InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Woman Scorned ❯ A very startling declaration! ( Chapter 3 )

The next morning the small group of unusual travelers left the village, heading east to check out the rumor of rampaging demons in the area. Kagome walked beside Sesshomaru, deep in thought. Sango and Miroku lagged slightly behind with Kirara and Shippo, silently watching the interaction between their friend and the Lord of the Western Lands. Inu-yasha was further behind them, surprisingly quiet for once. Every once in awhile a faint growl would escape him as he watched Sesshomaru walk beside Kagome.

Sesshomaru smirked slightly as he heard Inu-yasha working to quickly catch up to he and Kagome. He felt Kagome stiffen slightly and his eyes narrowed as he wondered once again what his worthless half brother had done to upset her so. He felt Kagome's hand brush against his lightly and he took the opportunity to capture it in his own. He felt Kagome's pulse pick up slightly as he gently ran a claw across the sensitive palm of her hand. Inu-yasha's rude arrival between them forced Sesshomaru to release Kagome's hand.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Inu-yasha snarled at Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru merely looked at the hanyou and arched one eyebrow in a silent question.

Kagome in the meantime had stopped and turn to face them, her eyes glittering with barely suppressed rage.

"What exactly is your problem Inu-yasha? Don't you want to get this damn quest over with so you can be rid of me?" she hissed angrily. Sango and Miroku felt their mouths drop open in surprise. Even Shippo and Kirara looked shocked. They had never heard Kagome talk to Inu-yasha in this manner before.

"What's my problem? I'm not the one acting like a bitch in heat," Inu-yasha spat out. Within seconds, he found himself flying backwards through the air to land flat on his back next to Miroku and Sango. Both quickly stepped away from him, pulling Shippo and Kirara out of harm's way as Sesshomaru slowly advanced on his shaken brother. Although his face showed nothing of his feelings, his eyes blazed with anger. Inu-yasha slowly climbed to his feet, his own temper igniting. Before he had time to draw the Tetsaugia, Sesshomaru had already moved and punched him again, knocking him to the ground. He then placed a foot on his younger brother's chest, watching impassively as Inu-yasha tried frantically to free himself with no results. Once the hanyou settled down and Sesshomaru sensed that he had his full attention, he spoke in an icy voice.

"If you ever insult my future mate in such a manner again, I will not hesitate to kill you." With that said Sesshomaru removed his foot and turned his back to Inu-yasha walking off to join Kagome where she stood waiting with an expressionless face, although she was in shock to here him say that. As far as she knew that had not been part of the deal they had struck! The rest of the gang just stood there in shock as his words sank into their brains. The great Sesshomaru had just staked a claim on Kagome for all to hear!

Inu-yasha watched the small group start off without him, anger and pain burning in him. Yes, he admitted that he had said some pretty rude things about Kagome, but he did it so that Kikyo wouldn't know just how much he had come to care for the young girl from a future time. Once Kikyo was dead, he could finally express to Kagome his true feelings. Until then, he had to keep up the cold and uncaring act so Kikyo wouldn't attempt to kill her again. He also needed to make sure that his bastard of a brother didn't get his hands on her. Inu-yasha felt the pain slowly wearing off and silently smirked. Later on tonight, he and his big brother would take a walk in the woods together. But only one of them would come back.

"Sango, would you care to join me in a bath?" Kagome asked her friend. They had made camp for the night in a small clearing in the woods close to a small hot spring. Inu-yasha had immediately disappeared into the forest once camp was set up and Sesshomaru was sitting with his back against a tree, watching the small band of travelers. Earlier Inu-yasha had tried to taunt Sesshomaru into following him into the forest, but the older demon refused to take the bait. He watched emotionlessly as the two women gathered up their bathing supplies and headed off towards the hot springs. A cold glare towards the monk convinced him to stay behind.

"Kagome, did Sesshomaru really approach you about a deal or did you seek him out?" Sango asked as the two girls relaxed in the warm water. That was something that had been bothering the demon exterminator for days. Why would Sesshomaru suddenly offer to help them retrieve the rest of the jewel shards and defeat Naraku?

Kagome groaned sadly and tried to sink deeper into the water. She should have known that her friend would want to know the finer details. Reluctantly, she told Sango what she had heard that fateful day and why she had struck a deal with Sesshomaru, although the part about her being his future mate was just as much a surprise to her as it was to the others. He had not mentioned anything of the sort to her when they were first striking the deal. When she was done, a heavy silence laid between the two women. Finally, Sango was the one to break the silence.

"Kagome, I'll help you follow through with this if you are sure that this is what you want. I don't wish to see you hurt any more that you already have been," the older woman said as she moved beside her friend. Kagome looked up at her, and felt her eyes fill with tears. Silently, Sango wrapped her arms around her friend and let her cry out her pain against her bare shoulder.

Shortly thereafter, the two women completed their bathing and redressed. As they walked back to the camp they shared a smile. Tonight their bond of friendship had deepened to a bond of sisterhood.