Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the story or characters of InuYasha, they belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I make no profit from writing this fanfiction.

A/N: Once again, don't kill me... This isn't a real chapter. Sorry!

In this you will have events at the village from Sesshomaru's perspective. I don't usually do this but it wouldn't leave me alone, and because I worked on it so much I didn't want it to go to waste.

Frustration – Sesshomaru's View

The two travelers paused at the crest of a hill to observe the seemingly peaceful hamlet below them. Kagome inhaled a deep breath and took a few steps towards the village before she noticed her companion had paused where he was. She stopped and faced him, a question on her face.

"It would be best if This Sesshomaru remained here," he said without really looking at her.

She bowed shortly in acceptance and headed down. He watched her as she was greeted by some of the villagers. When Kagome went into the house to meet with the headmen of the village Sesshomaru huffed a breath. He decided this may take some time so he sat in the cool shade of a nearby tree. He had a good vantage point with which to view the whole of the town.

He wasn't sure why he stayed. Curiosity? Protection of this female? True he wouldn't want the hassle that would come if harm were to befall her, but what did that matter to him? He had dealt with worse things than his younger brother's ire. Perhaps it was boredom. There were very few things that interested him these days. With his increase in power there were not many he could fight against to test his metal, at least any that proved to be even a slight challenge. This woman did intrigue him, perhaps she was strong enough to pit himself against.

It was only a few minutes later that he sensed something not right below him. His eyes scanned the village but he could see nothing, nor could he pinpoint a location of trouble. There was just something... it niggled at the edge of his senses.

Then a scream reached his sensitive hearing. His eyes snapped to the source and he could make out some sort of disturbance on the far side of the village. He saw Kagome dash back out of the hut and run towards the goings-on. He still couldn't see anything and all he could sense was the fear of the villagers.

When Kagome reached the location he waited to see how she would handle things as he watched the whole episode unfold. It seemed a stand-off at first but he was amazed when he saw her charge the invisible attacker to rescue the boy. He'd never known her to be quite so proactive in a fight. He found he approved. When it was all over and she was headed back to the elder's hut he realized at some point in the ordeal he'd stood up. Not only that, his hand now rested firmly on the hilt of Bakusaiga.

He immediately lowered his hand and relaxed his stance. He huffed at his own reaction, but brushed it off as a natural response to witnessing an altercation.

He resumed sitting and soon his mind began to wander, back to what it had been like to travel with his brother's party. Most of the time he'd spent with them he'd focused on the annoying nature of his younger sibling. He had very little time for human concerns and even less for his brother's foul mouth.

He had often wondered at why this odd accumulation of individuals would gravitated towards each other. They fought frequently – mostly at the instigation of InuYasha's mouth – and though they seemed fond of each other it was a mystery how they didn't end up killing one another.

He'd never felt wholly comfortable in his brother's group and not for the reason's they would have thought. He was not fond of humans that was true, but it was also that he didn't consider them his friends. They were easy allies that brought their own unique talents to a fight. It was merely logically strategic for the time. When they had defeated the dark hanyu it was time to get on with his own life. He had no real attachments to them.

He had thought little of the young priestess in those days. Not that he despised her, just he simply didn't think about her at all. The only consideration he'd given her was as a bargaining chip against his obviously infatuated half-brother.

'What has happened between the two of them', he pondered. He had been sure that InuYasha would claim the woman after Naraku's destruction. It was perplexing, they appeared distant now. He almost wished she was as chatty as she had once been so she would supply the answer. Distastefully, he may have to track his sibling down to get the answers he sought.

He was startled out of his musings by a blast of her power. He was at once on his feet headed to the edge of the village. He was cautious on his approach but stopped right in front of her still form. He tried to ascertain if she were hurt but she didn't seem to be.

He watched as she pulled her aura back and opened her eyes. Her squeak of surprise bespoke that she wasn't expecting his presence and possibly discounted his aura as a threat. He would have to ponder that.

"Sess... Lord Sesshomaru, you startled me."

He cast his glance from side to side. "Are you in danger?"

He thought he saw her smile briefly. "Not immediately, no. I was stretching my senses to track the demon who has been attacking the village."

His posture became less tense and his hand slid from the hilt of Bakusaiga, where again it had unconsciously drifted. "Than This Sesshomaru will leave you to it."

She dipped her head and walked past him, his eyes following her. She'd gone some distance before she glanced back and caught him staring. She gave him a small smile and he stiffened, in an embarrassed huff he took off. He made it back to the shade of the tree in a flash, he stood there staring but not really seeing the rough bark. His behavior of late was really starting to be of concern to him.

Perhaps if he left now this would all pass into memory and he could stop whatever was going on before it could start. That seemed logical.

He touched the tree with the palm of his hand. Something held him near her, he snarled, primal and vicious. This could not be borne! His hand tightened into a fist, marring the bark with his claws as if it were no more than rice paper.

Stepping one foot in front of the other he gave the village not a single glance back, a few feet further and he broke into a run. He was no more than a blur to those who may have looked.

#~~#

Sesshomaru didn't slow even when night descended. He had no destination, or really any direction, he just felt the overwhelming desire to go. Away, always away.

There was another voice within him, smaller, less distinct, telling him he needed to go back. That was why he still ran. Even he didn't know what would happen if he stopped.

It was nearing the middle of the night when he felt it on the edge of his senses. It pulled him to a stop instantly. With no thought he turned the way he'd come, sniffing the air and reaching out with his aura.

It was her. She wasn't calling him or even projecting her aura. This was different she was... he had a hard time defining it... protection.

This time he didn't run, no, he had to move faster than that. This time he compressed himself and flew as a ball of light.

He reached the hill overlooking the village in record time, instantly assessing the situation. It appeared as the entirety of the village's inhabitants were gathered in the center of the town. They seemed huddled behind the priestess, herself unmoving and strong.

Sesshomaru dashed his eyes around to gather what was going on and saw the dust still flying from a nearby destroyed building. He felt that same tingling at the edge of his senses, the demon was down there.

He heard Kagome's voice as she called out to the demon about his intentions and the responding laugh of the demon. Sesshomaru knew this wasn't going to end well. Why had this foolish woman gathered everyone in one place? Did she wish to hasten their demise?

He saw the now visible demon charge the group and the lord took an unconscious step towards them. Sesshomaru halted in his tracks as the demon below him struck a barrier. The demon lord was awestruck at the immensity of size and power the barrier displayed. He stared at the little priestess as she faced the other demon. She was amazingly strong, deceptively so. Had she always contained this power? He was sure she had not. He swallowed things down he wished not to think about.

The fight quickly dissipated after that and the villagers went back to their homes. The miko remained vigilant throughout the rest of the night, finally retiring at dawn. The demon lord took up his place again under the now marred tree. He contemplated what her next move might be, disturbed by the options he was coming up with.

By the time she woke several hours later he was positive he knew what her course of action was going to be. He did not approve, so when she left the village and headed towards the cliffs again, he was there to meet her.

She paused in her tracks and let out a relieved breath at recognizing his presence. "To what do I owe the pleasure this time, Lord Sesshomaru?"

He stepped out in front of her from behind a boulder, his normal stoic appearance in place. "Your plan will fail."

A/N: This will be the only chapter like this in the story so you don't have to worry about more back-tracking rambles! ^_^

**The next chapter will resume where chapter one left off. I'm sorry if Sesshomaru seemed a little OOC in this but it sets up his character for later.**