Title: Light of My Life
Author: kazeko
Series: Inuyasha
Rating: M-15 or so
Archive: Sesshoumaru/Kagome
Characters: Sesshoumaru/Kagome, Inuyasha/Koyama, Sango/Miroku
Summary: A powerful prophecy brings mortal enemies together, but prejudice may well tear them apart and spell the end of all inuyoukai.
Disclaimer: No ownership.


Chapter 9: To Begin a Journey
"Uncle Inuyasha did that? Father, how can you not hate him?"

Sesshoumaru touched his daughter's cheek, tracing the twin magenta lines she had inherited from him. "It was a fight that began unfairly. Inuyasha was still young for a youkai, barely old enough to mate, and I was an adult nearly full into my power. In consideration for his human side, I should have fought in this form instead of my true form, but I only desired my father's power. Lust for power made me weak, and he was able to remove my arm. I hated him for it at first, but now I realize that it made me appreciate life, especially the power that humans hold despite their short lives, and I adopted Rin when her life was stolen. You and your litter were the result of this change. I desired something . . . someone . . . to protect, so I decided to try to be a father again. Rin is so happy to have playmates, and I find myself loathe to return to the battle against Naraku for fear of losing you."

"But you must," the pup whispered, her eyes turning gold and her voice deepening. "He is an evil stain on this land, and he will destroy all youkai in his quest for ultimate power. If you and the Tenseiga do not fight, he will win, we will die, and our lands will be destroyed. Please do not let that happen."

"I won't," Sesshoumaru promised, raising his pup to his face and nuzzling her briefly. "But we will be leaving in the morning, so you need to get your brothers ready to travel. It will not be an easy road, Kiyokaoriko, but you are the Alpha Pup, so you will be ready for anything."

The girl nodded and dashed off, squealing as she swerved to avoid her uncle. Inuyasha stepped into the study, pointing his ears back in submission until his brother gestured that he should enter. "What's up with her?"

"The trip excites her." Something flashed in Sesshoumaru's eyes, some dark fear, and Inuyasha whined a question. "It is nothing."

"You fear for their safety, don't you?"

Sesshoumaru nodded briefly. "I have never had anything to protect before. How can you . . . how can you go into battle so much, knowing that anyone in your pack could be hurt or killed at a moment's notice?"

Inuyasha laughed. "Miroku welcomes death to escape the kazaana, so I know that he will never be killed. Sango has to revenge her village, and with Kirara she is very powerful. Shippo may be a kit, but he knows how to hide, and he did escape the youkai that killed his parents. I do not fear for their safety."

"And Kagome? Do you fear for her safety?" Recently, Sesshoumaru had begun calling the miko by her name, giving her respect and status in the pack, appreciating the fine work she was doing mothering his pups.

Inuyasha's eyes filled with the same fear that had touched Sesshoumaru, and the youkai realized that he and his hanyou brother at last had something in common. "Every second of every day," he whispered at last. "The Tetsusaiga can only do so much, and often it is stolen or useless. I am not a youkai, am not as powerful as our father's blood could make me, and this sword is all I have to keep her from dying. She's not from around here, and some things in this world are too much for her. Kagome's miko powers could protect her, but she has not trained enough to use them properly. Without her, we cannot find and purify the shards, but we cannot ever let our guard down. I cannot ever love her as I should because I can't stop comparing her to Kikyo, but she is precious to me."

"What will you do when she inevitably dies? What . . . what will I do when Rin dies?"

"I don't know. I don't think anyone does. But even we will die eventually, die and be reborn. We will see them again."


Sesshoumaru walked in the lead; he would not have it any other way. Inuyasha followed him, the pups walking between the two of them and Kagome, Shippo riding Ah-Un with Rin, Sango and Miroku walking together. Jaken, grumbling, walked in front of Ah-Un, wondering which kami hated him enough to give him six pups and a kit to watch after as well as Rin. Satori, still Alpha Female of the Crescent Moon Pack, walked beside her son, glancing at her grandpups and the miko who nursed them. Kagome was lost in thought, focused on Koyama's words from the night before and Satori's kindness in training her. She wondered why Sesshoumaru's mother had spent any time or effort training a human how to fight, and why she was traveling with them. She had no interest in Naraku one way or the other, and Sesshoumaru only cared because the dark hanyou threatened his power and his lands.

As the day continued, and Kagome's silence kept her pack from wanting to converse, Sesshoumaru began to wonder how the trip was going to affect the miko. After her time in the palace, learning to fight, training the pups, and being able to eat and sleep on a regular basis, returning to the hunt might be too taxing for her. His pups were subdued, walking behind Kaori in the tentative pack order they had established over the last two weeks, Kichiro holding Kagome's hand. He was still rebellious, but Sesshoumaru knew that he would accept his place in the pack soon enough.

They paused for a drink at a small stream, the adults watching while Kagome took the pups for a drink. Kaori drank first, Akihiko second, and Katsuro third. Raiden pushed the other two boys out of the way to take his turn, desperate to have a position in the small pack he and his siblings were forming. Tatsuya looked at Kichiro, feeling sorry for the smaller boy who was constantly reprimanded by their sister for failing to obey her commands, and pulled the boy to the water, waiting until last to take his own drink. Kaori growled at the action and Tatsuya whined.

"We cannot have a weak brother, dear sister. He is smaller; we must take care of him."

Kaori nodded and reached for Kichiro's hand. "Brother, you will get in trouble one day, and I want to protect you. If one of us is weak, we all are weak."

"I know, Kiyo," he whispered, wagging his tail. Unlike his other siblings and the rest of the pack, he called his sister Kiyo, wanting her name to sound more like his.

The two hugged, Kagome smiling at the small group. As the pups separated, Kaori's eyes narrowed and she turned her head to stare across the stream. Her tail began wagging frantically as her brothers turned with her, their features lengthening as fur covered them and they transformed into their true selves. Six pups, now standing as tall as Kagome's waist, jumped over the stream and vanished into the trees, Kagome an instant behind. She never considered her actions, never realized that it would be almost impossible for her to keep up with the youkai, just felt the urge to protect her children.

She could feel the pulse of the excited pups' youki ahead of her and Sesshoumaru's behind her, approaching fast. She yelped as a huge silver inu snatched her up and threw her onto its back, continuing its headlong dash through the forest.

"Sesshoumaru," she whispered, clinging to his long fur as she glanced at the stump of his arm, amazed that he could move so fast on three legs.

"They move faster than I could at their age."

Shocked that she could hear his voice in his head, Kagome leaned lower to avoid the overhead limbs, sensing the youki of his mother following them. "What are they doing, Sesshoumaru-sama? Why did they run off?"

"Kiyokaoriko scented prey. She still drinks milk, but she craves blood. After their first kill, the pups will grow much faster and no longer need to nurse. I had not expected the urge to hit them so soon."

"No longer need to nurse?" Overcome with despair, Kagome closed her eyes until they stopped, an angry growling filling the clearing. She yelped as the fur underneath her vanished, to be replaced by a strong arm and firm chest. She slipped to the ground, opening her eyes as she, Sesshoumaru, and Satori watched the scene before them unfold. Moments later, Inuyasha and Koyama arrived, followed by Kirara and the rest of their companions.

A huge bear stood in the center of the clearing, whirling and snapping at the six pups circling. Kaori, her silver fur on end, growled a warning and snapped at its muzzle, grinning when the bear reared back, blood on its snout. Burgundy Kichiro, glancing at his sister for a sign, yipped to catch the bear's attention as Raiden and Akihiko jumped on its back. The bear roared as Kagome stepped back, frightened for a moment, and Kaori growled happily as she latched onto its neck. The bear gurgled as it fell, eyes closing as the other three pups jumped it, stepping back as their prey stopped moving.

Sesshoumaru sighed in pleasure as Kaori raised her blood-flecked muzzle to the sky, howling her conquest, her brothers joining in. Inuyasha whined, eager to call, but his brother's hand on his arm silenced him. "This is theirs."

Kaori let her howl fade as she leapt at the carcass, allowing her brothers to join her after a few minutes. As the pups ate, Sesshoumaru pulled Kagome back, into the trees and away from the eyes of the others. Before he could speak, Kagome piped up with her question. "Inuyoukai howl? I thought only ookami did that."

Sesshoumaru's eyes changed slightly, the only indication of his irritation at the portrayal of his race. "It is not common, but pack instincts are strong in pups. We generally travel closely with our pack and have no need to call them to a kill or battle. Ookami travel in smaller groups and always have to call their pack to them when something happens. That is why they are weaker and are killed more easily. Miko, are you troubled by the killing of that bear?"

"No. I know that youkai have to eat. But . . . if they can eat meat now, they will not need me anymore."

Sesshoumaru, in a rare act of kindness, tipped Kagome's chin up, his eyes almost gentle. "Miko, do not trouble yourself. They might be physically weaned, but emotionally they still depend on their Mother Kagome. You are not free of us yet."

"Oh!" Kagome, not even thinking, jumped into Sesshoumaru's embrace in joy. She froze, realizing her mistake, but Sesshoumaru wrapped his arm around her in comfort. They stood there, not moving, until Kagome's tears dried and she stepped back. Blushing slightly, she turned away from him. "We should probably go back."

"Indeed. The pups have finished eating by now." Sesshoumaru turned back toward his pups, Kagome on his heels, as a happy whine filled the air. They returned to find six pups back in their human forms, bellies full, as Inuyasha and the humans tried to gather them together. Kirara gnawed on what remained of the carcass, growling in delight that someone else had hunted for a change. Kagome smiled as she leaned down and hugged each pup, congratulating them on their first hunt.

"You have done well working as a pack on this hunt. This Sesshoumaru is proud of you. Now that you can hunt and kill, you will accompany the pack on future kills."

"Thank you, Father," Kaori whispered. She stiffened as a sound reached her, a nearly insignificant rustling of bushes, and a growl escaped her throat. Her brothers stepped away from the carcass as the pups retreated behind their father, Inuyasha stepping forward as a short, slender youkai male emerged from the undergrowth.

Kagome glanced at Sesshoumaru, her weeks in his pack helping her decipher his emotions. His yellow eyes were darker, more menacing, and narrow, while his hand was just a little closer to his sword. His youki had increased, but despite the fact that he knew he was stronger than the skinny coyote youkai, the lord was nervous. Kagome expanded her senses and realized why. There were dozens of coyotes around, more than Sesshoumaru had killed before. Despite his great power, Sesshoumaru could not kill them all, and his pups would not survive the battle.

"What do you want, runt?" Inuyasha flattened his ears against his skull, growling a warning at the coyote as Koyama and Kagome gathered the pups. Sesshoumaru glared at the coyote as he stood, waiting for the smaller male to speak.

"I came to apologize, Sesshoumaru-sama, Lord of the Western Lands."

"You killed one of his pups and the female he had chosen to be his mate." As the Beta Male, Inuyasha spoke for his brother, preventing the coyote from moving any closer to the females and pups.

"There was a good reason, though we offer our humblest apologies. We were told of a certain prophecy by a mysterious miko woman. She said that unless we killed the mother of Sesshoumaru-sama's pups, all youkai would cease to exist in a handful of centuries."

Sesshoumaru glanced at his mother, then at Kagome. The small woman bit her lip and nodded, glancing at the pups huddled near her feet. Sesshoumaru took a step forward, Inuyasha moving back as his brother's youki filled the area, cowing the male coyote. He whined, tail between his legs and eyes downcast, minimizing his youki to prove that he was no threat. "Tell this Sesshoumaru about the miko's prophecy."

"She gave us little else. Only our most headstrong, weakling, troublemaking sons with many siblings were sent on this mission, since we knew they would not return and our families would not miss them much."

"You will locate the miko and bring her to this Sesshoumaru."

"Please, my Lord, it will take some time. She is an elusive creature."

"This Sesshoumaru will refrain from destroying you in order to let you search for this miko. In trust, you will leave three of your daughters to serve the females and pups of this Sesshoumaru's pack until the matter of Matsurika's death is settled."

The coyote swallowed heavily and nodded, turning to the shadows and gesturing. Three young females stepped into the light, nearly identical young youkai with pale blue skin, golden stripes, purple eyes, and green-tinted white hair. They had four thin stripes on their cheeks and arms, their tails tucked into their skirts. "Please accept the services of my three daughters, born in my last litter seventy-five years ago, none of whom have mated or birthed pups of their own. They are Shishi, Senmei, and Senritsu."

Sesshoumaru nodded and walked back to his pups, leaving the matter to Inuyasha. His half-brother nodded at the females and waved for them to join Satori, baring his fangs at the coyote male. "They will suffice. Be quick in your search. The next time you meet, I don't want any of your pack around. You and your mate are the only ones allowed near the Crescent Moon Pack until we are satisfied with the outcome of this arrangement."

"Understood. Thank-you, Sesshoumaru-sama." They vanished into the underbrush again, leaving the inu pack alone. Satori examined the three females, her duties as the Alpha Female requiring her to approve all new servants and control their actions at all times.

"You three will serve the nursing females and the six pups, guarding them on their hunts, protecting them from any and all danger, and clothing them in appropriate suits for their station. From this moment forward, until my son dissolves your service contract, you are members of the Crescent Moon Pack and will behave with dignity appropriate to your new station." The three females nodded, and Satori set about to introduce them to the six pups they were going to care for.

Kagome looked up as Sesshoumaru touched her sleeve in a gesture uncommon to the great lord. She followed him away from the pups into an isolated clearing, waiting for the youkai to say or do something. He carefully removed his armor and swords and placed them against a nearby tree, turning to the miko and raising his hand, claws glowing green. "Before the pups began hunting today, this Sesshoumaru had planned to stop and teach you more useful fighting techniques with your miko abilities. First, you will learn to form a shield."

"I can already do that," Kagome whispered. "A little."

"You must learn to hold it against fierce attack. A sword, even a sword like Tokijin or Tetsusaiga, is not as hard to protect against as pure youki. I will be trying to kill you, so be warned." He raised his whip, mask cold and frozen, and Kagome hesitantly raised her pink shield. He let his whip fly, Kagome wincing from the force of his assault. The tall youkai let his lips twitch slightly in a small smile as Kagome increased the power of her shield, expanding the bubble towards her attacker. She could feel her senses expanding, could hear the heartbeats of the youkai and humans standing in another part of the forest, and she could feel the edges of Sesshoumaru's youki fluttering across her shield.

Closing her blue eyes, Kagome felt her heartbeat slow as she tapped a power reserve she did not know she possessed, pouring more of herself into that simple shield. She felt it change, tiny protrusions reaching toward her attacker, and she realized that Sesshoumaru was not using his full strength. She reached out with her mind and ran invisible claws across his careful thoughts, freezing his movements.

"Do not toy with me," she hissed, not sure where the voice or power had come from. She felt her power wrap around him, pulling her victim closer. There was a tense moment as the youkai seemed to measure her power, nudging her defenses, before a feral grin split his face. As Jaken had once said, Lord Sesshoumaru's smile was more frightening than death itself.

"Then let me see what you can do." Sesshoumaru's youki exploded forth, breaking the tentacles of power holding him, and green surrounded Kagome's shield. She grinned as she increased her power, the pink and green fighting each other in the small clearing. She sensed Satori pull the others away from the battle, using her significant power to protect the weaker members of the pack. Kagome felt Sesshoumaru give ground, just a little, and she knew that the battle was over.

Kagome and Sesshoumaru pulled their power back, standing in the center of the clearing, eyes locked. "Your power is great, miko, and can be a formidable weapon when you learn to release it in a controlled manner. You will be strong in the final battle against Naraku as soon as you learn to attack with your powers and not release your aura aimlessly. You learned how to use your shield to repel my youki, now you must learn how to do that with your hands. If a youkai touches you, miko, you must be able to purify him slowly in order to cause him pain and force him to release you. I will grab your arm and you will concentrate your power in that arm to force me to let go."

Sesshoumaru reached across the gulf between them and grabbed her slender wrist, never breaking eye contact. "Are you ready, Kagome?" The human nodded, closing her eyes as she began to concentrate her power. Sesshoumaru let his youki wash over her, forcing her miko abilities to the surface, reminding her that she was dealing with a powerful lord and that her true enemy would not hold back. "You must use that beast I saw in your eyes, you must use your full power. The Tenseiga will not let you purify me, so you need not fear my death. You must use your full power to destroy me."

"Destroy," Kagome whispered, feeling her resolve waver as her emotions surged forth. She focused on her memory of the great lord in pain and desperate to defend his pups, putting aside all differences with his brother to protect his offspring. That image of the injured taiyoukai filled her mind, and her heart took control of her power. Her eyes flew open as her power exploded forth, throwing the inuyoukai into a nearby tree, and her words filled the void between them. "But I cannot destroy that which I love."


To be continued . . .