Hey all! Well, I have some not so good news. I lost one of my notebooks with Harry Potter and the Deadly Alliance written in it. This could cause a problem with that story soon, and since I'm typing in Wordpad, that makes the problems double. It's hard to update like this...but I shall continue to try. Well, I thought I should say it, but my grandmother died, so I may be slow to the update for a while. Keyword may. Or, if I do update in anything, it may be morbid or something...sorry...

Well, read on.

After an hour, the group headed out, Sesshoumaru once again in the lead. This time, Shippo rode on his shoulder.

It seems I have become quite attached to the kit, he thought with amusement. I can tolerate him as I can tolerate Rin…

"Sesshoumaru, why do you have to check the villages?" the young kitsune asked.

"It is my duty. As the Lord of the Western Lands, I must insure that peace is among my regions," the demon explained to Shippo.

"I guess I get what you mean. But from what Inuyasha says about you, it doesn't sound like you care…"

"Inuyasha's view of me is a highly biased one. Not necessarily an incorrect assumption, just an ignorant one."

Inuyasha growled.

"Who're you callin' ignorant, you asshole?"

Sesshoumaru sniffed disdainfully.

:Such language among the children? I would have thought better of you, little brother.:

>Yeah, so what?>

The taiyoukai lord's eyes flickered and he stumbled slightly. He didn't feel very well all of a sudden.

"Sesshoumaru, are you okay?" Sango asked, sounding concerned.

"Post-transformation sickness," he mumbled. "It is certainly no fun, but I must cope with it…unh!"

Sesshoumaru's dog feet gave way and he fell to the dirt.

"Or perhaps not," he amended, starting to feel dizzy and nauseous. A throb began behind his temples.

"Here, you ride on Kirara," Miroku suggested. "We'll get to that village, even if you can't walk yourself."

Sesshoumaru nodded weakly.

"Better to be on the way than stopped altogether," he said, climbing onto Kirara's back.

&Don't worry. I won't drop you,& she meowed.

Sesshoumaru leaned his head into Kirara's furry mane and sighed.

I hope I do not get a fever, he thought desperately. However, he could already sense the telltale rise in his temperature. Knowing he was unable to prevent the fever, he amended to the hope that he would be strong enough to handle his business.

"Hey, Sesshoumaru. You've got a fever," Inuyasha stated.

"You know, maybe we should get a wet cloth on your head and you should take some aspirin. Just in case, so your fever stays down," Kagome suggested.

Sesshoumaru nodded weakly. He took the aspirin Kagome gave him and allowed her to tie a cloth around his forehead before he relaxed on Kirara's back. However, he found it impossible to sleep.

They made good time even without his lead. By midday, they had gone ¾ of the way. At that time, the children complained of hunger.

"Hm. For the children, I believe we should stop," Miroku affirmed.

They found a clearing in the forest and sat to rest. Sesshoumaru slid off of Kirara's back. His nausea had not diminished during the trip and he certainly wasn't hungry, despite the fact that his stomach felt like it was caving in on itself.

"Okay. Inuyasha, please go get some water. We'll have ramen."

That was all the hanyou needed to hear before he dashed off. The quicker everything was here, the quicker the ramen could be made. Sesshoumaru began to walk off himself.

"Where are you going?" Kagome asked.

"To gather firewood," he replied softly.

Kagome still felt bad about his situation, but she didn't know whether she could really trust him, so…

"Tell me the truth, Sesshoumaru. Where are you going? Speak."

Sesshoumaru glared at her as he repeated what he'd said mere seconds ago.

"Sorry…I had to be sure," she told him apologetically.

The taiyoukai disappeared into the woods and within a few minutes came back holding a great deal of firewood. He set it in the middle of their campsite and ordered Ah-Un to breathe lightning-fire upon the kindling. A fire was soon crackling merrily and so Kagome began to cook. Sesshoumaru walked to Kirara and sat down. The movement jarred his stomach so that he had to stifle a rather wet burp.

"You look sorta green," Inuyasha sneered. "Just make sure you puke some other direction. I hate being a damn target."

Sesshoumaru growled as he situated himself on the ground.

"I will not become ill," he said dangerously. What his mind was thinking however was, When I get sick, little brother, I shall make sure to aim at you specifically, because you are grinding my nerves!

Sesshoumaru's abused stomach gave a nasty gurgle and he buried his head into Kirara's fur.

Soon the ramen was done and Kagome dished it out to everyone except Sesshoumaru and Kirara. Kirara was given fish. She glanced at Sesshoumaru apologetically before shrinking down to her smaller form and beginning to nibble at her lunch. She mewed contentedly at the rare treat.

"Thanks for catching that fish for her, Sesshoumaru," Sango said. "She really likes fish, but I rarely have the time to catch any for her."
Sesshoumaru graced Sango with a small smile.

"You are very welcome. She most certainly deserves it. She is a creature so kind," the taiyoukai replied. Kirara gave a mewling thank you.

"Yes, she's always been kind," Sango said happily. "That's why we love her."

Kirara licked some fish off her paw before continuing her meal. Sesshoumaru turned to look at his brother, who was slurping obstinately. The sight of Inuyasha eating made his elder brother's stomach take a turn for the worse. The lord turned from him with a groan.

"Your manners…are…atrocious," he said thickly to his little brother.

"So what? You tellin' me that you think it looks a lot better to see you eat? You tear the flesh right from a dead carcass and me slurpin' noodles is gross!"

Sesshoumaru rose to his feet and hurried into the bushes. Normally, a recount of the way he ate never made him feel so ill, but today was an exception. He leaned over and his body tried to vomit, but there was nothing in his stomach. A bit of saliva dripped from his open mouth to the grass below.

"I can't stand this," he said to no one in particular. "I want to be myself once more…"

He rose shakily to his feet and walked back with his stomach still cramped up. He looked rather woebegone to the others as he leaned against a tree. Kirara went up to him and sat in his lap while Shippo cuddled into his side. The taiyoukai's eyes widened considerably at the extra contact.

Why? He wondered. Why do they want to be near me? I have been their enemy for so long, and yet the comfort me. I do not understand. Is it because my youki is low and they believe I am weak enough to "snuggle" with? No, that is not their intention. Perhaps…it is possible to simply want to comfort another…especially another demon…

His internal confusion proved to be too much for him and he leaned his head back to relieve some of the pressure.

R & R pretty please!