Injured Amerada

/Crowded streets all cleared away
One by One
Hollow heroes separate
As they run/

Kouga limped slowly, but surely to Kikyo's bloody form, lying haphazardly in the middle of the clearing. His head was pounding like a hammer and the rest of his body was racking with visible pain. Yet, he kept walking towards her; he didn't know why, he didn't really care. Emotions and understanding them were never a concern of Kouga; he acted almost purely on instinct and impulse. His teal eyes were weary as he knelt down beside the fallen Miko, her eyes pinched shut in pain; beads of sweat rolled down her forehead and off onto the plains of her cheeks.

She didn't smell well… she was potently poisoned.

"Dammit all!" Kouga quietly snarled as he placed his dirty, bloody hand onto her forehead. She was burning up, and with the little knowledge of humans that he had, even he knew that it was serious. 'No...no NO! This can't happen again! It just can't happen to Kikyo too! I won't let it...but what can I do? I don't know the first thing about poison.' Kouga's mouth went desert dry as he wiped some of the poison induced sweat from Kikyo's burning forehead.

Kouga's gaze lifted up to Sesshoumaru, his armor had been apparently cut off during the battle, and over his entire form were deep blossoming, crimson stains where he was sliced open. There was even a cut on his left cheek bone that dribbled blood down his neck. Sesshoumaru will live, it's Kikyo and Miroku who are in question, and not to mention the child Rin who was placed in the dirt a ways off. Yet, Kouga didn't quite understand why Sesshoumaru's bleeding wasn't slowing.

"Hey, you!" Kouga shouted, Sesshoumaru merely ignored him and licked the blood from his fingers while making his way to Miroku who was blacked out, probably as bad off as Kikyo.

"FINE! Sesshoumaru! Do you have any antidote for her poison?" Sesshoumaru regarded the Wolf Prince with a dart of his golden eyes. His usual straight lined mouth down turned slightly at the Miko's condition. Sesshoumaru figured out that the poison in her system would have been dispelled by now if it were a youkai poison. Sniffing the air lightly, he concluded that it wasn't the case.

"No." Sesshoumaru had other things to worry about than the condition of that Miko or Miroku…right? Sesshoumaru sighed inwardly. He knew how to fix the miko's condition, but the condition of the monk troubled him. The monk could not purify the poison inside of him. 'Perhaps, the wolf might know what to do. He had been known with to be around his brother's tagalongs before…'

"What are you going to do then?! Are you going to let her di—" Kouga's tired rants were cut off with a sharp glance from Sesshoumaru.

"I know how to help the Miko. Stand aside." Sesshoumaru stood. His actions were slowed by his loss of blood that was very apparent across the ground in erratic splatters and puddles. Sesshoumaru neared the unconscious Kikyo and regarded her for a second. 'How strange, my idiot brother fell for this Miko, then chose her reincarnation over her when she died. I wonder if this human can feel betrayal as well...' Sesshoumaru's thoughts cut off as he saw Kouga's battered tail twitch in nervousness.

Sesshoumaru allowed a small bit of his deadly toxic poison to seep from one claw. He bent down slowly and deposited it into her infectious wound.

"What was that supposed to do?!" Kouga roared. 'Sesshoumaru is going to kill Kikyo to put her out of her misery!' Kouga's eyes began to flash red at the misinterpretation of Sesshoumaru's actions.

"When my youkai poison merges with the non-youkai poison she will be able to purify both, healing herself internally." Sesshoumaru paused, not only because Kouga was automatically at ease, but because Kouga trusted him to save her life. Sesshoumaru had only really been trusted before by three people. Yet then his thoughts fell unexpectedly on the fallen monk, Miroku.

"Do you know of a way to cure the monk? Were you not with my brother and his companions?" Kouga thought for a moment. Kagome knew all sorts of treatments, but…of course…Kouga's face fell thinking of his 'mate.' Then he remembered that village they stayed at with that old woman Kaede. She was a miko, he could smell it. And if anyone can cure a poison, a miko could.

"I bet that old bat Kaede could cure the poison…She's the miko that lives in the village just outside your territory, the fishing village, Ya know?" To tell the truth, Kouga really knew little about humans and villages, except the small amounts from the ones that he destroyed, and Kagome of course.

"Kaede…she still lives." Sesshoumaru was not an idiot; that was the village in which Kikyo housed the Shikon no Tama fifty years ago. That village was the one that his idiot brother was sealed near, and the one that Kaede was appointed the miko protectorate of.

Kouga grew tired of watching that stuck-up Taiyoukai think about whatever he was thinking about, so he began to wonder about his own tribe, and if they were alright leaderless. 'I did kinda leave them suddenly…I bet Ginta and Hakkaku are fine though, they can run the place till I regain my strength to return.

Kouga was roused from his ponderings when Sesshoumaru picked up Miroku and put him on his good shoulder.

"I shall take Miroku and Rin to the village." Sesshoumaru announced as he walked over to the small child and managed to pick her up with his weary, snow white tail. Kouga could still smell the blood oozing from Sesshoumaru's innumerable wounds.

With Miroku over his right shoulder, and Rin coiled in his tail, Sesshoumaru bounded off into the direction of the fishing village of Edo. Kouga watched on as Sesshoumaru leapt to the East. With a heavy sigh, Kouga rested back against a chunk of ruin. Kouga closed his tired eyes, keeping his other senses on alert incase Kikyo's condition worsened, or a threat arose. He silently hoped that neither would occur.

Sesshoumaru's mouth turned downwards into a frown. 'Why am I even doing this? What possesses me to have Miroku alive?' Sesshoumaru cleared his mind of thought as he subconsciously readjusted Rin in his tail. 'I am not becoming soft like Father.' Sesshoumaru looked up towards the cheerful midday sun and noticed that he was almost at Edo.

/Show me how we end this alright. Show me how defenseless you really are/

"Kaede! It's been three days! What if...what if Kagome is hurt or worse! I have to go to look for her, they might need my help!" Shippo squealed towards the old Miko cooking lunch over the small fire in the rickety hut. Kaede turned to the small kit and sighed heavily. She knew that Naraku was still alive, she could feel it.

"Aye child don't ye be doing foolish things. Patience is a virtue. They will return, just ye wait." Shippo calmed down enough to stop his cying; but he was wringing his small hands, and his body was wracking. Kirara went over to Shippo and curled in his lap, he was momentarily comforted by the gesture.'Please Inuyasha, Kagome...be safe, come back soon.'

Then Kirara got up and growled, and that is when Kaede sensed it...Sesshoumaru was near, no doubt about it.

"Kaede I-I s-smell Sesshoumaru's blood...He is looking Kagome and Inuyasha!" Shippo accused as he tensed up and went to the door of the hut, with a transformed Kirara behind him. But what Shippo smelled confused him. He smelled a lot of Sesshoumaru's blood, Miroku and a girl! However, this didn't fool Shippo; he transformed into the first form he could think of...Inuyasha.

Sesshoumaru was at first taken aback when he saw his younger brother Inuyasha in the doorway of the hut. He forgot that there was a Kitsune in Inuyasha's group. Sesshoumaru also didn't realize how wide his eyes where until he narrowed them. He looked inside the hut, the Neko youkai was protecting the old Miko and the Miko dropped the arrow she was stringing. Sesshoumaru didn't feel like conversing with either of the three, but he had to unfortunately.

"Miko, you know how to dispel poisons do you not?" Sesshoumaru stated more than asked. Kaede stared at Sesshoumaru; he was drenched fresh blood and covered in deep cuts, one even marred his face. He unraveled Rin in his tail and placed her down with Miroku. All three occupants in the hut were confused and enraged. Before the Miko had a chance to reply, Shippo noticed the Tessaiga, lost control and tried to punch the weary Taiyoukai.

"You you Bastard! I hate you! You killed them! You killed them all didn't you?! You killed my mom and Inuyasha! That's why you have Tessaiga! You cold bastard I swear I'll kill you!" Shippo shrieked as he punched and kicked at Sesshoumaru, still in his Inuyasha form. Sesshoumaru tired of this; he dodged the kit's hasty attacks, becoming aware of how much blood he lost.

"Silence kit. I did not kill my brother." Sesshoumaru clipped in a bored tone as he picked up the kit and threw him into a tree. Shippo slumped against the tree, loosing his Inuyasha form, but when he lifted his head; his eyes were bleeding red with pure hatred for Sesshoumaru.

"Half-brother! There is no way Inuyasha could be your full brother!" Shippo got up from being knocked into a tree. Kirara flew from the hut and landed between Shippo and Sesshoumaru. Kirara knew something was amiss…if Sesshoumaru did in fact kill Inuyasha, why did he reek of Naraku and save Miroku?

"Was. Naraku killed Inuyasha and your companions." Kirara then growled and spoke in a youkai tongue. Sesshoumaru growled back, and left Shippo and the Neko and proceeded inside the hut. Shippo, too fired up and angry to go back inside, remained outside and silently bawled with Kirara by his side.

"What happened to ye? Ye're covered in your own blood from head to toe, and tis not stopping." Kaede asked the stoic Taiyoukai as he came into the hut. Usually a question like this would receive a beheading by Sesshoumaru for pointing out a weakness. This time, however, he needed this Miko and Sesshoumaru was not in the mood for fighting. Seeing the image of his brother livid at him put Sesshoumaru in a dismal mood.

"One of Naraku's incarnates attacked us. He was apart of the dying moon assassins." Sesshoumaru sat down, licking the blood that ran down onto his fingers from his arm. Kaede sat and put wet cloths on Rin's and Miroku's foreheads, she was thankful that one of their group was still alive; there was hope yet.

"Us? Ye mean this wee child and Miroku?" Kaede asked again, disregarding lunch entirely as she prepared herbs for Miroku's antidote. Sesshoumaru eyed her inconspicuously. 'I suppose she should know about her sister…it doesn't matter to me one way or another.'

"Not entirely, that Wolf Prince and your sister were attacked as well." Kaede dropped the pestle in her bowl. 'My sister, Kouga, Miroku and Sesshoumaru are traveling together?!' Kaede then had an urgent feeling to see her sister. 'If poor Kagome truly died, then Kikyo would have her body and soul back. I pray to Buddha she is fairing well.' Kaede thought.

"And ye have Tessaiga. Ye must be pleased about such a triumph." She noted as she poured the powdered herbal mixture into the warm water and stirred. Sesshoumaru looked to his side and saw Tessaiga, but he did not feel triumphant. He did not feel any happier. Ever since he arrived at the ruins of his father's old empire, those haunting words were in the back of his mind echoing like a lost child on a mountain.

"Protect your brother Sesshoumaru…protect Inuyasha from harm…"

Sesshoumaru growled lowly 'Why should I have to keep a promise to father that he did not keep to my mother or sister! He did not protect mother or sister when the assassins arrived! He was away! Away reviving Izayoi from that nobleman with THIS fang! He betrayed us!' Sesshoumaru had it, he was sick of being constantly reminded of the past. He took Tenseiga and threw it through the wall of the hut where it plunged in the ground.

'…the katana that revives lives. That fang's jaki is on Miroku and the girl, interesting.' Kirara noted and stepped lightly towards the sword and plucked it up with her fangs, and held it. Shippo, who was too deep in a depression to care, sobbed against the tree.

"So my sister travels with ye. What are your plans for the Shikon no tama?" Kaede quickly changed the subject as she gave Miroku the antidote. Sesshoumaru looked at Miroku's face, his black bangs plastered to his forehead, his eyes knit closed in pain. He also looked at the bruises on his neck. A small speck of a feeling landed in his gut, concern, and a little of something else that was deeper. 'Guilt? Worry?...no it can't be.'

Then he looked to Rin, she seemed to be fairing better than Miroku or the Miko. Keiji must have just subjected Rin to the poisonous aura of his sais and not the actual poison itself. Sesshoumaru could not place why he was relieved that Rin was getting better. He found a ghost of a smile creep on his stone carved lips before he promptly killed it.

However, Kaede didn't miss it.

"Plans? Foolish wench. This Sesshoumaru has no plans for such a foolish thing." As Kaede prepared the other antidote, Sesshoumaru began to feel a little tired...his eyesight began to get blurry. He leaned up against the side of the hut for support, his breath become short, as if he wasn't getting enough air.

"Aye, Sesshoumaru-sama, ye need to bandage those wounds, ye haven't stopped bleeding." Kaede reached over towards the 'guaze' as Kagome once called it, but Sesshoumaru just glared at her.

"Prepare those potions miko. That is what I told you to do, do so quickly." Sesshoumaru's voice rumbled lowly like a dog's growl. Her one eye widened in surprise. 'He is conserned for them, concerned for Miroku and the small girl over his own health.' Kaede did as she was told and tried her best to concoct the right antidote for Rin's poison.

Her facial features darkened. 'Sesshoumaru was right, this poison was made by assassins over fifty years ago; I learned it as a child when it was fairly common. Yet, I wonder if those assassins were the ones that killed the Lady of the Western Lands—'Her thoughts where cut off by a scamper of small feet coming into the hut. A grief-stricken Shippo turned to Sesshoumaru, his emerald eyes constricted and red from tears.

"What happened to them? Did Naraku actually kill them? Please tell me!" Shippo pleaded to the half-conscious Youkai Lord. Sesshoumaru's golden gaze flashed to the kit. 'He is truly concerned over his comrades, and his 'mother'.'Trough his mind echoed again: 'Protect your brother Sesshoumaru….protect Inuyasha from harm.'

"I arrived at the scene of the battle that claimed their lives. I was able to revive the monk, so I did. Then the miko, Kikyo, arrived and shortly after did the Wolf Prince." Sesshoumaru paused as the Kitsune scooted closer to him as if he was telling a fairy tale story, much like Rin does. "I claimed Tessaiga, for not only is it mine, but if Naraku returned he could have wielded it, being a hanyou. The Miko buried your friends and collected the shards. As of late, we traveled to my father's old empire and got ambushed by Naraku's spawn." Sesshoumaru looked down at the Kitsune who was sniffling quietly.

"I don't get it…Inuyasha always said you were really mean and cold and a bastard, but you tried to come rescue him even though you didn't have too. You couldn't revive Inuyasha, but you revived Miroku, his friend." Shippo paused, his dank emerald eyes gained hope. "Are you going to wish them back with the jewel? Is that why you are traveling with them?" Shippo's line of questions ended as he looked into the cold eyes of the Lord of the Western Lands.

'He reminds me of Inuyasha when he was little, a pup.' Sesshoumaru didn't answer at first, he just stared, not glared, back at Shippo, but then Sesshoumaru's lips moved.

"The jewel has no consequence to me; I am not collecting the fragments, nor do I wish to use them. However, if you, kit, are searching for them, you need to talk to the Miko." Sesshoumaru finished, a flame of hope burned in Shippo's eyes.

"So you're sayin' that I can bring Kagome back?!" Shippo smiled, tears rimming his emerald eyes.

"If you collect the jewel shards, I don't see why you cannot." Sesshoumaru stated. Shippo, bursting with a new found sense of joy, leapt, without thinking, into Sesshoumaru and hugged him. Kaede nearly laughed at the surprised Sesshoumaru being hugged by a smiling, small, red-brown puff of fur.

Then Shippo realized that he was signing his death sentence and jumped off the youkai Lord. Sesshoumaru, too tired to retaliate, let the Kitsune escape to the other wall of the hut. 'Feh, stupid kit, I'll teach him a lesson later.'

Sesshoumaru moved to get up, but realized that his joints were stiff. He looked down at his hand and found it deathly pale. 'Damn it all, I am not healing fast enough, only a few of my wounds have stopped bleeding.' As if on queue, a roll of gauze and a large tube of 'Neo-spo-Rin' fell into his lap. He looked up to see the kit grinning.

"Don't look at me, it was Kirara's idea." Shippo shrugged. 'Just like Inuyasha.' Sesshoumaru noted. Shippo left the hut leaving the silent Miko in the corner tending to Rin's fever, and Sesshoumaru with his thoughts and gauze. And as Sesshoumaru lifted his one arm to apply the strange herb 'Neo-spo-Rin' to his wounds and to gauze them, he noticed Miroku stir slightly. Sesshoumaru didn't pay heed until he heard his name.

"Sess-s-houmaru where…Kaede?" Miroku sat up slowly, propping up first on his elbows then actually sitting up. Everytime he got poisoned by those insects, the quicker the recovery. Miroku looked to Sesshoumaru, who to him looked half-dead. Miroku couldn't believe that in the condition that Sesshoumaru was in, that he managed to carry him, and Rin, this far. 'He isn't such a bad guy after all…' Miroku grinned.

"Aye child, take things easy, ye hast had a tiresome journey." Kaede smiled, handing the monk a bowl of water. Miroku was then reminded of when Sango and Inuyasha and Kagome were still alive. 'Sango and her hirakotsu would be on that side, Kagome and Shippo would be over there, across from Inuyasha, and then I'd be across from Sango.' Miroku let out a somber laugh of when Sango-chan used to slap him and laugh.

"Is something funny?" Sesshoumaru asked quietly from the corner, noticing Miroku's slight smile. 'He misses his comrades as well. To him, I am probably still just the icy 'bastard'.' Before Miroku could respond, Kirara leapt into the room and nestled herself in Miroku's lap. Miroku's expression lightened seeing the familiar youkai friend.

'Perhaps, this go around, things will be different, Midoriko.' Kirara mused, gazing at Rin.

"MIIIROOOKUUUU!" Shippo flew, literally, back through the door of the hut and jumped into his lap also. Shippo was so thankful that there was someone that he could talk to about Kagome with when he went on his journey. "I missed you so much!" was all the kit could think of saying. Miroku ruffled the kit's fur; Sesshoumaru turned his head.

Kaede from the side of the hut, gave Rin her antidote, and looked at the rag-tag group of survivors. 'Who would have guessed it? Sesshoumaru, Kouga, Kikyo, Miroku, Shippo and Kirara are the only chance left to defeat Naraku. 'Watch out Naraku, they plan to send you straight to hell.' Kaede said inwardly.

"Shippo, Kirara how have you guys been?" Miroku asked a little breathlessly, from just waking up and being ran into by a speeding puff of fur. Sesshoumaru pretended to ignore them completely as he attempted to wrap his wounds with the squishy fabric. 'This would be less tedious with two arms.'…then Sesshoumaru thought of Tessaiga and growled.

"Is something wrong Sesshoumaru-sama? Do you…require assistance?" Miroku asked as lavender met gold. Sesshoumaru seethed. He was not a charity case! He was a Taiyoukai!

"Why would I require assistance of some weak ningen?" Sesshoumaru stoically responded, though even Shippo could tell Sesshoumaru was irritated. Miroku felt badly at first, he didn't mean for Sesshoumaru to feel weak. 'But he has no right calling me weak, I survived this far.' Miroku narrowed his lavender eyes and looked to the floor. There was silence for a few minutes…until Rin stirred.

"Where is Rin? Sesshoumaru-sama!" Sesshoumaru instantly looked up from his bandaged wounds to see the little girl spring to life. The Taiyoukai sighed inwardly at the girl's antics as she immediately sat down in front of Sesshoumaru. Then she gasped.

"Sesshoumaru-sama is hurt; Rin must help! Rin will fetch water! Don't worry Sesshoumaru-sama, Rin will save you!" She immediately stood up and ran from the hut to find a stream.

"Wait…er Rin! I'll help you too!" Shippo leapt up and ran out the hut followed closely by Kirara. 'Don't worry Sesshoumaru-sama, Rin will save you.' That sentence ran though Sesshoumaru's mind a few times, trying to figure out what the girl meant by that.

Sesshoumaru looked to Miroku sitting on the dirt floor. Miroku did not know why, but he knew something was troubling Sesshoumaru, then he noticed that Tenseiga was missing.

"Did you lose Tenseiga?" Miroku asked calmly, noticing that Kaede looked his way and motioned him to drop the subject.

"No. Now get up, we are leaving." was Sesshoumaru's blunt and abrupt reply as he stood up, mostly bandaged, and walked from the hut. Miroku gave Kaede quick thanks before exiting as well. Shippo, Kirara and Rin were outside of the hut, struggling to drag up a huge bucket of water. Obviously Taiyoukai's require a large amount. Miroku smiled

"Miroku! Kirara and I are coming with you! I am going to wish back Kagome!" Shippo grinned as he left the bucket of water and hopped up and down with pride. Kirara, noting the impatience in Sesshoumaru's stance, transformed.

"That's great Shippo." Miroku managed to say, he didn't know how to respond.

"Rin, we are leaving, get on the neko." Rin beamed and hopped on Kirara's back, followed by Shippo, who was now chattering with Rin, and lastly Miroku. Miroku did not feel tops, but he was glad he was leaving. The old hut brought back too many memories. And as Kirara took to the sky in a fiery blaze, back to the Western Lands, Sesshoumaru lingered behind. Implanted in front of the god-tree was Tenseiga, with Kirara's scent. Sesshoumaru looked at the tree and sighed heavily while plucking Tenseiga out of the mud and into his obi.

"I didn't protect him. I failed you before, but I won't now." With that, Sesshoumaru bounded away silently, running from the god tree towards home. Kaede heard everything.

/If you find your family, don't you cry
In this land of make-believe, dead and dry
You're so cold, but you feel alive
Lay your hands on me one last time/-So cold by breaking Benjamin.

AN:: TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY!!!! 9-25-88…I'm 16!!! Sorry about the late update, I hoped you liked it anyway! Yeah, this chapter was longer than the rest by a half a page….whew…sorry if this story is not very fast paced, it wont be one of those "they all fall in love within the first two chapters" stories. It will take time to develop the relationships.

Also, a clarification one: I know that in the anime, Kagura's power is less than the Kize no Kizu, but in this story I made her stronger because….kagura is just one of the best characters…you have to give her props. Also, yes, I did add a sister to Sesshoumaru's family, Don't get mad, she is dead for real, she isn't coming back.

Clarification two: Yes I know that technically Kikyo got her soul back her body wouldn't change back, but in this story it did because I believe that if you have your soul, you can get a body too.

Last clarification: Kouga is now the weilder of Tokijin, and Tokijin draws off the power of rage and anger (making it up, but since goshinki had such hatred towards Inuyasha, and because Kouga gets inraged easily and is jealous of Inuyasha, I am making the swords trigger rage) Like Tessaiga's trigger is, protecting humans. Tokijin will have its own special attack(s). Sesshoumaru didn't have any of these 'special attack(s)' because Sesshoumaru rarely gets inraged.

Ok that's done if you have any questions, review, and I'll answer.

Ja ne!