Chapter 13

At the same time, miles away from the drama, the dog demons heir waited inside the cavern stronghold for everyone's return. Rin was there also, though she stayed just outside the cave entrance, safely out of the demoness's line of sight. The little child had every right to be cautious; her previous encounter with this female demon had almost proven fatal. And still, something about the atmosphere, the stillness that had suddenly come over the forest…. it made Rin desperate for company. It was the reason she couldn't bring herself to venture from the cavern outskirts…the reason she couldn't take her eyes off the demon within.

"You shouldn't linger out there," a flowing feminine voice suddenly sounded in the child's direction, startling her into alertness. Nervously Rin peeked her head around the tree stump she had been hiding behind. She could see the demon was seated inside the cave, with back resting comfortably against one of the cool, rocky walls, and knees pulled to her chest. Her expression was earnest, almost agitated, but it seemed to soften when Rin couldn't find the courage to respond. "Come now…" a much gentler sounding demoness instructed "Its to dangerous for you to be outside…Rin." The subdued tone must have helped, for the child gradually came out from behind the stump and stepped into full view.

"You remember…" Inquired the little one with both curiosity and caution. Shura nodded slowly in return.

"Yes. And I'm sorry…for my behavior before…it was unacceptable." Now more curious then afraid Rin worked her way into the cavern and at last settled on the floor next to the demoness.

"Its ok," the child assured her company gently "I understand. You were just upset…about your family." As the last note of her sentence faded Rin became aware of a gentle shivering coming from the demon beside her. Glancing upward for an instant, she caught a faint glimpse of the she-demon's expression. It was heavy, still, and fraught with lines of concealed despair.

Casting her own eyes downward, Rin toyed at the sandy cave floor with her bare toes. She knew to well the after sting of loss, it had hurt her a great deal in the beginning and when she was living alone. But things had changed. Sesshomaru had accepted her into his travel group, and life was no longer so painful to bear. Perhaps if she relayed this to the demon…her heartache might be eased as well.

"I lost my family too," the little girl at last spoke quietly. Her words must have struck a cord, for the demon set her ears backward ever so slightly and shied a glance in her direction. Rin continued, "I was so scared and lonely that my voice stopped working." The child paused momentarily and her tone of voice escalated into a playful note of happiness "but things are much better now that I'm with lord Sesshomaru…" to Rin's surprise, the she-demon cast a semi-bewildered glimpse in her direction.

"You're actually traveling with him?" she inquired with a subtle note of skepticism. Rin nodded vigorously.

"Uh-huh! He's so nice, and strong too. He gave me the courage to talk again, and now he protects me from demons," the child replied proudly. Her announcement gained an unusually cool reception from Shura, who once again set her sights forward.

"That's very strange." Rin was hurt.

"Why is it strange?" she asked innocently. The demon took a while to answer and in that time Rin noticed she wouldn't even look at her.

"Sesshomaru isn't exactly the type to harbor young children," she finally replied softly "You must be very special to him." Rin cocked her head in bewilderment. Though it didn't reflect at all on her face, the she-demon's voice was filled with sadness. But why?

"Well," Rin eventually got up the courage to answer, "I suppose so." she concluded reluctantly. Then a thought struck her, or rather a memory "Actually… Lord Sesshomaru said that I reminded him a lot of his own daughter."

"He said that?" the demoness's almost stunned remark caught Rin by surprise, she hadn't expected anything more then a nod.

"Uh-huh," the child answered casually as she stretched her arms behind her head and relaxed her body against the cavern wall. "I wonder if I'll ever get to meet her…she's so lucky to have lord Sesshomaru as a dad." Though it was quiet, Rin was almost certain she heard the she-demon chuckle.

"Yes, I suppose she is," the demoness's voice was warm and soft again making Rin's face brighten. Eagerly she stared up into the she-demon's face and this time, received an equally bright golden stare in return. It was a gaze Rin was almost positive she had seen before…. The child's eyes started to widen as similarities gradually dawned on her. This demon's face, her stripes, her features, her expressions….all were almost identical to….

A jolt of invisible demonic energy made Shura rise up in alarm and startled Rin from her thoughts.

"Wh…what is it?" the little girl finally questioned as she watched the she-demon tensely scan the surroundings with her ears. Another energy surge, this time concentrating in Shura's dragon sighted left eye. It activated her gift for only an instant and in that time a vision of her father's impending death filled her mind. Horror stricken the demoness turned to the child, currently shivering in fear.

"Danger" she answered sternly "Stay here until I return!" Instinctively Rin froze, not daring to disobey a direct order. Then she watched as Sesshomaru's daughter sprinted from the cavern in a rush of silver and white.

"Die! Sesshomaru!" Mura screeched as she forced even more energy into her mental bind. Her grip was unmerciful and driving. It shattered Matyeo's protective telepathic shield and was now working to try and to tear the great dog lord's mind apart…

A ball of energy shot down from the sky, striking the ground near Mura and sending the witch dodging to the side. Her concentration broken, Mura's telepathic hold over Sesshomaru ceased leaving the great dog painting and tired but immensely relived. The sight infuriated the witch, who quickly turned to face the new attacker. In that time a rush of silver had cascaded from the canapé and now stood snarling before her. Mura's eyes widened at the sight but such was the only reaction she had time to make before the silver haired demoness charged at her…

With claws bared Shura struck again and again at Mura's staff, hoping a well-aimed swipe would shatter the orb and release the three jewel shards her dragon sight detected. Unfortunately the witch's movements were just as rapid, as were her counter strikes… Shura let out a yelp of surprise when one of her swings fell upon an invisible shield the witch suddenly formed around herself, and the conflicting force sent her flying backwards. Landing hard Shura's padded feet caught the earth just in time for her to see the witch ready another attack.

"Filthy mongrel!" snapped the black-winged demon in an attempt to drive up her mental rage and amplify her attack. Her efforts worked. An intense pulse of psychic energy cascaded from her body with a force that made the scenery ripple. Shura didn't even have time to think about evading, for the attack came with the speed of the witch's will, and so she reacted solely on reflex, bracing her body and shielding her face with her crossed forearms. The attack hit…but to everyone's amazement…there was no damage. In fact, the instant it reached Shura the blast dispersed, leaving only the rush of wind it stirred to harmlessly toss her hair and tail behind her.

The incident baffled Shura who blinked momentarily in astonishment and relief before relaxing from her brace. Mura however was anything but relieved, in fact she was downright horrified. In a flurry of fear and rage she charged the dog demoness with staff at the ready. Blood ties might have insured her daughter immunity against a psychic assault, but not even a witch-cross was invulnerable to magic. Glaring hatefully Mura shot sphere after sphere of magenta colored energy from her weapon. The tactic sent Shura into charging, and though each sphere only missed by mere centimeters…the dog demoness still managed to get within striking range…

The demons lept simultaneously and collided for an instant in mid air before landing, Shura near her comrades, Mura in the opposite direction.

"Got her!" Shura beamed silently to herself when she saw the witch's blood on her claw tips. Then, without loosing sight of her opponent, she addressed other matters of concern. "Is everyone alright?" Matyeo, who was currently guarding Sesshomaru while he continued to gain his bearings managed a snort but that was all. Meanwhile, Kagome, Inuyasha, Shippo, Miroku and Sango all nervously exchanged glances and with it the duty of answering. The consensus eventually fell on Kagome.

"Yeah, we're okay!" the girl replied on behalf of her group of friends. The discomfort in her voice was not hidden, but to Shura's naive ears such was only the result of the unfavorable situation. And so she continued, oblivious to the fact that everyone's befuddled state stemmed from a reality she didn't know…that she was fighting her own mother…

Angrily Shura took a step forward but was surprised when a sharp pain erupted on her left shoulder. Glancing over the demoness found her dragon scale kimono split wide open, and a deep, rugged gash that stretched from collarbone to the far edge of her upper arm. Blood was already seeping from the wound, leaving a crimson trail that flowed all the way to her fingertips. Growling the she-demon stared hatefully over at her female adversary who was currently grumbling with a similar ire. As it turned out, Shura's mark had been more effective effective, for the witch had gained five scratch marks that spanned in range from the upper shoulder to the far comer of the face. All her cuts were bleeding as well, an act, which gradually worsened thanks to the acid, reside eating the tissues around them.

Screeching and snarling, both demons lunged, again in near perfect synchronization. Flawlessly they passed one another, avoiding collision by mere centimeters, and never once loosing eye contact. It was in that instant of passing, during the fractions of seconds it took for mental attack commands to reach their perspective muscles, that the scent of the black-witches blood seeped into Shura's sinus's. The blood signature was strong, reeking of magic, shadow, hate and deceit. But it was not these things that made Shura hesitate and miss her attack, rather it was the almost indefectible similarity…between the demon's blood scent… and her own.

A sharp jolt of energy blasted Shura from the air. The witch had not been so distracted and thus her attack was flawlessly exicuted. Landing hard on her back, Shura skidded for a great distance along the ground until crashing forcefully into a tree. Pulling herself up with difficulty the demoness tried hard to focus her doubled vision. When her sights did clear they were centered on the black-winged demon's face, as well as the aggressive stance she had taken with staff held ready to deliver a killing blow…