Enjoy the new chapter.

Inuyasha does not belong to me but to Rumiko Takahashi.

Chapter Forty-One, Killing Perfection

"You did what?"

Inuyasha's voice echoed through the forest and the others winced, while birds took into the air, screeching. The small group of shard hunters had began traveling once the cold rainy days had mostly passed and tracked further up north every day. The higher their small group climbed, the more a bleak land spread out below them. To the north lay the frozen sea, large sheets of ice pressed together as if the waves itself had frozen over. To the other side high mountains, great jagged peaks thrusted sharply upwards, threw large shadows over the meadow. The peaks, white from the snow, reflected the bright rays of sunlight and Chiharu squinted against the light.

Perhaps, telling Inuyasha about her sudden request to his hated half-brother, had not been wise and she was trying, and failing, to ignore his furious complaints.

"Please say that again?" Inuyasha gruffly demanded and Chiharu rolled her eyes, a small cloud of her youki unfurling around her in irritation.

"I asked your brother to join us?"

His face turned a deep, dark red and he sneered: "Why the fuck would you want that Bastard to join?"

"Honestly, because I like spying on him when he goes mediating in little more than his Hakama every morning." She told him sarcastically and Kagome's eyes lighted up like the little lights on their annual fir-Christmas-tree, while Inuyasha made retching noises.

"He does that?"

Chiharu smiled, somewhat amused at the way her older sister picked up on her irritated sarcastic mean streak. "Yes, every morning."

"That sounds quite wonderful, don't you think Sangō-chan?" she gushed happily and Sangō, normally so very reserved when their conversation turned to man or anything remotely sexual, smiled.

"Yes, I suppose it would. Who knows what it is that man is hiding?" Sangō agreed dryly. It was so unlike her that Chiharu almost forgot what they were even talking about. Mirōku shot her a shocked and horrified look, his eyes wide.

Kagome grinned. "Well, he's quite tall and broad-shouldered. One can only imagine how much tempting man flesh is hidden under all those layers of armour and silk."

Chiharu smirked, sharing a predatory look with the other girls when everyone recognised how creeped out both Inuyasha and Mirōku had become. Sesshōmaru did meditate every morning, only dressed in his hakama and even though she joked about it, he did make a nice view. He was tall, very well built and if he wasn't such an arse half of the time, she was sure she would have been greatly distracted during their meditating sessions.

"Not to mention what fair skin he has," Kagome opted and Chiharu ran her fingers through shippō's hair. He was looking up at her with curious eyes.

"Why is it nice to watch Sesshōmaru bath?"

"Not bath, Shippō-chan. Meditate." Chiharu snickered.

"But he's naked?"

"Partly." She nodded. "Would certainly give a nice view if he was completely naked."

Inuyasha was turning a most charming fuchsia and Kagome pedalled forward on her bike, jumping off of it when she was next to Chiharu. "Wouldn't you want to know where else those markings of his circle around?"

Chiharu almost chocked on her laughter and Inuyasha's face had grown so red, he resembled his firerat Haori. "I'm going to go ahead. See if there's a village nearby."

He left in a flurry of red and white and Mirōku hurried after him. "You can't leave me with them!"

All three girls laughed loudly, Sangō leaning on her great Boomerangbone for support and Chiharu hugged Shippō tightly (who still didn't understand why everyone was acting so scandalised).

"Did you see his face?" Kagome asked pushing her dark hair behind her ears. "Did you see his face?"

"It was wonderful." Chiharu laughed, emerging in a small clearing with a little creak. "Perhaps a little break, before we go and look for him again?"

Kagome nodded gratefully and dropped her bike with a thud. Chiharu slumped down in front of the creak of water and cupped up some cold water, washing her face and running her damp cold fingers along the back of her neck. Kagome filled her water bottles, while Sangō scratched Kirara behind her ears and Mirōku, still somewhat flustered massaged his cursed right hand. They stayed in a pleasant mood, until they found Inuyasha again. His skin tone had improved to a light pink, but his scowl remained. It was oddly disarming he was so creeped out by his brother's— well, deathly perfection.

At the western end of the horizon saw-toothed mountains towered over the forests and little whips of smoke ascended from a village nearby. Chiharu remained a few steps behind their small group, trying to think about the Daiyōkai.

She hadn't seen Sesshōmaru the last few days (probably in hiding for her oh-so-wonderful scent) and she grimaced. It had been several days since her altercation with Sesshōmaru and the heat-thing still wore on. She had always thought a female's ovulation only lasted for 24 hours, but apparently her altered metabolism had changed that part as well. She supposed that this heat period was the first one that had occurred — she was sure she would have noticed otherwise — and she wondered when or perhaps even if she would have her menstruation.

When the sun began to descend a small village came into view. Their unusual group always attracted a lot of attention and that was no different. As several villagers spotted the dog-eared male and the enlarged Firecat Kirara people reacted immediately. Chiharu suspected, seeing the damage done in the past to the trees and the foliage around them, that the village had had a yōkai-terrorised past. Her suspicions were proven correct in the next few minutes as several men armed themselves with farm implements and the woman and children shuttered away for cover.

"Mononoke," an elder whispered, pointing a pitchfork at Inuyasha.

"No," a monk stated and the elder unconsciously gripped his pitchfork tighter.

"But his ears?"

"No youki," the monk crisply told him and Inuyasha's amber eyes narrowed in irritation and claws flexed in response. Mirōku threw up placating hands and stepped between the Hanyō and what seemed like the village elder.

"Greetings," he started gently and Chiharu watched as the young man worked his magic, securing them once again a free hut to stay the night in. An older Monk gave her a dubious look, probably sensing Sesshōmaru around her, but she knew she looked too human for him to understand.

Human mates were scarce.

True human like yōkai even more. To those who knew where to look fore, there was always something inhuman about them. The ears (often the most tell-tale), but also the eyes or the weird markings. She shook her head.

Human mates on the other hand—

She wasn't even sure if it was even done before. She didn't think so, Sesshōmaru had definitely expected her to die. Not survive and irritate him as thoroughly as she did, but then again, she could be wrong.

"He's still staring at you." Sangō stated softly and Chiharu nodded. The Monk was glaring at her with the sort of ferocity she'd come to accustomed with the looks she got from the villagers of Edo (although their distrust had lessened a bit).

"He probably senses the youki."

"Didn't sense it on Inuyasha."

"You're right, that's odd." Chiharu agreed, silently following after Sangō. The hut was small, but consisted out three rooms and a corridor like hall. Kirara bounded forward as a little kitten, her fluffy yellow tail waggling behind her and further down the hall, Kagome's and Inuyasha's voices sounded.

"They're having an argument." Chiharu snorted, but Sangō had already pushed the mat to the second room aside.

Kagome and Inuyasha were standing opposite of each other. Chiharu's older sister's face was red and Inuyasha's ears had flattened against his head. Strangely, the dubious couple hadn't quarrelled much over the past few days, but whatever truce they'd found the end had been reached.

"—being stubborn, Inuyasha!" Kagome hissed irritatedly and Shippō's claws dug into her shoulders in anxiety.

"Feh, get of my case, woman." He snapped annoyed before turning on his heel and stalking down the corridor. Chiharu ignored Kagome's furious face and stepped past her, into the girls' bedroom. Three futons had already been prepared on the wooden floorboards and red coals smouldered in the dingy hearth in the middle of the room. Putting a couple of logs on the fire, Chiharu slumped down against the wall and ran her fingertips over the hilt of her sword. Drawing it, she went through the process of sharpening the katana before focusing on fixing the straps of her quiver.

Time passed. Light faded and the sun descended. As the inky blackness spread over the sky, the stars glittered in the sky, winking down at the people below them. The temperature dropped quickly after dark and Chiharu hugged a thin blanket around her form and peered absentmindedly up towards the sky through the window. A storm was brewing on the Eastern horizon and the air was electric with whispers from the forest, alive with the tearing wind, the pounding of feet against the forest floor and an aura, she knew well. She wasn't sure why Sesshōmaru was there, if he wasn't actively seeking her out.

She glanced at the sky again and froze.

Except of the sky dotted with a sea of stars there was no moon. Getting to her feet again, she dropped her quiver and let her katana slide to the floor.

Inuyasha was alone in the first bedroom, insisting on having a room for himself. He was leaning against the wall when she entered, his fluffy eyes pressing against the top of his head. The fireplace in the middle of the room was burning and Chiharu watched for a moment as the flames roared along the resinous twigs before crossing the room.

"What do you want?" He snapped defensively and she crouched down in front of him.

"That's why you were fighting, right?" She asked softly. "It's the night of the full moon!"

His face flushed again and she noticed the shine of his eyes had disappeared. She leaned a bit back when a ripple went through the air and his ears flattened even more against his skull. She'd never seen him transform human before and she stared as transfixed.

It began at the top of his head, his ears flattening against his skull, disappearing and his hair darkened until it was inky black. His pale skin darkened a bit, turning more lively and his amber eyes bled into a chocolate brown, pupils turning circular.

It was— very odd.

"What are you staring at?" He snapped irritatedly. She understood now why he had been so willing to find shelter for the night. She wasn't all that sure how she could have forgotten either.

On a small table a lone candle glowed gently, casting of a circle of muted light.

"Why didn't you just say it was the new moon tonight?"

"Why should I?"

She blew a lock of hair out of her face and rolled her eyes. "You always insist on making everything so so hard for yourself."

He averted his eyes and she slumped down on the floor.

"What does it feel like?"

"Transforming?"

"Yeah."

"Like being dunked in the cold water."

"Weird." She muttered and he gave her a pointed look.

"You and my brother…"

"I know he's an idiot but—"

"Be careful." He interrupted softly, looking oddly protective. "If he comes travelling with us—"

"I know your not happy with it, but he is strong."

"He's also an arrogant arse."

"Inuyasha," she sighed softly, "think about it. He hasn't agreed of course and right now and with our current problem I think he'll stay away from me as far as possible."

"Thank God for small miracles." He muttered softly and she sniggered at his unusual phrase. She and Kagome were rubbing off on him. "It's really hard to imagine him sniffing after you…"

It took a moment for the hidden meaning of his words to sink in and she flicked a pebble (probably taken accidentally or not from outside) at his knee.

"Oi!"

"You deserved that."

"The hell I did!"

"Oh, stop acting like a baby. Could have hit you on your head, just as easily." She told him dryly. "But if he were to agree, you know your brother, do you think you could reign your temper in enough for you two to work together?"

The tatami-mat fluttered and Kagome and Sango moved into the room. Sango was carrying some sweet rice wrapped a heart-fruit leaf and Kagome held three full bottles of water close to her chest.

"Here is the food." Sango said stiffly and Chiharu's nose wrinkled.

"Where's Mirōku?"

Her eyes flashed and Chiharu accepted the beverage and the food without another word. So he had prowled off with some other girl again. They ate in an uncomfortable silence and Chiharu moved her knees up under her chin.

To be continued…

A/N: and Mirōku is philandering jerk. Nothing new here. And Sesshōmaru, you're such a fool. Being fond of another life form isn't a weakness, but then again, of course, you would think it is. He's getting somewhere of course. This chapter was a bit more lightheaded and I truly enjoyed to write the girls fluster Inuyasha and Miroku (what about all of you^^). Either way, Inuyasha's human problem's bound to become a problem of course. Stay tuned for the next chapter and…

Of course, let me know what you'll think! I so love your reviews and words of wisdom:)

This chapter is a day too early, but since I'll be home late tomorrow and have a long day at Friday, I'm not sure I'd made it on time. Therefore, enjoy an early threat and next update next week.

See you!