A/N: Ugh. So, I didn't update yesterday because my plane was REALLY delayed and I ended up spending more hours in an airport than I can count. I was so tired on the plane that I even forgot that I hated plane travel, and when I got home, I promptly conked out. And today, I discovered that my file for this was deleted, so I had to retype it all. Thankfully, this second draft turned out better.

But I've really had a bad day...with unforseen events and disappointments, and trying to search for cosplay items online. And then of course, I ended up watching a few Inuyasha episodes that I love (Amanda, I really, REALLY love you now.) so yeah, this is why this chapter is late.

My trip to Vegas was fun, if you want to know, I just wish it was longer. It was nice to see old friends, and revisit the place I had lived for the longest in my life, but I did get a bit choked up when I visited my old haunts, especially my house. When we drove by, it almost felt like we were going to drive into the garage, and like it hadn't been a year since I moved away...And, of course, I rode the roller coaster at the NewYork, NewYork hotel a few times, which was totally worth the horrible plane ride out there.

Sigh...but now I am back and I have to wait another year (at the very least) until I can go back, but it was a nice trip.

One more thing, I made a deal to get my Inuyasha hating friend to watch one episode (she's already seen the first/second). Since I now have access to all the episodes, which one should I make her see? I'm still not sure if I want it to be a good one or one that'll torture her...ku ku ku...


Chapter 22: Danger Closing In

So young…so naive…I had never been happier when Inuyasha had finally told me he loved me. I felt as if I could float above the clouds, or do the impossible. I was in Heaven, there are no other words for it.

But our cold, wonderful winter was beginning to melt away. Inuyasha and I still clung to our winter dreams, living each day in a wonderful fantasy, but we would soon notice that winter was melting into a harsh spring. We soon began to realize the danger in our love, and felt the prick of the thorns beneath the rose. The world was no longer safe for young lovers anymore.

With the cold slowly receding to warm up and melt the crystalline snow, the youkai awoke from their winter slumber to regain their attack once more. And after spending a few months doing nothing in the village and myself going home every week, we soon found ourselves called out to fight and exterminate youkai once more.

It was on one occasion that Inuyasha and I began to realize what we were falling into, and where it would eventually lead if we could not stop. The danger that lay in our love was becoming more and more evident…and soon, we would not be able to ignore it any longer…and make our final choice that would determine our fates…


"Well, here we are," Kagome said, looking up at the mountain that stood before them. It wasn't the tallest mountain she had seen, but it made up for it with the slightly ill feeling of jyaki that floated in the air. She pulled her coat tighter around her; it was probably cold once they were in the caves inside the mountain. It was already cold outside, though grass was beginning to show through the melting snow, and Kagome didn't particularly care to be left freezing.

Inuyasha stepped forward, sniffing the air. "Yeah, there are the scents of youkai around here; we've got the right place."

Shippou's eyes got wider. "Sc-scents? You mean there's more than one?"

"How many are there, Inuyasha?" Sango asked, tightening the hold on Hiraikotsu.

The hanyou sniffed again, but he shook his head. "It's impossible to tell. This must have been a nest for some time; there are hundreds of different scents."

"Let us hope that there not hundreds of them when we go in," Miroku said, glancing at the dark entrance of the mountain that lay before them

"Oh, come on, you babies," Inuyasha muttered, marching towards the dark entrance. "What are you afraid of? I'm up for a good fight."

Rolling his eyes, Miroku commented, "You always are, Inuyasha," before they followed him in.

A few feet in, it was impossible to see. With the assistance of Shippou's Kitsunebi, they soon had two torches, which was just enough light to see the interior of the cave. Stalactites hung from the ceiling, dripping water on to the already slippery floor. The feeling of jyaki was even worse from inside, and Sango and Miroku both shivered from its energy.

They walked through the large cavern in silence, glancing around for any sign of youkai. Kagome jumped when they heard a sound from above, and Inuyasha held the torch up so they could see; thousands of bats lined the high, vaulted ceiling of the cave.

They walked in farther, until they came to the end of the large cave, but two paths branched off into the distance, both dark and unwelcoming. Inuyasha and Miroku glanced at each other. "We'll split up," Inuyasha decided.

"I agree," the monk replied. "My dear Sango and I shall take the left path, while you, Kagome-sama, and Shippou can take the right."

Inuyasha growled, "Hey, why do I get stuck with the runt?"

"Because Inuyasha, if you are with Shippou, then it is less likely that you and Kagome will get…ah, distracted," grinned the monk as they set off in one direction. They soon heard the monk receive a whack on the head for his comment, but he no doubt deserved it.

The hanyou still growled as the three of them took the other path. "I'll kill him," Inuyasha muttered as they walked down the dark and dripping path.

They wandered in silence, keeping an eye out for anything that moved, but nothing seemed to be in their way. They only spotted some insects here and there, but otherwise, the cave appeared deserted. If not for Kagome's powers and Inuyasha's nose, they would have thought they were mistaken.

The air got thicker as they kept going down, the path slicker. Several times Kagome tripped, to be caught by Inuyasha. Though it was nice to be caught by him, any other thoughts didn't dare enter their minds. For one thing, they were on an extermination, and for another, Shippou was close by. And ever since they had begun their journey again, Inuyasha and Kagome didn't have much time for themselves.

Finally, they came to the end of the path, which led to a dead end. A molding rock wall stood in front of them, with nothing else suggest there had ever been a way through. "Damn it," Inuyasha muttered. "We'll have to go back."

"Wait a minute, Inuyasha," Kagome said, sitting down beneath the wall. She pointed to the broken shells on the floor. "Eggs…there was a nest here."

Inuyasha handed her the torch and sniffed the eggshells for a moment. "It's been a while since they hatched. But these young have to be vulnerable; why else would the mother hide its nest all the way down here?"

"Someone has to tell Miroku-sama and Sango-chan." Kagome looked back at the hanyou. "They should probably know about this."

"Right…" he turned to the kitsune. "You go."

"Huh?" Shippou asked. "Why me?"

"Cause I said so." Shippou found himself suddenly picked up by his tail and launched down the path, quite sure that if Inuyasha had thrown him any harder, he would have flown outside of the cave.

That left Inuyasha and Kagome alone near the end of the path, Kagome still kneeling, looking at the youkai's nest. There was something strange about these eggs that were left behind, but she couldn't quite place it…It seemed like a bird's nest, but birds never built nests this deep into a cave…and flocking youkai usually never built nests away from the rest of the flock…

Deciding to get Inuyasha's opinion on this Kagome stood up and turned around, only to be faced with her hanyou…leaning very closely towards her. Her breath caught in her throat. "Inu…Inuyasha…"

"No one's here…" he whispered, leaning closer, tilting his head ever so slightly…

Kagome instantly scooted backward, feeling herself up against the rock wall that had blocked their path. "Wait, Inuyasha…we can't…I mean, we're not supposed to…we're on a mission and—"

A gasp escaped her as Inuyasha leaned down suddenly and pressed his lips against hers. All resistance faded as Kagome melted into his embrace, unable to fight any longer.

The torch fell to the ground with a clatter.


"So, the Hanyou and Miko discovered the nest of the youkai. It had been there for a long time, but the Miko knew there was something odd about a youkai leaving its young unprotected like that…like they doubted anyone could come in to harm them. So while the Hanyou and Miko waited by the nest, they sent the Kitsune to alert their friends who had taken the other path—"

"Wait a minute, Kagome-chan," Sango interrupted Kagome's narrative, looking a bit unsure.

"Yes, Sango-chan?" Kagome asked, wondering about the strange look on her friend's face.

"This cave you're talking about…was it the cave with the youkai…and the crumbling cavern?"

Kagome thought for a moment. "Yes, I think so. Why?"

To Kagome's surprise, Sango suddenly blushed, and looked away. "Nothing…"

Raising a curious eyebrow against her friend's behavior, Kagome wondered what could have possibly happened in the cave to Sango to make her act like that…something she had hardly ever seen the exterminator do. But her thoughts were cut short as Inuko asked, "So what happened next, Mama?"

Sighing, Kagome continued, "Like I was saying, the Hanyou and the Miko waited while they sent the Kitsune to alert their friends to their find…"


"Houshi-sama," Sango asked, while she and Miroku continued down the path. "Don't you think it was a little cruel to make Shippou go with Kagome-chan and Inuyasha?"

"Not at all, my dear Sango," the monk replied. "I know that Inuyasha and Kagome-sama both know that we are on a mission right now, and that they probably would not think of such things, but they cannot afford to be distracted now."

"I doubt that they would let that happen right now," she answered. "Kagome-chan is responsible, and so is Inuyasha…on occasion. They both know the risk."

Sighing, Miroku looked back at Sango and grinned, "Sango, dearest, you are one of the most intelligent women I have met, yet you do underestimate the mind of a man."

As they continued walking, she muttered, "I never underestimate yours." That, at least, got a smirk from the monk.

Finally, the narrow passage opened out into an even bigger cavern then the one they had started in. Looking high above them, they could see a small shaft of light above, yet the rest of the cave was covered in darkness.

Sango walked towards the center. "Is this where the youkai is supposed to be? Because of all places, this is the most likely—" She let out a gasp as she suddenly lost her balance on the hidden edge of the floor, and nearly fell into the dark abyss.

"Sango!" Miroku cried, grabbing her from behind in the nick of time, and pulling her back against his side as the torch fell into the drop, the pinprick of light soon fading as it fell.

The exterminator's heart still raced, shaken up from the encounter. She felt Kirara rub herself against the leg of her black extermination outfit, also glad she was safe. "Thank you, Houshi-sama," she breathed, glad he had been there to catch her.

The monk chuckled for a moment. "Anytime, Sango…" Her eyes met his deep violet ones. "Beautiful, wonderful Sango…"

Her heart was still racing, but not from her almost fall any longer. "H-Houshi-sama…" Why wasn't he letting her go? His arm was still around her waist, the other against her shoulders, pulling her against his side. And the talk they had earlier about Kagome and Inuyasha only seemed to heighten the mood…

Faintly, in the back of the exterminator's mind, it registered that it really wasn't the time for this, but most of her consciousness didn't seem to care. Sango's brown eyes widened as Miroku leaned closer and whispered, "I'll always be there to catch you when you fall."

"R-right…" Why was it that she could get so angry at him for so many things, yet when he did this to her, she felt like she had melted into a pile of mush? He's probably had years of practice…she thought, and suddenly, all mood had been thrown out the window.

The monk had nothing standing in his way, but as he leaned in for the kill, Sango suddenly turned her cheek, so he only hit the mark there. Nevertheless, the exterminator still felt like she was on fire. When Miroku pulled away, stunned by her sudden action despite that he had seen the look in her eyes, he asked, "Sango, what is it?"

She pushed herself out of his arms. "We really shouldn't be doing this now…we're on a mission, after all." It was obvious to the monk that she was refusing to look at him. And it didn't take a man with many years of experience with women and their constantly changing emotions to figure out that she was troubled by something.

"Sango, please, what is it?" he grabbed her shoulder and turned her around…only to see tears in her eyes. "Sango?"

But their explanation was cut short when all of a sudden, the cave began to rumble. "What's that?" Miroku yelled, as giant pieces of rock fell from the walls.


The rumbling and shaking caused Inuyasha and Kagome to suddenly part. "What's happening?" she asked out loud.

"It's coming from the other direction!" the hanyou yelled, pulling her on to his back as he set off in the direction of Miroku and Sango. With Inuyasha running as fast as he could, they found their friends in no time, and it appeared that Shippou had found them too.

"What's going on?" Shippou cried, hanging on to Kagome's ankle for dear life.

"The cave is collapsing!" Sango was about to head for the exit, when Inuyasha stopped her.

"No, the youkai have found us."

Right as Inuyasha pulled out his sword, several dark shapes emerged from the endless dark below them. When they rose up into the small beam of light, their outline was clear; several large bird like youkai, the only difference between them and ordinary vultures was their incredible size—they were about as big as a man.

Nearly thirty of them swarmed overhead, before diving down at them, their beaks ready to strike. Inuyasha raised Tessaiga, roaring, "Kaze no Kizu!" The golden light erupted from his sword, along with the deadly winds as they raced towards the birds. The youkai flew away from the light, but some were not so lucky. They gave one last dying scream as they were disintegrated by the sword's youki.

All the birds that had survived the attack halted, staring down at the humans and hanyou, while they readied their weapons for another attack. It was clear that this fight would not be so easy.

But suddenly, all the birds that were going to attack them turned, as it called by something, and then flew up, and out through the small hole in the cavern ceiling, never turning back once. The humans had surprised looks on their faces, while Inuyasha looked like he wished they could come back so he could get a good fight.

"What was that all about?" Kagome wondered out loud, thinking the same thing as the others. Though they were glad the birds were gone, what could have called them off like that?


"Wait up, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken called, running after his master as the taiyoukai continued onward, never speaking a word. Suddenly, the green imp found himself hitting the back of his master's pant leg as he had stopped.

Rin ran up to him. "What is the matter, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

The youkai never spoke a word, but just stared at the sky as a flock of birds went by. But these were no ordinary birds…their youki suggested otherwise.

His eyes narrowed. No, they had more than one youki…it seemed that another youkai's power had been infused with theirs. And Sesshomaru recognized that youki…making his eyes narrow. Naraku…

As he glanced at the birds, he noticed that one seemed to be flying oddly. The reason was later discovered as this bird had one of its wings sheared off. Looking at the stump where its wing used to be, Sesshoumaru's empty sleeve flapped in the wind. He would recognize that sword cut anywhere. And…Inuyasha?


"Another youkai was working with those birds to protect them, I'm sure of it." Kagome spoke as they set up camp for the night.

"What are you talking about, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked, raising an eyebrow. "I think I would have noticed if another youkai had tried to protect them."

She glared back at him. Love him or not, she still hated it when he dismissed her thoughts as the worries of a human. "Will you listen to me please?" she yelled, jabbing her finger into his chest. "That nest we found, no youkai would leave their young so far away, and unprotected from the flock unless they were certain they wouldn't be hurt. The way that they seemed to be suddenly called off is also evidence, considering that we had intruded their territory. And to top it all off, I felt those birds have two separate youki infused together—proof that another youkai is offering them protection."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Keh. If another youkai is offering them protection, then why didn't it help when I attacked them, huh?"

Kagome gave a very Inuyasha-like growl. He could be so sure in the stupidest things sometimes. "Maybe it gave them more power instead of more defenses! And if you had looked at those eggs instead of forgetting what was going on and trying to make out with me—"

Inuyasha and Kagome were suddenly very aware that Miroku, Sango, and Shippou were watching them, and turned bright red as the three instantly found other things that seemed to greatly interest them. "Kagome…can we have this conversation elsewhere?"

"Whatever," she muttered, following him as he dragged her away from the camp and into the forest.

"Now," he growled, the last of the blush leaving his face once they were well out of earshot. "What are you mad at me for?"

"Mad? I'm mad because you didn't believe me when I told you I thought there was another youkai working with them!"

"Look, Kagome, if there was, then why didn't the youkai show himself?"

"I don't know! But the point is that there is a youkai working with those birds, I could tell!"

"Keh! If it was anything to worry about, then we'd be worrying about it. But the fact is that those birds don't have anything we should be concerned with, so why should we care?"

"Inuyasha! The village is being attacked by those birds! And you're saying we shouldn't care?"

"No, we shouldn't. We need to continue the search for Naraku, instead of caring about humans." Inuyasha began to stomp away, but Kagome stopped him with a single word.

"Why?"

The hanyou stopped, and turned around. "Why what?"

"Why are you saying we shouldn't care about humans now? We've helped humans before without your complaining, why are you in such a hurry to leave this village and look for Naraku?"

In two big strides, he stood across from her, looking down into her eyes with a serious look on his face. "Damn it, Kagome! Don't you understand? The sooner we defeat Naraku means the sooner we are free of his threat and the sooner we can be…" he didn't finish his statement, but where he had left it off caused Kagome's eyes to open wider.

Softly, she whispered, "We can be…what?"

Inuyasha didn't reply, but turned around quickly, hiding the pinkness that had spread to his cheeks. "Nothing. Just…look, there's no reason we should be worried about those villagers or those birds, okay?"

"You're wrong, Inuyasha,"a familiar and unwelcome voice said. Turning, Inuyasha saw Sesshoumaru walking towards him.

Pushing Kagome behind him, the hanyou growled, "Bastard, what are you doing here?"

The taiyoukai didn't respond to his statement, only said, "Your foolish pride is what gets you into so much trouble, Inuyasha."

"What do you mean?" he spat back.

Narrowing his eyes, Sesshoumaru replied, "I mean that you underestimate those youkai you fought. If you listened to your miko, then you would know that they are in fact joined with another youkai, Naraku."

Kagome gasped, "Naraku?"

Inuyasha stepped forward, yet still held his hand on Tessaiga. "Wait a minute, how do you know that?"

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes. "It is simple to discern one youkai's youki from another, you are just lazy in detecting it."

"Is that all you came here for, or was it something else?" the hanyou growled, but once again, Sesshoumaru ignored him, turning to Kagome.

"Miko, you are with Inuyasha all the time, are you not?"

Before Kagome got a chance to answer, Inuyasha shot back, "What about it?"

The taiyoukai dismissed his comment. "Miko, leave us. I must speak to my little brother alone."

Kagome glanced from one brother to another, wondering what Sesshoumaru wanted this time. "Umm…sure." She turned and left them alone, but she made sure that she was able to see and hear what they were saying. Whether Sesshoumaru wanted to be left alone with Inuyasha or not, she definitely was not going to leave them alone, not when they still wanted to kill each other.

"What do you want?" Inuyasha demanded, his amber eyes lighting up with an inner fire. He couldn't take much more of this.

Skipping any feigned pleasantries, Sesshoumaru got right to the point. "You have accepted that miko as your future mate, have you not?"

Kagome had never seen anyone blush faster, and she felt herself getting a little hot as well. Nevertheless, Inuyasha didn't deny it. "Wh-what about it?"

"She is covered in your scent."

Whatever Inuyasha had been expecting in this conversation, it had clearly not been this. "So? She just told you, she's with me all the time, it's no big deal—"

Glaring, his half brother replied, "You know it is not the same, little brother. Your scent has turned into the dominating type, warning all other males to stay away from what is yours."

Sputtering, the hanyou yelled, "Look, is it wrong of me to protect her? Maybe I don't want another guy hanging around her, is that such a crime? Anyone else would do the same!"

"And you cannot seem to keep your hands off her." Sesshoumaru accused, making both Inuyasha and Kagome turn bright red once more. In fact, Inuyasha was so flustered, that he couldn't even insult his brother.

"You…you…what are you getting at?"

After staring at the completely embarrassed hanyou, the taiyoukai replied, "I see. So you don't even realize what is happening."

Now completely fed up with his brother's accusations, Inuyasha roared, "What is it? What are you saying is happening?"

Despite how mad his brother was getting, Sesshoumaru still appeared as emotionless as he always did. "Your youkai blood demands that you mate with her, does it not?"

Silence. Inuyasha began growling after a second of being stunned as his brother's remark, but Kagome gasped and stared back at him. What? His youkai blood is telling him to… Then again, she had noticed how he couldn't seem to get enough kissing these days. Even when they were fighting minutes ago, she could see in his eyes that he wanted to grab her and kiss her. Was that why he was doing this? Because he wanted…

Her heart began pounding in her ears. But…he's never asked me yet…and…am I ready for that?

She pulled herself out of her thoughts as Sesshoumaru continued, "Yet, for some reason, you seem to be holding yourself back…Are you afraid to, like you were with your previous miko?"

Inuyasha growled as if he didn't hear his last statement, "Bastard. I can't imagine you telling me this out of concern. What are you really saying all this for?"

His brother's expression suddenly turned hard. "I will not allow this pure bloodline of our father's to be soiled any further."

"Keh! I don't give a damn about our father's bloodline, baka!" Inuyasha yelled, "This is my business, not yours! If you're so worried about the bloodline, go find some youkai wench and keep it 'pure' yourself!"

"Meaning that if you end up with any pups on your hands, do not expect them to be allowed into the family," Sesshoumaru finished, glaring at Inuyasha for his last statement.

The hanyou rolled his eyes. "Keh. Like I'd want to introduce any of my pups to your side of the family. Besides, wasn't Father already disowned once they found out about my mother anyway? Why would I have any ties to you?"

After a silence from the taiyoukai, Sesshoumaru said, "Be it as it may, I am just stating the facts." He turned to leave, but before he completely left his brother alone, he turned around and said, "And you might want to consider Naraku's presence before you do anything foolish." With that, he left.

As Sesshoumaru walked back to the camp his green subordinate and Rin had made, he felt Tenseiga begin to pulse at his hip. It had begun the minute had seen Inuyasha and Kagome, and had only grown more evident when Inuyasha had revealed that he had been planning to mate with her.

There is going to be death from this union. He thought, feeling the pulsing die down as he got farther away from them. But it still remains to be seen whose it shall be.


Naraku heard the flapping of wings around his castle and glanced outside the window. Several birds flew around the courtyard, looking ready for their prey. He slid open the window, and the chief of the youkai birds flew next to him, landing on the windowsill.

Smirking, the evil hanyou spoke, "Do not worry. You shall feast upon them soon." Naraku glanced back to see Kanna, still holding the mirror which held the image of Inuyasha and Kagome meeting up after Sesshoumaru's talk, each looking flustered.

Yes…it would be soon…