Kagome stood still, leaning against the door, watching the raindrops falling heavily over the grove. The sound of the rain was steady and soothing, filling the small room with a sense of calm. Her hair, as black as a raven's feathers, was braided in a messy style with a blue ribbon, adding a touch of color to her appearance. Despite the cold and wet weather, she wore nothing but the demon lord's haori, with its sleeves falling off, revealing her smooth, bare shoulders. The haori, once a symbol of power and authority, now served as a mere cover to protect her from the rain.

Power.

Sesshoumaru had always been driven by the desire for power, a force that had fueled his every decision. But as he gazed at the priestess, something shifted within him. He realized that she was more important to him than any amount of power he could attain. Her eyes were a striking shade of blue, deep, and alluring like the endless expanse of the ocean. Framed by thick, dark lashes that gave them an almost hypnotic quality, those eyes had a way of haunting his every thought and dream. It was as if they were calling out to him, beckoning him closer, and he couldn't help but feel drawn to her.

As Sesshoumaru saw Kagome's lips move, he was mesmerized by their luscious, petal-pink appearance. They were moving ever so slightly as if they were whispering a secret that only he was privy to. He listened intently, but no sound escaped them, yet their gentle movements left him feeling wholly entranced, lost in a trance of lust and longing.

When Kagome turned slightly, he couldn't help but notice the partly open front of her robe. The sight of her dew-covered skin on her chest left him feeling a mix of desire and awe. The droplets of moisture on her skin glistened in the light, drawing his attention like a moth to a flame.

"Lord Sesshoumaru…"

The demon lord was taken aback when he heard a voice not belonging to his priestess. He was confused and couldn't understand what was happening. He felt an urge to reach out to her, but he found himself frozen in place. Despite his inability to move, he watched as the priestess's lips moved once more, and another voice spoke through her mouth. The entire situation was perplexing to Sesshoumaru, and he couldn't seem to make sense of what was happening around him.

"Lord Sesshoumaru? Are you evening listening?"

Amber eyes suddenly opened, revealing dilated slit pupils that skimmed the room. Lord Haruto and his generals were all looking at the demon with anxious expressions. He was still in a war council meeting discussing their progress and whether or not to move the base camp further into the Southern territory.

The Western Lord's lack of interest and boredom had overcome him to the point where he had dozed off during the meeting. Sesshoumaru blinked a few times, attempting to clear his mind and focus on his surroundings as he sat up straighter in his seat.

"I think we've come to unanimous agreement on where to sit up the new encampment. Wouldn't you agree Lord Sesshoumaru?" The bear lord fought back an amused grin at the dazed look on his ally's face.

"Hm." He felt no shame at being called out. Sleep was much preferable to listening to their meaningless chatter.

As Lord Haruto and the generals exited the tent, Sesshoumaru remained seated. This was the first time Kagome had appeared in his dreams without any influence from his inner beast. He remembered the image of her disheveled appearance as if she had just been woken up by the sound of the rainstorm. The demon lord didn't mind the thought of waking up next to the petite priestess every day, especially if she was dressed only in his clothes.

After shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Sesshoumaru rose and left the tent. The autumn air was cool and carried the scent of burning cedar from the campfires. He brushed his long hair to one side, causing it to sway as he searched for General Katsu. The demon lord had abandoned his braided hairstyle due to the effort it required and now sported a high ponytail instead. Fortunately, his bangs had grown out enough to differentiate his hair from his late fathers.

Past the barracks and fire pits the Western Lord picked up Katsu's scent and tracked the general down. The blonde demon had arrived that morning after another trip to the West. Sesshoumaru wished to know what changes he had made to his infantry, but secretly wanted to know if he had visited the priestess on his journey back.

Katsu sensed his lord's approach and met him halfway just on the outskirts of the campgrounds. "How many hairstyles have you tried out since I left?" He followed the demon lord as they walked into the woods and away from prying ears.

"Three." He had attempted a topknot like General Katsu's, but it only left him with a migraine that lasted for two days.

The two demon dogs paused at the edge of a cliff, gazing out over the untouched plains with Mount Daisen visible in the distance. The faint scent of rain wafted from somewhere within the general's cloak. Sesshoumaru could feel his beast pacing in its cage.

"Lady Kagome seems to think of Masaru as one of her pups." The general turned hazel eyes to look at his friend. "She is fiercely protective of those she cares for."

"What is it you truly wish to say, Katsu?" Sesshoumaru was losing his patience, his hand twitching as he longed to get hold of Kagome's letter the general had hidden.

"That she will make a fine mate and mother to your heir. If you're serious about pursuing her, don't hesitate to take the next step and ask her formally if you can court her." Katsu was purposely avoiding delivering the priestess's missive. He was enjoying watching the Western Lord squirm.

"Did I not already agree to wait until the end of this war to decide if I want to court her?" He fixed his gaze on the distant mountain, avoiding looking at the general's cloak.

The general shrugged and dug into the folds of his black fur lined cloak. "You did. But please consider that other males may not wait to claim her. My son learned from the kit that there is a wolf who refers to Lady Kagome as, 'His Woman.'"

That got the demon lord's attention, and he switched his focus to the general's face. Kagome had never mentioned another male to him before. Was it possible this was another one of Katsu's schemes to get his way? "Who is this wolf?"

Finally locating the tiny envelope, the general handed it over to his lord. "The kit called him Kouga. I believe he is part of the northern wolf tribe."

Sesshoumaru did not immediately take the letter. As soon as the news reached his ears, the hellhound locked away in its cage started to foam at the mouth. The beast was restless and agitated, wanting to rip apart this wolf called Kouga.

Confident that he now had the beast under control, Sesshoumaru took the letter. "Gather as much information as possible regarding the wolf. If he is attempting to lay claim to the priestess, I will kill him."

As the Western Lord walked away, Katsu smiled.

Any excitement Sesshoumaru had when he discovered there was a new letter from Kagome was diminished by learning about a potential rival. He stopped and took a seat under a large magnolia tree and wrinkled his brow. Potential rival? Ridiculous. The priestess would be a fool to accept some mongrel over one as powerful as him.

That thought reminded him of his midday nap. Kagome didn't seem to consider power as something of importance. He could offer her the entire country on a silver platter, and she wouldn't even bat an eye. She did not seem particularly impressed by his gifts over the years either. If he wanted to pursue the priestess, he needed to find a different way to appeal to her.

He looked at the beige envelope resting on his lap and wondered if he could learn more about the priestess's preferences from his ward. But he decided to think about that later and opened the parchment with his fangs. He extracted the letter and began to read it.

Dear Sesshoumaru,

Undoubtedly, you were successful during your time on the battlefield. You are a fierce warrior, and I pity anyone who thinks they can beat you in a fight.

General Katsu attempted to test me, claiming he needed to ensure I was good enough to be associated with the House of the Moon. However, I have no need to prove my worth to anyone, especially not to him. But in the end, my temper got the best of me, and I put the general in his place. He really is a pain in the ass.

I know my last letter only gave you instructions on operating the camera. However, I must admit that I was overwhelmed by the kind words you shared with me. No one has ever spoken to me in such a way that truly made me happy. I appreciate that you see me as a strong woman who doesn't always need saving. I will hold these words close to my heart and cherish them always.

As for your beast… I was shocked by his words. I must confess that I did not dislike the attention. It felt good to be wanted that passionately. While I don't want to encourage such behavior, I won't forbid it either.

It was wonderful to see you again, even if it was only on film. Your hair seems so much longer! Maybe you will let me brush and braid it when you come back.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Kagome.

P.S. Where else on your body do you have stripes?

A pleased rumble sounded from Sesshoumaru's chest. He discovered that the priestess craved words of affirmation, that he could work with. His beast was also thoroughly delighted with her response to their letter. Her request to groom him was interpreted as a sign of acceptance by the hound.

He couldn't help but grin wickedly at her last question. She wanted to know where else he had stripes, and he knew his answer would shock her.