Chapter 17

The next day Katame was serving tea to Inuyasha and her son. Both of them caught the scent. Inumouru wrinkled his nose. After his mother left them, he said to his uncle. "Momma smells funny."

"Shh!" Inuyasha put him finger to his lips. He knew the scent but thought it best if his father explained the facts to the boy. "You had better not say that out loud Inumouru or you might get a swot."

She returned to find her husband had joined them and so she proceeded to serve him tea as well. He was still asleep this morning when she had gotten up and so had not yet scented his wife. The scent touched him now. He sniffed. He smiled. Inumouru being a young pup, had not yet learned the value of discretion and was leaning close to his mother and was sniffing again. "Father." Inu asked. "Why does mother smell so strange? She doesn't usually smell like this."

Inuyasha coughed and quickly excused himself.

Katame didn't understand. She had washed herself that morning, what was the boy smelling?

"Inumouru, your mother has a child within her. That is what you can smell.

He sniffed and sniffed. Katame was getting annoyed, she reached over and held the little boy's nose.

"That will be enough sniffing for one day young man. Go outside I need to talk to your father." She watched him leave. Then turning to his father asked the fatal question. "Boy or girl?"

"Male." He smiled at her then added. "Although, I would be just as pleased if it were female. I regret your not being able to bring the girl to birth." It was an apology. He didn't make them often but when he did, he meant it.

Inumouru was out in the court yard playing with Shippo and complaining. "It's not fair I'm their son what do they need with another for? They probably think I'm not good enough. I...."

Katame heard him from the palace steps. "Inu, come here son, I need to talk to you for a minute."

He ran to her and she took him in her arms. And cuddled the little boy. "Your father is a great and powerful demon is he not?"

"Yes."

"He also has taken a mate for himself. Do you not think he has the right to produce children for himself from that mate?"

"I guess so."

"Inu my love, a heart is a special thing. "She put her hand on his chest. "It grows with every one you love. A mother's heart is even bigger than that. In a mother's heart she has a big space for each child she bares. The more children, the more space. Do you understand Inumouru? No one could ever in ten life times replace you in my heart. You are my first son. You will always be my Inu." She hugged him.

"Inu, this baby wont be here for several months yet. My belly will grow large and I will need your help more and more. When the baby comes he will need you to help protect him. You will be his big brother. You will need to teach him all the things you have learned. Babies are helpless little things, he will need you, Inu. Will you not be there for him?"

Inumouru understood and he would be his brother's protector. He liked the idea of being an older brother instead of little Inu.

"Yes momma. I'll protect him for you." And off he went to brag to Shippo about his new roll in life as, brother protector.

Sesshoumaru was in side the door listening. He marveled at his wife's handling of the situation. Perhaps things would have been different between Inuyasha and himself had someone had spoken that way to him. He had resented his brother from the moment he had smelt him on his father's human mate.

Kagome had been at her mother's home for the past few weeks and she now returned with a big bag of supplies. She couldn't bring the Sugumi to see his grand mother. He was too young to go through the well. She left the little boy with Katame to watch over while she had long overdue a visit with her mom.

Kagome's mother was surprised to learn that she had a grand son. Kagome had been gone so long the family had begun to believe that she had been killed by one of the demons in Inuyasha's time.

They had told all the friends and family that she was stolen away and that she was probably dead.

When Inuyasha came to get Kagome he was in for some serious trouble from Kagome's mom.

"How dare you, you monster! You kept Kagome away for so long. You let us think she was dead! Why didn't you let her visit? How dare you marry her and not even tell us! You must know she is too young for that. You horrible...." Kagome's mom shook her finger at the demon.

"That's enough out of you." He showed his fangs and claws. "Look, I don't answer to you or any human."

He took her by the shoulders and sat her forcefully down on a chair. Leaning over her he growled. "Kagome is my mate now. You here me?" He was yelling. "And she is certainly old enough to for that. Girls younger that her marry in my era. She is no different than them. And as far as letting her visit goes. The old hag Ky-ate said she couldn't pass through the well while she was pregnant because it might hurt the baby. After that she was too busy being his mother to bother with coming back to your stupid era."

"She belongs to me now and to my era. I'm taking her back with me. If you want me to bring her back here for a visit ever again you had better mind your place woman. Otherwise I will have to show you what a demon is really capable of." He raised his hand.

Inuyasha was being very fierce and his voice was as hard as stone. He looked as if he might kill.

Ahhh! I'm sorry. I didn't mean..." Kagome's mother cried out putting her hand up in front of her face to try and protect herself from the angry demon.

"Inuyasha! You stop that right now. That's my mom your talking to and I won't have you threatening her. You got that." Kagome yelled.

"Grrr... I wasn't going to kill her or anything just teach her some manners thats all." Inuyasha grumbled as he glared at the frightened woman.

"You will do no such thing. Now leave her be." Kagome had him by the hair.

Inuyasha grabbed her hand and made her let go. "Maybe I should teach you some manners too, while I'm at it." He dragged her from the room, he tucked her under his arm. Smack! He hit her bottom hard. "Don't make me do that again Kagome. Now, say your goodbyes and I'll see you at the well. And you'd better come soon or I'll come back here and..."

"SIT!!!" Kagome had, had enough of his blustering.

BANG! Inuyasha hit the floor, hard. Very hard.

"Inuyasha, I will come when I'm good and ready. And not one minute before that." She spun around and left Inuyasha stunned on the floor with a huge welt beginning to form on his forehead.