Of Claws And Fangs
Episode 66

Far to the north, Reiketsu sent a proclamation to every village in the Northern Lands. Soon his castle would be filled with youkai and ningen females, but it would be worth it.

Nanshokagai landed lightly on the floor of the Northern Castle. Her eyes flashed wildly from color to color, betraying the emotions roiling within. That damn inu clan had foiled her once again and now she could wreck no havoc on them herself without risking the wrath of Amatsuotome. Yet here in the North was one who was enemy to her enemy, one who was seeking revenge just as much as she. She concentrated allowing herself to be visible to the tora Taiyoukai before her.

Reiketsu growled as the woman appeared before him. "Who are you woman?"

Nanshokagai smiled, "An enemy of your enemy Reiketsu of the North. Do you not wish revenge upon the West?"

"Revenge? No, I do not wish for revenge. I want that house of mongrels destroyed." Looking the woman up and down he asked again. "Who are you woman?"

Her smile widened. "Who I am is not important, though you may call me Nanshokagai. What is important," she said, moving closer, her hair moving more than the breeze of her passing called for, "is how I can help you obtain your goal."

"No deal is good unless each party gets what they want. So what is it you want Nanshokagai?"

Her smile turned evil, her eyes glittered. "I want them to suffer. I want to feast on their pain and anger. I want their despair."

"Then Nanshokagai," Reiketsu's smile matched hers, "I think we can work together. What did you have in mind?"

"I know of your plot. I will train them for their mission. We will sow the seeds of doubt," she replied, helping herself to a comfy cushion. 'And then,' she thought, 'I will feast on the fruit of despair.'

Reiketsu watched the woman. He didn't trust her, in truth he trusted no one. Sometimes battles made strange bedfellows, he mused. He did need someone to train the women to seduce that hanyou whelp from Shakaku. Shakaku, who knew that his daughter's name would become a curse to him. Choosing to mate with that weak halfling. Mixing her pure Tora blood with that of an Inu was bad enough, but add in Ningen blood and it made him ill. "You wish to feast on their pain," he said finally, "fine. How long do you need to train these females?"

Nanshokagai nodded. The tora was going along with her. 'Perfect,' she thought. "I will need six months. Have you candidates?"

"The candidates will be here by the end of the week. You, Nanshokagai, will select the most beautiful Ningen and Youkai and train them. I do not wish to be bothered. Inform me when they are trained and on their way." He arose and stepped calmly at the door, not turning he continued, "Do not attempt to double cross me woman."

She schooled her features into a mask of humility and rose bowing low, inwardly smiling. “Never my Lord Reiketsu. I am at your command.”

Akisame looked puzzled at Sesshomaru for a moment, then followed his gaze. The smiles on Rin and Inu Yasha's face told the story. Placing their newest daughter in her father's arms, she went to her eldest. "Congratulations, Rin and Inu Yasha." She wrapped her arms around both of them.

Sesshomaru rose, snuggling his pup against his chest. He rose in one graceful smooth motion and moved to his brother’s side. “I add my congratulations.”

Soon the happy couple was surround by family and friends with well wishes.

Stepping back, Inu Yasha watched as their family congratulated his mate. A sudden fear gripped his heart, catching Sesshomaru and Miroku's eye he indicated the door with a nod of his head. Stepping outside he waited for the other two to join him.

Miroku saw the panic cross his long time friends eyes and then saw the silent request. Pulling Sango out of the group surrounding Rin, he whispered "I'll be outside, seems our old friend needs to talk." With a soft kiss to her temple he followed.

Sesshomaru passed Kaiya back to Akisame with a kiss to both. "I'll be back," he whispered. Then he joined the monk and hanyou outside. "What is wrong?"

Inu Yasha watched the full moon hang in the sky, he didn't turn he knew who was behind him. "How did you know what to do? Were you ever afraid that you would do something wrong? That something would hurt the small life you created."

Sesshomaru smiled in understanding. "Of course...I was very afraid, but the moment you hold your new pup.. the moment you look in its eyes, all that will disappear." His smiled widened, with remembrance of the night of Keikan and Keishou's birth. "Now we'll just wait until the night you're pup is born and see how calm you will be."

"Hai." Miroku agreed, "The first moment I held Haya, it was the same. Do not worry my friend. None of us are the perfect parent, we only try our best."

Sesshomaru stepped forward and put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "And remember, you aren't doing this alone. You have Rin. You have us."

Covering his brother's hand with his own, "Thank you. I'm being baka. I..." he hung his head, "I don't remember Chichiue (honored father)."

"You are not being a baka...you are being like any new sire," his voice dropped remembering their father, "He was...very gentle with us. I miss him. I am sorry Inu Yasha."

Miroku who had been silent finally spoke, "Inu Yasha, you may be baka.." He ducked the swipe of Inu Yasha's arm with long practiced ease, "but... you will be an excellent father. I have watched you with Keikan, Keishou, Mika, Midori, Haya, Kohaku and even Shippo. You have disciplined each of them without breaking their spirit. Held each when they were afraid, worried over their safety. Now, you worry for your unborn child. If you had no worries I would fear you would be a bad father." He looked to Sesshomaru to back him up.

Sesshomaru nodded. "The houshi is right brother. You will be fine."

Inu Yasha turned and looked at his best friend and his brother. "Arigato. Well tomorrow the three of us have work to do." At the questioning glazes he continued, "I have a two room hut. I will need to build a new room for the babe."

Sesshomaru folded his arms and snorted, "It's your pup, you build the room." The look on Inu Yasha's face however caused him to chuckle. "I am teasing you brother. I will help you build the room."

Back inside the hut, Akisame handed Kaiya to the soon to be mom. "You need practice," she teased. Tears welled in her eyes. She had her family around her, a new babe in her arms, a grandchild on the way, two of her three sons mated. Sesshomaru had agreed to try living a simple life for twelve months.

Haya looked at her long time friend enviously. She had been a mate long before Rin, yet she would hold no babe of her own. Forcing those thoughts from her mind she remembered her father's teachings.

Keishou slipped his arms around Haya's waist, sensing her sudden dip in mood. He kissed her cheek. "We will have one," he whispered in her ear.

Shakaku moved closer to Rin, looking over the woman's shoulder at Kaiya. She reached around and stroked the baby's soft cheek gently. "She's so soft...so tiny," she said, voice filled with wonder.

"Hai, they all are." Rin answered softly. Enjoying the feel of the small bundle in her arms.

Inu Yasha snorted, "Yea, but you need to go back to the castle first... Officially turn governing over to Keikan and Shakaku, have the naming ceremony for Kaiya. It's not like the pup will be born tomorrow. Besides..." He quirked an eyebrow at his brother, "have you ever even held a hammer?"

Sesshomaru nodded. "Hai we will leave tomorrow I think," the he turned a completely blank look on his brother. "What is a hammer?"

Far to the north, Reiketsu sent a proclamation to every village in the Northern Lands. Soon his castle would be filled with youkai and ningen females, but it would be worth it.

Nanshokagai landed lightly on the floor of the Northern Castle. Her eyes flashed wildly from color to color, betraying the emotions roiling within. That damn inu clan had foiled her once again and now she could wreck no havoc on them herself without risking the wrath of Amatsuotome. Yet here in the North was one who was enemy to her enemy, one who was seeking revenge just as much as she. She concentrated allowing herself to be visible to the tora Taiyoukai before her.

Reiketsu growled as the woman appeared before him. "Who are you woman?"

Nanshokagai smiled, "An enemy of your enemy Reiketsu of the North. Do you not wish revenge upon the West?"

"Revenge? No, I do not wish for revenge. I want that house of mongrels destroyed." Looking the woman up and down he asked again. "Who are you woman?"

Her smile widened. "Who I am is not important, though you may call me Nanshokagai. What is important," she said, moving closer, her hair moving more than the breeze of her passing called for, "is how I can help you obtain your goal."

"No deal is good unless each party gets what they want. So what is it you want Nanshokagai?"

Her smile turned evil, her eyes glittered. "I want them to suffer. I want to feast on their pain and anger. I want their despair."

"Then Nanshokagai," Reiketsu's smile matched hers, "I think we can work together. What did you have in mind?"

"I know of your plot. I will train them for their mission. We will sow the seeds of doubt," she replied, helping herself to a comfy cushion. 'And then,' she thought, 'I will feast on the fruit of despair.'

Reiketsu watched the woman. He didn't trust her, in truth he trusted no one. Sometimes battles made strange bedfellows, he mused. He did need someone to train the women to seduce that hanyou whelp from Shakaku. Shakaku, who knew that his daughter's name would become a curse to him. Choosing to mate with that weak halfling. Mixing her pure Tora blood with that of an Inu was bad enough, but add in Ningen blood and it made him ill. "You wish to feast on their pain," he said finally, "fine. How long do you need to train these females?"

Nanshokagai nodded. The tora was going along with her. 'Perfect,' she thought. "I will need six months. Have you candidates?"

"The candidates will be here by the end of the week. You, Nanshokagai, will select the most beautiful Ningen and Youkai and train them. I do not wish to be bothered. Inform me when they are trained and on their way." He arose and stepped calmly at the door, not turning he continued, "Do not attempt to double cross me woman."

She schooled her features into a mask of humility and rose bowing low, inwardly smiling. “Never my Lord Reiketsu. I am at your command.”

Akisame looked puzzled at Sesshomaru for a moment, then followed his gaze. The smiles on Rin and Inu Yasha's face told the story. Placing their newest daughter in her father's arms, she went to her eldest. "Congratulations, Rin and Inu Yasha." She wrapped her arms around both of them.

Sesshomaru rose, snuggling his pup against his chest. He rose in one graceful smooth motion and moved to his brother’s side. “I add my congratulations.”

Soon the happy couple was surround by family and friends with well wishes.

Stepping back, Inu Yasha watched as their family congratulated his mate. A sudden fear gripped his heart, catching Sesshomaru and Miroku's eye he indicated the door with a nod of his head. Stepping outside he waited for the other two to join him.

Miroku saw the panic cross his long time friends eyes and then saw the silent request. Pulling Sango out of the group surrounding Rin, he whispered "I'll be outside, seems our old friend needs to talk." With a soft kiss to her temple he followed.

Sesshomaru passed Kaiya back to Akisame with a kiss to both. "I'll be back," he whispered. Then he joined the monk and hanyou outside. "What is wrong?"

Inu Yasha watched the full moon hang in the sky, he didn't turn he knew who was behind him. "How did you know what to do? Were you ever afraid that you would do something wrong? That something would hurt the small life you created."

Sesshomaru smiled in understanding. "Of course...I was very afraid, but the moment you hold your new pup.. the moment you look in its eyes, all that will disappear." His smiled widened, with remembrance of the night of Keikan and Keishou's birth. "Now we'll just wait until the night you're pup is born and see how calm you will be."

"Hai." Miroku agreed, "The first moment I held Haya, it was the same. Do not worry my friend. None of us are the perfect parent, we only try our best."

Sesshomaru stepped forward and put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "And remember, you aren't doing this alone. You have Rin. You have us."

Covering his brother's hand with his own, "Thank you. I'm being baka. I..." he hung his head, "I don't remember Chichiue (honored father)."

"You are not being a baka...you are being like any new sire," his voice dropped remembering their father, "He was...very gentle with us. I miss him. I am sorry Inu Yasha."

Miroku who had been silent finally spoke, "Inu Yasha, you may be baka.." He ducked the swipe of Inu Yasha's arm with long practiced ease, "but... you will be an excellent father. I have watched you with Keikan, Keishou, Mika, Midori, Haya, Kohaku and even Shippo. You have disciplined each of them without breaking their spirit. Held each when they were afraid, worried over their safety. Now, you worry for your unborn child. If you had no worries I would fear you would be a bad father." He looked to Sesshomaru to back him up.

Sesshomaru nodded. "The houshi is right brother. You will be fine."

Inu Yasha turned and looked at his best friend and his brother. "Arigato. Well tomorrow the three of us have work to do." At the questioning glazes he continued, "I have a two room hut. I will need to build a new room for the babe."

Sesshomaru folded his arms and snorted, "It's your pup, you build the room." The look on Inu Yasha's face however caused him to chuckle. "I am teasing you brother. I will help you build the room."

Back inside the hut, Akisame handed Kaiya to the soon to be mom. "You need practice," she teased. Tears welled in her eyes. She had her family around her, a new babe in her arms, a grandchild on the way, two of her three sons mated. Sesshomaru had agreed to try living a simple life for twelve months.

Haya looked at her long time friend enviously. She had been a mate long before Rin, yet she would hold no babe of her own. Forcing those thoughts from her mind she remembered her father's teachings.

Keishou slipped his arms around Haya's waist, sensing her sudden dip in mood. He kissed her cheek. "We will have one," he whispered in her ear.

Shakaku moved closer to Rin, looking over the woman's shoulder at Kaiya. She reached around and stroked the baby's soft cheek gently. "She's so soft...so tiny," she said, voice filled with wonder.

"Hai, they all are." Rin answered softly. Enjoying the feel of the small bundle in her arms.

Inu Yasha snorted, "Yea, but you need to go back to the castle first... Officially turn governing over to Keikan and Shakaku, have the naming ceremony for Kaiya. It's not like the pup will be born tomorrow. Besides..." He quirked an eyebrow at his brother, "have you ever even held a hammer?"

Sesshomaru nodded. "Hai we will leave tomorrow I think," the he turned a completely blank look on his brother. "What is a hammer?"

Home Next Episode