Inuforlyf

The Hunt
August 9, 2009

Summery: Kagome and Kikyou's mother is gone, kidnapped. Their father hears this and asks three Inu youkai, his friends, to look for the lady of their village. However, a deal is made. For the youkai to look for his wife, one of the sons of the eldest youkai must wed with one of the two daughters, who are Miko. Miko are known to purify the demons and hold nearly no nice feelings for the youkai kind. Unfortunately they learn a secret that can very well ruin their life if they are to mate with a demon. Hearing they must wed with one they run, thus beginning the hunt.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. This is Fanfiction

Previously:

"Right this way, Miko-sama." The villagers quickly quieted down and followed the miko with their eyes, as she disappeared with the man into the inn. Once they were inside the villagers returned to their work only this time chattering away about the savior Kami gifted them.

--8—

"Give me your first child."

"What?"

"Your first child."

"I don't comprehend."

Now:

Inuyasha and his father did not rest, as night came they charged. They both had a mission. Inuyasha was to find Kikyou immediately and take her to the west, the hunt was to be postponed. Once Inuyasha had finished telling his father of his encounter with the Northern Wolf Prince, the older Lord decided that their priority was the girls' safety.

Lord Touga Inutaisho Takanashi was to reach his other son, relay his message, and head home to oversee both Eastern and Western Lands. If his fears were correct, dark powers would be raising up to wreak havoc upon the world. Naraku would be the Dark Lord in charge. The lord laughed through his nose, he was getting ahead of himself. Naraku would never get the chance to do whatever it was he was truly planning to do. The Inu Lord would not allow the half-breed to.

"Dad I don't have a clue where to find her. It's like she disappeared into the wind." Inuyasha huffed out as he tried to catch up to his father. He was managing only because the older man ran slower than his natural speed.

"Head to the nearest villages and ask around. If she has been kidnapped by Naraku, the way rumors run around here, it wouldn't be too hard to find out where the man is holding her captive."

"Unless he's personally guarding her."

"Well, let's hope he isn't. You're on your own now pup, Myouga has told me where Sesshomaru is."

"What? Where's the flea?"

"Ah hello master Inuyasha." Abruptly stopping he pulled the flatten bug off his forehead and his father quickly hurried off. Light brown dust stood where his father once did.

"What the hell do you want, Myouga?"

"Yes, well, I've gotten word that a village close by has received a miko from Kami. She seemed to walk in and save them from a demon which was terrorizing them for years. It may be the girl you are seeking."

"How do you know I'm looking for her?"

"Your father told me about the hunt, that is how I found Lord Sesshomaru; I followed the other girl's trail."

"Thanks Myouga." Inuyasha hurried off after the flea nodded. With the lack of finger nails holding Myouga up by his collar, the flea floated down to the ground in a puff.

--8--

Kagura groaned when she finally figured out what the old woman was trying to tell her. "In all honesty, I doubt I can find someone to aid me in conceiving a child. If I do get a chance to have a child I don't think I would be able to give that child away."

"Good, you've passed the test."

"Excuse me?"

"I wanted to see if you had a true heart. I knew you did of course but I wanted to be sure. If you had said yes, I would have sent you up the river."

"Tsh, as if you can do that. So will you help me?"

"I know you want to be a wolf demon, but that's a lot of work." Kagura shook her head; she knew she couldn't trust this woman. If anything, this so-called witch is just a psycho psychic.

"So you can't do it." It wasn't really a question but a statement. Now she had to go back to Naraku to tell that man of her failure.

"Oh, I never said I couldn't, I just say it would be a lot of work. A lot of work for you anyways."

"Why is it when you talk I haven't a clue on what you are really trying to tell me?" Kagura mumbled and fanned herself cooler.

"Because you are stupider than you thought." The woman fished.

"Why you! Listen here old woman! Help me or die! I tried the nice approach but you are angering me. In fact, I should kill you then use your body to kill everyone who ever encountered you!"

"Would that include you?"

"Little bitch!" Kagura pulled her fan from her clothing. "That is why changing will be difficult for you."

"Excuse me?" Her attack faltered as she looked into the old woman's calm eyes. They were a serene blue. Her powdered white cheeks were caked with laughter wrinkles, but near her calm eyes the wrinkles were clearly of sadness.

"Those who come to me usually come to change for their loved ones. The only loved one you have is yourself; so truly becoming what you wish to change into will be difficult."

"You're speaking cryptic again woman, don't test me."

"Kagura, I'm trying the best I can to explain. Lower your weapon and have some tea." Kagura nodded. Before her, a table and two steaming teacups appeared. With widened eyes she looked up to the old woman. "Go ahead, take a cup." The wind demon reached for the cup closest to her and instead of the hand connecting to the cup, it passed right through it. She gasped and leaned back.

"What is the meaning of this witch?"

"I can make illusions of the heart; it is up to you to bear the illusions to make it true." The old woman reached for her own cup and took a sip of tea. "I can create illusions that can be directly asked by me and only me to become real. However if I were to aid you and turn you into the wolf demon you are so hell bent to become, you would have to make that true yourself."

"So all I have to do is really want this cup of tea and it'll be a cup of tea for me?" Kagura asked and looked up to the now nodding old witch. In only a moment's hesitation she went for the cup and felt the solid china underneath her hand. "I thought after doing this I would understand but I still don't get it. Do you just have to turn me into a wolf demon, what-"

"I can give you the appearance of a wolf demon, I can even give you the aura of one, but I cannot change you in all entireties, but you can."

"The aura and looks of a wolf demon, what's so bad about that? I'll be a wolf demon."

"In a sense but what of your scent, and demonic instincts and powers, they will be of a simple wind demoness." Kagura took a sip and noted the tea inside the cup was nothing but a picture.

"I can't taste the tea.

"You only thought of what you saw. You saw a cup and you wanted to be able to take hold of it. You never truly thought of the tea inside of it." Kagura narrowed her eyes at the tea not wishing to look up and see the old woman's calmed eyes. They unnerved her.

"I don't understand."

"Think about the tea you are drinking, the smells the taste the heat and the bitter after taste."

"But there's nothing here but an illusion how can I-"

"Just do it."

An hour passed with Kagura shouting at the old woman. Cups were broken and not a drop of tea was spilled. "What the hell are you trying to prove? I don't get what the-"The old woman huffed and stood up from her cramped position. She stood in front of Kagura and they began a face down.

"Listen child you are bothering me. I will grant you your wish but it is you who will be able to truly fulfill it and work your way on getting your heart back from your master." The old woman stared at her with narrowed calm eyes and raised an arm. The arm went passed Kagura's face and as a reflex, she closed her eyes. When no blow came to her, she opened her eyes. "To others you are a beautiful red haired girl with pig tails. You are a happy young woman with little fighting experience and your big bright green eyes show others of your innocence."

Kagura looked down and saw she had fur clothing and a shorter stature then before. "From appearances only, you seem 15 and lean so you must have had some training in your life and get a regular feeding. From appearances only you seem to be an innocent teenager who listens to her parents and speaks no ill towards elders but always says what you think should be heard." Kagura gulped, the woman's voice was beginning to rise, the calmness in her eyes seemed to be diminishing, and a fire began to rise.

"From appearances only, this girl has no ill thoughts clouding her mind. Revenge is nowhere near her heart and her body is used to help others and not herself! This girl is not you! Do you understand! You won't be able to pull this off!"

"I can."

"No you can't! You are way too deep in your thoughts of destroying the very man who made you!"

"You don't know anything."

"I know everything! This is why I know that you cannot become the appearance I've given you."

"Then give me another!"

"I can't! This is who you want to be!"

There was a silence and Kagura's now green orbs stared at the woman in questioning. "What do you mean?" The voice that came from her was cracked and quiet.

"You wanted to be free from your master, but what your heart truly desires to be free from evil and to be someone new. This illusion, which I've cast on you, was taken from your heart. It is an appearance of a strong demoness who uses her strength for others. That's what you wanted."

"But-"

"The desire to rid yourself of your master was also strong which is why the demon you've turned into was a wolf. Remember you aren't truly free. Not yet anyways."

"But you just said I'm a wolf because of my desires. Shouldn't I be a wolf now since I believe?"

"This is just like the tea, Kagura, you partly believe. You believe in the appearance and it's become so, however inside, you are still Kagura and that won't be enough to fool higher level demons like Kouga."

"You just said-"

"There is a part of you that believes you will need revenge and there is another that wishes for the innocence of the girl you now look like. Those two clash and until you can become a whole new person that can hold both of those thoughts without arguing within your heart then you will become the wolf that you need to destroy your master and to become the girl that wishes to simply be free."

Kagura lowered her head and the ponytails on the side of her head bounced. She bent and picked up some of the broken shards from the floor. "Is there any way to be two people?" she placed the shards she collected onto the table and continued to pick the broken pieces.

"I don't think so."

"But you don't know."

"It's never happened before so I have no knowledge-"

"I'll make it happen but for now…" she stood from her place and glared into the woman's eyes. "Call me Ayame. Just for now anyways."

--8—

Kagome groaned as the cat flew through the trees. Sure enough, Miroku was right by them running a storm. Why was he so unnaturally fast? Kagome ignored the thought and closed her eyes once more letting out another groan. "Is everything alright Kagome?"

"Yeah."

"Why are you making funny noises then?" Shippo asked from his place on Kirara's shoulders.

"It's not that Kirara isn't a great ride, but I'm forced to watch the floor moving at a crazy speed right beneath me. This can't be good from my stomach."

"Don't worry Kagome, we've made great distance. We will stop in a few…" Sango said but her voice drifted away, Kagome had opened her eyes once more. It was dark and all she really saw were blurs. Occasionally, an animal jumped into view, for just a second.

"Oh my Kami! I just say saw a feeding!" Once more Kagome groaned and her stomach protested as well.

"We can stop at the village I see up ahead."

"What if they allow us, remember last time?" After a few more minutes, Kirara flew above a human village. They landed and slowed to a walk. The village had an ominous feel to it; it seemed almost deserted.

"I suppose everyone is sleeping then." Miroku reasoned. It wasn't enough though. Kagome felt Sango's leg shiver against her own.

"Is it really that late?" Sango asked no one in particular and looked up to the sky. The moon was dancing in the sky along with the smaller stars beside it.

"We have been running for hours. I'm prepared to pass out." Miroku confessed and placed both hands on his knees. He breathed heavily before he dropped onto his rear.

"So how are we to find an inn if everyone is sleeping?" Sango asked and hopped off Kirara. Once off, she looked to Kagome's pained face.

"I can't feel my stomach but I know it must be depressed." The demon exterminator shook her head with a smile before looking back to the village.

"I'll go and scout around, Miroku, please look after them." With a hand and a nod, Miroku agreed.

"Of course, you can count on me." He told her and took in more gulps of air.

Sango nodded towards him and looked back to Kagome. "Alright, I'm off; try your best not to fall off."

"Ha, ha, try your best not to be taken." Kagome bit back and Sango laughed before walking away.

"Can I come?"

"Of course you can Shippo." The young kit jumped off the over grown cat and hurried to follow after Sango.

"Hey Miroku, could you tell me more about Christine?"

"You mean Christina?"

"Huh, yeah, the wind demoness." Kagome continued to stare at the ground not being able to do anything else. "I do not know much about her, Lady Kagome, though I do know she has three other sisters and a brother. She spent her time caring for the children who resided in the orphanage. I believe she was looking for that fox there that you have picked up. She was quite worried for him."

"It makes sense. She told me he's a prince of something and when I first met him, there was a black fox assassin coming after him. So as soon as I saw him, I knew I had to protect him. Demon or not, he's still a child." Kagome sighed at the thought.

"I knew you would have such an innocent heart. When you spoke of your hatred of demons, I must admit, I was shocked."

"I was raised to hate the demon kind. I thought that was the way to go. I still have those feelings but now it's more like. 'I hate them but I don't know why' so the feeling isn't as strong."

As she thought of the misfortunate kitsune, from the corner of her eyes she saw some light. She struggled but could not look up, with her other senses she heard Miroku mumble a quick, "We need to go!"

With in another second she felt Miroku board Kirara and tell her to go up. In the transaction of rising, Kirara made a painful mew and they were going down. "Again?" Kagome moaned in both fear and anger. She and Miroku were human; did that mean nothing to people? The cat tipped and before Kagome could shout, she slid off and watched the villagers coming after them.

Narrowing her eyes, Kagome looked through the crowd. She saw her female friend being dragged by a hefty man. Shippo was nowhere to be scene. He was the reason the villagers turned on Sango. She should have never let him go, she felt like an idiot.

What could she do? "Stop!" she shouted repeatedly but the villagers decided her pleas were nothing.

"TRAITORS!" They shouted at them and Miroku was forced into battle once more against the fellow humans. They had not even given them the chance to explain, just like the last village. They were tired and dirty, not to mention extremely hungry.

Kagome continued to shout and she closed her eyes not wanting to watch as they beat Kirara. "NO! STOP! We didn't do anything!! We're inno-" A foot came to her face. Her eyes shot open and she saw multiple people were kicking her.

"She felt her face!" A man shouted and a wad of spit came to her eyes. "Sold your body to Satan?" The kicks continued but she felt nothing but the sand being poured on her face. She felt the yanks at her hair and the sharp pain flowing over her face.

"Stop this you bastards!!!!" A rock came to her face and she blacked out.

--8—

"Miko-sama! Miko-sama! There is a villager giving birth!" Kikyou opened her eyes. Earlier in the evening they had given her food, shelter, and even the traditional priestess garb to wear. They were hell bent in getting her to become the village miko.

She had only been there a few hours before many came to her and asked her to bless their homes. As the moon stood higher in the sky the owner of the inn told the people, it was time for "Miko-sama" to rest.

Had Kikyou not been raised as the Princess of the East, she would have sneered. She knew how to work with a bow and arrow; she knew how to exterminate demons, and even knew some medicinal herbs for healing and skin care. That was as far as her miko training reached before her grandmother past away three years ago. For the villagers, that was more than enough.

Three hours from her rest, there was a little boy shouting about a birth. She turned away from the door and fixed her position on her futon. "Please hurry Miko-sama! The midwives say the infant is in danger!"

"That does not concern me." Kikyou stated clearly from her place on her futon.

"Miko-sama? I must have heard wrong. Please aid them!"

"I may not look tired to you but the feel of peace and quiet is something I need at the moment. You, young man, are not allowing me what I need."

"But Miko-sama!"

"Leave!" She closed her eyes and heard as the shoji door slid open farther. "Miko-sama, are you mentally preparing yourself? We must leave now," said a new voice.

"Yes Miko-sama, you must save the infant and the mother. It is your duty." Another voice came from behind them. Kikyou sat up.

"My duty?"

"Yes, your duty as the village miko." She had not asked to be needed. She had not wanted to become the village miko. They were forcing this upon her. With a mental huff she stood up and walked out of the room with a young man pointing to where the birthing was taking place.

Entering the room of the woman, Kikyou immediately cringed at the crying woman.. "I need to push!"

"You mustn't, my lady. The child is not prepared." Kikyou watched the scene assessing what she could help with. There were clean dry linens everywhere, beneath the woman in a water-filled bucket, on the woman's forehead.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!!"

"Oh Kami, they're close." Kikyou knelt near the midwife who just spoke. The other was rubbing the woman's lower stomach. "What can I do?"

"Oh, Miko-sama, please catch the infant."

"What?" Kikyou questioned, letting her eyebrows furrow at the midwife's words.

"Yes, you are probably the only one in this house who can. Please catch the child." Kikyou nodded with confidence she did not own. What had she placed herself into?

"Please aid the woman with rhythmic breathing; the infant does not seem to be here yet." Kikyou told the midwife who was rubbing the tummy.

"Sora, please breathe as we taught you." Kikyou's eyes shot up. That was her mother's name. She glared at the woman as saw she bared no resemblance to her lost mother. She sighed and brought her attention back to the labor at hand. She looked down grimacing as the woman soiled herself. The heat in the room brought sweat to her brow.

"Please open a window, keep the doors open as well."

"What if disease-"

"This room is not ventilating enough surely this air can make the infant choke." She lied carelessly.

"ARGHHHHHHHHHH!!" She lowered her head between the woman's bent knees and saw a bubble. She shot her hands towards the object. Her ears quickly shut out the constant shouting of the woman. "Now? Now can I push?"

"I believe so my lady." One of the two midwives said. Her hands were holding sharp objects and a bowl smelling strongly of alcohol which held a knife inside its contents. Kikyou turned back to the bubble and gently rubbed its side hoping to coax it out.

"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"

"AHHHHHHH!!" Kikyou's eyes shot up and glared at the midwife who was wincing in pain. The woman named Sora was crushing one of her hands.

"Again."

"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!" Sora pushed once more. Kikyou held the baby as it slowly exited. The child's color seemed to be a bit off, it wasn't crying or…

"STOP!!!" She shouted and the room became silent.

"I need to push!"

"Don't you dare!" Kikyou shouted and tried her best to ease the cord surrounding the infant's neck off.

"I can't-"

"Just breathe and wait!" She shouted back. As she freed the child's neck, she noticed the woman wasn't breathing correctly. "Help her! Why is she bleeding this much?" Kikyou questioned. The once clean linens beneath the woman were now dirtied with her feces and blood.

"I don't know Miko-sama. She's shaking violently!"

"Hold her down and make sure she doesn't bite her tongue." The midwife with the sharp tools nodded towards the others. Kikyou kept her thoughts to the infant while her eyes watched the woman's eyes roll back.

"Push once more!" She shouted hoping the woman could still function, if only for a little bit. She felt the baby easing itself out even more. The baby was out but the woman was continuing to push. The midwife to her left came closer with her objects.

"Stay close when you clean the infant. Miko-sama, I doubt the cord will allow you to go too far." Kikyou nodded and took some nearby linens. She took the time to wipe the blood off the baby. She pressed a little hard on the baby's nose and mucus exited. She frowned when she heard the squish.

The infant, however, had yet to cry. The woman continued to shake but whatever she was pushing seemed to be out. "Wait." She told the midwife by her. "It seems to be throbbing. I do not think you should do anything to it yet."

"Miko-sama, if she is to pass, there will be no one to care for the infant. The father died months ago due to sickness. I fear we will be forced to ask if you may care for him."

"I am not one who can care for a child at such a young age." She stood and walked to the woman vibrating. A midwife held the sac, which came out of the woman, behind the moving Kikyou.

"Sora, seize your control. The child is safe." She frowned when she was ignored. She bent over the woman with a hand pressed on the forehead to feel for a fever. Kikyou looked into the white eyes. Slowly, something brown came from the top and it came back into place at the center of her eyes.. The pink glow from her hands disappeared. She did nothing to indicate she noticed it.

She lowered the baby on to the woman's naked chest and watched as the baby began suckling the breast. The cord connected to the infant stopped pounding and she looked to the midwife. She nodded and took hold of the knife that was simmering in the alcohol.

The cord cut and the infant nursing, the two midwives and Kikyou began the task of cleaning up. The smell was rancid and the heat of the room made the smell even worse.

--8—

Inuyasha flew above the trees at a leisurely pace. The village Myouga had mentioned was just up ahead and so he slowed his running. As he stood before the village, he noticed a few women at a center watering hole. The predawn blue of the skies gave the village an eerie feeling and Inuyasha couldn't help but feel it was partly his fault.

As he entered the village, he noticed the girl's scent was nearby. Her original smell was a mix of rain, cherries and her signature mint. Beneath the three scents, there was a bitter tang and Inuyasha froze. It was the scent of a taken woman.

Everyone had three scents: one was a smell that traveled by family; it was the smell of those of the same blood and those closest that carried this scent. Another scent was either apples or cherries, which decided if the being was male or female, and the third was a signature no other had. When the smells mixed, it made it easier to pinpoint a person. The bitter smell underlining many was the smell of rut.

When a woman's innocence was taken, there was an extra place where the inner smell of the person exited and that was where the bitter smell mixed in with the rest of the scent. The older twin was no longer a virgin.

Inuyasha felt a frown appear on his face. When had this happened? She was only gone for two days, was she raped? Had she always had a man on the side and decided to give herself away? Inuyasha shook his head from the thoughts. It didn't matter. What mattered now was her safety. He had to get her home. Well to his home.

He followed his nose and it brought him to a house. He walked into the house, as the door was already open and followed his nose. The house was strong of blood and feces. Women were here, not one man and Inuyasha raised a brow. No, there was a boy, and he was extremely young. He reached a room smelling strongly of the scent he was following. He stepped inside and four women looked up and glared at the intruder.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!" The infant wailed and the women jumped to turn to the infant. He cleared his voice and the eyes returned to him. The woman he was looking for was closest to the naked woman on the ground and so she was the farthest from him.

"Princess." He said to her and her eyebrows furrowed.

"Demon." The sound of her heart beating attacked his ears and he smirked. He stared at the woman he was searching for and noticed her frown.

At that moment she glowed pink and she grabbed a bloody knife from a bowl. "Stay away from me." She said and walked forward. He took a step back as the sting of her aura hit his own. They continued that way until Inuyasha was out of the house and she was at the door.

Before he could open his eyes from his short blink, there was a flying projectile glowing pink and coming for his heart. He dunked and looked up watching his prey run into the market place.

Inuforlyf: YAY! two chapters during this summer period so far! Lets celebrate. On a serious note, my beta is refusing to marry me. Technically, she's just refusing to answer.............. so sad. So that was chapter 16. Pretty long if you ask me.

CONTEST

I want a new summary so if you think you can write a summary fitting of this story

and can attract more readers, feel free to send a pm or leave a review!

Next time on the Hunt::::::::::

Kikyou is caught and Sesshomaru finally catches up to Kagome. HOWEVER this new Ayame factor is a character all should pay attention. Tune in next time

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