Sanctuary
Author's Note: Hey everyone! Hopefully, this chappie will be a nice addition to the story! ^-^. By the way! For those of you who read/ have read my other fic: Chibi Mamoru (Sailor Moon) it's almost complete! I almost feel sad that it is though…
Disclaimer's Note: Hey! No matter how many times I wish I owned InuYasha and co. I don't.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kagome could feel that they were close. She saw the faint purple light emanating from a green patch a few miles from where she was standing. Kouga had asked her to remain there until he returned, which would most likely be in a few hours. Before they had stopped, a small wolf youkai had dashed towards them with an important message from Kouga's father.
'I never even knew that Kouga had a father…'
Without warning, her miko senses kicked in. Something with a youkai aura was coming at an incredible speed. And knowing that InuYasha could never reach that speed unless someone or something was taken, she immediately went into defensive mode.
She eyed everything around her that she could use as a weapon. 'Damn that Kouga! He forgot to give me something to protect myself with!'
She heard rustling and was prepared to throw a rock, when a red tailed fox popped from behind the bushes. She lowered her guard, not sensing anything bad about it. The fox came towards her and she gasped slightly as its true height was revealed. This was a kitsune, a fox pup, but it was the size of a full-grown horse.
" Kagome! I was looking for you everywhere! I finally found you!" it said in a familiar childish voice.
Kagome backed up a little, surprised in hearing it talk. Then, it shrunk slowly and with a puff of smoke, the fox pup transformed into Shippou!
" Shippou!" Kagome said happily as she hugged him. Her heart felt lighter as if she was a mother that was reunited with its child. ' You are you baka!' Kagome giggled inwardly as she thought of herself as Shippou's mother.
" How did you get here?" Shippou finally asked. " The last place where we smelled your scent was at some hut, but then, you were gone again… Then…"
Kagome noticed Shippou's expression. " What happened? I didn't mean to stray from the camp… but I got lost and Kouga found me… but he had to go back to his father."
Shippou's eyes widened in surprise as Kagome mentioned Kouga having a father. " Well, we got caught in the rain, and had to stay at some cave, then as we were going to go, InuYasha smelled SesshouMaru… After that, Sango and Miroku stayed with him and InuYasha told me to go find you…"
Kagome smiled at her pup. 'My pup? Where did that come from?' She dismissed it and went on listening to the young kitsune.
Oblivious to them both, SesshouMaru was hiding behind a few trees just a few meters from them. He had an expressionless façade on, but inwardly, his curiosity was getting the best of him. He had known of his half brother's woman travelling with a youkai pup, but he had not known that she was indeed raising it as if it were her own.
'Interesting'
SesshouMaru was about to reveal himself, when he sensed another youkai approaching. From previous encounters, SesshouMaru had known it was best to sit back and see the scene before ignorantly making himself vulnerable.
" Kagome!"
He eyed the new youkai intently. He knew who this was, but had somehow forgotten his name. He was the son of the North-Western lord, but what was he doing here without his army?
"Kouga-kun!"
SesshouMaru noticed how the kit suddenly became protective of its mother. He grinned as he remembered how he used to act that way when his mother was still beside him. 'Grrr… that wench! It's her fault! InuYasha's woman is to blame for my memories coming back!' He shook it off and watched.
====================
Kouga eyed the small kitsune that stepped in front of Kagome and smiled whole-heartedly.
" What's a kid like you doing here?" he asked.
" Stay away you!" Shippou said
Kagome giggled and caught all three males' attention. " Come now, Shippou, Kouga-kun doesn't mean any harm… he helped me through this whole ordeal. Now… I say we all head to Kaede-baba's village!"
Shippou smiled and nodded happily as he climbed Kagome and sat on her shoulder. Kouga smiled inwardly and followed. As they went along their way, SesshouMaru noticed something fall from Kagome's neck and fall on the grass. It teased him as it twinkled, reflecting the sun's rays.
'What is this?'
He lifted the small chain with his index finger and let it fall into his left palm. He examined the small green pendant that seemed so familiar to him.
The North Western lands was being attacked and his father as well as his mother had been asked to help. The North Western Lord was his father's closest ally and they were best friends.
SesshouMaru was ordered to stay at home and stay with his half brother. He sneered at the thought and disobeyed. He didn't want to be anywhere in the castle left alone with the hanyou and his mother.
He easily followed his parent's trail and was led to a burning castle. He walked through the camp and was not surprised to see a young girl only a few years younger than he was. She had beautiful blue gray eyes and long black hair, but her face was tear stained and pain and confusion was clearly written on her face.
" What's wrong?" SesshouMaru asked.
"My mama just died… my onii-san is in the tent with her… I-I cant go back in there!" she said.
SesshouMaru was surprised at her response. Most Youkais did not bother to show emotion, but this little girl did not seem to care about what other youkais did. Not knowing why, he remembered the necklace his mother had given him. It held great meaning to him. She had told him that if he ever needed comfort, he could always clasp on this pendant and she would always be near.
He took the necklace off his neck and placed it around the little girls'. She had stopped crying and looked at him questioningly.
"This was my mothers' she gave it to me just last week. It gave me comfort when I was sad… I want you to have it"
SesshouMaru was confused with his actions. He had barely known the girl, not even her name, but he gave away his most valued posession to her. But the look on her face was better than anything he had ever received. Sadness was no longer coming from her. She rose and hugged him.
"Thank you. I will keep it forever"
SesshouMaru looked at the pendant once more. 'It can't be… that little girl was a youkai… she…' He stopped. This was his mother's pendant, the same one that he gave to a little girl who became the one person who kept him sane after his mother had left. Somehow, it had gotten to his half brother's wench. 'How?'
More determined than before, SesshouMaru set off and trailed the group. This time, for a different purpose. Instead of going to find his brother and get his father's fang, he was going after his brother's woman.
===============
Author's Note: oh! That was unexpected! lol
