Chapter 1

Who Would Dare?

In the time of the Great Dai-Yokai Generals, peace between the rivaling territories was strained but kept. For all feared the repercussions of the Western Lord. His power was unwavering and without question.

So immense was his strength, none dared to cross him. Until, he met his match.

The Southern Lord, the Bone Spirit Dragon, grew jealous.

His territories encompassed the Southern Plains of the land but to see the Western Lord's prosperity brought his greed to new heights. So, in open challenge, the Dragon met the Great Inu, Toga, in battle.

The struggle was earth-shattering, causing the very mountains to tremble in their power. The Dragon was defeated. However, it came with a price.

Wounds were nothing new to the Great Inu but, the Dragon's deceit was greater than he expected. A dragon's claws hold venom.

The Death of the Western Lord was a shock to all. But, even that wasn't enough to cause his lands to crumble. Because, the Great Inu had a son.

This son was harsh and cruel, finding no patience for faults of any kind, but he ruled with an unwavering strength that forced all, from the Southern Dragon to the Eastern Wolf tribes, to shrink in fear.

That is, until he disappeared.

With the young lord gone, the Panther tribe, a rogue clan of invaders from the North, have attacked, claiming all they take as their own. None are safe from their cruelty. Not yokai, or human, not warrior or priestess or farmer. All fear their bloodlust.

And, all look desperately towards the Western horizon, wishing for the Great Inu General that saved them once.

SSS

Kagome dropped to her knees, struggling to catch her breath as her legs buzzed with active feeling.

How long had they been walking? She couldn't say. But, it had taken everything she had to keep her feet moving. Now, she felt like there was nothing left to give.

Perhaps if she stayed where she was, her body would just give out and rest.

"Are you alright, child?"

Kaede's weary voice snapped Kagome from her musings to remind her she wasn't alone. She didn't have the luxury of giving into despair.

Instead, the young priestess slowly raised her head to look at the pitiful bunch their group made. Other than herself, Kagome was joined by her old mentor and a fellow priestess. Both were filthy and weary, and looked like they were about to give under their own feet.

The remnants of a once revered temple; the three women were a pathetic sight, indeed.

As tired as Kagome felt, it was nothing compared to the utter exhaustion written on Kaede's weathered face. The old woman was very near the end of her rope. The other young woman opposite her was under even greater strain.

The hidden pain in Kikyo's dark eyes was enough to break Kagome's heart all over again. It caused her to swallow her fatigue as shame washed over. Out of the three, Kagome had endured the attack the best. She'd lost the least.

So, with a brightness she did not feel, Kagome presented a comforting smile to the elderly Head-priestess.

"I'm fine," she reassured, hoping the promise was even half-true. "Just, taking a moment to catch my breath."

The lie was enough to cause the older miko to nod, returning her focus to the other priestess in her care.

"Do you need to rest, child?" Kaede asked in motherly concern. "Do you feel any pain?"

Kagome didn't bother to comment on the absurdity of the question. Of course, Kikyo was in pain. She'd lost the most of all of them. But, she kept her comment to herself. It did them no good.

Kikyo shook her head, her long black hair matted and coming out of its bind.

"I'm find, Kaede," she huffed. "We're fine."

Again, guilt stabbed through Kagome like a knife. As difficult as the journey was, she didn't have anything else to worry about. Certainly not the well-being of an unborn child.

"We can rest for a time, if you like," Kaede offered, possibly half for herself.

But, Kikyo just shook her head again.

"We must keep going," she puffed as she staggered to her feet. "We must warn them."

Kagome wasn't sure if their destination would take it as a warning but what choice did they have? The temple was gone; fallen by a horde of panther demons that had attacked in the night to get some treasure that was rumored to be guarded there. A rumor that had proven to be nothing but lies.

The filthy monsters had ripped the place apart searching for something that didn't exist and left none of the mikos or monks there alive. They were all dead, all gone.

Kagome knew they would have been too if it wasn't for—

Kagome quickly snapped herself from those thoughts, clutching the long bundle in her hands against her chest.

She had to stay focused on the task at hand. Thinking of him would only break her heart all over again. They were alive and needed to reach their goal soon. Hopefully, before it was too late.

Spotting a nearby tree, Kagome was grateful to see a large rock, mostly shaded, beneath it; the perfect sitting spot.

"We won't get there at all if we keel-over in the middle of nowhere," she offered gently, gesturing towards the shade. "We'll catch our breath and then continue on."

"I'm ready to go, now," Kikyo argued, dark eyes setting in that recognizable stubborn look.

However, she quickly put a hand to her side, cringing before she could hide it from view.

That decided it for Kagome.

"Liar," she accused, forcing herself to her own feet and marching towards her sister priestess. "You're just as exhausted as the rest of us. Maybe more."

"I can keep going," Kikyo snapped, daring Kagome to argue.

"Well, I can't," Kagome countered. "And, if I'm resting so are you."

The two stood toe-to-toe, glaring at each other in a stubborn battle of will. It would almost be amusing if either woman wasn't also exhausted out of their minds. However, that fatigue also helped in ending the stand-off.

With a sigh of grudging acceptance, Kikyo marched carefully towards the rock, her hand cradling the belly that hadn't yet started to round.

Kaede threw a smile and nod of gratitude towards her young apprentice and was relieved to see Kagome return it in understanding. Kikyo had always been stubborn, refusing to admit to any form of weakness, but even a blind man would be able to sense the exhausted pain radiating off of her.

The glistening of tears pricked the elderly priestess' eyes but she immediately made her way to take up the other end of the rock. Kagome knew loss was a common companion here. They'd been running for days and had only felt the beginnings of realization of what they left hit them.

It had all happened so fast. Too fast. The temple, gone. The surrounding villages, gone. Brothers and sisters, friends and family, mates….all destroyed in one night. Their lives were gone.

Now, they only had one purpose; one goal to make this whole thing have any meaning what-so-ever. They had to go West. Those had been his last words, afterall.

Cradled in Kikyo's arms, his red haori darkening with fresh blood; he'd told them to go West. It was their only hope. And, like that, he was gone; the life gone from his golden eyes.

That was why they were still running, rushing to a place none of them had any idea if they'd even be allowed in. After all, what human was given entrance into the West Palace?

Kikyo had barely said a word since that night and no-one was willing to snap her from her thoughts. They were all she had now. But, Kagome was beginning to grow concerned.

She and Kikyo had been at the temple since they were children. Both were orphaned young and had always known the temple was their family. It always had been. That is, till Inuyasha showed up.

The sudden pain in Kagome's chest showed the wound was still too fresh in her mind to remember. So, she swiftly locked the memories away into the back of her mind.

Now, wasn't the time to mourn. They'd all do that once their mission was completed.

Kagome just hoped that was possible.

SSS

Despite the uninterested yawn that slipped demurely from her perfectly painted mouth, Inu-kimi had no idea how much longer she would be able to take these endless war-meetings. How her son possibly stood them was beyond her but the pale female was quite certain; if one more warrior suggested securing their borders one more time, she was going to send his head rolling across the room's floor. It would certainly be a change of pace.

"I'm telling you, attack is imminent!" shouted Captain Fudo hotly.

"And, I'm telling you," Minister Atsushi countered with a clipped tone. "Securing a border that's already fallen is a waste of time."

"You're a waste of time!" Fudo hollered. "And, breath and space! You shouldn't even be in this council!"

"And, yet—"

"Gentlemen," Inu-kimi replied smoothly, causing both to stiffen in place.

The urge to smirk was strong at their reaction. It was good to know she hadn't lost her touch yet.

"I believe we can all agree we are going in circles," she continued calmly. "Now, unless someone is willing to break this wheel—"

"Inu-kimi! Inu-kimi!"

Usually, she hated to be interrupted. However, curiosity was enough to spare the desperate vassal that rushed into the council room at top speed; a completely foolish act that would normally cost the servant their head.

No-sooner had the frantic vassal stepped into the room than they tripped and slid across the smooth floor.

"What is the meaning of this?" Captain Fudo bellowed as he leapt to his feet.

"Do you have any idea what you are interrupting?" Minister Atsushi added as he gripped his fan in a rare show of solidarity.

"Forgive me, Captain, Minister," the servant gasped as he tried to catch his breath while half lying/ half kneeling on the floor. "But, this couldn't wait. Something demands the Inu-kimi's immediate attention."

The elegant female cocked a perfect brow in amusement. Demands?

"How dare yo—"

"What is so important that it refused to wait?" Inu-kimi asked, shifting in her seat to lean on her right hip.

The vassal immediately started to tremble as he kept his wide eyes locked to the floor.

"Your Lady asked you a question," Fudo snarled, taking a step in preparation. "Answer her!"

Inu-kimi didn't bother resisting rolling her eyes this time. The Captain was always too quick to defend her honor. As if it could be tarnished by something as insignificant as this.

"H-humans, my lady," the servant stammered, his whole back starting to shake.

And, well it should.

"Humans?" Inu-kimi asked, not quite sure she had heard him correctly.

The vassal merely nodded meekly.

"You interrupt these meetings for a group of revolting humans," Minister Atsushi demanded in a clipped tone. "You must wish to die."

"What do they want?" Inu-kimi asked, unsure whether to be amused or put-out for the interruption.

And, here she thought this would same her from the monotony of the day. But, humans coming to grovel or beg for assistance was nothing new. Not for months, now.

As if they weren't already aware of the terror the Panther tribe was doing to their territory. That was why they were having these meetings in the first place.

"They refuse to say," the vassal replied shakenly. "Only that they will speak with you, my lady, and no-other."

The pale female quirked her immaculate head slightly with interest.

"Did they?" she asked, calmly.

"How dare they….. My lady, as your acting Captain, I must protest this be taken seriously," Fudo huffed with indignation. "All I need is your permission and I will drive these fools away. Permanently."

Inu-kimi's mouth quirked in amusement. He certainly did need her permission to do anything regarding her. However….

"Show them in," she ordered with a gracious smile, causing every male in the room to gawk in stunned horror.

Ah, the benefits of being female.

"My-my lady?" the servant asked, his shaking suddenly stilling.

"Bring them into the main-courtyard," Inu-kimi informed pleasantly. "I will receive them there."

While she waited for the vassal to come to the present with her request, Inu-kimi ran through the numerous possibilities of how this meeting could go in her head.

The humans would undoubtedly be terrified to see her, since most hardly ever saw just glory as hers very often. So, she would have to give them time to collect themselves. Plus, they would most-likely be tired and desperate.

They certainly wouldn't have any understanding of the proper way to address her. So, she'd have to excuse that ignorance.

With a shaking nod, the servant pressed his forehead to the floor before scampering out of the room.

"My lady, I assure you, there is no need to indulge this…..distraction," Minister Atsushi informed.

"I appreciate your concern, Atsu," Inu-kimi glibly replied, causing the minister to immediately bristle. He always hated the pet-name, even when they were children. "However, I believe this concludes our business for the day. I shall see you both tomorrow."

While she expected both males to argue further, Inu-kimi was pleasantly surprised to see them both bow and exit without comment. Apparently, her reputation hadn't faltered yet. Excellent.

She couldn't blame both of them for being suspicious of the request. Inu-kimi had to admit she had her own doubts, as well. However, as unlikely as it could be, there was always the chance the humans came to tell her something useful.

Afterall, what else could they possibly be here for?