Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of their characters, just my own plot and Charachers!

A/N: Hi! ^.^ Sorry it took so long kinda got distracted with the hurricane; OKAY! Second chapter please be nice. I hope you enjoy!

Summary: AU. "I'm a what?"… "Yes and you must go. He will be waiting for you at the border between east and west." "Hai Midoriko-hime." It's Time for Kagome to finally get her feet wet. It's Time to fight, but is there time for love?

" " Talking

' ' Thoughts

italics Beast

Chapter 2 Lovely Evening!

Last Time 'This is enough for now, enough tears have been wasted' she thought as she set her resolve and continued her fast pace; her secret mission that no one knew of: Letting her love go it too early for this' She closed herself off from those thoughts at the moment and continued her trek to the river to get clean. Today 's near death experience showed her how fragile and dependent she has become. She was damn miko! She should be able to fend off a stupid oni at least. Frustrated with herself she set about washing her clothes. 'I have to find a way to be stronger to help them all instead of holding them back.' Deep in thought she didn't notice the youki near her.

High up in the trees green eyes watched the scene with indifference. 'It should be soon then' he thought. "She is not what she seems" he voiced to the brisk morning air. The chill of winter clung to the wind. 'That light, this power… is it really her?' He turned to the east and then took off. 'I should seek the elders about this onna'. Kagome his beast purred, yes kagome; she was amusing and feisty. He smirked at her temper. 'Things will get very interesting.' He grinned a predatory smile as he picked up his pace towards the eastern lands.

Now

"Ahhhh" she sighed in contentment. 'It feels so good to be clean again' kagome thought as she finished drying her hair while walking back to camp. The sun shone brightly in the sky as she entered the camp. 'It's been such a long day and it's not even noon yet' "I bet if I asked for a day off he'd laugh in my face" she mumbled. This was too much for the day 'first…that dream, then almost being crunched on as an early morning snack and then…him'. "Never did catch his name" she grumbled to herself.

Her pace slowed and eyes glazed over as she thought of the man with sea green eyes, his deep silky voice, and his long shiny hair 'I wonder it's as soft as it looks'. She blushed as she caught her train of thought 'but Kami what a jerk! Who does he think he is lecturing me!' she seethed. "Uggh"she stomped in frustration. "He was right"

'Since when did I depend so much on others' she thought.

"Oi!..Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled as he was crouched down in her face. "What!" She snapped while rubbing her ears 'and they say I'm loud' "You've been actin' strange all mornin', wats wrong with you and who the hell were you talking to?" he bellowed. She looked around the empty clearing while the rest of the group gave her confused look as they packed food and camp away. "Huh?"she said completely confused. Everyone had watched as she entered the camp, ate, sat down, and talked to herself.

In a half dazed stated she was going through the motion of eating and setting away her stuff in her enormous monstrosity she called a backpack without acknowledging anyone; then leaning against a huge tree in the camp while stroking a snoring shippou's fur. They all gave worried glances to each other wondering the same thing… what on earth is going on with our friend. "Iie, daijoubu. I'm just tired is all" she voiced giving them a weak smile. They gave her a skeptical look.

Inuyasha snorted and walked away. "Whatever.. get your lazy ass up and get movin', day lights burin and we got shards to hunt. "Hai, Hai" she said then she felt a weight on her shoulder. "Kagome? Um… are you sure you're ok?" Shippou said tiredly while rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. She smiled at his concern. "Yes, I'm fine" she cooed as she kissed the crown of shippou's russet auburn hair. "Hey, kagome lets go" Sango shouted in the distance. "Yeah" she smiled as she jogged to catch up.

As the last of the sun's rays disappeared from the horizon they marched on there was no lead to Naraku or the jewel all day. "Inuyasha, can we stop and make camp?" Shippou yawned. "Stop your complaining, if it wasn't for some-one getting kidnapped all the time we would have covered more ground. Stop being a wuss, yer a demon." "Inuyasha…stop being so mean he's only a kid!"Kagome growled out. Tears welled up in the kit's eyes. "I'm not the only one who's tired Kirara is tired too and she's a demon!" Shippou defended.

Inuyahsa turned to yell, "We are not stopping, not if I got somethin' to say about it." There was still light left. "You know, I agree with Kagome, Inuyasha. We can barely see what's in front of us, let alone hunt for a fragment of the shikon" Miroku reasoned. "Yea Inuyasha you've been setting a pretty gruesome pace and we're all a bit tired" sango said. " Poor Kirara is so tired from flying after you all day."Keh…whatever ...now stop yer complainin' He snorted as he led them away to a nearby clearing.

Getting into routine everyone set about making camp. Sango went out to get more firewood and Miroku followed behind; more so for the view of her swaying backside than to help. As shippou set up the pit for the fire and sleeping bags,Inuyasha was intently cleaned the rabbits and fish he caught. "Hey Inuyasha could you point me in the direction of water" kagome asked. Without missing a beat in his cleaning he jerked his head to the right side of the camp. "hmp… thanx" she grumbled as she shouldered her quiver and bow. 'No need to get mistaken for dinner' she thought dryly. Kagome walked through the forest occasionally tripping over upraised roots from trees 'when she started to wonder where the heck the water was, 'should I have turned or keep walking straight?'.

After a few more minutes of walking and she soon noticed the thinning of the trees and then heard rustling up ahead. She expanded her aura and youki pulsed in return. Readying her bow she crept forward slowly trying to pinpoint the area where she had felt the youki and waited but nothing. Listening for the rustling she finally heard a lil chirp. 'A bird? That's a loud rustle for a bird.' she thought puzzled. As she moved closer to the bushes harboring the bird, its movements ceased. Curious she peered into them and found the most beautiful white bird as big as a hawk doused in green flames.

Shocked she stood there observing until it let out a shrill cry. Snapping out of it she noticed blood coming from its wing. As she inched closer she concentrated some of her power in her hands and encased in in her healing ki. As it felt her miko powers surface it began to try and flap its wings and get away while releasing a distressed screech. She winced at the noise. "Shhh, its okay I want to help" she said as she stopped her ki and put down her weapon slowly. It calmed once she was unarmed. "Such a beautiful bird you are, I want to help you" she cooed at the bird as she bent down carefully. It calmed a bit and turned it it s large blue eyes toward her staring straight into her eyes searching for something; she kept eye contact but bowed her head a bit at the strange feeling it was invoking, she almost feel 'insecure?'

After finding what it was looking for it too bowed its head and chirped happily in acceptance; being mindful of the flames on the birds' head she scooped it up and placed it in her lap. Looking at the blood caked wing she could tell it was far worse than she thought. Not only the wing but its torso had a huge gash on it. "You must have been through a lot" she whispered. It gave a long sad squawk. "You can understand me can't you?" kagome inquired. It nodded its head. "Well I'll do my best to get you fixed up" she voiced. The white bird just cocked its head to the side. She turned to reach for her kit only to remember her first aid kit is in her bag at camp. 'Damn' "I guess I have to take you with me for a while… hope it's okay" she said the bird in her lap. As she looked at it she wondered. "Will your flames burn me? I need to carry you back to my camp and I don't want to aggravate your injuries by holding your torso. Laying on your back would be better for you." The bird chirped and shook its head no. 'This would go much better if I could understand you.' The bird chirped as she shouldered her weapon and began her trek back to the camp. "Inuyasha is gonna flip" kagome said as she hung her head in defeat.

Walking into camp, Kagome briskly headed straight to her bag all the while covering her now unconscious patient in her arms. "Where's the water?" Sango inquired as she bent over to tend to the dwindling fire. "And the pot" Miroku added while eyeing Sango's plump behind, hand twitching for the opportunity. Ignoring everything but the task at hand she quickly placed the bird on the ground carefully then sifted through her huge bag to find her small first aid kit. 'uggh… why do I have soooo much stuff!' she thought.

A curious tiny two-tailed nekomata crept slowly away from her human charge while scenting the air. Finding her new inquiry's scent quite delicious she stalked closer to the miko peered around her bag taking to find a tasty 'firebird…delicious'. Crouching low and extending her deadly claws as she readied herself to pounce on the unsuspecting prey. Like a spring she propelled in the air and with a fierce growl in early triumph startled the bird awake causing it to ignite is green inferno swirling dangerously around in a tornado of fire and torrent winds. Kirara made mew of distress as the tornado approached her. "Kirara!" They all shouted.

The growl and flash of heat startled the miko out of her search and quickly snatched Kirara out of the air away from her pyro patient. "Are you okay?" the stressed miko asked looking over her neko friend to see if she was hurt. Sango abruptly all but snatched away what remained of her family into the safety of her arms as tears pooled in her eyes, refusing to be set free. Miroku comforted the distressed taijiya while shuffling the two away from the spiraling youki.

Kagome now intent on her new friend gathered her bow and in her haste forgot the arrows. Watching the youki building from a now white eyed bird without thinking kagome drew her bow and gathered her miko energy and orb of light gathered at its front she then released it into the fire to negate the youki. 'It's not enough' she thought as she closed her eyes in concentration and pooled as much as she could from her body, intent on saving not only her friends but the injured bird. 'S-so much, please don't kill him she thought' as she continued to feed energy into the vortex of youki.

"Kagome!" both the monk and taijiya called out watching their friend battling the out of control fire. They were already in battle stance ready and protecting a sleeping shippou and neko. Watching their friend closely they were ready should she need their help also. They watched as she stepped closer as its youki started to pulse sporadically, 'Inside…it's calling me inside' she thought. Closer and closer still she struggled through the winds pushing against her. As she approached its youki would jump more and more until she entered and its heat raged towards the heavens. "Kagome!" they screamed.

They had watched in horror as the birds' fire exploded with their most precious friend inside and felt as the fragment of the jewel pulsed in unison and then faded. Miroku quickly grabbed Sango and cradled her against his chest then cast a barrier with his staff as the intensity of its heat and light increased and blinded them. Unable to see past the inferno the demon had cast upon them they waited in anxiety, searching past the barrier into the light for the miko that had brought them together. After a few minutes the blaze quieted as abruptly as it had started leaving no trace of its existence but two bodies covered in ash. "Kagome!" Sango said as she snapped out of her bewilderment and ran towards her friend, her sister. She ran straight into a barrier and fell backwards to the monk who had approached more cautiously.

"Hmm, I assumed as much" he said cryptically as he caught Sango while eying the shimmering barrier. It shaped an oval around the ash covered young woman holding a white bird in her arms. "Miroku… what is that thing?" she said worriedly now back on her feet, testing the barrier surrounding her friend. "I believe my dear Sango it is a shell protecting her." "A shell? Isn't that a barrier?" "Well, I believe that the bird is protecting her" he said 'along with something else' Miroku thought to himself. "But why is that thing protecting her! It nearly killed Kirara; it nearly killed Her for kami's sakes!" She growled in anger.

Miroku put a calming hand on her shoulder "Now Sango", he said sternly "it was injured badly and about to be eaten. Any demon would have done the same in the state it was in. I don't think it would have hurt Lady Kagome on purpose, it had let her carry it, ne?" Sighing she let her anger go, she knew better than anyone what a gravely injured demon was capable of. "Hai, hai but when will she awaken?" Sango asked as she turned to the perverted monk who was surprisingly behaving having it be just the two. "Who knows it could be hours or days" he said as he closely watched the shimmering shell. It danced with an array of pink, green, and blue. 'What does it mean' he thought. "We might as well sit and wait for her to wake" he voiced setting about tending to the fire that had died as soon as the inferno was snuffed out. "Hai" Sango said sadly wanting to help her friend but cant. She tended to Kirara's burns and then went about fixing for everyone, hoping her friend would wake soon.

Elsewhere

"Inuyasha" voiced as she laid cradled within the roots of tress are glittering blue orbs bobbed in the air as the shikigami danced above gathering the souls for her to absorb. A lone figure clad in red emerged from the dense forest. "Kikyo" he whispered taken in by her ethereal glow. He loved her, he truly still loved her but 'it isn't right but' he thought sadly thinking of another blue eyed miko. "We should talk" he voiced steeling his resolve.

To the west golden eyes narrowed at the intense amount of youki that was released in the distance. "Jaken, find shelter and protect Rin" he commanded as he started walking away. A humming Rin sitting on Ah-Un stopped to listen intently. "Ack" he squawked. "M-my Lord where are you going? Don't leave you most loyal servant with that fil-…augh" he squirmed and gurgled under the boot and gaze of his Lord. "This Sesshoumaru should not have to remind you of the penalties should you fail" as he cut away his smoldering gaze and directed it in the direction of the burst of power 'Hn,' he thought as he raced in its direction with narrowed suspicious eyes.

After regaining his composure jaken dusted himself off. 'Why Lord Sesshoumaru do you torture your servant so' "Hurry up you silly girl let us go". "Master Jaken…" Rin voiced "where did Sesshoumaru-sama go?" she asked "I do not know" he grumbled. Playing with the dragons long black mane she hummed. "O when will my lord return to Rin? O where could be?" she asked then continued on to hum when he did not answer. "Hush you impudent girl, come I have found shelter!" he yelled. "Hai, master Jaken" she voiced. Sliding off the dragon she rushed inside the empty cave dragging with her a grumbling and set about getting food for Ah-Un and herself. As they settled in they couldn't help but feel the tension in the air. The silent forests didn't bode well for things to come. "Rin hopes her Sesshoumaru-sama will come back soon" she said as she cuddled up and slept next to Ah-Un in the brisk night for warmth. The dragon curled around the girl protecting her from the harsh cold, stared out into the night awake and alert from the high tension. 'Me too, Rin me too' Jaken thought.

In the east, the council convenes. "Why have you sought us?" one elder asked. A glint appeared in his sea green eyes as he looked at the council gathered around him. " I have found her" he stated simply in a bored tone. Searching for recognition in the eyes of his council and seeing only puzzled looks he elaborated. "When was the last shugo-sha?" Everyone gave confused looks not knowing where any of this was going. "The last was believed to be around almost 300 years ago. What does th-" The Lord held up his hand to quiet him and watched as he seethed at being cut off. Smirking he leaned forward and placed his chin upon his folded hands at the table. "I have come upon the new guardian." He exclaimed in an amused manner as shock registered on their faces and the room broke out in murmurs "Have you seen proof, does she bear the mark or her familiar?" He frowned at this "I saw her aura, she is but a simple girl untrained an-"

"Are you sure this girl is the one.." one elder continued in a patronizing tone smirking as he cut of 'his highness'. "She bears no mark or skill as you have stated so how is our young Lord to know such a being?" more murmurs erupted others stood to get their say; voices increasing in volume. "Silence!" the Lord growled as the room swelled with his stifling youki to the point of bringing some of even the strongest elders to their knees. Golden green eyes mixed with red in his rage as he stood glaring at them all. "You will say nothing, till this one is finished " He growled, the implied threat was left hanging in the air. "She has a huge reservoir of power stored within her raw and untapped." He said. "You all know well the power of my blood… I have seen her soul. She must be trained and protected as you know it is now the responsibility of the east to see to it". The counsel settled down some as the youki receded back into their Lord. "Who will guide her?" one curious elder asked. Regaining his former amusement he asked "Tell me, how is one to remove a claim upon a female?" He inquired to the counsel.

A/N: DONE! So what do you think? I know its the same day that all this crap is happening and I know you want to know more about mister mysterious... HOld ya horses Im geetting there.

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