Devotion and Sacrifice

By Danyealle

(fanfiction/angst)

Chapter 1

We Need You Kagome

Groaning, Kouga shifted around as the old miko Kaede tended to his many wounds.  His handsome face was covered with bruises, cuts and scrapes plus a black eye.  Wincing, he sucked in his breath as the woman began to wrap his sore ribs.  “We can’t keep this up!”  He said to no one in particular.  “We’re getting our collective asses kicked!”

Sighing as she tended to her many cuts and scrapes, Sango shook her head and said, “Naraku is just toying with us.  It’s like he doesn’t even consider us a threat to him anymore.”

“I hate to state the obvious but we need Kagome.  Without her all we’re pretty much doing is running around in circles, going no where.”  Kouga growled.

Shooting the wolf demon a hard look, Sesshomaru couldn’t say anything though because he was right.  Seated on the ground with his back against the old mikos’ hut, even the mighty taiyoukai looked as though he had been in one helluva battle.  His normal pristine whites were dirty and streaked with blood, both his own and that of other demons they had fought earlier in the day.  On his almost angelically beautiful face were scrapes and a large bruise adorning one cheek.

~~~~~~~~~~@~~~~~~~~~~

It was nine months after Inuyashas’ death and the battle with Naraku was still but very different.  After Inuyasha was laid to rest, as her friends expected, Kagome had gone home.  Yes, those in the shard hunting group were considered her family she needed her real family.  There really isn’t anyone better to help sooth heartbreak and the pain of grief.  What remained of the rag-tag group of shard hunters understood the little miko needed time to heal and, though sad. They watched her jump through the well and return to her own time.  Since then she hadn’t returned.

Approximately a month after that, while Miroku and Sango were still in Edo trying to decide what their next move should be, Kouga had shown up.  The ookami prince had actually been a bit concerned.  Unlike times in the past he hadn’t picked up the scent of the hanyous’ pack.  Normally, since both packs were hunting the spider they would either cross paths or at least pick up the scent of each other.  When neither of those had happened he was a bit concerned.  Since he had been close to Edo, what was considered the packs home base, he decided to stop by and check to make sure everything was alright.  Despite what most would have thought, the only reason for popping up here and there wasn’t ‘his woman’.  On some level he considered Inuyasha to be a friend and not  picking up his scent at all, that had him a bit worried.

After rearing into the village in his usual tornado, he stopped in front of the hut the group used when they were there then demanded, in his usual fashion, to know where ‘his woman’ and the mutt-face were.  Immediately, Sangos’ eyes filled with tears and Shippo burst into loud, braying sobs.  Miroku took Kouga by the elbow and let him towards the edge of the village, explaining to him what had happened.  Kouga was stunned, he felt like someone had just punched him in the gut.  Like so many others he had thought Inuyasha was all but indestructible. 

After all the tough half-demon had sustained injuries in the past that would have killed not only humans but demons as well.  It was inconceivable to the wolf demon that the hanyou had fallen to Naraku.

The fact that Kagome had gone home after that and hadn’t returned didn’t come as any surprise.  Despite what most may have thought, he was well aware that the little miko had loved Inuyasha with all her heart and soul and, despite what people may have thought, the hanyou loved her as well.  To have lost him she had not only lost the being she loved but her protector and best friend as well.  She had to be devastated and the trip home was understandable.

Because the shard hunters had been left without both their ‘alphas’ they were left rudderless, unable to decide what to do next or even where to start.  Both Sango and Miroku were strong fighters and Shippo, although not as experienced as Inuyasha, used his senses well but that wasn’t enough to take down the spider or some of the more powerful jewel enhanced demons.  They hadn’t realized until Inuyasha was gone just how much they had relied on his strength. 

Kouga had realized long ago that as much as he wanted to be the one to inflict the killing blow on the spider it was going to take more than just him to end the spiders’ reign of terror. After spending a couple days in Edo and had some long talks between them it was decided to merge.  They both Miroku and Sango had doubts that Kouga would be as effective as Inuyasha had been, it was far better than sitting around and doing nothing.

But, over the next couple months, they found out it was all but impossible to find jewel shards.  When they were almost on top of them Miroku could sense them but not be able to tell you where it was in the body.  Nor did demons seem to worry about the group as much without Kagome and Inuyasha.  It was also readily apparent that without the mikos’ purifying powers and Inuyasha taking down demons was a great deal harder.  In fact, as a rule when they were dome with fighting one they looked and felt like they had been in a war.  They were also pretty sure that Naraku was sitting in his lair, wherever that may be because they had no clues as to its’ whereabouts, laughing at them.

A little past the 3rd month mark after Inuyashas’ death they had been camped not far from the boarder to the western lands.  None of them were in the greatest of shape.  Earlier in the day they had taken on a jewel enhanced dragon demon.  Though they had beaten it and retrieved the shard they had taken one of the worst beatings ever.

They had camped for the night to rest a bit before heading back to Edo to rest and recuperate.  After eating they were settling in for the night to get some needed rest when a powerful, very familiar aura made its’ self known.  Though they doubted Sesshomaru would harm them, Inuyasha had been his usual target, they felt it was best to be on the alert so they scrambled to their feet, weapons drawn.

Sesshomaru, with Rin and Jaken in tow as usual, had been making his way back to the fortress when he had picked up their scent.  Out of curiosity, to see if they had any clues about Naraku or his whereabouts, he decided to stop by their camp.

Stepping into the clearing they had made camp in, he was met with the usual sight of everyone on their feet, ready for a fight.  When they saw he offered them no violence, Rin was with him and he wouldn’t expose her to things like that, they lowered them.  Rin took off towards Shippo, giggling.

When everyone was calm he asked his usual question, “Where’s the half breed?”  He noticed immediately the uncomfortable looks that passed between them. 

After glancing to make sure Rin was occupied, Miroku stepped forward, “Lord Sesshomaru, if we could step away a bit I’ll answer your question.

Understanding that the monk was leery of talking in front of Rin, he nodded and they stepped away. 

Unsure how the taiyoukai was going to handle the news, Miroku took a deep breath and started, steeling himself for any reaction.  “Lord Sesshomaru, I’m sorry to inform you that Inuyasha fell in battle against Naraku a few months ago.  We had no idea how to contact you to deliver the message.  Please accept my heart-felt condolences.”

Like Kouga, he was stunned but didn’t show it.  Immediately his thought turned to his fathers’ fang.  He didn’t want Naraku to get a hold of it.  “Where’s tetsusaiga?”  He barked gruffly.

Quickly, Miroku went through Inuyashas’ last requests, relieved to see the demon lord relax a bit. 

Understanding it was in good hands, protected, he relaxed.  He also understood his half-brothers’ intent in bequeathing it to the little miko.  “Where is the miko?”

Sighing, Miroku said, “Lady Kagome has gone home.”

He was well aware ‘home’ for her meant through the well wherever that led her too.

In the end, what came of that chance meeting was Sesshomaru took over the mantle of leadership of his fallen half-brothers pack ‘as a matter of honor’.  Realistically, he was aware that he would need them if Naraku was going to be defeated.  On the other end of it, the shard hunters and Kouga were quite happy to have the taiyoukai with them.  They knew with his tactical knowledge and fighting skills, not to mention experience, they had a much better chance of defeating him.

But, as they learned over the following months, it wasn’t enough.

~~~~~~~~~~@@@~~~~~~~~~

After wounds were attended to and everyone began to relax, Sesshomaru grabbed Kaede and bit her to take walk with him. On the outskirts of the village he asked her to give him everything she knew about the bone-eaters well.

Taking a deep breath, the old miko told him all the legends and what facts she knew about it as well as the porthole to Kagomes’ time.  She then told him what she knew about how her and Inuyasha passed through it.

After finishing, she eyed the powerful demon lord, “Are ye going to try to retrieve young Kagome?”

With eyes that had a far away look in them, he nodded absently, “Yes, she’s needed here.”

“I understand but remember the young miko may not be so easy to convince.”  The old miko warned gently.

Nodding, he understood that but he was well aware that when he wanted to be he could be very persuasive.