Rider by ThatDarnCatt

The War

This idea has been bouncing around my head all day. I have always been a major love of all things Dragonriders of Pern. A lot of the ideas when it comes to the dragons in this are taken from that series. If you have never read it, I seriously suggest it. Anne McCaffrey is an incredible writer and she makes me smile. I hope this story somewhat makes you smile.

Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the storyline, everything else is property of their respective owners.

Rider

Chapter One: The War

                Many years ago, the great Taiyoukai's of the land raged war against the great serpents of the sky. Their long reptilian bodies were often found strewn around the land as the Taiyoukai made their way through the ranks of the serpents, their goal being the Great Dragon God Ryukotsusei. With him gone, the serpents would be nothing and would be dispatched quickly, the magic protecting their scales from the Youkai's claws and poisons extinguished. Inu no Taisho, Lord of the Western Lands lead the final assault, taking on Ryukotsusei head on and defeating him.

                However, the great lord was fatally injured, and after returning to the Western Lands he succumbed to his injuries and died with his family. Inu no Taisho left behind two sons, both fully blaming the dragons for their father's death. They thanked the great Kami's that the dragons were eradicated from the lands. Sesshoumaru, the eldest son and now in direct line to the throne, retreated into his chambers with the sword his father had gifted him with in his last breath. The younger son, the bastard of the Great Lord's affair with a human hime and a half demon, cried at his father's side. The young Inuyasha had been gifted his own sword, and the young child clutched it then, his mother Izayoi weeping into her hands.

                As the royal family of the West mourned the death of their great leader, to the North a deal was struck. For while the great serpents of the sky were slain, their lesser cousins were passed over. The scaly, large winged round bodied cousins of the lithe creatures hailed from the far west. They had migrated to the north to be with their brethren in hopes of living a protected life. The Taiyoukai did not know they were there, so they did not attempt to hunt them. The dragons knew they had to ally with someone to guarantee their survival. The Taiyoukai that ruled the East, West, and South were out of the question as they were the ones that put them in their predicament in the first place.

                So to the North they went, a human kingdom ruled by a fair and just ruling family. With them, they made a blood contract and swore it upon their very existence. They would ally with the humans of the North in a very unique way. They swore that they would be partners with the humans that were deemed worthy. These humans would become their other halves, privy to their minds and their closest companion. Minds, hearts, lives, and emotions- all would meld with the dragon they impressed upon. Instruments of war, instruments of peace, and a peaceful coexistence.

                The first Impression was between Lord Akatsuki and Daichi, a great bronze dragon. The next was between Lady Ei and the great golden Queen Fumiyo. At the time of the first joining there were only around two hundred dragons to speak of. As only golden dragons were females and were the only dragons able to clutch a nest of eggs, there were only two or three golden dragons and they hadn't mated yet and were quite young. Every guard and able bodied human in the kingdom came to try and impress on the might dragons. With each person hardly coming up the dragons flank, many were frightened and ran away. However, after many days, all the dragons were finally impressed upon and the leatherworkers went to work making saddles that suited the great beasts. There was no one as close as a dragon and their rider.

                For two hundred years, all was calm and peaceful, the dragons teaching their human riders everything they could and the humans learning and teaching what little they could to the ever knowledgeable dragons. They learned many things about their companions, dragon and human alike and there was great joy and peace throughout the Northern Kingdom, and the rest of the lands recovered and began to heal.

                However, it was not to last. One of the great dogs of the West caught sight of a large, squat bodied dragon soaring through the sky with a small leather clad human riding between its great beating wings. At the sound of an enraged howl from below him, the patrol guard quickly ran back to the North to report his mistake, that the Dogs of the West had seen him.

                Shortly after, a great war broke out, the young Lord Sesshoumaru at the front leading the troops of the West into battle. The sides were evenly matched, the humans armed with swords and thick leather armor riding fire-breathing dragons going against Inu-youkai and Inu-hanyou alike as they battled in true forms, dogs the size of the dragons, and with claws and poisons and magic. Tomoyo Taishou, the acting ruler of the Western lands  until Sesshoumaru found a suitable mate and Sesshoumaru's mother, sent her troops in ruthlessly. Toshiharu Higurashi did the same with his riders and foot soldiers.

                And so the ten year war began. Neither side giving an inch. It wasn't until the tenth anniversary of the start of the war that Toshiharu had to make a decision. His eldest daughter was pushing to take the Golden Flight out and he couldn't risk her losing her life over a war she had to actual stake in, that none of them did besides the West. Toshiharu knew what he had to do and it was time to act.

~~~~

                "Hold!" An armored Inu Youkai guard had his men stand down as a flight of bronze dragons landed, their riders sliding down the flank of their beasts. The men pushed their goggles up onto their foreheads before reaching and sliding their weapons out of their sheaths. The Inu all tensed before relaxing in confusion as the men threw their weapons on the ground, the black metal glinting in the sunlight. The dragons slowly backed up and lowered their heads in a sign of peace.

                The head of the guard walked slowly forward, his hands raised in front of him as he stood in front of the leather clad men in front of him,

                "What is it you have come for?" One man with violet eyes strode forward from the group, his hands up in peace, as he stood in front of the Inu with his head held high.

                "My name is Miroku," The man bowed slightly before looking the Inu in the eye again, "Lord Toshiharu requests a counsel with the esteemed Lady Tomoyo in an attempt to have talks of peace. He requests, that if the Lady Tomoyo agrees, safe passage of the royal flight that consists of his wife, eldest child and young son. He hopes to end this war."

                "Miroku-san I will be sure to convey this message to Lady Tomoyo posthaste. Please have this same flight arrive at this place tomorrow for her answer. We will cease our fighting until the day after the next." The demon bowed, "It has been a pleasure. Till we meet again."

                The flight all bowed before picking up and sheathing their weapons, walking to the side of their dragons, grabbing onto the bottom of a small ladder that draped over the left of the great beasts. They pulled themselves up, kicking off the flank of the dragon and in a show of great ability, they were astride the beasts, the wings kicking up dust and dirt as they rose in a perfect V formation before heading North. The demons watched them depart, squinting as the flight quickly left their sight.

                "What do we do Commander Yuki?" Yuki sighed before turning towards the way, slowly walking in the direction of the western castle,

                "We inform the esteemed lady." The troop all nodded before the entire group took off in a blur.

~~~~

                "They requested what?!" The tall demoness slammed her war fan down on her strategy table, knocking little flags onto the floor that denoted where each of the foot soldiers were. She was tall, her moon spun hair was up in two pigtails, and her golden eyes were sharp. Her hair was so long that even in pigtails it still fell to her hips. She was dressed in a fine, off the shoulder, layered silk kimono , the layered colors making it look like she wore the sunset. The guard only bowed low before leaving the room. Tomoyo Taisho crossed arms before walking to the window of her small 'war room'. She grinned a fanged grin tapping one carefully manicured claw on her chin.

                "I suppose I can at least hear what he has to say. He is the most interesting human for wanting to visit here with his dragons. And I grow weary of this war." She spun in place, calling out for a guard, "Tell them we accept. Prepare our best guest rooms and make sure there are enough livestock for their dragons. I will not have them think us bad hosts."

                The household exploded in a flurry of nervous activity, preparing the large castle for the arrival of the northern lands royal family.

~~~~

                "Father I do not want to go! I could have taken out the entire lot of them if you would have allowed the Golden Flight to fly!" Kagome was dressed in her flying attire, and as was fitting of the royal flight, she was dressed in dragon hide. The tight tank style bodice was hidden beneath her flying jacket, a dragon hide duster that had a neckline that went up right underneath her chin with silver buckles down to her hips. The duster was tight before flaring out at her hips where dragon hide pants wrapped around muscular legs that disappeared into dragon hide knee high boots. The entire ensemble was shiny and black, the dragon hide all but molding to her body, her sword at her hip despite her father's request to leave her weapons at home. She put her goggles on over her bright blue eyes before slipping on her fingerless riding gloves and striding out of the room, ignoring her father's attempt at conversation.

                The man sighed, his loose fitting dragon hide attire simply shrugged on. A high necked loose tunic and trench coat. Loose pants were tucking into riding boots and his slipped his goggles and his gloves before he too left the room. If his daughter was angry about this attempted truce, she would be even more angry as to the way he had found to stabilize the truce should the good Lady Tomoyo agree. He sighed as he saw his daughter already astride her queen dragon Chiyo, the dragon angrily beat its wings as it took off from the ground. Queens, by their own hierarchy, always flew in front and was the first that was seen. Even though Toshiharu was the Lord of the land, they had to give respect to the queen.

                Kagome watched as her family and royal guard mounted their beasts as she hovered in the air above them.

                'Chiyo, they think to make peace. Why?' The girl thought to her dragon, her mouth pulled in a grimace. The dragon swung its head around to look at her with one brightly glowing eye,

                'Kagome, they think to end this destruction. Why does this displease you? I would like to find a mate and have a clutch, all without worrying about losing my life in a war that had nothing to do with any of us.' The dragon snorted, 'I would think you'd be pleased. There will always be an enemy Kagome, but alliances are very important. Your father knows what he is doing.'

                Kagome sighed as her flight fell in behind her, it was a good half days hard fly to the western lands castle and she wanted to get there as soon as possible. Chiyo was right, they didn't have much to lose by this.

                As the day flew by and the flight saw the castle was not far off, they eased their beasts back, landing softly right outside the gates where the lady of the castle was waiting, along with her sons. This was it.

~~~

                Sesshoumaru sneered up at the flight of dragons, his hatred for them clear on his face. The golden dragon landed no more than ten yards away from him, the rest of the flight landing in a V behind her, the beast turning so he could watch a small body slip down its flank. He took in the lithe body as the girl began he walk towards them, her family and guard falling in behind them. They paused, looking over their shoulders as the dragons bowed their heads before taking off.

                The group resumed their walk, the girl still striding confidently in front of the rest, making Sesshoumaru question who this girl was. Her ebony hair cascaded down her shoulders in messy waves from her ride, her goggles were still over her eyes and he took careful notice of the black iron short sword at her hip. Very shapely hips he noticed, but the outfit she wore left little to the imagination as it hugged her curves, showing off her hourglass figure. This girl meant business. And the Lord and Lady who were obviously at her left and right, respectively, walked with the same stride with a young boy in similar attire clumsily walking behind them and the royal guard bringing up the rear. Scratch that, this whole family meant business.

                The flight stopped in front of them, the girl putting her goggles up into her hair, revealing bright blue eyes that made Sesshoumaru blink, taken aback by the actual beauty that was the small human rider. Blue clashed with gold as their eyes met, Sesshoumaru shocked by the intensity of her gaze. She was likewise shocked at what she was looking at. A tall demon with hair of liquid moonlight dressed in a pristine white and red kimono, a white pelt over his shoulder and armor around his right shoulder. He was absolutely gorgeous, but she would be sure to never tell him that.

                Breaking up the staring contest between the rider and demon, Lady Tomoyo stepped forward and bowed.

                "Welcome to my home, I am Tomoyo Taisho and these are my sons, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha." She gestured to each demon respectively, the later simply huffing and turning his nose up at her. Sesshoumaru  bowed minutely before straightening again, waiting for an introduction. The man stepped forward, bowing,

                "Thank you for your gracious welcome Tomoyo-sama, I am Lord Toshiharu," He gestured to woman that stood in front of him, her hands gently held in front of her, "This is my daughter Kagome, leader of the Golden Flight." The girl, Kagome, smiled before bowing,

                "I thank you for your welcome." Her father smiled at her before gesturing to his wife and son, "This is my wife, Lady Kimiko and my son Souta." They both bowed after lifting their goggles onto their foreheads. His mother nodded before gesturing grandly to the castle,

                "We mustn't dawdle. We have much to discuss Lord Toshiharu." She grinned at them, "And I'm sure you want to get out of that gear, I want nothing else but for my guests to be comfortable." The group nodded, Kagome rolling her eyes, before they followed Tomoyo into the castle. The group was quiet, causing Sesshoumaru to look over his shoulder at the girl yet again. Kagome was walking at the front of the group again, her chin up and her eyes forward.

                "We have procured a healthy amount of livestock to help sate your beasts hunger. They are also our guests and I must say, I would love to get a closer look at them. They are quite impressive." Tomoyo was talking over her shoulder as they paused at a large ornate door, "Sesshoumaru, show Souta and Kagome to their quarters. We have much to discuss." The door shut and it was just the children left out in the hallway. Inuyasha snorted,

                "I am not helpin' no bitch with nothin'. Sess, they are all yours." Inuyasha went to turn, beginning his trek down the hallway before his arm was grabbed and wrenched behind his back. Kagome used the momentum to slam him into the wall, wrenching his arm and forcing him to stay still,

                "You will treat me with respect, I am not only the princess of the North but I am the commander of the Queens Flight." She let go of his arm before turning to Sesshoumaru with a sickly sweet smile, "Can you please take us to our quarters? I am suddenly exhausted."

                Sesshoumaru could do nothing but nod before walking down the hallway in the direction of their rooms. Inuyasha groaned from his place against the wall, staring after the girl that had dared to stand against him with a look of respect. He wasn't the only one that was impressed, Sesshoumaru was throwing looks at the now happily smiling girl chatting with her brother. She was a force to be reckoned with and he was incredibly interested, but he would never let on to that.

~~~~

I hope you somewhat enjoyed it! It was quite a bit of fun to write. :)

Till next time!

-Cat