The Hunt by Oroyukae

The Hunt

AUTHOR'S NOTE; I KNOW THIS IS A LITTLE LATE, BUT I WANTED IT TO BE A GOOD LENGTH. TANA-SAN, I PROMISED YOU ONE AND ALTHOUGH IT ISN'T MY USUAL GENRE [NO LEMONS SO ALL MAY READ] I STILL PUT MY SOUL INTO IT - JUST AS I DO ALL MY WORK. THIS ONE'S FOR YOU DEAR TANA, HOPE YOU LIKE IT!

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL HERE AT DOKUGA! ENJOY THIS AS WELL!

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“Milord!” the irritating and rather nerve grating voice of his vassal screeched out into the mid-morning sun. Oh how he honestly loathed that voice; if not for the fact that the imp was so loyal to him, he would take great pleasure in killing the thing to keep from having to hear that voice. “Milord! An important message has been delivered, and I brought it right to you,” Jaken huffed, winded by the fast pace he had traveled at just to bring his lord the envelope that held an unknown seal.

Cold as steel eyes drifted lazily toward his retainer, refusing to look at the creature’s face. Instead his gaze leveled upon the small envelope in Jaken’s sickly green grasp. He too saw the strange looking seal and did not recognize it. “Who sent it?”

Jaken trembled in the presence of his lord, groveling upon his knees before the great demon; he still held the envelope, waiting for it to be taken from him. “I do not know, my Lord Sesshoumaru; I was instructed not to open it, for it is intended for your eyes only.”

“Hnn…” the growl sounded, deep and more than a bit intimidating. Who would dare to send him a message and not reveal who it was from? Long elegant – but deadly clawed fingers reached out to relieve the sniveling creature of the object; he narrowed his eyes at his faithful servant then, hating the scent of fear that emanated from the thing. “Go now, continue with your duties.”

“Yes my, Lord Sesshoumaru, do not worry – I will see that all is completed; just as you ordered. This faithful and humble servant shall…” a slight startled squawk escaped him when the terrifying Lord of the West growled at him threateningly. The imp ran as fast as his stubby legs could carry him, just realizing that his master was in a foul mood.

Sesshoumaru looked down at the envelope in his hand, unable to deny that his curiosity was piqued as to who had sent it to him. There was nothing scrawled upon the front to reveal the sender’s identity; only his name could be seen, and he became even more perplexed. Turning the envelope over, he once more tried to discern what house the seal represented, but was unsuccessful. How intriguing. After a quick flare of his aura to ensure he was, in fact, alone – he brought the odd document to his nose and sniffed it; still, he could not tell who had sent him this so-called message, for there was no scent upon it. Even more curious.

Carefully he used a razor sharp claw to slice the top fold, opening the envelope and preserving the seal for later reference; he was not going to remain in the dark about what house it belonged to. Once he had freed the parchment from its holder, the demon unfolded it to find it was a personal invitation to some kind of hunt, apparently. Instantly he was offended by the notion that he, the great end terrible Lord Sesshoumaru, would lower himself to attend something so asinine; it was preposterous. As he continued to read, he scoffed at the use of the words ‘exciting’ and ‘thrilling’…as if they would entice him; it was clear that whomever the individual was had absolutely no idea as to the whom they had chosen to invite.

Although he had decided from the first sentence that he would not be attending this event, Sesshoumaru continued to read – thinking that if he did he would discover just who this being was, the one that had sent him the invitation. Just because he was not going, did not mean he was comfortable with not knowing their identity. As he neared the last paragraph upon the paper, he read something that managed to rekindle his initial interest – and the Daiyoukai found himself almost rethinking his decision to participate in this ‘hunt’.

“This invitation was extended to you out of respect for your renowned skill in the hunt. You, Lord Sesshoumaru, are revered both far and wide as an accomplished and talented huntsman. Your keen tracking skills are unsurpassed, and many have marveled to witness your awe-inspiring flair for a clean and precise finish. Truly, it would be an honor to have your participation in this time honored tradition – referred to in some cultures as the sport of kings. The presence of the noble Lord of the West shall ensure that this event shall be one that is remembered through the centuries.”   

Perhaps this unknown individual did know just whom they had chosen to invite after all?  He could not argue with their accurate description of his hunting prowess, for none could come close to matching his expertise; something he had proven time and time again. Sesshoumaru re-read the past passage, unwilling to admit that he like the way the flattering words stroked his ego quite effectively. He was above such things.

If anything, should he agree to put in an appearance – it would only be to serve as an inspiration to those who could merely dream of attaining a portion of his skill; he had nothing to prove to anyone, in anything. With him there, those who did participate would undoubtedly work that much harder to make the event more riveting and seek to impress him with their hunting skills – not that they could. It was true that he had not indulged in a hunt for the sport of it in some time, as of recent – he hunted in need of sustenance, and that was only when he was out patrolling his lands. The demon entertained the notion that, maybe, this hunt could provide him with some amusement at the very least. The anonymous being that so adeptly recognized his proficiency did mention that this hunt may very well become one worthy of remembrance…

He would think on it for a while before making a decision; the invitation stated that the hunt would commence in three days, giving him plenty of time to ponder the matter.

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“Are you sure you cannot be here dear?” her mother asked while she helped her daughter to pack up the bento boxes she had prepared.

“No, I promised Shippou that we would have a celebration there mom. Since I told him about it, he has looked forward to it as much as he does Christmas and all the other holidays. Souta said he would help you, and he likes to help all the little kids. You understand, don’t you?” Kagome cast a hopeful glance her mother’s way, asking her to say she did understand – even if she did not agree.

“Of course I do sweetheart; it’s just that we haven’t spent this holiday together since you started going there and I was hoping that this year would be different.”

“I’m sorry momma; I just can’t let Shippou down. Some of the other children in the village are looking forward to it too…I just want to make the day a happy one for them, some of them are orphans and see so little joy in their lives. I love the way their eyes light up and their huge grins just warm my heart so much.”

Hitome smiled at her daughter then, impressed with how kind and caring the young woman had become; it really made her proud of her Kagome. With a loving pat on her daughter’s shoulder, she replied, “I know you will make it special for them dear, and…I do understand believe me.”

Returning her mother’s smile, Kagome thanked the woman for being so understanding about it. The truth was that she had really felt bad about not being there for her mother this year, for the fourth year in a row. If her mother had not caved, Kagome would have felt obligated to her family and found herself explaining to the young fox demon that she would not be there to celebrate with him this year. Thank god she was not going to have to look into his sweet little face and see the disappointment in his eyes; it would have broken her heart to do that.

She lifted her pack as she prepared to head to the well house, her mind going over everything to be sure she was not forgetting anything at all…and then picked up the small duffel bag sitting on the chair beside her. Kagome closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath before heading to the back door.

Yasha was on the other side of the well waiting for her to return, extending his hand down to her when he sensed her presence and hauling her up and out with little difficulty – despite the fact that her huge yellow back pack was more overstuffed then usual. He didn’t mind though, for he knew what was in there, and he was just as eager as the kit was. That bulky, heavy thing meant that Kagome would be cooking a veritable feast again; they did not get to eat like that often and damned if he did not look forward to her odd little customs from her time. Spying the duffel bag she held onto like a lifeline, Yasha inquired about what was inside it, his golden hanyou eyes trained on the red and black bag. He was more than disappointed when the wench told him that it was just extra clothes and personal supplies that she did not have room for in the backpack. The two slowly made their way toward the village, discussing how they were going to set everything up for the upcoming celebration in two days.

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After much thought, the demon lord decided that he would, in fact, be attending the event he had been asked to attend. It was not a decision he had come to lightly; he had weighed the positive and the negative aspects at length, for he did not rush into things for any reason.  In the end, it came down to whether or not he was in the mood to put any other beings that participated to shame with how inferior their skills were compared to his. The answer was clear then…

A familiar sensation swept over him then, making the Daiyoukai pause in his steps while his eyes drifted to his right, knowing the cause was not far away. There were few that could make the great Lord Sesshoumaru give pause, and one of those few was about to breach the tree line any second. Just as he had expected, the individual in question stepped out from the trees, looking more than a bit uncomfortable to be in his presence.

“Sesshoumaru, I am glad I ran into you; I was just wondering how I could get in touch with you.” She fought to keep her tone normal, but it was extremely difficult to do; he affected her in very odd ways that even made breathing seem near impossible. Kagome waited for him to acknowledge her words, but instead received the customary silence he gave to all. At least he didn’t just walk away from her, like he did to everyone else – that was encouraging.

“I-I was wondering if you would allow Rin to come to the village and have a sleep-over. There is going to be a celebration, as it is a holiday, and I thought that she would enjoy spending it with the other children. She and Shippou have become friends and I really enjoy having her around…” she paused then, realizing she had started to speak very fast out of her nervousness to be standing there in the middle of the forest with him…alone. “Do you think it would be okay? There is going to be a lot of food and games; she would have a wonderful time.”

Without looking at her, Sesshoumaru asked the girl, “When is this ‘celebration’ scheduled for?”

“Well, I-I was hoping she could come tomorrow and spend the night; the celebration is the next day.” Her foot kicked the small clump of grass beneath it, just to have something to do while she waited for his answer.

If he agreed to allow his young ward to go to the village with the miko, Rin would not be left in the care of Jaken and the other servants; she would be with others her own age and species, thusly eliminating the incessant complaints from the imp about having to be burdened with the child while he was at the hunt. His ears would be spared the torture of listening to the screeching and squawking that made him contemplating ripping out his retainer’s tongue.  “I will ask her if she would like to attend your celebration miko. In the event she agrees, expect her tomorrow afternoon.”

The girl gave him a bow, her smile genuine, “Thank you Sesshoumaru, I look forward to caring for Rin very much.” Knowing the demon lord as she did, Kagome wasted no time in heading back the way she came from, feeling very confident that the small child would say yes. Rin had told her she really enjoyed spending time with her and Shippou in the village, and that Jaken, Sesshoumaru’s vassal, was sometimes mean to her when he had to watch her while the Lord of the West was away.

Once the girl was out of sight, Sesshoumaru continued on his way; thinking how fortuitous it was to have run into the miko as he did. Rin did not like having Jaken care for her in his absence too much, even telling him that the imp sometimes verbally abused her and made her feel like a burden at times. Sesshoumaru always had to delve out punishment for that, for no one made his ward feel like a burden – especially not some sickly, pathetic…

He stopped, not wanting to anger himself and spoil his mood. With his ward in good hands, he would be able to focus completely on obliterating the egos and self-esteem of all who dared to join the hunt,  their utter humiliation was now his goal, one he would reach without a doubt. The miko’s invitation could not have come at a better time. As he walked, the demon could not help but think of the benefit of Rin going to the village and spending time with the girl; the child always returned with interesting tales and intriguing information that had him positively enthralled to hear them. For some time he had found the tiny human female curiously interesting, desiring to know more about her but unwilling to seek the information he wanted. Fortunately for him, the miko took a liking to his ward and would request her company somewhat frequently; the two of them would spend time talking apparently, because Rin would return to his keep with a plethora of details about the girl, and he filed all he heard away in his mind for safekeeping.

Of course, none knew of his infatuation with the young miko; he kept it carefully, and successfully, hidden from all. It would not do for others to know about such a thing, for they would most assuredly attempt to use said shortcoming – his only shortcoming might he add, against him. That would most likely put the girl in unnecessary danger; she had no idea that he housed such interests in her as well, just as it should be. There was nothing that could be done about it; she was the half-breed’s woman, not his. Now, in the past whenever there was something he wanted or that caught his fancy – he would have it; this was not a possibility when concerning the girl though. It would not please her to simply be carted off to his home and told she was to be his, for she was unlike any female he had met to date. This human had fire within her, despite her mild –mannered, seemingly docile persona she displayed frequently, for the demon had seen her when her ire was raised and it was another cause for his interest as well. He had seen that tiny thing make others cower with her fury, especially the hanyou that he shared blood with; it was amusing to him on multiple levels. Never had anyone managed to make him chuckle out loud, but she had…many times, even though he had been alone when it happened; which when he thought about it, Sesshoumaru was quite glad for that.

No, the miko could not know how he desired to know more about her; what her hopes and dreams were, what sorts of things held her interest, and more. The great Lord Sesshoumaru had no honest desire to hear her ramble on and on about her wanting to spend her life caring for the despised Halfling and bear his offspring; it would serve as an implement to rekindle the drive to end that fool’s existence, and he had vowed he would not do that anymore. While there was no way in hell he would ever embrace that detestable thing his father had sired as part of his pack, he no longer wished to eradicate him … for her. She had asked him to let the half-demon be, to let go of the hate and allow Inuyasha to remain amongst the living. If she had not asked him that, tears in her eyes and a sob in her throat…

Sesshoumaru had made it seem as though he had grown bored with trying to end the idiot’s life anyway; that it had nothing to do with the miko’s emotional request, even though it had everything to do with his reasons for vowing to never sully his regal person with the half-breed’s blood again. He realized that day that the petite human could ask him for just about anything in the world and he would grant it.

His one shortcoming, just as he had said.

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Kagome clapped her hands together, looking around the hut and finally pleased with what she saw. Her azure eyes twinkled with delight as she inspected the small pink sleeping bag and vibrantly colored flower shaped pillow she had brought through the well for little Rin to sleep on during her short stay. Even though Sesshoumaru had not given her a definite yes, Kagome knew the demon lord’s ward would join them for the night. Rin loved coming to the village, and she had not had a sleep-over for some time; it was only logical that the child would want to stay for the celebration, she loved get-togethers like that.

The miko wondered if the Daiyoukai would allow the child to stay for another day or so; it would give Kagome something to do since Shippou had received word he was to report to the academy by sunset tomorrow evening. With her own ward away, there would be nothing for her to do once her plans for tomorrow were completed. Sango and Miroku were going to visit the monk’s mentor once the celebration was over – something Kagome had been very aware of for almost a week. Kaede had volunteered to help the young woman; which was a godsend considering that there was a lot to do tomorrow in preparation for the holiday.

Kagome kept herself busy these days, feeling if she didn’t – she would go insane. Her life had not become what she had hoped it would once the vile evil of Naraku had been purged from the land; something she found to be very perplexing. By all rights, she should have either been returned to her own time or the well should have sealed itself and left her there to live out her life in the past; that did not happen though, and she had no idea  as to why that was. Both her mother and Miroku had spent a great deal of time speaking with her on the matter and they had concluded that her destiny had not yet been fulfilled; which would account for the well still being active, as well as the nagging feeling of discontentment Kagome experienced regularly.

It was more frustrating to her than the search for the shards had been, along with her feelings for Inuyasha that had had her confused and heartbroken for so very long. All the poor girl wished for was to know what it was she was supposed to do so her life could become complete and content, it was something she felt she deserved after all she had been through. Everyone else was getting on with their lives, finding their happiness and moving on from the events of the past; why not her then? Sango and Miroku were building their lives together; just as they had planned to once Naraku was defeated. Yasha had even managed to move on as well, even if it wasn’t with her; he had sat her down and they had a good long talk about their relationship, and they both realized that they were not meant to be together in that manner. One would think that Kagome would have been a sobbing emotional wreck hearing the half-demon she had devoted a portion of her life to for so long was not intended to be hers forever, but she wasn’t. The miko had agreed with him. She wasn’t meant to be his, although just who she was meant for was a mystery.

Oh, Kagome knew who she wanted to belong to, but that was just a stupid damned fantasy; one born from being free of any misconceived notions that she was to be Inuyasha’s woman. No longer did she feel guilty about the thoughts that would pop into her head in regards to the male she desired, she could embrace them somewhat openly, indulge in them until her heart’s content…or until she came to her senses and realized that that was all they ever would be, a fantasy. Still they were nice.

Kagome whipped her head around with a huge grin, sensing their arrival, for there was no mistaking the aura of the Lord of the West; none possessed such overwhelming power that her own went completely haywire like it was that very moment. Rin was there.

Oh. Dear. Gods. He was truly magnificent to behold, his tall, proud masculine form in regal stride as he drew near her damn near took her to her knees – even if she did not show it; he was not the only one capable of keeping a completely stoic expression upon his face, Kagome had been practicing for a very long time. It was how she was able to keep everyone in the dark about her secret obsession; which, incidentally, was walking straight for her…er, to her. How in holy hell that male was able to make just even walking seem so indecent was beyond her, but she was not about to complain; she always enjoyed watching this fine specimen of the male form walk…anywhere.

The miko bent down and held her arms open to the girl that was, at that moment, charging at her full speed; she scooped the child up in her arms and hugged her tight, greeting her with a quick kiss atop her dark head. Of course, she stole a quick and discreet glance at the demon that was yet to join them. Sesshoumaru was not one to rush.

“Kagome! I am so glad you asked me to come, I did not want to be left with Jaken; he has been so mean to me! He won’t let me do anything fun.”

Setting the child down, Kagome took her hand and waited for Sesshoumaru to come to a halt before leading Rin inside. The woman was eager to see her expression when she saw the sleeping bag and pillow Kagome had bought for her. It took all the miko had in her not to swoon as the Daiyoukai’s aura brushed against hers, it did mean things to her, and Kagome was grateful she had the foresight to conceal her own when the time drew near for the two visitors to arrive, for Sesshoumaru would not have missed neither the spike in her aura, nor the one in her arousal either. It would have proven to be humiliating for her if he had, in fact, noticed.

The squeal that escaped the child upon seeing the gift her friend had brought for her made two sets of adult ears ring rather unpleasantly, but brought a smile to one face in response.“Oh Kagome is this for me? It’s so pretty!” Rin exclaimed with excitement, instantly lying down upon the fluffy pink thing to feel how soft it was.

“Yes sweetie; it is for you. I’m glad you like it. I instantly thought of you when I saw it and had to get it for you.” She could not prevent the smile that spread across her face then, the child was just too cute.

Shippou came running into the hut, excited that Rin had finally arrived. He had been waiting all day for the girl to get there so they could play together, having been keeping himself occupied by practicing his magic so that he could show Rin what he had learned since the last time he saw her. “Rin! You’re finally here; will you come play with me? I have a few new tricks to show you that I think you will like.”

Her dark brown eyes immediately went to her guardian, asking the demon if it would be okay. Rin grinned ear to ear when she saw him nod once, and in no time at all, she was gone – following right behind the kit as they raced toward the empty field close by.

If one dropped a pin at that very moment, it would have sounded like a great mountain crashing down inside that small hut.

“What do you want?’ Sesshoumaru asked, startling the miko in the process. Apparently, the woman did not expect him to speak.

“What?” Yeah, that was an intelligent sounding response. Why did she always manage to sound like an idiot whenever he was around? Honestly?

“For the bedding, miko; what do you want as compensation?” even though his words sounded irritated for having to repeat and explain himself, he wasn’t. He always sounded that way.

“Oh, n-nothing; it was a gift for Rin, I don’t need reimbursement Sesshoumaru. Thank you for bringing her here; I so love spending time with her and Shippou likes showing her his new tricks he learns…” Kagome dared not look him in the eyes; it would not be a great idea to do that if she wanted to keep her secret.

“You want this Sesshoumaru to be indebted to you?”

“No, I don’t expect you to owe me; I like giving gifts to people, it makes me happy. Um…you know – you are welcome to join us for the celebration tomorrow…i-if you want to. We would enjoy having you.” She pretended to be concerned with removing a piece of lint from her sleeve, nervous as could be about his answer.

He hesitated, taken off guard by her invitation; sudden conflict rose within him and Sesshoumaru found himself actually contemplating foregoing his initial plans to attend his hunt, simply because she had asked him to join the celebration. It would allow him to be in her company, to learn more about her firsthand; there was just one problem with that scenario though, a big one. The demon would have to bear witness to the miko and the half-breed …together, being happy as such. Instantly, he had his answer.

“I have made other commitments prior to your request for Rin’s presence.”

“Oh, okay. Are you going to another celebration?” she made small talk, still not looking at him.

“I have been invited to a hunt,” he responded as he started to drift toward the door. It was becoming a bit uncomfortable for him to be there in that hut…alone with her…with the beddings in close proximity. Not good.

“That sounds nice; I hope you get your quarry.” Kagome followed his lead and they both emerged from the hut, inhaling the fresh air deeply, for reasons neither wanted to admit out loud.

“I always do miko.”

 Just as Sesshoumaru was about to take his leave, his eyes narrowed at a sight that had his blood near boiling in his veins the second they came to rest upon the appalling sight. Inuyasha had decided to put in an appearance then, striding cockily upon the heavily worn path, his vile hanyou feet covered in filth since he refused to wear shoes. His very presence alone was enough to anger the demon lord, but when paired with the fact that the Halfling was not alone…how dare he come strolling up to the miko with his arm around another female? Had he no sense of morals?

Strangely enough, Kagome greeted them both warmly; calling the female Inuyasha was draped around by name with not a hint of anger or jealousy whatsoever. Sesshoumaru could not stop himself from looking from one being to the other, his eyebrow raised. Thankfully no one noticed.

“Kira, I thought you couldn’t come? Does this mean your grandfather is feeling better?” the miko inquired, a smile upon her face.

Kira bowed politely, “Oh, yes he is Lady Kagome; thank you for the herbs, they have been very helpful in his recovery.”

“You’re welcome. I’m happy you could come, the more the merrier.” Her deep blue eyes went to the scowling half-demon next to Kira. “Yasha, aren’t you going to tell your half brother hello?”

“No. Why’s he here anyways? He could have had that toad drop the kid off…”

“Yasha! If you don’t be civil to Sesshoumaru…” there was a definite threat in the woman’s voice, one that Yasha knew all too well.

“Fine! It’s not like he has ever been truly civil to me. Standing there glaring at me like that…Hello Sesshoumaru. There, are you happy now? C’mon Kira, let’s find Sango and Miroku,” he growled, steering the female away from the two beings who continued to glare at him.

There was no stopping the demon from inquiring about the way Kagome did not display any hostilities in regards to the hanyou arriving with another female in his embrace. He had to know why she did not get angry, upset, or even offended for that matter. Any self respecting female, demon or otherwise, would have had a complete fit…but not this female. “It does not bother you that he was in the company of another when he arrived?”

The miko exhaled loudly, shaking her head to dispel her anger with how Yasha had reacted to Sesshoumaru’s presence, “What? No, not at all. Yasha and I came to an understanding a while ago, we decided that we were not meant to be together; that we were only meant to find the jewel and defeat Naraku, nothing more.  Were friends and that is all.”

He said nothing, simply filed the new information away with all the rest he had gathered on the miko. He could not say that he was not a touch thrilled with this new development, because he did not lie – not even to himself. The fact that the girl was not attached to the half-breed unleashed a storm of questions within his keen mind, ones that he could not seek answers to at this time. Sesshoumaru would require peace and solitude in order to assess any new options that had become available to him. Kagome was unattached.

He pulled himself to his full height, towering over the tiny miko and replied he would arrive the following evening to collect his ward. He then walked off without another word.

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 Rin giggled merrily, thoroughly enjoying herself while Kagome brushed her hair and placed something called ‘rollers’ in different sections. Shippou busied himself coloring in the book Kagome had given him while he waited for the two females to finish, rolling his eyes occasionally at the things the two of them discussed.

“Oh Rin, I’m sure that he’s not that bad.”

“Yes he is. Since Naraku was defeated, Jaken has become very mean to me. He tells me that Lord Sesshoumaru should have left me in a human village and been done with me; that having me live in the home of the great Lord of the West was disgraceful to his lord’s good name. I don’t tell Lord Sesshoumaru everything Jaken does, I don’t want to upset him.” The girl’s words grew sad, her head drooping slightly.

‘Honey, you should tell Sesshoumaru everything; he would want to know if Jaken is mistreating you. You don’t deserve that sweetheart, you are a wonderful child and Jaken should be ashamed of himself for treating you like that. Maybe once Sesshoumaru takes a mate, you won’t have to be left with Jaken when he leaves.” She frowned at that, certain she was the only person to see it.

“No, Sesshoumaru says he won’t take a mate because demoness’ do not care for young ones. He says they don’t have the instincts for it and their children are left with caretakers, like Jaken.”

“So, he isn’t interested in any female?”

“Nope. I think it is sad, he needs someone to love him; he wouldn’t look so angry and fristrated all the time.” the child frowned then, not realizing she had mispronounced one of her words she used to describe her guardian. It was accurate though.

Kagome laughed, unable to stop herself. “Yes, he does look that way a lot. I don’t think it will happen though, Rin; if he doesn’t want a demoness as a mate that leaves no other possibilities since he hates humans.”

“He doesn’t hate all humans, there is one he likes. I heard him say it in his sleep once. I had a bad dream about the wolves and sneaked into his room one night, and he was dreaming or something. Anyways, he said how iron it was that he cared for the same type of being his father did, yet he condemned his sire for it…or something like that.”  There was confusion in her voice as she relayed what she had heard, not completely understanding all she had relayed to Kagome.  It did not even occur to the child that her lord would not be pleased that she was divulging information that was not meant for others to hear.

Kagome turned oddly silent then, finishing up with Rin’s hair and telling the two youngsters it was time for bed if they wanted to be up in time to prepare for the celebration. Instantly the children were up and scurrying about to get ready for sleep; leaving the girl to her thoughts on all she had been told in regards to Sesshoumaru and his apparent change of heart. Those thoughts remained with the miko all night long, even as she slept.

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The celebration was a huge success, everyone enjoyed themselves greatly and gorged themselves on the wonderful feast Kagome, Sango, and Kira had prepared – thanks to Kagome providing most of it. Inuyasha had made his contribution by hunting down a nice fat boar early that morning and slow roasting it over a fire until just after noon. The meat was so sweet and succulent, a perfect compliment to the other dishes that accompanied it.

The children had completed their activities, the small colorful baskets she had given them filled to the brim with the treats she provided for them to find. While said young ones played in the open field, running back and forth trying to catch the shimmering floating orbs called bubbles – again provided by the miko from the future, the adults lounged upon the grass so their stomachs could settle.

Of course, Inuyasha had to spoil the good mood by growling and grumbling; which everyone had found to be something he was particularly talented at. “I had plans with Kira; I ain’t babysitting so you can run off wench!”

Sango glared at the ungrateful hanyou, prepared to beat some manners into him if she had to. “Leave her alone Inuyasha! YOU don’t have to do anything at all; WE,” she pointed at Miroku and herself rather angrily, “are going to keep the children until it is time for us to go to see Mushin, and will drop off Shippou at the academy on the way. Kagome isn’t going to be gone for long and Kaede will keep an eye on Rin until she comes back. You should show some gratitude for all she has done to make this day special you know; I didn’t see you refusing to gorge yourself on the food she made.”

The hanyou huffed, but could not say a word. He had eaten until he hurt; which took quite an abundance of food to accomplish, after all. Once he stopped complaining, Kagome called Rin over to her so she could tell the girl she was going to leave for a while but would return later that evening. Rin did look a touch disappointed until she heard that she would be spending time with the slayer and the elder miko Kaede, and then she brightened right back up. The child had feared that she would be returned to castle where she would be forced to listen to Jaken complain about having to watch  her; she had been told that Lord Sesshoumaru was going to a hunt that day and would not be there as well.

Kagome hugged the small girl tight, bestowing a quick kiss to her head and sent her back on her way to play with the other children. A soft sigh escaped her as she watched them running and laughing through the tall grass, and she thought of how wonderful it would be to have a child of her own. While having Shippou to care for was very fulfilling and rewarding, he was growing up so quickly – as was the norm with all young demons; soon he would go off on his own and she would be alone. It was kind of sad really.

Finally, she lifted her duffle bag and got to her feet, ready to go. Hugging Sango, she whispered for the two of them to be careful on their way to Mushin’s and for them to tell Shippou to send word when he was ready to come back. Yasha resembled a pouting child, with his arms crossed over his chest and his face all scrunched up in a pout, “I’ll see you later Yasha. Have fun with Kira.”

“Feh, whatever. Why’re you being all secretive about where you’re going anyway? What, you meeting someone you know I won’t approve of?”

Before Kagome could say anything at all, Sango waylaid the nosey hanyou, laying him flat out on his back – seeing stars as his ears rang rather loudly. “That is not any business of yours Inuyasha! Kagome is a fully grown woman and can see anyone she wants to!”

“Just ‘cause we’re not together doesn’t mean I don’t have to protect her. You know the wench has a knack for getting herself into trouble and has to have someone come rescue her!” he barked as he rubbed the rapidly rising bump on his head from Sango’s vicious blow.

Kagome counted to three to calm herself, and then she spoke to her friend in an even tone, “I will be fine Inuyasha; I can take care of myself. Just enjoy the rest of the holiday with Kira and I will see you tonight.”

Without another word, Kagome walked off toward the forest. Her heart beat increased with every step she took; her hand clenched her bag just a bit tighter out of her rising excitement. The woman had seen to it that the others had a nice time today and now it was time to do the same for another person as well…herself.

If it worked out, she would have had a very nice time indeed.

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He growled with annoyance as his pink tinged eyes scanned the area again. No one was in sight; there were no other demons or other beings to speak of in close range anywhere. There was no mistake as to the location, for the instructions had been detailed and very clear – not to mention that he had an impeccable sense of direction and did not get lost. Ever. No, he was in the right place, this he was certain of – but then, why were there not others there as well? Had the hunt been called off? If so, then why had he not been informed? At the least there should have been a liaison there to relay said information, along with an apology for wasting his extremely valuable time. Oh, there would be punishment delved out for this outright display of disrespect – that was assured. If he had known the hunt would not be happening, he could have found a way to accept the miko’s invitation to join her…no, the village’s celebration instead. His was an intellectual mind and could have devised a valid reason to arrive at the village in time to…

His thoughts were interrupted by a slight glint a few meters away from him, drawing his attention and piquing his need to investigate just what the object was that had caught the sun’s rays in such a manner. Slowly, he approached it, his senses on high alert for any signs of possible dangers lurking about in the hopes to take the Daiyoukai off guard. Once he was in close range, Sesshoumaru stared down at the small, oddly-shaped object that shined up at him from the grass. Crouching down, he lifted it up from its resting place and examined the thing. It was made of an odd material he was unfamiliar with, and it was the most peculiar shade of metallic blue. Intriguing indeed. His strong fingers squeezed the thing and felt it give enough to reveal a crack around the middle that separated the thing into two halves.

Inside was a slip of parchment that contained instructions and a possible explanation as to why he was the only being there at that moment. So…the hunt had not been cancelled after all; it was commencing as planned, having each participant start out from different locations to make it more of a challenge. Okay, that was fine with him. Along with the explanation, a background of his quarry had also been provided to allow the Lord of the West some knowledge of what he would be hunting; which he could not say he completely understood the cryptic words supplied by the individual who orchestrated this event.  Apparently he was to track, stalk and capture a magical creature who has eluded many in the past; one who is supposedly unable to be captured at all.  This was preposterous, for all things were capable of being captured if the huntsman were skilled enough; obviously those who sought to do so were plain inept and unworthy of such a quarry. Until he joined the quest, that was. No prey escaped him…

Satisfied that this was not a complete waste of time, Sesshoumaru scanned the ground for tracks – instantly spying some that seemed out of place, for they were rather peculiar to say the least. The track indicated the being had a long and slender heel and the toes were pointed…Hnn. Now that he was positive these tracks belonged to his quarry, for there were no other being in existence that he was aware of with such shape to their feet, the demon inhaled deeply to attempt to catch the scent, but only caught the slightest hint of leather. Perhaps the quarry required a restraint of some kind in order to be compliant with the hunt? That possibility had the demon even more eager to commence with his hunt. It took little effort to discover the direction he needed to go; the tracks and the scent of leather headed deeper into the forest, toward the most remote part where others feared to tread. He however, was not one of them.

In a flash, he was on the trail – his blood igniting with the thrill of the chase, and his heart pounding with exhilaration at being the one to end this creature’s long stint of avoiding capture. Yes, this was going to be one for the historians to record for generations.

His quarry was rather tall, as far as prey went, and he dared to take on the notion that he was tracking an intelligent being of some kind, for it left barely detectable clues as to what direction it had gone. How pathetic, attempting to fool him into  going in the opposite direction with false clues like a broken branch or a curiously wide gap in the tracks left behind…

He spied another gleaming object identical to the others he had found along the way, and he wondered if this one was as empty as the others had been. Just why this being was leaving these things behind, he did not know, but he did have to marvel at the ingenuity of the creature – leaving the items concealed under grass, leaves, and the like…he had even discovered one nestled under a log. Impressive. It would not help the creature though, for he was the Lord of the West and could not be duped by such pathetic tactics. He had tracked and stalked many a prey in his long life and this being would be like all the others had been…captured, if not killed. He was still unclear if he was to finish the being off once he found it. The Daiyoukai smirked then, thinking how he hoped he would be allowed to finish his quarry off. The hunt drew on, taking him deeper and deeper into the forest; he had not been there for some time and it amazed him at how overgrown it had become since he last visited. The foliage had grown thick and lush, the trees providing an effective canopy to block out most of the sunlight, bringing a dark quietness to the area that would frighten some who were less of heart…

Another object caught his eye; this time it was silver and he mused about how befitting it was, for silver was one of his favorite of all colors. Sesshoumaru almost did not open it, believing it to be another ploy to distract him from his hunt, but then he relented and parted the two halves, pleased to see another parchment inside. Unfolding it, he read the words complimenting his for his prowess, and informing him that he was all that remained of the participants. The implied glory of becoming the only being in history to capture this once thought fabled creature made the demon grin rather evilly, convinced that his accomplishment would forever be remembered as glorious and awe inspiring; just as it should be.

A noise just to his left commanded his attention, the color of blood seeping into his eyes even more; it was there, the being he hunted was just beyond that clump of trees.  The smell of sulfur told him that there was a hot spring near; which pleased him greatly, for once he had tasted his victory through dispatching his quarry into the pits of hell, he would cleanse the beings blood from his person – maintaining his pristine appearance.

Silently he crept toward the desired location, barely allowing a breath to escape him lest he alert the creature to his presence and it try to run again…the foliage did not even rustle as he moved it aside, enabling him to advance on his quarry undetected…still he moved without a sound. Finally there was but a few branches keeping him from having his prey in his sights; it was a situation he was going to rectify post haste. In mere seconds he was going to lay eyes upon this supposedly evasive, magical being that had eluded so many…

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She could feel him there, despite the fact he used a concealment to hide himself from her – she still could feel the demon just behind her and to her right. It was so very hard to maintain her own concealment then, her very heart was trying to leap from her chest and her hands were practically convulsing with anticipation…it would work, she just knew it. There was absolutely no way he would refuse, not after what she had heard Rin say last night…

Kagome took a couple of breaths and fought to keep her hands in position, knowing he was about to emerge from the trees any second. She had made sure she looked as perfect as was possible to; her hair was brushed to a high sheen and cascading down her arched back, her lips glossed a bit to add to their appeal, her lashes long and lush- proper to effectively bat at him and perhaps call him to her, and her outfit was about as revealing and as tight as she was going to be able to stand. It was a costume she had bought at a shop in her time; one she had longed to wear but never had the courage to until today…for him. Sure, the Daiyoukai who was about to reveal himself would have absolutely no clue as to what a Playboy Bunny was…or even an Easter Bunny for that matter, but Kagome was confident he would not give a single solitary care once he realized why she was dressed the way she was. She hoped so anyway. Her shining blue eyes dropped to her side where a golden egg sat leaning against her exposed thigh, and she held her breath…he was moving again.

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Knowing there was still going to be a distance between him and his quarry, the hunter decided it best to get as close as possible before he attacked; who knew just how intuitive or quick this being was? One deep breath and he parted the branches and moved into position.

Oh. Sweet. God.

He was frozen in his tracks, his eyes nearly three times their normal size; what in the holy hell was going on? There sat the miko, perched upon her knees in the grass, parts of her exposed that should not be so openly displayed, and she…had rabbit ears? Was that a fluffy cotton tail attached to her firm looking backside? One look at her footwear and the demon lord realized just who his quarry had been…she honestly called those things shoes? He fought to regain his senses, for they had gone completely haywire on him in response to what he was seeing. Every square inch of her looked so appetizing that his mouth watered -   discreetly, of course.    

 With regal and elegant grace, the girl reached down beside her and picked up a gleaming, golden replica of the objects he had discovered along his way there, and she tossed it at him without so much as a look in his direction; which made the demon marvel at her precision as well as her accuracy. Inside was another piece of parchment congratulating him for successfully being the only one ever to have captured the evasive creature known as the Easter Bunny, whatever that meant; it also provided a brief  background on the origin and purpose of said creature – stating that this bunny brought sweet, colorful treats to ‘good boys’ deserving of them. It ended with the simple question that asked him if he was, in fact, a good boy or not. Slowly Sesshoumaru raised his eyes back to the miko turned ‘bunny’, confused more than he had ever been in his entire life.

That was until she raised those time stopping eyes of her and locked gaze with him. In a voice too sinful to belong to a shrine maiden, the vixen asked him “Well, are you a ‘good boy’, Sesshoumaru?”

 Many things happened all at once then; he realized that there was nothing preventing him from ravaging this little vixen to his fill – she was not the Halfling’s woman after all, and he discovered that his body seemed to like that tone she spoke with, if the instant tightening in his groin was anything to go by. He found that he had rather enjoyed his hunt that day, even if it was under false pretenses, and he managed to learn more about this perplexing little human female and her odd customs too. Finally, he realized that he was being offered one of the most delectable, sinfully decadent, sweet treat in any existence. There was only one problem though; why, for the love of god, was he just standing there?

A wickedly devilish grin spread across his face then, fangs gleaming brilliantly in the streaked sunlight filtering through the trees, and Sesshoumaru ever so slowly shook his head at the soon-to-be captured miko-bunny. “No, woman, I am not.”

The ever victorious Lord of the West then proceeded to collect his sweet treat anyway; he heard no objection whatsoever.

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