Evil rising, Litch Queen of the western continent

Chapter 3. When fire demon attack and payback backfires.

 

 

Sango and Miroku looked relieved to see the demon lord and the hanyou entering the clearing in one piece. When they woke and found both of them missing, the fist thought to cross their minds was that the two inu were back at trying to kill each other.

 

Everything appeared to be fine though, so the two ninjen returned to the task of packing up camp. Soon they were all back on the trail and this day began to drag on, the same as the day before.

 

Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk and walk some more.

 

“Lord Sesshomaru, might I ask, about how long will it take to reach the palace?” Miroku inquired.

 

“At our current pace, a week or more.”

 

Everyone was curious about the palace and the kingdom, to their knowledge not even Inuyasha had ever been there or seen it. It would be their first time in a palace of such high nobility, Miroku of course was especially eager.

 

Night was approaching again and to everyones relief, they finally stopped to make camp. Or so they thought.

 

“Do not unpack.” Sesshomaru ordered.

 

“Why not?” Inuyasha demanded.

 

“Silence, I am trying to listen.”

 

Inuyasha stilled himself, trying to figure out what the cold bastard was listening to. He waited so long with out hearing anything that he was about to ask the demon lord what he was talking about. But suddenly there was a very hushed rustle of leaves in the distance. If he hadn't been listening for it he would have passed it off as the wind.

 

Another whisper of movement drew his attention, closer and to the left. His hand instinctively drifted to the hilt of tessaiga.

 

“They have been following us.” Sesshomaru reported.

 

“They?” Inuyasha questioned.

 

More shuffling movement ahead of them and some to the right alerted Inuyasha to the fact that they were surrounded.

 

“Heads up guys, we've got trouble.” Inuyasha took a fighting stance near Sesshomaru, putting the demon lord to his back.

 

Sango, Miroku and Shippo clumped together with Kirara and Jaken ducked into the bushes.

 

“What is it, Inuyasha?” Sango asked while scanning for any sign of their enemy.

 

“I don't know but it reeks like ash and sulfur.”

 

With out warning something small black and furry leaped from the under growth, strait for Inuyasha's face, with wide spread flaming claws. He easily knocked the little creature to the ground, where it quickly scrambled back to it's feet and let out a horrendous shrieking cry. It made Inuyasha's ears want to bleed.

 

“Ahhh, what the fuck is it doing?”

 

He didn't wonder for long because at that moment dozens of little, black, furry, bodies launched themselves at the two inus. Inuyasha was in the process of unsheathing tessaiga to start hacking, when suddenly Sesshomaru's whip unfurled, slicing through the air all around them. A spray of bloody chunks rained down and like magic the whip was gone. Inuyasha looked stunned for a moment, in aw about finally not being on the receiving end of that cursed whip.

 

“Wow, I wish I could do that.” Shippo blurted out.

 

“We're still surrounded.” Miroku announced.

 

“What the hell are they?” Inuyasha demanded.

 

“Lesser fire yokai.” Sesshomaru answered, as if that were the most common knowledge in the world.

 

“Well what the fuck are they attacking us for?”

 

Suddenly a very powerful yokai aura flared and the ground started shaking. Fire shot up splitting the forest floor between the two inus and Inuyasha's small pack. Smoke and fire poured out as a deep canyon opened up.

 

More of the lesser fire yokai scurried out followed by a monstrous bull-like demon. It laughed in a deep booming voice.

 

“They attack you because I have commanded them to do so.”

 

It gripped the edges of the canyon with huge claws to haul itself out and it towered over them. It looked like a gigantic minotaur with it's bull legs, humanoid arms and torso, bull neck and head complete with an enormous rack of deadly flaming horns.

 

“Kill them.” It roared.

 

Now hundreds of the lesser yokai poured out of the pit and rushed forward in waves. Kirara took to the sky with her three passengers. Sesshomaru launched himself into the air backwards and Inuyasha unleashed one hell of a wind scar, destroying an entire wave of the creatures. The massive fire demon roared in outrage.

 

“A pathetic hanyou has no business possessing such a powerful weapon. I'll destroy you for killing my minions and take that sword for myself.”

 

“I'd like to see you try.” Inuyasha scoffed.

 

The immense demon took a deep breath, filling it's lungs with air and then released a horrendous, torrential wind of fire down on Inuyasha. The hanyou barely brought the sleeve of his kimono up in time to shield his face as the flames engulfed him. The heat and force of the attack brought him to the ground.

 

“INUYASHA!” His three friends cried out in unison.

 

The fire demon laughed boastfully, assuming he had killed the hanyou. It was a short lived victory however, Inuyasha leaped at the gloating fire demon, swinging his blade. He used an adamant barrage attack that cut deep gouges in the beast from shoulder to thigh.

 

Mean while everyone else was fighting off the hordes of lesser fire yokai. Sesshomaru landed in an area clear of Jaken and the humans. He allowed the suety creatures to rush him while he charged up his yokai energy and unleashed his dragon strike. Blue energy danced and crashed around him arcing and lashing in electric fury, cracking the very ground he was standing on and destroying the furry masses.

 

Sango released hiraikotsu with deadly precision, Miroku switched between flinging sutras and a vicious flurry of swinging staff attacks, Shippo was using his fox fire magic and Kirara charged in with fang and claw.

 

Inuyasha was slashing away at the fire demon, using his sword to deflect attacks and then coming back with brutal strength and momentum, he plowed the blade into the giant creature. Sesshomaru lashed out with another attack, sending a single beam of energy surging over the ground in front of him. It cut a bloody path through the lesser yokai and strait on through the greater fire demon's legs. They were torn out from under him bringing the beast to the ground. It roared in pain and rage, slamming it's fists into the ground. It used it's yokai energy, causing lava to shoot up from the earth in geysers all around him.

 

Inuyasha jumped clear and the monster turned on him spewing out another breath of fire and that was exactly what Inuyasha was waiting for.

 

“Backlash wave!”

 

The cyclones of yokai energy raged wildly with enormous power, ripping through the elemental beast and putting an end to the fight. Any lesser fire yokai remaining, retreated back into the depths of the pit they crawled out of.

 

“Ha, the dumb bastard was all talk.” Inuyasha remarked while sheathing his sword.

 

“I wonder what caused this creature to attack us?” Sango mused.

 

“It seems that Naroku's death has inspired many bothersome demon to emerge and attempt to establish themselves … How annoying.” Sesshomaru in-curiously answered as he also sheathed his sword.

 

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By the time the tired travelers reached a suitable place to make camp no one but Inuyasha and Sesshomaru had the strength to find anything to eat and even if the two rivals felt generous enough to prepare something, the group even lacked the energy to eat it.

 

So the party simply resigned themselves to a good nights sleep with the promise of time to prepare a filling meal in the morning. Shippo and Kirara curled up together in a small furry ball, Miroku snuggled up to Sango in one of the softer patches of grass, Jaken leaned into a crevice of the root system of a large tree, Inuyasha took to the high branches and Sesshomaru settled into his moko-moko fur at the base of a tree further out from the group. He was determined, not to allow the persistent scent of the monks arousal to disturb his slumber tonight. The randy being seemed to constantly be dreaming of something sexual, weather he was sleeping or awake.

 

Sesshomaru made it to about half way through the night. But then, not one but three different scents assaulted him, alerting his scenes to the fact that not only the hentai hushi, but now Inuyasha and, he cringed in repulsion, even Jaken was aroused. He curled his lip in disgust, huffing air out his nose to try ridding it of the vile oder.

 

Deciding that his ability to sleep was at a complete loss now, he stood and wandered silently out of camp. It was safer this way because if Jaken called out in his sleep the way the monk sometimes did, he was bound to kill the foul kappa. Sesshomaru absolutely did not want to have any inkling of an idea as to what his pathetic servant fantasized about.

 

The night air was cool and refreshing, a breeze tossed long silky strands of his hair around to shimmer in the moon light and brought the lingering scent of Inuyasha to tickle his nose. The hanyou's scent was most perplexing. He hated it not because it was offensive, but because he found it so appealing.

 

It smelled of life and energy, like brilliant sunshine and fresh spring grass. Like warm familiar fur and a delightful sweetness, like crisp ripe fruit, juicy and dripping, just begging to be tasted.

 

He growled irritably, glaring up at the moon and cursing it for being so close to full. That last indignant thought was proof enough on its own that his centennial growth was upon him. He did not look forward to loosing control of his yokai when the moon reached its most ample state in the sky. Already his inner beast was acting up, this was quite possibly the worst timing in all his years for such an event. It took little creativity to imagine the consequences involved if he did not make it back to the palace in time for his healer to erect a barriers that would restrict the influence of his baser instincts.

 

He sighed deeply, he would never understand why his father had burdened him with the ridiculous hanyou and his offensively appealing scent. The demon lord reluctantly resigned himself to wandering the forest for the remainder of the evening in an effort to avoid the temptation of that alluring scent.

 

Inuyasha quietly moaned and shifted on the branch where he was sleeping. He was dreaming again and it was just getting to the really good parts when the familiar pain of a small rock colliding with his skull roused him from the depths of his slumber. Once again, gingerly rubbing between his ears he cursed.

 

'Damn it that bastard did it again.' He growled as he leaped through the trees after the irritating demon lord. You could almost see the devil horns sprouting along side his inu ears as the hanyou plotted revenge while keeping pace with Sesshomaru.

 

When they reached the area chosen for their training session, Sesshomaru stopped and turned to face Inuyasha.

 

“You will be working on form today.” The demon lord announced.

 

“What's wrong with my form?” Inuyasha clamored.

 

“Besides the fact that it is a complete embarrassment to swordsmanship?”

 

“Hey, fuck you it's not an embarrassment.”

 

Sesshomaru ignored the outburst and drew his sword, while standing parallel to Inuyasha he demonstrated a kesa giri. Then looked expectantly at the hanyou. Inuyasha took the hint and tried to mimic the stance.

 

“No.”

 

Sesshomaru showed him again, and again Inuyasha tried.

 

Sesshomaru shook his head disapprovingly and sheathed his sword, walking around to stand behind Inuyasha.

 

“Pay attention hanyou.”

 

He shoved the palm of one hand into the small of Inuyasha's back and pulled on his shoulder with the other hand.

 

“Shoulders back.”

 

The hand on Inuyasha's shoulder slid up under his chin tilting it up slightly.

 

“Head up.”

 

Both hands slipped around the hanyou's waist to roughly position his arms and hands on the sword.

 

“Arms here.”

 

Inuyasha swallowed nervously …..... Sesshomaru was touching him …....... He had never done that before. Well at least not with out it being an 'I'm gonna kill you.' kind of way.

 

The hight difference between them was painfully obvious in this position. Sesshomaru's front was nearly pressed to Inuyasha's back, with his long elegant arms encircling the hanyou, the demon lord could rest his chin on top of Inuyasha's head if he wanted to.

 

It made Inuyasha feel small, helpless and submissive to be held like this. This was... it was... it was going to make him hyperventilate if he didn't do something fast.

 

“Fine! I got it, quit manhandling me.” Inuyasha groused while shooing Sesshomaru away.

 

He focused on the stance trying to control his breathing and repositioned himself.

 

“Good, again.” Sesshomaru ordered.

 

Inuyasha relaxed and then went back to the stance.

 

“Again.”

 

This continued for a while before Sesshomaru showed him another stance, and they repeated the routine. Then another stance and another and another until Inuyasha was up to ten stances. Then Sesshomaru instructed him to cycle through them until he was told to stop.

 

At first Inuyasha struggled, getting smacked by Sesshomaru on whatever body part happened to be out of place.

 

Smack.

 

“Elbows out.”

 

Smack.

 

“Legs apart.”

 

Smack.

 

“Head up.”

 

Smack.

 

“Shoulders back.”

 

After nearly three hours Inuyasha was flowing smoothly through all ten stances. He was also going stir crazy from boredom.

 

“Ok look, I know I'm the filthy hanyou that tainted the blood line and all that, but would it kill you to have a conversation with me? You invited me to come with you, so you must not hate me that much any more and I am going out of my fucking mind here with boredom.”

 

Sesshomaru glanced curiously at him for a moment.

 

“A conversation?”

 

“Ya” Inuyasha replied.

 

Sesshomaru seemed to consider this.

 

“And what exactly do you suggest we speak of?”

 

“I don't know, I just cant take the silence any more. Don't you ever just talk about, you know, what ever?” Inuyasha inquired.

 

Sesshomaru stared off into the forest with his usual indifference sliding into place.

 

“No.”

 

“Come on, Rin can talk a mile a minute, you must have at least had a conversation with her?” Inuyasha pried.

 

“Rin did not require my participation to have a conversation.”

 

“What about your toad thing that's always following you around, kissing your ass?”

 

Sesshomaru curled his lip in disgust.

 

“No.”

 

“Well then who the hell do you talk to?”

 

Sesshomaru flicked his finger out and a small pebble bounced off Inuyasha's forehead.

 

“I don't.”

 

“Damn it, would you quit that? What is it with you and throwing, fucking rocks? And that reminds me, find a new way to wake me up asshole, those rocks fucking hurt. ” Inuyasha griped.

 

“The mighty hanyou defeated by a few mere stones.” Sesshomaru taunted.

 

“Yeah well they fucking hurt, why don't you stand still and let me pelt a few rocks at your head?”

 

“Just because I have the countenance for such a thing, does not mean I would enjoy the corporal punishment.” Sesshomaru construed.

 

“Yeah well, neither do I.”

 

“That's interesting. ” Sesshomaru turned to face Inuyasha again with a slightly anticipatory smile curling his lips. “Because there have been plenty of times when your scent would suggest otherwise. ”

 

“What!?” Inuyasha barked.

 

“Did you truly believe that I have never noticed the scent of your arousal during our battles? Particularly when my whip is the weapon of choice. ”

 

Inuyasha stopped the stances altogether, completely mortified.

 

“Shut the hell up!” His cheeks burned with an embarrassed blush.

 

“You were the one who desired conversation, I was merely granting it. ”

 

“Ya well you can shut the hell up now!”

 

Sesshomaru smirked maliciously, feeling rather pleased with the flushed abashment visible in the hanyou's features. He so thoroughly enjoyed harassing his little brother.

 

Inuyasha was rigid with disgruntlement as he continued his stances.

 

'Stupid Sesshomaru, of course he would bring that up. It's not like I want it to happen.' He thought to himself.

 

No Inuyasha didn't want it to happen, in fact he really wanted it to stop happening. Not only was it a distraction during battle, but, well it was damn awkward that's what it was and it never happened when he fought with anyone else.

 

Now feeling to humiliated to try starting another conversation, Inuyasha just focused on the stances. He was grumbling about not knowing why he even bothered when suddenly pain bloomed across him bottom in a long stinging lash, accompanied by the cracking sound of a familiar whip.

 

Inuyasha whirled around staring in disbelief with his mouth hanging open. Sesshomaru was just sitting there staring at something terribly interesting off to the left.

 

“What the hell is wrong with you! You creepy fucking bastard!” Inuyasha stormed off even more humiliated than before and unable to stop the tell tail scent of his arousal from filling the air around him.

 

Sesshomaru barely suppressed the mischievous grin that threatened to curl his lips. It was a little out of his character he had to admit. But it had been well worth it, if only just to see the look on Inuyasha's face.

 

“How perfectly priceless. ”

 

Sesshomaru trailed behind the irate hanyou for a while giving him some time to cool his temper and what ever other parts that may need cooling.

 

It was nearly noon time when Sesshomaru rejoined the group in the small camp area, carrying a dead deer over his shoulder. Inuyasha glared at him with animosity.

 

“You're a real asshole, you know that?”

 

“Indeed. ”

 

Sesshomaru dropped the deer on the ground and strode over to rest under one of the trees near by.

 

“I suggest all of you enjoy that because we wont be making any stops for camp tonight. ”

 

“Why not?” Inuyasha demanded.

 

“Because I have an urgent matter I must attend to at the palace and we are severely lacking in our progress to get there. ”

 

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After filling their bellies with a nice meal of roast deer, the assortment of traveler started walking again. And true to his word Sesshomaru never stopped when night fall came or when the sun broke over the horizon. There was a brief resting period to refill their water supply but that was it until night fall returned.

 

Inuyasha had spent a good amount of time, while they were walking, continuing to cycle through his stances. Sango, Miroku and Shippo had burst into little fits of laughter every time Sesshomaru would walk up and smack Inuyasha for not keeping proper form. Inuyasha cursed and swatted back, never actually succeeding in hitting the demon lord. But grumbling a whole lot about stupid brothers and stupid perfection.

 

Once they finally made camp it was another night with out food because no one felt like going to find any. Everyone practically fell asleep as soon as they hit the ground. Well everyone except a certain hanyou, who was quietly waiting to get some revenge.

 

He continued to feign sleep until he noticed the pattern of Sesshomaru's breathing even out, showing the first signs of slumber. Then he crept from his branch and found a small stick he could start collecting pine pitch from the surrounding trees with.

 

He coated the stick with a thick, tarry, gob of pitch.

 

'This ought to fix the prissy bastard.' He thought as he slinked through the tree tops, creeping closer to get a better shot.

 

He stopped about twenty feet away from his peaceful looking victim and started carefully aiming for Sesshomaru's hair. His fingers were tensed and just about to flick when Sesshomaru's voice suddenly sounded from right behind his head, shattering his whole thought processes.

 

“You will find it exceedingly unwise to provoke my anger hanyou.”

 

Every hair on Inuyasha's body stood up on end and his ears went strait back. He nearly jumped half a mile, scrambled to keep his balance, failed and fell out of the tree. He landed flat on his ass, staring up in dazed confusion at the smug face leering down at him.

 

How the hell had Sesshomaru gone from sleeping under the tree, to giving death threats with out him even seeing the demon lord move.

 

'I blinked that was it. Is the bastard that damn fast?' Inuyasha wondered as he stood up and brushed himself off.

 

“Loose something hanyou?”

 

Inuyasha growled at the arrogant question.

 

“Of course I lost something, it's called my balance, you arrogant fuck.”

 

“No, you never had that to begin with. I was referring to something a bit more sticky. ”

 

Oh shit, he had lost the stupid stick when he fell. And now it was dangling from a tangled up clump of his own dam hair, with leaves and pine needles adding to the matted mess.

 

“Oh fucking great, this is all your fucking fault Sesshomaru, you arrogant, stupid fucking, Fuck!”

 

Inuyasha stormed off in search of something that would remove the tar from his hair. Sesshomaru smirked in satisfaction as he watched the petulant pup stomp off into the woods.

 

Sango and Miroku exchanged confused glances before shrugging and going back to sleep. All the commotion nearly had them up in arms before they realized that it was just the two inu bickering again.