On their way to find Totosai, Kura decided that it would be much easier, not to mention quicker, to sniff out his scent; after all, she was part dog demon.
"Are you sure we'll be able to find him?" Sango inquired, turning to Miroku and Nekura.
"With Kura, I'm sure it will be no trouble at all," Nekura smirked as Sango returned the emotional gesture.
Kura then stood up with a satisfied smirk plastered across her face. "I got a hold of his scent and if my instincts are correct, which they usually are, he's somewhere over there." As she spoke, she pointed her finger in the northwest direction.
"Well then let's get going; the faster we move, the faster we'll be able to find Totosai and that bastard wolf," Nekura cursed as she broke off into a run. The others followed suit.
Meanwhile, Isamu was still on his way to see Totosai when a seemingly large pack of wild dog demons leapt out from the bushes and surrounded him from every side. The hanyou merely smirked.
"Heh, you think you have what it takes to challenge me?" he boasted with a quick yet noticeable arch of his left eyebrow.
The largest dog, which, upon closer examination appeared to be the leader of the pack snarled. "You are the wolf demon, Isamu, are you not?" he asked, baring his fangs.
"And what if I am?" Isamu answered with another question.
The dog did not once lose eye contact with that of the wolf. "Then we must destroy you on the order of our master!" he exclaimed.
"Try me…" Isamu stood in his typical fighting stance and prepared for the worst; although it seemed like a complete waste of time fighting useless dog demons when he could be doing something more productive, like getting Totosai to forage him the weapon that he forever longed to hold. Yet as he had learned so many times before, you can't have everything your way…you just have to go with the flow…
"Hey wolf!" one of the middle-sized dogs yelled, breaking him away from his thoughts. Isamu sighed. Why was it that they wanted to bring about their death so soon? Maybe they actually thought that they could win. Ha! Now that was a laugh…
"You're really eager to lose, aren't you?" It then seemed as though the half-demon's smirk grew into an even larger smile. However, this wasn't any ordinary smile, in fact, this smile seemed to have the slightest bit of evil lurking within its depths. He licked his lips. If there was one thing he liked better than winning, it was the fresh taste of an enemy's blood once they were no longer alive for it to be any use…
"No, I'm just really eager to watch you fools squirm and plead at my mercy…" he stated cockily, flexing his claws.
"Oh, really? Well then, why don't you show us what you're made of tough guy?"
"With pleasure…" he smirked and then, one by one, began ripping apart the wolves, tearing them limb from limb. Soon enough, there was only he and the elder of the pack left standing.
"Heh," the elder chuckled to himself. "You think that just because you've defeated my comrades you can defeat me?"
"Tch. I don't think, I know. Now prepare to die!" he exclaimed, jumping up and withdrawing his claws one final time. Upon nearing his target, he smiled wickedly and lunged his entire hand into the elder's chest causing blood to spurt out everywhere. When he pulled back, the dog demon stumbled forward a few steps and eventually collapsed face-first onto the ground, blood spilling out from his body in every direction. Isamu knew right then and there that he was dead. No one could take a blow like that and survive; it just wasn't possible…at least, that's what he thought. What he didn't know was that he would soon experience a battle like he had never fought before… He shook his head, trying to rid his mind of all the thoughts that were now bombarding it. He couldn't think like that; he knew that there was no one in the world that could take him down and he would continue thinking like that until someone proved him wrong, which he hoped would never happen. So as he walked on towards his destination, all he could think about was what the future held and whether or not his goals would be achieved in time…
"Kura! Are you sure Totosai is somewhere around here? I don't see any sign of him so far!" Sango yelled to her friend who was currently in the lead of the foursome with Nekura.
"Yes, I'm sure of it! He's got to be here! My nose is never wrong!" The female half-demon than stopped in mid-run and began sniffing the air. Everyone else had stopped dead in their tracks when they realized that their friend was no longer at the front of group, but now at the back. She turned to everyone, a serious expression plastered across the whole of her face. "I smell trouble…"
"What kind of trouble?" Nekura asked, curious as to just what was going on. She was the type of person who knew that trouble always lead to something or someone getting hurt. It's not going to be that way this time, she thought, not when there are people I care about at stake…
"It smells like dead demons…and by the scent, I'd say they were just recently slaughtered…" Kura growled under her breath; if there was one thing she couldn't stand, it was the killing of innocent demons. She always believed that those who slaughtered harmless creatures should indeed be slaughtered themselves. Her father had always told her that she had inherited her mother's kindness and it most definitely showed. Her mother, Kagome Higurashi was a gentle and caring soul, always finding the good in others; that was Kura in a nutshell. However, the young demon child had also inherited her father's courageousness and most of all, his stubbornness. She didn't like being told what to do and would always do what she felt necessary. This could sometimes get her into trouble, but she knew that her father would always come to her aid. This, however, was one of those times that she would have to fend for herself. She only had her friends to protect her, but in a time of need, she may not even have them to lean on for support. She still needed to learn that, in battle, the only person you have is yourself; you can't trust anyone else, especially when it comes down to a matter of life and death…
"Uh, Kura?" Nekura spoke, waving her hand in front of her friend's face, snapping her back to reality.
"Huh? Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to zone out like that. I'm just thinking, that's all…"
"Thinking about what?" Nekura questioned curiously.
Kura was silent for a few moments before she managed to utter an answer. "Uh…nothing in particular," she lied. Nekura arched an eyebrow at this statement, to which Kura knew that her friend was indeed onto her little cover-up story. "What?" she added, shrugging her shoulders. "It's true. Now, what do you say we continue looking for Totosai and that mangy wolf?"
The elemental was not about to take her eyes off of her friend for a minute. She knew that something was going on in her mind and she wanted to get to the bottom of it. Most of the humans and demons that she had met knew that she was not one to give up, especially when it came to her friends and allies. She would soon find out what Kura was hiding and whether or not it was something that was worth keeping a secret…
"Hey guys! Look over there!" Sango exclaimed, pointing straight ahead. As everyone turned their heads to look, they were shocked and surprised to see just who was standing before them: it was Totosai. The entire group was so relieved that they had finally found him; they ran up to him and, upon closer inspection, realized that he was not alone. Myoga the flea was sitting atop his right shoulder, jumping up and down, apparently excited to see the foursome.
"Sango! Miroku! What a pleasure to see you again!" he exclaimed joyously. He then turned to where Kura and Nekura were standing and pondered. It was then that something must have came to him, for he began jumping up and down again. "You must be Kura, Master Inuyasha's daughter!"
Kura blushed. "Yes, yes I am. It's a pleasure to meet you Myoga. My father has told me so much about you."
"Really? Did he tell you what a brave soul I am?" Myoga asked, trying to flex the muscles that he did not have.
"No, not really. He just told me that you're a coward who flees from every battle," she stated honestly as Myoga fell over, straight as a board. Everyone nearly burst out laughing but managed to hold it in. The flea than stood up again and puffed himself up.
"Ha! Master Inuyasha only thinks I was fleeing, but in reality I was simply planning a way to take his enemy down!" he boasted gloriously. Everyone sighed as a sweat drop rolled down the side of each one of their faces.
Kura arched an eyebrow. "Really now? For some reason, I find that awfully hard to believe…"
"It's true!" Myoga cried, bouncing up and down on the tiny balls of his feet. Kura simply sighed and then turned to look at Totosai.
"I'm glad to finally meet you," she greeted curtly. "However, there is something I must ask of you…"
"Yes, what is it?"
"I would like to ask you whether or not you have a met a wolf by the name of Isamu. He was planning on coming to ask a favour of you and I was curious as to if he has come or not," she explained simply.
"Hm…" Holding his chin, Totosai began thinking for what seemed like hours on end. Finally, getting impatient, Kura spoke up again.
"So? Have you?" she asked, hoping for the answer that she so longed to hear.
"Hm…" he pondered. "Not that I'm aware of, no." Kura sighed heavily with relief.
"Thank the Gods! That was the answer I was hoping for. Thank you Totosai. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a bone to pick with someone…and I think I know where he is…" Before she was able to head off into the distance and out of sight, Nekura approached the half-demon and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"You're going to find Isamu, is that right?"
"Yes. I can't let him harm you guys. He's after not only my father, but me as well. I have to fight, if not for me than for all of you. You guys have stuck by me through thick and thin and I'm not going to let some stupid, arrogant wolf take you away from me. There's just no way I'm going to let that happen…"
Nekura bowed her head and removed her hand, resting it against her side. She then looked up into her friend's sparkling amber orbs and spoke. "I'm coming with you…"
"W-what?" Kura was taken aback by this sudden remark.
"I'm coming with you," the elemental repeated. "There's no way I'm going to let you have all the glory of taking down that mangy wolf by yourself," she smirked. Kura returned the emotional gesture and then turned to Sango and Miroku.
"You guys coming too?" she asked.
The couple looked at each other, nodded their heads in unison and smiled.
"Sure. I wouldn't mind helping to take him down," Sango put in.
"Of course. Besides, we're the only ones that know about him and are capable of taking him down, right?" Miroku added. Everyone nodded in agreement and, in the blink of eye, Kilala transformed and they all hoped onto her back. Totosai and Myoga waved them off as they all flew off into the distance, prepared to face whatever destiny had in store for them…
Mysterious Mistress Kura: Sorry to end the chapter here but I figured that it would make a perfect opening for the next one. So stay tuned for the next chapter of I'll Always Be Your Little Girl! Luv ya all! Ja ne!