Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha
One month, that's how long she had followed him without voicing a single word. That first day when she had shown him just what she could now do something had become clear. She had taken on the most basic of instincts, she would whimper or whine from time to time to get his attention. Growl when she sensed something, it was nice actually. Her senses almost matched his own, she would pick them up the same as he did.
There was something else.
She cared for Rin, like her own child. Constantly watching the young girl as she ran about, always watching. Even when Kagome had closed her eyes she was following the free aura. The image that was blurry before, was now filled out. There was him... Sesshoumaru-sama. That's what her pup... Rin called him. Then there was Jaken, the little gami. And the two headed Ryu, Ah-Un. The image was complete, she remembered them. Not completely but enough.
Sesshoumaru was a lord. Lord of the West.
Rin was the lord's ward and her own pup.
Jaken was the retainer of the lord.
Ah-Un was the mount for his ward. Herself as well, when they took to the skies.
There was something else, she wasn't sure what it was though. A feeling of emptiness, whenever she looked at Rin playing alone then she felt strange. Like there should be another there, perhaps the child from the other group? It was possible but until she remembered who that child was then she couldn't do any thing about it.
---000---
"Jaken."
"Yes, Mi'lord." The high shrill voice of the gami was bearable only for the usefulness that he had proven time and again. Not just his own knowledge but his ability to gather information was better then any Sesshoumaru had ever seen. For such a pointless creature he was more useful then most of the assassins that were employed by his mother.
"The barrier on the Miko," Sesshoumaru's eyes watched the woman as she watched his ward gather flowers and run about the field. The kimono he sent for fit the woman perfectly but it wasn't quite right. The deep blues matched the color of her eyes at one time, now they were paler. Not much but enough to set off the color to much.
"Ah, yes. It is an ancient spell. Used by monks who seek enlightenment..." he trailed off after that. Looking out towards the woman, "the other use... is to punish those who have committed crimes for which no punishment that can dealt by humans hands is severe enough."
This caught Sesshoumaru's attention, the woman in all the times he'd seen her had never done anything heinous. Never committed a crime that he knew of, she dressed indecently most of the time and even walked between humans and demons as though it didn't matter but these were hardly crimes.
Jaken had waited, he could see the gears turning in the back of his master's head. See the thoughts, when that light went away he began again. "The spell, or curse in this case, seals the target in barrier that blocks the outside world. She should not be able to see or hear anything that has a soul."
"What of the caster?"
"To cast such a spell over any distance requires great strength, and great focus. There are none that I could find," he truly hated most humans. They were nasty disgusting filthy things, but this one. Kagome had watched over Rin like a hawk, or a mother inu. He felt for her, it was her luck that his lord has found her before some other powerful demon.
Sesshoumaru turned his eyes towards the sky, it would be dark soon. His attention turning back to the two females in his group, with just gestures and no words the Miko had gathered Rin and calmed her. No matter, they would only remain here a day longer. He couldn't smell his little brother yet but it was clear by the number of times they seemed to cross paths that the boy was looking for him.
What was that?
All attention turned to the woman walking behind the young girl, "Rin, how about a bath?" Kagome's voice cracked from disuse. It was deeper, the hand not holding Rin's rose to rub her throat. She didn't say anything else. Just stared expectantly, with what seemed confusion in her eyes. It cleared and then both sets of eyes fell on him. One empty and dull azure, which had been dark blue, and one chocolate brown. Both looking at him waiting for a response.
He expected it.
The woman seemed to understand the pack dynamic, it was perfect. Her budding instincts, where they came from he had no clue, were excellent. She cared for him and his ward like the alpha female should, and he would gladly give her the position. He had never had one before and she fell into the role with ease. He gave a nod, watching as the two moved with, what he would term as, glee towards the edge of camp.
The springs weren't far, a few dozen yards. Well within his ability to hear danger and intercept it before it would cause any problem. Now he would think on what to do, now that she was starting to speak again he could find out what happened to her. His ear twitching at the sound of her voice. They were simple yes and no answers to mundane questions but it didn't matter. They were answers and though he was loath to admit it, he liked the sound of her voice.
There were things to consider, she was powerful, and she was for all means and purpose the alpha female of his pack regardless of how small it was. Her power would chase away most who wanted to cause problems and more then likely settle the foolish rumors that he intended to take the young girl as his mate when she was older. How they had started he wasn't sure but they were bothersome. Rin was like his own pup, did they think him sick.
It made no difference, Kagome could chase away anyone trying to raise themselves by challenging his ward for her place in his life. Even more so, once she showed others what she was capable of... it might even chase away some of the weaker woman that the other lords sent as potential mates for him. That or her instincts would drive her to kill them, she knew her place and more then likely she wouldn't give it up easily. That would mean giving up Rin as well.
No, she would kill anyone who tried to take her spot.
He was sure of that, what else could she do. There were other matters, what of her place in his life. Yes she was the alpha female but he would take a mate in the future, at that time Rin will most likely have passed so it wouldn't pose a problem in that sense. He would just have to hope the woman who he ended up being forced to mate was strong enough to subdue her. He wouldn't allow her to be killed.
He shot to his feet before the scream even broke the trees, it was Rin. Rin was screaming, and that woman wasn't. If she hurt Rin, he'd kill her slowly. He'd torture her for her betrayal, make her wish for death. His thoughts snapped free that thought as he caught the scent of the spider, death and blood, then the scent of power. Pure untapped power, reiki that swelled and radiated in the air with strength to rival his own.
As the trees gave way to the clearing that the springs were in he was nearly blinded by a flash of blue with traces of green at the edges, the overpowering scent of rain obliterating any trace of the spider's scent. Leaving only a glittering pile of ash and a wooden doll. Even the doll carried scorch marks from her power, he never knew her power was so strong. His eyes swiveling towards the sight in the spring.
Her eyes, pupils stretched wide and red dotted with speckles of gold, icy blue tendrils creeping across the whites. The edges wild as they drew closer to the red core, her lips drawn back in a snarl. Arms wrapped tight around the child at her side, fury. Unbridled and focused on a single being. It was beautiful, then those eyes twisted towards him. Looking at him from head to toe, looking through him before turning back towards the child.
She had dismissed him?
"It hurts mother," Rin's whimper.
Anger rose then faded as she checked over Rin, every inch of skin with soft fingers. Leaving a sparkling trail that faded quickly, fingers skated calmly over her flesh. Finally lifting the arm farthest from her, another snarl tore from her throat. Gripping the arm gently, firmly holding it as she inspected the purple and black bruise that was slowly spreading under the thin skin of her pup. Quickly pressing the just tip of her claw against the darkened skin, letting loose the power she held so tight. It flooded the clearing, a smooth glittering white sheet left where her fingers traced over the mark. When the power settled the mark and scent of death gone completely.
She turned back death?
Only barely, the scent drifted back but it was weak. Almost non-existent, the woman had driven off not only the miasma of that spider but death itself with her powers. Perhaps there were other options.
---000---
The air around them was dim, at the end of each week they returned to Edo just to make sure that Kagome hadn't wandered back and that they were wrong. She didn't come back, and now after their fourth return they sat around a fire. There were few words, no one had much to speak of. No that wasn't it, they no longer had anyone to mediate between them. They all had things to talk about but they were so vastly different that even after traveling together as long as they had there wasn't much that they could relate on.
Except Kagome.
She was the anchor and the glue, the strings that tied them together only held because she tied the knots and was always checking them to make sure they held. Now with things the way there were, and with this everything was strained. What little conversation they did have was about Naraku, the only other thing tying the group together. At one point Shippou kept up the conversations but now even he was weary of the lack of their friend.
Kagome was necessary.
The food cooking in the pot over the fire was watched but only so closely that it wouldn't ruin. Attentions elsewhere, Sango polishing the massive weapon of bone she wore across her shoulders. Miroku writing sutras, and chanting over them. Shippou trying his best to keep busy with the last of his coloring books and the homemade crayons that Kagome taught him to make.
Inuyasha was another matter.
His nose was in the air, ears twitching constantly. Searching for the scent that they only picked up sparingly. The scent of mountains and wild pine, the scent of his half-brother. There was another scent they picked up with it that was strange, the scent of rain and lightning. It was powerful, and female. It wasn't the scent of human though, there was no death mixed with it.
He's close.
Inuyasha tensed, his hand wrapping right around the hilt of his sword. The sight sent everyone else into position, the pattern they settled on. Back to back with Shippou in the middle.
Then he appeared.
Sesshoumaru stepped calmly through the trees, noting the positions. He would give them credit, the defense while weak because of the combatants was still exceptional. It would protect them against most attacks, perhaps... no. He wouldn't test their skills, he had more important things to deal with. It was dark, his ward and Kagome were asleep and he didn't intend to be long.
When did he start referring to her by her name, even in his own thoughts?
"Oi, where's Kagome you bastard?" Inuyasha didn't draw his sword.
Sesshoumaru raised an elegant brow, perhaps the half-breed and gained some intelligence. That was certainly an option, with how often the Miko sent him into the earth. "This Sesshoumaru is not in possession of anything that is yours," face impassive.
"That's shit and you know it. I caught your stench by the well and then Kagome goes missing. Don't lie to me fucker!" Arm twitching on the Tesseiga, fingers tightening. He needed to hold off, if Sesshoumaru had yet to draw his sword then they could... talk.
"Your untrained Miko isn't in this Sesshoumaru's possession," a half truth but still a truth. She was no longer untrained even if she was still a miko, perhaps with a little more attention he could help her further develop her powers? He might even be able to get her to keep death from Rin, allow him to keep both women at his side. Shaking from those thoughts, he was correct in their reasoning for following him.
Inuyasha waited no longer, ripping the blade from it's sheath. The power swelling and transforming the blade into the massive fang of their father. "Enough! Tell me now or I'll cut all your fucking limbs off and feed 'em to ya!" He didn't even wait, charging forward lifting the blade over his head.
Foolish.
Sesshoumaru steped away from the swing of the blade, watching at the fang cut into the earth. Then again, a step back. Again, jump. Spinning in the air before landing lightly on his feet, not a hair out of place or a speck of dirt on his pure white robes. Again and again, before finally.
"WINDSCAR!"
The three golden waves of power tore into the earth, uprooting trees and sending large chunks of stone and dirt into the air. Huge divots of ground tore free from the attack that didn't meet it's intended target. The Demon Lord now standing calmly to the groups left, facing the monk.
"Cease you trailing of This One. You draw unneeded attention to his presence." White light wrapped around him before rocketing into the sky and vanishing into the darkness.
"GET BACK HERE BASTARD!" Waving the Tesseiga over his head screaming at the dark sky.
---000---
AN: Looking at one chapter a day for the foreseeable future. Then again foresight's 20/1000 and hindsight's 20/20 so we'll just have to see what happens. Please R&R. Thank you.