Chapter 6-The Hama-ya

No, come on now-I so do not own Inuyasha or related characters! I do own the Hamayami, all of it's various arrows, Gozentaru, Kaigaishii, and Watarimono. Yes! More original characters! Mwahahahah-eh...deep cleansing breath Um-anyway.

Recap: Shippo's been discovered to be more than he seemed, and disowned. He's cornered by Kouga. The ex-prince's lurking around Kaede's village has been discovered, but a Dokueki incursion has taken precedence. What happens now? Read on!

"Shit!" Inuyasha swore.

The packholding they'd been summoned to was near Kokukozu's old territory, and for the first time he saw what they did when they had their favorite prey before them. The holding itself, a small, walled manor tucked into the foothills overlooking a human village, was all but ruined. Huge chunks of wall were gone, and more than a few of the Inu who had dwelt here. In truth, the humans were most fortunate, it had approached from the opposite side of the hills and been driven back, never coming near them.

Lord Gozentaru. Gozentaru had been a friend and ally of Kokuzoku, one of the old guard who resented Sesshomaru. He'd been a stubborn, proud creature-and paid for it, refusing to call for aid when it had first been sighted. Him, his recently chosen mate, his packsecond, most of the warriors here were dead. His heir was a small boy of eight named Kaigaishii...and one of the remaining adults would likely rule until he was of age.

Inu did follow blood inheritance, unlike wolves who used dominance alone. Sesshomaru would have to decide who would be regent, and if they even were able to maintain their territory or if they should be absorbed into another pack. Out of a pack of forty-four, barely twenty remained, four of them the pack's young, and three of the remaining adults were badly wounded.

The tiny child lord, looking calm and surprisingly composed, had greeted them with a gravity better suited to an adult. His green and blue kimono, still cut as a boy's, flapped in the breeze and his dark brown hair flopped into his eyes as he stood in the rubble strewn courtyard. The smell of blood still lingered, though the bodies had been seen to.

"My Lord Sesshomaru. Lady Kagome, Lord Inuyasha, I, Kaigaishii, son of Gozentaru, welcome you to my holding. We thank you for coming to our aid, one day, I hope to be a worthy vassal to you. There is much to rebuild here, but we shall do so, and better than before. I pledge it," he said in a high, piping voice. The child bowed, twisting his thin neck in submission to his Clan Lord.

The remaining Inu stood with him protectively, ready to guide him in the ritual welcome. But there was no need. The boy had helped gather the other little ones up and take them to the deepest part of the holding when it attacked, and neither cried or whined. There were sorrowful looks tinged with pride aimed at the child.

"Hm." A nod met this and Kagome's eyes were soft with sympathy.

Lord Kaigaishii straightened, and reported what happened quietly. A night attack, most of the pack had been on alert, yes...but his father, the strongest of them, had fallen when he'd dove at the creature. A straight ahead charge, typical of the lord. They had driven it away with heavy losses-and he was the one who had sent for help in Gozentaru's name. Not any of the adults...who had still been quarreling over the right course.

Sesshomaru heard all of this, and immediately put the boy on his watch list. A child clever enough to do what had to be done without hesitation. As an adult, he would be formidable indeed...should he mature.

"Kagome. See to the holding, and inspect it." She bowed. He meant to feel the pack out, see if it was salvageable. She'd done this before, unfortunately for the same reason...

"Inuyasha, we follow the Dokueki." His half-brother nodded.

Barren spots where the wounded one's blood had fallen on the grass and crushed plants made the trail clear, rich with the smell of both Inu and its own blood. Jaken, Rin, and Ah-uhn were being left to Kagome's care. She nodded, not liking it-but accepted it. With her Shoheki-ya, she could keep it off until they returned should it come back. Kagome watched them leave, and allowed herself to be led to the manor by Kaigaishii, who's hand shook as she held it.

"I'm so sorry about your parents. They'll take it out, and we'll help you all we can. You've been very brave, they'd be proud of you, I think. You'll make a fine leader one day, Lord Kaigaishii," she told him, and he nodded with a sad expression.

"He fell as a warrior. I-" he looked away, and Kagome patted his shoulder with her free hand. There was a soft sniffle, and she sighed as she set to work, having Rin wait with Ah-uhn as Jaken bustled to the storehouse. Kagome had done this far too often-and it never failed to sadden her.

They didn't know it, but there were actually two of the snakes...and the other was coming right at the humans. Dokueki were customarily loners, yes. But not always. Not with rich hunting grounds in front of them.

The large, disreputable looking dog napped on the porch of the hut near that village. A big kai inu, or so the farm family thought, he'd shown up months ago and well-moved in. Part of one ear was gone, his grey fur was rumpled, he looked...bedraggled. Skinny. A tough stray, he protected the humans in return for scraps and a spot at the fire.

A fair deal, he'd chased off a thief and was a good watchdog. Played with the children, even, he listened to orders and was smart. The farmer figured he had gotten lost from a Lord's hunting pack or something. Named him Rakki. 'Lucky'.

His name was not Rakki, though the Inu had been called worse in his journeys. It was Watarimono, actually...not that he saw any reason to say so-it always upset his various mortal hosts when he did. That would end his stay rather abruptly, before he was ready to leave. No need to distress them unduly. He'd just wandered through and seen a decent place to stay awhile, even close to Kokuzoku's lands.

Watarimono had no fondness for that bastard. He was glad to hear he was gone from the humans who no longer had people fleeing his lands to deal with. Old Gozentaru didn't bother himself with lowly humans as long as they stayed off his holding-and so far hadn't noted him here, another beneath his proud notice. Good enough.

But he suddenly lifted his head and growled.

Oh, crap. Dokueki. That was definitely at least one of the big youkai snakes...and there wasn't much he could do for the humans. They were done for. Finished. This was indeed the end for them. Watarimono knew he ought to run. By the time the Dokueki ate them, he'd be long gone and the Inu holding in the hills would likely be the next stop afterwards.

A shame, but it happened, they'd likely be able to handle it anyways. But...the humans in the field. They'd been fair. That was important to him. He'd agreed to look after them for the food and shelter that had been generously provided. One of a long string of such as he traveled. He'd made a bargain with them.

Inu, after all, had honor. A prickly honor...but honor nonetheless. They guarded. He turned, knowing he would smell appealing to it, and bit through his rope leash. Watarimono launched himself towards the Dokueki, smelled but unseen as yet. He'd lure it away-maybe even...no, it would eat him. But he owed the humans at least an attempt to help keep the snake away. So he steeled himself and ran, making no attempt to hide his trail.

The Dokueki caught it and followed. Watarimono wasn't thrilled by this development. But...a deal was a deal. This form was good for distance at least, so he loped through the bamboo forest, twisting and dodging as he tried to at least get the thing far enough away from the humans that if it ate him-no, when it ate him, he'd have it too far away to go back. Possibly. Hopefully.

He didn't figure on rescue.

On a hanyou's nose...or on the fact that Kagome was very attuned to lesser Inu. They loved her nearly universally, and she looked after them. So when her nose picked up a whiff of one running, radiating terror on the breeze...it caught her complete attention.

She sniffed, scowling as she walked outside to check the remaining walls and buildings. A lesser Inu? Alone? They never traveled alone unless running a message or something like that, they hated to be alone, and always moved in various packs or family groups...and the pack they had come to aid had none attached to them that she knew of.

"No, Lady, we do not keep such things. My Lord found them tiresome, and unnecessary," the answer came with a frown from the Clanmate who had accompanied her.

"We should investigate."

"Hardly worth our time, a single one of them is not-"

"I disagree. I consider them part of the Clan, and so does Lord Sesshomaru. They certainly see themselves are part of us! Won't take a moment or two," Kagome said firmly, and to his shock-left. She dashed off, a transformed Hamayami in hand.

"Madness!" he snapped, glaring, and her leaving was noted by a little boy who slipped away to follow. Kaigaishii reasoned she would have a purpose in saving the lesser one. These would be his lands-so he would go do his duty and help her.

So, when Sesshomaru and Inuyasha cornered one, the wounded one, and killed it...the other was bearing down on Watarimono, Kagome-and Kaigaishii, panting as he chased after her.

The Inu was looking over his shoulder as he ran, lungs aching for air, tongue hanging out.

He looked around quickly. A deep streambed, it would do. Maybe he could get away...maybe. Worth a try. He ran down into it, sliding down the steep, worn walls and awkwardly landing in the cold water. He forced himself to keep running, the water soaking him and making him shiver as he splashed away down the stream. Snow melt fed, had to be, it was freezing!

The Dokueki had no such qualms. It hissed, tongues tasting the air. That way. It followed.

Kagome moved to intercept what she assumed was a messenger...as she smelled-oh, no. Dokueki. One that didn't smell injured! Her bow was gripped tightly. A shoheki-ya would keep it off until help got to her. She hoped. She felt her packbond flare and grow quiet as she hurried. They'd gotten the other one then, she knew it. So, they would know she was in trouble soon and come help.

Oh. My. A head turned in the stream. What the hell? Watarimono skidded to an awkward, splashing stop, sniffing uncertainly. Someone smelled marvelous. A female, strong and mated, and a child of his kind. The female probably had every lesser cousin panting at her heels, smelling so nice. But...was that a hint of-mortality? Hanyou?? No way there was a female Inu hanyou about. Although he'd heard rumors that one was in the Clan now-ones he'd discounted.

Watarimono wasn't exactly in the Clan gossip stream these days.

Maybe she ate a mortal recently. There was a packholding above them. From there, most likely. They'd help her. Torn by indecision, he hesitated-as the Dokueki came on fast. Too fast! Watarimono tried to climb out of the stream, and couldn't. Not like this...no time to transform...at bay, he growled, backing up in the cold water. He'd die with dignity, at least. Go down fighting.

But a bolt of fire struck the snake from behind! It hissed and turned as-oh. My. Watarimono gaped as a strange, dog eared female fired another Hi-ya. Her fire arrow again struck true, scoring along the beast.

"Run away! I'll cover you!" she yelled to the Inu. With the Dokueki between them, she couldn't use her barrier arrow to shield him. Not effectively. A seirei-ya wasn't going to help...and it took several of her hi-ya to take one down. But she could manage until help arrived. Kagome told herself that.

Watarimono was a bit bemused as he splashed through icy water, dodging. One female taking on a Dokueki alone? She was obviously insane. But he always had a weakness for madwomen. So, he moved to help and snapped at the Dokueki, trying to distract it. No way he'd allow her to get killed while he ran. No. Watarimono liked being able to look at his own reflection without shame, thank you.

"Crazy mutt," she muttered...as the Dokueki turned to face her, the heavy tail lashing out at Watarimono, who scrambled out of the way. Both heads weaved, catching the scent of plenty of food on the air.

"Lady Kagome!" a terrified yell from the trees.

"What the heck are you doing here??" Kagome sputtered at the sight of Kaigaishii, who gulped and went very pale. He trembled, but didn't run away.

"I w-wished to help you!"

"Not a good plan! Run!!" she yelled. He did, but to her, darn it! She lifted him on her back to protect him.

"Lady Kagome!"

"Hang on tight!" she snapped, and she felt little claws digging into her as he shivered.

Kagome dodged as it tried for them, nimbly leaping back and trying to get around to the same side of the snake as the hound. If she could do that, she'd be able to shield them all. But the Dokueki and the mutt weren't cooperating. He was snapping and leaping like mad, trying to draw it away. To help, she knew it. Gripping her bow, she wished she had a way to take it easier...she could use her barrier, but the lesser Inu would die. No. There had to be another way.

'Only by killing a powerful Panther. A panther, now, shoot one and allow it's blood to soak into the bowstring, and that will produce the Hama-ya. The Spearhead arrow...' Totosai's advice! She had done what was needed to get it.

Her bow ought to have it now...dodging as a tree was flattened, she winced. Kagome had asked how to get it, not how to invoke it. She drew back and fired another hi-ya. Her whip was out, the poisoned blood might flow down it onto her. Her flameclaw was no good...and she was being cornered. It would eat one or more of them long before her packmates came.

So, she needed the hama-ya. Dropping the little boy who crouched in terror at her feet, she drew back her bowstring again. The hanyou tried to feel...all four fingers took the string. Something new was forming. Her arms suddenly ached and shook with effort, it felt like her bow had doubled in draw weight...and yes! It was-it was fully drawn now...

"Hama-ya!!" a scream as it was released, and the bow turned hard enough that if not for her troll robe, it would've sliced her forearm horribly.

A spear of silver-white energy shot at the snake! Unlike her other magical arrows, this one looked like something from a siege weapon! It went into the Dokueki at the join of the heads...and through, and into several trees...punching a hole in it she could've crawled through if she were so minded!

The creature writhed, reared, and toppled...and Watarimono barely avoided the mess as it fell backwards into the bank and sort of-spluched, staining the water green as blood poured from the gaping hole. But she dashed in, leaping to get him clear of the now poisoned water...and scooped him up in passing, landing lightly back on the bank. Dazed, shaking, she slid to her knees as Kaigaishii joined her carefully, hopping from rock to rock to get to the shore. At least the stream would dilute it eventually. She did feel rather bad for the dead fish bobbing on the surface now from the snake's toxins.

So. One hama-ya was strong enough to kill a Dokueki. She now knew how Inuyasha felt when he learned the bakuyuurha and killed Ryukotsuie with it. Awe, and thrill combined...such power! Kami be thanked for it, because they were alive. She was nosed by a stunned Watarimono as Kaigaishii patted her shoulder and sang her praises.

Watarimono, got a good look, a whiff-and moved back.

She was hanyou, and her packmarker! Oh, no. What the hell was going on here?? He hated hanyou! Especially Inu Hanyou! Everyone knew it. Impossible. But-so was that giant arrow she'd just produced from nowhere!

Watarimono turned his head and sneezed. He staggered off to shake the water out of his fur without getting the lady wet. 'Lady' being the operative word. A female of the premier and ruling pack, an Inutaisho female! A Lady and Princess of his Clan, risking her neck for common as muck him. He was humbled.

"Are you ok, Kaigaishii?" Kaigaishii nodded, awed. She smiled in relief, fangs flashing.

"Yes, Lady!" he answered.

"How about you, boy? That was pretty brave, distracting the Dokueki. I always said you were all clever," she managed, looking at the lesser Inu. He nodded, an oddly human gesture. "Who are you, anyway? What pack do you look to? My name's Kagome, Lead Female of the pack of Sesshomaru," Kagome asked kindly, slumping tiredly as she held out her hand for him to sniff in greeting.

No pack collar, maybe one of the free ranging packs? They rarely had contact with them...no. Was that a rope? A frayed rope was around his neck-like a regular dog's leash.

The kind questions shocked Watarimono. The Lady thought he was a lesser cousin? Yet she had still saved him? She could have easily run away with the child-and no one would have blamed her. Who troubled themselves with a single hound? Brave, compassionate, powerful-remarkable. She had defeated a Dokueki alone! Truly, she was worthy of the utmost respect and honor. Awed...he decided there was but one way to repay his great debt to her. He owed her his life, and those of the farmers he'd run to protect.

He shook himself again...and transformed in a soft silvery glow.

He wasn't fast at it, the reason he'd been stuck in his other form. This one...he didn't use that much anyway. At least, not in many years. Kagome's eyes widened as a true Inu youkai appeared in front of her.

The scruffiest member of her adopted kind she'd ever seen. Skinny, lanky, half of one pointed ear missing. A single grey stripe was on each of his high, hollow cheekbones. His hair was the same indeterminate grey as his fur had been, and short, sticking about untidily. Deeply set, steel grey eyes met hers, and he wore a ragged, oversized and loose fitting kimono of faded black fabric and worn sandals. A pair of plain, serviceable knives were sheathed at his waist, with no sword. But he knelt before her, and bowed deeply as he removed the rope leash and tossed it away, his forehead touching the ground as the child peeked over her shoulder at him.

"I am called Watarimono, great Lady. Your eternal, unworthy servant, my most noble and terrible liege and Princess. My life is yours forever," he vowed fervently. Golden brown eyes went huge.

"Oh, dear," she said, getting up. He stayed where he was.

"Please, noble one, allow me to serve you!" Watarimono asked urgently.

"Um, really! You don't have to. No need, all part of the job! Really! You're Clan, I'm Clan, I'm supposed to help you," she said, and a hand waved him off desperately. Oh, no. He wanted to be her vassal! Sesshomaru would never let her live this down! Bad enough they had Jaken and Myouga attached to the pack! Couldn't he just say thank you?

"My Lady, I beg you! Command, and I will do it," he vowed. Kagome groped for a way to get him to stop. She backed up, and he followed. Still on his knees. Kaigaishii watched, wide-eyed.

"Uh, uh..."

"Please, great Lady! Allow me to prove my worth and serve you!"

"You don't have to! I'm sure you have a place. Go on," she asked, moving back, and he...ohhh. Still followed her.

"My place is at your feet, mistress. I pledge myself to your service always. I will follow wherever you go, and serve you well!" he insisted.

"Can't leave you alone for a minute, can I?" Inuyasha! Who'd come running with Sesshomaru as soon as they slew the other one. To find a dead Dokueki, a strange Inu cringing, and Kagome looking like she was at her wit's end. But Watarimono saw him and to Kagome's surprise automatically moved in front of her, hand on knife hilt. He moved to defend his liege lady and the child with her as Inuyasha's eyes went hard at the sight.

Watarimono frowned. A very powerful hanyou that he didn't recognize. A sniff...oh. Her mate from the scent of things, lucky bastard...and...oh no. Sesshomaru was behind and above him. Ah. Her mate-and the Clan Lord. He bowed deeply again, going to his knees again in respect.

The supreme pack leader. The Lord himself. Oh, crap. That was Sesshomaru himself! He'd seen him at a distance years ago-once. Never so close to the son of Inutaisho himself! He stayed there as Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed slightly when they raked over him. A peasant. Low ranking, not strong. Kagome's mate pulled her into an embrace, and Watarimono heard the soft words they spoke.

"I can't leave you fucking anywhere, damn it...you could've been killed!"

"I'm sorry. I had to help," she said. Inuyasha made a face.

"Kagome. Explain," Sesshomaru said as he looked at the mess and frowned.

"There were two of them, one chasing this fellow. The young Lord Kaigaishii helped me take care of it," a smile at the boy, who straightened proudly, "and this is um..." she stopped. His name slipped right out of her head as Kagome explained, still tucked into Inuyasha's arms. Her new vassal immediately saw a way to serve her.

"I am Watarimono, my liege," he prompted. At that...Sesshomaru landed. Another stray! His eyes went to the last such she'd brought home, so to speak. Inuyasha. But this one...he sniffed, and frowned. He did not know him, and saw no tokens of a pack. But not an outcast or exile-the Clan Lord would know. One of theirs, yes. But a stray.

Idly, he wondered if she fed them or something, and thus they kept sniffing around.

"You accepted this...as a vassal?" he asked Kagome coldly.

"Uh...well...I-um..." Kagome fidgeted.

"She didn't reject him, my Lord. He pledged himself," Kaigaishii piped up.

"I serve the Lady Kagome. My life belongs to the noble and mighty Princess," Watarimono agreed. She winced as Inuyasha mouthed the words 'noble and mighty Princess' and looked like he was trying to decide if he ought to laugh now or later. But Sesshomaru merely nodded.

"Very well." At that-she froze. She figured he'd get her off the hook. Watarimono's eyes widened when he learned who the strange fellow was, her mate. He had been out of touch lately! The outcast Inuyasha was in the Clan?

"What do you mean, I can't get rid of him?" she asked urgently after they returned to the manor. Kaigaishii had been sent to bed and to clean up, scolded by worried packmates-and her vassal had taken up position outside the room they sat in when she'd told him to wait for her. They had been pleased to hear her new arrow was not only usable but powerful...if not happy about the reason she'd had to learn it.

"You saved him. He has pledged himself by his own vow. You did not reject him outright. He is now your personal vassal, packsister, as I taught you," Sesshomaru replied. As it had been with himself and Jaken, so it was with her and this Watarimono.

"Keh. Now you get the fun of having a vassal, Kagome. Good luck with that," Inuyasha commented with a snort as he sat, Kagome leaning against his shoulder with a wince. If he was anything like Myouga-he'd be pretty useless.

"Who is this Watarimono, anyways, Sesshomaru? Do you know him?" Inuyasha asked.

"I do not. A mere peasant," Sesshomaru said dismissively.

"Well...what do I do with him?" Kagome asked.

"Eh-don't know. Maybe he can be useful with something," Inuyasha said with a shrug. They were interrupted by the peasant in question at the door.

"My Lords, my Lady, a meal is being brought. Your other followers are coming as well," he said carefully. Rin came to sit beside Kagome for dinner and Jaken settled himself.

Watarimono sat carefully beside the Imp, sniffing and cautiously eating.

"Aren't you hungry?" Kagome asked him as he picked at his meal shyly. This morning, he'd planned to be eating from a scrap bowl left by a farmer...now he was dining with his Clan Lord, his Lord's half-brother and packsecond, and his new liege.

Unnerving wasn't the word for it.

"Undoubtedly he is counting his good fortune at your kindness, Lady Kagome. Taking in such a lowly creature is far more than he deserves," Jaken sniped.

"Stop it, Jaken! Don't let him get to you, Watarimono, he's rude." Watarimono nodded, and risked a smile.

"Thank you, mistress," he answered.

"Eh-don't call me that, ok? Why don't you tell us about yourself. Like how you ended up smelling like humans and running from a Dokueki," she asked.

"Yes. Um...not much to tell, Lady," Watarimono admitted. He took a sip of tea and began, "my pack is-was the broadstream, though I have not been there for many years." A southern one, Lord Aki's holding, he was an effective leader, but kept his pack on a tight leash. Kagome nodded.

"I've heard of them. Go on."

"Well...I found I liked travel. I always have. And one day, I kept walking and didn't go back. I've moved about, mostly with humans. Safer than running alone, I'm not powerful, I can transform into an Inu and I'm not bad with knives, but that's about it. So-I usually stayed as a Kai Inu. Hunting, guarding, that sort of thing, trading work for a place to stay. I was staying at a farm when I smelled the snake and I owed them for hospitality. Everything I heard said they like to eat our kind best, so I was trying to lead it away when you happened to rescue me, great Lady," he finished. Both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were surprised. Inuyasha had to give him that he had guts, at least. No real powers, but he was willing to try and help mortals he'd owed.

"Eh...kinda clever, actually. So you guarded and hunted as an Inu? Playing pet for mortals," Inuyasha said slowly. Watarimono shrugged.

"Mostly. It was a living, my Lord. They helped me, so I helped them, it was a fair trade. Besides, it was fun. Humans are an interesting bunch to be around. Now, though...I will follow my liege wherever she goes. That was my choice, and it is my place now to serve her always," he said firmly.

"Will you, now?" the hanyou shook his head and glanced at Kagome, adding- "I should've known. Nothing but trouble."

"Ha ha," she said, and sighed, "well, I think it was very brave of you, Watarimono. I'm sure you'll-make a fine vassal." He nodded eagerly.

"You will see, mis-my Lady. I will serve you well." At that, Kagome sighed again as talk turned to immediate matters.

Inuyasha, though, he frowned slightly. Another responsibility added to their load. Looking around the half-ruined manor...at Watarimono...and realized that yes, more was changing. If Kagome hadn't been there, the Inu and the humans would likely have died, or it would have attacked the holding here. A few months ago Sesshomaru alone would have dealt with them. How had he managed? He watched as the Clan Lord calmly listened to their requests after supper and Kagome's advice on what she'd seen, Jaken's statements on the status of the pack...

All of these people and many others were his half-brother's to look after. Now his and Kagome's as well. In a weird way, he now understood Sesshomaru's desire to become stronger and gain the Tetsusaiga. Inuyasha only had his friends to look after back then, and before that only himself and then Kikyou briefly. He had strengthened the sword to protect them, look after Kagome and the others.

But Sesshomaru had the weight of the entire Clan on his shoulders since Father had died and never once spoke of it. All those times he would yell and scream as they fought-that he was stupid, and selfish and useless...Musha had said he was training him. For this? Kagome had said frequently Sesshomaru needed her. It wasn't just for selfish reasons, to get back at him. He needed help with all of this, and had been too proud and stubborn to admit it. Inuyasha was sure of that now.

But if that was so, why then had he never taken him in? Because he was a hanyou? Inuyasha couldn't ask. Mother had been at the Keep from what Musha said...yet they had lived with her family, not stayed as an honored widow and his sibling under his protection. Why? Because he hated mortals? No.

For once, the hanyou suspected there was more. His brother dutifully saw to such trivial matters as how much rice they had in their stores here. Sesshomaru attended to the tiniest detail of his duties even when he didn't want to, and that was a serious obligation he'd ignored. Inuyasha didn't understand. What had his beloved mother ever done, even as a mortal-to cause that kind of hatred? Father's death? Could that be all it was? Why then did he ever accept Kagome as help...when his own blood kin was seen as unfit?

Sesshomaru caught his brother peering at him and had no idea why. There was a slight inquiring frown, but Inuyasha looked away. Kagome noted the exchange and let it go.

Author's notes- Ok! Long chapter thanks to tons of dialogue! Lot of notes in this one. First off- the Hama-Ya. What, you thought she wasn't getting to use it after I got it to her in AO? Piffle! Say hello to her big honking arrow o' doom!

To recap her Hamayami's various energy arrows and their uses:
Seirei-ya Spirit Arrows: create and enhance youkai auras, and can target foes.
Shoheki-ya Barrier Arrows: when fired, spread into short term barriers (shields)
Hi-ya Fire Arrows: Her basic combative arrow, not unlike her old Purifying Arrows
Hama-Ya Spearhead Arrows: Heavy combative arrows that do massive penetration damage.

All of them, and the Hamayami itself-are my own original creations and belong to me.

And yep-Kagome now has her own personal vassal! I originally intended for Watarimono to show up all the way back in WADC, but he didn't seem to fit in there or in AO. So-he finally worked here. I was glad to be able to add him to the mix. The reference to Jaken is from the anime ep. 'Jaken's plan to steal the Tetsusaiga' that goes into how they met. Some names as well: Gozentaru-'Proud or haughty'. Watarimono 'wanderer'. Kaigaishii-gallant or brave. They seemed to suit. And yes-Inuyasha's got a lot of new questions about his brother that will be gone into. Thanks for Reading!-Namiyo