InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Killing Me Softly ❯ Chapter 2

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter 2

Kagome stared out at the horizon as Kirara headed into it, her mind going in circles and her heart oddly numb.  It was so hard to believe that she'd been so close to Inuyasha just a few hours earlier... and now was never going to see him again.

She knew he'd be furious when he realized she was gone, and would start the search for her immediately, still dark or not.  For that reason, she decided that going to Sango's old village would not do.  No... she would be better off going somewhere else, and starting out immediately instead of resting.  Good thing she could mute her scent...

No, she couldn't hide it completely, but she could pull it in so close to herself that anyone searching for it would literally have to be almost on top of her position to find it.

With all that in mind, she rubbed Kirara's ear to get her attention.  “Kirara... I don't think going to the village is such a good idea.  Inuyasha will head this way really fast, I bet.  I think we should go north, instead,”  she said.  “And last anyone knew, Naraku was in the south, which means I'll be safer farther away from him.”

Kirara roared at that, agreeing – the further away Kagome was from the spider hanyou, the better, so without further ado, she turned and headed north instead, on course towards the mountains.  

At least Kagome wouldn't be completely alone, with Shippo for company.  She couldn't help but worry, though...

The world was a dangerous place for such a pretty woman as Kagome, and there were a lot more bad things in it than just marauding youkai.

Marauding males, for one thing.

~oOo~

“Oi, Sango.  I know Kirara took Kagome wherever it was she was going,”  Inuyasha said as soon as he stepped into the hut, waking her from her doze,  “and I want to know where that is now.  I'm gonna go get her back.”

Blinking sleepily, Sango raised a tired hand and rubbed her eyes.  “Oh... you're back, Inuyasha.”  At the hanyou's impatient sound, she sighed.  “She took Kagome to my old village.  She'll be okay there until we can get to her.”

“Keh.  I ain't waitin'.  Miroku and Kaede ain't back from that birth and blessing yet?”  he asked.

“Obviously not,”  Sango said, still sleepy.  

“Whatever.  I'm outta here.  I'll be back when I have Kagome.  Until then, enjoy the reprieve, 'cause as soon as I have her, we're hittin' the road again,”  he flung over his shoulder as he headed out of the hut, and Sango waved a tired hand at him in mild annoyance.

“Fine, Inuyasha.  We'll see you sometime tomorrow, then.”

The hanyou didn't reply, simply pushing into a dead run as soon as he cleared the matting, his mind completely on finding his missing wife... his little mate.  Keh.  She won't ever pull this kinda crap on me again, that's certain, once I'm finished tellin' her where it's at.  She's mine to protect, and I won't put up with her disappearing and puttin' herself in danger.

Mind filled with such thoughts, the hanyou continued on into the night... heading for disappointment and panic, if he'd only known it.

There wouldn't be anyone waiting for him in that dead village...

It would be quite some time before he found his little runaway mate.

~oOo~

It was quite early, only about three hours after midnight when Kirara began to head down, finally landing near a well-traveled road towards a village in the foothills of the mountains she'd been heading into.

Kagome, waking from the doze she'd fallen into after her emotionally exhausting evening, sighed, wanting nothing more than to cry again – it was time to say goodbye to Kirara, their last link to their friends.  And Inuyasha... swallowing hard to stop the hurt from tightening her throat any further, Kagome lifted her kit into her arms as he patted Kirara once more, and smiled sadly at the firecat.

“Thank you, Kirara, for all your help,”  she said softly.  “I'm going to miss you...”  she stroked her behind her ear as the firecat purred, then nuzzled her.  “But hopefully, we'll see you again soon.  Take care of the others for me, ok?”

Kirara mewed, then watched sadly as Kagome turned with one last sorrowful smile and started up the road, determined to get as far as she could before Inuyasha could track her down.  She watched until the two were out of sight around a bend in the road, then lifted off and headed back to her mistress, still worried for her two friends.

Just in case, she took careful note of where she'd dropped them off...

Tired, Kagome couldn't manage much more than a slow walk, but it was better than nothing.  She planned to go on for an hour or two, and then leave the road and look for a likely camping place.  In the meantime, her thoughts wandered chaotically and she heaved a frustrated sigh, forcing her mind to think of only one thing – what she was going to do now.

She needed a plan.

Looking down at the once again peacefully snoozing kit in her arms, she was pretty certain no village was going to be too happy with a miko hauling around a youkai, even if he was just a child.  Passing through was one thing, but asking to live amongst them?

The only reason they'd been welcomed in Kaede's village was because of the extremely unusual circumstances surrounding them.  She couldn't count on that same understanding anywhere else, and she wasn't about to leave her kit behind just so she could live in some strange village.

No... they would have to find a place out in the wilderness – perhaps within a few hours walk of a village, just for convenience' sake.  There was a village up ahead somewhere, she could tell that much, from the smoky haze that was drifting above a certain area a bit higher up in the hills.  But that was too close to where she'd been dropped off...

Perhaps she'd just bypass that village and go on towards the next one.  She recognized this area – they'd been through here before, once, chasing a shard, and she remembered that there was another village after this one – a rather large one further up on the mountain, sitting right above the only pass over the mountains for miles.

She would head towards that village, then leave the road a few hours before reaching it and look up some of the caves in the area.

It shouldn't be too hard to find one that would provide adequate shelter since there were a lot of caves in this area of the mountains, and even one near a good source of water, which was a necessity.  Shippo's nose was more than sensitive enough to find water, and from there, they'd assess the nearest caves available to find a good, easily defended one that would make an acceptable home – especially come winter.

Right now, being late spring, she had time to prepare for a harsh winter – hunting for furs and the like for warmth to add to her bedding, and smoke plenty of meat to store for the long winter months.  Plus, if she was lucky, she would find some wild vegetables and fruits that could be dried for later use, as well.  

One good thing about being a miko – she could ask for rice in return for any services she provided for the villages around these parts, and that would also give her some more food to fall back on in the lean winter months.  And of course, she had her two little cookpots...

It wouldn't be easy, but they could do it.

Blinking tiredly, she stumbled to a halt finally, and looking off to the side of the road, decided that now was a good time to find a place to camp.  She was just too exhausted to go on any further.

Finding a small clearing a ways back from the road, she set Shippo down with her weapons, and with the little kit watching blearily, she set out her sleeping bag, and then, setting her bow and quiver of arrows to hand, pulled her bag next to her bedding.  After a moment of staring at it tiredly, she sighed and gathered Shippo to her, and then crawled into her bedding, asleep as soon as she'd sent her aura out in search of any malicious auras nearby, not finding any.

Kagome woke slowly later that morning, at first wondering where she was, until everything that had happened the night before came rushing back, and that leaden numbness that had filled her after she'd left Kaede's village took over again.

With a heavy sigh, she clambered out of her sleeping bag and stretched a bit, then shuffled behind some bushes for a little privacy.  

When she stepped back into the tiny clearing they'd slept in, Shippo was awake and rolling up her sleeping bag so it could be restowed in her pack.  Kagome dug deep and pulled out a half-hearted smile for the kit.

“Thanks, Shippo,”  she said slowly.  Moving over to her bag, she dug around for a damp washcloth and wiped her hands, then dug out the travel rations she'd confiscated from Kaede's the night before and handed the kit some, along with one of the three bottles of water she had in her pack.  

Shippo took the food and water gratefully, but looked up at her before taking even a bite.  “So where are we going, Kagome?”  he asked solemnly.

Taking a little food for herself, she mentally noted that they had enough travel rations to last several days, since it was just the two of them, then pulled herself back to answer the question at hand.  

“Further up the mountain there's caves - we can find one and make it into our home.  I'll need your help later, once we get there, to find a good water source... and then we'll find the best cave we can that's close to it,”  she replied.

Shippo nodded.  “Oh.  Yeah, that's a good idea,”  he said softly, suddenly aware of why she wouldn't be moving into any villages if his uncomfortable expression meant anything.  “I... I'm sorry, Kagome.  You could live in a village and be safe if I wasn't around, ne?”

A funny sound met the kits ears, and he looked up to find her staring at him with tears in her eyes.  “No... I wouldn't be living in any villages, anyway, Shippo – I don't think I'd fit in too well, you know?”  She shook her head after a moment, wiping the tears away.  “Well, come on then, lets get a move on.”

Nothing more was said after that, and the two packed everything up quickly, then moved out, feeling a bit better that at least they had a plan to work with.

It was definitely better than just stumbling around like a little lost kitten, after all.  That kind of thing would get you killed very quickly in this day and age...

~oOo~

Inuyasha knew almost as soon as he stepped foot in Sango's village that no one was there, and he began to instantly panic.  Thinking that perhaps they'd set down somewhere near, but not actually in the village, Inuyasha began searching for scents in ever increasing circles away from the desolate village.

After several hours and many miles, he was forced to give up – there was no sign that the three he was searching for had ever gotten anywhere near the area, and with fear in his heart, the hanyou headed back to Kaede's, hoping that Kirara had returned and could show him where she'd left Kagome and Shippo.

That hope was shattered when he arrived back in the village just before dawn; Kirara hadn't returned, and Sango was getting very worried.  That worry exploded into fear when he informed her that there was no sign of Kirara or Kagome and Shippo anywhere within miles of her old village.

Miroku, who had finally returned to the hut not long after Inuyasha had left and been filled in on what was happening by a very upset Sango, tried to calm everyone.

“I am certain that Kagome merely changed her mind about where she wanted to go, and Kirara simply humored her, taking her to her new destination.  We must have patience, that is all,”  he said calmly.  “If Kirara still has not returned in a few hours, then we will begin searching.”

“And where the fuck are we gonna start from, huh?”  Inuyasha barked, angry, worried, and frustrated.

“Well... I believe that we can rule out one area based on circumstances,”  he responded thoughtfully.  “The east.  I do not believe that Kagome would have gone anywhere near Koga's realm with all that has happened.”

Sango nodded.  “Yeah, you're right.  She wouldn't want to deal with all his 'my woman' claims and the like in her vulnerability.”

Inuyasha, who'd growled long and deadly when that name was mentioned, slowly calmed as he realized they were right.  If that mangy ookami gets anywhere near her, I really will kill him this time.  She's mine, even if she doesn't realize it yet.

“Keh.  That still leaves north, south, and west,”  he said, wrinkling his nose at the mention of his brother's lands.

“Not really,”  Sango said slowly as she thought about it.  “I think we can rule out the west, too.  I don't think she'd be going anywhere near Sesshoumaru's lands for several reasons.”

“So that leaves north and south,”  Miroku said musingly, shaking his shakujo a bit and listening to the calming – for him – chiming of the rings on it.  “What's south of here?”

“Feh,”  Inuyasha said disgustedly,  “forests, forests, and more forests.”

“And north?”

“Mountains, valleys, villages.”

“Perhaps we should search to the south, then – at least for now.  I don't think Kagome would be taking Shippo into any villages to live,”  Sango said.  “Passing through is one thing, but living there is another.”

“Fine.  You guys should sleep until daylight.  I'll wake you if Kirara comes, and if she doesn't, we'll leave after the sun's up,”  Inuyasha said gruffly, his thoughts completely on Kagome and her whereabouts.  He paid no attention as the other two nodded and moved to their blankets to sleep, settling himself back against the wall with Tessaiga clutched to his chest to keep watch.

Be okay, Kagome... until I can find you be safe!

~oOo~

Frustrated, terrified out of his mind, Inuyasha pushed off from the ground and soared into the air, his eyes searching everywhere hoping to catch sight of Kirara.  It had now been a week since she'd disappeared with Kagome and Shippo, and what was left of their group was falling apart rapidly.

He'd sat for several hours while the others slept that awful morning, waiting for Kirara to return 'til he just couldn't fight his growing fear anymore, and then he'd roused the others from their sleep and begun searching desperately for any sign of the firecat.

And still – there was nothing.  They'd searched to the south first, but there'd been no sign of anything to do with Kirara or Kagome and Shippo, and with not even a stray scent of them in that direction, Inuyasha'd finally turned them all north and taken off, leaving the others in the dust as he'd headed off at breakneck speed.

What the hell has happened?  he wondered for the millionth time, his thoughts frantic and chaotic.  Where are they?

The mad whirl in his mind abruptly stopped as a certain scent came to his nose, then, and he dashed towards the source of the smell.  Kirara's blood!  She was attacked, he realized as he topped a small hill and noticed her laying off to the side of the road, curled up in a ball.  She mewed wearily as she opened her eyes and caught sight of him.

Leaping to her side, he looked her over, pleased that she was going to be okay.  She'd bested her opponents, though the fight had been vicious, and she had lost a good amount of blood from various wounds.  They were mostly healed by now, save for one that was still pretty deep and would take another day or two to completely seal.

He picked her up carefully, cradling her in his arms as he turned and surveyed the area.  Dragons.  He growled.  Two of them.  Cowards.  Fortunately for the firecat, they weren't a particularly large breed of dragon, and both were still juvenile.  Still, she'd put up a hell of a fight, and Inuyasha wasn't really surprised she'd won.  Kirara was a formidable opponent.

He decided to get her back to Sango and Miroku before he asked where she'd taken Kagome and Shippo, since she might not be inclined to tell him until Sango clued her in on what had happened.  Settling her more firmly in his arms, he took off, careful not to jar the neko.

“Keh.  I know you're gonna be okay, Kirara, but Sango's gonna have a fit when she sees you, ya know,”  he sighed, and Kirara mewed agreeingly.  

It wasn't long before he came upon the monk and taijiya, and with plenty of worried fussing from Sango, Kirara was soon settled before a nice fire, a small plate of rare deer meat in front of her.  The group was fairly quiet as they all ate, but once she was fed and comfortable, Sango took it upon herself to explain the true circumstances of what had happened with Kagome and Kikyou the other night, so that she wouldn't balk at showing them where she'd dropped their missing group members off at.

Once the story was told, the small neko looked over at the hanyou with an exasperated expression and mewed at him, her ears laying flat as she basically scolded him for the mess he'd made of things.  Inuyasha blushed but nodded at her, accepting her scolding with unusually good grace.

“I know.  I was stupid for not talking to her first.  So... will you show us where you left them?”  he asked, and Kirara mewed and nodded – though she let him know that it wouldn't be until morning at least.  She'd not slept in almost a week save for periods of unconsciousness, after all, and with her injuries, her body was just too tired to stay awake any longer.

It would be slow going, of course, with her unable to fly or carry her companions, but they would get where they were going and begin to track down their missing friends, that she was determined on – after all, she loved Shippo and Kagome as much as the rest of them, and was quite glad they were going to get them back.  

She'd really hated leaving them behind in the first place.

~oOo~

Kagome smothered a sigh as she looked over the meagre offerings in the village market.  There wasn't much of any real value to her here, though she was in need of some more arrows.  

She picked out enough to refill her quiver, and then took out her money purse, trading the appropriate amount of coin from her small supply, and then turned to head out of the market, ready to head home.

It had been two months since she'd left Inuyasha and the others, and things for her and Shippo were as good as they could be.  They'd found a very good location for a winter home, a cave that held not only an excellent shape for keeping the heat from their fire in, but also one that would provide a natural draw to pull the smoke out of the cave, while diffusing the smoke trail so as not to give their position away.

On top of that, it was very close to a small stream that would provide all the water they could need, and miracle of miracles, there was a small hot spring in the back of the chamber.  That was a welcome bonus she'd not even thought to hope for, but she wasn't about to complain.  It helped to keep the cave warm, and while it could get a little hot now, with summer well underway, it would be perfect come the cold, snowy winter months.

She'd already managed to stock up on a lot of rice and vegetables that she'd dried for storage, and even had a nice little stock of dried meat set aside for the lean months.  The furs were a nice benefit, too – she'd found a tanner in the village that was willing to take a trade of furs for himself to tan hers for her.  By the time winter came in, they'd have enough to make perfectly comfortable bedding.

They'd even gotten lucky and come upon a bear that had been injured and was dying, and taking pity on it, she'd sent an arrow to its heart and put it out of its misery.  It had been gross, and not something she really wanted to repeat, skinning the carcass, but the fur had tanned beautifully, and would be a perfect blanket.

Things were looking good for them - though lonely.  She could only be glad that Shippo was with her – if she'd been by herself, she'd have quickly gone mad – not to mention, half the things she'd accomplished she'd never have been able to do on her own.  Shippo was highly knowledgeable on things needed to survive in this era, and she was thankful for it.  She reached up and patted the kit riding on her shoulder, happy for his company.

Just as she reached the edge of the market, a commotion erupted off to the side, and she stopped, turning with curiosity to see soldiers pushing people aside for a mounted man to move through.

“Oh, look, Kagome!”  Shippo pointed.  “That guy must be the local Daimyo or something.  Wonder what's going on?”

The man, young and rather attractive from what she could see, dressed quite richly and riding a very handsome horse, stopped and looked around the now  silent marketplace, before his eyes came to rest on her.  He held her gaze arrogantly for several seconds, and then leaned down to speak to one of his soldiers.

Her heart began to beat nervously as the soldier came towards her, and she tensed defensively.  Oh, I hope there's not going to be any trouble, she thought, knowing there was nothing she could do to defend herself against a bunch of humans.

“You there, miko-sama,”  the soldier called out as he approached, bowing respectfully, and Kagome's heart rate eased a bit.  Surely, they wouldn't be so polite to a woman they were about to harm, right?

“Yes?  Can I help you?”  she asked, bowing back, not wanting to give offense.  She had to be very careful here.

“My Lord Takenawa wishes to confer with you about his Lady mother, who has fallen ill, and needs attending.  Please, come this way,”  he responded, and though he was still polite, she knew it was not a request.

“Of course,”  she said, patting Shippo again as his little claws dug into her shoulder tensely.  While the soldier had looked askance at the kitsune kit on her shoulder, he'd said nothing, and she only hoped the Lord didn't, either.

They arrived at the Lord's side, and Kagome bowed correctly, then straightened  and waited for him to speak.

He looked her over for several seconds, saying nothing about Shippo, for which Kagome was grateful, and then he bowed his head to her.  “Miko-sama.  I am Takenawa Yuuto.  My Lady Mother has fallen ill, and my palace healer believes that she has been cursed, because she responds to no normal treatments.  I would have you aid her.”

Kagome nodded, rather nervously hoping that this 'curse' was something she could take care of with her small amount of training from Kaede.  “I will do what I can, Takenawa-sama.”

He gave several orders, and within moments, she was mounted and the entire group was moving off, heading for the eastern edge of the village.  Nothing more was said, and Kagome was lost in her own thoughts, not noticing the frequent admiring looks from the Lord.

Shippo noticed, though, and it raised his hackles.  He scowled down at the ground... That guy's staring at Kagome too much and I don't like it – he's up to something...

The kit decided to keep his eyes open – he wouldn't allow anyone to hurt Kagome, and even though he was small, he'd find a way to protect her.

No matter what.

They didn't travel for long, maybe a half hour, before Kagome could see their destination; a beautiful shiro sitting atop a hill with a commanding view of most of the valley.  

Once they were inside the compound, the Lord himself escorted her to his mother's rooms, and as soon as they came near the woman, Kagome could see that the healer was right – she'd been cursed.  It was a similar curse to the one that Tsubaki had placed on her, without the added complication of jewel shards, and the dark miko in this case wasn't very powerful.  She'd have no problem taking care of this, and couldn't but be thankful to kami that it was so.

“Your healer was right – a dark miko has placed a curse on her, but I can purify her of its effects.  Still... as long as that miko is out there, she could simply re-curse her.  You should try to find her.  If you can find a monk, he should be able to track her for you,”  she said, moving confidently into the room to kneel beside the woman.  “Shippo, I need you to get down and go sit against the wall there, ok?  I'm going to have to purify her, and I don't want you to get hurt.”

“Okay, Kagome,”  he agreed, scampering down from her arm and skipping over to the wall nearest her to watch what she was about to do.  He noticed the Lord eyeing him, but didn't say anything, keeping quiet as he waited for Kagome to do what she needed to do.

She turned to look at the Lord of the castle.  “If you could have her attendants come in – she may need to be held down.  The curse will be reluctant to leave her.”

He nodded and motioned to someone standing outside the fusuma, and within moments, three women came into the room, kneeling opposite her to gently take ahold of the older woman laid out on the futon, trembling and sweating as the curse tried to destroy her.

Closing her eyes, Kagome opened herself to her reiki just as Kaede had shown her, allowing her power to pool in her hands.  As her hands began to glow brightly pink to the awe of all those in the room, the woman below her began to thrash, and she ordered the attendants to hold her still as she lowered her hands to her and placed them on her belly, forcing her power into the woman.

The darkness within her writhed, and the poor woman screamed as the curse tried to fight Kagome's reiki, but it was no match for the power she held, and within minutes, the evil power within her body was overtaken and swallowed by Kagome's light.  The Lady slumped as the black taint dissipated, and with a final shudder, she sighed, her brow smoothing for the first time in days.  

A sigh of relief was heard in the room as the woman's eyes fluttered open and she looked around her with a clear gaze once again.

Kagome smiled and sighed, calling her reiki back into herself as she nodded up at the Lord, who was now kneeling next to her.  “She'll be fine now, Takenawa-sama.  She should rest for today, and then tomorrow she may resume her normal activities.”

He looked at her weighingly for several moments, and Kagome began to feel a bit uncomfortable, but then he smiled a bit, and bowed his head to her.  “Thank you, miko-sama.  May I know your name?”

She smiled back uncertainly.  “Uhm, it's Kagome,”  she replied softly.

“Then, Kagome-sama, as thanks, would you stay so that we may prepare a feast in your honor?”

“Ah,”  she shook her head, still smiling, now uneasy,  “I am afraid I cannot.  I have a long day of travel ahead of me, and a time limit.  It's going to take me quite some time to make it back to the village on foot, and my destination is some ways down the mountain from there,”  she replied.  “And besides, no thanks is necessary – I was glad I could help.”

Takenawa nodded as though he had expected her words.  “Then I will have my soldiers escort you back to the village on horseback – it is the least I could do, since you were brought out of your way by this service to me.  I hope to see you again, Kagome-sama, in less hurried circumstances.”

Kagome stood and bowed once more, and with Shippo scurrying back up onto her shoulder, she followed one of the attendants out of the room.  She was led back to the courtyard, where the Lord's instructions were given to one of the Captains, and within a short time, Kagome found herself mounted and headed back to the village with an escort of several soldiers.

Relieved to be back in proximity to other people and not understanding why the Daimyo, who had seemed all that was amiable, was making her so nervous, she quickly disappeared into the crowds once they arrived back at the village.  She needed to get a move on – it wasn't safe to travel at night, and the trip back home was several hours from where they were.  The detour had delayed her, and as it was, they were going to be cutting it very fine.

They hadn't been traveling along the road south out of the village for very long when Kagome began to feel uncomfortable, and it didn't take long for Shippo to speak up – he felt it, too.

“Hey, Kagome?  Something's wrong,”  he said, looking back over his shoulder to the road behind him, which actually had several people back a ways behind them also heading south.  “I feel like we're being watched...”

Kagome frowned.  “Yeah, I feel it, too...”  she trailed off for a moment, searching with her aura to see if she could feel anything threatening behind them.  It only took a moment, and then she caught on to a vaguely familiar aura behind them... “It's one of those soldiers from Takenawa-sama's,”  she whispered, suddenly very nervous.  “Why would he be following us?  I don't understand.”

Shaking his head, Shippo said,  “I think that Daimyo liked you, Kagome.  He smelled like Miroku always did when he'd get around pretty girls,”  he snorted.

Horrified, Kagome turned as red as a tomato.  “What?”  she choked out, now getting scared.  If Shippo was right, this guy was turning out to be the Feudal equivalent of a stalker, and she really didn't need something like that.  “What should we do, Shippo?  I don't want him to find out where we live!”

“Let me think about it for a while, Kagome.  We've got a ways before we'd have to leave the road, anyway.  Maybe I can come up with an illusion to fool him,”  he said, patting her arm to comfort her.  He could feel her shaking – she was really worried about this, and he hated that he couldn't do more to make her feel safe.

In that moment, he really missed Inuyasha.  Because Kikyou aside, Shippo was absolutely positive that the hanyou would never let some guy frighten Kagome so badly – and he was just as certain that the stubborn baka would be jealous as hell – that Daimyo would be lucky to live through the hanyou's wrath if he tried anything with Kagome.

He patted her arm again when she nodded and sighed.  “Okay.  Let me know if you come up with something.”

Silence fell between them as Kagome kept a close watch on the aura of the daimyo's man, and Shippo thought about options for trickery.

~oOo~

It was about a week later that something caught the little kit's attention, and worried, he decided to just ask the young miko about it.

“Kagome?”

“Hm?”  

“Um... well, I kinda wanted to ask you about something.  I've noticed a new scent coming from you lately... you're not getting sick, are you?”  Shippo asked, watching the little miko as she worked with the bunches of herbs they'd spent the day gathering and drying.

Taken aback, Kagome tilted her head and stared at the kit in confusion.  “Eh?  What do you mean, there's a new scent coming from me?”  she asked.

“Well... it kinda smells-”  he hopped closer to her and sniffed,  “-like a mix of you... and Inuyasha,”  he said, his nose wrinkling in concern.  

Like a mix of me... and Inuyasha?? Kagome thought blankly – but only for a moment, as the words he'd said, the memory of what she'd done with the love of her life shortly before leaving him, and the fact that her cycle had not visited her since hit her with a shock like a tsunami.  She paled, and sat back on her heels, suddenly terrified out of her mind.

Am... am I... pregnant?  With Inuyasha's child??  Oh... my god, what will I do if I am?!

“Kagome?”   Shippo squeaked, suddenly afraid at the horrified look on her face.  “Are you okay?”

“I... I'm not sure, Shippo,”  she whispered, tears flooding her eyes.  A baby... oh, Kami, a baby.  As the thought sank into her mind, her miko senses went looking, and she wasn't at that point surprised to find that she was, indeed, pregnant – she could just begin to feel the tiny youki aura of the child growing within her.  It's strong, just like its father, the thought passed through her mind slowly as she used her senses to probe herself and the child.  Healthy...

“It looks like I'm going to have a baby, Shippo,”  she finally said, raising numb eyes to stare at the startled kitsune.  

“Wow,”  he said, wide-eyed, as he thought about that.  “Inuyasha's gonna be a dad.”  He looked at her solemnly after a moment.  “It's not a baby, though,  That's what humans call them.  It's gonna be an inu, like Inuyasha, and that means it's a pup.”

“Pup, baby... oh, Shippo, what are we going to do?  Once I start getting bigger, how am I gonna go into any villages without getting attacked?”  she asked, clearly worried about the future and how they were going to survive.

Shippo's thoughts went back to his trick on the road – the one he'd used to sneak them away from that daimyo's soldier.  He'd created illusions of himself and Kagome and then they'd slipped away from the road.  The illusions had lasted for some time, and he'd been really proud of himself for that, but now something new would be needed – something that would require much greater strength and control.  

He knew he could do it.

“I can cast an illusion on you, Kagome, so that no one will see your belly grow.  You'll look the same, so it won't be a problem,”  he said earnestly, wanting to relieve some of the fear he could see in her.

A small smile softened her face at his honest desire to comfort her.  “That will be a big help, but... there's other things we're going to have to figure out, too.  Like... when it's time for me to have the baby.  It's really dangerous to be out here alone at a time like that.  And then once the baby is here – how can we go into a village with a hanyou baby and not get attacked?”  She shrugged dejectedly, sadness settling onto her face.  “We might have to go back to the others... to Kaede.”

“Would that really be so bad, Kagome?”  Shippo asked, big green eyes blinking up at her worriedly.  

“Aa.  How can I go back to Inuyasha, knowing that I'm... a replacement for the one he can't really have?  And to go back with his child?  It will make him even sadder to see what he can't have with the one he really wants,”  she choked out, a hand going to her belly without her even realizing it.  “The very idea of going back hurts...”

Shippo didn't say anything, simply clambering into her lap and hugging her, but his little face had a determined expression on it.  I think she's wrong about Inuyasha's feelings... I know he cares about her as more than a friend.  

A lot more.

Later that evening, once an emotionally drained and physically exhausted miko fell asleep curled up in a ball in her bedding, a tiny kitsune sneaked out of their cave home, and transformed into a hawk.  Flying would make the whole journey a lot quicker, and he didn't want to leave Kagome alone for any longer than he had to.

Once he reached the road, he made sure to spread his scent around in a small copse of trees just off to the side of it, and then began the journey back to the cave.

All he could do was hope that at some point in their search, Inuyasha and the others would head down that road.

He was absolutely certain that Inuyasha was, indeed, looking for Kagome – it wasn't even a question in his mind.  The hanyou might get really stupid sometimes, especially when it came to that undead miko, but he loved the little miko from the future – Shippo was sure of it.

And he'd be completely thrilled to find out he was gonna be a dad, too.  The kitsune was determined to make sure he got the chance to actually be one to his future pup.

Come on, Inuyasha.  You've got a lot just waiting to be found.  A mate – and a pup.  A future...

And a legacy.

You've gotta find us – and I'll do my best to protect them for you until you do, I promise.

~oOo~

Inuyasha growled, frustration, exhaustion, and fear coalescing inside him as he stared out over the valley from his spot at the head of it.  

It had been several months, now, since Kagome had vanished, and he never thought he'd be angry that she'd shown so much proficiency in disappearing.  She was more than proving that she could hide with the best of them, and while that was a good thing in some cases, this time, it most certainly wasn't.

The morning after they'd found Kirara, his hopes had been high, knowing that the firecat could take them to where she'd left his little runaway wife, and he had been so certain that he'd be able to track her down in no time.  It had been too many days, however, and their scents had dissipated, leaving nothing behind to work with.  

The company of friends had taken council with each other at that point, and had decided to head towards the village that was ahead, hoping that the two had been seen there.

No such luck.

Frustrated, Inuyasha had been as close to blowing up as he'd ever been, but Miroku had managed to calm him down, pointing out that there was another village further up the mountain, and that it was very possible, even likely, that Kagome had headed there.

Miroku's suggestion had seemed to be borne out when they'd come across a small copse that held the scents he was looking so desperately for, proving that Kagome was, indeed, somewhere in the area.

They had continued on to the village, but once again, on arrival, no one in that village remembered seeing a young miko with a kitsune companion, and the trail had once again gone cold.

Backtracking to that place where faint scents of the two still lingered, Inuyasha had attempted to track them by smell again, but the scents of the two were only in that clearing – apparently, they'd spent a bit of time there, and that was why their scents still lingered.

Inuyasha was positive they were somewhere in these mountains, but that didn't say much – the ground to cover was huge, and they could be anywhere within the confines of the mountain range.

He could literally spend years looking, and still never find them.

That was not acceptable.

Dammit, Kagome... why didn't you just ask instead of running away?  he thought with anguish.  All this wasted time over a misunderstanding!  And Kikyou's lies, he thought darkly, then.  It's a good thing I haven't seen her since this happened – I don't think I could control my temper with her for all the pain she's caused.

His hands clenched with denied need – so often he felt the overwhelming urge to reach out and touch Kagome, hold her, and then the loss would kick in as her absence once more poked at that painful place inside him where she used to be.  It hurt, so damn much, and he didn't know how much longer he could keep going on – he felt crippled, hollow, as though he'd been gutted.

Gods... Kagome, you have to come back to me.  If you don't, Inuyasha will cease to exist, because without you, I can't be me anymore.  There is no Inuyasha without Kagome.

With a sigh, he took one last look out over the valley towards the village at the other end of it, his eyes moving further towards the top of the mountain and the other village, as well, then turned back towards his friends, determined to continue the search.

He would never stop looking... not even in death, because if he didn't find her while still living, his soul would refuse to go to the other world and he would continue searching for her, forever if it took that long.

~oOo~

Furtively, Kenichi watched the miko as she moved through the small village market – as the summer wore to a close, there was less food being offered for sale as families kept more back to see themselves through the harsh winter months ahead.

He'd been tasked to find out where the miko lived, since his Lord's soldiers had failed every time to find her.  Apparently, the woman could sense them somehow, and fooled them with illusions, disappearing before they could catch any idea of where she was going.  The only clue they had was that she lived somewhere south of the village.

But he wasn't a soldier, he was a tracker, and it was unlikely she would know who he was, so he could follow her a great deal easier than those who were openly affiliated with his Lord.  

He was determined not to fail – and not just because it wouldn't go over well for him if he did.  But his Lord was becoming a bit angry – it was apparent that the miko was deliberately avoiding his men, and thereby him, and that didn't set well with him.  He wanted her, and she should be honored that he did and welcoming his attentions, not hiding from him.  That fact only served to make him want her more, and he was determined to have her.

Since his Lord wanted her so much, Kenichi was determined that he would gain his desire, and he would do everything he could to assist his Lord in pursuit of the woman.

He would find out where the woman was disappearing, no matter what it took.

Wrapping his fur cloak tighter around himself as a light, chill breeze kicked up, he continued to follow her unobtrusively.

~oOo~

Looking back over her shoulder, Kagome was pleased to see that she had beaten the others on the road around the bend by a goodly ways, and hurriedly exited the road, disappearing into the trees at the side of it and making haste to get out of the sight and hearing of any other travelers.

She had become quite paranoid, as had Shippo, and he clutched tightly to her shoulder as she moved into the forest, listening intently to make sure no one was coming after them.  Too many times those soldiers of Lord Takenawa had attempted to follow them, and now they didn't trust anyone to see them leave the road for home.

The whole thing with this Daimyo would be bad enough on its own – but with her now carrying Inuyasha's pup, things could and would get a whole lot worse if that man caught on to the fact that she was pregnant.  And once the child was born?  It was no odds that, even with only a quarter youkai blood, the powerful daiyoukai blood he'd inherited from his father would tell in some way or another, and more than likely, she and her child would be put to death.

The thing was, she was already over three months along – and soon would be starting to show.  Things would get only more dangerous as time went on.

“I think that maybe it's best if we stop going to that village,”  she said slowly as she hurried through the trees towards home, trusting Shippo to keep watch behind them.  “Maybe we should just go to the other village down the mountain when we need to visit a village, and also, try to keep those times to a minimum, you know?”

“That's a good idea, Kagome,”  Shippo replied in a serious tone.  And even better if I can leave my scent somewhere further down the mountain so maybe Inuyasha can find it... “The less times we go to those places, the less chance that Daimyo has to find us.”

Eyes and ears peeled, Kagome and Shippo traveled as swiftly as possible back towards their home, unaware of just how close the threat actually was.  It was a little too late to change their habits now – the Daimyo's man would soon be on their trail.

It wouldn't be too much longer...

~oOo~

Kagome sighed as she looked down at her now protruding belly.  It wasn't much yet, but you could definitely tell she was pregnant.  And the morning sickness sucked, to put it mildly.  She found it difficult to function before noon any longer – she was violently ill every single damn morning without fail.

They were almost totally prepared for the coming winter, now, needing very little more to keep themselves through the harsh months – she was as stocked as she could get with everything she could need for her and Shippo, and thankfully, they wouldn't need to visit any villages through the winter months.

She sighed as she looked around outside the confines of their cave, the cool breezes of autumn lifting her locks and teasing her skin.  Inhaling deeply, she smiled – the scents here were so beautiful, not like her own era at all.

A hand went to her belly as she felt the baby fluttering gently within her, and she smiled at the feel of it.  She was just over four months along now, and things would only get more difficult from here.  

But she couldn't help the swell of love that overtook her as the baby continued to move, its little aura nuzzling against her own.  It knew its mother.

“Hey, Shippo,”  she said, smiling lightly,  “you wanna feel the baby move?”  

The kit, who'd been sitting and staring out over the small valley outside their cave, turned and looked at her, startled, but then hopped over to her, nodding excitedly.  “You mean, you can feel that?”  he chirped.

“Yup.  It just started a day ago, and at first I wasn't sure what it was, but then I remembered that around this time is when the baby can first be felt.  “Sides... I can feel his aura, too,”  she finished easily as the kit set his hand tentatively against her rounded abdomen.

His eyes widened in awe, and he jerked his hand back, startled at first.  “Oh, wow!”  He looked up at Kagome and then put his hand back, smiling widely.  “So what'cha gonna name him?”

Eyes saddening at that, she sighed, and patted his hand that was still on her belly.  “I... don't know, Shippo.  We're going to have to go back, you know, to Kaede's for me to have the baby.  It's too dangerous to do it alone.  And Inuyasha has a right to name the baby, ne?”

“Yeah, that's true,”  he conceded, still rapt at feeling the baby fluttering around.  “If it's a male pup, he names it, but if it's a female, then you can.”

“It's a boy,”  Kagome said, no doubt in her voice.

“Cool!”

~oOo~

Growling under his breath, Kenichi stared at the trail he'd been following for an hour, disgusted.  It simply vanished, leading to nothing, and he was pretty sure it was set by that damn kitsune kit to keep people off their trail.

This is getting old... I've spent a damn month following false trails and leads.  I'll bet they actually left the road somewhere close by – but on the other side.  

Standing, he glared at the false trail for a last moment, then turned and began his walk back to the road.  A setback, but not a bad one.  He was closing in.

Several hours later, his guess paid off, and he found another trail leading off the road into the dense forest and underbrush – one very easy to follow for a skilled tracker such as he.

Perhaps I'll be lucky and can finally return home to my Lord and give him good news – I know he is ready to go at any time.  His horse is kept ready with a contingent of his soldiers – he wants this woman badly.  For Lady... or concubine?  I guess I'll find out soon enough, he ruminated, following the trail swiftly.

He finally met the treeline and kept back within it, not wanting to be spotted.  Looking around, he found himself on the edge of a small valley, and noting movement, he crouched down, shielding himself in the underbrush, catching sight of a miko's scarlet hakama with a sense of triumph.  

Finally!  After a damn month of looking!  Now I can go home.  Turning carefully so as not to be spotted by any sharp-eyed kitsune, he hurried back towards the road, knowing he had hours before he'd be home.  That meant the soonest his Lord could return for the miko would be tomorrow.  Which meant that he'd actually get to sleep tonight.  On a bed.  Inside, where it was warm.

He sighed.  I'm getting too old for this, he thought as he pushed his way back to the road.  Way too old.

~oOo~

Inuyasha stared off into the trees from his spot on a lower branch of one overlooking their small camp.  Sango and Miroku were talking in lowered voices, but he ignored them, his mind on Kagome, and the lack of progress in finding her.

Keh... when I finally do find her ass, I'm sticking to her so close she'll have to breathe with my lungs!

He sighed morosely and let his head fall back onto the trunk of the tree with a thunk.  These last months without Kagome had really shown him the differences she'd made in his life – and how stupid he'd almost been to throw it all away over guilt for Kikyou's sad fate.

But the truth was, she hadn't died at his hand.  Sure, to feel badly for her was a normal thing... but to take the responsibility for her death?  That was Naraku's fault... and he'd pay for it with his own blood and death, on that, Inuyasha wouldn't compromise, not even for Kagome.  Not that she'd ever ask him to drop his vengeance against the dark hanyou, but the thought was there nevertheless.

Naraku would pay.

That, however, was all he owed Kikyou, and he wasn't willing to give her anything more.  He would always care about her, but he would never give Kagome up for her - or anyone else.

Now he just had to convince Kagome of that.

If I can ever find her, he thought sourly, staring up into the boughs of the tree.

His ruminations were interrupted by a certain scent and aura, and without even a by-your-leave to his friends, he launched himself from his tree and took off like a bat out of hell.

Kikyou!  I'll bet she can sense Kagome if she's anywhere near – Kagome could always feel her, so I know Kikyou can feel Kagome, too.  Since she's the one that caused this, she'd better tell me so I can fix it!

Skidding to a halt in a partial clearing, he watched as Kikyou turned to face him, her shinidamachu circling her almost lovingly.  She was just as beautiful as she'd always been – and just as cold and sad.

It hurt to look at her, because now his feelings for her were so conflicted.  Part of him was so angry at her for the pain his life had been these last four months, but part of him still cared for her, too.

She didn't say anything, just watched him quietly, and finally, he got himself under control enough to talk.

“I know you can feel Kagome's presence, Kikyou, so tell me where she is,”  he demanded softly.

Kikyou blinked.  After a moment, she said,  “I realized yesterday that you had not yet found her.  So I followed the link I have with her, knowing I'd run into you sooner or later.”  She turned and pointed in a northwesterly direction.  “She is there – about half a day in that direction.”

He stared at her for a moment, bemused, the past and the present coalescing in that instant, leaving him breathless – for just a second, and then it all went back to the way it was in the here and now, and he nodded at her, sadness in his heart for their lost future.

“Thanks.  Kikyou...”  he began, but she shook her head and held up a hand.

“Don't,”  she said finally.  “What needed to be said between us was already said that night four months ago.  Our paths are sundered, but please – do not rub it in.  Just say nothing more, and go.  I have done what I came to do, and now I will continue on in my quest for Naraku's death.”

Guilt bloomed within him, and for a second, he almost reached out for her, just to comfort her.  He felt as though he'd abandoned her – and it didn't set well with him... but he knew she was right.  Their paths were sundered, and had been for fifty years - except when it came to killing Naraku.

Head down, he nodded, and turned away, headed back towards camp.

And then his heart lifted a little as he realized he would finally be reunited with Kagome sometime tomorrow.

Your days of hiding from me are officially over, Kagome.  Tomorrow, I'm slapping a leash on you!

~oOo~

Yuuto Takenawa was most pleased with his scout's report; it had taken him some time, but he'd finally delivered, and with a genuine smile, he dismissed Kenichi with the command to be prepared to leave at daylight.  The man bowed obeisance, then made his way to the kitchens to find something to eat.

It was nice to have something hot for a change.

The next morning dawned bright, cold, and clear, and Takenawa was dressed and ready to go, the horses breath steaming in the chilly air as the group gathered in the courtyard and mounted their horses.  With Kenichi at his side to lead the way, the gates surrounding the shiro opened, and the contingent of mounted men rattled down the road, disappearing swiftly from the sight of those still within the compound.

One was his lady mother, who had desperately tried to talk her son out of his desires.  The girl was a miko, not meant to be a wife or concubine.  She was powerful, and that power wasn't given lightly.  

She worried over the outcome of this day...

Her son, however, had no such concerns.  He'd decided, and might made right.  He was powerful, and could simply take her if he so desired, and there was nothing she could say about it.  She would soon settle down into her role as Lady Wife, he was certain, once she'd adjusted to the situation.

It wasn't as if he were repulsive, he was young, handsome and wealthy, and could give her a life of leisure that she could only dream of as a wandering miko.

“Tell me, Kenichi, did you see a hut when you found them?”

The tracker looked startled but answered his Lord's query.  “No, my Lord.  But the area is full of caves – I think that she's living in one of them.  I figured a hut would be beyond her ability to build, and a cave would be the best she could do.”

Yes... he could certainly give her a better life than the kami had so far.

Riding, it took much less time than it did walking, but once they got to the place they needed to leave the road, things got a little sticky.  The brush in the area was dense, and dragging the horses through that was not happening, so the patrol dismounted, and leaving two soldiers in charge of the horses, the group drew their swords and began slashing through the underbrush following Kenichi.

Takenawa felt his pulse speed up.  It wouldn't be long, now, and he'd have what he desired – willing or no.

~oOo~

Inuyasha and the tachi were also up and gone at first light, the hanyou having told them what Kikyou had said the moment he'd stepped back into camp.  It had rejuvenated them all, and with a spring in their steps that hadn't been there in four months, the group took off the instant there was light, heading in the direction Kikyou had indicated.

No words were spoken, Sango and Miroku quite well aware that their hanyou friend wouldn't listen to a word, anyway, or respond – he was too intent on his goal.

They both privately wondered, however, just how this reunion would go down... both beings involved were entirely too stubborn, so any kind of resolution could be quite long in coming.

And it's almost winter... the snows will be deep this year, Sango thought as she looked around at the terrain.  I wonder why Kagome chose to come this way, as opposed to any other direction?

She watched from her seat on Kirara as Inuyasha raced through the tops of the trees, finding it easier going than on the ground with its dense underbrush.  He was in too much of a hurry to tolerate anything that would slow them down.

And at the rate he was pushing them, they'd be arriving in her vicinity before much longer...

~oOo~

Shippo frowned as he looked around – he had a bad feeling for some reason.  Something was coming...

“Kagome?”

He surprised a worried frown on her face, and asked,  “You feel it, too, don't you?  Something bad coming?”

She nodded absently, trying to figure out what it was.  She couldn't find any youkai nearby so...

The two had been sitting outside enjoying the crisp air for a little while – once winter really hit, there wouldn't be much going outside except to gather needed water, and go to the bathroom.  But as time had gone on, Kagome had begun to feel exposed – like she was being watched.  

By someone with evil intentions.

She was just about to ask Shippo to cast his illusion over her, when a group of men broke the treeline about a hundred yards away from her and Shippo, and with a frightened squeak, she realized it was Takenawa's soldiers.

Terrified, all she could do was step back to the cave, stand in the doorway, and let Shippo stand before her with bristling tail and bared fangs.  Snapping out of her fear at the feral sound, she turned and ran as best she could into the cave and grabbed her bow and quiver – they did have a good advantage with their cave.  The mouth of it was deep, and narrow – meaning only one man at a time could enter, and she could easily shoot them.

Spinning around almost dizzily, she made her way back to the entrance to stand just behind Shippo and stare at the soldiers moving closer.  She blanched when she realized that Takenawa was with them.  He was eyeing her abdomen with unconcealed rage.

Guess the cat's out of the bag now, she thought.

“So... you are a whore passing yourself off as a miko, eh?”  he rasped, and Kagome's aura flared angrily.

“I'm no whore, and I'm not passing myself off as a miko, I do have spiritual powers!  You were certainly glad enough of them when I healed your mother,”  she spat acerbically.  

He regarded her with acid filled eyes.  “You are probably the dark miko that cursed her to begin with.  Otherwise I would not find your belly filled with some man's seed.  So much for purity,”  he finished, his voice heavy with disgust.

“Oh yeah?  Then why were you after me?  You're just angry it wasn't you who 'defiled' me!  As if I'd let a prejudiced jerk touch me willingly,”  she shouted, angered greatly at his words.  He didn't know her at all, and because he didn't get what he wanted, he was going to judge her?

His brow lowered in angered affront, and with a curt gesture, ordered his men to take her.  As soon as they moved towards the cave, however, she brought up her bow, and drew down on the first soldier, who froze.  Shippo took on the other one, targeting him with his fox fire.

Voila, instant standoff.

Takenawa, enraged, glared at Kagome with now hate-filled eyes.  “We'll see how long you can stand there, wench.  You'll have to move sooner or later, and then I'll have you.”

And that was no less than the truth.  She couldn't argue the point... all she could do was chastise herself for putting herself and Shippo in this position.  She should never have run from Inuyasha.

But it was too late now, and all she could do was make sure that at least Shippo didn't pay for her mistake.  She knew he had a good chance of making it to the village on his own – he was extremely smart.  

“Shippo,”  she said softly, not looking down,  “I need you to run.  Go find Inuyasha,”  knowing if she said that, he would go without arguing.  And since the soldiers didn't have arrows, he'd escape easily.

Looking startled, Shippo glanced over his shoulder at her for a moment.  “Kagome... if I go, the second soldier could get you!”

“You know I've practiced a lot, and I can get both of them as fast as I've gotten.  But we need Inuyasha.”

Worried, the kit stared up at her solemnly, then nodded, with one last look, he leapt out of the cave before the startled soldiers could do anything and turned into his pink ball form, floating out of reach very quickly.

“Goodbye, Shippo,”  Kagome whispered, her heart breaking for her baby, wishing she could send him away, too.  But he was still reliant on her for life, and now his death would be bound with hers.  Tears slipped down her cheeks, but she stood tall and refused to back down, glaring at the milling soldiers.

“So which one of you wants to die first?”  she asked defiantly, letting her contemptuous eyes pierce Takenawa.

The Lord glared right back at her and ordered his men to swarm her.  

She took down three, injuring them, before she was overwhelmed and dragged out to face the maliciously smiling Lord.  Now battered and bruised, she still refused to give in, meeting his eyes with head held high.

“You have great pride, I'll give you that,”  he mused.  “And spirit.  Perhaps this isn't a total loss, after all.  I could still take you as a concubine, and once the brat is born, have it killed.  I won't support some useless waste of flesh.”

“I'd rather you kill me,”  she snapped, the thought of watching her child be killed terrifying her.  If he was to die, she would die with him.

“That can be arranged, wench,”  the Lord snapped back.

He stared down at her with hard eyes.

“Yes, that can be arranged quite easily if you push me any further.”

~oOo~

Shippo, not as fooled as Kagome had thought he was, still knew that Inuyasha and the others were in the general region, and hoped to be able to find them soon, before something bad happened to Kagome.

He didn't expect to run into them within minutes, heading full speed his way, but he'd never been happier to see red fire-rat flashing through the trees in his life.

“Inuyasha!  Hurry!  Kagome's gonna be killed if you don't!”  he shouted, knowing they didn't have time to stop and chat.

Inuyasha, shocked to be accosted by the kitsune, was about to stop and question him, but when he heard what he was yelling, he poured on the speed, practically flying through the trees until he broke out of the forest into the little valley, soaring high above the people standing in it.

A feral snarl ripped from his throat as he saw his wife being held not very gently by two soldiers before what was obviously a Lord.  His rage only grew exponentially as he landed behind the two holding Kagome and ripped them away from her to throw them at the Daimyo, and then grabbed her to push her behind him.  

It didn't take him two seconds to scent that she was pregnant with his pup.  And that only made him angrier at the danger she was in.

“Unless you all want to die, I suggest you leave - now,”  he ground out, popping his knuckles, almost hoping they refused to leave so he could kill them.  “You put  hands on my wife, and for that, I'd happily kill you, you bastard.”

“Wife?”  sneered Takenawa, coming out of his shock at the appearance of what was obviously a hanyou.  “So you are not just a whore, but a demon's whore.  I should have suspected, what with your traveling companion.”

“Like your words mean anything,”  Kagome snapped right back,  “since you wanted me to be your whore!  As if!  I'd rather Inuyasha than you any day!”

The man started to say something in return, but before he could, Inuyasha had his throat.  “Be very careful here,”  he whispered, his tone deadly.  “Say the wrong thing, and you're a dead man.”

A new voice broke in then, as Kirara landed, Sango and Miroku scrambling off her back to flank Kagome.

“I would suggest you do as Inuyasha has said,”  Miroku said urbanely, eyeing the milling soldiers with their weapons pointed at the hanyou.  “He is notoriously short-tempered with those that don't do as told.  It isn't wise to rile him up.”

Stunned, Takenawa stared at the newcomers as Inuyasha let go of his throat.  A houshi and a demon slayer traveling with a so-called miko and a hanyou?  Have I not heard of such a group from somewhere?

“You... you are supposed to be enemies of demons and hanyou, yet you defend him and his whore?”  

Kirara snarled at him, as did Inuyasha, but it was Sango that spoke up.  Hefting hiraikotsu, she said crisply,  “Not that it's any of your business, but yes.  And Kagome is not a whore – you will never find a miko more pure than she is.  Now, you've been told to leave, so I suggest you do so before this ends in bloodshed – yours.”

Angered, but unable to do anything about it with his small contingent of men against an obviously powerful hanyou, a taijiya, and a warrior monk, he curtly ordered them to stand down, and assist the three wounded.  Then, with one final, fulminating glare, he spun on his heel and stormed off trailed by his men, all offended dignity.

No one was particularly impressed.

Silence fell for a moment as the friends all looked at each other, and then Kagome pulled away and walked to the entrance to her cave, wrinkling her nose at the blood smell from the three soldiers she'd wounded.

All eyes were on her – or rather, her rounded abdomen, with shock.  All except Shippo, and Inuyasha, since he'd already scented his pup.  

Kagome, turning and looking at her friends with a resigned expression, said,  “You might as well all come in... I'm sure you have a lot of questions, ne?” beckoning them into the warm and welcoming cave.

With nary a sound, the three plus Kirara entered and looked around, rather impressed with what met their eyes, and definitely enjoying the warmth emanating from the cave.

“Why's it so warm in here?”  Sango finally spoke up once everyone was seated and looking at each other.

“Oh,”  Kagome said blankly, not having expected that question,  “there's a hot spring in the back of the cave.”

“That makes sense, I guess,”  she said awkwardly, unable to keep her eyes from her friend's swollen belly.

“Uhm, Kagome,”  she started hesitantly, only to be cut off by an impatient hanyou.

“You guys do what you want – get reacquainted with the runt.  Kagome and I have things to discuss,”  Inuyasha growled, grabbing her hand and pulling her up  all bemused behind him into the other cave.  He knew the bubbling of the hot spring would cover their discussion.

Choosing a spot close to the spring, he pointed sternly, and Kagome obeyed without a word, sinking to the ground to sit on the furs she had settled there for warmth when getting out of the water.

For several moments, he simply stared at her, his expression disbelieving – and hurt.

Finally, he spoke, and Kagome flinched at the accusation in his voice.

“You're carrying my pup – and weren't going to tell me?  You were going to keep me from you and my pup?  How could you do that to me, Kagome?”

She frowned.  “Now wait just a minute,”  she flared up, getting upset again.  “I had already planned to make my way back to Kaede's once the spring melt had come.  Did you think I'm stupid enough to give birth out here?  Alone?  I would have come sooner, but the first snow isn't far off, and it'd be a bad idea for me to be caught in the snows, don't you think?”  she asked acerbically.

“Dammit, Kagome!  Why did you run in the first place instead of just talking to me?  You put us all through hell – for nothing!  For a stupid misunderstanding!”  he gritted, pacing back and forth in front of her.

“Excuse me?  It was fairly clear when the last thing you said before falling asleep was Kikyou's name.  Was I supposed to like being used as a substitute?”  she snapped, suddenly even angrier.

He dropped to his knees in front of her at that; taking her upper arms in a rather tight grip, he glared at her.  “Stupid!  I wasn't using you for her!  I was dozing off, and didn't even realize I said anything out loud.  All I was thinking at that point was that I had to let Kikyou know my decision – it was only right, wouldn't you agree?”

Taken aback, Kagome could only stare at him, uncertain of her own position now.  Had she overreacted?  But...

Then there was her meeting with Kikyou...

“Yeah, well, maybe, but Kikyou sure had a lot to say to me,”  she finally retorted sullenly.  

Inuyasha let go of her arms and sat back, watching her with irritation.  What a mess...

“Oh, I know all about that, too.  I took strips off her hide when I found out about it.  She's well aware that I won't tolerate anymore interference from her again.  I don't think she'd ever seen me that angry before,”  he said slowly.  “I wanted to wring her neck – and that urge only got stronger the longer it took to find you, wench.”

Eyes wide, Kagome could barely believe what she was hearing.  Inuyasha... berating Kikyou?  Uh, uh... she just couldn't imagine it.

“Ummm...”  she hesitated, not sure what to say.

“You belong to me, Kagome, and if you ever try to run from me again, I'll chain you to me.  Are we clear?”  he said, his voice adamant and sharper than steel.

Still just too bewildered with what was going on, all Kagome could do was stare at him with confused eyes.  The day had already been too long, and she was physically and emotionally drained.

She visibly wilted, and Inuyasha eyed her for a moment, then stood up, bringing her with him.  “Keh.  It's time to get you something to eat, and then you need to sleep.  We leave in the morning for Kaede's.  Anything else that needs to be discussed between us can be done then.”

Kagome sighed, knowing there was no arguing with him on the subject, and truthfully, feeling too lethargic to bother.  

And after all that work Shippo and I put into making this cave home and stocking up on food...

“I'm going to hate leaving all this food behind,”  she murmured sleepily as they reached the main cavern.  “What a waste.”

Miroku overheard her statement, and looking around thoughtfully at the well equipped cave, nodded.  Shippo had told them about everything he and Kagome had done over the summer to prepare for the winter.

“I suggest we pack up what we can when we leave in the morning, and then Sango and I can return with Kirara and bring back more - as long as the weather holds, of course,”  he said, looking questioningly at Sango as he spoke.

She nodded, also impressed with what Shippo and Kagome had accomplished, and not really wanting to leave valuable food behind that could go to feeding them all and Kaede, as well.  And the furs...

“That sounds good, Miroku,”  she agreed, smiling over at Kagome as Inuyasha laid her down on her bed of furs.  “How are you feeling?”  she asked rather awkwardly, then, as she gestured to the young woman's stomach.

Kagome blinked tiredly as Inuyasha covered her with her bear fur blanket.  “Oh, I'm okay.  I'm tired a lot, and I've got the morning sickness, though it's getting better.  Mostly it's just adjusting, really.  I like feeling the baby move, though,”  she admitted with a blush.

Miroku smirked lecherously over at Inuyasha.  “Quite virile, eh, my friend?  A babe, after only one try.  Impressive!”

He shot a sharp look at the monk, and Sango reached over and clocked him, making Kagome giggle despite her embarrassment.  

“Keh.  Stupid pervert.  Get your mind away from any hentai thoughts about my wife, got that?”  He ignored Kagome's gasp at his words.  “'Cause if you don't, it'll be my fist hitting you – and I hit harder than Sango does.”

“W-wife?”  queried Kagome, eyes wide and shocked.

Inuyasha stared at her, just as shocked for a minute - and then he got pissed.

“What the fuck, wench?!  You think I'd just dishonor you like that by using you and leaving you to the scorn of everybody out there?”  He jumped up and loomed over her, eyes slitted in temper.  “Wife.  Get used to it, woman.  Ain't no way I'm letting you out of it, either.  You're mine, and that pup is mine.  Got it?”  he asked menacingly, and Kagome squeaked, nodding rapidly, eyes still wide.

“Good.  Now, get some rest.  I'll wake you when it's time to eat.”  He cast one last dark glare at her, and then sat down in the entrance to the cave, keeping watch with Tessaiga held against his chest.

Angry at her for the danger she'd put herself in, as well as his unborn pup – he was still hyperventilating inside about that one, a pup! – still, he was contented and happy again now that he had Kagome back where she belonged.

At his side.

The last four months had been a hell he never wanted to repeat...

Ever.

~oOo~

A/N:  There will be a small epilogue coming sooner or later to finish this one off, so don't get all upset at how it 'ended'.  It isn't – yet.

Amber

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