Chapter 6: Encounters with the explainable Part 2: Memories in Wolf's Clothing
Neyoko stirred. Her head throbbed duly. She opened her eyes. The fire flickered at the corner of her vision, attracting her attention. What had happened? Everything seemed so far away, like it all was a dream.
The gem! Neyoko sat up quickly, breathing quickly with excitement. Then, she realized she wasn't where she had been. There was Sango and Kagome. Neyoko relaxed.
She decided she must have passed out or something, and had been gone so long she worried them. Neyoko never had anyone worry about her. They probably had come to look for her, found her and the gem, and took them both back to the site.
Neyoko fell back on the ground, exhausted all of a sudden. She closed her eyes against the flames.
The next time Neyoko opened her eyes, the sun was high in the sky. It must have been at least 9 'o clock.
"Ah! You're awake. Feel any better?" Kagome asked. She seemed really cheerful.
Neyoko turned, eyes as alert as a hunted animal. She saw Kagome and the look vanished. "Yeah, actually, I do. Course after hell, this life seems pretty good." Neyoko remembered what she thought was a bit of her past. It was something that she'd associate with Hell, maybe a low level of Hell, but that was what it was.
"You ready for some mountain climbing? We're headed that way." Kagome pointed to the mountain off to their left.
"It's that far?" Neyoko exclaimed.
"Ah, quit your whinin' or leave," Inu Yasha snapped. He had just come back from scouring the area for yokai activity.
"I an not whining. I just didn't know we'd be goin in the direction of the mountains, is all. Neyoko stood up quickly to protect her dignity, and her vision swayed. She stood stock still until her vision stopped resembling a boat out at sea.
"I'm ready and if inu boy isn't that's his problem. Lead the way," Neyoko waved her hand in front of her. She didn't want to get lost again.
"Keh, Your sense of direction that bad?"
"What's it to you? I'm new here and don't know what's where. I bet you'd get lost in my city if Kagome didn't tow you along everywhere."
"Ah, Neyoko-san!" Neyoko turned to look at the yokai exterminator. Sango had insisted on calling her san since she scared off Inu Yasha's brother. "I see you are feeling better."
She walked up as if she hadn't heard the bicker between the two part yokai. Miroku followed with the little kitsune.
"Hai. (Yes) I guess I needed a break from life for a while." Neyoko replied smiling.
"In that case, Kagome-dono, in which direction is the closest shard?" Miroku asked.
"Over in the direction of those mountains. I don't believe we've been in that direction a lot, so it would seem reasonable," Kagome replied.
"Then, that's probably a good place to start," Neyoko put in.
The group started moving not long after that.
The group lasted the whole day without mishap, stopping at the bottom of the rock. There were a few hours of light left, so Neyoko explored the rugged terrain and thought more.
Neyoko hadn't told Kagome about the images she had seen, even though she gave her thanks. Neyoko wasn't even sure of it herself, but her thoughts were consumed with ideas the whole time.
From what she remembered of her past, possessing a Shikon shard would make sense. Kagome said it made yokai stronger, and she had advanced through the gang she'd been in faster than the other children. Of course, that could have just been her own skill.
If she had possessed a shard, where was it now? Kagome also said it drew yokai to it, but would any other yokai in her time know of the Shikon no Tama? She hadn't and she'd been a well-informed thief. News of such an artifact surely would have gotten around.
So, the Shikon must have gone out of popularity for some reason or another. Neyoko hadn't tried to learn much history as a yokai, and ningen history didn't cover spirit related stuff. So she couldn't find it out that way. But a friend of hers had.
She had gone to sleep after that.
Kagome woke her up in the morning, offering breakfast. Neyoko ate, listening to the conversation the group was having.
There was a ledge that led to the path they would follow, but they really did have to climb. Inu Yasha insisted he would be able to jump it, tried and failed. Neyoko missed it.
"There are a lot of pockets in the rock. A fairly easy climb if you do it right," Neyoko muttered.
"Oh, yeah. Let's see you go up there," the hanyou growled.
Neyoko shot a glare at him before saying, "You tried, right? Now let an expert up for a try."
The ex-yokai began her climb. Her thief's eyes easily picked out the handholds and her feet followed. She made it to the top of the cliff easily. The rest of the group took a little longer, but soon, they were moving again on solid ground.
Neyoko felt exhilarated. She hadn't done thief stuff like scaling walls in ages, and for some reason, it felt good.
She breathed in deeply, and noticed an odd smell in the air. Neyoko stopped, closing her eyes and sniffing a little deeper. "Okami," she whispered.
This, however, did not get by Inu Yasha's sensitive ears. "What'd you say neko?"
Neyoko didn't get a chance to answer. There was a slight breeze, then a figure jumped down from the path above.
"Yo, mutt. I've come to see how my Kagome is doing," a yokai said, smiling roughly. His black hair was cut short, brushing the tops of pointed ears. He wore furs and a common armor. A katana was at his side, battered, but barely used if Neyoko's guess was correct.
"She's not your Kagome," Inu Yasha snapped, a golden glare directed to the okami.
At the same tie Kagome also spoke. "I'm not yours, Kouga."
"Ah, yes. Remember, though, that you can come join the okami yokai tribe whenever you want. And if that mutt treats you bad, come right away, and I'll kill him."
"Yeah, I know. You tell me enough," Kagome said. By the tone of her voice, she wasn't happy with that.
"Yeah, right. Last time I remember, you ran off. Just cuz you worked your speed up again, doesn't mean you can bluff."
"I gave those shards up for a noble cause. Just because you can't accept that, I should kill you now. But, I will not for that reason. It appears another female has joined your party. Not ningen, not yokai, your mate, Inu Yasha?" Kouga was trying to get Inu Yasha to fight by provoking him.
A small blast of energy slammed into the mountain beside Kouga. Inu Yasha growled.
"Don't loop me in with the hanyou like that, you damned okami. I am still a free being, and will remain one for a long time. If you want to say that again, the last one was a warning shot." Neyoko glared at Kouga. She was the one daring the world.
In a second, Kouga was standing in front of her. She smacked the okami on impulse before backing up a few steps.
A thought sparked in the ex-thief's mind. The mother from the last one sat on the ground, the little yokai Neyoko on her lap. She smiled and laughed cheerfully. A male neko yokai's hand rested on the woman's shoulder, he too, was smiling.
The fire in front of the cave flickered in a sudden movement, sending shadows scurrying.
A pain filled scream shattered the peaceful image. The mother's eyes filled with worry. The father's ears flicked back, his green/gold gaze focused on the mouth of the cave. The view also shifted to the front, but with curiosity.
The light of the fire failed to reveal the group at the mouth of the cave. Only one stood apart from the group, neko blood dripping down his hand, glinting in what light reached.
A shout rose from within the cave, echoing "Protect the Lady. Keep them safe."
There were more screams. The father snatched up a spear and went to join the mass. The Lady grabbed his hand, begging him not to go. He smiled sadly, hand caressing her cheek gently. Then, he turned and left.
Several minutes had passed, Neyoko hadn't seen anything other than some red liquid oozing across the ground from ahead, hearing the anguished screams.
Her father came back, and turned at the fire. Neyoko saw a bleeding line across his back. "Leave now. You have done enough damage to our tribe. Leave our place in the ruin you have stirred and be happy," He demanded.
There was a growl before the figure merged into the light. Neyoko's current mind growled as well, knowing the yokai as the head of the gang she had been in. The memory took hold again.
The memory Neyoko was shaking as the bandit fought her father. Her mother held her closely, pressed something into her hand. "Take this. Take this and live," the older woman whispered.
The male neko was flung to the wall. Fear flickered in the Lady's eyes as she followed the form, then anger, determination as her gaze focused on the invading yokai.
Her mother stood, Neyoko flopping to the ground. The little neko struggled up just in time to see the elder woman pinned to the wall, struggling.
The invading yokai's hand shoved itself into the Lady's chest. The woman screamed.
"Mother!" ripped out of Neyoko's throat.
One of the master thief's eyes turned to the little girl, filled with a mix of blood lust and interest.
The Lady saw that. "T..take her. Raise her as one of your own. Spare her, please."
The yokai pulled its hand away, the last able neko fell to the ground, dead. Then, the invader turned to the little neko.
Neyoko backed up in fear, looking around wildly for a weapon. Her back brushed the cold rock wall. She glanced down at her hands, the only weapons she had available. The small fragment her mother gave her dug into her palm. Both of her hands clenched into tight fists.
She rushed the yokai. The yokai moved off to the side, easily avoiding the youth. Neyoko tripped, fell on the hard floor. She got up, shaking shadowy hair out of her face. Something seemed odd, different, better. She charged again.
This peaked the yokai's interest. He moved again, this time grabbing the back of her shirt. The yokai lifted the little neko off of her feet, settling her with his arm over his shoulder.
Neyoko opened both hands, trying to maintain balance, and the jewel didn't fall. It had become a part of her. She began to flail, attempting to at least loosen the yokai's grip. She cried in anger and sorrow.
"She's got more spirit than a ghost. I'll take her, train her, and let the world fear us all. A beneficial spoil of war." The yokai was staring at the Lady when he said that.
He turned leaving the cave. There was a lot of scuffling. "Did you find it?" the head thief asked.
A lower ranked member replied, "No. We've looked through all of 'em, but found nothin'."
"Then it's gone. We'll find it again."
The memory faded.
Neyoko's eyes opened to real life this time. Furry lanced through her. Damn that double-crossing scum sucking bastard lanced through her mind.
"Hey, you gonna fight me or what?" Kouga yelled.
Neyoko looked up, realized she was kneeling on the ground. It appeared that the memory happened in a few seconds, despite the feeling she had that she was there.
"Inu Yasha, I do believe you were right. Kouga is fast, just like her was with he Shikon shards," Kagome agreed.
"I believe Kagome deserves the shards way more than I do." Kouga said proudly.
"Course the fact we won them back fair and square doesn't mean anything?" Inu Yasha rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"Kagome will know what to do when the jewel is complete. She will put them to a better use."
"You bet she will," Neyoko said quietly. She was really hard to read, her face downcast, hair shading her features.
Kouga backed off a little, before recovering. "I think I've over stayed my welcome. Until next time then mutt." He flicked his hand up before leaving quickly.
"Feh. All that okami does now that we got most of the jewel back is talk," Inu Yasha grouched.
"What kind of yokai is he? Personality wise." Neyoko asked quietly. She was looking up now, but not at the group.
"Well, he's very...assertive, but that's easily explained. He is, after all, the leader of the okami yokai," Kagome answered.
"Ah, it figures," Neyoko's eyes filled with sorrow.
"What's wrong, Neyoko," Kagome asked.
Neyoko didn't feel like lying. "I'll tell you guys later, k?"
"But," Kagome was about to protest, but Sango put her hand on the younger woman's shoulder.
"Later works fine," Sango replied for Kagome.
Neyoko smiled slightly. She stood up, brushing off her pants. "Then, let's keep going."
Neyoko decided she was defiantly going to see her friend after this. It would have to be soon, as well.