Learning Under The Moon
The moon shone bright within the canopy of trees. The clouds surrounding its surface in soft curves, added an air of peace to the night sky.
Kirika sighed. After spending the whole day confused and frustrated, the calm and serenity of the woods felt like medicine for her soul.
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Sesshoumaru was walking that night, trying in vain to clear his head and rid himself of Her scent. Strangely enough, the further from the castle he got, the stronger her scent became. Why? Why was he, the great Lord Of The Western Lands so drawn to the scent, of her? Why her?
'I must be going mad..' He thought as he began to walk faster, her scent beckoning, calling out to his. It was driving him insane. Driving his youkai insane.
'Why do you fight it?' His youkai asked. ' You know the truth, you cannot fight it forever.'
Sesshoumaru ignored the voice of his youkai, refusing to believe it, at the same time knowing it was right. The trees parted and Sesshoumaru found himself staring at the object of his frustration.
There, leaning against a tree trunk overlooking a cliff, she was bathed in moonlight, her head tilted back and eyes closed. Her hair was loose and flooded out behind her like a sea of soft raven curls. Her feet dangled gently over the edge, her kimono had become undone
allowing Sesshoumaru to see her long legs.
She was the picture of beauty, like a celestial being come down from heaven, sitting there in the light of the moon, she looked ethereal. Sesshoumaru had to stop his eyes from continuing to look up her legs to the place between her legs, afraid of something he could not name, but knew.
Time was still, nothing else seemed to exist, just her.
Then, he smelled it. Fear.
Something was making her afraid, before to long her could hear making small moans as well. Something was scaring her. Before he knew it, he was beside her, lifting her carefully so that she was on his lap, her head resting against his chest.
Her scent was thick with fear, her was face scrunched up in a grimace, her body curled around his like a child in desperate need of a safety.
'Just like Rin,' he thought absently, remembering the times Rin had nightmares and would go to him, seeking comfort and protection.
Just as he had with Rin, Sesshoumaru gripped Kirika closer to him, and began to gently rock back in forth, the youkai in him anxious and worried. Sesshoumaru was only mildly surprised to find that he too was anxious.
"What do you dream Kirika?"
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She was alone, there was nothing. Nothing but blood, the stench of death. Where was everyone? Mother, father, brother, gone. Dead. Murdered.
Only she was left, left in hell to rot for the crime of being born. That was what She had said, as she killed her brother. Again, again it was happening in front her.
'You are worthless, a disgrace to your clan Nibori! I will avenge my self, and erase your disgrace with the death of that youkai!!
Kirika was holding her brother, Daisuke, close to her, watching in fear as her parents, Tsuya and Nibori battled against overwhelming odds. The yaukai circled them, cutting off the means to escape and reach their children.
Victory, was not possible.
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"Its over Nibori!" The yaukai, an inu named Amashite shouted, her claws raised and glowing.
"Repent and die!!" Blood splashed, a sick thud echoed all around the field, and then, Kirika saw.
In the final act of love Tsuya had jumped in front of her mate, saving his life by ending her own. Nibori stared blankly a the face of his mate, his eyes refusing to believe what he saw.
"N-n-no!!" Nibori caught Tsuya's limp form, and cradled her to him, the tears flowing down his face freely. The youkai around him watched, the faces devoid of emotion.
"Do you see now Nibori? Do you see the evil that came from this unholy union?"
"The death of your love, is a fitting punishment." The youkai around him began to leave, believing that they had punished him enough. All accept one. Amashite.
Calmly she walked over to him, stroking his head in the manner of a mother.
"Do you think this is enough Nibori? Do you think my anger can be sated with just this? Oh no, you think wrong my pet. Your misery is nothing compared to the living hell I endured because of you. I will see you drown in sorrow, lost in despair and held captive by guilt before I give you the release of death." Moving closer to him, Amashite whispered the next words.
"Tell me Nibori, where did you hide the children?"
Nibori's eyes snapped, and bleed red.
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Kirrika's heart stopped, and she gripped her brother tighter. Her mother was dead. Her mother was dead
'Mother,' Daisuke whimpered. Kirika gripped her brother to her, his cries drowned in her skin, tears that mingled with her own.
'Wha-what do I do?'
'Protect your brother, Kirika. Protect him with your life.' Kirika nodded, the memory of her mothers words fading from her mind.
'I will protect him. I will keep him safe.' Kirika grabbed her brother by the hand and ran. Her father's screams of sorrow and rage growing more and more distant. Kirika and Daisuke did not look back. They knew they would never see their father alive again.
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Nibori growled low, his eyes bleed red, his claws sharpened, and his fangs grew.
'Haha, you seem angry now. . .' Amashite laughed.
'So, I was right. You and that bitch breed didn't you?' Amashite raised her glowing claws, a snarl in her voice.
'Now, Nibori I will take away the thing most precious to you,' Amashite charged, her eyes bleeding red,
'I will have my revenge!!'
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Kirika ran like the devil was at her heels. A mixture of fear and desperation coursing through her veins. There was shouting behind her, the ground trembled, her heart raced.
Only one thing made sense, only one thing mattered, only one thing was in her head, repeating.
'Protect your brother, Kirika. Protect him with your life.'
Kirika ran, that one command, the last command from her mother, repeating like a mantra in her head.
The ground shook with a force stronger than the others, a scream rent the air, then silence. Kirika and Daisuke stopped, both knowing and denying what they heard.
'Father!' Daisuke wailed, his whole body trembling in grief. Kirika shook, sobs wreaking her whole body.
'Father!' They both cried aloud, the horrible undeniable truth crashing down on them relentlessly. They fell to their knees clinging to each other, giving full vent to their grief.
They held each other close, knowing that they were all they had now.
Why? Why did this happen? What did we do?
'Kirika, I want t-to g-go back. We have to bury them, we have to or else their souls, w-won't rest.' Daisuke choked out.
'Yes, we will, I swear it.'
'No need to swear, I will gladly send you to meet them.' Kirika and Daisuke gasped, there, drenched in their mothers and fathers blood stood the youkai who had destroyed their lives; Amashite.
'Stay away!'
'Oh no, I waited to long to embrace this moment, soon my revenge will be complete.' Amashite prowled closer, her claws dripping with the still wet blood of their father.
'I will send you to hell where you belong!' Her claws glowed, her eyes widened, her mouth twisted into an insane smile.
Kirika rushed forward shielding her brother with fire as she raked her claws through Amashite's raised arm. Fire sprang forth from her claws, searing Amashite's face.
Kirika leaped letting out a fire whip to hit Amashite across the back.
Amashite twirled, grabbing Kirika's whip and pulling hard. With a startled gasp kirika was flung toward Amashite's outstretched claws. Blood spewed forth from her mouth as Amashite's fist connected. Kirika curled her back trying to protect herself, only to feel Amashite's elbow ram into her spine.
Kirika felt herself weightless for a brief moment, before Amashite's leg connected with her head sending her back first into nearby tree, the force snapping it in two. Blood gushed freely from her mouth, back, and head. She could not see, could not stand, could barely breathe.
'You should have never been born.' Kirika closed her eye, prepared for death.
Mother, forgive me.
'NO!' Kirika felt the earth tremble, saw the lightning strike, saw her brother standing before her, bolts of lightning leaping from his hands.
'DAISUKE.!!'
She saw his body break, saw the lightning gush forth. Saw him dying.
'Daisuke!' Kirika sobbed, screamed.
He screamed, a last final burst of lightning spewed forth, covering the area with white light.
'Daisuke!!!'
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Sesshoumaru gripped Kirika tighter to him, as her wild screams grew in ferocity.
"Daisuke!!' Daisuke!!" Kirika threw her arms out, madly grasping at the air.
Sesshoumaru was at a loss, Kirika was screaming in utter anguish, what should he do? His mind raced for an answer, Kirika was in pain, she was in pain.
'Do something!' His youkai was screaming at him, but what should he do? What could he do?
'What do I do?' The great Sesshoumaru lord of the western lands, found himself feeling completely helpless.
'Think!' His youkai growled at him. 'What do you do when Rin is sacred?'
Unsure, Sesshoumaru carefully pulled Kirika onto his lap and slowly began to rock her back and forth. It seemed to work, somewhat, she was still crying but was no longer screaming. Sesshoumaru sighed, relived that she was no longer in so much pain.
Kirika felt herself swimming though darkness, reaching grasping for something that she knew was important, but couldn't remember. Her eyelids flicked open, as her mind foggily recognized stars instead of ceiling, and warm body instead of blanket.
'Sesshoumaru?' Her mind thought as his face became clear. 'No, it can't be. Why would he?'
Kirika sat bolt upright knocking Sesshoumaru over in the process, causing both of them to tumble quite literally, head over heels to land in a jumble of limbs at the base of a tree.
"What? How I- so sorry! I'll move-just" Kirika began to move off of Sesshoumaru, face blushing and head bowed, Sesshoumaru however, didn't seem to want her to leave as he gripped kirika tighter to him, securely locking her into place.
'What are you doing?!' Sesshoumaru mentally screamed at his youkai.
'What I want and you need.'
"Sesshoumaru, please l-let me go." But he couldn't, in fact he couldn't move at all. Cautiously rising her eyes to meet his, Kirika instead found herself very close to his lips. Kirika gulped nervously, Sesshoumaru did as well.
"Please, l-l-let me g-go." His grip got tighter instead. Slowly, very slowly, Sesshoumaru began to softly push kirika's face closer to his own.
'What's he doing?'
'What am I doing?' Her lips were coming closer, so much closer. He could feel her breath on his lips, so close to his. Kirika shuddered, her lips trembling, her body shaking. Sesshoumaru could feel it all, her lips looked moist, and so tender.
'How do they taste?' He wondered.
"Sesshoumaru?" He didn't answer, instead he let his hand slide up her back and onto her neck, gently pushing her lips onto his own.
Kirika's eyes went wide, then slowly slid close. Sesshoumaru watched her face as she did this, before slowly allowing his own eyes to close. Something clicked inside of Sesshoumaru after that, he felt as if some invisible weight had been lifted off him and his youkai was relishing in victory. He realized then how foolish he had been, denying what was his to take. With a growl from his youkai Sesshoumaru let himself be lost in her under the night sky.
It was some time before either of them moved. When they did Kirika found that she could not think properly, vaguely she recognized her body moving, only barely understood the sound of his armor hitting the forest floor, only knew the wonderful warmth coming from him, and the sound of his heart beating.