Chapter One
Finding him
Long ebony locks swayed with the breeze. Fall was close approaching, giving the air a crisp cold edge. Every shallow breath taken was rejuvenating as she walked the forest floor. Twin tails swished beside the red cloth. The only sound being heard along the breeze is an ever slight rustle of metal on metal as the young youkai’s knives moved together. The young woman turned her face has a strong breeze shook the trees above. The wind kissing her cheeks causing them to tinge a slight red. Her hair wrapped across her face as the wind continued its harsh attack only settling down after a few moments passed. Sapphire eyes widen slightly as a pulse of youkai brushed against her senses. Turning to the young kit beside her she nodded in the direction to which it came. Little paws turned quietly in the direction he was told. Not a sound was made as the two walked deeper into the shaded wood.
The sound of water broke the quiet of the wood in which they traveled. The smell penetrating the crisp air. The sensation of another pulse of youkai brushed through her aura. It continued to call to her. The next pulse of youkai is what set her pace to run. This was not just a calling, it was crying out.
‘Save him.’ It rang.
Paws rushing to keep in step with the Miko beside him. His senses on high alert, nose to the air sniffing for danger. The kitsune gripped the Miko’s sleeve causing her to pause. He recognized the scent the breeze drew to them. It brought with it the scent of death.
“Sesshomaru.” The two raced to the pulse, one in fear of what could, the other for what was.
The woods opened up to a small stream, it was no more than a couple inches deep and a few feet wide. There before their eyes lay Sesshomaru, eyes staring blankly at them. His silver hair scorched and half missing on one side, the other half in disarray around him. His armor broken and barely hanging on, while his legs lay motionless in the stream. His cheeks were sunken in from malnutrition, his clothing stained red from blood.
Kagome rushed to the Daiyoukai’s side, Shippo close on her heels. The cold water soaked their clothing, splashing out of the stream as she crashed to the creeks floor beside him. She reached out to him with her aura, sensing his brush back. What seemed to call to her was Tenseiga. It pulsed against her from his hip, though that was the only sword left at his side. He was alive, but just barely. She gently placed her finger to his wrist, counting silently to herself.
“Shippo, help me get him out of the water, then I will need you to help me undress him and wrap him with our blankets. We need a fire as well, he needs to get warm.” Red hair rustled as the Kitsune nodded his head in affirmation. Kagome grabbed Sesshomaru from under his left arm while Shippo helped lift from his right. Slowly they dragged his body away from the creek. Kagome went to grab some wood to burn while shippo undressed the Lord of the West.
The brush crunched under her feet as she grabbed another piece of broken log, luckly while camping in the wood, they would have plenty of good wood to burn. The breeze brought a chill to her spine, her body shivered in return. Gripping the wood closer to her body she walked back to the campsite. Luckily Shippo had completed his task while she was away. Sesshomaru laid in the grass beside the stream. He was atop one blanket and being covered with the other. His eyes still stared out, unseeing into the forest before him.
Picking up her pace she rushed to his side and began to set the logs for a fire. She stacked them with a hole below them for air to help build the fire. The brush and twigs she gathered were shoved into the small space. Reaching into the one pack she grabbed her flint, quickly hitting the two rocks together she started a small fire. She blew some air into the embers causing it to flare and burn brighter. It wasn’t long after she had a good roaring fire going.
Turning on her heel she looked to Shippo, he was much bigger now, he stood a few inches taller than her, he would now be considered teen by human standards. He was currently clad in his own armor, his knives hanging at his sides.He still kept his hair up much like it was when he was just a Kit. His eyes glew from the flames that danced before him, their emerald pools shining with more wisdom and strength from his years amongst the living.
“Shippo, I do not know what we should do. I can not imagine what it was that as put him in such a state but we need to get him back to Edo quickly. We are only a few days journey from there if we were to walk. Would you be able to leave come morning, I need you to fetch Kilala. Do not let Inuyasha see you. But I need you to warn Sango and Miroku to get my home ready and warm for our return.”
“Of course Kagome. I will leave before dawn. Be sure to leave your nets up, I will return as soon as I can. I wonder though, what will you do with Inuyasha and Kikyo once they scent him. His youki maybe weak enough to hide but Inuyasha is a canine, his nose doesn’t lie.”
“I know, I will deal with that when the time comes, for now if you don’t mind, would you be a dear and catch us all some fish? I am going to brew some tea, hopefully I still have enough herbs to make Sesshomaru sleep, his body needs rest.”
“Of course, I will return shortly.” Kagome watched as Shippo rose to his feet, he quietly padded off towards the stream that was only a few yards away. Reaching for the kettle and her canteen Kagome began to boil the water. Shippo was quick to return with several fish, he set them beside her before turning to catch more. Being a full youki he needed several just to feed himself, He also knew Kagome would need to make a broth to get Sesshomaru any form of sustenance. By the time the tea was brewed Shippo had caught plenty of fish for everyone.
Kagome nelt beside the demon Lord. Using her left hand she lifted his head up enough for the warm tea to go down his throat. Slowly she brought the edge of the cup up to his lips. They were cracked, bloody and dry. She visibly winced as they bleed from the contact the edge of the cup brought. Only half the liquid made it down his throat, the rest ran down his mouth. Taking the end of her sleeve she brushed the side of his face clean. Setting the cup beside her, she could hear Shippo cooking the fish over the open fire. Turning back to the fire she watched it dance before her eyes, every now and then a crack from the wood burning would disturb the quiet of the forest. The two sat in comfortable silence, both too deep in thought to hold much conversation. When the silence finally broke it was well into the night.
“The herbs worked, he is asleep.” It was Shippo who spoke. He watched Kagome set her piece of fish down before she silently walked over to the Lord of the West. In all his years walking the earth he has never seen a Daiyoukai in such a state. He watched Kagome carefully pour water into the Daiyoukai’s mouth.
It had been ten years since they last saw Sesshomaru. Inuyasha and Kikyo now stayed in the village of Edo, Miroku, Sango and Kilala as well. It was slowly becoming one of the larger villages in Japan. MAny were trained at least in the basic of youkai slaying, and those who held promise were trained in the holy arts. He himself was now trained, he has also grown and within the next few decades would settle down himself and find a mate. Miroku and Sango now had five children, Inuyasha and Kikyo though, they still did not have a pup of their own.
Letting his eyes focus back on the fire he thought about how much Kagome had also changed. She not only wished the Tama away, but she was able to return to their time in feudal Japan. She had perfected her skills and easily surpassed Kikyo. With his and Miroku’s help they had built her a large home beside the well. It was where she felt the closest to her family. It has been a long ten years for Kagome though. She had not realized her wish brought kikyo back, so years after the fall of Naraku, when she had returned Inuyasha was not there waiting for her. But Kagome was never one to just mope and be idle. So she trained hard, learned hand to hand and began teaching healing to other Miko. Though it seemed Kagome would not age. No one knew why she just did not age. Everyone had their own theory of course. She herself believed it was because of the Tama. She believed it was a curse she now had to bare to watch all her friends grow old and die. Shippo believed it was a gift and meant the one destined to be her mate had a long life, there for she in turn was granted the gift of immortality.
He was brought out of his thoughts when his eyes caught movement. Kagome had laid down beside Sesshomaru to rest. She knew he would kee watch that night. Pulsing his aura out around them he created a blanket of illusions. If one stumbled too close, they would be caught in his mind games. And oh did he look forward to having some fun that night.
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