the egg of the Wonder Bird!" She exclaimed returning the knife to it's hiding place. She gave a squeal of laughter and spun about on one two. Her dress billowed up to her knees, but Miroku didn't even have the heart to peep.
A sudden idea occurred to her. She turned to Miroku.
"Can I use you blood for this too?" she asked eagerly. "I bet you were the cutest little boy in your village!"
Miroku thawed slightly at the compliment.
"I suppose," he said grudgingly.
"Oh thank you!" she squealed, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. She grabbed his face and kissed him, right on the lips.
She gave another helpless giggle when she pulled back, Miroku seemed much less cross towards her now.
"You're going to be my crowning creation aren't you?" she asked the egg tenderly, kneeling beside it, still sitting beside the fire. "A true soul, and a mixed heritage! You're going to make me so proud!"
She wrapped her arms around it and giggled again.
The demons and humans shared a puzzled look over the young queen's head, who was giggling, happy as a clam.
Sitting with her back against the tree's thick base, dancing Shadow watched the Bird Queen's joy. She pulled out a knife and flipped it up in the air a couple times. A joy the would soon be cut short.
She threw the dagger at another tree, the knife embedded itself up to the hilt, right in the center of a leaf.
She drew her mother's sword and looked at the crest on the base of the blade. She ran her hand over it, then, almost against her will, she turned it over in her hands and bitterly read the inscription out loud.
"To my most loyal warrior, and most trusted advisor. May your sword always be sharp, and your aim always true, for my life and yours."
She sheathed the sword once more, the time for sentimentality was not now. Now was the time to dace off into the night and lay in wait for when that silly, stupid queen made her next move. There were other ingredients she would need to finish her experiment with life. And she intended to make sure that Sora never finished it!
Author's notes:
Does anyone know how to spell Urasuai's name? The crazy with who brought Kikyo back to life? I just haven't been able to find any fanfics with her names in them! It seems she's not a real crowd pleaser! So anyway. I know there might be some spelling errors, but well, get over it, I did spell check it, more then once so anything that's wrong should be blamed on my computer, whom I suspect is having illicit relations with the enemy! Anyway, enjoy. P.S. if someone, other then Super Ceech and Calum the Angel actually read this I would love some reviews and feedback. And if it's only Calum and Ceech, meh! I'll get over it won't I?
So enjoy ladies and possible gentlemen and I want you all to know that while I may be hiding in my room, getting my a tan from the glowing warmth of my computer screen, I am not a crook! Okay that's about enough babble! Stay tuned for more supper cool stuff to come, next 'episode' called Big Girl's Don't Cry (a little jab at the icy cool Bee-otch Dancing Shadow) when we learn about why the Dancing Shadow hates Sora so much, despite the fact Sora's about as scary as a fluffy bunny slipper (the kind not possessed by evil demonic forces bent on devouring your feet and feeding your cat hair to their dark lord.)
Right, I've babbled enough. I'm logging off now!
