Chapter 13 – Youkai, Hanyou, and Human

(Warning: Strong Language)

The group had decided to find a spot to rest when the sun started to set. They found a place under few large trees that looked safe enough.

Kagome was getting worried now. They hadn't found Kameko. Worse yet was the youkai Inuyasha sensed, but couldn't tell where it was because he could smell it.

"Inuyasha-" she began, but she was cut off.

"For the last time, I can smell her yet!" he said as stood up and crossed his arm. "That damn bitch is more trouble than she's worth."

"SIT!"

"Ugh," he moaned. He'd be so happy when he'd get this damn necklace off. He'd be so very, very happy.

"You deserved it, Inuyasha," Miroku said.

Shippou jumped to Inuyasha's side. "Judge by how deep the imprint is I say Kagome when pretty easy on him." The kitsune smiled and bent down towards the hanyou's ear. "You should consider yourself lucky. You know what they say though. If you like someone you're usually mean to them." He looked at the others, a mischievous smile on his face. "Maybe Inuyasha secretly like Kameko?"

Inuyasha pushed himself off the ground and growled at his little friend.

"Ah!" Shippou cried running to Kagome.

He jumped up and ran after Shippou. "Come back here you little runt. I'm going to shred you to-" He stopped in mid-sprint. He sniffed the air.

"What is it Inuyasha?" Sango asked. Kirara looked poised to attack.

"I smell here, and the youkai."

Kagome sprang up from where she was seated. "Where is she? Which direction."

Inuyasha barely paid her any attention. "A little south." He looked at the others. A dark look was upon his face. "Her sent is intermingled with that of Sesshoumaru's."

"He doesn't…eat humans does he?" Miroku asked.

"If he wanted to eat humans he would have eaten the little girl with him," Sango pointed out.

"Good point," Miroku said.

"That doesn't mean that we can trust him with her. He could have killed her by now," Inuyasha said with his hand on his sword now. "I've entertained that idea myself. Unlike me, Sesshoumaru would act on it."

"So noble isn't he?" Kagome said to Sango on the sly.

"That would be him," Sango replied.

"What are we waiting here for?" Miroku asked them. "Let's go!"

Kagome went over to Inuyasha and got on his back. "C'mon, Inuyasha, lets go."

Inuyasha grunted a reply and headed in the direction he had indicated earlier.

Kirara had transformed and went after the dog hanyou with Sango, Miroku and Shippou on her back.

"Inuyasha always seems to be at his best when his brother is involved," Miroku said, as his friend seemed to be going faster than usual.

They had thought they were coming to Sesshoumaru and Kameko when Inuyasha took an unexpected turn.

"Where is he going?" Sango asked and Kirara took the sharp turn.

It grew darker as they ran to Kameko's aid.

Inuyasha skidded to a halt when he came near a campfire. Kagome got off his back and looked around. "Stay here, Kagome." She started to protest but he stopped her. "If he puts of a fight fire one of your spirit arrows at him." He left her side and walked closer to the fire. "Sesshoumaru!" he yelled as he withdrew his fully transformed sword.

Sesshoumaru stood up and came in front of the fire. "Come to pay a visit?" He crossed his arms.

"I see you have a new arm. Where is this one from this time?"

His older brother gave him a wicked grin. "Would you like to fid out?"

"Maybe, that is if you don't hand over the girl. Where is she?" The hanyou looked around for Kameko. There wasn't a trace of her. Kameko's sent here wasn't that old, but that didn't mean anything. She could still be dead.

"I will not play your games, Inuyasha," he said, spitting out his name. He always manage to say it as if was something dirty. "Leave now, I'm not in the mood to kill you."

Inuyasha growled. "Where is she? Where is the girl?" He shouted. "Answer, damnit. I'm not in the mood either, but I want you to fucking answer me!" Just looking at his older half-brother made his temper rise.

"If you're just going to stand there and throw I fit, I suggest you leave. I have no idea what you're talking about to begin with," Sesshoumaru told him. Neither moved.

"Don't fuck with me! I can smell her here! Her sent is all over you. So don't fucking mess with me!"

Inuyasha was too busy yelling at Sesshoumaru to notice Jaken sneaking up behind him in the tall grass. He was just raising his staff to hit the hanyou over the head when he felt a sharp object in the back of his head.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Kagome said, her bow ready to fire.

Jaken turned slowly around. He gave her a nervous laugh and smile. "What on earth do you mean?"

Miroku came over to the two. "I think you are lost. Let me help find your way." And for the second time that night Jaken went flying. The houshi swung his own staff at the imp, propelling him to land next to Sesshoumaru on the right.

The dog youkai's stony expression and voice did not change, but one could image him rolling his eyes as he spoke. "For the last time. I don't know, nor care, what you are rambling about. Leave before you regret it."

By this time, Inuyasha's temper was at its limit. "I'll give you something to regret!" he said as he charged at Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru put his hand on Toukijin, ready to pull it out at the last second. All he needed to do was hold the sword out. It did all the work for him. His younger half-brother was resilient though and wouldn't give up, no matter how bad his injuries were. He had to give him credit for that.

Inuyasha made ready to slice in half Sesshoumaru at his mid section. Sesshoumaru had nearly pulled his sword all the way out. Both stopped in mid-movement.

Kameko stood before Sesshoumaru, arms out, ready to block the blow.

"Kameko!" Kagome and Miroku cried out together.

She was panting, as if she just ran very fast. "Stop, Inuyasha," she said very calmly.

He blinked at her a couple of times, trying to register what exactly was going on. He wasn't sure if the human girl was trying to protect his brother. If she was, he was ready to laugh. Or if she just wanted to let him know that she was here.

"Move out of the way, girl. This concerns you not," Sesshoumaru said.

She put her hands on her hips and turned around. "This doesn't concern me?" she asked, with sedition. "The what the hell do you think you were arguing about? People across the world could hear you two fighting."

Jaken, who had recovered, gave a nervous laugh. "Uh, Kameko-san-" he began.

"Don't 'Kameko-san' me!" She said looking down at Jaken. "I'm talking to him, not you. Now go make sure Rin is getting back safely." Jaken opened his mouth to speak and she kicked him. "I said go!"

"Ordering around his servants now? She seems to have things under control," Sango commented.

"I wonder if it wasn't Kameko who was holding Sesshoumaru against his will, and not the other way around," Shippou speculated.

"I wasn't arguing," Sesshoumaru said. "I had no idea what my dear brother was talking about." The youkai also manage to make the word brother seem dirty also.

Kameko gave him a look. "Brother?" She stopped and shook her head. "Never mind." The American rounded on Inuyasha. "And just what the hell were you doing, pendejo?"

"I was trying to save you from him, you ungrateful wench!" Inuyasha yelled. "He was going to kill you!"

"Did I say I was going to kill her?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"He wasn't going to kill me, cutre! He's the one that saved me!" She shouted back. The flames of fire leapt up. Kameko took a deep breath and flames settled down. "Obviously there has been some misunderstanding." She looked at the group. "Sesshoumaru saved. Him and Rin gave me food, clothes, and a blanket to keep me warm." They stared at him. Again Inuyasha blinked repeatedly, try to register all of it. "If anyone should be angry here, it should be him. I've been beating that thing he calls a servant around since I regain consciousness." She heard someone take in a breath, and assumed that it was from the people she was traveling with. She guessed that it must have been a bad thing to mess with the green guy. 'I'll deal with it later,' she thought.

"You're alright though," Miroku said, coming to stand next to Inuyasha. He gave a wary look to Sesshoumaru.

"Miroku!" she said happily and flung her arms around his neck. She looked over his shoulder to see the others. "I so good to see you all of again, but seriously, I'm alright." She let go of Miroku and ran over to Kagome.

"I'm so glad you're ok. We were on our way to save you when Sesshoumaru pulled you out," Kagome said, smiling.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," Kameko said, still smiling.

"You were right when you said you didn't swim well," Sango said. Despite her mixed feeling on the girl, she was smiling too.

"Kameko!" Shippou said and leapt into her arms. She hugged him back. "We were worried. Inuyasha couldn't smell you because the water washed away your sent." He smiled up at her. "I'm glad to see that you're ok!"

"As we are all," Miroku said, coming back to the group. He stood next to Kameko.

"Feh, you cause to much trouble," Inuyasha complained. "You also need to learn how to swim."

Kameko rolled here eyes. "You're such a whiner, Inuyasha."

He opened his mouth to protest that, the shut it. She smiled at him when he caught on. In response he just crossed his arms.

"Kameko-chan!" came a little girl's voice from behind them.

"Rin," Kameko said and turned around. Shippou jumped out of her arms.

The little girl looked at the group behind her. "Are you going already?"

Kameko nodded and knelt to the girl's height. "Yes. My friends have come to get me. Don't worry. I'm sure I'll see you again."

"Feh, I hope not," Inuyasha comment to himself. If he saw the girl again, then he'd defiantly see Sesshoumaru again.

Rin smiled. "You promise?"

Kameko smiled back. "I promise."

"You'll even come back to see Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin asked making sure that she'd see the older girl again.

"Yes. I'll even come and see Jaken if that will make you happy."

Rin nodded and hug Kameko. "Bye, Kameko-chan."

"G' bye Rin," Kameko hugged her back. She then stood. "I thank you for everything, Sesshoumaru."

He inclined his head, but didn't say anything. He watched as she ran over to her friends. The miko and the new girl hugged. Kameko even hugged the taiji girl, who looked rather surprised, and embarrassed, by the act.

Even though Sesshoumaru had seemed somewhat aloof, she couldn't help but sense some inkling of kindness from him. Kameko put her fingers to her lip, remembering the kiss she had given him. She was sure after that he'd tell her to get lost. He said nothing. Rin was adorable; reminding Kameko of he own little sister, Raven. 'I wonder how they're doing?' she thought. 'I hope they're ok. Higurashi-san, I'm sure, will explain to them where I've gone. Though they might not believe it.'

"Are you ok?" Miroku asked, coming up beside her on the right. "You look worried. Anything I can do to help?"

Kameko smiled up at him. "Oh, I was just thinking of my family, hoping they understand where I'm at and that I'm safe."

Miroku smiled back. "You'll always be safe as long as I'm around."

She laughed. "Thanks." At that moment she tripped over a rock and fell face first. "Oops, clumsy me. Story of my life," she said with her face beat red.

Miroku held out his hand and helped her up. "It looks like you'll need more protection from yourself than anything."

With her left hand she hit his arm. "Oh, shut up," she joked.

Miroku didn't say anything, but blushed. With her right hand she was still holding his left hand.

The group didn't notice this as they walked, and the two stayed like that as they continued on.

The two didn't notice either eyes staring at their clasped hands. Slowly he turned around and walked away from the fire, which was burning joyously.

And no one noticed in the distance, from a tree, watchful eyes observing the new girl, the monk, and the youkai.

A.N.: OMG!!!!! I updated! In the same month! Gasp! I know! Ok, this chapter was a review on some Spanish words. Lets see if you all remembered them. ; P I'm seriously thinking about making that dictionary. All in favor say "Aye"; all oppose say "Naraku"! Heh. Had to make it something different. Hehe! Mucho gracias (ooo! More Spanish!) to Aarolye and the TheWraith1.

Now just don't expect this of me all the time. This was just a fluke! JK! Love ya all!