Last Time:

Kagome backed her foot up and her heel was now off the ledge. She turned and glared at Sesshomaru. If she was going down, she was going down fighting. "You're just jealous that your father loves your brother more than you. Your father doesn't even recognize you as his son, you're not even worth the time to say goodbye. I wonder, when you die will he be there to greet you, or will he have forgotten all about you?"

Kagome advanced him, and he snarled. She now had a good ten feet between her and the ledge. "You will die for that comment human."

Kagome's eyebrow perked up, "Oh, which one was that? The one where you're trash, or the one where you'll end up alone and miserable?"

The demon lord's eyes were hard and cold. "You're between a rock and a hard place. Either way you die by my hand."

Kagome looked back at the ledge, "You know Sesshomaru, I like to take the path never travelled." Kagome smirked at him and took off for the cliff.

Kagome's feet touched the edge and she pushed herself with all her might. She cackled slightly as she foiled his plans again and rushed towards her death at the bottom of the canyon.

Chapter 14 -- The rescue

"Save her." A willowy voice told her companion.

The girl's eyes never left the mirror. She watched the young woman fall to her death. She didn't look up to see her companion's response or his departure. However, she did see him in her mirror a few moments later.

She never showed it, but she let out a sigh of relief when the girl was safely on his back and coming back towards her. She still needed much from the young woman, and having the young woman die was not in the plan.

A long, low howl rang through the air; signaling the position of the wolves below. "Good, let the wolves feed off of her carcass." Sesshomaru smirked slightly as he basked in the fact that the human wench was finally dead.

"Did you say wolves?" Yusuke asked, wishing he had kept his mouth shut once he saw the look on Lord Sesshomaru's face.

Sesshomaru raised his eyebrow, "I will not repeat myself to human filth. Now, tell me why the significance of wolves is important, or this Sesshomaru will behead you." His tone left no room for argument.

"My lord, the reason Yusuke asked was because, the young lady has ties to the wolves. She's their protector, and we've seen her protect them." Kurama supplied.

"There have been reports that the wolves are better protected than most demons. Accounts of a powerful priestess protecting them…" Realization hit Sesshomaru hard. "She is their protector. She knew this would happen! She planned this! She made a fool of this Sesshomaru." The demon lord ranted as his mind put pieces of the puzzle together. He let out a large, feral snarl and dropped to the ground, allowing his demon beast to take shape.

"He's giving too much credit to the human." Hiei told Kurama, who started to back away from the infuriated demon lord.

"I don't care what he's doing, so long as he stays away from me." Kuwabara stated, now hiding safely behind Yusuke.

The detective team had to cover their face because the acid fumes were stifling, and not to mention lethal. With a snarl, Sesshomaru in his demon form, leapt off the cliff and went off in search of the priestess that dared to make a mockery out of him.

"Does this mean we can go home now?" Yusuke looked to his boss, but saw no definitive answer.

Kagome looked at the ground rushing to meet her. She didn't want to die. She knew she was foolish and stupid and so many other things, but she didn't want to die. What did she ever do to deserve this?

That was a rhetorical question. Praying to every higher power she could think of—even the malicious ones—she didn't want to die in her pajamas. Or a virgin…but the pajama one was right at the top.

She saw a flash of something in the back of her vision. She turned her head to look, but when she did, she saw nothing. Sighing, she prepared for her death. She closed her eyes and took her last breath…only to have the wind knocked out of her airway as gravity rushed to crush her lungs. Newton sucked; he was right.

Blinking, she realized that she wasn't dead. Instead, she was atop a giant wolf. The beast looked familiar, yet where from? She couldn't quite remember. Then it hit her, this was the wolf she saw when she was transported by the crystal. What was his name?

Rawhide?

Raizo?

Raikou?

Raisha!

That was the wolf's name. "Thank you." Her voice was coming out in large pants.

The giant wolf simply nodded his head and continued on to where he left his previous companion. Floating on the wind currents, Raisha quickly made his way back. His senses were tingling. He smelt the air around him. There was a predator nearby and quickly following them.

This human female was the one that protected the others, and was the only one left that would be capable to help find his missing friend. He couldn't let anything happen to her…yet. After she found his friend, then this predator could kill her, but not before. Human life was expendable.

The wolf seemingly danced on the air currents hiding his scent, and making the trail to finding them more difficult than deemed necessary. It took longer than expected, but it was better to be safe rather than sorry. The wolf landed back where he first started.

This mission was complete. It was now up to his companion to take over from here.

Kagome gasped when she saw who the wolf's companion. "Kanna!"

Kanna nodded her head in one swift yet delicate gesture.

She looked even more fragile now than she did all those years ago. "It's good to see you again Kagome. There is much we have to discuss, and I have much to explain, but we must hurry. At this moment, I fear Lord Sesshomaru is searching for your corpse."

Everything that happened next felt like a blur to Kagome. She nodded her head and followed the void demon. To make better time, both rode upon the large wolf's back. "Kanna, why are you here?"

"To find you." Kanna's voice seemed all-knowing, as if this simple statement was all Kagome needed to be satisfied.

Kagome didn't know what to say. What could she want? Really, the only time Kagome had ever seen or spoken to Kanna was when she tried to steal her soul; and that was several hundred years ago.

There was a difference to the Kanna she knew back then, and the one that sat in front of her now. Despite the fact Kanna only looked like a normal teenager—minus the albino skin and hime-type gracefulness—she was still Kanna.

After that, the ride was silent. There wasn't tension between the traveling companions, merely silence. They made good time back to the demon wolf camp. The demons looked on in either fear or slight amusement as Kanna ushered Kagome into a nearby hut.

Kagome plopped herself on a pile of furs across from Kanna. "There isn't much time. A friend of ours is sick and needs help." Nothing like getting straight down to business.

"I'll do anything I can to help." Kagome stated reassuringly. Anyone that saved her deserved a favor in return. "Where is this friend?"

"She's not in this world, but in yours. My brother is alive, and he's the one that poisoned her. I believe that you are the only one that can save her. It's a trap to lure you out. He's been after the jewel, for his own purposes, since before you killed Naraku."

"Hakudoshi." Kagome snarled. "He needs to be stopped."

Kanna nodded her head. "You are correct."

Kagome backtracked a little as the dim light bulb over her head started to brighten, "You're willing to murder your own brother?" Kagome asked shocked that she would turn against her own family.

Kagome could never fathom killing her own family. She guessed demons had different standards. Look at Inuyasha and his brother. Hell, even look at Sesshomaru and his father.

"He is not my brother." Kagome was taken aback by the cold and fierce tone. She never knew that Kanna could speak in anything other than monotone. "Long ago, I found a nice boy who accepted me, and Hakudoshi couldn't stand it, so he killed him. I am not strong enough to kill him myself, so I had to wait until I could find someone who was. Now here you are."

"I will do all in my power to help you. I mean it's the least I can do for you, after all you saved me back there." She nodded her head towards the mountains that they just came from.

Raisha nodded his head and left the two females. Kanna picked up her mirror and peered at its vast depths. "Lord Sesshomaru is still looking for you. He has caught Raisha's scent; however, it will take him a while to get here. Until then we are safe." She placed her mirror back onto her lap and waited.

"Shouldn't we leave then?" Kagome panicked. She wasn't too thrilled to just sit around and wait for Sesshomaru to arrive.

"No. He must be put in his place. He is no better than my brother."

That was something to ponder. How was Sesshomaru like Hakudoshi? Oh let me count the ways.

"They both must die."

Kagome snapped her head up and looked at Kanna. She had just answered her unasked question. "So Kanna, tell me what you've been up to since..." Kagome didn't know if the murder of Naraku was a sore subject. After all, he was her creator and father.

"Since Kagura's death, I decided to go wherever I pleased. My sister was like the wind, and in her memory, I decided to walk wherever the wind took me. My journey took me to a little farm on the outskirts of Edo. I met this young boy named Wataru. He wasn't afraid of me. He was human, and he knew I was a demon. I have never been accepted anywhere before, but somehow he saw past my looks and saw into my soul. It was inevitable that we fell in love. Then Hakudoshi came one day and saw that I was happy and destroyed it. Since then, I have been looking for revenge, and now you have come to answer my call. You killed my creator, and now you can kill his."

Kagome sat in silence and wept silently for Kanna's loss.

"Don't cry Kagome. It happened long ago. There is no point in crying over what has happened."

Kagome dried her eyes. "I cry, Kanna, because you cannot. I don't think you know how. But now, I will get my revenge on your brother. Not just for you, but for your sister and my friends too."

Kanna nodded in silent agreement. She picked up the mirror once more. "He is coming." She looked at Kagome, "Although he has reverted back to his human form. I can't tell you if this is a good or a bad thing."

"In that case we should leave at once. I would hate to put the wolves at jeopardy because of me. I think it would be best if we left. We'll go to the outskirts of the village and face him there." Kagome stood ready to leave whether Kanna liked it or not. She wouldn't have more innocent blood on her hands.

Upon exiting the hut, she was bombarded with female demons asking if the rumors were true and about the other wolves on the other side of the barrier. Kagome answered all their questions.

In that short time she forgot all about Sesshomaru and started inspecting—cuddling—the young demons. That's when she felt a powerful demon coming towards them. She knew who it was. She could do nothing about getting away now. Kids were her weakness. She was about to prepare for his arrival, instead the male demons came out teeth bared and let out a collective snarl at the intruder coming towards them.

Kagome continued to coo the younger ones that were a little upset by this display of tribal power. It seemed like she was not needed it. Hopefully without her big mouth flapping, the demons could veer him off. It was a slim shot, but worth a try.

Sesshomaru stood in the wake of the wolves; slightly panting from his chase to find the priestess. He found her closely nuzzling a wolf pup. He didn't have to wait long to be noticed. Everyone was on guard and growling at him. Everyone except for her. This caused him to growl at her.

Nothing.

The human wench was too involved in cooing a pathetic wolf pup to take notice. One of the demons tapped her on the shoulder and pointed towards his direction. This was better, or so he thought. She handed the pup back to its mother and she laughed.

Rather, she laughed at him. Sesshomaru's eyes slanted to almost invisible slits. He tried in vain to control his breathing and his pent up rage. This human whelp had the audacity to laugh at him: Lord of the Western Lands. He was not about to sit lightly. This was a personal stab on this Sesshomaru's honor.

That's all he had left. She had stripped him of both his pride and his title earlier today. She was not about to get his honor. This was the reason that he was here in the first place. He was here to retrieve his honor; or rather, what was left of it.

She needed to die, and she would by his hand. His only hand reached for his sword. She chuckled in mocking laughter and his realization set his fury afire. She had destroyed his only sword capable of dealing death.

How could she stand there smiling up at him? Didn't she know that he was here to take her life? She couldn't be that pathetic. No ordinary fool could be able to control his father and be able to use trickery to beat him. She had to be a puppet that was being controlled from a stronger being from somewhere else.

He had to find him. There was no way she could be acting on her own. Not only that, but there was no way a female could best him. Females were weak creatures whose sole purpose was to bare children and tend to a man's every need.

Any woman that stood for anything other than that, needed to be reprogrammed or destroyed. The latter was now only available for this wench.

"Sesshomaru. How nice of you to come and play. I didn't know you wanted your ass kicked again. I would have come to you, but seeing as you are here right away you don't have a new sword. That's a shame." Kagome walked past the sea of wolves and stepped out into the open. "How about you use my sword? That is if you're man enough, or I should say demon enough, to wield it."

Kagome lobbed her sword towards Sesshomaru. "Do you think you are better than me?" His words snarled about the air.

"I don't think I am. I know I am." Kagome smirked.

"For that, I will skin you alive." Sesshomaru made a mad dash towards her sword. His hand reached to grab the hilt. He curled his fingers around its base and tried to pull it out in one single, swift motion. Before he could pull the sword out of the ground, pink purifying power snaked up his good arm and threatened to purify him if he didn't let go.

Snarling, he threw away the sword as he tried to inconspicuously nurse his almost purified hand.

"Now what Sessho, are you going to give me a tongue lashing? I mean that's what you puppies do best." Kagome walked over to her sword and placed it back in its sheath.

Sesshomaru had several problems with what she had just said. He didn't know whether to torture or to maim her first…but that would be after he was finished humiliating her. The obvious lack of disrespect with his name alone was enough for any bitch to be beheaded. Also, he didn't know if he could keep down his morning meal. She associated him with a common mutt.

He wasn't going down by himself. "Then you insult all the canines behind you."

Kagome shook her head. "No, I said puppies. Puppies imply domesticity. They," She nodded towards the wolves behind her, "Are wolves. Wolves are feral; dogs are not. Dogs live to serve their master, and ones without a master deserve to be shot. You just need to remember who your master is and everything will work itself out."

"Kagome, we must leave now if you are going to be of any use." Kanna said as she stepped towards them. She opened a portal to somewhere and waited for Kagome to finish.

Kagome tilted her head towards Sesshomaru. "Go home dog. You are not wanted here either." Her comment was snide and hurtful.

He could not smell any lies coming from her. Who was she to say where he belonged? He was ruler of everything around him. He needed no one to survive; he didn't need a place to belong. He didn't need a sniveling little snot to tell him that.

Before he could say anything in return, she walked into the portal and was gone. She had left and she had taken the rest of his honor with her. Despite his sore and almost purified hand, he decided to take his revenge on her 'pack'. She was no longer here to protect them. They would pay for her tenacity.

These wolves were weak. They would not stand up against him. He unleashed his acid whip and started to take them out before they could retaliate. He had cleared out a quarter of the pack before they reacted and fought back.

A blood bath was what he needed to calm his nerves. And he would bathe in the wolves' blood when he was done. They would pay for standing behind a human; behind her. It would show just how weak they really were.

The wolves, with no leader, perished at the hand of the enraged demon lord. Somehow, it was not as satisfying as it should have been. It felt like senseless genocide. Without the death of their leader, he felt almost hollow inside.

He unleashed a small victory howl and it comforted him a little. Shaking his head, causing his massing mane to flow about him, he walked away. He only wished that he would be able to see her face when she came back to check up on them.

If he only knew she would never return to these wolves, he would have howled instead at a fruitless victory.

AN: Okay sorry for the LONG wait …2+ months. I wasn't happy with this, and neither was the beta. Then Callisto, my main writing muse, went MIA…and I have IFG … but you don't want her coming anywhere near this story. She thinks Kurama or Youko would be a good "match"(and not to the death kind) with Hakudoshi…so …

(Note this posting is like 3 months old when I first wrote the chapter)

Sorry for the shorter chapter, but I updated. I watched Inuyasha the 4th movie…and this is my retribution for Sess killing Kyoura. And if you haven't watched the movie yet, then you deserve to have it spoiled!

Hopefully the next chapter will not take too long to get written up. Retribution is an excellent motivator for an enraged fan girl to get back on the ball again. Enjoy!

Thanks to everyone that reviewed! Oh yeah I forgot I left you all at a cliffie…my bad.

Jinenji, nice to see you again! Actually when Kagome handed the sword back to Inuyasha she gave up all right to the thrown. Instead it was more like a "succession line" again. With Inuyasha having the sword (that made him ruler), but with him being dead it got passed back to his brother. Hope that clarifies it ... it's late and I'm writing reviews (praying that my beta will make me sound more coherent and sane than I am)

Animecrazyblackchick: You know those are great questions, but I'm afraid I can't answer them. I had actually planned to be further than this … but instead you'll have to address the ifg. And you don't want to talk to her now. (trust me) The best answer I can give is hopefully soon. This story was planned to only have 14 chapters. Y-e-a-h… not happenin' in this lifetime! I have it all mapped out, it's just the stuff in between that keeps making it longer. I think this chapter answered your last question.

Hakari Hana: dies laughing sorry hun, but you're living in a delusional word if you think after this they can patch anything up. I love your opinions; I think all input is amusing so I don't try to stop it. Besides I like the creative way people try to persuade me to pair a specific couple together. Note: love is dead and I killed it. It's a good motto to learn early on in my stories. But I do have a few tricks up my sleeve still.

I never knew my Sesshomaru poking would be that big of a success. I should say that it was never my intent for Kagome to be Lady of the Western Lands…it was something I decided to irk Sess some more. I created Sesshomaru like how he's created in the anime and manga. Except here I go a little more in-depth. He's not just eye candy in here ;)!

I never thought D&T would get this kind of rave reviews, I can only hope you will all continue reading it as my mind warps the possibilities. And you all are psycho…almost 2000 hits and 300 reviews…crazy! Thanks

Anticipation of questions:

1. Why didn't the wolves below Kagome save her?

A. Different tribe?

2. Why didn't Kagome run away before Sesshomaru arrived?

A. Where to? She's stuck with no way home and Inu no Tashio is gone, and Kanna would have stopped her. You know she does have a soul sucking mirror.

3. Why didn't Kagome kill Sess?

A. Because it would have hurt less?

4. Kanna has a soul?

A. Sure, why not?

5. What's the pairing?

A. Ask my muse (if she's around) sheknows, I don't .. seriously I don't know so stop asking. I have an idea of where I want it to go ….but that never works. Oh bribe them for me so I can tell you. That works, but then again they don't do bribes…or threats. I've tried.

Beta: better, much better. See, the challenges did you some good!