Of Claws And Fangs
Episode 30


Shakaku followed Akisame through the hall, listening carefully to the Western Lady. Again thoughts of another inu hanyou invaded her mind. She smiled. "It is certainly good to see so many different types of beings treating each other as equals," her stomach chose to give a tremendous growl at Akisame's final question. "Anything to eat will be wonderful."

Sesshomaru stepped into the courtyard in search of his half brother. Seeing Miroku and Sango he decided to ask them if they knew the hanyou's whereabouts. Keishou entered the front gates as he passed. "Where is Keikan?" he asked, though from what his mate had shown him, Sesshomaru had a good idea of where his firstborn was. He wondered what the two would think when they found out who the other was.

"He'll be back shortly," Keishou responded. He wasn't sure if Keikan had told their Chichioya of the tora and didn't want to reveal it if his brother had decided to keep it secret.

Akisame smiled, "Oh in this household we see the individual. We are more interested in who a person is over what a person is. I think Kagome taught most of the others that. I truly wish I could have met her." Searching through the cabinets she frowned. "Hmmm this is going to be a challenge. Seems three inu's raiding the kitchen, followed by girl talk wiped out most of the stores. Let me check the root seller." A quick look and she was able to find very little. "How does rice, miso soup with mushrooms and tofu, and a cup of peach tea sound?" Even as she spoke she moved confidently about her kitchen gathering the ingredients for the meal.

Reaching the cliff he paused at each morning, Inu Yasha set Rin down. Turning to face her he stared at her for a long moment. "Rin... what is going on?"

Rin blushed and looked out to view the horizon. "I don't know. I do know that I'm more at peace with you. I know that I want there to be more between us. Inu Yasha, I was married for six years. I'm not the little girl that followed Sesshomaru-sama when you searched for the shards of the Shikon No Tama. I'm not the innocent young maiden I was when I married." She stepped up to him placing her small hands on his shoulders, "Do I want us to become a mated couple? I don't know. I know I crave your company. I know I enjoy your kiss."

Inu Yasha looked down at the woman before him. No longer would he think of her as a child. "Rin..." he swallowed hard. "I don't want there to be any secrets between us. I have loved two women in my life, both were murdered. Have you never wondered why I never sought someone else? I live in fear that if I did take a mate she would meet the same fate as Kikyou and Kagome." He grasped her hands and placed them back on his shoulders when she began to pull away. "I too crave your company. You are someone who truly understands the loss of one you love. I won't force anything on you Rin. If you are willing for us to take our time and figure this out together...."

Rin smiled up at him, "I think that is the most I've ever heard you say at one time. Yes, I'm in no hurry, but I am for all purposes a widow." She moved her hands to his face, "Not a blushing virgin." She pulled his head to her. "We'll deal with the future when it gets here." Inu Yasha nodded and didn't fight her as she kissed him.

Shakaku smiled at her hostess. "That will be wonderful. Arigatou."

"No trouble at all dear. It's been a while since I've had to be inventive in the kitchen." Akisame answered "Help me a little?"

She was surprised that the Lady continued to prepare the meal. "Do you not have servants to do this for you?"

Akisame laughed, "Yes, we have servants. This is the evening that I cook for my family, or teach my daughters too." She turned and looked at the girl. "So, if you will wash the mushrooms and onions. Then slice them into bite size pieces. I'm going to give that cellar one more look, maybe I can find some type of meat."

Shakaku rose hesitantly, she'd never cooked before. Picking up the vegetable she washed them and then began slicing them. She found that she rather enjoyed preparing her own meal. Mika appeared at her side and reached for a piece of mushroom. Automatically the tora reacted, smacking the girl's hand. A horrified look came over her features. She had just struck her host's child.

"Mika," Akisame chided coming out of the cellar satisfied there was no meat in the house. "Were you trying to steal mushrooms again?"

"I'm hungry," Mika said in response, looking quite contrite.

"Forgive me Lady, it was not my place," Shakaku said, not meeting the woman's eyes.

"Now Mika see what you did. Apologize to Shakaku."

Haya watched from the entrance, when Sesshomaru stepped away from Keishou she ran to him. "I missed you."

Shakaku looked up in surprise. The child was being asked to apologize to her? She accepted Mika's apology with wonder. This family was certainly very different from her own. It was a welcome change from her own.

Keishou wrapped his arms around his future mate, burying his nose in her hair. "I missed you as well. I'm also starving. Let's go see if Hahaoya is making anything yet."

"Where is Inu Yasha?" Sesshomaru asked his friends.

Miroku smiled, "He went out for a run. Is there anything I can help you with?" Seeing Keishou and Haya's reunion behind the Taiyoukai, "I think we are going to be related very soon."

Sesshomaru shook his head, then followed the houshi's gaze. "I suppose this means I will be cursed with your presence more often, houshi," the inu teased.

Keishou walked down the hall with his arm around Haya. As they approached the kitchen his nose caught a scent he did not recognize, his ears a stranger's voice. When he opened the door, he was surprised to see a tora female helping his Hahaoya prepare a meal. Mika saw him first and grinned at him, "Hello niisan!" The tora looked up and he saw three emotions play across her lovely features.

At the child's happy cry, Shakaku looked up to see who had entered the kitchen. Surprise, then happiness filled her to see Keikan in the door way. Then she saw that he had his arm around the female at his side. She didn't understand the strange pain that gripped her heart. She suddenly did not want to be in the kitchen. "Pl-Please excuse me, I am no longer hungry." She rushed from the room, fleeing the castle to the gardens she had seen earlier.

Keishou stared after the tora then looked at Akisame, "What just happened?"

Akisame watched the girl run to the garden. Turning to face Keishou and Haya she sighed. "Haya help Mika finish the meal. Keishou get your Chichioya and go hunting, there is no meat in this house." Putting the knife she had been slicing the tofu with down she started to follow the young tora. Pausing at the door she explained "As for what happened, she thought you were Keikan."

She was lucky the girl hadn't changed to her demon form. Following the maze of garden paths she finally came upon the girl. "You need give the correct brother a chance, young one."

Keishou again was left slightly clueless. Then he put the two facts together. Shaking his head he kissed Haya's cheek and left the kitchen to obey Akisame's command. He found his Chichioya by the fountain with Miroku and Sango. "Hahaoya says we have to go hunting."

Sesshomaru nodded and he and his son left the castle.

Shakaku ran until she stumbled, then stay where she had fallen. Why was she feeling this way? Why had it hurt so much to see him with that woman? She had only met him once. So lost in her thoughts was she that Akisame's voice caused her to jump. Brushing angrily at the tears that had gathered in her eyes, "Gomen, but what do you mean?"

"That was Keishou and his future mate Haya. Keikan and Keishou are twins. Just as Mika and Midori were." Sinking gracefully to the girls side, Akisame pulled her into her arms. "Normally I wouldn't interfere, but this is a unique situation. You will always be able to tell the two boys apart if you look at one thing. Their eyes. Keikan's have a wildness in them, while Keishou is quieter."

She almost pushed away the embrace but relaxed as she realized just how comforting it was. "I...I didn't know he was...I thought he was from one of the villages in my lands. I thought it was just a coincidence that he had lost his sister and you had lost a daughter. I didn't realize." She stopped talking for a moment. "Where is he?"

"He is like that, my Keikan. Keeping secrets, he even managed to keep a secret from his father and I for almost ten years. Though he is the named heir, he still rebels against it, preferring to be out in the wilds. As for where he is, I don't know. Though Mika might." Brushing the girls hair away from her face she continued, "Those two have always had a special link. I think it has to do with an incident when he was younger. Come now, we have a meal to prepare."

Inu Yasha stood watching Rin as brushed the leaves from her hair. Finally she looked up at him smiling. "You're not upset?" He asked.



Next Episode
Home