I woke slowly, the rustle of grass was almost miniscule, but it was enough. It was actually quite fortuitous for me to wake as I did. I didn't roll, I didn't snuffle (as I was sometimes prone to do), my breathing didn't even change. So I lay there and listened.

Another rustle, "Sesshomaru-sama, I've researched your mating bond as you asked."

"Hnn."

I almost smiled at that completely Sesshomaru-esque answer. Who was he talking to? A woman, and judging by the overt seductive tone, the witch from the swamp. When had Sesshomaru asked her to look into the matter? I certainly hadn't noticed them having any private conversations. Than again, after the witch (I found out her name was Kitomi) had attempted to 'un-mate' us I had become distracted by the pretty, swirly lights stringing between me and Sesshomaru. I suppose there was enough time between me waving my hands through the shiny and Sesshomaru growling that we were leaving for him to issue a terse command or two.

"There is a way your mating might be undone. I must ask, what form did your mating mark take? Since the mating was formed through a spell the mark is not the usual Inu bite?"

"The girl is marked by a tattoo."

"Interesting. So it appears that if the mark itself were removed…"

"The marks removal would not fool my Youkai into allowing the separation of my mating bond," Sesshomaru growled in return. Removed? That didn't sound pleasant; I didn't think they had laser tattoo removal in this era.

"No, the marks removal would not fool your Youkai, but it would fool the spell. It would allow the girl to be… disposed of."

A sudden shift in the air next to me signaled Sesshomaru standing. I noticed I was still warm and seemed to be curled up under his fur. How did I end up under here? This conversation was starting to turn uncomfortably ominous and I was starting to sweat. I wanted the throw off the heavy pelt and have a good old fashioned panic attack, but stayed as still as possible as Sesshomaru shifted around to stand over me. I suppressed a frightened shiver. This was the first time I had felt actual fear of this man.

"Remove the mark, kill the girl before the wound heals, and the spell is broken. You do not smell of lies," Sesshomaru remarked innocuously.

"Of course not Sesshomaru-sama! I would never presume to attempt to lie to one so great as you. I mentally rolled my eyes at that bit of ridiculous flattery.

"Hnn. You may leave. Your assistance is no longer required." The conversation ended abruptly. One moment they were discussing my demise quite calmly and the next Kitomi was gone and Sesshomaru was once again settled against his tree. I don't think I slept at all that night.

**********************************************************************

"Wake up."

I groaned and rolled over, shrieking as dew sank through the kimono, chilling my sleep warmed skin. I groaned again and sat up, rubbing my eyes. They felt bruised and tired. Had what I heard last night really happened? I looked blearily up at the silver haired demon standing arrogantly above me. He didn't look any more murderous than he usually did, but then, I don't think I truly believed him murderous before. Would I change my behavior now that I knew he could in fact get ri of me quite handily? He was obviously used to people being afraid of him. I firmly swiped a hand over my eyes once more.

"I'm awake already. I see you felt it necessary to get me up at dawn again. Where are we going today?" I grabbed my jeans and tunic from there bundle and scurried into the trees. I called back, "Stay there! I want to change."

"What is wrong with wearing the kimono? It is a vast improvement over your inappropriate garments." This was said after a short silence. It seemed Sesshomaru was startled by my casual attitude. Did he know I had heard him last night? Impossible, I hadn't moved or made any noise. He was just being his usual reticent self.

"Don't be dumb. There is nothing 'inappropriate' about my clothes and the kimono is impractical for hiking," I answered calmly. My jeans were a little stiff, but at least they were clean.

"This Sesshomaru is never dumb," he growled in response.

"Uh-huh," I answered doubtfully, stepping back out of the trees. "So where are we going?"

"It would do you good to show some fear for me girl."

"Right. You do know where we're going don't you?"

Sesshomaru ignored me save for a muffled growl and turned into the trees. I stood in indecision before deciding I was meant to follow him. Sesshomaru didn't respond to any of my conversational prodding at all today, and I was still too tired to try very hard today. By midday my yawns were becoming much more frequent. And he still hadn't said where we were going. Sesshomaru stopped abruptly.

"What now?" I asked grumpily.

"Stay."

I blinked into the portion of woods he disappeared to. Did he really just tell me to stay? I scowled. Apparently he found an opportunity to get me back for the way I had called him the day before. I settled against a handy boulder and rested my head against the moss that grew there. My stomach gurgled demandingly. Oh yes, food. I had quite forgotten the need to eat. And since the food I had pilfered from Ah-Un saddlebags had been finished the day before it had been awhile since I had eaten. I rested a hand on my stomach and closed my eyes.

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The girl was incomprehensible. He knew she had been awake the night before. He had even been grateful, thinking that what Kitomi had to say would finally instill some fear in the girl. And she had smelled of fear for a little while, (scent that had made his Youkai react with inexplicable agitation) but come morning her fear had been virtually nonexistent.

His lip curled in disgust as he dispensed with the rabbit he had smelled in the underbrush. And now he was reduced to this! Killing for her. The girl's stomach had begun grumbling almost as soon as her mouth had stopped. The little noise had wreaked havoc with his instincts. He was vehement in his opposition to his forced mating, but his youkai would not allow a mate, even a temporary one, to go hungry. It was all very aggravating. His lips curled in distaste as he skinned the creature. It smelled of animal fear, strongly reminiscent of urine. The smells of the forest thankfully overpowered that scent soon enough. Good soil, spicy tree bark, warm girl flesh, sharp moss, and… demon. Low-level demon, the scent coming from the same direction as warm girl.

A snarl ripped from his throat before he was able to choke it back. If not for the girls disruption of his life, nothing so undignified as a snarl would ever pass his lips except in battle. As he had said before, it was all very aggravating. A startled yelp from the girl and he was nothing but a streak through the trees.

It smelled of nezumi youkai, but what was it doing so far from the swamp? There was also something off about its scent. It smelled… altered. The taint of Naraku was tightly intertwined with that of the rat's. It seemed this creature had been gifted with a jewel shard. The implications of this were alarming to say the least. His suspicions were confirmed when the the creature came into view.

It was huge by nezumi standards. Very nearly as big as his own Inu form. And it was crouching over the girl, his open maw much too close to his girl's flesh. She was cornered by the rat, her back hard against a boulder. Another snarl escaped him as the rat snapped his jaws, but the mouthful of human flesh was denied him as the girl dropped to ground and scurried underneath the beasts belly.

He blinked in surprise at that rather bold move. If the girl had, had a weapon she might have even done some damage while she was under there. As it was she merely tried to avoid the yellow clawed paws as she attempted to come out from under the beast unscathed. She managed, but only barely. Sesshomaru unsheathed his sword and darted forward. Cleanly slicing at the creature's throat.

A scream shook the trees as the creature whipped onto its hind legs, out of the way of glittering blade. Sesshomaru's eyes fairly bled. This was only a low-level demon, and it was infuriating that the creature had dodged his attack, even with the help of a shard. He leaped forward to deliver another blow, this one aimed for the rat's exposed belly. The nezumi spun, still on its hind legs. Both demons were moving too fast for a human to keep up with, and as the rat spun, its tail whipped toward Kodi.

Sesshomaru paused in his attack at the shout. He hadn't been thinking about the girls location, only on satisfying his pricked ego. The creature's tail connected with the girls stomach with a solid thud, and she was thrown back into a tree. The girl slid to the dirt with a low moan, slipping into unconsciousness, her face tight with pain.

Sesshomaru roared. He lost control.

His body lengthened. Snarls rippled over the grass, continuous as fur rippled from his skin. It all happened in moments. One second he was watching in narrow-eyed silence as the girl was hit, and the next he was growling, seething mass of huge inuyoukai. He had no control over himself when he took this form. It was all instinct, smell, cower, blood, fight, submit, submit! Submit!

The rat dropped onto all fours and cowered as he grew to tower above the trees. One last menacing growl rolled menacingly through the air. Then he ripped into the pathetic, lesser youkai.