The Bone Eater's Well
Chapter Seven
Kagome's hair fluttered behind her as she trailed after the Great Dog General and his first born son. Studying their proud figures, Kagome chewed her lip with a sigh.
Of all circumstances she could find herself in, she wasn't too pleased to be in the one she currently was in. The red headed demon she saved was taken by another demon which left her with her current companion, Takeshi, her only choice lest she were to walk alongside the dog demon duo. It wasn't entirely an awful situation as it benefited her to be further from them. She just wished her company wasn't so frustrating.
Takeshi was begrudgingly assigned to escort her while the remaining soldiers reconvened, their spoils collected and the wounded gathered. Takeshi spouted orders as he hovered near her, his black hair easily sliding over her arm even in its high ponytail as he whirled his head about to bark more commands. She had attempted several times to step away, but his glittering green eyes would pierce her in place and his frame would replace the inch of personal space she gathered.
Jeez, she thought with a scuff thinking of how Inutaisho remarked on keeping her within reach, talk about taking your duties too literally.
The raven haired woman swung the warrior's bow over her shoulder and rearranged the empty quiver to balance the bow better. Her arms came up to hug herself as she trudged on with a pout.
Why did I even come? She grimaced, stepping over a corpse.
Maybe she could manage to slip from beneath their noses.
Glancing at the golden eyed dog demon, she gauged he wouldn't be much of an issue slipping past. Sesshomaru was well known for his distaste in humans, and she doubted he would notice if she was gone nor that he would even care. Trailing back to the form of the taller, proud General, she scuffed. If she were to attempt an escape, then it'd be wiser to edge as far away as she could from Inutaisho.
Sighing again dejectedly, Kagome scratched at the bridge of her nose. Slipping back to the well wouldn't be easy and even so, what would she do? Wait for the well to decide if it was going to work or for the Dog General to come again? I doubt he'd even let me get that far without a fuss. Even then, the fight wouldn't be worth it.
A pinch on her neck had her hand shooting up to slap at her skin. Blinking, she caught the suspicious glance of the Captain before she released her cupped hand. Catching a small speck in her hand, she heard a faint murmur. Bringing it up to her eye level, she smiled.
"Myoga!" Kagome gasped, pleased to see a happier familiar face.
The flea was round, plump full of blood, murmuring. She shook her hand with a laugh, stirring the dazed flea demon.
"I would easily recognize the taste of your sweet, succulent blood, miss." The old flea scratched at his small bald head with two arms, the other two curling around his full belly. "You aren't mistaken though, but how do you know of me?"
Kagome blanched, stopping in her trek to worriedly glance at the demons closest to her. I hope they aren't paying attention! Judging on the few weary looks she was receiving, they perhaps were. She'd have to tread carefully.
"Whoops!" She half-heartedly chuckled, scratching at the base of her neck absentmindedly. "You must be him! I've heard so much of you from another."
"From my younger brother, I presume." The flea blushed, tan head bowing. "How very kind of you to recognize such a lowly flea such as myself, priestess."
Kagome waved a hand at the flea with a forced smile. "Of course!"
The flea stood attentively, sluggishly rubbing his belly. She snorted, studying his full face. I have to be more careful! I can't let it slip that I'm from the future! Who knows what will stir up.
The flea bounced as a shadow fell over them and Kagome glanced up at the narrowed brows of Takeshi. His head jerked forward urging her on and she frowned. Cupping the small flea in her hand, she took a slow pace behind him.
"Miss, I never caught your name." The flea folded his hands in the sleeves of his kimono top.
"Kagome." She beamed, lips curling into a brilliant smile.
"Miss. Kagome, you have such tangy, sweet blood. If only I may have another bite-"
She glared into her hand at the little demon, face dark. "Don't you even think about it."
The flea waved his hands exasperated, desperately trying to disarm her temper. "Of course not! Never without your permission! Please, don't hurt me!"
Turning her head away to the side, brows pinched in a furrow, Kagome huffed. "You already did."
The flea dropped to his knees in her hand and he sweated profusely. Taking pity on the small, begging flea, Kagome sighed.
"Myoga, maybe you can answer some questions for me." Kagome glanced at the idly standing demons around her, leaning down slightly to better murmur to the flea.
Myoga straightened, tiny hands folding together in front of him. His eyes narrowed in concentration.
"Yes, madam priestess?"
"Kagome." She corrected, her other hand coming to pick some dirt from her green skirt. "You can start by telling me what happened here."
Myoga rubbed his shiny, bald head and sighed a small puff of air. She brought her hand closer to her chest to better hear him as he began weaving the tale.
"You see, Miss. Kagome, a long time ago the Inu clan fought ferociously against the tyrants of the dragon clan to separate their territories. Thus dividing the West from the South. Each clan has set borders and treaties to remain stable within their own land as to avoid conflict with one another."
"Then why were they fighting today if it's already been set?" Kagome tilted her head in confusion while maneuvering to stand further behind the Captain.
"You see-" Myoga sat, knees folding under him. "Recently the son of Ryukotsusei, Ryun, has been marching across territory lines with his troops unannounced."
"Oh, so he was trying to invade the Western lands." Kagome surmised, stepping over some rubble.
"Precisely." The flea remarked with a nod.
Kagome scratched at the back of her head, transfixed on the back of Sesshomaru. "But why would Sesshomaru fight and not Inutaisho?"
"It was up to the heir of the Great Dog General to mark his future territory and hold the lines of the Great Power of the West as it was Ryukotsusei's heir who was pressing the battle." Myoga nodded again as Kagome hummed in her throat.
So that's why Inutaisho wasn't there.
"Now that begs to question, why would a priestess, the sworn enemy of demons, arrive to fight a demon battle?" Myoga raised his nonexistent brows at her and Kagome gulped down the sudden embarrassment flooding her.
Her nerves jumped to life and she glanced around her once more to catch a few nearby onlookers peering at her and her new companion. Chuckling nervously, the weight of her words knowingly going to affect the outcome of her situation, she chanced a peak at the looming form of the Dog General and his first born son.
"Not all mikos are sworn enemies of youkai. There's a few bad eggs, but I just want peace. Besides, why would I hurt someone intentionally if they aren't threatening me or my friends?" She subconsciously thought of her ragtag group battling to protect others in their travels, and her heart swelled with pride.
"How noble of you, Miss. Kagome, but that still doesn't quite answer why you would fight here today." Myoga pressed with a sharp eye.
"Well- you see-" Kagome licked her suddenly dry lips and scrambled to find the right verbiage. Why did I decide to come?
A pinch on her palm had her hands clapping together. Myoga, thoroughly flattened, began softly, slowly floating to the ground as she dropped the flea.
"Hey!" She yelped at the flea, towering over him. "I told you not to bite me!"
"I thought we were bonding!" The flea remarked, flat on the ground. "It was just too good to pass up."
"I'll show you bonding!" She barked, leaning over his impressively small body. "Go suck on somebody else!"
Her heel came ramming down into his small prone body and his cries of protest could be heard over his squeaking. Her efforts in squashing him were cut short as she heard a loud clambering. Stopping to scoop the flea up to his chagrin, she darted up the gorge to catch up to her awaiting charge who had continued upwards without her notice. Offering the disgruntled Captain a tiny smile, she leaned past him to see a circle of men surrounding a towering two headed dragon.
Ah-Un, she recognized the beast from its travels with the Sesshomaru of her past. She frowned. What is he doing here?
Her weary eyes watched the distraught dragon as its heads swung violently back and forth as several men tried to grab ahold of its reigns. The beast's tail jerked side to side, swiping several men out of the way. The dragon was saddle less, back barren and scales shimmering.
Kagome frowned as the heads roared viciously biting at the soldiers trying to tame it.
"You see, Miss. Kagome, the beast is without its rider. Someone will have to claim him." The flea supplied, jumping to rest on her shoulder.
Her mouth parted and she fought to understand the situation. Wasn't that always Sesshomaru's steed?
Gauging the two headed dragon's hissing as it curled around itself, Kagome noticed a small pool of blood from beneath it. As it turned to swipe more of the dog army soldiers away, a gaping wound continued to tear open. Blood oozed from the flesh as several of its scales dropped. The dragon heads opened, jaws snapping at anyone coming to close.
Seeing the distraught demon had stirred Kagome into leaping in the mix. The surprised growl of Takeshi rang in her ear as she managed to slip away from his grasp again.
Myoga, clutching her black hair, cried out. "Miss. Kagome, this isn't such a good idea!"
"Oh, shush you coward." She bit, pushing aside an unsuspecting soldier who jolted at her touch.
"I bid you, please, let's wait for someone else to claim him!"
Kagome pinched the flea and flung him from her shoulder. "As if. The poor thing is hurt!"
Wasting no time, Kagome yelled out. "Get out of my way!"
The few demons blocking her path shifted, parting at the sight of the petite woman as she jerked to stand in front of the two headed dragon. She stood firmly, feet planted shoulder width apart and arms wide.
The dragon steed roared, feet stamping on the ground as its heads swayed back and forth at the new challenger. She relaxed her shoulders and straightened up. Carefully reaching behind her, she dropped the bow and the empty quiver to the dirt.
"Hey there, buddy." She cooed, making a show of moving slow and exaggerating her movements for it to see clearly. "I won't harm you."
She waited a hair's breadth before turning her palms out. "See? Nothing to harm you with."
The two headed dragon hissed, jaws snapping in her direction. Its tail swung behind it as it moved the front of its body toward her to keep her within sight.
"Shh, shh." Kagome breathed, taking a small step to it, arms dropping to rest at her waist.
The dragon jerked, one head swinging up and the other snapping at her.
"Ah-" she called softly, one hand out.
"Un." She called again, the other hand reaching out.
Both heads synchronized their movements to face her directly. The beast grew quiet and its feet stilled. The tail swayed back and forth behind it as the heads blinked yellow eyes down at her. She made a show of stepping slowly and cautiously to it.
Her shoe scuffed the dirt and it jerked, one mouth opening to hiss at her. "Come here."
"Come on." Kagome wagged her fingers. "Come here. Let me help you."
The beast wearily stepped back, one head shimmying and the other leaning toward her. The beast fought within itself and she waited patiently for the duo to come to equal terms. Her heart thudded in her ears as she took a small step forward. The heads hissed at each other, one moving to stretch to her while the other fought.
"I won't hurt you. I promise." She cooed soothingly, smiling softly as though she were trying to convince a wounded dog not to bite.
The beast stamped its feet a few times, but allowed her to approach. It grew silent, noses breathing heavily with the exertion. She fondly reached her open palms up at the heads, and she smiled when both heads tentatively reached out to sniff her. It blew gusts of hot air at her and she fought down a laugh one head flicked its tongue to taste her skin.
"See," Kagome said, inching closer and closer. "It's okay."
One head turned to curiously watch while the other dropped its snout to sniff her belly. She giggled as the beast's head pressed close as if nudging her. She calmly caressed the hard scales of the beast's long neck while awaiting the other to accept her.
The head inspecting her body coiled around her waist and huffed at the other head. The responding dragon head reared back, yellow eyes smoothing over her before it too pressed a snout into her side.
Petting the dragon, she murmured soothingly, "It's okay, Ah-Un. It's okay. Let me see."
The heads playfully batted at each other, blunt teeth snapping at each other as she unwound herself from their heads. Patting them, she circled to see its side. The flesh was torn open and the scales dislodged, probably from an attack which resulted in the loss of its rider.
"I need my bag." She mumbled, caressing the bruised flesh.
"Have you no sense of self preservation, girl?"
Kagome snorted as the beast turned its body to cover her. She stood on the tips of her toes to peer over the massive body of the dragon to see the impending approach of Sesshomaru. His hair a wild curtain floating behind him in the evening sky and his pelt trailing gently behind him.
"He's hurt." She fired back, anger flashing in her chest at his brazen disrespect.
"This dragon-" the golden eyed dog demon studied the beast's body before his eyes clashed violently into the beasts. "Shall be taken into this one's care."
The beast rumbled, heads swaying again as it challenged the newcomer. Kagome adjusted herself to cross under the heads in front of the dragon steed. Using herself as a shield, she puffed her chest up similar to how Shippo did when he intended to protect her. Sesshomaru's boots crunched as he continued to approach the snapping dragon, and Kagome frowned. Her teeth clenching together.
"What makes you think-"
Her indignant response was cut short as Sesshomaru's harsh gaze collided with her own. She stood still under his scrutiny and held firm as he made a rumbling noise in his throat. The dragon demon's heads both froze, the one dripping down in submission with its head peered at the Inu youkai over her shoulder. The other head made a matching rumbling noise which vibrated in her back uncomfortably.
Hand reaching up, she caressed the head closest to her shoulder before she raised her other arm to pet lovingly at the neck of the rumbling dragon, its rough scales prickling her softer palm. Sesshomaru's youki spread widely, thinly veiling the surrounding area. Kagome stifled a gasp and fought the rise in her own reiki as she continued to stare down the Inu heir.
The head of the stubborn dragon dipped low, the noise no longer rumbling in its throat.
"Come, Ah-Un." Sesshomaru spun away, his heel kicking up dirt behind him as he was allowed passage through the wall of his soldiers.
Kagome frowned the heads butting gently into each side of her before it clambered away from her. She watched sadly as it limped, favoring to snap at the soldiers closest to its wound. Her hands came up to her chest and she watched the scene unfold uncomfortably.
"How remarkable." Myoga jumped to her shoulder, hands clasping onto the green collar of her school shirt.
"Sure." She muttered distractedly.
The Captain strode with long legs to her, hand grabbing her bicep to shake her from her stupor. She huffed, blatantly staring into his face defiantly as he bared his teeth at her.
"Are all humans as stupidly bold as you?" He snarled.
She rose to the bait, anger fueling her. "Are all demons as arrogant as you?"
The two stood, toe to toe in a heated battle of wills. Takeshi's body towered over her and she rose up to appear taller to meet him.
"Play nicely, miko. You'll be entering a den of demons that would rather devour you soon enough."
Kagome flashed her attention to the Great Dog General himself as he proudly waited to garner their presence. She ran a tongue over the front of her teeth, sucking on them to hold her fiery tongue. Backing down and away, she yanked her arm out to Takeshi's hold.
"Can't play nice with someone who's a jerk." She mumbled.
Inutaisho laughed, a smirk curling his lips upwards into a fanged smile as his pelt fluttered behind him. His clawed hand beckoned her forth and she narrowed her eyes at him. Myoga, leaping from her, bounced up to the dog demon easily.
"My Lord, what a proud day for your son!" The flea chirped, inhabiting the throws of his Lord's white pelt.
"Yes," the Dog General gleamed. "And he collects his spoils so readily."
Kagome frowned, unwilling to move any closer to the conversing pair, while fumbling to straighten her uniform subconsciously. A rough bump on her shoulder had her twirling to meet the emerald gaze of Takeshi as he offered her the forgotten bow and quiver.
"Oh, thank you." Kagome blushed. Maybe he isn't so bad.
At his sneer, she pouted, grabbing her forgotten things in a rush. Guess again.
The Dog General beckoned them again, and she found herself practically being dragged by Takeshi towards the awaiting demon.
"Hey!" She yipped, stumbling to keep in pace with his longer strides,
She was thrust in front of the Dog General and she flushed as he peered down his nose at her. Hesitantly, she glanced around at the staggering soldiers finishing their tasks. Unsure of what to do, the raven haired woman swallowed a lump in her throat.
"Takeshi." Inutaisho said, his voice devoid of emotion as he continued to willfully engage the aura around Kagome.
"Yes, Inutaisho-sama?" Takeshi knelt quickly, his hand no longer grasping her.
Kagome rubbed the abused appendage and cataloged the interaction between the individuals in the recess of her mind. Inutaisho loomed closer and her attention was once again drawn up to him as she careened back to lock onto his jagged markings.
"Finish clearing out the soldiers and reconvene at the shiro. I will await your arrival with further instructions."
Takeshi's silence was his response and before Kagome could look down at the Captain, Inutaisho's arm jolted forward. His arm wrapped around her petite waist like a steel band and she squeaked at the motion. She leaned back, arms trapped in between their bodies against the cool metal of his armor.
"What are you-" she squealed as Inutaisho leapt off.
Hair whipping around her, she pressed tightly against him, the wind blowing uncomfortably at her bare legs. Her legs lifted slightly as if to clutch onto him the same way her hands had fisted onto the edges of his armor. Her hair blew back into her face and she swallowed down another scream as it shifted as he landed. Ducking her head against the wall of his chest, Kagome's face scrunched.
She could feel the way the Inu Lord's body bunched as he leapt off again, this time his chuckled rumbling into her breasts. Kagome gasped as they continued traveling like this for several minutes. Her mind was completely unable to process more than please, don't drop me!
Even as the hilt of his swords accidentally jabbed her waist, she swallowed her discomfort down, afraid to make any noise as he leapt further and further away from the battle and the well.
Soon enough, they were landing. This time his feet planted firmly into the soil, arm still an iron clasp on her waist. She waited for him to jump again, but when they remained frozen, she raised her head to peel open her shut eyes. Seeing nothing but the silver of his breastplate, Kagome chanced shifting her weight so her feet could brush the ground. His strong arm loosen to allow her shaking body to slide down his person, and she released an unsteady breath.
Tilting her head up, Kagome's mouth grew dry. The Inu Lord was closer than he had ever been before. She could mark the flecks of amber in his irises and the swell of Cupid's bow as his lips curled upwards.
Her stomach clenched at his pearly fangs peaked out and heat spread across her abdomen at the breathtaking sight Inutaisho made.
They remained like that, completely transfixed in the other, as he memorized the shape of her face and the glittering depths of her soul. Kagome, unused to being held as intimately as he was holding her even in comparison to her time with Inuyasha, took a shallow breath in.
"Welcome, Kagome, to the Western shiro." Inutaisho rumbled, the timbers of his voice deep and strong.
She blinked up at him, arms still trapped and legs shaking in newfound excitement. Dragging her gaze away from him, she leaned back attempting to rearrange her thoughts into something cohesive.
He chuckled, the sound screaming a dangerously sharp twill of emotion into her core, and Kagome swallowed again. He retracted his muscular appendage away slowly as if he were afraid she would fall and she took an unstable step away from him. Her feet struggled to find purchase in the lush grass while she stumbled on jittery legs. He remained unmovable with that damned smirk upon his handsome features, a clawed hand ranking up to rest upon the hilt of Tessaiga and the other resting at his side.
Curling her arms to her chest protectively under his molten scrutiny, she stepped away before gasping at the beautiful sight.
The shiro was massive with red pillars. They were standing in a breathtaking garden budded with large flowers and foliage. A stone path led up to the towering shiro where she could make out ornate fixtures and screen doors while another led to an unknown destination.
"T-thank you," she gasped, human eyes struggling to take in all the features of the Western shiro this late in the unlit sky. "For having me."
His fanged tooth smirk grew wider and she could practically feel the predatory rush in his veins as he stared unashamedly heated at her.
"The pleasure surely is all mine."
