"Stupid brat!" Inuyasha hauled Shippo up by the scruff of his collar ignoring the high pitched wails spilling from the fox kits huge mouth.

"You're going to apologize for hurting Sesshomaru's feelings yesterday." He gave the kit a light shake hoping to rattle some sense into his brain. "Answer me brat!"

"No!" Shippo cried holding little hands to his chest in sheer terror of having to speak to Sesshomaru again even as a pup he was still scary. "He's evil Inuyasha!"

"Dammit! You little flea bag he's almost the same age as you!" Inuyasha snarled dropping the kit to the floor after one last good hard shake. He'd thought he heard the kits brain roll hopefully it rolled into place. Stupid kit…

He had to agree with his demon.

"You have until night fall to apologize Shippo." He sent a sharp glare toward the furry bundle huddled on the grassy floor.

"Rin thinks you should apologize too Shippo." The human child piped up from her place near the fire. She was in charge of cooking the fish. "You weren't very nice and Lord Sesshomaru could never be evil, he's saved Rin!"

"He's waiting till your fat enough so he can eat you!" Shippo glared at the human child she'd dare take Inuyasha's side. He thought they were friends.

"Take that back!" Rin balled her little fists and Inuyasha raised an eyebrow he had known this girl was a savage he silently hoped she'd kick the runts ass.

"No! Everyone wants to forget that Sesshomaru is evil! He tried to kill us all." Shippo continued his rant pointing a small finger at Rin. "I bet he was going to eat you, you're just so skinny so he needs you fatter." Shippo made an action of pushing out his tummy at the girl childishly shaking the expanded flesh at her.

Inuyasha tried not to laugh.

"Rin is not skinny!" She launched herself at the kit fists aimed right at Shippo's head and she struck the little runt she proceeded to land fist after fist. "Lord Sesshomaru is the kindest!"

Shippo tried moving trapped beneath the small human child. He cried for Inuyasha to save him. Was it ok to hit back a girl?

"The bravest and smartest!" she opted to take hold of Shippo's ginger hair pulling hard.

Inuyasha couldn't hold it in he laughed it was downright insane, Rin was officially apart of the pack he could see why Sesshomaru must have thought the girl worthy of traveling with him. "Get him Rin!"

"He hurt Sessho's feelings!" he added fuel to the fire cackling madly.

There was a quiet thrill and rustle from the bushes and he looked back to see Sesshomaru emerge with Kilala who'd accompanied the child while he went to release his bladder from overnight strain.

"Lord Sesshomaru saved me!" she punched the kit again. "He'd never eat me!" she down right snarled.

"Foolish!" she must have picked that up from Sesshomaru. "Do you have a death wish?!" She screeched face red with anger. Definitely from Sesshomaru.

"Alright Rin!" Inuyasha stepped in picking the girl up around her waist dangling her above Shippo.

"Apologize." Was all Inuyasha said to the whimpering fox child whom lay more shaken and scared than hurt for the most part it wasn't like Rin could do any actual damage to the demon child?

Shippo quickly scurried over to the nearest tree tucking in on himself hoping to make himself a smaller target he couldn't understand why everyone was picking on him. It wasn't as if he had lying. Since when did Inuyasha care about Sesshomau anyway?

Rin after being put down stomped over to the now slightly burnt fish removing two stick from the ground she walked over to Shippo practically shoving the hot fish speared on a stick into his hands. "Rin is sorry for hitting you!" she glared at the kit those cheery chocolate eyes seemed dark with malevolent thoughts.

"But you are horribly mean and Rin does not want to be your friend anymore! Unless you apologize." She shook her fist for good measure then walked away mumbling things about no one hurting her Lord Sesshomaru's feelings and crazy fox demons.

She deposited the other fish with Sesshomaru before returning to the fish for her own. Inuyasha wasn't going to have fish with them this morning already having his fill before the brats awoke.

Sesshomaru held his fish eyes locked onto the human child.

She had punched the kit for hurting his feelings? She obviously cared about him but why? Did it have to do with his older self?

It was still confusing having apparently been living for centuries and not remember anything past the very last day he had been abused by Tonkano he tried to remember her deeply analyzing her scent and staring hard he found nothing but blinding pressure pressed against his skull. Clutching his head he sighed softly made his way over to Inuyasha.

Inuyasha who was staring intently at him watching the look of pain cross his youthful features eyes locked on Rin. "What's wrong Sesshomaru?"

"Do you remember her?"

Sesshomaru glanced at the human child once more before shaking his head 'no' he did not remember her. "It hurts."

"When you think about her?" Inuyasha lowered himself to the ground pulling Sesshomaru onto his lap mindful of the pup's fish.

"When I try to think about me being older, it hurts my head." Sesshomaru murmured softly enough for Inuyasha's ears only. "The night I ran away was the worst." He sighed

"I think I saw glimpses of us." Sesshomaru tilted his neck back. "I was horrible to you." He felt the telltale signs of tears burn at his eyes. "I'm sorry."

Shaking his head Inuyasha kissed Sesshomaru's forehead. "Hush, that wasn't you."

"But it looked like me." Sesshomaru looked confused.

"There are things that need to be explained to you Sessho`." Inuyasha motioned his head towards the fish. "Eat, I'll explain it all to you another time."

Sesshomaru peered at the older half inu for a moment then did as instructed and ate his fish. He wiggled himself further pressing into Inuyasha firm chest. His big brother hadn't brought up what happened at the hot springs last night. Sesshomaru blushed slowly chewing on fish meat hardly tasting the burnt fish meat his mind locked in the pleasant memory.

He wondered if he could kiss his big brother again and blushed at the thought.

ooo

"A fucking hanyou!"

There was a loud smack and a cry of pain.

Koi a small bear demon lay face down on a pile of dirty rags stacked up in the corner of his 'room' he dared not cry out even though his face stung in horrible pain his body throbbing in pain from hours of abuse. Tonkano was angry something about losing his most precious person.

Koi felt himself being hauled up his feet leaving the ground his mind hovered around the idea that at the age of one-hundred and two Koi really should have been much taller more built less childlike he knew his body should been more defined slowly toughening itself for adult hood over the next few centuries. But how could one sustain growth and development when they hadn't the proper nutrients?

Gosh Koi could hardly read! If at all.

Tonkano crashed his lips harshly onto Koi's dominating dry chapped lips stained with old blood set in between cracked lips. Koi grunted in pain when Tonkano bit his bottom lip; he made a pleased sound at the metallic taste of blood and pulled away from the malnourished bear demon.

Tonkano's eyes raked over the much to skinny body of the boy he really should feed him more, Shouishi could always satisfy his base needs of course should the boy die but the being was never animated during sex wither he was in pain or pleasure he simply lay or kneel in whatever position Tonkano put him and accepted Tonakno's heavy cock. Shouishi was more or less down right boring it amazed Tonkano the first time he had actually made the being cum he was silent about it of course.

Koi however was supposed to be in his maturing stage of life yet look around the equivalent to a twelve year old human child a few years older than as his beloved Sesshomaru. Years of neglect and abuse made him this way by Tonkano's own doing of course. The boy was beautiful in his own right with chocolate brown eyes wide and pretty almost criminal long black lashes curling above his eyes, and the most cock readily made lips Tonkano has ever seen but he could never be Sesshomaru. That pup was siren calling to all with the promise of sexual release.

Long cold fingers wound themselves behind Koi's head after dropping the boy to his feet and guiding the younger demon to his front. "You know what to do." Yes, Koi did know exactly how to suck cock he had trained him well. Leaning his head back he gripped the boys head tightly hips snapping until he felt the head of his cock bang against the hot flesh of Koi's throat he thought of silver hair wrapped around his fingers and wet golden eyes looking up at him pleadingly and came with a harsh growl ignoring the gagging coming from Koi.

"Get off." He pushed the younger demon away from his crotch harshly waltzing out of the room with renewed thoughts his anger diminished. A pep in his step.

"Shouishi!" he called through the empty bleak hallway.

There was planning to devise.

ooo

He's close by she can smell him now.

That all too familiar smell of her pup sweet and flowery and heavily coated with the scent of a dominate male. A hanyou…

Snarling Inukumi speed up leaving her two journey mates behind she could hear them calling for her begging for her to slow down but she'd have none of it.

That damned hanyou dare place his scent mark upon her pup, she'll be damned if she allowed her son to become a victim again. She was on them now the scent thick and heavy.

Pushing past hopefully the last shrub of greenery the Lady Inukumi took in the scene before her a kit huddled at the base of a tree and human child singing inane songs that she obviously made up and her pup perched upon the lap of said bastard hanyou staring at her with wide eyes almost fearful. Her heart lurched.

He couldn't be afraid of her?

"Sesshomaru." She beckoned.

"Mama!" the pup scrambled off Inuyasha's lap and ran full force to his mother she hadn't abandoned him she came!

He wrapped his arms around her tightly immediately bawling into the fabric of her clothing he had to rearrange himself once she picked him up his face pushed into her hearty chest. "I thought you'd thrown me out mama." He sniffed large golden eyes looking up at his mama who seemed a bit older than he last remembered. It wasn't so much that she changed drastically but she had lost weight her neck slimmer her chest not as full and her eyes looked weary.

"My baby, I could never and would never abandon you." She kissed his forehead. "There are things that need to be explained."

"We will not speak of it in the open." She brought him closer to her nuzzling his face with her own spreading his tears onto her face. She didn't care her baby was back. Golden eyes bright as eyes coins of gold the cold calculating glare gone. She herself could cry but that wouldn't do for a lady to cry so openly.

"Hanyou." Her eyes locked onto the bastard child her late mate so readily abandoned her pup for.

"Why is it that you have laid claim to my pup?" she snarled clutching Sesshomaru closer if even possible. She'd kill the hanyou before she let him place a finger on her pup again.

"Watch who your talking to lady!" Inuyasha snarled jumping to his feet in a flash. She had the nerve to act as if he had been the one raping him. "You and the old man are the ones that allowed that shit to happen!"

"You dare? You know nothing bastard hanyou." She hissed. "I would rather die than allow you to violate my pup just as Tonkano has warranted his death!"

"No matter how long it takes." She all but snarled her youkai seeping out into the air she heard a soft whimper from the kit who felt the oppression of her youkai.

Inuyasha felt it too but held firm she was strong but he wasn't afraid.

"Look lady I understand where you're coming from but I'm not in the habit of committing rape." Inuyasha sighed softly. "My youkai however has grown attached to Sesshomaru."

He drifted off slightly scratching the back of his head. "You see he uh..."

Inukumi stared at the hanyou at a loss for words.

Had the hanyou just referred to his youkai as another person?

"Well he uhh, well." The hanyou was still drifting and Inukumi thought him stupid for a moment.

"Do you know nothing of demon nature? Fool of a hanyou." Her voice was light and airy once more. "You and 'your youkai' as you call it are one, he is the base of your instincts everything he wants you want everything you are is him." she deadpanned glaring at the hanyou.

"I told you to watch who you're talking to lady." Inuyasha bristled.

"Idiot hanyou, you shall not take my pup away from me."

"Mama stop it please." Sesshomaru pushed himself away from his mother's chest wiggling around until she released her death grip on him placing him back onto the floor. He made way to Inuyasha wrapping his arms around the hanyou defensively. "Inuyasha would never hurt me!"

Sesshomaru eyed his mother. "I won't let you take him away from me mama."

"I love my big brother." he deadpanned the shocked look upon his mother's face broke his heart he didn't want her to feel as though he did not love her but he needed Inuyasha and would protect him with his very life if need be.

Inuyasha stiffened at Sesshomaru's words.

"This is your decision?" Inukumi's voice was cleared of all anger light and wispy.

The pup nodded. "It is mother."

She regarded him for the longest minute before nodding.

"Hanyou, we must leave." She glanced around at the terrified kit and inquisitive human child that tagged along with her pup. "At firsts light we leave."

"My Lady?!" Jaken burst through the grass sweating profoundly and panting one flea demon hanging from the edge of his head covering.

"My Lord Sesshomaru!" he dropped to his knees bawling openly now this was a very stressful time for him.

"Shut up Jaken." Inuyasha bristled scooping Sesshomaru up into his arms and hopping off into the nearest tree.

Inukumi's eyes followed the hanyou into the dense foliage she stood there gaze quite calculating.

Yes, they'd depart at first light and she had the perfect place to hide her pup away.

Merry Christmas my sugars. :). Reviews for gifts?