Chapter 1

Kagura was never one to ask for help. Never. To put it simply she was too prideful. Or of you wanted to get on her bad side you could say that she was too stubborn. But no matter how you say it she would never ask for help.

So why, she asked herself once again, was she flying towards the Lord of the Western Lands camp? Was she so desperate? This thought made her pause. Memory after memory of the torments Naraku had dealt her flew through her mind. The most recent made her want to throw up in disgust. Was she desperate? Yes. But was she going to get down on her knees and beg for help? Not in this lifetime.

This conclusion brought her into action once again as she resumed her flight. Her ruby colored eyes scanned the emerald forest below her for signs of an attacker. The wind that was her friend, gently kissed her face, and blew through her onyx tresses. Giving her hair a tousled look. Her once resplendent kimono was ripped and bloodied in places. But as always she wore it with the regality of a queen. The stoic mask on her face never once gave away the pain and soreness of her body. And more importantly, it never gave away the ravings of her mind. She would have her revenge, she swore. No matter what the cost.

The evening sun shined brightly of the silvery waist length hair of the Lord of the Western Lands head as he sat off in the distance. The light giving him an almost heavenly glow. The flower field that they had camped at for the night was in full bloom and the sent added to the setting. A slight breeze blew through every now and then, as though it were a messenger, heralding a visitor to come.

Rin's giggles carried across the meadow to his ears. It wasn't an unpleasant noise. A sort of tinkling sound that would have lifted the spirit of any other but him. The sound soothed the ears from all of the harsh noises of the world. Noises such as the squawking of his retainer Jaken.

"No! I refuse to wear flowers. Lord Sesshomaru-sama save me!" His retainer was being chased by a flower chain bearing Rin. Her happiness was enough to let him rest in peace.

Silently he stood from where he was sitting, and started to walk back to camp. He was but steps away when he stopped, sniffing the air. His once easy composure was now like a block of ice. Taking the last few steps to camp he looked around as though confirming his own thoughts.

Rin had stopped her playing when she saw that her lord was coming back to camp. Jaken in turn knew that something was wrong, for his lord never came to the camp this early in the day unless something was wrong. And indeed there was.

Sesshomaru's body shouted of a man aware of his own prowess, and every sense that he had, was trained on the invisible threat. There was no doubt that what ever he had detected was dangerous. So dangerous that he felt that he had to deal with it himself.

"Jaken, you are to take the Ningen child into the forest where nothing will harm her. Do not leave the forest till I come for you. You will guard her with your life. Should her life become no more so the same shall become of yours." The words that escaped from his mouth gave not an inch of emotion away, but the threat was unmistakable.

Jaken bowed low to Sesshomaru and turned to the ningen child. "Come Rin. We must go to the forest as Sesshomaru-sama has commanded." And with a turn he left. Rin stood from where she had been picking flowers and waved at Sesshomaru. "Goodbye Lord Sesshomaru-sama." She said with a giggle and a turn to catch up with Jaken.

Sesshomaru watched them disappear into the forest, before he focused his attentions back on his surroundings. It wasn't too long before his keen eyes saw what his nose had told him was coming.

"Come out. This Sesshomaru knows you are there. Your stench overwhelms from a mile away." His icy stare was directed at a creeping panther youkia.

In the next instant the youkia was up and running at him. The sheer grace from this feline was a sight to see, and a sight that many had never got to see beyond a brief fear filled glimpse. The panther leaped for his throat and landed in surprise when he was gone. The panther youkia never had a chance to look for him, because no sooner had he landed was his head disconnected from his body.

Sesshomaru stood over the panther youkia's body with Toujikin drawn and ready in his hand. With deliberate confidence he turned around and said to the forest "This Sesshomaru also knows you are there Kagura. Unless you wish to suffer the same fate, it would be wised to show yourself.

Kagura was initially surprised to have found the camp so easily. But then it occurred to her that no one would be stupid enough to seek the Lord of The Western Lands camp. That is, except me, she thought to herself.

The wind continued to blow around her gently even after she landed at the edge of the forest and flower field. She placed her feather in her hair as per her habit, and looked around. The white lilies around her swayed with the rhythm of the wind. The same wind that brought her their delicate scent. She scanned around her once again before she bent down and picked a single lily. She examined the lily with an intensity that surely would have made it wilt where it not for the new scent that entered her nose alerting her to danger. Swiftly she pulled her fan out of her kimono and held it in a fighting position. It had occurred to her in the course of her hurried departure from Naraku's castle that she should take her weapons with her. She was almost certain that Sesshomaru would not greet her with open arms. And now she was grateful that she had not made that oversight. She scanned her surroundings to find where the scent was. Primed and ready for a fight, she was surprised to see the youkia was running. That was till she saw to whom the youkia was running to. She knew right away that this creature would not be alive in 30 seconds, for nobody attacked Sesshomaru and survived.

She watched the scene with knowing eyes. Watched as the youkia leaped for Sesshomaru's throat. Watched and registered the youkia's surprise when it's prey disappeared, and watched as the youkia lost it's head over it's poor choice of prey.

It's a pity such a powerful creature had to die she thought to herself. But then again it wasn't her problem. Her problem was staring at her now with his bloodied sword poised and ready to strike for her head next.

"This Sesshomaru also knows you are out there Kagura. Unless you wish to suffer the same fate, it would be wise to show yourself.

Hi! I figured that this would be as good a spot at any to stop for now. I originally had a much longer chapter, but I don't have it proof read yet, so this it where this chapter ends. Yea! I have the first chapter out! Ok I would just like to request that if you see any and I mean any mistakes you let me know. Grammar isn't exactly my strong suit, and after all I am just human. wink wink Ja Ne lunerbrittania