Learning to Love

Disclaimer: I am far to poor to own Inuyasha or any of it’s characters…..they won’t even come over to visit.

:(



I can’t begin to apologize enough to all of you out there for my delay in updating, I had a lot on my plate with school, plus my muse went on strike and gave me a killer case of writers block. Now I am back….for now at least. So on with the show!!



###############################



Seeing that Kagome’s immediate needs were taken care of he left to go and hunt. In a clearing a little ways from the cave he came upon a very large boar grazing in the middle of the clearing. It had large pearly white tusks sticking out of its jaws, and from the aura it exuded, Sesshoumaru could tell it had a short fuse to its temper like most boars. Luckily for him, he was down wind of the beast, a surprise attack would be simple from his location. He crouched down low, getting ready to pounce when suddenly the boar raised its head and looked in his direction, and charged without warning. Sesshoumaru got out of the way just as the boar swept past him, easily sliding his claws through the neck muscles as he dodged. However when he landed, his bare right arm scraped against an extremely sharp rock in a mound beside him, leaving a deep four inch gash in the muscles of his upper arm. Blood started to flow freely from the injury, it wasn’t serious by any means, it would probably be mostly healed by sundown, and completely gone by the morning. Regardless, it still stung badly.



Ignoring his injury he looked for his kill. It had fallen about five yards away, it still wasn’t dead, but it was well on its way. The boar was making gurgling noises as it attempted to breath, which was futile because he had severed its windpipe. Sesshoumaru quickly made his way over to the large boar, it probably weighed close to 300 pounds and would be more than enough to stave off his need for blood until the next morning at least, and the meat would provide his mate with the nourishment she required. As soon as he was beside the boar, his more primal instincts surged forth, burying his rational side in an instant. He lunged at the still struggling beast and sunk his fangs into the open wound on its neck, cutting the ventricle that he had missed in his initial blow causing a fresh flow of blood to pour fourth, and putting a halt to the beasts’ struggles as it finally died. In no time, he had filled his belly with the warm blood of the boar.



During the time he was feeding his rational mind managed to regain control, but not without a great deal of effort. He was preparing to leave when suddenly he caught a scent that made his eye turn bright crimson with rage. Suddenly a bright beam of light descended from the sky, blinding Sesshoumaru for a moment, before he lunged at the light, only to be frozen mid-leap. He heard laughter that would have sounded heavenly to most beings, but only enraged him more.



The beam disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared, revealing Ericka. She looked the same as she had the first time; long, wavy, blond hair blowing in the wind, her flowing white tunic, and her large set of pure white, glistening wings. Her blue eyes were deep with knowledge, but shined with her unveiled mirth at his predicament. She landed gracefully, folding her wings carefully behind her before they disappeared entirely from her person. She totally ignored the vicious snarls coming from Sesshoumaru.



“Now, now Sesshoumaru, is that any way to treat a tennyo?” she said smirking as she circled his prone form.



“I see no tennyo, only a witch in white!” he snarled, his voice turning more beastly.



“Tsk, tsk…and I brought news of your families, but I suppose it is unimportant.” She shrugged and began to walk away.



Sesshoumaru realized the importance of the information, not so much for himself but for Kagome. A much as he hated the creature in front of him, he knew that any information about Kagome’s family would bring her some piece of mind. She still had occasional nightmares about them, and knowing that they were safe would, hopefully, help with her nightmares. As much as the idea sickened him, he would play civil with Ericka, for his mates sake.



“Tennyo, wait….” He panted. He was trying desperately to get his temper under control, it proved even more difficult because mating season was so close, he managed it, barely.



“Hmm?” she stopped and turned slightly.



“This information you have, what…what is it?” He forced out.



“Suddenly interested, not for yourself I suppose, but for Kagome perhaps?” she questioned with a smirk, “Now answer truthfully and I’ll tell you what I know.” She said in a singsong voice to Sesshoumaru’s still frozen form.



“Woman you try my patience….yes…yes I wish to know purely for the benefit of my mate, now tell me what you know.” He growled.



“Well, well I must say I didn’t expect you to give in so quickly.” She laughed at the vicious snarl coming from Sesshoumaru. “Regardless you did keep up your end of the deal, so I’ll keep up with mine, providing you stop growling at me.” She said sternly. It took a few seconds but his growls eventually died down, and she smiled gently. “You must really care for her.”



“Yes…yes…I care for her very much.” He whispered.



“I thought as much, though I didn’t ask for a public declaration, it is nice to see you get over some of that ego of yours.” She said, her gentile smile never budging. “Kagome’s mother was very distraught over her disappearance, but the knowledge that she is well seemed to calm her considerably. Her father is still away on business, so her mother is stepping up security at their palace. A man with an incredibly evil aura has visited twice asking the whereabouts of the princess, and her mother has very successfully turned him away both times stating that she is visiting a sick relative and is not expected home for quite some time. I must say I’m impressed that she turned from a sobbing wreck into a collected ruler rather quickly, she obviously knew this man from the way she handled him. I sense he will become a problem in the future as he obviously has an obsession with Kagome. The rest of her family is faring well; they bought the same story about visiting a sick relative. That is about all there is to tell about her family. I must say your family took the news far better. Your younger brother thinks you are on another long trip, word of advice teach him a new technique when you return home, he’ll be expecting it, and an explanation for your sudden departure will also need to be considered, you know how curious he is, better get your story straight. Your father is concerned, but trusts in you to return home safely. Your sister has taken it upon herself to cover all of your duties as well as her own. She is running herself ragged, and beating a poor solider to a pulp as a means of training him. I believe there is also a bit of stress relief involved for her as well in the act.” Ericka chuckled, and Sesshoumaru smirked, it sounded like something his sister would do. “She was the first to notice you were missing. She snuck out of the castle to find you, all she found was a clearing with your blood in it. She received a reprimand from your father when she returned, for reasons unknown to me; I try not to pry too much into the lives of mortals if it can be avoided. Then I appeared and gave them the news, and left shortly after. That’s about it for your family, like I said, they took it pretty well.” She shrugged.



“hnn…you not prying….pardon me if I don’t believe you.” He mumbled. “Are you ever going to release me or am I going to remain like this?” He inquired. Ericka laughed lightly.



“Yes well, if you promise to behave I’ll let you go. I still have something very important to tell you, but if you misbehave I’ll let you stay on this island a while longer to learn your lesson.” She warned. Sesshoumaru only nodded in response. Ericka smiled and snapped her fingers watching as Sesshoumaru landed gracefully on one knee. His first instinct was to attack her, but he fought back the urge to kill her. He crouched there for a few tense minutes fighting an internal battle, eventually winning it. He slowly stood and looked at Ericka, nodding for her to continue, his eyes only holding the faintest tint of pink around the edges.



“Well done Sesshoumaru.” Ericka praised. “When the mating season starts you will impregnate your mate, while this is usually a joyous event, it will be filled with many obstacles for you and Kagome. When you leave the island Kagome will want to go and see her family immediately, you cannot allow this; it will not be safe for her or the child. You must return to your home with her. There will be trials there that she must overcome before she is to be reunited with her family. She will be angry at first, but will relent when you explain to her about the man with the evil aura. He will not dare to come into your domain, at first anyway. It will give Kagome time to recover from the birth, by then he will not be so cautious.” She paused at his growl, raising an eyebrow at him. “This is how things will happen, don’t even think to try and prevent it. You will also have to protect her family, because this man will not stand idle when he realizes Kagome is no longer available, he will not allow her family to live. That is all I have for you for now.” Her smile now gone.



Sesshoumaru’s eyes had turned a darker pink at the thought that his mate would be in danger.



“So there is nothing that I could do to stop him from coming?” he said between pants, he was trying once again to rein in his temper.



“No, regardless of what you do, he will come.” Ericka said in a somber voice.



Sesshoumaru’s eyes faded back to only being tinged pink. “I had hoped it wouldn’t come to that, I’m her mate, I’m supposed to keep her from danger, not let it come to her.” he said with slightly slumped shoulders.



“Don’t become so worried over it young prince, these things must happen for the future of demons and humans to change. Those predictions are from the gods lips themselves, so it will happen as they have decreed. It is pointless to worry over what will be, instead worry over the here and now. I believe your mate is waiting on you, and that injury on your arm is more serious for her than it is for you…..”Ericka’s voice faded as she disappeared from sight.



Sesshoumaru stood there for a minute before her last words sunk in. He realized that the injury was minor for him, but to a human it would be a major injury, he hadn’t realized at first, but it had gone nearly to the bone, the pain was bearable to him, but to Kagome…..he had to get back to her.



He grabbed the boar and raced back to the cave. When he ran into the cave, Kagome was lying where he had left her, only instead of peacefully sleeping as she had been before; she was now clutching her arm in the same place he was injured and gritting her teeth to keep from crying out in pain. He dropped the boar at the entrance and rushed to her side. He picked her up and cuddled her to his chest whispering apologies into her hair. She reached her left hand from her arm to gently inspect his injury, flinching when she pressed a little too hard on the edge of it. He sat there and let her continue her inspection.



“Never thought a boar would be able to get a hit in on you.” She whispered her eyes watering as she again pressed a tender spot.



“It wasn’t the boar, but my own miscalculation, and my own stupidity for not realizing my injury was hurting you.” He whispered into her hair.



She laughed weakly and curled into his warm embrace. “Don’t worry so much over it, after all no one is perfect, we’re all allowed to make mistakes from time to time. Besides I figure by this evening the pain will be bearable, and be gone by tomorrow morning.” She smirked into his chest.



“You are too good to me mate, it is my job to protect you from pain yet here you are suffering because of me.” He whispered sorrowfully.



“Sesshoumaru, you can’t protect me from everything. But if it will make you stop wallowing in self pity, I will forgive you mate if stay with me while I sleep through the worst of this.” She chuckled as her eyelids drooped.



“This Sesshoumaru does no wallow woman…..but if that is your price for forgiveness, then I will gladly pay it.” He smirked as he cuddled her closer.





#############################

This is it and I made it in time for Christmas!!!! Woot!! So Happy Holidays everyone!!!



Muse: Christmas ba humbug



Little Muse: Oh no Muse you can’t say that!!! Santa won’t bring you any presents if you are a grouch!!! Plus there are the three ghosts of Christmas…..you don’t want to go through what Scrooge went through do you?!?



Muse: Santa isn’t real you little snot, so I can be as grouchy as I want, I ain’t sacred of no ghosts either! Besides I wanted a white Christmas….and all we got was rain.



Little Muse: (sniffle, sniffle) WAAAAAAAA…..AUTHOR LADY MUSE IS BEING MEAN AND SAYS THERE’S NO SANTA!!!!!!



Author Lady: (cuddling Little Muse) hush hush little one, Muse is just angry because she knows she is on the naughty list this year, not because it won’t be a white Christmas.



Muse: Yeah right, Santa isn’t real….*walks off to bed grumbling about naïve little kids*



*then on the roof you could hear the pawing of what sounded like hoofs*



Muse: WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!!!



Author Lady just stands there and smiles. Muse rushes back to Author Ladies side.



????: HO HO HO…..MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!



Little Muse: OH BOY, OH BOY!!! IT’S SANTA!!!!! Oh oh I got to get to bed before he gets down the chimney. *quickly jumps out Author Lady’s arms and rushes up the stairs.*



Muse: Holy…..Yikes I gotta get to bed….please Santa, forgive me, I’ll never doubt in your existence again!!*Rushes up the stairs to bed*



Author Lady: *laughing* Merry Christmas everyone!!