Anika

Chapter 25

"Hey Sessh, do you want to come with us? Papa and I are going to visit the village of Edo to see how they are doing and I was wondering if you would like to join us." Anika asked her brother who had just finished with his dojo training.

"Let me ask father if he wants me to do something else or if it is okay for me to go." Sesshomaru ruffled Anika's hair causing her to giggle.

"Father, Anika has told me that you and she are planning on visiting the village of Edo. Do you need me to do something or should I tag along as well?" Sesshomaru bowed to his father as he entered his office.

"Sesshomaru I hope you don't mind but I do have need of you here to look after the castle in my absence. I hope you don't mind. You can always ask Lady Maya for help if you don't know how to do something." Touga bowed back to his pup.

"Thank you father I will do my best and I don't mind looking after the castle in your absence." Sesshomaru truly was happy to be able to help his father.

"Anika are you and Saber ready to leave?" Touga called to his pup from down the hall.

"Coming papa." Anika sprinted from her room excited to be on an adventure with her father. Touga chuckled at his pup's excitement for it reminded him of when he was young and he was on his first adventure with his own father and he was just as excited. Once the three had exited the front gates and had said goodbye to Sesshomaru who walked them out Touga transformed into his demon form and took to the skies and Anika hoped onto Saber's back as Saber took to the skies after Touga. After a couple of hours traveling Anika became sleepy and leaned forward on Saber as her eyes began to drift close.

"Sleep little one, I've got you." Saber purred soothingly to Anika.

"Saber I have to warn you that the reason that we are visiting is that I have heard that there has been an increase on the demon attacks upon the village and that the former protector of the village has passed away and that there is a new miko called Kikyo." Touga told Saber so that if there was to be an attack she would be prepared even if Anika wasn't but Touga didn't want Anika to participate in the fighting.

"I understand Lord Inutaisho and I will do my best." Saber gently snarled back her response as not to wake Anika. Once they had reached the village as Touga suspected the village was under attack. Saber snarled in anger causing many demons and humans alike to pause in their fighting and to look at the new comers. Touga landed in the middle of the fighting causing the demons and humans to scatter. Transforming into his humanoid form Touga spoke with a commanding voice telling the demons to leave if they valued their lives and to not come back. Saber stayed hovering above the village in case there was an aerial attack. Anika woke up rubbing her face with her little hands and was a little surprised at the scene below her. Her father was currently fighting off a boar demon and many other demons looked as if they were planning on attacking. Leaping off of Saber and transforming in mid air Anika landed next to her father and snarled feral like at the demons. Anika increased her poisonous aura until more than half of the demons began to whimper and retreat quickly back into the woods the remaining demons fixed their gazes on her as they prepared to attack her. Snarling at them, Anika lashed her tail in annoyance and before anyone could make a move one of the attacking demons was purified to dust. Startled by the quickness of the kill Anika jumped slightly causing Touga to smirk as he felt Anika startle next to him. The remaining demons decided it was futile to continue their attack and so they retreated into the woods. Transforming into her human form Anika looked for the person that shot the sacred arrow.

"You must be Kikyo? I welcome you to the West miko." Touga spotted Kikyo long before any other demon had spotted her.

"Do I know you demon?" Kikyo kept her weapon ready to shoot in case of danger.

"You would not know me miko but I am the Lord of the West and when miko Midoriko was the protector of this village I had made a pact with her that for as long as I helped to protect this village my pups could have safe heaven here if there was any need for them." Touga spoke in a calm voice.

"Very well them Lord of the West. I welcome you to stay here with your pup for as long as you see fit as you can see I am currently out of room for you but if you and your pup help us rebuild we will have a place for you to stay in short." Kikyo lowered her bow as she turned and walked away looking for anyone who had been wounded during the fighting.

"Papa she seems strong. What is her power it is different from us and yet she is not an ordinary human." Anika could sense something was off with the girl.

"Anika she is a miko she has the ability to kill us demons very easily unlike regular humans. She does seem to be very powerful." Touga ruffled his pup's hair trying to make her feel better. Saber decided to land and was soon standing next to Anika who climbed back on her back as Saber followed after Touga to inspect the damage wrought to the village.

Within a day's time Touga and Anika and Saber had helped repair the village and they even had their own hut to stay at. Anika had taken to exploring the village with Saber as it seemed that her father had business in a neighboring village and he seemed to spending more and more time there but Anika didn't mind since she had Kikyo to talk to.

"So you are a dragolf. That is new here I have never come across such a creature before and one that is strong and helps humans." Kikyo was walking with Anika one day while Touga was away on other business.

"Yeah and this cat right here is Saber she is my guardian animal and she is my best friend." Anika patted Saber's side.

"I never properly thanked you for helping us with the fight if you had not shown up when you had I don't think there would be much of this village left. Thank you very much for your help and if you ever need my help I will gladly give it." Kikyo smiled at Anika who smiled back saying it was nothing.

"I have to go now but thank you for the stay it was pleasant and I enjoyed your company greatly." Anika felt her father's youkai beckoning her into the woods where he was standing. Running into the woods with Saber at her side Anika skidded to an abrupt stop in front of her father when she noticed that he had a woman at his side.

"Hello Anika my name is Izayoi. I am very glad to meet you after your father has talked so fondly of you." Izayoi hoped that Anika would like her.

"Hello Izayoi Saber and I both are glad to meet you too." Anika wasn't sure how to feel about the woman. Saber snarled lightly as she dipped her head in Izayoi's direction.

"Papa why does she smell so weird?" Anika asked quietly to her father.

"She is expecting little one." Saber answered for Touga.

"What is she expecting?" Anika tilted her head to one side in puzzlement.

"She is pupped with your new sibling." Touga chuckled fondly at Anika's question.

"I think what your father is trying to say is that you are going to be getting a new brother or sister because we are now mated." Izayoi kneeled down so that she was eye level with Anika as she explained in a gentle voice.

"Congratulations Lady Izayoi and Lord Inutaisho." Anika seemed genuinely happy for the two. Touga chuckled as he picked up his pup and nuzzled her fondly causing her to start to purr in pleasure.

"Are you two ready to head back Anika?" Touga asked his pup as he put her on Saber's back.

"Yes papa we are ready and have already said our goodbyes." Anika groomed Saber's fur with her fingers. Touga wrapped an arm protectively around his new mate as he took to the air on his youkai cloud and Saber flew beside him. Izayoi seemed a little uneasy with their altitude as she gripped tightly to Touga.

"That was the easy bridge to cross now comes the hard one my other pup Sesshomaru." Touga gently whispered to his mate who looked nervous about meeting his other pup.