Ice and Snow, Mind and Heart

Chapter 15: Tenseiga

Sesshomaru watched his brother as Inuyasha cradled the dead girl's body in his arms, and he felt a strange twinge inside as he saw the way Yuki's head lolled lifelessly while her hand hung to the side.

"Hmph." Toran sniffed. "Stupid girl."

She then turned to Sesshomaru and Inuyasha as she sneered: "And now, sons of the Inu no Taisho, you two are next!"

The four panther demons fired up their powers as Inuyasha looked up and glared at them, his eyes filled with hate and fury. Sesshomaru's hand tightened around Tokijin's hilt, as he too felt an unexpected surge of anger towards the panther demons.

But they were all surprised when the panther master suddenly called: "Give me souls. Give me souls!"

He swiped at the nearest power source, and Toran's eyes widened and she ducked quickly to avoid the attack. But Karan, who had been behind the eldest panther leader, was not so lucky and she cried out as she was struck by the panther master's attack.

"Karan!" Toran cried, when the panther master's next swipes took out Shunran and Shuran each, who both fell with screams of pain.

Toran gasped, staring at the panther master in horror as he sucked up the powers and souls of her fallen siblings, and she whispered: "How could he...?"

Both Sesshomaru and Inuyasha also stared in shock at this turn of events, while the panther master groaned and moaned as he sat up, the power of the souls swirling around him as it gave him energy and strength. They all watched as he grew out, the skeletal remains fleshing out and growing fur to reveal a giant cat-like demon with a horn in the centre of its forehead and glowing yellow eyes.

"He devoured his own kin so that he could revive himself." Inuyasha said, shocked momentarily from his own fury, and the panther master breathed deeply before slowly looking down.

"You two." He growled as he stared at first Sesshomaru and then Inuyasha. "Sons of the Dog General...You are next. Feel the wrath of my vengeance."

He growled again and his eyes glowed red, but Inuyasha gently placed Yuki down, where Kagome cradled her instead as the half-demon turned to face the panther master head on.

"Bring it on!" Inuyasha snarled as he drew Tetsusaiga and held it high. "I'll let you feel my wrath."

The panther demon growled and reached for him but Inuyasha jumped away to protect Kagome and Yuki's body. The panther master followed him, and Inuyasha swung the Tetsusaiga to knock the demon's claws away as it tried to grab and crush him.

Sesshomaru leapt up, using the demon's momentary distraction to sneak an attack from the side as he wielded Tokijin. The panther master glanced up just as Sesshomaru struck down, swinging Tokijin and sending a large slice through the air. The panther master yelped as the attack hit him right on the head, but Sesshomaru was displeased to see it barely scratched the other demon.

He jumped away as the panther demon swung his claws around wildly, and Inuyasha snarled as he ran passed his brother: "Out of my way!"

He lifted the Tetsusaiga and shouted: "Wind Scar!"

The attack hit the panther demon right on, and Inuyasha smirked: "Dead on."

His smile fell however as his ears twitched, and the smoke cleared to reveal the panther demon looking completely fine.

"Hehehe." The panther master chuckled. "No such luck!"

"You got the strength to fight my old man, I'll give you that much." Inuyasha growled. "You won't get passed me though."