Chronicles of the West

Here you go, the other kids are making themselves known J Enjoy, because you all know how much I appreciate your reviews.
Chapter Sixty Five

They'd looked much the worse for wear by the time they had returned to the palace. Covered in dried blood with tattered clothing. Sesshoumaru had listened to what they reported. His irritation with Alastair increasing exponentially. Toga left to survey the borders. Sesshoumaru wanted constant patrols, the more they learned the better off they'd be.

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Sunlight streamed through the trees, the birds falling silent as the procession passed them by. A delicate nose lifted to the breeze. Bright ears flickered, "Someone is nearby" came the soft voice. Koga glanced over his shoulder and met the golden eyes of his guest. "What?" he asked.

The small statured female rushed past him, she smelled blood. Lots of it. Someone was wounded and badly. The branches barely touched her as she raced in to the trees. Koga called after, Ayame's voice joining his. "Tohru!".

Tohru broke through the trees to find a small clearing. The grass at her feet was black with blood. The scent so strong it turned her stomach. Eyes darting around she located the source. A crumpled, bloodied heap lying among the exposed roots of a large oak.

She hurried to them, calling to her companions, "Koga, Ayame, please hurry!". She knelt beside the figure, the scent of death was present but only faintly. Her eyes moved over the broken body, the white of spine exposed to her sight. How was it alive?

Koga appeared at her side and lifted a hand to his nose. "Come on Tohru, leave it" he said. She shook her head, rich red hair swaying. "They live" she whispered. Koga blinked and sniffed again, so they did, but for how long.

Dropping a gentle hand to her shoulder, he shook his head, "This one won't make it" he told her. Tohru's jaw set, "Yes they will" she said firmly. Ayame peered over her mate's shoulder at the twisted mass. "What is that?" she whispered.

Koga shook his head, "Ginta, Hakkaku!". The two wolves appeared before their leader. He pointed at the thing. "You stay with it" he said, "I have to get to the west. I'll come back with mounts". Tohru nodded, "I'll stay too". Koga's blue eyes locked on her and he grasped her elbow, "No ya don't. I don't wanna listen to your father complain".

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Sesshoumaru sat in his study, his sentries had informed him that Koga had arrived in his domain a few hours ago. The wolf was traveling fast. He would merely wait. He sifted through more reports, looking for patterns. Areas that this new enemy seemed to frequent.

A soft scent reached his nose. Like green tea and roses. Pretending not to notice he went back to his work. The door opened slowly and golden eyes peeked around the wood. "Papa?" came the soft voice. Sesshoumaru hid his smile behind his reports. "Tohru" he greeted.

The small hanyou stared at her impressive father. He rose from his seat and walked toward the door. She shut it behind her, beaming up at him. Her father leaned close to her, sniffing at the top of her head. His soft breath tickling her fuzzy ears causing them to twitch.

"Stop that papa, it tickles" she admonished gently. Sesshoumaru was well aware of that fact. It was like little secret between them. For the time when she was a pup cutting her milk teeth, he'd done so. She hugged her father tightly, "I missd you papa" she cried out. Tohru was nearly fifty years old in demon time, barely coming into her maturity.

Sesshoumaru caught the scent of tears, and lifted her chin, "What is it Tohru?" he asked. She blinked up at him with eyes of liquid gold. "I found someone" she whispered, "And they are hurt badly. Koga wanted to leave them but I said no". Sesshoumaru stiffened. "Where Tohru?" he asked.

"Near the border to the east" she told him, "Will you go papa?". Sesshoumaru stared down at his youngest child and nodded. The border near the east. That was where the surge of power had come from. Could this be related?

Tohru watched her father step onto the balcony of his study, his cloud forming at his feet. Turning his head to look towards the east he rose. Tohru's hair snapped around her as his wind carried him swiftly away from her and the palace. "Ginta and Hakkaku are there!" she shouted after him.

Satoru entered the study then and found his young cousin staring into the sky. "Tohru?" he asked. She turned and her eyes went wide as she launched herself into his arms, "Satoru! You are home! I've missed you".

He cuddled her close to his chest, "Tohru where did your father go?" he asked her. She blurted out the story of the battered creature she'd found in the forest. Satoru knew exactly what Sesshoumaru was thinking. Setting Tohru down, he turned and rushed to the library.

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Sesshoumaru returned less than two hours later. A broken body at his feet on the cloud, and two hapless wolves clinging to one another behind him. He touched down in the courtyard, his golden eyes cool and distant.

He called for Kagura and Tohru to come and tend the unknown person. Servants carried the body inside and Sesshoumaru let his aura flare across his barriers. He had no doubts that this wounded creature had answers. He, by the smell, had better live long enough to provide them. If not, there was always Tenseiga.

Kagura had her arms full of bandages and healing supplies, Tohru was right behind her. They entered the large chamber, glad to see that the heart burned brightly and water was already steaming there. Lamps flickered across the interior.

Kagura looked over the washed body she was to tend to. So little blood left to lose. "Tohru, I think my mother might be needed" she said as she rose. Tohru nodded and listened as she left the room. She crept closer to the bed, to the patient.

His silver hair still damp from the speedy washing by the maids lay draped across the pillows. She ran her clawed hand through the tangles, smoothing them away. He was bruised and his features marred with injury. They'd put him face down, the long tears in his back most serious.

Bone and sinew protruded as though a part of him were missing. Kagome rushed in a short time later and gasped at the poor thing sprawled before her. She took in Tohru's somber expression and smiled, "Let's do our best" she whispered.

Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru stood just inside the door, golden eyes watching carefully. They knew only too well that injured demons were more dangerous. They'd not take the chance that he wasn't as bad off as he seemed. They watched as Kagome placed her hands gently against the torn flesh. The glow slowly spread from her to the one she sought to help. She grimaced as the sounds of broken bones rang out, knitting themselves.

Slowly muscle and blood were replaced, the wounds growing smaller as she bit her lip in concentration. Strange protruding nubs appeared on his back. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes as he saw them bend and stretch.

Suddenly they unfurled and the severed tendons rejoined forming the leathery wings that had been so brutally ripped from him. The hole in his middle slowly closed leaving bright red skin in it's wake. The minor cuts and scrapes vanishing in her light.

"That bastard has wings" Inuyasha hissed. Sesshoumaru stepped closer. "He is a kitsune. Little more than a child" he said. Inuyasha grunted, "That ain't no kid". Sesshoumaru let his inspection continue, "Inuyasha there is a child trapped within this body. He has not yet reached his majority"

Kagome slumped beside the bed and Inuyasha gathered her up. Sesshoumaru ran his claws through the silver hair. "There is but one silver kitsune in creation" he muttered. Kagura met his eyes, "Kurama". He nodded. "This is the Taisho silver".

His words sent a chill throughout the room. Inuyasha grunted, "Yeah and kitsune don't sprout wings and fly". Satoru pushed past them, Ippiku perched on his shoulder. "Not unless they are made" he said softly. Ippiku let his gaze trail over the bed. "He looks like hell" he pointed out helpfully. Satoru growled softly and the imp clapped his hands over his mouth.

Inuyasha stared at his son, "Made?" he asked. Satoru nodded striding forward to touch the wings and silver hair. "This one has been altered. His form created from others. He is a stepping stone". The others were quiet for some time. "A stepping stone?" Tohru asked, confused by the nature of the conversation.

"One step closer to his fabled perfection" Sesshoumaru said. His voice colder than any winter wind. His eyes narrowed on the creature now housed within his halls. "He's dangerous" Inuyasha told Tohru as she stepped closer to him. It was her nature to want to comfort.

Keeping his eyes on his daughter he spoke to Kagome, "Bind him" he said. Kagura and Tohru turned wide eyes to him. Kagome looked up at him, her energy low. Satoru stepped forward, "I'll do it" he said. Sesshoumaru nodded. Tohru stepped in front of the wounded being.

"Tohru move" Satoru told her. She shook her head, "You can't" she whispered, turning her eyes to her father, "I promised him that he would be safe here". Inuyasha Keh'd, "He isn’t even conscious, he didn't hear it" he pointed out, "This is for the safety of all of us". She shook her head, her little red ears flattening against her skull. "I promised".

Sesshoumaru growled, "Satoru bind him so that he may speak, but cannot move. That way he is safe and so is my house. Does this meet your promise?" he asked. She nodded, "That is fine". Satoru urged her aside and summoning his holy ki, he sealed the being. His powers and full mobility locked until such a time as he was deemed free.

Satoru felt the answering tug from the imprisoned soul, an anguished feeling. "He did not wish to be made" he whispered, letting his powers subside. Turning calm golden eyes to the others he spoke, "He is a prisoner of that form".

Inuyasha growled, "Can't we undo it then?" he asked. Satoru motioned to Victor who was just beyond the door. The human stepped in and carefully examined the bound and sleeping demon. "This is very good" he mumbled to himself, "He is getting much, much better. I knew it, it's the Taisho blood".

"What are you babbling about?" Inuyasha demanded. Victor straightened and looked at him, "This cannot be undone. The materials of those creatures used to make him are fused too deeply. To attempt such a thing would be to kill them all….painfully".

Tohru looked stricken. Sesshoumaru recalled when she was very young, she'd wandered into the forest during a festival. He'd found her crouched near a scraggly bush. Kneeling beside her, he saw a weasel caught in a small trap of human design. It's rear leg obviously broken.

She'd carefully drawn it into the open and worked on the trap. The frightened and pained animal sank needle like teeth into her hands several times, but she refused to allow him to punish it. In the end, she freed the creature and wrapped it in her long sleeves. She cared for it, and when it healed, it remained a pet. So many years ago.

Tohru, the champion of the weak. Like her mother. Perhaps that was why he loved her so very much. "You should be considering eligible males to wed" he'd told her before she'd gone to visit Koga. She'd laughed, "None will do papa". He'd arched his brow, "Why is that?" he'd asked. She had pressed a kiss to his cheek, "Because there is not a male in creation that is your equal". His heart had warmed at those words.