Chapter Two

Kagome held her stance for a full ten seconds before lowering her sacred arrow away from a frightened raven haired teen in a white cotton summer dress. "Thank goodness, Rin. I was afraid you were someone else." The relieved miko let out a deep sigh and resumed her previous position on the wooden stump.

Rin, who had just entered the vicinity of her hut, stood wide-eyed and rooted to the spot, dumbstruck at Kagome's instant assault. "I wasn't aware that we were on the watch for anyone dangerous." She looked across the fire at a stunned Kaede. "Um…is there someone dangerous I need to be watching out for?" Kaede shook her head, and Rin raised her eye brow at Kagome, while she strode over toward the door of her hut. "…"

As Rin disappeared behind her bamboo door, Kagome closed her eyes against the accusing gaze of Kaede. "What has gotten in to yee, child? Attacking a friend is not like yee at all." Kagome opened her dark brown orbs and took in Kaeda's quizzical look and sighed once again.

"I'm sorry…"Kagome lowered her gaze to the firelight dancing upon the ground. "I know I have no reason to fear of demons lurking in the shadows. It has been years since Naraku was defeated…but for some reason, I have a greater need to protect this place even though he no longer plagues these lands."

Kaede eyed the young miko. "Kagome?"

Kagome smiled lightly to the ground, and then lifted her face to smile brightly at the elder miko. "Kaede…I'm pregnant."

A clay pot was heard smashing onto a wood floor. "What?" Rin came sprinting out of her hut just in time to catch Kaede and Kagome in an embrace tight enough to choke Naraku himself. Not caring about ruining the moment, Rin launched herself at the two priestesses and wrapped her arms around them both. "Kagome, how wonderful!"

"Oh, my God!" Kagome had pulled away and was clutching at her flaming cheeks. "I haven't told anyone yet! Not even Inuyasha." She slid her forehead into her hands. "Oh! He'll kill me! But I couldn't keep it to myself! Who knows how long it would have taken for those two to come stomping back." Kagome lifted her head in agony. "Please? Don't say a word, please?"

Rin watched with amused eyes as Kagome squirmed in the seat she had just backed into. "He's going to know the second he returns, Kagome." Rin giggled. "He can smell the change in your body before you even realize something has changed. He has the nose of a dog, which can smell almost anything."

Kagome stopped mid panic and turned her attention on the seventeen year old healer. "How do you know about that?"

Rin looked Kagome right in the eye, but never blinked. "What?"

"How did you know he can smell hormonal changes?"

"Um…" Rin couldn't lie fast enough. She couldn't even think of one, let alone get away with saying it. "I…well you see…he…um…" Her face felt so hot, she was almost sure it would melt off, and the looks she got from Kagome and Kaede weren't helping in the least. "Lord Sesshoumaru…"

Kagome took the hint and broke into a wide grin to the dismay of a highly embarrassed Rin. "Oh I see!"

"No!" Rin scrambled to collect her thoughts. "No…when my body started changing…Lord Sesshoumaru could smell it…it was one of the main reasons he sent me here…he knew I was becoming a woman faster than I did…he wanted me to grow up with women so that I knew how to act around men when I got older…" Rin couldn't help but cringe. "I only know that Lord Inuyasha is the same because they are half brothers. It's only natural for them to tell when a woman is changing…"

Kaede nodded toward the mortified healer with a knowing smile. "Inuyasha can indeed smell the changes in Kagome, but I was never aware that Sesshoumaru encouraged yee to stay here because of the very same reason. Hmmm" Kaede and Kagome exchanged mischievous glances. "Has he expressed interest, Rin?"

"HUH?" Rin shook her head vigorously before shuffling toward her hut once more. "No, no, no! Lord Sesshoumaru is too important to be wasting his time with me…" She disappeared into her hut, leaving Kagome and Kaede to their dangerous thoughts.

The two priestesses watched the healer flee to the refuge of her home, and then turned to each other with bright eyes and mysterious smiles. "I wonder…Sesshoumaru is still a full blooded demon and isn't exactly warm toward humans. But with Rin, his resolve disappears almost instantly…do you think he might have feelings for her?"

Kaede mused for a few minutes in silence before volunteering her response. "I'm afraid only young Rin would know the answer." She poked the fire with the stick again and smiled. "If yee want my opinion, I don't really know. Sesshoumaru is a difficult demon to read."

Kagome nodded. "Even Inuyasha wouldn't know. They still don't really get along together."

"Who don't I get along with?" A silver haired dog demon appeared from behind the trees with a bruised and battered fox demon bouncing on his head.

Shippo was pulling on Inuyasha's ears before he spoke. "Me! Next time, I'm gonna win fair and square! Hey!" Inuyasha had reached up and yanked the angry fox from his thick mane.

Inuyasha hadn't changed much. He still wore his red kimono, but on this night, it was wrapped around his waist, leaving nothing to cover his chest from the cool night air. He was sporting several small cuts and wide fang marks. "Who don't I get along with?" He asked again.

Kagome rose from her seat and went to grab Shippo from her husband's less than delicate grasp. "Your brother." She stated simply while wrapping the young fox in her arms. "Don't worry about it. We were having a female conversation." Kagome turned to resume her position on her wood stump when she felt a strong half demon arm wrap delicately around her middle. "Hey!"

Inuyasha pulled her toward him and nearly crushed Shippo against Kagome's breast in a tight hug. "You smell so good, tonight…" He placed his nose in the crook of his wife's neck and breathed in deep, which caused Kagome to shiver uncontrollably. Shippo barely escaped the embrace with his life. "Kagome…?" Inuyasha pulled her into a tighter grip. "Are you…?"

Kagome giggled with Inuyasha's every breath. "Am I what, Inuyasha?"

"You are, aren't you?" Inuyasha pulled back to gaze into Kagome's big brown orbs. "Pregnant?"

Kagome's mouth dropped slightly, but then she regained her composure and smiled brightly. "Nothing gets past you, I guess." She giggled and threw herself into another tight hug.

But their excitement was short lived, for another sound interrupted. Twigs could be heard snapping in the distance, and tree branches rustled. Soon, another silver haired dog demon emerged from the forest. This demon was clad in a suit of white armor and draped in a wrap of soft white fur. His molten gaze spoke volumes to the sentimental scene. "How touching, little brother."