Honor and Vengeance

Rekkonji nodded as he and the half-breed reviewed once more their plan of action after Zheng had joined them, a hint of smugness in his air.

Kintsuke would be along the ground and lower levels to make the most use of her tonfa, with Zheng at the top with his halberd. Between them, they would maneuver the Bifang as needed, luring it with their fire until a weak spot was found and exploited; that was Rekkonji's focus with his ji polearm.

As Zheng departed to take up his perch, Rekkonji caught Kintsuke's gaze again, unaware of the expression written on his own face. She paused, waiting patiently for whatever it was he wanted to say. He licked his lips, hesitating. The silence between them roared with revelation, and Kintsuke smiled as she realized they both recognized each other. There was so much she felt she could ask him now, with that understanding in place, but now was not the time.

"Good luck, Warmaster."

The slightest of smiles pulled at Rekkonji's lips at the sound of his former title.

"Good luck, little hanyou."

With that, they parted.

As Kintsuke made her way along, she fought to keep the trepidation in her gut from coiling tight and making her nauseous. The pups were safe, Zheng's plan damaged, now all she had to do was survive this. With Zheng and Rekkonji also in the fight, she knew she should have felt more confident about her chances; but she did not.

'You're being silly, again. Knock it off; focus!'

She'd been through worse, faced direr situations than this, she was certain. All she had to do this time was survive; to protect herself. Surely she could manage that much?

***

On a cliff high above the plains of Musashi, Sesshoumaru watched his long flows of silver and mokomoko dance in the south-westerly winds. Something had knotted in the pit of his stomach, putting him on edge. He could feel it at the edge of his senses again, the thing that struggled and then faded shortly after. This time, however, it did not fade, the sensation remaining just behind his eyes and beyond his clawed fingertips as he continued to gaze out over the expanse of his ever-growing domain.

Somehow, it felt more significant than the previous episodes, and he tuned himself keenly to its minute fluctuations. Despite this, all he could make out was that something was supremely wrong, somewhere, somehow.

'Why? Why does it seem as though this Sesshoumaru should be wherever this sensation is coming from instead of here?'

He would never admit it, but he was thankful for the distraction the shadows that now sailed above him offered. He angled his head to watch as the large shimmering blackbird alighted further down the cliff, molting into the form of a man he recognized.

"Well met, Lord Sesshoumaru."

"Commander Hiken." Sesshoumaru greeted in his usual icy silk tones. "I do hope you've something of interest for me, finally."

"I just might."

***

Kintsuke watched the Bifang poke its beak into the many openings along this side of the fortress, seeking out the 'grubs' within. Above, Zheng and Rekkonji were in position, awaiting the chance to strike. She gauged how the creature would react, waiting until it was angled just so before bolting out from her hiding spot just far enough to be seen as she flared her bright green and black flames.

As expected, the Bifang twisted its head down to her, chirping in excitement as it spread its wings to dive down at her. Its belly and rear exposed, the males struck out, discovering that they would have to hack at the thick coat of feathers before being able to get at the tender flesh underneath.

Kintsuke dove back into safety, but only just barely, and she found herself kicking and stabbing at the beak that now pinned her against an inner wall as the Bifang pecked in at her. It pulled away completely, probably sensing Zheng's fire now, and Kintsuke winced as she felt that her dragon plates around her torso were cracked.

'What the hell is its beak made out of?!'

Panic threatened to grip her as she found her armor would be of little use, but she shoved it and her riling inner demon back down, scampering back out to make a strike of her own at the creature.

Back and forth, up the heights and around and back down they corralled and lashed out at the Bifang. Each strike sent more of its feathers to litter the ground, its fire-y crown blazing with its growing frustration with the three assailants. It tried taking to the air and sweeping down on them but found that between the halberd and ji polearm, it wasn't a much better strategy.

Zheng took the opportunity to bury the blade of his halberd into the soft spot under one of the wings as it swept by, much to the Bifang's displeasure. Blood gushed from the wound as he recovered his weapon, landing gracefully on the side of the fortress.

The Bifang screeched at them again, faltering, and it finally backed off out of reach to consider something new. The sun was high above them now; they'd been at this for hours. The creature was tiring, but so was Kintsuke. Even Rekkonji was growing uncomfortable with the amount of energy this required.

They couldn't allow the creature to rest, though, and so they pushed forward, chasing it back into the trees and toward the shoreline again. It hopped and struggled awkwardly through the forest, half-flying half-hopping, splattering blood everywhere as it went.

They darted in, slashed, dodged back again as it struck out with its good wing or snapped at them, and darted in again.

"Distract it, I'm going for the neck!"

Rekkonji darted away to find a better angle of approach.

Kintsuke flared her fire again to keep the thing's attention on her, but even those were starting to weaken. As expected, it lunged and snapped at her, and she danced just barely out of its reach.

'Hurry up, Warmaster, I can't keep this up!'

The blades of her tonfa sang as she slapped them against the pursuing beak, but she didn't relax even as it withdrew. Her legs tangled on something as she leaped back to put more space between them, and she caught a flash of the satisfied smirk on Zheng's face behind her before the Bifang lunged once more.

With a great snap, her armor gave completely, and she could feel the crunching of her spine as the creature's beak ran her through. It reeled up and back, determined to keep its prize, trilling in victory, but it was short-lived.

Rekkonji's weapon struck home a moment later, severing the Bifang's head and sending it tumbling back into the lake. Its body slowly crumbled to the ground, blood gushing like a river from the open neck. The twisting motions threw Kintsuke's body off of the beak, and the chilly air whistled through the gaping hole in her torso.

'I can't feel my legs...'

That old familiar burning ignited behind her eyes, her inner demon roaring to once again be free, to save them. She felt her youki thrash in kind, and she let it flow, shimmering white engulfing her in the healing flames.

She could feel her body beginning to stitch together, but knew it wouldn't be enough, not like this; and she knew she wouldn't have the energy to carry herself back to shore with just the strength of her already cramping and trembling arms.

'No... I can't, I won't! I will not die here, not like this! I REFUSE!'

She snarled as she curled into herself as much as she could, the lake rushing to meet her as her world bled red one last time.

***

The sky was painted a deep red as Sesshoumaru and Rekkonji watched the sunset from their respective locations.

The sensation at the edge of Sesshoumaru's senses had given a great and desperate pulse before fading sharply and completely; and he quietly reached out every few moments to see if he could find it again.

To his great frustration, there was nothing.

With the Bifang dead, Rekkonji squeezed the truth out of Zheng. He knew the bastard had meant for Kintsuke to fall in battle but to facilitate it himself instead of letting her own weakness consume her... This, Rekkonji could not accept. Even after their hours of effort, the Warmaster was the superior fighter, and he left Zheng's corpse to rot in the sun.

Finally free, the Lady Consort decided she would return to her own territory with her pups. She requested Rekkonji's escort, and he agreed. As he waited for their things to be packed and themselves to be readied for the journey, Rekkonji kept watch over the lake.

Not even a ripple disturbed the glassy surface.

'Where are you, hanyou? Don't tell me this was the extent of your power after all these years.'

He glowered, as though he could force the lake to confess. All he received was perfect silence.

'Come on, Kintsuke.'

The Lady Consort was ready to leave. Rekkonji ended his futile vigil and began the eastward trek. His heart boiled with fury for both Zheng and Kintsuke. Zheng because of his cowardice and dishonor; Kintsuke because she had chosen now, of all times, to disappoint him.