8By: Jenny T. aka Kikyou-sama (E-mail-Starshinesoldier at yahoo. Com)
DISCLAIMER- I don't own INUYASHA and NEVER WILL! This goes for ALL CHAPTERS!
A/N- Be warned. The characters might be OOC. And I'm sorry if the chapter is a little short.
Chapter 1 – Katsu and Haru
It was the time of the new moon, a lone figure raced along the lonely roads, desperately dodging fierily arrows. In the distance, a large parade of demon hunters was pursuing him. "DIE, YOU FOUL BEAST!" they chanted.
His blue eyes flashed in agony as a flaming arrow stuck him in the shoulder. "Hn, foul beast?" he grunted as he ripped the arrow out. Picking up speed he looked over his shoulder. "I'll show you foul." A blue aura surrounded the figure and suddenly the path behind him was struck by lightning, the vegetation burst into flames. He wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Roasted human, the foulest scent." His black cat like tail twitched in satisfaction.
Screams of agony erupted behind him, without looking back the figure continued running. 'I'm coming Haru… '
In an abandoned mansion
Labored breathing broke the silence of the night. A young woman lay sprawled on the floor. Tears poured down her cheeks, she weakly brushed her violet hair out of her face. She wheezed in pain as she sat up. 'Katsu, where are you?' She thought tearfully. 'Our baby isn't going to wait for you any longer…'
Suddenly, her red pupils turned to slits. "It's time." A blood-curling scream bubbled out of her throat. Warm blood pooled onto the dust-layered floor, shortly after, a wail pierced the air.
The sliding door burst into splinters. The female grabbed her newly born cub and turned to face the intruder, her red cat ears flat against her head and fangs bared. Her face softened. "Katsu…"
Katsu's blue eyes darted from his mate to the tiny body in her claws. "Haru, forgive me." He kneeled beside his mate. "I came too late."
The female, Haru smiled weakly. "You are forgiven." She wrapped her child on an old blanket. "A beautiful baby girl." Haru gave the bundle to her mate. "Meet your father little one."
Katsu took the child, cradling her awkwardly. He ruffled the tiny girl's red and black hair. Her tiny red cat ears tipped with black twitched and her red tail tipped with black curled around her father's wrist. "She doesn't really look like me." He raised an eyebrow. "Where did the red hair come from?" He pouted slightly. "You weren't unfaithful to me, were you?"
His mate hissed, her red eyes darkening. "You know I only love you, I don't appreciate the joke, especially right after birthing our cub." She yawned. "Besides, you know very well that the red hair came from me." She pointed to her red ears.
The child giggled and her small-clawed hands clamped down on her father's ebony hair. She opened her eyes to reveal blood red pupils, her eyes shown with innocence, however her hands were not, a sharp tug and a hiss of pain. Soon the child had a hand full of her father's hair.
Haru laughed. "Serves you right." She took her cub into her arms. "Well done, little Ranka."
Her mate blinked, confused. "Ranka?"
Haru nodded. "I have decided to name her after my species Guardian, Ranko."
Katsu's eyes darkened. "You mean the Guardian of your mother's species. You are only half Soul Neko."
"And you are only half element cat." Snarled Haru. "What does it matter? Mother is dead, I may be the only Soul Neko left. Besides, we still posses the power of the full breeds." She smiled, a ball of light blue energy floating above her palm. "Maybe more."
Katsu hissed, shying away form the ball. "Fine, just stop using that holy magic!" He planted himself beside his mate and nuzzled her. "You're only half miko so your control is weak, you don't want to harm Ranka, do you?"
The ball of holy magic vanished. "No, never." She shivered as Katsu purred in the nape of her neck. Her eyes drooped in pleasure and she too began to purr.
In the distance the muffled shouting of the demon hunters were heard. Haru's ears perked up. "Katsu, why exactly were you late?"
He averted his eyes. "Umm… well, you see…"
Haru sniffed the air, her eyes widened in fear. "Tell me!" she hissed urgently.
Katsu smiled sheepishly and revealed a medallion with four black pearls around the circular bronze. Nine red pearls imbedded on the border of the bronze and a black gem craved in the shape of a star in the middle. "Your half sister's entire village of demon hunters were chasing me around the country."
"No, Katsu! How could you!" Haru shrieked.
The male hanyou shrugged. "This is the medallion of 'Ranko', right? You always adored it; after your half sister stole it, you were heart broken. So I deicide to steal it back for you, as a gift 'cause you're bearing my first child."
"Katsu, I'm touched, but my half sister, Ruhli also adores it." She hugged Ranka close. " Our baby is in grave danger if she stays with us."
"Where are you planning to hide her?" Katsu asked. "Ruhli is a miko too, right? She can track us down."
"You said her entire village was tracking you?" Haru whispered.
Haru's mate paled. "No, your not thinking what I think you're thinking! That'll make her a sitting duck!"
"No, she'll be safe." The female hanyou mumbled. "Ruhli won't find her there. Katsu, you have to lead them away. I'll leave Ranka in the village, we'll come back for her once my sister dies." Haru flexed her claws. "I'm sick of being hunted by my own blood."
Katsu nodded. "Fine." He kissed his mate. "See you later then."
"I love you." Haru took her child and dashed into the forest.
Katsu gulped. "Time to be fired at by flaming arrows, again."
At Ruhli's village
Haru slipped unnoticed by the remaining demon hunters into her sister's hut. She sniffed the air and scanned her surrounding. "It smells like a fresh birth, only five hours old." The cat hanyou looked around and discovered, to her delight, a newborn baby sleeping in a small crib next to the fireplace. "My sister dearest was pregnant too?" She smirked. 'How ironic…'
Haru bent down next to the human child. "Open your eyes dear." She nudged the baby. 'What…' The baby was cold to her touch. Haru sniffed the child. "She's… dead." Blinking in surprise the young mother smiled. "Poor child, but this makes my plan much easier." Haru lifted the eyelid of her dead niece. 'Brown eyes and black hair.' Haru noted. 'That is an easy spell.'
Haru laid Ranka onto the wooden floor. "I better make this spell stronger, just in case." She began to chant her spell. In a flash of purple aura, the hanyou babe was now in the shape of a human child. Her once blood red eyes were now brown. Her red streaked hair was jet black and her feline appendages had vanished. "Be safe my sweet child." Haru kissed Ranka on her forehead. "May the Guardian protect you."
The cat hanyou then lifted the dead human child out of the crib and placed her own child with in it. Haru sniffed the dead child. "She died from smoke inhalation." Eyeing the fire, Haru moved the crib three feet away. "Ruhli is too careless."
With that, Haru discarded the dead child into the fire and hurried to join her mate.
In the forest with Katsu
"You thief!" A young woman shouted, her brown eyes raging with fury. "Give my medallion back!"
Katsu hissed, his side was burned and he was dripping blood. "Yours? It was never yours to begin with!"
The young woman, Ruhli, screamed, her eyes glared daggers into the hanyou. "I'll kill you! I swear it!" She motioned the hunters behind her to attack.
'I'm surrounded.' Katsu thought, his hissed in agony as a spear was rammed into his gut. 'Damn it! I hope Haru isn't going to come. Those stupid humans regrouped!' He used his element, lightning, and defended himself.
"KATSU!"
The blue-eyed hanyou cursed. "Haru! Don't get any closer!"
His mate stopped four yards from the battle site. "Katsu!" Tears streamed down her face at the sight of her love. 'He won't survive…' Then Haru gazed into her half sisters eyes. "Ruhli!" She growled and pounced onto her sister. Haru flexed her claws and dug into Ruhli's face. Ignoring her sister's shrieks and the demon hunters that were desperately trying to save Ruhli. Haru just clawed and clawed.
Ruhli managed to blast her half sister with holy magic. Haru crumpled onto the floor. She glared up at her human sister and inspected the damage she had down. Haru smirked. Ruhli was missing an eye, it was torn out and her face was scarred with five claw marks. Her half-sister was bleeding everywhere, lumps of flesh that once belong to Ruhli were now littering the ground.
Since Ruhli is human, she fainted due to the blood lose. Haru watched as the demon hunters limped to their miko and carried her away.
"Katsu." Haru crawled to her dieing mate. "Oh Katsu…"
Katsu smiled weakly. "My lovely Haru, it's good to see you." He chuckled, but ended up wheezing. "That was some cat fight… Is that Ruhli's eye on the floor?"
Haru swallowed the lump in her throat. "Shh… don't talk. I-I'll get help… maybe steal some supplies for you wounds."
"Don't bother…" Katsu kissed his weeping mate. "I can feel myself slipping. Promise me you'll take good care of Ranka." He smiled. "If I didn't steal that medallion… you wouldn't… be here… crying. I've caused you so much pain. Forgive me my love." His hand caressed Haru's wet cheek.
Haru took his hand and nuzzled it. "You aren't forgiven! You can't leave me alone! You can't!" She collapsed into Katsu's chest. "I won't forgive you if you die!"
"I'm sorry…" Katsu smiled weakly and closed his eyes.
"No, no… please! Please don't leave me!" Haru sobbed. She couldn't hear her mate's heart beat anymore. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I forgive you!" She stroked Katsu's cheek. "Will you ever forgive me?"
She closed her eyes. A soft breeze caressed her face.
You are forgiven, my lovely Haru…Haru smiled weakly. "I love you, Katsu." She buried her face into his shirt. "I love you, and only you." Her tears never ceased. "Only you…"
A day has past
Haru kneeled down at her mate's grave. "I buried that medallion and the Black Orb mother gave me as a gift to our marriage." She whispered. "It's right next to you. So part of me will always be with you." Wiping her tears away she set blue flowers on to the grave. "I love you."
Hours later
She limped towards her sister's village. "I'm coming to retrieve my daughter, sister-dearest." Haru hissed into the wind. "And I'll come to kill you with my bare hands."
Haru neared her sister's village at sunset; she was still injured from the blast of holy magic. In fact, she had not healed at all. Haru cursed her luck. "The day after the new moon was when I was born.' She glared at the sun as it vanished behind the horizon. She felt her claws and cat ears vanish. Once the transformation was over, Haru had ebony black hair and pale blue eyes. "Time to die Ruhli."
The villagers didn't pay attention to the injured new comer; they had plenty of their own to worry about. Haru walked into her sister's hut only to find her husband. She smiled. 'An eye for an eye.' The young widow picked up a sword from the side of the hut. 'Ruhli's sword.' She kicked her sister's injured husband. "Wake up, human."
The handsome demon hunter stirred, his vision was still clouded with sleep. "Huh? Oh, Hey Ruhli-beautiful." He smiled. "Your foul hanyou sister must be sobbin' her tainted heart out. Ain't you proud of me? I delivered the fatal spear into that element cat's gut." He chuckled.
Haru laced her voice with sweetness. "Oh yes, so very proud." She glared at the human. "Proud enough to kill." She took her sword and dug it into him. "You'll suffer that same slow and agonizing death that my mate did. And I'll enjoy watching you squirm."
The young man gasped for air. "You! You ain't my beautiful Ruhli!"
"Thanks." Haru whispered. "That's the nicest thing a human ever said to me." She narrowed her eyes and removed the sword from the man's gut. She began to slowly slit his throat. "But you talk to much." She slashed his wrists and at his chest. "I want you to suffer, not talk."
This time the human only made a gurgling sound. Haru stabbed the sword back into the man's gut.
Her eyes softened as she approached her slumbering child. "Ranka…" Haru swayed dangerously. She steadied herself and looked down at her baby. "I'm so sorry, but I can not reclaim you, not now..." She fell to her knees. "My body is weak, the injuries Ruhli inflected may not heal. I fear that today might be my last day in the world..." Haru smiled down sadly and nuzzled her child. "It's not really that bad of a thing… I'll see my darling Katsu again." She let her hand drop. "But I'm worried about you. I don't trust Ruhli."
You don't have to…
Haru snapped her head around to see the speaker of the voice. She gasped as a transparent figure stood over the crib, looking at her baby.
I have finally found you… the figure turned to Haru. My dear Haru, I've been watching over you and your little family. I understand why you are reluctant to leave little Ranka here… but I assure you… she will be protected. Ruhli will grieve over her husband's death, and take good care of 'her' child. The women smiled slyly. But in reality she will help your daughter survive. Think of it as a repayment and your final revenge. Have your half sister slave over your child, while you spend eternity with you beloved.
Haru felt her eyes droop. "No… I can't just leave my child alone with Ruhli… "
She won't be alone. I will watch over Ranka. The figure smiled down at the slumbering child. She is my other half after all…
The dieing woman stared at the figure, in deep thought "… I want to be buried with Katsu…"
The woman nodded and in a flash they where at the gravesite. Haru looked up at the figure. "Who are you?"
I am the Guardian of the Soul Crystal… She smiled. Ranko…
Haru smiled. "The Guardian… thank you…" She closed her eyes.
Ranko's transparent body faded slowly as Haru's body floated into an empty grave. The soil refilled itself.
Ranko smiled. Rest in peace… She watched as two glowing orbs lifted themselves out of the graves. They flouted into the night sky, dancing together.