Inuyasha

Fate of the Compassionate

Chapter 2

Frustrations of Traveling

August 19, 2017

It was late morning everyone was awake except Sesshomaru he was laying there peacefully while Sango, Miroku, Rin, Shippou, and Kirara played tag on the far side of the clearing to keep the kids busy. Kagome was quietly reading a book leaned back against a tree glancing occasionally at the kids playing then over at Sesshomaru sleeping before returning to her book. Inuyasha for his part was still brooding up in the tree from the altercation last night with Kagome.

Inuyasha jumped down from his perch and began pacing back and forth angrily. Kagome watched him for a moment before sighing. "Calm down Inuyasha." she said quietly as she closed her book and laid it down beside her.

"Calm down this is a total waist why are we tip toeing around this jerk anyway?" Inuyasha demanded angrily as he motioned to Sesshomaru who was beginning to wake up because of the sudden noise.

"Inuyasha he needs time to heal, and to heal he needs rest. Lots of rest now be quiet or go patrol something." Kagome said as she frowned at him then shook her head.

"We've got shards to find woman if you don't remember." Inuyasha said angrily as he crossed his arms into his robe of the fire rat.

"I've not forgotten Inuyasha chill out. We'll find the shards it's not going to kill us to relax for one day." Kagome said and sighed again she glanced over and saw Sesshomaru starting to sit up. "Good morning let me get you some breakfast." she said sweetly as she stood up and dusted herself off.

"We don't have time for this..." Inuyasha said frustrated as he glared over at Sesshomaru for the millionth time since last night's altercation with Kagome.

"Sit boy!" Kagome said as she gathered up the remaining breakfast she had by the fire keeping it warm for Sesshomaru. She walked over and kneed down beside him handing him the breakfast. "Sleep well?" she asked curiously.

"Just fine thank you." Sesshomaru said looking at her like she was slightly crazy.

"When you're done eating I figured if you feel up to it we can start our trip back to Edo Village." Kagome said politely with a sweet smile.

"You've lost your damn mind wench we don't have time to go back to Edo Village!" Inuyasha yelled at Kagome irritated that she was completely ignoring everything he said and all their responsibilities all because his jerk of a brother had gotten himself into this mess.

"Shut up Inuyasha. Kaede may have information on how to reverse this." Kagome said as she glared over at Inuyasha very irritated with him.

"Why would you want to reverse this. We're all better without him trying to kill us all the time. And I'm not sure he wont try one night while the rest of you are asleep." Inuyasha said angrily back.

"I have no intention of harming any of you right now." Sesshomaru said as he glanced over at his half brother very annoyed already with him.

"Hear that Kagome right now. No intentions of harming us right now. You get him back to demon form and he will come after us again I'm sure of it." Inuyasha said as he motioned to Sesshomaru proving his point.

"That's a risk we will have to take Inuyasha. There is no way he can use Tokijin in his condition and Tenseiga is useless as a weapon anyway. Now he doesn't have his demonic powers either." Kagome said standing up and walking over to her stuff and packing it way.

"Good let someone take care of him for us." Inuyasha said as he glared at Sesshomaru.

"Look I know there is bad blood between you two but I can't turn my back on him. Like it or lump it Inuyasha." Kagome said as she looked up at him irritated.

"You do realize I'm sitting here and am not deaf right." Sesshomaru asked curiously as he watched the two bicker back and forth about him deciding his future without even having the courtesy to ask him what he wanted to do it was irritating to say the least.

"You are pretty much def now." Inuyasha said dismissively as he waved a hand at Sesshomaru like he didn't care at all about his complaint.

"Enough Inuyasha that was just rude." Kagome said as she stared up at him with her hands on her hips. He was getting on her last nerve and that wasn't the best place to be.

"Oh come off it Kagome you don't like him either." Inuyasha said dismissively to her as well then turned around and started to walk away.

"Ugh..." Kagome said shocked as she stared after him with her mouth hanging wide open. "How dare you! Sit Boy! Sit Boy! Sit Boy!" Kagome said then stormed off into the forest to go calm down by herself she had found a stream earlier when she was looking for water the sound of running water had always calmed her down.

Sesshomaru watched as his brother and his woman argued then sniggered when Inuyasha had plummeted deep into the ground from the power Kagome had over him. He then watched Kagome storm off and wondered if he should follow her then thought better of it. Inuyasha was right she was just being kind to the weak she probably did hate him.

"Lord Sesshomaru look what I picked for you!" Rin said happily as she ran over to him she bounced around lightly as she held out some wild flowers in her tiny hands.

Sesshomaru smiled as he laid his food down then took the offered flowers from his young ward. "Why thank you Rin." he said softly then ruffled her hair. "Go play." he said then watched her giggle and bounce away. He loved the child he had no idea why she had originally just been a test for Tenseiga but he had grown quite used to her presence she was so sweet and innocent.

It was a few minutes later when Kagome returned. "Are you ready Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked pleasantly as she picked up her bag so she could put it over her shoulders.

"I have finished eating." Sesshomaru said then began to push himself up. His muscles had stiffened in the night and he was sore all over. The wounds Kagome had taken care of for him pained terribly but he gritted his teeth he refused to be seen as a week useless person.

"Here Inuyasha you carry that." Kagome said as she threw her bag over to him. She picked up her bow and arrows sliding each over her shoulders gracefully then walked over to Sesshomaru. "If walking gets to be too much let me know ok." she said softly up to him with a sweet smile.

"I'll be fine." Sesshomaru said dismissively. He had thought to argue about their destination but then he thought about how many priestess's he knew and how many would be willing to help him and he remained silent.

"Come along Shippou, Rin." Kagome said pleasantly then laughed when Shippou ran and jumped up into her arms happily ready for the day's travel. She laughed as she shook her head at the kit she all but called her son.

The group walked silently through the forest until they reached a main road then they turned east and began to travel along towards Inuyasha's Forest and Edo Village. It was around 30 minutes when the silence was broken by Sesshomaru.

"You will carry the kit all day?" Sesshomaru asked curiously as he followed Kagome. Rin per her usual was a few steps away from him humming softly as she watched nature going by.

"He usually rides on one of our shoulders or walks himself, but I don't have my bag today so why not." Kagome said pleasantly with a shrug and a smile.

"You are a strange Miko. You roam around with my half breed brother, a neko, a kit, monk, and a demon hunter. Now you give aid and comfort to me your enemy and my ward." Sesshomaru said curiously as he watched this young woman walking.

"Me strange? No. I'm normal everyone else is strange." Kagome said sarcastically then laughed as she looked around to him.

"How do you figure that Miko?" Sesshomaru asked curiously he had no idea why he was conversating with this woman but the silence had seemed unbearable. He had preferred silence before what was wrong with it now?

"Well see where I come from I'm normal, the traditions here seem extremely out dated to me." Kagome said and shrugged.

"You fought with Inuyasha over helping me. Why?" Sesshomaru asked unable to stop the question from blurting out.

"He was being a jerk." Kagome said with a shrug. She looked over when she saw Rin run off the road. "Be careful Rin." she said as she watched the child chase a bunch of butterflies.

"Lord Sesshomaru where did Rin come from?" Sango asked curiously as she watched the child make her way back onto the road.

"After my original attempt to get Tessaiga I was severely wounded and fled. I didn't make it very far I was outside a small village and she kept trying to bring me food and water. She never would speak to me when I tried to scare her off or when I asked where all the bruises had come from. Apparently the villagers found her stealing food to bring to me and they had punished her. I of course never accepted any of her help but she kept coming why I don't know. When I was able to leave I smelled blood and went to investigate. Her village was destroyed by wolves, all it's inhabitants were dead. I used Tenseiga on the child." Sesshomaru explained as he watched the child thinking back on that experience.

"So she has no family or home." Miroku said as he looked over at Sango worried.

"She lives and travels with me." Sesshomaru said as he returned his attention back to the direction they were traveling.

"Have you ever thought to leave her with another human village?" Sango asked curiously.

"I tried a couple of times. The child always to found me after I left." Sesshomaru said as he started to grit his teeth and limp slightly. He glanced down to see fresh blood on his leg.

"You alright Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked curiously when she noticed that he wasn't keeping up with her anymore.

"I'll be fine." Sesshomaru grunted as he continued to limp using one hand to put some pressure on the wound on his leg.

"Ah look how far we've come. It's after mid day lets stop for lunch." Kagome said cheerfully trying to make it sound as if she wasn't stopping for him.

"Great idea I'm starved!" Shippou piped up excitedly.

"We've not went that far Kagome. He can suck it up and keep going." Inuyasha said as he kept walking not caring that the others had stopped.

"We are stopping to eat Inuyasha if you don't want to eat that's fine just keep walking." Kagome said as she moved off the road so that they could make lunch and rest for a while. "Go play for a while Shippou." she said with a small smile as she let the kit down.

"Sure holler when lunch is ready. Come on Rin." Shippou said excited as he grabbed Rin's hand then started chasing bugs not to far away from the others.

Kagome watched as Sesshomaru limped over to a tree leaned his back against it, closed his eyes, and gritted his teeth as he slid down so he could sit at the base of it.

"Let me check your wounds." Kagome said quietly as she kneeled down beside him while Miroku and Sango began getting the fire ready.

"I'm fine woman leave me alone." Sesshomaru said irritably as he glared over at her.

"Don't use that Lord nonsense with me Sesshomaru. You are bleeding again let me help you." Kagome said softly as she sat there patiently waiting for permission to look at his wound.

"Why do you care? Leave me be." Sesshomaru said agitated as he closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the tree.

"I care because you are hurt and I can help you. I don't want to see you suffer unnecessarily." Kagome said as she continued to wait patiently by his side.

"You're not going to go away are you?" Sesshomaru asked as he opened one eye and looked at her curiously.

"Nope!" Kagome said with a huge grin on her face.

Sesshomaru sighed. "Fine woman have it your way." he said giving up and removing his hand from his leg.

"My name's Kagome." Kagome said as she locked eyes with him for a few moments to get her point across. She then leaned down and undid the wrappings around his leg. "Hum, this one seems to have gotten infected anyway. I'll have to clean it down again and medicate it before re-bandaging it." she said regretting letting Inuyasha to keep walking with out them.

"Here, figured you'd need this." Inuyasha said as he dropped her bag beside her from up above them in the tree.

Sesshomaru jumped slightly when the bag landed beside him. He looked up and glared at his half brother. "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough to know she needs her first aid thing again." Inuyasha said then jumped away to a different tree where he could keep watch over his friends.

"You two are both so stubborn you might actually like each other if you would get to know one another properly." Kagome said as she rummaged around in her bag to find all the stuff she needed.

"I doubt that very much." Sesshomaru muttered as he glared at Inuyasha irritated that the boy had been eavesdropping on their conversation.

"Tonight when we stop we will find a hot spring so you can bathe. Then I will re-bandage your wounds for you. If we can along the way we will get you some new clothes so I can wash and fix these." Kagome said making small talk as she tended to his wound again.

The thought of a bath intrigued Sesshomaru but the thought of having to be tended to again irked him. This slow healing process is unbearable. He would have healed completely last night had he had his powers still. He was sore all over and it was making him irritable. "How many more times am I going to have to go through this?" he asked curiously.

"If we can't get you changed back quickly you'll probably take a couple weeks to heal completely." Kagome said as she leaned back and looked up to see the horror on his face. Being week and incapable of defending himself or walking long distances unaided appalled him. "Humans don't heal as quickly as you demons Sesshomaru it will take time and good care. Now I did say completely. You'll probably only be like this for three to four days when your wounds will have scabbed over properly and you wounds will begin closing." Kagome said softly.

"This is unbearable." Sesshomaru said as he leaned his head back against the tree again. He had never in his life felt like this, everything hurt, weak, helpless, and absolutely useless. Weeks of being like this seemed like centuries where he was concerned.

"Sesshomaru it's not as bad as it seems." Kagome said trying to comfort him, he seemed so depressed.

"Not as bad as it seems?" Sesshomaru said outraged as he leaned his head back up and glared at her. "This is abhorrent. Being this weak useless species is pathetic and requiring the aid of a young girl is repugnant you trifling woman. Now leave me be." he said angrily as he glared at her.

Kagome slapped Sesshomaru across the face she was angry, humiliated, and sad all at the same time. "I was just trying to be nice to you." she said then stood up abruptly, picked up her bag, and walked away.

Sesshomaru put his hand up to his cheek stunned, this inferior woman had struck him. Him Lord of the Western Lands she had stuck him.

"Close your mouth before a fly goes in." Miroku said as he stopped in front of Sesshomaru leaning on his staff. "In case you have some sort of idea in your head that she had no right to slap you, your right she should have punched you on the nose." he said then walked away to rejoin Sango by the fire.

Sesshomaru looked over at Kagome again she had pulled her legs up against her chest with her arms wrapped around them and her head laying on her knees. He regretted everything he had said as he watched her sit there and cry because of the way he had spoken to her. She had truly only been trying to help him and to make him feel better.

Sango passed out lunch to everyone but Kagome refused to eat her food just sat there. Kagome eventually got tired of sitting there feeling sorry for herself and she stood up. "Lets get started again." she said as she picked up her bag and put it over her shoulders, then the arrows. She also picked up her bow then began walking again once everyone was ready to go.

The walk was long and quiet but this time Sesshomaru let it drag on, the only noise was when Rin or Shippou would find something to play with. Along the way they stopped at a small village and purchased an extra set of clothes for Sesshomaru so that he could change out of his damaged clothes. Finally around dusk they found a small cave near a hot spring. Sango, Kagome, and the children went to bathe first.

Sesshomaru eventually noticed the disappearance of Miroku and he was about to question it when the women screamed and Inuyasha took off towards the hot spring. He got up and followed Inuyasha as fast he could in his wounded state. He found a scene that was hilarious to him. Inuyasha had been "sat" and Miroku was laying on the ground unconscious with a few bumps and bruises. He couldn't help but laugh at the two of them.

"Think it's funny do you?" Inuyasha growled out as he pushed himself up off the ground.

"Yes actually I find this highly amusing. I take it the monk tried to spy on the ladies while bathing and he seems to have got what was coming to him. Now you I'm not quite sure what happened you but yes it was funny as you put it." Sesshomaru said with another laugh.

Kagome and Sango now being dressed looked at Sesshomaru curiously none of them had heard him laugh like this before. He never showed his emotions he was always so stoic. "Well since you lot are here go ahead and take your baths. I'll be back in a moment for your cloths Sesshomaru I'll fix them as promised." Kagome said as she went to walk by him back to camp with the children and Sango.

Sesshomaru grabbed her arm just tight enough to make her stop as he turned to face her. "Kagome I apologize for my behavior earlier this is just so frustrating. I understand if you no longer wish to help me." He said as he looked at her with a sad look in his eyes.

"Sesshomaru I understand your frustrations but do not take them out on me. I will continue to help you. Leave your clothes where I can get to them easy. I'll bring back the other clothes we got for you." Kagome said seriously as she looked up at him then gave him a weak smile he could tell she was still angry with him but at least now she wasn't avoiding looking at him.

"Very well." Sesshomaru said with a small attempt at a smile and he released her arm. He watched her walk away with the children then turned around to see Inuyasha helping Miroku up.

"You're insane Miroku what makes you do that?" Inuyasha asked seriously when he got Miroku into a sitting position.

"The scenery my friend the scenery." Miroku said with a dumb smile on his face as he rubbed his head where Sango and beat him senseless.

"One of these days Monk. Inuyasha will take their screams as the boy who cried "Wolf", so's to say, and won't come running to help them. You could get them killed if they screamed because of real danger." Sesshomaru said plainly as he took his top off and laid it on a branch by the trail back to camp.

"I never thought of that." Miroku said as he looked at Sesshomaru realizing what he said was true and dangerous for the women he cared for.

"I will always protect them when they scream. I'm not you!" Inuyasha said as he glared over at his brother.

"That much is obvious Inuyasha. I would have never let this happen in the first place." Sesshomaru said as he glared back at Inuyasha as he also hung his pants up for Kagome to get easier. Then he walked over and got into the hot spring.

"You think you are all that. Well let me tell you something Sesshomaru. You're not the best thing in this world you are a blight on it! So you have no right telling me what do to and what is best." Inuyasha said angrily as he stormed away.

"I'm sure he didn't mean that Lord Sesshomaru. He'll calm down shortly." Miroku said as he stood up then walked over to grab Sesshomaru's clothes. "I'll take these to Kagome for you and bring back the other clothes we just got for you."

"Oh I'm sure he did mean every word." Sesshomaru said softly to himself as he stared away from the monk across the spring.

Miroku sighed lightly then turned and walked back to camp returning a few minutes later with the new clothes for Sesshomaru. He undressed himself and made his way over to the hot spring to bathe himself.