Chapter 5: The Abandoned Lion Cub
It's been almost a week since Kagome's pack grew bigger. Akari began to explain everything she knew about tengus. Masahiro was helping Shippo with sword fighting. Hansuke also helped Kagome and Akari with their powers. Akari told everyone that it would take three more days to reach Kaira's nest. Kagome was nervous about her and Shippo's identity being revealed. She never told them her real name. She felt guilty for not telling them. But she grew attached to her new name and Shippo started to like his as well. She knew that sooner or later they will find out. Hopefully it's later that she would have to tell them.
Masahiro could tell that Reina (Kagome) seemed worried about something. He wanted to ask her what was wrong, but he figured it might involve one of her secrets. Instead, he decided to wait until she wishes to talk to him about it. He began to wonder why she was being secretive. Then he realized he never asked her why she and Akinobu (Shippo) were traveling by themselves and how she easily trusts him. Masahiro probably guessed that her trust in demons or people had gotten her in a lot of trouble. But if she did get in that kind of trouble, how did she get out of it?
When Kagome's pack arrived in a village, they heard a yelp of a small child. They rushed towards the sound and saw a group of men surrounding a little child who was curled up like a ball. Masahiro and Hansuke quickly stepped in and stopped them from further abusement. Kagome quickly went to the child's side. The child was unconscious when she held her in her arms. The little girl had short dirty blond hair and was wearing a dark orange kimono with a brown obi. But then she noticed something. The child had dark brown colored cat ears on top of her head and there was a cat tail behind her as well.
"What are you doing?! Treating a small girl like that!" Masahiro yelled at the group of men. He and Hansuke stood in front of Kagome while she held the child close to her.
"That child is a hanyō!" The first man said, pointing a the child.
"And she was stealing our food, too!" The second man said.
"She's just a child!" Akari said. The two men then noticed Kagome.
"You're a miko, aren't you suppose to kill demons?" The third man asked.
"I help preserve life. Bringing balance. I only kill demons who bring harm towards others." Kagome said. With that said, Masahiro walked over to Reina and lifted the child into his arms. After that, Kagome and the others left the village.
Kagome and the others stopped at a clearing to set up camp for the night. Masahiro and Shippo went fishing, Hansuke went to collect firewood, and Kagome and Akari went to set up camp. After camp was all set up. Akari helped Kagome take care of the hanyō child. Everyone felt so sorry for the young hanyō. So many scars for someone so young. It was heartbreaking. Trying to survive on her own.
The child fluttered her eyes and then she stared at Kagome with her cat green eyes. The child instant grew frighten and jumped out of the sleeping bag and hid behind one of the trees near the camp. She peeked her head out behind the tree. Kagome could see light in her green eyes that were reflected by the campfire. But she could also see the fear that was in the little one's eyes.
"Come here, little one." Kagome said, holding her hand out. The child shrunk back behind the tree.
"Don't worry, I promise I won't hurt you." Kagome said. The little hanyō was still looking at Reina with fear. The half demon had probably already sensed that she's a miko.
"What kind of hanyō are you?" Kagome asked.
"I'm-I'm a lion-cub," The half demon said, peeking out.
"It's okay, little one." kagome said, still holding her hand out the little hanyō. The cub looked at her and then at her hand. The cub slowly walked towards her and then leaped into her arms. The cub started crying in Kagome's arms. She calmly rubbed the cub's back as the little one cried, trying to calm the child.
"It's okay, you're safe now, little one," Kagome said. The cub looked up at her with her beautiful cat green eyes.
"What's your name, little one?" Kagome asked.
"Tomoe," Tomoe said as she blushed.
"That's a cute name." Kagome said with a smile.
"Thank you so much!" Tomoe said giving a wide smile in return.
After the many introductions and explaining how they all came together, Tomoe became fascinated with the group of individuals in front of her. She was surprised that Reina (Kagome) was a miko who actually befriends humans, demons, and hanyōs. Not to mention that she's the infamous Shikon Miko and that she's raising a young kitsune cub, too. Tomoe never thought she would also meet an onmyouji as well. She was envious of this pack, they had no prejudice towards each other.
"So Tomoe, what were you doing in the village?" Hansuke asked.
"I was searching for food and came across a watermelon field. I knew that it wouldn't be right to steal, but I was really hungry. One of the villagers cornered me and started beating me up." Tomoe said, remembering of what happened before she met Reina and the others. All the pain that ached all over her body.
"How come you didn't try to get away?" Shippo asked.
"I didn't want to fight unarmed humans. That would make me act more like a demon." Tomoe said, "Besides, I'm still hated by humans no matter what I do." Tomoe remembered all those years of abuse. She was also hated demons as well. They thought that she was a disgrace to all cat demons, just because her father mated with a human woman.
"We don't hate you, Tomoe." Masahiro said.
"You don't?" Tomoe asked, confused.
"You were trying to survive. That's an instinct for all living beings." Akari said.
"You could've attack those who were harming you, but you chose not. That proves that you don't want to bring harm to anyone." Masahiro said.
"It also shows that you have a merciful heart, Tomoe." Kagome said. Tomoe blushed when she was told by this. She had never met such compassionate people like the ones who sat around her.
"Tomoe." Kagome said.
"Yes?" Tomoe asked.
"Would you like to join our pack?" Kagome asked.
"What do you mean?" Tomoe asked.
"What I'm saying if you like to join us on our journey to fight against demons who are threatening the humans using the jewel shards." Kagome said.
"Can I really join you all? You won't mind having a hanyō like me with you?" Tomoe asked as tears were beginning to form in her cat green eyes.
"We wouldn't mind at all. In fact, we would be glad that you would join us." Kagome said.
"Then I'll join you!" Tomoe said as she smiled while tears fell on both sides of her cheeks. Kagome held Tomoe close to chest and she instantly relaxed in her arms. She noticed that Tomoe's tail was swaying back and forth. She could tell that Tomoe was comfortable in her presence. She softly rub Tomoe's ears as Tomoe started to purr at the sensation.
Tomoe liked it when Reina (Kagome) rubbed her ears. No one had touched her ears like this since her parents died. Her mother would always rubbed the furry appendages while her father would lightly scratch behind her ears. She missed this feeling of comfort that she had lost years ago.
"Welcome to the pack, Tomoe." Shippo said.
"Thank you, everyone." Tomoe said softly as she started to drift off to sleep with a smile on her face.
The next morning, after they packed up, they went back on the road for the journey ahead. Tomoe was only curious one who wanted to know where they were headed.
"So where are we all headed?" Tomoe asked.
"We're headed towards Kaira's nest." Kagome said.
"Kaira's nest! Why are earth do you want to go there for?!" Tomoe asked in a panic tone.
"We have to stop Kaira from further harming human villages." Masahiro said. Everyone noticed the determination in Masahiro's aura. They could tell that he wanted to stop these troublesome band of tengus. Tomoe had heard the rumors of the leader of the group of rōnin tengus. She knew that he was a powerful, yet fearsome tengu that was merciless towards ningens. Even though she was abused by ningens for so long, Tomoe felt like she had to help her new pack on this quest. Her parents had always told her that there are some humans out there who get along with demons. After all, her mother was a human and her father was a lion demon. That proved that her parents loved each other despite that they were different species.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Lead the way!" Tomoe said.
And so Kagome's pack were on the road where up ahead laid Kaira's nest. But what they didn't know then was that Akari had kept a secret. A secret that will reveal of who she really is.
A dark figure with large black wings stood upon a cliff edge that overlooked a village down below. He wore a black haori and hakama along with black boots. He had long ink black hair and blood red eyes. He easily blended into the night except his eyes made him stood out. He could see the lights in the windows of the huts in the village. He knew that inside that village there were beautiful women in it. Women that would be able to satisfy his needs. He smiled wickedly at the thought of the women who would beg for mercy as they struggled beneath him.
"Sir." A black winged figure said as he got down on one knee.
"What is it, Iwao?" The dark figure asked.
"The three troops that you sent after the white tengu, they've been murdered, sir." Iwao said.
"What? How?" The dark figure asked.
"It was a miko, sir." Iwao said.
"A miko?" The dark figure asked, his brow arched.
"Not just any miko, sir. It was the Shikon Miko." Iwao said.
"The Shikon Miko you say?" The dark figure asked.
"But she's not alone, sir. The white tengu is with her along with a dragon demon, a kitsune cub, an onmyouji, and a hanyō lion cub." Iwao said.
"So she has brought company with her. The Shikon Miko nonetheless." The dark figure said.
"What should we do, sir?" Iwao asked.
"Let's give them a proper welcoming party." The dark figure said with dark smile. He knew that with the Shikon Miko by his side, he would be able to obtain all the jewel shards that were hidden all over Japan. Not only that, she would be an excellent bed partner.
"Very well, Kaira." Iwao said.
