Beneath the willow tree

Chapter one

Four short years had fluttered by since the long awaited death of the insidious half-demon Naraku. Those that had bones to pick with the monster began to collect the shards of their broken lives and attempt to rebuild. The Slayer and the Monk had married and were now preoccupying themselves with producing as many children as possible. Sango and Kohaku continued their father's way of life, destroying any demons threatening the local villages. The Priestess from the future had disappeared entirely after the Shikon Jewel was vanquished, to the despair of Inuyasha, but eventually had returned to her friends through the bone eaters well. Kagome and Inuyasha had married, and the foursome settled into a life of rural normality and peace in feudal Japan, free from the torment of ceaselessly seeking revenge and evil.

It was no different for the wandering Lord of the western lands, Sesshomaru. With no elusive enemy to relentlessly hound, the dog-demon returned to his native territory and fixed his golden irises on those who had taken up residency there. However his return after Naraku's defeat did not go as planned.

Sesshomaru had always had a restlessly nomadic nature, arriving every few months to berate and discipline the demons running his castle and the lands of his father. But when fighting Naraku the Western Lord had disappeared entirely for over three seasons and much had changed in his absence.

After Naraku was defeated, Sesshomaru had dropped lightly from the sky to the ground just as the autumn leaves had begun to fall, covering the summer grass with a blanket of brown, crimson and bronze. To his surprise, no submissive servants had run up to greet him, making the woods seem stark and empty.

No submissive servants, except one.

"Mi' lord! Mi'lord! Welcome home!" Jaken screeched as he darted past the lonely trees, halting beside Sesshomaru's black leather boots.

"Jaken, where are my other subjects? I anticipated a warmer welcome than this," Sesshomaru said stoically as he stepped over the frog demon, like Jaken was as unnoticeable as the plainest stone on the ground.

"Well...things are...er...a bit different since we were last here," Jaken croaked nervously as he twiddled his claws, his large yellow eyes staring at Sesshomaru with impending terror. Within moments the Lord of the Western Lands had enclosed his hands around Jaken's scrawny neck, squeezing tightly.

"Do not test my patience by playing for time Jaken. What do you mean by 'different?'" Sesshomaru asked suspiciously. Jaken struggled as his Lord dragged him to mid-air at arm's length, until Jaken was level with Sesshomaru's armoured torso. Sesshomaru's eyes flashed dangerously.

"M-most of the servants have rebelled against you Lord Sesshomaru or have run away! I tried to stop them when I arrived but it was no use!" Jaken spluttered, his tiny legs kicking beneath him in an effort to break free.

"Run away from what? Only a fool would run from me when in my service. Speak quickly Jaken and tell me what is happening," Sesshomaru hissed at his vassal ominously. Jaken was having difficulty breathing in Sesshomaru's vice like grip, his faced steadily turned blue as he choked out-

"It...seems the Northern Lands have a new ruler! A d-demon called Tsumetai..."

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes, but he did not express his surprise at this new development. He had heard on the demonic grapevine of the assassination of the last Northern Lord, killed by one of his own cousins, it was a betrayal for power that was not uncommon when it came to demonic territory. He loosened his grip slightly on Jaken's throat, allowing the toad to converse easier.

"I care not who the new leader of the north is, why would that affect my lands?"

"Because...Because he is attacking us! He has been doing so for a few months now, Tsumetai wants your lands for himself! Tsumetai has lay siege to the Castle as we speak! And"-