Chapter Fifteen

Three days. It had been three whole days, since she had last heard from either Inu-Yasha or Sesshomaru. Kagome sighed, somberly, as she stood alone on one side of the playing field at her school.

"Why don't they come and get me? I hope nothing else has happened to them!" Kagome thought, worriedly, as she watched her classmates play their game of softball.

"Kagome-chan! There you are! Hojo's been looking all over for you!" one of her friends said, as she approached; breaking her out of her gloomy reverie, for the time being.

"Coming!" Kagome replied, before jogging over to where the boy in question now waited. She could only hope that all was well with the brothers, in their time.

"It's about all I can do, right now." Kagome mused, then tried to push her worries to the side, so her friends and Hojo wouldn't become suspicious.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"OPEN UP, DAMMIT!" an enraged hanyou shouted, at the tops of his lungs, as he furiously kicked the walls of the hut he and Sesshomaru had been placed in, after their battle with Royakan.

"You're wasting your time, Inu-Yasha. This hut's been covered in sacred sutra to keep youkai out, and you in." Shippou sighed, irritably, from his seat next to Sesshomaru's futon; doing his best to sponge off the sweat from the Taiyoukai's fevered brow as he said that.

"Yeah, but who says I needed to be the one sealed inside?" Inu-Yasha growled back, as he continued to struggle against the ropes that bound him; cursing his weakness as he did so.

"Please stop, Inu-Yasha!" Kagome's voice then suddenly said, temporarily stilling the hanyou's futile attempts to get free, and quieting him at the same time, "Please lie still and rest. Your injuries still haven't completely healed."

"K-kagome?" Inu-Yasha whispered, and looked over his shoulder at the one who had spoken…..at first believing that Kagome was truly there, and then feeling quite foolish, when he saw Shippou's tail sticking out from behind 'her'.

"You little…..! Laugh it up, fuzzball!" Inu-Yasha again shouted, before aiming some kicks at the young kitsune in retaliation for his prank. And yet, despite it all, Sesshomaru showed no signs of awakening.

"He must be focusin' all of his energy on healing himself, if he wasn't even disturbed by my yelling!" Inu-Yasha thought, as he took in his brother's far-too-pale features with something akin to worry in his eyes.

"It's about time you've decided to stop knocking around in here." Miroku muttered, as he opened the door to the hut, and he and Kaede started to enter, "We're trying to hide you and Sesshomaru-sama from youkai….But the racket you're making will render this last ditch effort meaningless."

"Let me outta here, damn you!" Inu-Yasha snarled, yet only got Miroku's staff shoved into his face, and his body pinned down by the houshi himself, for an answer.

"Kaede-san! Seal the door!" Miroku commanded, and watched as the elderly miko did just that. When Inu-Yasha had finally calmed down enough to be untied (his hands had been bound behind his back, to prevent him from even attempting to tear the hut apart), and was allowing Kaede to treat his wounds, Miroku then sat down and started to speak again.

"You mustn't rush things, my friend. I'm as inclined to rush after Naraku, as you are; but first you and your brother have to recover from your injuries." Miroku murmured, as he sat on a nearby hay bale; watching as Inu-Yasha's concerned gaze was drawn again to his unnaturally still brother. Sesshomaru was lying about a foot or so away from where he now lay; his pallid features slightly drawn with pain as he breathed, and his left hand weakly gripping the blanket that had been draped over him in an attempt to keep him warm.

"He speaks the truth. Naraku's strength is almost beyond comprehension…..Isn't that precisely the reason why ye had banished Kagome to her own world the way you did?" Kaede added, quietly.

"That was his reason? To keep Kagome safe? He sent her away out of concern?" Shippou wondered, as he sat beside Kaede, and watched her put more balm on the deep wound in the hanyou's back.

"We need you and Sesshomaru-sama to recover quickly….For we must face Naraku at our strongest. Otherwise, I fear we won't have too much longer to live." Miroku stated, grimly; feeling a little chagrin when the hanyou stiffly sat up and glared at him.

"Are you a man or a mouse? I, for one, am ready to face that yarou, here and now!" Inu-Yasha snarled; his golden eyes alight with challenge, proving that even though his body was hurting, his spirit wasn't dampened in the slightest.

"My good man, put your head down and get some much-needed rest." Miroku calmly replied, then leaped to his feet and knocked the hanyou flat onto his face again, "How many times do I have to tell you that? Lie down! Sleep!"

"I think it'd be wise to do as the houshi says, this time….." Jaken (who up until this moment had been sitting in unusual silence in one corner of the hut) mumbled; flinching despite himself as he watched Miroku knock the wind out of Inu-Yasha again.

"Shut….up." Inu-Yasha gasped, from his prone position on the floor, as both of the humans then stood and left; unable to even move an inch, before the wards were put back into place, and he was sealed in for the night.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

As the hours wore on, and the moon rose, Inu-Yasha could only lay there wonder where their paths would take them now.

"How far will our battle with Naraku take us? And will Sesshomaru still be able to search for our father in the meantime?" Inu-Yasha inwardly questioned, as he sighed and tried to relax; his sensitive ears just barely picking up on Sesshomaru's breathing from where he lay.

"Hey, Inu-Yasha…..you awake?" Shippou asked, suddenly, as he sat up and gave the hanyou a questioning look.

"Whaddya want?" Inu-Yasha grumbled; not even bothering to turn around and look at him as he said that.

"I was just wondering if Kagome misses us…." Shippou said, sadly.

"Forget about Kagome." Inu-Yasha growled, then silently added, "As long as she's safe, that's the best I can hope for….I just don't want to see another woman die like that."

"It's good to know that you have someone you wish to protect, my son." A strong, male voice murmured, in the back of Inu-Yasha's mind; startling the hanyou into sitting up for a moment, and taking a good look around.

"What's wrong, Inu-Yasha? Did you hear something?" Shippou asked, nervously, when he'd seen the spooked look on Inu-Yasha's face.

"Thought I had….." Inu-Yasha replied, then lay back down again. Then, just as he was about to drift off into light slumber, Inu-Yasha felt what almost seemed to be a hand brush against his brow; opening his eyes just in time to see what appeared to be a semi-visible warrior kneeling there beside him!

"W-what the….?" Inu-Yasha's mind yelped, and as he stopped himself from backpedaling away from the ghostly visitor (mainly because, by now, both Shippou and Jaken were now also sound asleep).

"I apologize for startling you, son. It wasn't my intention." the amber-eyed, silver-haired stranger said, quietly; knowing that his appearing this way more than just surprised his youngest-born.

"So you say. You're my old man, aren't you?" Inu-Yasha asked, skeptically; getting a nod from the youkai before him in response to his question.

"Indeed. I was the Inu no Taisho of the Western Province, but I was more commonly known as 'Touga'." The former Taiyoukai stated, with a slight, careworn smile, "Your's and Sesshomaru's 'old man', yes."

"You aren't dead, are you? Sesshomaru's been pretty damn worried about you, since this problem with Naraku has cropped up." Inu-Yasha muttered, dryly; this comment catching Touga somewhat off-guard.

"No, I'm not dead. As I had told your brother some time ago, I am merely asleep right now…..though I have no idea where." Touga replied, honestly.

"So Sesshomaru's been able to communicate with you like this for all this time? Why didn't he tell me about this?" Inu-Yasha again asked; feeling a bit miffed with the current Taiyoukai about keeping such a secret from him. At this, he got what could have only been a bemused smile from Touga, and an arched eyebrow.

"Would you have believed him, if he'd said something back then?" Touga in turn asked, rhetorically; getting an abashed look from his youngest son for an answer.

"Guess not…..But why're you talkin' to me like this now?" Inu-Yasha questioned; 'sounding' just as bewildered by this turn of events as he looked.

"The mental connection I'd had with Sesshomaru is down….I can only guess that he is focusing all of his energy on the healing of his own wounds. To be honest, coming to you this way was the only way I could think of, to make sure Sesshomaru hadn't died on me, as well." Touga replied, turning to look at the unconscious Sesshomaru beside him, and then gave Inu-Yasha a grave smile, "And this was the first time that your mind has been open enough for me to reach out to you like this."

"Y'mean you've been trying to reach me for all this time?" Inu-Yasha asked, in honest surprise, "Why?"

"You're my son, too. Why would I not?" Touga answered, warmly; his words taking his usually surly hanyou son completely off guard. He watched as his comment sank into Inu-Yasha's mind, and as an almost embarrassed look appeared to replace his stunned expression.

"Feh…..Then I guess all I can say, is that I hope we'll be able to find you, soon." Inu-Yasha mumbled, as he tried to salvage what remained of his 'rough' image, and feeling a hint of chagrin when Touga chuckled at his discomfiture.

"I look forward to meeting you in person, also." Touga agreed, as he reached out, and ruffled his son's hair with an almost insubstantial hand, "I just hope that, by the time we finally do meet, that you and Sesshomaru will truly be brothers….and that the bridge between you will be fully mended."

"Do you think he's got the strength to hang on that long? He was run through with the Tetsusaiga, after all." Inu-Yasha said, uncertainly, as he gave his elder brother a look of true worry.

"He's got a stubborn streak that's even broader than my own or his mother's combined! If there's one thing I can say for certain, is that once he sets a goal for himself, Sesshomaru will stop at nothing to achieve it. It was true when he was just a pup….and it is especially true now." Touga said, confidently; smirking when Inu-Yasha's expression deadpanned slightly; undoubtedly remembering what had happened before, and what had led to their discovery that their father was still alive.

"No shit about that." Inu-Yasha agreed, wholeheartedly. If there was anything that gave him hope for his brother's survival, it was said brother's own stubbornness that would see him through this.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the forest, Royakan fearfully huddled in his den; still shivering at the memories of his battle with Inu-Yasha….and his brush with death from when the houshi had stepped in.

"I've been searching for you, Royakan." The smooth, almost silken voice of Naraku intoned; prompting the frightened youkai into turning and looking at him.

"N-Naraku!" Royakan stammered, then seemed to steel himself, and glared at the other youkai angrily, "I refuse to battle against Inu-Yasha again!"

"Why do you tremble so?" Naraku questioned.

"I don't want to be drawn into a kazaana!" Royakan sobbed, before curling in on himself again. With almost a sigh of irritation, Naraku then reached under the baboon pelt he wore, and held out yet another Shikon Jewel shard towards the trembling youkai before him.

"I shall now take away your fear….and put an end to your shaking." Naraku stated, his voice sounding more venomous by the moment…..and, before Royakan could even object to it, the shard flew from the evil youkai's hand, and lodged itself in his brow. With a loud cry of agony, the forest guardian took off into the night; his cries of pain becoming menacing howls the farther he went.

"If he can't finish Inu-Yasha and the Taiyoukai of the Western Province with that form, then no one can!" Naraku inwardly sneered, as he again melted into the shadows around him; seeming to be no more than a wandering nightmare…..

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Morning had dawned with dark storm clouds on the horizon, as Kaede and Miroku finished with their preparations to defend the hut with everything they had. Both could only shudder slightly, when a chill wind started to blow towards them; a sure sign that something was headed their way.

"Such a sinister wind…..Kaede-sama, stay on guard….A malevolent presence is coming." Miroku said, as they both assumed meditative positions in front of the warded hut, and set up their spiritual barrier against the coming attack.

"Then we shall stop him here!" Kaede replied, as the first wave of three-eyed wolves came flying in and bashed themselves against the kekkai…..and then the beast commanding them appeared.

"Inu-Yasha, where are you hiding? Come out!" Royakan growled, as he turned his now totally crimson gaze onto the area where the hut was supposed to be. At the same time, within the hut, Shippou was watching the goings-on from one of the small windows with some alarm in his green eyes.

"Royakan's back, and he's even bigger than last time!" Shippou yelped.

"Damn….Then we'd better be ready to move." Inu-Yasha muttered, as he quickly pulled Sesshomaru up off of the futon, and draped him across his back; freezing for a moment when the Taiyoukai uttered a soft snarl under his breath in response to the sudden pain of being moved.

"Sesshomaru-sama!" Jaken said, as he and Shippou watched the inu-youkai lord closely for any signs that he was regaining consciousness…..and they weren't disappointed.

"Hurts…..and I smell wolves…..What's going on?" Sesshomaru asked, as he weakly opened his eyes; seeming surprised when he saw that Inu-Yasha was the one that now 'carried' him, yet not as much as he would have been, before.

"How's your wounds, Sesshomaru? Think you can stay out of Royakan's reach without reopening them?" Inu-Yasha asked, in turn, as he carefully set his brother back onto his own feet again, yet still remained beside him, in case he needed some support.

"They seem to be a little further along in healing…..but not as far as I would like. You're going to have to provide a distraction." Sesshomaru replied, as some distaste for this course of action emerged in his voice….He hated having to retreat!

"Feh, consider it done, then." Inu-Yasha agreed; knowing that his brother wanted to fight, yet not having enough strength to do it. Moments later, their decision was made for them; Miroku was forced to stand and block an incoming spear, saving Kaede's life….yet allowing the barrier to fall, at the same time!

"Inu-Yasha! I see you now!" Royakan howled, as he leaped over the houshi and miko, and effortlessly crushed the warded hut; reeling back from the remains of it a split second later with a pained bellow, when something slashed into him.

"I owe you one, Royakan, for getting us out of that hut that our so-called friends had sealed us into!" Inu-Yasha growled, as he brandished the Tetsusaiga before him; assuming a ready stance, as the Taiyoukai slowly got to his own feet again, and then raced off.

"For yours' and Sesshomaru-sama's protection, I might add." Kaede muttered, her expression deadpanning as she said that.

"Gratitude certainly isn't his forte." Miroku added, then thought, "But where is Sesshomaru going? He isn't heading for the well, is he?"

"Oh no, you don't! Taiyoukai of the Western Province!" Royakan snarled; blocking an attack from Inu-Yasha, and slashing at the injured youkai lord's back at the same time.

"Damn it all!" Sesshomaru inwardly growled, as he turned to face Royakan and tried to block the blow; the Tenseiga's barrier just barely preventing the monster's claws from reaching his chest.

"Inu-Yasha's been thrown to the ground!" Kaede shouted, her voice and words barely reaching Sesshomaru in time, before he did what would have been impossible to imagine, just months prior…..he leaped in front of his downed brother, and held his ground.

"Get up, Inu-Yasha! I don't know how long I can hold him!" Sesshomaru commanded, as the brute threw himself against the barrier; grimacing when he felt Royakan's strengthened youki collide against his.

"Idiot! Why'd you put yourself into this?" Inu-Yasha asked, stunned that his elder brother had even considered such a thing. Sesshomaru didn't respond, and soon Inu-Yasha could see why; when he had been thrown to the ground, the piece of the Sacred Jewel they had painstakingly gathered had somehow fallen out of his haori!

"A giant fragment of the Shikon no Tama!" Royakan gleefully howled, as he suddenly broke off his attack on Sesshomaru's barrier, and turned to pursue that, instead.

"Curse it all!" Sesshomaru inwardly hissed, yet felt a hint of relief sneak into him, when Shippou swiftly snatched the Jewel from the beast, and dashed off.

"Hands off! This isn't yours' to have!" Shippou shouted, boldly over his shoulder, as he ran.

"You won't escape!" Royakan bellowed, as he started to send more wolves after the young kitsune….yet just as quickly found his jaws being tied shut with Sesshomaru's venom whip!

"Not if I have anything to say about it." Sesshomaru snarled, when Royakan had turned a murderous glare onto him.

"Watch it!" Inu-Yasha shouted, as he got behind the Taiyoukai, and killed some more wolves that had been trying to attack him that way.

"The pup's on his own….." Sesshomaru growled, from between gritted teeth, as he struggled to keep Royakan from moving.

"Looks that way…." Inu-Yasha agreed, when he'd also noticed that some Saimyosho had arrived, and it had prevented Miroku from using his kazaana to help; giving them all the veiled hint that Naraku was somewhere close by, and was watching the battle from a safe distance.