As Kirara made her way to Sesshomaru�s castle, Catriona, who was riding on her back, glanced to the ground that was far below them & noticed two figures racing across the fresh snowfall, appearing to be going in the direction of her mate�s castle. Wanting to get a better look at the two figures, hoping she would know them, Catriona nudged Kirara, giving the fire-cat youkai a sign to lower her altitude.
Catriona held on as Kirara lowered her altitude, but kept up with the speed up of the faster one. When they were low enough for Catriona to make out features on the two figures, she gave the great fire youkai a nudge to let her know to stay at the height she was. What the ningen saw, when she looked closer, were the figures of Koga & Inu Yasha. Koga was of course in the lead by nearly a quarter mile.
Catching the strong scent of Catriona somewhere nearby, Koga came to a sudden halt, ignoring the hanyou gaining on him now, & began sniffing the air, looking all around. On a hope, he looked up & a smile broke across his face. �Catriona!� He hollered up to her. �It�s so good to see you again!�
Catriona smiled wide. �I say the same to you Koga!� She replied.
Koga, who now had Inu Yasha standing ten feet away from him, stretched his arms up to the sky. �Jump down & I�ll catch you!� He yelled. �Trust me!�
Kirara turned her head & looked back at Catriona, who leaned forward & nodded to the youkai, letting her know that the ningen on her back did intend to jump. She looked at Koga & plunged downward, her altitude decreasing greatly until she was twenty feet from the ground, a comfortable height for her to let the ningen jump. The fire-cat youkai watched as Catriona leapt from her back, then was caught by the strong ookami arms, & was spun around.
�Catriona, I was so worried about you!� Koga laughed, hugging his friend as tight as he could without injuring her fragile ningen body. �I nearly cut the hanyou�s head off when he told me that he lost you in this weather with someone who wanted to take your life once. How have you been?�
�I wish I never left your den Koga,� Catriona exclaimed. �I�m sorry I did that,� she said as she closed her eyes & reveled in the feeling of being this close to her friend again.
Inu Yasha glared as he watched these two, jealous that Catriona was this happy to see the ookami Alpha. He could tell Koga was happy, but he couldn�t blame him. The ookami had just grown close to Catriona she was taken from the den & to a village.
�I hold no grudge against you for wanting to spend time with your friend while you could Catriona,� Koga said as he set her down & held her close to him. �Other than the obvious, how have you been?�
�I could have been better I suppose. How are the females?�
�The pups, a lot of them, didn�t make them�� He spoke, lowering his head. �There were those that survived & those are doing great.� He brought his head up, smiling at her. �I wish you could see them.�
�Keh!� Inu Yasha huffed as he turned & took off in the direction of Sesshomaru�s castle.
�Don�t you dare go anywhere dog breath!� Koga snapped, baring his fangs at the back of the retreating hanyou that kept running, even after Koga�s threat.
�Koga, why are you guys heading in the direction of Sesshomaru�s castle?� Catriona questioned as Koga turned & put his back to her & knelt down.
�Get on,� he commanded. He found himself relieved as she got on his back, without a fight, & held on. He took off after Inu Yasha, his speed increasing as he ran as fast as he could without dropping the girl on his back. �When he returned to me & told me that he lost you & after searching for you himself was unable to find you, I threatened to expose him to your mate. Ever since then it�s been a race against him to get to your mate�s castle before he does.�
Catriona�s eyes widened. �Koga you have to beat him there!� She pleaded. �If you don�t beat him there then something bad will happen if he takes on Sesshomaru without me there!�
�Ever since I lost the Shikon shards in my legs I haven�t been as fast as I could be,� Koga shouted over the sound of the rushing wind, kicking up snow & dirt as he ran.
Catriona felt some relief in her belly, as he was able to pick up some more speed. �Can you do your tornadoes anymore?�
�I don�t think I can without the Shikon shards.�
�Could you try for me?� She begged.
�What do you think I�m doing?� Koga asked as turned his head & looked back at her with a confident smirk.
Catriona shared a smile with him for a moment before he turned his head back around & began picking up more speed when he put some of his youkai energy in his legs. She was so relieved when she could now make out details of Inu Yasha�s form & was soon praying thanks to her Gods when Koga was running alongside the hanyou. She looked at Inu Yasha, her smile now gone.
�Inu Yasha, please don�t go to your brother! If you do something bad will happen,� she warned. The look Inu Yasha gave her, when he turned his head to face her, sent chills down her spine.
�I don�t care what you say Catriona,� he growled at her, narrowing his eyes at her & the ookami she rode on the back of. �I am going to see my brother & I�m going to take him on to have the honor of being with you,� he said, as he appeared to lose his speed.
When Catriona looked forward, she realized that Inu Yasha wasn�t losing speed, but Koga was gaining speed, his head now lowered in determination. Catriona looked next to them & then she looked behind when she couldn�t see Inu Yasha next to them. She was not at all surprised to see the hanyou trailing behind with Koga�s sudden burst of speed.
When she looked ahead, she could now see a very faint glow of green, signaling that they were coming up on her mate�s castle. As Koga ran faster, she saw dirt begin to fly up around them & heard the sound of the wind more defined as it rushed faster around them. Koga glanced around them & felt his chest swell with pride as the once familiar feeling of being in his tornado surrounded him & he raced towards the scent of Sesshomaru.
As the dirt picked up & the wind howled louder, Catriona had to close her eyes to keep dirt from getting in them. She felt her hair whip around from the force of the wind & she smiled to herself, knowing that she would be able to get to her mate quicker this way & would be able to avoid the fight that she knew would have happened.
When the barrier around Sesshomaru�s castle, that would keep him out due to his pure youkai blood, was only ten feet away, he came to a skidding stop, nearly toppling over. Even though he almost toppled over, he was smiling with youkai pride because he knew the reason he could no longer smell Inu Yasha�s scent was because he had used his tornado. He had the confidence that now he would be able to use his tornado again now that he knew he didn�t need the Shikon shards to do it.
Catriona slid down from Koga�s back & smiled at her friend. �Thank you so very much Koga,� she smiled, hugging the sweating youkai.
�It was no problem,� he said with panting breaths as he hugged back then let go of her, as he could now smell the hanyou�s scent coming up on them. �You go inside & find your mate� I�ll stay here & take care of Inu Yasha.�
Catriona nodded & passed through the barrier, shivering since it was till cold inside. She wondered why there was no snow falling in here, or snow on the crimson-hued ground, but then remembered that his barrier kept out snow & rain.
�Sesshomaru!� She cried out as she ran up to the great entryway of her mate�s castle. �Sesshomaru, are you here?� She yelled out, hoping he would come to her. When he didn�t come to her, she made her way inside & began her search of the castle to find her mate. When she did find him, he was in his training room with his back to her. �Sesshomaru?�
Before she had a chance to react, she found herself on the floor, pinned beneath his trained body, with his Dokkasou aimed at her neck. She watched as his eyes cleared of his mediation haze & he removed the Dokkasou from her neck. They lay like this for several moments, looking into each other�s eyes, both calculating who should say the initial words.
�Why have you come here?� He questioned, his emotionless amber eyes gazing into her brown orbs.
�I needed to talk to you,� she answered, feeling her body melt under his, enjoying being where it loved the most.
He carefully rose to his feet & helped her up before he moved away & went to his window seat, looking out over his Lands. �What do we have to speak of? You have made it quite clear that you are displeased with me��
�Do you still love me?� Catriona questioned.
�Yes,� he answered calmly, turning his head to look back at her. �I have not once felt anything less than love for you & your fiery spirit. Even when you told me that our son died while in your watch. After thinking it over, I understand that it is not your fault that he was bitten by a snake youkai. Besides,� he said, turning his head back around. �I have already taken care of the vile beast that destroyed him.�
Catriona tilted her head slightly. �What are you talking about?�
�For six months after making a kill, snake youkai carry the scent of their victims, even if they have not touched them more than to bite. It�s a way for them to have proof that they have defeated an enemy & a way to avoid family member from being destroyed by rival snake youkai. It�s a signal of victory for most & a murder wish for others.�
Catriona watched as Sesshomaru turned to face his body to her. �So it was easy for you to find his murderer then?�
Sesshomaru nodded once. �I followed the youkai�s scent until I found the one that poisoned our son, & then destroyed him before he had a chance to finish off the meal he was in the middle of.�
Catriona felt herself smile slightly. �I�m sure your son, our son, would have loved to hear of how you avenged his death.�
�I�m sure you are correct.�
Catriona sighed softly. �Where is Lady Chimei-teki?�
�When I returned from following your scent to the village, I was greeted with the news that she was indeed carrying my pups inside her womb. Upon hearing this, I arranged to have an escort take her back to the Lands that were once hers. I informed her that once she has found a new home to take up residence, she is to leave the castle of those lands. They belong to me now & I do not wish to have such a vile female in my new Lands.�
Catriona grinned slightly before another question crossed her mind & she lowered her head, knowing she wouldn�t be able to look into his eyes & ask the question that now lingered on her mind.
�Sesshomaru, do you still want me to stay here, in your time, with you?� She questioned.
�No,� he replied. �You are too much trouble to have around.�
His cold words made her heart clench in her chest & tears well up in her eyes. �Okay, I understand,� she said as she pushed back the tears & raised her head to look at him. She felt her heart unclench as relief wash through her when she saw the teasing smile on Sesshomaru�s lips & the smile in his eyes.
�Why would I not want the woman I chose as my life mate to stay with me?�
�After all I have put you through I thought you would not want me around you anymore; which I wouldn�t be able to blame you for if you did.�
Sesshomaru closed the distance between them & slid his arm around the waist of his woman & pressed his forehead gently against hers. �Have you come to a decision on whether or not you wish to stay here with me?� He questioned.
Catriona, despite the fact that their foreheads were together, looked into the eyes of her mate. �I have come to a decision.�
�What have you come to?�
Catriona removed her forehead from his & kissed him deeply. She felt tears well up behind her eyelids as she closed them, when her mate returned the deep kiss. When the kiss broke apart, Catriona looked into the hazed eyes of her lover.