A/N I am SSSSOOOOO sorry every body for the loooong over due update, my laptop was having major hard drive issues and I was having somewhat of a writers block but I am back now. I tried something different this time, I hope you like it! PLEASE REVIEW!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter 3:

Izayoi had made it a habit of sleeping far away from Takemaru, she always slept on the farthest corner of the mat so as to not wake him. Izayoi rolled her head to see Takemaru sleeping peacefully with his back to her, he always slept like that. Izayoi looked up at the moon, it had become a source of peace for her since these past few nights, whenever she was with Takemaru, she could just look at it and feel happy again, thinking about the dog demon.

Her day had been just like the last one, another day with Yuriko sewing her blanket that she had always made with Kameko. She missed sewing with Kameko, it was not the same as with Yuriko, Yuriko she barely knew. She had tried to ask Takemaru if she could go and visit Kameko, but she was afraid that he would say no. It was hard for her to get a moment of his time other then…Izayoi did not want to think about that. That was the hardest thing to bare. Izayoi quietly sat up on the mat and crawled over to the door. She did not want to wake up Takemaru, it was the first time she had snuck out of their room. If she could she would go as far as the gates of the castle and walk all the way home, but she knew that the samurai on guard would stop her. So she made it only as far as the garden.

The garden was beautiful at night, the moon light shone on the trees and cast shadows over the pond. It was a silver pool of light with darkness all around. Izayoi walked along the rocky path and found her usual place along the pond. She sat and looked into the water. She could see the movements of the koi fish as her tears fell into the pond once again. Her sadness was beyond words and her thoughts were filled with darkness. Why had her life become this? It was empty of all of the things she had dreamt for it. She closed her eyes and let the tears flow, it was easier to cry when she was all alone in her own special place, she could never cry in front of Kameko, Kameko would not like a woman of her stature to cry in this way. She must accept her life for what it was, this was her path and nothing could change that.

Izayoi opened her eyes to wipe away her tears, but she saw something in the water. It was a face staring back at her, but it was not her face that was staring. Suddenly, in a very deep voice, it spoke.

"Why are you crying?"

Izayoi panicked and backed away from the water.

"I am sorry I did not mean to frighten you."

"Are you a Kappa?!" Izayoi exclaimed.

The face laughed back "No I am not."

Bravely Izayoi approached the water. "Wha-what are you then? Why are you in the water?"

The face spoke again "Look behind you."

Izayoi slowly turned her body around, afraid of what she was about to find. As she stood up her eyes followed a pair of black shoes attached to a man, but almost immediately she knew – he was not a man. His eyes were the first thing she noticed, they seemed to pierce hers as she stared into them, giving her a sense of fear and comfort all at once. They were a bright golden color and glowed almost as much as his long silver hair which was pulled back into a long pony tail. The silvery moon light seemed to heighten his features making his metal armor and his light skin glow. She knew almost immediately what he was, his pointed ears, the blue markings on his cheeks. Suddenly fear overwhelmed her for she knew she was standing in front of a demon. She knew had she not looked into his eyes she would be able to run away although how far she could get without him catching her she did not know, but something about those eyes were haunting, beautiful even. They seemed to hold her in such a trance that she was not sure that she could ever be free.

Izayoi gulped "Who are you?"
The demon answered "Call me Inutaishou."

The dog general? Izayoi thought. "What do you want with me?"

"I don't want to harm you, if that is what you are thinking."

He was beautiful Izayoi had to admit, even handsome, especially beneath the moonlight.

"What is your name?" Inutaishou asked.

Without thinking Izayoi answered "Izayoi."

"Izayoi." Inutaishou replied happily. "That is a beautiful name. Sixteen nights."

Izayoi smiled.

"Why are you here?"

Inutaishou replied "I wanted to meet you."

"Why?" Izayoi wondered.

"Last night I saw you, I could not help myself."

Izayoi thought, last night? What does he mean last night?

Izayoi whispered "Do I know you?"

Suddenly Izayoi could hear a howling in the distance. Was it the dog demon? Izayoi thought happily.

"I must go now Izayoi, he is calling me."

Inutaishou ran swiftly in the direction of the howling so fast that Izayoi almost did not get to ask him.

"Wait! Will I ever see you again?" Izayoi asked.

Inutaishou turned to her his fur blowing in the wind. "Soon Izayoi, soon."

Suddenly Izayoi saw him transform, before her very eyes he became the dog demon. No moment in Izayoi's life was more amazing more shocking or more beautiful than in that moment. She watched him as his black silhouette flew into the sky.

Soon Izayoi, soon.