Rain fall, in the middle of the winter in temperatures so cold it should have just turned to snow. Kagome stood outside of her village gazing at the sky; the clouds were so thick that no stars could be seen. Inuyasha and Miroku had left to go get more fire wood, a white wisp of bitter hot air stung the freezing Ora of the night as Kagome sighed. Sango groaned softly from her spot on the ground. She sat there Indian style on a palate of furs and floor pillows close enough to the fire to feel it’s warmth. Sango rubbed her growing belly and smiled a bit. It had been a long battle with naraku but he was gone, finally and she could start her life anew, by giving new life. “Come sit with me Kagome, Inuyasha and miroku shall be back soon…it’s cold at the door” Sango called pouring her and kagome a cup of tea. Kagome nodded and took her seat, she gazed into the fire. “It’s not them I’m worried about”  She thought.  “Something just doesn’t feel right..”  kagome let her thoughts slip between her lips in a light murmur. “What do you feel kagome?” Sango asked setting down her tea. The tension and unease of the air around them, the silence made the cups light clank against the wooden floor seem like a prolonged echo.

Mulan sat quietly with Liu Liao playing a game of Go “you know I am no good at this game cousin” Mulan said with a soft giggle. Liu Liao glanced up at Mulan her Amber eyes burning with a warmth of the sun. Mulan gave a soft smile but her eyes went to the window. “the rain hasn’t  let up…its been two whole weeks now” she said. Liu Liao frowned lightly “it is odd…I hope…I hope father and my uncles are ok” she said softly that warmth in her amber eyes fading quickly. Mulan waved her hands furiously and cracked a nervious smile “don’t think I like I didn’t mean to worry you Liu Liao I am sure their fine….I was only commenting about the weather” Mulan said in a stammering rush. Liu Liao nodded and made another move on the Go board. “I suppose your right…after all…Shang, Gaun yu, Zhange Fei, Father, and your father are strong…bad weather, isn’t anything to them” Liu Liao smiled with her statement as did Mulan “your right there” Mulan added giving a true smile this time. Mulan forcoused on the Go board, trying to figure out her next move. Liu Liao stood up and walked to the window “yet still…” Liu Liao thought.

Tomoe stood in the garden of her lord’s castle. Her long black hair soaked in the rain, she had just came back from from praying at the temple. Her blue and white miko robes darkend with water. “this weather…it is a bad omen” she thought looking up at the sky she closed her eyes the droplets burning against her cold skin. “Lady Tomoe!” a soft gentle voice called almost like that of a young girl. Tomoe looked behind her, her eyes where distant. “Yes ranmaru…” she said turning to face the boy. Ranmaru blushed as the Miko faced him, her otherwise loose clothing now clung to her body in the rain, showing off her curves, she stood completely still as if the edge of the cold and rain did not affect her in the least bit. While he himself shivered like a rattle snakes tail under the pressure of the cold and wet nature of the world around him. “Lady t-tomoe…its cold out, you’ll get sick. You must come inside” He managed to speak. Tomoe’s look sofend a bit and she smiled. “It’s you whom should be inside dear mori…I am sure master mitsuhide is in search for you.” She said walking past him. Ranmaru followed behind her. “He sent me Lady Tomoe…Lord Nobunaga…and Lady Noh, they wish to speak with you” He said. Tomoe stopped “what for?” she said facing him. “They’ve not spoken to me common since I refused to marry that Hideyoshi Toyotomi…” She said. Ranmaru shrugged “I suppose I do not know what for…but it must be of some importance” he said. Tomoe nodded “right lets go mori” she said gesturing for Ranmaru to lead the way.

Tomoe entered the Great hall with Ranmaru, she looked to Lord Nobunaga but only found a cluster of his generals surrounding him, As well as Allied Officers the spokesmen for the allied forces.  “ my lord, what’s going on” Tomoe asked her voice as urgent but her face as it always has failed her in the attempt to look like one of authority. Lord Nobunaga stood up from his seat. “You are here” He said. Tomoe nodded and pushed her way into the crowd, she stood next to Mitsuhide. “What’s going on….why a counsel?” She asked. “This weather is strange Lady Tomoe…and our warriors have seen strange red lighting stricking the lands…they sky is so dark that it is as if the sky isn’t there at all anymore” Oichi said nervously. “I’ve called you, being the miko you are…to tell us what you sense from this” Lord Nobunaga said. Tomoe was silent for a moment before sighing “I feel…I feel it is a bad omen” she said, the small crowd began to whisper amongst themselves.  “Although I do not know what for…I am sorry to say that…that we shall not know until whatever is on its way…is already upon us” She said darkly.

“Hey Kagome” a tall slender Kitsune called his long ponytail soaked in an auburn rope down his back. “shippo?” Kagome said standing up quickly wrapping a blanket around him. “Where are Inuyasha and Miroku?” she asked. “I don’t know a large lightning bolt struck the light was too bright. When it faded Miroku and Inuyasha were gone!” Shippo said his voice cracking slightly. “What?!” Sango called hopping to her feet, the unborn life within her not happy with the sudden move cause her to feel ill, she groaned. “sango you should sit back down” Kagome urged. “No” Sango said waving and willing away the feeling “I’m fine” she said. Kagome grabbed her bow and headed outside of the hut. “What…” she muttered gazing at the sky. Shippo helped sango to the door and carried her Hirakotsu for her as well. Kagome couldn’t find the words to describe what was in front of her eyes. Sango fallowed her friends pointed finger, her arm was quivering slightly. “Where’s the sky….”

“Damn it!” Inuyasha cursed loudly “nothing looks familiar and we’re going in circles!” he barked in frustration. Miroku looked around the forest had changed quite a bit “your right…and there is no sign of shippo” the monk added. “This isn’t good” He muttered. Inuyasha looked up a tall tree “wait here Miroku, I’m gonna climb that tree and see if I can see the village” He said. “Right” Miroku said standing at the ready with his staff in front of him. Inuyasha using his demonic abilities hopped from one tree branch to the next, until he reached the top. “What” he whispered scanning the land. “What do you see?” Miroku called up to him. Inuyasha grunted and grubbed his eyes as if it were just an illusion. “Inuyasha?” Miroku called quietly before scaling the tree himself. After some time Miroku reached the top of the tree. “What is it inuyasha?” He asked the hanyou nodded ahead of him “look for yourself” he said. Miroku looked at his surroundings. All he could see was an endless foreign forest and a jet black sky. The clouds were gone, the moons did not shine, the stars had died, and red bolts of lightning struck randomly around in the forest. “this cannot be good” Miroku  stammered.Kagome was now drenched in rain herself, same went for Shippo and Sango. “I think we should head back…They’re not out here and Sango needs to get out of the cold” Shippo said. Kagome nodded “your right” she said turning to face the two. “We’ll give it til’ morning, if they don’t show up by morning we’ll search again.” Kagome added. “We’ll never find them in this darkness” She signed butting away her bow.

Liu L

iao stirred in her sleep her arm slipped off t he Go board taking some game pieces with it. The soft clatter of the pieces hitting the ground disturbed Mulan’s slumber causing her to stir as well. Sun was shining through the windows of the house now, and birds where singing, yet the air seem unnatural. “General Fa, General Liao!” A lieutenant called bursting through the door. Mulan awoke with a start and fell back out of her chair. Liu Liao knocked the whole Go board off of the stable as she stood up instantly. “Did I win?” she asked in a confused daze. Mulan shook her head waking up fully. Liu Liao quickly caught on as well as she had been shaken awake to. “Your fathers and uncles…they’ve not returned…and no one’s seen them!” The man said clearly shaken. “What do you mean no one’s seen them” Liu Liao asked trying to remain calm Mulan rushed to the shaken man “where is shang and my father!” She demanded. Liu Liao rested her hand on her cousins shoulder “calm down mulan…he doesn’t know, else he’s have never come to us” She said. Mulan looked at Liu Liao sadly but