From the corner of his vision, he saw her yellow-coppery eyes sparkle. Something moved in his soul. He couldn't name the sensation. It was like the lightest, quietest of heartbeats, though, it did not come from his heart.

She edged closer. She was slowly circling the horse, giving the mare her space. So, she is familiar with the equine species.

Not surprising. Humans considered horses good work animals. His left hand removed itself from his mare and she watched as it slowly moved toward her, palm to the sky. She took his hand, and watched as he brought hers to the soft muzzle. "She's beautiful."

Only then did the fiery beast flick her eyes to Moriko, previously obsessed with her master.

"This is Rikona."

"Rikona . . ." I echoed. My fingers rubbed the soft fur between her nostrils. I didn't even notice his hand leave mine until I felt a warmth at my hip as he shifted me in front of him, so that I could directly face his mare. I was blushing at the touch but I focused my thoughts on Rikona, as that wasn't very hard to accomplish.

I tried very hard not to shiver at his words from behind me, "You knew that she is female?"

"Un." I boasted at my knowledge, "Mares tend to have much . . . thicker hindquarters . . ." I paused in thought. Even I was surprised at my assumption. "And they tend to have bigger personalities," I gave a small laugh, "Males are more laidback."

"That is true." As he said it, the mare drew her nose away, snorted, as if to prove my point, and shoved her nose at my cheek. My thoughts were silenced as she observed me, sniffing various parts of my upper body. I froze, hoping my submissive attitude would be to her liking.

I desperately wanted her respect and I craved the kind of attention that she had given her lord.

Her oversized head dipped down then. Her nose at my knees, I closed my eyes and whispered at an available pointed ear, "Would you give me the honor?"

Of course it had not gone unheard by the nearby daiyoukai.

"Rikona." He ordered. She stopped her ministrations of me and whipped her head to him, as he was now at my left. I cringed at his command. Though not even directed at me, I still felt the urge to obey whatever he was about to say.

Except, he said nothing. He merely looked at her. To my surprise, she nodded back in a very humanistic manner.

She turned his way, and my hopes dropped as I could no longer gaze into her orange demon eyes, get lost, and be consumed by my own adoration for the mare.

Just as I was about to get over my hurt pride, Rikona halted and sunk to her knees.

"Ichirou-sama!"

The young monk turned at his name. The villagers huffed at their exertion of trying to find him before he left on his demon cat and they bowed.

"Forgive us," the one closest to him said, "We had no right to question your methods or your . . ." The man paused, "Companion."

He looked at Kirara. For a moment his eyes hardened in disapproval then looked back to the monk, "As our sincerest apology," he motioned another, much younger man forward, and continued, "We offer you this shard of the Shikon no Tama, in hopes you will keep it purified and safe from other demons."

The young man dropped a shard into Ichirou's open palm and backed away. They all watched his brows knit and his inspection of their gift. This is not really much of an apology but . . . I never needed one in the first place.

Then, "Fear not, I will keep the jewel shard purified and out of the reach of evil ambitions. You have my word."

With that he lept onto Kirara, his father's staff strapped on his back and took off.

This isn't possible. The jewel was banished from existence by Lady Kagome, after it had become whole.

"I will take it to Kagome-sama. It would be best to let her have a look." He said to Kirara who whined in response.

"Kohaku will have to wait. He'll understand." After all, he spent a couple years having his life tied to a shard.

It was disturbing. Ichirou definitely did feel something emanating from the supposed Shikon shard. His fingers closed around into a tight fist.

"Let's go Kirara!"

She roared, heading home.

"Can I really?" She held her hand to her heart again, as she did before.

He nodded.

With a tear in one eye, she blinked, "'Kay!"

He watched her mount his steed with a bit of effort, seeing as Rikona was much bigger than any horse she was could've been used to.

I held on to her whithers, excited. The wind clapped at my hair. My body fell into rhythm with the gallop.

Closing my eyes, I searched for a beat, another. Found it!

My eyes flashed open. A sound. A glorious yell straight from the heart. I howled from deep within my soul.

Hooves pounded upon the earth like a deep drumbeat. Rikona neighed with a burst of energy. She felt it too. A bond.

Birds shrieked as they darted to the skies in fright of the powerful beast clashing through their forest. I glared ahead, determinedly, in full confidence, full happiness.

The sky burst through the trees to a prairie field. We followed the river. "AHAHHYAAA!" I yell.

I lean forward onto her neck, asking for more speed.

She complied. She accelerated with a surge of youki. My heart nearly burst in the rush of adrenaline.

Then the land disappeared ahead. No. Nononononono.

Beneath me, Rikona rushed even faster. I shrieked and tugged at her mane.

This stubborn mare wasn't going to take no for an answer. I knew that.

So I embraced the fear. Okay girl, you wanna fly? Let's soar!

Just in time, she pressed hard on the edge of the cliff and lept into the air.

I held on for dear life as we started to descend. My stomach was ripped right out from under me. Fear shook my body violently. WHY ARE WE FALLING?!

Any scream I may have emanated was lost to the scraping winds. I couldn't make a sound to match my fear and excitement. I shut my eyes.

I didn't notice the water droplets tickle my skin.

My stomach settled and I knew she was . . .

I cheered, "WE'RE FLYING!"

Rikona whipped her head in annoyance that I had doubted her. She glared at me. I ignored her. I was too amazed at the place she had brought me. My mouth agape, I feel my ears flatten at the deafening, sheer power of the white spray of a waterfall. A mile wide, we soared right next to the curtain of water.

As I stuck out my hand, she drew closer to it.

I watched as my fingers cut through the liquid fabric gravity had woven.

I laughed happily, excitedly.

As we rose from the canyon, my adrenaline rush coming to an end, I stared hard at the sun, challenging it to blind me.

As it eventually hurt my eyes I looked at myself, to check to see if I was all there.

I'm really here. This is real.

The water peppering my arms glittered in the light. It was so pretty.

Suddenly, I felt I could do anything. I look at my open palm. Then, I made a fist.

You can do anything Moriko.

I'm never gonna give in, never gonna give up.

The sky met the earth, blue and green fading into a thin line.

A whisper, a whisper I didn't even realize came from my own mouth. "I'm free."

Looking through his eyes, he saw his niece and heard her words. With a pang, Sesshoumaru remembered a certain demoness.

Yes. She is fine where she is. It is meant to be.

Thank you, Byakko, for laying my anxiety to rest. I shall relay this to her father.

Sesshoumaru felt the daiyoukai's appeasement at his gratitude.

Then the connection snapped.

"Fine. She has until the next moonless night. I'm coming after her no matter what."

"Hn." His brother walked away at that. Inuyasha looked up.

A full moon.

"So. She has two weeks." He knew his words did not reflect his mind.

Moriko . . . my daughter, I . . . His bangs hid his eyes. I only got to know you for a few days. However, if this is what you want, I'm okay with that.

Like ocean waves, crimson sleeves rode the billowing breeze as a father walked away, letting his child go.

I tossed and turned. Sleep eluded me. Now that Rikona was present, Byakko was able to do his . . . things? Like demon stuff?

He'd been gone for a few days now. I was initially shocked when he hadn't come back after one full day, a day that I had spent trying to preoccupy my mind with anything but thinking about him. Speaking of which . . . Oh, what am I thinking about him for?

The tips of the trees brushed the sky in waves, painting it darker and darker as the sky grew from blue to black with the night. More little lights appeared above with every passing moment. With the moon at its center, the canvas above was like a invisible spider web vast and full of shiny dew drops from a subtle mist.

"There's so many stars . . ." I muse. But above all, the fullness of the complete moon captures my eyes. Funny. It's not so intimidating tonight as I remember it to be. I don't know if it's a human thing, but it seems like as the moon shows more and more of itself, it would put me on edge. I would be full of adrenaline and be hyper aware of my surroundings and highly prefer to be indoors.

But now, it bares it fang-white shine into my soul. I feel it pumping energy in a spiritual way, like how my heart would pump blood in my body. But obviously the moon has nothing to do with my blood . . .

I finish that thought with none to follow. It was obvious that the moon had something to do with me being part dog, as if it had nothing to do with menstrual cycles in the first place. I wonder why I haven't bled in a while. Not that I'm complaining or anything.

Rikona was munching on sparse stringy patches behind me.

My toes began to tingle. I sat up, flexing them, my hands burrowing in the sand of the beach. A familiar sensation pounded from within my chest. Pulse.

"Oh, what now!?" I yell, surprising myself.

The pulses repeated and repeated, starting to bubble up. My hand flashed to my heart. It was beginning to ache. Whatever it is, it's filling me up inside! The glow of the moon disappeared between my lids as I shut them hard. It kept coming. The pulses grew so fast that I couldn't distinguish one from another. I feel my head grow heavy and my neck bends back. I can taste the air. My mouth is open. Wide. I wanted scream but no sound came.

Then, the light crashes upon me. Its gleam whitening the sky, the trees, everything. A . . . darker, bigger pulse tears through my chest. I finally cry out in pain.

A quiet voice, "stop . . ."

Then it fades beneath the roaring in my ears. In my head, I dash after it, seeking the source of the voice. I longed for that familiar voice.