The Miko & The Wolf

Chapter 3: Encounters with a Demon Lord

It just had to be one of those days that did not seem to want to go Kagome’s way. She could not help but stare at the deadly demon lord that appeared to actually be exercising an effort to keep his face impassive at the scene he had gracefully walked across in his travels. Kagome figured this might not be the healthiest situation to be in considering the last being to see him express so much as a smile was very dead. It was not something she wished to have directed her way and yet it still did not stop her unruly tongue.

“What is it you are after Sesshoumaru?” Kagome almost wished she could have changed to snap in her voice into a polite inquiry.

“Nothing Miko, and get once again you are a source of both trouble and amusement.” Sesshoumaru’s reply was once again even and without emotion.

“I have not done a damn thing lately to cause any form of trouble, thank you.” Spluttered Kagome.

Kagome was shocked, she had no idea she had become an amusement to the Western Lord. As for being the cause of trouble that had been the Jewel not her, even if in the mist of things she had managed to be in the centre of a few dilemmas it all could have been tied back to the Jewel in one way or another.

“Attacking an ally and the Easter Lord is trouble Miko.” It was statement from the demon lord.

“I would never ...” She started.

“Is he not the wolf who help to defeat that filth three years ago?” interrupted Sesshoumaru.

Okay so the demon had a point, not that Kagome was willing to admit that. Nor was she going to mention the fact Kouga had come across her will she was bathing let alone the other thing. She was almost willing to stand there in stubborn silence until Sesshoumaru left, but the rest of what he said raised a question begging to be asked.

“Okay I cave on the ally one, he asked for it, but I have never attacked the Eastern Lord, I never even met him.” Kagome argued.

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Sesshoumaru was amused by the priestess standing before him. As always she stood her ground against him when others would have run. He often wondered whether she was
incredible brave for a human or abnormally stupid. The number of time he had watched her rush into to the middle of a fight to save one of her friends or his idiot of a half brother was innumerable. Yet he could not fault the result garnered by such an action, whether it was her summoning something miraculous from that deep well spring of power that had laid dormant in her for so long or it was what had been need for her friends to push themselves that little bit further to find that little bit of extra strength to see them through to the end of battle.

Despite all she had seen and all she had been but through there was a core of purity and kindness to her. Even if she seemed to enjoy face planting his brother more than one would think was fit for a holy person. She had a temper that lead her to more trouble than any other being, either human or demon, that he knew of. It was her kindness that caused and solved so many of those problems though. From a wolf demon that did not care who he slaughtered who became a strong courageous leader that even Sesshoumaru respected, not that he would every let the wolf know that. To himself who had tried to kill her on more than one occasion for her interference in his fights with his brother. Now he could never harm her not when she had gifted him with his arm in such a way that he could not have refused, even if she had given him a chance to do so.

It had been in that last battle against Naraku when everyone beside the Miko, the Wolf and Himself had been wound and unconscious. She had come to stand on his left side raising her hand to his shoulder to get his attention, as if he had not known where she was already. Her eyes had remained focus on Naraku on the other side of the battle field as he taunted them trying to break their spirits. He felt her spiritual powers pour into his arm and spread in a heated rush down his arm making it light up with his demonic energy and her spiritual energy. Even as it hurt he had not let the pain surface in his mind or on his face. They had watched as Kouga attacked Naraku darting in and out with his extreme speed ripping at his bone like armor with his claw, landing punches and kicks all over the hanyo body. There had been no words spoken between the two of them as she placed Tessaiga in the energy flame left hand that had formed in place of the old one. He had Tensaiga in his right and she stood ready with an arrow in her bow aimed at Naraku. Naraku had been sufficiently distracted by Kouga that he had not noticed what had been happening between them. Again no words where spoke as Kagome had drawn back on her bow a little further, Sesshoumaru had planted Tensaiga in the ground and had raised Tessaiga above his head. With surprising coordination they had unleashed their attacks simultaneously as Kouga leapt out of the way of the combined power of the Dragon Strike and Purification Arrow. After the power had been unleashed Kagome had simple taken Tessaiga back before it started to burn the newly formed arm and went to tend to the wounded including the Wolfs sidekicks and his own minion Jaken. It had been an amazing display of power on her part, to use power meant to kill him to heal him and there other allies, especially after the amount of power expended on the battlefield.

Yet here she stood completely unaware that the demon unconscious on the ground behind her was the Eastern Lord, a place of power over many demons, but he was also the Wolf Prince, the ruler of all wolves be they demons or not. A station that Sesshoumaru himself did not hold within the Inu clan, at least not yet.

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Sesshoumaru had been quite for a while, just staring at her. Kagome almost thought he was curious about her, then again Sesshoumaru was interested in no one. While watching him study her Kagome came up with a plan that would help to keep her out of trouble with Inuyasha and preoccupy Sesshoumaru and Kouga long enough that her group could start traveling for the day.

“You know as he is an ally to both of us, I suppose it is only fair to leave him in you care where his alliance would be treated with the appropriate respect Lord Sesshoumaru.” Kagome smirked throwing in a low bow before running into the surrounding forest, her scent and aura cloaked and suppressed quickly.

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Now Sesshoumaru was really amused, did she honestly think that he would stand here and guard this wolf just because he was once an ally. He was quick to decide to leave the wolf lying there, but before he could take a step to leave the wolf let out a piteous moan before slowly peeking out from under his lashes to check his surroundings. Sesshoumaru watched as the wolf seemed to sigh in relief before getting up. He was not surprised when the wolf addressed him straight away.

“Sesshoumaru, what are you doing so close to Mutt face, bored or something?” Kouga still managed to sound rather cocky.

“Hn.” Sesshoumaru went back to his standard reply.

“Shouldn’t you be of avoiding the mating hunt or something?” Kouga teased.

Sesshoumaru was silently laughing as the wolf surreptitiously sniffed the clearing in search of the miko.

“She left before you woke.” Sesshoumaru sound bored but was far from it.

“I know, I was waiting for her to either leave or dump me off a cliff.” Kouga muttered as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

Sesshoumaru almost smile wondering why this fierce warrior was suddenly scared of a kind Miko. His eyebrow raised in inquiry as he watched the wolf.