Chapter 173 : Neck

A silence fell over the individuals in Asahito's dark, smokey tent.

"Reiki? How is that possible? How do you even know?" Shinobuto, the defacto leader of the Tengu, demanded.

"I'm a miko. I can feel the holy energy poisoning his body. I can remove it, but-" Kagome was interrupted when Shinobuto grabbed her arm, forcefully dragging her away from Asahito."HEY!"

"You're a miko? Are you trying to kill my brother!?"

"Let go of her." Sesshoumaru, placed a hand on Shinobuto's shoulder, his voice and expression calm.

"Give me a reason to trust you, Sesshoumaru." Shinobuto pleaded as he stared at Sesshoumaru, releasing Kagome from his grip. "Asahito is dying, and you bring a miko in here to help him? She's going to kill him!"

"This Sesshoumaru did not lie when he said that Kagome can heal youkai. If he dies, it is not because of her healing."

"Allow me to heal another sick Tengu to prove to you that I will not kill them." Kagome cut in, "If he's already dying what more do you have to lose?"

The two youkai stood over her, both sets of eyes looking down at her.

"You would be willing to forfeit your life if you kill a Tengu?" Shinobuto dared to ask.

"Yes," Kagome said without hesitation. "Once the reiki is removed from everyone who is sick, they should improve dramatically. I have no reason to lie. I am in Sesshoumaru-sama's care and you are part of his alliance. I wish the tengu clan no harm."

Shinobuto stared at her for a moment, trying to gauge her sincerity. In the end, he gave a sigh. "Very well. I have some others who are sick. I will bring one in."

Sesshoumaru gave her a long look. Kagome looked back, narrowing her brows. She knew he would never allow them the tengu to kill her. However, he would allow her this rouse.

Shinobuto stepped out for a few minutes and reappeared with an unconscious Tengu slung over his shoulder, Hayato and Yuuto in tow behind him. The poor young Tengu was so pale his skin looked grey. Dark circles sat under his closed eyes and his chest seemed to struggle to rise and fall. He lacked all signs of liveliness. Kagome couldn't help but wonder if the poor youkai was already dead.

"She claims she can heal our father. I am here to personally take her life if she fails." Hayato claimed boldly as he sat down to observe. Yuuto grimaced at his brother's aggressive attitude but took his seat next to him, giving Kagome an apologetic look. Sesshoumaru shot Hayato a murderous glance, but he kept quiet.

Shinobuto laid out the other Tengu on the floor before them.

"What is his name?" Kagome asked, as she gently stroked her hand against the injured Tengu's forehead.

"Why do you care?" Hayato snarled.

Shinobuto snapped at him. "Keep your attitude to yourself, or leave."

Hayato closed his mouth with a snap of fangs, and looked away in a huff.

"Riku." Yuuto answered her quietly. "His name is Riku."

Kagome placed her hands on Riku's arm closest to her. Closing her eyes, she sent out her reiki, gently exploring what was wrong with him. Similar to Asahito, his youki was becoming faint, although not nearly as bad of Asahito's.

With great care, Kagome focused on the foreign reiki in Riku's body. As if acting as a magnet, Kagome simply called the poisonous reiki to her.

"Riku," she whispered, trying to stir the embers of his youki to fight. "Don't give up just yet."

Everyone sat still as statues and the tension in the room was thick and palatable. While drawing the reiki to herself and out of his body was relatively easy, healing the damage left behind was much more of a task.

After several minutes, Kagome opened her eyes and pulled herself away from Riku. Already color had returned to his face. The steady rise and fall of his chest became stronger. Riku opened his eyes.

Yuuto gave a surprised gasp. "Riku-san!"

Slowly Riku's eyes became focused as he slowly sat up, looking around at the serious faces staring back at him."Where am I? What...what happened?"

With a sudden burst of movement, Hayato and Shinobuto dove forward and began touching Riku all over. "How do you feel, Riku-san? Are you alright?"

Riku kicked his legs out, dislodging the two Tengu from him. "What is the matter with you?! Get off of me!" Riku shouted.

Shinobuto sat back and stared in wonder at Kagome. "He's just fine!" He threw his head back and laughed.

"How do you feel?" Hayato asked Riku again.

"I'm...well I've felt better, but I'm not dying. What is going on?" Riku looked in confusion at everyone around him. "What happened to me? I don't remember anything…"

"You and most of our village have been poisoned with Reiki. Kagome-sama healed you." Shinobuto explained while motioning towards Kagome.

Riku rubbed his temples. "We must be in bad shape if you asked them for help."

No one said a word for a moment, which caused Riku to slowly drop his hands from his head. "We are in a bad way aren't we?"

Hayato nodded. "Things are...very bad. We have retreated from the mountain. They..." He clenched his fist. "Our women and children are being held prisoner on the mountain."

Riku jumped to his feet, and swayed a little off balance. "What are we sitting here for?! Let's go get them!" It was then, that he noticed the still body of Asahito.

He sank back down to his knees. "This is very bad."

"All is not lost, Kagome-sama was able to heal you, so hopefully she can heal Asahito-sama. With her healing, perhaps we can rally our people and take back our mountain." Shinobuto said with optimism.

"You presume much of Kagome, especially after the way you all have treated her." Sesshoumaru said breaking his silence. Kagome looked up at him, schooling her features. He knew that she would not abandon these people to their fate, not if she could help them. But, he was also correct in that they needed to start being more kind to her in turn.

"Ne Sesshoumaru-sama, surely you would force her to help us right?" Hayato spoke up.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at the young Tengu. "Kagome is this one's equal. This Sesshoumaru cannot force her to do anything."

No one said anything, no one even blinked. Kagome's heart pounded at Sesshoumaru's declaration. This might be the most romantic thing he has ever said in his life. Her face flushed as everyone's attention focused on her.

Shinobuto turned on his knees and bowed his head to the ground. The other Tengu quickly followed suit.

"A thousand pardons! We humbly beg your forgiveness for our actions. We beg that you heal our clan! Please!" Hayato shouted.

"I will do what I can to help your clan. All that I ask if kindness and respect in return." Kagome answered with authority.

A loud chorus of "HAI!" filled the tent.

Sesshoumaru felt such enormous pride and affection for Kagome. She tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear as she looked away as her beautiful face glowed pink.

To his surprise, he was pleased that she was not needlessly cruel. She could have dangled this carrot over their heads to get them to do whatever she wanted. She could have refused to help at all given their poor treatment of her. Instead, she acted full of grace and benevolence. She was going to make an excellent wife.

Kagome moved over to kneel at Asahito's side. She placed her hand on his. He felt cold and lifeless. She feared that maybe he was too far gone. She closed her eyes and concentrated on pulling the foreign energy from his body. It felt thick like honey and very slow to pull away. After half an hour of drawing what she could. She pulled her hands away. Everyone's eyes were on her.

"Open his robe. I need access to his chest." She explained while taking deep measured breaths. This energy did not feel...right. While it didn't hurt her in the same way it did youkai, it didn't exactly feel good either.

Hayato hastily pulled back the quilt covers and pulled open his father's robe, exposing his chest.

Kagome leaned over him and placed both hands palm down on his chest. Concentrating once more on her own reiki, she pulled with more force than she had been doing earlier. It was slow agonizing work. It felt like sucking syrup from a straw.

After what felt like an eternity, she started to feel a change in him. His breathing became more even, and the color came back into his face. Finally, without all that reiki drowning him, she began to feel his enormous youki and strength. Her thighs burned from leaning over him and remaining in the same spot. Her back ached from the tenseness in her body.

Asahito's arm shot up and wrapped around her throat choking her. Kagome gasped for air and pulled helplessly at the hand choking her to death. In the space of a small moment, everything happened so fast.

"Father, no!" Hayato shouted. He scrambled to pull Kagome from his grasp, but Asahito's grip was too strong.

Asahito's red eyes opened and trained on her. "How dare a filthy human touch this one!"

Yuuto joined in the fight. "Let go of her!" He shouted. Shinobuto clawed at the hand around Kagome's neck trying to free her. Sesshoumaru drew Bakusaiga to the horror of everyone in the room.

Kagome's face turned red, her fingers grasping at Asahito's hand as she fought wildy against him, her cheeks now turning purple…

Sesshoumaru moved without thinking.

The hand around her neck loosened and dropped away from her.

Kagome fell backward away from Asahito gasping for air. She couldn't hear anything over the sound of blood rushing in her ears, her fingers jumping to her throat protectively. The Tengus crowded around Asahito, there was an air of frantic desperation in their movements. Her eyes slid over to Sesshoumaru. He stood only a few feet to the right of her. When had he moved?

Her eyes focused on Bakusaiga in his hand. Blood dripped off the end of the blade. Oh no, Sesshoumaru, you didn't…

Sesshoumaru knelt down beside her, as sound came rushing back to her. A loud cacophony of wailing, cries, and shouting surrounded her. She felt him place a hand on her shoulder.

Numbly she turned her gaze away from Sesshoumaru's concerned face, to see the dead lifeless eyes of Asahito. His head lay a foot from his body. Blood pooled around him on the floor, slowly creeping towards Kagome.

Kagome gasped in horror and scrambled backward away from the sight.

Sesshoumaru moved quickly to wrap his arms around her, pulling her away.

Kagome turned and threw her arms around his neck, holding him as tightly as he held her.

"You...killed him." She murmured against him.

"Nn." He said softly. "He was going to break your neck."

Kagome swallowed thickly, her injured neck hurting with the motion. She hugged him tighter. He had saved her life."Thank you." She rasped against his ear, fighting back tears of relief.

Reluctantly, she let go of Sesshoumaru to turn around and face the consequences of his actions.

Shinobuto pounded on his dead brother's chest. Tears streamed down his face. "You dumb bastard!"

Hayato stood holding Yuuto, as if shielding him from the sight. His jaw clenched tight, and his eyes averted. Yuuto trembled silently against his brother.

Kagome stood, her knees shaking under her. She gently placed a hand on his arm. "Ne, Sesshoumaru-sama. Please bring him back."

He didn't immediately answer her; instead he turned to her sheathing Bakusaiga. Her eyes searched his for any kind of indication of what he was feeling. She could tell he was very closed off emotionally. She understood why he was so carefully blank in his expression, but it did not make it any easier to deal with.

His hands came up and softly touched the sides of her neck, inspecting the damage that Asahito caused. Large purple bruises began to appear on her skin where his hand had been strangling her. Her face was red and blotchy. He did not regret his actions in the least. He did what was necessary.

Sesshoumaru gazed down at her and felt such overwhelming emotion. He felt strangled by the tidal wave of relief when he was able to prevent her death. A large lump formed in his throat at the mere possibility of losing her, and lately, there had been too many close calls. He had the urge to simply whisk her away from here: away from the Tengu, away from the war, away from distractions. He just wanted to be with her in peace. He cared for her deeply, more than he had cared for anyone else.

His eyes moved from her imploring face to the scene behind her. The Tengu mourned their dead leader, father, and brother. They only had a moment or so before the whole rest of the clan barged in to find out what happened. Sesshoumaru wasn't oblivious though. He knew that Asahito had not been in his right mind. Did he want to revive him? Not really. He was still an old stubborn Tengu, who on many occasions infuriated him and his father for his inability to compromise. Shinobuto would most likely inherit the leadership, and the Tengus would be better off for it. But…

Kagome drew his attention back to her when she placed her hands on his chest.

"Please, Sesshoumaru-sama." Her fingers curled into his robes.

Sesshoumaru let out a slow measured breath.

"You will owe this Sesshoumaru a favor." He said to her.

Kagome blinked her eyes in surprise before she stammered. "Ah, alright."

Sesshoumaru stepped around her and approached the Tengu family. He drew Tenseiga, and everyone stopped to look at him.

"My lord, please..." Shinobuto pleaded looking up at him.

Sesshoumaru paused for a moment, The stench of fear permeated the enclosed tent. They did not know that Tenseiga was a healing sword. To his shock, he realized that they thought he was going to kill them. This...bothered him. Shinobuto had been a friend of sorts when he was younger. He would like to think that Shinobuto would know that he would not kill him and his family without being provoked. Asahito's death had been necessary to protect Kagome.

"Shinobuto, this Sesshoumaru would never harm you or your family without reason." He felt compelled to say.

Tenseiga rattled in his hand drawing his attention to the sword. He focused on the sword, and his eyes fell half mast. The veil of the underworld clouded his vision. The undertaker youkai crowded around Asahito. With a quick swipe, he dispatched the youkai and the vision faded from him. Shinobuto sat back in astonishment. They watched intently as Asahito's head reconnected with his body.

Life and power returned to Asahito in a way they had not seen in over a month.

Shinobuto whipped his head around to Yuuto and Hayato. He pointed a finger at them as he said, "Do not tell him what happened. I will handle it."

Asahito's young sons nodded their heads with wide eyes.

Sesshoumaru sheathed Tenseiga, his eyes alighted on Kagome. She watched with rapt attention as Asahito took a large gasping breath and sat up. The Tengu immediately crowded around him.

"Father!"

"Brother."

Asahito looked at his hands, then patted himself down. "I'm...alive."

He was not only alive. He was completely cured. Kagome had been able to draw off the reiki, but the damage to his body would still be there. In a way, Sesshoumaru did them a favor by killing him.

"What happened?" Asahito demanded.

Shinobuto spoke first. "You have been gravely ill for weeks now. Kagome-sama has healed you."

Well, he didn't technically lie. Kagome slid her eyes over to Sesshoumaru to see if she could gauge his response. Would he be upset that she was being given credit for Asahito's recovery?

His face remained cool and neutral as always. He didn't look bothered as far she could tell.

Asahito looked different to her now that he was full of life. He still appeared older, but only so much as a middle aged human. His long black hair was pulled back in a sloppy ponytail. The hair around his temples was gray. His most prominent feature was his long bulbous nose. If Kagome remembered right from folklore from her time, the longer and bigger a nose was on a Tengu, the more powerful it was.

Asahito's dark red eyes narrowed on Kagome, and glanced to her right at Sesshoumaru. "Who are you? And why is this dog here?"

Sesshoumaru already regretted bringing him back to life. He tilted his chin up and glared down at Asahito.

Shinobuto openly and blatantly grimaced at Asahito's rudeness. "Brother."

At his brother's tone of voice, Asahito turned his attention back to his family.

"Sesshoumaru-sama and Kagome-sama have literally brought you back to life after you succumbed to poisoning. Please show them a small measure of respect." Shinobuto said firmly.

Asahito looked chastised for half a second before sputtered, "Poisoned!?"

Kagome spoke up, "The snake tribe has invaded the Western territory. It is believed that they poisoned your water supply with reiki in order to weaken your defenses and invade your mountain."

Asahito sputtered, "WHAT?" He grabbed his brother by his robes. "Tell me what has happened?!"

Before Shinobuto could answer Asahito looked around the room suddenly and asked, "Where is Tsubame?"

All the tengus looked everywhere but at their leader. Kagome had no idea who Tsubame was, but she could tell the old tengu's reaction would not be good.

Shinobuto placed a hand on Asahito's shoulder. "Before..before you react, please listen to what I have to say."

The color drained from Asahito's face. "Is she..."

His brother shook his head. "I don't think so. You have been gravely ill for some time. In that time, the snake tribe has been doing their best to get past our barriers. About three days ago, the barrier fell and..." He swallowed thickly. "We were driven from our home and the snakes separated us from our wives and children. Tsubame went back to protect them. I was unable...I did what I could." He said hanging his head in defeat. "I assume they are using them as bait to draw us back to the mountain to finish wiping out our clan."

Asahito closed his eyes for a moment before he pushed away from his brother and stood.

"Dog, are you here to reclaim this territory for yourself?"

Kagome had had enough of this Tengu's attitude. "Absolutely not! Why would we want your mountain, when we already own it? You insult us and the benevolence of the late Inu No Taisho." She silently thanked Tortuga for his lessons in who lived in the Western territory. Inu no Taisho had claimed this mountain centuries ago but he left it in the care of the Tengu. He only wanted alliances and left them alone to govern themselves.

Asahito clenched his fists and took a threatening step towards her. "Listen, you human bitch..."

"That is enough." Sesshoumaru pulled Bakusaiga from its sheath, pointing it at the older youkai in an instant. "We are here to drive the snake tribe out of our territory. It just so happens that they have taken your mountain as a base. This Sesshoumaru would rather not waste his time assisting your people, but my mate would prefer that we help you. Keep in mind you old bird, we have resurrected you once, it cannot be done again."

Asahito folded his arms into his robes and leveled a condescending sneer at Sesshoumaru.

"Mate huh?" His eyes roamed over Kagome up and down. He took in her armored appearance and the ring of bruises around her neck. "At least your father chose a good looking human to fuck."

The hair stood up on the back of Kagome's neck. Sesshoumaru's eyes bled red, and the very atmosphere in the tent became heavy with snapping youki. Hayato, Yuuto, and Shinobuto silently slid to the ground as if to take cover.

Asahito spit to the side and said, "Child, I'm not afraid of you."

Kagome stepped between them, clapped her hands and said brightly. "Alright. I can see that you do not wish for our help. That's fine." She looked around Asahito to the kneeling tengus, "Shinobuto-san, if you would like our help, come find us. We would like to help, however, we will no longer acknowledge your current leader."

Sesshoumaru blinked his eyes and the red faded from them. What was she planning?

Asahito snarled, swiping a clawed hand out to hit her. A pink shimmer filled the space between them, stopping his assault. She was prepared this time. Kagome took a step forward and he punched uselessly against her barrier. The skin on his hand burned and cracked from the wall of reiki as he screamed, jerking his hand back as it now dripped with blood.

Kagome pursed her lips and gave him a patronizing look. "Now, now Asahito, I just healed you. Why do you have to be an ass?"

"You bitch!" He shouted as he slammed his fists against her barrier. Kagome stepped forward unconcerned and grabbed his wrist from behind the wall of reiki. Asahito's mouth fell open in shock as sharp, shooting pain traveled up his arm. His body burned, his whole body felt as if on fire. He yanked his hand back and stepped away from her, but Kagome pressed forward, chasing him back a few steps.

"You may not be afraid of Sesshoumaru-sama, but you should be afraid of me." Kagome taunted. "I am human, yes, but you'll find I care less about helping those that do not wish to help themselves, youkai included. You're old enough to know better, stop acting like a damn child!"

Asahito cradled his arm against his chest and moved away from her retreating.

She turned her back to him, infuriated. She opened the tent flap, turning to glance at the other youkai. "Shinobuto-san, Hayato, Yuuto...Once I receive an apology, I will return to heal the rest of your clan. I look forward to hearing from you."

With that, Kagome left the tent. Sesshoumaru smirked before his visage returned to the emotionless expression he always carried before following her lead.

What was left of the Tengu clan stood around the outside of the tent, as if they were there for backup but were too cautious to intervene. The tengu easily parted to let them leave.

In the tent, Asahito looked at his family. They stared back at him with contempt.

Shinobuto glared at him. "You arrogant, ungrateful kurr! Our clan is decimated. We have 20 able-bodied soldiers to take back our mountain. That's it! There are thousands of snake youkai on our mountain! How do you expect to save our people without the snakes massacring us? They were willing to help! Think of what Tsubame would say?"

Hayato ran his hand down his face. "Father, you...you have shamed us. You deserved that."

Asahito could not believe his ears. He expected shit from his brother, but his eldest son had always shown him the utmost respect. Hayato wanted to become clan leader one day and he strove to make his father proud. To hear him say that he was ashamed of him, cut him to the core. His younger son, Yuuto would not even look at him. His eyes stayed firmly on the ground. Yuuto had a level head and would make an excellent negotiator one day.

"Father, I think it would be best if you apologized, and handed over this particular responsibility to Uncle."

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Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who left reviews. It really means a lot to me that you would take the time to say something. It really does inspire me and keep me motivated to keep writing. As always, thank you to my beta reader Saruwarui, as this fic would not exist without her.