Of Claws and Fangs
Episode 56

Akisame nodded and carefully schooled her face into a neutral expression. "Miroku?"

Seeing the expressions on Sesshomaru and Akisame's face Miroku feared his plans might have backfired. "Akisame... I was.."

Inwardly Akisame giggled at the flush on the monk's face. "You deliberately went against my wishes. I wanted Sesshomaru to come to me because it was his choice. Not, because someone went and told him." She looked away allowing her hair to hide her face for a moment so she could smile. With a wink to Sesshomaru she regained control, then turned to face Miroku. "Now I will never know, if he came because it was his wish or because you told him."

Miroku blanched, "Akisame I promise I never directly told him what you said. Tell her Sesshomaru." One look at the stoic Taiyoukai, told him no help lay there. "I...I only reminded him what you had said. You two are my friends, the parents of my son-in-law. I would never do anything to harm either of you. Akisame, I would not be married if not for your intervention...." He stopped as he watched Akisame's mask crumble. "You were joking with me weren't you."

Akisame nodded unable to speak over her giggles.

Sesshomaru watched the change in Miroku's face as he realized Akisame was teasing him and couldn't help put chuckle at the monk.

Inu Yasha and Keikan reappeared just as breakfast finished. Haya motioned the two in, then frowned. "Did you two see Keishou? He usually spends his mornings by the Well." Both shook their heads.

"I'll go look," Keikan volunteered and left.

Haya served up the miso, rice and eggs. Setting portions aside for Keishou and Keikan. A few moments later Keikan poked his head into the hut and motioned for Inu Yasha to come out. A few minutes later Inu Yasha returned and whispered to Sango. They both left the hut. Haya moved to stand near the door. Unable to hear everything, her heart constricted as she heard Keikan say, "...all I found was this dart, it has some type of poison on it."

Sango took the dart from Keikan, she took a delicate sniff. "It's a sleeping dart, a powerful one. I used to fill these as a child in our village...Come on, I want to take a look around the well. There's got to be something."

When he awoke, not only was his head pounding but his shoulders were aching. He was kneeling in the dirt but his wrists were held by rope above his head. Keishou had been leaning forward, putting strain on his shoulders. He straightened, pulling on the ropes to break them but stopped when the robe burned him. Damn, he thought, what had he gotten himself into now. From what he could tell of his surroundings he was in a clearing at the edge of a cliff. Before he could turn around, a sickly sweet voice broke the silence in the air. "I see you are awake."

Keishou stiffened as he recognized the voice. "You!" he said as Nanshokagai came into view, looking down at him with her ever changing eyes.

She leaned down, close to him so he could feel her breath on his face. "I told you I always get my way." Keishou snarled and began to struggle again, ignoring the burning of his flesh by the miko enchanted ropes. The spirit held up a hand, shaking a finger, "Ah..ah..Keishou, you seem to be missing something."

The hanyou's heart went ice cold, as he looked down at his side. His sword was gone. Nanshokagai laughed. "I'm certain that if you get angry enough you could break those ropes," she taunted, then her form changed before his eyes to that of a young ningen male, in tattered clothes, "You nasty demon...you killed my wife!" she cried, "The miko will make you pay!"

With that she ran off in her guise, leaving Keishou on the cliffs edge. He shuddered. He didn't know what Nanshokagai had convinced the villagers he had done but he was certainly in a bad situation. If he lost control... she was right he would be able to break his bonds but..."Shit," he breathed.

More footsteps were approaching and soon Nanshokagai, still in her male quise, lead another older male and a female into his sight. Both looked at him with cold eyes. "This is the one?" the woman asked. Keishou could feel the power radiating off of her in waves. This one was the miko. The older male nodded and she put her hand on her belt, removing a whip, letting it uncoil. "Then we shall make him pay for every death he caused."

Haya felt fear fill her. Not caring she ran out of the hut to the hut where Akisame and Sesshomaru were. Her father was exiting and tried to say something to her but she pushed past him. Rushing into the room "Can you feel what your mate feels?"

Akisame nodded, "Sometimes if they are in danger then yes. Why?"

"Keishou.. He's in trouble... I can feel it."

Akisame turned to Sesshomaru, "Find. My. Son." Her eyes becoming hard. After five long months her family was whole, no demon or ningen was going to stand between them. Carefully she pulled herself from the futon.

Sesshomaru raced from the room. Inu Yasha and Sango were headed toward the well. The inu Taiyoukai sped past them, stopping in the clearing. He tasted the air. Yes Keishou had been here recently but he could not scent any others. His golden eyes scanned the area, there had to be something. He growled in frustration as his third pass of the clearing turned up nothing.

The whip snapped yet again. Keishou hissed in pain as the power laced leather struck his flesh. Nanshokagai, still disguised stood in front of him, her eyes dancing gleefully. He had tried to talk to these people, tell them that he was not the one that had killed their friends and family but they would not listen. The miko...she knew he was not the one they wanted but still she continued to play Nanshokagai's game. He could feel a sticky moisture running down his back, smell his blood in the air, as again and again the whip cracked. Finally there came no more. He sagged forward, not caring about the strain on his arms. Keishou could feel his control slipping and fought against it. Somehow he managed to contain his youkai blood, as darkness claimed him.

Moving with slow deliberation she moved to a small chest. Pulling the old Kimono she pulled a faded paper from it, carefully to prevent it from crumbling she opened it. Nodding and with the same care as before she walked to the main room. Finding one of the many knives she wrapped her hand around the handle. Stepping out of the hut she cautiously stepped down. With a sudden quick deliberate motion she sliced the palm of her hand then allowed the blood to drip on the ground. "TENMOU!!!! I call you and I offer my blood for your sword. Find the missing one of my blood."

The air in the village stilled and a woman stepped from the shadows. Seeing the woman before her the silver haired maiden bowed. "Whom is it you wish me to find?"

"My second born son..."

"Keishou? He is lost?" The maiden interrupted. "SISTERS!" Suddenly three maidens appeared. "Keishou is missing. Nanshokagai, she has attacked this family?" Akisame nodded. "She dares threaten the Weapon's Master."

Sesshomaru circled the clearing yet again until he felt the power from the village. 'I haven't felt that since..." Hurrying back he saw the Maidens standing before his mate. "Nani?"

Cold water hit his face, bring him back to consciousness, back to pain. He felt the finger beneath his chin, lifting his head so that he looked into her eyes. "Do you feel it yet Keishou?" He didn't answer. Nanshokagai let his head fall, patting him on top of his head. "Well then, I will have to go see how your lovely mate is doing."

Keishou found the strength to raise his head and say. "Leave...Haya...alone..."

Tenmou's silver eyes flared. All had been angered by Nanshokagia's attack on the parents of the Weapon's Master. The fact that the spirit had the audacity to directly attack him was unthinkable. "Where? Where was the last place he was seen."

"By the Bone Eater's Well, My lady." Keikan answered.

Haya stepped forward, "Will you find him?"

Tenmou looked at the dark haired woman but it was Suki that spoke to her, "Shhh.. beloved of the Weapons Master. We shall find him." As one the four women moved through the village to the clearing of the well. Joining hands their power flowing further and further into the countryside, until it found the one they sought. As one they vanished from the clearing.

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