Bloodborne Duties

Bloodborne Duties

An ancient curse was placed upon the Inuyoukai family: if the youngest born heir does not produce an heir-apparent before his 205th birthday, the Dogs will surrender to the Panthers. Inuyasha is the youngest heir and it is his duty to avoid the curse.

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After the disturbing news that Sesshomaru had revealed, Inuyasha and Kagome decided that they were going to pack up and head out once more. Now that Shippo was doing a lot better, the shard hunters felt like the three of them could be on their way. For safety, however, Inuyasha took some Witch Mountain Pretoria should there be any more attacks on his pack personally.

He made an oath: he would destroy anybody who laid a finger on Shippo or Kagome.

Inuyasha and Kagome also decided that they were going to do something about protecting Miroku, Sango, Ai, and Kirara. Since Miroku, Sango, and Kirara were part of the original group (and because Ai was their daughter), they could be prone to attacks as well. If the demon that was doing all of this knew Inuyasha as well as it led them to believe, it would know that Inuyasha cared for Miroku and Sango almost as much as he cared about Shippo (but not nearly as close to what he felt for Kagome. Obviously).

The couple requested Sesshomaru to station some of his men around Kaede's village and to have a demon doctor on hand at all times. Inuyasha refused to take any chances. Sesshomaru promptly agreed, knowing that if he hesitated even for a split second, his brother's mate would put a subduing spell on him and force him to do something horrendous like – oh, he didn't know—smile?!

Sesshomaru cringed at the thought of smiling upon command. His cheeks hurt thinking about it.

Rin requested to accompany Inuyasha, Kagome, and Shippo on their journey but her hopes were shot down by her guardian. Inuyasha silently told Rin that when she was a little older, she could accompany himself and Kagome on their never-ending journey. Rin asked how he was so sure they'd still be journeying in a few years… Inuyasha simply responded with 'I just do.'

The trio – the family—set off just as they did three years ago after saving Shippo from the Thunder Brothers. A wave of nostalgia hit them but none of them voiced it. The past was just that: the past. It was history and the three knew that they had to concentrate on what the future brought.

"This feels so natural." Shippo eventually commented. Inuyasha remained silent but Kagome choose to make a remark.

"Family always feels natural, Shippo."

Inuyasha remained silent. He knew he admitted to Kagome that Shippo was like his son and he knew Shippo knew how he felt, but it was the fact the he couldn't bring himself to repeat it. In the heat of the moment he said what he felt.

Moment was gone.

"I promise I won't… interrupt uh… you two?" Shippo felt awkward referring to Inuyasha and Kagome's sex life—ugh, ew! They're like my parents!

"You always interrupt us." Inuyasha muttered and Shippo stared incredulously up at him.

"How?! You two just mated." He paused. "UNLESS!"

"Unless nothing!" Kagome decided it was time to intervene. At that moment she realized that she was going to spend close to eternity with Inuyasha and Shippo's constant bickering; and possibly the bickering of her and Inuyasha's children too.

Eternity seems super long now. She thought, ironically.

"There is no unless. Shippo, thank you for being considerate, and Inuyasha? Be nice."

"You always tell me to be nice!"

"That's because you never are."

"I was nice when I ran to get the medicine for Shippo!"

The fox demon stopped to watch his companions argue. Like always. Since the beginning of time. Some things never change. Ever.

"You weren't going to let him die, were you?!" Kagome's voice was shrill and Inuyasha's ears lowered.

"Wench! You're gonna make my ears bleed!"

"Stop getting off topic, were you going to let him die?!"

"NO! I fought fucking cacti for him. That should mean a lot!"

"It does!"

"Then why the hell are you still calling me mean?!"

Shippo figured it was his turn to intervene. Oh, how the tables have turned: "BOTH OF YOU, SHUT UP!"

Inuyasha and Kagome's noses were almost touching when they turned to look at the annoyed kitsune. They looked back at each other and both started laughing. Yeah, it was kind of funny. Kagome quickly leaned forward and kissed the tip of Inuyasha's nose before taking a step back altogether.

"Good ol' days, hmmm?"

Inuyasha ran his claws through his hair. "Tell me about it. Come on, we have shards to find."

The trio were silent for a few yards before Kagome began badgering Shippo. "Have you found a nice little girl fox demon yet?"

Shippo's eyes widened. "No! Why would you ask that?!"

"Well you're coming close to that time in a demon's life where you need to start thinking about taking a mate."

Shippo, mortified, pointed a finger at the back of Inuyasha's head. "He's one hundred and fifty years older than me! He just mated you, why are you on my case?"

Inuyasha glanced over his shoulder and sent Shippo a smirk—he was enjoying his mate putting Shippo on the spot. "Because I didn't have a mother like Kagome around when I was your age."

Shippo glowered at him. "You didn't have a mother at my age!"

"Exactly!"

"Way to be sensitive, Shippo!" Kagome glared at the young fox. "You know the topic is—"

"Is fine." Inuyasha cut her off. "It's fine. If you two can't bring it up than I'd doubt how close we actually are. I know Shippo knows the details about my past, and I know he wouldn't intentionally use it against me."

Shippo beamed at his father figure. "Awww! Inuyasha you trust me—"

"Don't let it get to your head, runt."

Shippo and Kagome exchanged grins but followed their 'leader' in silence. He certainly did change, and definitely for the better. Shippo mouthed to Kagome: It was all you.

Kagome mouthed back: Thank you.

Inuyasha roared: "I can hear your lips move!"

The former two couldn't contain their laughter. Despite the bad shit happening, life was good.

.xx.

Sango bounced Ai as she watched the wooden panels go up into the trees to continue the structure of Inuyasha and Kagome's new abode. She thought it was super sweet that Inuyasha was building them a tree-mansion. She, then, asked why Miroku didn't do such romantic things for her and he responded with: If we slept in trees during our journey, then I would've made you a tree house. But we didn't… and I'm secretly afraid of heights.

Sango decided the heights thing was something she was going to use against her husband.

Forever.

"Waaaahhhh!" Ai released an ear piercing shriek. Sango had to excuse herself from the operation to tend to her daughter. Miroku blew her a kiss and Sango blushed; so what if they were married for quite some time? He still made her feel giddy like a young girl.

.xx.

They travelled for a whole day without any trace of a jewel shard. Kagome suggested to go to the villages that were wiped out but Inuyasha rejected the idea. He said that if there was a demon out there to get what was important to him, or what belonged to him, than going to where the villages were was like walking straight into the demons trap.

Shippo gathered firewood and Inuyasha went hunting for game. Kagome was unrolling blankets and withdrawing utensils required for an adequate picnic—she no longer carried a sleeping bag as she and Inuyasha opted to sleep in the trees together since Miroku and Sango left the group.

"How's it like being mated to the big bad dog?" Shippo asked, glancing over his shoulder form where he was arranging his woodpile. He had grown up so well, in Kagome's opinion. He was mature (from the many years of having to withstand Inuyasha's immaturity), wise (from the many years of having to deal with Miroku's idiocy), aware of women's feelings (from the many years of listening to Kagome and Sango smack talk Inuyasha and Miroku in the hot springs), and strong (simply from fighting all the time).

"It's everything I imagined it to be," Kagome and Shippo both missed Inuyasha lurking in the shadows. Shippo's sense of hear and smell wasn't as acute as Inuyasha's so he was unable to detect certain things at a distance unless he was concentrating and trying to. "He hasn't changed at all—well, he's a lot more romantic, but he's still the same Inuyasha, which I appreciate."

Shippo laughed. "We all appreciate Inuyasha, don't we?"

"Saved my ass more times than I can count, that's for sure."

"Made you more vulgar too, Kagome."

Kagome winked playfully at her son. "He's gotta rub off on me in some way, right?"

"I'm sure he rubbed off on you in a lot of ways."

Kagome face palmed. "Miroku has influenced you in more ways than I thought." Inuyasha clamped his hand over his mouth to stop himself from barking in laughter. Kagome and Shippo were the comic relief he needed in his life.

Shippo snickered and turned back to his firewood. "I've noticed changes in him too. He's more open about his feelings. Which is good."

Kagome smiled wistfully. "That took a while."

"I'm sure you kissing him a few times helped."

"Hey!" Kagome wailed and Inuyasha arched an eyebrow. The conversation was getting good… "It was twice when you, Miroku, and Sango were with us. And the first time was because he was stuck in his youkai form."

Shippo grinned at Kagome as if he believed her. He knew the secret; what was in her heart. But he wasn't going to said it aloud. He knew that she knew and he was glad he had permanent teasing rights until she told her mate that she loved him.

Shippo loved the power.

Inuyasha decided to make his presence known and stepped out with the deer that he managed to catch. Where the deer came from, he didn't know. He was more expecting to catch a bear or something but, whatever, he'd take what he could get. "Dinner has been caught and ready to be skinned and gutted."

Kagome grinned at her mate. "Then get skinning and gutting, darling."

Rolling his eyes, Inuyasha dropped the deer, cracked his knuckles, shrugged off his haori and inner piece, and began doing what he did second best: chop up some meat. Kagome sat on her blanket just as Shippo managed to light the firewood. Proud of his work, he strode over to where Kagome was sitting and plopped down beside her.

"What do you learn in fox demon school?" She asked as she plucked some veggies out of her pack and began peeling potatoes. Shippo shrugged while watching Inuyasha.

"How to master our magic, different kinds of pranks and tricks—"

"They teach you how to prank people?!" Kagome seemed appalled but Inuyasha was less surprised.

"He's a fox demon. They're known to be tricksters; it's what they're good at." He explained. "Their demon school teaches them how to utilize what they know best."

Shippo playfully nudged Kagome. "He used the word utilize."

"Shut up, runt."

Shippo grinned stupidly at his father figure and Kagome shook her head—all in a typical day with Inuyasha and Shippo.

.xx.

After a delicious meal (a hearty stew, courtesy of Chef Kagome), the trio opted to break for a little longer before continuing their search straight into the night. Inuyasha suggested it and Kagome agreed only if she was allowed to sleep on his back when she got tired. Inuyasha scoffed and told her that she didn't even have to ask.

The three shards that they had lay in the vial that was around Kagome's neck, strewn onto the same chain that had her locket. It stressed her out a little bit in regards to how long it was going to take to find all of the pieces of the jewel—she wanted it to be over just so that she could live her life with Inuyasha.

With no worries.

Other than the whole curse thing.

The sun had just set and darkness was enveloping the continent. Inuyasha, without word, wrapped his fingers around Kagome's and held her hand. She smiled, just a little bit, but made no acknowledgement of the gesture otherwise. She simply gave him a squeeze when their fingers were comfortably interlaced.

"Think there'll be a second Naraku?" Shippo inquired. He was a few steps ahead of the couple.

"Apart from crazy demon seeking to destroy everything I own?" Inuyasha said, sarcastically. "Probably not."

Kagome laughed and shook her head. "Nobody could surpass what Naraku di—" Kagome cut off when she saw Kikyo's soul stealers come into view. She looked at Inuyasha in time to see the set of his jaw hardening. He, evidently, didn't like what he saw.

"She's still after you?" Shippo snorted. "She just does not quit, does she. Even after you mated both the human way and the demon way."

"You'll learn, runt, that obsessive women like her exist in this world. So watch the women you have relationships with." Inuyasha offered his piece of fatherly advice. "So? What're we waiting for? Let's go see what she wants." He gave Kagome a gentle squeeze to reassure her that everything would be okay.

Shippo, however, wasn't used to Inuyasha's change of heart when it came to Kikyo. "We're going with you?"

"Yeah," Inuyasha rolled his eyes as if Shippo just made an obvious observation. "My family goes where I go. I can't leave your weak asses behind—something'll definitely come after you for the shards. Keh, you two don't give me as much credit as I deserve."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Oh stop being cocky and let's go see what she wants."

"Yeah!" Shippo piped. "The sooner we go, the sooner we can leave. She smells like death and I can't stand it."

Kagome couldn't help but feel a teeny bit nervous; she never actually approached Kikyo with Inuyasha before. And now that they were mated and trying to conceive? Well, she was kind of worried of how Kikyo would react when she saw her. Inuyasha, sensing his mate's apprehension, gently leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"You'll be fine."

Kagome tried to maintain a front. "I know."

Inuyasha smirked. "You forgot to add keh to that."

Shippo, pretending not to eavesdrop, eavesdropped on his parents. He was about ready to die of laughter when he heard Kagome mock Inuyasha's voice.

"Fine. Keh."

.xx.

It's a slow progression, but it's progressing :P

And as for my story for publication… I don't want to reveal too much but it's kind of a fantasy story, mostly involving dragons and a legendary Master Tamer (who I named Xavien de Dragos). Basically he and his love interest must save the dragon and human races before the antagonist (a skeleton dragon) destroys the world.

Obviously the summary I just gave you is not the most interesting ever, but I don't want to reveal too much because I'm still working out the kinks.