duende

.:bleak desolation:.
chapter six

Green and brown melted into a blur devoid of detail to those of weak eyes. Though his eyes could distinguish shapes and contrasts as the landscape flew by with minimal effort, he paid little attention to the glimpses. Scent, sound, and to a lesser extent, instinct were the perceptions that truly guided him through the forest.

Scent was the primary force pushing him now. It was like a hand placed firmly between his shoulder blades propelling him forward. The weaker her scent got, the less forceful the hand. Soon, the awareness of that hand faded into nothing and Kouga knew he was as far from Sango and her village as he was willing to go.

He slid to a stop and felt the wind of his escape overlap him, blowing dark locks into his eyes. Still and silent, he scented the air, ignoring the dark tangles framing his face. The only reason he could detect the aroma of the taiji-ya village was because he purposefully sought it out. He would not have noticed it otherwise. It whispered on the wind, soft and delicate. Only when the currents of air tugged at it just right could Kouga smell the full uniqueness that was Sango's home, and in that way, it felt right.

The aroma felt bittersweet and cruel. So close, but yet so far. Much like his relationship with Kagome had been.

Pushing the hair from his face, Kouga explored his surroundings as he moved in silence. The fading scent of humans (two, perhaps three men) clung to a small trail that wound its way between trees and brush. Kouga eyed the narrow and overgrown trail that cut across his path, noting that it probably lead close to the taiji-ya village. Scenting the air again, the wolf followed the trail for a few feet until he was certain of the direction the humans were heading. If they continued to follow the trail they would eventually come across he small road that led to the taiji-ya village. He wondered if that was their destination and if Sango would be called upon to exterminate another bothersome youkai.

Snorting, the wolf youkai distanced himself from the path, moving downwind of it as he sought out a proper place to rest. Instinct drove him to find a tree to sleep in, regardless of how uncomfortable it would feel. He didn't fight the urge as he once did, instead it moved him without any conscious notice at all. It was simply his preference for the moment. Without the safety of the pack, he was vulnerable on his own. Sleeping in a tree would offer him a slight advantage over an enemy striding across the forest floor.

A tall tree with thick branches and dense foliage brought a whisper of a smile to the wolf's lips. It didn't look especially comfortable, but its location felt right. Scaling the tree with ease, Kouga found an appropriate branch and stretched out his legs before him as he sat. His sprint through the forest amplified the soreness from his sleep-deprived muscles and they felt most acute the moment he allowed himself to relax. Sighing deeply, Kouga tasted the taiji-ya village on the air and unconsciously squirmed a bit closer to it, wedging himself against the trunk for support.

Thick, black hair snagged roughly on the bark of the trunk, causing Kouga to hiss in pain. Leaning forward, he pulled his tangled hair free only to feel it cling uncomfortably to his shoulders and chest, absorbing the sweat from his flight through the forest. Its unruly nature annoyed him as he pushed the mass over both shoulders and tried to tame each wild lock as much as he could. In his single-mindedness to leave Sango, he forgot his headband and the narrow strip of fur used to keep his mane off his skin and out of his eyes. It was that strip of fur he wanted the most. Without it, his hair clung to him like a second skin.

With a sigh of resolution, Kouga wiggled himself deeper into the natural crevasse of the tree. He would just have to ignore the occasional tug from a snarled lock. The beckoning call of sleep was far too strong to ignore. Not when it promised him a few moments of peace and oblivion.

After some rest, Kouga promised himself, a swim would be in order. Then lunch. Perhaps he could fashion himself another hair tie with a boar pelt…

I wonder if Sango is better today..?

With the taiji-ya's phantom scent teasing his nostrils and provoking memories, the wolf crossed his arms over his chest and let his head dip forward as he submitted himself to sleep.

• • •

Sango was already up and working on Hiraikotsu when the sun peeked over the horizon. It's cheery light begged for recognition, but the taiji-ya pointedly ignored it, her thoughts dark and lonely as she worked.

The Hiraikotsu hung by a hook in the ceiling as the taija-ya finished gathering the last of her supplies. Hands gloved and mask firmly in place, she reached for the container beside her and pealed off the heavy lid. The strength of the fumes surprised her and she gagged. Eyes watering and chest heaving from her sudden coughing fit, Sango adjusted her mask so it fit more firmly and silently berated herself for not being more careful. She knew better than to start work without taking basic precautions against the noxious odor first.

Moudoku was one of the most poisonous substances known to exist. It was excreted by only a handful of reptilian youkai that were not only difficult to find, but difficult to kill. The scent of the moudoku alone was enough to cause many humans to faint outright. Direct contact with the white, mucus-like substance caused severe pain. Prolonged contact could cause paralysis, which could lead to death. But what the poison could do to youkai was even worse. If any of it managed to come in contact with demon blood, it created a gas that could instantly kill. The only youkai who stood a chance against the stuff were the very strong. Demons like Sesshoumaru.

It was this substance that her village used in their battles against youkai. Dipping an old rag into the creamy poison, Sango painstakingly worked it into the porous youkai bone that formed her weapon of choice. With one side finished, she turned to attention to the second side when a sudden blur of movement caught her eye. Something dark moved behind her and for a split second, she thought Kouga had returned. Upon inspection she was disappointed to find Kirara was simply amusing herself by hunting squirrels.

With a sigh, she resumed her task, now haunted with the images and thoughts she had hoped her work would help her to forget. With Kouga gone, her sense of one-ness seemed all the more pronounced. She frowned as her hands worked in a circular motion across the face of Hiraikotsu. She spent a year in the village living alone and isolation never plagued her like this. Even while she mourned for her family and Miroku. She felt lonely and heartbroken, but not so keenly isolated.

It's good that he left, she told herself with false conviction, trying hard to sound confident even in her own mind. It's better this way, for both of us. As long as he stays out of trouble…

Sighing, Sango forced herself to focus on the task before her. Didn't she know all along that Kouga was just humoring her? She told him the quickest way for him to leave the village was to walk out on his own. He did that. She helped him to get better and that was all she had intended to do from the very beginning. He was no longer suffering from depression-induced starvation. Perhaps now he could begin the process of working through his grief in a way that wasn't self-destructive. Besides, what he chose to do with himself now was completely out of her hands. As long as he didn't pose a threat to another human, she would never cross his path again.

I'll probably never see him again.

Jaw clenched and heart heavy, Sango stabbed her rag into the moudoku and worked quickly to finish overlying the last few inches of the Hiraikotsu.

Her first task complete, Sango quickly washed her hands and prepared to give Hiraikotsu her final and most important coat. The poison needed to be sealed by youkai cerumen so it could be safely handled. After that was done, what would she do to occupy her time?

I wonder if Kouga has returned to his den..?

Sango frowned at her thoughts as she inspected Hiraikotsu, verifying that the moudoku was properly absorbed. The need to keep busy was an insistent force that kept her mind whirling with ideas, most of them wholly unnecessary. Depositing a gob of the yellow wax-like youkai secretion on the surface of the Hiraikotsu, Sango worked the seal in until the surface shined. When she turned the over-sized boomerang over to finally finish her chore, Sango felt something soft and furry move against her shins.

"Hey there little girl," she said with a half-smile.

Kirara rubbed the taiji-ya's calves affectionately, moving around and between her legs with a loud purr. She mewed as she peered up at her partner, waiting for the human woman to allow her to leap into her arms, but the invitation never came. Sango was too far lost in her duties to notice the full scope of the little cat's need for attention.

Miffed at the thought of being ignored, Kirara did what any feline would do. She hunched down low to the ground, wiggled her behind as she assessed the height she needed to jump and vaulted gracefully to Sango's left shoulder.

"Kirara…" Sango half-heartedly complained as she briefly scratched the cat under her chin. The taiji-ya smiled when the little ball of fluff purred and rubbed her forehead against the hollow of her neck insistently.

"I'm almost done here, Kirara," she said as she dipped a torn piece of cloth into the cerumen and resumed coating the weapon, "Give me another five minutes."

The cat mewed indignantly once more and then bounded away to sulk. Sango watched her wander off for a moment before returning to her work. Hiraikotsu was coming along nicely. The cerumen was solidifying to a nice, ivory-yellow shine that felt flawlessly smooth to the touch. Removing Hiraikotsu from the hook that suspended it, Sango let her fingers glide over the surface. It looked just as smooth and perfect as it did the day her father gave it to her.

A loud hiss and Kirara's familiar youki jolted Sango out of her preoccupation. She clutched Hiraikotsu tightly against her as she whirled around, eyes wide and muscles tense. Kirara, transformed with back arched and tails puffed menacingly, growled threatening at a pair of moving shadows just beyond the partially fallen wooden fence that marked the boundary of the taiji-ya village.

The shadows certainly appeared human…

"Who's out there?" Sango called out, her voice demanding yet restrained.

"Taiji-ya-sama!" an older male voice yelled back, nervous and weary. "We are from the village to the north. We come to seek your help."

AN: Moudoku is Japanese for 'poison.' I didn't know what else to call the stuff! It's supposed to be youkai venom or poison. Suggestions, anyone?

Cerumen is earwax. ;) However, since the taiji-ya use everything else from their youkai kills to create weapons, armor, etc. - well, it fits.