Chapter 4:

Betrayal and Lessons

"She's betrayed me. After everything I have done for her, she's gone with him." He watched them from a safe distance, high up in a tree. "And my bat had no effect on either of them. The only one it scared is that little toad. If he touches Azami, he'll pay. She's mine; I saved her. I'll be watching." The demon turned and left the area.

"Milord?" Jakken asked Sesshomaru. "Might'n we move camp to another... safer location?"

"Oh shut up and get over it, toad." Azami rolled over, pulling her blanket around her tighter. She yawned. "You've kept me up this long. Shut up and go to sleep. If that bat thing carries you off in the night, be glad to sacrifice yourself for Lord Sesshomaru's sake."

A wolf howled in the distance. Jakken quivered in fear. Azami looked up over the edge of her blanket at him. "If you sit any closer to the fire, Lord Sesshomaru and I are having fried toad for breakfast."

Azami woke the next morning. She felt something lying against her back. She reached behind her and grabbed Jakken by the head. Jakken squealed as she picked him up.

"What the hell were you doing back there?" she questioned. Jakken mumbled something under his breath. "Excuse me? Talk louder, toad."

"I felt safer," he whispered loud enough for Azami's ears to hear.

"Oh," she said sweetly. "You felt safer. You poor thing." She held Jakken like he was a baby, stroking his head. "I am so sorry for the way I've been acting towards you." Azami walked with him in her arms to the edge of the water.

"You are?" Jakken asked her, a bit relieved that she wasn't screaming at him.

Azami nodded. "Of course, sweetie. I didn't realize." She rocked him back and forth like any mother would do.

"You didn't realize what?"

"That you're a low-down, no-good, coward!" Azami opened her arms and let Jakken fall into the cold water. "Don't bother me anymore, toad," she told him as she walked back to the fire.

Sesshomaru stepped into the camp. "Wolf," he called.

Azami looked up. "My Lord," she said, bowing respectfully.

"Start packing," Sesshomaru told her, throwing a new bag at her feet. "We're moving."

Azami nodded. She rolled up the blankets and packed everything into the bag Sesshomaru had provided. Her weapons were quickly strapped into place: the two swords at her side; the bow and quiver of arrows at her back; two daggers in each boot; throwing knives in her hair and up her sleeve; and a crossbow that she carried in one hand. Sesshomaru looked down at the crossbow in her hand and raised an eyebrow in question.

Azami smiled as she said, "It was too pretty to pass up. I had to steal one of my own. Besides," she continued walking past Sesshomaru. "It's not like those humans were using it anyway." Azami looked back over her shoulder. "Are we going or what?" she asked.

Sesshomaru walked steadily alongside Azami. Jakken was behind them, struggling under the weight of the bag. He teetered off and on the trail.

"Milord!" he huffed, situating the bag again. "While I am glad to be of service to you, might'n you make the wolf carry the bag?" Sesshomaru didn't answer. "Milord?" Jakken asked.

"Live with it, toad," Azami answered. "I'm carrying the weapons. Lord Sesshomaru is carrying the power. And you're stuck carrying the bag."

A few days later, the trio came upon a crystal clear stream. Azami dropped everything and rushed to drink from it. "That's good," she sighed. She splashed the icy water on her face. She turned back to Sesshomaru. "If we follow the stream, it may lead us to a lake. And then I can take a proper bath."

Sesshomaru nodded. "Let's proceed."

Azami picked up her things and followed Sesshomaru onwards. They kept close to the stream. After a while, the stream opened out into a large lake.

Azami rushed forward. "Perfect!" she exclaimed. "Jakken, set up camp. I'm going for a bath."

"But, Milord," Jakken said, looking up at Sesshomaru.

"Do as she says, Jakken," Sesshomaru commanded.

The sun was setting when Azami finally decided to dry off and get dressed. Azami turned in the water. She saw him. Sesshomaru was lying in the shallow portion of the water, completely naked. He watched Azami as she stood in the water, her hair flowing about her, caressing her body.

She walked towards Sesshomaru, their eyes locked on each other's. I guess I'm not going to go to sleep just yet, she thought to herself. Azami straddled him and bent her head forward to press her lips to his.

When morning broke Jakken hurried off to find Lord Sesshomaru. "Milord?" he called. "My Lord Sesshomaru! Where are you? Milord?"

Azami slowly opened her eyes. She felt Sesshomaru's arm around her waist and his body close to hers. His breathing was slow and even. Azami's hair was tangled and spread in every direction across the ground.

Not wanting to leave the feeling of Sesshomaru so close to her, Azami just snuggled closer to him. She felt him tighten his grip on her and nuzzle her neck.

"Jakken is coming," she whispered.

"So let him come," he whispered back. "We have a blanket over us. I took one from camp last night while you were asleep."

"Sesshomaru," she said, turning to face him.

"Azami," he responded, rolling on top of her.

Azami wrapped a leg around Sesshomaru's as he kissed her, moving steadily from her lips to her neck and onward. She moaned, tangling her hands into Sesshomaru's hair again.

"She truly has betrayed me!" the demon thought to himself. "She has had sex with that. I told her that she was mine. I told her! They must be taught a lesson."

"Sesshomaru," Azami gasped. "Don't you think it's time we move on?"

"Five more minutes," he said playfully.

"Okay, but that's all the time you get. You had better move quickly."

The sun was directly overhead. Sesshomaru and Azami had dressed, and were now walking through the forest. Jakken, again, was forced to carry the burden of the tent.

A screeching sound came from a tree above the trio. Jakken dropped the bag and scrambled behind Sesshomaru for protection. Azami pulled out one sword, holding the crossbow in the other hand. She searched the trees and surrounding area. Nothing moved. Nothing made a sound.

"Come on," Azami whispered. "Where are you? Come and fight me."