The Hunt
May 15, 2016
Rated:Mfor visual aids and language
Summary:Kagome and Kikyou's mother is gone, kidnapped. So when their father hears this he asks three Inu youkai, his friends, to look for the lady of their village. However, a deal is made. For the youkai to look for his wife, one of the youkai's sons must wed with one of the two daughters, who are Miko. Miko are known to purify demons and hold nearly no nice feelings for the youkai kind. Unfortunately they learn a secret that can very well ruin their life if they are to mate with a demon. Hearing they must wed with one they run, thus beginning the hunt.
Disclaimer:I do not own Inuyasha. This is Fanfiction.
She would not be avoiding Sesshomaru. She could not. He followed her here, her father was dead and the elemental demons were not happy with her and her companions. Kagome needed help, and this Hunt needed to end. The running, the bad luck, the fear. If only her sister was with her, Kagome thought, Kikyou would know exactly what to tell Jasmine, the fire demon. Seeing as her sister was not here, Sesshomaru would be the next best thing. The Prince of the West was known for his diplomacy. Deciding her fate, Kagome walked out the door with Shippo, Sango, Kirara and an unconscious Miroku in tow.
"Lord Sesshomaru," Kagome began. He stood beside a tall tree where Rin was perched on a branch. She was reaching for a fruit unfamiliar to Kagome and smiled down to the stoic lord when she pulled the small fruit from a branch. "I wish to come to an agreement. A compromise of sorts."
"What you wish does not concern me; in accordance to the laws of the hunt, you have no say and a compromise is not necessary."
"Honestly, this doesn't need to be difficult. I will go with you quietly, if you would just help me and my friend leave this place safely." Kagome said with a tightness in her voice. Already this was a blow to her pride. In making this compromise, all that she had to endure the past few weeks seemed for naught. She looked down to the young Shippo clinging to her leg. She then looked up to see Sango standing beside her pet with both her hands clutching the sleeping monk. With a sigh, Kagome looked to the Dog Demon once more. "I can't regret running from home because I was given the chance to meet these wonderful people, but right now, the Hunt is the least of my concerns. Marriage is the farthest thought from my mind."
"Mating is hardly a marriage, Miko. It is much more demented." Sesshomaru told her with a sneer. And Kagome held back her curiosity. It seemed as if he too was against mating but she didn't have the luxury of time to find out why he was bent to finish the Hunt. "Right, but Lord Sesshomaru, whether it is marriage or mating, something is wrong between the nations, and it is our duty to fix it. My father is dead, my sister is missing, there is a looming assassin coming after this little boy and there is evil Hanyou wreaking havoc. We can settle the matter of mating once I am sure I am still the Princess of the Eastern Lands. Is that alright?"
"Do you speak of Naraku?" He asked as he lowered a quieted Rin from the tree. "Have you encountered him?" Kagome shook her head, "No, but I have no doubts that he will come for me at some point."
"Come, Miko. You and your companions will stay at an inn in the town below. In the morning, we will converse with the Fire demon about guardianship of the young fox demon beside you and begin our way to the Citadel in the West. Inuyasha should be arriving with your sister, if my spies are correct, and the two of you can tell me everything you know about the blasted Naraku."
-8—
Ayame, or rather Kagura, walked around a mountain with Kouga leading her. Since the death of Kobiyashi, the two lead a quiet journey. Without any clues to explain why they were attacked, Koga pushed to move even faster to his home. He told her he suspected this was not a random attack and a piece of a larger plan. The Demon knew exactly how to attack, weakening the two wolves and killing the fox, Kouga claimed. He believed it had something to do with his plans to find the Eastern princess himself. Though he had already put his plans on hiatus, this was his only plausible conclusion.
Kagura knew better. Naraku sent the messages loud and clear: she was moving too slow. He always knew how to hurt her in the worse way.
"We're almost there; I can smell the pack now," Kouga called out from ahead of her. "Are you feeling alright? Your heart is racing." Again, Kagura thought. The idea that she had a heart beating inside of her was ridiculous, but she was so thoroughly hopeful, she couldn't help but smile at the thought. Her heart was beating because she was about to meet his family, of course she'd be nervous. Perhaps the sorcerer gave her a new heart when she gave the young wind demons a new body. Kagura pressed her hand against her chest. She didn't feel a heart beating, but Kouga claimed to. He could hear it as well. It could be an illusion but Kagura loved hearing the wolf demon comment on how erratic it would get.
"Ayame?" Kagura looked up at her name and saw a concerned Kouga looking back at her. "You haven't said anything since we reached the overlook point. Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just nervous I suppose." She replied truthful. And the mere idea that she spoke to this man so sincerely struck her. She had fallen for the brute without realizing it. "Great so hurry up will ya, it'll be dark soon and I want to be in my own bed when that happens. And who knows, maybe you'll like someone in the clan and end up in his bed." He let out a loud laugh before rubbing the top of her head and walking away. From nervousness, astonishment to sadness. Kagura felt the change almost immediately. Kouga had no feelings for her if he wanted her to be in the bed of someone else. She sighed and quickly jogged to reach his side. The sun was setting, and she was getting tired. A warm bed didn't sound too bad.
-8—
It was night. The two had stayed in their bedroom for the majority of the day, only coming out to relieve themselves. "We'll have to go to the Citadel soon, my dad is waiting for me." Kikyou nodded at her lover's words before speaking against his naked chest, "And then you will make me your wife? Your mate?"
"I guess. I'm not too sure how the hunt works and with you being human, I don't even know if the old rituals will be completed." The hanyou scratched his head before returning his hand to rest on Kikyou's waist. "We're supposed to switch blood through fang bites, but you don't have fangs. We're supposed to split our Reiki, but with you being Miko, ya might kill me. And you ain't got a mom or dad available to give the blessings so I don't know who'll give you to me. I ain't even sure you've been influenced by the hunt but-but don't worry about that part, you'll be my wife. I mean, if you don't mind."
"I don't mind hanyou." Kikyou spoke firmly before looking up to see his pensive face. "And I do not believe my Reiki will bring you harm. It has mingled with yours during our coupling. Did you not realize?"
"I guess I was a bit preoccupied," Inuyasha replied with a smirk. "I suspect the mingling is an indication my miko powers has accept you as a suitable partner."
"Sounds like you're just making this up."
"There is a chance I am." Kikyou replied and Inuyahsa smiled. This woman's sense of humor was subtle but he appreciated it. Her truthfulness and soft yet direct words reminded him how real she was. She liked him even with all the flaws he had. She could leave. Inuyasha thought. She did it before. She could leave at any time and Inuyasha would have to chase her once more, but she stayed with him that entire day. He looked down to see her large eyes staring back at him with no trace of humor but with a glaze of interest. "We should probably head back to the citadel tonight. We've stayed here too long."
"What's one more night?" Kikyou asked. "Once we arrive to your home, we will be feigning sleeping regardless. We might as well seize the time we have here and go in the morning." Inuyasha nodded before looking up to the ceiling and sighed a happy sigh. "Yeah, what's one more night?
"Unless, you do not wish to stay here with me."
"Of course I want to stay wit- oh no, was that a joke?" Inuyahsa asked once he looked down to see her eyes larger to indicate her slight joke. "You can do better than that Kikyou. That one was bad."
"I'll do better in the future."
"Good, cause I think we have a long future ahead of us."
-8—
Well pass evening, Kagome and her mixed group of campions settled into a warm room. They, not including Sesshomaru, were huddled around several plates of hot food and side dishes. Kirara surrounded the laying Miroku in an attempt to warm him up. His color was getting better but his skin continued to be cool to touch. "I suppose asking Lord Sesshomaru means we're in a difficult situation. What exactly should we suspect?" Sango asked. Kagome shrugged and raised chopsticks rolled in noodles to her lips. "I've been playing by ear since running from home. Nothing I had planned went well."
"You planned to run away?" Sango asked, "I believed you left your home once you were told you were to mate the prince."
"I did," Kagome began. "Home wasn't as warm as you would think it was. I was planning to run and search for my mother on my own. It felt as if my father…" Kagome paused. Having to speak against the dead man, her throat closed on her. "I didn't think my father was doing enough." She said. Weeks earlier, she would not have been able to speak so calmly, so passive. With a sigh, she lowered her bowl and tried to clear her mind. "Sango, how has things gotten so complicated."
"I had always believed having to oversee hundreds of people was a complicated matter."
"I just—" Kagome stopped and looked at Sango's face of understanding. Her friend was right. Being a princess should have always been complicated, but Kagome always assumed her sister would marry the next Lord of the lands. Kagome would be shipped off to foreign lands and forgotten by her family but exploring the west with vigor. Quite the imagination she had. As well as a lazy mentality. She depended on her sister so much. She never thought politics were as dark and complicated as her father implied or as her sister shared. If outside of the castle was any indication, life was dark and complicated, politics made it worse. "I haven't a clue who is watching my father's land. I don't know where my sister is. I can't figure out how to keep Shippo safe. I think I'm way over my head right now."
"I can keep myself safe Kagome! No need to worry about me." Shippo said from behind a large bowl of soup. He quickly lowered it and gave her a large smile. "Just keep me by your side and everything will be fine!"
"Thanks Shipp." Kagome replied with a soft smile. She picked up her bowl of noodles and looked towards the quiet girl beside Shippo. "Do you like being with Sesshomaru, Rin?" She asked and the girl looked up with a smile before nodding. Kagome nodded back and the girl continued to eat. Though the young girl seemed shy around Kagome, she spoke easily with Shippo and Sesshomaru, without dwelling much on the thought she looked to see if Miroku was showing any signs of waking.
"I'll stay with him tonight." Sango said and Kagome looked up with a raised brow. "A man and woman sharing a room. Sango huffed, "he needs more warmth, with more people in the room, maybe it'd help." Kagome smiled at the explanation. She didn't expect her friend to be defensive but she suspected Sango had to convince herself more than anything. "I can stay too."
"Miko you will be staying with me." The group looked up at the voice and saw Sesshomaru standing at the door. Neither of them heard the door sliding open, much less noticed a large towering demon had entered the room. Before Kagome could argue, he continued. "Come, I spoke to the fire demon and there is much to inform you. Put down your bowl and follow." He turned swiftly and exited. "Go, Kagome, before he returns!" Sango urged.
So Kagome followed and she walked into a familiar room. There were two doors, two dressers, and a large window in the large room. She let out a gasp and Sesshomaru lifted a brow. "Enter, miko."
AN Have no expectations