Of Claws And Fangs
Episode 62



Haya smiled at the young archer. Everyone forgot that Mika was very protective of her family too. Bending Haya grabbed a handful of the miko's gi and pulled her to her feet. "No spells, no weapons, no flying off with your stupid snakes." She told the miko stepping backwards, "Just you, me and the weapons we were born with. OH Sorry... I was born with and you came out of the kiln with."

Mika nodded and moved to stand beside the rest of her family, looking at Shakaku, with concern. "Are you allright Joudama?"

Shakaku patted Mika's shoulder. "I will be fine Mika."

Kikyou looked around wildly, for escape and found none. She gave Haya a resigned look and positioned herself in a fighting stance. Kikyou dropped to the ground, her leg flashing out in an attempt to take Haya's out from under her.

Reading the miko's move, Haya leapt forward grasping a hand full of Kikyou's hair as she passed. With a satisfied smile she watched the strands in her hand turn to clay. Spinning she kicked out catching the other woman on her hip.

Keikan watched in appreciation as Haya fought. She and Keishou would produce strong sons. He almost sympathized with the miko having felt some of Haya's kicks, and she had been pulling her strength. From the look on Kikyou's face, Haya wasn't now. He looked at Shakaku pleased to see her standing tall.

She was not going to win this fight and she knew it. Kikyou fell back from the woman before her. The miko turned so only her left side was facing Haya, her hand slid to the dagger hidden on her right calf.

Shakaku stepped up beside Keikan, “She’s very good.”

Keishou heard the angry voices from outside, heard the whip crack, causing him to cringe. He heard the challenge. His mate was fighting for him. He just couldn’t shake the fear that gripped his heart. Finally, a little of the fear went away and anger replaced it. Anger at himself for being so foolish, so easily frightened. He rose, slowly, painfully and walked to the door. Keishou stepped out on the porch to see Kikyou dropping back, her hand moving to something hidden in the folds of her miko robes.

Keikan nodded his eyes trained on the fight. By the miko's stance he knew she was up to something, he worried that Haya might not notice.

Haya saw Kikyou's turn and knew she was going to try something sneaky. Reaching into the belt of her armor, she grabbed an ofuda and flung it at the miko.

Kikyou screamed in frustration as the ofuda hit her arm. The appendage turned to the clay it truly was and then immediately crumbled to dust. A few of the souls she held within her drifted away. She pulled her knife and charged at Haya.

Haya stood waiting as she had been taught. At the last minute she lunged to the left, Kikyou tripped over her leg falling to the ground.

Keikan looked down at the miko now at his feet. "Haya, you done yet? She did attack my mate too."

Her eyes never leaving the miko listened to Keikan's request. Then spoke, "Hai, Keikan. But Rin has next claim on her."

Rin stepped forward her small foot flying out to catch the miko on the chin. "Stand up."

Mika saw Keishou exit his hut and slipped over to his side, bow and quiver slung over her shoulder. She took his hand in hers and, with strength that surprised him, helped her brother to their father's side. His eyes too never left the miko, as she rose, hate radiating from her dark eyes. Seeing her thus made some of diminished some of his fear. Kikyou sneered at Rin.

"So you are my new replacement then?"

"Replacement?" Rin sneered. With one hand she traced the mark Inu Yasha had placed on her the night before. "I don't think so. After all... I see no mark of mating on you." Rin smiled, "But then again you wanted to change him."

"It is what he wanted! It would have stopped his pain!" Kikyou screamed, reaching with her remaining arm to grab a handful of hair, throwing Rin to the ground.

Rin rolled to her feet. "Then why did he give his mark to a woman who accepted ALL that he is?" As her anger grew a pink barrier began to flash around the young untrained miko. "What ended his pain was acceptance for who and what he is. Not what some jewel could make him."

She noticed the flare in Rin's powers. Mika began to tug on her family, "We should move."

Kikyou ignored the warnings, her hate and rage made her charge Rin yet again.

Rin watched as Kikyou bounced off the barrier that had somehow erected between them. Rin's voice was calm as she continued, "Kikyou, let go. It is pass time that you moved forward. You have no purpose left. Naraku is defeated, Inu Yasha has chosen another not once but twice. You have nothing. You are nothing."

Kikyou lashed at the barrier with her fist and powers but could not break it. She screamed curses at the young woman before her, slowly those curses dissolved into tears. The miko sank to the ground. "I never wanted to be brought back. I never asked for it...yet I could never leave it." She looked up at Rin. "Send me home miko."

The barrier shrank with each step Rin took towards Kikyou. Kneeling she gathered the sobbing woman into her arms. Somehow she knew what to do. A glow surrounded the two women. The dark aura that surrounded Kikyou being purified by Rin's own aura.

Inu Yasha watched as Rin gathered Kikyou into her arms. A purifying light radiated from his mate's chest engulfing the two blinding him. While the light burned brightly he saw Kagome and Kaede welcome Kikyou. Kagome smiled at him and mouthed, 'Be happy Inu Yasha, my love, you deserve it.' As the light finally faded Rin knelt alone her arms wrapped around herself.

At first no one moved, unable to break the strange stillness that had settled in the air. Finally Sesshomaru handed his still sleeping pup to Shakaku and stepped forward. "You have come to offer your apologies, is that not correct?"

The captain shook his head as if waking from a dream, blinking up at the inu Taiyoukai. "Um..hai...hai we did."

Sesshomaru gestured towards Keishou, who stood leaning against the post of the porch. "There is the Weapon's Master, offer your apologies." He looked at Rin, who still knelt on the ground. He started towards her but stopped, it was no longer his place to offer comfort to his adopted daughter. He looked at Inu Yasha and nodded towards her.

Inu Yasha saw the nod from Sesshomaru, it snapped him out of the daze the vision had caused. He knelt at in front of Rin. "Are you all right?' He questioned gently.

Smiling she nodded, and whispered to him, "Kagome told me to take care of you."

"And she told me to be happy." He whispered back. "Are you tired?"

Rin shook her head and rose to her feet. She managed to stand steady for a few moments before toppling over. Strong arms caught her and she smiled up into the amber eyes of their owner. "Maybe I am a bit."

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