Author's Note: Thank you all veryyyy much for the reviews! They make me all happy inside. And to Tiayna Darkheart: I got the way Rin speaks from her first appearance on the show (: And also to my readers, I apologize for taking a while to update. Feel free to give me ideas on what you would like to happen. It makes icky writer's block go away. Now on with the story, don't forget to review!
Chapter Four: Kern
Silently I glided through the night. My feathery wings rippled with the wind's touch, their stark white glowing against the night sky along with my fur. Golden eyes cast down to make sure that the dog demon still followed.
Even from my height I could hear his heavy breathing as he sprinted to keep up. Despite his determination he was lagging behind. I had half a mind to fly on without him, but something held me back.
We will not reach our destination until sunrise, I doubt the dog can last that long…
Angling my wings I banked into a downward spiral towards the nearest tree. I folded my wings to my side and dropped heavily onto a thick branch, waiting. Landing in a forest was always tricky with my wings; I was ever wary of injuring them on gnarled branches.
Sesshomaru's form suddenly appeared from the brush, coming to an abrupt halt when he saw me. "What?"
"We will not reach the place of my brother's death if we do not pick up the pace," I stated simply.
"Why must we be there so soon?" he asked in annoyance.
"Naraku will not wait much longer than a day."
The dog demon huffed in aggravation. "And you know this how?"
"I just do. And I also know from rumors that you have a flying steed, call him and let us be on our way."
He stared at me intently, silently.
I shook my coat restlessly. "Well?"
"It is done…" he muttered. "But keep in mind that I do not like to be ordered to do anything."
A wolfish smile was my only answer before I leapt into the air and pulled myself back into the sky with my powerful wings. Hanging in place I looked back down to Sesshomaru and called, "Follow in the same direction once you have your steed, dear mutt."
A simple flick of my wings and I was soaring high into the sky. Muscles rippled with effort as I urged them to bring me higher. The night was clear, perfect for flying…perfect for me to bask in the superior sense of freedom. Slowing the flap of my wings I allowed myself to be carried until gravity started to pull me back, and with a twist of my back and a flick of my wings I turned into the fall and plummeted. Wind whipped through my fur in a crazed wave as I gathered speed; I pressed my wings to my side to fall faster.
The trees came at me fast, their image growing until I was very near a crash landing. At the last moment I pulled violently up with my wings and safely skimmed the tree's canopies, my paws brushing the leaves gleefully before I climbed higher again.
As I drifted calmly onward I noticed someone watching from my peripheral view. A two headed dragon mount flew silently behind me, its rider being none other than Sesshomaru. He was watching me with a curious look, something between puzzlement and amusement forming over his demonic face.
Turning to look at him our similar golden eyes locked, and still his strange look remained. Choosing to keep my questions about his gaze to myself I turned and flew on, leaving Sesshomaru to follow silently behind me.
Stretching my wings to their full length I glided for a blissful moment before surging forward and into another current of wind. My sleek white form shot through the air, the sound of wind whistled sharp in my delicate ears.
Together we flew into the endless dark night, the only whispers of our flight being the invisible shadows that blended into the dark forest below.
Dawn…
A plethora of orange and pinks crawled across the morning sky as I spiraled slowly to a small meadow within the forest. Landing lightly on the cool earth, instant relief flooded through my tired muscles. I folded my great wings to my side, where the glowed slightly before fading away into a secret power once more. Sesshomaru and his mount landed at my side heavily.
Sitting back on my haunches I yawned widely, revealing rows of sharp white teeth.
"Are we just going to sit here?" asked the demon brusquely.
Shooting him an annoyed look I gazed around us. Tall grass and wild flower surrounded us. The droplets of dew that were gathered on the vegetation glittered in the morning light.
"I have yet to find out why this place is important…or how it is possible that my brother could be alive."
The dog demon slid off of his mount slowly. "It may help if you told me how he died."
My lip pulled up in silent snarl. "He was murdered."
This seemed to grab his attention. "By who?"
"Me."
Sesshomaru's shock was tangible in the very air so strong was his emotion, but I remained silent.
"You…killed your own brother?"
Nodding was my simple answer.
"Why?" he pressed.
My ears twitched in annoyance. "If he is still alive then you will find out soon enough."
"How are we supposed to kno—"
His words were drowned out by the mighty howl that ripped from my throat and exploded all around us. The very air itself vibrated with the force of my voice, the desperate call spreading deep into the forest…summoning.
My muzzle dipped down leaving only the echo of my call to fade away.
"Like that," I answered quietly. "If he is near…he will arrive soon."
A puzzled look spread over the dog demon's face. "What did that howl mean? What did it say?"
My golden eyes fell on him gently. "Words cannot explain it my sharp toothed friend. Wolves cannot ignore being summoned by a fellow pack member, even an ex pack member. It's not in our nature."
He nodded, but I don't think he truly understood the depth of a pack's commitment to one another. Making what my brother had done all the more unforgivable.
Suddenly Sesshomaru smacked his mount's side and yelled, "Be gone beast, your service is no longer needed." With a screech the dragon mount sprang into the air and disappeared on his fiery paws.
"Do you treat all that help you in the same manner?" I asked scornfully.
His sharp look foreshadowed his harsh retort, but he didn't get the chance. For at that moment my eyes sought who we were waiting for.
"Kern," I growled cautiously. "I smell your scent, dear brother. Step away from the forest's shadows and show yourself."
A black wolf stepped from the forest, his fur as dark as the shadows themselves. His eyes glittered with malice, golden orbs that were almost identical to my own swept over the pair of us warily.
"Sister," his deep graveled voice started, "why is it that you summoned me?"
My claws flexed in agitation. "How are you alive? I felt the life flee from you with my own jaws, your breath should not still stir."
Kern grinned evilly. "Dear Yuki, you never did trust the powers of darkness…it can do many great and wondrous things…one of its powers being able to bring the dead back to life."
Snarls ripped through my jaws. "Fool, you should know better than to play with life and death. It's not ours to control."
The black wolf showed his teeth in response. "Hypocrite. You toyed with death when you chose to murder me!"
I shook my muzzle slowly. "No. You deserved what I did, if anything I let you off easily."
Now the black wolf's snarl turned into another malicious grin. "Dear sister, don't tell me you are still upset over that…little incident."
"What does he mean?" Sesshomaru asked, making me realize that I had forgotten he was there.
"Pup killer," I snarled at my brother. "Not strong enough to attack someone your own size so you attack the innocent."
Sesshomaru looked at the dark wolf calmly. "Whose pups did you kill?"
Kern's cold eyes met the dog demon's with a gleeful hate. "Why, dear sister's of course."
I couldn't take it. With a roar of anger I lunged for my brother's neck; the thirst to taste his blood blocked all other sensible thoughts. His fangs met me with a clash of snaps and snarls. Standing to our back paws we clawed and bit, striving to sink our teeth into the other's tender neck.
"Yuki, stop!" Sesshomaru called desperately. "We need him to save Rin!"
His words fell on deaf ears, for the bloodlust was on me. Anger powered every movement now, every lunge that yearned to kill. Memories of my pups flooded my mind. Their three youthful faces…how they made me and my mate's hearts flood with joy and love. Then seeing their dead bodies strewn across the ground, my evil brother covered in their blood, laughing at what he had done.
Kern faltered in his next lunge and I stole the opportunity to sink my slender fangs into his unprotected neck. Slamming him to the ground I stood over him, my death grip holding him steadily in place. He growled angrily beneath me as he realized that I had won yet again.
"Yuki…" Sesshomaru started carefully as he slowly approached us. "Careful…we need him if we are to save Rin. Remember why we are here. Do not allow blind hatred to ruin another…pup's life."
My jaws quivered with the desire for my brother's death, but Sesshomaru's words struck true. Too true for me to ignore. Slowly, reluctantly, I released my brother from my hold and step away stiffly.
I looked away to the forest, burning my anger away as I stared off blindly. Kern slowly stood back to his paws, casting me an annoyed look.
"Wolf," Sesshomaru directed at the black wolf, "do you know anything of a young human girl?"
The wolf's muzzle wrinkled with distaste. "You mean Naraku's newest pet?" he scoffed. "The runt was put under my charge last sun."
"Where is she?" I demanded as I whipped my head around to look at him properly.
A dark chuckle escaped his mouth. "Depends on how hungry the demons in these parts are. I left it in field a few hours ago after it tried my patience."
"Where?" Sesshomaru persisted.
The dark wolf pointed with his muzzle to his left in a general direction through the trees. "If you hurry there might be some bones left."
A blur of movement flashed through the air, ending with a yelp from Kern. A nasty slash now ran down his left eye, delivered from Sesshomaru's deadly claws.
"Hurry Yuki, lets rid ourselves of being in this parasite's presence," and then he was off running to Rin.
I dashed off ahead of him, silently thanking him for the wound he had given Kern. We left my dark brother in the meadow alone, never looking back. My paws flew across the ground far ahead of the dog demon. There was hope in my paws. Hope that Rin was still alive.
My paws thundered against the forest floor as I snaked my way around the abundance of trees.
A high pitched scream rent through the forest. My eyes grew with fear as I recognized the child's voice and I ran faster. My legs were now blurs as I flew onward. Hold on Rin…I'm almost there. Hold on.
Exploding from the forest I tumbled down the side of a cliff the jutted from the harsh earth. I landed heavily on my side and sprang dizzily to my feet.
"Yuki!"
Looking up I saw Rin was pressed against the lip of the cliff I had just fell down from. A large tiger demon snarled hungrily as it held her in check, its eyes shifted to me uneasily.
"Back demon, the girl is mine!" I commanded in a terrible voice.
The demon hesitated as it sensed my anger, and in one fluid leap I was back in the cliff's edge. My eyes met the feline demon's own steadily and a calm anger passed between us.
"Leave now and your life will be spared."
The tiger spat angrily, but took my advice and fled back into the forest. Rin turned to me with wide frightened eyes and fainted. I rushed to her side to keep her from rolling off the cliff as Sesshomaru came into view. Grabbing Rin gently with my teeth I drug her a safe distance from the edge and laid her down.
"Is she okay?" He asked urgently.
"Yes, she is just terribly frightened. A tiger demon had her cornered when I found her."
He sighed in relief as he quickly glanced over her to make sure she was free of injuries. "She is safe," he stated simply.
I looked to the sky in wonder, wonder of how much longer her safety would last with Naraku still on the hunt.