Heart blood and soul

Alright, uh there is a warning before this chapter, though I’m pretty sure no one will care but uh, fans of Jaken beware, I don’t think to fondly of the little toad beyond comic relief so he gets bashed rather harshly in this chapter. That’s about it.

Thank you Leomae, Relix, Naheta and ashcarolyn for reviewing.

Ashcarolyn: Don’t worry it’s not the last chapter. There’s still more.

Chapter 12 -The first mate-
Sesshomaru looked at his brother from across the room, the first time they had talked eye to eye for 50 years or so. His eyes scanned over to the wolf and his family for a quick moment before turning to his niece and nephews. He leaned back in his chair before speaking, “I wish I could assist you in the matter that you desire, but it’s impossible.”

“What do you mean impossible? We’re going to help you, do this for us in return Sesshomaru,” Inuyasha said looking his brother straight in the eye, no malice behind the amber depths for the first time.

“It has nothing to do with payment, you have my gratitude if you help me find your mate and help me defeat Naraku. What I meant was I, myself, can not accomplish the task you ask of me, it is a physical impossibility. I will however, help you find a solution to the problem. A temporary one.”

Kagome rested her hand on Inuyasha’s shoulder and directed her smile to Sesshomaru, “thank you Sesshomaru, we just did not know the limits of your power seeing as it has always seemed limitless. And you have boosted about doing this before.” After she paused she heard the mutter of her mate, “don’t feed his ego.”

Sesshomaru sighed, “true I have, but you know that was a lie. The power to bring the dead back in their original bodies, much less without their souls, is impossible. But as I said already I will help you find a temporary solution. We will search tomorrow for a body that you may reside in Kaida. And then we’ll start the search for Naraku.”

The guests nodded, bowing slightly as they followed Jaken and Inu-Kana out of the study and into the maze Sesshomaru called his castle. After they had departed Sesshomaru ran over in his head everything that had transpired since his brother had arrived.

The situation had been explained to him, not as much in depth as he wanted, but enough to cover why his mate might have been taken. After talking of plans of tracking down Naraku and then training for the battle, most which consisted of Ryu and Inu-Kana fighting one another in hopes of mastering their swords.

After all that was taken care of they had asked him for help with finding a suitable body for Kaida, one that could travel at the pace set for youkai. After mulling it over in their heads, his brother’s mate had asked if he could bring his mother back so that Kaida could reside there until they freed her real body. It was a good idea, if it was possible, which obviously it wasn’t, seeing how their discussion had ended.

Sesshomaru stretched, standing and walking for his chambers, pausing briefly when he realized he would not be able to sleep without his mate’s scent near him. He sighed making sure to make a detour for his mate’s closet to get a garment that had her scent on it so he could sleep.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Jaken waddled ahead of the group, grunting with effort to keep ahead of the youkai he led, while carrying his staff. His other master walked aside a hanyou and that annoying little kitsune, his cousins talking about battle no doubt. He stopped in front of the first room in the corridor, opening it to show a blue bedroom with only the necessities in there, his master rarely having company over.

“This is where you, worthless hanyou and his wench will sleep,” he said pointing to the room.

Inuyasha growled making sure to step on Jaken in some way as he passed. Kagome however, was much less subtle. She grabbed the staff from Jaken’s toad hands and slammed it over his head with little force, making his eyes swirl before he regained his composure, looking at the now shut door.

He muttered under his breath before he moved on, showing Kouga and Tama where they would be sleeping. Inu-Kana laughed at how easily his other family got under Jaken’s skin, loving how he squawked at his uncle before Kagome had hit him over the head with his own staff.

Inu-Kana liked them all, well with the exception of Ookami. He didn’t like how the wolf kept touching his cousin, his instinct telling him to defend her. As he shot glances at Ryu during one of the touches Ookami sent his cousin, he became amused at the tick that was starting in his cousin’s left eye.

“Is the wolf courting Kaida?” he asked as low as he could so that Kaida could not hear, but the wolf could if he chose.

Ryu sighed, gazing at his sister, “who knows, wolves are weird, their mating anurtiurting are different. Sometimes it seems like he is courting, others it’s like he’s teasing me, to get under my skin. That’s how it started. And then of course there’s the fact that he sleeps with her, but not in that way.”

Inu-Kana straightened, growling, “haven’t you put him in his place?”

“I’ve tried but Kaida has stopped me each time. I have such a stupid sister.”

Shippo whacked him over the head, “don’t talk that way about Kaida. I don’t like it either, but you don’t see me grouching about it.”

“Yeah, why don’t you Shippo?” Inu-Kana asked cocking his head to the side, stopping so he could hear the answer. Ryu paused as well, before turning around to look at his brother, the same question going through his head.

Shippo rolled his eyes, “I’ve watched this sort of thing before. Ever since I joined up with Kag-mama and Inu-papa after my real parents were killed, I’ve watched them fall in love. I’ve seen all this before, but to the 20th degree. Inu-papa would seem like he cared for Kag-mama and the next moment they would be fighting or he would compare to her Kikyo, his dead love. I had to watch my sergeant mother’s heart break time and time again, by the only man she loved and the only one that loved her. Ookami hasn’t done that yet, and personally I’m glad. So seeing courting happen the real way, even if it seems to be in a teasing matter is like a vacation for me. It doesn’t bring up the memories of Kag-mama crying herself to sleep when she thought no one could hear.”

Inu-Kana and Ryu stood there, taking in the monologue Shippo had just given, “I guess it is kinda good, but if that wolf does pull something like that, he won’t live to see that next morning,” Ryu vowed, “friend or not, that’s my sister he’s messing with.”

Shippo smiled before starting to walk again, “that’s exactly what I was thinking.”
*~*~*~*
~*
Ookami wrapped his arms around Kaida before releasing her, “sleep well.”

As he turned to walk to the room he would share with Shippo he was stopped by Kaida’s hand on his shoulder, “aren’t you going to sleep in my room?”

Ookami shot a look towards the direction Ryu, Shippo and Inu-Kana would be cg frg from. He looked at Kaida, “Ryu and you will be sharing a room. Besides, I don’t feel like being pounded by two pissed off inus tonight,” he pecked her lips lightly with his before walking into his room, right down the hall.

Kaida smiled softly before she turned at the sound of her brother’s voice, “Inu-Kana, where is your room?”

“It’s right around the corner,” he answered stopping right in front of her, looking her in the eye, “Kaida, where did Ookami go?”

Kaida rolled her eyes and pointed to the room Ookami had just walked through, 7;he7;he didn’t feel like getting hurt by you two,” her eyes glaring accusingly at Ryu and Inu-Kana, both looked indiffere

“Well cousin, it was good to meet you finally,” Inu-Kana said wrapping his arms around Kaida, “sleep well.”

“You too,” she replied as he let her go.

Inu-Kana walked off and around the corner leaving just her and Ryu in the darkening hallway. Ryu took her hand and lead her into the room they would share, shutting the door with his foot as Kaida pulled out of his hold.

“Ryu, I’m going to sleep alright. I’m so drained,” Kaida said covering her mouth as she yawned.

Ryu shrugged and blew out the candle that lit the room, his eyes adjusting quickly. He sighed, remembering that Kaida couldn’t see. He picked her up as pou pouted and placed her on the soft futon, “sweet dreams.”

If only he knew.
*~*~*~*~*
“Kaida, Kaida,” a soothing feminine voice called.

Kaida shuttered and then whimpered, “what do you want Naraku?” her voice strong despite the fact that she was afraid beyond all words. Wasn’t the bond broken?

The voice snorted, “don’t flatter that bastard. I’m far from him,” a female youkai with a half moon in deep green dressed in a formal kimono appeared to accompany the voice, “my name is Satya. I am the body that you desired to posses until you got your’s back.”

Kaida gasped, fearing she was now going to be haunted by her uncle’s mother, “gomen, gomen nasai! I didn’t mean to be disrespectful but we are desperate and.”

Satya let out a chuckle, stopping the flow of words from Kaida’s mouth, “Kaida, I’m not here to haunt you or berate you for what you asked. My son would have been glad to do it, if it could be done, but that’s not why I’m here. I have news for you.”

“News?” Kaida cocked her head to the side in thought.

“Yes, news. I know where you may borrow a body, an inu-hanyou body. It’s in pretty good shape, just don’t decide to take it too far with that mate of your’s while in that body.”

Kaida blushed, “if you mean Ookami, he’s not my mate. My brother is over protective, besides I don’t think.”

Satya rolled her eyes, “stop talking now! If you say one more word and complete that sentence I will slap you. He is your mate, even if neither of you like it! You were made for each other. That is tholehole function of a soul mate.” <I have always wanted to say that WHENEVER Kagome or anyone in any anime says that they think the person they love doesn’t love them back, when it’s obvious they belong together!>

Kaida’s blush increased, “I didn’t mate with Ookami-niichan though.”

Another laugh echoed through the emptiness they resided in, “oh but he wanted too. He wanted to badly.”

Kaida thought she couldn’t be anymore embarrassed but she gathered her wits as quickly as she could, trying not to dwell on her relationship with Ookami for the moment, “so I suppose you’re reincarnation is with my grandfather?”

At that statement Satya’s eyes dulled ever so slightly, “no, your grandfather is not my soul mate. He belonged with your grandmother, but I still loved him,” her sadness was quickly replaced with a happy face though, “now the body you are looking for is in the village near Lake Hanare. She knows of you’re coming. Just ask for Maeko.”

Kaida nodded and as everything faded to black she called out one last time, “why are you doing this?”

Satya smiled, “you’re grandparents know you will be a key factor in the upcoming battle. I just wanted to help.”
*~*~*~*~*
Kaida shot up and looked around her eyes still not adjusted to the darkness. A hand landed on her shoulder, her eyes locking with smoky blue, “are you alright Kaida?” Ryu asked.

“Show me to the door,” she asked.

His eyes hardened, “why?”

“I have to talk to Ookami,” Kaida whispered, at seeing Ryu’s eyes turn to a glare and his mouth form to say no she continued, “please onii-san! I know where to get a body and want Ookami to take me to Lake Hanare.”

Ryu relaxed, “I’ll take you tomorrow. There’s also no need to ask him tonight.”

Kaida shook her head, “no I want Ookami to take me. I need, I need to talk with him. It’s a two day journey. And besides you need to train with Inu-Kana.”

Ryu cursed slightly, remembering he did need to train, “fine but there’s no need to ask him tonight.”

Kaida closed her eyes, “you know he’s not asleep. I only slept peacefully because I was needed to. Mother never slept much when I was a child, and she told me when her and father were separated when they were searching for the jewel she could hardly sleep, and he would never sleep. That’s how soul mates are, they need each other to be at peace with their own mind,” the last part was whispered but Ryu heard it.

“You can’t mean, that he is, no,” Ryu spoke, more to himself than Kaida.

“Ryu, you’re being overprotective. I won’t do anything with him, Shippo’s there and he can’t claim me seeing as it’s not my body.”

Ryu’s growl increased in volume so that Kaida could hear it, “with soul mates it doesn’t matter what body you are in.”

“I won’t let him claim me when I’m not in my body,” Kaida reaffirmed, hoping he would let her leave now.

Ryu pulled her into his chest, burying his face into her neck, “I just worry about you sis. I don’t want you to get hurt, especially by that baka, my friend,” he pulled his head back, “you promise that you’ll let me kill him if he hurts you.”

It was more of statement than a question but Kaida nodded anyway, her eyes finally adjusting to the light, “arigato, Ryu.”

Ryu let her go, watching his sister leave, walk out the door, pausing and turning to look at him and give him one last smile. When the wood was erected between them again his slight smile fell and his eyes closed, knowing that his sister was now grown up, and would be moving with Ookami when this battle ended. A ghost of a smile came back, he just hoped when she had pups he could look after them a couple times at least.
*~*~*~*~*
Ookami leaned his head back against the wall, banging it in a steady pace, waiting for the sun to rise. He looked over at where Shippo sat, sleeping on the window sill.

His eyes flicked to the door as it opened, a stream of candle light flashing in his eyes before it disappeared and a body was pressed against him, the smell of flowers invading his senses. He buried his nose in the crock of her neck, wrapping his arms around the small frame that Kaida resided in.

“How did you escape Ryu?”

“Just shut up and hold me,” she whispered, shifting so she laid in his lap, cradled like a child, “I’m tired.”

He nodded, shifting her closer. His eyes closed and he fell into a peaceful sleep.

End Chapter

Omg I’m gonna cry!!!! That was the cliché of the cliché! Oh I can’t even look. That’s the best you’re gonna get out of this chapter. I had NO clue on how to approach moving Kaida into the body of a hanyou, Sesshy’s mommy to be precise but I knew I had to do it. So I fooled around with this chapter and it was so much harder than I thought it would be.

A note on a couple things, Lake Hanare is actually a lake near Kyoto, or so my sources say. I don’t know if it existed back then but let’s pretend. Also for anyone who cares Maeko means truthful child in Japanese while Satya means truth in Hindi.
I might be able to squeeze in the next chapter before the new year, I’m going to try my hardest. So be on the lookout for it then and if it’s not out then it will be out before the 5th of January. That’s when my break ends.
Please review, it keeps me going, and knowing that you actually like what I write makes me know that all this effort is worth it.