39 Days- Survivor Inuyasha Chapter 11

The atmosphere with the red Amore tribe was a bit less hostile than that of the black Morte tribe. Was it because the testosterone levels were carefully guarded behind masks of icy quality? Or was it because there were too many peacekeepers struggling to keep the mood light?

Kagome was inching closer to Sesshoumaru on the wooden crate. The mostly nude male exotic dancer was worrying her. Sesshoumaru was a bit annoyed with his brother's woman clinging to him. He allowed his golden eyes to fall back on the young man and decided to adjust his tail to block Kagome's vision.

Leaning down to her ear he whispered, "I'm going to remove my tail, but when you see that man in his full glory realize that what he shows hardly represents the male species." Sesshoumaru removed his tail and watched somewhat amused as Kagome automatically looked at the forbidden sight.

"Oh my God," Kagome cried before burying her face against Sesshoumaru again. "Why did you let me look?"

Megumi walked by, tossing a smooth stone she found on the beach into the air and catching it daftly in her hand. She cast a bored look towards the naked man who was pulling back his long beautiful hair into a high ponytail. "Although Bankotsu has beautiful hair and nice muscle definition he is nothing special in other areas."

She shrugged as she glanced back at Sesshoumaru, a seductive look to her eyes. "I'm sure that if we wanted to see an impressive specimen of the male species that Sesshoumaru would serve quite well."

Sesshoumaru found himself growling at the lowly human before a smirk threatened to lift up the corners of his lips at seeing how much greater a tomato impression Kagome did under the suggestion. He wrapped his tail back around her when she began to rise away from the crate and pulled her back. He breathed into her ear, "I wouldn't mind giving you a private showing, for the sake of science of course."

Kagome promptly tore herself free from him and ran over to the relative safety of Kaoru and Aoshi. The two looked up from their open crates at Kagome with amused expressions having over heard half the conversation and making accurate guesses about the other half.

"Something troubles you?" Aoshi replied as he carefully lifted a cloth from his crate and handed it to Kaoru, who folded it neatly before setting it upon the top of a large fallen log.

"No, um....what are you guys doing?" Kagome inquired, as they pulled out a large number of blankets from the crate.

"We're taking stock of our inventory," Aoshi replied coolly.

"Yeah, Aoshi's crate was full of blankets, which will help us be more comfortable. It can get pretty cold when the weather is rainy." Kaoru explained as she continued to fold more of the blankets and set them aside.

"Oh, what's in your crate?" Kagome asked.

"Tools. There are a pair of hammers, lots of nails, rope, saws, and tarp. Aoshi says it's the mother load of items we could possibly want for building our shelter." Kaoru explained. She looked up from her blanket. "What is in your crate?"

Kagome looked sheepishly back towards Sesshoumaru. "I don't actually know yet. Do you know if anyone else has opened theirs yet? I sort of interrupted Sesshoumaru when he was about to open ours when we talked with you guys earlier."

"No, but I hope someone happened to get a crate full of cigarettes and lighters. Poor Saito is not looking like a very happy camper," Kaoru commented as she finished folding the last blanket and handed them back to Aoshi who placed them now neat and organized back into the crate.

Kagome watched the two in confusion. What was the point of taking them out just to put them back in? Aoshi seemed to catch her bewildered expression. "Apparently, Kaoru and I have another thing in common with another."

"What's that?" Kagome ventured.

Aoshi placed his arm around Kaoru's shoulder amiably, as if they had been friends since grade school. "We're both closet neat freaks and we've decided to come out and show the world how anal we are about it."

Kaoru threw off his arm in disgust. "Honestly Aoshi! I thought you wrote songs, if you had lyrics that cruel I'm glad you're out of work. Besides, now you got your sweat all over me." She grabbed hold of Kagome's elbow and moved to walk back towards her crates, all the while looking cautiously for Enishi. She hadn't seen him for a while now.

"I see you brought your lovely friend to share in the private showing?" Sesshoumaru teased, earning a hearty laugh from Megumi, a look of mortification on Kagome, and an amused look from Kaoru.

"Ah, Kagome-sama, I couldn't help but hear of your desire to see the male in a more educating role. I wouldn't mind serving as your teacher in the more carnal things of life," Miroku greeted, as he strolled behind Kagome and his hand happened to fall on her rear.

A terrifying growl courtesy of one unamused dog demon was enough to cause the young man to abruptly pull his hand away. Miroku laughed nervously before clearing his throat. "In my crate I found hemp and beads."

"I'll have you know, I came to see what's in our crates, not to be teased by the likes of you," Kagome glared at both men in her company. "Aoshi had blankets and Kaoru had useful tools in hers." Kagome explained as she pulled her arm out of Kaoru's grasp so that she could place her hands on her hips and fume at Sesshoumaru properly.

"Very well you insufferable woman," Sesshoumaru complained inaudibly as he allowed his poison claws to extend, the yellow fumes began to sizzle around the edges of the crates, he decided against ripping them to shreds as had been his original intention. He threw off the lid, embedding it in a nearby tree and barely missing Ayame's head in the process.

"Watch it! You almost took my head off!" The red haired woman screamed angrily.

"It's not like we would have lamented to have been rid of it," Sesshoumaru replied coldly. He wrinkled his nose in disgust at what was in his crate.

"What is it?" Aoshi demanded as he joined the ensemble and peered over Sesshoumaru's shoulders. "That's not bad. I'm not the biggest fan, but at least it is food that we don't have to hunt. It will definitely help in establishing security."

"They can not possibly expect this Sesshoumaru to eat such a thing."

Bankotsu walked back towards them, now wearing his swimming trunks after noticing all the upheaval his lack of clothing caused. No need to cause dissention that would only result in him being voted off the island first. "It could be worse. When I was in college I practically lived off that stuff."

"I'll have to agree with Bankotsu on this one," Kagome replied reluctantly. "Ramen isn't such a bad thing. Let's see what's in my crate."

Sesshoumaru acquiesced and melted some of the top of her crate so that the lid slid off easily. Megumi whistled at the sight. "Someone's going to be real happy in our camp."

"Saito!" Kaoru yelled, gaining the attention of the man rather quickly. He walked towards them briskly, his hands jammed in his pockets, a non-too- happy expression etched across his features.

"What is it Tanuki?" Saito barked at her, his little patience obviously gone.

"I think you'll like what we've found in Kagome's crate." Kaoru informed him. He glared at her coldly before examining the contents of the crate. A large grin spread across his face as he plunged his hands greedily into the deep collection of cigarettes, cigars, and cigarette lighters.

He immediately withdrew a box and started smoking in everyone's face. "If you don't mind, could you smoke elsewhere?" Megumi asked. "It is bad for our health," she choked out.

Saito blew a large cloud directly at her face before turning towards Kagome. "I owe you." Then he walked off to enjoy his nicotine in private.

"What else did everyone find in their crates?" Sesshoumaru demanded, taking command of the tribe. There needed to be a leader and he was the best candidate, mostly because he was superior to all the humans and that's basically all he was dealing with. He looked between Kagome, Kaoru, and Aoshi; they would make a strong alliance. Kagome had chosen her friends well.

"Water bottles," Bankotsu answered.

"Tea," Ayame replied. Aoshi's cobalt eyes lit up in excitement at the reply but he kept his facial expression icy and unattached. However, Kaoru caught the glitter in his eyes and nudged him gently in the ribs, he almost smiled down at her.

"I actually found walkie-talkies." Megumi shared.

Saito and Enishi had joined the group but were silent.

"What did you have Enishi?" Kaoru inquired. He glared at her a moment. Then a half smile seemed to flirt across his lips.

"I'll tell you if you come here, Kaoru," he offered. Kaoru looked hesitantly at her allies before walking towards the lion ready to pounce upon her. He leaned down to whisper in her ear. She took a step back. Then another step back.

"Are you serious?" She asked, her face flushed of all color. Enishi shrugged.

Aoshi quickly stood behind Kaoru, a hand upon each of her hips to steady her and keep her from toppling backwards. "What did he tell you?" He demanded, his voice hard as steel as his thumbs idly stroked the pale, bare skin of her hips.

Kaoru shifted uncomfortably, whether from Aoshi's subconscious gestures or Enishi's words it was hard to determine. "I don't want to say," she whispered. Enishi laughed at her and then walked away from the group.

"Saito?" Sesshoumaru commanded of the other man. The human threw his spent cigarette into the dirt and put it out with the toe of his boot. He gestured behind him to a crate.

"It's full of bows and arrows. Anyone besides myself know how to shoot with them?"

Kagome tentatively raised her hand, and when she noticed no one else was so she pulled Sesshoumaru's up with hers. He looked at her incredulously that she would dare to raise his hand. "I'll show you. You'll pick it up fast; you are after all the great Sesshoumaru."

He couldn't argue with that logic so he allowed the slight on his independence to pass. "It sounds like all our items can be utilized to our benefit. I suggest we begin to build our shelter. Saito, you and Kagome will hunt for our dinner tonight. When you return we will have an adequate shelter made." Sesshoumaru gazed at Saito intently, who didn't waver in the slightest under the intensity of that glare rather impressively. "Something happens to her and I will floss using your spine."

Saito flicked his second spent cigarette at the dog demon. "That's something I'd like to see you try." He replied, completely unaffected by the threat.

Miroku positioned himself between Megumi and Ayame somehow during Sesshoumaru's orders. As the two women were listening attentively, his hands happened to fall to the small of their respective backs and then lower, lower, lower, until a pair of handprints graced his cheeks.

Miroku raised his hands to his swelling cheeks but couldn't keep the smile off his face as he gave all the women an appreciative once over in their little bikini tops and short shorts. Yes, he could die and be happy.

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Enishi stood back and watched as the construction of the shelter took place. It didn't look bad; it actually looked rather professional. Sesshoumaru, Aoshi, Miroku, and even Bankotsu all seemed to be of the handy- man genre.

However, Enishi wasn't satisfied. Was it perhaps because the architectural design was not his own? Not likely, he didn't care too much about that. It probably had to deal with the fact that the two women that annoyed him were fawning over him and the one he desired and her equally adorable friend were avoiding him.

"Enishi? What are you thinking about?" Ayame asked, batting her eyes in what she must have assumed was an attractive manner.

"Woman, if you do not stop pestering me I'll have to kill you." Enishi replied with no hint of teasing in his voice. The deadpan expression he gave her caused her to quickly walk away from him.

On his other side, Megumi rolled her eyes at the retreating red head. "Some people just don't know how to take a hint."

Enishi simply looked at her for a moment, finding it ironic that she didn't see the truth in that observation when it described her so very well.

He noticed that Kagome and Saito had returned, carrying some sort of dead animals. Apparently their hunt had been successful. He had kind of hoped that they would kill each other, accidentally of course.

A loud, shrill whistle disturbed everyone in the tribe. The construction of the shelter paused as Kagura came waltzing into the midst of their camp. Saito and Kagome dumped their kills onto the makeshift table formed by one of the crates.

Kagura looked around, assuring herself that she had gained everyone's attention.

"Tonight, the first challenge will take place." Kagura began, she looked down at the clipboard in her hands before continuing, reading the details of the event.

"You have already proven that you are capable of swimming. That will prove useful in this next event. You shall as a group be floating in a raft approximately 1000 meters from the shore. You are to carry a torch, passing it amongst the group members; everyone must carry it for at least 10 meters before passing it to the next tribal member. The first team to short that lights their bonfire shall win. The other tribe will have their first tribal council and lose their first teammate."

Everyone stood still, listening attentively to Kagura. "When does this begin?" Enishi demanded.

Kagura turned a pair of crimson eyes to him. "In approximately one hour." She cast an impressed look over at Bankotsu, enjoying the eye candy. She had seen some of Soujiro's footage and was a bit disappointed to see him in trunks. "I suggest you wear swimwear, this event will be televised."

TBC

A/N: Sorry for the long wait guys, it's kind of hard to have so many characters involved in a story! Anyways, I'd say this tribe certainly has it better than the other! Your turn Koji!

BelleDayNight