Crawling through this world as disease flows through my veins

I look into myself, but my own heart has been changed. I can't go on like this

I loathe all I've become.

- Evanescence

Kagome, bloody and mangled crawled slowly away from the scent of fresh death. A trail of grotesque carnage left behind her. Her breath escaped in pained, shallow sobs and gasps. Her body jerked and flinched as if in the beginning throws of a seizure. If she didn't get help soon; she would undoubtedly bleed to death. The forest floor was unyielding to her torn and shredded flesh. Her dying skin falling off like sheets of wet rice paper. The poison of Naraku's "pet" spider demon causing her whole body to dissolve starting with her skin. A vile creation as most spider's venom worked from the inside out.

A violent twitch of her convulsing body sent her collapsing weakly to the ground. Her breathing was quick and shallow. Determined to get far away; she grabbed a tree root and commenced to dragging herself forward. A scream came tearing involuntarily from her throat as more decaying skin was scraped painfully off of her stomach.

Sesshomaru had just made camp along the river bank; when the most horrifying sound he'd ever heard echoed through the trees. He recognized the feminine shriek, and his natural curiosity took over. Slowly his ghost like form disappeared into the darkness. He could smell blood, poison, and death before he even arrived at the location. What he saw when he finally arrived made even his stoic eyes widen in horrified shock. His brother's body laid dismembered and tiny pieces of his flesh were scattered about the area. The demon slayer was missing her head, and her beloved monk was lying across her body. The lower half of his body missing completely. The kitsune child was gutted and impaled on a tree branch. Blood and flesh painted the ground and trees in onyx (for blood appears black in the dark). The smell of it was mixed with the sickening scent of Naraku and poison creating the most vile of stenches. They had obviously been somethings dinner, or at least its plaything. He noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned to witness Kagome trying to drag herself across the floor of the forest. Her body jerking as the poison wormed its way through her veins.

Crashing trees ahead alerted him of the spider returning to finish his bloody massacre. He quickly removed his outer haori and carefully wrapped Kagome in it, and gently scooped her up bridal style. She looked up at him wearily.

"Sesshomaru." she said weakly before falling unconscious. He ran, just as the spider stepped into the clearing. He knew of only one being that could help the miko now. Her cave came into view just before midnight, and Sesshomaru found himself hoping he had saved her in time. Such a shame it would be to lose the guardian of the sacred jewel.

Kaili knew she would have a patient this night. Blood was in the air; along with a sinister foreboding. She hurriedly readied a futon, a pot for medicinal herbs, and anything else that may be handy. The young lord of the west breezed in clutching a bloody young human girl to his chest. She could see in his eyes that he'd seen something horrifying.

Kaili scented the air, 'spider venom' she thought to herself. "Quickly put her on the futon as gently as possible." she instructed, already setting herself to the task of brewing an antidote, and a healing balm. She ladled the potion into a cup and poured it down the comatose girls throat. She began to undress Kagome from her bloodied clothes and smear healing balm over her wounds. She wrapped Kagome head to toe in bandages. She placed a light covering over her, and sat down from her work. She prodded the embers in the fire pit, and sighed. "It's in Kami's hands now." she said, casting melted amber eyes up at the young man sitting by the cave entrance. "So what is your relationship towards this girl?" Kaili asked. A sly smile creeping across her decreped features.

"It is not of your concern." sesshomaru replied, glancing over at Kagome. The gruesome images he had seen wouldn't leave him.

"Can't your only living grandparent inquire?" Kaili asked arching an eyebrow. Sesshomaru returned to staring out into the blackness of the outside world. He just wanted a bit of silence.

"She belonged to my half brother, but he is no longer of this world. Along with their other companions. I discovered the girl trying to escape the spider who poisoned her. The sight of it all I must admit disturbed me." he stated, once again glancing over at Kagome.

So she is alone..." Kaili said. Sesshomaru looked back over to her. "Sesshomaru if she survives she is yours to care and provide for. Demon law states that you have to allow her to stay with you. Now that your brother is dead, any pack members left behind will become your pack members. Lucky for you I suppose that there is only one member, but she may not make it either." Kaili explained. Sesshomaru really despised demon codes and laws.

"You realize she is human do you not?" He asked. His grandmother could always find the right button to push to completely annoy him.

"I am not so old that my senses do not work pup! She is miko a very powerful one at that. Why any child born to her and a powerful demon would in fact have full demon children." She explained. "Legend tends to call them angels, because their souls are always purer than any demon." She lied, a sly smile playing across her face for a second. "Poor thing she will be scarred mentally and physically. It will be your job to heal the mental. No doubt the scars on her body will make her feel ugly and self-conscious. Tell her otherwise for her own sake regardless of what you truly feel." Kaili added.

"Why put this burden on my shoulders? She is of no concern to me. As soon as she is able, I will send her home." he stated, adjusting himself so he was half laying half sitting with his back resting against the cave wall.

"I'm afraid that laws are binding...literally you're bound to her until such a time she finds a new pack, or is mated to another member of your pack." Kaili explained further. Sesshomaru glared into space for a moment.

"She will find a new pack as I do not want a human woman as my mate. No matter how powerful her spiritual powers are." He said snobbishly. Why wouldn't the meddling old biddy just drop it already?

"So you still only travel with the child and the imp. As your Granny I really think you should settle down and have some pups. You'll need heirs, and she radiates with maternal instinct. Which is something most needed when raising a litter." Kaili said. Sesshomaru growled.

"I don't want anything of flesh and blood that once belonged to the half breed " Sesshomaru ground out through clenched teeth. The older woman gave him a scolding look.

"You are a spoiled brat acting like your favorite toy is covered in the slobber of another pup. The girl is untouched her aura is pure. She has never belonged to anyone" Kaili said. She threw another log on the fire, and stirred the embers around. "your own nose should have told you that." She muttered.

"It would be unwise for a human woman, especially one as young as her to bear the weight of carrying and caring for so many pups at once. I was a rare case as I was the only one born to my mother. InuYasha was the only one because his mother had no powers." Sesshomaru said. Looking out at the waning night.

"Correction dear. You had two sister litter mates, but you were the only one that was born alive. Perhaps you will be surprised by this girl." Kaili said. "Well grandson, its late and I'm tired. I guess that's what I get for giving away my immortality. Goodnight she added while stretching before retiring for the night.

Sesshomaru turned his grandma's comment about giving up her immortality around in his mind. He couldn't understand why she would give her eternal life. He'd wondered why she looked so ancient and frail.