The Sacred Trees

Im so sorry, but between doing Nano and writing this I have no time to add the individual thanks. Can I please say thanks you a thousand times, and forgive me for not saying thanks individually for your most wonderful reviews. ok.. you are all great. :) I'll do better after Nano.

As u can see from the title, this chappie is a real roller coaster. Oh for effect before reading google **'Durian' its a fruit I love, but has been used as a challenge in fear factor. :)

Read Enjoy and review.


Chapter 24 : M'pregs


Inuyasha hummed happily. He sat stood on the 15 foot high wall, of the inner garden, practicing his battle moves. He compensated easily enough for his handicap, and each move blended into the other. Tessaiga a part of his arm sliced easily through the air. He swirled it over his head, and in a continuous move made a figure of eight, sweeping it under his feet, and cartwheeling over the blade. The hanyou was at peace, in absolute harmony with the world around him.

**
In three other locations in the castles. Guards had raced to the the Lord and General. Each one asking, no BEGGING to be transfered to the outer reaches of the land, to any war zone, any place except the here!!

The scramble of Demons running to the Inner Garden shook the walls of the mansion. Sesshoumaru, Kouga, Shippo, Dionne and quite a few others, felt a now familiar nauseous turn of their stomachs, at the sight, of a heavily pregnant Hanyou, merrily twirling and dancing in the top of the Wall. No one dared say a word lest his concentration be broken. But of course the Hanyou sensed their presence and turned with a big bright smile.

“Inuyasha NO don't jump!” Who made the cry would forever remain a mystery, but in their scramble to catch the pregnant jumper, the group ended up in a heap on the ground.

Inuyasha landing a little heavily but safely, he looked at them in surprise. “Emm,.. Sesshoumaru, you really need to be more careful, if you are all bruised when the pups are born what will they think? Same goes for the rest of you. Be careful!”

The infuriated muttering from the fallen demons, was thankfully garbled and incoherent, Sesshoumaru was fuming, as were all of them.

“INUYAHSA! I believe that is OUR LINE! Don't you think you should.. that.. Gahhhh!” Kouga threw his hands up in the air in frustration.

“What Kouga means is that.. well that.. you are 2 and a half months pregnant now, with the babies due in two weeks.. shouldn't err... shouldn't..eh..” Shippo tried to explain, but faltered under the steady confident gaze of his father.

“Inuyasha,” It was Lady Shiba's turn to try, “We know that you have had an amazingly easy pregnancy, but mayhap jumping off a 12-foot-wall is not the best idea.”

Doggy ears crooked adorably, “Why ever not? Oh I know the pups would prefer a higher jump, but they are a little reckless, hmm but possibility they would have had more fun if I had back flipped off.” He said petting his protruding belly and gazing considerately at the wall.

“Inuyasha! In the name of all that's holy! You look like you are about to burst, BE MORE CAREFUL!” Sesshoumaru pushed beyond endurance burst out.

The collective gasp from the observers was daunting. Huge golden eyes turned to stare at Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha's ears drooped and moisture gathered in his eyes. “Did.. you.. did you.. think I would hurt my pups? How could you... YOU MEAN!” The Hanyou's mood swung, if he had a tail it would have been tucked between his legs. He flashed off in the direction of their suite, the scent of tears filling the air.
Everyone turned to glare at Sesshoumaru!

He glared back, or tried too, the scent of tears, making him squirm with guilt.

“You really should not shout at your mate.” Matianna said reproachingly. “He is very delicate at this time.”

Everyone stared at beige dog as if she had lost her mind, the old woman had the grace to blush. “Well he is supposed to be.” She said defensively.

“You mean like he was supposed to have morning sickness, like he is supposed to be slower more sedate, more careful, more fearful of strangers.” Sesshoumaru went on the attack glaring at Lady Shiba and Matianna who had fed him that bunch of lies.

“Well most demons are like that when they are pregnant.” Lady Shiba defended weakly.

Ayoga looking rather amused at his elders could not help but say, “Well I have noticed everyone else is much more fearful of strangers. Its like we are on eggshells when we are around Lord Inuyasha.”

“Oh and don't forget, we get our butts handed to us if we swear in Inuyasha's hearing, but somehow his pups are not going to be corrupted by his own swearing.” Hakumeihime, said still amused at how the Hanyou had tossed Ayoga and Kinta into a fountain for saying 'damn' and then proceeded to swear out the wet Ookami with a sleuth of swears that had burned her ears.

Shippo cast what could only be described as a pure evil look at Sesshoumaru and Kouga, “And lets not forget, when Inuyasha was scarfing down the now infamous bowl of Durian** and Yam ice cream, smothered with pineapples, date sauce, ketchup and .. err. Anchovies, whom was it who developed delicate stomachs, and puked thei.... Oooowwww!” the second General sprouted two lumps on his head, as gold and blue eyes glared murderously at the still smirking fox.

“Bah! About the only thing the experts got right about Inuyasha's pregnancy, is that he would have mood swings.” Dionne stated.

They all winched at the memories of Inuyasha's moods. The last two months, they had discovered that what they needed to fear was not their foreign enemy (at the moment), but a rather manic Hanyou. They never knew when he was going to yell, or go puppy on them.
The group dispersed, and they all commended Sesshoumaru's courage when he without flinching went to his hormonal little brother.

In any case, the whole Canine pack, had somehow ended up firmly wrapped around the Hanyou's little finger.

Guards would quit in frustration when he gave them the slip for the 100th time, and then turn up 5 minutes later, unable to entrust the care of the Hanyou to others. Servants went out of their way to cater to his every desire, and were all depressed when the Hanyou never really asked for their assistance, cleaning his room and making his bed on his own. Sesshoumaru had to intercede and really explain to Inuyasha why he should not wash his own clothes; when the whole chamber staff had quit, blaming their own gross incompetence in their inability to keep Inuyasha's clothes clean - to what must have been very high standards of immaculateness- thus forcing the poor Hanyou to wash his own clothes. (Sesshoumaru still 'face-palmed slapped' when he thought of that incident)

Bottom line was the whole mansion was on the edge and in a state of disarray. Wait, a slight qualification to that statement is required, the whole mansion, except for one oblivious, cheeky, mischievous, loving, caring and utterly adorable when pregnant, Hanyou. The afore mentioned Hanyou skipped about, generally pleased with himself and the world.

And the strange part, was that it seemed the world was accommodating him. Just when they Council had been sure that an attack was eminent about a month into Inuyasha's pregnancy, the human world had gone mad. As series of terrorist attacks had simultaneously hit London, Washington, Singapore, Montreal, Delhi and Kuwait. Air travel had been brought to almost a standstill and international trade had been disrupted. Human armies filled the airs and seas, and all Youkai activity across nations had ground to a halt. Human were tracking human terrorist, and the Youkai of Japan were in effect isolated. The enemy could not attack without drawing human attention, and from a state of high alert, a temporary interlude was given.

They all knew it was the calm before the storm, but there was nothing to be done until the human activity calmed down. This allowed them to focus on the Hanyou generated storm.

All prepared for war, all were alert, and all of Canine-dom were celebrating what seemed to be a crazy conspiracy of the earth to give the Little Hanyou a peaceful and safe pregnancy. God knows if the earth had not done so, what the dog- eared pup would have got himself into.

Knowing how much the Ancients Ones loved the Hanyou, Matianna would not have been in the least surprised, if this was their gift to the own who sacrificed so much for them.

That next night, the inner circle, sat down for dinner. It was a pleasant meal, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru having made up rather pleasantly last night.

The Shogun still topped Inuyasha, at the Hanyou's insistence. When Sesshoumaru had urged Inuyasha to take the position of Alpha, while the y had celebrated Inuyasha's pregnancy, to Sesshoumaru's surprise Inuyasha had taken a rain check. The Hanyou had explained that he would not top Sesshoumaru while the pups were in his belly. He felt that the pups wanted the extra connection to their other father, and that maybe more then that, Inuyasha wanted to be held and cuddled. The feeling of being held tight and safe, while his body exploded in ecstasy, was such a new experience, Inuyasha wanted to savor it for a while. Besides it gave both of them something to look forward to after the pups were born.

“Oh!” Inuyasha said suddenly, his claws going to his belly, as he gently traced it with his claws.
The silence was deafening as everyone at the table immediately focused on the Hanyou, waiting for his to continue.

“Inuyasha , have the birthing lines formed then?” Matianna asked noticing the strange way his claws traced his belly.

“Yes, the lines are a little longer the I expected though.” he said his voice strangely serious and somber. “But I should be able to handle it.” Inuyasha said pensively. Dionne winched male pregnancies were notoriously difficult, he did not envy what Inuyasha was about to go through. Mating a female definitely made life easier.

“So what are birthing lines?” Shippo asked. Sesshoumaru and Kouga nodded they were curious as well.
Inuyasha focused on his belly didn't pay attention, the Canadian Inus and Lady Shida's heads snapped to the three males in surprise.

“You don't know?” Matianna asked. The three male demons shrugged.

“Lord Sesshoumaru, you mated a male, got him pregnant and you don't know what birthing lines are?' Lady Shida asked in honest disbelief, usually Sesshoumaru knew almost everything.

“If this Sesshoumaru knew, would he be asking?” The Lord snapped a little irritated, he was a Demon Lord, not god after all.

Inuyasha finally paid attention to what was being said. “Gods of my Mother, Big Brother. You offered to carry out next litter and you don't know what birthing lines are? Oh Boy! Are you in for a surprise.” The Hanyou chuckled. “How do you think our puppies are going to be born?”

Sesshoumaru blinked, he had honestly never thought of it, he glanced a little helplessly at Kouga. Expecting his General to step up.

“Err.. well I have never known a pregnant male couple, I mean Ginta and Hakkaku were mates, but they never got pregnant. Pups are born the usual way I guess?” Kouga finished lamely.

Inuyasha waved everyone else into silence, this was too good an opportunity to let up. “The usual way? You do realize I am missing part for the pups to be born the usual way?”

Kouga went red, squirming in his seat, Yuusha seated towards the foot of the long table, prudently hid his smile. Kouga glared at Shippo who had started this mess.

“Hey don't look at me, I claim youthful ignorance on my part.” Shippo said merrily hands up in surrender.

“You are older then Inuyasha.” Kouga snarled.

“Only in a technical sense.” Shippo retorted smug.

“Answer the question you two, how to you think the puppies come out of my belly?” Excusing Shippo, Inuyasha nailed the two demons with a penetrating stare.

Sesshoumaru and Kouga looked at each other, then displaying the intelligence that had made them true leaders, shut up.

“Did you expect the pups to come out of my butt?” Inuyasha asked in a dangerous voice.

“No, no.” Kouga said quickly, “That is uncouth little brother.” Sesshoumaru said.

“Then what? Did you think I would miraculously develop a new hole for the pups to come out from?” Inuyasha asked incredulously. With obvious reluctance both Kouga and Sesshoumaru nodded a little.

“Or maybe as you transform into a human, you would transform into a female for the night of the birth.” Sesshoumaru said carefully.

Jaws dropped around the table. “Lord Sesshoumaru if it was that easy do you not think they would be many more male pregnancies? Even though any male demon can become pregnant. It is still a rather rare phenomenon, didn't you ever wonder why?” Lady Shiba asked.

Sesshoumaru and Kouga were beginning to feel a little hounded. “If you hadn't noticed, we were in the middle of the war, and until recently it was not something that interested me in the least.” Sesshoumaru said. He looked around, and noticed that while they had been amused at first, now everyone seemed to be silent as if reluctant to break the bad news. “How are the pups born, you will tell me now!”

The silence continued as everyone waited for someone else to speak, finally Matianna took a deep breath. “My Lord, male pregnancies are rare because they require a great deal of courage and strength from the bearer. If they falter, the pups or the bearer, or sometimes both die. This risk is inherent in female births, but in female births, others are present to assist, and can help ease the delivery. Further the female body is made to carry and deliver pups, the Male Youkai's body carries pups, but has no natural means for the baby to leave the body.”

Lady Shiba continued, “Males bodies have no orifice for pups to be delivered, instead birthing lines develop along the belly of the male. These lines, mark the areas where the belly would be most easily cut and the pups accessed.”

Sesshoumaru paled, “You will be cutting open my mate?” His voice was choked.

“If we were cutting one your mate, it would be a simple matter, Cesarean Sections are done as a matter of course , even in the human world. No, my Lord We will not be cutting along the tracks. It is not the nature of the male to allow such assistance.” Lady Shiba said.

Sesshoumaru turned slowly to stare at his strangely quiet brother.

“Big Brother, can you imagine me allowing another with a blade near my belly, near our pups? Even if you tried to knock me out, my Youkai would not allow it. There is only one being I would allow near my pups with a sharp implement.” Inuyasha said flatly.

Sesshoumaru drew a deep breathe, his words were a whisper, “You will do it yourself, you will cut open your self and deliver our pups.”

“And you as the mate, will give energy to your mate, to complete the process and heal after the birth. That my Lord is the natural way Male Youkai give birth.” Matianna finished softly.

---tbc--