THIRTY SEVEN

The living room where they celebrated triumphs and spent days off usually snuggling in soft, warm fur with actual humans she adored felt alien to Kurenai as she stood there, feeling as if cold hand is wrapped tightly around her throat while the furry babies nudged, howled and whined at her and Ren's legs.

"Kurenai, Ren." Hannah and Ryan stood as they approached the couch.

A blue blanket entered her vision and Kurenai felt her feet too heavy to take another step. Her blood pounded deafeningly in her ears when she saw the white fur she loved running her hands through before her eyes found the peaceful slumbering face of Nimbus… if only he really was just sleeping.

Memories of walking up to their mom and dad and pops's coffins flashed in Kurenai's mind as the grief she shoved in the depths of her heart rattled its cage, eager to join the new wave of grief that's slicing her to pieces. She clenched her body tight, as if doing so will keep it locked in. It has to, if not, she will break and she can't break, she's the anchor. The nurturer.

But as she got on her knees and set her forehead against Nimbus', she wondered how much more she could take. She's lowered too many of those she loved into the ground and it crushed her heart and drained her soul more and more each time.

"I'm really sorry Ren, Kurenai," Hannah said, tears streaming down her face and Ryan soothingly rubbed her back.

Ren joined Kurenai in stroking Nimbus's fur, "It's not your fault Hannah. He's had heart issues even before we adopted him, he's been a trooper for a really long time." Tears spilled from his eyes at the reality that he will never see Nimbus's smiling face again.

They were waiting to board their flight at the lounge when Kurenai's phone rang.

"What's wrong Hannah?" her heart leapt to her throat when the screen showed a distraught Hannah.

"Kurenai… it's Nimbus." No. Please no… she pleaded to the Heavens. "I went to get them for a walk but he didn't wake up. I rushed him here to Dr. Ridley but he was long gone." Her friends audibly gasped in shock at the news and Kurenai staggered to one of the couches as her cousin broke down to tears on the screen. She rested her head on her shaking, clasped hands. She wanted to throw up, it felt like air is being suck out of her body.

Ren came back from the bar and didn't like what he saw, "Peaches, what's going on?" his blood ran cold when his sister raised her head; the few times he's seen that look of stifled desolation on her face, they never saw their mom and dad and pops ever again.

"Nimbus… He's gone Ren." Her voice trembled, "He never woke up this morning and he never will." It took Ren a few moments to process before dropping down to the couch beside her, pressing his head on her shoulder as tears flowed silently and uncontrollably down his cheeks. Kurenai stroked his hair with one hand and took his hand with the other and laced their fingers together, a silent promise that they'll get through this together, like they always did.

Sango, Shippo and Rin openly wept with the siblings and even the grown men in the room felt their throats tighten painfully at the heartbreaking scene especially when just yesterday, they were a couple of doting dog parents giddily strolling the pet store for treats thoughtfully chosen for each beloved dog only to come home and never get the chance to give it to one of them.

Sesshoumaru felt an excruciating twist in his chest for Kurenai who refused separate from her beloved dog and never said a word for over an hour.

For outsiders, the miko not shedding a tear when Ren openly wept beside her will be considered cold and unfeeling of her but Sesshoumaru knew better. Despite the sense-nullifying ear cuff, he can smell and feel her anguish and it became absolutely unbearable when he removed the cuff.

"I'm so sorry sweetheart, we weren't here to hold you in your final breaths. I haven't been around much lately and I'm sorry. I hope you know how much I love you Nimbus, thank you for all the times you soothed my storms."

It was a whisper, so soft that no one would hear but Sesshoumaru did and her guilt clawed at his chest. He desired nothing more than to pull her into his arms and help her carry the grief and guilt that's plaguing her. To make her feel safe to allow herself to breakdown, that it's okay not to put her feelings aside and not be a constant pillar of strength and rationality.

The front door flew open followed by a loud and urgent call, "Kurenai! Ren!" a tall, dark haired man in a dark blue shirt and jeans entered the house in wide strides, "Miguel! Where is she?!" he asked from down the hall, oblivious to the other people in the room.

There was no need to reply to him since he entered the living room a second later and rushed to the siblings' side which is crowded by their other dogs.

"Welcome home Mav," Ren said and their friends from the Feudal era stared at the newcomer with intrigue. So this is the infamous older brother.

"Thanks." Mavick's ocean blue eyes raked worriedly over Kurenai's hunched form, "Though I prefer finally seeing you after over a month to be anything but this. I'm sorry bro."

"Thank you and to you too. You also care for them, love them." Ren replied while stroking a whimpering Sawyer in his arms, nuzzling his departed brother along with Toffee who's on the couch trying to paw his brother awake.

Mavick carefully set his hand on his sister's shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze, "I'm so sorry baby girl," he said and when he didn't get a response, he decided to let her be in her quiet grief.

Moments passed and Kurenai's back rose and fell before finally sitting up and accepting a hug from Mavick, "Thank you V, I'm sorry too."

"Nimbus has been a real fighter, just like you and Ren and I know he's thankful that you guys took him in and loved him."

Kurenai nodded at her brother's statement before letting go and turning to her friends, "Guys, this is our older brother, Mavick Walry. V, you've heard a lot of stories about my friends from Japan."

Mavick mirrored his father not just with his gorgeous looks but also his scrutinizing eyes that lingered on Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, "Pleasure to meet you, I wish we could've met on less tragic circumstances," he said.

Kurenai pulled Zodiac into her arms who let out a bloodcurdling howl that was echoed by Sawyer and Toffee in Ren's arms and their faces twisted in agony as their arms tightened around their dogs to offer support and solace as they grieve the loss of their brother.

After moments of private lament, Kurenai asked, "Kids, would you like to say your goodbyes to Nimbus?" the kids nodded and ran over.

"Thank you for playing with me and letting me ride on your back." Shippo stroked the dog's stomach.

"Bye bye Nimbus. We'll be looking for you whenever we look up the sky," said a tearful Rin as she hugged Nimbus' neck. Her innocent statement made more tears flow in the room, not even the smile on Kurenai's lips hid the pain of longing the young girl's words stirred in her.

The rest of their friends in the room also bid the beloved dog farewell, even Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru paid their respects before the aftercare company arrived to pick Nimbus up.