AN: I know this is kinda short, but bear with me. I'm sorry that this took so long, my school is taking more of my time now than before. Not to mention that I am writing 5 stories at the same time, -sigh-
DreamyLane, now I accept them. I hadn't even noticed that I didn't... Thanks!
Ah well, this will have fluff... Enjoy!
Chapter 12
The group has stopped for the night, by Inu no Taisho's decision. Aurora had left their camp to secure the area, while Inuyasha had gone hunting. Those who were left at the camp were discussing over what to do next.
Miroku is the first to voice his thoughts. "We know the direction Kikyo took with Kohaku, but there's no trail I can follow. Inu no Taisho, Sesshoumaru." He turns his gaze at the two taiyoukai sitting side by side. They are looking at him. "Can you follow their scents if you would know them?"
The two inuyoukai exchange a glance, before turning back to the houshi. The one to respond to his question is Inu no Taisho. "They have been here too long ago, and it has rained once after that. I can't smell graveyard soil, which Inuyasha told that is the main scent of the resurrected miko."
Miroku's shoulders slump a bit, as he feels desperation. "Could Aurora smell them?"
Sesshoumaru shakes his head. "Dragons have good noses, but inu have better ones."
Kagome sighs. "So, the only option is to go to this direction until I can sense a shard."
Inu no Taisho nods. "So it seems, unless anyone has any other option in mind." He glances up at the tree line. Others follow his gaze to see Inuyasha and Aurora standing there, hanyou carrying a few rabbits.
Aurora can read the question written in the older taiyoukai's golden eyes, and she returns to his gaze with her own, unexpectedly cold one.
Inu no Taisho knows the look in her eyes. "You know something, Aurora." His voice is not unlike a father's who's reprimanding his child.
That voice makes Aurora to avert her eyes from his, and she speaks silent words, audible only to the youkai and the hanyou. "Hai, I know a way to find the two."
Inu no Taisho stands up and with a speed that makes even Sesshoumaru look slow he is in front of her. "Aurora."
She refuses to look at him, instead her gaze is directed at a point somewhere behind him. She knows pretty well, that she has to speak, but she doesn't want to, for she knows all too well what the price of the failure would be. Not to mention that many here wouldn't approve her way.
The older taiyoukai frowns at the young dragon. This is Aurora at worst. Luckily she knows how to handle this. "Stubborn child!" He can't quite keep a growl inside, startling everyone, including Aurora who closes her eyes hoping he would get the hint and retreat.
He reaches out a clawed hand, grasping her chin. He lifts her face up, growling again. "Aurora, look at me." She refuses still, so he tightens his grasp, causing one of his claws to pierce her skin and draw some blood.
She winces and opens her eyes, gazing directly at his eyes. To his surprise her eyes hold no fear, only defiance. "The way I know is more likely doomed to fail than destined to succeed. I am in no obligation to inform of such way, when the miko's suggestion is usable."
He growls at her, moving his hands to her shoulders. "You truly are stubborn! The sooner we find the dead miko and the boy, the sooner we can defeat the hanyou. Not to mention the lives that might be lost while wasting time looking for them the slow way."
She tries to take a step back, to leave his grasp, but he's too strong. And every time she tries to escape he only tightens his grip, reminding her who she is dealing with at the moment.
The others had looked at the two quietly, but as Aurora winces as the older youkai's claws are pressed painfully on her skin, nearly breaking it, Kagome opens her mouth. "Hey!" Everyone turn to look at her. As soon as she has their attention she continues. "There is no need for that! If Aurora says her way is risky, we should listen to her."
Inuyasha gapes at her. "I thought you said once that you didn't want anyone else to die because of the Shikon, save Naraku that is."
She turns her gaze at him. "I know that! I just don't think that a way that might not succeed prevents us from using the way that will take more time, but is more likely to be a success."
The two taiyoukai only glare at her, before turning their attentions to each other. As they growl at each other, Kagome turns to look at the third taiyoukai. "Sesshoumaru, can't you do anything about it?"
He turns to look at her, tilting his head to one side. "About what?"
She points at the two. "Those! What if they actually start fighting or something?"
He turns his attention shortly at the two, before turning his gaze back at the miko. "They will not fight. Aurora knows when to submit." He decides to explain when he sees her concerned expression.
"What the two are doing is about dominance. That is something youkai do often when several strong ones are in the same group. Chichi-ue is reminding her that he is the strongest in here. That will force her to speak. Aurora on the other hand is trying to challenge his leadership, to avoid speaking of the matter.
"These kind of arguments end the moment the other shows signs of submission. Real battle will not be necessary."
She gives him a startled look. "That's..."
He shrugs. "This is the way of the taiyoukai. Worry not, chichi-ue has dealt with behaviour like this from her before. He knows what to do. She is older and stronger now, but I doubt she is willing to start a real fight with him. "
Kagome nods at him, before turning her attention back at the two.
Aurora is trying to escape the older taiyoukai's grasp once again, and as before, she winces as his claws nearly pierce her skin. She growls in frustration meeting his stern eyes with her defiant. I can't back down!
She had heard things that Sesshoumaru told Kagome, and knows that the one backing down will more likely to be her than Inu no Taisho. At this thought she stops struggling, shifting her gaze from his eyes to their feet.
She's expecting him to grasp her chin again as his right hand leaves her shoulder. To her surprise it doesn't go for her chin, but instead she feels his palm on her cheek. She opens her eyes to see his eyes soften a little.
"Aurora, let me decide if we will take your way or continue the other way." He is gazing at her, knowing that he has won from Aurora's sigh. He smirks inwardly. All he had to do was to remind her that she isn't the one in charge.
Aurora nods quietly and begins her explanation, nearly missing Sesshoumaru's approach as he walks to the two to stand next to her. "To find one shard, we need another. That means my shard. Getting it will be not a problem, but using it to find the boy is another thing."
Inu no Taisho urges her to continue. She sighs as he steps back a bit, releasing her and allowing Sesshoumaru to put his hand on her shoulder. Relaxing to the young taiyoukai's touch she continues, missing the shocked looks on her comrades' faces as her own gaze is at Inu no Taisho.
"After we have my shard, we need a piece of the soul of the one we're looking for. That means we would have to take a piece from her reincarnation'ssoul. We need a piece of Kagome's soul."
Silence fills the camp as all, except for Rin and Shippou, realise what she is saying. Taking a piece of Kagome's soul will put her very life in danger, seeing that part of her soul is still elsewhere.
First to break the silence is Inuyasha. "Can't we do that without taking part of Kagome's soul? Could we find Kikyo with only having a connection to her via shard if Kagome would be holding it, or something like that?"
Aurora turns her gaze from father to son. "That could be possible, but it could not work." She turns to look at the father of the two inu brothers. "Are you willing to take the chance?"
Inu no Taisho looks at her, reading the things she wasn't going to say out loud. 'If anything goes wrong, she'll die' is what her eyes ask. He turns his back at them all before speaking. "I will think about this. But whatever the decision is, you must retrieve your shard as soon as possible."
Aurora is about to say something against it, but closes her mouth as she not so much as hears but rather feels words that Sesshoumaru whispers right in her ear, so that the two are the only ones to know what is being said. "Do as he says, Sun-chan. I come with you as far as I can, I will not let history repeat itself."
At his last words Aurora stiffens, but relaxes as he nuzzles her neck soothingly. "You are not alone."
The others can't hear the conversation, but everyone, including Inu no Taisho whose back was still at them, can sense how she is starting to panic, but calms down thanks to Sesshoumaru.
Aurora nods and gazes at Inu no Taisho. "I will retrieve the shard, but I refuse to go alone. I was hoping your older son could join me."
The older youkai turns around with a grim look in his eyes. "Fine, but go immediately. Bring the shard to us. We will wait here until morning, then we head towards the old direction."
