InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ My Futures' Past ❯ A Whole New World ( Chapter 4 )

My Futures' Past

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, the well, the swords, or the tree. Hell, I don't even own my cat; she owns me. Inuyasha & co. belong to the illustrious Rumiko Takahashi and I am just borrowing them for my own guilty pleasures.

 

Thank you to everyone who is reading and reviewing, it really motivates me and my plot bunnies (which I keep hidden in a box under my bed).

 

Chapter 4: A Whole New World

 

Kagome heaved a huge sigh and felt the tension flow out of her and into the warm water of the hot spring. It wasn't a bubble bath but the mineral laden water helped soothe her aches and pains. Her remaining undergarments and socks lay freshly scrubbed on the shore and Inuyasha's cream-colored under kimono lay next to them along with a warm piece of cloth she found on the far side of the `nest' they slept in. She figured it was as good a towel as anything. Now, if only I could find some sort of soap. With a snort, she submerged herself and began scrubbing furiously at her hair, hoping to get all the blood and dirt out with just water and her nails. She held her breath as long as she could, then surfaced with a gasp.

 

“Are you trying to drown yourself, wench?”

 

Inuyasha's voice drifted to her from a patch of lush grasses and leaves just beyond the tree line. He said he was looking for herbs to help the swelling in her knee and ankle. Not to help her feel better, no, but because injured she was more of a target and he didn't want to waste time protecting her when he could be doing something else. When Kagome questioned what else he had to do, he just barked at her to be quiet (adding a literal bark for the benefit of her learning inu).

 

“No, Inuyasha, I'm not. I'm trying to get the blood and dirt out of my hair with no soap. You're sure you don't have something I could use?”

 

“No.”

 

“What do you use when you bathe?”

 

“Water.”

 

She caught a glimpse of silver as his head bobbed down into the leaves.

 

“What about when you're really dirty?” she asked getting exasperated with the stubborn dog demon.

 

“I don't smell.”

 

Kagome got ready to dunk under again. “You're hopeless you know that?” Gulping air, she dunked again and scrubbed from scalp to ends, wincing at the knots she encountered. I know he doesn't have any sort of comb either. Argh, men! When she surfaced she found herself nose to nose with the youkai.

 

“Eeep! Kami, Inuyasha are you trying to kill me?”

 

He gave a snarl before speaking. “No, wench. If I wanted you dead you would be. Are you not grateful I am helping you?” His words were emphasized by a low, harsh bark that he explained earlier meant he wanted her submission. Next to him was a pile of leafy and slightly smelly herbs.

 

She bowed her head. “I'm sorry. I am thankful. For everything you're doing. I don't understand this world. I can't hunt, I don't know what is medicine, or food, or poisonous. And I know I wouldn't be able to find shelter. I just…well I miss the things I had at home, like shampoo for my hair or soap or lotion. I didn't mean to be disrespectful.”

 

“Bare your throat to me.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“To show you are sorry and to ask your alpha for forgiveness, the lower pack members bare their throats. If the apology is accepted, the alpha will nuzzle or lick the lesser member's throat. If the mistake was unforgivable, the alpha will tear the throat out,” Inuyasha replied, watching her closely.

 

Kagome closed her eyes and raised her chin, tilting it away from the inu youkai so the smooth line of her neck was exposed.

 

“I'm sorry, Inuyasha,” she repeated.

 

A few painfully long heartbeats later she felt his warm nose caress the line of her throat followed by a swipe of his hot tongue. He nodded to her and reached into the spring to collect her. He had worn only his hakama since the day was warm.

 

“You are clean enough. If you stay much longer you will faint.”

 

He watched as Kagome balanced herself against one of the larger rocks and began to dry off using the cloth. She was getting strangely used to being nude in front of Inuyasha. She wasn't sure she'd be able to do it around anyone else, but the demon made her feel safe. Sighing in the direction of her wet underwear, she wrapped his kimono around herself and knotted the ties under the left arm. It was so long on her the sleeves hung just over her hands and it fell longer than her uniform skirt. Kagome still felt weird without her bra and panties, but at least she was no longer exposed while outside. She looked up to find Inuyasha in a crouched position with his back to her.

 

“Climb on.”

 

“Ummm, okay,” she replied and climbed up, careful of her injured leg. The inu youkai gripped her upper thighs, mindful of his long claws. Taking the herbs and her clean underthings in his hands, they made their way back up the slope to the cave Kagome figured she was going to think of as home. If Inuyasha decided to keep her.

 

When she was situated in front of the small fire, Inuyasha grabbed a mortar and pestle from the pile of dishes and started to mash the herbs together. He didn't offer Kagome any explanation to what he was doing or if she was expected to eat the mush he was making.

 

“Hand me some water.”

 

She reached over and filled a shallow bowl from the water jug and passed it over.

 

“What are you making?” she couldn't help but ask.

 

“A poultice for your sprained knee and ankle. It will lessen the swelling and speed healing once it is applied and wrapped,” he said, sniffing at the mush and then the herb pile until he found the bunch of leaves he wanted.

 

“What types of herbs are in it? Is it something else I can learn?”

 

Kagome wanted to do something useful for the demon and he already proved he could cook and with her injuries she couldn't really clean up the cave, wash clothes or do the dishes. She was a modern woman, damn it, and she didn't want a man (or a male inu youkai) waiting on her hand and foot. She wanted to try the well again but in the meantime she wanted to learn all she could.

 

“I do not know what they are called, I know them by scent.” He watched the human girl's face drop. “But each leaf is distinct; I could show you by that. We will do that after you are healed.” He gave a softer growl. “That means I approve of what you said.”

 

Kagome smiled and tried to mimic the sound he made but by the startled look on his face, she guessed she failed miserably.

 

“I'm sorry! What did I say? If it was bad, I didn't know! I was just trying to repeat what you said!” She dropped her head, hoping that she wasn't going to be put in the submission hold again. The back of her neck was still sore from the last time when he broke skin.

 

Two fingers gently tilted her chin up. She stared at Inuyasha with glassy eyes.

 

“It was not an insult. You said the inu word for `mate'. The sound you want is harder and more in the back of the throat. Listen to the difference.” He made the first growl again, the approval sound and then the sound she had made. There was a definite difference. Repeating the acceptance growl he nodded to her. “Try again.”

 

Kagome continued to stare at him. Inuyasha nodded again and she tried to mimic his growl.

 

“Close. Lower. Push the air our through your throat.”

 

Once more she repeated after the demon and this time she was graced with a nod and a soft whuff.

 

“Good.”

 

He brought the mashed leaves over and coated first her ankle then knee and bound them both tightly with strips of linen. A warm, tingling sensation crept up her leg. He started to tug on the ties of the kimono.

 

“Wha…” Kagome didn't want to do anything to set off the dog demon's temper but she really wanted to know why he was trying to get her naked!

 

“You need rest to heal. You do not need my kimono to sleep.”

 

She allowed him to remove the shirt and lay her on the fuzzy fur mattress. He waited for her to shift into a comfortable position before pulling the large skin they were using as a blanket over her.

 

“What are you going to do?” Kagome asked, yawning.

 

“Keep watch. Now sleep.”

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

“Lord Sesshomaru, Lord Sesshomaru,” the green toad imp called as he raced down the corridor. He wanted to beat his master to his chamber doors. Jaken had been banned from the suite and we wanted to deliver the good news in person. The full youkai turned and regarded his vassal with no emotion.

 

“My Lord,” Jaken panted, “I have sent the human men you wanted to the village with the Goshinboku. They are using the winged serpents to travel and should make the trip in seven days or less. Four humans have made the trip along with two youkai.”

 

Sesshomaru gave a nod and entered his rooms without a word. The toad's face fell but he felt certain he could do more to gain his master's praise. Turning, the lesser demon headed for the kitchens to order the staff around in the name of his lord and master.

 

Walking up to an ornately carved dresser, Sesshomaru opened a narrow wooden box lined with red silk. Drawing the blue wrapped object from his belt, he held the edges of the cloth and dropped the contents into case without touching it directly. The rusty kantana settled into its hollow next to a dull scabbard. The lid clattered closed to reveal the image of a fully transformed dog demon carved into the otherwise simple box.

 

“The legacy of the Lord of the Western Lands willed to a half breed whelp. Why? What did this Sesshomaru, your pure blood son, ever do to deserve humiliation from his sire? Tensaiga, the fang which hold the power to restore 100 souls. What use is a sword that does not cut? A sword that cannot be used to expand the inu youkai empire? Yet, the half breed receives Tessaiga as a mere child. You spent countless hours helping train him in its power, saying he would come into its ultimate attack, to slay 100 demons with a single stroke, in time.”

 

Weary, he dropped onto a plush lounge, the fluffy white fur at his shoulder billowing behind him to rest on the floor. His poison tipped claws dragged over the hilt of the despised blade at his hip.

 

“As my sire, you should have died at my hands, not protecting the frail human whore by your side. What youkai would not challenge one who gained his lands by inheritance and not overthrowing his father in a show of strength? You were weak, falling in love with a human and siring a hanyou, but this Sesshomaru…I am nothing like you. My lands have grown large and wealthy and no one dares challenge my authority,” he rambled to himself, his golden gaze once again falling on the sword case across the room.

 

“But now Inuyasha, now, I have control of both great fangs of the former Inu no Taisho and by spilling your tainted blood I will finally gain the favor of Tessaiga. My men will provide motivation for you to seek this Sesshomaru out. Your demon blood will make you reckless little brother, and then I shall have all I desire and more.”

 

With that, Sesshomaru closed his eyes and allowed sleep to dull his senses. Though it was early in the day, he had not slept previous night at all, haunted by his memories. Even though his youkai body did not require daily rest, he would be stronger for it, ready to put the hanyou in his place when the time arrived.