Chapter 8

The winter storms settled in, the land was an image of a winter graveyard. For the half breeds, these were the hard months; food was scarce, the rivers frozen. Most had been killed off by the full blooded youkai, others taken for slaves.

The land was quiet. Although I worried about finding nourishment, these months of snow and desolation were a blessing to me.

Now that winter was here I felt safer. I could sneak around without being seen or heard.

What pained me more than the weather were my endless questions and thoughts. I was so far away from my people, from the one I loved. I sought out needed information. I needed to know, how could I save Inuyasha? How must I live? I had to gain knowledge of my past.

During this time period of endless changing seasons, I had become stronger. I was no longer pathetic. I became wild. I left my human skin. I learned to use my new body as a weapon.

With my new body I gained new speed as a way to gain strength. I developed my new senses.

I also sharpened my mind. I did not fear the forest, but I did fear those stronger than me.

Especially the one I searched for, the full blooded youkai that would, hopefully, answer my questions.

In the Indian village the winter storms had a lesser effect. Cook fires burned outside every tipi. Children ran and played, their footprints could be seen in the freshly fallen snow.

A hunting party rode over the hill and entered into camp. There were five riders and five extra horses. They had been on a long hunt, and two of the horses carried meat and hides. Women, children, and old men shouted in greeting. They came to look at the load of meat. The men unloaded their horses and took there share of the meat to their own campfires.

Two of the five were warriors, they walked together into the center of the village, and then into a small tipi.

Inside, the tipi was bare; it was made with thin, worn skins that let in much cold wind. The center pole was thick and strong. The bark was not sanded or softened; it stayed just as it would have in the forest from which it was cut.

A young man was bound to the pole. His arms and legs were tied together with rawhide ropes. He did not look up when the warriors entered. The man lived by a miracle.

One warrior walked up and kicked the young man in the ribs, causing him to lose even more strength and moan in pain.

"Pathetic." He murmured.

The other warrior kneeled down and looked at their prisoner. "How many moons do you think it has been?" he asked the other.

"Over ten.," said the warrior who had kicked the man.

"I think he's ready to talk." He reached out and grabbed a hand full of the prisoner's hair; he gripped tight and pulled the prisoners hair so that his face was turned up to his face.

The young man's eyes were weak and tired, but they were not dead.

"Alright, I will only ask you this last time, because you will not last that much longer. (He chuckles) Where is my sister?!?" The young man looked back at him, and said nothing.

The warrior smacked his cheek, and shouted. "WHERE IS SHE? YOU WORTHLESS HALF BREED! WHERE! You won't tell me will you? Alright, fine then we will try another approach. By giving you no more water."

"You are a foolish boy!" the other echoed

He threw the young man's head down, and walked out of the tipi.

The young man was Inuyasha.

Naraku had placed a spell over the village, making it always be under a new moon; day or night it didn't matter, Inuyasha was stuck in his human form.

He had changed so much. His body was frail and unnourished. His hair and skin were dirty and smelled of poison and infection. His eyes held no life.

At night, wolves circled his tipi, attracted by his open wounds. One morning, Inuyasha awoke to find that there were paw prints on the moist dirt just inside the doorway.

He had tried so many times to escape. But it was impossible to escape the heart of darkness.

Inuyasha thought of Kagome all the time. He hoped that she was safe. He barely knew if she was alive or not.

He listened to the guard outside jumping to keep himself warm. Inuyasha had not been able to stand in many moons.

He could barely lift his head to drink water, whenever it was brought to him, which was not often, and even then it was brown or filled with mud. If the wind blew snow into the tipi he licked at it with his tongue. That was the only relief that he got, while under his waterless imprisonment.

Oh how he missed Kagome, her love kept him alive. His memories were his only form of comfort against the pain.

The weather was cruel and heartless, and it never seemed to end. Endless winter winds and ice storms. It seemed he could not go on much longer without becoming desperately ill.

Outside his prison, life continued, Inuyasha herd the warriors talk, he listened to the women gossip, and the children play.

Once a small boy had lifted up the end of the tipi and stared at Inuyasha.

The boy said to Inuyasha with an innocent voice, "Are you evil? My daddy says you are."

Inuyasha whispered back to the boy, "Little one, I am only as evil as you are."

Then shouts came and the boy was pulled away; Inuyasha was beaten for speaking to him.

Inuyasha later learned that the boy's name was Ollocot, son of Gray Panther. Inuyasha admired the boy, for he was courageous. He marked the last bit of miko spirit; the rest had been taken under by Naraku's spell.

After the incident, Inuyasha overheard that Ollocot became possessed by a nightmare and had died just shortly after.

"There is no hope." He grieved. "Naraku aims to kill us all."

I crouched low under a half frozen bush; I dared not breathe as my eyes narrowed on my prey. My body was still and rigid. My eyes followed the movement in front of me.

The deer stood with its head down, licking at the frozen ground. It was thin and weak.

My mouth hung open with hunger, my stomach growled as it lay on the cold snow. I gave a faint wine; I had to have fresh meat...

The deer's ears twitched and it slowly lifted its head and sniffed the air with its black velvet nose.

The deer was anxious... so was I.

'Lower your head,' I thought to myself, 'that's right...nothing to fear...lower you head back down...'

The deer gave a sigh, and the muscles in its neck flexed as his eyes fell back to the ground and it lowered its head.

'Now!' I thought to myself, as I rushed the animal.

I sank my claws deep within the deer's side. I aimed for the main artery that would kill it instantly. Blood lay sprinkled on the white snow. The kill walked a few more paces then fell to its side.

I cheered to myself. This was my first successful kill! No more voles or squirrels that hardly filled the stomach... I had a whole deer.

I kneeled next to my kill, its blood made a scarlet pool in the snow. I ate with haste, the scent was in the air... soon more predators would come and try to steal away my kill. My human stomach had long ago gotten used to eating fresh, raw meat; yet... I missed the flavor that a pine-wood fire gave the meat.

I heard the sound of wings above me; buzzards had already begun to circle over the kill. During winter, it was impossible to find a decent food source; all the predators knew this. It was eat...or be eaten.

My raven/silver colored hair hung around my shoulders, I had to push it out of the way, but the silver sections kept falling into my eyes; it had grown so much longer since winter had set in.

All of my senses were focused on the fresh meat in front of me, which I shoved into my mouth with no sense of manners or even bothering to chew.

Suddenly, I heard a roar from only a few feet away. It was a roar from a much larger predator... I was running out of time.

With a rush of speed and a harsh shove out of the way, I flew though the air and landed fifteen feet away from my deer.

I landed heavy in the snow, I felt myself growl... something that seemed to happen allot, and I couldn't control. I looked up and noticed a hunched over figure practically consuming my deer with his body.

My first glace at him, his long silver hair caught my eye... my heart skipped a beat... 'Inuyasha?' I wondered. But the painful memories of my past told me that it couldn't be so.

The figure didn't look so tough, its body was all hidden under a heavy cloak and a large fluffy, what looked like, a scarf.

I pulled myself up and growled again, this time louder, directly at the baka that was eating my kill.

I narrowed my eyes and rushed forward at the thief, 'Two can play this game' I thought to myself. I lowered my shoulder and hit the thief in the side at a full run.

I felt like I had hit a rock wall, I was flung backwards against the force of his body. The thief only shifted his weight slightly, while still continuing to eat.

His eyes slowly looked in my direction, but didn't seem to show much fear.

I picked myself off of the cold snow again and gave a slight shudder. To my astonishment, the thief emitted a low growl as well.

I returned the emotion but I made my growl considerably louder.

This time, the thief stopped eating he turned his full face in my direction. Set against white skin, with silver-white hair, and a perfect face. Along the sides of his face where two deep violet lines... off set by a crescent moon shape on his forehead. My eyes met a pair that resembled cold stone.

Lifting a clawed hand, the thief wiped away the blood around his mouth, really just smearing it further around the corners of his lips.

He reminded me of Kouga, with his cold stare and "pretty boy" face.

I slightly opened my mouth to show him my fangs. He didn't seem all that tough, just a scavenger looking for an easy meal; well... I wasn't going to let him take mine.

I raised my clawed hands and stood ready to defend my kill. A hint of pleasure sparked in his eyes even though his face remained still and emotionless.

Raising his body upward, he rose to his full height... which was a towering six feet.

I suddenly felt small and weak; I realized the major mistake I had made. This was not an ordinary thief... this was a demon...a full blooded demon.

I heard myself whimper slightly and my legs turned to jelly. I had picked a fight with the wrong creature.

I thought it would be smart to run away... and let the youkai eat. But with a quick glance at the carcass on the ground, there wasn't any meat left on the bones.

I wondered if the youkai was still hungry.

His deadly stare cut through me; his body was motionless, only his hair and clothing blew in the winters wind.

I had to use this opportunity... this may be the only youkai I'd see before spring set in. I was about to die anyway... I might as well try.

My voice was hidden deep within my terrified body, it took me a few moments, but I finally squeaked out a few words.

"Excuse me, Sir...Mr. Youkai... sir... I was wondering... if you... if you knew a demon by the name of...Sess...Sessi...Sessika...zoo...umm...Sess-something...uhh."

Oh damn, for the life of me... I couldn't remember the name. I knew I had the first part right... but I couldn't remember the last bit.

The demon just continued to glare at me. He hadn't moved a muscle.

I could tell I was annoying him. But I had to keep trying; Inuyasha's life depended on it.

Wait...maybe he'll know Inuyasha...

"He's the brother to Inuyasha...and he's a full demon." I continued.

Inuyasha's name caught his attention, he slightly tilted his head.

Maybe demons and humans don't speak the same language, I wondered.

"Inuyasha..." his deep, frozen voice echoed from down within his throat.

My head snapped back into reality... the demon had spoken! Did he recognize Inuyasha's name? It sounded like he was almost cursing Inuyasha's name the way he said it.

Before I could resist I took a few quick steps closer to the demon. My hands clasped together with hope that he knew who Inuyasha was.

The demon lowered his gaze as I moved closer to him. He looked confused.

"Please..." I spoke to him, I could feel tears coming to my eyes, "please help me...I have to find Inuyasha's brother...Sesshn...Sessiro...umm...Sess-i...ohh..."

"Sesshomaru" the demon answered.

"Yes!" I couldn't believe it, "Yes that's his name Sesshomaru! Do you know him? Where can I find him?"

The demon reached out with a strong, clawed hand and grabbed a hold on my arm. His eyes flashed and his face looked unhappy. His full voice spoke out; it rang in my ears like the voice of the gods.

"Why?"

Fear rose throughout my body. This demon could kill me instantly if he wanted too. I knew so little about demons to fully understand their feelings or emotions. I tried to stop my tears from falling... but I still was part human, emotions are our weaknesses.

A few of my hot tears fell onto his arm, and gently rolled off. "Sesshomaru's brother has been captured by evil humans; they are torturing him... all because we fell in love..."

The demons grip on my arm relaxed a bit. I continued to talk through my tears, "Sesshomaru is the only link I have to Inuyasha... I have to know about my past... so I can save Inuyasha."

The demon looked slightly interested in my story. He shook his head slightly and then spoke again, "And what will you do when you find Sesshomaru?"

I thought it an odd question to ask but I answered, "I don't really know...I know that full bloods don't like half breeds...but...maybe I could...I don't know... convince him to help me save Inuyasha...but I just don't know...I haven't really given it much thought... I have just been trying to find him right now..."

I raised my eyes to meet his eyes, along with the perfect face that resent feeling.

The demon turned his gaze sharply away, turned his body and began to walk away. My ears picked up his mumbled words. "Stupid half breed emotion..."

My jaw dropped, after all that he was still going to continue to be stubborn. I couldn't give up, not now... now that I was so close.

"Wait!" I called to him, "You have to help me! I know you don't like half breeds but can't you make an exception...I know you have feelings deep within. I know you care...please...Sesshomaru...help me save your brother."

Sesshomaru stopped walking away; he froze as my words hung around his head, burning into his frozen heart.

"Inuyasha's fate is not my problem." He added coldly.

"But he is your brother..." I cried.

"No. He is a hanyou...a disgrace. Never was he my brother." Sesshomaru said darkly.

"You creep!" I screamed at him, "How can you not care?!? Your heart is as cold as a stone. You are the disgrace, not Inuyasha...he has feelings...he can love! You can never love Sesshomaru...and you will die unable to know how to love!"

With blurred speed, Sesshomaru ran back to me, and his fist appeared centimeters away from my face.

I shut my eyes and let it come. But he did not strike me. I reopened my eyes to his meet his eyes...which I just realized had a slight hint of blue in them.

"You have not always been a hanyou..." Sesshomaru spoke softly.

I nodded my head, "I was placed under a spell and turned human..."

"A spell?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Yes," I answered, "I was born full demon, but my powers where sucked away until I became a half breed...then, I was hidden as a human...so that the rest of my power would not be drained away."

Sesshomaru looked deep in thought, "Tell me everything you know about yourself." He said.

I gave a small smile and nodded.

I think that a small part of Sesshomaru's frozen heart softened that day.

Yea Chapter 8 done...hehe... I hope you all are enjoying this story... I'm soo sorry I havn't been posting allot lately... but school is almost out... so I'll be writing allot more once that is done and over with... don't forget to review if you like what you are reading... thanks!!