Warning: blood and swearing

Summary: Naraku has come up with a new devious little scheme. To use Magatsuhi, his new little minion created from the jewel shard itself to wound Sesshomaru enough so he himself can absorb the wounded inu youkai's wondrous powers. Can Inuyasha help his wounded brother heal after the assault and will Naraku succeed in gaining Sesshomaru's powers for himself? Read and find out.

Thoughts

'flashback'

"Talking"

Chapter 2

Kohaku was still wrapped in darkness with the occasional dot of light (you know when you close your eyes so tight that you see dots yeah that's what it is) as he refused to open his eyes. He could hear the sharp whistling as the tentacles sliced through the air and made their way towards him. By the sound of the whistling and that the sound was even possible made it clear that the limps were indeed moving quickly but, in his mind they couldn't be moving any slower.

A loud and ominous crunching, crashing sound suddenly reached his ears, and the sound was made even more ominous by the loud shouts coming from the two smallest companions in the group. "NO! LORD SESSHOMARRUUUU!"

What happened? Was the infamous dog demon crushed? No, he couldn't have been, Magatsuhi was supposed to release them in turn for his own life. Right? A loud rush of air suddenly burst all around him, and only seconds after he heard the thunking and clunking sounds as the tentacles made impact. But, he wasn't in any pain, there wasn't any pain at all, so where did the sound come from? A lot of something warm and wet suddenly splattered onto him.

Flinching, his hands curled into tight fists he slowly peeked through his the slit his eyelids made and…gasped. What he saw made his mouth gape, his eyes shoot open all the way and his hands unclench. Fear hit his heart as rapidly as it had when he found that he had slaughtered his family and friends.

Ah-Un roared somewhere up above him in the air and he heard two similar cries of shock and personal pain coming from Rin and Jaken.

Lord Sesshomaru stood in front of him, a physical barrier between him and the tentacles. Three of which were coated in a layer of crimson, extending out of him and stopping mere inches in front of Kohaku. A particularly large tentacle had pierced through his chest, the position suggesting that they breached between his lungs. The child prayed that it had missed his Lord's heart. One went through his right knee, which buckled, the entire leg looking as if it were about to give out, and another had gone through his left thigh.

His silver mane was turning murky and dripped with his own blood, his clothing torn and stained crimson, almost black with the amount drooling out of the wounds. His head was bent forwards, rivulets of blood streaming from the large wounds, and Kohaku could hear the light pants coming from his Lord's mouth.

"Interesting," Magatsuhi watched the scene from above with amusement as the inu looked up at him with intense hatred burning in his eyes. "You'll risk yourself for humans? I can understand the boy doing it seeing as most mortals are foolish like that but, a youkai, especially one whom claims he hates all humanity? At least that is what Naraku tells me, don't say that his information is faulty."

Sesshomaru glared up at the demon head, looking straight into the amused and arrogant eyes. Kami this hurt, his heart, thankfully had not been touched, although it barely missed being pummeled. Still, the organ pulsed at a rate the inu wasn't happy with, as it attempted to push lost blood through the veins that had lost the most, even though it was futile. The Taiyoukai coughed, blood dribbling out of the corner of his mouth.

"Why…?"

Kohaku's soft and frightened voice broke through the pain filled haze in his mind, and the smell of tears from both his pups helped clear his slightly scattered mind.

"Why did you…? Lord Sesshomaru…?"

The youkai Lord didn't want to answer the question, mostly because he didn't know why himself and he didn't know how to explain it so the child would understand. This boy, who he had threatened a year ago after the first kidnapping of Rin, was willing to end his life to save theirs. It proved that he was a foolish child but, like Rin, the boy had wormed his way into his heart and earned his rare affection. Like Rin, he had become to think of Kohaku as his own pup, and just like any parent, biological or not, he had felt compelled to protect him. Seeing the tentacles closing in on the boy had frozen his heart with fear and cracked it at the thought that he could lose someone who had become precious to him. His pup was in trouble, and that alone made him undo the transformation faster than he had ever done before and made him determined to slip through the tentacles that were then closing and crushing on empty space. Without thinking he had rushed over to the boy and had thrown himself in harm's way…he had to protect his pup.

The scent of tears coming from his companions made him want to comfort and console them. He was unused to the feeling but, even though he wanted to do something he only does when Rin has had a nightmare he couldn't. The pain and tentacles refused his movements.

"Tell me Sesshomaru," Magatsuhi's taunting voice pulled their attention back onto him. "Just what is that fluff on your shoulder?" A tentacle restrained his arm to his side as another poked and prodded at the fur. "It makes you look very feminine…did you know that?"

Jaken squawked at that. "You…How dare you imply that my Lord looks feminine!"

Ignoring the imp Magatsuhi continued to have the tentacle poke and prod at Sesshomaru's fur. "If you won't tell me what it is, I'll just have to find out for myself."

Sesshomaru growled and another fear gripped at him. He didn't know what Magatsuhi intended to do, to find out what his tail was and frankly, he really didn't want anything to be done to it for the bastard's little experiment. No matter what he did though, as long as it wasn't pulled he could remain passive.

The Taiyoukai had never felt so much pain in one setting as he was experiencing now, and if Magatsuhi intended to pull at the fur, his pain would only increase. Unbeknownst to his little group, his fur was like a second tail. Inside it was a bone and that bone allowed him to be able to crush his opponents. And that bone ran parallel to his spinal column, circled the entire curve of his shoulder and exited out his skin, flowing into the fur. If Magatsuhi pulled at it…

"Well, are you going to tell me? No? Than off it comes."

Sesshomaru's eyes widened as tentacles wrapped securely around the fur and began to tug. His arm was still secured to his side and there was no way for him to move, as the fur unraveled from his beneath his arm he winced and a small whimper escaped his throat.

Kohaku had no idea as to what he should do, everyone in their pack had frozen in place and Lord Sesshomaru had forbid him from participating in the fight. But, he was close enough to the inu to be able to hear the tiny whimper of pain.

Sesshomaru gasped as the tentacle in his knee flattened into a hook like thing and pulled back, biting into the four sensitive areas around his knee and bringing him to the ground. Not completely, he wasn't going to allow that to happen a second time, his injured knee cried with pain, rocketing it up his entire leg when it hit the ground. A small puddle of blood pooled around him, and as he fell, he could feel an inch of the bone connecting him to his fur escape from his skin.

Jaken gasped, his demonic vision easily able to see the bone protruding from his Lord's flesh. The white chunk was covered in blood and the skin around the protruding bone stretched and ripped. And even he, with his much weaker sense of smell, could smell his Lord's blood.

Running forward the imp stuck the staff into the ground, aiming the man's head at the tentacle currently pulling at his Lord's fur. "Staff of Two Heads!" Flames erupted out of the open mouth, burning the tentacle but not touching his Lord. Before the tentacle could be completely destroyed another rushed to its aid, successful in knocking Jaken off his feet and the staff out of his hands.

Honestly, he was thankful to Jaken for at least trying to help him, but as he expected it would do no good. Sesshomaru snapped his fangs together as the tentacles gave another particularly vicious tug. He could feel the bone moving out of place within him, could feel it sliding up in the direction it wasn't meant to go. His insides burned with pain as the end of the bone brushed past them, instead of being pulled straight out, Magatsuhi was pulling the fur backwards, making the bone extend out of the entire curve of his shoulder, stretching and shredding the skin there. Blood escaped the wound in rivers, beading down his already bloodied back, chest and arm. Clenching his eyes tightly, Sesshomaru roared as his fur was ripped clean from his person, the bone hitting and crashing into his organs and shoulder blade as it flew from its own personal confinement.

Rin let out an ear piercing scream as the fur flew through the air, sending specks of blood to fly in every which direction in its wake as it flailed helplessly. The fur landed on the ground with a harsh impact, twitching and jerking as if it were alive and sending even more specks of blood on the exposed bone decorate the ground.

Kohaku flinched and fell to his back in shock. That fur was attached to him!? Well, not anymore obviously.

Jaken stared wide eyed in shock, he had no idea that the fur was attached to his Lord. And he was in even more shock as Lord Sesshomaru dug a fang into his bottom lip to keep from crying out in pain.

"Ah-Un go down!" The dragon groaned and shot to the ground, heading for the rest of their pack. Tears flew from her eyes hot and fast. Her Lord was in trouble, he was in pain, and in so much more pain than when she had first found him. She had to help him!

As he landed Rin was just about to jump off to her own feet when the shout from her Lord made her stop. "No Rin! Stay back!" Crying she struggled to stay put, disgusted at herself for both wanting to disobey him and for following his command.

"I see, so that thing was attached to you," Magatsuhi's voice was malicious and full of manic glee. "But, do not fret, my dear weak puppy. Naraku merely wished for me to wound you, so he could come in like the coward he is and absorb you when your defenses are weakest."

Fury flashed through his body like a tsunami at being called a puppy, but he was unable to do anything about it at that moment in time. Clenching his fangs and eyes a small mewing noise escaped his throat as the tentacles within him twisted. They twisted and twitched, successfully stretching the wounds further as they finally retreated from his person.

Kohaku immediately ran to his side and made a movement as if to place a hand on his shoulder in concern, but after quick thinking he pulled back his hand. One, the Taiyoukai was fatally injured and he didn't want to worsen the wounds any more than they already were. And this was Lord Sesshomaru he was considering touching. Usually, the youkai Lord doesn't really mind being touched by either of the humans in his pack, but, in his current situation Kohaku wasn't quite sure that the demon was docile enough to touch. In his current state even Rin would most likely get hurt.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" The slayer looked up as Jaken and Rin ran up to them as fast as their little legs would carry, Ah-Un trailing behind. "Oh my Lord, you mustn't move unnecessarily," Jaken squeaked as he took in the full extent of Lord Sesshomaru's wounds and the pained expression on the usual emotionless face. Rin placed a small hand tentatively on their Lord's uninjured, armless shoulder, ignoring the frantic head shaking of the only other human present who was suddenly very worried about the girl's safety.

The Taiyoukai growled softly, not as a warning or threat but merely as a plea and Rin released her hold. The small girl wanted to cry but, she had shed all her tears and no matter how hard she tried they wouldn't come.

A chuckle from in the air caused the group to remember their current enemy. "Aren't you all the sweetest little pack I ever did see," the head smirked before having the unharmed tentacles float in the air around him. "I'll be going now, I'm sure I've outstayed my welcome and that you all will most surely make quite a brilliant little present for Naraku when he finally shows up."

And in the same way he appeared he disappeared. In seconds the dark cloud was gone and Sesshomaru finally let his head and shoulders slump forward as wave after wave of agony tore through his form. Ah-Un walked in front of him and turned to the side, exposing their left. Ah brought his head down and gently and carefully took hold of the white hairoi and pulled the dog demon closer to his form.

Somehow he managed to straddle Ah-Un's back, he weakly stated, "Get on, we're leaving this place."

Kohaku helped lift Rin and Jaken onto Ah-Un, afterwards Jaken setting the staff close to the boy so he could help pull him up. As the three settled behind their Lord Ah-Un took to the air, careful not to move their necks so they wouldn't disturb their master who was currently slumped over them.

The sun had completely set sometime during the fight without their knowledge, they used the night sky as a cover as they flew overhead to the forest.

Rin, who was sitting directly behind Lord Sesshomaru looked with big eyes at the gaping wound in her Lord's back. The wound wasn't completely clear to her, due to his mane that lay just over it, but between the locks she could see the blood staining not just the usually pristine clothing and hair but also his armor. Worse than the blood on the outside was the fact that she could see the threads of blood still inside her Lord, dripping from an area that appeared to be his lungs or ribs and slipping into his intestines. Thankfully, the girl couldn't see the organs but she had been taught long ago where which parts of the body were. Her entire form shook with fear for him, he…he wouldn't die…would he?

Jaken and Kohaku were having similar thoughts, even though they couldn't see the full extent of the wound. Neither have ever even dreamed of Lord Sesshomaru's live being threatened, but the sudden rush into the cruel nightmarish reality was making them doubt their Lord's survival.

Ah-Un made a sudden dive under the canopy, their keen eyes searching for a safe place to rest. Un was the first to spot it and turned so their body would head for it. It appeared to be an underground burrow, and as they landed and Kohaku dismounted they searched for any signs of the owner. The slayer knelt and fingered the soft soil, noting how he couldn't find any tracks in the dirt.

Sesshomaru opened one bright gold eye and took a delicate sniff. The very faint smell of badger youkai was scattered across the burrow, the scattered notions of the scent indicating that the demon had abandoned its home a few months ago. Stating that piece of information Kohaku nodded and walked into the hole that was big enough for Ah-Un to fit through without slouching or getting cramped.

The group descended into the ground at a slight slant and Kohaku had to get back on the dragon's back seeing how there was no light to guide him through the darkness. The soil was cool and comforting, at least to the dragon it was comforting, seeing as how he was the only one on his feet. The scent of the damp soil was comforting to all three of the demons.

Ah-Un finally met what seemed to be the place where the badger demon used to sleep, and there seemed to be no other room. To Rin and Kohaku all there was was a vast darkness to meet their eyes but to the youkai's the room was rather spacious. It was curved like cave walls, and was high enough for even Sesshomaru to stand, and it seemed cleared of bugs which was amazing on its own seeing as how they had traveled at most fifteen feet underground. There was a pile of wood in the center of the room and Ah created a decent fire with his lightning, making it so the humans could see it as well.

Sesshomaru whimpered as Ah-Un carefully and gently placed him on the ground (with the help of his companions) so he was partly sitting up against the wall. The dampness wasn't a comfort to the Lord at all who didn't want to open his eyes. He wanted to be somewhere dry and warm not cold and wet.

"Master Jaken," Kohaku made his voice hushed, so it wouldn't disturb the youkai. "We should gather water for him. If we don't his wounds could easily become infected."

The imp nodded. "Hai, that would be a very wise decision."

Kohaku pursed his lips and nodded as well, almost forgetting about their Lord's blood that was splattered all over him, Ah-Un, Jaken and Rin. They looked over at him when he started to whimper in pain, his brow furrowing as he mewed. Rin walked over to him, curled up next to his left side and began running comforting hands through his mane, quieting his whimpers.

Jaken, Kohaku and Ah-Un exited the burrow, setting about to do their respected jobs. Jaken took a sniff and walked towards the river up north about twenty meters with a flask he had gotten out of one of the bags strapped to Ah-Un's back.

Kohaku waited for a moment and watched the entrance to the burrow. After a few seconds and a small push from Ah-Un he walked off after Jaken. Ah-Un groaned as they watched the two disappear. Their eyes locked on each other before looking down into the burrow. Normally, they would have followed after the two but at the moment Lord Sesshomaru and Rin needed them more.

Five hundred miles away from Sesshomaru's current spot, a strong scent was carried downwind where a small group slept around a fire. The small fire was fickering to try and stay alive, casting dull lighting on the group. The fire threw dancing shadows on a monk with dark hair, wearing a purple and black kimono sleeping against one of the tree trunks. A sharp staff was lying across his crossed lap.

The shadows licked the faces of two dark haired girls, sleeping in sleeping bags, a strange looking bag and a large boomerang. A two tailed demon cat, currently in its larger form with a tiny red haired, fluffy tailed kitsune.

The flames couldn't reach the sixth figure who was sleeping on the higher branches of the same tree the monk slept against. The moon decided to shed its light upon the dog eared hanyou instead. The figure was clad in a red kimono and a rather old dusty looking sword lay in his lap. The hanyou's nose suddenly twitched as it caught the scent flowing downwind. Gold eyes opened and narrowed as they turned towards the east, where the smell was coming from.

How could I do that to him? Slaps myself…poor Sesshomaru. Third chapter is coming up soon so the more reviews I get the sooner it comes.