Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Naoki. I was honored that one of my favorite authors requested a oneshot using her OC from her first fanfic featuring Lord Sesshomaru, so I am trying to fulfill that request. The author is firewatherearthwind and the fic is called "Forever in Your Debt." Many elements and some of the dialogue is taken from chapter 16.

Lord Sesshomaru could not have predicted the scene he had just walked into. The air was thick with the smell of blood from two cat demons of the same family line. He looked down to see Naoki cradling her dead father's head and crying over his body. Initially shock hit the Great Dog Lord, but his face was as impassive as ever. Knowing that her father had been killed many decades prior and picking up on the scent of bones and graveyard soil that mixed with the scent of blood, Sesshomaru deduced that he must have been resurrected by the Panther Tribe; but for what purpose, he didn't know.

"Cat." Sesshomaru said quietly, even though his tone held its authoritative manner as it always did.

When Naoki looked up at her master, Sesshomaru could see that she had been struck hard enough on the cheek that it had already formed a substantial sized bruise. The dirt on her face was streaked from where her tears had traveled down her cheeks only to fall from her chin. His concern grew more when he moved her father's body away and saw the deep gashes on her abdomen. Naoki didn't seem too concerned with her injuries as she continued to stare at the lifeless figure of her father.

"We must leave." He said, his voice not indicating the worry he felt as he thought about her condition and how he had not been there to help her. Realizing the cat was too weak to stand on her own, Lord Sesshomaru gently wrapped his mokomoko around her as he carried her off to a safe place to recover from her battle.

With his kanine instincts taking over, he gently licked her wounds clean and carefully wrapped her midsection with his own blue and gold obi.

Naoki lay there in the grass while her master tended to her wounds. She felt thankful yet undeserving of his attention. Thinking back on all the years they had been traveling together, she never remembered him giving her this much care. He had always expected her to fend for herself; but as of late, she noticed the increase in her master's consideration for her well-being.

My father must have been fed lies. Why else would he say such libel comments? My lord will not abandon me. Look at the way he is caring for me now. Why would he go through the trouble if he plans on leaving me one day? I know my Lord, he would think it a waste of his time.

"The panther demons had resurrected him." Naoki said quietly. She was rather weak from her battle and even finding the energy to speak was somewhat challenging, but she needed to talk to her lord. "They fed him lies. He said that you would abandon me someday and that I should leave you before that happens. He tried to kill me because I refused to renounce you, My Lord. In the end, I killed my already dead father."

Lord Sesshomaru did not say anything at first. Physical scars are not the only ones Naoki will be left with from this battle. He thought to himself. "You can leave me whenever you want."

"I know." Naoki said, "but I do not wish to leave you." Tears started to fall from her eyes again.

Before he could stop himself, Sesshomaru wiped her tears away with his thumb. This act alone caused Naoki's breath to hitch in her throat. His touch was firm but loving and felt so good on her skin.

"Your father was not himself today. If you must remember your father, remember him from when he was truly alive." Sesshomaru said.

"My lord…"

"I have not abandoned you and I have no intentions of doing so. If I had wanted to, I would have left you under that hut fifty years ago. I, Sesshomaru, wish for you to stay with me." The Dog Demon almost didn't believe that the words fell from his tongue so easily. "I wish to have you as my mate."

Naoki looked at her master with nothing but confusion and shock. Did she hear him correctly or was she imagining things due to her blood loss?

"If you so wish, of course." Sesshomaru said with a tone of amusement. He already knew what she would say.

Naoki looked lovingly into her master's eyes. She had been in love with him before she even knew what love meant. He was everything to her. Lord Sesshomaru was her savior and protector. Naoki loved Sesshomaru with all of her being and she wanted nothing more than to be mated with him. It seemed like any pain she felt melted away as she replayed his words over and over in her mind, sending her into a state of utter euphoria.

"I… I wish it, My Lord."

Lord Sesshomaru did something that happened only on the rarest of occasions. He smiled. Not the evil smirk that appeared when he was about to make a great kill, or severely punish Jaken. A smile that signified that he was happy, even his eyes seemed to twinkle a little bit. Naoki was drunk within her elated state that his smile seemed to cause. Not once had she ever seen Sesshomaru truly smile. Naoki beamed back at him as her eyes traveled back towards his lips. She had heard so many harsh words come out of those lips over the years, sometimes directed at her but mainly towards enemies; but to Naoki, they looked like the sweetest, softest lips in existence.

She didn't think; she simply acted. She reached up and entwinded her fingers into Sesshomaru's silver locks. It felt like silk was slipping between her fingers. She sat up slightly on her other elbow and pulled the great demon towards her. She wanted to taste those lips so badly, especially after the most wonderful of words had just come out of them. Sesshomaru gave no sign of objection and allowed himself to be pulled down to the one he would soon mark as his mate.

Their kiss started off soft and gentle, according to Naoki's lead. Her head swam with the feeling of his lips on her own. But not one to ever be the submissive type, Sesshomaru began to dominate the kiss. It turned from soft and gentle to heated and passionate. Sesshomaru forced Naoki to lay back on the ground, but was careful of her wounds. He nipped lightly at her lips and then to her jaw and collar bone as he moved himself above her.

"My Lord?" Naoki questioned, feeling a little uncertain about his next move.

"Don't worry, Cat. I'll save that for when your wounds are healed. You will need your strength."

Naoki shivered with excitement mixed with a little trepidation, understanding exactly what her master meant by his statement. She waited for him to continue their kiss, but he made no move. Naoki scowled and was started to feel a little peeved.

Sesshomaru immediately sensed the change in his soon-to-be mate. "What is it, Cat?" He asked in his aloof tone of voice.

The cat actually dared to scoff at him. "Just because we have to wait until I heal for that doesn't mean we have to stop this!" She said as she grabbed and pulled Sesshomaru to her once again.

Sesshomaru smirked against her lips. I could get used to this. He thought as he quickly took control once more.

Author's Note: Well, I mainly hope that firewatereathwind is happy with this one-shot as it is based on her story and she asked me to write it! But I hope that everyone else enjoyed it as well! Please feel free to review, I would appreciate it! Thanks!