Chapter Five – Healer

"Myouga . . ."

Inutaisho looked down at the tiny flea on his hand with a look of annoyance. He hadn't seen the thing since before the battle had started. Of course, as usual, he had probably gone looking for somewhere safe to stay until it was over. The flea bowed again, looking up at the Lord with his huge, bug eyes. Izayoi looked at the thing with a slight look of interest, having never before have seen such a flea serving a lord before.

The little bug wore a dark green tunic with four sleeves for each of his arms. His pants were a dark blue that was made of a rough material. On his back was a hump of a brightly colored turquoise material. He appeared to have traveled a long way.

"Greetings and salutations! My Lord, I have been looking for you ever since last night. When I returned to the battlefield, you and your clan of inu youkai were gone. I feared for the worst when I saw the dead."

The flea bowed again, looking up at the lord from this prone position. The Lord's scowl only deepened as he squished the bug between his fingers, letting him fall to the ground, flattened. Izayoi knelt down in the grass besides were the little thing had landed, looking to see if he was alright. When the flea looked up at her, she saw color creep into his tiny cheeks.

"Lord Inutaisho, where did you find this beauty?" He looked at the lord expectantly, jumping up and down in Izayoi's hand. "And a ninque at that also. Surely such beauty is rare among humans."

Izayoi blushed, handing the bouncing black dot over to the inu youkai who was currently scowling at it with a faint hint of pink across his pale cheeks. "She's the healer that Sesshoumaru brought to the camp last night to take care of my wounds." He snorted derisively, shaking thoughts out of his mind. How can he think that I would go looking for some ninque woman? No, I do not think that the youkai should be taking advantage of them, but that does not mean that I go looking for them. "Apparently my wounds were too serious for my normal sake treatment."

Izayoi chuckled as she remembered what he had told her moments ago. Well, I guess he really doesn't like being treated by healers . . . or there probably aren't very many. Ignoring the glare coming from Inutaisho, she continued listening to what the little bouncing black dot on the Lord's palm was saying to the inu youkai. He watched it with a semi-serious, semi- bored expression. Stars were already beginning to appear in the darkened sky.

"The cats have disappeared from the lands, my Lord." The flea bowed again, looking up at his lord sheepishly. Inutaisho rolled his eyes. That could've been some of the first news that he could've told me. A bright expression appeared on Myouga's face as he started jumping up and down in excitement. "And there is other news! It concerns the fang that you gave to the Toutousai! The Tensaiga! He says that it's finished!"

A relieved smile spread across the inu Lord's face as he took in the last bit of news. That sword would be able to solve the problem of what had happened to that woman's mate, and the other inu youkai in their clan, and those that had been killed. He could finally revive them and give them back to their families, whole and healthy.

Izayoi looked at him curiously, wondering about what they were talking about. She had never before heard of this 'Toutousai' and giving someone your own fang. That was probably one of the strangest things that she had ever heard. And he had seemed so relieved by it too . . . it was strange.

With a start, the young healer realized that Inutaisho had already stood and was beginning to limp slowly towards camp. Scowling faintly, she stood and followed after him – determined to finish the task she had set out to complete several hours earlier.

And to find out what this Tensaiga is . . .



As they sat down in the tent, Inutaisho scowled at the woman sitting across from him, eating quietly with her chopsticks. The other youkai hadn't bothered to raise another tent for the ninque to sleep in and had explained that they thought that incase anything happened and his wound became infected, she would be right there to help and take care of it.

They had explained while bringing the inu youkai lord a dinner with rice and a variety of freshly caught and cooked meats. A few sauces had been made. Inutaisho had insisted that the others eat before him, and that a larger portion reserved for the pregnant bitch of the clan.

Izayoi looked up from her meal to see that Inutaisho was still glaring at her. She scowled back, her eyes darkened to an almost black shade. To her surprise, she saw that a small tinge of light pink had crossed his pale cheeks and he looked back down at his meal. He had been quiet ever since the youkai serving their meal had left – that alone seemed strange for the lord of the inu youkai.

"My Lord Inutaisho, I am surprised that the Lord Sesshoumaru isn't here and eating with us." She said softly, taking another bite of the roasted venison. It was delicious. "This seems to be something that he would enjoy and I would prefer to clean his wounds again before the night is done."

"I have sent him on an errand." He said quietly, keeping those golden eyes on his food. "I have sent him to fetch the Tensaiga."

Her curiosity peaked. Why is this object so important to him? Why does he need it so quickly? "If you don't mind, milord, may I ask what the Tensaiga is? I understand that it was made from your fang, but other than that, I don't know that it is, or what this Toutousai has to do with it."

Inutaisho sighed. He had thought that this question would come up sooner or later, especially from her. Finishing the last bite of his meal, he set his chopsticks down and easing back from his kneeling position on the cushions, leaning back against the wall. She watched as he removed his high ponytail to settle his head more comfortably against the wall.

"Toutousai is the maker of demon swords. However, he only makes swords for demons that he takes a liking too, and that pay well for the sword they want made. He makes the swords from the fangs of the demon. I had given him one of mine a few days ago to have a sword made. A special sword. Toutousai thought that I was crazy when I requested the sword."

Izayoi kneeled next to the lord, settling her bag of medicinal supplies next to her. Sighing, he stripped off his haori and under-kimono without question, knowing that she wanted to replace the bandages covering his wounds. After carefully removing the old bandages, she indicated for him to continue his story. Sighing softly, he continued speaking.

"The Tensaiga is a healing sword." At the curious look that was sent over his shoulder, Inutaisho explained. "It is a sword that will kill the death demons that hover around someone when they are injured. It will also bring back the dead. If used to its full potential, it will heal one hundred people in a single stroke. Because of the fights and wars with the cat youkai, and all of the people that have died in these battles, I thought that it would be useful." His voice softened slightly as he continued to speak. "After all, many pups have lost their fathers and many women have lost their mates. I don't want anymore families to be separated by more deaths. Our numbers have decreased enough already."

That's why he's wanted that sword made. Izayoi sighed softly as she cleaned the wounds, being as gentle as she could. I thought that Lord Inutaisho would be nothing more than a ruthless leader, but now I can see that he probably cares for the safety of his people.

Silence was complete as she continued cleaning the wounds. After a few minutes, she noticed that his ears flicked slightly upwards, and a few minutes later, Sesshoumaru entered the tent, carrying a sword in his hands.

"I have brought the Tensaiga, Father, like you requested."



[A/N]
I hope that you people have enjoyed this chapter. Its probably the longest one I've written. So far. I'm sorry that I haven't updated in a long time. I was on vacation from the 3rd to the 10th and I haven't been allowed in the computer enough to update since we got home. Anyway, please review!