I know it's been a while but I'm finally back!
As per usual I own nothing and this is just for fun.
Thank you to all that reviewed and fav'd this story It's defiantly a boost.
Chapter 5
Sesshoumaru stood silently as he listened to the elderly village miko Kaede tell him about not knowing were the group had gone. When he had finally gained control from his other self it had been a long trek back even for himself. He knew part of the reason was he knew he needed to give her space. The other half was him trying to put a plan together on how to gain his mates trust again. Kaede moved cautiously around the demon lord and sighed.
"My Lord I do not lie, where they be I have no clue. What I do know is the small flee was here and it was quite a surprise to all." She said making Sesshoumaru's eyebrow raise subtly. Without another word he turned around and promptly walked out.
He looked to Jaken and Rin and frowned. He knew they would want to come with him on this hunt but he refused to let them follow. This was a task he needed to handle on his own.
-With the group-
Yukiko stood silently watching as the hanyou Inuyasha and his female argued once again. Currently they were traveling up a large mountain to speak to a witch or something and apparently one of them forget to bring the needed token to gain council with the sorceress. She sighed deeply trying not to cause her body anymore pain. It had been rough but the group had been able to travel 3 days so far with no surprise visits from her former mate and she was thankful.
She had a struggle getting her body to agree with moving but she refused to be a burden more so then she was. Yes, it cut down on time but if she could walk she would and she did.
"Inuyasha how are you going to blame me when you were the one who said you got this!" Kagome yelled causing Yukiko to flinch and look away.
"Look you should have reminded me! The sooner this is done the sooner were out of major danger." He replied making Kagome cross her arms in frustration. Sango and Miroku sat quietly as they watched the two bicker back and forth. If it wasn't for her sense of smell she would have said the two were over this just by looks alone but their scent gave it away too. Sango stood up and sighed stepping towards the two.
"What if we give her this?" Sango asked pulling out a palm sized silver compact. Inuyasha blinked and Kagome looked at her curiously.
"Sango, are you sure I mean I know that's from your village" Kagome said feeling badly over the situation. Sango waved her off and sighed deeply.
"It's fine I'm just tired of hearing you two bicker like children." She said trying to add a smirk to the sentence to show on some level she was playing. Yukiko felt badly for the girl but she had nothing of her own to give and the gem given to her was the only way she felt they'd be comfortable around her. She put her hand to the purple gem and sighed, she knew her looks weren't the most important thing about her but the sight of herself without it was horrid. It was bad enough that she had to live with his scars all over her body but she knew she had to live on.
After their short break, they finally made it to the dwelling of mistress poison. The being lived in a rather large cave covered in skins and leathers followed by many skeletal remains from human to youkai. Kagome took a deep breath as she clung to Inuyasha nervously. Yukiko stepped forward not scenting anything which threw her. If it was a trap there was no way of her knowing.
"So where's this lady anyways all this travel for an empty cave!" Barked Inuyasha rather loudly causing a slight echo.
Suddenly a cloaked figure came into view. She stood medium height no features were seen because she was covered in a large feather covered pelt.
"You have such a loud mouth it must be your breeding Inu's are very opinionated aren't they" Said the raven youkai, her voice was gravely and harsh but she had a playful tone to it. Yukiko tilted her head feeling a little insulted but sighed trying to keep her hopes low. For all she knew this woman could be a fraud.
"Are you Mistress Poison?" Kagome stepped forward cutting Inuyasha from curse filled rant. Mistress Poison looked at the human girl and smiled under her cloak.
"What a curious group A priest, demon slayer, hanyou , full inu, and a miko all traveling together. Has the world gone to muck since my exile?' She asked slowly removing the hood from her head showing a dark eyed demoness with long raven colored hair and pale almost grey flesh.
"In a sense madam, it has" Miroku said as Kagome readied herself to speak again. Mistress poison raised a brown and sat on a stone near a odd looking table.
"Well then I guess I made the right choice...So what has brought you all to me today?" She asked tapping a clawed hand against the table. Yukiko slowly stepped forward the demoness taking the gem from around her neck setting it on the table showing the raven her true appearance. The group looked away trying not to cringe over the visible destruction done to her. Mistress Poison smiled and tilted her head.
"I take it you know of the toll?" She asked putting her hand out ready to accept the gift needed for her council. Sango nodded and stepped forward setting the silver compact in her hand. Mistress Poison sighed and looked at the trinket frowning.
"I have no use for this I already have many...if you have nothing else you may leave." She said causing the group to flinch. Yukiko sighed and looked down Kagome frowned as Inuyasha started to bitch about a wasted trip.
"But we heard you except silver in a any form!" Kagome said put out. Mistress Poison frowned and shook her head, this girl had some gull but she was right she took silver but what they had was stone covered in silver not pure silver.
"That is the toll but what you've offered is not to my par. Now be gone you all smell of the woods and mud it is pungent." The raven youkai said smirking as Yukiko clenched her fist weakly. She had enough and this youkai was taking as a joke.
"I need your help and you're the only one who can give me some form of answers I need your help please." She said her voice stern yet gentle.
"Nothing is free in this world that's what you Inu's need to realize, you think you can marker the lands and take take take. be it the big dogs before or the big dogs after all they do is take." Mistress Poison said anger Yukiko more.
-With Sesshoumaru-
It didn't take him long to map out a scent and follow it. The further he went the better idea of where they were going to be came into mind. It made sense they would see the spiteful bird she may have an idea as to helping his damaged mate. He used all the energy he could to make it to the area where the raven's den was. He stood silently as he cloaked his aura not allowing either his half-brother or mate to sense him. For the first time in a while his heart was racing and his blood was rushing to his ears.
He slowly crept closer listening to the group fail miserably at making a deal with the greedy woman. Mistress poison was very good at her craft but she never knew when to stop which was why her clan threw her to the side. She wanted more and more even putting her own flock in danger.
"Now I said no you don't have the proper payment now leave." Said the raven in the snippiest tone she could use. He frowned as he listened to Yukiko plead with the woman, He knew he was the last on her list but he still wanted her to forgive him. Without another thought he walked into the cave digging into his pockets as the group stood still unsure what was about to take forth.
Yukiko slowly started to back against the wall ready to escape as her former mate walked into the cave not even glancing her way. Mistress Poison smiled widely as the Lord of the West stepped in front of her.
"Well no one told me you all had friends in big places this changes things" She said as Sesshoumaru set down a small bag of what looked like little trinkets.
"This Sesshoumaru has set upon your table a sack of spare treasure's many villages have given to my kingdom over time. There will be more appealing offers if you help her or else this Sesshoumaru can give you to the spiritual realm as a trade. Now which do you chose.?" He asked his hand slowly reaching for his blade. The raven sighed looking over the expensive gifts not all silver but good enough to keep her from death.
"Fine I shall look over the bitch it's not what I prefer but I shall take it over your other option." She said looking over the small female inching across the wall trying to vanish. Yukiko blinked and looked anywhere but at him. He may have given her a toll but she still didn't want anything to do with him.
" Come here little female I would like to get this over with." Mistress Poison said waving for Yukiko to walk over to the table. "The rest of you go I need peace not a dozen eye's watching me" She finished her sentence as Inuyasha shrugged so tired of arguments and fights just giving up as he dragged Kagome with him. " Come on" He said as she tried to fight a little. Of course, Sango and Miroku left no problem she was happy she was able to keep her compact so she wasn't mad about stepping outside.
Sesshoumaru on the other hand refused to leave causing Yukiko and Mistress Poison to both frown.
"This Sesshoumaru refuses to leave I want to see what it is were paying for and I refuse to leave her alone with you." He said crossing his arms causing Yukiko to take a deep pained breath. She wanted to be better so she could run and be away. She knew she would never be able to kill him but pretending he was dead far away was much better.
"Fine I refuse to argue with you any further." The raven youkai said helping the frail looking female Inu onto the table. Yukiko lay stiff as the raven opened her robes to reveal the rest of her tattered and scarred flesh. Mistress Poison frowned looking at the poison coursing through her veins. She took Yukiko's hand and pricked her finger first scenting her blood with mild shock at the color of her blood.
"I take it you got into a terrible battle with a snake yes?" Mistress Poison asked getting her answer from the silent glare Sesshoumaru was giving her coupled with the saddened look of the female on the table. She nodded to the female and patted her shoulder before Turing around sniffing at the blood looking for certain things." It looks like your body froze in age trying to prevent the poison from reaching your heart. Usually it works the blood pools out and then your all new again but with this venom it was potent and cruel, this is meant to kill on impact right away and can only be done by a widow." Mistress Poison said mixing all her components into a bowl smiling.
" Is there a way to rid her of the poison?" Sesshoumaru asked softly his eye's never leaving his damaged mates body. His heart clenched looking at her slightly swollen belly. He knew his pup was dead and it ripped him apart inside knowing that he did this. Mistress Poison raised an eyebrow and dipped the bloodied finger into the mixture watching the dark blood change into a regular red color.
"You're in luck... this time. What I have here if she drinks will expel the tainted poison from her body." Mistress Poison said causing Yukiko to sit up quickly.
"You can really cure me?" She asked hopeful of what was to come. Mistress Poison nodded her head and shrugged.
"Don't be too happy What happens next will be painful and draining but it will rid the poison from your body." The raven said slowly setting the mixture into her hands." Drink it quickly and do not worry this will not harm your pup. It seems to be doing an excellent job at keeping itself protected. If anything, you should thank it. If it wasn't for the barrier it created diverting the poison and filtering it out and away from itself you would have died." Mistress Poison finished catching the two Inu Youkai by surprise. Yukiko gripped the bowl tightly.
"Mistress my pup is dead..."She said her body shaking weakly as Sesshoumaru stood stark still for once not knowing what to do. Mistress Poison set her hand to the woman's gut and smiled an creepy smile again.
"I do not lie your pup is alive frozen in time much like you but only because of the danger once the poison is gone it should start to grow again. You feel and hear nothing because that is what it must do to survive." She said as Yukiko started to shake almost spilling the mixture to the ground. Quickly Sesshoumaru brought one of his hands to hers steadying the bowl. Yukiko flinched and pulled her hands away from him.
"Don't you touch me!" She snapped raising the bowl to her mouth downing the bitter and chunky concoction. Sesshoumaru growled lowly at her unsure of how he should approach her. Inside he was hoping the raven wasn't lying and that it was true his pup was alive and well.
"Be cautious now Inu once it hits your stomach you will become very ill" Mistress Poison said crossing her arms as the female in front of her started to dress again. She hopped her the best even though the poison will be removed she still had many scars in her flesh forever changing her appearance regardless of the poison or not.
Before Yukiko could even finish tying her kimono correctly Sesshoumaru was on her sniffing around her stomach trying to see if he could pick anything up yet or not. Yukiko growled lowly at him stepping back.
"I refuse to allow you near me...Thank you for your help here but you are not wanted." She snapped trying to shield her pup from the monster that did this to them. Sesshoumaru growled louder pressing his face to her hands not caring if she tried to fight him or not.
"If what she says is true you still carry my heir my...no our pup. Do you really think you can be rid of me now?" He said smirking up at her making her shake subtly with fear. Then before she could even breath or speak he instantly grabbed her and they were gone.