Healing a Daiyoukai by Rinku

Chapter One: Honorable Negotiations

Healing a Daiyoukai

-By ForgottenHero

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Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha and am making no profit, what-so-ever, from this fanfiction. Any InuYasha related items are respectfully owned by Rumiko Takahashi and her producers.

WARNING: Sexual Situations [Lemons, limes etc...], Violence/Gore and strong Language.

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My Corner:

Hey guys and welcome to what was previously MuteShadow's fanfiction 'Healing a Taiyoukai' which I have added as my own and tweaked (with her permission sent to the mods of course). I fiddled with it and changed it quite a bit thus adding my mark on it :D. I hope everyone enjoys this classic fanfiction. I remember reading it when I first visited Spark and loved it so I hope I can do justice to both MS and her fanfiction! I changed 'taiyoukai' to 'daiyoukai' since that is proper term for a demon Lord - taiyoukai is the pronounciation XD

Anywho, onto the story...

Don't forget to Read, Rate, & Review!

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Chapter One: Honorable Negotiations

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The glowing sun set low in the sky and barely hung over the rim of the horizon, its bright rays basking a tense scene in varying hues of orange and red. The autumn leaves reflected the flaming hues and set a chosen battleground in the below forest afire. Silence echoed between the two occupants in the clearing, their eyes boring into one another. Gold met emerald as the two sets of eyes swept along each other with keen scrutiny. A white figure of ethreal beauty stared at the demon before him stoically, his narrow eyes like golden slits in his pale face due to his ire with the neko youkai before him.

"Hn." The white-clad demon hummed coolly, his deep voice breaking the silence.

The other demon smirked slightly at the sound his opponent made, his handsome face smug and confident. His emerald eyes flarshing with blatant hatred, his upper lip curled to reveal a white fang. The slender neko youkai then rolled his shoulders and flicked his long midnight tresses over his shoulder. His smooth, warrior body relaxed, he purred deep in his chest with contentment when he noticed his opponent's rising youki.

"What is wrong, Sesshoumaru-sama? Are you at a loss for words?" He demanded his voice grating the inu youkai's sensitive ears.

Sesshoumaru, daiyoukai of the Western Lands, glared at the cat demon with obvious contempt, his gold eyes like chipped ice. His angelic features remained expressionless and stoic yet the scrutiny of his frosty glare made his less then tender feelings for the cat demon before him blatant. His pale lips remained unmoved as the cat's question hung in the air. Instead the demon Lord continued to frostily observe him; he was unwilling to converse with this inferior being.

The neko demon ignored his rival's silence. He wasenjoying the fluctations in the dog demon's youki as he aggitated him.

"Or does the cat have your tongue?" The cat demon added nonchalantly, his body relaxed as he idly cracked his claws at his sides.

No response left those pale lips. The cat's small smirk bloomed across his pointed face. Unabashedly meeting the dog demon's frigid stare, the cat demon felt a sense of excitement as that predatory gaze regarded him stolidly, its icy depths hinting the inu youkai's irritation with his presence. Though the demon Lord did not appear to be affected if one were to judge by the blankness on his flawless mask, his youki hinted of his displeasure as it sat thick in the air, almost suffocatingly so, its power both ominous and awe-inspiring. The cat demon smirked despite the demon Lord's immense aura. His plan was progressing as he had anticipated.

Across the clearing Sesshoumaru regarded the cat demon indifferently. His golden eyes hooded in a bored-fashion, the narrow orbs flared with his loathing for the cat demon. He despised cats. They were almost no better than humans in his opinion. The daiyoukai tilted his chin upwards and mentally sneered at the pathetic cat. How pathetic was this creature's idiocy for him to assume he would be leaving this clearing alive? Those frigid gold orbs flashed with a lethal intent as he regarded the cat demon with a frigid glare from his nose. 

"Did you truly believe you could outsmart this Sesshoumaru?" He demanded in his deep voice monotonously.

The cat demon shrugged his slender shoulders in a casual response, his lack of respect annoying his rival further.

"No I knew that even an old dog like you would figure it out sooner or later." He answered smoothly.Raising his claw, the cat demon began to lazily inspect the razor sharp tips, his interest in them false and sighed.

"It was only a matter of time and precautionary planning until it came to this." The cat demon announced softly, his emerald eyes narrowing as he eyed the dog demon over the tips of his claws venomously.

Sesshoumaru glared at the arrogant creature before him, his pale lips twisting into a slight sneer.

"Your plan is as flawed as you. You have not succeeded in my death. If anything," His frozen eyes flashed dangerously, "you have only brought upon your own."

The neko smiled smoothly despite the daiyoukai's threat, unfazed by his powerful rival.

"No. That is where you are wrong. I have trained many years for this moment. I will not misuse it." The cat demon claimed firmly.

Sesshoumaru raised his head higher glaring down his elegant nose at the miscreant who dared to oppose and challenge him. He slowly cracked the knuckles on his claw by twisting his long, elegant fingers that remained hidden beneath his white hoari sleeve. The sound of the bones sliding in and out of place was heard by the neko yet he seemed to not be affected by the intimidating sound. Shaking his head slightly, the neko stretched lazily, purposely disrespecting the daiyoukai by sighing as if he were bored wiith the treatening display that demon Lord made. Loosening his taut muscles, the neko positioned himself in an offensive stance, ready to battle the infamous daiyoukai, his emerald eyes blazing with anticipation.

The demon Lord mentally sneered as he watched his opponent slide into a striking position. The cat demon was fooling himself if he truly thought he held any chance of victory against he, Sesshoumaru. Glancing at Toukijin that remained in its sheath at his hip, the inu youkai disregarded the demonic blade. He had no need of it. The neko before him would only be waste of the blade’s powers. Besides the moron did not deserve to be slaughtered honourably by his sword. Glancing at his opponent, Sesshoumaru inwardly smirked. It would be much more satisfying to skin the idiot then rid of him quickly with the demonic blade - it had been a while since he had disembowelled something.

The cat demon fidgeted when he noticed Sesshoumaru continued to stand across from him, the dog demon's ethereal face unreadable, and his one claw hidden beneath a long white hoari sleeve. Licking his lips nervously, the cat demon felt his heart began to beat harder as adrenaline seeped into his blood when a tense silence entered the already quiet clearing. The two nemeses stared at each other, both trying to think of a battle strategy and assume the each others. Suddenly, a beam of light shot out with a flick of a maroon-striped wrist, the acid-green strand straining out towards the neko.

His adrenaline filled body instantly dodged to the right thus causing the agile whip to miss him. Smirking to himself, the neko swore when the whip redirected itself gracefully. The bright light of the acidic-based weapon twisted swiftly, its flexibility alike to a deadly serpent's. Straining towards him, the whip made its swift path to the neko youkai. Swearing under his breath, the cat demon brought his arms in front of his face, hissing as the whip connected with his skin. Smelling his flesh being burnt, he back flipped away from the attack of the daiyoukai's natural weapon, glaring at the calm faced Sesshoumaru with spiteful fury.

"Baka. Did you really presume you were going to win?" Sesshoumaru demanded coolly, his glowing green claw held in front of him. Two fingers pointed upwards as the whip asit retracted back into the slender digits.

The neko glared at him furiously. "My name is Akihiko, dog." He snapped, obviously offended to have his title casually ignored by the demon Lord.

Sesshoumaru eyed him disinterestedly. "I do not care." He retorted dryly.

Akihiko stood stiffly. He flicked his waist-length black hair behind his shoulder in a defiant gesture and stated coolly, "You need to know the name of your murderer. I want to hear your cry it before I kill you."

Digging his feet into the ground, Akihiko positioned his claws into the striking format taught to him from his village elder. The adrenaline in his blood gathering in his muscles, he leapt off the ground with a powerful push from his legs. Flying through the air with an almost untraceable speed, he stretched his claws out in front of him towards the pale demon.

Seeing the neko youkai coming towards him, Sesshoumaru easily sidestepped the lightning-fast attack, his white-silver hair billowing around him like glistening silk whips due to his graceful dodge. The dog demon's only claw curling into a hard fist, he slammed the large knuckled claw into Akihiko's face and felt a dark satisfaction as he felt the bones beneath it burst in an explosion of blood. Yelping in pain, Akihiko felt himself flung backward by the powerful blow, his body skidding along the ground. Dust, rock and the kami only knew what else rose into the air as his body dragged along the forest ground, causing a large gouge in the once hard soil with his body.

Resting on the ground for a moment, his body trembling, completely shocked, Akihiko propped himself onto his elbows shakily.

Hearing the soft 'drip drop' as something hit the ground, he gasped when he felt a sharp pain in the middle of his face. His claw instantly fluttering to his nose, he pulled it back when he felt a thick, sticky substance meet his fingers. Staring at the red liquid in shock, he looked up to see Sesshoumaru walking towards him, his left claw hanging by his side, acid dripping from the tips of his dangerous claw tips. Growling, he rolled to the left and leapt from the ground and rushed forward again.

"Die!" He screamed, his eyes glowing red in the descending darkness, the sun barely visible over the horizon.

Sesshoumaru ceased his progression towards his opponent and stood in place, watching the cat run towards him again foolishly.

'He truly wishes to meet his end by my claw.'

Unfazed by Akihiko's obvious objective to decapitate him, Sesshoumaru remained where he was, watching the speeding youkai coming towards him with a deadpan expression.

"You are weak. You will meet my Dokkasou." Sesshoumaru stated coolly, his golden eyes flashing with impatience.

Raising his large hand in the air, the appendage glowed green as the claw tips shimmered with a neon lime color. Suddenly, his claw snapped upwards, exposing his palm. His eyes narrowing, Sesshoumaru concentrated on the rising poison in his arm and shot it out of his palm in a huge cloud of acid. Akihiko dug his feet into the dirt, his arms raised in self-defence when he noticed the deadly attack. Feeling his body still moving towards the demon, he knew then he was unable to stop his path towards the attack. Seeing the liquid acid flying towards him slowly, the neko stiffened with fear.

'No!'  He screamed within.

Feeling the acid meet his skin, he howled in pain, swinging his head to and fro as his flesh melted from his bones. The acid ate away at his once beautiful flesh mercilessly, reaching his eyes. Screaming, he staggered backwards, vainly fighting off the acid before it rendered him permanently blind. Oblivious to the white blur coming towards him at a dangerous speed, Akihiko gasped, his face becoming frozen in a look of shock when the feeling of his chest being torn open and a claw tearing its way through him made itself known in the form of indescribable pain. Hovering in the air, Sesshoumaru's arm impaling him through his back and coming out of his chest, he coughed through the rising blood in his throat, gasping as the crimson liquid rushed into his lungs.

A sickening, gurgling noise broke from his cracked lips as he coughed up a copious amount of blood, a sign of his impending demise. Twitching at the haunting sounds of his blood hitting the forest ground, the cat demon slumped forward in defeat. Sesshoumaru looked down at the neko youkai impaled all the way up to his forearm.

"Pathetic. You were nothing but words." The daiyoukai murmured his mockery evident in his emotionless voice.

Akihiko chuckled softly, ignoring the fact he choked on the blood rising in his throat from the action. "No. I wasn't." He rasped, his emerald eyes suddenly fierce.

His claws reaching out, ignoring the pain it caused him, Akihiko grasped Sesshoumaru's arm in his grasp and twisted it, ignoring the claw that twisted in his chest at the movement. Sesshoumaru's eyes widened a small fraction in surprise when he felt the bones and muscle tendons in his arm snap. Feeling the skin break as the split bone broke through the perfect moon-kissed flesh, Sesshoumaru hissed as he struggled to remove his arm from Akihiko's claw.

Akihiko smirked at Sesshoumaru's attempts and snarled, "Die, Sesshoumaru!"

He then dug his claws into the flesh and released poison through his claws into the daiyoukai's ensnared arm. Sesshoumaru hissed in fury, his golden eyes bleeding red. Ignoring the agony it cause him, Akihiko pushed the defective claw out of his gaping chest. Holding it by the wrist, blind and unable to view his work, Akihiko threw it away from him. Sesshoumaru snarled when he felt his useless limb hit him on the chest, the destroyed appendage hanging on his side, poison dripping out of the holes caused by Akihiko's claws.

Trembling as the vast amount of blood loss took its toll on his body, Akihiko looked up at the demon who continued to stare down at him arrogantly, his golden eyes cruel and frigid.

He sneered at the dog demon and hissed, "Fuck you."

Sesshoumaru stared at the dying neko blankly. Aikihiko scowled into that hauntingly perfect face, the inanimate quality to it causing him to wonder if the daiyoukai of the West even had a soul. His emerald eyes bore into those golden pair with bitter hatred. They in return regarded him flatly. No remorse, no pity - no life. The demon Lord of the West had earned his infamous titles of 'Perfect Killer' and 'Destruction of Life' rightfully so. The dog demon slaughtered with no emotion and because of that Akihiko was certain the inu youkai was nothing but a beautiful shell that held nothing inside of it but malice.

Gasping one last time, his village leader's smiling face flashing in his mind's eye, he gritted his fangs, his eyes gathering tears. He had failed. He had promised he would return to them all victorious. A grim smirk planted itself on his blood caked lips. He was going to die - Sesshoumaru-sama was truly a demon God among them all. Not a sign of extertion or even a hint the demon Lord had used even a small minisucle of his tremendous power. The demon Lord's white form began to blur and with one last thought, Akihiko wished with all the hatred he held for the dog demon that he suffer for the rest of his life should he somehow manage to survive the cat demon's final attempt to kill him. Feeling himself fall forward, the neko realized with a heavy heart that he had been doomed from the start.

He could feel death wrapping its cold arms around him and yet all he could think to himself as he descended to the ground, his heart begining to fail.

'No creature of this world should possess such power. Sesshoumaru, you are the true meaning of a monster.' 

The neko warrior then fell forward on the ground and with a finalizing ‘thump’ his emerald eyes became flat as his body went still.

Sesshoumaru looked down at the neko youkai at his feet blankly. His red-lined eyes betrayed the rage he felt beneath his impassive mask. His face stony, the daiyoukai glanced at his sword Tenseiga. He actually contemplated using Tenseiga to revive the bastard so he could torture him. However, feeling the pain throbbing on his right side, Sesshoumaru cast a cool look at his hanging arm, his upper lip curling in a mixture of disgust and irritation. His only arm was broken. He had felt the neko youkai tear the muscle tissue and split the bone. Watching the green poison hiss and sizzle in his flesh, Sesshoumaru noticed the poison had filled the inside of his arm to the point the liquid poured over the sides of the puncture wounds.

Turning to regard his deceased nemesisonce again, disregarding his injury since it was a blow to his honor to acknowledge a weak neko had managed to inflict such a grievious wound on him, the daiyoukai pondered the day's events. It would seem the neko youkai was an assassin trained to kill him by another daiyoukai. The greatest disturbance of this matter was the fact he did not know which one. Glancing at Tenseiga yet again, his wintry stare sharp, Sesshoumaru again contemplated reviving the neko to question and torture him. Suddenly, a flare of pain seemed to scream in his side. The demon Lord's eyes narrowed in irritation as he reluctantly accepted a very unfortunate fact.

He was incapable to wield his weapons, Tenseiga and Tokijin. His only arm being broken.

He would have felt less aggravated since he knew if it had been only a matter of the limb simply being broken his demon blood would easily repair it within a few days. However the poison in his arm was now melting the inside of it and Sesshoumaru knew it would stall the healing process greatly. The arm would usually take only two to three days to repair it thanks to his superior healing abilities on account of his youkai heritage. But due to the poison, the healing process would slow down tremendously thus endangering the daiyoukai greatly. He had many enemies and Sesshoumaru could not afford to have a crippling wound that would leave him as dangerous as a newborn pup.

Looking up at the sky, he noticed the sun was set, the world blanketed in the black velvet of night. His golden eyes slanting, Sesshoumaru looked around him cautiously. Night was a most hazardous time to travel for an injured demon Lord who was unable to defend himself. Glancing around him, the youkai Lord began to walk forward to the nearby path. It was a good twenty mile distance to his castle in the Western lands. Usually he would have teleported the distance and made it to his castle within seconds. Yet he could not risk trying to run or use his youki energy to transport himself. He knew if he did the lightning-fast speed might cause the injured arm to tear itself from his body owing to the poison deteriorating the tissue holding the limb to his body.

How useless he would be with no arms at all.

Walking forward elegantly, Sesshoumaru froze. His youki senses were shrieking with alarm. His eyes narrowing cautiously, Sesshoumaru stiffened when another pain attacked his body, this time the injury much lower then his arm. Looking down, Sesshoumaru viewed his newest injury with widened, furious eyes. A slithering tentacle had ripped through his abdomen. Ignoring the squirming appendage, Sesshoumaru turned his head slightly and peered over his fur pelt to see a rather annoying figure whose tentacle made itself at home within his person.

A shadow hovered in a nearby tree, the white baboon pelt it wore glowing in the full moon's light. Watching the figure jump from its hiding spot and onto the ground. A pair of crimson red eyes glowed in the baboon mask's eye holes as a chilling, deep chuckle emanated from beneath it it. Sesshoumaru growled furiously, his eyes beginning to bleed red as he stared at the new enemy in a mixture of fury and irritation.

"You dare attack me?" The daiyoukai demanded, his deep voice chilling and the tone acidic with venom.

The figure shrugged beneath the baboon pelt, those blood-red eyes scrutinizing the demon Lord with amusement.

"Sesshoumaru-sama it would be foolish to not use your state of weakness to my fullest advantage." Naraku retorted in a deceptively soft tone like one chastising a child.

Watching the red eyes of Naraku slide to Akihiko, Sesshoumaru observed the half-breed lift the baboon mask from his face with a pale hand, exposing the dark beauty of the hanyou. Naraku continued to ignore the daiyoukai and the fact his tentacle was embedded in him, his serene gaze resting on the cat demon's form with a mixture of amusement and humor.

"You have managed to slaughter yet another rival Sesshoumaru-sama. How soaked are your claws with the blood of those who have been foolish enough to oppose you?" Naraku taunted softly as his eyes slid to the daiyoukai their ruby depths sparkling with mirth.

His angelic features remaining rigid with his suppressed rage, Sesshoumaru repressed his youki that demanded to allow itself to manifest into his natural form yet he knew he could not transform with his injury. How ridiculous would a two legged dog look?

His upper lip curling, the daiyoukai replied curtly, his sharp eyes focused on the halh-breed dangerously, "It does not matter. You will be added to those who have died by my claw."

Naraku chuckled in response, shaking his head, his long black tresses fluttering with the movement. He then sighed, the mocking smile on his pale lips and withdrew his tentacle from the demon Lord. Feeling the tentacle leave his stomach, Sesshoumaru watched the slithering appendage dripping with his blood return to its place at Naraku's back. Repressing the desire to growl in pain, Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed furiously, sweat dotting his forehead as his body exerted itself to stay conscious.

Instead, he forced himself to fully focus on the hanyou. He had been searching for Naraku since their last confrontation in his Otou-san's tomb - he would not waste such an opportunity. Turning his entire body towards Naraku he refused to meet his body's demands to lay on the ground and allow itself to heal. Instead he straightened his back forced himself to remain regal and tall. Flinching when the sound of his blood dripping on the soil beneath his feet echoed in the darkness, the daiyoukai stared at the hanyou frigidly, his face paler than usual yet retaining its usual blank expression.

Naraku studied the beautiful demon Lord. His power was a threat to him and his plans - he had proven so in his Otou-san's tomb. The two eyed one another, one in twisted amusement the other with a deadly disdain. Sesshoumaru continued to stand before the hanyou like a blood-splattered white pillar, his keen stare fixated on him, their depths sharp and unreadable, his injuries an their bloody markings the only marrings of his perfect visage.

"You are dishonourable to attack an opponent from behind but it does not surprise me that a creature as despicable as you has no honor, hanyou." Sesshoumaru stated venomously, his eyes steely and furious.

Naraku raised a black brow, smirking at the obvious rage in the usually emotionless demon Lord. He sighed and shook his head, the smirk stretching across his pale lips maniacally. His eyes once again slid to Akihiko's body. His tentacles stretched from his back and slithered towards the body and wrapped around it like a lover's embrace. Sesshoumaru silently watched as the hanyou's tentacles then drag neko's carcass to him. Sesshoumaru's jaw clenched as he sneered. It was utterly disgusting. The half-breed before him was just an abomination; a mass of numerous youkai forced into a blob of malice and evil. His upper lip curled as Sesshoumaru watched Naraku absorb the dead cat demon into his body. The dark hanyou's body glowed purple as it added the neko's youki and powers to his own.

His gold eyes flashing as they regarded the hanyou with blatant loathing, Sesshoumaru murmured, his deep vioce dripping with acid, "You are pathetic, hanyou. You do not have any power of your own."

His youki stabilizing after its newest addition, Naraku slid a mocking smirk to the silent demon Lord and purred, "I do not care for honor or pride, Sesshoumaru. No, I do not care for those trivial appearances that you seemingly hold above all."

Smiling darkly, his onyx eyes flashing in the moonlight, Naraku continued softly, "Pride and honor are a fool’s priorities. And you, Sesshoumaru-sama, happen to be one of those fools who live by those questionable morals and for what purpose? Your appearance and title? How utterly boring." His eyes flaring, Naraku added almost thoughtfully, "I do dare much, Sesshoumaru, especially if it concerns you."

His golden flashing, Sesshoumaru's glare intensified ten fold. "How dull. Everything you say is tedious." The inu youkai retorted dryly. His angelic features illuminated by the moonlight, Sesshoumaru appeared to be a stone statue of godly beauty.

His frozen eyes holding the ruby pair across of him, Sesshoumaru demanded icily, "Are you growing bored, Naraku? You seem to be going to large extents to rid of your enemies; first the undead priestess and now I."

Naraku shook his head, chuckling. "You tried to rid of me with the reincarnation of Kikyou in the tomb after you attacked InuYasha for allowing me into your father's tomb. See this as a form of karma, Sesshoumaru-sama." The half-breed smirked and said, "After you tore my body apart with the aid from your hanyou brother and the girl, I came to a realization."

Naraku's eyes settled dangerously on the demon Lord, his handsome face now cold and angry.

"You are now the largest threat to me. And do you really think I will allow you to continue to be that threat?"

Sesshoumaru stared at the half-breed stoically. "You fool yourself if you believe you can rid of me so easily."

Naraku scoffed lightly and waved his elegant hand in the air flippantly. "I expect it will be as easy as I presume, Sesshoumaru-sama. With your arm rendered useless and your other one non-existent thanks to InuYasha and the Tetsusaiga..."

The hanyou cocked a brow as a sadistic grin stretched on his twisted features. "I will rid of you as easily as I did Kikyou." He purred.

His pointed ears listened to the grating sound of Naraku's infuriating laughter reluctantly. Sesshoumaru’s jaw clenched as his eyes became golden slits in his pale, pointed face. It annoyed and infuriated him when the hanyou laughed at him as if he were some sort of spectacle. His ears twitched suddenly, his youki ringing. His eyes slanting, the dog demon heard a whizzing sound to his right. Appearing like a white blur, Sesshoumaru jumped to the side elegantly as several tentacles reached out to strike him from the deescnding shadows of the night. His gaze intent on Naraku, the daiyoukai stiffened when Naraku suddenly released a large amount of shouki from the pores of his skin. Unable to hide his sensitive nose behind his arm Sesshoumaru felt his body begin to sway and tremble from the heavy scent of the toxic shouki.

"You are mine, Sesshoumaru-sama and you will die here and become a part of me! How easy will it be to take over this pathetic world once I acquire your powers, Sesshoumari-sama." Naraku hissed from the vapors maliciously.

Growling in his chest, his eyes sharply and wswiftly probing the shadows and thick smog, Sesshoumaru mentally damned his momentary weakness. Never in the entire six centuries of his existence, even when he had been a pup, had he felt this weak. Narrowing his eyes to try and pierce through the thick smog of shouki, the demon Lord growled when Naraku suddenly appeared before him out of the black vapours, his pale claw transformed into a large spear. The glowing red stare of the sadistic hanyou intent on him, he watched Naraku smile victoriously, exposing the hanyou's gleaming, razor sharp teeth.

"Sayonara, Sesshouma-"

Both rivals stiffened when a familiar scent of pine and forest assaulted their noses. The strong scent had been ignored due to the tense battle and the shouki but it now pierced through the thick jyaki. Sesshoumaru looked to the side, knowing by the sound of the footsteps and the scent whom exactly it was. The hairs on the back of his neck stiffened as his eyes slanted furiously.

He stiffened when he heard the gruff, familiar voice shriek from behind the blanket of black clouds, "Kaze no Kizu!"

The earth trembled and groaned under the large force of a huge katana that then crashed against it. Several yellow light beams burst through the thick shouki, piercing through the smog and dispensing it. Naraku and Sesshoumaru instantly leapt apart, dodging the powerful rays of Tetsusaiga’s attack. Staring at each other Sesshoumaru watched as Naraku snarled vehemently, his attention reluctantly turned to the hanyou intruder.

"InuYasha." Naraku hissed furiously, his red eyes flashing with a potent hatred.

Glancing at the silent Sesshoumaru, Naraku raised his claw. He needed to rid of Sesshoumaru before he left. Moving forward to rid of the daiyoukai Naraku ceased his attack when a blinding pink light shot in front of him.

"Stop right there Naraku!" A female yelled as she notched another arrow and energized it with her miko powers.

Snarling, Naraku erected his barrier when another weapon in the shape of a large boomerang sliced through his thinning shouki, hurtling towards him with a dangerous intent. Rising from the ground and floating towards the sky, Naraku looked down to see the daiyoukai glaring up at him.

'I will have to kill him later when InuYasha and his group of nuisances aren't present.'

"Kazanna!" Another male voice shouted.

Sesshoumaru stiffened when he felt himself being pulled forward by a powerful wind. Growling, he tried to dig his feet into the ground only to find him unable to with his silk black boots. His eyes slanting, he fixed his youki on his feet, a blue light suddenly illuminating around his feet. Feeling his body stop its path towards the source of the powerful winds, Sesshoumaru ignored the blanket of his silver and white hair swishing around him, his gaze intent on the hovering hanyou in the air. Naraku stared down at the daiyoukai coldly, the displeasure in his pale face evident as his crimson eyes sparkled with fury.

"Until next time, Sesshoumaru-sama." The demon snarled before disappearing in a ball of miasma.

Golden eyes, much alike to Sesshoumaru’s, looked around the now empty clearing, the shouki having been cleared away from the winds his comrade had produced from his cursed palm. Scowling, the boy threw Tetsusaiga into the ground, the heavy fang crashing through the solid earth easily and planting itself there with a loud ‘boom’.

"Shit! He got away again!" He growled his large eyes flashing expressively.

The sound of heavy footsteps grated Sesshoumaru's ears as the group of three ningen and three youkai entered the area. A girl in the most indecent outfit he had seen frowned sadly, her expressive sapphire eyes losing their excited sparkle. Her other comrades shoulder’s slumped visibly from their tense posture as they viewed the bare clearing, the only hint of Naraku's previous presence the few remaining strands of shouki that had yet to dissolve into the air. The group sighed and shook their heads.

For a week they had been trying to track down Naraku and had finally managed to pinpoint his jyaki to this area. Seeing the shouki in the area and the faint form of their shared nemesis, the group had given their best to attempt to pierce through the hanyou's thick cloud of miasma and try and attack him directly. Yet in the end they had failed once again.

"InuYasha! Are you okay?" The owner of the arrow asked in concern.

InuYasha turned to the girl in a flurry of red, his silver hair standing on end with his frustration. "Does it look like I'm okay?! Naraku just got away... again!" He shouted, waving his red sleeved arms wildly in the air.

Her left eye twitching and a vein pulsing in her forehead, the girl snapped back, "Don't take it out on me, InuYasha! I didn't make him go away!"

InuYasha scowled. "Keh! I don't care! All that matters is that bastard is somewhere else other then at the end of my katana!"

Four members of the group sighed as they watched the couple bicker yet again. A male with violet eyes and black hair glanced at the woman to his side currently adorning a slayer outfit.

"Do you think they will ever see what we see?" He asked in exasperation.

The woman turned her chocolate eyes to his. "What? And have them finally mature?" She demanded incredulously.

The half-breed and priestess were only a few millimetres apart, their noses almost toiching, their faces red from yelling at each other when suddenly InuYasha froze in mid-threat, his golden eyes widening in shock. Raising his nose and inhaling the air swiftly, he then snarled, his body becoming tense. Kagome instantly notched an arrow in response to the hanyou's reaction as Sango and Miroku struck a defensive stance. The group looked around the shadows to try and see the threat their leader smelt.

His golden eyes flashing furiously, InuYasha began the shove the miko behind him roughly. "Kagome, get behind me." He ordered.

The girl frowned. Pushing his claw away and very much resisting being in the background, she demanded, "Why?"

"Just do it!" InuYasha barked.

Blinking at the rage in the hanyou's tone, the girl sighed. Trudging reluctantly behind the hanyou, Kagome peered over his shoulder (her view a bit obstructed due to his thick silver hair) and gasped in shock. A white figure stood in a pool of blood that appeared to be liquefied silver due to the moon’s light at their feet, the moon highlighting their elegant, perfect features.

Gaping, Kagome heard InuYasha snarl in unconcealed hatred, "Sesshoumaru."

Sango and Miroku instantly lowered their weapons and sighed, rolling their eyes heavenward in exasperation. All of this tense aura due to the despised older brother - of course the dramatics of the inu brothers would now ensue. Holding their weapons loosely, their prior alertness completely gone and replaced with bored expressions, the group watched in exasperation as the glowing eyes of the demon Lord met the hanyou's sparkling pair arrogantly.

Sesshoumaru's stiff body shuddered slightly. He was losing too much blood and if he was correct, he would soon die if he did not pay attention to his wounds quickly. His eyes slanting with hatred, the demon Lord inwardly sneered. He would not even consider allowing the abomination before him know of his weak state. The fool would be dishonorable enough to try and kill him if he were to find out. No, it would be better to act as he usually did to the hanyou filth.

"Hanyou." He greeted the half-breed in his deep voice icily, a slender brow cocked upwards mockingly, his tone hinting his distaste of the boy's presence.

InuYasha growled. "What the fuck are you doing here?" He demanded.

Sesshoumaru's slender brow lowered, his face returning to its usual empty mask. "Shut up. It does not concern you, half-breed." He countered coldly.

InuYasha began to see red. Sesshoumaru's continuous reference to his half human blood enraged him to no bounds. His hands fisting, InuYasha quickly grabbed Tetsusaiga and withdrew it from the ground, rocks and pebbles flying through the air.

His body shaking from his fury, InuYasha snapped, "Like Hell it doesn't! Naraku was here and that has everything to do with me!"

Kagome watched the interaction between the two brothers blankly. Sighing, she shook her head, casting an apologetic glance to her equally exasperated comrades. She was betting two hundred-yen InuYasha and Sesshoumaru would soon end this bickering and end up attacking each other within a few seconds for at least half an hour as they usually did. Sadly, there was a routine to this ridiculousness. They would cast threats and insults at each other, end up sparring and then, once InuYasha was sufficiently humiliated and furious, Sesshoumaru would leave after making a cryptic remark at the enraged InuYasha who would stomp his feet and scream in aggravation. Biting her bottom lip thoughtfully, the futuristic girl inwardly sighed as she waited for the normal cycle to occur.

Why couldn't they just get along and forgo the ridiculous games?

Noting InuYasha's fury and knowing the idiotic half-breed would begin swinging their Father's fang around as a barbarian would a club, Sesshoumaru turned on his heel, intending to walk away into forest behind him. Each step clenched his injured abdominal muscles, causing a titanic force of pain to pang through out his swiftly failing body. To his utter aggravation and humiliation, his feet stopped their stride, the pain too great to continue his exit. His slender shoulders slumping a bit, he hissed between his tightly clenched teeth.

InuYasha watched the scene in shock. Sniffing the air curiously, the silver hair boy blinked in disbelief. Sniffing again, his golden eyes widened. He smelt the metallic scent of blood; large amounts of Sesshoumaru's blood to be exact. The new turn of events stored themselves into his mind swiftly, giving the half-breed a reason to smile evilly. His golden eyes flashing triumphantly, the hanyou’s posture relaxed dramatically, his sword lowering at his side. His group of friends watched in confusion as the aggressiveness seemed to melt away from the half-breed's body and he became relaxed - something that never happened when the older brother was around.

"Oi, Sesshoumaru! Did Naraku bang you up?" He yelled, his yellow eyes flashing as he smirked at his older brother.

Scowling slightly, Sesshoumaru turned his head to the side and pinned the hanyou with a golden eye from over his shoulder, his icy stare contemptuous.

"You are a fool to believe that hanyou filth could manage to injure this Sesshoumaru." He snapped back curtly, his tone dripping with venom.

InuYasha cackled, the sound evil and disturbing. His group stared at the hanyou in shock. His handsome face twisted into a look of smug triumph, InuYasha laughed like the Evil Witch of the West who had finally killed Dorothy.

"He did you lying bastard! I smell your blood from here asshole!" The hanyou shouted back.

Sesshoumaru mentally damned everything under the Kami. Why did InuYasha of all possible creatures have to find him in this hour of disgrace?

His eyes becoming two golden slits in his pale face, Sesshoumaru replied stiffly, "Cease your annoying noise idiot. I have heard enough."

InuYasha ignored the rising youki of his half-brother and continued to look at the demon mockingly. He then lifted Tetsusaiga from his side and pointed it to his older half-brother.

"Keh! Who are you fooling? You are obviously wanting to run away ‘cause you're hiding something!" His eyes noticing the blood seeping through the inu youkai's hoari sleeve, he smirked again. "Well, well, well… Did Naraku take off your other arm?" He cooed viciously.

Kagome watched the scene silently, uncomfortable but reluctant to intervene. Though InuYasha was being particularly cruel to the injured demon Lord she could not defend the daiyoukai. After three years of injuring, mocking and insulting InuYasha, and before that, over a century of trying to kill him, he was being given his dues she could only reason with her conscience. Her eyes slid over the pale demon who in turn glared at InuYasha with absolute loathing in his flashing gold eyes. She frowned as she looked over the blood-soaked hoari sleeve InuYasha had pointed out.

The entire notion of Sesshoumaru being injured was very weird to her. Her usually creative imagination could not even muster the idea of the daiyoukai being destructible in any way. Glancing at Sesshoumaru's sleeve again, trying to confirm if InuYasha’s suspicions about the inu youkai’s other arm was gone, she gasped. Her eyes focusing on the stiff youkai's side, Kagome noticed it. She had been treating and healing the group for over three years now and knew from the slump of the demon's shoulder and the blood that his arm was broken.

‘He can't fight or defend himself. Did Naraku do this?' She thought to herself, refraining from sharing the information with InuYasha who she knew would have a field day (as if he wasn’t already).

She knew that if InuYasha became aware of the full extent of Sesshoumaru's injuries, he would rush to kill off the demon Lord. Biting her bottom lip nervously, she stared at the stoic demon. Twice he had tried to kill her. First in his and InuYasha’s Father's tomb and the second time because she had defended InuYasha a short while after when he had tried to steal Tetsusaiga. Yet recently the daiyoukai had aided them a few times. He had actually saved her life once as well. Torn between her conscience and logic, her sapphire eyes betrayed her and made her confusion evident. Mentally she argued with herself unaware of the pair of sharp golden eyes settling on her.

Sesshoumaru heard the girl's gasp and growled deep in his throat. The little wench had managed to deduce his condition. He eyed her with obvious irritation. She always catered to and protected the hanyou. Of course this little human rodent would gladly help the hanyou. She had always been a thorn in his side when it came to his battles against the half breed. Kagome froze when her skin began to prickle, her sense suddenly aware of a deadly intent being focused on her. Slowly, she raised her eyes from the hoari sleeve and felt her entire body tremble when she saw a pair of narrow eyes icily regarding her, their glacial depths predatory. His eyes pinning hers, they challenged her, a raw threat evident in the lethal gaze of the daiyoukai.

Kagome shuddered under the dangerous glare of the demon. A twinge of guilt fluttered in her gut. Sesshoumaru only had one arm mainly due to her giving the Tetsusaiga to InuYasha. If she hadn't, Sesshoumaru would still have his arm, she would be melted on their Father's tomb's floor and InuYasha would be scattered across Japan in tiny pieces resembling graffiti. Looking into those golden eyes slowly, Kagome felt herself being faced with an uncomfortable situation.

Sesshoumaru and she both knew his life were in her small hands.

Ignoring the fact Sesshoumaru's stare was no longer focused on him, InuYasha eyed his half-brother quickly. His eyes intent on the limp, hanging arm of his brother, the hanyou noted the state of his brother's only limb. Triumph lighting up savagely in his now insane-seeming gaze, InuYasha smirked.

"Looks like your arm is a little bit limp there, Sesshoumaru. Why don't you come and fight me?" The half-breed leered.

Sesshoumaru slowly slid his stare back to his brother, leaving the stunned miko to her thoughts. So the lowly cur had figured it out on his own with out the little priestess advising him of such? What a surprise. He thought the imbecile was too dim to notice anything; even something this obvious. His eyes narrowing, Sesshoumaru remained silent.

Why should he waste his time with this lowly half-breed?

Seeing the maniacal gleam in his half-brother’s eyes, Sesshoumaru warred with himself. It suddenly seemed like a much better and preferable alternative to teleport  and risk having his arm rip off. It seemed more enjoyable then having to listen to InuYasha’s annoying voice for any longer. Besides, he could definitely wait out the two hundred years for the limb to grow back if it meant that the hanyou would never know of it and he, Sesshoumaru, would never have to listen to the imbecile again. Seeing the blank expression on the daiyoukai's elfin face, InuYasha felt years of hatred build in him. Snarling, InuYasha raced towards Sesshoumaru and swiped the air in front of the detached youkai with Tetsusaiga, intending to cut open the demon and bathe in his blood. Back stepping the sudden and vicious attack, Sesshoumaru stiffened, felt his footing stumble. He hissed.

With out him arm to balance him, his body was unbalanced and made dodging almost impossible. His eyes slightly widening in shock, Sesshoumaru fell backwards, his body heading towards the ground. With a loud, echoing 'thump' and the rise of a thin veil of dust, Sesshoumaru felt his back meet the soil that had been underneath his feet just a few seconds ago. The inu tachi gaped in shock, completely baffled as they saw the demon Lord who always seemed in complete control, a graceful and deadly opponent, lay on the ground, unmoving. Kagome covered her mouth with her hand, her sapphire eyes widening.

Sesshoumaru lay there, his body trembling with fury, staring up into the night sky at the twinkling stars. Suddenly, his view of the sky was blocked by a dark figure that then loomed over him, their golden eyes piercing through the darkness of the night. Looking up into InuYasha’s triumphant face, Sesshoumaru felt his self-pride and honor instantly evaporate. Here he was, injured, and unable to wring the half-breed's throat because of his arm's useless state. To make the entire situation even more degrading he was on the ground before the disgusting half-breed's feet.

'I will never live out this shame.' He thought in self-disgust.

He was a lethal, seasoned warrior yet because of his injury, he was reduced to a threat that of a new born pup. Glaring at the smug hanyou, Sesshoumaru looked up at the hanyou impassively as his golden eyes glowed with his hatred for the cackling half-breed.

"Hah! Who is the lowly filth now? Show your demon nature and crawl on the ground!" InuYasha mimicked one of the demon's previous insults to him.

Sesshoumaru glared at InuYasha silently. He refused to be goaded into saying anything else to the idiot. Instead, he settled for glaring with complete loathing in his frigid eyes. Seeing the daiyoukai’s glare and not hearing any rebuttal, InuYasha decided it was time to end it all since he had had his fill of mocking the icy prick. Growling, InuYasha raised Tetsusaiga over his head, energy swirling around the fang. Grinning madly, InuYasha's smile widened with triumph and a tad bit of insanity.

"This ends now! Die, Sesshoumaru!" He yelled.

The entire group gasped in shock as InuYasha readied to swing Tetsusaiga down on his half-brother's throat, obviously aiming for his decapitation. Her eyes widening in horror, Kagome watched InuYasha ready to kill Sesshoumaru. With out thinking it over properly, her long legs began to carry her towards the two brothers. The green and white figure sped from the group and made their way quickly to the pair of silver-hair inu, ignoring the worried calls from her comrades.

Her sapphire eyes sparkling with determination, Kagome screamed, "Stop!"

His sword stopped at only an inch away from Sesshoumaru’s elegant throat. InuYasha turned and scowled in confusion at the miko.

"What?!" He shouted at the girl.

Kagome jumped in between the brothers, her arms spread out in a protective stance as she stood only a few inches from Sesshoumaru’s prone body. Panting, she stared into InuYasha's face that was currently wearing an amusing expression of shock and anger.

Her fierce stare flashing dangerously, she stated again calmly, "Stop InuYasha."

InuYasha spluttered, unable to comprehend the unbelievable turn of events. One minute he was about to rid of his largest rival opposed to Naraku and then the girl he loved beyond everything now stood between him and his half-brother, telling him to stop from killing the guy who had tried to kill him (and her) countless times. His eyes slanting, InuYasha snarled and lowered Tetsusaiga to the side of his leg, his body shaking with rage.

"What the fuck Kagome! Why are you telling me to stop?! I've got the bastard where I want him!" The hanyou hissed.

Scowling at InuYasha, the girl placed her fists firmly on her curved hips, her legs set shoulders-width a part. "He is injured InuYasha." She stated firmly, making the statement seem like a good enough reason.

InuYasha scowled. "I know and that’s exactly why this is the right time to kill him."

Kagome sighed. "You can't kill Sesshoumaru while he is injured. That is dishonorable and very unfair!" She argued.

InuYasha glared at the girl. He didn't care about being honorable or fair. He wanted to kill the bastard who had been trying to kill him since he was a pup.

Stepping forward InuYasha barked, "Who cares?! I've got him where I want him!"

Miroku and Sango watched the two in shock. The events today were simply occurring to fast for them to keep track. Watching InuYasha swing the blade around carelessly as he fired at the unflinching priestess made them nervous. What if he struck Kagome by accident? Miroku stepped forward to intervene but Sango grabbed his sleeve, shaking her head. Looking at his fiancée questionably, he met her chocolate eyes.

"Better not risk it, Houshi-sama." She whispered as she looked at the tense shout-fest between InuYasha and Kagome.

Miroku looked at the pair. It would have been an amusing scene with the whole InuYasha waving Tetsusaiga, Kagome screaming and Sesshoumaru silently lying on the ground like a beautiful log if the end result did not appear to be someone hurt or decapitated.

Sighing, the houshi nodded slowly. "Perhaps you are right, Sango. I fear for InuYasha's safety however." He sighed as he watched InuYasha ire the priestess further with his yelling.

Her hands clenched tightly on both of her sides as she shook with her anger, Kagome hissed, her gorgeous face crimson red from her rising fury.

"How could you try and kill him after the last battle in your Father’s tomb? Especially when he is injured so severely!" She screamed, oblivious to the pain her shriek caused to both InuYasha's and Sesshoumaru's sensitive ears.

InuYasha blinked in surprise for a moment only to then snarl in the girl’s face viciously, his handsome face twisted into an animalistic grimace that was feral and bloodthirsty.

"How many times did he try and kill me?! Are you defending this bastard's life!?" He shouted in disbelief, his face now a bright red and his hair standing on end.

Her beautiful face set into a look of grim determination, Kagome glared at the boy firmly. "Yes I am, InuYasha. He is your brother despite the fact you both want to deny it. He helped us at your Father's tomb and we have the last shikon kakera because of him!"

Ignoring his stammers, she added quickly to stall InuYasha's large mouth, "Besides, he hasn't attacked you for over a year so get over it!"

Growling, InuYasha seethed. "Fuck that!" He snapped back.

Using his superior speed and strength, the hanyou leapt over the stunned girl to his brother's body. Raising Tetsusaiga, he readied to Kaze no Kizu the asshole to Hell. The blade high in the air, poised to strike, Sesshoumaru looked through flat, golden eyes as his Father's blade made its way down towards his inept body. His face deadpan, Sesshoumaru accepted his death bitterly. To know his demise was to be caused by a hanyou of his own blood truly infuriated him. The thought made him want to somehow commit suicide before the blade struck him. He would rather die by his own claw than by this idiot.

Perhaps he could somehow roll to a nearby cliff and manage to fall down it?

"Osuwari!" Kagome screamed.

Boom.

From his position on the ground, Sesshoumaru watched in fascination as the hanyou plummeted to the earth right beside him, Tetsusaiga landing only a few centimetres away from the demon Lord’s neck where he should have been decapitated. Hearing the groans of the hanyou in the crater beside him, the daiyoukai glanced at the furious priestess whose sapphire eyes now sparkled with her rising miko energy, her body glowing a bright pink. She walked forward, her little face furious. She stopped beside the crater and glared down at the hanyou who lay in the bottom of it, her arms crossing over her chest. 

Groaning, InuYasha began to crawl out of the crater and growled, "No fucking way am I-"

"Osuwari." The girl interrupted curtly.

InuYasha yelped as he crashed into the earth again. Snarling viciously he leapt up again immediately when the spell wore off.

"No-"

"Osuwari."

"Fucking-"

"Osuwari."

"Way-"

"Osuwari."

Kagome watched InuYasha crash into the ground repeatedly, her heart twisting as she uttered the word that caused him to do so. She wished she could have persuaded InuYasha much more nicely but the stubborn idiot could only see the opportunity he had been waiting for for the last centruy and some. Glancing at Sesshoumaru, noting the cruel smugness in his golden eyes as he watched InuYasha be punished by a ningen woman with a simple word, she sighed. She knew what she had to do. Looking at the swearing red figure in a five meter deep crater, she inwardly groaned. InuYasha was going to kill her himself. Continuing to say the dreaded word 'osuwari' for a few minutes, Kagome waited until InuYasha finally noticed his aching body and her unwavering stand on protecting the demon Lord.

Panting, and trying not to cry from the agony in his now beaten body, InuYasha threw his claws in the air and shouted, "Fine! I won’t kill the bastard!"

Standing shakily, his body swaying to and fro from being unbalanced (it was now used to being thrown to the ground) the hanyou picked up Tetsusaiga from its place right beside Sesshoumaru's stoic face and sheathed it, all the while growling at the angry miko.

"Now let's go. This bastard can die from starvation for all I care." InuYasha huffed, his ears flattening against his scalp as he turned on his heel, intending to leave.

Kagome gathered all her courage and said firmly, "No."

InuYasha stopped his exit. Slowly, he turned and stared at her, his mouth hanging open in shock.

Taking his silence for granted, she added sternly, "We're taking Sesshoumaru with us. We need to help him."

Miroku and Sango gaped at Kagome. They would have never thought that the miko would wish to heal Sesshoumaru. Much less tell InuYasha they were going to be the ones aiding the dangerous demon Lord. Shippou 'eeped' and hid in Miroku's robe, his emerald eyes peeking out of the houshi's robe with fear and curiosity. The inu-tachi tensely watched the couple, their eyes darting between the stubborn miko and the furious hanyou.

Sputtering, InuYasha turned to Kagome, the tiny bit of patience he had now gone to the winds and his fury unleashed.

"What the-"

"That will be unnecessary, ningen." A cold, emotionless voice interrupted the boy smoothly.

Everyone turned to see Sesshoumaru struggling to get up, his honor wounded but his pride still firmly in place. So much in place, it was in the way of his self-perseverance. The daiyoukai finally managed to sit up as he did a crunch-up-style move yet was still unable to stand with out his arm to help him. Her eyes softening, Kagome walked towards the youkai hesitantly.

"Sesshoumaru-"

His eyes swiftly catching hers, he silenced her with a deadly glare. "This Sesshoumaru does not nor will ever need aid from a ningen." The daiyoukai announced frostily, his golden eyes hard like granite.

Biting her bottom lip thoughtfully, Kagome heard InuYasha mutter, "See? He’s a fucking prick Kagome. Let’s just leave the bastard here to die. He'd probably let Naraku kill him before he'd let you help him."

InuYasha glowered at the ground stubbornly, his pride and feelings wounded from the girl he loved standing up for his evil half-brother. Sighing, Kagome looked at the stubborn lord. Walking towards him, Kagome winced as the demon's glare intensified when she came near him.

"Please, Sesshoumaru-sama, your wounds are fatal and with your arm broken you can not possibly fend for yourself-"

"I do not need your aid, wench." He interrupted icily, his golden eyes resembling chipped ice.

Biting her bottom lip nervously, the priestess looked at the bleeding lord with obvious confusion. How could she possibly make him see that he needed help? He was just as stubborn as InuYasha; thinking he was powerful enough to take on the world. Standing in front of the infamous youkai Lord, noticing his eyes slanting dangerously as he glared at her, the miko cleared her throat nervously.

"Sesshoumaru, Naraku will come back as soon as we leave. He will kill you and absorb your body to gain your power - he is dishonorable like that. He will not wait for you to recover and fight you properly." She reasoned, hoping that Sesshoumaru would accept her logic over his pride.

Sesshoumaru stared at the wench stoically. His intelligent mind working, he reasoned with himself. What the human said was true and he knew it. The lowly cur would come back to rid of him and to absorb his power. His inner voice snarled a vehement 'no'. His pride and honor would be cast to the wind if he accepted this human girl’s and his brother's help. He could not depend on a human priestess and his hanyou half-brother.

What of his pride and honor?

Kagome understood why the daiyoukai was reluctant to accept her aid. As infuriating as it was to know that he would rather die then accept her offer of truce to heal him, thus taking time away from herself and her life to keep him alive, the priestess calmed herself and patiently waited for his answer. She knew they needed the daiyoukai in the future. He was very powerful and obviously on Naraku's growing hit list. They had already lost Kikyou; they did not need to lose Sesshoumaru. Trying to give a placating smile to the stiff demon, she coughed to gain his attention.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, you are not accepting aid. We are asking you to form an alliance with us. We need you healed so you can help us rid of Naraku and with your arm broken, you can not help us with Toukijin as you did in your father's grave, ne?" She said politely.

Sesshoumaru knew the girl was trying to soothe his hurt pride. His features set in an emotionless mask he looked at her evenly, pondering the girl and her offer.

'It would be foolish to deny the fact that I do need some aid for my injuries. I have only one arm and now with it broken I can not possibly fend for myself.'

Nodding his head once slightly, Sesshoumaru looked at the miko in frosty detachment.

"I will accept your proposal human." He announced coolly, ignoring InuYasha's yells of protest.

Kagome smiled and mentally thanked the Kami. Bowing respectfully, earning a snort from InuYasha who in turn walked away furious, she nodded.

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama."

________________________________________________________________________

So was that good? Hopefully everyone enjoyed it! :)

Translations:

Neko: Cat

Youkai: Demon

Taiyoukai: Demon Lord

Dakkousa: Poison Claw

Nani: What

Doushite: Why

Hanyou: Half-breed

Miko: Priestess

Shouki: A dangerous poison released in either gas or liquid form by Naraku

Youki: The aura/power of a demon

Jyaki: The evil aura of a demon

Tachi: Group

Domo Arigatou: Thank You

Damare: Shut up

Kami: God

Iie: No