CHAPTER 12 -Revised 11/12/18
Kagome woke as the sun crept into the room. She sat up slowly trying not to wake her mate as he soundly slept. He had been working late taking care the residents of his lands. She smiled as she watch him sleep. Kagome held a lot of pride for Inuyasha. He took very good care of everyone who lived under his protection.
She looked down at the arm around her waist and gently slipped out from under it. Quietly putting on a simple yukata, she made her way out of the room and down the hall.
Miki, who walking down the hall holding a wicker basket, had noticed her. "Lady Kagome." She said in somewhat of a surprise.
Kagome smiled. "Miki! Morning."
"Is the lord up yet? Should I prepare breakfast?" The neko hanyou's ears twitched anxiously.
"No. Inuyasha is still asleep. I'm going to wait to have breakfast with him until he gets up."
Miki smiled. "Then do you want to join me in the garden? The strawberries look ready. We can snack until the lord wakes."
Kagome nodded. They walked out to the garden, it was quite large considering it was one of the main sources of food for the whole castle. Miki knelt by the strawberries and began to fill her basket. Kagome sat down next to her helping her pick.
"Ah! Try this one." Miki picked. Large ruby red strawberry and handed it to Kagome. Kagome graciously took it and took a bite and smiled.
"It's so sweet!"
"Isn't it? These seeds where from Lord Nobaru's land gifted to us from lady Aiza, his mate."
Kagome nodded as she looked for another one. She spotted one near the ground hidden under some leaves. She handed it Miki who ate it happily. The two giggled.
An unusual gust swept over them. Miki stood defensively.
Kagome looked around. "What was that?"
Miki tried to catch the scent. Her eyes contracted as she growled. "My Lady, run!" She cried as several tengu swept the garden. Kagome stood to fight when one hit the back of her head rendering her unconscious. Miki pulled out a knife throwing it at the Tengu who held Kagome, hitting him in the head killing him instantly. Kagome crumbled into the soft grass.
Miki hissed at the other three tengu. Guards from the palace started to run out to protect their lady. Five more tengu swept the garden intercepting the guards. One of the tengu standing around Miki swept passed her toward Kagome. Miki lunged toward him releasing another knife. The tengu was killed instantly. At the same time, the other two tengu stormed her. One grabbed her with everything he had while the other grabbed Kagome and fled.
"No!" She cried as she quickly broke the neck of the tengu on top of her. The other Tengu fled to the skies. She stood and ran after them through the thick forest outside the castle grounds. They swerved through the sky hiding her lady's scent. "Baka birds!" She will just kill every single one she could until she could save her lady.
WWWWWWWW
Inuyasha stood in the garden glaring at the corpse of one of the tengu. His eyes were bright red. Sesshomaru stood watching his brother trying to not lose his control. Hopefully the neko hanyou had been successful.
Inuyasha's head shot up. Sesshomaru could smell the scent of the neko walking back to the castle but not Kagome's. Inuyasha howled and took his anger out on the Tengu before him ripping his body apart.
Miki walked over exhausted and defeated. Inuyasha growled at her a she knelt before him. "I've failed you my lord." She bowed her head. He could smell fresh tears. Miki looked battered. She had desperately tried to save Kagome at the expense of her body being injured along the way.
Inuyasha admired her for that. "I'm very grateful for your efforts."
Miki looked up to him as she silently cried. He was furious. His youkai had taken over. He gazed at the forest as if he could see the tengu from here. She knew he was calculating his next move. Her lord was very strong. The tengu will all die for the crime they have committed. Lady Yuuna was never really theirs but to take the mate of a lord meant death for his people.
Sesshomaru had been watching Inuyasha since he was aware that Kagome had been taken. He was concerned for the lives of the residents in the castle if Inuyasha completely lost control.
Yuuna cautiously walked past Sesshomaru toward Inuyasha. Sesshomaru grabbed her arm stilling her movement. She met his stern gaze before turning back to the hanyou lord. "Lord Inuyasha, I have a few who are very loyal to me in the North. I will have them search for her. They are very familiar with the tengu and their land."
His head turned to the side pinning her with his murderous gaze. "Miki will seek them out once she's rested. Give her your contacts."
"I'll leave now!" Miki stood determined to be victorious by bringing her lady home safely.
"No. You will eat and rest. That's an order." He growled. He pinned her with his eyes daring her to protest. Miki bowed and made her way inside.
Yuuna gently moved away from her mate and followed Miki. Sesshomaru watched her disappear inside before turning back to Inuyasha. "We should see Kouga and Nobaru before we do anything else." He hoped his brother was somewhat of sound mind. "We must make sure your mate will be safe and safely extracted as well. To do things out of order could make the tengu desperate…" Inuyasha didn't move. He stared intently at what he couldn't see. Towards the north. Several guards stood around the hanyou prepared to act. Whether it was to serve him or protect him against himself even if it meant their deaths.
"Call for Joichiro. I want messengers sent to the Miroku, Nobaru, and Kouga." The guards immediately dispersed to carry out his orders.
Sesshomaru stood alone with Inuyasha. Inuyasha turned to his brother. His youkai still held control. Inuyasha was unpredictable when his youkai was controlling his decisions. At any moment, his youkai solely could demolish the north entirely. He will have to do his best to guide him until his mate is safely returned home.
WWWWWWWWWWWWW
Kagome woke in a room unfamiliar to her. She quickly sat up and looked around the room.
"You're awake...good." Hiroshi smiled. He stood from the chair he had been occupying and sauntered over to her.
Kagome glared at the tengu as his eyes raked over her body. She clutched her yukata tightly.
"No need to be shy…I just couldn't touch while you slept. Though it was tempting." He licked his lips and reached for her.
Kagome grabbed his outstretched arm pouring all the power she had into her fingers.
Hiroshi felt a strong surge go up his arm through his entire body like it was freezing him from the inside out. His senses dulled. Something didn't feel right. He looked at the woman who stared at him in shock as if she had no idea what she was doing to him until she let go. He fell back and looked at his hands. His talons were gone. "What have you done?" He turned his glare toward her. "What have you done to me?!"
"I-" Kagome began. He was human. She had made him human.
A few tengu entered the room. "My lord!"
Hiroshi grabbed Kagome and shook her. "Fix it!" He whispered trying to hide is humanity from the others. Tengu did not have the sense of smell like inuyoukai.
"I don't-" Kagome muttered.
Hiroshi released her and scowled at the floor. "Lock her in here. Don't fucking touch her!" With that said, he stormed out. His guards followed behind him.
Kagome cleared her mind and built a barrier around the room. She must remain calm and wait for Inuyasha.
WWWWWWWWW
Shippo sat across from Miroku as they drank tea and watched Shoutamaru interacting with the girls.
"My father has a huge tattoo of a demon's head on his back. When I become a great warrior, I will get my own tattoo and a warrior's name. My father said so!" Shoutamaru exclaimed.
"Tattoo!" Kazuki cried. He stood with his fists at his sides emphasising his desire.
Shoutamaru turned his ruby red eyes to Kazuki and nodded. "When you become a great warrior, I Shoutamaru will permit Kazuki to an oni warrior tattoo and any warrior name he desires." His promise made the child smile proudly.
"Me too!" Ume cried.
Shoutamaru scowled. "You have to be a great warrior first, Ume."
She frowned. "I can do that!"
Sayuri giggled from where she sat with her book. "You have to practice more Ume. Your not very good."
"I will!" She huffed. "Then I can have an oni tattoo too!"
Miroku chuckled as he watched his children. Shippo took a sip of his tea. Miroku turned his gaze to the kitsune becoming serious. "So we are at war." He said as a statement.
Shippo nodded as he placed his tea on the table. "Hiroshi didn't have a good claim in the first place but still, to cause a war...I would have expected that from Kouga or Inuyasha, not Sesshomaru."
Miroku nodded. "You already saw Kouga and Nobaru?"
"They should be halfway there by now." Shippo smirked. "I figured I would give them a head start."
Miroku scoffed.
A male taijiya walked in and bowed. Miroku nodded for him to speak. "My lord, a messenger from the east."
Shippo spun around seeing a familiar face. "Hide.."
The loyal dragon youkai bowed. "Shippo-sama...Miroku-sama. Lady Kagome has been kidnapped by Hiroshi. You must come to the East castle immediately."
"What?" Sango and Rin had just walked in with trays of food. Sango glared at the youkai.
Hide looked at Sango sadly. "Please. We have to hurry. I don't know how much longer we can wait.."
Sango clutched the tray in her hands and scowled. Miroku stood and left the room. He soon came back out in his slayer uniform. Sango looked at her husband. "You have to find her Miroku, or so help me-!"
Miroku grabbed a demon boned staff from the mantle. One side was smooth while the other was ragged with spikes.
"Kagome will be retrieved even if we have to level the north." Shippo growled as he followed the monk out. Hide bowed to Sango before following the two men.
His eyes had become that of a killer over the years. Sango had seen Shippo go from being the happiest child into a killing machine. It was frightening yet reassuring to have him by their side in times of need.