Welcome to Chapter Seven! Thank you so much to those who've been reading my fanfic. It's so wonderful to know that a fic I wrote to keep myself sane while stuck with my grandmother and two younger cousins for an entire summer is appreciated.

Things are starting to pick up for the gang. There will be some more adult situations soon. No lemons or limes, just horny youkai who don't know how to keep their hands to themselves. I thought I'd warn you all though, just in case.

A Quick Translation Note: In this Chapter, Rain sings the first chorus of Fukai Mori, the second ending song of the Inuyasha anime. For those who may not know what this means here's the translation: "...As we live on, we lose a little bit more. Shrouded in falsehoods and lies, we stand frozen to the spot, unable to cry out..."

Also, occasionally Sesshomaru refers to Rain using the word "koi". If you didn't know, he's not calling her a carp. Rather, as I understand it, its the Japanese equivalent of calling someone "love" or "dear". Though I don't think Rain would mind being called a carp, if it was Sesshomaru calling her that.

I wish I was Rumiko Takahashi sometimes but I'm not. She owns Inuyasha and the other characters. Rain, Murasaki-sama, and the Tsuwamono miko are my brainchildren.

This chapter was just aching to be written, so it's a bit shorter than I intended. Gomen!

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Chapter Seven: Scent of a Warrior Woman

Upon Inuyasha's hurried request, the group made camp for the night. The hanyou sighed deeply, his mind going a million different directions. ' Okay, maybe I'm being ridiculous but this will make it easier to keep an eye on Rain. Kagome's with her right now, but faced with horny youkai...there's only so much Kagome's presence can do...'

Even with Kilala, Sango and Kagome surrounding the poor woman, things did not look good. The two youkai men in question kept inching closer to the pheromone-drenched Rain. They were all going to need sleep sometime and she would be most vulnerable then. They'd have to set a watch of course, but how would he explain to the two troublemakers that they wouldn't be standing that watch?

Kagome tugged on Inuyasha's sleeve." Maybe you should talk to Sesshomaru-sama. He seems to be handling this better than Kouga-kun."

Inuyasha snorted. " He only looks it. If it weren't for that emotionless face, he'd be drooling. He's giving off more than twice the scent Kouga is. He means business."

"Still," Kagome sighed, "you should let him know that it's obvious what's going on, even without the smell. Maybe he can better control himself then. Either way, I'm telling Rain. She'd be upset if something happened out of the blue."

Inuyasha agreed and pushed himself up off the log they were settled on. He strode over to his brother cautiously. "Hey, Oniisan?"

"What?" Sesshomaru snapped, glaring at him.

"I need to talk to you about Rain." Inuyasha settled himself next to the youkai, just out of reach.

Sesshomaru narrowed his eye, clearly agitated. " What about Rain-chan?"

"Why are you waging a scent war with Kouga over her?"

"That wolf bastard needs to leave her alone." Sesshomaru growled, clenching his fists so hard, blood trickled from his palms.

Alarm flooded the hanyou. 'Sesshomaru never loses his cool like this...never outwardly calls someone a bastard...except for me...'

"Relax, Oniisan." Inuyasha gestured toward Rain. " She has no idea what's going on. You acting like this is making her nervous. She can't smell the things you can, remember? The poor girl doesn't even know she's in heat!"

"How could she not know?"

"It's too early. From what Kagome said, human women can only guess at when it happens. And its not like she'd ever think about smelling differently, even if she's been mature for a while."

Sesshomaru unclenched his hands, staring at Rain through the veil of his hair. " I often forget she's not youkai."

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Kagome scooted closer to Rain, handing the older woman a ramen cup. " Howya' feeling, Neechan?"

Rain sighed. "What the heck is going on here? Everyone's either cranky or nervous."

"When is it that time of the month for you?"

Rain's eyebrows flew into her hairline. "Kagome-chan?"

"Just tell me!" Kagome rubbed her forehead tiredly.

"Next week I believe. Why?"

"Inuyasha's right. The reason that Sesshomaru-sama and Kouga-kun are cranky is because they're giving off a ton of pheromones. They're scent warring over you...because you're in heat."

"Crap!" Rain cried. "I didn't even think about that, with their canine noses."

"Inuyasha's worried other youkai will attracted to you as well."

Rain slumped over so far she fell off the log she was on. " That's just what I need now. A bunch of horny youkai men after me. Why dontcha' just slather me in teriyaki sauce and tie me to a try with a sign that says 'Fresh Meat'!"

"I am so glad you're being sarcastic. I'm going to finish dinner. Stay alert, ok?"

Rain nodded. She glanced over a Sesshomaru, brow knitting. 'Why would be he be scent challenging Kouga over me? He'd never be interested in very human me!'

She sighed, digging into her ramen, relishing the temporary silence. She kept picturing herself tied to that tree just as she said. She let her mind wander a bit. She brought it back quickly when it found an image of Sesshomaru licking the teriyaki sauce off her neck. 'Don't tell me their pheromones are effecting me...'

She didn't want to think about it but she knew she was in greater danger than ever. 'I trust Sesshomaru...he's saved my life twice now. Kouga-san isn't a bad guy and the others trust him... but me being in heat changes everything. Those two could end up hurting each other if this continues...and the winner would feel entitled to me. I can't believe I'm just a campsite's length away from losing my virginity against my will...and I'd probably die in the process...'

She shuddered deeply, far more disturbed that she cared to be. She didn't even dare raise her head out of fear that either man would interpret her gaze as permission to take her. 'Just as I had thought...once again...my beauty is bringing me pain...'

Sesshomaru watched Rain quietly eating her ramen with a look of intense pain. Her eyes never left the seasoned noodles. Her intoxicating scent was laced with deep-seated fear, fear of what he'd heard Kagome tell her. He knew he shouldn't have eavesdropped but it was hard to not hear her nearly shout about tying her to a tree with teriyaki sauce. Only his years of emotional control prevented him from dwelling on that visual.

He hated being her greatest danger at that moment. He not let Kouga touch her, so he would be the threat to her innocence. He didn't wish to hurt her but his youkai instincts were not so easily tossed aside. She was a strong human, but human no less. His ravaging would kill her. It took all his will power to stay where he was. He would have to guard her from afar. She could still be his even if he couldn't be near her at times. He'd be a jealous guard, keeping her for himself if she'd have him. If not, than for the lucky fool she chose to be her mate. His honor would accept nothing less.

She curled up against the tree behind her, an eerie contrast against the deep brown bark. Only the white fabric of his haori hinted that she had any color at all. She sighed deeply. Only then did Sesshomaru allow himself to mull over her features, ignoring once more the image of her tied to the tree she rested on.He focused instead on committing her difference from the other women to memory. He vaguely recalled Rain saying that she came from another country. Kagome referred to her as Amerikajin. He wondered if all women in Amerika were like his Rain. The only thing he really knew was the youkai men resembled the men she was used to seeing.

Over the nervous hum of chatter from the others, he heard her singing softly. His sharp ears picked up the words, surprisingly in his language.

"...Boku-tachi wa, ikiru hodoni nakushite'ku, sukoshi zutsu, itsuwari ya uso wo matoi, tachisukumu koe mo naku..."

He'd had it. He was going over to her. If he had to kill himself to protect her innocence then he would. There was just no two ways about it.

Rain's breath caught as Sesshomaru approached cautiously. She noticed he carried himself differently than normal, as if he was trying to be bigger and smaller at the same time. 'He looks as conflicted as I feel...but so gorgeous...'

A pair of arms reached around the tree, pulling her roughly into the brush behind. In that split second she wondered why no one noticed whatever it was that grabbed her.

Her captor handled her roughly as it crashed through the bushes. She wanted to scream but the hand on her throat stopped that idea cold. The frantic camp sounds had become hopelessly faint.

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Sesshomaru cursed angrily. He was trying so much not to appear threatening that he had not be close enough to snatch her away from the hands stole her. Rain's scent had dulled his sense more than he'd thought. At his strangled cry, the entire camp was on full alert.

Without a word, they all took off after Rain, fully armed. Sesshomaru was strangely glad he wasn't alone this time. He could keep his wits about him this time rather than charge in, in his demon form. That was the last thing he wanted his scared human woman to see. She'd have to believe he was dangerous and leave him forever.

Kagome, from her perch on Inuyasha's back, watched the youkai lord as he ran a gamut of unreadable emotions. 'Why didn't he smell whatever that was? I felt their presence and saw Rain's aura shift into panic...'

The bellowing scream of something in pain reached everyone's' ears, followed by Rain's acid-dripping cry of anger. Sesshomaru sped up and even Inuyasha was hard-pressed to keep up.

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Rain had had enough of being carried away. She pulled her head back, freeing her neck and sunk her teeth into its arm. She spit its blood from her mouth as it dropped her, howling in pain.

She dropped to the ground with a thud, staying low so she could crawl away. Her captor slammed its foot on to her back. She cried out in anger and pain, groping blindly at her the leg that pinned her. She panicked, realizing it wasn't a foot but a tentacle that held her down.

A deep voice rumbled at her. "You need to behave. I hate to be rough with you. I need you in perfect condition for what I have planned."

Rain squeaked in reply. She could fight anymore. Her fall has re-injured her ankle. Her blood was boiling in anger, but she felt exhausted. When a tentacle wrapped around her waist, she could barely manage to squirm in protest. More tentacles wrapped about her, completely immobilizing her. She growled with what energy she had left.

"Hush now, lovely one."

Rain squeezed her eye shut, praying frantically for help. The answer she was received was simply "Wait, dear heart."

Her captor stopped at the beginning of a dense miasma. She forced her stomach back to where it belonged, the aura of evil thick in the air. Shikon shards made their presence know to her as well.

Her captor took her into a large manor house and dropped her onto a pile of what she hoped were pillows. Something in the dark approached her, faintly glowing red eyes locked on her.

"Who's there?" Her voice quivered slightly.

It moved closer to her, hot breath spreading across her face. "I am Naraku."

"W-what do you want with me?" She turned her face away from creature she'd only heard about.

Naraku chuckled coldly." Well lovely one, first I need that little jewel you're carrying."

He ran his hand down her side. It lingered on her hip before he reached into her pants pocket. The faintly glowing jewel lit his smirk as he handed it off to the thing that had captured her.

"Well now you have that..."Rain gulped.

"Indeed I do." He leaned closer to her." And I have you."

His hands found her body again, this time running them up her sides, under the haori. Rain summoned her strength and smacked the face before her.

"Don't you dare!"

Tentacles twisted around her limbs, pinning her down. She struggled desperately, only succeeding in earning a self-assured chortle from Naraku, who was free to finish removing the haori.

"I will say you have exceeded my expectations."

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The group wasn't surprised to find the ring of miasma around Naraku's fortress closed. It took them far too long in Sesshomaru's opinion, to break the barrier. Once entering the miasma though, his sense of smell felt painfully dulled. Inuyasha nodded to him, confirming that he was having the same difficulty.

Their ears were not suffering the same fate when a feminine voice pierced the air.

"NO! STOP!"

The fortress walls they were approaching crumble to the ground. Out of the dust hobbled Rain, blood running down her bare chest. The shredded haori hung around her shoulders. She held out her arm for balance, her other hand desperately clinging to her undone pants.

Sesshomaru ran to her, scooping her up. "Rain-chan!"

She looked up weakly, her eyes puffy and red, giving away shed tears. "I broke it..."

"What? What did he do to you?"

"...he took the jewel...I broke it getting away..." She opened her hand, little slivers of red resting in her palm.

Sesshomaru looked sickened, smelling her blood on the shards. He glanced at her bloodied chest only to discover the reason. Many small shards of the Yomigae no Tama were imbedded in her flesh. There were a few holes bleeding freely from where she pulled them out.

"Gomenas-"She passed out in his arms, but her face still locked in a look of agony.

"We should get out of here before Naraku's puppets find us." Kagome called out. "There is some headed this way."

The group fled the compound. As the left the miasma barrier, a scent from Rain's body brought a growl up from Sesshomaru's depths. 'Damn him! How dare he touch her...'

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Sesshomaru and Kaede wore matching grim faces as the elderly miko cleaned the younger woman's wounds. Though she said nothing, Sesshomaru was sure Kaede knew what had happened before Rain staggered out of Naraku's fortress.

"Is she all right to bathe?" Sesshomaru asked, his voice small.

Kaede nodded solemnly. "Just make sure all the soap is rinsed from the poor child's wounds. I shall tell the others that she will be fine."

Sesshomaru nodded and helped Kaede to the door. She cast a knowing gaze over her shoulder.

"Take care of her Sesshomaru-sama. She needs it."

Sesshomaru kneeled next to Rain, stilled unconscious on a futon. "Gomennasai, koi. I did not make it time to protect you."

He pushed a tight curl from her face. " You are so beautiful, Rain-chan. How could anyone want to harm you?"

He lifted her slowly, wishing more than anything she would open her eyes. She was so limp in his arms, but at least he could still feel her heartbeat. 'Not like before...not like when I almost lost her...'

He padded softly to his private bath. Tsuki had laid out everything he would need earlier. He set her down with a towel under her head as a pillow and changed into a plain yukata.

"You've probably seen enough naked man today, ne? No need to make it worse should you wake up."

He pulled the blood stained clothing away from her battered body and folded them into laundry basket. "Tsuki will have the laundry women clean what's left of your clothes. It's really just your tight hakama that survived."

He sighed deeply. "I'm going to wash you now. You'll feel much better. This Sesshomaru is sure of it."

He gently began scrub the dirt and blood off of her skin. He was surprised to find that the skin that didn't see daylight often was even paler. "I had no idea you actually had a tan, koi. It would have been better to find out under better circumstances though. Don't fret. I'll make sure that the scent of that vile monster is gone. I do not doubt that even you could smell him."

He leaned her against him as he worked a treatment into her hair. "Your hair is amazing. I had no idea that curls happened naturally. Just one more thing that makes you so unusual."

It bothered him that she didn't wake up even when he poured cold water over her. Any other person would have snapped to almost immediately. She did get goose bumps though, all along her arms.

"How strange. I never noticed you had freckles on your arms. They're very cute."

Sesshomaru stepped in the the spring-fed bath, still holding her to his body. Rain's skin flushed a sakura pink as the warm water enveloped her. He leaned his head down by hers, kissing her cheek lightly.

"This Sesshomaru would like it much if you would wake up. Don't go anywhere I cannot follow."