Chapter 20: Whispers of a New Threat
"Hmm... this is strange indeed," Master Jaken mumbled to himself as he approached Rin and the sleeping lady samurai.
"Master Jaken." Rin fedgeted as she spoke, and she kept glancing at the silent cottage. "What's going on?"
"I don't know, but if I remember correctly, this Katsutoshi is an old childhood companion of Sesshomaru-sama."
"So... they are friends?" she asked.
"Definitely not," the little yōkai snapped, extinguishing any gleamers of hope the little girl might have had. "That one is a daiyōkai as well, son of the powerful kodama, known only as Okami, ruler of the northern forests. We must be closer to the border of his lands than I thought."
"Oh."
The little girl looked down as her little hands gripped her kimono tightly. Her heart was weighed down by worry and a tinge of fear. She bit her lip slightly.
"Master Jaken, is Katsutoshi-san really as strong as Sesshomaru-sama?"
"Uh, well..." The little yōkai fumbled around as he tried to figure out the answer.
"You don't know?"
"Stupid girl! Of course, Sesshoumaru-sama is stronger!" Jaken exclaimed angrily.
But Rin had seen his hesitation.
"Ugh..."
The lady samurai groaned softly as her eyes fluttered open. She rested her hand on her forehead to guard against the sunlight. When her eyes had adjusted to the light, she looked at both the little yōkai and Rin. The little girl was overwhelmed with relief and threw herself on top of Tora.
"Tora-san! You're alright," Rin mumbled into the hanyō's neck. Her small arms wrapped tightly around Tora's shoulders.
"What happened?"
Rin pulled back slightly, and she gaze up at the woman with wide eyes. "You don't remember?"
Tora sat up, her hand rubbing the side of her face to ward off the last dredges of sleep. She could not recall the last time she had slept so soundly and woke feeling fully rested. Fully rested yet longing to return to that peaceful, dreamless sleep. As she stretched, she realized that all of her aches and pains were gone, and the sensation was slightly unnerving. What had happened?
The last thing she remembered was the feathery soft touch of fingers on her cheek... the warmth of breath against her neck... whispered words in her ear...
Her body tensed as the memories of her encounter with Katsutoshi flooded her mind. How did he manage to get so close to her? How could she have let her guard down? Had she passed out or was the enchanted sleep his doing?
A shudder ran down her spine, and she hastily surveyed the garden, but she did not see a trace of the yōkai. His scent... a gentle blend of soothing blossoms and grass ...lingered in the air, mixing with the familiar earthy smell of Sesshomaru. Her eyes narrowed. The barrier surrounding the ethereal garden was gone.
"Sesshomaru-sama..."
"He's with Katsutoshi-san in the cottage," Rin replied hesitantly. "They are old friends."
"I told you, you impertinent child," Master Jaken snapped. "Sesshomaru-sama is not friends with that... that... devious kodama. "
"Kodama," Tora repeated. That would explain the pristine garden. She turned to the little yōkai. "Jaken, go collect my katana."
He stared at her in surprise before finding his voice. "I don't take orders from filthy half-breeds."
The lady samurai leveled a glare at the retainer that warned of bodily harm should he not comply. Relunctantly, he relented, but he mumbled under his breath as he walked away. When he was on the other side of the garden, Tora turned to Rin.
The slap as her palm hit the girl's cheek resounded around the enclosure, and the little girl was motionless from the shock. She had been hit harder many times during her life at the village before Sesshomaru saved her, but she never expected to be struck by Tora. Ever since the daiyōkai had carried the lady samurai to their camp, bloody and unconscious, the little girl had come to think of her as an older sister... or even her mother.
Tears welled up in her eyes as the skin on her cheek turned red.
"T-tora-san?" Rin stammered.
Without saying a word, the lady samurai grabbed the girl by her shoulders and pulled her close. As her armed tightened around Rin, the little girl could hear Tora's heart beating steady and strong. The stain on her cheek faded away as she took comfort in the warm, loving embrace.
"Rin, do not ever act so reckless again. You could have been hurt, killed, or worse."
The girl closed her eyes and nodded. "Yes, Tora-san."
* * * * *
"Explain yourself," Sesshomaru demanded the moment the cottage door closed behind them.
"The reason I am here is not to nurse my injured pride," Katsutoshi said with a sly grin.
He moved over to a window almost completely covered with ivy. Through the leaves and vines, he watched the little human, hanyō, and yōkai. Sesshomaru's traveling companions. Two were utterly worthless, nothing but a hinderance, yet the daiyōkai tolerated their presence. The rumors were true. The great Sesshomaru-sama had changed.
"For many moons, there have been whispers in the forest of a yōkai in this region disguised as a human and gathering forces. My father sent me here to investigate the rumors and asset the threat. What I have discovered troubles me. The yōkai calls himself Ura Kotoku and lives as a daimyo not far from this very place."
"Any yōkai who takes on the disguise of a lowly human is unworthy of being called a yōkai and not worthy of my time," Sesshomaru said apathetically.
Amusement flashed across Katsutoshi's face. "Your words regarding the humans have not changed, though for such words, you keep strange company."
The look the inu-yōkai shot him was filled with familiar malice, a look he had been subjected to many times in the past, and Katsutoshi momentarily feigned innocence with a smile. Then his sharp eyes narrowed, and he became serious.
"Sesshomaru, this Ura Kotoku is planning something... What, I have yet to discover, but whatever it may be, it will be disruptive to the region. I am aware of your current situation with the hanyō called Naraku, rumors of him have reached even our ears, but I am asking you to assist me in destroying this Ura pest."
"How dull."
With an air of indifference, the daiyōkai turned to leave. As he reached for the door, dark vines sprung out of the walls and ground, growing at an unnatural rate. The door disappeared beneath the thorned foliage. Sesshomaru touched one of the vines and watched as a drop of blood appeared on his fingertip.
"It is rude to leave while your host is still speaking," Katsutoshi chided.
The daiyōkai did not appear to be listening as he wiped the blood away with his thumb. "Hmm... your techniques have grown stronger. Is this pest so powerful that you are no match for him? If you lack the power, increase your numbers by calling upon your father's vassals."
When Katsutoshi did not reply, Sesshomaru raised his eyebrows. "Ho... so you are sulking."
The forest yōkai shook his head slowly, a smirk growing on his face. "You are very wrong, my old friend. You may have no use for strategy, but I do. You have something that Ura wants."
Author's Note: I hope all my American friends have had a wonderful Thanksgiving! (Ah, this is my favorite holiday of the year. Nothing is better than my home-made stuffing/dressing!) Anyway, this mysterious Ura Kotoku was mentioned before. I have a delicious home-made chocolate chip cookie from a secret family recipe for the Reader who remembers where. ;)