Hello Rumchatas and those that sped over from the work of Sweet Inu Girl!

Another week…another chapter. I've gotten so many more reviewers from those that read Sweet Inu Girl's fanfics! I love her scenic writing style and it's pretty cool to have many reviewers put us both in their favs and asks us to do a collab fanfic even. I may even reach out see if she would be interested in doing a short collab…one shot maybe. I took the time to read "The Return" and I'm glad I did! It's now on my reading list! Nikichan and Danielle596 you are both dolls and thank you for taking the time to tell me about it.

Looking for 3 - 5 Reviews as always is needed for updates.

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Thank you Chapter 22 Reviewers

nieva28 – Thank you so much! I'm sure then this next chapter will drive you crazy!

Blackcrescendo – Thank you so much for your review and kind messages. I hope this next chapter leaves you wanting more!

No fan of kikyo – Don't worry, she is going to see his power sooner than you think.

kagomeLove2 – Omg! Great questions! Here I will answer as best as I can without giving too much away!

1. Did Ororo tell Kagome about seeing her in the vision with her crescent mark looking infected? My answer: No, she did not. And we will get to that later in the story…

2. Did she even tell Kagome that she (Kagome) spoke to her in the vision?

My answer: Ororo told them the basics of her vision but there are details to her vision that even she hadn't taken into account yet. And this chapter will touch on that a bit.

3. Did she show Sesshomaru the part that includes Kagome when she showed him the vision?

My answer: Ororo showed Sesshomaru everything but…the devil is in the details which is the premise of my writing style in general. So he knows everything that she knows literally. But there are several pieces of that vision that mean something that even my readers such as yourself had yet to pick up on and will be revealed later on in the story.

I love your enthusiasm and you actually made me look at my notes to make sure I haven't spilled the beans. I'm a twist junkie so be prepared for the ones in this story! And Inukimi is a boss bitch in my opinion…just putting it out there. Thanks for your reviews love and the questions! Xoxoxo

Nikichan – Omg your comment whatever it was on her reviews…made my inbox and reviews for my stories flood! Xoxoxo. And I read the return and it was so captivating…like I was trying to coax myself into writing this chapter but instead I would be just reading her work. So much love for you right now!

Guest 1- Thank you so much my love! Xoxoxoxo!

Guest 2 – Here you go! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

LilyPot16 – I'm obsessed with it too right now! I can't even write my other shit!

EbonySapphire – I know...hun. But you should be use to my dramatic rollercoasters by now! You of all readers should be used to it!

GreenEggsN'Ham – so much will be answered for you in this chapter then. And oooo you may be on to something there….I got to keep an eye on you. *glares intensely*

Lilura Maeva – Thank you love! *High Fives You* now on to your assessment. Oh I love Inukimi…she is boomerang-ing somewhere in this story! How can you possibly leave her out of one! And the possibilities are endless as to who is showing up in this story. And I'm a pacer but if you read my previous work then you know once I take off…hang on to something.

Danielle596 – So many directions to go in! And awe I love twins! My two goddaughters are twins and I can just imagine your hectic day but they are just so cute! As for my story thank you so much for the review and info. I could not put her story down!

Arisu-chanthehappykitty- Keep reading hun! It will get better…maybe…muahahaha!

Meezart – Oh that is such an awesome compliment! Thank you! I do believe that if you like my Sesshomaru you should read up on "His Milestones". It's not finished and the author quit writing but to me her version of him was gold. I hope you enjoy this chapter. xoxoxo

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Chapter 23: Done in the Dark

Ororo sat with her legs tucked underneath her in the silent sanctuary of the small receiving tearoom which remained unoccupied since her arrival to the Western Castle. The sun had not risen above the horizon leaving her to write her wishes and responses in seclusion under the guise of the merciful darkness of the night. A single lantern sat illuminating her small table where she wrote her letters and thoughts to be given on the morrow. Its light flickered against her bronze skin casting shadows on her and the walls around. Her hair fell loose and free of ribbon down her left shoulder in soft clouds. The thin cotton dress clothed her leaving much of her gleaming dewy skin bare to eyes of others. But none would dare disturb her as everyone was aware of her change in temperament since she and the Inu King departed for the gathering at Matsue.

Letters spilled all around her at her writing desk. Both written letters that were received and ones be given away speaking of various troubles and requests. Some letters sat to the side from her own request for information from others. The days following their visit to the devastated village of Nara had been filled with a whirlwind of activity; most had involved the preparations for possible fallout with the other Cardinal Lords. Word had traveled through the city bringing in hordes of worried capitalists, tradesmen, shoguns, royalists, humans, demons, and Inu clan members waiting for an audience with the Lord to speak about possible troubles on the horizon. Upon their return to his domain, they had not seen much of each other as they were both busy with their respective duties. One would argue however, that they were avoiding the other.

Ororo's enchanted bag which held her belongings lay packed at her side next to her Khopesh weapons ready to depart. Her rarely used beige cloak lay on top folded neatly at her side for immediate use. She ahd plans to leave soon. She knew she had to be gone quickly before the sun was up. Ororo knew to catch cowardly men, one needed to travel under the same darkness that they use to camouflage their actions in. Her hand was poise sliding along the parchment paper holding her brush with a firm grip. Strange words she once did not understand, now spilled from her lips in gentle tones onto the paper forming sentences filled with meaning. Her last letter would go to the Inu King. It would leave him knowledgeable of everything going on within his kingdom during her unknown length of absence. Delicately, she wrote his name seemingly giving more attention and care to the kanji letters that would forever be burned in her mind. She moved her hand to the left and with a gentle sigh she wrote his name in Egyptian Arabic finding the name long and whimsical like a spell being engraved on the walls of a king's tomb. A new habit she found herself doing as she languished over this departure.

Ororo spoke his name out loud with affection laced in every syllable until she felt winded. She had learned from her studies that names in Japan meant something just as it did in Egypt. His name translated to "Killing Perfection" she had found. Even in name he was powerful. Her eyes longingly looked over his name in deep thought while putting the brush away. She made the decision upon arrival to leave and do her own search for her own peace of mind. However, as she began writing the note to announce her decision to leave, she felt a tight pain in her chest.

This emotional hurt barreled between her breastbones. The pain stung like tiny needles and she felt her lungs constrict to fight back the onslaught of emotion. The desire to stay from missing what was bubbled inside. Her thoughts went to sleeping Rin and then to her Father. He could say he was anything but and it would be a lie. The pain settled in her chest as she stared at his name written before her. The message not yet followed on the parchment. It reminded her of the feeling she felt when she boarded the merchant's ship that would depart from her country. She nearly cried when seeing the young children of her people run along the shore waving and calling out her name with fondness. Some ran as far as the land would allow them to. Their tiny hands waved wildly and wished her good favor by the Gods. The sentiment grew into pillars of sadness and great anxiety when she watched her kingdom get smaller and smaller until she couldn't see it anymore. It left her feeling ill slightly despite her remembering that she would return and if not that this was all for them. But that never eased the pain of the act.

And through this she had to acknowledge the feeling finally. She cared deeply for the Inu King. Unlike any male she had ever taken to her bed or held fondness for. Sesshomaru was someone that stood above everyone else in her spirit. Despite sometimes his cool demeanor and dark/deadly outlook on things…she cared for him. She had seen what lay underneath for her eyes only. She could see what was honest and true and what was flare for everyone around him. He had to protect himself. He had to fight for a throne that had been vacant. A throne that wasn't passed down through ceremony from King to Prince but through great loss and vacancy. Loss of his father, loss of his family dynamic, and in some clans…respect. Yes, he was cruel and made great mistakes in the past. His servants and the like were quick to shed rumors, but he stood by his word to protect and provide. He proved what his people deemed honorable. And she cared and was attracted to all of him. This demon that was molded by the hands of Anubis himself. She couldn't leave him completely. But she couldn't stay either.

Ororo pulled her knees together and twisted her legs to the side, so she wasn't sitting on her hind legs. She wondered if Queen Neithikret felt this way when she lay next to the enemy in his bed after sacrificing herself for the propriety of Egypt and to ensure the safety of the King. She killed all those responsible for her oldest brother's death in one swift masterful plan. Neithikret had one brother younger than her…too young to take the throne at the time. To buy time for his ascension, she entertained Egypt's powerful enemy in Babylon and married the powerful King thus persuading his hand and his armies away from fragile Egypt allowing her youngest brother to learn and grow strong. It was taught in her teachings that as a Queen every knowledge and weapon in her arson must be used for the greater good of Egypt and one's body was always a weapon to not be overlooked. Queen Neithikret seduced the King but when Egypt was sturdy and powerful, she still never returned remaining the Queen of Babylon and Princess of Egypt. Ororo ran her hands over her slim arms gently in thought before resting her head on her right shoulder staring down at the Inu's name on the parchment before her. "Is this what you felt Neithikret? Did you feel this way…this endearment towards your enemy king while saving your country?"

Ororo lips thinned at her call to action knowing it was the only way she would feel content with herself in the future. She had to at least try everything in her power to help her people and she found she had to try to do so without distractions. She needed to search and she needed to hunt diligently for information and find their shared enemies. Ororo cringed at the memory of voices speaking such disgusting words of the Inu King in her ears. She did her best to mutter a counter spell hoping to protect him from the magic while fighting off the attack upon her person. Her body felt cold under its influence, but she had gained much knowledge from the incident. This pretend monk was new to dark magic and did not know how it works. Because he did, he wouldn't have had to test out what he was doing and get on with it. Also, Sesshomaru was fortunate in that he may have power to physically cast dark possession spells backwards in a fight. But was he able to cleanse someone of possession without ending their life? And what if he was possessed? Would he be able to fight it off on his own without her assistance?

Her mind took her to the village of Nara and her blood went cold from the imagery. No more people should suffer the way Nara did regardless of if they were of Egypt's womb or not. The image of desolation and the scent of burned raw flesh would forever scorch in her mind. The nausea that rose in her belly was hard to fight knowing that the ashes running through her slim fingers was once flesh and bone of the innocent and misguided. Then to see and hold that child's skull…feeling the warmth that was still there from the blood and living soul that once thrived around it…affected her soul deeply. No child should have gone through that and no mother should have to suffer in such a way. It hurt to think of the mother who knew death was imminent but used the last ounce of love inside of her to shield her young. It was disheartening to know that her love was not enough to save her beloved child. Children were highly valued in her society as they are Egypt's precious stones. Each one has a chance to bring great prosperity to the land. Even more so would be the child of the Pharaoh as that child was the life force of the kingdom. It would truly destroy her to lose a child, this she knew.

That's why she needed to smite her enemy now before any more damage of this kind could be done to both humans and demons. Also, with her and the Inu King separated, more ground could be covered and more answers would be found. He could focus on the safety of his people from the wayward actions of the other Cardinal kings while this time, she went out in search for the malevolent men of the cloth. But she would not leave Sesshomaru and his people completely. She looked to her folded responses, secure that order would maintain itself until she returned. Ororo nodded her head at this as she continued to write her will and reports of what should be done in her absence.

Time had shifted onward before she felt the brush of youkai energy along her senses and drag down her spine in a light stroke. She bristled as it ghosted over her skin with a sharp edge along her arms. Her own aura flared knowing the time for her leave had come. She moved her hand from her final letter to allow it to dry before looking around at the letters she received from various associates in her new life in Japan. It pained her to find that since she had come to the castle, not one letter received by magic had been written from her sister in Egypt. She looked down at a folded letter that she would send to Egypt and exhaled in sorrow. Something that she tried often not to linger on. But that hurt too nonetheless. Her sister performed the spell numerous of times before when she was away performing duties. Asa should have sent something. And yet Ororo had received nothing. She had many things on her mind but after a while the state of her sister had become glaringly apparent especially knowing how difficult ruling a kingdom could be even with the help of her husband. She wished there was magic in existence that allowed her to transcend space. It would give her great peace of mind to know at least Egypt and her family was wrapped safely in the arms of Ra and peace was at their feet. Ororo thought of spells that could help her and went immediately to her scarab to check on the status of her sister and affairs. She sent a silent prayer to the gods for the safety of her family hoping things were settled and that maybe her sister was just caught up in duties of the kingdom.

Ororo muttered the familiar words into the palms of her warm hands. An echo of the spell previously performed spoke out piercingly into the empty space around her. Its words reverberated on the walls and bounced back to her ears in whispers that grew louder and louder. The wind blew inside of the windowless room causing the light to flicker snappishly inside of the lantern. Ororo slowly pulled back her palms and saw the tiny green beetle flutter its wings resting where it once was not. She ceased speaking while watching her tiny companion crumble into a tiny pile of yellow sand in her hand. A whisper of the spell spoken carried onto the wind until the noise slowly died down again. One final whisper of ancient words spoken by the God's echoed in the room before she was left in silence again with her parchment and ink.

Her heart slowed to a calm in her chest knowing all that could be done in the moment was in motion. She focused her attentions now on the series of letters she received from an individual that was a most peculiar yet vibrant figure in her new life. She smiled at the small stack with her name written in curly letters of attempted Arabic over the paper. It amused her and brought great joy to her heart to see someone go out of their way to learn a piece of her culture. Ororo picked up the most recent letter of parchment that held the young miko's writing that was oddly strange for a woman of her time. She opened the letter and looked over the work within. The kanji was different with odd lettering she had never seen before. She had to read it twice to get an understanding of what was written. Sesshomaru was correct in his assessment of his brother and the miko. They were loyalists who above all would not abandon their own regardless of their own safety. Ororo smiled at this finding the sentiment of honor such a heavy memento among the Inu King and his family. It was a bit of a nuisance however when their lives were in jeopardy. Ororo's eyes skimmed the parchment while shaking her head in solemn acceptance that the miko and Halfling would continue to thwart off the evil shadows and keep the peace among their villages that reside hidden among the surrounding forests and mountains.

She ran her fingers through her soft white voluminous hair frustratingly but even she could not stop the gentle smile and respect to be had for the rare pair. Not only did their strange relationship challenge their local customs and cultures but their morals and forward thinking also would go against the will of authoritative figures. The pair had stood strong and in agreement that their people mattered and would not be abandoned. Ororo respected them greatly for this decision. However, her premonition did speak of the miko being a key component in her venture but she still was not sure of exactly Kagome's part in the great scheme of things. Her vision held so many mysteries that many days her head gained great pains just trying to decipher its meaning.

"Knowledge is power. Destroy it." She muttered to herself. "I know I must find this knowledge which gives my enemy power. I need this knowledge for my own gain in power. Then I need to destroy this. But what am I looking for exactly?" She spoke frustratingly as she stared into the fire of the lantern at her side. The strong alpha aura pushed against her again this time in impatience. Sighing in resignation she stood up and began the process of tidying her space. She rolled up her parchments and prepared them for delivery. She went to her bag and placed them inside before grabbing her beige cloak to cover her body. After a few moments she looked around the room one last time resigning to her fate. With a wave of her hand the fire from the lantern blew out taking her tumultuous emotions and wayward thoughts with it.

The night was warm yet a gentle breeze blew through giving the living evening creatures a reprieve from the day's hot bearings. Sesshomaru gazed up at the starry sky in contemplation and divulged in the own workings of his mind. His semi-wet hair hung down his back and hung lightly against his black summer hirori after bathing. Arms were tucked into his sleeves as he walked along the walkway of his garden. He freed his body of dirt and grime from his previous journey to check on a few villages near the crux of trouble had last been reported. Golden eyes skimmed the tranquil garden while he walked along the cobbled pathway in solitude. All was calm and unusually quiet that night. His thoughts were heavy upon his senses. The wind vanished having gone to watch over its mistress who sat tucked away inside of his home. The moon's belly glow full seemingly holding secrets of its own. His hearing took in the sounds around him while his nose distinguished everything from friend and foe. Instinct spoke of something nerving to happen and so he stayed vigilant. His claws flexed in anticipation and the hairs on his neck stood up.

He hadn't been able to focus sense the attack on his person at the village of Nara. Ororo's original accusations towards him attacking based on possession didn't sit well with him. And to slightly feel the beginnings of what that would ensue left him angered to his core. The damning words echoed into his mind had long since been forgotten and trashed. He was not one so weak to be manipulated and he was sure he would have been safe. Yet that did not take away from the fact that Ororo spoke the spell words to protect him over her first. That didn't settle within him at all. His instincts railed continuously at the thought. This irked him even more. But there were other pressing questions now at his feet. He thought of his father's sword which lay rested in his study. His father's sword was able to fight the undead and bring souls to life but did that also mean it could fight against possession? Could it possibly help in going so far as to defend against dark magic?

Sesshomaru walked silently moving and making no sound as he continued his journey. He passed by the path warn by Rin's constant footing that ran through a patch of planted purple lilies and around a koi fountain. He continued onwards until he came to a hilltop that was purposely built high so anyone had a view of the city that sprawled beneath the castle and spilled into the surrounding valley and forest. His feet climbed upwards to a small resting pagoda that held a distant view of the city which now rested in his deadly claws. The capital to his lands which once was small in size, had grown rapidly as those seeking profit and safety found solace under the rule of the West and the Inu Clans which protected viciously over their property. The Inus passed down records dating back to one of the greatest and powerful Inu Alpha's that recorded the first ruling treaty between the Senshi Inu Clan and a settlement of other demon clans seeking their prevailing security along the western coastline in exchange for resources from trade. Somehow humans managed to put their own frightful instincts for his kind to the side to do business with their warriors creating a lucrative ecosystem that caused his lands and castle to flourish with abundance in natural resources. The laws in which those agreements signed were still intact stating that the natural organic environment should not be polluted or depleted in addition to the cultivators of the natural world should give back to the earth as much as they took to keep the balance of nature.

Despite the great bounty humans brought to his lands he remained indifferent to their kind. At one time he loathed them as a species for the destructive consequences of just one onna caused onto his family and the weaknesses she seeded. But he had learned the truth despite it being a bitter potion to swallow and adapted his way of thinking. His loathing for them diminished but he still held no remorse for their suffering having seen far worse in his long lifetime. He had witnessed humans along his journey that just consumed and destroyed without thought to the consequences of their actions. He also had seen over time how their numbers had grown exponentially. As a herd they took from the earth with such sinful greed. But when nature struck back, they were the ones that cried the loudest at the unjust treatment and despair that fell onto them. Instead of learning from their ways, they built and invented mechanisms to continue their destructive patterns and overcome nature's wrath. For this reason, he held very little sympathy for the weak creatures.

Sesshomaru looked to his claws in indifference at those that were slaughtered by his hand rather ethical or not. He was not one to be so easily ruled by emotion or the laws that governed the humans. At one time, his kind were revered as gods and regarded highly by the humans who built shrines and monuments in their honor praising and begging for their favor. Demons were beings of instinct, and this drove them forward separating themselves from the weak and aiding in the overall struggle of survival. Yet, even he had to acknowledge it was a struggle that was proving rather difficult to overcome as much as the humans had struggled.

Humans had shorter lifespans and thus birthed at younger ages rather quickly than demon reproduction rates could follow. Many humans particularly in his city having grown comfortable had birthed three to as many as seven children. Some humans had even held demon mates which resulted in new education of birthing rituals and healing techniques. Women were managing to give birth to half demons without suffering in childbirth and living to see their children grow. Times were changing and he knew his kind needed to maintain their skill of adaptability to match the humans in population growth. Fear of the human numbers surpassing that of demons was laughable to his demon nature. But apparently it was just cause to begin the phases of mass genocide of the human race to his other ruling companions.

His men had reported surges of battles waging before he received the letter of call to arms from the Southern Lord. It happened so fast that he could smell the fresh ink upon the parchment as it hadn't had time to fully dry when it reached his desk. Already, he was getting reports in the night about villages in the surrounding areas affected both on his lands and not. Humans were facing forced immigration to destitute areas where farming would be difficult for them to survive on. Of course, the humans retaliated thus beginning the war between humans and demons. His hand was still however as he would not interfere with matters that did not affect his lands. If a few humans were to die on another's territory, then so be it. Maybe it would level the playing field between the two counterparts. But he stood firm in that his lands and his people were to remain untouched.

The wind blew and rustled the trees slightly and his nose caught her scent approaching. True to his assumption, the wind indeed followed its master wherever she went and had now graced him with her presence at the late hour. The grass rustled loudly and whistled before calming down. Her movement was quiet straining even his ears to hear her come along the cobbled path. The ringlets on her ankles chimed softly in her approach towards him. The sweet glaze of honey that normally coated her skin was gone now leaving only the scent of fresh spring rain to rest upon his nose. He did not move to meet her gaze feeling her trepidation already shifting in the air. He no longer felt the vibrations of her body enticing and teasing his senses. She had been like this for a while upon their return. Instead, he felt a buzz of luke-warm power beneath her skin and a cool resolve that pushed against his demonic aura. He stretched his power over her supple body while feeling her own aura brush against his in a rather docile manner. He could feel her shiver as he raked her from the base of her spine and up the ridges of connected nerves and bones to the back of her neck. He growled lowly in his throat at the answers he found and flared his aura to her at his disapproval of her choice.

"It must be done and the sooner…the quicker we can be free." Ororo responded knowing well he understood her reasons for approaching at the late hour. She was strong in her desire to leave him…to protect him, his family, and his people. His aura felt almost claustrophobic as it wrapped around her in angry aqua blue light causing a shift in the wind to blow in the opposite direction against her will. A small grin formed on her lips at his display of impressive power. Never had it been a dull moment underneath his roof where his calm yet strikingly potent energy was always reminding her of how deadly he can be. Her skin crawled and she tensed underneath his ghostly touch. She took a cautionary breath in response to his threatening aura pressing onto her for submission. The quick beating of her heart rose in her chest from the flattery of his carnal reaction to her departure. Her body felt heavy underneath the weight as she focused on standing upright without the use of her powers to push back. Her stomach quivered at the sensation loving the seductive nature of his lethal control. Her lungs constricted a bit feeling the pressure of his sizzling power push onto her skin rather abruptly and desire pooled inside of her throbbing for release. She knew she may have struck a chord with his demonic nature at leaving him without warning or permission. She could feel his demon there almost in finger's reach boiling to the surface ready to strike out at her. Shame was felt in her core at her actions but she knew no other way to calm her spirit and her mind. It was already difficult to leave him and truthfully, she would love nothing more than to lie in his thick fur covered bed and help him think of ways to conquer his enemies. Seeing his response to her own actions made her crave him even more. For a moment she thought of not leaving and allowing this demon to have his cake and eat it to.

Sesshomaru turned to her flashing his now heated pools of molten amber with black slits revealing his ire to her choice in action. The grass below whipped around the pagoda because of his demonic energy swirling around them. However, he made no move to stop her. His taut muscles flexed underneath his silk clothing fighting his need to force her to see reason. Her saving grace being that she was not of his pack nor had he made any formal approach to mark her as such. Had she been any other female he would have walked away a while ago or if she was pack he would have snatched her by her throat and pushed her down into his furs demanding she submit to him. They already circled around each other in a precarious dance filled with infernal desire and maddening teasing but neither one of them had crossed the line that would give new meaning to the growing fires that burned brightly between them. Nor a label was given as to what any of this was or truly meant. For his instincts, it was all maddening. His eyes took in her bag resting over her shoulder and the beige cloak that hid her body from his gaze. He nearly snarled at the fabric as it metaphorically spoke to him about her withdrawal from him. His fangs throbbed with the longing to bury themselves into her soft skin near her jugular as reprimand for her farce. This Alpha woman. She never covered herself especially from his gaze; always instead using her body to provoke him into acting of his own free will. His nose took in her heady scent that spoke of many emotions running through her. Each one was strong and pungent. She did nothing to hide them from him. His nose took her in and he looked to her with the expression he always wore. He slowly willed his aura into calm and the air around them to settle. He could feel a few anxious auras from inside and he sent a warning flare for everyone to stay away or risk punishment. Quickly he vanished right before her leaving nothing but the wind once again whipping angrily at her flesh.

Ororo watched his eyes change so rapidly that she almost missed it before the calm flowed over him again. Perspiration glistened on her skin from his attentions and her body fought desperately against the desire to seek fruition. His aura retracted back into him allowing her to breathe easily and a cool breeze to cool her skin. His actions happened so fast that it left her body somewhat shaken and her mind perplexed trying to keep up with what he was doing. So much power cocooned her in a millisecond and then it was gone along with his angering gaze. He had disappeared from in front of her in a ball of light. She wobbled on unsteady legs trying to regain her balance after being freed from his hold. Her arms came up to soothe her heated skin feeling tendrils of his demonic aura stroke her flesh soothingly after the lashes she felt by the unfaithful wind. She looked to where he had vanished feeling the sadness, she tried to fight off bloom in her chest until the power she felt before returned. She sighed and her mouth was open to yell in anguish and sadness. To explain herself thoroughly. She did not want his scorn or his anger. She would accept his disappointment because she too was sad that this is how it had to be. Until she felt him again.

She blinked and quickly turned to see the young Inu King standing behind her holding a thick white fur in his hands. She watched as he approached her, closing the distance between the two of them. Ororo locked eyes with his honey ones and felt his clawed fingers run slowly across the collar of her cloak and downward until the garment just fell off of her. She looked at him curiously as his cool eyes never left hers. She saw his arms move and soon clouds of fluffy white fur blocked her vision. Ororo looked away towards his hands as he placed the giant soft billowing white silky fur around her shoulders. It was surprisingly light for its enormous fluffy size. It dwarfed her in comfort and settled around her body cloaking her the way that her previous garment did which now lay tattered at her sandaled feet. She recognized it as the fur that he kept on his person when traveling extremely far distances. His scent was all around her and she couldn't help taking in a deep inhale of everything fall and winter was. Her fingers ran through it in amazement feeling magic there beneath her fingers. As she raked her fingers through the fur she felt power there…his power. In this moment she took comfort in the knowledge that she would return to this great manifestation of power…this foreign demon that had to be of loins of the God Anubis who decided life and death with a swift flex of his claws. She would not be defeated by cowardly men hiding behind fear and false gods. She vowed that should she return early. Either with crucial information to end this or with her enemy's head on a platter. Either way she would not come back empty handed to this demon king. "I came to tell you honorably… that I…" She stuttered doing her best to gain back her will. "I-I am leaving but I will return with if not our enemy's head in a box than with enough information for you to immediately put their heads in one." She stated shifting her chin up proudly, dare she say wanting to please him. "I promise. And…we can come to a consensus about this." She pointed between them.

"Hn." He stated showing his indifference to her statement.

Ororo bit her plump lip at this not liking his callous response to her proclamation as if she was some lowly ant beneath him. Couldn't he see…she was doing this for them? She forcefully pulled her satchel off of her shoulder allowing its weight to drop down onto the wooden floor of the pagoda and taking the tattered clothing that was locked underneath with it. She walked forward and stood face to face with him; breaking the very little boundaries of personal space. Her leg came up gliding along his leg temptingly slow to his waist where it rested securely. Her blue eyes shined brightly in the dark as she slowly peeled back the hem of his white fur revealing the creamy smoothness of her skin there. She grabbed his hand rather promiscuously and placed his right hand on the thickness of her thigh and moved to put her two arms around his neck. She could feel the weapons at her hip beat against her thigh and his hand. Ororo raised an eyebrow daringly as she felt his claws tighten around her flesh and pull her body into him.

"I do this for me. For you. For what's ours. I don't even know fully why I'm explaining any of this to you but…I take you and whatever this is seriously. Do not underestimate me." Her eyes searched his seeing the acknowledgement there. The yearning in her chest to stay grew.

Sesshomaru took in her unabashedly growing scent of arousal, want, admiration, frustration, and something else blowing into his nostrils. He could not stop her from leaving as he understood the call of duty. But he would be damned if she would remove herself from him completely. He smirked at his own ingenuity at solving multiple problems at once. His left clawed finger came up dangerously to stroke her neck insinuating that he could end her life with a quick puncture of his claws into her veins. Or claim her there if she did not obey and submit to him. He heard her moan as he gripped her and she leaned in fully into his touch. He could feel the heat of her body as the front draped open and her cotton front pressed against him. His soft fur draped across her body like a second skin protectively brushing up against him gently. He watched her eyes close, and another moan escaped her lips at the feel of his against her. His anger no longer boiled within him but his aggravation could be felt. Ororo's fingers leisurely dragged along the neckline of his black hirori tenderly stroking the fabric near his sensitive ears. His demonic nature balked at her audacity earlier as she made her proclamation. He could feel his nature changing and becoming more feral. She was leaving to do this for him. That would not do. He was Alpha. He could defend everything that was his and his alone. She challenged him and his leadership to protect everything under his control. His palms tightened on her thigh feeling the beast snarl at her boldness. Her leg shifted higher and wrapped tighter around his waist locking herself to him. He snarled until suddenly he went still. His eyes had widened marginally wide. The feel of something velvety and wet moved underneath his chin.

Quickly, she pulled away from him with eyes that smoldered with knowledge of what she had done. She had learned a lot about his kind during her stay in his castle. She knew such an action from her would drive him crazy and spoke volumes of what she wanted with him as well as her sorrow. She just told him in simple terms that she desired to be his and holds great affection. Now, he knew and he would decide to go forward with what lay between them or not.

"I will return in two full moon cycles and nothing more or less. This I promise." She whispered near his velvet lips. She did not know what had come over her to give such a timetable but the growing desire to sooth him ballooned inside her chest until it spilled out of its own accord. Her breath blew onto his lips enticing him in a familiar dance that they had promised only fulfillment, but she made no further contact. The tension between them was there and neither one of them could deny it nor would they. Her leg came down stroking his leg languidly following the path it had taken when it arose. Carefully she removed his claws from her body being mindful of the fur that engulfed her in his essence. Her fingers came through the front to adjust it, so it blocked her body from view. Sesshomaru watched her back away and his aura flared. "Great son of Anubis, I will return with my offerings." She spoke allowed before walking away with renewed vigor and determination.

He watched her briskly walk back to the castle towards the exit of the garden. Her blue gems looked back once with a soft smile bestowed onto him. His beast was on edge, but he held the reigns on his instincts with a mighty hand. Sesshomaru could feel her move as if she was next to him thanks to his mokomoko. He was very well content with her proclamation mostly in knowing that after two moon cycles he would know exactly where she was and her state of health. Then he would retrieve her himself rather if she was ready or not. Rather she was successful or not. She was his now. The details were irrelevant.

The wind blew gently as he turned over her words. They played in his ears well past her departure. He found himself frowning at one word. "Anubis?"

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