"Death…!" the beast snarls. Large glops of saliva running down the barrier, he tightens his jaws more. 'CRACK,' Sesshomaru's teeth pierce through Naraku's protection and into his enemy's stomach. Sesshomaru had Naraku by his left side. Throwing his massive head back the dog demon throws the spider miles into the air.

Naraku held on to the small child. Sesshomaru's came harder than before, surprising the spider. The dog should be dead tired. Naraku could feel his body fly. The young child sprang from his arms. Naraku didn't care; he had to make sure that Sesshomaru didn't venture too close.

Sesshomaru growled. The naked child fell on his face. The massive beast shakes his head widely trying to dislodge the creature. Long thin and sharp legs piece through the flesh of his muzzle, holding on tightly. Bending low the dog's claws raked over his muzzle, the unnamed boy held on tighter, his small fangs piecing Sesshomaru flesh. The effects of the venom was instant, once again Sesshomaru ignored it in favor of destroying the abomination that had the balls to kill his mate. Kagome might be dead, so Naraku would have to pay for the both of them.

The baby crawled up his face and lodges himself on top of Sesshomaru's left eye. Sesshomaru's ignored the child his massive paw swiping across the ground. In a split second Naraku turns his back to the dog, once again knocking Naraku's left side. The child spat poison into Sesshomaru's eyes. The beast knocks its head on the wall, knocking it down completely. The child fell. Sesshomaru blinked his eyes rapidly as water ran from his left eye. The beast hisses he was blinded in one eye.

The spider demon was not one to allow an opportunity to pass, shifted to Sesshomaru's left. Blindly Sesshomaru swats at him and somehow manages to pin the spider down. Naraku's tentacles attack Sesshomaru's wounded shoulder again. Instinctively the dog hops up on one leg, forcing his full body weight on Naraku. Once again the small spider tried to get on top of Sesshomaru, this time from behind. Though Sesshomaru couldn't see him he could hear his footsteps. When the spider jumped up, Sesshomaru used his tail and knocked him straight out of the air. The child rolled Sesshomaru didn't care at the moment if the child was dead or unconscious.

Over a hundred appendages flew towards Sesshomaru, piercing him in random locations of his upper body. Naraku wiggled his lower right body free, but made no attempt of freeing his entire body. The beast bought his head down, Naraku shot twenty legs into his throat at different angles holding the head up and away from him. The beast retaliates; using one paw he breaks Naraku's left leg and injects his own concentrated poison into the spider's open wound.

Naraku bites down on his tongue and bears the pain. He didn't care what Sesshomaru did to his body, from his heart stayed nestled in his right foot he knew he would be able to regenerate again. That didn't mean that he would allow himself to give up without a fight. The spider tries to desperately release the hordes of demons he had Kagome collect for him, only to realize that Kagome's death didn't eradicate her hold on the demons imprisonment. He had left his other reincarnations behind, the wind sorceress couldn't be trusted and the void demon was watching over her.

Both demons were stuck in a deadlock. The beast was unable to move unless he was willing to loss his head. Naraku was stuck beneath the beast paw. Natsume creep closer. He could hear it, it was Naraku's heartbeat. Making himself known he stands to the right of the fighting men. No one moved, "My Lord!" Natsume calls out. The beast opens his mouth to bark, but blood overflows from his parted lips. Natsume jumps back avoiding being soaked, Naraku was now covered from head to toe in dog blood.

Sesshomaru could feel his life draining from him, but he wouldn't stop until he knew for sure that Naraku was dead. Running on adrenaline alone, he somehow manages to keep the spider down. He hears Natsume's voice, the fox stands in his limited line of vision. The beast was frantic, he didn't know what the black fox was planning, but Sesshomaru didn't want his one friend this close in what felt like a losing battle. He allows the blood to spill that he accumulated in his mouth. He barks for the Natsume to leave, once again the damned fox disobeys. The beast growls to himself, if he lives he will have to punish Natsume for his outright disobedience twice in one day.

Natsume could tell Sesshomaru wanted him gone, but this was the only way the fox could pinpoint the exact location of the heartbeat. On hands and knees Natsume crawls over to Naraku. Sesshomaru tries to swat him away, but he doesn't want to release the villain and he cannot move his head.

Naraku did not know this man, but obviously he was a follower of the western prince, for he had respectfully address Sesshomaru. Naraku hiss as he tries to face the man, he was too close to his right side. Naraku surrounds himself in a cloud of miasma, trying to discourage the man from venturing closer. Natsume coughs, before rising up on his knees. Ripping the sleeves off his shirt he folds the cloth and places it over his nose and mouth. Using his knees alone the fox scoots closer. Naraku release one of his legs from Sesshomaru's throat and attempts to strike the approaching demon. Natsume holds up his hand and the limb burst into flames. Naraku narrows his eyes; he couldn't place a barrier up, because there would be an opening with Sesshomaru's paw in the top. Not knowing anything else to try Naraku slices through Sesshomaru's jaw and neck and tries to attack the fox from his awkward position. Blood sprayed down on the occupants below the dog like rain. Natsume's eyes flash red, "How dare you?" he snarls his hand wrapped tightly around Naraku's neck. Natsume takes this golden opportunity to listen to Naraku's chest. He could hear the echo thump of a beat, but it was low. He knew that wasn't the source. Natsume releases his hold as he presses his ears over Naraku's upper body. His heart wasn't in his chest. The beat was there; his heart had to be near. Maneuvering around the gigantic white paw, Natsume ventures lower. Naraku began kicking wildly, Natsume smiles, he had to be close.

Thump

Thump

THUMP!

"There!" the fox exclaims as he grabs hold of Naraku's ankle. It was a ridiculous and stupid idea to hide such an important muscle there. Every time he ran, walk or kick was a direct attack at his own heart. It was really the last place Natsume would have looked; if Naraku had hidden his heart in his ass he would have believed it more. "He's heart is in his—"

In a desperate attempt Naraku rips his upper body from the open wound across horizontally to the other end. On his hands he launches his upper body. Due to the fact that Natsume was behind Sesshomaru's paw he didn't see the villain coming. Naraku side blinded him. His left hand grab on to Natsume's hair as he digs his right hand into Natsume's chest.

XOXOXOXO

"Who is that?" Inuyasha calls out. Once again he is answered by silence, "Is he the answer? Do I have to look for him?" Inuyasha began to run forwards, "Please tell!"

"My son," Inuyasha froze; he now had a face to the voice. It was his mother.

Cautiously, Inuyasha steps forwards, "Mother," he whispers.

The being shakes her head, but holds out her arms. Like a puppy, Inuyasha ventures to the woman. The woman envelopes he in her arms, and her sweet aroma relaxes Inuyasha. "Mother," he whispers again, his hold tightened around her waist.

She pats his head, "I am not the mother you speak of," Inuyasha looks up at her with wide eyes, "I am the mother of all dog demons." Her fingers gentle massage the young dog's cheek, "I was born C, but crown and commonly known as Lady Luna, goddess of the moon." Inuyasha takes a step back, the face of his mother vanish, instead a young female with light shimmering sapphire eyes looking back at him. She was as tall with knee-length silver hair with cerulean highlights. Her clothing was simple, she wore men clothing. She wore no shoes, but gold chains and bells decorated her ankles and wrist. She wore a necklace, with the pendent of the moon. It caught Inuyasha's attention because it was constantly changing shapes corresponding to the phases of the true moon cycle. She smiled at him as she reaches out for his hand. Inuyasha allows her. Her hands began to glow with a misty silver light; Inuyasha backs away, "I will not harm you." She touches his chest and all his wounds vanish. He had forgotten them.

"Why are we here?" Inuyasha manages to ask after the shock fad away.

The goddess laughs in a sing-song way, "It just as you thought, young one, the gods are just a trouble-making clowns." Inuyasha frowns. The goddess waves her hand as the surroundings change. They are in a vast garden. Inuyasha immediately scans everything. There was a pond, white flowers littered the green foliage and a huge willow tree stood proudly in the middle (FYI: this is the location Inuyasha and Sesshomaru made their relationship official Read the prequel, "Face of Love," to understand). Inuyasha didn't know why, but he felt as if he was here before. He walked down to the water edge. He turns to face her, she locks eyes with his and Inuyasha could see her begging him to try and to understand something, but as hard as Inuyasha tried he couldn't figure out what she wanted him to know. "Why am I here?" he finally breaks down and asks.

She frowns, "Sesshomaru," she whimpers.

"Inuyasha's eyes hardens, "That name again." he points an accusing finger, "Who the hell is he?" She glides over to the hotheaded male. Placing her hand gently on top of his, they both turn to face towards the water. When he realizes that she is not going to answer he repeats his question in a more demanding tone, "Who is he?"

"Look I will show you," a slender finger points to the water. The lake begins to ripple. Inuyasha sees himself and an unknown demon standing together. They seemed to be talking, sound emerged from the water though it sounded warped, and Inuyasha strain his ears to hear. "The only thing you're responsible for little brother…" Inuyasha's eyes doubled as the dog demon grabbed his hand and glided down his stomach. If what that man said was true, they were family. Inuyasha began a coughing fit as he watches himself grab the other's cock.

"STOP!" he yells and kicked a rock into the water.

The deity giggles and covers her mouth with her hand, "But there is so much more."

Inuyasha's face turned bright red. He knew there was more his face, if possible, got redder. "I can't believe you were watching us."

"I wasn't." she answered.

"Then how could you possible known?"

"Sesshomaru thanked me for a wonderful time at the oasis, curious I asked the land what he means. That, and more, is what they revealed to me."

Inuyasha turned to the weeping willow and growled. The foliage of the tree tasseled gently in an imaginary wind as if to plea for his forgiveness. Inuyasha laugh, "Whatever." Inuyasha wonders to the base of the massive weeping willow. He spots the now dirty cloth of Sesshomaru's sash and smiles as he unties it from the root and cradles it in his hand. "Where is he?" he murmurs.

The deity turned her head away, Inuyasha could smell salt water, she was crying. Inuyasha was always soft when women cried, but this terrified him. He march over to the woman and grab hold of her hand forcing her to look at him, "Where is my mate?"

Goddess Luna quickly rubbed her eyes, "They plan on Sesshomaru dying."

Inuyasha's mouth fell open, "Who are they?"

"Lord Death and Lady Chaos," she answers soberly.

"Why?"

The tears began to spill again, "Because you curse us."

"Why should Sesshomaru pay for my wrong?"

"Midoriko and—"

"The priestess of the jewel…?" Inuyasha asks.

She nods her head, "Inuyasha understand we all play a vital part, including us lower ranking deities, in pleasing the god of gods." Inuyasha tries to interrupt, but she holds out her hand to silence him. "The first creatures where created as a gift. They pleased the almighty god, so he set them free from his direct rule so he would see how they would fend for himself." She turned away from Inuyasha as if to recall the memory. "They pleases us as well, we all began to favor them, creating our own to add to the collection. Before we knew it there were millions of you all. Everyone favored and loved by at least one god or goddess." Subconsciously both parties sat down, she continued on. "I created the Dog clan. Unto this day, I favor them over all. I watch from my place in the sky placing my blessing on the land that they fought and claim for themselves, The West."

Inuyasha smiled it was a heartwarming tale, "You will save Sesshomaru then," Inuyasha asks hopefully.

"I can't"

"At least try!" Inuyasha yells at her. He stomp his feet as he rose. "It doesn't matter if I'm already dead. It's not fair for Sesshomaru to have to suffer because of my stupid mistakes."

"I agree."

"Then save him! If you love the west so damn much, you should know it will crumble without Sesshomaru there to lead it."

"I know."

Inuyasha snatch her by her upper arm, "Then let's go kick some all-mighty-god-ass!"

"I am too weak," she grabs on the wrist that is pulling on her. "They were going to kill you, so with the help of Midoriko I bought you to my domain." Once again his surroundings vanish and they are back to the whiteness. Inuyasha began to panic, "Sesshomaru only saving grace now, is that Naraku will not be able to depend upon the power of the jewel."

It didn't calm the half-demon at all.

With pleading eyes he looks to the goddess, "Can I go to him?"

"There's nothing good about goodnight, when it means goodbye."

-Jeff Thomson