Chapter Eight
Devotion
"Hayaku, Kirara," Sango whispered, ushering the cat demon to sprint faster along the damp forest floor. She didn't know where she was going, but something told her to leave, to get away from the death.
She closed her eyes, leaning her head back to feel the wind against her face, the morning mist lighting on her fragile features. Was this what demons felt when running? Like Inuyasha, or Kouga?
Her head snapped upright at the sound of wind, but a voice accompanied it.
"Matte!" a voice pleaded. Sango turned around, seeing the dust tornado.
"Kou...?" she started, only stopping when the wind slowed and the white wolf erupted from it. "Ayame-chan! What are you doing?" She slowed Kirara, allowing the princess to catch up. Her face was weary and tired, filled with pain and grief. Sango held out her arm, allowing the demon to grab it and hoisted her onto the fire-neko.
"Sesshoumaru said Kouga and Miroku aren't in the world of the living or the dead. Kouga's alive, I know it."
She stared at the princess long and hard, finally nodding and turning back forward.
"Kirara, ikoiyo!"
"So you keep having dreams?" Ayame asked, feeding the fire and grabbing a small spit to take a bite of the fish on it.
"Hai," Sango replied quietly. "I keep having dreams of Houshi-sama. But sometimes... sometimes it's just like he's... he's haunting me..." She lowered her head, staring at her hands as the bright glow of the fire made the shadows dance.
Ayame narrowed her eyes. "Haunting?" At Sango's nod she cocked her head slightly. "Do you think what Sesshoumaru said is true?"
"What, that those two idiots are still alive?" she smiled sadly. "I believe it all too well. I won't be surprised, not one bit, if he were only lying."
"Why would he lie?" Ayame argued. "He brought back Kagome-he wouldn't lie."
"Then why didn't he save Kohaku?!"
Ayame stared at the woman. So much pain, so much regret and anger; it all radiated from this being.
"Maybe he couldn't."
"Like he couldn't save Kouga?"
Ayame lowered her head, averting her eyes to stare at the dancing flames. She snapped her head to stare at the forest, not able to stare at the mesmerizing flames that showed her the image of him.
"Maybe... he didn't want to..."
They were traveling again, riding on the fire-neko's back; Sango in front, Ayame behind her. They traveled in silence, an uncomfortable atmosphere that neither enjoyed. Finally the wolf couldn't stand it.
"When you... dreamt, what did the monk say?" she asked quietly.
The taijiya kept her eyes trained forward, anger still boiling in her at the demon lord. At the wolf princess' words she felt confusion rise up, overpowering her anger-clouded mind.
"He... never talked much; just kept muttering phrases. The first thing he said was 'bara no kibou,' though I still have yet to figure out what all this has to do with a rose."
Ayame gasped softly, head shooting up. "There's a demon myth of a flower called the Rose of Hope."
Sango steadied Kirara to a stop, then turned to face Ayame. "What do you mean?"
"All demons know the story of Bara no Kibou; I can't believe..." she stopped, lifting her head to the taijiya. "The story said that there's a flower that gives hope to the living of a loved one that's passed on to the next world. If the loved one hasn't been reincarnated yet, the person can be reborn in a new body that mirrors their old life."
"Yet...?"
"They must be in Limbo, or something like it... but, they say in the rose, instead of a bundle of pollen there lies a golden pearl; Shinju no Sachi. The pearl has a curse that will make the beholder drown in happiness, where they forget all their hopes and dreams. If you wish to bring back your beloved, you take the rose to Kiri Yama and once you reach the top, throw the pearl down into the misty depths. Tenshi will fly down from the Heavens with your beloved, you offer then the rose and in exchange the one you love will be given a second chance to live."
Sango listened intently to her words, eyes widening. "So... then... Houshi-sama wanted me to..." She spun around, facing the wolf princess. "Where are the Mist Mountains?"
On an island north of my homeland--give me control of the neko, I'll lead you to it."