BookFinder: *peeks out from hiding place* I know! Isn't that totally freakin' terrifying?! *laughs nervously* 'Course not for me. 'Cause, you know, I wrote it. Yup, totally not scary.

TsukiDragon: OMG I KNOW! I didn't even have the guts to write it… I mean, it's too scary for me to imagine! *wails*

riridreaheart: Bless you, child! Bless you! *clears throat* I mean, uh, thank you!

Aozora12: Oh, of course. In a 'good natured' sort of way. Sure. *wink*

Professor of Gallifrey: I didn't think I would be able to do their fight justice, plus they were stoned, so it's just in memories and how the staff of the palace will treat them. And OMG he's in this chapter!

Sesshomaru's Secret Admirer: (chapter 1 review) I, personally, think Kagome should always end up with some sort of youkai, ayakashi or some spiritually strong person. Although I will totally admit, I had a hard time not writing Nurarihyon as Sesshomaru. I mean, there's no one else for Sesshomaru! Kagome and him are perfect! Then again, Nurarihyon is also perfect for Kagome… *sighs dramatically*

Guest Reviewer, alice: FRENCH! *smiles happily* So glad you enjoyed the chapter!

Guest Reviewer, nana: *bows* It's all due to my readers! *salutes* I shall forever endeavor to update as humanly possible. Ish.

Morra Renae: And this is why I love, love, love my readers! Why didn't I think of that? That is such an awesome idea! Yay, now I have three ideas to chose from! I can't wait to see which one prevails! (P.S. OMG YOU VOTED ON MY POLL! YOU ROCK!)

Halley Vanaria: *nods understandingly* They are… and they complain about women being hard to understand… *rolls eyes*

Wicken25: *glances around carefully* Well… *whispers* see I've been thinking on this idea and a reviewer kindly presented another idea, so no I'm sure she won't. And I also am going try to write (invent) battles so there doesn't have to be a century time-skip. It kinda bothered me that us readers didn't get to know Rihan's relationship with his mother, or how he was as a child.

Nurarihyon slowly opened his eyes, suppressing a groan. He had a splitting headache and his body ached like he had just fought once again with Hagoromo Gistune, only without his woman healing him.

He attempted to bring his hand to his eyes, but as he tugged he realized a weight was set a top it. Turning his head, he squinted trying to make out the dark shape laying next to him. Lifting up his head, he tried to focus his gaze.

The pain in his head shot to a higher degree and he quickly laid back down. He huffed, and shifted until he was facing the other side.

A line formed between his brows as the ground under him moved. Feeling against it, he noted it was grass. As his senses sharpened, he realized that whatever he was against was rather fluffy and soft.

Almost like fur, actually.

His mouth twisted. If some animal was curled up against him, what was laying on his arm on his other side?

Once again, he scanned his surroundings. He was outside, some kind of fluffy animal curled up against him, and maybe a person or a run on his arm, it also look to be like the sun was rising on the other side of the white dog…

Ah! It was. And such a great thing too! Now he could clearly make out the figure of his wife laying against him.

But what was she doing outside? In her condition? She should be inside!

Before he could take action, however, a shaft of sunlight peaked over the pretty white dog hitting his eyes. Instantly, he closed them wincing in pain.

Carefully opening them again, he waiting until the spots disappeared from his vision. The great white dog really was pretty, especially with the light purple strips on is ankles. Oh, it also had some on the side of his face and a crescent moon set high on his forehead.

Crescent moon…

All thoughts stopped.

He lurched to his feet, or at least attempted to do so, as Yohime held a firm grip on his arm he only managed to sit up. He regretted that action before he had even finished. Glancing around wildly, he took note of the kitsune's- Shippo- men scattered about in front of him. There was some soldiers, some youkai who he recognized as advisors to Sesshomaru.

Who was in his true form and curled up like a dog around him and his wife against the wall giving him a clear view of the yard.

Gently striking the palm of his hand to his temple, he wondered what on Earth happened last night.

He didn't ponder it too long as Yohime shifted, a slight shiver going through her body. His arm was already under her so all his did was lift it to drag her to his lap.

"Nurarihyon-sama?"

He cut is eyes to the quiet voice standing above him. There stood that kitsune general, Masaru, who looked like he had returned from a war. Rumpled clothes, dark circles under his eyes, youkai running thin and slumped shoulders.

"Hm?"

"Would you, for the love of the gods, please return home?"

At Nurarihyon's blank, almost questioning look, he continued.

"I have never in my two hundred years of service seen my Lord drunk. Congratulations, for such an accomplishment."

His voice oozed sarcasm, but he was too tired to deliver the bite that should have accompanied such words.

"Hm, I don't suppose you could clear up some things for me?"

Regretting as soon as he spoke, he almost winced at the look the general sent him.

"Oh, sure! No problem! Let's start at the beginning, huh? You challenged Sesshomaru to a fight."

Nurarihyon did remember something like that.

"I mean, seriously, you could not have had a better idea. No, no, after all Sesshomaru-sama is exactly the person you want to spar with, especially when he uses Bakusaiga."

The very dim memory of a green light that infected and destroyed everything it touched came to the forefront of his foggy mind.

"And to top all that off, yes I know it's hard to imagine but do try to keep up, both of you great, powerful nobles were stoned."

And, that was where his memory ended.

"Who won?"

Utter disbelief etched itself into the man's face.

"'Who won?', is that what you want to know? 'Who won?'?! How about, 'Why is my wife out here?', or 'Why is Lord Sesshomaru in beast form?', or maybe even 'why are all my wounds healed?'?"

"Why is my wi-"

Nurarihyon was cut off as the man raised his fist, and for an instant he actually thought Masaru was going to hit him. He paused, but stuck his face close to the ayakashi's and hissed through clenched teeth.

"Your wife is the one who stopped both of you. Your bodies were covered in wounds and it's a miracle that you didn't get hit by Bakusaiga. "

Nura fondly smiled at the woman in his lap, petting her hair. Masaru facepalmed.

"You really don't get it do you?"

An eyebrow raised.

Masaru began to laugh, his hands clutching at his stomach. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he tried to calm himself, unsuccessfully, I might add.

Nurarihyon's eye twitched. He opened his mouth, no doubt to tell the kitsune to be quiet, but he stopped suddenly.

Well, not exactly 'stopped' more like… Sesshomaru bit his head off.

Well, not exactly 'off' more like… swallowed it.

Well, not exactly- you know what? Never mind. One second it was Nura's head the next it was Maru's nose.

Of course, Maru-chan immediately let go and laid his great head next to the small woman still on Nura's lap.

Masaru slapped both hands very firmly over his mouth, his face soon turning red.

Slobber covered Nurarihyon's hair and it dripped down his back, the trademark 'defying gravity' part gone.

Needless to say, he really wasn't amused as the kitsune general was.

"Ne, don't you have something else to do?"

Masaru nodded, quickly bowed and vanished.

Nurarihyon held out his hands and flicked them several times in an attempt to remove some slobber.

A muffled moan caught his attention, looking up he peered to the far left side over the body of Yohime and saw a wolf.

He furrowed his brows.

Were there any wolves yesterday?

Ah, now that he thought about there was a commotion, some screams and yells and an annoying male that grabbed his wife and called her 'his woman'. Oh, that's right. If he remembered correctly, he dragged that wolf into his fight with Sesshomaru.

Yohime was pretty angry about that. And that red-haired lady wolf, and those other two wolves who he assumed were bodyguards or something like that.

That's probably why the wolf's furs were stained with dried blood. His fingers absently brushed at his own blood stained haori and a some what feral gin made its way to his face.

Manners had been thoroughly ingrained into that mangy wolf.

Said wolf gingerly sat up, clutching his head. Blue eyes opened and squinted at the sight before his eyes. Once they were focused enough to make out the features of the still grinning ayakashi in front of him, he quickly held up his hands.

"Whoa! She's your wife, I get it! I'm mated, happily, to Ayame! Kagome is like a sister to me and my pack!"

A minute passed by, and then another.

"Ah, so you are Chiyo's pack that they spoke of?"

The wolf nodded.

"Yup, I'm Koga, a prince of the Eastern Lands. I've known Kagome for years, and my pack as already claimed her as a pack-sister. Even Ayame before I mated her."

A faint memory when they came later into the feast, shortly after he began his fight with Sesshomaru, appeared. As he recalled, they had tried to stop him along with the Band of Seven.

"Chiyo spoke of her marriage to an ayakashi about equal to Sesshomaru, and your visit. We came late, but we were able to sit down and eat before your fight got serious."

Koga laughed then, before wincing.

"But, man! I've never seen the most feared youkai in existence drunk before! Even when he removed the icicle from his-"

He froze as Maru lifted his head to glare half-heartedly with a large red eye at him. Koga scoffed.

"Man, I could insult that mutt to my hearts content, yet the instant I do here, either Ayame, or Kagome even Ginta and Hakkaku!"

As the sun rose higher little by little into the sky, Yohime stirred. Both men's attention were fixed on her as she whimpered and curled tighter into the warm fur and the clothes of Nurarihyon. Her hands were fisted into the soft fabric under her nose and as she breathed in she detected the strong smell of sake and blood.

The events of the night before played in her mind and a growl rumbled in her throat. Brown eyes locked on to amber and Koga, remembering her temper, wisely scooted out of sight.

"Nurarihyon…"

Gone was the sweet voice she usually used, this was one that promised death, the slight golden sparks coming off her body another testament to that fact.

Before he could come up with a way to deter her anger, she grabbed his haori under his throat and pulled his face close to hers. In another situation, he would have been pleased, yet his mind wasn't even near those thoughts.

"Nurarihyon, came you tell me why I am outside, why my energy levels are very low, why your clothes are stained with blood and why, Nurarihyon-sama," he flinched at the 'sama', "I am outside."

The low 'woof' directed her attention to the giant dog sprawled next to her.

"Maru-chan, were there any questions you could answer?"

Maru cowered.

"I though as much."

Turning back to her husband, he had a gentle smile on and was detaching her fists from his kimono.

"Yohime," she melted slightly at the deep baritone he used, "You've seen all your friends and family and it's time to return. "

Nura pulled her onto his lap, placing his lips to her temple.

"I take it you would want a bath before we set out? In that case, why don't you hurry inside and I'll join you shortly?"

A smile lit of the face of the miko and she nodded. She scrambled to her feet, calling a greeting to those staring at her in shock, before making her way to the door. She spoke a quick word to those she passed and eventually came to the steps and disappeared from their view.

The entirety of the courtyard turned to stare at Nurarihyon. Noticing the burning gazes on his person, he glanced up to see Maru eyeing him thoughtfully.

"What?"

He snorted, and laid his head back down, not bothering to answer. Koga scooted up and look at the ayakashi in awe.

"You do realize there has never been anyone or anything before that has managed to defuse Kagome besides a crying kid?"

"Ho?"

The wolf nodded vigorously.

"And even then, the way she'll look at you and smile at you, you know she's angry at you but she won't say and you live in fear until she gets over it."

Nurarihyon shrugged almost disinterestedly.
"Mah, good luck with that. I have to go join my Yohime."

To his credit, Nura only staggered slightly when he rose to his feet, and made his way through the men laying on the cool stone of the courtyard. He didn't look back, and if he did, the stares would still be fixated on him.

Such an insignificant thing left some of the most well-know, respected and powerful youkai, ayakashi shocked.

Who would have imagined?

A/N *looks left* Okay, nobody there… *looks right* Nobody there, either.

*breaths sigh of relief*

Okay! Readers, I am so sorry! I was going to update a chapter, I swear I was! But I didn't write a paper, this one stupid paper and I got grounded. Grounded. For the first time in my life. Okay, I also didn't wash the dishes. Or do the laundry. Or vacuum. But that shouldn't matter!

Grounded.

That's usually for staying out late! Or doing something really bad! I should have gotten like, I don't know… *sigh* Anyways.

OMG LOOK, LOOK! IT'S A POLL! CAN I POKE IT?!

Thank you for reading, reviews are the whisk to my plunger. *grin*