This one is kind of lengthy and finishes up the Birds of Paradise arc. I haven't written combat in... a very long time? So I did my best. Again I have to say this is a self-indulgent passion project made almost entirely for myself and published here because what's the point of leaving this in my google docs? Not beta read, probably follows the episode a bit too much but it's fine, I'm still trying to get my own footing in how I want Sai to fit in.
Another reminder: Sai is a crow demon (of my own making, to my knowledge I haven't seen this kind of crow demon!) who uses she/they pronouns. They are afab (assigned female at birth) and really don't care what they're referred to as, as long as it isn't masculine pronouns and titles.
Have fun!
[3. avis]
There's a strange silence in the den as both Sai and Kagome wait for instructions from Koga; the wolf is no doubt telling his pack the plan and rallying them for the upcoming battle. Sai is about to take a long walk around the area and stretch their legs before Kagome breaks the silence.
"How do you know Koga?" she asks, fists clenched on her strange skirt. She's obviously afraid, sweat beading on her brow, but the girl is trying to remain calm. Sai can't really blame her for being frightened, the wolves aren't exactly known for their hospitality.
Sai tilts their head and hums, shaking their head with a small smile. They start speaking before they can consider their actions, mouth opening and spilling words. "That thick-headed wolf and I have known each other since we were young. My family has claim on the forests just to the north of these mountains, and while we are a scavenging type, we managed to form an alliance with the local wolf demon tribe and set up trade. We would give them the various items we scavenged while they would protect us from anything further up the mountains." They don't know why they're telling Kagome anything about themselves, she's a complete stranger even if Koga happens to like her.
"So," Kagome starts, "he never tried to kill you? I thought that with how much he hates the birds of paradise, he wouldn't like you very much."
"Koga has always had his pack's best interest in mind, even as a pup. He knew that we weren't a threat so long as they held up their end of the bargain, unlike those fiends that do nothing but destroy." Sai grimaces at the mere thought of those things.
Kagome opens her mouth to ask something else when the furs are pulled back to reveal some other members of the pack. "It's time."
Their bodies are pressed tightly against the rocks as they all look above to the circling demons, waiting for the perfect time to strike. Kagome is right next to Koga, and judging by the look on her face she is focusing intently. Sai stands nearby with Nana on their outstretched arm, naginata held firmly in the other hand.
"This mountain is the nesting place for the birds?" Kagome asks quietly.
Koga nods and looks down at the girl. "Yeah, and one at the top has a shard of the jewel. You need to find that one so I can destroy it." Sai sees Kagome stiffen just slightly, hands clenched into fists on the cold stone. Suddenly, she gasps as the birds of paradise begin to swoop down towards their location. "Alright, I'll leave the grunts to you," Koga says towards the other wolves before swinging an arm around Kagome's waist. "Sai, with me." Then he leaps up the mountain as Kagome screams in fear.
Sai huffs and jerks their head upwards in command, Nana cawing and launching into the sky as her form morphs into a larger corpse crow with an elongated tail and even sharper talons. "Always a showoff," they mutter before they themselves propel upwards.
Sai catches up to Koga quickly, slicing through the demons ahead of them with ease. They continue to make their way upwards when they hear a cacophonous crack; the very mountain in front of them splits open as the gaping maw of a demon launches through. Sai manages to maneuver through the air fast enough to avoid getting swallowed, but not to escape a slab of stone slamming into their torso. With a wheeze and a groan, Sai is knocked from their glide and sent falling towards the ground rapidly. Luckily, before they slammed into the cold earth, they righted themselves and thrust their naginata into the mountain enough to slow to a stop. Sai pulls themselves up to stand on top of their weapon and looks down towards where Kagome and Koga have landed safely before directing their attention forward. The demon flies outward before turning ever so slowly towards them, revealing its razor sharp teeth and two humanoid torsos attached.
"We've been waiting for you," one of them snarls towards Koga, "you have sacred jewel shards. My brother and I have been seeking them everywhere."
"How convenient that you've decided to make a home delivery and come to us, it saves us the trouble of hunting you down." The other half of the demon speaks in exactly the same way as his conjoined brother. He turns his attention towards Sai and they stiffen. "You've even brought us an extra," he hisses, "but it's a shame the crows don't have as much meat on them as the wolves do." Koga shoots them a suspicious glance but Sai ignores it.
Koga bares his teeth in a snarl. "I got something to deliver, alright." He looks down towards Kagome and says, quieter, "Where's the shard?"
"It's in the mouth," Kagome answers quickly and with clear fear in her voice.
The demon chuckles darkly as it speaks, almost opening its mouth wider to taunt them. "And you'll get a good glimpse of the shard as we devour you!" It's mouth opens wide and glows brightly with a yellow light. "A wolf, human, and crow, how delicious!" It slams into the mountain and Sai nearly calls out for Koga until they see him safe and sound with Kagome in his arms. He runs down the mountain and leaves the girl with Ginta and Hakkaku, and Sai lets out a breath of relief. There's no way he could have fought to his full potential with her in his arms.
There's a growling below them and Sai is brought back to the task at hand. The demon directs his attention on Sai, now, launching upwards with an open mouth. Sai reacts quickly and yanks their naginata out of its place and dodges to the side. They glide through the air and drop into a defensive stance, weapon held securely in front of them.
"Well," they start with a grin, "I haven't had the chance to fight properly in quite some time. So, what do you say, pest?" The demon screeches angrily in response and flies towards them again.
They don't know how long they've been kiting this thing around, but it feels like far too long. Maybe that's just their inactivity speaking, but that is besides the point at the moment. Koga should have been back by now, but he's been too busy arguing with whoever Inuyasha is to remember just what he came here for. When they trick the demon into flying face first into the mountain face, Sai takes the chance to fly down to the base of the mountain and get Koga themselves.
"I'm in love with you, Kagome!" They hear him shout. "You're far better off with me, and you know it. It's time to make a clean break and give up that pathetic–" Sai cuts them off with a swift kick to the head as they land.
Sai glares down at the prone wolf demon and hefts him up off the ground. "Koga," they start calmly, paying no mind to the audience they have. "Did you forget that there is a bird of paradise above you with a jewel shard? One that you left me to deal with?"
"Hey, wait a second," a voice calls out, the half demon in red, "who even are you?"
Sai directs the harshest glare they can muster at the half demon, not missing the way he seems to stiffen in response at the feeling of their energy. They take a moment to observe his shock of silver hair and the dog ears on his head before speaking. "If you wouldn't mind, dog, we have other things to do." They grip Koga's firs tightly and launch themselves upwards.
"Koga, Sai, it's about another fifty feet up!" Kagome calls, and Nana cries out in confirmation from her place still up by the demon, always a faithful sentry.
"Are you sure?" Koga yells down. "Because there's nothing at the peak." Nana screeches in warning and the pair are forced to split as they jump out of the way of an attack from behind.
In a movement that catches them both off guard, the demon continues up the mountain towards them. Koga makes to shove his spear into his gaping mouth, but the shaft of it snaps and leaves his arm in the demon's grasp.
"Thanks for giving us a hand, now we'll tear it off!"
Sai can only watch as the demon flies away with Koga in its jaws, unable to respond fast enough to do anything. "Koga!" They shout in alarm, watching as their friend kicks the teeth out of the demon's mouth but falls straight down. This is something they can help with, they think, and Sai glides over and grabs Koga in an attempt to slow his fall. They manage to prevent death, but not slamming into the ground so hard that a crater forms around them.
The two cough up dust as they sit up. Koga is visibly shaken and clutches his bleeding arm while Sai is more or less just irritated and sore. Nana lands by the pair and pokes her beak at Koga in concern, the wolf demon just gently pushing her away in response. Sai grits their teeth and moves to stand, dropping their naginata on the ground next to them.
"Don't move," they say to Koga before they seem to just disappear.
Sai moves with a speed they usually only reserve for emergencies, wind whipping through their hair and stinging their cheeks. The form of the demon comes closer and closer, and Sai rears back a hand in preparation. As they get in range of the demon, their nails elongate into razor sharp talons and they swipe half of a wing clean off.
"You," they snarl, "have gotten on my last nerve." But before they can finish the job, five rows of pure energy streak past them and reduce the demon to nothing but ash. Sai can only watch in shock, hovering in the air while the jewel shards fall from the sky.
The journey back down to the base of the mountain is quick and quiet. Sai elected to simply glide down themselves as opposed to accepting a ride from the demon slayer; besides, Koga needed it far more than they did. By the time they touch down onto gloriously flat earth, Sai is sore from overexerting themselves and wants nothing more than a long rest; evidently, though, the half demon has no intentions of letting anyone get that far.
"I took care of the bird from hell, now all that's left is to deal with this flea-bag," he says as he strides towards where the demon slayer has landed. With one high-pitched whistle, Nana is flying around him and pecking dangerously, three eyes glowing red in anger.
"If you touch him," Sai practically snarls, naginata extended in the half demon's direction, "I would have no choice but to kill you."
Kagome, the kind girl, comes to their aid. "You're not 'dealing with' anything, Inuyasha! Koga is hurt."
"Never mind," the demon in question grunts, "this is nothing."
Sai whips their head back to stare down at Koga. "Don't be proud, you bull-headed man."
"Trying to get me while I'm down, but I can still whip you." Koga stands shakily and Inuyasha grins. Inuyasha begins to charge forward but is slammed into the ground as Kagome yells "Sit boy!" Sai can only stare in shock as the half demon groans in the small, Inuyasha-shaped hole in the ground.
The girl huffs and turns towards the wolf tribe. "Get him out of here, quickly!" She orders them, and they follow without question. As they all run away, Kagome turns towards Sai with a nod.
"Thank you," they say to her, whistling for Nana. They make their way back towards the den at a much more leisurely pace, Inuyasha yelling behind them the entire way.
They can't really explain it, but something in them makes Sai believe they haven't seen the last of that strange group. Perhaps they would meet much sooner than they expected.
The den is lively that night, shouts and singing filling the cave as the pack celebrates their victory. Even Koga, who still needs assistance to walk right now, is taking part in the festivities. Sai watches from a darkened corner, smile on their lips. They can't help but feel jealous, almost, at just how happy everyone seems to be. They think of their family and the meals they would share, how they would celebrate the fledglings and their milestones.
They think of the rain of demons from the sky, the blood and the screams, the look on their father's face as they pressed the jewel shard into their palm and urged them to run as fast as you can, my child, please. Sai's mood is sour in an instant and they stand and make their way out of the den to get some fresh air.
The night air is cool against their skin and the sight of the moon soothes them. There are hardly any clouds in the sky, allowing Sai to see every star they could ever want to see. It's easy for them to pull themselves up into a nearby tree, climbing up as far as they can go to just stare at the sky. It's peaceful, for once, and they don't know how to feel about it. Ever since they left their home, Sai has done nothing but wander aimlessly and hide from other demons. What were they supposed to do now that their father was no longer here to guide them? Their entire life was built around their family, how they would eventually become a great leader of their clan. Now? Sai is simply a bird with broken wings.
Soon enough, Sai heads back into the den to rest. They sleep well that night with Nana by their side and the sounds of the pack breathing surrounding the. For a moment, Sai forgets about loss and instead focuses on the warmth and home.
[3. avis | end]
Updates are sporadic and whenever I get to them! I don't have any set schedule or plan for writing, I just write when it comes to me.
Clarifications on Sai's abilities I guess: Sai has a feather mantle that functions as a sort of a... glider? They can glide around without it as Sesshomaru does, but the mantle makes things much easier. Sai is still young for a crow demon and doesn't have a full grasp on the things they can and can't do. They can focus their demonic energy into things like, for example, elongating their nails into talons they can use as effectively as their naginata. They can use this to enhance their speed, kind of like truly harnessing their ability, but it isn't something they do often because, as said before, they don't really know how to properly control that. Anyway. This was a not for me as well as for you readers!