Katara slammed the book shut and rubbed her eyes, letting loose a tremendous yawn. She had been reading for most of the night, and had found out some pretty impressive things about Sesshoumaru's Western Lands. She was exhausted, but for some reason wanted to keep reading.
She cracked the book open again, and began to read. The Feudal Japan territory is divided into four sections ruled over by powerful demons. The Northern Lands, the Southern Lands, the Eastern Lands, and the Western Lands...

Sesshoumaru walked into the library, and found one very sleepy hanyou still reading. He could tell that she was about to pass out from exhaustion, and wondered how long she had been reading. He walked into the room, and stood right in front of the big comfy chair where she was sitting. He looked at the cover of the book she was reading. The Western Lands 'Strange.' he thought. 'I didn't think she'd be too interested in what goes on in my lands. One more thing to keep me up at night.' Katara was either too absorbed in her book, or she was to tired to notice the demon lord that stood in front of her. "Hello." said Sesshoumaru, startling her. She slammed the book shut, and got up. "L-Lord Sesshoumaru! What brings you here?" Sesshoumaru very nearly had to smile. She must have been so startled, that she actually called him by his proper title. "I live here.", he said stoically.(spelling?)
Katara seemed to realize what she had said, and looked apologetic. "I-I'm sorry, I'm just so tired. I just finished healing myself, and that always takes a big chunk out of my energy. I-" Sesshoumaru didn't get to hear what she was about to say, because next thing he knew, Katara's hand flew up to her head, and she dropped to the floor. Quick as a flash, Sesshoumaru picked her up in his arms, (yes, ARMS!) and began carrying her to her room. Katara protested, but very little. "Sesshoumaru, put me down! I-I'm fine! Ugh...maybe not.", she said, feeling a headache pounding through her head.
Sesshoumaru looked down at her. "Of course you're not fine. You need to get some rest, and I intend to make sure you do, Kat.", he realized what he had just blurted out. 'WHAT did I just say! That could not have been me! I'd never call her by anything else than her full name, so why did I say that?', he thought.
Katara was thinking something along the same lines. Did he just call me Kat? It sounded like his voice, but it was so unlike him! He doesn't look like the type that would give give someone a nickname. If this wasn't the feudal era, I'd claim that some aliens possesed him. Still, it's a rather cute nick-name, if a bit obvious... she mused.
She rested her head against him, and closed her eyes. Sesshoumaru was...I guess "weirded out" is the term...at first, but then he grew more comfortable. 'She's just tired.' he thought to himself. He was startled to realize something. 'Is she...purring?' But it was true, the cat hanyou was fast asleep, and definetely purring. 'I hope she didn't notice the "Kat" remark. Why DID I let that slip? It's not like I was thinking it...' Sesshoumaru entered her room, and set her down on the bed gently. Katara opened her eyes and lifted her arm slightly, as if reaching out to him. Sesshoumaru thought he saw fear engraved in her crimson eyes. 'What is she so afraid of?' He took her hand, and suddenly felt himself being pulled away from his body. 'What the-!' He found himself standing in a dark place, light coming from somewhere, but there was no source visible. 'Where am I?' He tried to speak, to call out, anything, and found his voice useless. 'Why can't I talk? What is this place?'
You're in my mind. he heard a voice say inside his head, just as he saw Katara step out of the shadows.
'I'm WHERE!' Even though his expression was stoic, his tone of voice said otherwise.
Katara remained relatively calm, even though she knew he wasn't supposed to be here. If it found out, it might get out of her control.
'You're in my mind.' she repeated. 'I brought you here.'
He glared at her.
'And why would you do that?'
She looked at her feet, a sheepish expression playing on her face.
'I'm not sure. It was kind of an accident. You touched me just as it was dragging me away, so it dragged you in with me.'
Sesshoumaru looked confused. This talking telepatically felt weird. Katara's voice resounded in his head, instead of around him. He focused back on what she was saying.
'It? Who's "It"?' he asked her. She walked up to him, closing the space between them.
'Something got loose. Something bad. I'm not sure what it is, but it's inside my mind, feeding off of me. It's a parasite.'
She looked into his piercing amber eyes.
'It's a curse.'
She turned away from him and looked out into the darkness.
'It's in there. Waiting. waiting for me. I didn't think it would come so soon.'
Sesshoumaru was frustrated. What was she talking about? What was this...thing waiting for her?
'Katara, you're not making any sense.'
She turned around abruptly, facing him.
'You have to go. You have to get out of here! If it comes...if it get's loose...'
Sesshoumaru put a hand on her shoulder, and sqeezed it lightly.
'I'm not going anywhere, Katara. If something is after you, I'm going to help you fight it.'
She looked up at him, and he saw that she was on the verge of tears.
'That's just it, Sesshoumaru! I can't fight it! The most I could do is lock it up, until it gets out again! And probably not even that, seeing as my energy is sapped.'
Sesshoumaru still had his hand on her shoulder.
'Katara, what is this thing that's after you?'
She looked away from him.
'I told you! It's-'
She paused, listening. Sesshoumaru detected a scent of pure fear coming from her.
'It's coming. It's loose.' He felt her shaking, and he wondered just what could make this cool and collected hanyou shake like that. Katara turned around to face him.
'Sesshoumaru, you have to get out of here! Leave!'
Sesshoumaru saw something slither in and out of the shadows. He fixed his cold gaze on Katara.
'I'm not going anywhere.'
Katara looked up at him, eyes wide with shock.
'What?'
'I'm...not...going...anywhere. I'm staying right here until you're safe.'
She could feel herself blushing, and turned away. Suddenly she rammed into Sesshoumaru. Hard. They both lied on the floor, Katara on top of him. They both looked up, and saw something that made their blood run cold. Right where Sesshoumaru had been standing, was a giant, slimy, snake-like demon, baring all 500 sharp pointy fangs.(If you've ever Watched Buffy The Vamp. Slayer, picture the demon that the Mayor became on Buffy's graduation.)
'Don't try to run, Katara...' They heard a venemous voice whisper.
Sesshoumaru realized that the voice was coming from the demon. Of course, it was speaking to them in their minds.
'You know I'll get you eventually, sssssssssssso why don't you come to me now, and make thisssssssss eassssssssier on yourssssssssself.'
Sesshoumaru felt Katara get up, and saw that she was in a daze. He wondered what was wrong with her. Why was she going toward the demon?
'That'sssssssss right. Come to me, Katara.'
Katara kept walking toward the giant snake, oblivious of anything going on around her.
The demon's tail suddenly came out of the darkness, and wrapped itself around Katara.
Sesshoumaru saw that the demon had done something to her.
'Katara, wake up! Get away from this demon!'
Katara couldn't hear him. Her eyes were locked onto the demon's.
Sesshoumaru got up and reached toward Katara, grasping her hand. It was as if a spell had been lifted. She looked at him, bewildered.
'Sesshoumaru...Where am I?'
'Beat this demon, Katara. Lock it away.'
She nodded and let go of his hand, grasping the jewel pendant on her neck. Seeing Sesshoumaru there, cheering her on silently, gave her the burst of energy she needed.
The jewel in her hand began to glow red. The demon dropped her, and scurried away into the darkness.
'Oh, no you don't!' she thought fiercely.
'YOU'RE NOT GETTING AWAY THAT EASILY!'
A light burst from the jewel, cutting through the darkness, and hitting the demon. Katara saw red chains appear around every extremity, chaining him to that part of her mind. She knew it wouldn't hold him for long, but she hoped that it would be for long enough.
She took Sesshoumaru's hand, wrapping her fingers around his, and looked up into his amber eyes.
'Let's get outta here.'