The blood was a warm trickle down his temple that his demon healing was working desperately to quell, sticky and wet as it dribbled over the magenta stripes that graced his cheekbones and made its way down until at last it rounded his jawbone and dripped onto the floor. He felt sick, the vision afforded to his hazy golden eyes was blurry and he was having a hard time focusing as the ache in his temple radiated and pulsed angrily. There was only one thing he could focus on, one thing that was holding him to reality as he trudged through the snow, further and further from the battle field.

Kagome.

He could see her face in his mind's eye, her warmth, her smile. She was a mere blip in the lifetime that he would lead, yet she radiated light that lit up everything that he'd ever been and everything that he wanted to be. For her he would do anything and right now that meant forcing his battered husk to the nearest human village. He had to return to her, he'd promised.

He'd promised her before he'd left for this ridiculous battle-a battle that he'd not even wanted to be a part of-that he would come back to her. The smell of her tears was still so fresh in his mind; she'd cried and kissed his cheeks, holding Rin who was far more hysterical at her guardian's departure. Kagome no doubt had been far more upset than she'd let on, but being the motherly being that she was she'd been strong for Rin. Perhaps she'd thought she'd been clingy enough.

She'd not wanted to let him go the night before his departure, she'd been surprisingly insatiable and he'd broken a sweat slaking her, something that not many humans could boast about. Not that she would, she was an acceptably demure woman in that respect if not in much else. Even after the pleasure, she'd clung to him, cuddled and curled against him, refusing to sleep until the wee hours of the morning.

'I will return' had been his promise and at the time he'd been nothing but sure that he'd be able to keep that promise

But the smell of his blood was making it difficult to know what direction the next village was in, and now that assured attitude was starting to desert him. Even the stink of humans wasn't enough to overcome it, it seemed. Shaking his head as his vision grew hazier, he lost his balance and sunk to the ground as his eyes caught an unrecognizable figure pacing towards him cautiously.

"Kagome…" He wanted so desperately for it to be her, but it couldn't have been, he was so far from her home still, there was no chance at all. And with that, the injury to his temple claimed his consciousness for itself and he was left at the mercy of the mortal

"Have you heard? They found a strange man outside of Takkunai village, they think he might be a demon…" Kagome stopped in her tracks, the basket of fish balanced on her hip as she watched the two women who stood gossiping, their voices hushed so as not to be overheard so easily.

"No! Really? Why?!" The other woman asked curiously as her friend giggled before answering.

"He has golden eyes!" The eavesdropping miko's breath hitched at the response.

"Really…?"

"That's what the hunter that found him says…" Kagome all but threw the basket of fish to the ground, not caring that a week's worth of meals was likely ruined now, she raced to Kaede's, needing to know if she knew anything of it.

Sesshomaru.

She'd not heard from him once since he'd left, and while that wasn't surprising-there weren't exactly foot runners available to bring her messages-she couldn't help but worry about him. That came along with the territory of loving him.

Kaede's hut was dim compared to the bright world outside as the younger miko rushed inside. The elder miko looked up at her as if she'd been expecting her, not really smiling but not really upset that she'd barged in either. She poked her fire and then her stew before she spoke in a light, even tone.

"Let me guess, you want to know if I have heard the gossip going about…" A meager look of confirmation crossed Kagome's face and a smile cracked Kaede's features. "Kagome, if you're that concerned, why not go to the village where the demon was found? Seeing for yourself would do you better than listening to an old woman regail you with the gossips of others, wouldn't it…?"

"But RIn-" Kagome started but the older cut her off.

"Rin will be fine in my charge…" Finally nodding, the younger miko headed to pack.