Yay new chapter. even though there are no reviews for the story yet. Oh well this site is more for me than for readers. no offence readers rock, but I just love to write if I don't write my mind explodes and I end up feeling like I just walked out of a Hatebreed mosh pit. (I have been in a few of them so I know the feeling first hand. Its not a fun feeling, but the pits usually are)

Anyway enjoy the new chapter. I have some additions for the others and a new story maybe about Kaoru and Kenshin being DRAGONS! YAY!

Bye For Now

-goes off to listen to The Velvet Underground-

Hiko watched Keswick closely. His old friend seemed tired. Granted it had been 20 years since Hiko's own departure from the realms, but he could still read his old comrade like an open book. The strain of the dying forest to the north must have been more of a struggle to live with than Hiko would have first guessed for the strong spirit-guide. The younger lord was thinner, but still powerful in his movements. His confidence had inflated it seemed. Hiko knew his friend was at the peak of his conditioning and he could only give hints as to why Kamiya would be in full training once more when he had retired over 300 years ago from formal military service.. Hiko watched Kamiya's arm with veiled amusement. It still cocked in a professional swordsmen's fashion as it always did. Hiko could still remember the times he had tried drawing the man's arm in leisurely conversation and he could still remember vividly how many times he had failed. The lord Kamiya was like running water, always shifting, always animated. Hiko suspected if the man died his corpse would cause quite the riot when it suddenly flung itself upon it's rotted feet to dance at it's own burial.

Turning from such ludicrous thoughts Hiko clapped his old friend on the shoulder.

"No worries Kes, I'll relay the story to them all. Your daughter can hear it again without complaint, I'm assuming" He fixed a pointed stare on Kaoru who sported an overly innocent face at the prodded insult to her character. Keswick gave Hiko a gratified smile

Misao was grinning acidly from her position besides her adoptive father as he took his seat on the large comfortable couch. Her long braid was wrapped between her fingers unconsciously at the prospect of a fight between old comrades she had only heard tales of when little.

Hiko stood in the center of the rapt audience. Mononoke was lounging on a window seat at the far end, the pups were at her legs. Yahiko was perched in his familiar position upon the wrought iron spiral staircase up to the library's second floor. His legs swung lazily beneath him. Clearing his throat, Hiko began his account of a shortened version of the Mukuro history.

"When the Kamiya clan came to power and was asked to protect the borders by the council some 200 years after the disappearance of humans from the Mukuro Forest altogether, they were only too happy to comply and still carry out that duty given today over a thousand years later. Kamiya had been and still is a name well known throughout all of the country and is also connected with dangerously tabooed magical rumors,"

'and most of them were facts' Hiko thought with a smug expression as old memories surfaced before his eyes like a sluggish movie reel.

"The pact of the Council had been made under blood and spell, but with no more human influence in the realms to consider, the gods and beasts on the council turned on one another, though the pact held enough to delay the inevitable over a thousand year reign of the Kamiyas it was obvious that it would take something much sturdier to control the warring gods of the magical realms.

The most antagonistic god on the Council that I can recall was Akoto the boar god. Mononoke here is beneath him by several hundred years being his inferior. Akoto had been head position on the Council alongside the wolf clan, the Bear clan, the Fox tribe the Jaguar tribe and my own clan the Raven Clan. I had been the delegate of the Raven clan, my national and spiritual clan family. Having become the successor to my father the last of the Great Raven Clan in the early centuries of the Council. I was and still am very old, older than almost all of the gods on the Council, but my astounding ego was not large enough to seize control with my strength and age, I simply was not interested in being head Councilman. So I endured as I had been taught and trained to endure, argument after argument of the more petty dealings the Council convened for. For almost ten centuries I along with the older rulers sat back and let the grievances of the younger lords take hold in the Council roots, with no more pressing matters to focus on it could be allowed for these idiotic dealings to be prominent. When I did finally snap unfortunate though it may have been, it had been just after the binding of the Council pact with the birth of the newest Kamiya daughter."

Hiko paused then to let them absorb this information. The Council was what ruled the Realms of magic not just the magic's source within the Forest itself.

"The Wolf Clan had been and still is the second strongest and respected clan after the Boars and claimed the birth with support backing from the Kamiya lord. Keswick had given his daughter Kaoru freely to the Council's plans knowing she would be strong enough to hold the weight of the forest's power that the Wolf Clan was responsible for and be able to rule as head Councilwoman when the time came. The Boar clan wasn't from the forest directly you see. Having stemmed originally from the Eastern Mountain range known as the Freychuu Mountains, which you can all see out of the study windows in the east wing. The Boars therefore had only been heading the Council with Akoto as head Councilman while the Wolf Clan and the Lady Mononoke controlled and patrolled the forest borders and surrounding territories. However the Wolf clan's power was not in numbers, but in individual spiritual strength, and it was mounting to unpreportional heights. Their challenge was open on Akoto's reign in the Council. Too keep the bloodshed lidded we all decided that the pact was to be renewed with the infant Kaoru's blood, body and soul."

Kaoru watched them all. Her observant eyes taking in everything around her. She watched their breathing patterns, listened for their heartbeats, watched their eyes and their faces for signs of distrust or what she knew would be there, disbelief. However, she was surprised to see a look of resignation and determination on each of the human's faces.

"Kaoru" Keswick whispered for his daughter and she padded silently to him. Sitting on his lap she curled like a feline and tucked her head beneath his chin. A rumbling of approval sounded in his chest.

"You wish to continue the story?" He murmured in her ear.

"Yes father." She slid from Keswick's lap suddenly appearing to the occupants of the room as a young girl shy in front of strangers.

"I told you my story was long and complicated. Uncle Hiko just gave you the basic outline. I guess I can fill in a few things and add my own accounts of it all." She watched them all her smile growing wider in confidence with each face presented to her. When her eyes landed on Kenshin they decided to stay there and she began her story.

"I was born 24 years ago next month. That is if I live that long. My life is a spiral of death and fighting, peace and prosperity, don't pity me for it. Misao and Yahiko know from personal experience that I'm very klutzy and am always attracting trouble. We've been in enough fights magical and non to know that it's always my fault" she chuckled to herself. Misao grinned from her seat on the couch.

"The fact is I'm just always in the wrong spot at the wrong time. My magical reserves are tied to the Council's pact. When Hiko said my blood, my body and my soul. He meant just that. I was born and bound in one breath. The decision had been made swiftly and consented only on the fact that I was born without a cry. 'My mother had cried for me' my father once told me. She had traded her strength for my infantile vulnerability. It was the point that led to me being the decision."

She watched Kenshin's face. She had to know what he was thinking. She didn't know why just that she did.

"When I was bonded, basically my humanity was ripped from me, my soul was cleaved in two, like a seed in spring, half was planted back within my heart to grow within me and the other half was buried in the Council Light, I'll explain that in a moment, circle tying me forever to the earth I will always serve. I became a god in the truest sense of the word. A wolf to be more exact. Though I still had my human form and will always have it, the Council decided to do for me what they did for Master when she turned 20...They gave me my wolf." Kaoru looked over at where Yahiko had switched positions from the staircase to the window ledge.

The boy was talking with Haru in low voices. Both had heard the history when they was very young in their lessons from both Keswick and Mononoke. Having stumbled across some archives in the library on their father's desk they had asked deeper into the situation and learned the truth of their odd sister's past. Yahiko knew Kaoru's importance and stood by her through all the trials they faced. She could only love him more for it.

"My childhood wasn't something to be thought of as a normal childhood. While you were all probably playing at your fathers feet or in the yard with your mother and siblings, I was hunting deer and running across cliffs. Master had me training my spirit and my magic temperance while father had me honing my control to a razor edge through the sword. I was constantly moving, I don't need to sleep as much as humans and I was always alert. When Misao came I was so happy, I finally had someone other than the triplets to connect with. We all thought she was human back then, and the two of us under Ayumi's close motherly watch, would play together in the forest. I can still remember once when Misao and me fell in Okina and were dragged all the way north before Okina caught up with us in his bed." Misao snorted from behind Kaoru.

"Haha, oh yeah I remember that. Mother was so angry with us, we were gone all day instead of just the hour we said we would be gone for." Misao giggled running her hand over a kunai between her fingers absently.

"Yes well as we both grew Misao's power awoke and we began fighting each other. I had never had a partner in spar before besides father or master so it took Misao a little while to level up to my spot. When she did finally best me in spar she was allowed to accompany me and master on hunts on the forest's border. It was the same for Yahiko and he even has a seat open on the Council for the Fox tribe when he is ready to accept that. He is apart of the Fox tribe as much as he is apart of the Wolf clan." Kaoru glared at the young man. He in turn stuck out his tongue at her and turned back to Haru a gruff tone coloring his hushed voice.

"When I turned 20, the Council convened once more around me as the focal point. I didn't know what was happening, but Master assured me it was nothing to worry about. At first I thought I had erred in some way that I was no longer worthy of the pact's bond. Then I lost consciousness. All I can remember hearing is Master telling me not to worry and to strip off my clothes. I thought she was mad at the time, but being her student and daughter I complied quickly. When I woke, the world was a mute spectrum of greys and blues. I couldn't understand what's more I couldn't stand on my feet! When I looked down I nearly fainted again. I was a wolf. My size had doubled in height and weight and each paw had long raking claws at the ends of each of my toes. I could see my fur as a hazy shimmering grey color, but everything was muted then as if I was a newborn again in the world. My ears were back apparently because I heard a strange sound, a laugh I assumed from somewhere in front of me and I remember flickering them forward unknowingly. Master still teases me about my behavior." Kaoru looked over at the Mononoke who was smiling with a sly light in her eyes at her.

"I spent one full year in my wolf form. Misao and Yahiko accompanied us on hunts, but I was forbidden to change back. I didn't know how to change back even if I had wanted to!. It was fine though, I got the hang of it easily enough and have been doing it ever since. I can change in a matter of seconds now a days like you all saw today. The problem with my wolf form is when I am not in it, my magical reserves and energy stores build up to breaking points. When that happens I overload and usually means that I need to run. Not jogging or running in my human form like you would think. My wolf needs to be let out of it's binding. That's why I changed today, I was hoping to wait until we reached the estate to run, but it didn't work out that way."

Kenshin watched Kaoru with respect shining in his eyes. Her control, her morals everything about her was so rigidly controlled. He had never seen such power in one person before, except his master of course and even now it was debatable who was stronger. He would have to see them spar one day, now that would be a site to behold.

"I think I've talked enough for today, I need to tend to the herds. Misao can you show them to their rooms? Master, father and Uncle wish to speak alone." Kaoru gave her orders and stood. Bowing to the group she left the large three floor library's sitting area. Her short cropped hair ruffling softly at the back of her head as she disappeared in a wisp of air. They all watched her depart.

Misao stood and stretched. She was dead tired and was really wishing for a swim in her bathtub and some sleep. 'First things first though' she thought wryly. Looking over at the group Misao crooked a finger at them silently as she observed Hiko standing beside her father, the two were speaking closely together and low enough to go unheard by all occupants around them.

"I will show you to your rooms. You can stay in the southern wing. It gets the nicest breezes in summer. You have free reign of the house while you're here. Servants are everywhere just snag one for directions. The kitchen, observatory and glass atrium are off limits. The Atrium is mine and only I say who goes there." She smiled at their expressions.

"Oi squirt, you get your own hand maiden too?" Sano teased

"I don't think that concerns you rooster-head, but yes as a matter of fact I do have a hand maid. Her name is Kayu and she's very pleasant. I've known her for years. Her father is the head gardener. His name is Gensai." She smirked at his face and turned to continue through the house.

Servants bowed and scurried all over the place, the house was alive with movement and sound. It was comfortable and seemed very well lived in. No new things caught the group's attention, nothing too shiny or gaudy, very homey and very ancient. Paintings lined the soft cream colored walls, statues and all sorts of interesting things lined according to interest it seemed, on thin tables or pedestals. The doors to rooms that branched off the hall they were in were a rich mahogany of red and were all carved with different depictions. The winged horses they had passed were prominent in most of the carvings. It seemed the herd was an important animal to the Kamiya clan. That, or a symbol of the family. Kenshin couldn't decide which as he stared at his own chamber door moments after Misao pointed them in the right direction. Taking in a calming breath Kenshin turned the lock and opened the door of his new room.

The first thing Kenshin realized was that the room was utterly masculine. The curtains were floor length and a deep rich navy blue, covering gigantic bay windows that overlooked the fields of the Kamiya estate. He let out his breath he hadn't realized he was holding and dropped his saddlebags to the bed which was also in a rich navy color. The silk sheets and large downy pillows looked very inviting at the moment. Kenshin observed the room as he undid his knee length boots and was pleased to see that the navy did not really go beyond the bed and curtains. It was just enough to be dark in early morning and welcoming for the rest of the day. The walls were a smooth satin finish paint of a light airy off white color and the ceiling was vaulted with beautiful carved moldings. The door frames were even carved. Someone put a lot of work into this house he realized. With a content sigh not like him usually, Kenshin found himself beneath the large quilts of the bed and asleep before he could blink again at the absurdity of it all. Kenshin was not one to sleep so lightly.

Misao led Saitou and Tokio to their room at the far end of the hall. With a smile and a bow Tokio thanked the younger woman for her help and dragged her glaring husband inside the room. Misao could hear them arguing through the door and chuckled to herself as she turned tot he remaining of the group.

"I have two more bedrooms available. The other rooms have not been aired out.

"It's alright Misao, The fox and I usually share a room." Sano smirked and then squawked when Megumi slugged him in the stomach.

"Don't be gross rooster. Thank you Misao for your help." Megumi smiled and bowed. Misao burst out laughing causing the last three of the group to look at her in surprise.

"He really does look like a rooster when you really think about it." She laughed as she opened the door for Megumi and Sano's room.

Aoshi watched the petite woman as she helped the two bickering friends of his into their room. She was so odd and yet he had found he could not remove his eyes from her since the moment that Kaoru had introduced Misao to their group. He was usually so quiet and secluded from the outside world. His meditation keeping past demons asleep in his mind and awakening the skills he needed to protect those he cared for. Now when he watched as Misao talked a hundred miles an hour and never stopped moving he realized that he didn't really have that much to protect. 'Maybe that will change' he mused in his mind, taking care to keep his face blank and his eyes rigid. Misao turned to him however and he felt his legendary mask fracture. His eyes warmed and he could practically feel them thawing at the sound of her shrill laughter.

"Aoshi sir? Your room is the last on the right. I hope you enjoy your stay in our home."She smiled at him and bowed before slipping past him and down the hall. Aoshi turned and watched her disappear before going to his room for the night. Oh boy did he need to meditate this one down.

Misao grinned wickedly as she climbed the stairs to her rooms easily. Her mind could not shake the face of that man. 'Aoshi Shinomori' Misao thought to herself. 'Mrs. Aoshi Shinomori'

"Oh I like that" She murmured to herself as she flopped on the large overstuffed couch near her favorite glass bookcases.

For such a destructive hyperactive being Misao lived in a world of glass and fragility. Her atrium room was the observatory of the house she lived in the large glass room. Even the floor was made of glass. Misao had thrown down a fluffy area rug beside her bed and dressers and closet so her feet weren't cold in the mornings, but other than that the floor was completely transparent. Misao loved it. She could watch everything from this position in the house and she liked knowing about everything. She was possessive and protective of her family and loved ones and she wouldn't change herself a bit.

"Well maybe I can change my 'lifestyle' a bit...maybe."

"You talking to yourself again love?" Kaoru's voice caught Misao off guard as she lounged on the couch and the smaller woman turned to see the wolf girl sitting atop Misao's loved writing desk absently examining her finger nails.

"Yes as a matter of fact I was talking to myself." Misao felt irritated that Kaoru could always catch her off guard. On top of this new feeling for the Shinomori character she wasn't in the mood for her older sister's games.

Kaoru knew exactly what was wrong with Misao having felt the same feelings and thoughts about a certain red head in the last day.

"Strange that the first strangers from the outside we meet we could potentially fall in love with isn't it Mii-love." Kaoru said conversationally not missing the blanched face her younger sister showed her.

"Wha-what did you say?"

"I don't think I need to repeat myself on something so delicate as this Misao." Kaoru's gaze hardened and the younger demoness cowed before the other and sat up on the couch.

"It's Kenshin isn't it? I could feel his aura it screamed for yours." Misao chuckled as she let her long braid out of it's restraints.

Kaoru watched as Misao readied herself for a bath. The observatory room had been their father's idea when Misao was little and wouldn't stop climbing the trees. He had feared for her life (not knowing of her true heritage) and had procured deeds for a glass observatory so Misao could be safe and still get the sense of unproportionate heights. Kaoru and Yahiko had been confused as to how a glass observatory being Misao's bedroom could keep her safe, the girl was more hyper than crows on battlefield.

Kaoru walked the few steps up to the dias where Misao's large feather bed was resting in it's own nook. The room was really very round but a smaller platform had been raised to act as a sort of separate room than from the large telescope that occupied the study area. The telescope being twice the height of the dome and wider than Kaoru and Misao standing beside each other with their arms stretched out. The two had spent countless hours in this room. It was where they planned days of combat, local and foreign wars were watched and the forest's center was tapped into from this room. Kaoru often came to meditate after a long day of battle or scouting because her mind was most clear here in Misao's room. The two girls were connected more than just adopted sisters and pack members. They shared a deep knowledge of one another and knew each other better than they often knew themselves.

"Misao do you think it is real though? This feeling or has it been to long since we were in contact with males other than father and yahiko." Kaoru spoke up from her seated position on the bed. She had been focused on the grazing horses outside and had just begun to think of the situation once more.

Misao answered from the behind the bathroom door.

"Kaoru I hope to god it is. We need some excitement other than killing things."

Kaoru giggled and let herself fall back against the sheets. She needed a reassurance and Misao's sarcastic humor was the perfect harmony.

"Well I cant agree more. I hope father doesn't wear them out too much tomorrow. Training with him is like pulling teeth from your own head."

"Definitely true"

"Hm, I wonder what is going to happen now Misao. I do hope we survive this time. For the first time ni a long time I wish to live through a fight with Enishi." Kaoru bit her lower lip turning her head to watch the fading sunlight. Her eyes gleamed in deep thought and she didn't hear Misao soft proclamation from behind the door.

"Me too Kaoru me too."