I saw your face
Elegant and tired
Cut up from the chase
Still I so admired
Bloodshot your smile
Delicate and wild
Give me she wolf style
Rip right through me

"Universally Speaking" The Red Hot Chili Peppers

Sango bit her lip nervously as she waited for Kagome to dress. Honey colored eyes narrowed, searching for the monk that must be lurking nearby. Many times, not even Inuyasha could keep the lecher away. Kagome hummed a song Sango did not recognize, large eyes glazed with happiness the hot springs provided. She could not understand why the seventeen year old had still not learned to be forever alert in this era where at any moment, everything could be ripped away from you. She watched the younger girl wondering if her eyes might be filled with that unscarred innocence if everything she had loved had not gone in a single moment. Her scar twinged, and though she knew it was only her mind, she cringed.

"Sango, are you all right?" Kagome must have sensed the twenty year old's eyes upon her.

"Oh…yes Kagome. Everything is fine." Kagome reluctantly let it pass and tied the scarf at her neck neatly. Both girls looked up sharply at an annoyed cry from Inuyasha. He was barging through the forest screaming.

"You both be dressed by now because we're going." He yelled as he entered the clearing where the springs were, Miroku in tow. His bright smile darkened when he realized that they were, in fact, ready to go. Both noticed and sighed. Inuyasha already had his hand on the hilt of the Tetsusaiga.

"What is it now?" Kagome always had the word 'sit' on the tip of her tongue. Inuyasha shifted his weight anxiously, ready to go. He clicked his tongue impatiently.

"I can smell my brother. He's less than a mile away." Kagome blanched.

"And why do we need to go after him?" Inuyasha let slip a low growl.

"I…I….He wants to kill me!" Inuyasha yelled. "Look, I'm goin' so, you can come or stay." Kagome sighed and clambered on his back as Sango and Miroku mounted the forgotten Kirara who had just transformed into her larger form. Miroku, not wanting to be slapped in mid-air and sent plummeting to the ground, kept his hands firmly upon her waist, not daring to venture lower.

Sango and Miroku arrived shortly after Inuyasha and Kagome, and they could see little Shippo floating towards them. Inuyasha had already drawn Tetsusaiga and was daring Sesshoumaru to draw his own weapon. Kagome stood far aside, arms crossed and foot tapping. The older dog demon's eyes narrowed momentarily at the huntress and monk's arrival, but soon returned to look condescendingly upon his hanyou brother. Little Rin and Jaken hid in a nearby bush.

"Draw your weapon, Sesshoumaru." Inuyasha demanded harshly, preparing to begin the battle without his older sibling. Sesshoumaru let a low growl escape his throat, not heard by any but himself, Rin, and Jaken, who shuddered. A metallic sound rung out as Tokijin was released from it's sheath. Just as the swords met for the first time, both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru looked up sharply as the forest came alive with swarming demons. Rin let out a high scream and ran to cling to her Lord's leg. He sharply ordered her to remain with Jaken as he leapt forward, forgoing his hatred towards Inuyasha to rid the world of these lower demons.

Sango had pulled Hiraikotsu from its place and was already blocking a blow from an oncoming centipede demon. She disengaged the youkai's head from the rest of it's body before moving on. Sango blocked blows headed towards Kagome, for, her only weapon, the bow, was only useful for long range combat, which was why Sango herself had never become skilled in it. She was so busy deflecting blows meant for Kagome that she forgot one little detail…herself. Sesshoumaru deftly stepped before the huntress, elegantly slicing in half a serpent youkai that had meant to kill her. She nodded a thanks to him before continuing.

They seemed to have been fighting for hours when there was a noticeably smaller amount of demons. The serpent demons were the majority of those left and seemed to die easily enough but Miroku, who had been inspecting a dead one for signs of Naraku's involvement had found that they had indeed high concentrations of poison should one receive a bite.

As Miroku shouted his findings to the group, Rin darted from her hiding place and towards Sesshoumaru whose eyes widened noticeably as a serpent charged towards her. Sango, who was already closer to Rin, knew that she could not wield her weapon and hold the girl, closed her eyes tightly before stepping towards the girl, gracefully sweeping her into her arms, and turning her back to the overbearing Serpent Youkai who promptly dug its fangs into Sango's back. She let out a strangled cry and fell to her knees. She remained there, trying to hold herself up and Rin to her chest as the others dispersed the rest of the demons.

As soon as they did, Sango could faintly hear footsteps pounding in her direction. She smiled at Rin and let the girl slip from her grasp before falling to her stomach, breathing in the grass. Rin began to cry and shake the woman, but was told, sharply by Sesshoumaru to go fetch Jaken. He knelt by the huntress and pushed the broken fabric of her garb away from the wound. He noticed instantly the start of a large older scar that marred the pale skin of her back.

This wound had already begun to look deadly, beginning to blacken along the edges of the puncture wounds. He grimaced before looking to his brother.

"Can your miko heal this?" He did not address Kagome.

"Not without proper supplies." Kagome snapped. She looked at Sango worriedly, brushing locks of raven hair from her friend's face.

"Then you will come to my home." He decided that he could not let this human, who had saved his only cherished possession, die. He lifted her into his arms and narrowed his gaze at the others, daring them to question his motives. He took off towards his palace, leaving the awestruck group to stare after him a moment, before following.

He looked down at the human's pale complexion noticing how tired her appearance was. This girl, with delicate features, looked as though she had been alert for a thousand years and now, her face slackened in sleep, looked rather angelic. He shook himself mentally, but allowed himself to admire the strength and selflessness the woman had displayed before her downfall. These, which were attributes he admired, could not be denied and he refused to let such rare attributes die in his arms.

"Not now, huntress." He said in a throaty growl. She stirred, honey eyes opening, and widening slightly to be in the arms of the Lord of the Western Lands.

"Not when…what?" She murmured. He chucked softly.

"You are not to die." She laughed. And brushed a silver lock of his that ticked her face away.

"Wasn't planning on it, Demon." He frowned slightly as she laughed.