CHAPTER 1

The Forest

The battle had been raging for what seemed like hours. Neither side was winning as of yet. The two fighters faced each other. Though they'd fought many times before they could never seem to defeat one another. No matter how powerful they got.

This time was different.

The taller slightly older fighter was having a hard time protecting himself against the younger more agile fighter. His opponents eyes were scarlet red and full of hate and anger. He attacked without using up much energy. His attacks were relentless.

The older fighter was surprised. He had never had this much trouble before. His job was usually quite easy. But not this time.

He held up his sword to block the assault from the younger fighters weapon and razer sharp claws. With each blow to the sword the older fighter lost more and more energy as the impact sent shock waves through his entire body. He knew he couldn't keep this up much longer.

Suddnely his strengh gave out. He could no longer hold up his sword or keep his balance. He fell back on the ground. He didn't try to get back up. He was too tired.

The younger fighter stood over him. "You should not have challenged me so often, my brother. I learned your fighting style and used it against you. You lost to your own power. "

The victor backed away slightly. "Now that I defeated you I will finish you off!"

There was a flash of light then five long claws.

A sudden stabbing feeling in his back saved his life.

Sesshoumaru woke with a start. He sat up breathing heavily. His heart raced wildly in a unknown fear. He clutched his chest with his right hand and looked around himself looking for his half brother, taking in the surounding forest.

He saw only Jaken and Rin sleeping on the ground in a grass area a few feet away. Their breathing was regular. Nothing was wrong. His brother was no where near where he sat.

He sighed and leaned back against a tree. His breathing slowed. His heart rate returned to its normal rhythm.

A nightmare. The conclusion was so simple, so obviose it name with no fear or forboding. It was just a thought. A statement of plain easy fact.

But still it bothered him.

He doubted it has any special meaning. Still. The fear he'd felt was so real, so perfectly stimulating. It was like it was put there on purpose, Like someone had given it to him for some reason. Maybe it had been done to awaken him.

Nobody would be able to do such a thing to me without me knowing! I know. I was scared once by my pathetic half brother. I know what fear is. He stood. I should take a walk and clear my head.

Sesshoumaru headed into the cool dark forest.

As he walked he suddenly felt like he was stepping out of reality. He felt strange, light, as if he were walking in his sleep. Something's weird about this forest, he thought. I smell something strange. Is it affecting me somehow? I must not let it. I must resist!

But he could not shake the strange dreamy feeling.

He walked further and further into the forest like he was being driven by something. Or someone. Kagura? That witch? Is she beconing me? Forcing me to come to her for some reason?

He didn't want to come to her.

The wind began to pick up. Something felt wrong. Strange lights fill the forest in front him. What is this?

Suddenly he was floating. Not in reality, though. He still sensed his feet touching the ground. He felt light headed and very tired.

What is happening to me?

He felt drawn into that strange beckoning light.

I can't let this thing take me! I don't know what it is, but I know I can't let myself be manipulated by it.

But there was no way to stop himself from coming toward it.

Suddenly a scream split the air breaking the spell. All at once Sesshoumaru felt himself returning to his body. The light faded. The wind died down. He stopped in his tracks to breathe.

He was himself again.

But who had screamed?

He heard it again. An ear piercing scream of fright. Who is that?

Before he knew what he was doing he took off to find the source. It wasn't long before he found it. The owner of that scream was a young woman with pale orange hair with two black cat ears coming out of it. She wore orange clothing, and had golden eyes. She was lying on the ground covering her head with her arms.

He also saw a black shapeless creature stalking up to her.

"Somebody help me!" she screamed again. "Please! Somebody! ANYBODY!"

He hung back a moment debating what to do. Should I help her? Should I leave her there to fend for herself? If I do I'll have something bothering me for the rest of the week. His much ignored concious won this time.

Sesshoumaru burst out of the trees and went after the black thing. It pounced at him instead of the girl when it sensed him coming. The battle didn't last long. Sessy drove his poison claws into the things skull.

The thing shrieked and fell away. He watched as the poison instantly took affect. The thing lay twitching on the ground for a few seconds then vanished completely.

That was actually quite simple.

The girl with the cat ears, having heard the sounds of a fight and the shriek, looked up. She no longer saw the black monster that had attacked her. In its place was a younge man who looked about her age with long pale white hair. He had his back turned to her. She could tell he was staring at something at his feet.

Suddenly he turned his head slightly and stared at her. His bearl colored eyes held her a minute. "You don't need to be afraid anymore," he said in a soft calm voice. "Your enemy is no longer in this world."

"Th-thank you," she said, bowing her head slightly.

He started walking away from her. Now that he had done his good deed of the week he had no other reason to be near her. "You shouldn't have come out here alone in the middle of the night," he said to her sofly. "It's dangerous."

"Wait!" she called after him.

He stopped and looked back at her. "Yes?"

"If what you told me is true what are you doing out here alone?"

Because I'm a man. he didn't say. He looked away from her and said. "I have my reasons."

Then he was gone, the trees swallowing him up as he went deeper into the forest with each step.

He found his way back to Jaken and Rin using his sensative hearing and good sense of smell. As he walked be started to feel stange again. No, not this time. I'm not going to let it happen to me again.

He stopped, closed his eyes, and breathed deeply. His head instantly cleared and he was able to walk again. Kagura must be in the forest somewhere. Watching me. Maybe she was the one who gave me that dream...

By then he was back at the spot where he's left Jaken and Rin. He slowly sat down, leaning his back against a tree. He sensed a securness. Maybe it's them, he thought refering to his servants. I don't feel weird here. Maybe they're keeping her spell from affecting me.

Rin snuggled up to him resting her small head in his lap.

Absently he set his right hand on her shoulder length ebony hair. The little girl sighed in her sleep and grabbed his left sleeve.

Sesshoumaru rested his head against the tree and closed his eyes. I won't think about it anymore. he decided. I won't let it bother me either. That would be foolish...

His sighed and slowly his breathing began to slow down.

Or maybe it had something to do with that kitten... he opened his eyes half way. He rememebered that girl he'd saved in the woods. She'd had cat ears. He thought about it a moment. A cat demon? Was she one of me? Probably. It's not likely I'll see her again. I doubt she had anything to do with the way I was feeling earlier. Cat demon's don't have that kind of power...

After that, he gave the cat girl no other thought. She wasn't important to him anyway. He relaxed himself and just let his mind go.

It wasn't long before he was sleeping soundly once more.

When Sesshoumaru woke up few hours later he felt a weight on his chest and he was having trouble breathing. His first thought was his brother had come after him. His eyes flew open and his right hand instantly went to the front of his body. He felt something warm and soft hair. He quickly figured out who it was and smiled ever so slightly.

Rin.

The little girl had climbed on top of him in her sleep and hadn't moved from that position. She must be cold, he figured seeing most of his left sleeve over the little girl's body. Well the weather has been colder recently. I can't blame her for wanting to be close to someone warm.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" a voice broke into his thoughts.

Sesshoumaru sat up slightly so not to wake Rin. His turned his head toward the voice. Jaken his other servant was staring at him, the imp's huge bulb eyes were larger that usual. He looked ready to say something but Sessy silenced him with a wave of his right hand.

"Not now," he said softly. "I don't want to wake her. We'll talk later."

"As you wish," the green bug eyed creature agreed.

Jaken then sat down on a tree root and stared off into nothingness as he waited.

Rin still hadn't woken up an hour later but Sesshoumaru could tell she was still alive because she was breathing her horrible morning breath right in his face. He turned his head away from it and closed his eyes breathing deeply.

And just as he was starting to doze off again... "Lord Sesshoumaru!"

Instantly he was awake. He turned his head so it face forward. He found himself staring into two huge brown eyes.

"Good morning Lord Sesshoumaru," the own of the eyes said happily. "Did I scare you?"

"No, Rin," he replied calmly. "You did not scare me."

The little girl then jumped off his stomach. She ran up to Jaken. She grabbed the imp and hugged him tightly. "Good morning, Jaken!" she squealed.

"Hey, let me go!" the creature shouted. "Lord Sesshoumaru, tell her to let me go!"

"Okay, Rin," the demon lord said, slowly standing up. "That's enough. I know you like Jaken but if you don't let him go he's going to die."

The little girl's face filled with horror. She immediatly let go of Jaken. The imp fell to the ground.

"Ow!" he groaned. "Why do you have to be so rough?"

"Sorry," Rin said, then giggled.

"What so funny...?"

Rin didn't reply she just giggled some more.

"Let's go," Sesshoumaru said, picking up his second sword and walking away.

Rin and Jaken ran after him not wanting to be left behind.

They hadn't been walking for very long when Sesshoumaru's sensative ears picked up voices. He could easily figure out who they were from. He'd heard those voices often enough.

"Jaken," he said suddenly.

"Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru," the imp said.

"Would you take Rin to that river we passed awhile back. I think she wanted to play in it."

The imp blinked in confusion. "Huh? What for...?"

"I want you to wait there for me."

"Why?"

"I have something I need to take care of."

"Okay."

Jaken took Rin's hand. "Let's go," he said before he led her away.

Sesshoumaru walked ahead a little longer. He stopped and waited behind a tree. I know they're going to pass by here. I just have to be patient... A few minutes later he saw some people walking down the forest path. He knew who they were.

This time I will get what rightfully belongs to me...

Authors nore: Sorry about that. I've only seen a few Inuyasha episodes so I'm not sure I got Sessy's personality just right. Umm.. I'm not even sure he knows Kagura by name. Nor do I know if after he got his crazy sword from the maniac who made it for him he still wanted Inu's so I'm guessing. All well, it's a fic. I don't really like how this chapter turned out but this was the best I could do. I hope you all don't mind too much.