by Max Jager
Laughing as he shook his head, Sanzo kissed the top of Imae's head. "That right there he gets from you only. I was never eager to train." He then turned his smile down to Hoshiko again as he cupped her tiny head in his hand and rubbed his thumb on her forehead. "And who knows she may have a memory like Kiara. Or she could just be showing that she is going to be a daddy's girl in the end."
But before Imae could say anything back, Sanzo stood up and arched his eyebrow at the gate. They were still off a ways, but he smelled wolves he had never smelled before. Three of them and they seemed to be coming there. "That's strange."
Giving him an odd look as she arched her own eyebrow, Imae could feel his uneasiness. "What is strange?"
Tense, Torakus had also smelled them. He didn't like it. Not one bit. One of them especially. Letting out a hiss, he pulled his mother's eyes to him. "Father I do not like this."
Breathing hard as she looked at her son, Imae was in shock. He was so gentle and friendly all the time with a smile. To see the anger and distrust in his voice and eyes, she was starting to worry now. Standing she moved to stand in front of Sanzo. "Sanzo what is going on?"
Keeping his eyes on the gate, Sanzo was not the typical goof ball he was most of the time right now. He agreed with his son a hundred percent. He didn't like this or what it could mean. "There are three wolves coming toward the palace. They are in a hurry to get here, but I don't know them. And they aren't from the Western Pack or Palace."
Tensing herself now, Imae glared as she took a deep breath. "Where are Ayame and Atsana at?"
Glancing toward a side door, Sanzo went right back to the gate. "They are coming from there. I am sure they find this uneasy as well."
Nodding, Imae turned and headed for the door. "Good. I am going to give Hoshiko to them and I am going with you."
Moving to stand with his father, Torakus kept his eyes on the gate as well. "Father may I go with you and Mother?"
"Yes." Sanzo didn't like this in the least. He wasn't going to play nice since they clearly had nothing to do with Shone. There was something extra vile about one of them. There was just something about that scent alone that turned his stomach in knots.
Just as she got close to the door, Imae sighed as Ayame rushed out and stopped. "Here Ayame take her with you and Atsana."
Taking her niece, Ayame had worried eyes. "Who is it though? One of them has something about his scent that nearly reminds me of Motoichi."
"We don't know. Sanzo said that they are not from Shone's pack or palace. So we are going to greet them at the gate and see what they want. Torakus is going to come with us." She then turned and went back to Sanzo as Ayame and Atsana went back in the palace with her daughter. Going back to her mate, Imae took a deep breath. "Shall we then?"
"Yes."
X
Standing just outside the gate with his daughter and grandson, Dai had his eyes closed as he focused on the different scents that were in the palace. There was a half demon, and also a full demon in there that was clearly the children of the miko. His daughter was telling him the truth. "It has happened again as well. There is a demon in there that is clearly the chick of the human."
Tensing, Kaoru turned wide eyes to her father as she nodded. "But do you think that the demon here can do what the other two did? Do you think he can use purification?"
Keeping his eyes on the gate, Dai took a deep breath. "I am still unsure if I really believe that or not. So I doubt it."
Rolling his eyes as he sighed and kept his arms crossed, Noke glared up at his grandfather. "Just remember why we are here in the first place Grandfather. It is not to see if Mother is a liar or not."
A smile at his grandson's attitude, Dai nodded. "I remember boy. Just remember to let me do all the talking."
All eyes turned toward the gate as it opened, and saw Sanzo standing there with his human mate on his right side, and his demon chick on the left. Giving them a bow, followed by his son and daughter, Dai smiled. "Lord Sanzo. It is an honor to meet you."
Giving them just a nod, Sanzo kept his serious face and crossed arms. "I would say the same, however I have no clue who you are or why it is that you are here."
Standing next to her father, Kaoru gave another gracious bow. With a bright smile as she stood, she folded her hands before her. "Lord Shone and Lord Kiyoshi, along with myself grew up together in a way. Though I hadn't seen Lord Kiyoshi since he took over the South for his father. By chance we all happened to be in the Western Palace again to celebrate the birth of Lord Shone and Lady Yuriko's daughter. Your mother and I were talking and she told us of your daughter and…"
Growling as an instant glare framed her face, Imae crossed her arms now. "And what about my daughter?"
Another low bow, Kaoru gave her best apologetic look. It worked. She did have a daughter, and since the demon is the boy, it has to be the half demon she smelled. "My Lady please we mean no disrespect, nor have we come to start trouble."
"Indeed." Dai kept his friendly smile as he crossed his arms and turned his eyes to Sanzo. "We merely came to talk about a betrothal."
His eyes narrowed, Sanzo let the wind around him whip for a second as he hissed. "My daughter is barely a month old. Do you not think that she is a little too young to talk such things as that?"
Nodding Dai half laughed. "For now yes. However before you know it, both she and your son will be grown and ready for mates of their own. It seems like only yesterday my Kaoru was an infant in her mother's arms."
Keeping a hard glare for the smug pup standing there, Torakus didn't hide the hate he had for him. It was his scent that was so vile and evil. And he didn't look like he was much older than him, if at all. Once he heard what they wanted, it set his blood boiling. There was no way in hell that he would let this wolf anywhere near his sister. "No."
All eyes looking down at the young chick, Dai kept his kind smile. He was arrogant and puny. Not a match at all for his grandson. Once he had the betrothal, this chick would be nothing for Noke to get out of the way. "Young Lord, with all do respect. This is something that your parents and I are going to discuss."
Not taking his eyes off the pup for a second, Torakus stood firm. "It will never happen. I promise that."
Growling at the bird, Noke closed his eyes and turned his nose up at him. "Why don't you just do like my father said. Butt out of it bird."
Letting his own air whip around him, Torakus hardened his eyes even more and didn't budge. "Because I don't care what they say about it. I don't care what I have to do either. I will never let you near my sister wolf."
Laughing, Noke shook his head. "Oh please like you are strong enough to do anything about it anyway. I mean we are about the same size and age and you still have child sized swords." Reaching down and resting his hand on his full sized sword, Noke gave the chick a smug smile. "And besides. I would always be stronger since I have demons for both of my parents. Unlike you."
Still not moving, Torakus just glared with him. "Like I care what you think about it. You know nothing about my mother or what she can do. I would rather have her for a mother than a demon mother any day. You got no room to talk when you know nothing."
"You brat! I should beat you now and show you!"
"You couldn't beat anything."
"I can beat you."
"In your dreams mongrel!"
Growling, Noke glared at the bird. He had to calm down or he was going to blow it and he didn't want to hear his grandfather gripe about it all the way home. Finally after a moment he smiled as he took a deep breath. "Fine. How about you and I settle things with this? And the adults go along with whatever happens without question. We spar. Best of five matches wins. If I win, your sister will become my mate as soon as she is of age. Whether you like it or not, and whether she and I get along or not. If you win, we go home."
His eyes taking on a gleam, Torakus smiled as he closed his eyes. "If it is alright with my parents I will take you up on that bet. Mother? Father?"
; Looking at her son with wide eyes, Imae was a little shocked at how he was acting. Being more than a little rude, but at the moment he was taking up for his little sister. And she knew how good he really was. "If it is alright with your father."
A sharp nod, Sanzo looked down at his son. "Done."
Turning back to the wolves before they walked through the gate, Imae glared. "However. For safety, they use practice blades. If not the deal is off and you get out."
With a glare Noke gripped his sword tighter. "Why can't we use real ones?" But the growl from his grandfather made him roll his eyes. This was all such a pain in the ass for him. Handing him his sword Noke growled. "I guess we have to use them then."
X
Her head snapping up from the scroll she read, Yokiyo dropped it and put her hand on her heart. Sitting down she was breathing hard. "Not again. We just got home."
Moving to stand next to her, Kiyoshi knelt before her with concern clear in his eyes. "What is it Yokiyo?"
Looking over at him, Yokiyo had mist in her eyes. "Send our fastest messenger here to the East. I just have to make sure that they are alright. I just have this feeling that something is wrong there."
Looking over his shoulder to see Takara already leaving the room Kiyoshi sighed as he turned back to his mate and cupped her face. "What kind of wrong is it?"
Shaking her head, Yokiyo sighed. "I am not sure. I am more worried about Torakus and Hoshiko than anything. But it isn't life or death or anything I don't think. I don't know exactly."
X
With a practice blade in each hand, Torakus glared at the wolf as he took up a stance before him. His little sister was on the line here. He wasn't going to lose. Not to him. "Whenever you are ready wolf."
With a laugh as he took his stance, Noke smiled smugly at the chick. "This is going to be easier and faster than I thought that it was going to be. I thought you just had two swords, one a backup. I didn't think you would think you can use them both at the same time."
A smile himself, Torakus knew that he had this in the bag just because of that if nothing else. Thanks to his mother, each sword had a life of its own and he could maneuver the two of them differently with ease. "You think so huh? Why don't we get this started and then you can find out if you are right or not?"
Starting the circle motion, Noke laughed. "I know so. I mean what can you really do with two at the same time?" But when all he did keep his smug smile, Noke growled as he charged the bird with all the speed he had, and swung his blade in a sweeping motion like he was going to take the bird's head off. But instead his eyes go wide when he spun in a circle a couple of times because he didn't hit anything. 'What in the hell?'
Dropping bellow him, Torakus spun around, and once he stopped was behind him. Coming up he kicked the wolf in his behind and sent his face into the ground. Another spin and he came down with both his swords crossed over his neck. "First match goes to me. I really hope that this is not the best that you can do." He then stood up and took a few steps back.
Growling, Noke fisted his hand in the dirt and flung it backwards into the bird's eyes. "I refuse to lose to you!" He then spun and kicked him in the stomach and sent him flying backwards to the ground. "You hear me!"
Jumping to his feet the second he hit the ground, Torakus blinked his eyes as he focused. He didn't have time to wipe them clean before the wolf would be there on him. He was coming. So he focused on his other senses like when his mother taught him how to spar blinded folded. Blocking the big swing from him. Then instantly started attacking. Pushing him back with force, as just like his mother, both of his blades came to life with movement of their own that he swung with ease.
Hearing him hit the wall, Torakus stopped a hair from his neck with one sword as his other one pinned his big sword. His vision was coming back now. "You lose round two. Did you really think that a little dirt in my eyes was going to make me lose to you? Get real." He then jumped back and took up a position as finally all the dirt washed free of his eyes as he started to circle with the wolf again.
With a sigh as the match was over, Imae started to walk toward them so that Torakus could have a chance to wash out his eyes but stopped when Sanzo grabbed her wrist. Turning a half glare up at him, Imae pulled her hand from his. "Why not?"
Keeping his eyes on his son who was doing himself proud today, Sanzo didn't even look down at her. "He is a falcon Imae. Our eyes are everything to us. Our bodies will naturally expel any dirt or dust that get into them. His eyes will be fine, that is why he looks like he is crying right now.
Turning back to the match, Imae sighed as she relaxed and stepped back by her mate. "I see. I didn't think about that."
Hissing as he and the wolf glared at each other, there was one thing that Torakus just didn't understand about him. This pups was evil through and through and he down right hated him. But he did have to wonder why it was that he was so keen on being betrothed to Hoshiko in the first place when he clearly hated humans and put Torakus himself down for having a human mother. His sister was a half demon daughter of the same human. He just didn't get it.
Keeping his voice low so that he knew only his father would be able to hear the answer to this, Torakus had to question him about it. "I don't get you. You talk to me like I am nothing because my mother is a miko. So naturally I have to wonder then, why it is that you are so keen on a betrothal to my sister who is a half demon daughter of the same miko?"
Speaking lower as well, Noke did not want his mother or grandfather to hear him as he smiled. "They have some illusion of me having influence or title other than head of a tribe after my Grandfather. I have my own personal reasons for it. Demon, half demon. Human I wouldn't care so long as I get power out of it."
His eyes narrowing, Torakus clenched his practice blades even harder. "Do you really think that power is what you would get here? Titles? Even if you did become my sister's mate, which you won't, you would never be anything of the sort."
A feral smile, Noke laughed. "Once I get rid of you and your parents I would. She would be next in line, and as her mate I would be Lord of the East. A foothold to what I really want to do that have nothing to do with those losers I came with."
No longer whispering, Torakus dropped his blades to the ground as he hissed at the wolf and his demonic power flaring it's fullest. Whipping the wind around the gate worse than any storm. "Never going to happen. Ever."
Laughing as he waited for the bird to advert his eyes, Noke kept his stance. "Oh I think it will. I will make it happen."
Breathing hard, Torakus never took his eyes off of the pup as he finally let his wind stop. "Mother let me."
Gasping, Imae paled as she gave him an odd look for. "Why in the world would you want to do that for right now? It is supposed just to be a sparing match."
Before anyone could react, Sanzo was finding it hard to control his emotions right now. That pup. He would never see the day he was close enough to think about touching his daughter. Ever. "Do it Torakus."
Her eyes jerking from her son to her mate, Imae glared at him. "What? You know what happens when he does that Sanzo."
His gold eyes full of rage he knew she felt, flicked down to Imae and then back to his son. "Enough Imae. Stop."
Flinching as she blinked at him, Imae was in utter shock. Sanzo had never, ever talked to her like that. Never. She could feel and see the anger rolling off of him as he glared at the pup along with her son. Taking a nervous breath, Imae didn't push the issue as she turned back to her son. 'I just hope the two of you know what you are doing right now.'
Crossing his arms, it was time to show not only this wolf, but all three of them who he was and what he could do. The future of the East! "This is done. Go home. Even if I had no weapon, there is one thing I can do, which would solidify my win here. You would never beat me with it."
Letting his head fall to the side, Noke gave the bird an odd look. He was falcon so he could use wind yes. But that was it. "You know I think you were dropped
a lot as a baby. Without a weapon, there would be nothing you could do to beat me."
A sly smile as he crossed his arms, Torakus narrowed his eyes at the pup. "Because if my grandmother didn't just tell your mother about my sister. I know better than that. Your mother has an attitude I can see it. That would have set not only her, but my Aunt Kiara and Uncle Katana off. And I can do the same thing that they can do."
With a gasp, Kaoru tensed as her heart skipped and her throat constricted. Reaching out she grabbed her father's arm and pulled his eyes to her. The look in hers very clear. To stop this. It wasn't worth her son's life! Practice blade or not, her son was demon and purification would kill him!
Growling Noke held his sword tighter. "Liar! There is no way that…." But then the smell of purification hit his nose. The falcon before him started to glow a brilliant red color. With wide eyes he dropped the practice blade and slowly started to back toward his mother. "What the hell are you?"
