Kurome's youki aura faded as she her sister's body close to her, the warmth already leaving. "Kimiko..."

Sesshomaru stood there, helpless to do anything as he was forced to watch his best friend mourning the loss of her sister. He heard Hamuro snicker behind Kurome, and made to punish him, but what Kurome did next stopped him.

"What the hell is so funny, you worthless, insignificant, corpulent-egoed, festuring pustular worm?" Kurome said, her voice low and rumbling. She set her sister down on the grassy field and stood, her youki beginning to whirl around her- growing higher and higher as her anger increased. She turned towards Hamuro, Sesshomaru getting a brief look at the beginning stages of her transformation, and she began to advance towards him. "Did you enjoy taking the life of an innocent child?"

Hamuro's smirk was wiped clean off his hands as he scrambled away from her. "N-No! It was aimed at you, I swear!"

Kurome scowled at him. "Our agreement was no weapons! Just like your father and grandfather before you, you have betrayed my tribe for your own selfish means and it cost my sister her life!"

Hamuro whimpered and turned, trying to make a run for it. He shifted into his wolf form, a pitiful and mangy looking thing, hoping to try and outrun her in his true form.

Kurome scoffed and lunged at him, transforming into a massive wolf with silvery blonde fur, teal markings more pronounced upon her fur, and three tails sprouting at her rear. She howled to the darkening sky, the thunder cracking just above her and the lighting darting out from the clouds to strike at Hamuro as he made for the hills like the coward he was. When he fell to the grass field, Kurome advanced on him.

"You have violated the terms of our agreement. You have proven yourself a coward and a danger to those around you." She growled, sneering at him. She made to move her jaws and take his neck in them, to snap it and end his life, but then she stepped back and looked at the pitiful coward beneath her paw. He had transformed back to his humanoid form and the burn along his back from the lightning strike made her nose sting with the stench of his flesh. "I am not the monster you are, Hamuro of the Ikeda Southern Wolf tribe. I will spare your life, but if I ever see you again, I will kill you without a second thought."

Hamuro cowered in front of her as she transformed back into her humanoid form and turned away.

Sesshomaru watched in awe as she strode over to her sister, scooped her into her arms, then turn to someone from her tribe. "Sakumi, please see to it that Kimiko is prepared for burial. Hirotoki, please take Kimiko back to the camp."

Hirotoki nodded, his face ashen as he took Kimiko's body from his princess.

"Please, go now." Kurome said, eerily calm.

Sakumi followed after her brother and they hurried to the wolf tribe's camp.

"Shikotsu Wolves, you are all dismissed. Return to camp and prepare for the funeral." Kurome said, looking at her people. Then looking at her father, she went to him and embraced him. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect her... I'm sorry I couldn't save her..."

Sesshomaru watched as her father embraced her in kind, his face hard, then as he handed Kurome her armor and weapons. She watched them as they seemed to exchange a few silent words then part ways, Kurome heading off in the direction of the nearest waterfall while her father went to the village. One look between he and his father gave Sesshomaru all he needed to go after Kurome, following her scent and youki to the waterfall where he found her armor discarded, her spear stabbed into the soft earth near the pool's edge. Looking around, he saw Kurome just behind the waterfall, but to get to her he needed to swim to her. Shedding his armor and setting with hers, Sesshomaru dove into the water and swam under the waterfall, coming up behind Kurome.

"Go away..." She said, sensing him behind her but wanting to be alone.

"You should not be alone, Kurome." Sesshomaru said, putting a hand on her shoulder, trying to turn her around.

Kurome turned and looked up at him, tears pouring down her face. "I failed her... I shouldn't be with anyone else, I might lose them too..."

"Kurome, your sister's death is a tragedy and I am truly sorry that you lost her to that mongrel. He should have been put down like the cut he is but you spared him." Sesshomaru touched her cheek, his eyes softening when she leaned into his hand. "Why?"

"I'm not a monster..."

Sesshomaru smiled. "No, you are Kurome of the Rain and you showed mercy when many would not have. I am proud of you."

Kurome searched his eyes, seeing his worry and something else in the golden pools looking back at her. "I should have protected her, taken the blade for her..."

Sesshomaru rubbed her cheek with his thumb. "Then I'd have lost you instead." He touched her earrings and smirked. "Then these would have been useless and I would have been in your shoes and I don't ever want to get that close."

Kurome looked at him. "What are you saying, Sesshomaru?"

He leaned forward and pressed his head to hers. "I want you to be my mate, Kurome. I wish to court you. I wish to protect you."

Kurome blushed and closed her eyes. She had spent years loving Sesshomaru, but now that she knew he felt the same and having just lost her little sister, it couldn't have come at a worse time. "Sesshomaru. I-"

Sesshomaru silenced her with a kiss. Lingering for a moment, he pulled away and looked at her. "You need time to mourn for your sister, time to prepare for her burial. I will wait until you are ready." He kissed her again. "I just wished to inform you of my intentions."

Kurome managed a small smile and leaned into him. "I've loved you for a long time, Sesshomaru. You're my best friend and I want to always be by your side."

Sesshomaru wrapped his arms around her.

"When this is all over, let's discuss this further ok?" Kurome aske, looking up at him.

Sesshomaru smiled. "Of course. Now come, we should get you back to the village."

Kurome nodded. "I'd like to stay like this with you longer, but I came here for a reason." She took his hand for a moment then gestured for him to follow her. Diving into the water she swam under the waterfall and to the bottom of the pool where she plucked a few lilies. Resurfacing she showed him the flowers. "These are a rare species of lily that only grow here. They were Kimiko's favorite. I want to bury her with them."

Sesshomaru smiled and touched her cheek. "She'd have liked that."

Kurome nodded then swam with him back to shore, using her youki to dry off before putting her armor back on.

When Sesshomaru had climbed out of the water and began drying himself off as well, he couldn't help but notice her figure as her kosode clung to her skin. Ignoring his own desires for the moment, he dried off and slipped back into his armor, tying his sash just as Kurome pulled her spear from the ground.

"Ready when you are."

He nodded and they took off towards the village, staying at each other's side the entire way.