Chapter Twenty-One

Familial Confrontation and Dreams

Naraku's Castle

In the deserted wilderness of feudal Japan a castle stood in the midst of a noxious cloud of miasma. The once green and lush land that surrounded the castle was now dead and barren unable to spring forth new life.

Inside the lord's bedchamber sat a young half demon man with a sinister aura that made one ill by just being near him. He was dressed in a white lord's kimono and blue hakama, his long black wavy hair, though pulled up in a half pony tail, pooled around his bottom as he sat gazing out the window as he thought about all those he wished to destroy.

Kagura walked in and bowed before the hanyo with a look of pure hatred and disgust. This was Kagura's master, Naraku, the man who literally held her still beating heart in the palm of his hand ready to snuff out her life at a moment's notice.

"You have failed me Kagura." He said quietly as he stood and walked toward the shivering demoness.

"It wasn't my fault Naraku, I wasn't anticipating the four full blooded demons that InuYasha had traveling with them."

Naraku stopped in front of his slave as her words registered in his mind.

"Four demons you say?" Kagura looked up and nodded. "Yes, they were very adamant about protecting the priestess.' Naraku hummed as he turned away as he thought on the information being given to him. "I wonder why they would be protecting a miko. I understand InuYasha's fascination with her but why the others?"

Kagura closed her eyes as self-loathing and anger rolled in her stomach then she spoke.

"Kagome was pregnant," Naraku turned to face Kagura once more with a sadistic evil smile on his face. "From the scent I caught I believe it to be InuYasha's child."

Naraku began to chuckle then that chuckle turned into a deranged laugh.

"Oh this is too good. InuYasha has provided me with the perfect tool to his undoing. First Kikyo and her reincarnation and now a child. So many weaknesses to exploit."

Naraku left Kagura where she was on the ground to plot a way to use this new development in his favor and as her master made plans Kagura felt sick to her stomach at having no freedom to keep the existence of InuYasha and Kagome's child from the dark hanyo lord.

Two days later

InuYasha stood on the edge of a cliff looking around the area as his group rested from their journey. Thought he pretended to be at ease, in truth he was looking for any sign of Kagura or Naraku. After the attack two days ago the hanyo had been on edge not to mention he was still mulling over the image that Kikyo had conjured when he had seen her as well.

Once he was sure all was well, the hanyo turned around to see Kagome talking with the women and eating. Shippo was sitting in her lap, well as much of it as he could fit on. To the hanyo it seemed as if his daughter had already doubled her size since they started out and he found himself wondering if the miko's pregnancy would be shorter then an average human's.

"InuYasha," said hanyo glanced to his woman who was smiling up at him. "If you'll go get some water I'll make you some Ramen."

Deciding that he would actually enjoy some of his favorite dried noodles the half demon nodded, took the canteen his mate offered and then was off through the forest until he came to the stream he had smelled near by. It wasn't until he made it to the clearing that he realized that Dai had followed him.

"I don't need some one to babysit me old man." The half demon snarled as he knelt to collect the water from the stream. Ever since the dog demons had come into the life of his little pack Dai had made InuYasha's blood boil and his stomach turn.

Dai sneered as he watched the youth before he spoke.

"And here I thought half breeds could get no lower. You don't even know how to be loyal to your bitch."

InuYasha tensed as he then stood up slowly and faced the demon. "What the hell did you say?" he growled.

Dai continued as if the boy hadn't spoken. "Or perhaps your human wenches don't mind sharing is that it?"

"What the fuck are you talking about?" InuYasha snapped.

By this point Dai was close to InuYasha and whispered as if the two were conspirators in some sordid mission.

"Do you really think that you made it out of that camp without someone noticing you boy?" Dai asked. "I knew the dead woman was nearby I could smell her stench when I was patrolling the campsite."

InuYasha tensed. "Yeah so what of it. It ain't any of you business."

Dai laughed darkly as if the hanyo's words were funny to him.

"Do you think I care who the hell you screw boy? The only problem I have is that you already have one bastard coming. No I think I'd prefer you rutting the dead woman since she can't bare young. Hell, It might be kinder to put the woman carrying your spawn out of her misery after all."

InuYasha glared at the demon before he lashed out and struck him in the jaw.

"I don't know what your problem is with me but if you ever touch once hair on Kagome's head I'll make you regret the day you were ever born!"

Having been taken off guard by the strength of his hanyo nephew's punch Dai had landed flat on his back and was now sitting while rubbing his sore jaw. The demon's eyes burned with fiery hatred as he spat a glob of blood onto the dark earth. Then he stood and squared off with the half demon.

"You want to know what my problem with you is? Okay here it is. My elder brother was a great and powerful demon. He had managed to take imprison our father, one of the most powerful demons of his day. Ryoichi made the West great and made the Silver Inu pack the strongest of us all and then he met your human mother and the little slut ruined him. She made him weak and soft and that is how Ryukotsusei fatally wounded him because my fool of a brother was too busy worrying for a worthless human whore that was whelping his mistake. And then to make matters worse and the human samurai that desired your mother was Ryoichi's murder. Because of you and that woman my brother's memory is now the laughing stock of the demonic world!"

By the end of Dai's rant he was breathing heavily and InuYasha could see in the dog demon's eyes rage that bordered on madness. The demon's words had struck InuYasha in the heart and he was angered that someone had dared use such cruel and disgusting names to call his beloved mother but before he could voice his anger Dai continued.

"And now Ryoichi's half blood mistake found his own little whore and is further dirtying my brother's, my father's, bloodline! I will say the same to you that I said when Ryoichi informed us of that so called princess's pregnancy, the whelp in your human wench's belly should have its skull crushed at birth-"

He didn't get another word out before he was pinned to a tree by a full demon InuYasha. The hanyo turned Yokai's blood red eyes and teal irises held a deep seeded blood lust that since he had mated Kagome he had only unleashed on those who tried to harm his mate and pup and unfortunately his dear uncle Dai had incited his demon half's wrath.

"Listen well 'beloved' uncle," Yokai InuYasha said through his animal like growl. "I don't care about your family bloodline or any of this other shit you've spouted but don't you ever insult my mother or my mate!" as the demon continued speaking he began to squeeze the full demons throat. "And don't you ever threaten my pup again. She is no mistake!"

Dai snarled as he kneed the hanyo in the gut attempting to free himself from the yokai's grasp but he failed to realize that in this form InuYasha felt no pain and only laughed darkly before throwing the demon away and into the stream.

InuYasha then picked up the canteen and as he walked back to camp his demon blood receded leaving a very annoyed hanyo in its wake.

How dare he even call my father his brother? I get a fucking hanyo isn't ideal in any demon family but I don't see why he hates me more then the others. Either way he isn't going to be alone with Kagome or the baby ever if I have any say.

Kagome looked up and smiled when she saw InuYasha coming toward her from the forest until she saw the irritation on his face and then she climbed clumsily to her feet.

"InuYasha what is it?" she asked as he came to stand in front of her.

InuYasha sighed. He couldn't tell her about the awful things Dai had said. If they bothered him he could only imagine how much they'd bother her. Besides he didn't want Kagome being afraid for their child's life when there was no way the warped Inu Yokai would ever have the chance to hurt her.

"It's nothing Kagome." He said as he handed Kagome the canteen.

"Dai what did you do brother wrestle with the river and loose?" Raiden asked as he clapped his brother's wet shoulder.

Dai glared at his elder brother before gesturing to the half demon man standing protectively in front of his pregnant female.

"That little half breed threw me in the river."

"Ha!" Aiko laughed as she jumped onto her nephew's back with her arms wrapped around the youth's neck. "Good job koinu!"

Dai glared at his younger sister as if she were the most hated being in his world at that moment.

Once Aiko let him go InuYasha turned away from the angry demon and sat next to Miroku as he waited for his instant noodles to finish cooking.

The entire day InuYasha had kept Kagome near him and away from Dai. It wasn't as if the demon kept his disdain for the hanyo and his pack secret and this caused his siblings to not completely trusting their brother with the miko carrying the future Inu no Taisho as well.

Even though InuYasha knew with out a doubt by now that he could trust Raiden, Megumi, and Aiko he still felt that Kagome was to vulnerable being out in the open like she was. Kagura had already attacked them on Naraku's orders and the bitch had gotten away with the knowledge of the innocent baby growing inside the young miko. It was only a matter of time before another attack came unless they made it to the Western lands quickly.

All in all, InuYasha was starting to go insane with the position he had put his family in.

Why the hell did I agree to this? InuYasha wondered as he walked next to his wife. His eyes scanned the area for any danger and his ears listening for predators stalking them. For now there was nothing to worry about.

"InuYasha are you okay?" Kagome asked as she put a hand on the hanyo's arm.

Before he could answer Shippo jumped on his shoulder. "Yeah you've been really quiet lately."

InuYasha glared at the kit as he answered his wife. "I'm fine Kagome, just thinking that's all."

"Well that's a scary thought." Quipped Miroku as he also moved to the hanyo's side. InuYasha glared at the monk and took a swing at him, which Miroku agilely dodged.

"Shut the hell up you crooked monk!" he growled half-heartedly.

Sango and Kagome laughed at actions of the men of the group, which drew the attention of the Yokai.

As the two oldest siblings watched on the scene Megumi looked to Raiden a peaceful look on her face.

"They really are his pack aren't they?" she asked as chuckled at the antics of the strange pack of humans and demons.

"Yeah I suppose so." Raiden smiled as he imagined a silver haired little girl hanging off her father's other arm opposite the Kitsune. "It seems this pack would do just fine raising a Inu pup on their own.

Megumi nodded. "But combining with ours could only help them."

Raiden nodded. Then dew the pack's attention. "Perhaps Kagome should ride Kirara for a bit. We still have a ways to go before nightfall.

That Night

After another long day of travel the group settled in for the night. For once InuYasha picked a branch and carried Kagome up with him to sleep for the night.

Kagome was too tired to do more then snuggle into her husband's chest and allow herself to fall asleep in his embrace.

As the others all chose their spots and settled down for the night InuYasha stayed up and stared at Kagome's swollen middle. Every now and then the baby inside would kick causing Kagome's belly to twitch slightly. As he watched and listened to his child InuYasha began to think about the future.

I wonder what she'll look like. He wondered. Hell she still doesn't have a name.

Before too long the hanyo drifted off into a light sleep completely unaware of the eerie light blue glow that was emanating from Kagome's belly as his daughter exercised her powers.

Something wasn't right. InuYasha wasn't sure what it was making him feel so on edge but he knew something was wrong. The hanyo opened his eyes and was surprised to see only clear blue sky.

"I didn't fall asleep on my back last night." InuYasha mumbled as he blinked in confusion. He then sat up and realized that he wasn't even in the same area that he had been the night before. They had camped out in a small clearing in the forest and now he was in a wild flower meadow. He looked around and came to the conclusion that he was alone.

"Where-" Suddenly a light weight landed on his back and little arms wrapped around his neck. A child's giggle reached his ears as he reached behind him to find a small body. The arms released their grip and suddenly a little Inu hanyo puppy ran around in front of the older hanyo.

"You're awake Daddy!" she laughed as she clapped her hands. The girl looked no older then four or five and she had a bright smile that reminded the hanyo strikingly of Kagome and her bright golden eyes practically glowed with her happiness and the innocence of her youth. As he stared at her he felt a loving warmth brush against his aura.

"Uh," to say InuYasha was confused was a major understatement. "I think you have the wrong guy pup." Surely she had the wrong hanyo, his pup wasn't even born yet.

The silver haired girl laughed happily as she jumped onto the older man's lap.

"You're funny daddy."

The girl was dressed in a white summer dress and the more he looked at her the more he could see him and his mate in the child. He could even see a little of his own loving mother, she had the late princess's delicate nose for sure.

"Daddy why you looking at me so funny?" she asked as she tilted her to the left and looked at the older man curiously.

"Uh who exactly are you?" He asked. He could tell the pup had to be his but he needed to hear it before he could actually believe it.

The child laughed happily. "Silly daddy I'm Izayoi."

The breath left the hanyo's lungs as his own beloved mother's name left the child's mouth.

InuYasha smiled.

"Right I knew that." He said and the girl giggled again as she jumped up and ran toward a cluster of wild lilies. She happily picked one and brought it to him.

"Here you go daddy." She said as she smiled up at him it was then he noticed that Izayoi was missing one of her baby teeth, meaning her fangs would be coming in soon.

"Thanks pup." He said as he took the flower. Izayoi then turned serious. "Daddy, please don't let the mean man hurt me."

InuYasha's muscles locked as the girl begged him to protect her and he instantly wrapped the girl in arms and held the child to his chest.

"Who is trying to hurt you?" he asked as a need to protect rose in him that he hadn't felt unless Kagome was in danger.

The pup whimpered as she buried her nose in her father's chest. "I don't know."

Before InuYasha could question the child anymore… he woke up.

InuYasha's eyes snapped open and the hanyo looked around in surprise. It was the middle of the night and he was in a tree above his pack with his mate and Shippo sleeping soundly in his lap.

InuYasha relaxed against the tree trunk behind him and breathed slowly.

It was just a dream. He thought as he calmed himself down. Suddenly he felt the same warmth brush against his aura that he had felt in his dream. He looked around and didn't see anyone that could have possibly possessed such an aura. Then he looked to his mate's belly and put a hand on it.

It's the baby. He thought and smiled. My little Izayoi.

A/N: So now the baby has a name! Please review and let me know what you all think.

Disclaimer: I do not Own InuYasha or any of the characters of the show!