The ominous, dark aura was hanging in the air. The forest was silent as if the sky was weighing down on every sprouting leaf like a heavy blanket forcing every creature to hide. The last quarter of the moon was travelling across the sky partly hidden by clouds, as if it was ashamed of its blood red colour. Even the jewel was restless, but no demons were in the vicinity.

Something was not right. Hotaru frowned and picked up the pace as much as the healing leg allowed her to. She refused to sleep tonight. She didn't want to see more of the nightmares the jewel was showing her.

######

Saki sprang up in her bed, woken by a massive evil aura quickly approaching the village.

"Kou!"

"I know." He stood at the door, already tying his armour together.

"You still cannot fight!" Like her brother, she was on her feet, swiftly putting on her armour and tying her hair.

"I can sense them too, Saki. The chief and the best fighters are gone." He said grimly. If he could sense the demons, they would all die. He was one of the best fighters, but his sensory skills were close to nonexistent. Tonight, he felt the evil approaching, he felt the death breathing on their necks. I might break my promise, Hotaru. I'm sorry, please don't mourn me too much.

"You should go to Midoriko's cave and wait it out." She insisted and stuck her short blade under her obi. "I'm sure she would let you."

"Saki, listen." He put hands on her shoulders, forcing her to stop and look at him. "I will not hide like a coward. Neither would you nor any other demon slayer in the village. Midoriko would not let us either way. If this is our end, I will die fighting with my axe in hand. Otherwise I couldn't face Hotaru."

Her lips trembled. "You will not see her ever again. You feel it too. Tonight is our last." Her voice broke.

Kou wiped a single tear rolling down Saki's cheek and smiled. "No one knows for sure what will happen. At least I know she is safe. And maybe there will be another life in the future, when we will all meet again. But tonight we fight to survive."

"Careful with your wishes, the jew-"

BANG! BANG! BANG!

"DEMONS! GRAB YOUR WEAPONS!"

Kirara's hackles rose and she hissed, heading towards the door, expecting the two to follow her.

"I will have your back, Saki. I love you." He kissed her forehead one last time.

"I love you too. I will support you the best I can." She smiled despite the tears in her eyes and the heavy knot in her stomach. She was scared. She didn't want to die. Yet, the grip on her sword tightened with determination as she stepped out of the hut into the heavy air.

I am sorry, Hotaru. Please, don't forget us.

######

'Don't forget us.'

Hotaru heard Saki's voice all around her. Breeze carried that one sentence, lifting the heavy air and ruffling her hair. The words were filled with love and deep sadness. Last goodbye. "No." She whispered. "No, that can't be…"

Her swift walking pace turned into a run.

Return to the source… Source of what? Soumei scratched his head and sighed. He leaned against a yari (a spear) he carried when he was on guard duty. He didn't like the weapon, but it was a part of the usual attire of a tengu guard and he was allowed to keep his swords as well.

He yawned and watched the clouds passing by, thinking he could sneak away and into the old library.

Guard duty on the Kurama mountain was the most boring activity one could be assigned. There were no threats to them, not since they started hiding their very existence from the world. Only a few demon clans truly knew about them, the others had stories and vague legends. Legends were tengu appeared godly. No one dared to attack them and less than a few were brave enough to seek them.

Hmmm… But if we need the legends… When did we start hiding though? I know why, but… when? He frowned and focused on other guards. They were equally bored, but diligently fulfilling their duty. Zenki was on the other side of the mountain and his perception was weakened due to his curse.

That allowed Soumei to sneak away without being noticed. He needed to find out more about their own history and reasons.

Hotaru cut the usual three day travel into a two day hurtle with barely any rest or sleep. Saki's last words she heard kept her moving. She felt the demon slayers were gone and she needed to know what happened.

In the early evening, she finally pushed through the last bushes and got a full view of the demon slayer's village sitting on top of the hill. She had to climb the steep path snaking up towards the main gate, but even from a distance, she could see the damaged stockade and destroyed watchtowers. The village was giving off a deserted feeling. There was no one waiting for her.

And yet, she saw a small trail of smoke climbing up towards the sky. Someone is there. Without thinking she started running up the hill, ignoring the pain in her slowly healing leg. Someone was there. A tiny light of hope sparked in her heart, what if it was Kou?

She dashed through the broken gate into the village. The village looked like a battlefield, some huts were completely burned down, some were partly caved in and only a few remained standing with smaller damage and all were stained by dried blood. Earth was soaked with blood. But there were no bodies. She quickly walked through the village looking for anyone who was supposed to be there. She came to an abrupt halt when she noticed dozens of fresh graves by the northern stockade. The reality of death crushed her heart again.

Her full attention was on those graves, so neatly dug one next to another. The evening was peacefully illuminating the fresh mounds of soil with warm orange rays. Flowers and weapons of the fallen were decorating all of them. It was a peaceful, yet heartbreaking image. It was a definite, undeniable reality.

She dragged her feet towards Kou's and Saki's grave. She didn't need any markings, she knew where their bodies lay side by side. Her knees gave out and hit the ground. She touched the soil, taking in its energy and for a split moment, she could feel their struggle in their last battle. She could see what the siblings went through and how they died. I should have been here! Dammit! Tears finally rolled down her cheeks and her frame shook under the heavy but silent sobs.

She knew every single person that was buried here. Every single one of them. And the two she came to love the most. She lived in times of wars and demons where one could lose their life at any moment. Death was a natural part of life. As a priestess, she knew it better than others. She should not be affected like this, weak like this. But she lost everything again. Even though she'd left to search for her past, these people and this place had been her anchor. A place to return to. And suddenly…. They were no more.

Once again, she was all alone. Maybe that is my curse. Everyone she loved kept leaving, dying, running through her fingers like sand.

Remnants of Saki's energy enveloped her, warming her body. 'Don't cry. We fought bravely and died with pride. Remember us, but let go. As the priestess, you must know that.'

She took a deep breath and exhaled: "Rest in peace. You do not belong in this world anymore."

'I know. I just had to know you were safe, Hotaru-chan. I knew you were coming. I am sorry, we couldn't meet. If the time comes we shall come to your aid.'

"I hope you don't have to."

'One never knows. Until our paths cross again, my dear friend.'

"Until our paths cross again." She whispered, her shoulders trembled as Saki's energy lifted and disappeared. "I am so sorry. So, so, sorry. I should have been buried by your side too." She curled into a ball, gently resting her forehead on the fresh flowers.

Why does this always hurt so much? She hugged her chest as if trying to hold her bleeding heart in.

"Who are you?!"

"Hm?!" She swiftly turned around getting to her feet in the process.

She found herself staring at a silver haired man or a demon dressed in the robe of a fire rat. Dog ears were sticking up on top of his head. His golden eyes were glaring at her with distrust and hostility, but when he saw her tears he backed a few steps away. "Eh? You… cryin'? … Are you one of 'em?"

His appearance and youki resembled Sesshomaru, but this one was different. Rougher, but more human… His eyes had more humanity in them than some humans she'd met. And those beads around his neck... Kotodama no nenju, beads of subjugation.

"A half-demon…" She wiped her tears with the back of her hand and picked up her case.

He scoffed. "Yeah, so what if I am?!"

A small, kind smile formed on her face. She was not in a mood to fight. "Are you the one who buried them?"

"Eh…" He blinked in surprise. "Uh, yeah…I mean, Miroku helped too."

"Thank you… Uhm…"

"Inuyasha." He supplied warily.

"Inuyasha." She nodded. "My name is Hotaru. Please, tell me, are there any survivors?"

"Inuyasha? Where are you? There is a jewel sha-Oh" a young priestess wearing strange clothes followed by a young monk walked around a half destroyed hut looking for him. Inuyasha'd left to bring in some more firewood, when she sensed the jewel shard dashing into the village and it was not held by a demon.

"Have we met?" Hotaru tilted her head. That girl…

"Hm? I don't think so. But my name's Kagome. This," she pointed towards the monk, who was curiously looking at her, "is Miroku. And Shippo. Come on Shippo, don't be rude." A small fox demon kit peeked over Kagome's shoulder.

"Kagome-chan..." She shook her head as a dull headache settled in. "Miroku-kun, and Shippo-chan. Nice to meet you." She bowed. "Thank you for burying them all. Are there any survivors?"

"Just one, her name is Sango. She is badly wounded and sleeping, but she will be alright. Are you one of the demon slayers?"

"...Yes, I would say so." For a moment she evaluated the girl in front of her. How much could she trust them? They buried the dead… "Take me to Sango, please."

Kirara ran towards her, stopping right in front of her to lick her cheek and press forehead to hers. "Hi Kitty-cat." She rubbed Kirara's chest. She breathed out a shaky breath. "I'm sorry I wasn't here. I'm so sorry."

"Keh, you'd be dead if you were here." Inuyasha huffed. "This was all Naraku's trap."

"Naraku?"

"Hotaru-chan!" A flea jumped out of Kirara's fur, landed on Hotaru's neck and took a sip of her blood.

"Myoga-sama?" She slapped the old demon who used to stop by the village from time to time.

He shook off the impact on her palm and spit out the blood. "Beh, your blood needs to be cleansed."

"Well sorry I don't taste so good. I'm still recovering."

"Where did you get that?" He jumped onto her case, his interest shifted. He hadn't seen that before. "Bokusen-Oh doesn't give his wood to humans."

"I've always had it. Wh- Urgh," the headache intensified and Hotaru squeezed her temples, leaning forward.

Inuyasha grabbed the flea and squeezed his head. "Tch. Give her some space, Myoga-jiji, can't you tell she's barely standing?"

"I'm fine." She protested, surprised by Inuyasha's correct assessment. "I will rest once I see Sango. Tell me what happened."

And they did. All five of them had something to add to the story.

The slayers had been called to the castle to exterminate the spider demon, however that had been a trap plotted by a demon called Naraku. In the castle, Naraku had controlled Kohaku, Sango's younger brother, using the young boy to kill his own family. Sango had been stabbed by Kohaku's sickle, than shot by arrows while trying to protect her brother, but she survived. And Naraku had tricked her, persuaded her that the slaughter in her village had been done by Inuyasha, thus he had turned Sango against the group and she had attacked them to have her revenge. To make it worse, Naraku had given Sango a jewel shard, so she wouldn't feel the pain from her wounds and make it more probable that Sango would be killed by Inuyasha.

However, Naraku miscalculated. Sango wasn't stupid and soon noticed something was not right and Inuyasha didn't kill humans unless he had no other choice.

Hotaru patiently listened while checking Sango's wounds. Once she was content, the girl would truly be okay, she leaned back to sit on her heels and looked at the group. Sango was sleeping soundly next to her and Kirara curled into a ball, pressed against Sango's side and started purring.

"Naraku, huh?" Hotaru repeated the demon's name. "He has a sick plot to get a few jewel shards from the slayers and kill one half-demon. No offence."

Inuyasha huffed. "None taken, it wouldn't be the first time Naraku pulled something like this."

She tilted her head, observing him. She sensed strong hatred and shared history. "Hmmm, perhaps he is not strong enough to face you head on yet."

"He seems to be a half-demon too. One that used to be a human." Miroku filled her further in. "He's been after the jewel and harbouring grudge against Inuyasha for over five decades."

"So he wishes to become a full fledged demon?"

"It appears so." The monk nodded.

"And what do you want?" She circled her hand in the air to embrace their whole group, then glanced at Sango and frowned. "Never mind. We should wait with this conversation until Sango wakes up."

She got up with a grunt of pain as the scab on her thigh broke and she felt the wound's discharge trickle down her leg.

Inuyasha's nostrils quivered. "You are injured too." His body was tense, ready to spring up and catch her if she started collapsing.

"Yeah, I took an arrow through my thigh and since I hadn't managed to refill my supplies before it happened, it got infected. I should've been better prepared, after all, we live in warring times." She shrugged and headed towards the door. "I saw that Saki's hut is partly standing, I'll go check what of our inventory is still usable."

'I could rid you of the pain like I did her, if you wished so.' The jewel in her sleeve pulsed. 'All you need to do is wish.'

She stopped. Was there an undertone of fear in the jewel's voice? "One more thing." She turned to Kagome. "You will tell me your story later, but can you hear the jewel?"

Kagome blinked in surprise. "Hear? No, I can see and sense the jewel. Can you hear it?"

"Good." Hotaru fished the small leather pouch from her sleeve and with a flick of her wrist she threw it to Kagome, ignoring the question. "You take it. I cannot keep it pure for long."

"Eh? Uhm, thank you…?" Kagome watched her leave, than took the shard out of the pouch. Hotaru was right, there was a hint of darkness in the jewel. She clasped her hands together and focused on the shard, when she looked at it again, it was shining with purity like the rest of her shards.

#####

Dipped in a hot spring, Sesshomaru was observing Jaken's desperate struggle to wash his clothes. They were too big to handle for the small imp with only three fingers on each hand even when they were dry. Now, soaked with water and heavy they pulled the imp down the river several times. And every time he had to pull him out with his whip, careful not to kill him.

It was the same with tying the strings holding Sesshomaru's robes on him. A desperate struggle. After losing his arm, though not dominant arm, he realised how difficult it was to get dressed and undressed. He could no longer manage it alone. The sheer necessity to rely on another being for the basic everyday needs was an unknown concept before.

A low growl rumbled in his chest as he leaned against the rocks and lifted his face towards the last thin line of the waning moon.

'We form murders and packs for a reason.' He thought back to Soumei's words.

The smiling face of that woman flashed through his mind again and with another irritated growl he shooed the thought away.

Water was falling on her head and shoulders, soaking her hair and white undergarment. The sound of the waterfall was roaring in her ears. She hated this meditation when Saki had introduced it to her. Now, she willingly climbed under it. The flowing, raging water was cleansing her mind, allowing her to breathe, to sort her thoughts and her feelings.

She could focus her breathing and energy better. The new moon, moon of renewal, was enabling her to force close the wound for good. She smiled when she felt the pull in her skin as it formed a scar. With Myoga's previous help, the infection completely left her system.

Stepping out of the waterfall she looked towards the dark sky and invisible moon. I will get some answers in this cycle. I will discover something new. She sent a silent plea towards the heavens and stepped out of the river.

Tomorrow, Sango will wake. She felt it in her bones. There was one more thing she felt. Inuyasha's demon presence in the village disappeared.

######

Inuyasha couldn't sleep. He hated these nights of vulnerability, both physical and emotional. He was wandering around the village, keeping guard. Miroku, after the initial shock and teasing, had offered to stay awake with him, but he refused. There was no point.

Click. A sound of a katana sliding into its saya (sheath) caught his attention. It must've been close, since his hearing was weaker tonight. He stopped and listened. He heard the katana slide out again, no, there were two, followed several whooshes and then it slid back in.

There was only one person whose whereabouts he didn't know, because tonight, he wanted to avoid her at all costs. And yet, his curiosity got the better of him and he peeked over the rubble of the chief's main house.

Hotaru was practising with a long katana and a shorter wakizashi. Her eyes were closed in focus, as she was attacking an invisible opponent over and over again. Illuminated by the numerous stars, she was moving with grace and agility he had to admire. Each attack was fast and precise. Controlled. The blades caught and reflected the scant light available in the darkest night of the month. It made him wonder if he could ever do that.

She slid her swords back to its sayas with a click and turned towards him. "Care to join me?" Her blue eyes shone in the darkness.

"Ah…" he took a step back, "...you didn't carry those swords when you came."

She smiled and headed towards a part of the undestroyed porch near him. "I did, but they were in my case." She pulled both swords from behind her obi and placed it on her right side. That way she didn't pose a threat to him as she was right handed and would need several obvious moves if she wanted to attack him.

"Why?" He sat on his right foot at the very edge, as far to her left as he could. His left leg was hanging down from the porch and he kept his Tetsusaiga stuck behind his obi. Instinctively ready to defend.

"These," she gently caressed the sheats, "are not weapons a miko would carry. Or any woman. I don't want to be more suspicious than I already am with my case and as a travelling miko without a proper shrine I'd serve. And while it's not perfect, I can fare fairly well with my staff."

"You can't kill with it."

She stared at him for a moment, thinking. "Perhaps it's for the best. And I always carry a hidden tanto for emergencies." She shrugged and looked at the sky, taking in a deep breath. The breeze carried away the scent of blood, death and fire.

"You won't ask? Or tease?"

"Ask what?" She glanced at him. "And why tease?"

He fidgeted, looked around and then pointed to himself. "About this." She must've noticed he was a human tonight with his black hair and dark eyes, no claws or fangs.

"You are a half-demon. I don't need to ask such an obvious question. And don't worry, your secret is safe with me. … Are you scared of moonless nights?"

"I hate them." He huffed, but his body relaxed a little.

"Are you chasing the jewel because of that? To become a full fledged demon? Like Naraku?"

"I'm not like him!"

"I never said you are. But your purpose for collecting the jewel is the same, right?"

He paused. "...Obviously… I just want to get rid of this fear. I won't have to hide on moonless nights when I am a full fledged demon."

"Is it that bad though? Hiding for one night a month with people you trust. Feeling more and being able to assess what you feel with more accuracy… You would lose all that. Maybe more than that. Jewel doesn't give more than it can take. Do you think your human half would be enough compensation to turn you into a demon? Have you ever thought about what you would have to sacrifice?"

"..." He bit his lip and looked at the stars. The jewel messed up with him and Kikyo once before. He wanted to become the full demon, but really, What is the price?

"...what is the price?" She breathed out, echoing his thoughts but lost in her own. She was looking at the sky with reverence he hadn't seen in anyone before.

She didn't mind silence and she didn't mind conversation either. She unnerved him. He had no idea what she was thinking or how she was feeling. Even with my nose working, I can't guess her moods properly. My nose… He frowned. "Wasn't your leg hurt? Are y' good to practise like that?"

"It's a new moon." He heard the smile in her voice rather than saw it. "The moon of renewal. I cannot use my spiritual powers outwardly tonight. I can only sense what is around and focus on myself, using my powers inwardly. They allow me to force my body to recover."

"You follow the moon's cycle?"

She laughed. "I am a woman, of course I do."

"I didn't mean that." He blushed, but it only made her laugh harder.

"Well… I wonder... My powers seem to be the strongest on the full moon, when I have to be careful to control them properly, but during the new moon I can sense my surroundings better, my body feels more alive than any other night, even my senses seem to be sharper. Yet, I couldn't form a barrier if my life depended on it. So in a strange way I do follow the moon's cycle in more than one way." She chuckled.

"Why? Kagome's powers don't change during the moon's cycle."

"I wish I knew. But as I told you, I do not know who I used to be before the demon slayers found me and saved me. That is the reason I left. I need to know, I want to know and I am equally scared of it." She admitted. "Of what I might find."

"I don't think you were a bad person."

"Heh, everyone keeps telling me that. Thank you, Inuyasha."

"Hmph, I don't need your thanks."

She chuckled. "And there I thought the new moon made you softer."

"Hey! I ain't soft!"

She jumped off the porch and turned towards him. "Wanna spar? I found a few good bokkens." (Bokken - wooden sword)

"I can't see shit tonight."

"You don't always have to see your opponent. Come and I'll teach you how. We have some hours to kill until sunrise."

######

Soumei was half kneeling, half standing over his elder brother's body. Ichijou's left arm had severed nerves and demon markings at several places and his right arm was crushed beneath Soumei's foot. Two long black blades were in his face, one a millimetre from his eyeball, the other had a tip pressed into his Adam's apple, drawing blood. He couldn't blink and he couldn't swallow or speak without inflicting injury on himself. He couldn't even kick Soumei into his back without moving his head a little and driving the sword through his own head.

Ten long seconds.

His left arm was healing, but not fast enough.

Atrociously long and painfully shameful ten seconds.

He had to wait. Such was the rule of the tournament.

The time was up.

"My victory. My night. My month." Soumei proclaimed and stepped back, freeing his brother.

As per tradition, he offered his hand to Ichijou, but Ichijou slapped it away and glared at him. Sensing Sojobo's eyes on him, Ichijou scrambled to his feet and lowered his head. "You shall be honoured, your victories numbered and your name remembered, Soumei. The victory is yours tonight." He recited mechanically, not meaning a single word.

Then he collected his shorter sword and fan and walked away, healing all his wounds before he reached the edge of the arena.

Soumei might not have been counting the new moon tournaments nor their results. Ichijou was. And in over 700 years of these tournaments, ever since they were old enough to participate, Soumei had the most victories of them all. The second born son was a better swordsman than the first born who was one day supposed to take over the clan which prided in swordsmanship.

If only I could break that stupid curse, I would rise far above his reach. We need to sire daughters once again.

A/N: Let me know what you think but remember, reviews are appreciated but never necessary.

S.