The Sacred Trees

This is dedicated to the wonderful people who reviewed. Thanks so much. Please keep reviewing if you want to motivate faster posts.
Evilgenius: I did not know his name meant “Dog spirit of the Woods” But I am definitely writing that in some time.. For now am trying to keep Sess true to the manga but he has serious issues.. he changes later.. lol.
PrincessSin : No Sess cant talk to the trees. The only reason they could hear the great tree was because Inuyasha hand been placed on the tree. Sess is well... read and see. What happened to the Yokai will unfold slowly. Lol
Ladykaa28 : Sesshoumaru was just too far away from the tree at that time. He felt his brother.. well read what exactly he felt. As for the family, Sess is alive ne? Lets just say there are plans...
FluffysGreenComb ;** This is a tree huggers fic. LOL
Lady Laran, kmoaton, Vyperbites, kyuubifreak, nakatanizell, Kasia-chan, Pumpkinpi and Tachimaru, thanks and continued as requested.

For reviewers just so you know I had not really planned on focusing on Sesshoumaru, but since you seemed really interested in his reaction.. well who am I to ignore the Daiyoukai.

Enjoy

Chapter 2 : New Journeys


It took Sesshoumaru two nights of flying to reach the the Forest of Inuyasha. His nose gave him the most pertinent information.

Poison, mixed inextricably with the scent of his half brother. Sesshoumaru knew poisons, and this was a poison far greater then his own, with the bitter aftertaste of the Shikon Jewel on it, it was much more toxic then the poison Magatsuhi had used on him.

He followed his brother's scent past the tree and to the well where it vanished. He knew what had happened; the blasted ningen had sent the hanyou to the Miko's world! But the breaking of his bond with his brother meant that the Miko had failed! Had failed miserably!

Sesshoumaru knew his brother was gone. The Daiyoukai was denied even a body to mourn!

His roar shook the trees, and had the warriors in the village scramble for their weapons.

He had failed. Guilt and blame rose like bile in his chest. For the first time in his life he had failed, and there was no redeeming the failure. His father had know, he was the stronger one. He was independent complete within himself, he had no need for a fang, because he could surpass his father and produce a fang of his own. Bakusaiga. He was born as the Lord, the one who's word was law, and the one who in return protected his own. Until Rin he had refused to recognize that. Until he had lost his arm to the hanyou in battle he had not comprehended the strength those that had something to protect possessed. He had thought his father favored the hanyou and had despised that. But know he knew. His father had known them, known them both.

His brother was a half demon in a demon's world. He went toe to toe with those of whom by virtue of pureness of blood he should have been crushed by, and yet had emerged victor by virtue of his heart. His father had given Inuyasha the more powerful sword because his younger brother had needed it, it was Inuyasha's nature to be dependent, to need a pack. That need had led to the foolishness with the Mikos.

His father had even managed to force his hand and trick him into training the inu-hanyou. He had perfected the Meidou Zangetsuha and that his father had arranged for Inuyasha to steal it that had at the time maddened him. It had taken him a while to appreciate his father's faith in him. To understand that his father had given the hanyou much power because the hanyou had NEEDED it to win. Inuyasha had needed the protection of the sword, Sesshoumaru had never needed more then himself to be a prefect weapon and warrior.

It was the nature of the Inu-youkai to protect the weaker, and seek protection from pack members that were stronger. Inuyasha had never had that luxury. When by all the laws of their clan the puppy should have been protected, the young one had instead been forced to be a protector, and had learned to adsorb pain and take damage far beyond the capabilities of most youkai.

Sesshoumaru tasted the bitter tang of failure.. he had failed.. failed as a protector,.. failed as a son, and failed utterly as an older brother.

He hated this taste, hated it with a passion, but he knew it would linger, as long as he lived, the bitter taste would coat his tongue tainting all other flavors. A fitting tribute to his failure.
He breathed in the scents of his brother's final moment. Emotion seemed to drain from him, as the mask of indifference fell in place. He had failed in his responsibility once, Sesshoumaru would NEVER fail again.

Moko-moko curled around him as he walked to the village at a stately pace.

**

Most of the villages ran for cover as the Daiyoukai was spotted gliding to the village. Kaede and Inuyasha's strange but powerful gang came out to meet him. The scent of tears and depression heavy on them. He ignored the group focusing on the old one.

“Sesshoumaru-sama.. Inuyasha he has..”

“This Sesshoumaru is aware that Inuyasha is no longer with us, you will cease talking about useless matters, immediately” Sesshoumaru cut the old lady off before she could explain further. “We are warriors well aware of the risks, it is only the future that concerns me.”
The group stood stunned, golden eyes the all. There was a strange look in the Daiyoukai's eyes, a fire deep in the gold that promised retribution if the topic was ever brought up again. They swallowed their words and waited. Sesshoumaru continued speaking to Kaede.
“You will take the human child Rin into your home to train, she is and will always be under my protection. But this Sesshoumare knows that she is best living a good life with her own kind. While she resides here, this village will fall under the protection of the Inu-youkai. Is that understood.” The Lord demanded.
“Yes Sesshoumaru-sama she will be most welcome here.” Kaede said earnestly she knew it was not the nature of the Daiyoukai to ask and his protection would be invaluable.

“As my entourage will be reduced by one, that one, will take Rin's place in my presence.” Sesshoumaru said pointing at Shippo.
“What.. me.. no way..” The little Kitsune shivered and hid behind Sango who took a protective stance.
“Look what do you want with Shippo, he is under our protection.” Sango said, Miroku backing her up.
“Disgusting!” The Daiyoukai said coldly, “A child claimed by my brother, hiding behind a woman, perhaps it is best you be adopted by them, child and relinquish the relationship that you shared with the hanyou who killed Naraku.”
Shippo popped out from behind Sango in shock, tears gathering in his huge eyes. Anger rose.. giving courage. “Inuyasha is MY father you big jerk, he always will be!”
“If you address this person with such disrespect again Kitsune, you will taste my whip. The only one allowed such privileges no longer walks amongst us” Sesshoumaru stated, and Shippo gulped and nodded. Sesshoumaru had many faults, but he never lied. That had not been a threat, just a promise of consequences.
“If you claim Inuyasha as your father, you are orphaned once again, and thus fall under my care. You will be raised amongst your kind and train appropriately. Else you must relinquish that claim, allow the ningen to claim you, and this Sesshoumaru will have nothing more to do with you. I will return with Rin in a week, you will accompany me or not.” Having said what he needed to say Sesshoumaru turned and slowly rose to the air. He intended to leave but something stopped him and he turned his head back to the Kitsune..

'This Sesshoumaru is aware it was the will of my brother that if he could not come back, you would grow in strength and protect others, to be as powerful as a Daiyoukai of the Kitsune. If you stay with the ningen, my brother's will will never be fulfilled.” Golden eyes bored steadily into the Kitsune. Then in a flash the Lord was gone.

A week later, a sober exchange was made, and Rin stayed with Kaeda, while Shippo left with the Lord of the West.

---

Kagome cried out as the unconscious hanyou appeared in the well. She was about it leap in to go to him, when the strangers beat her to it, jumping in they pulled him out. The stench of miasma permeated the Inuyasha and Kagome retched at the stink of it. The strangers were checking the hanyou carefully, and poured a strange green gold liquid in his mouth.
“Is that the antidote?” Shouta asked.

“No.” An elderly female in the group of 4 answered, “It is a potion to keep him alive till we can get him to the place of healing. The journey will take at least two days.”

One man who was running his hands over the hanyou, stopped at the Kotodomo beads. “What is this?”

“Those are the beads that I use to help keep us safe from Inuyasha's demon.” Kagome said.
The man's eyes widened as then closed as he chanted over it... he gasped in shock. “Keep you safe, you are a liar child! He has controlled his inner demon with no help from you! The beads are not to keep you safe, they are to give you control over the boy.”

The female looked at Kagoime sharply, and grasped the beads. Her eyes went glassy. “Sit boy! You use such a disgraceful command to control his inner fire, you hurt him, shame him in front of his rivals.. and you claim to love him?”
Kagome went red at the condemnation in their eyes.
“No, Inuyasha doesn't mind, he doesn't really get hurt, he loves me?” She blurted out.

“Yes” The woman continued looking at the girl with a mixture of pity and disgust, “You are aware this one had a hard childhood, he rose above it, he is the demon, but has he ever consciously raised a hand and hurt you? Would you love him if he did? That he loved you is more a testament of his character then yours. In this world such treatment has a terrible name, its abuse.”
Kagome gasped.

“You are a child, so we will forgive this as a child's mistake.” The man continued, “Think well of your character, you hurt another when they slight you, retaliate physically in anger. Grow up child, before you become more of a demon that the hanyou will ever be. Now remove this abomination. I fear it may have done more harm than you will ever fully comprehend.”

“I know I agreed but our love can overcome anything.” Kagome said even as she knelt beside Inuyasha to remove the beads.
The woman smiled almost kindly, “Close your eyes and kiss him then.” She said.
Kagome looked at her, then at the beautiful hanyou, she leaned forward, closed her eyes as her lips touched his and breathed in. Her body jerked backwards as her eyes swung to Shouta. “It felt like I was kissing Shouta” Kagome gasped, he smelled different.
“Yes child, now you understand. The emotion of love is mysterious and powerful, but chemical reactions are not, Sex is simple, really. He has been changed, it is as we told you, your love is now that of siblings. That is a powerful love as well, but to mate with you is no longer in his destiny.” The woman said, in a comforting manner.

Tears leaked out of Kagome's eyes, she reached out and lifted the beads from around the hanyou's neck, they glowed and shattered, surprising the Miko.

The man still looked in disapproval, but now the group moved fast, they strapped the still body into what seemed spookyly like a coffin.

“He doesn't seem to be breathing” Shouta said worriedly.
“His state simulates death, though we fly in a private jet, customs will still check and all they will see is a strange life-like statue.” The man said. The two silent men kept working, arranging Inuyasha carefully in the crate.
“Customs? Customs? Wait a minute, where are you taking him.” Kagome's mom demanded worried for the young one.
“In this time period, there is only 3 places on this planet that has the power needed to save the hanyou. We are taking him to one of those places, where nature is still strong. To our home, where he will heal, reside and train for a number of years before he returns.” The woman said, as they loaded the crate into the truck and got in. “We have to go, the plane awaits us.”
“Wait where are you taking him exactly.” Kagome's mom pressed.

“To the heart of the great Boreal forests in Canada, fear not, we will keep in touch and you will see him again in a few years.” The woman assured her, pressing a contact card into her hand, and they sped off, leaving the stunned humans behind.

**

Inuyasha neither stirred nor woke, as he was crated onto a place, and flown over the northern pole. The plane landed and the crate was transferred on to a helicopter, the humans would follow later, it was imperative to get the hanyou to the place of healing. The helicopter carried the precious load, to the heart of the on of the largest remaining tracts of forest on earth. The pilot chanted and released powder into the air, and saw the responding glow, the copter hovered over the area as the crate was lowered to the ground. The winch yanked and the crate fell open exposing the hanyou to the elements. Immediately the helicopter left.

Neither man nor youkai graced the area.

The oldest trees in the great forest stood as looming forms around the youkai. The wind picked up and silver hair danced in the breeze. Roots crept out of the ground around the hanyou. The clearing pulsed and Inuyasha trapped in his body was plunged into his memories.

Testing him, they judged him worth, and the healing green aura rose from them entering the hanyou, clearing the poisons from his system, and with such levels of power at play it was inevitable, all that they touched they influenced. An ancient demon separated from a tree, and sat and the Hanyou's head, gentle hands clasped his temples, the hands glowed as the last of the poison was was pulled to his palms, and destroyed by his healing light.

The healing of the hanyou took well over a week and it took another full week before golden orbs gazed at the sun again.


Tbc -

Like it? Review please and comments! Suggestions will be considered.
This became more a Sess chapter, next couple will be Inuyasha orientated before they are reunited. Oh by the was I am not Canadian but wanted a location for this and Canada kindda jumped out.