Nocturne - An Inuyasha Fanfic

Chapter Thirty-Four: Resolve

Nocturne - Chapter Thirty-Four: Resolve

Rated - M (for suggestive adult themes, references to some violence, and coarse language)

o - o - o - o - o : Indicates scene or POV change

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

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The gods of weather smiled down on Kagome the next day. The storm had ushered in a bout of sunny and mild weather. This weather would do well on her journey to find him.

She'd gathered supplies necessary for her trip and set off on foot with the little nekomata riding on her shoulder. The tiny yokai seemed to have taken to her quite well. Honestly, as soon as she'd fed it some dried meat she'd had leftover at her house, it had become smitten with her, continually mewing and rubbing on her leg in the hope of more.

The little scavenger, she'd thought and pondered on a name for him. Kohaku hadn't mentioned a name, so he must not have one. She listed a few aloud while preparing for her journey, all to be snubbed by her tiny new friend. "How about Rei, you feisty little thing?" He mewed happily at the name, and it was settled. Rei, it was.

Days passed as they headed west. Kagome had no idea where she was supposed to go except for a general sense of the direction. She knew that she would begin the day with the sun traveling at their backs and end with the trees pulling the sun back down for the night's rest.

On the third day, Kagome sighed deeply. She seemed to be getting nowhere fast. Rei walked happily beside her, only too happy for the food she would give him. She stopped and kneeled beside him. "So, do you think you can help me out here?" She asked him.

Rei cocked his little head to the side, confused by Kagome's words. Kagome scratched behind his ear, and his red eyes closed with pleasure. "Look, I've seen your mother transform into a larger form. What do you say, buddy? Care to give me a lift for a bit?"

The nekomata seemed to ponder her request and ran a few feet away. He stood there for a moment, looking uncertain. Perhaps he was unable to transform unless he had two tails like his mother, Kirara. That made sense, she thought.

Kagome called him back, "Don't hurt yourself, little one. You'll get there. Sometimes it just takes longer for others."

Rei bobbed his head as if he understood, which was probable. Kirara always exhibited the ability to understand them, so it wouldn't be a stretch to assume that Rei could as well.

They continued onwards, journeying westward. As they walked, Kagome could help but be reminded of a story that somewhat resembled her own.

It was a fairytale about a king who had fallen in love with a princess from another land. However, the king had been cursed by a witch to resemble a giant, white beast during the day only to return to his true form at night. To break the curse, a woman must marry him but never lay eyes upon his real face for three years lest the king is forced to go and marry the witch.

The king had chosen well because his young bride was beautiful and pure, never to betray anyone, and she had fallen in love with him despite his beastly appearance. Never once did she try to see his face when he came to her at night because he had made her promise not to do so. They were both faithful to their word. In his human form, he arrived at night and left in the morning before she awoke.

Life was well and good for the princess and the king, and it was not long before the princess learned of a child in her belly. However, after the baby had been born the king took the child and disappeared with her. This happened twice more, year after year, always on the third day after the baby had been born.