Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

Authors Note: I haven't written enough Kag/Sess! As a rabid fangirl I feel ashamed. So now I will try to atone for my sins (the author said, but she really meant to say that she's to tired to walk down the hall and head for bed…). This will be a short drabble/chapter story being told in bits and pieces if that makes any sense.

Now remember to have a wonderful day(or night)!

Mindful Interest

Chapter One

Sidetracked Mind

The darkness did nothing to hide her from him as he once again found himself staring at her while she slept. She laid on her stomach using her arm as support. She had since long ago pushed her small pillow away in her sleep. It now lay useless and discarded on the dirty ground of the small clearing where they rested with the rest of the group. But he hardly paid the other members of the party any attention or even a thought. He wasn't even irritated at Inuyashas insistence of staring at him suspiciously from a tree branch. Since when, he wondered?

In the beginning he had studied them all. Analyzing them and their worth in the upcoming battle with Naraku. Now he found himself somewhat sidetracked by a miko.

He had no idea why it had to be her of all people. She was nothing special. Just another human like the rest. Only difference as far as he could tell was that she was a traveling miko who called demons her companions and friends.

At first he had assumed it was either for protection or necessity in defeating Naraku, but the more he studied her the more he realized that she enjoyed their company and protected them just as much as they protected her. Even though she never stood up the chance of delivering a good sit in the middle of battle to assist in a slightly painful and humiliating way. She always claimed it was for Inuyashas own good, but Sesshoumaru could smell her satisfaction. He assumed some would call it a tough love.

The slayer seemed to be the same with her suitor, so maybe this was normal human behavior?

But she was still a holy priestess destined to vanquish evil, which in some cases- most cases were demons. He supposed this is what made her stand out.

She didn't even seem to mind the fox kit constantly clinging to her skirt as if she was his mother. And how could she accept Inuyashas claim on her? But then again, humans and their lacking sense of smell wouldn't be able to detect the subtle scent mark the possessive half demon had placed on her, so it was possible that she just didn't know.

Inuyasha didn't seem to do anything right. How was he supposed to claim a woman when she was unaware of his intentions? Would he be content just sniffing around her and chasing away rivals for the rest of eternity? Without the females approval that was what he was looking forward to in the future if he didn't make it clear to her what he wanted. He really was a moron, but then again Sesshoumaru already knew that.

His attention was once again drawn to Kagome when she mumbled in her sleep. Flicking his gaze to the tree Inuyasha was sitting in he saw that he was fast asleep. Finally exhaustion seemed to have won.

His eyes glowed in the night as he watched her throw an arm over her head before partly rolling over.

Her face was partially hidden by her sleep tousled hair only letting him see a strange concentrated look before she turned away again. She smelled of anxiety and stress as she had for the past three weeks. Only when she dreamed did he get to sample this delicate mixture from her. He assumed that she had spent the first half of the night struggling with her nightmares again. She would always try to call someone in her sleep.

If it was because she was afraid or because she wanted to warn someone, he didn't know.

Even in her sleep she was fighting. He could tell from the flexing of her fingers. The will was there, but the strength was not. Priestess with demonic help or not, she was still a weak human. A frail looking woman with a much to fickle and naïve nature for the battlefield.

She was everything he wasn't and he couldn't help but to be repulsed by himself for thinking that maybe it wasn't such a bad thing.