I know, i know short. But I wanted to post something since I haven't posted much lately. I've been having a case of the blues and doing a lot of school work. Enjoy though.

Sesshomaru looked down at the snake demons cowering before him. "You are wearing my patience thin." He said quietly.

"Forgive us my lord!" The leader begged. "We did not mean to poach." His voice carried the hiss of snakes and Sesshomaru noticed his hands tightening on his sword's hilt.

For a moment Sesshomaru wanted to roll his eyes at the snake. The creature was really new to the west if he didn't believe Sesshomaru would kill him without hesitation. But Sesshomaru wasn't sure he was worth the minimal effort. The young fox could fry this snake and his two men.

The snake took Sesshomaru's silence for lack of attention and leapt to his feet in an attempt to attack the dog lord but before he was fully on his feet his head spun off to land at the feet of his subordinates.

Sesshomaru glanced at his brother who was resheathing his sword. "Unnecessary." He remarked as the last two underlings shrank as far into the ground as they would get.

"I know. But he annoyed me." Inuyasha replied smirking. "So what do you want to do with them?" He asked glaring at the cowering creatures.

"So long as they behave, I don't intend to do anything with them." Sesshomaru replied turning his back on them. He felt mild surprise when they ran rather than fight. He was too used to being attacked he supposed. "Now why are you here Inuyasha?"

His brother shrugged not meeting Sesshomaru's eyes. "I needed time to think about something."

"Without Kagome? So your thoughts are to mate with the strange priestess." Sesshomaru told him bluntly.

Inuyasha blushed and growled. "No!" He paused and looked away at Sesshomaru almost skeptical glare. "Yes…but there is so much that is unsure."

"Why come to me?" Sesshomaru asked resisting the urge to rub his throbbing temples. Just because they'd worked together to defeat Naraku didn't mean he liked his brother. He no longer hated him and there was grudging respect for him but he'd probably never like the idiot half-breed.

"Miroku and Sango would only tell me that she loves me and I won't be able to do better." Inuyasha replied growling lightly. "I already know that. I need advice from the demon half of my blood."

Sesshomaru felt something akin to shock. Inuyasha was asking him if mating Kagome was a good idea. He turned and began to walk towards home as he considered the question. Kagome was a powerful priestess no question about it. But that was part of the problem; she was a priestess. She'd never accidently purified anyone however and seemed to be able to control who was hit by the purifying aura of her arrows. Inuyasha and any children would be safe from purification.

She was disgustingly cheerful and loyal but had a temper and bravery even in foolish circumstances. Sesshomaru paused in the middle of his thinking. A year ago he would have told Inuyasha to mate with a human would further taint their fathers blood. Now he was actually considering it? If she was strong enough to make Sesshomaru actually think about it, Inuyasha couldn't do better.

"Kagome is an acceptable mate." Sesshomaru replied finally. He heard a breath of relief escape Inuyasha and realized that if he'd said no, Inuyasha might have listened. Remarkable.

Two days later Sesshomaru and Inuyasha wandered into his home to find the scents of their women stale.

"Lord Sesshomaru." Xanthus greeted bowing low.

"Where is Jamila?" Sesshomaru asked quietly.

"Jamila, Kagome, and Kumi left four days ago to take a…'girls only vacation' I believe is what Kagome called it." Xanthus replied still bowing. He was aware that Sesshomaru might kill him out of anger at Jamila's actions.

"Are they stupid?!" Inuyasha shouted voicing Sesshomaru's feelings. "Demons are popping up all over the place now that Naraku is dead! What were they thinking?"

"That men were stupid I believe." Xanthus murmured knowing he was heard. "I believe I heard Lady Kagome say that they were all down on love."

"Why didn't you stop them?" Sesshomaru asked narrowing his eyes on the centaur.

"I wouldn't have been able to get all three back and you wouldn't know what had happened if I wasn't here to tell you." Xanthus replied stiffly. I expected you back days ago. He thought to himself but didn't dare say aloud.

"Let's go after them." Inuyasha snarled turning sharply from Xanthus.

Sesshomaru nodded and lightly touched the walls around his castle. Instantly the barriers leapt into place and he let Inuyasha and Xanthus through the gate before sealing the barrier. "Which way?"

"West." Xanthus replied. "They wanted to go to the Sea."

Sesshomaru almost faltered in his steps. West…the Sea…the dog demonesses of the North would be there now on Summer retreat. They would not deal well with a cat demon bearing the Mark of the West. The shore line there was neutral territory for all demons but the dogs would attack a cat almost instantly after the war with the Panthers. Sesshomaru felt a tightening in his chest that he didn't want to acknowledge, a fear he didn't want to exist.

"Be safe." Inuyasha murmured thinking about his own woman. But Sesshomaru found himself repeatingthe wish silently. Be safe.

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