Of Claws And Fangs
Episode 19

Akisame sat bolt upright, something had touched her mind. "Midori." Leaping to her feet she didn't even wait to see if Sesshomaru followed. Rushing to the girls bedroom she opened the door only to see Mika sleeping peacefully. She hurried out to the courtyard to see the Tora try and leap over the wall, and a small figure crumpled on the ground. She reached out and grabbed the tora with her mind, as she had Naraku. This time instead of pushing him away she held him pulling him back into the courtyard.

After her Hahaoya closed the door, Mika slowly opened her eyes. Her sister was gone. She remembered Midori's words and tried not to cry.

Sesshomaru felt Akisame leave the bed. After a few moments had passed and she had not returned he rose. Something was wrong. He could feel it. The faint smell of blood and feline scent reached his sensitive nose. He flew down the hall to the courtyard. Midori's small body lay crumbled on the stone. Sesshomaru hands clenched at his sides, his claws drawing blood from his palms as he snarled in cold fury. Whipping his head around he saw his mate and the form of a tora flying toward her. He stalked to her side.

"Keikan," Keishou shook his brother's shoulder, unsuccessful in rousing him the first time, "Keikan! Wake up." Finally emerald eyes slid open. "Something's wrong..." With that Keishou left the room, heading for the courtyard. What he saw there, made him fall to his knees.

Keikan sat up as Keishou left, a scent reached his nose, blood. It took but a second to recognize it Midori. Grabbing his yukata he pulled it around himself as he ran to where the scent was strongest. His emerald eyes took in the scene before him, he knew Hahaoya and Chichioya would handle the tora. Keishou had been closer to Midori than he had, his twin was on his knees. Silently he walked over to the body of his sister. Easily he lifted her in his arms and carried her back towards the castle. Laying her gently on the floor of the entrance he ran to the bath and retrieved a cloth and a bucket of water. Returning he began to gently wash the blood from his sister's body. Silently he vowed that the north would pay for her death.

Inu Yasha and Shippo had entered the courtyard shortly after Sesshomaru. It hadn't taken long for the two to realize what had happened. Taking positions to cut off any escape they would allow the parents to exact revenge.

Keishou's hands clenched the fabric of his hakama. He felt as if a battle were going on inside him. Keishou could feel his demon blood screaming for release, demanding to seek revenge but there was also something else, his Chichioya's voice, calming, soothing the beast within him. When he rose and started to walk toward his parents, it was with trembling steps. His hand on the hilt of his sword.

Mika padded, slowly to kneel beside her sister's body, opposite her brother. "Why didn't you tell me it was tonight?" she whispered, stroking the auburn hair, so like her own.

Sesshomaru reached down and grabbed the tora by the throat lifting him off the ground. "Who sent you?" he snarled, his words barely intelligible. The assassin hissed at him, so Sesshomaru tightened his grasp, digging his claws into the soft flesh of the neck. "Tell me!"

Keikan looked at Mika, "She knew?" he choked out.

Akisame trembled with her sorrow and anger. Only her desire to know who had sent this assassin to her home kept her on her feet.

"Northern Lord." the tora gasped out.

Mika looked up at her niisan. "Hai, she knew," she replied sadly, "She said to tell that she loved us."

His growl deepened. Sesshomaru clenched his hand around the assassin's throat, ending his pitiful existence and dropped the lifeless body to the ground. He was surprised when Keishou appeared beside him and started to kick at the body.

Keishou saw the body fall to the ground, he knew the tora was dead but he still had the desire to hurt the one who had killed his sister. He started to kick it, screaming, "Why?" over and over, until he finally fell again to his knees, burying his face in his hands.

Akisame's legs finally refused to hold her an instant longer. She collapsed and released her tears with a scream of anguish.

Inu Yasha turned and walked away, giving the family time to grieve and himself time to as well. He loved each of his brother's children but there had been something special about Midori's gentleness. He easily called to mind the last time he'd seen her. It had only been a few hours ago, Midori and Mika had gotten up to get ready for bed. Midori ran to him and hugged him tight. He still heard her whispered words. "I told Chichioya not to be mad. He will be but maybe he'll remember. Be happy Uncle."

Keikan dropped the cloth and lifted Mika into his arms. Rubbing his cheek on the girls auburn hair, he asked "Why didn't she tell us. We would have protected her."

Sesshomaru fell beside his mate, pulling her to him. His tears falling into her hair.

Mika wrapped her arms around Keikan's neck. "I don't know niisan..." she replied, "She said it had to happen, that there was no other way but...but..." she broke into the tears she was trying to keep inside.

Keishou banged his fist into the ground as he howled to the stars. He couldn't understand why this was happening. Just because he and his siblings were hanyou? Why did that have to make a difference? Youkai hated them for being human, humans hated them for being youkai. "Why does it have to be this way?" he cried.

"Rin-nee-san." a voice called softly to her. Looking Rin saw Midori, clothed in a white kimono. "You have to tell them. They can't hear for their sadness. It had to happen, had it not happened the way it did many more would have been hurt. I'm ok, it was the only way I could fight the darkness. Wake up now nee-san."

Rin awoke to howls of sorrow echoing through the castle walls. Pulling her yukata over her sleeping robes she started down the hall. All the doors to the sleeping chambers were open. Her steps sped up, she reached the guest wing and met Sango, Miroku and Haya as they exited their rooms. The four began to run towards the courtyard. Rin, Miroku and Sango froze at the site of Mika crying in Keikan's arms and Midori's small body lay before them.

Haya heard Keishou's voice as he cried out and ran past the scene into the courtyard. She knelt beside him, wrapping her arms around him she pulled his head to her shoulder. Muttering words of comfort softly while stroking his hair.

"She said it had to happen." All eyes turned to Rin, "That if it hadn't many more would have been hurt. That it was the only way she could fight the darkness." At their questioning stares. "It wasn't a dream. It was real." She moved out into the courtyard moving to where Sesshomaru knelt holding Akisame. "Sesshomaru-sama." she said softly. "Midori knew." Emerald and golden eyes stared at her. "She said it had to happen. That it was her way to fight the darkness." Tears fell unheeded down her own cheeks "She said she was ok."

Keishou cried into Haya's shoulder, his hands still balled into fists, drawing blood. North would pay for what he had done, even if it took Keishou the rest of his life, the tora would pay.

Sesshomaru bowed his head. Rin's words did nothing to ease the pain in his heart but he did feel very proud of his daughter for facing such a bleak destiny. "If only she would have told us," he whispered. He looked at his other children, Keishou crying in his future mate's arms, Mika in Keikan's. His eyes flashed red briefly, "There are no words to describe the suffering I will inflict upon the North."

Akisame shook herself out of Sesshomaru's hold and rose. Walking into the entrance hall she bent and lifted the body of her daughter. Carrying her burden gently she walked to the girls room. With her mind she pulled a kimono from the chest. Turning she walked to the bath, the kimono following behind her.

Miroku had knelt beside the girl saying the prayers for her soul. Times like this made him wish he still had the wind tunnel in his right hand. After Akisame took the child into the house, he raised his head to meet Sango's eyes. His gaze telling her he would fight beside his friends.

The man paced the shrine impatiently. He had been busy and not able to meet with his successor. Now the boy ignored his call.

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