InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Absolution's Pursuit ❯ A Purposeful Resolve ( Chapter 13 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Lady Sianna 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Drama / Adventure | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 05.28.2010 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.0K | Visits: 383 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Drama / Adventure | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 05.28.2010 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.0K | Visits: 383 | Status: Work In Progress
Absolution’s Pursuit
A Purposeful Resolve
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She was staring at him again…
As if he did not notice, from the corner of his eyes, Sesshoumaru continued to move forward, thoroughly ignoring the unreadable look the miko was surreptitiously sending his way. The inner workings of her mind were of no consequence to him of course, but the daiyoukai could not help but wonder what it was the woman was thinking. If her constant surveillance was anything to go by, her thoughts were apparently centered on him. The only question… was why?
He had not noticed any such scrutiny from her until this day, so he could only speculate as to what had happened during the night to bring her attention so fixedly upon him. If this went on for much longer, he would be forced to--
-
In her earnest to study the male beside her, Kagome nearly tripped over an inconveniently placed tree root. With a light gasp, she quickly regained her footing, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment as she saw Sesshoumaru glance at her from the corner of his eyes. Biting her lower lip, the miko folded her hands into her sleeves and forcibly turned her attention away from him. Instead watching her sandaled feet as they moved through the lush grass, Kagome allowed her mind to wander over the various aspects of her strange dream.
She wondered, quite indistinctly if it had been real. Well, obviously it was not real. It was a dream; but she wondered if the things the Inu-no-Taisho had told her were true. Was that really even him? Had he somehow returned from the world beyond merely to visit her in a dream? A light crease furrowing her brow, the miko considered this. She could not even begin to fathom why she might have been worthy of his interest.
It was all very strange.
Lifting her head to look ahead of her again, the young miko’s eyes soon lost focus, the lush greenery of the forest fading to a hazy blur as she remembered the secrets the great inu general had imparted to her.
Was… was Sesshoumaru really in trouble? What kind of trouble could he possibly be in? Was his life in danger? It was perhaps nearing midday now, and she was positive that she had spent at least half the morning staring at him. She tried to do it in such a way as not to be noticed, but on more than one occasion she had been forced to look away when the daiyoukai pinned her with a hard glare. She didn’t mean to stare, but she really couldn’t help herself! It was ridiculous she knew, but she wanted to see if perhaps she could figure out what the problem was with him. He looked the same as usual…
Tall, proud, his gait leisurely, yet purposeful. He carried his same swords, the same luxurious fluffy pelt. He seemed as calm and indifferent as always, not showing the slightest hint of worry or concern. There was nothing to suggest that he was injured, and as far as she could tell, his youki--
Kagome felt her heart skip a handful of beats, her lips pealing apart as she drew a sharp breath. She had not paid close attention until now but…
‘His youki…’
“Tell me Kagome, do you truly find me so fascinating?”
Starting, the miko immediately tore her gaze away from him, not realizing until this moment that she had been staring at him yet again. “Umm…” she trailed off, her mind scrambling to come up with a response for him. DaiGin had not discouraged her from revealing the things they had discussed, but, in spite of the fact that she did not know him well, Kagome more than suspected that Sesshoumaru would not want her to know of the peril he was apparently facing. The old general had not given her any specifics, but the fact that Sesshoumaru had been extremely tight-lipped, even to Oshiikame, seemed to speak clearly of the fact that he didn’t want anyone to know. Why had DaiGin shared that information with her in the first place?
A long, awkward moment slid between them, its ragged edges dragging themselves along Kagome’s now frazzled nerves with each step she took.
“N-no,” she finally said, “I was just… I was just thinking.”
“Hn,” the daiyoukai murmured blandly, “I suspected as much. My question,” he glanced down at her then, his eyes narrow and slightly ominous. “Is how your thoughts pertain to this Sesshoumaru? Or did you believe me ignorant of the fact that you have been ogling me for the better part of this day?”
“Ogling?!” she cried, her voice edged with incredulity. “OGLING?!” she repeated again, her eyes wide and her cheeks flushing with what he could only assume was embarrassment.
“The question,” the demon lord cut in before she could make a biting comment about his inflamed ego, “Is how your sudden bout of thoughtfulness pertains to myself.”
Clamping her mouth shut lest the insects welcome themselves inside, Kagome quickly began to order her thoughts. She went from worrying about him and his unknown predicament, to being extremely embarrassed, if not faintly offended by the accusation that she had been ogling him, and was then cast back into her previous concern when his question brought back her initial train of thought.
Swallowing dryly, Kagome turned her head to the sky, her gaze falling upon a bunny shaped cloud. It was soft and fluffy looking, though like most cloud formations, the thing it resembled was slightly skewed. It did serve to calm her nerves to look at it though.
“Sesshoumaru,” she spoke up finally; impulsively.
Inside her large sleeves, she felt her hands as they nervously began winding around themselves, the tips of her fingers dragging over the smooth backs of the remaining hand before rotating around to repeat the process on the other side. As she considered what she wanted to say, the young priestess very briefly considered the benefits of telling him something other than what was actually on her mind, but in the end her innate senses of honesty and concern won out. She blinked slowly and sighed.
“Sesshoumaru, I… I know you don’t really know me all that well, but,” she faltered; felt her heart drumming in her chest. “If… if you were ever in some kind… some kind of trouble, you could… you could tell me. I would do whatever I can to help.”
Beside her, the daiyoukai’s steps slowed. She didn’t dare look at him though, opting instead to remained focused on the cloud. It no longer looked like a bunny, but an indistinct blob against the sunny sky.
“Why do you say that?” he drawled, and she could hear a very deliberate undertone in his voice.
Again her mind scrambled for an answer. “Because… because I would,” she finally managed, attempting to buy herself some time. “I don’t know what a human like me could do to… to help someone like you but… but I would try my best.”
He stopped altogether, his hand darting out before she even saw it. Clawed fingers wrapped around the upper portion of the miko’s arm and she was instantly halted as well, a light gasp falling from her lips. His movements firm enough to jolt her heart, but not enough to imply a genuine threat, the inu lord turned her so that she was facing him directly.
“You know very well that is not what I meant.” he murmured darkly, and Kagome felt an icy chill race down her spine. She saw the marginal narrowing of his eyes before he asked, very decisively, “What do you know?”
Heart racing, the untrained priestess stared up at him, lips parted and chest heaving as she tried in vain to meet her body’s increasing need of oxygen.
“N-nothing!” she said when he gave her a slight shake, his patience obviously thinning. “Nothing!” she said again, but when she saw the faintest hint of a sharp fang peeking from between the thinning line of his lips, she quickly amended, “I-I had a dream! Your… your father, he…”
The daiyoukai’s eyes narrowed, “What did he tell you?”
Nearly panting for breath, the miko stammered as she spoke, “He just said that you were in trouble! He wouldn’t tell me anything more than that!”
She noticed, very faintly a softening in his expression, though he still looked far more menacing than what she was comfortable with.
A quiet moment slipped between them and Kagome’s heart began to calm, in spite of the fact that he had made no move to release her. Was he expecting her to say something more?
She licked her dry lips.
“And…” she blurted, suddenly wanting to find a way to placate him but having no idea where to begin.
“And?” the demon prompted, his hand loosening on her arm but not letting her go.
“He… he asked me to… to stay with you.” She thought she saw his brow furrow, very faintly as if in confusion and she sighed softly. “I was planning on leaving today. I was going to go and find a village or a shrine or something.” she looked away from him then, not wanting to see his face as she continued, “I told him that I didn’t think you liked me. That we’d both be better off if I didn’t continue traveling with you. But… he asked me to stay.” the last part was all but a whisper.
Finally, finally he released her, turning away from her to gaze blankly into the horizon. ‘Troublesome old dog!’ the demon lord grumbled mentally. It was not necessary for the miko to know of his plight, yet his father had made it his business to tell her anyway. Feeling slightly defeated, he released an inaudible sigh, vaguely grateful that his blathering father had not disclosed the entirety of his situation.
Behind him, Sesshoumaru heard the miko’s small feet as they shifted in the grass. “Is that truly all that he told you?” he asked her.
“Yes!” the miko spoke up, her voice a bit louder than she meant it to be.
For a long, uneasy moment, neither of them spoke until Kagome finally asked, “So… you think it was really him? I mean… it wasn’t just a dream?”
She heard him chuckle, low and humorless. “My father’s abilities to communicate beyond the grave have been proven on more than one occasion.” he stated cryptically before turning back to their previous path and moving forward once again. Jolting slightly at his abrupt retreat, Kagome skipped several paces, hurrying to recover the distance he had so swiftly made between them.
Their recent exchange had been… odd, but at least they were talking! She couldn’t come up with a precise reason why, but she was glad for it, because somehow it seemed like a step in the right direction.
“I meant what I said you know,” she muttered after a long stretch of silence. “If you’re worried that I’ll tell someone of your… predicament, then don’t. I wouldn’t. I just… I’d like to help you… if I can.”
Sesshoumaru did not look at her. Deep inside, the daiyoukai was feeling his long standing pride as it battled against the reality of his now precarious situation. Not long ago, he would have immediately balked at the idea that a mere human could be of any use to him. But, the miko, Kagome had already shattered this ideal, as evidenced by the shell he held in his very hand. Yet…
‘Do not accept aid from a human, even in death…’
His own voice echoed, quite suddenly through his mind and something inside the youkai hardened. That had been the advice he had given Inuyasha some years ago. He had meant it with no small level of vehemence. The boy was hanyou, but it was beneath even him, to accept human aid.
It was strange to find himself thinking of that day. It seemed to have occurred so long ago. So much had transpired since then…
Ignoring the sudden tightness that pressed against his still powerful heart, Sesshoumaru allowed that moment to replay in his mind. He suppressed a bitter chuckle. Now that he was thinking of it, it was this exact same human female who had been attempting to help the hanyou. He frowned at the recollection that, human though she was, her efforts had been far more effective than he would have anticipated.
From the corner of his eyes, he could see her looking at him, her expression soft, faintly determined, earnest and real.
“The matter…” he finally spoke up, tearing his gaze away from her as the edge of the forest parted before them. “Is not your concern.”
Though she quite expected a similar response, his words stung, just a little. He was brushing her off she knew, keeping a wall between them, but Kagome found herself strangely motivated to broach it. Maybe if she could keep the lines of communication open between them, he would finally open up to her. The idea was strange, even faintly surreal, and very lofty in its achievability, but what could it hurt to try?
She was tired of the uncomfortable silence that had always stretched so languorously, so uncomfortably between them. His father had asked her to stay with him, and she intended to stand by her word, but if she was going to maintain her tenuous hold on her sanity something was going to have to give! If she could manage to overcome his staunch reticence, maybe… maybe they could become friends. She made a face at the thought. Friendship didn’t seem to be the right term to use in reference to Sesshoumaru, but it was the only thing she could think of that would imply a level of camaraderie and mutual trust.
It could be done… right?
She had helped to defeat the most powerful hanyou the world had ever known. Surely she could manage something as simple as this.
Kagome felt a faint smile tugging the corner of her lips.
“But it is my concern.” she said quietly, staring up at him as she struggled to keep up with his long strides. His eyes shifted, the chilled amber of his gaze falling upon her. “You… you offered to protect me. So, by helping you… I’d be helping myself as well.”
She thought she saw his eyes flicker, but he blinked and looked away from her before she could decide for sure.
He didn’t answer, but Kagome was oddly content just the same. There was no doubt in her mind that he’d heard what she said, so… maybe he would consider it. From her dealings with Inuyasha, she suspected that it would not be easy piercing the demon lord’s tough outer shell. She was patient enough though.
Kagome looked up to see a meandering trail ahead of them. At its far end stood a large mountain, and her eyes were instantly drawn to the deep crater that was carved into its sloping wall. The billows of smoke that plumed from its entrance told her without a doubt that, at least this part of their journey was nearly over. She had no idea where they would go from here, but it was going to be nice to see a friendly, if not age-worn face again. She wondered how old Totosai was doing. She’d find out soon enough.
The miko looked over at her companion, who, as far as she could tell seemed to be ignoring her. Smiling again, she felt a sense of purpose stir deep within her. The more she thought about it, the more it seemed that the Inu-no-Taisho’s reasons for visiting her were more than what he said. She had no idea how she could be of any help to Sesshoumaru, but she was determined to try. Feeling lighter and more content than she had in a long time, Kagome turned back to the path ahead just as a warm summer breeze weaved its delicate tendrils through her hair.
Whether he wanted to admit it or not, it seemed that Sesshoumaru truly needed her help. She wasn’t about to let his stupid pride get in the way!
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Yes, I know that this chapter was a loooong time coming, but I sincerely hope it was worth the wait. I am trying to get myself motivated to continue my writings, at least until I finish my last two stories. It hasn’t been easy.
Anyway, for those of you reading RoS, I am about halfway finished with the next chapter and will try to get it finished very soon.
Thank for those of you who are still hanging in there with me, thank you so very much! It means more to me than you know!
A Purposeful Resolve
_______________________________________________________________ _________
She was staring at him again…
As if he did not notice, from the corner of his eyes, Sesshoumaru continued to move forward, thoroughly ignoring the unreadable look the miko was surreptitiously sending his way. The inner workings of her mind were of no consequence to him of course, but the daiyoukai could not help but wonder what it was the woman was thinking. If her constant surveillance was anything to go by, her thoughts were apparently centered on him. The only question… was why?
He had not noticed any such scrutiny from her until this day, so he could only speculate as to what had happened during the night to bring her attention so fixedly upon him. If this went on for much longer, he would be forced to--
-
In her earnest to study the male beside her, Kagome nearly tripped over an inconveniently placed tree root. With a light gasp, she quickly regained her footing, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment as she saw Sesshoumaru glance at her from the corner of his eyes. Biting her lower lip, the miko folded her hands into her sleeves and forcibly turned her attention away from him. Instead watching her sandaled feet as they moved through the lush grass, Kagome allowed her mind to wander over the various aspects of her strange dream.
She wondered, quite indistinctly if it had been real. Well, obviously it was not real. It was a dream; but she wondered if the things the Inu-no-Taisho had told her were true. Was that really even him? Had he somehow returned from the world beyond merely to visit her in a dream? A light crease furrowing her brow, the miko considered this. She could not even begin to fathom why she might have been worthy of his interest.
It was all very strange.
Lifting her head to look ahead of her again, the young miko’s eyes soon lost focus, the lush greenery of the forest fading to a hazy blur as she remembered the secrets the great inu general had imparted to her.
Was… was Sesshoumaru really in trouble? What kind of trouble could he possibly be in? Was his life in danger? It was perhaps nearing midday now, and she was positive that she had spent at least half the morning staring at him. She tried to do it in such a way as not to be noticed, but on more than one occasion she had been forced to look away when the daiyoukai pinned her with a hard glare. She didn’t mean to stare, but she really couldn’t help herself! It was ridiculous she knew, but she wanted to see if perhaps she could figure out what the problem was with him. He looked the same as usual…
Tall, proud, his gait leisurely, yet purposeful. He carried his same swords, the same luxurious fluffy pelt. He seemed as calm and indifferent as always, not showing the slightest hint of worry or concern. There was nothing to suggest that he was injured, and as far as she could tell, his youki--
Kagome felt her heart skip a handful of beats, her lips pealing apart as she drew a sharp breath. She had not paid close attention until now but…
‘His youki…’
“Tell me Kagome, do you truly find me so fascinating?”
Starting, the miko immediately tore her gaze away from him, not realizing until this moment that she had been staring at him yet again. “Umm…” she trailed off, her mind scrambling to come up with a response for him. DaiGin had not discouraged her from revealing the things they had discussed, but, in spite of the fact that she did not know him well, Kagome more than suspected that Sesshoumaru would not want her to know of the peril he was apparently facing. The old general had not given her any specifics, but the fact that Sesshoumaru had been extremely tight-lipped, even to Oshiikame, seemed to speak clearly of the fact that he didn’t want anyone to know. Why had DaiGin shared that information with her in the first place?
A long, awkward moment slid between them, its ragged edges dragging themselves along Kagome’s now frazzled nerves with each step she took.
“N-no,” she finally said, “I was just… I was just thinking.”
“Hn,” the daiyoukai murmured blandly, “I suspected as much. My question,” he glanced down at her then, his eyes narrow and slightly ominous. “Is how your thoughts pertain to this Sesshoumaru? Or did you believe me ignorant of the fact that you have been ogling me for the better part of this day?”
“Ogling?!” she cried, her voice edged with incredulity. “OGLING?!” she repeated again, her eyes wide and her cheeks flushing with what he could only assume was embarrassment.
“The question,” the demon lord cut in before she could make a biting comment about his inflamed ego, “Is how your sudden bout of thoughtfulness pertains to myself.”
Clamping her mouth shut lest the insects welcome themselves inside, Kagome quickly began to order her thoughts. She went from worrying about him and his unknown predicament, to being extremely embarrassed, if not faintly offended by the accusation that she had been ogling him, and was then cast back into her previous concern when his question brought back her initial train of thought.
Swallowing dryly, Kagome turned her head to the sky, her gaze falling upon a bunny shaped cloud. It was soft and fluffy looking, though like most cloud formations, the thing it resembled was slightly skewed. It did serve to calm her nerves to look at it though.
“Sesshoumaru,” she spoke up finally; impulsively.
Inside her large sleeves, she felt her hands as they nervously began winding around themselves, the tips of her fingers dragging over the smooth backs of the remaining hand before rotating around to repeat the process on the other side. As she considered what she wanted to say, the young priestess very briefly considered the benefits of telling him something other than what was actually on her mind, but in the end her innate senses of honesty and concern won out. She blinked slowly and sighed.
“Sesshoumaru, I… I know you don’t really know me all that well, but,” she faltered; felt her heart drumming in her chest. “If… if you were ever in some kind… some kind of trouble, you could… you could tell me. I would do whatever I can to help.”
Beside her, the daiyoukai’s steps slowed. She didn’t dare look at him though, opting instead to remained focused on the cloud. It no longer looked like a bunny, but an indistinct blob against the sunny sky.
“Why do you say that?” he drawled, and she could hear a very deliberate undertone in his voice.
Again her mind scrambled for an answer. “Because… because I would,” she finally managed, attempting to buy herself some time. “I don’t know what a human like me could do to… to help someone like you but… but I would try my best.”
He stopped altogether, his hand darting out before she even saw it. Clawed fingers wrapped around the upper portion of the miko’s arm and she was instantly halted as well, a light gasp falling from her lips. His movements firm enough to jolt her heart, but not enough to imply a genuine threat, the inu lord turned her so that she was facing him directly.
“You know very well that is not what I meant.” he murmured darkly, and Kagome felt an icy chill race down her spine. She saw the marginal narrowing of his eyes before he asked, very decisively, “What do you know?”
Heart racing, the untrained priestess stared up at him, lips parted and chest heaving as she tried in vain to meet her body’s increasing need of oxygen.
“N-nothing!” she said when he gave her a slight shake, his patience obviously thinning. “Nothing!” she said again, but when she saw the faintest hint of a sharp fang peeking from between the thinning line of his lips, she quickly amended, “I-I had a dream! Your… your father, he…”
The daiyoukai’s eyes narrowed, “What did he tell you?”
Nearly panting for breath, the miko stammered as she spoke, “He just said that you were in trouble! He wouldn’t tell me anything more than that!”
She noticed, very faintly a softening in his expression, though he still looked far more menacing than what she was comfortable with.
A quiet moment slipped between them and Kagome’s heart began to calm, in spite of the fact that he had made no move to release her. Was he expecting her to say something more?
She licked her dry lips.
“And…” she blurted, suddenly wanting to find a way to placate him but having no idea where to begin.
“And?” the demon prompted, his hand loosening on her arm but not letting her go.
“He… he asked me to… to stay with you.” She thought she saw his brow furrow, very faintly as if in confusion and she sighed softly. “I was planning on leaving today. I was going to go and find a village or a shrine or something.” she looked away from him then, not wanting to see his face as she continued, “I told him that I didn’t think you liked me. That we’d both be better off if I didn’t continue traveling with you. But… he asked me to stay.” the last part was all but a whisper.
Finally, finally he released her, turning away from her to gaze blankly into the horizon. ‘Troublesome old dog!’ the demon lord grumbled mentally. It was not necessary for the miko to know of his plight, yet his father had made it his business to tell her anyway. Feeling slightly defeated, he released an inaudible sigh, vaguely grateful that his blathering father had not disclosed the entirety of his situation.
Behind him, Sesshoumaru heard the miko’s small feet as they shifted in the grass. “Is that truly all that he told you?” he asked her.
“Yes!” the miko spoke up, her voice a bit louder than she meant it to be.
For a long, uneasy moment, neither of them spoke until Kagome finally asked, “So… you think it was really him? I mean… it wasn’t just a dream?”
She heard him chuckle, low and humorless. “My father’s abilities to communicate beyond the grave have been proven on more than one occasion.” he stated cryptically before turning back to their previous path and moving forward once again. Jolting slightly at his abrupt retreat, Kagome skipped several paces, hurrying to recover the distance he had so swiftly made between them.
Their recent exchange had been… odd, but at least they were talking! She couldn’t come up with a precise reason why, but she was glad for it, because somehow it seemed like a step in the right direction.
“I meant what I said you know,” she muttered after a long stretch of silence. “If you’re worried that I’ll tell someone of your… predicament, then don’t. I wouldn’t. I just… I’d like to help you… if I can.”
Sesshoumaru did not look at her. Deep inside, the daiyoukai was feeling his long standing pride as it battled against the reality of his now precarious situation. Not long ago, he would have immediately balked at the idea that a mere human could be of any use to him. But, the miko, Kagome had already shattered this ideal, as evidenced by the shell he held in his very hand. Yet…
‘Do not accept aid from a human, even in death…’
His own voice echoed, quite suddenly through his mind and something inside the youkai hardened. That had been the advice he had given Inuyasha some years ago. He had meant it with no small level of vehemence. The boy was hanyou, but it was beneath even him, to accept human aid.
It was strange to find himself thinking of that day. It seemed to have occurred so long ago. So much had transpired since then…
Ignoring the sudden tightness that pressed against his still powerful heart, Sesshoumaru allowed that moment to replay in his mind. He suppressed a bitter chuckle. Now that he was thinking of it, it was this exact same human female who had been attempting to help the hanyou. He frowned at the recollection that, human though she was, her efforts had been far more effective than he would have anticipated.
From the corner of his eyes, he could see her looking at him, her expression soft, faintly determined, earnest and real.
“The matter…” he finally spoke up, tearing his gaze away from her as the edge of the forest parted before them. “Is not your concern.”
Though she quite expected a similar response, his words stung, just a little. He was brushing her off she knew, keeping a wall between them, but Kagome found herself strangely motivated to broach it. Maybe if she could keep the lines of communication open between them, he would finally open up to her. The idea was strange, even faintly surreal, and very lofty in its achievability, but what could it hurt to try?
She was tired of the uncomfortable silence that had always stretched so languorously, so uncomfortably between them. His father had asked her to stay with him, and she intended to stand by her word, but if she was going to maintain her tenuous hold on her sanity something was going to have to give! If she could manage to overcome his staunch reticence, maybe… maybe they could become friends. She made a face at the thought. Friendship didn’t seem to be the right term to use in reference to Sesshoumaru, but it was the only thing she could think of that would imply a level of camaraderie and mutual trust.
It could be done… right?
She had helped to defeat the most powerful hanyou the world had ever known. Surely she could manage something as simple as this.
Kagome felt a faint smile tugging the corner of her lips.
“But it is my concern.” she said quietly, staring up at him as she struggled to keep up with his long strides. His eyes shifted, the chilled amber of his gaze falling upon her. “You… you offered to protect me. So, by helping you… I’d be helping myself as well.”
She thought she saw his eyes flicker, but he blinked and looked away from her before she could decide for sure.
He didn’t answer, but Kagome was oddly content just the same. There was no doubt in her mind that he’d heard what she said, so… maybe he would consider it. From her dealings with Inuyasha, she suspected that it would not be easy piercing the demon lord’s tough outer shell. She was patient enough though.
Kagome looked up to see a meandering trail ahead of them. At its far end stood a large mountain, and her eyes were instantly drawn to the deep crater that was carved into its sloping wall. The billows of smoke that plumed from its entrance told her without a doubt that, at least this part of their journey was nearly over. She had no idea where they would go from here, but it was going to be nice to see a friendly, if not age-worn face again. She wondered how old Totosai was doing. She’d find out soon enough.
The miko looked over at her companion, who, as far as she could tell seemed to be ignoring her. Smiling again, she felt a sense of purpose stir deep within her. The more she thought about it, the more it seemed that the Inu-no-Taisho’s reasons for visiting her were more than what he said. She had no idea how she could be of any help to Sesshoumaru, but she was determined to try. Feeling lighter and more content than she had in a long time, Kagome turned back to the path ahead just as a warm summer breeze weaved its delicate tendrils through her hair.
Whether he wanted to admit it or not, it seemed that Sesshoumaru truly needed her help. She wasn’t about to let his stupid pride get in the way!
__________________________________________________________________ ______
Yes, I know that this chapter was a loooong time coming, but I sincerely hope it was worth the wait. I am trying to get myself motivated to continue my writings, at least until I finish my last two stories. It hasn’t been easy.
Anyway, for those of you reading RoS, I am about halfway finished with the next chapter and will try to get it finished very soon.
Thank for those of you who are still hanging in there with me, thank you so very much! It means more to me than you know!