Not knowing what the state of the compound was in the trio approached. Sesshomaru and Jiro had already secured the masks to them as they came to the front steps.
Sesshomaru found it eerily quiet and feared the worst. Opening the door they found Nen lying in his demon form close to the hearth.
Jiro went to his brother placing a hand to his head.
"Nen." Getting no response he took in his brothers appearance. His breathing was shallow and he seemed to be struggling with each intake of air.
Grabbing the kettle Sango set to work preparing the root.
"I hope we aren't too late." She said as Sana came from the back hallway.
"Lord Sesshomaru, you need to go to Izumi and Hisashi. They are not well." Her voice was thick and her eyes brimmed with tears.
As he moved past her Sana ran to Jiro kneeling next to him. Taking his hand in hers he began to whimper softly as he stared at his twin.
Kohaku sat on the futon in his room holding Hisashi. The pup was wrapped in his favorite blanket with Izumi in his lap stroking her head. Just as Nen had Izumi was unable to keep her human appearance.
Briskly he went to them and took Hisashi from Kohaku. Staring at his son as the little pup trembled and shook he became furious.
"What happened?" Turning his eyes to Kohaku he knew he would have to tread carefully due to his fragile mental state.
He could tell Kohaku was holding himself together but now that Sesshomaru had arrived he could easily fall apart.
"Nen and Jin have been engaging in some sort of a relationship. Nen refused Jin so he decided to get revenge on Nen. Jin didn't realize the amount of paralyzing herbs he was using in his anger or that it was getting out of the barracks to hurt the others." Kohaku said.
"A lovers quarrel may have cost us everything." Sesshomaru growled out. "Where are the others?"
"In your quarters. Mitsuo is with Emi and their children. Riku and Iku are there as well. Jiro was away with Sana when it happened. Nagi and I have been doing what we can with Sanas help. Right now he's guarding Jin at the barracks." Kohaku said.
"Sango is here. She is preparing the antidote. How long have they been like this?" He questioned.
"Three days." Kohaku whispered out. "Lord Sesshomaru, I never should have brought any of them here…the other humans. All they have done is caused harm. I take full responsibility for what has happened."
"No. What Jin has done is on his head. We will deal with it once this is resolved. Whatever the outcome may be." Sesshomaru said. Sana came to the room with a bowl filled with the antidote Sango had made.
"Administer it the the half-breed children first. They may be weaker than Hisashi." Sesshomaru ordered her. Nodding Sana went to the other room. "You are strong son. You are doing well and you will get through this."
Nuzzling his small head with his forehead Sesshomaru held his son to him tightly.
Sango entered with more of the batch and assisted Kohaku to get Izumi to be able to drink some. Sesshomaru held Hisashi as she gave him a smaller dose.
"I'll check on Sanas progress with the others." Sango said. "It may take some time and more administrations of the antidote. We just have to keep an eye on them all."
Sesshomaru nodded in acknowledgment while Kohaku thanked her. Silently accepting their thanks she went to the other room.
Sana was holding one of the infants as it fought her.
"Please little one, your sisters drank it down just fine." Sana pleaded.
"Even sick my son is still stubborn." Mitsuo said wryly. Leaving Emis side he took his son from Sana. "Come on. You will feel better, none of that."
Sango watched them attend to the small half-breed child and saw the attentiveness and loving way they cared for him. She was glad, that even in the worst of times, that her brothers household had many wonderful people with in it.
"These two, have they had any yet?" Sango asked motioning to Riku and Iku.
"No. Iku is the female, she is pregnant. Riku is her mate." Sana explained. Going to the futon where they laid in their demon forms. As she got closer and went to kneel down the larger demon turned and snapped at her with fangs bared. "Riku, no!"
"It's alright. I'm Sango, Kohakus sister. I have an antidote. Let me help your mate." She appealed to him. Sniffing at her he collapsed unable to barely move. It had to have taken all of his strength in order to protect his mate. "Sana, can you help me?"
"Yes." Wiping away what the hatchling had allowed to dribble out of his mouth she went to the futon and elevated Ikus head.
Running her fingers through her fur Sango saw tears form in her eyes. "I'm so glad you are here Lady Sango. I didn't know what to do to help everyone other than what Kohaku and Nagi said to do but it didn't seem to do much good."
"I cannot promise that this will work but it will give them a chance." Sango said. Nodding and sniffling she propped Iku up better as she was given the infusion. "Everyone else has been taken care of," Sango told Riku, "You are the last one."
Sana gently laid Iku back down and helped Riku as she still wept silently. Turning his nose to nuzzle her hand she smiled at him sadly. Stronger than the others he was able to pull himself up more to lap at the liquid drinking it down.
Lying back down in Sanas lap he shook his head due to the exertion it took to move.
"Just sleep Riku." Sana soothed. "I am here. I will take care of you both just the same as you both have for me."
"If anything let me know." Sango said. "If Kohaku or Sesshomaru are looking for me I'll be outside."
"Thank you Lady Sango." Mitsuo said.
"You're welcome." Exiting the room she went to the front and saw the other demon, Jiro, lying beside the other. "You two are close?"
"Nen is my litter mate, my twin." He said rubbing his head across his brothers snout. "The others, they didn't inhale as much of the smoke as he did, from what I was told. Lady Sango, he will be alright won't he?"
"I don't know." She hated to tell them all the honest truth but knew it was best to prepare all of them in case some of them didn't recover. "The human that did this, I'm going to go talk to him. See what happened."
"Okay." Jiro replied softly sniffling. Sighing Sango went to the back of the main house taking in the back seeing the huts that were set up, the stables, the garden, and the barracks.
"Hey Nagi." Sango greeted solemnly.
"Sango." He nodded his head with a small smile. "It has been some time."
"It has. I wish it was under better circumstances. Jin has always been a little reckless and emotional but this…" She said.
"I know. I should have kept my eye on him but the demon Nen, he took to Jin and I didn't want to cause any strife in our group so I let it be. The demons here, they're good people…they don't deserve this." Nagi looked as if he were on the verge of tears.
"Let me to talk to Jin." She said. "I need to hear from him what he did so I can help the others."
Stepping aside Sango went into the darkened barracks finding the young man sitting in the back. "What did you do Jin?"
"Are the children alright?" He asked hoarsely.
"I don't know. We won't know until you tell me exactly what you burned and how much of it." She replied tersely.
"It was mahi leaves. I burned them, the entire satchel, everything I had. I closed the windows and shut the door but it still got out. The smoke." He said.
"Why would you do that in a compound full of demons and half-breeds?"
"I just wanted to make Nen a little uncomfortable. He…what he said to me hurt because I thought we were friends at least companions at best but he…"
"Do you know that all of the demon women here are pregnant? That this may very well kill their children?" Sango interjected. "Do you understand that the men here are probably going to kill you if that happens?"
"I'm no better than Rentarou was. The chief never should have brought any of us here."
"Save your pity party for yourself. You are responsible for your actions. Now you'll have to deal with the consequences along with the rest of us who cares about anyone that lives here." Exiting the hut she went to the main house to prepare more of the root.
Shaking her head she hoped that it would be enough.