InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ No Such Thing As Fate ❯ Moving Forward ( Chapter 18 )

Hello reviewers and those people who just like to read my story. This is chapter 18 and I hear that everyone is glad the Marriage arch is over.

I'm so sorry this took forever but I've started another story and of course, it's sess/kag. Don't go looking for it because it's not up and won't be up until I get at least 4 chapters in to the story line written (`I'm on two…at least I think 56 pages is about two chapters for me. Microsoft word, gotta love it. -shrugs-)

The next arch is rather short, I think it's like two chapters and hopefully the twist I have in store for Kagome is a welcome one. I've never seen anything like it so I'm crossing my fingers and hoping I get through but don't expect anything big.

Now I'm going to be honest, I hate this chapter. It sucked and my attention wasn't kept by it. I hope that everyone will still like it. (kinda hypocritical right?)

I got fanart if you didn't know that! It's awesome and the links are on my profile page. Please drop wolfie-chan and Lunaticneko many thanks.

Unbeta-ed: I am trying to improve my writing and getting there slowly but surely. Feel free to point out mistakes I missed.

Now, what should I name this arch, it's so freakin short…I think I've got something.

Chapter 18: Steps toward Recovery: Moving Forward.

Disclaimer: I do not own Rumiko Takahashi's work `Inuyasha'. Don't we all wish we did though?

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“But why!”

Kagome blinked at Shippou, her lack of concentration causing the bell on her ankle to chime. With a sigh looked at the symbols she had drawn on her arm. They were still fading and she would have to redraw them if she wasn't back to full power soon to hide herself without the help of spells.

“Because when you don't eat vegetables you don't grow up big and strong” Shippou chewed on the dried meat, from yet another demon vendor. He squinted at her. She wasn't explaining why it was so great to eat vegetables though. Kagome shook out her sleeve to cover the symbols again then looked to her son.

Shippou continued to stare at her waiting for an explanation for her claim that vegetable were good for you and all little kids should have them if they want to grow big and strong. She turned her gaze skyward. In all honesty, she didn't have an answer. She had no idea how youkai's bodies worked. Kagome hadn't seen Inuyasha eat even one vegetable except the ones she snuck into his ramen and the Inu Hanyou was effectively one of the most powerful demons around.

“Look I don't know Shippou, vegetables just make my body work well,” a simple enough answer in her opinion.

Shippou giggled, “Kaa-san I thought you were the smartest person ever.”

Kagome blinked a few times taking in the sparkle present in Shippou's eyes, “Who told you that, I'm far from it actually. In my time I'm pretty average in intelligence.” Kagome's eyes gained a far off look. “I miss my mom, Souta, and Grampa.” Kagome sighed and scratched her head absently. She paused when her hand met with expensive flower clips the color of violets.

“Oh, why didn't you tell me I still had these in my hair?” she quickly pulled the clips from her bangs and put them away in her bag making the long locks fall in her face.

Shippou looked rather baffled. “I thought they looked nice, why can't you have them on?”

Kagome heaved another sigh, “These are things only nobles can afford. It'll get me in trouble. We're undercover until we leave the west.”

Shippou grinned, “So were gonna get to wear new costumes or something to go undercover, like in the mystery books?”

Kagome sent him a strange but amused glance.

The kit only pouted, “Where are we going now?”

Kagome's eyes glazed over in thought, “There's a lot I want to do. I want to go see Jiji, I want to see Sin, I want to go home and visit my family…” she trailed off and smiled at Shippou “You know my brother is about 10 now?” Kagome chirped happily.

Shippou wasn't fooled by the chipper attitude. There were dark circles beginning to form under her eyes from lack of sleep. She refused to stop and get much rest and during the night, she carried him while he slept. She was suffering but nothing he did seemed to get her mind off the many problems swirling in her head.

“Let's go wander for a while. We'll think of where to go soon,” she murmured absently. Shippou nodded, they had wandered for a few days now but if she wanted to keep wandering he was all for it.

He turned back to the road and they walked in silence a few moments.

“I need a head scarf so I can hide this mark. Walking around displaying it for all to see will cause problems too,” She huffed brushing the black locks from her face.

Shippou laughed, “You should really cut some bangs.”

Kagome peeked at him though the hair hanging in her face.

“I'm not cutting my hair again, I've had enough of that!” she shivered remembering when the monks had shaved her head. Shippou was completely oblivious to her discomfort and simply stared at her strangely. Kagome chuckled at the bewildered look on Shippou's face as she grabbed half the hair hanging in her face and began to braid.

She hummed absently as she worked on one long braid, occasionally having to brush away the hair she had kept free for a second braid on the other side of her face.

“Kaa-san I gotta pee.”

Kagome stopped and glanced absently at Shippou. She nodded and leaned against a tree on the side of the road. “Go ahead but don't go too far” The kit didn't even stop to listen as he dived through the bushes and vanished. Kagome closed her eyes to work on the braid.

“Kaa-san?”

Kagome grunted glancing at Shippou who peeked at her from the bushes. “There's a dead person here.” He murmured quietly. Kagome paused and immediately stepped through the bushes.

She took a moment to take in the site of the black haired man sitting leaned against the tree in his dirt red horai top and brown pants. He looked a bit ragged and very unconscious.

“He's not dead,” she assured the kit as she moved closer slowly.

She bent before him and tilted his head to see if he would wake. He only groaned and Kagome eyed him thoughtfully.

“Go in the bushes over there and do what you need to Shippou” The kit grumbled but went where he was told. Kagome reached in her bag and dug for something her new patient could eat. It was obvious that the man had collapsed from exhaustion or hunger, she was strongly betting on the later.

The problem was she had stocked her bag full of food for herself and Shippou, things humans couldn't eat, normal humans at least. With a sigh, she sat and thought long and hard.

“Ah, I caught a rabbit for breakfast I have some leftovers.” She pulled out the sack from her courier bag. The meat was cooked but it was already cold, she somehow thought he wouldn't mind if he was truly half starved. She pulled out her bamboo container filled with water and put it to his lips.

He groaned again but began to sip water as he slowly came too. Kagome pulled the water container away and he reached for it with clumsy limbs.

“Here eat something,” she coaxed gently, pressing the dry meat to his lips. He opened his mouth and obeyed, chewing slowly. Kagome sat and watched him carefully to make sure he didn't fall over and die on her watch. She had played a hand in too many deaths and she didn't want another on her consciousness, it would come because that was just life, but she wasn't ready for the emotional backlash just yet.

He opened his eyes drowsily as he swallowed the bite sized piece of meat. Warily his gaze roamed over the young woman crouched infront of him with a half done braid and hair hanging everywhere. He did a sweep of the clearing then looked back to the woman before him. She was wearing the most indecent short kimono he had ever seen but he caught a glimpse of the shorts and he had to let the matter go. He was too tired to comment on her choice of dress.

“Thank you,” he rasped.

She nodded and passed him the bamboo container and another piece of meat. He drank the water greedily before inhaling the meat she offered. The bushes shook and he paused to gap as a fox child hopped out of the bushes.

“D-demon” he rasped horrified.

This was bad, he couldn't even stand to get away let alone protect himself. Kagome glanced at Shippou and gave a slight nod, “This is Shippou-kun, he won't hurt you,” she explained in a bored manner that suggested she was very used to this behavior.

The young man blinked at her with a rather stupid expression on his face. Shippou inched closer to Kagome. When he felt he was close enough, he immediately went to hide himself behind her as he stared at the young man before him with a wary eye. She pulled out a second bamboo container, and a cup.

She glanced at him and seeing her intense blue eyes and he knew, he had to ask.

“A-Are you youkai?”

Kagome smiled gently, her eyes gleaming in amusement, “No, why do you ask?”

He felt himself tremble as he stared at her. `Why do I ask?' he mentally squeaked.

`You have no aura! By the gods, what are you?' he thought frantically as his eyes roamed over her body searching for any inch of aura or a clue as to how she was hiding her aura. Kagome poured the contents of the bottle into her cup and passed it to him.

“Drink this. It will give you energy for a few hours. I'd advise you to go find more food to eat then set up a camp for the night, the sooner the better. You won't be traveling much and you don't want to collapse on the road.”

He took the cup and eyed the deep yellow liquid warily. “What's in it?” he asked warily glancing at the kit who was making gagging noises and strange faces. He shot the child a withering glare as he slowly began to drink the liquid.

“Let's see…a few herbs I picked up on the way. The blood of a rabbits liver. Powered seeds from a few different plants. Egg from a chicken and a few other things I'm sure you don't want to know.” She grinned brightly seeing his face turn green in disgust.

He made a face and almost spit the concoction out, “You swallow it or I'll knock you out and leave you for the bugs to feast on, that's damn hard to make,” she was still grinning brightly. He swallowed the liquid and made a face at the odd consistency and weird taste but he did as told and drank all of it.

Kagome nodded in approval. She had made the concoction as an energy booster and something to deal with her weakness and to get her back up to health. It worked just as well for an idiot traveler collapsed on the side of the road too. She took the cup and dried it out to put away.

“My name is Yuu,” she quirked an eyebrow as he swallowed again, gagging in disgust before he spoke, “Natsuo, Yuu.”

Kagome's smile widened and they simply stared at each other a moment. “I'll sit with you until you can travel on your own,” She promised, plopping down in the soft soil.

Natsuo frowned, “Is it not proper to give one's name when the courtesy is given to you.”

Kagome laughed eyeing him in amusement as he rather uncomfortably scratched at unruly back hair he obviously had no idea how to care for if the knots were any clue.

“Sure it is, but I'm not giving you my name, my situation won't allow for it.”

He frowned “What do you-”

Kagome waved a dismissive hand, “Where are you headed?”

He paused looking a little disgruntled, “I don't want to tell you.”

Kagome shrugged, she couldn't get mad, after all, she had just done the same thing to him.

He closed his eyes and leaned against the tree to wait for his energy to return. They sat in silence a long while, both lost in their own thoughts. Shippou was content to snuggle into Kagome's arms as she relaxed for the first time in days and allowed herself to doze lightly.

“Why are you traveling out here, you are obviously not used to taking care of yourself like this.” Kagome asked drowsily after almost a half hour of contemplative silence.

He sent her a dark stare, “I can take care of myself it's just…” he trailed off a bit becoming lost in his inner thoughts again.

Finally he sighed, “I'm looking for someone.”

Kagome opened her eyes lazily and Yuu could finally make out the dark circles under her eyes. She snorted to herself at the change in conversation; it was obvious he didn't know how to live on his own while traveling, but she kept her observations to herself.

“Oh, maybe I know this person,” she murmured reaching up to adjust the breast cloth under her shirt. She cringed a bit but Yuu didn't notice.

He glanced at her dryly. It couldn't hurt to tell her, now could it?

“I'm looking for a girl named Kagome”

Kagome didn't even bat an eyelash even as her mind spun with thoughts.

“Hmm why are you looking for her?”

Yuu sighed tiredly not thinking the question too strange, “I was ordered to find her.”

“Yeah…Sorry I can't be of any help,” she murmured. He closed his eyes and heaved a suffering sigh. Kagome stared at him a long moment, taking in his bright aura with interest. When he opened his eyes Kagome had already closed her own eyes and leaned against her tree to relax. He shrugged and stood with little difficulty. Yuu stretched a bit then glanced at the young woman that had been kind enough to help him.

Shippou was curled in her lap out cold and Kagome looked to be close to following him. “I'll be heading on my way now, will you be moving on miss?”

Kagome cracked an eye open, “I think I need to take a nap. Have a safe and productive journey Natuso-san”

Yuu nodded and vanished through the bushes leaving Kagome and Shippou to their nap.

A nap turned into a full night's sleep.

Kagome slept till noon the next day before rousing. They were on their way again and Shippou nodded approvingly seeing the small smile on Kagome's lips. She was in a good mood; she had badly needed that rest to give her troubled mind a break.

“Kaa-san is there a village nearby?” Kagome glanced at Shippou.

“Why? I don't really want to stay in a village or go to one. I want to head for the border.”

Shippou frowned, “If we head to the border won't we cross over into Inuyasha's territory again?”

Kagome shrugged lethargically, “Not necessarily.”

Kagome motioned to the road with a slight tilt of her head, “This way connects two borders, can't remember which two at this moment,” she muttered a bit as she did calculations and went over routes in her head. After a few minutes, she gave up and gave a shrug of resignation.

“There's actually a-” A roar shook the forest and Kagome blinked startled as the sky suddenly began to darken.

“Ugh oh,” Shippou murmured.

Kagome's lips thinned as she pressed them together grimly.

“I sense a jewel shard that wasn't there before,” she murmured a bit miffed.

Shippou gave a small grin, “Just like old times.” Kagome shook her head at the kit and jogged in the direction of the jewel shard.

She found it in the grasp of a rather strange looking raccoon-rat hybrid with six eyes. This hybrid was closely followed by its own little pack of six others just like it. Kagome sighed when she noticed that strangely enough the smallest one seemed to have the shard.

“Well this is a little odd,” she admitted.

A loud pop and the small rat vanished and reappeared a few miles away. Kagome blinked and did a double take “…and that explains how I didn't sense the shard earlier. Teleporting is certainly a nifty little trick,” Kagome scratched her head thoughtfully before she pulled her monk's staff from her necklace. “This kind of sucks, but it looks like I might have to kill them to make the smaller one come back.”

With a sigh, she jumped into battle, her monk's staff growing to full size in her hands.

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“Sin, didn't you hear me. Your father called for you almost fifteen minutes ago!” a voice roared over the soft murmur of people in the room. Sin cringed, a miserable look on his face. His training partner grinned at the expression. Sin put his sword away with an apologetic grin to the older boy standing across from him.

“Go ahead, if your called again uncle won't be so forgiving and I'd hate to tell my father how it's my fault the clan heir got his neck rung because I kept him.”

“I'll come find you later Shizuka. Maybe we can go hunting together or something?” Shizuka gave a short smile as Sin gave a wave to the other occupants of the dojo. Sin slid the old bamboo door open and ran across the wood platform. He peered over the edge at the thirty-foot drop to see an older woman scowling up at him.

“Damn it Baba I said I was going!” he called. She only narrowed her eyes at him as the group of females behind her giggled at his antics.

“We have an important guest and you have the audacity to hold their meeting up by dallying,” she hissed. Sin's eyes widened, she hadn't told him that before. He stood and quickly moved to the rickety rope bridge that connected the dojo's platform to the next. He looked at her warily as he moved across the bridge of vines and wood.

“Important guest, who is it?”

She only sneered and turned away to ignore him.

He scowled at the older woman and moved a little quicker across the treetop village. Sin dashed as quickly as he could across the platforms and bridges to the audience chambers. He stopped in front of the extravagant double doors with pictures of two eagles attacking snakes in a somehow glorious battle. Tugging at his clothes to straighten them, he ran a hand through his hair to make sure a strand wasn't out of place.

The two guards at the entrance rolled their eyes at his vanity, “Are you going in now prince Sin?”

Sin paused and stared the guard who had spoken in the face. This particular set of guards were never very respectful and yet here they were calling him a respectful title as if someone would snap their necks if they were heard calling him anything less.

He quickly realized he was in trouble when the two guards shared a quick glance. Sin stifled a sigh and nodded. The guard to the left opened the door and introduced him. He stepped into the room and bowed low. The door closed behind him with an ominous thud.

He stayed that way a few moments longer before rising. His eyes widened in surprise when he took in the room and its occupants The room was dimly lit by candles making strange shadows dance across the painted walls. Today wasn't particularly sunny and they did live in the treetops so he didn't expect much more light to be provided by the windows.

The lack of light didn't surprise him, the people in the room, on the other hand, scared the shit out of him. The entire elder council of his clan, all twenty of the old bastards, were sitting in neat rows on either side of the walkway. His parents sat on the two pillows closest to the platform, directly parallel from one another. Then his gaze drifted up to the platform where his father usually sat as clan head.

There on the wooden throne, looking as pristine as ever with a hand cradling his cheek as he leaned in a bored manner on the arm of the chair, was none other than the Lord of the Western Lands.

He stared at Sesshomaru's eyes that smoldered red in the dim light, then he took in the gazes of the elders and others of the clan worthy to attend the meeting. Finally, his gaze fell on his parents, his mother refused to look at him in shame and his father's eyes were an angry red. Sin was not highly ranked in the clan so he took a seat on the last pillow furthest away from the three people who seemed most ready to slit his throat.

He sat properly and stared at his lap, frantically wondering what was going on. A hand shot out and smacked him across the back of his head and Sin flinched. The sound echoed through the hall but nobody turned toward them to what had happened. He looked up at the culprit to see his older brother Hiroto sitting beside him. He blinked a few times in shock as the older male shot a glare at him from the corner of his eye.

Sin hadn't seen his elder brother in many years. After a war with another bird clan, Hiroto had been married off to bring peace to the two clans. In response, he had been born and made clan heir in his brother's stead. That was the last piece of the puzzle that told him something bad was about to happen and he had just added fuel to the obvious flames of anger.

There were a few minutes of awkward silence before the shifting of fabric made everyone look to the young youkai lord sitting at the head of the room. “Forgive my son's impudence my lord.” Sin's father said bowing from his seated position. Sesshomaru's bored gaze fell on the bowing youkai.

“Hironori, There is time to worry for your sons disrespect but don't let it happen again. There are more pressing matters to attend too.” Hironori sat up adjusting his armor comfortably across his chest.

“There have been breaches of the Western border lately and now we have info suggesting war is headed our way.” there was a tense silence in the room.

“War my lord? We are not a soldier clan; we are mercenaries, only I am of soldier origin.” Sesshomaru nodded as Sin's mind raced. His father wasn't born to their clan and was from a soldier's family. How could he have not known that? He shot a glance at Hiroto to find his brother looking as stunned as he was.

“But my father has given you this land for your clan's use. In return, you patrol the border in this area. More must be done, if the west were to be attacked, this place would be of the first to go. Even if war doesn't mean much for you, a breach of the border up here will wipe out your whole clan.”

The clan heads immediately began to murmur paying no heed to the disrespect it showed the youkai lord. They were about to end up caught in a war and it wasn't one of their little skirmishes with the other bird clans, this was the big war between whole lands.

“Be silent you fools lest you lose your heads!!” Hironori roared over the murmuring. Sesshomaru was already way ahead of Hironori. His whip flung out and chopped off the head of the elder sitting next to Sin's mother. Everyone's mouth immediately snapped closed as the body collapsed to the floor bleeding sluggishly and the head rolled away from the body. Hironori looked at the tense form of his wife wide eyed.

She looked at him pleadingly, she wanted to move away from the young youkai lord, but to move now would be disrespectful. On the other hand, she had known it was coming from the Youkai lord's heavy and angrily swirling aura. No matter how calm he appeared, Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands, was pissed.

Sin lowered his gaze knowing he would glare and in the end probably lose his own head. He didn't care for the elder but his mother was uncomfortable and in the line of fire.

Sesshomaru put a hand to his chin. “Hironori, perhaps you should teach the elders of your clan respect so they don't pass it on to the younger generation.” His gaze drifted to Sin, “I'd hate to have any more accidents.”

Hironori shot them all glares before turning his gaze back on Sesshomaru. A guard in the room quickly rushed over to remove the body as the meeting continued.

“My lord if I may ask, who is it who has threatened to attack the west?” he asked stiffly. A pissed youkai lord would slaughter a clan without thought and Sesshomaru was one such youkai lord at the moment. Sesshomaru had always been a very reasonable ruler and was simply not one to go around slaughtering clans without reason, but the young youkai lord was under a lot of stress dealing with coming war so he was a lot more volatile.

Hironori cringed glancing at the puddle of blood that had once been contained in one of his clan's elders.

`Volatile enough to make heads roll it seems' he thought.

The last thing he needed was a pissed youkai lord that had been disrespected by the clan he was head of. He cared for the imbeciles, but he knew politics a little better than they did and he wasn't willing to hand himself over to make up for his clans stupidity.

“Lord Katsutoshi of the south has begun to collect an army. The breaches were to collect information on what was happening in the west.” Sesshomaru ran a hand through his hair then settled back comfortably in his seat his eyes glowed gold in the dark lined with bits of red.

“You have heard of the human lord Sagisoto?”

A series of outraged screeches echoed through the room.

“Have we? What a shameful human, slaughtering his own kind to such a degree. He desecrates the homes of his fellow human lords for no reason and burns down the human villages. He even has gained control of a horde of youkai to do his bidding.” Sin's mother was the one who spoke up over her clans men. Her voice trembled slightly and it seemed that she was turning her fear into rage.

Sin blinked, he had never been so numb with shock and fright. That showed how much he knew his family. He didn't know his mother had it in her to yell but given the circumstances...

“Because of his actions, the humans on this land have been talking and are fearful. Word of the situation has reached the other lands, which is why the breaches have been happening. Katsutoshi seems to believe that, because nothing appears to have been done about the human, that this is the perfect chance for him to sweep in and take over.” Everyone's expressions were grim and the sudden death of one of their elders was seemingly forgotten.

“The human is more trouble than he seems. So if we stop the human we can stop this war from coming to fruition?”

Sesshomaru almost snorted at the suggestion, “The war has been coming since my father's death.”

Sesshomaru eyed everyone in the room warily, “Sagisoto seems to not only have come across a Shikon Shard of the jewel of four souls but a demon benefactor of some kind. He has gotten away with too much for any other option to be plausible, the other human lords do not like their land being threatened and they usually handle themselves and their own but this is an exception. It is obvious this isn't all his doing, he at least has protection.”

“But what demon in their right mind would work with a human lord like that?” Silence fell over the room. There were too many youkai to count. Not all youkai are born with common sense of us Humanoids. The more beastly youkai would join him simply because it was a free meal of human villagers.

“We cannot worry about that now, the protection of the border is what must be focused on” Sin's mother spoke up again, this time her voice was much steadier.

“My lord we will fight for the west, it is our duty. What would you wish us to do?”

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Kagome screamed as she tore through the forest at top speed clutching Shippou to her body. Her back met with a tree and she collapsed to the ground holding the unconscious kit. She quickly scrambled up and ran a hand over Shippou's head to make sure he wasn't gravely injured. There were a few scratches but otherwise he was fine.

Her gaze darted up and she peered into the pitch-black forest looking warily for the damned rats that were smacking her around like a cat toy. She had killed four of their little friends, now there were two left and they were pissed. The small one with the Shikon Jewel had been blessedly easy to kill but now that left her with two raccoon-rats the size of her house to fight. She held Shippou tighter and made a run for it.

Something brown shredded through the forest in front of her. She slid to a stop throwing her staff up as a tail flew from the end of the blur and smacked into her. Ready for the attack, she was flung up into the trees with minor injury. With a hiss, she grabbed hold of a branch and immediately stopped at the price of almost ripping her arm from its socket. She swung herself up to stand on a branch.

“Shippou sweetie, you have to wake up,” she whispered frantically, bouncing the sleeping kit in her arms.

She couldn't fight while holding him, nor could she use her Miko powers for fear of hurting boy. Shippou groaned a bit but didn't wake up. Kagome caught a glimpse of red eyes in the forest and before she could think of a plan, her legs began moving of their own accord in the opposite direction. She ran through the trees frantically as the sound of toppling trees got louder behind her. She glanced back and was startled when she saw nothing.

That didn't stop her from continuing to run through the trees for a good moment. By the time she decided to jump from the trees, Shippou was shaking himself awake and the forest around them was eerily quiet. Kagome set him on his feet.

“Go hide,” she snapped before turning to face the direction she had come from. Shippou blinked, dazed, as he stumbled into the bushes.

Kagome steeled herself as the red eyes of her opponent appeared in the tree line. With a huff, she raced forward as the beast gave a roar and lunged for her. She jumped over the raccoons paw as it tried to swat her down.

She landed and it spat something at her. She blinked dropping to the ground as a thick sticky substance flew over her head and into the trees.

“What the hell is that” she murmured rather confused. The youkai lunged at her again and she stood her ground.

The beast slid to a stop obviously having expected her to dodge or run. Instead, her staff tapped it on the nose. She smirked and it blinked before bursting into hellish blue flames. It howled and thrashed violently as it died a very horrible death. The massive raccoon collapsed after a few moments and Kagome placed her hands on her knees hoping to catch her breath before the last raccoon decided to make an appearance.

“Okay, where's the last one” she huffed.

An intense and unnatural silence suddenly fell over the area.

She only had enough time to shriek before she was smack into a tree. With a gasp of pain, she collapsed to the ground only for a paw to slam down on her back. She screamed in pain as the massive paw worked to crush her body.

Shippou whimpered in the forest taking in the scene with frightened eyes. “Kaa-san” he cried. Kagome stopped screaming and he saw her fist clench as she tried to think of a way to get free.

Shippou's eyes shifted frantically as he tried to think of a plan.

He hopped out of the bushes, “Hey ugly, let my Kaa-san go!” Shippou was dully noted and ignored. The kit silently fumed.

“Don't ignore me! Let my Kaa-san go!” he roared. The raccoon glanced back at him and growled. Shippou held out a hand engulfed in flames and growled in return. He smirked at the giant raccoon, “I'll show you, baka. Think I'm scared of you after facing Inuyasha.” He threw his foxfire to the ground and it sat there burning brightly.

Shippou gave a mischievous grin, all teeth and flashing eyes as the raccoon turned slowly releasing Kagome. Shippou decided that the raccoon was decidedly stupid and that gave him confidence.

“You're going to be the test subject for my new attack,” he crowed cockily.

He threw up a hand, “Bi-Bi festival!”

Nothing happened and Shippou's face fell, “Bi-Bi festival!”

The raccoon was inching toward him and Shippou finally began to panic. “How did I forget the name of my own attack,” He wailed helplessly. Bi-Bi was the first thing he thought of in the situation and he had thought that the name of the attack didn't matter as long as it worked, he was obviously wrong.

“ Foxfire festival…umm fire festival,” Shippou shivered looking into angry red eyes.

“Kitsune-bi festival!” a little fire person jumped from the blue fire still going strong in front of him. Shippou blinked startled as it did a little war dance around the fire.

“I got it,” he cried eagerly, the beast now upon him. He grinned at the raccoon.

“You're in for it now, nobody hurts my Kaa-san.”

Shippou through his hand up and reached for the sky, “Spirit Festival!”

The fire exploded into hundreds of little fire stick figures, equipped with pitchfork and knives of fire. They all did a little war dance where they stood before rushing the raccoon in what could only be a suicide run. The first few of the fire people jumped up onto what fur they could reach and the raccoon burst into hellish fire. Shippou watched in fascination as the beast screamed and thrashed.

Kagome appeared under the youkai and flung a sutra at its throat. It screamed louder but didn't burst into flames. She prepared another sutra and tried to throw the piece of paper at the demon's forehead. It only continued to scream as the next sutra made contact with its fur. Kagome tried to get away but the raccoon was having none of that. It caught her across the back and she hissed when claws dug into her shoulder blade.

With a sharp bark from Shippou, the rest of his festival launched itself at the raccoon who finally burst into flames and collapsed. Kagome looked back at the raccoon her eyes watering in sympathy. With a groan, she stood slowly and walked to Shippou trying to clutch at her bleeding back.

“That burns something fierce,” she moaned pitifully hobbling back into the forest. “Your new attack was great Shippou,” she praised with a pained smile. Shippou beamed following her obediently.

His smile fell when he caught a glimpse of her back.

“Kaa-san maybe you should stop, your bleeding everywhere” he flinched seeing the little droplets of blood gleaming on the ground in the moonlight.

She took a deep breath “I will, I just have to get the jewel shard before it decides it wants to start bringing dead creatures back to life.”

Shippou sighed and followed her back almost a mile to where the corpse of the small rat-raccoon still lay. She quickly found the shard in its back. As soon as she removed it the beast turned into dust. Kagome decided she had been right to rush back. She sat down where she stood and stared at the shard. “Another one down” she smiled weakly and Shippou cringed seeing her pale face.

“Kaa-san…”

Kagome smiled weakly, “its okay Shippou, just let me rest for a bit and…” she slumped to the ground rather ungracefully.

“Ugh so dizzy” she moaned helplessly. Shippou stood by her side eyeing the bloody scratches warily.

“Kaa-san come on, you have to heal yourself before you bleed to death.” He grabbed her hand and dragged it across her body to rest on the wound.

It took a long moment but soon her hand was healing the wound while Shippou held it in place. When the skin began to seal itself, she stopped and lay there a moment trying to catch her breath.

“Kaa-san wait until you heal some more,” Kagome shook her head pushing herself to her feet.

“No, we need to find shelter,” she rasped tiredly. Shippou could only follow her into the forest.

“But why Kaa-san, you're hurt” he asked following her quickly. Thunder rumbled overhead and Shippou rolled his eyes as it began to drizzle.

XXXXXXX

Her body hurt, bad, like broken bones, bad like…

“Aughhh!!”

Kagome reached for her burning shoulder as she arched in pain. A hand grabbed her wrist and held it down. She instantly yanked away and blinked blurrily trying to see where she was. It was dark and she quickly realized she was lying in someone's hut. Frowning in confusion, she blinked rapidly.

“Kaa-san it's okay she's trying to help.”

Kagome scowled in discomfort but she recognized Shippou's voice and so she obeyed. She lay down and let someone pull a sheet up over her.

“Shippou where are we?” she asked tiredly.

“You collapsed outside a village and this baba here found us,” Kagome blinked a few times waiting for her vision to clear. When she was starting to make out details, she turned to the woman sitting beside her.

She was an old woman that reminded her strikingly of Kaede. “Rest young lady, the kitsune told me you were attacked by youkai and you've lost a lot of blood.” Kagome continued to frown at the ceiling as her back throbbed painfully. Her chest hurt just as bad but that was her own business.

“Please sleep, you can use this hut, it's been abandoned just keep that fox in check. The villagers here aren't fond of youkai.” Kagome glanced at the woman as she rung out a rag and placed it over Kagome's forehead.

As much as she fought, she couldn't stop herself from drifting off again.

When she came to it was light outside and the heavy scent of rainwater wafted through the hut. Kagome felt something warm pressed into the side of her face. Turning her head, she giggled quietly finding Shippou curled into the crook of her neck, his tail waving about in his sleep.

Her back felt much better and she silently thanked the gods for her ridiculous healing abilities. She rolled over onto her side and glanced around. It was a small hut and very simply made. It could be an exact copy of Kaede's hut but it was falling apart from disuse and a lack of regular maintenance. It was a nice little place though. With a sigh, she sat up cringing when it felt like the skin on her back would rip apart.

Kagome bit her lip when her chest began to hurt again. Her hand searched for the bandage that held her breast in place to find it gone. She sighed in frustration, she had always been able to deal with the discomfort her breast full of milk brought, the breast cloth made it bearable but now she would have to deal with it. Now, she had no way to relieve the weight.

Using the heel of her palm, she rubbed it over her eyes a few times, “You're awake?”

She blinked owlishly seeing the old woman from the previous night standing in the doorway watching her. Warily she tried to pull her shredded top up over her body.

“Thank you for your help,” Kagome murmured with a respectful nod. The old woman smiled warily and hobbled into the room where she sat down beside Kagome's futon.

“The fox child said you would heal quickly but I didn't believe him” she eyed Kagome warily as she pulled out some balm from her sleeve. “Let me see how your wounds are coming along.”

Kagome stifled a yawn before turning and allowing the woman to see her back. She cringed as old bandages were pulled from her skin and her back burned.

“Who are you?” Kagome asked warily wanting to fill the awkward silence of the hut.

“Miyami, the village healer.”

Kagome's smile came as a tight grimace, “I'm Kagome, and thank you for helping us Miyami-san, not many people would.”

Miyami waved the comment off as she ran a balm-covered finger over one of the wounds, “This is amazing your skin has closed the wound so quickly, when you arrived it was still bleeding.” Kagome attempted a smile again but didn't explain.

“Do you know where I can get more clothes quickly, my top is shredded,” she admitted sheepishly.

Miyami frowned in thought rubbing the paste across Kagome's wounds. This girl wasn't normal but she had brought her into the village so she had to deal with her choice. She was silently debating if it was such a good idea to keep Kagome in the empty hut.

“There is a seamstress who would help you.” Kagome nodded reaching for her bag.

“I have money to pay,” she offered. Miyami took a few coins then eyed them in interest before looking Kagome over in a careful manner.

She nodded and stood, “You stay here and rest, I'll be back in a bit.” Kagome smiled gratefully as the old woman hobbled from the room. She sighed and glanced at Shippou who lay still oblivious to the rest of the world.

“Were you tired kit,” She cooed to the sleeping child. “I think I'll let you rest today. With the way I've been dragging you across the country side, it's the least I can do,” she murmured running her fingers through Shippou's tail. Shippou sighed contently in his sleep and Kagome smiled softly.

For a long moment, she stared off into space until a thought finally came to her. She dug through her bag again and found the single Shikon Jewel shard lying there innocently. She took it carefully in her hands and eyed it.

“You, little jewel, are more trouble than your worth.” Her comment made, she closed her eyes and combined it with the rest of the jewel she held. Kagome held the small piece she had, it was only about a third of its original size and it made her aggravated.

“I'm sure Sango and Miroku have collected a few, of course Naraku has a huge chunk of his own.”

Frustrated she ran a hand through her disheveled hair. “I feel like I'm not getting anywhere, maybe I should quit while I'm ahead.”

The distant cry from a baby nearby made her pause.

“Somebody sounds pissed,” she mused to herself. With a sigh, she turned back to her thoughts.

“Speaking of babies what should I do...” Kagome cringed when her chest tightened in pain but she quickly shoved down the urge to cry.

“I should still probably tell him and run before he can kill me,” Kagome frowned and paused, a baffled expression on her face, “why is that screaming getting louder?”

“Miyami-san!!”

A woman whipped the dingy little cloth aside that acted as the door to the hut. She stomped in, one arm cradling the shrieking infant wrapped tightly in cloth. Kagome jumped a bit, startled by her raging aura. Shippou shot up from his sleep and pressed himself into her side, hoping to not be seen.

“Have you seen Miyami-san,” the woman huffed her black hair whipping about in her rage.

“Umm s-she left a few minutes ago,” Kagome responded warily, blinking at the woman owlishly.

The woman looked as if she would throw the child she held.

“She told me I only had to keep him for a day. The little bastard screamed all night and kept my husband up. He has to work, that's one good thing he does for his family. I can at least let him get his sleep.”

Kagome stood slowly “Miss, she'll be back in a bit. Can you wait a few minutes with me?” Kagome shifted nervously glancing at the baby.

“No I won't wait; I don't want this whore's child in my house! Funny she died in child birth, that's what she gets for going around seducing everyone's husbands.”

Kagome cringed and scowled, “Okay it's obvious the baby's mom is dead. I won't have you talking ill of the dead that way especially while you're holding her child.” The woman looked startled but just as quickly she flushed red turning her rage on Kagome with a fierce scowl.

“Well since you want to defend her take this cursed child…” Kagome balked when the baby was practically flung into her arms. The woman turned and stormed out leaving Kagome dazed and confused. She took a few deep breaths to keep herself from chasing after the woman and putting her head through a wall.

She looked down at the infant and walked back to her futon to sit.

This was all too weird, what was she supposed to do with a baby?

The baby continued to cry and Shippou covered his sensitive ears and bagged away. Kagome stuck a finger in the baby's mouth and rubbed her finger across his gums a few times. He almost immediately latched onto her finger and began to suck.

“He's hungry,” she mused quietly to herself. Kagome frowned, she could feed the baby, after all she still had the means to do so, but did she want to get into this village's problems…

Less than a minute later, she had made her decision and the baby was happily enjoying a meal of breast milk.

“Hey, be grateful you don't have teeth yet.” She grumbled pulling her shirt around to cover his head and keep some modesty.

Shippou peered at the child curiously.

“Kaa-san why is he biting your chest?” he asked with a look of utter bewilderment on his face. Kagome smiled, struggling not to laugh at Shippou and aggravate her wounds in the process. She ran a hand over Shippou's cheek, “He's eating Shippou, and I promise he's not biting me. This actually is helping me.” She blushed as Shippou look offended that the child was eating his Kaa-san.

“Shippou mommies can make milk. I was a mommy until…he died but I still have the ability to make milk for babies a while longer. It hurts a little carrying around the milk with no baby to eat it. He's hungry and my chest hurts, it's a win-win situation.” She explained gently.

Shippou nodded uncertainly and looked back to the child. He was soft looking like the giant marshmallows Kagome used to bring from her home and as pale as a marshmallow too. Unruly locks of brown hair peeked out of the cloth wrapped around him and a tiny hand flexed, scratching at Kagome's chest with little human nails. His eyes were firmly shut and he looked quite content in her arms.

Shippou stuck finger out and slipped it in the child's hand for him to clutch so he wouldn't scratch Kagome instead. He grabbed Shippou's finger tightly and refused to let go.

“He's kind of cute,” Shippou admitted reluctantly. Kagome shrugged a bit and closed her eyes.

“He's lucky he found you Kaa-san” Shippou pointed out. The comment made Kagome crack a grin but otherwise she didn't comment.

“Oh!” Kagome glanced at the old woman who had returned. Miyami blinked a few times before moving over to a corner to sit and wait for Kagome to finish. Kagome sent the woman a sheepish grin.

“You gave birth recently?” she asked uncertainly.

Kagome's smile fell and the old woman looked sympathetic, she knew that look all too well in her old age.

“Yeah, but I lost him…it was my fault so I just have to deal with it,” she murmured with a deep sigh.

“Thank you for feeding him, none of the women in the village will bother. I've been trying to find him a family to live with because I can't take care of him myself but…”

There was a long silence. Kagome didn't feel the need or desire to respond so she simply didn't.

Miyami cleared her throat, “I take it you met Kisa?”

Kagome snorted, “Is that her name, people like her make me mad. I understand the baby is a lot of work but her behavior toward the infant was horrible.”

Miyami only sighed, “Don't be angry at them, none of the women were happy with his mother's behavior. They don't want to take him in for a completely different reason but Kisa-san seems to hate the child more than the others.”

Kagome glanced down at the child then to Miyami, “That doesn't explain the behavior.”

Miyami stared into space thoughtfully.

“Have you heard of Lord Sagisoto?” Kagome scratched her chin thoughtfully but nodded.

“The villagers have heard of the damage, death and fear he has caused in far away villages. He's a little too close to us to ignore and none of the lords have tried to stop him.” Kagome frowned a bit as Miyami continued, “Times will be hard food wise and so the villagers don't want to take on another burden that may stop them from feeding their own families. An orphan is just out of luck in these times,” Kagome nodded slowly. She pulled the baby away and put him over her shoulder to pet his back and burp him.

“How old is he,” she asked absently.

“He's about a month and a half.”

Kagome didn't look surprised, “What's his name?”

“The villagers just call him baby.”

Kagome rolled her eyes “That's disgusting, he needs a name,” she murmured absently to herself.

“Will you be keeping him?” Miyami asked excitedly.

Kagome frowned, “No, I couldn't. I'm traveling and my life is dangerous,” she explained sternly. “It's bad enough I have to drag Shippou all over the place with me.”

Miyami frowned, “He's better off with you, at least then he will have a chance at a good life with a mother.”

Kagome blushed but looked truly stricken, “I can't, I'll get him killed,” She insisted. Miyami sighed but didn't press the issue anymore. She passed Kagome a bundle of clothes. “You can have these, the seamstress finished this today, and it should fit you.”

Kagome took the cloth and nodded with a small smile of thanks. The infant gave a small belch in her ear and Shippou snickered.

“Would you mind taking care of him for the time you're here? If you do this I won't ask payment for your treatment.” Kagome blinked rapidly at the old healer then looked back to the child who was already falling asleep cradled in her arms.

“I suppose,” she shrugged.

She watched the baby a moment then looked to Miyami.

“His mother was just a random village woman?” Miyami nodded with a deep sigh. Kagome understood the woman hadn't exactly been trustworthy so she wasn't going to ask who the boy's father was.

“Yes she wasn't the most proper woman but she made her decisions and lived with them.” Kagome frowned and hummed thoughtfully. That was all good and well but it didn't explain the kid's outrageous aura, she was better off staring at a flood light. He attracted too much attention she knew without a doubt she would have to do something about that, how he hadn't been spotted by any half-competent Youkai yet was beyond her.

“As I said before, you are welcome to stay in this hut during your time here. It would be good for you to rest a little longer.” Kagome nodded as the woman stood again with a soft moan as her bones creaked.

“Are you okay?”

Miyami smiled brightly, “I am, your bones begin to creak when you get as old as I am,” she laughed at her joke and hobbled toward the door. Kagome watched her leave the hut before looking to Shippou.

“Are you hungry kit?” Shippou looked up hopefully with an eager nod.

Kagome lay the baby down on the futon and moved toward the little back room blocked off by a long flimsy cloth over the door way. Shippou watched the top half of her body vanish into the room. There was the clang of metal and Kagome reappeared with a large but old black pot.

She turned the pot upside down and dumped out the collected dust. “I don't think Miyami-san will mind if we use this,” she murmured absently setting the pot aside to dig further in the back room. She pulled a broken bucket without the handle and sighed.

“Well, we need to go shopping for food and get some water too.” Kagome crawled back toward the clothing that had been left for her and began to dress in the simple green yukata. Once finished she turned to look at the sleeping baby.

“Now how am I going to carry you and the bucket,” she huffed eyeing the oblivious child.

She stood a moment chewing on her lip in thought before an idea finally came to her. Bending down she unwrapped the baby…to find him naked.

“Geeze, they didn't even put a diaper on you!” With the shake of her head, she wrapped the baby back up leaving two long bits of cloth to wrap around her shoulder and under her underarm in a baby sling. Once the sleeping baby was strapped to her back securely and she was sure he wouldn't fall, she turned to get the bucket but Shippou was already holding it.

“Let me carry it Kaa-san” she watched him try to balance it on his head. Kagome chuckled before digging through her bag to retrieve her money. She tucked the string of coins in her sleeve and they were ready to go. Shippou followed her from the hut and Kagome blinked staring at the house across from her.

They were in a very small village but the houses were closely packed together. The walkway she stood on now seemed to be a little side street. She stepped down onto the path and paused trying to figure out where she was. Her choice of direction decided, she started toward the main street where a few children were running around.

At the end of the alley, she paused to look at the kids running past. “Hey do you know where I can get water?” A little girl that could easily pass as a boy stopped. The other children stopped with her.

She looked wary, eyeing Kagome with a critical eye until she spotted Shippou.

“Oh wow his hair is red!” she cried excitedly. The other children inched closer to them. The girl rushed to Shippou with her dirt-smudged face and gave a grin showing off a chipped tooth.

“What's your name, mines Anai!” Shippou's face twisted in confusion and fear when the girl got too close to his face in her excitement.

Before he could answer, she continued, “My Kaa-san says only demons have red hair!” Shippou blinked feeling a little overwhelmed.

“We'll I am a demon so that's why I have red hair” he stuck his tongue out and the gaggle of kids stared at him with bright wide eyes. Kagome frowned as another thought occurred to her. The villagers probably thought the infant was a demon; his hair was brown bordering on red.

“That your Kaa-san right,” a young boy asked pointing rudely at Kagome.

“Well yeah but-”

“You ain't no demon, liar” Shippou turned red in anger.

“I am too, I even have a tail!” Anai waved a dismissive hand and Shippou looked ready to strangle her. Anai shoved her hand in Kagome's and tugged until Kagome began to follow.

“Was' your name, I never seen you before miss”

Kagome gave a half grin, `A little tomboy if I ever did see one,' she mused to herself.

“My name's Kagome, it's nice to meet you Anai-chan”

Anai grinned and gave a blush. The three other boys rushed forward quickly telling her their names as Shippou hung back behind the group scowling.

“It's nice to meet you all. Do you know where I can get some water?” Anai frowned at her skeptically before nodding with an eager grin.

“You go down to the river, I'll show you!” she gushed eagerly. She turned to her little friends and shooed them off, “I'll take Kagome-san down to the river you go and tell my papa so he don't have a cow, Okaa-san is down at the river anyhow.” The boys scowled angrily at her and Kagome giggled.

Anai turned on them and placed her hands on her hips as she gave a threatening scowl. “You better go fo' I kick you, this time I'll tell your Kaa-sans you got beat up by a girl.” The boys gave embarrassed glares at Anai and they shot shameful blushing glances at Kagome.

Kagome chuckled a bit, “I hope to see you later boys,” she said with a smile.

They scampered off leaving Anai to drag Kagome to the lake and Shippou only frowned. The trip to the river was short and uneventful. Anai chattered the whole way there while Shippou would make snide comments and roll his eyes at the girl.

Anai tugged her down the final length of the path bouncing excitedly. “you should meet my Kaa-san, she's so nice,” Anai giggled. Kagome nodded sending a glance at Shippou who only shrugged once again. The river was big and fast running. Kagome made a face before glancing further down the river to see who else was there. There were a few women sitting washing clothes or gathering water.

Kagome took the bucket from Shippou and bent by the river to rinse the bucket a few times while Anai ran off to fetch her mother. Kagome stood taking the filled bucket up in her arms. “Kaa-san I said I was going to carry it” Shippou whined.

Kagome only smiled, “I have something else I want you to carry.” She promised.

“See Okaa-san this is Kagome-sa-“

Kagome looked in Anai's direction to find the girl being held by her arm and the person Kagome assumed was her mother scowling openly at Kagome. She frowned feeling offended and misplaced. She forced a weak smile and nodded to Anai, “Thank you for leading me to the river Anai-chan.”

Anai pouted as Kagome turned and walked into the forest again. She turned to her mother confused.

“Kaa-san, now Kagome-san is gun' think I don't like her a' something” she almost wailed.

Her mother scowled at her, “You be quiet, don't you see there's something wrong with her, she dun't look like us!”

Anai looked horribly confused but turned to watch Kagome go. The other girl walked properly and gracefully like the hime she heard about all the time. Her hair was long and flowed over the bundle strapped onto her back blissfully asleep. Shippou bounced after her chatting about something she couldn't quite hear. Anai looked back to her mother who had a scarf over her head to hold her shoulder blade length hair back. Her face was freckled and her dark brown eyes swirled angrily.

“I don't understand is it `cause she came a short while ago?” the older woman only huffed and dragged Anai over to help her do clothes.

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LOL Thanks for reading this chapter. RXR