OMG can I just say how freaking sorry I am at how long this took to update. A good portion of it I blame on writers block, the other part has been unfortunately life. Work has become pretty unbearable and ridiculous to the point that I decided fuck it I'm going back to school. So then I had to study for the TEAS test for the nursing program, barely made it by the scrape of my teeth and got into the college I've wanted to go to for years now. I swear I kept trying to update this, but no matter what I wrote, I just seemed to hate it.

I can definitely say this isn't my favorite chapter, but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, and can now thankfully get this fanfic back on the track I originally had set for it. :) Thank you everyone for your awesome reviews, and those of you who checked up on me and made sure that I was still alive and well. I seriously can't believe that I got over the review goal I had. Like holy shit! You guys hit me in the feels and make me so happy to be a writer. Now without further ado...

Chapter 14: The Fox and the Hound

What does one say in a painfully awkward situation? It's not what it looks like? He's really my brother from another mother? Somehow, I highly doubt that would go over very well.

Nervously, I allowed myself to glance at Sesshomaru's face, feeling a jolt of surprise when I realized he looked…amused? Did I read that right? Peeking over at Kentaro's direction, he looked positively ready to piss himself. A more expected reaction indeed.

"I … uh… was just passing through and um… she was naked so I just… thought I'd say…hi?" at this, the fox awkwardly waved at me, quite possibly the worst liar I had ever seen. Weren't foxes supposed to be smart? Sly? SOMETHING?! Then again, his flirting technique obviously left a lot to be desired, I shouldn't be too surprised that he wasn't the brightest crayon in the box.

I couldn't resist a snicker, for a moment, feeling fifteen and immature. Someone needed to stop this train wreck before he set himself on fire.

As the silence once more filled the clearing, I could feel my stomach start to twist with dread. However, nothing seemed to happen. Slowly, I peeked at Sesshomaru's face, taking in his relaxed posture and raised brow.

"Are you going to explain, or should I just assume?" I blinked in surprise, before giving him a considering look. It was odd, to be shown this type of respect. He was being so…mature, but I could tell behind that calm exterior, he was anything but ice.

I flushed from the attention, and slowly, the tension inside me ebbed away. I didn't think as I approached him, nor did I second guess myself as I moved my hair away from my neck, tilting my head to the side in willing submission.

His purr against my throat was warm, familiar…arousing. Burning poison brushed my skin, sharp teeth pierced my flesh. I could feel my breath catch in my throat as his scent washed over me, his tongue making slow, sensual designs around his canines.

"He didn't threaten me. There was only talking." I whispered, trying not to shiver at his display of dominance, his claws drawing seductive circles against my bare thigh, his fingers just barely brushing against the hem of my haori.

A warm hum against my neck had me leaning further in to his chest. I could practically feel myself melting into him, his demonic aura calling me to submit, to accept his protection and strength.

It was an odd sensation, this public display of affection. Yet there was something deeper there than PDA. I could feel it in the tenseness of his body, the curve of his lips on my neck, and the moist heat between my thighs.

It was as if we were shouting to the world, I am his, don't touch or you will die a very painful death. It was charming in a way.

"Tell me priestess, how would you like me to handle this fox? Has he done anything to warrant my anger?" I could feel the way his hands curved around my ass, gripping the cheeks in a way that had me keening.
A quick glance at Kentaro's pleading face told me just who had the power in this situation. It was invigorating, and oh so very pleasing.

"Nothing worth worrying over. I told you, I can handle myself. He kept me amused while my lord was away." I could feel his chest vibrate with another rumble, pleased that his female had done so well without his supervision.

As if by some force of magic, a kimono appeared in his hands. It was nice enough, light blue with purple flowers, a simple dark blue obi to tie it with. I took the clothes gratefully, whispering my thanks before escaping his grip and ducking behind one of the nearby trees to get dressed.

"Explain kit, what is a brood of Lord Kazue doing in my lands. I believe your region is in the Eastern lands, is it not?" I blinked at Sesshomaru's words, not quite following. Kentaro was a son of a lord? And Sesshomaru knew his dad? That hadn't exactly been expected.

I couldn't resist peeking around the tree as I slowly removed my ruined haori, not wanting to miss what was bound to be a showdown. Kentaro's face became a shuttered mask, his green eyes narrowed in thought, suddenly looking very much like the animal his kind represented.

"I came seeking asylum in your lands my lord. A good portion of our territory was undertaken by a group of monks, using powers we weren't familiar with. I became separated from my family during the battle, and had hope I could make myself useful to your cause. Even in the East, there are rumors that you have a powerful priestess to fight against the holy uprising."

I could feel my body tremble at his words. There wasn't a doubt in my mind the "powerful priestess" he spoke of was me. The fox didn't bother to hide his appreciative glance my way, no doubt realizing who exactly I was.

"What of your sire? Does he no longer draw breath?" Kentaro's fists clenched for a moment, his nose crinkling in a way that spoke loudly of his frustration. I could feel my heart clench with sympathy, knowing all too well how hard it was to be a million miles from home, and no way to know how my family was doing.

"The last time I saw him, he was being subjugated by the monks. For all I know, the old man is dead. He…he told us to run. To protect mother… but there was just so much going on and I just…" He had run away.

I couldn't even begin to imagine how Kentaro felt. Sure, I had left my family behind, but they were safe on the other side of the well. The most my family ever worried about was how they were going to pay their taxes. I didn't have to worry about some unknown enemy hurting them.

Oddly enough, it reminded me of Shippo and our adventures. Too many times he had been exposed to a similar situation. My little fraidy fox would be trembling from his toes to the tips of his ears and yet somehow he'd still find a way to get us out of a tough spot.

Kentaro's mournful expression pierced my soul, and brought about a realization that regret was a bitter pill that came with a bad aftertaste. It was a subtle reminder that life was short, that change was inevitable, and if you didn't fight like hell, you would lose everything.

Glancing at Sesshomaru, I took in his silver hair, those high cheekbones, golden eyes that awoke dark fantasies. The day would come when our nightly ritual would be a thing of the past. My children, before I could so much as blink, had become adults in this dangerous world, and were now going their own paths.

This time with Sesshomaru dulled the lonely ache their absence caused, but for how long before I was all alone again? Before he grew bored with the same flavor every night?

Shaking my head to disperse those dark thoughts, I walked back over to Sesshomaru, feeling comfortable now that I was fully clothed.

It was just as Sesshomaru had said all those weeks ago. There was an uprising of holy power, and it would only be a matter of time before it crossed the western border.

"This Sesshomaru does not believe in charity. Tell me fox, do you have anything to offer, other than witty banter with the fairer sex?"

For a moment, Kentaro's emerald eyes blazed with outrage, before the fire in them dimmed to subtle smolder. His silky tails thrashed and whipped the air as he turned toward me. I couldn't help but flinch at his hardened expression, and yet something… wasn't right.

"Tell me priestess, have you sensed my presence at all since our greeting?" Blinking, I mulled over his question. Had I? No, I hadn't. Not even when I had zapped him with my power had I even felt a brush of his presence. If not for my eyes seeing him before me, I would not even known he was there.

Giving Sesshomaru an uneasy look, I shook my head. It was odd that even a fox could hide his demonic presence from me. Sure, Shippo had done a similar trick or two, but I could always tell he was in the immediate area. Kentaro however was right in front of my face, and yet he may as well be a weak human energy wise.

"My most dangerous weapon is I can fade into my surroundings. Not even a priestess can sense my presence. I am particularly gifted in illusions, surely an advantage for an oncoming war ne?" With a roar of foxfire, Kentaro became engulfed in a black shadow, his form shifting into something completely different before a ball of black light threw itself at Sesshomaru.

It took a few moments to process what I was seeing. A mirror image of myself wrapped like a seductive harlot around Sesshomaru's waist, my long bluish black strands teasingly hiding what appeared to be my naked form.

"Now, now big mean doggie, time to behave." That was my voice, right down to the tone leaving plump pink lips that whispered sinfully into a pointed ear, my pointer finger tracing lazy circles on Sesshomaru's waist.

I could only stare wide eyed at my doppelganger. A shift in the breeze suddenly revealed seductive black lace wrapped neatly around my posterior.

Was he wearing…a thong. How freaking close was he to hear my explanation of such a thing?! Not to mention…it looked good. I couldn't resist tilting my head, secretly wondering if it would be possible for him to make me a spare…or twenty.

Sesshomaru seemed to notice the direction of my eyes, as his soon followed, before a single silver eyebrow raised in what could only be described as appreciation.

"Fox…remove yourself." My laughter could be heard filling the clearing, though my lips never opened to make the sound. Daringly, he snuggled closer to the dog demon, gently nuzzling maroon stripes.

"But don't you want to see how realistic I am?" Should I laugh? Cry? Despite the situation, I didn't feel the slightest bit jealous. Mortified? Maybe. Humored? Oh yes.

"I also come in travel sizes." This time, when the flames appeared, I didn't tense up, realizing that he would not hurt us.

A tiny fox, no bigger than Kirara's small form sat primly where my reflection had been, his three tails a pile of crimson silk next to him, cute ears dipped in black ink atop his head. Bright red eyes with emerald green pupils stared back at us, two lavender colored strips clawed against each cheek.

'Have I impressed you yet my lord?' A quick glance at Sesshomaru gave the impression of his boredom.

"Priestess, we are leaving." With that, the dog demon turned heel, no longer giving the small fox his attention.

I opened my mouth to beg him to wait, to give the poor guy a chance. How could we just leave him here. Sure, he wasn't a kid like Shippo was, but how could we just abandon him when he was obviously trying so hard to find somewhere to belong.

'WAIT!' Kentaro's desperate plea fell on deaf ears as Sesshomaru continued to walk away. Before I could make a sound, a burst of flames shot in the air, a large fox demon, just slightly smaller than Sesshomaru's demon form revealed inside the burning inferno.

Bright lavender stripes stood out against his red fur. Brilliant large white teeth shone menacingly as his tails whipped in angered agitation. A part of me knew I should put up my barrier, that this beast was not Sesshomaru, and had no attachment to me like his did.

As I stared into those large emerald eyes however, I knew that this was not the same. Where Sesshomaru's beast had seemed like a separate conscious, the demon before me was no different than the man who had previously been flirting shamelessly with me by the lake. All I could see in those eyes were determination to be heard.

How many times had I been confronted with those eyes? The kind that had seen terrible things, and yet still clung to the hope that there was more out there. Here was a demon, throwing away his pride and begging for safe haven, and I'd be damned if we didn't convince Sesshomaru to help him.

Something in my expression must have spoken my thoughts to the demon, because for just a moment, he gazed at me with a grateful expression, before suddenly my feet were no longer touching the ground.

With an oof, I landed heaving on a pile of silken red fur, only getting a moment to hold on, before suddenly I felt as if we were the wind itself.

Sesshomaru's aggravated expression was the last thing I saw before colors and whispers of the wind all blurred together.

Kentaro was fast, incredibly so. I could feel Sesshomaru's demonic energy explode, and knew he was giving chase in his demon form, the sounds of cracking wood and angry howls echoing in my ears.

"Kentaro! I don't think pissing him off is going to achieve anything!" I screamed against the wind and fur, coughing as it kept flying into my mouth.

'He asked me if I had anything to offer. He shall see that this fox is not easy to capture. Let him give chase. He will never catch me.' Well, you had to give him credit, he had balls pissing off Sesshomaru like this. I could only pray he'd still have them when Sesshomaru got his claws on him.

A glance behind me however told me that Kentaro might actually stand a chance. I could see his fox magic at work, trapping Sesshomaru again and again roots and vines, slowing the angry beast down enough to give Kentaro the lead.

It was clear Kentaro could be sly and clever when the need arose, not to mention quick on his feet…paws. As Sesshomaru got close enough to snap at Kentaro's chest, the fox skidded to a stop, quickly turning and delivering a sharp kick to Sesshomaru's face, before taking off in the direction we had just came from.

It was soon becoming clear that Sesshomaru's demonic energy was no longer simmering with restrained anger. In fact, he felt more…amused? I was suddenly reminded of how he would chase the children, the enjoyment of the hunt giving us all a secret thrill as we ran from his playful nips.

Sure, Kentaro was running a lot faster than we had, sometimes ducking under Sesshomaru's large body, before running off with ground breaking speed. The fox's taunting yips and sassy tail whips however spoke volumes that he did not feel threatened by Sesshomaru's howls every time the slippery red blur escaped another brush of his slobbery jowls.

A sudden shadow above us however, made me wondering if Sesshomaru forgot that I was in fact still aboard as he dove for us from the air, making me squeak in fear, a reflexive prayer enveloping us with a protective barrier, causing the dog to go flying to the ground below.

'Oooh. That's useful.' I rolled my eyes at Kentaro's commentary, inwardly wondering how angry Sesshomaru was going to be when he realized I stopped him from maiming us into doggy bacon strips.

"Yeah well don't get used to it foxface. I can't keep a barrier this big going for very long." Black tipped ears seemed to perk up at this bit of information. Before I could even mentally prepare myself, fox fire engulfed around us, and yet as the flames licked my bare thighs, pain never registered.

Kentaro had made himself half his original size, my thighs easily draped across his back. It reminded me of the days we rode on Kirara, though back then I had underwear…

Shifting in embarrassment, I tried not to think too hard about it.

Without much thought, I adjusted the barrier to fit his smaller form, unable to stop myself from jumping when Sesshomaru began using the barrier as some form of chew toy, his poison lathering the orb with a noxious fume that made me light headed.

"Sesshomaru! Cut that shit out right now!" I growled, not in the least bit impressed by the dog's lack of tact.

For a moment, it seemed like Sesshomaru wouldn't listen, however, as one of his long white ears perked up at the sound of my voice, I could tell I had his attention.

'Fox took priestess. I take priestess back.' I rolled my eyes at his logic, biting my lip to resist the growing urge to zap his furry ass.

"So… what? You're gonna melt us both?!" The dog demon seemed to ponder this over, obviously never quite thinking that far in the whole retrieve the priestess game he had going.

"Look, Kentaro took me because you were being too stubborn to listen to him. Since he's got your undivided attention, would you just sit still for five freaking seconds and hear him out?!" I watched as crimson eyes narrowed at me, not particularly pleased about being dressed down by his own bitch, but seeming to understand that I wasn't going to drop the barrier till he learned to sit down and behave.

I could feel Kentaro relax underneath me, his heavy panting from our crazed run slowing just slightly as he laid on the ground before the massive silver haired giant, his head tilted to the side in willing submission as I had done not too long ago.

'Release your barrier priestess.' I jolted at the sound of Kentaro's voice, feeling unsure as I glanced at Sesshomaru, who sat unperturbed in front of us, his crimson eyes unblinking as he stared at us.

"Uh…I don't think thats a very good idea." I mumbled. The dog demon yawned, showcasing large deadly looking teeth before slowly laying down on his stomach, his nose gently touching my barrier, not even blinking it burnt his sensitive flesh.

As much as I didn't want to get Kentaro hurt, I couldn't bear to hurt Sesshomaru more, and with a defeated sigh, I dropped the barrier, waiting for the moment large white teeth ripped Kentaro's head from his body.

It never happened.

Sesshomaru crawled closer, staying on his belly as if to tell me he meant no harm to my current charge. Kentaro kept his head ducked low, his and shoulder exposed as Sesshomaru dipped his nose into the crook of his shoulder and sniffed, as if verifying by scent the depth of the foxes submission.

I couldn't stop my flinch as a swift bite appeared from nowhere, his teeth just slightly breaking skin, the scent of his poison thick in the air. I felt my stomach turn at the sight, everything inside of me begging to protect to the submissive fox whose quick wit had so easily gotten under my skin.

'Do not cry my pretty priestess. This demon has earned his right into my pack. He has earned trust from my bitch. Has impressed this mighty dog. This bite claims him under my house, and grants him sanctuary in my lands.' I couldn't fight back the sob of relief that shook through me, or the urge to hug Kentaro's silky fur, whispering my congratulations.

A soft purr greeted me from the tired body below me, his tails wagging lethargically as he once more became engulfed in fox fire. I wasn't scared this time however, knowing without a doubt his flames would never harm me.

I couldn't stop the blush as I soon realized my thighs were now hugging his bare back, silky soft flesh was no longer protected by thick red fur.

"I did it princess. Guess… you'll have to tell me your name now huh." I couldn't resist giggling at the familiar flirtatious voice, nor the soft smack to the head at his idiocy.

"It's Kagome. Good job…Kentaro." His pained laugh instantly had me checking his neck, making sure Sesshomaru hadn't punctured the idiot too deep.

"Kagome… I have to say, your name doesn't suit you at all. You seem too free, to be a bird locked in a cage." His emerald eyes seemed to sparkle mysteriously as he stared at me. Without thinking, my lips twisted sadly.

How could he know after all, that for as long as I could remember, I had been a bird in a cage. Sure, sometimes the cage changed shapes. But a cage was still a cage.

It almost seemed as if he wanted to say something, but as the poison worked through his bloodstream, his eyelids closed, and his breathing evened out into a deep sleep. It reminded me of the first few times Sesshomaru had shared his poison with me, concocting it into an antidote for whatever new foolish thing I had poisoned myself with.

I had slept for practically a week, waking up long enough to vomit whatever broth Kaede managed to force down my lips, before I'd fall into another exhausted sleep.

"He's going to be okay right?" I asked, glancing over at the large white beast that still lay next to me.

'If he does not survive, he is not worthy of being in this Sesshomaru's pack.' I rolled my eyes at this.

"I hope thats not what you thought when you kept giving me those antidotes way back when." There was something about the sparkle in those scarlet eyes that had my hackles raised. He couldn't be serious…right.

"You better not be saying that the antidote you gave me could have killed me dog, or your gonna have a hell of a lot of shit to answer for." My angered growl only seemed to cause his tongue to fall out of his mouth, his tail wagging in barely contained amusement.

'Priestess was going to die either way.' I could only gape at him. Was he saying that he didn't even know if I was going to survive in the first place! It tore apart my original feelings of gratefulness from those days so long ago.

How many times had Rin sent word to him during those harsh winters begging him to help me. How many times had I deliriously laid in his arms as he made small cuts on my arms, tasting my blood to distinguish what exactly I had ingested before gently biting my neck, forcing his own poison in my body to counteract my idiocy.

Every day he would give me the barest amount of his poison, using it like a demon made antibody to fight off whatever was attacking my body.

It had been one of my favorite memories, the softness of his lips against my neck, his tongue fodder for my fantasies as it lapped my blood. Sighing sadly, I knew I shouldn't be so upset about it. After all, in the end, he had saved me. It was a little too late to be upset about it now.

'Pup fantasized about it too. Your blood was always so exquisite. We looked forward to tasting it every time girl pup called for us.' I couldn't resist a small smile at that little tidbit, gently brushing my fingers over the stripe on the beasts large cheek.

"Is that why he likes to bite me so much?" I teased, snuggling closer to his silken warmth, loving the way his aura seemed to wrap around me like a purring blanket.

'Bitch blood tastes good. We wanted to get you immune quickly, so you could bare strong thick pups.' Uh…what? I turned to look into those eyes, looking for any signs that he might be teasing me.

Hadn't Sesshomaru made it clear he didn't want pups? Then again, when we had that discussion, he had been pretty pissed off at me. Perhaps he had been more angry that I didn't want pups? I couldn't forget the look on his face when we had later discussed the meaning of his poison, and how I had long since built an immunity to his poison, that I had the ability to carry his pups.

He had commented on the sweetness of my scent then, as I envisioned a little boy with milky white hair and bright golden eyes. I watched as those green irises dilated, the large white beast taking a thick whiff of my scent.

'Priestess makes the sweetest scent, like ripened fruit, when you think of pups.' Did I? The very thought of such a thing filled me with a yearning I couldn't explain. Every baby I delivered filled me with that secret happiness as I held their crying helpless body against my breast, cooing at them about how happy we were to finally meet them. The sadness I felt every time I placed them into their mothers waiting arms.

It was something I had craved, but after the fallout with Inuyasha, it was a dream that had long since died. I had instead focused my attentions to strengthening my skills and knowledge. Pouring all my love into Shippo and Rin, knowing that they were probably as close to having my own children I would ever have.

A part of me cursed Sesshomaru's beast, for giving me something precious like hope. We didn't have the type of relationship that would end with children. This was a contract. Besides, Sesshomaru hated half breeds. There was no way he would ever allow such an abomination to fill my womb. He knew it. I knew it. There was no need to discuss it.

"You say the silliest of things beast. You should know that I will never carry your pups. Not now…not ever. He'll never allow it…and neither will I."

The beast only chortled, apparently amused by my words, before nudging me to crawl onto his back. With a gentleness I did not think him capable of, he moved Kentaro's slumbering body next to me, before standing up.

Despite how much running around we had done earlier, we apparently weren't far from camp. I couldn't help but sigh with relief when I realized they had found a small lake nearby, and everyone was properly cleaned.

I was quite positive if they hadn't, that Sango would kill me for leaving them filthy.

"It's about time you guys came back. We already started on dinner without you." Sango called, not even batting an eyelash at our flashy arrival, though she did give a questioning look at the demon Sesshomaru carried on his back.

"Hopefully you saved me some." I joked, though to be quite honest, I was starving. I hadn't exactly had breakfast…or lunch…

Looking back at the beast, he seemed to have no problem allowing Kentaro to roll off his back and onto the ground with an oof, before giving a nice long shake of his thick white fur and then he was gone, his humanoid form appearing in a blaze of light.

"Eat quickly, we will depart shortly. The village is a short distance from here." A chorus of cheers and excitement filled the air at his words. I couldn't help but gasp in astonishment. Were we really that close to the village? With his beasts joyride last night, I had feared he had taken us far off from our destination. Could it truly be possible that we were closer than expected?

It didn't take us long to scarf down our dinner. As we ate, Sesshomaru took it upon himself to sneak off, returning shortly with one of our horses that had run off during the fire. The steed looked decently okay, obviously finding shelter from the voracious flames we had previously escaped.

Kentaro was thrown onto his back, and without thought, I took the reins, gently scratching behind the large creatures ear, requesting his help for just a little while longer. With a snorting chortle, the horse walked willingly with us, taking no notice to the slumbering fox demon on his back.

The village hadn't been far at all. In fact, it laid about five miles west, though a good portion of it had been going up the hills that concealed it from our view. We just barely made it before nightfall, taking in the sights of a large town guarded by watchtowers and well made buildings.

As we crossed the threshold, I couldn't help but feel trepidation. We had finally made it to the village. Sesshomaru had filled his part of the bargain so…now what?

I know, no smut. Believe me, it broke my heart too. But seriously, I needed to get them in the freaking village before I lost all hope for this story lol! I seriously can't believe how long this chapter took me to write. I'm not kidding, I think I had five different ideas running. I ended up taking pieces of each of those ideas, and copying/pasting them into this story to make it what it is now.

To be honest, the hardest part was deciding what Kentaro's role would be in all this. I had a bunch of conflicting ideas, and in the end, this was the one I felt fit best. Thank you guys again for your patience, I promise, this next chapter should be out within the next two weeks!