Update of my first fanfic, please review if you read. The more encouragement and feedback I get, the more likely I am to continue this one. I made up Leara but I don't own Inuyasha, so please don't sue me. Enjoy!

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Northern Lights

Chapter 1: The Mercenary

One mission down, one to go. She grimaces. The half demon prepares herself for her attacker's assault, legs braced against the impact. The giant toad demon lashes out with his enormous tongue. Parry and a leap backwards, slide closer and kick at the throat. She dashes towards his exposed, lolling tongue as he brings it back for another strike. Slipping to his side, she slashes at his belly and kickes off the bloated throat. His giant arm sweeps out beneath her, knocking her down and scoring a long mark along her side as she struggles to regain her balance.

A flash of metal as she draws her daggers. Its claws are no match for mine. The dust rises as the toad demon charged towards her. Pushing off the ground with her long and powerful haunches, she leaps high into the air. She shoves her daggers into the demon's head, slashing downward all the way to the ground. The huge amphibian collapses, its remaining body parts disintegrating as she sheathes her daggers and starts the walk back to town.

Leara, a half hare demon from the northern lands, and was on a mission in the east. She was a mercenary, and a good one at that. She took jobs for other demons, or sometimes even humans, often settling grudges between factions of humans and demons. It's my kind of hobby, she often thought to herself. Halfway between human and demon, can't very well pick a side so I don't discriminate against either one willing to pay. She always gets the job done, but only for the jobs that give her a bit more than money. This mission had merely involved killing a toad demon clan, and they had all been relatively weak. She was off to claim her prize for their deaths from a mysterious masked man.

She padded softly towards a small hut on the outskirts of the town. She pushed back the curtain over the entrance and knelt in the half-darkness.

"They have been destroyed."

The masked man sat on a small cushion near the door. He chortled softly. "Are you sure? There were none who fled?" His whole appearance was at odds with his soothing tone. It made Leara uneasy.

She shook her head. "None, I assure you. I burned their homes down and killed 53 toads, all wearing the clan neck ring."

The mysterious man nodded. "You're certainly thorough. But I know there is one more. I saw him heading east not long ago. He traveled with a dog demon and a human girl."

She stood up to leave. "My apologies. He must have been separate from the rest. I will kill him quickly and return." She bowed and turned to exit.

"Beware the dog. He is strong, and will not be taken down easily." His eyes narrowed to glowing slits beneath the baboon mask. Leara shivered, hesitating. His eerie eyes seemed to pierce her, and she could see a void in them that would swallow her if she wasn't careful. She departed as quickly as she dared, his fierce expression following her for miles.

She sprinted along the road, followed the now-familiar scent of a toad demon eastward. Her tall ears turned constantly, trying to pick up the sound of any nearby travelers. Eventually she picked up the scent, and bounded through the trees, making a beeline for them.

She could feel his strong demonic aura from behind a tree a good ways back. If she got any closer the dog would smell her, so she stayed put for a minute and formulated a plan. Stealth and surprise or a confident charge? She flexed her legs in preparation for the fight before she rushed ahead to kill her target, daggers drawn.

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The white dog demon's ears perked up. "Jaken, something approaches swiftly. Be ready to flee with Rin." The toad beside him nodded. The girl backed away to hide behind their mount.

A half hare demon sprang from the bushes, armed and glaring at them. Sesshomaru was ready for it, and he knocked her down easily with a sweep of his arm. Or tried to; she dropped to the ground and parried his sword and again rushed forward at him. She veered to the left as he swept a long whip of energy at her, then darted to the right at the last second, headed right for Jaken.

But the toad demon was already aiming his staff at her."Why do you attack us, half breed?" shouted Jaken as a bout of fire launched itself from the staff's head. Leara, surprised but unfazed, darted fluidly towards Sesshomaru again, who attempted to catch her with his whip. She flipped easily out of his range.

She laughed and replied, "You looked like you needed the exercise. Besides, I've been sent to kill you." She dodged more flames from the staff, but Sesshomaru's whip caught her leg this time, pulling her to the ground. She rolled to put the flames out, bringing her right below Sesshomaru. He reached down with his claws. They were almost evenly matched in speed; he grabbed her neck at the same time as she swept his legs out from under him. They ended up rolling on the ground wrestling for a moment, both attempting to scratch the other across the neck, Jaken unable to use his staff for fear of hitting Sesshomaru. Then Sesshomaru brought out his poison claws to finish her.

"Why do you wish to kill me? You, a half demon, who presume you can kill a full blooded demon?" he said, and his hand darted out. Leara kicked it away and they both leapt to their feet.

They stood facing each other. Her eyes flickered towards Jaken, but never left the dog demon's face for a moment. "Not you- him!" she cried and flew at the toad, hurling a dagger ahead of her. Sesshomaru brought out his whip in time to whack the dagger away, hitting Jaken across the face at the same time. Jaken flew backwards and the knife landed useless next to Rin.

The whip then came around towards their attacker. The course of her previous leap brought her right into its path, and she was once more brought to the ground, on her knees, with Sesshomaru standing over her and his sword at her throat.

"Now, answer me, why are you after Jaken?" he asked icily.

I wonder if he always sounds like death incarnate. He sure acts like it, Leara thought, eying his lethal looking sword warily. "I was sent to kill him. I'm merely a mercenary."

"A mercenary half demon?" Jaken cried in disbelief.

"Sent by whom?" Sesshomaru said.

Leara replied, "A demon, I think. He wore a mask and cloak so I didn't see his face. It was a baboon mask."

"Naraku!" Jaken exclaimed. "What's he up to this time? Milord, why would Naraku send a half demon to kill me?"

Leara interrupted. "I see you know him. Well-- I would be honored to kill him for you. If you would spare my life, I would be under your hire. You would have my loyalty from now on." She lowered her eyes.

Jaken spoke up again. "Lord Sesshomaru, do you really need another vassal? She tried to kill you, and besides, she's a mere half-demon-"

"You should watch your tongue, toad, for I was hired to kill you, and I've not yet made any promise not to."

"Why you wench, Lord Sesshomaru will kill you for your insolence!"

"Then let him try! I'm not afraid to die!"

"You aren't worth the time it would take him to clean his blade, foul mongrel!"

"I'm not the one cowering behind a mangy-"

"Enough," came the dog's casual response. They both fell silent. "Let's see how long this half demon can fare against Naraku. Bring me his head and you may follow me. If you fail, I shall kill you when next we meet. Remember this." And with that he sheathed his sword, turned, and started walking away. Jaken followed hesitantly, looking back angrily.

Leara hauled herself to her feet. She could walk away and be done with all of them right now, if she wanted. Her eyes became wild as she turned and started to walk back to town to kill the demon in the baboon mask.