A/N: Yeah…this will be one of the weirdest things I ever wrote. (I would say 'the weirdest' but if you haven't read some of the notes we write in my Algebra class then you wouldn't understand…)

Anyway, this story takes place 'post Naraku' so if you're looking forward to an encounter; you'll be sorely disappointed. (Although his will be mentioned)

Well, I'll shut up now. Enjoy! ^^ Cara, this is dedicated to you! (Don't kill me!)

Chapter One: Everyone but Me

Naraku has finally been destroyed, the jewel shard restored. Everyone rejoiced at his death and mourned for the lost. The brave few that defeated him have moved on. Kagome, the miko who made the victory possible got her wish to be with InuYasha, who had finally moved on from his last love, Kikyo; the deceased miko who had returned Kagome's soul and left for the afterlife. Miroku the monk and Sango the demon slayer were wed, after an argument or two, Sango finally consented. Shippo the fox demon, now fully grown had begun courting Rin, Sesshomaru's ward, and, surprisingly, succeeded in marrying her. The battle with Naraku was finally over, but the damage he left behind will always remain, in memories and stories. This story is a result of his evil and rather interesting form of torture, love.

Ayame sighed and plopped down on the soft grass. 'Everyone but me is happy!' she thought angrily. Koga just rejected her for the hundredth time; he had finally found a mate; a rather attractive fox demon from the continent. Ayame picked up a rock and glared at it like it was the cause of all her problems. 'At least it's not that miko wench Kagome.' she thought, throwing the stone at a tree. It ricocheted off and flew back at her, narrowly missing her head. A loud clunk and an angry growl were heard behind her as the rock found contact with someone's skull. 'Crap! Who did I piss off this time?' Ayame jumped to her feet. The bushes rustled with the approaching individual.

A short, green figure stepped out of the trees. 'What the…?' He was clad in brown and white cloth and carried a staff. The strangest thing was the seven-foot fluff hanging off his shoulders. Ayame winkled her nose. "You kind of smell like that Inu-mutt, but you look like a toad." The puny demon glared up at her. "Who do you think you are talking to me like that?" Ayame blinked, surprised at the authority in such a small body. "I'd kill you but you waste this Sesshomaru's time." he said.

Ayame eyes widened at his words. "Sesshomaru! You're…you're…green. What happened to you?" The toad glared at her. "My problems are none of your concern, wolf. Now leave before I kill you out of annoyance." Ayame frowned. "I just wanted to help," she pouted. "This Sesshomaru doesn't need your help! I have more power than you'll ever have." Ayame couldn't help but laugh. The power he spoke of was no joke; she could sense it, but threatening tone in his voice amused her. Sesshomaru glared at her. "Pathetic creature," he said whipping around, stomping away.

Silence filled the woods after Sesshomaru left. Ayame sighed, bored with the lack of sound. An image of Koga randomly popped into her mind. Ayame shook her head, trying to clear it. 'Well, I could be worse off…' she thought, eyeing the trail 'Sesshomaru the Toad' had taken. A sly smile slid onto her lips. 'This could get interesting…' Ayame called to her wolves, she would need help.

-With Sesshomaru-

Sesshomaru stomped through the undergrowth. 'When will this curse ever leave this Sesshomaru?' He thought angrily. His inner demon tried to console him. 'At least you don't have that annoying toad trailing behind you anymore…' Sesshomaru growled at his inner demon. 'No…instead I get to be the toad.' Sesshomaru thought of Jaken.

The toad had died fighting Naraku along side Sesshomaru. Naraku had grabbed the body then dropped it, disappearing into his miasma with an evil grin on his face.

When Sesshomaru tried to revive Jaken with Tensaiga, his soul was sucked into Jaken's body. Sesshomaru was furious and had pursued Naraku the best he could, only to find his wretched half brother and his wench had killed Naraku. Sesshomaru had watched from a distance, knowing he couldn't do a thing about it. If he went into the clearing demanding InuYasha to wait, he would have been killed on the spot for thinking of helping Naraku.

Plus Sesshomaru knew InuYasha would take the chance to kill him; Jaken's body was too weak to help Sesshomaru protect himself. Sesshomaru growled in annoyance. He had to get this curse lifted. 'No matter what it takes, this Sesshomaru will remove this curse.' He thought, determined. Sesshomaru removed his fluff and settled at the base of a large oak tree. His short stature made it impossible jump up or to climb it, so he had to rest at the bottom. The Western Lord sighed. 'This is getting old fast…'

Sesshomaru sat up suddenly; a thought occurred to him that he hadn't considered before. 'Kagura, the wind demon that served Naraku, she was freed, having got her heart back. I'll make her tell me how to break this curse.' Sesshomaru stood, now having a destination and darted through the trees. 'This will be easier than I thought.'

Little did Sesshomaru know, Ayame had come to the same conclusion he did and was racing to find the wind demon herself; Ayame decided she wanted to help despite Sesshomaru's threats. Ayame wasn't quite sure why she was helping the Western Lord but was determined to solve Sesshomaru's problem. There's nothing like meddling.

-With Ayame-

The trees sped by as Ayame dashed through the forest; she contemplated her decision to help Sesshomaru. 'It's not like he wanted my help; the most I see of him is in passing.' She swerved around a tree, her hair whipping her in the face. She called to her wolves again, her voice echoed eerily through the woods. 'Why is it so quiet?' Ayame thought, shivering. She slowed her pace to scan the area. The Feudal Era had been relatively quiet since Naraku's death. Ayame sighed.

'I'm being paranoid; if anyone was here I would smell them before I saw them.' Ayame returned to her thoughts of Sesshomaru, running further into the wilderness; the wolves howled in the distance. 'The first time I saw Sesshomaru… it was at the Lord's Banquet, ten years ago; only a little while after I met Koga.' Ayame grimaced at the thought of him. She shook her head. 'No need thinking of past lives now…let's see…I remember! It was his turn to host the Banquet; his house was huge! It was twice the size of the caves at home,' a wolf howling Ayame snapped out of her musings. A large white wolf appeared before her on the path, making her skid to a halt. Ayame's eyes widened.

"Grandfather?" She exclaimed running to the wolf. "What are you doing here? You're too sick to be out of the cave." Ayame kneeled at his side, her face full of concern. His tired eyes fell to hers. "Don't do it," the ancient wolf rasped. Ayame's eyes narrowed. "Don't do what?" she asked, gazing at him suspiciously. He looked away and didn't answer. "Grandfather! What don't you want me to do?" she repeated. The old wolf sighed. "I don't want you to search for Kagura; all she's done is brought the Wolf Tribes pain." Ayame stared at him.

"Was that it?" she asked, standing. Her grandfather looked at her in surprise. "What do you mean 'was that it'? You're asking for death searching for her!" he said, outraged by the thought. Don't you remember the hell Kagura and her dad master put us through?" Ayame cut in. "Yes I remember, but that was Naraku's plots, not Kagura's. Besides it's not for me…" Ayame stopped dead.

The wolf raised his eyebrows questioningly. "Who? And don't lie…I'll know." It was Ayame's turn to sigh. She cursed herself for that slip of the tongue. "Well, you now the Western Lord Sesshomaru…I…I'm on a mission; he sent me to find Kagura." He told me I would be rewarded. I thought it was a good idea at the time…" Ayame finished lamely. The old wolf stared at her intently.

To her surprise, her grandfather nodded slowly and got to his feet. "Do what you will, but be careful; you never know what he might do." With that, the wolf trotted to the edge of the clearing, an unseen smile on his face.

'I can't believe he approved…' Ayame thought, watching him leave. She smiled to herself. 'I better get to work than.' A new confidence in her heart, Ayame set off in search of Naraku's former servant.

A/N: I apologize for the delay, but I have no idea when I will get another chapter up. I'm sorry for the inconveniance and promise the next chapter will be good. I thank you all for reading.