A/N: Inuyasha and all characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi, this story is the brainchild of Kajatk8, and belongs to her. No profits are being made from this, it is just a fun way to pass the time and expand my writing capabilities.

Chapter 14. Hairpins and Promises

Sesshomaru was exhausted by the time he had finally made it across the sea and landed. He shook off the moisture of the sea spray from his coat that had settled during his run. He was tired after running across the sea, joints and muscles aching, but this journey had taken more out of him than usual. Though it wasn't nearly as vast as some of the oceans he'd traveled with his father, he wasn't that accomplished when it came to the full uses of his power. He'd been protected for much of his life – sheltered by his father, but no longer. He sat back on his haunches a moment, to rest and take in the scenery.

The ocean spray was crashing against the rocks to his left, and the gentle caress of the waves that crashed on this isolated beach slowly made their way to his paws. He backed up, not wanting to get soaked any further in his weakened state. He was reminded of a special day he'd shared with his father when he was a puppy.

His father had brought him to a desolate sacred beach, entirely secluded on all sides by rock faces. They'd flown in, and his father had taught him how to hunt along the oceanside. All day, he'd attempted to root out vermin, rodents and the occasional gull. After feasting on his spoils and napping for a time; his father tricked him into a false sense of security. When he woke up, he was completely soaked, spluttering and held upside down in the ocean by his legs. After seeking revenge, (which rapidly digressed into attempting to dunk his father, which failed spectacularly,) his father was just as soaked as he was. Their training had quickly devolved into a game of keep away from the water.

He remembered that that time had been one of peace. New alliances had been made and war had been the furthest thing from his father's mind. To celebrate this newfound peace and his birth, his father had taken him far from their home. He'd encouraged his son to hunt on his own, use his instincts, and never, ever underestimate his opponent; even if they'd shared a meal, or held a tentative peace between them.

Odd, how sound the advice was even now, though he suspected that had been the lesson.

The cats had come to him with their tails between their legs and begged for help, yet when he'd offered assistance, they'd tried to secure an engagement out of him. How two-faced cats could be. Conniving and sly. That'd been one of his lessons he knew, but he'd never expect the audacity of them to go ahead and make the overture. It seemed so beneath him, and them.

One doesn't marry those who cannot take care of themselves, or control their own borders. Such things did not make for a good and secure truce, treaty or any sort of stable bond of reacher's were not tolerated.

He heard a few loud calls of children off in the distance and turned to see a group of them running in wild abandon straight at him. While it amused him, he'd rather avoid their notice. It wasn't that he was frightened of mere children, but he didn't want to ruin his peace of mind or rest, by them either. So, instead, he slowly got up, and jumped over to a rock face. He laid down, using the shadows to hide himself from their view.

The first one to the waves was a little boy, obviously the eldest of the group. He threw his hands down on a large rock and proudly announced himself the winner and Prince of the Beach for beating them all.

"No fair!" A girl just a little bit shorter than 'the Prince' said. "You're older and taller than all of us, and you cheated! You started before you said go!" She jeered at him, holding a stitch in her side.

"Not all is fair in this world! So Papa says!" Shouted back the Prince of the Beach.

The little girl stuck out her tongue at him, and the rest of the children finally touched their hands down on the rock as well, then doubled over, clearly out of breath.

"Don't fight Shika-san, please?" A smaller boy said, hiding behind his hands and shuffling his feet.

"I won't if he won't," the girl responded. "Besides, he started it."

The smaller boy looked mildly appeased, and smiled back at the girl.

"Bet I can beat you to the water! 1 – 2 – GO!" The prince said, again jumping ahead of everyone.

"HEY!" The girl called out, and began running into the water, with the rest of the children following suit.

Sesshomaru watched their antics for quite some time. The so called "Prince" was quite the trickster himself, and frequently cheated so he could be first. The older girl called him on it repeatedly, and usually the deciding vote was the smaller more demure boy who'd originally asked them not to fight.

Where were these children's parents anyways? When Sesshomaru had been small, no one would just let him go gallivanting around and causing trouble. Indeed, if he'd tried to get away with half the little Prince was getting away with, someone would have bit his ears. However, he didn't interfere. If these children were to learn anything, it was that they'd have only themselves to rely on, and they would have to work out their difficulties amongst themselves. That was the one lesson he'd learned early on, rely only on yourself and you will not be disappointed.

He felt downright lethargic from his expenditure of his youki and was rather content watching them. Soon they'd started up a game of "don't touch the water," with the incoming waves. The game was just as he'd done moments before they'd arrived and back with his father in his youth. He wondered if all children played the same games when they were little, demon and human-kind alike. Though he doubted that human children played as ruthlessly as demons did.

Though the spot he'd found himself in wasn't very… dignified – spying on children, he'd been content to watch them from afar. As he was watched them, he found himself lapsing into nostalgia again. He hadn't thought about his childhood in a very long time, ever since Molucella. He'd blacked out most of the happy times from before her, because loathe as he was to admit it, they were too painful to think upon. However, hidden from these children, but listening to their games and laughter, he let his mind wander and think upon the time he'd spent so blissfully ignorant in his youth. He eventually curled up and fell asleep, exhausted but ever so content.

He supposed the ocean crossing had tired him out more than he'd originally thought. He had not before fallen asleep in the open in that manner, without at least setting a guard or checking his whereabouts thoroughly. He realized he had not truly had a decent meal since before finding the lizard, and then the grueling trek back to the Cats' Shiro… and being stubborn and not accepting of help, food or warmth from the Cats'. He'd left after receiving his new garb. Thinking back on it now, that had been a rather stupid mistake. He was this side of famished and bone-tired.

Of course, like most mistakes, he came to this realization far too late. Deep in his subconscious he felt a dark jyaki rising up, approaching his position with malice. When he woke sometime later, it was to the children's shrill screams. However, unlike in the games they had been playing, these screams were not of joy, but of terror. Sesshomaru's senses were thrown into overdrive and he threw out his aura to find what was amiss. He sat up and scanned the horizon, but was surprised to find that it was from the sea that the danger lay.

A gigantic monster rose up from the sea and was growling, shouting and putting on quite a show for the children… or so it appeared. The children had not known that Sesshomaru was hiding behind the rocks, yet, this monster sure did. This show was for Sesshomaru alone.

In its grasp was the girl Sesshomaru had watched harassing the self-styled Prince, Shika. The monster appeared to be a combination of a water dragon, an Oni, and common seaweed. It was covered in the mottled green plant, and as it moved, golden-green scales could be seen below the overlying kelp. Its head was grotesquely large, oddly shaped and covered in bright yellow spikes. Two dark brown horns protruded in a recurved manner down its cheeks and curved upwards just at its mouth. Where the arms met the body, its chest was overly large and looked like to topple over. Its lower body thinned out like that of a dragon, with timid stunted legs. The tail was that of a large lizard, pointed and dangerously covered in sharp yellow spikes. Sesshomaru had never seen a creature quite so ugly before. For a moment he just marveled at it, while it was hideous, it was also breathtaking. Never had he heard of an Oni interbreeding with the dragon clans. Oni tended to be… not stupid… well, yes, stupid... dim-witted, slow. They were not overly bright if one was being kind in their description. However, the dragons were exceptionally intelligent. Many were the elements made flesh, and lived for millennia, some even longer lived than the longest lived youkai.

And yet, this wasn't the time for speculations into the beast's parentage. He would have taken more time to just observe the creature if he wasn't required to take action. This abomination, for lack of a better word was attacking subjects on his land. He doubted that the children knew to whom they owed fealty, but that didn't prevent him from his duty as the lord's son.

He sighed. If he had just gone on home, and kept running, instead of letting his exhaustion overwhelm him, he might never have stopped and witnessed these children. And if he hadn't stopped, this dragon-oni might never have chosen this spot to attack. But alas, here he was. He'd watched them from afar, and he'd admired the children's spirits. And now, he felt compelled to assist them, but he did not imagine that the girl would survive the monster's clutches. He couldn't see an opportune way to attack that didn't place her in jeopardy.

With this realization firmly in place, Sesshomaru had decided his plan of attack. It wasn't just the girl's life that he'd fight for, but one of his own subject's. And this dragon was on his lands. Although, now that he thought about it, he wasn't particularly sure it was his land. He had assumed that it was, attempting to retrace his path across the sea to where he had landed in his mind. He had made this journey many times with his father, but never alone. Still, it made no matter, even if it wasn't his land. It seemed like a good fight. He'd like to pit himself against such a large beast. Aside from training sessions he'd never really seen how he'd handle a fight against such a foe, much less in his true form.

The children had run unknowingly towards him and were cowering in some rocks at the base of the cliff he was shadowed behind. Sesshomaru was contemplating what to do about the matter as the children were yelling Shika's name out and calling for help, for their mothers, for the Kami themselves to save them. Though none seemed to be forthcoming.

While contemplating his next move, the water abomination addressed him.

"Ahhhh Dog! You've come! Care to see what I've done to your lands? Come, I'll show you, just as soon as I've had a tasty snack!"

"These are not your lands," Sesshomaru growled out, as he rose from his hiding place. In his dog throated voice and to human ears however, his words just came out as growls and barks. Yet, it was obvious from the stance the water abomination took, he'd understood.

The children screamed ever more in terror as they didn't comprehend the dragon-speech or take kindly to the appearance of a rather large white dog in their midst. And he doubted if any of them even had an inkling that he spoke the Inu-language. Yet, it was apparent that they were more terrified than they had been a moment before he'd revealed himself. Half of them were gawking at him, the other half screaming for Shika still. One of the children just kept repeating "Save us." All in all they were terribly distracting, as they were limiting one of his many senses with their constant exclamations.

"These lands belonged to the sea long before you were ever born MUTT!" The Dragon-Oni screeched. His voice was clearly meant to be heard underwater, and the sounds that he produced didn't sound quite right. His voice was accented and guttural in all the wrong places.

"Return to the sea, or you will not like the consequences." Sesshomaru replied, as an afterthought he said, "and release the girl as well, unharmed."

"I've been raiding for months now, and won't be deterred by you." The Abomination replied.

"Very well," Sesshomaru replied, preparing to lunge.

The water abomination rose up out of the sea a few more feet, moved the girl in his arms and tossed her into the air. It seemed that he'd intended to swallow the girl whole by the way he angled his head back, expecting a quick snack before the battle began. Shika screamed the entire time, pausing only to draw in breath and continue her shrieking.

He wasn't too interested in the girl's life, she was nothing to him. But he wouldn't suffer an abomination to inflict damage on his lands. He swiftly leapt into the air and stole the girl away before the Dragon-Oni could swallow her whole. Quick as a flash he reached out and grabbed the girl in his mouth, his hands were not an option—transformed as they were into claws, and he wasn't sure she wouldn't just roll right off his back if he'd angled it beneath her. He bit down ever so gently, making sure not to pierce flesh. She squeaked when he clasped her, but didn't cry out, which had surprised him.

While in the air, he angled his back legs into the creature and kicked hard – right to the creature's mouth. The resounding wet thwack was satisfying, however, also belatedly painful. He learned this when he jumped off the dragon; angling back to shore to deposit the girl. Lowering his head he set her down gently, and she let out a very small thank-you that was almost a whisper before he turned back to his opponent.

"Take your companions and leave." He said to the girl mid-turn, who continued to stare at him. Too late he realized she probably had no idea what he'd said. But some things aren't lost in translation, for she ran like a demon was chasing her. She scurried back to her friends and the relative safety on the shore. A pain lanced through him, as he became aware that the paw that had kicked the dragon had one of the spikes that surrounded the dragons face deeply lodged in it.

"Never turn your back against an enemy," his father's voice echoed briefly through his mind from their many sparring sessions.

He turned swiftly and barely dodged a swipe at his unguarded back. It was at that moment that he learned he was not alone. Somehow, this strange beast had followers—or offspring, it mattered not. They'd picked this moment to make themselves known and two beasts sprang up from either side of him within the water and attempted to jump onto his back.

He easily dodged and turned to the closer opponent – this one happened to be on his right. He struck out with a claw and took off its head in one fell swoop. However, he received more spikes to his other paw in recompense. The head slowly rolled off – almost comically, and the body shook before it crashed to the ground motionless.

The offspring to his left let out an anguished cry for its fallen brethren and let loose an incredible wave of shouki as it lunged forwards. The miasma covered the ground and split his senses between what was there and what wasn't. Utterly unprepared for being thrown into semi-blindness and with no scent to follow, he dodged the offspring's initial swipe to prevent its progress. Unknowingly he found himself put off balance. The offspring used his unsure footing to its advantage and charged straight into his flank. It mauled him with a tusk and Sesshomaru threw his body left and right to throw it off.

"You'll pay for what you did to my sister, you beast." The younger Oni shrieked. Sesshomaru from his tired mind couldn't really process much from the statement or the attack except that he'd killed a female. He wasn't sure if it was a good or bad, he couldn't tell from voice or appearance if the remaining young Oni was a male or a female. In the end he decided it was a good thing, because he wasn't filth such as theirs and swung out with another paw. This time his left hit the body of the younger Oni who had spoken, and again he received another spike.

The Elder in the sea decided that this was time to strike and Sesshomaru only just managed to dodge the blow angled for his head. He let the wind and water wash over him from the missed blow and re-evaluated his opponent. For whatever reason, the Elder Dragon-Oni hadn't removed himself from the water, yet, it had let its offspring attack from land. But the Elder had also swiped away most of the cloud of shouki, and he temporarily gained back his senses. He reached out with his aura and he could feel the younger offspring circling him, evaluating the best place of attack.

The younger Oni jumped out to the right, and swung with claws in a deadly arc left, right, left again, meanwhile Sesshomaru dodged them all. It wasn't difficult, while their bodies were extremely armored with spikes, they were slower than he'd expect, once able to sense them properly of course. A true dragon would have been able to overcome him in his weakened state, but these half-bred hybrids weren't standing a chance.

He jumped back further inland to re-assess his opponent. The blow he'd made to the younger Oni's body had only been glancing, and was barely a scratch. He laid in wait and again prepared for the attack. The younger Oni rounded on him and shrieked, "Be still and die!"

Again it came at him, left, right, left, this time its tusk and tail swung together bringing another shouki cloud, and almost got him, almost. The shouki cloud would have been his own undoing, except, he'd started to pick up on the Oni's patterns, which unfortunately spelled its demise. He rounded his opponent, jumping back again and feinted to the right. His opponent jumped left, and then started up right, left, right, but on the last swing, Sesshomaru anticipating the younger Oni's movements swatted left. He caught an outstretched arm and body off-kilter used the Oni's momentum against itself flipping his opponent so that it crashed down. The Oni's face and upper body shoved in the sand with a heavy paw firmly in its lower back keeping it there, in place, his prey. He reached down towards the exposed neck and back and bit down delicately. He tightened his jaws and muttered "Same to you," as he severed the Oni's spine in one clean snap.

The abomination – likely parent, he promptly realized, roared from the water and came at him. It moved faster than he thought would be expected seeing that it was half out of the ocean and half in it. Water dragons were only fast in water, not on land. And Oni were brutishly strong on land, but somewhat slow in accuracy and in water. But this odd combination of the species was both, brutish in strength and quick. He would need to be careful if he was going to win this fight.

The Water Dragon threw his body weight behind the missed slash with a claw and brought his tail sailing around to deliver a spiked blow. Sesshomaru jumped over the tail turned flail. His legs ached at the movement, and Sesshomaru immediately realized his folly, he'd been poisoned. The spikes he'd been receiving throughout the fight must be laced with a type of toxin, he could feel it burning through his toes, his side, his flank – and the faster he moved the faster the poison would spread. The abomination finished his spin and dove underwater. Not taking the bait Sesshomaru, laid in wait assessing his own damages. He wasn't foolish enough to attempt to fight where only a dragon would be on sure footing. He crouched and laid a trap for the Abomination.

Calm as ever, he waited for his opponent to make its move. He didn't have to wait long as it erupted from the water to his left and charged at him, completely free of the ocean. He leapt as well, but at the last moment spun out of reach of the Abomination's claws and stretched around to bite its neck. He landed on its back and dug in with teeth and claws, clenching and tearing as hard as he could. The abomination hissed and screeched at the pain and swiftly retreated back into the sea. At the first sound of impact with water and resounding splash, Sesshomaru took a deep breath.

It was clear that the Abomination meant to drown him, but he had no intention of dying. He could feel them sinking, delving deeper and deeper into the dark waters of the ocean. He grasped the neck even tighter and tore. Water and blood alike flowed into his mouth, and he tasted copper and the acrid scent of the underlying toxin. Yet, he dared not take a breath or release his prey. In a last and mighty attempt to throw him, the spiked tail came up and thrashing backwards and forwards hit him on his left and then his right flanks. One of his final thrashings got him in the face and he doubled his efforts to wrench the neck from the Abominations body.

'Just a little bit more' he thought desperately.

And then with surprising ease the Abominations head came half off and his vision was blocked temporarily by the streaming blood from the wound. He shut his eyes quickly for fear of the pestilence that resided in the blood. The body under his claws jumped and lurched this way and that, but slowly those movements ceased. Only when he'd felt the beast still completely, did he release it, and start the slow ascension to the sky above, and delicious, glorious air.

He saw light above, but it looked so far away, and he was getting desperate. Vaguely he recalled that as they'd descended his ears had popped, but he wasn't sure when in the descent that had been. He also wasn't sure how much longer he could hold his breath. His vision started to darken around the edges and he pushed his muscles far past what they were able to do. This fight had been foolish especially without food and rest for days on end. Why had he jumped into this fight, to defend the beach? He couldn't recall why he'd done it. His foot ached and he could feel the poison slowing his movements, making it harder to kick his legs.

'Don't open your mouth, don't open your mouth, you'll die if you open your mouth, don't open your mouth!' A voice in his mind kept working to keep his mouth closed despite wanting to open it and shout for help.

He began to think that hope was lost and he would just drown in the sea, unknown to his parents if he'd even completed his mission on the Mainland. They wouldn't have known how he'd died. There might even be a war if he didn't surface; his father easily believing that the neko's had killed him. What folly. But it wasn't his parents finding out his demise that gave him pause, it was the fact that he'd accomplished so little that pushed him forward. When his father was the same age, he'd already defeated several Taiyoukai and earned a name for himself. Even worse than that – than the comparison to his father, which he continually lived in the shadow of – was the dishonor that he'd been defeated. And what a defeat it would be. It wouldn't be the wounds that would kill him, if his body was ever found, it would be drowning. The first Inu-youkai to have drowned.

That couldn't happen, he willed himself to live. To breathe. To not drown.

Why had he saved the wretched human girl anyhow? She was young and stupid enough to get grabbed up by a demon, she probably wouldn't last long before the next demon gobbled her up.

Was this hell? Had he already died and now was in hell, this slow feeble ascension? This slow moving trial? Would he even notice if he did die? He could hear his heart beating, over and over it went. Hammering on desperately. But he wasn't breathing. He had to breathe. One usually breathed. Shouldn't he as well?

'Do not open your mouth, you will die if you open your mouth, do not open your mouth!' That voice again, this time in a total panic instead of sound prudent advice.

He didn't know how much longer he kept swimming or if he would ever surface. The world had faded around him down to that small circle of light above. He thought it had been getting brighter, but since his vision continued to darken, he wasn't sure. He kept focusing on that far ring of light above. It was his lifeline, and he couldn't let go. When he thought he would lose consciousness and drown, he threw out a burst of youki, the last of his reserves. He hoped it would push himself up and out, but as he did so everything faded around him. Made murky by the blood-soaked water and he couldn't recall anything anymore.

He awoke abruptly, as if from a nightmare. Walls had been closing in all around him, swallowing him up until there was no room left to move. All the while he was lost – unable to breathe or free himself. He sat up abruptly gasping and grasping for his heart.

He was surrounded by small little bodies with little faces but the ability to focus on them evaded him. Some of them were wet, soaked through to their kimonos, others were dry and stared at him aghast. He didn't recognize them. None of them seemed familiar, and he was confused as to what they were doing. He was also confused as to where he was. His quick return to an upright position had them scattered and jumping back, shouting exclamations.

"Away with you," he said, verbally lashing out in his confusion.

"He's awake!" One of the faces gasped, jumping backwards.

"He's not a large dog anymore, do you think he's a demon?" Said another stepping closer to peer at him.

"Mother said always to stay away from demons!" Said another.

"We shouldn't be here, we should go back." And another.

"Told you he wasn't dead, Shika!" And another.

"I didn't think he was, but I was afraid he might be." Shika responded.

He looked them all over, why had they not fled? Especially if he had reverted to his Taiyoukai form. He dimly realized that he was on the beach and the fight was slowly coming back to him. The overwhelming scents of salt, drying out kelp and dead rotten meat clung to him and wouldn't let him go. He found himself not far from where he'd fought the Abomination. The two corpses of the offspring were on the beach, lying motionless. However, the tide was rapidly taking back the beach, and with it their bodies. If left unmoved, they would be reclaimed before his very eyes.

He however, was rather far from shore, and when he glimpsed the shoreline, he followed the drag marks from his position out to sea. The children had plucked him out of the water and dragged him away from the incoming tide. He wasn't sure what he should feel. Gratitude?

Timidly a girl approached and bowed down before him. "Thank you very much Inu-Gami for saving my life, I am forever in your debt."

He looked her over for a moment, she was not quite in focus. The poison must still be affecting him. She was dressed as a commoner, but she had nicer clothes than the rest did, though she was soaked through to her skin. Her hair had at one point been expertly styled with an ornamental hairpin, but now cock-eyed and worse for wear after being grasped by demons, tossed around and slobbered on. She looked like a drenched, defeated little mouse. He was surprised to see the hairpin still dangling onto a few remaining up-done locks.

As if she could follow his trail of thought she reached up and ripped the ornament from her hair and pressed it into his hands. "I can never repay you for what you did to me, but please take this as a token for my life."

"It was nothing," he said as he rose, uncomfortable with her gratitude and such a feminine object being thrust upon his person. He tried to give it back to her, but he was stopped short when he realized a wound on his arm was open and bleeding. It hadn't fully healed. By the time he turned to give her back the ornamental pin, she had already bowed and run off. The remaining children took her hasty exit as their cue to leave as well, and without a backwards glance he found himself alone.

Still weakened and trying to hide the pain from his face that lanced through his body as he stood, he watched the children flee. He did not relish his long trek back to his own shiro. With these injuries, the castle would seem even further away.

There was no real reason to hide his weakness. No one remained on the beach, and the children were not like to turn around and watch, but one never knew who was watching. A passing demon might have seen the fight and thought him easy pickings. So his expression remained that of his usual courtly mask. Internally however, he was in a vast amount of pain.

He assessed his wounds, none had healed. That worried him. There were several to his arms, legs, his right side and the one on his left flank was still bleeding rather profusely. He raised a hand up to his cheek to wipe off the sweat that was beading, and instead came away with blood. That was odd, he thought. He didn't really remember being struck in the face. All the more reason to leave this place and seek a healer. He wiped the sand off and shrugged. Most came off in a heap, but some still clung to him. He glimpsed the children again, and started to walk away.

"Wait!" One of the little girl's yelled after him, he suspected it was the one who'd given him the pin. He looked towards the group and found that the children had stopped just at the edge of a path that led away from the sea. He wasn't sure how to respond, so he remained silent.

"Will you come back and protect us?" The girl Shika yelled after him.

He paused and looked back at the children. They were all huddled around Shika, whispering amongst themselves. Some were pulling her back, imploring her not to ask such things of a demon, a monster, a great dog god. He was slightly amused by this, and flattered despite their humanly nature.

"Perhaps."

With that, he turned and continued to walk away. He walked until he was far from the children and the beach. Until he couldn't smell the sea or salt or feel the ocean breeze on his skin. He realized he still held the pin, and looked at it. It was plain, but clearly well cared for and well-made. Whatever the reason, he decided to keep it and pocketed the item.

He stopped and assessed his surroundings. He had thought his crossing had taken him further north, but it turned out he was in the southern-most part of his father's lands. He slowly started to recognize landmarks, and using the wind to guide him, oriented himself towards the long trek home. He estimated that the trip would take three days. He briefly wished he had crossed further north. He silently cursed his father for sheltering him so. But, what was done is done, and now all he could do was walk.

He could not remember how much time had passed when the familiar tree-line of the eastern forest slowly came into view. He continued to walk and almost found himself hoping to see the mountains to the north and smell the valley to the south that would denote the halfway point home.

His senses were dimmed. And then he realized why, he felt the poison slowing him down, slowing his heart and dulling his senses. He disliked the way his senses were lying to him, he could see a water mass in front of him, but couldn't tell if it was Awaumi or not. He sniffed the air, it was unclear if the air held the smell of salt. There were many birds in evidence, but he was unsure if it was in the multitudes that Awaumi typically drew to its waters.

He was not sure how long he spent standing there sniffing, but he watched the sun sink below the horizon. Once darkness started to descend, he realized his folly, and shook himself out of his reverie. He looked towards the stars and scented the wind. The wind was lying, but the stars would not. He oriented himself and kept walking.

The sun rose and he continued his onerous gait to his ancestral home. He couldn't tell what time of day it was or if he was even still going in the right direction now that the stars had hidden themselves. The flight and fight had taken much out of him, and he despised his slow pace. He would have preferred to transform and run there, but he lacked the strength. He also realized that he was still bleeding from several of his wounds.

It was odd, he may have been poisoned, but then he also took a deep dive into the ocean. The water should have cleaned out his wounds, and allowed them to close. They definitely should have closed up by now, he reasoned. At least he thought they should have. He could have sworn that he'd seen the sun sink below the horizon and rise again. Or was that just a dream? He worried how much damage the poison had done to him, and if he would be permanently damaged if he did not return home. He had to see the healers. Talk to father… Tell him what had happened and that the shores were not safe.

He continued to walk and dimly felt like he had been walking all his life. That could not possibly be true, he reasoned, but he felt like it was. He thought that the sun sank again below the horizon, but his eyesight had darkened so much that it was impossible to say for sure. He glanced at the sky, trying to make out the constellations. They just looked like blurs filling the night sky.

He kept walking forwards, hoping that it was the right direction.

A brief moment of lucidity allowed him to hope. He longed for a long soak in the hot springs, a peaceful slumber, and a good meal. But he was smarter than that. He knew that after being gone for a year, there would be much to catch up on. He'd need to know how his mother and father fared, and how their kingdom was. He'd barely heard any news of the West while he'd been on the Mainland. That didn't bother him, he'd been undercover essentially, hiding out to take out his target. But, he still wanted to know what had happened in the months since he'd been gone.

Oh, and of course, his wounds would have to be seen to. He would have to be healed. Could not forget about that. Cannot have the heir to his father's lands dying for no damn good reason. He grimaced as the thought became more and more likely.

As he kept walking he began to think that his hopes would not come to fruition. He thought he had watched another sunset, but he could not trust his senses anymore. It seemed that daylight and darkness took on the same level of brightness, and he knew, somewhere in his mind knew that…that, that piece of information was false. He looked down and realized he could barely lift his arms. However, upon looking down, he realized he was still bleeding quite profusely and leaving a small blood trail in his wake. Well that was not very smart.

"I would agree Pup," someone said directly in front of him. His senses for what they were worth went into high alert. But unfortunately, try as he might, he couldn't determine the voice's location or even gender.

"Not very smart at all."

He tried to squint to see who had approached him, be they friend or foe, but instead fell promptly into darkness.

A/N: duh duh duh. Wonder who that could be…?

For those of you still reading this, wow, you're great, thanks for the support. And sorry for the hiatus. Long story short: Shit happened, medical issues and then depression! Didn't feel like writing until the story spoke to me again and I felt motivated. It also didn't help that I'd lost the original outline for this story. But I've pieced it together, so hopefully you'll still like it!

Awaumi – Now called Lake Biwa – is the Largest freshwater lake in Japan, in west central Honshu, near Kyoto (Heian-kyo).

Oni – from the show cannon – are fairly slow, and dim-witted.

Dragon – from show cannon – seem like beasts of burden or like Ryūkotsusei, smart but large. I'd rather pull the dragons in this story I'm writing from actual Japanese legends.