Torie-san: Here, after a long time in coming, is the fourth chapter of The Darkness Before the Dawn. Thank Ryuu-chan that you guys get it now, otherwise I would have forgotten. And I needed something to do right now because my mother is slightly murdering the French language because she's gonna go to France with my sister this summer or spring. I mean mom's good at it...sometimes. I just don't think the French people would be all too joyous with her efforts. Well she's stopped now. asd Anyway...Review Responses!

Devlinn Reiko-sama: Glad you enjoyed it! Sorry this update was so long in coming. So much for that "soon". I wouldn't have Sesshomaru and Rin's relationship any other way. By the way, thank you for sticking with story.

Desy: Sorry it's not exactly soon. What has it been, a little under four months? Yeesh.

Sorairo Ryuu: anime anger mark What's that supposed to mean, "better than I expected"?! sighs Well, guess I should be thankful since you're one of my few reviewers, even if you are my best friend. Well...here's "the next bit". Thanks to you urging me to get it out here.

The chapter title refers to the fact that you will hear a bit from someone who's behind it all, not to the fact that all will be revealed. And for old time's sake (Ryuu-chan, you may or may not remember this little catch phrase from my first short story), now on with the story!

The Darkness Before the Dawn

Chapter Four: Who's Behind It All

"We should follow," Sango said, starting off to the north with Kirara on her shoulder.

"Feh. He doesn't need our help," InuYasha scoffed.

Miroku stepped up beside InuYasha. "Sesshomaru would refuse it anyway."

"We should still go," Kagome said, starting off after Sango with Shippo on her shoulder. "No matter if he refuses our help or not, he's still hurt," she threw back over her shoulder as she and Sango disappeared through the trees, leaving behind a bewildered-looking InuYasha and Miroku.

"I suppose we're going now," Miroku said, walking off after the two. With a muttered "Feh" InuYasha followed.

Sesshomaru stopped suddenly, scenting the air. They were just ahead—he could smell them. He took another step forward and felt more blood seeping into the bandages. Why aren't these damn scratches healing? They should have been gone long before now. And they most certainly shouldn't be bleeding this much. He reached around to his back, feeling behind his long hair. Bringing his hand back in front of his face, he noticed the tips of his clawed fingers were bloodied.

Ignoring the blood, Sesshomaru crept stealthily and quietly toward the clearing ahead of him where he could hear the muttering of the lizard demons. It was all he could do to hold back a growl. Suddenly the voices abruptly stopped. The inu youkai wasted no time launching himself into the clearing.

There was nothing there. Sesshomaru let loose the growl he'd been holding back. He scented the air; no trace of the demon's scent, or of Rin's, was there. He began searching the ground with his sharp golden gaze for signs of what he knew had been there. Finding nothing, he suddenly heard the three voices in his head again.

She's dying, Sesshomaru.

She's almost gone, Sesshomaru.

She's fading away, Sesshomaru.

He growled and was about to run off again when he heard rustling in the bushes.

In the darkness, a woman with ebony hair and glowing amethyst eyes waited for the ever-nearing coming creature. The glaring red eyes stopped directly in front of her. The creature towered over her, yet she did not back away.

Suddenly she turned her head sharply to the left and gave a cold, low laugh. "He is growing desperate," she muttered, turning her head back to the creature.

It hissed, red eyes narrowing, and spoke in her head. Before the end he will truly grow...it paused, desperate.

"Remember, my pet," she began as the creature bent its head down and the woman reached out a hand to stroke its snout, "we wouldn't want the Lord of the West to lose his sanity." A smirk grew on her face...

InuYasha, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kagome appeared from the trees to find Sesshomaru standing in the center of the clearing, emitting a low, rumbling growl. "What do you want?" the Lord of the West bit out.

Kagome pushed a growling InuYasha out of the way and took a few steps towards Sesshomaru. "We're here to help you." As he opened his mouth to object, she cut him off. "And if you won't let us help you then at least let me and Sango change those bandages."

Sesshomaru crossed his arms. "I don't need your help, wench."

Sango stepped forward besides Kagome. "Do you want to bleed to death?"

He narrowed his eyes. "These are mere scratches. They will heal soon."

"They're still bleeding," Sango pressed, "aren't they."

"Hn."

"That's it. You're letting us help you. I don't care what you say," Kagome voiced.

"Feh," InuYasha spoke up. "You ain't gonna get him to let you help him."

A glowing pair of blood-red eyes towered over him. Without being told, he knew judgment was coming. He closed his eyes and dropped to his scaly knees...

The Inu-tachi stared in disbelief as Sesshomaru's eyes shut and he dropped down to his knees. "Well, InuYasha, it appears as if your brother doesn't have as high a resolve as we first expected," Miroku said, walking over to the now fully collapsed and unconscious Sesshomaru and gently prodding him with the end of his staff.

Sango blinked, then sighed. "Well, better take advantage of it while we can, even if it is unusual. Come on Kagome-chan."

But Kagome didn't move. She was staring blanking ahead, blue eyes wide. In the moment Sango turned to look at her she shivered. Thoughts whirled in Kagome's head: What was that presence I felt? Why did I feel it when no one else did? Why was it coming from...Sesshomaru? She felt Sango shaking her shoulders, Shippo, InuYasha, and Miroku all calling her name, but she couldn't respond. She couldn't move. It was as if she was frozen.

Suddenly Sango's in front of her morphed into one of the lizard demons, and everything began working again. She cried out, covering her face and collapsing to her knees. The next thing she knew a half-frantic InuYasha was in front of her, his hands on her shoulders, asking in a slightly panicked voice if she was alright. She uncovered her face and looked up at him.

Kagome opened her mouth to speak, but stopped. She shuddered. How could something as simple as what she had just seen scare her so badly? No...no, it wasn't the face, it was the presence. She leaned forward and buried her face in InuYasha's chest.

Still not knowing what had made Kagome react in such a way, but knowing, somehow, that she needed comforting, InuYasha pulled her closer to himself and put his arms around her. Sango, Miroku, and Shippo watched on, all with worried expressions.

After several minutes, she pulled her head up and rested it on InuYasha's shoulder. Her eyes were frightened and she shivered slightly as if cold. No one wanted to ask the question they all knew had to be asked, yet someone had to do it. In the end it was Miroku who spoke.

"Kagome-sama," he started softly, "What did you see or feel that made you..." The monk trailed off.

"Something really evil...it...it came from...Sesshomaru. A strong, evil demonic aura." Kagome could feel the beginnings of a low growl starting in InuYasha's chest. She sat up, pulling out of his arms. "But it wasn't Sesshomaru's. It was...something else's."

The other four looked at each other then back at Kagome. She twitched and stood up. "Okay, I know you're all thinking I'm crazy."

"No, Kagome-chan, we believe you," Sango said.

"Good." Now seemingly fully recovered, she continued, "Come on Sango-chan; let's get Sesshomaru's bandages done while he's still unconscious." She walked over to kneel down beside Sesshomaru.

For the second time the four looked at each other. InuYasha still looked worried, even though he was tying not to let it show. As Sango went to help Kagome, Miroku pulled InuYasha off to the side.

"It would be best if we did not speak of what Kagome-sama felt to cause her to react in such a way," the monk said in a low voice.

InuYasha glanced over his shoulder at the girls helping his brother. "Why not monk? And why are you telling me this?"

"Because I know how inconsiderate you can be," Miroku responded, adopting a saintly expression.

An anger mark appeared on InuYasha's forehead and he cracked the knuckles of one hand. "Monk..." He trailed off warningly.

Miroku grinned. "Ehheh..."

Sango and Kagome were a little startled when they felt Sesshomaru stir under their touch. The duo glanced at each other. They were only halfway done with the re-bandaging and if he woke up now there was no way they'd finish. Even as you they realized this, Sesshomaru's eyes cracked open to the slightest of slits...but they weren't his normal cold golden ones. It was as if they held a deep pain, and they were blank, pupil-less. Their color had dimmed, now infused with a brownish bronze color.

"What's wrong with his eyes?" Shippo asked, peering over Kagome's shoulder. His words drew the attention of Miroku and InuYasha, who quickly walked over to the four.

Sesshomaru fully opened his eyes and made as if to get up, propping himself on his elbows. The color of his eyes had not changed, and they were still unfocused. Kagome shuddered. Was that how I looked when I froze before? Is the same thing happening to him...or is it...something worse?

In the darkness of the subterranean cave, blood-red eyes glinted in a smirk as the amethyst-eyed woman gave a cold, long laugh...
Torie-san: What the hell's wrong with Sesshomaru now? Who're the freaky-lady and her "little pet"? Well, you'll just have to wait and see. Sucks for you, doesn't it? . Once again, it will not be pretty if you tell me or make a hint that Sesshomaru's going crazy. The fifth chapter, since I haven't even started on it, may be a little while in coming. You got six pages typed on Word. Be happy.

Next Chapter:

"Follow Me—Find What You Seek"