Kagome was getting really tired of Katsu's 'test.'

The two played cat and mouse, or demon and priestess, for over an hour. Kagome Had managed to avoid all of Katsu's attacks but just barely. Her once pristine white cloak was now in tatters throughout the small clearing. Each time deadly claws swiped at her, they got closer and closer until the dog demon managed to nick Kagome on the left cheek.

Kagome glared up at the general, stopping to touch the cut on her face. "Are we seriously going to keep doing this?"

Katsu flexed his fingers and licked the specks of holy blood off the tip of one of his claws. "We will continue this dance, priestess, until you are either dead or you succeed in bringing me to my knees in submission." He crouched down once more, preparing to strike again. "Which will it be, Shikon Priestess?"

Kagome really hated it when he called her that. Somehow, the dog made the title sound salacious and dirty. Not seeing any other way out of this, she decided to go all in and hope Katsu wouldn't get hurt too badly.

The large demon charged at her with the intent to kill. Instead of his claws meeting the flesh of her neck, his hands began to blacken when they collided with a pink barrier. Jumping back, Katsu started to circle her, looking for a weak point in her shield while his fingertips healed.

"Good, you finally decided to play along." Katsu struck again, only to be thrown back when the priestess sent a pulse of reiki through her barrier before he could make contact.

"Play? No, I decided to win." Kagome grabbed a large branch that had broken off when she pushed out her power. Taking it in both hands, she raised the busted limb and slammed the base into the earth. The impact sent her holy energy through the wood, and from the base, it began to shatter and splinter into pieces. As her power climbed, the branch took the shape of a smooth staff. Her reiki became a spike when the last bits teetered off the top. As Kagome was encased in a halo of light, she took her newly formed spear and got ready to play offense.

Not many things surprised General Katsu, but this small priestess creating her own holy weapon before his eyes definitely made the list. Before he could come up with another witty remark, she moved. Using her power, Kagome was able to move faster. The dog demon narrowly avoided the end of her spear and quickly found himself in the role of prey.

With each attack, Kagome got closer and closer until she successfully made contact. The pink spear tip sliced along Katsu's left side, making him hiss in pain as reiki clung to the wound. Her attacks weren't just seeking to spill blood; she was trying to burrow her power into his body. The general had never experienced a battle like this before, and panic began to worm into his eyes.

Another slap from her staff sent the demon flying through a tree, splitting it in two. Kagome stood her ground and waited to see what he would do next. A demonic energy spike forced her to step back as Katsu rose from the ground once more. His long golden hair had now completely fallen out of its neat bun and framed his bloodshot eyes.

Katsu had not planned on letting his beast participate in this fight, but the power Kagome was emitting brought the predator to the surface. Moving too quickly for human eyes to detect, the dog demon tackled the priestess to the forest floor and finally grasped her neck.

"Tell me, little priestess, would you rather die by my hand or submit to me?" His voice was deep and raspy as he tightened his hold on her. "You are a strong female. If you submit, I will become your Alpha, and you will bear powerful pups. Our pack would be unstoppable." The beast leaned down and ran its elongated tongue over the cut on her cheek.

Why did she have to attract such power-hungry narcissistic dog demons? Kagome had had enough of this and decided to put this dog in his place the old-fashioned way. Katsu had her legs straddled between his own and had no way of preventing her from kicking him hard in the groin. The red left his eyes, and wide hazel eyes were staring down at her in shock before she slammed her hands into his chest, shooting him with a near-lethal dose of holy energy. The general landed on his back on the other side of the field, and smoke was rising from the hand-shaped burns on his body.

Coming back to his senses, Katsu opened his eyes to see the Shikon Priestess standing over him with her reiki weapon pressed into the base of his throat.

"Do you submit, General?"

The general knew he had no other choice. Feeling ashamed of himself for allowing his primal side to take over, he tilted his head, exposing his neck to the human woman.

"I submit to Lady Kagome, Shikon Priestess, and Alpha Bitch to Lord Sesshoumaru." The demon kept still with his eyes averted until he felt the heat from her spear leaving his throat.

Kagome dropped her staff with a heavy breath and sank to the ground. She was exhausted.

"So… did I pass?" It felt like a silly question to be asking now, but she needed to know if he would back off and leave her alone.

"Yes, My Lady, you passed." Katsu slowly sat up and looked into her tired blue eyes. "I… apologize for my actions. When my beast witnessed your power and scented no mating mark, it sought to claim you."

"I'm sure Masaru's mother wouldn't be happy to hear that." Kagome felt no pity for the demon, looking thoroughly disgusted with himself, and placed his head in his hands.

"No. No, she would not."

The two sat in silence for a while, catching their breath. Katsu was the first to break the spell, looking back at her and asking, "Does Lord Sesshoumaru know?"

Kagome wrinkled her brow in response. "Does he know what?"

Leaning back on his forearms, the general took on a serious expression. "That you did not banish the Shikon Jewel but, in fact, became it."

Kagome felt her face drain of blood. How did he know? She had never told anyone before, not even Inuyasha. "That's just silly. Of course, the jewel is gone!" Deny, deny, deny.

"Come now, Lady Kagome. We both know that isn't true. My beast and I felt its power when you created your weapon. It's very impressive, by the way."

"Look, I won't tell anyone that you hit on me if you don't reveal my secret. Especially not to Sesshoumaru." Her attempt at bartering caused the large demon to throw back his head and let out a hearty laugh.

"I will tell no one, My Lady. With my submission comes my undying loyalty." The mirth in his eyes made that hard for Kagome to believe. "Was it because of the jewel you decided to no longer live among your own kind?"

Yes, that was part of the reason she kept to herself. Her latest visit to help Sango and Miroku with the birth of their third child reminded her why she chose to stay away. The couple was starting to show the early signs of aging: wrinkles along the corner of their eyes, a gray hair here and there, and the tiredness their auras gave off. Kagome had not aged since she made her wish years ago. Sure, her body had changed over time, but once she had fully reached maturity, it was like her body hit pause. Unfortunately, she discovered that didn't mean she couldn't gain extra weight, much to her dismay.

"It's easier to stay away from the village. Humans tend to fear what they do not understand, and someone was bound to notice I stopped aging." Kagome pulled at the dead grass by her feet while she spoke.

"Do you choose not to wear priestess robes since you no longer live in the village?" It was an innocent question; he had no reason to suspect it would poke at old wounds.

"No." Kagome looked up to the darkening sky. "I was never seen as… myself when wearing them. Villagers and even Inuyasha only saw my predecessor, Kikyo."

Sensing her beginning to withdraw, Katsu quickly changed the subject. "May I ask a favor, Lady Kagome?"

Tearing her deep blue eyes from the sky, Kagome tilted her head and raised an eye as if to ask, 'Seriously? What could you want now?'

The priestess's expression brought a grin to his face. "Before I depart after the evening meal, will you write another letter for Lord Sesshoumaru so I may deliver it to him?"

"What else could I possibly say to him? I don't even know how to talk to him anymore." Kagome brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. She no longer resembled the powerful priestess Katsu had been fighting not long ago. Now, she looked so much like a lost child, unsure what to do.

"His beast has laid claim to you that much is obvious, but his pragmatic side has been fighting the claim and refuses to accept his baser needs." Stretching out his legs, he thought about how best to explain dog demon instincts to a human. "Our kind will take a mate under two separate conditions. The first is through political alliances between packs or royal houses. The second is when our beast claims what it sees as a desirable mate. Lord Sesshoumaru's parents were matched through a treaty agreement, and his lordship has made it known he has no desire to do the same."

So, because Sesshoumaru's beast liked her, he was constantly fighting with himself. "Is that why he bit me? Because his beast wanted to?"

Watching as the priestess rubbed the skin under her left collar, he assumed that was where the bite was made. "Yes. It probably wished to make its claim known to other males. I take it he also sent you something covered in his scent?" She nodded and blushed. "That explains why you smell so much like him even now. The beast has embedded itself into your scent."

"But obviously, Sesshoumaru is aware of these things happening, right? Why does he allow it?"

"His beast is playing off his instincts, and it needs to mark you as pack. It's quite genius how it's able to manipulate his more logical side." Katsu rubbed his chin while he thought about his lord's sneaky beast.

"Yeah well, intellectuals solve problems, geniuses prevent them." The demon gave her a strange look. "Something a smart guy named Albert Einstein once said." Kagome waved her hand, dismissing his confusion. "We should head back before Masaru comes looking for us."

They both got to their feet, and Kagome walked around, picking up what was left of her white cloak, while Katsu put his back on to cover his exposed chest.

"So, will you write to Lord Sesshoumaru?" She had hoped the general would let the matter drop, but Kagome never considered herself lucky.

"And say what exactly? Oh hey, sorry, the big bad dog inside you likes me. Can we still be friends?" The priestess kicked a small rock on the trail as they walked.

Looking down at the small woman, Katsu smiled. "If I assist you in scribing this message, will you do it?"

Letting out a heavy sigh, she nodded. It seemed there was no getting out of it. The general was very persistent, and she had a feeling he wouldn't be leaving without a letter.

The demon and priestess stepped into her homestead just as Masaru exited the hut to fetch them. "What took so long? Dinner has been ready for hours." His green eyes took in their ruffled appearance and minor wounds. "Um…what happened?"