A/N: Surprise! Sorry it's been so long, but real life does take priority sometimes. My muse was jumping up and down for some attention, however, so I decided to indulge her. Okay folks, this chapter begins with the reunion which seems to have sparked a certain amount of anticpation in a few readers. ;p I hope it suits, considering the number of re-writes it underwent, lol. My sincere thanks to Mangusrae for helping me to see the forest rather than the trees. :)
Very short Irish lesson: mo chú deas bán (mo khoo jas bawn) means, 'my fine, white hound'.
Disclaimer: The characters of the anime InuYasha are the property of Takahashi Rumiko/Shogakukan and Yomiuri TV Sunrise 2000. I do lay claim, however, to Aine and Lon. And, Kakusamaru.
Chapter Thirteen: A Tactical Advantage
Aine had no doubt that it had been the uniquely Dé Danann power signature of Lon's wards which had attracted the dog demon. And, judging from the speed at which Sesshoumaru's powerful life-force was moving toward that of the púca, she also knew that her old friend would be meeting the taiyokai on his own. That was a scenario which the healer had not anticipated.
She continued to run.
Of course, Aine reassured herself, Londubh had been well informed about Sesshoumaru. And, although her blackbird might be lacking somewhat in diplomatic skills, he was hardly naïve – even if he had not been primed, he would surely realise that her anamchara was not one to bait. After all, Lon's survival instincts were as sharp as those of the animals whose forms he took.
Still, he was a púca.
Just as this thought crossed her mind, she sensed the surge of a very familiar demonic aura – and the aggression behind it. Ah no, mo chú deas bán... she thought, there's surely no need for that. The healer called forth her own aura of power to alert Sesshoumaru of her approach and, much to her relief, she felt his yoki subsiding as quickly as it had risen.
And then, she could see them – her soul-friend and her oldest friend were just ahead, within a glade surrounded by young trees. Sesshoumaru was standing only a few metres away from a very serious-looking Lon... but, his gaze was turned toward her. A warm shiver of anticipation coursed through her.
Well met, mo anamchara... she thought, as she looked into that calm, topaz stare.
Aine's eyes flickered briefly toward Lon. Seeing his rather relieved expression as he caught her eye, she was grateful that she had arrived when she did. Later, she thought, she could ask him what had caused Sesshoumaru's power to flare with ire. For now, however...
For now, her soul-friend demanded her attention. And, already, she could feel the magic of the empathic bond coming to life within her.
She allowed her Dé Danann aura to subside as she continued toward the elegant dog demon, her pace having slowed to a more dignified walk. After all, she thought fondly, one should approach such a dignified personage with appropriate decorum. However, Aine's inherent sense of propriety could not entirely subdue the light spring in her step... or the genuine delight in her smile.
Lon's posture relaxed slightly once he realised that Sesshoumaru was ignoring him, the dog demon's attention having shifted to Aine. Which, the shape-shifter then concluded, was as it should be if this yokai lord was indeed the healer's anamchara.
And, he thought wryly, his own gaze now upon the lady, I'd be after questioning his lordship's sanity if he'd rather confront me than watch you, mo cailín deas.
Londubh felt a warm rush of pride as he watched Aine. The rising sun was evaporating the morning dew, and mist hovered between the trees – as she moved toward them through that soft, translucent veil, her bright hair unbound and falling in gleaming ripples to below her waist, Aine looked, as far as the púca was concerned, every inch a woman of the Tuatha Dé Danann.
He then cast a surreptitious glance toward the taiyokai, wishing to gauge his reaction on seeing his 'soul-friend'. Even though Aine had reassured him that Sesshoumaru had acknowledged and accepted the connection the two shared, the shape-shifter wanted to see for himself just how this enigmatic being would react at this moment.
He soon realised that he was in for a challenge. Eadoin was right – this 'Lord of the Western Lands' gives little away, he thought, as he discreetly observed the dog demon's impassive face. Nobility through and through, aren't you? Cooler even than those elves. Nevertheless... Ah, and there it is.
His sharp gaze had caught a fleeting glimmer of emotion in those yellow eyes. Giving a barely perceptible nod of approval, Lon prepared to quietly and unobtrusively witness this meeting which had been the purpose behind his long journey.
Mere hours ago, thought Sesshoumaru, he had speculated on how the Dé Danann healer's skills could be an asset. And now... here she was.
Remarkable. How very... opportune.
Naturally, he was curious – given the distance of her homeland, he hadn't expected her to return so soon. However, as the taiyokai watched the lady's tall, lithe form moving gracefully toward him, curiosity soon gave way to a strong feeling of satisfaction. He quickly decided that the reason for her presence could be addressed later.
The dog demon had never been one to rely on 'luck' to meet his objectives. As far as he was concerned, the defeat of one's enemies was achieved through a coordinated use of power, skill and strategy. However, that was not to say that he would scorn good fortune when it was handed to him – and, Sesshoumaru considered the healer's arrival very good fortune indeed. If his current suspicions about Rin were correct, he had just been provided with a significant tactical advantage.
Sesshoumaru felt a sudden, faint stirring within his jaki and recognised it instantly. So, he observed, the dormant 'soul-bond' awakens. And, it seemed that the magic's soft pulsing was increasing in intensity as the lady drew nearer.
Intriguing...
At that moment, his peripheral vision caught the subtle scrutiny of the one who had introduced himself as, 'Londubh'. Hnh. Studying me, are you, little man? Sesshoumaru inwardly shrugged. As long as the stranger was content to remain on the sidelines, the dog demon would ignore him for the time being. It was the Dé Danann who had just now halted to stand before him who truly merited his attention.
'May peace be upon you, Lord Sesshoumaru,' she said. She bowed formally, her posture conveying the respect of one contemporary to another, and the taiyokai raised one elegant eyebrow slightly as he noticed this. Then, her face alight with a very familiar, gentle smile, she stepped even closer and, holding out her hands to him, she added softly: 'You are, indeed, a glad sight to these eyes of mine, mo anamchara.' The inflections and tone of that softly-accented voice, and the warm regard he saw within those green eyes, left no doubt in Sesshoumaru's mind of her sincerity.
'Lady Aine.'
There was little change in the aristocratic demon's mien as he spoke, although he inclined his head in acknowledgement of her greeting, glancing down at the her outstretched hands as he did so. From anyone else, he would have dismissed such an overture as unimportant. However, his instincts were urging him to act otherwise, just as they had when this uncommon woman had last offered to him this 'gesture of goodwill'. Therefore, as his golden eyes again focussed upon her frank gaze, he lifted his hand and permitted her to clasp it between her own.
Then, just as the dog demon had expected, the anamchara bond opened. Tendrils of magical energy swirled toward him through the link, their feather-light caress imparting to him the soothing warmth resonating from the healer's soul. His eyes narrowed in contemplation, and he felt a sudden urge to respond to the magic's pull... to widen the empathic connection, as he had the first time he had experienced its touch. Instead, however, Sesshoumaru consciously kept his yoki from flowing into the bond, for he knew that he could not indulge his instincts further. Not now, he thought. Not while Naraku schemes...
A gentle pressure against his hand pulled him from his musings. He saw that Aine's long fingers had wrapped more securely about his own, and that she was watching him with obvious concern. The pattern of her emotions... has shifted, he realised. A slight furrow appeared on his brow as he realised that, until now, he had given little thought to the dual nature of the anamchara bond.
Hnh. I see, he thought. So... How much have you perceived, lady healer?
Aine's answer to that question would have been: far more than ever expected.
The gladness she had felt on sighting the taiyokai, along with the awakening of the soul-bond within her, had quickly put paid to any thought she might have had of limiting her greeting to an appropriate bow, and she had found herself reaching for Sesshoumaru's hand as readily as if he were one of her countrymen. However, as the empathic connection between their spirits had opened, not only had she felt the warm touch of its unique magic, but she had known immediately that all was not well with her anamchara.
She had sensed the fleeting push of his demonic aura toward the soul-bond... and its subsequent and abrupt suppression. Understanding that Sesshoumaru wished to avoid augmenting the link, she also refrained from doing so, concentrating instead on what it was already passively revealing to her. She could sense his curiosity and how, in his own stoic way, he welcomed her presence (she knew, at least, that she was not unwelcome). However, also emanating from the dog demon was a great... tension.
No, she quickly realised... 'Tis much more than that. Roiling and seething beneath the mantle of determination and ambition that was so quintessentially Sesshoumaru was frustration... and a fierce anger. This, she knew, could not have resulted from any púca-induced irritation. The emotions were distant, held in check as they were by the taiyokai's natural reticence, but Aine could still feel them, and... something more.
You've buried it deep, mo chú... but, 'tis there. You are... worried.
Aine was resolved. If it was somehow in her power to soothe – to heal – this trouble that had touched her soul-friend's spirit, she would do so. She pressed his hand once more before releasing it. 'What has happened, a stór?' she asked.
Sesshoumaru was silent as he withdrew his hand. He turned his gaze toward the rising sun. Already, the dog demon noted, the day was much warmer.
'Come with me,' he said.
'I see. So, the shrine was built as a memorial?'
The question had been posed by Miroku, who was walking beside Takeo along the sun-dappled, woodland path leading to the upper end of the valley. As he had promised the night before, the headman was taking the young monk and his companions to the shrine he and his family tended. Sango, now dressed in the armour of her profession, strolled just behind them with a cat-sized Kirara at her heels, while Kagome and a grim-looking InuYasha took up the rear. All were listening intently as the old man expanded upon the tale they had heard from Kenji two days ago.
Takeo had just confirmed that he was indeed a descendant of the steward who had served the valley's last daimyo, a man named Daisuke. This same servant had also overseen the construction of the shrine. 'Yes, Master Monk,' the headman answered. 'Though, Lord Ryunosuke also hoped that the shrine might give his people some protection. He was the last of the Mizumimoto family, and he deeply regretted leaving the valley without an overlord's protection. All he could do was put them in the care of the gods.'
'But, surely there were samurai in his service?' asked Sango.
Takeo nodded, understanding the demon-slayer's meaning: that it was not unheard of for a daimyo to bestow land holdings to a faithful samurai. 'Few of the young lord's men survived the demon's attack,' he explained. 'And then, the mansion and the richer lands about the lake were lost to the creature's ghost.' He gestured behind them toward the humble farming village. 'There was little left to tempt an ambitious samurai to remain.'
'During breakfast, you said there are written records at the shrine,' said Miroku. 'Were they left by your ancestor?'
'Yes,' replied the headman. 'Daisuke was an educated man, and he made certain his sons were also literate. It's a skill our family has never lost,' he added, a note of pride in his voice. He then explained how most of the papers were documents explaining the daimyo's final wishes, including the building of the shrine and the parcelling of land to the families forced from the lakeshore. 'But,' he said, 'what you'll want to see is Daisuke's account of his master's final days, and of the demon's attack... though says little about the daimyo's betrothed – only that the lady's name was Yugao and that she was gentle of heart.' The elderly man then exhaled softly. 'The young lord... was devoted to her.'
Miroku remembered Kenji's brief narration. 'Yet, didn't the demon attack her first?' he asked. 'Does no one know why?'
'No,' answered Takeo. 'Daisuke's account only says that Lord Ryunosuke attacked the yokai because it had killed the woman he loved... on the very eve of their wedding. It did mention that the lady's body was found in the lake, and that, at first, she was thought to have drowned. But, the young lord soon discovered the truth.'
'What happened?' asked Miroku.
The old man stared ahead, his expression grim. 'Apparently, the demon sought him out and boasted of its deed.' Takeo then went on to tell of how the daimyo had struck down his enemy with a spear, but not before many had died and Lord Ryuosuke had himself received a mortal wound.
Kagome kept silent as she listened to the tragic tale. It's hard to believe that there's been so much sadness here, she thought as she looked about her. This is such a lovely place. The path they were following appeared so ordinary and peaceful. Birdsong trilled from the still misty forest and the air was filled with the scents of summer. However, despite the beauty of the early morning, the teenage girl felt a shiver of trepidation – Kagome had not forgotten that at the end of the road, beyond the shrine that was their goal, lay the desolate Lake of Tears and the lethal spectre that ruled its shores.
Suddenly, Kagome found that she missed Shippo's company. The little fox demon was so chipper – his presence always seemed to lighten any situation. However, the kitsune had elected to remain behind with Kanaye. Just as he had with Kenji and Jiro, young Shippo was showing a certain amount of protectiveness toward the injured boy. Though Kanaye had looked much better that morning, he had still been very subdued and had noticeably tensed at every noise coming from outside the house. Thus, an apologetic Shippo had whispered to Kagome that he thought he should stay at the headman's house. The fox demon had beamed with pride when she had praised him for his big heart.
As Kagome recalled this conversation, she was suddenly reminded of Shippo's and InuYasha's reaction to a minor change in their plans that morning. Takeo's son had originally planned to accompany them to the shrine but, at the last minute, he had been called away. She had not heard Akio's rapid, hushed conversation with the neighbour who had come to fetch him but, from the look the sharp-eared kitsune and hanyo had exchanged, she had been certain that they had – and, that both had been trying very hard not to smile. She sighed inwardly. I suppose we'll find out what happened later.
With this thought, she glanced sideways at InuYasha. The half-demon's ears were pricked forward, his attention on Takeo. His decision to also visit the shrine had initially surprised Kagome, for she had expected him to insist that they go on ahead to the region beyond the lake. Certainly, the scowl on his face made it obvious that his impatience to track the serpent demons had not lessened.
Yet, InuYasha had changed his mind – and Kagome suspected that she knew why. During breakfast, she had noticed him covertly watching Old Taro. Izumi and Aine had managed to persuade the elderly man to remain abed, and he had fallen asleep again by the time Aine and Lon had left. However, while awake, he had continued to smile at the hanyo, and mutter 'child of the moon' softly and contentedly to himself. At first, Kagome had thought that InuYasha had only been irritated by the old man's interest in him. But, when she had seen his gaze move repeatedly from the madman to monk, she had come to another conclusion.
I think InuYasha is worried that Miroku could end up like Taro...
Seeing that her half-demon friend had noticed she was watching him, and was now looking at her questioningly, Kagome smiled at him – and earned in return a confused look, a blush and a shrug... in that order.
InuYasha felt his face turning very warm on seeing Kagome's smile. The look in her eyes was, he realised, admiring – though, the half-demon had absolutely no idea what he had done to merit such approval. Deciding he was better off not knowing for now, he abruptly returned his focus to Takeo's narrative.
Kagome assumptions had been correct. Seeing Taro's mental state had done nothing to reassure InuYasha about the risks Miroku would be taking if he tried to exorcise the wraith that haunted the lake by night. And, having seen the interested glint in the monk's eye the previous evening, the hanyo had no doubt that he would try to do exactly that. Therefore, though he was definitely chafing at his self-imposed delay, InuYasha had decided that he should also hear what the old headman had to say. But, he promised himself, as soon as they had seen whatever there was to see at the shrine, he would be hunting Naraku's snakes.
The group had not gone much farther before they saw evidence that the rustic track they were following had, indeed, seen more opulent days. Here and there, remnants of low walls clung to the road's edge and its surface had become more level and wider. Then, they came to an arched bridge spanning a deep gully. Though its stones were covered with lichen and moss, the master craftsmanship that had gone into the bridge's construction was still apparent. And, just beyond it, they could see a small, wooden building nestled between two ancient pines.
Takeo halted and, turning to face them, he bowed.
'Welcome,' said the headman, 'to the Mizumimoto Shrine.'
The interior of the shrine was scrupulously clean, single room. It was quite bare except for a long, wooden altar set on a raised platform against the wall opposite the entrance. The travelling companions stood politely at the doorway as Takeo silently crossed the room and knelt in front of the altar, Then, bowing his head, the old man began to whisper softly.
As he waited for the headman to finish his prayer, Mirkou's eyes were drawn to an embroidered banner hanging behind the altar. It was beautifully sewn depiction of a mansion beside a lake surrounded by mountains. Obviously, the young monk thought, a picture of the Lake of Tears. What had caught his attention in particular, however, was the finely-stitched image that seemed to float above the lakeshore – that of a smiling man with several foxes sitting at his feet.
That is Inari, observed Miroku. He was instantly curious, for it was unusual to see such a small, simple shrine dedicated to so major a deity as the god of fertility and rice. As well, the permanent-looking altar was more akin to that found in a temple, although it lacked a statue of the Buddha. Of course, this community is remote, the monk realised. No doubt, they've developed their own tradition of worship over the years. His gaze returned to the foxes on the wall hanging, and a slight smile crossed his handsome face. Inari's messengers, he thought. Shippo would feel at home here.
Miroku's expression again became serious as his thoughts turned back to the yokai which had caused this valley's troubles in the first place. So far, he had only heard Takeo call it 'the demon' – the old man had not said what kind. The records kept here must say, Miroku concluded. It was slain by a spear... yet, its spirit was powerful enough to remain. That has to be somehow connected to what it was in life... which could be key to its exorcism.
His thoughts were interrupted as the headman stood and beckoned them into the building. Miroku stepped forward... and froze.
Sango narrowly avoided running into the suddenly rigid man. 'Miroku?' she asked, as she looked at him with puzzlement – whatever he had detected was eluding her. Then, a soft mew at her feet drew her attention to Kirara. The little yokai had halted in the entrance, her wide, garnet eyes fixed on the altar. However, the demon-slayer noticed, the feline didn't seem agitated – if anything, her posture suggested that she was curious.
'I... can feel something,' said Kagome, her voice hushed. 'Is it... a yoki?' The girl had stepped through the doorway and was staring about the room. Her spiritual powers had reacted to an aura, but she wasn't completely certain that it was demonic in nature. It's so faint... she thought. Maybe the altar is shielding it?
Kagome's musings were swiftly interrupted as a clawed hand took hold of her arm and pulled her back. Her mention of the word 'yoki' was enough to cause InuYasha to push past her, thrusting her behind him as he did so. The hanyo's other hand was on the hilt of his sword as he stood defensively in front of the girl, all of his senses straining to detect whatever Kagome and Miroku had noticed. Then, he shot a fierce glare at a now obviously alarmed Takeo.
'Okay, old man,' snarled InuYasha. 'What's inside that altar?'
Inari, protect your servant...
Takeo felt ill with fear as he faced the suddenly aggressive hanyo. Was this why these strangers had come to the valley? Was their true purpose to rob their poor shrine? The panicked thoughts ran fast and furious through the old man's mind.
Then, the monk stepped forward, his right arm stretched out to halt the half-demon's advance. 'Wait! InuYasha, I'm sure there's nothing dark here. Yet,' Miroku added as he looked at Takeo, 'the altar does hold some sort of power, doesn't it, Master Takeo? I can sense it.'
'Power?' gasped Takeo, shock apparent on his face. But, his thoughts were racing. He can't be speaking of...?
'Miroku's right, InuYasha,' Kagome said then. The girl had quickly put a reassuring hand on her friend's arm – she was truly afraid that the elderly Takeo might have a heart attack, he looked so pale. 'Whatever is here... doesn't feel evil.'
The expression in Miroku's dark violet eyes became one of contrition as he, too, realised the extent of the headman's alarm. 'I apologise, Master Takeo,' he said. 'It's just that we were taken by surprise, and InuYasha is very protective of Kagome,' he added, ignoring the sudden flush of red his last comment brought to the half-demon's face. 'Please believe me... He won't hurt you.'
'You were taken by surprise...?' muttered the old man, whose body now sagged with relief at the sight of the dog-eared youth standing down. When Takeo wearily lowered himself to sit on the floor, Miroku moved swiftly to his side. However, the monk halted as the man waved a hand at him dismissively.
'No, no, young man,' said the headman, some of the colour returning to his face. 'I'll be all right – I just need a moment.' He looked over his shoulder at the altar and sighed. He had originally had no intention of disclosing its contents to these strangers – despite his willingness to accept their assistance, Takeo had not planned to tell acquaintances of only one day about the last treasure of the Mizumimoto Clan. Unfortunately, he thought, he had never dreamed that it would inadvertently reveal itself and take matters out of his hands.
Takeo took a deep breath. 'Your comments about sensing power were... startling,' he said. 'You see, that altar is the resting place for the spear Lord Ryunosuke used to kill the yokai. The stories said that it was sturdy enough to pierce a demon's hide, but there's never been mention of it holding any sort of magic.'
'Why is it hidden?' asked Kagome.
'Huh!' huffed InuYasha, causing the headman to start slightly. 'That's easy enough to answer. I'll bet that the soldiers that were here in the spring weren't the first to raid this valley.'
'You would win your bet, Master InuYasha,' said Takeo, still eyeing the half-demon warily. 'The spear would tempt any thief. It was a dowery gift to Lord Ryuosuke's grandsire from his bride's clan. To the families of this valley... it represents what we once were – what we once had. Even during these hard times, we would never consider selling it.' He smiled ruefully. 'Not even Hidenori would dare suggest such a thing. Besides, the price of a spear, even a finely made one, would never feed an entire village. And, once gone, it could never be replaced.'
Kagome nodded in understanding, remembering how much her grandfather esteemed the relics stored at the Higurashi shrine, and how often he had told both her and her brother, Sota, that they must treasure their history. The spear of Ryunosuke would, she realised, be very precious to the isolated community.
Miroku then bowed politely to the village headman. 'Master Takeo,' he said. 'Please. With your permission, could we see this spear?' Then, he smiled kindly at the older man. 'If I'm to understand what holds the wraith to the lake, then I'd welcome the chance to examine the weapon that killed it.'
Takeo gave the young monk a considering look – then, believing that he was hardly in a position to refuse, he nodded and stood. Reaching beneath the altar, the headman pressed against a concealed lever and then gestured to Miroku to assist him in lifting the table top. After the single, polished plank had been placed on the floor, the headman reached into the altar and took out the spear.
It was a magari yari – a 'cross-shaped spear' – which had obviously been crafted by a master. The shaft was made of hardwood and inlaid with lacquered strips of bamboo in a simple yet elegant pattern; where the shaft joined the spearhead, a cloth bag, such as that which might contain a sacred charm, was tied . It was the spearhead itself, however, which caught everyone's attention. Longer than a man's forearm, it was double edged and ended in lethal-looking point; from its base a pair of shorter, forward-curving blades protruded. And, it was made of...
'Bone...' murmured Miroku. Demon bone. There was no question in the monk's mind. The colour and texture were identical to Sango's hiraikotsu. But unlike the massive boomerang, the spearhead was exuding an aura of power and, now that it was no longer suppressed by the altar, Miroku was convinced it was a yoki. Although, there is something different about it, he thought. Knowing that Sango would have the most expertise when it came to such a weapon, he turned to her, only to see that she was staring at the magari yari with an expression of shock. 'Sango... What's wrong?' he asked.
The demon-slayer pointed at the weapon's central blade, and Miroku then saw that there were kanji engraved on its base. 'I recognise that mark,' the young woman said. 'This spear was forged in my village.'
Kakusamaru watched as the half-demon and his travelling companions disappeared into the small shrine. Well now, he thought. Isn't that an interesting development? A perplexed frown crossed his face for an instant, then the blue-skinned yokai slipped deeper among the trees, letting his body become translucent within their dappled shade.
He looked sideways at the saimyosho hovering near his shoulder. 'Well?' he murmured, in the lowest of whispers. 'What are you waiting for? I've told you all that happened last night, and you saw as much as I did just now. Go tell Naraku.' To his relief, the demon wasp promptly flew away. Loathsome creature... he thought.
Kakusamaru knew that there was no point in trying to spy out what was happening inside the shrine. What information he might glean would not be worth the risk of detection. And, his life would certainly be forfeit if he revealed his presence to anyone without Naraku's consent. Therefore, until he was ordered otherwise, he would leave these newcomers alone.
In fact, Kakusamaru rather hoped that he would not be required to interact with the half-breed, who looked as if he could be... troublesome. As far as Naraku's latest incarnation was concerned, he already had his hands full. Indeed... in more ways than one, he mused, as he regarded the small mirror in his palm.
He bared his teeth in a brief, silent snarl as he remembered his meeting with Sesshoumaru only a few hours before. The inu yokai's strike had come far, far too close for Kakusamaru's comfort and, after escaping into the shadows, he had been quick to put considerable distance between himself and the furious, powerful demon. When he had finally stopped within sight of the paltry-looking little shrine, he had found (much to his consternation) that his hands had been trembling. Fortunately, they had stilled before the saimyosho had appeared – it would have been to his detriment, he knew, if one of Naraku's 'eyes' had witnessed such a moment of weakness.
Kakusamaru had since decided that survival instincts were a wonderful asset. Thank you, 'master', he thought with a sardonic smirk, for having the foresight to include them in my manufacture. He would be much more cautious of his dangerous target in the future. Still, he had accomplished his task – he had delivered his message. Now, it remained to be seen how quickly Sesshoumaru would respond to the bait.
Turning his back on the shrine and its occupants, the svelte yokai sped silently through the woods toward the Lake of Tears. His passage was swift and within moments he had reached the pebbled shoreline. Then, keeping to the shelter of the woodland edging the lake, and looking cautiously about him, he made his way to the ruins and his meeting with Lady Taka.
Kakusamaru felt horribly exposed in the light of day. He missed the exhilarating speed the night's darkness granted him, as well as its comforting mantle of invisibility. Unfortunately, he thought, with an irritated frown, when it comes to the mistress of the lake, the darkness is not an asset. He had no choice but to meet with the wraith now, when her tie to the mortal plane was at its most tenuous.
Glancing once more around him, he stepped into the open and walked through the main gate of the derelict mansion. The sleeves of his black kimono billowed in the warm morning breeze as he strode purposefully across the overgrown courtyard to the entrance of what had once been the main hall. Then, standing at the threshold of the open doorway, Naraku's messenger bowed deeply.
'Will you receive me, my lady?' he asked softly. His dark, red-tinged eyes glinted with curiosity as a transparent, silvery image flickered into view within the room before him. Even to his exceptional night-vision, the ghost's daytime form was barely perceptible. Nevertheless, Kakusamaru had already been able to concluded two things about Taka: she had been considered beautiful in life... and she was still well aware of that fact.
'So... Naraku's spy of the shadows has returned,' said the shade. 'Do you have news for me, pretty one?'
The voice was low, almost sultry in quality – Kakusamaru quite liked the sound of it. However, he placed no value on her compliments; he knew that Lady Taka saw him as utterly dispensable and he trusted her no more than he did Naraku. He slowly straightened. 'I bring the best of news,' he said, smirking slightly. 'Not only has Lord Sesshoumaru received your invitation to meet, but he arrived in the valley as of this morning.'
'You are certain of this?' The voice again echoing from the dark room sounded eager.
The slim, white-haired demon permitted himself a satisfied smile. 'Definitely. My source is infallible.'
'Then, the time is near. You are an able spy, Kakusamaru.'
Kakusamaru shrugged as he folded his arms within his voluminous sleeves. 'Ah, but what else could I be, my lady? It is the reason for my existence.'
A/N: There now -- did that suit? Next: Jaken is surprised and Kagome makes a discovery.
Trivia note: Inari is a major deity in the Shinto religion (fertility, grain and industry) and, yes, his messengers are kitsune -- white ones, if I remember correctly -- so, he is also considered the god of foxes. There's an interesting write up on him at Wikipedia dot com. No doubt Lord Ryunosuke believed his people could use as much help as possible...
I'm not quite sure when I'll have time to post the next chapter. Hopefully it will usher in the New Year. Ah well, you'll all be far too busy to read more this month, anyway... won't you? ;) My thanks to those who have reviewed or have put this tale on their alert/favourite lists, and to the 'shadow readers' who, judging from the number of hits per chapter, have been sticking with it. I'm so glad that you're enjoying it. :D
