To all those who have read and reviewed- THANK YOU so very much! I am so thankful for and love each and everyone of you!
Estefania: Thank you for all of your reviews! I would have to put this through a translator and Im not sure if my gratitude would go through. I literally cried in happiness reading your comments!
CL: I tried to rush through them honestly because the focus is Sesskag and healing the past, but you needed to know the past.
DawnfireJazz: I was hoping to come across as changing their last interaction so it was a better one rather than all pain.
TaxLady0415: your reviews mean so much! I am so thankful for each and everyone! They helped with motivation for this chapter as for some reason it was really hard to write.
"But Koga was already promised to Ayame. So not only does his 'claim' not just irritate me. It is also cheating on her. He's just so… frustrating."
Sesshoumaru sat next to Kagome, listening to her story about their packs run in with the wolf prince. Her hands moved, animating her words. He reached out and snagged one in his much larger one, placing it on his thigh and smoothing it down, rubbing the stiffness of stress and practicing from her fingers. She was supposed to be working on focusing her reiki, but was apparently too upset to focus.
They had spent the afternoon working on her archery, her aim had improved since they had been practicing, she still had a long way to go, but Sesshoumaru knew that at the rate she was progressing, she would be a formidable opponent in time.
"This one could just kill the wolf and you could be done with the irritation" he said, causing her to pause and stare at him. She must have felt the playfulness in his aura as she began laughing. Loud, full belly shaking laughter.
"Oh! I could never ask you to do that! He's a friend, even if he does get on my nerves" mirth had replaced her anger and with a deep breath she refocused and closed her eyes.
"The wolves had killed Rin, but my Lord used Tensaiga."
Rins sweet little voice broke through the clearing, the information causing Kagome to stiffen, breath catching.
"Wha.. what did you just say Rin?" She asked, turning towards the child wandering over with a crown made of decaying leaves. The bright reds stark against her skin like the blood had been so many moons ago.
"The wolves. They had attacked Rin, and Rin was dead. Lord Sesshoumaru brought me back with Tensaiga."
He could smell the salt before he saw her tears. Opening her arms to Rin the small child crawled into her lap and allowed her attentions. He watched as she raised a barrier around them. Strong and pure. The barrier she had been working to achieve for so long was perfectly circular around them.
"Kagome" he called softly to her, waiting for her to lift her eyes "she is safe, look around you"
'She will make a good mother to our pups' his internal voice nudged. And he had to agree, her eyes wet with tears for the pain felt by his pup, the protective instincts in the way she held her, and proud smile on her face as she realized she could protect those she called her own. 'I can not wait'
He could smell a manufactured poison on the breeze.
"Jaken. Take Rin to the air and head west for several miles."
"Yes Milord!" Jaken croaked back "Ah-Un Up!"
Sesshoumaru followed the scent. He knew that Inuyasha and his pack had gone this direction and although he may be impervious to poisons they would not be. Kagome could be in danger.
Catching her scent going the opposite direction of Inuyasha's, he did not hesitate. Inuyasha's blood would give him some protection, but Kagome had none.
A lone hut stood surrounded by a thick cloud of gas. He could smell the sweet, cloying scent of WolfsBane and knew that if he were any other youki, he would have collapsed, paralyzed by the fog.
But he was Sesshoumaru, and no poisonous WolfsBane was going to stop him.
He burst into the hut where he knew Kagome and her friends to be. Eyes landing on Kagome as soon as he stopped.
A white veil was on the ground beside her head, the creature, more a spectre, knelt between her legs, hands wrapped around her throat and muttering nonsense about a dowry.
His hand slashed out, poison whip catching the creature in the shoulder and knocking him off Kagome.
"Where is Inuyasha?" He thought aloud, looking around the hut. The slayer and monk were also on the ground nearby with the firecat in front of them. Over the acrid scent of the poison he could scent Kagomes distress evaporating into relief, she was unharmed visually, and he curled his aura around her protectively.
"And who are you?" The creature at his feet asked, turning towards him. He blinked down at it in mild surprise that it was still alive.
"I was about to ask you that" Sesshoumaru replied, not letting any of his surprise show in his voice.
"You tried to kill me and you don't even know me?!" He yelled, grabbing a box and running outside.
'He felt the poison from my toxic claws and is still able to run?'
"Taste my poison!" He yelled releasing canisters of smoke borne poison in his direction.
'The arrogance of this creature to think such paltry poisons would affect him. Touching that which is his! Threatening harm towards them.' He began walking forward, the creature begging for its life. Deceit pouring off it in waves.
It spun, sending another blast of poison at him. This one tickled his nose and made him want to sneeze. This may work on lesser demons, but not him.
He drew Tokijin, and waited for the smoke to clear. He wanted the creature to see him, see its death. It's eyes widened as it saw he still stood, unscathed. With a swift flick of his wrist the Tokijin sliced cleanly through.
He had expected blood and gore, the blade went through it with no resistance and it turned to dust and bone to be carried away by the wind.
Returning to the hut he picked up Kagome, bringing her outside and laying her on his mokomoko then he returned and brought out her friends.
When he picked up the monk he saw a change in his eyes from the other times he had seen them. His aura did not grate against Sesshomaru's as it had in the past, it cautiously brushed his sensing for his intentions and for the first time he saw the acceptance in the strange indigo eyes of the monk. The monk was the first of Kagome's human companions to know, and was the first to accept him as a protector of Kagome.
As he laid the monk down next to the slayer, he nodded to him then stood to guard over them until they were recovered. A small knowing smirk curved his lips, the monk's approval would hopefully lead to the acceptance of the others.