Clothes were almost practically ripped off. Sesshomaru snarled, wanting to turn around. A different scent filled the air when fingers played with the daiyokai's nipples. Curious Inuyasha turned him around. In the same instance he pushed Sesshomaru against a crystal wall.

Sesshomaru glanced down at the strange sensation on his chest. One of them wasn't leaking as strongly. However one was, and Inuyasha leaned in to suck on it. Sesshomaru shuddered as the relief to the ache that had been driving him a little insane took place.

"Mate," Sesshomaru heard himself say again. It almost came out as a whimper.

Sensing what he wanted a free hand reached down to insert a finger. Sesshomaru gasped while his hips moved a little too eagerly. A second finger was inserted and Sesshomaru snarled, wishing for something else to be inside.

"Inuyasha!" He cried out in slight desperation.

How can his youkai be so calm and in control? Sesshomaru half expected to be rammed into long before now. Instead he was being deliciously tortured. A thought came to him and he gasped.

"Are you really trying to make me beg?" He asked, and this time a red eye looked up to meet his own gaze.

Sesshomaru snarled, feeling his youkai seething.

"This Sesshomaru doesn't beg."

Inuyasha chuckled darkly. He removed his fingers. Sesshomaru waited for that feeling of being stretched and filled. Only it didn't come? He tried to move his hips to entice the other. That earned getting grabbed by both hands to prevent him from moving.

"Mate!" Sesshomaru tried to urge him. He could feel it, just within reach of being inside. The feeling of it throbbing and touching him, and yet not going inside brought him to new levels of insanity.

He reached out, suddenly remembered he had an arm that was free. He raked his claw over Inuyasha's back. Not deeply, just enough to get the point across. The scent of blood mixed in with the arousal and it earned groans from both of them.

That mouth moved to the mark, gently nipping and licking. Somehow that made Sesshomaru go still at the attention. He felt the desire flooding in through the one sided bond. The will to submit and beg pushed into him.

"Mate..." He tried to plea, earning a harsh nip. A whimper escaped his throat. For the second time Sesshomaru gave in."Please!"

He was instantly rewarded. Rough hands guided him down and Sesshomaru released a howl as finally, finally he felt himself accommodating being taken. In the excitement both of them lost patience and moved as one.

Sesshomaru felt the urge to mark and claim. His youkai demanded it. However he hesitated, recalling their conversation the previous day. For once his youkai didn't argue. Although it was hard to argue while being fucked like never before.

Something about this was different than the previous times they mated. Maybe it had something to do with the mark. Sesshomaru sensed every desire that Inuyasha wanted. He felt felt pleasure that Inuyasha felt. And even though it was his youkai that desired him, Sesshomaru knew that this a reflection of what the true Inuyasha felt.

It somehow relieved Sesshomaru. Although Inuyasha had admitted that he felt he wasn't worthy of Sesshomaru, some part of him doubted that was the case. He couldn't shake the thought that he wasn't worthy of Inuyasha if he didn't mark him their first time.

He had to remind himself that he found the notion endearing at first. That Inuyasha had thought of their situation and held himself back. Once again Sesshomaru felt the ache to lean and bite.

Suddenly the daiyokai stiffened as he howled. That was the first time he came so violently and sudden. Inuyasha snarled as he continued, still unable to find his own but he was close.

The daiyokai briefly opened his eyes. When had he closed them? He couldn't recall, and the sight of Inuyasha being so close took his attention. All he had to do was lean a little more to claim in return.

"Mate...?" He asked through gasping breaths.

Those ears perked. Inuyasha reached to grasp Sesshomaru's hair to push his face into a tanned neck and shoulder. Sesshomaru breathed in Inuyasha's scent. Somehow that calmed his youkai and his eyes returned to the golden color.

"Mate." Inuyasha grunted, struggling a bit with his speech.

Taking that as means of consent Sesshomaru opened his mouth and bit down on the spot where Inuyasha's shoulder met his neck. He felt Inuyasha tense as he spilled into him. Sesshomaru moaned as he did his best to keep focus on pouring his demonic aura into the mark.

They both gasped as the bond sealed. And Inuyasha came to then, the same instance he knotted. The hanyou panted as he realized what had happened. Sensing he was about to have a panic attack Sesshomaru acted upon instinct.

The kiss was so sudden that it put a stop to Inuyasha's panic. The bond between them was a connection, a sense of how the other felt. And Sesshomaru took advantage of it and poured his desires through. That he forgave Inuyasha for the accidental marking.

After getting over the shock Inuyasha leaned into the kiss. He took over and Sesshomaru let him, having no experience with this. A tongue licked at his lips and Sesshomaru opened to grant him entry.

The tongue war excited Sesshomaru enough to be hard again. However Inuyasha was still swollen inside so he couldn't exactly thrust freely. Getting creative the hanyou grasped the leaking erection between them and worked it.

It didn't take long to send Sesshomaru over the edge again. He pulled away from the kiss to cry as he came. Inuyasha watched, completely enraptured by the sight.

"Beautiful," The word escaped him.

Sesshomaru opened his eyes to meet Inuyasha's. He still wasn't used to being called as such. Most of the time when complimented, the daiyokai brushed them off. It was different when it was Inuyasha.

Sensing that Sesshomaru wasn't going to argue otherwise about being complimented Inuyasha initiated another kiss. This time it wasn't filled with passion. It was gentle and assuring for both of them as they adjusted to the new bond between them.

"We...might have a problem." Sesshomaru spoke after several minutes of them just holding each other as they calmed down.

"What is it?" Inuyasha tensed.

"Nothing you did wrong. I'm more concerned about the honeymoon phase. After marking and claiming, mates instinctively go into a phase that they don't wish to see anyone while they adjust to the bond. If anyone tries to come check on them, they are immediately chased away. If we weren't inside a mountain with limited food, I wouldn't mind leaving our respective packs alone for the duration of this phase."

"How long does this phase usually last?" Inuyasha felt his stomach drop. He already sensed that it was true. The idea of seeing anyone else made him feel protective over his mate.

"Weeks. Maybe a month. I have heard some stories it lasts for a few months." Sesshomaru couldn't grasp how long theirs would last and that worried him.

"And I'm without the Tessaiga. I can't exactly leave without it." Inuyasha hated himself over losing it.

"My apologies for my friend." A voice spoke, spooking both of them.

They turned to see an adult kitsune sitting a safe enough distance. He wore white robes, and there were nine tails behind his back. His fur golden. The pair tensed, but they still couldn't exactly separate. So instead Inuyasha made a poor attempt to cover their immediate areas as he snarled.

"I come in peace. And a gift." The kitsune produced the Tessaiga. He floated it closer to them. Inuyasha grasped it, relieved to have it back.

"Okay, do you mind answering some questions? Who are you, what was your friend's intentions, and what are you? You don't have a scent." Inuyasha had observed the same problem he had with the masked spirit.

"I am a spirit. My name is Lao. I was given the task of guarding the shrine not far from that spring you found. My friend Kuma, is the one with the mask. She also took form of that bear that attacked you. My apologies, she acted of her own accord to help your situation along but didn't exactly think of the consequences in the aftermath."

"Shrine? There's a shrine here?" Inuyasha was perplexed.

"Indeed. Long ago this mountain was sacred. I learned to commune with the mountain God and thus became its Guardian. Kuma came later, and I anointed her as my partner. It was easier for those unwelcome here to be frightened off by a bear than a fox."

"Who worshipped this place? It's a bit far from any civilization that I know." Sesshomaru wondered.

"From the side you came from, that was a mere emergency exit. The true entrance leads to who used to worship us. It has been a long time since that family ventured inside. I sent a calling, but it may have made things worse. I had only meant to harm the one that refused to respect traditions. And I suppose he never taught his sons about them, hence why they haven't read my warnings."

"That didn't exactly answer our question." Inuyasha felt that they were going in circles.

"I thought about burying you all. But then to my surprise, one of your own is from the blood that used to worship us. So of course I watched you from a distance. Kuma decided to get curious about you two specifically. She hadn't known that dog demons didn't always have dark hair and red eyes."

"You mean Kenji? His family used to worship this mountain?" Inuyasha blinked.

"Indeed. See, it is these very mountains that proved to be the gates that prevented the north from being invaded. Long ago the noble family created the shrine here, and a priest would be appointed once he proved he could comnune with the mountain. Due to my loyal service I was tasked to be permanent. Over time the family forgotten I was merely the messenger, and became the face of the mountain."

"I can't imagine a dog worshipping a fox going over well to an overly arrogant lord." Sesshomaru commented.

"And that is how Lord Hiroshi felt. He despised that I was a kitsune, and wouldn't listen to what I said. He sealed the main entrance after he became Lord. It hasn't been opened since."

"Wait, then how do we get out?" Inuyasha panicked.

"It is why I initially wanted to bury you and your strange group. You were doomed to starve and go insane. I figured it would be a mercy. The main entrance won't open unless by the same blood that sealed it. Once I realized that same blood was among you, I knew you all had a chance."

"Why take so long to approach us then?" Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes.

"To be fair, the two of you frightened me. Your bloodline is just as old and strong as the Mountain Dogs, so I had to think of a means to approach and explain the situation without being the target of violence. Kuma took it upon herself to do what she did. Again, my sincerest apologies for that."

"So all she wanted was to help us in our situation? That was a pretty messed up way to go about it." Inuyasha deadpanned, ears flattening.

"I know, which is why I approached instead and brought your sword back. I figured it would help show that I'm not threatening."

"Your timing is..." The hanyou blushed, unable to finish.

"I do apologize, but I knew if I waited until you two can actually separate then I would be under attack." Lao had a point.

"Okay, so what now? You want us to talk to Kenji about all of what you just said? How is he supposed to believe a word we say if he doesn't know anything about you?" Inuyasha had his doubts.

"Find the shrine and show it to him. There are statues that match some within his family's castle. It should be enough to prove that his family used to come here. Once there, I will reveal myself and request a boon in return for showing the way to the main entrance."

"And that would be?" Sesshomaru was suspicious.

"That he promises to carry on the traditions."

"Him, and not his brother?" The daiyokai raised an eyebrow.

"At the current moment, his brother may or may not survive the next week. Someone snuck their way into the castle and poisoned him. The last I saw before the statues were destroyed was a filth that shouldn't exist devour everyone he could."

"A filth that shouldn't exist? Did he call himself Naraku, by any chance?" Sesshomaru wondered.

"I believe someone called him as such, yes. It was difficult to listen over the screams. And the way he laughed." Lao shivered. "Never in my long existence have I seen such evil."

"We need to get back to the others." Inuyasha insisted.

"But..." Sesshomaru didn't want to leave their bubble.

"Honeymoon after this whole mess is done?" He promised gently, earning a whine.

"Okay, how about we have the rest of today and tonight to ourselves? Then we go back first thing tomorrow." Inuyasha compromised.

"...Fine." Sesshomaru knew that they were pressed for time, but that should be enough.

"Very well. I will await at the shrine. You will find it to the right a ways from the spring. It won't be hard to miss." Lao explained before disappearing.