Tasie-Thanks, I try to stay true to the core characteristics. Even though it is sometimes difficult.

Prisoner to the Darkness-Ah, the great tail/boa debate. Even the artist of the manga isn't quite sure what she wanted the fluffy white thing on his shoulder to be. So sometimes, I let it be a tail, other times, I go with a boa, whatever suits purpose. However, thank you for your consideration. :)

Rena Moon-You too huh? I have a plushie Kirara too, I love her to bits. It would be really cool if we could have real ones. :)

Sesshomaru's Mistress-Gomen Ne, it isn't intentional, I am just really swamped and disorganized at the moment. (Sighs.)

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I still don't know about this responding thing, but oh well. (shrugs.) I claim no ownership of Inu or SM.

Rain was such a foreign concept in the Warring States Era, however, at this point in time, it was doing exactly that. Which was a downer on the moods, and a damper on hunting for Naraku because the scents had all been washed away. The Usagi-tachi had left the Inu-tachi after a short camp night with them, because the two brothers still refused to get along quietly. So, even with the two peace-keepers Kagome and Usagi, they decided to spilt ways for the sake of sanity.

However, InuTashio was spilt in the decision to leave the Inu-tachi and decided to pull an 'Sesshomaru,' attitude. So, Usagi, Kaede, and the children were really put out when the rain started. Though even a demon now, Usagi still prayed for no thunderstorms. As her fear was well-known to her, she prayed to the slightly darkening sky, which continued to darken as if to mock her. Sullied and soaked the Usagi-tachi stopped walking and put up camp under a relatively sheltered forest area.

Usagi tired of the low-level of energy walked up to the iced InuTashio and tapped his shoulder. "Anno, what is wrong InuTashio-san?"Usagi inquired with a tilt of her head. He glanced down at her with an almost bored look, but it was directed mostly at his listless son. Whose eyes were trained in front of him, however InuTashio could see the subtle crane of the neck in interest.

"Nothing to worry your pretty head about." InuTashio said while smirking. Watching his son out of the corner of his eyes. "Just concerned about the Western Lands, being untended and so." He answered, but observed the slight bristle of his son.

"The Western Lands are fine." Sesshomaru cut in, glancing unamused at his father.

"So you say, but still untended." InuTashio responded.

"Then go, I do not care." Sesshomaru brushed off the comment, turning his head away, while Usagi just glanced between the two. Slowly she backed up out of the two's space, meanwhile InuTashio observed the comment with a smirk, as his plan twisted deeper.

"Fine, and the women with the children shall come with me." InuTashio stated, and Sesshomaru flashed his eyes back to his father.

"No, Rin is my burden, I will not surrender on to you." He growled although a side step brought him closer to the inching blonde.

"Very well, but the rest still come with me then." InuTashio said and wrapped an arm around Usagi.

"No." Sesshomaru stated, his voice lowering an octave.

"What?" Usagi quipped as she was thrust back into the middle of the tension.

"Do you not want them away from the battlefield safe, and out of the way?" InuTashio questioned.

"Take the hanyou, and humans, but the demoness can defend herself." Sesshomaru stated, his eyes directed to the horizon. InuTashio let Usagi go with a smile and stepped closer to his son.

"I hardly think that is what you say." He whispered to his son. Sesshomaru turned a small glare on his father. "Have you found something you want to protect?" InuTashio kept his voice low as he observed his son.

"Do you wish for dethroning so soon father?"Sesshomaru hissed out. InuTashio merely laughed, waving off his son. Gesturing for Aun with the children and Kaede with Jaken to follow him. Usagi watched them go a perplexed expression on her face. 'Exactly what just happened?' She thought to herself. "Let's go." Sesshomaru's voice broke her thoughts, and she nodded.

"Well, that worked out nicely." InuTashio commented as he walked toward the Western Lands.

"What worked out nicely?" Kaede inquired, catching the pleased look on the lord's face.

"Nothing, nothing at all." He responded with a gentile expression.

"Is Rin going to see Lord InuTashio-sama's home?" Rin asked, bouncing happily on Aun.

"Not yet, I have a stop to make, but after yes." InuTashio answered.

"Stop?" Shiori spoke up.

"Yes, I have to visit an old friend." He said.

"Friend?" Rin piped up curious.

"An old friend." InuTashio answered with a smile, his head tilted toward the clouds. 'I'm coming Toto-sai, he's almost ready.' InuTashio thought pleased, before his thoughts turned darker. 'He's going to need it, because of this 'Naraku.' He added, and a small silent growl left him. The rain dripping down his face as he stared.

Kouga halted the group directing them to a lower cave, that was situated in the mountain face. Gently lowering the sleeping Kanna he turned to Hiten. "I'll take first watch, get some rest." He ordered.

"Right." Hiten agreed.

Kouga nodded to him and walked out to patrol his temporary territory. A grunt with a loud crash drew his attention almost immediately as he stepped out. Curious, and a might concern he rushed toward the sounds.

Hotaru cursed whatever luck had followed her, and the dimension she was in. Her latest vocabulary of thoughts would impress even her Haruka-chichi. Of course Haruka would then get the scolding of her life from Michiru, but that was not the course Hotaru should be thinking. "Back off!" She ordered, as she ducked another swipe of claws that had been aimed at her.

"Come on." The man she was currently fighting invited her with a leering grin. "It won't hurt much." He spoke as he grinned sickly.

"It WON'T hurt at all." A voice said and Hotaru observed a foot, or what she thought was a foot slam into the deranged man that been stalking her. "Suikotsu." was growled out, as Hotaru took time to glance over her intervener. Raven hair in a ponytail, a long brown tail. 'Demon!' she thought, her hand tightening on her glaive. 'A cute one though.' She added.

"Kouga, how nice to see you." The one now identified as 'Suikotsu,' spoke up.

"Don't you seven ever stay dead?" Kouga mussed out, aiming another strike at the grinning claw wielder.

"Ah well, only three of us this time." Suikotsu commented, dodging the straight kick that was aimed at him. "Naraku just can't let us rest, and I can't rest until the bloodlust is satiated." He added with a casual air.

"Not happening, now die!" Kouga leaped toward the man, and connected with the shoulder bone of Suikotsu.

"Oh, Kouga, you missed your one chance." He warned and then pointed his claws directly at Kouga.

"No he didn't." A soft voice promising death echoed in his ears, as he just noticed the glaive penetrating his throat. All three watched as the jewel shard fell from its perch on the tip of the glaive and strike the ground.

"Well damn." Kouga whistled out as Suikotsu became bones once more. "Nice going, I am Kouga of the wolf tribe." He greeted with a small bow.

"Demon, come no closer." Hotaru issued, her glaive now pointed at him.

"Hey, I just saved your life." Kouga responded, angry at the reaction his was getting.

"Are you completely sure of that?" Hotaru argued.

"Ningens..."muttered Kouga, before looking back at Hotaru. "Do I at least get a name?" He inquired.

"Hotaru." She answered and glared at him. "Now, where is the hime?" She growled at him.

"Princess?" Kouga asked confused. "There are no princesses here." He stated.

"Liar, she came to this dimension." Hotaru spoke. "Where is Usagi?" Hotaru prodded, her eyes becoming darker.

"Oh, Usagi, she's with the mutt's older brother." Kouga answered with a jaunty smirk. "I didn't know she was a hime." Kouga voiced out. Hotaru cursed her slip, and approached with her glaive pointed at him.

"You will tell no one." She ordered her eyes swearing his death if he did otherwise.

"Sure, no problem Hotaru." Kouga easily agreed. After having his promise, Hotaru smiled and relinquished her glaive.

"So, where is Usagi again?" Hotaru asked, now intrigued by the nice demon.

"With the mutt's older brother and father." Kouga reiterated, leading her back to the cave as they talked.

"Mutt?" Hotaru responded confused.

"Yeah, he has Kagome with him." Kouga spoke and then reviewed his statement. 'I called her by her name, not my woman.' He thought confused.

"Kagome?" Hotaru insisted. Kouga glanced at the raven haired woman with a small grin.

"Why don't we get out of this rain and talk?" Kouga invited as they reached the cave he had left the others in. However, he didn't bring her into the back where the others were, instead he and Hotaru stayed neared the lip of the cave talking.

"Osuwari!" Kagome screamed out as once again InuYasha met the ground.

"Ouch!" Miroku commented as he saw the couple arguing again. Sango, Kohaku, Kirara, and Shippo all looked bored and returned to what they were doing.

"What did I do!" InuYasha screamed out as he jumped back up.

"You made Usagi leave." Kagome told him with a glare wanting to get to know the blonde demoness better.

"I didn't make her leave, she chose too." InuYasha defended.

"That's because you and Sesshomaru wouldn't stop fighting." She pointed out.

"He was the one who started it!" InuYasha yelled.

"You could of ignored him." Kagome argued.

"What, You in love with him or something?" InuYasha bit out, forgetting his sensitivity in the rage of his hurt. To him it was like Kagome wasn't taking his side.

"Osuwari!" Kagome yelled out with tears in her eyes and ran off. InuYasha saw the tears as he slammed into the ground again. 'I deserved that.' He admitted silently, and quickly ran after the fleeing girl.

However, in that short span of time, Kagome found trouble. As Naraku held her in his clutches. "You have cause me far to much trouble wretch." He told her as he tightened his hold around her neck.

"InuYasha!" She cried out as Naraku began to expound miasma.

InuYasha picked up his pace as he heard Kagome's frantic scream, and caught Naraku's scent. "Hold on Kagome." He pleaded leaping into the field that Naraku clutched Kagome in. "Let her go Naraku!" He ordered and Naraku chuckled. Not doing as the hanyou requested. "Then I'll tear you arm off instead." He stated as he easily leapt forward and tore the appendage off. Kagome fell into his waiting arm as his swing continued beheading the 'Naraku.' "Damn.."InuYasha muttered as he saw the wooden puppet fall apart. "Another Kugutsu." He stated with a sneer. His anger was subsided as Kagome hugged him from his arm. "Stupid.." He whispered fondly as he hugged her back.

Hearing his comment, no matter how fond, Kagome felt the familiar tick of her eye. "InuYasha.."

"Hmm?" He responded.

"Osu..wa..ri." Kagome bit out.

"Eh?" was his comment as he was yanked to the ground. Unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you look at it, Kagome forgot she was still in InuYasha's arms. So when he fell, she fell as well, right onto his chest in a compromising position. To which left them both caught in shock, and a spell. At this time is when the rest of the tachi showed up. Miroku smirked as he was the first on the scene.

"Am I interrupting something?" He suggested lewdly, which earned him a hit from Sango's boomerang.

"Hentai." Sango scolded fondly.

A dark interested gaze kept a close tab on the pair of demons walking. The gaze zeroing on Usagi with a smirk. Attention was diverted as they were disturbed by Naraku's saimyosho. "So, they are both dead again?" They inquired almost pleasantly. "I see." They responded to the saimyosho. Glancing once more at Usagi, he nodded to the wasp and walked off. 'I'll be back.' He promised as he thought about the pair.

Well, there is some romance and promise there for all who have been asking for it. So how many have seen the third InuYasha movie? The forth one isn't to great though..Anyway, much care and sorry for the wait, but I am trying to maintain a 4.0 in College, and that takes precedence. I am sorry. Please review.

Much Care,

WolfchildBlazer.