Disclaimer: I do not own any of the copyrighted/licensed/trademarked materials mentioned in this fanfiction (from InuYasha to my references to Nine Inch Nails or Harry Potter). They are the properties of their respective copyright holders and I in no way am insinuating that I own them. (Consider it free advertising.) I only own the storyline and any new characters that may crop up.


Chapter One: The Night Before

Gray clouds hung low in the air. The skies threatened snow as eleven people gathered in a camp scooted closer to a fire to keep warm or fought to erect a tent for some sense of shelter. They were a motley crew, consisting of six demons, four humans, and one grumpy half-demon. The tension around the camp was thick and nearly tangible, like their misty breath that curled like smoke in the air. Ginta and Hakkaku kept nervously glancing between Koga, InuYasha, and Sesshomaru, as if half expecting a fight to break out at any second. Jaken grumbled under his breath while Rin and Shippo drew pictures with the crayons Kagome brought from her era. Kagome, Miroku, and Sango fought to assemble the large tent that Kagome was forced to take from home. InuYasha sat deep in thought while petting Kilala. Rin and Shippo giggled between themselves at some private joke. She stood and bowed to Shippo, "Thank you for letting me use your crayons, Shippo." She happily ran around the camp heading for the one person whom she was always happy to see.

"Lord Sesshomaru," she said with her hands behind her back.

Sesshomaru turned to her slowly. Despite his cold demeanor, he was happy to see her as well. "Yes Rin."

She shuffled her feet, feeling a little less confident now that she was face-to-face with her lord. "With the battle tomorrow, my lord, I – uh . . . I made you something. It's for good luck," she slowly pulled a hand out from behind her back to reveal the picture she drew. It was a crayon drawing of Rin and Sesshomaru with Jaken squawking in the background.

"This Sesshomaru does not need luck to destroy Naraku."

Rin looked heartbroken. "You don't like it, my lord?"

"I did not say that."

Rin suddenly launched herself at him and hugged him round the neck. "Be safe tomorrow, Lord Sesshomaru." And as fast as she was there, she was gone. Sesshomaru was stunned. He looked and saw the same expression on other faces. Ginta and Hakkaku looked away, trying to pretend they had not seen a ten-year-old girl hug the demon lord and give him a gift. Koga simply nodded to Sesshomaru as if to say that there was no shame in the girl's concern and affection. When all had turned away, Sesshomaru noticed the drawing was lying in his lap. With a quick flash of golden eyes to note the coast was clear, Sesshomaru folded the paper in quarters and stowed it in the folds of his haori. If only he knew he had missed a pair of brown doe eyes belonging to a seventeen-and-a-half year old priestess.

Kagome smiled to herself and returned to helping Miroku and Sango stake down the tent. I'm glad to see that someone shows concern for him. Jaken is far too proud, and I don't think he's had anyone to be concerned for him since his father died.

"Kagome," Sango said softly.

"Yeah," Kagome said, snapping out of her reverie.

"Only one more stake and we should be done."

"Great! It'll be nice to have some shelter. I just can't believe my mom made me bring this thing along with all those extra blankets! I just said it looked like snow! It's an oddly cold March. But, I'm glad she insisted all the same. I wouldn't want anyone left out in the cold."

Miroku brought the mallet down on the last stake repeatedly. He paused to acknowledge Kagome's kindness. "I am glad your mother sent us such fine things. Give her our thanks when you next return home."

"Bah!" exclaimed Jaken, who appeared out of nowhere, "A true demon would never accept help or shelter from a pathetic human!"

A fist came crashing down on Jaken's skull before he could continue. "Speak for yourself, toad!" Koga scolded, "And the next time I hear you insult Kagome or her family, I won't be so generous." Koga turned, took Kagome's tender hands in his rough, clawed ones, and then bowed. "As the lord of the Wolf Demon Tribe, we accept the generosity of Kagome and her clan."

Kagome returned the bow, "You and yours are most welcome," she turned to Sesshomaru next to make a point, "And you three are welcome to join us as well, there are more than enough blankets."

Since their small alliance formed a month ago, there has had to be a lot of bending due to a major clash of personalities. The bickering has mainly been caused by Jaken, and has usually ended with Kagome in tears and Koga or InuYasha (or both) beating Jaken to a pulp. However, tonight Kagome was in for another surprise.

A clawed hand grasped Jaken's bruised head roughly. Sesshomaru glared down at the little imp and lifted him off the ground. Without a single word, Sesshomaru walked off with a pleading Jaken firmly imprisoned in his grip. Miroku, Sango, Kagome, and the three wolf demons watched as the figures of the demon lord and his underling faded into the surrounding trees.

"What was that about?" Sango asked of no one in particular.

"I'm not sure," Kagome said softly.

Sesshomaru did not stop until he knew himself to be well past a dog demon's earshot. He dropped Jaken unceremoniously and strode a few paced beyond the toad. Jaken stood and brushed the dirt and dead leaves from his garments. The toad soon found the point of Tokijin resting upon the tip of his beak.

"My lord!" he shrieked, "What have I done to warrant this?"

"Listen closely, Jaken, for I will say it only once: Cease antagonizing InuYasha's wench. Despite the fact that she is only human, she has every right as we to fight Naraku. For without her standing with us all, it will be damn near it impossible to defeat Naraku once and for all. It sat not well with this Sesshomaru to ally himself with humans, wolf demons, and half breeds, but unless we unite, all will fall under Naraku's evil. Do you understand me, Jaken?"

Jaken trembled as all that his lord spoke sank into his thick skull. He dropped to his knees and bowed before Sesshomaru, "Aye, milord. I will not upset the girl any further. You have my word."

Sesshomaru sheathed Tokijin and began to walk back to camp, "Very well." Jaken began to follow when Sesshomaru stopped abruptly to say, "And Jaken, as a sign that you have indeed understood the extent of what is at risk, and to calm the little miko, I want for you to apologize to her." He resumed walking, a small smirk playing on his lips at the thought of Jaken's punishment and absolute mortification.

Apologize to a mortal! Oh, the indignity! By, if my lord wills it thus . . . And so, Jaken did not even grunt about the punishment set before him. He scurried along to keep up with his master. Their breath steamed and clouded about them as they traveled back down the path they had taken away from camp. Soon, the fire twinkled in the distance and the tent stood tall amongst the trees. As Sesshomaru drew nearer, he saw Kagome sitting by the campfire with Shippo cuddled on one side and Rin on the other. Everyone else was presumably in the tent. Instinctively, Kagome turned to look down the path. She roused the dozing children and stood to greet Sesshomaru.

"Rin insisted on waiting for you. Shippo and I didn't want to leave her alone," she said.

Ignoring the pleasantries, Sesshomaru went straight for Jaken's pride. "Kagome, Jaken has something he wishes to tell you."

Jaken visibly blushed despite his green skin, for he did not expect to apologize in front of witnesses. Rin looked as though Christmas came early. Sesshomaru let the playful, satisfied smirk slip again. Jaken gulped down some of that lofty pride, slowly bowed, and said in an embarrassed, hushed tone, "I apologize for disrespecting you." His voice trailed off. Jaken received a deadly glare from Sesshomaru. He swallowed again and resumed, "And your family." Sesshomaru's eyes said "Go on …" Jaken swallowed all that was left of his pride, "And I graciously accept your hospitality."

"Thank you, Jaken," Kagome returned the bow.

"Rin it's time for you to go in. It is too cold for you out here," Sesshomaru said.

"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru." The young girl turned to thank Kagome and Shippo for keeping her company and then pivoted and followed Sesshomaru into the tent with Jaken in tow. Kagome and Shippo followed the trio.

The tent was warm due to all the people within its canvas walls. Shippo joined Rin beside the small mountain of blankets provided by Kagome's mother. Rin soon approached Sesshomaru and Jaken bearing three blankets (one large and two small). Funnily enough, Rin handed Jaken a blanket with a large frog perched atop a lily pad. The blanket for Sesshomaru was embellished with stars and moons. Kagome chuckled as Jaken stared at his bedding with dismay.

As they all gathered their blankets and makeshift pillows, InuYasha stood to make an announcement. "All right everyone. Everything we have all worked for will be ended tomorrow. Be careful, and get some rest. We'll be up before the sun." Everyone nodded.

InuYasha settled down and pulled Kagome close to him. She smiled softly and gathered Shippo to her, and he snuggled into her warmth. Miroku put his arm around Sango and she did not slap him nor did she call him a lecher. Sesshomaru and Jaken slept a bit closer to Rin. And Koga bid everyone a good night without calling anyone "mutt face" for a change.

They all knew that with the dawn their lives would change forever.


Sesshomaru was waked a few hours later by a small fox demon cuddling up between him and Rin. He gave Shippo a piercing glare and the fox pup gave him a "please-forgive-me-you-oh-so-much-more-powerful-than-me-demon" smile. Sesshomaru looked to where Shippo had been sleeping alongside Kagome and InuYasha. There was only a pile of blankets.

"Where are they, kitsune?" he whispered.

Shippo frowned. "My name is 'Shippo', not 'kitsune'!" he whispered venomously.

"Fine, Shippo, where are they?" he retorted through gritted fangs.

"How should I know? I woke up about ten minutes ago and they were sneaking out of the tent holding hands. I figured I could just sneak over and sleep here, by Rin," Shippo whined.

"Very well. Keep an eye on her. I shall return shortly." Sesshomaru uncovered himself and quietly left the tent. My filthy, half breed brother had better not have skulked off with his wench in tow to destroy Naraku! I will have his head if that is the case! Koga and his underlings can fight over the leftovers . . .

Sesshomaru stalked their tracks of slightly indented patches in the grass and undergrowth. Their path did not seem to be heading for Naraku's palace, so Lord Sesshomaru relaxed slightly. So, he has a brain after all. He reached to push a cluster of low hanging branches out of his way when he heard Kagome's voice.

"InuYasha!" she gasped.

Sesshomaru stopped, giving new meaning to "silent as the grave." His hand still rested upon the branches as he listened. He heard movement, and InuYasha groan, "Kagome." Sesshomaru slowly moved a single, small, leafy branch aside with his index finger to clear his view.

By Kami!

His amber eyes reflected the image of InuYasha and Kagome in each other's most passionate of embraces and moving to the very rhythm of nature's act of love and creation. Sesshomaru let the branch spring back into its place, turned on his heel, and walked back to the tent.

When he returned he encountered many questions from Shippo. "Did you find them? Are they hurt? What are they doing?"

At that question Sesshomaru simply commanded, "Shippo, tomorrow Kagome will smell different but she will not know it. You must not say anything about it."

"Why?"

His hair almost stood on end, "Just don't speak of it! My order is enough!"

Shippo gave him that "you're lame" look (that he's so good at) and just grumbled, "Geez, okay. I'll keep my mouth shut."

"Good. Now go to bed."

The young kitsune, too young and innocent (not to mention smart) to know better, did not press the matter with Lord Sesshomaru and simply went back to sleep, absentmindedly petting Rin's hair. However, Lord Sesshomaru lay awake. What new complications will this bring about? Every demon nose in this contraption will be able to smell the fact that she mated with my brother . . . ugh, how nauseating . . . The wolf will not be pleased with this. This Sesshomaru does not care whose feelings are hurt, so long as we still have enough hands to defeat Naraku. I will kill InuYasha if I had to swallow my pride and join with them for nothing! All of this hangs on whether or not that damned wolf can let go of a human! The alliance may fall apart . . . and it will all be for one night of blind passion. How pathetic . . .

Damn you, InuYasha . . .

As if on cue, Sesshomaru heard a pair of footsteps nearing the tent. He feigned sleep as InuYasha and Kagome crept back into the tent. They slowly made their way back to their spot and settled down quietly. Sesshomaru could smell the remnants of their mating. InuYasha's scent was all over the girl … it would be forever.

Soon, InuYasha and Kagome's soft, measured breathing joined the others' while Sesshomaru stared at the canvas ceiling.