I do not own InuYasha.

WHAT A NEW CHAPTER!?

A WILD BETA APPEARS!

Note: Hello, I am the new beta, RogueRobin if you care to know. Hope all you folks enjoy.

ENJOY MY MADNESS

The small entourage of the mighty Lord Sesshoumaru moved through the underbrush with very little difficulty. The smooth stride of the twin headed dragon ensured that the miko wasn't jostled and further injured.

Ah was most disturbed by the nature of the wounds, the grotesque injuries were difficult to look at. He smelled the telltale scent of an oncoming infection. There was little surprise there. Who knew how long the girl had been lying there in that field, more disturbing still was how she hadn't been cut down and devoured by a pack of scavenger demons or other creatures of the same nature. Ah turned his head backwards to look upon the woman and kit, he felt a sense of pride well within his chest, the nature of the child's wounds indicated that he had tried to defend his maternal figure from harm. That alone, warranted the dragon's respect.

Uhn, however, was keeping a sharp eye on their master. Normally it took far more persuasion to get the demon to do ANYTHING remotely 'kind'. Honey brown eyes were trained forward as they walked, while his brother fussed over the miko. The dragon was very in tune to Sesshoumaru's movements, and while their lord looked to be the picture of cool, calm, and collected the dragon knew better. The demon lord was having a battle with his innermost self, no doubt pondering over why he would stoop to bring his half-brother's wench into his great and powerful midst. The dragon rolled his eyes at that thought, really the dog was far too conceited, and in his opinion needed to be knocked down more than just a 'few' pegs. A movement from he and his brother's shared saddle soon drew his attention and they abruptly stopped, blinking lazily he turned to look as his brother spoke 'Uhn, the kit awakens.'

When the dragon stopped to pay attention to what was happening, it soon drew Sesshoumaru's attention when he realized that the, in his opinion, foolish beast was no longer following him. Were he a lesser being, a sigh of agitation would have wrenched itself from his person. Glancing back at the twin headed creature he saw what had captured their attention. The fox kit was awakening, how he had managed to survive for so long with such grievous injuries...Sesshoumaru was uncertain of that, perhaps the child was stronger than he gave him credit for.

The first thing that Shippo noticed was the absolute agony that his entire body seemed to be in. Pain kept his wyes squeezed shut and he struggled to open them. Groaning, the child finally managed the daunting task of opening his eyes, everything was incredibly fuzzy at first. Shippo was disoriented; everything was a mess of shapes and colors. Blinking once, twice, three times in an effort to clear his vision shapes slowly slid into focus. He was aware of the hard surface he was lying on; lifting a hand he weakly patted it as he noticed the scaled surface. His vision finally cleared he looked up at the creature, green eyes widened in fear. He knew that dragon, it belonged to Sesshoumaru! The little kit, in his panicked state puffed up, and began to growl at both dragon and dog demon. He placed himself so that his tiny body covered that of the tiny miko "You…why are you here!?" he demanded with a tiny growl "Where are we?!" subconsciously, he knew that he shouldn't make demands of the higher class demon, but at that moment he didn't care.

"Calm yourself kit," the demon spoke in a stern tone "You and the woman are in this Sesshoumaru's care."

"What? But why?" Shippo inquired eyeing the dog demon with a look of distrust "You are a dog! Dogs are not to be trusted." he growled.

This took Sesshoumaru by surprise; though he never showed it "Dogs are not to be trusted?" he questioned smoothly, "A bold statement from such a weak creature, considering you blindly follow this Sesshoumaru's hanyou brother."

Shippo stared at the dog in disbelief and then that look changed to anger "Do not mention that…that THING in my presence!" he growled "he is no longer the one we follow! Due to his crimes upon my miko mother, he and the bitch that he mated" his growling became louder after that little speech, a speech that had the Dog Lord confused.

Silence reigned over the clearing then, it seemed that even the birds had stopped chirping. Now and then the kit would growl to show his immediate displeasure with the situation that he and Kagome found themselves in. For Sesshoumaru, he was trying to process everything that the kit told him, which wasn't much but it was enough for him to decide that InuYasha had abandoned his duties as the miko's protector. This would not do, she was needed for the oncoming battle against Naraku. While the girl was vastly untrained, she was the only one who could correctly purify the Shikon Jewel. There was the other priestess, but she was beneath Sesshoumaru's real notice. She had her chance over 50 years ago to get rid of the damnable bauble, a duty she'd failed.

"Perhaps then, it was right of Ah and Uhn to pester this Sesshoumaru into taking up the care of the miko and her kit, since InuYasha has apparently failed abysmally in his duty to guard the jewel's caretaker," the demon thought. His golden eyes ran over the woman child's still form "Kit, you will calm yourself, you are hereby under this Sesshoumaru's protection as is the miko, you have nothing to fear from this one or Ah and Uhn" he continued to walk "We shall continue on now, and stop in a nearby clearing where you will assist in addressing you and the miko's injuries" he walked on leading the mismatched entourage onward.

Sesshoumaru fell into deep thought, while it was true that he scented InuYasha all over the woman child's wounds it seemed out of character. His half sibling was always extremely protective of the miko, so what was it that had changed in the boy? What had changed so much that he would now seek her death by his own claws, and if that were the case did that mean that his blade Tetsusaiga no longer worked in his favor? So many questions rolled around in the demon lord's mind, questions that he found no answers to, and no answers would be found until the girl woke up…unless he chose to ask the kit. Mentally he shook his head then, no, he would gather his answers from the miko. While this was not the most preferable thing in the world, he would wait. Normally he was not a patient creature, but things such as these required a certain amount of…finesse to them, and if he, Sesshoumaru, were anything he was a demon with class. That, and if there was anything Sesshoumaru enjoyed it was a challenge. Sesshoumaru relished in the thought of getting the information out of the miko that he craved; which was the truth behind InuYasha's apparent betrayal.

Shippo was frightened; he didn't know what was in store for him and his miko mother. While having the appearance of a child, the kit was far older and wiser to the way of the world than his former traveling companions had been aware of. It had been with them that he had learned most of his life lessons. One man in particular had taught him about being a good and proper man. Thinking of this man brought tears to the young kit's eyes. He wiped them on his sleeve not wishing to appear weak to their new traveling companions. Looking up toward the skies, Shippo moved so that he now sat upon the dragon's back, he missed that man. That man, while not his actual father, had become like one to him. With his infinite amounts of wisdom, kindness and patience, Shippo had never known a better human than him. He had been excited when he was let in on the secret that the man and his miko mother, Kagome, were going to leave their traveling group and marry in secret. That they were going to take him with them, that they were going to be family. He looked down at his hands, lifted them to his face, and looked at them; his hands that had been so powerless when it came time to protect them. His parents.

The fox looked over at his unconscious mother, green eyes sad, he curled into her side being gentle and clung to her "…please mother…wake soon…I need you" he whispered into her neck, he sniffled mourning his adoptive father. He figured if he mourned now, then when his mother awoke he could better comfort her in her own sorrows. He would be man that his mother's former intended would be proud of.

Shippo then nodded to himself "I'll watch over her I promise…Miroku"

END CHAPTER 2!