Someone to protect

Chapter 8

We returned to a clearing where Rin sat down picking up flowers and smiled running to us as she saw us approaching. She ran to Kagome handing her the flowers she picked up with a wide smile. Kagome took them with a smile caressing the hair of the child putting one of the flowers into Rins hair making the girl giggle.

"It suits you Rin-chan," said Kagome while she slid to the ground to be on the same level as the girl. Rin took one of the flowers as well slipping a pure white flower into her raven hair making me stare. They did not notice in their little moment over there, but my eyes stayed glued at Kagome, for some reason my body refusing to take her out of my sight. She was beautiful, not even demons back at home could compare to her. A snap of a twig made me turn my head towards the forest, the only thing capable of turning my gaze away from her was the thought of her in danger. I immediately relaxed as my nose picked up a scent of a fox. A small kit walked out of the forest, a few twigs sticking from his hair as he put his hands on his knees resting up. Kagome noticed this and stood up immediately letting out a surprised sigh.

"Shippo!"

"Kagome!" called out the fox kit forgetting about resting and ran towards her. She scooped him up turning around in a sort of a dance as she held the kit to her face snuggling him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked after a while looking into the kits eyes.

"I don't want to be with Inuyasha anymore. He changed, Kikyo changed him."

The kit looked away from Kagome, small tears visible in the corner of his eyes as he turned his gaze towards me. He pushed out of Kagomes' arms and walked towards me, falling to his knees in front of me. I watched the kit as he lowered his head.

"Please, Lord Sesshomaru. Let me travel with you and Kagome. I promise I won't bring any trouble."

I looked from the kit to Kagome and Rin watching me with hopeful eyes and then back into the forest as I sensed another presence. Two more shadows emerged from the forest and into the sunlight making Kagome gasp once more.

"We would like to join your pack as well, Lord Sesshomaru," said the demon slayer as she walked to me with monk at her side and a small cat demon on her shoulder. I narrowed my eyes at the situation when the slayer and monk fell to their knee as well showing respect to the alpha. This would be hard to explain once we arrived to the destination I had in mind, yet the look in Kagomes' eyes could not be something I could ignore. She missed her friends and here they were, asking to join the pack, hoping to be reunited with their friend. As if I could say no to that. I just turned my back and started walking again.

"We have a long journey ahead of us." I said while watching Kagome and her friends smile, hugging each other in greeting, tears of happiness appearing on Kagomes' face. A small smile spred through my face as I looked up into the sky. Do you see this father? The pack is growing.

The slayer and monk followed me and Kagome while Rin, Kilala and Shippo played on Ah-Uns' back that was lead with Jaken, who seemed to be very confused by the prospect of traveling with humans. I was slightly confused as well, since I never really took liking to humans cause of the death of my father. Yet here I was, with four humans at my side that chose to follow me, that chose me to be their alpha. I was learning more and more of the human nature from the interactions between them as well. I noticed the monks' affection towards the slayer immediately, he was not even trying to hide it. Was that something common in human nature? To show your feelings?

The slayer and Kagome seemed to talk for hours about nothing in particular, yet they stayed entertained the whole way to the peak of a mountain we were climbing. Humans. They were a strange race indeed yet entertaining nevertheless. The seamless never-ending chatter seemed to calm my senses, relaxing me in a way.

I stopped at the top of the peak seeing everyone stop behind me. I turned to them and offered Kagome my hand. She took it without question even as the slayer and monk exchanged puzzled looks.

"Follow me," were my only words as I scooped up Kagome into my arms and wrapped my fur around her to make sure she would not be cold. Before anyone could ask anything, I jumped up forming a cloud under my feet soaring up into the sky. I looked down to see Shippo, Jaken and Rin riding on Ah-Uns' back, while the slayer and monk sored up on the back of their transformed pet. I nodded my head towards them and turning to look up into the sky to see my goal in the distance silently telling them to not lose my track. Both Ah-un and Kilala managed to keep up with my pace as we traveled in this much faster way up into the sky.

I sensed the slayer wanted to ask a question trying to catch up to me and Kagome, while she stayed cuddled in my arms holding onto my kimono. The slayer, whose name was Sango as I recalled, caught up to me eventually.

"Excuse me, can we ask where were going?"

I just looked in front of me staying quiet until Kagome broke up the silence pointing at the front.

"Look there!"

Sango and the monk that held onto his dear life onto Sango looked up ahead squinting their eyes to see what Kagome pointed at. And there it was. Up in the clouds, hidden away from anyone who might want to enter was a castle.

"What is that?" asked the monk, no...Miroku. I will treat these people as my pack, honoring their names is the least I can do.

"The sky castle," was Jakens' reply as Rin clapped her hands excitedly.

"That's so pretty!" she exclaimed watching the castle emerge from behind the clouds it was hiding behind and before we knew it, we were landing down on the floor, that felt like clouds under the feet. I set Kagome down and watched Sango and Miroku climb down from Kilalas' back making the cat transform back into her miniature form in a burst of flames. Ah-Un managed to land as well, the children staying on its back while Jaken slipped down to take his leash and lead him towards us. I turned towards the castle not moving an inch. I soon saw the guardians rush to our location with weapons in hands, all of them having bright silver hair and golden eyes. Kagomes' eyes widened at the sight just as much as the guards did upon seeing me. They immediately lowered their weapons and kneeled in front of me with their fists held to the heart.

"Lord Sesshomaru, welcome home," they greeted.

I nodded my head and started walking towards the castle, the quizzical looks of the guards watching my little pack stroll through almost made me laugh. Strange bunch indeed.

However, it was not the time for comedy. I had to see my mother as soon as possible and prevent the beast from taking control of my body again, so I don't hurt Kagome. That was my priority, and she was the only one who can help.