Chapter 16

Sesshoumaru was gone for three days. During that time he patrolled the outer limits of his territory. That is when he smelt him. "Damn that insufferable pup!" He flew back to the palace to warn Inuyasha.

Every new moon Inuyasha would turn into a full human. That is the way of all half demons. It was at this time that he was especially vulnerable. Inumouru had also begun to change with the moon. Before this time he was too young to change.

Now both of them sat together in their human form waiting for the time to pass for them to regain their true forms. Inumouru was beautiful as a human. His hair was long silky black with a hint of blue in it. But the most striking part were his eyes. They were and incredible shade of ice blue.

Katame had laid out some tea for them when Sesshoumaru arrived. He took one look at the two humans and began to curse.

"Damn your human half, Inuyasha! Kouga is coming. When will you change back?"

"Damn! Of all the times for that idiot to show up. I won't change back until the first rays of sunlight tomorrow morning. Can you keep him busy for me until then?"

"I'll have to." He said as he stormed out. Sesshoumaru hated this weakness in his brother. It had always been that on the new moon his father would have to be extra vigilant in order to protect a human Inuyasha. He decided to take the battle out to Kouga. He would not risk a battle so close to home.

"Kouga!" Sesshoumaru called out as he approached. "You trespass on my land. Why have you come?"

"Where is your brother Inuyasha? My business is with him."

"Your business is with me tonight." His hands began to glow green. "You were a coward last time you fought my brother. You ran away from your fate at my brother's hand. I will not be so generous as to let you run this time. When I am done with you you will die."

Kouga knew better than to battle Sesshoumaru. He wanted Inuyasha. He knew of the hatred the brothers had once had for each other and chose to use this.

"Why are you fighting the battles of your miserable half-breed brother. You should let me rid you of the pup. And the stain on your family as well." He had forgotten that Sesshoumaru had a half-breed son of his own.

"I will kill him for you and take his troublesome wife off your hands. Unless you of course you want to use her for yourself?" Kouga wouldn't let Sesshoumaru have Kagome, but he also knew Sesshoumaru wouldn't want her.

"Now why would you want to take on such a wretched woman like Kagome. She has only been able to produce one son so far and that one with a great deal of difficulty." Sesshoumaru knew this would infuriate the demon. But that's what he wanted because angry demons fight badly. They make stupid mistakes. He was counting on this.

"What!?! A son! curse him!" It worked. Kouga was furious. "I'll kill him and everyone at the palace, starting with you!" He raced toward Sesshoumaru, fists aimed to deal a terrible blow. Sesshoumaru just used his great speed to sidestep him.

"You forget who you're fighting, Kouga. You'll have to move faster than that. Sesshoumaru hit him with the tip of his whip, just to anger him all the more."

"Fight... you are not fighting." Kouga turned to face him. "If you would fight me then do so hand to hand." He raced forward.

This time Sesshoumaru didn't side step. He hit Kouga hard sending hit sprawling sideways into a tree.

"Better?" Sesshoumaru asked. He had a nasty smile on his face.

"I will kill you." Kouga was up and again tried to land a crushing blow on Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru was the better fighter of the two. He was faster and more powerful than Kouga. He didn't have to try very hard. Kouga's anger was defeating him nicely as kept making stupid mistakes.

Crash! Kouga landed into a tree and snapped it in half. "Why are you wasting my time Kouga? I would much rather be at home, playing with my young nephew." Sesshoumaru taunted.

Kouga tried a new attack. He hit his fists to the ground setting off an earthquake.

Sesshoumaru dodged the full impact. He was beginning to loose patience.

The sun was about to rise. He wanted to finish this before his brother arrived, but he knew his brother. Inuyasha could not stay away from a battle and besides, he wanted Kouga's head.

Inuyasha had traveled out to the battle site knowing that at any moment the sun would rise and he would be himself again. He watched the battle seeing how skillfully his brother baited and dodged the demon.

The first rays of the sun touched Inuyasha and he felt the change coming.

Kouga crashed into another tree and landed next to Inuyasha. He had already drawn his sword the tetsaiga.

"Kouga!" Inuyasha's voice was hard. "Why do you come back and trouble my brother? I told you I will have your head." Inuyasha swung the mighty sword but Kouga was not ready to die yet. He rolled out of the way and when he got to his feet he ran. Fast.

"KOUGA! You coward!" Inuyasha ran after him but Kouga was gone.

Back at the palace the two women couldn't sleep. Sesshoumaru was battling Kouga and now Inuyasha had left. Kagome had tried to get him to stay but he would have nothing of it. He didn't like letting his older brother fight what he felt should be his fight. He had left just before sunrise.

"I hope he'll be ok. He hates being vulnerable like this." Kagome was worried Kouga had come close to killing Inuyasha before.

"Don't worry. Sesshoumaru will defeat him." Katame said bravely. But she wasn't so sure. He hadn't returned and he should have by now, shouldn't he? She was worried. The two women talked quietly as the boys slept.

Katame looked over at her son and saw him transform. His hair was again the incredibly beautiful silver with his soft fury ears just peeking out between the locks of hair. He felt the change and woke. Looking at his mother with big golden eyes he asked.

"What happened."

"You have changed back to your true form. You remember that your uncle told you this would happen."

The little man stretched and yawned. "I'm hungry." He was always hungry.

"I guess it's time to wake the house and get on with the day." Katame went to get some breakfast started and boil water for the baths the men would want when they returned from battle.

Out in the hills. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru had some unfinished business of their own.

"Inuyasha. I have had time to think." He looked to his brother. "I don't understand your tolerance of that spell. But I will not interfere again. I will let you deal with it as you will." It was as close to an apology as Sesshoumaru had ever come to giving his brother, or ever would again.

"That's fine, Sesshoumaru, but if you ever touch Kagome again I will rip you apart." Inuyasha showed his claws for emphasis.

Sesshoumaru nodded.

When they got back breakfast was almost ready. Katame offered to bathe her husband which was her custom. But this time he refused. He took her to his chamber. The battle had awoken a desire in him and he would not wait. Neither of them were seen until the evening meal.

Katame looked exhausted as she ate her meal in silence.

Sesshoumaru on the other hand was in a rare good mood relating the battle to his son. "You must always keep your wits about you in the battle. Never allow your opponent to get you angry." He explained his strategy. "If you can maintain control of yourself, you will have control over your opponent as well."

The boy's golden eyes sparkled. He was in awe of his great father and listened very carefully to every word. He would be great one day just, like his dad.

The baby Sugumi was eating fistfuls of rice and vegetables that Kagome had out in front of him. He had learned to open his hands now, and was eating rapidly. The little man-demon was growing fast he was now four months old and was beginning to sit and crawl everywhere on his own.

"If he keeps growing like this were going to need a bigger home." Kagome laughed and hugged her little boy.

"He sure is a messy eater. Hey you, don't waste the food." Shippo pipped up. Being an orphan, food was something Shippo valued.

"Don't worry there is still plenty for you." Kagome reassured him.

After supper Sesshoumaru took Katame up on her offer to bathe him. She had made the bath ready with some fragrant herbs and was about to begin to wash her husband.

It is custom not to get soap into the bath water. All washing and rinsing is done outside the tub. She had her soapy cloth in hand when he grabbed her.

"Not like this woman." He removed her clothing. "Now you may wash me."

"You are in a nasty mood today my lord." She smiled at him and began to scrub him like she would Shippo.

"Owww. Woman what do you think you're doing."

"I'm washing a dirty dog. What else?" She laughed at her own joke then. "Eeep" He had her and was scrubbing her down. His eyes had turned red he would not wait any longer. She was in season and the smell of her was driving him mad. He took her there on the floor. Both of them slippery with soap.

After a while Sesshoumaru rinsed his wife and tossed her into the tub and where he joined her a moment later. You didn't wash my hair my lady wife.

"Oh." She looked at him and went to get out of the tub. He stopped her. Wash it here. He sat her on his lap facing him. She washed his hair from the front of him while he enjoyed her closeness. When she was finished he washed her hair then took her from the tub and dried her. It was time for bed. He relished the thought of his wife under him.

He struggled with himself to get control of himself. It wouldn't do for the servants to see their lord and master chasing after his wife like a bull in the rut. He left her to dress herself and went to his chamber.