InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Fuyu no Shimekiri ❯ Hell Hound ( Chapter 17 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter 17: Hell Hound

Sesshoumaru ignored the hue and cry of battle all around him, and concentrated solely on the Snake before him. He could feel his miko at his back, covering him from attack from behind - he knew the snakes, and knew that their Lord would have no aversion to winning the battle by dishonorable means, such as attacking from behind.

"So, snake, you have at least enough honor to come out and face me, rather than hide away." A slender, regal brow lifted. "I am surprised. I had not thought it of you, indeed, I would not have thought it of any snake."

Hebikuro hissed, hatred evident in his acid yellow eyes. "And the dog speaks to me of honor? Who is it who is in lands that are not his own, attacking with no provocation?"

"Lie to someone else, snake, but do not waste your time lying to me. I can smell your deceit. If I had not come here, you would have come into my lands... and why, as Lord, would I allow you to spoil what is mine? If you wish to fight, you will do it on your own lands." Ice gathered in his voice as he finished, "Let your own people suffer for your greed."

Flicking his hand elegantly, he slashed the angered snake across his face with his whip. "Enough talk, Hebikuro. It is time to fight."

Just as he slashed the snake Lord, a contigent of snakes ran forward, attempting to reach the Western Lord - and all turned to dust as a bright pink flash thundered across the field, coming from right behind his shoulder, and the Snake Lord turned furious eyes on the miko standing at her Lord's back protectively."

Without turning his head, Sesshoumaru spoke. "That was quite the light show, koi. I do believe you have caught the attention of my opponent."

"So, it was you who was the cause of the failure of my earlier attack! Miko bitch!" he spat, poison dripping from his fangs. "I will destroy you after I have put down your rabid dog, make no mistake."

She burst out laughing so hard that the nearest combatants all paused in their fights to stare at her. Even Sesshoumaru glanced at her over his shoulder - just slightly, of course, as it would not do to take his attention entirely off his opponent.

"You have to be kidding me," she gasped out between bouts of laughter. "You?! Take down Sesshoumaru?!?!" Her voice was incredulous - and her vivid amusement infuriated Hebikuro to the point that he lost all sense and began blindly attacking the Western Lord.

Kagome, meantime, between bouts of giggles, had turned away to take on several more opponents attempting to sneak up from behind.

I really hate snakes... she thought, as she sent another arrow across the field, wiping out that group. And it's really a pain to shoot when I have to worry about our soldiers as well. It kinda limits my usefulness. Crap. She thrust her arrow back in its quiver, then shouldered her bow. The combatants on the field were too intermingled for her to use them anymore.

Shifting her attention once again to those fighting nearest them, she noticed Shippo trying to make his way towards her, and managed to slip and slide her way over to him.

Ugh... I always did hate the blood and guts, and for some reason, always ended up covered in them, too, she thought, just as some blood splattered across her cheek. She sighed.

"Kagome," Shippo panted out, lowering his sword as he finished his opponent off, "we've got problems. I kept several scouts out to the rear just in case, and we've got another army coming up behind us." He wiped the sweat off his brow. "It's Hikari, momma... it looks like he decided to ally himself with Hebikuro."

"Shit! How'd he get here without anyone knowing?!" Kagome swore as she ducked a swipe from another snake, Shippo slashing over her and taking his head as he lunged. She stood back up as the snakes' body hit the ground and looked around. "Where's Kanaye, or Koga?"

Shippo shook his head. "Last time I saw Koga, he and his wolves were off over that way," he said, pointing towards the shiro itself. "As for Kanaye, he was trying to reform the soldiers on the southern edge of the field."

Kagome nodded, glancing down at the ground, then looked back up. "Let's go get Koga. If that bastard's coming in from the forest behind us, the best bet would be to sic him and his wolves on them..." she broke off, looking up, she caught sight of Sesshoumaru, still toying with the snake. Sighing with irritation, she looked back at Shippo.

"Never mind. You go get Koga, and let him know what's up. I'm gonna go yank Killer's chain, and see what he wants to do."

Shippo snickered at that as he ran another snake through, then watched her purify another one that ran up behind him. "Killer, huh?"

"Yeah... get going, brat. You and Koga go play with the northern forces - get them to follow you out into the open, and I'll get Sesshoumaru to quit playing with his prey. Besides - you know he wants Hikari for himself."

"Okay, momma, whatever you say. Just be careful." He leapt away and took off, heading towards the sound of howls, knowing Koga would be right in the middle of the brawl.

As soon as he disappeared, she manuevered her way around till she was standing off to her Lord's side, then, cupping her hands around her mouth, she yelled, "Sesshoumaru, dear, we have company coming in from behind us. It's Hikari. Looks like he allied with these guys. Anyway, it's time to stop poking the snake with sharp sticks and kill him already."

Sesshoumaru didn't look back as she spoke, but his beast roared when he heard that Hikari was near, ready to bathe the surrounding landscape in his blood.

"He would think to attack from behind, I see." He looked at the snake before him with disdain. "Seems he is akin to you, snake. A coward. I have no patience with such."

Sesshoumaru flashed his fangs at Hebikuro as the snake attempted to speak... but he was far too injured to really get any words out. He was dead - and he knew it.

Kagome shook her head and sighed. "Come on already, Maru-chan. Didn't your mother ever tell you not to play with your food?"

He sent her an incredulous look at that. "I hope you are not implying that this Sesshoumaru would consider snakeflesh as food, miko. That is truly disgusting."

She raised a brow. "I'm not implying anything, Maru-chan, except that you need to finish this already. Look at him! It's pathetic, he can't even talk. Get it over with and let's move on to the other coward."

"Hn. Very well." With an elegant disdain, he sheathed Bakusaiga, and bringing his hand up, he let fly with his whip - and Kagome flinched as she got sprayed with more blood and guts.

She looked over at Sesshoumaru with a resigned expression. "Thanks. As if I wasn't covered enough."

His haughty expression remained for a moment, then a slight smirk caught the corner of his mouth as he tilted his head. "Indeed, my miko. I see I will have to find you a place to bathe when this is over." Ignoring her pout, he looked around to see what the status of the battle was, and was pleased to see only isolated pockets of resistance still remaining.

As he looked towards the shiro, he noted that a detachment of his soldiers had already entered and were taking swift action against any snakes still fighting inside its walls. "Hn. This battle is over." He glanced over at Kagome. "How much time do we have till the northern army arrives?"

Kagome looked back towards the trees, and tilting her head, caught the distant sounds of clashes, along with howls and snarls, telling her that Koga had already engaged the forward elements of the incoming army. "Probably about half an hour, my Lord. I had Koga take his wolves into the trees and engage them, with instructions to attempt to lure them out into the open." She rolled her eyes. "I'd much rather fight where I can see what's coming at me."

Sesshoumaru nodded his approval. "I am pleased. Come, koi, let us go find Kanaye, and re-group our soldiers. I begrudge Koga the fight with the North - Hikari is mine."

Kagome sighed, and wiping her hand across her face, she flicked it clean, then shrugged. "Alright, let's go. Kanaye should be over there," she gestured vaguely, "and Taro is clearing out the shiro. It wouldn't do to have more snakes sneaking up from behind once we turn and take on Hikari."

He cast a golden glance at her as she moved to his side, then looked ahead. "It seems Hikari is even more of a fool than I had thought. He couldn't even arrive on time - Hebikuro should never have taken up with him," he finished, just as they neared Kanaye, and nodded at his salute.

"I see you have been made aware of the latecomers, General. Report."

"Yes, my Lord. Lord Shippo informed me of my Lady's orders, and we are even now forming the troops back up, as Lord Koga has engaged the advance elements of the Northern Army, and is using a series of quick strikes, then fallbacks, to draw them out of the trees. They are nearing as we speak." He glanced behind towards the now ruined palace. "Taro has cleaned up the last remaining snakes in the shiro, and as you can see, is setting it afire."

"Good. This pleases me. Come, Kanaye, join myself and my Lady on the new battlefront - and send a runner to find Hiro. I would have him with us as well." Sesshoumaru turned on his heel, and with Kagome at his side, moved back towards the forest that sounds of battle were filtering from.

Kagome watched as the army, now blooded from battle and eagerly waiting for the Northern Army to appear, moved to fall back into position halfway across the field from the treeline, leaving room for the advancing army to be drawn out.

She frowned.

Where is Shippo? And the rest of his kitsune? I don't see a one.

She turned to ask that question just as General Hiro appeared, and he answered. "Lord Shippo took his kitsune and went to harry the rear elements of the Northern army, My Lady. He said to tell you he'd be sending you soldiers that are 'pissed'," he said, with a slightly confused look, "and that you'd 'know what to do with them'."

Kagome broke out laughing at that. "It means that he's using every kitsune prank, illusion, and attack in the books to frustrate, upset, and confuse every soldier Hikari has. And that's the ones they don't manage to kill outright." She shook her head at his blank look. "Tell me, General, have you ever faced a kitsune in battle?"

As he frowned and said no, she laughed again. "They are pranksters, Hiro. Think about how furious someone playing tricks on you in the middle of a fight would make you... it makes you lose your cool. And a soldier that's angry and not thinking clearly is a dead soldier."

Hiro's expression cleared, and he began to smile. "I see your point, my Lady. Well, we will prepare the northerners a warm welcome, then, will we not, Kanaye?"

"Remember, Kanaye. Hikari is mine. No one is to touch him but I." Sesshoumaru's eyes bled red at the thought. It was only a matter of time, now.

Kagome frowned as a sudden thought occurred to her. "Sesshoumaru? What type of youkai is Hikari, anyway?"

"Neko." He said it with a certain disgust.

Kagome burst out laughing again. "Oh, I see. It's not really about me, is it, my Lord?" she asked archly. "It's that whole neko and inu thing." She waved a hand as he growled at her. "No wonder you're annoyed that Koga is the one chasing them out of the trees." She put her hand over her mouth at his irritated look. "Reminds me of the time you and Inuyasha took on the panther youkai. That's one of the few times I saw you actually show anger in battle."

"Hn. You are correct, my miko. I do not like neko.... they are beneath me." General Kanaye and Hiro both nodded in agreement.

Kagome shook her head and sighed, still chuckling. She could just visualize Sesshoumaru in his true form, chasing a hissing neko into a tree. It reminded her of how Inuyasha used to be unable to stop himself from chasing sticks - and she began to wonder if Sesshoumaru would react the same.

She snickered to herself. Maybe one day, she'd attempt to find out.

Casting a sidelong look at him, she asked, "What ever possessed Hikari to offer you his daughter, then?"

He looked down his aristocratic nose at her. "It does not matter what type of youkai they are - all know that this Sesshoumaru is the most powerful - and because of this would be pleased to tie their house with his."

Kagome raised a brow, and tilting her head, looked him over quite openly. "I hate to say this, Maru-chan, but even if the father's are thinking about power, I will bet you anything that's not what's on the minds of the daughters."

The two generals smiled behind their hands as she said that, noting the slightly disconcerted look that crossed their Lord's face. In all the days they'd served him, no one had ever managed to get the reactions out of him that she did, and they were absolutely positive that no one else ever would.

Everyone turned sharply as the sounds of battle quite suddenly moved immensely closer, and they all jumped back as Sesshoumaru began to transform right before their eyes, his lust for the blood of his enemy uncontainable.

Sesshoumaru had caught the scent of Hikari, and he could feel by the ripple of youki that Hikari had taken his true form, and he gladly freed his own beast.

The Hell Hound had woken, and now roared his defiance to the skies. The Northern Lord would recieve no quarter.

He would have Hikari's blood on his claws this day.