Healing a Taiyoukai by MuteShadow

Chapter One

Healing a Taiyoukai
-By: MuteShadow
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Disclaimer: I, MuteShadow, do not own InuYasha. Any InuYasha related items are strictly owned by Rumiko Takahashi and her producers/lawyers.

Visit: http://muteshadowsdomain.awardspace.com

Author's Note: This fanfiction was originally written by SilentAngel [Selena Bervaidous]. The plot, ideas and story belong to her.

Warning: Sexual Situations (Lemons, Lime etc...), Language, Gore/Violence and angst.

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Hello everyone. I have come to Dokuga and it is an honor to be here. I thank the hosts/makers of this site for continuing their splendid work of maintaining a site of this calibur. They are truly dedicated and honorable people.

I have decided to bring all my stories on this site and I will also be posting them on my own server found ere (http://muteshadowsdomain.awardspace.com).

I have had many people e-mail, message and contact me, asking me to continue this fanfiction. I have missed it almost as much as you all have. 

Read, Rate and Review;

-Signed: MuteShadow|MuteAngel

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Chapter One
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The glowing orb in the sky silently hung over the rim of the horizon, its bright rays sending colors of orange and red to settle in a quiet clearing. The autumn leaves reflected the flaming hues of the setting sun, casting a tense, battle aura to the area. Silence echoed between the two occupants in the clearing, their eyes boring into one another. Amber met emerald as the two sets of narrow eyes swept along the other with keen scrutiny, the two rivals apparently assessing the other's abilities. The figure in white stared at the demon before him with stoic iciness, his golden-flecked orbs becoming slits of amber with his rising anger.

"Hn."

The other demon smirked slightly at the sound his opponent made, his handsome face appealing with the small facial movement.

"What is wrong, Sesshoumaru? Are you at a loss for words?" he demanded silkily, his soft voice grating the other's sensitive ears.

Sesshoumaru glared at the cat demon with obvious contempt, his golden-hued eyes alike to chip to ice, his angelic features stonily set in an expressionless mask. His pale lips remained unmoved. He was unwilling to converse with this inferior being.

The cat's small smirk bloomed across his thin lips. Then, he chuckled.

"Or does the cat have your tongue?"

Sesshoumaru continued to remain indifferent, his face remaining as expressive as a white piece of parchment. His amber eyes half-lidding with loathing, the glare intensifying in frigidity, the taiyoukai finally spoke.

"You bring dishonor to your already inferior race, neko filth. Did you truly believe you could outsmart this Sesshoumaru?" he demanded in his soft, deep voice.

The cat demon shrugged his slender shoulders in a casual response, his lack of respect annoying his rival. "No. I knew that even an old dog like you would figure it out sooner or later." he answered smoothly.

Raising his claw, he began to lazily inspect the razor sharp tips, his interest in them false.

"It was only a matter of time and precautionary planning until it came to this."

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 amber eyes flashed dangerously, "you have only brought upon your own."

The neko smiled smoothly, unfazed by the threat from 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 announced firmly.

Sesshoumaru raised his head higher, glaring down his elegant nose at the miscreant who dared to oppose and challenge him. Raising his only claw from his white haori sleeve, he slowly cracked the knuckles by twisting his long, spindly fingers. The sound of the bones sliding in and out of place was heard by the neko. Shaking his head slightly, the neko stretched lazily, purposely disrespecting the taiyoukai by sighing tiredly. Loosening his taut muscles, the neko positioned himself in an offensive stance, ready to battle the taiyoukai.

The demon Lord mentally sneered. The cat demon was fooling himself into the thought of victory against he, Sesshoumaru. Glancing at Toukijin that remained in its sheath at his hip, he ignored the demonic blade. He had no need of it currently. The neko warrior before him would only be waste. The cur did not deserve to be slaughtered by his ken. Glancing at his opponent, Sesshoumaru inwardly smirked. Besides, it would be much more pleasant to skin the idiot then rid of him quickly with the demonic blade.

It had been too long since he had disemboweled a person.

Licking his lips nervously, 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 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, causing the 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 quick decent to the neko youkai.

Swearing under his breath, the dark youkai 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 attacks of the taiyoukai's weapon, glaring at the calm faced Sesshoumaru with spiteful fury.

"Baka. Did you really presume you were going to win?" Sesshoumaru mocked the demon softly.

The neko glared at him furiously.

"The name is Akihiko; not baka." He snapped, obviously offended to have his title casually ignored by the demon Lord.

Sesshoumaru stared at him in a bored fashion. "I do not care."

Akihiko stood erectly. Smiling slightly, he flicked his waist-length black hair behind his shoulder in a defiant gesture.

"You need to know the name of your murderer. I want to hear your cry it before I kill you." Akihiko stated.

Digging his feet into the ground, Akihiko positioned his claws in the format taught to him from his village elder. The adrenaline in his blood gathering in his muscles, he leapt off the ground in 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 despite his dangerous speed, Sesshoumaru easily sidestepped the attack, his silver hair billowing behind him due to his graceful movement. His only claw fisting, he slammed the large knuckled claw into Akihiko's face. Yelping in pain, Akihiko felt himself flung backward by the powerful blow, his body skidding along the ground. Dust, rock and god only knows 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, 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 hurriedly leapt from the ground, rushing forward again.

"Die!" he screamed, his eyes glowing in the descending night darkness.

Sesshoumaru stood in place, watching the black hair figure run towards him 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, almost watching the speeding youkai coming towards him in a bored fashion.

"You are weak. You will meet my Dokkasou." Sesshoumaru murmured, his amber eyes flashing with impatience.

Raising his large, delicate claw in the air slowly, the appendage brightly glowed a bright green; the claw tips 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 thrust it out of his palm in a huge cloud of green acid. Akihiko dug his feet into the dirt, his arms raised in self-defense 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!'

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, his ability to see suddenly gone when the acid melted them on contact.

"My eyes!" he howled, watching in horror as the world suddenly disappeared in an abyss of black.

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 his person made itself known in the form of indescribable pain. Hovering in the air, Sesshoumaru's arm going through his back and out of his chest, he coughed softly, gasping as blood rushed into his lungs and throat. A sickening gurgling noise broke from his cracked, dry lips, a sign of his impending demise.

Twitching at the haunting sounds of his blood hitting the forest ground, he slumped forward in defeat. Sesshoumaru looked down at the neko youkai impaled on his claw to the middle of his forearm.

"Pathetic. You were nothing but words." he mocked coolly.

Akihiko chuckled softly, ignoring the fact he choked on the blood rising in his throat from the action.

"No. I wasn't."

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,

"You will die, Sesshoumaru."

He then dug his claws into the flesh and released his poison through his claws into the arm. Stumbling backwards, 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 dead limb hit him on the chest, the useless appendage hanging on his side, poison dripping out of the holes caused by Akihiko's claws.

Trembling, Akihiko whispered,

"Fuck you."

Gasping one last time, the neko warrior then sunk to his knees and fell forward on the ground.

Seeing the bastard not move to get up, Sesshoumaru concluded the neko youkai was dead. Glaring at the neko youkai, the taiyoukai calmly stared at the deceased rival. Feeling the pain on his side, casting a cool look to his hanging arm, the taiyoukai sneered. His only arm was broken. He had felt the neko youkai tear the muscle tissue and split the bone in his surprisingly strong grasp. Watching the green poison hiss and sizzle on his flesh, Sesshoumaru noticed the poison was filled inside of his arm, the liquid pouring over the sides due to the large quantity inside of his damaged limb.

Turning to stare blankly at his deceased nemesis, the taiyoukai pondered the day's events. It would seem the neko youkai was an assassin trained to kill him, Sesshoumaru, by another taiyoukai. The greatest disturbance of this matter was the entire knowledge he did not know which one. Glancing at Tenseiga, Sesshoumaru contemplated on reviving the neko to question him. Growling as the pain in his arm made itself known, the taiyoukai scowled.

He was incapable to wield his weapons due to the infuriating situation of his arm being broken. It was bothersome to know his arm was broken but if that was the only annoying concern, perhaps he would have felt less aggravated. Due to the poison in his arm now melting the inside of it, 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. Butth the poison, the healing process would slow down tremendously thus endangering the taiyoukai 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 slumber. His golden eyes slanting, Sesshoumaru looked around him cautiously. Night was a most hazardous time to travel for an injured taiyoukai who was unable to defend himself.

Glancing around him, the youkai Lord began to walk forward to the nearby path. It was a 20 mile distance to his castle in the Western lands. Usually he could have teleported the distance and made it at his castle within seconds. Yet due to the circumstances, he could not run or use his youki energy to transport himself. He knew if he did, it 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 then.

Walking forward elegantly, Sesshomaru froze. His youki sensing was shrieking danger. His eyes narrowing cautiously, Sesshoumaru stiffened when another pain attacked his body, this time the injury much lower then his arm. Looking down, Sesshomaru viewed his newest injury. A slithering tentacle had ripped through his abdomen. Ignoring the squirming appendage, Sesshoumaru turned his head slightly to see a rather annoying figure whose tentacle made itself at home within his person.

A shadow hovered in a nearby tree, the white pelt he wore glowing in the full moon's light. Watching the hanyou jump from his hiding spot and onto the ground, Sesshoumaru growled furiously, his eyes beginning to change to a ruby red.

"You dare attack me?" he snarled.

"Ah, Sesshoumaru-sama. It would be foolish to not use your state of weakness to my fullest advantage." Naraku murmured, his ruby eyes glowing in the shadows of the darkness.

Watching the red eyes of Naraku slide to Akihiko, he watched the halfbreed lift the baboon mask from his face with a pale hand, exposing the dark beauty of the hanyou.

"You have managed to slaughter yet another rival Sesshoumaru-sama. How soaked are your claws with the blood of those who oppose you?" Naraku taunted softly.

His angelic features remaining stoic, Sesshoumaru repressed his youkai. He could not transform with his injury. His upper lip curling, the taiyoukai replied icily,

"It does not matter. You will be added to those who have died by my claw."

Feeling the tentacle leave his stomach, he watched the bloody limb return to its place at Naraku's back. Grunting in pain, Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed furiously, his sweat dotting his forehead. Turning his entire body towards Naraku, he refused to meet his body's demands to lie on the ground. Instead, he straightened his back, his body erect and stiff. Flinching when the sound of his blood dripping on the soil beneath his feet, the taiyoukai stared at the hanyou evenly, his face paler the usual yet remaining in its usual appearance of impassiveness.

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.

"Halfbreed, you dare attack this Sesshoumaru from behind? You are dishonorable." the taiyoukai demanded, his eyes slanting.

Naraku raised a black brow, smirking.

"I do not care for honor or pride, Sesshoumaru. No. I do not care for those trivial appearances that you seemingly hold above all."

The hanyou drawled. Smiling darkly, Naraku chuckled.

"Pride and honor are fools priorities. You are one of those fools who live by those inferior morals for appearance." His eyes flaring, Naraku murmured. "I do dare much, Sesshoumaru especially if it concerns you."

Amber eyes flashing, Sesshoumaru's glare intensified ten fold.

"How dull." he retorted dryly. His angelic features lighted by the moonlight, Sesshoumaru appeared to be a stone statue of impeccable beauty and an emotionless appearance. His amber 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 then 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. 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 obsessively on the demon Lor, his handsome face now blank and cold.

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

Sesshoumaru gave the demon a small smirk. "Everything you say is tedious. You fool yourself if you believe you can rid of this Sesshoumaru so easily."

Naraku scoffed lightly. "I expect it will be as easy as I presume, Sesshoumaru. With your arm rendered useless and your other one non-existent thanks to InuYasha and the Tetsusaiga..."

The hanyou snorted.

"I will rid of you as easily as I did Kikyou."

His long pointed ears listened to the grating sound of Naraku's infuriating laughter, his jaw clenching in his rising anger. It enraged him to near blinding fury for the hanyou to laugh in his face. Growling, Sesshoumaru jumped to the side elegantly, ignoring his wounds, when a few tentacles reached out to strike him. His gaze intent on Naraku, the taiyoukai 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, Sesshomaru felt his body swaying from the heavy scent of the toxic shouki.

Growling, he damned his weakness. Never, even when he was a pup, had Sesshoumaru felt this weak or disgraced. Squinting his eyes to try and pierce through the thick smog of shouki, the demon Lord growled when Naraku appeared before him out of the black smog, his pale claw transforming into a large spear of some sort. The red, malicious eyes of the sadistic hanyou intent on him, he watched Naraku smirk.

"Sayonara, Sesshoumaru. I will-"

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. Growling at the knowledge of his unwilling savior he stiffened when he heard the gruff, familiar voice shriek from behind the blanket of black clouds,

"Tetsusaiga!"

Feeling the earth tremble under the large force of a huge katana, yellow light burst through the thick shouki, piercing the smog with its energy. Naraku and Sesshoumaru instantly leapt apart, dodging the powerful rays of energy. Staring at each other, Sesshoumaru watched as Naraku snarled vehemently, his attention reluctantly turned to the hanyou intruder.

"InuYasha." Naraku snarled, his red eyes flaring with hatred.

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

"Stop! 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 taiyoukai 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 pulling 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 shoes. His eyes slanting, he fixed his youki on his feet, a blue light suddenly illuminating around his black shoes. Feeling his body stop its path towards the source of the powerful winds, Sesshoumaru ignored the blanket of silver and white hair swishing around him, his gaze intent on the hovering hanyou in the air.

Naraku stared down at the taiyoukai coolly.

"Until next time, Sesshoumaru-sama." The demon murmured before disappearing ina ball of miasma.

Golden eyes looked around the clearing, the shouki haven 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.

"Goddamnit! He got away again!" he snarled, his large eyes flashing expressively.

The sound of heavy footsteps grated Sesshoumaru's ears as the group of three ningen and two youkai entered the area. A girl in the most indecent outfit he had seen frowned sadly, her expressive cerulean eyes losing their excited sparkle. Her other comrade's shoulders slumped visibly from their tense posture as they viewed the bare clearing, the only hint of Naraku's previous presence was the few remaining strands of shouki that yet had 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 seeing the faint form of their shared nemesis, the tachi 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! You okay?" The owner of the arrow from previously asked in concern.

InuYasha turned to see the girl's worried look and growled.

"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 blue eye twitching and a vein pulsing in her forehead, the girl snarled.

"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 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 halfbreed and priestess were only a few millimeters apart, their faces red from yelling at each other. Suddenly, InuYasha froze in midthreat, his golden eyes widening in shock. Raising his nose and inhaling the air carefully in his sensitive nostrils, he snarled. Kagome watched the tensing of InuYasha's body and instantly notched an arrow. Sango and Miroku struck a defensive stance, looking 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 firmly.

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. Hurrying 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 erect and beautiful in a pool of silver blood 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. All of this tense aura due to the despised older brother. Holding their weapons loosely, the inu-group watched 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 know. 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, his tone hinting his distaste of the boy's presence.

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

Sesshoumaru's silver brow lowered, his face returning to its usual immovable flat disposition. "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. 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 in exasperation. 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 physically attacking each other within a few seconds. Biting her bottom lip thoughtfully, the futuristic girl inwardly groaned.

Why couldn't they just get along?

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 the shadows. Each step clenched his injured abdominal muscles, causing a titanic force of pain to hit his person. 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 this in shock. Sniffing the air curiously, the silver hair boy blinked in disbelief. Could it be? Sniffing again, his golden eyes widened.

Blood. Sesshoumaru's blood.

The new turn of events stored themselves into his mind swiftly, giving the halfbreed a reason to smile evilly.

"Oi, Sesshoumaru! Did Naraku bang you up?" he shouted from across the forest, a smirk appearing on his tanned face.

Scowling slightly, Sesshoumaru turned his head to the side and pinned the hanyou with a golden eye, gave him a contemptuous stare.

"You are a fool to believe that hanyou filth could manage to injure this Sesshoumaru." he bit out coldly, his tone edgy.

InuYasha cackled evilly, his group staring at him in shock.

His tanned lips pulled into a smirk, his handsome face twisted into a loof of smug triumph, InuYasha laughed like the Evil Witch of the West who had finally killed Dorthy.

"He did! I smell your blood and the scent of poison on you!" the hanyou continued, his eyes flashing excitedly.

Sesshoumaru mentally damned everything under the Kami. Why? Why did InuYasha of all possible creatures have to find him in this hour of disgrace? Frowning, his eyes becoming two golden slits in his pale face, Sesshoumaru stated in a threatening tone,

"Cease your annying noise idiot. I have heard enough."

InuYasha gave a smug look to the demon. Removing Tetsusaiga from the ground, he 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.

"Did Naraku take off your other arm?" he cooed slyly.

Kagome watched the scene in uncomfortable silence, her lips reluctant to part and form words. The entire notion of Sesshoumaru being injured was very much impossible to her. Her usually creative imagination could not even muster the idea of the taiyoukai being destructible in any way. Glancing at Sesshoumaru's sleeve, she gasped. Her eyes focusing on the stiff youkai's side, Kagome noticed it.

She had been treating and healing the group for almost two years now and knew from the slump of the demon's arm and the blood that his arm was broken.

'Sesshoumaru's only arm is broken! He can't fight or defend himself...did Naraku do this?' she asked herself, refraining from sharing the information with InuYasha.

She knew that if InuYasha was aware of the full extent of Sesshoumaru's injuries, he would rush to kill off the demon Lord. Biting her bottom lip, she stared at the blank-faced demon. Twice he had tried to kill her. First in their Father's tomb. The second because she had defended InuYasha. Yet, the taiyoukai had aided them a few times. Reluctantly or willing she did not know but she still viewed Sesshoumaru in a different light opposed to when she first met the infamous dog demon.

Sesshomaru heard the girl's gasp and growled deep in his throat. She knew. Would she let the half-breed know? His eyes pinning hers, Sesshomaru looked coldly into her eyes. His eyes challenged her, a raw threat evident in the amber gaze of the taiyoukai.

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 Sesshoumaru's stare not being directed to him, InuYasha surveyed 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 amber pools, InuYasha smirked.

"Looks like your arm is a little bit limp there, Sesshomaru. Why don't you come and fight me?" the halfbreed leered.

Sesshomaru turned his head slowly back to his brother, leaving the stunned miko to her thoughts. So the lowly cur had figured it on his own? What a surprise. He thought the imbecile was too dim to notice anything; even something this obvious. His eyes narrowing, Sesshomaru remained silent. Why should he waste his time with this lowly half-breed? It would be better teleporting and having his arm rip off then have to listen to his annoying voice for any longer. Sesshoumaru could indefinitely wait two hundred years for it to grow back if it was assured that the hanyou would never know and he would never have to listen to the imbecile again.

Seeing the blank stare on the taiyoukai's face, InuYasha felt years of hatred build in him. Snarling, InuYasha raced to Sesshomaru and swiped the air in front of the detached youkai, intending to cut open the demon viciously.

Back stepping the surprise attack, Sesshoumaru stiffened, knowing his body was unbalanced now without his other arm. His eyes slightly widening in shock, Sesshomaru fell back, his body heading towards the ground. With the sound of a 'thump' and the rise of dust, Sesshomaru felt his back meet the soil that had once been underneath his feet a few seconds ago. Looking up into his brother's face, Sesshomaru felt his self-pride and honor instantly leave him. 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.

'This Sesshomaru 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, Sesshomaru looked at the hanyou impassively as his amber eyes showed his hatred for the lowly being.

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

Sesshoumaru glared at InuYasha silently. He refused to be goaded into saying anything else to the idiot. 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!"

The entire group gasped in shock as InuYasha readied to swing Tetsusaiga down on his brother's head. Her eyes widening in horror, Kagome watched InuYasha ready to kill Sesshoumaru. With out thinking a second time, 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 intent with a purpose, Kagome yelled, "Stop!"

InuYasha ceased his attack to decapitate the pale demon and turned to scowl in confusion at the miko. "Wh-What?!" he yelled to the girl.

Kagome jumped in front of the hanyou, her arms spread out in a protective stance. Panting, she stared into InuYasha's face that was currently wearing an amusing expression of shock and anger. Her eyes flashing dangerously, she stated calmly,

"Stop."

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 considered his own was standing in between them, telling him to stop from killing the guy who had tried to kill him [and her] countless times. His eyes slanting, InuYasha snarled.

"What the fuck Kagome! Why are you telling me to stop?! I've got the bastard where I want him!" he shouted while waving Tetsusaiga in the air furiously.

Scowling at InuYasha, the girl placed her fists firmly on her small, curved hips, her legs set on the ground. "He is injured InuYasha." she stated firmly.

InuYasha frowned. "I know. So what about it?"

Kagome sighed. "You can not kill Sesshoumaru while he is injured. That is dishonorable and very unfair!" she shouted.

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 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, 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 killed, it would have been funny.

Sighing, the houshi nodded slowly.

"Perhaps you are right, Sango. I fear for InuYasha's safety however." he muttered 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.

"No! How could you try and kill your own brother? Especially when he is injured so severely!" she screamed, oblivious to the pain her shriek caused to both InuYasha and Sesshoumaru.

InuYasha blinked in surprise for a moment then snarled.

"What the fuck?! How many times did he fucking try and kill me and steal Tetsusaiga?! Are you defending this bastard's life!?" he yelled in disbelief, his golden eyes reddening.

Her beautiful face set in a grim look of determination, Kagome glared at the boy.

"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!" Panting, she added quickly to stall InuYasha's large mouth, "Besides, he hasn't attacked you for four months now!"

Growling, InuYasha seethed. "Fuck that!" he shouted.

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 rising in the air, Sesshomaru looked through dead, golden eyes as his Father's blade was coming down towards his inept body. His face blank, his eyes hard, Sesshomaru accepted his death gracefully. To think, his demise caused by a hanyou of his own blood...

The thought made him want to somehow commit suicide before the blade struck him. He would rather die by his own claw then by this idiot. Perhaps he could somehow roll to a nearby cliff and manage to fall down it?

"Osuwari!" Kagome's voice and that cursed word ceased the attack immediately.

From his position on the ground, Sesshomaru watched in fascination and smug amusement as the hanyou plummeted to the earth and managed to create a crater underneath his puny body. Removing the smirk from his pale lips, Sesshoumaru inwardly applauded the miko. Perhaps this one ningen was good for something.

Groaning, InuYasha crawled out of the crater, growling. "No fucking way am I-"

"Osuwari." The girl interrupted coldly.

InuYasha yelped as he crashed into the earth again. Snarling viciously he leapt up again.

"No-"

"Osuwari."

"Fucking-"

"Osuwari."

"Way-"

"Osuwari."

Kagome watched InuYasha crash into the ground repeatedly, her heart twisting. She wished she could have persuaded InuYasha much more nicely, but the stubborn baka could only see the opportunity he had been waiting for centuries. Glancing at Sesshoumaru, noting the cruel smugness in his golden eyes as he watched InuYasha be punished by a ningen woman who simply uttered a word to do so, she sighed. She knew what she had to do. Looking at the swearing red figure in a five meter crater, she inwardly groaned. InuYasha was going to kill her himself.

Continuing to say the dreaded word 'osuwari' for a few minutes, InuYasha finally noticed his aching body and the still stubborn Kagome. Panting, InuYasha threw his claws in the air and shouted,

"Fine! Whatever! You fucking win this time bitch!"

Standing shakily, his body swaying to and fro from being unbalanced [it was now used to being thrown to the ground] he sheathed his sword and snarled at the angry girl.

"Now let's fucking go. This bastard can die from starvation for all I care."

Her eyes narrowing more dangerously, Kagome gathered all her courage and walked up to InuYasha.

"No."

Pausing a bit hesitantly, she said firmly, "We're taking Sesshoumaru with us. We need to heal 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 arm, his emerald eyes peeking through the black fabric 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 cool, calm voice interrupted the boy smoothly.

Everyone turned to see Sesshomaru 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. Her eyes softening, Kagome walked towards the youkai hesitantly.

"Sesshoumaru-"

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

Biting her bottom lip thoughtfully, Kagome heard InuYasha mutter,

"Just leave the bastard here to die Kagome. He'd probably let Naraku help him before a human."

InuYasha glowered at the ground stubbornly, his pride and feelings wounded from the girl he considered his own 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, Sesshomaru-sama, your wounds are fatal and with your arm broken you can not possibly fend for yourself-"

"This Sesshomaru can care for himself. I do not need your aid, wench." he stated in a frosty manner, his amber eyes resembling chipped ice.

Licking her lips, noticing they were dry, the girl looked at the bleeding lord. 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 in famed 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 smartly, hoping that Sesshomaru would accept her logic.

Sesshomaru stared at the wench with unconcealed superiority. 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 sea if he accepted this ningen miko and his brother's help. He could not depend on a ningen and his hanyou half-brother.

But what of his pride and honor?

Kagome understood why the taiyoukai 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 taiyoukai 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 just 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.

Sesshomaru 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. This Sesshomaru has 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 her head, she nodded.

"Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama."

______________________________________________________________________________________

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