Unspoiled Rini-I'm Sorry I didn't mean to confuse you! No, there are many tribes of wolf youkai, I just happened to place another tribe in the North. No, it's not Ayame's. She is on another mountain.
Thanks for all your reviews, I know own and enjoy.
Usagi tossed and turned, a groan issuing from her lips as she fought off invisible demons. Kaede frowned down at the stubborn blonde with concern, convinced that the crystal should of healed her. Suddenly Usagi snapped awake and gaze pleadingly at Kaede. "Please, retrieve InuTashio, I must speak with him." She begged. Kaede nodded, and rushed toward the lord who was dragging in the prone body of his son. Kaede resisted the urge to smirk, and ushered InuTashio to where the panting blonde waited.
The air in the room was so tense with problems, that the group never noticed an unwelcome presence. He look to be of the tender age of twelve, with waist long white hair and violet eyes. Yes, he was one of Naraku's detachments sent to present dissension among the ranks. With his amazing white kimono it was surprising no one noticed him. True he had been last seen as a baby that clutched to Kagura a little before Usagi was brought into the world. Hakudoshi smirked as his new powers that came with his aging slipped into the group. "Hmm, too emotional by far, and far to easy to manipulate."He whispered to himself, and extended his control a little further.
Kaede glanced at the silver haired lord as he converse quietly with Usagi, a gaze of concern of his face. A taste of bile crept up her throat as she put a name to the feeling that wrapped around her heart, jealousy. Which of course was redundant, as she noticed the chemistry between Sesshomaru and Usagi, not to mention that Usagi was her friend. However, for the mere second, she allowed herself doubts about the growing fondness for InuTashio, not noticing the dark purple outreaching for them all.
Usagi gazed down in shame as she explained a bit of her story to the lord. "So, you were born human, but not?" InuTashio inquired. Usagi nodded, and glanced perceptively at Sesshomaru. She had been well aware of his feelings for humans, and well aware of her growing feelings for the young taiyoukai. "You have not told Sesshomaru this?" InuTashio asked catching the glance toward his son. Usagi stared at him with a look of ironic sadness. InuTashio shook his head at his son's strange behaviors and reached forward to hug the girl.
It was at this time that Sesshomaru returned from his trip to his unconscious mind. As his gaze focused it was upon his father hugging the demoness. Restraining the urge to stalk forward and ripped his father away, he instead focused on the words being exchanged.
"Do you think he could ever care for me as a ..human?" Usagi asked, a hand resting on her broach. She knew that the taint of being a demon no matter how good was slightly taxing on her jewel to heal her. As such it may revert her to her true form from before to fully heal all of her exhaustion. InuTashio glanced down sadly at the young blonde unable to answer the question with the truth she was looking for.
"Give him some time to conquer his demons." InuTashio wisely told her. Usagi gazed down at her hands, observing her shrunken nails.
"I know not if we have time." Usagi answered and turned her gaze away from InuTashio only to lock with the slightly frigid, but confused ones of the Sesshomaru. Sighing with a heavy gaze toward Sesshomaru, she slipped from InuTashio's comfort, and stood.
Hakudoshi cursed silently as the doubts of the group were like flittering fairies in his grip. Focusing mostly on Sesshomaru and Usagi, he forced his powers to it's restraint.
Usagi smiled in thanks, and then winced quietly. As a known empathy holder, she was currently receiving all that was in the vicinity. Normally she could handle the on rush fairly easily, but with her own mind in turmoil, she was an open channel. She felt Kaede's jealousy, and doubts, her own, input from Sesshomaru's own doubts, and InuTashio's whirl of emotions.
Sesshomaru glared at his inner thoughts, he was caring for the demoness. However, her question about being cared for as a human struck a cord within him. He had been coming to terms, slowly, with his surmounting feelings toward Usagi, and almost ready to act upon them. Now his own doubts begin to form, and it may destroy a relationship before it even starts. 'What does she mean human?' Sesshomaru thought in confusion, glancing at the demoness remarking her features. 'Who is she talking about, 'will he care for me if I'm human,' who is he?' He thought in a reddish daze. His feelings were clear-cut and true, but Sesshomaru might never acknowledge or know, without some guidance.
Usagi winced again, as more and more doubts rushed in. Her hand gripped the center of her outfit, clutching her lifeline, the ginzuishou, which was heating with her emotions. Suddenly it reacted to it's mistress distress, and decided to help her answer her doubts along with the others. The light speared out, knocking out InuTashio, and Kaede, for their doubts dealt with each other. Traveling to Sesshomaru it healed his physical wounds from the battle with his father, and opened his emotions to his knowledge. Then it turned on Usagi and sealed her demon-side back for a bit. Done it settled back to it's place among her breast. Meanwhile, the children slept on undisturbed by the light show as well as Jaken. Toto-sai merely kept his attention on his task with the Tenseiga, blinking only once at the increased light flow.
Hakudoshi crowed as he saw the results. It would be so much easier for his demon counterpart to reclaim Usagi now as a human. He withheld a chuckle so as not to be discovered, and pulled from the cave. Anxious to tell Naraku of his achievement, he blurred away on the landscape.
Usagi mourned momentarily the loss of her extra speed and physical strength before sighing and observing the damage done by the ginzuishou now. Eyes of sapphire locked with those of noxious gold, that betrayed nothing, but Usagi could guess the thoughts behind them.
'A ningen, a filthy ningen!' He claimed in disgust. Sesshomaru turned from those soul-filled eyes, sorting his own thoughts and ignoring the one behind him. 'She betrayed me, humans have been cruel to me before.' He recalled, flashing a gaze at his father.
They say that Sesshomaru is cold and unfeeling. That he hates humans without cause, which falls as well to his hanyou relation. However, he is not without reason, for they destroyed his mother, and cursed his existence. Then he was force to raise himself practically when the rest of the demon community turned their backs on him for his father's second mate. InuYasha's mother, who his father lost his heart and mind to when they killed the human woman. They took his parents from him, and left him with a half-brat to raise. Only for the village to demand penance, so he allowed the servants in the castle to raise InuYasha while he grew stronger. No longer would the demon community sneer his existence, because of his power, and the humans would learn to fear him. His mind replayed his unfeeling existence before him, reviving the old wounds that laid beneath the surface. Hearing shuffling he turned to Usagi who would had made to exit the cave. His eyes flashed as the revelation was played again in his mind.
'How dare this ningen, even try to become close to me!' He thought in outrage and caught her as she stepped outside. "How dare you." Sesshomaru hissed at her, one claw snapping into action. Usagi turned her eyes of sorrow to him. "How dare you insult the demon linage, you are worst then any hanyou." He cursed at her, anxious to end a human's life.
Usagi cried inside as she gaze at the demon she had come to give her heart too without fear. Hearing his curse, her eyes stopped their silent tearing, and instead she answered her anger that was building. Stepping nose to nose, even though she was short, she glared at him. "I guess you could never care for me as a human.." She hissed back at him, which caused the jealous thoughts from before to stifle his killing mind set. "So how dare you take a piece of my soul." Usagi accused, exchanging heart for soul. Whirling on her heel, she focused her wish of escaping and the ginzuishou answered once more.
Hakudoshi appeared before the murder grounds of the northern tribe of wolves. Staying out of sight and sense of any of the warriors's. Gleefully rubbing his hands together, he set to destroy this group as well.
Hotaru was new to the turbulent emotions in her heart. They pounded in her veins as she felt what Kouga felt for a part of the wolf tribe. She let very few people close to her, and hardly any that could harm her heart. Trust was what she was placing in the protective wolf, but should she? Was it a day or two they had begun to know each other, and already she fantasizes more? Hotaru raised a careful hand to the raven haired one resting on her shoulder. Exactly what was the demon in her arms capable of, would he except her when he saw with his own eyes who she was and what she was capable of? True, she told him her story, but hearing and seeing were two very different things. She was not a risk-taker, and certainly not with her heart. Hotaru was doubting her feelings and what they may lead her into. She herself had never experience heartbreak, but had seen the result in some of her closest friends. Knowing that her senshi side is unstable when it comes to emotions, Saturn could not handle heartbreak with grace. Closing her eyes she felt Kanna relieve her from comforting the wolf youkai. She walked off, doubts playing on her heart.
Kouga felt the warmth leave him immediately. He cringed at the insecurities that filtered in his mind. Did she wonder if he could protect her? Looking once more at the slaughtered tribe, his desolate gaze fell on the back of Hotaru. 'I probably can't, seeing as I can't even protect my own clans mates.' He thought in doubt, his healthy confidence withdrawing when it came to true matters of the heart.
Kanna blinked, staring at the group trying to discompose the tense feelings in the group. Vaguely she wondered at her existence once more without Naraku. Wincing, Kanna doubted if she should be with the group after all her actions before.
Kagura twisted in the arms of Hiten, turning away from the site of the mutilated corpses. Recalling every cruel thing she was force to do in order to please Naraku. She felt the tightening arms of the thunder brother in response to her distress. Did she even deserve the gifts she had been given?
Hiten frowned, there was something in the air that made him want to leave. He was repenting his life from before, and his thoughts were getting dangerously depressing. After all he had done, he doubted he should of been given a second chance, and glancing at Kagura, a chance at companionship.
Hakudoshi nearly crowed with glee, it was far to easy with this group. The doubts festering just beneath the surface were easy to reach. A saimyosho buzzed in his ear reminding him of one last group to shatter, before Bankotsu could take action. With a shift of air, he headed toward the Inu-tachi. Arriving before them, he huffed at how easy it would be. Two unsteady relationships, barely budding were ripped for the picking as he worked his powers.
InuYasha flinched as Kagome bumped into his wound he had made on his chest in promise. That promise weighed heavily on his mind as he clutched his love to him. Running ever closer to where he had cornered his brother's scent. However, his speed began to relinquish a bit as his mind replayed his failures. How could he promise to love and protect Kagome, when he couldn't do that for Kikyo? Not to mention all those times he had made Kagome cry. Was he truly worthy of the one he held in his arms? Glancing at the sky noting the darkening hue he called halt. Then he locked gazes with Kagome, without preamble he kissed her harshly. Not letting her respond, he released her lips and set her gently upon the ground in a daze. InuYasha then helped set up camp, virtually ignoring the questioning gaze of Kagome. His mind made up that he wasn't worthy of the one he loved.
Kagome blushed as the warm lips crushed against hers, however he pulled back before she could respond. Her mind process the despondent glaze in the eyes of InuYasha. It felt like a good-bye, and she felt her heart crack. She began to doubt if InuYasha would ever love her, like she did him. Kagome wondered if he was to leave her again.
Sango huffed, placing the boomerang down and checking on Kirara. Once more slapping away the hand that rubbed her backside. Turning her glare on Miroku, her gaze shifted as she saw his carefree smile once more. Sango had somehow become captured by the lecherous monk, but it seem that the feelings were not reciprocal. Every village that same question to those beautiful lovely ladies. He never seem to take her seriously, and it was beginning to break her heart. Sango didn't strike him for his behavior and instead turned away missing the sadden gaze of the monk. Doubting that her heart would be forever ignored.
Miroku once more teased his ladylove, though had yet to work up the courage to tell her such. As it had become a pastime he awaited the fiery gaze that always met his teases. He was reward by the burning gaze, before an almost crushed look entered her eyes and she turned from him. Miroku felt a crack in his heart, as the only female that had not laughed and turned away his affection turned from his attention. He was feeling lost as he gazed at the stiff shoulders of the demon exterminator. Doubt grabbed at his mind, and he craned his gaze away, not wanting to crumble.
Hakudoshi ignored the rest of the group, because they were hardly a bother since the main thorns were out of commission. He scoffed at the petty emotions that ruled them, and brushed his knees off. Then he left toward Naraku's hideout to alert him for the next phase. It was almost sickeningly easy, as he had watched the groups fall apart with hardly a push.
There that should push the relationships into evolving or dissolving depending. 'Sighs,' I'm kidding, the relationships are set. It's just doubts are a natural part of any relationship, and since Usagi was a one time human..err, anyway, and we all know what Sesshomaru thinks about humans/ningens, I figured he would feel betrayed if she showed him her story after admitting feelings and she turned out to once been human. So, must resolve that first.
Anyways, please review.
Much Care,
W.C.B.