Disclaimer: Inuyasha and company (as well as anything recognizable such as the Wind Scar and other things of that nature) belongs to their amazing creator, Rumiko Takahashi.

The First Falling

Chapter Two

The young priestess bid the monk goodbye and watched his young son and he walk away. The young boy was adorable and quite the lady charmer. Many of the young girls in the area were smitten by him; and many of the women in the area were smitten by his father. He had been visiting the village only to exterminate a demon that plagued them. As he turned to leave, a young woman from her village called out for him.

"Where will you go from here, houshi-sama?" She called as she folded her slender hands in front of her. She looked almost sad to see him go. Kyouko shook her head slightly. This young woman's husband would not be happy about his wife's inquiry. The men were already annoyed with monk as it was. "Will you pass through the Forest of Inuyasha?" Kyouko tilted her head. The original protector of the village, Keade, had told her of the Forest and its origin. Her sister, Kikyou, had been sealed the demon to a tree deep in the forest. She had died on the same day and the jewel had been burned with her body.

"Yes." Kyouko was brought out of her thoughts by the monk's answer. "I have heard of a demon terrorizing another village past the forest." Kyouko fought of a small shudder as she watched the monk turn and depart with his young son. She prayed that Keade would return soon. Demons had been acting up more and more as of late. She did not know how much longer the village would be safe under her care. She was simply a miko-in-training and this was her first major test. Keade had entrusted the village to her. If it came under attack and she failed to protect it, it would be on her head.


Kagome gave a small groan and sat up. A small gasp escaped her lips as she noticed the bones that surrounded her. Shivers racked her body as she stood to her feet. Instantly, she knew that she wasn't in the shrine anymore. For one, she could see the bones clearly. The sun illuminated the entire well. Kagome looked down. Tears filled her blue eyes as she wondered what had happened and how she was going to get out. She noticed the green vines surrounding her. The stone wall was covered in it. Kagome sniffled slightly and wrapped her small, chubby hands around two of them. With a small grunt, she began to pull herself up.

By the time she reached the top of the well, her hands were raw and bleeding from where the occasional jagged stone had cut her. She sat on the edge and fought off crying in desperation. She was but a child in an unknown place. She did not know that the scent of her blood would draw dangerous predators.


"Ah, that was a good village, wasn't it, son?" Miroku looked up at his father at the sound of his voice. The young child smiled widely as he thought of the young girls that had circled him. His father's cursed hand brushed his shoulder lightly.

"Yes, father. I hope that we will be returning soon," Miroku stated. He knew that they probably wouldn't be able too. His father was always actively searching for the demon that cursed his line. Miroku discreetly eyed the hand that continued to brush his shoulder. He knew that he would be next. The young boy's thoughts were still as a blood chilling scream rippled throughout the morning air. The small family broke out into a run.

Kagome dodged the large snake demon as it struck out at her again. It kept hissing something about a sacred jewel. Through her fear, the child was aware of the sounds of someone coming. She sent out a quiet prayer that they were friendly. She was near the wood edge when a set of hands shot out and grabbed her around the waist. The hands were small, like hers. They belonged to a child, but still Kagome screamed and fought.

"Relax," a young male voice pleaded. "I'm not going to hurt you. I was just getting you out of the way…" At his words, the noises and feelings that Kagome had ignored came into her senses strongly. The wind slapped her hair against her face and roared in her ears. The snake that had been attacking her was slowly going toward a man.

"What's happening?" Kagome asked her companion. His arms were still around her as if he feared she would run as soon as his hands dropped. They weren't in danger. The trees grounded them. "Is he going to be okay?" She looked over at the young boy for confirmation. She startled slightly at their closeness, but paid no mind. Boys didn't have cooties. She knew it to be a fact; after all, she had a younger brother.

"Yeah," young Miroku answered despite his temporary shock. It was not a question that he was asked often; then again, he didn't usually have to pull girls out of the way of his father's wind tunnel either. Come to think of it, everything about this girl was strange. Unlike the girls in the village, she didn't seem frightened or disturbed by how close he was to her person. She simply turned her attention back to his father.

Kagome blinked in surprise as she noticed that the snake was no longer there. She looked around and listened. Only silence greeted her. The child dropped his arms from around her. She instantly went to the man that saved her. His violet eyes turned to her in surprise.

"Are you okay?" She asked. Her hands laced together in front of her. His young son stood beside her. Miroku blinked. Did she not believe him? He watched as his father kneeled before the young girl.

"I am fine, child. The question that needs asking is this: are you okay?" The man with the strange wind asked her. Kagome's eyes were once more drawn to his right hand. Prayer beads covered the cloth that circled his hand. Her brows furrowed as she noticed that the grass around it was disturbed slightly. It seemed to be pulling unintentionally toward his hand. Without thinking, Kagome grabbed his hand in her small chubby ones. She felt the tensing of his muscles, but paid them no mind. The beads were cold against her hand and she could feel the soft pulling of the wind. Kagome furrowed her brows and flipped his hand over.

"I'm fine," Kagome mumbled. The man had fallen silent. He even seemed to stop breathing as her fingers ghosted over the small beads. She seemed to notice what she was doing and dropped her hand with a small blush. "I'm Kagome…" She introduced in a last attempt for normalcy.

"I'm Kazuya and this is my son Miroku." Kagome looked toward him then toward the boy that had grabbed her. He smiled sheepishly at her. Kazuya watched the children interact. He knew that he would have to eventually leave the girl with her family. He knew that it would be a while before they would meet again, but as he eyed the young girl in front of him he found that he didn't want to have too. She may be his son's only shot at a true friend-one that would still be there when the curse was passed down.

Kazuya was no fool. He knew that his death was coming. He could feel the Wind Tunnel spreading faster. He always attempted to hide it, but…the little girl that had his son engaged in a lively conversation had seen past his attempt. He realized with a start that she shouldn't have been able to see the rustling grass. He studied the young girl closer. There was a small pulsing of spiritual power around her. Kazuya suppressed a smile. He may have just found a way to keep the girl around a little longer. She would surely need training.

Kazuya was only delighted further by the quick friendship that his son seemed to be building with the girl. He briefly wondered why her parents hadn't come looking for her yet. She was dressed neatly, almost like a nobleman's daughter, and her way of speech was educated but strange. Kazuya thought of ways to convince the parents that their daughter needed to come with him. It was true that she needed to be trained early. Her powers were already at a startling level. It would be dangerous for her not to learn her abilities. She could harm herself.

"Father?" Miroku called again. Kagome and he had stopped talking a few moments ago in favor of waiting for Kazuya's answer. He didn't seem to hear the question or the first time Miroku called him. Miroku furrowed his brows and poked at his father's cursed hand. Kazuya jerked out of his thoughts instantly. Miroku smiled up at his father. "Kagome has a question."

"Can I travel with you?" Kazuya blinked. Unbeknownst to the man and child beside her, Kagome had been planning. She didn't know how she was to get home. She didn't know where she was, but she knew that this area was dangerous. Being a child, she didn't fully think her decision through. Traveling with Kazuya and Miroku would bring her farther away from the well. Of course, she also didn't know that even if she stayed near it she wouldn't be able to go back home.

The well had sealed itself. Kagome Higurashi would only return to her time when fate saw fit.

"Of course, Kagome," Kazuya said. Kagome smiled happily up at him as he turned to walk away. The children obediently fell in step behind him. Her companions did not notice the worried look Kagome threw back toward the Bone Eater's Well. The young child nibbled on her bottom lip as she turned away from it. Her stomach turned uncomfortably as she thought of her family's worry...

'I'm sorry, Mama...'