Chapter 4: Spilled Blood

She could tell he was hurt by his father's decision and that he was embarrassed by his own brother. Her family never had trouble with half-breeds. They had long forbidden relations with humans. She shook her head and turned back toward the still laughing dragon Lord, "He is the Lord of the Western Lands."

Sesshoumaru whirled around to look at Kaori and Ryuu-Kogane immediately stopped laughing. Kaori stood tall, her wild eyes burning as she stared down at the dragon Lord, "He is the Lord of the Western Lands. There is a law in China that states: 'If the chosen Lord is unable to rule his domain, a capable sibling shall rule in his stead'. Lord Sesshoumaru is indeed capable, therefore he is the rightful Lord."

Ryuu-Kogane glared at the fox demon, "The laws of China mean nothing to me."

She snorted in response and stepped forward, "Your words mean nothing to me, then."

Sesshoumaru was astonished. It seemed she were just as willing to fight for him as he was to fight for her. Ryuu-Kogane was also surprised, but he was more miffed by her statement, "This ends now, fox woman! If I can not have you, than no man shall!" He transformed into his true form and snarled, thick streams of smoke whirling from his flared nostrils.

Kaori growled and dug her claws into the ground, her eyes never leaving the golden dragon towering above her. Fox demons were smaller than both Dog demons and Dragon demons, but that did not affect Kaori. Her clan were pure-bred fighters and their blood ran as cold as ice when they faced a fight. She bared her fangs, "I have already been taken, Dragon Lord. I fight in the name of Lord Sesshoumaru, my mate!"

Ryuu-Kogane's eyes widened, "You have already chosen?! You chose a simple white dog over a gold dragon?!" He roared out his anger and let his animal instincts take over. Without another word, he rushed forward, his huge jaws agape. Kaori quickly leapt high into the air, allowing the dragon to go careening beneath her. He quickly spiraled around and rushed toward her, snapping two of her tails in his jaws and hurling her to the ground. She gasped at how fast the dragon was capable of moving. His speed was almost a match to the Great Dragon of China. Ryuu-Kogane wasted no time and quickly went for her throat. Kaori snapped at his nose as it neared her neck. He hissed and drew back, before striking again. Kaori quickly rolled away, narrowly missing the dragon's mouth as it flew past and embedded into the ground. Sesshoumaru helped her to her feet and started for the dragon. Kaori quickly snapped a hold to his tail and stopped him in his tracks. He looked back at her questioningly. She shook her head, "This is my fight. Stay back." Without another word, she leapt over him and slammed into the slightly stunned dragon. Sesshoumaru stepped back and watched, digging his claws in the ground in an attempt to anchor himself down.

Kaori grabbed a hold to the dragon's tail as it swished by and jumped away from a slashing set of claws. Ryuu-Kogane continued to strike like an enraged cobra. Kaori moved about with the agility of a mongoose, easily dodging the sharp fangs. The dragon's rage was building and with it, its strength. She could no longer hold on to the tail and soon found herself being whipped around by it. She dug her fangs into it to keep from flying off as it whirled about. He roared and swung his tail through the trees, leveling a good part of the forest. Kaori held on tightly and waited until he drew his tail back before making her move. She let go and dove for his neck, grabbing it in her sharp jaws. Ryuu-Kogane threw his head back and snarled, immediately falling back and crushing her under his weight. She howled and released his neck, yelping as his tail coiled around her body and began constricting. Blood was flowing freely from the dragon's injured neck, but it didn't seem to phase him. He continued to coil around her tighter and tighter, his sinewy body acting as a the body of Boa Constrictor would. She clinched her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut. The pressure that was building was enough to rupture the blood vessels in her eyes and she cried blood. The dragon hissed and squeezed tighter, intent on killing her. Kaori tried her best to draw in a breath of air, but her lungs were on the verge of collapsing. One by one, her ribs began to break from the pressure and pierce her organs. She opened her eyes slowly and let the blood flow out. She was viewing the world through tunnel vision now and slowly she could feel herself losing consciousness. Ryuu-Kogane hissed and glared down at her, "This could have all been avoided had you chose me as your mate. Now you must die for a weak dog."

Kaori's eyes flared from his words. Did this beast dare call her mate weak? A beast who sent warriors to find her instead of seeking her out himself? She was outraged by his audacity and fought harder. He sneered at her as she struggled and squeezed harder. A big mistake on his part. She raised her muzzle up toward him and opened her jaws, expelling a thick mess of both blood and her own intestines. Ryuu-Kogane roared and spun away, swiping at the steaming entrails clinging to his face. His grip weakened and Kaori pulled herself free, immediately going for his neck. The blinded dragon roared again and fell back, pinned down by her newfound strength. He writhed around as he fought her and the burning stomach acid that was now eating away at his eyes. Kaori growled and dug her fangs deeper into his neck.

Sesshoumaru stared at the two as they fought and practically had to hold himself to prevent from leaping in as his mate was being squeezed to death. He was surprised when he saw her eviscerate herself in order to free herself. He wasn't aware that it could actually be done and not cripple or kill the host as well. He watched as she immediately went for his neck and brought him down, a sense of pride coursing throughout him. She had the fighting spirit of his mother. That was both a blessing and a curse, however. His mother died when she picked a fight with the wrong Youkai. He would have to find a way to control Kaori's fighting spirit less she face the same fate.

Kaori anchored herself with her hind legs and dug her front paws into the Youkai's chest. She could sense victory and it smelled sweet. Ryuu-Kogane struggled to speak up, "Kaori! You have defended the title of your Lord! You win this battle!"

She smirked and dug her fangs in deeper still, "Indeed, I have. But, you see...you have caused me enough trouble, Dragon. Now your life shall end now." She growled and threw herself back, pulling this throat back with her. The Great Dragon Lord roared one last time as his throat flew free from his neck, her buried paws breaking his spine and tearing his head completely off. Blood splashed everywhere and covered the ground around them. Kaori stood on her hind legs, the still throbbing throat clinched in her teeth. Slowly she fell back and slammed into the ground, completely spent. Sesshoumaru leapt forward and stopped by her side, pulling the throat from her clinched jaws and licking the blood away from her nose. Kaori's nostrils immediately flared, pulling in as much fresh air as possible. Sesshoumaru licked her cheek, "Lady Kaori, I am awe struck by your performance."

Kaori looked at him and smiled as best she could, slowly losing consciousness, "I'd fight a clan of dragons for you, My Lord."

He smiled and pulled her up on his back, "Let's get out of here before his spilled blood brings us more trouble."

She nodded a little before passing out.

The chirping of birds stirred the weak fox woman from her sleep. She slowly opened her eyes and was immediately greeted by the pains of being alive. Every bone in her body ached and every joint was stiff and throbbed when moved an inch. Her stomach felt no better. She remembered using the technique of evisceration to free herself. The Great Phoenix told her it would hurt severely and she wouldn't be able to eat until she could regenerate a new digestive tract. She waited until her eyes adjusted before glancing around. She was in human form and her wounds had been bandaged. 'Sesshoumaru...' she thought. Surely enough, she could see his humanus outline standing at the edge of the glade they had camped in. She slowly sat up and groaned as her stomach fought the movement. Sesshoumaru looked around once more and returned to her, sitting down beside her, "Feeling better?"

She shook her head and leaned on him, drawing in his scent, "I can't remember anything after ripping that beast's throat out. Did I die again?"

Sesshoumaru smirked, "No, you survived. You spent the night throwing up blood, but you survived. Tell me, was the battle much harder than the one fought with the six dragon warriors?"

She wheezed a bit, "It was harder. He had the speed of the Great Dragon and the strength of fifty dragon warriors." She turned away quickly and threw up again. It was a pasty white fluid that time, so she knew her body was trying to regenerate new organs. She gently stretched out on the ground again, sighing as her muscles finally relaxed.

Sesshoumaru stood up, "I'm going to patrol again. Call to me if you need me. I won't be far." She nodded and he walked toward the edge of the glade again. "She fought hard for me and succeeded," he whispered to himself. He gripped the hilt of Tenseiga and glanced back at her. She was sleeping again. He turned back to the surrounding forest, "Rest up, My Lady."