From Goodbyes to New Adventures

Disclaimer: Inu Yasha and co.=not mine.

Chapter 2: The Aftermath


The group remained quiet as they traveled towards the village. The three-day journey felt as if it took months. The quiet was grating and oppressive, but none dared to break it. Koga traveled next to Kagome as Shippo and Kilala traveled behind them. Behind that pair were Sango and Miroku, while Ginta and Hakkaku pulled up the tail end. The last two weren’t sure how to process their boss’s actions. They knew that Koga had just played with Inu Yasha, even though he did have a real soft spot for the miko he was escorting.

When they reached the well, Koga quickly shielded Kagome’s eyes. He couldn’t allow her to see the sight. She was devastated enough without knowing she had to shoulder another loss.

The lovely old Bone Eaters well was covered with boulders.

Kagome began to struggle against his grip. She pushed and twisted until she managed to get her face turned to see that her hope of seeing her home and family was gone. She slumped to the ground and just stared. No noise, no tears, just a look of total defeat.

Koga growled as he smelt a smell that raised his fur. Naraku. “Ku, ku, ku. Miko can’t disappear. Inu Yasha is defeated and the his miko has no way out of this world.”

Naraku released his miasma. Koga grabbed Kagome and signaled for the rest of the pack to run. Ginta and Hakkaku grabbed Miroku and Sango, throwing them on top of a now transformed Kilala. Shippo transformed into his hawk and flew to meet up with the cat; he landed safely on her back.


--Two Months Later--


Time had marched on slowly for the odd little group. Koga never allowed Kagome to go near the place of Inu Yasha’s death. He had, however, had the hanyou buried and handed the Tetsusaiga and fire rat robe over to Kagome. He understood her feelings and knew these concessions were a price that he had better be willing to pay to prove his love and affection for the miko.

Word had traveled slow of his death, though. Koga had sworn the group to secrecy, but word still got around from any who knew of the group. Kagome smiled, although it had lost some of its youthful exuberance. Sango and Miroku resumed talking about their wedding plans.

Koga led them toward the west where there were rumors of jewel shards possessed by demons near a small farming village. As the group neared the village, Kagome picked up on them.

“They’re just beyond the village. We should be able to find and retrieve them before dark. Maybe we can stay in the village tonight,” Kagome stated simply. It had been a while since they had actually stayed in a hut. The wolf demons were not that fond of them, but did concede every now and then-mainly to make Kagome happy.

The group walked straight through the village and to the other side. There standing in the clearing was a rather large and disgusting looking lizard demon.

“Alright, stinky, we can do this the hard way or the easy way. Hand over the jewel shards and leave the villagers alone, or forfeit your life,” Koga calmly made his offer.

“Hahahaha, do you really think that I am going to hand over these beauties to a bunch of humans and human loving demons? I could just use their power to kick all of your asses,” the lizard demon boasted.

Koga shrugged and landed one of his powerful feet into the lizard demon just as Miroku threw a sutra to purify the demon. The attack was a knock out. Kagome collected the shards, purifying them on contact.

Before the group could get back to the village, a quickly descending cloud appeared.

It was Sesshomaru. Astonishment held the group immobile. The last being that any of them had expected to encounter was Inu Yasha’s half brother. The sibling rivalry was too intense, the hatred was overly palatable and his distaste for humans too well known.

“Where is Inu Yasha? His scent disappeared and has not resurfaced,” came his demand.

Miroku was the first to speak up. “Lord Sesshomaru, I regret to inform you that your half brother fell in battle two months prior. He died protecting us.”

The cold gaze made the whole group including the wolf demons shiver. Sesshomaru’s only reply to that statement was a single nod. “What happened to the Tetsusaiga?”

“I have, Lord Sesshomaru,” Kagome admitted knowing that the ice prince could sense it.

Sesshomaru approached the miko and towered over her. “The sword is useless to you, you cannot wield it. Surrender it now and I will spare your group’s lives.”

Kagome stood her ground. “You cannot wield it either. Only Inu Yasha could. The fang rejected you then and it will reject you now. Your father had it forged to protect humans, and you have no care for them. You have no one that you wish to protect. Why do you believe it will accept you now.”

Sesshomaru emitted a low and menacing growl. “All that belonged to Inu Yasha passed unto me upon his death. That means this pack; his sword-everything is now the rightful property of this Sesshomaru. You will not question your leader. I am not as lenient as the hanyou had been.” His voice was kept low and made all the deadlier because of that. His next statement was surprising, though. “If he had taken you as mate, you would have been passed onto me as mine. I do know that his intentions were to ask such of you.”


~Koga’s POV~


As soon as the demon lord uttered his claim to all that Inu Yasha had, I knew that his intentions were to take everyone including my Kagome. If I don’t do something, he will leave here with her forcing me to battle for her. Inu Yasha may have been deadly with his sword, but Sesshomaru will be undefeatable. I have to claim the group because Kagome will not allow herself to be separated from her pack. I know that Inu Yasha may have been the leader, but Kagome formed the group and held it together. She relied on their support just as they relied on her as friend, sister or mother.

“Lord Sesshomaru, I have placed claim on this group. I claimed Kagome, who formed the group, quite sometime back but allowed Inu Yasha to watch over her because she could subdue him.” I hope this works. Why would he even be trying to place a claim here except for Tetsusaiga? Kagome is beautiful and a prize beyond compare, but what use would does Sesshomaru have for trying to claim her? She is human; although that doesn’t bother me he should abhor her for he abhors all that are human. He claims this every time he meets up with one.


~Sesshomaru~


My brother is dead. I was not the one that killed him. Seeing as the rest of the group lived, the one who killed my brother must have died. I will have to question this later.

This is my chance to claim the fang that can slay of my great and terrible father. I will also be able to claim my brother’s miko who has haunted me ever since she pulled father’s fang from its resting place within him. She was younger then, but she has transformed into a beauty. Her powers are strong, stronger than even she realizes. I can sense them hidden deep within her.

The wolf is challenging my claim. He has held an obsession with her. He will not let her go so easily, but does she desire to stay with him. If I upset her now, she will continue to rebel against me. Her miko powers could easily purify even myself. By claiming her, I may train to harness and utilize her full potential. This group would have the power to take out that troublesome hanyou, Naraku, with her in control. Not to mention the demons that she seems to have knack for attracting.

I know the wolf is taking in scent just as I am. She is ending her fertile period. Her scent holds remnants of fresh fruit and a delicate floral smell, cherry blossoms.

That wolf is leaning just a little closer to her than I like. He needs to be put into place. I can allow him to stay, but I am alpha.

This wolf, he is the leader of the eastern wolf tribes. He is the taiyoukai of the east!


~Normal POV~


Kagome noticed that Koga moved a hair closer to her in a protective stance as Sesshomaru continued to lean in towards her. She noticed their noses flaring. ‘Are they smelling me? Why?’

Sesshomaru’s response to Koga was composed and even. “You may stay with my group, Koga, but I will make the decisions with no argument from you.”

Sango, Miroku and Kagome’s eyes all widened at his voiced claim on their group. Shippo was approaching his surrogate mother in hopes to be allowed to crawl into her arms and protect her if the aggression that was present in both taiyoukai’s smell came to a boiling point.

Kagome slowly leaned down to allow her adopted kit access to his safety zone in her arms. Ever since Inu Yasha’s death, he had been less reluctant to let her go.

The tense moment passed once Kagome had Shippo up against her chest. The group would now set up camp despite the chance they had to sleep in the village. Having Sesshomaru in a human village was not going to work and the demon lord would not leave the group.


--That Night--


Lord Sesshomaru had left some time during the night to collect the rest of his party. He returned within a matter of minutes with Jaken, An Un and Rin who immediately ran up to Kagome to throw her arms around the young woman. Kagome had snuggled up with both Shippo and Rin.

Koga and Sesshomaru watched her actions closely. Koga felt a pang of disappointment because he had hoped to be able to hold Kagome as she slept. He did realize that he would have probably been challenged by the other taiyoukai that was sitting next to him. He had smelt his arousal earlier and knew it was directed toward his woman.

Sesshomaru only felt relief and admiration as he noticed the children’s and girl’s sleeping arrangements. Rin usually clung to him at bedtime. Although he did enjoy the attentions of his young ward, he did enjoy chances at peace and quiet as well. The miko, it seemed, was a natural mother figure to not just the demon kit but to the girl as well. Rin had talked endlessly telling Kagome about everything and anything. Kagome had given short but interested responses. He needed to talk to Koga. There was a chance that both could be the victors in this challenge. He could strengthen and increase his holdings while gaining the objects of his desire-Tetsusaiga and Kagome.

“Koga, what are your intentions toward my new pack, the miko in particular?” he watched the emotions in that showed in the wolf prince’s eyes even though his face kept its stoic quality.

“I have already expressed my intentions for Kagome to become my mate. She gathered the others in this pack. She released Inu Yasha. She is the true origin of this pack and needs it. She could not be without it. She is now stuck here and unable to return home, so I have every intention of seeing that she is not separated from a single one of her friends. She needs them as they need her. See that fox kit? She adopted him after he was orphaned. She accepts everyone here, even you, just as they are. If she really objected to you being around her, you would have known. I know that you can sense it; she is more powerful than any that I have ever come into contact with. I aim to see their quest fulfilled. That includes collecting the jewel shards and killing Naraku.” The pair fell into silence as they kept a watchful eye over their newly reformed group. They noticed the wind witch, Kagura floating on her feather overhead. They chose to do nothing as long as she did nothing.


--The Next Day--


Evening was setting in, and the night air felt warm and heavy. The group was forming new routines that were similar to the ones before. Miroku no longer really went after Sango’s rear; they had just gotten married that morning with the blessing of patience from the new taiyoukai in their group and a celebration from Koga.

Sango, Kagome, Rin and Shippo made their way down to the hot springs for their bath. Even though Sango had a husband who could have pushed to bathe with his wife, the parties still remained divided as they were before hand for protection and Kagome’s modesty.

The first job was to wash up the two young ones, and then themselves while Rin and Shippo played. After that was finished, they just normally soaked to allow the children a little more time to be just that. As the two women reclined opposite of each other, something began its descent from up above in the trees.

Sango let out a scream for help as Kagome froze, realizing whom it was.


A/N: Here is the next chapter. The third one should be along very shortly. I do so hope that you all enjoy this story.