InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ The Intertwined ❯ Don't mess with the ward ( Chapter 7 )

Disclaimer: All characters are products of Rumiko Takahashi, and Togashi Yoshihiro's minds, not mine.

 

 

 

 

 

A/N: Just going to clarify Youko's age in my fic; here he'll be about four hundred in the feudal era, and close to one-thousand in the modern age as Kurama. Also, I'm taking my creative license as author of this fic on the issue of Naraku's incarnations and Kikyo; they are alive or dead as I see fit. I also plan to keep the issue of Sesshomaru's swords on the anime plane. This is more or less a continuation of the anime, divergence from the manga. I'm more or less starting where the anime left off, and taking bits and pieces that I want from the manga, leaving others I don't want out. Just clarifying all this for you too. ^_^

And finally, I think I finally have a grasp on my pairings. Let's say that the one concrete thing is that you will not see anything other then WAFF between a few of the members. Namely, Inuyasha and Sango, Miroku and Kagome. I have trouble reading scenes between those cross pairings, so I'm not going to write any. Other than that, well we'll see where it goes.

 

 

 

 

The Intertwined

 

 

 

Chapter 7

 

 

 

 

Predictably, their sudden disappearance drove him crazy with wonder at where they had gone earlier in that day. But now, hidden in the canopy with his ruby pendant activated, he was even more curious at the fact that they had reappeared out of nowhere after the sun began to slide past its zenith.

 

He'd felt the magic pulsing through the ground around the dried well when he arrived to investigate earlier. The other two humans really hadn't known what to do with him while they were all alone in the hut that morning, so they hadn't protested when he got up and left for a bit. He'd expected to come across the scent trail left behind by Kagome and Inuyasha at the very least; and had…until he reached the well. What he hadn't expected was for their signatures to drop off suddenly like they did at that very spot. There, he had come up with nothing other than speculation that the well had to be a portal of some kind, given that there were no signs of them inside it. Not impossible, but certainly unbelievable. For this reason, he had felt the need to watch for their return from wherever it is they'd gone.

 

So now, here he sat as the miko woman and inu-hanyou took the trail back to the village beyond the foliage. They would all be leaving for the north shortly; most likely before the day was spent. Having seen what had happened about this time last month, he figured they would need to be in a secure location in two days' time. Fortunately for his little entourage, he had a den just about that far away. It was a little bit out of the way, but it would do nicely if they were to have a need for it. Given that it was only a hideout location and not one of his storage caves, they wouldn't even need to know it was his; thus keeping it his secret. His furnishings would have to be moved if they were to use it, though.

 

Youko lay back on an ideal branch in a very large tree that was brimming with old magic and ancient knowledge as he began feeling one severely ticked Inuyasha headed back in his direction. He kept the talisman of Kuronue's pendant active as the white haired male came closer. No sense in making it easy to be found by him.

 

Though he couldn't play long; they really did have to go soon.

 

He got up and shot off to chose a less conspicuous tree to wait in; that God Tree was saturated in Inuyasha's scent, so it obviously wasn't exactly a good place to wait. Youko chuckled amusedly as he recognized that without his own scent overpowering it, he now smelled a touch like the hanyou. Inuyasha's best chance was to track his own scent if he hoped to find his target. How absolutely frustrating that would be…especially considering this forest was obviously frequented by Inuyasha, and naturally his scent was everywhere.

 

His patience was rewarded with the expected flash of red and white as Inuyasha appeared on the forest floor beneath him. Youko watched as he lifted his head to scent the air, looking to catch his signature scent of roses and sandalwood. Oh it was around because of his contact with the forestry, but that didn't mean Inuyasha could pick out any particular direction from what little remained. And the poor guy looked so mad.

 

“I know you're out there, fox. Stop hiding and come out!” Youko silently laughed at the dog as he continued walking under the tree he was in, growling and threatening bodily harm.

 

 

Inuyasha was livid. Here he had told the guy they would be right back and he had to up and leave when they were almost ready to go. As much as he really hated to admit it, they needed his direction for the whereabouts of this sorceress. They had discussed the possible need for that damned brand early that morning before their cross to the future and had come to the decision to go through with it because of the threat that creature presented in Naraku's possible employ.

 

Inuyasha growled when he caught a slight whiff of roses again. It was as if that damned fox were everywhere and nowhere all at once! Truthfully, he was scenting himself more often than not in this blasted goose chase. If only they didn't need his help with this new threat… “Dammit, I know you can hear me! When I get my hands on you, so help me!!” he yelled; not at all patient with the fox's antics.

 

“My, my…such promises…Yet again you contradict yourself. I was under the impression that you did not like me,” the deep sensual voice of Youko poured down over Inuyasha directly from above him. Inuyasha whipped around with a hand on his sword to look in the direction of the voice, but was met with nothing but air.

 

“So jumpy. You need some form of relaxation, I'd say,” Inuyasha's eyes went wide when he smelled the fox's distinctive scent seconds before he felt warm fingers take liberties with his ears from behind. Slapping at the hands that were beginning to feel entirely too good, he growled as he spun on their owner.

 

“I know I heard you say last night that you'd already had your fill. What else have you lied about, pervert?” Inuyasha hotly demanded with a fist presented to his face.

 

Raising a brow, Youko took in the dog's temper with a grain; Inuyasha might talk big, but he couldn't fool a sensitive nose, “Hai, I told you that I'd had my fill last night. I said nothing of never doing it again; I've not lied to any of you,” Youko folded his arms over his chest and turned to the side, “Why the very idea of accusing me of such a thing,” opening one eye, he looked at his present company, “You should most definitely relax more,” this he followed with opening the other eye before starting his way back to the village, absently deactivating his charm to fully release his signatures.

 

Inuyasha stood in place as Youko did this, fist still suspended as the fox made to leave him behind with that comment. He quickly moved to catch up to the white-clad demon and stopped in front of him, halting his progress, “I'm gonna warn you again you dirty old thief: Keep your male hands off,” he backed off and sulked when one particular memory of a short-haired-mercenary surfaced with that statement, “I've had enough of that crap before…”

 

Lifting his granite brows, he shifted his lean weight to one hip and crossed his arms to grasp his elbows loosely, “I am hardly far older than you, Inuyasha. Relax, it was only banter,” he placated with a grin, receiving nothing but a glare from the hanyou. Dropping his arms, he regained his stroll to pass Inuyasha's block, “So, did you two get your supplies then?” he asked, jumping fluidly to another subject. Though still worked up at again being molested, Inuyasha grasped onto the change of subject only to glare when he caught up to Youko again.

 

Youko could feel the hostility coming off of his companion from his question, and thought again about all of the hard work he'd have to do to get the poor boy to loosen up. He briefly turned to see the annoyed look on the dog's face, “Don't get hostile Inuyasha, I was only curious; we do have somewhere to be and we should already be on our way by now,” he stated, his eye now on the trail ahead of him.

 

Inuyasha stiffened, “Hey, it was you that went and disappeared to play games in the trees! You might not be in a hurry because you're already protected, but I have a pack of humans that I'd rather not see birth more of those things!” he yelled, showing Youko his fist again and breathing heavily.

 

Youko halted his steps and looked sideways to the dog two hundred years his junior, “So I see the women, or more namely Kagome, has not reprimanded you as of yet due to her condition this quarter?” he pointed out the date, and what would very well happen were Inuyasha to loose his cool like this once they were back in the village with the miko.

 

Brought up short by the reminder, Inuyasha's amber eyes widened with the vision of himself eating dirt for little reason.

 

“That's what I thought. You might want to cool off before you decide to return to her. Though I have yet to understand how what seems to be some sort of “sit” command from her does such a thing, I'm humbled to say I understand the hardships of walking on eggshells around hormonal women. Therefore, you're quite welcome for providing you with a way to vent,” he magnanimously stated, turning back and continuing down the slope into the village, shouting before he got too far, “You might think about hurrying, though. We have somewhere to get to before the new moon arrives,” he waved, shocking Inuyasha once more with his acuity.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

Sango looked up from polishing her sword to see the vision of pure male sensual beauty approaching the hut. She had just begun her present task, having already finished with the Hiraikotsu, and remained seated to finish before they left. When the gorgeous fox neared, she figured she should take pity and warn him, though she knew he could probably smell both of their cycles renewing anyway.

 

“I wouldn't go in the hut just now; Miroku's already nearly gone deaf in his left ear this morning and I think she's on a roll,” she grinned. Sure, she didn't react any more violently than usual during this time, but she sure as hells felt more spiteful toward the male gender. In truth she had no idea why she even warned him; she could only guess just how much of her ire he might have deserved.

 

Three feet from the door, Youko stepped back at the huntress's words, `Well, when she puts it that way…' looking over at the woman that was practically teeming under her skin with malice as she polished her sword, he thankfully avoided giving her a nervous smile and smoothly countered with a retreat to find the miko's last victim.

 

 

Miroku sat at the edge of Kaede's herb garden leaning against one of the fence posts, trying to clear his abused ear with his index finger, `What I wouldn't do for a demon's sense of smell sometimes…though I thank Kami I don't have their hearing. How was I supposed to know she was changing clothes?' Sensing a new presence approaching him, he turned with his finger still in his ear to find Youko towering near him.

 

“I must apologize; if you are to say something to me, I may not be able to adequately decipher it,” he said with a sheepish smile as he invited the handsome fox to join him, “Shippo is still in there, too; he finds himself…captive…if you will, more often than not during these times,” he dropped his finger from his ear, which was still ringing from Kagome's screeching at his accidental intrusion, “Though I advise that you do not attempt to rescue him; she becomes most defensive. The poor girl is quite plagued with a most fiery temper whenever angered, but it carries a far shorter fuse before every new moon. For future reference,” he added with a hand out and watched as Youko took his invitation and gracefully seated himself at another fencepost, studying the layout of the simple herb garden in front of him.

 

As he listened to the monk, Youko put a hand to the ground and felt the soil's richness, taking note of how well cared for it was. Pushing his ki into the ground to enforce the soil's health, he turned to the monk, “Unfortunately, I have been victim to such encounters before. I thank you for the warning, though I saw the same behavior in her last new moon,” he winked as he pulled his hand from the soil and cleaned it with a couple clapping motions, “Though I would say she seems to have it worse than most,” considering the monk as he nodded in agreement, he recalled why it was he'd sought him out, “You seem to be missing something that you borrowed from her back then, ne?” he broached, quickly seeing understanding light in the intuitive man's eye.

 

“Ahh, yes. Quite intriguing book, that one…it is amazing to me the information that book holds,” slanting the demon with a knowing look, he chuckled, “I had been wondering where it went,” Miroku grimaced, “I was admittedly beginning to worry on the day Kagome inquired about it. Would you be willing to part with it?”

 

Youko grinned. He and the monk would get along nicely…

 

As he prepared to answer Miroku, Inuyasha finally emerged from the forest, “Oi! If we're ready, let's move out!” he yelled brusquely before reaching them in one small leap. Landing in closely, he studied the two males lounging on the grass “You lechers shouldn't be left alone together,” he snorted, “Kami knows what you two could be planning,” he mumbled as he passed by to go toward Sango who was busy strapping the Hiraikotsu to her back.

 

As Inuyasha approached, Sango looked up from Kirara who was trotting away so that she could transform without singeing her mistress, “Kagome's almost ready; she's changing into something warmer for the travel,” she said as the burst of power from Kirara signaled her transformation, “It would most definitely be best if we travel on Kirara while you guys run today. After tomorrow we should be fine to go back to other modes of travel should we need to.”

 

Nodding his understanding, the rest of the newly grown team prepared to leave for their first trip together.

 

 

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Kagome cursed silently as she readied her bow and reached for an arrow, aiming it at the wind witch who stood at the other side of the clearing. Normally she wasn't prone to swearing, but the current situation merited its own color. This just figured.

 

It had been only one full day since their departure, and they'd hardly just left behind the more familiar territory of Musashi to begin traveling the border between eastern and western territories as the day's warmth reached its highest; which was quite chilly considering it was mid-November.

 

Now in the face of a meeting they hadn't quite expected so soon, they all stood at arms in wait for the first move; which wasn't coming from Inuyasha for once. Instead, he stood in position at the front of their procession with his eyes trained on their adversary, one hand on the hilt of his sword.

 

“Oh how darling! You have new friends,” Kagura started out by pointing at Youko, who stood to the side of the group with a long thorny whip ready in his clawed hand, “Would you care to introduce me, Inuyasha?” she curiously asked without taking her eyes off of the man she'd indicated. Kagome and Sango sat on Kirara and both knitted their brows at the woman's uncharacteristic interest, exchanging confused looks with each other over the incident.

 

Youko scoffed, “Woman, your very presence is insulting; why should you possibly be allowed to know of me?” he smoothly said, drawing an impossibly pleased look to Kagura's red eyes before Inuyasha's limited patience snapped and he advanced a step, finally drawing his sword.

 

“What do ya want, Kagura? I don't care what it is really, but we ain't here to chat,” he yelled.

 

Kagura turned her eyes to consider him, “No need for hostility dear. I am only out scouting on behalf of my master; he heard rumors that your ranks have grown, and I decided to find the truth. No need to be ugly,” she admonished him as she opened her fan and used it to cover her face.

 

Inuyasha stood straight at this comment with his black eyebrows broadcasting his confusion in their narrowed position low over his eyes, “Since when do you care to do something for Naraku on your own, Witch? Just what are you planning?”

 

Youko narrowed his eyes further when he heard Inuyasha's bemused question. He briefly took his eyes off of the stinking woman to survey the reactions of the others to what seemed to be uncharacteristic behavior from the new arrival. His gold eyes witnessed the look the girls shared from Kirara's back, and he watched Miroku rhythmically flexing his rosary-wrapped hand. Then he turned once more to consider the woman who had arrived moments ago riding atop a giant feather.

 

The woman widened her eyes at Inuyasha's questioning and snapped her fan shut before getting defensive, “I don't see why I should tell you; you are not on a need-to-know basis. My motivations are my own,” she said with a flush to her white skin before holding our her arm with the fan and pointing at Inuyasha this time, “You would do well to remember who I work for,” she said before spinning her fan in a quick motion, “Dance of the Dragon!”

 

Having expected such an attack, Inuyasha jumped away from an oncoming cyclone, and turned around in time to see the women making it clear of their own. Once the winds died down after the first attack, Kagura laughed, “My goodness. You all look positively trapped! Were you all going somewhere? Oh…how rude of me for interrupting.”

 

Youko growled to the audacious woman that had just dared trying to attack him, “Woman, you must be aware that your aura conflicts with your genus. Drop the act and show yourself truly; you obviously are not acting the part of your host,” he was rightly satisfied when he saw the reaction on her face that said he'd come to the right conclusion. The others of his new group regarded this exchange with dawning understanding as they recalled exactly why it was they were on the road.

 

“So, Naraku really is planning to use one of those fog things against us…he'll have to come up with something better than that!!” Inuyasha yelled at the wind sorceress.

 

Kagura's face slipped into a look the tachi could scarcely remember seeing her employ as she grinned in a purely evil manner, “Young dog, you have not a clue what it is I am capable of. You're quite lucky I find you to be so adorable or you would have been long scorched,” the voice of Kagura stated matter-of-factly for the dog as Gau allowed his possession to be known; though he was sure they didn't yet know his actual identity.

 

“Please…I ain't so fragile. Whatever it is you want, you better drop it `cause you won't get it!” Inuyasha spat back.

 

Raising her arm again, Gau pointed Kagura's fan at Youko, “I beg to differ, my dear puppy. One of the things I want I will most definitely be getting,” she winked and received a snarl from the angelic fox's face in answer before continuing, “The rest of my agenda will not be known to you as of yet because as I said before; you are not on a need to know basis. But then…you will find out soon enough,” she smiled big as she was soon surrounded with the sound of thousands of Naraku's bees, “Your ability to catch the truth of my being was not planned as my Master did not expect you to have the wherewithal to figure it out. And regrettably, I neglected to mention the lovely Youko's mental prowess.”

 

Kagome sat with Sango on Kirara as they watched the exchange. She hadn't been terribly surprised that Kagura was being used again by Naraku, in a roundabout way this time, but what did surprise her was the fact that this creature seemed to actually know of Youko on a personal level, `Could this manipulator be the one that he knew?' She idly wondered. She hated that the creature dressed under his host deserved to be purified into oblivion, but had taken host in a being that she knew had already been nothing more than a captive tool to Naraku. Kagura didn't fully deserve the purification that would kill the creature.

 

Her muscles tensed as she watched the conversation once again turn heated in the face of the saimyoushou before they all began to feel a familiar influence closing in fast. Predictably coming from the Westerly direction, the huge aura broadcasted fury; causing Youko and Inuyasha's attention to trade from Kagura's image to that of the white globe coming in rapidly from the sky. After determining that it was indeed his brother, Inuyasha's attitude became decidedly impish, “You're in for it now,” he said quietly as the sphere that had been approaching swiftly changed over to its humanoid form.

 

Standing to the other side of where the humanoid Dog Lord now stood, Youko's suspicions of the relationship between him and the hanyou were confirmed; Inuyasha was most definitely Sesshomaru's infamous half-brother. It was obvious enough now; with them standing next to each other, one could easily see the resemblance between the two.

 

Landing gracefully in front of the woman he sought, Sesshomaru ignored his brother's unconventional pack in favor of immediately glaring hatefully at Kagura as he approached her with his one hand outstretched in preparation for his youki whip, “Sorceress, my ward is ill. You will tell me what you have done to cause it. Now,” he demanded with heat lining his even words, “Do not consider lying to me; I smell your rancid stench all over her.”

 

Scenting the malice on the air coming from the new arrival's claws, Gau recognized him to be the very handsome Dog Lord of the West. The man was intimidating at the very least, and Gau quite frankly had been worried just from his reputation alone when Naraku had told him to infect the demon's ward. He never could catch a break with the gorgeous ones… “Oh, so she's not a pet after all? And here I thought you wouldn't be too disappointed to find her mortal body dying,” Gau daringly goaded, deciding to throw caution to the wind now that the damage had been done.

 

Narrowing his own gold-colored eyes, Sesshomaru growled as he summoned his poison youki whip through his claws, lashing it at her without pretence. She barely dodged, getting her face nicked instead of the blow landing on her neck as intended.

 

“Sesshomaru! That isn't Kagura talking; it's a shadow demon that possesses youkai!” Sango yelled as she dropped from her seat atop her fire cat friend to the ground and readied for a fight next to Kagome, who also was ready with her arrow strung taut.

 

Considering what the slayer had said without taking his eyes from his target, he drew himself to his full height and watched the possessed wind witch tenderly wipe her festering cheek of poison, “So…one such as you has infected one in this Sesshomaru's care with your filth. Be aware that the woman you inhabit holds no such importance that it would save your worthless hide,” he stated. He punctuated his warning with another swing of his youki whip at her, causing her to try blocking with the winds using the fan she held. As the winds met the whip, they sparked to life with the charged heat from Gau's fire abilities and saved her another painful infusion of poison from Sesshomaru.

 

Waves of fire flickering in every direction after dispatching of the whip, Inuyasha and Youko had to jump away to avoid being singed as Sesshomaru retaliated in like with his demonic sword. Catching sight of each other from where they landed, Youko motioned in the direction of the north, Inuyasha nodding in response. Yeah, he felt the wolves closing in too. He wasn't sure why everything just had to happen on the eve before his human night arrived tomorrow, but it seemed they would have a full field in just a matter of minutes. Growling for his weakened state in this time of the month, he watched from his position with Tetsusaiga only half its size. It wouldn't work at all tomorrow.

 

Having yet to retrieve the shards from him, Kagome was able to feel Kouga's approach too. She was aware it was him, and she could feel the extra two shards on a parallel with his familiar ones. He had brought company with him; fast company who held the extra shards. Good…they could always use more of their allies. Her shoulders holding steady from four years of conditioning with her bow, she felt a bead of sweat escape her brow despite the cool air; she was beginning to feel restless.

 

As she stood there, Sango shifted with a look in her direction, “I can't stand standing uselessly to the side. We don't even know what it wants with us!” she ranted along with Kagome's thoughts, her grip on the handle of her boomerang turning her knuckles white as she turned back to watch Sesshomaru parry another blast of concentrated fire. The fire looked so out of place coming from the wind woman, and Sesshomaru's normally pristine hakama and pelt were blackened on the edges, showing his one near miss with the creature's attacks. Kagura sported the bubbling youki welt on her cheek and an arm was exposed with a sleeve of her kimono missing; a long gash riding down the length of it. Inuyasha and Youko both stood off to the side, flanking the women as Miroku watched on also near to them, still fingering his beads. Past fights with any of Naraku's employ had conditioned him to expect the saimyoushou to fly directly toward him were he to reveal his kazaana. Unless the women were put into danger, it wouldn't be needed anyway, so he only watched on with Inuyasha and Youko from the half-circle they instinctively formed around the women and Shippo.

 

A sharp, feminine yell of pain coming from the center of the fray drew the tension to a precarious stand still. Kagura's hair having been half-shaken out of its bun, she lay on her side facing away from everyone on the ground. She was moving sluggishly as she rolled over to her stomach, trying finding her fan and feathers. Sesshomaru stood still with Tokijin at his side, poison from his claws dripping freely from the blade to burn the grass beneath it. He watched as she pathetically crawled toward one of her hair feathers to escape, and then she collapsed before spasming uncontrollably, still clutching a feather.

 

As Kagome watched this with her bow still loaded, she couldn't help the vein of remorse running through her for Kagura's position in this. The woman never asked to be under attack to withstand her possessor's consequences and be used as a possible vessel of death for a shadow creature. She frowned when she saw Kagura's beaten form seem to seizure before suddenly lying still once more. She gasped, dropping her hold on the arrow as she raced up to Inuyasha's side, “Inuyasha, whoever had a hold on her has let go,” she said loud enough that she expected Sesshomaru to hear her.

 

“Indeed, it is no longer influencing her movements,” he said as he slid Tokijin in his sash next to Tenseiga. He turned, dismissing the unconscious demoness, finally taking notice of the new addition he briefly took note of earlier, “So Inuyasha, I see you've taken to befriending thieves now,” he looked at Youko with recognition in his eyes, “Youko, it's been a while.”

 

Inuyasha nearly dropped the Tetsusaiga, loosing his grip on the transformation of the fang instead, `He knows this guy?!' Unnoticed to him, the humans were sporting much the same thoughts on the matter of the silver-haired demons regarding each other with familiarity.

 

Youko stayed in place as he put away his rose whip, looking up from under his fringe to the Demon Lord, “That it has, but I imagine that could be construed as a good thing, yes?” he answered with a grin to everyone else's sheer bewilderment.

 

Everyone was rightly snapped out of their stupor with a very loud squawking that came directly into the clearing, stopping abruptly when it tripped over Kagura who still lay clasping her feather in a weakened faint from her possession. Righting himself, Jaken skirted the woman and prostrated himself at Sesshomaru's feet near tears, “My Lord, the young master sent me prematurely for you! I insisted you would return shortly, but he insisted that the girl needs a healer without delay!”

 

Only when Kagome spoke up did the little toad notice the others in the small clearing, “I'm sorry, but is something wrong with Rin, Lord Sesshomaru?” she gingerly asked with formality.

 

He turned his attention to the miko and considered her a moment before answering, “I am…unfamiliar with the illness,” generally he would not admit to such a thing, but the girl…no, woman before him was one of only three females he'd come to respect over the years. Not only for her loyalty and power, but he also could not ignore her ability to put Inuyasha in his place when the need warranted it. Having made his decision on the matter, he started walking away, “Come…you may see for yourself. Jaken, leave the witch,” he ordered, as Jaken had begun to poke at the woman on the ground to ensure that she was indeed still alive.

 

Before the ensemble of human and demon could make their way into the tree line, the forgotten impending arrival of the wolves was brought forward as two cyclones of dirt slid to a stop in front of Sesshomaru.

 

“You arrived too late,” the Dog Lord put in before sidestepping the brash wolf and his mate to continue on his way in the direction of his ward through the trees.

 

Momentarily watching the tall dog stroll off, Kouga turned back around to see Inuyasha and his pack making ready to follow him, “Oi…what happened here?” he asked, glancing to the spot where Kagura was left unconscious after the fight. Why were they going to leave her alive?

 

Inuyasha sheathed his sword, “It's looking like Naraku has a new incarnation that likes possessing youkai. She was used by it to attack us, but the thing's motives are still unknown to us,” he answered.

 

Kouga snorted, “So you're going to let the bitch live just because she was possessed?” he asked, crossing his arms, “More like you should kill her now and take another player out of Naraku's ranks,” he stated his opinion, sure of his correctness in the matter. He wasn't alpha of his own pack for nothing, after all.

 

“Oh, no you don't!” Kouga visibly cringed at the sudden outburst, dropping his arms from their position on his chest as Ayame trotted around to look her new mate in the eyes, “She was victimized and all you can think of is winning your little pissing contest with that dog!” she plainly stated her standing in the situation, planting her hands on her hips.

 

He warily watched his woman for a moment, then snapped out of it to match her fire, “Woman, you know she's the one that decimated my pack when all this started! Don't pretend to forget that I claimed her death to be mine for the taking!” he argued back at the redheaded ball of fire he'd mated a year ago.

 

Kami, but he loved her. Had it not been for her near death at the hands of a rival tribe two winters ago during a famine, be might not have realized it before he'd completely alienated her. He easily recognized that he still held affections for Kagome, and showed it as would a family member, but now he more or less felt determined to just find the right mate for her; one deserving of her loyalty. Ayame knew of this, so she no longer suspected the miko of trying to “steal her man” as she used to. In fact, she'd been helping him in his self-appointed mission. Kouga didn't know if the hanyou would be a good choice for Kagome, but he still planned to find out. One thing was certain…Inuyasha would need to overcome his immaturity and disregard his inexperience; then he might finally realize what it was he had in the miko. That dead miko from his past had blinded him far too much.

 

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

 

Pacing in front of his cowardly incarnation, Naraku cursed his shitty luck with them all. When would he finally release an incarnation as contritely obedient as Kanna had been? Kagura had never been cooperative, Kageromaru and his brother Juromaru hadn't lasted long enough to really count, Hakudoshi had his little superiority problem, and this one proved to be just as cowardly as Kagura was.

 

“I distinctly remember telling you to do nothing without my council first. Not only did you reveal your presence to our very targets, you left your host body behind,” he stopped pacing and looked directly at the mass of darkness that now sat in the corner of the room, “You Gau, are an abysmal performer. How you ever survived in the world of thievery is beyond me,” he stated with disapproval.

 

Gau, rightly censured and currently without means for reply in his defense, tentatively sent out a tendril of his shadows as means of asking permission to speak using Partial Assimilation; thus allowing his voice to be heard telepathically.

 

Naraku eyed the blatant question from his detachment, full well aware that he would not be able to communicate effectively without physical contact or a host. While Gau apparently didn't know that he could speak with him telepathically regardless of contact, he wouldn't enlighten him. He avoided touching minds with lesser beings for such if he could prevent it.

 

He focused his glare back to the main entity cowering low to the floor, “If you were foolish enough to leave your tool of communication behind, you will not be speaking until you do something to remedy your host problem,” he stated coldly, Gau's bulk seeming to curl into itself after the denial to speak, “However, know that I will have use for you in this form from time to time. If you wish to talk, you will wait until then. Now leave me…you'll be called when I need you again.”

 

Already in a place of shadow to do so, Gau quickly melded from the corner of Naraku's chambers to leak into the dark room he called his, berating himself for his disgrace in front of his father. If it was the last thing he would ever do, he would make his creator proud somehow.

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

Kohaku looked up from the bug he'd been watching when he caught the sound of people approaching. Yes, he was only human, but he could still tell who it was that was nearing him and his small group that he'd taken to traveling with. As he watched the trees for Lord Sesshomaru to emerge, he was a little startled at the woman, or women that tagged along behind him. Boldly skirting around Sesshomaru, one of the women jogged up to him and embraced him tightly.

 

“Hello sister…you've been well?” Kohaku asked tiredly. Sango pulled back and studied her brother with matronly concern.

 

“I have, Kohaku. What about you; you look so worn out,” she observed out loud.

 

Looking back onto Rin's prone form next to AhUn, Kohaku sighed loudly, “I have been keeping watch,” was his only reply.

 

Also turning to look at the eleven year old girl who now had Kagome and Miroku leaning her over, Sango sighed as well, “How long has she been sick?”

 

“It has been one night and one full day now, and she's gotten worse very quickly,” the boy answered. Turning to her brother, she nodded as she studied him. He was now fifteen years old and continued to hold some of the melancholy air from when he'd been under Naraku's control. It did seem to be abating, but even now he still spoke with a manner of maturity that was at odds with his age. It had taken her a while to admit it to herself, but his company with Sesshomaru had been good for teaching him to deal with his past evil doing under the dark hanyou. She chanced a look at the tall Lord at the thought.

 

He stood a short distance away from where the ones with the holy abilities hunched over Rin, near to Youko, who also seemed to be considering the young girl's condition. How he'd been acquainted with the fox she didn't know, but she was sure they would all somehow find out soon enough. He was still so regal looking despite the singed edges of the empty sleeve on his kimono. She still remembered her reaction the first time she ever saw him. She'd felt so traitorous at the time, but eventually came to accept that it was only human nature. The demon was breathtaking…still is. The two tall, silver haired demons made quite the picture standing there next to that two-headed dragon of Sesshomaru's…

 

Sango blushed when Sesshomaru and Youko both seemed to catch onto her thoughts and simultaneously looked toward her. The Dog Lord seemed amused under his stoic face and Youko winked at her with a smirk before she quickly looked away to the safety of Kagome's hunched form.

 

Dear Kami, why do demons have to have such sensitive noses?'

 

 

 

“You feel the same, I gather?” Miroku whispered to Kagome who knelt on the other side of the little girl.

 

“Yeah. It's definitely not the flu, but it doesn't look as though it's gotten far,” Kagome deduced. They had suspected what might be wrong with her when they'd learned of her sickness, but with the year ending and flu season upon them, Kagome wanted to be certain before they gave her something that would make a flu worsen…though Sesshomaru's accusation of Kagura causing the girl's condition nailed it to be another manipulator spawn.

 

Kagome sat up from the girl and looked directly at Youko, “It's definitely another one, don't you think?” he nodded and stepped in to kneel next to her, putting a hand to his long hair which tickled her elbow from where he was, “You have more of that flower?” she asked, receiving the gaze of the fox. In answer, he pulled his hand away through his hair, running his fingers down the length of a strand to produce the seed for a Renewal Fog Orchid flower. Kagome watched as the purple-stemmed, frosty white flower grew before her eyes. When it finished blooming for him, he smirked before turning to work on feeding the petals to Rin's small body to cure her of the manipulator's influence.

 

 

 

Yay! Thanks to everyone who's reviewed my story. I must say; it's tough getting these characters to do what you want them to without straying from their personalities. Hope I'm doing it right.

 

Icywolfflame—Thanks for sticking around! I'm happy you are enjoying it; I hope I didn't confuse you this time.

DYquem—I do have an outline; I'm glad it shows! Sometimes I wonder at the story's flow when the muse isn't cooperating.

Madmiko--*humbled* It's good to know I'm keeping him in character; he's most definitely my favorite one. They're not linked yet, but that's going to happen soon. Then we can return to where the story started. Hmmm…I would imagine that they would be hurt. I wonder who they run to while the men figure themselves out? ^_~ Inuyasha loves her; he's just being greedy. A couple of those timeline issues I have yet to work out completely, but I have ideas! Oh, I have ideas…*evil laugh, pseudo horns*

Thanks a million for reading, y'alls! (I'm Texan. Shut up)