Shippou's shoulder length mop of curls fell from the confines of his messy bun as the wind assaulted his hair. He ignored the loss of his hair tie and sniffed the air deeply as it whipped by him.
Still racing down paved roads, he was grateful the West owned so much land. The lack of traffic and police supervision aided his chase. Moments passed as he pushed onward, but when Shippou noticed a sports car come up behind him, he knew without checking that it was Sesshou.
Slowing as they both seemed to have caught a change in direction, both demons turned down a dirt road, through thick forestry. Neither car was made for off road maneuvers, and the winding road kept both of them from speeding passed 50 kmh.
Sesshou kept a distance from Shippou's car, watching as the kit stuck his head out the window to sniff the air better. This was odd, he thought, knowing the location they were slowly approaching. Whatever reason Kaito had for running to a Western border home, it had better be good.
Back when Sesshomaru had just begun taking on new duties with his father as a boy, patrolling had been one of the first tasks. It signified understanding of one's lands, the creatures that lived on it, and gave ample opportunity to practice hunting and allowed subjects to approach their ruler.
The great and powerful Toga had only taken Sesshou here once as a child, but that reason; the secrecy, had been exposed centuries later when his half brother's birth brought about the downfall of their father, of Musashi, and nearly the Western Fortress had Toga not vanquished Ryūkotsusei.
He was sure this place had crumbled in the destruction that followed the fall of Musashi's human nobility. Fires ravaged the entirety of Izayoi's palace, the forests surrounding it, reaching just inside the Western borders...or so he thought.
Pulling off into grassy terrain, both demons parked into the clearing when they spotted an old wooden home just at the far edge of the clearing ahead. This place was once a general's post, was once a refuge for border patrols, and finally, it hosted one human princess of Musashi and the Lord who kept these lands.
Sesshou and Shippou opted out of opening their car doors, instead climbing out of their driver side windows. A tortoise couldn't hear for shit, but they felt vibrations better than most demons. More than likely, Kaito might have already sensed their approach having come by car, but if he was aware, he didn't make it known by running for it.
Shippou glanced back, signaling for the trees, and transformed into a bird. This wasn't their first mission together and it certainly wouldn't be the last. They had done this routine a number of times, with Shippou taking flight ahead and Sesshou coming in behind, ever the silent killer.
Despite their focus, Sesshou found himself minutely sniffing the area. Would it still smell like father? Or Izayoi?
Why hadn't he shared this place with Inuyasha?
Shippou signalled in a barrel roll for Sesshou to come forward, having caught sight of something condemning enough to strike.
Sesshou nodded once. Waving away his previous guilt, he sped forward so quickly, with such an inhuman and animalistic intent, that he burst into the sliding panel door, splintering wood and shredding paper. The remains of the door split from their hold and flew inwards with the exertion of his lunge, with Shippou just a half second behind him, once again in humanoid form.
What they found gave them both pause.
"Ahh!"
"What the-"
Then silence.
Sesshou lowered his claws first. Shippou tilted his head in confusion.
"Lord Sesshomaru!" Ami scrambled out from under Kaito's naked body, holding a sheet to her bare chest. "I can explain!"
"Ami?" Shippou, always unable to remain composed in awkward situations, squeaked out, "With Kaito?"
Sesshou cleared his throat.
Kaito arranged himself next to Ami, wrapping her discarded yukata around her shoulders.
"What is going on here?" Kaito glared with his reptilian yellow eyes, seemingly less intimidating without his hair tied back properly, and lacking clothing. His ire was that of a teenage boy who had been caught before coupling.
"Shippou, take Lady Ami and escort her back to the palace." Sesshou's tone never wavered, even as he kept his sight on Kaito.
"But I-" Ami's voice died in her throat at the pulse of energy coming from her Lord. His command was not a request.
"Come on, Ami." Shippou gathered pieces of her clothing and helped maintain her modesty as she rose from the padded bed roll.
Once a car engine could be heard, and the retreat of a vehicle, Sesshou addressed the Kame before him.
"You left without an escort." Sesshou accused.
"Ami was my escort, My Lord." Kaito's glare did not ease up. He was defiant in ways his clan members had not been in years.
"You had a family emergency?" Sesshou dismissed his rebuttal. Ami was not assigned escort duties upon departure from the West. All she had been tasked with was entertaining guests. Apparently she took that job very seriously.
"Ami asked for my attentions." This time Kaito looked away, knowing their tryst wouldn't be without consequences.
"You both could have disclosed this privately to me." Sesshou deflated at the notion that Kaito was not their culprit, and he was not about to punish any demon without reason. His actions are watched by the entire world, knowing he protects all demonkind. He would have an uprising if he so much as murdered without trial. The times changed everything in how he dealt with conflict. Unfortunately, this would be no different.
"My apologies, My Lord." Kaito remained seated. "Give Ami my regards."
"Hn." Sesshou turned away from Kaito, preparing to leave. "You will hear from her shortly, I'm sure."
Shippou drove much faster now that he was back on the main road. Ami was still sorting out her clothing, tying up her obi sloppily.
"You both ruined it!" Ami grit out, still situating herself.
"Ruined what-? Are you serious right now, Ami? That guy is a creep!" Shippou flashed his emerald eyes her way, giving her glimpses of his disgust as he drove at a maddening speed.
"I almost had him!" Ami screamed over the wind whipping at them. With their windows rolled down, they left a scent trail for Sesshou to follow. They would not go directly to the palace. This conversation required more privacy than walls. "You don't understand, I'm working under orders from Lady Inukimi!"
"No." Shippou drew out the word, disbelieving, "You wouldn't."
Inukimi had always been most known for her tactics in war. Her mate had been fierce on the battlefield, but she had always been fierce in conference. She had lady's maids paired with generals, rebels, and soldiers alike, targeted men from both sides of the wars that ravaged their lands, and along the way she learned secrets.
She could make a Male writhe under her finger when discussing tactics, then dismiss them from sight, only to reap the truth they withheld when a Lady's maid had been their open ear and open legs for the frustrations of war.
Ami had been playing a double agent between the two Lordships at play.
"He's told me just enough to keep me hanging." They had rolled the windows up, speaking with hushed tones, "Like how annoyed he was with the West for always rubbing it in his face that his clan failed to take over."
"What did you think he was going to disclose? There's no way he would tell you if he was behind the puppet that almost raped Kagome." Shippou was still tense behind the steering wheel, knuckles white.
"But he was going to take me to the East, their summer home in Tokyo. I'd play the young vixen in love and when he's asleep I could have searched his home for clues." Ami began to cry, "I didn't put so much into this for it all to be for nothing." Ami's voice feathered out when she sniffed back her tears.
"You know Kagome wouldn't have wanted you to sleep with him. He could be a monster." Shippou softened at her tears. She really had given it her all for Kagome's sake.
"I know, but we all miss her." She sniffled again, staring out the passenger window. "Sesshou misses her."
"I know, Ami," Shippou didn't know what else to say, "I know."