Of Claws and Fangs
Episode 61



Sesshomaru looked from his brother to the miko before him. Her expression had not changed. It was still cold and hard. If she felt any emotion it could not be known. Now he remembered her. This was the miko his brother had fallen in love with so many years ago. Suddenly, she smiled, not a warm smile, but a cruel one. "Hello Inu Yasha," her voice was dead pan and emotionless as she spoke. The people with her looked surprised that their miko knew the youkai before her. The guard interrupted before anything else could be said.

"Please, the Weapon's Master...we have come to offer our apologies to him."

"You have come to offer your apologies," Kikyou corrected him, "I have come merely because you wished me to."

Sesshomaru looked at Haya. "Is he well enough to see these people?"

Haya's eyes hardened as she looked at the miko. "I will see if he is," she answered, before moving towards her hut.

At hearing the name of the miko, Rin moved from her position at the back of the crowd to stand beside Inu Yasha. Placing a hand on his arm, her eyes daring the miko to speak.

Akisame silently fumed. This creature had caused such pain and suffering. First for Inu Yasha and now for her son. Finding her voice, "If you have no wish to be here, miko," the word became a curse on her lips, "then by all means leave. For your presence is distasteful."

Kikyou ignored the woman, her eyes only on Inu Yasha. "I had thought the whelp might be yours Inu Yasha. Where is Kagome or did she know I was coming and run off again?"

"You did that, to hurt me didn't you?" Inu Yasha questioned. He felt Rin squeeze his arm, offering support and comfort, "Kagome's dead. She was murdered nineteen years ago."

Rin met Kikyou's eyes. "You will find that I won't run off."

Akisame handed Kaiya to Sesshomaru and stepped down to stand next to Rin. "Nor I. Since it was my whelp, you abused."

Hearing his Uncle, Mother and Sister's words, Keikan lightly kissed Shakaku's forehead and stepped outside.

Haya entered the hut to find Keishou curled in a corner watching the door. "Shhh. They wish to apologize. Do you wish to come outside?"

Sesshomaru watched the proceedings, at a loss for what to do. This was the one who had hurt his son. Yet they were here to apologize. It seemed however his mate and Rin had the situation under control. He looked at the other villagers. They too did not seem to know what to do.

She laughed. "You think I am still motivated by my feelings for you? You flatter yourself." Kikyou looked at both women and smiled again. "It seems Inu Yasha you have taken a liking for another miko."

Keishou looked up at his mate and shook his head, "She's out there." The miko. The one who had dealt the blows, she had known. She had known he wasn't the one they were after and still she had punished him. "She knew," he whispered.

Haya nodded her understanding. She left the hut dropping her chain scythe. Making her way around the ground she stopped in front of the miko just as she had finished speaking. Before anyone realized what she was doing her fist connected with the miko's nose. As Kikyou fell back Haya hissed, "Don't worry about them, abomination. You are no miko. A true miko would not cease a souls path to enlightenment. Whatever you may be, you chose the wrong hanyou to abuse."

Inu Yasha moved to grab Haya, but was stopped by Rin.

Rin and Haya looked at each other and nodded. Haya stepped back as Rin stepped forward. "Kikyou, one warning is all I will give. Do not harm my niichans, my Chichioya, my Hahaoya or my mate." Chocolate eyes sparkled with anger.

Akisame stepped forward standing between the two girls, "And when their done... Your mine."

The gathered villagers gasped as the young woman struck their miko. As Kikyou stumbled backwards, holding her nose, the soldier stepped between the angry females and the injured miko. "Please, ladies, we did not know the boy was innocent. We were tricked."

Sesshomaru shifted Kaiya in his arms, content now that the miko would get what was coming to her. He almost felt sorry for the miko.

Haya looked at the soldier, and smiled at him. It was a cold smile, there was no warmth in her eyes. "You did not. But" she turned her eyes back to the miko. "She did."

"Besides," said Rin, "She has threatened my mate many times." She casually flicked her hair over her shoulder exposing her mating mark.

Keikan made his way through the back of the hut and exited to stand beside his father. "Chichioya? What's going on?"

Miroku, the rings of his staff clinking together with each step, walked up to the porch. "Kikyou? I warned you about coming to this village again."

Sesshomaru kept his eyes on the proceedings before him but answered Keikan in a low voice. “These are the villagers who hurt your brother. They have come for atonement.” He heard Haya’s words and stifled the growl rising in his throat. The only guilty one here was the miko, he would not encourage these ningen’s fear of youkai.

The villagers formed a circle around Kikyou. “Please,” the soldier pleaded, “You must be mistaken. Kikyou-sama has shown nothing but kindness toward our village.” His eyes lit upon Keikan, who had just come to stand beside his father. “Please Weapon’s Master, accept our apologies.

Shakaku stirred after Keikan left, angry voices drifted in through the door. She rose and moved to the entrance. Outside Haya, Akisame, and Rin were standing before a crowd of villagers who were circled protectively around a woman dressed in red and white. The crowd of people hid the miko’s movements as her hand flashed toward a whip at her waist. She ran between Keikan and the whip as it cracked through the air.

Keikan saw the miko's whip connect with Shakaku's back. Leaping over his mate, his own whip appeared at his finger tips. He would kill the one who harmed his mate. Suddenly Haya stood between the two whip bearing fighters.

"No." Haya hissed her eyes never leaving Kikyou, "My claim is greater." Keikan froze, and nodded. Haya stepped forward. "Tell them Kikyou. Tell these villagers who you truly are. Or are you ashamed?" Stepping closer Haya continued, "This is Kikyou of Edo, that died 70 years ago and was resurrected by Urasue's magic 20 years ago. She feeds on the souls of your dead maidens preventing them from reaching enlightenment. She tried many times to murder Kagome miko of the Shikon no Tama."

Sesshomaru caught Shakaku as she stumbled forward with his unoccupied arm. "That hurt more than I had thought it would," she whispered, as she gripped his arm. He again held himself back. Haya was right, this was her fight.

Shocked whispers and glances flew among the villagers, Kikyou glared at Haya as they started to step back. Only the captain held his ground. "Kikyou-sama? Is what this woman says true?" He pleaded with his voice and eyes for her to deny it.

Gasps arose from the crowd as one of Kikyou's soul stealers descended from the sky, wrapping itself around it's mistress. She said nothing as the creature began to lift her away.

"Yowamushi! (Coward!)" Haya screamed at the priestess being lifted into the air.

Kikyou laughs until an arrow suddenly pierces the soul stealer, who dropping the stunned miko to the ground. Eyes turn to see Mika, bow in hand, glaring at the downed priestess. She looks up at her brother's mate. "She's all your's Haya-neesan," the girl snarls.

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