Tender Love

Disclaimer- I do not own any of the characters from Inuyasha.

Chapter 27

Shippo rowed the boat as fast and as far as he could but when he saw the other boats coming toward him on both sides filled with pirates. He felt his little heart sink to the bottom of his stomach. They were going to be caught again. He could feel the tears flowing from his large green eyes. He promised his mother he would take care of his baby brother. She had given up her own freedom to help them to escape but now, it was over. His tears fell like rain as he took his baby brother in his arms. "I'm sorry Keitano. It seems your big brother isn't strong enough to protect you." He wiped the tears from his eyes but more fell down his cheeks.

Suddenly there was a blinding white flash. Shippo closed his eyes blocking out the bright light and when he opened his eyes the pirates were gone. All that he saw was the debris from the boats. He turned to see his mother standing on the beach with the gleaming sword in her hands. Feeling hope fill his heart, he laid the infant down and picked up the paddle and rowed away as hard as he could. He turned his head taking one last look at the beach. The last thing he saw before everything turned into a blur was his mother attacking Naraku with the sword. He turned away closing his eyes. He did not want to see what would happen to his mother. He didn't think his heart could take it. He knew she would fight, and as much as he loathed saying the word, she would die before she let Naraku lay one finger on her. 'Please mother, don't die. We need you.' But deep down he knew, she would die. His mother was powerful for a half demoness but Shippo knew even she had her limits. She would claw, scratch, bite until Naraku decided she was not worth all the trouble and then he would kill her. He maybe a child but he knew how adults behaved. They can be cruel and heartless like Naraku or they could be kind, gentle and loving like his parents. There are those that would turn their backs on a person in need. And then, there are those like his mother who would give up their very lives to protect the ones they love.

'No, I can't think like that. I have to keep going for mother. She wanted us to get back to father and so I shall do it for her.'

Shippo didn't know how long he had been rowing but his little arms were tired and Keitano began to cry. "Are you hungry little one?" Shippo placed the paddle in the bottom of the boat and picked up the bundle of food and opened it. He gasped when he saw the dagger that Kaede had given his mother. 'I never noticed her putting that in here.' He sighed as he put the dagger to the side and picked up a piece of bread. Shippo didn't know what to do. Should he give some to his brother but is he too young for solid food. He had to do something or his little brother would die of hunger. Biting off a piece of the bread he chewed it until it was nothing but mush and then he lifted his brother into his arms. Taking a tiny bit of the chewed up food from his mouth, he gently shoved it into his brother's mouth. Keitano frowned unhappily but swallowed it all the same. Shippo continued to feed him the mush until the infant was full.

Shippo smiled and began to stroke the infant’s soft cheek. "I know you would prefer mother's milk but until we find father and rescue her, you're going to have to settle for this. I'm sorry little one." Laying Keitano down, he sighed and looked up at the night sky. The sky was clear and the stars twinkled like diamonds in the night sky. There were so many and they seem to be so close until Shippo thought he could reach up and touch them. Then his eyes widen in amazement as a shooting star streaked across the night sky. He remembered Inuyasha telling him that if you wish upon a falling star it will come true. Of course, Shippo found that hard to believe that wishing on a star that fell from the heavens would grant you a wish. But right now, the wishing star was all he had. So, quickly he closed his eyes and made his wish.

'Oh great wishing star please help me so I can help my mother and my baby brother.' He opened his eyes to see the star fade away. He sighed and looked down to see his brother was fast asleep. He was just about to settle down and take a short nap when a voice split the night air. The kit looked up and saw a ship coming toward him. 'No, they've found us!' He became hysterical as his heart rammed against his chest. 'What am I going to do?' He could feel the tears welling up in his eyes as they streaked down his cheek. Then he looked down at the dagger. Well, he had three choices. He could let himself and his brother be captured again and be sold as slaves, or he could fight them and end up getting himself killed or. . . Shippo pulled the dagger from its sheath. He stared at the glisten blade as he saw the shadowy form of himself reflected in its surface. Or, he could end their torment before those filthy pirates capture them. He closed his eyes and let the tears fall from his eyes. He remembered that day when Kaede was telling his mother about the ordeal she had went through when she was captured by the pirates. It seemed to him that those vile pirates didn't care if you were female or male as long as their disgusting lust was satisfied. 'Is that what would be in store for me and Keitano once we are old enough? Would we be forced to perform degrading acts of humiliation for them? Would we be violated and ravaged by these savages like all the women that came before us?' Shippo had no doubt that his little brother will grow up to be a handsome, beautiful young demon. And it seemed that these pirates relished in destroying and tainting beautiful things. He looked up and saw the ship was getting closer. 'No, I will not let my baby brother suffer in such a manner.' He lifted the sleeping infant in his arms. He was so glad the baby was asleep. He didn't think he could do it if Keitano's eyes were opened. 'I’m sorry mother for failing you. I’m sorry father because I was not strong enough to protect my mother and brother. And I’m sorry Keitaro because you will never see your younger brother again. Good-bye little brother.' He kissed the infant on his little cheek. 'I hope we meet again in the next life.' Shippo raised the blade and just as he was about to bury it into the infant's soft flesh a hand latched onto his wrist.

xxxxx

Sesshomaru prowled the deck of the ship walking from the stern to the bow. The crew worked endlessly to make it to the pirate's stronghold. He stopped and leaned over the railing gazing down into the inky sea. 'Yasha, please hold on. I will be there soon.'

Suddenly Tsun-Chung walked over to him. "You needn't worry. We shall see the island very soon."

"I know but I have this terrible feeling in my heart as though time is running out," said Sesshomaru clutching the railing. His sharp claws dug into the wood.

"What do you mean?"

"It just started. I have this feeling of urgency.” Sesshomaru clutched a hand over his heart and released a distressing whine. He knows he shouldn’t be showing such weakness to anyone but he could not help it. In the short time he and Inuyasha have been mates, she had become his whole world. She was his reason for living and she is in the hands of the most vile, odious pirate to ever roam the seas. He didn’t want to feel this despair any longer. He wanted his sons back. He wanted his Yasha back. He looked into the dark eyes of the human. “ It’s as though if I do not get there soon I will lose my children and my mate." He turned from the sea. "I hate this feeling. It makes me feel so helpless and I do not like being helpless." He sighed heavily and was about to go below deck when a sound reached his ears. Suddenly, he froze in mid step. He quickly turned back to the sea. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Tsun-Chung frowned looking out to sea. “I didn’t hear anything.”

"It sounded like a child crying?" Suddenly Sesshomaru's heart began to pound against his chest. 'Could his Yasha have escaped somehow?'

"A child? Out here?"

Just then Shilin and Koga rushed out on deck and hurried to Sesshomaru's side. "I heard an infant cry."

"I heard it too," said Koga.

"EVERYONE, BE SILENT!" ordered Sesshomaru. He turned back to the sea as the crew fell into silence. He heard the crying again. "There! That way!" he pointed.

The helmsman turned the ship in the direction Sesshomaru pointed. It did not take long for them to come upon something floating in the water. "Over there, my lord!" yelled the demon that was perched in the crow's nest. The demons stared out into the darkness and saw a tiny figure in a boat.

The captain handed his telescope to Sesshomaru. He looked through the scope and nearly dropped it. "Oh my, it's Shippo," said Sesshomaru excited. “SHIPPO!” he yelled and was about to call out again when Shilin stopped him.

"No, don't call out to him. There maybe pirates out here looking for him. We wouldn't want them to find us before we have a chance to get to the island unnoticed," said Shilin.

"Right." But Sesshomaru was still having this uneasy feeling that something bad was about to happen. As they got closer to his children, the feeling became unbearable. Suddenly, he caught sight of a silver flash. His heart nearly stopped as he realized what the kit was planning on doing. His eyes widened in horror when he saw the dagger in Shippo hands. "No Shippo." As the ship pulled up along side the boat, Sesshomaru leaped off the deck to land gently in the boat.

Shippo was so intent upon not letting the pirates hurt his brother that he did not feel the boat rock and only looked up when he felt a hand grab his wrist.

The kit was speechless when he saw his father kneeling before him. "Fa-Father?" he said hesitantly as tears fell from his eyes.

"Yes my son." Sesshomaru took the dagger from him sheathing it and looked up to the kitsune and smiled. "I have come to take you, your brother and mother home."

"Father!" Shippo threw one arm around Sesshomaru's neck in a hug while he clung to Keitano. "I thought I would never see you again. I thought . . . you were . . . the pirates,” he said between sobs. “And that you . . . you were going to take us back. I couldn’t let them hurt . . . hurt my brother.” He broke down into helpless tears.

Suddenly Keitano woke up and began making gurgling noises. Drying his eyes, Shippo stared down at his brother smiling. "Look Keitano. It’s father. He has come for us just like mother said."

The infant sniffed the air and giggled as he recognized his father’s scent. Then he fisted his tiny hand into his father's long silver strands and began sucking his fist. Sesshomaru took the infant from Shippo and place a kiss on his tiny nose. "Hello my little one, I’m sorry it took so long but I’m here now and I will never ever lose you or your brother or your mother ever again." He placed a gentle kiss on the child's forehead. The infant cooed and giggled as his little hands stretched out to touch the demon lord's wet cheeks.

Drying his eyes, he looked to Shippo. "Your mother?"

"She remained on the island to give us a chance to escape. The last I saw of her she was fighting Naraku."

Sesshomaru felt his blood run cold at the thought of his mate fighting that vile half breed. He quickly scooped Shippo into his arms and leaped back onto the deck of the ship.

Once Sesshomaru was onboard, he ordered the helmsman to continue on their previous course. Sango and Miroku were up on deck when Sesshomaru returned to the ship. "Here, let me take them," said Sango.

"No," said Shippo clinging to his father. And Keitano began to cry also.

"It’s all right Sango. Let me hold them for a while," said Sesshomaru as he sat down on the deck floor. He rocked his children in his arms until their crying ceased. "You know Sango and the others would never hurt you."

"I know father. It’s just that we feel safer in your arms," said Shippo as he continued to hug his father.

"It’s okay. I understand."

"Are you going to get mother, now?" The kitsune leaned back to look into his face.

"Of course, I would never leave your mother on that awful island."

Shippo smiled and hugged him. "Mother was right. Wishing on a star does come true."

"Excuse us lord Sesshomaru but we have arrived at Grand Gravah," said Tsun-Chung pointing out to sea.

Sesshomaru stood up and stared at the dark outline of the island. Grand Gravah. How he hated that name. Sesshomaru sneered in disgust. 'Soon, Grand Gravah will only be a bad memory.' His eyes narrowed dangerously as he thought about his mate in the hands of the vile Naraku. 'And I’m coming to kill you Naraku.'

xxxxx

Tsun-Chung lead them to a small cove not far from the pirate's stronghold. Sesshomaru, Shilin, Sango, Koga, Miroku and Tsun-Chung along with a few crewmen drug their boats ashore hiding them. Swiftly, Tsun-Chung lead them to Naraku's house. They hid beneath the jungle foliage watching the large house. They would need a distraction. So the others were going to cause a commotion while Sesshomaru rescued Inuyasha and hopefully kill Naraku.

Tsun-Chung led Koga, Sango and Miroku to a storage hut that was that filled with barrels of oil and gunpowder while Sesshomaru and Shilin waited outside Naraku's house in the jungle. Just as he was about to say something. They saw Naraku walk up to the front door of his house with a tentacle wrapped around his screaming, struggling mate's body. He stopped to speak with two of his pirates. Naraku shook Inuyasha like she was a bad puppy but the demoness still growled angrily at him. Sesshomaru snarled in anger when he saw what Naraku did but shortly afterwards a smile crossed his face as he witnessed his mate sink her fangs into the tentacle of the half breed ripping away part of the flesh and then proceeded to promise unimaginable pain to the half breed if he laid one finger on her. 'My brave, beautiful Yasha.'

Shilin smirked. "Seems the princess hasn't changed at all. She’s still the same wild, beautiful creature everyone in the Yamamaru household has come to love."

"Do I hear a wistful note of longing in your voice?" Sesshomaru glanced out the corner of his eyes shrewdly at the dragon.

Shilin chuckled. "You needn't worry. She belongs only to you. It’s just that she always had a temper and she would get frustrated when she couldn't let it out. Her father always told her that a princess is gentle, kind and calm. Well, our princess was kind and gentle but she was far from calm. She would become so furious when people would look down at her because she was a half demon or her mother because she was human. One day, I found her outside the palace crying and filled with anger. That’s when I and some of the others took it upon ourselves to teach her how to defend herself. Sometimes I wonder if that was such a good ideal. She became impossible to handle. Only her father could control her."

Sesshomaru smirked. 'Yes, that sounds like my Yasha.' He watched as the two pirates walked away and Naraku dragged Inuyasha into the house. "Keep a look out. I will deal with Naraku once and for all."

xxxxx

Naraku tossed Inuyasha to the floor and locked the door behind him. The sword held tightly had slipped from her hand when she hit the floor and a tentacle snaked out pushing the weapon out of her reach. Inuyasha looked up and saw Kaede's body lying on the stairs. She crawled over to the elderly woman brushing the gray strands of her hair out of her face. She looked so peaceful lying there with a smile on her lips. She looked as though she was only sleeping but the bloody hole in her stomach told her that the woman was dead.

"Oh Kaede, I am so sorry," said Inuyasha resting her forehead against the elderly woman's shoulder and started to cry.

"Get up," said Naraku angrily. "Lying over the body of a dead human is not the place for my woman to be." He yanked Inuyasha up by her arm.

"Let go, you bastard!" snarled Inuyasha. "I hate you." She raised her hand and raked her claws across his face.

Naraku swore vehemently and slapped her across the face. Inuyasha fell to the floor stunned gasping for breath as she wiped blood from the corner of her mouth. She flinched and groaned as her tongue darted out to touch the split in her lip.

"You ungrateful bitch!" He stalked over to her as blood dripped from the five claw marks on his face. Inuyasha scrambled across the floor toward where the Tetsusaiga lay. Before she could grab the sword, a tentacle wrapped around her waist and pulled her back toward Naraku. He stared into Inuyasha's snarling face and smiled. She was even lovelier than he had remembered on those long nights out at sea. He had a cruel nature and whatever he wanted he would get it in the end. He could see the hate swirling around in her beautiful golden eyes. He crushed his mouth against her mouth in a brutal kiss which caused her mouth to bleed again from the cut he had put on her lip. "I see you still have the same fire in you, Inuyasha, your eyes burn with anger. But tonight my little lioness I shall make you purr like a kitten."

Inuyasha stiffened before him, her breasts heaving as she wiped the back of her hand across her mouth; her eyes were shooting daggers which if real would have torn his black heart in two. "I will never become your mistress or your whore. I detest you more than I have ever detested anyone!" she hissed venomously.

"Oh, we shall see what tune you play when I am through with you tonight, my beauty. You see, my dear, I enjoy a little force, it adds a little something to the game of love." He grinned.

"Touch me and you won't live long enough to regret it."

Naraku raised one finger up to caress her jawline. "You should not threaten your master so, little one." He smirked as the fire of rage sparked in her eyes. "It shall not be as it was the last time, I promise you. You will not leave my bed like that morning before. You shall want to stay beside me when I am finished with you."

Inuyasha slapped the hand away. "You’re not man enough to make me want to stay in bed at your side." And she spat a large blob of spittle in his face.

Naraku raised a hand wiping the spit from his face. "You bitch!" He seethed. "I'll break that temper of yours and teach you your place." He flung his hand out striking her across the face. Inuyasha went down. Naraku leaned down grabbing her by her collar and proceeded in slapping her several times across the face.

Inuyasha saw blinding stars before her eyes and her cheeks burned from the assault of the pirate. There was an ugly black bruise on each side of her face and blood trickled down the corner of her mouth and from her nose. Inuyasha tried to clear her head as she felt another explosion of pain across her face.

Naraku ceased his assault and stared into Inuyasha’s dazed eyes. “See what your unruly behavior made me do. I did not want to mar that beautiful face of yours.” He ran a finger over her bruised cheek. He could feel his shaft harden at the sight of her helplessness. Even with the bruises and blood, he still wanted to thrust into her body. "That shall be the last act of defiance you shall show me," he said lustfully. He stared down at the tunic and tore it open revealing her breasts. "What a feast for my eyes."

Inuyasha's head was spinning dazedly from the attack. Her strength was ebbing from her limbs and at that moment she realized that her fate was sealed and that no one was going to save her from this monster.

As Naraku dragged her to the stairs, she gasped nearly sobbing as she resigned herself to her fate. Suddenly with her dazed mind she thought she heard a deep familiar voice speaking on the other side of the room. She shook her head, trying to clear her mind, then with a sudden jolt she realized that it was not her mind playing tricks on her. Someone was standing in the shadows of the room, speaking in a low deadly voice.

"Naraku, you bastard, take your filthy hands from my mate and prepare to die." The low voice came from the main room.

At first, Inuyasha thought maybe her mind was playing a trick on her because the voice sounded like . . . She gasped in shock as her heart pounded against her chest when the voice said mate. Was it? Oh God, it was . . . Just then the dog demon lord stepped out of the shadows.

"Sesshomaru!"