Chapter 1

Thirteen trees had already fallen victim to the hanyou's rage. Number fourteen loomed ahead when an annoyingly familiar voice pulled Inuyasha out of his blind passion.

"Lord Inuyasha, I bring news from the West!"

Inuyasha grunted, but pulled back from the hapless tree and grabbed Myouga from flight. "What, flea?"

"Lord Sesshoumaru, demands an audience in the Great Hall of your father's castle."

"I'll pack my bags and set forth post haste," Inuyasha snorted sarcastically. "The dog's gotten lazy, huh? Instead of coming after me for Tetsusaiga, he expects me to bring it to him now?"

"Your brother is dying, Lord Inu--"

"Half brother," Inuyasha interrupted. "Wait, did you say 'dying'?"

The flea nodded as best he could, still squished between his master's thumb and index finger. "Yes, he was poisoned by Naraku's miasma."

"Naraku? What business did that fool have with Naraku?" Inuyasha released his vassal and brushed some wood chips off his haori.

Myoga popped himself full again and cleared his throat. "Naraku sent that boy, Sango's brother, after his young charge Rin. I believe he was seeking revenge for the affront."

"Sesshoumaru wanted to avenge a human? Keh, I'll believe that when snow falls in summer." The hanyou pulled Tetsusaiga from its sheath and began swinging it in graceful arcs, expertly removing single leaves from the trees that still stood in the clearing. "So what does any of this have to do with me, Myouga?"

Ducking as the fang sideswiped him, Myouga took a position on his master's shoulder. "The poison will not abate, Sesshoumaru will die within the month. You are the only other heir to your father's kingdom."

At this, Inuyasha stopped his practice and turned his head to consider the flea demon. "He wants me to come take over the castle? Okay, I give up, funny joke."

"This is no joke, Lord Inuyasha. Your brother may despise you --"

"The feeling is mutual."

"-- but he would rather leave his father's kingdom to family and he has no pup of his own. Those lands were always meant to be yours, Inuyasha. Inutaisho never intended Sesshoumaru to reign over them. This is your chance to honor the Great Inuyoukai."

"I suppose it won't kill me to take a side trip," Inuyasha finally agreed, "and if I remember correctly the castle is only three days walk from here. Maybe I should go alone…"

Myouga shook his head. "It would help the transition if you come with your own followers and mate. Those who live within the boundaries of your kingdom will need to see that you are a born leader."

"I don't have a mate," Inuyasha growled.

Raising an eyebrow, Myouga sniffed the air. "If I'm not mistaken, I detect the hint of Lady Kagome's blood upon your claws. Did you not make an intent claim upon the girl?"

The hanyou grunted. "It was an accident," he grumbled. "I didn't mean to mark her."

"You were following instinct," Myouga disagreed. "You are of proper age to take a mate, Lord Inuyasha, and so is she. You have little choice but to follow instinct. If you stall much longer in her presence, you may one day violate the girl."

"I know," Inuyasha whispered, "but that doesn't make it any easier."

* * * * *

Kagome was deep asleep in her sleeping bag as Sango added another log to the campfire. She wore an expression of concern looking upon the innocent girl whom she came to regard as dear to her as a sister.

"Sango-sama," Miroku took a seat beside the tajiya, wary of scaring the girl off. "You have been distracted ever since Inuyasha disappeared. Do you know something?"

She nodded slowly, not sure how much she could share with the lecherous houshi without betraying Inuyasha and Kagome's privacy.

"Well?"

"I'm not sure what I can tell you," she replied honestly. "Just this -- I believe our hanyou has come into his season, houshi-sama. His demon blood is crying out to take a mate and it will only get worse."

"Worse?"

Sango met his eyes with her own. "It depends on the type of demon. In my village we learned about the various traditions and rituals associated with the more powerful demon breeds as a matter of growing up. Inuyoukai mature in their eighteenth summer, give or take a year, and begin to go into a heat. It becomes top priority to find an appropriate mate and conceive a child, or at least attempt to do so. The actual birth of offspring isn't necessary."

"Inuyasha has chosen Kagome," Miroku realized.

"Yes, consciously or not, he has made an intent claim upon her."

"Intent claim?" The houshi raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Their fight must have awoken his demon blood. That, coupled with his concern over this love holiday Kagome will be participating in, sent his instincts into overdrive. He felt it necessary to mark her as his mate to prevent other males from taking her."

"So what does this mean, exactly?"

Sango shook her head, glanced to check if Kagome was still sleeping, and then gazed back into the dancing flames before her. "I'm not sure, houshi-sama. I'm not sure."