Disclaimer: I do not own 'Inuyasha' or any of its characters.

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Help needed

"So the bastards spoke with you just two days ago?" Inuyasha summed up. They have settled in their house, Inuyasha had tried to put his sons in their beds, but even if they were still sleeping, it seems they didn't want to leave him or their mother. That's why they were trying not to raise their voice.

"Yes, a dog demon came to our den and asked to talk with me, told me he wanted to make a deal. I replied I was not interested in a deal with stinky dogs and he changed tactic. The bastard said that he knew I have a turbulent past with both you and your stuck-up ass brother and offered me revenge, said that demons were gathering to overthrow Sesshomaru, kill you and your sons, and..." Koga trailed off, gazing nervously at Kagome. His aura flared for a moment, a dark shadow crossed his face as his hardened eyes locked with Inuyasha's.

"I already know that plan," Inuyasha spat out through gritted teeth. The only thing that was helping him keeping his control was his son sleeping soundly in his arms. At least he had learnt to keep some control since he had been made heir to Sesshomaru, through the years he had to give up on certain ways but still... Certain situations couldn't be helped. His rage was threatening to spill any moment now, but he had to keep a tight grip on it if he didn't want to wake Toga up and have him more distressed.

"What then? The cat mentioned that a wolf tribe wiped out his messenger," Inuyasha pried, observing Koga's reaction.

"What else should have I done? I am not repeating some of the comments the bastard did, I'm not comfortable doing that in front of the women," he admitted, a hand went to tug his ponytail. His aura flared again but he kept his tone low despite the curses, "Fuck! Inuyasha, if you had been there, nothing recognizable would have been left of that demon. Ginta and Hakkaku had to restrain me because even after killing him I felt like tearing him apart and torturing his body." The other two wolf demons nodded to confirm Koga's story.

Inuyasha inclined his head. "What did you do after that?"

Koga's reaction was predictable. He may have given up on Kagome years ago and mated Ayame, but that didn't mean he cared less about her or her pups. A threat of that kind could have only enraged him.

"I went to West and that was what made me lose time. I should have come here first since they were targeting you all and I assumed you were there because Sesshomaru probably had called you. But when I arrived there yesterday they were already under attack and some commander even tried to kill me because he thought I was one of the enemies. It took me a lot of time to convince him I had come to warn you and your brother. He told me none of you was at the palace so I came here as soon as I could. But it's still a long way, even if you're fast like me..." he trailed off.

"Thanks, Koga, you know it means a lot to us," Kagome piped in, her arms clung to her son. The wolf demon had left his tribe, his mate and cub, to come warning them; it spoke a lot of how the dynamics of their relationship had changed.

"Don't mention it, Kagome, you know I'll do anything for you and that includes your sons and dog turd here," Koga said pointing out at Inuyasha. "But enough with me, if I understand correctly you are needed elsewhere so speak up, tell me what happened here," he demanded. "We'll figure what to do later,"

"Long story short, five panthers attacked Kagome and me, while another cat tried to take the pups. We killed the panthers, went to Kaede's and found the cat tied up. I tried to get as much information out of him as possible. Now he's our prisoner, he may be useful to catch the responsible; he's an old enemy of my old man but since he was never caught in the act, no one could ever take him out. This could be our chance," Inuyasha summed up.

"And since you're Sesshomaru's heir and he's currently missing you have to go there and take the control," Koga finished for him, "but where in the seven hells is that bastard? His lands are under attack, the fucker threatens your family and he's missing?"

"He's made quite the mess. Now we need to think about taking down as many demons as possible and getting things back under control. I have an idea that after that there will be many more messes to clean up, all caused by him. We knew he was going to miss for a couple of days and I expected a messenger some time ago, but none came. I never imagined that he never showed up at the castle either. That was more than ten days ago!" Inuyasha hissed. "I would have expected something else from him."

Everyone nodded; it was strange for sure. Even if they knew he had probably mated with Rin by now, they had been away for too long.

"Do you think something happened to them too?" Kagome inquired, suddenly worried about Rin.

"No," Inuyasha promptly answered, "the panther knew nothing about his location. He said he disappeared, which means that they have no idea where he is and right now it's the same for us. We can't even go looking for him because we're needed west." He got up and placed Toga next to his mother reluctantly. "I think I need to go right now, we are only losing time. Sango, is Kirara currently with you?" he addressed the slayer. "It will take too long going by foot."

"She is guarding the children along with Kohaku and Shippo," Sango answered.

"Good, I am gonna go there, bring everyone here and take her. I want you to remain here tonight, it will be safer. Koga..." he looked sternly at the wolf demon, his glare holding unspoken words. Inuyasha knew he came not only to warn him but also to offer his protection. Before Koga could answer, they heard loud noises coming from outside and then a loud screeching that resembled Jaken's voice. Indeed, some seconds later they heard him calling Inuyasha aloud. Inuyasha and Koga went outside, while Miroku headed towards his house instead to bring everyone there before Inuyasha could leave.

He was surprised to see Kichiro and Osamu next to Jaken and Ah-Un. They had obviously hurried to come here because the dragon was a little winded and Jaken dishevelled, even if Inuyasha wasn't sure if it was the other two demons' fault or not. Shouldn't they be offering their help at the palace?

"Inuyasha-sama," they both bowed. "Kimi-sama is requesting your help in the Western Lands. We are under attack, Sesshomaru-sama is missing and a lot of demons are dying because they are tired and the enemy kept sending reinforcements," Osamu explained, eyeing the wolf demon next to Inuyasha.

"She sent us to protect Kagome-sama and your children while you are absent," Kichiro added.

"No need for that," Koga interrupted. "Mutt face was already coming to the west; my packmates and I are the ones staying here to protect Kagome," he said too cocky, waving his hands in dismissal.

Kichiro and Osamu shifted their eyes to him, surprised he could even speak to Inuyasha like that. The hanyou growled at the wolf's display and had to refrain from kicking him in the ass, chanting under his breath some sort of mantra to remember he was here to help. In the end, he thumped him in the head anyway. "Obviously, since they are here there's gonna be a change of plans fleabag," he replied.

"OI! What? You're gonna send me away? Who are these guys anyway? At least you can trust me with Kagome," Koga growled back.

"We have been the Lady's personal guards in the last seven years and we would die before betraying her," Osamu interrupted, highly offended by the wolf's words. Who was he, anyway? Inuyasha didn't seem to appreciate him very much.

"I don't have time to fight with you wolf turd and right now my control isn't the best, so if you don't want me to shove Tessaiga up your ass, you'll let me speak," Inuyasha snarled. He eyed Jaken and Ah-Un and then addressed the imp, "Jaken, I don't know how you'll do or how much time it will take, but you're gonna find Sesshomaru NOW!"

The toady-like demon cowered under Inuyasha's blazing gaze, his temper even worst today; something must have happened here too because his aura was flaring in anger and without control. He was scarier than the Lady Mother.

"B-but... Kimi-sama t-told me I have to bring you there first and then..." Jaken stuttered.

"Without Ah-Un it will take too long to arrive there, Inuyasha-sama," Kichiro added. Usually, when they were alone they avoided the honorific, Inuyasha and Kagome had asked them long ago to drop the sama act, but since they currently were with a disrespectful wolf-demon, they thought it was better to go back at the formalities.

"It's not a problem," Inuyasha explained, "I had already found someone else to give me a ride." He smirked when Miroku appeared in the clearing again right on cue, Kohaku, Shippo and children in tow. Kirara promptly jumped on his shoulder and purred against his cheeks. "You ready girl?" he asked her, "You're gonna bring Koga and me to Sesshomaru's place," he explained. "I know the wolf stink is not the best, but you'll have to stand it for me, ok?"

Koga gaped at him while the others laughed. "What? Why should I come to fight for your ass of a brother?" Koga exclaimed, "I have no intentions, I came here just for Kagome's sake," he insisted.

"Yeah, I knew, but Ginta and Hakkaku are staying here along with Kichiro and Osamu. Not to mention there are also two slayers and a monk ready to fight with Kagome too if something were to happen. I think is plenty. No matter how much I hate to leave her and the pups, it'll help a bit knowing she had enough backup. We could use you there, wolf turd," Inuyasha told him. "Right now your relationship with Sesshomaru is not the best, but I'm sure your tribe could use a deal with the West. If you help him, he'll owe you one. Make yourself clever sometimes," he added, smirking and crossing his arms in a very confident pose.

"My tribe is strong as it is now, we don't need any extern help," Koga continued, narrowing his eyes at him.

Shippo, who had grown up a bit in the last years and couldn't stay on someone's shoulder anymore, was observing the scene next to Miroku. "It's like we have been travelling back to when we were still finding the shards. Right Miroku?" he commented.

"Indeed," the monk nodded, "they are fighting like their old immature selves," he replied, shaking his head. Everyone remained unfazed by the display but Kichiro and Osamu, who didn't know the nature of their relationship.

"Listen to me, you mangy wolf," Inuyasha spat out. "Didn't you tell me you were dying to shred that demon into pieces two days ago? Weren't you angered when they made those comments about Kagome? Well, right now, I could use a good fight and I can't wait to slaughter all those fuckers that are threatening my mate and my sons. So you're gonna put your ass on Kirara's back and we're gonna fly to West," he said angered.

Koga stopped his growling and stroked his chin, thinking about what Inuyasha had just said. "If you put it like that and then I can also brag to the ice king's face that I killed those demons while he was missing, the better."

"Yep, it doesn't matter if they mated and have children, they will always remain the same. So immature," Shippo stated.

"OI!" both Inuyasha and Koga turned to him menacingly having caught his lasts words. Shippo hid behind Miroku and start calling for Kagome before Inuyasha even had the possibility to thump him. "Kagomeee, Inuyasha is being mean to me again!"

Miroku shook his head again and turned to Kohaku, "It seems Inuyasha and Koga are not the only ones stuck in time," he chuckled.

In the end, Inuyasha and Koga headed towards the western valley with Kirara after a quick goodbye, Jaken went looking for Sesshomaru and Rin with Ah-Un, and the ones left in the clearing reached the women and the other wolf demons inside the house that was now very much crowded.

Kagome had finally managed to put the children into bed and was preparing something to eat and drink ignoring Inuyasha and Koga's shouting. When her mate entered the hut to bid her goodbye before he left, she was very surprised to see the guards there too, knowing the dire situation they had at the palace.

"Kichiro, Osamu! What are you doing here?" she inquired.

"We were sent here to protect you while your mate went to the palace to help there," Osamu explained, offering a bow and eyeing the other wolf demons. He wrinkled his nose at the stench of wolf that lingered in the air because of them.

"Well," Kagome said, "It seemed I'm a little overprotected now, am I not?" she giggled despite the scare she had had and the sudden absence of her mate. She had learnt to put a smile on her face for her son's sake even when said smile didn't exactly reach her eyes. "Where is Koga?" she asked Miroku.

"Inuyasha brought Koga with him since you had extra protection," the monk explained. "He said you have to stay here while he is fighting and that Ayame and the girls have enough protection at home," he added addressing Ginta and Hakkaku.

"Well then, it seems some introductions are required then." Kagome clapped her hands together and moved to make space for everyone. They would probably have to spend quite some time together before Inuyasha came home, she thought much to her chagrin, they better had to make the best of it.

"The sun has already set, if we are lucky Inuyasha's on his way here," Kimi murmured while she observed the battle going on outside the walls guarding the castle and the destruction that had hit the valley.

What was the point of fighting for a land that was then destroyed in an attempt to take it over? What were the intentions of those behind it all? Hit the strongest, take over the castle and then what? There would be no resources or demons enough left to rebuild any empire or kingdom. The demons that had been hired for the assault were many, sure, but they could hardly call themselves strong. They were banking everything on disloyalty and attacking from behind. This was not the basis for any kind of ruling.

For once in her life, Kimi was worried about the aftermath of this battle. She didn't doubt they would win, what worried her were how many lives they were going to lose and how the lands were going to suffer. The castle had been spared for most, the damage was little and guards at the inner walls were still fighting to keep the enemy outside, whoever managed to sneak in was swiftly dealt with, but the valley, the village, and the residences...

The rogues had set on fire most of them while they were fighting on purpose. Whoever had planned this attack clearly wanted to take his son's place, then why had he ordered his demons to burn everything on their path? Her aura flared in rage again; in all the centuries she had been living here, she had never seen such a disaster.

When Toga was alive no one had dared to strike him in his home. He had been a fair and magnanimous demon who always came to the rescue of everyone - even too much she used to say - it didn't matter if demon or human. Because of that, he used to travel a lot and met his enemy outside the valley; gruesome battles had never taken place in the valley. He had always made sure of this to prevent innocent lives from dying during battles. During his father's reign, the western lands had not been so prosperous nor had he been as strong a warrior as Toga. This had meant less power but even fewer enemies and no one had had really any reason to attack his lands.

The dog demoness remembered well that it had been during one of Toga's journeys that he had met his bonded. He had been travelling back home and had met a rogue demon trying to kill the princess of a nearby human court and her attendants. She didn't know the details of this encounter, but how could she forget the light sparkling in his eyes when he had broken the news to her.

Toga had then started travelling even more, his destination always the same. Every time he came back to the keep he seemed refreshed, another demon. She remembered the rumours that started at court and people who thought Toga had softened. But he had promptly proved them wrong and prevented any kind of attacks on the West for that.

When he had died, Sesshomaru had proved to be strong and lethal much like his father even if in a different way. Besides, many were happy that someone who would never allow humans or half-demons to have a place in the palace had risen to power. The discontent had certainly decreased in opposition to Toga's last few years. He had never had as many enemies as his father, mainly because he had no desire to cooperate with humans, nor did he think humans and demons should live together without discriminations. This certainly had helped a lot and no one had stood up against his ideas.

Those who had been supporters of Toga until the very end had shaken their heads but had remained loyal to his son despite not approving some of his choices, especially those regarding his half-brother. However, there were always those who were thirsty for power or who thought they deserved a better place. These had started to raise their voices when Sesshomaru had begun to roam Japan without caring too much about the lands once protected by his father. When Kimi had proposed to him to bring Inuyasha to court, she knew that their power together would have scared whoever thought her son could be defeated, and even if there had been discontents, Inuyasha's show of power had made them quiet. It was clear that Toga's sons together were a force to be reckoned with.

It had been a low blow to strike when Sesshomaru was absent, one they had probably been waiting for a long time since they had had an army prepared, and Kimi knew that most likely at the root of it all was her brother. Living at the palace, it had been easy for him to infiltrate a maid inside her son's living quarters. If only they could finally catch him red-handed. She was sure that could they find proof somehow, both Sesshomaru and Inuyasha would kill him without a second thought.

And Sesshomaru had been away for so long - more than a ten-day! What the heck was he up to? Why be so irresponsible during such a crucial period? Especially considering the hell he would have to deal with if he was so adamant in bringing a human as a mate to court.

Now everything had become ten folds more difficult.

"Our army had finally got the upper hand on the enemy, even if they keep sending reinforcements. However, deaths and wounded keep increasing and the damage is grievous," Etsuho commented next to her, her tails fidgeting behind her showed her distress.

"That is the reason we need Inuyasha here. The battle has to finish as soon as possible and someone has to take control and do a damage assessment. We have to show opponents within the valley that the West is not going down so easy. We need a firm hand who can shut them up; Inuyasha's rough behaviour will do until the moment Sesshomaru comes back. Besides all those who have allied themselves with the enemy must be condemned, we must try and catch as many culprits as possible," she explained.

"Fighting for two days without a break is not good for even a demon. Let's hope to see the boy soon," the fox demoness replied.

Meanwhile, in an unknown location, inside what would appear like a noble isolated mansion, a dog demon had just made love again with his mate, who had immediately fallen asleep in his arms.

Sesshomaru was gently stroking her hair thinking about how their journey had last too much longer than intended and surely he would have to offer some explanations, as soon as he came back to West. First, he would have to come back to the village and warn his brother. Things were going to get complicated and he certainly wasn't looking forward to dealing with the council of elders, all those courtiers who will have something to say about Rin and all the complaints that would surely follow him everywhere in the coming weeks. He certainly hadn't made things any easier by being away almost two weeks, he had initially intended to return after seven days. Sure enough, both his mother and brother would be the first to complain and he already imagined the headache he was going to have.

He sighed, unusual behaviour of him. Like everything else lately, for the matter.

He had bonded with a human, he who had gravely judged his father for the same thing and had let both him first and his mate later die, leaving his hanyou brother alone as a pup. Sesshomaru knew very well the disappointment he caused in his father before he died, as he knew all the difficulties a half-demon had to deal with in his age, let alone an orphaned half-demon who has to fend for himself. Yet, his brother had forgiven him.

He knew at the beginning it had been difficult for him, but even if it represented a danger for him and his family, Inuyasha had accepted to be his heir. Though he had never said it explicitly, he knew that he had done so with their father in mind and, more important, with Rin, now sleeping in his arms. Both Kagome and Inuyasha had always been very protective of her since the day he had left her in the village. He had wondered more than once if they knew something about his future he wasn't privy of because sometimes they had acted as if they already knew from the beginning he was going to mate her. They hadn't been surprised at all when he started to make his intentions clear. But every time the thought came into his mind, he ignored it. Even if somehow they were aware of something about his future life - and it was plausible considering that Kagome came from the future - Sesshomaru knew they couldn't tell him.

Now, how everyone would react to the news of another half-demon going to be born soon? He brought his hand on Rin's abdomen and inhaled the scent he had discovered just this morning, nuzzling her neck.

He had thought she was going into heat earlier, but he had ended up waiting and that was the reason why they hadn't come back earlier. Sesshomaru had wanted Rin to get pregnant as soon as they mated, no one could do anything about their mating right now. She was his bonded and she was carrying his heir. Rin would have to be always protected and safe. His pup was never going to face the same ordeal his brother had to, he would make sure of that. And despite his previous choices, Sesshomaru knew his brother would do as well; Inuyasha would make sure to protect his mate and unborn pup as if they were his.

As he thought about all that lay ahead of him in the coming weeks and months, Sesshomaru didn't have any idea of how complicated the situation really was, nor that his vassal was currently flying through the skies shouting his name.

A/N:

We know where Sesshomaru is hiding but Jaken still can't find him. Meanwhile, Inuyasha and Koga are heading West, will they arrive in time?

Find out next week!