InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Windows on the West ❯ Battle of Attrition ( Chapter 58 )

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

Disclaimer:  I do not own the characters of Inuyasha.

~oOo~

Sesshoumaru stood at the top of the escarpment that the last of the silver inu were making into new homes and scoured the horizon with sharp eyes – Inuyasha had returned this morning from wherever he had jaunted off to in order to give he and Kagome some 'alone time' with the report that he had spotted the advance scouts for the hawk youkai.

Wanting them to approach so they could be defeated and the whole thing could be finished, the ofttimes hasty hanyou had held his hand this time, and allowed the scouts to find what they were looking for...

Now it was time for the last stand of the inuyoukai.

Only this last stand wouldn't end in defeat for those being pursued, but in the destruction of the hawk youkai that had not only attacked the inuyoukai on their home island in the first place, but now were actually daring to attack on Western soil.

They would be laid low for their presumption.

He didn't react when Shun joined him atop the escarpment, his eyes continuing to scan the horizon calmly.

“Everything is in place for their attack – but who will guard the entrance to the chosen cavern?  One of the adolescent pups, and another as backup?”  he asked, his voice still somewhat stiff, but also curious.

He was referring to the large, central cavern near the middle of the escarpment at the very bottom which would be used as a central gathering place for the inu that were making this place their home.  It was perfect for the pups and mothers and those too young or injured to fight to hide in, the narrow entrance needing only one person to guard it.

He didn't answer for a moment, simply enjoying the touch of the wind on his face, but then said coolly,  “My miko will be the one to guard the entrance.  She will have no need of a backup.”

Shun thought about that, and realized that the Western Lord was right – she would be the perfect one to take the job, as with her arrows, she could keep the hawks at a distance.  

He tilted his head in acknowledgment.  “I would never have considered that... of course, I have never fought with a miko as my ally, rather than as my enemy.  I have never had to consider how to use the talents of one in conjunction with my own men.  You are an excellent strategist – your father trained you well,”  he finished grudgingly.

Silver locks streaming behind him, Sesshoumaru smirked slightly as he flicked a glance at the older inu male.  “You are correct – my sire did, indeed, train me well.  However, in this instance, the idea was not mine – it was my miko who thought of it.”

Taken aback, Shun blinked as he took that in.  “I am curious as to why she would think of such a thing – could she not just raise a barrier and stay inside with the others where it was safe?”

“She could – but Kagome is no coward or whimpering, helpless female.  She is a warrior, no less than you, make no mistake.  Her powers were trained and honed in combat, and hiding behind a barrier would not suit her at all.”  He brushed at his pelt with a languid hand.  “However, when I suggested that she raise a barrier and then join in the battle at my side, she demurred, saying that while she could protect those in the cavern by guarding the entrance, she could also help keep the pups calm with her aura, which is most soothing.  It was something I had not considered, but it was an acceptable idea, keeping the pups from being any more traumatized than they already are.”

Silent as he thought about that, the grizzled warrior had to admit that it was a good idea.  The pups had already been traumatized enough, and he would welcome anything that would help keep them from being harmed any further, whether that be physically, or mentally.

With a sigh, he knew what he needed to say, though it was difficult – he was no less prideful than Sesshoumaru, after all.  Still, he also had his honor...

“I apologize to you for the insult to your female the other day when I named her pet.  I had never looked at humans as anything more, though I have no hatred for them, they seemed little more than short-lived, scurrying rabbits that lived in fear of everything around them.”  He shook his head.  “It seems that I was wrong, though I would ask a question, if you would answer?”

“What is your question?”  he returned, though the tone of his voice warned Shun to be careful with his words.

“How can you handle knowing she will die so soon compared to you?”

“Things are not always as they seem – you would do well to remember that.  Kagome is not like other ningen – she is immune to time.  Therefore, there is no need for any concern on my part,”  he responded shortly, and Shun knew then to drop the topic of the miko.  He was actually a bit surprised that Sesshoumaru had even said as much as he had.  He was very possessive of her from everything he had seen so far, and the few things that Satori had also let drop.

“I see,”  he said, then let silence fall as he turned his attention to the horizon and kept watch with the daiyoukai.  

A few minutes later, Sesshoumaru broke the silence with a curt acknowledgment of his apology...

“You should tender your apologies to her, as well.”

With that, he leapt off the edge, a “They come,”  drifting back over his shoulder as he dropped from sight.  

Shun continued to stare at the skies for several more seconds before he caught the dark patch swiftly advancing across the sky towards them.  His blood heated and began to flow faster as his heart picked up speed in his excitement.

The time for vengeance had come.

At last, he would gain justice for his slain mate and pup.

For that opportunity, he would definitely thank the Western Lord and his human woman.

And apologize to her, as well.

~oOo~

Kagome watched Sesshoumaru gather everyone into position from her spot at the forefront of the cavern, and could feel her muscles tensing as the battle drew near.  Taking her arrows from her quiver, she jammed them one by one into the soft dirt at her feet, making it easier and quicker to grab them as needed.

Once that was done, there was nothing really for her to do but sit back and wait; while she couldn't yet see the youkai hawks, she could feel their youki drawing nearer, and there were a lot of them.

But with the group awaiting their arrival, she wasn't worried – the hawks stood no chance, and would most likely be destroyed to the last man.  Well, not man... but the idea's the same, she sighed, hating what was about to happen.  But the truth was, they were bringing their destruction on themselves – if they'd have left the inuyoukai alone, none of this would have happened.

She wondered idly what had started the whole thing...

I'll have to ask Satori... maybe Shun told her.

Her musings were set aside and she tensed further as her eyes caught sight of the hawks as they arrived, seeming quite shocked to see what was awaiting them.  Apparently, they had thought to find mostly females and frightened pups protected by a few adolescent inuyoukai and Shun.

Instead, they were faced first and foremost by Sesshoumaru in all his glory, a daiyoukai of immense power who could probably wipe them all out on his own, Satori just behind him, and it was obvious that Satori was also extremely powerful.

Shun, of course, they knew, but then there was also Inuyasha, with a drawn and ready Tessaiga, and any youkai could sense that he was also very powerful.

Her eyes wandered over the enemy to take stock of them as they landed and moved into their humanoid forms.  There were many of them, but none were of the stature of Sesshoumaru or his mother - and not even Inuyasha.  Even being hanyou, he was still stronger than any of them.

There were males and females both in the attacking hoard, and Kagome wondered if all the members of their tribe had come for the battle... if so, they were about to become an extinct group, because Sesshoumaru would never allow any of them to get away – that was just asking for trouble.

She glanced behind her into the cavern, though because the passage was so deep, she couldn't see much, and allowed her aura to swell – the pups could feel the tension and the youki of the hawks, and had already, even at their young ages, learned that particular signature of youki meant bad things were about to happen.  As her aura swelled, however, blocking out the youki of the hawks, the pups quieted, and most of them actually fell asleep, comforted and feeling safe and content.  Movement at the front of the group of inuyoukai grabbed her attention, then, and she watched as her betrothed stepped forward, Bakusaiga already drawn, and addressed the hawks.

She readied herself and grabbed an arrow, fitting it to her bow as she waited almost breathlessly for the first blow to fall.

~oOo~

Sesshoumaru eyed the large group of hawks with disdain – they were cowards.  They brought such a large force to kill a bunch of helpless pups and females.

Disgusting...

“You have invaded my lands, vermin – this is your only warning.  If you do not wish to be destroyed down to the last one of you, you will leave,”  he said coldly, his youki swelling outward and sweeping over the hawks with lethal intent.

Most of them hissed and drew back, but one stepped forward instead, hatred his only expression.  “I will not leave until every last one of those dogs are dead!”  he spat, and Sesshoumaru's eyes pinned him, glowing with deadly power.

“It will not be they who die this day, honorless coward,”  he responded, the disgust in his voice only growing.  “Why do you come against helpless pups in such force?  Afraid that they would defeat you otherwise?”

The taunt worked.  “That bastard Shun killed my son!  I will not leave 'til he and all his people are dead!”  the hawk shrieked.

At that, Shun strode forward, rage on his face.  “Speak not to me of your  cowardly son, you filth!  I killed him because he killed my wife and my son, who was little more than a year old, for sport!   I will take great pleasure in destroying you and the wench that birthed that kami-forsaken trash!”  he bellowed, and with no further ado, the battle was joined, the hawk immediately attacking Shun.

Sesshoumaru allowed him his prey – he had every right to destroy those that had killed his family, and he would not stand in the way of the inuyoukai's vengeance.

That still left plenty of prey for him, however, and, Bakusaiga singing a song of battle and victory, he strode into the midst of the attacking birds, his sword a blur as it tore into flesh and bone, leaving death and destruction behind.

He could hear Inuyasha off to the side, and he grinned ferally – the boy was certainly enjoying the battle, if his ears did not deceive him.  His mother also, was right in the thick of things, and he had to admit – it made his blood surge to be leading the remaining inuyoukai into battle as he was.  It was a glorious feeling.

Still, he could not help but worry about Kagome, though he knew she was perfectly well able to take care of herself.  He ran his current opponent through, then took to the air for a moment, looking back towards the escarpment to see how she was doing.

A group of the hawks had taken their youkai forms again and were headed straight for her, apparently realizing that was where the pups and females were hiding, but just as he was about to rush to her aid, she nocked an arrow and released in one smooth motion, and just like that, the entire group of hawks disappeared into the light of her reiki, leaving nothing behind to show for their existence but a rain of dust.

A pleased growl sounded in his chest, and he lowered himself back into the battle, Bakusaiga once more flashing here and there as he destroyed opponent after opponent.

A high pitched shriek of dismay sounded, and Sesshoumaru glanced in the direction it had come from only to find that Shun had defeated his opponent, and the now-dead hawk's mate had attacked him, screaming her grief and anger to the skies.

Taking a quick survey, he glanced around the battlefield, and was pleased to see that there was less than half of the attackers still left standing on the field.  This battle would be ended soon, and peace could be had once more by these beleaguered inuyoukai.

He sliced another opponent practically in half, Bakusaiga cutting through flesh and bone with ease, when he heard a sound that made his blood run cold – Kagome's scream.  Whipping around and taking to the air, he took in what was happening at a glance and without a second thought was at her side.  

This fight had just become personal.

A group of the hawks had broken off from the main swarm, apparently, and had waited for the battle with the others to be joined before leaping over the edge of the escarpment and attacking Kagome from above.

Caught off-guard, she had still managed to destroy most of the attackers before they even reached her, but a few had made it through, and she was sporting a nasty gash down her side.  The scent of her blood made Sesshoumaru lose himself to his primal being, and eyes bleeding more red than her blood, he swiftly destroyed those who'd attacked her – save the one who had actually harmed her.  That one, he would toy with, killing him slowly and most painfully for hurting the woman he would destroy the entire world to keep safe.  

For causing harm to the one he'd chosen to protect.

Once more taking note of the state of the battle, it was clear that it was pretty much over – there were less than a dozen hawks still standing, and Shun had already destroyed the female hawk whose son had killed his family.  With her death, the last few hawks threw down their weapons and sued for mercy.  There wasn't a one of them that wasn't bloody and injured, and they'd finally lost interest in the fight, especially since the reasons for it were now dead.

Turning his attention back to the cowering hawk before him, Sesshoumaru spoke to Kagome without removing his eyes from the one he would soon be tormenting.

“Go inside and get your injury taken care of, Kagome,”  he said tersely, Bakusaiga moving not an inch from where it was leveled on the throat of the cause of her injury.  “The battle is over, and these cowards will never harm another inuyoukai pup, so there is no need for you to remain here while your blood pools on the ground.”

Eyes watering with the deep sting of the wound, Kagome eyed Sesshoumaru, pretty much knowing what he was going to do to the bird that was now cringing before him.  “Sesshoumaru,”  she began, but he cut her off.

“No.  I am inu.  I am a predator, Kagome, and I cannot change who I am.  He harmed you, drew your blood.  For that, any inuyoukai would do what I am about to do.  Go.  Have your wound seen to, as your blood scent will only make me angrier,”  he said, his voice a deep growl that raised the gooseflesh on her arms.

With a sigh, Kagome nodded, and holding one hand to her injured side, she grabbed up her bow and now empty quiver, and headed into the cavern to get herself cleaned up and bandaged.  From the feel of her side, it wasn't a serious injury, and would heal quickly.

She hated what Sesshoumaru was about to do to that hawk, but the other side of her was resigned to the fact that he hadn't planned to let any of them get away, anyway.  And she could even understand his reasoning, even if she didn't like it.

It was simply the way of things in the youkai world...

And one little miko would never be able to change that.

~oOo~

Taking tally after the battle was finished, Sesshoumaru nodded in satisfaction – not one hawk remained alive save a few crippled elders, and they had been sent on their way.  They were nothing more than remnants of a now dead race, and were nothing to fear.

The carcass of the scum who had harmed Kagome was rather tellingly missing from the large burial mound that Shun and Inuyasha had dug out of the soft earth for the birds corpses – by the time he had finished with that particular vermin, the hawk had been nothing more than chunks of flesh and scattered bone.  Some scavenger would eat well this night, that, he was certain of.

He turned from his perusal of the battlefield as Kagome's sweet scent overpowered the stench of death, and watched as she walked slowly to his side.  He was pleased to see that she didn't appear to be in any great pain from her wound.

Her voice was solemn as it reached his ears.  “They are all dead?”

He eyed her for a moment, then turned away, watching as the sky darkened as night approached idly, calm and content to know that this particular duty was almost over.

“No.  The few that surrendered were sent home.  Shun escorted them to the borders of the West as a precaution, but they were all older, and too injured to try to continue the fight by sneaking back later,”  he replied.

She was surprised.  She had suspected that he would destroy them all to the last one, yet he hadn't.  Her eyes narrowed...  “Why did you let them go?”

At her question, he chuckled, amused.  She knows me too well... “As I said, they were all older.  I spoke to one, and he informed me that the entire tribe had, indeed, come to the battle.  They are a now a dead race, and no threat to Shun or the others.”

That makes more sense.  For him to just let them go... “When are we leaving, then?”  she asked, her weariness suddenly thick in her voice, and he turned to face her, looking her over carefully with a frown.  

“We will rest tonight, then leave in the morning.”  He took her arm, then, and began to lead her back to their camp.  Once they arrived, he ordered her to set out her bedding and get into it, and his voice brooked no argument, not that Kagome even had the energy to try.  She was, indeed, exhausted.  “Sleep, aisai, for you will soon have need of all the rest you can get,”  he murmured, brushing her bangs back from her forehead as she settled into her blankets.

With no one anywhere near, he gave into the smile that was hovering on his lips as he watched her fall into sleep.

She is so tired that she didn't even catch my words, nor their meaning.  No matter... for I will be repeating them again tomorrow night as we rest near Inuyasha's village.  After that night...

The last thing on her mind will be sleeping.

A soft thump from behind and the daiyoukai wiped the smile from his face and stood, turning to face Inuyasha, golden eyes meeting golden eyes.  After a moment, he said,  “Come, brother – I have need to speak to you privately.”

As the males moved into the shadows and disappeared, two blue eyes peeked open behind them, and their owner grinned in drowsy anticipation.

You'd better not be teasing me, Sesshoumaru.  I expect you to wear me out – but I think you're going to find that will take quite a bit more effort than you think it will.

I have no intention of tiring out quickly, my beautiful inuyoukai.  None at all.

One last flash of mischief came from those eyes, and then they blinked out, asleep just that fast...

And dreaming of the good things very soon to come.

~oOo~

A/N:  Yes... the lemon comes that much closer, as does the end of this fic.  

Amber