Chapter 5
The next day Shippo and Soten continued their pursuit of Inuyasha. He wasn't hard to follow. He left a path of destruction whereever he went. When they came to the first village they were both horrified. The homes had been smashed apart. The villagers lay dead upon the ground, horribly mutilated. The militia had not fared well. Their weapons were shattered and many of them were missing a limb. Shippo almost threw up as he passed the bodies of children, their faces still in a mask of utmost terror. On some of them, tears were still clinging to their eyes…of those who had eyes. Many villagers had lost at least one eye and their eyelids hung weakly across their empty sockets. Shippo remembered a time very much like this from when he had been with his friends, hunting Naraku.
Flashback
Bodies piled across the ground, houses burning, some yokai still feasting on the results of their kill. "Begone foul creatures!" Miroku prepared to use his Kazaana. The yokai fled in fear of their lives. Inuyasha and Kagome were searching for survivors. A young girl crawled out of a shelter, but screamed and fled when she saw Shippo and Kirara. Sango caught her and began explaining there was nothing to fear.
Inuyasha began digging graves as Shippo and Miroku began gathering the bodies. They were buried with bloodstained flowers over their graves. Miroku laid a soutra over each grave and said a prayer for each villager. The girl had been taken to a nearby village. Shippo looked back on the village as they left. That image would scar him forever…
End Flashback
Shippo turned to Soten. "We should bury them." Soten looked at him. "It is pointless. They'll just be more in the next village. And besides, that demon is getting away." Shippo remained adamante. "No, we'll stay and bury them. If you want to go on ahead I won't stop you." Soten scoffed. "Baka." She snapped her fingers. "Koryu! Get over here!" A man sized dragon appeared in a puff of smoke next to Soten. "Yes m'lady?" Soten fixed him with a steely glare. "Help Shippo bury the villagers, we'll waste too much time otherwise." The dragon nodded. "Yes m'lady." Soten wouldn't touch the humans around her. Such a fool. She thought. If only he'd been raised by a proper yokai father instead of that damn miko and hanyo! The way he acts around humans…It is not befitting of his noble yokai blood!
In about and hour they were done. It would have taken longer but Soten was good at digging graves. Especially when it involved a lightning bolt. "There we're done! Now can we please move along?" Shippo nodded. "Our job here is done." Then they were back on Inuyasha's trail.
They came to clearing in the middle of the road. Shippo heard the sound of horses and he smelled men, probably samurai returning from a battle as they smelled heavily of blood and perspiration. They came into view shortly after that. They stopped when they saw Shippo and Soten. "Why do Yokai walk the roads of humans? Step aside yokai or you'll regret it!" Soten began laughing. The samurai leader frowned. "You dare mock me? You'll regret that!" Shippo raised his hand. "Fox magic!" He transformed into a large pink balloon, grabbed Soten and flew over the Samurai's heads. He waited before they were a good distance away before he set her down. She was extremely angry. "Why did you do that kitsune! My pride as the remaining member of the great thunder yokai tribe has been injured by your actions! No doubt those stupid humans think that they're better than I am now! All because of you!" Shippo ignored her tone. "I don't wish to engage in any unnecessary bloodshed." Soten glared at him accusingly. "Or maybe, you simply are afraid of harming humans just like that foolish miko!" She had hit a nerve. In less than a second Shippo had drawn Tetsusaiga and had it leveled at Sotens' throat. "Don't you DARE ever talk like that about Kagome in front of me!" Soten was taken aback. She stepped away from Shippo now much more cautious. Shippo glared at her furiously before sheathing Tetsusaiga. "Maybe it would be better for me to go alone. Soten stared at him. "But Shippo-" She broke off. Emotions were welling up inside her but she wasn't sure what she felt. She didn't want to leave Shippo. She wasn't sure why. She managed to convince herself it was because she was sure he would dishonor the noble yokai blood that ran through his veins even further if she wasn't around. It would be a direct hit on her status if it was learned she had been traveling with "a human loving yokai". It had to be that. Shippo was now looking at Soten strangely. Soten resumed her upright posture. "Fine then. When Inuyasha kills you at least you'll be back with that miko." She thought for a moment than added in with a sneer. "I suppose you'll be happy then won't you!" She whirled around than stalked off into the woods leaving a very puzzled Shippo behind. Soten had to laugh at herself. She had thought she understood Shippo. But how could she. As of that one moment, she wasn't sure she understood herself.
There's another chapter complete. Umm…I suck at writing relationship development? Anyway if you could give me your opinion on how I'm developing the Shippo/Soten relationship I'd appreciate it!