Chapter Four
EternalAffliction: Sorry, they don't run into each other for a little while, so you'll have to wait to find out. I hope this chapter is alright anyway.
lil-kag0m3: Thank you, I'm glad that you liked it. Here is the next chapter, enjoy.
Taeniaea: Here's an update. Thank you for the review.
Inutashio: Thank you for the review, I'm glad you liked it.
Tippy-chan: Lol, well as for "calming" him down, you'll have to see if she can do that at all, let alone how. I haven't decided yet if she will succeed or not when they meet, and finally confront everything. Yes, I had to put Sessho-maru in this fic, I've been told that was what my fics have been missing in the past, so here he is, hope he throws good twists into this. OK, well, thank you for the review, enjoy chapter four.
Disclaimer: Rumiko Takahashi owns all of the Inu gang, not me, but Hokori and Mayoka are my characters, ok, there I said it. Enjoy chapter four!
"Who are you?" The ouji asked again. The child swallowed before her lips moved silently. His eyebrow rose slightly. "Sorry, didn't catch that."
"Mayoka, my name's Mayoka." The human repeated a little louder. Koga's nose worked again, catching no scent of the Miko around.
"Well then, Mayoka, you really don't know where Kagome is?" He questioned. The girl shook her head.
"I haven't seen her since last night…" She didn't tell the youkai about the fight they had had. Koga silently turned to Hokori then.
"Where is she?" He whispered, his eyes hinting worry. The Neko growled softly as he nodded toward the direction of his master's battlefield. Koga nodded stiffly. "Thanks." He moved to run off.
"Wait!" Mayoka called, stopping the ouji. His hazel orbs turned back.
"What is it, girl?" He growled.
"I want to come."
He gave a bark-like laugh. "You're injured, and a human child. What use could you be?"
"Please, she saved my life…" And I treated her so badly… "I wish to repay her somehow." Her voice was desperate, her eyes lowered. The youkai stared at her for a second before catching the Neko's eye. Hokori nodded ever so slightly, agreeing to watch over the child.
"Fine, just stay with Hokori." Koga finally stated. Her eyes brightened as she nodded.
"Thank you." She replied softly as the ouji took off in a tornado, the Neko jumping into the air after him.
((Across A Land))
He stopped, a new scent registering in his feuding mind. He sniffed the air before dropping to the ground on all fours. Neither hanyou or youkai liked this new scent, it meant competition.
Sessho-maru…
His head lifted as his bloody red eyes scanned the area. Kagome's blood was mixed with his half-brother's scent. Whether she was with him by choice the Inu didn't know.
He growled as he changed direction, following the new scent—toward the Western Lands boarder.
((Across A Land))
The wind blew softly against her skin, brushing her ebony hair against her neck and face. His silver strands mimicked hers; blowing behind him in waves. It took all of her will to keep eye contact with the powerful youkai. Her heart pounded, trying desperately to pump frozen blood through her veins.
"Why have you come?" She finally broke the stillness. He blew air out of his nose in a snort of laughter as he closed his eyes. She watched as he raised his clawed hand to his face. Her eyes widened slightly as he formed this yellow energy whip, destroying the fifty or so remaining youkai around them with one flick of his wrist. She closed her mouth and swallowed. "Sessho-maru?"
"Have you encountered him?" The youkai replied, his eyes reopening slowly.
"Who…?" Did the youkai Lord know about Inu-Yasha?
"Why my little brother. I've heard you've been looking for him."
"Why—"
"Have you encountered him?" Sessho-maru snapped. The Miko jumped slightly. "Answer the question, woman." His eyes were narrowed dangerously.
"I…" Her voice dropped, her eyes finally lowering from his molten gold gaze. "No…he always runs off before I can get to him."
"Are you prepared to meet him face to face? Are you ready to fight…to the death?" His final words rang in her head like a bell. To the death…?
Her hands clenched tightly around the weapons in them. "Why are you here, Sessho-maru?" The woman asked again.
"To help you." He replied coolly. Her head snapped up, her eyes locking with his again.
"Why would you do that?"
"You are strong, but untrained. Did you think you could defeat my brother with you looks? His mind is not able to recognize your face from any other. I am offering you a way to get through his youki, to the human heart still buried somewhere."
"How would I do that?" The Miko was skeptical of the youkai's words. Why would he help me help his brother who he despises?
"You must come to the Western Lands."
"But—"
"Once you are trained, you will find him; you will find Inu-Yasha."
((Across A Land))
Sango smiled brightly as a burned out village came into view around noon. "Miroku, we're home!" She exclaimed. The Houshi leaned to his left slightly so he could see around the Taijiya.
"I see, Sango…" His smile faded into a frown as he concentrated. "Do you feel that?"
"Yes…it seems familiar." She replied, her smile also dropping. They got closer to the entrance of the Taijiya village.
"Kirara!" A young voice called out suddenly. All three of them looked down to see the little Kitsune Shippo smiling and waving up at them.
"Shippo!" Sango called, waving back. "Let's go down, Kirara." She said. The Neko did as told, landing next to the younger youkai. "What are you doing here, Shippo?"
"Yes, I thought you were going on alone now?" Miroku added, sliding off the Neko after the Taijiya.
"Well, I waited for Kagome in the village, ever since everyone left, but she never returned… not to the Well or to Kaede's for anything…" His ears drooped in sadness. The adults shared a glance before Sango scooped the child into her arms.
"Everything's alright now, you're not alone anymore. You can stay with Miroku, Kirara, and me. You can help us rebuild the Taijiya village. What do you say?" The woman said with a smile. The kit grinned at her again.
"I would love to, thank you, Sango."
((Across A Land))
Koga stopped, his nose working again. "Kagome's hurt…and that bastard Sessho-maru's scent is all over." The ouji's hands flexed their claws. "If he hurt her…" He left his threat at that, looking up at Hokori and the human above him. "Sessho-maru was here! And Kagome's moving!" He called. The Neko roared in response.
Koga's head lowered as he changed direction, following the new scent. Why would she be with him? Why would he want her? The youkai was confused with the pairing of the Miko and Inu youkai Lord. I'll find her, they couldn't have gotten far.
((Across A Land))
"Sessho-maru…" His name whispered passed her lips, but his youkai hearing allowed him to catch it. She had fallen asleep almost the instant he had lifted her into his arm. His golden orbs lowered to her still form as he ran on.
She was exhausted, he had smelled that as soon as hi had caught her scent. She had pushed herself past what any normal mortal could. He was impressed; the woman really was powerful, even if she had only tapped into some of that strength. She would be a force to recon with once he was done with her; maybe even stronger than he himself was.
"Why…Inu-Yasha…?" She muttered again in her sleep. She turned slightly, unconsciously moving closer to the youkai's strong, warm chest. His eyes lifted again as a forest came into view in the distance.
Perfect… The youkai sped up, wanting to reach the cover of the trees quickly.