I woke up inside of their hut.
I leapt to my paws, only to fall back down again. My eyes went to the twig and I bristled in defiance. I began to walk around in a tight circle, trying to take it off.
Kirara was purring. "I can do it."
I looked at her from gazing around the dark hut. It was dark, almost midnight. I could smell everyone, even Kaede, in here. Amu had been in here too, but the scents were cooling off, no longer warm with recent activity. No one except Kirara and me were in here.
I looked at her and asked, "Where is everyone?"
"They're taking baths." Kirara answered. She looked at me and asked, "Want the twig out?"
I shook my head, knowing she would see me in the gloom. I asked her a question. "Are you a Nekomata all the time?"
Kirara seemed confused. "Aren't you?"
I looked up at the ceiling. Four more days. I turned away from Kirara and laid on my back, looking up.
Kirara didn't seem to give it up. "Aren't you?"
I sighed and mumbled, "Goodnight."
Kirara chased me around the hut at dinner the next day. I hobbled away from her, hissing.
"Go away!" I mewled, rapidly taking steps back. Shippo and Inuyasha watched us, amused.
Kirara crouched down. "What are you?"
"A Nekomata." I said honestly and she growled at me, frustrated.
"No, you're not!" She hissed and leapt at me. She barreled me over and pinned me down. "Tell me what you are!"
I struggled to push her off me. "I'm a Nekomata."
"How Nekomata?" Kirara didn't let up. "Are you a quarter?"
I shook my head and roared up. My father and I wrestled all the time, and it was coming back to me now. Kirara flew off of me and I shook out my fur, looking at the twig that was on the ground.
Kirara followed my gaze and then she was rushing to the twig. I hurtled after her and she grabbed it. She looked at me, set the twig down, and put on her paw on it.
"I win and you tell me." She bargained.
I stood up straight and perked my ears. "First one to toss it in the fire wins."
Kirara crouched down, grabbing the twig. "Agreed," she mumbled, and then we fought.
I ran right into her and barreled her over. The twig skidded on the ground and I leapt off of her to race for it. She knocked me over with a whip of her tail and I rolled over. I sat up, shaking my head to clear it, and saw her run to toward the fire.
I hurtled after her and grabbed one of her tails. She yowled, causing everyone to jump –they were all watching us now, and turned back to face me. She pounced on me and I dropped her tail. The twig was forgotten now and we rolled around, batting at each other's faces.
"Get off!" I cried and Kirara rolled off of me. She laid on the floor, catching her breath, and I raced for the stick.
Kirara gave a half-hearted attempt to catch me, but she gave up. She watched me drop the twig in the fire and she sighed.
"One day," she promised and I echoed it.
I sat down beside her and licked at my paw. "One day."
Everyone's eyes lingered on us for a moment before they began talking. The twins had been silent the whole time, and now they blubbered to each other in gleeful voices; their brother laid on their mothers' lap, fast asleep.
Miroku gave Inuyasha a glance. "What do you think of that?"
Inuyasha looked at him and shrugged. "She's been trained by someone."
Sango chimed in. "Kirara knows how to do all of that, but Indigo's practiced at her moves often." She looked at me in interest. "Maybe someone did train her. She's fluid."
"That was just a bunch of wrestling." Kohaku said, deadpan. "We should get Rekuni to see what she can do."
Sango looked at Kohaku and shrugged. Inuyasha gave me an odd glance and Kagome looked thoughtful. She and Miroku both opened their mouths to speak.
Miroku saw Kagome's mouth open and he gestured for her to go first. Kagome asked, timid. "Why do all of that? We're not going anywhere anymore."
Inuyasha nodded. "Villages are actually doing all right now." His gold eyes were wary despite his words.
Miroku looked at the two of them and shook his head. "Be that as it may, Indigo came to us injured. Someone's out causing trouble."
A cool breeze blew into the hut, making a strange scent fill the air. I sniffed, looking at Inuyasha and Shippo. They continued eating like they couldn't smell anything.
Kirara stiffened beside me. "What's wrong?"
I sniffed harder and got to my paws. My paw barely hurt anymore, but it would randomly spasm, making me limp for a good hour. I had to walk lightly wherever I was going. I glanced at Kirara and waved my tail for her to sit down. I quietly strolled to the hut entrance, looking back at Kohaku's friends. They were all facing each other, not looking at me.
I took my chance and I hopped out. I stood in the cold breeze, feeling it ruffle my ears, and I peered around. I sniffed the air, it also smelled of rain, and began to tread forward, taking light steps.
I had no idea what it was, but I had smelled it before. It had been in the air when Fadiku and Midoka had been chasing me. It smelled a little like smoke. It was sour too, like something bad was burning. Underneath all of that was the smell of death.
I stiffened at the scent as it grew stronger, and then I was running again. I raced past the houses and suddenly, my mother's face, pretty with youth, filled my head. I knew it had something to do with her. Her life, her death, something.
I turned when the scent changed direction, and then it was gone. I tripped over my own paws and rapidly climbed back up, sniffing hard. I was panting from running and I wobbled as I walked around this way and that. The scent had disappeared.
I stopped walking and looked around at the quiet village. The air smelled of rain and nothing else. The villagers were all inside, and I wondered who their leader was. Was it Kaede? Did she have a successor? Did she know what was going on?
I ran a paw over my forehead, a human-like gesture, and looked around, wishing I could cry. It felt like I had missed something crucial.
I walked back to the hut and ignored Kirara prodding me. I curled up in a ball, closing my eyes on everyone and everything.