Disclaimer: I make no money from this story and own none of the Inuyasha characters. Nor do I own the Inuyasha fandom. I only own my little plot line.

XOXOXO:

A/N: Here's the next installment for my readers.

XOXOXO:

Chapter Twelve:

"Pathetic." The condensation in his voice stiffened her spine.

"We've been at it all day." Her eyes narrowed. "With no breaks. And you've barely left me time to catch my breath."

She stood up, dusting her backside off. "You didn't even give me time for a proper breakfast. I'm tired and I'm hungry."

"Quit bitching and fight," he commanded, with a wicked uppercut aimed for her stomach.

She spun out of the way with a grin. Her eyes widened as her back collided with a tree.

"Again? Seriously?" Blue eyes narrowed as he stalked towards her and. quick as a snake, pinned her to the tree.

"I'm not fond of repeating myself, girl. So, listen closely." His head lowered and his breath caressed her ear, as if he intended to whisper.

"Pay attention to your surroundings!"

"Augh!" She covered her ears and winced.

He stood back with a corner of his mouth tilted.

"Are you trying to make me deaf?" She sent him a death glare.

"If I wanted you deaf, you would be." His smirk widened. "A trick for another day." He shrugged. "Assume the position."

"I'm not some dog for you to order around, ya know." She scowled, but obeyed his command.

"All good soldiers obey their commander."

"I'm not a soldier," she huffed.

"You will be." He grinned coldly. The grin fled his face replaced by a dark scowl.

"Drop and give me fifty. And this time do it without bitching." His gaze remained on her.

For a split second she considered telling him what to do with his orders. A flash of what happened last time entered her mind and she bit her tongue.

Despite how her body ached everywhere Kagome did as instructed, glaring at him the entire time.

"Why do you have to be such an ass?"

"I'm a mercenary." One dark brow quirked.

"Doesn't mean you have to be so cold."

"You're supposed to do push ups, not whine."

She grunted and continued her task. By the last one her arms shook and she fell flat on her face breathless.

"What a disgrace." Bankotsu shook his head in disappointment. "I just remembered why I don't accept women in the Schichinatai."

"Lucky them."

She rolled onto her back desperate to draw a deep breath. Sweat coated her body and soaked her clothes. Several strands of loose hair clung to her forehead.

A sharp pain ripped through her abdomen. She wrapped her arms around her stomach, then cried out in pain.

"Oh get over it." He snorted. "It wasn't that bad."

Bile threatened to rise to the back of her throat. Her eyes widened. 'Oh shit. Not now.'

Her gaze scanned for anything she might use and then she slumped in defeat. 'Of course not. It's the Feudal Era after all.' She sighed heavily.

'Leave it to me to get trapped here at the worst possible time, in the worst possible situation.'

Another pain shot through her abdomen like a slow fire burning through bruised muscles. She bent over moaning.

"Cut the water works. I didn't push you that hard." Bankotsu snarled.

"It's not you." She hissed through the agony as it tore through her. Her heart beat rapidly. 'Why did I have to lose my bag?'

She closed her eyes and rocked back and forth, hands still wrapped around her midsection, in a futile effort to dull the pain. 'How the hell am I going to explain this to him?'

"What is it?"

'I can't believe I'm going to have to talk to him about this. But, what choice have I got?' Embarrassment stained her cheeks.

"I um…" She swallowed several times, trying to muster up the courage to explain it to him.

Impatience etched on his face. He moved closer, then stopped dead in his tracks as the scent of fresh blood teased his nostrils.

'Fuck. Seriously?' His eyes widened. 'First Ja goes missing, then I'm stuck with this bitch, and now this?'

He didn't make a habit of bemoaning his situations, but seriously? Now of all times? The demons would love this. They would travel from far and wide once they got wind of this little development. Not that he'd mind the exercise, he just wasn't in the mood for anymore of her drama. Women were unpredictable at the best of times. But, in times like this they often rivaled demons.

"Pay attention because I'll only do this once." His tone sent a shiver to skate up her spine..

He reached into his haori, pulled out a dagger and sliced off a piece of the vine that he'd used for a rope. Cutting off a piece of the left sleeve of his haori, he scowled and stomped over to the edge of the river. He took a nearby cattail and scraped the fuzzy material off onto the scrap of his sleeve. Using the piece of vine he tied the bundle together and left the end hanging at the bottom. A brief memory of how his mother did this when he was younger flashed through his mind. A memory he'd rather forget. He cringed. No kid ever wanted to witness his mother prepare for her heat cycle. Banishing the picture from his mind, he stomped back over to Kagome and thrust it at her.

"Use this." He refused to look her in the eyes. Bad enough he'd had to make it. He'd be damned if he gave her the chance to snicker at him. This was women's stuff and having to attend to it, even this once, was degrading enough.

Kagome's cheeks heated and her hair fell forward hiding her face as she reached up for the contraption.

"Thanks," she mumbled, as she stood up and scurried over to stand behind a bush. She inserted it, trying to ignore the fact that a man had touched, yet alone made the crude tampon. 'And not just any man. Bankotsu… Why can't the ground just open up and swallow me?'

When she emerged from behind the bush with her clothes back in place, he grabbed up Banryu.

"Do I have to use the rope, or will you behave?"

"No rope, please." She lowered her gaze to the ground.

"Let's go." He coiled the rope-like vine and draped it over his shoulder, then rested Banryu against the other shoulder. He snatched her by the wrist and led her away from the area.

XOXOXO:

Over a mile later he let her fall to the ground, moaning as she wrapped her arms around her midsection. Nausea rolled in her belly from the sheer amount of pain.

"Try to get some rest." He placed Banryu against a tree and sat beside it,

She nodded and laid back grateful for the chance to stop a while. Legs curled so the heat of her thighs leaked into her belly, she let out a small sigh of relief. It felt as if her guts were being scraped out with a rusty spoon, but slowly the heat eased it enough to calm the nausea. At least for the moment.

"Filthy whore. Why do I feel like my stomach is being pealed out?"

'Oh, shut up and go away. I'm not in the mood for your shit right now, you cross dressing freak.' Before she knew it the exhaustion from her over taxed body caused her to pass into the arms of darkness.

XOXOXO:

A/N: Strange chapter, lol. Blame it on the muse. Anyways, enjoy. The next installment promises to be quite entertaining. Don't forget authors love feedback.