InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Phoenix Blade: Time Lapse ❯ Blood Shield ( Chapter 57 )

Disclaimer: Don't own…don't sue. Tormenting them purely for my own sadistic pleasure. All characters and most situations owned by Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Publishing, and VIZ is in the dog-pile somewhere, too.

 

A/N: Well, crap. Had most of this chapter written, and on Wednesday, a corrupted diskette ate my efforts. Double crap. In the newest chapter of the Inuyasha manga out of Japan, Takahashi-sensei introduces Sesshomaru's lady mother. Guess she didn't die after all, when Sess was just a mere ball of fluff; ah, well…luckily I've never tried to pretend this fic is canon!

 

Coarse language alert; Inu really hates the smell of bats…

 

The Phoenix Blade: Time Lapse

Chapter 57: Blood Shield

 

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Present Day

 

“Good morning, Inuyasha! How about some breakfast?”

 

“Morning, Okaa-san. We're heading out on a long patrol…probably be gone for a couple of weeks, so one of your breakfasts to send us off would be great!” The extremely chipper hanyou ushered Kagome over to the table, giving her a cheeky pinch on the fleece-clad behind just as she sat down. The girl jumped, and shot him a frosty look, but he only smirked. Sota's eyes widened fractionally when he had a good look at the hanyou's face but he said nothing; Mrs. Higurashi didn't turn around from where she was poking at the scrambled eggs with a chopstick.

 

“Where are you off to this time?”

 

“The western coast…we're looking for the hyakki-komori.”

 

Mrs. Higurashi paused mid-poke. “The `ogre bats'? That sounds…rather ugly.”

 

Inuyasha plopped down in his seat and had a moment of indecision whether to tease Kagome a little more or turn his attentions to Buyo. The chubby feline was within reach, winding around Sota's legs and begging for scraps in a rather un-cat-like manner. His girl was still rather unimpressed with how he had neatly out-flanked her in bed this morning, even though she enjoyed herself, so he reached under the table and snagged the cat, up-ending him on his lap. “I doubt they're good-looking, but they have something that I need to take down Naraku the next time I see him, so we're paying them a visit. Hey, Kagome…think of it as a little seaside vacation…” He waggled his eyebrows and his ears at the girl; she rolled her eyes and began fiddling the hem of her t-shirt.

 

“I'm more concerned about the fact that we seem to be headed into the heart of the Western Lands…and that means our chances of running into your brother go up exponentially.”

 

“What's to worry about? He shows his stripey face, I'll kick his ass. Keh!”

 

Mrs. Higurashi finally turned around with the pan full of eggs in her hand…and nearly dropped them, her mouth forming a perfect `O' when she saw the youkai markings blazoning Inuyasha's cheeks. The hanyou shoved Buyo into Kagome's lap and dove for the endangered food, managing to catch the woman's wrist and steady the pan. “Oi! Watch yourself, Okaa-san…that could've been a disaster… uh…?”

 

Mrs. Higurashi reached a tentative hand for his face, and he held very still as her fingertips traced the ragged edge of one of the dark blue stripes. “What do these mean, Inuyasha?” she asked, very softly.

 

Kagome frowned at her mother, and opened her mouth to point out that she'd seen those same markings quite recently, so what exactly was the big deal…until she remembered that it was Inuyasha, not Yashita, under discussion. She snapped her mouth closed at the same time as Sota's foot connected with her shin; she blinked the tears out of her eyes and glared at him on principle while listening to Inuyasha flounder.

 

“My youkai blood is um, more prominent now, and um, the markings seemed to become permanent in the last fight with Naraku, um…Kagome? Help me out here?” He turned beseeching eyes on her; she merely raised her eyebrows.

 

“You're doing just fine, dog-boy; keep it up.”

 

He mouthed a mild insult at her and turned back to her mother, who finally set the pan down on the table before straightening up to inspect him more closely. Inuyasha held very still under her thoughtful eye; she finally smiled at him and reached up to tweak his ear. “I think the markings make you look very handsome; don't you think so too, dear?”

 

“Sure, feed his ego some more, why don't you?” Kagome muttered, and had an elbow ready when the hanyou ruffled her bangs as he sat back down beside her. He mock-`oofed' and she dumped Buyo into his lap. The offended feline dug in his claws as he leapt for freedom, and the hanyou yelped when the sharp tips of Buyo's claws managed to penetrate the tough fire-rat and prickle parts of his anatomy that he preferred to leave unperforated. However, the cat didn't go far; he skittered around behind the table and took up position under Sota's chair again.

 

Mrs. Higurashi forestalled a fuss by passing out the food, and silence settled in the kitchen. Just as Inuyasha was about to ask for seconds, she handed him a bag and Kagome a folded square of finely-woven linen. “This arrived while you were in the shower; I think it has something to do with your mission.” The hanyou dumped out a large handful of silver coins while Kagome smoothed what turned out to be a map…and gasped in horror.

 

“Look at the terrain we have to cross! We'll never make it back in two weeks!”

 

Inuyasha leaned over to look, and ran a claw up the blue lines marking the rivers. Doing a rapid calculation, he snorted. “Sure we will. We made it to Kyoto in two weeks in crappy conditions last spring, and this is just slightly over half the distance in good weather… we'll follow the trade routes up-river. It's fairly direct, actually, and isn't as broken up as the Kyoto road. Keh. Our `allies' are almost mind-readers…they're pretty amazing if they know where we're going almost before we do…”

 

Kagome looked up from the piece of linen. “Yes…they are `pretty amazing'. She met the hanyou's sceptical snort with a direct gaze, and he finally dropped his eyes and began counting the coins. Kagome studied the map, knowing that she held Sessaki's artwork in her hands. She tapped the ink-delineated western coastline in the region of the modern city of Niigata. “Is your ancestral fortress around here somewhere?”

 

Beside her, the hanyou tensed. “More to the north…but we'll steer clear of it,” he ground out. She reached for his hand while contemplating the distance they had to cover, find the bats, fight and kill the shield guardian, and then make it home in time for the night of the new moon. She sighed just as Inuyasha squeezed her fingers and dropped a bombshell. “We're not taking the horses this time; we need to cover ground as quickly as possible. You'll ride with me, and Kirara will take the slayer and the houshi.”

 

“That's a fair bit to ask of Kirara…”

 

“We talked about it already. She's fine with it.”

 

Kagome arched her eyebrow at him. “I didn't know you spoke neko-youkai!”

 

The hanyou grinned, and stretched elaborately. “Just one of my many hidden talents.”

 

“So well hidden, they're usually invisible.”

 

“You're rather cranky today, sis.” Sota risked entering the conversation with knowing look in Inuyasha's direction.

 

“Didn't sleep very well, and was awake too early thanks to a friendly dog…”

 

Sota adopted a very innocent look. “Are you sure it was friendly? There was an awful lot of growling going on…” Kagome's eyes snapped sparks, but he just smiled sweetly. The girl sighed and shook her head, then stood up, gathering the bowls. Sota winked at Inuyasha, tucked Buyo under his arm and disappeared to get ready for school.

 

Mrs. Higurashi collected the rest of the cups and started the water in the sink. “If you have a long way to go, you'd better get dressed and be on your way. Dishes can be done anytime!” She kissed Kagome on the cheek, received one in return, and the girl brushed past the hanyou as he whisked the money and the map into the bag, then tucked it into his haori. He stood up and stepped over to Mrs. Higurashi, who regarded him with a bright smile. She was rather startled when Inuyasha swept her into a hug.

 

“I appreciate your trust in me, Okaa-san; my youkai blood gives me more power to protect Kagome…”

 

She hugged him back. “I've trusted you with her from the first, my son. I'm glad that both sides of your heritage are working together; Kagome is very lucky to have you.”

 

He looked down at her, a crooked smile on his lips, and his amber eyes suspiciously misty. “Thanks, Okaa-san. It means…more to me than I can say…that you think of me as your son.”

 

She squeezed him tight. “Of course I do. You are part of this family, Inuyasha. Now, shoo and look after our girl; I'll see you in a couple of weeks.” He blinked a couple of times, grinned, and then backed up and gave her a quick bow before turning in a flare of silver to bound across the distance to the staircase. A moment later, she heard her daughter's voice raised in mild complaint, and Inuyasha's rumbling response…and then the unmistakeable creak of bedsprings as someone was tackled…or `sat'. She started to roll her eyes, and then blushed very pink when she recalled Gitoumaru's playful antics the last time she'd stayed over at his apartment. We have about two weeks together…Yashita isn't the only one who is looking forward to the end of the mission!

 

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Sengoku Jidai

Eightdays later, on the southern seacoastof NiigataPrefecture

 

 

Miroku shaded his eyes as he looked over the vista of dunes, sand flats and water stretching out into the distance. A large island, which Kagome had called `Sado Island' hovered on the horizon in the rays of the setting sun, and the distant huts of a fishing village beckoned; not as far out as Sado, small rocky islets reared up from the sea, their dried-out looking crests bare of vegetation reddened by the sun's final rays. Shippo hopped up onto his shoulder and mimicked his stance. “Any idea of what we're looking for, houshi?”

 

“Not a thing. Myoga-san said that the bats inhabit a rocky islet close to the coast. Perhaps if we wait until dark, we will be able to see the creatures in flight, and follow them back to their lair.”

 

Sango came up beside him, and slipped her hand into his. She cradled a sleeping Kirara in the crook of her arm; the neko-youkai had more than pulled her weight in covering the distance across the entire width of Honshu. They had followed the Edo River upstream to where it connected with the Tone River, passing over some of the most untamed, wilderness the three humans had ever seen. The larger villages in the river valleys, situated roughly a day's travel apart were welcome stops; the silver coins accepted willingly by innkeepers who overlooked the presence of demons in the party in the interests of profit. Angling steadily west, they had followed the Tone until it joined with the Shinano River, and then left the valley bottom to make a direct line to the sea.

 

Inuyasha had carried Kagome the entire way, a distance of around 200 miles without complaint; he had become quieter and more broody the farther west they journeyed…and the more likely to explode when irritated, so the kit had ridden on Kirara's head for the most part and slept with the neko when they stopped for the night. They all did their best to stay out of his way, but after nearly a week, the rest of the group was rather tired of walking on eggshells. Shippo grumbled that Kagome ought to `sit' some restraint back into the hanyou; Miroku hadn't even bothered suggesting that Inuyasha and Kagome try out his idea of a combined attack, utilizing the `Wind Scar' and a sacred arrow.

 

Kagome had quietly told the others that they were venturing deep into Sesshomaru's territory, and that was the reason for the hanyou's tension. She had been unusually subdued herself, and didn't snap back when Inuyasha snarled and complained at minor delays. Instead, she'd only smiled gently and soothed him with her touch, even when he was bristling and the others made themselves scarce. Kagome herself had something on her mind that caused her to chew her lip and look pensive in unguarded moments. When Sango cornered her one night in the bath-house of the inn they'd stopped at, she'd admitted her concern that they might not make it back to the well in time for the night of the new moon, and if they ran into Sesshomaru, she had to have another go at convincing him to take their side in the fight against Naraku while stopping any fight that might erupt.

 

At night, no matter how tense the day had been, Kagome usually curled up with the hanyou, and he dozed with his nose in her hair, breathing her calming scent, but the knuckles gripping Tetsusaiga's hilt were white. There was no question of slipping off into the bush for intimate activities; it was the furthest thing from either of their minds the deeper they travelled into the Western Lands.

 

Miroku risked a glance over towards the grouch in question, standing a short distance away, the sea breeze ruffling his silver hair and tugging at his sleeves, his eyes closed as he sniffed deeply. Kagome stood beside him, gazing into the distance, her dark tresses twining in the wind as her green cloak flapped against her legs. Quite the pair of guardian spirits… “Do you smell anything, Inuyasha?”

 

“Working on it, houshi.” The hanyou sniffed again, filling his lungs. A small, squeaky voice from the vicinity of the rosary made his ear twitch.

 

“To the left, Inuyasha-sama. The islet is in that direction. I remember it well; that is where your lord father met the leader of the hyakki-komori, Taigokumaru-sama, in combat and pushed the foul creatures to the borders of the Western Lands. Since his death, they have returned to their former lair.”

 

Miroku and Sango had drawn near enough to hear that final comment. “What sort of bat-youkai are these hyakki-komori, Myoga-san?” Sango asked.

 

The old flea bounced off the rosary and onto Kagome's shoulder. “Vampire bats,” he announced. “Nothing for you to worry about, Sango-sama, since they only feed on males…” Sango blanched and Shippo `eeped', then scooted around Miroku's neck to hide on the shoulder farthest from the flea-demon.

 

“If you'd said they were vampire bats, I would have stayed at Kaede's!” the kit complained, his tail bushed right out.

 

“Too late now, runt. It's nearly dark; let's head towards the nearest village and see if anyone there can pinpoint which islet.” The hanyou sniffed again and squinted at the village, visually gauging the distance to be covered.

 

“Inuyasha-sama! Do you doubt my memory?” The flea managed to sound hurt, and wondered if the young miko would feel sorry enough for him to allow him a small slurp of her delectable blood.

 

“You're nearly as badly addled as that damn Totosai…so yeah, you could say that I don't trust you.”

 

Myoga turned wounded eyes to Kagome; the unsmiling girl only shook her head, and began step-sliding down the dune towards the flats and the distant village. Miroku took Kirara from Sango's arms and tucked the snoring fire-cat into the front of his robes, freeing both their arms for balance as they slid more than walked down the shifting surface.

 

“Shit! Over there!” At the hanyou's shout, all their heads came up. Dark shapes winged out of the indigo twilight; even at the extreme distance, it was plainly obvious that these were far too large to be birds, and they were heading for the twinkling lights of the fishing village. Miroku and Sango ducked on reflex as Inuyasha dove past them, grabbed Kagome and swung her onto his back. “You four catch up as quickly as you can! This might be our best chance!”

 

The houshi, the slayer and the kit gazed after the silver and black haired blur, looked at each other and then contemplated the unconscious fire-cat, who hadn't even twitched a whisker at all the fuss. Shippo crawled down over Miroku's shoulder to peer in at her, then returned to his perch. “I can light our way with fox-fire…”

 

“Then let us proceed, Shippo-kun. Say, you wouldn't like to try transforming into a horse, would you?”

 

“Maybe in another couple of centuries I'd be strong enough to carry both of you.”

 

“Then fox-fire it is.” The group set off through the gathering darkness, Miroku picking up the pace as the sounds of desperate battle carried faintly over the water. A pink-tinted arrow arced up into the sky like a signal flare; they began to run.

 

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“Traitorous bitch! You swore that the raids would stop if you handed over your child! That's the fifth time in as many days the ogre-bats have taken men from our village!”

 

“She must have another lover among them!”

 

“Kill the demon's whore!”

 

The mob of fishermen, armed with the clubs and barbed spears of their trade advanced on a trembling but defiant woman backed up against the wall of a hut. The leading edge, ugly expressions on their tanned, hardened faces prepared to strike…only to have their weapons broken and tossed aside, their wielders sprawled across the sand at the feet of a furious silver-haired creature. They stared uncomprehendingly, until the sound of knuckles being cracked and a guttural snarl sent them scrabbling backwards in a rush. Kagome arrived on the scene a moment later, and restrained Inuyasha when it appeared that he might go after the men. She held onto him until the red left his eyes, and then turned to the woman.

 

Her dark eyes were wary, her face bruised and dirty from the rough handling she had just experienced, but she stood tall and proud. Kagome smiled at her, and held her hands out, palms up to show that she meant no harm. “Are you all right?”

 

The woman gave a brief nod, and relaxed a little. “Yes…thank you. A few minutes later, and it might have been a different story.” Her eyes flickered to Inuyasha as he turned to face her fully in the lantern-light, and she gasped. “You…are a hanyou!”

 

He flattened his ears in irritation. “Keh. No shit. I have business with these ogre-bats; we've come a long way to find them and don't have a lot of time to fuck around. Why did they call you a demon's whore?”

 

The woman edged away from the simmering inu-youkai; Kagome intervened with a sharp look in his direction. “What Inuyasha meant to say was, could you please tell us anything you know about these ogre-bats?”

 

The woman looked from the grey-eyed girl to the golden-eyed half-demon and slowly nodded. “I am Etsu, mother of Shiori, who is the daughter of Tsukuyomaru-sama, the prince of the hyakki-komori tribe. Please accompany me to my hut; the men of the village will not bother us again this night.”

 

“I am Kagome…and these are our friends, Miroku, Sango, Shippo and Kirara.” The rest puffed into the circle of light cast by the lantern and regarded the startled woman with bright eyes.

 

“What about me?” An indignant voice from the shoulder of her cloak demanded.

 

She sighed. “And this is Myoga-san…flea-demon in service to the Court of the Western Lands.” The tiny youkai puffed up with pride at the elaborate title, and resolved to only take tiny sips of her blood from now on. Etsu arched her eyebrow, but led them around the hut and into the darkness, past several deserted huts. Shippo cast his fox-fire and they finally reached a lonely dirt-floored hut on the outskirts of the village, dimly lit by a cooking fire.

 

Once they all squeezed in and the woman had wiped the dirt from her face and arms, Etsu stirred up the fire and threw on another piece of driftwood; it snapped and spattered sparks but burned cheerfully enough. She gazed into the fire for a moment, seemingly turning something over in her mind before she spoke.

 

“What is your business with the ogre-bats?”

 

Inuyasha huffed. “Killing `em.” The woman flinched and Miroku sent the hanyou a warning look.

 

“I only caught the tail end of what the villagers were accusing you of, Etsu-sama…did they say that you gave the creatures your daughter? Why would you do that?”

 

Etsu sighed and poked at the fire. “Our village has endured here many centuries; the old stories are that a powerful inu-taiyoukai battled the taiyoukai of the ogre-bats and defeated him, driving the bats away from this area. However, once the dog demon died, the bats returned to claim their former territory. They had been preying upon our men and draft animals for almost two hundred years.” A soft expression crept across her face; she didn't notice the hanyou flinch at the mention of the length of time since the bats' return. “One of them was very different from his comrades. Tskukuyomaru-sama did not prey on humans; he wooed me as if I were a princess. After I accepted him, this village was spared the raids. In consequence, it grew large and prosperous. After Shiori's birth, which was welcomed as a sign of continuing favour, even more people arrived.”

 

The fire snapped and popped; a small shower of sparks threatened Shippo's paw where he sat spellbound by Etsu's tale. He batted at the embers. “What happened? Why did the bats start raiding again?”

 

Etsu's face fell, and her voice grew heavy with sadness. “My lord died two moons ago, and the bats began their predation once more. People began leaving the village. Two weeks ago, Tsukuyomaru-sama's father, Taigokumaru-sama, came to me and promised to spare the village if I would give him Shiori-chan. With her father's blood flowing through her veins, she was needed to become the new guardian of the shield that protects the bat's lair. I thought it would be best for her and the village…she has never been accepted here. And so, I gave my daughter away less than a week ago…and still the raids continue.”

 

Inuyasha balled his hands inside his sleeves. “How can a little girl have that kind of power?”

 

Etsu smiled wryly at him. “As a hanyou yourself, you should know that the blood within you makes you more than the equal of both demons and humans. Shiori, despite being a small child, has sufficient power granted her by her father to fulfill her duty as shield-guardian.” She looked at him intently; his facial markings were nearly black in the firelight and his ears in constant motion. “May I ask what kind of hanyou you are?”

 

“Inu-youkai,” came the curt answer.

 

The woman cocked her head on the side, her eyes sharp. “By any chance are you related to the dog demon that vanquished the ogre-bats so long ago?”

 

“My old man,” he bit out. Kagome slid closer to him, pried open his tightly clenched fist and threaded her fingers with his, ignoring the blood on his palms.

 

There was a profound silence, until Etsu's next words, which were not entirely unexpected. “I will help you, if my daughter is returned to me.”

 

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Salt spray, silvered by the waning moonlight, lashed their faces as Inuyasha set Etsu down on the jumbled boulders of the small islet closest to the looming pile of rock she identified as housing the ogre-bats' lair. A large, forbidding opening resembling the maw of some great beast faced toward them; deep inside the darkness, something gleamed. Inuyasha sniffed, his nose twitching. Damn, they stink worse than wolf…and that's sayin' something!

 

Etsu gripped his shoulder just as he saw the small, white-clad figure kneeling in the centre of a circle outlined by black coral, illuminated by the eerie red glow emanating from the orb she held in her tiny hands. Hair that could only be described as spun silver framed a sweet face dominated by a pair of enormous red-violet eyes framed by dark lashes. A happy smile broke out all over the child's countenance as she saw the woman standing behind him. “Okaa-san!” she shouted joyously, and transferred the orb to the crook of her elbow so she could energetically wave.

 

“Shiori-chan!” Etsu called back; her fingers dug into Inuyasha's shoulder and he heard the catch in her voice. Perched on a bead of the rosary, Myoga gulped audibly.

 

Inuyasha turned his head slightly away from Etsu and spoke very softly. “Myoga…is she…?”

 

“Yes, Inuyasha-sama. She is the shield-guardian…and the one you must kill in order to strengthen the Tetsusaiga,” the flea-demon whispered.

 

“Fuck.” The hanyou shifted, and then stiffened as a powerful demonic aura began to emanate from the cave mouth. He protectively pushed Etsu further behind him and flicked Tetsusaiga's blade-guard, then took an involuntary step back as a gigantic, hideously ugly creature crawled out of the darkness. It loomed over the tiny girl, weaving slightly from side to side, orange-red eyes glowing…and then a fang-decorated grin split its face.

 

“I thought I heard something…why, if it isn't some idiot mortals come to us. How delightful; saves me a trip to find a meal…” The enormous youkai waddled past Shiori and filled the cave mouth.

 

“Taigokumaru-sama! You lied to me! You have my daughter, and yet the raids continue!” Inuyasha was very impressed with the lack of fear Etsu showed; the overpowering aura that the youkai emanated was that of an very ancient creature. It must be true that the longer a taiyoukai lives, the stronger it becomes…

 

“Ah, Etsu-san…you were deluded in your belief that I, a taiyoukai, would honour an agreement made with a human.” He loaded the last word with enough derision to raise Inuyasha's hackles.

 

Fucking bastard…

He badly needs a lesson in honour.

And we're just the ones to give it to him, too.

 

“Then return Shiori-chan to me at once!” Etsu raised her voice to carry above the sound of the waves breaking against the rocks upon which they stood.

 

The demon fairly purred, his great leathery wings rustling. “I will do no such thing; my grand-daughter is fulfilling her father's duty beyond expectations, despite the taint of human blood in her veins. Long after you die, she will remain here…”

 

Etsu stifled a sob in her throat; Inuyasha growled. “I think I can free your daughter; do you trust me?” She cast him a quick, hopeful glance from eyes bright with unshed tears and nodded. “Stand back then, and be prepared to move fast.” He crouched slightly, then he whipped Tetsusaiga out of its sheath, swept it up into the air and brought it down in a flaming arc. “`Wind Scar'!” He keenly watched as the strike roared away, skimming over the surface of the ocean and sending shockwaves surging against the rocks…and then cursed luridly when the red glow of the shield engulfed the demon and repelled the energy in a flare of sparks that hurt his night-vision.

 

“That shield is every bit as impressive as I remember…gonna be a tough nut to crack…” Myoga muttered.

 

“If my old man did it, so can I…shit!” The bat-taiyoukai had shaken off the Tetsusaiga's attack as easily as water droplets, then laughed, a brittle, hollow sound before rearing back and spitting a huge spiralling coil of brilliant orange power across the distance. Inuyasha twisted, seized Etsu and leapt them both up onto a higher ledge as the strike howled underneath, tearing away huge chunks of rock that splashed violently into the sea.

 

“I won't miss next time, whelp…you lack the strength of the former owner of that sword. Yes, I recognize it…the fang of the Inu no Taisho, may he rot in the seventh hell. How the mighty have fallen, to first beget a miserable hanyou and then leave his weapon to the puling whelp…” Despite knowing that he was being baited, Inuyasha snarled viciously and cracked his knuckles; the bat-youkai chuckled. “Do you think that I will send my grand-daughter back to live among the humans that despised her, and were only too willing to send her off to an uncertain fate to protect themselves?” He inhaled, with clear intent to let go another blast, when a sweet, high-pitched voice intervened.

 

“Ojii-san! I'll do my duty…but don't hurt Okaa-san!”

 

The giant demon deflated his chest and spared a glance at the small girl as she held out her hand to him, panic etched on her features. “Very well, Shiori-chan. Your mother's life will be spared.” He looked back at the two figures across the water. “Begone, both of you. I will give no second chance.”

 

Etsu sobbed quietly; Inuyasha jammed Tetsusaiga back into its sheath and shot a final defiant growl at the cave mouth before scooping her up and springing lightly from outcropping to outcropping, making his way back to the distant hut.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

“The Tetsusaiga was defeated once again?” Miroku rubbed his jaw as the group slouched around the fire in Etsu's hut.

 

“Keh…I didn't have a chance to use the `Backlash Wave', but next time…”

 

“We have to break that barrier first; the `Backlash Wave' only works when pitted against other demonic strikes…” Myoga had the misfortune to speak his words out loud, and didn't move fast enough to avoid retaliation.

 

“No fucking shit.” Inuyasha tossed the flattened flea-demon over his shoulder.

 

Etsu sighed. “Perhaps it is better if Shiori-chan stays with the hyakki-komori…neither she nor I were truly accepted…”

 

“Don't kid yourself. The bastard is only using her for her power; he doesn't give a rat's ass about her at all. No full demon would accept a hanyou unless there was some advantage…”

 

“Your father did.” Kagome's quiet voice sliced through the hanyou's harsh words. “Your father accepted you and kept you by his side until his death; Shippo and Myoga-san also accept you.” She met Inuyasha's startled look with a steady gaze; the hanyou shoved his hands deeper into his sleeves and hunched his shoulders, hiding his face behind a curtain of hair.

 

There were a few moments of strained silence before Sango spoke. “We came here to strengthen the Tetsusaiga; that is still our goal. Unless that shield can be broken, this trip was in vain.”

 

Kagome watched Inuyasha carefully, noting his slightly increased demonic aura, but did not reach to comfort him. He must kill Shiori…but can he? Will he even consider it? She's not only a child, but a hanyou that's lost the protection of a powerful father…the echoes of the past are too loud here.

 

Sango and Miroku nodded to Etsu and stood up, then left the suddenly too-small hut to take in some fresh air. They walked a short distance from the doorway, before Sango stepped into the circle of Miroku's arms and snuggled into his chest. He rested his chin on the top of her head and closed his eyes; they stood quietly for a few minutes, taking strength from each other. Miroku tilted her chin up for a kiss, but before he could make contact, an impressive demonic aura struck his consciousness. With an oath, he shouted over his shoulder and released Sango at the same time.

 

“Inuyasha…Kagome-sama! The hyakki-komori are launching another attack!”

 

Sango dove into the hut, passing the hanyou on the way out. Kagome stepped aside to allow her entrance, and then charged after Inuyasha, flaming an arrow as she ran. She yelled over her shoulder at the kitsune. “Shippo! Run through the village…tell the people to hide in the dunes until this is over!” A russet blur zipped into the darkness, and she turned her attention to the developing attack. Skidding to a stop not far from Miroku, who was in the process of unwinding his prayer beads, she dropped to one knee, narrowed her eyes at the dark shapes drawing near against the night sky, chose an aiming point at extreme range and let the missile fly. The blazing pink arrow managed to hit one of the creatures at the leading edge of the wave and the resulting explosion lit up the sky, revealing just what they were up against…and the numbers were daunting.

 

“Hiraikotsu!” The curved weapon spun on its upward arc of destruction as Sango raced into the clear. She snatched it out of mid-air and leapt to Kirara's back, then flung it into the heart of the flapping mass; dark fluids beaded and fell away again as it returned to her hand. Kirara circled around out of range as Kagome sent three more arrows aloft in quick succession, and then Miroku pulled the last of the beads away and opened the Vortex.

 

Dark streams of screeching, howling, gnashing demon bats tumbled into the void and vanished. Miroku braced his arm, gritted his teeth and began to sweep his hand slowly back and forth, pulling in as many of the creatures as possible. So focussed on keeping the Vortex steady, he only saw an orange flash from the corner of his eye before he was grabbed around the ribs by am arm clad in scarlet fire-rat and yanked backwards just as a massive crater opened in the spot he had previously occupied.

 

“Impudent human! You dare…!”

 

“You fucking bastard! What the hell do you want?” Inuyasha steadied Miroku while the monk closed the Vortex, glaring up at the enormous winged figure.

 

The bat demon gave that brittle laugh. “So, you bark at me again, do you, puppy? Pathetic…” Another incandescent orange spiral erupted from his maw, and Kagome dove out of the way, rolling back up onto her feet and flaming another arrow. Inuyasha glanced her way; she gestured tightly with a gauntleted hand glimmering in silver and brought her bow up into firing position. Returning his attention to the bat-taiyoukai, he noticed the glowing red ball that Taigokumaru held against his chest with his huge hand. Within it, the tiny figure of Shiori was visible…and the child was sobbing pitifully.

 

“Ojii-san! Please don't hurt Okaa-san or the villagers…”

 

“You would cry for this miserable village, Shiori-chan? They despised you and your mother…she will be spared, but the rest will die.”

 

Etsu stepped forward, a just-returned Shippo clutching her shoulder, her eyes locked on her daughter. “Shiori-chan…I want you to come home…”

 

“Home? Here? Where the humans were willing to sacrifice her to save themselves? Where they would have killed you for bearing her in the first place?” Taigokumaru snorted derisively.

 

“Shiori! Do you want to come home to your mother?” Inuyasha shouted up at the child, startling her. She peered over the edge of Taigokumaru's gnarled hand at the older hanyou. He waited for a moment, cocking his head on the side and perking his ears at her.

 

“If she chooses to return and gives up her guardianship of the shield…then her mother dies.” The bat's voice was full of silky malice. The child flinched.

 

“I…I want to come back to Okaa-san…but I don't want Ojii-san to hurt her!” Shiori wailed.

 

“Your mother isn't gonna die, `cause I'm gonna protect her! I promise!” Red-violet studied red-rimmed gold; the die was cast, but before she could answer, the bat-taiyoukai snarled.

 

“Damned dog…!” Another orange blast roared down, and a red blur snatched Etsu out of the way, depositing her and Shippo beside Kagome, who immediately raised a shimmering pink and silver barrier over them. Her sword glowed silver as she drew it, and Inuyasha was satisfied that they were adequately protected. Kagome's barrier stood up to Sesshomaru's worst…and this ghoul can't be any more powerful…I hope. Tetsusaiga pulsed and his youkai growled.

 

Ready?

Bring it on.

 

Red began to swirl around Inuyasha's form as he drew the Tetsusaiga and sized up the distance to his target. “Shiori…I can free you if you shrink the barrier to protect just yourself! Can you do that?” He swung the enchanted blade as he spoke and the night was lit up by scarlet flames.

 

“How dare you…!” The bat's words were drowned out by the roar of the `Wind Scar's five burning arcs, but the red shield expanded in size and seemed to solidify momentarily, until the strike burned itself out.

 

“Fool! This retribution shall be on your head!” Taigokumaru filled his chest and the village erupted into a burning shambles, the huts and their contents going up like torches and illuminating the darkness. Miroku raced across the sand; Kagome saw him coming, dropped the barrier for a split-second and he slid to safety. Unfortunately, at that same moment, Etsu ran out from behind her protectors. Kagome tore after her and Miroku followed, Shippo latching onto his robes. Etsu stopped and spread her arms wide, her pursuers halting just behind her.

 

“Taigokumaru-sama! Your son protected this village out of love for his child! Please! Honour his wishes and leave it in peace! I beg you!”

 

“My son…hmph; I often suspected that his mother played me false. He was a monumental fool, to have fallen in love with a wretched mortal and then disgraced our blood by siring a hanyou on the wench.” Etsu stiffened, and the little girl in his hand shivered at the venom in his voice. “He threatened to abandon his duty as shield guardian and leave his own kind to live with her if we did not accede to his wishes…he left me no choice.”

 

Inuyasha's head snapped up. “ `No choice'…you didn't…?” he gasped in horror.

 

A long, eerie cackle emanated from the bat-taiyoukai's throat. “Of course I did. A stain like that on our pedigree? I dispatched him through the hell-gates myself and restored our honour.”

 

Etsu stared, her face gone ashen, and then her eyes rolled back in her head as she slumped senseless. Miroku caught her before she hit the ground, and Kagome layered another barrier over all of them. She looked up at Inuyasha's vicious snarl, and saw his aura flare wildly. Be careful…

 

“Taigokumaru…you killed your own son, and now use the child you deprived of a father to protect your tribe. Despicable!” The Tetsusaiga crackled loudly as Inuyasha hefted it, baring his fangs.

 

The bat-taiyoukai was unimpressed. “If you break this shield, Shiori will die…you wouldn't want the blood of a mere child, and another hanyou at that, on your conscience?”

 

Miroku tugged Kagome's cloak. “Perhaps this is the appropriate time to try out a combined attack with your arrow and the Tetsusaiga…?”

 

“No dice, houshi.” The girl answered without looking at him. “The whole purpose of this little jaunt was to strengthen the Tetsusaiga. If I use my arrows, then we might defeat Taigokumaru, but we're no closer to destroying Naraku…and that's the bigger prize.” But at what cost? The life of a little girl?

 

“Are you sure Inuyasha can handle his demon blood?”

 

“Yes. It's Shiori's safety that we have to worry about, not Inuyasha.”

 

“No more holding back, you bastard. C'mon…throw some of that orange shit at me, and I'll show you what true power is!” The hanyou took a two-handed grip on the humming sword, and crouched, watching the shield carefully.

 

The shield must either momentarily dissipate to allow his attack, or…

Create just a small opening to funnel his power through.

Aim for his mouth; if it's an aperture, we don't have much time to blow his power back into his ugly face.

We'll have to move fast to catch Shiori when he drops her.

She must be protected. She is one of us.

Kagome'll skin us if something happens to her.

There's that…

 

“You've been holding back, puppy? Truly? How amusing…” Taigokumaru inhaled and spat out an enormous coil of power at the hanyou.

 

Inuyasha's lips curled back over his fangs as he planted his feet and launched up into the heart of the blast as thick red mist coated him, then brought the Tetsusaiga down and across his body in a sweeping blow. “ `Backlash Wave'!”

 

The bat-taiyoukai's own demonic energy turned back on itself, twisted with the power of the Tetsusaiga's attack into a coiling, howling bolt heading straight for the astonished demon's head, and the rapidly-closing window of opportunity. At the last possible moment, the red shield regained its integrity, expanded to ten times its size and deflected the Tetsusaiga's strike, warping under the pressure but remaining inviolate.

 

“Shit!” Inuyasha roared, snarling in impotent rage, his eyes inhuman in their red and golden fire. “Too fucking late!”

 

The shield shrank back to its usual size, enclosing only the small, white-clad girl. Taigokumaru shook off his astonishment at the strength of the Tetsusaiga's blow and gloated over the ease with which it was defeated. “Excellent, Shiori-chan. You have made us invincible…”

 

“You hurt Okaa-san…you broke your promise. I will not protect you.” Hidden behind her silver hair, Shiori's small hands tightened around the throbbing orb.

 

Her grandfather hesitated, tried to turn her in his hands to see her face. “Shiori-chan…” A scorching pulse of power set off warning bells in his brain, but he wasn't fast enough to comprehend.

 

Burning red-violet eyes locked on his, glaring from a face suddenly not so soft and childish, set into lines of pure determination. “You killed my father…GO!” Taigokumaru didn't have time to react as the orb flared brilliantly crimson and the power contained within flung him backwards, blasting him and the surviving ogre-bats out of the shield and into the range of sacred arrows…and enchanted swords.

 

No longer cradled in her grandfather's hands, Shiori plummeted towards the earth, conscious only of the wind rushing past her and the need to hang on to the precious orb. Etsu screamed and scrambled to her feet, pushing aside Kagome and Miroku…but Sango and Kirara were there first, the fire-cat diving under the little girl and absorbing the shock of her impact as Sango wrapped her arms around her.

 

“Unhand my grand-daughter, filthy human!” Stung beyond all reason by his ejection from the very shield that he had guarded for centuries, Taigokumaru sent a fiery, coiling blast directly at the neko-youkai and her precious burden. Inuyasha was abruptly in between, brandishing the Tetsusaiga in the streaming orange light, and threw himself into the heart of the blast, screaming his attack. The blade swung…and a massive strike, even larger than the first, roared up into a lightening sky tinged faintly pink with dawn's first light…and Taigokumaru simply ceased to exist, the fury of the `Backlash Wave' causing him and the rest of the ogre-bats to disintegrate into nothingness.

 

Down on the beach, the others stood back from the tearful reunion between mother and daughter; Kagome studied Inuyasha as he seemed to float back to the ground, his hair and sleeves streaming behind him. What will he do now? The hanyou lightly touched down, and for a moment she was irresistibly reminded of Sesshomaru. Sheathing the Tetsusaiga, he watched Shiori and Etsu for a moment with an unreadable expression, and then met her searching gaze. Crooking his finger at her, he walked wide of the rest of the group and waited for her to catch up. Kagome stopped several paces away from him, her hand on her sword hilt, instinctively positioning herself between him and Shiori. He noticed, and the look he gave her could have ignited kindling.

 

“By all the hells, wench…” His shoulders slumped and he looked away for a moment, then quietly asked, “Do you honestly think I'd harm a child?”

 

Kagome immediately realized what she had done and flushed with shame. She quickly went to him and laid her hand on his arm. “Forgive me, Inuyasha; my nerves are a little shot.” Lowering her voice, she murmured, “I'm sorry.”

 

Inuyasha wiped his hand over his face and looked away, his voice tight. “She's the same as me; a hanyou, and she just lost her father. No way I'd hurt her, not even to defeat Naraku.”

 

“But Inuyasha-sama…you must kill her! Otherwise the Tetsusaiga…ulp…” Myoga, who had seemingly reappeared out of thin air on Inuyasha's rosary, ceased waving his arms around and jumped for the relative safety of Kagome's shoulder.

 

“Was this…the reason you saved Shiori-chan…?” Etsu's voice was very soft and disbelieving; Shiori pressed close to her skirts, staring at the older hanyou.

 

Inuyasha bowed his head for a moment and then faced her. “We came here to make my sword stronger, in order to defeat a greater evil that endangers all of us…but I'm not so desperate that I'd kill a little girl to get what I need; I wouldn't be any better than Naraku if I did that. We'll find a truly evil demon with a strong shield-barrier that I'll take down.” He locked eyes with Shiori. “I lost my father when I was about your age; I remember what it's like.”

 

The little girl didn't hesitate; she stepped out from behind her mother and came towards Inuyasha, the orb glowing brightly in her small hands. She walked right up to him and held out the orb; he crouched to meet her eye-to-eye. “The blood coral inside this orb not only creates the shield, but contains the collected power of all the past shield-guardians of the hyakki-komori, including my Ojii-san and my Daifu-san. Maybe…if you break the orb, the demon-power will transfer to your sword.”

 

Inuyasha looked from Shiori to the orb and back again, then nodded slowly. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

 

“Yes, please. If the orb is gone, then I don't have to guard it any more…” Shiori's words resonated with Kagome, and she knew that they struck Inuyasha the same way. He reached out his hand, and rested his claws lightly on Shiori's shoulder.

 

“Thank you. I accept your gift.” She beamed up at him, and he found himself grinning back. Nestling the orb in the sand at his feet, she scampered back to her mother and hugged her tightly. Inuyasha contemplated the glowing ball for a moment, then took a step back before drawing the Tetsusaiga. “Here goes…”

 

When the group later talked about the events of the next few minutes on that beach, they agreed that the orb must have reacted to Inuyasha's increased demonic aura, perhaps recognizing him as related to the dog demon that had once defeated the ogre-bats, because there was no doubt that the orb moved to defend itself. There was a powerful heart-beat-like sensation that shook all the watchers, and then a tremendously dark aura wrapped around the orb, radiating at least two feet outward from the surface. As through a soot-blackened glass, the red of the blood coral pulsed malevolently.

 

Miroku found his voice. “It has raised its own barrier? Incredible…”

 

Inuyasha paused, arched his eyebrow and smirked. “Keh! Trying to make it more difficult. That's okay…I like challenges.” The others fell back a step or two as he raised the Tetsusaiga overhead; Miroku and Sango moved to screen Etsu and Shiori. The enchanted blade fell…there was a painfully loud buzzing noise, and Inuyasha found himself sprawled several feet away, spitting up sand and swearing volubly. Etsu calmly covered Shiori's ears.

 

“Damn it all to the fifth hell!” The hanyou struggled to his feet, shook sand from his clothing and hefted the Tetsusaiga, which was still vibrating somewhat from the impact with the barrier. The blood coral pulsed steadily, eerily mimicking a heart-beat, and then a cavernous voice filled the air around them even as it chilled their blood.

 

You cannot cast aside your duty as shield guardian; the penalty is death, just as your father discovered…I myself will take you to hell… A vast spectral head appeared, wavering in the morning light, orange-red eyes glowering down on the child and her mother. Kagome and Sango both yelled, and brought various weapons up into firing position, but Inuyasha was there ahead of them, his aura spiralling around him and lifting his hair off his shoulders, his fangs bared in a feral snarl.

 

The spectre ignored him and dove on the huddled pair…but was spectacularly rebuffed by a shimmering, sparkling ball of light that erupted into existence, surrounding Shiori and Etsu. For the briefest of moments, Kagome distinctly saw that it took the form of a crouching silver-haired humanoid demon, his arms gathering close the little girl and dark-haired woman, shielding them with scalloped leathery wings. As Inuyasha roared and slashed, the spectre let out a sepulchral groan and vanished…and the blood coral orb loudly cracked in half, its barrier gone. The vision of the protective demon also vanished, and in the moment of silence that followed, the faint calls of seabirds and the surge of the surf seemed very loud.

 

Inuyasha rested the Tetsusaiga on the sand near the shattered orb, and then lifted it, eyeing the blade as the white coils of energy slid down it. A thunderous pulse took both he and Kagome off-guard as first one and then the other of their blades gave a mighty howl…and then the Tetsusaiga shimmered and turned the bright colour of newly-spilled blood. Inuyasha blinked. Hot damn…it worked!

 

Shiori shook herself a little, and rose to her feet. She trotted over to Inuyasha and hugged him tightly around his red-clad leg. “Thank you for freeing me.”

 

He rested his hand on her head, feeling the little bumps of her `horns' hidden under her bangs pushing against his palm. “You helped me by weakening the barrier…”

 

“That wasn't me…that was my Daifu-san. He protected Okaa-san and me, so you could stop Ojii-san.” The little girl was so matter-of-fact that she couldn't be contradicted. Inuyasha sheathed Tetsusaiga, and the entire group shuffled their feet a bit. Kagome put away her bow and arrow; Sango drove Hiraikotsu into the sand.

 

“Well, now what?” Shippo piped up. “The village is a mess, even though the people survived. What are you going to do, Etsu-san?”

 

The woman looked about, as if seeing the destruction for the first time; the villagers were beginning to file out of the sheltering dunes and dazedly pick through the burnt-out ruins of their huts. “It will be safe to live here, now that the hyakki-komori are gone…”

 

“But not safe for you, Etsu-sama, nor for Shiori-sama.” Miroku glanced around the circle of faces, asking silent permission for what he said next. “You both should come with us; there is nothing for you here anymore, and I fear for the retaliation that you may face.”

 

Etsu blinked at him, as did Inuyasha; Kagome and Sango, however, were instantly converted. “Demons and hanyous are welcomed in our village, Etsu-san; you and Shiori-chan would find safe haven there.”

 

“I-I don't know…”

 

“Please, Okaa-san. Let's go with them. Daifu-san is gone now, but so long as we stay near Inuyasha-san, a little bit of him is always with us because he now lives in Inuyasha-san's sword.” Shiori clasped her hands pleadingly, regarding her mother with hopeful eyes. Shippo scampered over to the little girl and stood tall beside her.

 

“I'll help protect you and Shiori, Etsu-san. I promise!”

 

The woman stood quietly for a moment, deep in thought, and then slowly nodded. “You are correct; there really isn't any reason longer for us to stay. We will accompany you to your home village.” Shippo took Shiori's hand, and the two of them scooted off towards the hut, which was spared the devastation of the village by virtue of it being set apart due to the `taint' of its inhabitants. Sango took Etsu by the arm and the two women followed the children, discussing what supplies they would need for the trek.

 

Kagome was chewing her lip to the point of blood as she watched them go. Miroku's shadow fell over her. “What is wrong, Kagome-sama? Do you not agree with me that this is a wise course of action?”

 

She spared him a glance. “It's the honourable thing to do…but there's no way in all the hells that we'll be back in Edo for the night of the new moon.”

 

“Oi…we've survived that night before…nothing to worry about.” The hanyou stepped up to them, looping his arm around Kagome's shoulders. “As long as it isn't as exciting as last time…”

 

Kagome ducked her head and continued to worry her lip between her teeth. Yash said we'd be home in time…could his memory be slipping? She was jolted out of her thoughts when Inuyasha tugged her along with him. “Let's go, wench. We ought to be quit of this village before we try to catch some shut-eye, since we were up all night.”

 

“We're still in the heart of the Western Lands…the longer we stay, the more likely it is that your brother will find us…”

 

“Thanks for reminding me.” His face closed again and then he gave her shoulder a squeeze. “Let's get a move on, then. Where's your pack?”

 

“In the hut…”

 

“Let's see if they're ready…we have some distance to cover…”

 

“No kidding, since now we'll be walking all the way back across that wilderness. Fuck.” Kagome shook herself free of Inuyasha's arm and ducked into the hut, returning a moment later with her pack slung over her shoulder. Shippo emerged, wearing a small travelling bundle and was followed by Shiori with her own small package. Etsu and Sango exited together, the women nearly identically dressed, but one carrying a massive bone weapon along with her pack.

 

“Well? Shall we be off?” Sango asked brightly, then stepped up to Miroku and took his arm. The couple led off, Etsu, Shiori and Shippo following, and then Kagome fell into the rear-guard position. She glanced at Inuyasha as she shifted her pack into a more comfortable position.

 

“You're the point-man…all the way across Honshu…”

 

He caught her hands and looked carefully into her face. “What's wrong, Kagome? You've been off a bit ever since we started this mission…”

 

She pulled away. “Would it make you feel better if you knew that I'm hoping we'll meet up with your brother? I have to try to convince him…”

 

“Keh! With this new power of Tetsusaiga's…”

 

“It won't be enough.” Her voice was flat. “All three swords are required, so that means he has to come on board…and I don't know how much time we have left.”

 

“Koishii? Why so pessimistic all of a sudden?” He was in front of her, his hands on her shoulders, golden eyes intent.

 

She met his gaze calmly. “I just have this feeling that time is running out.” Inuyasha studied her face, and then pulled her into a hug and kept her in it until she returned the embrace.

 

“All this crap is nothing compared to the centuries we'll have together after Naraku is dead. Don't fret…you'll get wrinkles.” Grinning cheekily, he kissed her, and then tucked her hand under his arm. “C'mon…we'll both guard the rear. I'll guard and admire yours at the same time.” She snorted; he nudged her with his shoulder. “Smile, Kagome. It'll be fine. I promise.”

 

She managed a weak smile. “Okay…”

 

`That's my girl. Now, if only Shippo could turn into something useful for once, like a flying pony or a duplicate of Kirara's battle form, we could make some decent time.”

 

A tiny voice spoke up from the collar of Kagome's cloak. “Too bad you aren't on better terms with Sesshomaru-sama; we aren't that far from the fortress and its stable full of various flying creatures…” Myoga knew he was risking the squashing of the century, but the dispirited tone in Kagome's voice worried him.

 

Inuyasha's guffaw startled small birds nesting in the dunes into wild flight. “Sure…I'm gonna waltz up to the gates and ask my asshole brother nicely for a couple of his demon whatsits…you kill me, Myoga, you really do.”

 

“That's a change, since usually it's the other way around,” the flea muttered, and burrowed a little deeper into the fur lining of Kagome's cloak.

 

“If Shippo could carry Shiori, then I can lug both you and Etsu, which would leave Sango and Miroku…”

 

“How do you propose to carry both of us for any distance?” Kagome asked.

 

“Well, it wouldn't be any great distance,” he acknowledged. “And not really comfortable for me or both of you, but still faster than walking the whole way.”

 

“Let's have that nap you suggested, and then see about giving this hot idea a try.”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

Threedays later…threedays before the new moon.

 

“Inuyasha, this really isn't working very well…”

 

“I have to agree with Kagome-san…”

 

“All right…at least we tried.” The hanyou landed, and allowed the two women to slip off his back. Kagome stretched, trying to reduce the kink in her back from holding onto Inuyasha rather awkwardly for the last few days. She and Etsu had linked arms, and trusted each other to hold onto the hanyou with their free hands while he sort of held one on each hip. They moved a little faster, but Shippo couldn't keep up in any of his transformed shapes, and Kirara tired rapidly if carrying the equivalent of three adults over long distances.

 

As soon as the others touched down, they decided to break out the rations while they figured out their next move. Shiori had taken a real shine to Inuyasha, and Kagome found her place in his lap usurped by the little hanyou on a regular basis. He was extremely good with the small girl, answering her questions patiently, allowing her to touch his ears, gravely inspecting the small blunt `horns' that sprouted just above her forehead when she pulled her hair back to show him, comparing his claws to her blunt nails. Kagome wished she had a camera at one point, when Inuyasha had both Shiori and Shippo in his lap, as all three lightly dozed in the heat of the afternoon.

 

This stop wasn't any different; as soon as they'd eaten, Shiori had scampered over to Inuyasha and stood in front of him, her red-violet eyes bright. He wordlessly held out an arm, and she tucked herself against his chest. Kagome smiled at the pair, then scooped up an exhausted Shippo from where he was nearly asleep in his mess tin and cradled him. “You've done very well, Ship-dip…I think this is the longest you've been able to hold your transformations. That bird-shape you pulled off this morning was the best yet.”

 

The kit yawned, showing off his fangs and rubbed his eyes. “Tough work, though, K'gome. I'm wiped…”

 

“I'll carry you for a while this afternoon, okay?” She hugged him, took off her cloak and deposited him on top of it in a shady spot near a soundly-sleeping kitten-sized Kirara. Sango caught her eye.

 

“Kirara needs some fresh meat if she's going to continue…”

 

Kagome nodded. “I'll see what I can do for Kirara while the rest of you catch some sleep.”

 

Miroku looked at her with interest. “You require some rest as well, Kagome-sama.”

 

She grinned toothily. “I'll be able to nap while you're carrying me…”

 

He chuckled. “I doubt Inuyasha will accede to that!”

 

“He has his hands full.” She pointed at the hanyou, who was talking quietly with Shiori, his ears flickering. Etsu had drawn close to the pair and was listening in; Kagome felt her heart clench a bit. They could have been his family, after the well closed… She shook herself all over and retrieved her quiver. That's your stupid thought for the day, Kagome. Don't even go there.

 

“What're you up to, wench?” She turned to meet Inuyasha's sharp look, his keen eyes shadowed by his bangs.

 

“Kirara needs to eat, so I'm going hunting for her.”

 

He handed Shiori to her mother and rose, stalking gracefully towards her. “If you think you're going off by yourself in unfamiliar terrain…”

 

“I have my arrows, my sword and my attitude…I'll be fine.”

 

The hanyou brushed her cheek with his knuckles, his expression soft. “We'll go together. Not going to risk losing you.”

 

Kagome bit her lip, and then gave in gracefully. “All right…houshi, you're on barrier-duty.”

 

Miroku waved a handful of sutras he pulled out of his robes. “What is your wording? `Armed and dangerous', I believe?”

 

The pair had hardly taken ten steps away from their companions when a tremendous surge of youkai raised all the hair on the backs of their necks; Kirara went from sound asleep to snarling and battle-ready in a split second. Inuyasha tensed, his hand going to Tetsusaiga's hilt and began growling deep in his throat as he scanned the brilliant blue summer sky above their heads. Kagome knew who the demonic energy belonged to; her mouth went dry.

 

The hanyou grunted. “Looks like your wish has been granted, wench. It's the asshole in all his fucking glory…and he brought some friends along.”

 

Five dots resolved themselves into a flight of demon steeds, each carrying an armoured rider. In the lead was a familiar two-headed greenish-gold scaly creature, bearing a white-clad figure on its broad back. Kagome sank her fingers into Inuyasha's sleeve as she assessed the newcomers' bristling weaponry. “It's a war patrol, Inuyasha. Damn, damned, damnable…and we're on the wrong side of the border…”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

A/N: ::falls over from exhaustion:: Finally re-wrote all the missing pages. Gaaah! That was Not Fun. If you're interested, `Etsu' means `delight'…and the Japanese/English dictionary I use states that `Shiori' means `to mark a place'.

 

There is a dizzying array of words available to use in place of `father' that cover nearly every possible social application of the word; I chose `daifu', since it was the easiest to spell…

 

::crawls under desk to catch up on missing sleep::