Chapter 19

The next morning…

Sesshoumaru brought Katame back with him to the camp. She looked a little tired but no worse for ware. The group was busy at work getting the breakfast ready. The boys were helping Kagome with the meal. Inu and Samoto had gotten the water for their aunt. Samoto had gotten the fire ready for his mother. Miroku and Inuyasha were getting the remainder of the camp put away. After breakfast the group of demons and humans left for the fortress of Shamotokai.

They began the difficult climb up the steep side of the mountain. Inumouru and Samoto were enjoying the adventure. The battle the night before had fired their demon blood. They couldn't wait for the next foe to appear. Shippo on the other hand was understandably nervous. He was older than the other boys and had already traveled extensively with Inuyasha. He had seen too many battles and hated the devastation that it always brought.

"I don't see what so fun about all this. Don't you know that we could have been killed back there?" Shippo was riding in the hood of Inumouru.

"Oh stop your worrying Shippo. You're such an old woman." Samoto called to him as they ran along.

"I am not an old woman!" Shippo's face went red. His feelings were a little hurt. He was still a kid in demon terms.

"I'm sorry Shippo." Samoto ruffled his friend's hair.

"Hey, are you 'girls' going to hurry up or do I have to carry you?" Sugumi was teasing the boys. They had fallen behind in their little race.

"Sugumi you are going to get it!" Inu yelled at his cousin as he raced forward, Samoto hot on his heels.

Sugumi saw them coming and took off like a shot.

Sesshoumaru had been listening to the banter and decided he had to put a stop to it. He flew to stand directly in the path of his youngnephew. Sugumi however was looking back at his cousins as he ran and didn't see him land. The boy ran full force into his uncle and bounced off hitting the ground rather hard. The lad shook his head a bit and looked up at the obstacle he had run into.

Sesshoumaru glared fiercely at the poor kid. "This is not a game young demon." He reached down a hand and helped him to his feet. He looked over the boy's head to his own sons who had come to a screeching halt after seeing what happened to Sugumi. "Come here you three."

"I wasn't running. I'm stuck riding in the hood. I didn't…" Shippo feared for his tail. Since Inuyasha had formally taken him on as his own son his tail was in more danger than ever before.

"Quiet pup." Sesshoumaru looked at the boys. Their heads were bowed. Good. "We are in enemy territory. Never forget that. Your enemy may have set traps or at the very least could be watching for any signs of your arrival. Running and fooling around will only serve to alert him to our presence. I will punish all of you severely if you ever do something like this again. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes sir." The boys all said at once. They hoped that would be the end of it. Lord Sesshoumaru could really hit hard if he thought for a moment he was being disobeyed.

Sesshoumaru stepped aside and motioned for the boys to go on ahead of him. The boys watched the lord's eyes as they passed him. Any signs of red could mean a painful tail for each of them. When they saw the rich golden color they heaved a collective sigh of relief and scooted on ahead, careful not to make the even the slightest sound.

In the fortress of Shamotokai…

Shamotokai was pacing and thinking to himself. 'What could be keeping Hotomatu? He must have reached the strange group with the shards by now.' He paced and fumed. 'This is unacceptable! I will tear that useless retch of a demon apart piece by piece. Where is he?' Sill later that same day Shamotokai was beginning to panic. There were two things that could have happened and neither one was desirable. The first was that his trusted servant had turned on him and taken the shards for himself. The other was that the group of demons that was now climbing his mountain destroyed all the demons he had sent to retrieve the shards. He paced on.

Finally he decided to send out more of his army. He didn't like leaving himself with so few guards to protect him but he couldn't risk them getting to his fortress. He had to keep a hold of the heir no matter what. He needed the boy to strengthen his claim on the throne.

The demon stormed from the room and went down to check up on how his charge was doing. He had Mesosuki beaten and deprived of food. He hoped that this had weakened the boy's resolve. He didn't know what else he could do to persuade the boy. He didn't dare risk any permanent harm to the boy. If damage was detected on the young heir he could kiss his claim goodbye.

Shamotokai peaked through the bars at the boy. "So are you ready to leave this delightful place and sleep lying down in a warm dry bed, instead of standing up chained to a damp cold cell wall?"

Mesosuki was getting physically weak but his resolve was like the strongest steal. He wasn't going to give in to this mediocre demon. "I told you no. The answer has not changed." He raised his head and glared defiantly at his captor. "I will not proclaim you Kai and what is more I will see to it that you die for your actions against me."

"Brave words. Have you forgotten that you are chained in my dungeon and I control how you will be treated?" Shamotokai sneered at his captive. "I can make your stay here pleasant or painful. Cooperate and I will show you mercy. Fight me and you will pay dearly."

"Do your worst. I know you need me alive and well to claim the throne otherwise you would have killed me. So I don't think you will do very much at all. I have the upper claw here." Mesosuki was a smart young demon and knew well the laws of succession. He was counting on them to keep him alive, at least until his servants could launch a rescue.

"Bad move!" Shamotokai yelled back in frustration. "Beat that brat and do it properly this time. I want him to learn some proper manners."

The angry demon ascended to the top of his fortress and looked out toward the palace of the Kai. 'Damn that retch I should've been installed as Kai long before now.' He looked down. His army of demons was leaving to go battle with those troublesome demons that were in possession of the sacred jewel fragments. He watched them go and hoped that they would be successful where his other servants had failed. What could be so difficult could it be to remove shards from some weakling half demon? Shamotokai turned and went back to pacing in his room.

Hutu was in charge of this campaign. He had sworn not to fail his master. He had nearly two-dozen of the fortresses finest solders. The master had practically emptied the place. There were now, only a handful of guards left to protect the lord. The master wanted the shards badly and had promised to richly reward the one who returned to him with them in hand. The army traveled down the mountain searching for the unknown demon group.

Sesshoumaru floated softly down to in front of the waiting group of hunters. He had been hovering near a tall fir tree to survey the area for trouble. "There is a small army of demons up the mountain heading straight toward us. They appear to be traveling at a good pace and in a straight line. Options?"

"Can we skirt around them so they don't notice us?" Sango asked.

"Possible but then they would pick up our scent and double back and we risk being attacked from behind." Miroku noted.

"We could set another trap like we did before." Inumouru was getting excited. He loved this.

"Settle my son." Sesshoumaru pat his son's head. "When you go into battle you must remain calm or your opponent will get the better of you. You can't allow the thirst for blood drive you."

"Sorry father." Inu was a little disappointed but then brightened up. "But it's still a good idea though isn't it?"

"It's a fine idea little one but I want to discuss all of our options with the adults before we make a decision."

"I'm with the little one on this one." Inuyasha smiled at his nephew. "We have to fight them. I would prefer if they came to our party that the other way around. How far away do you think they are?"

"I'd estimate about three hours at the most." Sesshoumaru thought for a moment. "It's too early in the day to set up a believable camp. We need a new ploy."

The adults talked for some time, while the young demons talked about how they would hide their moms during the battle. This time they decided that putting them up in the trees would be the best bet. That way Sugumi's mom could use her special arrows to help in the battle if it got bad.

"Aunt Kagome I know you want to help but please don't use your arrows unless you don't have a choice. 'Cause, as soon as you do they will see you and then they will try to get you. Ok?" Samoto half instructed Kagome half asked. He didn't want to get into trouble so he had told her all this in front of his mom. "Ok momma?" The young demon asked his mom as an after thought.

"Don't worry Samoto we'll be fine. Your aunt and I are used to being sat in trees or hidden in bushes. We won't give ourselves away."

The decision was made and the hunters set to work setting up their trap. They would make is look as though they had stopped for a meal and would leave Miroku, Sango, Inumouru and Samoto to sit by the fire. The others would take to the trees. The women were deposited in the upper branches of a fir tree. Kagome had her arrows with her but was again instructed no to draw attention to herself. Shippo would provide the extra camouflage necessary to conceal the women from enemy eyes.

The army had sent a couple of demons ahead to scout out ahead. They reported back to Hutu. "They have set up a camp. And are eating. If we work fast they should be easy pickings."

Hutu gathered his men around him. "Ok, they're relaxing. We move in quickly. Shoa you take half the men and go around to the back of their camp. I'll take the others and attack dead on. If any of you find the shards you are to give them to me. Do you hear? I have to give those to the master and I won't risk any of you fools losing them on the way back to the fortress.

The army broke up and Shoa took his twelve demons around to the back of the camp. They never made it. Sesshoumaru had been up in the trees and heard their plans. He flew silently back to his brother and son who then took to the trees and waited for them to arrive.

The group of demons snuck quietly up behind the camp well out of sight of the fire. They had been told to wait for a signal and so they were prepared to wait.

"Gasp."

"Sigh."

"Ungh"

These were the only noises that anyone heard, if they heard them at all. Sesshoumaru and Sugumi were slitting the throats of the solders as they hid in the grass. They were silent. Inuyasha had gone a little further a field. His job was to ensure no one got away. A couple of stragglers finally arrived at the scene and were about to raise the alarm when, they were dispatched by the great sword of Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha approached his brother. That's all of them shall we join the others?"

On the other side of the camp Hutu and his group had come to the edge of the camp. He hooted like an owl. It was the signal the others were supposed to be waiting for. A hoot came back from the other side of the camp. Good they were ready. The group of demons ran headlong into the camp screaming their terrible battle cries.

The hunters stood up from the fire. "It's about time you got here we've been waiting for hours." Miroku laughed at his own joke. He readied himself and went on the attack. He swung his staff with deadly accuracy.

Sango leaped into action. She un-strapped the boomerang from her back and gave it a mighty heave. The thing wised through the air chopping five demons in half with one throw.

"You have to teach me how to use that. I could use something like that." Miroku spoke to the huntress.

Inumouru and his brother Samoto were using their swords. They didn't want to use the magic just in case they hurt the humans in the group. They had each dispatched three when, their cousin joined them in battle.

Before too long all the attackers were dead with the exception of Hutu. Sesshoumaru had kept him alive for the moment. "How many are left at the fortress? Tell me."

Hutu didn't want to betray his master however an angry demon can make death a very desirable thing. "If I tell you, you will only kill me anyway so why should I?"

"Because if you don't I will make your death long and painful" For emphasis he generated a small amount of poison and dripped it on an exposed portion of the demon's skin. It burnt a hole in the demon's skin. He shrieked and struggled to get away. Sesshoumaru tightened his grip.

Inuyasha whispered in his brother's ear and Sesshoumaru glared at his brother. The women could hear the cries and were afraid that he was torturing the demon. "Damn it, this is a war. What do they expect?" He spat at his brother.

Let me try. Inuyasha dragged the hapless demon off away from the camp. "Now you listen to me. Unless you want me to hand you over to him you had better tell me what I want to know. How many are at the fortress?"

The demon nodded. "There are only fifteen left to guard the master."

"Is the heir still alive?"

"Yes. The master is keeping him in the dungeon." Hutu was cooperating. "You promise you won't let h..him have me, right."

"If you tell me everything I want to know I'll see what I can do."

"Oh please master Inuyasha, I'll do anything. I'll be your slave. Just please don't let him near me." The poor fool was in tears and collapsed onto the ground.

Inuyasha was unused to this sort of thing. His brother got this all the time but he just didn't know quite what to do with it. "Stop that! I'm not making any promises. Now how do we get in?"

The demon described the best rout to take. There was a small escape tunnel. The master had built it so he could send out troops behind an attacking army. He offered to show them where it was and guide them through the tunnels to the fortress.

Inuyasha picked the poor demon up by the back of the neck and brought him to Sesshoumaru. He related the information that he had gotten from their prisoner.

"Fine give him to me I will dispatch him quickly." Sesshoumaru reached for the demon.

"No!" Hutu shrieked and twisted around to see Inuyasha. "Please master." He cried bitterly. "I told you everything master, please spare me. I can help you. I can. I swear to you. I beg you please don't."

"Sesshoumaru! No you can't." Katame ran up to her husband and took hold of his sleeve. "You can't just kill him in cold blood like that."

"Woman I told you we can't leave anyone alive or the alarm will be raised and we will lose our advantage."

"We've already lost that." Katame was undeterred by her husband's cold glare. "They've sent out two sets of fighters so far. They know we're coming. He may be able to help us. Or at least we could fly him out of the area and by the time he could get to the fortress we would have already been there and gone."

Hutu was desperate to save himself. "Master, please give me a chance I'll be good, I swear it." He pleaded looking from one brother to the other.

Sesshoumaru growled. He leaned in close to Hutu's face. You will stay by my side. If you stray even one inch I will skin you and burn you alive. He raised his hand in front of the demons nose. It glowed green with poison.

Hutu squeaked. "Yes master. Whatever you say. I'll obey I promise. I'll obey."

Sesshoumaru took the frightened demon over to the fire and sat him down. "Don't move!" He ordered and then walked off.

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