Chapter Twelve-The Unlikeliest Team
"Inuyasha! Stop." Sesshoumaru had managed to catch up to his half-brother before he reached the wolf demon tribe.
"I do not have time for you,Sesshoumaru. What do you want?" The hanyou glared at his older brother.
"I want to help, is what I want." The demon lord responded, obviously surprising himself as well as Inuyasha.
The halfling looked at him. "Yeah,right. You just want to take her away from me again!" He turned to continue on his way.
"You fool!" Sesshoumaru leaped into his path. "If you go up against Kouga alone, he'll win, then he'll kill her." He studied Inuyasha for a long moment. "You know, I was going to give you this." He held up the girl's shard.
"You'll still give it to me." Inuyasha reached to snatch it from him, but Sesshoumaru held it away from him.
"Only after Saraku is safely away from Kouga, and you agree to let me take her with me." The demon lord told him, as he tucked the jewel away again, and continued towards the caves.
"I can't promise that! Kagome loves her!" Inuyasha sputtered, following him.
"Kagome will forget about her eventually. She is not safe within your group, Little Brother. With Naraku hunting you, she would be easy bait. I can make sure that she is safe from harm." Sesshoumaru replied calmly. "If necessary, we can arrange a visit between Kagome and Saraku once a year. "
"It doesn't seem right, but….Okay." Inuyasha stopped, as they reached the cliffs. "So, we're in this together?"
"It would seem so." Sesshoumaru drew his sword, Tokijin.
"Kouga!!! Show yourself!" Inuyasha bellow up towards Kouga's den.
"That was very tactless." Sesshoumaru remarked.
"Tactless? He kidnapped one of my group members! Now,That's tactless!" Inuyasha glared up at the den. "And now he's going to make us wait."
Sesshoumaru shook his head, and began jumping up rocks towards the den.
"What do you think you're doing?! This is my rescue, remember?" Inuyasha followed Sesshoumaru in expasperation.
"I suppose you think Kouga's going to come down just because you called?" The demon lord countered, as he leaped to the mouth of Kouga den.
"Yes!"Inuyasha stood beside him, staring at the wolf demons. "Where is Kouga?"
"He left with the human girl." Genta informed the two demons.
"He what?!" Inuyasha whirled around facing the valley they'd just come from. "Which way did he go?"
"I don't know. They went shard hunting,I believe."
"Damn." Inuyasha muttered. How did Kouga find out she possessed a shard?"
"How long ago did they leave?" Sesshoumaru demanded.
"Just two hours,I think." Genta replied, nervously. "In case you're wondering, he's not planning to give her back."
"We shall see about that." Sesshoumaru growled, turning away from them now. "Let's go, Little Brother."
"We're not even sure where they are!" Inuyasha protested,following his brother.
"Then we will look for them until we are. We can't leave her in Kouga's hands." He sheathed Toukijin once more, and looked around. "This way."
The hanyou scowled at the idea that his brother was taking over. It really quite annoyed him. "What makes you so sure?"
"I just am." The demon lord replied, heading to the East. "Kouga will be sorry for this."
"Yes, and I don't mean to let him live." Inuyasha agreed.
"You can do what you want, Inuyasha. I'm getting Saraku, and leaving."
"You're not going to help me fight him?!"
"No." Sesshoumaru replied. "He's broken the conditions, and therefore,there is no need to fight." He continued walking.
Inuyasha decided he would still get a piece of Kouga for sending them on a wild goose chase.
"If you really cared about Saraku the way you keep claiming to, you'd forget about fighting with Kouga." The demon lord added.
"What if it was your Rin? Wouldn't you want revenge, Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha asked suddenly.
"Well, seeing as Saraku is mine as well,no. There is a time and as place for that, Inuyasha. It is not a good idea to pick a fight with someone when they're holding your loved ones hostage." Sesshoumaru stopped suddenly. "Be still. I think someone is nearby."
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"You're going to get me a few shards before I let you go, Child." Kouga told his prisoner before dragging the girl along. "Where did you find that one you had?"
"It was my father's! Get off me,you're hurting me!" Saraku struggled to get away from the wolf demon prince.
"Well, let's see if we can figure out where he got it, then." He tightened his grip, and dragged her along. "I imagine Inuyasha probably made it to the den by now. Well, he can just wait. This is far more important than some ransom."
"I don't know what you think I can do, but I can't sense these jewel shards." Saraku tried to explain again, her voice trembling in fear.
"If your father could, it is likely you can as well, now move it!" He shoved her up ahead of him.
Saraku longed for the warmth and comfort of Sesshoumaru's arms. She wondered if he even worried about why she hadn't come to him yet. It was likely that the demon lord had forgotten about her. Rin had told her that sometimes Sesshoumaru went off for days at a time. No one really knew what he did while he was alone, but Saraku was fairly sure that he was probably looking for her.
"What are you thinking of? Did you hear a word I said to you?" Kouga asked in annoyance. It was obvious she hadn't heard a word her captor had said.
"No,I didn't." Saraku replied.
Kouga his head shot up, and he looked around grabbing Saraku, and covering her mouth. "Someone's coming." He jumped up into a high tree with the girl. "Stay quiet, or I will kill you." Kouga commanded. He looked below them, and gasped silently, when he saw Sesshoumaru, and Inuyasha. Both of them together?! I'll never be able to beat them both! Anyway, I'm not ready to fight yet. This little brat's turned out to be the most useful catch I've made in a while!
Saraku saw them too, and tried desperately to get Lord Sesshoumaru's attention.
Kouga pulled her tighter to him. "Knock it off." He whispered sharply.
Saraku bit Kouga's hand,hard, and yelled down to the two brothers. "Lord Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha!"
Sesshoumaru's head snapped up towards the tree, just in time to see Saraku slip. "Sara!" He ran forward, catching her in a big comforting hug.
The little girl was in tears, as she clung to him tightly. "I tried my best to find you, My Lord. I really did."
The demon lord just cuddled her, to soothe her. He watched with exasperation as Inuyasha walked up to the tree.
"Get down here, Damn it!" Inuyasha ordered Kouga.
"With pleasure." Kouga smirked, as he leaped down, landing in front of Sesshoumaru. "She's really become quite useful….I'm not ready to give her back yet." He made a grab for Saraku.
Sesshoumaru jumped backwards,aiming Toukijin at the wolf prince,while holding the trembling little girl close to him. "Touch her again, and I will not hesitate to slice you in half." He purred evilly, before whirling on his heels, and taking off with her.
"Hey! You double crossing traitor! What about my shard!" Inuyasha yelled after him.
"Looks like you've been lied to again." Kouga commented. "I don't suppose you still want to fight, do you, Puppy?"
Inuyasha growled, but he didn't draw Tetsusaiga. "Not today, Prince." He leaped off, to catch up with Sesshoumaru. No way was he going to let his elder brother win again!