AN: I'm sorry for how late this one is~! TT^TT I've been struggling with writing this one, mostly due to motivation. This is something I have a problem with in all my stories. So, in an effort to overcome this, I've posted this chapter (though it isn't much done) to try and rekindle my want to write this. I apologize it has taken so long, again, and I promise I will update within the week!

"POV language."

"POV different language."

"POV mental speech."

"POV different language mental speech."

10

The castle of CovenHaven's thick-set silhouette stood erect against the receding light of day. The sun had set minutes before and its pale halo was the only thing left visible from behind the forested horizon. A peach hue painted the fortress and the gardens around it while birds and other forest animals quieted. The trees rustled in the lukewarm breeze that slowly caressed the earth as the light died. Not yet night, yet no longer day. It was dusk; the hour that Naraku took delight in the most. He told no one of his ventures to the balcony of his chamber during this time. Most within the castle would find his fascination of daylight unbecoming of a king. Yet, the thought of ridicule and questioning did not keep Naraku from waking hours before his court to watch the sun's light fade behind the horizon. It was reminiscent to him. He did know – nor remember- why.

"Your Majesty,"

Crimson eyes turned away from the scene to meet the voice. Standing in the door to his balcony, Byakuya presented himself, giving a deep bow in greeting. The human kept his eyes from lingering on the nude form of his lord.

"Byakuya," Naraku acknowledged. "Has Inuyasha come?"

The assistant wasn't surprised that Naraku had guessed what he had to report.

"Yes, Your Majesty. He travelled during the day with his lieutenant and has arrived ahead of our predicted time."

Naraku chuckled.

"Yes, he is quite fond of throwing the Clan Leaders off in such ways. I assume he is with his mother presently?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. Shall I summon him?"

"No," Naraku sighed as he pushed away from the stone railing, "I will go to them. I haven't seen the Lady in quite some time now."

Byakuya had to bite his lip to hide his irritation towards the woman.

'Retched Izayoi,' his mind whirred, 'the Lupine bitch is in no way deserving of His Majesty's attention.' Brows creased, Byakuya bowed his head and did his best to extinguish his anger. His Majesty could no doubt sense it about him.

"Very well, Your Majesty." He struggled, moving to the side as his master passed. "Shall I inform them beforehand?"

"There is no need, Byakuya. Where would the fun in that be?" the king responded, amused slightly by the anger Byakuya showed towards the previous queen.

"I supposed there would be none, Your Majesty."

Naraku's deep chuckle echoed around the spacious chamber as he approached his wardrobe.

"You suppose correctly."

Byakuya said nothing as he moved to wait for his lord by the door opposite the balcony. His eyes wandered around the chamber as he tried to think of anything but the Lady Izayoi, scrutinizing silently over the detailed paintings that were spread about the walls. He did his best not to pay too much mind to the morbidity of the content within the pictures, deciding it was best not to consider the depictions of subjugated humans ones held personal to his lord. It was the order of things, Byakuya mused, closing his eyes to the disturbing visual.

"Byakuya," Naraku called as he slipped a coat over the tan dress shirt he now adorned. "You seem to be having troubling thoughts over there. Will you share them with me?"

Byakuya snapped out of his thoughts as he focused in on the Vampir that began approaching him.

"I-It's nothing, sire." He responded quickly. A drop of sweat ran down his brow. Naraku smiled at Byakuya and the man begun to feel his blood chill.

'His eyes,' he thought shakily, 'he's . . . angry with me?'

His gaze searched Naraku's face, fear beginning to pulse through his veins as he tried to decipher the sudden dark light that had raced through his lord's eyes. Naraku said nothing as he met the stare with his own. An amused smile played across the Vampir's lips before he simply chuckled and began strolling past to the door.

"Are you coming, Byakuya?" Naraku asked, his voice dropping low. Byakuya swallowed slightly before shaking off his fear.

'Ridiculous,' he thought, his brows furrowing, 'what would my lord have to be angry at me for? I have done nothing.'

"Yes, sire," he answered, brushing aside the confusion that raced through him to follow after his slowly retreating master. As he began to close the chamber door after himself, though, Byakuya could not ignore the slight abnormality on his lord's desk that had not been there beforehand.

'A . . . letter?' Byakuya's thoughts raced. He had not given his lord that letter. Who had? Eyes narrowing, Byakuya did not question the object as he closed the door and hurried to fall in step behind his lord. However, he had no doubt in his mind that the reason for his lord's sudden moment of anger had sprung from that letter.

~ . . . ~

Inuyasha's nose buried itself in the black tresses of the woman's hair as he took in her scent. His golden orbs fell closed as he became engulfed in the tame aroma of a freshly bloomed cherry-blossom trees fused with the warm scent of linens.

"I missed you," he whispered as he held his mother. The woman giggled softly, the light wrinkles about her mouth and eyes creasing.

"And I you, my little white-haired pup." She replied as her arms wrapped around her son's neck. Inuyasha pulled away with a smile, placing his hands on his mother's waist to gently guide her over to her bed.

Moonlight trickled into the tower's loft causing the air about the room to glow white. The light sheets that covered the tall windows to the right of the bed moved inwards in the slight breeze that passed through. Inuyasha sat his mom down on the empress-sized bed adorned in pink silken sheets with blossom prints. He lay down beside her.

"So," his mother began heartedly, "tell me of your ventures on the battle front."

Inuyasha sighed as his eyes drifted shut. He was tired of the war, as were all of his soldiers, and he wasn't one to eagerly speak of it. However, his mom was an exception.

"Things are currently at a standstill." Inuyasha drawled gruffly, "Kouga's returned to Wolf Valley for recovery time and his second-in-command, Ayame is currently in charge. They aren't keen on picking any fights because their head general is gone and, because Sesshomaru is currently away, we're unfortunately in the same situation."

Izayoi nodded mutely before a quizzical look crossed her face. She turned to her son and her ears wilted slightly in confusion.

"Sesshomaru is not on the battlefield?"

"No," Inuyasha replied, peaking open one eye, "he was called back here by Naraku."

Izayoi frowned.

"That is strange."

Inuyasha sat up, peeling away the bandana the head wraps crowning his white hair so he could release his ears.

"How?"

Slowly, worry pooled into Izayoi's eyes.

"I had heard no word of Sesshomaru ever coming back here."

"That is because Sesshomaru never did come back here. Or, at least, not officially so."

Inuyasha and Izayoi turned to the door of the room as the new voice added itself to the conversation. Seeing Naraku, both stood and offered a low bow.

"Oh, come now," Naraku opposed, "I am familiar enough with both of you that neither needs to bow."

Inuyasha wasted no time in returning to a stand.

"Hated bowing to an ass like you anyways." He grumbled under his breath, rubbing the back of his head while his ears twitched in annoyance.

"Inuyasha," Izayoi warned. Naraku smiled.

"It is quite alright," he addressed pleasantly, coming to stand near the two. "Inuyasha does quite a bit for this country. Hearing him whelp every now and then can be overlooked."

A vein appeared on Inuyasha's head.

"Whelp?" he ground out. Naraku ignored him as he bowed before Izayoi suddenly, grabbing her hand delicately in his and kissing it tenderly.

"I cannot, however, overlook how little I come to see you, Milady." He flattered against the back of her hand. Izayoi smiled and back in the doorway, Byakuya rolled his eyes.

"That is quite alright, Naraku. You do enough for me as it is, you need not prostrate yourself."

"I do when addressing the one who raised me."

Izayoi chuckled lightly while an enraged aura began to emanate from Inuyasha.

"Formalities aside," Naraku said now, releasing Izayoi's hand and moving to look out one of the tower windows, "I must inform you of Sesshomaru's condition."

Inuyasha's anger dwindled into a grim countenance as he crossed his arms. His red armor clinked in response. Izayoi glanced from the tense form of Naraku to the equally rigid form of Inuyasha.

"What . . ." she started hesitantly, "has happened?"

A silence fell over the two before Naraku turned to the two of them.

"Sesshomaru has been swallowed by the abyss of the Pitch Caves."

Izayoi's eyes widened as her hands came to rest over her heart in worry. Inuyasha did his best not to scream when he said, "That's impossible. I knew something was up when you only said he might be dead in your letter. Why in the hell would Sesshomaru be in the Pitch Caves in the first place?"

"He was running an errand for me."

"With 200 soldiers? He left the battlefield with them, Naraku, what kind of errand requires that many arms?"

"The errand of taking Wolf Valley."

Izayoi tensed slightly.

"Wolf . . . Valley?" Inuyasha spoke in disbelief. Naraku smiled.

"Quite."

". . . Why?"

Naraku moved across the room, beginning a steady pace back and forth as he prepared to be questioned.

"To claim a treasure I have sought for quite some time now. One kept secret from the world."

"The Lupine have no such treasure." Izayoi whispered, not realizing that the tone of her voice had grown defensive.

"None that you would know of, Milady."

The woman tried to keep her offended response from showing in her expression. Her ears wilted back slightly.

"Okay, so that still doesn't explain how Sesshomaru would just fall down a hole in the Pitch Caves! He's an idiot but at least he knows how to avoid an edge!"

"Let's just say Kouga was not so easily willing to let his treasure be taken."

"They were attacked?"

"By day." Naraku answered simply.

"How many dead?"

"199 out of 201."

Inuyasha's sharp intake of breath did not go unnoticed by Izayoi.

"Who were the two survivors?" she asked.

Naraku's face was unreadable as he stopped his pacing.

"Tensoumaru of the Taisho Clan, Sesshomaru's lieutenant, and Sesshomaru himself."

"I thought you said he was dead." Inuyasha bit out.

"I believe, in my letter, Inuyasha, I said that Sesshomaru might be dead. His demise has not been confirmed."

"Why didn't you just put that in the letter in the first place?" Inuyasha snapped.

"Because I need you to retrieve from him, Inuyasha, my treasure. Wither he be dead or alive, the object I seek fell with him and I require it in my hands before the summer solstice that will take place in a couple of weeks."

"The summer solstice?" Izayoi put forth. "Why the solstice?"

"Such things are not yet ready to be revealed, Lady Izayoi."

"Feh!" Inuyasha huffed as he walked over to the window. He allowed the slow night breeze to cool his head. He wasn't ready for such a heated discussion as this. He was tired. Yes, because he was half Lupine, he could travel during day hours. However, it was still taxing on him, and after travelling about a week to get to CovenHaven with minimal breaks he was utterly exhausted.

"Why me?" Inuyasha said finally, "why Miroku?"

"Because I would trust no one more than yourself to retrieve the treasure for me in the event of Sesshomaru's death." Naraku replied darkly. Inuyasha glanced towards his mother once before sighing.

"And Miroku?"

"You will need assistance. The wolves are searching for this treasure as well."

"Taking one of your head generals away from the battlefield is reckless, Naraku."

"Bankotsu is a more than able General."

"He's going to cause unnecessary trouble with his group, you're aware of that?"

Naraku smiled.

"Quite."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes before moving to the door of the room. Next to the large portal –where Byakuya stood angry and forgotten- a large object leaned against the wall. The hybrid Vampir grasped the hilt of his Tessaiga before strapping it onto his back and turning to his king.

"Any suggestions of how to enter the caves without encountering any Lupine?" Inuyasha asked hotly. Naraku smiled before bowing slightly to Izayoi and meeting his irritant general at the door.

"Follow me."

~ . . . ~

"So this is it?" Miroku asked as he stared, unimpressed, at the wooden door before them. The obvious lack of enthusiasm pouring off his lieutenant's body began to irritate Inuyasha as a vein appeared on his forehead.

"Yeah. It is. You know, if you're not into this, Miroku, you shouldn't have come in the first place." Inuyasha ground out.

"Inuyasha," Miroku addressed eloquently, "if an activity presented before me lacks beautiful women and alcohol I am – for the most part- not going to be very 'into it'. I thought you would have realized that about me after the past 24 years. Also, it is not as if I had much of a choice coming down here in the first place."

"Well you could at least act like this is a job."

"I am."

"No, you're not!"

"Inuyasha. Finding Sesshomaru is very important to me."

"Yeah, can you repeat that with a little more actual feeling in your voice?"

"But, I'm serious! Despite how often he calls me 'useless' and interrupts my illicit activities I really do care for that guy!"

"I'm leaving."

"Wait," Miroku called as Inuyasha opened the wooden door in front of them and entered into the tunnel, "I was just joking around, Inuyasha! I could never find Sesshomaru more important than a fine woman!"

"Quit it, Miroku." Inuyasha huffed as he reached towards a dead torch on the wall. Plucking it from its socket, he then dipped the head into the basin of Houou that sat beneath it. Squeezing the excess out of the torch wrappings with his hand, Inuyasha wiped the rest off on his thigh before he leaned forward and blew on the torch. It ignited and instantly the cave around them became visible. Miroku whistled as he marveled at how far down the tunnel seemed to descend.

"So the legends of Sukoba's maze really are true?" Miroku wondered aloud. Inuyasha rolled his shoulders beneath his heavy armor before closing the door behind them and making his way down the tunnel path. "I didn't think there would be an entrance underneath the castle."

"Do I even want to know what this legend is about?" Inuyasha grumbled as Miroku fell into step behind him.

"You don't already?" Miroku asked in astonishment.

"If you didn't guess by me asking, Miroku, no, I don't."

"That's quite odd. I'm pretty sure your father had a lot to do with the legend."

"Inutaisho?" Inuyasha astonished.

"Yeah. The legend goes that this Lupine slave and a Vampir court painter fell in love with one another and used this huge expanse of maze underground to meet secretly. Eventually they were found out and your father executed them. This was back before The 50 Years of Peace, pretty ironic, huh?"

Inuyasha's face became shadowed as he considered his father and his mother's marriage.

"Yeah." He muttered. Miroku watched Inuyasha's expression morphed into a deadpan and began to regret telling his childhood friend the story in the first place. As a child born of a Vampir and a Lupine, Inuyasha was probably disturbed to hear that his father had executed a pair of lovers much like his parents. Miroku needed to change the subject.

"Anyways, I had thought that all of the entrances into the maze had been destroyed?"

"They have." Inuyasha countered. Miroku frowned.

"Then why are we down here?"

"So we can get into the Pitch Caves without Kouga noticing."

"Through . . . the maze?"

"Where else?"

"But I thought you just agreed that all the entrances were closed!"

"They are!"

"Then what are we doing down here-"

Miroku stopped his attack when the path in front of them suddenly stopped, blocked by a pile of rubble and rocks that seemed foolish to dream of moving.

"See what I mean, Inuyasha? We can't get in through here."

"Oh, would you just stop talking, Miroku! We're just gonna burst through the damn thing!"

"We don't have explosives, Inuyasha. And even if we did, it would be too dangerous. How are we going to do-" Miroku froze in place as Inuyasha approached the obstacle, slowly pulling out his Tessaiga. "No." Miroku moaned. "Inuyasha, you'll bring the entire tunnel down around us!"

A determined smirk slowly paved its way onto Inuyasha's face.

"Not if we move fast enough and I time this Wind Scar right."

Miroku closed his eyes and tried to quell his retort. It was foolish to argue with Inuyasha. Shifting the pack of supplies strung over his shoulder, Miroku drew the staff that was strapped to his back. His dark purple armor creaked.

"This is insane." He sighed as he prepared himself to run. "We're risking our lives here, you know?"

"Aren't we always?" Was Inuyasha's answer as he pulled the black cloth covering the blade of his sword away and brought the weapon in front of him. Miroku could feel the ancient magic pooling off the sword in waves, the raw feeling of power emanating from the weapon never ceasing to amaze him. Then he remembered what his idiot general was about to do and the amazement depleted.

"We're gonna die." He whispered comically to himself, "I'm gonna die."

"Oh, shut up, Miroku," Inuyasha grunted as he pulled his sword over his head, "you are not. Going. To. Die!"

He swung and an earth-shattering wave of power and yellow light shot forth from the sword and collided into the rubble. An explosion echoed around the tunnel and the dust and smoke that rose up rendered Miroku blind.

"Inuyasha?" he screamed over the quaking of earth, "Run now?"

"Yes! Run now!"

And Miroku ran forward. The only words that came out clearly in his mind as he ran, though, were simple.

'The trust I put in this guy is going to kill me one of these days.'

~ . . . ~

Kouga didn't have to inspect the blood on the luminescent, blue rock face closer to understand that it was his sister's. Anger boiled through his body as his lips drew back and his canines became visible.

"I'm going to kill that bat-scum!" he growled as his blue eyes burned. The small group of Lupine soldiers led by Kouga had finally reached the bottom of the shaft that the princess had fallen into after a week-long descent. It had taken a copious amount of their rope but they had managed and Kouga was more than eager to search out his sister and bleed the life out of the Vampir that was with her.

"Now, Kouga," Ginta dared, "we can focus on Sesshomaru later. For now, we just need to think about finding little Rin."

"Yeah, let's just focus on Rin for now, Kouga." Hakkaku chimed. Kouga's scowling face, highlighted in the glow of the blue rock, softened.

"You're . . . right." He admitted. The killing aura around him dissipated. Kouga rose from the crouching position next to the flecks of blood and brushed himself off.

"These caves must expand for days. They probably went deeper to find a way out, though I doubt they have yet. We'll follow Rin's scent and catch up to them!"

"Yeah!" Ginta cheered.

"That's the spirit, Kouga!" Hakkaku added.

Kouga suppressed the positive feeling that stirred from his lieutenants' enthusiasm, hardening the stern persona he had adorned. He had no time to fool around. He had to find his sister.

"Alright then, all of you," Kouga addressed to his small party, "let's head further in." The pack leader began walking towards the tunnel entrance leading deeper into the caves, the scent of his sister strong but waned over the passage of a few days. The Lupine was determined. He would find Rin.