SURVIVE

Arrrggghhh tooooo busy – dying – so sorry - am just making the word count. Deciding to post my NaNo is one of the best and worst ideas that I have had – best cause readers and reviewers make me write – and WORST cause readers and reviewers make me write. Sigh!

Okay in spite of drowning in work managed to post after a day's break!

Reade,review and enjoy!

Chapter 9 : Horse Hanyou's Dilemma

Once he stabilized the human, Jinenji carefully checked his physical and mental state. The catalogue of the human's physical damages was long, but the Horse Hanyou was confident that he could heal that. The human's staved state was the real cause of concern, as was his mental state. Jinenji carefully tested the barriers in the human's mind and found them terribly weak. He could see why Lord Sesshoumaru had ordered that this being be kept away from others, a mental attack against the weak barrier could cause it to shatter and do irreparable damage. Jinenji's probe – as gentle as it was caused the unconscious human discomfort, and Jinenji withdrew

Jinenji honestly could not comprehend how the human had come to be in such terrible condition. Perhaps there was some kind of attack, perhaps Lord Manten had been accidentally giving the human the wrong types of food while he was a Hanyou, perhaps Lord Manten had assumed another was caring for the Hanyou and they had simply forgot. It never crossed the gentle healers mind that Lord Manten had set about to deliberately stave the Hanyou, Jinenji just could not conceive of such blatant cruelty.

He reached up and tugged at the chains, there were strong. Jinenji realized that as a stronger Hanyou the chain would have been tight around his wrists, the human however was starved, thin and close to emancipated. Jinenji thanked the gods for small mercies, as he carefully slipped the human's wrists through the chains. It was a little tight – but he managed with as little damage to the dry skin as possible.

He removed his overcoat, and wrapped the human into its warmth. The cell was no place for his sick charge, Jinenji decided that he would take the young one to his own quarters, there he could tend to the human's needs much better. Needing a hand free to open the heavy doors, and manoeuvre the narrow stairs, Jinenji carefully slung the unconscious form across his left shoulder. His movements careful not to jar and cause the fragile body more pain Jinenji made his way down.

aaaa

"There see, it is as I said Commander Kagura, the healer Jinenji, has been influenced by the Hanyou and has disobeyed Lord Sesshoumaru's direct order that no one is to touch or have dealings with the Hanyou who had been controlled by the collar." Manten and at least a dozen other Demons, most of whom had been rudely awakened, turned to stare at the Horse Hanyou carrying the wrapped and unconscious an body , as he walked into the main hallway.

The guards had all noticed the Horse Hanyou's search of the Palace's halls, his dash into the South East turret had surprised them, as they had orders directly from Lord Sesshoumaru that unless authorized they were all to stay away from the turret. Knowing Jinenji was a healer they had hesitated, but when the healer had not come out of the turret after 15 minutes they began to worry. Concerned that something may have occurred, they finally reported the incident to Lord Manten. The Lord who had been disturbed out of a sound and peaceful slumber, had first been angry at the guards for their intrusion, than when he was informed of the reason for their intrusion, he had paled, and began to curse as the weakness of Hanyous. He quickly changed and instead of rushing to the tower as the guards had expected, the Lord had rushed to awaken Commander Kagura and some of the other leading Youkai. Lord Manten figured he needed stronger Youkai present as the weak Horse Hanyou must have obviously fallen under the sway of the one he had so righteously captured. Lord Manten made a good case for himself, swearing that the gentle Jinenji had been influenced by external forces, to go against Lord Sesshoumaru's direct orders.

When Jinenji walked in carrying the covered body that indeed did seem to be the case.

"Jinenji, Lord Sesshoumaru has commanded that none that was not present during the breaking of the collar was to approach the Hanyou, did you not know this? What have you done?" Commander Kagura demanded hardly believing her eyes.

Taken by surprise, Jinenji looked around nervously, "Umm.. yes I knew about the order, but you see its.. I had to save this one from.."

"You had to save that creature from Lord Sesshoumaru's orders! Is that what you think you had to do? What Arrogance! That is not the Jinenji we know, he is obviously being influenced! I was right, the Hanyou first hurt his own nurse and in now tricking Jinenji, into believing that he has to be saved from Lord Sesshoumaru's orders!" Lord Manten cut the gentle giant off.

"But.. but.. no, its not like that.. I am not being tricked." Jinenji said, his confidence faltering under the unexpected attack, he could feel the stir of Youki in the room. His hand tightened on his almost weightless charge. Their mental energies could not be good for the human.

"Then you disobeyed Lord Sesshoumaru on purpose, is that what you are saying, that you are knowingly betrayed Lord Sesshoumaru's orders!" Lord Manten pressed.

Big gentle eyes filled with tears, "No, Lord Sesshoumaru has ordered me to care for the health of all in the Palace that is what I am doing. I would not go against Lord Sesshoumaru, he could not want this. I am sure Lord Sesshoumaru would not want this. " The healer said his voice wavering and nervous.

"Jinenji, it is not our place to speculate what Lord Sesshoumaru wants, it is our duty to follow orders. " Commander Kagura said softly, "Lord Sesshoumaru did make his orders clear – no one was to go close to the Hanyou. Lord Sesshoumaru himself put the Hanyou in the tower." Kagura sighed, she did not want to do this but the healer had overstepped, "Look I am uncertain why Lord Sesshoumaru ordered the Hanyou to be confined in solitude, but he must have had a good reason for it. I can understand that as a Hanyou yourself you feel a sense of kinship and pity, but you must not let that cloud your judgment. Return the Hanyou to the room, and confine yourself to the Medical Bay until Lord Sesshoumaru returns. Jinenji, you can make your appeal to Lord Sesshoumaru when he returns. Until the Lord Manten is in charge of the Hanyou."

The horse's dark eyes stared at the pretty demon, and there seemed to be a very ugly energy around the Demon. Jinenji's mouth moved but he could not find the words, he did not know how to say the correct thing to protect the being in his arms. He was a healer – not a fighter – not a courtier – simply a healer, he did not know what to do.

"You have your orders Jinenji, please follow them." Kagura ordered gently but firmly.

"Come, Jinenji, this is really not your concern, return that thing to the room, and we can forget this little incident. You will not be punished for treason if you just obey the Commander." Lord Manten said with an ingratiating smile.

Jinenji wavered, he whimpered in confusion. Commander Kagura spoke with Lord Sesshoumaru's 'voice' in his absence – it was not his place to disobey. He had not been here – maybe – maybe – he... he... horse ears twitched, as a soft human voice – the words less than a whisper – so soft that even the Demons around did not hear, breathed out. "Its enough, thank you... mongrel will.. survive."

Jinenji inhaled sharply, the human had awakened, he had reacted to the confusion and fear rolling off the horse Hanyou, and the damaged human, who had slipped back into unconsciousness after saying those words, was trying to comfort him. Jinenji looked around the room, Commander Kagura spoke with Lord Sesshoumaru's 'voice', there was only one option.

His hand shaking more than he thought possible, he was going to do something he had never, never imagined he would do.

He reached into one of the pouches on his belt, everyone tensed ready to attack the Horse if he tried anything. They all relaxed a little when all Jinenji did was take out a palm sized ornate mirror. Their relaxation turned out to be premature, when Jinenji stared at the mirror, his voice trembling – but loud he said words that stunned the onlookers to the core.

"L...L..Lord Se..Sessh..Sesshoumaru I..I... sssssssummon you."

"JINENJI! Have you gone MAD! Even if he is not here – how dare you make a order like that!" Jakotsu said rather aghast. As much as the demon hated to say that stupid sycophant Manten was right; it did seem that the Hanyou had gone mad, no one in their right minds would have dared such a statement. Saying something like that even out of Lord Sesshoumaru's hearing was asking for a swift death.

Kagura carefully drew out a net of wind, "Jinenji – I am not sure what has gotten into you, but it is obvious that you are not yourself. Now please follow orders." She raised her hand to throw the net on the Horse Hanyou, but a familiar voice stopped them in their tracks.

"Jinenji, you actually managed to use the mirror!... – What has happened, tell me immediately." Everyone gasped in shock, as Sesshoumaru's calm face appeared on the mirror, the Horse Hanyou had summoned Lord Sesshoumaru. He had actually summoned Lord Sesshoumaru... and Lord Sesshoumaru had actually responded! They could not believe it.

Jinenji was in tears, the stress too great for him. "P..please, sorry, I'm sorry... please! The hanyou... please...your... orders... please... he will.. die!" Jinenji choked out – unable to say more, it was a small lie, the human would indeed survive, but Jinenji wanted the human to do more than survive he wanted the him to be healthy and be fine, and be well.. and good... and.. so... his voice choked on the small lie,.. he began to cry in earnest. He was the worst – lying to his Lord.

Cool golden eyes narrowed.

"My Lord Sesshoumaru, this is a small matter – Jinenji has been.." Lord Manten began.. but was interrupted, as if he had not spoken.

"Commander Kagura!"

"Yes! My Lord!" She snapped to attention.

The Lord eyed the strained and distressed healer. Sesshoumaru had given the Horse Hanyou the mirror two hundred years ago, almost as a joke. He had been certain that the timid horse would never be able to actually say the words that were required to activate it. For Jinenji to have used the mirror after all these years... "No one is to interfere with Jinenji. Matters of import have been settled with the King, I will return home now. Open a teleport in exactly 10 minutes, I will see to this.. 'small matter' myself, no one is to do anything – understood?"

"Yes Lord Sesshoumaru!" Commander Kagura snapped out, she quickly moved to set up a portal mirror for her Lord in a secured location. Due to the order, everyone literally stood at their locations awaiting the arrival of the Demon Lord.

Other than Kagura, only Jinenji moved, still traumatized by his 'lie', but determined to do the best for his patient, he squatted down, and gently placed the human one his lap. Ensuring that the human's features were covered by the cloak, he gently poured herbal mixtures through dry and cracked lips. Massaging the fragile neck to ease the flow of the medicines. If Lord Sesshoumaru was coming to scold him for being insolent, Jinenji was determined to get as much medicine into the hanyou turned human that he could. He remembered the quiet breathe as the human, in spite of everything had tried to comfort him, and he knew that he had to be brave as well, he was a healer and he would protect his patient.

The portal opened. Jakotsu squalled in surprised pleasure as his partner and Bakusen'O both looking fresh and alert - as if they had not been just dragged from comfortable beds walked through. Bankotsu hugged his partner, and they all turned and bowed in unison, as the Lord of the West returned home.

-tbc-

Hope you liked it, tell me if Im missing anything. :) hehehe me thinks someone is gonna get it!