J: *takes a sip from glass* hmm, tastes like Lemon-aid. Oh, that's right, this chapter tastes just a little like that. Just a fore warning, so I'll have to up the rating wont I? *sigh* Oh well. Don't flame, you've been warned! Here's your fic.

The Welder of BlackFire:

Thorn's Past Life-A Mysterious Ally

Chapter Twelve: A Night Entwined

"Why are you still here?" asked Sesshoumaru. They were walking through the forest, which was garbed in silken gold rays of sunlight that showered the surrounding foliage brilliantly. Leaves sighed in a silent breeze, every now and then a stray one falling to the moist earth to settle peacefully alongside dry pine needles and last years harvest of leaf litter.

"I have nowhere else to go," Thorn shrugged "and no other allies that I wish to be around."

"Are you saying I am an ally of yours now?"

"Yes," was all she said.

"And what if I object?" he asked curiously.

"It doesn't matter."

"It doesn't matter? Why not?"

"Because its not your choice," she said, a smile in her voice.

"Hmm."

They traveled through the forest, their direction heading west, toward Sesshoumaru's castle. He had traveled east when he was being stalked, away from his castle, so that, in case of an enemy, they would not find his dwelling. The going was quick, but was slower than it could have been due to Jaken's waddling gait.

"Don't you ever get tired of him? Having to wait for him like this?" she asked, exasperated after having to wait for the slow toad demon once again.

"Don't you ever get tired of listening to a sword? I would have done away with it long ago if it kept buzzing in my ear like it does," quipped Sesshoumaru. At this BlackFire hissed angrily before silencing at Thorn's meaningful glare.

"I am a very tolerate person," she said.

"Yes, well so am I," he mused as Jaken stumbled up to the two, his two-headed staff bearing his weight as he puffed to a stop.

"Hmm, you must be," she said.

"My Lord?" asked Jaken questioningly, eyeing the woman, still not comfortable with her traveling with his master and himself, even after such long weeks of traveling with her.

"Nothing, Jaken. Let's go," replied the youkai, continuing on. With a small sigh, Thorn turned as well, but not before scoffing at the small demon.

Hours later, dusk fell, painting the sky shades of pink and maroon.

"We should camp now," said Sesshoumaru, stopping suddenly.

"What? Its early yet, night hasn't even fallen!" exclaimed Thorn.

"Yes, well I say we should stop," said the Inu-youkai lord with an upraised eyebrow. Crossing her arms, the woman turned away with a snort.

"I'll go gather firewood," was all she said, walking away into the thickening shadows.

"My Lord, I don't trust her. Not long ago she was threatening to kill you," said Jaken, looking up at his master, referring to a few weeks ago. Sesshoumaru did not reply for a moment, but stared off in the direction in which Thorn had taken.

"You should watch what you say when she is close, her hearing is as good as mine," Sesshoumaru said, turning away.

"But Lord Sesshoumaru-" began the toad demon, but he was cut off by a golden gaze.

Camp was set up quickly and efficiently, with Thorn laying a large heap of dry wood by the fire's side when she returned not fifteen minutes later.

Dusk had long since passed many hours before when Thorn opened her eyes, seemingly startled. She sat by the fire and up until a few minutes ago, had been dozing peacefully. She looked up, watching Sesshoumaru's face and listening to his steady breathing. She tapped into her physic powers, reading his mind. It was blank.

He's asleep, good, she thought. She looked over to Jaken, who was snoring rhythmically. Him too, perfect.

She quietly got up, and walked stealthfully into the forest.

Sesshoumaru's eyes flicked open, a fire glimmering in their golden depths, and not just from the dying ambers that sat smoldering in front of him. He placed another log on the fire, making the flames that still remained spark and hiss.

I wonder where she thinks she is going, he thought when a distinct scent wafted to him. What's that smell? he asked, but he already knew the answer. It surprised him, but not entirely. He rose up slowly, brushing the dirt from his robes. He walked purposely in the direction where the woman had taken, following the clear scent trail she had left. When he entered the woods, he sped along, silent but for the relaxing sigh of whooshing wind as it swept across his clothes.

"Why did you follow me?" she asked, without turning around to face the intruder.

"Answer me Sesshoumaru!" she hissed, her muscles tense and trembling in anticipation of an argument.

"I could ask why you are out here..." he began, standing in a tree not ten feet away from her back.

"But you already know. Your sense of smell is impressive," she grunted.

"A human could smell it and you know it. That's why you left," he said softly, his musical voice floating in the peaceful air, levitating there like a ghost, never really leaving the still zephyr.

"So it is," she said, her words hardly distinguishable. A sing-song hum came from BlackFire, seeming to hint at comfort and soothing, but it did quite the opposite. With one swift motion, Thorn had grabbed the sword as it glowed and cooed, ripping it from its leather thongs that bound it to her back. She hurled it at a large boulder, imbedding it three gouging inches into the dense stone.

"You know better! Have you learned nothing?!" she cried, turning so she faced the steamy sword, who's tone suggested begging. It was then that Sesshoumaru saw the look in her eye, a sparking silver that gleamed and threatened.

Is that why she didn't turn and face me? She did not want me to see this side of her? thought the lord. Growls came from her throat, and her hands clenched at her sides. She flashed her teeth, which had somehow grown into longer and more deadly fangs, and stalked toward the groveling broad-sided sword. Even her walk was different, more purposeful and bold.

When she reached the sword she paused, listening as the slave-bound demon reasoned and pleaded. She sighed, and fell to her knees.

"Your right, the last thing we need is another massacre like before. I need to calm down," she said softly, closing her eyes and placing her hands on her lap, beginning to breath slowly and regularly. She opened her eyes a moment later, and they no longer gleamed a raging steely hue, but two colors merged, green and silver, battling to regain control over their host. What was a result was a swirling of the two dyes, a sparkling greenish silver that swam around black pupils. She exhaled deeply and sat back on her heels.

"Let's go back to camp," Sesshoumaru said softly, not wanting to disturb her.

"No. You go, I cannot," she said blankly, staring at the now quiet BlackFire.

"Yes you can, now come along," he said, jumping down from the tree to stare at her back while she crouched there.

"You don't seem to get it, Sesshoumaru. I will not go back." She stood up slowly, and crossed her arms.

"You're just being stubborn."

"No, you don't understand. I can't just make the smell disappear," she spat, spinning around to face his towering frame, making her long russet locks spin around her torso and catch the moon's rays, making them shine faint gold. "I shouldn't have come now. I should have never come. But I shouldn't be taking this out on you," she said suddenly, looking away. "I'm just babbling on about something that you shouldn't be concerned about. Its not like you can do anything ab-" She froze, suddenly struck by what she was saying. She turned away with her back to him, a faint red flush painting her cheeks.

The Inu-Youkai walked up behind her, she could hear his breath, feel his intense gaze. She bit her bottom lip, not trusting her mouth to open. She felt a small shiver go down her spine. Instinct made her grow larger, more intimidating, making her five foot three inch standard climb to five foot eight, directly under Sesshoumaru's chin. She felt small, helpless, and wanted to shift into a mouse and hide, but something made her stand there rigidly.

He took another step toward her, and it made her take a sharp breath.

"You're wrong," he said in a deadly quiet voice.

"No, don't even think about it," she whispered with spite. "Don't you even think about that!" She turned around to face him, her face hard and stubborn. "I will not break my vow!"

"What is your vow?" he asked quizzically.

She hesitated for but a moment before saying, "Never to curse this world with another of such disgusting blood as a humans. I made that vow a year ago and I plan to keep it!"

Sesshoumaru thought a moment. "You can keep your vow, Thorn, and still get rid of your heat. You made that vow when you were human no doubt? Yes, well you are no longer human, and thus are not 'cursing the world' with such blood."

"No, there is still human blood in me!" she cried in a whisper.

"Yes, but with youkai blood, the child will not be hardly human at all," replied Sesshoumaru. This brought her eyes up to meet his own, and he could see the constant flow of silver and green in her irises as they played a scene of surprise.

"No, you can't do that! You'd be cursing your own line, and to a hum-ahh, hanyou at that," she countered, taking a step back. The lord followed her in that step, his long stride bringing him closer to her.

"I can curse it if I please," was all he said, making her turn away, contemplating if an argument would be right for this time. No, she decided, it wouldn't.

When she said nothing, he leaned closer, bringing her gaze up to meet his own.

"But I'll only curse it if my bitch is of the blood I consider valid," he said quietly. "And if she agrees," he added. When Thorn said nothing, he leaned down and brushed his lips against her own in a feather-light kiss. She sighed at the ardour of it, and reached up to receive another. He met her, and they exchanged another, harder, more demanding kiss. When they pulled back for the second time she smiled.

"Would you consider my blood valid?" she asked quietly, softly.

"Yes. Do you agree to curse my line?" he asked.

"Yes," she breathed, closing her eyes to bear another kiss, longer and harder than the second, but still soft and questioning. She wrapped her arms around him as he placed his hand on her hip.

*

The night edged away until the sky lightened into a peach bowl in the east, making the shadows lighten enough so that two bodies were visible laying on the green earth. Their arms wrapped around one another, keeping each other warm in the dawn's coolness.

Thorn opened her eyes. She should have been up hours ago, but she was exhausted. Peeling her mate's arms from around her torso, she slowly eased away from him and began to regenerate her leather garments. Without BlackFire, she realized, it was much more difficult to use her energy in such ways. What would normally be a simple task, if it did take a little time, was draining.

It must be because I used all my energy last night, she thought to herself as she stood and walked over to Sesshoumaru's robe, which still was draped around the imprisoned sword. Picking up his robe, she placed BlackFire on new leather thongs while he awoke with a soft rumble.

"Shh, he needs to sleep," she whispered to him when she realized his mind was still in darkness, and thus she could not speak through her mind. He soon fell silent and Thorn smiled as she walked over to the Inu-Youkai. She placed the robe over him, blocking out the cold.

With BlackFire renewing her energy, she shifted into her white wolf form and went back to where they had made camp the night before. Jaken was still asleep when she trotted up. Within a few moments, she had placed a sleeping spell on the hideous toad demon, making sure he did not awake until she returned. Turning away, she headed back to the clearing and Sesshoumaru.

When she stepped into the thinning of trees, she was greeted with a warning growl, which she returned, yet with more tenderness. Stepping from the shadows into the newly lighted grounds, she saw Sesshoumaru, looking up expectedly. She padded up to him, feeling his exhaustion on his sigh. Trotting up next to him, she sat down, looking up at him as he kneeled there, sitting on his heels. Her eyes, he noticed, were no longer tinted with silver, but their normal, bright green. But there was something else in her gaze, something that made their edges hint a soft gray, but not an angry silver. Caught in her wondrous gaze, he did not notice when she returned to her human shape until she snuggled close to him, still holding his eyes.

"Where did you go?" he asked, placing his arm around her bare shoulder and pulling her closer.

"Hmm, to make sure Jaken wouldn't be asking any questions," she said quietly, pulling herself closer to him. He looked down questioningly, only to be met by a warm grin, when he noticed that she had lost her murderous fangs.

"He'll be sleeping until I undo the spell," she supplied, nuzzling his neck. He returned the gesture, savoring her scent as he burrowed in her dark hair. BlackFire buzzed hesitatingly, his sapphire glow soft. Thorn pulled back, a confused look on her face.

"What's wrong?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"He says...he says he was wrong. He says Fate has chosen our path, and it wasn't the one he had hoped to take," she said haltingly, looking up to her mate. "What is he talking about? He says that the message was for you, but, I don't understand."

"Its nothing, just something we had talked about," he replied. She smirked.

"If you think I wont find out what it is, you're wrong. I'll figure it out," she said, with her old vigor. She stood up, but too quickly, and fell back onto her heels. With a grumble, she reached her feet.

"Are you in pain?" he asked, looking up at her. She looked down, almost scoffing. But when she realized his question was genuine, she replied.

"Some. Nothing I can't handle," she said, placing her hands on her hips and looking at him meaningfully. "It reminds me that it wasn't a dream, and I want to know that."

"Hmm," he replied, turning his gaze away to search for the remainder of his robes.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Authoress': told you I'd be a limy! Agg, I'm so sleepy! So I'll make this note quick. I'll even do the disclaimer, just so I don't have to argue.

All: -sigh- awesome.

J: -rolls eyes- anyway, I own only Thorn and BlackFire. See ya!