Hi folks! Sorry I'm so late, school has been keeping me busy.

First and foremost let me mention that my mental health has increased dramatically since you last read!

Secondly, this chapter alone has A LOT of important information, and you could be referring back to it as the story progresses.

Thirdly, Sesshomaru's curiousity was stated in the first chapter, therefore, his curiousity really isnt out of character for me.

Fourthly, I've had about half of this typed up for almost a week, but havent had a chance to finish, but I did so before the three week mark!

I should be updating ASR fairly soon, but this story has grabbed me by the nape of my neck and pounded my ideas down :D. Violent thing that it is.

The InuYashA/Kikyo scene is a bit violent, and is marked, so you can skip it.

Cold as Fire

Chapter 3- Progress

Sesshomaru was inwardly proud of Jaken's ability to get the pack moving in the morning. They had made swift progress from a few hours after dawn till past mid-day now. Shippo and Rin rode with Jaken on Ah-Un. The half-breed rode with him along his mokomoko-sama. The wood they stored in bags and preserved food would have been too much for Ah-Un to bear if she had rode with them. Sesshomaru whistled loudly for his steed to land. They had not made it to Totosai's, but they were closer than expected. With a nod of his head, Ah-Un lead Rin to a nearby hot spring and Jaken took the kit to an opposing lake.

Sesshomaru propped the hanyou against a tree, carefully retracting his extra appendage. It was well into supper, and though the nights were considerably cooler then the daytime, she would not require the extra heat. Sesshomaru wanted to roll his eyes at himself. The half-breed was lucky he even allowed her on his prized mokomoko! Sesshomaru watched as she slept soundly as if undisturbed. His curiosity piqued slightly in wonder at what one could or would dream of for so long, but he quickly crushed it. He felt InuYasha's vassal perch on his shoulder.

"My patience wears thin," Sesshomaru warned, "Speak."

"Totosai has received the items milord Sesshomaru and has begun crafting the weapons." Sesshomaru accepted the information with a nod.

"Tell him payment shall be rewarded after the products have been finished. I am done with your services for now."

"Yes my lord. If you shall ever need me, just let the trees know!" The flea demon bounced off his shoulder and into the thick forest. Moments later, Jaken returned with several large sized fish and a clean Shippo. Rin and Ah-Un followed twenty minutes later, her hair still wet from the bath.

"Jaken, nourish the kit and Rin. This Sesshomaru and Ah-Un will hunt and bathe. Do not allow harm to befall them." Sesshomaru ordered piercing his vassal with his heated amber gaze. His steed followed obediently behind him as he left. Ah-Un was well used to hunting with the saddle on and took to the air instantly as Sesshomaru departed to the hot spring Rin had bathed in and quickly shed his clothing then sunk into the water. Very soon his schedule would become hectic and out of the norm. He frowned at this. The regal daiyoukai was by no means ordinary, but he preferred for things to be of a slight normalcy. Rin had easily disrupted his schedule of traveling and now another human was doing the same. Hanyou. She was hanyou now, but he couldn't find himself to loathe or call her a disgrace as he did his brother.

Sesshomaru remembered the words Midoriko had advised to him. Sending his Rin, who was so peaceful and majorly silent, to an island once called the island of Shi. He believed they had changed their name to the island of Shi and Saisei. The daiyoukai could not imagine his ward being trained to fight and knew he never would have thought of teaching her to fight. She was human, and though eight years wouldn't put a scratch in his life, she would be fully grown and should have birthed two children by then.

Humans were truly pathetic, fragile creatures. Sesshomaru wanted to frown in disgust but paused in doing so. His Rin was truly an amazing human, despite the fact she reeked of her impending mortality. He would ensure she lived a long, healthy life for as long as the Kami's allows. Before the miko became hanyou, even then she had not possessed the scent of a human's unavoidable misfortune. She was always a strange creature to him, and was even more so now. The daiyoukai stood and exited the water. Beads of the steamy liquid rolled off his body as his feet touched the lush grass. He flared his aura and was instantly dry.

In the training of this Kami-made hanyou, he knew his brother and despicable mate would appear again. He hoped the female hanyou knew instincts of a demoness, specifically canine. Pups were typically born with this ancestral knowledge, but if not, this would surely be a difficult task.

Beaming malicious eyes watched InuYasha and Kikyo traveling to a demonic village. So far, his plans were going along exceptionally well and this new Kikyo he created was his most valuable asset ever in existence. He could no longer track the whereabouts of the miko he wished to ravage and kill, meaning Kikyo had succeeded. It was indeed a pity too for he had wanted to play before he killed her himself. Their battle two years ago had left her perfectly broken for his humiliation and annihilation of the InuYasha crew. The old Kikyo had played a vital role in that battle, and afterwards, he merged her soul with Kagura, thus killing the elemental demoness. His Kana was unfortunately destroyed in the battle. The miko had done great damage to his beautiful body, and he was forced to reabsorb his precious Hakudoshi just to heal.

The arrivals of the wolves were a nuisance and distraction, so he quickly disposed of them, taking the jewel shards in the male's legs and female's wrists. The monk was easily dispatched with the bees he infested with a poison to further the black void, which took all of his bees' larvae with him. To say the least, the monk's void took him with it in an explosion of body parts.

A wicked grin crossed his girlish features as he remembered the taijiya. She had been distraught by the monk's death. The distraction proved to be her major and only downfall of the battle. He had her deceased brother mortally wound her in the abdomen before he removed his shard and pushed him atop of the dying slayer. To think she thought he would let her get away because she was pregnant. Ah, his miko. Naraku chuckled evilly.

Kagome had been easily distracted with defending herself and the kit. She witnessed the deaths of her friends but hundreds of demons held her from reaching them. The hanyou joined the party, when he had grown tired of playing, with Kikyo on his back. He made sure Kagome heard him tell the half-dog bastard he smelled of sex and approved of Kikyo's mating mark. Unfortunately, on his behalf, the miko's anger infused with an arrow and struck his shoulder, nearly purifying the jewel, which almost killed him.

It was then he retreated and with a few offerings of his sacrificial tentacles, he 'stole' Kikyo and hastily departed. Naraku had not sensed the feared dog demon watching during the battle and grinned as he sensed when he left. If the dog general's son had intervened, he surely would not be living to recall the battle, which gave him the upper hand. He would leave the almighty lord alone, for now, and perhaps a quiet take over with lands would be in order. Yes, what a great way to bring the dog general's legacy to pitiful pieces. Defeating him in his own game… It would take years to acquire necessary soldiers and land, but the destruction of greatness would be worth the wait.

"Ku ku ku Sesshomaru. Your great fall will come in due time and then I shall be the greatest general of all the lands!" He would use humans as his pawns. He snickered at the thought. To think, a great daiyoukai brought to his hand and knees as his castle crumbled by pitiful humans.

InuYasha swiftly traveled east with his mate. They were searching for an old witch that could know the reason of Kikyo's miko powers disappearing. She had been highly upset in the middle of battle and her miko power did not show. The arrow hit its mark truly, but the demon had been more angry then hurt and tried to attack her. InuYasha's claws in the demon's throat brought an end to that disgrace of a battle.

He surprisingly still felt hanyou, and greatly missed his sword, but Kikyo assured him he would get a better one. Without Kikyo's miko powers, they could have children. The wind blew her hair in his face and he inhaled gently. Her fertile time was approaching very soon, and he intended to greatly abuse his mate's sexual appetite and pup her.

He stopped at a lake and placed his mate on the ground and lay beside her. Dusk was approaching soon and her fertility was steadily rising. She moved to lie on his chest and he couldn't stop the gentle growl that tickled his throat. Her hands found their way into his hair, gently combing the thick tangible locks with her bony fingers. InuYasha lowered his hands to cup her ass, moving her on top of his rising erection and grinding softly. She moved her hips against his slightly and he hissed as his need grew. Her hands slipped in between the folds of his fire rat haori and pushed it to his shoulders.

In an instant, Kikyo was on her back, slightly shaken from the rapid and abrupt movement. She removed her yukata as quickly as she could, trying her best to keep it intact. Her efforts proved futile when his claws made quicker work of exposing her body to him. The former hanyou wasted no time as her fertility scent sent him clear out of control. His yellow-amber eyes turned red with lust and he gave no warning of his quick penetration to his ill-prepared partner.

Kikyo cried out in surprise. He had never been so rough with their coupling before. She worked her mind to focus on her control over him, only to find an impenetrable block. A growl ripped her lover's throat, and for a moment, she feared he had discovered her treachery, so she pushed him away, or at least attempted to. "InuYasha!" She yelled breathlessly as he used his solid mass against her. The lust-crazed hanyou bared his fangs at her before sinking them into her collarbone. She stopped struggling instantly, slightly afraid of moving the wrong way and ripping her delicate flesh.

"Mate not struggle. Mate bears pups." InuYasha's coarse voice answered. Kikyo paled slightly. How she wished she had her miko powers right now! Who did this bastard think he was?! She absolutely did not want to his demonic spawn! Her lover took her immobility as submission and continued his pace of strokes. Her body responded despite her inner turmoil and InuYasha grunted in pleasure. His demon caused him to move quicker as his claws bit into her hips with near completion. When Kikyo thought he couldn't move faster, he growled and increased the vigor and speed of their mating. He pulled her into a sitting position for deeper entry, his hands on her delicate ribs as he moved her up and down on his expecting cock, growling deeply with pleasure.

Kikyo cried out as he met her lowered cervix. She felt weakened as his fangs sank into their mating mark and his release filled her fertile womb. InuYasha grinded in and out a few more times before he begun to grow in girth inside her, causing Kikyo to hiss with pain. She could nearly see through his tissue where his curly silver pubic hair began, an intricate design of dark red and blue veins. She watched as his eyes returned to normal. "Get off me." She commanded as he buried his face in her neck.

"I can't Kikyo. We're in a knot. I warned you about this in the past, but I didn't realize your fertile time would be so near. My beast won't release until your fertile time fades."

"How long will that be?" Kikyo nearly shrieked.

"Three or four days." Came a mumbled response, but because of their proximity, she heard clearly.

"No, get off me! We have to get my miko powers back!" InuYasha growled dangerously. Kikyo struggled, only furthering his size to expand so their melded body parts wouldn't part.

"I can't Kikyo. You'll only hurt yourself more if you keep moving like that! We're finally getting our pup that weak bitch couldn't give to us." Kikyo slapped him vigorously.

"You fool! I don't want to have your demon spawn! I want my miko power back!!" InuYasha growled dangerously low, his eyes flashing red, and bared his fangs in warning.

"You will have my pup." His eyes bled red again and Kikyo's cries of pain echoed as he ensured his lineage.

Naraku watched their mating through his mirror. He had blocked his Kikyo's control over the mutt so he instead could control him. The evil hanyou smirked. He had already instructed her to seek the witch for a potion that would turn their spawn human, but she thought she was going to get her miko power back, but he couldn't allow such things to occur. Their spawn would play a vital role in his plans, and thus far, they were going accordingly. When the child was born, it would be in his full control, and the foolish humans would take it in, launching his plan full into effect.

Jaken had just finished feeding the black holes of the kit and Rin. He took a few for himself, and then fed the remainder to Ah-Un. The kit and human girl chatted idly as he set up a fire. Lord Sesshomaru should be on his way back soon. He glanced at the hanyou resting against the tree Sesshomaru-sama had placed her against. She smelled of him, but not strongly, much to his liking. In an instant, his lord's small group had nearly doubled and become a disgusting group filled with a human child, low class fox demon, and another worthless half-breed. His lord's reputation would surely be shot!

Jaken jumped as Ah-Un's rumbling roar interrupted his thoughts. The two headed dragon was giving him an angry glare, apparently having sensed his thoughts. Their tail whipped out, narrowly missing his head. It settled back down, a giggling Rin and Shippo beside them, giving them the attention they desired. It was well into the night before Sesshomaru returned, and with a nod of his head, Jaken was dismissed and went to rest. Ah-Un was resting near the fire with the sleeping adolescents.

Sesshomaru gracefully sat near the unconscious hanyou, her aura rose slightly before settling closely to her skin. It was an excellent sign. Even in her unconsciousness she accepted him as his leader. Though he already established that upon their first meeting, having her subconscious agree would be better in the unavoidable battles for dominance. InuYasha had tried to battle him as a mere pup once and he was quickly put into place. His father and himself battled often more than necessary in the years previous the hanyou's birth. He had been just out of his adolescent years and never stood a chance against the Great Dog General. It was no wonder his father had been so greatly amused whenever he spoke of his defeat.

It was a pity the human king beat him to it. Though he would have never slain his father, a submission would have been even better. The daiyoukai scoffed mentally. His father was long past gone, and there were no need for these thoughts. Sesshomaru's fist tightened with resolve. Even now he was not as strong as his father, but with both his mother and father's blood coursing through his veins, he would become unstoppable after he mated. The mating bond his mother and father shared had been indestructible, even after her death his father still had the power they shared.

The fling with InuYasha's mother had weakened him greatly, and he had warned his father to allow his attendance in the war with the dragons. He could see his mother's power unweaving itself from his aura, but his father paid no heed. Of course with the death of a mate, the mate's power will stay with them until the procreation of another child. Sesshomaru sneered. InuYasha's life was not worthwhile of the sacrifices made by his creators.

The fire crackled and blew with the gentle breeze and he noticed the hanyou's scent had increased. Perhaps she would awaken tomorrow, her eyes were already beginning to flutter beneath her eyelids, and he suspected by mid-day those dull brown eyes would meet his again. The daiyoukai closed dark amber eyes with his head tilted to the sky. It would be a few hours before dawn broke, but he would not start them off until a few hours later, unless they became a nuisance. He could see the purple aura beside him through closed lids as it swarmed then embraced him. A few minutes later, he was tugged into a light slumber.

Birds chirped amiably much to the dismay of a snoozing female. "Hello there!" A different female voice greeted from above or beside her. The awakening girl shrieked, nearly jumping thirty feet in the air. Frightened cerulean eyes met mischievous lilac eyes and were instantly dumbfounded as to who the other female was. "Hello Kagome."

"Umm, hi?" What happened…? And where am I?" Kagome questioned clearly confused.

"Surely ye recall. We are in a dreamland of sort I guess ye could say." The other female answered. Kagome's eyebrows furrowed as she tried to remember, and then her almond shaped eyes widened in horror.

"Shippo?!" She exclaimed. The woman simply smiled, her eyes dancing with merriment.

"Your kit is fine."

"Wait, how am I alive? The pain… it was so… it was too much. That arrow Kikyo shot hurt like hell! I guess I know what it feels like to be purified." Kagome gave a short laugh and the woman said nothing. "Aw hell… am I in an endless slumber like InuYasha?"

"No my sweet, ye are sleeping and will awaken soon. Do ye feel different?"

"A little I guess… wait who are you? You look so familiar." This caused the woman to smile.

"Yer trusting nature never ceases to amaze and intrigue me. I am the spirit of Midoriko. It is an honor to meet the Kami's Shikon Miko."

"Oh you have got to be kidding me! It's more of an honor to meet you Midoriko-sama! Who's little old me compared to you?!"

"Nonsense, in essence, it was I who created this mess, and ye have fixed it. For that, ye have been granted immortality." Kagome gasped and covered her mouth with her hands.

"How?" She managed after a few minutes.

"Yer absorption of the jewel allowed me to lend ye my dormant power in the jewel. Yer previous miko powers re-spelled Kikyo's arrow and diminished afterwards. My power recognized the Shikon and stayed." Midoriko paused, unsure how to approach the next delicate subject.

"Did I manage to save the demoness behind me?"Midoriko flashed a brilliant smile. The girl's willingness to help other and selflessness amazed her to no end.

"In a way, yes…" Kagome watched as a mirror appeared in the former warrior priestess's hands. She held it as Kanna had, but it was silver in its frame, not white. The reflection rippled like disturbed water and entranced, Kagome reached out to touch its surface, stilling it instantly. Stunning cerulean eyes stared back, and Kagome cocked her head to the side and so did the apparent reflection.

"Is this the demoness I saved?" She questioned watching as the demoness in the mirror showed the same emotion and motion of her lips as hers did.

"Nay my child," Midoriko answered as Kagome touched the reflection of furry black ears in the mirror," 'Tis ye." Kagome gasped again, her hands flying to the top and center of her head where furry black ears met her touch and twitched under her finger ministrations while Midoriko spoke.

"The Shikon and yer powers worked together to save you and the demoness by your will alone. Ye have become an entirely different being… in better wording I suppose ye would say breed."

"Wha-What am I?"

"Ye are a black inu hanyou."

"But the Shikon?"

"Is still a part of ye."

"How?"

"The Kamis and myself have yet to reach a conclusion. The black inu we sent to yer rescue was a demoness whom had just escaped from hell. Had it been male, ye might have become a unisex or the spell would not have worked and ultimately would have died. In order to control this demoness, the Kamis instilled their will on her, and thought she would be strong enough to save ye. After much trouble, yer bodies became one and after a few weeks, yer auras merged to become one."

"You aren't only here to reveal to me my changes are you?" Kagome remarked touching the symbol in the center of her forehead. "What does this mean?"

"The pink will become a circle or full moon when ye absorb the rest of the Shikon. The black crescent moon is lost to me, but perhaps ye can find something in Sesshomaru's library, and ye are correct. I was not sent here for that."

"What are you here for then?" Midoriko could feel her becoming guarded so she smiled and the mirror disappeared.

"Ye must be trained to some degree before yer new protector will and can train ye fully. Ye will not remember much here, but what this Midoriko teaches you will be instinctual. First, I shall educate you on everything about demons, specifically your breed and their customs."

It was close to mid-day before Sesshomaru began his pack's journey, and they were able to reach Totosai's without stopping in two hours. He left Rin with Ah-Un and Jaken at the base of the mountain. The hanyou's power had been fluctuating, and it would be best if he kept an eye on her. The fumes at the top of the mountain were too strong for Rin's developing system, and he decided to forge Shippo a sword as well.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Totosai exclaimed looking up from a red hot sword that he was banging with a hammer. "What a pleasant surprise! It's been nearly a century right?" The old demon breathed fire onto the metal once more and continued to hammer away, sending sparks into the air.

"It was three days ago senile demon. Have you already forged a hilt from the pieces of wood Myoga was supposed to bring to you from Goshinkibu?"

"That short my boy?" Totosai guffawed and the daiyoukai could feel his impatience growing.

"This Sesshomaru is not your boy."

"Oh, oh, oh. Of course not." Totosai dipped the hot, singing blade into a bucket of water and it hiss angrily.

"This Sesshomaru wishes to view the bow."

"Bow?" Totosai repeated dumbly, "What bow?" He scratched his head in bewilderment, causing flakes of dandruff to surface and fly off his head. Shippo felt the daiyoukai's anger flare and cautiously took a step back and away. Totosai retreated to his cave as if nothing had happened, and not being invited in, Sesshomaru's anger sky rocketed as he was forced to wait for the demented demon to come back.

"You try me Totosai."

"Ah Sesshomaru, nice to see you again after so long. I have finished the weapons you required." Sesshomaru controlled the feeling of his eye muscle twitching and played along.

"Tell me about them." He demanded more then asked. The old demon revealed the sword in his hands.

"You see the sheath here?" Totosai pointed out. Sesshomaru's eyes roamed approvingly over the black sheath with intricate designs in blue, lavender, pink, silver, and gold. Sesshomaru nodded as an answer to the demon's question. "It is also her quiver. Based on the strength and aura of the enemy, her arrow will manifest from her very powers, though in a long battle, I would advise using real, wooden arrows, but that is none of my concern." Totosai removed the sheath slowly, revealing the beautiful silver blade.

"Interesting..." Sesshomaru commented.

"The blade is made from titanium, for her human counterpart, and fangs for her demon. It's condition should remain pristine even after thousands of years. If she should ever become enraged, the blade should pacify her demon long enough for you to gain control over the situation. If you desire to keep her blood in check continuously, I suggest teaching her how to absorb her sword using her power, and the titanium will then become arm bands until she summoned the sword back out." Sesshomaru was passively impressed. The blade was not thick like InuYasha's Tetsusaiga, nor was it as long, but it wasn't as thin as his Tensaiga.

"Has the Tetsusaiga lost its transformation abilities?" The odd demon's eyes twinkled as he answered.

"Yes." Sesshomaru nodded. It was no longer InuYasha's blade, so they would have to discover on their own how the new weapon faired.

"Will the sword be renamed now that it is no longer my father's?"

"When she bonds with her weapon, it shall be named by her alone." Sesshomaru reached into the sleeves of his haori and handed Totosai a bag nearly overflowing with his currency.

"Oh my boy, this is far more then agreed upon." Totosai exclaimed.

"This Sesshomaru has not grown dense. I am aware that there is more of my currency in the sack of coins. You are to commission a sword for the kit." Sesshomaru held a hand out filled with baby teeth. "Are you able to commission a sword for a human?"

"Why yes! I have not done so in a long time my lord, but it will be fun!" Totosai carefully retrieved the teeth from the stoic lord.

"Why she possess a fair amount of miko power! What a fortifying experience!" Sesshomaru hid the shock from his eyes and facial mask. Of course she would have miko powers; she had parts of Midoriko's soul.

"How much time will be needed to commission the swords demon?"

"I shall have to take my time with your human's, but the kit shouldn't take but a week. If you will return in a lunar cycle I should be done." Totosai replied, his eyes still twinkling from the idea of working with a new project.

"Take what is needed from the kit, I will return in one lunar cycle after the new moon. I expect nothing but perfection." Sesshomaru demanded, turning his back gracefully and beginning his trip down the mountain, Kagome's weapon in hand.

"Why of course Lord Sesshomaru! You come back soon to visit this old senile demon!"

How do you guys like my point of view switching?! Kagome really hasnt been in the story yet, but she's getting there! Next chapter she'll wake up :).

I bet you thought Sesshomaru was gunna train her didnt you?

Well if you have any questions, feel free to ask. I feel this is my best story so far, fuedal era wise.

Love and leave love,

Mouse or SillY