Chapter Four

Akisame

She sat watching her mate sleep, her stomach rebelling at the scent of the food being cooked somewhere in the camp. Silently she rose and dressed. Leaving the tent with one last look at his sleeping form she went to find the other two members of their party.

Leena

She had not responded to Taka's question last night. She was to far in her own thoughts. Knowing her own mind once again, she smiled at the pup curled up beside her asleep. Looking at the camp she watched Akisame leave a tent. Raising her arm she indicated their location. As the last remaining female of their group joined them. She whispered, "Let's wait here for Sesshomaru, after he talks with his twin."

Taka

In her sleep she scented Akisame joining them and forced herself awake. Taka opened first one eye than the other, finally sitting up and stretching the kinks from her joints she wished her companions a good morning. Rubbing her eyes she gave her friends a grin. "How long has it been since we had one of those girl talks?"

Leena

"Let's see, ummm damn it was before Naraku kidnapped you." She looked at Akisame. Looking at Taka, "Shall we rehash our first session for our newest member?"

Taka

She blushed slightly but nodded. Taka felt a slight prickling of the hairs on the back of her neck. The last time she had recalled that feeling was just before the assassin had killed Enshi, and that was only because her more gifted brother had sensed the danger moments to late. She wondered what could cause the feeling but pushed it away as she lost herself in the girl talk.

Sesshomaru

Sesshomaru awoke, realizing Akisame was not with him. At first he wanted to panic but he could not sense anything amiss. He stood and went to the tent flap, opening it and taking a deep questing breath. The inu found his mate with Leena. Relaxing he decided to seek out his twin and ask his question. He dressed quickly. As he was finishing he sensed the taiyoukai's approach. The taiyoukai opened the tent flap and entered. Sesshomaru realized just how unsettling the cold mask was as the taiyoukai gazed at him. He chose to start the conversation. "Sesshomaru-sama, I have a request of you. I wish you to come with us to Midoriko's cave and should she be unable to send Akisame to my time with me...will you take my place there and seek vengence for my former mate's death." There it was said, Sesshomaru waited anxiously for the taiyoukai's answer.

Leena

"I see." Leena said at the girls nod. She noticed Taka's apprehension and stopped. She didn't sense any danger. Looking over the camp and surrounding area, no sign of danger. "Taka, What's wrong?"

Akisame

She was curious as to the girl talk when she felt Sesshomaru awaken. She saw the Taiyoukai enter their tent and lost all interest in any girl talk session. Her future might well depend on the outcome of the meeting taking place.

Taka

"I don't know...." she paused, her nose to the wind, "I havent had this feeling since...since Enshi died. I only ever had it when he was using his far sight. I just don't know."

Sesshomaru

"No." Sesshomaru stared at his twin. He had refused. He felt a sinking in his stomach. "Why do you refuse?"

The taiyoukai sniffed derisivly. "Just because I may be more tolerant to my hanyou brother does not mean I will accept this foolish mission of yours. What does the death of a ningen mean to me? If you wish to lower yourself by mating with ningen by all means do what you wish but it concerns me not. And you also say there is a young one that follows you around. No I think not. Take what supplies you need to get to your destination and leave."

Sesshomaru felt the anger tugging at him. No wonder Inu Yasha had hated him. His hands flexed at his sides, he could feel the poison flowing into his claws, heard the hiss as drops hit the ground. He heard a rumbling growl and realized it was coming from his own throat. Sesshomaru followed the taiyoukai, who had already left the tent.

The taiyoukai turned to face him, no change in his expression. "You wish to fight me now do you?" He tensed, ready to attack. The taiyoukai had insulted both Akari and Akisame. He wanted to speak, to yell at this Sesshomaru. He wanted to tell him how wrong his dislike of humans was but no words would come, only snarls.

Taka

Again the feeling hit her and she whimpered, unsettled by the return of the power she thought was only due to her link with her brother. Taka stood, unable to sit still and took a step back towards the camp. She saw the taiyoukai exit the tent, followed by a very angry Sesshomaru and sprinted toward them.

Leena

She heard the challenge from the Taiyoukai and grinned evilly. Grabbing her sword she ran towards the two men. Using a fraction of the Maiden's magic she passed Taka and landed by her friend Sesshomaru. Looking at the Taiyoukai she grinned, her eyes were a peculiar mixture of green, silver and red. "Why don't you go check on Akisame, she's on thehilltop. I'll handle this bastard."

Sesshomaru

Leena appeared beside him, telling him to go check on Akisame. The taiyoukai looked at them both, still no emotion registering on his marble skin. Sesshomaru growled again. Finally he decided to accept Leena's advice, though he wanted nothing more than to tear a chunk from the taiyoukai. He brushed past the taiyoukai, knocking him aside. He was still trembling with rage when he reached the hilltop.

Taka

Leena passed her and landed beside their Sesshomaru, telling him to let her handle the fight. She had a feeling she knew what had transpired in their talk and her heart sank. Taka saw the guards beginning to edge toward Leena and the young youkai drew her own sword, snarling her warning. "So now you wish to fight me, hanyou?" came the stoney voice of the taiyoukai.

Leena

It bubbled up from the depths of her chest and burst forth. A low dangerous chuckle, like none her companions had ever heard. "Fight?" she tilted her head and blinked twice. "No I don't wish to fight you. See, you met a Sesshomaru that was nice. Did you think my sire was?" She tilted her head to the other side. "No he was like you. He's tried to kill me many times. So you see, old dog, I want to kill you. Oh dear, you don't have Tokijin... only Tensaiga. Hmmm... and I have this." She pulled Desu and let it scream its desire for blood.

Taka

Desu's desire was almost painful. Taka didnt like the way Leena's voice sounded, it sent a cold chill through her body. She glanced at the taiyoukai, she saw something flicker within the golden depths of his eyes. It was fear. He did not let it show through in his voice. "You want to kill me. How amusing." She could feel the tension building in the air. Taka didnt know what to do. She felt Leena's blood lust, knew she would kill him. The taiyoukai didnt stand a chance against the hanyou, even with Toukijin, Taka didnt think any Sesshomaru would be able to defeat Leena. Her own dislike of this Sesshomaru made her want to see him killed but she also didnt want to see Leena pushed to that. She looked to the hillside. Their Sesshomaru was watching, he had not gone completely up to Akisame, he had turned back around, as if ready to charge back in.

Leena

"So the mongrel dog finds it amusing." She taunted the smell of his fear delighting her youkai side. "Are you afraid? Afraid of a hanyou?" She felt her companions wishing to aid her, she also knew that the bloodlust from Desu would not be quieted easily. "Taka, stay back. Do not let Sesshomaru interfer, for I may not recognize him." Her attention centered back on the Taiyoukai. "Let's dance, you and I." She sheathed Desu and stood in profile to him, hand on Desu's hilt.

Taka

She nodded, snarling once more at the guards. "Make one move and it will be your last," she warned them before going back to their Sesshomaru. "Don't try to stop her....she won't be able to distinguish you two when she starts to fight." The warning given, she turned back to watch the fight.

Sesshomaru

Taka came up to him, warning him to stay out of the fight. He sank to the ground. Now without this Sesshomaru's acceptance they only had one option left to them...Midoriko sending both he and Akisame to his world, if he wanted both of his desires fulfilled. If given the choice though he knew which one he would choose. "Akisame?"

Leena

Still. The only thing that moved was her hair as the morning breeze drifted across the field. Her eyes never left his. She knew his first attack would be his whip and she waited for it. Never had he seen an opponent wait so long or so still. Her eyes of green, silver and red watched his very breathing. She would not win. She couldn't win. Not a mere hanyou. The sword in her hands caused him to delay, its scream for blood had caused an emotion he thought never to feel, fear. He saw her lips twist upward as his poison whip flared from his fingers. He flicked at her, only to have it connect with the empty air. Then he fell forward as a foot connected with his back. Regaining his balance he spun to see her once again, still. Then she spoke. "I've decided, not to kill you. But I shall revisit old injuries upon you." He watched as she placed the blood thristy sword of hers on the ground. Her claws lengthened and a sickly yellow glow illuminated them. He rushed into attack her only to feel the sting of her claws along his chest. Spinning he tried to attack her unguarded back, yet his claws met only air. He felt her foot connect with his back and heard the loud crack of bone being broken. His legs would no longer hold him and he collapsed to the ground. He watched as her feet appeared before him. Once again she spoke in a cold voice. "Never underestimate your opponent. Being youkai is no protection against determination and strength of will. We require nothing from you. Desu." He watched as her sword flew to her hand. "Taka we're leaving." She headed to the hilltop as she passed Sesshomaru she winked.

Akisame

As Leena reached her she smiled. She knew what not killing the Taiyoukai had cost the girl. She was also glad that she had taken the fight from her mate. "Thank you."

Leena

"No problem, been wanting to do that for over a century." Leena kept moving towards Midoriko's cave knowing that her friends would follow. Cresting the ridge she stopped on the other side and collapsed to her knees breathing hard.

Taka

She followed a a few yards behind, keeping an eye on the guard should they choose to attack. When she saw Leena collapse she immediatly fell to the ground beside her. "Leena...are you allright?"

Sesshomaru

He was glad he had avoided Leena's anger when they first met. After seeing the battle he was certain the outcome for him would have been the same. Sesshomaru turned to face his mate. He wanted to feel her in his arms and he stepped up to embrace her, lowering his head to her neck, breathing deeply of her scent. Behind him he could hear the comotion of the servants rushing to aid their master. None made any move toward them. He didnt know what would happen once they reached the cave and made their request to Midoriko but he did know one thing. "Aishiteru, Akisame" he whispered.

Leena

"Yea. I'm fine. I just feel.... I don't know. I didn't kill him. I wanted to. I mean really I wanted to leave his body bleeding and broken. Then I realized, I didn't need to. Beating him was good enough."

Akisame

"Aishiteru, Sesshomaru." She whispered back. "Let us leave this place. We have a jewel to return."

Taka

She nodded. "You hurt him more that way, now he has to live with the pain of know he was beaten," Taka stood and held out a hand. "Come on, we should be going."

Sesshomaru

"Yes, we do don't we." Sesshomaru released her and they crested the ridge together, catching up to their other companions. It was time to make the final leg of their journey.

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