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Chapter Text

Hanyou no Yashahime
Season 3
The turning wheel of time

The air in the village was crisp and clear as autumn mist gently rose from the stream like the playful foxfire often conjured up by mischeivous young kitsune. The season was turning ever colder, and all were stockpiling food as conditions worsened. However, as the morning sun rose ever higher into the sky, slowly dispelling the morning mist, the mood in the village was far from one of people preparing to go about their daily chores of harvesting food or preparing means to get through the looming winter.

Everyone in the village was in mourning.

Although not exactly the leader of the village, Kaede had been a source of knowledge, inspiration, wisdom and reason from a young age. Following the death of her sister Kikyo at just 8, Kaede had been pushed to the forefront as village miko, although many others had come to aid her until she had completed her training, offering her guidance and at times standing in for her. She had not quite possessed the legendary powers of her sister, but her sacred arrows had driven away many lower tier youkai throughout her early years, not keen to test themselves against what may be a trap by the young priestess. By the time word had got out that Kikyo was not reborn in her only sibling, many youkai still gave the village a wide berth, as she had proven herself a capable adversary even with her limited sight. A lot of the village men accompanied her on exorcisms, a few even willing to die for her, although such devotion had never been what Kaede had wanted. It had often been a common practice for said men to distract the troublesome youkai whilst Kaede readied sealing or purification arrows, acting as a sort of militia for the priestess. For years, the priestess had plodded on, showing little sign of stopping. When Inuyasha had been unsealed, few things had changed for her day to day life, although she had begun to slow down in her advanced age. After the events with the Shikon no Tama, Inuyasha had alternated his time between exterminating youkai with his friend Miroku and assisting Kaede with getting by in life. Twenty years on, at the surprising age of 78, she had passed away quietly in her sleep. The message had been taken to friends from other villages who had known her well, and wellwishers, gifts and visitors had been flooding in for almost a week. Today would finally be the day she was laid to rest on a funeral pyre, her urn buried next to where Kikyo's had been. Kagome looked up from where she was making breakfast. Hunched over the firepit, even though it had long since burned out, Inuyasha was staring into the ashes. He had been the one to sense all was not right the morning after Kaede had died, and had hastened to where she lived, learning to his sadness and shock that she had indeed passed away. Despite his rude and uncouth language, there was no denying that Inuyasha had genuinely cared for the old priestess, although he would often hide such demonstrations under a display of bluster and making a quick exit from the area. He had stated numerous times that he was not crying for the loss of the old woman, but few lies could get past Kagome anymore, and Moroha's sensitive nose had confirmed that the hanyou had indeed shed tears for her passing. Kagome ladled out a portion of stew for her husband and a second one for her daughter, although where Moroha was she could only guess. The surprise return of Kirinmaru's servant Riku had been a distraction for their only child, although far more so for Towa. Emptying the pot into her bowl, she passed one over to Inuyasha.

"You need to eat something."

A muffled sound was her only reply as Inuyasha rubbed at his nose. Sighing, she decided she couldn't exactly blame him. Whatever their past relationship, she knew that Kaede was one of the few humans who had never derisively called him a hanyou. Even the ones they had saved in their journeys to collect the shards of the Shikon no Tama had directed their praises more towards the humans of the group, willingly or otherwise disregarding Shippo, Kirara and Inuyasha as just muscle to get the job done under the thrall of their 'human masters'. She also knew that when Kaede was very young, Inuyasha had actively saved her, although he had rationalised it as 'making sure some weakling didn't get the jewel'. Just as she was about to suggest he eat again, he uncurled himself and reached for his bowl and spoon, slowly ladling the hot concoction into his mouth. Quietly enjoying the savoury start to the day, he looked over at his wife and soulmate.

"It's at noon?"

"Yes, that's when the service happens. There's people here from across half of Japan."

"Even he's here. Must want to show his respect for her looking after Rin for all that time."

"Our brother's here?"

Inuyasha coughed and gave Kagome a sour look, the closest approximation to humour he had come to since Kaede had perished.

"No matter how many times you say that, it's weird."

"We know now he had a reason for what he did. And if we hadn't been told of Kirinmaru's plan, he would have killed her and us as well."

"Keh. Still sounds weird."

Inuyasha returned to the business of eating as his daughter returned from outside, looking unusually sombre. Seeing that her breakfast was also ready, she called out a thanks to her mother before scooping up the bowl and eating with surprising haste. Although she wore her abbreviated set of fire rat robes, today she had replaced her dark red cape with a jet black one and let her hair down, leaving it looking messy and unkempt. Kagome tutted in disapproval and fetched a comb, attempting to tame Moroha's hair as she devoured her breakfast.

"Hey, can't it wait?!"

"Really Moroha, you should try to look nicer considering what today is."

Inuyasha watched as finally Moroha allowed her mother to comb her hair into a considerably neater style, a hint of a smile playing around his face as Moroha was finally released, mumbling incoherently. She sank down on the other side of the firepit, looking mutinous but unwilling to so much as touch her hair after the aggressive brushing her mother had just given it. After dressing herself appropriately, Kagome walked to where her husband and daughter were sat.

"We should go now. Sango and Miroku and the others will be there too."

Quietly leaving their home, the three walked towards where Kaede had lived. Villagers and visitors mingled, and to Inuyasha's nose, the scent of tears was heavy on the morning air. Soon enough they saw Miroku and Sango with Kin'u, Gyokuto and Hisui. Stood nearby was Sesshoumaru, as inscrutable as ever, accompanied by Rin, Riku, Setsuna and Towa. Kohaku and Shippo had arrived at some point and were looking sadly at the hut where Kaede was laid before her cremation. The small group spread out among the villagers and visitors, exchanging condolences. A few comments were made about the presence of youkai and hanyou at the funeral, but nobody was stupid enough to press the point at such a sensitive occasion. After what felt like an eternity, the cremation was underway. All the attendees kept a solemn silence as Kaede was ushered into her final sleep, broken only by the sound of a quietened sob here and there. As the flames died down and the ashes were gathered into an urn, the crowd slowly dispersed. Many were already quietly touting Kagome as the village's new priestess owing to her apprenticeship under the former miko. Some of the visitors were making their ways back to their homes almost as soon as the pyre went out, but others mingled with the villagers, delaying their departure to show their respects. Many made a beeline for Kagome, bombarding her with questions of every kind. Wandering to where the urn had been buried beside Kikyo's empty grave, Inuyasha gave a deep sigh and bowed his head, murmuring a quietly respectful farewell to the departed miko. A few people cautiously eyed Sesshoumaru as the saturnine daiyoukai approached the urn and, seemingly from nowhere, produced a gold charm. Kneeling before the deceased priestess, he placed the charm before the urn and spoke quietly, in such a low tone even Inuyasha wouldn't have been able to hear him. He inclined his head in a show of respect he had never been seen to display to any other human before effortlessly rising and turning away. Various people came to the burial site, many openly crying as they paid their final farewells. Finally, Kagome and Inuyasha approached the burial site, both bowing their heads in respect to the departed one. Unseen to all but Kagome, a handful of tears dripped onto the freshly upturned soil. Inuyasha spoke softly.

"I'm gonna really miss you."

Smoothing down the earth, Kagome muttered a blessing to the deceased priestess before turning and leaving with her husband. By now, the sun had reached its' zenith in the sky. Unable to contain his grief any longer, Inuyasha burst into a run and had soon cleared the village, dashing through the woods at breakneck speed. In moments, he had reached an old clearing in the forest, where he came to a stop. His sensitive hearing soon told him that there was nobody around. He silently remembered meeting Kaede by herself here. The girl had been only 7 or 8, and had gone looking for herbs. He had been resting up in a tree at the time, aware of her presence but not keen to show himself to her. A badly wounded centipede youkai had come chasing her, planning to take the child hostage in exchange for the Shikon no Tama, which had spurred Inuyasha into action. There had been no real reason for him springing into action beyond not wanting to see the child harmed. After leaping down from his tree, he had yelled for Kaede to drop to the ground, and soon he had dealt with the offending foe. Kaede had nervously thanked him for his act, although he casually brushed it off and simply stated he didn't want the youkai to get the jewel. He had come to the realisation later that he was only telling half the truth; Kaede was an innocent child, and didn't deserve being terrorised by a monstrous youkai. He had kept a loose eye on her as she made her way back to the village, then turned and gone. He sat down in the clearing, his eyes on the cloudy sky as he silently processed that he would never see her again.

Back at the village, many of the locals and visitors were eating and trading stories with one another, such as how they had met Kaede and what she had done in her earlier years. Although she had lacked a family with no relatives left, the arrangements for the funeral had been paid in full by none other than Riku himself, using up most of the last of his gold. Riku had been a true balm for Towa, although neither of them had been as acquainted with Kaede as Setsuna or Rin had. Moroha was keeping Shippo company, finding the young kitsune an interesting companion, as he did her, claiming to have never even heard of a shihanyou before. Setsuna remained with her mother and father, quietly mournful. As the hours ticked by, the crowd thinned out, and by the time it was sunset, nearly all of the visitors had left. The lanterns surrounding the grave were lit by Shippo's foxfire, giving a gentle glow to the area. Inuyasha walked back into the village somberly, where he was stopped by Kagome.

"Are you feeling alright?"

He shook his head.

"Not really. Hurts a lot."

Kagome embraced her husband, who wasted no time in returning the gesture.

"It hurts me too. Kaede was my tutor, but you knew her a lot longer."

"I suppose we should be glad that she died quietly. Not like... some others."

A slight break in Inuyasha's voice prompted Kagome to tighten her hug. She knew he was referring to how Kikyo had died, both in her physical form and later in her more artificial body. In both instances, she had died as a result of combat. Kagome spoke quietly.

"We'll always have our memories of her. And wherever she is now, she's at peace."

"Yeah. There's that much to be glad for."

The two parted as Sesshoumaru approached, as inscrutable as ever, yet seeming slightly changed by the funeral. He casually examined the two before inclining his head slightly.

"I will be taking my leave now. There are... matters that need to be attended to."

Inuyasha gave a sigh and turned to face his brother.

"Alright then. Are the twins going with you?"

"They have asked to stay in the village with you and Moroha. And Riku, of course."

Kagome spoke up.

"Thank you for coming to the service."

Sesshoumaru silently turned and teleported away. Sighing, Inuyasha and Kagome rejoined their friends, daughter, nieces and Rin.

Chapter Text

Hanyou no Yashahime
Season 3
Legacy of the Lynx

It had been six days since the funeral of Kaede. It was September, and although the nights were not exactly cold, there was a definite bite in the air as autumn set in. The leaves on the trees were losing their greens, with reds, browns and yellows taking over as the dominant colours. Towa and Riku had been tasked by Rin to bring back firewood for the next week or so, a chore they had so far made absolutely no progress with whatsoever. The young couple were enjoying the cool day and the chance to simply be with each other after the heartache of the last few days, although they both knew that they would have to bring back something before nightfall. Walking through the forest, neither said a word as they took the opportunity to simply be with one another in the autumnal scenery. Slowly cresting a low hill, Riku pointed out to the east.

"Our ship has been moored not far off, and in the spring we will head for the only place Kirinmaru never tried to conquer."

Towa turned to look at Riku, her white and blue kimono fluttering in the breeze.

"Why did he avoid it? He never seemed to be afraid of anything when he was alive."

"I'll tell you. He heard about this island after destroying the fragment of the Grim Comet along with your grandfather. This was many years ago now. Miss Rion was alive, and Lady Zero was very much enamoured with the Inu no Taishou, although I do not believe he knew this. Not long after the fragment was destroyed, he wished to test his strength against him, and was soundly beaten. That's when I was created, and I was to be a reminder to never ease up in his training. Rumours reached Lord Kirinmaru of an island of unusual treasures, guarded by a five-headed dragon. He resolved to go there, but first had to defeat a samurai warlord who had most unwisely challenged him to fight his entire army. He did so, but that was when Miss Rion was killed, and he channelled his warlust into slaying many hanyou before entering a state of dormancy after the Inu no Taishou was killed by Ryuukotsusei. He awoke and, well, the rest you know."

Towa nodded quietly as they looked out towards the distant sea together. She turned to Riku again.

"Say, Riku, what was she like?"

Riku met her gaze.

"Who?"

"Rion's mother. She never seemed to look like her father to me. I never heard anything about her from Rion, or from you. What can you tell me about Rion's mother?"

"Miss Rion never had one."

Towa looked incredibly surprised.

"But then how could she have come to be?"

"Much as I was formed from Kirinmaru's severed horn, and Osamu Kirin from his arm, Rion was in some ways an incarnation too. At some point over a thousand years ago, Kirinmaru acquired both Zanseiken and Bakuseiken, and came to the realisation that although he had power like no other known, he had nobody to protect. He amassed his yoki, and formed a being from it that became Rion. She was born as a humanoid baby, but didn't require feeding in the traditional way until she was almost three, at which point she began to eat like any child would. Kirinmaru adored his daughter, and settled somewhere in what you now call China to raise her. Miss Rion responded well to her father's love, and when she reached the age of ten, her father began to take her around the world to see different sights. This happened for the next four centuries, until she began to look older. Would you like to see one of Miss Rion's memories with her father?"

"Well, that would be interesting to see. How?"

"Just put your hand on mine and close your eyes."

Nodding, Towa obeyed. Soon, she could see a beautifully clear night sky, although the moon was low on the horizon in a crescent phase. However, occupying her attention were Kirinmaru and Rion. The young Qilin daiyoukai looked much the same as she had when she had met her, complete with her delicate fawn-like ears, although she was currently holding her hands to her eyes and garbed in a dark green and white outfit. Kirinmaru lifted his child into his lap before speaking to her.

"Lower your hands now and open your eyes."

Rion did so, and gasped in awe. Adorning the sky was an enormous, snowy white comet. The tail pointed up into the sky, almost reaching from the horizon to directly overhead. She turned a look of delight upon her father, who returned her delighted smile with one of his own. It was rare for the Qilin warlord to be so moved by the actions of one, but his only daughter was an exception. She took such joy in everything, be it a ladybird trotting across a leaf, a fish swimming in the water, or a bird singing in the forests. She also had a great love for music, especially the flute. When they had encountered a tribe wandering the desert, they had thrown a celebration in honour of the two visitors after Kirinmaru had provided water for them at his daughter's request, and Rion had been enamoured by the flute players' melodies, even dancing an impromptu jig, much to their amusement and delight. Rion held her hand up, tracing the superbly bright comet in the sky.

"What is it, father?"

"I've heard whispers of fear from the humans about it, but it's nothing to be scared of. It's a very large, very remote visitor from beyond the sky."

"What are these wispy things called?"

"Feather stars, tail stars, some even call them death stars. I've heard them called comets as well, but I do like the sound of tail star."

Rion was silent as she laid back against her father's chest, looking up at the comet gracing the sky. Kirinmaru looked down at his child, smiling at her. Soon she noticed his attention was on her, and she smiled back at him. The memory ended, and Towa smiled at Riku.

"I knew that Kirinmaru loved his daughter, but to see it like that... I suppose I can kind of understand why he would hate even innocent hanyou when Sakasa murdered her."

Riku nodded quietly.

"Miss Rion saw me being created, but she always thought of me as, well, like an older brother to her. And it's thanks to her and Kirinmaru both that I am a living being now."

Towa placed both her hands on Riku's shoulders and smiled up at him.

"Something I'm very grateful for."

Blushing, she pulled him in close and touched her lips to his own with a delicate kiss. Wrapping his arms around Towa's waist, Riku responded in kind. Just as the two parted to kiss again, a yowling wail echoed from not far away in the forest. Both turned in unison towards a small gully and began to run towards the source of the sound. As they got nearer, the eerie sound was repeated twice more, and soon the couple came upon the scene. Dark red blood was splattered halfway up the trunk of a very tall tree, and pinned to a protruding root was a horrifically wounded male with tawny hair. His clothing was torn to shreds, and his only weapon lay some twenty feet again. Two youkai stood in close proximity, one of which was serpentine with long, pointed tentacles, and the second resembled a centaur with sharp claws and powerfully muscled legs. Both bore signs of having wounded their opponent heavily, if the bloodstains were anything to go by. Riku flicked his earring and his sword appeared in his hand. Towa drew her stunted blade and soon infused it with her yoki, forming a glowing blue blade. The youkai sneered at the two newcomers.

"So, more come to take the treasure of the lynx tribe."

Riku wasted no time with talking, and leapt at the serpentine youkai with a flurry of blows. In less than a second, the foe was carved into stinking pieces of flesh. Towa turned her attention to the centaur-like youkai.

"It took two of you to wound a human like this? I can..."

The centaur snorted in derision.

"Foolish girl. That's not a human, or a youkai. And the treasure he has hidden is the only reason he's still alive."

Towa glanced over her shoulder at the barely moving figure, breathing ever slower. Riku charged at the centaur, only to be kicked backwards with astonishing force. Screaming in utter fury, Towa charged at the centaur and leapt clean over her opponent, slashing viciously as she landed. Three of her blows opened up fatal wounds on the youkai, who collapsed almost immediately, cursing the hanyou girl as he did so. Turning around, Towa saw Riku shakily get to his feet, his sword disappearing as he got up.

"You should... take a closer look at this one, Lady Towa. He's... not what he seems."

Frowning, Towa turned to the pinned figure, and soon noticed that he bore a pair of lynx-like ears. He opened his dark eyes and coughed, dribbling blood as he spoke.

"It's... over there. Take my... tribe's treasure."

Riku followed his gesture and soon saw what he meant. Coughing again, the figure unexpectedly retched as he fell forward, clearly very badly hurt. Towa's nose twitched at the stench of vomit and blood, then she paused.

"But... you're a hanyou too?"

The lynx hanyou gave a slow nod as Riku scooped up the item.

"Name is... Rinkusu. Last member of the... lynx tribe around... Inuyasha's forest. Entrusted with protecting... the Meidou Stone."

Towa cast about for a way to bathe Rinkusu's wounds. As if guessing what the canine hanyou had in mind, the lynx shook his head.

"Don't... I can't be saved now. Just please... stay with me until the end."

Both Riku and Towa joined Rinkusu as the lynx hanyou's breathing grew slower. Slipping one hand into Riku's and the other into Rinkusu's, she gave the dying hanyou a gentle squeeze. He gave a weak smile as his last breath rattled out, drawing a half sob from Towa. She reverently closed the deceased's eyes for him and set about making a grave for him to rest in. Riku wasted little time in joining her efforts, and by the end of the afternoon, the lynx hanyou had been laid to rest. As Towa got up, Riku held up the amulet he had hidden and kept safe.

"I think this is what he was talking about. There were once nearly a hundred Meidou Stones, but many were destroyed, others were sealed away or lost, and only a few remain. I had heard tell of the Lynx tribe possessing one, but there are so many rumours about who owns what that it's hard to be sure."

Towa looked at the black stone set in a golden amulet.

"What do they do? Why were they all destroyed?"

"With a Meidou Stone, if someone is strong enough, they can revive the departed."

"You mean like the Tenseiga can?"

"Tenseiga?"

"It's a sword owned by my father, it can revive the dead, but only an hour after they've died, and it only works once. It was how I brought Setsuna back after she was killed by Kirinmaru."

"I see. Well as far as I know, the Meidou Stones didn't have a limit on how often they could bring someone back, but I do know that if broken, they could never be repaired. I saw one being used many years ago to revive the families of some humans who had been unfairly killed in a siege. I don't know if there are any others left apart from this one. And this one might not work perfectly."

Towa looked at the black jewel, and soon noticed there were cracks spanning the length of the surface. Many were tiny, hairlike lines that even her keen eyesight could barely detect, but a few were more noticeable. She picked it up out of Riku's hand and examined it closely, noticing faint lights dancing in and out of view as she looked into its' seemingly infinite depths. Passing the jewel back to Riku, she turned to where the hanyou Rinkusu lay buried. Only then did she notice that the sun was getting low in the sky, meaning they had perhaps an hour or two of light left. For the next twenty minutes, Towa and Riku laboured away in earnest, gathering all the dead wood they could easily carry back to the village. After some time, they arrived with their burden. Rin had taken up part-time residence with Inuyasha and Kagome, a living arrangement that had both surprised and pleased her half sister in law. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru had both said nothing on the matter, meaning they both agreed with her decision. For Sesshoumaru to remain silent meant that he was showing trust in his brother by allowing Rin to stay with them. As the two teenagers arrived, Inuyasha looked around the corner of his home. Although spacious inside, he had occupied himself since the funeral by making two new rooms to accommodate Rin and Moroha better. He greeted his niece and her companion with a quiet grunt, and was soon lost in his work again. Towa silently watched her uncle working, not even managing to draw a comment out of him. From inside the hut, Kagome and Rin appeared. Kagome was the first to speak up.

"Did you have have a nice, romantic day out, Towa, Riku?"

Towa blushed furiously.

"I-I-I promise it's n-n-not what you think!"

"It isn't?"

"So you didn't go out into the woods with Riku here, spend time getting close, and then finally remember your chore about half an hour ago?"

"Well, erm, that is to say..."

Rin sighed and shook her head.

"Come on, let's get some of this wood on the fire. We can..."

"Hey, I'm back mama!"

Striding up to the hut she had come to call home, Moroha grinned at her aunt, cousin, mother and friend. Inuyasha finally finished his work on extending the hut and made his way to join Moroha. The shihanyou teenager held a bag that gave off a funny smell even to Rin and Kagome, but Inuyasha and Towa could immediately tell what was in it. The male hanyou gave a wan smile and ruffled Moroha's hair affectionately, albeit weakly.

"Y'been hunting all day, kid?"

"Sure have! I caught these four ducks about half an hour's travel out of the village. Hope you guys are hungry!"

Rin nodded in thanks as Inuyasha took the bag and went to prepare their evening meal. Towa and Riku piled some of the wood on the fire and some more on the firepit in the kitchen. Already he had cleaned and plucked one of the birds, and upon consideration, began anew with a second. Just as Towa and Riku made to leave, he turned to face them.

"Meant to ask when you got back. Why do you smell of lynx blood? Y'didn't go picking a fight with those guys, did ya?"

Towa shook her head.

"After we decided to finally make a start on gathering wood, we heard a fight in the forest, and found two youkai tormenting a lynx hanyou called..."

Inuyasha's eyes widened.

"Wait, you just came across a lynx hanyou?"

"Yes, Uncle. Tawny hair, black eyes, but more than that we couldn't really tell. These youkai were after a treasure he had called a Meidou Stone. We managed to kill them, but the hanyou, said his name was Rinkusu, was too far gone to save. He let us take the amulet, and then we came back after burying him."

"Show me the thing you got off him."

Riku produced the Meidou Stone from inside his suikan. Inuyasha took it and looked it over before passing it back.

"Feels weird. Really strange pulse of yoki to it. Tomorrow, don't go anywhere. I wanna test something with that thing. Keep it well hidden."

Towa nodded and approached her uncle as he began to pluck the feathers off the second duck again.

"Did you ever meet lynx youkai in the past, Uncle?"

Inuyasha gave a half shrug.

"Yeah, coupla times. One of 'em, a little squirt called Bunza, was even training to learn how to break a barrier with me when I tried askin' Totosai for help. Didn't seem to mind that I'm a hanyou, and even said I was his brother for helping his tribe against some troublemaker. When Kagome was gone, I went to his tribe for a week, and they all seemed pretty glad to see me. Felt weird, I can tell ya, but in a good way."

Towa and Riku both smiled.

"Weird because you were accepted, or because you had a good time?"

"Eh, both I guess. They left for the north soon after, so I bet this hanyou you found wasn't part of their tribe. Anyway, can ya get some water from the well? Gonna need it if we're having what I think we are tonight."

"Of course."

Both teenagers left, leaving Inuyasha to his chore. In short order, they were back with two buckets of water each, and had set them down in the main room. Whilst they had been fetching water, Setsuna had returned from wherever she had been all day, and greeted her sister and Riku as they got back. Perching on a short bench covered in a tatami mat, Towa leaned against Riku and smiled. Moroha gave a playful sigh, whilst Setsuna simply said nothing at all. Kagome and Rin exchanged a smile before leaving to help Inuyasha with the cooking, each taking a bucket of water with them. Suddenly Towa was on her feet, peering into the nearer of the two buckets intently. She looked around curiously, looking very puzzled. Moroha spoke up.

"Y'ok Towa? Did you see something?"

Towa slowly sat back down, looked at Moroha, then shook her head. Moroha held her gaze for a while before shrugging it off. Towa silently digested what she had seen. The inside of the hut was decorated with various items, but none matched the bluish-green colour she had glimpsed in the water. She looked around again, finally deciding she had been seeing things. After a long wait, Inuyasha, Rin and Kagome entered the main room, Inuyasha carrying a large pot of wildfowl stew, something Kagome had learned how to make whilst in the future and separated from Inuyasha for three years. Rin distributed bowls and spoons to everyone in the room, and soon everyone was enjoying their evening meal. To nobody's great surprise, Moroha ate all hers first and was soon looking eager for more. By the time Setsuna and Rin had finished their first portions, Moroha was all but begging for a second helping from her father, something he was finding hard to refuse. Fortunately, there was enough left for everyone to have seconds, and when they had finished, even Moroha had little room for more. Setsuna nudged her cousin, and together they collected the bowls to take them to be washed. In the fading light the two worked quietly and quickly to scrub them clean, a job that they had completed in a few minutes. Setsuna turned to look towards the north, sniffing the air as a gentle breeze blew, ruffling her hair slightly. She gave a slight smile and got up, carrying all of the clean bowls. Moroha emptied the dirty water over the bank and looked over to where the two evening stars were shining in the west.

"Think we could go on another journey before winter comes, Setsuna? It doesn't seem to be too bad right now."

Setsuna shook her head as they returned to their home.

"No, it wouldn't be wise for all of us to go. I do have somewhere to be in the next few days."

"Oh yeah? Anywhere good?"

"It's, well, personal."

"Come on, you can tell your cousin, surely! I bet you'd tell Towa."

Setsuna fixed Moroha with a stern look, but soon found herself unable to resist. Sighing, she told Moroha of her plan.

Chapter Text

Hanyou no Yashahime
Season 3
The invitation

The following morning, Setsuna was up early, as always. She gave a yawn and looked at her still sleeping twin, an almost reluctant smile spreading across her face as Towa let out a slight snore. Getting up, she headed to wash herself and dress, and in short order she was ready for the day. Outside she could hear the whistling in the air that sounded like someone practicing with a weapon, and she paused to pick up both her wakizashi and Yukari no Tachikiri before heading out into the cold early morning light. Wandering along one of the roads that led out of the village, she soon came across Hisui. She knew that the slayers had visited for the funeral a week ago, but had not known that Hisui had remained behind. Although he was a master at using the Hiraikotsu, a giant youkai bone boomerang that had been in his family for at least three generations, he was also proficient with his wakizashi. Many were made of iron or steel, but Hisui's was different, in that although the base of the blade was made of metal, molten youkai scales had been bonded to the sword to make it more unique. Setsuna watched for several minutes, silently noting his form and how he executed his moves. She noticed at least three times when his slices and cuts were badly timed, but he was still a capable opponent and certainly not one to be underestimated. Finally he ran down and sheathed his weapon in a single move, blowing out a heavy breath. Setsuna applauded, soon drawing his attention. For many males, finding out they had just been observed in practicing with their weaponry would be some cause for embarrasment, but Hisui simply inclined his head respectfully towards her. Whilst it was true he had quite a crush on her, he was also very good at hiding how he felt. So far, Setsuna was unaware of how Hisui felt towards her, and viewed the older slayer as a good friend and nothing more, although she had wondered as to the nature of their friendship. She approached her comrade.

"You were doing quite a good job practicing."

Hisui shrugged as he turned to face her fully.

"Thank you. I've still got a way to go before I'm quite as good as some others."

"Are the other slayers back as well?"

"No, they joined Uncle Kohaku in the far north near the sea. A rock dragon is proving quite difficult to defeat after there was an earthquake."

"Perhaps you should ask my uncle or even my father for help. Both have terrific weapons to use. Maybe I could join in now that I have my new weapon."

Hisui shook his head and indicated the horizon. Not too far above where the sun would be was a thin crescent moon. Realisation dawned on Setsuna; in just two days, she would lose her yoki for the night, and in her case, become very susceptible to the cold as well. She bit at her lip and pondered what to do out loud.

"Well even if we took Kirara and we didn't have a time to be there, I think the place you mean is a long way off. Perhaps we should try something more local that we could do in one day."

Setsuna rubbed her chin thoughtfully before an idea struck her. She drew her wakizashi and smiled lightly at Hisui.

"I promise I'll be gentle on you."

Hisui shook his head as he drew his own weapon once again.

"You shouldn't hold back."

"Very well then, I won't."

Pirouetting on her toes, Setsuna launched a violent upward slash at Hisui. However, the older teen appeared to have seen her very move coming before she even launched it, and managed to not just avoid the blow, but also slapped the flat of his blade against hers, catching her totally off guard and causing her to lose her balance, leaving her looking shocked. She fell unceremoniously onto the ground, and felt a rueful smile break across her features as Hisui lowered his weapon and held a hand out to her. She was pulled up, silently noting how firm his grip was, and shook her head.

"I... didn't quite believe that was possible. I must be too used to the Yukari no Tachikiri."

"I can help to train you more if you like, Setsuna."

Inclining her head respectfully to her comrade in arms, Setsuna began to copy the motions made by the slayer. For at least an hour, the two drilled without pause, until finally Setsuna was able to copy his movements without flaw. By the time the two were finished with their practice, both were tired, hungry, thirsty and feeling very keen to change into something else. Setsuna blew out a long sigh.

"I haven't practiced quite as much as I should have been. Shall we get something to eat?"

Hisui nodded and gestured towards a hut nearby, one that Setsuna soon recognised as his temporary home. The fire pit in the centre of the main room was deeper than most, and full of broken pieces of dried wood. Oddly enough, four pieces of metal framed the outside of the fire pit. Pouring some water into a metal pot, Hisui soon had the fire going and the water heating up. Setsuna sat down, leaning against the wall as she exhaled, already feeling her strength returning to her. She slowly turned her attention fully onto her older friend.

"Say, Hisui?"

Hisui looked up as he ladled rice into the pot of boiling water.

"Yes?"

"What will you do now with Princess Aiya? Will you stop being a slayer and go to live with her?"

Hisui twitched, but spoke up anyway.

"I'm... well, no. I'm not in love with her, if that's what you think."

Setsuna blinked, surprised by his declaration.

"Really? But she's rich, young, pretty, and she seems very much in love with you. You did save her, twice, if what I heard is right. If you asked her father for her hand in marriage, then he'd almost certainly agree."

Hisui shook his head.

"I don't think that the princess is the one for me."

His indigo eyes briefly found Setsuna's, and the two locked gazes for a second before she looked away. After several minutes, Setsuna spoke up again.

"What if I was to help you get her attention?"

"You mean, get the princess to fall in love with me even more?"

"Exactly."

Hisui shook his head as he cracked a couple of eggs into a crude pan and set it over the fire to cook.

"If I did marry the princess, well, even with her money and lands and company, I wouldn't be happy. She's a nice girl but, well, not the one for me. I think I'm in love with someone else."

Setsuna began to fidget with her mokomoko, suddenly feeling warm for reasons she couldn't explain.

"Are you perhaps..."

She gulped and looked at Hisui as their food was nearly ready. Hisui picked up two bowls and placed them to one side when suddenly Setsuna began to growl and stormed over to the entrance.

"Moroha!"

Snickering, the shihanyou girl grinned at her cousin.

"Hey, you should be happy to see me! I got some good news for all of us, you too Hisui!"

Setsuna grabbed her rambunctious cousin by the collar of her Fire Rat Robe.

"And what is this news?"

"We've all been invited to see the wolf tribe whenever we like! My foster parents sent me a message! They suggested that it should..."

"I'm not interested in that kind of stuff."

Releasing her cousin, Setsuna turned and began to return to the hut when the scent of salt and moisture came to her on the crisp morning air. A little surprised, Setsuna turned to see Moroha looking shocked and tearful. She had lost count of the number of times Towa had been emotional in her presence, but Moroha was almost as hardened a persona as she was, and the only times she had witnessed her crying was during her reunion with her mother and father and the death of her mentor Yawaragi, although she also knew that Moroha had shed tears when she had been killed by Kirinmaru. Belatedly, she realised that Moroha had been raised by the wolf tribe just as much as she had been raised by the kind bat hanyou Shiori, and that although she was with her blood family now, she must retain great affection for the ones who had loved and protected her for the last fifteen years. Her stern expression melted as tears fell from Moroha's eyes, an expression of pain on her features.

"I thought... I was more to you... than this, Setsuna."

"Look, I didn't say you weren't. It's just..."

Moroha snapped at her. For a split second, her eyes looked as if they were the gold hue they turned when she became Beniyasha.

"Forget it! I don't want you to come to the wolf tribe with me! In fact, I don't want you around me!"

She ran off into the village, still crying. Setsuna was about to give chase when Hisui came out of his hut and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't go chasing after her, not yet. You'll make her more upset. Come on, have something to eat."

Setsuna gave a deep sigh and followed Hisui back into the hut, and picked up the bowl of egg and rice he handed her. She ate quietly, and Hisui made no effort to talk until the hanyou girl had finished her breakfast. Setting aside his empty bowl, he looked at Setsuna until she finally returned his look.

"I can't believe I said that to her. Moroha wasn't obsessed with finding her parents, but when she did, she was crying out of sheer joy, and I was really happy for her. I should have thought more about what to say. It was, well, it was tactless of me to say that I didn't care about meeting her foster parents."

Hisui nodded slowly.

"You regret saying that to her?"

"Yes, of course I do."

"Do you really want to go and meet them?"

"I'm, well, I'm not certain. I think I'd feel left out if I was the only one not allowed to go."

"What you should do is this. Do you know her favourite foods?"

"Moroha will eat pretty much anything. But I do know she really likes that meat called pork."

Hisui thought hard.

"I have a job to go to in three days. Come with me, we'll split the reward, then you can buy Moroha some of that and try to make up with her then. I can try to ask if they want it done sooner rather than later if you want to risk doing it before new moon."

Setsuna nodded, her face set.

"Please do. I want to make up for my mistake."

"I'll send a carrier pigeon then. Go and tell Inuyasha and Kagome what happened, but if Moroha's there, don't go in. If she's with her parents, try and find Towa or Riku."

Thanking the slayer for his advice, Setsuna set out across the village. Sniffing the air, she soon discovered that Moroha was not in her parent's home. She walked up to the large hut and nearly collided with her aunt as she walked around the corner with a woven basket of damp clothing. Kagome quickly recovered herself and smiled at her niece, but soon gathered something was wrong.

"What's happened, Setsuna? You look very down."

In as few words as possible, Setsuna explained what had happened with her rash putdown to Moroha. Kagome was silent as she related the incident, then looked thoughtful before gesturing for her to follow her. As she placed the clothes out to dry, she began to talk to her.

"Well I can tell it really wasn't anything done on purpose. You were probably talking about something important. But what I think you should do is this; let me and Inuyasha know when you leave to go on this hunt. When you're due to come back, let us know again, and I'll get Inuyasha to take Moroha on a hunt. When they get back, you will be here and you can apologise to her then. Alright?"

Setsuna mentally reviewed Kagome's plan and nodded slowly. She quietly worked alongside her, and in short order all of the washing was hung out to dry. Kagome picked up her basket and turned to look at Setsuna, who still appeared troubled.

"Try not to think of it too much. We'll have this sorted out soon."

Quite unexpectedly, Inuyasha emerged from inside his home, casually sniffing the air and looking unsurprised to see only Setsuna present.

"You got an early start again today. I think your sister's still asleep."

Setsuna's eyes widened slightly, but soon a small smile spread across her features.

"I suppose I should have guessed that she would be."

She walked inside the hut and entered the small room she and Towa shared. Sure enough, her twin was still asleep. Outside, she could casually hear Kagome filling Inuyasha in on the plan to mend the rift between Moroha and Setsuna. She returned her attention to her sister and smiled as she woke up. Towa blearily smiled in return before giving a large yawn.

"Morning, big sister."

Towa blinked owlishly a few times before stretching and sitting up.

"Have you been up for hours already, training away?"

Setsuna shrugged and was about to say she had been training with Hisui when she tensed. Outside, she could hear that Moroha had come back, still sounding upset and bringing the scent of frustration, hurt and tears with her. Both parents tried to speak to their daughter, but Moroha simply sniffed loudly and walked inside. She paused and then turned and left again, having picked up Setsuna's scent inside the house. Towa looked in askance at her sister.

"What's happened? Moroha seems to be upset, I could smell her crying."

Sighing, Setsuna explained how she had upset their cousin unintentionally and that she was going to try to mend the damage she had caused. Towa listened quietly, nodding as her sister related the tale to her. Finally she spoke up.

"You're doing the right thing by trying to make up with her, Setsuna. I just hope..."

She paused as she sniffed the air. Although not quite as adept as her sister was, she could still identify certain people. Soon, she turned to the hanging curtain and and brushed it back.

"Hisui's here. Are you going on a mission together?"

"Yes, I should be done with it by the end of the day if we go today. If it's tomorrow, it becomes a bit trickier, because I'll have to finish before nightfall. New moon."

Nodding, Towa got up and followed her sister out of their room to where Hisui was talking with Kagome and Inuyasha. She greeted the slayer politely before turning back inside to get cleaned up. Hisui inclined his head respectfully to Setsuna's aunt and uncle before holding up a piece of paper.

"We're in luck, they are keen for this problem to be sorted soon. If we go now, we can arrive by midday, track and slay the youkai that's causing the trouble by late afternoon, and be back here by dark. Are you ready, Setsuna?"

Affirming that she was, Setsuna bade farewell to her relatives and soon made her way across the village. However, just as they were leaving the village, a thought crossed the mind of the hanyou slayer. Her father's draconic steed Ah-Un was grazing in the very next field. Using the twin-headed dragon, they could both shave off their travel time and have serious backup if things went sour. Although not especially close to the dragon, Kagome had told her of how Ah-Un had destroyed many zombie soldiers in a huge battle before she was born and had not seemed at all affected by the exertion. Also, simply by dint of being chosen by Sesshoumaru himself spoke to the fact that the dragon was no pushover. Setsuna nudged Hisui and they both headed towards the grazing dragon.

Minutes later, Hisui, Setsuna and Ah-Un were heading towards their destination. Persuading Ah-Un to co-operate had been easier done than said, as he had a docile nature and a deep bond with her mother. Following the fire that had separated her from Towa, she had ridden Ah-Un to Shiori's village. After perhaps twenty minutes of flight, they arrived at a small town that certainly looked as if it had been experiencing youkai related trouble. As they descended towards the town, four oni lumbered out of the woods. Setsuna elegantly leapt off Ah-Un's back and held her naginata ready. However, before she could begin her charge to engage the enemy, Ah-Un roared and shot lightning at the lumbering foes, turning them to ash in seconds. Hisui dismounted  the dragon in surprise and caressed the back of his heads. Setsuna shook her head in surprise as several townfolk approached.

"You're the slayers we asked for?"

"Never seen a battle like that."

"Didn't waste any time at all!"

The people cheered wholeheartedly for their saviours. Hisui quietly sent the carrier pigeon he had brought with him back to Inuyasha, asking him to take Moroha on a hunt so they could return unhindered. Setsuna took the praise in her stride, although she did crack a smile or two for the children. Soon the town leader approached, carrying a bag of money.

"We cannot thank you enough. Will this be enough?"

Hisui took the bag of money, weighed it quietly, then removed roughly half of the coins and passed them back to the surprised looking leader.

"There is one thing we would like."

"What will it be? Silks? Spices? Jewelry?"

Glancing at Setsuna, who was being bombarded with questions by a young girl aged about 9 or 10, he relayed their request.

It was approaching sunset as the trio returned to Kaede's village. To the south, they could glimpse Inuyasha running with Moroha in hot pursuit. Taking the hint, Setsuna quietly urged Ah-Un to fly lower to avoid detection. Soon, they landed outside Hisui's hut, and took the time to thank and feed Ah-Un, although the dragon was purely herbivorous and would only eat plant matter. He eyed Setsuna and Hisui steadily, licked both of them with affection, and strode off towards the fields to the north of the village. Hisui smiled and rubbed off the dragon's saliva.

"Well, that was easier than we thought. We should take Ah-Un with us on more slaying missions."

Setsuna examined her reward, a large sack of wrapped meat. The town had indeed had pigs as livestock, and had agreed quite readily to giving her the best cuts of meat from one they had recently killed as her half of the reward. She thanked Hisui warmly and hefted it up and strode towards her aunt's hut, feeling unusually nervous. Unseen by the hanyou girl, Hisui smiled at her as she departed.

As she neared home, Moroha was feeling tense, worried and still saddened by Setsuna's reaction to the invitation earlier in the day. She had failed to catch so much as a rabbit in her hunt with her father, which only served to sour her mood further. Her mind drifted to the incident that morning, and she scowled as she trudged along after her father. Koga and Ayame, the two leaders of the tribe of wolves, had raised her as if she was their own daughter until she was ten, although two male wolves who acted as Koga's lieutenants had taught her how to run, fight and spar bare-handed. Her thinned blood had been a taboo subject until Ayame had explained where she had come from on her fifth birthday, which had also been when Hachiemon had visited, bringing her incredibly rare Fire Rat Robe clothing. It had reacted to her weak yoki by not growing the way Inuyasha's had, and left her exposed but never too cold. By the time she passed her tenth birthday, a relative of Ayame's had volunteered to train her using her rouge. Yawaragi had not held back in her training methods, but it had been selling her to Jyubei that had stung. As she came to a stop in the fading light, Inuyasha paused and rejoined her. His nose twitched as he rejoined his daughter.

"Hey, whatcha thinkin' of?"

Moroha sighed.

"Lots of stuff, dad. The fights with Kirinmaru and Zero, not knowing where you'd been for so long, the death of Rion, finally overcoming everything, Kaede dying and this fight with Setsuna today."

Inuyasha ruffled his daughter's hair, drawing a light smile from her as she looked up at him.

"Myoga came by this morning, said he's gonna talk to Hosenki about this jewel Towa and Riku found. Perhaps we'll get some answers. Anyway, who was Rion?"

"She was Kirinmaru's daughter. She lived in a kind of, well, a shell form."

"Yeah? I once... knew someone who did that. Was she killed in a fight or something?"

"Towa wasn't really clear about it. Said something about haku and kon."

Inuyasha sighed as he turned back towards the village.

"Soon as Myoga gets back, I'm gonna try and get you to Totosai so you can have your blood sealed. Something nasty can happen when you get backed into a corner during a fight, and if you fall asleep for a whole day afterwards, it could be real messy."

Moroha fell into step beside her father, her hand wrapping around his. Inuyasha looked at his daughter and gave a smile, and the two walked in relative silence back to the village. By the time they were a quarter mile from their home, Moroha's nose twitched, smelling the cooking meat over the fire. Her eyes shone, and she pulled her father along behind her as she broke into a run. She brushed aside the hanging mat that would soon be replaced by a proper door and froze upon seeing Setsuna tending to the roasting pork. Her cousin looked up at her, her expression apologetic.

"Moroha, I'm really sorry for this morning."

The shihanyou girl said nothing as she freed herself from her father's grip and walked straight past her and into her room. She laid down on her futon and wrestled with herself about what to do. On one hand, she wanted to give Setsuna a piece of her mind until her dark-haired hanyou cousin was practically begging for her forgiveness. Her foster family had meant the world to her when she was little, and to be shot down, however unintentionally, stung terrifically. On the other, she wanted to forgive her and show her everything in the mountains where the wolves lived. The scent of the succulent meat cooking in the main room was urging her towards the latter choice, and she remained silent as Towa, Riku, Inuyasha, Kagome and Setsuna all tried to get her to talk. After an hour of waiting for the food to cook, Kagome finally announced to her daughter that it was time to eat. Moroha ventured out and joined her family and Riku, silently holding her bowl out for a portion of the meat. Kagome sliced off a large piece and placed it in her daughter's dish, and Moroha gave an indistinct grunt before choosing to forgo the chopsticks and picking the meat up by hand and taking the time to enjoy the rich flavour. The others ate in relative silence, and when Moroha held her bowl out for a second helping, her mother wasted no time in giving her what she wanted. As she ate, she found her eyes flickering to Setsuna more and more. Although far less demonstrative than her twin, Setsuna was hardly an ice queen. It dawned on Moroha more and more that her cousin genuinely was sorry, and when she finished her food, she got up and embraced Setsuna from behind.

"Guess we all make mistakes. Alright, no hard feelings."

Setsuna gave a half smile as her cousin embraced her with greasy hands. She got up and let her embrace her properly before speaking up.

"S-so when is the invitation for?"

"Koga said that before winter sets in is good. If we left in a couple of weeks we could stay awhile and still get back in good time. Not sure about you, but I think there's a funny smell in the air lately."

"You think we'll have a hard winter?"

"It's difficult to say. But yes. Do you feel it too, dad?"

Inuyasha nodded slowly.

"Yeah, I've felt it before. I guess I'll need your help more than I thought to get the house renovated before the snow sets in. Can you help tomorrow, Setsuna, Towa?"

Both twins affirmed that they could, with Riku offering his own assistance. As Inuyasha and Kagome began to clear away after their evening meal, Setsuna and Moroha ventured outside to talk a little more. By now it was properly dark, and there was no moon in the sky. The bright evening star was just above the distant hillside, and Setsuna squinted as she looked at it.

"I never quite noticed that that star looks like a tiny crescent moon before. I'm glad we patched things up between us."

Moroha looked up at the bright star and shrugged.

"I probably was about to walk in on you and Hisui when..."

Setsuna whirled around, a definite red blush suffusing her cheeks.

"N-no! There's nothing going on between us! Hisui's a really strong and really reliable friend."

Moroha smiled but let her cousin's denial stand. After quickly washing her hands in the stream near Kaede's former hut, she returned to her home and joined her family around the fire.

Some distance away, Myoga finished describing the gem Riku and Towa had found, along with Riku's belief it was one of the few remaining Meidou Stones. Hosenki pondered, scratching his chin.

"And they say the stone itself is cracked?"

"Indeed, Hosenki. It may no longer work at all. You should visit them soon and find out all you can about it."

"I will, I can be there by tomorrow."

Myoga hopped outside and was soon on the back of a bird, returning to Inuyasha's village at speed.

Chapter Text

Hanyou no Yashahime
Season 3
The tale of the jewel

It was mid-morning the following day when Hosenki's large shell appeared with a loud thud outside Inuyasha's home. Emerging from within, the oyster daiyoukai made his way to knock at the hut, but Inuyasha had already scented his presence and correctly guessed who it was. Holding the stone on its' golden chain, he walked out and greeted their visitor.

"Hey, Hosenki. What can you tell us about this?"

He held the stone out to the daiyoukai. Taking it in his hands, Hosenki examined the gem carefully before tapping it with a clawed finger. He held the gem a mere inch away from his eye before blinking and offering it back to Inuyasha.

"Well, it's definitely a Meidou Stone. You say a lynx hanyou was guarding it?"

"Yeah, that's what Towa said. He was killed and told them to protect it. The rest, well, you know."

"I've only seen one other Meidou Stone. Lord Toga gifted one to his first wife over three centuries ago. I can only assume she still has it."

Inuyasha's eyes widened in surprise.

"Wait. Sesshoumaru's mother has one of these?"

"She may have it hidden away somewhere after so long. But she was never the type to leave powerful artifacts lying around, so she probably has it on her person. I don't know if she still has it or has used it on anybody."

"So what can these things do?"

"A Meidou Stone is a portal between this world and the Underworld. Thousands of years ago, a hundred were made and given to the strongest of the daiyoukai alive at the time, although there were rumours of others that didn't work properly. Over the years, the number of Meidou Stones fell as several were destroyed in wars and others were lost. If what I can feel from this one is true, there are only another nine left in the world. This one was given to a lynx tribe and has been handed down from generation to generation until now. It hasn't been used much, but it's damaged and the yoki held within it is weakened. It will break itself apart within the next hundred years, but before then, it can revive a number of lives."

Inuyasha looked sharply at the oyster daiyoukai.

"It can bring back the dead?"

"Yes, but you need either the physical body of the deceased or elements of their existence. If you had, say, their blood, their soul, or some other remains, then you would be able to bring them back, although doing that would put a strain on the gem, no matter how recent the loss."

Inuyasha nodded silently as Hosenki passed the Meidou Stone back to him, his mind already awash in possibilities. As if sensing what he was thinking, Hosenki spoke up.

"Time is also a factor with how well the Stone will work. For a daiyoukai such as your father, it would work for up to five thousand years, but for humans, only a decade. I did hear that the town miko here recently passed away, and I understand why you would want to revive her, but it would be best not to. She was very old in human years, and as miraculous as the Stone is, it doesn't bring back the deceased as newborns, but as they were when they died. Injuries are healed, but age is not."

Inuyasha gave a sigh as he looked into the depths of the gem.

"How many times do you think we can use this?"

Hosenki thought hard.

"I'm not certain, but I would say no more than ten. After that it will break, and not even my father could repair a Meidou Stone. Once it's broken, that's it. You would have to find another, and I doubt you could."

"So ten years to revive a human, about five thousand for a daiyoukai, something between that for any other youkai, and no more than ten uses."

Inuyasha and Hosenki both turned around as Kagome emerged from the hut. Kagome walked up to her husband and held her hand out for the Meidou Stone. Inuyasha turned back to Hosenki.

"Thanks for that. We'll consider how best to use it."

"My pleasure. You may want to speak to Sesshoumaru about this. He may know more if his mother still has hers."

Hosenki climbed back into his shell, and in seconds the friendly daiyoukai had vanished without a trace. Inuyasha followed Kagome back into their home, only to emerge soon after with the tools needed to carry on extending the rooms. His mind was scattered as he began his work on extending the hut, silently glad that the simple task gave him something to focus all of his attention on. Although he wouldn't admit to it, he found himself missing Kaede more than he would have thought. He had played the role of supplier for her after Kagome vanished, and helped her through a lean winter. For the next hour he toiled away in silence, only pausing when Kagome emerged with a small platter of food. He gave a sigh and gratefully accepted the food, eating relatively quietly. As he ate, Kagome gave a gentle scratch behind one of his ears, prompting her husband to give her a semi sour look. However, he did not complain the way he once would have done and simply continued eating. After finishing his food, he quietly thanked his wife and got back to work, and had soon finished with the exterior walls. Checking each and every seam between the planks, he returned inside and removed enough of a space to allow for a crude doorway for the two new rooms. Once done, he went to lie down on his futon in their room. Kagome remained by the fire until Inuyasha spoke up.

"Y'waiting for me to beg for ya to come in here?"

Getting up, Kagome joined her husband.

"Should we try to get in touch with Sesshoumaru about this Meidou Stone?"

Inuyasha slowly shook his head.

"We could, but I think it'd be better for now if we left it alone. Winter's coming, and I don't like the smell in the air. It's going to be a really harsh one."

"The hardest you've ever seen?"

"No. But there'll be a lot of snow. We might need to think about cutting wood for the winter even now. Spare food wouldn't be a bad idea either."

"Maybe you should take a job or two with Miroku in the next week?"

"I gotta get Moroha to Totosai before the snow comes. She needs a seal to stop her getting out of control. I don't think she will, but she might do. Might need him to refine mine too."

"Will you take Towa as well? I know Setsuna told me she had one applied."

Inuyasha turned to look at her in surprise.

"Setsuna has had her blood sealed already?"

"Yes, twice. Both times by Miroku to calm her down. He said that Zero unsealed it once, and before that it was when she lost control against a moth youkai at Shiori's..."

Kagome blinked owlishly as Inuyasha lurched upright, very nearly headbutting her as he did so. He turned to look at her in amazement.

"When you say Shiori, you surely don't mean..."

"The same bat hanyou girl you helped when we were trying to find a way around Naraku's barrier. Yes, she was the one who helped raise Setsuna for nearly ten years."

Inuyasha looked simply dumbfounded before a smile spread across his face.

"So she survived this long? That's great!"

"Better, she founded a village a long way from here, and she takes in hanyou children, gives them a home, teaches them how to survive, how to read and write, and even encourages them to mix with certain human elements. All because of you."

Inuyasha shook his head, gently scratching at his eyes.

"Wow. Just... wow. We should try to get in touch with her and maybe try to see her at some point. Does only Setsuna know how to get there?"

"I think Miroku, Jaken and Sesshoumaru do too. If Setsuna was taken there as a child, she probably didn't know about it until she was there. If we..."

"Wait. You know about Miss Shiori?"

Stood in the doorway, Setsuna eyed her aunt and uncle curiously. Getting up, Inuyasha drew Tessaiga and held the blade steady as it turned red. He explained the tale of how they had all met Shiori almost twenty years ago, and Setsuna elaborated on her childhood in the hanyou village. When her narrative ended, Inuyasha looked more impressed than ever.

"Hanyou by themselves don't usually live for long. Before I met Kagome, I only met ten others, and six of them were on a mystic island. Two of them were dying at birth, one was unable to control his yoki, and the tenth was killed by his sibling. Shiori's really done something amazing. Even when we journeyed across the country, we only met two; her and Jinenji. I knew almost as soon as I heard about her that she probably suffered as a child, and I could never hurt a little girl just for the sake of powering up my sword."

He sheathed the weapon and approached his niece.

"Can you get there ahead of us? If it's going to be as bad a winter as I think it will be, then some extra supplies for them might not be a bad idea. Find out what she needs, and we'll provide it."

Nodding silently, Setsuna exited the hut but paused. She turned around and calmly addressed her uncle.

"We won't be able to leave until the day after tomorrow, uncle. Do you still want me to find out what we can get for Miss Shiori?"

In the excitement of finding out that Shiori was alive and well, Inuyasha had completely forgotten about the impending new moon. Thinking fast, although it was yet to reach midday, Inuyasha came up with a plan.

"See if any of Miroku's kids are still here with him. I know that he is. If they can reach the village and get a list from them tomorrow, we can all go up the day after new moon and visit her. It would really be something to see her again."

Agreeing to the plan, Setsuna made haste to where Miroku lived. Following his success with Ah-Un the previous day, the teenage slayer had taken on another assignment, and had gone on to perform the needed task. His twin sisters however, Kin'u and Gyokuto, were both with their father, Inuyasha's long-time friend Miroku, who now lived in the village as well following his training for a thousand days. Sango still resided at the former Slayer Village most of the time, but had only just returned there after Kaede's funeral. Setsuna knocked and was greeted by one of the twins almost immediately. Even to her keen sense of smell, she found it hard to tell which of the twins it was, but she was soon ushered inside. A cloying perfume hung in the air, prompting the hanyou twin to cover her nose. Sat by the fire, deep in meditation, was Miroku. Nearby sat the other twin, who Setsuna belatedly realised must be Kin'u. She coughed politely, and Miroku opened his eyes. Kin'u did likewise, and extinguished the incense immediately upon seeing the effect it was having on their guest. Rising, Miroku nodded towards the doorway.

"We'll talk outside, Setsuna. Come with us, girls."

Miroku walked outside, for once not holding onto his shakujo. Setsuna took a deep breath of the clear air and began to talk.

"Uncle Inuyasha wants to visit Shiori's village in the mountains before winter sets in. Do you know a good way to contact her in just two days?"

"I do. I can have a message sent within the next two days."

"Can you send it now so she knows when to expect us?"

"Alright then. How are you feeling, Setsuna? Your eyes look a bit red."

The hanyou girl gestured to the hut Miroku called home.

"I think it must have been from those incense sticks you were burning."

Miroku shook his head with a sigh.

"I am sorry for that. We find it comforting, but for you, it must be really overwhelming. I'll write out a message to Shiori right now and it'll be there by tomorrow."
Returning to his hut, the monk set about his task. Setsuna returned to her relatives to tell them of what was happening.

Chapter Text

Hanyou no Yashahime
Season 3
The reunion

Even before they had regained their yoki, Towa and Inuyasha were hard at work in the early morning, assisted by Riku. Setsuna was bundled up in bed, trying her hardest to remain warm, whilst Moroha was simply snoring in her room, languidly stretched out. Both hanyou were eager to reach Shiori's village, and had spent much of the previous day obtaining all sorts of resources for the small community, such as food, medicine, lamp oil, clothes, blankets and pottery. Towa was eager to meet the kind woman who had taken such good care of her twin, whereas Inuyasha was keen to see how well Shiori had done for herself. Hachiemon and Takechiyo had been sent for, and both tanuki had readily agreed to provide transport for the extended group, as there were simply too many to all ride on Kirara. Kagome gave a tired yawn as she rose from her bed, having had little sleep all night long. She emerged from the hut, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

"Come on you two, take a couple of hours to rest. You too, Riku."

Inuyasha and Towa both paused as they carried a large bag of rice towards their wood shed, where a veritable hoard awaited transport to the village in the mountains. Riku deposited a box in the shed and looked at Towa, who had been fetching supplies since sunset the previous evening and looked on the very verge of collapse. Making his way to his girlfriend, he put an arm around her as she and Inuyasha placed the bale of rice inside the shed. Towa gave him a wan smile before all but collapsing into his embrace. Knowing he would not win an argument with his wife in his current state, Inuyasha gave a deep sigh and nodded slowly.

"Yeah, guess I could use some sleep. Just, well, I was amazed to find out Shiori lived as long as she had. To do everything she has for hanyou..."

He gave a loud yawn and followed Kagome, Towa and Riku inside. Making his way into their room, it took very little time for the canine hanyou to fall asleep on their bed, although the way he was sprawled across the two futons prompted a loud sigh of disapproval from Kagome. Riku emerged from Towa and Setsuna's room and inclined his head towards Kagome respectfully, drawing a smile from the twin's aunt.

"You've done so much for us tonight already, but could I ask your help in one more thing please?"

Riku gave a charming smile in return.

"But of course."

"Help me move Inuyasha, he just flopped down on both of our futons. I'd like to get back to sleep too."

Riku followed her and had soon moved Inuyasha onto his own futon. Wearily thanking him, Kagome returned to bed, leaving Riku to his own devices. Sitting by the entrance to the hut, Riku silently wondered if even between them, Hachiemon, Takechiyo and Kirara would be able to carry the impressive load they had accumulated. Quietly reasoning that they were more than capable, even with so many wishing to see the village themselves, Riku settled in to wait out the last few hours of darkness. In her room, he heard Towa mutter something in her sleep, and his smile turned soft for a moment. Despite all she had been through and the fact that the Feudal Era was a much less forgiving time than when she had grown up, Towa remained a soft and generous soul. It had been a surprise for him when he first encountered her, and part of the reason he had become interested in the unusual hanyou. Making himself as comfortable as he could, he found himself begin to drift into a light sleep.

Almost an hour after the sun had risen, Riku was awoken by the sound of knocking on the doorframe. Rising swiftly, he swept back the curtain to reveal a woman in her mid 30s with an impressively muscled physique. She was accompanied by a fanged nekomata that he recognised as Kirara. Inclining his head, he stood aside.

"So you own this brave youkai then?"

"I do. I'm Sango, Hisui, Kin'u and Gyukuto's mother. A long time friend of Inuyasha and Kagome."

"Please come in, but I don't think they're awake just yet. It would be..."

Emerging from his room, still clad in his Fire Rat Robe, Inuyasha gave a wide yawn and nodded towards Sango.

"Morning Riku, Sango. Been walking to get her since the small hours eh?"

Sango smiled at her hanyou friend.

"Well yes, it seemed only fair. I did run into a bit of trouble on the edge of the village, and Kirara helped me deal with it."

"I see you brought that new Hiraikotsu with you."

"Oh, it's become even more useful now."

Inuyasha sat down on a rush mat near the empty fire pit.

"How'd you do that?"

"You remember I had to break the old one by putting poison on it?"

"Yeah, kinda."

"I paid that old sage a visit again, and he coated it in some kind of elixir that seeks out an enemies' yoki, pulls it in to use as its' own energy, and then breaks open a youkai's energy vortex. I've tested it on a few yokai, and it's very effective and even more deadly. I doubt it would stand up to proper weapons like Tessaiga and Bakusaiga, but it would be a good thing to use against almost anything else."

Inuyasha gave an amused snort.

"Surprised that drunken old sage is still about."

"I had to wait nearly a whole day before he returned. Said he was collecting sap from a bloodbeam tree for another client."

Riku looked at Sango sharply.

"You can't be serious, Lady Sango."

Sango turned to the daiyoukai detachment before looking at Inuyasha in mild confusion.

"Who's this?"

"Oh, he's Riku. Remember that incident with the Grim Butterfly? Well he's the one that saved Towa from dying. He's fine."

Sango nodded and turned back to Riku.

"What's wrong?"

Riku began his explanation.

"Bloodbeam trees can make anyone fully healthy and alive again, even if they're just a soul or some other form, if you can remove the sap without killing the tree. Add in a spirit tree fruit and the person will..."

"Hey, what's all the noise out here?"

Yawning, Towa emerged from her room. As she did so, her sleeping yukata opened rather wider than would have been acceptable, exposing her midriff and giving all three a good look at her torso. Inuyasha was sat with his back to his niece, and Sango was sat to his left, so she didn't see much. Riku however... Almost immediately, Towa became aware of what had happened and hastily wrapped her yukata around herself again, but the damage was done if the dark red flush on Riku's face was anything to go by. Turning his head around so fast he cricked his neck, Riku scrambled to exit the hut as Towa's scream of shock followed him into the morning air. Inuyasha and Sango traded a look as Towa hurried back into her room. In his room, he could hear Kagome waking up, and knew that within minutes, Moroha would have awoken too. He got up and walked to the door as Hachiemon and Takechiyo arrived. Riku was wearing a very embarrassed look as Towa's uncle arrived.

"I do hope that Lady Towa won't hold that against me."

"Forget it, worse things have happened. Listen, are you coming with us today?"

"No, I didn't plan to. I must attend to the ship I inherited from Lord Kirinmaru. If what you say about the weather is true, then it will be best to beach it so it is not damaged in any storms. Will you tell Lady Towa where I've gone to please?"

"Yeah, alright. Relax, she's not gonna hold this against you."

Riku smiled ashamedly and inclined his head before heading off towards the rising sun. Inuyasha returned to the hut, where already everyone was awake and talking.

Half an hour later, Shippo, Miroku and his twins had arrived and much of the food was bundled onto Hachiemon, who assured his friends he could cope with the whole burden easily. Finally, everything was ready to go, and the group set off for Shiori's village, Setsuna leading the way on Kirara's back. Shippo gave a long sigh as the journey began.

"Wow, it's been so long since all of us were on a journey together. We never used to be in one place when we were hunting down the shards of the Shikon Jewel."

Kagome smiled over at the kitsune, who had finally started to grow noticeably in her absence. Not only was he taller now, but his powers had developed to the point where his one-time weak fox fire could now burn someone if he wanted it to. She shook her head, finding it hard to believe that someone who was chronologically at least fifty years old could look so young. Still, at least he didn't look like a toddler. She spoke up, and the group began to relate the tales of their adventures to their younger audience. Rin had returned to Sesshoumaru's residence not long after the funeral, although she now had a talisman to go between the village and her husband's home easily. Sesshoumaru himself was often not at home, negotiating with the newly appointed daimyo of the Western Lands now that Kirinmaru was gone. Jaken, of course, followed his lord everywhere. As they travelled further and further north, the patches of forest grew ever thicker. Inuyasha, Towa and Setsuna all suddenly twitched as a scar on the land appeared. The youngsters looked down at the sullied land in surprise. Moroha spoke up first.

"What happened here? Even I can smell traces of poison."

Inuyasha explained.

"It was around here that Naraku took back his renegade detachment Akago in the form of Moryomaru. Both gave off such potent energy they poisoned the land. Everything down there died. It's got better but it won't be a forest again for a while, even if things are trying to grow there now."

They flew in silence over the toxic mark, heading towards a mountainous region in the north-west, and by mid-morning, Setsuna gestured for Kirara to begin her descent, much to everyone's relief. Finally heading into a small gully, they dismounted the tanuki and looked around. Miroku nodded in satisfaction.

"Yes, I recognise this. I was following that moth youkai along here when the eclipse took place."

Shippo looked up.

"What happens during an eclipse?"

"It's when the day goes dark that Shiori loses her powers. It's only when the sun is totally gone that that happens, and even the oldest records don't show that happening here very often. I think only twelve have been recorded."

"So Shiori's the perfect one to cast a barrier over this village then. Her powers only leave her every hundred years or more, and even then it's just for a few minutes."

Inuyasha walked towards a natural rock wall and sniffed the air.

"No, I can't smell anything. Hey, Setsuna, are you sure this is the place?"

Setsuna lifted up Kirara and was stroking the weary nekomata when she noticed where her uncle was stood. A smile spread across her face as she nodded and picked up a bag of household items. Towa, Moroha and Inuyasha lifted the remainder as Setsuna walked towards where she had first met her surrogate mother.

"It's... wow. I didn't think I'd be bringing so many guests to see Miss Shiori, and people who knew her too. It..."

"Setsuna? Is that you?"

A portion of the barrier revealed the silver-haired, tan-skinned, violet eyed hanyou woman. She smiled at Setsuna, but upon seeing her visitors, she looked simply amazed.

"You... I can't... You all..."

Inuyasha smiled warmly at Shiori.

"You've done real well here, I can tell. We got you some things together for the winter."

"Inuyasha, I never expected to see you again! And Kagome! Sango! Shippo! And Miroku, you've returned too!"

Most unexpectedly, Inuyasha embraced the bat hanyou briefly, smiling with genuine affection and admiration at her. Disengaging from the hug, Shiori turned her eyes onto her less familiar guests.

"I'm not sure I've seen you before. Please, come into my village."

The entire group followed the hanyou leader inside the protective shield. Several caves lined either side of a small stream that ran through the middle of the little valley, and on raised grounds were a handful of huts. Dotting the village were perhaps twenty hanyou children, ranging in age from as young as two or three to their mid teens, many of whom paused in their chores to look at the large group of visitors. Setsuna looked around as she spoke up.

"Are Fuuta and Raita here?"

"No, they left last year, but I do know they are doing well and are staying together. I also heard that they are growing closer and have been looking to find you, Setsuna."

Setsuna's eyes widened in surprise before she smiled.

"Can you use your bats to direct them to the village where I was born? It's where I live now, at least when I'm not on assignment with the slayers. Maybe they can visit before the winter sets in."

"I'll see to it later tonight, Setsuna. Have a seat, everyone."

Shiori led them to the largest hut, which was big enough to seat the entire population of the village three times over. After storing the precious supplies in one of the caves, the group joined Shiori. Inside the large hut were more familiar faces from the past; the six hanyou survivors from Horai island were there too. Unable to contain herself, Towa spoke in a voice trembling with emotion.

"You've brought so much hope to so many persecuted people. It's... it's marvellous what you've done."

Shiori simply smiled.

"I can explain everything to you from when we last met if you would like me to. Niev, would you come here please?"

A hanyou boy of unknown parentage ran up to the entrance.

"Yes, Miss Shiori?"

"Please take a careful count of all the things our guests have brought for us. When I am finished here, lay out all the clothing and any weapons."

The hanyou boy ran off eagerly as Shiori began her tale.

"For three years after Taigokumaru was vanquished, my mother Shizu and I remained in our village. We were mostly ignored, but sometimes we were given food if there had been a good catch for the day. I managed to learn how to read and write, and to practice arithmetic and even basic astronomy. Then one day, we were visited by a strange youkai who mentioned this very place and recommended that we visit to find sanctuary. Not long after that, we decided to leave. As we did so, my mother caught a strange kind of illness, I think the traders called it cancer or something. We hurried here, and finally arrived. The valley was ours, and it was perfect. But even as we both worked to make our home here, my mother sickened worse and worse. I tried everything, but on the midsummer's night of us arriving, just after we had completed our home, my mother called me into the hut and told me to stay by her side until dawn. She said that even with all of the pain she had suffered through, all of the prejudice, she could not be more proud of me, that I was everything to her, and that she would go on in peace knowing that I was safe. As the sun rose, she died, and I won't lie, that hurt me terribly. I climbed to the highest point of the valley and wished to be safe here. When I had done that, there was now a barrier covering the area. I was alone, but I was not without purpose. After meeting Inuyasha, I knew there were other hanyou like me in the world, and I realised that I could be of help to them. I found my second voice, and managed to communicate with bats that live here, as well as modifying the barrier so small animals and birds were not affected by it. After two months, a hanyou child appeared, and I offered to care for her. I taught her what I knew, fed and clothed her, and soon my bat followers were bringing in hanyou children from across the country. Not all of them survived, but many did. I deeply wished that a sanctuary was not needed for them, that hanyou could exist as any other had the right to, but sadly the world is not the way we would like it to be. Getting supplies here was always difficult, but one day, about a year after I began to take in hanyou, an eagle daiyoukai appeared over us. For a week he sat outside the barrier, and when our food nearly ran out, I ventured out to talk with him. As it turned out, he had known my father, Tsukuyomaru, and by following the bats he had tracked me here. After finding out he meant us no harm, he began to bring things to us like you have been kind enough to do. Sometimes the older hanyou would go with Lord Chrysaetos, and we did well. About three or four times a year now he appears with things for us, and he is the main reason few youkai come this way. As you know, the eclipse a few years ago caused my powers to fade, and Setsuna's blood emerged. Ever since then, we have had peace in our valley."

The group watched silently as Shiori's narrative came to an end. Setsuna gestured to Towa and introduced her twin formally to Shiori. Kin'u and Gyokuto were both sobbing in sympathy for their host, and even though she had met her before, Kagome had watery eyes too. Outside, the various hanyou children were quietly stood around the entrance to the hut, some more enraptured by the tale than others. The six hanyou from Horai island slowly got up and left to assist Niev with his stock counting, although Shippo followed them too, keen to talk with them. Getting to her feet, Shiori led her guests to a fire pit.

"Tonight we can eat here if you want to. You will stay, won't you?"

Everyone chorused an enthusiastic yes, much to the delight of some of the younger hanyou children, some of which had never seen outsiders before besides Lord Chrysaetos. Acting on his own initiative, Inuyasha began to fetch dead and dry wood for the fire that night, soon accompanied by Sango and Miroku. Kagome joined Shiori, Shippo and the older hanyou in the cave where the food had been stored and began to bring out items of clothing. Of the six Horai hanyou, four of them chose weapons, serving as guards for the village as well as providers. The youngest, Ai, and the timid hanyou Shion both chose not to. When the clothing was brought out, various styles were quickly snapped up, but even with so many hanyou, there were enough items of clothing for at least three per inhabitant. Soon they began to sort through the food, storing the longer lasting food in an unusually cold cave whilst choosing what to have for their evening meal. As Shiori debated how many of the eggs they should use, Setsuna entered the cave. One of the hanyou children could use an ice beam of sorts, and every day he'd perform the attack to keep the cave cold, making it perfect for cold storage. Shiori looked up at her and smiled.

"Can I help you, Setsuna?"

Setsuna gave a smile.

"Will it be alright if Inuyasha and I hunt in the lower valley for tonight's feast?"

"Of course. Just don't kill too much. There are fruit trees growing around the meadow, if you could bring back some apples, we could make something out of them."

Setsuna approached her foster mother and embraced her, to Shiori's slight surprise. Setsuna had been distant with many even as a child, only showing emotion to her. She returned the hug, smiling. Setsuna let go and left to fetch her weapon, calling for her uncle as she went. Unwittingly, she found herself remembering her first year in Shiori's custody. Shiori had been the only adult the young hanyou had known, and she had grown to accept her as the closest thing to a mother she knew, but her inability to sleep had troubled both of them for a long time. During her first winter in the village, wildcats had moved into the area, and although the feline predators posed no threat at all to the hanyou settlement, as the winter solstice passed, they had begun their eerie wailing to attract a prospective mate. For the other hanyou it had been a range between comforting and irritating. For a hanyou girl unable to sleep, it had been downright scary. On one night, she had been unable to keep to her bed and run to the top of the cliff where Shiori usually communicated with her bats, who were hibernating during the winter just outside the barrier. Shiori's barrier kept the temperature above freezing even on the coldest night. Setsuna had huddled down on the clifftop and peered out over the lands below, finally seeing a wildcat in the depths of the forest. Even as she watched, the cat gave a bone-chilling howl, enough to make her tremble. The cat had gone on wailing for some minutes before finally Setsuna lost her composure and screamed for the cat to leave, huddling down and covering her eyes behind her chilled palms. Hearing the hanyou girl, the cat had looked right at her, even though it couldn't see through the barrier. Opening her eyes, she looked down, daring to hope that the cat had gone, only to look directly into its' haunting gaze. Screaming, she had run to a surprised Shiori and explained what had happened, sobbing in a mix of fear and shame when she reasoned it had just been a lone wildcat searching for food and family. For the rest of the night, she had cuddled up to the kind bat hanyou, and even though she couldn't sleep as she could, a modicum of calm overcame the young girl until morning broke. Over the rest of the winter, she heard the wildcats again, but they lost the effect they'd had on her that night. Bringing herself back to the present, she realised she'd walked right into her uncle, who was wearing a wry smile as he waved a hand in front of her.

"Hey, you awake? Y'seem as far away as the sun, Setsuna."

Setsuna shook her head.

"Yeah, sorry uncle. I was thinking of the past."

"Sore topic?"

"You wouldn't be wrong. Uncle, can we go hunting in the lower valley together? Even with all the food we brought, there's not much for tonight's feast. We could get some game, and it's far enough away that we wouldn't affect the village if the winter's going to be tough."

"Yeah, we can do that. Wait here while I get Moroha and Towa."

Setsuna's grip on her uncle's hand tightened, enough to make him pause.

"Can it be... just us? I know how much Moroha means to you, and Towa means just as much to me, but I'd like some time with just you, uncle."

Inuyasha blinked before nodding.

"Come on then. You know this area well?"

"I do, I grew up around here."

Picking up a woven basket and an empty bag, the two hanyou departed through the entrance and began the walk down into the lower valley. The smell of the fresh air and the drying leaves was relaxing to them both, and after a few more minutes of walking, they reached the edge of the meadow. Rabbits, gamebirds and deer dotted the field, and Inuyasha hastily pulled Setsuna out of the potential sight of their prey and spoke in a hushed voice to her.

"So, which do you think is best to try and grab for the village? We'll probably only get one chance to catch a deer, but will it be too much?"

Setsuna pondered as Inuyasha drew Tessaiga, the sword he had inherited transforming into a battle-ready state.

"I think it's best we take one of the deer, and then spend the rest of the time with whatever fruit there is here. Can you, say, take that one with the medium sized antlers?"

Grinning recklessly, Inuyasha gripped his weapon tightly. Part of the tip of the blade turned crystalline, and the older hanyou raised the sword before jumping out from behind the tree silently. Swinging it down, a handful of crystal spears shot forth as he shouted a single word out.

"Kongousouha!"

Before they had a chance to flee, the targeted deer was slain by two of the spears. Dropping to the ground, the rest of the animals and birds fled the area. Sheathing his weapon, Inuyasha scooped up the bag and ran to where the deer lay in the grass. Soon ascertaining it was indeed dead, he drew his weapon again and began to clean and skin the animal, carving out the best cuts of fresh venison to take back to the village. Giving a smile, Setsuna set about going around the various fruit trees. Many of them had little fruit still on the branches, but there was a surprising crop of hardy looking apples in a tree just inside the tree line. Setting down the basket, she began to pluck the apples off the tree, ever cautious of possible danger. Few youkai came this way any more, but it was not impossible that one or two would try their luck, especially with the smell of fresh blood heavy in the air. Soon, she had filled the basket with the cooking apples and was about to turn to rejoin her uncle when a glimmer of silver in the woods caught her eye. Taking a firm hold of her Yukari no Tachikiri, she walked towards the source, and soon came upon a tree of perhaps average height with greyish-silver bark. It bore relatively few boughs, and even as she took in the trees' unique appearance, a voice sounded from it.

"You are the daughter of Lord Sesshoumaru, are you not?"

Setsuna looked on as a face appeared in the tree's bark. She held the weapon ready, suspecting hostile action. Before she could level the naginata at the tree, she suddenly realised her legs were encased in branches thicker than her torso. Even as she registered this sudden development, a thick vine wrapped itself around her neck and pressed to her forehead. Her hands flew to the vine to pry it loose, but it was as strong and unyielding as marble, and she could not so much as scratch it. The voice sounded again.

"Do not react to me with hostility. You can see what I can do."

Almost instantly, the restraints were gone, and Setsuna was left looking at the tree in astonishment and caution. She finally found her voice.

"Yes. I am a daughter of Lord Sesshoumaru."

"I have a gift for you, as thanks for how his father assisted me many centuries ago. Take this."

A small fruit appeared on a new bough that had appeared before her. As she reached out to pick the fruit, the branch itself came off the silver tree. Picking up the branch, Setsuna examined the wrinkled white fruit, about the size of a plum. She looked at the tree in curiosity.

"You must be a spirit tree."

"I am, yes."

"What are these for?"

"Ingredients for something you will need in the spring. Do not lose them, they are crucial. When you come to make the elixir, grind the branch into powder, then when the other items are in the potion, add the fruit. Only then will it be ready. You already have the stone and two of the other ingredients. You now need just two more, but that barrier is closed until the spring."

"What are these ingredients for? What stone?"

"You will learn in time. Begone, young hanyou."

The tree did not change, but Setsuna knew there would be no further answers from it. Lifting up the basket, she returned to the field where her uncle was finishing his task. Not far away, several ravens were watching the canine hanyou at work, clearly eager to get to the remains. Inuyasha turned to look at his niece as he idly threw a piece of meat towards the waiting birds.

"So, y'find much? There's not a lot left on this deer, we'll be able to head back soon."

Setsuna explained her findings to her uncle as he finished cutting the edible meat off his kill. Getting to his feet, he lifted up the bag, disregarding the blood coating his forearms, and pondered what to say as they began their trek back.

"Well I'd say it's best not to lose those things. I'll tell the others not to touch them. If you got this stuff off a spirit tree, and not something posing as one, then you must have done something to really benefit one."

"The tree said it was something my grandfather did. These were a means of thanks."

"Huh. Wonder what my old man did for some spirit tree."

They trudged on, the sun about midway through its' descent into the west. Setsuna spoke up as they walked up towards the village.

"Say, uncle, do you remember your father?"

Inuyasha tensed as he walked on, his voice slightly brittle.

"Not exactly. He died the night I was born, saving my mother and I."

"You... you never knew him?"

"No. Sesshoumaru did. Lucky bastard."

"So you..."

"Yeah, I was just raised by my mother. Not for long though."

Sensing this was a sensitive topic for her uncle, Setsuna lapsed into silence as they reached the entrance to the village. Depositing the bag full of meat in the icy cave, Inuyasha departed to clean up, already lamenting that he stank of blood. Setsuna placed her bag of fruit to one side, keeping the silver branch aside. She pondered what the tree could have meant when it referred to ingredients. Discarding her thoughts for now, she joined Shiori and the others for preparing for the feast.

The moon had set by the time everything was ready, but the feast was something the village had never seen the like of. The combined and surprising culinary delicacies made by the hanyou and their human friends. Many of the hanyou children sang poems, as did Miroku's twins, and a couple even danced for their audience, much to the delight of their visitors. The celebrations continued until midnight, when everyone present toasted Shiori's bravery and selflessness in helping so many for so long.

Chapter Text

Hanyou no Yashahime
Season 3
The forest of foxfire

It had been two days since arriving in Shiori's village, and after doing all they could for her and her charges, Inuyasha's family and friends were getting ready to leave for their home. The aquatic hanyou Ai in particular was keen for the guests to stay, but Inuyasha had been forced to gently refuse, stating that they were needed in their own village. Several of the younger hanyou were crying on seeing their guests leaving, and even the older ones were not immune to tears, although they valiantly tried to hide them. However, the golden eagle daiyoukai Chrysaetos had proved to be their saving grace.

"When the spring arrives, I will bring as many of the inhabitants as you may like to see you. You say that your wife Kagome is now the village miko?"

Inuyasha nodded quietly. Even though he had faced many foes in his time, the eagle looked truly impressive and not one to be taken lightly.

"Yeah, but the only barrier protects the shrine itself, not the whole village."

"Then I can bring the youngsters to and from Lady Shiori's village with no problems. Besides, spirit barriers will not affect one such as I."

The group finished giving out the last few hugs and wishes for the winter before thanking Shiori herself for her hospitality. The hanyou woman smiled warmly as she embraced Moroha, Towa and Setsuna last.

"I'm so glad you found your way here, all of you, and that you have done so well. We will see you when the ice breaks and the warm weather comes back. For now, be safe and look after one another."

Mounting Kirara, Hachiemon and Takechiyo, Inuyasha's group departed for the south, waved off by the inhabitants of the hidden village. All too soon, even the cliffs were lost to sight as they made their way home, flying at a good height over the forests and plains below. Away from Shiori's sanctuary, the true temperatures made themselves known. It hadn't got much colder since their journey, but to Inuyasha, the signs were all there, giving the hanyou some cause for concern. Youkai were generally more resilient to lower temperatures, and Moroha had been raised by his one time rival turned friend Koga in the rowdy wolf tribe further north; she would be quite used to the cold if his suspicions were true. Trapped in the border between worlds, however, the temperature had never been something to bother either he or Kagome, and he wondered how he would adjust to icy weather again. There was little conversation as they made their way home, making good time on their flying companions, and by noon, the familiar layout of the village was in sight. Somewhat bored with the quiet flight, Shippo looked around as they neared the village, passing a pine forest about an hour's walk away. A flicker of light caught Shippo's attention as he looked out over the passing scenery, and he glanced over Hachiemon's back. Moroha noticed the young kitsune looking back and nudged him.

"Hey, y'wanna check it out? Might be treasures and stuff!"

Shippo smiled and nodded. Moroha called ahead to her parents, who were both sat on Kirara.

"I'm going on an adventure with Shippo! Don't wait up for me!"

Kagome smiled and nodded to her daughter, but Inuyasha spoke up.

"If I gotta drag you back after dark, you're not gonna wanna try it again kid!"

Moroha looked unsure if her father was joking or not, but leapt onto a newly transformed Shippo, landing with a grace to match her father's as she waved farewell. Shippo rapidly descended into a gap in the canopy of the thick evergreens and had soon landed on the ground. Moroha brushed her cape off and looked around, her nose twitching as she tried to catch a scent in the closed-in woodland. Sat up on a tree branch was some kind of bird of prey, but it paid them little attention as the duo walked deeper into the trees. Before long, they noticed a thin, wispy aqua flame, hanging by itself in mid-air. Moroha drew her sword and eyed the flame warily, but Shippo ran up to it. As he drew level with it, he was soon able to see other weak fires scattered around. Despite being in contact with some branches, none of the flames seemed to be burning anything, and as Moroha approached, the flames retreated slightly. The surreal light cast in the gloom leant an otherworldly hue to the area, and as Moroha cast about, she suddenly pointed to a group of six trees.

"Hey, I see you over there!"

She eagerly ran to the trees, and as she did so, a kitsune about twice the age of Shippo emerged from the hiding place. In colour the newcomer's fur was a shade darker than Shippo's, and the eyes were pinkish-red and creased in a frown. Looking at Moroha, the kitsune spoke in a flat, irritated tone.

"You found me. What do you want?"

Shippo ran up to join Moroha. The older kitsune gave Shippo a look of quiet superiority.

"Keep your hanyou on her leash, brat. I have things to..."

The kitsune got no further as Moroha swiftly dealt the other a stinging backhand, her eyes hardening as her target didn't go down.

"If you think I'm afraid to hit a girl like you then..."

"I am not a girl. Or a boy. Now for the last time, what do you want? I have a role to fulfill and I'm not gifted with patience."

Shippo spoke up, placing himself between Moroha and the older kitsune.

"I'm Shippo, and she's Moroha. Who are you?"

The kitsune gave both of them a long stare before speaking up.

"Sarrae."

"This is all your foxfire in the woods? We were travelling overhead and saw it."

"That's right. Is this your forest or something?"

"No, we live near the forest of Inuyasha and..."

"Then you should think twice before invading someone's territory and attacking them, don't you think? You're fortunate I'm busy with a cure right now, or I would have attacked you back and..."

Sarrae broke off as Moroha approached, totally disregarding personal space as she grabbed their tunic and sniffed the unknown kitsune. She soon relinquished her hold, neither noticing or caring that she was on dangerously thin ice with the stranger.

"You do smell of herbs and sap, but I can't smell anything wrong with ya that'd need that kinda mix. You sure you got it right?"

Glaring at the shihanyou girl, Sarrae brushed down their tunic and nodded curtly.

"Yes. I have to make a youkai potion that can repair incredible damage, and the one I'm making it for cannot guide me. There was a dead bloodbeam tree here and I've taken all the sap I can from it. Perhaps with this, and the instructions I have been given, I can mend her wounds. Now leave us."

Moroha shrugged and was about to turn away when Shippo spoke up.

"What's the potion called? It's not a flesh-bonding potion is it?"

Sarrae looked impressed despite themself.

"Fine. Yes it is. She needs it rather urgently."

"But for that you need water heated by foxfire."

"I know that."

"And you can't heat the water hot enough and make the mixture alone. I'll help you."

Sarrae looked at Shippo with a mixture of caution and relief.

"Well that... would help things. But why are you so eager to help? I don't have things of value to you."

"How badly hurt is your friend?"

"Very badly. She has some horrific injuries. Alright, I'll take your help, but if your friend there tries anything, that's it. Come on."

Sarrae led the way through the barren pine woods for some time, followed by Shippo and Moroha. After perhaps ten minutes, the older kitsune stopped by a campfire. Garbed in what looked like a sacrificial robe was a figure Shippo could only gape at.

"But... You can't be..."

In the village, Inuyasha and the others had landed and dispersed long since. Takechiyo and Hachiemon had departed, and as she was about to enter her uncle's hut, Towa was forestalled by Riku.

"A moment, please? I want to talk to you regarding our plans for the warmer weather, and other things."

As if deliberating the many things a daughter of Sesshoumaru might have on her time, Towa finally inclined her head in a nod.

"Very well, you may speak in my presence."

Riku was about to speak when Towa laughed, much to his silent confusion.

"Riku, relax! You can always talk to me."

Shaking his head and smiling, Riku began to talk.

"Whilst you were away I had Lord Kirinmaru's ship brought closer to the shore. Here, it is much less likely to be damaged. In the spring, we can depart for the island where the dragon is said to sleep."

Towa nodded.

"You said something about this dragon having five heads? Maybe Kirinmaru was wise to let it be."

"I don't know much, but the dragon's heads each represent a youki element; spirit, fire, earth, air and water. If a weapon imbued with each of those elements cuts the heads off, then the treasures within will be released. It may be that Lord Kirinmaru found Bakuseiken and Zanseiken there."

"But there's no telling what else might lie upon the island, or inside the treasure trove. The dragon might be just the first and least of the foes there."

"That is possible, but I doubt it. I do not know what could be worse than an angry five-headed dragon that cannot be slain easily."

"A pair of angry Qilin daiyoukai were bad enough."

Riku laughed lightly.

"You did do admirably well against both the Four Perils and..."

"Hey, what are you kids up to?"

Both Towa and Riku turned around to see Inuyasha approaching. Giving a sigh, Towa looked at her uncle.

"Riku was telling me about an island that Kirinmaru never tried to conquer."

"So I suppose you're gonna try and go there to see what was so special about it. Even though for a weapon y'only got this thing."

Illustrating his point, Inuyasha tugged the shattered hilt of Kikujumonji free of its' scabbard and held it at arms' length. He examined the hilt curiously, eyeing the remnant of the blade still attached. Passing it back to his niece, he shook his head.

"You need something like Tessaiga to fight with, and to seal your blood. If you lose your control in battle, it could cost you everything."

Towa looked at her uncle in concern as she returned the broken sword to its' sheath.

"I've experienced my blood taking over in battle before, and I was always able to come back from it."

Inuyasha sighed as he leant against a nearby tree.

"The final time we faced that bastard Naraku, the sheer amount of jyaki in the Shikon no Tama was enough to make me transform into my youkai self. I actually cut Kagome before I managed to push her away, but smelling her blood on my claws, there were nights when she was gone when it stopped me sleeping. We got some time left before winter sets in properly, so when I take Moroha to see Totosai, you can come with us."

"I really don't think it's..."

"Trust me, I'm not kidding. You'll thank me for it."

Towa looked into her uncle's eyes and could tell he was being deadly serious about this, something that surprised her. Whilst not exactly a joker the way Shippo and Miroku were known to be, Inuyasha had a playful side to him. She nodded and then turned to leave, Riku catching up with her. For some time the young couple wandered the village before subtly making their way to a decrepit old hut Riku had been making use of ever since his rebirth. Upon entering, the ramshackle appearance faded. Inside everything was clean and well laid out. Suspended from the ceiling was a lantern that Riku had obtained, and in the candleholder was a sparkling silvery-purple crystal. The twinkling gave away the fact it was holding some very potent and concentrated kitsune magic courtesy of Shippo and a few scrolls the reborn detachment had obtained for him. Loving the idea of pulling a long-term prank on the entire village, Shippo had cast a spell on the hut to make it look not worth anyone's time. In addition, it also masked youki, sound and scent perfectly, so even if Inuyasha walked past whilst both were within, he would detect nothing. Whether or not the spells would be just as effective on Sesshoumaru's keen senses was something they had never tested, as whenever the mighty inu daiyoukai had come by, they had appeared no closer than friends and not sharing one another's space. But now, with Sesshoumaru attending to territorial matters and Inuyasha elsewhere, the two teenagers could have some private time together. Casting about for possible spectators, Towa slipped into the hut, followed by Riku, and lay down on their futon. Pulling her boyfriend down on top of her, she pressed a surprisingly passionate kiss to his cheek and smiled warmly up at him.

"I think you and I deserve some time alone, Riku."

Riku flushed but returned Towa's kiss, touching his lips to hers and drawing a muffled whimper of contentment out of her. Soon, time itself seemed to stand still for the couple.

Chapter Text

Hanyou no Yashahime
Season 3
Weapons of sealing

Shippo fed the blazing campfire with his greatly improved foxfire, his eyes straying constantly to Sarrae's patient. Acting under strict instruction from the older kitsune, Moroha had poured in the varying ingredients and was already starting to regret doing so. Whilst her sense of smell was not as keen as her father's, she still had a greatly improved ability to track with just her nose, and the concoction Sarrae was brewing was fragrant for all the wrong reasons. Giving a cough as she stirred some dried weeds into the pot, she leaned towards Shippo.

"So you've seen that girl before?"

"Yes, when we were trying to find Jewel shards. She was Naraku's incarnation."

"Incarnation? Y'mean like a child?"

"Well not really. When he got more than half of the Shikon no Tama, Naraku became more powerful and made two detachments to help him find the remaining fragments. Kagura was, well, rebellious and didn't seem to care for doing what she was told, and only did it because Naraku thought it would be fun to let her know that when he could crush her heart whenever he wanted. Kanna was a strange one. She had no scent, no yoki, she was totally obedient, and was more like a messenger that spoke on Naraku's behalf. She also had a mirror that could absorb souls."

Moroha nodded to the prone figure.

"So that's... Kagura?"

"No. Kagura died before we could help her. That's Kanna."

"She looks a real mess. No right arm, no hands, right eye is blind, wounds in her neck and chest, I'm amazed she can even breathe. Do you know what happened to her?"

Shippo eased off his foxfire flamethrower for a few seconds to let Sarrae drip a little sap into the potion.

"We saw a strange light in a mountain lake, and we found out it was Kanna who had sent it up. Using her mirror, she had summoned a kind of reflection of herself in the form of a giant demon that could steal all the attacks of Tessaiga. When Inuyasha caused damage on the demon, Kanna took the wounds onto herself, and eventually he beat it. He told Kanna to go, but Naraku told her to kill herself to kill all of us. She told Kagome the way to destroy Naraku and exploded, but later Naraku's last incarnation, Byakuya, used a piece of the mirror demon to try and make Sesshoumaru kill Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru using the mirror fragment must have had some kind of effect on Kanna, and she was revived as she was when she died. I can only imagine how long she's been like this."

Moroha shook her head as Shippo resumed his teal flames on the pot. Sarrae tipped the last of the sap into the potion and spoke up.

"Kanna has taken almost twenty years to reform. My tribe needs her mirror shards for spells, and when she's told us where they are, we'll let her go. But to do that she needs to be able to speak."

Shippo looked at Sarrae.

"And that's why you needed these ingredients."

"Yes. Keep heating the potion, it's nearly ready. But don't touch it, whatever you do, either of you. It'll burn you."

Moroha looked into the bubbling pot and held her hand near the side.

"But it's freezing cold."

"That's right. It's nearly done."

"Heating it with foxfire made it cold? That's, well, unusual."

Sarrae removed the pot and dipped a ladle into the thick mixture. Frowning in concentration, they walked over to where Kanna lay, motionless except for her steady breathing, and let a single drop fall onto her blind eye. There was a loud sizzle as the potion got to work, and within a minute, Kanna's eye darkened from pale grey to jet black. She blinked properly, her eyes darting from Sarrae to Moroha and then to Shippo. Bringing the pot closer, Sarrae emptied an entire ladle of the potion over her neck wound. This time, the sound of the potion bonding and repairing her flesh was much louder, and when it was done, Kanna began to breathe rapidly, her jet black eyes closing in pain.

"There is... pain. Too much..."

Her voice sounded breathless, as if every word brought her agony. A pulse of yoki ran over the white youkai's body, and the stumps of her wounds became all the more visible. Sarrae looked at their patient as if pondering the best course of action when Shippo intervened.

"Help me get her up. She needs to be healed completely."

Moroha looked at her friend and then Kanna, before finally deciding to help as best she could. She lifted the wounded youkai to her feet and walked her to the pot. Sarrae watched silently as Moroha lowered Kanna's left arm into the mixture. When it was pulled out, a new hand was forming, although the process seemed to be causing Kanna a lot of pain as the potion bonded with her original flesh. Another pulse of yoki ran over Kanna, and a sound similar to a sob escaped the youkai girl. Moroha helped Kanna kneel down and lean towards the potion, eventually managing to get the youkai girl's missing limb inside the pot. After several minutes in the awkward position, Kanna recoiled with a whimper. Her right arm was back, and she took several heavy breaths before the pain proved too much and she passed out. Shippo darted forward, and Sarrae watched in concern as Kanna twitched in her unconscious state. A final pulse of yoki ran over the youkai girl, closing her chest wound, and then her eyes flew open. Restored, she looked at Sarrae, Moroha and Shippo with an expression of total blankness, although her body language spoke to her being in considerable pain. With great effort, Kanna got to her feet and turned to Sarrae.

"The shards are in the woods around the crater lake. I will show you now."

Kanna touched her forehead and then tapped her glowing forefinger to Sarrae's temple. The kitsune gave a hiss of pain but made no move as they digested the information passed over from the revived youkai girl. After several seconds, they nodded and transformed into an ovoid shape.

"Our deal is done. Farewell."

"Wait, you're just gonna leave her here?"

Taking to the air, Sarrae was soon lost to sight as Moroha tried to intercept the stranger. Giving a sigh of frustration, she turned back to Shippo. Kanna had remained absolutely motionless, devoid of expression as the other two began to talk.

"So what now, Shippo? Take her back to the village with us?"

"It would be best for her, but Inuyasha might do something rash. We could take her to Miroku, if he's not gone off anywhere."

"Why would my dad do anything to her? She's not dangerous is she?"

"We only fought Kanna twice, but she nearly won. She is very powerful."

"Well, I'm not gonna just leave her here."

Moroha walked up to the white youkai girl and held her hand out to her. In terms of size, Kanna was taller than Shippo but much shorter than Moroha, and only reached up to her breast bone. Kanna blinked silently, not reacting. Moroha spoke up.

"D'you want to come back with us, Kanna? We can get you something to eat, a bath, and even something new to wear."

Silence was her only response as the nihilistic youkai girl stared directly ahead, looking at everything and nothing at the same time. After a long, uneasy minute of Kanna's silence, Moroha tried again.

"Kanna, say something. Anything."

Again, the revived youkai did not respond. Just as Moroha was about to ask again, she finally spoke.

"Freedom."

"Yeah, you can have that. We're not gonna lock you away, Kanna, we just wanna help you."

"Kagura spoke of freedom. Many times. Is that what you have?"

"Yes. Come back with us. We have freedom and we'll show you what it is."

Kanna blinked her obsidian black eyes and spoke up, tilting her head to look at the shihanyou.

"My... life."

Kanna's jet black eyes stared unblinkingly into Moroha's hazel eyes, and after what felt like an eternity, she tilted her head in a fraction of a nod.

"I... will come."

Shippo and Moroha led Kanna out of the woods. By now, the sun was low on the horizon, but Moroha could scent that Miroku's hut was indeed still occupied, and that he was the only one there. Where Kin'u and Gyokuto were they could only guess, but for now, only having Miroku there was best. Moroha went on ahead and rapped loudly on the doorframe.

"Hey, Miroku! You in there? Need a word with you!"

"Come on in, Moroha."

Making her way inside the hut, Moroha looked around, affirming that the monk was indeed by himself. Fortunately, there was no burning incense that night, and it didn't look like he was going to ask many questions. Even before she sat down, Miroku gave her a knowing look.

"So, you need something from me. Have you done something wrong?"

Moroha gave the monk an uneasy smile.

"Here's what happened. Shippo and I saw foxfire in the pine forest earlier, so we went to investigate what might be happening. We came across another kitsune, and they said they were gathering ingredients for a kind of flesh-bonding potion, and after annoying them quite a bit, we were allowed to help. They were healing a broken youkai to get shards of a mirror they once had that Dad helped destroy, the youkai was called Kanna."

Miroku started on hearing the name of Naraku's first detachment.

"Kanna, you say? But Kanna was killed long ago."

Shippo burst into the hut, right on cue.

"Somehow she was revived when Sesshoumaru used Tenseiga. Remember, Byakuya gave him a fragment of her mirror demon. It somehow revived her over time. She has nowhere to go."

"It's taken that long for Tenseiga to work on her? Interesting. And what do you want exactly? You want me to take her in?"

Kanna silently walked into the hut, not a muscle twitching as she came face to face with one of her former enemies. Miroku calmly looked at the dishevelled girl as he thought of what to do. Shippo shook his head.

"Not take her in all the time. Just until we can get Inuyasha to understand she's not a threat."

"Shippo, Kanna could always shroud her yoki, and she's doing it now. I really can't tell what her intent may be."

"It's not like she's working for Naraku anymore. She doesn't have anyone."

"What about the kitsune who revived her, couldn't they take her in?"

Moroha gave a loud sigh.

"Not a hope, they flew off as soon as Kanna told them what she knew. She really doesn't seem to be dangerous."

Miroku looked at his guests; his old kitsune friend, the daughter of two of his closest companions, and a revived enemy. Finally he gave a sigh.

"I'll look after her for a few days then. Moroha, you'd best go back. Your father was talking about taking you to Totosai to have your weapon examined."

"Why, what's wrong with it?"

"Nothing, but I think he plans to have it act as a seal on your blood. When a hanyou with your kind of heritage is backed into a corner and it's a case of life or death, you will transform into something you can't control. Over time, you will become more and more lost to the bloodlust. Setsuna already has a seal applied to the Yukari no Tachikiri. Trust me when I say it's for the best."

Moroha looked surprised and turned to Shippo.

"Has that ever happened with my dad?"

"Yes. One time, Sesshoumaru had to knock him out to make him stop. It was, well, really gruesome."

Nodding, Moroha got to her feet and departed for home. Kanna looked silently at Miroku before speaking up.

"What do I do?"

Miroku gestured to Shippo, and the kitsune scampered to his side.

"You're going to learn from us about what it means to make your own choices in life."

The following day, Inuyasha was busily searching for his retainer, the old flea Myoga. After an hour of looking around the places in the village most likely to hide his cowardly advisor, he reluctantly came to the conclusion that it was quite likely Myoga was already with Totosai. Muttering about how unreliable he was, Inuyasha returned to his hut, seeing no way around the problem other than to hike to Totosai's volcanic forge, which was a good five days travel away at best, more likely a week. Kirara was away with Kohaku and the other slayers, Hachiemon and Takechiyo had left, and even if he could carry all three of them, Shippo would be barely any faster than walking. What he needed, as much as it pained him to admit even to himself, was Sesshoumaru's dragon Ah-Un, as the twin headed dragon was exceptionally fast and tough. Unless he could somehow summon Totosai or his ox Momo to him through using Tessaiga, it looked unlikely that he could get Towa and Moroha to the blacksmith without hiking across the land. Just as he reached the room he shared with his wife, he felt a sharp pain in his neck, which could only be one thing. Giving an irritated snort, he slapped the spot where the old flea was drinking his blood.

"Where ya been, old Myoga? I need ya."

After falling to the floor like a leaf, Myoga picked himself up.

"What is it you need? There isn't a problem with Tessaiga is there?"

"No, but I need to get in touch with Totosai. It's for Moroha and Towa, they need seals on their weapons like I have. How do I..."

Before he could finish his sentence, there was a loud rumble of thunder from outside, followed by the mooing of the ox youkai Momo. Inuyasha got up, Myoga clinging to his hakama, and walked outside to see Totosai sat atop his mount as if he had been there all day. Inuyasha wasted no time in going up to the old blacksmith and making his demands. By the time he had finished speaking, everyone in the hut was listening in on the conversation. Totosai finally spoke his piece.

"So you want me to seal Towa and Moroha's yoki and give them better weapons eh?"

"That ain't quite how I said it, but yeah, can you do it?"

"They'll have to come with me to the forge. It should not take long."

Inuyasha turned to see his daughter and nieces stood at the doorway and beckoned them over.

"Totosai's gonna put seals on your weapons for you and upgrade 'em. Come on, Towa, Moroha."

Setsuna glanced back at her naginata.

"My new weapon already does that?"

Totosai nodded. Somewhat reluctantly, both Moroha and Towa fetched their respective weapons and climbed onto the back of the ox, but before they could say goodbye, Totosai had gone.

The first thing Towa noticed as Momo landed was the stench. The volcanic forge was active, and the smell of sulphur was especially prevalent in the air. Coughing slightly, she followed Totosai to his forge in a giant skeleton. An oddly round section had been removed from the top of the being's skull, as if an enormous orb had melted it away. Moroha looked uneasily at the blasted land around her and tried to walk faster, her feet uncomfortably warm. The old youkai sat down inside the forge and spoke.

"Let me see your weapon, Moroha."

Moroha drew Kurikaramaru and placed it before the old youkai. Totosai picked it up and examined it from every angle before putting it down and passing his judgement on the katana.

"I recognise who made this, and it's going to need to be remade to work best for you. Pick up a weapon from over there."

He pointed to a rack of swords of all different sizes and shapes leant against the wall. Moroha shrugged and took her time going through the various weapons. Finally she chose one that seemed to fit her hand just right, and had the perfect balance too. She practiced a few moves with it before putting it back. Placing her sword on an anvil, Totosai blew fire over the length of the blade before raising his hammer and striking the sword hard with it. Lines appeared where the sword had taken damage in past battles. Moroha gasped and ran up to Totosai.

"Hey, why are you breaking it apart?! Careful!"

"It must be broken to be reforged into a weapon that will seal your youkai blood, Moroha. It will be stronger because of it."

Grumbling, Moroha sat down and watched as Totosai broke her weapon into pieces. Heating the shards until they were nearly molten, he proceeded to put the weapon back together before plunging the newly forged sword into a trough of water. After a while, the old blacksmith retrieved the weapon and passed it to the sulking shihanyou girl. Getting to her feet, she tested the weight and balance of the weapon, feeling amazed at how different it felt. Totosai watched as she performed a few moves with it before speaking up.

"Kurikaramaru will now seal your youkai blood. Inuyasha's Tessaiga can take the powers of foes it has slain, and now yours can too. Your former attacks are now stronger, and soon you will discover your own move, something your father does not have."

Moroha quietly sheathed her weapon, overwhelmed by how good a job had been done on her gift from Yawaragi. Towa eagerly got up and removed her sword hilt from its' scabbard, placing it before Totosai, but the old blacksmith simply looked at the broken blade disdainfully.

"I cannot forge you a weapon to seal your youki if the energy blade is not present. You must infuse the hilt so that I can make it into a seal."

Nodding, Towa took hold of the battered hilt and held it parallel to the anvil. Soon, the cyan beam emerged to its full length, and Totosai took a strange, almost delicate looking implement and began to strike the beam with it, as if he was tempering a sword normally with a hammer. As he did so, Towa felt a pulse run from her body, into her weapon, and then back again. As she watched, she saw the beam widen, although she was not trying to do anything beyond make it hold its' usual shape. Totosai struck the beam once more before something loud sounded from nearby and Towa slumped into unconsciousness.

"...gotta be kidding me."

"I haven't seen that before. It never happened with Inuyasha."

"But how exactly did you manage to make..."

Towa groaned as she came to, feeling groggy and light-headed. Moroha looked at her cousin in concern, whilst Totosai looked at her assessingly, deep in thought. She pushed herself upright, feeling as if she had just woken from a week-long nap.

"What... happened to me?"

"Your weapons have been forged, and will seal your youkai blood as long as you have them. You can..."

"I said, what happened to me?"

By way of an answer, Totosai pointed to the anvil before him. Sat side by side were a pair of beautiful cerulean blades, slightly shorter than her original weapon and each inlaid with an identical, decorated hilt. Towa gaped at the swords and picked them up. As she held her twin blades, a feeling of alien power surrounded them, although she knew it was not one that would bring her harm. She looked around for a second scabbard, but saw none. As if in answer to her thoughts, Totosai got up and approached her. He took the twin blades off her and pressed them together, and the two blades merged into one seamlessly. Amazed, Towa took the weapon back and repeated the feat without quite knowing how she was doing it. Finally, she sheathed her weapon, words failing her. Totosai spoke up.

"Both of you can use your weapons in new ways, as well as the ways you are familiar with. Your sheaths will also recall your swords if you are separated from them, and you will not need to fear transforming into a full youkai while you have them. Towa, you can separate your weapon into two as you wish without having an effect on you."

"Thanks, Totosai."

"We really won't forget this!"

The two teenagers ran out to where Momo was stood by the forge entrance, each asking the ox youkai to return them home. It was only when Totosai gave the affirmative that they vanished, almost immediately travelling scores of miles to their village. Jumping down and saying their thanks, they both ran to Inuyasha's hut as Momo vanished. As they got inside, it became clear that Inuyasha wasn't there, although Setsuna was. Excitedly, they showed their relative each of their respective weapons, and explained what they could of their adventure to her. Just as they finished recounting their tale, Inuyasha walked back into the hut, Kagome hot on his heels.

"I don't know what to think about Kanna being back, but Miroku got her to accept a talisman that means she can't do anything to attack or harm us in any way."

"Really Inuyasha, I don't think Kanna is planning to kill us in our sleep. She's, well, she's alone now, and nobody is her master like Naraku was."

Moroha twitched uneasily.

"Was it a good idea to bring her here, Dad?"

Inuyasha sighed as he approached the fire pit and began to scoop the ash out with a blackened scoop, filling up a bucket as he did so.

"Long as she does no harm. I don't think we'll even notice her much, she's so damn quiet. It's just really weird to think one of Naraku's minions will be here."

Inuyasha emptied the bucket of ash outside, and soon had the start of a fire burning merrily, casting amber light over the walls. Just as Towa and Moroha sat down, the door opened, and Kanna silently walked in, now garbed in a pale beige yukata that had once belonged to one of the twins. Despite it having been used when Kin'u was of a similar age to Kanna, it was still rather large on the revived youkai girl. Pulling the robe around her, Kanna's jet black eyes wandered around the room before she stood still, looking down at her unblemished hands. However, Kanna had not known to tie the sash firmly, and the yukata began to open, much to everyone's embarrassment. Kagome got up and held the edges closed before anyone could see anything, and ushered Kanna into her and Inuyasha's room.

"Hold your arms out please, Kanna."

Kagome held her arms out in the position she meant. Curious as to what she had done to make everyone flush, Kanna silently copied her. Kagome pulled the yukata firmly around her, and proceeded to tie the blue obi sash around her slender waist. When she patted her on the shoulder, Kanna looked up in silence. After several seconds, she looked down at her more comfortable attire. Kagome smiled at her.

"How does it feel? More comfortable? Warm?"

Kanna continued to study her outfit before finally turning her eyes back onto Kagome.

"What... do I say?"

Kagome offered her hand to the youkai girl, who looked confused before finally extending her hand in turn.

"For now, say 'thank you'. It means you're showing gratitude for someone doing something for you."

"...Thank you."

Kagome nodded and brought Kanna back into the main room with the others, sitting beside the small fire that Inuyasha had started in the empty pit. Looking around once more, Kanna felt something she had never experienced before; a strange measure of peace. She was in a group that was not plotting anything or ways to absorb youkai. Everyone there seemed simply content with one another's companionship. She was not being bombarded with questions, and neither was she being excluded. For now, in this hut, she simply belonged as part of the group. Looking into the flames, listening to the conversation and the crackling of the fire, she felt a sense of peace envelop her.

Chapter Text

Hanyou no Yashahime
Season 3
Shards of ice

The autumnal weeks barely seemed to be started when a powerful storm and a cold snap unlike any other descended upon the village. Miroku, Gyokuto and Kin'u had moved back to the Slayer village with Sango, whilst Shippo had returned to his job tutoring other kitsune with Miss Kyuubi, taking the revived Kanna with him, to the surprise of Inuyasha and Kagome. Rin had opted to remain with her brother and sister in law, occupying the hut that had once belonged to Miroku. Riku had moved into the spare room in Inuyasha's home, much to the annoyance of Towa and the amusement of her cousin and twin. Inuyasha had been correct in his assertion that the winter would indeed be one to contend with; it was only midway through October when the first snow began to fall. However, although the storm had lasted for three days and left over two inches of snow on the ground, this had been a mere prelude. There had been an almost total lack of cloud cover since, and although the wan sunlight melted a portion of the snow during the daytime, almost as soon as the sun had set, the temperatures dropped like a rock and froze the ground hard. Food and water were at a premium, and travelling traders charged several times more what they had when they finally managed to get through to the village. Many vermin youkai had moved back into the woods surrounding the village, their malignant jyaki bringing famine and sickness with them, and Kagome was kept busy with sick villagers, exorcisms and even the odd pregnancy as the cold snap continued as well as chasing off some of the foes. Towa, Riku, Setsuna and Moroha all aided Inuyasha with fighting off venturesome youkai and pillagers, but the young quartet could not be everywhere at once, and some of the villagers were injured by the intruders. This in turn put even more pressure on the fighters struggling to keep the village safe, and after three weeks of the struggle against meagre rations, youkai attacks and bandit raids, not to mention the cold, it became apparent that Moroha in particular was feeling the pinch. After visiting Towa and Setsuna only to see they were missing, Riku calmly ventured back to Kagome's hut one morning after a busy night of fighting crow youkai that had attacked some of the more distant huts. Had it not been for the fact he and Moroha had been preoccupied with a bandit raid on the other side of the village, then perhaps the youkai could have been driven off sooner. Inuyasha was out hunting in the wilds beyond the village, and Kagome was having a rare break with no new patients. Knocking at the door, Riku waited for the village miko to answer before coming in. Bowing politely, he sank to his knees before the fire roaring in the middle of the room. Covered in a number of blankets and drifting in and out of slumber was Moroha, looking a total contrast to her usual chipper self. Dark circles ringed the shihanyou girl's eyes, her skin was pale, and even her breathing sounded laboured. Kagome turned a weary smile on Riku as she sat down too.

"Morning. You must have put up quite the fight in the night, not one of those bandits has been seen since."

Riku nodded silently.

"I plan to go to where Kirinmaru's ship is moored to see if there is any more we could use in it. My former master was rich indeed, and although I can no longer make gold dust, I know it was a skill he had mastered many years ago. If there's some left, then maybe we could obtain medicine."

Even in her sleep, Moroha murmured a comment about wanting to be rich. Turning a smile on her daughter, Kagome shook her head at Riku.

"I know how valuable it could be, but right now, you just can't go. Moroha's too tired to fight today, so if there's another attack tonight, it will just be you and..."

Kagome paused as she felt a sharp pain in her neck. Resisting the urge to give Myoga a good slap, she gave a gasp of annoyance.

"Really Myoga, now is not a good time! If you've come to..."

Surprisingly, Myoga hopped down and made his case without delay.

"Kagome, you must allow me to help young Moroha!"

Kagome's eyes quickly straightened. Although a coward at the best of times, Myoga was no liar when it came to truly important matters. She turned her full attention on her husband's servant.

"What do you mean?"

"There's something not right with her, something I've not seen before, but I have heard about it. It's a yoki disease."

Riku looked at Myoga and then Moroha. As if to prove him right, she began to cough and tremble violently. Kagome placed a hand on her daughter's forehead, frowning when she felt no excessive temperature.

"Is there anyone you know who has experience with youkai sicknesses? What do you think could have brought this on?"

"I may know someone who can help. She may have got it through exhaustion. Hanyou are more able to go with limited sleep, but shihanyou like Moroha, well, they're different. There's not much that I can do for her as she is, and..."

Casually entering the hut as if it belonged to him, Sesshoumaru walked inside, as unmarked as ever. However cold it was outside, it was clearly not affecting the saturnine inudaiyoukai. His eyes flicked from Riku to Kagome and then settled on Moroha before he spoke.

"Myoga. What is it you know about this sickness Moroha has?"

Hastily scurrying to Kagome's side, Myoga spoke up as Sesshoumaru examined his niece.

"I... I only know that some kind of illness allows the yoki in her blood to harm her. It's because of how active she has been lately with fending off bandits and youkai."

"Kagome, lift her up. Riku, you will leave."

Kagome twitched slightly at being told what to do in her home by her brother in law, but realised this was no time to be concerned with pride. Riku got up and entered his small room. Sesshoumaru waited before speaking again.

"Remove her blankets."

Despite her misgivings, Kagome did as instructed. Sesshoumaru leant in closer, and paused as Moroha's rate of breathing began to increase further.

"Keep her still."

Before she could say anything, Sesshoumaru's voluminous mokomoko wrapped around the teenage girl. He gave a small shudder before taking a close look at her once more and tilting his head slightly in a fraction of a nod.

"I have drawn out the malicious yoki affecting her. She will need to sleep, keep warm and be well fed for four days."

"I understand. Thank you, Sesshoumaru. Have you heard from Kohaku and his Slayers?"

"They are near where you met and slew the bat youkai. Six days travel away. For now, I will persuade the youkai vermin to leave."

"How will you do that?"

Sesshoumaru gave her a half glance out of his golden eyes before getting to his feet and exiting the hut. Standing in an empty, frozen rice paddy, Sesshoumaru assumed his majestic true form and gave a deep, awe-inspiring roar. He repeated himself four times over before glaring at the borders of the village, roared a sixth time, and them shrank back to the typical size of his human form. He calmly returned to Kagome's hut and sat by the fireside, silently keeping a vigil over his niece and sister in law.

It was midday by the time Inuyasha returned, bearing a pair of scrawny partridges he had killed whilst out hunting. He opened the door and walked in, his eyes flicking to Sesshoumaru briefly before turning his attention to his wife and daughter.

"You'd have to see it to believe it out there. There's just nothing about. I could..."

Inuyasha stopped and abruptly looked over at Moroha, who was wrapped up in every spare blanket the small family had. Even so, the young shihanyou girl was trembling in the cold, enough to make Inuyasha worry for her. He began to pile more wood on the fire, and when the flames were roaring, he departed to pluck and ready the birds, prepared to go hungry himself if it would help his child. When the birds were ready, he left them to cook and rejoined Kagome and Sesshoumaru in the main room. It was a sign of how much he had changed over the years that he barely paid his brother any notice. Moroha muttered something incoherent in her sleep, prompting Inuyasha to peel off his suikan to drape over her head. The effect was immediate; Moroha stopped shaking, smiled, and spoke more clearly.

"I can... hear you speak to... Papa... Papa..."

Sitting down beside his feverish daughter, Inuyasha caressed her hair through the cloth, eliciting croons of contentment. Inuyasha smiled gently at her, ignoring both Kagome and Sesshoumaru. After some time, Sesshoumaru got to his feet and silently left for Rin's hut, and Kagome checked on the meat that was roasting over the fire. For what felt like an eternity, Inuyasha remained by his daughter's side until at last, her hazel eyes opened. She gave a tired smile and tried to reach up.

"I'm really... not that badly... sick, Papa. I can... still fight if... I need to."

Taking his daughter's hand in his own, Inuyasha shook his head.

"You're not gonna leave this hut for four days. Sesshoumaru's scared off all the youkai for a while. Heh, guess we owe him a favour now. Stay there, your food's gonna be ready soon."

Moroha mumbled something about her not being an invalid, but didn't attempt to get up. She continued to lie down as the food was brought to her, and then with her usual lack of decorum, she ate ravenously.

In her shared room, Setsuna was sat upright, outwardly relaxed but poised to move at the slightest provocation. Her violet eyes traversed the walls slowly, creasing into a slight smile as she beheld her sleeping twin. Her opinion of Towa had changed significantly since first meeting her, although she still found her sister to be naive and idealistic. Not for the first time, she wondered about how Towa's adoptive family were doing with no Towa left, and the reaction her true parents would have towards Mei and Sota for looking after her. She was all but certain that Rin would be openly appreciative for the decade of care they had given her, but her father's actions were more of a puzzle to her. The recent nights' of activity had not left her particularly tired; out of the four of them, she had had the most practice in operating with little rest and even with her ability to rest restored to her, it was not something she did much of. Towa turned over on her futon, drawing a wider smile out of the reticent hanyou. Just as she turned away, a glimpse of an aura separate from Towa's flashed into being for a second. Setsuna's eyes were on it before it had faded, locking onto the aqua blue. It appeared to be not unlike a kitsune's fox fire, although it wavered more like ripples in a pool than anything else. A slight tinge of red appeared too before the phenomena ended, drawing a puzzled frown. Her and her sister were no strangers to death; during a battle with Kirinmaru, she had been struck down and killed by the Beast King, and it was only through Towa's usage of the broken Tenseiga that she had come back. Towa had been killed by absorbing a lethal amount of yoki and by naively loaning her body and soul to Kirinmaru's estranged daughter Rion, although the young daiyoukai girl had given her life once again after bidding farewell to her father and joining him in his ascent to heaven. Across the room from her, Towa's brow furrowed. Her dreams had been non-existent for the last few nights with so much time being taken up slaying youkai. Indeed, she would usually come in and flop down on her futon without even changing out of her clothing. However, as she caught up on her sleep, she found her mind begin to wander. Indistinct shapes danced before her eyes, and suddenly she twitched and woke up with a start. She noticed her twin was watching and gave a smile that Setsuna did not hesitate to return. She pushed herself to her feet, hugging the thickest of her blankets to her as she got up.

"Uncle Inuyasha was not wrong with this winter being severe. I don't think it was ever this bad when I lived in the other era."

Setsuna looked up at her sister.

"Wait. I'd like to ask you about some things that happen."

Towa smiled and walked to sit next to her sibling. Guessing what her sister was going to ask her for, Setsuna fluffed out her mokomoko and let her cuddle into the luxuriously soft fur. Towa nodded as she pressed the fur to her cheek.

"What do you want to know?"

"You said that you never saw another hanyou or even a youkai?"

"That's true, but I didn't know what to look for, and there was only one person I wanted to find."

Towa's voice remained stable, yet it was clear to Setsuna that her failure to find her was something that weighed on her twin even to this day. Even had she scoured the planet, Setsuna would not have turned up.

"You mentioned some sort of end of the world thing?"

Towa gave a slight laugh.

"Oh, that was about eighteen months after I arrived there. Some old calendar from an ancient culture ran out, and lots of people thought it would mean the end of the world. Papa Sota told me that there had been several of them, and every time some people believed it was real. There was a strange event with the planet Venus that year, at least I think there was, but the world remained in one piece, as you saw."

Setsuna continued to ask questions about inventions and discoveries made in the era Towa had grown up in, finding some interesting and others less so. After a while, both girls got up and joined their mother in the main room. Despite how well the hut had been made to resist the cold, Rin was shaking even as she squatted by the fire. Towa pulled the blanket off her and draped it around Rin, drawing a smile from her.

"There's n-no need for that, my dear Towa, I'm not that cold. You should..."

Without wasting a word, Towa sat beside her mother and snuggled up to her, the blanket covering them both. Setsuna sat on their mother's other side, her mokomoko embracing her mother and sister like a third limb. Rin's quaking ceased almost immediately as she huddled down with her daughters. She gently pressed a kiss to each of her children's foreheads as they huddled around the fire.

Chapter Text

Hanyou no Yashahime
Season 3
Blood in the snow

The weeks progressed slowly in the tight grip of winter. Many smaller youkai had got the message that the mighty daiyoukai Sesshoumaru was prowling the area around the Bone Eater's Well, and the youkai incursions had dried up completely. Human raiders were almost entirely absent too, leaving the village free to pursue the more critical duties of tending to the sick, hunting and caring for the weak and old. Inuyasha had taken Moroha out after she had recovered from her sickness, and the plucky shihanyou girl had proved how resilient she truly was. The shortest day of the year had already been and gone, but the weather had been steadily cold, although a couple of days had seen some sunshine and improvements in the temperature. Riku had left the village for old haunts of his, hoping to discover some forgotten caches of gold dust that could be used in an emergency. Setsuna walked from her hut to her uncle's, and rapped smartly on his door. A gentle wind was blowing, but not keeping the temperature low. The door opened, and her uncle beckoned her in. Sat by the fire pit was Kagome, a pot hung over the flames with a fragrant brew bubbling away. Looking up, Kagome smiled and gestured to the fireside.

"Welcome, Setsuna. Will you have a drink with us?"

"Thank you aunt."

Setsuna waited quietly while Inuyasha plucked the pot off the flames and poured three cups full of the herbal tea. Thanking her uncle, Setsuna quietly sipped at her tea before addressing her relatives.

"I wanted to know if Hosenki has been back and said anything new about the Meidou Stone. I know that my grandmother possesses one, but she wouldn't let it out of her sight for anything."

Inuyasha picked up the jewel.

"Hosenki says there's no way to repair one, and this one will break after either a century or ten uses. Probably less. Why, you wanna take it to Sesshoumaru?"

"He may know someone who knows something else, although it seems unlikely."

"Well, pass it on to him just in case."

Setsuna took the jewel from her uncle, looking it over keenly. The cracks were barely discernible even to her. Hanging it around her neck, she was about to mention her mother's invitation to eat with her relatives when she froze. The wind brought with it a very faint scent that she was familiar with, even surrounded by the smells so commonly found in a hut. Her eyes narrowed as she looked in the direction of the scent.

"But... That can't be..."

Kagome and Inuyasha looked on in confusion as Setsuna dropped her cup and sped out of the doorway. Inuyasha sniffed the air, but was unable to pinpoint the source of the smell. Deciding to follow anyway, he picked up Tessaiga.

"I'm gonna see what's wrong. Setsuna's usually pretty level-headed."

"Alright, just be careful out there. Hurry back."

Nodding to his wife, Inuyasha exited the building, pausing only to shut the door, and was soon tracking Setsuna into the woods. Towa and Moroha had been gone all day hunting, but although they too had gone into the woods, it was clear they had angled out of the trees. Before long he began to pick up the scent too.

Setsuna ran with a speed born of desperation. As she got closer, it was soon apparent that there were not one or two sources, but actually ten. All too aware that she had left her weapon behind, Setsuna skidded to a halt. Near a snowy overhang was a surprising scene. Laid down on her back, bloodied, gasping and whimpering in pain was her childhood friend Futa. The state of the camp suggested that the birthing mother had been caught off-guard, and the scent of the blood had lured the scavengers in. Stood over her, trying to watch all eight foes at once was Raita, his trident looking woefully inadequate to protect Futa and do battle at the same time. He scythed at the air with his weapon, sending a burst of thunderbolts at the nearest youkai, but mere feet away from it the bolts were deflected. Cursing, Raita aimed for a second youkai, only to be met with the same result. Setsuna dashed up to her childhood friends, curving her hands into talons. Raita glared at her, but soon realised who she was.

"Setsuna? But you..."

"Later. Right now we fight."

Setsuna swiped at a venturesome youkai, and through sheer luck she managed to kill it. However, the others were more wary now, and soon they were pressing in on the trio. Raita muttered something as he scooped up Futa's leaf-shaped fan and tried to unleash two attacks at once. A crescent shaped blade surrounded by small sparking bolts struck down a second youkai, but the effort expended caused the male hanyou to collapse to his knees, panting for breath. Behind the two defenders, Futa gasped in pain as she bled, releasing a fresh odour into the icy air that tantalised her attackers. Emboldened, the six remaining youkai pressed in. Setsuna was about to launch herself at one of their attackers when another spat a blob of some sort at her. Engulfing her from the nose down, the goo turned hard almost immediately, and she fell to the ground unable to move and barely able to see. Mere seconds later, Inuyasha himself appeared, Tessaiga glowing bright red. The seasoned hanyou warrior brought his weapon to bear on the six youkai, and six slashes later, the attackers were all dead. He looked at his niece and punched the cocoon encasing her, causing it to shatter. Picking herself up out of the snowy dirt quickly, she turned to where Futa lay and grabbed for her uncle's fire rat jacket.

"Uncle, this is urgent."

Recognising that this was no time to stand around and ask questions, Inuyasha handed over his jacket and began to gather wood for a fire. Raita got to his feet as Setsuna draped the warm red cloth over Futa, whose breathing was becoming faster. Setsuna looked at her friend as he came closer.

"What happened to her, did one of those youkai slash her or something?"

Raita shook his head grimly.

"It's not like that. It's, well, you see..."

He took a deep breath before speaking up.

"Futa is giving birth."

Setsuna blinked owlishly as she made Futa as comfortable as she could, even using her mokomoko to wrap around her friend. Raita looked distinctly uneasy as Inuyasha returned with an armful of wood and began to start a fire, but upon seeing Setsuna's nod of approval, he lost his wary fear of Inuyasha. As small flames licked at the drying wood, Inuyasha set about tidying up the makeshift campsite, Raita related their story to Setsuna.

"About two years after you left the village, Miss Shiori told us that, for now at least, our path lay in the outside world. She did recommend we stay together and to go to the village you were born in. We decided to explore the lower lands before we went to where you lived, but no matter where we went, humans wanted us dead for our youkai blood, and youkai wanted us dead for many other reasons too. We saved a trader who had been ambushed by bandits, and he offered us whatever we wanted from his wagon in exchange. He said that he'd heard of a mighty hanyou called Inuyasha, and promised to tell people that at least we were not to be feared or hated. As you know, our human nights are on opposite sides of the moon; Futa is on the waxing half, and I'm on the waning. Not long after one of my human nights, we split up to hunt and came upon a rat youkai. I felt I was going to die, but Futa came to my rescue and looked after me until I had recovered. It was then we discovered our trader friend again, and he gave us enough supplies for a week. Not long after that, I asked if Futa would be with me, she said that she would, and we haven't left one another since. But neither of us expected that she would give birth in just four months."

Coughing weakly, Futa opened her eyes and looked at Setsuna. When she spoke, her voice was raspy and weak.

"Set...suna? You... found us?"

"Yes. You're actually not far from where I live with my family now. Do..."

Futa gave a hacking cough, enough so that Setsuna was scared for her. She took a deep breath as a contraction came, and gave a drawn out wail as she pushed with all her might. Raita took both her hands in his as he lay down beside his wife, whispering words of encouragement to her. Over the next hour, Inuyasha and Setsuna guarded the birthing hanyou teenager whilst Raita comforted her and supplied her with what liquids he could. At long last, the final contraction came. Futa pushed all she could, and finally, the baby began to emerge. Raita looked at their child with an expression of wonder, answered by a weak smile from Futa.

"Our... our baby..."

Tears ran down the male hanyou's cheeks as Futa shut her eyes, her breathing slowing down. Inuyasha's golden eyes flashed as he caught on to the fact that something was not right. When Moroha had been born, his daughter had been a non-stop fidget. Kagome had been exhausted from her first birth, but Moroha had almost entered the world running, only settling down when she had been given to her father to hold. Futa's baby was all but motionless, and it was only as the new bundle of life trembled that Inuyasha realised what had happened. Whether due to the stress of the cold winter on the mother, blood loss or some kind of yoki related sickness, the newborn had tragically died mere minutes out of the womb. Raita and Setsuna soon caught on, and Raita tenderly embraced his child, the tears falling thick and fast. Setsuna suddenly looked hard at Futa, only to see that she had stopped breathing. The stress of the birth, along with whatever else she had gone through, had ended the mother at the same time as the child. Raita looked utterly devastated as he tucked his baby in next to Futa, and shuddered as he was consoled by Inuyasha and Setsuna. Inuyasha made no move to reclaim his fire rat jacket, and as Setsuna embraced her friend, she gave a slight grunt as she made to brush the Meidou Stone away before she suddenly paused. Of course. The answer to this tragedy was literally hanging around her neck. The damaged Meidou Stone would surely be strong enough to revive her friend and her child. Getting up, she draped the necklace over Futa's chest first, not knowing what else to do. In a matter of seconds, Futa's eyes had opened, and she was looking around bemusedly. The bloodstains on her tunic were now dry and old, and she had the scent of one in perfect health. Hanging the necklace around the baby's neck, it had soon revived the newborn as well. A pair of large cracks reached out from the middle to the edge, but the gem didn't appear in any danger of breaking. Futa sat up very slowly, still weakened by her first birth, and looked at Setsuna and Inuyasha.

"How did you... find us out here, Setsuna? And... who is he?"

"I smelled your blood on the wind and came to find you. This is my uncle, Inuyasha."

Futa wrapped her child in the fire rat cloth.

"But... is he..."

"He's a hanyou too, like us, I think. I'll explain everything when we get back to the village. We can't leave you out in the cold."

Replacing the invaluable gift around her own neck, Setsuna set about helping Inuyasha and Raita break camp. Futa finally managed to regain her feet, holding her baby close to her as she got her breath back. She looked around slowly as their few possessions were bundled up, and Setsuna hoisted the packs onto her back. Raita took their child from her as Inuyasha squatted before her. Futa looked at the strange hanyou in confusion.

"Wait, what do you..."

"Just get on my back so we can get you to the village. My wife's a miko and can get you back to health in no time."

"I can walk just fine, Inuyasha, and..."

Inuyasha sighed and looked over his shoulder at Futa.

"The sooner we get you there, the sooner you can rest, eat and everything else. I can smell how much blood you lost giving birth, and in case you forgot, giving birth literally killed you. Now come on."

Futa gingerly clambered up onto Inuyasha's back. The unlikely company set out back for the village.

Kagome wrapped Futa's baby in a clean sheet and beckoned the young mother closer to her. Raita was waiting in the same room, whilst Inuyasha and Setsuna had been sent to Rin's house. It had taken less than half an hour to return to the village from the spot the hanyou teen had gone into labour, but already she was feeling the aftermath of the birth and had eaten every morsel of food she had been offered. Wearily, Futa joined Kagome by the fireside and smiled at the miko. Kagome returned her smile and passed the baby to her.

"Well, after everything, your baby seems in good health now."

Futa took her baby son into her arms and smiled gently down at him. Taking this as some kind of signal, the baby opened his crystal blue eyes and looked up at his mother for the first time. Futa's eyes welled up as she looked at her firstborn. She ran her finger down his cheek gently and spoke his name out loud.

"Seika..."

The baby gurgled and reached up, curling his tiny fingers around his mother's finger, blinking slowly. Kagome smiled and began to pack away her herbs when Futa turned to her.

"He has some strong yoki. Does this mean he's more than a hanyou?"

"It's possible. I'll get Inuyasha to..."

"To come and do what?"

Inuyasha walked in as if this kind of scene was an everyday occurence, not something that could be extremely personal to a mother and a midwife. Raita walked in beside him, a slightly guilty look in his eyes, suggesting the younger hanyou male had gone to fetch Inuyasha. He looked at the alert baby with a soft smile.

"Heh, I don't think much is gonna give him trouble when he gets older. What'd you choose to call him?"

"His... his name's Seika. Inuyasha, we owe you something we can't repay."

Inuyasha blushed at the praise and tried to wave it off.

"Yeah well, for now, just focus everything on him. He'll do fine with you looking after him. Besides, yonsanyou are tougher than us."

Kagome looked at her husband in confusion at the new word.

"Yonsanyou?"

"Yeah. A quarter youkai like Moroha is a shihanyou, and a three quarter one is a yonsanyou. He will probably be able to handle his youkai blood when he's older, but for now, keep him warm and fed. Like you need me to tell you that."

Futa pressed a kiss to her child's forehead as Raita came to sit with her.

"Can you help us with a home until the spring? It might not be a good idea to return to Miss Shiori's village until then."

"We can do better. For now, you can sleep in Moroha's room, and she can have Riku's. He'll have to sleep with Rin and her daughters."

A sly grin crept across Inuyasha's face.

"Yeah, I'm sure he's gonna absolutely hate that. I'll move his stuff out, and then Moroha's stuff into his room. She won't mind."

Raita looked up.

"You really don't mind us sharing a home with you?"

"Oh, you're gonna earn your stay here, pipsqueak."

"Inuyasha!"

"Hey, I was kidding!"

The younger male hanyou smiled as Inuyasha began to move items from Riku's small room. Futa excused herself from the room, and was given Kagome's futon to sleep in whilst Raita helped out. By the time the sun was setting, everything was ready, and Moroha had returned from hunting, gladly welcoming the newcomers. Upon being told she would be sleeping in the smaller, narrow room, her face had fallen a bit, but she had soon accepted the fact that it was out of necessity, and upon hearing that Futa and Seika had literally died that day, she was more willing to give up her space. She eagerly sat down against the wall, having bargained the young family's use of her room in exchange for a cuddle with the baby, and was soon cradling Seika in her arms with a tenderness that was touching to see from the tough shihanyou youth. Moroha gently caressed the baby's pudgy cheeks with her forefinger, something the newborn seemed to enjoy. She smiled and looked up at her father.

"Hey dad, you ever met a yonsanyou before?"

"Long time ago, way before I ever met Kaede and Kikyo. Come on, pass the baby back now. Futa will wanna spend a bit of time with her son."

"Do they have human nights too?"

"Yeah, but only once in three months."

Moroha nodded, and lifted the baby up to his mother. Futa smiled and retreated to her borrowed room to feed her child. Just as the curtain fell across the doorway, Riku knocked at the door. Kagome let him in and began to explain the situation.

"We've run into a bit of a problem with space, Riku. Earlier today, two of Setsuna's hanyou childhood friends were found in the woods nearby, and the mother died in childbirth, as did the infant. Setsuna managed to revive them with the Meidou Stone, but they have nowhere else to go for the winter. Do you mind moving in with Rin, Setsuna and Towa until the spring?"

Riku inclined his head politely, masking his delight perfectly.

"Of course, I understand that you need to put room aside for them. Have you told Rin yet?"

Kagome paused as she was about to reply, realising that she had not informed her sister in law of the development. Inuyasha gave a sigh and trudged outside to where Rin lived in a larger hut, and explained the situation. However, Rin was nothing if not understanding, and had anticipated making room possibly for Moroha or Riku. Nervously thanking her, Inuyasha returned to his home, glancing up at the sky. Rising in the east was the moon, and he squinted at it, noting that it was a day away from being full. Making a note to tell Raita, he opened the door to Riku.

"Yeah, I had a word, and she says it's fine."

"Thank you, Inuyasha. I will see you tomorrow I hope?"

"Y'will. Just hope that baby sleeps quietly."

Chuckling at the thought of Inuyasha being unable to sleep owing to a crying baby, Riku carried his possessions to Rin's hut, and was soon shown to his new room, directly next to the twins'. Towa in particular seemed more than happy with the arrangement, whilst Setsuna seemed indifferent. Rin ladled out a bowl of thick soup for her guest, who gratefully accepted and began to enjoy his meal.

By the time the moon had reached its' peak in the sky, only Inuyasha and Kagome were awake. Futa, Raita and Seika were cuddled up in Moroha's room, and their daughter was coping well with the small sleeping space, although she had argued about how much she should be paid for a bounty in her sleep. Inuyasha embraced Kagome tenderly as they sat around the embers of the fire, both quietly taking the time to simply enjoy being with one another. Futa was still using inuyasha's jacket, but the hanyou was showing no signs of being cold. Kagome leant against her husband in the warm darkness, pressing a passionate kiss to his upper neck despite her tiredness.

"Our lives always seem to have some kind of excitement in them, don't they Inuyasha?"

Leaning down, Inuyasha responded to her kiss with one of his own.

"I wouldn't wanna live without you, Kagome."

Smiling at one another, the two retreated to their bedroom and pushed their futons together, curling up underneath and holding one another close as they drifted off into peaceful slumber.

Chapter Text

Hanyou no Yashahime
Season 3
The blessing of spring

Spring slowly began to return to the land as the cold weeks of February gradually eased their grip. The heavy frost that had coated the ground for so long melted in fits and starts in the spring sunshine, turning the roads to mud as the meltwater ran away before evaporating. The temperatures rose above freezing more and more frequently, and the days lengthened steadily. Life was not significantly easier for the inhabitants of the village yet, but the villagers could at least get by without worrying about the bone-chilling temperatures they had endured for so long.

Waking up slowly, Futa gave a deep sigh as she pushed herself upright. Today was a half moon day, which meant she would lose her yoki at midday and not regain it until midnight. She took a long draught of water and looked around the room she was still borrowing from Inuyasha's daughter. Her fatal accident in the winter had left her markedly weaker than she had been before; no matter what they tried in her favour, nothing seemed to work. Her yonsanyou son Seika seemed to be doing well, as did her husband Raita. Inuyasha, Kagome and even Myoga had checked her for any kind of illness, yet nothing seemed to be outwardly wrong with the hanyou mother. Fatigue had worn down several of the villagers, but nobody could say with any surety what had caused Futa's condition. Silently hoping that the coming of spring would alleviate her condition, she lifted up her two month old baby, who had already doubled in size. However, he was a gentle soul, totally obedient and slept soundly throughout the nights, bringing no stress to parents or home-owners. Seika's crystal blue eyes opened slowly as he raised a chubby hand to Futa's cheek, bringing a smile to her face. She had not planned on becoming a mother so young, but now that she and Raita had their son, she realised she wouldn't change things even if she could. Seika gurgled loudly and lazily reached up for his mother's nose. Futa twitched away from his questing hand and gently touched a kiss to her venturesome son's forehead. She set about feeding her child, hearing that in the next room Inuyasha was also getting up. Behind her, she could tell that Raita was also about to awaken. Seika had already finished feeding and was dozing in his mother's arms when she heard Raita yawning. Pulling her yukata back up, she smiled down at him.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yes. Inuyasha said he'll help us choose our own home today. Some of the huts have been empty all winter, and we have been here for two months."

"It has been a very trying time for all of us. Did Setsuna decide when she's rejoining her father?"

"She left last night whilst you were asleep. I told her that you and Seika said goodbye."

Futa laid her baby down gently on her futon, where he began to croon in his sleep.

"I wish you'd woken me up, but thank you for saying goodbye for me. Did her sister go with her?"

"Oh, no, Towa is still here. She was talking about visiting a place called Mount Musubi with Moroha and Setsuna, but Setsuna said there was no point in going back to it."

Yawning widely, Moroha knocked on the doorframe. Raita spoke up.

"Yes?"

"Hey, I made breakfast for you guys. Y'coming?"

Internally, Raita blanched. Moroha was a kind-hearted soul, if a little boisterous, but out of all her talents, her ability to cook left much to be desired. Several times throughout the winter, only Inuyasha's keen nose had saved their meals from going up in smoke. Yet the small family had taken them in without a second thought, never once discussed a possible moving out date, and never complained about the cramped living quarters they now found themselves in. He nodded to the eager shihanyou.

"W-we'll be there in just a minute, Moroha. Thank you for your thoughtfulness."

Moroha grinned from ear to ear.

"No problem! And don't worry, I made enough for seconds! Gotta start the day with plenty of food!"

As she turned away, Raita really did wince. Double portions from Moroha's cooking to start the day? He beckoned to Futa, and the two hanyou teenagers wandered into the main room. In typical fashion, Moroha was wolfing down her breakfast in imitation of her father, whilst Kagome looked on in strained patience. Turning an apologetic smile on her guests, Kagome scooped up two portions of food and handed them a bowl each. Thanking their hostess, Futa and Raita sat down and cautiously sampled the food. To their mild surprise, today it was not quite as bad as they had anticipated. Perhaps Kagome's instructions on cooking were finally paying off, or they were eating a reheated meal from the previous night. After finishing their food, Kagome spoke up.

"The weather is getting better, do you want to stay in the village? I can talk with the village council to have a hut made for you and baby Seika by the time spring arrives if you like."

Raita and Futa exchanged looks as they put their bowls aside.

"Well, we don't want to be a burden or anything by staying here. Are there any huts already empty?"

"There are a few, but they've all got something wrong with them like a damaged ceiling or wall or something. If a new one is made, it'll last a lot longer. And you will need a good home to raise little Seika in."

Raita silently admitted that he hadn't thought of that. Although their baby had more youkai blood in him than human, surely it would be best to not take chances with his health. He nodded as Inuyasha finished his meal.

"Alright then. The villagers don't know about our human times do they?"

"I don't think they do. I'm almost certain they won't bother you at all. Most of them think hanyou are a good thing, and the ones that don't, just keep clear of them. We'll talk to the village council today. Futa, are you alright?"

Futa nodded slowly and got up.

"Yes, I should be fine. I just don't know why I'm a lot more drained now than I was before."

"It could be because Seika is a three quarter hanyou, and because you had your... incident when he was born."

Inuyasha spoke up as he was about to leave to help Sango and Miroku.

"I'll ask if there's anything that can be done. Sango knows her stuff about youkai, she's even taught me a few things. See ya later guys."

Moroha looked up eagerly.

"Can I come with you, Papa?"

"Not today kiddo, I need you to go hunting in case we run low again. Everyone's been heading to the plains and the forests, so I want you to go and check out the lake. Might be some good fish we haven't seen yet."

Moroha pouted but embraced her father anyway.

"Alright, I'll get whatever I can for us."

Inuyasha smiled warmly at his only child and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"I know you will. Take care out there."

Waving goodbye to the other occupants of the hut, Inuyasha was soon on his way to the Slayers village, not the slightest bit bothered by the cold mud. High overhead, the sky was patchy, permitting lukewarm sunlight to filter through. 

In another hut nearby, Riku was slowly waking up, already feeling exhausted. He turned his turquoise eyes to his right with a smile. Laid down next to him, her yukata and hair in a mess but her features at total peace, was Towa. Rin had gone back to Sesshoumaru's mansion almost a week ago, and Setsuna had left last night to join her parents, leaving Riku and Towa alone. He wondered over their course of action the previous night, and silently debated if their somewhat... rash choice to act upon their impulses had been perhaps the wisest thing to do. Inuyasha would likely scent that something had happened, and if Towa's uncle could, Sesshoumaru himself would be as aware of it as if they had done the deed right in front of him. Getting up, Riku went to take a drink when suddenly Towa began to mumble in her sleep. At first she was making little to no sense, but soon her gossip became more and more understandable. Riku flushed awkwardly and drank from a canteen quickly, wondering what to do. He began to dress, and turned to find Towa watching him from where they had slept together. Her eyes were heavy, and she looked every bit as exhausted as he did. Lovebites marked her cheeks and down to other, somewhat more incriminating areas. Stretching herself like a cat, Towa yawned widely. When she spoke, her voice was distinctly higher than usual.

"Well, last night was certainly..."

"Towa, don't say anything about it! What if your father finds out? You've got marks all over you."

Towa smiled as if drunk and got to her feet.

"And who was it who put them there, Master Riku? Could it be a handsome Qilin daiyoukai? I must say, you're very good at kissing, and this..."

She stumbled towards him, her smile broadening.

"This, this, this could be something I learn to get used to. When you kissed me on my neck for the first time, I thought I knew what paradise was. Then you kissed me on my..."

Riku clapped a hand over Towa's mouth, glancing towards the door.

"We have to find a way to cover up what we did last night, because if Sesshoumaru finds out then I can..."

"Oh, you'll be screwed alright."

Riku froze in terror as Moroha sauntered in, a casual smile on her face. Towa yawned again and smiled at her cousin, still looking pleasantly drunk.

"Hey Moroha, you know who this guy is don't you? He's just the absolute best!"

Moroha's smirk was enough to make Riku wince. If word got to Sesshoumaru about him and Towa having spent the night in very close proximity, he might as well die here and now. It wouldn't even matter that Towa had made the first move. He hastily turned to the grinning shihanyou.

"Look Moroha, you can't tell anyone about this, and I mean anyone. You know how Lord Sesshoumaru is, and if he hears about this he'll..."

"Kill you, yeah I know. You're gonna owe me for this. Right now we gotta shut Towa up, and I think I know how to. Wait here and make sure she doesn't leave the hut."

Darting out through the door, Moroha returned to her own home. Futa and Raita had taken Seika and gone with Kagome to speak with the village council, leaving the house empty. Rummaging through the kitchen, she soon found exactly what she was looking for; a bottle of sake and a small cup. Inuyasha and Kagome occasionally partook in a small helping before turning in for the evening. Picking up both bottle and cup, she returned to Towa's hut. Riku was being smothered by an affectionate Towa, who was acting more and more inebriated by the minute despite the fact she had not had any alcohol. Moroha sniggered and poured out a portion into the cup and managed to persuade Towa to hold it.

"Have some of this, you'll like it, cousin. Riku's gonna have some too, aren't you?"

Catching on to Moroha's wink, Riku agreed. Towa giggled and knocked back the entire cup of sake in one go, prompting her to giggle even more. Turning her attention fully to her cousin, she leant in and bit her on the shoulder. Sighing, Moroha poured a second cup of sake, but was unable to persuade Towa to let go. She wasn't biting hard, but she was persistent to say the least. Giving up, Moroha sloshed the cup of sake over Towa's head, which made her let go and fall over onto her back. Passing the cup to Riku, Moroha sat her upright and made sure she was alright. Hastily taking a measure of the alcohol, Riku made to join her but was forestalled by Moroha. The smell of the fumes was making Towa dizzy and finally slowing her down, but she still seemed to want to carry on biting her cousin. Rolling her eyes, Moroha knocked her cousin off her shoulder and moved her aside, and began to help Riku tidy up the interior of the hut, noticing how tense and jittery he was. Towa lay down on the floor and drifted into a light slumber. Breaking the silence, Moroha addressed Riku bluntly.

"So exactly what did you get up to then?"

Riku flinched as if Sesshoumaru himself had just appeared. Fiddling with a blanket, he opened the door to the hut in the hope of airing it out somewhat and began to talk.

"Well Towa and I got to talking about our future and my past. A lot has happened since Kirinmaru and Miss Rion died, and I suppose I was remembering them because of their last gifts to me; Miss Rion gave me her Kon, and Kirinmaru gave his remaining Haku. Somehow, Towa began to act strangely, and we both fell asleep cuddled up together."

Moroha turned a smug look on the Qilin detachment.

"So you didn't actually..."

"No! Yes! I'm not sure what happened while I was asleep!"

The shihanyou girl shook her head as she placed their dishes to be washed.

"Well if Sesshoumaru does come along, call for me. But like I said, I want a promise I can ask you for a favour. Anything I want."

Riku nodded so fast he cricked his neck.

"Anything, I swear!"

Both returned to cleaning, and by the time they were done, Towa had begun to wake up. She wrinkled her nose at the smell of the sake and walked to the outside, looking at the water barrel with great trepidation. Riku nervously joined her, now dressed in a different set of clothes. Towa gave a smile as he stood beside her and gestured to the barrel.

"Can you use your power to lift some of that water up for me? Thanks to Moroha, I stink of sake."

Hastily, Riku complied and held the water over a patch of ground whilst Towa rinsed her hair out. Ever since the autumn, she had not cut it, although it was barely any longer now than it had been. She nodded in thanks and returned to the hut, already planning to give Moroha a piece of her mind, only to find that her cousin had snuck out whilst her attention had been elsewhere. Smiling ruefully, she entered the small kitchen and began to look around for something to eat.

As the sun was setting, Moroha was returning to the village with little to show for her efforts. Although she had found several large fish, all had been out of reach even for her ranged attacks. She had managed to bag a single pigeon, and the bird had barely enough meat on it for a snack for one person, never mind her family and their lodgers. A small group of people were gathered around a trader with a wagon, haggling over the goods. Curiosity drove Moroha to stop and wait for the others to leave, and the trader eyed the shihanyou girl in friendly curiosity. Unless someone looked especially close, Moroha could pass as a human without effort. Only her penchant for sniffing and clawed nails were likely to give her away, and she had learned to explain both things away during her time as a bounty hunter.

 
"Anything you'd like, miss? How about this lantern frame? A scroll? Ink?"

Moroha gave a half-smile.

"Sorry, I've not got much to trade with. But my village isn't far away, they might do business with you if you want?"

The trader nodded and followed Moroha towards where Inuyasha lived. Gently sniffing the wind, she could tell that Setsuna had returned along with her mother, but there was no hint that Sesshoumaru was in the area. Coming to a stop outside her home, she gestured for the trader to wait as she dashed inside. After a minute or two, Kagome ventured outside with Raita, carrying various items to trade or sell. In due course, Raita had bartered for the lantern frame, and Kagome had exchanged a polished shell necklace for some scrolls. Sensing that his customers were keen to buy more, the trader opened up a section in the middle of his wagon with two items in it. One was a glass tank containing, of all things, a golden hued fish. Kagome eyed the fish curiously.

"So what's this?"

"This happy creature is the koi king himself. A true magic carp! If you buy him, any other koi he mates with will be..."

"No thank you, no fish. What's this?"

Sat by the tank was a pearlescent vial full of water. The trader smiled as Kagome picked up the vial.

"This is holy water from the ruins of Mount Musubi. There was an avalanche in the mountains during winter, and a miko like yourself obtained this. It can be..."

"I'll buy it. How much?"

The trader looked surprised and hastily named a price. After haggling back and forth, the trader settled on a shard of 'adamantite', although Kagome knew it to be diamond, and a bag of charcoal. Thanking his customer, the trader moved off into the village. As she sat down in the hut, Moroha looked at the holy water in curiosity.

"Did he say it came from the ruins of Mount Musubi?"

"Yes. Have you been there?"

"We did, it was where Towa got the Zanseiken from, and where we found Rion."

"Rion, I remember hearing about her. She was Kirinmaru's child, wasn't she?"

"That's right. Towa and Setsuna mentioned something about her when we came back from Shiori's village. I think they mentioned ingredients for some kind of potion."

"What would it do?"

"I'm not sure, but I know Setsuna kept the silver branch and spirit tree fruit she was given. I'll talk to them about it when they..."

Knocking on the door, Inuyasha got up and greeted his sister in law and nieces as well as Riku. Setsuna had brought back plenty of food for all, and soon everyone was eating together. Raita took enough food for Futa, who was still in her human form, thanked Setsuna, and disappeared into their room. After eating, Moroha spoke up.

"Setsuna, what was it that was needed for that elixir you mentioned when we came back from Shiori's village?"

Putting aside her bowl, Setsuna thought hard.

"Well the spirit tree gave a branch it said to grind to powder, and a small fruit to add to the concoction. It also mentioned a stone, which is probably the Meidou Stone, and two other ingredients, one we could only get to when the barrier fell in spring. Mount Musubi's barrier falls in spring, at least, that's what Father said. Do you still have the Meidou Stone, Uncle?"

Nodding, Inuyasha took down the black jeweled necklace. Since its' use in the winter to save Futa and Seika, the Stone had gone unused. Without warning, a light shone from the depths of the gem.

Chapter Text

Hanyou no Yashahime
Chapter 11
Life Lessons

The Kitsune Inn was often a place of refuge to many. Youkai seeking solace, humans passing through unwilling to spend the night in the wilderness, the inn accomodated all without question, the only stipulation being that violence on the premises be kept to a minimum. Very often, humans did not even know the place tailored to youkai tenants, much less that the elderly proprietor was a kitsune himself. Youkai civilised enough to visit the inn were generally smart enough to know that picking a fight was not wise and kept their human prejudices to themselves, although there were exceptions to the rule who had broken into violence and been evicted forcibly. At select times every year, exams took place for helping young kitsune to improve their rank and strength through trickery, deception, and many other means. During these times, humans and youkai alike were lured in for the kitsune novices to practice their tricks on; although youkai were much harder to fool, this of course made an aspiring kitsune worthier of higher praise if one did manage to pull the figurative wool over their eyes. There were several rules held firmly in place, foremost among them being that no student was permitted to directly interfere in the training of another, whether by attacks or other means, and killing the visitors would result in exile from kitsune society forever without exception. Sometimes the youkai fought back with terrifying strength, and it was then that the stronger kitsune would step in, confusing their opponents or outright sending them away. The ownership of the inn had passed from the elderly Mr Kyubei to his apprentice Shippo, and the inn was doing well under the guidance of its' young owner. However, as he sat within his chambers in the middle of the inn, he couldn't help but feel uneasy. Being looked to as a leader was not something he was used to, although it was something he had taken to without much trouble. Being an example to equally aged, sometimes even older kitsune youths was slightly tougher, but again, not something he couldn't handle. What he found hard was his charge who had been sent to the inn alongside him. Sat across the table from him, barely moving apart from to breathe, was Kanna. Although Sarrae's method to bring her back to life had worked, the kitsune had simply learned of where the shards of her mirror demon were and then abandoned her without a second thought. Since then, she had made almost no effort to do anything. Shippo had taken her with him when returning to Mrs Kyubei, who had administered additional treatments to her, and now she was just as alive as he was. She ate, drank and slept, but her very countenance was one of a living statue. Shippo took a drink from his cup and cleared his throat, although Kanna didn't so much as blink.

"Now then Kanna, today I'm going to teach you more about life."

Blinking once, Kanna looked over at Shippo.

"What is it you will show me?"

Shippo felt his mind reel. What could he show her? He looked back into Kanna's obsidian eyes and decided to try his best.

"When you were with Naraku, what did you do?"

"I followed orders. Until my death."

"Did you ever wonder about things that were not involved with your orders? Things in the outside world?"

Kanna blinked.

"Things that were not my orders?"

"Yes. Did you ever stop and look at the moon, maybe? Smell the flowers? Take time to feel, and not just walk on by?"

"I... I did. There were times... when I wondered if what Kagura wanted... was worth it."

Realising he was making progress at last with the stoic youkai girl, Shippo summoned a wisp of foxfire. The teal flames wandered over towards Kanna, who watched impassively. When he had been travelling with Inuyasha, Shippo's foxfire would last less than half a minute. Now that he was older and better trained, it would last for over ten minutes. He spoke again as the flames flickered and danced in the air.

"What do you think of this?"

Kanna said nothing as she watched the shimmering foxfire before speaking up.

"What is it meant to do?"

"It's not meant to do anything, Kanna. It's there for you to look at. Tell me, what do you think of it?"

Very slowly, Kanna reached up to the fire. It gave off no heat even as her fingers made contact with it, and she slowly ran her fingers through the tenuous gas that made up the teal flames. Silently she admitted to herself that the tingling sensation was pleasant and warming in a strange way. Lowering her hand, she spoke up as Shippo extinguished the fire.

"It felt..."

Shippo watched quietly as Kanna returned his gaze. Finally, he prompted her to speak.

"How did it feel? Cold? Hot? Pleasant? Disturbing?"

"It felt... strange."

"Did you like it?"

For what felt like eternity, the white youkai girl looked steadily at Shippo. Finally, she replied.

"Yes."

"Wait here. I'm going to fetch some food."

Kanna sat totally still as Shippo left the room. Her eyes wandered across the walls, taking in every detail. Although confused by what Shippo wanted from her, she felt that she was beginning to understand in some small way. Before long, Shippo returned with food for them both and dished up a bowl of rice for Kanna. Taking the bowl, Kanna quietly looked at her meal as Shippo began to eat his. Noticing the difference, Shippo spoke up.

"What's wrong? Do you want to try something else?"

Kanna continued to look at her food, her mind awash in a medley of thoughts, a sensation still alien to her. Did she want to try something new? Life with Shippo's guidance was often confusing to her. Finally, she lifted her head up and blinked slowly before speaking.

"I would... like to eat something different."

Shippo nodded and got up. Leaving the room again, he was soon back with a bowl of freshly fried fish. The smell was enticing, even to Kanna, who looked at the new food with an expression of interest. Cutting off a small portion of the fish, he passed it to Kanna, who already had her chopsticks in hand. Shippo quietly noted that it seemed his attempts to make Kanna more interested in the world and thus grow as a person were indeed beginning to bear fruit. He held up a precautionary hand as she made to eat the piping hot morsel, gesturing for her to blow on the fish first. Quietly she did so, and then she sampled the food. Chewing carefully, she swallowed and spoke up.

"It is... very different."

"Did you enjoy it?"

"I... did."

Quietly Shippo deliberated whether or not to fetch more food to test Kanna with as she helped herself to the rest of the fish he had cut into. Clearly, this particular fish was something she liked, but whilst there were guaranteed to be other things she'd enjoy as much, if not more, trying to gauge someone's tastes was very much a hit and miss practice at the best of times, and Kanna was far from easy to read. In the end he decided against it, leaving her to eat what she knew she liked. After her meal, Kanna resumed her study of the walls, her ebony eyes roving over the small designs meticulously painted there. Some of the illustrations featured humans in all their various roles, whilst others depicted both accurate and fanciful images of youkai. Kitsune, ookami, oni, dragons of a thousand kinds, insectile species, qilin, inu, tanuki and more, all were traced out in intricate detail. Nobody had told him who had drawn over the walls of the centre of the inn, although Shippo suspected it had been the previous landlord. He spoke up as Kanna looked around.

"I have to teach a class of kitsune students now. Do you want to stay here or in your room?"

Kanna turned her eyes on him, silently weighing her options before getting to her feet.

"I... would see you teach."

Shippo blinked. He preferred to keep his classes small and possible distractions to a minimum, but he reasoned that there was no real reason Kanna couldn't come with him. Besides, the presence of the youkai girl would likely throw off his students more than him, and he could always reason it away as a lesson that life was not predictable. He nodded and then led the way to one of the training halls below ground. The light was hazy, casting long shadows on the packed ground, but it was warm and quiet as he slid the door open, revealing nine nervous kitsune youngsters. Each looked in surprise at Kanna entering behind him. Closing the door, Shippo turned to his students.

"Do you all have your numbers?"

A chorus of affirmatives came back to the kitsune tutor. Shippo gestured for Kanna to sit down and whispered to her as she did so.

"Tell me what you liked seeing when the lessons are over."

For the next two hours, Shippo taught the young kits how to distract, run and even create temporary clones of themselves to throw off potential foes. Throughout it all, Kanna watched in silence, sometimes the recipient of a curious look by a kitsune student. Finally, Shippo called an end to the lesson and had his students perform their best tricks with various tools and toys they possessed. Soon the room was a cacophony of popping noises, unexpected bleating and many other sounds, all typical things made by kitsune youngsters trying to make good their escape from various threats. Shippo glanced at Kanna, who was eyeing the means a certain amber-furred kitsune was using. She was making clever use of a repeatedly popping ball, keeping the exploding intervals random and the ball an ever changing colour. Shippo clapped his hands for attention, and gestured to the amber-furred student.

"You can all go. Shoga, stay please."

The other kitsune students scurried off, whispering among themselves and wondering what Shoga may have done to either please or displease Shippo. Although a young tutor, Shippo had been 'known' to lose his temper with a failing student more than once, although on one memorable occasion the one yelling had been a grumpy youkai who had happened upon a venturesome kitsune who had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Reduced to tears, Shippo had intervened and placated the irate youkai and then soothed the distraught student. Shoga nervously approached her teacher, her pearly eyes flicking to Kanna.

"Yes Master Shippo?"

"Perform your distraction technique again."

Looking confused but unwilling to disobey, Shoga conjured up the popping ball, adding in sparks and various other effects in an attempt to impress her tutor. As her display progressed, Kanna nodded slowly before speaking in a low voice.

"I like this. It is... colourful and... pleasing."

Shippo turned to face Shoga, who ended her performance at that moment.

"When you can perform for Kanna here, please do so. I will award you an extra point for this, but you must keep quiet about it. If the others ask, I had to see you about your progress. You've done well, Shoga. You can go."

Inclining her head respectfully to Shippo and Kanna, the young kitsune girl scampered off. Kanna turned to Shippo with a hint of emotion in her dark eyes.

"There are... many things in your school that are... pleasing to see."

Blushing slightly, Shippo gave a nervous smile.

"When the spring comes, Kanna, I will show you more of life outside this inn."

A hint of a smile graced Kanna's lips as she looked silently back at him.

Chapter Text

Hanyou no Yashahime
Chapter 12
The request of Kirinmaru

The radiant light shining out of the gem intensified, soon casting ethereal shadows onto the wall of the hut. Inuyasha squinted at the gem, although the light was steady. Rin, Kagome, Moroha, Setsuna, Towa and Riku all watched in silent awe as the light pulsed twice, then began to change colour from pure white to faded red. A masculine voice sounded from the necklace.

"Yashahime, I come to you to make a request of you."

Setsuna's brow furrowed as she recognised the voice. Laying the Meidou Stone down, Inuyasha spoke up.

"You did everything you could to kill not just everyone here, but to plunge the world into a Degenerate Age."

A wisp of dark red arose from the stone, soon followed by a smaller wisp of glowing verdigris. Kirinmaru spoke solemnly.

"I cannot ask for forgiveness from my crimes. I know that I will never be able to atone. But I have not come to ask for something for myself."

Towa and Riku moved closer to the Meidou Stone. As if in response to their presence, both wisps grew brighter. Riku glanced at Towa before speaking.

"What have you come to ask for?"

Kirinmaru's dark red wisp took on a smoky form, not unlike how the Qilin had appeared when he was alive.

"It is not for me, but for my daughter."

"Rion? But she died at the same time as you."

"Her spirit is pure and whole, and she can be returned to life. My child deserved more than she ever got to have. I was selfish and wrong to her for far too long."

A fainter voice sounded from the coppery blue wisp.

"Father, do not be so hard on yourself."

"It's the truth, Rion. I made you suffer for almost six hundred years. Please, let me try to give you what you deserved."

There was silence in the hut as Rion took form from her wisp as well. Finally she spoke.

"Alright, father."

"Will you help Rion then, Yashahime?"

Moroha, Towa and Setsuna all looked at one another, eventually nodding. Setsuna and Moroha looked at Riku, who nodded as well. Kirinmaru's wisp flared and shot towards Riku, whilst Rion's engulfed Towa. The light from the gem went out, and soon the inside of the hut was back to normal. Riku rubbed his eyes wearily.

"What Lord Kirinmaru seeks is a very old, difficult elixir. With help from a Meidou Stone like this one, it can return a deceased one to life. Miss Rion's Haku and Kon lives on in myself and Towa, and with the holy water, spirit tree branch and fruit we already have, we only need the sap of a bloodbeam tree to revive her."

Moroha looked up in confusion.

"But they're really hard to find. Although that kitsune Sarrae I encountered with Shippo certainly had some when they revived Kanna."

Inuyasha looked at his daughter.

"Can you take us to the site?"

"I don't think it'll do any good now, Sarrae just got the information they wanted out of Kanna and left her. I've no idea where they or their tribe lived. We couldn't track them now. Kanna might have an idea if we can find her and Shippo. And if that particular bloodbeam tree is dead, it might take weeks to find another."

Riku nodded quietly, still looking tired.

"Moroha is right. Bloodbeam trees were always rare, and removing too much of their sap kills them. Lord Kirinmaru has told me how to do it without killing it, and how much we'll need, but he only knew of four, all in the far north in hostile territory, and only one other being he knew of knows of any others. Whether or not she'll help us, well, I couldn't say. I've never met her, although Towa, Moroha and Setsuna have."

Inuyasha looked at his nieces and daughter before locking eyes with Riku.

"Well? Who is it?"

Rin spoke up.

"I think I know who it is. Sesshoumaru's mother."

Kagome and Inuyasha both looked at each other in astonishment. Recovering from the surprising news first, Kagome spoke up.

"Our brother..."

"Kagome, don't call him that."

"That's what he is, Inuyasha."

She turned to looked at Riku as Inuyasha sighed.

"Our brother in law's mother is still alive?"

"Yes. The twins and Moroha might know more than I do. I know that Lord Kirinmaru met with her several times and held her in high regard. As the former Lady of the West, she will know many things."

Kagome turned to her daughter and nieces.

"What is she like? Do you think she will help you?"

Setsuna spoke up.

"I'm not sure. We only met her once before, when we were following the spirit Akuru. She didn't seem to hate us, well, not Towa and me, but she was pretty keen to test us with a youkai from the Underworld. She was pretty cold, but seemed almost, well, playful, and she warned Towa to not use the Zanseiken. She lived in a great palace in the sky."

Kagome blinked owlishly.

"A palace in the sky? So how do we go about contacting her?"

Rin shifted slightly.

"There was a place where Lord Sesshoumaru went looking for his mother many years ago. Maybe that place is very close to her palace."

"But to get even three of us there, well, nobody here can fly, and I don't imagine Father will carry us up there. Perhaps it would be best to find him first and ask for his help?"

"Lord Sesshoumaru does know of many things. But I know that right now he is patrolling his territory. He's always been one who finds you first."

"So is there no other way to get there? What about Kirara?"

Inuyasha shook his head.

"She's with Sango and her family. Can't you find Jaken? He might have the dragon with him."

Towa and Moroha looked at Inuyasha as realisation set in. Now he said it, taking Ah-Un seemed the obvious thing to do. The twin-headed dragon was undyingly loyal to Sesshoumaru and, by extension, his family. However loyal Ah-Un was paled in comparison to the devotion shown by Jaken to the inudaiyoukai. In spite of numerous blows, threats and verbal reprimands, Jaken's loyalty to Sesshoumaru had never faltered even slightly. Perhaps more importantly, his location was more fixed since Kirinmaru's defeat, and he served as a minister of sorts to Sesshoumaru's growing domain. Towa got to her feet.

"So we find Jaken, ask him to get us to see grandmother, and find out where a bloodbeam tree is. Do you know where Jaken is, Uncle?"

"Yeah, he's just under a day's travel from here. There's a small island just offshore he manages things from. If we could get a boat we could be there by nightfall tomorrow."

Riku perked up.

"I can do better; Lord Kirinmaru left us his ship, we could travel there in that."

Inuyasha looked up.

"A ship, eh? Where is it now?"

"Moored off the coast. I don't think anyone has touched it since I beached it in the autumn."

Further conversation was cut off as Raita slid open his door and quietly made his way to the kitchen with an empty canteen of water. Refilling it, he wearily smiled at his friends, Setsuna in particular, and returned to where Futa and Seika had bedded down. Taking the silent hint, Inuyasha spoke in a quieter voice.

"Tomorrow I'll come with you four and go to see Jaken with you. Kagome, you'll be alright won't you?"

"I'd come with you, but there's a woman about to give birth in the next week in the village. You'll only be gone for two days at the most, won't you?"

"Yeah. Jaken might listen to me more."

"Well don't bully him like you did before.

"Kagome, that was years ago. And it was funny."

Sighing at her husband's immaturity, Kagome shook her head and got up from where she'd been sitting.

"Well I'll need to get some sleep. Goodnight everyone. And Myoga, don't even think about trying to suck my blood."

There was a good amount of snickering as the tiny flea began his protests that he'd had no intention of ever doing so, much to his indignation. Rin yawned and got up, soon followed by her daughters and Riku.

"I think we should try to sleep too. Thank you, Inuyasha, Moroha."

Inuyasha waved off the thanks with his usual facade. Moroha grinned and waved as she slipped into her small room, wasting no time in dropping down on her futon. As the quartet vanished into the dark, Inuyasha sat down and stared at the wall, not ready to sleep yet.

Morning dawned with all the signs of spring in the air. Mist rolled gently across the ground, and to Inuyasha's sensitive nose, the scent of growing buds and the first hints of new grass were apparent. All night long the hanyou had sat in the main room, not resting and only stirring to assist Futa as her transformation took place again, calming their child as her youki returned. Baby Seika had been awake too, curiously examining Inuyasha as he held him. Although he had interacted with the hanyou couple and their yonsanyou child many times, Seika seemed very interested in him indeed. In a way, Inuyasha was envious of Futa and Raita. The young family were being given their own dwelling nearby and would start to move into it soon, but what quietly nudged Inuyasha's mind was the fact that they got to have one another. Futa had not been taken away from Raita for three years, and although she had died in childbirth she had been revived by the damaged Meidou Stone. The hanyou couple had found love in their own kind, although Inuyasha would never imagine being with anyone other than Kagome. Hanyou by themselves were not that rare, but surviving to adulthood in a world where many sought to kill them on sight kept the numbers low at best. Romantic pursuits were few and far between; youkai would almost invariably sneer at hanyou if they didn't try to kill them first, and humans would run and spit insults at them at best. Although the equine hanyou Jinenji had managed to forge a peace between himself, his mother and the village he had grown up in, it had been a peace hard-won, and Inuyasha could imagine all too well the abuse he had gone through. Hanyou finding love and raising a family was next to impossible, although with Shiori's protection, the odds had changed. Inuyasha found his mind drifting back to his early past, in particular the times he had seen his mother crying for him. As he had aged, the reason why she had shed such tears had become more apparent to him, and he had begun to feel guilt that she had suffered on account of him. By the time he was only eight, he began to notice a sickness within her, although there had been little he could do. A mere month after the sickness appeared, Izayoi had passed on, leaving Inuyasha alone in the world. Futa and Raita had both lost their parents, but they had been given care, food and education because of Shiori, and now they were surrounded by accepting people. He didn't begrudge the two their happiness together, but silently wished he had had love sooner as well. Jolted out of his reverie, he looked to his left to see Moroha strolling out of her room. She quietly lit the fire with a few easily practiced moves and then approached her father, a sleepy smile on her face as she sat down beside him.

"Been awake all night eh Dad?"

Inuyasha nodded slowly.

"Yeah. Stuff on my mind."

"Old time stuff again?"

Inuyasha didn't respond, but Moroha could easily tell. She leant against her father, startling him a little.

"If you're feeling bad about what happened, it's all worked out now. Uncle Sesshoumaru was working to protect us all, Kirinmaru didn't succeed, and we're all here together. Best of all, you got your kid back."

Tears welled up in Inuyasha's eyes as he pulled Moroha in close for a hug. Leaning over, he placed a kiss in her blue-black hair, enough to wring a giggle out of his daughter. Leaning against the wall, he let slumber take him as Moroha cuddled up to him.

Some two hours later, Inuyasha and Moroha were awake and eating a hasty meal. Riku had gone ahead to where the ship lay, leaving Towa and Setsuna to eat at their home with Rin. Soon after finishing, Inuyasha took some time to bid goodbye to Kagome, whilst Raita began to move their belongings into their new home. Just as Inuyasha turned to go, a loud gurgle came to his attention. Turning around, he saw Futa approach with her son in her arms. Giving a vague smile, Seika reached up towards Inuyasha and spoke a single word.

"Inu..."

Moroha, Kagome, Futa and Inuyasha looked at the yonsanyou baby in amazement. Youkai children could often speak within a week of birth, whereas with hanyou it was usually closer to four to six months. Somehow, nobody had ever wondered when Seika would say his first word. Inuyasha smiled at the baby and his mother.

"Heh, he's a good one. We'll be going now, Kagome, Futa, Seika."

Embracing her mother quickly, Moroha caught up with her father and left the house. Not far away, Setsuna and Towa were walking towards them, both carrying their weapons too. Although none of them expected trouble, it was not impossible vermin youkai or bandits could be in the area. Detecting Riku's scent, they began their trek towards the coast, soon passing through forest and field alike and losing sight of the village. Birdsong was everywhere, and even as they walked by, Inuyasha's attention was caught by a small deer watching warily from deeper in the trees. He ignored the animal and kept on walking, his nieces and daughter keeping pace with him easily. After just over an hour, the group arrived at the cliffs where Riku had beached Kirinmaru's ship to find the Qilin detachment surveying the shore below. Riku had indeed beached the ship, but the winter storms had damaged it heavily, in such a way that the nearest hole to the water level was a mere foot above. Shaking his head, Inuyasha leapt onto the ship's deck, followed by Riku.

"So what now. Gotta be a smaller boat or something."

"I don't believe there is, Inuyasha. We could comb the bottom levels but it won't be likely."

"I'll take that chance. Get started."

Both began to descend into the depths of the ship, but soon found nothing even similar to a boat. As Inuyasha made his way to the top deck, Riku paused and entered Kirinmaru's former throne room. To his mild surprise, he heard his progenitor speak to him from the broken throne.

"Riku, what you seek is not here. I will use my remaining power to help you make a vessel for your convenience, but you must be the one to channel the power. Go now to the top, and I shall."

Inclining his head, Riku climbed up the steps to the slanted deck. Whilst they had been below, Moroha and the twins had leapt onto the deck as well. Feeling a surge of strength that could only be from Kirinmaru, he gestured at the damaged ship, and soon a decently sized vessel had assembled itself out of the wreckage, complete with sails. The assembled hanyou looked at Riku, impressed, and began to clamber down onto the beach. Climbing into the boat, Riku flicked his earring and soon the vessel was away, heading at a good speed towards Jaken's island.

Chapter Text

Hanyou no Yashahime
Season 3
The Palace of the Lady

All day long, Inuyasha, Riku, Moroha and the twins had sailed towards Jaken's island. Each of them was tired, cold, damp and tempers were fraying as they finally got to within the last kilometer of their destination. The island shimmered in the distance, looking like nothing so much as a truncated cone thrust up out of the sea, almost impossible to scale. Inuyasha glared at the island, suddenly detecting that something was amiss. Getting up, he marched to the prow of the boat and drew Tessaiga, the sword transforming even as it cleared the scabbard. Holding up his inherited weapon, the blade was soon suffused with a vibrant crimson hue as it detected a barrier around the island. Scything through the invisible obstacle with practiced ease, the barrier parted and revealed just how close they were to their destination. Mere minutes after cutting open the barrier, the boat nosed up against the smooth rock. From the water's level to the pinaccle the rock was almost as smooth as glass, meaning scaling it was something beyond even the athletic Inuyasha's skills. A series of rope ladders were dropped down towards them, and soon the group had scaled them and were stood on the cliff edge. Various youkai guards held weapons in ready positions, and leading the occupying force was an imp youkai of similar stature to Jaken, although less important looking. Setsuna fixed the imp youkai with a level stare.

"Tell Master Jaken that his lord's daughters and family are here. We need to speak with him."

The imp youkai scowled but hastily passed the message on to an underling. For several minutes the tense standoff continued, each group eyeing the other with wary hostility and no small amount of uncertainty. Finally, the underling returned and took the group to a small palace in the middle of the island. Seated on a carved throne was Jaken, although if the imp had anything to say about Inuyasha being there too, he kept his mouth shut on the matter. Setsuna bowed respectfully to her father's retainer, soon copied by Moroha and Towa.

"Master Jaken, we came to you because we need your help. We need to speak with the Lady Mother about a rare kind of youkai tree."

Jaken got up from his throne and jumped down to approach his lord's daughters and niece in person. 

"You want to visit her palace to speak to her in person? Ah-Un knows how to get you there. I will have them brought to you. It may not be wise to go with Inuyasha."

Inuyasha gave a low growl as a subordinate departed to fetch the dragon.

"You think I'm gonna just ignore my daughter and nieces and let them caper off to some palace somewhere? If you're that stupid, Jaken, then I'll off you right now. I should probably do that anyway."

Jaken glowered at the male hanyou.

"If Lord Sesshoumaru and I had not convinved Kirinmaru you would have future usage through your inheritance, your wife and child would have been slain by him and Zero years ago! Do not forget that!"

Inuyasha strode up to the imp and dealt him a firm blow to the head.

"We were forced to send Moroha away with almost no warning! It's a miracle she was brought up as well as she was!"

Moroha put a hand on her father's shoulder, defusing his anger.

"Please, don't be angry. I didn't get to grow up with you, but we're here now, right?"

Giving a sigh, Inuyasha turned to look at his daughter as Jaken spluttered in outrage.

"Well yeah, we're here and safe, it's just frustrating that we nearly lost you."

Inuyasha took a couple of paces back, ignoring the curses Jaken was spewing at him. Not long ago, the expletives alone would have caused Inuyasha to pummel the youkai on a scale matched only by Sesshoumaru, but whether he would admit to it or not, his forced exile in the Border had tempered a good portion of his hot-headed behaviour. Before long, Ah-Un was brought before the group, saddled and looking eager to be off. All of the group except Inuyasha voiced their thanks to Jaken, and managed to sit on the dragon's back. Not seeming to notice the weight, Ah-Un took off and began to ascend and head west. In short order, the chill from the height alone had them shivering, although the higher they went, the more sparse the clouds became. Quite suddenly, Ah-Un's destination became apparent. An enormous white cloud, seemingly unchanging in the sky, rose to the very heavens. At the base was an ornate gate of gold, bearing a symbol not unlike that of Sesshoumaru's. Ah-Un headed directly for the gate, seeming to know better than to try and fly over it. Standing guard over the lone structure were a pair of youkai guards garbed in armour and veiled in black, each wielding crescent shaped blades. As the dragon landed, one of the guards turned to face the group. Silently, he held out a hand to the group, who slowly dismounted Ah-Un. Before anyone could say anything, a loud roar sounded from above them. Moroha, Towa, Riku, Setsuna and even Inuyasha all flinched noticeably, but the two guards did not so much as move. The guard continued to study them in silence for what felt like an age before gradually inclining his head.

"Her Ladyship will see you."

Each of the five spoke thanks as the gate opened and they began their trek up the steps leading to the palace. After some time, they began to reach the tiered palace, which was dotted with many more guards. By now, the freezing temperatures had stopped and it was much warmer. Inuyasha glanced at the roof, picking up the scent of Sesshoumaru's mother. Finally, they reached the top tier, where the inudaiyoukai herself reclined on an elegant chaise longue. Her eyes were closed, but there was no doubt she was aware of her visitors. She gave a huff of disapproval even as they knelt before her, and spoke clearly.

"You, boy, you have the scent of Kirinmaru on you. Don't tell me that you're his son."

Riku spoke in a calm tone that was nonetheless more than edged with fear.

"No, Your Ladyship, I was not born to Lord Kirinmaru in such a way. I was an incarnation of his, and at present the last of his line."

"Hmmm. And you, hanyou. You stink of that woman, Izayoi."

Inuyasha flinched and snarled but didn't rise to his feet. Finally, Sesshoumaru's mother opened her eyes lazily and looked at her guests.

"I will speak to my grandchildren alone, inside. You will not follow me, and..."

Her golden eyes widened suddenly, and her expression of bored regality evaporated on the spot as she looked at Moroha. Dangling around the shihanyou's neck was their Meidou Stone. Rising to her feet, she gestured to her guests to do likewise.

"Well, I must confess I am surprised. A hundred of these were made, perhaps more that failed in part, and yet you bear one as I do? Inside, all of you. We will talk."

The doors to the palace interior opened, and the group followed the regal woman inside. She casually gestured them to plush cushions on the floor as she sat down upon an ornate throne, her eyes roaming over them before settling on Inuyasha.

"I can smell your blood in Moroha, so you must be her father. Inuyasha, I assume?"

Inuyasha met her imperious gaze, but could sense that, perhaps even more so than Sesshoumaru, this was not someone he could defeat. He nodded, tension filling the air between them. A cold smile crept onto her face as she looked at Tessaiga.

"Stand up, and show me your weapon. I believe that's your father's fang."

Silently complying, Inuyasha drew the sword. Getting up, Sesshoumaru's mother walked right up to him and laid a hand on the blade, her expression softening somewhat as the barrier weakened.

"Oh, it's changed since I last saw it. But I can still feel his strength coursing through the blade. It has been broken at least once since then, but Toga's echo remains. It seals your blood now?"

Inuyasha eyed his step-mother with no small degree of caution.

"Y-yeah."

"Was it you who found that Meidou Stone?"

"No, that was Towa and Riku."

"Go and be seated. Towa, Riku."

Still feeling uneasy to say the least, Inuyasha returned to where he'd sat as his niece and her boyfriend approached her, holding the damaged Meidou Stone. Taking their amulet in her hand, Towa's grandmother looked into its' depths.

"Well, I didn't think such a small tribe of lynx youkai would ever hold onto a talisman as strong as this. A shame that group is now extinct."

Riku looked at the amulet.

"We were given it by..."

Sesshoumaru's mother waved him into silence.

"Yes, I know you were given it by a lynx hanyou. I also know you revived two lives with it not long after. Do you think I never learned how to read the memories of something like this? I know more about you than you might ever suspect. But that is not why you're here."

Towa nodded slowly.

"We were told that you know where to find Bloodbeam trees. We need to harvest the sap from one if we are going to resurrect Kirinmaru's daughter."

A look of genuine surprise briefly crossed the elder inudaiyoukai's face.

"So why do you want to try to help young Lady Rion?"

"Her life was cut short when the hanyou Sakasa murdered her, and she spent six centuries as a spirit bound to Mount Musubi. Even when she had the chance to force my spirit out and possess my body for herself, she chose to be honest and return to a spirit form before dying. And her father wants her to experience life the way she should have."

Sesshoumaru's mother smiled.

"Kirinmaru wishes that for her finally? Well, it took him long enough! Six centuries bound to a mountain. For what purpose?"

"She said it was so her father could meet her in dreams."

On hearing this, Sesshoumaru's mother laughed out loud.

"Foolish indeed. And now he wants to make amends?"

"Yes, grandmother. Will you help us to find one of these trees? Kirinmaru's spirit told us of five, but one is on the slopes of Mount Aso, and the other four are in the extreme north of Hokkaido."

Gesturing for her older grandchild to sit down, the inudaiyoukai woman returned to her throne and sat down in it. She looked deep in thought for several minutes before finally looking at her guests with an expression of playful humour.

"There are two kinds of Bloodbeam tree, and the ones Kirinmaru told you of are the lesser kind. Their sap would work to revive one such as Rion, but she would need to go back to it several times over. The better alternatives are pristine ones. However, a pristine one exists in only one place, and you're right to assume I know where it is. But I would be entertained by you before I share the secret of its' location with you. Inuyasha, Moroha, Riku, you will not interrupt."

Before those she addressed could reply, the inudaiyoukai lady let loose an immense amount of youki, transforming into her true form with no effort at all. The huge snowy white canine cavorted from cloud to cloud as if this was all a game to her, and finally settled several hundred metres away from the palace grounds, seemingly stood on thin air. She barked challengingly, prompting Setsuna and Towa to stand and make their way to the steps they had not long ago ascended. Eyeing her grandchildren, Sesshoumaru's mother snarled menacingly before reverting to her human form mere feet away from them.

"Draw your weapons. Show me your strength."

Setsuna soon had the Yukari no Tachikiri in hand, followed by Towa drawing and infusing Kikujumonji. Their grandmother eyed them coolly before gesturing them forward.

"Attack me. I can promise you will not land a blow."

Both twins charged simultaneously, Setsuna giving a long, scything blow as she ran. Not even trying to dodge, her grandmother caught the naginata at the base of the blade and held it there with no sign of effort. She looked calmly at Towa, who was running towards her on her right, her cyan blade shining bright. As she brought the yoki blade down, her grandmother easily caught it in her hand. She looked disparagingly between her grandchildren as they struggled to break through.

"Really, I thought you would put up a better struggle than this. Are you really not..."

Any further words were forestalled when Towa pulled her left hand off the hilt of Kikujumonji, bringing with it a second hilt and a smaller blade infused in a similar manner. Before she could say or do anything, Towa infused her off-hand blade with more of her yoki, making it triple in length, almost enough to reach her grandmother's chin. Eyes wide in surprise at the trick, she let go of both weapons.

"Oh, that is a very good trick, Towa. Perhaps I was wrong to think you had no stomach for combat."

Towa inclined her head slightly, holding her twin blades in a position ready to deflect any attack her grandmother might make. Sighing, the older inudaiyoukai walked back to where Inuyasha, Riku and Moroha waited. Belatedly, the twins followed her inside and sat back down on the cushions. As she sat on her throne, she eyed Towa curiously. The older hanyou twin had not replaced her weapon in its' scabbard.

"Oh? Do you not trust me to keep my word, youngster?"

"With all respect, grandmother, you haven't said if our test is over yet or not. This might be..."

Upon hearing her granddaughter's speech, she laughed merrily.

"Very observant of you. Alright, your trial is ended. You are both worthy fighters indeed. Perhaps someday your uncle and cousin here can demonstrate their prowess to me. But for now, you simply want to know where the pristine bloodbeam tree is, don't you?"

"That's right. Will you please tell us?"

"It is actually in this palace. Many centuries ago there were far more, but this is the last pristine one. Come, I will show you."

Getting up again, she led the group through a maze of rooms until they reached a large courtyard in the very centre of the palace. The pristine bloodbeam tree was stunted, contorted and a sickly green in colour. Lifting up a large, ornate crystal jar, she passed it to Riku.

"Fill this with sap from the tree. You were told how to do so, I believe?"

Riku inclined his head as he accepted the elaborate phial from her.

"Yes my lady. Lord Kirinmaru told me how to perform the procedure when he and Miss Rion spoke to us from beyond the afterlife."

"Then be careful, boy."

Riku approached the tree, which gave off an aura of a slumbering giant. Very cautiously, he selected one of the stubby branches and ran a finger along it. Responding to his touch, the branch turned brown and a single cyan bud appeared at the end of it. Lifting the phial up to the newly opened bud, Riku waiting patiently as a dark red liquid seeped out of it, finally filling the crystalline container. Riku tapped the bud, causing the sap to stop, and screwed the top on. Eyeing the jar, he nodded, and was about to thank Sesshoumaru's mother when Inuyasha snarled in a bloodcurdling manner, enough to make them all jump. Moroha looked at her father in concern.

"What is it, Papa? Can..."

Setsuna twitched seconds later.

"I can smell it too. We have to return to the village at once."

Sesshoumaru's mother blinked silently before letting out a sigh.

"I will send you down now. Be careful with that phial. Inuyasha, I will see you again on your own."

Before any of them could reply, a light engulfed them and deposited them outside the village. Inuyasha's eyes widened in horror as the scent he had caught in the palace assailed his nostrils.

Chapter Text

Hanyou no Yashahime
Season 3
The ronin and the raiders

As morning dawned, Kagome stretched, finding it very strange to be by herself and for the house to be so quiet. She smiled wryly as she enjoyed the quiet; many mornings, either Inuyasha or Moroha would be the cause of her waking up. She took the time to wash herself as best she could, then mentally reviewed her itinerary for the day. Apart from checking on a couple of elderly denizens of the village, it was as close to a day off as she ever got. Teaching young would-be healers was going to be a new duty of hers when the warmer weather came and the herbs began to grow again. Casually picking at some bits of dried meat, she found herself wondering about her family in her birth time. Would travelling there ever be possible again? Was it possible that one day she could meet her niece Mei, as well as reunite with Sota and her mother and grandfather? An amused smile crept across her face as she contemplated whether or not she had been the one to discard of youkai remains that her grandfather had later given to her as gifts. It was certainly still custom to cast the remains of youkai down the well she had emerged from. Calmly getting to her feet, she opened the door to go outside. It was still a long way from summer, but the hints of spring that she loved to listen to were all over the countryside. Just as she exited the house, she became aware of the singing of what sounded like a bush warbler. Pausing, she listened in contentment as the small bird sang away nearby. Finally, the bird ceased singing and flew off. Unseen to Kagome, a large dark bird flew overhead. She headed towards the furthest of her patients for the day, not carrying any supplies as she doubted she would need them. In due course, she had come to the last of her few patients for the day, and indeed all was well. Yet as she turned to retrace her steps home, a feeling of unease began to gnaw at her. She paused as she walked along the path, wondering if it was youkai-related. Briefly she considered check in on Futa and Raita; it was possible that baby Seika was undergoing something unique to yonsanyou that she was picking up on. Deciding to err on the side of caution, she made her way to the young family's home. As she approached the dwelling, a casual probe revealed that rather than three signatures of yoki, there were only two. It dawned on her that perhaps this was a rare human time for the youngster, and maybe she had sensed his yoki massing before being eclipsed for the day. Gently knocking on the doorframe, it wasn't long before Raita appeared. Smiling, he beckoned the village miko inside. Laid on the floor was Seika, his hair now a light blond, and fast asleep. Sat nearby was Futa, looking unusual. Kagome frowned slightly. It was the wrong time of month for either of the teenage hanyou to turn human, and it wasn't a sickness of yoki she could sense from Futa. She took a deep breath and approached the female hanyou.

"I'm sorry if this sounds rude, Futa, but I can sense something, well, strange from you. Is everything alright?"

Futa looked up at the miko with a smile on her face.

"Everything's fine, thanks. Seika is having a rare human day, and it seems his first human day has given back my health. You remember I have been feeling slightly unwell since I came here? It seems that Seika becoming human for the day has cured me."

Kagome nodded at the young mother, making a mental note to tell Inuyasha that what they had been worrying about was nothing.

"Are you sure there's nothing I can do for you? Perhaps some..."

A loud whinnying from outside interrupted Kagome, followed by a shout and the sound of many voices. Immediately sensing danger, Raita was on his feet and making a dash for where their two weapons lay on a shelf. Futa's eyes widened, and she hastily picked up Seika and carried the sleeping baby into a back room. Raita ran outside into a scene from a nightmare. Running into the village from the south were no less than sixty raiders, several mounted on horseback, all armed to the teeth. Forcing his yoki into the weapons, he swung with both of them, and soon four of the raiders lay dead or dying, leaving him tired. Kagome exited the house and ran for her own home, trying her best to suppress the fear she felt as the raiders pressed deeper into the town. With no Inuyasha to protect her, she felt tremendously vulnerable. A pained cry rang out as she picked up her bow and arrows and made haste to help protect the people. Several of the village men were retaliating with impressive force, and already both the offenders and the locals were exchanging fire from projectile weapons whilst others were making do with whatever weapons, impromptu or otherwise, they could lay their hands on. Emerging from her home, Kagome knocked an arrow onto her bowstring and took careful aim before letting fly with the weapon. She winced as the arrow struck a raider in the side of the head, but hastily drew a second and managed to kill another attacker. Without warning, Kagome found herself sprawled in the mud, whimpering in pain. A hulking brute of a man stood over her, a large club in his hands. Kagome clutched her side where the raider's club had wounded her, and looked at her hand, shocked to see just how bloody it was. The man grinned sadistically at her as he rolled her onto her back, ignoring her moan of pain.

"Bad choices, little miko. Let's see your spirit powers work to save you now."

He approached her at a sedate, languid pace, dragging his club through the mud. Beyond them in the town, the raiders had lost half their number but were pushing the defenders further back towards where Kaede had lived. Raita was nowhere to be seen, but it seemed likely that the male hanyou was in the thick of the fighting. Sniggering at his prone victim, the raider kicked at a muddy puddle, splattering it all over her as a wind picked up from the south. Spitting out the offending dirt, Kagome tried to pick herself up, to no avail. Just as the raider began to raise his club to bring to bear on the prone miko, a barbed dart shot out of nowhere, embedding itself in his left arm in spite of his armour. Yelling in pain, the raider dropped the heavy club and turned to face north. Despite her pain, Kagome strained to do so as well. Clad in piecemeal armour that looked like it was made of the hides of a dozen youkai was a figure almost six feet tall. On his left arm he wore a vambrace with a small crossbow attached. On his right arm he wore a darker vambrace with several serrated blades, each of which looked lethal. Covering his torso down to his waist was armour made out of some kind of youkai hide, with knee and elbow pads protecting his joints. He wore a full face helmet made of shell pieces, the only apertures being for his eyes. Sheathed at his sides were two short swords. The raider wrenched the dart out of his armour, not seeming to notice the blood that gushed forth as he did so. Seizing his club again, he rushed the figure, who produced a flintlock pistol from seemingly nowhere and calmly shot the raider full in the face, killing him instantly. Kagome fought to keep still, hoping the newcomer was not hostile and that he might mistake her for dead if he was. The sound of the gunfire had attracted attention from both the raiders and the defenders, and already a couple of the raiders were charging towards the newcomer. However, a pillar of light soon caught the attention of everyone in the village as Inuyasha and the others were returned. Snarling viciously, Inuyasha rushed to his wife's side, bypassing the lone figure completely. Behind him, Towa drew her weapon, infused the hilt with her yoki and separated it into two swords effortlessly, joining the fight against the raiders, followed by Riku and Setsuna. Moroha raced to her mother's side. Inuyasha was about to lift Kagome up out of the mud when a calm, authoratitive voice spoke up.

"Do not move her, Inuyasha. It seems she has horrific injuries."

Moving towards the stricken miko as if he saw this every day, Sesshoumaru looked at his sister in law with the closest thing to concern Inuyasha could ever recall seeing on his brothers' face. He moved back slightly as Sesshoumaru knelt down and looked at her. The white of her kosode was heavily stained with dark red blood, the stench heavy in the nostrils of the inudaiyoukai. Coaxing his mokomoko around the injured miko, he looked at his half brother.

"I will take Kagome to be healed at my mansion. When she is recovered I will bring her to you."

Inuyasha nodded silently as Kagome began to shake, clutching at Sesshoumaru's mokomoko. Enveloped in light, his sibling and wife both disappeared as they teleported to Sesshoumaru's home. Turning his attention to the raiders, he saw that Riku, Setsuna and Towa had routed them and were chasing the last few out of the town. All the time, the lone figure had stood silently nearby, unmoving. Moroha turned to face him and approached him, her hand on the hilt of Kumikaramaru in case she needed it.

"What happened here?"

For a long moment the man said nothing. Finally, he spoke up.

"Raiders from the south came here to pillage for supplies. One of them was that man there. He was the one about to kill your town's miko."

Moroha looked at the dead raider and then back at the lone man.

"Your armour looks like a samurai's, but it's made of youkai hides and shells. Are you a ronin?"

The man said nothing but turned to leave. Just as he made to do so, he looked at Moroha.

"I am, and I did everything I could to save that woman. Not all ronin are without honour."

Moroha took a few steps back as the man crossed the town and climbed the steps to where Kikyo and Kaede's memorials lay. After praying briefly, he left the temple and then proceeded to leave. Not long after the ronin had gone, Riku, Towa and Setsuna ran up. Setsuna looked at the dead raider and the bloody patch of ground nearby where Kagome had laid and then turned to Inuyasha, looking very worried.

"What happened here, Uncle? Where's aunt Kagome?"

Inuyasha gave a long sigh as he walked into his home and closed the door behind him. Moroha tried to follow, but Inuyasha held the door shut, preventing her.

"Leave me alone for now. I don't wanna be around other people. Tell the rest of the townsfolk they aren't to disturb me."

"Alright. I'll see you later."

Walking away from the door, Moroha soon saw she had no need to relay her father's words as the others all nodded. Setsuna and Riku both turned and headed towards where the people were still gathered, several sporting injuries. All of the raiders were being cremated out of town after having their valuables and stolen goods removed. Surprisingly, only two of the defenders had been killed in the attack, although one or two of the injured looked in dire need of treatment. Riku went to fetch the last dead raider whilst Setsuna looked around the assembled people.

"I will leave for the nearest village with a miko and ask for their help. Do any of you know who was on good terms with Kaede, or my aunt Kagome?"

Several villagers looked up.

"Where is Lady Kagome?"

"Was she harmed in the fight?"

"Surely she wasn't killed or abducted?"

Setsuna shook her head.

"Lady Kagome was hurt, and is being tended to by my father Sesshoumaru. Where are there villages friendliest to us?"

One man fetched a map and laid it out for Setsuna to see. Four villages within a day's travel were pointed out, each listed as being either friendly to Kaede or Kagome or home to more than one person talented with healing. Just then, Ah-Un came down from the skies above. Several of the villagers jumped slightly, but many didn't react, knowing that Ah-Un was docile unless provoked. Mounting the twin-headed dragon, Setsuna promised to bring aid as fast as she could and was soon lost to sight. Riku returned with the valuables from the raider who had hurt Kagome and placed them on the pile. By now, Towa had joined the group.

"Is there anyone else nearby who we could ask for assistance? Some of you look in bad shape to me. We could pay them with these trinkets we took from the raiders."

An elderly woman perked up at the older hanyou's voice.

"Well Jorra in the cliffs could..."

Several voices cut her off.

"No, not him."

"Not Jorra."

"He's mad and eccentric."

Towa looked around in confusion.

"Who's Jorra?"

The elderly woman who had mentioned him began to speak.

"Jorra was the only male apprentice Lady Kaede ever took on. He was recruited by her about twenty years after Inuyasha was sealed, and had a gift with healing that few can come close to. Before he was fully trained as a monk, he declared there were no gods after a violent storm, then left the village and began to live in the cliffs to the northwest. He has been back here at random times ever since, but it would be wrong to say he's not, well, different."

"What does he do that's so different? If he can be helpful then surely it's best to try..."

Another villager spoke up.

"Jorra isn't stable. Something about him, it's like there's two minds in his body and they are always fighting for control. And the reiki he has is, strange. Not light or dark."

"So he's not good or evil then. Can he be swayed?"

The man shook his head.

"It's not that he can't be swayed, it's a question of how long he can be swayed for. I've heard that he refused to complete a vital healing halfway through once because he no longer wanted to be of help."

Towa sighed as Riku joined her.

"Alright, not Jorra then. But what if Setsuna comes back with no help? Do we risk his help then?"

"Only if we have no other choice. Jorra can be dangerous."

"Can Riku and I do anything while we wait?"

"Yes. In that hut there are a lot of dry bandages. You, go and fetch them. Riku, pull up some clean water from the well."

For the next three hours, the townfolk tended to the wounded in an impromptu hospital made inside a large hut, but despite their best efforts, a man who had taken three arrows to the chest passed away. Towa did her best to clean and dry a cut on a woman who had taken a nasty gash on the outside of her left forearm, but between the woman's pain, Towa's own inexpertise with dressing wounds, and the array of smells and noises assailing her senses, she was making little headway. Riku on the other hand was dealing well with the patient he'd been assigned to, and was close to finishing his treatment on the man. Quietly urging him to get some rest, Riku walked over to where Towa sat working. He rested a hand on her shoulder and gestured for her to move back. Silently admitting defeat, she did so, and watched as Riku cleaned the cut with meticulous care, dried off the affected area, and proceeded to wrap up the woman's arm with clean cloth. Feeling embarrassed that she had been unable to do something so simple, Towa stood up and left the hut. Riku tied the bandage off, encouraged the woman to keep her wound dry, and left in pursuit of his girlfriend. He put a hand on Towa's shoulder gently, prompting her to speak up.

"I just, I was no use in there at all. I could smell and hear too much, and I never really got the hang of dressing wounds the way Aunt Kagome does."

Riku pulled Towa into a gentle hug.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of, you can't be good at everything. Perhaps you can go and get food for the people in here? There are still patients to treat, so I'm going to go back in there. You help how you can, and I'll do the same, alright?"

Towa nodded as Riku let her go.

"Alright. Thank you for your kindness, Riku."

"Always for you, my princess."

Towa's eyes shone as Riku pressed a kiss to her cheek. Smiling, she soon found out where the food was being made for the wounded and volunteered to carry the prepared meals in. Just as she placed the heavy bowl of soup inside, Ah-Un roared from outside, signalling that Setsuna was back. She hastily went to greet her twin, hoping that she'd had more luck with asking the nearby villages for help. Setsuna was carrying a bag of remedies and on the back of the dragon was a miko whose age looked impossible to determine. She wore a typical white kosode and red hakama, but also bore a medal of some kind adorned with a purple ribbon. Towa bowed respectfully as the miko slid off Ah-Un's back, carrying another bag of medication. She looked at Setsuna calmly.

"In there?"

"Yes, that's where the wounded are. I'll bring in the other bag now."

The miko silently walked into the hut, glancing at Towa and smiling briefly as she went. Setsuna slipped the muzzles off Ah-Un's heads and freed the dragon to go where he pleased, casually warning him away from the bag. Towa joined her sister as the dragon made for a large field.

"So who's that miko lady?"

Setsuna lifted the bag onto her bag.

"She was the only one who could be spared. She's from a village nearby."

"What's her name? What's she like?"

Setsuna smiled slightly as they walked into the hospital.

"She said her name is Rumiko. Her people spoke very highly of her, said she's creative and artistic and very popular with everyone."

"Rumiko? I, I almost feel like I should know her. Well let's hope she can help us with the wounded ones after the battle."

Entering the hut, they soon found that the miko whose services they had borrowed was quickly whittling away at the number of patients. Many of them had wounds that were far less severe than they believed, and soon Rumiko had many relieved villagers thanking her wholeheartedly. Before long, only three patients were in any kind of trouble, and all had been tended to to the best of Rumiko's ability. Two were soon sound asleep, and the third was thanking the miko for her efforts again before also settling down to relax. Rumiko calmly left the hospital in the evening light, and was shown to a well appointed house. Riku, Setsuna and Towa had rejoined Moroha by now, and all four were in Inuyasha's home. All day long, Inuyasha had done little except for wait for news on Kagome's health. Riku took the initiative and began to make an evening meal for the occupants, something that finally seemed to get a response, however slight, out of Inuyasha. The canine hanyou gave a sigh and quietly thanked Riku as the food was put on the fire to cook.

Far away, Kagome was laid on a plush, warm bed, clad only in the bare essentials to preserve her modesty. Three female youkai physicians were examining the miko intently, using their yoki to affect changes where they were needed the most. No less than two of Kagome's ribs had been broken when she had been struck by the brutal raider, but for youkai of their level of expertise, repairing such damage was no harder than threading a needle. However, repairing the broken ribs was only the first steps. Whilst one kept Kagome in a deep slumber, the other two repaired the damage done beneath. The main problem the three faced was that Kagome's reiki kept rebuffing their efforts, and although they were in no danger of being purified by it, her holy powers made healing her tougher than it should have been. However, after six hours of surgery, the end was finally in sight. The blood was removed and replenished, the tears were mended, the bones were healed, and the antidote to the drug keeping Kagome sedated was tipped down her throat. Removing her yoki suppression, the oldest of the three stepped back from the bed Kagome lay on.

"Grand Lord Sesshoumaru will be glad to know that the miko has survived and is better than ever. Akane, Nabiki, I couldn't have done this on my own."

The youngest youkai physician gave a short laugh.

"We were taught well by you, Kasumi. And perfect treatment is what the priestess who banished the Shikon Jewel deserves."

The three siblings were quiet for a moment, remembering the damage Naraku had caused their tribe in his greedy clamour for two shards they had gained possession of. Manipulating the owners against one another, many of the youkai had turned on one another and the tribe had been reduced to only six members whilst Naraku took the shards. One of the survivors had fallen to old age, and two more had been killed at random. Roaming the land together, Akane, Nabiki and Kasumi had joined Sesshoumaru shortly after the Shikon Jewel had been erased and sworn their loyalty to him. Just as Akane and Nabiki draped a pair of warm blankets over Kagome, Sesshoumaru himself walked in. All three of the youkai women dropped to their knees in a show of respect as Sesshoumaru spoke.

"Your healing has gone well I hope?"

"Yes Grand Lord. By morning the miko Kagome will be in perfect health. She just needs to sleep off her ordeal."

"You did well."

Leaving the room, Sesshoumaru teleported out of his mansion and resumed his patrol around his lands as the light fell. Silently, he resolved to watch the village his children and extended family now lived in more closely. Pausing at an ancient tree, he howled loudly to the sky.

Chapter Text

Hanyou no Yashahime
Season 3
The return of the tragic daughter

The following day, Sesshoumaru teleported from the southernmost part of his territory to his mansion and quietly walked to the guest rooms, knowing already that the ministrations of his three best physicians would have Kagome healed from her wounds already. He found himself assailed by thoughts as he trod ever closer. Had Inuyasha done anything impulsive upon learning how badly his wife had been maimed? Not so long ago the question would not have been worth asking even to himself, but since the conflict with Kirinmaru, it was undeniable that his brother had changed, and in many ways. Upon hearing he had a niece in the form of Moroha, he had not known what to think. However, any plans he may have had regarding family ties had been removed by Kirinmaru's resurgence and Zero's manipulations. It angered him even now to think how Zero had had the audacity to order the fire god Homura to incinerate the forest that he had hidden his daughters in whilst he was stood there. Had there not been so much at stake, he would have unleashed the full power of Bakusaiga on the two of them. Letting out a deep breath, he realised that while he had been lost in thought, he had reached Kagome's room in the guest quarters. Inside, he could hear that the miko was awake and, from the scent coming from the room, cleaned, healed and dressed. Feeling slightly self conscious about knocking in his own home, he rapped smartly on the doorframe. Kagome called out for him to enter, and turned around to see her brother in law walking calmly into the room, his gaze as inscrutable as ever as he silently looked her over.

"I hope my physicians did their best?"

Kagome gave a smile and rested a hand on where she had been clubbed.

"Yes, even in my time I don't think anyone could have done a better job. There's no pain of any kind, anywhere. It's like it never happened at all. I can never thank you enough."

"Inuyasha and the others dealt with the raiders, and all is well in your village. Do you need more time to recover?"

"I'm absolutely fine. Do you think you could take me back to my home now please?"

"I shall. Take hold of my mokomoko."

Rising from the floor, Kagome grasped the thick white fur as Sesshoumaru teleported her home. Kagome wasted no time in thanking her brother in law, who responded with a typically blank look before turning and leaving as quickly as he had come. Smiling, she pulled open the door, entering her home. Slumped against the wall were Inuyasha and Moroha, both fast asleep. Moroha was curled up in her father's lap, similarly to how a child much younger than her would. Kagome took the time to stand there, watching her husband and daughter at rest, a smile of contentment on her face. Although she had not moved, some sound or other reached Inuyasha's sensitive ears, and his golden eyes opened to see his wife stood before him, seemingly unaffected by the previous days' events. He hastily got up, waking Moroha in the process.

"Hey, what are you doing Papa, I was..."

She paused in mid speech as she saw her mother stood in their home. Sniffing loudly, the young shihanyou ran to embrace her, tears already flowing down her cheeks as she hugged her. Kagome embraced her daughter with great affection, sparing a moment to beckon Inuyasha towards them. Not wasting any time at all, he pulled both his wife and daughter into a hug.

"Kagome, I was so worried when I heard about the raiders. If I had been here..."

Very gently, the miko pressed her lips to her husband's, stifling any further self-recrimination. After a while, she broke contact and smiled at him.

"Inuyasha, I'm fine. Don't blame yourself. Sesshoumaru had me healed just perfectly. I don't feel any pain at all."

Inuyasha's golden eyes locked onto his wife's rich brown ones as they embraced their daughter between them, and for a blissful instant, all was perfect with the world between them.

It was nearly midday before Kagome set out about her duties. She had made an extra effort to thank Rumiko for everything she had done in her forced absence, although the other miko had declined any form of reward, saying it was part of her duty to heal where she could. Even those most wounded by the attack were well on the road to recovery now, and those who had passed away were being buried. Many of the locals approached Kagome, glad to see their miko was back and no worse for wear. Back in their hut, Setsuna and Towa were talking with Riku and Moroha, finalising their plans for the spring.

"So we take Ah-Un with us when we return from the mountains, and then head to where the island is. Riku, what do you know of it from Kirinmaru's memories?"

Riku shut his eyes, seemingly entering a trance as he thought hard about the island. After some time, he spoke.

"Lord Kirinmaru learned of the island of Orretsu over three thousand years ago. He scouted it several times while in his true form, but he..."

Towa interrupted, looking confused.

"True form? You mean he didn't always look the same?"

Setsuna looked at her twin.

"You probably don't know. Daiyoukai of Father, Grandmother and Kirinmaru's power often look like humans for the sake of convenience. I know that the true form is colossal, and often dictated by age and power levels, although this isn't always the case. Uncle Inuyasha told me once that Father used his true form at least twice after he was released. His form was a giant, snowy-white dog. It's probably safe to imagine that Grandmother has such a form too."

Riku nodded.

"As did your grandfather, the Inu no Taishou."

Towa looked at Riku.

"So what did Lord Kirinmaru's true form look like?"

Riku thought hard before answering.

"It was really something you had to see. The best way to describe it would be to say like a muscled, powerful looking stag, with immensely powerful antlers. He also had a very long tail."

"It sounds as if he was truly powerful indeed."

"He wasn't a Beast King for nothing. Although he was not undefeatable. He failed to stop a shard of the Grim Comet once, which led to great famine and infestation by vermin youkai. Six centuries ago, he found the key to conquering Orretsu Island, and had it not been for the fight with the warlord that led to Miss Rion being killed, he would..."

Slowly, Riku began to stop talking. Light shone in his eyes as he fell silent. Towa, Moroha and Setsuna all looked at him in confusion.

"What is it Riku?"

"Did you remember something?"

Riku reached inside his jacket and withdrew the phial of sap.

"We have everything we need now to bring back Miss Rion."

The three princesses looked at one another in sudden comprehension that they had the ingredients for the strange elixir that would revive the Qilin princess, although the raider attack and Kagome's wounding had temporarily driven the thought from their minds. Getting to her feet, Moroha left the hut to find her father and the other items they had gathered, leaving the others to prepare for the ritual. Taking hold of a large clay basin, Riku placed it in the middle of the room, careful to avoid knocking the phial. In short order, Moroha had returned with the spirit tree branch and fruit, the glass bottle of holy water and the damaged Meidou Stone dangling around her neck. She placed the items down near the basin and looked at her cousins and friend.

"So, what is it we have to do then?"

A voice sounded from Riku that was not his own. A gentle scarlet aura emanated from the young man as Kirinmaru spoke through him again.

"I will guide you on this endeavour. Allow me to thank you again for doing this for my daughter."

Towa nodded, as did her twin and cousin.

"We are ready, Lord Kirinmaru."

"First, you must empty the holy water into your basin."

Moroha picked up the glass bottle and emptied the holy water into the basin. It seemed to contain far more water than it should have, until they all noticed the water was not pooling like it should be, but rather spreading out and seeming to cling to the sides of the basin. When the last drop was emptied, Kirinmaru spoke again.

"Next, add the sap of the Bloodbeam tree."

Setsuna took the crystal phial of sap and emptied it into the basin. Almost immediately, the liquid took on the colour of malachite, sparkling gently. Soon, Kirinmaru spoke.

"You must now remove the fruit from the branch and grind the branch to powder. Towa, sit oppostie Riku, and each hold one hand over the basin."

Setsuna plucked the shrivelled white fruit off the branch as Moroha began to cut up the spirit tree branch, which needed little encouragement to collapse into powder. Hastily, she picked up a bowl to catch the shavings in. As they worked, both Riku and Towa held a hand over the basin. At first, nothing happened, but before long a stream of blue left Riku's hand, and a stream of amber left Towa's, falling into the mixture below. Both looked slightly giddy as the process of gifting the remnants of Rion's haku and kon was completed, and Kirinmaru's voice sounded from Riku as Moroha finished her work.

"Add the spirit tree fruit and let it sit until it's ready. In this mixture it will swell and ripen."

Setsuna placed the spirit tree fruit into the mixture, careful to avoid touching it. Slowly, the wrinkled white plum began to fatten and grow, and in the space of three minutes it was the size of a large orange and sparkling as well.

"Now tip in the powder."

Moroha tipped the white powder into the basin, her eyes widening as the contents began to turn pale pink. Finally, Kirinmaru spoke.

"You have done everything perfectly, Yashahime, and you too, my son. Place the Meidou Stone into the basin now. Thank you for agreeing to my request to let my daughter live again. If you plan to go to Orretsu Island, be warned that it will not be easy to conquer. When you are there, I will assist you."

Moroha removed the Meidou Stone from around her neck and placed it into the potion. For several minutes, the Stone did nothing beyond sit in the liquid, until finally a loud cracking sound resonated through the room, making the occupants start a little. A third crack had appeared in the black stone, showing that it had worked. Slowly, the entire potion began to shine ever brighter. The liquid began to grow into a larger, humanoid mass, and soon the mass lifted up the Meidou Stone. The light slowly faded, and as it did, the shape inside the basin solidified more. There was a loud noise as the basin was shattered, sending several shards of pottery across the room, and when the mess had cleared, moved as if by invisible hands, Rion lay curled up on the floor, much as the young Qilin girl had appeared when they had last seen her. Setsuna rose and went to her room, soon returning with a pale green and white yukata woven from omishi silk and a dark blue obi. Draping the yukata over the Qilin girl's exposed form, the group waited. After a minute or so, she began to shake, her soft brown ears twitching at random. Finally, she pulled the yukata around her for warmth and began to stammer.

"I...I... I c-c-c-can't..."

Setsuna gestured for the others to turn away as she slipped Rion's arms into sleeves of the yukata and tied the obi around her small waist. When she was properly dressed, Rion finally opened her verdigris eyes. She silently looked around at Setsuna, Towa, Riku and finally Moroha. Her ears twitched as she looked at the shihanyou, and without warning, burst into tears, catching the quartet by surprise. She sobbed for several minutes before finally finding her voice again.

"I-I'm back in... the living world. It... feels so strange to draw breath and... to feel the cold air on my skin."

Rion sniffed as she began to shudder.

"Everything I did in the Grim Butterfly... I can't... Osamu Kirin seemed to understand me and offer me answers. I... I hurt you all. Especially you, Riku."

Riku shook his head as he laid a hand on Rion's shoulder, noticing how she flinched as he did so.

"I forgive you, Miss Rion. How could I not? You gave your remaining life force to bring me back to life, and now I have been able to do the same to you. And you saved Lady Towa as well."

The white-haired hanyou girl nodded as she cupped the Qilin's cheek in her hand.

"You weren't to blame for what happened. We all saw the trauma you went through when you struggled against Osamu Kirin, and the strength you found within yourself to defeat Sakasa. Your father was right when he said you deserve a second chance to live."

Rion sniffed and looked around at them all before finally drying her eyes.

"I promise that I'll be the best I can be to you all. It means a lot that you chose to trust me again."

Moroha sidled over and embraced the Qilin girl.

"Hey, don't worry about anything. It's all gone now."

Rion sniffed again and was about to speak when a rumble from her stomach spoke on her behalf. Flushing slightly, Rion mumbled an apology amidst the gentle laughter of her friends. Moroha grinned at her.

"Well I'll see if my parents can make you a meal, Rion. Wait here and I'll..."

Rion took Moroha's hand in hers, causing the shihanyou to stop and look back at her. Her eyes flicking back and forth, she spoke up after some twenty seconds of silence.

"Can I meet them myself please? I mean, can I come with you?"

Moroha grinned widely.

"Sure you can! Come on, it's not far away. And we'll have to get you a place to live if you're going to stay here. My mum and dad were able to help two hanyou find a place in this town to live, so they can do that for you too."

The two left the hut, followed by Setsuna, leaving Towa and Riku unexpectedly by themselves. Just as they were about to talk, each turned and looked into the other's eyes. A bright blush suffused Riku's cheeks, but he edged ever closer to Towa, who made no effort to move away. On the contrary, the hanyou girl closed the distance between them of her own accord, not so much as blinking as she stared unflinchingly into Riku's eyes. Her breathing became slightly more rapid as she leant in close, finally touching her lips to his in a gentle kiss. Before long, the two parted, but there was a magnetism kindled between them by the first kiss, a hunger for more, and soon the two drew in closer for another, more passionate kiss. Driven by the heat of the moment, Towa climbed into Riku's lap and latched her arms around her boyfriend, unexpectedly overbalancing him and bringing them both crashing to the floor. Red with embarrassment, the two picked themselves up, looking around awkwardly. Looking towards the door, the two were quickly reassured that nobody had heard them, and they smiled at one another. Riku was the first to talk.

"You and I should be more careful when, well, this happens."

Towa gave a devious smile, not unlike her cousin.

"You're so handsome, Riku, I got carried away. And I'd like to get carried away and not worry about the consequences."

"Do you think anyone heard us?"

"No. Rion, Moroha and Setsuna are all in Uncle's house, and there's nobody else nearby."

"Well it seems we were fortunate this time. Perhaps next time we will be too."

Towa smiled seductively at her boyfriend.

"Let's find out."

Inside Inuyasha's hut, Moroha was explaining Rion's revival to her parents, assisted at times by Setsuna. The Qilin girl maintained her silence, only too aware that she had put many lives in peril when she was brainwashed by her father's manipulative incarnation. After his daughter finished her narrative, Inuyasha strode up to Rion, who looked nervous, plainly expecting some form of retribution. Before she could say or do anything, Inuyasha had lifted her up and embraced her. Giving a squeak of surprise, Rion tentatively returned the hug. Inuyasha put her down again and tilted her chin up so she was looking at him.

"You got no reason to be scared of us. We were all deceived by a stinking bastard called Naraku more than once each."

Kagome approached Rion as well, giving a gasp of delight on seeing her fawn-like ears. Before anyone could say anything, she had caressed each of them, leading to a look of embarrassment from Moroha and Inuyasha. Setsuna looked baffled at her aunt's actions, although Rion herself seemed flushed. Kagome seemed to realise what she had done and spoke up.

"I'm, well, I'm sorry about that, it's just your ears are so cute!"

Rion smiled nervously.

"Well, er, thank you, Lady Kagome."

Kagome smiled warmly at her.

"Please, you're our guest, just call me Kagome. Now, do you want something to eat?"

"If it's not too much trouble. I can help if you like."

"Come on then. We have enough for you too. Have you got somewhere to sleep tonight?"

"Well, no. Is there anywhere nearby?"

"We have a spare place for you to sleep in for a couple of days. After that we can sort out something more permanent. Come with me."

Kagome led Rion into the kitchen and began to sort out a meal for them to share, chatting casually with the Qilin as if she'd known her for years. Rion's smile turned genuine as she related stories of her past to the friendly miko, including how she had travelled around the world with her father. Kagome remained mostly silent whilst Rion spoke of Kirinmaru, not sure she could yet forgive the daiyoukai Beast King for wanting to kill her, Inuyasha and Moroha. Rion finished speaking about how she had seen a beautiful comet in the sky when she was younger, a sight she treasured even now.

"Father told me that the world is made up of a huge... sphere, I think he said? Like a ball. And there are places beyond even his imagination. I always loved seeing the world. Every time, it was like it was new."

Smiling at the girl, Kagome poured some water into the stew she was cooking.

"You're going to like this, Rion. I'm from a time called the 21st century, and..."

"What's a century?"

"Oh, every hundred years is called a century. I am from a future that hasn't happened yet. But before I was born, there was something between two countries called the space race. After a lot of time and effort, people landed on the moon."

Rion gasped in wonder, her eyes shining.

"Really? The same moon we can see most nights?"

"Yes, they really did. From the moon, the Earth looks a lot bigger than the moon does here, and it shows different shapes too. I can't remember how many people went there, but they eventually stopped going. Your father was right, the Earth IS round. It spins around, giving us night and day, and it goes around the Sun, giving us years."

"Wow. There must be so many wonderful things in the future."

"Well, yes and no. I never saw any youkai in the future apart from when Inuyasha crossed time to see me. But I suppose they could be hidden very well."

"O-osamu Kirin mentioned some things to me, but I don't remember them. I'm trying to put that demon out of my mind."

"I can tell you bits of what I remember when we've eaten if you like."

Rion inclined her head respectfully to Kagome, drawing a smile out of the miko.

"I would very much enjoy that."

"Our food is nearly done. Can you fetch the bowls please? Seven of them."

Rion obliged and set the bowls out for Kagome to ladel the stew into. Thanking her, Kagome soon filled the bowls and extinguished the fire, carrying the food through to the others. Catching on, Rion carried three of the bowls of stew herself, following Kagome into the main room. At some point, Riku and Towa had joined the group, and both greeted Kagome warmly as she passed around the bowls of savoury broth. After their meal, Riku, Setsuna and Towa thanked Kagome and returned to their home. By now it was dark, and Rion ventured outside quietly to look at the stars. She smiled absently as she looked into the darkening sky, and barely reacted when Inuyasha joined her.

"When you're ready, I'll show you where you can sleep for the next couple of nights. In the morning, I'll show you the empty huts nearby. It won't be a problem for you to pick one out."

Slowly, the Qilin girl nodded.

"Inuyasha, sir?"

"Just Inuyasha. What is it?"

"Well, have you ever seen other Qilin apart from my family?"

"There are a few around, but not many. I can help you look for them if you want to be with your own kind."

Quickly, Rion shook her head.

"No, it's not that. I was just wondering if there were any. Will the villagers object to me taking a hut for my own?"

"Nah, they're alright with youkai and hanyou here. About the only place more welcoming is a hanyou village in the mountains. Come on, let's go on, it's freezing cold."

Quietly, Rion followed Inuyasha back inside. Moroha gave her father and friend a broad smile as she took the last bowls into the kitchen to be washed, not seeing the light pink blush that raced across Rion's cheeks as she did so. Inuyasha gestured to the small, narrow room that had been used earlier in the winter.

"For now, you can sleep in there. I'll see if there's any more clothes for you. Maybe Moroha can help you get some when she gets money from a bounty job."

Rion gave a timid smile.

"Is gold dust still good as money?"

"Huh? Yeah, it's what all the merchants want. Do you have some?"

"No. But I can make it. It's something Qilin daiyoukai can do, but I haven't perfected just how to do it yet."

Inuyasha looked surprised before smiling at her.

"Well leave it until the morning now. Get some rest, Rion. It's been nice to meet ya."

"And it's been a pleasure to meet you too. Sleep well."

"You too."

Inuyasha entered his bedroom, and Rion turned to the narrow room that had been used before by Riku. Climbing into the nest of blankets, it wasn't long before she drifted off to sleep, her dreams unburdened that night.

Chapter Text

Hanyou no Yashahime
Season 3
Tricks of the trade

"Use your foxfire for as long as you can."

In the training hall of the Kitsune Inn, eight young kitsune let out wisps of teal and cyan foxfire, each struggling to maintain the shape and intensity of their flames. Shippo watched as his students did their best to keep the flames going, Kanna at his side. As the winter had progressed, the youkai girl had expressed more and more interest in watching the young kits train and play under Shippo's guidance. At first, her interest had been weak at best, but as the time had gone by, she had felt a genuine growing curiosity about the youngsters and how each of them performed their own tricks and channeled their powers. The air of aloof disinterest that had enshrouded her when she was Naraku's minion was not yet entirely gone, but it was greatly diminished to the point where she was expressing independent curiosity about the world around her. In the hall below, only three of the wisps of foxfire remained now, and as Kanna watched, the wisps flickered and became two, then one, and then finally none. Shippo walked down to the students, many of whom looked exhausted.

"You do need to push yourselves to succeed, but there is a balance that you need to find between perseverance and fatigue. As you grow, you will find that balance for yourselves."

Shippo approached the kitsune girl who had held her flame the longest.

"Ukyo, you did very well to hold your flame as long as you did. All of you did well today. Rest for now, we will begin with clone training next."

The eight kitsune students promptly rolled onto their sides, backs or fronts to relax, several of them breathing heavily as they compared notes among themselves.

"Master Shippo asks for a lot. Can it really be as easy as he says?"

"I couldn't hold my fire for twenty seconds."

"And we have clone practice next as well!"

"I think I could sleep for a week."

Shippo returned with a large tray of food and drink, placing it before his students. As they eagerly began to eat, he addressed them all.

"Do any of you know what happened to Shoga? She hasn't been here for a while now."

A kitsune student raised his hand.

"She's got some kind of sickness, Master Shippo. Sleeping sickness I think."

"Alright, I'll talk to her parents soon. Everyone get into a line, and begin to..."

Shippo paused in mid-speech as a six-legged white rabbit youkai ran into the room, holding a roll of parchment in its' mouth. It jumped up, and Shippo took the message from it. Reading in some concern, he soon dismissed his students. Kanna approached silently as the six-legged messenger ran off.

"What is it?"

"There are rogue nogitsune causing trouble by the lake nearby, and they want me to see to them."

Kanna blinked slowly.

"Nogitsune?"

"Foxes that cause more trouble than usual. Almost malicious, usually they come out at night only but not these ones. If there were only one or two it wouldn't be a problem, but there's nearly twenty! I'd need Inuyasha's help to see to that many!"

Kanna silently examined the letter before passing it back to Shippo, blinking her ebony eyes slowly.

"I think you can do it. You taught all these young kitsune well with their magic."

"Teaching kits how to hold foxfire is one thing. But disciplining almost twenty foxes with no loyalty to anyone is no easy task for anyone, least of all me!"

"You could..."

"Beat them at their own game, young Shippo."

Shippo and Kanna looked up as Mrs Kyuubi entered the room, a casual smile on her elderly visage. She loped up towards where the young kitsune sat.

"Beat them how? I'm hardly a nine-tailed kitsune god, Mrs Kyuubi! I can't defeat that many in combat."

The elder kitsune sniffed disdainfully.

"Think and be creative, Shippo! What do all beings fear, whether human or youkai?"

Shippo thought hard before answering.

"What they don't understand?"

"Exactly! Face these nogitsune with things they do not know or comprehend, surprise them and keep them guessing, and you will be able to drive them away from this lake without having to kill them. Also, remember what they don't like and spring that on them whilst you are seeing them off. And take Kanna with you."

Shippo looked at his companion hesitantly.

"Well, it's just that Kanna can't use kitsune magic like we can."

"Of course not, she's not a kitsune, is she? But she is hard to detect, gives off no youki signature, and has powers I've never seen before. Both of you together, you can defeat these nogitsune. Go on, I will train the young ones today."

Uneasy with the task set before him but smart enough to know it was an order, Shippo left the training hall, followed by Kanna. He made his way to his room and began to gather together his tools, prepared to fight if he had to. Various scenarios ran through his mind about the outcome, ranging from a resounding defeat for the nogitsune to him and Kanna being captured. Individually, the more trouble-making kitsune were cautious with their pranks, but with so many, it could be difficult indeed. Peer pressure from the size of the group could well change how things went, often to the detriment of the losing side. As Shippo pocketed his toys and tools, Kanna cupped her hands together and began to focus her youki. In short order, a small orb of light had formed, which then condensed and made a glowing shard of glass. She tapped Shippo on the shoulder and held her hand out to him, the shard now looking perfectly ordinary. Shippo looked at the glass curiously.

"Er, what does this do, Kanna?"

"It is youki glass. You know that I had a mirror that could absorb souls."

"Yes, it was, well, scary."

"This glass will make your duplicates more solid, and they won't simply disappear until you choose to remove them. You will be able to interact with things more through your clones, such as set up distractions."

Shippo's eyes widened as he took the glass from Kanna.

"It feels strange. Well, thank you. I hope it's useful to us on this task. Are you ready to go?"

"I believe I am."

Walking to the front door, Shippo transformed into a bird and waited for Kanna to climb onto his back. When she had done so, he took off and flew east, soon coming in sight of the lake. As he circled overhead, he could soon see the damage the nogitsune had caused. Swept against the shore of the lake was a large amount of plant matter that he soon recognised as pond weed. Kagome had spoken once of how large bodies water needed such plants for the fish to survive. With so much weed removed, it was possible the fish stocks would suffer, especially as spring approached. Shippo landed not far from the shore, a plan already forming in his mind. He transformed back and turned to Kanna.

"I've got an idea for what to do. Can you take these to that dead tree over there and wait for my signal?"

He passed the youkai girl two firecrackers. Silently, Kanna turned and walked in the direction he had indicated. Shippo made his way to the lakeside, but even as he looked, two patches of the pond weed exploded, revealing two hostile looking dark furred nogitsune. Both were easily three times his size, well built, and looked to be in their late teen years. One smirked at the young kit.

"Well, this is the famous Shippo, is it? Can't see what a little runt like him is famous for, he looks like he only crawled out of the burrow a few weeks ago!"

The other laughed as he made to pick up the smaller youkai.

"It was more that dumb miko and half breed that were famous. He kinda..."

Shippo snarled deeply, enough to catch the two nogitsune off guard. He shot a jet of fire at the nearer of the two, making him snarl.

"Oh, he wants to play with the big boys. Call the others, and we'll see just how much of..."

A loud explosion that sounded like barking distracted all three, although Shippo came back to himself quickest, suspecting the source. He quickly seized the youki glass that Kanna had given him and infused it with his power, and in no time at all there was a perfect copy of himself stood some ten feet away. Throwing a small smoke bomb at the ground, both Shippo and his clone were shrouded briefly in the haze, and soon neither of the nogitsune could tell which was the genuine one. Just as both decided to attack individually, Shippo unleashed another pair of clones and withdrew a small dagger, which promptly appeared in the hands of the clones. Just as one of the nogitsune lunged for Shippo, the young kitsune gave a surprising popping sound and vanished from sight briefly. He reappeared after two seconds, the dagger now glowing with foxfire. As the nogitsune spun to attack Shippo, he found his dagger being drawn towards his opponent with surprising force. It made contact just above the nogitsune's heart, and flung him some eight feet away. Gasping, the nogitsune got to his feet, out of breath and looking distinctly weakened.

"Curses on... your tricks you little... spawn. How..."

Shippo looked at his weapon with interest. It had been gifted to him the only time Mr Kyuubi had visited over the winter, and the old fox had assured him it had powers he would do well to not take lightly. Looking up, he soon saw that the rest of the nogitsune had arrived, bearing a white figure between them. His eyes narrowed as he realised that the figure was not Kanna, but a white-furred myobu, a holy fox closely associated with the goddess Inari. He levelled the dagger at the group as Kanna joined him.

"You took a myobu captive? Are you mad? Our goddess Inari will make all of you suffer!"

There was a chorus of mocking sniggers from the group, seemingly uncaring that what they had done was likely to result in severe, divine repurcussions. The myobu was restrained with what looked like wire, and as he looked, he saw dots of red marring the captive's fur. Shippo lifted the dagger, teal foxfire running along its' length as the nogitsune mocked him.

"Let the myobu go!"

"Listen to the runt!"

"Unwind the wire from her paws and take off her bridle, or we will all suffer!"

"Give her back her key!"

Shippo felt anger like he had never encountered before as the nogitsune laughed. Mistreatment of myobu was asking for trouble to put it lightly, and it was something these nogitsune were regarding as a joke. Moving closer to the group despite the fact he was badly outmatched, Shippo felt a strange energy emanate towards him from the captive, and suddenly understood she was encouraging him. As he got within several feet of the nearest nogitsune, the power from the dagger became ever stronger, and the closer nogitsune began to look at him in both confusion and some degree of alarm. Emboldened by the myobu's silent help, Shippo raised his free hand and shot a burst of foxfire into the sky. The nogitsune fell silent and began to look among one another and to their captive. Finally, with an air of reluctance, they began to release the myobu, and one returned an ornate key to her, although even after the bridle was removed she remained quiet. Walking towards Shippo, she lay down beside the young kitsune and promptly turned invisible for several seconds before engulfing herself in crystalline white fire. Several of the nogitsune backed away, realising what a mistake they had made. Just as the flames began to circle her, signalling she was ready to attack, Shippo spoke up.

"Don't kill them. They know not to do it again."

The myobu looked in silent askance at Shippo as Kanna joined him. Her soft eyes looked to be studded with starlight as she locked gazes with him. Finally, she turned her gaze onto her captors and spoke in a surprisingly deep voice.

"Flee."

The nogitsune ran off, breaking into pairs and trios as they did. In the space of a minute, the entire pack had gone. Shippo silently wondered if he had done the right thing when the myobu nuzzled him gently. He felt a round, polished stone fall into a pocket of his, and he knew that it would be soon that he was granted an audience with possibly Inari herself, although it would more likely be with another myobu. He bowed to the myobu respectfully, silently mimicked by Kanna. Examining the young kitsune curiously, the myobu spoke.

"You have seen so much death and pain, yet you wanted me to spare those nogitsune. Why was that?"

Shippo looked uneasy and scuffed the dirt with his foot before answering.

"It's, well, they could change for better. Even the smallest fruit can grow into the tallest tree if allowed the chance to grow."

The myobu looked neither angered or satisfied with his answer and surrounded herself with white flames. In seconds, she had vanished, and a woman with a strange air to her reappeared. She spoke in a quiet, yet commanding tone.

"You hold onto ideals that could cause harm for yourself and your friends, young one."

Shippo kept his head respectfully bowed. The woman rested a hand on his head gently, enough to send a shiver through his very being. She continued to talk.

"Perhaps the next time that happens, it will cost you deeply. But it may also save lives that do not need to be taken. You truly care, don't you? You have a pure heart, young Shippo. I will allow you a wish when the equinox comes, for saving one of my followers and choosing to spare those nogitsune, even if they do not worship me."

"Your Grace, Lady Inari?"

"That is one name I go by. Your companion here, she is of interest to me too. Part of her is corrupted youkai remains, and the other is of a potion. I will aid her too, for her part in your scheme."

Inari touched Kanna's forehead, and in the space of a second, Kanna shone and then returned to normal. Shippo looked at Kanna as the youkai girl held her hands out in front of her and examined them. Inari spoke up, prompting both to turn their attention to her.

"I have made Kanna whole. There was a danger of her collapsing into dust. Now she is not unlike a human girl, but she is still a youkai. Farewell, young ones."

Pure light shone from Inari as she vanished, leaving a faint aroma of rice on the air. Shippo resumed his form as a bird, and flew himself and Kanna back to the Kitsune Inn.

Chapter Text

Hanyou no Yashahime
Season 3
The dawn of spring

Spring steadily began to eclipse winter as the days crept past. Everywhere there were signs of the coming of the new season; buds began to appear on the trees, small birds returned to the woods to begin courting one another, the temperatures steadily increased above freezing even at night, and the town breathed a collective sigh of relief. Although many enjoyed the warming season as they went about their daily lives of hunting, preparing fields for crops and medicinal herbs, repairing and gathering, one individual seemed lost in wonder at the coming of spring. Revived to a living form at last, the daiyoukai Qilin Rion seemed determined to enjoy every sight possible of her first proper spring since her sealing on Mount Musubi some six centuries prior. She had been given a new home roughly midway between Towa and Inuyasha's respective houses, far enough that she could savour her privacy, yet close enough that she was never lacking for company. Clad in a light green and beige kimono, her feet covered in softly padded shoes, she tilled away at a patch of soil, exposing the darker earth beneath, making a herb garden for both her own use and Kagome's. She had bonded well with the town's miko, and had gladly agreed to let her plant some of her herbs just outside her home. A single hardy tree decorated her small patch of land, something she had begged Inuyasha to not topple when her home was being made only the previous month, and as she glanced over at it, she was very thankful that she had. A pair of enchanting little birds had been visiting her tree every day since she had moved in, drawn by the presence of a particular clump of branches that offered them sanctuary and possibly something more. Rion paused as she watched the birds, a gentle smile gracing her features. In her many years of life, she had been up close to many animals and birds, and had grown into a lover of nature from a very early age as she traveled the world with her father. Yet each and every time, she was always entranced by the sight of new life in the making. She had made sure to leave out snippets of thread and fabric, and the birds had been keen to take them along with pieces of moss and lichen they had found in other places and begun to weave together. Her smile spread as she envisioned the birds, known to her as Enaga, building a nest, laying eggs, and raising a family all whilst in close proximity to her home. Returning her spade to her tool rack, she quietly made her way towards where Towa, Riku and Moroha were. Her fawn-like ears twitched slightly as she listened to her friends talking, something not feeling quite right as she did so.

"So you're sure that this is a good idea, Riku?"

"My, Lady Towa, have you become more shy now that the winter is over? You told me that it is only a week until the spring... equinox, is it?"

"That's what the western societies called it. Papa Sota usually called it Shunbun-no-hi, and it is one of the two days in the year when night and day are of the same length."

"But we are alone now, and surely you won't mind me doing this. You do trust me, don't you?"

"With my life, Riku, it's just that I've never let a boy touch me like..."

"You have my word that I'll be gentle with this, Lady Towa."

"I believe you, Riku, and I..."

Suddenly Towa broke off, taken aback by a sniggering sound Rion had absolutely no trouble identifying. Sat outside their home, her ear to the wall, was Moroha. Unable to contain herself any longer, the shihanyou girl collapsed to the ground, laughing uncontrollably. Just as the Qilin girl was about to ask what was happening, a furious and red faced Towa stormed out of her shared home, glaring daggers at her cousin.

"MOROHA!!!"

Draped around her shoulders like a shawl was a spare piece of material Rion had not seen worn in such a fashion before on a Japanese person. Before she could say anything, Towa turned to look at her, her look of fury mellowing. Believing that Rion had walked in on something incriminating was only too easy to do, as the Qilin girl had a gentle nature and even if she had caught them performing the most lewd of deeds, she would be easily persuaded to keep the act a secret, given how much she valued trust after her resurrection. Moroha, on the other hand... Towa turned away from Rion and stamped mightily near her laughing cousin.

"What the heck are you doing, snooping around when I told you I don't want anyone to disturb me this morning? Setsuna agreed to, so why can't you give us some space when..."

Moroha looked up, her eyes shining with tears of mirth.

"Oh, I knew you guys wanted to, but this, and, like that? This is worth more than any bounty ever was!"

She dissolved into laughter again, the tears of merriment falling thick and fast. Towa's look of frustration boiled over as she yelled.

"IT WAS NOT WHAT YOU THINK IT WAS!"

Moroha only continued to laugh. Towa's face turned a brighter shade of red as she realised several of the townsfolk had heard her irritated declaration and were drawing their own conclusions. Finally Moroha began to simmer down, although she was still grinning from ear to ear.

"Alright then cousin, if Riku was not about to..."

Towa clapped her hand over Moroha's mouth, her eyes narrowed in frustration and humiliation at having shouted so much for half the town to hear. She took several deep breaths before speaking.

"Riku was about to cut my hair for me! See this shawl? It's to stop the hair he cut going down the back of my kimono and ruining it. That's all!"

Letting go of her cousin, Towa glared at her again. Rion blinked owlishly before speaking up.

"But if that's what Riku was doing, what were you both saying?"

Towa gave a long sigh as she turned to Rion.

"Riku tried to cut my hair before, but it didn't end so well. I had to persuade him that I trusted him to do it right this time. Last time he got the scissors tangled in a tuft of my hair and Setsuna had to cut them out. So I wanted the hut to just us two so it could be done simpler. Not for the reasons my... dear cousin seems to think."

Moroha had the audacity to smirk at Towa.

"It wouldn't be the first time you two had the hut to yourselves, would it?"

Towa grumpily kicked at her cousin, but it was a motion with no real aggression or hostility to it. Both knew that if it came to a serious fight, Towa would win, and Moroha was easily able to scurry out of the way. Besides, she had to admit that her cousin was right, and in the winter she had wanted to be alone with Riku on several occasions. Getting to her feet, Moroha strode off towards the woods, humming to herself. Heaving a sigh, Towa smiled wearily at Rion.

"I'm sorry about all that noise. When she wants to, Moroha can really be annoying."

Rion smiled back at the hanyou girl.

"I don't think I was ever like that when I was a child."

"I was, er, able to see some of your memories from when you were very young. You saw a really beautiful comet many years ago, didn't you?"

The Qilin girl's eyes grew misty as she nodded.

"Yes, Father learned about it from a human and took me to a hillside to watch it as it became more and more brilliant. It's a sight I'll never forget. Anyway, you say Riku is going to cut your hair for you?"

"That's right. Perhaps I can find you later on, Rion? It's just that my hair has been growing a lot during the winter, and I'd like for it to be done soon."

Rion bowed her head respectfully, her ears involuntarily twitching as she did so.

"Of course, I will leave you to have your hair cut. I... oh!"

Rion blinked as Towa gently caressed her Qilin ears. She smiled at Towa, who looked embarrassed at what she had just done.

"I... I'm sorry, I just couldn't help myself!"

Bowing again with another warm smile, Rion took her leave, thinking vaguely of visiting the shrine to pay her respects to the late Kaede. As she crossed the town, several of the locals greeted her, one or two even referring to her as a princess. Technically speaking the title was true; as the biological daughter of a Beast King like Kirinmaru, she had claim to such a title, although she was unsure how it felt to her. Just as she reached the stairs to the temple, her eyes fell on a lady in a Buddhist nun's attire. The lady smiled broadly at her, something about her setting her mind at ease.

"Well, I've not seen you here before. Are you a friend of Inuyasha's?"

"Yes, I am. My name is Rion."

"That's a cute name! I'm Kin'u, I don't know if he's mentioned me to you?"

Pausing, the Qilin girl tapped her forefinger to her chin thoughtfully before shaking her head slowly.

"I'm sorry, I can't think of where I've heard your name before."

Kin'u nodded.

"I think I know your story, you are the daughter of Kirinmaru, and you were brought back to life by the three Yashahime and Riku. I'm the daughter of Sango and Miroku, and older sister to Gyokuto and Hisui."

Rion's eyes widened in recognition.

"Oh, I met Hisui in the winter a couple of times. He's your brother? He seems very skilled at his job under Kohaku."

"Yes, little brother takes his job very seriously. But he needs to learn to unwind and have a bit of fun now and then! I like to have a good time if I can. But you're here for something important, aren't you?"

"Yes, I was told about the old priestess who died just before winter, and I thought I should pay my respects to her and her sister Kikyo. If the stories are true, they must have had tremendous power, perhaps similar to that of the lady Midoriko."

Kin'u looked surprised at Rion as they ascended the stairs towards the twin memorials.

"You speak as if you knew her. I mean, I know you're a youkai, but, well, did you know her?"

Rion gave a shrug as they passed the halfway point.

"I knew of her, but I did meet her. Once, I suffered some minor injury, and before long, she tended to it for me. I was very small when that happened, I can't remember much of it at all, but she did say that I had a pure heart. Father was grateful and took us away."

"Your father was Kirinmaru, wasn't he?"

"That's right. Is this the shrine here?"

Kin'u nodded as they approached the ornate marker. Breathing slowly, Rion sank to her knees, her hands making several gestures and shapes that Kin'u was unfamiliar with. Before long, the nun joined her, paying her respects in a more traditional Japanese manner. Eventually the two rose to their feet. Rion looked up at the trees in the shrine, where a light tweeting could be heard. Kin'u followed her gaze and spoke up, quietly jolting her back to the present.

"What did you see in life before your sealing? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"No, I will tell you. I was born from my father's yoki being amassed, I didn't have a mother, but my aunt Zero was caring towards me. I was raised for several years at my father's compound in China, and whenever he could, he would take me around the world to see many different things. I witnessed his fights against strong foes, they were, well, strange to see. I knew they meant a lot to my father, but combat is not something I ever wanted to see or take part in. A few times, he would tutor me with how to assume my true form. I was able to do it after just four attempts, my aunt Zero said it took father more than thirty attempts to properly assume his true form, which he admitted was true. The places I saw, well, there was a land of ice and snow full of coloured fire and birds that could not fly, wild mountains reaching into the sky itself, rolling plains, lands of red sand, endless treks of wasteland, lush jungles, scabbed rockland covered with poisonous smoke, and many others. We did not usually linger for long in the harsher places, but we did stay in a desert one night after a wandering tribe hailed us as gods. I asked father to give them water, which he did, and they celebrated for the whole night. There are many lands beyond every direction, each one is amazing and worth seeing."

Kin'u listened to Rion talk as they made their way back across the town to where she was staying. She opened the door to her small cabin and beckoned the Qilin girl inside.

"It sounds like you really had the chance to see everything in the world. I wish I could see even some of them, but I have several duties as a nun to cater to. My father Miroku is a monk, did you know?"

Rion inclined her head politely.

"I have heard he was rather wild in his youth. Inuyasha said he was... lecherous?"

Kin'u smiled broadly.

"Oh, I've heard many tales about my father! Yes, he was. He undertook a thousand days of training, I think it worked to make him stronger. A lot of the duties he and I have performed together have involved sealing youkai or making charms to deter them. But I can feel the power you keep inside yourself, Rion. I don't think even Kagome could seal your powers."

Rion looked at the young nun curiously.

"You mean my yoki? I do all I can to contain it."

Kin'u nodded. Gesturing to an incomplete scroll of sealing, she finished wording it and held it up.

"This is usually enough to repel the youkai we come across."

Cautiously, Rion took the scroll and looked at it, feeling nothing coming from it. Without warning the scroll simply vanished, erased from existence by the yoki she held within her. Kin'u smiled at her and carried on chatting to the Qilin girl. After some time, she seemed to think of something and began to prepare a meal, turning to her guest as she did so.

"Would you like to join me for some food?"

Rion smiled at her.

"Thank you, I would."

Kin'u set about making a meal for the two, leaving briefly to draw water from the well. When their food was ready, the two ate in companionable silence, both with their minds on different things. After finishing her meal, Rion inclined her head respectfully to her friend.

"This has been a very nice time to..."

Rion blushed as Kin'u, similarly to Towa, caressed her Qilin ears. The young woman smiled sheepishly as they twitched under her delicate touch. Rion raised her head, a smile on her face.

"That's the second time that's happened today. First Towa, and now you, Kin'u."

Kin'u smiled back at her.

"When we were kids, Gyokuto and I used to do the same to Inuyasha. I think we annoyed him a bit, but he always used to like sitting in trees where he could, and he'd come and sit with us quite a lot. If I'm honest, I think he liked it when we did it. He could have easily kept out of our way but he didn't."

Rion nodded, her ears twitching slightly as she did so.

"I didn't meet many Qilin, but I only ever saw one other who had fawn-like ears like mine. I can't say how I got them, but I don't mind people touching them like you did."

Kin'u gave a short laugh.

"Next time, I'll make sure I ask!"

Rising to her feet, Rion bowed again.

"I hope we meet again soon. Thank you for talking with me and giving me a meal, Kin'u. It's been a pleasure."

Taking her leave, the Qilin girl returned to her home, noticing that Kagome was there, planting herbs in the half of the garden Rion had given to her. Smiling warmly at her, Kagome raised an arm in greeting.

"Rion! It's nice to see you back. I just finished planting the herbs in the garden. You've had some visitors."

Rion blinked and was about to ask Kagome what she meant when she noticed a movement out of the corner of her eye. Turning to look, she saw that one of the two birds who had been investigating her tree that morning was picking up pieces of thread in its' beak and flying to the clump of branches, passing the material to its' partner and then returning for more. It paused to look at the daiyoukai and the miko through one beady black eye, but soon determined they were no threat and returned to its' work. Kagome silently watched with Rion as the two birds worked away.

Chapter Text

Hanyou no Yashahime
Season 3
Howl of the Ookami

Inuyasha was restless as he paced around his home the next morning. Today was the day everyone was going to the wolf fortress to visit Koga's tribe. He had lost count of the times he had butted heads with the equally brash and cocky wolf leader, and going to his home with the knowledge he owed him a debt he could never repay after he had raised Moroha in their stead was almost enough to make him want to refuse to go. However, Kagome had managed to persuade him otherwise, and now he was waiting for Miroku and Sango to arrive from their village. Moroha, Towa and Setsuna were waiting outside, and Kagome had left to quickly check on a pregnant woman due to give birth soon. Although part of the group, Shippo had been unable to come owing to a final batch of training examinations. However, a gift sent by the kitsune would make things considerably easier. After being given their location and persuading both Mrs Kyuubi and Kanna to help, Shippo had delivered an enchanted mirror that would send them to and from the wolf fortress. Inuyasha wearily examined the mirror, his ears subconsciously flicking as he heard Kirara approach, and soon he could hear Kagome greeting Sango and Miroku. Deciding that now was the time to go, he made his way outside, joined by his family and friends. He looked around at them all and lowered the small mirror so they could see into it. A bright light shone from the glass, and in no time at all, the mirror had teleported them all to where the new wolf fortress had been made. It resembled nothing so much as a barren stone mountain, dotted with caves and ledges. Foliage was sparse on the lower levels, and the peak was showing hints of the first snows of the year. Off in the distance, rising mist showed the location of a distant waterfall. Mere seconds after arriving, two wolf youkai approached at a weary jog, as if they had spent the best part of their youth chasing someone they had no hope of catching up with. Kagome smiled as she recognised them, but before she could say a word, Moroha raced up to the wolves.

"Uncle Ginta! Uncle Hakkaku!"

Smiles broke out on the faces of the two wolves as the eager shihanyou girl they had helped to raise approached them. Embracing them tearfully, Moroha was hugged in turn. Behind her, Inuyasha watched the scene quietly. Around them, the odd wild wolf or two could be seen, looking over the group assessingly but making no moves to attack, quite different to how they had been when they first encountered them during their hunt for jewel shards. Inuyasha silently noticed that the fortress was a lot quieter than it should be, and the wild wolves they had seen were wiry, lean and skinny, yet this was clearly the right place. Finally, the two wolf youkai let go of Moroha and smiled warmly at her.

"You sure got big!"

"Even since Yawaragi took you away. You've put on some muscles, kid! You're not the same little one who used to wet..."

Moroha flushed bright red.

"Uncle! Don't tell them!"

She could hear Towa sniggering in the background and made a mental note to even the score with her cousin later on. Sighing, she turned to Ginta as the group approached.

"So where is everyone? Where's Papa Koga?"

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed but he said nothing. There was no denying that Moroha held a great deal of affection for her early years in the hands of the wolf tribe. Before anyone could say anything, a red-haired female wolf youkai approached at a run second only to Koga's when he had been using shards to bolster his speed. She came to a momentum defying stop just behind Ginta and Hakkaku, her white fur cape flying behind her. She turned her jade eyes on Moroha fondly.

"Moroha..."

The shihanyou girl's brown eyes welled up with tears.

"Mama Ayame. I... I promised I'd come back."

The two embraced one another, both teary eyed at their reunion. Kagome smiled warmly at her daughter, and even Inuyasha's expression softened. Before long, the two pulled apart, trading notes about what had happened since Moroha's departure. Inuyasha's ears twitched slightly as Ayame spoke. The female leader of the pack spoke of humans becoming bolder and managing to push into the territory of the ookami tribes, with several smaller groups forced to band together for their own benefit. However, many of the smaller groups had often clashed with one another over access to game, land and water, and when forced to merge into a new tribe, they had often rallied against one another and clashed, leaving only a few survivors that had either been picked off by humans or youkai or left to roam the wilderness alone. Just as the two finished talking, Koga sauntered up, putting Inuyasha on his guard. For once though, the cocky alpha wolf did not look inclined to pick a fight. Miroku, Sango, Towa, Setsuna and Kagome could all see that Koga looked absolutely exhausted. Gone was the brash smirk he'd worn to irritate Inuyasha with, gone was the air of speed he'd carried with him, so much about the leader looked changed, and not for the better. He loped up to his mate and turned a weary smile on Moroha.

"Hey, really good to see you again, kid. We heard about what Yawaragi did. Never thought she'd do that, gotta say I'm disappointed in her. Come on, you wanna come to the fortress?"

Moroha looked at her foster father in concern.

"What's wrong, Papa Koga? You seem..."

Ayame caught Moroha's eye and shook her head. Moroha looked back at Koga, her expression unchanged. Koga however had turned his attention to his guests.

"Yeah, come on to the fortress. Even you, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha looked surprised at being called by his name. The group set off along the wild, rocky path, and soon arrived at the bare stone hill that served as the wolf tribe's base. Wolves of various hues and wolf youkai could be seen, but many showed signs of sickness, fatigue and malnutrition, and few of the wolf youkai showed signs of pregnancy. After an uneasy, near-silent walk, they reached the large cave that served as a common area for the wolf youkai. Inuyasha casually sniffed the air, but although he could certainly scent wolves in the cave, there were far fewer than he had expected. A handful of young wolves were resting on makeshift nests of straw and dried vegetaion, many of whom looked tired. Koga dropped to the floor and gave a loud exhale, as if he had been running for days. Inuyasha spoke up with his typical bluntness.

"So what's got you so drained? Y'weren't this bad even when we fought Moryomaru together."

Koga gave a pained grimace.

"Lots of stuff happened. When we took Moroha in for ya, things were going well. I returned the Goraishi to the graveyard, we were at our strongest since that wind witch Kagura came along, and we had pushed back a lot of the Birds of Paradise. We kept on going strong for twelve years, maybe more. But just after Yawaragi took Moroha away to be trained, two dragon youkai moved in to the north and fought among themselves for over a week. The river was changed slightly, and for the last four years, things have got worse. We tried everything we could think of, but the Birds of Paradise made a comeback, other youkai began to prey on us, fewer young were born, and even though we managed to find a new place to drink, something had changed the water. Last year, some smoking mountain exploded, and that just made everything worse. It's like there's poison in the air. Humans hunting us didn't help."

The wolf leader gave a tired sigh and laid down on the floor. Ayame turned to their guests, all of whom looked concerned.

"We finally found a spring that seems to be alright, but a lot of the tribe have either died or left. The spring is about half a kilometre away, but it's near the border with the Birds. Worst of all, they have carrion crow youkai among them now. We might have to relocate to a new area."

Towa was the first one to stand, looking puzzled.

"Can you show me where the fight happened? I might know something that could help you."

Ayame beckoned to Ginta and Hakkaku, and soon Koga's lieutenants were flanking Towa.

"Take her upstream to where the dragons were. There's no youkai there now, even the Birds of Paradise avoid it. But we checked for any kind of youki released into the ground, and there's nothing. Don't stay there too long, the place seems almost cursed. Koga was there only last week to look around, and he's not recovered."

Towa looked thoughtful as she was shown the way by Ginta and Hakkaku. Moroha and Inuyasha both got up as well, looking determined. Moroha was the first to speak up.

"If there's too many of these fat bird youkai, Mama Ayame, then Papa and I will deal with them. It's the least we can do, right Papa?"

Inuyasha, Kagome and Ayame all looked at Moroha in some surprise, but before anyone could say anything, Sango and Setsuna voiced their support and wish to help with slaying the Birds of Paradise. After a brief lull, Ayame agreed to lead them to the spring. Kagome made to rise, but Inuyasha gently forestalled her.

"Best if you stay here and look after Koga. You might know something we don't, and we do owe him for looking after Moroha for so long."

Kagome sighed but agreed, and turned her attention to where Koga lay nearby, followed by Miroku. Ayame, Sango, Setsuna, Inuyasha and Moroha all filed out of the cave, heading towards a copse of trees nearby. Before long, they could hear the sound of bubbling water. Squatted around the small pool were three of the largest Birds of Paradise Inuyasha had ever seen. In almost no time at all, the aggressive youkai had noticed them and were spreading their wings to begin their attacks. However, their foes were far from helpless. Sango hefted the Black Hiraikotsu and swung it with seemingly no effort towards the nearest of the hostiles, reducing it to a cloud of bloodied feathers in no time. Moroha drew Kurikaramaru, giving a feral grin as the blade pulsed and began to draw in their youki. Inuyasha and Setsuna took hold of Tessaiga and Yukari no Tachikiri respectively, and charged at them. Ten seconds later, the three youkai were little more than a pile of feathers and bones. Much to her surprise, Moroha's weapon continued to pulse. Swooping low over the treetops came another two Birds of Paradise, and behind them came several more. By now, Moroha's weapon was glowing bright red. Taking a swipe at the approaching youkai, she gasped in amazement. A torrent of crimson fire erupted from the blade and engulfed the two birds. Columns of ashy grey smoke rose as the youkai were incinerated, but soon Inuyasha's attention was drawn to his daughter as she dropped her weapon, whimpering in agony. It didn't take him long to find the cause of the problem; Moroha's hands were crisscrossed with dark red burn marks, one of them seeping blood as she pressed them to her waist in an effort to stem the pain. Sango, Ayame and Setsuna both looked around, but were quickly forced to turn their attention to the oncoming flock of birds. A venturesome foe managed to knock the Black Hiraikotsu aside, leaving Sango some distance from her weapon. Setsuna spun her halberd, scattering the nearest birds with a well-timed Cyclone Burst, but there were too many to be stopped, even as Ayame slammed her fists into the ground, making green leaves emerge from the dirt and fly at the horde. His golden eyes glinting with anger, Inuyasha got to his feet, drawing his sword as he did so. Tessaiga transformed as it cleared the sheath, and Inuyasha swung with devastating force.

"Kaze no Kizu!"

The oncoming flock was obliterated in a second as Inuyasha's attack destroyed them all. Sango retrieved her weapon and walked towards Moroha, quietly urging the shihanyou girl to open her hands. When she did so, Sango quietly looked at the long burn marks.

"I think I know what happened here. Your weapon took in too much youki, and even releasing it in your flame attack didn't get rid of it all. These burns will heal soon, but you'll have to be careful to not absorb too much youki again, or it'll keep happening. I saw something similar happen with Inuyasha before you were born."

Moroha got to her feet slowly, sheathing her sword carefully. Setsuna looked at her cousin in some concern. Moroha would heal slower than she did on account of her thin youkai blood, so it was likely the shihanyou girl would struggle for a day or so. Inuyasha scoured the sky for any additional birds, but there were none. The group began to make their trip back to the wolf fortress. Silently wondering what was wrong with her, Moroha looked at the raw red marks on her hands, wrinkling her nose in disgust at the smell of burnt skin. She paused and returned to the pool, watched by her foster mother as she began bathing her hands in the still water. The cold water felt wonderful against her scorched palms, and after rubbing the burns she soon caught up with the others.

Towa found keeping pace with Ginta and Hakkaku to be very trying indeed. Although the wolves were not especially fast, they seemed to have boundless energy, and the speed they were running at was uncomfortably fast for the hanyou girl despite all the training she had undergone. Just as she was about to call out again for them to slow down, they came to a stop several metres away from a rocky bank. On her left, she could see a waterfall. Although far from an expert in such matters, she could tell that the waterfall was extremely new. All of the rocks were jagged and sharp, not rounded the way stones usually were at the top of a natural waterfall. She came level with Ginta and Hakkaku, who were looking nervously around.

"Can you feel it too, Miss Towa? It's like there's poison reaching up from the earth. We can't stay her long."

Nodding, Towa ventured slowly forward, taking care to not fall into the torrent. As she neared the water, she could feel the unknown toxin in the very ground. She gestured around her to the wolves.

"Where did the waterfall tumble over the cliff before those dragons came here?"

Ginta pointed to a spot about a hundred metres away.

"Just there. They fought twice, finally making an explosion about here and changing the flow of the river."

Towa nodded.

"I learned a lot of things in the 21st century, and I..."

She paused as she came upon the half rotten carcass of a deer that had become lodged in the rocks just before the fall. Its' pink flesh was exposed, but even to her untrained eye there was something off about it. Spots of black marred the bloated corpse, and as she leaned in closer, she felt a memory from her chemistry class climb to the surface. Realisation suddenly hit her, and she pointed to an outcrop of rock about five metres away.

"It's not youkai poison, it's a kind of metal. I learned about it in school. It's called lead. That's what's poisoning your water."

Ginta and Hakkaku looked at the outcropping. The rock looked almost organic in some ways, twisted and coiled like unpleasantly rotten entrails. Both youkai looked at Towa, only half convinced.

"This metal is making the water poisonous?"

Towa nodded.

"It looks like it to me. The explosions the dragons caused must have brought it close to the water when it began to run this way. The damage can be repaired, but to do it you'd need to make another explosion further along the cliffs. That way, the water will fall sooner and it won't get here at all. It should make things a lot easier if you can do that, and the problem would go altogether if you could remove the lead."

Hakkaku looked at the ugly mass of lead ore.

"It's really as simple as diverting the river?"

"Yes, it seems to be. Perhaps Uncle Inuyasha can do it when we get back to your fortress."

Towa, Ginta and Hakkaku all turned and began to head back towards the wolves' home. Already it was mid-afternoon, and Towa abruptly realised how hungry she was. After trekking back the way they had come, they finally arrived back at the main fortress. Kagome was bandaging Moroha's hands, despite her protests to the contrary. Miroku, Ayame and Sango turned to greet them as they walked in through the cave entrance. Setsuna was keeping to herself, and Inuyasha looked restless. Towa approached her half uncle.

"Uncle, can you help with the poisoned river? I know what's made everything so deadly here, and it's an easy fix, as they say."

Inuyasha looked up at her.

"Yeah? What do you need me to do?"

"You've got to blow up part of the cliff to make the river fall sooner. It's running into some toxic metal called lead, that's why the water's making everyone sick."

Getting to his feet, Inuyasha gave an eager grin.

"Show me what I gotta destroy then!"

Giving a smile, Towa got up before noticing Moroha's sullen look. She turned to her cousin, whose hands were now swaddled with bandages from her mother's travelling bag.

"How do you feel now, cousin?"

Moroha gave a low grumble as she held up her hands.

"Can't do anything like this. I'm not gonna be any use if something attacks us."

Towa looked sympathetically at her cousin's bandages.

"At least you only got a few burns. You'll be back to normal soon."

"Yeah, not soon enough. I wanna come with you and father."

Inuyasha looked at his daughter appraisingly.

"Heh, knew a few burns wouldn't keep you down. Come on then kid. You too if you want, Setsuna."

Setsuna looked up, nodded and was soon walking across the cave to join her sister. Kagome spoke up.

"Moroha, I don't think it's a good idea for you to go whilst you're hurt."

"But all Papa's gonna do is blast a hole in the cliff! It's not like he's gonna try and fight that Ryuukotsusei dragon with us there."

"Moroha..."

"Besides, when he did, weren't you there watching him? Even Shippo too?"

Kagome narrowed her eyes, but it wasn't exactly something she could argue with her daughter about. She had been very insistent that she stay near Inuyasha even as he fought the daiyoukai that had mortally wounded Toga. In hindsight, she could imagine any number of ways her rash decision could have backfired, several of them with fatal consequences. Moroha fidgeted under her mother's stern gaze, but finally Kagome relented.

"Alright, you can go with your Papa. Just be careful."

Followed by his daughter and niece, Inuyasha walked in the direction Towa led them. Before long, they could see the spray from the waterfall, but it was another half hour before they reached the former plunge pool of the old waterfall. There was still water trickling down the rock face and filling up the basin, but nothing like what had clearly once been here. Inuyasha walked into the deepest part of the plunge pool and drew Tessaiga, looking up at the rocks. He turned to look at Towa, who had walked to the edge of the water. Unseen to her, she was being followed.

"Just about here then, Towa?"

"That looks about right, Uncle. A Kaze no Kizu or two should... HEY!"

Sniggering, Moroha had pushed Towa over. Taken by surprise, the hanyou teenager fell forward and landed in the pool. Soaking wet, she straightened up and glared at Moroha.

"Oh, you're taking a bath for that, cousin!"

The shihanyou girl chuckled as she dodged and evaded her snowy-haired cousin. Towa was not quite as fast as Moroha usually was, and she was weighed down by her waterlogged clothes, giving her a considerable advantage. Setsuna's mouth gave a twitch as she went to watch Inuyasha whilst her relatives sought to either avoid or dispense justice. Inuyasha swung upwards with his sword, clipping the edge of the cliff and shaking many large rocks loose. With a loud roar, the water began to pour over the precipice once again. Satisfied he had done the best he could, Inuyasha leapt clear as the water thundered down. He called out to Moroha and Towa and began to walk back towards the wolf fortress, followed by Setsuna. By now, the sky was starting to darken.

Ayame, Ginta and Hakkaku thanked the group for what seemed like the hundredth time as they packed up their belongings. Gifts were graciously accepted, and the promise of a feast on the summer solstice was news all of them gladly received. Moroha hung back, having gone to where Koga was lying asleep in his cave, and had then embraced the three wolf youkai seeing them off. She kissed Ayame goodbye, and suddenly her eyes widened. The red-haired she wolf smiled and tapped a finger to Moroha's lips before gesturing her back to her family and friends. The plucky shihanyou girl smiled back and waved as she joined the group around Shippo's mirror. Almost immediately they were back outside Inuyasha and Kagome's home. Yawning, Miroku looked around.

"We'll stay in one of the empty huts tonight, and then head back in the morning. It's too late to go back now, even for us, and I know I'm tired."

Sango agreed and departed for the woods, accompanied by Kirara. However, she was soon forestalled by Kagome.

"I can have some soup ready for you all soon. Will that be enough?"

Sango paused and looked at Kirara.

"I'll need to get something for Kirara though, I don't think..."

"That that will be a problem."

Walking calmly up to them was Riku, carrying a number of skinned and cooked rabbits. Inclining his head in a respectful bow, he held out one of the carcasses to the eager nekomata, who took the time to chew it over and savour the meat before mewing in appreciation. Kagome walked inside to light the fire, and before long the pot was hung over the fireplace, preserved vegetables, chopped meat and water being poured in to make a savoury dish for them. After some time and last minute seating arrangements, the entire group was huddled inside the hut, taking their time to enjoy the dish. Moroha was atypically quiet, lost in her own thoughts. Was what she had sensed from her foster mother true?

Chapter Text

Hanyou no Yashahime
Season 3
Shattering the blade

It had taken two days for Moroha's hands to heal after the yoki burns inflicted by Kurikaramaru. Practically dragged along by her impatient father, Moroha had reluctantly agreed to visit Totosai to learn of a solution, although Inuyasha had bluntly stated that if his daughter didn't agree to the journey, he would tie her up in a sack and take her there himself. Moroha didn't know how serious her father was, or if her mother had been party to this too, but she had decided to relent and go of her own free will rather than make the journey bound and gagged in a sack. After locating the tanuki tribe and trading jibes with Takechiyo, Hachiemon had agreed to fly them there in exchange for a favour in the future. Inuyasha was mostly silent as they neared Totosai's volcano, although Moroha was more restless as they neared their destination. She took hold of her weapon and examined it again. Externally, it looked very much the same as it had when she had first received it. Yet although it had been modified to seal her thin youkai blood, it had given her no trouble until she had returned to her home with the wolves and fought the Birds of Paradise on their behalf. A thought called for her attention; was she having trouble with the blade because she was having conflicting feelings about her foster parents and her real ones? Could that be causing some kind of turmoil within her that was making so much trouble? Even as she pondered this new possibility, Hachiemon announced that they had arrived at Totosai's forge. Today, the ground looked greyer than before, and the pall of volcanic smoke that hugged the mountain was noticeably thinner and weaker. Inuyasha jumped down and called for Moroha to join him as Hachiemon made his way lower down the volcano to wait. The clanging of metal from within confirmed that Totosai was indeed there, and Inuyasha called out with his typical bluntness.

"Oi! Totosai! We need ya!"

Totosai turned and looked at Inuyasha and Moroha.

"Oh? What do you need?"

Trudging up to the blacksmith, Inuyasha seized him by the front of his jacket.

"I need to know what you've done to Moroha's sword! It burned her hands, like when the Dragon-Scaled Tessaiga burned me!"

Letting go of the blacksmith, Inuyasha glared at him. Moroha made her way down towards Totosai, looking both nervous and cross.

"It's true, the last time I used the sword it burned both of my hands. It never did that before. Can you tell me why?"

Moroha passed Kurikaramaru over for Totosai to inspect. Unsheathing the weapon, the swordsmith looked it up and down and then flicked the exact centre of the blade. Crisscrossing the blade were six golden lines, showing where Totosai had broken and reforged the weapon before. A single silver line ran from the tip of the blade and down to the hilt, intersecting each of the gold lines at least once. Totosai squinted at the silver line before handing the weapon back to Moroha. Getting up, the old youkai headed further down into his forge and returned with a flask of a sickly yellow potion. Inuyasha looked sceptically at the concoction.

"What ya got there?"

Totosai held up the potion.

"Old dream potion. If you take this, Moroha, you may be able to master Kurikaramaru. But if you fail, then you will have no weapon at all. Is that something you can accept?"

Moroha was silent. Kurikaramaru was her last memento of Yawaragi, and by extent, a strong link with her old life as a foster cub. However, she didn't cling on to her past with quite the fervour that Towa had, and as a fighter, she recognised that some things had to be let go of. She nodded slowly after some thirty seconds of deliberation.

"I'll... I'll take the test. Where do I..."

She got no further as Totosai removed the stopper from the old flask and unceremoniously threw the potion over her. Immediately, Moroha found herself back in her home, except it was smaller, built for just two, but with modifications to show that another inhabitant was expected soon. She listened in surprise as she heard Kaede talking from the bedroom and walked in to see the old priestess and her mother there, Kagome resting on a raised futon and a large sheet over her belly. Kagome took several heavy breaths, encouraged by Kaede. Finally she strained, and abruptly it all clicked for Moroha.

She was witnessing the day she was born.

Kagome strained as she gave the biggest push yet, and suddenly her breathing became easier. Moroha from the present looked into the main room but Inuyasha was not there. Curious as to where her father was, she ventured outside and found him standing by himself, looking down at the ground. Amazingly, the canine hanyou had tears in his eyes as he listened. Usually full of confidence and bravado, this version of Inuyasha looked almost scared. There was definite worry etched in his face, and his brow was furrowed as if deep in thought. As Moroha walked towards her father, Kurikaramaru pulsed once. She looked in askance at her sword, then drew it and held it upright. As she did so, she could hear her father's thoughts as if they were speech, and one of the six gold lines shone with sunlike radiance.

"What if I'm no good as a father to our kid? What if she hates me for bein' a hanyou and makin' her just a shihanyou? Will we be around to look after her always?"

Moroha looked in surprise at her father from the past. The negative thoughts plaguing him rolled off him and hovered in the air like a black helium balloon. Suddenly, Moroha knew what she had to do. She swung with her sword, and the gold line was erased, along with Inuyasha's feelings of inadequacy. He sighed and looked up at the moon, which looked oddly coloured to Moroha. Returning inside, she was soon beside her mother, who now was breathing quickly. Again, Moroha's sword pulsed, illuminating a gold fracture line. She looked down at her mother, although her features were more focused on the immediate task of giving birth. Similarly to how Inuyasha had been beset by thoughts, she could soon hear her mother's fears too.

"Is this going to end well? Our daughter is going to be born in such a dangerous time, can we always protect her? She's so small and helpless, what if something happens to us? Naraku's gone, but what if another youkai came?"

Moroha scythed through the strand of negativity, and as she did so, time seemed to resume. Kagome called out weakly for Inuyasha, and her husband was by her side in seconds. She gave a tremor of a smile and spoke in a whisper, although Inuyasha was quite able to hear her.

"Please, be with me when she arrives."

Inuyasha sat on the other side of his wife to Kaede, his tough, callused hand clenching hers in a strong grip. Kagome's brown eyes filled with tears as they locked on to Inuyasha's golden ones.

"I love you so much, Inuyasha."

"I love you too, Kagome."

Both held one another's gaze for some seconds before Kagome sucked in a deep breath and gave one final push. Inuyasha's other hand slid under her shoulder, careful to not cut her with his claws. Finally Kagome stopped pushing, and her breathing resumed. All was quiet in the hut for what felt like an eternity, but then, to the unending delight of the couple, the soft, cooing cry of a newborn reached their ears. Kaede cut the umbilical and wrapped the tiny baby in a clean sheet, similarly to how Towa and Setsuna had been delivered almost six months before. She handed the baby to her parents with a smile.

"You did well, Kagome. Here's your daughter."

Moroha looked on in wonder at the sight of herself, no bigger than a small cat, resting contentedly in her mother's arms. For the first time, her eyes opened, and she beheld her parents. Inuyasha looked at her with silent rapture, delighted he now had a child of his own too. Sesshoumaru's twins had been whisked away soon after their birth, and he had not seen his brother to find out the reason. Looking into her chocolate brown eyes, he silently vowed to do everything he could for his child. As he did so, a name came to his mind.

"Moroha."

Kagome smiled and nodded.

"Yes, that will be our daughter's name."

Baby Moroha's eyes closed again as she fell into slumber. Stood in the doorway, invisible to her family and past self, Moroha vanished as the potion took effect. It didn't take her long to realise that she was in the wolf mountain, surrounded by raucous yet non-threatening wolves. Stood closest to the bundled-up four month old baby were three wolf youkai, each of which she could recognise with ease. Yawaragi, Koga and Ayame approached Hachiemon as the tanuki landed gently. Ayame nimbly leapt up onto the tanuki's back and lifted the squirming baby into her arms. She wasn't crying, but it was obvious that she was upset, and Koga's wife soon brought the baby to the elder and the clan leader. As she did so, Hachiemon resumed his usual tanuki form and began to explain what had happened.

"...and I saw that it was Inuyasha's brother Sesshoumaru and another who had come for them. I don't know if they had a plan to get away, but I couldn't see them, so I came here as quick as I could with young Moroha."

Koga approached and looked at the fidgeting baby in Ayame's arms.

"Heh, she really looks a lot like her mother. Can smell Inuyasha's blood in her. Later on I guess I'll have to tell everyone everything about the little kid."

Ayame pressed a kiss to baby Moroha's forehead, causing the infant to settle down and start to croon. Both female youkai and the Moroha in the present smiled at the baby. Ayame swayed back and forth slightly, soon drawing a smile from baby Moroha. She began to make her way to her shared cave with Koga, and Moroha followed her as Kurikaramaru pulsed, indicating that she should. The cave looked much the same as it had throughout Moroha's youth, although there was no area properly set aside for the shihanyou girl yet. Ayame laid the baby down on the white wolf fur, smiling again as baby Moroha rolled herself onto her front and began to shuffle around in the warm comforting fur. Behind her, Moroha could again feel her foster mother's worries and doubts.

"Where are Inuyasha and Kagome now? Was Hachiemon mistaken in what he saw, and if they are dead, how will we tell her? I never thought I'd raise a child, but I'll have to do my best for her sake."

Drawing her sword, Moroha slashed with it, removing her foster mother's doubts. Down on the fur blanket, baby Moroha rolled onto her back, dropping the shell compact Kagome had pressed into her daughter's tiny hands before Kirinmaru and Sesshoumaru had arrived. Ayame picked it up curiously and called for Yawaragi. In moments, the older wolf youkai had joined her, and had described the effect that the rogue would have on Moroha if she were to ever use it. Moroha listened before feeling a magnetic pull on her sword, and she followed the source to the outside of the mountain. As she stepped outside, she saw it was dark now, lit only by a bonfire. Koga stood on a formation she knew to be called the Speaker's Stone, and stood before him were dozens of wolves and wolf youkai in varying shades of brown, grey, black, russet and white. Yet as he stood there, he did not move. Approaching closer, Moroha found that time itself seemed to have stopped for everyone but herself. A few quick looks around soon confirmed this belief, and as she walked up to Koga, she could soon sense his insecurities as well.

"I can't exactly ditch mutt face's kid, but I know I ain't gonna be the best of dads to the girl. What is she gonna think if he got himself and Kagome killed? Why did they choose us to look after her? Will we be enough?"

Moroha made the cut, curing her blade of the fourth golden line. As she did so, she found her thoughts on both pairs of parents becoming clearer to her. All four of them had wanted only the best for her, something she had been subconsciously aware of for a long time, but by disconnecting herself with her caring about her birth parents' survival and seeing Koga and Ayame as figures from her past only, she had neglected to view the past and present as a whole. She suddenly noticed time was moving again, but before she could hear Koga's speech, she was suddenly at the ruins of her grandmother's mansion, where she had fought alongside her cousins against Kirinmaru. Only an echo in her own mind, she could only watch as Kirinmaru slashed down with Bakuseiken, cutting through Setsuna's naginata blade and inflicting a fatal wound on the younger hanyou twin. Even though she had known what was about to happen, seeing it take place again did not make it any easier. Tears stung the back of her eyes as Setsuna fell backwards into the mud. Her past self and Towa both fought Kirinmaru with impressive ferocity, something that the daiyoukai himself acknowledged, but despite their best efforts, they failed to bring him down. She approached her weeping cousin in the rain, soaked and exhausted from their battle, emotionally broken. She barely needed to see Towa to feel the anguish pouring out of her like warmth from the sun.

"I failed her. I failed Moroha too. I could have tried harder, done more, but now it's too late. What will I do? How can I grow stronger?"

Moroha's hand was on the hilt of her weapon, but no pulse came. She sat down beside Towa, holding her cape over her cousin even though she knew it would do no good. Suddenly, she found Towa was holding a second sword, one she was not familiar with. She looked at it closely as Towa drew the broken blade, and then felt the pulse from Kurikaramaru as Towa began to infuse her yoki into the shattered hilt. She shook her head as youkai began to gather above. Finally, she found herself facing a youkai in who looked in his mid-40s, with long white hair, golden eyes, plate armour and an unmistakeable look of both Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha to him. Caught very much by surprise, she eyed the daiyoukai lord warily.

"Have... I met you before?"

The daiyoukai looked amused as he stepped forward before laying a hand on her shoulder. Moroha was barely above chest height, and although she still held onto her weapon, she did not need to be told that this youkai could destroy her with no effort at all. He removed a small red orb from his breastplate and offered it to the small shihanyou girl.

"I recognise you, kin of the Dog Clan. Take this as my inheritance and blessing to you. Attach it to your sword when you have completed your last trial."

She silently accepted the gem, recognising it as a youkai fire gem. She had been tasked to obtain once by Jyubey, although the mission had been a failure.

"But who are you?"

A smile spread across the daiyoukai's face.

"Tell your father that you have met the Inu no Taishou, also called the Lord of the West. In life I ruled over much of Japan, until I met my match in the dragon Ryuukotsusei."

A swirling portal of blue, black and white opened to the side of the stranger.

"Pass through here, and you will meet with who you must. Voyage safely, Beniyasha."

"But I..."

Pulled into the portal, Moroha looked around. There was only darkness, enough light to see by, but little more. As she cast about, vague shapes danced around the periphery of her vision, many unfamiliar to her. The last golden line shone brightly, although Moroha could see nothing to cut. No clouds of negative emotions ran from any of the figures either near or far, and no matter how close she approached them, they remained indistinct. As she passed among the shadows, the remaining gold line dimmed to nothingness, but when she was alone, the line shone and the blade disappeared. Moroha pondered the problem, and suddenly the solution came to her. She recklessly plunged the weapon into herself, although the blade never made contact with her, and when the hilt touched her waist, the last golden line evaporated into steam. Holding the weapon up, she noticed that the silver line had formed the shape of the blade. The fire gem appeared in the handle, very well hidden, and leant a feeling of new power to Kurikaramaru. Words formed in her mind as the shadows formed into an oni some distance away. Taking a firm grip on her weapon, she scythed up with it.

"Hino kakera!"

The blade exploded into no less than twenty shards, but each shard flew towards her target with perfect accuracy. As the metal neared the oni, it burst into flame, and dark red fire illuminated each flying shard as it tore into its' target. Moroha watched in amazement as the weapon returned to her in pieces and reformed a perfect blade. She looked towards a burst of light, and walked into it.

"Hey, wake up kid."

Moroha looked around in surprise. She was still in Totosai's cave, and Inuyasha was holding her. Blinking, she got to her feet and looked at her father.

"What happened exactly? Was I out long?"

"Not really. Looks like you got something new. Better keep that hidden, gems like those are pretty rare."

Inuyasha indicated the fire gem. Moroha tapped it.

"I was given it in my vision by someone. Said his name was... Inu no Taishou? Or Lord of the West."

This time it was Inuyasha's turn to blink.

"Inu no Taishou? But... that's my old man's title."

"I met my grandfather?"

"Yeah, you must have a close bond with him. He was called Toga, and knew Kirinmaru and a lot of the most powerful daiyoukai. He actually died so I could be born."

"So is he Uncle Sesshoumaru's father too?"

Inuyasha pulled a sour expression as he got up.

"Sounds weird. But yeah. Totosai's at the heart of the mountain. We can go now and get Hachiemon to take us back to the town."

Father and daughter exited the cave together, and after some time found Hachiemon. They returned to the town, where Moroha explained what had happened to her mother. Before slumber overcame her that night, a strangely familiar voice came to her, although it didn't seem to be addressing her, more as if she had heard it by mistake.

"Tell her what you feel."

The voice was without emotion or inflection, and seemed to come from both everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Moroha wasted little time wondering who it was and why, and was soon asleep.

Chapter Text

Hanyou no Yashahime
Season 3
The roiling storm

Riku retraced his steps from the woodland towards his home, his eyes firmly focused upon his destination as he carried a plump pigeon back for Towa's supper. After some time, Riku returned home and noticed with some surprise that neither of the twins were there. It was four days since the equinox, and just two since Moroha had returned from her trip to Totosai with a newly mastered Kurikaramaru, buzzing with joy at the new ability she was able to unleash on youkai foes. Mentally reviewing the possibilities in his mind, Riku set about plucking and cleaning the dead bird, intending to have it cooked by the time they returned from wherever they had gone. Setting light to the dry wood, Riku poked the carcass into and closed the metal box Towa had insisted they cook things in, something she called an 'oven'. It was still only midday by the time the food was ready, and there was no sign of the trio. Riku was none too concerned with where they might be, as they were capable of handling themselves in a fight, but just as he finished cutting up the freshly roasted meat, a gentle knock came to his ears. Looking up, he gave a small smile and spoke up.

"Come in."

Walking into the small home came the youkai slayer Sango. She looked Riku over and removed a scroll of parchment.

"You spoke of a five-headed dragon on the island of Orretsu, didn't you?"

"I did, yes. You know about it?"

Sango sat down on the floor, casually waving away any offer of food as Riku made to ladle up a bowlful of soup.

"No thank you. Yes, my grandfather Shako heard tell of it some seventy years ago. He told my father of it, and he told me. It was never our intent to go there, but if this scroll is to be believed, there is limited time before the dragon wakes up."

Riku's turquoise eyes widened.

"From everything Lord Kirinmaru said, there was an indefinite seal."

Sango unfurled the scroll and read out loud.

"Following the midnight in day, five more turnings of seasons will pass before the seal shatters. The five symbols alone will fail, and the dragon will awaken, regain the powers it owns, and begin a reign of terror."

Placing the scroll down, Sango looked solemnly at Riku.

"Over four years ago, my husband Miroku aided the hanyou Shiori when she lost her powers during an... eclipse? I recently found out from a traveller that the same event passed over Orretsu island as well."

"So you think this 'midnight in day' was the total eclipse, and by passing over Orretsu island, it has begun to weaken the seal, and soon it will break and the dragon will awaken again."

Sango nodded.

"I do. If the dates are correct, then we must move swiftly. We may not have long before the seal breaks completely. Can you make contact with Lord Sesshoumaru?"

Riku twitched ever so slightly at the thought of visiting Sesshoumaru when he and Towa had spent several nights in close proximity. The daiyoukai Grand Lord would be able to discern exactly what had happened between them, and likely know far more too, or at least suspect as much. The fact that Kirinmaru had come very close to killing him was likely not going to work in his favour either. He quickly recomposed himself.

"Of course. Do you think any other daiyoukai will respond to this threat?"

"I don't know of any daiyoukai beside Hosenki. And Lord Sesshoumaru may not be too happy to talk with me. During the final battle with Naraku, I..."

Riku held up his hand.

"No, I already know what happened. It wasn't like you were given a lot of choice, and Naraku was a master of manipulation. In the end, it all worked out, didn't it?"

Sango sighed.

"Well yes, it did. But so often it looked like we wouldn't pull through, all we could hope for was to die quickly, and when..."

"Hey, what's on the fire?"

Moroha sauntered into her cousin's home, covered in what looked like mud, but even to Sango's nose it was clear Moroha hadn't been for a dirt bath, at least, not in the traditional sense. Her dark red cape was stained with acid green and bright blotches of white, suggesting that she had tangled with some kind of poison youkai. Wafting the odour away from her nose, she dropped down near the fire.

"Well, those slime youkai came outta nowhere! Made some good targets for Kurikaramaru, pity that Setsuna had to use her Cyclone Burst on the biggest!"

Sango looked at how filthy Moroha was and realisation hit.

"You don't mean that..."

"Yep. Towa got caught in the biggest one, and Setsuna blew it open. Towa wasn't hurt, but it sure did a number on her clothes from the future. She's gonna be needing to..."

Before Moroha could finish, Towa burst into her home, looking frustrated, filthy and as if she had been dragged through a mile of wet and slimy thorn bushes. Her purplish shirt was torn to shreds, and her white jacket and trousers had faired even worse. Most incriminating of all were the glimpses it afforded of Towa's chest and exposed skin as she stormed in. It took a good twenty seconds for her to realise that Riku was not only in the room, he was doing his utmost to stare away from her in a manner that suggested he had seen rather more than he had intended. Towa darted into her room with a surprised squeak as Setsuna joined them. She stretched and looked around at her companions.

"Well, whatever those slime youkai were, they're destroyed for good now."

Riku turned back to look at the others before carrying on.

"If Moroha's weapon is working as well as you say, then perhaps all three of you should come to kill the Orretsu dragon. If it's you three, Lady Sango, Lord Sesshoumaru, myself and Inuyasha, then we might well be able to subdue the dragon for good."

Towa emerged from her room, clad in a faded brown kimono. She was still tying the green obi sash around her waist, her cheeks flushed as she considered just what Riku may have seen. Moroha caught her cousin's eye and smiled subtly, only serving to irritate Towa further. Before anyone could say anything more, Sango got up.

"I can make anti-poison masks and try to make you a youkai slayer outfit like your sister's if you want, Towa. I should have most of the materials ready in just a couple of days, although I'll need you to come to the village in four days to have everything measured to your sizes. For now though, I'll start to get the basics together."

"Alright, thank you. It's been nice to see you again."

Sango left the hut, walking back towards her own village in the rosy afternoon light. Usually the former slayer would have travelled via her faithful nekomata Kirara, but Kohaku was making increased use of her ever since assuming the mantle of head of the slayers. Apart from herself and Miroku, few lived in the former fort, but many of the ones that did were versed in one aspect or another of making protective equipment. Those that didn't tended to food, medicine and clean water. She silently recited a tune to herself as she travelled along the road, one hand kept close to her wakizashi. In terms of distance, the fort was about an hour's travel away from the town her friends resided in.

That evening, Inuyasha was looking frustrated in the extreme. Moroha, Setsuna and Towa had come to him earlier on in the day, and outlined the proposition for going to slay the Orretsu dragon. He had insisted that he accompany them, citing that with his mastery over Tessaiga, he would be able to kill the beast in seconds. What he hadn't counted on was being strongarmed into appealing to his brother for help. Gone were the days when merely seeing one another would prompt an attempt for one to slay the other, or for Sesshoumaru to steal Tessaiga away. But old wounds remained, and interaction between the two was tense and sporadic at best. Kagome had demanded he make the journey to ask for help, explaining that if anyone was going to be useful in this endeavour, Sesshoumaru would be. On a silent, unbiased level he had to agree. Sesshoumaru was indeed incredibly powerful, and the acquisition of Bakusaiga meant that almost nothing stood a chance against him now. So here he was, sat in his brother's mansion, being made to wait whilst Sesshoumaru attended to other matters before seeing him. After what felt like an eternity, the sliding doors parted and he entered the room, already feeling his temper surging. Stood at the other end of the room was Sesshoumaru, an ancient book open in one hand. He didn't so much as look at his brother as he approached, but spoke up into the tense silence.

"Sit, Inuyasha."

His brows furrowing, Inuyasha reluctantly obeyed. Sesshoumaru turned his attention to his sibling as he made his way to his desk.

"You are here to ask for my assistance with slaying the Orretsu dragon, I know."

Inuyasha spoke up.

"Yeah, Sango said the seal holding it won't last long."

Sesshoumaru sat at his desk, barely even acknowledging his sibling. Curiously enough, this was a good thing. Laying the book down before him, he addressed his half brother.

"In sixty days the seal will break. The island is often subject to storms, which will hinder any effort to slay the creature. It is a daiyoukai, greater in power than Ryuukotsusei was. It has five heads, two tails and two sets of wings. Each head commands elemental powers of utmost potency; fire, wind, poison, lightning and water, and it will take a terrific effort to slay it. Corrosion by youki will not destroy it, so a battle by superior numbers is the only way. Already there are obstacles in place. As spring takes hold, there will be calm weather. You, the slayer and your daughter may accompany us, but do not bring Kagome. There is one other to consider bringing with you."

"Yeah? Who's that? Miroku's hardly gonna..."

"It will not be the monk. You will convince the princess Rion to come."

Inuyasha looked surprised.

"I don't think she's a fighter. She hasn't even got a weapon, she's a pacifist by nature and..."

Sesshoumaru lifted a finger for silence, and Inuyasha was struck dumb as if his sibling had cursed him into being unable to speak. A hint of a smirk graced the inudaiyoukai's face, gone before Inuyasha could even be certain it had been there. Behind him, a youkai entered the room, bearing a long knife handle and a strange vial on an ornate tray. She placed it on Sesshoumaru's desk, inclined her head in a bow, and retreated silently. Taking hold of the knife hilt, a pulse of yoki suddenly emanated from it in a vibrant cyan hue, not unlike Towa's yoki blade. However, whilst her blade shone with her energy, the knife hilt only showed the edge of the blade. Inuyasha looked on as the phantom blade vanished. Placing the now inactive hilt back down on the tray, Sesshoumaru lifted up the crystalline vial.

"Rion is a Qilin daiyoukai, and now that Kirinmaru is gone, she is the strongest of her kind alive. Qilin have restorative tears. Have her shed tears into this vial, and give her the knife to protect herself. With the strength of our weapons and Rion's healing power, the dragon will be slain."

Inuyasha looked sceptical. Rion had taken up Zanseiken in her spirit form to slay Sakasa and Osamu Kirin, but the Qilin girl was far more a lover of the natural world than any kind of fighter. Sesshoumaru didn't move as Inuyasha reluctantly got up and took the two items, but as his hanyou sibling turned to go, he spoke up.

"When the time for the journey is right, I will come for you all."

Not sure what to say, Inuyasha continued out of the room and was suddenly teleported back to his home, where he was eagerly greeted by Moroha. He gave a more genuine smile to his only child and beckoned her out of the way. Opening the door, he began to explain the situation to Kagome.

"...and somehow I gotta persuade Rion to join this journey and fight a dragon with five heads that can spew lightning, wind, fire, poison and water all at once. She just isn't the fighting kind, Kagome! Even Sesshoumaru's Bakusaiga ain't gonna slay this beast with any ease, and if..."

Kagome held up a hand placatingly.

"Calm down, Inuyasha. You can still use the Dragon-scaled Tessaiga, and firing shards of diamond at it is going to cause it some serious pain, surely?"

"Yeah, but this dragon's bigger and badder than Ryuukotsusei was. And even my old man couldn't kill him."

Moroha looked from parent to parent before speaking up.

"What does the Dragon-scaled Tessaiga do? And when did your sword become able to shoot... diamonds at things, Papa?"

Inuyasha stretched as Kagome got up.

"The Dragon-scaled Tessaiga can absorb the yoki of an enemy and weaken 'em. When I had training, I could literally see the whirl of yoki all youkai have. Cutting through that kills them."

"So you just gotta find this whirl of yoki and cut through it? And what's diamond?"

Inuyasha gave a quiet laugh.

"Some fancy name your mama came up with for a hard kinda rock. I remember her brother Sota said it was real shiny and humans put it in gold rings in his time."

Moroha's eyes bugged.

"Wait, you can make this diamond stuff with your sword?"

"Not quite so easily, kid. Only against really tough opponents. I tried to make them diamond spears in her time, and it just blew stuff up. I wanted to..."

Kagome reappeared from the kitchen. Inuyasha paused in his narrative and sniffed the air.

"Hey, that smells real good. We having some kinda fancy meal tonight?"

Shaking her head, Kagome sat down.

"Well, it's not that fancy really. I just wanted to have some time together now that the weather's getting better. Before you go off to kill that dragon, do you think you could take out those planks at the side? They're not as rot resistant as we thought they would be."

"Sure, you want me to do that tomorrow?"

"Yes please. Do you have any plans about killing the dragon?"

Inuyasha sighed as he laid out Sesshoumaru's plan to his wife and daughter. Kagome looked annoyed that she had been excluded from the team to kill it, but had to admit that the choices Sesshoumaru had made largely made sense. When Inuyasha mentioned Rion's inclusion, Kagome's eyes widened.

"Rion? You want her to come with you?"

"Wasn't my idea, it was Sesshoumaru's."

"Surely her tears would work just as well if she was there or not. I mean, do they have to be freshly shed or something?"

"I don't think so. I also gotta give her this youkai weapon. He said it'd work like Towa's does."

Kagome took hold of the knife handle, although nothing happened at all. Turning it over, she soon passed it back to her husband.

"So you, Moroha, the twins, Riku, Sango, Sesshoumaru and Rion are all going to go to this island soon and try to kill the big brother of King Ghidorah. Isn't there a way to fight it more from a distance?"

Inuyasha looked confused.

"King who?"

"Never mind. Can't you use your Meido Zangetsuha on it?"

"I'll try, but if this thing's really strong, it might take more than that. I'm gonna take these things to Rion, see if I can persuade her to join us."

Inuyasha got up and walked out of the door. By now it was a calm spring night, still a feeling of cold in the air but markedly better than it had been for the last few months. Rion's home was located roughly halfway between his own house and the hut the twins and Riku used. Despite her love of company, the young Qilin daiyoukai had chosen to live alone. Inuyasha knocked on the doorframe just as an owl hooted behind him. Turning around, he gave the nocturnal hunter a glare before returning his attention to Rion's home. Before long, a faint, flickering light came his way, and she opened the door, beckoning him inside. Within the hut was a gentle aroma from a plant that Inuyasha couldn't quite place. She sat down on one of her chairs, and Inuyasha held out the two items he had brought.

"I'm here to ask you a favour, Rion. There's a dragon we gotta slay, and I been told by Sesshoumaru to ask you to help. He's given you this weapon and this vial, for your defence and for healing us. Says Qilin tears like yours are the best way to cure all kinds of wounds."

Rion gave a deep sigh.

"I'm not a fighter, Inuyasha. Creatures killing each other for food is one thing, it's part of how nature is, and although it can be cruel to see, it has to be done. But combat on the scale my father used to do, it just goes against everything I am."

She held up the knife handle, and almost without effort, a beam the colour of the young girl's eyes emerged, growing to a length of two metres. Inuyasha carried on.

"If you don't help us then there's a chance this could get real ugly. What if the Orretsu dragon was to kill Riku? Or Towa? Or even Moroha? We need you."

Rion lowered the knife handle, the beam vanishing without a trace. She got up and looked over the vial silently. Inuyasha waited for an answer, knowing to not break her silent thought. Finally she turned to him.

"I'll come to you in the morning with my answer. I can promise you I'll fill this vial, if nothing else."

Inuyasha nodded quietly and laid a hand on her shoulder, noticing how much she jumped as he did so.

"Yeah, I get it. Think it over, alright? You know that we trust you, and my brother wouldn't ask you if he didn't."

Rion perked up slightly as the realisation dawned upon her that Sesshoumaru was not one to pass trust around lightly. If her role in the group was more of a supportive one, perhaps there was a greater chance she could do more for them actively rather than being further away where all she could do was ponder on how the battle was going. She nodded slowly as Inuyasha turned to go, her small hands around the vial as the door closed.

Chapter Text

Hanyou no Yashahime
Season 3
Preparations

It had been two days since Inuyasha had visited his brother, and the truculent hanyou was still sulking about how he'd had to ask for help from his sibling. However, his mind was more focused on where he was at present. The inclusion of Sango in the attack group on Orretsu Island had certainly taken him by surprise, although she was certainly among the toughest humans he had ever met. When the two had met, she had been stabbed in the back by Kohaku's chain-sickle, forced to fight her younger brother, shot with no less than three arrows, had pushed her way out of an early grave and demanded to fight him despite the fact she was quite literally pouring blood out of her back. Although she had often reprimanded him for his lack of sensitivity regarding choosing between Kikyo and Kagome, she had respect for him as a fellow warrior and the two were good friends. He was stood outside the fort with her, Tessaiga unsheathed and at the ready. Similarly, Sango was stood opposite him, her Black Hiraikotsu in hand. The two friends stared one another down before Inuyasha changed the Tessaiga to its' dragon scaled form. He ran at Sango, covering the distance between them in record time, swinging with his weapon. Reacting quicker than he would have thought possible, Sango took a step backwards and levelled her weapon upwards to deflect the blow to one side. Suddenly caught wrong-footed, Inuyasha stumbled before lightly hopping aside. The two had agreed to spar together on the belief that they would need every bit of practice they could get. Sat at the entrance to the fort was Kin'u, a calm smile on her face as she watched the two training together. The young nun had returned from an exorcism only an hour ago, and had been helping around the fort before coming to watch her mother and her friend sparring together. A more mischeivous smile spread across her face as she remembered how she and her sister had often played with Inuyasha when the twins were just toddlers, silently deciding that in spite of his complaints about the children, he secretly liked being their plaything and companion. He had never had to rescue the twins from anything the way he had with Kagome, but there had been times when he'd snarled at vermin youkai who had gotten too close. On one occasion, Kin'u had wandered off and fallen into a muddy puddle, and Inuyasha had been on the scene almost as soon as she messed up her yukata. Wrapping the youngster up in his Fire Rat Robe jacket, he had calmed her down almost immediately and returned her to Miroku and Sango amidst wholehearted thanks. She turned around as her father approached from behind, bearing a heavy pot of thick soup.

"I see they're still going at it. I'm not surprised, Inuyasha was always the kind to keep..."

The hanyou turned a dirty look on his longtime friend. Smiling in what he believed to be a disarming manner, Miroku turned to his daughter.

"When she's finished with the Black Hiraikotsu, you and I will have to add more spiritual power to it. Has Inuyasha said anything more about that dragon?"

Kin'u shook her head.

"Nothing he didn't already tell us. It seems strange something so powerful could still be alive. It's a shame Mushin is no longer alive, perhaps he would know something about it."

Miroku nodded as he set the pot down.

"Yes, although I know some others who might be able to tell us more about this dragon. I'm surprised that they didn't invite Kohaku along. Your uncle is pretty impressive in combat."

"Maybe that's exactly why they didn't ask him. You know, in case they fail and Uncle is the next line of defence?"

"It's possible. Anyway, are you hungry?"

"Oh, yes please. Shall I..."

Sauntering up and looking his usual self, Inuyasha approached, followed by Sango. Neither looked especially tired by their training session, and took their offered bowls of soup with quiet voices of thanks. Miroku and Kin'u both took hold of the Black Hiraikotsu and began to pray, imbuing the ebony weapon with more spiritual power. Soon finishing his bowl, Inuyasha ladled up a second portion, glancing around pensively. His gaze fell on the weapon Sango had taken up.

"How'd you get this weapon together, Sango? Matching yoki and holy power together can't be an easy task."

Sango looked over at it.

"It's not. We made it from powdered youkai bones, scales and strings of crystal from a volcano."

Inuyasha blinked.

"Strings of crystal? Never heard of them."

"We were sold them by some boy who looked lost. He had them in a bag, and we gave him a good price and food, although when we told him where he needed to go, he went the wrong way. I think his name was... Ryoga?"

"Huh. And those crystal string things are what hold the holy power?"

"Yes, they can hold quite a lot. By the time we go to slay the dragon, the weapon will behave the way it's meant to, and won't be affected by the wind or other forces. It will just go right to the target, like what Kagome calls those metal things, magnets."

"I'm gonna take the Tessaiga to Totosai and see if he knows anything. If this thing really is as tough as it's said to be, we're probably gonna need every trick we can come up with. Moroha got a really rare youkai fire gem from my old man. Maybe he knows where there's more. We might need 'em if we can find 'em."

Sango looked up with a shrug.

"But even daiyoukai found those to be rare. I know my grandfather had one, a wind one, but whether it's still here I couldn't say. And even if you did get it, it's not a guarantee that it'll tip the balance towards us."

Inuyasha looked thoughtful as he got to his feet.

"Well it can't hurt to try and find something like that anyway. And this one, we got half a chance of finding it if Naraku didn't absorb it. If I could get in touch with Hosenki, he might be able to tell us more. No other daiyoukai..."

Inuyasha trailed off as a thought struck him. There was another daiyoukai whose council he could seek, and she quite literally lived next door to him. He turned to Sango, Miroku and Kin'u.

"I'm gonna ask Rion if she knows anything. Maybe she can help."

"Alright, thanks for the training. Tell everyone we said hello."

Silently waving, Inuyasha was soon on his way back to his home, mentally running through scenarios when they fought the Orretsu dragon. Sesshoumaru's books had outlined that the dragon used fire, air, water, electric and potent toxic attacks, and that in the distant past, a creature known only as 'Dagon' had been able to seal the dragon but had died to do so, vanishing as it did. Humans had tried time and again to settle the island, but as if the sealed dragon was not deterrent enough, the location was also plagued by volcanic activity, with strong, alarming eruptions at least twice every decade. Mentally pushing aside the island's history, he ran through his repertoire of attacks to judge which would be most likely to work. Although Shiori's gift to him at the time had been gratefully received and had certainly helped them in their journey, even being used recently on going to visit Jaken, the barrier breaking Red Tessaiga had been used less and less as they had progressed through their journeys, eclipsed by more potent attacks. Kaze no Kizu was still his go-to attack for the average youkai and bandit groups, and was enough to take them down with no further issues. Bakuryuuha, the Backlash Wave, was enough to dispel all but the toughest of opponents, and for those who could endure it, he still had both the gifted Kongousouha and Meidou Zangetsuha to unleash. The Dragon Scaled Tessaiga was also useful in cutting through an enemy yoki vortex. Yet even as he ran back towards the town, a nagging voice came to him saying that even with such power at his control, it would be insufficient to fight the dragon and win. Before long, he had returned home and calmly walked into his hut. Kagome was not there, but laid down on her back, waving her legs in the air was Moroha. Her eyes were shut, but Inuyasha knew she was aware of his presence.

"Hey kid, y'awake?"

Moroha opened one eye and looked at her father, half pouting as she did so.

"Well yeah. Just, well, can't think right."

Moving into the main room, Inuyasha sat down on the other side of the irori to his daughter. The fireplace was empty and cold, but the day was fairly warm. His golden eyes focused on Moroha as she continued to wave her legs in the air.

"So what you thinking about?"

Sighing, Moroha sat upright, leaning against the wall.

"It's, well, weird. You know when you took me to old Totosai so I could have my sword upgraded?"

Silently, Inuyasha nodded. Although he was more often brash and impulsive, such traits had waned now that he was a parent, a considerable improvement over how he had been before realising he loved Kagome as much as he did. Moroha continued.

"Just before we left, I heard a voice. It wasn't anyone I've heard before, and didn't even sound like a male or female. It just said to tell her how I feel. But I can't imagine who it might mean."

"Yeah, that's confusing. It might mean Ayame, but you told her about how you feel for her raising you as a kid, didn't you?"

Moroha nodded, pulling her knees up close to her chin. Her dark eyes wandered across the opposite wall as she thought hard. Numerous possibilities ran through her mind. Could she have heard something from another youkai whilst recovering from the potion? Was the voice a side effect of the potion itself? Silently, she ran through all of the potential candidates in her mind. It seemed obvious that the voice was not referring to any of her relatives, and although they were friendly to one another, she had to admit she didn't exactly know Kin'u and Gyokuto that well. Coming to the end of the list, she had to admit there was only one person who appeared to fit the description with any real degree of accuracy. Rion. Frowning, she thought hard about what her feelings for the Qilin princess might be. She had found her plight to be regrettable, and upon meeting her for the first time within Mount Musubi, curled up and sleeping on a glowing cocoon, she had seemed more like an ethereal spirit than a living being, something she had soon found out to be true. Towa had expressed deep sympathy for her ordeal, something Moroha had silently agreed with. Sealed for six centuries in one spot, merely so that Kirinmaru could have more realistic dreams with his only child in them, she had stated out loud that it was overkill for sheltering. She had been surprised by Rion's determination to bring her father down, but upon learning that she wanted them to send her to the afterlife, some part of her had objected. Rion's age hadn't been apparent to her from her physical appearance; typically youkai and hanyou aged at the same rate as a human until their early teens, at which point they began to slow down. Zero and Kirinmaru had been thousands of years old, and neither had looked at all advanced in years. About the only elderly youkai she could honestly say she had seen was Totosai, although whether or not he was genuinely ancient or simply chose to look that way she couldn't tell. She had later learned that she was in fact almost as old as Sesshoumaru before dying, and had returned at the same age despite looking about the same age as Moroha herself. She knew she felt sympathy for Rion's suffering, and had certainly been glad she had both reconciled with her father and ascended to heaven, as well as being given a second chance. But did she feel more for her than just friendship? In terms of personality, Rion was very accepting, even more so than Towa, and had a gentle, welcoming aura to her that made her easy to get along with even for humans who disliked youkai. As she thought on what her feelings might be for the Qilin girl, there was a loud thud. Moroha shook her head, finally coming back to herself and looking up. Inuyasha looked directly into her brown eyes, concern hovering over his features.

"Y'spaced out there for a while. Did you figure out who it might be?"

Moroha sighed.

"I really don't know. It's all, well, messy up here."

Inuyasha ruffled his daughter's hair, drawing a small smile out of her.

"Yeah, a lot of stuff is like that."

Moroha sat upright and shook her head.

"Well I been thinking Dad, should I practice with my new sword until I can use that new attack better? If we're gonna go to kill that dragon, we're gonna need all the strong attacks we can."

Inuyasha nodded in approval.

"C'mon outside then kid, let's see what you can do."

Both left to go outside, and soon Moroha's sword had cleared the sheath and was giving off a soft vermillion hue. As the blade was suffused with her diluted yoki, she swung to unleash the technique she had learned at Totosai's, although only a small wave of fire came forth. Pulling a face at her incomplete attack, she settled in to practice with a determined look, each time making the vermillion fire both richer in hue and greater in size. As she practiced, Rion walked out of her hut and approached Inuyasha, the flask in her hands, already full of Qilin tears. The very substance looked to be fizzing quietly away. Obtaining the tears of a Qilin was at the best of time a nigh on impossible feat. First one had to find a Qilin, an ever harder task as the species was reclusive and wary in most cases. Second, communicating the need for the tears could take weeks or even months, as many Qilin were prone to fleeing upon being approached. Thirdly, even after being assured that the intended recipient meant no harm, the Qilin in question would usually refuse on the grounds that the tears could be used in negative ways. For those precious few who had managed to locate, communicate with and earn the trust of a Qilin youkai, the tears were often less potent than one hoped. Although they didn't go off, the tears of less powerful Qilin would go cloudy within days. A Qilin daiyoukai on the other hand could shed tears with enough healing power to revive those on the precipice of death itself. However, if normal Qilin were rare, daiyoukai were all but unheard of apart from Kirinmaru, Zero and Rion herself. She stood nearby, silently watching as Moroha practiced. A gentle smile graced her features as she took in the sight, only announcing her presence after Moroha had been through almost thirty iterations of the attack. Sheathing Kurikaramaru, Moroha waved merrily to the former princess. Rion felt a churn in her stomach as she returned the wave and closed the distance between them.

"Inuyasha, here are the tears for the journey to Orretsu Island."

Passing the vial to the canine hanyou, she also withdrew the knife handle.

"If you can instruct me in how to use this weapon, I will come with you."

A beam of verdigris yoki emerged from the handle, reaching two metres in length. Inuyasha gestured to Moroha, who reached forward and took the knife handle from Rion. The blade remained at its' former size and intensity, but began to shimmer slightly. Moroha balanced the handle on one finger, humming to herself before returning the weapon to the Qilin girl.

"I think Towa can train you with this better than I can, or Setsuna. It's real weird holding a weapon that doesn't have any weight to it."

Rion took the weapon back and looked around.

"Have you seen the twins recently, Moroha?"

Moroha smiled as she shook her head.

"No, they went somewhere yesterday. Perhaps to see their dad or mum, even maybe their grandma. I can show you a few sword motions that'll work with that weapon, but not many."

"Will you have the time? I don't want to..."

Inuyasha pushed Moroha forward, unintentionally making the shihanyou girl stumble and fall on top of Rion. Sighing, the canine hanyou walked off as the two got up. For some reason, Rion was flushed bright red as they got to their feet and she ignited the blade again. This time, the blade was only a half metre in length. Moroha looked at the much shorter blade in concern, but then drew her weapon and began to tutor the Qilin girl in how to hold the short hilt, ways to quickly counter, jab and block an opponent with maximum effeciency. Despite her assertion that she was no fighter, Rion proved more than capable of copying Moroha's motions, and after an hour of practice was learning more complex sequences of motion. All the time, the yoki blade had remained short. After teaching Rion a complicated sequence of combat, Moroha looked assessingly at her student and friend.

"Can you make that blade any longer?"

Slowly, Rion nodded.

"Yes. Father once said unpredictability is a key issue in combat, and that the smallest change can throw off even the most experienced opponent. I can change this blade to any length I feel like. Watch."

Moroha watched in fascination as the blade extended to a full metre in length, then two, then five, before finally resuming its' original short sword length. She smiled at Rion, not noticing the light blush suffusing the daiyoukai's cheeks.

"So why such a short blade then?"

"It means if I have to, then I can draw someone in and then make the blade longer when I need to. It would work, wouldn't it?"

"Well yes, it can just..."

Both girls were struck dumb as a distant rumble sounded. An incredible pulse of jyaki raced over them, enough to make them recoil as a feeling of dread gripped the world.

Chapter Text

Hanyou no Yashahime
Season 3
The massacre

The spring sun shone warmly over the budding forests. Nature had taken hold and many birds had either finished making their nests and were sitting on eggs or were very close to doing so as late March waxed into April. In the undergrowth, insect life was flourishing as the warmth of the sun soaked into the land, prompting another growing season. A light, cool breeze rustled the branches adorned with young leaves as a hawk called from high overhead. All of this natural beauty was lost on the column of men walking deep into the wilderness. A landslide in the winter had opened up a new path into territory that was previously all but inaccessible, and various youkai had been seen more and more in human territory. Conversation rose from the men as they hiked ever further into the unknown.

"How deep in the mountains do these cursed youkai live?"

"Is there any sense going after them if they're so far away?"

"Do they have weapons we can defeat?"

"What if we can't break their barrier?"

The general in charge of the group sent to eliminate the hidden village gritted his teeth as he led his contingent of men ever deeper into the mountains. A Portugeuse explorer had accidentally come across a hidden village shortly after the landslide and managed to avoid being seen as he probed around the area before leaving and reporting its location to the nearest daimyo, reporting that it was inhabited by youkai of varying shapes and sizes. The reaction from the daimyo had been one of horror and disbelief that a village had existed without his knowledge whilst still technically in his domain. Wishing to take no chances with the youkai settlement, even though it was three days travel away from the nearest town, the daimyo had dispatched over a hundred and fifty men to find and destroy the small community, although providing for so many at the end of the winter season had been taxing on his citizens and provoked many a disgruntled murmur. Sending an army to subjugate a small village of youkai unlikely to be a threat was seen as a waste of resources by many at a time when spares were already at a premium. Clearly, the youkai would be aware of their own presence yet had made no obvious attempts to intrude. Not all youkai sought the purging of humans from the land, although many interactions between humans and mononoke were violent. Yet the daimyo would not be dissuaded, even by his most trusted confidante, so his general and right hand man had been sent to eradicate the village. On the way there, a wandering bounty hunter had been conscripted into their force, a man of few words who bore youkai slaying equipment and had been proven by all accounts to be more than proficient with it. Initially unwilling, it had only been through the threat of death that he had joined the armed group, although he made no further comments on his unwillingness to assist the army. Now the landmarks detailed by the explorer were becoming more and more obvious, and the soldiers were showing signs of apprehension as they neared their objective. A loud sound of flapping wings drew many eyes to the sky as a huge bird-like youkai took to the air, glowering at the humans with undisguised contempt for several seconds before turning and heading to the south at breakneck speed. The creature had resembled nothing so much as a colossal golden eagle with half a turtle shell coating its' back, adorned by ebony spikes. However, it was leaving at top speed and would have been hard to kill at the best of times. The general gestured his men onward, and after another tiresome hour of gruelling travel they finally arrived at the area detailed to them by the explorer. A small group of men detached themselves from the main body and crept near silently up the eastern flank of the rockface that surrounded the village. The barrier was apparent to them now as they reached their assigned points, and as the last man got into position, each began to lay down their packs of crude yet lethal explosives, unseen and undetected by the occupants of Shiori's village. Soon, their ambush was ready. The general gave a silent signal, and the group lit their fuses and retreated.

Within the village, the developing spring had brought easier times for the many hanyou now living in their paradise. None had fallen to the harsh winter, and only two weeks prior, a new hanyou had been guided to the protection of the benevolent matriarch, a lynx hanyou named Sachiko. Exiting her hut, Shiori turned a bright smile on the three hanyou children eagerly playing in the pond before turning her attention to the cave where their latest acquisitions were kept. A lone human traveller by name of Ryoga had developed a habit of turning up at the barrier's entrance over the last six months. He had never seemed to be aware that he was there until Shiori opened the barrier to him, and the young man had vowed time and again that he would never return to them, yet each and every visit was followed by another. He had brought various things with equally varying degrees of intent; on one occasion he had turned up with a large cask of mead, on another he had several spare clothes, although Shiori had refused to take them and sent him on his way soon after feeding him. For his latest visit just two weeks ago, Ryoga had turned up at the entrance to the village with a selection of weapons he had no memory of obtaining. What made them unique was the fact they were yoki weapons, useless to humans. Youkai, hanyou, or even shihanyou could infuse them with their own natural energy and form weapons of their choice, very similar to how Towa could make yoki blades with her Kikujumonji. Shiori picked up one weapon, a long katana handle, and examined it. Tingles of energy ran from both ends of the weapon, but no blade emerged as the hanyou matriarch turned the hilt over in her hands. Ryoga had left some days ago now, although she had little doubt the clueless wanderer would appear again. Several of the hanyou youths had come for a closer look, but apart from a few infusing their yoki into the weapons and seeing the resulting weapons, nothing had been done with them. Struck by a thought, she selected several of the weapons and took them to the Horai Island hanyou, four of which were still acting as guards part time; Moegi, Dai, Roku and Asagi. The six wandering refugees had arrived shortly after Setsuna had shown the village to Towa, and their story of how the island had been a paradise for youkai and humans alike had reinforced Shiori's zeal to make her own project work. A lot of the remaining daiyoukai had seemed inclined to listen to her, and it had been through this that she had made contact with the great eagle from the north-east. Chrysaetos had been quite willing to make the area his home, affording protection to the hanyou living on the cliffs. During the winter, he had aided them greatly by forcefully shedding several of his largest feathers to use as warmth, whether they used them as mattresses or as fuel for their fires. Depositing the weapons on the path, she looked over to where Asagi, the oldest hanyou there, was waving to her. Smiling, she raised her arm to wave back to the motherly hanyou teenager.

Then everything went from peace and tranquility to hellish chaos.

Detonations of unfathomable volume sounded from the cliffside to the east. Confused shouts and cries came from nearly every hanyou child in the village as massive gaps were torn into the rocks, some of them falling into the village. Shiori's eyes widened in horrified comprehension. Attacks by small numbers of youkai were by no means unheard of, but they were far from commonplace, and with the presence of the daiyoukai eagle even the stupidest oni knew better than to try their luck. Humans possessing weapons like this seemed impossible, and even if it was a human attack, how could it be of such a scale? Suddenly pulling herself together, she shouted out to the inhabitants of her small valley.

"Everyone, quick, hide in the caves!"

Even as her words rang out, a large rock, blasted free of the cliff, fell into the valley and landed with a loud crash on Shizu's grave. Shiori gasped and shook as the claws of dread sank into her. Her mother's headstone had been adorned with a glass-like gem, and it had been that which had projected the barrier protecting them. Although the power came from her and her bloodline, without something to focus the power on, the barrier would simply not be projected, and without another gem, the barrier could not be restored. She turned in horror to see arrows flying thick and fast into the village. Shion, the most timid hanyou she had ever met, was knocked out by a rock flung from a sling. Asagi, Dai, Roku and Moegi were attacking back with their yoki weapons, but the number of humans was staggering. She yelled for her charges to flee to the caves again when her voice failed her. Stinking, pinkish blood fountained from a wound in her arm as a soldier carved a deep chevron into it. She stared at her wound, unable to believe this calamity was unfolding itself on her and her orphans. Even as she looked at the darkening blood, a heavy blow knocked her out cold. The last of the soldiers passed the border of the failing barrier and began to press into the village proper. The stream was turned brown by the many feet trudging through it. Here and there, a hanyou tried their luck to bring down the soldiers, but few fell to their onslaught. The natural toughness of the hanyou, even as children, meant that none had been killed yet, but it was not for a lack of trying. In the midst of the slaughter, Shion found himself regaining consciousness. The screams, curses, pleas and beggings for mercy fell on deaf ears as the soldiers moved forward, pushing back the hanyou young as they went. For the first time in his life, unbridled rage filled Shion. The hanyou had never interacted with any humans beyond those on Horai Island, Inuyasha's friends and the forgetful Ryoga. Why were they being slaughtered like this? What would happen even if he somehow survived? Who would defend the remaining children? Unbidden, a voice echoed through him.

I will.

Shion looked at the ground to see the strange yoki weapons Shiori had brought out for the other Horai hanyou. Tears stung the effeminate hanyou's eyes, but he made no effort to wipe them away as he picked up a weapon and channeled his rage into it. Almost instantly, two sapphire beams about a metre long each lanced out from the twin hilts of the weapon. Shion took a firm hold of the hilt as he ran at the soldiers. One of them somehow saw him coming and yelled to his comrades, a company of archers.

"Another one! Shoot to kill!"

"NEVER!"

Sinking into a state of mind he had never felt before, Shion felt time slow down as he swung, jumped, stabbed and ducked among the soldiers. It seemed easy to just move aside from the arrows shot towards him, and the archers were unable to reload in time. Each time his sapphire weapon passed through an enemy, it cut through them cleanly. Shion spun perfectly and bisected five soldiers in one go, time still running slowly for the hanyou. Approaching from the south, he dimly noticed a large mass that was likely Chrysaetos returning. A screech that he had heard from the eagle before seemed to confirm his suspicions before he slipped back into the business of halting the massacre.

The general soon saw that the hanyou, even children such as they were, were very hard to kill. So far, only four had actually been killed, although the tan-skinned, white haired woman was very badly hurt. Smirking to himself in a sadistic manner, he squatted down by the unconscious bat hanyou and pressed his boot to her throat. Choking feebly, it wasn't long before even that noise was silenced. Chuckling quietly, he gestured his best fifteen troops back to start killing the hanyou who were by now losing their terror and giving accounts of themselves to the soldiers. Just as he looked up, scouring the devastated village for a hanyou to kill, a shadowy figure entered his field of vision. Before he could say so much as a word, the bounty hunter slashed him with his bladed vambrace. Dark blood sprayed forth as the blades cut open his neck, leaving him choking and looking in silent askance at his new foe. Not even speaking a word, the bounty hunter flexed his fingers on his left hand and a small dart shot out at astonishing speed. The general was shot through the eye, dead before he hit the ground. Reacting slowly to this betrayal, the soldiers were no match, and in just six seconds, all fifteen had been executed without mercy. Pulling a strange-looking spear off his back, the bounty hunter began to kill yet more of the soldiers as the giant daiyoukai landed. Asagi yelled as she led the defence of the cave nearest the cliff edge, a glowing green yoki blade in her hand.

"Hurry! Get the babes to Lord Chrysaetos!"

Roku and Dai hastened into the cave, but stepping down sedately from the back of the giant eagle lord came death itself. Accompanied by his nieces, Inuyasha held Tessaiga, the sword glowing white as he began to cut down the soldiers. Towa and Setsuna joined the fray, and soon the last of soldiers in the village were dead. Inuyasha and Towa ran out of the village, soon finding the last of the group sent to kill the hidden village. Returning the youngest hanyou children to the safety of the cave, Asagi began to call out despite the tears in her eyes at the horrors she had just seen.

"Everyone, come into the cave please! We have help now, we're going to be alright! Master Inuyasha, we..."

The yoki blade fell from her hand as she collapsed to her knees, unable to hold back her anguish any longer. She wept without restraint, hammering the ground with her fists as if that would numb the pain tearing at her heart. The bounty hunter remained still as Setsuna approached, Yukari no Tachikiri in her hand. Her eyes were misty, but her tone was laden with white hot fury.

"Why did you people attack this village. Tell me!"

The bounty hunter spoke up.

"I attacked nobody here except for these honourless fools. Put down your weapon. There's no need for more bloodshed."

Setsuna's eyes blazed before she finally acquised. The bounty hunter likewise dropped his own weapon and explained his own story as Inuyasha and Towa returned from their grisly chore.

"I was conscripted by this idiot two days ago. Either I joined him or I died. I decided to not die, and instead kill him as soon as I could. I was trained in some youkai slaying arts many years ago, and now I go where I am paid, and I was not paid for this... carnage. I give my allegiance to nobody."

Inuyasha and Towa walked slowly through the carnage that littered the ruins. Suddenly, Inuyasha froze.

"Who... No. It can't..."

Feeling the grip of terror clutch her, Setsuna grabbed her weapon and ran to her uncle. When she joined him, she felt as if she had been struck by Kirinmaru again. Laid down in the blood-caked mud was Shiori, unmoving and horrendously marred. Setsuna sobbed brokenheartedly as she knelt down and reverently cradled Shiori's prone body.

"No... You can't be gone, Miss Shiori. Please... come back to us. We need you. You are... our light of hope. Please, I'm begging you... to not leave us in the dark..."

Memories of the times she had spent with Shiori as a child flooded her. Setsuna wept, agony clawing at her heart. She barely reacted when a hand rested on her shoulder. When the grip became more firm, she finally looked up to see the hanyou of Horai Island stood over her, their eyes likewise filled with tears. Inuyasha and Towa had begun to strip the soldiers of their belongings and valuables, carrying them out of the village to be cremated and buried later on. Chrysaetos took to the air and began to fire his ebony spikes into the ruined walls, his yoki replacing the ones he shot. When his task was done, the eagle landed on the cliff edge and seemed to go into a trance. Soon, the ebony spikes gave off a glow, and the ruined cliff was repaired. Inuyasha carried Shiori's body to lie beside the five dead hanyou children. Without hesitation, he reached beneath his suikan and drew out the damaged Meidou Stone, something he had taken to carrying around a lot with the looming prospect of the journey to Orretsu Island. The artifact had gone unused since the revival of Rion, and he silently hoped that there was enough strength left within it to work on the casualties inflicted. One by one, he placed the Meidou Stone over each of their bodies, and life returned to the fallen. Six large cracks appeared, but although a worrying pulse of yoki ran over the stone at the last revival, it did not shatter. Slowly, Asagi stopped crying, unable to sob anymore, when a jolt ran up her back.

"Hey, Miss... Asagi. Don't be... sad."

Asagi gasped in wonder as life returned to the young hanyou.

"But, Niev..."

The four other hanyou children came to as well, looking surprised and distressed, but otherwise fine. Finally, Shiori too began to sit up, although she could form no words owing to her half crushed neck. Inuyasha quickly stepped in.

"Take care, you got really badly trampled. I'm gonna stay here with the rest of you for a day or two while you recover, and make sure none of those raiders try anything. I don't think we got them all."

Inuyasha pondered what to do before sitting down and letting Shiori lie down in his lap. He looked up and addressed his nieces.

"Both of you, go and find some game. Cook it and bring it back here. All of you kids, you gotta leave Miss Shiori alone or she won't get better. Go on."

Setsuna and Towa set off for the meadow where, only the previous year, Setsuna had received the spirit tree branch. Despite looking somewhat mutinous, the hanyou children crowded into the last cave before the cliff edge, muttering among themselves. Dai and Roku, the hanyou twins who had so often given Inuyasha sass, hovered at the cave entrance where Inuyasha was tending Shiori, whose breath was still ragged. He turned to face them, a frown on his face.

"That means you squirts as well. Go on, scoot."

The twins looked at one another before Dai spoke up.

"We wanna do something useful, Inuyasha."

Roku nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, should we take those weapons and watch the entrance to the village?"

Inuyasha was about to make his opinions heard when Shiori twitched in his lap. Instantly he was leant over the hanyou guardian.

"Don't strain yourself, Shiori, I'm gonna help you."

Disregarding his advice, Shiori beckoned to the twins. Hastily, the hanyou brothers ran forward as she spoke in a cracked, weak voice.

"Please... help to tidy... our home. For now... Inuyasha is... in charge."

Shiori's violet eyes closed as she sank into a deep sleep. Casting about, Inuyasha gently laid her on the floor before turning to the twins again.

"Where does she sleep normally? I'll get her to rest, then come and help you. One of you show me, the other get a fire going to burn the dead."

Roku led the canine hanyou to where Shiori usually slept in a small hut. It was spartanly furnished, but comfortable. By some miracle, it was also untouched by the carnage. Sniffing the air, Inuyasha decided to bring Shiori's bedding to her. A scent of smoke wafted over the noontime air to him, showing where Dai had started a fire outside of the village. Inuyasha nodded to himself, knowing that Dai had set a fire outside of the boundaries to cremate the soldiers. Lifting up her mattress, blankets and clothes, Inuyasha walked back to where Shiori was resting. Quickly making the bed up for her, he soon had the matriarch tucked in and at ease. As he watched the kind-hearted hanyou sleep, he silently wondered what would have happened had they not been contacted and transported there by the eagle daiyoukai. Kagome had been out attending to a sick villager, and although he could detect Moroha's presence in the town, she had been making a great effort to hide herself. Setsuna had run to the eagle almost before he landed, intuiting that something had gone badly wrong, and Towa and Inuyasha had followed. Whispering something to the sleeping Shiori, Inuyasha got up.

By the time the sun was setting over the village, two large bonfires were blazing outside the perimeter, one to burn up perishable belongings, and the other to incinerate the remains of the attacking force. The bounty hunter had been given a large share of the gold that the soldiers had carried with them in exchange for his silence on the matter, and he had agreed to never venture so deep into the mountains again. A few surviving men lurked in the woods nearby, and with the barrier down the hanyou were on edge. Inuyasha had instructed the youngsters to return to their caves, and most of the thirty hanyou had done so after being fed. Although still not one to be demonstrative, Inuyasha was taking the role of surrogate guardian quite well. Two of the smallest hanyou, Niev and Sachiko, had warily approached him and asked to be 'guarded' by him for a while. Initially unwilling, he had soon relented when both had begun to cry, and they had sat with him as he guarded the entrance. Towa had returned to the town to inform everyone of what had happened, and now the duty of guarding the hidden hanyou village fell to Inuyasha and Setsuna. Returning from the edge of the woods, Setsuna looked at her uncle and walked up to him, sitting on the dry earth. Niev, a feline hanyou aged about four or five, looked up at the stoic teenager with curious eyes.

"Where was you furry from?"

Setsuna turned an amused look on the infant, silently reminding herself that Niev had almost been one of the day's tragedies.

"My... furry?"

By way of an answer, the hanyou gripped her mokomoko and tugged before gasping.

"It so silky and nice and fluffy!"

Inuyasha turned to her with a wry smile. Smiling back, Setsuna returned her attention to the curious youngster.

"It's actually my tail. About half inuyoukai have them."

"It was gift to you?"

"In a way, from my father. He is an inudaiyoukai, called Lord Sesshoumaru. My mother is a human."

Niev blinked and then turned to Inuyasha.

"And you is same too?"

Inuyasha nodded slowly, keeping his attention on the lynx hanyou Sachiko. Despite the warm weather, she was shaking, although it was quite likely that it was due to the trauma of the day rather than exposure to any coldness. Gingerly, the younger hanyou edged closer to him before promptly falling asleep on his leg. Inuyasha looked at Sachiko in some surprise. Despite everything he'd gone through, he was not used to prolonged interaction with children, especially ones of such an age. He glanced at Setsuna, but the hidden smirk his half niece gave him told him that Sachiko was his concern whilst Niev was hers. As the darkness began to fall, Inuyasha lifted Sachiko up so the young hanyou girl would be more comfortable, prompting a crooning purr from the lynx. Setsuna was keeping her eyes on the unguarded entrance when Towa approached, accompanied by Moegi. Both hanyou bore large bowls of some kind of food, and offered them to their protectors. Setsuna took hers with a quiet word of thanks, but Inuyasha was unable to accept his, preoccupied as he was with Sachiko. Moegi turned and left, leaving Towa with her twin and uncle. For a while, the group were silent, before finally Towa spoke up.

"How they could think these children were a threat... I can't quite believe it."

Inuyasha gave a sigh as Sachiko shifted in her sleep.

"They probably didn't know who was here, and humans usually don't think twice before trying to kill youkai or hanyou. Happened to me a lot before I met Kagome. Either they ran from me or they ran at me. Stupid idiots."

Towa looked at her uncle in sympathy.

"Does that mean you didn't have friends when you were young, Uncle?"

Inuyasha snorted.

"Didn't need anyone to look after me except me. Hanyou like us don't belong with humans or youkai. I always thought I'd have to be strong enough to handle anyone, and soon, I was all on my own. Was the only way I knew how to survive."

Both Towa and Setsuna looked at their uncle with degrees of sympathy in their eyes. Neither could say they had felt Inuyasha's loneliness, as both had been raised by maternal figures until their teen years. Setsuna sighed as she passed Niev to Towa to babysit.

"Well, you saved a lot of hanyou today, including Miss Shiori. I can't thank you enough for it, Uncle."

Inuyasha huffed as he ate his food as best he could.

"Yeah, don't go making me out to be some kinda hero."

Towa and Setsuna exchanged glances as Setsuna picked up Sachiko and embraced her, letting Inuyasha eat at his own pace. Before long, the twins left to put the youngsters to bed, leaving Inuyasha to guard them as the night passed by.

Chapter Text

Hanyou no Yashahime
Season 3
Orretsu Island
Part 1

Dusk was falling over the town as Towa and Setsuna sparred with one another, each using a wakizashi in an attempt to overpower their sibling. Nearby, Moroha and Rion spectated in silence, each taking note of the moves utilised by each combatant. It had been three days since the attempted massacre of the Hanyou Village, and Inuyasha had returned with the twins that morning after taking medical supplies to the hanyou who had been wounded. Shiori had made a near total recovery thanks to the application of herbs and tears gifted by Rion. Seeking to keep their minds on something other than the horrific killing of the children, Setsuna had suggested practicing with their weaponry, and the twins had been battering away with their swords ever since midday. Both Moroha and Rion had been aghast at the attack, the Qilin princess moreso than anyone in the town. She gave a sigh as the hanyou twins clashed again, each straining to overcome the other as they pressed the flat of their blades against one another and pushed. Seeking to overwhelm her weapon-wise sister, Towa held her ground, silently urging her to push harder. A second before it happened, Towa noticed a slight twitch in Setsuna's posture, and abruptly leant back, causing her to stumble slightly. In a mere two seconds, the younger hanyou twin was on the attack again, driving Towa backwards with a flurry of blows. Before any of the quartet realised it, Sesshoumaru had abruptly arrived and positioned himself behind Towa. Setsuna hastily stopped as her twin walked backwards into their father. Rion composed herself and curtseyed to the daiyoukai lord, whereas Moroha simply looked on as if she had expected this. Dropping the wakizashi, Towa turned around.

"Father, what is it? You seem to be..."

Sesshoumaru cut her off smoothly.

"You must go and sleep now. Tomorrow we depart for the island."

All four girls looked at Sesshoumaru with varying degrees of surprise. Setsuna was the first to break the silence.

"But you said that the seal had at least..."

"The book was incorrect. I felt a wave of jyaki recently, which was the guardian of the seal perishing. Now it could shatter at any time."

Moroha spoke up.

"Have you told my dad yet? Is he going to come to slay the dragon?"

Sesshoumaru turned his eyes on his niece.

"Inuyasha will be informed soon. Rion, do you have the flask of tears?"

Surprised at being addressed by the daiyoukai Grand Lord, Rion hastily composed herself.

"Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru, I have it in my home. As well as the ghost blade weapon you gave me to defend myself with."

"Make sure you have both with you when I arrive tomorrow."

"Will armour be needed as well?"

"Both Setsuna and Towa have youkai slayer armour, and Moroha has Fire Rat robes. I have an armour set that will fit you that I shall bring with me in the morning, but I will ensure that you are kept safe. Inuyasha and Sango must be told of these developments. I will return tomorrow."

Sedately walking to Inuyasha's home, it wasn't long before Sesshoumaru had found his half brother and was relaying the news that the fight was nearly upon them. After moving on to the youkai slayer village and telling Sango of the sudden development, he retired to his home to wait for dawn. Back in Inuyasha's home town, however, rest was not forthcoming to those who had been selected to join the mission. Despite a filling meal in the hopes of assuaging the fears of the participants in the upcoming brawl, Towa had become overcome with fear. Setsuna did her utmost to try and calm Towa down, as did Moroha and even Riku. However, the white-haired twin had begun to panic at the notion of such fierce fighting with a daiyoukai that had been enough to repel one as strong as Kirinmaru. Rion too was less than joyful at the prospect of such a fight, wondering silently if Towa's panic was justified. She laid on her bed, the vial full of her tears nearby. Clasping the hilt of the yoki blade in her hands, possible scenarios ran through her mind as a wan crimson light began to emerge in her room. Sitting upright, Rion felt a measure of panic as an orb began to form. Before she could call out, she found herself floating in what looked like nothing so much as a sea of stars. Looking around, she could see no other beings there with her, but as she did so, the familiar voice of her father echoed around her.

"My child, you must not feel fear when you face this dragon."

Rion gave a slow sigh as she began to relax.

"This was one youkai even you could not face, Father. I have neither your fighting prowess nor Bakuseiken."

"True, but you do have the company of several others. And there are always methods to..."

Quite suddenly, Rion found herself being shaken awake. She suddenly realised that Moroha was in her home, looking at the Qilin girl with some degree of fear in her eyes.

"Moroha. W-what's wrong? It's surely not time to go already is it?"

Moroha shook her head and launched into a rapid explanation about why the Qilin princess should not go on the journey, how dangerous the five headed dragon must be, and about every other thing Rion herself had considered. Finally, when Moroha began to run down, she interjected.

"Please, Moroha, sit on the bed with me."

Blinking, Moroha paused and perched on the bed with Rion. A thought suddenly struck the shihanyou girl, and she shrugged out of her cape and draped it over Rion.

"Well at least you got some kinda protection now. It's gotta be better than nothing, right?"

"Lord Sesshoumaru promised to bring armour of my size. And I spoke with Father in my dream just now."

Moroha stared in disbelief at her.

"You mean Lord Kirinmaru? How's he gonna help us? He is, well, kinda not here."

"That is true, Moroha, but I managed to return. Perhaps this island will allow him to guide us in some way."

Just as Moroha was about to reply, there was the sound of something being placed outside the door. Getting up, Moroha crossed the room and opened the door, finding a set of armour in a large sack. Lifting it up and silently wondering if Rion would be able to move properly in it, she returned to her side.

"I see Uncle Sesshoumaru was quicker than I thought. I wonder what kinda metal this is made of?"

Opening the sack, Moroha began to remove the pieces of the armour, pausing to admire the craftsmanship. Much of the armour consisted of heavy chainmail made of a dull silver metal. Thick armour plates edged in faded gold looked more than capable of providing protection from even the strongest of attacks, and a pale white helmet looked ideally suited to cover the neck in the front and back. With a smile, she placed the helmet on Rion's head.

"Well, you got the best armour my uncle could give. I've heard about metal like this before, but this is the first time I've ever seen it."

Rion removed the helmet and looked it over.

"What metal is it?"

"I'm not sure. Towa might know more, or Totosai. But if we gotta go in the morning, then we best sleep."

"Yes, that would be wise."

Rion got up and moved the pieces of the armour set from the sack and into a place where she could get to them easiest in the morning. She turned around in surprise to see that in the time it had taken her to perform this simple task, Moroha had actually fallen asleep on her bed. Shaking her head, Rion made to wake the shihanyou girl up when something forestalled her. Was Moroha really going to be in the way that much? Surely it wouldn't hurt if they shared the bed tonight? Climbing onto her bed, she lay down so as not to disturb her. As if sensing her presence, Moroha twitched and draped an arm over her, mumbling incoherently in her sleep as she did so. Rion felt herself flush as she looked at her. In stark contrast to how she appeared when awake, Moroha looked totally at peace as she slumbered on her bed, a slow smile spreading across her features. Settling down herself to sleep, her Qilin ears twitched as Moroha spoke indistinctly. She gave a smile and was soon resting peacefully.

All too soon, it was morning. Sesshoumaru had appeared and awakened Inuyasha and Riku, and the four princesses were preparing to leave, Moroha helping Rion to don her armour in preparation for the attack on Orretsu Island. Although slightly too big in some places, the armour was not as heavy as it appeared, and now she waited patiently outside Inuyasha's home with the flask of tears and the strange ghost bladed weapon she had been given. Moroha and Inuyasha alone looked unchanged from usual. Towa was clad in youkai slayer armour similar to Sango and Setsuna's, except her armour pads were slightly russet in hue, and she could feel that other armour plates had been woven into the bodysuit. Before long, Sango appeared, the jet black Hiraikotsu carried over her back. Turning his gaze on the group, Sesshoumaru let his yoki loose, and the group of eight were transported across the vast distance to a hill on an island none of them had ever seen before. A small shrine decorated the top of the low hill, with five symbols decorating five pillars of rock. So far, none of the symbols showed any sign of life, and the pulse of jyaki that slowly reverberated through the land meant that wherever the dragon was on the island, it had not left yet. Looking around, none of them could see anything amiss. Externally, the island looked much the same as the mainland; undulating land covered in grass and vegetation, although there were few trees decorating even the flat land. Moroha was the first to speak up as she looked around.

"Well, this place feels weird, but I can't see anything that looks like a dragon, even a small one. It's definitely here?"

Sesshoumaru sent a quelling look at his niece, enough to assure Moroha that he hadn't made such a mistake as to send them to the wrong island. To spare her cousin any further recrimination, Towa spoke up.

"Perhaps if we explore this island a bit more, we can learn more about it. Riku, will you come with Moroha and I as we look around?"

Riku inclined his head respectfully.

"Of course. Shall we start on those plains down there?"

He pointed to a rippled patch of land that led towards another hill. Inuyasha looked over the area with a frown.

"There's a huge presence here, it's like this dragon is hiding in the entire island."

A pulse of jyaki ran over the island, not seeming to originate from any particular location. Rion winced as the pulse ended.

"Whatever this youkai is, it has a longing to destroy and consume so much life in the world. We should all stay together."

Riku shook his head.

"If we can find where it is, we can work to destroy it from there. It doesn't seem to be awake yet. Where did you want to look, Miss Towa?"

Towa pointed towards the same place Riku had indicated not long before.

"We'll look down there to begin with and then circle around the island. Will you come with us, Uncle?"

Inuyasha was about to make some reply when he noticed Sango was leant over, reading the markings on the shrine. Despite how old they must have been, each of the characters looked freshly engraved. As she read, she silently enunciated each word, her hand tracing the lines. Distractedly waving them off, Inuyasha leaned over to look as well. Towa, Moroha and Riku made their way down the rocky slope, soon finding themselves on the undulating plains. Before long, the trio could see a cave up ahead, with oddly angular pieces of brown rock scattered across the ground. Riku frowned as he glanced at one of the chunks, a faint glow illuminating the ground. Leaning down, he turned the rock over, and noticed that it bore the same five symbols as the shrine higher up on the island. Just as he was about to mention his finding to Moroha and Towa, a gentle tremor shook the ground.

Chapter Text

Hanyou no Yashahime
Season 3

Orretsu Island

Part 2

Riku froze in place as the tremor lasted. After some five seconds, the ground grew still again. Both Moroha and Towa turned to look at the Qilin detachment.

"You felt that, right?"

"I did indeed, Moroha. It might not mean anything."

Moroha frowned.

"We're on possibly the most dangerous island in the world and you think it was just the ground shaking? It's gotta be something to do with that dragon!"

Towa held out a placating hand to her half-cousin as she made to draw her sword.

"Easy, he could be right. We'll be cautious, but there's nothing around here that looks suspicious right now."

Moroha looked less than reassured but moved her hand away as she turned to the glyph-decorated rock that Riku had turned over. Riku also turned back to the rock, as did Towa.

"These look like symbols of some of the elements of youkai power. Air, electricity, fire, water and... something else. It seems the manuscripts detailing what this dragon could do were wrong."

Towa ran her fingers over the glowing symbols before turning to the chunks of rock littering the ground. For some time she looked over the brown boulders before realising something. She ran a hand over the edges of the stone.

"Moroha, Riku, look at these. Do you see anything odd?"

Leaning over to look at them, Moroha squinted before straightening up with a snort.

"Heh, looks like someone couldn't hold their own in combat and got sliced up real good."

Rubbing her chin, Towa turned her attention to Riku.

"But that's just it. What was here to have done the slicing if humans and youkai alike avoid the island? And a weapon that looks like it just cut straight through stone like a metal blade through soft butter, do you know of any?"

Abruptly, Moroha snapped out of her silent reverie, aware that Towa had made a very good point. Was it possible that someone else had beaten them to the island and was even now watching them? Would they be friend or foe? Did someone else seek to release the dragon into the wider world to turn it into a weapon? Just as she made to speak, a second tremor, softer than before, made the ground shake slightly. Riku suddenly turned and gestured to both Towa and Moroha. Emanating from the ground was a vague, tenuous mist, not unlike the fog that often shrouded the town in the autumnal months. Yet something about the area felt strange as the trio converged on the handful of vents where the mist was emerging from. Riku took a firm hold of his weapon as he looked around, a sickening possibility rising through him. Abruptly, the swirling, slowly rising vapour began to race into the ground, accompanied by a slight hissing noise. Beckoning to his companions, he indicated the holes in the ground. As Moroha and Towa approached, the mist rushed outwards as if to greet them, billowing over the ground in a roiling cushion. Towa froze as a third tremor shook the island. Moroha shook her head in disbelief.

"You're... you're not saying that..."

Riku nodded as the air tugged at them, racing back into the ground.

"Yes I am. I think that we've found where..."

"Where the daiyoukai rests."

All three whirled around to see a small figure stood before them. In terms of stature the being was hardly taller than Shippo, but the imposing form did not come from their size. A suffocating, cloying jyaki surrounded the robed being, and as it looked up at them, its' eyes blazed with many colours. Both Moroha and Towa recoiled as if hosed with scalding water, but Riku seemed curiously unaffected. Levelling his weapon at the stranger, he approached in a calm, unhurried manner.

"Name yourself."

The figure reached up and pushed Riku's sword aside.

"Your shihanyou friend here has met me before. I should be thanking her for her help with the mirror shards from Naraku's minion. It was because of her I was able to get this."

Reaching beneath the robe, the figure drew a short, glass-like sword about a foot long. Realisation dawned on Moroha suddenly.

"Wait. You're that kitsune, Sarrae, aren't you?"

Sarrae inclined their head once.

"As quick now as you were then. I survived the winter, forged the remains of that minion, Kanna, into this weapon, and have come to awaken the dragon."

Moroha's hand went to the hilt of Kurikaramaru.

"Why do you want to awaken a dragon so ancient and powerful? Surely you know it's too powerful to live."

Sarrae reached up and lowered the inky black hood, an unsettling smirk dawning on their features.

"If this dragon is unsealed, and allowed to unleash its' fury, Inari will descend to slay it. It's the mightiest daiyoukai remaining in this land, able to withstand the power of such a deity for a time. And whilst it fights the god..."

Tilting the glittering short sword, Sarrae gave a sneer of pure malice.

"I'll be able to slay them both."

Moroha and Riku both levelled their weapons at the kitsune.

"You're insane."

"Slaying a god will never work, and you'll doom the life of all in the world if you try."

With blinding speed, Sarrae slashed at both Riku and Moroha's swords. The angle the kitsune attacked at was too imperfect to do more than give Moroha's weapon a knock to the side, but as the glittering sword impacted Riku's weapon, it exploded into fragments. Towa reacted quickly, unsheathing her own weapon and infusing it with her own yoki, but by the time her cyan weapon was ready, Sarrae was already swinging for her with the strange weapon. Towa muttered something as Sarrae's weapon came within inches of her blade, and soon the weapon had touched her own, shocking her by actually cutting through the yoki blade. However, even as Sarrae gave a smile of triumph, Towa tugged on the hilt of her weapon, separating it into two. The new half flared into life, and the snowy-haired hanyou lunged, catching Sarrae totally by surprise and severing the kitsune's hands in the process. The crystalline sword clattered to the ground as her foe gave a shrieking yowl of pain. Scowling, Moroha brought her weapon to bear, the fire gem blazing to life.

"Hino Kakera!"

Her own sword shattered into no less than twenty flaming fragments and flew at Sarrae, each piece lacerating the kitsune. By the time the attack ended, Sarrae was slain, a mess of charred fur that evaporated into dust before the shards of Moroha's weapon had reformed the blade. Sheathing her weapon, Moroha turned around.

“We should find the others and let them know what Sarrae’s intent here was. If what they said is true and their intent was to awaken this dragon and cause Inari herself to descend, then...”

Moroha got no further as the ground began to rumble and shake with much greater intensity than before. Towa and Riku both nearly fell over as the land became as choppy as the sea in a tempest. Behind them, something of impossible size began to lift up from the ground. Towa gave a gasp of pure terror as she beheld the monster rising.

“But that’s...”

The ground parted as easily as dried mud in the height of summer. Through the mist and falling debris, a giant head was decipherable. Riku pushed Towa after scooping up Sarrae’s glassine sword.

“Come on, we must leave!”

Finally jolted into action, Towa ran from the area as the dragon’s head rose into the air, chunks of earth and rock the size of huts and larger thudding to the ground in a constant rain. But from the volume of the noises behind them, it became painfully apparent that it wasn’t merely one of the Orretsu Dragon’s heads awakening. It was all of them.

Up on the hill, Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru, Sango, Rion and Setsuna all took firm hold of their weapons as the pulse of jyaki they had felt upon arriving on the island intensified to a level matched only by the time Naraku in his mightiest form had been faced. As if to make a mockery of the spider hanyou’s level of power, it then swelled to a level that made even Sesshoumaru’s might look paltry by comparison. In record time, Towa, Moroha and Riku had reached the top of the hill to stand with their friends and family. Inuyasha glared over towards where the dragon was waking up.

“Just had to wake it up didn’t ya kid? We ain’t gonna be...”

A shrieking roar echoed across the island as a swirling cloud began to envelop the five-headed dragon, random bolts of red lightning illuminating the heads within. The cloud began to take on a tinge of green as the dragon spread its’ wings and roared again, this time all five heads roaring at once. Sesshoumaru drew Bakusaiga and unleashed a powerful blast right at the centre of the writhing column, punching a hole in the cloud and allowing the central head to be seen clearly. However, despite the colossal power behind Sesshoumaru’s attack, it had done little beyond attract the attention of one of the heads. Eyes narrowing, Sesshoumaru sheathed his weapon and spoke up.

“Do not intervene. You’ll be in my way.”

Before any of them could give a reply, Sesshoumaru’s own yoki enveloped him in a pastel red tornado as he assumed his daiyoukai form. In a mere ten seconds, the giant snowy white canine stood towering over them. Setsuna, Rion, Moroha, Riku and Towa gave gasps of admiration and awe, Sango looked encouraged and even Inuyasha had to relent from his look of disapproval. Charging forward, Sesshoumaru ran at the leering dragon head. Abruptly, Rion felt a presence touch her mind.

Open the cube.

Behind the group, a small silver and cerulean cube had appeared on the shrine where the five symbols were now glowing fiercely. Rion glanced at it, idly wondering if to do so was such a good idea. Below on the plains, Sesshoumaru slammed into the Orretsu Dragon with enough force to make the daiyoukai stagger back a couple of steps. Yet for all the threat he presented, only the central head seemed to want to battle the canine daiyoukai. A powerul swipe from Sesshoumaru’s paws knocked the thick scales covering its’ throat away, and a headbutt made the head give a screech. Yet as Sesshoumaru battled, Sango in particular looked worried. She turned to Inuyasha.

“We have to attack while we can.”

Inuyasha blinked in confusion.

“Eh? What do you mean, Sesshoumaru looks like he can tackle that thing on his own. He’s...”

Just at that moment, there was another screech as the dragon head maimed by Sesshoumaru reared its’ neck back. Before anyone could say anything, Sesshoumaru darted in and sunk his colossal teeth into the exposed jugular. The other four dragon heads gave a combined wail of agony and fury as their opponent tore through scale, skin and flesh, ripping open the artery that kept the blood flowing. Taken aback slightly, Sesshoumaru bit deeper, making the dark red and greenish blood gush forth. The cloud surrounding the dragon heads thinned out, revealing the other four heads entirely, with fire, water, electric and air emanating from their maws respectively. Yet even as the central head died in Sesshoumaru’s grip, the other four had yet to do so much as lunge at their aggressor. If anything, they appeared to be waiting for something to happen. Inuyasha suddenly drew Tessaiga as comprehension dawned.

“It’s a trap!”

By then however, it was too late.

Chapter Text

Hanyou no Yashahime

Season 3

Orretsu Island

Part 3

Inuyasha looked on in astonishment as Sesshoumaru severed the central head of the Orretsu Dragon, the enormous teeth cleaving through the tough scales and flesh like a sword through dry straw. However, as the thick blood from the open wound sprayed forth, spattering on the ground in sizzling pools, it became clear something was not right. All at once, the air, water and electric heads all snapped upright and faced Inuyasha and the others, their elemental powers whirling around their gaping maws. The fire dragon head stretched its’ jaws wide and spewed a torrent of flame at Sesshoumaru, an attack the inudaiyoukai barely evaded by leaping to the side. As he landed, burn marks were apparent on his formerly pristine fur. Suddenly an acrid, burning stench wafted over towards the group as they hurried towards where Sesshoumaru stood on shaking limbs. Without warning, he lurched forward and vomited profusely, a vile amber liquid coating the ground in front of him. Inuyasha cursed out loud.

“He musta swallowed some kinda poison!”

The four remaining dragon heads hissed as if amused by the observation and the fact Sesshoumaru was so badly wounded already. Setsuna looked over her shoulder and ran back up the hillside to retrieve the flask of Qilin tears, their best chance at curing the wound. Igniting their yoki weapons, Towa and Rion stood ready to attack. Sango, Inuyasha, Moroha and Riku all brandished their own weapons, none of them feeling confident that this would be sufficient to defeat such a powerful foe. As if to reinforce their feelings, the water dragon head spewed a torrent of icy water into the ground, shortly followed by a burst of scarlet flames from the fire head, producing copious amounts of steam that made their visibilty shrink drastically. Inuyasha held Tessaiga ready as the thick steam fell, firing off a single attack towards the fiery dragon head. A loud hissing sounded, suggesting either Inuyasha had missed his mark or, more likely, the dragon head had taken no noticeable damage from his weapon. Sheathed in her armour, Rion managed to close in on the air dragon head, backed up by Towa, their yoki weapons glowing verdigris and cyan respectively. A number of bright flashes began to shine from the area, and suddenly there were two cyan glows alongside the bluish-green from Rion’s ghost blade. A loud roar of anger gave the others hope; Was it possible that the yoki blades were the key to winning this fight? Towa, Riku, Sango and Inuyasha all ran for the guiding lights, hoping to maim the air dragon head fatally before it could co-ordinate with the others, or at least distract it. As if divining their plan, the air dragon head glowered at the other three and gave a deafening screech. The dragon spread its’ four wings wide and reared up on its’ legs in an impressive threat display, not lessened by the fact the poison head was severed and the stump was smoking slightly. The six brandished their various weapons at the titanic foe as Setsuna tended to her father. Whether due to the flask or the properties Qilin females had, or both, the tears were emerging as pearlescent orbs, and where applied to the wounded inudaiyoukai, near instant healing was the result. The massive canine form, however, was near impossible to tend to easily. So close to her wounded parent, Setsuna was able to see a lot of the damage inflicted. Sesshoumaru’s fangs were scorched stumps, corroded away by the potent toxins in the dragon’s blood, and the stench of rot coming from within was nearly enough to make the hanyou slayer faint. Every time he exhaled, a small measure of amber vomit trickled from his open maw. A rumble of thunder sounded from nearby as the electric dragon head unleashed a lightning bolt on the combatants, although the sounds that followed made it readily apparent that none of her companions had been in the line of fire. Lifting up one of its’ massive legs, the dragon stomped on the ground with enough force to open up large rifts in the earth before screeching to the sky again. Unexpectedly, both tails whirled around to attempt to bludgeon the group, although only Rion was struck. Nonetheless, the force of the blow on the Qilin daiyoukai was enough to send her flying more than halfway up the hill, losing her grip on the yoki weapon as she tumbled through the air. She landed awkwardly on the hard earth, but apart from her helmet being dislodged, she had survived unscathed. From her sudden vantage point, she could see the battle unfolding below her, and it looked to be going badly for both sides. Rising to rejoin the battle, Rion suddenly froze in her tracks as the voice from earlier sounded nearby.

I promised to be here for you, daughter. Open the cube.

Rion looked at the glassy cube, now pulsing with yoki, sat on the shrine. Compared to earlier, it seemed almost alive. Of the five symbols that decorated the rock, one had lost its’ glow, seemingly the poison head. She took the cube in her hands and looked it over.

“Father, how do I open this? What will it do?”

Push the sides in towards one another, and when you have done so, it will unlock your full strength as a daiyoukai. You will be able to change into your full form as a Qilin, and protect your friends with your power.

Blinking in surprise, Rion set about solving the mysterious cube’s puzzle. Abruptly, it opened with a sound like flowing water before disappearing in her hands. She felt strength and power rush through her like a surge of adrenaline, enough to make her gasp in astonishment. She had long known that she possessed power, although the Qilin princess had rarely engaged in combat beyond games as a child. Yet now, feeling as empowered as she did, she felt she could tilt the balance of the battle in their favour. Reclaiming her weapon, she spoke to where she had heard Kirinmaru’s voice from.

“Thank you for this gift, Father.”

There was no response from Kirinmaru. Turning to face the battle again, she began to run down the slope, confident that now she could make an appreciable difference.

Sango ran back, away from the fire dragon, the Black Hiraikotsu held firm in both hands. Compared to the ancient bone weapon she had inherited, her new weapon felt ungainly and heavy. Snarling in her direction, the fire dragon head spat globules of molten lava her way, although the interference of its’ counterparts and Sango’s agility meant that none had incinerated the slayer yet. Reacting swiftly, Inuyasha ran to join her, firing a Wind Scar at the menacing foe, causing it to growl deafeningly loud. Suddenly, a loud scream of pain sounded from across the battlefield as Riku struck the electric head with the blade he had taken from Sarrae. Not wasting an opportunity, Moroha raised her Kurikaramaru, a feral grin on the shihanyou girl’s face.

“Hino Kakera!”

The scorching shards of metal flew towards the electric dragon head, no less than four of them hitting where Riku had ripped several scales away with his weapon and carving burning furrows into the exposed flesh. Screaming in pain, the electric dragon head reared back, prompting the water head to fire a jet of cold water onto its’ wound. Moroha looked satisfied as her blade reformed and blazed hotter than ever.

“Heh, y’want some more of that? Come and taste it then!”

Firing a second attack, the shards of the sword left more cuts in the neck of the electric head, prompting a keening wail from her target. Moroha hefted her sword as the blazing fragments reformed the blade.

“This weapon’s gotta be the best one there is!”

As she prepared to fire a third attack, the air dragon head inhaled deeply and fired a mighty gust of air at the combatants. Managing to use the winds to her advantage, Setsuna flipped onto her feet, taking a firm hold of her naginata in the process. Scything through the air with the weapon, a barrage of green swallows exploded forth, peppering the electric dragon head and prompting a loud hiss of pain. As the gust died down, an idea came to Sango.

“Inuyasha, fire your Wind Scar at the air dragon head!”

Looking confused at her request, Inuyasha complied regardless and launched his attack just as Sango hurled her Black Hiraikotsu towards the air dragon head. Able to sense the weapon coming, the dragon sneered and blew a powerful gust of wind at it, enough to throw it off course, but unintentionally sending it right into the fire head’s neck. The flying weapon severed the head immediately, leaving fiery blood fountaining from the stump as the huge boomerang began to return to Sango. All three remaining heads gave roars of shock and fury as the fire head thudded to the ground. Enraged, the electric dragon head screeched its’ displeasure to the heavens and spewed lightning bolts across the battlefield, at least two of which struck Sesshoumaru, unintentionally awakening the inudaiyoukai. 

Regaining consciousness, Sesshoumaru gave a pained cough, unsure how he had avoided death at the hands of the toxic dragon head. Pushing himself to his feet, he made to draw Bakusaiga to bring an end to his insolent foe when a crushing pain wracked his entire body. Falling to his knees, he retched long and hard, expelling the poison still in his system, recalling that the last time he had felt such crippling agony had been when he had been stabbed through the gut by Magatsuhi. The recent bolts of electricity were nothing to laugh at either, even for one of his caliber, but he was sure now that the poison would not kill him, in no small part thanks to Tenseiga’s power. Forcing himself to remain standing, his yoki surrounded him like a fire, making Bakusaiga glow painfully bright. Scything upwards, Sesshoumaru decapitated the lightning head in one mighty blow, although even as the destructive blast severed the head, the dragon seemed to intuit what Bakusaiga could do, and promptly discarded the stump of the severed head. Up close to the colossal foe, Towa, Riku, Setsuna and Moroha were doing their level best to keep the dragon occupied. Down to just two of its heads now, the dragon unleashed a mighty pulse of jyaki, sufficient to knock the younger combatants off their feet. Inuyasha and Sango, further away, were less affected, and Sesshoumaru barely felt anything. Beating its’ wings deeply, the dragon took to the air with a bone-chilling shriek. Resuming his true form, despite still being wounded, Sesshoumaru charged at the flying dragon and leapt up, only to be clouted around the head by its’ thick twin tails and knocked aside, unconscious once more. Before the dragon could home in on Sesshoumaru, a cyclonic burst of wind exploded upwards from the island, unleashed by Setsuna. Landing awkardly, the dragon snarled, the two remaining heads seeming to decide that enough was enough. The spines decorating the scaly tails began to rise, each one smooth, long and thin. Waving its’ tails, the dragon flared its’ four wings in an impressive threat display as it readied another attack. The water dragon headed inhaled deeply and fired a barrage of hailstones at the company of foes, ranging from fingernail in size to as big as a small boulder. Cries of pain proved that the dragon head had not been innaccurate, with colourful language coming from both Moroha and Inuyasha. Sango spat blood, nursing a sore spot just adjacent to her nose where a hailstone had bruised her. Five more had struck across her body, but the armour pads had largely nullified the impacts. Nearby, Moroha and Towa got to their feet as the water dragon head examined them scathingly. Sango’s eyes widened as she saw the state Moroha was in; fully half of the shihanyou girl’s face was slick with blood from a nasty gash over her left eye, and there was evidence of at least two other similarly bad cuts on her arm and knee. Wiping the dark blood off her face as if it was no more than sweat, Moroha swung with her bloodied hand, sending several blades of blood at her foe, although the attack glanced off the tough scales. Also lowering itself to peer at them more closely, the air dragon head began to inhale, as if preparing for some attack, when suddenly both dragon heads snapped upright as a wave of yoki pulsed forth. Moroha looked around as the dragon’s posture shifted from overconfident to wary. It was a feeling of power that she had never felt before, and she glanced up at where the two dragon heads were looking. Following their gaze, she half expected to see her father, but as she did so, she realised that it wasn’t Inuyasha’s yoki that had put the shakes into the daiyoukai. It wasn’t even Sesshoumaru’s.

It was Rion’s.

Stepping sedately towards the dragon, Rion had assumed her full Qilin form, something none of them had ever seen. The female Qilin had a coat of silvery-blue fur streaked with bands of lilac. Her mane and tail were the same shade of rubine red that made up the princess’s hair colour in her human form, and her eyes were a glowing shade of beautiful verdigris. In appearance she resembled a mix of a deer and a horse. Her legs appeared slender yet well muscled, although it was apparent that she had some growing to do. Nevertheless, Rion looked able to hold her own against the dragon, and even as the two heads snarled warningly, she tossed her head, giving a flute-like call as she did so. When she was perhaps twenty paces from the giant dragon, it charged at her, roaring. Backing away to keep her friends out of the fight, she suddenly reared onto her hind legs and struck the dragon in its chest, sending scales flying as her hard hooves dealt a mighty blow. The dragon crumpled to the ground, badly maimed by the kick, although its’ growls meant it was still game for more. Flaring its’ wings, the dragon began to rise into the sky. A blinding flash of blue-green and purple light pulsed from Rion, leaving huge chevrons carved into the necks of her opponent. Dark blood bubbled forth as the life began to ebb away from their foe. However, the dragon was not done yet, and it landed back onto the ground, the water dragon head again firing a barrage of hailstones of varying sizes. Towa and Riku both took several hits as they tried to duck down, and a colourful expletive from Inuyasha suggested he too had been hit at least once. Raising its’ head to the heavens, the water dragon repeated the attack, prompting Towa, Setsuna, Sango and Riku to join Inuyasha as he raised the scabbard, creating a barrier capable of holding the hailstones off. Further away, Moroha was in the process of firing another Fire Shard attack to bring the dragon down quicker. As the flaming shards of Kurikaramaru reformed into the blade, the air dragon head let loose a powerful gust of wind that sent Moroha head over heels. Rion gave another high pitched call as her mysterious attack pulsed outward again, scorching the scales and exposed flesh off the mortally crippled dragon. Roaring in pain, it slammed both tails down, firing off the countless spikes that had encrusted them. Inuyasha’s barrier held as the final attack launched at them, and both Rion and Sesshoumaru bore the brunt of the barrage with little in the way of harm. Sesshoumaru snarled weakly as the spikes peppered him with needles of pain, although he was far from in danger. Rion shook her head as the dragon’s heads both collapsed to the land, the final breaths coating the ground in freezing fog. Almost seeming to hesitate at what she had to do, Rion delivered two sharp, well placed kicks to the dying Orretsu dragon, ending the suffering of the two remaining sentient parts of the ancient daiyoukai. Taking a deep breath, Rion reverted to her usual form, her eyes a hue of jade that suggested how fatigued she really was. She cast her gaze to Sesshoumaru.

“Sesshoumaru, do you require more of my tears? I can make fresh ones for you at once, and...”

Inuyasha, Towa, Sango, Setsuna and Riku appeared out of the fog still wreathing the land. Sesshoumaru opened one eye as he too reverted back to his humanoid form.

“I will need time to recover rather than tears.”

Promptly, the inudaiyoukai closed his eyes and drifted into a slumber. Inuyasha eyed his brother with an odd mix of emotions. Despite their rocky past together, it was apparent that he was glad his sibling had not perished. Setsuna and Towa moved forward to their father’s side, each murmuring something that the others couldn’t quite make out. Suddenly Setsuna froze and sniffed at the air.

“Wait. I can smell blood in the air.”

Riku looked around.

“We have just slain a monster of unimaginable size, and Lord Sesshoumaru was badly maimed. It would be surprising if you couldn’t. I believe even you can, Sango. I mean no disrespect, of course.”

Sango nodded as she looked across the foggy ground.

“Yes, I can, but I can’t tell where it’s coming from.”

Inuyasha blinked as he scented the air, detecting several types of blood hanging the air.

“Yeah, and... something doesn’t feel right. Where’s Moroha got to? Did she go back up the hill?”

Setsuna sniffed again, this time taking her uncle’s hand and drawing in his scent before looking around, concern gradually colouring her features as she did so.

“But surely she was as protected as you were, Uncle? She had a Fire Rat Robe and that new weapon of hers was more than...”

Abruptly, Setsuna felt herself shoved aside as Inuyasha took off across the ground towards a spot not far from the base of the hill. The others took off in pursuit. Even before they arrived, Inuyasha collapsed to his knees, the scent of salty tears heavy on the air as he wept. Silently, all knew what had happened.

Chapter Text

Hanyou no Yashahima

Season 3

Orretsu Island

Part 4

In the town she had now made her home, Kagome felt very much rushed off her feet. Several people had come to her requesting poultices for wounds, many of them incurred during accidents such as mishandling sharp tools or a twisted ankle. No single incident was that bad, but if infected then things could escalate very quickly. Even with her relative expertise in this age, there was only so much she could do. Removing a metal pot from over the fire, she poured a small amount of the purified water into a dish and began to mix a herbal paste together the way Kaede had shown her many times in the past. Briefly she considered trying to enlist the help of her former mentor’s one-time apprentice, even if the man was less than stable, but soon returned her mind to the task at hand. Examining the dark green paste up close, she nodded once and turned to the woman in front of her.

“Hold up your sleeve and I’ll apply this to your arm. You’re lucky it didn’t go deeper.”

The woman obliged when suddenly a tremor ran over Kagome the likes of which she had not felt in some time. She almost dropped the poultice as she applied the medicine to the injured woman’s forearm. Quickly recovering herself, she bound the wound with a strip of fresh cloth.

“K-keep it dry as much as you can. And tell the next patient to not come in just yet.”

As the woman left the hut with a quiet word of thanks, Kagome rinsed her hands to prepare for the next person. Her eyes welled up, feeling as if something horrific had taken place.

Tears cascaded down from Inuyasha’s eyes as he beheld the terrible sight at the bottom of the hill, the fog churning and roiling around the group like a mocking final gesture from the deceased dragon. Studding her legs in no less than four places were spikes of various sizes fired from the dragon’s tails, and a further two had impaled her left arm, each one a deep wound in its’ own right. However, although the Fire Rat Robe she wore had seemingly negated any piercing wounds in the areas it covered, the enchanted cloth did not encompass her entire form, and the main gaps it left exposed were the shihanyou girl’s forearms, lower legs, neck and face. Resting squarely in the middle of her throat was another spike, slick with dark, almost black blood. Moroha’s eyes were wide but unblinking as Inuyasha looked with disbelief at the cause of his only child’s death. Behind him, the rest of the group hung back to give the hanyou parent his space, stunned at the tragic death. Towa and Setsuna silently held hands as they tried to process the enormity of the disaster that had struck their extended family, both twins weeping for the loss of their boisterous and lovable half cousin. Sango, Rion and Riku looked on, also engulfed by grief. Suddenly, Sango broke the silence as an idea came to her.

“Inuyasha, didn’t you bring the Meidou Stone? It could revive her, like it did with the other hanyou in Shiori’s village.”

Inuyasha looked up as he cradled Moroha’s still form. Reaching beneath his suikan, he pulled the mythical medallion over his head and draped it over Moroha’s chest. A pulse of light similar to the times it had been used in Shiori’s village after the attempted massacre shone from its’ cracked, inky depths, but then just as the group began to hope it had worked, the jewel shattered into pitch black shards. The group looked on in shock. Although Hosenki had told them it could only revive ten souls, which it had done, they had privately hoped the jewel expert might be wrong after their spree of revivals in Shiori’s village, and it may have one or two more uses in it after all. Inuyasha wrenched the depleted medallion off his neck and cast it aside, tears falling anew. Setsuna spoke around her tears as she looked at them both.

“Uncle, do you want us to leave you and tend to...”

Abruptly, Towa stopped crying, looking up from Moroha’s still form to her uncle as realisation struck her.

“Father has the answer.”

Riku, Rion, and Sango all looked around. Slowly, Inuyasha turned to look at his niece as well.

“You mean... Tenseiga?”

“Yes! Tenseiga can revive the deceased. I heard how he used it on Jaken once, and I used it to revive Setsuna. We might be able to use it to bring back Moroha!”

Mentally, Inuyasha kicked himself. He too had seen Tenseiga in action when Sesshoumaru had revived a trio of hostile feline youkai, and when he had done likewise to an otter youth’s father when tracking the last few shards of the Shikon no Tama. He nodded somewhat jerkily.

“Go and get it then. And make sure... my brother’s alright.”

Sango looked quietly at Inuyasha. It was rare indeed for the stubborn siblings to ever use the word ‘brother’ in reference to one another, although their relationship had mellowed from the mocking scorn followed by attempt to kill to something more like sibling disputes, albeit still with swords involved. Following the battle with Magatsuhi, Inuyasha had made every attempt to save Sesshoumaru. Towa reached her father, who was laid down on his side, his eyes staring but unseeing. For a moment, Towa feared her father had also been killed by the barrage of spikes, but the churning yoki emanating from him soon put such a notion to bed. The battle had likely been one of the worst that her father had ever gone through, so it stood to reason that he would require some time to heal. She laid a hand on Tenseiga’s hilt and drew the sword, looking it over slowly. Before long, she was running back to where the others sat around Moroha’s body. Inuyasha slowly turned to her and quietly held a hand out for the Tenseiga. Getting to his feet, he looked over Moroha’s prone form and held the healing katana in a ready position, but nothing happened. None of the minions of the underworld were made visible even as Tenseiga pulsed once. Inuyasha looked from the sword to his deceased daughter in confusion and frustration before returning his attention to Towa.

“When you used this sword, what happened?"

“I could see strange, imp-like creatures from the underworld surrounding Setsuna, about to take her soul away. At the time, old Totosai was near too. Didn’t he make the Tenseiga?”

“Yeah, Tessaiga couldn’t properly handle a technique my dad took from a youkai he defeated, so Tenseiga was made to contain it. It was some kind of rite of passage for Sesshoumaru to let go of his eagerness to get my sword. What if both you girls hold it?”

Looking at one another in some confusion, Towa and Setsuna duly laid their hands on the hilt of the healing sword. The length of the blade began to shine with an unusual phospherence, almost as if the weapon was on fire, but after some time, the twins were forced to admit nothing was happening beyond the eerie, spiky flames running along the blade. Confused, Setsuna took hold of the sword herself when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning around, she saw it was Riku. The handsome pirate held his hand out to her.

“Maybe I can make the Tenseiga work.”

Setsuna glanced at her sister before handing the weapon over, seeing no harm in Kirinmaru’s former servant trying. However, it soon became apparent that Riku was having no luck with the weapon either, and after a couple of experimental swings, he passed it back to Setsuna. Laying Moroha down, Inuyasha got up to try the Tenseiga, but barely had he laid hands on the weapon than a sharp shock ran over him, causing him to drop the blade. He looked at it with anger and surprise. Was it possible that even now, neither brother could lay hands on the other’s weapon? Inuyasha’s father had been nothing if not strategic, had he thought it possible that his youngest son would attempt to steal Sesshoumaru’s legacy for himself? Yet if that was the case, how come he had been able to hold it mere minutes ago and not now? He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he almost didn’t notice Rion’s gasp of surprise.

“They’re here. And... just there too.”

All heads looked towards the Qilin princess. Riku spoke up.

“Who’s here? There’s only us and Lord Sesshoumaru on the island, Miss Rion.”

The girl shook her head and gestured to a spot some three feet away from Moroha’s body.

“Just there. There’s two... imp-like creatures. And over by the dragon’s corpse, I can see more of them. An entire crowd of them, poking the body with spears and other weapons.”

Towa looked at where Rion indicated when realisation suddenly struck her.

“Wait, you can see the imps of the underworld?”

“I’m... not sure what they are. But if they’re what I need to strike down to help Moroha, I’ll do it.”

Setsuna passed the Tenseiga to Rion, watching in silence as the rubine-haired girl took a firm hold of the weapon they had all tried to use. This time, there was a series of pulses echoing off the sword as Rion prepared to swing it, and in one swift motion, she scythed through the two minions of the underworld with a sound like tearing silk. The wounds inflicted by the spikes healed as if they’d never been there, although the bloodstains remained. As if waking from a long rest, Moroha’s eyes fluttered open with a groan. The assembled group looked on in wonder as the plucky shihanyou girl came back to life. She looked around briefly before being embraced by Inuyasha, Setsuna and Towa.

“Hey, easy! What happened?”

Inuyasha gave a loud sniff.

“You... you were lost to us, Moroha. When that dragon was killed it shot spikes everywhere, and a few of them hit you. But you managed to... be returned to us thanks to Rion.”

All eyes turned to the bashful Qilin girl. Her cheeks almost seeming to glow, Rion fidgeted as she mumbled something incoherent even to Inuyasha’s sharp ears. Detaching herself from her father and her two cousins, Moroha approached Rion, wincing slightly as minor aches and pains made themselves known. Before Rion could say a word, she had been embraced firmly by Inuyasha’s daughter, enough to make her give a discernible squeak of embarrassment. Looking down at the shorter girl, Moroha gave her a genuine, warm smile.

“It was really you who saved me? You brought me back to life?”

Too timid to actually speak, Rion nodded. Suddenly she found herself lifted into a loving embrace the likes of which she could not recall, not even when she was still a child and being tended to by her father and aunt. Moroha spoke so only she could hear her.

“When we get back to the town, I’d like you to come and...”

Before she finished her sentence, Moroha’s ears twitched. With a noise like a continuing explosion, the island began to fracture. The roaring noise grew ever louder as fissures spread, smoke pouring forth from the chevrons in the earth. Cursing, Inuyasha got to his feet.

“Towa, Setsuna, go and wake up Sesshoumaru no matter what you have to do. We have to get off this island now. Sango, go with them.”

As if to illustrate the urgency of his point, a series of tremors began to rock the island, weakly at first, and then with mounting intensity and frequency. Wasting no time, the hanyou twins and Sango raced over to where Sesshoumaru lay. Thankfully, the inudaiyoukai was recovering, although the stench of the poison he had accidentally ingested was all too apparent. Rubbing a hand along his chin, he turned his attention to his two daughters.

“The danger has passed then? The dragon is slain?”

Setsuna nodded as she held the healing sword out to her father.

“Yes Father. We had to borrow the Tenseiga when Moroha was slain. None of us were able to work it until Rion managed to. But the island is beginning to collapse on itself, we need to leave now.”

Getting to his feet, Sesshoumaru accepted his inheritance and walked sedately back to the rest of his companions and family. By now, the tremors had opened up more fissures in the ground, and patches of dirt were rising and falling even as the group watched. Quickly confirming that everyone had everything they had brought, Sesshoumaru expanded his yoki, teleporting them off the island with seconds to spare. A deafening blast of sound erupted from the peak of Orretsu Island as the rock shattered into dust, launched into the air with astonishing speed. Glancing back at the destruction, Rion silently bade farewell to Kirinmaru’s lingering spirit.

By the early evening, the entire group had returned to the town, all of them fatigued in the extreme. The last few Qilin tears kept them awake and aware, although Moroha in particular was making her need for food well known to all of them. Even Sesshoumaru was feeling the pinch from hunger, a factor that usually didn’t affect him much. As they approached the trio of homes where Inuyasha, Rion and the twins lived, they could soon make out Kagome sending her last patient of the day on their way home. Turning towards the group, she gave a weary smile.

“You made it! I was so worried that something might have happened to you, especially after... but no, it didn’t.”

Detaching himself from the group, Inuyasha walked up to embrace his wife. After a lengthy hug, he leant in to kiss her gently as the others approached. Sango, Rion and Riku greeted her with their usual polite and friendly tones as Setsuna and Towa approached their aunt with greater enthusiasm. Moroha looked at her mother with a tired smile and stretched.

“Say, is there any...”

Before she could finish her sentence, a loud rumble sounded from the teenage girl’s stomach. Kagome smiled wearily as she embraced her daughter.

“I’m sorry sweetie, but today was a day when I just could not stop. Besides. I didn’t even know you would be returning today. All that I have left are...”

Surprisingly, Sesshoumaru raised his hand to cut off Kagome mid-sentence.

“There will be cuisine for you all at my palace within an hour. Rin is there, and will wish to see you. After our victory, celebration is necessary. It nearly came at great cost."

Kagome looked around the group in consternation.

“What happened exactly? Tell me.”

Inuyasha gave a deep sigh as he recounted the tale of their mission to Orretsu Island, downplaying elements likely to bring his wife to tears. When he finally mentioned the end of the battle and how Moroha had been killed, Kagome promptly ran to her teenage daughter.

“Do you need anything? Are there any scars? Let me see so that...”

Moroha wearily held her mother back before being embraced closely by her.

“It’s fine, mother, really! I was revived and there’s no lasting harm done. It was by Tenseiga that I...”

Waiting no longer, Kagome bowed deeply to Sesshoumaru.

“I can’t thank you enough for bringing Moroha back. If I can ever repay you or Rin in any way...”

Sesshoumaru held a hand up, slowly gesturing to Rion.

“Princess Rion was the one who used Tenseiga to save your daughter. Begin your preparations, I will return in an hour to bring you to my palace for the feast."

Engulfing himself in blue light, Sesshoumaru teleported away. Kagome looked at the timid Qilin.

“Rion, you saved our daughter. How can...”

Rion blushed as Kagome took her hands and repeated that there was no need for her to thank her, it had been her pleasure to help. Finally, after a last hug from Kagome, the priestess stepped back and looked around at her assembled friends and family.

“We should prepare to go to Sesshoumaru’s palace then. I’ll need to talk to Futa and Raita quickly.”

Dispersing, soon Rion was the only one left as the others went to their respective homes to get ready. Just before she entered her parents’ hut, Moroha turned and looked back at her, a warm smile on her face in the fading light.

“You were really brave today, I don’t think we could’ve done much against that dragon without your help. And I can’t thank you enough for restoring my life.”

Slowly, Rion approached the shihanyou girl, her eyes shining as she abruptly embraced her. Moroha returned the gesture, holding the smaller girl close before letting her go.

“I gotta go get changed, and you should too. We can talk after uncle’s feast, ok?”

Rion nodded.

“I... I’ll tell you then.”

Looking confused, Moroha nonetheless smiled at her before disappearing inside, leaving Rion stood outside. She moved towards her home nearby, her ears twitching as she heard the light twittering of the birds that had been nesting nearby. A memory bubbled to the surface of her mind from when she was a child; she had seen a large flock of these birds in a cold forest, darting from tree to tree as they sought out food. Humans had called these enchanting little acrobats ‘snow fairies’ and their charming looks endeared them to many, although more were found in the northern islands. Smiling, she entered her home, preparing to get ready for the evening.