Tired, Hungry and Irritated

Sesshoumaru stood alone in the clearing when his brother’s woman stumbled out of the dense undergrowth. He wasn’t sure what had made him stop here. He knew her scent by now and had no business with the Miko, but she seemed to be alone. That in itself was an indication that something had happened that he did not yet know about. He could hear her crashing through the trees for a good five minutes before she actually appeared before him. She brushed the leaves and briars off and mumbled something about irresponsible hanyous.

He raised one delicate brow at her and waited for her to see him. She should have sensed me before this. It has never taken her so long to notice my presence. He came to the conclusion that something was seriously wrong with her. When she looked up, the scent of her fear was sudden and strong. That’s more like it. But just as quickly, it faded to be replaced by the spice of her anger. He let a small frown mar his features.

“What do you want now, Sesshoumaru?”

Her lack of respect was infuriating.

“We won’t give you the sword, so don’t bother making useless demands.”

His eyes widened at the wenches audacity.

“Woman, this Sesshoumaru no longer has a need for-“ he growled.

“Kagome,” she interrupted and resumed brushing off her indecently short skirt. “My name is Kagome.”

“What do I care what your name-“

“You want me to answer? Use my name. Are all dog demons so arrogant and rude?”

“You are the one that keeps interrupting.”

“True...” she looked up at him with a smile. He almost flinched in surprise. “Sorry.”

“Where is my brother?” He demanded. Somehow, she seemed to be able to ignore all his warning signals for her to accept his dominant status. Here was this human slip of a girl, staring him in the eye (or ignoring him), questioning him, and making demand of her own. Now, she seemed to think an off-hand apology was enough to smooth things over for herself.

“So he’s your brother now, is he? Usually its whelp, half wit, bastard, idiot, ass-“ 

“Girl!” he was shocked by her behavior. He knew she wasn’t like other humans but this was outrageous behavior for a woman.

“What is it about this place that makes people disregard a person’s name and replace it with so many other less favorable descriptors? Inuyasha calls me “girl,” “woman,” “bitch,” “Stupid girl,” she continued.

“Kagome,” he replied, getting her point.

She smiled brightly at him. “Now who’s interrupting?”

He resisted the urge to grasp his head and rub his temples. “No wonder that idio- Inuyasha,” he amended, “was always in such a foul mood,” he muttered. He sighed and tried again. “Kagome, where is my brother?”

She stared at him for a long minute, searching his stoic face with her expressive blue-grey eyes. “I don’t know,” she confessed. “I’m lost.”

He simply stared at her.

“We were attacked by a large number of flying youkai. They weren’t hard to defeat, but there were so many of them, I was grabbed and carried off. By the time I purified the hell out of the stupid thing, I was no where near my friends. It dropped me out here,” she waved a hand vaguely around. “That was two days ago. Now I’m hungry, tired, and very irritable.” She sighed. “I’m sorry for taking my temper out on you.”

He watched her rub her eyes and yawn. “You are in the western lands.” He turned to walk away. His curiosity assuaged.

“Wait!”

He stopped, but kept his back to the strange human. He wasn’t sure how such an odd creature had survived in these perilous lands for so long. She was practically self destructive.

“What did you want Inuyasha for?”

“That is my business, woman.”

“Kagome,” she answered mutinously. He heard her sit suddenly in the tall grass. He wasn’t sure what was compelling him....but....

“This Sesshoumaru will not wait.”

“Huh?”

“Are you going to sit there or follow me?” he let the exasperation he felt at her color his tone.

“That depends on where you are going,” she remained sprawled in the grass.

Smart girl...he thought. He turned back to face her and frowned when he couldn’t see her. His eyes searched the clearing carefully, he knew that she was still there.

A pale arm emerged from a slight depression in the tall grass. “So, where are you going?”her voice questioned. He stalked over and glared down at the figure hidden among the tangle of wild flowers. Her arms were thrown over her head in abandon. She blinked her silvery blue eyes up into his expressionless gold ones.

“East.”

“Oh.”

They stared as each other for a minute. His expression was as unreadable as mud. Hers was easy to understand. She was tired, hungry and irritable...He resisted the urge to smile. If Rin hadn’t changed him so, this girl would have been dead after the first insulting comment she had made. Now, he found some sort of perverse enjoyment in the company of others.

He straightened up and turned away again. “I won’t offer again.”

“No, of course not. I’m surprised you offered in the first place,” she mumbled but his sensitive ears easily picked up her words. “Might as well...” he heard her stand and stretch.

“Have you no fear?”

“Of you?” She sounded so surprised it really wounded his ego. He growled low in his throat.

“Of course I am. I’m not stupid. I just have bigger problems then getting involved with your family disputes.”

He looked at her from the corner of one eye. She didn’t smell like she was afraid. “Besides,” she continued , “if you were going to hurt me, I’d already be dead.” She said it so mater of factly, he wasn’t sure how he felt about her opinion of him. They had better find his brother soon...she was an annoying wench.

“Maybe Koenma was right...you have become kind.” He heard her continue to herself. Kind?! Koenma? She’s clearly out of her mind.

****************************************************************************************************

Inuyasha searched the forest desperately for three long days and nights. Shippo was so frantic to find his mother figure, he disregarded all his inner warnings and attacked any demonic being they came across, regardless of size or strength. Inuyasha had saved his tail so many times now, his grudging respect had grown. Now with Inuyasha still searching, he didn’t know what to do.

“Shippo,” Sango came up behind him. “We’ll find her.”

He didn’t answer her. He didn’t want to think about what it meant if they didn’t. He couldn’t consider that possibility. Suddenly the wind changed.

“Inuyasha is coming,” he said monotone. They looked at him questioningly. “Kagome is not with him.”

Miroku sighed and rubbed his sealed hand as he always did when deep in thought.

“Hey,” Inuyasha arrived.

“Any sign?” Sango asked.

“No. Nothing...NOT A GOD DAMNED THING!” he suddenly shouted, throwing a punch at a near by tree. He didn’t even look surprised as it crashed to the ground. He sat by its splintered remains and gazed at the makeshift camp site.

“Inuyasha,” Miroku said hesitantly. “Kagome wouldn’t know where we are, so...do you suppose she might have headed back to Kaede’s?”

Inuyasha’s head popped back up. It was an idea he hadn’t yet considered, but it made perfect sense. He hadn’t found her, or her remains, so maybe, she got away. Maybe she was even now waiting for them.

He stood on shaking legs and considered running off now to see...but he was so tired. He had no strength left to go rushing off again. He sat abruptly. “I’m sorry...” he turned his face away. “I-I have to rest. I have to sleep first.” his voice was soft and full of regret.

“We can go ahead!” Shippo answered, full of new hope. “You’re faster then us anyway. You’ll catch up before we get there.”

Inuyasha nodded tiredly. “Yeah, go ahead. I just need a few hours...” Kagome-please be there...be okay.