Disclaimer: Like all (or, well, most) fanfiction authors, I will one day write a best-selling, world-renowned series. Unfortunately, it was not this one.

A/N: First chapter was revised, so I'd request you all take a moment and look over it again. Thanks for reading!

Where the West Wind Blows

-Chapter Two-

The Court at the Well

Kagome buried her nose deeper into Kuroren's hair, quietly appreciating his clean, earthy scent from the dried grasses and herbs that he used to stuff his futon. "The only fur I will sleep in is my own," he'd told her when she inquired why he disdained the more readily available skins and pelts that were the results of an almost fully carnivorous court. It would only be later that she would discover that the same held true for most of the higher members of the courts; the lingering scents upon the furs worked to partially conceal their personal scents, which among many of the canine youkai was instantly to be equated with deception. Hence, the light herbal scents that hovered above the muskier personal scents of the youkai.

But more than his scent, Kagome greedily leeched the inu's body heat. A strange sound, somewhere between a bark and a cough, came from her left and she recognized it as Aki's laugh in his fox form. Unlike the inu, who grew larger with age, the kitsune added only tails and power, his eight-tailed form little bigger than a horse.

"We will be arriving at the Bone Eater's Well soon, Higarashi-sama."

Kagome didn't know how he could tell, but it didn't seem troubling enough to get her nose frostbitten for. So she mumbled her thanks into his back, trusting to his demonic hearing. And, as he promised, Sei soon began his spiraling descent. As they drew closer, she could also hear Inuyasha shouting, so she thought dryly that they'd certainly ended up at the right place.

"What the fuck is a dragon doing here? Is this your fault, Sesshomaru?"

And his brother's steely reply, "This is none of my doing, whelp."

Kagome awkwardly dismounted the dragon before they could begin throwing attacks, nearly tumbling from Sei's back in her hurry. Kuroren silently righted her, but Kagome brushed passed him before the combination of the dragon and the Naraku-clone really sealed the deal for Inuyasha, who was firmly in the ask questions later camp. Hands firmly on hips, she gave him the look. The one that had always meant the magic word was soon to follow. And even after three years, it appeared that memory still blazed bright and strong. "So, you can teach an old dog new tricks," Kagome said with mingled humor and satisfaction.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha was open-mouthed and her companions hardly less so. The pole-axed look Inuyasha wore only grew worse as Aki landed and transformed in a swirl of youki, grumbling all the while under his breath about inconsiderate rulers.

Aki's keen eyes, the gold striations more prevalent than ever, caught on Inuyasha like he was superglue. Kagome sighed, anticipating where this was going. "So this is the bastard whelp of the Inu no Taisho."

Inuyasha puffed up like he was a bullfrog determined to defend his lilypad. "And who the hell are you?"

Kagome clapped her hands, sending the conversation to a screeching halt. "Akii~," she said warningly, to which her ever-loyal slave replied with a winning Who, me? look.

Speaking of wide-eyed hero worship, Shippou was eyeing Aki's tails like they were-well, actually Kagome didn't have a good enough metaphor to describe the way he was looking at the older kitsune.

"Kuroren," Sesshomaru said darkly.

"Sesshomaru-sama," Kuroren replied, inclining his head just so.

Inuyasha darted a glance between them. "You know each other?"

Sesshomaru tilted his head to one side. "This Sesshomaru is not personally acquainted with him. He is this one's mother's."

Kuroren's expression did not change. "I am currently at Kagome-sama's pleasure." Miroku's expression did.

Sputtering and trying to turn it into an innocent cough, he asked, "Ah, Kagome-sama, I meant to greet you when you arrived, but I did not realize you would descend from heaven with such splendor."

"Haha," Kagome said dryly. "Well, my entourage aside, I heard Rin-chan was in trouble." And she hadn't spotted her in the clearing.

Inuyasha snorted, but it was in the same tone he always used when using his gruffness to conceal his concern. "Kaede's looking after her. Kid had a scare, that's all."

Sesshomaru looked like he disagreed, but he said nothing to Inuyasha. "You've come as my respected mother's spy?"

"Hey! What do you think you're accusing her of?"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome snapped. She sighed. "I'd hope three years might have given you some maturity. I see I was mistaken. And he's right."

Inuyasha blinked. "He is?"

Kagome nodded. "Chiaki-sama sent me to observe."

Miroku processed this more quickly than the others. "And your companions?"

"Here to render aid and keep me from trouble," she said, rolling her eyes. Inuyasha, however, seemed to glance at the black inu with a new measure of respect, for which she was tempted to sit him.

But while he hadn't matured in any other appreciable way, he did seem to pick up on that thought, because he scoffed again. "Your entourage is as big as Sesshomaru's," he grumbled. "We're going to turn into a traveling circus at this rate."

Kagome glanced around the clearing. "Sango isn't here?" she asked curiously.

"She sent word that she was delayed," Miroku replied. "But, Kagome-sama, how did you know we had agreed to meet here, today?"

That was an excellent question. But only Chiaki-sama knew the answer and the likelihood she would share that knowledge was roughly the same as, say, Inuyasha understanding quantum physics. "Lucky guess?" she said with a laugh, instead. "But, that begs that question, Miroku-why didn't you write me to start with?"

An incriminating glance was turned towards Inuyasha, who scowled. "Don't look at me like that. The last time you went anywhere on your own, you never came back. And since the big bitch in the sky won't let me anywhere near her castle, you would've had to come on your own. There was no telling what kind of trouble you would've gotten into."

That was fair, if not flattering, so she let it pass without comment. Miroku, with the dexterity of a seasoned courtier, redirected the conversation. He faltered for only a moment as Sei transformed, shallowly nodding in acknowledgement of the others. "Ah, perhaps it might be appropriate to introduce your companions?"

"Oh," Kagome flushed. That was an embarrassing misstep. "This is Kuroren-san, who as Sesshomaru pointed out, is part of Chiaki-sama's armed forces. Aki," and Aki bowed with a flourish, "and Sei," another shallow nod, "are my companions." Companions was a nice euphemism, much better than shiki, which translated somewhat literally into servant or slave.

The Inu-tachi also took the time to introduce itself, though Sesshomaru abstained. Which was just as well, because within the inu youkai sphere of influence, Sesshomaru introducing himself was redundant. Everyone knew who he was. For better or worse.

"So," Kagome asked, "are we going to wait for Sango?"

Miroku shook his head. "We intended to travel to her village. Kirara carried the request, so it probably isn't an attack, but we wanted to be certain all was well there."

Kagome unobtrusively eyed Sesshomaru for any signs of impatience at this plan, but it was like trying to interpret a rock wall. "Sounds like a plan to me," Kagome declared.

"So you're coming with us?" Shippou asked eagerly.

"Well, I certainly didn't come all this way just to say hello and leave again. Chiaki-sama, for reasons of her own, wants an observer into the situation in the north. So, I won't be leaving again until this is resolved."

Miroku nodded. Shippou cheered. And Inuyasha, vocal as ever, said, "Keh, just don't slow us down."

Before they left, she did look in on Rin, but the girl-now growing into a woman-was sleeping peacefully, so she backed out of the hut. She was startled when she almost came crashing into Sesshomaru, his amber eyes watching her with suspicion. Chiaki-sama could have cloned herself, Kagome thought with astonishment. She'd looked at Sesshomaru before, but when Sesshomaru was present, life-threatening danger tended to accompany him, so she'd had a kind of larger-than-life image of Inuyasha's elder brother without remembering many of the details of his appearance.

"This one has been told you have officially entered the court of this one's honored mother," Sesshomaru intoned. Somehow, he managed to make the innocuous statement sound like a threat.

"Yes," Kagome agreed cautiously.

"This one's honored mother has her own interests in mind-but certain they do not come to a cross purpose to Rin's."

Kagome scoffed openly. "As if I'd let them get away with hurting Rin. Especially over something as stupid as politics."

His expression did not relax. "This one's mother has likely forbidden you to interfere."

She treated him to a beatific smile. "Yes. I'm not to aid you, especially. But if I'm in danger, my companions are kinda obligated to save me-I just have to interpose myself between whoever I intend to rescue and the enemies and my work is done for me. That's how I usually work around Chiaki-sama's rule of non-interference. She thinks it's amusing."

Sesshomaru blinked, a measured motion that had all the significance of a far more grandiose gesture in someone else. "You are a very foolish ningen, miko, if you think that is a clever method."

Kagome made a face at the daiyoukai. "I do think it's a clever method-and so does your mother!" And with that juvenile taunt she flounced off to join the others.

"Something pleasant happen?" Miroku asked her as she drew near and Kagome realized she was wearing a wide smile.

"Just the day's small triumphs," Kagome said, repressed glee leaking from her voice. She'd been following court protocol for so long, she'd almost forgotten the pleasure of mouthing off to people fully capable of killing her. Speaking of small triumphs though, Inuyasha had his back to her and her body itched to spontaneously glomp him.

Perhaps her companions from the Court of the Moon read it in her body language-she could sense them tensing, growing serious.

Kagome carefully repressed her powers, burying them as deep as she could, which was to say, not very far, then did as she'd wanted to do since she'd seen Inuyasha, pouncing on him, arms circling around his neck, face buried deep in white hair that smelled like sweat.

"Hey!" he protested.

Just as quickly as she'd hugged him, Kagome released him, pleased to see a blush stained his cheeks. And that his hair remained white and his body intact.

The others relaxed, the dangerous portion over. Her powers were on an even keel today, perhaps restrained by her happiness at seeing her friends again. But not all days were good days. Youkai felt her power as something like a high-voltage shock of static electricity-but for hanyou without the durability of their fully demon parent, it was a bolt of lightning.

Those had been dark, trying months after she'd accidently purified a hanyou she'd been attempting to help. And before the memory could emerge fully, she tucked it away, in the secret pocket of her heart full of such black sorrows and old regrets.

Sesshomaru, who was looking on with the level of ennui only high-born youkai seemed to possess, might have noticed the tension in her fellows, but Inuyasha, Miroku, and Shippou seemed oblivious.

"Well," Miroku said with a chuckle, "since our reunion finally seems complete, let's depart."

"Kagome! I guess I'll-," whatever offer Inuyasha was about to make was abruptly cut off when he glanced toward her and found her already perched in the crook of Kuroren's left arm, balancing herself from the sudden movement with a hand on a broad shoulder.

Kagome realized a moment too late that Inuyasha had probably expected her to piggyback on him, as she always had, but three years of new habit had superseded the old one. Generally, when they traveled, they did so at Kagome's pace and she walked or rode horseback, but when they needed to travel with more than human speed, Kuroren carried her.

Aki was above such things as being a pack-mule and Sei willing, but his dragon form painfully noticeable and he not assertive enough to take the initiative before Kuroren.

This time, it was Kagome's turn to blush. "Oh-umm," as she fumbled for coherence, she could feel the tips of her ears burning. "Thanks for the offer, Inuyasha, but this will leave you free to fight if we encounter trouble on the way."

She could hear Aki rolling his eyes and she was close enough to feel Kuroren's soft sigh. "I mean no offense, Inuyasha-san," Kuroren addressed the hanyou, "but as Kagome-sama is in my charge, I feel more at ease keeping her close."

"Che," Inuyasha crossed his arms across his chest and tried to make light of it, "It's not like I wanted to haul her around anyway. Let's go." And with that he bounded off, leading the way.

Kuroren's long, easy loping stride kept pace, but didn't jar like Inuyasha's hell-for-leather approach to travel. Aki and Sei flanked the dark inu, Sei carrying their bags and Aki carrying a grudge for being made to trek through uncivilized wilderness. Miroku was not running desperately after them as he had been in their Jewel days-he'd acquired himself a fine horse at some point during his travels, the spirited creature not shying though it was among predators.

And though she could not see him, Kagome was certain that Sesshomaru would reach the slayer's village without incident. Or, at least, with less incident than this group would certainly have-it was winter and Kuroren would insist that her frail human body would catch cold if left to itself. Kagome was certain Inuyasha would have a fit and they'd argue until everyone was rested but them.

But, perhaps, Inuyasha knew more of inu culture than he let on, because he very pointedly did not comment when Kagome chose where to lay out her furs, Kuroren taking the measure of the wind before he lay in its path. It was Sesshomaru who became the problem, materializing out of the darkness like some long-dead, extremely disapproving ghost.

"Can I help you?" Kagome said at last, when she could take his staring anymore.

"Does this Sesshomaru's mother know you defile her generals?"

Kagome gritted her teeth and reminded herself that others were watching. "Yes."

"And she is accepting of this?" His tone was skeptical.

"Wholeheartedly supports it," Kagome told him sharply, sitting up so her position wouldn't imply submission. "Y'know, if I didn't know better, I would say you were the ignorant ningen. Not even Inuyasha said anything!"

And that pleased her hanyou companion, who smirked at the disgruntled youkai. "Yeah. Even a half-breed like me knows its rude to comment on pack matters-and an idiot could tell that the black bastard considers himself pack. He even smells like her, up close."

That was news to Kagome, who was struck by the need to send a speaking look to the general, but she resisted, because she'd locked eyes with Sesshomaru and wouldn't be the first to look away.

"And the other two are saturated in her scent-far more deeply than through mere pack interaction," Sesshomaru said.

If you knew that earlier, why-? Kagome answered her own question. Because if a kitsune and a ryuu chose to mingle scents with a miko, that was their business, but a powerful inu like Kuroren could shame them all by becoming infatuated with a human partner. "They're my shiki," Kagome said curtly, preferring to have the truth out than be suspected of being some sort of harlot.

"Shiki?" Inuyasha asked.

"Slaves," Sesshomaru said, tone edged with disgust.

"Faithful slave to the mistress's every whim and desire," Aki added unnecessarily, his instinct for making trouble apparently too great to resist. Kagome grit her teeth. In the reality of the Sengoku Jidai, sex only made you ritually impure, like eating meat or handling the dead. There were no Jesuits to insist on the existence of a hell, let alone to condemn you to it for having sex. And among the youkai, there weren't even the sexual norms adhered to by humans to ensure paternity. Like their bestial counterparts, many only bred when in heat, so there was little doubt to whom the offspring belonged. Some youkai did mate for life, but most were far more flexible when it came to what amounted to casual sex-that is, sex without the possibility of offspring. It was one of the reasons dallying with a human was taboo, for in this time period, use of contraceptives was limited to native herbs and suchlike.

But, despite being the aberration from the norm even in her time, Kagome would prefer that nosy demons at least lend her the illusion of privacy. It had caused her no end of satisfaction when she'd discovered that youkai couldn't actually smell virginity-it was an urban myth perpetuated by ignorant humans, which made a great deal of sense when you came down to the nitty-gritty fact that virginity was just the matter of the hymen being intact. They could, however, scent recent sex, so the rumormongers in the Court had always been in no shortage of stories about who was bedding who.

"Enough," Kagome said, forestalling any argument. "Sesshomaru, while I'm sure Kuroren appreciates your concern, it is a pack matter. Which means, unless you are in my pack, it's none of your business."

Sesshomaru looked disgruntled, but he didn't say anything more. Taking that as her victory, Kagome flopped over, the gesture losing some of its potency with the fact that from his perspective, it probably looked like she was snuggling into Kuroren's chest. Which she wasn't. He was just very, very close.

Suspiciously close, in fact. He usually only approached after she fell asleep and couldn't protest, her body unconsciously relaxing into his warmth. Was he baiting Sesshomaru?

When a clawed hand, with every indication of casual habit, crept up to rest on her side, she realized the answer to that was, Yes, Yes, he was.

And when she felt someone lay down at her back, the familiar scent of sweet spices alerted her the fact that it was Aki even before he pressed up against her, stifling his laughter in her hair.

I hope you choke on it, she thought sourly and tried to focus on going to sleep. All problems would look better in the light of morning.

-X-X-X-

With the glaring exception of the fact that Sesshomaru was treating her like she carried some sort of contagion-which wasn't that unusual, just that her usual offputting humanity had been upgraded to a mind-altering pheromone that led unsuspecting inu astray-everyone was surprisingly normal about the whole thing.

Far more than she'd been, in the beginning. For her part, she was a little dismayed that after analyzing her own feelings, she'd wanted Inuyasha to be jealous, just a little. But his casual understanding underscored what she'd already known; she would always be a very good friend and nothing more.

With a whispered request in Kuroren's ear, she was close enough to speak to Inuyasha. "You know," she said, mock-peevishly, "you never answered my letters." Then her voice softened, "Not that I was worried or anything, but it would have been nice to know how you were doing."

Inuyasha glanced at her, expression faintly guilty. "Well, I've been busy. Demon-hunting, you know. Edo is prime territory. And helping Kaede-I don't know if you know or not, but Kaede's been tutoring Rin." And Inuyasha had been present for that tutoring enough that he called the girl by name and not "that brat of Sesshomaru's."

"Did Rin-chan do well?" Kagome asked curiously, trying to imagine why, of all people, Sesshomaru would entrust his ward's education to a miko. Unless Rin was developing spiritual powers? Given how much time she'd spent in the company of youkai, that wouldn't be unusual. Even a latent power could become active with enough exposure. And time would only strengthen it.

"Yeah." And that set Inuyasha off and running, describing the small adventures he'd accompanied Rin on near the village. Which might explain why Sesshomaru was cooperating with them in this enterprise, rather than taking care of the enemy on his own.

"What about you?" he asked at last.

"Oh, Chiaki-sama keeps me busy." Kagome laughed, "I've probably covered as much or more of Japan during the last three years than I did during the jewel hunt. But I've also spent a lot of time at court; it was an eye-opening experience. Youkai really aren't human. But you already knew that. Still, I think...well, let's just say there were very few dull moments."

"And getting shiki?" His tone was deceptively casual, but Kagome had wondered when Inuyasha would bring the subject up.

Kagome was deeply shamed by her continued inability to use her powers as she ought to be able to. Especially with so many years of training. And, if she admitted that she needed shiki to draw off her power, it would only make her compare even more unfavorably to Kikyo. Dead but never completely forgotten, the prior Shikon miko was the measure by which Kagome judged herself and generally found many things wanting. She shrugged uncomfortably. "It just sort of happened."

"And what are shiki, exactly?"

"It's kind of like the binding that's on your necklace, but on a bigger scale-if I infuse my power into my voice, they can't disobey my commands," Kagome said quietly.

"So they really are slaves."

Kagome did not exercise her authority often, but the option was always there, just in reach. "Yes."

"Hn. And the black bastard?"

"Kuroren?" Kagome laughed. "He's Chiaki-sama's, in the end. Though I suppose you might say that about me, too, if you were to ask Chiaki-sama about it. Right?" she asked her makeshift transportation.

"Indeed," the black inu answered. "Chiaki-sama often finds it convenient to send Higurashi-sama as her representative to situations that involve ningen. In those situations, to speak to her is to speak to Chiaki-sama. But, as she is mortal, this places Higurashi-sama in some danger. It is my role that no strike is enacted against Chiaki-sama through Higurashi-sama's person."

"Sounds like a pain in the ass for you, Kagome," Inuyasha told her bluntly.

Kagome shrugged. "Oh, the kowtowing and ceremonial stuff is pretty snore-inducing, but it lets me help people. People who might not get help otherwise. Which is much better than being a pet of the Court."

"You could have done all that in the village," he pointed out gruffly.

"I know that, Inuyasha," she said dryly. "However, you haven't met Chiaki-sama. Only Sesshomaru ever says no to her and gets away with it."

"But you say no to Sesshomaru all the time."

"Well, yes. But it's different. If Sesshomaru doesn't like something, he just kills you. Chiaki-sama will make your life miserable first."

"Sounds like a bitch," he said casually. He glanced at Kuroren, as if waiting for the general to refute the statement, but he probably didn't realize the black inu's iron-clad training meant he would not participate in the conversation unless asked questions directly.

"Well, that is the technical term," Kagome agreed wryly. Kagome glanced back to check on the progress of the others and found Aki was eagerly holding conversation with Miroku, sitting cross-legged, his fan held casually in front of his face as four little wheels of foxfire conveyed him on invisible palanquin. And Shippou, the little trickster, was perched atop the bags on Sei's back, speaking to the dragon.

Sesshomaru was nowhere to be seen.

"I meant to ask earlier, but where are Jaken and Ah-Un?"

"They were retrieving some medicinal herbs for Kaede when you showed up. Once Rin recovers, they're supposed to bring her to meet us."

"Oh."

Taking that as the end of their conversation, Inuyasha increased his speed and left Kagome to thoughtfully mull over his news.

-X-X-X-

Kagome's first thought at the sight of the village, children of all ages spilling from doorways to gawk at them or regard them warily was, Poor Sango. There must have been twenty of them.

Kuroren, probably more careful of her dignity than Kagome herself was, had stopped within sight of the fortified village to let her walk the remaining distance on her own two feet. And Sesshomaru had materialized in all his haughty, fearsome presence just as they'd entered the walls, startling some children and sending a few of the younger ones shrieking.

"Ningen spawn," he'd said with distaste.

"Ningen do not spawn," Kagome hissed at him through what she hoped was an encouraging smile.

"You're right. Spawn typically smells better than ningen young."

"Children. Child-ren," she emphasized the syllables, like the inu was hard of hearing.

"The name will not change the smell."

"Then stop breathing," she replied cattily.

"Oy, are you two done arguing?" Inuyasha demanded, apparently fully capable of hearing them.

"This one does not stoop to argument with miko."

"And this humble miko would never be so unkind as to correct an inu who was too ignorant to know better," Kagome said.

"Miko," Sesshomaru rumbled, "you try this Sesshomaru's patience."

"Patience is a virtue," she recited offhandedly. "I'm helping you to develop your character, Sesshomaru-sama."

"I see I'm interrupting something," a dry, familiar voice said before Sesshomaru could reply.

"Sango!" Kagome smiled at the older woman, who hadn't changed much in the space of three years, though she did look very tired at the moment.

"Hello, Kagome." She surveyed the assembled group with brisk, professional interest. "I didn't realize Sesshomaru would be bringing so many demons."

Inuyasha snorted. "Oh, no, those aren't his. They came with Kagome."

"Really?" Sango glanced at him, then back to Kagome, who offered her a sheepish expression. "Well, I suppose that answers my question. I'd like to bring two of my trainees with me-this will be a good opportunity for them to face demons in a controlled environment." Sango waved her hand and two older children made their way to the front of the crowd, which Kagome could now see contained more than children, older faces of all ages interspersed here and there.

Kagome looked with interest at the two young slayers. A boy and a girl, the girl with a grim-set face made more serious by a thick scar than ran through her lip, the boy playing nervously with his hands, refusing to meet the eyes of the newcomers. "These are Asuka and Noboru. Greet the others," she told them, "This is the Shikon Miko and her companions, the ones I've told you about."

Asuka looked at them with suspicion. "The ones who killed the hanyou?"

"Yes," Sango replied.

Noboru ducked his head and muttered something, but Asuka continued to glare at them. Kagome, for the life of her, couldn't see why-those it could have something to do with the profusion of youkai, which was clearly making many of the villagers nervous.

Kagome walked up to where the little girl was standing, surprised to find her so small. She did not kneel, because she knew children this age were old enough to know when they were being condescended to. "The demons won't hurt you," she told her. "They're good youkai."

Asuka sneered. "There are no good youkai, only dead ones. That's what my dad said. Before they got him." She pointed accusingly at Kagome's companions.

Kagome glanced at them herself, trying to evaluate them from an outsider's perspective, but she'd always been a bit peculiar. Most of her friends had tried to kill her at one point or another. She couldn't see anyone truly frightening, with the notable exception of Sesshomaru, who was making no effort to disguise that the dislike was mutual.

Kagome shared a speaking glance with Sango and she realized that the woman's motivation for taking these children was not to give them experience in combat, but to even their worldview. Eyeing Sesshomaru again, Kagome thought, Good luck with that.