Beyond the Darkness
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A/N: Okay everyone. This is the last chapter of the season! Hope it ended good for you all. Uh... what was I gonna say? Dang, I forgot... hrmm.................. Anyway, who cares. Season two is coming up soon. So... stay tuned! xD -Michele

::Chapter Twenty::

After many days of tracing the scents of InuYasha and Shippo, their hard work had finally paid off; Sesshomaru and Nikala had finally gotten stronger scents of their targets.

Nikala's anxiety rose, as did hers and Rin's excitement. Sesshomaru, too, couldn't help but feel some joy for his new mate, though of course he kept this secret from the others.

"Sesshomaru! I've got a stronger scent on Shippo!" Nikala had cried.

Sesshomaru had nodded. "Yes, as do I on InuYasha."

Nikala beamed. So not only did Nikala have a stronger lead on Shippo, but her new mate had a stronger lead on InuYasha as well.

So they definitely are traveling together, Nikala assumed. If we can both reach their scents, we'll find them together. That's good, isn't it?

She remembered the conversation she and Sesshomaru had had about InuYasha and Tetsusaiga; about Sesshomaru's lost left arm and battling on his father's grave; about Sesshomaru's hatred towards his younger half-brother.

He truly does despise InuYasha, thought Nikala. How will he react once we find him and Shippo? Will he be able to keep his temper? Nikala knew that she would be sure to help keep his temper down if it ever did get out of control. These two obviously did not like each other and had tendencies to go into battle with each other whenever they met up.

It's because Sesshomaru wants that wretched sword, Nikala said to herself. Tenseiga and Tokijin are enough, aren't they? She rolled her eyes and scoffed. Men.

"What will InuYasha think when he sees Lord Sesshomaru?" wondered Rin to Nikala. Nikala looked down at her.

"I'm not sure," answered Nikala, "but hopefully things won't get messy. I want Shippo's and my reuniting to be something happy and joyful. I'm finally going to see my son again. After all these months being away from him!"

Rin loved the happy look on Nikala's face and she could see her topaz eyes getting just a bit watery at the edges. She glanced over at Lord Sesshomaru, who—as it turned out—noticed the tiny tears glittering in Nikala's eyes. Rin saw his only hand extend out and reach for her own dainty hand and grasped it firmly. Nikala looked up into Lord Sesshomaru's golden eyes and smiled. Lord Sesshomaru simply nodded and returned a small smile.

How wonderful it is to see my lord so happy, Rin thought. She truly did think it was wonderful, though. Lord Sesshomaru had finally found love in someone. He had someone to keep him company.

Now, when we find Shippo, I'll have my company too! And then we can all be like a family. Family… I sure do miss family.

In a way, Lord Sesshomaru and Master Jaken were family to Rin. Rin thought of Lord Sesshomaru as her father-figure. He was always there to protect her, he never let her down, and he always took care of her, even if he didn't like to admit it.

Master Jaken was a bit like the nagging uncle, or maybe the nagging aunt. Master Jaken was always telling Rin what to do and what not to do around Lord Sesshomaru, especially by demonstrating for her, even if his demonstrations were not intended. A-Un served as the family pet, and, of course, Lady Nikala as her mother substitute.

I've got a mother and a father now. Funny, me—a human—having two full-demon parents.

Deep down, and not even that deep either, Rin knew that Lady Nikala and Lord Sesshomaru would do a very fine job at taking care of her. Lord Sesshomaru had already done a swell job, and with twice the parenting, Rin would grow up to be a perfectly fine girl, even if she were to grow up with a handful of pureblood demons.

The forest they chased into was filled with lush trees and bushes. There were acorns scattered across the earth.

Shippo loves acorns, thought Nikala. Perhaps…

Nikala ran, leaving the others behind. Shippo's scent was so strong. He was only a couple of miles from her. There was no time to waste.

Sesshomaru headed after her, feeling InuYasha's presence and his scent strongly.

We're so close, he thought. We're so close… Nikala.

They were actually going to find Lady Nikala's son, after many months of searching.

As promised, I would help you find your son. It seems that my promise has become fulfilled, my love.

His love. Lady Nikala… the love of his life. His new mate.

Lord Sesshomaru…

His name was sung with her delicate voice.

Lord Sesshomaru; my love.

And he was her new lover as well.

He'd never felt such a feeling before. To fall in love was surely a great discovery. How lucky he had been to fall in love with a woman who'd love him back. The fox-demon woman who'd shown him beyond the darkness. Lord Sesshomaru was now living in the light like the great white demon he was.

Nikala's legs ran as fast as she could, almost transforming into her fox form.

Just a few more miles. I'm almost there, my baby! Mama's almost there, my kitsune. Shippo!

The sharp wind stung her eyes, but it wasn't that that made her teary. Her emotions were getting the best of her. A lonely mother who'd just been widowed was about to be reunited with her long-lost baby son. How she wanted him in her arms right that second. To rub her face in the wild auburn hair he'd inherited from his mother. To gaze into those darling topaz eyes, again those whom he'd inherited from his beautiful mother.

"I want our baby in your arms as well," she remembered Tairoku telling her when she followed him to their burned-away fox tribe. "Find Shippo's scent, Nikala. You have time. Shippo is alive."

And here she was, only a couple of miles from their son. She would be able to fulfill his last wish with confidence. She knew he was here. She was going to find him.

I'll fulfill your wish, Tairoku! I'm on Shippo's tail! she thought with excitement.

Sesshomaru was hot on her heels, catching up with her quickly. InuYasha's familiar stench was a blast through his nose. He knew they were close. Very close.

We're almost there, love. We're almost to your Shippo. I can smell InuYasha so clearly.

Nikala wasn't even sure where the others were—well, Rin, Jaken, and A-Un that is. She could feel Sesshomaru's presence directly behind her, searching out his desired scent. If he was up close with Nikala, then InuYasha had to be nearby, with Shippo most likely.

Nikala was losing breath from running so fast. And though she was indeed a demon, she had lost so much energy from walking for days straight and keeping up her hunt. It had drained her stamina quite a bit and she felt herself reluctantly slow down.

"No," she gasped. "No, I can't stop! I have to keep running!" She stopped to pant and catch her breath, bending over and placing her hands on her knees. Sesshomaru stopped beside her.

"Climb on my back. We'll travel faster that way," he said. Nikala looked up at her mate and nodded. She lifted herself on his back, wrapping her arms and legs securely around him, as he placed his only arm around her right leg. Indeed, Sesshomaru sped off at a pace that Nikala would never be able to run at. The wind slapped her face violently, causing her tender skin to redden, but that didn't matter. With this speed, she'd reach Shippo in no time.

She hadn't even been worried about the others because her mind was infiltrated with only Shippo. They were back behind them, she was sure, but come back at their own pace, leisurely or franticly. They'd catch up eventually, especially with A-Un.

Nikala's heart beat faster than it ever had before. She was minutes away from seeing her son, her baby boy.

The acorns were scattered less where they were, which meant someone had been gathering them.

It's Shippo! It's Shippo! Hurry, Sesshomaru! Hurry! she thought franticly.

As if Sesshomaru had read her thoughts, he did pick up his pace and ran even faster.

And then, suddenly, a voice rang through the air, a voice Nikala hadn't heard in what seemed to be eons. A voice she longed to hear.

"Hey, InuYasha! Those were mine!" the voice of a small child complained.

Nikala's arms tightened immediately around Sesshomaru's neck, almost choking him, and he stopped dead in his tracks. He could feel her arms tense at the sound of the voice, and of the name.

It's InuYasha and Shippo! thought Sesshomaru.

Another voice scoffed.

"Geez, calm down, Shippo. Haven't you ever heard of respecting your elders and sharing?"

Nikala's eyes widened at the sound of her fox-boy's name. Tears began to pool at the edges of her eyes, gently rolling down her cheeks.

"Shippo," she whispered.

She unhooked her arms and legs from around Sesshomaru and slid down his back on to the ground. She walked further through the trees and stopped just a couple feet behind a large bush.

There was a large clearing that served as a campsite for a group of travelers. She could see a couple of humans—a male donned in monk's robes and two females; one in a simple pink and white kimono with a green cloth tied around her waist and the other in strange green and white attire. A small, two-tailed cat demon was laying on the female in the pink and white kimono's lap. Then, Nikala spotted a tall, white-haired half-demon and she instantly recognized this as InuYasha—and also Sesshomaru's half-brother—who was munching on something that seemed to have belonged to the little demon crying on the floor.

The little demon was a fox demon and Nikala's heart skipped a beat when she saw him. This was her Shippo. At long last, she had found her Shippo.

"It's him," she whispered. Sesshomaru peered out into the clearing from behind Nikala and spotted the little crying fox demon. The other human female dressed in odd clothing—whom he knew to be Kagome—was glaring at his half-breed brother, commanding him to "Sit". A loud thud sounded and InuYasha was sent into the ground. The little fox boy stopped his crying and laughed.

"We've found him?" Sesshomaru asked, looking back down at Nikala. A wide smile spread across her face and her tears ran down faster.

"It's Shippo," she said again. And then this time, she ran out to the clearing and called his name again.

"SHIPPO!"