Chapter 4

The next day at the camp...

Miroku came into camp with a lovely young girl. Kagome and Katame spotted her with him and decided to go and rescue her from the lecherous monk.

"Miroku who is this with you. You had better be behaving yourself." Katame scolded.

"This is Hikarame..." Miroku started but didn't get to finish before the women took her by the arm and led her back to the fire.

"Hi I'm Kagome I'm married to Inuyasha and this is Katame she is Sesshoumaru's mate. That monk hasn't hurt you or anything has he?"

"My husband has been most kind to me my ladies."

"Husband?" The two women looked at each other in shock and surprise.

Katame smiled. "So the monk finally took my advice and took a wife. I'm happy for you, Hikarame, Miroku is very nice but if you ever catch him looking at another woman you must hit him, hard."

"Hit him? Oh my lady I couldn't hit him. Why would I want to hit my husband?"

"Never mind. It's not important. How is you two are married so soon?"

"My father offered my sisters and I to your lord for your sons, to become wives for them. Your lord Sesshoumaru, refused the offer for his sons, but accepted me for the monk.

"My father was so grateful for your mates for rescuing us, that he was very happy that the monk accepted me. He felt it was the least he could do considering what your great husbands and sons did for us all. "She looked at Katame. "My husband is a very brave and kind man. I count myself lucky to have him."

"Your father wanted you to become wife to my son? Did he know how old my sons are?"

"I don't know. How old are they lady Katame?"

"My oldest has only now just turned eight and his brother is six and a half."

"That big demon is only a boy! What do you feed them that they grow so big?" Hikarame's eyes were wide with disbelief.

Katame laughed. Feeding those kids had become a full time profession. "Those monsters will eat anything. Speaking of which, I'd better get busy or they may want to eat me." She stopped and looked at Hikarame's face. She was very pail. "I was only joking, Hikarame, the boys don't eat people." She smiled. "They never harm humans, their father would never allow it. These boys were trained to show compassion and help those that are weaker than they are." She reassured the girl. "They will only hurt a human if he shows himself to be a threat. It hasn't happened yet, and I doubt it ever will."

The three women sat together and worked to prepare a meal for the hungry lot. Feeding a group of demons that large took a lot of effort. Hikarame was surprised at all the food needed for the meal. "Do you always eat like this?"

"No usually I get one of the boys to catch some fish. But today we will have to make do with this. The pond nearby doesn't have any nice fish in it." Kagome remarked.

After the meal Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha and Miroku sat down discussing the next step.

"My father in law tells me that the villages to the west of those hills have been experiencing troubles lately. "Miroku went on. "He wasn't very specific so I'm not sure what is going on. But either way it may prove interesting to find out for ourselves."

"To the west." Sesshoumaru spoke. "Hmmm I know this land, there are several villages are nestled in the shallow valley between the river and peaks.

"Are you sure you want to go with us on this one, Miroku? You may want to spend more time with that pretty little girl you have just gotten yourself." Inuyasha teased his friend.

"Yeah, and you would let me stay behind. I think not. Hikarame is a strong girl. She is used to a tough life. She'll have no problem traveling with us." He snickered to himself. "Besides, my orders are to keep her close so I can look at her instead of anyone else. You wouldn't want your old friend to come under the sword of 'Katame the terrible,' would you?"
"Hmmm, Yeah she'd make short work of you alright." Inuyasha's tone was joking, but Katame had indeed become a force of her own. He was sure it wouldn't be pleasant for the monk, if she ever thought he was mistreating his new wife.

"So when do we leave?" Sango asked. "I'd rather get going as soon as possible. Those mountains are full of marauders. The less time I spend in them the better."

"Are you worried little girl?" Sesshoumaru teased. "I can leave you back at the village we just left. I'm sure I can find you a good strong husband to protect you. He may well teach you to behave yourself as well."

"Behave! Listen here, Sesshoumaru. I don't need you or anyone else to protect me and what's more I don't need a husband to teach me anything! Especially how to behave. I look after myself. I always have and I always will!"

ZIP! Smack, smack smack!

"Ahhhh!"

"Do you still think that no one can teach you to behave yourself? I would be happy to try if you think you could survive my tutelage." Sesshoumaru put the stunned girl back down on her feet. He had moved so fast she hadn't seen him coming. She was under his hand before she could scream let alone move.

"How dare you!" Sango yelled at Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru took her by the arm and leaned dangerously close. "Do not tempt me woman, I dare far too easily and you would not survive me." He let her go and walked away. But as he did he spoke over his shoulder. "We leave as soon as we break camp."

Sango detached her boomerang and readied herself to throw the thing at Sesshoumaru.

Inuyasha and the monk raced forward and caught her arm before she could let it fly. "Sango no. Save your energy for someone who really deserves it."

"He deserves it. Someone has to teach that arrogant son of a bitch...."

"Don't, he would only break it and then you would have to face him alone." Inuyasha turned her to face him. "Sango, many strong demons have fallen to that one. Do you really want to tempt him? He has no fondness for humans. He does this because he chooses to, not because he cares about them. Sango, he would kill you and have no regrets about it either. Do you understand?"

Sango relented and strapped the weapon onto her back. "Alright Inuyasha, but I swear if that bastard tries that again he will pay dearly." She stormed off.

Inuyasha looked at his friend Miroku. "I thought human females were supposed to be weak. How is it we are surrounded by all these firebrands?"

Camp broke early that morning and all of them set out to the mountains in the west. There were several small villages nestled in the hills and all of them were isolated and difficult to get to.

It took the better part of three days to reach the first village. When they arrived they found the village had been completely destroyed. No one was left. They wandered through the village surveying the damage. There was no smoke and the ashes were cold.

"This must have happed some time ago." Inuyasha noted.

"Not so long ago." Miroku replied. "The ruins are still fresh. Look here; there should be some water damage. It rained four days ago didn't it? How is it that these ashes remain? They should have been washed away."

"So if this happened less than four days ago. How come we didn't see any smoke?" Sango asked. "A fire like this surely would have lit up the sky and left a smoke cloud that would have hung in the air for days."

"I don't understand it. Somethings not right about it." Inuyasha was worried.

"I know what did this." Sesshoumaru spoke in a soft tone. "Ito."

"Ito? Who or what is Ito?" Inuyasha looked at his brother. He seemed pensive. Something was troubling the great lord.

"Ito, is an old friend of mine." He suddenly looked up. "You stay here, all of you. I will deal with this one, alone." He flew off.

"Whoa, that was weird. What has gotten into him?" Sango asked.

"He said it was an old friend." Inuyasha looked in the direction his brother had flown. "Leave him be. He needs to do this on his own." Inuyasha was remembering the fight last time they met one of his 'old friends'. Sesshoumaru was forced to kill Shotaiga. He was Sesshoumaru's closest friend. They had grown up together. But when he came to the palace to correct Sesshoumaru for breaking his word on killing his brother and also for taking a human mate.

Sesshoumaru had to choose between his loyalty to his friend and the demon heritage he loved so dearly or his wife and son. He chose and Shotaiga died at his hand. Sesshoumaru still feels the pain of it.

Will he do the same to Ito? His family is not endangered. Perhaps he will just warn Ito of our presence and tell him to lay low until we have passed.' Inuyasha was thinking deeply and didn't hear Kagome.

"Inuyasha. Inuyasha, I was talking to you."

"Huh? Oh sorry Kagome I was just thinking of something. What did you say?"

"I said, I wonder what's gotten into him. Why is he running, I mean flying off like that?"

"Kagome, you remember what he did to the last 'old friend' of his that we met?"

"Huh, ... Oh! You don't think he's going to try to destroy his friend by himself do you?"

"Oh no! Lord Inuyasha. Please, You can't let him go off like that. Not...."

"Katame, calm down. He may not be going to do battle at all. The only reason that Shotaiga was killed was because you and Inumouru were in danger. You're not in danger now. He may be just going to warn Ito. Either way he wants to handle this alone."

"But..."

"Enough, Katame. Sesshoumaru was fighting battles since before I was born. He can handle himself. Believe me."

"So what do we do? Shall we set up camp?" Miroku asked looking around at the burned out village. "I would feel better if we were away from all this destruction."

Hikarame came close to her husband and wrapped herself around his right arm. She was a strong girl and had seen a lot of destruction in her young life. This total destruction however frightened the girl and she hung on to his arm as it her life depended on it.

Not that Miroku minded, Being the sort of man he was he rather enjoyed her closeness. He pulled her in to his chest and stroked her hair. "Don't worry my sweet, you're safe here."

"Ok lets find a spot away from the village to make camp. We'll wait for Sesshoumaru there." Inuyasha was a bit worried, though he tried not to let it show. He knew his brother's strength but Ito was a different matter. He had never met Ito. Shotaiga was equal to Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha hadn't been able to get even one decent hit in on that guy. What was Ito like? Was he a strong fighter or not? Did he possess a jewel shard? If he did that would make him even more dangerous than normal. He hoped his brother knew what he was doing.

(oh suspense, suspense, suspense don't you just love it. Please review I'd like to know what you think of it so far. Have you read the first story? Look forward to hearing from you. LadySesshoumaru41)