A.N~ Wow… That was a quick update considering my last one was 3 months in between ^^ I figured I made you guys wait enough so I pulled an all-nighter and updated! I would like to think a lot happens in this chapter… But I guess that's up for you to decide! Inuyasha is VERY OOC at the end … just a warning…. But he's supposed to be like that so… just bare with me… It will all go back to normal in the next chapter…

Hehe my sister went to anime north (WITH OUT ME!) For anyone who doesn't know what it is, it's an anime convention... Any ways, she got me a Yoshi plushie and a keyblade necklace! EPIC! *^o^* I love her so much!

Oh yeah, and I don't think I made it clear that Kurohime is Sesshomaru's mother's name in the last chapter her name means dark princess… I thought it was fitting because she's such a bitch. And Yuzuki's – Sesshy's mate's – name means gentle moon…

I want to thank, xXPierceMyHeartxX, darkroge, BadButt94, JSinuYasha, and xxxwallflowerxxx for reviewing last chapter! Your reviews inspired me to update sooner!

DISCLAIMER! I do not own!

"Someone care to classify
A broken heart and twisted minds
So I can find someone to rely on…"

~Paramore – Misguided Ghosts~

Chapter 5: New Moons

Sesshomaru had been having the same dream for years now…

He stood in a burning village, the blood- curling screams of his victims surrounding him. He never knew why he did it… he could only remember the screams… the pain…

Men, women, children; none were immune to the violence which surrounded them. Bodies burned in the fire of his rage, fearful screams echoing his own despairs… This was what he saw… This was why he was shaking.

He had done this, he didn't know how, but he knew it was caused by him, all of this destruction was the fruits of his own anger, his own contradictions of himself. He was the reason for all the death. This was who he chose to be. This was what he needed to do to keep his position… He needed to destroy… was that it? Was this all his life meant? Was he destined to seek the destructions of others to secure his own comfort?

"LORD SESSHOMARU!" The voice cut through the havoc, silencing the distraught screams of the people around him. All that was left was the silent whimpering of pain and the steady dripping of blood… every noise however, pounded painfully loud in his ears. The Diayoukia looked towards the voice, feeling his heart sink at the sight. "L-Lord… Sesshomaru…"

"Kei-ko…?" His eyes widened in fear at the sight. She was laying face down, her white kimono stained red with blood, golden eyes paling as she stared at him pleadingly. Her hair – usually tied in a loose braid down her back was loose and created a thick raven blanket around her paling body. "Help me… Sesshy-chan…"

"Ke-iko…" Sesshomaru walked over to the corpse before kneeling down and taking the youkia in his arms. "How…?"

"I'm so scared…"

"Who…did this?" Sesshomaru fought to keep his voice steady as he watched his itoko bleed out in his arms.

"Because you left him…" She said struggling to turn towards him. "I can't stay with you…"

His eyes widened at her answer. Did she mean to say he did this? Was this his fault? "Left who?"

She smiled up at the Diayoukia. "You can't leave him Sesshy-chan." She reached up and placed a bloodied hand on his cheek. "You do have someone to protect… He needs you…"

"I… I…" What was she talking about? What did she mean? "Keiko… I will protect you…"

She frowned, allowing her hand to slide off his cheek, creating red streaks along the side of his face with her blood. "You can't help me anymore… It's too late… But he can save you… If you'll let him…"

"I don't need to be saved."

She sighed as her body began to glow a pale blue light. "Sesshy-chan…" Sesshomaru's eyes widened as the body in his arms began to dissolve into the blood red sky, illuminating the village with a bright light until all he could see was white.

"Keiko…" He whispered into the nothingness which surrounded him.

A reply cut through the silence, the voice soothing and calm.

"What have they done to you… Sesshy-chan…?"

Keiko gripped her cousin's shoulders and gently shook him awake. "Sessh…" She had woken up in the middle of the night, feeling his discomfort and pain, and had entered his room to see him in bed shaking and sweating feverishly.

She knew of his recurring night terrors. When he had been a child, she would be the one to comfort him in the middle of the night, and sooth his fears. Back then she had spent most of her time sleeping in her cousin's room than her own. But as he grew older, he eventually stopped going to her for comfort. But tonight she could feel his fears, even in the safety of her own quarters, and regardless if her cousin was too proud to come to her, she couldn't let him suffer like he was now.

"Sesshy-chan…"

"Kei-ko…" The youkia in question furrowed her brow at this. Was his dream about her? His eyes were open, but she could tell by the blank expression in his eyes that he was still dreaming.

"Sesshomaru…?"

"C-come back…"

Keiko's eyes softened at this and curled up beside her cousin. She wouldn't wake him up. She knew it would hurt his pride were someone to see him like this, but she could still stay with him for now. "I'm right here…" She wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed closer to him until his shaking stilled. "I'm not gone yet Sessh-chan…"

Inuyasha didn't want to get out of bed. He just wanted to go back to sleep and pretend that the things his brother had told him was all his imagination. All of the pain he felt was a bad dream. The world however, had a different idea of how he would spend his last days in the palace.

"WAKE UP!"

Inuyasha's eyes widened as he felt his mattress flip over causing him to land on the floor, a loud bang sounding on impact. "Urgh…" Inuyasha looked up, his silver hair shielding his vision like a curtain. "Who the fuck…?" Inuyasha angrily pushed the hair from his face and glared up at his attacker. "I am going to fucking kill you!" He growled at the laughter he heard in response. "Why are you such a bitch Koga, fuck?" He sat up rubbing his head tenderly. "You can't just wake me up like a normal fucking person?"

"No…" Koga smiled and pulled the seething hanyou to his feet. "You would have just slept in." He laughed again at the disarray of his hair which stuck up in all directions framing his now beat red face. "Besides, Keiko's looking for you. She said it's important… something about tonight."

Inuyasha nodded slowly. She was the only one who knew of his human nights on the new moon. Even Koga – who he trusted with his life – knew nothing of his weakness. It wasn't that he didn't trust him; he just didn't like the insignificant feeling when he told people. He didn't want Koga to worry about him either. Besides, it would be a lot harder to sneak away from the palace if two people knew of his weakness on the new moon.

He sighed in Koga's direction and pushed him back causing him to fall on the floor by his feet. "Okay… I deserved that." He grinned up at Inuyasha and smiled. He would miss Koga too, regardless of how stupid he was…

"Whatever…" Inuyasha turned and exited the room to make his way towards Keiko's chambers.

Inuyasha sighed as he made his way through the halls. He couldn't help but wonder if anyone would miss him. The only people he knew who would notice his absence would be Sango, Koga, Kagome and Keiko… Anyone else would either not notice, or rejoice in his departure. Was Sesshomaru one of them? Would he notice something was gone when he left? Inuyasha shook the thought from his mind. He couldn't keep doing this. Sesshomaru was as far gone as he could get. He was the Lord of the West, he was a powerful youkia of pure blood, he was strong and resourceful and everything that Inuyasha wasn't…. and above all that, he was to be mated right?

Inuyasha sighed. Why couldn't he forget this? Why did this bother him so much? He hated Sesshomaru… right? No… He didn't hate him; he hated all the pain he put him through. He hated that Sesshomaru would never look at him like he saw his brother. He was angry because no matter what Inuyasha did or said, Sesshomaru would always be unattainable. He would always see him as an inconvenience, a corruption in the bloodline. He would never be what he wanted to be to his brother. His brother would never know how much he looked up to and admired him, regardless of how he was treated, he loved his brother.

He loved Sesshomaru… and he hated him for it.

"You will absolutely adore her!"

Sesshomaru winced at his mother's high pitched words. She had been raving about this Yuzuki woman for what seemed like hours now, and it was beginning to make his head hurt.

"She is powerful for a beta; she could easily protect any pups you would choose to have." She laughed and brushed a lose hair behind her ears. "She seemed very interested in meeting you." She swooned patting her son on the cheek, causing him to flinch away from her touch.

"Haha…"

The older youkia pouted. "Don't be like that Sesshomaru, I'm your mother."

"Hardly…" He mumbled standing up from his seat to sit by the open window.

"Oh Sesshomaru… You're mood will change when you meet her. She is a charming young lady, almost as pretty as you." She smiled running her fingers through her son's hair.

Sesshomaru pulled away from his mother and growled. "If she is so amazing, then why don't you fucking mate with her?" He snapped, his eyes turning blood red. His mother jumped back and Sesshomaru's eyes immediately returned to their normal golden hue.

"What is wrong with you today?" He could see the fear in her eyes and sighed to himself. He didn't know.

His mother may be an evil witch, but she was still his mother – if you could call what she did motherly – and he shouldn't have snapped at her. Even though he could admit that, he couldn't find it in himself to apologize. What was wrong with him that he was cold even to his mother? He had never yelled at his mother before, he had been on edge lately and he knew the hanyou was to blame. Since the day he caught the beautiful scent that followed the hanyou everywhere he went he couldn't stop thinking about him.

When Inuyasha had first stayed at the palace, Sesshomaru had paid him no mind. Even when the hanyou would try to play with him or even ask him a question, he would always turn away from the boy. He knew should have paid the boy the attention he was craving. He knew how it felt to be neglected and cast aside from family, but that didn't still his anger. He was the boy who killed his father.

If Sesshomaru had known the boy carried such a wonderful scent, would he have been so cold and distant? But even now, all he craved was to be by his side. He hated this feeling. But it was all right. Soon the hanyou would be far away. He would finally be free from the hanyou. But then what was this pain in his chest as he thought this?

"You should leave tonight."

"Huh?" Sesshomaru looked up at his mother who had started speaking.

"I said to reach the castle in three days, you should leave tonight."

"Oh… Hai… "

This mother smiled and walked away from her son and towards the exit. "You can bring Keiko with you if you want to." Sesshomaru looked towards his mother at this. "I know you don't want to Sesshomaru. I understand. It wasn't my choice to be with your father, but we were happy for a time." She sighed, her smile becoming sad. "You will like her, I promise. I know you would rather have more of a choice, but this is what is best for you." Her smile wavered at the last words. "You'll forgive me one day."

Sesshomaru stared in shock as his mother left his room. It was rare for his mother to say such things, but he was happy she did. 'You'll forgive me one day.' He had nothing to forgive.

He sighed and stared out the window. It would be dark soon. Was Inuyasha already gone? Sesshomaru shook his head of thoughts of his brother and stared at the darkening sky.

He would leave tonight to retrieve his chosen mate, and when he returned, it would be as if the hanyou never existed, then maybe he could finally get some rest.

Sesshomaru clenched his chest at the unfamiliar tightening in his heart.

Why does it hurt?

"There!" Keiko beamed at Inuyasha and pulled him into his room. "You should be safe here for tonight!" She pushed him down on his bed and smiled brightly.

"Uh…" Inuyasha looked around the room to look for any abnormities. "Keiko, nothing looks different."

She sighed heavily and sat down next to him. "Of course not, I just put a barrier around the room; no one will be able to smell your scent. So you can stay here undetected were someone to pass by the room and smell your scent."

Inuyasha smiled at her and sighed. "Arigatou gozaimasu..." He wouldn't be here when he changed so the barrier was of no use to him.

She grinned and pulled him into a tight embrace. "Are you sure you want to stay alone tonight. You know how you get before a new moon."

Inuyasha nodded. He knew how he became during the new moon. As he approached his human transformation, the the steady flow of human emotions was enough to interfere with his life. According to Koga, he had the worst case of mood swings before the new moon, but then again Koga was an ass whole so he might have been exaggerating.

"I'm fine…" Inuyasha finally answered. "I just want to be alone tonight. I'll be alright." He grinned at her worried face, earning him a forced smile. "Beside, I'll be safe thanks to this barrier."

She smiled brightly and held him closer. She buried her head in his chest and sighed. "I just worry about you." She tightened her grip on his robes as tears began to flow from her eyes. "I had a vision."

"Vision?" Keiko nodded and buried her face closer to the young hanyou. "When?"

"This morning in Sesshomaru's room." She shook her head and sighed. "You need to stay in this room Inuyasha, don't go anywhere."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "What was your vision?"

"I saw blood… and I saw death…" She looked up at Inuyasha her face streaked with tears. "Please promise me you'll stay here."

Inuyasha smiled sadly and brushed hair from her face. "Where else would I go?"

She smiled and pulled away, whipping tears from her eyes. "I'll be back to check up on you." She ruffled his hair and smiled at his angry scowl before leaving him alone.

Inuyasha sighed after her. He would be long gone by the time she noticed his absence.

"How is the little brat?"

Keiko looked up at the voice that sounded as soon as she closed the door to Inuyasha's room and glared. "He is safe that is all that matters. What do you want Naraku?"

The spider youkia in baboon furs smiled wickedly through dark shadows and sneered. "I just came to see what's rightfully mine."

Keiko growled at the youkia and pushed past him. "You own nothing Naraku. If he was yours, you would have him."

The youkia behind her chuckled menacingly and wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her towards his body. "I could kill you now if would prefer… You shouldn't say such things when your executer is right next to you."

Keiko winced and attempted to pull away from the tight hold on her waist. "If you wanted me dead Naraku, I would be."

He laughed as his hands began to slither down her body. "You're wrong. I want you to suffer before you die. That is the only reason you are still standing. And when you die, no one will stop me from taking what is rightfully mine."

Keiko pushed away from the spider youkia with disgust and held her arms close to her body. "He won't go with you."

Naraku laughed at this and pushed the trembling inu youkia against the stone wall behind her. "It doesn't matter, I had a deal with her, and so he has no choice."

"He will protect him…" She said, her voice trembling.

The spider youkia laughed as he pulled away from the youkia and made his way into the shadows before disappearing. The only thing left was a bone chilling laugh. "We'll see about that, now wont we?"

Keiko's eyes widened as a creeping feeling over took her. "INUYASHA!" She gasped, throwing the door to his room open, her face paling at the sight of the empty room. "…Inuyasha…"

Inuyasha could see the palace far off into the distance. He would have to thank Keiko for the barrier. It had made it that much easier for him to leave undetected. He wondered what Keiko would do when she realized he was gone. He couldn't imagine her taking it well, but it was best for everyone that he left. It was almost night fall.

Inuyasha gasped as the last remains of light was erased by the pitch black sky, casting the earth below in darkness and causing a painful shock up his spine. Inuyasha dropped to the ground as he felt his nails retracting, and his white ears disappear to be replaced by normal human ears. The experience was always painful and left him feeling sick. He hated how weak he felt as a human, how powerless his current body was.

He fisted a chunk of thick black locks and sighed. He hated these transformations. He stretched towards the sky and frowned. He needed to find shelter and quickly before a demon spotted him and he was -.

"There you are!"

Inuyasha paled at the familiar voice. "Why were you in such a rush? I had a hard time keeping up with you."

Inuyasha shuddered and turned around to see none other than the wolf prince. He really was annoying. "K-Koga!"

The raven haired male tilted his head towards the sky and sniffed the surrounding air. "Why do you smell so different mutt? And what the hell happened to your hair?" Koga stepped closer and sniffed his hair, causing Inuyasha to jump back when Koga's eyes widened. "H-human?"

Inuyasha flushed a deep crimson at Koga's confused look. The wolf had chosen a really bad time to come looking for him. Inuyasha couldn't take it, all of these human emotions he felt so suddenly. He was scared that Koga had learned his weakness and sad, that he might not accept him. He felt happy that Koga had cared enough to look for him, but depressed that he had to leave in the first place.

Inuyasha shuddered again as all the events of the last few days flashed through his mind. Why was he so useless, why was he not good enough, why didn't Sesshomaru want him, why was he so angry at everything?

"Eh!" Koga's eyes widened as he stared at his friend. "Inuyasha… are… are you crying?"

Inuyasha whipped the tears from his face with the ends of his robe and shook his head. "I'm not!" He said, his voice shaking slightly.

"Inu-yasha…" Koga sighed, pulling his friend into a tight embrace. He didn't know what was wrong with Inuyasha, or why he looked and smelled like a human, but that could all wait until later.

"Koga…" Inuyasha gripped his friend's shoulders and allowed tears to flow down his cheeks. "You shouldn't have followed me…"

Koga smiled and ran his hands through Inuyasha's now raven colored locks. "I'm glad I did… You can explain this later." He said burying his face in Inuyasha's hair to inhale the sweet scent.

Koga blushed when he felt Inuyasha wrap his hands around his neck and pull him closer. "Arigatou Koga…"

Koga felt his face grow hot as he held onto Inuyasha's quivering body. "Uh, you know Inuyasha…"

"Huh?" Inuyasha looked up, his eyes red from crying, and his face flushed slightly, making Koga turn a deep red at the cute look.

"Well, you know as prince of the south… I-I need to find the right mate…"

Inuyasha nodded, his black hair was ruffled slightly as he looked up at Koga with teary deep violet eyes. "What?"

"Ha… uh… Well…"

"Well isn't this cute?"

The two friends turned to the sudden interruption, both eyes widening at the sight before them.

"Matsu…?" Koga growled, and pushed Inuyasha behind him. He wasn't sure what was wrong with Inuyasha tonight, but he could sense his lack of power at the moment.

"Koga, just run."

Koga scowled at the voice behind him. "That's my line idiot. Get out of here."

"I can't." He cried, pulling at Koga's arms. "Koga just…"

The raccoon demon stalked closer to the pair, laughing menacingly. "Well isn't this a coincidence. I was expecting to only have to kill the filthy brat, but I guess the wolf prince is a bonus. I have a bone to pick with you after all."

Koga narrowed his eyes and turned to Inuyasha. "Go hide now; you'll just distract me like this." Inuyasha was going to object, but was silence by a hard glare from Koga "Inuyasha, for once just do as I say."

Inuyasha hesitated, but eventually nodded and backed up until his back was firmly planted on a tree trunk. "Koga be careful you mongrel!" He called, before ducking behind the tree. He hated hiding, but Koga was right, he would only be in the way how he was now.

'Please Koga' He thought as the two youkia in the clearing dashed towards each other. 'Please be okay…'

"Sesshomaru!"

Keiko was frantic as she slammed the door to his chambers open and rushed to his side. Lady Kurohime stood up as soon as Keiko entered and glared. "What gives you the right to blatantly barge through the door of my son's quarters and -."

"SHUT UP!" Keiko snapped, her eyes glowing red as she stepped towards the surprised inu youkia. "FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE JUST SHUT UP!"

"Keiko…?" Sesshomaru asked, his eyes blinking in confusion.

"Please Sesshomaru, PLEASE! You need to help him! I-I can't protect him when he leaves the palace!" Tears were streaming down her face as she clung to Sesshomaru's sleeves, her face buried in his mokomoko. "Please, I know you don't like him, but Sessh, I can't lose him!"

"What are you talking about?" Sesshomaru stared in shock at his cousin's reaction.

"INUYASHA!" She screamed, shaking him. "He left! He left and I don't know why!"

Sesshomaru froze at her words. All he wanted to do was forget the hanyou, he had no idea it would do this to his cousin. "I'm leaving for Yuzuki's castle, handle it yourself." He said coldly, even though inside all he wanted to do was scream and beg for forgiveness.

"Sesshomaru…" She pleaded her golden eyes wet with tears. "I can't do it myself… It has to be you."

"Why do you always say that?" He growled, pulling away from Keiko.

"Because…" The older youkia sighed. "Because I know you can feel it too. You can't leave him, or it will kill you too." She walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulders. "It will hurt Sesshomaru… If you don't help him."

"Sesshomaru, we must leave." Sesshomaru looked to his mother who was already half way through the door.

"Please Sessh-chan… You do have someone to protect… He needs you…"

Sesshomaru froze at those words as memories of his dream came flashing back.

'Because you left him… I can't stay with you…'

"Keiko, I-" Sesshomaru's words were cut short as a blood curling scream came from far off from the palace.

"Inuyasha!" Keiko called, but Sesshomaru didn't hear this. All he could hear was his brother's voice. Could he be -?

"Sesshomaru don't!" Kurohime called as he son pushed past her and down the hall, Keiko trailing along behind him.

He couldn't do it…. He couldn't let Inuyasha die.

Sesshomaru winced as a familiar scent caught his nose when he was finally out of the palace.

It was Inuyasha… and blood.

'Don't die.' He pleaded to himself. 'I'm almost there.'

"I am finding out that maybe I was wrong…"

~Paramore – My heart~

A.N~ For anyone who wants to kill me over Inuyasha's OOCness I AM SORRY! But his emotions are all out of whack so that is my excuse

*^o^* Yes I added one-sided KogaXxYasha… T^T I had to…

I was going to make this… much, much longer… but I figured this would be a good cut off point. So there you go! And Yuzuki won't show up until maybe the eighth or ninth chapter. I still need to establish a relationship between these two… And they would never do it themselves so… KEIKO!

By the way…. Naraku has a very evil plan behind his evil plan *Mwahahas* ^^

Anyways… Review and tell me what you think… Again, I don't care If I get critiqued as long as it's not rude, and I would appreciate if you are going to leave critiques that you log in so I can contact you ^^ I'm trying to become a better writer, so I want to know what I'm doing wrong so I can fix it…. By the way, if you see any inconsistencies in the story, tell me so I can fix it… Sometimes I get excited when I write and forget other things I wrote…