Chronicles of the West

Chapter One hundred and Two

Hours later, they were back in the safety of the western fortress. The healers were looking after the wounded. Amari among that number, Tohru had refused to leave him behind. He was dying, they knew that, but no one should be left to breathe their last in that wet loneliness. Sesshoumaru was taking count of all his people. How many had they lost in the fight?

He mentally counted as he strode to the infirmary. He pushed the door wide and strode to the low bed where the foxbat lay panting and wheezing. Time was drawing close for him. "Amari" came the smooth baritone of the lord and the youngster struggled to open his eyes. They locked fuzzily on the western ruler.

"I have come to give you a choice" Sesshoumaru went on, his hand touching Tenseiga. "I can restore your life and you can remain in the west, or you can pass on and join your ancestors. Whatever choice you make I will honor, for this Sesshoumaru…is grateful…for your protection of young Tohru".

Amari wanted to die. It was better that way for all wasn't it? But when he thought about that, of never seeing the world again. Never feeling the sunshine, red ears and golden eyes crowded his vision. She was his friend, so dear to him. She would want him to live, he knew that too.

Sesshoumaru stood quietly, watching the play of emotions across the battered and disfigured face. 'One so young should not bear such pain', he thought. "Your choice boy" Sesshoumaru said then, the scent of death was coming to Amari now, strongly. Amari met Sesshoumaru's gaze with his one good eye, the other swollen shut. "I choose ….to live" he whispered.

Sesshoumaru watched the boy's eyes close and then the messengers of the underworld began to gather around him. The rise and fall of the chest ceased. "Good choice" he said quietly and swung his blade. Long minutes passed in silence and he began to wonder if Tenseiga had failed him.

But then the soft thud of a heart reached him and wounds closed and vanished before his eyes. Amari sat up with a gasp, sucking lifegiving air into his lungs. His wounds gone, his body whole, Amari blinked up at Sesshoumaru. "I owe you my life my lord, twice over" he whispered.

A silver brow arched, "So you do Amari" he agreed smoothly, "And so you are mine. You are packless no more". Then he turned and left the boy to rest. Amari lay back against the lavender scented linens and felt hot wetness on his cheeks. He wasn't alone. The lord of the west had accepted him into his pack. He had a life and family again. Hope for the future.

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Tohru waited until her father had departed and snuck inside the infirmary and stood over Amari's bed. Her eyes locked on him. He opened his strange silver eyes to stare up at her. "Tohru?" he asked, taking in her wet eyes and trembling lip.

She flung herself against him, wrapping her arms around his waist as he pushed himself upwards. "I was so worried!" she sobbed against his chest and he blinked at the bright head. Slowly he brought his arms around her and patted her back, "I'm sorry Tohru" he whispered, "I didn't mean to scare you or make you worry".

She drew back frowning fiercely, "Well you did" she informed him, "And if you do it again I'm gonna black your eye". He smiled when she hugged him again, "I'm just glad that you are alright". He laughed then, "You just threatened to black my eye" he reminded her. She hmpfed, "No one ever died of a black eye. How could you let him hurt you like that? Why didn't you run away?".

Amari sighed, "Because if I ran, then he would hurt you, and I didn't want that" he replied. She blinked up at him and he gave a very boyish grin when he dabbed the wetness from beneath her nose, "You are my only friend Tohru, even if you do snot on me". Tohru sniffed loudly, "Ladies don't snot".

The stern faced kitsune healer held her smile as she interrupted the childish argument, "Lady Tohru" she said firmly, "The patient must rest. You should run along now". Tohru looked ready to argue but Amari did look tired. "You can come back first thing tomorrow". Tohru nodded and tucked the blankets around Amari. "I'll be back then".

Amari nodded, and laid back down, "Maybe you can bring our rabbit?" he asked. She nodded, then peeked up at the healer. The kitsune woman gave a great sigh, "Fine, but only for a little while and no messes Lady Tohru".

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Taisha ached all over. She'd taken some pretty solid hits in the battle. She was tired and weak and strangely confused. Where was everyone? She looked around, shoving rain sodden silver hair from her face, pushing herself up on her arms. Her vision blurred and the world spun before righting itself.

She was still in the forest, rain pelting her, chilling her. What was she doing here, she wondered. How had she gotten hurt? She looked at the many injuries on her body. What was going on? Where were father and Toga? Why was she alone, injured in the forest?

She slowly rose to her feet, the action making her dizzy. She braced a hand against the rough bark of a nearby tree. "Shelter" she whispered, "I need shelter, I need to heal". She lifted her head inhaling deeply, but no scents came to her, none that she knew, other than rain and blood.

She stumbled forward, her sword tip dragging behind her. She walked almost aimlessly, she seemed to recall something from her childhood. A cave? Yes, that was it, wasn't it. She was so tired and nothing made sense. She could figure it out later. So she moved, mechanically in the direction she believed it might be. She cursed when she stumbled again. What was the matter with her?

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"What do you mean Taisha is not here?" Sesshoumaru demanded. Inuyasha gestured to the assembled group, "We have accounted for everyone but her. We don't think she fell, the dead were tallied on the field, but she isn't here. She was last seen fighting near Toga. He was under the impression that she took flight with everyone else".

Sesshoumaru's roar filled the air, shaking the very walls of his palace. Gods the loss of one of their own was painful enough, now two? Ayeka, hearing the sound came running to him. She was half bandaged, "What is it?" she demanded of him. He lowered his head to look at her, "Taisha is not accounted for within the walls" he said quietly.

Ayeka looked stricken, her hand moving to her mouth, "Not within the walls? She's out there? In this storm? She could be hurt, the countryside is flooding!" she shouted. It wasn't his fault but she couldn't seem to calm herself.

Sesshoumaru barked for Ah-Un to be saddled, "I'll go find her". Ayeka wept now, she didn't want him to go, they'd just gotten Kagome sedated, but she didn't want to leave Taisha out there. "I'll go" she told him. Sesshoumaru shook his head, "You won't. Your bandages are already bloodied".

Kurama stepped into the open, "I'll go. I can find her and if she's hurt I can help" he said. He'd noticed almost at once that she was missing and had alerted Inuyasha. A headcount had begun mere moments later proving the dark suspicions of the fox correct.

Toga grumbled as he crossed the courtyard, "I should have made certain she was with me. I'll go. Mother make sure you tell Aislin for me" he said. Kurama growled softly and shook his head slightly. "No Toga, this is for me to do" he said.

Sesshoumaru eyed Kurama for a moment, a conversation occurring in a glance. He slapped the reins of Ah-Un's bridles into Kurama's waiting palm. Taisha was his daughter and every part of him was screaming that he go and find her, protect her.

He understood however, that the fox felt the pull of instinct too. Perhaps that pull equaled the strength of the parental desire. The desire to safeguard one's mate. Though Kurama was a great deal older than Taisha, he didn't fret over it too much. After all, he'd married Ayeka when he was over a thousand years old. So he made a choice, a difficult choice indeed.

One that all father's dread. The choice to let go of their little girls. To let them grow up and be women. "Try to hurry fox, the storm is reaching it's peak. I would prefer not to lose either of you in the inevitable flood. Take men with you, you will cover more ground that way" he said calmly. Kurama nodded and gracefully mounted the dragon.

"I will return soon, but some things can't be rushed" he replied, "I will bring her back safely". Sesshoumaru nodded, "See that you do or I shall skin you alive and present your fur to my wife as a new winter cloak". He then watched as Ah-Un leapt into the air, a bunching of scale covered muscles. He continued to watch until the dragon vanished from his vision. His soldiers with it.

"The mist is clearing at last my lord" came a voice to his right. Satoshi. "Satoshi, has Satoru discovered where it came from?" he asked. Satoshi shook his head, "Not yet, he believes that it was an unexpected side effect of the sealing and subsequent destruction of the enemy" Satoshi replied, choosing his words carefully. Satoru had eluded to much more but until he could present his lord with facts he'd keep silent.

Sesshoumaru nodded, "How is he faring now?" he asked. Satoshi straightened, "He is alive my lord, his physical injuries will heal in time, emotional scars don't fade as easily". Sesshoumaru nodded, "You may go Satoshi". The soldier moved off to see to the wounded once more.

Inuyasha was very quiet, "I should go and help Kurama" he said, turning to leave. Sesshoumaru shook his head, "Your Kagome will need you more right now" he said, "I know that you feel powerless, uncertain what to say to her. Remember that Taima is not entirely lost to us. A portion of her soul resides in her brother. For what reason I do not know".

Inuyasha nodded, "Sesshoumaru, Ayeka is still bleeding and you have a few wounds yourself" he pointed out. Sesshoumaru glanced at his wrist, so he did. "They will be seen to" he promised. Inuyasha sighed and trudged inside the palace, his head down, his ears drooping.

His weariness and his grief weighing heavily on him now that the day was done. The sky was shifting the colors of nightfall, even though ominous clouds remained high above them. Inuyasha couldn't bring himself to return to Kagome's side. Not just yet.

He strode down the halls, past whispering court members, his head held high, his shoulders carrying a far greater weight than he let them see. To the lonely hallway that led down beneath the palace. He paused, taking a shuddering breath and stepped down into the shadows.

His feet carried him with a will of their own, down the winding stone steps to the dungeons and beyond. His hand lifted to touch the seal that would allow him entry to Taima's rooms. He moved across the cool stone floor. The lamps burned low, and it appeared as though Taima would be retuning.

Inuyasha sat heavily on her bed. She would never be here again. His golden eyes swept the room, taking in the memories of his child. Books, small trinkets, a tiny doll that was made to look just like her. His gift to her when she was only six.

His clawed hand fell on the doll, claws running delicately through the soft pale hair. A wet drop fell and left it's mark on the flawless face. Inuyasha sniffed, no longer fighting the tears. Her scent lingered in this room. The last reminder of her life. He would seal this room. Seal away that scent before it could fade. He would preserve her on some level at least.

He rose then, intent on going to Kagome. He crossed the room on heavy feet when something caught his eye. A scrap of paper, nothing more sat on her mantle. It was sealed with her mark. Inuyasha retrieved it, eyes wide to find that it was a missive.

Sliding the edge of his claw under the heavy wax he lifted it, unfolding the sheaf. His eyes took in her words carefully. It was a letter to her family, outlining why she had done what she had, and the pain she had gone through all her life. Her relief to see it's end, it was a letter of goodbye, and a series of poetic passages. He read until the words blurred with the tears gathering in his eyes. "I'm so sorry Taima" he whispered.