A/N: Thanks again to all you wonderful reviewers!
Kagome sat with Sesshomaru and watched InuYasha walk off with Senchineru. "Feeling better onii-san?" She asked him quietly, leaning her head against his arm. She loved him like a brother and didn't enjoy scolding him, but he knew better than to give her that disapproving stare. It also didn't help that her mild case of nerves from earlier was beginning to come back with a vengeance. It made her edgy and had caused her to growl at him through InuYasha.
"This one was not feeling badly before, Kagome." His reply was slightly clipped and he sighed without making a sound. It was not her he was annoyed with. "Gomen Imouto."
She patted his knee and rubbed the heel of her hand over the side of her belly. "It's fine Sesshomaru, me too. But I have to warn you, there is more with him."
This time the sigh was not so silent. "What more?"
"Well, there is his missing mokomoko and the fact that he's the son of the Lady of the Dark Inu." She felt him stiffen before suddenly just relaxing, letting every tight muscle go lax in an instant. "Are you alright?" She looked up at him worriedly.
Flicking at the white lock that caressed the side of her face, he tucked it behind her ear and settled his arm behind her on the bench. "I am fine, little bird. This one has simply had an epiphany." The smirk tugged the corner of his mouth when she cocked her head and raised her dark brow. "I have come to the conclusion that it is not my problem. He is InuYasha's." He chuckled rather smugly.
The giggle slipped out and had her pressing her fingers to her lips. "Oh, that's terrible." Reaching for InuYasha while she tried to get control of her face, she listened for a moment. "Senchineru is known for his speed? Like Koga?" Whom she was both excited and slightly nervous about seeing. They had parted ways well but… you just never knew with the wolf demon how things were going to go.
Her laughter was a pleasant sound to his ear and made a small smile turn up his mouth. "Hn. He has been called the Shi no Kage by his underlings for on the battle field, most do not see him coming. On a fortuitous day, he can rival this Sesshomaru for quickness."
Relating that all to InuYasha, Kagome grinned up at Sesshomaru. "So, he can give you a run for your money?"
Not understanding he frowned down at her. "What does this mean?"
"Oh! Um, it's a saying. It means in a race, a competition between the two of you, even though we would expect you to win, Senchineru would compete very strongly and be a close second." The light breeze that was making its way around them, blew a few strands of his hair forwards to tickle at her hand.
Before he could brush it back out of the way, it was captured by her fingers. She ran the ends across her palm in a casual gesture, as if memorizing the difference between his hair and his brothers. "Is this a future born term similar to your phrase, 'freak out'?"
She watched an elegantly arched brow rise with his question. A teasing light, easy for one to see when they knew what to look for, glowed in his golden eyes. "Similar, yeah." The texture of his hair was fine, thinner than InuYasha's but just as silky. Releasing the strands, she reached up and tucked them back behind his ear before leaning back into the cradle of his arm with a content sigh, and returned to listening to what InuYasha was up to.
Sesshomaru followed the path of her eyes to where InuYasha and Senchineru had stopped moving and frowned. "What are they doing?" There was a mild hum of youki on the air.
"Comparing swords." The quickly muffled snort that came from Sesshomaru had her slapping a hand to her mouth. "Onii-san!"
Her scolding would have worked better had she not flushed three shades of red and had laughter not danced brightly in her eyes. "Yes, Imouto?" The smirk twitched up the corner of his mouth and he was unwilling to hinder its arrival.
"You're terrible!" As bad as the monk on many an occasion.
His chuckle was quiet but deep and husky. "It was not I who phrased it so." She was such a light for him. Comfortable enough to tease, laugh, jest with him. She would give him hell when it was needed and was unafraid when he snarled at her. It was a breath of fresh air for him to have such a casual relationship with someone and still surprised him at how easy it was to fall into such a rhythm with her.
She nudged him hard with her elbow but it did little good against his armor. "Sometimes I swear…" Kagome shook her head and let it go, her face still flushed. "Where did you send the twins?"
Her embarrassment carried on the air and he traced his claws over the shoulder of her kimono, a light brush that was the end to his teasing. For now anyway. "Home with my gift, and then off to prepare with Jaken."
"Prepare?" Reaching for InuYasha, his unease slipping across her senses, she sent him her calm. "Breathe koi. Just get it out in the open." It weighed on him, having two betas, and she sighed softly with his struggle.
"Imouto?" Her scent had shifted to one of mild stress.
Kagome rolled her head on her neck, trying to relieve the tension in her shoulders. "It's fine. They're speaking of our pack and what knowledge the commander has of these previous Inu." Surprise rippled and she touched InuYasha. "Did you really prepare your army in case Naraku came here?"
He glanced towards her and gave a small nod. "Hn." It had been simply a precaution after the foul hanyou's initial approach and betrayal of him. "I was not about to lose my lands to such a creature."
"No. I don't suppose you were." Confirming it for InuYasha, she smirked a small grin for it was so like him. "I still can't believe you actually listened to Naraku in the first place. Do you always build a backup plan?" They were speaking of Shippo and her concern for the little kit built. "He's going to be fine, mate. Don't worry." But she still would and she knew InuYasha would, too, until Shippo arrived.
Sesshomaru had to admit, it had not been one of his finer moments, his initial alliance with the spider hanyou. "Always."
"I would expect no less." Not from him. Not when it came to a fight. "Now, what is Jaken preparing for?"
"For the presentation. Yours and InuYasha's. It shall be held this afternoon for the court." The time was growing near.
Her nerves increased again. "And what does that entail?"
He could smell the soft flurry of her nerves and let his claws trace her shoulder a second time. "Breathe little bird. It is a formality only. You and InuYasha shall enter, be seated with me, and I will call forth a few of the court to be introduced. You need not mingle, nor speak if you do not wish to." She would do fine and no one would force her do anything that might make her uncomfortable.
Falling silent for a moment, Kagome let her eyes wander over the sculpted trees and colorful flowerbeds. An aura towards the back of her garden had her stiffening. "Sesshomaru?"
He had felt the odd pup's arrival long ago. "Moyashi, the gardener. He is expected."
When InuYasha also went on alert Kagome soothed him. "Sesshomaru says not to worry about the gardener. He's supposed to be back there." Returning her hand to her belly, she rubbed circles over it to relieve the sudden ache and sighed softly. Leaning her head back on his arm, Kagome rubbed a little harder.
"Imouto?" She had done that often since he had been sitting with her.
Misunderstanding his question Kagome looked out across the garden to where InuYasha stood on the arch of a golden bridge with the dark Inu. "This beta thing is difficult for him onii-san. Miroku is…" She sighed a second time. "He can't deny Senchineru but he has Miroku to think of. It's… complicated."
Though it was not what he had been asking about, Sesshomaru hummed softly in understanding and address the issue at hand. "It is not. He has just not thought of the obvious yet."
"The obvious?" Kagome looked up curiously.
"Hn." He was not sure if she had thought of it either. "Senchineru will remain in the west, Miroku the east." And in time… the monk would grow older as was the way of humans. Pity. He found Miroku interesting. "InuYasha will need to split his time between both here and your village. It is only natural that he has a trustworthy beta in both places."
It was the best answer she'd come across yet and turned her attention to InuYasha only to giggle in surprise. "It appears he's already thought of that." And something else that she wasn't quite catching.
The happy little sound relaxed him. "Hn." He expected no less from the little brother that could surprise him at every turn.
Breathing out, Kagome pressed hard with the heel of her hand against her abdomen. "Can we actually-" Her question was cut off by her sharp gasp of shock.
"Kagome!?" Sesshomaru turned to her swiftly, his hand dropping to press overtop of hers against her pups, the other, catching hers when it fell against his chest. It was no surprise when InuYasha appeared to drop suddenly at her feet.
Tears were gathering on her lashes when InuYasha reached her side as wide, shocked brown eyes met his. Slipping his mind into hers, he felt his heart stutter while slowly her smile began to spread and a watery laugh left her lips. "Kagome…" His own voice was rather breathless when he finally tore his eyes from hers to look down at her belly and place his hands gently there, where she had just experience the shock of feeling their pups move for the first time.
Turning her wet eyes up to Sesshomaru's where concern still lingered, Kagome's smile was one of such brilliance it instantly cleared his golden gaze. "They moved. I felt them!" Someone had kicked her in little more than a flutter of movement but it had been enough to feel it clearly.
He softened at her explanation and her obvious joy. His brother's wonder and awe apparent when the low rumble of sound cleared his chest, heavy and deep with vibration. The whole pregnancy was one to be celebrated, pups always a joyous occurrence, but this was the first time he had felt the joy deep within his own soul. "Congratulations Imouto. It is a momentous day indeed." But when he moved to shift away, slip his hand off of hers, he found her to be faster for she caught his and pressed it gently back to the area she had been rubbing only moments before.
Surprise and perhaps a small amount of trepidation crossed his features but Kagome only smiled. He had been hesitant to touch but she could tell he wanted to. It was an instinct with them. Protect, provide, console, and comfort. There's was a tactile breed no matter how much they teased her about it. He was family and could touch if he wanted to. "Damn right mate." InuYasha encouraged it as well.
Pack was imperative and Kagome was as important to Sesshomaru as she was to himself. The bond they shared, Kagome and Sesshomaru, kept his brother's alpha balanced as he had an alpha female to focus on. And while it was a different connection than the one the daiyoukai would one day have with his mate, Kagome's influence held a leash for Sesshomaru that his brother hadn't noticed was missing. It was fine with him if Sesshomaru wanted to feel the life that grew there. It only made the bonds within the pack stronger. "Feel all right?" He murmured quietly to Kagome and glanced up at the daiyoukai when their hands brushed.
"Better than alright!" Kagome's laugh was full and happy when she released it. Letting go of Sesshomaru's fingers she sank her hand into InuYasha's hair. "I can't believe it!"
He could feel the pulse of the life that grew beneath his hand and was humbled greatly that once again he had been included by them in something that should have been private. Hoping to cover his reaction Sesshomaru teased her gently. "I would think with the rate you are expanding, little bird, you would have little reason to doubt that you are carrying."
"Oh! Hush you!" She growled at him but her eyes filled with laughter right before she released it from her throat. Dropping her hand back to her swelling midsection, she crooned softly, "Do it again little ones."
'Ones?' Senchineru stood back, slightly apart, having arrived within moments of InuYasha. The hanyou had caught him off guard but he had felt the swift rise of his alpha and given chase instantly. He didn't know how the male had known something was wrong, but he had. However, it was the scene playing out before him that stunned him. Sesshomaru, the cold Lord that he'd served for so long, was caught in the spell that was a pregnant Inu female, no different than her mate was.
This was pack. Family so strong it rocked the very foundations of what he believed to be true. The Lord of the West had always been so controlled, he never would have imagined he would have been witness to such an unguarded moment as this. It was clear to him that the ties ran deep and the opinion that Sesshomaru had once held about his hated half-brother had long since faded. Had he not know better, he would have believed InuYasha and Sesshomaru had grown up together, developed deep, lasting bonds as brothers from a young age, for only in such close knit families had he ever seen such fondness. For one male to be given, nay encouraged, to touch the unborn offspring of another was nearly unheard of outside such bonds. Forcing away the shock, he focused his acute hearing towards them and tried to listen past the adult hearts that were beating rapidly to the tiny, fast ones of the pups. This time he was unable to contain his surprised gasp. "Three!"
Both of her Inu stiffened, having momentarily forgotten about the dark one that stood only feet away. "Yes. A litter!" Kagome laughed again and leaned down to lay a smacking kiss against InuYasha's mouth. "Did you feel?" They'd moved again with her encouragement and while she didn't think they could be felt on the outside yet, InuYasha had a distinct advantage when it came to other fathers.
Overjoyed, he smiled up at her. "Yeah…" That soft flutter as one of his pups moved for her made him want to howl with his excited joy. He turned that grin on Sesshomaru only to have his smile fall away with the look his brother was sending his beta. "Brother…"
Sesshomaru slowly pulled his gaze away from the commander that, had he not had a place in the pack, would have been dead where he stood for bearing witness to his momentary lapse. "InuYasha?" Gently, with reluctance, something that surprised him when he felt it, he removed his hand from where it rested against those growing lives.
"You can't gut my beta just because you forgot yourself. He'll see worse I'm sure." There was no denying the look in those eyes. Not when he'd seen it before. "She ain't gonna let you get away with that and you know it." InuYasha murmured quietly, only loud enough for Sesshomaru to hear. Kagome would never allow him to run cold on them just because Senchineru was present. "He won't say nothing about this. Will you commander?"
Seeing the question for the escape it was Senchineru straightened. "I have seen nothing my lord." The smirk from InuYasha was rather wicked and he grinned an answering one before sobering. "What would I have to speak on?"
"Hn. Indeed." Sesshomaru growled a low rumbled of annoyed sound as he stood up. "Commander. You will be assigned as InuYasha's guide for the next few days. Make sure you contain yourself." The warning was apparent.
He would hold fast to his beta and keep it hidden for a while longer. "Hai, my lord!" Senchineru bowed.
"Find Jaken. He is aware of your assignment." Waving a hand he dismissed the beta.
"Senchineru," Kagome called before he could leave. "Will your clan be joining us for this accession?"
A quick glance back to the daiyoukai gave him Sesshomaru's nod. "So it seems. Was there something you required of my people?"
"Not me, but you. Onii-san, if the missive hasn't gone out yet, Senchineru is going to need to send a letter of his own." Kagome lifted a hand to her brow and rubbed gently.
"Kagome?" InuYasha asked, reaching for her and seeing what she was. "Keh. I see." Rising to his feet he helped Kagome to hers.
None of the messengers would be leaving until after their introduction at court but still he inquired, "If I am to hold back the messenger, this one would appreciate an explanation Imouto."
Tilting her head Kagome did so. "The dark one, he is going to need his fur in the coming days." Stepping away from InuYasha, she stared out over the water, watching the sun sparkle in its brilliance off the passing ripples. Eyes going gold she looked and saw many things, many paths, but down each one that held promise the beta wore a fur. "Soon the time will come when you will need to seize your rightful place." She murmured quietly.
"Rightful place?" Senchineru did not understand.
Sighing, Kagome turned those eyes on the dark Inu and watched him shudder. "You have been holding back commander." She never thought she'd see the day when a full blooded Inu-youkai blushed. It was difficult to see under his dark skin, but the color was there. Instead of commenting, she looked to Sesshomaru. "Kagome?"
InuYasha stepped to her side and catching her chin, turned her eyes to his to read deep. Searching, seeing what she saw, or as much as she could tell him, he asked, "When?"
"I don't know yet." When the time came she would tell them.
"Hm." Looking to Sesshomaru, InuYasha simply nodded.
"Do it." Sesshomaru commanded the dark Inu.
Bowing a second time, Senchineru took his leave. "My Lords. My Lady. It has been… enlightening." And with that he was gone.
"Whoa. He is fast." Kagome snickered when Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. Staring after Senchineru, she let her mouth quirk up and turned a mischief filled gaze to InuYasha. "You know…"
"Don't start." He growled at her, perfectly able to see where her thoughts were leading.
Pouting, Kagome slipped her hand up his chest and threaded her fingers through his silky forelock. "But…"
"No." Crossing his arms, he glared at her.
"But… Senchineru-" His growl was low with his flash of fangs and made her snicker.
"I ain't wearing no braids mate and that's final!" Grabbing her hand, he tugged it from his hair.
Sesshomaru chuckled, finally catching on. "But you would be so pretty in braids, little brother."
"Don't start, bastard." InuYasha growled at his brother making Kagome laugh.
The daiyoukai continued to chuckle as he approached and taking Kagome's hand, tucked it in his elbow. "Come, the time grows short and there is someone for you to meet before we make our way to the palace." InuYasha fell in on Kagome's other side as he led them away from the house and back into the garden.
It seemed odd to Kagome but she didn't question Sesshomaru when he led them through the manicured grounds, following the winding pathways. Instead, she gazed up at the tall trees as they entered the forest. The pines were old, thick and hanging with moss in the moist humidity. She breathed deep of the scent of the trees, the smell so close to that of InuYasha it had a pleased smile crossing her lips. Shadows and light blended as they moved slowly along the mulched pathway, insects hummed and buzzed either within the branches or among the low blooming flowers of red, yellow, and white. Ferns swayed in the soft breeze, their delicate fronds curled at the ends and Kagome caught the quick flash of an emerald dove when it flitted by to roost in its nest high in the tree above her. Narrowing her eyes, she reached out with her senses but the bird was simply a bird, not one of Enshi's. "Kagome?"
"Just checking." She smiled up at InuYasha and threaded her fingers through his when he offered his hand. Fingers tucked in Sesshomaru's arm and gripped tight by her mate, she walked between her two Inu while Kemuri snuffled and weaved along behind them. The hound was content to use his nose and check out all these new smells. Finally, curiosity won out and she asked, "Where are we going Sesshomaru?"
He glanced down at her, his face impassive. "There is a guest that has requested to meet you both."
This time InuYasha's eyes narrowed as he studied Sesshomaru over her head. "And they're in the forest of Kagome's garden?" A short nod from his brother had a disgruntled huff leaving his lips. "And just when were you going to tell me this?"
His mouth gave only a slight twitch with InuYasha's petulant question. "Now." He led them deeper into the forest and out into the open meadow at the back. It was the quickest way to the glen the kirin was residing in.
Kemuri dashed ahead, brushing past InuYasha's legs, and made her giggle at his exuberance. Following the hound out of the darkness and cloying humidity of the pine forest, Kagome's eyes took in the meadow for the first time. It was incredible! Full of a multitude of blooming wildflowers and grasses. Medicinal plants grew everywhere, tuffs of tall yellow grass swayed in the breeze and she breathed out in awe. "Oh, it's so pretty!" Walking a little further out, she watched Kemuri roll in a tuft of that tall grass before leaping to his feet and sneezing. The action made her giggle but a sense of wrongness was growing in her belly. A sense that something wasn't right, that she had done this before. Turning slowly to gaze back at the trees, she took her time and turned until she faced the sheer mountain side. Fear began to trip in her heart as she let her eyes track up the gray granite surface to the jagged peak of the high mountain that towered above her.
"Kagome?" Her breath had started to hitch all of a sudden and InuYasha tightened his hold on her fingers before turning to look where she was. The intense wash of fear rocked him onto his heels when a whimper of terror left her throat. "Kagome!"
"No!" She stared up in horror at the peak from her nightmare. Stumbling backwards away from them both she tripped on the train of her kimono and would have sprawled down into the grass had Sesshomaru not caught her elbow. "No, no, no! It was only a dream. You said… just a dream!"
Panic was squeezing tight around her heart when InuYasha wrenched her into his arms and turned her body so she could no longer see the mountain but only the forest. "Easy Kagome. Just breathe koi." Stroking his hand down her hair, he held on tight while she shudder, her hands fisting against him and the scent of her fear rising to coat the clearing.
She had been pulled clear from his hold by InuYasha and Sesshomaru was forced to watch in confusion while the sour scent of Kagome's terror rose to burn his nose. Unable to find the source of her fear as there was no one near, not even Moyashi, Sesshomaru set his narrowed gaze on his brother. "InuYasha. Explain!"
Holding her tightly, he backed into the forest, dragging her step by step back into the treeline and out of the sun soaked meadow. "Gimme a minute." He needed to see to her first. "Kagome… you need to calm done. Breathe for me." Her nose was tucked tight into his shoulder and he felt her panting hard. "Through your nose saiai. Breathe me in." She complied and he rumbled a soft call of praise. "That's it. Listen to the beat of my heart mate. Calm yours. Relax and breathe." Continuing to pet and call, stroke and soothe, he finally felt her stiff body soften, curve into his until she melted.
Gleaming gold eyes met his, and InuYasha could see the tightly held reins of Sesshomaru's control slipping. It would not be a good thing to have his brother this close to exploding when they returned to the palace so he did his best to explain. "The nightmare Kagome had, the one she's had twice now, the thing that attacks her… it happens there." He thrust his chin towards the meadow and returned to purring and stroking when she shuddered and whimpered softly.
"Here! You are certain? Of course you are certain." It was a foolish question when it came to Kagome. She was always certain. Stalking back into the meadow, he tried to recall the minute details of the vision InuYasha had shown him during their previous dream walk. A dark shadow had clouded the peak. The silhouette of it sliding like oil from the jagged crevice, there. Three rough peaks, two tall and one short, made up the apex of this mountain with its sheer face. A thought had him glancing to either direction, the displeased hum slipping from him. "InuYasha…" He needed his brother's assistance.
Pushing her back, just a little, gently to cup her face, InuYasha kissed her sweet lips and nuzzled his nose along her cheekbone. "It's going to be ok. I'm right here with you and the sun's wrong. It's already moved past the peak. There is nothing up there. Ok?" Her hands moved to clamp hard around his wrists.
"Oh kami, InuYasha. It was real." A vision of something destined to happen or a warning of what might, she didn't know which, but what she had seen was going to happen here, right here, in her garden. "How will I ever…." How could she ever feel safe enough to come here with that looming over her head?
"Because you will never come alone. Do you hear me? Never alone Kagome!" He had not been with her either time the vision had played out but he would make damn sure he was with her whenever she wished to come here. "It's a beautiful space and I will not let something like that tarnish the joy you could find here. Do you understand? Never! When you want to come here, I or Sesshomaru will be with you." He kissed her again, fiercely, plunging into her mouth and displacing her fear with him. The taste of him, his scent, the touch of his alpha against her skin. Nothing short of that would do to distract her from her fear.
Sesshomaru's voice was an unwelcome intrusion but InuYasha reluctantly lifted his head. "Come." He would not allow her fear to rule her. Tucking her hand in his elbow, InuYasha tugged her forwards a few unwilling steps before she gave in and followed, her strong, stubborn nature rising up to push past the fear. "Good." His call was soft, enticing, and full of pride. "There's my stubborn female." He'd much rather see her snap and snarl, than sense her overwhelming terror. "Sesshomaru?"
The daiyoukai moved to Kagome's exposed side, her hound pressing firmly into her leg between them, providing a feeling of security that she needed. Touching the back of her hand, he felt the tremble before her fist clenched and stopped the fearful movement. "Well done, Imouto." She was a strong willed female when she needed to be. "As InuYasha said, never alone. We will be with you in this space."
Taking a deep breath, Kagome blew out hard through her mouth and straightened her shoulders. "I'm good. It just surprised me." She had not expected to be slapped in the face with the location of her nightmare so suddenly. Still, she refused to look up to the jagged peaks a second time.
"Hn." He gave a short nod and shifted his gaze to InuYasha. "Where are the closest ward stones brother?"
"There and there." Unsure why it was important, InuYasha pointed them out. One on the ridge to the right of the peak, a second sitting on a lone rock out cropping, neither placed more than halfway up the cliff face at the back of the garden. "Oh…" InuYasha's eyes widened with his realization. "I see what you mean."
"What?" Slipping her mind into InuYasha's, Kagome found the answer to her question. The wards ringed the valley but the dome curved up and over it. The place in her nightmare where the evil had come from had been high above, outside the area of protection. The thing would be halfway down the mountain before the wards activated. "Well… that's concerning." And made her shudder before she stiffened her spine. She would not give in to terror. Not a second time.
"Can you fix it?" Sesshomaru's tone cooled with his question. Apparently, they had a weak spot in their defenses and he was not pleased with the information.
"I…" Frowning, InuYasha was unsure. "I'll try." Releasing Kagome, he paced farther into the meadow and sank to a knee at its center, pressing his fingers into the earth, and reached for the youki in the land. Once he felt it draw up under his hand, he let his own power descend into the ground, follow the glowing lines that connected him to the wards until he found the two that he wanted.
The wisps within the wards reacted with a childlike enthusiasm, wiggling like puppies within their confines, and had him chuckling softly, a sound that seemed to resonate within the very depths of the earth. Waiting a moment for them to calm, it took another minute to explain adequately what he was asking. Could they extend the barrier towards the peak? The answer was a brush of murmured sound when one voice rang with all their voices, harmony resounding and chiming together.
His disappointment, and frustration, must have been felt by them for a second wave of sound came to him. They questioned him on why it was important and he showed them the best he could. Anger quickly swelled that his mate was in danger, the shield around the valley suddenly shimmering, and while they couldn't shift their positions or expand the barrier without weakening it, the two wards he'd connected with turned their focus out and upwards. Now, if something were to ascend the peak of that mountain, he would know instantly. "Thank you…" He whispered and disconnected from the flow of power. A final brush of voices urged him to visit the Guardians. "Soon." He promised them.
Rising to his feet, InuYasha turned to face his mate and brother, her shadow hound sitting vigilant and watchful at her heels. He couldn't help the smug grin that graced his mouth when he caught sight of Kagome's amazement filled eyes. "Liked that did ya?" He chuckled when she squealed and raced towards him.
"Oh my gosh! That was so cool!" Never in her life had she felt something so amazing.
Sesshomaru felt the muscles that had tightened along his spine relax slightly. He had felt nothing, not even a fluctuation of power from InuYasha. Certainly nothing like what had occurred the evening prior but he had apparently accomplished something. "Brother?"
Catching Kagome, he swung her in a circle and made her laugh. "Wench!" He smirked at her before giving her a smacking kiss and addressing his brother. "Can't move what's already in place, but those two," He shot his thumb back towards the wards whose attention had shifted. "Are going to be watching up and out. They'll see it as soon as it peeks its nasty face over the top. If it even comes to that."
"Indeed? Well done, InuYasha." It was intriguing, the wards and their function. "We should speak more on what the wards have shown you."
Nodding, InuYasha agreed. "I promised to see the Guardians soon. And should really make a circuit, see them all for myself."
There was time for that in the next few days. "Come. We must continue." Striding swiftly into the trees on the far side of the meadow, Sesshomaru led them back to the glade of the kirin and swept the vines aside. "Kagome." When she stopped to frown up at him, Sesshomaru let the grin pull up the corner of his mouth. "Do not freak out and scream."
Stepping through the opening, following the bounding Kemuri, Kagome asked. "Why would I…" But had her voice fade away when she felt the aura within. Old. Exceptionally so. And so bound to the nature around her it was almost indiscernible. That was until it moved, stepped from the woods into the dappled sunlight. "Oh. My. Kami…" She knew her mouth hung open but couldn't seem to close it. "That's… that's… that's…"
InuYasha had no such trouble voicing his surprise when he stopped beside her. "Holy fuck! You have a Kirin!?" He gaped in astonished wonder up at his brother.
"The Lady is a guest, InuYasha, not a possession." Sesshomaru huffed lightly in exasperation. "Could you be anymore ill mannered?" He muttered only loud enough for the hanyou to hear.
"Feh." He ignored the comment and turned his awe to the creature long thought lost to legend. The kirin slipped silently from between the trees to, he could only call it prance, forwards into the dappled sunlight. She was beautiful with her cream and pink mane and tale, her tan fur and flashing scales. The brilliant gold horn that graced her face was incredible but it was the ancient, haunting, sapphire eyes that drew him in. Giving her a small nod, he said only, "Lady." For the Kirin had set her sights on Kagome.
She held those sapphire eyes with her own dark alpha ones and fell into them. A kirin! Kami! Not even once in her life, not even with everything she had seen, everything she had done, had Kagome once suspected they were real. Gliding slowly forwards, Kagome was drawn to this creature of myth and longed to get closer. "Lady." She said softly.
"Lady Miko." The kirin offered a short bow to the girl with the mesmerising eyes. Letting her gaze fall to the rounding of her middle, the kirin dropped her nose towards it. "You are blessed, young one, to have such a fine litter your first time."
"I like to think so." Placing a hand on the swell, Kagome smiled with the trilling laugh of the kirin. Her voice lifted to wrap around the mind but Kagome brushed it away. It was pleasant but did not affect her. Lifting her hand, Kagome held it out for the kirin to press her muzzle to. She desperately wanted to touch this myth come to life. "Always the touching with you." InuYasha's amusement lingered, caressing her mind, and she grinned back at him over her shoulder.
The kirin touched her nose to that palm and murmured a sound of pleasure when Kagome's fingers made their way back and over her cheek. "You have a soothing hand, little miko."
"Kagome will do." Working her way down the white of the kirin's throat, she wondered at the softness.
"Kagome…" She rolled the word off her tongue. "Kagome… is this your name then?"
"Hai, it is." The fur was like velvet. Soft, smooth, warm. She couldn't help but stroke the strong neck. "May I ask what yours is?" The scales gleamed, pink and gold, but she refrained from touching, not wishing to offend by being too forward. "Think it may be a little late for that mate." InuYasha's chuckle ran warm through her mind and made her smile. "How could I not touch?" When given the opportunity to touch a myth, how could she not?
Tilting her head, the kirin watched the woman from one ancient eye. "Names hold power young one…"
"Does knowing my name give you power over me?" Kagome asked quietly, aware of two stiff alphas reaching slowly for weapons behind her.
"No. But you are not Kirin." She nudged the shoulder of the woman with her nose and laughed softly. The hound stood stiff-legged a short distance away and she turned her eyes to him. "Hound."
Kemuri moved cautiously closer, unsure of this creature, but neither alpha was showing the typical signs that came with a threat. Still, her wild scent, one so close to the nature around him, was a contradiction to the youkai feel of her. It was making him suspicious of just what kind of creature it was that stood so close to his mistress.
Lowering her head, the kirin brought her nose close to that of the wary hound. "I have been chased through the forest by mortal brethren of yours; human bred hounds. It did not end well, for the hounds. Let us agree that you will not chase and I will not retaliate, yes?" He looked slightly affronted at being compared to a mortal hound and snorted his contempt before returning to sit at InuYasha's side.
The hound glared up at him and made InuYasha chuckle. "Don't look at me. I ain't got a clue what's going on here."
Kagome bit her lip to keep from laughing at the hound that was so insulted and had to work twice as hard to keep it in when she saw the laughter reflected in the Kirin's eye. Clearing her throat, she returned to her previous question. "Well, is there something you prefer to be called? The kirin seems… so impersonal."
Cocking her head, the kirin studied Kagome from a sapphire eye. "The trees speak truth about you young miko. A kind, gentle heart and a pure soul. There is a softness to you that would draw in other kirin if…" She bit off her words.
"If?" Kagome stiffened, her hand landing gently back against the kirin's hide.
She had not meant to bring that back up. "If… there were others… left." Squeezing closed her eyes, she turned her face away from the growing look of horror.
"No…" It couldn't be. She couldn't be the only one left. But the obvious pain coming off the creature was heartbreaking. "I'm so sorry…" Kagome whispered and following the tugging of her soft heart, wrapped her arms around the kirin's neck.
Her eyes snapped open in shock as all her muscles froze in place. 'Was this a… hug?' She had heard of such a thing but had never seen one nor been the recipient. A dazed glance to the two Inu Lords showed looks of long suffering tolerance. Apparently, Kagome did this often. "What… why?" She whispered in shock to the little human.
Tears glistening in her eyes, Kagome pulled quickly away. "I'm sorry. I… you were just… so sad." Tucking her hands into her sleeves, Kagome blushed brightly in embarrassment. "I won't do it again."
"No!" She took a quick step forwards but hesitated when the Inu stiffened. "No… it's fine. Just… surprised me." The girl's smile was so bright, she took a step back in awe at the radiance.
Striding forwards to join her, before she did something else to stun the poor creature, InuYasha wrapped his arm around Kagome's waist and peered at the kirin through narrowed eyes. "Why are you here?"
"She is hunted, brother." Sesshomaru stated as he glided closer.
"Hunted? By what?" InuYasha asked.
"Korekutã…" The kirin murmured. "He collects things of a unique nature. As I am the last of my kind, he has hunted me a very long time."
The shiver raced Kagome's spine. The name brought with it fear and anger, the desire to both scream in terror and howl in rage, and she clutched at InuYasha's arm around her waist. "Saiai?" His grip tightened with the concerned question. The dragon raged, roared in challenge and anger. The Inu's howl was a war cry in her soul. "Collector…" She whispered, eyes burning to a hard black, gold and blue waring for dominance between her two instincts.
The tension in the glade rose until it was palatable and InuYasha turned Kagome to face him. His ears pinned flat with the intensity of her eyes. "Show me!" He demanded, gripping a tight fistful of her hair. Her hand closed in his kimono, her nails scraping his skin through the handful of cloth, and for the second time he was faced with that rattling roll of sound, the hissing, gravel of her dragon as it rippled from her lips.
"He will come…" Flashes of images, brutal hunts, violent raids, stealthy thefts in the night, but behind them all a single man. Always the mastermind behind the plots. "She must stay… hidden." Gasping, Kagome inhaled sharply and broke free from the vision. Knees weak and shaking, she rested her forehead against InuYasha's chest, breathed in the wild scent of him and let the flow of youki and the soft purr in her mind soothe the pain in her temples. "Ow…" That one, for some reason, had hurt a little.
The kirin cocked her head, frowned gently in confusion, before her eyes suddenly cleared. "You are a seer!" Bending a foreleg, she bowed very low over the other until her horn touched the ground. "It is doubly my honour to meet you."
Turning her head only enough to look at the kirin but leave it leaning against InuYasha, Kagome nodded. "I see many things…" It was the most she was willing to give. "Kagome, she doesn't know does she?" Letting her eyes close, she drifted on the warm youki that continued to swirl and rock within her. "No. She doesn't know about us. But she knew about you before we came here."
Straightening from her bow, the kirin danced in place with her enthusiasm. Her tail flicked behind her over the ground, brushing light waves of youki through the grass. Where it trailed tiny shoots grew and unfurled, growing rapidly to bloom into an abundance of colorful flowers until she was surrounded in them.
Placing his hand gently on Kagome's shoulder, Sesshomaru watch in fascination as the kirin's power manifested. Flowers, the likes of which he had never seen, grew to full radiance within moments. The nature of her gifts unfolding before his eyes had only one thought crossing his mind. 'Rin would love her.' The child would never be without flowers again. "Imouto? Is there something this Sesshomaru should be made aware of?" While he asked Kagome, his eyes caught and held with InuYasha's. A slow blink and a minute nod from his brother hardened his features.
Sighing softly, Kagome opened her eyes only to have them widen in surprised pleasure. "Oh! So pretty!" She giggled, a happy sound that lessened the stiffness of the two Inu standing with her. Kemuri's head came up under her hand, and she rubbed a silky ear while she smiled at the kirin. The haunting sapphire eyes, ones that had only recently held such sadness, were lit from within with excitement.
Glancing down at her feet, the kirin snorted at the sudden appearance of all the flowers. 'How embarrassing!' It had been centuries since she had lost control of her powers in such a way and had she been able to blush she would have. "Forgive me. This is… excessive."
"But beautiful none the less." Kagome said softly before turning to face Sesshomaru. The worry in his eyes was at odds with the cold mask he wore and she placed her hand against his armor covered chest. "He will come here. Whether for her or for another reason I am uncertain, but he will come. I can't quite see…"
Dark eyes flashed briefly to gold, lost focus, before a wince of pain crossed her features. "Enough." Sesshomaru placed his hand over hers on his chest to stop her.
InuYasha surrounded her from behind, clasping a hand protectively over his pups while the other grasped her chin and bared her throat to the stroking of his fangs. "No more Kagome." He didn't understand why trying to see this collector was causing her pain, but he really didn't like it. The reactions of her instincts were telling enough and had his own reacting in kind. His demon was raging, clawing and scraping to be free, his Inu screamed for blood, causing the marks on his face to flair to life in bright, vivid color. The rise of his alpha into full, vibrant life, flared his brother's in reaction.
"InuYasha!" Sesshomaru barked at him. His own rise to defend stirring his demon to fight for freedom and his Inu to struggle to break free of its confines.
Wrenching her hand from under Sesshomaru's, Kagome turned forcefully into InuYasha, buried her hands in his hair and yanked his elongating fangs to her throat. "Breathe! Or you'll call Senchineru to you!" The last thing they needed was an enraged beta barreling through the vines.
The snarl was vicious, deep and long, when he clamped his fangs over her throat and dragged her a couple of steps from the others. Her heart was beating a wild tattoo against his teeth when her scent finally pierced the veil of rage. Calm washed soft through his mind but it was the wicked moan of such pleasure rushing across his senses that finally pulled him back. "Saiai… gomen." The tight hold he had on her loosened. His tongue swept repeatedly over the skin he'd scraped while the grip she had on his hair softened. It was only once she released him that he realized how much pain that handful of hair had been inflicting on his scalp.
Dragging her nails gently through that wealth of white silk, Kagome soothed away the hurt she'd inflicted with a gentle trickle of reiki. "Me too." She hadn't meant to hold him that tight but he had been about to lose his control. It was all too clear to them both just what else this collector of unique things would find to covet in the west. When he lifted his head, determination shone in his golden eyes, his demon present in the look, and she touched her fingers to his marks. "It will be-"
"Woman if you say fine, so help me!" He growled out, amusement and exasperation equally present in the words.
She laughed, full and long with the irate tone and laid a smacking kiss to his lips. "But it will be! At least we get a bit of a forewarning now. Not like before when we lived on the strength of the itch you used to get between your shoulder blades!" Turning back to the patiently waiting daiyoukai and the obviously confused kirin, Kagome smiled. "Apologies. That one was… unsettling."
Sesshomaru was not so willing to appease her conscience, or InuYasha's. "Hn. You are not to hurt yourself, Imouto, in order to do these things. We do not like it, nor do we approve."
A set of frozen gold eyes glared at him and InuYasha bared a fang in response. "Who said they approved?" He grumbled quietly. It wasn't like he had enjoyed the experience of watching her struggle.
"Both of you behave." Kagome sighed as the two of them snipped at each other. Stepping away from InuYasha's tight hold, she made her way slowly towards the angry daiyoukai. "Onii-san," She murmured quietly. "It was foolish to try so hard. Just, it is so… muddled." Heavy disapproval had drawn his brows together and she longed to reach up and smooth away the furrow she had caused to form. Instead, as his eyes softened with her apology, she gave a cheeky half grin and mouthed the word… wrinkles. InuYasha's snort of laughter was quickly smothered with a cough but Sesshomaru couldn't quite control the twitch that caused his lip to quirk upwards. It did, however, have the desired effect of smoothing out his frown.
Studying the coughing hanyou, the kirin wondered what had caused such a reaction. Was he ill? He did not seem so. "Are you well Inu Lord?"
Smothering the rest of his reaction to Kagome's teasing, InuYasha tilted his head in a small nod to the kirin. "Fine. Do you have other information on this Korekuta? He's youkai I'm assuming, but do you know what kind or what he looks like?"
She sidled closer to him, eyes a little wary, when she brought her nose to his shoulder. "You smell of him, your father." The scent of a wild, overgrown forest clung to this hanyou alpha. "Powerful. Feral. And you have the feel of him only… hotter." Glancing back to the daiyoukai that stood with the miko she marveled at it. 'Fire and Ice. What an interesting pair.' One ran to heat, flashed into burning anger. The other to cold, sliding like a glacier into, slow, controlled rage. And the human miko stood between. She was the balance, the hand that held them both in check. 'Incredible!' Shaking herself out of her revelations, she eyed InuYasha a little more. "The Inu no Taisho rises in the West. An alpha, strong like his brother. The trees speak well of you young one."
Stunned, InuYasha wondered at her words. "The trees?"
"Hai." Her eyes danced with merriment. "You have an affinity for the old ones, do you not?"
The smirk flashed his fangs. "Hm. They are my favorites."
"Many tell your story. The deeds of the hanyou InuYasha." Her nose again dropped, this time to the fur that hung from him. "Nature sings with the passing of two white Inu."
Sapphire eyes continued to laugh when she nudged his mokomoko. "You sure know a lot for a creature that ain't supposed to be real."
Trilling laughter filled the glade. "I assure you I am very real!" Her tail swiped through the grass again and caused a whole new crop of flowers to grow. "I must thank you, Inu no Taisho, for your gift last evening."
Unable to contain himself any longer, InuYasha reached out and touched the tan fur of her strong neck. "Just InuYasha. What gift?" He asked as he ran his fingers under her mane. "Now who has to touch?" Kagome snickered, fingers pressed to her lips. He glanced her way, saw her standing under the protection of Sesshomaru's arm where his brother had it wrapped across her shoulders, gave her a mock glare and left his fingers where they were. "She's… a legend." And he was no different than Kagome. How could he not touch?
He had a gentle touch that surprised her coming from such a gruff male. "The youki that settled over the valley. It healed the last of my aches. Long have I run from my death, InuYasha. Today is the first day since I was young that I feel… well. Arigato. You blessed your valley as well. Improved the crops, strengthened the buildings. It is good."
"Huh…" He'd had no idea. Letting his fingers creep up, he ran his claws along her jawline before dropping his hand away. "You should stay." Turning to look at Sesshomaru, InuYasha cocked his head at his brother. "She should stay here. We can protect her."
InuYasha's eyes clearly showed what he had not said and it astounded him with the unspoken question of 'can't we' that lay in the eyes that matched his own. "Yes, little brother, we can." Neither of them had any use for the horn that others coveted, therefore she was safest here in the west. "She has come seeking sanctuary with us and it has been granted."
"Great! But we can keep calling you the kirin. You need some kind of name." The kirin pranced towards her, making Kagome giggle a little with the action. It was done with such youthful enthusiasm for one who was such an old youkai. Her aura was not quite that of Enshi's but it was ancient. Holding out her hand, Kagome scratched the tiny chin that settled in her palm.
"I am open to suggestions Kagome." What a lovely touch. If only she would sit. 'How I would love to rest in her presence.'
Kagome thought about it while her hound rubbed his cheek on her leg and she stroked the soft white fur under the kirin's chin. Her eyes were continually drawn back to the flowers, fragrant and blooming in the center of the glen, and a smile graced her face. "Hana."
The soft, trilling laugh of the kirin filled the air. "I suppose it is fitting." She did have a tendency to make things blossom.
"Lady Hana." Sesshomaru acknowledged her chosen name. "Imouto, InuYasha. We must be going." They were already running late but this meeting had been necessary and worth the delay.
"You… you will return?" Hana asked quietly, peering at Kagome with hope filled eyes.
"Of course!" Smiling brightly, Kagome ran her fingers over Hana's soft cheek. "We are going to be good friends. I will come as often as I can."
"Lady Hana." InuYasha tilted his head in acknowledgement in much the same fashion as his brother and held the vines open for Kagome. "Come on troublemaker." Her smile turned to him and he felt his heart soften, a sappy grin appearing on his own face when she made her way towards him. Holding out his hand, he tugged her into his chest. "Saiai."
"Watashi no kokoro." Kagome stroked her fingers over his cheek, resting the tips against his chin before rising on her toes to rub her cheek affectionately across his. Rumbling out a soft sound of contentment, InuYasha nuzzled his nose under her ear.
The kirin, happy with her new name and at the prospect of finding a friend, watched the easy love bloom between them and sighed softly. 'Double bonded. How wonderful.' Glancing towards the Lord that still waited, his own affection of the two startlingly easy to see in that swift, unguarded moment, before the mask came down and the indifference returned, she bowed her head. "Thank you Inu Lord for bringing them to meet me. It was more than I expected."
"Hn." With a small nod he acknowledged her thanks and followed InuYasha and Kagome from the glen of the kirin.
All that remained was the shadow hound and the two of them looked each other over. "I mean no harm to your lady, hound." Hana said softly.
Kemuri, wary of this strange creature, bared a fang and growled a warning. He would not hesitate to defend her if the need arose. Even from this creature of nature.
"I would expect no less." Hana bowed over her leg to the hound and when she rose, he was gone. The swinging of the vines, the only remnants that marked his passing.
A/N: R&R as you like!