Anika
Chapter 6
Touga wasn't certain but he vaguely remembered that his father encountered one of these creatures in the past and wrote a book on them. Touga spent an hour searching his vast library with Anika dozing on his mokomoko fur. Touga was very relieved when he found the book called Dragolf by Toga Taisho. Touga gently sat down at his office chair and began to read the book. Anika woke up to shift her position before she snuggled back down into the very soft and warm fur making little chirps and yips in her sleep. After reading the book Touga understood Anika's cute little sounds better. Touga was surprised to find that dragolf's didn't mature their youkai until they were a year old yet they were able to understand their elder's youkai very well. Touga now looked at Anika in a different light. According to his father's book Anika can't survive for very long on her own without any help from an elder or parent. Touga also learned that dragolf pups imprinted on the first two parents they saw right birth or shortly after. Touga now understood why Anika was so attached to him and why she didn't like being held by Sesshomaru. Touga was left with one question running through his head; just how young was Anika that she had imprinted on him as her father? Reaching down Touga picked up Anika and placed her in his lap facing him. Anika slowly blinked awake as Touga opened the pup's mouth and looked to see if she had any teeth. Touga found that the pup was only days old. Whining in annoyance Anika tried to swat her father's hands away. Chuckling Touga released his pup and watched as she circled his lap a couple of times before she laid down closing her eyes as she fell asleep again. Touga gently stroked the pup's velvety wings as he pondered his new situation. On one hand he was still teaching Sesshomaru how to grow up into a fine Lord one day and on the other hand he had a days-old pup that has claimed him as her father. Touga now knew that he simply could not hand the pup off to a maid for Anika would not flourish seeing as he was her only care giver and she would not have another in his place. Being a father was just not easy without a mate to help him out. His only mate had left him claiming that he was not what she was expecting and that he was disappointing her. Touga couldn't truly say that he was sad to see her leave but his job would be a lot easier if she were here now to help him.
"Father, do you want me to help you with this paperwork?" Sesshomaru came into his father's office.
"Oh no son, I just got side tracked. Can you get a warm bowl of milk for Anika though?" Touga asked his pup. Prodding Anika in the side Touga gently woke the pup up so that she could have her dinner before he went to bed so that she would not wake him up in the middle of the night. After Anika had her milk she clambered all over her father's lap trying to find a good spot to lie back down in. Touga ran his hand fondly down the pups back over her folded wings. Anika gave a purring chirp of pleasure as she settled down on her father's lap again.