Forsaken: For Nothing Ever Changes

Chapter: Left Behind

Date: January 14, 2012

Now that the season was finally over, all demons that had taken residence in the Western Palace had begun to leave for their own homes. Amongst the visitors preparing to leave were Kouga and Kagome, however, they had yet to actually leave the palace as they were too busy arguing over the fact that Kouga had possible impregnated Kagome during the season because he had not done as she asked and pulled out before he released inside her. Kouga was arguing that having another child would be a good thing and Kuraiko would be happy to have a sibling as well. However, neither of them noticed that their son had yet to make an appearance. After a day's delay in their departure, the couple finally managed to settle their differences long enough to begin their journey north to return to the Northern Lands. What they did not realize was that they were leaving the Western Lands with less than they had arrived with. They had forgotten a, supposedly important, member of their group.

Kuraiko had been having so much fun with the Inuyasha-san and his children. With the older hanyou, Kuraiko saw everything that a mother should be to and for their children. It made him sad and at the same time it made him jealous that he did not have that with his own mother. He did not have a good relationship with his father either, but he had not thought that his relationship was as bad as it was when compared to Mozinth's relationship with his children. Inuyasha nurtured, played, and gently guided the children throughout the day and their various activities while encouraging them when they did not do as well as others. Mozinth took the children aside to have individual time with them to show them things that were important to the survival of a youkai. However, the jealousy that Kuraiko had felt in the beginning and the sadness that had accompanied was washed away when Inuyasha and Mozinth included him in their parenting. They treated him a one of their own and for once, Kuraiko felt like he belonged, that someone cared about him, that he mattered. It was a wonderful feeling and he was loathed to think of when it was time to leave the Western Lands for the Northern Lands. However, one discovery changed everything.

Inuyasha could not believe the nerve of those two! The inu hanyou and Zinny had just found out along with Sesshoumaru and his mate that Kuraiko had been forgotten by his parents. It had been three days since the couple had left and they had yet to return to claim their child. Kuraiko on the other hand was ecstatic as it meant that he got to stay with Inuyasha-san and Zinny-san longer. When the little wolf hanyou had revealed his feelings to Inuyasha, the half-inu had gathered the child into his arms with tear filled eyes and wept while reassuring the child with nonsensical nothings in his ear. Mozinth took advantage of the time and situation to confer with Sesshoumaru on what steps he/they could take to ensure Kuraiko's wellbeing seeing as Inuyasha had taken a shine to the child. Sesshoumaru had agreed to help as there were many witnesses to the neglect and emotional abuse of the child known as Kuraiko. Until they resolved the matter, however, it was decided by Sesshoumaru and his council that while they handled the matter in a diplomatic and proper fashion, Inuyasha and Zinny were to care for the child and remain in the Western Palace.

Kagome and Kouga had been fetched by Sesshoumaru's courier just four days before they reached the borders of the Northern Lands. They were given no information about why they were to return immediately, nor were they escorted back by the courier, who continued on to the Northern Lands with instructions to fetch the wolf tribe's council. Kouga and Kagome, with more than a bit of reluctance began the trek back to the Western Palace to see why the pompous ass known as Sesshoumaru had called them back.

When they arrived, eight days later, the couple were still kept in the dark about why they had been summoned back the palace. They had also been confined to the guest quarters like prisoners while they were there despite Kouga's attempt at diplomacy/war and Kagome's loud protests/accusations of their treatment. For almost three weeks the couple was forced to remain in their spacious suite before they were finally escorted to the Gathering Hall of the palace. It was there that the ningen and the ookami found the reason why they were being treated as they were.

In the Gathering Hall, Sesshoumaru sat in a sedated throne that could pass for a rather ornate chair more than a throne and to his left sat his council of the six eldest members of the inu clan. On his right, the wolf council, of which held twelve of the eldest member of the wolf clan, sat while looking hard at the two that had been presented before them. They had already been informed of the charges that were being prosecuted against the two and the wolf council had been invited since it was a child of their tribe. While the council did not like the child because of his human heritage, they also did not like the fact that either of the beings before them could ever forget a child that was of their own making. They particularly blamed the ningen female as she had had a negative impact on their pack ever since Kouga, the dumb Alpha wolf, had mated her. They would have much preferred Inuyasha, a strong and brave hanyou warrior, over that pathetic and weak ningen miko who could not even defend herself against a common spider demon.

"Kouga, Alpha of the Northern Lands and Kagome, Alpha female of the Northern Lands, do you know why you have been summoned here?" Both of them looked at Sesshoumaru as though he had lost some of his mind and shook their heads while mumbling 'no.'

"Are you sure? There is nothing that you can think of?" Again, they both answered in the negative. Sesshoumaru looked to the eldest member of the wolf council and nodded his head to give permission for the wolf to take the floor and handle the matter.

"Alpha Kouga and Alpha Female Kagome, you are being charged with the abuse and neglect of an immature ookami youkai. What say you?" Kouga was stunned at the charges while Kagome looked at the wolf as though he were blind, deaf, and dumb.

"Innocent."

"Not guilty." They answered the councils and DaiYoukai before them. The councils shook their heads in exasperation and Sesshoumaru merely held back a sigh. Those two were as thick as boulders in the head.

"In the trial of Kuraiko, son of Kagome and Kouga of the Northern Lands, you have been found guilty of abuse and neglect of an immature wolf demon. The council has deliberated your sentence and has decided that you are unfit for parenthood. Kagome will be stricken barren and Kouga will produce a proper heir with a full blooded she-wolf during the next Rut. After the heir has been produced, Kouga will step down as Alpha and be rendered sterile. This sentence is final. Do you accept your punishment willingly?" Kouga could not speak for his shock that he had forgotten his own son and more because of the harsh sentence that had been passed by the tribe elders. Kouga did not want to have children with anyone other than his mate, Kagome. Kagome meekly nodded, though on the inside she was jumping for joy as it meant that she would no longer have to provide Kouga with children and he could no longer beg her for another. It was the perfect solution to most of her problems.

After Kuraiko had been born, the feelings of wanting happiness and a family with Kouga disappeared and Kagome could only blame those feelings on her hormones. She did not really want children, even when she had been dreaming of her future when she was a child she had known that she had never wanted children. They were stinky, sticky, and wet all the time. She did not want to have to put up with the headache that was a child and her short time of caring for Kuraiko had only driven that point home. When she had reached that conclusion, she had stopped tending to Kuraiko and left everything to the pack omega with strict instructions to say nothing to the elders or to Kouga because she had had a feeling that they would have forced her to take care of the child if they had known despite the fact that she wanted nothing to do with the child.

"In light of being deemed incapable of parenting, the cub, Kuraiko, will be relinquished, as requested, to Inuyasha and Mozinth of Sanctuary. This decision is non-negotiable and cannot be appealed. Let the members know that they have accepted the terms of their punishment and that Kuraiko is already in the custody of his new family. This gathering is adjourned." Both councils turned to Sesshoumaru who waved a hand lazily, granting them dismissal. Once the council members had cleared the hall, Sesshoumaru took his turn to address the individuals before him.

"I can see the emotions of the miko being so fickle as to forget her blood, but has she infected you so, Kouga of the Northern Lands, that you too would show such fickle and human fault. To neglect a child of your own seed is a shame to the entire demon race and it is a tragedy to admit you are such when you display such ningen traits." With his piece said, Sesshoumaru also left the hall to report the council's decision to his brother-in-law and his little brother. The couple was left behind to ponder on the consequences of the council's decisions and upon the words that Sesshoumaru had left them with.

Kouga was shocked and ashamed at himself for doing just as the inu lord had accused him of. He had been acting entirely too human like because of Kagome. Instead of him being the Alpha, the dominant of their mating, she was. She dictated what he ate, when he did whatever it was that he had to do, how Kuraiko should be raised, how he acted in front of others. It was disgusting how much control the girl had had over him and he had never really noticed or did anything about when he did notice. He had given up trying to discipline her because she retaliated with her damned miko powers, but what else could he do. Things had been peaceful the way they were, but was the price of peace between him and his mate worth it? Kouga was beginning to think not as she had just cost them their firstborn child and any future children they might have been able to have. Not only that, he had lost his position as pack Alpha and he had to sire a full blooded heir before he also lost the ability to sire children. It was absolutely dreadful that it had taken the loss of his child, of his future children, and his position to see how many things were wrong in his life. It was time to take back control and it was time that Kagome properly learned her place in demon society.

Sesshoumaru watched with a smile as his mate, son, Inuyasha, and Inuyasha's children played in the gardens with Kuraiko. They had been distracting the wolf hanyou from the fact that his parents had forgotten him and the trial today and the little one seemed to be none the wiser. However, this moment would be the moment of truth as the child learned of everything that had been happening and of his new path in life. Sesshoumaru knows that it will be hard on the child at first, to change from everything that he has ever known, but the demon lord also knows that children are resilient and will recover from this ordeal with time, consideration, compassion, and assurance. All those things could be provided by Inuyasha and more. Inuyasha could teach the child what it meant to be hanyou and the child would be able to grow up in an environment that was specially made for hanyous. Sesshoumaru stepped out from the palace and into the garden causing all movement to cease as the attention fell upon him.

Lai took her son and Inuyasha's children to play elsewhere while Inuyasha, Zinny, and Kuraiko remained behind to reveal the truth to the child and to learn of Kuraiko's fate along with the fate of the little one's parents. Sesshoumaru waited until everyone was comfortable inside and Inuyasha had settled Kuraiko on his lap before he began his explanation of events. When the DaiYoukai reached the decision of Kuraiko's custody, the child began to cry as everyone had expected and Inuyasha began to rock and rub soothing circles on the boy's back. The boy struggled, attempting to release himself from Inuyasha's comforting arms, but the older hanyou would have none of it. The inu continued to comfort the child and whisper assurances in his ears while Sesshoumaru moved on, knowing that Inuyasha would take care of the child in the meantime. The beta could be filled in on what he missed after he attended to his first priority: the child.

"Nii-sama, I know that we have probably over stayed our welcome, but I ask that you let us stay until the child grows used to us before we shift his world yet again. It would make the journey back to Sanctuary and the settling in a lot easier if he has some trust in us." Sesshoumaru merely gave a smirk and shook his head at his brother-in-law.

"You need not ask. As this Sesshoumaru has said before, when we are not in public do not call me by such a formal title." Mozinth merely grinned in response and turned his attention to his mate and their new ward. Perhaps things would settle easier for Kuraiko if they properly introduced him to Shippou and while Shippou was building a rapport with the little hanyou, Zinny could get Inuyasha seen by the palace healer. The smaller inu had been feeling a bit under the weather lately and he wanted to know whether or not Inuyasha was with child once more. If that was the case, they might end up staying throughout Inuyasha's pregnancy so as not to stress the beta more than necessary. Oh, were things going to be chaos for some time.

A/N: I made small changes here to make it more gramatically correct as well as adding or subtracting a few minor and possibly confusing things. I will also being remodeling the end of the story so that I can continue. YES! I just said that I am adding more to this sequel which never felt quite finished. I am really going to finish it this time.

Cheers!

Nama