Anika

Chapter 19

As the weeks progressed sparing sessions in the dojo got considerably more intense for Anika.

"Time out Sessh, I'm tired." Anika held up her arms in a gesture of defeat.

"Anika there are no time outs in battle. If I truly wanted to I could kill you and you would be dead forever." Sesshomaru wanted his sister to be at her best for when she stood before the council for the second time in her life. Saber stood up from her spot against the wall and snarled into Sesshomaru's face as she placed herself protectively in front of Anika.

"It's okay Saber, he doesn't actually want to kill me." Anika patted Saber's side. Saber glared at Sesshomaru one last time before she turned to face Anika and purred at her.

"I'm just a bit worn out Saber I'll live but thank you for your concern." Anika placed a kiss on top of Saber's head.

"Anika is Saber actually talking to you?" Sesshomaru was confused between the ways the two interacted.

"Yeah can't you hear her?" Anika tilted her head in question.

"No I just hear her cat sounds." Sesshomaru softly replied back.

"Hm, I guess it has something to do with our bond that only I can understand her." Anika was a bit saddened by the fact that no one else could hear Saber but just accepted it.

"Okay Sessh I'm ready to continue sparing." Anika gave a final kiss to Saber before she took a defensive position.

"Um, Saber can you just move out of the way I don't want to hurt you." Sesshomaru felt awkward talking to a cat but was surprised when Saber dipped her head at him and moved back to her spot against the wall. Sesshomaru continued his hard training for the majority of the day only stopping to eat.

"Hey Sessh can Saber and I take a break after dinner so that Saber can go hunting?" Anika asked her brother at the dinner table.

"It's fine with me but you have to ask father." Sesshomaru had planned to let Anika have the rest of the evening to herself because tomorrow was the day she was going to go before the council. After dinner Anika went to find her father who had of lately had been holed up in his office busy with paperwork.

"Papa may I enter?" Anika timidly knocked on her father's closed office door.

"Come in." Touga was holding up a scroll reading it with a frustrated expression on his face.

"Papa may Saber and I go out so that Saber can hunt?" Anika rested her hand on her faithful friend who went everywhere with her.

"Isn't it a bit late out and why can't Saber get something from the kitchens?" Touga was glad for the distraction. At his comment Saber took a couple of steps forward snarling angrily and indignantly with her ears flat on her head.

"Saber likes her food fresh and would prefer if she could hunt it herself." Anika translated for Saber.

"I'm not so sure I want you out this late considering it is a big day for you." Touga folded his hands in his lap and looked at his pup and her guardian saber tooth tiger.

"Saber will be with me papa, please!" Anika pleaded with her father.

"Bring your brother with you." Touga finally granted Anika permission to go out. Saber snorted as she turned to leave while Anika gave her father a very big smile as she bounced after Saber leaving Touga with his work.

"Hey Sessh, papa said that we can go as long as you come with us." Anika pulled on her brother's hand pulling him to the entrance hall.

"Okay, okay, I'm coming stop pulling on my hand." Sesshomaru looked a little annoyed. Once outside Saber took to the air and Anika followed so Sesshomaru gathered his youkai cloud at his feet and followed after the two energetic pups.