Time Enough (Prologue)
by IronRaven

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and his team aren't mine. If they were, the action would be a bit more direct. They are the property of Rumiko Takahashi-sama. That's a good thing.

This tale starts just a few days after Winter's Chill, and is why that seemed to be cut off so short.

---

It had been several days since Kagome had returned from her time, free of her illness from the future. The village was just recovering from the winter's storm and bitter cold that had marked the young woman's trip back through the well. Several had been injured by the cold, but there was one who's life was already endangered even before the cold...

Kaede slowly unwrapped the bandages protecting Sango's toes, looking for any signs of frost shadow or blisters on the demon hunter's feet. "They are nearly healed, Sango. Ye should not need to dress these again, but be careful on them until the skin hardens. Curl your toes for me."

Watching her toes flex, the taiyja grimaced at the pain. It will probably never really go away, will it? Sighing, the woman closed her eyes, What's another scar?

"They will pain ye for some time, but so long as they are kept warm they shall not be too much of a hindrance, even for one with as active a life as yours." Pausing to cough, the old miko drank from a bowl of tea, before handing over a pair of thin tabi. "Silk. They belonged to Kikyou; tell Inuyasha not who's they were. Wear them under your normal ones, they will protect you from cold and rubbing, until the healing is complete."

Thank you, Kaede-sama. I will." Glancing at the fire, the warrior's right hand softly curled into a fist. "Houshi-sama's hand, will his fingers..."

"Oh, yes, child. Of that, I have no doubts. His fingers will be fine, he will want gloves if he is helping to tend Hiro-san's roof, as he said." Turning her eye to study the slayer with a grin, Kaede lowered her voice, "And why would ye be worried about his fingers? He does have nice hands, doesn't he?"

The old woman's chuckle only made the oft-groped hunter blush harder, but the laughter soon turned into hard, hacking coughs, leaving the healer winded.

"Kaede-sama? Are you alright?"

--- Author's notes:
OK, maybe Kaede was a little OOC, but maybe she wasn't. :) Do we ever see her when there isn't a crisis happening? Besides, holy people are supposed to be match makers.