FicWad

A/Ns:
This chapter is dedicated to Dawna Sama for being my 100th reviewer over at aff! Congrats. I wish I could give you something more than just a chapter dedication, but I don't have much of a talent in anything. (However, if you can think of anything, feel free to suggest it and I can see what I can do). So um, thanks for the support! I really appreciate it!

*

Chapter Six;


Kagome sat hunched over, gripping her arms tightly around her in a desperate attempt to stay warm. She looked down at the valley, amazed how such greenery could so easily succumb to the winter grays further up the mountain they trekked.

"Kagome, come on," Inuyasha shouted from further up.

They had traveled almost non-stop from Kaede's village and they were all exhausted and hungry. The hanyou, however, was insistent that the need to continue was dire. Kagome just hoped that at the end of their upward climb, there was somewhere warm waiting.

She picked herself up and turned around. Her short, green skirt fluttered in the gusts of icy air. She shivered.

"Stupid," came a gruff whisper.

Kagome looked up to see Inuyasha standing in front of her, his fire rat coat held out to her. She eagerly took it and wrapped herself in its warmth. She smiled as she inhaled his musky, pine scent. Shippo joined her seconds later.

"Now let's go, we've still got a long way to go."

"You do know where we're going right?" Sango asked. "You're not just leading us up a mountain to nothing?"

The entire group looked at the hanyou expectantly. His cheeks flushed red and he tried for his signature arms-in-sleeves move. It was impeded by the fact that he had just given his haori away. Kagome giggled at his disappointment.

"Of course I know where we're going. We're going up."

Kagome squealed as he grabbed and picked her up, cradling her close to his chest. He jumped ahead on the path, calling back for the others to follow, and continued with a quick pace.

Miroku chuckled to himself, poised to make a comment about Inuyasha's haste. Sango shot him a look and sprinted to catch up with the others. She refused to be left behind with a pervert.

The monk continued at a more leisurely pace, making sure the others were always within sight.

*

Dusk was quickly approaching and the wind was becoming stronger the further up they went. Inuyasha's pace was also continuing to climb, going from grueling to near deadly for his human companions. If it hadn't been for Kagome's whimpers and chattering teeth, they may have never stopped.

"Well, what now, dog boy?" Sango said, more than just a bit agitated.

It was freezing and they had stopped on a ridge where there was no visible shelter. Kirara was curled under the Taijiya's kimono to try and capture warmth.

"Hey, don't lecture me, I was going to bring you to shelter but you are all too pussy to reach it."

"How much further is it?" Miroku asked, stopping a physical fight before it could start.

His lips were blue and he had let his hair down to cover his ears. He looked more disheveled than anyone had ever seen him.

"Not far."

"Not far by our standards or yours," Sango asked. "Because those are two completely different things."

Inuyasha scoffed, attempting to thrust his arms in his sleeves again, and failing. "Not my fault you're human."

"Inuyasha," Kagome whined quietly. "I'm cold."

The hanyou looked at the girl, clinging tightly to the red coat. Her legs were shaking violently from the wind. Shivers wracked all of her body.

"It's not much farther," he said, his voice quiet with concern. "Just a bit more."

He scooped Kagome into his arms again. Shippo still clung tightly to her, under the coat.

"Keep straight on this path--"

"You are not leaving us," Sango growled.

"You idiot, listen," Inuyasha said. "I'm going to run up and get Kagome into the cabin. Once she's there, I'll come back down for you and Kirara."

Miroku looked at his friend. "And what of me? Will you carry me too?"

Inuyasha snorted and turned. He shouted over his shoulder, "in your dreams monk, you can make it up on your own", and then took off with Kagome up the path.

Miroku didn't bother to hide his indignation. His brows were furrowed, and his lips thin with anger.

"Don't worry monk, I'm sure it's nothing against you," Sango said. "I'm sure it's more something to do with defending his manhood."

"Oh great, so I'm the sacrificial lamb in order for Inuyasha to continue his macho image for Kagome-san."

Even the sharp winds could not dispel the thick sarcasm that rolled off of his tongue. He kicked his staff. It fell in the deep snow a few feet ahead of them. When they had reached the polar climate, he had been forced to tear a portion of his robes in order to carry the metal staff in the freezing weather.

"I don't think it's that Miroku," Sango started.

She was startled at the look of disbelief and thinly veiled contempt in his eyes.

"It's just that next to Inuyasha, you're the most likely to come out of life and death situations unharmed. I guess it's like a natural luck or something. You just have a way of surviving where others probably wouldn't."

Miroku snorted. "I don't know what odd definition of luck you're using..."

He trailed off as he lifted his cursed hand up and fingered the round beads on his palm. They were cold to the touch.

"You're missing the point," Sango said.

"I'm aware of your point."

Sango stepped closer to him so that they were mere inches apart. Even so close it was too cold to allow their body heat to intermingle. She placed a hand on his cursed one, covering the beads from his sight, and squeezed. He looked up at her, more than a bit startled.

"You should really take it as a compliment," she said.

He leaned closer to her. "What?"

"That he thinks so highly of you?"

"Hm?"

Sango's cheeks heated. "Inuyasha," she said. "Of all of the group, he thinks you're the strongest--the one able to protect himself without aide."

"Only next to him," Miroku corrected.

"Huh?"

"Inuyasha thinks he is the strongest, so I'm only the strongest after him...by your theory at least."

Sango giggled. "Well that's just who Inuyasha is. He thinks he is stronger than everyone."

Miroku put an arm around Sango. She leaned in, accepting the heat, and the fact that his arm (and hand) were firmly around her waist and not moving lower.

"He thinks so, but it isn't necessarily true," Miroku said. "I mean, Sesshomaru bested him at what was probably his biggest challenge of all, next to killing Naraku."

The Taijiya opened her mouth to reply, but shut it when she couldn't think of anything to refute his claim. She worried her bottom lip, clutching tightly to the front of Miroku's robes. "So you don't think her plan will work either?"

Miroku shook his head.

"Or Inuyasha's?"

He tightened his grip on her. The wind howled around them and the shivered together.

"There has to be someway--"

"You idiots!" Inuyasha's cry cut through the wind. "Are you two trying to freeze to death?"

The hanyou dropped down in front of them, one brow raised at their position. Sango jumped back, pushing the monk back. He tumbled into the snow with a surprised grunt and a string of mumbled curses. He looked up at her angrily but was placated that she at least looked embarrassed.

Inuyasha offered him a hand up. "Listen, it isn't far from here. Can you run?"

Miroku squatted down a couple times trying to return feeling to his legs. "I can try."

The hanyou gave a curt nod. "Good, follow me as close as possible."

With that said, Inuyasha turned around and kneeled. Getting the hint, Sango climbed onto his back and clung tightly to his haori. The slight dust intermingling with the snow in his hair was the only indication of the "sit" that had forced him to done the red haori instead of Kagome.

"Ready?"

Miroku confirmed and the two men took off up the slope. Inuyasha ran slightly ahead but never too far from the monk who was struggling against chilled muscles.

*

When they finally arrived at the cabin, they found a fire going in the hearth, food cooking, and a pacing, worried Kagome.

"You three need to get out of those clothes and around the fire. The food should be ready soon," she began to order as soon as they stepped in through the door.

She shoved clothes at Sango. Kagome had already changed into a pair of pink pajama pants and a sweater. The clothes she handed to Sango were gray sweats she carried for situations just like this.

Sango had gone behind a blanket Kagome had hung up in the corner to change in. Shippo was sitting on the ground next to the fire. He happily enjoyed his lollipop. Shippo had already been stripped down of his own clothes and was now wearing one of Kagome's t-shirts. It engulfed him, dragging the ground when he walked.

"I don't have any clothes for your two," Kagome said.

"I'm sure we'll be fine, Kagome-san," Miroku said.

No one failed to notice the shivers that wracked his body. His staff, having been picked up as they climbed the slopes, was now clutched tightly in blue hands.

"Nonsense," she said. "You'll take those clothes off and drape a blanket around you. As long as you stay near the fire, you should be fine."

Sango came out from behind the blanket. Kagome's clothes were draped over a rope that the miko had strung when she first came in. Sango did the same with her own clothes.

"Here," Kagome said, handing Miroku a blanket. "Hang your clothes up like we did and once they're dry, you can put them on again."

The monk smiled and reached for the knots that held his robes in place. Kagome 'eep'ed and turned around quickly. Inuyasha growled and hit him over the head. "Don't be stupid monk."

Miroku smiled and moved behind the blanket. He made quick workings of his robes, tightly wrapping the provided blanket around him. When he came out from behind the curtain, Sango was there to take his clothes and hand him a towel. He accepted it gratefully and began drying off his still unbound hair. Sango moved to hang his clothes.

"Now you Inuyasha," Kagome said.

He was already sitting against a wall near the fire. His arms were stuffed up in his sleeves and the Tetsaiga was resting against his shoulder. "Feh."

Kagome turned to the hanyou, a wicked smile playing on her face. All the occupants of the group gulped.

"I'm not in the mood to argue with you Inuyasha," she said, calmly. "Either change out of those wet clothes or I'm not giving you any food until we return to Kaede's next."

Inuyasha didn't move, he just stared at the miko. "You think I can't hunt for my own food? Empty threats won't work on me."

Kagome's face didn't waver. "Good luck finding food up here, Inuyasha, and since you've decided to keep us up here for who knows how long, you'll be going without food for a while."

"I'm not as weak as you--"

"Yeah, yeah, we've heard that one before," she cut off.

Turning back to the group, she gave a friendly smile to the kitsune sitting beside her. "Are you hungry Shippo?"

He nodded his head eagerly. She giggled at his antics. Miroku and Sango sat down across the fire, sitting closer than usual. Miroku's wandering hand seemed to still be frozen and the Taijiya was making the most of it.

"What is for dinner tonight, Kagome-san?"

Kagome smiled at the monk, a glint of something wicked in her eyes. Miroku smiled too, knowing perfectly well what was cooking in her small kettle.

"I didn't get time to replenish my supplies last time, so I'm afraid all I have left is ramen."

The hanyou's ears perked up. They swiveled around to full attention, facing the group. Sango struggled to keep from laughing as Inuyasha stood from his position, grabbing the blanket Kagome had sat near him, and went behind the hanging blanket. He came back out, threw his wet clothes on the ground for someone else to deal with (much to the chagrin of Kagome and Sango) and sat next to the miko.

"Well?" he said.

"Well what?"

"Where's my ramen?"

Kagome sighed, scooping some of the noodles out of the cooking vessel and into a bowl. She handed them over to the hanyou who immediately began slurping them down. She rolled her eyes at his lack of manners and served the rest of the group. She delayed serving herself in stay of hanging up Inuyasha's clothes.

"Leave the clothes Kagome," Sango said. "We can get to them after dinner, you need to eat yourself."

Inuyasha paused, mid-slurp of his second bowl, and looked at his clothes sitting just to his left. Water was puddleing on the floor around them. He put his bowl down and scooped them up. Walking over to the hanging rope, he carefully put his clothes up on the line, before returning to his spot. He took up his bowl and continued to eat like nothing had happened.

The rest of the group looked at him astounded. "Um, Inuyasha, are you all right?" Kagome asked.

"Keh, of course I am. Why would you ask such a stupid question?"

"Well, it's just that, you never usually--"

"Eat," he interrupted, the annoyance in his voice just barely covering the underlying concern. "You need to keep your strength up here. I can't have you getting sick."

Kagome smiled at the hanyou, resisting the urge to hug him. It would only serve to embarrass him and an embarrassed Inuyasha was a grumpy one. Instead she made sure to top off his bowl with most of the remaining ramen, leaving a bit for herself. If Inuyasha noticed her smaller portion, he didn't say anything to happily devouring his favorite meal from the future.

*

The group had settled down after dinner. They all kept near the fire, clinging to its radiant warmth. Inuyasha had already donned his clothing again, it having dried quicker than everyone else's combined. Miroku's under robes had dried soon after and he had forgone the blanket for the comfort of his clothing. He still kept the blanket for extra warmth, however.

Kagome, Sango, Shippo, and Kirara had huddled under Kagome's extended sleeping bag. The thick blanket kept all their body heat in while effectively keeping the cold air out. It didn't keep the howling wind from reaching their ears, however, and Kagome held tightly onto Shippo in response.

She wasn't necessarily scared of the noise, it just unnerved her. It sounded like a mixture of howling wolves and moaning ghosts, neither she wished to encounter up here. Occasionally deeper sounds, sounding like distant roars of unknown beasts, would penetrate through.

Inuyasha surprised the group by jumping up. He grabbed Tessaiga and walk over to the door. The sword remained in its original form, willed that way by its master because of the lack of space in the cabin.

"What's wrong Inuyasha?" Kagome asked.

The hanyou only snarled. He threw open the cabin door. Snow flew in with the wind, covering the immediate area and threatening to extinguish the fire inside.

The girls gasped in horror and made an attempt to save the warmth.

"Inuyasha, you idiot, what are you trying to do--" Sango began.

She stopped when she saw the squat figure standing before Inuyasha. Behind the figure was a large form. Both were youkai.

"What do you want toad?" Inuyasha growled.

"None of your business, half-breed," the small figure said. "I am here to speak to the miko Higurashi."

Kagome's eyes widened in horror. She pulled Inuyasha back and looked down at the familiar youkai standing right outside.

"Jaken?" she said.

Said toad stuck up his nose, clinging tightly to his staff. It was barely noticeable but he was shivering, like the rest of them.

"We need to close this door," Kagome said.

Inuyasha grasped the door, ready to shut it in the toad's face, but Kagome stopped him. "We can't do that Inuyasha, he's cold."

"I am not, wench, I am full-blooded youkai."

"And you're shivering," Kagome said. "You need to come in and warm yourself."

Jaken looked up at the miko, considering her words. He turned around and walked to Ah-Un. He retrieved a small riding bag from the beast's shoulders then 'shoo'ed him away.

Kagome smiled at him, allowing him in, much to the dismay of the growling hanyou. "Where did the, um..." she paused not really knowing what to call the larger youkai.

"Ah-Un will find shelter on his own and then return for me in the morning," Jaken said.

"How can you be so sure he'll survive? It is rather cold outside," Sango inquired.

"He is a simple creature, a beast of burden, if anything, they know how to survive."

Sango looked over at Miroku, a blush staining her cheeks. The monk looked more amused than anything. She feared the teasing remarks he was sure to give her later.

"Why are you up this far?" Miroku asked, knowing full well the answer.

Jaken reached into the riding bag and pulled out a sealed scrolled. He walked over to Kagome and extended it towards her. She was stirring up the fire again, after it's near death. Her small kettle was already on top of her tripod-cooking implement.

"Oh, um," she said.

She sat back on her heels, taking the scroll from him. She worried her lip, looking over the official seal of the House of Inu. There was no doubt who the message was from, that was clear the moment Jaken showed up at the door.

"Would you like some tea?" Kagome asked.

It was a poor tactic, but she wanted to delay the inevitable for a while longer.

"Wench, Lord Sesshomaru has sent you a message, you must read it at once," Jaken exclaimed.

"Oh, I'll read it, eventually. I just..."

She trailed off. A tense silence filled the cabin.

"How did Sesshomaru know she could read," Miroku asked.

Sango looked up at the monk and then back to Jaken. The toad looked at the miko curiously then at the monk.

"She's a miko," Inuyasha answered. "He probably just assumed she had been properly trained and therefore reading and writing just went along with it."

Miroku nodded. Sango's eyes were clouded over and watching the fire. "Sango?" he whispered.

She shook her head and looked back up at the others in the cabin. Shippo and Kirara were lounging next to the fire. Kagome was checking to see if the water was boiling.

"Are you hungry too? I can make you some food pretty easily."

Jaken shook his head. "I am a full blooded youkai, I don't need--"

"Yeah, yeah, you're stronger than us weak humans and don't need food all that often," Kagome said. "I'm really getting sick of being degraded like that."

She reached over and took the boiling water off the tripod and poured into cups, the tea having already been added. She allowed it to steep for a second before taking out the leaves and handing to the toad. She followed suit with the rest of her friends and then herself. Shippo declined his cup. Kirara, in his stay, lapped at the warm liquid.

"This is very weak tea, human."

Kagome blushed. "Yeah, I'm sorry. All I had left is the bag stuff."

Jaken was startled by her apology but was also curious as to why she was being so kind to him. From what he could tell the miko did not wish to fulfill her promise to his Lord but her kindness belied that fact.

"Stop being so nice to him Kagome," Inuyasha whined.

He was back against the wall, his hand on the hilt of Tessaiga in case something happened.

"Calm down Inuyasha, I don't think he's here to harm any of us. Plus really, what has he done to us...lately."

"He may have not done anything to us but the bastard he works for sure as hell did."

Jaken swung his staff around wildly, nearly hitting Kagome in the head. "How dare you, half-breed, speak so poorly about my great Lord Sesshomaru."

Inuyasha snorted. He grabbed the staff from the smaller youkai's arms and threw it over the fire to Miroku. The monk caught it and put it beside his own staff. A loud crackling echoed in the cabin as the demonic forces of Staff of Two Heads battled the purity of Miroku's staff.

"Give that back monk," Jaken said.

The request was ignored.

"Just sit back and relax, Jaken-san," Kagome said. "He'll give it back to you in the morning."

The toad sat in a corner away from all the others. He trembled from the encroaching cold that seeped through the cabin's walls. "I shouldn't stay around such disrespectful riff-raff, who would speak so poorly of Lord Sesshomaru."

"When the bastard tricks one of my pack into bearing his heir, then I think, in the very least, I have the right to insult him all I want," Inuyasha said. "Not to mention the fact that he's an asshole and the worse fuckin' brother ever."

"Lord Sesshomaru would never stoop so low as using trickery to gain his objectives. That is something only lower class youkai and that abominable half-breed Naraku would do."

"Yeah, well then you don't know what's going on, now do you?" Inuyasha scoffed.

Kagome fiddled with her cup. "Jaken-san," she said. "It's true."

"What?"

"I didn't agree to bear his child," she began. "I told him no and began to explain to him why... and some where between that explanation and advising him on better ways to approach the issue, he somehow construed things so that it sounded like I had agreed. But I didn't."

"Nonsense girl," Jaken said.

His voice was sharp but not as harsh as it normally was.

"There was no trickery involved. The moment you began to, as you put it, advise him, the agreement had begun. The things you suggested to Lord Sesshomaru were a contractual agreement of your own conditions. If he accepted them, then there is no mistake, you must bear his child."

Inuyasha growled, more at the salty scent pungent in the air than anything else. "Let's stop talking about such stupid things, he's got no right--"

"Isn't there anyway out of this? I'm just me, nothing special, not even a fully trained miko," she snorted. "Not even a slightly trained miko really. Doesn't he see that I can't have his son, I'm not anywhere near worthy."

The retainer picked himself up and moved over to sit next to the miko. The scroll had gone unnoticed since he had first brought it out. "Read this," he said. "And things should be explained."

Kagome nodded and took the scroll to the wall next to Inuyasha. He put an arm around her, drawing her closer. Jaken's eyes narrowed and his hand twitched for his staff. "Half-breed, unhand what doesn't belong to you."

"Shut up toad, she's still part of my pack."

Sango drew Jaken's attention away from the pair. "You seem to be unusually friendly tonight, Jaken-san."

Jaken scowled and moved to the opposite wall as Inuyasha and Kagome. He watched the hanyou with sharp eyes. "I am nothing of the sort, wench," he said. "I am merely looking out for my mistress."

Kagome's head lifted. "Mistress? But...I was only asked to bear a son, I wouldn't be your mistress."

"He's a retainer," Inuyasha answered. "They're usually passed down from father to first born son. Occasionally new ones are added for extra children, but that's pretty rare."

"A retainer is a very valued position in a noble youkai household," Jaken further explained. "We watch over and guide the most precious of any family's existence, the heir to the family titles and lands."

"So were you Sesshomaru and Inuyasha's father's retainers?" Kagome asked.

Her head was cocked to the side curiously.

Jaken nodded. "Yes I was the retainer to the Great Inutaisho as was I the retainer to his father before him. Never have I felt more proud than to see Lord Inutaisho rule over the Western Lands. He was by far the strongest the House of Inu has ever produced."

Kagome leaned her head against Inuyasha. She giggled at the pride that practically rolled off him in waves. "Why does Inuyasha have a retainer then, if it's only passed down to the first son?" Kagome asked.

Jaken's face went blank for a second before he slumped against the wall. "Myoga does not deserve the title of retainer."

Inuyasha snorted. "Something we agree on."

"It is a pity," Jaken said. "Maybe if a better retainer had been chosen, you would have been brought up correctly and allowed to stay within the palace."

The group looked at Inuyasha startled. Kagome had sat up and leaned away from the hanyou. She looked horrified. "What does he mean? I thought you were thrown out after your father's death? Didn't you live with your mother's family because your father's wouldn't except you?"

"I never said I got thrown out," he said.

He was facing away from the group and avoiding all eye contact.

"Why then--"

"Inuyasha chose to live with his mother, something Myoga should have advised against," Jaken elaborated. "Your best interest lied within the home of your father."

"And be under that bastard? I don't think so."

"So someone made him choose between his father's title and his mother? That's just wrong."

"It is the way of things, miko Higurashi."

Kagome fell back against the wall, her hand unconsciously coming to rest on her stomach.

"Kagome, please, just call me Kagome," she mumbled.

Not for the first time that night Jaken had been surprised by the kind manner he had been treated. He nodded to her and mimicked her position.

"It has come into my duties as of late to watch over those my Lord has chosen to protect," he said.

Kagome smiled at him, picking up easily on his meaning. "Well thank you then. Though I still wouldn't mind getting out of this situation."

Jaken shook his head. "You should really read the scroll," he said. "The you should sleep. You will need your strength."

Kagome nodded and picked up the scroll again. It had fallen earlier when she had jolted herself from Inuyasha's side. With a deep breath, she tore the seal and unrolled the crisp, white paper.

*
Editing process hopefully complete. Let me know if you can find anything else. 05-09-07