InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Angel ❯ Vishious ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter Four:

Vishious

 

Kagome wrung her hands nervously, pacing the length of her study. It had been like this all day, she'd woken up feeling that something was off somehow. Like something important was about to take place.

She could feel it.

She didn't know whether it was the monsters, come to ravage her land, or some other negative force, she only knew, something bad was coming her way. Lord knew they didn't need anymore trouble.

Things were bad enough already.

She prayed to the Gods it was just her worry of the vision she'd had a few days earlier. They'd all been on edge since, double checking security, paying closer and closer attention to village reports in the off chance news of the monsters had made an appearance.

Trying to shake the feeling off turned back to the documents laid out on her big mahogany desk, straining to concentrate on the papers that need her undivided attention. Pulling one from the stack, she read over it carefully.

It was a new law that needed her approval, on that would make it easier for those less fortunate to find food and shelter.

Signing her name, she reached for another.

An invitation to a ball hosted at the elaborate Eastern Lords castle. She debated whether to send her proxy, or just declined.

Kagome often wonder what it would be like to go to a real ball. She had only attended the small festivals and celebrations here in the Northern lands, so she never really met any new people or knew how to behave in polite company. Being so familiar with the people of her own land definitely did not help in that respect.

Sure she got practice in speaking and dancing and being a hostess, but lately she had grown bored with seeing the same people over and over, having the same conversations over and over, dancing with the same males over and over. At times she was tempted to accept the invitations she received from the other Territory Lords, but when weighing the pros and cons of such an action, the cons won out hands down.

It was just as well, she guessed.

There was no way she could just show up on one of the Territory Lord's front door with an invitation meant for the `Northern Lord' and not expect to be given the third degree by one or all of the Lords about the `Northern Lord's' continuous absence and disrespect.

Kagome snorted at that last thought.

They'd find disrespect in a person sneezing if they could. Those haughty Lords and their over inflated egos.

Rolling her eyes, she again turned her attention back to the task at hand.

"Hmmm," She murmured, tapping the pen against the desk.

She didn't think sending a proxy would be wise in this case. She was well aware of the other Lord's displeasure of seeing Miroku arrive to their function instead of the Lord of the Northern lands. Before, Kagome wouldn't have cared, but after years of evading them, she was pretty sure their patience was stretched thin and she couldn't in good conscious send Miroku into the wolves den so to speak.

Not if she could prevent it by simply declining the invitation as nicely as possible.

Decision made, Kagome wrote out a very careful, very respectful message to the Eastern Lord, declining to attend the ball but thanking him for the invitation.

Lord Sarinji of the Eastern lands was said to be a very nice, calm gentlemen, she didn't think he would put up a fuss about the civil declination of his invitation, though she couldn't know that for sure, having never met the male before. Miroku had, and from what he had told her, the demon Lord wasn't prone to anger and seemed to be a fair male compared to the other two Lords.

Lord Yamiko of the Southern lands, he described as an impatient, almost immature young feline demon whose temper was easily riled and quickly raged out of control. Worse still, the male showed no signs of trying to curb his attitude at all.

Kagome was glad the invitation had not come from him.

He didn't sound the least bit friendly or pleasant, and she was sure that no nicely written declination would do.

He'd probably tumbled head first into a rage and assume that she had declined with the intention of insulting him.

She shook her head at that thought. She hoped that she didn't receive any from him any time soon.

The male sounded like an absolute horror.

Then there was Lord Sesshomaru of the Western lands who Miroku described as silent but deadly.

Kagome laughed at that.

When he had told her that, she had made the comparison between Lord Sesshomaru and passing gas. She had told him Lord Sesshomaru was like when General Rykotsu passed gas.

"Silent, but very, very deadly," he had said with a smirk in Rykotsu's direction who had stood nearby pretending not hear their remarks.

But the faint red stain on his cheeks had given him away, and Kagome was certain he had heard.

She had never laughed so hard in her entire life.

She'd laughed and laughed, and laughed until tears had rolled down her cheeks and she doubled over in pain as a cramp ripped through her clenching belly muscles. But even the pain hadn't been enough to stop her mirth.

If anything, she had laughed even harder than before, bringing a smile to the faces of both males, though Rykotsu had retained his blush throughout the entire situation.

Later that day, Miroku had walked around with a mysterious lump on his head. Kagome had laughed at his rumpled appearance and Miroku's unfazed grin.

“It was worth the pain,” he informed her.

Kagome shook her head at the memory, a smile making its way to her face. She had never been so amused at the two males before, especially since Rykotsu was a bit stuff at times. She knew that years down the line, when she was old and frail, she would always remember that moment and it would still have the power to make her laugh as though she had not a care in the world.

 Satisfied with her handy work, she set the declination aside and pulled another scroll from the pile.

Before she could read a word of the new document, the doors to her study burst open, and Sango stood in the door way, a disturbed look on her face.

"My Lady!" she cried.

Kagome looked up from the scroll in alarm as her best friend dashed towards her.

It didn't matter how many times she told her childhood friend it was okay for her to call her by name, Sango wouldn't hear of it. Normally, Kagome would correct her and maybe give her a playful scowl, but from the sound of Sango's panicked voice, she knew that now was not the time for fooling around.

Her heart began to pound, and she silently prayed that whatever news Sango brought would not be as terrible as her imagination was already visualizing it to be.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Kagome asked with concern.

"There's trouble, my Lady!” she exclaimed, “An unknown manner of creature has invaded the land from the Northeast border, we've managed to kill them but many are hurt. We managed to get the back to safety but they continue to sicken, their wounds are terrible and fester. I don't think they'll survive,"

Feeling lightheaded at the news, Kagome nodded.

A feeling of sickness settle in the pit of her stomach. This had to be the beasts they were warned about, what other explanation could there be? Why had it come true so soon after? She didn't the sword let alone have a way to combat this threat yet.

They needed more time!

Panic mounting, Kagome was up and around her desk in seconds. She and Sango headed down to the infirmary. The large infirmary filled with rows upon rows of sick beds, sick beds that contained writhing and twisting bodies of people in untold agony . Healers, both old and young tended to the wounded.

The agonizing pain, the skin blackened, and a potent scent of decaying flesh filled the air, making those around gag.

There was no doubt about it.

As Kagome walked closer to one of the fallen youkai she began to feel a strange warmth in her palms, a steady building of power that increased without her doing so. It felt like miko abilities had activated on their own. Looking down at them she was shocked to see they were glowing an eerie crimson. It wasn't just her hands either, her vision began to take on a reddish haze.

Seeing the glow on her best friend's hands, Sango asked, "What is it, my Lady? What's going on? Are you okay?”

Not knowing if she was or not Kagome simply nodded and turned to the bed ridden. Feeling compelled to move closer, she approached a youkai.

Her eyes widened.

She could see the blackness of his skin shift away from her, the diseased color slowly slinking rapidly downward towards his feet, fleeing.

`I can see it'

The Youkai on the bed was a young soldier, no more than a hundred years old. He had been stripped of his armor and clothing and lay with only a thin sheet cover him from the waist down.

His breathing was fast and shallow, his body laboring to fight off the infection.

He'd broken out in a cold sweat, and despite the high fever he'd developed he shivered as though he was freezing.

Through the red haze she could see a beyond his skin, a blackish glue-like substance sliding down and away from it's coiled position around his heart. Instinctively she placed her hands on youkai's chest, melting away the remainder of the escaping goo.

She followed its path, purifying as she went, all the way down the tips of his toes.

The youkai groaned under her ministrations, his body feeling as though it had caught fire wherever her hands touched his skin. He debated whether he should use the last of his strength to push away those burning hands. He knew she was trying to help him, could smell the familiar scent of his Lady but in his state of mind, all he could focus on was the pain.

Pain she was causing with her hands.

He wanted the pain to stop, he wanted her to stop, but his body wouldn't move.

His limbs felt like heavy lead. His mind screamed in frustrated anger. If only he had paid more attention! He had just completed his ten year training to become a Northern soldier, and after his first taste of battle, he lay close to death.

Close to death?

Who the hell was he fooling? He was going to die.

He could feel it in every labored breath he took, every pulsation of pain that pushed the air from his lungs.

He turned angry blue eyes on his Lady.

Why did she torture him?

Why?

Had he not served her well?

Was his failure so terrible that she had to make the last few moments of his life pure pain? Could she not just put him out his misery or find him a blade and let him do it himself?

As her hands passed over his abdomen, he let out a piercing scream, the pain nearly sending him into darkness. He could feel unconsciousness lapping at his senses, but he refused to embrace it.

He would meet his end with his eyes opened.

Kagome's eyes narrowed at the black substance that had wound its stickiness around his organs. As she poured more and more energy over it, the stubborn disease seemed to resist, hanging on as if it was a live entity.

Kagome was no longer sure it wasn't.

It moved as though it was a living creature, ducking and dodging her hands.

With a determined scrawl, Kagome ignored the glaring youkai beneath her hands and addressed the healers that watched with rapt interest.

"Hold him down," she commanded.

Without hesitation, they moved. Sango grabbed one of the soldier's legs while three more healers held his other leg and arms down to the bed. The youkai growled weakly at the restraint.

Kagome looked into the piercing blue eyes.

"I'm trying to help you," she informed the male when she caught his gaze, "I'm trying to purify the disease, but it's wrapped around your organs. This....This is going to hurt, and I'm sorry for it, but it is the only thing I can do. You must try to be strong and try to keep still,"

The youkai watched her for a moment before closing his eyes and nodding weakly.

Kagome reached out and smoothed the blue hair back from his forehead.

"It will be over soon. I will not let you die,"

As the youkai opened his eyes once more, she turned back to his abdomen. Taking in a deep breath and letting it out, Kagome concentrated on pushing a large amount of energy to her palms.

Taking another deep breath, she slammed them down on his abdomen.

The youkai let out a loud roar of pain, his body arching up from the bed, nearly sending Sango and the healers flying.

"Hold him!" Kagome commanded as she pressed down on his belly.

Reinforcing their hold, they held him down with all their combined strength.

Kagome blasted the sticky blackness in his body. As the substance began to dissipate from the Youkai's body, his muscles began to loosen as he slowly lowered himself from his arched position, back onto the bed, completely exhausted.

The cleansing continued fairly uneventful after, with only the patient's occasional grunt or moan of discomfort.

When at last the substance was purified and the skin of the Youkai had turned pink and healthy once more she stood back and surveyed her work, checking for any residue of the disease.

Seeing none she looked up at the youkai who had fallen into a peaceful sleep.

Laying her hand against his forehead she noted with satisfaction that his fever had decreased dramatically, his shivers ceased, and his breathing steadied. A bit stunned Kagome turned to an equally stunned Sango.

"How did you do that?"

"I'm not sure," Kagome said looking down at her hands a moment before shaking her head, "It doesn't matter how. Only that I can,"

Sango smiled and nodded.

"Get all those infected lined up on the beds," Kagome commanded, "I've got a lot of work to do,"

Nodding, the healers and Sango hurried to do their Lady's bidding.

Kagome barely noticed.

Her heart was bursting with relief.

Looking down at her hands, the sickening knots in her stomach unraveling slightly, she could heal them. Her people had hope until they could locate the sword.

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

Deep inside the Emerald Moon a dark being grinned, the gesture dripping with evilness and malevolence.

Fangs gleamed from a darkly sensual mouth.

She was remarkable, his woman. Her fiery temper, sharp mind and delectable figure, yes, his woman was truly amazing. And he would have her.

She was the one, he was sure of it now, the way she had responded to the Kurio Shi his Ra Ku Youki had injected into the youkai, healing them was proof enough. She was meant for him, she was to be his queen.

He had built up enough strength over the last two millennia to possess a "vessel" of sort.

Naraku, his new servant, was indeed an asset. The evil snake youkai had attempted to defy him at first, unknowingly of course. Under the cover of sleep, Vishious had struck, for Naraku, it had been one of many nightmare, for Vishious, it had been a possession that would set forth the wheels of destiny.

Vishious scuffed; even if he had been aware, none could deny him, least of all some worthless youkai youngling.

In the end, the demon had proved no match for him.

Vishious had easily deposited part of his power into the snake, sealing his fate, and forging a connection to the outside world.

Through Naraku he had been able to raise many of his precious Ra Ku Youki, and a number of his yurei.

Sleep walking.

Vishious chuckled. The idiot really had no clue that the “sleep walking” incidents were summoning rituals, performed at his command. It took much out of him to possess the youkai at night and use his body for summoning, but he'd not had the power to bend Naraku to his will at that time.

With his creature's ravenous and blood thirty, he'd sent them to the four regions of Japan, had attacked his female's land and made sure to infect some of the youkai, to judge her reaction.

He was quite pleased to say the least.

Yes, she was indeed worthy of him.

He could not have chosen better.

She brought his long dead body to life, stirred his desire and set his blood on fire. Such a thing had not occurred in the tortuous years he'd spent imprisoned.

Rage shot through his soul as he thought of his imprisonment.

His face turned savage, the blood red stripes on his pale cheeks turned jagged, his pure hazel eyes bleed crimson red, and his jet black hair rippled with his intense hatred.

That fucker Siunki.

Claws dug into skin, drawing blood. Vishious didn't flinch. A growl vibrated in his chest, fierce and thunderous.

If that worm Siunki wasn't already dead he'd tear him apart when he escaped from his prison.

He closed his eyes and calmed himself.

He would not dwell on the past, not when the future looked so......promising.

A future of ruling those pathetic beings outside his prison, a future of pain, wretchedness and misery, where he would be the dictator, he would be king, the whole of Japan in the palm of his hands.

Turning, he walked over to tall, full length mirror hanging upon the stone wall of his prison cell.

With a wave of his hand, the mirror clouded briefly with thick black smoke before once more clearing to show the form of a dark haired youkai leaning over a freshly butchered family of four.

He smirked.

Now was the time to reveal himself to the youkai.

To inform him of who his master was.

Reaching out with his dark energy, he release three black spheres from his body and watched them float through the mirror, drifting down towards the oblivious male still hacking at the half dead male on the forest floor.

The black spheres began to shift, growing larger, taking the shape of Ra Ku Youki.

As the creatures formed, they let out earthshaking bellows, their hungry gazes locked upon the snake youngling.

Vishious lashed out mentally at his pets before they decided to take a bite out of the youkai.

`Devour the humans. Bring the Youkai close to death, but do not kill him,' he commanded.

As obedient as puppies, they growled their compliance and commenced with their master's orders. Vishious crossed his arms and watched the scene unfold with rapt amusement.

The snake Youkai stood, face contorted in fear. Taking an unconscious step back, he watched in terror as the beasts approached him. Vishious had been watching the Youkai for a while now, and had been impressed with his bloodlust. He was the murderer that his future mate had been searching for. The one that had led her and her investigators on a merry chase, going from village to village to village, trying to solve the mystery, and failing each time.

The youkai was as sly and sneaky as his snake heritage suggested.

He weaved in and out of villages, striking down victims with the speed of a snake before slithering off to another village in search of more prey.

Vishious could almost respect the youkai....almost.

Turning his attention back to the mirror, he once again watched the scene.

With the youkai out of their way, his pets turned their attention to the dead female, two female children and dying male.

His crimson eyes gleamed as two of his pets began munching on the legs and arms of the woman and children, while the other went for the bleeding male lying at the snake Youkai's feet. The sound of the male's screams as the beast tore out his throat was almost orgasmic for Vishious.

How he had missed the sound of agony.

The snake youkai looked completely stunned, and yet at the same time, Vishious could tell from the look in his eyes that he held no aversion for the act being committed before him.

Another quality Vishious could almost respect.

Before long, the family of four was no more, and a few chunks of flesh and warm blood upon the grass was the only evidence left of their existence. 

Sated, for now, his pets turned their attention to the stunned snake youkai.

Finally seeming to come to his senses, the snake jumped to his feet and began to flee. With a roar, his pets tore after the male with glee. He could feel the excitement of his pets coursing through his veins as if he were the one chasing down his prey with bloodlust and determination.

The snake Youkai ran for all he was worth, stumbling over tree roots, tripping over his own two feet at times in absolute fear and desperation. Vishious actually found himself throwing his head back and laughing a few times.

The look upon his face was quite amusing.

The terror he projected divine....

So when his pets finally caught the snake, he was a bit disappointed that the spectacle was over, but what could he expect? His little beasts were nothing less than efficient.

The scream of pain tampered his disappointment as the first creature went for the legs, bringing Naraku down hard. Amusement returned as he watched the beasts tear the male apart, avoiding major organs and fatal wounds. Vishious felt his delight heightened as the screams filled his ears. He watched a few moments longer, savoring the male's pain before he finally decided enough was enough and called off his beasts.

Reaching out with his mind, he visualized himself next to his beast, projecting his likeness before the snake.

The amount of energy it took to keep himself visible was already beginning to wear on him. His weakness angered him. Clenching his teeth pushed it down. Business first, rage later.

He looked down at the bleeding youkai looking up at him with glazed over red eyes.

The snake was missing both legs and an arm, blood gushing from deep gashes stained his white kimono and green hakama. Vishious' lips twitched with mirth when noticed that the male was missing his left ear. Vishious had no idea why the male's missing ear would amuse him, but it sure as hell did. It took a concerted effort not to laugh aloud at the mutilation.

He smiled, though it could hardly be called such, for his smile looked like nothing more than bared teeth.

With his body weakening by the second, Vishious made his command short and sweet.

"Will you serve me or you will die here, snake?" he questioned.

Silence greeted his question.

Irritating him, enraging him!

He didn't have the time or power to wait for this pathetic youngling to sit and stare.

Vishious motioned to one of his pets who moved forward baring bloody, slobbery fangs. The creature gave voice to his master's fury, roaring deeply at the snakes non compliance.

A panicked look came into the crimson male's eyes, but still, he did not signal that he agreed to Vishious' command.

Vishious was becoming impatient and motioned the beast even closer, close enough that it dripped slimy, bloody saliva on the youkai's forehead. When the male still did not speak or motion his understanding, Vishious tilted his head with amused interest, his anger gone.

"You cannot speak or move, can you?" he inquired with a smile and a large dose of laughter in his voice.

Still the male said nothing, but an angry gleam came into those red eyes and Vishious knew the male did not appreciate Vishious' amusement at his circumstances one bit. Vishious shrugged inwardly. Didn't matter whether he was angry or not, he would do as Vishious bade.

"I will say again, snake. Serve me or die. If you agree, blink once," he commanded with a big grin.

The male lay on the ground, bleeding and staring back at Vishious with anger. For a while, he just stared, before very slowly, and deliberately, he blinked.

Vishious' grin widened, stretched painfully broad.

"Good," he said as his body began to glow dark purple.

From his body, a mass of black energy slowly engulfing the bloodied male, pushing its way into the snake youkai's body through his many wounds. Once more, the male's screams of pain filled Vishious' ears, a symphony that soothed his soul.

The process took only seconds, but he was sure, to the snake youkai, enduring the process, it seemed as if it had lasted an eternity.

Within seconds, the youkai was once more whole again, his wounds closing, the pain receding. Moment after the completion of the process, the youkai remained on the ground, as if afraid to move least he receive more pain from the male standing above him.

Impatient and tired, Vishious scowled down at the male.

"Get up," he fairly growled.

The youkai hesitated once before gingerly standing, testing out his newly regenerated limbs, reaching up to feel for his left ear, looking relieved to feel that the appendage was there once more.

He looked over at Vishious, curiosity clear in his eyes.

"Who are you?" the youkai asked cautiously.

"I am Vishious, and for now, that is all you need to know of me," Vishious said, "You will serve me from now on, Youkai. I have watched you these past few months, and I find that you are just the servant I have been searching for. I would have you do my bidding, Naraku,"

To Vishious' amusement, the male seemed to bristle at the term `servant', but remained silent, obviously not wanting Vishious to once more turn his pets loose on him again.

"You will raise more of my little pets here," he commanded, motioning to the snarling monsters standing near him.

"How do you know my name?" the male questioned.

Vishious ignored the question and debated whether or not he should rename his new servant, but then decided against it.

There was no point.

When the male was no longer useful to him, he would do not but discard the male later.

Why waste a perfectly good name?

Walking over to the weary male, he reached out and touched a fingertip to his forehead. The tip turned purple briefly, before returning to it normal coloring.

"That is the knowledge you will need in order to raise the beasts," Vishious informed him, "as well as the time and location of where you will raise the first few and where to send them. We are done for now,"

That said, Vishious began to fade before the snake's eyes until he was all together gone.

Back in his body, Vishious wiped the sweat from his brow and took a breath, glad the grueling ordeal was over with. It took so much out of him just to project himself outside of his prison, and even more to keep himself somewhat solid.

Once he got his bearings, he turned his thoughts to more pleasant matters, mainly, his release from his prison.

And of course, he smiled, reaching into his black hakama to stroke himself, a future with his queen at his side; Kagome.

She had become a bit of an obsession of his.

He didn't mind it though; she was an obsession that kept him from a further decent into insanity. He chuckled, he was indeed insane. He knew the way he knew Kagome was his. Again, he minded it not at all. He enjoyed his madness, it felt right to him, and in a way he felt this was the way all beings should be.

Closing his eyes he leaned against a stone wall and stroked himself again, relishing in the feeling.

Soon, his big crude hand would be replaced by a small soft one.

As he increased pressure and speed his thoughts strayed to his female. He fantasized about the positions he would contort her little curvy body in, how he'd pound into her until she screamed for him to stop.

As he worked himself to completion, he felt, not his own hand, but the soft hand of his intended mate.

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

 

Drifting high above the soldiers that marched below, Sesshomaru could just make out the top of the Northern castle in the distance. They'd been traveling for a few days now, stopping twice a day to hunt for a meal. They'd feasted upon three wild boars, six deer and a few dozen rabbits today and then, hunger sated, and energy renewed, had taken up the march once more.

For Sesshomaru, had he been traveling alone, he would've been at the Northern lands already, but with soldiers afoot, the group had to stop often to make sure the army was well fed and well rested.

One never knew when one would be attacked, and in light of this, it was better to have well fed and well rested soldiers than not, otherwise, the soldiers would be like lambs waiting to be slaughtered.

It was no matter.

Sesshomaru himself was in no great hurry to get to the Northern lands. He was quite enjoying being out, away from the day to day stress of being a Territory Lord. It did wonders for his temper as well. He could not help but be glad that the Northern Lord had brought upon this course of action.

It gave him a chance to get out of those stone walls, which was why Sesshomaru had decided to allow the Lord to explain himself before he drew blood.

 Looking down into the tree tops, Sesshomaru could spot Lord Yamiko and his soldiers leaping gracefully through the trees, their feline genetics gifting them with increased agility and speed, while Lord Sarinji and his pack ran along the ground in their true forms.

Lord Sarinji of course, the largest of them all.

Sesshomaru's own men had transformed, towering over the wolves, including Lord Sarinji, although Sesshomaru was even larger in his true form.

He briefly entertained the though of transforming himself but decided against it. He was wearing his favorite kimono and hakama and rather not rip it. Despite popular human belief, youkai did not retain their clothing when transforming unless the clothing was enchanted or bewitched. Otherwise, Youkai merely kept clothing with them or stashed them in the woods until needed.

Either way, he did not feel inclined to rip his clothing at the moment.

As they approached the border separating the Western lands and the Northern lands he had a feeling of impending doom. The fine hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and alarm bells were ringing in his head.

Something was off.

If there was one thing Sesshomaru trusted, it was his instincts. He could feel his inner beast stirring, growling as it too sensed the danger.

`Where?'

Shrewd amber eyes roamed their surroundings, trying to locate the source of the danger. A low growl left his lips, and instantly his troops stopped, even those not of the Western lands stopped and turned to look up at Sesshomaru.

The sound of an agonized scream pierced the air, reaching the ears of the soldiers.

"Can you see where the scream came from?" Sarinji asked from below.

Sesshomaru looked around; searching in the direction the scream had come from and saw nothing. As he descended to tell them of his finding or lack there of, the small scent of blood tickled his nose.

"I smell blood," he informed the group instead.

Gently, he lowered himself to the ground, the cloud dissipating as he strode over to converse Lord Sarinji and Lord Yamiko.

"Do we go and investigate?" Sarinji asked the two males, though his gaze was primarily on Sesshomaru.

This did not go unnoticed by Yamiko, however.

"I say we keep going," Yamiko said in an angry voice, feeling a bit slighted.

He knew what Sarinji thought of him. That he was just a spoiled little pup, barely birthed from the womb.

So he wasn't as old as that fossil, big fucking deal.

His age didn't mean he was lacking in sense or anything. He was the Lord of the Southern lands and dammit he wanted some respect!

"Nay, we will investigate," Sesshomaru said.

"What?!" Yamiko burst out angrily, "We're almost to the castle! Whatever is happening over there is none of our business! Let the Northern Lord take care of his own damn problems!"

Sesshomaru turned cold, narrowed eyes on Yamiko, who was barely able to look unflinchingly back at the older Lord.

Man could that demon Lord glare.

Yamiko began to sweat. It was one thing to bait and argue with Lord Sarinji, he had a mild almost nonexistent temper, however, it was quite another thing entirely to question Lord Sesshomaru. Tales of the demon's cruelty preceded him.

Yamiko got chills just thinking about the things he'd heard about Lord Sesshomaru.

At the time he had heard the stories, he had thought them mere exaggerations,having never met the demon Lord. But now, being very familiar with the inu, Yamiko knew the stories had probably been more humble than the way the events had gone down. And right at that moment, with the full weight of the dog demon's glare on him, he had the chilling inkling that he was about to become another tale to be told around a hushed camp fire.

He gulped.

An amused glow brightened those golden eyes. Though it galled him to no end, Yamiko knew he'd live another day.

"You may continue on if you wish,” Sesshomaru informed him, “I will investigate,"

That said, the silver haired demon turned his back on the two, formed his cloud, gave a barking order to his men and disappeared in the direction of the scream and blood.

Yamiko scuffed and crossed his arms angrily.

"What the hell is his problem?" Yamiko asked glaring at the spot Sesshomaru had been only moments before, "These aren't his lands, why the hell does he care?"

"We are at the Northwestern border, Lord Yamiko, why would he not investigate?" Lord Sarinji asked.

"I just told you why, old man!" Yamiko said with narrowed eyes, wondering if the old wolf was deaf or just making sport of him.

Yamiko, being the hot tempered feline he was, assumed it was the latter rather than the former.

Sarinji sighed, wondering if the kid ever used his brain. If he used his mind as much as his mouth, he would have already figured out why Lord Sesshomaru had stopped to investigate. Lord knows the demon Lord had not done so out of compassion, it was merely business.

"The border between lands often blurs, you cannot really know where your lands begin and ends," Sarinji said slowly as if explaining to a halfwit, "Since we are at the border between the Northern lands and the Western lands, those in trouble could very well have ties to the Western lands,"

Yamiko had not thought of it like that, and that made him angry, and the fact that Sarinji had explained it to him as if he were soft in the head did not put him in a better mood.

Turning away from the annoying old wolf, Yamiko gave the order to his soldiers to follow Lord Sesshomaru. He could understand Sesshomaru wanting to protect his territory, and the truth of the matter was that he was thinking over what Lord Sarinji had said in reference to his own lands. He had never really sought to protect his lands closer to the border of his lands and Lord Sarinji's, nor the lands near the border between he and Lord Sesshomaru's lands, let alone the border between he and the dreaded Northern Lord.

It chafed that he had been so neglectful of his lands and the fact that Lord Sarinji had pointed out such a flaw in the way he managed his lands.

He barely noticed when Sarinji commanded his soldiers to follow as well.

They came upon Lord Sesshomaru and his soldiers within minutes. The demon Lord stood regally upon his cloud, not saying a word to either Lord as they rejoined his group.

For that Yamiko was grateful.

He was feeling like an ass right now and more than a little embarrassed to have let his temper run loose in Lord Sesshomaru's presence, especially when the male was so appallingly cool and collected compared to Yamiko himself.

Yamiko tried to be such as well, many times over.

It never worked.

It took only one wrong look, one wrong comment and his temper was off the walls. It was a trait passed down from his beautiful, caring, hot head of a mother.

His father had tried his best to try and curb his sons raging temper, but alas, every attempted failed. Yamiko could not be curbed, and to tell the truth he didn't really care to try. He liked himself as he was and if other people didn't like it...well then they could shove it.

Besides, he was not hot headed.

He was merely....passionate.

He grimaced at the lame excuse.

They came upon the reason for the scream within minutes. A small group of traveling humans had been attacked by the creatures that had brought them to the North. They were huge, bigger than the ones he'd seen, whatever the hell they were! In their mouths, filled with rows and rows of sharp teeth, were the flesh and blood of their human dinner.

There were ten of them in all.

Noticing they had company, the monsters turned bloody, snarling fangs on the new comers.

Sesshomaru drew his Tokijin and his soldiers took up the cue, readying themselves to do battle..

Likewise, Sarinji and Yamiko drew their weapons, commanding their soldiers to do the same and they all dove head first into the battle.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Hope you like the rewritten version better!

Laters

~Sessakag