Disclaimer: I do not own it

Chapter Three: The subtle difference between allegiance and alliance

Inuyasha sighed as he reached the tree line that marked the edge of his forest and the castle compound. He paused in his tree, his mind trying to grasp at the situation at hand. Moments like these were few and far between for the proud and arrogant hanyou.

Moments where he doubted himself were a very rare occurrence indeed.

Inuyasha really didn't know how the situation had gotten out of hand as he and Kagome worked hard to maintain peace within their lands. And as Tai youkai that left him responsible for all the demons in his area. His half human status and mate, however, had urged him to make amends with some human nations within his lands.

Inuyasha rubbed his head and cursed punching the tree trunk. He dropped from the tree eager to find his mate and pups.

As Inuyasha rounded the corner of the shrubbery that concealed the compounds of the training ground he realized something was off.

He could not smell Kentamaru or Canis and could hear no activity coming from the training ground. Inuyasha scowled slightly as he looked around the training ground. It was deserted.

Inuyasha scented the air…a familiar scent lingered nearby. Deepening his scowl Inuyasha stalked forward toward the castle entrance to the kitchen that was near the training ground.

Inuyasha rounded on the service entrance and barged through the wooden door with such force it splintered and was knocked off its hinges.

A startled Harusan pulled away from his deep embrace with a beautiful youkai maiden who worked in the castle. The young girl blushed furiously and adjusted her top more securely around her. She bowed quickly to Inuyasha and left, Harusan reaching after her desperately before sighing dejectedly and falling back against the wall running his claws through his dark shaggy locks.

Inuyasha's golden glare was boring holes into his unruly subordinates head. Harusan looked up at Inuyasha.

"Milord," he greeted through gritted teeth and giving a slight bow at the waist. "Is there a reason you barged into the kitchen or did you simply wish to disturb me on my day off for your own amusement?" the usually good-natured Black Knight was being uncharacteristically surly.

Inuyasha was shocked by the youkai's response.
"Day off?" he questioned, "I never gave you the day off! You were supposed to be on assignment!"

"Aye sir, you never gave me the day off," Harusan acknowledged, his trademark smirk beginning to show on his face. "Milady did."

Inuyasha scowled and gritted his teeth, shoving his hands up his sleeves to hide his anger. Without a retort or comeback he snorted and made to storm out of the room.

Behind the Tai youkai's turned back Harusan heaved a sigh of relief and ran his claws through his shaggy black hair.

Inuyasha shook his head and stalked off to find his mate.

Inuyasha's nose sifted through the many scents in the castle trying to locate Kagome's most recent trail. There were a great many scents in the castle of the hanyou workers that reside there ,but most dominant was that of Inuyasha and his clan.

The boys were nowhere in the castle compound and Inuyasha intended to deal with Kagome. She always had a weakness when it came to discipline and she caved in easily. He should know; Inuyasha had perfected the art of breaking Kagome's resolve to get exactly what he wanted.

Kagome's scent had led him to their shared bedroom. It had a large balcony and the room was situated in the wing of the castle closest to the wood. Reason being that Inuyasha was most comfortable in rooms that had a view of or were situated near the forest.

He stood in front of a sliding door, his ears twitching at the sound of Kagome's voice singing softly some song she remembered from her time. Slowly he pushed the door open and paused as he crossed the threshold into the bathroom.

The image of Kagome singing softly as she soaked in the bathtub in the center of the room, her eyes closed as she gently massaged her hair greeted him.She stopped her humming to smile gently still not opening her eyes, reminded Inuyasha of the many times he had sat in the woods as she bathed. He had tried not to give in to the temptation to look. There was no perverse reason in his peeking. He simply just wished to watch her.

"Inuyasha," she called his name softly gathering her hair to the side to soap it up. Inuyasha's ears twitched but he refused to move and give himself up. Kagome had very rarely caught him peeking and he wasn't about to give himself up now. He was too proud and stubborn for that, though he doubted that Kagome would mind so much now.

"I always knew you were watching when I was human. What makes you think you can sneak up on me now that I'm hanyou?" she quipped confidently her eyes still closed.

"That right?" came his cocky remark from right next to her head. Kagome jumped startled accidentally splashing Inuyasha with water.

Inuyasha who had successfully snuck up on the unsuspecting Kagome was crouched next to her in his favorite position. He shook the water from him like a dog. This action set Kagome into a fit of giggles.

"Baka," she murmured reaching up to touch his cheek lightly. Inuyasha leaned into her touch, placing a light kiss on her palm linking his fingers with hers.

"Is this what you've been doing all day wench?" Inuyasha questioned arrogantly, "Taking bubble baths and contradicting me while I'm away?"

Kagome chuckled and brought Inuyasha's fingers to her lips, her ears twitched flinging water droplets on his face.
"Is that what you think I do all day?" Kagome asked a familiar edge in her voice. Inuyasha took no notice.

"I know for a fact that's what you've been doing." Inuyasha barked slightly. Kagome eyes him slightly, saw him crouched near the edge of the bathtub.

"Inuyasha… SIT!" she commanded activating the dormant beads and sending her mate down into the bathtub. She crossed her arms smugly over her bare chest and smiled smugly as Inuyasha came spluttering up from the soapy water.

"You-you crazy bitch I could have drowned!" Inuyasha sputtered, sopping wet clothes and hair clinging to him.

"I think we better start this conversation over again." Kagome told him as Inuyasha peeled off his haori and began wringing it out. "I'll start. Oh Inuyasha sweetie! You're back! How were the Southern Lands?" Kagome asked sweetly.

Inuyasha tossed his water logged haori at the wall casting Kagome a sideways glare before proceeding to peel off his other shirt.

"Awful," he growled through gritted teeth. "How was your day? Oh yeah, and where the hell are the boys?"

Kagome relaxed in the tub, a delicate smile upon her lips. She didn't seem at all fazed by Inuyasha's rude demeanor.
"Out" she stated simply.

"And why aren't you training them? How the hell are they going to learn?" Inuyasha yelled, sloshing the water in the bathtub.

"Their father is supposed to teach them. Canis was supposed to start training on his birthday!" Kagome hollered, half rising out of the water to get close to Inuyasha's face.

"I never asked for this job you know! I never wanted this place, this power, and this fucking hassle. I could have cared less before!" he yelled back, their faces mere inches apart. "I never meant to…" he recoiled and Kagome backed down.

Inuyasha turned his back on her intending to haul himself out of the lukewarm water, but Kagome's arms around his waist and her soft voice halted him.

"I know Inuyasha, it wasn't your fault and it isn't your fault now. The boys understand your busy Inuyasha. You work hard to please both demons and humans. You do what you have to make this a safe world for hanyou's, for your children. Its not your fault." Kagome assured him.

Inuyasha's ears were turned down, his eyes downcast as Kagome pressed her wet body against his bare back, her cheek resting upon his damp hair.

He hadn't been there for his sons had he? Kentamaru was ready to end his training and prove his worth, while Canis was eager to learn to fight. How hard had it been for him to grow up alone? Always there was some problem demanding his attention, keeping him from the places he truly wanted and needed to be.

This brought his thoughts to the recent turmoil in the Southern Lands and the problem he was planted smack dab in the middle of.

Inuyasha turned his head slightly.
"Kagome…" he started compelled to tell her the situation though he knew it would displease her.

Kagome gently pushed Inuyasha to turn him around to face her and Inuyasha obliged his golden eyes earnestly seeking out hers.

Kagome shook her head when he opening his mouth to speak.
"You've been so busy in the South…I just don't want to hear about it."

She looked up at him with a soulful expression and Inuyasha was suddenly aware of how little she was wearing. That is…nothing at all.

"I know you haven't had much time for the boys," she murmured her ears turned back and finger tips roaming his chest seductively. "But you haven't had much time for me either," her voice dropped to a low whisper.

Inuyasha closed the minimal distance between them, his strong sinewy arms drawing her to him and effectively crushing her naked body against his bare chest. His fangs grazed the delicate flesh of her neck as he kissed a hot trail up to her lips. "Where are the boys," he demanded, his voice choked and strained, all his anger and apprehensions evaporated.

"Out," Kagome managed to say before Inuyasha claimed her lips. Kagome melted against him; every time he kissed her made her feel like it was the first time all over again. All thoughts of anger and what Inuyasha needed to tell her pushed out of her mind. 'How can he do this?' she mused happily in her muddled mind.

"I'm still so in love with him…."

Kei led the way through Inuyasha's forest, his patrons sons following him somewhat silently, since Canis tended to trip and stumble over his own feet. Kentamaru walked alongside the bronze knight, Canis following between them. Kei was ordinarily a quiet solemn figure, always respectful but Kenta had the suspicion that if it ever came down to it, Kei would be the one to disregard an order rather than the seemingly rebellious Harusan. Harusan was cocky, loud and disrespectful but he was loyal, almost to a fault, to Inu Yasha. This brought back a dark memory of a time when Kentamaru had snuck out one night to follow his retainer on assignment.

Following the black knight through the darkest night of the month, the night of the new moon, had not been easy but he had managed to track Harusan to a clearing in the deepest end of the woods. Not even Kenta has ventured this far before.

There was an abandoned fire, the coals still glowing faintly in the clearing and various tents were set up around it along with a single caravan and two horses. Other than the slight shift of the horses and the breeze, the camp was silent.

Kentamaru waited with bated breath for what seemed an eternity, until he could take no more. Nothing would happen here. Just as Kenta turned to leave his post in the trees, something peculiar happened.

The softly glowing coals the only source of light in the camp, save for the stars, were extinguished suddenly. The horses stirred slightly but other than that Kenta could see no more. His ears stood at attention, scanning desperately to determine the origin of even the slightest sound down in the clearing.

There moved a shadow so fast across the clearing that Kenta would have sworn it was just his imagination had he not heard the soft sound of its movement.

The tent on the far left of the clearing ruffled in the slight breeze, the noise making the horses shift again, then silence.

This happened again and by now Kenta's blood and heart was pounding in his ears. As the next tent ruffled he strained his ears to hear what was going on.

He could hear the men insides even breathing, they were asleep. He could hear their steady heartbeats. There was a soft rustling sound and silence; one heartbeat down. Followed by another. One heart still beat, but the mans breathing changed, some subconscious instinct alerting him to the presence in his tent. There was a gasp…the sound of cutting flesh…then silence.

Kentamaru shook, icy chills freezing him down to the core his eyes wide in shock. What had he just been witness to?

His ears perked again as the material of the tent ruffled and for a split second pale blue eyes locked onto his exact location and then it was gone in a flash.

This process was repeated as tent by tent, the men or demons Kenta didn't know for paralyzed by fear he was unable to use his nose, were slaughtered silently in their sleep, until finally only one tent remained.

Kentamaru waited for the shadow to finish the job. Absently he shifted just as the crept beside the final tent.

The listless horses had enough and reared up loudly in fear. Kenta cringed as a tall figure emerged from the remaining tent.

The snake youkai took a couple steps forward, forked tongue darting out to scent the air. Sensing nothing the apparent leader of the men turned to go back inside but found a knife at his throat and a sword at his back.

"Inuyasha doesn't take too kindly to those who take pleasure in killing humans." Harusan's usually cheerful voice said darkly into the youkai's ear.

The snake youkai scowled but seemed to remain calm.

"Your tai youkai? I shall have to pay him a visit, you see… me and my men were just passing through."

"Your men are dead!" Harusan barked in hauntingly dark tone. "As you soon will be…you see…Inuyasha doesn't take kindly to youkai who kill humans for pleasure." And before the snake could open his mouth to speak Harusan thrust forward with the Ebonyx and cut across with his onyx dagger. The youkai lay dead at his feet in a bloody heap.

Kentamaru froze in the tree, one hand on the trunk steadying him, his golden eyes wide in shock, his breath coming in short quick gasps. Harusan stood in the darkened clearing an entirely different being in the young hanyou's eyes. Gone were his armor and short sleeved haori. Decked out in a full black sleeved kimono, he sheathed the Ebonyx and stuffed the dagger behind his back into his black obi. He removed a black cloth covering which hid his mouth and shook his head, his bangs kept out of his eyes by a black headband.

"Killed…slaughter…" Kenta thought aghast as he gazed in fear at his retained. "Father would never condone this…this…MURDER!"

Harusan rewrapped the black straps around his hand and forearms nonchalantly down in the clearing. He raised his head to look up at the stars as if contemplating something deeply.

"These demons killed countless humans, wiping out entire villages for their own sick pleasure. Women, children, they ever killed their own kind for the sake of power." He said aloud in rarely used solemn tones. "Killing women and children gives you power? Not in any world I've heard of."

Kentamaru shrunk back into the shadows of the tree, his eyes always on the dog demon below. "Does that justify their deaths? Did they deserve to die that way? Does anyone?" he thought with an inward growl on malcontent. He could not grasp nor understand the effect of what he had just seen.

"Honorable actions in life result in an honorable death and afterlife. Dishonorable actions deserve dishonor in this life and the next. These youkai…these demons," Harusan's voice hitched awkwardly as he spoke, each word he said his tone increased in darkness.

"These were not men, but monsters and their actions are unforgivable." He stated to the sky. It was odd to see a full youkai sympathizing with humans and his passion was tangible.

"They deserved to die." He hissed darkly and his head snapped to pin Kentamaru with his pale blue gaze. Kentamaru was almost knocked back from his branch by the intensity on the full youkai's gaze. Never before had such fear been struck into him, and Harusan's dark tone and cryptic statement only served to add to the dark aura surrounding the clearing. "You had best be back before I am,"

Kentamaru wasted no time in bolting home. Harusan was a dog demon of darkness, his aura was understandable. Darkness is not what makes a man or youkai evil. After that night, Harusan never spoke a word about it, probably because he knew that Kentamaru would be in deep shit if Inuyasha knew he had snuck out to follow him.

"Young lord," Kei's voice interrupted his thoughts. "What's troubling you?" Kenta snapped out of it to see Kei's silver eyes locked on his face.

"Nothing, just thinking." Kenta assured him. Kei seemed satisfied with that answer and looked away while Kenta kept his gaze trained on Canis's retainer. Harusan was loyal, Kentamaru had seen that much on that fateful night. He had never crossed his retainer again, not after seeing what happened to those who incurred his wrath, or rather that of his fathers.

Kei was an enigma though, a hard figure who rarely smiled. Harusan insisted that Kei was the funniest person he knew. No one really took Harusan seriously though. Having seen Harusan at what he prayed was his worst he could only fear and dread the wrath of Kei.

Still Kei was absolutely protective of Canis. At times Kei seemed lost when it came to the loud, talkative and bubbly Canis. The stolid bronze youkai had found his match in a 5 year old hanyou. Said hanyou was now jumping as high as he could and bounding off the tree trunks to get as high as possible.

"Say Kei," Kentamaru said loudly. "How long have you known Harusan?"

Kei responded without looking at Kenta. "I met him two years before coming here, we were both on our own and Harusan was much more adapted to life on his own than I was. He took me in and taught me how to survive. We've never been apart since then." He told Kentamaru in great unnecessary detail.

"Why did you come to my father?"

"We sought refuge and also to ally ourselves with the Inu no Taisho and Tai youkai." Kei said.

"But he's a hanyou." Kentamaru protested locking his fingers behind his head while he walked, something his father often did. "Didn't that bother you?"

"To inu youkai, it matters not his hanyou status as Inu no Taisho, simply his father's blood. Even if you yourself carried but a single drop of your father's demon blood, in his place you would be Inu no Taisho. Undisputed." Kei explained. "His hanyou status as Tai youkai is one that caused great conflict in the past. And present."

"Why don't other youkai tribes in our lands just accept him? He's proven himself more powerful than any other full youkai in our lands." Kentamaru huffed. He glanced back over his shoulder to see Canis dart around on all fours after a squirrel. He rolled his eyes.

"Majority of tribes have allied themselves with Inuyasha in acceptance and loyalty, and other have accepted him but seek no such alliance. Very few tribes these days openly oppose your father, in these lands he is a revered hero. Most occurrences have come from wandering youkai, most likely banished from their own lands who have never heard of your father and challenge him because they hear of his hanyou status." Kei explained of the politics within the Western Territory. Kentamaru sensed Kei was holding something back but he had no more interest in politics as they neared the castle.

Some servants bowed as they entered and ascended the stairs. Harsh, loud noises and shouting voices were coming from the great room at the top of the landing. Many servants were hurrying past the room almost at a run save for one figure decked out in black who stood at the doors with his eyes shut tight and his hands clasped over his ears.

As the three of them neared the top of the stairs Harusan's nose twitched and he jerked to life, rushing over and embracing his bronze haired best friend in a tight hug. A loud crash from the great room followed by numerous shouts caused them to look toward the massive doors.

"Is papa fighting a challenge in there?" Canis inquired innocently enough, looking up at the others.

"No," Harusan replied. "This is much… much worse,"

"This is ALL YOUR FAULT!" Kagome hollered at Inuyasha inside the great room, completely contradictory to what she had told him earlier in the bath tub.

"My fault?" he yelled back incredulously stomping forward to push his face down into hers with a dark glare. "You were the one sneaking around making promises we can't keep!" he hissed his eyes narrowed at her darkly.

"They invited me over for tea! How was I supposed to know it was an ambush?" Kagome retorted, pushing her face to his, noses almost touching.

"Well now because of what you said we're in the middle of a huge fucking catastrophe!"

"I told you! I was ambushed! They had that planned from the start! If you were there with me this wouldn't have happened…ERGO...this is all your fault!"

"Harusan what the hell is going on?" Kentamaru demanded after listening to his parents fight.

"As far as I've heard the situation is like this," Harusan explained. "Few weeks ago your mother was invited to the Tochio castle, a wealthy daimyo whose been having trouble with the Southern Tai youkai Kaleb. They tricked your mother into an allegiance"

Kentamaru was thoroughly confused. "What's so bad about that?"

"Seems Inuyasha has also stumbled into a possible allegiance with Kaleb." Harusan said and waited for Kentamaru's reaction. Kenta was expression was one that showed extreme boredom, his ear twitching as he looking into Harusan's eyes.

"Sooo…" he said slowly. Harusan threw his hands up about ready to explode but a great cracking noise from the great room got his attention.

"Sounds like Inuyasha finally got rid of that big ass table in there." He quipped but soon rounded on Kenta again who was tapping his foot impatiently and staring holes into the doors of the great room.

"Kenta! Why are you not more worried about this?" Harusan hollered exasperated as Kei stood watch as Canis slid repeatedly down the banister.

"Because I don't see what any of this has to do with me!" Kentamaru stated crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes at Harusan.

"It has everything to do with you…"

"It's not your fault," Inuyasha and Kagome said at the exact same time. They were both facing back to back in the center of the room. Inuyasha faced the table on the left side of the room. The table was now split in the middle, complements of the Tetsusaiga. His arms wee folded in his sleeves as he stared solemnly out the great windows.

Kagome had her back to his, her arms folded in a similar fashion, facing the shredded curtains on the opposite set of windows. Sadly she looked down at her own claws that in her temper, had done the shredding. They had both lost their tempers but it had been quite a while since they had a fight of this magnitude and it was actually a refreshing and passionate thing. The seriousness of the situation took away from that though.

Sighing she leaned back against Inuyasha, who snapped out of his thought and looked over his shoulder at Kagome. He sighed too, letting her lean on him, drawing strength from her scent and proximity until he was no longer certain if he was holding her up or if she was holding him.

"We failed him didn't we?" she murmured letting her head fall back against him. She uncrossed her arms letting them drop to her sides. Inu Yasha let his hands drop, placing his palms against hers.

"Big time," Inuyasha agreed, and Kagome linked her fingers with his, squeezing his hands.

"I could always refuse Lord Tochio." She suggested, but felt Inuyasha shake his head in refusal. He knew that refusing the human daimyo would undo all the work she did to make peace with humans and demons, and that would upset her. He could not stand to see Kagome upset.

"No I'll refuse Kaleb, I never liked that stuffy bastard anyway. I can tell him to shove his allegiance up his ass. We've got our alliance with Kouga's wolves in the North." Inuyasha stated boldly. Now it was Kagome's turn to shake her head.

"Don't think I haven't heard the stories about Kaleb. He's dangerous Inuyasha." Kagome told him, concern evident and thick in her voice. The tales passed about the Southern Tai youkai were many and terrible. Kagome knew Inuyasha and it was a wonder her mate stayed civil long enough to agree to such an allegiance in the first place. He seemed so set against it…why had he agreed?

"What can we do?" he growled in frustration. "No matter who we choose there'll be a war between them… DAMN IT!"

"Do not worry milord." Myoga piped up and Kagome and Inuyasha both darted around to look for him. They found him clinging to the sleeve of Inuyasha's haori. "As always I have come to your rescue!"

"Wait, wait," Kenta was saying as he paced in front of the doors. "You're saying that I'd have to mate and or marry whomever my parents choose to make this 'allegiance' with?"

Harusan and Kei nodded gravely while Canis continued to slide endlessly down the banister. The retainers had just finished explaining to the hanyou the subtle difference between an alliance and an allegiance between youkai. Any youkai could make an alliance with their leader or other. An allegiance was binding, a joining of two tribes, lands or families by the mating of two of their members.

"That's not fair! Don't I even get a say in this?" Kenta raved.

"Apparently not," Harusan noted, folding his arms. Kei brushed by him to stop Kenta's mad pacing.

"We have not yet had confirmation from them yet," he said nodding his head toward the great room. "For all we know 'someone' misheard something!" and he shot Harusan an excusing glare. Harusan chose to ignore this and stepped up to clap Kentamaru hard on the shoulder.

"Kei's right you should look on the bright side," he said happily. Kei rolled his eyes since what he had said had absolutely nothing to do with looking on the bright side. "I mean it's not like Kenta was ever going to get a girl willing to mate him on his own right?"

Kei had to intercept Kentamaru as he lunged forward with his claws outstretched. Harusan jumped back and hauled Canis onto his shoulders, more to use the hanyou as leverage in hopes that Kenta would not attack his little brother.

"Let's just wait until they're done fighting and they'll tell us everything." Kei began rationally before he noticed that everyone had their ears pressed to the doors. Sighing he kicked Harusan over and followed suit.

"What did you do?" Inuyasha growled. Myoga backed away in fear as the two hanyou's surrounded the flea, who was now standing on the remnants of the table that had once stood in the middle of the great room.

The tiny flea reached into his shirt and pulled out a scroll, which grew rapidly in size until it threatened to crush him.

Inuyasha snatched it in an angry and tore through the wax his golden eyes quickly flicked over the text scrawled in ink. He tossed it at Kagome in a huff, who caught it and read it over more carefully. Inuyasha folded his arms in his sleeves as Kagome's ears lowered with every word she read.

"This is it?" Kagome questioned meekly, holding up the scroll. Myoga straightened his clothes proudly.

"That was the best I could do, yes. I really don't think its such a bad deal master." He implored to Inuyasha who glowered down at the flea.

"Kenta should have the right to choose!" he barked and Kagome flinched slightly. She stepped forward.

"Inuyasha," she said softly putting her hand on his arm. He looked down at her incredulously.

"You can't be serious… Kagome" he half whimpered, his eyes begging hers. "You can't agree with that."

"I don't Inuyasha but what choice do we have? If we refuse them both than we run the risk of losing everything. What if they decide to unit against us?" she yelled not bothering to hide her upset. Inuyasha hated it.

"We'll fight them." He growled stubbornly. Kagome shook her head and looked forlornly out the window. Inuyasha followed her gaze.

"I don't want to fight." She murmured and Inuyasha stepped closer. He knew she hated it, knew that it was taking all she had not to shred the contract in piees. She was trying to be a good leader, but she never forgot her duties as a mother. "I don't want to sign the contract…"

Inuyasha's ear twitched and his eyes darted to the door. he knew Kenta was out there listening.

"It's your call kid." The door opened slowly...

It was dark and Inuyasha was finally done in the great room. It was a mess in there, to put it mildly after the day he had had. The curtains hung in tatters and shreds and what had once been their table was now splintered in half and thrown to the side.

He walked over to the bureau in the corner. His golden eyes flashed down at the miniscule Myoga on the edge of the desk. The flea demon was licking his chops. Inuyasha tapped his foot impatiently, as he waited for his own retainer to speak.

After a while he lost what little patience he had.

"Spit it out flea. You said you had something to tell me so TALK!"

Myoga feigned a hurt expression.

"Milord please," he begged before clearing his throat.

"Well I tasted something peculiar in Lady Kagome's blood earlier today." The flea ventured but at this point Inuyasha squeezed him.

"What did I tell you about biting Kagome?" he snarled. Myoga squirmed.

"Forgive me master," the flea begged and Inuyasha dropped him. Myoga gulped in air greedily. "It seems," he said when he was ready. "That Lady Kagome is pregnant."

Inuyasha blushed deeply and looked away.

"Is that it? Does Kagome know?" he asked gruffly.

"From what I can tell," Myoga went on unabashed, "She's only been pregnant a day, possibly less." And if its possible Inuyasha flushed even more. "I do not believe Lady Kagome is aware yet."

"If that's all…" he growled dangerously.

"One last thing," Myoga said his eyes flashing in excitement. "I have word from Master Totosai."

Inuyasha's golden eyes flashed as well and he gripped the edge of the desk.

"Totosai, that ol' fucking codger."

"He says, 'It's ready.'"

A grin slowly splayed across Inuyasha's face in the darkness.

"About time…"

Sorry this chapter took so long and if you got about 4 alerts, its been a tough week with the end of the school year fast approaching. I believe its the best one so far, and quite possibly the best I've ever written. The plot has now emerged, or at the very least parts of it.

Just what was in that scroll?
What did Kentamaru decide to do about it?
What's up with Totosai and what is ready?
All these and more will be answered in the next chapter...or maybe not...sometime soon...hopefully..

Ahh yes, a present for some of you... a picture of Kentamaru can be found here...
www. d e v i a n t a r t . c o m / view / 34477153 / (remove spaces) Okay about the third time I posted this chapter i realized something. will not let me put d e v i a n t a r t in that link over there so yeah.

Betas
Betarail : Nice chapter, very nice chapter...but lately I've been noticing a lack of reviews, which is depressing to say the least. reviews help motivate our dear Deceptress into writing more for you guys. So this time, I DEMAND a shout out and at least 6 reviews...not too big a demand...

Wings of Ash: I must say...Good Show Ol' Boy! Another great chapter by the now famous Deceptress...I have also noticed the lack of reviews with this story lately and I agree with Miss BetaraiL that 6 reviews is not a big demand at all...I'm disappointed in all of you so called "die-hard" fans...please review and make the wonderful Deceptress feel loved...it would mean the world to her. And, since she has been on my tail about this (even though I did not want to for fear of people thinkiing I was cocky) I am being forced to tell all of you wonderful people out there in the world about my latest One-Shot called Fly Away In The Morning Glow well, that's all from me! Au Revoir!

Deceptress: Youheard, Wings of Ash go read her one shot and review it and let her know who sent you! So that's that. I've actually run out of questions to ask so I am actually going to quiz some people on this story to test their memory and see how perceptive they are...so first up

Why is Kentamaru's ear bent? Bonus point: What ear is it?

Peace out!