Hungry Like the Wolf by Dragon Queen

Winter Nightmare

Chapter 1: Winter Nightmare

Sesshomaru fell into the river, breaking through the thin ice, plunging deep into the frozen water. He tried to breathe air but only ice-cold water entered his lungs and numbed his body as he fought to swim to the surface. His blood felt like ice that painfully rushed through his veins as water swirled around him as if dragging him down and he felt himself being pulled deeper and deeper, being surrounded by the growing cold and darkness. After what seemed like hours, he finally was too weak to fight; he closed his golden eyes and relaxed his weary body and just meekly accepted his inevitable fate...to drown in the river of ice and darkness and to be forgotten. He opened them once again so that his golden orbs would merely glance at what his fate looked like; his last memory before proceeding to be dragged to the afterlife.

That's when he saw it.

A water creature of some sort plunged into the water after him, slicing through the water with clean and natural strokes. He tried to see its face but failed miserably as his lungs burned for life giving air and he could no longer really remain conscious, it be came just a black blur on the light reflecting off the ice and water above them. Somehow, between drifting from consciousness to actually dying, he knew that its hand was reaching for his... trying grasp it... to save what little life was left to him. He closed his eyes and was swallowed by darkness as he feels its hand touch his. It was already too late...

Sesshomaru's eyes flew open as he shot up in bed; sweat beaded on his fore head and his breath came in short, labored gasps as his bed sheets clung to his damp body. He ran his clawed hand through his long, silver hair, trying to regain his composure and to rid himself of his pounding headache. He used his thumb and finger to slowly massage his temples as a small figure moved beside him in the huge bed and groaned slightly at his movements and lack of warmth.

Sesshomaru smiled, a tiny smile like the corner of his mouth barely curved, one of the few that rarely cross his otherwise placid features, as he climbed out of bed, wrapped more of the covers around the little girl, who was fast asleep, walked out onto the balcony and out into the cold air, which felt immediately refreshing to his flushed skin. He listened as his bare footsteps echoed in the room and down the hallway and felt the cold tiles underneath his feet. He leaned against the balcony railing as the night air raced across his body, sending shivers of pleasure up and down his spine as the breeze blew against the silk fabric of his pants. He really liked the cold.

He heard the child sigh in contentment as she once more fell into the land of dreams. She had come frantically running into his room, screaming something about nightmares (not doubt Jaken had been telling her horror stories again... No matter, he will pay in the morning), so he had allowed her to stay in his bed, shamefully bending to her whim as she pleaded mercilessly about needing him to protect her. She was still at that age when every little thing scared her and every big thing didn't. Sesshomaru suppressed a chuckle as he remembered the time he first saw Rin while recovering from a battle with his half brother and how he had growled furiously and raised a hand, claws extended, at the girl as she strayed upon his and she had barely flinched...and then fetched him food and water! It amazes him how she could be scared of the tiniest thing like a spider yet she befriended one of the most feared demons of Japan, who would most likely kill her with one swipe of his poisonous claws than tolerate her disgusting human presence.

It still surprises himself that he didn't. It must have been seeing all those bruises on her...how could he kill such a pure hearted girl that was beaten and rejected by her own kind? Humans are more like animals than he himself was. He would never hurt another demon's youth...unless they deserved it of course.

A sudden sharp pain in his head brought him out of his memories and thoughts back to his present issue. He had that damn dream again! He looked toward the full moon as it made the frozen river that ran the breath of his land sparkle like a stream of jewels amongst the white snow. The cold wind felt pleasantly chilly against the warm skin on his bare back that was covered in beads of sweat so that it made his skin crawl and soothed his aching head. As he said before, he loved the cold.

He leaned his head back, closing his golden eyes while allowing the winter breeze play with his silver hair as snow started to fall around him, relaxing before dragging its remains from the back of his mind. What did it mean? Why was he having it? What was that creature? Was this his fate?

So many unanswered questions...he hated it.

And though he pried the dream again and again, looking for answers to those damnable questions, it seemed to slowly disappear from his mind, as if he was grasping at wisps of smoke that had been so visible the moment before but were now almost all but vanished completely.

A wolf howl in the distance caught his attention as the wind carried it to his ears. He glanced over the horizon, his demon eyes barely spotting a flickering light... no doubt a fire. He growled, his upper lip lifting to show his fangs. No one stays on his land without his knowledge or permission.

He sniffed the wind and caught the scent of his cursed half brother. A glint of anger flashed through his golden eyes as he looked down in disgust at the stump that used to be his left arm. The wound had healed itself a long time ago but the end was covered in this twisted, deformed, scar like flesh, probably from interchanging different demon arms too often. He snarled as his eyes turned red for blood lust: his half brother's blood.

After several attempts to gain the Tetsusaiga had failed, he had decided to leave Inuyasha and his group of insolent "friends" alone for the time being so he could to see to his lands, for he had neglected to do that for a long time, and wait for Naraku to kill them, or some other demon who had that kind of time on his hands for he Sesshomaru did not. Days had turned into weeks and weeks into years. Four years to be exact. He sighed slightly, allowing his demonic blood to subside as he looked over the horizon at the fire, more amused now than angry, and allowed his claws to glow their poison green color. Maybe he should pay his dear brother a visit.

The bitter winter wind blew across Kagome's exposed skin, causing her to shiver as she silently gathered her things around the campsite and shove them into her yellow bag in the dying firelight. She barely dared to breathe as she quickly scribbled a note to her friends for fear of waking the dosing Inuyasha, and set off into the night, the moonlight glittering off the snow as her guide as she made her way through the dead forest covered in ice, the snow deadening the sound of her foot steps as she made her escape.

When she felt she was out of the hanyou's hearing range, she let out a relieved sigh before squaring her shoulders in a strong, almost determined stance as she trekked in the direction of the Bone Eater's Well...to her family, a warm bed, and relaxing, steamy bath.

A pang of remorse stabbed her heart as she reluctantly looked over her shoulder in the direction she had come from, her pace slowly only a little before continuing. Oh she hated to just leave her friends like that! It made her feel so guilty... leaving without saying good-bye. But if four years of traveling with Inuyasha has taught her one thing, it was that if she wanted to leave to go home PEACEFULLY she would have to sneak off. The last thing she wanted was to have another screaming match with him before going home to supply. She just prayed to God that Inuyasha didn't decide to follow her this time. She still remembered the damage from his last visit...

She covered her mouth to stifle the giggle that was rising in her throat as she recalled the events. Good times...

Inuyasha... Her mind inevitably drifted to him and momentarily a deep sorrow, almost like a painful ache, filled her heart and a single warm tear rolled down her smooth face against her will. He was with Kikyo again last night...Kagome shamefully brushed away the offending droplet on her soft but numb cheek, causing the salty liquid to smug across her face and the wetness only added to the coldness. She loved him and she understands but it still hurt. She knew from the moment she met him, he would never truly love her: when he looked at her, he only saw the Kikyo he used to know and love but not her...not Kagome. She sighed again, momentarily emerging from her thoughts to look about as the snow began to drift slowly around her. She pulled her hand out of the cozy cocoon of her jacket pocket to catch one of the flakes in her palm, the chill of the little frozen water droplet sharp like a pin prick on her warm flesh.

She gazed at it, remembering how her mother had once told her while she was little that no snowflake was exactly the same, though some may look alike. She bitterly brushed the flake off her hand before aggressively shoving it back into its pocket, absorbing as much of the warmth as it could. As much as she looked like the dead priestess, they were and always will be two different people just like two snowflakes. If only Inuyasha could see that! If only he could see her feeling for him and how he was causing her pain. Why does it have to be this way?

In her mind she remained silent, trying not to focus her thoughts of unrequited love and pain and clearly failing, till she realized that in the real world she had reached the meadow clearing that harbored the famous Bone Eaters Well, its snow blanket already becoming deeper and deeper and she heard the crunching of snow as her foot sank into the ground as her feet followed an invisible path hidden by snow that she had trod on too many times to forget where her feet should go.

She put her hands toward her face, trying to warm them with her breath as it came out in an icy fog before pocketing them once again. The wind bit through her jeans and clothes as if they weren't even there and it turned her nose and cheeks red. She pulled her beanie further down to cover her ears and more of her face and she wrapped her jacket closer around her, her fingers barely grazing the little bottle of jewel shards that hung from a silver chain around her neck underneath her thick jacket, its twisted metal warm from being so close to her covered skin. She pulled it out and watched as they glittered in the pale moonlight as it reflected off their sharp points and pinkish tint. But how the shards seemed to almost fill the tiny bottle, she guessed that they had acquired about half of the Shikon no Tama, still about half to go which could be in Naraku's treacherous hands.

So much bloodshed... so many lives... so many sacrifices for theses little pieces of the shattered Shikon no Tama; a gem that possesses the ability to enhance a demon's powers. Four years of fighting and danger for just a few mere pieces of the sacred jewel she now held in her grasp. Four years of her pain and heart break for only a little progress in her quest to collect them all. Depressing isn't it?

She was almost across the meadow and to the well when she sensed a demon fast approaching, its presence made suddenly aware as she felt its demonic aura, angry tinted with blood lust. She looked around cautiously as she grabbed her bow that hung ready for use on her shoulder. She slowly began to reach for an arrow among the many stowed away in her quiver on her back but before she could even touch one, she was swept off her feet into the arms of a animal-like demon, taking her far away and leaving only her footsteps by the well which would soon be covered by snow...

Rin peeked from under the covers as she saw her Sesshy-sama leave the comfort of the bed to walk out the glass doors that lead out to the balcony to stare out at the horizon, letting the cold air from the open doors blow into the room like an icy shadow. She closed her eyes in annoyance and wiggled her little body further into the soft covers and welcomed their warmth. She was nearly was asleep when she heard him growl and sleepily glanced over to see him grab his robes and leave so quickly that at first she was not sure she saw him.

She sat up in bed, fully awake and a puzzled look crossing her innocent features.

Where is Sesshy-sama going?

She ran through the still open doors and to the balcony, using the railing to stop her momentum as she leaned over to see him leave at an incredible speed upon his fluffy cloud, disappearing quickly into the night sky. She pouted momentarily and ran to grab her own winter things lying on a chair nearby. Why was he so upset? Why was he leaving her without even an order for her to stay put? Something's wrong! She could feel it. She struggled to get into the thick over coat as she stumbled over to the balcony once again. She looked to see a light in the distance, knowing full well it was a fire. Was he going there? Is it some awful demon? What if Sesshy-sama got hurt? Who then will take care of him?

When she had on her jacket, she crept from the room with her boots in her hands as she silently dashed down the stairs and through the grand hallways, trying not to wake Jaken or the other youkai servants as she headed towards one of the many other exits from the castle hold besides the main one. She was 10 but not stupid. If she went out that way, she would be caught by the soldiers on guard.

She slid out the door that lead out to the gardens, flowers alive and warm in the winter surrounded for it was by a sheen window glass dome and torches kept the vast chamber in a warm glow during the cold months. She skirted the huge hot spring they used to bath in the middle of the gardens, not bothering to admire the daisies, her favorite flower, as she glanced out of the ice covered glass door that lead out into the courtyard.

She shoved on her boots and as soon as the guard turned his head as another guard yelled out to him, conveniently looking as though they are changing shifts, she crept and bolted toward the door that was on the wall, a secret door that the castle residents used to flee the castle if it were under attack from the front or back. As soon as her child instincts deemed it safe, she sprinted out into the winter snow, clinging to her legs and boots in it attempt to slow her down as she ran as fast as her legs and the wind would carry her in the direction of a little white dot that the moon reflected, guiding her to her protector like the North star.

Sesshomaru was on his way flying on his white cloud, his hair and tail blowing out behind him as he forced it to go even faster over his icy forest to the single glow in the distance that served as a beacon to the fire where his brother was when another scent invaded his senses.

His curiosity getting the best of him, he allowed his cloud to slow its pace so that it merely hovered over the forest of dead and snow covered trees as he smelt the wind, the new scent coming from the east of his destination. This scent was from a living creature, for it had the smell of fear and anger mixed with it, truly only human emotions. It smelled like... well he wasn't sure. He supposed like white roses covered in dew on a spring morning... much more pleasant then most humans he had encountered...interesting really. He sniffed again, the tug of familiarity pulling at his mind.

He could have sworn he smelled that scent somewhere before but where could he have possibly...?!

He mentally slapped himself. That's the scent of Inuyasha's wench! Now why would she have left my brother's side? He thought to himself as he sniffed the breeze once again and another scent was brought to him, mixed in with the girl's, one of wolf and human. He raised an eyebrow in surprise. Inuyasha's wench? Kidnapped by a werewolf? He very calmly and causally glanced down toward the forest below him, searching for his loathsome brother. Seeing that all below him was motionless and silent, Sesshomaru slowly covered his mouth with his hand, trying so hard not to laugh. Oh how amusing! Inuyasha's precious human had been taken by a werewolf in the dead of night and Inuyasha has no idea! Otherwise he would be tearing the forest apart! After the urge to laugh and mock his brother's stupidity had pasted, he spat hatefully in the direction where the campfire flickered.

Baka! Half-breed! Filthy human-lover! Can't even keep track of his own wench...

"Let me go! You're hurting me!" screamed a frightened feminine voice through the snow and wind, followed by an angry howl of pain, far in the distance in the opposite direction of his current prey: Inuyasha.

He paused for a moment before continuing on his way, weighing his options. Being the intelligent and tactful demon lord he was, he always analyzed every detail in situations like this to see if he could swing the tables into his favor.

He could just mind his own business, barge in on Inuyasha's camp and take great pleasure in feeling the Hanyou's blood on his claws while the girl suffered her fate at the hands of the werewolf, however there was the ever so slight chance that Inuyasha and his friends could defeat him. While he hated to admit it, Inuyasha has won, or at least stalemated, a very few of the skirmishes that they had fought in but the fact still remained that every time they battled, whether he himself won the battles or not, he was forced to leave without the precious Tetsusaiga. This has been a constant problem for he himself had been unable to wield the sword due to the fact he not only hated but despised the humans. He knew it was not that he was full demon as one of the theories stated for was his father not full demon and was able to wield it? It must have something to do with the fact that they both cared for and protected humans. Sesshomaru shuddered at the thought. As if he would ever care about a human enough to protect them! (Perhaps with Rin as the exception.)

However, Inuyasha being able to wield it and wield it effectively was becoming a thorn in his side. If he couldn't wield the damn thing himself, he at least wanted it out of that bastard's hands. And Inuyasha surprisingly has been able to hold on to it for this long but Sesshomaru knew he would need something as leverage to get what he desired from his stubborn half brother. He looked back in the direction where he could smell the human's scent getting weaker and weaker as she was dragged further away from him. This girl may have presented Sesshomaru with just the edge he needed to pry the great sword out of the half breed's claws.

Inuyasha placed value on this human...that was proven as he risked life and limb to protect her in battles and such. It was obvious that Inuyasha, being a hanyou, harbored some sort of feelings toward this disgusting female...what was it called again? Love?

Yes, it was apparent his half brother loved this human in one fashion or another. The trait for his preference for human women must come from their father and it had been his father's downfall, risking his life to save Inuyasha's human mother, and had almost once been Inuyasha's own downfall when he had fallen for that priestess 50 years ago and she had killed him, for a time anyway, before killing herself. If Sesshomaru remembered correctly, the wench that was currently being taken by the werewolf had been the one who had freed him from the enchantment. Inuyasha was willing to do about anything for her...

Finally, making his decision, he changed his course toward the scents and the screams, the snowflakes dancing around him. So dear brother... would you be willing to trade your wench for your sword?

"Let me go!" Kagome screamed shrilly as she pounded on the huge demon's chest. Little good it did her as it just increased its speed and tightened its grip on her, its claws digging into her sides painfully causing blood to stain the cloth of her clothes. Her blood...

"You're hurting me!" she yelled as she tried to pry its claws open. It growled at her with its slited golden eyes as it used its canine-like legs to jump from tree to tree at an incredible pace. Breathless, Kagome momentary stopped her struggling to glare at her captor, who appeared to be half man, half wolf. Its basic body structure had once been man but now its back was doubled over in an animal-like fashion, as if so it could use its front arms as another set of legs, a lot like a wolf's. It, of course, was also covered in thick black fur that moved when his firm muscles rippled underneath its skin. Instead of a human face, it had a wolf's snout and head with a thick black mane and ears on top almost hidden in the fur as they were pressed flat against his head. Its eyes were a golden color with a red tint, obviously giving off the image of blood lust as it growled at her, with hinges high so that all its teeth became very visible for intimidation.

Well, Kagome thought bitterly to herself as she glared at the demon, if it was intimidation he was looking for, he had another thing coming! I've been dealing with demons too long to be scared that easily anymore! She looked up into the sky and the full moon seemed to mock her as it confirmed her suspicion.

Great. I've been kidnapped by a werewolf. Just my night. She thought sarcastically as she grabbed a double handful of neck fur and yanked. The wolf howled angrily but it wouldn't release its grip so she bit the hairy clawed hand that secured her to his side...hard. It yelped in pain as it threw her to the ground, sending her sprawling in snow as it landed and began to carefully lick the wound, blood spattering on the snow. She spat the fur and blood out of her mouth but the bitter taste still lingered as she rolled to the side, avoiding the dangerously sharp claws as it angrily slashed at her unprotected torso. It growled furiously as she scrambled to her feet and started to run, disappearing into snow and trees. Her backpack bounced uncomfortably, weighing her down and causing her to, inevitably, slow down and to get tired fast. She tried to reach back for her bow, which she had replaced around her shoulders during her "ride", but before she could free it from her person, she saw the wolf pounce out of the trees, baring its fangs and claws at her back.

She ducked just as it was upon her and it buried its claws into her backpack, its momentum causing them to fall and start to roll down the white hill, banging rocks and tree limbs all the way down. When they finally reached the bottom of the surprisingly steep slope, Kagome's body cried out in pain as she rolled off the wounded werewolf, tugging her arms out of the bags straps as the wolf still clung to it, as if it could prevent her from escaping his grasp. She stumbled as she tried to get away as it threw her bag against a tree and glared at her with eyes full of hunger and hate. She turned to face him, afraid and wary of his next attack, and started to slowly walk backwards with her eyes on the creature when she felt the ground under her boots end and glanced behind her shoulder to see she was at the brink of a huge chasm where she couldn't even see the bottom. She reached to unshoulder her bow and grab an arrow from her quiver only to realize with shock that they must have fallen off during her tumble down the unforgiving hill. She quickly refocused her attention on the pacing animal in front of her, trying to fight the knot of fear settling itself in her stomach.

When she was armed, she was confident and more secure but now that her weapon was lost, she could now effectively panic. She was now unarmed and no one knows she is gone because she got the bright idea to sneak out into the middle of the night like a dumb ass without at least being escorted by one of them.

This, of course, was not good. If only Inuyasha were here. She thought miserably. If only he would bounce in and kill this damn thing then she will kiss him and promise never to sneak off in the middle of the night again! She silently prayed for a miracle.

She also gulped as the wolf readied his legs to spring, to jump for the kill...

Rin followed the fast little cloud as far as she could until it was far out of sight, only a white dot that soon disappeared through the darkness and snow. She stopped to catch her breath and became more worried as the winds around her increased, causing her to shiver even though she was wrapped in many bundles of clothes. She scanned the night sky wildly in search for the figure she knew was not there. He must have changed directions somewhere. Where could he be? She looked around for landmarks or some type of sign to let her know where she was but it all looked the same in the snow and the trees. Where was she? Was she...lost? Warm tears began to run down her ran her rosy cheeks and fall into the snow around her as she continued running in the direction she saw him going last...

Sesshomaru landed on the ground where he smelled the wench's scent the strongest, his boots crunching the snow as his cloud dissipated. As he scanned the surrounding area, he saw signs of struggle and pools of blood, leading down a snowy slope near the chasm. He ran quickly. He could almost feel Tetsusaiga in his hand, gripped firmly between his fingers, humming with power...or at least out of Inuyasha's hands. Both made him feel good at this point. Perhaps he would one day bypass all that "love the humans" bullshit and find another way to wield it...and perhaps kill some humans in the process. His features remained grim but inside he chuckled. Won't be long now...