A/N 1 of 2: This is the shorter of the two, meaning this is the one I want you to read. So this wasn't as "shortly" as I had hoped I would be getting this out to you all, but considering my publishing speed trend I still think I did pretty good. I'll be wrapping this story up in about 2 more chapters - crazy, right? It's been 4 long years, but this story is in fact coming to an end. My longer personal update follows this chapter, if you're interested. But anyway, no more delay, enjoy!

Disclaimer: Still don't own Inuyasha. Still wish I did.

Chapter 19:

"Why are you watching me, Yoshirou?"

Touga said aloud, seething the tessaiga after he had finished running through his forms, he turned to the door as the youkai in question made his presence formally known.

"I noticed when we convened today that you had new weaponry. Observing you is helpful in case I one day need to fight you, though your style has not evolved much from when we were children."

Touga fought down his sneer, knowing it would not bode well to respond recklessly to the taunt. He quelled his temper by reminding himself that his "childish" technique had certainly been enough to lay Yoshirou on his tail on more than one occasion.

"Or fight beside me."

He said finally. The other inu, black where he was silver, was obviously caught of guard; rarely did he ever show his emotions, but now his eyebrows rose in surprise. He and Touga had never really been friends. Their fathers had been close, and they had been introduced when they were pups and often trained together in adolescence, but they had never really developed a closeness about them. As they continued to cross paths into their later years, certain events had led to the development of clear antipathy between them.

"Elaborate."

Touga was relieved to not have received an outright refusal, and chose his next words carefully.

"Kirei has always been a loose cannon, we both know that. But I fear what he's done…what he's doing now is worse than anything before."

Yoshirou nodded his head in assent.

"All I ask is that you lend me your aid, should it become necessary. I know you can sense something is wrong here."

Again he nodded in agreement, although a short second passed before grimacing, his head angling back behind him toward the door.

"Indeed, I can."

He finished his sentence with a raise of his voice, and not a second later their spy appeared.

"Now now, Yoshi, why are you always in such a foul mood?"

With a roll of his eyes, the eastern lord brushed past his northern counterpart. Kenta only chuckled while he exited.

"And he still hates me. All over a girl…that YOU stole!"

A savage growl from the retreating youkai followed the wolf lord's words, and he only laughed harder; Touga merely shrugged with a smirk of his own, but said nothing in response until he was sure his tentative ally was out of earshot.

"Try not to rile him up too much, please? I just asked him a favor."

The large ookami waved him off, moving into the dojo and over to the training weapons to examine them.

"Yoshi's always been a man of his word, just like you and I."

He picked out two war weathered katanas, examining them for a moment before deciding they were acceptable. Turning back to his friend, Kenta tossed him one of the blades.

"You know you can expect the same pledge from me, brother."

Touga test swung the blade a few times to accustom himself to it, a sense of gratitude filling him that he would not speak to. He was strong, but not invincible - an earlier conversation with Kagome coming to mind -, and dealing with an unknown enemy like this he would need to be smart more than anything. These were not optimal battle circumstances either, he lamented. He had to protect himself, and his entire shiro…the structure and everyone inside: each of his staff, his sons, and their mother.

He may not need the helping hand, but it certainly put him more at ease to know that it was extended to him.

"What makes you think I need the help of an amateur swordsman like you?"

He finally responded instead, joking with his old friend.

"Bastard, I cut my meat with more skill than you."

Kenta groused with amusement. Their blades sang as they clashed together and engaged each other in a spar.

XXXXX

Yoshirou was leading the final day of proceedings. All four cardinals sat around the table now, barely even aware of what they were doing, just trying to get out of the room that seemed to be shrinking as soon as possible. Especially considering the eerily stifling climate in the space.

Touga knew everything would be coming to a head soon enough.

"Tariffs are tabled, which means we will now be moving into our final topic of territory. Now please, gentlemen…we all have families that we'd like to get home to at a reasonable date. Only reasonable complaints and proposals will be recognized and put to a vote-"

"Which means nothing you have to say will be considered, Kirei."

Yoshirou glared over at Kenta for the interruption, but also said nothing to negate his statement.

Surprising everyone though, the panther lord did not respond aggressively. Or even at all for a few moments.

"You dogs…you've always thought you were in control."

Touga leaned in, a growl building in his chest as a large knot formed in his stomach.

"Think carefully about what it is you're doing here."

He threatened in a low voice, his hand twitching toward his sword as Kirei threw his head back and laughed.

"Oh, believe me, I have!"

Everyone jumped to their feet as Kirei shoved the low standing table away from himself and stood. The wait staff lining the room cowered as an oppressive amount of youki started swirling in the room, thickening the air and making it hard for them to breathe.

"You've all considered me to be a joke up until now, haven't you? So busy looking down your noses at me that you couldn't even see what was going on right underneath them. Especially you…"

His dark eyes were ablaze as he pointed to Touga, his words dripping with hatred.

"Touga of the West, the great Taishou. Pompous bastard, I've always hated you the most! That's why I took your son-"

Touga growled savagely at his admittance, but Kirei was not to be deterred.

"But that stupid mike bitch of yours brought him back. Oh, you were so wrong though, he was much more than a distraction, he-"

Touga didn't cut him off this time, rather his own words cut off with a strangled gasp. The panther lord now dangled in the air where he once stood, a stranger with his hand around his neck. Yoshirou and Kenta, both having observed little more than stunned at this point, both drew their swords at the new arrival.

A sickening crack followed by a hard thud resounded through the room; though Touga was surprised, he couldn't say that he was all too hurt to see his enemy go.

"All that yelling was certainly growing old, wasn't it? I honestly don't know how you've all gotten so far along with the screeching."

"Tou-"

Kenta began, but stopped as his friend raised his hand to silence him.

"You killed Maoshi?"

He asked his anonymous enemy.

"No,"

The young looking youkai said, his voice devoid of feeling but with a certain lilt that was unnerving.

"He did. Got too carried away I suppose."

He wiped his hand on his hakama. He had not spilled any of Kirei's blood in killing him, but it was clear that he was simply disgusted.

"It was actually quite amusing. On and on he went about how he wished she was that miko he mentioned before. She is quite beautiful, but certainly not my taste."

"You were not in allegiance with him then? Why did you kill him?"

Yoshirou continued the interrogation.

"He never paid."

Pieces of the ever confusing puzzle started to connect in Touga's head, actually making it throb. Kidnapping Sesshomaru wasn't to distract him, his boy was to serve as the payment for this disgusting deal.

"What is it, exactly, that you want?"

He seethed.

"I want to level you, and this whole kingdom."

The stranger replied easily, jumping back to narrowly escape a deadly swipe of the western lord's claws. He landed gracefully on the sill of the open window through which he had gained his entry, a sick smile on his face.

"I can tell this will be fun."

And then he stepped off, dropping down into the snow. Kenta moved quickly to the window, looking out to see him slowly walking away with no impetus it appeared, and relayed his findings back to his friend.

"Five minutes. Follow him, and if he attacks, I just need you to buy me five minutes."

The dog general said. He looked to both his fellow lords, and after receiving a nod from them sprinted from the room.

XXXXX

"What's happening, Okaa-san?"

Kagome took one deep breath after another, working to steady her racing heart and her hands. She would never get this damn torch lit if she couldn't stop fucking shaking!

Finally, she got a spark and her reward after almost a full inure of trying. After replacing the lit torch, she pulled the knot at her back loose, undoing the makeshift sling she had made for Sesshomaru in order to climb down into the safe room.

The moment she had been dreading had been realized, Touga barging into her room carrying both of the pups and demanding she hide. She hadn't even gotten a single word in edge wise to him as he passed the baby to her, he was already back out of her door as quick as he came.

"I'm not sure, but you're going to stay here while I go figure it out, ok? You and Sess-"

"You're going to leave?!"

Kagome bit her lip at the sound of terror in his voice. She turned to her little boy and grabbed his hand - his hair still disheveled from sleep, a trace of dried drool on his pudgy cheek -, and led him deeper into the cave, bouncing the smaller pup on her hip.

"You're my strong little man."

She said once they had reached the back, kneeling in front of him. Shippo nodded dutifully at his mother, trying just as hard as he could to be exactly that - to emulate those words - even as salty tears burned his eyes. Shifting a restless Sesshomaru, she still managed to smile at him, making him feel like things would be okay again, just like always. She pushed his growing bangs back from his forehead before cupping his cheek gently, hoping he could see in her eyes how much she hoped this was the last time she would ever have to leave him afraid,to go and fight. No child should ever have to endure such torture.

"Come back soon, okay?"

Shippo whispered, coming forward to wrap his arms around his mother. He squeezed her tight, and she returned the embrace with equal fervor, kissing his face over and over like she always did. The overabundant amount of affection drew a small laugh from him.

"I love you, Shippo-chan."

She said, squeezing his small hand now after finally letting him go.

"I love you too, kaa-san."

She looked away from him now, giving him a chance to hastily wipe the tear that rolled down his cheek without her noticing.

"I love you too, Sesshomaru."

Kagome whispered, giving the baby on her hip an eskimo kiss. He gurgled angrily; he was not a pup that was easily deceived. With small clawed hands on her cheeks, he pushed her face away, meeting her eyes with a gaze pensive beyond his years - a look she knew all too well.

"Don't you worry about figuring anything out, you little stink."

She squeezed him tight, just like Shippo before him, and sat him on one of the cushions she had brought down.

"Be good."

She told him, kissing his chubby striped cheek and his forehead, trying her hardest to ignore his concerned whimpering. She squeezed her eyes shut tight hugging him one more time, prying his tiny fingers from where he had tangled them in her sleeping yukata, before finally letting him go. She turned quickly to leave, not wanting to prolong her exit any further for all of their sakes.

Three steps she took, almost four, before -

"Ah!"

Recognizing Sesshomaru's cry, Kagome spun quickly, not able to ignore him even if she knew she should…and her mouth dropped open in shock.

There he stood - he stood - a good measure away from where she had left him. Small arms outstretched and hands opening and closing - his gesture whenever he wanted to be held - she watched as Sesshomaru took two additional steps toward her.

The West was knee deep in shit, and her baby chose now to start walking?

"Oh, Sessho…"

Her breath caught on the rest of his name, her chest tight and the pressure of tears building behind her eyes. She wanted nothing more than to run back to him, take him in her arms, and congratulate her special little one for his accomplishment: kiss his cheeks, tickle his newly walking feet, blow raspberries on his tummy. Whatever she could to make him smile.

"Don't worry, mama,"

Shippo's voice snapped her out of her reverie, her eyes finding him now instead. He had moved over to Sesshomaru now, grabbing the toddler's hand in his.

"I'll make sure Maru-chan is okay."

She smiled. Despite everything she smiled, the picture they made together warming her heart, circumstances be damned.

"Stay quiet, alright? I'll be back."

She quickly disappeared up the rope ladder she had fashioned, the hole closing soon after.

Carefully, just like his mother had shown him before, Shippo lifted Sesshomaru up off the cold stone. The baby still whined, but clutched at him now instead, though his eyes never left the ceiling Kagome had disappeared through. Slowly, Shippo started to sway from side to side, something else he had watched his mother do for Sesshomaru when he was upset; when the inu pup finally looked at him, he gave him his best, most reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, otouto, she'll be back soon."

And he would be strong until she did, just like he said.

A/N 2 of 2: WOAH MAMA WHAT'S HAPPENIN' IN CRAZY TOWN? I guess you'll find out nest time. I hope you all don't feel this was too rushed. I will be offering some background in the next chapter, as well as the big bad battle scene that belongs in any past centric Inu fic - in my opinion, of course.

On a more serious note, I'd like to apologize for not having this chapter ready for you all sooner, again. I'm going to be honest because I love you guys, and I haven't really talked much about it to anyone…but I lost a close friend a few weeks ago. I was writing, writing, doing school work and stuff, happy as the happiest little clam…and it hit me really hard. I still haven't really worked through it. There really wasn't anything I wanted to do for a good while, but I'm getting back into the swing of things, and my direction slowly found it's way back to me. So thank you, as always, if you've stuck with me, and I hope you enjoyed this installment. As always REVIEEEEEEEEEW, I love knowing what you all think, like, and want to see. And now that I'm back to feeling a little more like myself, I'll be back to responding to each one! Okay, that was really long, so until next time, my dears!