InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Paradigm Shift ❯ Crack ( Chapter 1 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

AN: Please note that until the story is fully written and posted, it is entirely unedited and raw. I'll be going back over it all after I'm finished, but I don't want to lose my stride while I'm writing it.

000

Paradigm Shift

Chapter One: Crack

With the battle against the Panther Youkai Tribe at a close, and anxious to separate Kagome from Kouga's affections, Inuyasha wanted to leave and go about the search for the remaining shards as quickly as they could. He barked out a question to the four in his impatience.

"Well, are we still fighting or not?"

"No, We shall return to the Western Lands. Tell Sesshomaru that won't you?"

Inuyasha closed his eyes and let out an exasperated sigh as he stood and sheathed the Testsusaiga.

"We're not really that close." He replied as he left to join the others.

Kagome watched and listened to the exchange from nearby, where everyone had approached as the great panther leader fell in defeat. Her eyes widened as the implications of the panthers' statement coursed through her mind. She turned her head to glance at Kouga, whose lips had drawn together tightly. He seemed to be highly concerned about the words as well.

"Uh... Kouga?" She whispered quietly, fingers lain gently against his arm.

He flashed her a winning smile, but she had already seen his face etched in apprehension and his body tense.

"What's wrong, Kagome? Are you hurt?" A cursory glance over her body, admittedly a very appreciative glance, told him that she wasn't. He met her fearful gaze with mild confusion.

"Kouga, The Western Lands… isn't Sesshomaru Lord of the Western Lands?"

The same apprehension flashed across his face, but it was gone in an instant and he smiled gently at her before looking ahead and continuing to watch Inuyasha's approach.

"He is." Came so softly from Kouga's lips that if Kagome had not been so intent on his reply, she would have missed it completely. Looking at the others that surrounded the two of them; it certainly seemed as though not even the other youkai among them had heard. That or they simply didn't care about their conversation in light of all that had just happened. They looked worn; none with serious injuries, but most with minor ones.

Her gaze fell on Kouga's face once more. He looked just as worn and just as tired as the rest, if free of any injury. Her teeth clamped onto her bottom lip as she followed his gaze to Inuyasha. A tremor of determination shot through her and she stepped forward stiffly as Inuyasha neared. He was only a few steps from them as she plucked up the gumption to confront him.

"Inuyasha! You don't have to like your brother-

"Half-brother!"

"Ugh! You don't have to like him to tell him what-

"I'm not his messenger or his keeper, Kagome!"

"You're not fit to be anyone's keeper, mutt." Kouga interjected into the beginnings of their argument with a sly smirk. To punctuate his declaration, he swiftly placed his arm around Kagome's waist and drew her roughly into his side.

Kagome's only response to Kouga's actions and Inuyasha's resulting bristling was a closing of her eyes, a soft sigh, and an immense effort at self-control over her exasperation. She looked at Kouga's hard grip on her waist and methodically began attempting to pry his fingers, one by one, from her person.

"Get your hands off of her, wolf!"

Kouga smiled winningly and opened his mouth to reply, but the taunt died on his lips as he frowned at Kagome's intent mission to pry his hand from herself. She usually responded to these fights between the two of them in a more docile manner.

With a measured calmness, and not once removing her eyes from her task, Kagome softly threw out her own words. She didn't care at this point if they were for her own peace of mind, or if she wanted one or both of the men to respond.

"Why don't I ever get consulted in any of this? Besides. It's not even the most important thing right now."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Inuyasha snapped out at her, leaning his face into arm's reach.

Kagome shot him a glare, then turned her head to Kouga with a strained smile in thanks as he reluctantly dropped his hold from her side.

"Inuyasha, if you're not going to tell Sesshomaru about something that could be really important then I'll do it myself."

With that, she turned on her heel and began picking her way through the crowd in the direction she had seen the inu-youkai departing. She only hoped she still had time to catch up to him. Her lip found itself clenched between unforgiving teeth once more.

Kouga looked between them impassively, observing their exchange quietly until he watched Inuyasha's rapid steps closing the distance between him and Kagome, and his arm shoot out toward her; closing in a vice-grip on her upper left arm. His eyes narrowed. His right foot scraped the dirt and gravel as it slid forward minutely. He watched Kagome's face contort and her eyes clench together in shock…and pain. A growl rumbled up through himself as he snapped.

Kouga struck quick and hard, landing a knee in the other man's midsection.

Inuyasha curled around the impact and tilted his head to the wolf prince, answering with his own growl and releasing Kagome in the process. Before he could retaliate, though, both Kouga and Kagome were gone in a spray of dirt.

"That damned wolf." He muttered to himself, bounding after the two and knowing that Kouga would be much faster than he was. His anger amplified as he realized how much time could be spent tracking the other. Time that could be spent better in hunting down the rest of the damned Shikon shards.

000

Kagome struggled to catch her breath as her feet touched upon the ground again, having had the wind stolen from her lungs as she was unceremoniously snatched from the earth and carried at such a speed. She bent over and placed her hands on her knees, drawing a few deep breaths and cutting a sharp glare at Kouga.

"Kouga, what were-oh."

She stopped mid reprimand as she caught the figure of the Western Lord, a decent distance away, over the wolf's shoulder. Kouga gave a sheepish smile and reached one hand up to tug at the strap that bound his hair in nervousness.

"You're my woman!" He received another cutting glare and barreled ahead. "It's my job to make sure you get the things you want… and honestly, you're right that he should know about this." Kagome watched as the lighthearted expression slipped from Kouga's face as his words took a more serious turn.

She saw Sesshomaru's steps come to a halt as he, no doubt, heard. "He's the Lord of those lands and those lands are where me and the other wolves live." Kagome's sight focused in on the regal inu-youkai as he turned sharply and his stare found the two of them; obviously now intrigued by Kouga's words.

Kouga turned from Kagome to meet Sesshomaru's eyes.

"Lord Sesshomaru. We bring news that may be of importance to you."

The normal cold impassiveness that Sesshomaru was known for met his words, but they both began to close the distance between them.

Kagome trailed after Kouga with only a few seconds of hesitation, albeit at a slower pace. She stopped a few paces behind Kouga with apprehension in her veins as the two youkai came into conversational reach of one another.

Sesshomaru said nothing, but his face showed a slight hint of his expectation. Kouga turned his head and motioned with his hand for her to join him. She was spared a flash of a glance by the golden eyes that were so similar to Inuyasha's amber ones. She steadied herself and tried her best to project confidence as she made her way to Kouga's side. She brushed the length of her arm against his to reassure herself that he could protect her if their most reluctant of allies turned violent. She felt an answering pressure against her arm and shoulder as he readily gave her the reassurance that she sought.

"The cats intend to return to your lands." It was succinct and monotonous. The delivery shocked Kagome for a moment; she had never heard Kouga speak with such a lack of emotion.

"They told you this, Prince?"

"No, Lord."

"Then how do you carry this information to me?"

Kagome opened her mouth to respond, but a sharp pull on her fingertips from Kouga silenced her and her teeth snapped closed with a downward glance.

"It was told directly to the Hanyou."

Sesshomaru gave a curt nod to Kouga and began to turn from them.

"I give my thanks to you for bringing this to me."

"I cannot accept."

Sesshomaru's breath was exhaled sharply through his teeth as he altered his path and instead took two quick strides to her friend. Kagome's blood froze and her vision blurred as the adrenaline tore through her system. She didn't even realize she had lifted her hand toward Sesshomaru's chest until the full intensity of his angered gaze landed on her and a growl sounded from what seemed like everywhere to her ears.

"Kagome is the one who insisted that you be made aware of this."

The words were rushed and they were laced with Kouga's frantic emotions once again. Kagome's relief at that small familiarity did little to dispel the fear in her. She had not been this close as a direct recipient of Sesshomaru's wrath before. It was unlike any other confrontation she had yet experienced.

"Remove yourself from my person at once, Miko, or I shall remove it for you." He hissed a scant breadth from her face.

She jerked her arm from its place on his chest hastily, slightly dizzy from her blood competing to flush her cheeks in embarrassment and rush from her complexion in horror. Sesshomaru straightened himself to his full height, turning his body to fully face her. He stared down at her for moments before giving her the same curt nod that he had previously directed at her friend.

"Miko."

She gulped. She worried the sound of it was too loud. She said nothing but felt a clawed finger poke her ribs gently. Her head swung to Kouga's face, just as quickly to her feet, back up to Sesshomaru, and her brows drew together in momentary confusion. Another jab and she inched away from him.

"Miko."

Blue met gold slowly and she searched his face for any hint of direction. A nod from Kouga in her peripheral vision made her draw a small, soft gasp; she raised her chin level once more, and then gave Sesshomaru the same nod that he had bestowed on the both of them.

"She can be taught manners, I see." An icy chuckle. Kouga tried to hide a grimace and only mostly succeeded.

She tasted a small hint of copper from the piece of lip she so habitually abused and winced as they both drew in a long breath when it was released from the white prison where it had been.

They stood in silence for what she thought was far too long. Finally, Sesshomaru turned away from them. She let out the breath that she had not realized she had been holding, only to hear him call back the others that he regularly traveled with.

Worried glances were traded between the friends. The pretended not to notice the gentle slide of his pale hand over the hair of the small girl, Rin.

"Miko."

Kagome was quickly becoming tired of the title.

"Kagome." There was defiance in her tone and both youkai gave her sharp looks before turning back from her.

"Miko. Up."

She huffed and looked at him where he stood by the two-headed dragon-like beast that was so often with his group.

A slightly panicked look at Kouga.

"Lord Sesshomaru, why-

"Do not presume to question me, boy."

A tug on Kagome's skirt had her crouching down and smiling for Rin

"You should do what Lord Sesshomaru says."

She gave Kagome her brightest smile, and Kagome's thoughts spun as she stood again and took a small step forward.

"Kago-

Kouga could not repress a growl at Kagome's alarmed shriek when Sesshomaru swiftly swept his arm to bend her knees and carry her over, depositing her roughly onto the beast. He was answered with a fiercer growl and a gaze struck through with red, the face so close to his own that he could feel the other's warm breath on his skin.

As soon as it happened, it was over and Sesshomaru was walking past Kouga, leading the dragon, with her atop it.

"I wish to speak with Inuyasha." His calm baritone informed them, and he continued his path back the way he had come. Kouga followed opposite him, on Kagome's other side, his fingers laid across her own on the leather saddle.