Chapter 9

later...

That afternoon as Katame and Kagome were preparing the meal Sesshoumaru approached and handed a frightened little fox pup by the tail to Katame.

"Keep this troublesome thing out of my way. And wash him, he stinks."

Katame took the pup from her angry husband. "Oh shippo what did you do? You must behave yourself around lord Sesshoumaru or he will beat you."

"I didn't do anything." The little fox protested.

"Shippo!" Kagome's voice was hard.

"OK, But it was only a small trick to see if he could....."

"Shippo! You bad pup! You are so lucky he didn't beat your tail clean off. Come with me young sir, you need a bath." Katame could not beleive that the little fox demon would tempt the great lord's wrath especially after a battle when his mood was most dangerous.

She took him into the bath and scrubed the little demon for all he was worth. Scolding him and warning him about the master of the house.

"Owww, hey you got water in my ears, Owww. stop scrubing so hard or my fur will come off."

"Stop your complaining. You have to keep yourself clean if you are to stay hear. Lord Sesshoumaru wont have a dirty dog at his table."

At the supper table that night things were very strained. Katame was still anoyed with Inuyasha for endangering her son and Shippo was trying to hide from the cold glare of Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha were discussing the fact that although they had encountered an enemy out in the wood there had been no attack on the palace for some time. Perhaps it was time for the two brothers to part.

"I will be able to handle any enemies that come now that the boy is strong enough." Sesshoumaru remarked. "You need not stay. I know you wish to continue your search for the jewel shards."

"That's not a bad idea considering that I was able to recover two more shards today." Inuyasha said. "We'll leave at the end of the week."

Katame was feeding the Inumouru vegetables and rice. The little pup was enjoying the meal immensely. The she gave the little one a spear of brocolli and he stuffed it into his mouth and growled forociously. She laughed. "He's growling. Why is he growling?" He had eaten the top off the vegetable and she tried to remove the stem from his hand. "GRRRrr" His little eyes blazing red. Katame pulled her hand back.

"Don't you flash red eyes at me you bad little pup." She shook her finger at him.

She reached into the bowl and got another vegetable and handing it to him, he let go of the stem, He grabbed the new offering and again stuffed it into his mouth and growled.

She looked at her husband and asked. "Why does he growl when he eats. Is it because of the..." She touched his ears. "Dog part of the demon heritage."

"Hmmm..." Sesshoumaru was looking at the boy. "It probably is, although I don't recall if my brother ever growled when he ate." He glanced at Inuyasha.

"GRRR" The baby growled at his mother again.

"GRRR SNARL!" Katame growled back at the boy. "You see you're not the only one who can growl, now give me that stem. Here have this." Handing him a red peper. "It's different. You'll like it."

The little one stuffed it in his mouth but instead of growling the boy looked up at his mother in wonder. She had growled and showed her teeth. But now she was smiling at him was she angry or not. He wasn't sure but he would not growl at her again just in case.

Inuyasha burst out laughing at the shocked look on the boys face. "Watch out Inumouru, your mother will bite you if you're not carefull."

"Lord Inuyasha, don't tell him lies. I won't bite him." Katame scolded.

"No you'll just scub him to death." Piped in Shippo.

"Hee heee." Inuyasha reached over and ruffled the fox pup's ears. "So you don't like to take baths. You could use to take more baths." He sniffed at the pup. "Well at least you smell better now. You usually stink."

"Yeah, well you haven't been bathed by her! She just about scrubbed the fur off my hide."

"It's better she scrub you than I drown you fox." Sesshoumaru stood and reached for the fox pup.

"Aieee..." Shippo jumped up and ran out of the house as quick as his feet could carry him.

"Sesshoumaru. Don't hurt the little guy he didn't do anything wrong." Katame touched her husband's sleeve.

"I won't hurt him only scare him a little."

"Don't scare him either you mean thing." Katame was smiling she knew that if Sesshoumaru was really going to hurt the little fellow he would have done so by now. She washed her son's face and handed him to her husband.

"Here could you hold him while I get his bath ready?"

"While your at it bath Shippo again he could use it. Can I watch?" Inuyasha said laughing.

"No you cannot and besides he doesn't need it." She shook her finger at him. "You are just as mean as him." And off she went to get the bath ready.

"I thought you had her under control." Inuyasha turned to Sesshoumaru smiling.

"Apparently not." Holding up his son. "Time for your bath." He put the babe on his feet and helped him walk to his mother.

The week had passed and it was time for Inuyasha Kagome and little Shippo to leave in search of the remaining jewel shards.

Katame and Kagome were saying their goodbyes and Sesshoumaru had a few words of advice for Inuyasha.

"Kagome has not yet conceived a child. Have you been overly rough with her?"

"No. Why."

"I will tell you something that will help you with her when she is in season." Sesshoumaru took him by the arm and as he walked he explained the intracacies of having a human mate.

"First you must take care to be gentle if she bleeds it will wash away your seed. Also when you are within her be sure to rub her untill you feel her quiver and tighten on you. She will pant and struggle as the climax comes on her. Keep rubing her untill she reaches her full. Then you must plunge deep in side to release your seed. Don't let her go. Stay inside her. Let her rest if you wish but don't leave her.

The human season comes each month but lasts only a day or two. You must keep working on her during this time. Only then will she conceive."

Inuyasha listened to his brother. It seemed that Sesshoumaru was concerned that he produce a child.

"Why are you so.... helpful"

"You do want a son don't you?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"Yeah but, I thought it probably wasn't possible seeing as Kagome has not conceived yet. I was thinking that it must be because I'm niether human nor full demon."

"Try it my way and see."

They returned to the women and Inuyasha took Kagome by the hand. "Come lets go back to my place."

He put her on his back and taking Shippo under his arm he set off running and leaping over the trees. He was gone.

Inuyasha had been thinking about his brother's strange advice regarding Kagome. Had he been mistreating Kagome in the bed without realizing it. She had not complained. But she had never reached the climax Sesshoumaru spoke of. He would have to work on that, tonight.

Kagome was fixing the evening meal and Shippo was playing in the corner. Inuyasha came in and crouched behind his young wife and snifted. She was in season he knew that scent. She looked up at him and smiled. She had no idea what her husband had in mind.

"What is up with you." Kagome looked at him. He had a strange look on his face.

"Nothing's up. Can't a demon look at his wife without her getting uptight." Inuyasha quipped as he went to sit down and waited for supper.

That night he put his brother's advice to the test. He brought Kagome to the brink time and time again not leaving her once.

In the morning he scented her. There! His brother was right. Kagome had conceived. He leaned close to her and breathed deep. He rubbed his hand over her abdomen and smiled. He could smell him, a son. He would have to be carefull with her. He had heard that women could lose their child easily in the first few weeks of pregnancy.

The shards will have to wait untill after the birth.