Anti-freeze

Disclaimer

I do not own Inuyasha. I do not own any of these characters. Yet. One day I may. (Likely? I doubt it.) I am not getting any money from this story (:rolls eyes: like anyone would pay me) and am using these characters for my own amusement, and with no permission whatsoever.

Thorough enough? Great! On with the story!

Kagome finds herself ensconced in Sesshoumaru's palace after something completely unexpected has happened. Driven by the thought of Inuyasha's rage, Sesshoumaru's motives are simple: to rile the hanyou to fight. However, when this becomes impossible, will the taiyoukai's distaste for the miko slowly begin to melt?

Chapter One

"Shippou!"

The kistune's name echoed wearily in the dim light between the pines. Kagome walked purposefully through the forest, her determination belied by a body that was clearly bone-weary, dirty, and sad. She seemed to droop, even though she was pushing herself into the search with energy she evidently didn't have.

"Shippou!" Her voice rang out again, tinged with exhaustion and worry. The kitsune should have known better than to run off alone. Come to think of it, she pondered abstractly, neither should I.

Kagome had snatched her bow and the quiver of arrows beside it in her hasty departure from their camp, but she was far from proficient, and in ugly truth, she would be practically helpless should a truly strong youkai decide to attack.

She stiffened. Her senses were far from perfect at this present moment, beaten down by the events of the last few days, but it was not too difficult to sense the aura of a very powerful demon not far ahead.

Damn. What should she do? She had lost sight of the kitsune hours ago, and without Inuyasha's sense of smell, doubted that she would ever find the little fox demon if he didn't want her to. The thought elicited a pang of resentment in her, but she brushed it aside. She would deal with the hanyou later - maybe by sitting him into oblivion, although she fancied that it would not be as effective a balm to her frustration as it had been before.

The dark-haired miko realised that she had wandered too close to the aura she had sensed. There was no doubt as to who it was now. Sesshoumaru. The taiyoukai who had tried to kill her more than once was very, very near her - and unfortunately, she somehow knew that he would have detected her a long while ago. Kagome sighed. It was too late to back out now. She might as well try to ask him politely if he had seen Shippou. If not, she would soon be speedily on her way.

At least, that was what she was trying to convince herself.

--

Sesshoumaru lifted his nose to the wind, eyes cold, but inwardly snapping with irritation. The reek of that wench who helped his fool brother was on the wind - and it was beginning to annoy him. Why was she on his land?

It was strange to note that he could discern only the scents of that infuriating kitsune and the miko. Usually the miko's presence indicated that his half-wit half-brother was not far away, and vice versa. How fitting, he sneered inwardly, that he follows her around like the hapless puppy he was born as. He caught the sound of an arrow rasping against bowstring and a strangled gasp.

"Surely you don't seek to purify me, wench?" he asked coolly. He turned leisurely to face her, and was very mildly surprised by the anger and protectiveness that was spitting from her eyes, and the scent of a rage that only a mother can feel when danger is posed to her children.

"I will do precisely that if you don't let Shippou go right now."

Ah, the kitsune. He had forgotten the small fox demon that he currently grasped in the inflexible grip of his claw, and looked without amusement into the terrified green eyes looking up at him. Her insolence both incensed and shocked him. He retreated into the frigid use of his formal speech.

"This Sesshoumaru will not tolerate such insolence from a mere human," he hissed. "Has it, perhaps, escaped your notice that you are trespassing on this Sesshoumaru's lands?"

The indignation in her voice was unmistakable. "Well, I haven't exactly got a compass on me, pal," she retorted hotly. "I've been walking non-stop for two days to find Shippou, and now I find you strangling him! I'm a little distracted right now to be bothered by something so utterly stupid as walking across your border! It's not like I'm poaching or anything!"

Strangling was perhaps an inappropriate word for how he was holding the kitsune, he mused. Perhaps 'crushing' would be more fitting. He transferred his impassive gaze to the bow she currently had aimed at him. His thoughts seemed evident, even to her.

"It would appear that you are armed with a traditional weapon that humans use to hunt prey," he replied smoothly. "And there is also the unmistakable scent of blood in the air." She stiffened, and he realized it was her blood that he could smell.

"Why do you bleed, miko?" he asked bluntly.

"I'm a living, pulsing organism, Sesshoumaru," she snarled, "and when I get cut, that's what I do!"

"You know that is not what this Sesshoumaru meant, wench," he said calmly. He caught his half-brother's odour lingering on the wounds. He raised a silver eyebrow. "So Inuyasha inflicted these injuries?"

Kagome ignored him. Her eyes desperately quested to look anywhere other than him in that moment, but the strength of her voice was by no means diminished. "Give Shippou back," she demanded. "You're hurting him!"

Sesshoumaru glanced down at the now blue-lipped kitsune, and complied smoothly with her request, abruptly releasing him so that he fell to the ground, choking. The miko seemed not to care for his presence, and rushed over to the fox demon whom she had adopted as her son. It was disturbing, the way he clutched to her, wide-eyed, as no demon should ever permit themselves to be held thus by a mere human. He dismissed the unwelcome thought of his allowing Rin to hug his wrap briefly when she had awoken from a nightmare.

"Why did you not simply heal your wounds?" he queried perfunctorily. She glared at him from where she was standing up on unsteady feet.

"I didn't have the time to collect herbs for the salves I needed," she bit out. "I was worried that he might be in danger, and" - here she shifted Shippou's position in her arms - "I was not without reason to worry." She looked pointedly at him, and he, of course, ignored her. He was puzzled.

"This Sesshoumaru was curious as to why you did not use your miko powers to perform the healing," he stated boredly. "Are you so ignorant of your inheritance?"

Kagome bit her lip. She had not known that she could heal others, or herself, for that matter. It irked her to realize that Sesshoumaru had been the one to provide her with such knowledge, rather than Kaede, or Miroku, or even Inuyasha.

"I -" she began, but there was a sudden blurriness to her vision, and her tongue seemed thick and heavy in her dry mouth. Her journey had drained her, as had the lack of food and water. The ground rose to meet her as quickly as the wave of black swept over her consciousness.

Sesshoumaru watched her collapse dispassionately. He had smelt her dehydration at the same time as her wounds. Although her wounds were not mild, they were not life-threatening, and he felt no compunctions as to leaving her here with the young fox demon. Until, that is, he heard his name being cried joyfully behind him, accompanied by the patter of young human feet.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" his charge called out, a happy smile on her childish face as she continued in her heedless rush towards him. His clawed hand twitched.

"Rin, you will cease your madness," he said softly, quietly. She knew that voice. Rin skidded to a stop immediately, only a few feet away from the Inu Lord. Jaken quickly appeared behind her, his protruding eyes fixed in a terrified gaze on his master's feet.

"Lord Sesshoumaru! Your worthless servant is sorry! He did not mean to allow the child out of his sight! I'm not - I didn't mean -" The silver-haired youkai waved a hand to stop his servant's pathetic attempt to appease him.

"Be quiet, Jaken," he said icily. Rin suddenly caught sight of the fallen miko, her attention drawn by Shippou's wails as he tried to wake her.

"Ka-go-me!" he sobbed, clutching her uniform with two tiny, dirty paws. He shook her, pummelled her, transformed with a loud 'pop' into a pink rubber balloon that bobbed above her pale face, and then fell to the ground, once more a kitsune who was lost, in discomfort, and hungry. "Kagome!" He whimpered, burrowing into her unresponsive arms in an effort to find comfort. Jaken sneered at the pitiful sight.

His human charge, however, stared wide-eyed at the dark-haired girl on the floor. She almost forgot her lord's command, and made to move forward, but remembered in time to stay rooted to the ground. Her brown eyes filled with ready tears.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" she gasped. There was recognition in her eyes. "Isn't that Kuh - Kagome?" Her guardian's impassive gaze transferred itself to her.

"It would appear so," he said dryly, "considering that the kitsune has insisted on repeating her name so often."

"Only twice!" Rin expostulated mildly, looking sadly at the taiyoukai. He felt frustrated, but did not allow his icy demeanour to slip.

"You will not talk insolently to this Sesshoumaru, Rin," he informed her coldly. She nodded mutely, but her smile was not long in returning. She turned a hopeful gaze onto Sesshoumaru.

"Could we help her, Sesshoumaru-sama?" she asked, her hands clasped in front of her small kimono.

"That is out of the question."

"But-"

"Enough!" Even when she was unconscious, the miko was a nuisance. Rin had now challenged his authority not once, but twice. The child fell silent. Jaken allowed a sneer to cross his toadlike features. Good riddance to the wench, if you asked him. And if the miko died - well, even better.

Suddenly, Sesshoumaru grew tense. He could smell Inuyasha's odour faintly on the wind - and it struck him rather forcefully how irate the hanyou would be once he discovered the miko with him. A small smile grew, and Rin's hopeful smile faded. The tension in the air was palpable. When the taiyoukai smiled like that - it wasn't a good sign. Jaken had stilled his jittery movements, and was standing as quietly as possible by Rin's side, a nervous expression on his thick lips.

The youkai made up his mind very quickly. He nodded to Jaken.

"Ready Ah-Un, and take Rin and the kitsune with you. Proceed to the palace." He glanced impassively at the miko on the ground who was beginning to stir. "I shall bring the miko."

"Her name's Kagome!" Shippou hiccupped angrily. Rin crossed over to him, and slipped her hand in his. Young as she was, she was taller than the small fox demon.

"Come with me and Jaken," she implored him. "Sesshoumaru-sama won't hurt Kagome-san if she treats him with respect." Shippou wiped his green eyes with a grubby paw, and glared at the Inu Lord. Evidently, he was not appeased. He stayed stubbornly by Kagome's side until Sesshoumaru began walking towards them. He gave a small squeak.

"Now, kitsune," Sesshoumaru growled. Shippou gulped and gave a little nod, before scampering quickly after Jaken. He turned only once to look back at the one he had adopted as his Okaa-san, and then followed Rin, his fiery-haired head bobbing up and down.

Sesshoumaru turned back to the previously unconscious miko, whose frank blue gaze was resting on him, puzzled. She was definitely weak, as she muffled a cry of pain on trying to stand up. Sesshoumaru felt disgusted. It must have shown in his eyes, as her lips drew together in an angry line, and she stood up, albeit very unsteadily.

"Where have you taken Shippou?" Kagome tried to keep her voice even. She wobbled her way to his side, and he glanced at her with distaste.

"To this Sesshoumaru's home," he said. His amber gaze flickered over her drawn face. Evidently disliking the necessity, he stretched a hand out for hers. "Come," he commanded. "This Sesshoumaru does not wish to carry such a foolish human to the palace. You will remain conscious for the journey."

Her eyebrow quirked. "How long will that take us?"

"Not above an hour."

She blanched visibly. Sesshoumaru smirked, but he was becoming impatient. He once more offered his claw to her, and this time she accepted, slipping her small hand into his grasp with much hesitation. Her other hand gripped her bow and the quiver tightly, and it was only when he was sure she would not drop them that he summoned the dark mass of clouds to carry them.

She lasted until the sun began its slow descent on the horizon, as they ventured into a sky of molten hues. Her legs buckled, and had he not swept her into his arms, she would have fallen from her perch. Kagome shot a surprised look at his cold face, and decided to accept whatever explanation was forthcoming. Sesshoumaru kept as much distance between them as was possible as he said coolly,

"Your death would not be particularly useful at this present time, wench."

"Thanks." She bit her lip, and gazed a little while longer into his eyes, which he kept on the palace that was appearing below them. After a while, he looked down at her.

"What?" He sounded irritated. She kept quiet. The entire thing was just too ironic.

"Nothing," she blurted. She could see the two-headed dragon fold his wings in a large cobbled courtyard, kneeling so that his charges could leap from his shoulders. Rin swung on the reins to get down, and even from this distance, Kagome could see Ah incline his head tenderly towards the small human charge of his master as she chattered happily. Un snorted at the kitsune and the small green youkai as they dismounted more slowly than the girl.

The clouds began to dissipate around them as they began their descent towards Sesshoumaru's home.

Home? Kagome snorted inwardly at the choice of phrasing as she struggled to free herself. Sesshoumaru's arms maintained their detached, iron grip upon her until they reached the ground. She made an indignant noise.

It was much, much more like a prison.

Well, how did you like it? Did you enjoy it enough to spare some time for reviewing? - please?

Knew it! Thanks a bundle. Hope I got the honorifics right!

- Rachel