We spent the next day preparing to leave, my legs weren't healed enough but I was determined to leave the next day if I had to walk on my hands. I didn't want to sit still so they…she…it…whatever Raku and Tamasine were now, could come back. I didn't want the villagers involved in a fight. Kaede was already discussing what to do about the house.
"Lady Kaede, the old shrine where the Shikon Jewel used to be housed; we could take it down, bless it, and then rebuild it. Would that do?" Asked the same village man who always took it upon himself to guard Kaede.
"Aye and it would be an easier job too." She said.
"We could finish by tonight if we begin soon." He responded.
"Then let us begin." She waved the other builders closer. When she headed off to the old shrine everyone but I followed. I hung around the hut slowly gathering my things as I dragged my legs. I had kissed Mamoru as he left, he and Inuyasha had declared since they wouldn't be able to touch the materials once they were blessed they could still help disassemble the place. Sango had gone to watch Miroku and make sure he did as he was told. Miroku and Kagome were going to help Kaede bless the objects and Nozomi wanted to help the village women cook.
At lunch time I shuffled my way out front and set two bowls of ramen beside me as I looked out at Inuyasha's forest. The place looked so peaceful though I knew inside some of the dark places there were dangerous things. A few seconds later my two favorite men came back. I never thought of Inuyasha as a half-demon or of Mamoru as a demon. To me they were simply men. I touched my claws to the stripes on my cheeks and gave an ironic chuckle. I kept forgetting I myself was now a demon. I smiled up at the two guys who gazed down at me and handed each a cup of ramen. "Eat up. You guys deserve it."
Inuyasha squatted down and began to scarf down his food, Mamoru greeted me with a kiss before beginning to eat his food. "If your legs still weak in the morning I will carry you for a while." Mamoru said.
I nodded and ran my hands down my stomach. "Do demon pregnancies last as long as humans?"
Mamoru shook his head. "Only around six months."
"Oh." I said smartly. "How far along am I now?"
"A bit over a week." Mamoru said.
It was almost eight and the sun was minutes from setting when the others trudged up. Mamoru stood to help me to my feet. "How did it go?" I asked.
"It is all finished," Sango said dragging Miroku behind her by the ear.
"We are ready to sleep. We need to rest up before we leave tomorrow. The villagers fed us already." Kagome said stretching her arms above her head.
Inuyasha came beside her and she leaned gratefully into him. "I agree, we need to rest."
Everyone headed inside and stretched out to sleep. I lay my head on Mamoru's chest and listened to the steady beat of his heart. "I love you Mamoru." I whispered.
"And I love you my little mate." He said softly.
We headed out after dawn the next morning. Sango and Miroku both rode Kirara Kagome and Shippo were being carried piggy-back on Inuyasha and Nozomi walked beside Mamoru who carried me. I had argued that I was well enough to walk but no one listened to me. I once again had all my knives. I could fight with demon skills but I was more comfortable with my blades and after I was grabbed so easily by the twins from hell I wanted to stick to what my greatest strength was. We were headed to the mountains, every single one of us could feel the power and fury radiating from the top of one of them. It took us three days to reach the hut at the base of the mountain where I had been held before. We camped in the clearing and gazed at the patch of sky above us that was a roiling mix of purple and red. It was the power that was emitting from the twins.
"You know," I said one night after finishing my first shadow fight in a month. "I think they are setting a trap."
Inuyasha nodded. "Probably. But what?"
Mamoru looked at the mountain top. "If I were to guess I'd say considering their close relationships with bats they are probably going to lure us into a bat cave and try to separate us."
Kagome nodded. "I agree and I have a way to work with that." Everyone tuned to look at her. "If Nozomi can get a hold of her mother, Mai can tell us how to get around the caves and we can separate on purpose so the twins from hell follow Dawn and we can lead them into a trap of our own."
"You want me to be bait again?" I said grinning. I had begun a second shadow fight and was moving slowly through the pattern.
"I think that it might be easiest yes." Kagome said.
"We don't need to talk to Mai." I picked up speed each time I finished a pattern dance. "We have a whole rack of demons now. Inuyasha, Nozomi, and you can go one way, Mamoru, Miroku, Sango, and Kirara can go another and I'll run straight to the heart of the cave and be sure to run my hand along the walls and trip a time or two. You guys can run one way for a bit, turn around and follow me. Inuyasha and Mamoru can smell me out. I can hold them off for a few minutes until you guys get there."
"I don't like the thought of you alone." Mamoru said wrapping his arms around me when I finished.
I turned in his arms and gazed up at him. "I won't be alone. You are always with me." I caressed his cheek gently.
Inuyasha shook his head. "I don't like this plan either."
Sango looked up. "I think Kagome's idea is a good one. If they plan to separate us, then we doing just that then doubling back and following her scent seems like a good idea."
"But does she have to go alone?" Miroku said. "Couldn't someone go with her?"
"I will go with her." Mamoru said. "If something bad happens I will be with her. Besides, they don't like me much either."
I smiled and snuggled into Mamoru's strong chest. To tell the truth, the feeling of the fury that floated down the mountain was making me a bit worried about being on my own. I definitely liked the thought of having Mamoru with me. "I agree. Mamoru will come with me. Kirara can sniff me out can't she?" Kirara mewed and nodded. "Then it's settled. No more arguing, its time to rest."
Inuyasha hopped into the tree above Kagome to watch for the first part of the night. Mamoru picked me up into his arms and looked up to Inuyasha. "Lord we will be back soon."
Inuyasha blushed faintly. "Just don't go far out of screaming range."
Mamoru nodded and headed out of the clearing with me chuckling softly against his shoulder. "Oh my sweet, what do you have planned?" I whispered up at him.
"Not what you are thinking. I can smell how aroused you are." He told me.
I pouted then sniffed him curiously. "Well…you aren't exactly unexcited either."
"We'll get to that my little mate." Mamoru said setting me on my feet beneath a tree. "But first…" Mamoru kneeled in front of me and moved his head close to my stomach. "I want to see if I can smell the pup."
I closed my eyes and ran my fingers into Mamoru's hair. I have something better. I said and wrapped a mental hand in Mamoru's. I drew his mind into mine and dived deep into my belly and found the coil of consciousness that was my unborn child. Sweet baby? Mommy is here.
Mommy? Is everything alright now? Are you hurt anymore? The baby sent to me. I could feel Mamoru jerk slightly beneath my fingers. Apparently he had not known you could communicate with an unborn baby. Hell I hadn't known till the other day.
Daddy saved us just like I told you he would and I am not hurt anymore. Daddy is here too sweet baby. I sent to the baby.
Yes my pup, I am here as well. Mamoru sent, his mental voice was a tad awed.
Hello daddy. Thank you for saving us.
I felt Mamoru shake slightly. I would do anything for you and mommy. Mamoru said. Mommy and I need to go now sweet baby. We will talk to you again soon.
Goodbye baby, I love you. I said and drew myself from inside myself and opened my eyes. I gazed down into Mamoru's eyes and saw that he was gazing up at me amazed with tears running down his cheeks. Mamoru stood and crushed me to him in a tight hug. "Thank you my little mate. That was the greatest experience in my life."
I wrapped my arms around his neck and whispered. "It was indeed amazing but the greatest experience of my life is making love to you. Each second is a new level of heaven. The baby will be here in almost six months, right now," I kissed him very gently and began to peel off his haori. "Right now all I need is this."
I drew my shirt over my head and pressed my chest to his. His fingers pushed my pants off as I untied his hakama and let it pool at his feet. Mamoru growled gently and pressed me hard against the tree behind me. I wrapped my arms and legs around him and gave myself up to the man I loved so much.
When we got back to the clearing we told Inuyasha to sleep and he jumped to the base of the tree. Mamoru sat on the branch Inuyasha had vacated and I lay down beside the fire. Now that I was no longer thinking of Mamoru my eyes were drawn by the demon power in the sky. Kagome's plan was a good one…but only if they really were going to try and separate us. If they had something else planned, like collapsing the entire cave system with us inside, we were in trouble. I needed to ask Inuyasha about that when it was morning. I rolled onto my side turning my back on the cloud and fell asleep.
The next morning I wandered up to Inuyasha while the others woke. "Inuyasha I had a thought yesterday. What if they lead us into the caves and collapse the whole thing on top of us? Mamoru, you and I might survive that, we are not human but I am not sure the others could."
"Everyone come pay attention." Inuyasha called. The others wandered over and gazed at Inuyasha expectantly. "Dawn just said something that made me recognize what was nagging me. When we enter the cave everyone must stay together until we are absolutely positive that they want us to separate to get at Dawn. Their plan may well be just to drag us deep into the caves and drop it on top of us."
Kagome's hand flew to her mouth in horror and Shippo began to cry. Nozomi patted him gently, "I am sure they have an idea of how to get us out of that if it happens." Miroku and Sango nodded in agreement.
"I do have an idea but it may not work and it requires the help of Dawn and Mamoru." Inuyasha said turning to my mate and me.
"What would you have us do lord?" Mamoru asked.
"Stop calling me 'lord' for one. We are friends Mamoru. You are not my vassal." Inuyasha snarled, Mamoru smiled back at him and nodded. "Now my plan is that should the roof begin to cave in I will try to protect us with the wind scar. But if that doesn't work the two of you can change into your dog forms and stand over us and shield us with your bodies. As demons you would be able to survive though it might hurt but they can't."
I nodded, "It's a good idea. I will do it."
Beside me Mamoru nodded as well. "It is a good plan. So are we now ready to go?"
Everyone grabbed their things and I bent down and tied my boots and checked to make sure the knife was secure before standing. I had left my bow behind and brought my knives instead. I hadn't gotten the chance to find a new corset since I outgrew my last one and had a white tank top on instead. I had a new type of skirt with high slits and the edges of the skirt had a trick that Kagome's mother had helped me with. There was a sheath down the front of each slit to hold my waist daggers. I had talked with Inuyasha and Mamoru about getting a sword and both agreed that it was something to look into.
Mamoru had a sword, but he never used it. When I had asked him about it he had replied that like Inuyasha's sword it was made from a fang. But it wasn't his fathers' fang; it was his mothers who had died during a battle many years ago. He had never used it because he was unsure what its power was or if he could even wield it.