Sesshomaru glared at Jakin, who was pacing around the table in the hut they had been given. Not that he needed somewhere to stay at night. He didn't feel cold like week mortals did. Nothing bothered him. He could take the cold, he could fetch his own food, draw his own bath. He was not week like humans. He didn't need anything, and nothing bothered him. Nothing except Jakin and his insatiable pacing.

"Jakin will you stop, and sit still already."

Jakin jumped several feet in the air, his arms and legs flailing at the sound of his master's voice laced with anger. "Yes my lord, as you wish my lord. Sorry my lord." He settled onto a chair, and fiddled with the staff in his hands. Then played with the teacup in front of him, then his hands, then the staff again.

"Jakin if you cant sit still, go play with Rin."

"Yes my lord, I mean no my lord I can sit still." He noticed his fingers playing with his teacup again, and froze. Dropping the cup back to the table and earning himself a glare from Sesshomaru. Jakin smiled sheepishly before righting the teacup on its trey and looking down at the table. "My lord…"

Sesshomaru stared at him, his eyes glowing coals of hatred. "Yes?"

Jakin gulped, "Its just my lord… I was wondering… I mean why are we still here my lord? You saw your sister, why have we not moved on my lord?"

Sesshomaru looked away. "I cannot leave, not while InuYasha is here with her."

"But my lord, she is capable of defending herself, I know you came to her aid yesterday-" Sesshomaru glared at him, "not that she needed your aid my lord, she is strong enough with out you-but she would of coarse my lord want you here. Please my lord continue."

On the end of a long sigh he did, "I cannot leave them alone together. Thanks to our father, they are the only two people alive who can kill me."

"Kill you my lord?"

"The only way of us may die is at the hands of both of the other two. A spell of sorts father had placed on us." Sesshomaru explained as he glared at the wall, not seeing the wall itself, but seeing Takira as she explained the odd spell to him when he was younger. He hadn't understood the meaning of the spell when it was the two of them and their father. He had assumed it had been set in place to protect his father from himself. But when the old dog demon had passed of his own will, that was the other exception, the fool had gone into that situation and not intended to come out of it. Now that it was InuYasha, Takira and himself he felt nothing but annoyance. Takira he didn't want to kill, he didn't think of her much but when he did it was…fondly, if such a thing was possible. She had practically raised him, tried to take him on as her student Sentient. But his mother would never have let that happen, she had appeared whenever it seemed that Takira was too strong of an influence on him, and taken him to learn what a demon truly was. Not a baby sitter to these week humans, but the ruler of them.

He had no desire to waste his strength catering to the weaker humans. If she wanted to waste her immortality and her strength at such a pointless endeavored then it was none of his concern. But he had been stuck in this vile human village for two days now, and the stench was starting to annoy him. That and the fact that his sister had taken to bed the weak demon healer. He had words with his sister to display his annoyance the night before, when he had seen her coming into the village on the healers arm. She must have noticed the content in his eyes because she had left the healer and had a private word with him.

"Something you wish to discuss brother?" Takira had asked after following him into his assigned hut.

He hadn't been able to look at her at first, hadn't wanted to admit that his sister, his fathers blood was willing to dilute their blood with that of an inferior demon. He grabbed her arm, spinning her to face him, and realized his mistake. He saw the subtle shift in her eyes, going from friendly to wary Sentient and powerful. He noticed the way her hands tightened into fists to keep from drawing her sword. "Are you sleeping with that demon?"

Takira ripped her arm from his grasp and paced away from him to stare out the window. She counted to ten, then looked at Sesshomaru. Then back to the window and focused on her breathing, she counted to ten several more times before turning back to him. "Who I love, and who I choose to make a life with is no concern of yours."

"No concern of mine? I am your brother! I am your family! Who you choose to share our blood with is every concern of mine!" Sesshomaru yelled.

Takira narrowed her eyes and crossed to him, she wasn't tall enough to glare into his eyes, actually she barely came up to his shoulder, but she glared all the same. "He was here for me, he loves me back. He has never looked at me and thought less of me for wanting to care for humans." They remained that way for several moments each of them seeing a stranger in the other.

Sesshomaru had never seen his sister this passionate about another demon. She had taken other lovers in the past he was sure of it, but had never loved them. If she was happy with him then he should support her, he knew that, but it chafed his temper that the demon she chose to love was nothing more then a healer.

He looked away from the anger in her eyes. "Why do you have a healer here anyway? You know enough to heal yourself, and you mend fast enough."

Takira glared at him a moment longer before looking away, and forcing her hands to relax. "It was a condition of the villages. I was injured several years ago," she paused realizing just how long ago it was and wincing. "More then several, over fifty years ago. It worried the villagers when they saw just how torn up I was, they decided that I needed a healer here at all times, they wanted to take care of me." She laughed slightly, "The first time I met him I gave him that scare. He showed up on the road to my villages, and when I questioned him, he just stared at me. When I asked him why later he said he had never seen anything so beautiful." She blushed a little.

"So your beautiful, father told you that often enough." Sesshomaru said not seeing the significance.

"A father is blind to his daughters true looks. I had never had someone outside of the family tell me that before, it took me aback." She smiled fondly at the memory. A moment later her eyes locked on Sesshomaru's again and he wondered if she was still mad. "I love you Sesshomaru, I will forever. Like I will love InuYasha even if he never feels the same. But I love Hakoru in a different way, not less just different. I wont stop loving you if I have feelings for another."

"I am not afraid of loosing your affection." Sesshomaru said looking out the window. He couldn't remember the last time he told her he cared, and it didn't matter, she knew it even if he didn't say it.

She stared at him for several long moments, long enough for him to begin to wonder what she saw. When his eyes met hers he couldn't read her expression, was she hurt that he didn't say anything more? Or was she even thinking of him, was she thinking of that half-demon brat? He never got an answer; she gave him a halfhearted smile and walked out the door. He had spent the rest of that night wondering what it was that she had not said at the end.

He was angry. Not to put to fine a point on it, he was ticked. They had been in this weird village for two days now. And something here pulled at him and he didn't know what it was, but he didn't want to stay to find out, didn't want to know the answer to the riddles that plagued him at night. His nose tingled while he was here, like he knew the scent, but he didn't, couldn't. All he wanted to do was run, and leave the mystery of this place to itself.

All he heard about from the others was how wonderful this was. How fantastic the food was. If the girls told him one more time how nice it was to take a hot private bath every day he was going to vomit up all that wonderful food. Who needed to cleanse themselves every day anyway? And if Shippo told him one more time how nice the children were and how they felt about his 'sister' he was going to just scream!

InuYasha paced the inside of the hut again, walking around the parameter of the room again. The first day he could almost understand. Sure they could use a rest, and it was always nice to stock up on fresh supplies. Fine so that accounts for one day in this village. The second day was pushing it. And now it was the start of the third day and he was pissed. They should be moving on, not spending the day learning about the herbs that were native to this area like Kagome was with the healer demon. What type of a demon wanted to use their powers to heal? What was the point of that?

They certainly should not be spending the day helping the villagers with their archery and other weapons like Miroku and Songo were doing. Let the Sentient train her men how she wanted, they didn't need the help of a monk and a demon slayer to learn how to defend themselves. The last thing they should be doing all day is playing a game of catch-the-ball with the local children like Shippo was doing. Granted that game turned into catch-the-kitty-who-stole-the-ball once Kirara got involved.

InuYasha walked to the doorway and stared out angrily at the peaceful village all around him. He didn't want to admit that it had been nice to sleep indoors now that the winter was creeping into the land. There was no chance he was going to say how nice it was to have food that was made by others that Kagome hadn't burned or overly seasoned with spiciness. It was just inconceivable to want to be here any longer then they had to. And yet here they were on day number three. And had all of them gone mad? Did they forget what tonight was? The new moon? And here they were in a village with not only a demon claiming to be his sister, but Sesshomaru! The last thing he wanted to do was let his brother know when he was vulnerable. And if Takira didn't know when he was vulnerable already then there was no chance he was going to let her find out.

He stormed out of the hut and through the main part of the village. He didn't notice the woman gathered there to wash laundry and gossip. Didn't notice the groups of children playing games running around him, or that Rin was now in the group that Shippo and Kirara were playing with. All he wanted to do was tell Takira they were leaving, and gather his friends as get the hell out of there. She had asked him to stay so they could get to know each other, and yet she hadn't come near him once in the past two days. If any thing she had been avoiding him. Talk to Kagome though well that was just fine with her, talk to Songo about different demons and demon slayers they both knew, great! Even telling stories to Shippo while he was playing with the children that she could do. But she couldn't gather the nerve to come talk to him!

He knew which way to travel by the scent he associated with her. But still when he found her he stood and stared. She was all alone in the rice fields near the village. Tending the fields alone so that the men of the village could study weapons with a real demon slayer. InuYasha stood for an immeasurable amount of time just watching her as she moved among the rice, stopping here and there to tend something.

She looked up before he could walk away, and at the distance he couldn't read her expression. Wary, that he had come to seek her out, excited maybe? He had a full minute to wonder that as she made her way over to him, he didn't take a step towards her. If she wanted to talk she could travel.

Takira gave him a shy smile when she finally approached him. "Good day to you brother. It is nice to see that you are finally exploring beyond your rooms."

InuYasha stared at her wondering at the sincerity of the greeting. "I just came to tell you we are leaving. I wont thank you for the supplies because we could have gotten them anywhere." He turned to leave but froze when she spoke.

"Is that such a good idea? To be out on the roads tonight brother?" Takira asked.

"Why would it not be? I have spent the night on the road before." He grumbled.

She took a step closer to him and lowered her voice. "The new moon is this evening, I do not think you should be out on the land when you are vulnerable."

He stared at her dumbfounded. How did she know? How? And had she told Sesshomaru?

Takira studied his face for a moment, "come let us converse in the shade of the trees." When he didn't move she pressed, "There is less chance to be overheard if we are in the forest, then if we remain here where anyone could come upon us."

InuYasha followed when she turned, after a brief pause to put away the tools she had carried with her, into the forest. They didn't travel that far, just until they were in the shade of the overhead branches, where they could hear if anyone approached them, when Takira turned to face him. "The night you were born, do you know much of it?"

"I know enough." He said, defiance radiating off of him.

Takira nodded. "Then you know that your mothers mansion was burned to the ground. And that your father died, and that she was all alone in the world with an infant who was a half demon." She paused letting him absorb that. "Father spoke very highly of your mother, and introduced me to her. When I heard what happened to Father, I went to the Lady and offered her a place to live while hers was being rebuilt. And she honored me by accepting. You lived here in this village for the first year of your life." Takira smiled to herself. "I helped you learn to walk, and changed more then my share of your diapers."

InuYasha turned pink, but refused to speak.

"When you were a few weeks old the first change happened. Your mother was sleeping in the next room, and I answered you when you cried. I came to your crib, and noticed first that your hair was dark, not pure white. Then I recognized the change in your scent. You were human. I left a note for your mother in case she awoke, that I had taken you, so she would know you were safe. Then I packed you in warm cloths, and took you to that clearing I took you to the other day. I didn't want to risk anyone else discovering that you had a weakness." Takira looked away into the woods. InuYasha didn't look at her; he was fighting memories he hadn't known were real. He didn't want to admit that something felt familiar here. That was why it felt so odd to be here, why he had those odd dreams riddled with hints about a past he couldn't fully remember.

"I didn't know it then, but I had stared a tradition for the two of us. After that night, on every new moon I took you to that clearing. From there we would look down on the village, and I would hold you and keep you warm. You took your first step on one of those nights, and I got to see it. After a happy wonderful year with you and your mother living her, the Lady told me that her home was rebuilt, and that she was moving back. I guess I never really realized that one day I would have to give you up. The day she took you away was the last time I thought I was ever going to see you. I was so upset, so heart broken.

"A band of demons came not long after seeking to plunder one of my villages. I was distracted in the fight, thinking more of you and the safety of your mother; I didn't fully focus on the battle at hand. And I got hurt. It wasn't as bad as the villagers made it out to be, in the end the demons were dead, and I was alive…more or less. The villagers were terrified of loosing me, and they made the decision to hire a demon healer to live in whatever village I was guarding. That is why Hakoru is here now." Takira turned back to face him.

InuYasha ignored the tears in her eyes, and focused on the center of her forehead.

"Being here again, do you remember anything?" Takira couldn't keep the longing out of her voice.

InuYasha kept looking at the middle of her forehead, and lied. "I remember nothing."

She nodded, accepting his lie. They were silent for several moments, neither knowing what to say.

"I never told Sesshomaur, or another soul." Takira said into the silence.

"Never told him what?" InuYasha's voice sounded harsh.

Takira winced a little, "I never told your brother about your human form. Or when it occurs. I wanted to keep you safe, and I wasn't sure how the spell would work when you were human."

InuYasha leapt on the one word that stuck out, "Spell? What spell?"

She looked back to him, and froze. "I never realized you wouldn't know, I apologie. Father placed a spell on us, all of us, several years ago, after Sesshomaru and I got into an…well all right after we fought. That one of us cannot kill the other, but if two of our blood were to fight with the other, that other would die."

All the times they had fought, all the times that Sesshomaru had stood with his sword to InuYasha's throat came flooding back to him. Cutting off Sesshomaru's arm, battling with him over and over again. All of that had been in vain. He had never given any thought to the fact that they hadn't killed each other yet. Had just assumed that it would happen sooner or later. "Your telling me, that I cant kill Sesshomaru, without your help?"

Takira bristled, her eyes went a shade or two darker, and InuYasha had the feeling that she was more sibling rite now then Sentient. "I will never, ever, want to harm either of you! The mere thought that you two have fought in the past turns my stomach." She turned away from him, seeking the comfort of the forest she placed her hands on a tree, and wished she could drawn on it for the peace and serenity that the forest always had.

"Then why did you tell me?" InuYasha pushed.

Takira studied the tree for a moment, enjoying the cool gritty texture against her hand. And wondered if what she was about to do was enough. "I was hoping that you two wouldn't fight any longer." She turned from the tree and paced back to him, drawing bother her blades.

InuYasha shifted his stance to a fighting position, and placed his rite hand on Tetsaiga.
Takira shook her head, InuYasha eyed her warily, "That will not transform for you tonight. Tetsaiga needs your demon strength to transform. Your friends are not planning on leaving the village tonight, I already asked them. But I know that you will not feel safe if I am here, and know of your weakness." She dropped both swords at his feet. "They are not the fang of our father, but they are of my own design, with his approval. They will keep you safe tonight." She turned and walked back towards the village.

InuYasha watched her go for a moment before calling after her, "what about you tonight, wont you need them?"

She paused, but did not turn to face him, "Akima watches the village tonight, I will be up the mountain. I think you can guess where."

InuYasha stood there for several minuets looking at the swords at his feet. They were beautiful. There was no other word for them, each delicately curved, with intricate carvings of flowers, and words running the length of the blade. When he reached out a hand to touch one of the hilts he felt a slight push, then acceptance. The blades knew he could use them, and he had the feeling that they didn't let many touch them. He glanced back in the direction she had gone one more time, then picked up both swords and walked back to the village and to his hut.

He was still sitting in the same place, both swords in his lap when Kagome and the others returned.