The next time Sesshomaru saw his brother's- No, Naraku's- miko, she was trying to slaughter the Lord of the Wolves.
To anyone who'd ever even heard of her, it was a sigh of how far she was under Naraku's control.
From what Sesshomaru had gathered, even though she hadn't wanted the wolf, she had always been unfailingly polite to him.
And now, she leapt at him, her katana glittering coldly in the sunlight.
It was obvious Koga didn't want to hurt her. He dodged, instead of striking back. Avoided the miko, instead of fighting.
From the way she attacked, it was also obvious the miko was after the shards in the wolf's legs.
"Kagome, what are you doing?!" Koga yelped, as her blade bit into his flesh. "You're my woman, you can't betray me!"
Kagome laughed coldly. "I was never your woman, wolf. I am Master Naraku's."
Koga gaped at her. "Na-NARAKU'S?!?"
His astonished horror gave her the chance to tackle him to the ground. Straddling the wolf's prone form, Kagome placed her katana under his jawbone. With the right amount of pressure, it would kill him.
Wolf youkai do not fear death.
They do not beg for their lives.
Sesshomaru was impressed with the young wolf, despite himself.
Koga simply looked up at Kagome, a look of immeasurable sorrow crossing his face. "Goodbye, Kagome." he whispered, reaching up to cup her cheek.
She was amazed, a little confused, and, most predominately, annoyed.
"Why does everyone keep calling me that?"
Koga didn't look a gift miko in the mouth, scrambling away while she was otherwise distracted.
"Kagome?" he asked, from a safe distance away, of course. "Because it's you name."
She actually stomped her foot, reminding Sesshomaru of nothing more than Rin, throwing one of her very rare tantrums
"No, it's not! My name is Koaru! Ko-Ar-U! Koaru!"
She sank to her knees, a single tear running down her face.
Koga took a hesitant step towards her. "Kago- I mean, Koaru. Are you alright?"
"Run, wolf." she whispered. "Run, before I decide I do feel like killing you."
Koga didn't need to be told twice. Barely looking back, he fled.
And InuYasha said that he was the stupid one?
Excuse me, remind me. Who is rotting in hell with his dead girlfriend, and who is running away from the girl that will send him to hell?
Yeah, that's what I thought.
Moving right along, then.
Sesshomaru revealed himself then, leaning against the trunk of a conveniently near-by tree. "Why didn't you kill him, onna?"
She didn't look up. "Because…" She shook her head. "Just for an instant…I remembered."
***~~~*** Timeskip, Naraku's manor ***~~~***
"So, dear little miko…" Naraku began.
Koaru didn't let it show, but she was afraid. Naraku only called her that when he was truly furious.
"You return with nothing. No shards. Not even the head of that flea-bitten wolf. What do you have to say for yourself, dear little miko?"
"Nothing, Master Naraku." she murmured.
His hand moved. Koaru flinched, but he merely reached out to brush her hair with his fingertips.
"Surely, you must have some excuse." he said, voice kind.
She bowed her head. "No, Master Naraku."
His gentle caress turned harsh. Hand twined in dark strands of her hair, he forced her to look back up at him.
His red eyes sparked with anger.
"You are useless." he hissed. "I thought perhaps you might hold some value to me. But I see now I was wrong. Dear little miko, you are better off dead."
He kissed her then, and she relaxed a moment, thinking herself safe.
And then, his miasma entered her, through her mouth, from his.
She screamed, trying to pull away, but he merely held her tighter.
Finally, though, he let go of her.
But by then, it was too late.
Far, far too late.