There once was a sword that could not kill...

Traveling with InuYasha was not ideal but it proved necessary. It was the only efficient way to keep the group, who appeared to have run-ins with Naraku with alarming frequency, from ruining his plans of being the one strike the fatal blow to the ghastly hanyou. His inept half-brother seemed to stumble through victory after victory. How he managed it the elder youkai could not fathom. Whatever the case may be, Sesshoumaru would not let the whelp's string of good luck deprive him of his victory. Besides Tensaiga, the sentient sword the daiyoukai inherited from his father had been pestering him since he last encountered the shard hunters. After battering the demon blacksmith to a pulp for information, Totosai finally admitted that his father's fang was capable of premonitions.

"The sword knows something you do not, boy", Totosai muttered as he rubbed his abused head, which was covered in bruises and lumps from Sesshoumaru's assault. "Don't be so stubborn. Just let it guide you."

The demon lord had merely shrugged and went along with the swords desires. Because his great and terrible father seemed to find ways to manipulate and guide his sons' actions from beyond the grave so often the stoic youkai had become accustomed to it. Sesshoumaru often pondered how many secrets InuTaisho had taken to his grave. His untimely death at the hands of humans almost unraveled the very kingdom he fought to build. Luckily as heir to the throne, his eldest son had been the only youkai capable of holding together its foundation. Due to his sheer will and the vow to never let emotions guide his actions the Western Lands flourished.

"All for the sake of his human bride and half human whelp who barely knew how to master Tetsusaiga," Sesshoumaru mused privately.

Three years ago, the very thought of all that InuTaisho had sacrificed for love angered his eldest son. Even now he could not think his father without the barest hint of resentment. He, the forsaken son, had been left with a mockery of an heirloom while his primitive sibling had been gifted with a fang he coveted for so many years. It was only after realizing that Tetsusaiga was the key to controlling powerful youkai blood running through InuYasha's veins, that he ceased his pursuit of the sword. How their father knew this, he would never know. However, he decided to submit to his father's far-reaching wisdom, taking every new turn of events as InuTaisho's guidance.

It wasn't until fairly recently, that Lord Sesshoumaru discovered how much he was willing to sacrifice for those he vowed to protect. His outward display of indifference masked the fiercely protective being beneath who still sought the guidance of a father who long since passed from this world. He hadn't understood when his father abandoned his kingdom to rush to the side of his pregnant human mate. But who was he to judge when he fought against the laws of the Gods, ripping through the Underworld to free Rin from the grip of Death for the second time?

Now here he was, stuck in the middle of the forest with his primitive, loudmouth of a brother and host of other characters he'd rather not indulge. At least Tensaiga had stopped ringing and rattling like it was possessed. He did not need the sword to tell him the end was near. The atmosphere itself was tense, as if anything could happen. He could feel it in the air as the final battle loomed on the horizon. Naraku continued to elude their grasp but the silver-haired demon knew that abomination took great amusement in dancing just outside of their reach, watching and plotting his strike.

Naraku would die by his hand. That much he was sure of. However, since the spider demon was nowhere in sight, the inuyoukai was left to observe his new companions with the detached interest of a researcher. He discovered that Miroku was a rather rational human until his baser instincts got the better of him. The monk politely tried to include him whenever they made plans. Sesshoumaru rarely indulged the man in conversation. He rarely indulged anyone in conversation unless it was an absolute necessity. However, he did find the monk's abuse at the hands of the taijiya diverting at times. Although Sango reacted with outrage each time she was fondled, she was still receptive to his attention. It didn't take much to ascertain theirs was an odd mating ritual that would either end in a union or irreparable damage to Miroku's skull.

In his travels, the daiyoukai had crossed paths with Kohaku quite often. Like many in this rag-tag group, the young taijiya had almost met his death by Sesshoumaru's hand. It was only because of Rin and the realization the boy was mere puppet to Naraku that stayed his hand. The jewel embedded in his back staved off the boy's imminent demise but also enabled Naraku to control him from afar. Kohaku had quietly confided that Kikyo purified the shard within him and now was no longer under the evil hanyou's control. Being a liability, he kept his eye on the boy, going so far as to allowing him to travel at his side in an effort to keep him close. Despite the fact that the Kohaku kept his own council, the opportunity to travel with his sister for what could be his last days made him happy. Rin seemed to adore the boy as well, chattering at him non-stop like a little mockingbird. Though he would never say so aloud, seeing his ward happy pleased him as well.

Rin seemed overjoyed with the aspect of having new faces surrounding her and people to talk to. Sesshoumaru barely humored her inquisitive nature and Jaken merely complained even though he secretly enjoyed her attentions. Her new pack seemed to embrace her without reservation. She already appeared to be friends with the fox kit Shippou. The young demon had taken to sharing his drawing implements with her.

"Kagome calls them cray-ons." Shippou smiled as he handed the girl a red waxen cylinder once they settled into camp for the evening.

"Oh… What's a cra…cray-on," Rin inquired with wide eyes even as she plucked it from the kit's claws.

Shippou puffed out his chest with pride as he showed her drawings he produced. "You use it like this. See? No… wait… Don't press so hard you'll break it."

Kagome approached the two shortly after settling camp and starting a cooking fire, "Do you know how to write, Rin?"

Although his face remained expressionless, the demon lord watched the miko's interactions with both his ward and the fox youkai with interest. His brother's Miko was an odd being. She was human yet unlike any mortal he'd come across in his travels. Her entire existence from the way she spoke to her manner of dress presented a mystery to him. A mystery he never cared to unravel until he was forced into close proximity with her due to the infernal bargain he struck with his idiot brother and his ragged band of misfits.

Rin shook her head in reply, "No, Kagome-neesan. Rin does not know how."

Kagome smiled softly before casting a brief glance in Sesshoumaru's direction. The youkai instinctively knew she was gouging his reaction. When no response came she continued on, "Would you like to learn?"

Rin then glanced at him as well. A brief nod was all the encouragement necessary before she blurted her enthusiastic reply. "Yes! Rin would like to learn!"

Sesshoumaru's golden eyes narrowed into tigerish slits at cobalt eyed miko known as Kagome as he watched her teach Rin and the fox youkai the hiragana. That she knew how to read and write despite the fact that she didn't appear to be of noble descent puzzled him. She was a learned woman, a rarity even in the upper crust of youkai society. Where and how she'd gained her education was another mystery and he vowed to figure her out before their journey was through. It was only a matter of time.

***Another chapter!***