"They seems excited." The next one to go outside was Kirara. This seemed strange to the group so they followed suite. Once outside they saw what made them leave the hut.
"Kagome!" Shippou greeted as he ran over to her.
"Hey Shippou." Kagome slid off of Ah-Un's back.
"We've missed you. Do you got time to visit before you go home for five days?"
"That is not the reason I am here." They all walked towards Kaede's. As they neared the hut a arrow flew by and stuck into the ground in front of Kagome. Kagome picked up the arrow and noticed a piece of parchment tied to the arrow. Looking around they saw no one.
"Let me hold your son Kagome while you see what that is." Sango stopped over to Kagome.
"What does it say Kagome?" Shippou hopped onto Miroku's shoulder.
"Give me a moment please and I will tell you." Kagome stepped out of being surrounded by the group to where she stood alone then she opened the parchment. Those around watched as she went to her knee's.
"KAGOME! What is it?" They heard sobbing as the parchment was taken from her hand.
"Read it Miroku." Sango said. The parchment was handed to the monk.
"Naraku has her brother." Miroku said. "He will trade her brother for the shards and her and her child."
"How could Naraku have gotten her brother? The ones that can pass to her era so far are Kouga, Kagome, and...Inuyasha."
"Look here comes the very one we are speaking of." They saw the hanyou staggering towards the village holding his head. Kagome stood to her feet and walked away from the group and straight towards Inuyasha. As she got closer to Inuyasha he fell to the ground holding his head. Standing by Inuyasha she used her feet to push him over onto his back.
"Why Inuyasha? Why did you take and give my brother to Naraku? Are you that mad or hate me that much to do so?" She questioned as she stood over him.
"Your brother... Naraku...What are you saying?" He tried to sit up but soon found a sword with a pink glow around the sword and the hand holding the sword pointing at his chest.
"Don't play innocent Inuyasha. There are only three people that I know of that can pass to my era that could be able to get my brother. Those three are Kouga, me and you."
"I didn't take Souta to Naraku."
"Kagome maybe he was under a spell or something. The other day he was acting not himself. There was a loud sound that woke us up. We watched as Inuyasha stagger over to his place in the hut and took a seat. He had a blank look to his eyes and when we mentioned you should be coming here to go to your era for five days he was gone. He could of been under a spell and used as a pawn."
"A pawn or not, you know Naraku will not hold up on the trade. My little brother will be returned to me yes, but he will be dead. We all know how Naraku does things." She looked away from the group and placed her other hand on the hilt of the sword. As she raised the sword slightly she felt a sharp pain in her wrist. She looked to the side to see Sesshoumaru.
"Remove yourself from your current spot half breed." The group watched as Inuyasha moved slowly away from where he was and Sesshoumaru stepped in front of Kagome instead of being to her side and let go of her wrist.
"Why did you stop me? I would of had the right."
"We will get Souta back alive Kagome." Inuyasha spoke from where he stood now.
"If not Inuyasha, you will not see the completion of the jewel and your brother will not stop me." She shoved her sword into the ground and walked off. Out of the range to be detected, a woman with red eyes and a boy dressed in a black and green armor sat on a large feather watching and listening to what went on below them.
"So that boy, Naraku is holding is her brother and means to use him to obtain the miko, the child and the shards she has." The boy listened to the woman as he watched the one woman that is his sister as she walked with the group to the hut.
"Your lucky mutt that your brother stepped in to stop her." Kouga spoke up as they neared Kaede's hut.
"Speaking of Sesshoumaru, where did he go?"
"Probably to keep a eye on Kagome as she cools down before returning to the hut."
"That might take a while for that to happen." Shippou said.
"Do you remember anything about what happened before now Inuyasha?" Inuyasha shook his head no.
Close to the forest that lead to the well Kagome was doing her best to hold back her fears and tears in case her enemies were watching her. She entered the forest and kept going until she came to the clearing that housed the well. She came to a stop by the well. Standing there looking down into the well she felt the strong aura of a youkai coming closer to her as she tried to think of what to do.
"What am I going to tell my mother?" She asked herself out loud.
"Worry not your mother. Visit with your friends then send the wolf to your family to inform them that the boy was brought to visit you. Come your friends await."
"She needs to know, but how do break it to her that he will not be brought back alive?" Tears started to fill her eyes. The site of Kagome like this made a pain start in Sesshoumaru's chest. He stepped closer to her and reached out and turned her to face him then wiped her tears away. She caught his hand and held it to her cheek before she brought it to her lips and kissed his hand.
"Do not inform your mother at this moment. Come now we return to your friends."
"Not yet please. I would like to stay here for a while longer." She let go of his hand then turned and walked away from him and looked back into the well. A chill slipped under her skin and Kagome shivered as thoughts filled her mind.
"Are you cold?" asked Sesshoumaru.
"No, it's nothing. Do not trouble yourself about me." In spite of her words, she shivered again.
Sesshoumaru turned her and put himself directly in front of her. Without saying anything he placed the back of his hand against her forehead, then her cheek. His touch lingered in spite of his intention for it to do otherwise.
"I told you it is nothing. Just thoughts coming to my mind." Kagome's skin tingled under the touch of his fingertips. She did not ask him to remove his fingers. How was it possible that he could evoke this response? He took one of her hands in each of his as their eyes held each other as both felt a wave go through them.
"Did you feel that?"
"Explain."
"It was like energy when you touched my skin." Her eyes began to cross as she continued to look at him.
"Take and taste her lips." His inner voice spoke. Sesshoumaru did not answer his inner self with words but raised her chin then lend in taking her lips with his. His mouth was gentle on hers, his lips were infinitely soft. He nudged her lips apart. Their kiss was long, slow and deep. When he raised her head she felt her-self being pulled towards him.
"Don't deny yourself of the craving that are building up for this woman." As his inner self quieted as he stepped away.
"We return to the safety of the elder miko's hut." He lead her back towards the village and without a sound disappeared from her side as she entered the hut. When she entered Inuyasha slowly got to his feet.
"Kagome, I would not willingly take your brother and give him to Naraku to get back at you. Sure the kid was a pain when we first met and still is even to this very day, but I would not do something like that to hurt you. Please believe me." He stopped in front of Kagome.
"Though you seek out the one who could make something like that to happen. The one that has been known to cloud your mind in many ways. Not more than two or three days ago Kikyou appeared at Sesshoumaru's to try and take my son. A warrior that guards me had to take my son and Rin to the safety of the domain while I kept her busy. As her soul stealers where raising into the air to take me to Naraku, your brother showed up and rescued me from them. As she left Kikyou issued a warning saying 'You may of saved her this time youkai, but their are other days.' And now I find out that Naraku has my little brother and you don't remember anything about it."
"Sis do you remember where he is hiding in the east?" Ginta asked.
"I was unable to see anything going there and after I escaped I mostly traveled at night to keep from being seen. Maybe I should give myself over to Naraku to get my brother freed."
"Unwise for you to do so." Kagome turned to see Sesshoumaru coming over to her.
"He is right Kagome. What is to say after he has you and frees your brother, that he won't be killed by one of those demons that Naraku controls. Then possibly end up like my brother?" Sango said.
"I'm willing to take that chance. If it would keep him from being killed."
"How are ye sure?" Voiced Kaede.
"Because I know what Naraku wants besides the shards and my son." She went silent.
"I, Sesshoumaru won't let the mother of my son to hand herself over to be used in that way by that vile hanyou." Sesshoumaru turned her to face him.
"If it comes to the boy's death, my sword will be used to bring him to life once more." Those in the hut remained silent for a bit after what the western lord said.
"Use her for what?" Sango asked.
"Motherhood by him." Kouga growled out his answer.