A Weekend Interlude by Red Falcon

Into the West

'INUYASHA!!!' she thought as she burst through the underbrush. Moving at speeds that would make her hanyou guardian proud, Kagome ran as if the hounds of hell were on her tail. Of course, that was partially true. She gasped as branches tore at her hair and bare skin, but she still pushed on.

Thanking whatever deity had blessed her for wearing pants today, Kagome leapt over a small pile of rocks and skidded down a hill. She muffled her shriek of pain as her ankle gave out under her. 'Oh kami, please let this end,' she thought to herself. She picked herself up and...

She shrieked as something barreled into her from behind. Kagome skidded to her knees and prepared for the feel of claws.

"Kagome! It's me!" the girl raised her head and breathed a sigh of relief. She turned to hug her assailant.

"Shippou! What are you doing here? You're supposed to be back at the village with Sango and Miroku!" Kagome gasped out getting back to her feet.

"I followed you, please don't be mad," Shippou ducked his head.

"I'm not mad," but a wolf howl in the distance stopped her short. Kagome grabbed the kitsune and shot to her feet with terrified eyes searching the distance for the owner. "We're in trouble."

"Kouga's shards are tainted aren't they? I saw him attack Inuyasha before I followed you," Shippou asked from the safety of Kagome's arms.

"Yeah, they are. He's possessed by them, I think." Kagome took off running as the howl sounded again.

"What if he defeats Inuyasha?"

"I don't know, Shippou. I don't know," Kagome's voice cracked a little on the last word. She tucked herself down to protect the kit as she plowed through more brush.

"Kagome! Go that way," Shippou pointed off to the left slightly.

"Why?!" she panted as she altered the direction of her plight.

"Please trust me, Kagome. I have an idea!" the kit said frantically.

The howl let loose sounded much closer to the running pair than it had been before. Kagome groaned at the pain in her legs. Still, she doubled her pace. She had to protect Shippou and her shards.

"Please tell me you have a plan in that fuzzy head of yours!" Kagome wheezed as her breath failed her.

"It's just a little farther, I promise! Hurry Kagome! We must claim sanctuary ahead." Shippou stated quickly.

They burst into a clearing. Kagome skidded to a halt and looked around wildly. The nearly full moon cast shadows on everything. The field looked surreal to Kagome's human vision.

"Now where?" She gasped trying to suck in enough air to calm her body.

"That way!" Shippou gestured ahead of them. He pulled himself up to look over Kagome's shoulder. "Hurry!"

"I'm gone!" like a bolt, she shot off like she had been released from a spring. She could move faster now that Shippou clung to her shoulder. Kagome pumped her arms wildly trying to pick up speed. She mentally thanked Inuyasha for pushing to cover a lot of ground each day. Without it, her endurance would have given out a long time ago.

Kagome could sense the distorted power of the shards gaining on her and the kit. 'Oh no, somebody do something!' she thought panicking. What was she supposed to do without her bow?

As soon as Kagome reached the far end of the clearing, she felt as if she had passed through a barrier. She slowed her pace slightly and looked around. There was nothing around her but trees and brush.

"Don't slow down! We have to be on his lands to claim sanctuary from him. This is unclaimed land between lands," Shippou cried, urging Kagome faster.

"What?!" Kagome started running again, but her mind was a jumble.

"Kouga is lord in the south, Kagome. We have to claim sanctuary from another lord!" Shippou cried out as their follower let out a howl much closer than comfort would allow.

"But if we're trying to get to the west, that would mean..." she trailed off as comprehension dawned on her. She leapt and ducked at the same time to avoid some low hanging branches as she jumped over a fallen tree. She felt herself pass through the other side of the barrier moments before the possessed wolf prince caught up to his quarry.

Kagome shrieked as five claws swiped at her back. She could smell the blood on his form. If Inuyasha was dead, then he at least did some damage. It was all Kouga could do to catch up to her, let alone keep up. He lunged for her but missed due to Kagome's well-timed jump.

"Kouga, please!" she pleaded over her shoulder. "Remember me!" His low growl terrified her. He lunged again.

"Kitsune-bi!" Shippou let loose his foxfire over his mistress's shoulder and directly into Kouga's face. The fire slowed him down enough for Kagome's adrenaline induced speed to put a few yards between them. Kagome pushed her body to its limits as she slid down a small slope into another clearing. There, in her panicked state, she found Sesshoumaru.

"Sesshoumaru!" she cried out.

"We need sanctuary!" Shippou yelled from his position hanging from Kagome's shoulder. The youkai in question looked up from his lotus position and glared at who would dare interrupt his meditation, but Kouga chose that moment to burst from the underbrush and tackle the miko.

Kagome pulled Shippou down into her arms and braced her arms to shield the kit as she fell forward to the ground, but the impact of Kouga never hit. Instead, she found herself and Shippou trapped against a solid chest with a strong arm around her waist. Kagome looked up to see Sesshoumaru's icy glare direct itself to Kouga who was now twenty feet away.

"I believe you have overstepped yourself, Lord Kouga," Sesshoumaru stated coldly releasing his hold on Kagome. He gave her a look that clearly said to stay put. The frosty lord stepped forward and drew Tokijin with his good arm.

"The miko is mine, Lord Sesshoumaru." Kouga sneered the title into an insult.

"The miko has claimed sanctuary from me. She is under my protection while on my lands," the Sesshoumaru declared without changing expression.

"We'll see." Kouga lunged with outstretched claws.

Their bodies were a blur to Kagome's eyes but she knew Sesshoumaru blocked each of Kouga's bloody attacks. The wolf was in a sad shape. His body was already covered in the blood oozing from several gashes.

Kouga swiped at the western lord and leapt back out of Sesshoumaru's range. Tokijin was proving too slow for Sesshoumaru and it was returned to his waist in the blink of an eye. His energy lashed out in a green snap striking Kouga's legs. The wolf found himself thrown down to one knee. He snarled viciously at his opponent and flexed his bloodstained claws.

For his own part, Sesshoumaru was panting slightly. Kouga was as fast as himself with the tainted shards. They also served the purpose of keeping the wolf's body intact despite multiple near fatal injuries. Most were no doubt brought on by a fight with his brother. The smell of Inuyasha's own blood clung to Kouga's claws.

Sesshoumaru crouched down slightly and leapt towards Kouga. The wolf shot to his feet and dove off to the side in a roll that brought him up in semi-crouch. Sesshoumaru hissed quietly under his breath as his hand cleaved through the open air.

Kouga took advantage of the distance Sesshoumaru had put between himself and the girl and raced towards Kagome. Sesshoumaru swore silently as he read his opponent's moves. Kouga reached out to snag Kagome when a green whip latched on to his arm and jerked him back.

"You're fight is with me now, wolf," Sesshoumaru said releasing the whip's energy.

Kouga growled angrily and spun back to launch another barrage of punches and kicks. Sesshoumaru dodged and saw his opening. The poison youkai let the acid build up into his claws and launched his hand forward towards Kouga's unprotected chest.

Kouga shifted to the side in a maneuver that saved his life, but cost him the use of his left arm. Sesshoumaru's claws racked down the wolf's arm leaving five bloody gashes. Kouga howled in pain as he jumped back. His arm hung limply by his side. Sesshoumaru smirked in a rare display of arrogant satisfaction.

The tainted shards pulsed as Kouga's anger spiked. Sesshoumaru stood calmly facing the wolf. Kouga's last rational thoughts left him as the hatred flowing through the shards forced him back into the fight. He lunged at Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru remained in his position for the wolf's attack. Impatient with the fight, the icy youkai waited for Kouga to make a mistake in his rage.

Kouga's lunge closed the distance between himself and Sesshoumaru, but the leap left him over extended. Flying through the air with no way to alter his course, Kouga's raised claws left his chest unprotected for just long enough. Sesshoumaru let the poison gather under his claws once more and with his superior speed, met Kouga mid-air.

Kagome gasped and stumbled back as Kouga smashed into the dirt. His body convulsed as Sesshoumaru landed lightly beside him. The cold lord simply looked down at the wolf and pulled his bloody arm from within Kouga's torso He then ripped the two tainted shards from Kouga's legs.

Sesshoumaru turned and stalked back to Kagome. He tossed the shards in her direction but it was Shippou who caught them. Kagome was dumbstruck at the sight of Kouga's body lying on the ground. She fell to her knees as tears blurred her vision.

"Kagome, here," Shippou said urgently as he pressed the two shards into her hands. Unaware, Kagome let the kit press them into her hands. Her power flared gently and purified the two fragments.

"Miko," Sesshoumaru said looking down on her.

"Why did you have to kill him? It wasn't his fault!" Kagome said as her breath hitched in her throat. She pressed her hand to her mouth and fought back her tears.

"You called for sanctuary. He would have killed you, your kit, and taken the shards you carry. I did not realize you wished him to continue his attack," Sesshoumaru sneered at her.

"You know perfectly well what I meant!" Kagome raged as she stood abruptly glaring. A faint glimmer of amusement passed through his amber eyes at her bravado. The girl was trembling with the force of her emotions.

She collapsed forward and found herself caught against Sesshoumaru's chest again. Kagome hissed in pain as her vision swam in front of her.

"You are injured, wench."

'So much like Inuyasha. Oh no, Inu...' her thoughts trailed off as she blacked out from pain.

~<>~

Sesshoumaru sniffed slightly. He could smell the miko's blood. It was slight, but she needed attending to. He gathered the girl into his arm and stared impassively at the kit. "Come," was all he said.

Shippou gathered the two shards that had fallen from Kagome's nerveless fingers and scampered after the lord. Sesshoumaru walked away trusting the kit to follow his mistress. They traveled in silence until Shippou found his voice.

"Where are we going?" the kit squeaked nervously. He ducked when Sesshoumaru looked at him from the corner of his eye.

"I am taking you to my home. You will stay until she is able to travel," he answered. Kagome stirred, but did not wake. "Climb to my shoulder. Your miko needs to be treated."

Shippou puffed up his chest in an effort to stir his courage. He hopped up to Sesshoumaru's shoulder. The kit had just hooked his small fingers into the armor adorning the older youkai's frame when Sesshoumaru took off. At speeds that would have shamed Kouga, Shippou hung on desperately.

Moments that seemed like an eternity to the kit passed until they reached the heart of western lands. The Western Kingdom's main house and Sesshoumaru's home spread out before them. It lay next to a stream-fed lake and lush gardens. Shippou yanked himself to a standing position on his host for a better view when Sesshoumaru slowed to enter the gates.

The few guards ranged atop a stone wall surrounding the complex bowed at the sight of their lord. Sesshoumaru nodded back as they resumed their watch. Shippou hopped down from Sesshoumaru's shoulder to walk beside the tall lord. He doubted Sesshoumaru would appreciate a passenger.

Two sentries guarded a set of ornate doors that lead into the main living complex itself. On the opposite side of the grounds was a much larger building meant for matters of state as well as what could be considered a ballroom for parties. As the lord approached, the sentries unbolted the doors and let them swing open. The entrance lead into an entry hall complete with columns and an intricately laid flagstone floor. There were fewer servants that Shippou would have expected and only one small raven youkai who was waiting in the hall for the House's master.

"My lord," the wisp of a girl murmured as she bowed her head politely.

"This miko and the kit are under the protection of my House. See that the staff is informed. The girl needs her feet seen to," Sesshoumaru said and turned towards a grand staircase. The raven girl dipped her head and walked off, her talons echoing off the vaulted ceiling as they clicked on the stone. The few servants tending the dim evening lights wisely waited to exchange glances until their lord departed.

"Wow! You live here?" Shippou exclaimed in awe as the staircase took them to a long hallway with intricate doors that were separated by forty feet long oil paintings.

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow slightly at the kit's display. "My ancestral home," he confirmed. The set of double doors that ended the hallway swung open to their master's approach.

Sesshoumaru lead the kit into his own personal study complete with floor to ceiling shelves filled with texts and scrolls. Veering off to one side, the taiyoukai passed through another set of doors that opened at his approach. The room turned out to be a small set of apartments with its own sitting room and adjoining bathing room.

Shippou looked around himself with wide eyes. He had never seen anything so grand. The young youkai bounced around looking at everything he could see.

"As you and the girl are now under this house's protection," Sesshoumaru said as he laid Kagome on the room's bed, "I expect you to act accordingly."

Shippou immediately stopped his bouncing. "Uh, okay," he sputtered slightly.

"The raven will return to clean her feet. I would suggest you both rest as dawn is several hours away." With that, Sesshoumaru turned gracefully and swept out of the room.

Shippou just stared as the doors closed again without ever being touched. He hopped up on the bed and waited for the raven girl to return. "Don't worry, Kagome. Sesshoumaru is honor bound to protect us now," Shippou said petting Kagome's hair with his tiny claws. He only hoped Inuyasha was all right.

~<>~