Imperceptible: Battle Lines

A Debt of Gratitude: Many thanks to Fenikkusuken, whose timely intervention helped to keep our taiyoukai at his laconic best.

This oneshot was originally posted to Live Journal on June 8, 2007.

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Battle Lines

The attack couldn't really be called unexpected; Sesshoumaru gave them plenty of warning. In one moment, he was walking quietly beside his brother as they led the way through the trees, and in the next he wasn't. Kagome, who was strolling hand-in-hand with Rin near the tail end of the entourage, was brought up short by the taiyoukai's abrupt appearance in her path. All she had time to register was a dangerous flash in golden eyes before he whirled, placing the two at his back. The motion sent the length of his hair into a silvered spin, and the sudden brush as it passed startled Kagome into silence. By the time she remembered to breathe again, Sesshoumaru had assumed a defensive crouch, his eyes fixed on the forest ahead and his youki rising.

Rin took Sesshoumaru's precipitous shift in stride, standing calmly behind the Western Lord and looking up into Kagome's surprised face with bright eyes. She tugged the young woman down so she could whisper in Kagome's ear. “Hold still and be very quiet,” Rin advised seriously. “Sesshoumaru-sama will tell us when it is safe to move again.”

Inuyasha hurried back to join them, a concerned scowl firmly in place. “What's going on?” he demanded gruffly, as the rest of the traveling party gathered in a loose knot around the bristling taiyoukai.

The Western Lord spared his half-brother a glance. “Prepare yourself,” Sesshoumaru ordered smoothly, eyes returning to the dense thicket of trees.

Inuyasha rounded to face the direction of Sesshoumaru's gaze, ears pricked forward and eyes narrowed in concentration. The others took the taiyoukai at his word—Sango busying herself with Hiraikotsu's straps, and Miroku giving his staff an experimental twirl. Jaken tugged Ah-Un into position and worked to undo muzzle fastenings. Shippo launched himself onto Kagome's shoulder, and Kirara transformed in a swirl of flames. “How many?” snapped Inuyasha as he drew Tetsusaiga from its sheath.

“Many,” returned Sesshomaru.

Inuyasha snorted, “Keh. We've done `many' before.” With the ease of long practice, Sango leapt onto Kirara and they were airborne. Inuyasha nodded to Miroku, who stepped to Kagome's side, then frowned at Sesshoumaru, who had not moved. “We'll take care of that lot,” Inuyasha said, jerking a thumb towards the oncoming threat. “You take care of this lot,” he added more quietly, searching his brother's face. Satisfied with what he found there, he caught Kagome's worried gaze, then looked to Shippo. “Keep an eye on her, runt.”

“I always do!” retorted the kitsune with impressive bravado.

“Be careful, Inuyasha,” pled Kagome, her hands on Rin's shoulders.

“I'm not the one who should be worried,” the hanyou smirked, dismissing her concern with a careless wave of his hand. His eyes were pulled skyward when Sango's shout announced the enemy's position. “They're the idiots who picked a fight they couldn't win.” Turning his back, he sauntered off to meet the encroaching horde.

The youkai that broke cover and dove towards Inuyasha were not much of a threat taken individually, but their numbers made them troublesome. Hiraikotsu cut a wide swath through the scattering swarm of demons, and Tetsusaiga blasted entire sections into oblivion, but stragglers were slipping through. Ah-Un and Jaken maintained a second line, flames and flares of blinding light intercepting those who managed to covertly outflank Inuyasha's position. “They seem quite determined to break through; they must be after your shards, Kagome-sama,” Miroku observed before setting himself to scan the forest at their backs.

With a low growl, Sesshoumaru cracked his knuckles and curled his hand, calling forth his dokkaso. Though her rational mind told her the taiyoukai was working for her protection, Kagome instinctively pulled away from the bitter luminescence, tugging Rin with her. Her backpedal ended when she bumped up against Miroku. “Kagome-sama?” the monk asked with concern. “What is it?”

Sesshoumaru straightened and turned at the distraction, frowning ever-so-slightly at the Kagome's migration. His glare made her feel like a guilty child, as she stammered, searching for words to explain away her behavior. “I apologize, Sesshoumaru-sama. It's just that you…” she trailed off uncertainly, then finished very quietly. “You were so close.”

“This does mark our first battle with Sesshoumaru-sama as an ally,” Miroku supplied helpfully, flashing an easy smile towards the taiyoukai. “You'll have to pardon her, my lord; your battle aura is truly formidable. Her reaction is understandable.” Patting Kagome's shoulder, the monk tried to smooth things over with a bit of levity. “You should consider it a privilege, Kagome-sama. Not many can say they've been this close to Sesshoumaru-sama's poison and survived.”

Kagome's face took on a pained expression, and she swallowed hard before looking up into the taiyoukai's face. Does he remember? Sesshoumaru gave Miroku a flat look, then slanted his eyes towards Kagome, one brow lifting minutely. Definitely. She fought down the hysterical giggle that threatened to escape and dropped her eyes to awkwardly shuffling feet.

The Western Lord flicked an impatient glance towards the ongoing battle, then back at Kagome, huffing lightly before taking the two long steps needed to tower over her. He held her gaze for a moment before adding, “Be still,” in a voice that brooked no refusal. Looking next to Miroku, he gestured with a slashing motion, gouging the earth to the monk's side with the unfurled end of his light whip. “Monk, do not cross this line if you wish to live.” Nodding grimly, Miroku adjusted his stance, setting Kagome and the children to his back again. Sesshoumaru did the same, and they were ready when the first wave of attackers finally closed in.

The youkai must have been driven by a lust for power; Kagome could think of no reason but madness for their death wish. She was surrounded by gaping maws, protruding eyes, needle-sharp teeth—all writhing through the air, screaming their intent, searching for an opening, and dying messily. The seething throng's desperate persistence was horrifying, and Kagome hid Rin's face in her skirts as the nightmarish creatures flung themselves towards the quiet pulse of power she carried around her neck.

At times like this she felt so helpless, forced to face the reality of her vulnerability with a renewed appreciation for those who had become her protectors. Inuyasha stood fearlessly against the swirling havoc, his twisting leaps sending a steady barrage from Tetsusaiga's gleaming blade. Sango snatched Hiraikotsu out of the sky and leaned low over Kirara's shoulder as they fought with feline ferocity in perfect tandem. Miroku's staff hummed with the speed of its rotations, rings singing as he proved the efficacy of his martial training. However, it was the inuyoukai who arrested Kagome's attention and held it captive.

Inuyasha's older brother was arguably the most powerful youkai she'd ever encountered. Sesshoumaru stood close enough that Kagome could have reached out and touched him had she dared, but what awed her was the fact that she couldfeelhim without doing so. His fearsome youki clamored around her, shuddering palpably through the air. I know I'm not imagining it. Miroku senses it too, and called it Sesshoumaru-sama's battle aura. The harshness with which it rattled against her soul left Kagome's knees weak.

Sesshoumaru fought as one born to battle, moving with a fluidity at odds with his size—every sweeping extension of his arm flowed with predatory grace. In the past, the youkai before her had seemed cold and distant, but Kagome felt his whip scorch the air as it curled past like a ribbon of lightening—hot and far too close for comfort. For that matter, she could hear the creak of the leather straps and the soft grind of the metal plates as his armor shifted to accommodate his movements. Even the whisper and snap of heavy silks added to the overall effect, serving to banish any lingering misconception that Sesshoumaru was an ethereal being. He was very solid, very present, and very, very dangerous.

Kagome noticed that in the midst of the fracas, Sesshoumaru refrained from calling his dokkaso again, but doubted he held back on her account. It must be a coincidence. He would hardly change his battle strategy simply because his poison claws unsettled me. Dropping her chin, she ran her fingers through Rin's thick bangs. The child was tucked up against her side, clinging nearly as tightly as Shippo, who had burrowed part way into Kagome's hair. The young girl's eyes peeped out frequently to linger on the taiyoukai who fought for her safety. Kagome could read the unshakable faith on Rin's face, and was heartened by it. If Rin can believe in her Sesshoumaru-sama, so will I.Surrounded though they were by death and destruction, Kagome relaxed and calmly smiled into wide, brown eyes, confident that neither of them had misplaced their trust.

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End Note: This oneshot was originally written for the Live Journal community ebony(underscore)silks and its contest for Week 6—Poison Theme. 1,462 words.