InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Terms of Enslavement ❯ Abandonment and Abduction ( Chapter 3 )

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

Author's Note: So, we meet again. I know, I'm sorry, I'm really bad at updating. But welcome to Chapter 3 of Terms of Enslavement! There isn't a full lemon in this chapter, but I'm making up for it in the next, which should take me another week to write as I'm already over halfway finished.

Thank you for reviewing! It puts pressure on me to get the next chapter out faster. In fact, feel free to email me at XIShadowxDemonIX@aol.com if you feel I'm taking too long ^^;

Another note - my final decision is for this story to be five chapters long. I don't envision it getting any longer than that :3

Disclaimer: All the characters and personas in this story thusfar belong solely to Rumiko Takahashi, the amazing creator of Inuyasha.


When Kagome awoke later, Sesshoumaru was absent again. Her head was fuzzy and her body felt heavy from sleeping too long, and in her disorientation his absence alarmed her. Even back in her own world, she was hardly ever alone. She could stand it at times, but she would always be the kind of person only comfortable around people. A wave of homesickness washed over the miko as she thought of her home, and wondered if she'd ever see her family or her friends again. When was the last time she'd gone home? Had she told her family she loved them?

As much as she wanted to use her time alone to wallow in loneliness, her sorrow was cut short by the growling of her stomach. It was impossible to worry about anything else but finding food when her stomach was trying to eat her intestines. Sitting up in the big bed, Kagome winced as pressure was put on her sore privates. Hopefully Sesshoumaru would give her time to recover before he pounced on her again. The miko blushed fiercely when she remembered the last time he pounced on her, hours earlier. He'd pushed her legs so far into the air, she'd felt as though he was exposing her for the whole world to see - it was so embarrassing!

Thinking about it, Kagome’s blood began to race and her sore genitals began to ache and burn in a way that wasn’t quite painful, but was somewhat uncomfortable. Squirming, she tried to alleviate the feeling but it only made it worse.

What on earth was that feeling? Was she….did she…? No! Of course she didn’t enjoy what Sesshoumaru had done to her, was doing to her. He was a pervert preying on innocent girls – well, one innocent girl, anyway. Still! The miko made a vow to herself to never enjoy the perverted and obscene things that the taiyoukai did to her as she sprang from the bed.

Kagome winced as she landed on her injured leg. The scrape was scabbed over, but her knee was still sore. Making a note to take it easy, she scooped up her discarded kimono from the floor and pulled it on, holding it shut while she searched for the obi. Once that was securely fashioned, the young woman ran her hands through her hair in an attempt to tame it. What she wouldn’t give for a hair brush!

After taming her hair as much as she could, Kagome made her way towards the front half of the cave. Poking around the kitchen area, there was nothing that even remotely resembled food. For a minute or two, the miko entertained images of eating the bugs in the makeshift bathroom, shivering in horror. With a shake of her head she dismissed the images, looking towards the entrance of the cave.

Cautiously, as though Sesshoumaru would come out of nowhere any second, the captive made her way to the opening. With barely a pause she stepped out onto the ledge, and immediately the blood drained from her face. Kagome was standing on a thin ledge high up on a mountain with a sheer drop to the rocky ground what seemed like miles below.

For a moment Kagome was too scared to move and a gust of wind blew across the mountain, catching her hair and her kimono and making the miko teeter forwards. With a small cry she threw herself backwards, landing with a thump inside the safety of the cave. She stayed where she’d landed, trying to catch her breath and slow her heart.

“Well, I’m never going out there again!” She promised the silent cave with a shudder, inching backwards a bit to put more distance between herself and the drop. Kagome half-expected Sesshoumaru to answer, but there was nothing but the whistle of the wind and the trickle of water. Once again she was hit with a pang of loneliness, which she pushed back defiantly.

Glancing around the room from her spot on the floor, the miko sighed in resignation. Laying back, she sprawled out on the floor, unwillingly accepting that there was nothing to do, or eat, until Sesshoumaru came back so she’d just have to wait for him.

The minutes passed by slowly, and Kagome kicked her legs in frustration and rolled over onto her side as her stomach continued to growl. The stone floor was hard and cold, but she didn’t have the will to move. She wouldn’t admit it to herself, but she wanted Sesshoumaru to come back just as much as she wanted food. The huge cave was so empty, it was lonesome.

Sesshoumaru landed soundlessly on the ledge outside of the cave and ducked through the entrance, careful not to let the fish he was carrying touch the stone wall. As he stepped into the light he froze, eyeing the miko lying on the floor in front of him. Either she was asleep or she hadn’t noticed him, because there was no movement in her except for her steady breathing.

The taiyoukai looked Kagome over, half expecting to see a new injury somewhere. The scrape on her knee was healing, albeit slowly. Humans have such pathetic immune systems, really. He stepped past her, looking at her skin where her shoulder met her neck. There, the skin still red, were the shiny marks of scar tissue where he’d bit her.

Sesshoumaru felt satisfied in a bestial way to see his mark on her flesh. Such a mark was not only an imprint of his canines, but it carried his scent. It would let other demons know that this female belonged to a powerful demon, a taiyoukai, and they would know not to touch her.

It was also interesting to note that such a measure would work – that he could use his own blood to heal her wounds. It could prove useful in the future as the miko was rather clumsy. Sesshoumaru mused for a moment over the thought that a taiyoukai such as himself would bother to mark a human female. Certainly he wasn’t finished with her, and the female was always getting herself into trouble, but it was more than just a precautionary measure.

The smell of the fish he’d brought with him woke him from his thoughts and he made his way over to the cook table and laid them down. He’d impaled three fish on a stripped tree branch to bring back for Kagome, because humans needed to eat frequently and he had no desire to have a skeleton for his slave.

On the floor Kagome was indeed asleep, dreaming fretfully.

//She was following after Inuyasha in a dense forest, chasing after him, calling his name. He was only walking, but he was quickly disappearing from her sight. As hard as she tried, she couldn’t gain on him, couldn’t catch up to him. Branches and vines kept snaring her feet, making her stumble and trip.

“Inuyasha! INUYASHA! Wait!!” She called futilely. “Sit boy!!!” Kagome commanded, but the hanyou didn’t crash to the ground with a yelp. He simply kept walking forward. She followed him, fighting the forest itself even as he grew smaller and disappeared.

Kagome reached the spot where the hanyou had vanished and stopped. She was standing on a cliff just beside a waterfall exactly like the one she’d fallen into when she’d died. The roar of the water was somehow louder than she’d remembered, rushing past her ears.

The miko looked below the cliff and her heart faltered at what she saw. There stood Inuyasha, his arms locked around Kikyou, and they were kissing like they had the time the other miko had tried to kill Kagome.

The young woman took a step forward, unbelieving, and she slipped on the same rock and began to fall. She was twisting in midair, falling backwards, down and down to the freezing water and sharp rocks, when all of a sudden a pair of strong, clawed arms reached underneath of her, pulling her away from the water and rocks back against a warm, hard chest.

“You belong to me now, miko.” A deep voice hissed in her ear, and there was a sharp stabbing pain in her neck where he’d bitten her, throbbing.//

Kagome awoke with a start in Sesshoumaru’s arms as he carried her across the cave back towards the bed. He stopped when he saw her awake and noted the teary-eyed, fearful expression. Her heart was beating very fast, though she began to calm down as she took in her surroundings. She reached a shaky hand to her neck and felt the scars from the bite he’d given her.

“There’s fish on the table. You should eat.” The taiyoukai stated simply, carefully setting the miko on her feet. She swayed once, and steadied herself. Sesshoumaru stepped back and motioned with his left hand towards the fish, and Kagome walked forward with one hand on her stomach as it growled again.

The youkai watched the miko examine the fish hungrily. When she began looking around for something, he walked over and pulled out a large basin of water, which he’d filled earlier while she was sleeping. He set that down beside her, then scooped up an armful of wood from where it was stacked in the corner and dropped it into the metal fire pit in the table.

“Thank you, Lord Sesshoumaru.” Kagome smiled hesitantly up at him, which he answered with a short nod. The taiyoukai leaned back against a table and watched the woman as she worked. Neither of them noticed the insect that had hovered in the doorway for some time turn around and fly off.



Elsewhere, Inuyasha and the others had been following Kagome and Sesshoumaru’s trail for at least an hour. The further they went the faster Inuyasha ran, pausing every now and then to sniff at the ground. Miroku, Sango and Shippo stayed on Kirara’s back as they followed, watching Inuyasha’s expressions change from bad to worse.

When they had found the bloody and tattered remains of Kagome’s otherworldly clothes, the hanyou had continued on at an almost frenzied pace. They suspected that the only thing keeping him from running full-out was that he had to follow the trail. Finally they stopped at a clearing in the forest, and Inuyasha went forward to sniff the ground again.

“What is it, Inuyasha?” Miroku asked him after a minute.

“Kagome’s feet were bleeding…she fell down, and Sesshoumaru picked her up and put her here.” He pointed to a spot in the grass next to a makeshift fire pit.

“Sesshoumaru sat down over there…But their scent goes out this way…I think Kagome tried to make a run for it, and he followed her, and brought her back…” Inuyasha remarked mostly to himself, gesturing vaguely. Miroku and Sango exchanged glances again as Inuyasha began following the trial of Kagome’s attempted escape. They watched as Inuyasha’s face darkened

“Her scent’s everywhere here, more than his…The grass is pushed down…I think…He had to have hit her, knocked her down…Over there, and over here…and…” Suddenly the hanyou’s face paled considerably, as though he’d seen a ghost. With unbelieving eyes he bent down and picked up a mangled piece of fabric, with two padded triangles of cloth and two thin straps, and a wide band that looked like it’d been ripped off of something.

“Hey, that’s Kagome’s…” Sango’s eyes widened in recognition as Inuyasha’s eyes fell upon another torn piece of cloth in the grass a few feet away. He bent down hesitantly and gave a short sniff to the grass right in front of him, and he jerked upright, dropping the fabric in his hand and stumbling backwards. The inu-hanyou whirled around, looking about wildly.

“Kagome! KAAGOMEE!!!” Inuyasha yelled to the trees, reeling, before spinning around again and running back to the clearing. Shocked and alarmed, Sango wheeled Kirara around to follow him as he sprinted out of the clearing in a new direction, following a different trail.

“Inuyasha!” She called after him. “What happened?! Inuyasha!!” Miroku held on tightly behind her and for once she didn’t mind. The small fox demon sat silently in front of her, holding on to Kirara for dear life with eyes shut tight as they ran after him. They skidded to a stop suddenly as he halted, wheeling around again.

“KAGOME!!!” The hanyou called desperately as he searched the trees with his eyes. Sango took the moment to jump down from the nekomata and grab Inuyasha by the shoulders.

“Inuyasha? Inuyasha, what happened?!” Sango gave him a shake, and as he looked into her eyes she could see the panic in his.

“He raped her! That bastard, he raped her!! I’m going to rip his head off, tear him to shreds, and pound those shreds to pulp!!! No, that’s too good for him!” He spun around again as the taijiya let go of his shoulders to clamp her hands to her mouth.

“What about the trail?” Miroku asked. He was shocked, but not as much as they were – he’d suspected as much when he’d first overheard the villagers talking about the demon and his slave. It was, after all, what he would have done. Ah, to be a demon…

“It just ends here. Goddamn it, come out here you coward! You bastard!! KAGOME!!”

“Miroku, is Kagome okay?” Shippo asked him quietly with large, tear-filled eyes. It was easy to see that the little fox was badly frightened. Miroku knelt next to him and patted him on the head.

“I’m sure she’s fine… Kagome’s a strong young woman. She’ll be okay.” The monk looked up at Sango who had a scared but determined look on her face.

“Yes, Kagome will be fine. We’ll find her.”

Miroku nodded in agreement, but then he felt a strong, overwhelming presence of power growing in the back of his mind. He stood slowly, holding onto his staff and stepping in front of the young fox demon protectively.

“Inuyasha…” He called to the still upset hanyou, with no response. “Inuyasha, I sense an overwhelming demonic aura…” For the first time in over an hour the hanyou stilled, calming down.

“Naraku…?”



Elsewhere, a man was walking the length of his room, slowly as though he had all the time in the world, and graciously, as though he were all that were important in it. Trailing in his wake was a rather large insect that looked like a wasp. The self-made demon Naraku smiled a venomous smile, savoring this piece of information.

“So… The Lord Sesshoumaru has stolen Inuyasha’s wench… This is an interesting turn of events. With that annoying girl out of the way, I may finally be able to kill Inuyasha…But why waste such a perfect opportunity? I could use the miko to lure both the dog and the puppy to me…If I could but take their bodies into mine, I would be unstoppable…” A jingling sound from the floor near him made the corner of his mouth twitch.

“And as for the miko…I am curious as to what makes her so special that the great Lord Sesshoumaru would bother to take her. Perhaps I could even make her a part of my…collection.”



Kagome trembled as Sesshoumaru pressed her up against the wall, her legs wrapped tightly around his waist. His hot breath against her ear sent goosebumps rippling down her arms, and his soft groans made her shiver. The rock against her back was icy, but she was too preoccupied to notice or care.

How was it possible that this could feel so good? This morning had been okay, but this…! There was absolutely no denying it, this was good, this was…amazing. Had it been the electricity she’d felt…? That this time, it was one hundred percent consensual? How her body had been painfully aware of how close he was, how it had suddenly been hard to breathe? Was that…what they called sexual tension?

The woman’s cheeks flushed a brighter red, and she buried her hands in his silky hair as she pressed herself tighter against him. In and out, in and out, his hard cock pounded into her and she felt every inch of it. Why was it so good…? No wonder everyone was obsessed with sex!

Sesshoumaru’s hands that braced against the wall on either side of her dug into the rock as his tempo increased. As it did, Kagome was aware of a feeling of the pleasure building inside of her. Her body temperature rose, and she thought she might go insane as her moans got louder, echoing off the walls.

Something…something was coming…it was building into something. As the pleasure rose, nearly there, she was vaguely aware of the taiyoukai’s groans louder in her ear. Her body moved with his as she rocked her hips to his rhythm as best she could from her position.

Suddenly the pleasure burst into a blinding wave that left her reeling, clinging to Sesshoumaru with all the strength she had. And then everything went dark.


The miko awoke later, and the first thought to ender her mind was, ‘I really am having a lot of blackouts lately…that can’t be healthy…’ Then she remembered the cause of her blackout, and she flushed. ‘I think I had a…ohmygosh! No way no way no waay! I can’t believe I…for that perv…! Oh my gosh! What would Inuyasha think…??’

It surprised her, as she thought his name, how numb she was to it. It still hurt, but at the moment, the ache was dull. Instead she was angry. ‘Who cares what Inuyasha thinks? So what! I…came…while having sex with his brother! So? What’s it matter to him, he doesn’t even want me anymore!’ The words sounded hollow, even in her head.

But Sesshoumaru wasn’t really a bad guy, was he? Sure, he’s an evil demon who kills humans and thinks nothing of it…but that’s just who he is. He’s always calm. And he’s gorgeous. He never yells, or pouts. He’s not annoyingly stubborn, or even just annoying. He’s smart, and thoughtful, sometimes. So what if he forced me to be his slave. I was dead. He brought me back to life. I owe him.

‘Besides, how many girls back in my era would kill to be in my position? And how many demon women in this one? A lot. And out of every woman in this world, he chose me. Even over Kikyou…That’s not so bad, is it? I just miss my mom, and grandpa and Souta...and Miroku, Sango, and Shippou…and…Inuyasha…

‘Get it together, girl! He left you, he dumped you, he doesn’t care anymore! And Sesshoumaru saved you! If he’d left you dead, you never would have seen anyone ever again! And now, there’s still a chance, however small. So just…do as your told, obey him, and maybe he’ll let you see them…’

Kagome sat up with a groan, half expecting the trickle of fluid between her legs as his semen seeped out of her. Acting fast, she grabbed a cloth from one of the very convenient piles and quickly cleaned herself up, saving the sheets she lay on. It wasn’t until after she wiped up the sticky fluid that something occurred to her, causing her to drop the cloth.

That sticky white fluid, his semen…Every time he had sex with her, even that time he raped her, he’d always came inside of her…There was no question that the two species were compatible, look at Inu–Sesshoumaru’s half-brother. What if she got – what if she were… pregnant? ‘No! I can’t, I’m not, I’m too young! My life would be over…!’

Not to mention, how could she do that to her child? How could she bring another hanyou into the world, how cruel would that be? Sure, she would love it and care for it, but…no! It couldn’t, wouldn’t happen. ‘Too young, too young, god, Sesshoumaru’s child…! Holy shit!’ Kagome sprang form the bed to find the taiyoukai.

“Sess–Lord Sesshoumaru?” She called, suddenly hesitant, embarrassed. She didn’t hear his steps, but she heard the swish of cloth as he stepped around the screen and raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, miko?” Kagome tried to speak, and nearly choked on her words. Sesshoumaru was in a state of undress, for once only wearing a loosely tied nagajuban, the white and red patterned robe he wore under his kimono. It was so uncharacteristic and unexpected that poor Kagome couldn’t form any words, because they’d all fled.

“Miko?” Sesshoumaru repeated, sounding a almost impatient. Kagome started, her cheeks brightening.

“Oh, I, um…Hi.” Inwardly she smacked herself.

“You did not call me just to greet me.” The miko scrambled to find her marbles, shaking her head.

“Yes, right…I wanted to ask…” She took at deep breath. “What if I get pregnant?” To her immense surprise and supreme embarrassment, Sesshoumaru chuckled.

“This only occurred to you know?” He asked with something between a grin and a smirk on his face. It added warmth to him, however little, which made him even more gorgeous. The miko looked away, indignant.

“Well, it’s not like I’ve ever had to worry about it before. You were the first…” Already mortified, the miko ducked her head. She didn’t hear anything this time before Sesshoumaru was in front of her, lifting her chin, forcing her to look up at him.

“As for your question…It’s taken care of. Do not worry about it any longer. On another note… are you trying to entice me, Kagome? Because it’s working.” As if looking up into his eyes hadn’t left her breathless, as if hearing her name come from his lips didn’t leave her startled, Sesshoumaru pulled her close to him with one hand and leaned forward, pressing his lips against hers.

Explosions danced behind her eyelids and the blood in her veins turned to liquid fire the second their lips touched. Never had she once imagined the taiyoukai doing something so human, but as his lips ravaged hers and his hands roamed her body, all she could do was cling to him.

Suddenly the hairs on her neck and arms were standing on end, and the two of them tensed and pulled apart, the mood forgotten.

“I sense a fragment of the Shikon jewel…a really big one.” Kagome announced out of habit. She bit back a pang of sadness. Sesshoumaru growled.

“Naraku.” He whirled around, straightening his nagajuban as he crossed the room to his clothes, armor and swords in a few strides. Meanwhile Kagome’s mind ran double time.

‘If Naraku is out and about, and is nearby…Inuyasha and the others should be nearby soon too! If I could go out and meet them or get their attention somehow, I could be back with them, hunting the jewel…shards…

‘But why? So I can go back to being the third wheel? So I can be Inuyasha’s compass, point him in the right direction? Why? He doesn’t love me, I already know that. It’s like Sesshoumaru said…He’s made his choice. Kikyou is more important to him.’ Sesshoumaru came back just then, fully clothed and armored, holding a bow and quiver in one hand.

“Miko.”

“Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru?” ‘So much for Kagome…’

“Dress yourself. I will go after Naraku. I owe him a visit. When I leave, I will take you to the foot of the mountain. There, you will wait for Jaken and Rin. I called to them earlier; they should be near us now. Protect Rin, and wait for me to come back.”

“Hold on, you just want me to wait for you to come back? What if you don’t…?” Sesshoumaru scoffed.

“This Sesshoumaru always comes back. You may ask Rin or Jaken.” The taiyoukai responded, starting to sound impatient.

“But…Inuyasha always let me go with him.” Kagome questioned. “I’ve fought Naraku lots of times!”

“That is because Inuyasha is stupid and weak, and doesn’t care if you die. I will not take the same chances.” Sesshoumaru snapped, leaving Kagome speechless. He pushed the bow and quiver of arrows into her hands.

“Take these. I marked you, so most of the smaller demons will know to stay away because of my essence, but be prepared just in case. Stay close to the mountain, but if for some reason you need to move to be safe, I will find you, so do not hesitate. Do you understand?” Mutely, Kagome nodded as she reached down to pick up her kimono from where it lay on the bed.

“Good.” He turned and went to wait by the cave entrance as Kagome dressed and slung the quiver and bow on her back.

“Wait… back up, a lot. You marked me? I must have missed that, how did you mark me? You mean like…peeing on me or something?” The miko asked as she approached him. She must have startled the taiyoukai, because he shot her a look of disgust.

“No, I did not pee on you, miko. I bit you, remember? On your neck. I suppose it’s the same principle of marking your territory, but it’s much more…sanitary…pleasurable…sane. Did you want me to pee on you?” Sesshoumaru asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh god no, sorry, Lord Sesshoumaru. I just… get carried away sometimes.” She apologized, embarrassed again.

Sesshoumaru didn’t answer, just snorted in amusement as he put a strong arm around her waist, holding her to close to him. Once again she flushed a deep pink color. She would never admit it, but she did like being in his arms.

“Close your eyes, miko.” The taiyoukai instructed as he guided her forward, but even as he said it she obeyed, turning to hide her face in the furry mokomoko on his shoulder. They stepped out into the open air. There was a gentle weightless feeling like they were floating, very briefly, before they were on the ground again. It wasn’t like with Inuyasha, who jumped without warning or grace.

Sesshoumaru slowly lowered his arm, making sure that she was steady on her feet before he took away his strength. Neither of them said anything more. He looked at her, as if to be sure that she would stay put, and she stared back at him passively. Then he was gone.

“Alone again…oh joy…”

‘Why are you waiting? He’s gone, right? You don’t have to stay, you know, you could leave. Find Inuyasha and the others. Inuyasha would protect you from Sesshoumaru.’ Her subconscious spoke up.

“Because he wants to or because he feels obligated, though?”

‘Does it really matter?’

“Yes, it does! Why should I follow him like some lovesick puppy, when he doesn’t even want me around? Or even need me?”

‘But he does need you, to find the jewel shards!’

“No he doesn’t. Most of the shards are in Naraku’s possession, and Inuyasha has all of mine. All he has to do is follow him around, like he has been, and I’m no help there. Besides, he’s got Kikyou.”

‘There’s no guarantee of that.’

“No, but I’d bet money on it that he does. He left to go find her, right? Well, it shouldn’t have taken him that long, and he was gone a long time. If he’d come back sooner, he would of gone looking for me.”

‘Because he wants you with him. He loves you.’
“Or because he’d feel guilty for leaving me. Besides, he didn’t come back. He never came back, I died and he didn’t come looking for me…”

‘You can’t know that.’

“But it’s true. He would have caught up with us otherwise, we weren’t exactly moving fast. And we stayed the night in the forest. There’s no other reason for him to have been gone that long. Even if she hadn’t accepted him and he’d chased after her, he still would have come back that night. No…he stayed with her…” Her subconscious was silent. Tears rolled down as she cried, silently, feeling alone in the world.

Kagome wasn’t alone for long, because true to Sesshoumaru’s word, she heard the singing voice of a child coming nearer. From what she could make out, the girl was singing a song about “Lord Sesshoumaru.” Then she heard the unmistakable voice of the tiny goblin Jaken telling the girl to be quiet, and she wiped her face on her sleeve.

They were bickering when they came out of the trees to where Kagome stood, Rin teasing the goblin about something or another. When they saw her they both froze, and then the girl started forward with a big smile.

“Hello, you must be Kagome! I’m Rin, and this is Jaken and Ah-uhn.” She motioned respectively. “Lord Sesshoumaru came by and told us that you were here, waiting f or us. He said that I should listen to you.”

“It’s very nice to meet you Rin.”

“Out of all the women in the world, he picks you. I can’t believe it, Lord Sesshoumaru what were you thinking?!” Jaken moaned to the sky.

“Nice to see you again too, you little toad.” Kagome mumbled, and Rin giggled.

“Jaken is silly, just ignore him, like me!” Rin grinned, and Kagome could see that she was missing a couple baby teeth.

“How old are you, Rin?” The miko asked, curious.

“I’m seven! I think. I’ve been with Lord Sesshoumaru for a long time, too. He saved me after I was hurt by wolves, and now he lets me go with him, unless he has to go do something dangerous. Then I have to stay with Jaken…” Jaken cried out in indignation. “But Lord Sesshoumaru is very important!” Rin nodded with severity.

“You got that right, girl! Lord of the Western Lands! All of these lands are his domain, which is why it’s important for him to keep going after Naraku because he’s a threat to these lands and everyone on them. It’s Lord Sesshoumaru’s job to keep the balance after all.” Jaken drew himself up importantly.

“I didn’t know that.” Kagome blinked, impressed. ‘Well now I feel bad for all those times I didn’t call him ‘Lord’…’

“Now you know! You see, the Lord of the Western Lands before Lord Sesshoumaru was his father, but before him it belonged to –“

“Jaken’s boring. Wanna play a game?” Rin asked, and Kagome laughed as Jaken deflated, looking depressed, and began talking to himself. The two-headed beast Ah-uhn curled up against the base of a tree to nap.

“What game did you want to play?” Kagome asked the child, who looked thoughtful.

“Well…we have to stay here, so we can’t play hide and seek or tag…I know! Let’s make flower chains! Come on!” Rin pointed to a patch of wild flowers growing in a clearing between trees near them, and dragged Kagome to it.

“Okay, but you’ll have to teach me how.” Kagome complied, carefully sitting among the flowers and sitting her bow on her lap.

“It’s easy, even Jaken could probably do it.” Rin explained. Jaken huffed, and she stuck her tongue out at him.

“Insolent brat! Lord Sesshoumaru, why do you make me babysit instead of coming with you…” He whined.

“Because you whine too much, Jaken.” Rin explained, as Kagome laughed again. Jaken’s face turned purple and he stomped off to go sit next to Ah-uhn with his back to them, mumbling to himself.

They had been at it long enough for Rin to make a chain two yards long and for Kagome to successfully make a necklace when they were interrupted by an uninvited guest.

“My, isn’t this a cozy little outing. I hate to interrupt…but Naraku wants you, girl.” Kagome turned to see Kagura the wind demon standing behind them. “ Dance of Blades!”

Kagome threw herself over Rin as Kagura flicked open her fan and waved it, hurling the wind attack at them. The miko shut her eyes as the blades of wind slashed open her kimono and gouged into her back. She felt the searing pain, and something wet and warm gushing over her as she held on to the child. When the blades bit no more, she turned and stood with her bow. She pulled the string tight, an arrow already fitted onto it.

“Jaken! Take Rin and get out of here!” She yelled as she loosed the arrow and forced the wind demon to take cover. Already another arrow was notched and that one flew too, burrowing into the tree that Kagura was behind. It burst through the tree, forcing the demon out into the open, where she met with the next arrow.

“Rin, come on!” Jaken rode up on Ah-uhn and pulled the girl up behind him, turning and pushing the beast into a gallop.

Kagome loosed another arrow, and another, determined to keep Kagura from following the girl but painfully aware of both her shortening supply and the deep gouges in her back. As her vision blurred she wasn’t sure she would run out of arrows before she passed out.

The answer was no, as darkness crept into her vision, and her last arrow was fired harmlessly into the sky. She was glad that at least the child was safe. The last image she saw was that of the last time she’d seen Sesshoumaru just before he’d set off into the forest. The miko sank into darkness.