Love and War by Huntress11

Chapter 1

The sound of loud knocking awoke me from my sleep. A deep and dark growl escaped from back of my throat the day before had been a long and hard one with a set of twins being born into the world. My presence was demanded seeing as I was the head healer of this area. I could hear the sounds of horses neighing and their hooves hittign the hard pacted dirt around her house. Beside me, my adopted son sat up with quick blinking eyes and looked at me curiously. I motioned for him to stay put and be quiet as I stood up and walked towards the center of my house and the front entrance.

Outside stood two tall dog demon guards in full out armor. Both were wearing capes with the colors of the west on them. I glared at them both causing the younger of the two demon guards to flinch.

"I am sorry to distrub your rest Kagome-sama but something urgent has happened in the west and Rin-hime is in need of your assistance," the older guard said with a bow.

Young Guard P.O.V.

The other guard quickly bowed as well but kept starring at the girl, no woman, he thought. Her long black with dark blue hair reached her knees and barely showed that she had just woken from sleep. Her kimono. slightly disarrayed but what could be expected of someone woken in the late of the night almost early morning hours, was a deep purple color and had white flowers lining the hems of it. Behind her, eight tails swayed in slight aggravation and they were the same color as her hair. This creature in front him could definetly be called beautiful maybe even etherial.

Normal POV

With a sigh, I let them inside of MY house. There were still embers in the hearth so I threw a couple of logs in and set some water on before calling for my son to come out. He walked out of the room dressed in a different set of clothes than the ones he had went to sleep in. Like me, he had changed in the past few years. Shippo now stood just a little under my shoulder in height. He now had three tails and could protect himself with a sword and his own hands as well as his powers. I smiled at him and looked at the guards.

"How may I be of assisstance to the West, Hiro," I asked looking at the water to make sure it was safely over the now burning fire.

"Lord Sesshomaru asks for your assisstance in multiple things, Kagome-sama. One thing is that Rin is now with pup," Hiro said with a smile on his face.

"Then I am supprised that your beast would allow you so far away from your mate in a time like this," I said with a smile on my face. "Congrats on pupping her so soon."

Hiro was a dog demon general in Sesshomaru's army and had a few months prior mated Rin. They had been courting for the past eight months and Sesshomaru was very happy to hand his ward to a man he trusted greatly.

"I think you Kagome-sama but I fear for her. War is coming to the west and she is weak right now. Which leads to the other reason for us being here. Sesshomaru-sama wishes for your assisstance with the war," Hiro says looking me in the eyes.

"This war must be bad if Sesshomaru is asking for my assisstance," I replied with a tilt of my head curiously.

"The north has breed to much in the past couple of centuries and has out grown their land. They now wish to take control of parts of the west and kill the current inhabitants," he said with a sigh.

" Negotiation have failed I assume," I asked with a hint of annoyance in my voice.

"They sent the messengers head back in a box, my lady," he replied with a growl of anger as his eyes flashed red for a second.

"That is a break of the treaty between the north and west. Has war been officially declared yet," I demanded with a growl.

I hated it when nobles broke the rules of engagement between eachother. Those rules were set up so that the lesser people could be moved to safety and less lives would have to be lost but it seemed that the north had no wish to up hold the laws that they helped put in place after the last war between the north and west.

"I do not yet know my lady but my lord has asked for quick travels," Hiro said.

I sighed before telling Shippo, "Pack for a long trip Shippo. I must gather my herbs for travel."

"Yes mother," he said with a bow to our guests and I.

"Please allow me the time to write a note and gather my needed supplies," I requested.

"We shall wait outside," Hiro replied grab the other guard by the arm and dragging him out of my hut.

I added some mint herbs to the tea to help me relax before going about packing my supplies. It took a little over an hour to pack everything Shippo and I would need for our stay at the Western Shiro. I walked into my bed room and changed into a black kimono with a blue crescent moon on the sleeves symbolizing my service to the west. I quickly brushed and braided my hair. I grabbed Tsurara, my sword which was made for me by Totosai when I learned to use a sword as another out put for my abilties as both a youkai and miko.

Shippo and I both met in the hearth room grabbing a cup of tea before heading outside. Hiro and the other guard stood there by the door waiting.

"We must hurry," the younger one whispered.

"Hush Toyu. Lady Kagome shall get us there soon," Hiro said staring at me.

"I hope you are willing to let a lady rest soon after that," I growled tiredness pulling at my senses.

"Of course my lady after checking in with Rin and Sesshomaru-sama," Hiro replied with a smirk.

I sighed before beginning a incantation for a shadow teleportation. As soon as the portal Shippo hopped through and Hiro dragged the other guard through. I followed close behind them. I allowed the gentle feel of the cool shadows flow over my skin. I did not often get to feel the true feeling of the shadows. I felt my feet hit the ground and looked up. I had just a second to react to a sword coming my way. I imediately brought my sword up in a block watching as sparks flew from the clashing swords. I growled and pushed the other sword and its holder back away from me. A loud growl of irritation sounded from close by and I immediately fall into low bow.

"Takishi stop this nonsense, of attacking this Sesshomaru's guests," Sesshomaru hissed unemtionally.

The guard bowed before returning to his post. I rose from my bow and looked at Sesshomaru. His kimono was torn in a couple of places and blood stained a couple of places on it.

"My lord has a battle happened nearby," Hiro asked staring at the blood stains.

"A large raid party attacked the northern border earlier this evening and this Sesshomaru has just arrived back at the Shiro no more than a hour past," he replied. "Follow this Sesshomaru, I shall take you to see Rin before we discuss other matter."

I smiled even now he worred over the health of his adopted daughter. I nodded slowly hopefully the tea would be enough to keep me going through the time needed of me to be awake.

Thank you for reading. Reviews are appreciated. Constructive critism is appreciated even more so please let me know what you think.

Before you ask, yes Kagome is a fox demon. To be more specific she is a shadow fox. A very rare type of demon which will be explained in a later chapter as to how she became one.