InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Lucky Ones ❯ Chapter Twenty-Six ( Chapter 26 )

The Lucky Ones

By Terri Botta

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Sole copyright belongs to Viz and Rumiko Takashi. I'm poor so don't sue.

Rating: R for later chapters.

Pairing: Inuyasha/Kagome, Miroku/Sango

Summary: Sometimes Fate hands you a gift you never thought you'd ever get, and it's up to you to accept it for what it is.

Email feedback to: tci100@psu.edu

Webpage: http://www.wordsmiths.net/Botta

A/N: I want to thank all of you who are reading and reviewing Lucky Ones. Half the time I think my Muse is talking to you because you're suggesting things I already have planned. Just goes to show great minds think alike.

I expect Lucky Ones will start to wrap up and I think there are about 3 to 5 chapters left in the story. Yes, we are going to see Kikyou before this is all over, and a few other things are going to happen before all is written and done. Next chapter is a `filler' although we do see someone come back with his tail between his legs. :)

Thanks again all of you. I'll shut up and let you read. :P

*******

Chapter Twenty-Six

Miroku flipped open Kagome's book and resumed studying the chapter on foreplay and manipulation of erogenous zones. He had to admit the book had proven to be most educational and useful, and had significantly improved intimate relations between him and Sango. It was obvious that the people in Kagome's country were very advanced indeed if they had time to devote to the kind of study and research that went into writing such a book.

`I wonder if they had to ask for volunteers,' he thought.

He'd already read the book once through, including the `advanced chapters' Kagome had said that not even she and Inuyasha had gotten to yet. He made it a point to read those closely to absorb the information. Not one to be outdone, he fully intended to reach the `advanced' level before the hanyou and his lover did. He had a reputation as a hentai to uphold after all; although some of the things the book talked about were very strange and he knew he hadn't a prayer in Hell of getting Sango to do even a fraction of them.

There was a section on an organ in his body called a `prostate' and it could be manipulated by going through his anus. The book said the practice, when done properly, was extremely arousing and pleasurable. Briefly he wondered if Inuyasha and Kagome had tried it out for themselves. He tried to picture such a thing in his mind, but- even with the book's helpful illustrations- he couldn't bring himself to imagine it.

`I wonder if the artist hired to do this work volunteered for the job. And were live models used…'

There were also two entire chapters devoted to toys and other `pleasure enhancement' tools. Some of the items were slightly disconcerting, and he wondered what type of person would use such things in order to `increase their sexual enjoyment.' A few of the things designed for men looked more painful than anything else, although there was one `toy' for women with two appendages that intrigued him. And of course, the section on anal beads made him wonder if he still had his old rosary somewhere.

The black crow feather shimmered enticingly in the sunlight, reflecting rainbow colors off of its surface. The book had said a feather or soft brush could be used in the technique he planned to try, and the feather had appeared to him during one of his walks in the forest like a divine gift from Buddha Himself.

`I think I'll try this tonight,' he mused, reaching over to pick up the perfect primary wing feather next to him.

`It can never be said that I refused a sign from Providence.'

The sound of footsteps approaching made him hastily place the feather in the book to mark his place and close it, slipping it into the folds of his robes. Sango might be the direct benefactor of his new-found resource, but he wasn't ready to reveal his secret quite yet. Besides, he knew if she saw some of the things in the book, she'd make him give it back to Kagome and he wasn't finished with it. While Sango was definitely a woman before her time, there were some things about her that were still very traditional; her views on sex being one of them.

Unhappily, he had to admit that he had had a hand in shaping that view because he had been her first. Reading Kagome's book, he'd come to realize that he could have made his wife's first experience much better than it had been, and he could only hope that he would be able to bring her around with his new talents. Still, he needed to ease her into things because she was shy in bed and often nervous.

`It's like she is afraid of her own sexuality, like she thinks she's not supposed to enjoy it.'

Granted, since he had been tending more diligently to his `husbandly duties,' getting her to perform her `wifely duties' was becoming easier and easier, and he tried to employ something new on a regular basis. Last night he had licked and sucked at her feet and toes. It wasn't something one would normally consider arousing, but put in the proper context and time, it worked like a charm. It was amazing how the simplest things could be used to give pleasure if employed in the right way. The book compared the human body to a fine instrument. When played correctly and with skill, it could make the most beautiful music, but skill took patience, time and practice… lots and lots of practice.

`I have discipline. I have no trouble practicing.'

Putting aside his hentai thoughts, he turned to see Sango, carrying Miyoko, coming around to the side of their home.

"How is Kohaku?" he asked softly as she came to sit beside him outside the hut. He smiled at his baby girl who blinked at him with her dark eyes.

`Miyoko, my daughter, my beautiful little girl.'

Sango's brow furrowed and she looked away. "He's… resting. He won't admit it, but I know he is going to miss Rin. I was very sad to see her go. She is the only one who can really make him smile."

He patted her hand reassuringly. "But he did smile. That means there is hope for him."

She looked at him and gave him a grateful smile. He smiled back, taking in her beauty and her strength. She was perfect in his eyes, even in her flaws.

`I do not think I can love this woman more.'

"Thank you," she sighed, and leaned against him.

They were quiet for several moments before Sango spoke again.

"You were cruel to Inuyasha and Kagome today," she teased.

"I was?" he replied innocently.

"You know you were. You knew they wanted to be alone, but you kept asking questions. You're very lucky Inuyasha has matured as much as he has. A year ago if you'd done that, he'd have lost his temper and thumped you."

"Heh," he chuckled. "True. Our Inuyasha has certainly changed since he and Kagome-sama adopted Yukio and became closer."

She nodded against his shoulder. "Speaking of Yukio. Where is he? Did you leave him with Kaede-sama?"

Miroku froze, a cold shiver running up his spine. "What do you mean? Isn't he in the hut? Didn't you have him with you?"

She sat up and looked at him, her eyes concerned. "No. I haven't seen him since Inuyasha gave him to you at lunch and we returned here."

"But I asked you to watch him when I went to help Keiko carry her water."

"When did you ask me that?"

"A while after lunch. Keiko was struggling with the water yoke, and Tamu wasn't around to help her, so I offered to carry it for her. I put Yukio down and called to you to watch him."

She blanched and turned pale. "Miroku, I never heard you ask me to…" She trailed off, her eyes opening wide. "Oh no…"

They both stood at the same time.

"I'll go to Kaede-sama's," he said.

"I'll leave Miyoko with Kohaku and get Kirara."

They split up, each going in separate directions.

`Buddha, please. Let the child be with the miko,' he prayed as he ran to Kaede's hut.

"Kaede-sama!" he called, throwing aside the reed door as he hurried in.

"Houshi-sama? What is wrong?" the miko asked.

"Miroku? What's happened?" Shippou, who was sitting with Kaede and helping her with the herbs, questioned.

"Is Yukio not here with you?"

Both of them shook their heads.

"No. We thought the child was in your care."

"Yeah, Inuyasha gave him to you to take care of," the kit replied. "You didn't lose him, did you?"

"Ahh…" `This is bad. Very bad…'

Shippou's eyes flew open wide. "You did lose him! Oh no! Inuyasha is going to kill you!"

`Don't you think I know that? Right now I am more concerned that a ten-month old hanyou baby might be wandering around out there by himself!'

"Houshi-sama," Sango said breathlessly as she entered the hut. "No one's seen him. Is he not here?"

"No," he answered.

"Oh no."

He turned to the fox kit. "Shippou can you track him?"

The kitsune set his jaw and nodded. "I'll try."

"Do you know how much of a head start he has on you? How long ago do you remember seeing him?" Kaede asked.

"After we returned to our hut when lunch was over. I put him down to help Keiko carry a yoke of water because she's 8 months pregnant and her useless husband won't help her. Sango was in the hut and I called out to her to pick him up. When I returned from carrying the water, he wasn't there so I assumed she had him."

"But I never heard him call me," she explained, then turned to her husband. "Did I answer you when you told me to get him?"

He shook his head. "Not specifically, no."

"Let's go back to your hut, Miroku. I can try to pick up Yukio's scent from there," Shippou said.

"Let me know if you find him. If you can't catch his scent, you'll have no choice but to fetch Inuyasha," Kaede said.

"Oh, Inuyasha isn't going to like this!" Shippou fretted.

"Let's go quickly. With luck he won't have gotten far," he hoped, offering an arm for Shippou to hop into.

The kitsune kit gave him an incredulous look. "He's a hanyou pup. He could be half a ri away by now."

Miroku's heart lodged in his throat. "Please don't say that Shippou."

Shippou was able to track Yukio's scent through the village. He lost it a couple of times, but eventually he did find the trail again. It was amazing how far the toddler had traveled, right past huts and gardens, with no one catching a glimpse of him. Miroku believed the villagers when they said they hadn't seen the child. All of them knew Inuyasha's son and were very interested in his well-being. Inuyasha was the village protector and he was worth a hundred samurai in a battle against youkai or bandits. They didn't want anything to happen to him or his family, so he knew that if any one of them had seen the toddler they would have raised the alarm.

Yukio had made his way through the village in almost a straight line. This was no wandering child off exploring. No, this was a kid with a mission, and it soon became apparent that he had a very specific goal in mind. Soon, they didn't even need the scent trail to guess where he was going, but knowing where he was headed offered no comfort.

Shippou stopped at the edge of the village, looking out into the woods known as Inuyasha's Forest. Miroku stopped with him and they were then joined by Sango on Kirara. They all looked in the direction of the tree the hanyou had been sealed to and the Bone-Eaters Well.

"He's headed for the den," Shippou said, voicing the conclusion they had all already come to.

Miroku nodded gravely. The toddler might be a hanyou, and he might know where he was going, but there was a great deal of dangerous forest between the village and his destination, especially for an unprotected child.

"Kirara..." Sango said, preparing to go after Yukio, but Miroku put up a hand.

"No. It's my responsibility. Inuyasha gave him to me and I was the one who lost him."

Sango gave him an incredulous look. "Does that really matter right now? He's out there in the forest alone!"

Miroku looked to the trees, his heart heavy and resolved.

"He's headed right for the den. It won't be hard to follow him. It's better that only I go. That way only I will face Inuyasha's anger if he finds out I failed to watch his son."

"If you think I'm going to let you go looking for that lost baby by yourself, you're out of your mind," she countered.

She didn't wait for his answer before she urged Kirara forward and the fire cat took off. He shook his head and sighed.

"You should have seen that coming. Sango's a mom too. There's no way she was going to let you search for Yukio alone," Shippou said.

"Let's go then, and hope we catch him before he makes it to the den."

Shippou hopped up onto his shoulder and he set off at a run.

`I hope no new youkai have come hunting in the forest. I know Inuyasha killed a number of them before he left for the Western Lands, but he's been gone for sixteen days and that's enough time for more demons to move in.'

"I hope no youkai are in here," Shippou commented as if he could read the monk's mind.

"I was just praying that there weren't any."

He stopped once they were in the trees and Shippou got down to sniff for the scent trail.

"This way," he said, pointing towards Inuyasha's tree.

There was no doubt about it now. Yukio was definitely headed for the den.

`I sorely underestimated him. I thought since he was so young, there was no way he could wander off like this. I didn't realize that hanyou babies were this mobile so quickly.'

They found a torn scrap of white cloth that looked vaguely familiar near Inuyasha's tree. Shippou didn't even have to go near it to recognize the scent, and the fox kit blushed.

"Those are Kagome's," he whispered.

It didn't take much to figure out from the ripped cloth and the crushed grass what had happened there.

`Right out in the open. Inuyasha, you hentai.'

Shippou sniffed around and nodded. "He made it this far."

`Well, that's a relief. But if he makes it all the way to the den, what will he be interrupting when he gets there? And will Inuyasha let me live long enough to explain?'

"He went through here," the fox said, indicating a deer path through the trees.

He nodded and Shippou hopped up again as they headed off.

"I can't believe he made it this far," he breathed in wonder.

"You shouldn't be surprised. I was only a year old when my Otou was killed and you know how I was. Hanyou pups don't grow as fast as kitsune kits, but they're still faster than human babies."

"Much faster," he complained.

They came to a clearing and Sango and Kirara landed beside them.

"Any sign of him?" she asked.

Miroku shook his head. "Shippou said he made it to Inuyasha's tree."

Shippou jumped down and scouted for the trail while they talked.

"Over this way," he called and dashed off into the bushes.

They followed, hoping to find the boy before he got them all into deeper trouble than they were already in.

"Kami-sama I can't believe he made it this far in such a short time!" Sango panted.

"I was saying that earlier myself. Shippou said we shouldn't be surprised."

"I never realized how different hanyou babies were from human ones. In my village, we never spent much time wondering about how the young were cared for and grew. We only concentrated on how to kill them."

He nodded gravely and said nothing in reply.

They caught up to the toddler just outside of the den. They arrived at the small hillside at the same time Yukio came crawling out from beneath some undergrowth. He was filthy and his clothes were a ragged mess, but he was unharmed. Miroku had only a moment to breathe a sigh of relief and say a prayer of thanks before Yukio made a dash for the den entrance.

"Yukio!" Sango gasped, running towards him.

The toddler startled and shied, feinting to the left faster than any of them expected. He obviously hadn't known they were there and his protective instincts kicked in. Kirara snarled and grabbed for him, snatching him by his red shirt, but the shirt was his old `Big Dog' top that had seen better days and the fabric ripped on her fangs. The child fell from her mouth and rolled, going under the fire cat. He got to his feet and started running again.

Miroku, who had sought to prevent Yukio from getting into the den, had run for the hillside, and was there when the toddler popped out from underneath Kirara. Reaching down, he grabbed the boy from behind before he could go through the camouflaged reed door.

"Gotchya," he said, picking him up, thankful that he did because the sounds coming from inside the den were definitely not ones he would want to have interrupted.

Yukio, shocked and scared, twisted and snarled, then bit him and scratched at him with his little claws, carving deep wounds into his forearms. He gasped at the sudden unexpected pain and released the boy, dropping him practically into the den entrance.

"Houshi-sama!" Sango called as he clutched his bleeding arm.

"Otou! Okaa!" Yukio yelled as he barreled through the reed door and into the den.

There was a moment of stunned silence then an enraged howl erupted from inside the underground shelter. It was answered by Yukio's frightened scream.

"Ummm, I think we'd better get out of here fast," Shippou suggested.

Sango, seeing the deep bite wound and gashes on his arms, took him by the elbow.

"We need to wash those right away. Come over to the stream. Inuyasha will find us," she said.

He nodded, still a bit shocked by the extent of the damage such a little one could cause, and followed his wife to the stream that ran not far from the den entrance.

"You shouldn't have grabbed him like that. You frightened him and he protected himself instinctively," she scolded softly, kneeling next to him and washing the gashes in the flowing cold water.

"I know he didn't mean to hurt me."

Sango cursed and shook her head, examining the bites. "These are deep."

"He doesn't know his own strength," Shippou offered, looking sad and pale.

`What is he more upset about? Yukio for hurting me or Inuyasha's reaction when he comes for us?'

"I know Shippou."

"Inuyasha is going to be furious," the kit continued, shivering.

He looked at his wife, who met his concerned gaze with one of her own, and her mouth tightened into a thin line.

"It will be better because he wasn't hurt. He may have interrupted their private time, but he got there safely," he said.

Her eyes told him that she wasn't convinced.

"In any case, there is nothing to be done for it. What is done is done and I will take responsibility for it."

She sighed and nodded. "We should have Kaede treat these as soon as possible."

"As soon as we've spoken with Inuyasha. I am sure he will be coming for us very soon."

Sango agreed and ministered to his wounds as much as she was able as they awaited the imminent arrival of the angry hanyou.

********

Yukio screamed again and hid behind her, weeping and shaking. The shock was just wearing off and clarity was only just returning to her addled brain as she tried to grasp what had happened.

She and Inuyasha had been in the middle of making love when the reed door had been ripped open and Yukio had come streaking in crying their names. Inuyasha, enraged at being interrupted and not fully aware of what was going on, had turned on the child with a feral snarl, scaring the liver out of her son. He'd screamed and dashed for her, narrowly avoiding a swipe Inuyasha made with his claws at what he perceived as an intruder, and tackled her, knocking her to the futon. Inuyasha finally came to his senses and when he realized what he'd almost done, he slammed his fists into the den floor repeatedly and struggled to get his body under control.

Kagome felt torn between them, not sure whom she should comfort; Inuyasha was trembling with stymied need and shock at his attack on his own son, and Yukio was whimpering and crying behind her in abject terror.

:Pup sorry, sorry, sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!:

"Fuck!" Inuyasha cursed loudly and she didn't bother to punish him for it. "What the hell is he doing here?"

"I don't know," she stammered, then reached behind her to pick up her shivering baby.

His clothes were ripped and streaked with mud, and the back of his shirt was torn completely open.

`Oh no. His Big Dog shirt…' she bemoaned.

"It looks like he ran all the way here…" she commented, looking him over. His hands were filthy. `What on earth happened?'

Suddenly Inuyasha sniffed and growled. Then he grabbed Yukio by what was left of his shirt and yanked him to his face.

"What have you done?" he demanded.

"Inuyasha!" she scolded, surprised by his rough treatment of the child. `He just interrupted us. It's not like we haven't done it three times already and we'll have other opportunities…'

Yukio cringed and submitted, but Inuyasha continued to scruff him angrily.

"What have you done?!"

"Inuyasha!" she warned, getting angry and preparing to `sit' him if he didn't let her baby go.

He flashed her a furious glare and bared his teeth. "Stay out of this!" he ordered.

She flinched and her eyes opened wide at his rage, then she stared as he took the baby and pinned him down by his throat, snarling and growling. On some level she knew he wasn't hurting her son or applying any pressure at all on his tender windpipe, but it was still painful to watch. Yukio began to wail, begging for forgiveness and squirming in his father's grasp. His struggles only earned him another scruffing.

"Inuyasha stop it!" she cried, unable to take it anymore.

"I said stay out of this!"

"Don't punish him for wanting to be with us!"

"He reeks of Miroku's blood!" he spat back.

She gasped. `Miroku's blood?'

Still pinning Yukio, Inuyasha ground out an explanation, "Somehow he got away from his keepers and made his way here… through the forest all by himself. At some point Kirara and Miroku tried to stop him. He's got their scents all over him. Miroku must have grabbed him and he attacked. He's got blood and flesh under his claws and it smells like he may have bitten him too."

`Oh no…'

Yukio finally stopped struggling and his father let him up, only to grab him again.

:Did you attack pack-male?!:

:Pup sorry! Sorry! Sorry!:

:Did you attack pack-male?!:

:Pup scared! Pup go to den! Pack-male grabbed pup!:

:Pup never attacks pack-member! Never!:

Inuyasha deposited Yukio in his sleeping space none too gently and turned his back. The pup, looking devastated reached for his father, but Inuyasha moved away and ignored him. He then turned pleading eyes her way and she didn't know what to do.

"Turn your back. Don't look at him," Inuyasha commanded.

`But if I do that he'll think…'

"Do it. He's being punished. Turn your back."

`He's not trying to hurt Yukio, and Yukio obviously disobeyed and hurt our friends. I… I have to trust him in this.'

Her heart breaking at the sight of her baby's tear-streaked face, she did as Inuyasha ordered and turned her back. Yukio's cries of panic and horror when they seemingly cast him out of the pack cut right through her, and it took all she had not to pick him up and comfort him. She settled for comforting her adult hanyou, who was obviously badly shaken and upset.

"Inuyasha," she whispered gently, placing one hand on his bare shoulder.

His hand immediately came up to grasp hers, holding on to it like a lifeline.

"He ran away from them and came here through the forest," he replied hoarsely.

She gulped, nodding, knowing his thoughts were just as dark as hers. `Anything could have happened to him. Anything. My God, we could have lost him.'

She shivered and decided that Inuyasha's punishment was paltry compared to what could have happened to him if he'd gotten hurt, attacked or lost.

"Otou! Okaa!" Yukio cried, going to them and putting his hands on their backs, scrabbling at their bare skin, trying to make them acknowledge him.

Inuyasha spun and snarled, making Yukio flinch and skitter back to his spot.

:PUP STAY!: "You stay where I put you!"

Yukio sucked in huge gasping breaths, sobbing and whimpering.

"Otouuuuuu… Okaaaaaaa…" :Pup sorry. Pup sorry…: he sniffled, and she had to close her eyes and clench her fists not to turn around, but she was following Inuyasha's lead and he hadn't told her she could.

"I know I'm being harsh," he told her gently and she was relieved not to hear anger in his voice. "But he has to learn now. He can't ever turn his claws and fangs on a pack member. He doesn't know his own strength and he could really hurt one of them. In a year or two he'll be able to sever a limb without thinking, and he could kill a human without really meaning to. Being strict with him now is the only way."

"I understand," she said, putting her hand on his shoulder again.

"And he disobeyed and ran away from the people we trusted to watch him. He has to learn to listen to what we say."

"He just wanted to be with us. We're his parents and you've been gone for so long. He missed you terribly," she explained.

"I know and I understand that. Maybe it was wrong of me to leave him with the monk, but I wanted time alone with you and he was only going to be away from us until dinner."

"I know. I don't blame you for wanting that. I wanted to be alone with you too."

She saw him swallow hard and close his eyes, shuddering, but not with arousal.

"He knew enough to track us here. He came all the way from the village all by himself. If a youkai had sniffed him out he would have been completely unprotected and defenseless," he said brokenly.

"I know. I'm still reeling from it myself. On one hand, I'm amazed and proud of him for being able to make it here without any guidance, but on the other hand, I'm scared to death of what could have happened."

He put his arm around her and pulled her close, touching his forehead to the side of her temple.

"I know. I know," he breathed, his hand tightening on her shoulder as he sighed.

"Otou… Okaa…" Yukio mewled plaintively behind them, still sniffling and gasping in hitched breaths.

"Has he been punished enough?" she asked hopefully.

Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah. Let me go first."

"Okay."

She waited as Inuyasha slowly turned around to look at their son, his arms crossed over his chest.

:Pup be good?: "You gonna listen now?"

:Pup good! Pup good!: "Otou… Hai…" he whimpered.

:Pup obey?: "You won't disobey us again?"

:Pup good.: "Noooooo. Otou…"

:Pup never attack pack-member?: "You'll never hurt a pack member again?"

:Never, never, never. Pup never.: "Noooooo."

"Okay." :Forgiven.:

He opened his arms and Yukio barreled into them, crying with relief and remorse.

:Pup sorry. Pup sorry!: "Otou. Otou."

Inuyasha hugged his son and stroked his back tenderly, making little noises of forgiveness and welcome.

"Okay, you can turn around now," he told her, and she moved immediately, wrapping her arms around both her hanyous with Yukio pressed between them, then she gathered him up and held him close.

"Shhhh. Shhhh, my baby. It's okay. You're alright now. We forgive you. We love you."

"Okaa… Okaa…" her son sobbed, clutching at her and pressing his face to her shoulder. :Mother-female. Mother-female.:

Inuyasha came close and put one arm around her shoulders as he rubbed Yukio's back and ears. Gently she took her son and lowered him to her breast. It wasn't his feeding time, and she knew feeding him now would mean she'd only have a little milk for later, but letting him nurse was the quickest way of showing him that he was forgiven. He latched on and began to suck desperately. He was a little rough but he wasn't using his teeth so she didn't discipline him. He'd been disciplined enough already.

"I should go see how bad it is," Inuyasha said.

"Miroku?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"Okay. I'll clean him up in the stream and put him in new clothes, then I'll come find you."

Inuyasha fingered the ruined shirt. "Your favorite Big Dog shirt…"

"It was old and too small for him anyway. I've been meaning to go back to that store and look for another one." She nuzzled him and teased. "I'll get you one too if you want."

He gave her a little smile. "Heh. Don't need a funny shirt to know I'm the big dog."

She giggled, then regarded him seriously. "I love you."

His smile widened and he kissed her gently. "I'm glad to be home."

"I'm glad you're home too."

Giving her another kiss, he pulled away and reached for his clothes.

"Don't be too long. Miroku will probably need your medicines and bandages."

She nodded. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

He gave a grunt of agreement and moved to leave the den, examining the ripped reed door.

"I'll fix this later."

"Okay."

With a final nod to her, he slipped out. She waited until Yukio was finished nursing, letting him suckle long after her milk was gone just for the comfort value, then dressed herself, found clean clothes for her son and carried him out to the stream.

********

It took Inuyasha longer than they had anticipated, but he did find them. He seemed surprised to see them waiting for him by the stream, but he moved immediately to Miroku's side and examined the wounds.

"I'm sorry," they both said at the same time.

"I put him down and went to help Keiko carry water and he wandered off," he explained, amazed that Inuyasha seemed more upset than angry.

"He called to me to watch him, but I never heard him," Sango added.

"I tracked him up here, but when we caught up to him, he got scared and bit Miroku," Shippou said.

The hanyou took his arm and turned it to see the bite wounds. He saw Inuyasha blanch and frown.

"These are deep…"

"I'll be fine. He didn't puncture anything serious."

"He could've severed the tendons."

"He could have, but he didn't. He didn't mean it. I grabbed him from behind and frightened him."

"You're not mad?"

"No, of course not," he answered, surprised to see the flash of fear and uncertainty in the hanyou's eyes. `He's… he's worried I'll blame the child and hold it against him because he's a hanyou.'

"Yukio is just a baby," Sango said and he realized that she'd seen and understood what Inuyasha was thinking too. "It's not his fault."

`Bless you, woman.'

"I shouldn't have left him with you. Kagome spoils him and he's used to getting his way."

"He's just living up to his name," he joked weakly.

"We're just glad you're not mad that we lost him," Shippou admitted.

"Bah. I shouldn't have expected a couple of weak humans to watch a hanyou pup. He's a handful for Kagome and me and we're used to him."

"We were amazed at how far he traveled. He knew exactly where he was going," Sango added.

Inuyasha nodded. "Pup's always tracked us well. He just followed our scent."

He coughed. "And it isn't like you hadn't left your scents behind for him to follow," he commented leadingly.

He saw the hanyou's eyes narrow then open wide and a flush come to his cheeks as he figured out what he was referring to.

`Yes, we found Kagome's torn undergarments under the tree, you shameless hentai.'

Inuyasha sputtered a bit, but he just smiled and gave him a wink.

"But he did give us such a scare," Sango said. "He was all alone in this forest with no one to protect him. If it had been Miyoko out here, I would have been terrified."

"Heh, Miyoko won't be able to walk for at least another six months, and even then she won't get far when she does," Inuyasha scoffed, then softened. "Still, I'm very glad that he made it to the den safely, and I'm sorry he hurt you, Miroku."

He waved his less injured arm. "As I said, it was more my fault than his. He was just protecting himself."

"I punished him and I'm sure he won't do it again."

`Oh, I'm quite sure he won't. From the way he screamed, his punishment must have been very severe indeed.'

"I hope you didn't hurt him," Sango blurted, worried.

Inuyasha scowled at her. "Of course I didn't hurt him. You think I would hurt my son?"

"No… no. Of course you wouldn't."

"A spanking would be fine as long as it wasn't too harsh," he commented.

"I didn't spank him," Inuyasha countered. "I threatened him with rejection from the pack. If he'd been old enough to know what he was doing, his attack on you could have made me cast him out for a couple of days. That kind of threat to an inu-youkai is much more effective than one of your human punishments."

`Hmmm, I wonder if all the beatings he got as a child will make him refuse to raise his hand to his son. I know Kagome-sama said Sesshoumaru was extremely harsh with Inuyasha.'

"Yes, I suppose that would work better than any spanking," Sango agreed.

"Keh!"

"Sango-chan. Miroku-sama. Shippou," Kagome greeted as she came to the stream carrying a blotchy-faced, red-eyed Yukio.

`Well, he is certainly looking very contrite.'

He watched as the girl gave Yukio to Inuyasha then came over to see his arms.

"Inuyasha said Yukio had your blood on him. Will you let me see?" she asked.

He nodded and lifted his sleeves. She gasped when she saw the punctures from the child's fangs.

"Kami-sama… he really bit you."

"It's mostly just a flesh wound," he reassured her.

She turned his arm to see the gashes from Yukio's claws. "And these gashes…"

"They will heal. We are just glad this is all that happened and nothing worse."

"Kagome-chan, we are so sorry. Miroku went to help Keiko carry water and asked me to watch Yukio but I didn't hear him. When he came back and found that Yukio wasn't where he'd left him, he assumed I had him. It wasn't until I asked him where Yukio was that we realized he'd wandered off," Sango apologized.

"You must have been so scared, Sango-chan."

`And as always, her first thoughts are for the pain of others and not for herself.'

"Me? I didn't know how I was going to tell you if we couldn't find him. If it had been Miyoko who was missing, I would have been beside myself. I don't know what we would have done if anything had happened to him," his wife admitted tearfully.

"Oh, Sango-chan," Kagome said and hugged her.

Inuyasha brought Yukio over to him and made the child look at the damage he'd done.

"Look what you did," the adult hanyou scolded.

Still teary-eyed, Yukio looked at his father then to him and stuffed a fist into his mouth.

"You will say you're sorry and you will never do this again. Right?"

The toddler nodded, then reached for Miroku. Surprised, he took the boy into his arms and was stunned when Yukio hugged him, whimpering.

"Orry, orry," he sniffled.

Sighing, he patted the child's back and hugged him. "I forgive you. I know you didn't mean to hurt me."

Yukio whimpered again and Kirara hopped into his lap, rubbing up against the child and mewing. The boy hugged the fire cat in her kitten form and she purred for him.

"Orry, orry, orry," he said, tears rolling down his little round cheeks.

Kirara licked his tears away and nuzzled him. Pulling away, he turned to his father and opened his arms.

"Otou…"

Inuyasha moved to pick him up, but Kagome stopped him.

"I'll take him. I need to wash and change him," she said, lifting her son into her arms.

"Okaa…" the boy murmured, resting his head on Kagome's shoulder.

Kagome moved to take Yukio to the stream and Sango, Kirara and Shippou went with her. There was a shallow pool formed by an eddy in the bank just a short distance downstream that was perfect for bathing as long as you didn't mind the cold water.

"Don't… don't tell anyone that Yukio bit you, please," Inuyasha said once the women were out of earshot.

"You don't want anyone to know he can be dangerous."

"The fewer reminders they have that he's a hanyou the better. Let them think he's just a helpless baby with puppy ears. At least until he's old enough to defend himself."

He nodded. "As you wish."

"The old woman can know. She'll have to treat your wounds and she can be trusted. I just don't want anyone else knowing because they might decide two hanyous in one village is two too many."
"I doubt that. You've proven too many times that you are an invaluable village protector, and I think you've saved all of their lives at least once," he argued. "Besides, who would blame an innocent child for defending himself in the only way he knew how?"

Inuyasha's eyes clouded and he frowned. "You'd be surprised, monk. You'd be surprised."

He regarded the hanyou seriously, wondering what painful memory he was recalling.

`He's had a hard life and he wants to spare his son the pain he suffered.'

Knowing how much he loved and wanted to protect his own child, he would never begrudge his friend that. He knew too well what humans could do if they turned into a mob. And Inuyasha probably knew first hand what it was like to be hunted by one. He thought of Yukio's poor mother and the terror and pain she must have felt when her mate was killed, then the agony and struggle of her last four days of life.

`Horrible. And Kagome would do the same thing. We spend so much time convincing ourselves that all demons and half-demons are evil. But how many of them are like him? And how many of them have we killed just because they were different from us?'

"I will never betray you, my friend," he assured him.

Inuyasha's eyes flooded with some emotion which might have been gratitude, before closing off again.

"Bah! Like you could," he snorted, huffing.

He waited, knowing the hanyou would most likely speak again. He'd been taking lessons from Kagome on `the care and handling of irritable hanyous,' and knew that if you didn't rise to take Inuyasha's bait, a capitulation was soon to follow. It came a few moments later.

"Oi, monk," he said, casting him a side-long glance.

"Yes?"

"Thanks. The last thing I want is for the villagers to turn against us. I'd... I'd be okay, but I'd be worried about the old woman, and Kagome... Kagome should never have to see that, y'know?"

He nodded. "I know, and they won't. Your home is safe. In time, you will build Kagome a house in the village and live in it with her and your children."

Inuyasha pursed his lips and nodded, and Miroku knew he wouldn't get any more out of the normally closed-off hanyou. What he'd gotten was enough to tell him all the things Inuyasha couldn't say.

`You can trust me, Inuyasha. I know it's taken you a long time to believe that, but it's true. We'll all keep Yukio safe, and I'll raise my children to respect and like hanyous. It might be only the barest scratch in the surface of the hatred many feel towards them, but at least it's a step in the right direction.'

"We should get you to the old woman. She and Kagome should treat those wounds," Inuyasha finally said.

He stood. "I agree. Let us find the women and head back. I'm sure that Kagome must be nearly finished washing Yukio by now."

Inuyasha cocked his ear and listened for a moment. "Judging by how he's wailing about how cold the water is, my guess would be yes, she'll be done with him soon."

He chuckled and moved to walk down the path that lead downstream. Inuyasha joined him, and they walked in companionable silence as they went to rejoin Kagome and the others.