InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Shadowed Nights ❯ The Pact: Part A ( Chapter 1 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Shadowed Nights

By The Black Dragon Queen

Notes: I have never written an Inuyasha fan fic before and am still a novice on the series. Most of this is based off the four movies and the first season as those are the only DVD's on the series I've seen. My good friend, Shadowdreamer Lady Fate, provides 90% of all series facts (A big huzza to her!). I know they are almost (COMPLETELY) out of Character. I tried, I really did but Sesshoumaru is so quiet, you never know what he's thinking and I always see Inuyasha as a seriously complex character. He has more “Human” in him than he wants to admit. So please keep those thoughts in mind as you read my story and please don't hurt me. Please!

Pairings: Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha

Summary: Moonless nights and creepy caves are the least of the worries for two half brothers, but when certain circumstances arise that force them together in said creepy cave insults are not the only things these two share. (Not much of a summary, but this was originally a small thought on what went on during that one night a month for our beloved hanyou that kind of exploded…)

Disclaimers: None of these wonderfully charming characters came out of my head, just the torture that I put them through. If Rumiko Takahashi really wants to sue me for using her characters without permission, I will gladly hand over my vast amount of debts.

Rating & Warnings: Mature! Incest! Bestiality! Blood Lust! M-Preg! BAD SPELLING! Bad Sense of Humor! And a lot of other things as I go! Additional Ratings will appear as needed. The exit to this story is to your left for anyone who has not already run away screaming. Un-Cut Chapters will be available at Mediaminer.org as they are written.

Fonts: “Speaking”… `Thinking'… “Surprise!” ^O_~^

Chapter One: Darkest Hours

There was no moon…

That was never a good thing…

A delicate shadow raced frantically within the deep forest underbrush as fast as his feet could carry him; which wasn't fast enough since the lesser demons chasing his frenzied flight were gaining with each step. It was almost as if the very trees were reaching for the figure to hold him back, to ensure that he would not be able to escape his pursuers.

It was karma coming right back to bite him in the ass!

“Kuso!” the figure growled shooting an irate gaze at the sky. `Why dose this shit always happen to me?' he thought angrily as he took another sharp corner in hopes of losing his pursuers.

It wasn't going to work; he knew that it wasn't going to work. He had first hand knowledge that any demons senses were more heightened and the very sound of his heaving breathing gave away his every position, but it should buy him some time to come up a plan.

`A plan… a plan, a plan, a plan…' the thought continued to run rampant through his mind.

He dodged a few more trees and jumped as best he could over the entangled bushes.

`Fuck, no plan!' It was getting down right irritating. He never needed a plan before. Usually he just went out and did what he did best; which was kick the shit out of anything and everything that so much as looked at him wrong.

A pale, clammy hand clutched at the small sword at his waist in a vice like grip of desperation with a brief thought of fighting back, before the figure huffed and continued forward. This was the one night- the single most aggravating night that always arrived like clockwork each month- that rendered the small but deadly blade practically useless in his hands.

He continued his flight through the forest but that would not be able to save him. He could already feel the deep threads of fatigue creping upon his consciousness. He knew he would not be able to keep up this pace for long.

“DAMN IT!” the small figure bellowed. “Why? Why me? What did I ever do?”

The sky kept silent.

The figure cursed again and started to venture into the denser foliage of the forests. He could feel the uneven ground tear at his bare feet. Cutting and tearing into him as blood soaked into the ground in his wake.

`This has just not been my night!' the figure thought as he heard the gentle rumble in the distance. “Like it wasn't dark enough?” he growled in annoyance.

`Just what I need- rain,' the figure groaned as he squinted into the darkness. It was only years of honed instincts that he was even able to navigate the thick underbrush.

If only the demons had stumbled across him on a different night… `Keh, if it was a different night, they wouldn't have come after me at all!' The thought did little to help his current situation.

Slipping around another corner the figure quickly whirled away from the offered path of a small farm road. `They'll defiantly catch me if I'm in the open,' the figure reflected as he moved back into the cover of the forest.

`Why the Hell did I have to leave the thrice damn village tonight of all nights?' he bemoaned as he continued on his uneven course.

It was really just a simple reason of miscommunication, he reflected, that led to the argument, which in turn led to the wild hunt he found himself in now. One small, insignificant comment that set off a chain reaction of screaming, shouting and finally leaving that small house that for the past year he could call somewhat “home”.

He had wandered thought the entire day grumbling at the sheer idiocy of such a fight. It wasn't as if he went out of his way to be hurtful. It wasn't as if he actively sought out to be cruel or spiteful. It had just been the way he had been raised…

…Or rather how he hadn't been raised.

He had truly never been taught the way of proper manors, or the need to think before speaking. It was never the most important thing when he was smaller and later as a young child. The simple need of survival had been a primary concern and it was in those skills that he prospered and grew to the “young” man he was now.

There was never a need before for any type of “guiding hand” in how to function in society. He had never wanted anything to do with society or any form of civilization since that painful day all those years ago when he was suddenly found himself so terribly alone.

Proper manners were the least of his worries when what was his only source of encouragement had been suddenly ripped away from him to gate of Hades and the underworld.

That pain of loss still hurt to this day.

Never before, however, had he ever been accused of such malice. By a supposed friend at that!

How a small simple fight over food could spin out of control as to come to the point of him actually leaving was something that was beyond his understanding.

He liked what he liked and to try and force a different view over years, over the decades, of having a single mindset was bound to be a harsh battle.

What hurt him the most though, was that his so called “friend” was constantly trying to change him. To coerce him to act a part that was so different from his normal habits and chastising him for simply being himself.

He shook his head to banish the horrifying trail of thought. `NO ONE can ever FORCE me to do anything, EVER!' he reassured himself.

In all his life, the only thing that was ever truly his and not gifted to him by anyone was himself, and he would be damned if he allowed anyone to take that away. He was himself; thought sometimes it was difficult to remember who he truly was after years of cultivating his current persona. But there was enough time to contemplate that later.

`Right now, I just have to live long enough to get to later.'

The figure finally lifted his gaze from the ragged ground he was running only to see a massive tree coming straight at him.

…Wait.

“Fucking HELL!” the figure cursed as he quickly tried to slide into a stop. It didn't work.

The momentum of his hurried flight drove him head on, and while he managed to avoid the large trunk of the tree, the full, thick branches managed to catch him dead in the face.

“Stupid Tree!”

The figure managed to catch his balance and took off once more. `Dawn, just have to make it to dawn!' a mantra he continued to repeat in effort to bolster his resolve to survive. However dawn was still hours away and he could already feel what little strength he had left depleting and his reserves were close to nil.

Eyes that had faded from their normally sharp golden hue to a springy light bronze darted frantically around looking for any possible way to escape. Anything would be better than to actually be caught by these small fries. After fighting and defeating countless stronger demons among other things, to be finally killed by a couple of lesser demons really stung at the figure's pride.

It was perhaps one in a long line of mistakes that night that was his downfall… literally.

With his gaze away from the path in front on him, it was just a simple stone that finally brought him down. The figure hit the ground with a bang and aches that never before were any concern suddenly took on a life of their own as his body seared with pain.

Blood was pooling in his mouth and he hastily spat the blood and perhaps a tooth or two out as he tried to stand. Sharp needles suddenly coursed upward from his ankle and he stumbled again to his knees gasping for air as he clutched the paining limb.

That was when the fact that he was not alone finally registered.

A glance over his shoulder confirmed that the three demons had indeed caught up and were staring at him with actual glee.

“A human,” one rasping voice snarled in confusion. “A human but not…”

“Who cares?” another hissed. “It's lunch now.”

“You want to try it ugly?” the human spat as he finally did pull the sword from his waist. It was not exactly useful at the moment, but it was something and all he had. Grasping a low hanging branch from the tree beside him, the figure was finally able to pull himself into a standing position holding the sword before him in a shaking hand.

The demons gurgled with laughter at his small attempt of protection. “What do you think you can do with that?”

“Any damn thing I can!” he shouted lifting the sword higher. It was not exactly useful at the moment, but it was something and all he had. “You think that I'm going down with out a fight and you are fucking out of your mind!”

Another gurgle. “There is nothing you can do, human. We are demons. We are hungry. You are food. That is the way of things.”

“That's what you think if you assume that I'm just another weak pathetic human! I will not be defeated by the likes of YOU!” and with that the figure lunged swinging the sword in a large arch before steel struck flesh and the blade caught the side of the lead demon.

It roared out in fury as it reared back and swung a massive hand at the fragile human skull.

Instinct once more took over and it was the only way the human was able to doge the killing blow but it proved too much for his injured ankle as pain once more came to the fore front of his mind.

He went down screaming as a second demon managed to strike him from behind. The instant he felt himself hit the ground, the figure rolled quickly as far as the small clearing allowed before bounding back on his good leg. He had managed to keep his sword and held it once more before him, the only thing between him and a very close encounter with a demons digestive tract.

The demons gurgled in laughter again. “Such a troublesome little thing,” the third finally spoke. “This one has spirit.”

“Or stupidity,” the leader spoke again. “Do you really think that you can defeat us little brat?”

“If I can't,” the human rasped, “I'll at least be sure to take you down with me!”

With a wild swing of the sword the figure lunged once more at the three looming fiends.

It was really no surprise when the sword was bashed from his hands. Pain seared throughout his body as one of the lesser demons blows connected and sent him slamming into trunk of a colossal tree.

Blood was now spilling freely over his body, soaking and blending into the red of his garments.

“This grows tiresome,” the second demon stated with a bored tone. “Kill him and be done with it!”

The human gritted his teeth as the lead demon took firm hold of him and slammed him back against the tree once more for good measure. Lifting him upward until he was completely off his feet, the human wrinkled his nose as the foul smell of unwashed sweat and decaying meat wafted at him.

“It is time to die, filth!”

A small smirk graced the wounded features. “Have it your way,” and a small foot shot out to kick at the creature holding him.

The demon didn't even flinch as it grasped the small ankle of the only un-injured leg.

A pained scream managed to tear away from his throat as the slender appendage was slowly crushed under the inhuman strength.

The demons gurgled again with mirth.

`That sound is the most irritating noise I have ever heard.' It was a stupid fleeting thought but it was how he actually felt.

The weight suddenly left his ankle before it suddenly appeared around his lean throat.

“You have given us a most entertaining night human,” the harsh voice growled, “however; all things must come to an end.”

His vision was going.

Darkness that had nothing to do with the absence of the moon slowly crept forward from the corners of his eyes and small spots danced in front of his vision. Air was slowly escaping from his lungs as he desperately clawed at the thing grasping his throat. A growing rumble sounded from the sky above as the rain was finally released from their cloudy prisons onto the creatures below.

A whimper left his throat…

A roar left that of another…

Pressure lifted as he was suddenly dropped like a mere child's doll to fall in the forming mud. Screams echoed thought out the dense forest and the metallic smell of blood assaulted his senses as the human engulfed much needed breaths of air.

Growls and snarls were a low undercurrent of the lesser demons piercing screams of death until a sudden hush descended.

There was not a single sound other that his own gasping breaths and the soft pelting of the rain on the canopy of the leaves above as his vision slowly came into focus. His eyes slowly took in the sight of the three mutilated forms of the dead demons before finally managing to look away at the thing that so easily killed them.

He saw a massive shape of white and instant recognition took hold. There was a simple word that floated thought his mind as darkness crept upward once more.

“Crap.”

Chapter Two: Reluctant Rescuer

There was no moon…

It could have been worse…

`It could be raining,' a silent figure thought as it prowled thought the still woods.

It was just as this thought passed through his head when there was a sudden shift of wind and the smell of water drifted on the air.

`Well fuck,' the figure chuckled to himself before continuing on his path now with the purpose of seeking appropriate shelter from the impending storm. The wind blew from the north so the figure turned southwards, deeper into the woods hoping to find something that would be able to cover his substantial physique.

It was peaceful for being the middle of the night. There was no sound of any of the nocturnal creatures that usually prowled the woods, even with his enhanced demon hearing. There was hardly any sound at all. Just the simple swoosh of wind rustling leaves and the figures own peaceful breathing.

As he wandered with his slow, uneven gait he occasionally paused in the hopes of finding some shelter for his large form only to be disappointed and moved on. While he wasn't in his full sized form that came with a full release of his powers, he was still rather big. He stood towering at a good nine feet high at the shoulders; thus, his current problem of finding any trace of suitable shelter. He was glad he had left his somewhat unwanted companions in the shelter of small outcropping of rocks near the river earlier that morning before wandering off into the woods.

They never understood why every month he had to leave them for two or three days- especially the small child. However, in truth, it was safer for them to stay away. His companions always treated him as a leader but he had to always remember that he was a demon, first and foremost…

And a demon needed no one.

It was actually quite refreshing to be alone if even for a few days.

There was hardly ever a moment that the demon had all to himself. There was always someone following him, whether it was allies or enemies, it seemed as if there was never any end to them.

It was why he had been so insistent to his subordinates those years ago that he leave his childhood home and go out into the world to “further educate” himself rather than taking up the duties that had been suddenly dumped upon his shoulders on the death of his sire.

`Something that should have been mine to take,' the demon reflected as he continued his shuffled walk through the forest, keeping a keen eye on anything that could possibly be used as a temporary lodging. `It was my right, not something to be wasted on that…' the figure growled low in his throat.

In demon hierarchy, it was not just simply inheriting by birth and blood. Whether he was the eldest child or not, his right to succeed his title was in his ability to kill his predecessor. But as such a lowly human had killed his father; the right of Lord automatically fell to him as the eldest living offspring of the former lord. This chain of authority had been in practice since the old times in order to keep away war and bloodshed from falling upon the lands in a fight for succession.

The death had essentially left him as the youngest lord ever to take upon a region and he knew that his father's councilors had hated him from the start. It was way it was applicable for all parties involved that he left the palace immediately on his so called “quest” after his father's demise.

And from what he heard in his servant's yearly reports, everything was running just fine without him.

It was the distant rumble of thunder that reminded him of his hunt and he had just found what looked to be a promising shelter of low hanging branches when he heard it.

“DAMN IT! Why? Why me? What did I ever do?”

It was such a sudden outburst in the tranquility of the forests that the demon suddenly froze. He tilted his head to hear better just incase something sounded again.

Silence.

More silence.

`Perhaps I'm going mad,' the demon thought with a sour note. `That almost sounded like it was-'

“Fucking HELL!”

The sound of someone crashing into thick underbrush reached his sensitive ears and the demon almost groaned.

“Stupid Tree!” the voice continued

`It is,' he growled as the echo of the voice once more bellowed in the stillness. `Like I don't run into him enough?' he thought in aggravation. `Of all the stupid, pain in the ass luck, why the in the nine hells do I have to run in to him?'

Almost heaving a sigh, the demon started turning away from the irritating noise when a resounding “bang” suddenly reached his sensitive ears.

Even the large form had to cringe at the sound. `That just had to hurt,' he thought as he started to resume his path. Tonight was not the night for him to encounter his sworn enemy, as there was no possible way for him to rightfully combat him in his current form. He wanted to defeat him sword against sword. The last and only time he had ever fought him in his current condition had left him with a constant reminder of the encounter in every step he now took.

He had only gone a few feet when another voice reached his ears…

“Such a troublesome little thing. This one has spirit.”

And then another…

“Or stupidity. Do you really think that you can defeat us little brat?”

The first one responded back in ever annoying fashion. “If I can't, I'll at least be sure to take you down with me!”

If it weren't so uncouth, he would have rolled his eyes. `Not good to taunt them idiot.'

The sound of feeble fighting soon followed that announcement and the demon finally turned and headed towards the noise.

`What has that baka gotten himself into now?' the demon thought as he made his way through the thick trees towards the ringing sound of battle.

Suddenly there was silence once more.

The figure almost turned away again in exasperation when one of the deeper voices stated, “This grows tiresome, kill him and be done with it!”

`What?' the demon couldn't help but wonder in shock as he turned back and hurried as fast as his uneven gate could manage.

The smell hit him first. That familiar smell of blood that assaulted his delicate nose and sent shockwaves straight to his brain.

It was confusing for a moment.

It wasn't the same smell that he had ever associated with the recognizable voice that he heard. Somehow the smell was… different. The same undercurrent but with the heaver scent of…

`Impossible,' the demon thought and increased his speed.

He soon found himself by a small clearing looking down from the slight hill where he emerged from the trees.

He saw red.

Red was soaking the ground as a small figure was suddenly grabbed by one of the demons and slammed into a tree.

The demon on the hill was frozen at the scene below him and just stared in utter disbelief.

It was him! It really was him down there but then it wasn't.

`Shocking,' the demon concluded as he watched the small human below him.

There was always wondered if the small rumor about those kinds held any truth and here was actual proof that it did. He didn't know how to make heads or tails out of it now that the genuine article was right there in front of him.

`Hmph. Just one more thing that makes those things even more inferior to our kind,' he thought as he tilted his head in curiosity. He wondered fleetingly what it was that actually had brought about this change, and why in all the heavens that the smaller figure hadn't sought shelter in this, his weakest moment.

The demon scoffed to himself. `The most dangerous mistake I ever made was believing that he was weak.'

Watching intently at the scene that played out before him the demon settled down for a show.

It seemed as if his acquaintance was loosing as he watched the desperate attempt of kicking the demon away.

`What in the world dose he think doing that will accomplish?' he sneered as he saw the lesser demon easily catch the offending leg.

There was stillness for a moment before the grotesque hand left the human's leg and grasped the pale throat.

The larger form on the hill almost caught himself holding a breath as he watched the play by play; wondering what trick the smallest of the figures had in store.

Nothing happened.

He waited.

“You have given us a most entertaining night human,” the lead lesser demon growled, “however, all things must come to an end.”

And he waited.

It was puzzling.

`Why in the world is he hesitating?'

He waited still; completely convinced that something major was about to happen to turn the tide of favor to the human.

The human clutched at the stronger arm that held him. Clawing with his feeble fingernails that were completely incapable of piercing the demon's thick, leathery hide.

`We're nothing alike.' The demon thought as he stared at the small, pinned form below. `We hate each other.'

The human started to claw even more frantically.

`We're sworn to kill each other.'

It was then that a sound finally floated upward on the increasing wind.

It was a sound that he would never expected to ever hear from the throat of his greatest enemy.

He heard a whimper…

…And he knew he could no longer ignore the situation.

With a mighty roar, the great white being leapt into the fray.

Completely ignoring the now pelting rain that immediately drenched his fur the larger demon briefly took note of the human's gasps of air before turning all his attention to methodically killing each and every one of the three pathetic demons that dared too try and take away what was his kill by right. He could not allow anyone else to murder the human. His pride would never allow it. He viciously squelched down any small part of him that dared to voice otherwise.

It wasn't much of a fight as demon fights go. The splash of the rain a momentary distraction as the Great Demon took on all three of the lesser demons without even batting an eye.

Even handicapped as he was, the lesser demons never stood a change as the Great Demon easily tore them apart. Claws and fangs ripping into flesh and blood soon coated the forest floor as body parts were strewn about.

One lesser demon tried to stab him with the human's fallen sword.

Rage filled him.

The sight of such a magnificent weapon in the hands of a lesser was an insult to him and to the memory of the one who carried the weapon before.

With a growl, the great demon grabbed the smaller creature in his massive jaws and “snap”. With a mighty chop, bit the disgusting thing in half.

Dropping the thing in repulsion the great white being turned back towards the collapsed form of the human. Sitting down on his haunches, the demon waited for the human to finally register his presence.

It was a while as the human continued his awkward gasps and struggled to pull himself upwards into a semblance of sitting.

Amazement was not something the demon had ever felt before as he saw once golden eyes finally open and slowly focus on his surroundings. It was so odd to see such a familiar person look so foreign before him.

Glancing at the mutilated corpses, the human finally turned his dark eyes to him.

The human promptly stopped breathing all together.

Gold eyes met deep bronze and locked.

It was a staring contest until the human swayed and finally managed to mutter the word “crap” before finally giving into shock and fainted dead away.

The Great Dog Demon stared in complete frustration at the unconscious figure and wandered over to nose at the limp form of his enemy, of his brother.

`Well fuck.'

Chapter Three: Lacking Direction

Sesshoumaru stared down at what was the limp form of his brother Inuyasha and suppressed the urge to growl in frustration. He nosed the small figure again and when it did not entice a response he cursed again.

`What the hell am I suppose to do now?' the dog demon wondered as he glanced around the small clearing for any semblance of an idea.

His lip curled at the mutilated corpses of the lesser demons and the stench that was rapidly steaming from the oozing husks.

`Well, can't stay here,' he thought as he was sure the stench would bring even more demons to the area to feed. Sesshoumaru felt his stomach turn at the thought. `Damn lesser demons.' A quick look at Inuyasha again, `damn hanyou.'

He couldn't leave the boy. Not as a human. He would be eaten before he even regained consciousness. The temptation was very strong however. His demon instincts were urging him to just leave the boy and allow him to be eaten; the warrior in him was telling him that even the cursed half human child deserved a more honorable death of a warrior in battle that being eaten by lesser demons.

It was a very brief inner struggle. While he prided his demon heritage and often followed his more sadistic urges, the warrior's pride had been instilled in him by years of battles and the longing to finally defeat the one that was the strongest in the world.

Sighing again, the large dog like creature wandered over and nosed the now human over onto his stomach and leaned down to take the collar of the blasted fire-rat robe firmly between his teeth.

Lifting his head slightly to test the stability of the grip, Sesshoumaru affirmed that it was strong and lifted Inuyasha completely off the ground.

It was odd to have the constantly moving and boisterous half demon to suddenly be rendered completely limp and silent.

`Fuck. What a damn pain in the tail,' Sesshoumaru thought as he once more started out to find suitable shelter for him and now his unconscious baggage.

Growling at the current situation did not help him find any shelter and with a flick of his tail, he moved back the way he though he had come in hopes of finding that promising patch of foliage again.

As he continued onward however, he realized immediately that his one damn weakness had once again reared its ugly head and his sense direction was completely non-existent.

It was amazing that Rin or Jaken never realized that they were almost always going in constant circles.

Not that Sesshoumaru would ever admit it.

Perhaps Jaken knew, but he was in such awe of his lord that Sesshoumaru knew that he would never be one to point out any faults of his master. It was frustrating though. It wasn't as if he could go out and procure a map, demons had no need for a map...

…Just him.

It just seemed that no matter what direction he took off in, he always seemed to find himself back in that damn region by that sickening human village Inuyasha seemed to hover about while promptly ignored the little voice inside him yelling that he was being decisively obtuse.

Speaking of the village…

The demon stopped dead, his ears perked as he listened.

He could not hear Inuyasha's companions.

They were not within the region shouting his name as they always had in all the past encounters he had with his hated enemy.

Nothing.

Silence.

`What the fuck?'

Never before had he ever been alone with his unwanted relation. It seemed as if that damn eccentric human priestess in the strange cloths was always at Inuyasha's side.

He glanced down at his burden as best he could in the current position with an odd look of confusion. `How did he ever get away from her blasted presence?' Sesshoumaru wondered as he started off once more.

It seemed as if hours had passed when in truth it had only been thirty minuets when Sesshoumaru realized that he had passed the same bush at least three times. `Fuck,' Sesshoumaru groaned as he shifted his stance and looked around in frustration. There was no sign of any shelter and the demon was beginning to seriously worry about the hanyou turned human when he spotted it.

Through the dense trees there was a glimpse of a rock face. The Great Demon almost sagged with relief as he emerged from the forest to come to a small cliff. If anything, it would buffer them from the biting wind.

He started to follow along the wall in search of some sort of shelter when he suddenly wondered if he would soon stumble upon Jaken and Rin. Though, there was no smell of the river, it could just be hidden by the overwhelming current of the rain.

`Um, perhaps I should go back to the woods,' Sesshoumaru wondered as his pace slowed considerably.

Running into his charges in his true demon form and carrying his sworn enemy who suddenly had become human and looked to the entire world like he was dead would not be the most triumphant scene in his life.

`Hell,' he chuckled as he gave himself and his burden a once over, `we look more like drowned rat-demons that the warriors we are.'

Suddenly he was attacked.

Or, at least that's what he told himself as he jumped a full foot in the air when a furry creature abruptly darted out in front of him.

It was so startling that Sesshoumaru instantly bristled and bared his teeth even more in instant reaction before mentally smacking himself and dismissing the small whatever it was, concentrated instead on where it had come from.

Coming around a small bend, he found what he had been looking for.

`Praise the Great Powers, finally!' Sesshoumaru nearly sagged in relief.

There, hidden behind a cluster of rocks from some long past rockslide, a large cave that offered the much sought after shelter.

`About damn time something went right,' he thought as he managed to squeeze his massive size through the narrow entrance into the widening darkness beyond. `I thought I'd never find any shelter.'

Demon eyes adjusted quickly and Sesshoumaru looked quickly for any other occupants that may have also taken up temporary residence. Disregarding the rat that quickly darted back into its hole, there was nothing.

It was fairly large, almost the size of the great hall of his fathers, and he still referred it as his fathers, palace. Immediately dropping his burden, Sesshoumaru quickly went to the other side and shook out the vast amount of water that collected on his fur. Circling a spot along the wall, the demon lowered himself down and simply stared at the slumped form across from him.

Inuyasha was still unconscious.

Sesshoumaru shifted in impatience but still the hanyou remained unaware. He snorted in annoyance.

`Stupid pest is more trouble that anything,' Sesshoumaru though as he studied the slumped form, `so why am I letting him live?'

No answer was forthcoming.

`Fuck.'

It was a few moments as he contemplated the situation that Sesshoumaru finally managed to comprehend what it was that he was actually seeing as he stared at the hanyou.

Inuyasha was shivering.

It was so unexpectedly surprising that Sesshoumaru almost mentally slapped himself once more.

`Stupid frail human bodies,' he reminded himself as he once more staggered back to his feet and crossed the massive room to the small body that was by now practically convulsing with the strength of the cold.

Sesshoumaru paused as he stood over the body, wondering if he could do anything else in his current form that what he knew was his only option. It wasn't as if he could build a fire as a dog demon.

`Fuck and fuck again,' Sesshoumaru groaned as he once more lowered himself down. This time, he curled around the slump form that was already starting to look a little blue. Ensuring that he wasn't dripping any of his acidic saliva, for Inu Youkai never drooled; he placed his tail on top of the shivering hanyou.

It was a while, but finally, the shivering slowed and a faint tinge of red began to flush into his cheeks. The only thing he had to worry about was if the human would catch a fever from his unwanted shower.

Now that he was closer, Sesshoumaru continued his study of the new characteristics of the hanyou now in full human form.

He couldn't help it.

It was too fascinating for Sesshoumaru to ignore.

He brought his head down and took a long sniff.

`Defiantly different,' he thought as he analyzed the smell and compared it to what he knew was Inuyasha's original scent.

The smell of youki was almost completely gone. There was only a very feint trace of it beneath the smell of human sweat that was almost unbearable. Feeling his nose twitch, he then took in Inuyasha's altered physical appearance.

Silver to black, that was the most obvious as he looked at the hair. It was so odd to not see the small koinu ears that always sat permanently perked upon his head. Now, he had the small round ears of a human. Not even a single point that signified a demon in human guise but a curved shell of a bland human ear.

`Boring,' Sesshoumaru thought as he continued on.

Bringing his gaze back further, he took in his unwanted brother's face.

It was the same… yet it wasn't.

It was almost smoother, less angular than his hanyou form. And even under the paleness of cold, Sesshoumaru knew that Inuyasha's skin had actually darkened with his human appearance. Or perhaps that was just an effect of the silver hair that made him look paler in hanyou form.

Glancing at the rest of the slimed figure of the human, Sesshoumaru snorted in annoyance again before turning his attention to the entrance to watch as the rain fell as he allowed his mind to wander.

It had always been just a rumor that half demons sometimes shifted into humans, but it was never anything that anyone had any solid evidence on. It was always heard from a friend of a friend who knew a hanyou. There was even wild stories that sometimes the hanyou's went even crazier that a full demon and went on killing rampages.

But from the scene with the lesser demons, it had appeared to Sesshoumaru that Inuyasha was in possession of all, or rather what little he normally possessed, of his sanity.

He wondered how long Inuyasha would be forced to stay in this form. It was without a doubt that once he was back into his hanyou form, that his demonic blood would immediately overtake any illness and heal any injury. However it could be days or weeks before this what ever it was finally faded for Inuyasha to change back.

The thought of having to nurse a sick runt of a hanyou irked at the demon lords nerves.

It was odd, to find his brother trapped in his full human form as he was trapped in his full demon form.

Though it never happened before, there was never any telling what he would do in his current form. For two hundred years, with no explanation, he always transformed to his true demon form on the night of the new moon. It was never heard of in his clan to just suddenly revert back to their other self and there was no healer in any of the clans that could explain why it was that he was changing.

The first time he suddenly found himself changing, he had assumed that it was stress from the loss of his father. Then it happened the next month and then again during the next new moon. It was getting rather irritating. Deciding against his original idea that it was his youki mourning his lost parent, he then thought that it was perhaps just some sort of a phase as he matured; but as the decades and then centuries passed, he began to take his transformation as a normal occurrence and no longer wondered at the meaning of it. (Again, he ignored the small voice as it finally screamed in frustration and went silent.)

`Perhaps it's a demonic version of the hanyou curse?' he wondered before dismissing the idea. It was so odd though. To be trapped in his Demon form without the ability to change back.

It wasn't as if he lost his mind during those periods, but the instincts of a full Inu Youkai was a very dangerous thing to anyone around. The very reason he had left Rin and Jaken behind and traveled as far as his direction sense would allow him.

Sighing, or at least sighing as much as he could in dog form, he once more glanced down at the sleeping boy.

It was then that he saw deep bronze eyes staring at him right back.

Inuyasha was awake.

Chapter Four: Injuries and Irritations

It was so very frustrating.

First it was cold, then hot, then cold again.

This was why he hated it when he shifted to human form. Too many things that never had any effect on him suddenly brought to the forefront: the cold, the sticky feeling of wet cloths…

…The sharp throbbing pain radiating from his ankle.

Inuyasha bit back a groan as the memories of the lesser demons and of his flight through the forest returned.

And then he remembered how it was that he was still breathing.

`A dream,' he thought to himself as he steeled his resolve to open his eyes. `It was all just a freaking nightmare and when I open my eyes, I'll be back in the old stinking village with everyone yelling at me as usual about being stupid.'

Inuyasha slowly open his eyes.

Black.

That's all he saw, just a vast sea of darkness. He blinked and wondered if it was a result of the head wound he received. He had never experienced such a massive head wound in a battle before, but then again all those times he wasn't trapped as a human.

Quickly blinking his eyes in rapid succession, he once more tried to see exactly what his current predicament was.

Still dark.

`What the hell?' Inuyasha squinted with his weaker human eyes. He was use to having his vision somewhat dampened in human form and when the moon was hidden it was even darker but this was beyond black. He mentally cursed again as his nose was absolutely no help and decided to try listening for any clues as to where he was. He was lying down, for that he was sure as the sound of rain was coming from somewhere above his head.

And he could faintly pick up soft breathing.

`Crap,' he though as he finally understood what it was that he was feeling under his hands, `fur.' Almost holding his breath, he lifted his eyes upward and strained to see if there were any large sized teeth bearing down to chomp his head off. It was still dark for a while before suddenly golden eyes that lit with an unnatural inner brightness pinned his.

They stared at each other for what was an eternity.

Then Inuyasha opened his mouth.

“What the fucking hell?” he shouted as he quickly scrambled backwards away from the large creature.

It wasn't very far due to his current condition and Inuyasha paused to wince as pain once more throbbed upward from his ankle. Forcing himself to ignore the pain, he concentrated on staring at the large dog demon.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he demanded and winced as his voice echoed back to him. They were inside, now that he was certain of but his vision was still impaired and the only thing that was visible to the deep metallic (?) eyes was the eerie glow of the Inu.

`Sesshoumaru,' Inuyasha wondered in amazement. `The one person in the entire world who hates me more than life itself was actually the one who saved my ass.'

Sesshoumaru.

The one who hated humans even more than hanyou's, actually coming to Inuyasha's aid when he was transformed into the very thing that Sesshoumaru despised; it was completely and utterly baffling. Even when they tentatively joined forces to defeat the Hell's sword Sounga, they were trying to kill each other.

`He's been trying to kill me every single time we run into each other! Hell, the first time we met, he told me flat out that it would be him who would kill me,' Inuyasha reminded himself.

The memory was still sharp in his mind.

His mother had once told Inuyasha that he had a full demon brother out there somewhere that his father had often spoken of to her with pride. Izayoi had always mentioned it in passing, and only when Inuyasha childishly asked if he perhaps looked like his brother did she confess that she had never met Sesshoumaru.

So when it was, a few months after his mothers death when he was just twelve years old and banished into the wilds of the world by his so called “family”, that the appearance of another being with the same silver hair and golden eye as his Inuyasha knew it was his demon brother.

To say he was confused when all Sesshoumaru said to him was “I will be the one to kill you, Inuyasha” before promptly leaving him would be an understatement.

Something he quickly overcame when trying to simply survive against adult demons, natural wildlife predators and the very element that seemed to conspire against the young child. The need of food soon outweighed the need for companionship and Inuyasha soon forgot about his brother until that fateful night when Sesshoumaru appeared in search of their father's fang, the Tetsusaiga.

Inuyasha shuddered and tried to crawl further into the caves walls.

Sesshoumaru, for his part, was slightly amused at the mad dash by the hanyou to get away from him and simply snorted in response to the boy's questions, `like I could answer you nit wit.'

It wasn't as if he would have answered Inuyasha even if he could. There was never once where they were in any semblance of agreement as they both tried to kill each other at every turn.

Or rather, it was Sesshoumaru trying to kill off his disgrace of a sibling at every turn.

He could still remember that first glimpse of his hated relation.

He had known of Inuyasha's existence and that the child lived within his borders hidden away in a lord's palace miles and miles from where his father had died. Rumor had it that the child was the offspring of a beloved relative of the lord and it was the only reason the hanyou could claim any form of shelter from those who would do him harm.

Not that a meager threat of humans would keep the great Lord Sesshoumaru from killing the very thing that was his fathers downfall and denied him the chance of perfecting his strength and power. It was by his grace alone that the child and his whore of a mother were even still breathing and never mind what they thought of him.

He had told the human woman as much in a letter he sent stating that Inuyasha had been completely disowned by his demon family and would be killed on sight if the child ever so much as took one step within a mile of the demon palace.

So a year went by. Then two. Then three, and Sesshoumaru could not contain his curiosity any longer. Hanyou or no, any child that had been sired by the great Inu Taisho had to have power. With out a word to his councilmen, he left the palace and crept like a common thief into the courtyard of the human palace.

It was with some surprise that he found the child alone. Knowing how detested any half child was, it was still odd to see such a young one so alone sitting at the edge of a Koi pond trying to play with the fish that swam there.

Sesshoumaru had left as quietly as he had arrived; wondering at the small, silent form. The child was defiantly not what he had been expecting. The silver hair, a trademark of the great Inu Clan, paled in comparison to the two small koinu ears that sat perched upon that silvery mane.

It had been disturbing, to say the least.

At the current moment, however, the lack of those ears disturbed Sesshoumaru even more. It seemed as if his koinu ears were not the only things Inuyasha was currently missing as he had practically dragged himself to the other side of the cave in his attempt at safety.

It was interesting to see the normal grace of the hanyou's poise suddenly replaced by the awkward clumsiness of the human form. `It's almost as if he has no center of balance when he's human,' he mused as he watched the boy's frantic scrambling. `Then again, that ankle must be paining him.'

Inuyasha sat there staring at him for a full minuet. Nothing was said as the two simply looked at each other. The rat darted out of his hideaway and scurried along the wall but neither paid it any mind.

“Well?” Inuyasha finally couldn't stand it. “Why don't you shift back into your normal, ugly self and tell me what you want!”

Sesshoumaru ears twitched and he instantly bared his teeth, emitting a soft growl at the “ugly” comment. `Unlike you who could never transform into a full youkai you idiot, I at least have the ability!'

He continued to bare his teeth slightly for a while and nearly smirked as best he could in his current form when Inuyasha visibly backed down, slumping his small shoulders and breaking the eye contact.

The alpha in him immediately recognized the submission and ceased the show of aggression. `Hmph. If only he would show this side of himself more often I would suffer far fewer headaches,' Sesshoumaru thought briefly as he stared at Inuyasha for any signs of more defiance.

Inuyasha, meanwhile, was currently suffering from a panic attack. `Okay- big scary teeth! Do not insult Sesshoumaru when in full demon form,' he tensed, holding his breath as he waited for some form of retaliation. Sesshoumaru was not known for having a passive temperament.

He knew he was being cowardly, but at the moment he didn't exactly care. With the absence of the moon, all of his youkai bravado had promptly become dormant for the evening and his human instinct were telling him that his head was left best where it was. `Damn, why do I always act before thinking?' he wondered in aggravation.

Sesshoumaru's ears twitched in irritation before he returned his gaze to the rain, completely dismissing the hanyou. `Idiot,' he thought. `Like I would waste breath talking to you.' He watched as the rains begin to pick up and the wind howled as it passed through the entrance of the cave.

Inuyasha stared in disbelief when the demon simply dismissed him. “You're not going to kill me?” The words were out of his mouth before he could quash them and Inuyasha groaned at the show of weakness, however slight.

Sesshoumaru's eyes once more swiveled to him and they eyed each other. He snorted again before turning to again watch the rain. Anything was better than staring at his unwanted companion.

Inuyasha had remained tense for a few more moments as Sesshoumaru continued to ignore him until the chill of the wind finally started to penetrate his still damp cloths. “Fuck,” he mumbled as he wrapped his arms around himself. He started shivering once more and started to rub his hands along his arms to create some form of warmth.

Bringing his leg towards himself, Inuyasha started to gently probe the injury. While the ankle was defiantly swollen and red, he could not find any indication that it was broken. `Just sprained then,' he thought with relief.

While the hanyou's attention was on his ankle, Sesshoumaru covertly stole little looks at the boy. It was the first time that they were ever together in somewhat compatible silence. Then again, it helped that they were trying to ignore each other and not flinging insults at every turn.

For some reason Inuyasha was just... interesting as a human. `Worse comes to worse, I could always use this forced circumstances to study for any weakness in my enemy… aside from the current obvious,' Sesshoumaru rationalized.

Inuyasha finally looked up and was able to catch Sesshoumaru quickly turning his own gaze back to the entrance. He tensed but soon realized that if Sesshoumaru had not killed him yet, he was unlikely to do so while he was awake.

`What the hell is his problem anyway?' Inuyasha wondered as he continued to gaze at the large creature before him. `It's not like I pose any kind of a threat as a human anyway.' He sighed as he pushed some of his now black hair back behind his shoulder and winced as some of the strands dragged over a deep cut in his cheek.

`Must have happened when I hit that tree,' he concluded as he gently probed the injury. `A twisted ankle, a few scratches and a missing tooth or two,' he thought as he ran his tongue over his teeth, ` just the one. I suppose it could have been a lot worse.' He once more glanced at Sesshoumaru. `A LOT worse.'

“Um,” Inuyasha started uncertainly as he stared at his demon brother. Sesshoumaru made a point to not look at him and Inuyasha huffed in infuriation. “Look, I know you want me dead but for reasons only you know I'm still alive. So…” Inuyasha twitched as he could actually feel the heat rising to his cheeks and knew that while he could barely see his hand in front of his own eyes, his face was quite visible to the demon's gaze. “Thanks,” he finally mumbled.

An ear twitching in his direction was the only indication that he had been heard. Inuyasha sighed and went back to examining his wounds. `Why should I think it would make any difference if I didn't thank him?' he wondered in annoyance as he continued to examine his wounds.

Sesshoumaru wondered himself at the awkward show of appreciation from the normally selfish hanyou. `I honestly don't know why I saved your hide either.' He sighed as he listened to the consistent chattering of Inuyasha's teeth as now human almost curled into himself in an effort to get warm.

`Stupid, stubborn…' Sesshoumaru growled low in his throat and completely ignoring Inuyasha's instant reaction of tensing for battle, slowly managed to climb to his feet. `I did not save your hide to freeze to death!'

Ensuring that his movements were slow and non-threatening, he once more made his way towards Inuyasha.

It seemed the closer he got, the more tense the smaller boy became, if that was actually possible and before allowing his half brother a chance to move, he once more dropped down beside the boy and waited.

It wasn't long before Inuyasha tried to scramble to the other side of the cave but this time Sesshoumaru was ready for him. His giant paw shot out and managed to thwap Inuyasha back the way he had come.

Such surprise lit Inuyasha's face as he suddenly found himself flat on his ass and once more pressed against a warm furry side that Sesshoumaru suddenly felt the urge to chuckle. He quickly squashed it.

Inuyasha felt his breath catch in his throat when he felt himself falling backwards towards the demon and he waited for claws and fang to tear into him.

However, like the previous times, none was forthcoming. Inuyasha shifted awkwardly as he debated on what he should do.

On the one hand, his ankle pained enough that it wasn't really an option for him to leave.

On the other hand, he could be eaten in his sleep.

As he debated, the demon's tail once more moved to curl around him and Sesshoumaru showed just how non-threatening he thought Inuyasha to be as the human realized he could hear the demons breathing even out to the slow deep breaths of sleep.

`Well, that answers that,' Inuyasha chuckled as he listened to the soft wines that soon emanated from the large Inu Youkai. `Who would have thought that Sesshoumaru, the great feared Inu Youkai Lord would dream about chasing rabbits in his sleep?'

“Just another moonless night,” Inuyasha sighed as he hunkered down in his now dry, if a little ripe, Fire Rat robe and settled in for a rather long, sleepless night.

Chapter Five: Dawning Dilemmas

`I hate that rat,' Inuyasha thought staring as the same rat once more poked his little pink nose out of his hole and slowly made his way around the two still figures before once more popping back in his hole.

`He's fucking insane!' the half dog demon concluded as the rat once more made his little circle around the two, occasionally stopping to sniff at Inuyasha's feet before moving onward to his home.

Inuyasha sighed as he rubbed his tired eyes. It had been a long night…

A long night with Inuyasha tensing at every little thing that came from the form next to him. Even so much as twitch sent his pulse reaching and the wish that he could once more see in the dark.

But as a human, there was no helping it and he was forced to listen for every little sound that may give him a clue as to whether or not his companion was awake. The rat had really been the only form of distraction to the hanyou in the long, dark hours.

The one night when his stamina was almost completely depleted was the one night of the month when he had truly no choice but to stay awake.

If he wanted to live that was.

Usually he would find a cave like the one he and Sesshoumaru were currently in, or perhaps high in a tree covered by the thick branches and hunkered down for the night. For the past year it had always been in a small corner of Kaede's hut that he managed to keep himself out of harms way.

This night had really been the first night in a long while that any demons had actually caught him unawares on his one weakest night of the month.

`Or anything else for that matter,' Inuyasha thought as he glanced back, the best he could, at the sleeping giant behind him.

Inuyasha wasn't stupid. He had at least an idea on why it was that Sesshoumaru had saved him. The full-fledged demon had said so upon their first meeting.

It would be Sesshoumaru who would kill him and the Inu Youkai would never allow anyone to take that kill away from him.

It was strange however, that Sesshoumaru was so utterly obsessed with the killing of his half brother.

`One would think he would be glad he wouldn't have to “dirty” his hands by killing such an unworthy creature such as myself,' he thought as he went over every detail of the night before in his mind.

It was so odd, that whenever he turned for the past year it seemed as if Sesshoumaru was right there behind him.

Briefly, he wondered if Sesshoumaru's recent and multiple appearances in the last year, after not seeing him in well over a hundred, had anything to do with Naraku and the scattering of the sacred jewel before dismissing the thought entirely.

While Sesshoumaru was certainly fixated on gaining power, he was also obsessed with the honor of the nobility and gaining his power himself and not obtaining it through some cheep short cut.

Sesshoumaru wanted to be the one to defeat the most powerful being on the entire planet. He did not have time to waste on humans and their ilk. Perhaps it was the very reason why Sesshoumaru had allowed him to live.

It was just as he wondered why it was that fate was constantly bringing them together at every turn that he was instantly brought to full awareness by something that didn't come from Sesshoumaru.

He could feel it.

It was happening.

Dawn was approaching.

It began with an irritating itch that focused on the shifting of the bones that grew or shrank within the demands of his yoki.

He could feel it, circulating in his blood. He felt seared by the very power that was running through his veins. This power was something that humans could only dream about.

It was almost a tingling feeling in his brain as his senses suddenly sharpened. His nose could suddenly detect that very annoying rat as it scurried back to his little hole in fear of the strange happenings.

His vision sharpened and he could see all the way across the cavern to see every minute detain in the wall opposite him. He could see every line, every crevice of the rock surface.

Cracking his knuckles, he glanced down to ensure that his brittle human fingernails had suddenly lengthened to the razor sharp claws of an Inu.

Grinning, he couldn't help run his tongue across the bottom of his teeth stopping at the delicate point of his elongated fangs.

Ensuring that his hair had drained of the dark color of human to the glowing white of his demon blood would be the final touch in his morning routine, but even with his now enhanced vision, the cave obviously faced west and it was still too dark to make out any colors.

It wasn't important.

All that mattered was that he was back!

And he had to leave quickly before Sesshoumaru woke!

`There's no way that this idiot will allow me to leave without a battle now that I'm almost back to full strength,' he realized as he slowly stood up.

Testing his weight on his injured ankle, he could tell that his demon youki was already at work and the searing pain had now lessoned. With a quick glance back at the sleeping demon, Inuyasha slowly made his way towards the exit.

Ensuring that his footsteps were nearly silent, Inuyasha inched his way towards the mouth of the cave glaring at the still scurrying rat for good measure. `Will I be glad to get out of here,' he thought in relief as he finally reached the last few inches. `This had to have been the weirdest night in all my life! Psychotic lesser demons, a helpful archenemy… a crazy fucked up rat.'

Inuyasha suppressed a chuckle as he finally stepped out of the encroaching darkness into the welcoming dawn of a new day.

`Yep, all in all one of the top ten weirdest nights in my totally messed up life, and one I will be glad to completely put behind me!'

It was then that a hand firmly grasped his arm and he was spun around to meet enraged filled golden eyes.

“Where do you think you are going hanyou?” Sesshoumaru growled as he glared at his hated half brother.

It had been so annoying that after all he went through, after saving the half demons scrawny hide, searching for hours (forty minuets tops) for some form of shelter for the two of them to get out of the rain that the bastard was just going to leave as soon as the little demon blood he possessed returned.

It was damn right aggravating.

`The least he could do is say “Ja ne” the ingrate,' Sesshoumaru reflected in aggravation.

While he had slightly dozed, for the most part Sesshoumaru had been awake right along side Inuyasha, only as a human, the hanyou couldn't tell of his cave mate's level of awareness.

It was a long night.

One, Inuyasha was constantly shifting and moving and twitching as he tried to find a somewhat comfortable position on that damnable cave floor. The half human had also made a wide array of sounds within the dark silence of the cave. Inuyasha could never keep his mouth shut for even a span of three minuets as he sighed and groaned and huffed and muttered to himself about nothing in particular.

And then there was that fucking rat! Sesshoumaru did not even want to think about the stupid rat.

It had happened just as he thought he would go insane and possibly eat the stinking rat when he felt Inuyasha tense beside him.

It had taken a while for Sesshoumaru to fully comprehend what it was that was happening.

It had been the scent that finally tipped him off. That scent that was burned into his very nose that told him that Inuyasha was back.

He waited, wondering what the hanyou would do now that he was back to his normal aggravating self. He had already tensed himself in preparation for an attack as it was just the sort of situation that Inuyasha would take advantage of.

So when the younger of the two simply got up and proceeded to leave the cave it was truly a blow to Sesshoumaru's ego. Completely in a rage he did not even take note of his own transformation from Full Inu Youkai to the slightly dampened shape of his humanoid form.

“Do you think that you could simply walk away?” he continued as he glared at the defiance that crossed the child like face of the half demon.

Inuyasha yanked his arm away from his brother and with a nimble leap backwards landed a good ten feet away from the growling Inu Youkai. Sesshoumaru felt a flash of relief at see that the boy was back to his stoic self instead of the fumbling, and disorganized movements of the night before.

“All right you arrogant jerk!” Inuyasha shouted. “You want to get into it right here, that's fine with me!” He followed that announcement by immediately crouching down into a fighting stance. “Lets fight!”

Sesshoumaru stared in disbelief, stepping back and taking the full impact of Inuyasha's stance, he automatically noted the weaknesses before turning his gaze on the still growling boy.

“Are you insane?” he asked with every indication that he was completely serious.

“Wha-?” Inuyasha gawked, his stance wavering slightly.

“I asked if you are insane,” Sesshoumaru repeated slowly as if Inuyasha were some sort of simpleton though they both knew he was not and they both knew it would irritate the hanyou even more.

“It is clear that your ankle, which will certainly heal quicker in your current for, is still not there yet. If you honestly think, that after a night of absolute no sleep,” and here Inuyasha twitched, “that if you think you are any sort of challenge for me at the moment then you clearly must be insane.”

Inuyasha held his stance slightly before relaxing his guard. “Well then…” he mumbled as he eyed Sesshoumaru in confusion. “Ja ne,” he said as he started to turn away.

“Moonless nights.”

“What?” Inuyasha cried as he whirled back around at the sound of Sesshoumaru's soft announcement.

“That's when you are at you weakest and turn human, isn't it?” Sesshoumaru smirked. “During the darkest phase of the moon.” He leaned back against the large boulders that marked the cave's entrance and made a show of examining his nails. “What a fascinating discovery.”

In truth, it had taken Sesshoumaru a good portion of the night to figure it out but he had finally concluded that perhaps it was some sort of biological happenstance that they inherited from their father that chose the moonless night in specific for both of them to be trapped in their other forms.

Inuyasha growled low in his throat, flexing his claws and baring his teeth as he spoke. “If you think that I am going to allow you to just tell anyone and everyone about this, than it's you who is fucking insane!”

Sesshoumaru sneered at the small show of aggression and bared his own teeth. “You forget, I had ample opportunity last night to kill you at my digression,” the smirk returned full force. “You owe me, hanyou!”

Inuyasha jerked at the commanding tone and softened his facial features, hoping he was giving off a look of indifference rather that submission.

“And what, exactly, do you want from me?” he grounded out.

Sesshoumaru scoffed at the question, “it simply occurred to me that you were a walking target last night and that anyone with so much as a minute ounce of power had the capability of killing you off.”

Inuyasha saw red and took a long deep breath in order to try to calm himself down. “What, exactly, are you saying?”

Sesshoumaru sneered again, before leaning back against the cliff glancing around the woods as if there was any one who would dare eavesdrop on the conversation. The sun was just starting to fully rise over the bluff and it lit upon the silver of the figures hair.

Inuyasha was once again brought to that small feeling of awe of his brother that he had felt all those years ago when he first saw the elegant form, standing there in the eerie glow of the moonlight while he had been hunting for food.

The Youkai finally satisfied himself that there was no one who could possibly hear the conversation, or at least understand it as he watched the rat scurry away before finally turning back to the still fuming hanyou.

“I propose a truce.”

Chapter Six: Arguing Acceptance

Silence.

They stared at each other as the rat, becoming bored with their inactiveness begin to nibble on a blade of grass.

The silence continued.

Inuyasha stared as the numbness that had come over him with Sesshoumaru's shocking proposal finally released him. “A what?” he finally asked in disbelief.

Sesshoumaru nearly screamed in frustration. `Of all the stupid, ignorant, stubborn streaks...!' “A truce,” he repeated. “I propose a partnership as to the fruitless fighting that we are mixed up in.”

“I know what a `truce' is Sesshoumaru,” Inuyasha snarled in exasperation, “Why in the world should we have one?”

“I will be the one to kill you.”

“What?” Inuyasha jerked at the sudden echo of all those years ago

`What the hell dose he mean by that?' he questioned to himself.

So wrapped up in trying to figure out the meaning behind his brother words, he almost missed what Sesshoumaru was saying.

“I will be the one to kill you, and if you actually get yourself killed before that time would not be acceptable.” Sesshoumaru ignored the resuming growling. “I'm sure that you noticed that I was in my other form last night-”

“Yeah, the stench of wet dog was kind of noticeable,” Inuyasha laced the comment with as much sarcasm as he could. `Why in the hells dose he think telling me that is going to persuade me to join in his little “accord”?' He wondered.

Sesshoumaru completely ignored the insult and continued on. “When there is no moon, for the last few centuries I transform into my Inu form without any reason.” The completely blank look he received told him that Inuyasha completely could not comprehend how significant that was.

`Then again, since he's been forced to shift forms for his entire life could be that he truly doses not understand the meaning.'

“It has never been heard of for a demon to be unable to control his transformation. None of any of the great healers can find a reason for my situation.”

Again, the completely blank stare.

Sesshoumaru nearly started tearing out his hair in sheer nerves.

“Look. It's obvious. During the phase of the new moon, you are forced into you weaker human form. Meanwhile, I am forced into my stronger Youkai form. Therefore, I propose that every night of the new moon, we will meet and I will ensure that you do not get your fool self killed.”

Inuyasha growled. “Like I need your stupid protection!” he shouted. “I've been dealing just fine on my own!”

“Yes, I clearly saw that,” Sesshoumaru drawled his gaze going over the smeared blood that made a dark crimson streak across the hanyou's cheek.

Inuyasha flushed in embarrassment but stubbornly continued on. “What the hell do you know about surviving?” he sneered. How dare Sesshoumaru treat him as if he were still a pup! He had been surviving more than the Inu Youkai could even dream about. He had been on his own at the age of twelve and the very reason that he was forced into a situation of simply surviving was standing two feet in front of him.

“You, living your little pampered life in the palace!” he shouted. “You never had to wipe your own ass you always had your sniveling servants do it for you!”

The revenge was swift as the nails that Sesshoumaru had been examining so carefully suddenly were lashed out to catch the blood stained and four slim cuts suddenly joined the one that had just nearly closed.

Inuyasha jerked back, his fist automatically swinging outward in retaliation only to meet air as Sesshoumaru nimbly dodged the blow.

Inuyasha casually wiped away the blood flowing from his check allowing a smirk to come over his features. “Strike a nerve did I?” he asked in the same drawled voice his brother had used just moments ago.

Sesshoumaru glowered. `I must be insane,' he concluded as he flexed his fist in frustration and settled for resuming his glare. `To actually think, that this simpleton would actually believe that I am doing this all for his sake! What an idiot.'

“Do not think that I am offering this proposal in anyway to benefit you,” he snarled. “This is simply a way to ensure that you do not mar our Inu Heritage.”

Blank look again.

This time, Sesshoumaru found himself actually reaching up and tugging a lock of his hair in aggravation.

“It is a weakness!” he nearly shouted. “Your inability to protect yourself will reflect back on me. People will start to think that I am just as weak as you are.”

“Weak- I am not Weak!!!” Inuyasha roared.

“I beg to differ with that. I have had proof enough of your weakness in any form that you carry.” Sesshoumaru said calmly.

“I have no idea what you are talking about.” Inuyasha said in a huff not looking at Sesshoumaru a cherry red blush spread across his cheek.

“I have a feeling foolish little brother that you do. Even though you do not use a single speck of brain that you where born with. It's not about physical power,” Sesshoumaru told him. “Of course brute strength is all you know. You must eventually learn to use the brain our father has gifted you with despite your human mothers taint.”

“Fuck you!” Inuyasha snapped back. “Why the hell am I standing around here listening to this? I have survived for years with out you `protection'! Hell, you were the one who threw me out of the Western Lands in the first place! Couldn't even tell me yourself in person, had to send a fucking note! What the hell are you thinking that I would accept any form of help from you now?”

“Because you know that you are defenseless during the new moon and you know that you can not refuse my offer,” Sesshoumaru announced.

And Inuyasha knew he was right.

And that pissed the hanyou off to no end.

There really was no flaw in Sesshoumaru's idea. Inuyasha never had any guarantee that he was safe during the new moon, and now with Naraku practically breathing down his neck…

`I'm going to get killed if I don't accept his proposal… I'm going to get killed if I do accept his proposal …or am I going to go completely insane and kill myself… and the rat.' Inuyasha reflected. `This is a classic case of the “damned if you do, damned if you don't” scenario.'

The hanyou's shoulders slumped somewhat in defeat, as he knew that any other option would never present itself to him. He could either continue on as he had always done, by hiding and sneaking about; or he could accept Sesshoumaru's truce.

He was beginning to feel actually physically sick at the notion but the older demon had a point. The only one who actually could fend off any other demons and Naraku's minions was the Inu Youkai Lord.

`Fuck! This is exactly why I never wanted anyone to find out about my human phase,' he thought in aggravation. `Okay, maybe not the exact reason but this is a situation of someone managing to back me into a corner.'

He growled as he stared at the tense figure before him.

`There has got to be a flaw in this somewhere! There's no way that he's doing this just to protect our family name.'

“How can I be sure that you won't take this opportunity and kill me?” he slowly asked as if fearing what the answer knowing that it would not be something he would like.

Sesshoumaru practically deflated at Inuyasha's hesitant question. “As I said, it would be a truce. I have no intention of killing you when you have no form of defense.”

“Yeah right,” Inuyasha muttered under his breath. `I'll believe that as soon as I see that Naraku is dancing by in a tutu and goes on a campaign of peace and love between all living creatures.'

Inuyasha nearly laughed at the mental image and managed to calm himself before turning to his half brother. “I'll admit,” he started slowly, “that the idea has some merit.” Sesshoumaru nearly preened. “However,” Inuyasha continued, “I disagree with the whole `you come to me' thing.”

Sesshoumaru's `better than you' attitude returned as he glared at the shorter hanyou. “As if I could show up in the middle of those bakas you call a pack without being attacked on sight,” he sneered.

“Er, right,” Inuyasha could just picture how that would blow over.

Miroku waving his staff around, while attempting to grab Sango butt. Sango tossing her bone boomerang at Sesshoumaru's head while decking Miroku for his wandering hands. Kagome demanding to know at the top of her lung what it was that he had come for. Shippo hiding behind Kagome's ankle peeking around to watch Sesshoumaru's every move. `Yeah, not good.'

“Some sort of neutral ground?” he proposed hesitantly. “Like this cave perhaps?”

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at the halfway decent suggestion and wondered vaguely if he would even be able to find his way back to the cave once he left.

“Very well,” he agreed. “So we have an accord?”

Inuyasha sighed and simply nodded. “Do not think that if I so much as suspect that you will go back on your word that I won't hesitate to leave,” he added as an afterthought.

“Fuck you,” Sesshoumaru scoffed. “Like I would break my honor over a weak, pathetic hanyou.”

Inuyasha scowled, but said nothing. `Now is not the time for stupid bickering,' he reminded himself. “So, we will meet back here on the day of the new moon?” he asked instead.

Sesshoumaru made a vague noise of agreement. “However, you are not to tell anyone about this arrangement!” he suddenly shouted.

“Keh, like anyone would actually believe me if I told `em.”

Sesshoumaru scowled. “I am dead serious,” he threatened. “You are to tell no one of this situation. I do not want to suddenly find myself facing impudent humans and one inconsequential speck of a kitsune!”

“Like I want anyone to know about this either!” he shouted. “Do not bring anyone here yourself! That toad's stupid head staff is fucking irritating.”

Sesshoumaru mentally agreed with the statement before nodding. “No one will know of this,” he reassured.

“Right,” Inuyasha sighed, wracking his brain for anything else that could be said. “Ja.”

Sesshoumaru nodded. “Until next month.”

“Matta ne.”

Neither of them moved, not wanting to give their backs to their hated enemy.

“Aren't ya leaving?” Inuyasha asked.

“Don't you have your blasted `friends' to return to?” Sesshoumaru sneered.

They continued to stare at each other.

Inuyasha humped in annoyance as his hands came up to rest on his hips in frustration.

“Wait…” Inuyasha gasped as he finally registered that there was something that he was missing. Something that was very, very important. “Where's Tetsusaiga?”

“…”

“…Um.”