It was weird burying one of her own on foreign soil, but it would take Kurome and her people three weeks to return home. She stood with her father, the Inu no Taisho, and his family, and their people as they held the funeral procession. Once it was over, a mourning service was held by Lady Suna. Condolences were offered, grieving commenced, and Kurome stood silent with her father. After a while, Norimoto took Kurome off to the side.

"Are you alright, pup?"

"To be honest, no. I blame myself for Kimiko's death, for not protecting her or saving her life."

Norimoto sighed and touched his daughter's shoulder. "It's not your fault. Hamuro is responsible and he will get what's coming to him." He looked up at the moon. "I just want you to know I don't blame you and no one else does. You shouldn't let the blame rest on anyone's shoulders but his."

Kurome sighed and hugged her father. "Thank you, Father."

Norimoto smiled. "Of course, pup." He caught her scent mixed with that of another's and his smile grew. "You smell of the young lord, Kurome."

Kurome looked up at him, blushing. "I-I do not..."

"His scent is thicker on you than before." Norimoto chuckled. "Have you found yourself a mate?"

Kurome blushed and looked away. "Well... he said that was his intention..."

"Oh?"

"Sesshomaru said he wants me to be his mate, that he wishes to court me." Kurome looked at her father. "We agreed to discuss it further once this is all over with."

"I'm glad. You know, the Inu no Taisho and I had been discussing what a great match you both would make. Inami does not approve, but she is not the one that must decide."

Kurome blushed. "Father..."

"I only want you happy, Kurome. I wanted you and Kimiko to be happy."

"She smiled, you know, just before she died. She smiled like she had done every day, every waking moment since the day she was born."

Norimoto fought the urge to cry, but he sniffled and held his remaining daughter. "Good, I'm glad to hear it."

Sesshomaru walked through the halls of the palace and opened the door to his room. Sighing, it having been a long day for everyone, he removed his armor and readied himself for bed. A soft knock came at his window and he was surprised to find Kurome sitting just outside.

"Kurome, what are you doing here?"

Her ears dropped a bit and she looked at him for a moment, then dropped her gaze. "I didn't want to be alone..." She glanced back up at him. "Could I stay with you tonight?"

Sesshomaru offered her his hand, pulling her inside when she took it. "It's been a long day, you should rest." He led her over to the bed and settled into the soft pillows and mattress, Kurome sliding in to rest on his chest. His arm wrapped around her as he pulled the covers over her and his moko-moko tucked in around them like a fur blanket.

"Thank you, Sesshomaru."

The young inu daiyoukai lord kissed her head and held her. "Anything for you."

The warning bells tolled and Kurome woke with a start in Sesshonaru's arms. She sensed that same familiar and unwelcome you kindly that cost her sister's life back in the village, though this time it was accompanied by many foreign youki.

"That bastard, I'll kill him!" Kurome growled, springing up and grabbing her spear and armor.

Sesshomaru was up just as quickly, dressed before she could even turn around, and was waiting for her by the window with a hand outstretched. "That wretch has defiled the agreement upon your duel twice over and disregarded the sanctity of this village and my father's lands. He will pay and I will help you do it."

Kurome nodded and took his hand, both springing out of the window and quickly making their way to the source of all the foreign youki. The closer they got, the more they smelled burning wood and blood thick in the air. Familiar youki began flickering out and Kurome felt each one as a pain in her chest. "We have to hurry!" She sprang forward with new speed and quickly got ahead of Sesshomaru, only to stop moments later.

Coming to stand next to her, Sesshomaru looked between her horrified expression and the monstrous scene before them: hundreds of bodies- bloodied, broken, and burned- strewn throughout the Shikotsu Wolves' camp, their tents and wagons burned. He looked over as his father joined them, a grim and terrifying expression on his face.

"How could this have happened..." Yukinobu said, looking at the scene in disgust. He glanced at his son, then watched as Kurome walked slowly down into the battlefield, stopping only to pick up the severed head of her father. "Norimoto..."

Kurome looked at all those dead around her: her entire tribe- every man, woman, and child- and her father, their friends who had accompanied them. She placed her father's head back down on the ground next to his body, then slid his pendant from the stump that was his neck. Sliding it over her head, the blood staining her silvery blonde hair, she caught the scent of the murderer and her youki erupted as she transformed into her wolf form. She took off after the scent, closing in quickly.

Behind her, Sesshomaru and his father both transformed into their dog forms and hurried after her, recognizing Hamuro's scent. They tried to catch up to her, but when they did, she had already found the wolf youkai and had killed him just as she had promised.

"Kurome..."

She ignored them, turning and walking passed them, seeking out the other scents of Hamuro's men, but they were already dead.

Yukinobu and Sesshomaru followed her back to the village, transforming back into their humanoid forms and watching as Kurome began digging graves for her people, still in her wolf form.

Sesshomaru wanted to go to her, but his father convinced him to leave her be.

"Never get in a wolf demoness' way, especially when she is grieving her lost kin." He had said, turning back to the palace to make further preparations for the funeral of the Shikotsu Wolves.

Sesshomaru heeded his father's word and waited patiently in his room for her to come find him.

After several hours, Yukinobu approached, managing to break through her spirit shield. "Kurome?"

Her ears perked up in acknowledgement of his presence.

He waited as she shifted back into her humanoid form, the grime and blood caked onto her skin. "Are you alright?"

Kurome looked at him, the tears finally breaking free. She let him pull her into his arms and cried into his chest.

Yukinobu rubbed her back and let her cry, knowing how hard it must be for her to have lost her entire family and her entire tribe. When she had finally calmed herself a bit, he rested his cheek on her head. "It's not your fault, no matter how much you blame yourself."

She sniffled and looked up at him. "I can't stay, Yukinobu..."

"You're afraid of putting us into danger aren't you?"

She nodded. "I don't want anyone else to get hurt, least of all you and Sesshomaru..."

"You love him don't you?"

Kurome nodded, looking down. "More than anything..."

"But you're leaving to protect him?"

Again, she nodded. "I don't want this to happen again..." She gestured to the hundreds of graves she had dug, each adorned with a single flower. Looking back to the Inu no Taisho- her father's best friend- she searched the familiar golden pools inherited to his son. "Will you tell him goodbye for me?"

Yukinobu nodded, leaning forward to kiss her forehead. "Of course." He slipped a pack over her shoulder. "I thought you might be leaving after what happened, and I wouldn't blame you, so I brought you this. It has enough provisions to last you two moons."

Kurome looked at the pack, then at the Inu no Taisho. "Thank you, Yukinobu." She reached for the pendant and pulled it from her neck, looping it over the Inu no Taisho's neck. "Father would have wanted you to have this."

Yukinobu looked at the pendant, the crests of the Western Lands and the Shikotsu Wolves entwined together. "I will treasure it until the day I die."

Kurome smiled and hugged him tightly. "Goodbye, Inu no Taisho Yukinobu. You will always be in my thoughts."

"And you, my dear girl." Yukinobu returned her hug and watched as she stepped back, turning to the east and taking off for the forest. "Be careful, Kurome of the Rain."

Night fell quickly and Kurome had gotten a great distance away from the village of the Inu no Taisho. Securing a five mile perimeter with a spirit barrier, she made her camp in a cave next to the river and sat staring into the fire. It had been a long time since she had been alone. The stench of death and decay still lingered on her skin, so she slipped out of her armor, boots, and clothing and stepped into the cool water of the river she was camped next to. She scrubbed her body clean, her hair, then turned to her clothes and armor. She quickly scrubbed the grime and blood from the silver armor, setting each piece aside to dry. When she was satisfied with her clothing and her armor, she hopped out of the water. Going to her pack, she pulled out a clean kosode and slipped into it. Feeling the warm dry fabric settle against her skin and her underclothes, Kurome sat with her knees pulled to her chest.

"Sesshomaru..." she said, thinking of the man she loved, the man who wanted to be her mate, to court her. "I'm sorry..." She felt tears spring forth anew and she buried her face in her arms, feeling insignificant, tiny in the eyes of the world, unworthy of another person's affection or trust. She felt that it was all her fault, despite what Yukinobu had said, that her family and people were dead.

Kurome of the Rain, the last of the Shikotsu Wolves, decided from then on that she would never let anyone close and leave those she cherished, those she loved behind in order to protect them. She decided from then on to hide from her past and move on to a place where no one would know who she was or where she was from.