Why...

Why did I think going to collage was a good idea?!

WHAT IS THIS HELL?!

Ugh...

Sorry for the wait...and the short chapter...

But...

Like...

I did say earlier in the year that I would be taking time off from this to hang with my grandma until she left. Which she did in like...

I want to say the end of February or the first week of March. Wasn't long after that, that I learned that my work will pay, like, 90% of tuition for collage if you were eligible.

Guess who found out they were eligible.

Guess who also found out that you could take the courses online.

So I was like 'Heckin yeah!' And signed up to become a Medical Assistant (MA).

And that's all I've been doing outside of work and the occasional weekend that I spend with family.

I have been working on this chapter when I could, and honestly this was all I could crank out. My muse is falling, crashing really, for this story.

So much writers block.

Anyway, have fun with this.

PRAY FOR ME!

Because... Uhm, there's Mama Higurashi and Sesshomaru scenes...?

Kaname caught her breath as she made herself presentable again.

The two had started to talk about nothing partway through the trip, the miko running her hand through the lords tail and straightening the fur, with Sesshomaru fiddling with her hair. Then the miko had quickly kissed his cheek.

Sesshomaru had lightly run his nails on her side.

Kaname had squeezed his leg.

He had nipped her ear.

She had kissed his throat.

Next they knew, things had gotten heated with clothes getting skewed and hair being tussled. The knowledge that they would fully get to mate soon made them far too eager to continue.

Thankfully Sesshomaru had gotten a hold of himself- much to Kanames protesting- and stopped. He could smell how much she wanted to continue, which meant other demons would be able to as well, so he put a halt to that so they could calm down. She had pouted, but went along with his decision, and then had noticed how... un-presentable they were.

Out of the two, Kaname was more then mess, as the daiyoukai had distracted the miko from being able to do much. While he only had ruffled hair and dilated eyes, she had ruffled hair, flushed cheeks, the front of her kimono loosened with the right side hanging off of her shoulder, marks trailing down the side of her neck to the middle of her chest, and the lower half of her kimono bunched up her thighs.

Sesshomaru was very smug with how long it was taking Kaname to control herself.

"That's...just not fair...my Sesshomaru." She huffed out, taking a deep breath as she righted her clothes, pat down her hair, and made sure some of her hair was in the front to cover the marks on her neck.

"Hn." He grunted, eye's glittering in amusement as she fanned herself to cool down.

"You're horrible." she teased, "leaving me wanting when we've almost arrived."

It didn't take long after that, that they arrived at the coast where the bats resided. Sesshomaru stepped out, helping Kaname step down, before observing his surroundings. It seemed Inu-kimi had landed before them, because the lord could see and hear Rin's delighted giggles as she ran from the waves. The elder Dog demon watching on in amusement at the girls joy from something so simple.

"Hm...There's not much of a greeting party, is there?" Kaname commented, her brow quirking at the obvious human village not far from them. "...I didn't think the bats would be so blatantly close to a village like this."

Sesshomaru observed the village, mentally calculating how far it was from where he knew the Hyakki clan was settled, and slightly furrowed his brows. "They usually are not." He muttered, wondering why the bats had chosen a cave so close, when he knew for a fact that there were other caves around the area that were farther and more secured.

It was then that Inu-kimi seemed to have caught onto what the two were doing just moments before they arrived, for she gave Sesshomaru a reproachful glare from where she stood upwind of the two.

"Is there something bothering you, mother?" Sesshomaru questioned innocently.

She huffed at him, not believing his act for a second as she could see the laughter in his eyes. Along with a promise of violence if she actually tried to challenge him for showing affection to his mate.

The demoness backed down, "No."

"...The bat lord is going to be able to smell it as well, isn't he?" Kaname questioned.

"He is a Hyakki." Was all he said then looked towards the sky, he had spotted the one they were to meet flying towards them.

"Lord Sesshomaru." Tsukuyomaru greeted, a slight incline of his head to the other. "I admit to having expected you to arrive sooner."

Sesshomaru pointedly glanced over to where his mother was currently fussing over Rin's clothes. The bat following his sight, before making a noise of understanding, well aware of the way Lady Inu-kimi acted. "It was insisted upon that the carriage was necessary." he commented.

Tsukuyomaru glanced at the carriage behind them, making a face of displeasure at it as he himself didn't enjoy the contraption, greatly preferring his wings as transport. "I see." It was then that he noticed Kaname standing a bit behind the dog demon. His eyes widened slightly, "Oh, this must be your intended mate! Pardon my manners, I am Tsukuyomaru, heir to the Hyakki clan."

Kaname smiled, "Hello Lord Tsukuyomaru, I am Higurashi Kaname."

The bats brows rose in surprise. He looked to the other lord, both impressed and bewildered, "A Higurashi?" He questioned to make sure he heard correctly.

"Hn."

"...I admit to not knowing whether to be impressed that you won the heart of a Higurashi, or wary because you won the heart of a Higurashi." he said thoughtfully, before dismissing it with the wave of his hand. "But that isn't why we are here. Please, this way. We will be discussing the problem in my mates den."

The trio started to leave, Kaname pausing to call over Inu-kimi and Rin. Leaving Jaken to catch up as he lead both A-Un and Inu-kimi's mount after them.

Kaname chuckled as her mother in-law coo'ed over the Hyakki-hanyou.

She would have to agree over the coo'ing though, because Shiori was quite the adorable little girl.

Rin was currently having a stare down with the other, both trying to have the courage to make the first move as they hid behind their respected mothers.

The women watched as Rin took a deep breath, puffed her chest out, and walked over to Shiori with determination. "Would you like to play with Rin?"

Shiori blinked, looking up to her mother for permission, and after receiving an encouraging smile stepped out with a shy nod. "What do you want to play?" she questioned softly.

"Rin brought things to draw with, they were presents from Grandmother and very fun!" Rin said excitedly as she dragged the girl out of the home.

"...This is the first time Shiori has ever been able to play with another child." The woman mated to Tsukuyomaru said distantly.

Kaname turned to her, the three women having followed the girls to keep an eye on them. The miko warding the home so no bat or any other demon could listen in on the two demon lords talking. "It is the same for Rin." at the questioning looks sent to her, Kaname elaborated. "Rin was an orphan, her sire having been slain by bandits long before I met her. The village she was in wasn't very...welcoming of her after she became mute from trauma." She stated, eyes narrowing in anger at the memory of a beaten Rin smiling at them. "From what Rin has told me, none of the village children wanted to be associated with her, and the adults barley tolerated her. So it is good to see her interacting with Shiori."

Inu-kimi hummed at this, "And the village?" she questioned.

Kaname smirked, "Slaughtered by wolf demons. A shame I couldn't do it myself." she then looked at the other human, "I do not believe I caught your name."

The woman blinked, "Oh, I am Shizu, it's nice to meet you."

"Higurashi Kaname."

"I heard that you are a Miko, is that correct?" Shizu questioned, at her nod she glanced behind them where the two demons were before looking back at her with curiosity. "I thought Mikos despised demons? So how did this happen?"

Kaname smiled at her in amusement, "you want to hear the story on how my Lord and I fell for one another?"

"Hm, well, if you are then I admit to also being curious as to how my son fell for you." Inu-kimi admitted.

The miko looked from one woman to the other, taking in their eager expressions, before huffing with a smile. "Well, alright. I met my Sesshomaru a few years ago, I had woken up in a crater..." Kaname spoke of the ogre, of the small glimpse' she would catch of the demon following her, of the village she had accidentally saved and everything that followed.

Inu-kimi's coo'ing at some of her son's actions amused Kaname to no end.

Emiko sighed as she stared out of the kitchen window.

After Kuro had found out about Kaname's engagement to Sesshomaru, and how the Bone Eater's Well was a portal to the Sengoku Era, he had wasted no time in trying to get through to the other side. Reading, researching, and hunting anything down that could help him get to her.

Yet, being the head of his family made it impossible to devote the time he wanted on it. That he couldn't be at the Higurashi shrine as much as he wanted to be, waiting to see if any of her girls would come home, so he decided to station some of his men in front of the bone eaters well, both inside and out. They were to call Kuro if Kaname or Kagome came back through the well.

She sighed in irritation this time, glaring at the two men intruding on her territory.

She blinked at the thought, Oh dear. She blushed, putting a hand to a reddening cheek. Takeshi really has influenced me, hasn't he? A giggle escaped her at the thought of her late husband. My territory indeed.

"Now what has you in such a good mood, Emiko?" Hideyoshi questioned as he came into the kitchen.

"'Territory'!" She answered with a laugh.

The elder raised a brow, a confused smile aimed at her as he wondered if she had finally snapped from worry.

At seeing his thoughts on his face, Emiko shrugged, "I had the thought of kicking these men out from my...territory." She explained sheepishly.

He snorted, "Ah, I see Souta isn't the only one getting riled up by these intruders."

She blinked, "Souta?"

"Hn," He grunted, walking over to the table and having a seat before pointing towards the window. "It is the Higurashi instinct's acting up."

Emiko glanced out, and saw that her son was practicing his Kata's in the snow, while glaring at the men near the well. The glare given was vicious, it made him look almost exactly like her eldest when she glared. "Oh!" She gasped, never having seen any of her younger children doing this before, "I thought Kaname was the only one who could make grown men fear for their safety with just a glare." she commented. The two guards were pale, flinching every time Souta focused on them again.

"It must have skipped Kagome." Hideyoshi mused, "And not much has ever gotten Souta's instinct's truly aggravated before."

Emiko nodded at that, absentmindedly getting some hot chocolate ready for her family to warm up. "Grandpa, I am not a Higurashi by blood, so why am I acting like this."

"Takeshi must have influenced you," he paused, then gave a pointed look at her. "You also did carry three Higurashi children. One of the pregnancy's must have influenced you quite a bit."

They stared at each other for a moment.

"It was probably Kaname's that did it." They concluded in sync. The Higurashi traits were fairly strong in her, and that may have affected Emiko quite a bit over the nine months.

They were brought out of their amused thoughts at the sound of the front door opening and closing. Emiko grabbing a cup of the hot chocolate she made for her family, and handed it to Souta as he came into the kitchen. The two elder Higurashi's were amused at the grumbling the boy was doing, shooting scathing looks in the directions the thugs were currently stationed, said a quiet thanks to his mother before sitting down and sipping his drink. He immediately seemed to melt into his seat, a content sigh escaping his lips, as he cradled the beverage to his chest.

"Better?" Hideyoshi questioned him, taking a sip of his own chocolate.

"Hn." He hummed, unaware of the surprised brows that rose with the uncanny similarities he was currently showing with the eldest Higurashi. "Why can't we get rid of them again?" he asked.

Emiko gave a wry smile, "Because the Higurashi's have been allied with Kuro's family for generations."

He pouted. "But they're trying to get in the way of nee-chans happiness."

"Which is why we're going to try and avoid such a thing as peacefully as possible." Emiko stated, deciding to join her family in relaxing at the table.

"And if he doesn't take 'no' for an answer?"

Hideyoshi gave a vicious grin, a bit of the family madness entering his eyes, "Then they'll have to go through the whole of the clan to separate Sesshomaru and Kaname."

Souta's eyes sparkled.

Emiko noted that maybe not all of the Higurashi madness passed over her youngest. I should check Kagome when she comes back. She mused, listening as her father-in-law and son made plans to stop Kuro and his ilk from harming Sesshomaru's and Kaname's budding romance.

Thinking on her daughter and her future son-in-law made Emiko smile, the image of cute little grandbaby's filling the house made her sigh in bliss.

Oh, how she would spoil them all rotten.

And she knew there would be lot's, she knew how her daughter desired a large family of her own. She wouldn't be surprised if Kaname tried to carry another child not long after the first was born.

Maybe one of them will get Takeshi's eye's. She thought wistfully. She glanced in the direction of her husbands and child's shrine. Her darling husband would be at ends with himself over a pregnant Kaname.

On one hand, he would be furious over someone having taken her virginity.

On the other, he would have been over the moon with the thought of grandchildren.

"Oh," She said suddenly, cutting off Souta's and Hideyoshi's scheming. "Grandpa, we forgot to prepare for when the clan finds out about Sesshomaru."

The elder blinked in confusion for a moment, "Ah... Thats right, Kaname is the current clan head since she's not dead." He said in realization.

Souta stared blankly at them. "Uhm...?"

Hideyoshi sighed at him, "Well, this proves that you don't actually listen when I teach you about clan politics." he received a sheepish grin, "I swear, you listen to our history and embrace our heritage, yet you ignore the politics. Kagome was always interested in the politics, but disregarded everything else." he shook his head at the youngest.

"Souta." Emiko warned, eye's sharpening at him.

He gulped, "Sorry grandpa, I'll try and do better!"

Hideyoshi nodded firmly at him. "Good. Now then, the reason we need to prepare is because the elders will not look kindly on the union of a miko and demon."

Souta made a face, "But...Kagome is courting a demon?"

"Well, yes, but Kagome isn't the head of the Higurashi clan." Emiko said, "If you remember from the story, is was Higurashi Akane falling for a demon that brought the curse upon our family. The elders will not stand for another head falling for a demon, a dog demon at that."

"Wait- Akane was the head?!" Souta said in shock.

Hideyoshi furrowed his brows, "Did I not mention that part?"

"NO!"

He shrugged his shoulders, "Well, in any case, while the elders and some of the rest of the clan will try and stop this from happening, most actually do not care for such things. There have been quite a few marriages to non-mortals and the such over time, in fact their legacy's are still around today and make a third of the clan." at Souta's shocked look Hideyoshi and Emiko gave amused smiles.

"Have you never noticed the pointed ears and fangs that some of them have? Or even the unusual eye colors?" Emiko questioned.

His shocked look grew as realization settled.

Sesshomaru had to admit that what Tsukuyomaru was telling him was...concerning.

Not only because it seemed that the old bat demon was showing signs of trying to kill his son, thus was currently biding his time until he could do so, but also because of how he was sending out scouts to check neighboring lands for...'reasons'.

"...It is a wonder that you have let this fester for so long." He said after a moment of silence.

The hyakki demon rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment, "I confess that I had turned a blind eye to his doing for some time, I did not want to believe that my lord father was planning my demise." he sighed, his wings drooping. "That even a large chunk of my kin has sided with him is..." he trailed off, a frown marring his face that so many of his clan were all too ready to kill him and his family despite all they had gone through together.

Sesshomaru nodded, he could not sympathize with the bat, but he understood he was in a difficult position. "At least you had the mind to reach out for aid before anything happened."

Tsukuyomaru smiled wryly at him, "Ah, I guess so. Yet I would not have tried if not for word of your mate reaching my ears, especially with all of the rumors that you despise human-demon relations along with the resulting hanyous surrounding you." he glanced towards the door and smiled, "Yet here you are, with a miko for a mate, and a human child. Never have I been so glad that a rumor was so wrong."

"Kaname is a...special case." Sesshomaru commented. "While most humans are pitiful and weak, she is strong and proud. Despite being a miko she does not act like one." Sesshomaru then huffed, "Yet we are not here to discuss my mate, what do you intend to do about your sire? From what you have said, he will strike soon. Very soon."

"I do not wish to harm my father, but he threatens Shiori and Shizu. Hopefully once my father is slain, then the rest of traitors will fall back. And if not, well..." His eye's narrowed, fangs elongating and eyes glowing, "They will not live to see the next sunrise."

Sesshomaru approved.

The two then spent a days hashing out their plan of attack, as Tsukuyomaru had to make a brief appearance in his nest a few times to hold off suspicions. Kaname and Rin deciding to sleep inside the carriages, as they had demonic magic carved into it to keep them warm, inviting Shizu and Shiori as the chance of freezing in the night would decrees drastically. The offer was gratefully accepted.