Authers note: Okay I know the end of this chapter is really bad, but as of now its the best idea I could come up with (and believe me I toyed with lots of them). Also, due to the excessive amount of work I'm finding myself with this semester I'm afraid I won't be able to post as frequently as I would like. Don't worry, the story will get finished...just not as fast.

Just thought I'de give you a fair warning, and I apoligize for the inconvenience this might cause.

-HyperFerret

Chapter 15

Upon their return to camp Shura took measures to clean the shoulder wound while Sesshomaru readied herbs to calm the bleeding. Then after the medicines were applied it was the great dog who finally stitched the gash closed. Both demons remained unnervingly distant during the length of the process, a fact that did little to cheer the already tensed atmosphere.

"All finished," the great dog at last informed quietly after he tied the final stitch. His announcement seemed to stir Shura, but only slightly.

"Hm…oh…right…thank you." muttered the she-demon as she glanced over the mended wound before pulling the still torn Kimono back over her exposed shoulder. There was a pause, and in that time Sesshomaru became overcome with restlessness. He had a hunch as to what his child was contemplating over, and if it was as he suspected…he had best prepare an explanation.

"You seem distracted," Sesshomaru spoke again as he replaced Shura's healing instruments and settled himself cross-legged on the grass "tell me, what troubles you?" Another long pause.

"That demon…" Shura at last replied "I'm almost positive I've never met her…and yet…something about her scent…" the she demon glanced over towards her father then shook her head casually. "Never mind…it's probably nothing."

Sesshomaru returned his daughters stare with a serious glance of his own. The conversation could have ended there, but as tempted as the great dog was to forgo the issue right then, in the end his heart wouldn't allow it.

"No, in this case I'm afraid, your instincts were uncanny." That got Shura's attention. Immediately she straitened and a new, nervous curiosity shone in her eyes.

"What are you saying?" Sesshomaru's voice lowered and reflexively he looked away.

"Shura…that witch demon she's…you're mother." The silence that followed was deafening and for an instant Sesshomaru feared his child had fainted at the news. When he shied a glance back however his sight fell immediately on his child's face. Her expression appeared calm however there was no mistaking the deep shock and hurt that reflected in her eyes.

"I see," came Shura's reply after a long stillness. Her voice, though nearly as unwavering as her expression, carried an unmistakable note of sadness "well…I'm not sure what you possibly saw in her…but…"

"There is nothing to admire in a witch demon," Sesshomaru abruptly cut in before Shura could finish. The harshness of his tone seemed to distress his daughter so the great dog made it a point to calm his manner before continuing. "I was just abiding a contract" he at last concluded "…and you I'm afraid were the fine print she didn't read." To that the she-demon lowered her eyes.

"So my creation was purely business then?" she murmured quietly. Unable to answer with his throat constricting the demon lord merely offered a nod. The gesture made Shura sink down a little lower. As hard as it was for her to hear, the dog lord's confession had shed a great deal of light on her rather shrouded early childhood. She now knew why it was that she never encountered her mother, and also why Sesshomaru had such little patience for her toddler antics. Neither of them had been entirely willing or prepared for the duty of childrearing…or so, that's how it seemed.

"Shura…" the demoness glanced upward when she felt a gentle hand come to rest on her shoulder. "I know this hasn't been easy for you to hear…" began the dog lord gently. Before he could finish Shura raised her hand and laid it on her fathers.

"But it is the truth, and I'm glad you were finally honest with me. It proves your willingness to change…and I think you have…for the better." With that Shura gave her father's hand a little squeeze. Then slowly, she stood. True she may have become more trusting in her old man, but the pain of his news was still throbbing in her mind and needed some quiet sorting out time.

"I just going to go and…. gather some firewood," was her flimsy excuse for leaving but Sesshomaru allowed it. Within moments she had reached the camp's border just in time to pass Inuyasha and the remainder of his company. None of them uttered a word in her direction, but it was obvious they knew what had transpired.

For a long while Shura sat motionless atop a large boulder overlooking the swiftly flowing currents of that forest's main river. The waters cast back a choppy reflection that blurred the demoness's features as well as those of the landscape, but Shura didn't really mind. She would have preferred seeing anything over her own face considering she had spent the better part of two hours crying. Encountering her birth mother had filled Shura with a deep homesickness and longing for her true mother…the mortal woman Mia, and as hard as she tried to retain control, emotional restraint was still proving difficult for her human heart.

Eventually though her tears did subside and the demoness's thoughts trailed to other matters…mainly those of her relations. Shura thought at great length of her demon parents and speculated over the pact that had inevitably led to her creation. Though she didn't know the finer details, the two demon's brief and violent interaction that afternoon painted as clear a picture as any. She was not spawned of affection or even lust, but instead remained a child born solely out of selfish whims and petty greed.

Rising to her feet Shura stepped from the boulder and started deeper into the forest in the hopes that a brisk walk would take away some of the heat that was beginning to emanate from her body. The entire situation was frustrating beyond imagination; knowing both her parents resorted to abandonment when she, through no fault of her own, had failed to reach their credentials. But even more infuriating was the reality that as things stood now… the black-witch seemed no less anxious to be rid of her. A snarl crept across Shura's face. Even the great dog lord of the west, a beast who cowered to no one, eventually shuddered at his act of mistreatment. But that witch…she had shown nothing in the realm of shame or remorse following their meeting. The black-winged demon's body movements relayed only anger…at the fact that her own daughter was still alive!

Now Shura was running. Her pawstrokes were light, featherish like her fathers, but rapid like her uncles and they guided her through the woodlands with a swiftness known to the canine breed. She continued her pace even as trees and thorn bushes reached out angry branches from every direction and scratched delicate ears and striped cheeks. Nether the slightest pain or fatigue registered.

A dark object suddenly flashed in the corner of Shura's eye and with it came an illusionary image of her witch kin. The mirage was yelling at her…just like in battle…. calling her a filthy mongrel! Without even bating an eye the demoness readied her claws and struck. Five ragged gashes dissolved the image and soon after sent a spray of shattered bark and splinters into Shura's face as her claws found the solid, dark mass she had been aiming for. Recoiling Shura lept back a few feet and observed her handiwork from a far. The tree she had hit, now sporting five diagonal scratches clean through its trunk, fell heavily to the forest floor, leaving only a stump to mark its once proud stature. As she watched the object land Shura felt herself overcome with a strange sense of satisfaction...

"So what are we going to do now?" asked a curious Kagome to her group of companions as they thoughtfully dined on a meal of freshly roasted pig. Not shockingly Inuyasha was the first to voice a reply.

"What else? We're going after that witch and her jewel shards." There was an unnerving silence, and in that time the half demon found himself bombarded by weary glances.

"Are you sure that is a wise idea Inuyasha?" Miroku finally interjected "especially considering what we know about her…" the cue registered immediately and it made the half demon grimace.

"Oh come on! Its not like she welcomed Shura with open arms!" Inuyasha started to protest, but once again Miroku intervened.

"Nevertheless I think we need to be careful."

"I agree," added Sango with a deliberate nod "hostile or not that demon is Shura's blood kin…and there is no telling how she'll react if we suddenly start making threats on her relatives." To that the half demon sneered. Under normal circumstances he would have agreed with Sango's point, but not this time, and with good reason. He knew better then anyone that enemies did not cease at a family level.

"Besides," Miroku had stepped into the conversation again "even if we did decide to go after the witch demon, at present we have no indication as to where her clan resides, let alone where to begin looking." The monk's reasoning was truthful enough…at least it was for a moment.

"I know." a fluent dragon voice suddenly sounded in the air above. Everyone's heads tilted upward in surprise. Resting comfortably on a tree bow not far above their campsite was the dragon lord Matyeo. Currently the beast was stretched elegantly across the limb, with shoulders and head arched slightly to meet the curve of the branch as it joined to the tree body.

"How did you…" the now exasperated half demon started to ask but he quickly dropped the topic in favor of a more intriguing one "ah…never mind…you said you know where the witch demon tribe is?" the dragon nodded calmly.

"The black-wings at least. They dwell in the northern mountains that border my territory. Though I wouldn't plan on attacking them…" he cautioned "as things stand now…you wouldn't even make it close to their stronghold."

"What makes you so sure?" snapped Inuyasha out of reflex to defend his pride. Matyeo only shook his head slightly.

"Witch demons are revered for their telepathic abilities…and the black-witch tribe is the largest. You saw what one did to Sesshomaru; imagine the power of hundreds. Your minds would never withstand it." everyone's faces fell slightly. They did indeed remember. The witch's mind grip had nearly crushed the elder dog demon, and no doubt could have easily done the same to them, had the demon decided they were targets.

A stirring from nearby foliage roused everyone's attention, and in the next instant a familiar feminine striped countenance had come within viewing range. From where she stood Shura didn't appear any more worse for wear, aside from some bloody thorn scratches across the face, ears and hands.

"Oh, hey Shura." Kagome managed to extend a welcome without sounding overly suspicious. The she demon shrugged off the greeting with a twitch of one ear.

"I know what you've been conspiring," she informed them in a dull quiet whisper "and I've come to tell you not to hesitate on my behalf." The she-demon's stare was eerily cold and it made everyone shift with discomfort.

"Are you sure…" offered an unusually timid Kagome who was immediately followed in sequence by Miroku.

"You know they'res very little chance your mother will give up the shards without a fight…" the faintest of growls resonated from Shura's throat, making the monk gulp nervously.

"The only mother I knew is no longer of this earth. It would be wise of you to remember that from now on" was all she said, but the intensity in her voice portrayed just as vivid a message as any. The she demon had sided against her witch heritage and furthermore granted such demons no greater rank then pesky enemies.

The decision relieved Inuyasha more then anyone; he would have worried greatly for Shura had she chosen to protect a demon that despised her so. More importantly, he and his friends now had a clear objective, and a hefty prize attached to it.

"So it's settled then. Tomorrow we start north to the witch's territory…" the half demon started to announce only to be stopped mid sentence by Kagome.

"Um, did you forget what Matyeo just told us? He said we didn't stand a chance against the witch demon's psychic attacks…" Inuyasha blushed faintly, unwilling to admit that he had.

"Actually," now it was Matyeo who spoke again "I said at present, you wouldn't be able to stand against them. With the right defense tools to protect your minds…defeating the witches would prove no more difficult a venture then any other you've faced thus far."

"And I take it you know of such tools…." Replied the ever-perceptive Miroku with a slight smile. The dragon let out a small snort and casually averted his eyes upward to the nocturnal sky.

"Indeed. I myself can craft them for you…though I'll need time to gather the ingredients…and of course look over the references back at my palace." The young dragon's announcement simultaneously rose, and dampened everyone's spirits.

"And how long will that take?" asked an impatient Inuyasha. Matyeo offered little more then a shrug in return.

"That depends, I suppose, on weather I receive assistance or not." Almost immediately Kagome opened her mouth to volunteer her companions for the task; with no other leads to search out, what was the point of refusing. Before she could speak however an unexpected voice cut her off.

"I'll help you Matyeo" Shura announced casually "father and I were planning on heading to the northlands anyway for my training. I'm sure he won't mind."

"We'll come to!" Kagome finally managed to express her interest, and surprisingly it met with very little protest. Even Inuyasha, normally a stickler for unnecessary charity, didn't put up much of a fuss.

"Might was well," was all he had to say.