Sins of A Red Dragon
Part Seven: From Despair Comes Hope
Two Years Later
"Takara!" Fahd called. "Now where did that girl run off to now? Doesn't she know that her father will be here any minute?"
"She's probably off playing with her animal friends again." InuTala said as she held their two year old son in her lap. Tal giggled with embarrassment as his mother hugged him. "They just seem to be drawn to her. She goes quite far away from the dens because she's afraid the others will try to eat them."
Fahd smiled and shook his head. His son jumped off his mother's lap and ran up to him. Tal reached out his arms. "Swing me, Papa." he said. Fahd picked up the lad, lifted him high over his head and swung the both of them around and around. Then he grunted and put the boy down.
"You're getting to big for this. You're going to break your father's back."
Tal laughed and then ran off to play with the other boys.
"I don't think he believed me," he whined as he sat down next to his mate. "It's hard to believe that Tal and Takara are the same age. Takara looks like she's 14 now."
"I know," InuTala said "Thank the gods she's finally slowed down her growth enough that she might get a chance to wear her clothes longer than just a few days. If she were a boy, I would have just let her go without."
"Somehow, I don't think her father would have appreciated that," Fahd said.
"Did you see any signs of the Unicorn herds on your last walk?" she asked.
"No, not a one. I asked the Foxes if they had seen anything or helped anyone recently and they hadn't. The Fox Demons have been helping the best they can in penance for selling our secret, but I fear it's too little too late. Instead of improvement, we keep hearing about death and more death. The bounty on our horns has gone very high and we Protector Unicorns are easy to spot even in our human form with our forehead markings. Soon the only ones that will be left in the world will be the human-cross offspring, because they don't have the visible mark; them and our Dog Demon children."
"But aren't our children in danger too? They have the same marking."
"No, thank the gods. Apparently your Wolf blood makes that lariat useless. InuAmal was attacked about a month ago but he had no trouble taking out his attackers."
"Attacked! Why didn't you tell me? You could have at least told me that the lariat wasn't a threat. All this time I've been worrying every time they went out on patrol." InuTala paused and turned to look hat him. "You could stay home now. You're risking yourself every time you go out and for no reason. Our sons are strong. They can take over patrolling our land."
"My nature is to roam, you know that." He hugged and gave her a small kiss. "If I stayed here, I would drive you crazy with my cabin fever."
"Hum... You've got a point. I wonder if Takara will be affected by the lariat."
"No telling. I hope she never has to find out. Any sign of her transforming yet?"
"Not yet. Maybe she can't transform." InuTala said.
"That's unlikely. I think her body is still trying to adjust to itself. Look..." Fahd said as he pointed to the sky. "There's Kyo now."
A red Dragon circled leisurely down and transformed as he landed.
"Good day, dear friends," Kyo said as he walked toward them looking around for his daughter. "Where is Takara?"
"Oh, her? She heard you were coming and took off somewhere. I guess she didn't want to see you," Fahd teased, with a flick of his hand.
Kyo didn't say a word. He just smiled that unnerving half grin of his.
Suddenly a young lady burst from the woods, long black hair trailing behind her. She ran full speed toward them.
"Father!!!" she cried joyfully as she threw herself at Kyo. He caught her and held her close.
"So how has my little girl been?" Kyo asked.
"Great! I missed you! Why where you gone so long?"
"Dragon duties. Just Dragon duties."
"So let me look at you!" Kyo held his daughter out and took her hand. He raised her hand above her head so she could twirl beneath it. "I swear you look more like your mother every day. I can't believe how fast you've grown."
"Do I really look like my mother?" she asked with a smile.
"Except for your beautiful, unique violet eyes and those wild cheek marks, yes, you look just like her."
"I wish I had gotten a chance to know her."
"So do I, Takara, so do I," Kyo said as he hugged her again. He kissed the top of her head. and then released her. "Why don't you go play with your cousins for a bit. I need to talk with your guardians."
She frowned and hesitated. She knew such talks always meant bad news.
"Go on." Kyo encouraged.
She turned and walked slowly away, the picture of rejection.
"What's up Kyo?" asked Fahd.
"The Great Dragons had a meeting about what to do about our current situation. With the demons and humans killing your kind and then using your horns to kill my kind, we felt it was time to make a decision. It was decided that all the Great Dragons will go into hibernation."
"Hibernation? How long?" Fahd asked.
Kyo dropped his eyes to his feet. "Until Unicorns no longer walk the worlds."
"What? You're kidding right? Kyo, we're allies." Fahd said.
"I am with you, your offspring and Isabo, but not with the others. Jalala's brothers may have helped us rescue Jalala and Isabo but it was too little, too late." Kyo looked straight into the eyes of the Unicorn; red eyes flickering. "Protector Unicorns are starting to attack Great Dragons. Did you know that? For no just reason other than fear that the humans will kill them if they don't. Unicorns are being slaughtered, Fahd. My kind doesn't want the same fate to befall them. So we will hibernate, each with a scheduled wake up time, and then return to sleep until there are no more Unicorns. My only fear is for Takara, you and Isabo. Have you seen Isabo at all?"
"No," Fahd said. "Not since the day Shinjou died. I worry about her. She was in heat and she didn't go back to the herd. I don't know what I would have done in her place, but I know she would not wish to mate with anyone else, at least not during this heat. I don't know if she can ride out this heat alone. That would require 10 years of solitary seclusion. That would be like hell to us. Unicorn female heats are not as strong as Demon male heats but I heard it can still be very uncomfortable. Maybe she has been able to find male to satisfy her needs without a permanent attachment. One thing for sure, she's keeping a low profile. It may just save her life."
"I hope so," Kyo said. "You must be careful too Fahd. These are dangerous times. Have you seen any change in Takara yet? Has she been able to assume dragon form?"
"No," InuTala said, speaking for the first time. "She has yet to transform into anything other than what she is. She may not be able to transform." The Demon Wolf felt a chill running down her back as they covered the same ground as Fahd and she did earlier.
"Damn," Kyo swore. "That means I'll have to leave her behind with you. She has to be able to assume dragon form to hibernate successfully."
Takara popped out from a bush. "What do you mean 'leave her behind'? What are you planning on doing?"
All three of them jumped at the sound of her voice.
"You're leaving me, aren't you!" she cried. "Please don't disappear from my life again. You told my mother that you would stay with me. Is it something I did? I'll try harder, I swear!"
"Takara, it's not your fault," Kyo said as he pulled his daughter into his embrace. "You can't force your body to do something it's not ready to do. Besides, all we're going to do is sleep for a very long time. You'd miss out on so much living if you came with me. Don't you like living here?"
"Yes, of course I do," Takara exclaimed. "But I want to be with you. You're my father. Nobody understands me as well as you do." She buried her head into his chest and sobbed.
Kyo swallowed back his own tears. He knew this would be hard but he hadn't a clue how hard.
"It can't be helped. But you know what?" he asked stroking her hair and kissing the top of her head. "You're immortal too so the chances are good that if you are careful, we will be together again some day."
He was lying. There really wasn't much of a chance but it was all he could give her.
Trying to lighten the mood, Kyo, changed the subject. "What's for dinner? I'm starved!"
Takara pulled back and punched him in the chest. Then she turned and ran off.
"Was it something I said?" he asked as he rubbed his chest. InuTala ran after the girl.
Fahd sighed and shook his head. "You just never learn do you? It's okay to show your feelings Kyo."
Kyo frowned suddenly very serious. "I tried that once. It hurt too much."
"So, now you push others away? Even your own daughter?"
"Yes, if it will save her pain. I can't be here for her Fahd, not now. I thought I could, but every time I see her it gets harder and harder. Each time I see her I'm reminded of Jalala and how much I miss her. It's tearing me up inside. She grew up so fast I didn't get a chance to heal from Jalala's death before she started looking exactly like her. Even before the meeting I wasn't sure how much longer I was going to be able to keep coming to see her."
"Kyo, don't be a fool. Children are the fruit of our love. Takara's existence means that a part of Jalala is still with us. She is a testament of yours and Jalala's love. She's a beautiful child."
"I know that and it eases my heart, but it's time Takara flew on her own without me. Dragons are not natural parents, especially my sex. For Jalala and Takara's sake I was going to try but my daughter is much better in your hands." Kyo stepped back and transformed. "It's time to go."
"Wait!" Fahd exclaimed. "Aren't you even going to say goodbye to her?"
"I already have and she knows it. Take care of her Fahd. Farewell."
Kyo spread his wings and lifted into the sky.
On a cliff Takara sat on a rock watching her father fly off. InuTala had finally caught up with her and also saw the red Dragon take to the sky.
"Takara, I'm sorry." she said. InuTala was going to make all sort of excuses but seeing Kyo fly off without saying goodbye made her so angry at him that she decided to say nothing in his defense. In her opinion, Kyo was a lousy father. Maybe he would have been better if Jalala had lived, but her death took all the will out of him. She turned from the sight of the disappearing Dragon to look at her adopted daughter and was surprised to see her smiling.
"It's alright," the girl said. "We'll be together again. I know it!"
Tekel looked back at Isabo. "Are you sure you don't want Fahd to know where you are and that you're okay?" he asked for the millionth time. 'He still asks about you." The Fox Leader checked on the Unicorn and their son daily. Her belly was swollen big with their next child.
"No, Tekel. I'm fine here. If you tell him, Fahd will just want me to go stay with him."
Tekel still couldn't believe Isabo had come to him. The day she did she had made it very clear she wanted no emotional ties. She had lost her love and was not about to seek a new relationship. Nor did she wish to return to her herd. Tekel gladly took her in and found her a small den a short distance away from the rest of the Foxes. He knew the only reason she came to him was because she was in heat. He understood her reasoning. Foxes do not generally make permanent ties. He quickly announced that the beautiful Unicorn as his alone, so the other Foxes would leave her alone, then he gently took her under his tutelage. He found that Isabo was young and inexperienced but she learned quickly.
There was some jealousy from the Fox Vixens but then they found that Tekel still shared his time with them. If they got vocally abusive, he reminded them of their duties to the alliance with the Dog Demons which included protecting the Unicorns. After a year they came to accept and even like her. For the next several years Isabo remained with the Fox Demons, safe in their protection. She was still sad but her children helped her recover. She stayed until the children were grown, then she moved on. Maybe someday, she would be up to touching base with those she loved. Maybe someday she will find it in her heart to forgive her father. Maybe then she will find love again. Maybe then she will find happiness again.
Song: "Farewell for Tomorrow" by Graduation - from the InuYasha OST 3