Nocturne - An Inuyasha Fanfic

Chapter Forty-Four: The Bastard Army

Nocturne - Chapter Forty-Four: The Bastard Army

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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Kagome's mind raced along with her thundering heart. What could this wild creature want with her? Why toy with her? She pushed Setsuna almost underneath her body, covering her child with as much of herself as possible to keep the crazy man away.

"I see you went and made one yourself," the hanyo sneered as he crouched over her. His clawed hand went out and picked up a loose strand of Setsuna's long white hair that covered the ground. She shivered and still held Rei close to her chest. The small nekomata made a menacing growl in her arms, a warning.

Kagome smacked his hand away. "Touch her and see where I send you," she hissed, placing extra malice on her emphasis of "I."

"So protective is the bitch of her pup," he laughed.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled reflexively. He had not moved, still standing protectively in front of Shizuka. He seemed at war with himself over whether to protect his current love over his former.

Kagome could see from the corner of her eye as one of the new hanyo stalked closer to where Inuyasha stood. He threatened Shizuka's safety should Inuyasha leave to defend Kagome and Setsuna. Inuyasha knew he was being pinned down and made his choice to stay put.

"I wonder what it is about you that seems to drive them to protect you?" Feng said softly. His arms were now placed on either side of Kagome and Setsuna. "You don't seem that special, and you're not even that pretty." He made an amused face. "Either way, Father wants you." He chuckled at his inner thoughts.

Her spiritual powers teemed just below the surface, ready to spill over and blow the hanyo away. However, Kagome was afraid to unleash the holy light with Setsuna next to her. What impact would that have on her, who also had yokai blood running through her veins? Would it kill her? That was a risk Kagome could not and would not take, so she protected her with her body and life, if necessary.

Kagome heard a rumbling from beneath her, like some feral animal trapped in a corner. At first, she thought the sound came from Rei, who had not yet struggled to be free, but she realized it was coming from the small girl upon second thought. Setsuna's small arm pushed out from beside her mother and grabbed the hanyo's haori, pulling him closer to them both with a fantastic display of strength for one so small.

"Mother is beautiful," she growled along with Rei. "Father says so!" She released his haori and put her palm flat, with a glowing light emanating from it.

Kagome gaped at the sight, having never witnessed such a thing from her child. She watched in astonishment, and Setsuna released a blast of spiritual energy that sent the hanyo flying backward. Kagome flew up and pulled Setsuna off the ground as well, and they retreated back to where Sango stood to guard the younglings.

They watched curiously as Feng convulsed on the ground for a moment. He had collapsed within himself and grabbed his arms, pulling into a fetal position before his legs pushed straight again. His silver-white hair seemed to glitch, and what Kagome could only describe as a wave of mortality ebbed over him as his yokai features diminished, revealing human ears and coloring for but a brief moment. The entire episode was over all too quickly, and Feng jumped up in shock.

All who watched did so in a shock of their own at the display, and the quarrel was forgotten momentarily. Even the new hanyo intruders had dropped their defenses and gaped openly at their comrade.