Last chapter: Shippou and Sango sensed it too, but the scent of pine had
kept them from detecting the newcomers earlier. Now they were surrounded.
The three looked about to see several vicious, flesh-eating wolves growling
and foaming at the mouth. They smelled of human blood.
"Here we go again." Kagome muttered.
Chapter 5: What Now?
Sango's hand went to the katana on her hip, Shippou in the form of a huge wolf growled and bared his fangs. Kagome, standing between her two friends, simply placed her palms together in a spell-cast position.
"Well, well, what brings such lovely maidens into the woods? There are dangerous bandits out here you know." A rough, amused voice came out from the woods. The other youkai who came in behind the rabid wolves chuckled.
"Put down your weapons, we haven't done anything wrong!" Shippou yelled.
"So, the dog can speak." The voice sounded intrigued, then it became menacing. "Nevertheless, you aren't in any position to give out orders, trespasser."
"Who are you?" Sango demanded.
A figure stepped into the light to reveal a well-built wolf youkai with intense blue eyes, long, scruffy hair, and scuffed battle-armor. He simply smiled. "Why, don't you know whose territory you're on, beautiful?"
Sango's cheeks were reddening, as were her eyes. Kagome noticed this and a strange pink glow coming from the man's legs and right arm, and tried to remember where she'd seen it before.
Shippou seemed to relax, and suddenly popped back to his real form. "Of course we know, now call off your dogs before we have to hurt them."
The wolf youkai looked surprised. "Shippou? Is that you?"
Shippou sighed. "Do you know any other kitsune stupid enough to be your friend?"
"Heh, it's been at least six years." he smirked. "You seem to be doing pretty well for yourself." Nodding at the two girls. "How'd you manage to snag these cute young ningen on your own?" he teased, getting a rise out of the shorter youkai.
Shippou's face reddened. "They're are Lady Kagome of the Eastern Lands and her Kage (shadow) protectress, Sango, of the Higurashi employ."
Shippou turned to the two girls. "Lady Kagome, Sango, this is Kouga, leader of the Eastwoods pack." Kagome and Sango only nodded, and listened as Shippou gave Kouga a brief summary of their situation.
"So you see, Kouga, we were looking for her brother and since you know everything that happens in these woods, we came to find you."
Kouga frowned. "Hmmm, how can I trust your story? For all I know, you could be enemy wolves. I can't catch your scent, so you're hiding something."
Kagome suddenly stepped forward. "Were not hiding anything! We're just looking for my brother. Have you seen him?"
Kouga smiled, baring sharp, white teeth. "Well, that all depends. What are you willing to give in exchange?"
"What?!" she exclaimed, "It's gonna cost me for a simple yes or no?"
"Kagome," Shippou said patiently, "you should know that wolf youkai never give anything without something in exchange, including information."
Kouga smirked suggestively. "If you don't have cash, I'm sure we can come to some sort of arrangement."
Sango stood forward, outraged. "You will not speak to the heir of the Eastern Lands that way!"
Kagome held out her palm to stop her, and spoke calmly. "Those lights coming from your legs and right arm, what are they?"
Kouga was taken aback. 'She can see the shards? Well, things are getting more interesting.' He spoke aloud to her suspiciously. "How do you know that?"
Kagome reached into her pocket and held up the shard she found the day before. "I'll give you this if you help us find my brother and the priestess, Kaede."
Koga stepped closer to snatch it, but the young priestess jerked it out of his reach and held her outstretched arm behind her, shaking a finger before his nose. "Nuh uh! Not until we find my brother. Is it a deal?"
Kouga sighed reluctantly. He admired her spunk though, so he grinned. "Deal."
Kouga's Camp
Night had fallen and the woods were filled with the nocturnal sounds of the wildlife. All was dark except for a single firelight that shone between the trees.
Kagome sat by the dying fire. A few of Kouga's wolves had gone out to scout the area for her brother and Kaede, while Kouga and a few others went to hunt for their dinner. Shippou slept peacefully on a nearby pallet.
The young miko slowly took in a deep breath of the cool night air, and cleared her mind of everything as she exhaled.
She brought out a small piece of her soul. It looked like a golden cloud puff in the firelight, and she absently manipulated it from the shape of a prancing horse, to a dancing faerie, and other things her thoughts wandered to.
There were many things she could do with it after the rigorous training program Kaede had put her on. It could even be used for spying, but Kaede had warned her that it might be lost or stolen, given the right kind of demon. Kagome wasn't worried though. Once, she'd let most all of it out, and it seemed to cloud the clearing where she stood in a thick fog. She wasn't worried about losing a little bit, though she was careful anyway.
The trick was to give it form. It was said that an ancient Miko could make hers solid, but Kagome had never gotten that far. She was fairly sure that even Kaede couldn't do it.
She was just manipulating the puff into the complicated form of a springtime cherry blossom tree when a twig snapped under someone's foot, shattering her concentration.
"You know, you should be shielded when you do that kind of thing; it's too easy to sneak up on you." said Sango, in a borrowed kimono and a pile of wood in her arms.
"I'll keep that in mind." Kagome sighed, and helped her to feed the fire.
"Have you been able to make it solid yet?"
Kagome shook her head. "No, and I don't think I'll ever do it. If Kaede can't, what makes you think that I can?"
Her friend shrugged. "You're a youkai, which means that you're ten times stronger than even her. If anyone can do it, you can."
Kagome shook her head. "It'd be a lot easier if I had someone to show me how to do it. Right now, I'm only tinkering with random things. Some are so dangerous to mess with that I wouldn't even dare try them."
Sango stuck out her hands to warm them. "If you ever figure it out, could you make me a new weapon?"
Kagome looked over at her curiously. "What's wrong with your sword?"
The cat youkai sighed. "There's not much I can do with it besides put a couple of element spells on it. When Naraku's assassins attacked, I couldn't do a lot of damage with it, even if it WAS improved with spells. It was too easy to be hemmed in."
Kagome patted her on the back and said cheerfully, "We'll think of something. In the meantime, Kouga might lend you a pair of sabers."
"What I need is a weapon that can go long distance."
"Why don't you use spells? You know enough from training alongside Kagome."
The two girls looked over at the kitsune demon, who was rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"I would, Shippou, but I'm not nearly as powerful in magic as Kagome. Besides, I always get a splitting headache afterwards."
The fox demon shrugged. "I can show you some youkai elemental tricks."
"That'd be great, Shippou." Sango said with a smile. "But even so, I'd like to have a solid weapon."
"It won't take long, and I might have something in mind for you. They're kind of hard to make, but some of Lady Silka's guards throw them from the tops of the castle at enemies."
"Wouldn't they have to make a lot of them then? I mean, it's not like they can get them back until after the battle." said Sango.
Shippou was about to reply when suddenly a big commotion came from the clearing to the three's left. They could see the team Kouga had sent out with two figures in fur blankets. Behind them was Kouga with his men, six dead deer, and a figure on a stretcher.
But Kagome wasn't paying much attention to the latter as she watched the two blanketed people move into the firelight. She was so relieved that it was her brother and Kaede, and ran over to greet them along with Sango and Shippou.
"Kagome!" Souta shouted and plastered himself around her waist. "I thought you might have..."
"Shhh, it's alright. I'm fine, and Sango is fine, thanks to Shippou here; he saved us after I fell unconscious."
Shippou looked at her questioningly, but didn't say anything since Kagome seemed to be busy with her brother.
"Shippou, do you still remember how to skin a deer?" shouted one of Kouga's men.
"What, don't you know how to do it yourself?" He yelled back, grinning. "I'll teach you how the real youkai do it." He ran off with them to prepare the food.
"Ye have not been harmed, child?" said Kaede.
"No. Thanks to your training, we managed to pull through without either of us getting hurt."
"That is good, child. I will go...rest now." Kaede said with a tired smile.
"You should have told me you were Pyro's sister." Came Kouga's gruff voice. "Ya wouldn't have had to pay me a Shikon Shard if you had."
"Pyro?" Kagome raised a brow at the boy, who was shifting nervously from foot to foot.
"Yeah, that's what we called him. He proved himself worthy to be trained by the greatest wolf tribe in the Woods, and that's the name we chose for him." Kouga said, an arrogant smirk on his face.
"Souta?" Kagome questioned.
"Well, do you remember how I would disappear into the woods?" her brother said slowly.
Kagome crossed her arms. "Go on."
"I've been meeting Kouga here in the woods so he can teach me how to be part of his pack!"
"Oh really. And what does this training include?" Sango asked curiously.
Souta's eyes lit up as he listed off a bunch of things. "Swimming, catching fish with your teeth, running really quiet in the woods, hunting, skinning, gutting, fighting, and killing the wolf youkai way.
Kagome raised an eyebrow at the last one. "Killing?"
"Yeah!" Souta's tone became excited. "Like if your opponent is kinda small, you have to make sure you don't give it a lot of room to strike. So you crouch down really low," Souta illustrated this by crawling on the forest floor, "and you wait for the right second," he stopped crawling and got really still, "and then you JUMP and rip out it's throat before it can attack!" He suddenly pounced on a defenseless leaf and mercilessly proceeded to mangle it up in his premature fangs.
Kagome and Sango sweat-dropped while Kouga's face turned a shade redder.
"Well, Souta, it looks like you've been really busy." Kagome said dryly.
Souta nodded his head with delight. "And he taught me lots of other thing too. Did you know that when female youkai will smell different, male youkai are supposed to—"
Kouga cleared his throat. "Umm, I'm gonna go see how the deer are doing. Pyro, why don't you come and help." He grabbed the protesting boy and led him away towards the others.
Later that night, Kagome, Sango, Shippou, and Kouga sat around the fire. Kaede had left earlier, saying that she had a responsibility to her village. Souta, after a satisfying meal of venison and flatbread, was sleeping it off a few yards away.
The group was discussing what to do now that Naraku was after Kagome and Souta.
"You should come with me back to the Southern Castle. I'm sure Lady Silka would welcome you all." said Shippou.
"I'm not going to endanger Souta like that. There are monsters out there who'd love to get their hands on Eastern royalty," Kagome said the last part softly, "and I can't trust myself not to hurt him if I transform again."
"But Kagome, if you stay here, the Eastern Castle will be lost." Shippou protested.
"What do you mean?" asked Sango.
"There is some time yet, but if Kagome doesn't take back the throne from Naraku in three years, Naraku will be the legal Lord of the Eastern Lands. Those are the rules of conquest." Shippou said grimly.
"Wait, I thought Lady Koshi was still alive." asked Sango. "He can't have it as long as a member of the royal family yet lives."
Shippou was fiddling with a twig. "Do you honestly believe Naraku will let Lady Koshi live? She's under his control. Since only a royal member of the family can get the throne back, he'll have her killed the night before the last day."
"Why the last day? Why doesn't he kill her now if she poses a threat to his power?" Kouga commented.
Shippou began breaking his twig into little pieces. "The only reason she's not dead now is because the queen has been insane since the castle was taken almost eight years ago. She is in no mental or physical condition to challenge Naraku to a duel. Also, he'd have a rebellion on his hands if the people discovered that their queen was dead." He stared into the flames. "They are that loyal."
Kagome stared into the flames as well. 'Mother, insane?' She remembered her mother's happy, beautiful face and how they'd have such fun together, and couldn't imagine her the way Shippou had said she was. "Shippou, are you sure she has gone insane?" she suddenly asked.
Shippou looked thoughtful. "Actually, I'm not really sure. I always thought she had a strong mind before Naraku took over. A lot of the time she just putters around the castle, talking to people that aren't there. But, every once in a while, she'll break out in a rage that tears up everything nearby until Naraku locks her in the dungeon. After a while she'll go back to carrying on conversations with the air, as if nothing had happened."
"Then maybe it's just and act, and maybe she knows that Naraku would kill her if she was able to take the throne back." Kagome said excitedly.
"Maybe." Shippou said carefully. "But if that were true, then she has a plan to regain the throne, if I know your mother. But even so, you'd still be better off in the Southern Lands"
"Why?" asked Kagome.
"For training." Shippou said simply. "Since you and Souta are the only surviving heirs, you are the ones responsible for getting the throne back from Naraku. If you're worried about being a problem for the South, don't be." Shippou began sorting among the sticks at his feet. "They don't like Naraku any more than we do." His tone was matter-of-fact.
"But if we go with you there, won't Naraku just send more assassins?" Kagome wondered aloud.
"He shouldn't know that you're there, only that you aren't in your homelands. As long as you don't lose control of your demon rage again, he'll never know." Shippou informed them. "Plus, you 'd be giving the people at least a shred of hope letting them know that you're alive."
"I'd really like to, Shippou. But my first obligation is to my brother, and I'm not going to risk both of us in unknown terrain." Kagome said firmly. "If we both went, and were somehow killed, there won't be any Eastern heirs left."
"I absolutely agree, which is why you need to leave Souta here with Kouga." Shippou said simply.
"Yeah, then he'd be REALLY safe." Kagome's tone was sarcastic.
"Well, actually, yeah." Kouga interjected. "He can stay with me while you're away and you can get us when you come back."
"Umm...what do you mean by 'us'?" Kagome said nervously.
Kouga smirked. "You didn't expect this babysitting thing to be free, did you? The only thing I ask is for you to be my mate when you finish this training thing." 'So that we can build the greatest wolf clan of all the lands.' He thought. 'With you, I can find all of the Shikon Jewel and lead the fiercest wolf clan that ever lived.'
Kagome, Shippou, and Sango sweat-dropped. "Kouga, what makes you think I want to be your mate?" Kagome said aloud, not knowing the wolf demon's true intentions for her.
"You should be honored. You just happen to be the only woman I'd deem worthy for the leader of the East woods pack, so I am giving you the privilege of being my mate."
Kagome couldn't believe the wolf youkai's arrogance. "I don't even know you! How can I trust you to take care of Souta, anyway?"
"You wound me, miko." He suddenly reached out and held both of her hands between his. "There is little I wouldn't do for my future mate." He stared deeply into her ice-blue eyes. "I'd give my life for you if it would make you happy."
'Wow, this guy's serious! But I don't want to hurt his feelings by rejecting him.' She gently removed her hands from between Kouga's as she said carefully, "I couldn't ask you to do this."
Kouga's expression was confused. "Why? I don't mind waiting as long as I could have you for my mate."
"Kouga, Kagome can't mate outside of royalty, she has to continue her bloodline." Sango stated.
"Shut up, it's my woman's choice." Sango's eyes turned to little dots at the irony in his words as the wolf demon looked back to the object of his current affections. "Well?"
"Kouga," the miko said in her firmest voice, "I'm not sure if I even WANT a mate, at least not for awhile."
There was a pause while Kouga absorbed what she'd told him. "Then it's settled," he said with a satisfied look. "I'll watch Pyro until you return to me."
"What? Wait! I didn't say anyth—"
"You don't have to say it." Kouga interjected. "I know you believe that you're unworthy of me, but I think you are, and I will wait a whole three years if I have to." Suddenly, Kouga hopped to his feet and sped away, leaving behind baseball sized sweat-drops all around.
'Oh boy, this is bad.' Kagome thought to herself. 'Well, maybe he'll forget. And at least I have awhile to come up with something...' She didn't hold a lot of faith in changing his mind, but she couldn't really focus on it right now. The day's events were finally catching up with her, and she was ready for bed.
"Well, I think it's time to get some sleep." said Sango, a yawn escaping her lips.
"Hey Shippou?" Kagome asked, looking over to where he was sleeping. "Has he ever done that before?"
"What?"
"You know, misinterpret what someone else says to what he wants to hear?"
Shippou nodded. "Yeah, and it's not the first time he's tried to find a mate. The last time I saw him he'd fallen in love with Aquea water goddess. Before that, a powerful fire demon, named Kirara, and before that, I believe it was your mother, who was a master of youkai magic."
"How old is he?" asked Sango, who was snuggling under a fur blanket. "Surely he didn't love Lady Koshi while she was married."
Shippou snorted and looked to where the girls were on the other side of the fire. "You'd be surprised." He muttered. "Anyway, he's about eight years older than you and Kagome."
"Why didn't he end up with any of the other girls?" Kagome asked.
"Well," Shippou began, looking thoughtful. "They've always found a way of never seeing him again after he promised to wait. That's probably why he's willing to watch Souta, kinda like a hostage."
'Crap.' Kagome thought. "I forgot that he'd still have Souta if I never came back." she muttered, then said hopefully, "Maybe I can leave my brother with someone else!"
Shippou was thoughtful. "Actually, if you think about it, there is no safer place in the East than here with Kouga."
"Excuse me?" Came Kagome's flat voice from the other side of the fire.
Shippou stared up at the stars overhead and explained. "He has a pack of tough youkai, incredible speed," Shippou snickered. "And his eternal love for you that will never die."
'No, that would just be too good.' Kagome thought. She sighed. "I guess Souta is gonna have to stay here with Kouga for awhile. We'd better get some sleep; I think we should leave tomorrow morning."
"You'll really like the South, especially now that it's getting to be spring. There are beautiful gardens and the cherry blossom trees will be in full bloom, and I can go see my lovely K—"He paused, thinking better of saying any more.
"Your lovely what?" Kagome asked curiously.
"Never mind, forget I said it." Luckily for him, the other two couldn't see that Shippou's face was as red as a tomato.
The two girls heard a hand smacking face, and turned to see what was up.
"You know, you should warn someone when you're gonna do that, Myouga." Shippou was talking to something on the ground.
"I find that the blood tastes less sweet when I do, Master Shippou."
Getting up for a close look, the two girls saw that it was an unusually large tick, wearing clothing.
"Hmmm...what are you?" Kagome asked.
"I am a flea demon, Lady Kagome."
Kagome's eyes widened with surprise. "How'd you know who I was?"
"I have been listening to your conversation for a while now." Myouga replied.
"Myouga, what are you doing here?" Shippou asked.
"I am here to inform you, Master Shippou, that Lady Silka requires your assistance at the palace.
"Good, we're leaving tomorrow anyway, and Kagome will—"
"I'm sorry, young fox, but all roads out of the Eastern Lands are blocked off, particularly the border into the East."
Shippou and Kagome were shocked. "What??? There should always be a way out, it's impossible to block off every last rout!" Shippou said incredulously.
"It's true, and unless you can fly, there's no way out."
"Who's done this? Can we fight our way through?"
Kagome groaned. "Not ANOTHER fight! There's enough of that for the rest of this story!" (AN: Don't I know it! )
"The entire East is surrounded by a mysterious fog of poison miasma. I only got through because I caught a ride on a friend of mine and WILL YOU STOP THAT!" he screamed.
Sango had found a stick and was poking the poor flea demon with it, a freaky grin pasted on her face. "It's like nothing I've ever seen before." she said, her eyes open wide.
"Sango, you're scaring people now, put away the stick, and stop looking at him like that." Kagome said in a firm tone.
The cat youkai seemed to snap out of it, and saw that Myouga was turning red and white puffs of steam were coming from his ears.
"Sorry guys, you know how I get when I'm sleepy..." She blushed as she noted that everyone was looking at her funny. "I think we should go to sleep now. Goodnight!" and with that, she went back to her bed, her companions staring after her.
Sesshoumaru was burning. All he felt was fire licking at his body, and the flesh on his chest being eaten away. The one part that didn't hurt was his left arm, which he couldn't feel as all.
Sesshoumaru was not sure that this was a good thing.
He was crying out, shouting for help even though he knew no one could hear, and he could feel himself becoming weaker and weaker as life-giving blood drained from his body. For the first time since his mother died, he felt terror.
Strangely, he found his thoughts going to the young woman he'd saved earlier that day. 'Kagome'
He could almost smell her fragrance, feel her breath on his face, and suddenly his chest wasn't hurting anymore, and a sweet taste was in his mouth. 'ginseng?' He wondered why it was in his dream.
Sesshou could feel himself relax at the overpowering quality of the herb. Then he felt a comforting hand hold his and a cooling sensation radiated from that touch to his burning flesh. A strange ache seemed to take hold of his upper left arm, and then he fell into a deep sleep.
When he opened his eyes, the sun shone and he was lying peacefully on a grassy hill.
He looked around and a white kitten was sleeping on his stomach. Suddenly, its eyes snapped open and it hopped down to the grass beside him. Then it grew into the shape of a woman in miko clothing. "Kagome?"
She smiled, and was walking backwards away from him, so he called out to her. "Don't leave! Kagome." He whispered the last part to himself, and suddenly the sky darkened to night. The scent of rain and honeysuckle wrapped its sweet scent around him, then it was gone.'
Kagome woke in the dead of night to a cry of pain and the faint, metallic scent of blood. Finding that she couldn't go back to sleep, she got up to investigate, taking with her a bow and a quiver of arrows she'd borrowed. Another shout would come every couple of minutes, and she followed it to a clearing.
In the middle was a figure lying on a stretcher where something silvery shone in the moonlight. She remembered now that Kouga and his men had brought someone on a stretcher into the camp, but was too happy to see her brother to pay it any attention. Something about that silvery stuff reminded her of something, but she couldn't remember what. The figure on the stretcher appeared to be shouting in its sleep.
She stepped closer and leaned down to see better, and reeled back in surprise when she realized who was on the stretcher.
Kagome breathed his name as she examined his troubled features. "Sesshou."
Yep! Now it's Kag's turn to heal Sess! REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please?
lol
"Here we go again." Kagome muttered.
Chapter 5: What Now?
Sango's hand went to the katana on her hip, Shippou in the form of a huge wolf growled and bared his fangs. Kagome, standing between her two friends, simply placed her palms together in a spell-cast position.
"Well, well, what brings such lovely maidens into the woods? There are dangerous bandits out here you know." A rough, amused voice came out from the woods. The other youkai who came in behind the rabid wolves chuckled.
"Put down your weapons, we haven't done anything wrong!" Shippou yelled.
"So, the dog can speak." The voice sounded intrigued, then it became menacing. "Nevertheless, you aren't in any position to give out orders, trespasser."
"Who are you?" Sango demanded.
A figure stepped into the light to reveal a well-built wolf youkai with intense blue eyes, long, scruffy hair, and scuffed battle-armor. He simply smiled. "Why, don't you know whose territory you're on, beautiful?"
Sango's cheeks were reddening, as were her eyes. Kagome noticed this and a strange pink glow coming from the man's legs and right arm, and tried to remember where she'd seen it before.
Shippou seemed to relax, and suddenly popped back to his real form. "Of course we know, now call off your dogs before we have to hurt them."
The wolf youkai looked surprised. "Shippou? Is that you?"
Shippou sighed. "Do you know any other kitsune stupid enough to be your friend?"
"Heh, it's been at least six years." he smirked. "You seem to be doing pretty well for yourself." Nodding at the two girls. "How'd you manage to snag these cute young ningen on your own?" he teased, getting a rise out of the shorter youkai.
Shippou's face reddened. "They're are Lady Kagome of the Eastern Lands and her Kage (shadow) protectress, Sango, of the Higurashi employ."
Shippou turned to the two girls. "Lady Kagome, Sango, this is Kouga, leader of the Eastwoods pack." Kagome and Sango only nodded, and listened as Shippou gave Kouga a brief summary of their situation.
"So you see, Kouga, we were looking for her brother and since you know everything that happens in these woods, we came to find you."
Kouga frowned. "Hmmm, how can I trust your story? For all I know, you could be enemy wolves. I can't catch your scent, so you're hiding something."
Kagome suddenly stepped forward. "Were not hiding anything! We're just looking for my brother. Have you seen him?"
Kouga smiled, baring sharp, white teeth. "Well, that all depends. What are you willing to give in exchange?"
"What?!" she exclaimed, "It's gonna cost me for a simple yes or no?"
"Kagome," Shippou said patiently, "you should know that wolf youkai never give anything without something in exchange, including information."
Kouga smirked suggestively. "If you don't have cash, I'm sure we can come to some sort of arrangement."
Sango stood forward, outraged. "You will not speak to the heir of the Eastern Lands that way!"
Kagome held out her palm to stop her, and spoke calmly. "Those lights coming from your legs and right arm, what are they?"
Kouga was taken aback. 'She can see the shards? Well, things are getting more interesting.' He spoke aloud to her suspiciously. "How do you know that?"
Kagome reached into her pocket and held up the shard she found the day before. "I'll give you this if you help us find my brother and the priestess, Kaede."
Koga stepped closer to snatch it, but the young priestess jerked it out of his reach and held her outstretched arm behind her, shaking a finger before his nose. "Nuh uh! Not until we find my brother. Is it a deal?"
Kouga sighed reluctantly. He admired her spunk though, so he grinned. "Deal."
Kouga's Camp
Night had fallen and the woods were filled with the nocturnal sounds of the wildlife. All was dark except for a single firelight that shone between the trees.
Kagome sat by the dying fire. A few of Kouga's wolves had gone out to scout the area for her brother and Kaede, while Kouga and a few others went to hunt for their dinner. Shippou slept peacefully on a nearby pallet.
The young miko slowly took in a deep breath of the cool night air, and cleared her mind of everything as she exhaled.
She brought out a small piece of her soul. It looked like a golden cloud puff in the firelight, and she absently manipulated it from the shape of a prancing horse, to a dancing faerie, and other things her thoughts wandered to.
There were many things she could do with it after the rigorous training program Kaede had put her on. It could even be used for spying, but Kaede had warned her that it might be lost or stolen, given the right kind of demon. Kagome wasn't worried though. Once, she'd let most all of it out, and it seemed to cloud the clearing where she stood in a thick fog. She wasn't worried about losing a little bit, though she was careful anyway.
The trick was to give it form. It was said that an ancient Miko could make hers solid, but Kagome had never gotten that far. She was fairly sure that even Kaede couldn't do it.
She was just manipulating the puff into the complicated form of a springtime cherry blossom tree when a twig snapped under someone's foot, shattering her concentration.
"You know, you should be shielded when you do that kind of thing; it's too easy to sneak up on you." said Sango, in a borrowed kimono and a pile of wood in her arms.
"I'll keep that in mind." Kagome sighed, and helped her to feed the fire.
"Have you been able to make it solid yet?"
Kagome shook her head. "No, and I don't think I'll ever do it. If Kaede can't, what makes you think that I can?"
Her friend shrugged. "You're a youkai, which means that you're ten times stronger than even her. If anyone can do it, you can."
Kagome shook her head. "It'd be a lot easier if I had someone to show me how to do it. Right now, I'm only tinkering with random things. Some are so dangerous to mess with that I wouldn't even dare try them."
Sango stuck out her hands to warm them. "If you ever figure it out, could you make me a new weapon?"
Kagome looked over at her curiously. "What's wrong with your sword?"
The cat youkai sighed. "There's not much I can do with it besides put a couple of element spells on it. When Naraku's assassins attacked, I couldn't do a lot of damage with it, even if it WAS improved with spells. It was too easy to be hemmed in."
Kagome patted her on the back and said cheerfully, "We'll think of something. In the meantime, Kouga might lend you a pair of sabers."
"What I need is a weapon that can go long distance."
"Why don't you use spells? You know enough from training alongside Kagome."
The two girls looked over at the kitsune demon, who was rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"I would, Shippou, but I'm not nearly as powerful in magic as Kagome. Besides, I always get a splitting headache afterwards."
The fox demon shrugged. "I can show you some youkai elemental tricks."
"That'd be great, Shippou." Sango said with a smile. "But even so, I'd like to have a solid weapon."
"It won't take long, and I might have something in mind for you. They're kind of hard to make, but some of Lady Silka's guards throw them from the tops of the castle at enemies."
"Wouldn't they have to make a lot of them then? I mean, it's not like they can get them back until after the battle." said Sango.
Shippou was about to reply when suddenly a big commotion came from the clearing to the three's left. They could see the team Kouga had sent out with two figures in fur blankets. Behind them was Kouga with his men, six dead deer, and a figure on a stretcher.
But Kagome wasn't paying much attention to the latter as she watched the two blanketed people move into the firelight. She was so relieved that it was her brother and Kaede, and ran over to greet them along with Sango and Shippou.
"Kagome!" Souta shouted and plastered himself around her waist. "I thought you might have..."
"Shhh, it's alright. I'm fine, and Sango is fine, thanks to Shippou here; he saved us after I fell unconscious."
Shippou looked at her questioningly, but didn't say anything since Kagome seemed to be busy with her brother.
"Shippou, do you still remember how to skin a deer?" shouted one of Kouga's men.
"What, don't you know how to do it yourself?" He yelled back, grinning. "I'll teach you how the real youkai do it." He ran off with them to prepare the food.
"Ye have not been harmed, child?" said Kaede.
"No. Thanks to your training, we managed to pull through without either of us getting hurt."
"That is good, child. I will go...rest now." Kaede said with a tired smile.
"You should have told me you were Pyro's sister." Came Kouga's gruff voice. "Ya wouldn't have had to pay me a Shikon Shard if you had."
"Pyro?" Kagome raised a brow at the boy, who was shifting nervously from foot to foot.
"Yeah, that's what we called him. He proved himself worthy to be trained by the greatest wolf tribe in the Woods, and that's the name we chose for him." Kouga said, an arrogant smirk on his face.
"Souta?" Kagome questioned.
"Well, do you remember how I would disappear into the woods?" her brother said slowly.
Kagome crossed her arms. "Go on."
"I've been meeting Kouga here in the woods so he can teach me how to be part of his pack!"
"Oh really. And what does this training include?" Sango asked curiously.
Souta's eyes lit up as he listed off a bunch of things. "Swimming, catching fish with your teeth, running really quiet in the woods, hunting, skinning, gutting, fighting, and killing the wolf youkai way.
Kagome raised an eyebrow at the last one. "Killing?"
"Yeah!" Souta's tone became excited. "Like if your opponent is kinda small, you have to make sure you don't give it a lot of room to strike. So you crouch down really low," Souta illustrated this by crawling on the forest floor, "and you wait for the right second," he stopped crawling and got really still, "and then you JUMP and rip out it's throat before it can attack!" He suddenly pounced on a defenseless leaf and mercilessly proceeded to mangle it up in his premature fangs.
Kagome and Sango sweat-dropped while Kouga's face turned a shade redder.
"Well, Souta, it looks like you've been really busy." Kagome said dryly.
Souta nodded his head with delight. "And he taught me lots of other thing too. Did you know that when female youkai will smell different, male youkai are supposed to—"
Kouga cleared his throat. "Umm, I'm gonna go see how the deer are doing. Pyro, why don't you come and help." He grabbed the protesting boy and led him away towards the others.
Later that night, Kagome, Sango, Shippou, and Kouga sat around the fire. Kaede had left earlier, saying that she had a responsibility to her village. Souta, after a satisfying meal of venison and flatbread, was sleeping it off a few yards away.
The group was discussing what to do now that Naraku was after Kagome and Souta.
"You should come with me back to the Southern Castle. I'm sure Lady Silka would welcome you all." said Shippou.
"I'm not going to endanger Souta like that. There are monsters out there who'd love to get their hands on Eastern royalty," Kagome said the last part softly, "and I can't trust myself not to hurt him if I transform again."
"But Kagome, if you stay here, the Eastern Castle will be lost." Shippou protested.
"What do you mean?" asked Sango.
"There is some time yet, but if Kagome doesn't take back the throne from Naraku in three years, Naraku will be the legal Lord of the Eastern Lands. Those are the rules of conquest." Shippou said grimly.
"Wait, I thought Lady Koshi was still alive." asked Sango. "He can't have it as long as a member of the royal family yet lives."
Shippou was fiddling with a twig. "Do you honestly believe Naraku will let Lady Koshi live? She's under his control. Since only a royal member of the family can get the throne back, he'll have her killed the night before the last day."
"Why the last day? Why doesn't he kill her now if she poses a threat to his power?" Kouga commented.
Shippou began breaking his twig into little pieces. "The only reason she's not dead now is because the queen has been insane since the castle was taken almost eight years ago. She is in no mental or physical condition to challenge Naraku to a duel. Also, he'd have a rebellion on his hands if the people discovered that their queen was dead." He stared into the flames. "They are that loyal."
Kagome stared into the flames as well. 'Mother, insane?' She remembered her mother's happy, beautiful face and how they'd have such fun together, and couldn't imagine her the way Shippou had said she was. "Shippou, are you sure she has gone insane?" she suddenly asked.
Shippou looked thoughtful. "Actually, I'm not really sure. I always thought she had a strong mind before Naraku took over. A lot of the time she just putters around the castle, talking to people that aren't there. But, every once in a while, she'll break out in a rage that tears up everything nearby until Naraku locks her in the dungeon. After a while she'll go back to carrying on conversations with the air, as if nothing had happened."
"Then maybe it's just and act, and maybe she knows that Naraku would kill her if she was able to take the throne back." Kagome said excitedly.
"Maybe." Shippou said carefully. "But if that were true, then she has a plan to regain the throne, if I know your mother. But even so, you'd still be better off in the Southern Lands"
"Why?" asked Kagome.
"For training." Shippou said simply. "Since you and Souta are the only surviving heirs, you are the ones responsible for getting the throne back from Naraku. If you're worried about being a problem for the South, don't be." Shippou began sorting among the sticks at his feet. "They don't like Naraku any more than we do." His tone was matter-of-fact.
"But if we go with you there, won't Naraku just send more assassins?" Kagome wondered aloud.
"He shouldn't know that you're there, only that you aren't in your homelands. As long as you don't lose control of your demon rage again, he'll never know." Shippou informed them. "Plus, you 'd be giving the people at least a shred of hope letting them know that you're alive."
"I'd really like to, Shippou. But my first obligation is to my brother, and I'm not going to risk both of us in unknown terrain." Kagome said firmly. "If we both went, and were somehow killed, there won't be any Eastern heirs left."
"I absolutely agree, which is why you need to leave Souta here with Kouga." Shippou said simply.
"Yeah, then he'd be REALLY safe." Kagome's tone was sarcastic.
"Well, actually, yeah." Kouga interjected. "He can stay with me while you're away and you can get us when you come back."
"Umm...what do you mean by 'us'?" Kagome said nervously.
Kouga smirked. "You didn't expect this babysitting thing to be free, did you? The only thing I ask is for you to be my mate when you finish this training thing." 'So that we can build the greatest wolf clan of all the lands.' He thought. 'With you, I can find all of the Shikon Jewel and lead the fiercest wolf clan that ever lived.'
Kagome, Shippou, and Sango sweat-dropped. "Kouga, what makes you think I want to be your mate?" Kagome said aloud, not knowing the wolf demon's true intentions for her.
"You should be honored. You just happen to be the only woman I'd deem worthy for the leader of the East woods pack, so I am giving you the privilege of being my mate."
Kagome couldn't believe the wolf youkai's arrogance. "I don't even know you! How can I trust you to take care of Souta, anyway?"
"You wound me, miko." He suddenly reached out and held both of her hands between his. "There is little I wouldn't do for my future mate." He stared deeply into her ice-blue eyes. "I'd give my life for you if it would make you happy."
'Wow, this guy's serious! But I don't want to hurt his feelings by rejecting him.' She gently removed her hands from between Kouga's as she said carefully, "I couldn't ask you to do this."
Kouga's expression was confused. "Why? I don't mind waiting as long as I could have you for my mate."
"Kouga, Kagome can't mate outside of royalty, she has to continue her bloodline." Sango stated.
"Shut up, it's my woman's choice." Sango's eyes turned to little dots at the irony in his words as the wolf demon looked back to the object of his current affections. "Well?"
"Kouga," the miko said in her firmest voice, "I'm not sure if I even WANT a mate, at least not for awhile."
There was a pause while Kouga absorbed what she'd told him. "Then it's settled," he said with a satisfied look. "I'll watch Pyro until you return to me."
"What? Wait! I didn't say anyth—"
"You don't have to say it." Kouga interjected. "I know you believe that you're unworthy of me, but I think you are, and I will wait a whole three years if I have to." Suddenly, Kouga hopped to his feet and sped away, leaving behind baseball sized sweat-drops all around.
'Oh boy, this is bad.' Kagome thought to herself. 'Well, maybe he'll forget. And at least I have awhile to come up with something...' She didn't hold a lot of faith in changing his mind, but she couldn't really focus on it right now. The day's events were finally catching up with her, and she was ready for bed.
"Well, I think it's time to get some sleep." said Sango, a yawn escaping her lips.
"Hey Shippou?" Kagome asked, looking over to where he was sleeping. "Has he ever done that before?"
"What?"
"You know, misinterpret what someone else says to what he wants to hear?"
Shippou nodded. "Yeah, and it's not the first time he's tried to find a mate. The last time I saw him he'd fallen in love with Aquea water goddess. Before that, a powerful fire demon, named Kirara, and before that, I believe it was your mother, who was a master of youkai magic."
"How old is he?" asked Sango, who was snuggling under a fur blanket. "Surely he didn't love Lady Koshi while she was married."
Shippou snorted and looked to where the girls were on the other side of the fire. "You'd be surprised." He muttered. "Anyway, he's about eight years older than you and Kagome."
"Why didn't he end up with any of the other girls?" Kagome asked.
"Well," Shippou began, looking thoughtful. "They've always found a way of never seeing him again after he promised to wait. That's probably why he's willing to watch Souta, kinda like a hostage."
'Crap.' Kagome thought. "I forgot that he'd still have Souta if I never came back." she muttered, then said hopefully, "Maybe I can leave my brother with someone else!"
Shippou was thoughtful. "Actually, if you think about it, there is no safer place in the East than here with Kouga."
"Excuse me?" Came Kagome's flat voice from the other side of the fire.
Shippou stared up at the stars overhead and explained. "He has a pack of tough youkai, incredible speed," Shippou snickered. "And his eternal love for you that will never die."
'No, that would just be too good.' Kagome thought. She sighed. "I guess Souta is gonna have to stay here with Kouga for awhile. We'd better get some sleep; I think we should leave tomorrow morning."
"You'll really like the South, especially now that it's getting to be spring. There are beautiful gardens and the cherry blossom trees will be in full bloom, and I can go see my lovely K—"He paused, thinking better of saying any more.
"Your lovely what?" Kagome asked curiously.
"Never mind, forget I said it." Luckily for him, the other two couldn't see that Shippou's face was as red as a tomato.
The two girls heard a hand smacking face, and turned to see what was up.
"You know, you should warn someone when you're gonna do that, Myouga." Shippou was talking to something on the ground.
"I find that the blood tastes less sweet when I do, Master Shippou."
Getting up for a close look, the two girls saw that it was an unusually large tick, wearing clothing.
"Hmmm...what are you?" Kagome asked.
"I am a flea demon, Lady Kagome."
Kagome's eyes widened with surprise. "How'd you know who I was?"
"I have been listening to your conversation for a while now." Myouga replied.
"Myouga, what are you doing here?" Shippou asked.
"I am here to inform you, Master Shippou, that Lady Silka requires your assistance at the palace.
"Good, we're leaving tomorrow anyway, and Kagome will—"
"I'm sorry, young fox, but all roads out of the Eastern Lands are blocked off, particularly the border into the East."
Shippou and Kagome were shocked. "What??? There should always be a way out, it's impossible to block off every last rout!" Shippou said incredulously.
"It's true, and unless you can fly, there's no way out."
"Who's done this? Can we fight our way through?"
Kagome groaned. "Not ANOTHER fight! There's enough of that for the rest of this story!" (AN: Don't I know it! )
"The entire East is surrounded by a mysterious fog of poison miasma. I only got through because I caught a ride on a friend of mine and WILL YOU STOP THAT!" he screamed.
Sango had found a stick and was poking the poor flea demon with it, a freaky grin pasted on her face. "It's like nothing I've ever seen before." she said, her eyes open wide.
"Sango, you're scaring people now, put away the stick, and stop looking at him like that." Kagome said in a firm tone.
The cat youkai seemed to snap out of it, and saw that Myouga was turning red and white puffs of steam were coming from his ears.
"Sorry guys, you know how I get when I'm sleepy..." She blushed as she noted that everyone was looking at her funny. "I think we should go to sleep now. Goodnight!" and with that, she went back to her bed, her companions staring after her.
Sesshoumaru was burning. All he felt was fire licking at his body, and the flesh on his chest being eaten away. The one part that didn't hurt was his left arm, which he couldn't feel as all.
Sesshoumaru was not sure that this was a good thing.
He was crying out, shouting for help even though he knew no one could hear, and he could feel himself becoming weaker and weaker as life-giving blood drained from his body. For the first time since his mother died, he felt terror.
Strangely, he found his thoughts going to the young woman he'd saved earlier that day. 'Kagome'
He could almost smell her fragrance, feel her breath on his face, and suddenly his chest wasn't hurting anymore, and a sweet taste was in his mouth. 'ginseng?' He wondered why it was in his dream.
Sesshou could feel himself relax at the overpowering quality of the herb. Then he felt a comforting hand hold his and a cooling sensation radiated from that touch to his burning flesh. A strange ache seemed to take hold of his upper left arm, and then he fell into a deep sleep.
When he opened his eyes, the sun shone and he was lying peacefully on a grassy hill.
He looked around and a white kitten was sleeping on his stomach. Suddenly, its eyes snapped open and it hopped down to the grass beside him. Then it grew into the shape of a woman in miko clothing. "Kagome?"
She smiled, and was walking backwards away from him, so he called out to her. "Don't leave! Kagome." He whispered the last part to himself, and suddenly the sky darkened to night. The scent of rain and honeysuckle wrapped its sweet scent around him, then it was gone.'
Kagome woke in the dead of night to a cry of pain and the faint, metallic scent of blood. Finding that she couldn't go back to sleep, she got up to investigate, taking with her a bow and a quiver of arrows she'd borrowed. Another shout would come every couple of minutes, and she followed it to a clearing.
In the middle was a figure lying on a stretcher where something silvery shone in the moonlight. She remembered now that Kouga and his men had brought someone on a stretcher into the camp, but was too happy to see her brother to pay it any attention. Something about that silvery stuff reminded her of something, but she couldn't remember what. The figure on the stretcher appeared to be shouting in its sleep.
She stepped closer and leaned down to see better, and reeled back in surprise when she realized who was on the stretcher.
Kagome breathed his name as she examined his troubled features. "Sesshou."
Yep! Now it's Kag's turn to heal Sess! REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please?
lol
