Chapter 13: A Faithful Family

It's been two and a half months since they defeated Kaira. Kagome's pack helped destroy demons that were terrorizing villages. The villagers were friendly towards them afterwards. But there were some villages that glared at Kagome and her friends. She could tell that the villagers were confused of why she was traveling with demons. She knew that they would never understand.

Tomoe knew that villagers were not comfortable with her and her comrades. She could sense the fear and hatred coming from them. She already experienced it. But she was luckily at the last village they were at, the children didn't mind her of being a hanyō. The little girls wanted to touch her ears. Her comrades were glad of that. Tomoe was familiar with the village they had just walked into. The reason why is because someone she knew lived here.

"Tomoe, where are we going?" Akinobu (Shippo) asked.

"To see an old friend of mine." Tomoe said.

"Old friend?" Akari asked, "Who lives in a human village?"

"Hai, my old friend is a human." Tomoe said, "The first human who befriended me."


They arrived at a grave that sat near an oak tree. The grave read 'Sakae' on it. There was a little of moss caked on it. They were curious about this 'Sakae' that Tomoe knew. Was she the old friend that Tomoe mentioned? Tomoe placed the flowers she had gathered near the grave and placed her hands together to pray. Her friends did the same. They saw that her hands were still clasped together after they finished their prayer. Then they saw a couple walking towards the grave. The man had short black hair while wearing a pine green kimono and dark brown hakama. The woman wore a light blue kimono with a dark blue obi wrapped around her waist. They could see the woman was carrying a bundle in her arms. The couple froze at the sight of Tomoe. Then they started to smile.

"Tomoe!" The couple said as they ran towards her.

"Shino! Ayane!" Tomoe said as she got up and ran towards the man named Shino. He picked her up and started twirling her around with him.

"Tomoe, it's been almost forever since we last saw you!" Shino said, hugging her close.

"Hai, it has been." Tomoe said, hugging him back.

"Tomoe, how do you know this couple?" Akinobu asked.

"Oh, everyone. I would like you to meet Shino and his wife, Ayane." Tomoe said.

"Hello, I'm Reina and the little one on my shoulder is Akinobu." Kagome said.

"Hi." Shippo said, giving a small wave.

"I'm Masahiro and this is my brother, Hansuke." Masahiro said.

"It's pleasure to meet you. Oh and this is Akari." Hansuke said.

"Hello." Akari said.

"It's nice to meet all of you." Shino said. Then they heard a mumble from the bundle that Ayane was carrying. Ayane removed the flap of the bundle and everyone gasped. It was a beautiful baby.

"Tomoe, I would like you to meet our first daughter, Fukiko." Ayane said. The little girl stared at Tomoe when she caught sight of her. She was stretching her hands out towards her. Shino helped set down Tomoe on her feet and Ayane held Fukiko to Tomoe. She was a little bit nervous about holding a baby. Tomoe gently held her to her chest. Fukiko giggled when Tomoe smiled at her. Then she started to reach up to touch Tomoe's ears. Even though Tomoe didn't like it when someone would touch her ears, but she decided that she would make an acceptation as Fukiko was pulling on her ears.

"Fukiko, be careful with Tomoe's ears. They're very sensitive." Ayane said.

"It's okay, Ayane." Tomoe said as she was straining a smile. Ayane could instantly tell that Tomoe wasn't really enjoying of Fukiko pulling her ears. Ayane reached her arms out, so that Tomoe can give Fukiko back to her. But Tomoe shook her head. She was a little bit uncomfortable, but then Fukiko began to gently touch her ears. Tomoe was starting to enjoy Fukiko's touch. Ayane noticed as well when she saw Tomoe smiling and her tail swaying.

"She likes you, Tomoe." Shino said.

"I like her, too." Tomoe said as she nuzzled her cheek next Fukiko's.


A little bit later. Everyone went into Shino and Ayane's hut. Tomoe said she'll put Fukiko to bed and watch over her. Ayane thanked her and got tea ready for everyone. When everyone was settled, Kagome had a question to ask.

"How did you come across Tomoe?" Kagome asked.

"My mother had to raise me herself when my father walked out on us. It wasn't easy for her. My aunt decided to stay with us since she became a widower after her husband died three months ago. Then one day when my aunt, my mother, and I were looking for herbs in the woods, an oni appeared. Just when the oni was about to attack my mom and I, Tomoe appeared out of nowhere and attacked the oni. She put up one heck of a fight. She did get beat up a lot before she finally defeated the oni. When she did, we asked why she saved us, she said,

Flashback:

"No child should become an orphan." Tomoe said. Then she collapsed onto the ground. The two women stared at the hanyō child. Even though we knew that some hanyō were dangerous, somehow they couldn't leave her there after she had just saved their lives.

"So we brought her to our home to take care of her. After that, she spent two days in our home. Then we asked her to stay with us. Five years later, my father returned. He demanded my mother to give all of her money to him. But my mother refused, when he was about to hit her, Tomoe hit him. He was mad at first as he got up. But after he saw Tomoe, he ran for the hills." Ayane said,

"Two days later, my aunt came back from the village, telling us that the village plans on killing us. We packed all of belongings onto a carriage that my aunt got from an old friend. We watched from a distance and saw our hut in flames. We were glad that we escaped at the time. Tomoe protected us as we made our way to another village. We managed to find an empty hut to live in."

"But how did you managed to sneak Tomoe into the village?" Akari asked.

"We gave her a cloak that would cover her. The hut was about a mile away from the village, which was convenient for us. No one would be able to see us. Tomoe helped us a lot throughout the years. She was always hunting for us and helped protect us when we went into the woods. She's like family to us." Ayane said.

"I see. But why did Tomoe leave?" Masahiro asked. He was confused. Why would Tomoe want to leave when there was a family who treated like family? He would have stayed.

"Tomoe knew that sooner or later the village will find out about her. So she decided to leave to in order to protect us." Shino said, "She feels like it's her fault that Sakae had died."

"Who's Sakae?" Reina asked.

"Sakae was my mother's name." Ayane said. They finally knew the identity of 'Sakae'. She was the first human who treated her like family. They were glad that she was able to find someone who accepted her.

"My mother died of a sickness that was impossible to be cured. Tomoe heard of a possible cure. She took off to find it. But two days later, my mother had died. Tomoe arrived the next day with the cure. She was devastated. Three days later, Tomoe left a letter for us and left us." Ayane said, "Today is the anniversary of her death."

"I see. She blamed herself for what happened. But it's not really her fault, right?" Reina asked.

"But we don't think that Tomoe is at fault. Besides, if it weren't for Tomoe, I never would have met Shino." Ayane said, giggled.

"Really?" Hansuke asked.

"Hai. I came across Tomoe when she saved me from a yōkai attack when I was traveling through the woods. The yōkai scratched my leg and I couldn't move. Just when I thought that my life was over. Tomoe appeared and killed the yōkai." Shino said.

Flashback:

"Are you okay? Do you need help?" Tomoe asked.

"Stay away from me, demon!" Shino said.

"I'm a hanyō! Can't you tell the difference?!" Tomoe shouted.

"Oh, sorry." Shino said, startled. He couldn't believe he mistaken a hanyō for a demon. Then he noticed she was staring at his leg and took out a cloth from her brown kimono. Then she wrapped the cloth around his leg. Shino was confused at that moment. He didn't know why the hanyō was helping him. He thought that the hanyō would kill him as well as she killed that demon. But she didn't. After that, she walked over to him and held out her hand.

"I know where you can get your leg treated. Let me help you up and I'll get you there." Tomoe said.

"Why are you helping me?" Shino asked, his brow arched.

"Let's just say I would feel really guilty if I left you here to die." Tomoe said, "Besides, my mother had always told me that I should help those who are in need of help."

"I see." Shino said. He somehow could sense the honesty in her tone of voice when she spoke of her mother. He could tell that her mother was very dear to her. Shino took a hold on Tomoe's hand and she helped him off the ground.

"I'm Tomoe. What's yours?" Tomoe asked.

"Shino. It's nice to meet you, Tomoe." Shino said.

"Likewise, Shino." Tomoe said.

Flashback Ends

"She managed to get me all the way to Ayane's hut. I was surprised that a young hanyō was able to get me there." Shino said as he gave a small chuckle, "We're eternally grateful to Tomoe."

"Tomoe probably thinks she caused us a lot of trouble. But that's not true. She has brought us more good than of harm to our family." Ayane said, "She's a member of our family and she always will be."

"Is that true?"

Everyone turned and saw Tomoe standing in the doorway to the baby's room. She looked at everyone with a sparkling light in her green eyes.

"Hai, it's true, Tomoe." Ayane said. Tears started to form in Tomoe's eyes. Then she ran and jumped into Ayane's arms. Everyone could hear her sobs as she buried her head into Ayane's chest. Ayane kindly rubbed her hand on Tomoe's back, soothing her soul. Tomoe was so happy when Ayane said that she was family. Happy tears began to fall from her eyes. She felt so at home at that moment.

"You'll always be my big sister, Tomoe." Ayane said.

"Big sister?" Tomoe asked.

"Hai, you have always protected me and I've always looked up to you as my big sister." Ayane said.

"But don't I look like the younger sister?" Tomoe asked.

"Hai, but you're still my big sister." Ayane said.

"Hai!" Tomoe said.


Two days later, Kagome's pack decided to leave. They were grateful towards Shino and Ayane. They gave her friends some meat and herbs to use on their journey. Tomoe was glad that she had returned. Seeing Ayane and Shino lifted the burden off of her shoulders. She was also glad to see Fukiko as well. Tomoe said her goodbyes to the happy couple along with their beautiful child. When Shino and Ayane had asked her when she'll come again, she said,

"When my journey is over."

The couple understood what she meant by her journey. Ayane knew that Tomoe would come back afterwards. Even if she decided to stay with this pack, she knew that Tomoe would always remember her as family. The first family that accepted her, for who she is.

"Reina." Ayane said.

"Hai?" Kagome asked as she and her friends were about to turn towards the road.

"Take good care of Tomoe." Ayane said.

"Don't worry, we will." Kagome said.