A/N: And here is the new chapter. From here on, the story might trade in M territory, but I'm not sure how graphic a story has to get before it would be categorized as M (if someone does, please enlighten me!). Either way, I think a warning would be good. Believe me when I say this is likely the only warning (because I'm going to forget to put it there when we get to a chapter where its needed) you're going to get. I don't think it will be to graphic, but there will be mentioning and descriptions of (consensual) sexual activities. This will not necessarily be Chiharu's sex-life, but could be about Miroku' and Sango's or even Kagome's. You have been warned!

Anyway enjoy!

Please leave a review!

o.O.o

Chapter Twenty-five, When the truth speaks, lies are being judged

When Chiharu awoke the sun was shining fully into her face. The air was cool and dew had settled in tiny beads on the leaves of grass and on the long trashes of her hair. She lay still for a few minutes, enjoying the pleasant sunshine, and she felt almost human in that moment. The youki that had faded inside her bloodstream when she'd been under Mount Hakurei's kekkai, was once again, surging potently through her veins. She blinked groggily against the harsh morning light.

She was laying in the entrance of a cave, her body still sheltered from the weather and close enough to feel the sun on her face. The cave lay some way above the forest path they'd followed the day before to set up camp for the night. It was just on the outskirt of a forest not too far from Mount Hakurei. The trees near the entrance of the cave stood gnarled and with fresh leaves, clustered of foliage, together. The breeze ruffled the leaves and the grass and she slowly sat up on her haunches.

Rin had been out like a light the moment she sat down next to Ah-Un and Jaken, somewhat dizzy and zapped out of energy had dropped down onto his stomach and had not moved again. Sesshōmaru, who had been the only one harmed, had gazed at her with his unfathomable amber eyes and then told her to stay put before disappearing. When he came back his scent was slightly off and she realised with growing mortification that he had found himself a female to spent a large part of the night with. She was not exactly jealous but she certainly wanted to leave as soon as possible.

She risked a quick glance up at the Daiyōkai's face. The sunlight was slightly falling on his face, accentuating the purple stripes on his cheeks and the crescent moon on his forehead. His eyes were closed and his face looked relaxed but she noticed his ears twitch ever so often. He was clad in just his kosode and his hakama, his armour and haori left with Jaken to clean and polish.

Yawning, she stretched her arms above her head and popped the joints of her hands. The land they'd set up camp on was near a cold spring and she groggily got up to her feet. Rin was still fast asleep, curled up against Ah-Un's side and Sesshōmaru sat propped up against the rough wall of the cave. She soundlessly — or as soundless as she could — moved out of the cave, her toes twitching when wet grass rubbed past her ankles.

Morning in the Sengoku period always made for a stunning visual and she stared over large expanse of forest and green foliage. The endless sky was painted a bright blue with warm sunlight falling onto the ground. Setting her things on top of a lone boulder, and stared at the lazy little brook. She felt him staring at her and she slowly, cheeks flushing red, crouched down at the muddy bank, washing her face in the chilly spring. Unfortunately, the brook was nowhere deep enough for her to really wash herself, yet it was deep enough to scoop the water into her hands and rub at her reddened cheeks.

When she'd cleaned her face, neck and hands, she started the process of untangling her thick dark hair. She wished she still had her hairbrush but she'd lost that during a rather gruesome battle with a boar-yōkai almost two months ago. Chiharu raked her fingers through her hair, until it was in a somewhat semblance of order. With a small sigh, she pushed it up into a high ponytail.

Long shadows fell over the clearance she was in and the trees around her boarded several flocks of birds, twittering happily. The grass was knee-high and growing among the low-lying bushes were all kinds of small berries. After gathering several on a white handkerchief (she actually managed to not lose that during a fight), she popped a simple yellow toothbrush into her mouth and cleaned her teeth. Sesshōmaru's eyes widened slightly and his nose twitched when the scent of mint drifted into the air.

"What is that, Miko?"

"Soap for your teeth," she told him dryly. He had stepped out of the cave and his long silver hair flowed in the wind.

"Hm,"

Chiharu slowly started to deposit her stuff back in her knapsack and peered around the clearance. Flowers, little poppies and yellow buttercups winked at the sun. She still felt Sesshōmaru's eyes on the back of her head and she nervously ran her fingers over her ankles and thought about what to do. She wanted to say something to him, but had no idea where to start. The awkward silence that always seemed to stretch between them pressed heavily on her shoulders. She had never met someone so detached from the world or aloof of his so-called-none-existent emotions.

She didn't particularly like the female scent that hung around Sesshōmaru and realised with less than a small bit of mortification, she was feeling jealous. Whatever for, she didn't know. He was an arsehole. Even with the shaky, unspoken truce they had, he never refrained from acting like a douchebag and he still had those 'I'm-better-than-though' notions.

He stepped up next to her and she offered him the handkerchief filled with berries. "This is for Rin. Good morning, by the way,"

He took it slowly eyes seeking out hers and she looked away. Her cheeks felt hot and her an unnamed emotion gnawed at her stomach. "Your scent is troubled."

"I just want to go home,"she whispered softly and Sesshōmaru's keen ears twitched.

"Home…"

The air left her lungs in a sharp whoosh and she slowly strapped her quiver to her shoulder, her katana to her hip and rubbed her hands together. His staring was making her nervous.

"Why are you still staring at my face?"

"What are you doing?" He asked her coldly.

"Getting ready to leave," she explained, hoisting her knapsack over her shoulder, "I'm sure my sister would be worried."

She doubted Inuyasha would have been much better. He saw her as the back-up shard detector and, although he didn't show her often, she knew he cared. She inhaled slowly, trying to find a trace of Inuyasha, but he wasn't close. She estimated he was half a day travelling away.

"Rin," Sesshōmaru curtly started, "go with Jaken and freshen up at the spring. Do not go into the water."

"Yes, My Lord," she chirped happily. Chiharu hadn't even realised when she'd gotten up from her spot near Ah-Un. She smiled up brilliantly at Chiharu and she was impressed by the resiliency the child had on going through such dark situations.

"Bye Chiharu-Onee-chan," Rin greeted happily.

"Good bye, Honey," she smiled.

"Where will you go, MiLord?" Jaken asked, yellow bulbous eyes peering up at them. Chiharu frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. He was not going to drop her off. If he wanted to push his brother buttons, she didn't want to be the reason for it.

"MiLord?" Jaken asked slowly. She'd always thought his voice was slightly grating and she slowly inched away.

"Good bye, Rin-chan," Chiharu whispered, hugging the child to her chest. "Please keep your Lord here."

"Chiharu-Sama?"

"I want to travel by myself and I don't want to bother your Lord either."

Rin looked up with large brown eyes and cocked her head to the side. "Jaken-sama says you're Sesshōmaru's— erm Mate? Like his wife? Shouldn't he be with you all the time?"

She would have thrown her sandal to Sesshōmaru's green retainer, if he hadn't been standing behind a very annoyed-looking Sesshōmaru. "Jaken!"

"Yes, MiLord, right away, MiLord." He yelped and scurried away, instructing Rin and Ah-Un closer to the riverbank. Chiharu had never understood the unwavering devotion the small yōkai had for the Daiyōkai, but she supposed it came in handy at times. Right now, however, she thought him to be extremely irritating.

"Miko,"

"Yes?"

"I will return you to your friends," he told her in an urbane voice and she frowned. He usually didn't bother with aiding her more than necessary.

"It's quite all right. I'm sure I could find them on myself." She was quick to say. She didn't really want to him to escort her anywhere.

"It wasn't a suggestion Miko."

"Right, of course," she whispered more to herself than to him and glared at him. "Why?"

He took a step towards her. "I do not own you an explanation."

"Yes, well, I do not think you should come." She snapped back. "Considering your need to rile Inuyasha up and all. Don't you have something else to do?" She continued, making a show of sniffing the air around him. "Or more accurately, someone else?"

The corners of his lips turned up and his left hand curled around her shoulder. She found herself at least thirty metres away from the clearing and pressed up against the rough bark of an old elm tree. His face was only centimetres away from hers.

Whatever or whoever I do," he started crudely and she winced, "is none of your concern.

"I beg to differ, but of course, we do not often agree."

She wanted to continue that they never agreed on anything but his hand clasped around her throat and her eyes widened. Her breathing hitched before her muscle memory kicked in. She grasped his wrist with one hand and punched his upper arm just above the elbow with the other. His fingers loosened and she proceeded at jumping up, catching herself on a branch and kicking him as hard as she could. He stumbled back and she allowed a small smile of victory to graze her lips. She might not be in his league when it came to fighting, but she wasn't some damsel in distress either.

"Why do you always resort to violence when we disagree?" She hissed dropping back onto the ground and inched away from the tree and further into the forest. "I can find Inuyasha by myself and you know it. What's with you trying to escort me?"

"You are mine and I can do whatever—"

"Oh no!" She snapped angrily. The splashing sounds from the spring and the childish laughter was slightly distracting her. "Don't you dare. I'm not yours. I've never been yours, and I will never be yours. You have no right to claim anyone to be yours if you go philandering about anyway either!"

He was on her again, using his super speed, caught both her wrist in one hand and used the other to grab her knee and pull it up along his hip, rather effectively immobilising her. He seemed not to realise that, in not trying to kill her, he had immobilised himself as well. Although, that thought did little to soothe her hurt ego and her irritated mind.

"Let go!" She ordered angrily and he looked at the heavens before looking at her again. It was the closest thing to rolling ones eyes she'd ever seen him do.

"Listen here, and listen carefully, because your mind doesn't seem to be able to grasp the simplest of words. I can do whatever I like. If I wish to go on— philandering, I will do so. I do not need your blessing, Little Miko, nor do I seek it."

"Yes, perfectly fine, but don't go around expecting me to want to be tied to you!"

"You're a female, don't the man in your race hold the superior hand as well," he asked rhetorically and she felt her cheeks heat up in anger. Of course, she understood this was a different time where arranged marriages were still a thing, but that didn't mean she had to agree with them.

"I don't care, this was hardly an arrangement even my family agreed with." She hissed and wriggled against him, trying to dislodge her wrists or her leg, both would do. He tensed, his grip on her knee tightened. She yanked at her wrists again and he responded at pushing his hips against hers. She gasped, suddenly aware of the unmistakable rigidity pressed into her abdomen.

"I advise you not to do that," he hissed through clenched teeth and she felt a flush spread up from her neck to her face.

Her body did not react like it did the last time, so she suspected it was not something he did on purpose. It made her face only heat up more. She met his eyes and she nodded curtly, to mortified to speak. Of course, in a clinical point of view she understood what had happened. His body reacted to the friction she had created. It was a normal thing that could happen to a man, but Sesshōmaru always acted so aloof and stoic, that she just hadn't expected it from him.

He slowly stepped back from her and she wrapped her arms around her abdomen. She quickly turned around, hands curling around her upper arms. She moved as fast as she could, grazing creatures, cows and sheep, regarded her with mild curious eyes and she smiled. He followed. His strong arm wrapped around her waist and she felt her feet slip away, the grass disappearing from beneath her feet and for a second she fell backwards and then they were up in the air. A bright light enveloped both of them and he ascended quickly in the air. Glancing over her shoulder, her hair swirling around her in a tousled mess. She looked in Sesshōmaru's face his pupils were dilated. She didn't dare to move too much again.

The flight was extremely awkward. He held her to his side, the fur he wore on his shoulder acting like a pedestal and she didn't speak. After nearly ten minutes of awkward silence and passing the greenery, Sesshōmaru started to circle around the tall copse of several pine trees.

His slender nostrils flared and he started to descend slowly, almost as if he tried to announce his appearance. She sensed Inuyasha a moment later and he landed in the middle of their campsite. Kagome squealed happily when she noticed her younger sister appear and both Sango and Miroku gasped in surprise at the sudden appearance of the Lord of the West and the Miko girl they'd grown fond of. Kōga the Wolf prince was present to, curled up a strange mountain of straw and Inuyasha almost fell from the high branch he had been sitting in.

"Chiharu-chan," Sango whispered and Sesshōmaru slowly lowered her to the ground.

"Put her down you bastard!" Inuyasha cried, which was somewhat useless as the Daiyōkai had already dropped her to the ground.

"Inuyasha,"

"What are you doing here, Arsehole?" He snarled and Chiharu quickly moved away. Inuyasha jumped down next to her, looking her over like a trained doctor might do to his patient. It was a rather strange sensation. His hand hovered at her chin and his eyes narrowed. She hadn't realised there was blood from an already healed gash from where she'd hit the bark of the tree fifteen minutes ago.

"You—"

"About to violate this bond again?" Sesshōmaru asked and Inuyasha frowned. Chiharu's head snapped up and she met his eyes. He seemed furious.

"Violate—"

"Human habits," the Daiyōkai muttered, his head slowly cocking to the side, "if it isn't your human form it's the blood."

Inuyasha flushed, but Chiharu didn't think he understood the implication yet. Her eyes widened and her finger spasmed around her grip of her bow. This wasn't fair. She peeked at Kagome's face, but her eyebrows were drawn and her lips pursed as if she wasn't understanding what was going on.

"With so much alcohol—"

"I you and my brother cannot hold your liquor, you shouldn't partake into it." He told her stiffly and she felt her cheeks flush even more.

"You are not always in control of your actions, now are you?" She asked angrily and she saw his lips turn up into a furious smile.

"Is that how you justify kissing my half-brother, Chi-haru?" He asked her coldly and she felt the blood sap from her face. Inuyasha squeaked, Shippō frowned and both Sango, Miroku's and Kagome's eyes went wide,

A flush travelled up from Inuyasha neck until he'd turned scarlet. Even Miroku and Sango, who normally at least pretended not to hear what was being said, were staring open-mouthed as the Inu-siblings circled each other.

"You arsehole,"

Sesshōmaru only smiled, his hand on his Tōkijin. He was nowhere near adequately dressed for a battle, but he seemed to itch for a fight. Yet, it never came. Kagome awoke from her stupor, her cheeks flushing and her eyes brightening in anger. Across the camp, the Houshi and the Tajija exchanged knowing looks of concern and Chiharu flinched when Kagome's voice cried out over the clearing.

"Osuwari!"

For miles around birds took wing, shaken from the branches and their perches and Inuyasha slammed into the dirt. The ground shook and Chiharu peeked at her sister's enraged face and Sesshōmaru took to the air. She wanted to wring the Daiyōaki's neck, but as her sister stalked towards her, she realised she had bigger problems to deal with.

"Onee-chan, really, it wasn't like that. You must believe me!"

"Well, why don't you explain, Chiharu-chan."

And explaining she did…

To be continued...

A/N: I hope you enjoyed the new chapter. I enjoyed writing this chapter. Sesshōmaru is in his own special way rather jealous, but Chiharu is not much better. Next update will be on Thursday!