Summery: Four years after the defeat of Naraku, a stranger from Sesshomaaru's past shows up, her heart lost and clouded. Driven from her kingdom, she finds comfort in her old childhood friend... but old feelings surface into something more then just friendship.

Disclaimer: I do not own any Inuyasha Characters or their stories, they are to Rumiko Takahashi.

It was dark so fast and he felt a sting like nothing he had ever before. It blacked him out and left him only mildly aware of fangs in his neck and the feeling of flying before being laid on the ground. It was a strange sensation to have felt. And voices of concern, then he had completely blacked out. At least that's what he could remember before losing consciousness. How long ago was that battle anyway?

What was the feeling he was getting now? It was burning his side and he could smell a flesh burn and it was waking him. Wait… he lost the battle. He opened his eyes and groaned faintly as he attempted to sit up.

"Stop Sesshiro lay still!" a woman said harshly.

He felt a hard pressure at his chest from two sets of hands pressed to hold him down and the only thing that kept him from fighting the two females was the shock of losing a battle one on one. He had not lost a one on one battle in over a hundred eighty years. He felt weak and what was worse, the wager in which he had battled. His father won and thus won right to his mother in the proper way, and he showed himself his alpha.

He growled low as he shifted at a sharp pain to his body. It hurt all over and he was stunted to remember why. His father… a dog, he learned to use a dragon's breath somehow. The only way he could think it possible was by a dragon allowing him to earn such power and a dragon teaching it to him. His mother, she must have allowed more trust to the dog youkai then Sesshiro ever thought.

She had to have given his some part of her to allow him any dragon power. Her blood, a feather fur, even her aura. Something had to have been given to allow a dragon ability of that power, and a good amount indeed. But what did she offer him back then?

Maybe that something is why he is still in pursuit of her even after all this time. Sesshiro had always thought that she hated his father, and he felt she held malice toward him. Now however, he was seeing the male charging headlong to save her just as he, as her son, would do now if he was not incapacitated currently. Next to that was a searing pain he felt all over.

"Sesshiro… are you alright?"

A woman spoke again, this time it was calmer and gentler then before. He couldn't help but shift his still red clouded gaze to his left, following the soft sound of her voice.

Low and behold, his eyes set on the young Rin. The little human girl of no more than eleven or twelve years old however, right now in her eyes she held a calm older way about her. It took him by surprise to see the silly young girl who acted like a mere child was far different now. Serious and calm.

She was holding him down as best she could, but he knew if he moved she would not be able to hold a demon as strong as he. It would be a feat that was impossible for a human female no matter their age. He was still in a mild daze about what had happened as well, and for him it was something of great oddity.

His eyes fell to his right, but he stopped before he got there and instead looked ahead. A figure stood leaning against the far wall and it was not until he used his nose did he realize who it was. He was still here. He had not left and this caused him to force his body up into a sitting position.

The young girl and the other female, the priestess Kagome, protested his moving but it was a burst of pure adrenaline that got him up. The females pulled and tugged at his arms to try to get him down, all the while they spoke of his condition and how he needed to sit still. He did not hear them when the man stood there, staring when he could be trying to save his mother now.

"Why…. Why are you still here!" he roared as he stumbled to his feet.

He felt light headed when he made a step forward, the red in his eyes shining brighter as a result of his demonic side border lining between calm and mayhem. It was that side that was keeping him from falling now from the pain and weak feeling of his body. His steps stopped in front of the demon, but it was the surge of demonic aura that stopped him in his tracks.

His father had proved to be a powerful warrior and proved he was stronger than he was. It took a blow to his ego to understand what was giving him that power, that will to fight with brutal accuracy. He had something to prove and someone to care for. Just as he did, they cared for the same person and would die for her.

He wouldn't say anything. For the longest time and it started to feel like forever and everything around him seemed to blur and seemed blocked out. Everything but the demonic aura his father lightly let off to warn him to settle down. He may have stopped, but Sesshiro was not about to back down in his stance no matter how weak it may have seemed. He would not back down in his desire for an explanation as to why he was not saving his mother. To Sesshiro, it was clear he was not strong enough to save her, but Sesshomaru was.

His father had earned his respect and beat him, he felt he was strongest in the north and east. Every enemy he came across he smashed and proved his power and worth. In those many fights he had even gained great allies to fight with him, the first being a tiger youkai by the name of Aki. Aki was a leader's son who had other ideas on how to be a leader, and he took them to heart. It was also part of why he followed him now, their ideas were alike.

Right now, for the first time in his life, he was not sure how to fully react to the man in front of him. The golden eyed dog lord before him was the only thing keeping him from acting now. It was all due to the proof of power and the proof that he cared. Not just because he was finally accepting the father who was never there.

"I will go for her…. She will not be left alone to fight destiny alone." He said finally, "And it will not be without her son at my side."

Sesshiro was stunned by the male's words and he could only watch as he turned and left the cottage in a fluid motion. Not without him? He didn't know what to think nor what was going on inside his mind that left him numb not only from the pain, but from the words that now started to sink in.

His legs felt somewhat weak under him as the adrenaline rush he had started to where thin. He barely noticed the female, Kagome, leave the hut. He also didn't notice the younger one gripping his arm until he let himself fall to his knees.

"Lord Sesshiro!" she sounded more concerned than needed, "Please, come lay back down. It'll all be ok but you need to rest." She sounded very sad and slightly frantic.

He slumped his shoulders forward and his hand slowly lifted until his touched the female's hand. It was on impulse, she was upset for a reason he didn't know. He could smell salty tears even now as she stopped pulling on his arm.

"Lord Sesshomaru is worried about you…. You have to get better so he'll calm down…" she gripped his arm tighter in a light sob, "I don't want you to get hurt anymore either…. Your family too.."

He was somewhat shocked by her words. She clearly knew his father well and her kind heart had accepted him as soon as she knew his blood. He now realized this as he looked at her, his amber gazed slightly narrowed into calmness as he found a smile. His dragon nature to comfort a female kicked in and it burned him somewhat.

What else could he do but hold her hand now? The young teen was caring even for someone like him and Sesshomaru. Demons who have killed and been viewed as monsters. "I will heal… stop crying, it's annoying." He said gruffly as he stared at her through his wild untamed bangs.

She just wiped tears away with her free hand and smiled, gripping his hand tightly. His arm had been released, but she now held his other hand in both of hers. Again, a human stunned him. He sounded slightly aggressive and she smiled. He simply turned his head and shifted to a knee, forcing himself to stand, lightly trying to pull his hand from her. Instead she stood with him and held on only letting one hand fall.

She turned and guided him back to the cot, he allowed it. He was in pain, he burned and stung on his whole left side and knew he had been hit there. In fact, he remembered being caught fully off guard by the ability a dog should not have. He attempted to guard and at least he protected his face. He could have lost an eyes or worse. The dog Lord didn't even hold back, he could tell by how close it was to his mother's power. They were brutal forces of power alone but together…

He sat down after turning around. Rin finally let go of his hand and was at his side gathering her supplies and he could smell the herbs she was working into mush for his skin. He lifted a hand, the one Rin did not touch, the one that hand been burned on the back. 'Together….' He thought as he made a fist.

Together they had created a life. Him. It made him wonder, how much power had he yet to tap and learn on the dog side of his youki? He had learned much from the dragons and his mother. He had his own fang after finding how protective he was over the weak. It made a raging fire burn into a raging power, Goukasaiga.

He knew he had a battle going on inside him for power. His power was not in balance like a youkai of fully lines. He was not half human, but half and half of two of the most powerful demons around. Not only that, they were not easily compatible. He only knew one other dog dragon cross and that was his mentor who helped raise his mother and was his grandfather's best friend. His mother's father was the one who had full peace between the two lands until the war started.

He only knew what he was told and read. Someone had caused it and it was not the leaders but someone behind the scenes who wanted war. Who did not agree with their ideas. Today however, he knew the person to be his uncle on his grandmother's side.

He closed his eyes when his father's youki rose high, then it exploded. The sudden fast raise made him look toward the doorway and he slowly shifted to his knee. Rin was pulling on him again. She was concerned he was to badly hurt and hadn't finished putting on the salve for his burns.

"I'll be fine…" he all but snarled the words and she let him go in a heartbeat.

She didn't stop however, she instead followed him. To his surprise she put her smaller body next to his and pulled his arm over her shoulder. She was short, but her shoulders came up just below his. Clearly enough to try and help support him, he didn't feel he needed it but he did not deny her from helping him either. It was a strange thing; he could not bring himself to push her away like he could any other female. Though, she was not a demon either and was more fragile, he could hurt her if not careful.

He took his gaze from her when she met his gaze, she was pretty. He hadn't noticed it until she was right in front of him and not giggling like a child. He looked up to the sky. It was dark and clouds hovered around the moon and it peaked out in the spaces the clouds opened as they moved. He looked around until his eyes fell to shrine gates up tall stairs. They, sitting with his back to them was a massive dog, his father had taken demon form.

He could only see the top half of his form and he smelled light blood and he narrowed his gaze. He had wounds on his body in a few areas. Faint but there. Rin flinched as she griped his wrist tighter at the sudden sound of a roaring howl that came from the dog's raised head. The youki rose up and the message in air made him pull away from Rin and step forward on wobbling legs.

"Wait, Lord Sesshiro…. You can't your still hurt." She said moving to chase after him.

He heard a snarl rip from his throat as he pulled his arm from her as she grabbed him again. He glanced at her for a second to her he fearful but determined eyes. His gazed softened, "I'm sorry… I.." he stopped. He did not have to explain.

He turned and stepped stronger as he left his youki pour out in waves. His father called in order, in grief, in power, and demanded loyalty from those under him. He called for battle. He called to arms for the North right now. Sesshiro found himself changing right before the female human, his snarl ripping out loud as he placed large paws on the ground near the hut and next to another.

A gasp made him look down. The girl had fallen on her butt and stared up at him in shock and awe. He sniffed at her before he brought his head up and watching his step, jumped to the sky to bypass the stairs. He landed behind the male and stepped to his side. Instinct was running on full as he called out for his legion. His call was a whistling howl of a roar.

Sesshomaru fell silent until Sesshiro stopped and gazed at him. The male stood and straightened his body, a soft growl hitting his ears and his father nodded. He joined him in a call to arms and it felt strange that he stood by the male he thought he'd never meet or even care too. He had thought he had abandoned him and his mother. It was his mother that kept him away. Even in his state, he was able to be strong and he was able to put his hate and bitterness of the past behind him because they had a common goal.

Now she needed them both. Their people needed them because soon the dragons on Rakashi's side would move for the other kingdoms and they have to unite now. As their voiced dimmed, sounds in the distance came forth. He heard distinctive dog youkai, and more came in. A few were rather close and he had felt their youki before that called back.

He had even heard a few dragons in that mix and a couple he felt, two he knew right away. When he felt more youki even closer, not even a few miles away, he called out stronger with the demon next to him. The group youki he had just felt sounded with him. He knew these and they were coming to him.

Aki and his comrades had made it. The tiger youkai lead his few comrades here. His odd ball group was a phoenix youkai, a horse demon, and a dog demon, and the only female, a dragon from the northern coast. And of course, Aki, a tiger demon and his trust friend and second in command. His group reined from the four corners, North, South, East, and West and even the smaller areas inside those great countries.

They were proof that they could be allies and exist in peace and in friendship. They would gather and he and Sesshomaru could go help his mother and fight together for the north before Rakashi started moving to the other lands.

The place was dark and the walls all around him dripped lightly around him. The cavern echoed with each drop of water as he slowly woke from his slumber. He shifted his body and the movement echoed in the darkness.

It was hard to remember where he was and why he was here, but it was all a rush to remember that he had died. His head had been removed from his body and he was left to die. The man that had done it was a friend, was family and he didn't see it coming. His closest friend had… he was the reason he lived.

Circling around and pulling his large beastly form from a resting ball, he slowly stretched out and crushed rocks under his left front hand. His large beastly claws clawed the ground as he let out a growl. Parting his jaws a glow formed, and red eyes opened as he finally woke to his fullest. It was time to wake and finish what he didn't get to start.

"Kitana…. " his voice came out in a snarl and power burst from his chest into the massive built door in front of him.

Rock and metal cried and shuttled as the door that held him inside was blown apart. His rage was deep and his power swelling up from his long sleep. He did not like the plan that was made who knows how many years ago. He could have heal on his own and took power and fought. Who knew if the war was won or lost… who knew who was still alive and who was not.

One person for sure was either dead now or dying or he would not have awaken now. As the light of the night broke into the massive cavern walls, he lightly growled and took a step forward. It was seconds that he emerged and inhaled in the new scents around the mountain range on the border of the east and west.

Scents and sounds traveled on the wind. It was a battle cry. A call for war by a dog and something else… the sound was much like a male he knew, but not quite. He stepped closer to the exit and his red and black color gleamed in the cloud covered moonlight.

"Are you awake Sire? Are you fully yourself?" a male spoke from nearby.

He shifted his gaze down to a male that he knew well. The half-blood was a childhood friend and now that he saw him, the half breed vice he heard on the wind was clearly not his. "Mokai…. How long?" his voice strained to come out clear under his demonic form's growl.

"Almost five hundred years Sire…." The red haired dragon dog said, "Your eldest is in need now more than ever. I am afraid I cannot do much more. It has hit that critical time that had been foreseen and she has been fighting destiny and marking her own path."

"I see…..tell me….. what has transpired since my slumber?" he turned his head to face the sky.

The blood red fur fell into his face, and his sterling blue black and coal colored form fell from the cliff and wings emerged from his body carried him over a village below. He had blood or maroon red markings on his back that moved and faded into his dark coat like going from fire to ash. His youki rose as he made haste, and his comrade began telling him everything. The wind blew his rough dark red mane away as he tossed his head revealing an oval mark of cool gold on his forehead.

He bared his fangs as he made his way to the source that called to him, he did not know what it was, but it begged his attention. The more the dragon mix spoke, narrowing down to the basic thing all the way up to his eldest and her choices, the more he felt he knew what, or who, was calling to him. She was suffering and slipping in her resolve.

"Why not!"

He held his gaze firmly as he challenged him. He had made the choice and now he suddenly would not listen to him. He did not know if he could make up his mind or if it was a thing that only a young male did to his father. He had challenged his father many a time on many things, but rarely in making battle choices. He had postponed going for Kintauri and Sesshiro did not like it.

"It would not do well to leave for her with so many demons having gathered here. It is to close to the village. Not all are kind to humans." He told Sesshiro firmly.

"Aki can handle them if I put him in charge, I am well enough and strong enough to help you find her." He argued.

"You are not in charge here Sesshiro!" he raised his voice and his youki, it got everyone's attentions and all talk stopped, "It has only been two days. Not even I can fully recover from something as what I used that fast without using my youki to excel my healing. It is an ability you either do not have or have not learned from a dog youkai."

"Then teach it to me…" he calmed slightly.

Sesshomaru raised a brow and refocused on the young male after nearly walking away to let him vent. He wanted him to teach him the ability that his family held dear? It was a new turn of events for him to seek it from him. Sesshomaru did not expect the boy to humble himself to seek his guidance so soon or at all. He seemed just as stubborn as he was.

"Sesshiro… Your aunt is here." Aki said coming up behind him.

Sesshomaru turned to see the tiger he had met about forty hours ago. Sesshiro's group had been the first to find them. He guessed the cat had already been looking for his son before and was already tracking toward him to the village.

"Suzume is?" Sesshiro's tense features slightly lightened as he looked to the feline.

The cat looked from Sesshiro to him and gave him a slight bow, "I am Aki, we meet a day and half ago… I am sorry to interrupt but Suzume has come to help and I also must tell you out of concern…. The youkai are getting restless and there is talk."

"Talk?" Sesshomaru gave the male his full attention.

"Some of your warriors had been speaking of some felines they had come across from my land, they warned of some red and black dragon breaking a seal in the bordering mountains in the east that run to the border of the west." He said.

"A dragon?" he had his attention and in a glance it seemed to get Sesshiro's as well, "Your assistances and honesty in greatly appreciated."

"Of course My Lord. You are Lord Sesshiro's father it is only fair you get the same respect I give him. That is if you are as much like him as I think. He doesn't take after Lady Kintauri as much as you might think so it is assumed he got most of his traits from his father." Aki said.

Sesshomaru looked to Sesshiro who held a stern and annoyed look on his face. It was noticed right away what the tiger meant. The boy who shared his blood held the same annoyed expression he used many times in his life. He looked like him too when he did it.

"More about the dragon Aki…" Sesshiro growled lightly, a trait his mother had in how she expressed herself from time to time. "Don't you have a legend from the war on Northern dragon shrine or something?"

"Yes. In fact, it is for a powerful old dragon that was ruler in the north, he was used in stories for some of us as kids and he was stated a hero on many battle prior to his demise. They describe him as a red and black blue dragon. A Northern blooded dragon. You know, like lady Kintauri. You know, herr longer form and body type and all that. Only, this dragon was the only one to have even been almost black other than the ancient one Sounga from your legends and stories." He looked to Sesshiro, then him.

Aki being a son of the eastern lord he clearly knew many if not most of the legends of the lands. He likely learned them in his travels and during the times they had been allies. The feline tribes were also well known for keeping lore and storytelling.

The tiger continued. "I know a bit about the old battle that took out the black dragon Sounga. It was your father right Lord Sesshomaru? I was told by Lady Kintauri the few times I stayed with Sesshiro at the palace that most all dragon born in a dark color would fall to power lust, but from the stories I heard in my village of the red and black dragon, he was good so he was put in a shrine in my homeland when the war broke out in order to protect him until he was strong enough to wake again after being badly wounded in battle."

It suddenly hit Sesshomaru all in one go. The dragon he spoke of had to be but one. Only he was supposed to be dead, not alive or healing last he had checked. In fact, the dragon that seemed to fit this lore was red, black and dark blue in color. This dragon had his head taken off by someone in his court who he thought he could trust and when Kintauri heard of his death it tore her apart.

There was no way he was still alive after his head was severed, unless… It couldn't be possible could it? Maybe that was why his father ended up having to fight Ryukotsusei in the first place. It was to get to the Northern Lord and save him before the underworld took him. If that was the case, the Red Dragon of the north may very well be the dragon that had been seen breaking out of the mountains.

Sesshomaru turned his form to look east and he stared as he fought the urge to go find out for sure and the urge to still search for a way into the underworld. He still had to keep the demons that numbered around fifty in order and get them moving to the western palace. There he could get Inuyasha to try and open the portal to the underworld again.

When he tried the first time, he didn't even get a swing in before the humans came to seek his and his woman's help in getting rid of a demon that was running around elsewhere in a near village. It bothered him to no extent when Inuyasha refused to open it and let him enter then go help his humans. He said he too wanted to help so he was making him wait. It greatly pissed him off.

There was not much else he could do until Inuyasha returned from assisting humans with their demon problems in other villages. For now, it was time to get a plan moving and move the demons that came to his request to a place that would keep Rin and the other humans safe.

He turned his head when he smelled Rin, he turned to see her coming and it appeared Sesshiro saw her first. The sight before him was somewhat odd in his eyes. That little female who had always following and clinging to him was seemingly taken with his son. She seemed very different with him then she was around him. It was a strange sight even more were Sesshiro did not act violently with her this time. He just raised a brow.

"Sesshiro here…" she said softly and held, "Kaeda said you'd be leaving so I wanted to make sure you had this for you burns. I know demons heal faster but it'll still help."

Sesshiro reached down and touched her head as he cleared his throat. "You didn't have to bring this. I don't need it anymore." He said.

"Haha, wow, you've got a little human admirer. When did you get… Ouch!" Aki had been elbowed in the stomach by Sesshiro before he could finish.

Sesshomaru was not sure what he saw there but it was strange and not much his concern right now. Sesshiro was still like his mother in the way of his kindness to others, even humans, and his dragon nature to be gentler to female since he was a male. Female dragons were the opposite, they were fierce and feisty and more dominate. Yet, somehow he and Kintauri had met in the middle.

"Kintauri…" he softly said as he walked away toward the other youkai, "I'll get to you somehow."

He would, and he would wage war to help her and find her goals and desires met. That was how much he knew he'd fallen in love with her. Nothing would stand in his way. Nothing.

Credits: Mokai, Aki, Sesshiro. The Red Dragon(name will be relieved later) (c) FreyaShepherd (also on DA)

Notes: Sorry, been a bit too long but here is the next one. I'm not sure i like this one as much as some of the others because it runs a but on the fast side. But, that's because it'll be getting into the battles and the new war Sesshomaru is about to start and all is starting to come together into a finish for later. It'll also pave the way for a second story of romance with two characters I think would be cute to put together. See if you can guess and i didn't think to try this until they started to interest in the story for a bit.