Second Chances

Chapter Eight:


Xander liked to think of himself as a fair demon that isn't easy to anger, but the miko was really starting to get on his nerves with the way she has been acting around the castle. Kikyou was rude to everyone and she showed no respect to Sesshoumaru or to himself. Xander knew the Taiyoukai was on his last nerve with his brother's human. What really got to Xander was the way she treated Shippo like he was dirt.

"Can't you make her leave?" Xander asked Sesshoumaru during breakfast the next morning. Kikyou and Inuyasha had already eaten and left to take a walk around the garden. Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Rin, Xander, and Sesshoumaru remained behind to talk about Kikyou and Inuyasha and what to do about the miko.

"She's mean to Shippo-chan." Rin didn't like the mean miko because of the way she treated Shippo. Shippo was like a brother to her and she didn't like seeing him hurt. "I don't like her."

"Kikyou's problem is that she doesn't like to share Inuyasha." Sango knew for a fact that if they sent off Kikyou then Inuyasha would follow her no matter what they say. Sango didn't like the miko Inuyasha could do much better than her. "She hates us because we take Inuyasha's attention away from her. Shippo has been doing that a lot lately."

"That doesn't give Kikyou the right to treat us the way she does." Miroku caught Kikyou about to hit Shippo with the back of her hand, but he kept quiet because Shippo was afraid Xander would kill the miko and a fight will be started between him and Inuyasha and he didn't want either one of them hurt. The older kitsune was very protective of his kits. If Kikyou did hit Shippo then Miroku would have killed her himself no matter what Inuyasha would do.

"If you force Kikyou to leave Sesshoumaru-sama then Inuyasha will go too." Shippo has made peace with the hanyou over the last three days. He will never be Shippo's father figure since that place now belonged to Xander. Inuyasha has become like an older to the kit. "I don't want to lose him again."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at the kit. He didn't care wither Inuyasha left or not. Actually he preferred for the hanyou to leave his lands. Sesshoumaru didn't like the miko anymore then he did his brother, but there was a difference between the two. Inuyasha was still a Prince of the Western Lands and the youngest son of the great Inu no Taisho. Perhaps it's time for my brother to take a mate. Of my choice of course I am the Alpha of this pack. Inuyashs has no choice, but to obey a direct order."

Xander almost choked on his tea when he heard that. He couldn't believe his ears. What in the world was Sesshoumaru thinking about mating his brother with that shrew? "You want Inuyasha to mate with Kikyou? You want her to become a part of the pack?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes were cold when he turned to look at the kitsune. "Don't raise your voice to me kitsune or next time you will lose your tongue. I said it was time for Inuyasha to take a mate I said nothing of the that mate being the miko."

Xander glared at the Taiyoukai he was confused by the other demon. First the inu kissed him and now he threatens to tear out his tongue. Sesshoumaru glared back with his cold eyes making Xander shiver and wonder if the demon ever had a heart.

"Inuyasha will never mate another even by your order Sesshoumaru-sama, he's in love with Kikyou." Sango couldn't see what the hanyou saw in Kikyou. She wasn't kind or sweet like Kagome nor could she accept Inuyasha's demon blood. And that was a big problem.

"I don't think he loves her." Xander pulled his eyes away from Sesshoumaru. He has been watching Inuyasha with Kikyou. "I think he feels guilty about what happened because of Naraku so he stays with her."

"I agree." Miroku knew his friend wasn't in love with Kikyou. No Inuyasha had feelings for another. Xander was right he stayed because of guilt. "Still it changes nothing."

"Wanna bet?" Xander smiled showing his fangs. "We need to find Inuyasha's true mate and I think I know who it is."

The kitsune always seems to surprise Sesshoumaru. "And how will you find this 'true mate' kitsune?"

"You just won't bring yourself to call me by my name can you Sesshoumaru?" Xander rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Never mind. You know I really need to meet up with Kouga of the Wolf demon tribe." Xander's smile was innocent. Sesshoumaru smirked; he wasn't fooled for a minute by that smile.

Sango looked at Xander like he had lost his mind. "You think Inuyasha's mate is Kouga? They hate each other." Every time those two meet up they would fight. And there was the problem of Kouga being in love with Kagome.

Xander never even met the wolf demon, but he heard stories about him and Inuyasha from Shippo and from Kagome before he was sent here to the past. "When Shippo told me about Kouga and Inuyasha I knew there were hidden feeling between the two. It was the same between Cordy and me. We hated each other or so we thought then we hid in broom closets kissing each other senseless." Xander remembered those times fondly. "Good times, good times."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed he didn't like the idea of Xander with anyone. He couldn't understand why he even carried who the boy loved the kitsune was nothing to him only a teacher for Rin. "Who is this 'Cordy'?" She didn't sound like a demon.

Xander's smile turned sad. "She was a friend, but she's gone now." They learned from Wesley that Cordelia had died. He shook the bad memories out of his head. Xander only wanted to remember the good parts.

Sesshoumaru decided to let the subject drop for now. "I'll send Jaken to the North with an invite." He wanted to see if Xander was right about the hanyou and wolf.

Kouga threw the deer he hunted in the middle of the cave to let the she wolves clean and prepare the meat. Something strange was happening the kitsunes have been returning to the North and he has been hearing rumors about a royal kitsune. The last thing Kouga needed and that was another war with the kitsunes.

"Hey Kouga." Ginta found the Alpha wolf in the main den.

"What is it, Ginta?" Kouga took a piece of raw deer meat a she-wolf placed in front of him. As the Alpha he ate before all others. "Can't you see I'm trying to eat."

"There is a messenger here for you from the Western Lands." Ginta showed the toad demon in.

Kouga sat down his food and stood up to face the smaller demon. "What does the great Sesshoumaru want toady?"

Jaken huffed at the disrespect the wolf demon showed him the personal servant to Sesshoumaru the Taiyoukai of the Western Lands. "Sesshoumaru-sama invites you to the Western Castle for peace talks with Alexander-sama Royal Kitsune of the North."

"So the rumors are true then." Kouga didn't want to fight another war, but he would not lose his home either. 'Somehow a royal survived the war.'

"Will you be coming or not?" Jaken didn't like the way some of the wolves were eyeing him like he was fresh meat. He hated that feeling.

Kouga smirked at the toad. "Who else will be at this peace talk?"

"My Lord's half-brother Inuyasha and his group will be attending the meeting." Much to Jaken's displeasure at least the slayer and monk were now demons.

Kouga's blue eyes lit up with pleasure at the mention of Inuyasha. "The mutt will be there." The wolf demon grinned. "Fine I'll go it should be interesting with mutt face around."

"I'll inform Sesshoumaru-sama of your answer." Jaken bowed.

"I'll be there in two days." Kouga went back to his meal. "Ginta show the toad out." Ginta nodded and lead Jaken from the caves.