The Miko's Daiyoukai by Omyouji

Anemone

Ouhh! Hello and welcome! This is my first appearance on Dokuga, after writing many years ago when I was simply a suckling babe on FF (lol suckling, more like sucking.) I hope you enjoy

I do not own Inuyasha in any way, everything belongs to the great Rumiko Takahashi.

The Miko's Daiyoukai

Anemone

Tap tap tap tap tap

He knew she was coming without opening his eyes from where he sat. Leaves crunched below her, having fallen from the towering trees on the cusp of early autumn, brisk air pumped through her chest in shallow breaths.

Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap

Little legs pushed themselves forward, and he began hearing her panting breath. Glancing around the camp, he saw where Jaken slept; where she should have been sleeping. She must have left while he was patrolling the area and he would need to punish Jaken for his negligence. Rin burst through the bushes with scrapes on her cheeks and fell to her knees next to Sesshoumaru, struggling to catch her breath.

"Se-hh se-hh ahh Sesshomaru sama!" Rin cried between breaths.

"What is it?" He asked flatly, looking into the distance from where she came.

"It's Kagome chan!" Rin choked out. "I found her in the forest I don't think she's breathing! Can you save her with Tenseiga? Please Sesshomaru sama you have to help her, please!"

Tears rushed from Rin's eyes faster than her words and as soon as she brushed them away with the back of her palm did a fresh set take it's place. Sesshomaru sniffed the air, trying to catch the scent of the hanyou, but instead found only the miko.

"Please Sesshomaru sama, I won't complain about my legs being tired anymore, and I'll listen to Jaken every day I promise, please save her!" Rin begged, expectant eyes looking up at him. He stood, walking swiftly into the bushes where Rin had just emerged.

"Thank you Sesshomaru sama! Thank you so much!" He heared her shout behind him as he took leverage on a sickly root and leapt into the air. Sesshomaru wondered to himself what Inuyasha's woman could be doing alone in the Western forest, trying to remember the last time they'd crossed paths. Since Naraku's defeat, Sesshomaru hadn't so much as smelt a hanyou on his lands, and that was a year ago in itself. As much as he lamented the idea of crossing paths with his idiot of a little brother, Sesshomaru's curiosity had been piqued with Rin's plea.

Alas, it isn't long before he found her. The miko laid bloodied in a small clearing, purified remains of wolf youkai surrounding her. As he drew closer, he saw one of the wolves had caught her by the chest, slashing from her collarbone to beneath her breast. Sesshomaru knelt down to the miko, noting her injuries were not particularly deep, but that she had lost a lot of blood. How weak the humans are, nearly killed by a simple scratch.

Sesshomaru dug his claw beneath her back and carefully lifted her onto his arm, her small body resting limply against his chest. He grunted as he nearly dropped her, realizing there's no way he could run. What irony this is, he mused to himself, that if I still had my second arm, I could use it to cary the woman who helped to cut it off. Shaking off regrets of limbs lost, the daiyoukai began the short walk back to camp. He could feel Kagome's shallow breaths on his neck and recognized her scent from the battles they had waged; cinnamon and sweet orange. Similar to most battles, her scent was tainted with the metallic stench of human blood. Matted hair draped over her shoulders, she even held similar scratches on her face to those that Rin donned when she burst through the bush to find him. He wondered what the Miko could have been running from, and why the hanyou, or at least the taijiya and the monk had not been there to help her.

Sesshomaru's thoughts were cut short as he found himself arriving at the campsite, seeing Rin nervously pacing around Jaken.

"Just wait you stupid girl! Sesshomaru sama will be back shortly! Stop your incessant pacing!" Jaken cried.

Before Rin could respond she spotted him, knocking Jaken down as she ran with concern sprawled across her face.

"Did.. did you save her Sesshomaru sama? Did Tenseiga save her?" She plead, tears welling in her eyes at the sight of Sesshomaru's blood stained kimono.

"The Miko has yet to die." He began, "Jaken, provide her with medicine and bind her wounds." Sesshomaru directed before setting Kagome down inside the cave Rin had been using as a makeshift hut.

Jaken scrambled to his feet, rushing over to the miko before noticing Sesshomaru's bloodied kimono.

"Sesshomaru sama, you are covered in human blood.. Most humans couldnt survive these wounds, but I can try.."

Sesshomaru frowned, quickly shedding his haori and sitting down across from Kagome in the cave. Jaken began peeling back the miko's yukata to apply ointment, and Sesshomaru watched.

Rin sullenly crawled to his side and buried herself in his pelt, wrapping it around her body like a blanket. Sesshoumaru simply leaned his head against the rock, trying not to breathe in the scent of cinnamon and sweet orange. 

"Good night Sesshomaru sama." She sniffled, "thank you."

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A flood of sunlight entered the cave, forcing Sesshomaru to wake. He looked down at Rin in another one of her strange sleeping positions and over at jaken, sleeping with the staff of two heads in hand. Kagome laid at his feet, panting quietly in her slumber. Jaken had lain Rin's blanket over Kagome's chest, but it hardly covered her feet.

Sesshomaru wrapped the rest of his pelt around Rin before standing with his haori in hand.

"Hnn.. ahhnn.." Kagome mumbled in her feverish slumber. Sesshoumaru turned and bent down in front of her head, examining her as she slept. She was pale, but her face blushed crimson as she struggled for shallow breaths. He could feel the heat emanating from her body even from where he stood, and knew that her fever was rising.

"Jaken." He called.

Jaken clambered sleepily to his feet and Sesshomaru nodded to Kagome before turning and exiting the cave. As he lept towards the stream, he could hear Jaken wake Rin and demand her to get water.

Sesshomaru fished two large carp from the river and rinsed the blood from his haori. Frowning at the stain left across his shoulder, he decided it was best to commission another kimono from the palace seamstress. They always seemed to anticipate his need, since with every visit he requested a new one. Always the same design, materials and fit; Sesshomaru wasn't one for change, though it seemed to follow him like shikigami. With the number of humans he had now saved from sure death, Rin and Kagome, he may as well abolish his name as Lord of the West and become a Shikigami slayer. Shikigami slayer.. oh how father would rejoice to see the day.. he mused.

The daiyoukai abandoned such needless thoughts, slinging the carp over his shoulder and haori around the other. Before an hour had passed, Sesshomaru arrived at the camp, tossing the carp beside the fire.

Rin ran up to Sesshomaru and bowed, smiling with wild delight.

"Welcome back Sesshomaru sama! Jaken said the medicine is taking effect Kagome is feeling much better now!"

"Rin! The miko is not MUCH better yet, she is narrowly alive!" Jaken interjected, "although, thanks to the ointment I made from the herbs along the bank, I was able to expertly close the wounds!" He announced smugly.

"...Although, I'm don't see why Sesshomaru sama insists upon saving that brat Inuyasha's woman.."

Sesshomaru shot Jaken an icy glare and he back tracked,

"Not that I would ever question the great Sesshomaru sama! Sesshomaru sama always knows the way, never to be questioned! The great Lord of the West! Oh is that fish over there well why don't I go clean it, RIN! COME AND LETS CLEAN THE FISH FOR SESSHOMARU SAMA"

The imp nervously chattered, inching away from the kick he was sure would have been delivered had he been close enough. Rin rolled her eyes and slunk over to the fish, pairing knife in hand.

Sesshoumaru glided into the cave, ducking his head as he sat once more across from Kagome. Sweet orange and cinnamon swirled through the air, and Sesshomaru struggled to relax. How a woman's scent could be so strong was beyond him; like as though her skin had been dipped in the spice itself. He studied her face, realizing he had never truly taken in Kagome's beauty before. Her pale skin was speckled with pink from fever, while matted black hair curled below her. Her lips were full, tinted with deep pink resembling anemones in the august sun. Long lashes lay dormant on her cheeks, hiding her big, chocolate eyes. Her expression was pained, but soft, like a child having a bad dream.

Sesshomaru averted his eyes. He damned Inuyasha, but he could not deny that his mate indeed held a strange beauty to her. But that was exactly it, she was strange. Something about her was different from other miko, as he could remember even in battle. It was as though she lamented the kill of even the darkest youkai, she felt despair and compassion for even the lowliest of creatures. She was just.. strange.

"Uhnn.. Inu.. Inuyasha.." Kagome turned over to face Sesshomaru, eyes fluttering open slowly.

"Do not mistake me for that miscreant hanyou."

Kagome stiffened at the sound of Sesshomaru's voice and tried to sit up, wincing at the pain in her chest as she did. Kagome felt along her chest, gingerly touching the fresh bandages covering her treated wounds. As she began assessing the situation, brown eyes settled on Sesshomaru, filled more with confusion than fear.

"If you plan to die, keep moving. Your wounds will soon reopen." Sesshoumaru said coldly, looking away from her.

Kagome blushed intensely and pulled the blanket closer to her with confusion splayed across her face.

"How.. how did I get here?" She asked, looking around the cave and settling once more on Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru sniffed. "This Sesshomaru carried you."

Kagome stared at him in disbelief, clearly shocked that the daiyoukai would ever show her compassion. Sesshomaru himself shared in her disbelief, but his gaze remained like stone.

"You will live for now." He muttered, eyes focused on the wall beside her.

Kagome relaxed at his words and let her eyes glaze over. He could hear the pumping of blood through her veins slow as she began calming down.

Sesshomaru watched as the miko lay back down, clearly dizzy from moving so quickly. Kagome pulled the small blanket up to her nose, revealing slender calves from beneath it.

"Thank you." She mumbled, "I was running from Inuyasha when I was ambushed by wolves. Normally they don't attack me because they know I'm close with Koga, but these ones.."

Kagome trailed off, eyes closing momentarily.

".. These ones seemed to have lost their souls. I fought most of them off, but one got me and pinned me down.. I purified him just before he bit my head off.. that sure was.. a close one.."

Kagome drifted into sleep again as Sesshomaru began connecting the recent influx of wolves from the East on Western lands. His concerns were made certain, something had happened to the Yoro clan and their men were jumping ship.

"…You know," she sniffled, "Inuyasha has become so.. mean.. it's like he's Kikyo's pupet.. He used to be loving, and caring.. Now all he cares about.. hiccup.. is the jewel.. he's even meaner to Shippo too.. stupid.. dog.. hiccup.."

Tears streamed down her face and dissipated into the blanket. ".. And now I'm in a cave with Sesshomaru spilling my guts when I should be dead.. maybe I really am dead.. Oh kami.. Am I dead…"

Sesshomaru raised a brow, Spilling guts?

"Miko. You ramble. Sleep, or do not sleep, but refrain from this in between, it is most annoying." he growled.

Kagome noded and closed her eyes, giving into her feverish delirium, she slept.

Sesshomaru watched her, half expecting her to start up about guts again. But as soon as he was sure she'd fallen asleep he settled against the wall across from her, eyes unmoving.

Strange.

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"It's all your fault!" Shippo cried.

"It ain't my fault at all ya little brat!" Inuyasha spat back, chip crumbs dancing on his robe as he spoke. "If she had just paid more attention to the shards and less attention to her stupid human emotions, we wouldn't be in this mess!"

"Yes it is your fault! You're so mean so now she's never coming back!" Shippo stuck out his tongue and ran away just in time to avoid Inuyasha's clawed hand coming around to hit him. He clambered into Sango's arms and continued to cry.

"There, there Shippo. Don't waste your time talking to Inuyasha. Look, Kagome left her bag anyway! She wouldn't go back to her time without it!" Sango stroked Shippo's fur in an attempt to calm him down, gesturing to the yellow knapsack from which Inuyasha was stealing snacks.

"Shippo is right though, Sango." The monk began, looking up at Inuyasha.

"It's been two days since Kagome ran off into the forest, if she didn't go back to her time, where is she?"

Everyone's faces darkened as images of Kagome being eaten by every youkai imaginable fills their heads. Could she have encountered bird youkai? Bear youkai? Or worse.. a dragon.. 

"Tche," Inuyasha started, breaking the silence. "She's probably just in the village at the bottom of the stream. She knows there's one not far from here." He argued, stuffing another handful of potato chips into his mouth.

"Yes, but how can we know that she made it there safely if you refuse to follow her?" Miroku shot back, eyes narrowing in on Inuyasha. His ears twitched with annoyance as he felt Miroku's glare burning into his forehead.

"Look, I'm not her keeper alright? You can all go if you want to! But I'm focused on getting the last shards before ANOTHER Naraku appears, so if she wants to run off, that's her problem, ya got that?" He huffed, leaning back against the tree and rummaging through her bag for pocky.

Miroku slammed his staff on the ground, standing over Inuyasha with disgust in his eyes.

"This is a new low, Inuyasha. Even for you." He muttered.

"Go to hell." Inuyasha growled back.

The monk glared at Inuyasha for a few moments, then turned to Sango with arms outstretched.

"Sango my love, let's go look for Kagome in the village downstream! Kirara, you stay here and keep an eye on Inuyasha."

Kirara mewed in approval and glided beside Inuyasha, sitting on the other side of Kagome's knapsack. Sango, Shippo and Miroku began their descent into the trees, whispering words that Inuyasha had no doubt were about him.

"Perhaps we can commission the seamstress to make you one of those breast holders Kagome wears.. what was it called, a br-AHHH! Kidding! Kidding!" Inuyasha could hear the monk rubbing his head after being smacked by Sango, and hung his head where he sat.

It's not my fault she ran off. Besides.. If I leave to look for Kagome, I might miss Kikyo's return... Keh.. everyone worries so much about Kagome after a mere two days, yet Kikyo disappears for two weeks and not one of them seems to notice...

Inuyasha made a fist, irritated by the lack of regard for Kikyo's wellbeing by the others. She was a crucial part in helping them defeat Naraku; had she not told them where he was hiding out, they couldn't have attacked so strategically. Had she not told Kagome to shoot her arrow in unison with her own and the wind scar just at the right time there was no way they would have won that battle, yet everyone treated kagome as the hero.

Inuyasha was so lost in his thoughts that he failed to notice the soul stealers floating past his head, doddling their way past in search of more souls. Kirara growled at them as they drew near, wary of their obscene interest in her companions.

"Inuyasha."

He whipped around at the sound of her voice with hopeful eyes. There she was, standing in her customary dress with her hair tied back and cold expression unwavering. She seemed unscathed, pure porcelain skin pale in the harsh sunlight.

"Kikyo.." He began softly as he stood. "I've been waiting for you.. Where did you go for so long?"

Kikyo slithered over to him, each step seeming like she wasn't walking on earth at all. She rested one pale hand on his chest, looking up at him with a smile that didn't quite make it up to her eyes. She moved in, close enough to kiss, letting only a whisper leave her frozen lips.

"Where I've been doesn't matter. I'm here now."

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Oh Kikyo, always up to something aren't we? I should write a fic and just title it "The Meddling Adventures of Kikyo and the Braindead Hanyou" *laughs* Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this first chapter as much as I did! I should have another chapter out by the end of next week, I can't wait to write more! Oh and psst, follow me on Fanfiction too, same username! I will be posting stories and maybe some one shots on there as I go!

Please review and let me know what you think Kikyo was up to all alone in the forest!

edit: meow meow couldnt deal with the annoying present tense i used in this chappie so i revisited and rewrote it in past tense -cries- many apologies for any bits i may have missed, please feel free to let me know where there's issues so i can fix it meow!