A/N: Didn't update yesterday but giving you two chapters the day before seemed to be a fair trade. Expect a possible second today. I'm on a roll! Not to mention I actually have a chapter planned out for once! -le gasp- Oh, I give you a little Sesshy awesomeness. Just a tad. He should be in a few chapters in the main part eventually. Eventually.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the original characters of InuYasha. All fan made characters/ OCs do belong to me. Yumiko, Kotsuroki, Yoru, Taiyou, ect. There are getting to be a lot.

~~Spoiler Alert~~

This fanfiction is based AFTER the MANGA. There will also be no anime specific characters within this fanfiction. Due to it being based after the events of the InuYasha series there will be spoilers.

Narrator

It took a long time but all had been taken care of. So many had died and the green Kappa had it all memorized by now. There were the Lord and Lady of the Northern lands, fifty seven Daiyoukai adults, twenty three Daiyoukai children, eighty six wolf youkai adults, forty two wolf youkai children, and one hundred and forty five lesser wolf youkai. Those that were Daiyoukai were buried in their own graves, those that showed prominence and that his Lord Sesshoumaru knew were even marked with their own stone and marker. The rest were burned because of the lack of space to bury all of them and the Lord had said that it would be disrespectful to let them sit in the sun and rot! But Jaken understood, they had died protecting what was theirs, only to be slaughtered. Only twenty four Orochi were found and seventeen Ryu. They were treated with the least respect, chopped into nothing and fed to what starving demon or animal could find them. But now the burial was over and Jaken would sit near his Lord while the Western Lord stood with his golden eyes looking over the horizon. The sun was slowly setting and he was listening, waiting for something in particular. Eyes flick up slightly when what he was waiting for is heard.

So sad and over the horizon he hears but one voice ring over the horizon. He can tell it is a child and he sings the song of wolves. Experienced because of his learning as he begins the song. He tells a tale of hardships, of family lost and hurt. Of love and hope. Soon enough the voice is joined by others, each singing their own song of their life, of their sorrow and hope. They sing a song of grief and Sesshoumaru lets out a soft breath as his eyes slide slowly shut, listening to the music of life.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, what are they doing?" the small Kappa asks, quite confused by this canine tradition.

Lids lift a little as he just gives a small smirk that is barely visible.

"Singing," is his simple reply.

Kotsuroki

I stand outside the waterfall, standing at the cliff edge over the lake that my sister often would watch me play from. I always saw her there, giving me a wave on occasion just so I knew that she was there. I wanted to say I didn't need her. That I'm all grown up but I'm not. I have grown a lot in these past few weeks of course but I still need her. She is all I have left beside Taiyou and Yoru. Speaking of Taiyou, she is sitting next to me, leaning into me slightly so that I know she's there. I reach down and grab a handful of her coat and let out a shaky breath as I watch the sun make its descent below the horizon. I usually had to go to bed when the sun started setting, back when I lived with Mom and Dad. I got to hear the first part of the wolf song and sing with the pups for our small part before I was put to sleep. Then I could hear Mom join in the song with Dad and those were the sounds I went to bed to. But there was no Mom to put me to bed at night and even Yumiko was laying where Kouga usually slept. I could see how scared she was and I never realized how scared she really was. Taking a deep breath I puff out my chest a little and reach up, running my hand through my dark brown hair. I was trying to remember how Dad always started the song. The old woman had told me that singing would make it all better, that it would make Yumiko better! I had to protect her, somehow. She had already done enough for me. I'm alive because she was so quick to get me out of there, to get us integrated into another pack.

I look up when I see a group of wolves going towards the den. It is the old woman, Sayuri and her mom, all carrying some form of plant. I really wasn't sure what they were but they did smell really nice. Sayuri looks over at me and I can't help but give a little goofy grin. She would smile at me, her freckles being wrinkled a little from it. I couldn't hear what she was saying as she leans up and pulls on her mother. She gives her things to her and the old woman gives her a sprig of something purple. Giving a nod she would run over towards me, her red hair bouncing in her pretty pigtails. She would then reach out and take my hand and the plant she was holding had such a calming scent.

"Baba says that you are going to sing. But she said it would be okay if I was with you," she says in that sweet voice of hers.

I can't help but smile at her and my grip tightens a little on her hand. I shift my green gaze to look at the setting sun and take a deep breath.

"I... I don't know how to start. I've only just started understanding what they meant," I admit, blushing a little.

She swings my hand a little and tries to catch my eyes a little. I do look over to her and she just keeps that soft smile.

"I was always told that your song is from your heart. Just go and let it all out. Sing your story," she explains.

With a little bit of confidence I would then let go of her hand and allow myself to shift to my wolfish form, black and brown fur mixing together in swirls as I turn. Once in my wolfish form I look over to see that she has changed as well and was sitting at my side. I then throw back my head and my jaws spread to let my voice carry into the wind. Hearing me by myself was so strange. It was not strong and powerful like my father's and oh how I wanted it to one day sound like that! Soon enough she joined in with me, her voice was so sweet as it mixed with my own. Then there were others! They were all singing again! It just made my heart swell with joy hearing them all. That we weren't alone. The entire wolf population was suffering because of this loss. In our song, we were one.

Narrator

The old woman had watched as the girl child ran to be with the boy, to give him confidence but she had to give her own little gift as well. A sprig of lavender to calm the nerves. She would then enter the den with the female wolf at her side, doing her best to make sure that the materials did not get wet. With duty in those wrinkled features, she would make her way back to the Alpha's quarters. Upon entering she could see the guardian wolf near the entrance, his eyes completely and solely on Kouga as he seems to be rubbing her back, her curled up to his leg and clutching at the furs on his legs. The old woman could see it clear as day that the unconscious woman had chosen Kouga as her safe place. It was an unconscious decision and well, an old woman can always push things in the right direction couldn't she? Can't blame her. The senile card comes in handy then but this elder, known as Baba by the younger generation, was witty and quite cunning when she needed to be. Coughing a little she would kneel down and start to arrange the items. Tying off some chamomile and lavender she would rest this near the girl. Tying off some more she would set that to her side. The woman who was her company had simply set the items she was holding and excused herself. Not proper for one her age to be near the chambers of a male, one that is not her mate after all. She would open the jar of honey and take a deep breath. Pushing it towards Kouga she would smile a little, the wrinkles just crinkling a little. Kouga just watched her with a solemn expression.

"Just put a little of this on her lips while an old woman gets a little fire started," she says as she takes her flint and steel and gets to work.

The honey was more of a stimulant. It was sweet and a very loved treat for children, which something sweet often made things feel better when you were frightened or scared. But being as the girl was unconscious she would have to use the overwhelming power of calming scents to get her relaxed. With a satisfied hum she got a spark going and it caught to the dried plants. Waving it around a little she would mumble a few words but they were simply for show. No witchcraft here. Then she heard it and the old woman stopped for a moment, looking over her shoulder. A song as it echoed into the air.

Kouga had only been half paying attention as he put the honey on the woman's lips, watching as she cringed with whatever was plaguing her. Dreams? Nightmares. He could be pretty sure that they were nightmares. But then the song came and he shifts his gaze towards the origination of the sounds. The song was inexperienced and out of instinct he wanted to go out there and show him how it was done. He had shifted, as if he was going to go but it is the soft groan of Yumiko and the tug of her hands on his leg that keeps him there. His eyes shift towards her as her eyes clench together for a moment before starting to flutter open. There was a darkness in those eyes he had never seen before. Crimson hues flecked with darker hues from what she had seen, the horrible things that had plagued her. But still she seemed so far away in her gaze that slowly met his own. It is in that moment that she smiles and gives that soft little giggle, though weak as it may be.

"I'm sorry. It is my fault..." her voice is raspy as if she had been screaming and crying, though she had been in her sleep but not as much as her voice would allow.

Kouga shifts a bit and helps her sit up a little but her body feels weak, as if there is this heavy weight in her chest and stomach. Sometimes, getting into the mind of someone is far more damaging than physical harm. She would however rest against his chest and he would allow it, simply because he cared for her. Yes, he had slowly begun to care for the girl who picked at the little things and offered a bright smile. The woman who watched over a little brother as if he was birthed from her own womb. The woman who put her heart and soul into everything she did ever since she became part of the pack. How could he not at least appreciate her presence? It was a nice change to the darkness that had plagued over his own mind. And he would hold her there so that she wouldn't slip, knowing that Yoru was giving the most awful of glares. His own blue eyes meeting that of the green eyes monster, as if telling him that they would talk later.

"Nothing is your fault. You were just in the wrong place at the wrong time," he explains, not knowing what she blamed herself for.

"They all died and I couldn't do anything. Kotsu, you... I led them here I know it," she whispers.

By this time the old woman had left the room, making sure her fire was out. Whispering a few things to Yoru before disappearing to join in the beautiful song that was originating from their home. Though this did confuse Kouga, was that what her nightmares were about? She felt guilt over the deaths of those that she could not control. It couldn't be her fault!

"Kotsu and I are just fine and I'll double the patrols to make sure that none of those damn lizards make their way to here. Just listen, everything is going to be better alright?" he says, almost forcefully but he can't help but be a little abrasive. It is in his nature.

That's when the girl grows silent, staring into space as she listens. Her eyes glisten with tears as she hears a song she hadn't heard in so long. Then to hear her brother at the lead with such a hesitant voice but still full of the strength and hope that he had. It is then that she cries, her face buried within Kouga's chest as she finally feels a small inkling of hope. The hope that was ripped away from her so quickly.

The song would end some time after the sun had set. Darkness falling over the entirety of the den as wolves would sit around him, below him, above him, all having ended their song with him. It is in that moment that Kotsuroki realizes that he is meant for this. He feels comfortable with so many around him, leading in that simple song. Standing in his humanoid form he would just smile a bright smile and he knew it was time to finally get things right. He would be Alpha one day.

In the den, Kouga sat in silence with a sleeping Yumiko in his arms. She had cried herself to sleep but he didn't dare budge, not yet. It wasn't until Yoru got to his feet with a slight gruff that he knew it may be time for that talk. Letting out a sigh, Kouga would shift slightly and carefully lay her down. With a soft groan she would roll onto her side, curled up a little. He would watch her for a moment before following after the black wolf. Upon going outside he could see the wolves as they sat there in silence, mother's ushering their children inside. His eyes search for the kid and spotting him he just gives a small laugh. There was such a look of fierce determination on his face. Well, that's good. He walks up to the boy and puts a hand on his head, ruffling his hair.

"She woke up but she's asleep now. You better go watch over her kid," he says with that small smile.

Kotsuroki just looks up and gives a firm nod before motioning for Taiyou to follow him. Yoru and Taiyou shared a small bump and kiss before they were once again separated. Looks like long days turn into long nights.