Inuyasha
Fate of the Compassionate
Chapter 1
Comfort and Aid
August 16, 2017
Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Kirara, and Shippou had been traveling West all day long tailing two jewel shards. It was almost like they were being strung along because they would get really close to the fragments then they would dash away again leading them west. The idea had crossed their mind that this was a trap set up by Naraku, but this was Sesshomaru's lands and he would never let that vile Hanyou have a footing here.
"They've stopped again Inuyasha." Kagome said softly as she followed behind her friend. It was late afternoon it would be a normal time for humans to stop to make camp but for demons it seemed out of place cause they could keep going with out complaint.
"Something is coming this way... I smell human blood..." Inuyasha said as he stopped in a small clearing waiting for what ever was coming to towards them.
"The jewels aren't moving closer." Kagome said softly as she pulled her bow out and notched an arrow anyway cause they had no idea if the person coming at them was friend or foe.
The silence in the forest around them was broken by sounds of a person crashing through the brush, sounds of attacks missing their target damaging the forest, then the worst of all sounds of the target being hit. The voice that cried out was a young male with mixed in screams of a female child.
Kirara had landed beside Kagome with Sango and Miroku on his back. Shippou had been riding on Inuyasha's back had now decided to jump down and stand on the other side of Kagome to protect her since the crashing in the forest sounded like it was on top of them.
"Ready..." Inuyasha warned as he put his hand on the hilt of Tessaiga intent on pulling it in and instant if he needed to.
A man broke into the clearing long waist length black hair and piercing blue eyes, he was tall looking around 20 years old. He seamed to be holding a young child protectively against him as he ran for cover as another attack just barely missed him. His clothes were torn in several places and he was bleeding pretty badly from several wounds on his arms, legs, torso, and his head trailing down his face. The man spotted Inuyasha's group and automatically changed direction to meet up with them.
Kagome noticed something odd about this child being carried by this strange man she looked familiar. But for the life of her she couldn't figure out why. Then it struck her 'Rin...' she thought worried as she stepped out from behind Inuyasha to get a closer look at the child then all thoughts of the child were driven from her mind as she raised her bow and pulled the arrow back. "Enough!" she said forcefully pointing her bow at the attacker who just dove into the clearing as well.
"Kagome we don't know what's going on..." Sango said warningly as she saw the person on the other side of the clearing was a priestess by the clothing she was wearing.
"Well then she can explain why she is attacking a man and a child." Kagome said as she noticed the man in question slide in behind their group for protection. He sat down under a tree cradling the crying and terrified young Rin.
"That man is not who he appears to be stand aside." the priestess said angrily as she motioned them out of her way.
"Please Priestess explain your actions to a simple monk such as my self. It seems a little extreme from our view point as you can imagine." Miroku asked as he stepped forward hoping his appearance would lessen the tension.
"It has absolutely nothing to do with you people now get out of the way." the Priestess demanded angrily as she took a couple of steps forward.
"Stop right there." Inuyasha said as he pulled Tessaiga from its sheath letting it transform in the the feared sword of his Fathers Fang.
"The lot of you would protect that awful evil wretch?" the Priestess asked stunned as she looked at them all like they were stupid.
"The shards are leaving again." Kagome whispered over to Inuyasha.
"Can't be helped." Inuyasha said with a shrug.
"Fine! I'll have him one day!" the Priestess said in defeat after looking at all of their determined faces. She turned and returned into the forest the way she had came.
Kagome sighed and she released the tension on her bow and put her arrow back in it's holder. She turned around and walked over to the man and Rin curiously and kneeled down in front of them. She noticed how the man flinched and pulled Rin away from her protectively. "It's a little late to worry about us now. My name's Kagome." she said pleasantly as she put her bow and bag down so she could tend to their injuries.
"I know who you are." a very familiar voice said as the man looked up and caught her eyes with his own.
"Sess...Sesshomaru?" Kagome whispered unbelieving what she was seeing. His hair and eyes were different but his face his clothes his voice was all the same. His clothes were torn in several places and covered in blood plus with him holding Rin it had blocked out his distinctive armor until just now.
Inuyasha's ears twitch hearing the familiar sound of his brothers voice made his brace unconsciously for an attack and stared at his older half brother suspiciously.
"Sesshomaru you smell Human." Shippou said confused as he walked over to Kagome's side curiously.
"I have been turned human Kit." Sesshomaru said as he finally sat Rin down beside him he was feeling week and tired.
"How?" Shippou asked as he watched the once proud Dai Youkai of the West.
"No idea." Sesshomaru said as he glared over at the young kit.
"Let me take care of your wounds Sesshomaru." Kagome said pleasantly as she reached over to push his hair back to see his head wound when he pulled back suddenly looking at her wide eyed. "It's ok Sesshomaru I'm not going to do more damage." she said softly with a sweet smile.
Sango kneeled down on the other side of Sesshomaru and pulled Kagome's bag to her and began rummaging through it for the medical supplies. She pulled out all the things Kagome needed and laid them down beside her. "Let me know if you need any help Kagome." Sango said as she glanced over at Sesshomaru like he was dangerous then walked over to Inuyasha and Miroku several feet away talking quietly.
"Come on Sesshomaru let me tend to you, you'll bleed to death at this rate." Kagome said as she used her hand to motion to his clothes which once were magnificent white were now torn and dingy with a lot of blood over several places.
"Very well." Sesshomaru said then stared over to Rin who was now quietly a couple feet away picking flowers with Shippou who had joined her. He noticed how she had calmed down quickly in the presence of his brothers group. Not a huge surprise these people had always been friendly to his young ward that's why he had came to them to keep her safe.
Kagome smiled then pulled out a rag and some alcohol. "This is going to sting a little." she said softly as she leaned across him to clean the wound on his head.
"Awe woman..." Sesshomaru said as his hand flew up and grabbed her wrist to get her to stop. Then he noticed the awkward position she was in and his cheeks turned slightly pink. With her leaning across him her chest was mere inches from his face, her rear was slightly up in the air since she was up on her knees. 'These clothes are very indecent...' he thought as he looked at her lovely form then released her hand and looked away quickly.
"I did warn you Sesshomaru." Kagome said apologetically as she went back to cleaning his head wound. It was a nice bump on the head that had broken the skin but nothing serious it had already stopped bleeding. Kagome put a large band-aid on his forehead above his left eye at his hair line. "Alright take off your armor and top please." she said quietly not wanting to embarrass him.
"Excuse me?" Sesshomaru said shocked as he turned to stare at her.
"I have to tend to the wounds on your torso and arms now. Please take off your armor and top." Kagome said again as she sat back and waited for him to comply. "Look Sesshomaru you're not going to heal like you're used too, those wounds could get infected and you could die before we find some way of reversing this, what ever this is." she said after a couple minutes of him staring at her.
"I must be out of my mind..." Sesshomaru mumbled to himself as he took off his armor and set if off to the side. He undid the ties for his top then began sliding that off as well hissing in pain as his wounds reopened through the dried blood and his top pealed away from the damaged area's.
Kagome spent the next 10 minutes cleaning all the wounds on him. He had six wounds between his two arms due to a sword in his flight from his enemies. Then he had a couple wounds on his chest, shoulder and abdomen which looked too small to be a sword so she figured it was a dagger or other demon weapon. "How did all this happen?" she asked curiously as she looked up into his eyes again then put down her rag and grabbed bandages, wrappings, and tape.
"Two demons and that Priestess showed up at our camp not far away, she kept babbling something about evil creatures, poor children, and she would have her revenge. Honestly I have no idea who any of them are. But Naraku's sent was on them. The priestess chanted while the others attacked when she got silent I was this." Sesshomaru said in disgust as he motioned to himself with his hands. "I fled with Rin when I could no longer protect her leaving Jaken and A-Un to defend our retreat. I could sense your group getting closer all day so I headed in your direction. I knew if nothing else you would protect Rin for me." he admitted as he looked away into the darkening forest in shame.
"You sought us out in your time of need." Kagome said happily as she smiled softly at him. "Let me help you back into your top." She said as she dusted off his top as best she could then leaned forward to help him slip it over his first arm. Then she put her hand in behind his head and pulled him forward gently slipping the top behind him, she pulled his hair free then laid him back against the tree again.
"You realize I'm not unconscious right." Sesshomaru said as he looked up at her with an eyebrow raised curiously.
"Of course but if you're not careful those wounds will reopen and we will have to start this all over again." Kagome said softly as she helped him put his other arm into his top. She did a little rearranging for him then leaned down closer to him so she could tie the top closed for him.
Sesshomaru's cheeks turned a slight shade of pink again as he watched her closely this human woman of his brothers tending him now. 'Why would she take such care of an obvious enemy, in an amazingly stoke of good luck, weakened defenseless state.' he thought curiously glancing over to the others who had started putting camp together it was obvious they intended to stay the night here in the clearing.
"Now for your legs." Kagome said as she leaned back then turned slightly.
"I'm not taking off my pants woman." Sesshomaru said defiantly as he looked at her like she was crazy.
Kagome laughed as she picked up her alcohol rag again. "Never crossed my mind Lord Sesshomaru." she said pleasantly with a small bow of her head to him. She pulled open the damage part of his right pant leg inspected the small wound there then cleaned it easily. She put a bandage over it then pulled a roll of wrap slid that inside the whole in his pants placed it at his wound holding one end then on the out side of his pants she used her hand to make him prop his leg up slightly then she used her fingers to slide the roll around his leg a few times. Once it was tied off she moved on to the other leg doing the same procedure. It was a difficult process but it was necessary for decency purposes.
Sesshomaru watched as Kagome stood up and stretched her sore muscles and heard her back and neck pop several times. "Were you injured?" he asked curiously as he looked up at her worried those pops didn't sound normal.
"Huh?" Kagome said as she looked down at him confused. "Oh the popping. That's normal when you sit in the same position for a long period of time then stretch randomly. Do not worry about me I am fine. It looks like they have camp set up would you like to move over to the fire to warm up I could feel you shiver when I was taking care of your legs. The sun's down now it's only going to get colder." she said hopefully holding out her hand to help him up.
Sesshomaru looked at the hand offered to him and raised and eyebrow. He needed no more help from this woman. He stood up on his own intent to have no more indignities today. The problem was they had sat there so long his feet were asleep and due to the loss of blood he got dizzy and started to fall face first.
"It's alright I got you." Kagome said pleasantly as she stepped into him quickly catching him. She watched him for a moment as he shook his head trying to clear it. "It'll clear in a moment. You stood up too fast with the blood loss you've had. You're not a demon anymore Sesshomaru you'll have to get used to your human body." she said softly as she supported him.
"I will not get used to his." Sesshomaru said weakly as he pushed him self up to a standing position again and looked over at the camp fire to see the others standing there watching them. 'They had been sitting when I stood up when did they stand up? Do they think I am going to attack Kagome after she helped him? Are they going to attack me?' All that was running through his mind as he felt something strange his heart beat quickened in fear at the last thought him the great Dai Youkai of the West was no match for his brother and friends if they decided to take revenge for all the times he had attacked them before.
"Don't worry, you're both safe here." Kagome said as she smiled softly up at him she had seen the emotions clearly running across his face. 'Obviously he can't control the strong Human emotions from showing.' she thought as she rearrange so that she was standing beside him so she could help him walk over to the fire. Miroku walked over and helped her to sit him down beside Rin who was quietly playing with the flowers she picked.
"Here Kagome you were busy so I cooked." Sango said as she handed a bowl of rice and vegetables to Kagome then one to Sesshomaru. She saw the look that Sesshomaru gave over to Rin then down to the food in his hand. "Rin has already ate Lord Sesshomaru." she said and saw him nod to her then begin to eat.
"What's up with the Lord. He's a human now. He's no one's Lord!" Inuyasha asked smugly.
"Nice Inuyasha rub salt in an open wound why don't you." Kagome said irritated as she glared over at her friend telling him silently to shut up.
"I'm just saying if he went back to his castle now his own servants would kill him for trying to impersonate their Lord." Inuyasha said very dramatic like relishing the power he now had over his arrogant, self ritious brother.
"Hush Inuyasha!" Kagome said shocked by his cold hearted behavior. Sesshomaru has lost everything he had strived for his whole life and it didn't seam right to her to humiliate him further.
"How does it feel being the inferior species Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha asked and laughed as he stood up then crossed his arms over his chest intimidatingly. He had won, he watched Sesshomaru staring down at his food silently.
Kagome jumped up to her feet angrily after putting her food down on the ground. "SIT BOY!" she practically screamed at her friend with her hands on her hips. "How insensitive can you be you jerk." she said as she stormed over to him.
"Kagome... what's the big deal? He's the enemy..." Inuyasha whined as he was finally able to stand back up.
"I have decided to help him and protect him and Rin, Inuyasha. I will not allow you to verbal abuse him! He's had a very bad day leave him be!" Kagome said angrily up in Inuyasha's face. Everyone was shocked at her fierce determination.
"Fine!" Inuyasha said then stormed off and jumped up into a tree to spend the night like usual.
Sesshomaru watched her return to her food then begin eating slowly with out saying another word. Camp wound down quickly after that with the children laying down for sleep Rin by herself Shippou curled up with Kagome like usual. Sango off by her self and Miroku trying to inch slowly unnoticed towards her. Sesshomaru for his part drifted off to sleep laying close to Rin and the fire unable to stay awake any longer.
