32Three small girls stood on the edge of a beach side cliff, giggling and laughing. The smallest had hair as white as snow and a face as pale as the clouds. The other two looked like they were the same age. The first had black cat ears that twitched at every little sound and short black hair. The other had long navy hair with tiny silver streaks that sparkled in the morning sun. She also had pale, sapphire blue eyes. "I have something for both of you," she giggled as she reached into the pouch at her waist. " Really? Thanks –May- (pronounced as my )" the cat girl said.
-May- pulled three small necklaces out of her pouch. Each one had a blue crystal and a white ribbon. She handed the first to the smallest child. "It looks like there's snow in it." Yuki said in a small voice as she gazed into the blue crystal. It was shaped like a mountain, and the very top looked like a snowy peek. " Thank you -May-," she said as she gave -May- a hug, " It's so pretty". Next -May- turned to the cat girl. " This one's for you Neko," she said as she handed the girl a necklace. Neko looked at hers and gasped. It was in the shape of a tear with a fang in the middle. " That's the fang I lost a month ago." Neko exclaimed as she gently took the necklace -May- held out to her.
" This one's for you Yuki." she said.
" I have one, too!" -May- said, holding out the last necklace. It was also in the shape of a teardrop, but the edges were a little rougher, and in the middle was a different type of fang. " Father gave me one of his fangs." she said, "We're all different, but we're are all sisters. The white ribbon will always connect us." Flash… -May- stands alone in the peaceful woods, her fur pelt a little ruffled. She gazes ahead, wondering where her sisters may have hidden. A scream pierces her thoughts. "Yuki!" –May- screams, "Neko!" But no one answers to her calls. She starts to run toward the scream that still echoed in her ear. She was running toward the cliff, and her home. She heard nothing but the echo in her ear. A sickening stench filled the air, choking her with more worry. Finally, she came upon the same cliff that her and her sisters had been standing at earlier, but instead of stopping, she jumped off the edge to a ledge a few feet below. She continued downward, jumping from ledge to ledge until she landed on the soft, sandy beach in front of a huge cave. She turned around expecting the cave to be full of people, but what she saw frightened her. A massacre lay before her. Men and women lay in pools of their own blood dead from their fatal wounds. A great fire rose in the middle of the cave and the smell of burning flesh that came from it sickened her. Tears sprang from her eyes as she called into the silence. " Mother? Father?" she called, her voice shaking with every word, "N-Neko? Y-Y-Yuki?" She felt very cold even she wore fur. She took a step forward calling their names and waiting for a reply. As she looked past the bonfire, she spotted a small silver shimmer. She ran towards it, tripping once over a dead mans body, falling in a pool of blood. She ignored it, standing up and running towards the shimmer until she fell to she knees beside a young woman. The woman's silver hair was soaked in her own blood still dripping from her the hole in her chest. She beautiful sapphire eyes were glazed over and as lifeless as stone. She didn't move as -May- shook her. "Mother," -May- muttered, "Mother, please wake up. Please make it all go away." When her mother didn't respond she shook her harder and spoke louder, "Mother, get up. Get up!" Finally, she stopped, tears now pouring from her eyes. She threw herself on top of her mother, crying and calling her name, " Mother! Mother, don't go! Mother!" Finally, she stopped yelling but the tears still ran down her face. She looked away, not wanting to see her mothers beautiful eyes stare beyond, never to look at her again. She closed her mother's eyes and stood up, her fur pelt and leggings soaked in blood. She looked beyond her mother to see another dead body. She slowly walked toward it and sank to her knees next to a man. What she saw scared her. His black ponytail was soaked in blood and his clear blue eyes were also glazed over. His cheek was torn wide open, and a sword protruded from his stomach. All over his body were cuts and slashes that looked as if a whip had continuously struck him.
" Father," she whispered, "Father…" she let the tears roll down her face. As she put her hands on the bloody ground she felt something cold beneath her fingers. She picked up a small necklace in the shape of a mountain. "No!" she cried, "Yuki! Yuki!" She sat there and cried, holding the necklace close to her. As she sat there, a shadow fell over her. Laughter filled her head and frightened her. "So," said a mans voice, "I finally get to meet Yuriko's daughter." He leaned closer to whisper in her ear and his red hair fell onto her shoulder. "I will make you suffer far worse than your parents, Amaya."
Yuriko woke with a start. Her body was drenched in cold sweat and wouldn't stop shaking.
" Yuriko," Kagome muttered, still half asleep. Yuriko's sudden movement had woken her, " Is something wrong?"
" No," Yuriko replied, " Just a dream about my sister. Go back to sleep."
" Ok, Night," Kagome said, lying back down. It only took her a second to fall asleep again. Yuriko smiled and waited until she knew Kagome was fast asleep. When she knew Kagome was asleep, she stood up and walked silently towards the far wall. She changed into her kimono and took a small bundle out of the bottom of her basket, then she silently walked to the door and left.
Once outside she walked toward the back of the house, then she quickly entered the woods. As she hurried along she pulled a long black shawl out of the bundle and covered her head. Even then it still fell down to her thigh. She held it tight around her and hurried on, blending into the shadows. Even in the silence she could not be heard, and she moved as quick as a bird in flight.
She continued on, hidden in the shadows of the trees. Finally she reached her destination. She stood at the edge of a small clearing, looking into a small pond full of water lilies. She walked over to the edge of the pond and sat on a fallen tree trunk that protruded into the water. She sat there, running her hands through the cold water, thinking of what she had seen: the blood, the death, and the tears of her dream. How much it hurt her to see that. She sat there and thought of all these things, wishing she wouldn't dream it again. She sat there for what seemed like an eternity, but it had only been a few minutes. Then, she sat up strait and called into the darkness.
" I know your there," she said, she looked over her shoulder and into the darkness, "You've been following me all the way here, Inuyasha."
Inuyasha stepped into the moonlight. " Feh," he said starring at her. His hand still rested on the handle of his sword. " What are you doing here? Preying on the humans, demon?"
" Humph. I don't prey on humans." She said, " I live here and I protect them from harm. Just like you seem to protect your friends."
" Who are you?" Inuyasha snapped. His knuckles turned white due to the amount of pressure he was putting on his sword. " You don't smell like a normal demon."
" I'm not a pure demon, just like you." She answered. As she spoke, she seemed to melt away. Her black hair grew longer and turned to a dark navy. Her eyes turned from brown to a clear sapphire, and her eyelashes darkened. Her skin went from pale peach to a soft tan and she lightly shook her head. Her hair sparkled in the moonlight due to tiny silver streaks. The only thing that didn't change was the sad look in her eyes. " I'm Amaya from the wolf tribe by the sea. My mother was a goddess." Inuyasha stared in amazement at her new appearance.
" How do I know that you aren't the one killing the humans?" Inuyasha snapped, " Why should I trust you?"
"Because," she said, "I trust you." Inuyasha was surprised by this respond. " I don't expect you to trust me," She continued, " After all, I am a stranger and a demon. But I hope you will at least trust me a little. And I hope you won't drive me away."
Inuyasha stood there, he wasn't sure what to do. Should I drive her away from the village? He thought, or should I trust her? He stood trying to make up his mind when the bushes behind him shook and rattled.
"Kita!" Amaya cried looking past him. She quickly stood up.
Inuyasha turned around and saw Kita standing right there, her eyes wide open with shock. She turned around and ran, stumbling over tree roots and pushing through bushes. She had seen it all. She had seen the one person she thought she knew the most turn into something totally different.
"Kita…" Amaya muttered, she hid her face in her hands, " I so sorry Kita." She lowered her hands slightly so her eyes showed, " I have to leave here now. She knows, and she'll tell them. There's nothing I can do for them anymore." She said as she turned around and stood tall, her navy hair reaching to her knees. " I hope you your friends have a safe journey." She said to Inuyasha as she started walking, " I'll move on to the next village-"
Suddenly, a scream interrupted her words. She spun around, her eyes filled with worry.
"Kita!" she yelled. She took off running in the direction of the scream. She left Inuyasha standing there alone. I have to protect her, she thought as she ran, if anything happened to her, it would be like losing my sister again. I can't let that happen! As she ran her green kimono was torn apart, revealing a fur pelt and armor, her wolf clothing. She drew a small dagger from its sheath at her waist but she didn't pay attention as it changed into a sword about 6 feet long. Finally she reached a huge clearing, and knew what she was facing.
Before her stood a giant snake as tall as the trees. Its brown body curled around the clearing, and Kita sat in the middle. The snake pulled its neck back, ready to strike. Amaya jumped into the air and unleashed a hoard of blue spikes at the demons head. It let out a deafening cry as six of the spikes hit it's scull and dissolved into water. She landed in front of Kita, glaring at the snake with a deep hatred. The snakes shining red eyes glared back at her, hungry for blood.
" Kita, get out of here!" She yelled to the child, "Now! Run!" The snake lunged toward Kita; it's poisonous fangs ready to kill her. Kita closed her eyes and ducked, waiting for her to feel its fangs bite into her. When she felt nothing she opened her eyes and looked up. Standing right in front of her was Amaya, the snake injecting its deadly poison into her shoulder.
Why? Kita thought, why did she protect me? She stared at Amaya and noticed that she was smiling.
" Heh," Amaya laughed, staring into the snakes' eyes, "Do you think I'll die that easily, you stupid snake." She took the sword in her hand and thrusted it up into the snakes head. It let out a terrifying shriek. "I'll never let you hurt her again!" She yelled as she thrusted the sword all the way, killing it. As it fell onto the ground, Amaya's sword changed back into a dagger and she put it in its sheath. She turned around to see Kita lying there, as white as the moon.
" Kita!" Amaya exclaimed, running to the little girl, " Your fever's back. I have to get you to the village." She picked the young girl up, holding her gently. She walked through the woods, heading back towards the village. She walked quickly, jumping over bushes and thickets. She slowed down as she reached the edge of the woods. She stared down into the village and saw men and women calling for Kita. Finally, someone spotted Amaya walking towards the village.
" Hey!" he yelled, " There's a demon coming this way. It's carrying something!" As Amaya came closer he saw who she had in her arms and yelled toward them again, " It has Kita!" Everyone ran towards him, weapons in hand.
Amaya approached them, and handed Kita to her mother; She took a step back after. Kita's mother looked at her daughter and saw bloodstains on her, but her kimono wasn't ripped or torn in those places. She looked at Amaya and saw blood dripping from her shoulder. When she looked down she saw a puddle of blood beneath Amaya's feet. She looked up into Amaya's eyes and gasped.
" Miss Yuriko!" she cried. Amaya smiled.
" Yes," she said nodding her head. Then she collapsed, and all went black.