InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Inuyasha A Feudal Fairytale: Bound By A Promise ❯ Naraku's Assault ( Chapter 7 )

Chapter 7: Naraku's Assault

Part 1…

Konaosu's hands clenched the bark of the tree behind her. Her fingers digging into the bark, this action the only release for her fear. The taiyoukai's grip had tightened, making the act of breathing almost impossible. Her vision swayed before her and she began to see spots from oxygen deprivation. Konaosu felt herself begin to panic, the fire inside of her rising up, screaming for release. She fought to control it, knowing full well that if she released the flames, she would give herself to death.

`How has it come to this…?'

Sesshoumaru's enraged scarlet eyes burned into her own, his hand clenching tighter around the throat of the petrified woman in front of him, if she did not answer him, her throat would be crushed by his talons.

"I command you to answer."

(A/N: At the end of the chapter *glares at Shi, knowing this'll be another LONG chapter* We'll be posting a track List for your enjoyment.)

Konaosu felt a sticky liquid drip down her hands as she raised her eyes to meet the infuriated youkai's gaze. Naraku's words echoed in her mind, stealing the truth from her lips before she could utter them. She struggled for breath, as her thoughts turned to her mother, resigning herself to death.

"Sumimasen…Haha-ue…"

(A/N: So ends Chapter 7, cool huh?? *both authoresses smile and lean back in arm chairs.* Both: PSYCHE!!!!)

The ever-tightening grip stopped, his eyes still scarlet from his rage as his grip stayed as it was. The words, barely able to escape from Konaosu's mouth, reached the ears of the youkai, slowly entering through the red mist of rage that clouded his mind.

(A/N: Rage?! That's not all that's clouded his mind!!! *gets smacked and dragged off*)

The words sank in, the hopeless situation this woman had placed herself in, if he remembered correctly, her mother was the entire reason she had pledged her servitude to him. And yet, why would she worry over her mother, if the woman was dead in the first place?

Slowly the crimson began to bleed away from his eyes, the color now a red-gold in hue as he still held her in the punishing grip. The coppery scent of her blood reached his senses, his talons had not pierced her flesh, of that he had been sure, the corner of one eye caught the thick fluid trickling down her hand to land on the ground below.

"What was the meaning of that interaction between you and Naraku. Do not lie to this Sesshoumaru."

Konaosu's face was pale, and her eyes were still wide with fright, but the implication that she would lie brought some color back to her cheeks. She gasped allowing the cool air to flow into her lungs, which ached from the lack. Her voice came out in a weak croak.

"I cannot lie to you."

As usual, the family resemblance did not end with appearances, the mighty taiyoukai ended up echoing a very familiar line.

"All beings lie, there is no being alive in creation that cannot lie."

{"LIAR!!! EVERYONE LIES, YOU AIN'T ANY FUCKING DIFFERENT!!"}

The echoes of the hanyou brother also rang through her mind, she had thought the elder brother would be at least a little more knowledgeable but, even she could be wrong. Konaosu leaned into the tree, feeling the lack of adrenaline, she drew on the tree for support. She closed her eyes.

"I thought that you were perhaps wise to the ways of my people. Perhaps some of my assumptions of the taiyoukai of the western lands were wrong. I cannot lie to you, I can only speak the truth. If I were to lie or break my oath I would change into the abomination of my clan."

Konaosu's voice was so full of resignation and sorrow that her words held no sting.

Now the eyes of the taiyoukai had changed to normal, though the steely hardness did not dissipate from them. His curiosity was aroused concerning Konaosu's comment about being turned into an abomination, the slight insult was ignored.

"An abomination. How is this relevant to a lie?"

"The impurity of a lie tarnishes the soul of a suzaku, changing them into an abomination. A lie is only one way this can be accomplished, there are other ways as well. It was this that caused the great clan war."

Sesshoumaru had heard very little of the war of the Suzaku Clan, even less of the current than the Great War. Still, the chance to gain a few more bits was irresistible.

"The Great War was the decisive battle in which the Yami were destroyed, correct?"

Konaosu shifted uneasily in his slackened grip. Her legs longed for the comfort of the ground.

"Yes, the Yami, the abomination of my clan was destroyed and the suzaku's greatest relic was sealed."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed in thought as he released the throat of his servant.

"An abomination is not what the Yami were, the powers differed from the normal suzaku and so they were seen as such, the true abominations are those who willingly mate with ningen and produce mistakes such as Inuyasha."

(A/N: Yoake: *crying loudly* I LOVE KONAOSU, just to let you all know, I love her to death and yet, it HURT to write that!! I am not anywhere near that cruel as Sesshoumaru just was!!)

Konaosu's legs crumpled beneath her as she was released from the taiyoukai's grip. Her fingers were ripped out of the holes in the bark that she had bore with her nails, as she fell. She glanced sharply up at the youkai as he uttered his comment. She looked away quickly as his words struck deep. Konaosu's aura immediately fell, withdrawing inside of her.

The taiyoukai noticed the retreating aura and felt his eyebrows draw in slightly before he realized the error of his words. Mentally he kicked himself for being a fool, no doubt that was what Inuyasha would have said, then again, he would have not realized he was a hanyou.

`I have interacted with that bastard of chichi-ue's blood far too often, his stupidity is beginning to catch.'

He turned to walk back to the camp, stopping only to turn once more and glance at her.

"I expect your answer to my inquiry once you have composed yourself. For further situations to be avoided, leave Naraku to this Sesshoumaru."

Konaosu glanced up with closed off eyes.

"I did not desire to add Naraku to my acquaintance, and will gladly leave him to you. It would have been better if he had remained the fleeting rumor that I had heard mentioned once."

That caught his attention. The mighty taiyoukai turned, his eyes pinning her to where she was sitting, looking absurd with the many different flowers braided randomly through her hair, that had been Rin, the small child had done as such to himself once.

"You only have heard of the pest once; I find that difficult to believe."

`She must have heard of the coward, no village hasn't.'

Her eyes narrowed.

"I do not lie to you, whether you choose to believe it or not. Yes, I have only heard of him once, and recently. Do you not wonder why you have not sensed my presence in the village before? Perhaps you should think before you make assumptions."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed, restraint was needed, he had punished her once already for something that was the fault of the blasted annoyance that called himself Naraku.

(A/N: Oh sure blame YOUR problems on Naraku, it's easy, I do it all the time! *Shihaisha grabs Yoake's shoulder, wearing the voice modulator again* Shi: Kukukukukuku…. *Yoake freaks out and climbs up the high ceiling and hides in the chandelier* Yoake: NOT AGAIN!!!!! KYAAAAAAA!!!!!)

"…..still that tongue of yours before you act like that worthless fool with my father's blood. This Sesshoumaru assumed you had a shard of the Fuyouheki* in your possession."

(A/N: Fuyouheki- See Inuyasha Scroll #365 for details. Basically, it's a jewel that erases any sign of the holder's youki or energy. Good for not being able to track someone; that's why Naraku got a hold of one sphere of it.)

Konaosu stood, looking at her hands. It would not due for Rin to see her hands as such. She extended them, a purplish gleam covering them a moment as she healed them. She took a deep breath trying to gain some superiority over her emotions.

`Why have I let his words affect me so? I despise myself for allowing my guard to slip! I have allowed myself to become prey to this taiyoukai and that bastard who thinks he can lord over me!'

Konaosu tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear as she walked to where she had dropped the Seishi Hino.

"I know not to what you speak of. You did not sense my presence because I was away in the Eastern lands. I had only just returned when the villages began their uprising."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow slightly at the violet glow that accompanied her healing, nodding at her explanation of her whereabouts.

"A rather unfortunate time to return."

The news of her in the Eastern Lands were troubling, the ruler was rumored to have some conflicts within his own Lands.

"You are familiar with the Lord of those Lands I assume; Hogosha. For what purpose were you in the East?"

The taiyoukai began to walk, giving her a symbol that she should follow so that she may explain.

Konaosu's eyes held a pained expression before she continued.

"No, I have never met the lord, nor any from my clan except one. I was approached by a suzaku in the village…he took me to the Eastern Lands to be trained…"

Konaosu's voice drifted off and her face took on an angry expression.

The mighty taiyoukai's eyes narrowed again slightly, she did not look happy at the mentioning of her training.

"I take it the training was….unpleasant."

Konaosu looked up abruptly, seemingly shaking herself from her thoughts as she followed the taiyoukai.

"The training was as it should have been except for the taint that was my teacher."

Her hand gripped the hilt of the Seishi Hino tightly.

His eyes narrowed, what had her trainer done to her to get that kind of reaction?

"Then it is better left undiscussed if he was foolish enough to attempt to destroy what was promising. His soul will roam in disgrace for his actions."

Without another word, the taiyoukai began to go towards the camp, not wanting to leave Rin with Jaken for too long. Before vanishing from view into the forest, he turned slightly.

"Return when you feel adequate, Rin is able to sense odd things at times."

He turned again, leaving Konaosu with one last parting sentence.

"Perhaps it is the best that he has died; should this Sesshoumaru have heard of this kind of idiocy, he would have been destroyed soon after hearing of such."

The white clad youkai vanished, surrounded by the darkness that the forest gave in the night.

Konaosu's eyes widened and she stopped.

`What does he mean by saying such things?'

"That would have suited another…"

Konaosu muttered under her breath as her hand absently touched her side. A sigh escaped her lips as she lowered her head vanquishing such thoughts. Though the weight of Naraku's words would not leave her.

"Sumimasen…Haha-ue…onegai…"

***************************************

Naraku watched the hanyou suzaku from a distance. He had to admit that this hanyou was very clever to have stilled Sesshoumaru's wraith and yet not reveal that which had been discussed.

"This one will suit me well."

A menacing smile alighted his lips as he turned away.

"I will allow her time to choose, then I will gain what belongs to me."

****************************************

Konaosu entered the clearing where they had made their camp. Not a sign of what had transpired before was transparent on her face. She slightly bowed her head.

"I have returned."

Rin woke up immediately and looked up to see her okaa-san standing at the edge of the clearing. The little girl struggled up out of the blanket covering her and raced sleepily to Konaosu, jumping up and cuddling close to the suzaku woman.

"Where did Nao-kaa-san go? Rin thought Nao-kaa-san was right next to Rin."

The little girl's big brown eyes looked up; still full of sleep at the woman she called her mother.

(A/N: HAHAHA! EAT THAT KAGURA! *sees the wind blades coming after her* OH CRAP!!!! Shi: Oh please…)

Konaosu smiled down at the sleepy little girl.

"I needed to stretch my legs a little…so I went for a walk."

Rin bought the suzaku woman's excuse and nodded, trying to look stern even as she closed her eyes and snuggled close to Konaosu.

"Ok, but don't leave Rin alone again, Nao-kaa-san has to get permission from Rin okay?"

(A/N: KAWAII!!!)

A small laugh escaped Konaosu's lips as she led the little girl back to the spot that she had just a few moments before been sleeping.

"Of course, you must forgive me Rin-chan. It will not happen again, I promise."

"…..kay…."

With that all said and done, the small child climbed back into Konaosu's lap and snuggled against the woman's chest, sighing softly as she drifted back to sleep. Rin was too deeply asleep to notice that Konaosu was absently playing with her hair and sighed again as she began to dream. Sesshoumaru watched from the other side of the fire, his eyes were guarded carefully as he spoke to her.

"Suzaku do not lie. What would you call the falsehood you have given to Rin?"

Konaosu looked up from Rin her expression still soft as a small sigh escaped her.

"I am sorry to inform you that that was no falsehood. It was my original reason for straying from the camp."

"……is that so."

The taiyoukai rose from his position against the tree and began to walk off into the shadows, turning slightly to give an order to Konaosu.

"You are to stay in the clearing with Rin, do not remove yourself for a walk. If you bore easily, practice your swordsmanship on the other side of the fire. This Sesshoumaru shall return shortly."

Konaosu quirked an eyebrow.

"That is good to know, I feel more relieved by the moment, and you did not need to worry I will not stray."

`Boredom…hmph! Practice my swordsmanship?! I could cut that fluffy tail in my sleep. Go for your walk dog…'

The taiyoukai only gave her an unreadable glance before he left, not bothering to speak to the young woman.

*************************************

A few hours later…………….

**************************************

"No! Please, leave Rin alone!! Rin didn't mean to steal the fish, Rin was trying to help Sesshoumaru-sama, please no!!"

The little girl began to cry in her sleep, thrashing as if she were trying to run away from something in her dreams. One foot accidentally connected with Konaosu's stomach, hard enough to wake the slumbering woman.

"Rin's sorry, please don't!!"

Konaosu's eyes widened, first from the blow to her stomach, and then to the words uttered by the small child in her arms. Senses immediately alert to her surroundings, she noticed right away that the taiyoukai had not returned. It made no matter to her she immediately turned her attention to the frightened child.

"Rin-chan, wake up Rin."

The little girl didn't seem to be able to hear her; the tiny face was pale and drawn tightly with the fear that laced through her scent as well.

"Rin said Rin was sorry! Don't let the wolves get Rin. Sesshoumaru-sama!!"

The frantic movements became even faster, the heartbeat of the little girl was racing at an unhealthy rate, if she did not calm down soon, things could turn deadly and quickly.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!!"

She whimpered and cried out again for the taiyoukai, seeming to settle down before she screamed and jerked away from Konaosu, her voice was thick with tears and fear.

"NAO-KAA-SAN!!"

(A/N: Aww….I feel really bad for Rin, nightmares really suck!)

Konaosu was immediately at Rin's side, her hands grasping the small child, and shaking her lightly.

"Rin, wake up…Rin…you must wake…"

Konaosu's voice now held a more urgent tone as her skills as a healer deducted the danger. Her skin began to glow as she willed for the child to wake.

"Rin…I am here…there is nothing to fear! Wake up for Nao-kaa-san!! Please Rin!!"

A low moan came from the little girl's throat as she refused to wake up, turning away and shaking violently as she sobbed from what ever plagued her in her dreams.

"Rin's sorry! It hurts!!!"

Konaosu clutched the child tighter and held her to her chest, gently stroking her fingers through her hair. Tears filled her eyes, as she leaned her head down to whisper into Rin's ear.

"Rin-chan…you do remember our promise don't you? Rin…please wake up for me? You can't leave me alone now can you? Please…Rin…please wake…onegai!"

A single tear fell down Konaosu's cheek only to fall on the frightened child's own cheek.

The tear shimmered for a moment as it dropped on to the terrified girl's cheek and glowed softly. The little girl's eyes shot open, one hand clenched into a fist around the pendant Konaosu had given her and the other hand flailed around, until she caught hold of Konaosu's haori and looked up sharply, tears flew down the peaked face and off her chin, spotting her yukata with the salty fluid.

"N-N-Nao-k-k-kaa-s-s-saaaaaan!!!"

The little girl wailed as she flung herself into Konaosu's chest, sobbing as if her heart would break, coughs began to wrack the small body as the cries became fierce and violent. What ever the little girl had dreamed about, it was enough to reduce the usually cheerful little girl to a sobbing wreck.

Konaosu let a sigh of relief go as she wrapped Rin in a comforting embrace. She walked them back to their original spot, and sat as she whispered comforts to her. After some moments Konaosu's soft voice began singing quietly in Rin's ear.

The small child soon began to calm down, the violent sobbing quieted down to a hiccuping cough that shook the small body every now and then. Her arms were fastened tightly around the older girl's neck, her face buried into the hollow of her throat as she shivered from her dream's aftermath.

"N-Nao-k-kaa-san?"

"Yes…"

The frightened little girl clung still to her, her voice muffled from being pressed against Konaosu's neck but, the suzaku woman could hear them as if Rin had been right next to her and whispering in her ear.

"Nao-kaa-san kept her promise to Rin, arigatou… Rin knew Rin could count on her okaa-san to save her."

(A/N: *Shihaisha and Yoake are biting handkerchiefs and sniffling with the big dewy eyes at Rin's little speech*)

The little girl continued, snuggled against the woman she trusted.

"Sesshoumaru-sama didn't know what to do when Rin had the bad dreams. Neither did Aun or Jaken-sama… Rin is…glad that her okaa-san is here now…Arigatou Nao-kaa-san, for saving Rin from the wolves again."

(A/N: *Shi and Yoake are destroying many boxes of tissues during this scene*)

Konaosu closed her eyes and hugged the little girl to her. She fought to keep her own tears at bay.

"You're welcome, sweet Rin…"

"Will Nao-kaa-san stay with Rin forever?"

"Yes, Rin, I will stay with you forever. Nothing could take me from you now; I swear it on the sacred flame."

Comforted, the little girl drifted back into an uneasy sleep in Konaosu's arms. Sesshoumaru had timed his arrival perfectly with the small child's awakening. The tears and fear never ceased to unsettle the great taiyoukai, when the little girl had had those dreams, he had always awakened her but still, a woman was best suited to those matters. Although, what troubled him was that Rin had not been so frightened in a long while, not since he had retrieved her from the clutches of the revived Shichinintai. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed slightly in anger, his eyes beginning to glow softly from the way the small girl had reacted after the events.

`Perhaps Naraku has affected the dreams of my charge. If he has, the disgrace to the very living will pay dearly.'

He walked out, his expression stoic as usual as he walked into Konaosu's line of sight, the flames from the fire reflected in his cold amber gaze.

"Has she calmed herself?"

"If you mean `has she calmed down', then yes, I have seen to that."

The edge in Konaosu's voice gave the taiyoukai clear notice that the woman was extremely displeased with him.

"…….."

His eyes remained on Rin, his senses taking in her heart rate and other vital signs. When all seemed clear, he nodded slightly.

"Good."

"Is that all you have to say, mi' lord?"

His eyes narrowed at the disrespect he detected in her tone.

"What business is it of yours to inquire my thoughts onna?"

The frost in his tone was nearly visible.

Konaosu's eyes narrowed to slits, and the fire flickered in response.

"If the circumstances had been normal, I would not have dared to inquire, but that was not the case. Forgive me, if I am concerned about why the lord who this child holds in such high esteem, did not come when she called for him?!"

The barely restrained fury in her voice matched the equal fury the flames were giving, the soft roar was audible in the thick silence between the taiyoukai and the suzaku woman who served him. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed as well, his eyes flickering with the fire. He didn't care for the tone in which she spoke with him but, the undercurrent of the natural mother instinct was also taking toll, not surprising, the woman had just lost her own mother after all.

`If the off-spring was this vocal, the mother must have terrorized the village more so than any youkai.'

(A/N: If only you knew…if only you knew…)

"This Sesshoumaru's whereabouts are none of your concern. When Rin called out for this taiyoukai, he was…preoccupied at the moment and was unable to respond."

The taiyoukai turned his gaze from the flames and returned to the tree he seemed to have chosen as his "spot" to rest and slowly sat down. A flicker of something crossed his face, something similar to a grimace as he finished the slow movement and began to remove part of his armor and haori.

(A/N: WOO HOO!!!!!!!)

The anger vanished from Konaosu's eyes as she noticed her lord's slow decent. Concern now etched her brow and she shifted Rin in her arms.

`Damn my healer eyes! AND my conscience!!'

Konaosu lay Rin down gently and crossed the span of space between her and her taiyoukai in seconds. She kneeled before him, an apology clear in her posture.

"You are hurt."

The taiyoukai paused slightly in his removal of clothing, his eyes unreadable as they caught the crimson of Konaosu's for a moment before returning to the action of what he was doing before.

"This is an idle wound, the fool thought he had accomplished this Sesshoumaru's defeat. He was mistaken and it cost him."

The armor was removed, as well as the haori, an ugly looking gash ran from his armless shoulder all the way across to the opposite hip. Other than the foul looking wound, his chest was well toned, a sign he was well trained and familiar in multiple forms of combat. Already the battle damages were healing, due to his youkai blood.

(A/N: OK girls, SQUEAL at the mental image of a shirtless and armorless Sesshoumaru!!)

Konaosu quirked her eyebrow, and focused on the wound. A small blush appeared on her cheeks, but otherwise her eyes did not reveal her embarrassment. She did not fail to notice the stump that had once been a well developed arm.

`I wonder how he incurred that? It is perhaps better that I do not ask now…'

Her eyes traveled from the wound to his amber eyes.

"An idle wound? I am curious what you deem a mortal wound? Oh, I have overstepped my bounds again…there are none who could mortally wound the taiyoukai of the western lands."

She smiled a genuine smile as she reached out and tenderly touched the wound.

Sesshoumaru's remaining hand snapped out and gripped Konaosu's wrist in a bone-crushing grip, his eyes were cold and dangerous.

"This Sesshoumaru is not in need of your healer's skills. Go tend to your child. This minor wound will heal in due time on its own."

A small gasp came from Konaosu and for a second a look of fear crossed her eyes. Her smile disappeared and she met the taiyoukai's gaze straight on. It took all her strength to keep her tone gentle.

"Forgive me, I merely thought that it would be better for me to treat your wound, than to wait for your youkai blood. I only thought that it would save you time and energy. If you would rather I not, all you need to do is say so."

Something in Sesshoumaru's eyes changed, something neither of them truly knew about, or noticed for that matter. A scent reached Konaosu's nose from the wound. A bitter and revolting stench of rot and poison fumes were blended in with the darker sour undertone of arousal that was always around the twisted bastard called Naraku. How Sesshoumaru had tracked down the beast was something she intended to find out, not to mention healing that wound so that the taiyoukai would not smell of the despicable manipulator. At the narrowing of Konaosu's eyes, Sesshoumaru's own gaze met her own.

"Is there a believable reason to why you are still beside this Sesshoumaru?"

Konaosu felt her anger rising yet again, and the flames flickered. Her voice held a curious tone as she responded.

"You are my lord, is it not believable that a lord should have a servant near him? Is your foe vanquished for good?"

Sesshoumaru could tell the woman was furious by the lingering stench of Naraku on his wound, it showed in her eyes and in the way the fire was crackling. His eyes narrowed in a mixture of anger and annoyance as he stared at his wound.

"Kugutsu.*"

(A/N: Kugustu- "Demon Puppetry" y'all know Naraku's fave trick by now right? Bastard hardly ever shows up to a fight himself, sends a puppet that he controls instead. Prick.)

Konaosu clenched her fist, as Naraku's words played over in her mind.

{You will bring him to me…}

For a moment Konaosu's eyes changed to flame entirely.

"I will not!" She muttered forgetting her close proximity to the taiyoukai.

The feeling of her nails breaking into the flesh of her hand shook her from her haze of rage. Her eyes returned to normal and took on a look of guilt, ignoring the previous order, she reached out and lay her hand gently over the wound. A purplish glow spread from her hand to the wound, alighting both for a second, before vanquishing the evil and returning the flesh to its prior state.

Sesshoumaru's eyes were back to the cold and unreadable state they were always in as she finished her healing. He suspected she was recalling Naraku's words and raised an eyebrow at her open defiance of his orders. The three words she hissed out under her breath made it clear that Naraku had probably informed her that he would absorb the very Lord she served under. Knowing the bastard hanyou, he had probably tried to force her to deliver him. Fool.

"Had you been sworn to another Lord, this Sesshoumaru would have inquired as to whether or not you blatantly disregard the wishes of your Lord often."

The taiyoukai rose easily from his position on the forest floor and began to move smoothly towards the left hand path of the clearing. Not even a word of thanks was given to Konaosu as he departed.

Konaosu blushed slightly as the taiyoukai rose and turned from her. She rose as well and stared from his armor and haori that lay forgotten on the forest floor, to his retreating form. She crossed her arms and quirked an eyebrow, a mischievous smile crossing her face.

"I know this question was not welcomed before, but I feel I must inquire to where my lord youkai is going without his haori, and armor."

(A/N: Poor Konaosu, slave to the very thing ALL fangirls are; the checking out of the bare chested taiyoukai.)

Sesshoumaru felt his annoyance rise and quickly diminish under the new thought that occurred to him. He turned, a glint of something unknown in his eyes causing Konaosu to back up a step unconsciously.

"If you are so insistent on knowing where this taiyoukai is going; perhaps you shall accompany him to the onsen and assist him in ridding himself of Naraku's stench."

Konaosu's eyes widened in shock and a blush spread across her cheeks. Something that wasn't unappealing. A hand flew to her stomach and she stepped back, clearly caught off guard. Konaosu opened her mouth, but could not find an adequate response. The taiyoukai was well pleased with himself for his wit, after all, he had finally found a way to shut her mouth for once.

"This Sesshoumaru awaits your reply."

Konaosu's eyes drifted over to the sleeping Rin, and she wished for the child to wake, but she slept soundly. `Curse my fate! It would have to be as such!' Konaosu could barely bring herself to look at the waiting taiyoukai, she was so embarrassed. `This is something my mother would have subjected me to…' The thought of her mother first brought a small smile to her face before her over active mind reminded her of the fate that awaited her mother if she did not do as Naraku had asked. Her brows furrowed. `Am I forever doomed to such things…?'

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed slightly in annoyance as he grew tired of waiting for her answer.

"This Sesshoumaru grows weary of your indecision, either you accept the honor bestowed upon you or you decline. Which is it?"

Konaosu forgot her embarrassment as she scowled in the taiyoukai's direction. `Why that arrogant bastard! Honor?! He would not even begin to understand the honor, if I actually accompanied him to the onsen!'

Konaosu crossed her arms.

"I'm afraid that your honor will be the only company you have in the onsen tonight!"

Sesshoumaru's lips twisted into his rare once in a lifetime smile, usually his appearance alone shook even the strongest youkai, his smile however, that would kill just being given. He looked at her, eyes still blocked off but definitely amused.

"It is rare that a mere onna, much less a hanyou is given the opportunity to bathe this Sesshoumaru. You spoke of only tonight, perhaps the next time this taiyoukai will not give you the option but order it as such."

This would play out quite well, considering the red it brought into her face amused him. He had heard his idiot halfling brother speak uncensored and seemed unbothered by the notion of bathing with another. His servant however, was quite prude.

Konaosu half turned from the taiyoukai, and stared at the ground, fuming. `A suzaku bathe an Inu? Clearly he hasn't learned what place his clan takes in the scheme of things!' Konaosu cleared her throat, willing her voice to be calm, less she seal her fate with her hot tempered words. She sighed.

"In all seriousness, may I ask, if it is necessary to point out my hanyou blood in every conversation. I am well aware of my lack…it has been a point of great discussion since I was a child."

The taiyoukai's eyes did not change, instead it seemed to amuse him even more some how.

"The topic of your blood does not concern this Sesshoumaru. There is no need to speak of your village either, you will have no problem with them."

His eyes glinted with something that shocked the flame right outta Konaosu; humor.

"What fool would dare instigate a feud with a hi no megami?"

He turned and walked without another word into the forest and vanished from Konaosu's sight. The image of his humor filled eyes and chilling smile stayed with Konaosu even after he left.

Konaosu turned staring in shock at his retreating form. `Humor? I did not think that such a feet was possible for him!' Konaosu turned away, a small laugh escaping her lips as she returned to Rin, and settled down beside her. Perhaps sleep would visit her for a while. Konaosu lay on her side and closed her eyes. She lay motionless for some time the only sound the crackling of the camp fire and Rin's breathing. She sighed, sleep would allude her tonight. The haunting choice she had to make would not leave her. `What am I to do? Betray the lord I have sworn an oath to, or betray the woman who brought me into this world? If I break my oath, the village will be destroyed, and my promise to my mother broken. I could become that which my clan fears, and hates…so I must either keep my word and live with a broken heart, or commit the betrayal and begin my decent into darkness.'

Konaosu covered her mouth as her eyes filled with tears, and speckled the ground beneath her cheek. She knew what she needed to do.

******************************************

"DAMMIT BAITA!!!"

Kagome's shoulders tensed as she yelled her response out.

"OSUWARI!!!!!! WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT THAT NAME INUYASHA?!"

:THUD:

Inuyasha became reacquainted with the forest floor and swore a blue streak into the dirt. As the spell lifted, he became aware of the slightly spicy tinge to the annoyed miko girl's scent.

`Ah fuck, now?!'

His ears flattened against his skull as he turned away from the young woman who, according to his fail-safe nose, was on her monthly cycle. His eyes caught the angry flare in Kagome's eyes and winced inwardly, it was always like this, she'd go into the time of the month where females were most fertile and sent off a scent to any unmated man that she was ready.

"Dammit."

Kagome glowered at him, her eyes snapped in irritation as she watched her friend and secret love interest stay a little farther from her.

"What are you cursing about now Inuyasha?"

Sango and Miroku raised an eyebrow, Shippou sniffed the air lightly and looked confused.

"Kagome, why do you smell different?"

Kagome gave the little kitsune boy an odd look and raised an eyebrow.

"What are you talking about Shippou-chan? I don't think I'm sweating…am I?"

"Feh, it ain't sweat onna, it the smell of your damned heat coming."

"What are you talking about?!"

"YOUR DAMN CYCLE BITCH!!"

"….OSUWARI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

:THUD:

"DAMMIT KAGOME!!!"

Sango frowned to herself and suddenly realized what Inuyasha was talking about. She walked over and took Kagome aside and whispered in her ear.

"Kagome-chan, he means you're on your menstrual phase at the moment. It isn't surprising that he can sense it."

Kagome's face turned a horrified beet colored red as she faced Inuyasha and gave the most mortified look anyone had ever seen.

"You mean to tell me, after all the time we've spent and traveled together, you've been able to smell me when I'm on my period?? Why didn't you tell me?! I would have gone back home and stayed there until I was finished!!"

Inuyasha opened his mouth before he even knew it.

(A/N: Uh oh, I sense a really REALLY big osuwari comin up!!!!!)

"Why the hell did you think I didn't tell you?! YOU are needed HERE to regain the Shikon no kakera! Just because you get the woman's curse doesn't mean you can go gallivanting off home to your world!!"

"……….."

(A/N: OH CRAP! *jumps into a trench and hides* Prepare yourselves people! It's the calm before the storm!!!)

Kagome's eyes betrayed nothing of her current emotional state. Miroku slowly backed away with Sango and Shippou, Kirara's fur stuck up on end as she too backed away from Kagome.

"Inuyasha……."

Her voice was low and she slowly dragged out his name. The hanyou boy in question began to back away from Kagome himself, wondering what the hell he had said this time before remembering and swearing to himself.

"Aw shit, Kagome, don't even-"

"OSUWARI! If you think you can talk to me like that; OSUWARI! You are sadly mistaken! OSUWARI! OSUWARI! OSUWARI! OOOOSSSSSUUUUUWWWWWAAAAARRRRRRIIII!!!!!!!!!!"

(A/N: *ducks down in the trench and yells* FIRE IN THE HOLE!!!)

:THUD… "Kagome, waita-" THUD…W-wait a sec, Kagome don-" THUD THUD THUD! WWWWHHHHAAAAAAMMMMMM!!! "GAAAH!!!"

Kagome stormed off ahead, pushing her bike along angrily, her aura flaring out wildly around her. Sango followed immediately behind the girl. Shippou and Miroku walked a little ways after them, stopping to depart some pearls of wisdom that the hanyou was in dire need of. Shippou was first.

"Baka, now Kagome's mad at you again. It's no wonder why the two of you never get anywhere." The little kitsune sighed and shook his head.

"I'm holding more hopes for Kouga now, at least he knows how to treat Kagome, unlike you baka!"

"Shippou....you little….when I get outta here you're gonna fucking get it!!"

"Osuwari! Don't threaten Shippou-chan Inuyasha!"

:THUD:

Miroku sighed and shook his head, the outcome of what man would win Kagome's heart was sadly in Kouga's favor at the moment.

"Inuyasha, perhaps you should take care around Kagome-sama every time she…becomes afflicted. It could prove beneficial to your health. Besides that, do you really enjoy Kagome-sama making you kiss the ground that much?"

"Bouzu, I'm going to kill you!"

The monk laughed and shook his staff teasingly at the still down hanyou.

"Just remember who has to tend to your wounds when Kagome-sama is this furious at you my friend."

Inuyasha glared after the monk and shoved himself up, jumping out of the large crater caused by his impact into the ground. He stopped and looked back for a moment.

`That fucker's bigger than the one she gave me before we met Menomaru…dammit.'

"Dammit to hell…how'm I gonna get her not pissed off at me this time?!"

********************************

A couple hours later….

*********************************

"Explain to me why we're going to see Sesshoumaru's wench again?!"

Kagome didn't even pause in her step as she growled out the hanyou's name.

"Inuyasha………"

He flinched automatically and tried to correct the situation, it was the first time since the whole curse incident that he had gotten her to actually speak to him.

"Shit, I mean, oh fuck, what's her name again?!"

Miroku generously supplied the name for his dear companion.

"Konaosu-sama."

"Yeah her, why're we goin to see her again?!"

Kagome pedaled slowly on the path they were traveling on, her head didn't even turn as she replied in the same clipped tone she had before.

"I have a bad feeling, that's all Inuyasha. Besides, do I need a valid reason to see a friend?"

Miroku watched Inuyasha try and figure out what he was going to say to that and winced inwardly.

`Be careful my friend, you are treading on the thinnest ice in history right now.'

"Who the hell said she was a friend?! I sure as hell didn't approve of that."

(A/N: Open mouth, insert Tetsusaiga, and both feet…maybe even a statue for good measure.)

"IIIIINNNNNUUUUUYYYYYYYAAAAAAASSSSSSHHHHHHAAAAAA… 230;."

The said hanyou immediately braced himself for what was probably going to be the most painful sit he had ever endured.

`Shit, here it comes…'

He was waiting a long moment but, the word never came. He looked up in confusion at Kagome.

`I didn't get sat?'

"Oi, what the fuck Kagome?!"

Sango shook her head and sighed, her pace was matched with Miroku's as they walked side by side.

"Those two, at times they fight even worse than Inuyasha and Kouga, don't you think Houshi-sama?"

"Indeed. I heard this once while passing through a village, it suits Kagome-sama perfectly. `Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn'"

Sango smiled softly and chuckled.

"Definitely fitting houshi-sama."

Miroku was pleased with himself and well, the notorious hand went where it shouldn't have. Sango's spine stiffened as her face reddened.

`Why that lecher!'

:WHAP:

Miroku was left nursing a throbbing cheek with a glowing red hand print etched into the skin. He watched Sango storm over towards Kagome with a small smile.

`She did not mind it as much as she slapped me for.'

Shippou muttered his own opinion to Kirara.

"It should have been `Hell hath no fury like a woman groped.' huh Kirara?"

The hineko mewed in agreement and kept walking.

Kagome finally answered and did not look at Inuyasha, her voice was most definitely colder than it had been before.

"Forget it, what's the use anyways? It doesn't work and nothing seems to get through that thick skull of yours."

He glowered at her.

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?!"

"Urusai! I'm not speaking to you."

"Dammit Kagome!"

"…."

"SAY SOMETHING BITCH!"

"……Sango-chan, after we check on Konaosu-san, can I borrow Kirara?"

"NO, YOU CAN'T!"

"Urusai Inuyasha, you dug your own grave. Certainly Kagome-chan."

"DAMMIT SANGO! WHEN I GET MY HAND ON…huh?"

Inuyasha stopped as they passed by one of the trees. His eyes narrowed slightly in the darkness as he walked over to it.

"The hell?"

Sango stopped, Miroku reaching over and tagging Kagome slightly with his staff, his head nodding over to where Inuyasha was knelt in front of one of the rough barked trees. Kagome got off her bike and set it down quietly before she jogged over to where Inuyasha was, crouching next to the hanyou boy as he examined the bark of the tree with one hand.

"What's up? Did you find something?"

The hanyou was concentrating on his find…not really. It was Kagome next to him and she was in heat. Something surged within his mind as Kagome leaned closer, he panicked and beat it back, yelling in his own mind.

:DAMMIT, KNOCK IT THE FUCK OFF!! THIS AIN'T THE TIME OR PLACE FOR THIS!!:

A darker chuckle echoed in his mind as the image of his full youkai self appeared.

:If it was yourdecision, I'd die mateless. I want to claim her before that dumbass of an ookami tries it.:

:Like I said, NOT the time OR place!! Get back into that small corner where I don't have to worry about you!:

:How touching, you worry about me. I willlay my claim to her when I feel the least resistance from you, pitiful bastard.:

:Knock the sarcasm you jackass! Like I'll let my guard down now. I'll claim Kagome when I'm damn good and ready to.:

:Great, my mate will resemble Kaede before then, wonderful.:

:FUCK OFF!!!!!!:

The echoes of his youkai self's laughter rang loudly in his head as he tried to focus on what Kagome was saying.

"I thought you weren't speakin to me?"

Kagome let out an exasperated sigh and glowered at him, her hands on her hips. She had been a little worried when she had seen his eyes flash red for a moment. Her worries were just proven to be unfounded.

"Don't act like such a child Inuyasha! What did you find?!"

He scowled when his youkai side made a particularly rude noise in his mind and answered her gruffly.

"I ain't actin like a child, don't confuse me with Shippou. There's blood here."

Kagome stopped in the middle of chewing him out and looked concerned. She knew by the look on her friend's face whose it was but, the words came out anyway.

"Who's is it Inuyasha?"

"…it ain't just blood either, there's fear mixed in with Sesshoumaru's scent…"

The hanyou's eyes turned cold and hard as a deep growl escaped from his throat. Kagome looked at him as he picked up something from the ground, the tips of his fingers were red from the bloody bark.

"What is that?"

He held it out to the miko girl to inspect, it was a blood colored flower but, it had somehow crystallized, turning it into a flower shaped jewel.

"Suzaku tear is my guess. There's one other scent here too."

Miroku and Sango gripped their weapons, a dark expression coming over their eyes as a matching expression came over Inuyasha's face.

"Naraku was here."

************************************************************