A/N: where we last left off, Korihime had gone off to check on Koga because she smelled trouble, and she walked right into it, figuratively-speaking. after using up a good chunk of her demonic power, Koga decided to take her away to heal. but where did he take her? the answer is in this chap so enjoy! ^^
disclaimer: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.
Chapter 34: Pride&Starlight beneath the Half Moon
The scent of wolf stirred her.
Her eyes opened sharply; she looked up from sleeping with her mate, silver eyes scanning the small wood they'd taken shelter in to await her sister's return.
"What is it?" He stirred, opening a gold eye to see she was prone and alert at his side, his arm squeezing on her waist.
The wind stirred wildly around their campsite, dowsing the flames and waking the girl, dragon and imp, before a twister came into view and then came to a halt short of a few yards away from where the two daiyokai were.
Koga appeared out of the twister, carrying a sleeping Korihime in his arms.
"Koga." He greeted as his mate scrambled to her feet to help the male wolf set her sister down before her.
He looked at the worry in her silver eyes and pretty face, crouching across from her. "Getsu, you can heal her right?" He saw surprise register in her stare that lifted to meet his, the worry in his voice sounding alien to her ears. "Please, heal her." He requested, his voice quieted.
She nodded, her eyes softening at his worry, before she looked down at her unconscious sister as her brow furrowed at the sight of the scratches and bruises on her pale skin, the rips in her kimono.
"Kori-onee!" The child began to run forward to her babysitter's side before the male daiyokai gently picked her up by the scruff and stopped her from getting closer. "L-Lord Sesshomaru!" She stammered.
"Korihime isn't feeling well, so Getsu is healing her. Stay here, Rin." He chided quietly, setting her down by the dragon and imp, seeing the surprise and confusion register in her young face; he ran his claws through her brown locks before pulling away to go back to his mate's side as she had already begun to heal her sister.
"Yes, milord," she mumbled, continuing to watch the scene with worried and confused brown orbs.
"So I would imagine Moryomaru did this to her." Sesshomaru mused, his gold eyes meeting the concerned blue stare of his fellow male demon.
Koga nodded slightly, bristling at the mention of that hodgepodge bastard. "Kori used up a lot of her demonic power in trying to save me from getting consumed by that cheap fuck." He growled quietly, keeping his eyes on the soft lilac color illuminating the older female's palms.
"I can smell his stink on some of her bruises. He got away again, didn't he?" Getsu wondered grimly, her brow tightening.
"Yeah, but he didn't get away without getting a few hits from my Goraishi; that mutt brother of yours helped too, along with Kori's ice." He smirked slightly at the bittersweet victory.
He stiffened and then growled under his breath. "That foolish hanyou is no brother of mine." He grated between his fangs.
Her ears twitched and she glanced up at the vigilant male. "'Goraishi'…? So, the old story was true. Father told me about the claws of the Eastern Wolf Tribe, long ago." She mused with a slight smile.
"'Goraishi'?" He cocked a brow.
"The Goraishi are a set of claws that the ancestors of the Eastern Wolf Tribe supposedly give to a wolf demon worthy enough to possess such a relic. My father told me that the ancestors of both the Western and Eastern Clans were rumored to harness lightning and control it in their claws, therein creating the Goraishi when the last of their ancestors passed to the netherworld. Unfortunately, the power of harnessing electricity skipped my father and instead he was given the ability to harness blue fire as my great-grandfather did, the rarest kind of fire known to the world, human and demon alike." She explained, seeing her sister's brow twitch softly and minutely while she talked.
He nodded, looking at his fellow male demon. "Tell me, will you go back to your packmates after she's healed? I would imagine they're worried for you." He asked.
He hesitated to answer, looking down at the peaceful face of the female he had bonded with. "I'm not sure." He mumbled.
"Korihime isn't bound to me by blood or debt. She is my sister-in-law, but she has the freedom to choose who she wishes to be with. I can't tell her what to do, and neither can Getsu." Sesshomaru stated.
Getsu looked up at him before she looked down at her sister and nodded. "Sesshomaru's right. We're sisters, yes, but I can't speak as a substitute mother. Kori can choose for herself who she wants to live with, whether with us or with you, Koga." The male wolf stiffened at her words.
Koga snorted, blushing a light shade of pink. "W-what the hell gave you that idea…?" He growled.
She chuckled and smiled softly. "Don't act so modest, I know you bonded. You two bonded long ago, back when you first met. To be honest, I think it's cute. If Sesshomaru and I hadn't bonded before meeting you, it'd probably have been me in Kori's place." She smiled again when the aforementioned male growled under his breath at the ludicrous notion.
He huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Don't flatter yourself, pedigree. I came for Kori, not to get teased. Besides, you're not really my type. This overgrown mutt's stink was all over you when we met the first time." He grumbled with a sniff, oblivious to the dark aura that was overcoming said 'overgrown mutt', and the vein that twitched on said daiyokai's brow.
THWACK.
"As you said, you came for my sister-in-law, but if you insist on insulting me further you're going to be on a one-way trip to the underworld, mongrel." Sesshomaru cracked his knuckles after braining the confident male, gold eyes closed angrily.
Koga winced slightly from the bump that swelled on his head, grimacing as the older female giggled. "P-piss off, Getsu! Geez, that hurt! Your punch was as hard as hers." He grated, glaring from the she-wolf to the pissy Inu-Daiyokai.
Getsu smiled cheekily. "We've been traveling too long together; I mighta rubbed off on him." She shrugged.
He snorted. "I doubt that's the only thing ya've rubbed off on him..." He grumbled.
THWACK.
"OW, FUCK!"
"…That is none of your fucking business so keep your nose out of it, mongrel." He growled, cracking his knuckles again.
"Koga," her quiet voice halted any further barking between the two male canine yokai, perking her ears as well.
"Kori-chan!" She beamed, dropping her hands to see her sister's blue orbs looking up at her and then roving over to the male wolf demon.
She smiled and then chuckled quietly. "You look like crap." She mused.
His blue eyes looked relieved; he huffed and smirked softly, glad to see her awake. "Shut up, will ya?"
"Kori-onee?" The girl had appeared, hovering near the male daiyokai, her brown eyes peering past him at the now-conscious female.
She looked over at her and smiled warmly. "Hey, Rin. You should be sleeping, love. It's past your bedtime." She greeted in a soft tone.
Her brown eyes soon held tears standing in her concerned gaze and she sniffed. "K-Kori-onee, I thought you were dead!" She declared.
The older female tousled her hair gently, brushing tears from her cheeks. "It's okay, Rin." She urged softly, pulling away from her sister's side and scooping her up, carrying her away. "C'mon, let's get you back to bed. Sesshomaru," she beckoned as she felt that the two wolves needed a moment alone, looking at her mate.
He nodded, sparing his sister-in-law a softened smile, before following her lead.
The male wolf perked up as she sat up a little, hesitant to grab her. "You shouldn't move, Kori," he scolded.
She huffed quietly and smiled at him, brushing strands of blue from her cheek. "I'm fine now, just a little tired. You probably think I look horrible, after what happened earlier…" She trailed off when she felt his calloused right hand stroke her cheek, perking her ears; she looked up past her lashes at his blue eyes to see there was something like worry and happiness mixed in his sky-colored stare. "Koga," she began.
He smirked gently, running his thumb over the star on her cheekbone. "Like hell you look like that; not to me, anyway. You still look beautiful, Kor." He chuckled when she blushed a shade of reddish pink.
She huffed again and cut her gaze to the side. "Shouldn't you be getting back to Ginta and Hakkaku? They're worrying for you, y'know. You're their alpha." She reminded quietly, mentally kicking herself for wanting to shoo him away… She didn't want him to leave her, not when he was now considered a target. She wanted to protect his pride and his life.
That's what she wanted most.
"That's what I wanted to ask you… I mean, Getsu and Sesshomaru already said you could go where you want. You could choose what pack you wanted to be with." He mumbled, perking her ears.
She looked over at where the two daiyokai were, at the happy look on her sister's face as she leaned onto his chest and had a protective arm wrapped around a sleeping Rin in her lap. He smiled down at the two females, brushing some ebony hair from her cheek gently.
"Kor, if you want to stay, I'm alright with that. I would imagine we'd meet again sometime soon, maybe sooner than expected… I just… After seeing you fight Moryomaru just to keep me alive back there, I don't want you to get killed protecting me. I don't wanna watch you die, Korihime." Koga declared quietly, stirring her attention away.
Korihime looked at him and her eyes saddened before she looked down, her blue hair cascading down her shoulder. "I don't want you to die, either, Koga. I know that we must've bonded, because I never would've thought I'd be telling this to a male, least of all a wolf demon like me. I want to go with you, if not to protect you then to help you restore your tribe. It's the least I could do." She shrugged, smiling weakly.
He smiled a little and nodded. "Must've, only because I didn't ever figure I'd be sayin' that to a female demon. I mean sure, to Kagome, but she's already with that mutt…" She laughed quietly and smiled again. "Even though I don't want you to die, I still want you to come with me. I want you at my side, Kor." He replied.
She nodded and smiled softly, leaning in to kiss him softly, feeling him stiffen before he kissed back, pulling her to his chest as she hugged his shoulders.
:::::::kKk:::::::
Rin sniffed.
"Don't make that face, Rin," Korihime crooned, pulling her into another hug.
Koga watched the sight and exhaled, looking at both daiyokai. "Thanks again for healing her." He looked at the she-wolf.
Getsu shrugged, smiling at him. "She's my little sister; it was the least I could do. I'm glad she chose a path, too. I've led her so far, after our clan was slaughtered long ago, so the fact that she's chosen to be free of it all makes me happy. Our parents would be glad, too, to see her come so far." She replied.
Sesshomaru looked at the girl that was looking into her babysitter's soft blue eyes as she was talking gently to her, her brown orbs holding tears as the rims of her eyes looked puffy from crying. "Even though she isn't my sister by blood, it's as if she is. So if you let anything happen to her, I'll kill you for it: remember that, mongrel… Koga." His gold eyes looked serious and even a little dangerous as he locked stare with his fellow male.
He huffed and smirked at him, nodding. "I'll keep that in mind then, mutt… Sesshomaru." He returned.
She sweatdropped when he bristled slightly at the insult before hooking her arm through his elbow, smiling. "Boys," she warned lightly.
A light sigh sounded before her sister punched the male wolf in the shoulder affectionately, making him wince.
"Ow," he griped, seeing her laugh and she smiled up at him; he smirked gently and slung his arm around her shoulders.
Korihime looked at her sister and brother-in-law, her eyes soft and sad at the same time. "Onee-chan, thanks for letting me travel with you for so long. I know our parents would be happy that we've stuck together so long… I wish I wasn't leaving you, and Rin, like this… Rin especially." She smiled weakly.
Getsu smiled softly and threw her arms around her, hugging her tightly as she hugged back just as tight and closed her eyes tight. "Mama would be proud that you've gotten so strong, Kori, and Papa would be happy just to see you happy with Koga… I know we'll see each other again, someday, so long as we continue to run under the same moon. Besides, you have to do what you have to do, and I have to do what I have to do. It's not like we're fighting against each other, we're fighting for the same thing, right?" She nuzzled her cheek like their mother used to, pulling back a little to smile at her puffy blue eyes.
She sniffed and nodded, laughing weakly. "Right! O-onee-chan, please do one thing for me: keep Rin safe. She's not my pup, but she damn well is close enough. Promise me you'll keep her safe, please, Getsu-onee." She pleaded.
She nodded back, ruffling her hair. "I will. We both will, no matter what." She amended.
The sisters pulled away reluctantly with watery smiles before the younger one turned to her silver-haired companion next.
She slugged his shoulder gently, smiling up at his gold eyes. "Please look after my sister; gods know she needs you, just like Rin needs you. Look after both of my sisters, nii-san. I'd hafta kill you otherwise." She half-joked.
He smirked gently and tousled her blue hair affectionately, nodding. "I will. Koga, take care of my little sister." He added to the male wolf, tracing a claw over the silver star on her cheek before letting his hand drop.
He huffed and smirked, nodding as he hooked his arm around her elbow. "You got it. C'mon, let's go." He smiled at the younger she-wolf, leading her away.
"Kori-onee," the girl trotted to stand at the male daiyokai's side as the two wolf demons took off in another twister into the clear-skied afternoon.
The female daiyokai exhaled and crouched to give her a piggy-back ride, straightening. "C'mon, we'd better get moving too." She declared, looking at her mate.
Sesshomaru stared after where his sister-in-law —no, his little sister— had stood moments ago; he smiled slightly and nodded, turning to follow until he was at her side.
Getsu smiled up at the blue sky, a soft breeze tugging at her hair. Watch over her, Papa; please keep her alive so that one day we'll see each other again, she inwardly prayed to the heavens.
The effeminate man seemed to scowl. "You could at least introduce yourself before killing me." He chided.
A blast of blue fire narrowly missed the left side of his head as he moved to the side with ease, his cobalt eyes roaming lazily to the owner of the blast.
"Well aren't you light on your toes," she cracked her knuckles and smirked.
He lifted a thin brow at her stony silver eyed stare. Her eyes looked just like that female, Korihime, he thought.
"I can smell Naraku's stink on you, that's all the reason I need." The silver-haired male rebutted frigidly.
He smirked and crossed his arms in the sleeves of his pale blue kosode. "You must be Lord Sesshomaru."
"Tell me what Moryomaru is doing here," he demanded.
He sighed, "Alas, I am but a distant spectator."
Both daiyokai looked over at the flame-coated hodgepodge beast that crashed into the ground, a look of shock written across his pale face.
Well damn, those two twins stole my kill, she mused, folding her arms in the sleeves of her kimono.
"Stay here," he ordered in her ear, kissing her lightly before spiriting towards the hulking yokai.
She scowled after him and exhaled, instead glaring at the object of his attention.
"So he was waiting for Ginka and Kinka to try and kill each other and then he absorbed the power residing in the two of them; Naraku might get more than he bargained for with this one." The incarnation noted aloud, perking her ears.
"So, twinkle-toes, do you have a name?" The female daiyokai wondered, stirring his attention.
He smiled lightly and did a mock bow. "Where are my manners? Forgive me, milady. I am Byakuya, Byakuya of the Dreams. And judging by your lovely countenance, I would imagine you're the infamous Getsuei of the Western Wolf Clan; Naraku has mentioned your meddlesome antics, though he failed to mention you were so lovely." He said the last sentence with a teasing look in his eyes.
She bristled and snorted out of habit, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm honored to hear that I've caused him fear, though your flatteries are uncalled for and frankly, I'm taken."
"Meido Zangetsuha!" His voice jerked her attention away; she looked over at him to see he'd opened a crescent void that swallowed up the combined fire-and-lightning attack sent by Moryomaru and sent it into the netherworld.
Moryomaru took to the skies, flapping his wings.
"He's fleeing?" Sesshomaru growled in further annoyance.
"Bastard!" Getsu flew at him, katana flying from her scabbard. "Get back here!" She skidded to a halt just short of the barrage of paper origami cranes that formed around her companion. "Sesshomaru!"
"It's nothing personal, y'see; Naraku ordered me to let him escape." Byakuya mused.
Sesshomaru growled, "Getsu, get down." He swung at the cranes, creating another void that sucked them into the depths of the netherworld beyond the tear in the atmosphere as she dropped to the ground and landed nimbly.
Byakuya climbed higher into the air, "farewell, Lord Sesshomaru and Lady Getsuei." He soon disappeared from sight.
He glowered after his retreat, gold eyes burning.
"Sesshomaru," she approached him, placing her hand on his shoulder.
He growled at her, making her wince a little, before he met her concerned silver stare; their stares held each other for a good few moments before his bristling form calmed and she stroked his cheek. "Sorry." He mumbled, looking down.
She smiled slightly and shook her head, leaning in to bump foreheads. "It's okay, you didn't hurt me. I'm still here," she reassured gently, feeling his arm slide to her small waist and pull her to his chest.
Sesshomaru nodded, kissing her forehead softly. "I'm glad."
Getsu smiled again and hooked her arms behind his neck, kissing his nose and seeing him wrinkle it, making her giggle softly and reluctantly slip free of his arm to let him sheathe Tensaiga.
He looked at her as she looked over her shoulder at the gray sky beyond the cliff, seeming to be thinking of her sister. "If anything happened to her, we'd know it." He mused, perking her ears.
She looked at him and her eyes saddened slightly before softening; she nodded, brushing locks of hair from her face. "Yeah, you're right." She replied.
He took her hand and squeezed gently. "Let's go."
A/N: and so Korihime makes her choice at last. but is this the last we've seen of the blue-haired princess of the western wolf clan? you'll have to find that out in the next installment of "Watch the Throne". later!