Chapter 18
The beast's movement was unavoidable, its speed unmatched. No one had time to move, think, draw a breath to cry out. In a single horrifying instant the snow beast that had appeared defeated suddenly rose from the ground and with a last, desperate heave lept with fangs exposed toward the sources of its hatred.
With eyes wide and body tensed Shura watched as the beast's gaping jaws reached for her. Then, in the instants before impending death some unseen spark of instinct seemed to ignite within. Her body heightened in power, gaining the horns and black markings now known to be an inheritance from her mother's line. Then a shield appeared. The dome surrounded the entire gathering, casting off the Yeti's charge with its familiar blue/green iridescent shine. The barrier lasted for only a fleeting moment…. just long enough to repel the creature and send it stumbling backwards. Then it, and all trace of Shura's power faded. As if nothing had even happened at all. But something had happened and both the dog brothers felt it. In that split moment of innate defense Shura's aura had gained a strange, almost evil, dark potency it made both of their insides tremble, if only for an instant.
The creature didn't have time for a second lunge. Sesshomaru darted in and landed an energy sphere exactly where Tetsusaiga had penetrated the chest, effectively rupturing the beast's insides and thereafter blasting the remains into a million bloody pieces. Then with a graceful slowness the dog lord lowered himself to the ground and turned to face his daughter. She was subdued now, no longer harboring any traces of that unfathomable darkness. And still…. something about the situation didn't sit well, and Sesshomaru had a strong suspicion why; it reeked of witch trickery.
"I suppose I fail," Shura mumbled quietly once the great dog came within a reasonable hearing range "you told me early on to make sure my target is dead before turning away. I was a fool not to have remembered." Sesshomaru didn't reply at first, only continued to approach with slow, deliberate steps. Soon he was less then three feet away, his tall, elegant frame surpassing Shura's by only a few inches.
"Shura…" the dog lord at last began with a seriousness that made the demoness flinch. No doubt she was expecting a scolding over her failed Yeti killing mission. But as it turned out Sesshomaru's remark was not a reprimand only a question. "How did you make that barrier?"
There was a long, unsettling pause as all eyes gradually fell to Shura for an answer. To everyone's surprise however the demoness just stared at her father as if he had suddenly grown another head.
"What barrier?" Now everyone's expressions became laced with bewilderment, but none more so then Shura's. Though the she-demon had indeed produced a barrier…she could recall none of it.
"The barrier you created just now. The one that repelled the demon," the dog lord reiterated with a note of increasing unease. To his dismay the she-demon still remained uncooperative.
"I didn't cast any barrier" Shura insisted "you killed the demon before it got to us." Now the atmosphere was growing tense and Sesshomaru, for all his dignity and composure, was running out of patience. Swiftly he reached out and seized Shura gruffly by the shoulder making her yip in alarm.
"Shuramaru…I am in no mood for these games! Now tell me the truth!" his tone was demanding, almost angry, and it made Shura recoil with fear.
"I am!" she whimpered hurtfully. Next it was Inuyasha who stepped in and amazingly it was to defend his brother.
"But Shura…we all saw a barrier."
"He's right," chimed in Miroku calmly "and you're the only one who would have that kind sorcery skill…"
"No I don't! Not for that kind of magic!" retorted Shura angrily. "I've never cast a barrier seal before and I'm telling you I didn't do it now. I'm sure I would remember if I did!" that reply made Sesshomaru become unnervingly still. Something about her wording, the reference to memory, had set his mind ablaze with worry. That darkness he had sensed within his child…was it corroding her memory? He didn't know the answer but for Shura's sake Sesshomaru was bound and determined to find it…and he knew just the demon he would need to speak to.
"Alright Shura." The dog lord at last consented quietly as he relaxed his grip "if that's truly what you believe then I'll let it go at that." As he finished speaking Sesshomaru turned and started to walk away.
"Where are you going?" called Shura, a note of distress still lingering heavily in her voice. The incident had clearly upset her and Sesshomaru's lack of explanation only seemed to further aggravate her emotions.
"To find someone. I'll return in two days. You may remain with Inuyasha until I do so." That was all he said before rejoining Ah-un and Jaken atop the ledge. Then in the next instant the three of them were off and flying to some unknown destination with unnerving speed.
Shura watched with a heavy heart as they left. No doubt the cause of her father's abrupt departure had something to do with her, but what exactly that was she couldn't even imagine.
At the same time Inuyasha and his friends surveyed the departing trio of demons with bewilderment. Only Inuyasha had any idea as to what had distressed Sesshomaru to the point that he'd leave so suddenly and interrupt Shura's training. But where exactly his brother was off to remained anyone's guess.
After an agonizingly long hike the group of eight managed to find a cave shelter big enough to house them all and more. This turned out to be fortunate for not long after their arrival, Ah-un appeared carrying Rin and Jaken. Apparently Sesshomaru could not afford to be bogged down by their presence and so ordered that they stay with Shura. This suited Rin just fine, and Ah-un didn't much care either way as long as there was food and shelter. Jaken was a bit more disliking of the idea, but he quickly shut up after Shura threatened to stuff him back into Ah-un's saddlebag if he didn't stop with his incessant whining.
After the area was made somewhat organized and everyone for the most part became settled, the wounded received treatment. For all the damage Inuyasha took, the half demon sustained only mild injuries; two cracked ribs, a minor bump to the head and blisters on hands and fingers from the death grip he kept on Tetsusaiga's handle throughout the duration of the battle. Because of the relatively mild nature of his injuries, along with other reasons Shura wouldn't mention, she was content to leave her beloved uncle under Kagome's gentle care. Though Shura had not anticipated the incessant bickering between the two would continue throughout the process…the stubborn remarks of her uncle and returned fits to temper from Kagome were actually reassuring to hear. Yelling sessions were as clear an indication as any that her uncle would recover quickly.
Matyeo's healing however remained another matter entirely. Though the dragon's broken arm could be set easily and his strained muscles eased with rest and numbing herbs, repair on his wing was a much more complicated endeavor. It was a well-known fact that, in the dragon species especially, poor management of wing tears could very easily hinder the sufferer's flight abilities, or even ground them permanently. For this reason such procedures very often required a great deal of precision and a near flawless understanding of the various species anatomy. Fortunately for Matyeo, Sesshomaru's daughter was no stranger to flight based demons, and after a decade of practice, her skills in the art of wing mending had since become unparalleled.
With utmost care the demoness flexed and extended the dragon's wing this way and that to check for breaks and assess the damage to the membrane. Then with the aid of ah-un's leather reins as ties, Shura suspended the structure and its right side counterpart from the cavern walls so each remained fully extended. The posture, as uncomfortable as it was for Matyeo to endure, was essential for accurate and effective stitching, and Shura would not skimp on either. For six agonizingly slow hours she worked to repair the gashes and by the end of the procedure the dragon's battle worn, tightly hunched, body had cramped so badly even the slightest movement was painful. It took close to another hour before Shura was finally able to get him situated comfortably on his back so he could rest, but by that point such a thing seemed nearly impossible. The poor beast's body had tensed to such a degree it was beyond the relaxing effects of the herbs Shura had gotten into him.
So it was without a second thought that the she-demon worked to massage out the knots from her friend's body. And through it all she remained amazingly composed. Despite the stares she received from her semi-alert uncle laying at rest a few yards away or those of his companions as they passed freely about, the she demon kept her professionalism intact. Hard as it was not to be taken in by Matyeo's handsome features and alluring golden eyes, at that moment, the dragons status was that of a patient; shying thoughts of distraction and temptation just weren't appropriate.
It was late at night by the time Matyeo finally became relaxed enough to sleep and Shura could give her badly cramping hands a much needed rest. Following the return of feeling to her fingers the demoness listened briefly for the number of sleep-laden breaths about her in the darkened cavern. The only one that didn't register was that of her uncle, and a quick sniff soon confirmed that he was not in the cave, but instead sitting quietly just outside.
With feather quiet movements Shura maneuvered around and over the assorted heaps of demons and mortals until she emerged into the crisp night air. Sure enough, not three feet away from the cavern entrance was the familiar red and silver slouching lump that was Inuyasha. Presently he was admiring the breathtaking assortment of stars that painted the equally beautiful, navy blue sky, but he perked an ear out of politeness to acknowledge his new company. After a series of stretches to relieve cramping muscles and kinked joints Shura took a seat on the ground beside her uncle.
"Feeling better?" she inquired gently almost out of reflex. The answer was nothing less then what she expected.
"Don't worry about me. This is nothing."
"I'm glad to hear it," cooed Shura in return as she too cast her gaze skyward. Beside her the half demon grunted softly, as if mulling over something.
"What about Matyeo?" Inuyasha finally spoke after a long pause "How's he doing?" The she demon glanced momentarily in his direction caught off guard by Inuyasha's unexpected concern.
"He'll be alright" Shura assured her uncle softly "a half day's rest should see his recovery." The she demon gave a little smile before tossing in playfully "heaven knows I've seen him pull through worse anyway." Shura let out a deep sigh and flopped backwards onto the ground. She didn't notice the smirk tugging at her uncle's lips; the sky had taken her full attention. "Wow its gorgeous! I forgot how beautiful the sky is way up here."
"Come again?" posed Inuyasha when Shura's reference eluded him. The she demon broadened her smile.
"Matyeo and I used to go exploring all the time when we were younger and our favorite place to camp was always the mountains. Places like this, they were always so peaceful, and they had the most breathtaking scenery, especially the sky." Shura paused and let out a soft, contented puff of air. "It was the perfect escape for our two restless demon souls."
To that Inuyasha couldn't resist a gentle smile. He himself knew all to well the anxieties his niece referred to, for they had taunted him for countless years after the death of his mother. But unlike Shura, his inner piece did not come through a place, but rather a person….
The half demon seemed to stir at his own thoughts for a moment. Then he shot Shura a most mischievous stare.
"What?" asked the demoness when she became aware of her uncle's gaze.
"You care about him don't you?" the abrupt question set a fire on the back of Shura's neck jolting her into a sit. What on earth could have prompted her uncle to ask such a thing?
"Well of course," she replied quite naively "He's my best friend." Inuyasha snorted.
"That's not what I meant and you know it," he badgered causing the fire on Shura's neck to spread to her cheeks. Now Inuyasha was just making her mad. Even if she did have feelings for the dragon, if of course being the key word, there was no way she'd go about announcing it to everyone…. Shura's face twisted into a devious half smile that mimicked her uncle's as a certain memory from their latest battle tugged at her mind. If she recalled correctly, stubborn coyness was a trait Inuyasha had inherited as well.
"I care for Matyeo…" Shura at last replied casually "as you care for Kagome." As expected her retort sent Inuyasha into fighting a blush and the topic was abruptly ended with no further comments.