Serpents and Dog Demons

PMG thank you reviewers. You are all wonderful
usmorgan : Thanks I wanted to sharply contrast with someone else's reactions.
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as always read, review and ENJOY!

Chapter 10 : Secrets

Sesshoumaru found himself once again trailing the group, watching. He had seen Inuyasha's return to adulthood from the shadows and quietly left the area. He was gone two weeks when he felt compelled to see Inuyasha again. He did not understand why, until he got within sniffing distance, then he realized that Inuyasha was nearing maturity. The final change that would take Inuyasha from adolescent to adult would be occurring soon. That meant that the spells placed that day over a 100 years ago would finally fade, and the stark truth would be apparent to anyone who had a nose.

Sesshoumaru gritted his teeth, an indecisiveness that was not part of his nature settled in. Now, with the wisdom of experience and age, he hated what he as a young Demon had done. He watched the team fight they were all stronger now, even the worthless little Kitsune. They had been training and Sesshoumaru knew that it was due to the new addition. The black haired Hanyou, Sesshoumaru watched the ease with with the two Hanyous fought side by side, like a fluid dance between two perfect partners.

Sesshoumaru decided he hated it. He should have been Inuyasha's Alpha, but now he knew that position was threatened by the strange Hanyou. Finally the consequences of what had occurred before Inuyasha's birth were coming to roost. Sesshoumaru could not bury the pride he felt as he watched the Hanyou destroy another demon with ease, knew that he had some decisions to make.

**

“That makes for three more shards, Kagome, at this rate we are going to complete the jewel in no time” Shippo said with satisfaction as Inuyasha handed the shards to Kagome. She purified the shards and placed it into the small bottle. They had what amounted to almost half the Shikon Jewel by now. The attacks by monsters with pieces of the Jewel Shards were almost continuous now, it seemed the more of the Jewel they had the more the Jewel called to its lost pieces, and the more powerful group were now making smooth progress.

“Don't get too smug Shippo we still have to take care of Naraku and his irritating incarnations. He is probably up to something.” Kagome said slight worried, she was not sure why they had not seen the Demon since Inuyasha was a child, and his prolonged silence worried her.

“Keh, I told you, I scented a fight between Naraku and Sesshoumaru a good distance from the Village. The bloody Baboon is going to need time to recover if he fought Sesshoumaru. There is no way that old dog lost.” Inuyasha reminded the Miko.

“Well, Inuyasha it is good to see you speak well of your big brother.” Miroku said jovially.

“Bah! He is a fucking Dai-Youkai, I'm just stating a fact not complimenting the bastard, anyway I can still beat him in battle.” Inuyasha exaggerated slightly.

“Um hmm, yes of course, lying on your back while he walks away is always seen as a win.” Shippo smirked. “OOOwwwww!!!” Inuyasha's fist had found the Kit's head and the two ended up running around the group. Shippo now days never cried out to Kagome for help, instead he hid behind all the adult members equally (except Ban, whom he knew from past experience would have tuned him over to Inuyasha) and got them all involved in the little game. It helped everyone relax after a battle. Ban continued walking, his small smile at the antics going unnoticed by the group.

In the month since they started traveling again Kagome hardly ever used the 'Sit' command, and then never in Ban's hearing. The only time she used it was when Ban went off scouting by himself and was too far to take action. It had happened twice, and Inuyasha found that his resentment for the blasted leash on his neck was growing in leaps and bounds.

**
Ban was off scouting again, and Inuyasha and gang came across a village by a windy river. The village seemed prosperous and welcomed them happily, almost eagerly. That of course got Inuyasha's guard up, but Kagome 'sat' him into a sullen acceptance. Food was brought to the group, it was a strange meat of a water creature that everyone except Inuyasha who was still sulking and suspicious consumed happily. Inuyasha to everyone's surprise just ate plain rice. They shrugged it off as the Hanyou being temperamental especially since Miroku and Kilala could sense nothing wrong with the meat.

After dinner the villagers explained the situation to the group. The village had recently moved to this area and they harvested the river for food and sustenance. They had found these eels (that they had served the group) which were a delicious source of food. Initially all went well, so well that they were now expanding their hunting expeditions and exporting as much of the eels as they could to outlaying areas. However, recently a Serpent dragon had appeared and was destroying their operations. The villagers begged the group to get rid of the threat to their prosperity. Miroku accepted on behalf of the group, Inuyasha just wanted out of the village, he really did not what to help them, but with every one else feeling such good will to the villagers, he could not see a way out.

The next day the group followed a band of hunters out to catch more of the eels, they were sure the group would be attacked and the demon could be destroyed. The group left on a boat with a band of 6 villagers, to a more remote part of the river. This was a spawning area for the eels and a very rich harvesting ground that usually the villages avoided due to the attacks by the monster. To the little groups surprise when they got to the fishing area, the men lowered their nets and were catching more then enough eels to feed not one village but 15 to 20 villages. With the group there the villages explained they were not going to miss on the chance to get their best harvest ever.

They were there not 5 minutes when the river suddenly surged and a huge tail rose up slamming into the boat, the eels still alive slithered back into the water. A huge being rose from the river, it was a shimmering white in color. More then a hundred feet long. A serpent dragon, tiny claws protruded from its upper half, wing like fins ran down its back, fangs as long as Inuyasha, dripped poison at the intruders on the river.

Inuyasha drew Tessaiga “We gotta get off this boat! Kilala get the humans outta here!” Shippo turned into a big duck and grabbed two humans scrambling with them to shore. Kilala with Sango and Miroku grabbed two more, Inuyasha just picked up the last two and hurled them to shore. Kagome clung to him as he jumped and the Serpent's tail smashed the boat to bits behind them. The humans scrambled to the cover of the woods, while the group took attack positions.

Inuyasha rushed at the monster, it dodged his attack and flicking its tail caught Kagome in the back, sending her crashing to the ground and smashing her bow. Sango threw the giant boomerang and the monster caught it in its huge mouth, it flicked the weapon into the river and lunged out with some of its scales wrapping around Miroku. It squeezed until the man stopped moving, Sango and Inuyasha tried to cut the beast but its hide was impervious. Still the creature released Miroku and moved away, seeming to want to get back in the water. Sango and Kagome pulled their friend to safety and were relieved to find he was unconscious and not dead.

The serpent back in the water, hissed warningly at the Hanyou. Finally not having his friends in the line of fire, Inuyasha prepared to Wind Scar the monster. He raised Tessaiga, “Wind....ahhh!' Inuyasha almost fell as he had to break the attack and drive the Tessaiga into the ground. Ban had suddenly appeared and stood arms outstretched between him and the Monster.

“BanMidou what the hell do you think you are doing!” Inuyasha yelled angry at what may have happened evident in his voice.

“Stopping you!” Ban responded calmly, he turned and the huge Serpent stared at the Jagan user, and then slowly brought he huge head down. Ban reached up and petted it gently. Then they saw it, translucent scales moved gracefully around Ban and stretched out to the huge Dragon Serpent. The group froze as Ban and the Serpent seemed to communicate. Then Ban turned to the group, the Serpent stood behind him almost protectively.

“BanMidou-san that Serpent has been destroying the villagers boats, as they try to earn their living off the river.” Miroku said quickly to explain the situation.

“Actually all the Serpent has been doing is protect her young. She did not mind them catching and eating a few for their village, that is the way of survival, but she cannot stand that they wipe out full clutches of hers not for hunger but for greed.” Ban said angrily.

Kagome, Miroku, Sango and Shippo all went a funny shade of green. “Ahhh! T..the eels, we.. ate.. are.. Dragon Serpent babies? Oh My god!” Suddenly they all felt a little actually a lot sick. The villagers who hand been hiding came out with shocked looks on their faces.

“N..no..no that is impossible.. the meat is tender and good.” They spluttered.

“Yes, most meat of the young are. The Dragon Serpent only spawns here, they make their way to the rest of the world from here. They Dragon Serpents allowed you to make your home by their river, but if you continue to strip their spawning grounds, they will all rise against you and destroy your village.” Ban said as the Serpent hissed nastily at the villages. “You had better leave, she really does not like you slobs.”

The villagers ran off towards their village. Ban sighed and looked at the group. “This is the leader of the Dragon Serpents, she wasn't really trying to kill anyone, yet. But her and the patience of her people have run rather thin.”

“Err.. BanMidou-san you understand the creature?” Sango said.

Ban looked at her with a touch of surprise. “You know I'm a half demon right? What kind of demon do you think I am? I'm a Demon that has a Serpent form in its youth and if they get strong enough develop into Dragons. Of course I can communicate with them. Same way Shippo can with foxes and Inuyasha I assume with dogs, though I must admit I have yet to see dogs in this country.”

Ban sniffed the air. “Dammit you idiots ate the flesh of her young as well.” Ban looked at them with irritation. Kagome looked at the huge creature and suddenly felt really really sick, she slapped her hands over her mouth and ran for the bushes, Shippo soon followed her. (What happened there is censored for the sake of the readers.)

Miroku manfully ignored the tormented sounds from the bushes and only just managed to kept it down, Sango looked sorry but resigned. And Kilala went to sleep.

Inuyasha suddenly gave the remaining two a beaming smile. “I didn't eat any BanMidou, I knew that there was something strange about the village.” he said rather smugly.

Ban flashed him a rare smile and waved him over. “That's my Yasha. Come on then, I'll introduce you and then I can basically promise that Dragon Serpents will not see you as a snack or an enemy. The rest of you stay back, you all do smell snack worthy to her”

The others watched rather irritated themselves as Inuyasha fairly skipped up to the huge creature, Ban introduced them and the Hanyou got to gently stroke the tremendous head.

The group had a small discussion and basically decided that man being the greedy creature he was, would not likely leave the Dragon Serpents alone in spite of the warning. The group discussed different locations along their travels and finally suggested a more secure river that the Dragon Serpents may use as a spawning ground for the next season. Ban and Inuyasha hopped on the Serpent's back to lead her to the location, the other watched rather enviously as they could hear laughter of the two men, riding the magnificent creature.

They trudged back to the village and had long boring discussions with the village leaders. They did not mention the relocation plans, but instead warned of hasty and misguided actions, like trying to kill the parents to steal the young. Still the geed was evident in the villagers eyes, and even Miroku's honeyed tongue did not truly convince them. The group left the village, knowing that if they returned in a few months, it would likely no longer be there.

**

As they traveled East they suddenly felt a surge of powerful Youki ahead of them. All except Inuyasha paused. “Keh! Its that idiot Sesshoumaru, nothing to worry about.” The Hanyou snapped out as he walked on, loosing Tessaiga in its scarab, just in case.

“Your brother? The one who's hand you cut?” Ban asked.

“HALF Brother, and ya that dummy.” Inuyasha growled back.

They were all a little surprised to see Sesshoumaru standing alone in the middle of the path. The toad demon and little girl missing. As they came into hearing distance, Sesshoumaru raised both hands, away from his swords.

“Inuyasha you will come here, this Sesshoumaru has some information has to be given to you before you full maturity.” Sesshoumaru demanded.

Inuyasha stared at him and blinked. That was new.

“Err.. I can hear you fine from..”

“INUYASHA! For goodness sake show some manners, your brother just wants to talk.” Kagome snapped. Inuyasha glanced around and saw everyone, including Ban nod encouragingly at him. He shrugged, since he had his time as a child with Ban, he felt less resentful about Sesshoumaru's hostility towards him. He walked forward.

Sesshoumaru waited until the Hanyou was close to him, and spoke in a tone that ensured the humans would not hear. Ban if he strained could just make out what they were saying; and strain he did, no way was he going to allow this pillar of ice to hurt the fiery Hanyou.

--tbc--

Ya ya Im evil. *grin What can I say? Hope you are enjoying it...
Do you think Kagome has been punished enough??.. And the secret is pretty well.... remember this is me trying stuff..lol.