Chapter 2
It had been nearly a year since Inuyasha and Kagome had left on their quest...
It was a beautiful day. The wind was up and the trees were swaying in the stiff breeze. Inumouru and his brother Samoto were going through their exercises. Samotoyame had received his sword from his father. The blade was of an amazing craftsmanship. The sword master had outdone himself with this blade. He called the blade tokir-katana. It, like his brother's sword had spells attached to it. The sword could blast energy at the enemy that would knock his opponent down both blinding and stunning him with a terrible light would flash forward.
Samoto only had to cry out "blast light destroyer" and the magic would come forth. The sword did have its limitations though. If he used it against humans for an evil end, the sword would rust away to powder in his hand burning it to a crisp in the process.
Katame was busy in her vegetable patch tending her beans when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around and squealed with delight.
"Hi aunt Katame. I missed you." Sugumi picked up his aunt and gave her a big hug.
"Sugumi! Oh I'm so glad to see you. How is everyone? Is everything alright?" Katame was ecstatic to see her young nephew again. She took the boy by the hand and brought him into the house.
Sesshoumaru we have a visitor. Someone you may remember, but then again it's been so long.
He turned to face his nephew. He had scented him out in the courtyard and wasn't the least bit surprised to see him.
"Sugumi, it is good to see you young one. Your father is not with you. Why?" Sesshoumaru noted the lack of his brother's scent while they were still outside. "Will he be coming later?"
"No uncle Sesshoumaru. I came alone. I missed Inu and Samoto so I asked my dad if I could come for a little visit. Is that ok?"
"Did you miss my temper as well, young Sugumi?" He smiled at the boy. "Yes, it's ok. You may visit as long as you like."
Sugumi brightened up. For a second there he wasn't sure if his uncle was angry or not. It wasn't always easy to say with that demon. His mood could change rapidly and without warning.
Sugumi went out to visit with his cousins. They had some catching up to do.
"Mmmmm." Katame watched the boy's in the yard. They were big but they were still boys and they loved to be together.
Sesshoumaru came up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "What are you thinking little one."
She turned to him and said. "He missed us, and I missed him and I miss Kagome." Can we go to visit them where they are? After Sugumi has his visit with us. Could we follow him back there? I would really like to see my friend again."
Sesshoumaru held his wife close to his chest. She had been sad and lonely since Inuyasha and his mate had left. The palace was empty it seemed. He rubbed her back and she nuzzled into the folds of his clothes.
"I don't see why not. Perhaps we can spend a little time with them and help them to find those crystal shards they are always seeking."
She looked up at her husband and smiled. "When?"
"Let the boys have their visit. Does a week seem too long for you to wait my dear?"
She hugged him tightly. "A week."
A week later: At the camp where Inuyasha and the hunters were staying...
"Katame!" Kagome ran to her friend. How have you been? I'm so glad to see you. You look good. Has he been treating you well? I'll hit him if he hasn't." Kagome's words came out all at once.
Katame laughed. "Slow down you're going to pop." She gave her friend a big a hug. "I'm fine. And yes he is treating me well. I've missed you terribly. It was such a shock to see Sugumi in my vegetable patch. He has grown so much. And his skills have really improved. He joined the boys in their drills. They are all getting to be very dangerous. Sugumi has his own sword now. He will want to show you that. Oh I've missed you so much!"
Inuyasha walked up to the two women. "Do I get a hello?"
"Hi, I've missed you too." She ran and gave him a big hug. "Oh I have something for you. I think it may be something you are looking for. Just a minute and let me get it for you."
Inuyasha and Kagome followed her back to her bags she had brought with her. She pulled out a small pouch she opened it and emptied it into Inuyasha's hand.
Two little sparkling fragments dropped out of the pouch and landed in his palm. He looked up at her and asked.
"How did you get these?"
"The boys found them. They fell out of Yoshi, the demon I slew back several months ago. Are they the things you are looking for?"
"They are from a demon... You slew? Katame? You slew a demon who had two jewel shards in him?" Inuyasha was shocked. This little woman standing in front of him couldn't possibly have killed a demon. Especially not one who had two shards in him. The shards have a property in them that increases a demon's strength. How could she have done this?
Katame explained. "It was on the new moon in the fall time. The boys had already transformed and Sesshoumaru was long gone on patrol. Yoshi wanted to kill the boys so I had to do something. I didn't go through all that sword training for nothing. Sesshoumaru always worked me very hard in the training so I would be able to fight is the need ever came up. Besides, this demon wasn't very skilled. Either that or he didn't expect a mere woman to be able to take him down." She smiled.
"Either way the boys found those when they moved the body. Are they what you need?"
Inuyasha closed his hand on them. "I don't know how you did it. You could've gotten yourself killed, you foolish girl." He gave her a hug. "Thank you. They are two jewel shards. I appreciate you keeping them for me. But don't you dare do anything like that again or I'll spank you so hard you won't sit down for a week." He warned her. (A spanking is what Sesshoumaru used to do to her and Kagome when they would misbehave. He felt that they were too weak to handle a real beating. See first story chapter two.) Inuyasha was actually very worried about Katame getting herself into trouble. "Do you have any idea what a demon could do to you?"
"Inuyasha. You of all people know that I do. I've been under the hand of more than one demon in my lifetime and I'm not about to let that happen ever again. As for spanking me goes, you'll have to get passed my sword first." She pulled it out to show him." The kids call me 'Katame the terrible.' And it's not just because of the bath tub anymore."
Inuyasha put up his hands in mock defeat. "I surrender, please don't slay me, lady Katame. I'll wash, honest."
"Oh you." She put her sword back in its place. And swat at his arm as she walked by.
Later as they sat around the fire, the group sat swapping stories of the adventures they had experienced. The boys, Inumouru and Samoto regaled everyone with the tail of 'Katame the terrible.' They were so proud of their mother. They even let slip about their little monument to her success.
"Inu! You did what?" Katame was not impressed.
"It was Samoto's idea." Inu was not going to go down to his mother's wrath alone.
"My idea. No way, Inu. I didn't do that on my own. You cut down the pole for it, remember?"
"Enough! As soon as we get back you two terrors are going to bury that thing and then you.... Oh, I'll think of something, mark my words." Katame was furious. "Something like that out side the gates could attract trouble rather that dissuade it."
Sesshoumaru just put his arm around his wife and held her close. "Don't worry little one it's been there for nearly half a year now. Leave it be."
"How could you say that? Putting up things like that at the gate is an invitation for demons to try and slay whoever they find inside. They will want to best the one who slew the others outside."
"They would be hard pressed to best you my girl."
"Don't mock me Sesshoumaru, I'm serious."
"As am I. Have no fear Katame. You will be quite safe." Sesshoumaru pulled her into his arms and whispered. "Let's go somewhere quiet."
Sesshoumaru and his wife went off the find a quiet place where they could enjoy each other's company. Camp life would be difficult for her but Sesshoumaru intended to keep his wife with him. He would do his best to give her the privacy she needed but also the attention she was used to.
The next morning the hunters and demons were up early. Sesshoumaru and his wife and sons were already at practice. Sugumi had decided to join them. Sugumi worked with his aunt Katame. He had a special fondness for his aunt and was really impressed that she was so skilled with the sword.
She put him through his paces and never let up once. Sugumi was a little surprised that she was as strong as she was. She was such a little thing. She only came up to uncle Sesshoumaru's chest and she had such tiny bones. It seemed impossible that she could even lift a sword let alone bring it down with such force as she did.
Katame could do this but she also tired easily. That's why she came on so strong. She knew she had to dispatch her enemy quickly or be too weak and tired to defend herself later.
Sugumi knocked her sword from her hand. She cried out a warning. It landed just missing Samoto's foot.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. Samoto are you hurt?" She ran to her son. "I have got to learn how to hang on to that better. Your father does that to me all the time."
Samotoyame laughed at his mom. "You worry too much momma. I'm fine. I saw it coming." He pat her on the head. He liked to do that now that he was taller than her.
"Oh you hateful little beast. I'll drown you in the river." She took off running after him.
Samoto just laughed all the harder. Here he was, a half demon, being chased down by his little human mother. "Careful momma. You're awfully small to be chasing someone as big as me."
"Samoto, I can still spank you. You little rip." She laughed and lept forward catching him around his waist, the two of them plunged into the pond that was nearby.
Katame always swam after practice. It gave her a chance to cool down and also wash the sweat from her clothes and body.
Samoto swam for a few minutes and then left his mom some privacy. He never went very far. Samoto always guarded his mother. He still felt the guilt of that day when Naraku took his mom away. He vowed never to allow that to happen again. (Chapter 37 of the first story.)
Back at the camp, breakfast was being served. Inuyasha, the monk and Sesshoumaru were discussing the day's plans.
They would travel down the path south to the next village, a three-day journey. There they would try to pick up the trail of yet more shards. They had heard rumors of trouble in that town.
Miroku and Sango were demon hunters by trade. They would fight them off for money and food. So they always kept their ears open for signs of trouble.
Inuyasha and Kagome were only after the shards. They would help rid places of the demons but that wasn't their main focus.
As for the rest of them they were just along for the fun.