Captive Inu

Chapter 1

Lord Sesshomaru of the west walked a trail he'd walked countless times. He knew nearly every inch of his land as well as he knew his name. Following him was his young ward and retainer, as well as his pet dragon. The little girl was chattering away to no one in particular as she rode atop AhUn. Jaken trudged behind his lordship, rubbing his temples from the girl's incessant talking. Sesshomaru had learned to tune her out most times since her constant buzzing wreaked havoc on his overly sensitive ears.

Sesshomaru looked up. Past the trees he could see the rays of sunset as the sun hung low in the sky. It was time to settle in for the night. They'd reach his Western Palace tomorrow around midday. Although he didn't need the rest, he did take his young ward into consideration, something he'd never admit aloud.

He stopped and spread his senses out, looking for a clearing. When he found one, he led his charges in that direction.

"Jaken," he said coolly. "There is a pond nearby. Fetch Rin some fish."

"Hai, milord!"

Rin dismounted AhUn and began collecting sticks for firewood, then strategically began the process of building a small fire. When Jaken returned with four fish, Sesshomaru coldly ordered him to watch over Rin. Then he left the clearing.

He went to the nearby pond he'd previously sent Jaken to, and knelt in the soft grass surrounding it. He cupped his hands to get water to drink. He stood up and narrowed his eyes at the sound of a twig snapping behind off to his side. He sent his aura out threateningly, telling others to stay away. A split second later, something slammed into him, so hard that he uncharacteristically fell on his bottom with something on top of him.

Angry that someone dared to attack him, much less knock him over, he shoved the being off and gracefully rose to his feet. He glared down at the other being as it jumped to its feet as well. "You dare attack me, boy? For that you will die." His claws began to glow green with his poison.

A single deep blue eye glared at him from under a thick tangle of black hair. The boy was filthy. Black smudges covered everywhere where his skin was supposed to be. His hair length was impossible to tell for it was dry and matted and caked with other mysterious muck, and was sticking up in random places. He was hunched over, though Sesshomaru suspected he was fairly tall, though slim.

Sesshomaru glared distastefully at the vermin, horrified that such filth had actually touched him. The boy turned his back on Sesshomaru, with the intent of running away, but Sesshomaru was having none of that. He used his poison whip to grab the boy. He slammed him against a nearby tree with enough force to break his bones, before dropping the boy in the pond. It wasn't a very deep pond, so the boy's face was only half submerged.

Sesshomaru took a step towards the boy. He paused when more footsteps approached rapidly. Seven rough looking youkai dressed as soldiers of some sort entered the area. They stopped upon seeing Sesshomaru. Their eyes, oddly void of any life, roamed the area, taking in the sight. The one who appeared to be the leader spoke in a low, hissing voice.

"We mean no harm, lord of the west. We only want the woman."

Sesshomaru quirked a brow and slanted a minute glance at what he'd thought was a boy, but gave no other expression. The boy was struggling to stand to his feet, all the while glaring at the men who'd just entered.

' Huh. He really was a woman', Sesshomaru thought with little interest.

Said "woman" shoved her hair out of her face. Half of her face was almost free of muck, revealing at least the shape of her face. Her chest rose and fell heavily, revealing breasts of a generous size. Her attire, what really looked to be old tattered rags covering her necessities, hung about her loosely. She was undoubtedly woman, though her physical appearance fooled others at first glance.