Memories of Old (Inuyasha Fan Fiction)

[нana ѕong]

Chapter 1: Flashback

I have been through so much in my lifetime. Joining together with my best friend, Kaminari, and traveling together. We even helped in the downfall of Naraku as well.

Sighing softly, I turn my gaze to the bright blue sky above, poking through the black feline ears easily pick up the sounds of insects buzzing by. Even now, the sound unnerves me, even though I know that Naraku is dead.

Kaminari, whom I call Nari, is still beside me. I truthfully thought she would have went with Sango, her fellow Slayer. Yet, she stayed, which I am very grateful for. Just then, I see a hand moving infront of my eyes and I blink in surprise.

"Jeeze Shira...I'm blind and even I can tell that you are not listening to a thing I say." Kaminari says, frowning slightly.

I sigh softly, "sorry Nari...I have been feeling rather distracted lately," I apologize, my ears lowering against my head in apology.

Kaminari tips her head to the side questioningly, her milky blue eyes seeming to look right at me. She has been blind for only a few months now, but she doesn't act like it. I know it must be hard for her, being a sightless Demon Slayer, but she never complained. In truth, I think she is proud of herself, being the only in her family after many generations, to break the curse that was set on her family.

"What did you say earlier...?" I ask, returning her glance, even though she cannot see me.

"Oh...um..." Kaminari replies, momentarily looking confused, before she smiles. "I was just wondering on what you had planned. Naraku is dead, so I was just curious..." She trails off, blushing softly.

I cannot help but smile a bit, having been able to see Nari's gaze drop to the forest floor. I say the first thing that comes to my mind, knowing that it's the truth, "do you think I will go on my own...? We are a team now, you and I."

Kaminari smiles, and I can just see the small curve of her lips, as she continues to face the forest floor. She says softly, "I didn't think you would, but I had to make sure..."

I sigh, "you know that you are the only true family that I have left." Is my only reply. We are not related by blood, but we are related by have been through too much for it to be any different.

Kaminari lifts her head, her long black hair falling straight down her back, as she looks down at me once more. I might be older, but Nari was taller then most girls, looking down at most, even some men.

I can't help but purr softly, seeing the evident relief in Nari's posture. I just now notice that she was gripping her staff so hard that her knuchles were turning white. Now, her hands were relaxed, as she shifts her staffs position in her hand, resting the shaft on her shoulder like always.

"Thanks Shira," Kaminari says softly, before the two continue down the shadowy forest path in a content silence.

My thoughts start to drift again, as I try to think of what we should do. Kaminari's voice suddenly snaps me from my thoughts once again, as I turn my green and gold gaze towards her.

"Do you see a spot where we could stop for the night...? My stomach is about ready to eat itself!" Kaminari asks, smiling slightly, as she skillfully walks around a pothole in her path. She can't see it, but her weapon, Rayuoga, was useful for more then just fighting. When she wasn't fighting, the hidden blades in the ends where hidden and she used it as a sight stick. When fighting, all it took was a twirl, for the hidden blades to poke out of the ends, turning into a dangerous weapon in the right hands.

I nod, before replying, "yeah. The tree's reply descent cover, so we can stop in the next clearing." I promise, as we continue. It doesn't take long for me to find a well sheltered clearing. The demons haven't been attacking us very often, for I am an Elder demon. Being over 600 years old, the lesser demons tend to stay away, but some are still foolish enough to attack me.

Kaminari carefully scans the forest floor,before feeling her staff hit a large rock. While Nari claims the rock to rest on, I start gathering wood to make a fire. In mere moments, a descent sized flame is burning, lighting up clearing.

"I'll be right back with some food," I say, and as soon as Nari nods in acknowledgement, I dash off. I lower my ears against the screaming of the wind as I run, my black tail and hair streaming behind me. My feet barely make a sound, as I effortlessly weave umong the trees and bushes. It doesn't take long for the sound of rushing water to reach my sensitive ears.

It takes only a few minutes more before I see the sparkling surface of the river. I skid to a stop, sending small pebbles scattering in my wake, as I watch the shallow water slowly move downstream, transfixed. After a moment, I snap out of it, more relaxed, as I carefully sit on the edge of the river. Unlike most cats, I don't mind the water, but I cannot have the fish seeing my shadow over the water.

It doesn't take long before I see a sleek, silver fish swimming slowly my way, unaware of the danger lurking just downstream. With controlled patience, I wait until the fish is in striking distance, before I lash out at the water. My claws brush scales as I flick my wrist, throwing the fish out of the water. Before it has a chance to flop back into the water, a slash at its side with my claws, killing it.

After repeating this cycle for about 10 minutes, I have caught six fish. I don't know how much Nari will eat, but whatever she doesn't eat I will. Having grabbed the fish, I start back towards the clearing where I left Nari. The way back is slower, for the fish slows me down, but I reach the clearing in no time at all.

Having heard my approach, Kaminari is waiting for me, looking at me as soon as I reach the clearing. I smile, answering her unasked question, "I caught six fish. I wasn't overly sure on how hungry you are."

Kaminari smiles back, "that's fine! I might be able to save you a fish or two," she jokes, and I cannot help but smile, purring softly in response.

By the time the two of us have finished our meals, the sun has started to set, painting the land with shades of red, orange, and even a little pink. The shadows slowly lengthen, but that doesn't so much as phase me. Next to me, I hear Kaminari sigh softly. Slightly concerned, I look over at her, asking, "what's wrong Nari?"

Kaminari looks over at me questioningly, "we have been traveling together for a very long time now...and I still don't know much about your past..." she trails off, slightly uncomfortable.

I sigh softly, having not expected that, as I frown slightly. I hated talking about my life with my Clan in the East, but Nari did deserve to know what I have been through. I look over at Kaminari, just as she opens her mouth to apologize, holding my hands up. "That's alright...I probably should have said something to you a long time ago anyways."

Kaminari tips her head to the side, not daring to say anything. I could read curiosity on my friends face, as I take a deep breath. My thumb brushes the, now complete, YinYang mark on my right shoulder, as I start, "As you know..."

[нana ѕong]

Chapter 2: The Beginning

Today started like every other day. At the moment, in the early rays of dawn, my sister and I are playing in the fields. The Eastern lands belong to us, the Yin Yang Cat Demons. That's just a fact. If only everything were that easy in life.

My sister, Kira, and I are quite young yet in demon standards, at only around 5 mortal years. We have yet to receive our Marks. Or Marks are what define us, as either Yin or Yang. Kira and and I, are quite different however, being the first twins ever born in our clan. Our parents are the leaders of the clan, so that only adds to the complications.

Soon, the content silence of the fields are interrupted by the sound of my fathers voice. "Kira! It's time for you and your sister to come back."

My ears lower against my head. Father rarely ever acknowledges my presence, unless if I'm in trouble. I'm starting to get used to it by now, but it still saddens me.

Kira casts a glance over at me, offering a sympathetic smile. "It's alright Shira! You know Father..." She says softly.

I simply nod, not wanting her sympathy, but it is nice knowing that I will always have my sister at least. My gaze downcast, i follow after Kira towards the main cave. Yet, as we continue to head home, my gaze cannot help but wonder at the beauty of our lands. The rolling green hill, the path of trees not too far away. It was all so beautiful.

A smile can't help but appear on my face, as i think about our land. If Father would let me, I would sleep outside with the older demons that are too large to sleep inside. Maybe then, I would be able to sleep, having the stars glittering above me.

My thoughts end there, as we finally reach the cave. My good mood from just moments before dissipates again, the smile melting off my face. Gazing into the cave, I cannot seeing anything at first, but soon after, Fathers yellow gaze glows from the caves depths. He steps forward, walking towards us until he is just outside the cave. He was quite handsome, with his jet black hair, sharp features, and golden yellow eyes. Mother soon appears at his side, his total opposite. While Father was all sharp, Mother was soft. She had silvery white hair that went to her mid back, but was always kept up with intricate nots and braids. Her eyes were a stunning green color, and she had a few wrinkles next to her eyes from always smiling. Mother is Yang, while Father is Yin.

My sister and I look exactly like our parents really. The only difference, is the eye color, for we do not yet know what color they will be. Green eyes symbolize Yang. Yellow eyes symbolize Yin. My hair is black, like Fathers, but is as long as Mothers. Kira's hair is the same shade as Mothers, but her hair is slightly shorter then mine.

I gaze at Father questioningly, but his gaze is on Kira, practically ignoring me again. I barely resist the urge to sigh, but my ears do lower against my head a bit.

"Do you know what day it is?" Father asks, his gaze finally drifting away from Kira to drift towards me.

I hold his gaze for just a moment, before looking over at Kira, whom seems to be rather lost. "Our birthday...?" I finally reply, trying to sound like I was sure, but that wasn't easy with Father staring at me.

Fathers eyes narrow a bit at my hesitance, before giving a stiff nod. "Correct Shira. Today is indeed the day you both were born, and now marks the day you receive your Marks."

My eyes widen in surprise, as I look over at Kira whose expression matches my own. We are finally getting our Marks today! I think to myself, before I feel a twinge of fear. It is forbidden for anyone to mention how we receive our Marks, for our decision could be biased because of that. It's all quite confusing, so of course I would feel worried.

My gaze drifts towards Mother, for she had been strangely quite during the entire conversation. Her gaze finds my own, and I tip my head to the side a bit in confusion. Her eyes looked...sad. Mother and I had a much stronger because of the fact that she acknowledges my presence while Father ignores it. By her expression, I can tell she is trying to tell me something, but I just can't figure out what. I give a slight shake of my head, a silent message that i didn't understand, as our gazes break as Father speaks once more.

"You both know that your mother or I cannot say a word about the ceremony," he pauses as we nod in acknowledgement before continuing. "So rest. The ceremony begins at High Moon," he finishes, waving a hand at our nests before turning to walk away. Mother shoots one more look at me, before following.

Kira nudges me with her shoulder, grinning widely, as she turns towards our nest. Unable to help it, I smile back, following after my sister. Our nests are fairly simple. They are simply made from long strands of grass found in the fields, woven into circles. They actually looked a bit like birds nests, but they were comfortable enough. Older demons tended to sleep outside in their demon forms, too large to fit in the cave. The younger ones do as well, but in order to sleep outside, you must have your Mark.

As soon as I reach my nest, I drop forward on my hands and knees, but they were already changed into paws. My face stretches forward, as fur spreads across my entire body. In less then a second, I was in my demon form. We look just like regular cats, but we are much larger, with our fangs protruding past our lower jaw. I look over at Kira, and she had shifted already as well. We are identical in size, the only difference being that her fur is white, and mine black.

I climb into my nest, looking over at Kira with a slight smile. I curl up, resting my head on my paws, watching her do the same. Neither of us say anything at first, until I finally break the silence. "I can't believe we are finally getting our Marks!"

Kira nods in agreement. "I know! I wonder what we will be..?" She replies back, thoughtful.

"I don't know...but we will still be close right? Some mark won't tear up apart!" I say, a small cloud of doubt drifting into my mind before I quickly chase it away.

"Right! We are far too close to be torn apart!" Kira replies with that goofy grin of hers. I laugh softly, wondering just were Kira gets her confidence. Feeling better, I nod, relaxing into my nest again.

Kira smiles at me, and I smile back, unable to resist her contagious confidence. Everything would be fine. Curling into a ball, i tuck my nose under my tail, my black fur barely seen in the caves shadows. After a few moments however, reality sinks in, and my heart starts to beat rapidly inside my chest. Against my better judgement, I lift my head up from my paws, looking over at my parents. Mother won't meet my gaze, and is instead looking at the cave floor. Father however, meets my gaze full one, his yellow eyes cold and full of disappointment.

My ears flatten against my head again, knowing that the entire clan could scent my fear. I look over at Kira for reassurance, but she is already fast asleep. A low whine rises in my throat, but i swallow it down. Forcing my tense muscles to relax, I return to my previous position. Listening to the sounds of the cave, I slowly drift asleep.

[нana ѕong]

Chapter 3: Marked

A sharp prod in my side wakes me up. Still half asleep, i bat at whoever is trying to wake me up. "A few more minutes..." I mumble, tucking my nose farther under my tail. A reply comes shortly after.

"I would wake up Shira before Father decides to wake you instead."

It takes me a fee moments, but I place the voice as Kira's. At first, I can't remember why we were awakened at dusk. As soon as I remember that my sister and I were receiving our Marks, I jump to my paws, pelt bristling. "I didn't sleep in did I?!" I question, slightly panicky.

Kira purrs, shifting back to her human form before replying, "nope. I decided to wake you up before Father."

I relax, my fur lying flat as i too, shift to my human form. It only takes a few moments, and as soon as i was fully human, a familiar scent hits my nose. Fathers. I look over at Kira to ask if she scented it as well, but i stop. Kira's look has said all i needed without me having to utter a word. Behind me. My father was behind me. I whirl around, my blue eyes wide in surprise.

"Good. You are both awake," Father says in his usual emotionless tone. One look at him though, I could tell that, despite his hard shell, he was filled with pride. Only, he isn't looking at me, but at Kira. I look away, knowing that if i met his gaze, i would only see distaste.

"Follow me," he says stiffly, turning around to head out of the cave.

I sigh softly, my nerves from earlier in the day returning again. I try to hide it though, but with a single glance at Kira, she knows that I'm nervous again. Being twins, we knew each others emotions very well, almost-if not better-then our own.

Kira bumps her shoulder against mine, smiling softly. "Relax Shira," she murmurs into my ear, her breath tickling the inside of my ear and i flick it.

Not trusting my words, I simply smile, sending her a silent message that I would be fine. The two of us exit the cave, side by side. The sun has set, and bright stars were starting to appear in the darkening sky. Whenever I exhaled, my breath escaped my lips in a puff of white. It seemed as though the leaves would be changing soon.

I shake my head a bit, snapping my thoughts back to the situation at hand. Truthfully, I don't know if that's a good thing or not. Thinking about the upcoming snow, and playing with my sister has erased the fear of the Marking Ceremony. Now, that's all I could think about.

Finally, i give a soft sigh, forcing my muscles to relax. As soon as this was over, then Kira and I would be finally be full members of our clan. We would be true Yin or Yang cat demons.

I smile a bit at the thought. Nothing could possibly go wrong on such a perfect night. Slowly starting to believe that to be true, my posture relaxes completely, a genuine smile on my lips. From the corner of my eye, I can tell that Kira has noticed my change in attitude, her own blue eyes widening. Looking over at her, I offer a slight grin, and she responds with one of her own. I refuse to be known as a coward any longer. Today, is the beginning of my new life, and in turn, a new me.

~☯ ~☯ ~☯ ~

We have been walking for some time, the sky now dark, and the moon shining brightly through the trees. My father then stops, and before us, is a very large clearing. The clearing was a near perfect circle, with small stones covering the entire area of the circle. Black and white. The clearing was a giant Yin Yang symbol. I can't help but stare in wonder at the clearing before, awed. Then I notice that green and yellow eyes are glittering at us from the shadows of the trees. The clan would be watching. I swallow down the nervous lump that had started to form in my throat, focusing once more at the task at hand. Father walks away from us only to stand a little before our mother, the only demon we can see fully.

"Tonight!" Father calls, his voice breaking the silence of the woods, as it echoes around the quiet trees. "Two of our young members will receive their Marks," he pauses for a moment, his gaze resting on us once more. For once in my life, I see no malice in his eyes as his gaze locks with my own. No, not malice but....curiosity? But the moment has past, his expression clear of all emotion once again. Had I imagined it...? I think to myself, confused before brushing that thought aside. The time had come.

"Come forth kits, and choose your destiny," Father continues, stepping aside with a sweep of his hand as Mother mirrors him in perfect sync. Now that our parents were out of the way, my eyes widen in surprise at the sight before me. I personally had no idea what to expect, but this certainly wasn't it. Before my sister and I, directly under the beam of light that the full moon is providing, are two nests. I look over at my sister, but her expression is a mirror if my own. So she is just as lost as I am, I think to myself. Yet, for the first time in my life, I pushed down my uncertainty.

My head high in determination, I step closer to the nests, the eyes of my clanmates following my every step. Kira then breaks from her trance, quickening her stride to match my own until she walks beside me. Fathers voice interrupts once more.

"Sleep my daughters. Sleep and choose your path," is all he says, his yellow eyes gleaming from his spot just out of the moons light. From where he stands, his hair looks almost as light as Mothers.

Kira and I nod, then shift to our demon forms. I take the nest on the left, and Kira the one on the right, just like in the cave. I curl up into a ball, looking over at Kira and out gazes lock. For the first time in our lives, it was she that had uncertainty in her eyes, and not I. Offering a slight smile, I rest my head on my paws, before tucking my nose under my tail. Calmness envelopes in like a soft caress, as I slowly drift into nothingness.

~☯ ~☯ ~☯ ~

As soon as I open my eyes, I instantly knew what was going on. Keh...So we actually get to choose huh? I think to myself, frowning at the sight before me. My blue gaze scans the mirrors before me, wondering just they were there to do. It couldn't actually be so simple as they got to choose...right? My brow furrows in confusion as nothing happens, the time seemingly dragging on forever.

Just as I was sure my nerves would explode at the tension, the mirrors surfaces start to shimmer. The glass looks as though it is melting before my very eyes. My eyes narrow slightly, my body leaning forward in curiosity. I watch transfixed, as the mirrors slowly stop shimmering, a different image appearing in both mirrors.

"What's...going on...?" I murmur to myself under my breath. The mirror on the left portrayed a simple human village. Only as I continued watching, a demon of sorts suddenly appears. The demon roars in anger, charging towards the nearest house. My eyes widen at the gruesome sight before me. My eyes seem to be glued to the mirror, as i watch a young child being devoured, followed by many others. I knew their were evil demons of course, but never have i seen one on a full scale rampage.

Then the spell breaks. My gaze is then forced to look to the mirror on the right. I gasp. This mirror showed a scene in which Kira was the demon destroying the village. My eyes widen as large as they will go, as I instantly choose my path. My sister is no murderer! I had to stop her before the humans did.

As soon as my front paws touched the right mirrors surface, the glass ripples from the touch. After that small touch, I know that their is no turning back, for the glass grips a hold of my paw, pulling me into it. I close my eyes, only to open them a moment later, burnt grass under my paws. I realize two things. The first being that we were both quite larger, not quite fully grown, but close. The second being that the humans were trying to fight back.

I pull my lips back in a snarl, my extended fangs glinting in the fires light around me. "Stay back!" I growl out, the sheer power of my words causing the humans, as well as my sister, to freeze. Kira turns towards me, an evil grin on her lips.

"Well Sister? Will you help me destroy these pitiful humans or not?" She questions, her voice sounding much colder then the usual kind voice I am used to hearing.

I shake my head, "no Sister! What you are doing is wrong!" I reply back, my own voice sounding different as well. It sounding more...tired.

Kira snickers, "your compassion for humans has made you weak! You disgrace our clan!" She replies, her tone slowly rising to a yowl. Before she has even finished her sentence, she lunged at me, claws fully extended and as sharp as daggers.

Acting on pure instinct, that felt far to comfortable for comfort, I jump to the side, avoiding Kira's claws. Extending my own, i gaze steadily at my twin, unsure as to why she was acting this way. Thats when i realized my mistake. Never lose focus during a battle.

Pain shoots through my shoulder as I hiss in both surprise and pain. My ears lower flat against my skull, as the humans start to attack me. Me! Kira grins, taking the humans change in target as her chance to flee. Most of the humans anyways. One, a rather large male, gives chase. He must have been a solider at one point, for he carried one of those new weapons with him. A gun. The man had a gun.

I roar in anger, the humans that had been attacking me with their farmers tools now recoiling in fear. I take my chance. The man had just taken a knee, leveling the gun to point directly at my unknowing sister. My paws seem to have a mind of their own, carrying me not towards the man, but towards my sister. I barely feel the burning sensation from the shallow wounds that the villagers managed to inflict.

A hear a sharp boom, just as i crossed in front of my sister. Time seems to slow, as a fiery pain explodes through my left shoulder. I screech in pain, collapsing in a black furry heap, before the vision fades into nothingness.

~☯ ~☯ ~☯ ~

All i can feel when i wake up, is pain. My entire body feels like a giant bruise, but my right arm was the worse. I have no idea what time it is, where I'm at, or anything. I am only aware of the pain. A screech escapes my jaws, my body convulsing. My eyes feel as though they are melting inside my skull, and I screech again.

The pain seems to drag on forever, though it had to have been only a few moments. The pain finally starts to subside, leaving a sort of bliss in its wake. A sigh sigh escapes from my lips from between pants, as i lay limply in my torn up nest. I remembered what was going on. The Marking Ceremony. Unable to move, I simply lay there, my eyes closed as i catch my breath. All around me, i can hear the muttered whispers of my clan mates.

I feel a gentle hand brush my cheek, and I blink open my eyes, seeing my mother kneeling down beside me. I struggle into a sitting position, my muscles still sore, but feeling oddly...stronger. My mother looks down at me. "Shira, my daughter, you are Yang. The pain you have just experienced, that is only the beginning. Beware, for you have a harsh road ahead of you," she says softly, her green gaze gazing into mine.

I look away after a few moments, looking over at Kira. Father is talking to her in low tones, and she seemed perfectly fine, not a hair out of place. I frown a bit. Thats when i catch a glimpse of her right shoulder. Kira has chosen the path of Yin.

~☯ ~☯ ~☯ ~

AHHH! Finally finished! So sorry everyone that it took so long! I lost my muse for the longest time...but i hope to be more active with it now!

[нana ѕong]

Chapter 4: Reality

I have no idea what I expected honestly. The visions i had just witnessed-for surely that's what they were- were they the future? Were Kira and I going to grow to hate and despise each other? My thoughts are out of control, buzzing around my head like a nest of angry hornets. I blink, refocusing on my mother. She seemed to have aged centuries in just that short amount of time.

"Shira...? Stay focused dear. Please," she says softly, her voice sounding similar to how mine did in the vision. Tired and stressed.

I finally look away from Kira, directing my gaze towards Mother once more. My earlier excitement and burst of confidence from before has shattered. I felt stiff, sore, and very, very hollow inside. Mother must have understood how I was feeling, for she cups my cheek in her hand. I instinctively lean into her touch slightly, craving something familiar. I hadn't even noticed that I shifted forms. Everyone else had shifted as well, from what I could see, our clan mates having removed themselves from the trees, and into the moons light.

All around us, I hear the murmering of everyone I know. Everyone sounded so...hesitant. Normally, when a kit gained his or her Mark and become fully grown in the eyes of the clan, the leaders would start the celebratory yowls, followed by family, then the rest. Tonight, their was only muttering.

Finally speaking up, I ask Mother in a soft tone, near whispering. "What's going on...?"

Mother sighs softly, barely audible, as she looks around at the others from her position next to me. "Not here my daughter. Not here. We will talk later in privet," she replies back just as softly. Not explaining further, she stands, offering me her hand to help me up.

Accepting her offered hand, I drag myself to my feet. My legs feel odd, but I'm not hurting nearly as much as I had been before. That's when I remember my Mark. I look down at my right shoulder, my gaze locking on the small, white Yang Mark there. My arm still felt slightly numb from receiving the mark, but the pain has mainly dulled to a faint dumbness. I actually fell like my usual self.

Mother looks down at me, concern evident in her gaze, before leading me away from the clearing and towards the cave. One thing was certain. Their would be no celebrations tonight. Well, so I thought. As soon as Mother and I left the moons light and entered the trees, the first yowl sounded. Father's. father had waited until I left before starting the celebrations.

I freeze, my spine stiffening as as I glare at the ground in front of me. My ears are lowered against my head, but not defeat this time. Oh no, this time it was in pure rage and anger as the others join their yowls with Fathers.

I feel my mothers hand on the small of my back, gently nudging me forward. I hadn't even realized I was shaking, until her steady hand was pressed against my back. She wasn't fooling me though. Looking over my shoulder at her, I can see her green eyes flashing red in the darkness, her aura flaring.

This time it is my turn to comfort her. I smile slightly over my shoulder, clasping my hand with hers, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze. I haven't held my mothers hand in years, but now felt like the time. She mist have understood my silent message, for her aura returns to normal, as does her eyes. She understood. Father no longer controlled. Nor would I let him.

~☯ ~☯ ~☯ ~

The trip back to the cave after that was fairly silent between my mother and I. The only thing that could be heard was the sound of the others yowls. The sound was quite loud, which meant that they had shifted back to their demon forms. If I had been in a better mood, I would have loved to join in, but no. The calls were for my sister, and my sister alone as though I have never existed.

A low growl escapes my lips as we near the cave. Mother pretends not to hear me, but the faintest flick of her ears gives her away. She doesnt seem to mind though, and actually appears to be quite amused. Walking beside her, I can see the faintest of smiles on her lips as we near the cave.

Once we have made sure that the cave is indeed empty, I follow my mother inside, relaxing as the cave blocks most of the sounds coming from outside. The sun had started to rise, but the cave faced the West, so the cave remained shrouded in darkness. Not that it mattered, for we had near perfect vision in the dark anyways.

Mother turns towards me, her expression fairly blank, which must be what worries me the most. "You uderstand what is going on correct?"

Her question takes me by surprise, as I shake my head slowly.

"Really now? Come Shira, I know you are smart enough to put the pieces together," she replies back. Her eyebrow raises questioningly as she adds, "tell me what you know. Surely you must have figured a few things out."

I blink slowly at her, trying to figure out exactly what it is that Mother wants ne to understand. My brow furrows in thought as I slowly start to think things through. Then it makes sense. Wais a second...Why is it that my visions ended in pain, while Kira seemed perfectly fine? I think to myself, focusing on that. After only a few moments longer, my eyes widen a bit as I look over at Mother, who waves at me to speak.

My ears flick nervously, though I don't know why. I begin. "Well, if I had to guess, I would have to say that our Marks are more then they appear," I say fairly sliwly, but my voice gets stronger with every word as I get more and more confident. "I can't say if Kira's visions were like mine but..." I trail off again, trying to figure out how I could explain my thoughts without breaking clan rules. "Erm...If I had to guess, I would say that those visions are apart of our future. We are offered a choice that could change our future...Right?" I finally finish, my words rushing past my lips before I could change my mind.

I clamp my jaws shut, my ears lowering against my head as Mother studies me. Never have I seen her look so much like Father. She was expressionless, her eyes no longer holding their usual sparkle. Did I say something wrong..? I think to myself, eyes widening in worry. I was just opening my mouth to apologize when Mother grinned, looking like her usual self once more.

"I knew you could figure it out," she says. Resting her hand on top of my head, between my ears, affectionately, as she purrs softly.

A soft purr rumbles in my own throat, as I lift my gaze to meet hers. I could tell that she was hiding something from me, but I figure that it's best to not say anything. Mother enjoyed her secrets, almost as much as she enjoyed pushing me to try and discover what those secrets were.

"You still have a lot to figure out Shira. I cannot say anything more then that, though I can offer you a bit of advice..." She starts to say before trailing off.

I tilt my head to the side, my ears twitching curiously. Mother lowers her hand from my head, only to tilt my head up gently by my chin. My gaze is forced to look directly into her eyes, as she says five simple words.

"Stay away from your sister."

[нana ѕong]

Chapter 5: The Hunt

I sigh softly into my reflexion. It has only been a couple of sun rises since the night Kira and I were Marked. As well as Mothers warning. I blink, and my reflexion blinks back. It was still rather odd, having green eyes staring back at me rather then blue. It was almost as strange as trying to stay away from Kira.

Mothers warning still rings in my head, almost as though it is on repeat. Stay away from your sister. I sigh again, seeing as the task itself was nearly impossible, seeing as I see her nearly every day. The only thing that made it easier, was the fact that my sister seemed to be avoiding me as well.

Trying to get away from that topic, I dip my claw onto the ponds surface, sending small ripples to distort my image in the water. The weather was getting colder. The pond will probably be frozen over in a few more moon cycles now. A small frown tugs on the corner of my lips, as I climb to my feet.

"Time to return home..." I mutter to myself, turning away from glittering pond. It was still quite early, the sun actually just starting to rise in the sky. I have been away long enough, and Mother might start to worry soon. Turning away, I start my slow journey home, in no actual hurry anyways. Before the Marking ceremony, I hadn't been allowed to go anywhere without someone accompanying me. Now, I could go where I pleased by myself. No longer a kit without a Mark, I am treated like an elder demon. That is only because my parents are the clan leaders though.

With a soft sigh, I run my claws through my long, jet black, hair carefully. Things could only get worse with the coming winter in more ways then one.

~☯ ~☯ ~☯ ~

The cave was just coming into view, when I hear a familiar voice. Kira.

"--hunting tomorrow. Something about a stray demon having crossed our boarders," she says to her small group of newly acquired friends.

"Oh really?" The third youngest member of the clan, Shizuka, replies back. "And Takashi-sama is letting you join the hunt? I'm older then you and even I haven't been on a hunt yet!" She whines, her tone hinting at a pout.

"Heh..." Well, Father wants me to lead the clan next should something happen to him and Mother," Kira replies back, practically growling out the mention of our mother.

"What about your sister? Oh what is her name..." Shizuka asks, pausing for a moment to dig through her memories. "Ah! Shira! What about her?"

Kira laughs softly, "her? Father despises her! Thanks to what my Marking ceremony showed me I understand why," she replies back with a snicker.

My ears lower against my head as I slowly start to back away. Very little of what Kira said was a surprise, but it was the way she said it that got to me. The pure coldness in her voice, as well as the likeliness to Father. Glad that I am downwind of the small group, I turn and flee from my sister and her fellow Yin friends. With no where else to go, I head towards the way I came from. By this point, tears are starting to prickle behind my eyes, and I blink them away. I can't cry now. I won't!

~☯ ~☯ ~☯ ~

I wipe at my eyes with the back of my hand, the branch I am sitting on swaying gently at the movement. When I was from my sisters words, I had no destination in mind. My feet had carried me all the way to the clearing where the Marking ceremony is held. With a soft sigh, having finally calmed down, I start to think about what i'd heard. That's when I get an idea.

With a small grin now on my face, I ponder my newest discovery. If I can catch and kill the demon, then Father will have to admit that I am worthy to be his daughter as well! Maybe Mother...NO! I must do this myself.

Mind set, I jump down from the branch, landing softly in the grass below. I shift to my demon form, now the size of a pony, as I dash off. Once I am older, I will be able to control the size of my demon form, being of one of the very few races of demons that can. Until then, I will continue to grow in size, getting ever stronger.

Completely invigorated with that in mind, I sniff at the air. With the Marking ceremony being held in the middle of the territory, it is quite easy to pick up on specific scents. After moving around for a bit, I finally pick up on an unfamiliar scent, followed by the demonic aura. Got it! I think to myself, not even considering the fact that I could sense the demon so far away. I head off once more, this time at a light jog to save my strength.

My ears swivel every which way, hoping that I wouldn't run into any other cat demon while I was out. If that happens, then my fate would probably be as bad meeting the intruding demon... No, I can't think like that. I think to myself sternly. Thoughts like the ones that had just been running through my head could lead me to chicken out.

Focusing back to my own hunt, I stay alert to as much as possible. The last thing I needed was to get surprised by the demon I was pursuing. Or any of my clan members. My paws remain silent on the soft grass under my paws, as I slow down from a jog to a flat out walk. My ears perk forward as I am near certain that I had heard something.

Frowning slightly, I lower my body to the ground, the tall grass hiding me fairly well. My black fur blends in rather nicely with the shadows, and my green eyes fit in as well. How convenient. So, comforted with that thought, I stalk forward, placing one paw in front of the other carefully. If I stepped on something, not only would it alert the demon to my presence, but also damage my pride having been caught by pure stupidity alone.

I suddenly pause, realization dawning. I have never hunted before. Mother taught me how to stalk, but that was it. She wanted to teach me how to fight when I got a bit older, so I know nothing. I frown, unsure as to exactly how smart this idea really was after all. Then I remember once again as to why I decided to hunt the demon, and my uncertainties drain away. I could do this. Mother did say that a demons instincts were their best weapon in a battle. So, that's what I would do. I will depend purely on my instincts to keep me alive.

My grin returning after a moment, I stalk forward once more, my resolve not faltering again. Soon, the stench of demon is near overpowering. As is the scent of death. My eyes widen slightly, as I am unsure as to who is dead. The stench of the demon was overpowering the scent of its victim. I swallow, forcing the bile rising in my throat back down, then forcing myself to keep going. I will kill this demon, or die trying.

The grass starts to thin after a few more steps, and I know that I will be running out of places to hide soon. It was almost time to make my move. Just as I feared, the grass ends before me, just a mere jump away, and I stop, forcing my body even lower until my belly fur brushes the ground. My leg muscles are screaming in protest, but I ignore it, deciding to train more after this was done should I survive.

Peering through the grass, I take in the trampled circle, a sure sign that this was obviously the demons camp. I then focus on the said demon, looming over its prey. Purposely avoiding the victim, I study my opponent. My eyes narrow as I take in its large figure. The demon was quite taller then I, about the size of Father if not larger. His claws- for I believe that its a male- are about as long as mine, though my fangs were considerably longer. The main difference though, were the large horns that protruded from the demons temples. The horns themselves had to be as long as my human arm, if not a bit longer. They were about as thick as a small tree branch, and seemed to be made of bone. The white surface of the horns were quite smooth, though both points are coated with fresh blood. Looking closer, I realize that his claws are caked in blood as well.

Looking away from the demon, I make the mistake of looking down to his victim. My eyes widen as I recognize white fur under the redness of its own blood. My first thought was that it was Kira, but that wasn't the case. This cat was a bit bigger then us. Then I finally catch a faint whiff of the cats scent. The dead cat is Shizuka. The young demon that had been talking to my sister not too long ago. I can even see the black markings on her paws to prove it. Raising my line of sight a bit more, i stare into her dull yellow eyes.

No matter how many signs their are, my mind simply refused to believe that she was dead. I hadn't so much as heard a thing either. I never exactly liked Shizuka, but that didn't mean that I wanted to see her like this either. Seeing her lifeless on the grass in her own pool of blood. I turn away, unable to look at Shizuka any longer. That's when I notice that something had changed. The demon was no longer in the clearing.

My eyes widen in panic, as I gaze around the nearby grass, desperately trying to catch a glimpse of his large form. Where did he go?! I think to myself, my tail bristling in fear. I know I had been downwind. I knew I was! Then it hits me. Shizuka's scent wasn't as string as it had been before. The wind had changed, and I didn't even realize it. The demon knows exactly where I am hiding.

Just as I was about to throw caution to the wind and dash away, I feel a faint pressure on my neck, under my chin. The sun was now being blocked by the demons shadow that is cast over me. He grins down at me, his teeth stained red with blood.

"Looks like I have myself a snack," the demon growls into my ear, his rancid breath nearly making me gag. I had lost my chance at a surprise attack, and it might just cost me my life.

[нana ѕong]

Chapter 6: Osuushi

My small body starts to shake, which only seems to amuse the demon even more. What had I been thinking?! Their was no way that I could have beaten an older demon then I! My hearts starts to beat even harder against my chest, as I fight myself to stay in control.

A soft whimper escapes my lips before I can swallow it back down, which leads to the demon roaring in laughter. "You are quite the amusing little demon!" He says, looking down at me once more with his bright red eyes.

Pushing down the fear that continued to rise in my chest, I give a pathetic growl. I tilt my head up, rather surprised that he doesn't object to the movement, as I glare up at him. "Just who are you anyways?" I demand, relieved when my voice stays firm. I am still scared out of my wits, but I could at least pretend otherwise.

This time, the demon gives a single, barking laugh. "Hah! And spirited! How curious..." He replies, leaning a bit closer to me. It takes all of my willpower, and my remaining pride, not to flinch away, as I glare at him. That's when I notice something fairly...odd. The demons aura has gone down considerably, and the eyes looking down at me were no longer red, but a soft brown.

Removing his claw from my neck, he mutters some choice curses under his breath, before crossing his arms over his chest with a grin. "Sorry 'bout that. I am Osuushi," he replies back, seemingly an entire demon then before.

I frown slightly, fairly sure that I am being mocked, as I tilt my head to the side a bit, before relaxing slightly. How had I not noticed earlier? This demon isn't a Youkai, but a Hanyou. A half-demon. I blink in surprise at this realization, before shaking it off. I could question him on that later. Seeing as he did offer his name, I feel as though I must give mine as well, as I shrug. "I'm Shira."

Now it is his turn to tilt his head to the side, as he raises his eyebrow at me. "Come now young Shira. I am before you in my more vulnerable form, the polite thing to do is return the favor."

WIP