Entei knelt down as Kagome picked up the daiyoukai’s legs and settled him onto the demon horse’s back. Wrapping her uninjured arm around his chest, she slid into place behind him.

His head lolled to the side, silver hair cascading down her shoulder in a waterfall of silk. A soft groan escaped his lips. She shifted a little at the sound, tearing her eyes away from the smooth pale stretch of his neck, which lay only a scant few inches from her face.

“Right…let’s go!” she announced a bit too loudly, trying to ignore the fact that he was situated so firmly between her legs.

“Hai, Kagome-chan!” Rin called back enthusiastically as she climbed atop the dragon’s proffered forelimb and took hold of the reins of its twin muzzles.

Entei kicked off from the rocky ground, Rin and her reptilian mount following suit. With an affronted squeak, Jakken scrambled after them, grabbing hold of the dragon’s tail as it rose.

Sesshoumaru’s motley gang in tow, they set a swift course for Edo village, Entei dashing through the wintry sky without so much as a word from Kagome. Come to think of it, even during the battle with Mouryoumaru, the horse youkai had seemed to know intuitively where she wanted to go and how fast she wanted to get there. It was all very curious indeed–she would have to ask Sesshoumaru about it whenever he came-to.

A sudden tremor wracked the daiyoukai, shaking them both. Kagome gazed down at him in concern. His teeth were clenched, his bangs slick with sweat, a couple of drops cascading down his temple. She gasped when his hand gripped her hard around the thigh, certain his claws would have cut her if not for her protective outer clothing. After a minute, his tension eased, his low, spent half-sigh making her whole body flare with heat, despite the gravity of the situation.

Although she’d put on a brave face for Rin, Kagome was worried about him. Sure, he was incredibly powerful and had recovered from near-death injuries before. But it was Mouryoumaru’s poison, after all, that had mortally wounded Inuyasha. And unlike his hanyou brother, Sesshoumaru’s youkai defenses were simply too strong for Kagome to help him. Any attempts to purify him would likely do more harm than good.

She would just have to hope–have to trust–that he was strong enough to heal himself on his own.

Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi