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1
Blood dripped from Sesshoumaru's fangs. His prey writhed under one gigantic paw. The aura of its fear only fed the insatiable bloodlust of the monster dog. He raised his paw. The wounded creature bleated and scampered away. The dog's muscles quivered, ready to spring into action. He waited until the creature reached the other side of the clearing, then leapt into the air. He cleared the open space in one bound and was upon his prey. One bite was sufficient to consume the innocent deer, as it joined the rest of the herd in the belly of the beast.
His hunger sated, the white dog transformed to his humanoid guise. The youkai lord slipped silently through the forest as the sky above the trees lightened in the east. His boot toed the snoring, slobbering toad. "Break camp and settle Rin on Ah-Un. We leave at dawn." He turned and moved toward the nearby clearing where Inuyasha's pack camped.
"Ouch, dammit, Myoga!" accompanied the sound of a slap against skin. Inuyasha growled as his fingers combed the mane around his ears, searching for the annoying flea youkai. "Why'd ya have to bite me and wake me up? It's not even dawn yet."
There was no answer in the silent forest. Inuyasha scratched the itchy lump behind his ear. He rolled and wriggled on his back attempting to scratch the maddening fire spreading down his spine. The vague thought entered his fogged brain that maybe something other than Myoga had bitten him. He smelled the blood on his fingers, the odor was somehow darker and more poisonous than the flea. Some other bloodsucker then, as if one flea wasn't enough.
"What ya staring at, asshole," Inuyasha greeted his half-brother.
Sesshoumaru strode into the clearing, his pristine hair and garb a brilliant bright contrast to the dark still lingering under the trees. "Hn," Sesshoumaru resumed his pointed stare at the bedraggled hanyou, covered in leaves and mud from rolling on the forest floor. He wrinkled his nose at the stench of the hanyou's blood, tainted with a distasteful undertone. "You need not roll in carrion to proclaim your currish tendencies" he mocked. "Make use of the miko's favorite hot spring beyond these trees. Even the stench of wet hanyou is preferable to your current state."
Inuyasha jumped to his feet and began waving his battered katana, which had failed to transform. "Leave, bastard!" he shouted as he bounded over to Kagome's sleeping bag. "I'll protect you!" he crouched near her head and faced his "adversary."
Kagome awoke abruptly from a very pleasant dream involving the removal of silk wrappings from a tantalizing present. "Gah, what is that smell?" She held her nose as the breeze blew another whiff of carrion aroma from Inuyasha's direction. Her eyes narrowed as she watched Inuyasha dancing around, shouting obscenities, and waving the untransformed Tetsusaiga at the motionless and plainly bored Sesshoumaru.
Rudely awakened, subjected to that horrid smell, all while the object of her not-so-innocent carnal fantasies watched impassively, it was perhaps inevitable what next occurred. "Inuyasha sit . . . sit . . . sit," she screamed. "And when you've dug yourself out of your hole, GO TAKE A BATH!"
Kagome scrambled away from the excavation, pulling up her sleeping bag and Shippo. She moved toward the fire pit already contemplating the meal to be prepared.
"Indeed," commented Sesshoumaru as he drifted in Kagome's wake, nonchalantly snapping his whip near Inuyasha's posterior as he passed the pit.
Sesshoumaru stood beside the fire and regarded Kagome's activities. "Miko."
Kagome nervously gathered a pot and supplies from her bag. "Lord Sesshoumaru, would you care for some tea," she offered.
"Hn," Sesshoumaru settled himself with his back to a tree in a relaxed posture. He observed the miko as she readied the meal for the camp. The kit hid behind her, clutching her robe. She was never alone. His pursuit was constantly hindered by her interfering pack.
A squawking, "Mi lord, mi lord, do not leave this poor Jaken behind!" announced the arrival of the toad youkai leading Ah-Un with Rin riding.
His own interfering pack as well, mused the silent youkai.
Kagome brushed the hair out of her eyes and acknowledged the arrival of the additional guests. "Rin, why don't you and Shippo go wash up while I cook breakfast."
Additional grumbles emerged from the pit as Inuyasha clawed his way to the top. "Ya gonna invite the whole dam circus, bitch?" Inuyasha complained. "There's not enough ramen for me and them too."
Kagome growled, "Sit," under her breath and Inuyasha tumbled back into the pit.
The children paused at the pit and stared down at the hanyou. Both children held their noses and backed away. Inuyasha crawled out of the hole and headed toward the trees. The reek was intensifying.
Sesshoumaru commanded, "Jaken, go with Inuyasha to the spring and assist him with his bath. You shall regret it if that stench is not removed." Jaken quivered and trotted after Inuyasha, following at a "respectful" distance.
Sesshoumaru rose and turned his gaze toward Kagome. "Miko," he began in a low hypnotic tone. Rin and Shippo ran around the tree, their hands trailing a flower chain, which encircled Sesshoumaru's legs binding him to the tree. He sighed silently. His courtship of the miko was definitely cursed. It would seem to require supernatural intervention to proceed. He would have to find a better way to approach her and ensure their time alone. He accepted the tea she offered and resumed his seat, observing the flush of her cheeks as his gaze lingered on her features.
After many squawks from Jaken and constant cursing from Inuyasha, the hanyou was relatively clean, the blood and ichor washed from his hair and back. Inuyasha shook the wet, smelly fire rat haori. The mangled carcass of a noxious flying rodent youkai fell to the ground. The blood sucking hunter sent by the dark lord Naraku had proved to be mortal.
Inuyasha eyed the remains distastefully. He grinned wickedly, "Bury that away from the spring, after you finish washing my clothes."
Jaken sputtered and started to protest. "Move it," growled Inuyasha hiding his smirk. Maybe Sesshoumaru's useless lackey was good for something after all.