Hello and welcome to chapter 2 of The Way. I am sorry for the wait but I was running all weekend long. I am going to upload two chapters for this tonight. I am anxious to see you all's thoughts on the next chapter. I did not get much reaction to the next chapter on Dokuga, sadly.
To answer a question asked, yes a seer inu is an inu who can see visions. I have gone into details later in this chapter.
Chapter 2: Shocking Discovery
Leaning against a tree, I watch as Sango and Miroku eat dinner. Shippo has already finished his and is chasing a red butterfly around the clearing. The scrape of the trees bark would have caused me a bit of discomfort had I still been in my human disguise. The smell of the fully cooked fish is tantalizing but I am still full from yesterday's meal of venison. The crackling of the fire and the sound of their chop sticks scraping against their plates comes to my ears. All of these things are once again in full effect against my senses. A few minutes later they are both finished and Shippo is still chasing after the butterfly.
Sango comes over and gracefully sits next to me. Her eyes are showing her emotions completely as they flit from one to another. They go from curious to confusion to worry and back to curious all in under the minute that we sit there in silence. Her slight crease develops between her eyes as continues in thinking about what to say. I allow her to think uninterrupted knowing that she wants to ask about me and my abilities. It takes her a few minutes but she gets her thoughts straight.
"Kagome, why did you not tell us that you were a Seer Inu," asks Sango with a bit of sadness in her tone.
I can tell that she is unhappy with me for not telling her, the one I consider a sister, what I am. I motion for Miroku to come closer. From the look on his face, I can tell that he also is curious about it but wants to give Sango a chance by herself to get information. I look over to Shippo and see that he has stopped chasing the butterfly and is looking curiously at me. With a wave of my hand, he continues on with his playing knowing that I will be fine.
I turn back to face Sango and Miroku now that he is sitting down. Both of them are sitting very close together and have worried expressions on their face. I let out a nearly inaudible, even to my ears, sigh. They have the right to know all that I can tell them without breaking a clan law.
"I did not tell you because I foresaw that if I showed I am a Seer Inu that Naraku would hunt me to the ends of the earth. He would have given up his hunt for the shards until he had absorbed me into his body," I tell them with no emotion in my tone.
Sango shivers while Miroku just looks at me thinking of what he should ask.
"What exactly is a Seer Miko," asks Miroku.
"Human, youkai, or the clan's definition," I reply in a series tone.
"How much of a difference is there between all of them," Sango requests.
"What are the different definitions," asks Miroku at the same time.
Both turn to stare at each other for a second before turning back to me waiting for an answer to both of their questions. This will take some time to finish.
"There is a very huge difference between the all of them. Even between youkai and clan definition. The human definition is just an inu that can see the future," I say as I look up towards the tree tops watching as the tree branches sway in the wind. "To the youkai it is an inu of the black inu clan which can see the past, present, and future both near and far. According to that definition we can also show what we are seeing to a person we are close with."
"That is a large difference between just the two. What about between youkai and the clan definition," asks Sango as she leans forward with interest.
"I can only tell you so much about us Seers because long ago the clan head decided that some information never is told to humans or demons," I tell them.
"Tell us what you can Kagome-sama," Miroku urges in a soothing tone.
I look at them both preparing to give them the fullest definition I can give which even with the restrictions is long and tedious. I wonder where to start. Alright let's just start with the basics.
"For every three thousand black inu demons born there is one black Seer Inu demon. Black inus are rare as is but a seer is even rarer. Everything in both previous definitions is true. Usually what we see is seen by us because the kami want us to change it. Sometimes it may be for us to help who we see. We can see things that people ask of us. We are commonly used to find mates, lost precious items, and places. We have . . . ." my vocal cords have frozen and will not let me utter another word about the subject to my friends.
I try saying something else about Seer Inus but my vocal cords will not budge on the subject. I growl at the spell that blocks us from ever breaking the decree even if it has been changed recently and we have not sworn to it.
"Kagome what is wrong," asks Sango with concern. "Is an enemy near?"
Both of them jump to their feet in automatic assumption as soon as the words leave her throat. I sigh and stand up. I pull on Miroku's robes and Sango's slayer uniform. Both jerk around to face me prepared for fighting. I shake my head and point to my throat.
"Oh something has stopped you from saying any more," Miroku guesses.
"Yes," I say experimentally to see if it is a time voice block or if it just covers the details. "As I said earlier, I am only allowed to tell you so much and apparently a new block has been added to the promise that all of us Seer Inus."
"Oh, so what should we do now, Kagome," asks Sango as they both sit back down closer to the fire.
I go and sit against tree. I bring my right knee up to my chest and place my right arm on it before laying my head on top of my arm.
"I think it would be best if we head back Kaede's for a little while. While there we can gather supplies from this era and the future. I plan on staying here after this trip so I will get as much as I can. After that would you like to return to your village," I respond saying the last part looking her directly in the eye.
"If Kohaku survived the final battle he will return to there. I would really love to go back to my village," she says with tears in her eyes.
"He is alive, Sango. Naraku had too many uses for him even after he removed the shard from Kohaku's back," I say convincingly.
"Are you sure Kagome," she cries.
"Very much so," I tell her. "We should head out in the morning."
Miroku nods in agreement as Sango buries her head in Miroku's robes. I gently pat her head as I pass by them to go get Shippo so that he may get ready for bed. I find him near the edge of the clearing playing with a bit of his fox magic. He is using it to make copies of himself to play chase. A smile comes across my face I stand and watch him for a few minutes.
"Come on Shippo time to prepare for bed," I command.
"Yes mother," he responds running towards me.
His copies turn back into leaves as he jumps into my arms. A shock travels through me as he rubs his head against my chest. It is the urge to have my own pup one day. It will be a long time from now before I can have a pup of my own. Yes, a very long time until then. I walk over to his sleeping bag and place him on it. I watch as Shippo's red orange hair disappears with in the sleeping bag. A few seconds later his head pops out of it as he settles down. I smile at the cute picture he poses. His green eyes and white canines clash with the red of his hair and the sleeping bag. I gently smile down at him as I settle into a comfortable position beside him.
I pull my left leg up to my chest and let his head rest on top of my right leg. This must be a favorite position of the inus because Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, and I seem to prefer it. After a few minutes of complete silence Shippo is a sleep while curled up against my side. I look around and see that Sango and Miroku are lying against a tree. Her head is resting on his chest and his arms are wrapped around her waist. Ah, it will be nice to finally see them wed.
I keep watch through the night allowing every single one of my senses to bring me information. My ears pick up the sounds of the hunters of the night and the sound of prey trying to keep itself alive for at least one more night. My nose brings me the scent of fresh blood with every kill made, demons coming and leaving my sensing range and the fresh scent of water from the nearby brook. My eyes pick up the flight of the night hunting birds and bats as they fly through the night sky. I can feel the vibrations of animals moving on the ground around our camp. Some approach it but come no closer than the light ring of the fire. Around dawn the world starts to calm once again as the nocturnal animals prepare to sleep and the day animals still sleep before their awakening. As the sun rises, I watch once again before starting my now morning routine.
Once everyone has eaten, I start packing Shippo's and mine things away. I look up and see that Miroku and Sango are ready to get going. Kirara is in her larger form and is well rested. I smile at them.
"Ready to go," I ask them just to make sure.
"Whenever you are Kagome-chan," Sango says.
I nod before picking up Shippo as Sango and Miroku jump onto Kirara. I start to travel to the south-east towards Edo. Shippo climbs to my shoulder as I start out at a slower pace so that Kirara can stretch some before we start moving at faster speeds. About an hour later, I pick up the pace since she has had enough time to stretch. We stop traveling at noon to eat lunch and then continue from there until an hour before sun set. We continue this routine for the next three days that it takes to travel to Edo. Now that I can use my true form we can travel much faster than before.
The smell of death clings to Edo. It is to be expected because all humans smell of death at least a little bit for they are slowly dying over time. The villagers stare at me but say nothing because they know that Sango and Miroku would never bring a dangerous youkai into the village. We walk slowly through the village to Kaede's hut. I push the door hanging open and step in quickly followed by Sango and Miroku. Kaede looks up from mixing up herbs. From the smell of it, it is a mixture to treat arthritis.
"Hello Kaede-baa-chan," I say with a slight bow.
"Ye have me at an advantage child. Ye know my name but I have no knowledge of yours," Kaede replies with a nod of her head in acknowledgment.
"I am sorry you have not seen me in this form. I am Kagome, Kaede," I answer as we all take seats around the hut.
"Child how have you become a demon," asks Kaede.
I spend the next ten minutes explaining to her what I am. She listens to me carefully. Her surprise slowly slips away to understanding and sympathy for having to hide my true nature for all of these years. I ask her to help Sango and Miroku with finding supplies for the journey to and starting to rebuild the Taija village. Kaede agrees and starts to list things that may be of very much use to us as we rebuild the village.
"Well, I am going to take Shippo home and gather some supplies that will last us a long time," I tell them as I stand up.
"Very well Kagome. I wish you luck with saying your good byes," Kaede says with a smile on her face.
"Thank you. I should be back in a weeks' time," I tell them as I push the door hanging out of mine and Shippo's way.
Shippo walks by my side as we head to the well. Many of the villagers follow us with their eyes very much curious about this strange demon, me. I keep my pace slow enough for Shippo to keep up but as fast as he can go without going fast than a quick walk for him. It takes us ten minutes to get to the well. I place my hand on the edge of the well sighing at the feeling of its rough edges on my skin.
"Ready to go Shippo," I ask.
"Yes, oka-san," he replies as he jumps into my arms.
I swing myself up and over the lip of the well and into its' depths. As we near the bottom, a bright blue light surrounds us signifying our passing through time. As the energy gently sets us down at the bottom of the well, I pick up the scents of pollution of my time.
'It is good to be back in my original home again,' I think to myself.
'Yes, even if only for a short time before we must return to the time we now call home,' my beast says in a pleased tone.
She is pleased to finally have a time to call home. For the last five years, it has been hard traveling between because it caused confusion as to which was truly home. Ah, but now it will finally be settled.