Chapter Seven
Within less than a day, the two armies came and met at the foot of Kouga's home range. Kagome looked on in wonder as youkai stood at attention before their lieges. Yuiko and Jax stood off to one side, staring in wide-eyed amazement at the combined force they had helped to bring together.
"I have never seen so many youkai in one place before, and seen them remain so orderly. Is it because they know their leaders are before them?" Sango asked, as she looked over at the grim-faced Miroku.
"I don't know, but I doubt that even this will be enough to stop Naraku. And we know what Naraku is capable of." Miroku replied. Sango shuddered, both in revulsion and in rage. She knew all too well what Naraku was capable of.
"Don't worry. Sesshomaru-sama knows exactly what he's doing. He wouldn't be doing this if he thought it was impossible to beat Naraku." Jaken said, confident that his master could defeat anyone he set his mind to defeating (and also being uncharacteristically polite to the humans as well). They all fell silent as Sesshomaru and Kouga stepped onto the high ledge above the armies, and began to speak.
"Youkai of the Western Lands, I have called you here to do battle against one who has done much wrong over the last fifty years. Many of you know of whom I speak, and those who don't will soon know. Today you will put aside your grievances with the Wolf Youkai and fight alongside them, for their fight is the same as ours. By the fangs of my father, Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga, we march out today!" Sesshomaru ordered, calmly. This got a cheer from his troops, who were ready for a good fight, after so many years of idleness.
"Wolves of the Mountains, today we march with our kin, with whom we have had a grievance for years unnumbered. Let us put aside our resentment of them, and march with them to war!" Kouga shouted, getting howls and shouts of agreement from his fellow wolves. Kagome stared first at Sesshomaru, then Kouga; she hadn't known that they could be so eloquent (especially Kouga)!
"You ready, Kagome?" Inu-Yasha asked, as he turned to her, his golden eyes grave.
"As ready as I'm going to get. By the way, where'd you get that armor?" Kagome asked, as she gazed at the shining silver breastplate and shoulder guards Inu-Yasha now wore.
"Sesshomaru gave 'em to me. Said they were made by the baka that had made the Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga. He also has a set, but his has the crest of the Western Lands emblazoned on the chest. I hope nothing happens to him today during the battle." Inu-Yasha said, actually sounding a little afraid for his brother.
"Don't worry, he'll be fine. I'm sure he's just as worried about you." Kagome said, gently.
"I'm sure. Let's go, they're moving out." Inu-Yasha said, as he started walking after his brother. Kagome and the others followed, with their weapons at the ready; Kagome with her bow, Sango with her boomerang and katana, Miroku with his kazaana and his own magic, and Kirara was ready with her natural abilities. Even little Shippou was ready. Against his wishes, Jaken was told to remain behind so he could watch Rin.
"Take care of her, Jaken." Sesshomaru thought, as he marched, never once slowing his step and quickly leaving the mountains behind.
They marched from the break of day till the evening without stopping. Sesshomaru had to stop himself from grinning when he heard his soldiers marveling that the humans that were accompanying them never complained once about being tired nor asked to stop.
"Are you not tired, human?" one youkai whispered to Kagome.
"A little, but I know that it'll be awhile before we rest. What about you?" Kagome asked.
"I am not tired, so long as Sesshomaru-sama goes on before us. By the way, I have heard that you are an excellent archer. Is this true?" the youkai asked, his black-tipped wolf ears perked in curiosity. Kagome blushed, modestly.
"I guess I'm okay with a bow. But I've never actually fought in a war before." Kagome admitted.
"Not a lot of us have. Many of my archers are still very young, but they are good shots. Already they look up to you, since you carry yourself like a warrior. That is why I asked you if you were truly as good with a bow as they say." The youkai said, quietly. Then, suddenly, the entire army stopped.
"Sesshomaru-san? What's going on?" Kagome asked, as she peered curiously at him.
"We've got company. Kitsune by the smell of it." Sesshomaru murmured, with the said youkai appearing before them as he spoke.
"Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands. Kouga, Prince of the Mountains. What brings you to our wood? And why are your armies with you?" the kitsune asked, as a cool mountain breeze blew through his fiery red hair.
"We were taking this route because we didn't want to be seen, Lord Rama." Sesshomaru replied, respectfully.
"Be seen? By whom? Who are you trying to escape the notice of?" Rama asked.
"A youkai by the name of Naraku." Kouga said, solemnly. A murmur arose from those standing behind the fox youkai, and even Rama bristled at the name.
"I see. Are you going to try and fight him, Sesshomaru? Kouga?" Rama asked, as he looked at the armies, then at Inu-Yasha, who stood uncharacteristically silent beside his brother.
"Yes. Would you want to join us, Lord Rama?" Sesshomaru asked, almost sounding hopeful.
"Let us hold council first, young Lord of the Western Lands. While we are doing that, rest. This might be the last time you will have the chance to. Naraku doesn't dare send his minions in here, since he knows that we could destroy them before they even knew what happened. You will be safe in here." Rama said, then turned to his fellow kitsune and ushered them back into the shadows.
"What now?" Inu-Yasha asked, speaking for the first time since they had left the mountains.
"We wait for their decision. More than likely they will agree to fight alongside us, since Naraku is as much a threat to them as he is to us." Sesshomaru replied, as he sat beside a tree, thus signaling his troops to do likewise.
"Sesshomaru, do you think I should go with them to their council?" Shippou asked.
"Do what your heart tells you, Shippou. These are your people." Sesshomaru replied, as he ruffled Shippou's hair and smiled slightly.
"Thanks. I'll see you guys later!" Shippou shouted, as he scampered off into the shadows.
"If anything, Shippou will probably be the one to convince the kitsune to help." Miroku said, sighing as he sat down.
"Are you all right, Miroku-sama?" Kagome asked, concerned for the usually perverted monk.
"I'm all right. But I will be better when the kazaana is gone." Miroku replied.
"Does it pain you, Houshi-sama?" one of the younger wolf youkai asked, his blue eyes gazing concernedly at the human.
"Not really. Not yet, anyway. But my life is getting shorter." Miroku said, with a note of despair in his voice. Sango gave Miroku a sympathetic look and noticed that he did indeed look weaker than he had before.
"He doesn't have much time left. We must hurry!" Sango thought, looking up when the Kitsune reentered the clearing.
"We have decided, Sesshomaru, to go with you to war. Shippou, your companion, told us of his father's death and how Naraku played an indirect part in that. We will go and avenge the death of one of our own." Rama said, with fierce anger in his emerald green eyes.
"Then let's head to where the battle will take place. There is very little time left for us to travel in darkness. This night is already old." Sesshomaru said, as he stood and motioned for his army to do the same. With that said, they marched off, with the kitsune falling in with them. Shippou sat proudly on Kagome's shoulder, pleased that at least he had made a difference.
Morning had just arrived when the armies arrived at their destination. In the distance they could see Naraku's castle, and they could see that it was well guarded.
"There it is. Naraku's castle. That's where he's keeping his worst surprises." Inu-Yasha growled, in a tone Kagome had never heard before.
"We'll try to get as close as we can before attacking. I don't want to waste any energy charging down this hill." Sesshomaru said, as they all started fanning out.
"Lady Kagome, come with us. We'll need your archery skills added to our own." One wolf said, as he led Kagome off.
"Inu-Yasha, lead this company to the west wall. Don't attack until you hear the signal." Sesshomaru ordered, as Kouga and Rama led their groups to the other walls.
"What's going to be the signal?" Inu-Yasha asked.
"You'll know it when you hear it." Sesshomaru replied, then disappeared into the thick foliage, leading yet another group towards the castle.
"All right. Come on, everyone." Inu-Yasha said, now realizing that he was in command of these soldiers, those of which were once his father's. Almost as soon as they were in position, the attack began. With bone chilling howls, the wolves struck first, killing or destroying anything that got in their way. Then the dog youkai struck next, and they were as swift and deadly as their kin. After them was the kitsune; and they helped bring down the wall. For the briefest of moments, Kagome caught sight of Naraku as he looked down in surprise at the attacking youkai tribes, then shouted at his own horde to counterattack. Then there was a loud, piercing howl; one that Kagome recognized as coming from Sesshomaru, and that signaled Inu-Yasha's corp. to move in. Sesshomaru's signal had also been for the archers to start shooting.
"Let's see how well you can truly shoot, Lady Kagome." The archer leader, who was known as Kojo to his kin, said, as he let some arrows fly, expertly nailing three of Naraku's minions. Kagome nodded and took a position next to Kojo. Meanwhile, in the courtyard, Sesshomaru was looking for Naraku. He could smell him, but he couldn't see him, since foxfire was now burning the wood in the castle and smoke was obscuring his view.
"Naraku! Come out here where I can see you!" Sesshomaru demanded, eyes glowing in fury. Then intense pain exploded in his back as something sharp stabbed into him.
"Agh…………………!" Sesshomaru cried, grimacing as he sank to his knees and turning his head to see what had attacked him. He was surprised and shocked to see a boy, not older than twelve standing there, his blank, dead eyes gazing coldly at him.
"This boy…………………this must be the brother Sango had said was taken by Naraku…………………." Sesshomaru thought, as the boy approached, to retrieve his weapon. Without a thought, Sesshomaru whipped out Tenseiga and slashed it through the boy, knocking the controlling Shikon Shard out and reviving the boy all in one swipe.
"Where……………? Where am I?" the boy asked, bewildered and a little afraid.
"In the midst of a battle. What is your name, boy?" Sesshomaru asked, ignoring the blood at the back of his throat.
"Kohaku." The boy replied, shakily.
"Then come, Kohaku. Your sister is on the other end of the battlefield. She needs to know where you are." Sesshomaru said, as he painfully stood up and took the boy by the hand.
"Sango's here?!" Kohaku yelped.
"Yes, now let's hurry." Sesshomaru said, as he shielded Kohaku from arrows and other projectiles. Kohaku nodded and stayed close to Sesshomaru, knowing that the youkai would shield him from harm.