A/N: Sorry I took so long. I got caught up in watching this awesome Korean drama on youtube. "Princess Hours" Its based of the Manhwa of the same name, or "Goong." It was kind of addicting, sorry. Haha. Anyway, here's the next installment. Also the rating will change soon as our little couple get closer. I'm not quite sure how long it'll take because both of them are kind of reserved physically, but we have ways and we have ways. And the plot thickens! Also, fur flies. Hehe.

Six

I woke to a whimper. Miraculously, it was not my own. Warm air chuffed over my face, accompanied by another whimper. Geez! I ached all over. My back felt bruised along the side that had hit the tree and my stomach, where the rat had hit me. I moaned as something nudged me knees. Whatever the creature was, I could sense that it was large. Like when you stood next to a building, you knew it was there without looking.

It nudged me again and I squinted my eyes open. If it was the rat I wasn't just going to lie there with my eyes closed when it ate me.

Red eyes. Perversely, this relaxed me as the first person I thought of with red eyes (sometimes) was Sesshomaru. Then I noticed how large the eyes were and that they belonged to a giant dog. Then I did what any girl striving to keep her sanity would do; I closed my eyes and pretended it wasn't there. A low growl rolled over me and the dog nudged me again. I sighed and opened my eyes. It didn't seem angry, or the least bit vicious. It was splattered with blood however. I grimaced as I noticed the brown furry bits littering the grass. The rat had been torn apart. By the dog? I pushed to my feet, grimacing as my abused muscles protested. Another whimper from the dog. I glanced up at the red eyes looking at me with such unwavering focus. It was crouched in front of me, lying low to the ground so its snout was level with the top of my head. The dog was the same silver, white as Sesshomaru's hair. I frowned, Kagome hadn't mentioned anything about Youkai transforming, so where did this dog come from? It was obviously demon, and it did resemble Sesshomaru, but it couldn't possibly be him.

"Oh! Your leg," the dog stiffened as I unconsciously raised my hand toward the stump of his left front leg. Well, that settled it, I hadn't noticed Sesshomaru missing an arm. Then again, his sleeves were kind of floppy. And now that I thought about it I hadn't actually seen his left arm. It was completely covered by the draping material of his kimono. The dogs head shifted to follow the movement of my hand toward his leg, the light filtering through the trees resting on the shimmering fur of his forehead. The stark curve of a crescent moon was revealed in the sunlight.

"Sesshomaru?" I murmured. I scrambled around his snout and stretched up to see his eyes easier. My hands rested against the side of his snout. He held still as I examined the moon. I reached up to run my hand over it but it was too far up to reach. "Is that you Sesshomaru?"

I looked again at his missing leg. I glanced up for any sign of reaction as I stepped away to look at it. "What happened to your leg Sesshomaru?" I asked as I tentatively touched my hand to the stump. "Poor boy, it must've pissed you off." I gently scratched my fingers through his fur. He sighed in response. I glanced up in surprise at the mildly contented noise. Was it really Sesshomaru? He certainly wasn't acting like the arrogant, stiff Lord of the West I had been traveling the last few days. In fact he was acting completely canine like. I absently rubbed my hands through his fur as I walked back to his head. The light touch continued over the fur of his neck. A strangled growl was my only warning before Sesshomaru leaped away from me. I stumbled in the sudden gust of displaced air, shielding my eyes from the swirling leaves and dust. When I look up Sesshomaru stood in his usual human form. The only thing out of the ordinary was the way he clutched his hand protectively over his neck. Not to mention the expression on his face, or the fact that he even had an expression on his face. His eyes were dark and wild, just a little too frantic. He looked as if he was fighting for control.

"Do not touch my neck bitch!"

I blinked at him, "Um… you know, I don't even know how to respond to that."

"You will not… ma-," his growls blended so seamlessly into his words that they were no longer distinguishable. And then the air rose up and swirled around him once more and he stood in his Inu form. I frowned in consternation. Wasn't he overreacting just a little bit? I suppose touching his neck was a little forward. But he had been a dog. I was simply doing what came naturally and petted him. I suppose necks were rather sensitive for a dog. Inu Sesshomaru shoved his nose in my face and I rolled my eyes. It was like he couldn't make up his mind. When he looked like this he seemed to want my attention, but as soon as raised my hand to pat his nose he growled. I had only petted his neck… but wasn't baring your neck a sign of submission for canines? I scowled and tilted my head away from Sesshomaru's waiting eyes. I pulled the tangled mess of curls aside and waited. The air whispered and all was silent.

"That will do. We will not mention this again."

I let my hair drop and rolled my eyes. Yeah, I bet he didn't want to talk about it, his complete loss of control must be mortifying for the tight-ass idiot. I still didn't completely understand his reaction. Did he lose it because he disliked having his neck petted or because he liked it? It was most likely a combination of the two. The dog Sesshomaru seemed to enjoy it just fine, just like any dog would enjoy being petted, it was the other Sesshomaru who had seemed angry about it.

"Aren't you going to apologize for call me a… what you called me?"

Sesshomaru turned stiffly away, "It was not my intention to give you the honor of that name."

I frowned, "That is the worst apology ever."

"We will not speak of it again girl. We will eat and continue on our way."

"Eat?" I asked. That sounded promising. I was ravenous! Then I frowned, "Here? Its gross here. There are rat guts all over the place."

"Hnn," He stalked into the woods. I could only assume I was meant to follow him. I scurried after him and was halted by something crunching underneath my foot. I grimaced, imagining the millions different disgusting bits of rat that could be under my shoe. I shifted gingerly and looked at what I had just stepped on. It lay gleaming in the grass. A crystal? It was dark. I picked it up and examined it closely. It kind of was nauseating to look at. Like a greasy pill stuck in you throat.

"Sesshomaru! Come back! I found something."

I looked up at his impatient form as he turned back toward me. "Look, what's this?"

A look of deep disgust filled his eyes as he looked at the little crystal. "That belongs the Inuyasha's miko."

"Oh. What is it doing here?"

"That piece is corrupted. That's what gave the rat its power"

"Corrupted? Oh! Is it a piece of the Skikon jewel? One of the pieces that Naraku uses? Like Kagome told me about?"

"Hnn," he turned and continued walking.

"We should take it back to Kagome."

Sesshomaru ignored me and I stuffed it in my pocket. We would see her again eventually and I'd giver it to her then. We walked silently through the woods as I imagined what kind of food we were going to eat. It was so quiet. I grinned.

"So, how do you keep your clothes when you turn into a dog and back?"

Sesshomaru growled and I smiled. All was right in the world. Sort of.

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"It has nothing to do with being a weak human. I just can't bring myself to gut that poor little bunny you slaughtered."

"You eat it well enough. Your sentimentalities are contrary."

"I just can't do anything while it still looks like a rabbit," I shoved a bite of the slightly tough meat in my mouth.

We had traveled into the woods away from the carnage of the rat and Sesshomaru had stiffly presented me with a rabbit. He had been grumpy since I, after seeing the thing, promptly exclaimed in horror. I did try to make up for my lack of proper gratitude when Sesshomaru cleaned it of its fur and insides and set about cooking it for my "feeble ningen stomach."

The rabbit had turned out all right. It was a little bland what with not having any spices and just this side of raw, but I like my meat rare anyway.

"So where are we going now Sessho?" I asked as I bit another chunk off the rabbit.

"We will return to my charges, and do not address me as Sessho."

"Aren't you going to eat anything Moru?"

"I do not require sustenance as often as humans. Do not call me Moru."

"You could have just said you aren't hungry," I frowned down at the bone in my hand. "Sesshy?"

"No."

"Hmm… Mo? No, nevermind, I'll have stooges flashbacks every time I say it." I ignored the slightly confused quirking of his eyebrows. I brightened.

"How about Fluffy?"

"No!" Sesshomaru barked before clearing his throat (it sounded like a strangled snarl) and continuing in his usual well-moderated tone, "That is to say, you will not address this Sesshomaru with any of your ridiculous diminutives."

"But saying Sesshomaru is really long. Plus nicknames are signs of friendship," I whined as the meat was finished. Sesshomaru merely arched his brow to display his opinion on that little tidbit. I resisted the urge to pout.

Sesshomaru stood and turned partly away, "You may address me as 'My Lord.'"

"Hah!" I dusted myself off and scurried after him.

The hike back was mostly quiet. Although I did make an effort to complain about my aching muscles every time the opportunity arose. I was actually too busy thinking to make much of an effort to annoy Sesshomaru. Why had Naraku sent a rat after me? It was one of Kitomi's rats, so Naraku had to have been close to send one of those after me. That also meant he knew about me, and that spelled danger for Sesshomaru. It was all very disturbing. It could also explain why Sesshomaru seemed just a little more tense than usual.

"Will we see Kagome on the way back to the others?"

"Since you are carrying that jewel I have no doubt that the wench and her useless hanyou will find us."

"Oh, goodie."