Author's notes: Sorry for the delay. I have been too engrossed in playing Pokemon Pearl that I neglected my story.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters I used in this story. They are the property of Rumiko Takahashi.

A PUPPY LIKE NO OTHER

By Antarel Nefertili

I: White Puppy

For a while, Sesshoumaru stared blankly at his reflection on the puddle. Then, abruptly, he bounded up and splashed on the water, as though by distorting the reflection he would distort reality. He ran around in circles, encountering more small pools of muddy water. They all showed the same thing: an ordinary little dog with poor brown eyes. For once in his life, the previously aloof taiyoukai felt fear engulf his senses.

He ran along the battered-looking road desperately, searching his mind vainly for a solution to his problem. He was in a deadly fix, he knew. Reduced to the status of this... this pathetic bag of skin on a framework of bones, and with his powers all gone, Sesshoumaru was fully aware that he would stand no chance against a youkai, an animal, or heck, even a human, should any encounter him. What was he to do now?

A thick evening mist began to rise in the air, limiting visibility. The poor little puppy, however, continued to run whilst looking side by side frantically, afraid that a predator will suddenly emerge from the forbidding fog and do him in. His confusion and fear blinded him from seeing the abrupt drop on the ground below him, and suddenly he found himself falling down a steep incline. Hitting several rock outcrops, he let out uncharacteristically high-pitched barks, but he continued going downwards, downwards, until finally he hit stable ground once more.

Sesshoumaru let out another of the distressed barks as the shock passed through his entire body. He was disgusted with himself. Disgusted for being so out of control. Disgusted for crying out like he did earlier. However, as he reproached himself, he discovered that even though he was now stuck in the body of a miserable canine, he still possessed a deadly weapon that he could put to his advantage - his wit. He still retained his intelligence, and with it, his pride. As long as he had them, there is still hope. As long as he could keep himself under control...

Guided by this new resolve, he struggled to get back on his feet. At that moment, he was made aware of the injury he had unwittingly given himself due to the fall. His right front paw hurt severely every time he tried to put even the least weight on it. He smelled blood - his own - dripping slightly from the wound, and he wondered how he was going to mask it. The scent would draw in all sorts of predators, and he would be in greater danger.

'Hold yourself together,' he admonished himself. He took in several deep breaths. Only until he was calm enough did he make another move.

Sesshoumaru surveyed his surroundings. He was still a thick sort of forest, and he was at the foot of a small cliff. It was a miracle that he survived, but he had to get away from this place quickly. Limping painfully, he stood up and began his slow journey to who knows where.

...o0o...

A young woman slept beside a little girl in their simple hut. Then, responding to an inner call, the woman's eyes blinked open groggily and she stretched her body. It was still dark outside, especially now that it was the fall season, when nights were lengthening. But for the miko, the day had already begun.

Kissing her little sister lightly on the cheek, Kikyou rose from the mat and proceeded to change from her rough cotton night robe into her full miko attire. Once she had clad herself in the white kimono top and scarlet hakama, she started up a little bit of fire. Into one pot she heaped some aromatic greens and oil to make an ointment, and into another she placed some water and rice grains to cook for their morning meal. If she saw her planned schedule through, their breakfast would be ready by the time Kaede woke up and after they had eaten they would set out to gather some autumn herbs.

While the pots and their contents warmed over the fire, she prepared the things she would need for the day: her bow and arrows, some bandages and medicine for unexpected accidents, and a couple of ofuda, sacred seals on paper that could be used to vanquish demons. Not that she needed the last item badly; her spiritual power alone was enough to strike fear in almost any youkai.

A young miko of seventeen, Kikyou was quite beautiful even in her plain garments. Long black hair, which she tied back every time she went out, was currently unbound and spilling down her back like liquid ebony. Hidden beneath the shadows of her bangs were soulful mahogany eyes which almost always carried a hint of melancholy amidst her slight smile. After all, she was a priestess. It was her duty to serve her people and to protect them from marauding youkai which had steadily increased over the years. There was no place for her to think of her own happiness.

Fragrant odors from her older sister's concoction finally roused Kaede, and at once Kikyou greeted her, "Why, good morning, Kaede."

Rubbing her eyes, Kaede yawned and replied, "G' morning, oneesama."

Kikyou went back to the fire and tended to the cooking pots to keep them from boiling over. "You had a good sleep?"

"Hai," Kaede said, getting up and joining her sister beside the hearth. "The weather's starting to get cold, and it makes you feel so comfortable."

Kikyou chuckled slightly as she removed the pot of ointment from the fire to cool. The rice would just need a few more minutes. After that was done, she would get several pieces of dried fish from their store and several preserved vegetables from a jar for them to eat.

"What are we going to do today, oneesama?" Kaede asked, sniffing the cooling ointment with a relaxed expression on her young girl's face.

"We have to find some fujibakama for Yuki's grandfather. His gout is bothering him extremely these days. If we can find some ominaeshi, all the better. Some ought to be around by this time."

...o0o...

After they had breakfasted, Kikyou tied back her long tresses in her usual tarashigami style and they set out to pick the herbs. The villagers greeted them as they passed, and several children flocked around Kikyou, demanding to know where she was going.

"Kikyou-sama, can't we play today?"

"Kikyou-sama, tell us the story about the tennyo and the fisherman once again, please, please?"

"Kikyou-sama..."

The miko patiently smiled at the children's enthusiasm. They were as fond of her as she was fond of them. Kneeling to meet each of them in the eye, Kikyou explained to them that she won't be able to play hide-and-seek or rock-paper-scissors with them at the moment. She and Kaede are going herb hunting today, but if they wanted to come, they would be more than welcome.

Almost everyone instantly volunteered to go with Kikyou and Kaede, but the priestess told them to ask their parents' permission first because they might have to go a good distance from the village.

"Can we really go with you, Priestess Kikyou?" a little girl of Kaede's age asked eagerly.

"Yes, yes, Yuki," Kikyou replied, nodding. "But go tell your grandpa first that we would be picking herbs to ease his pain. Hurry, the herbs are waiting for us!"

Yuki ran off to a nearby hut, and shortly afterwards went out again with a big smile on her face. After a few more minutes, Kikyou was journeying out of the village, with a small group of children to keep her company.

...o0o...

The poor puppy was already very exhausted. He had limped his way around the forest the whole time, and his injured paw, along with his exhaustion, was taking its toll on his weak energy. But he had to get clear out of the forest; a wounded dog would be an easy meal to a pack of wolves, even if that dog has the mind of a cunning demon lord.

'I have to endure this... I must not give in...'

Sesshoumaru stopped his wobbly gait, pausing to lick at his wounded right front paw. The taste of his own blood was metallic, and he flinched slightly. How long was he going to walk? And precisely, how long was he going to stay in this body? Surely, surely, the spell would fade with time, and he could once more resume his human form...? Maybe this spell is only temporary...

'Maybe, huh?' he thought to himself. 'Such things seldom are.'

Then, he was made conscious of the pangs in his own belly. Why was he becoming hungry? Oh right, he was a mortal, and mortals need constant sustenance, unlike the rank of demons in which he (once) belonged. Now, how was he to forage for food at a time like this? Chances are, instead of filling his own belly he will end up feeding another mouth with his own flesh.

Sesshoumaru wearily raised his eyes, and to his surprise and delight he saw a lighted break among the trees. He had reached the edge of the woods. Exerting his strength once more, he stood up and limped towards the clearing. Just then, his ears caught the sound of gay children's chatter which made him more cautious.

His senses on the alert all the more now, Sesshoumaru made his way carefully to the sunlight while doing his best to stay hidden in the shadows. Resting his uninjured paws on a tree root, he warily looked out to observe the humans. Most of them were little children, and one of the brats seemed to lecture the others on a certain plant which she pointed out on the ground. But the last figure to appear was the one that struck a jolt of lightning in Sesshoumaru.

She was wearing the garments of a full-fledged miko, and strapped to her shoulder were a bow and quiver of arrows. Although this priestess was clearly different from the kuromiko he had encountered previously, Sesshoumaru had learned not to underestimate these breed of humans.

His caution was shortly overwhelmed by a strong desire to flee, and before he knew it his feet were hurriedly walking backwards. In his clumsiness, he tripped over a large root and he let out a loud yelp as his injury made contact with the rough sticks littering the forest floor.

...o0o...

Kikyou had led her charges to the nearby woods while keeping her powers on the alert just in case some impertinent youkai dared to attack her young companions. They found plenty of ominaeshi, which the children eagerly picked and gathered for her. However, there was no fujibakama nearby, and it was what she needed most. They needed to go farther.

They reached a clearing in the forest, and she was very happy to see it dotted here and there by small clusters of the herb. Kaede wasted no time leading the children to a sample of the plant and explaining to them about its benefits and how to identify it. Kikyou smiled inwardly at her younger sister. She had naturally taken in all that Kikyou had taught her about the healing arts.

Suddenly, a small cry made them all jump. The young boys and girls were silenced and they surveyed their surroundings cautiously.

"What was that?" one of them asked with a note of fear in his voice.

Kikyou was beside them at once, but her face remained serene whilst the others tensed up. She listened closely, and she traced the sound to a nearby tree. Telling the children to stay where they were, the miko made her way to the tall evergreen. What she saw made her gasp, but more out of concern than alarm.

It was a wounded little dog. The poor thing was starved; she can see from the way its bones stuck out from its dirty white fur. To top it all, there was a bleeding wound on its right front paw. It lay on its side beside a large root, too weak to get up.

As Kikyou stepped nearer to the animal, it seemed to struggle to get back on its feet but was unable to do so. The small brown eyes looked at her with alarm as small pitiful barks escaped from its mouth.

"I am not going to hurt you, little friend," she said softly, kneeling beside the puppy. She slowly extended her hand to comfort the wounded creature, but it promptly bit into her palm, drawing blood.

Kikyou flinched slightly, but she bore the pain. She must have let out a note of pain, because Kaede and the other children rushed to her side in utter disregard of her orders. But Kikyou was too occupied with the dog to tell them of their mistake.

"He bit you, sister!" Kaede exclaimed.

"Hush, Kaede, I'm okay," Kikyou whispered. "Don't shout; you'll frighten the little one all the more."

Gradually, the dog's jaws slackened on their bite, and it let out one last tired bark before losing consciousness. The pitiful puppy must have overexerted itself.

"Is it still alive?"

"He's so young, only a puppy..."

"He's so ugly," a little boy remarked with a frown as he surveyed the form on the ground.

"Don't say that, Ryu," Kikyou berated the boy. "He's only like that because no one's been taking care of him. We have to take him back to the village. With that kind of wound, he'll not survive for long."

The children watched the miko closely as she deftly applied some ointment on the bite wound on her palm and wrapped it in a clean bandage. Once she had taken care of her own wound, Kikyou then turned her attention to that of the puppy. Gently taking hold if its injured paw, she cleaned the blood out of the gash and covered it securely in bandages. Knowing that none of the children would willingly carry the poor thing, she carefully slid her arms under its bony body frame and lifted it up. He was so light; he was no burden to Kikyou as she rested his head on her shoulder while her arms held him close to her chest.

With the puppy unconscious in her arms, Kikyou and the others made their way back to the village.

...o0o...

Had his mind been free of the influence of pain and hunger, Sesshoumaru would have resisted the priestess in her every move, especially when she tried to carry him. However, he was too tired to defend himself anymore, and she was unfazed by the bite he gave her earlier. He was hardly conscious as she bound up his wound, and he did not resist when she drew him into her arms.

'She's a priestess! You must fight her before she turns you into something more humiliating...'

However, the warmth and comfort of her arms, combined with the gentle gait as she walked, soon drove all thoughts of worry from Sesshoumaru's mind. He surrendered himself to the deep slumber assailing his eyelids, the image of his savior miko remaining strong and clear in his mind.

Glossary of Japanese terms:

Fujibakama - boneset plant, used in folk medicine for treating gout and influenza, but extreme care should be exercised as overdosing could lead to poisoning and liver failure
Ominaeshi - valerian or maidenflower, may have a strong disagreeable smell but helps induce sleep and relaxation
Tarashigami - low basic ponytail tied with a ribbon

Review responses:

MadeNew: I hope you have a good time with the SessKik community! Yeah, Kiky is quite the person to help Sessh at his current state.
lonely-dreamlover: I intentionally made Sesshy sickly in the beginning so he will have some room for improvement, or more precisely, so Kiky will have more room to make her improvements. ;)
Cold Kikyo: Even Sesshy is a softie, hehe.
inubaka101: Arigatou!
hitokiri angel: I will try to make it more interesting, I promise. :)
Bewilderedloca: Sesshy will become prettier in the future chapters, don't worry.
superheroxnerd: lol I think Sesshy is still a puppy by youkai standards anyway. Tsubaki is often ignored, but I quite like her and the Kikyou-Tsubaki rivalry.
crescentbellflower: Thanks! Here's the update...
Soul of AquaBlue: I know I gotta update. It bugs me too, yeah...