Here is the next chapter!

The mark you left upon us

A whole four months had passed since that cursed day, the day Kagome had been killed, taken away from those she loved. Her departure from the world of the living had cast a dark shadow over InuYasha and his friends. The event had caused them all so much pain...

The light had left their eyes, leaving nothing but the trace of sorrow and sadness, a dark reminder of what had happened to their dear friend.

Sango had refused to speak to anyone for weeks after, she had preffered to be alone, practicing with her hiraikotsu or with Kirara. She had eventually come around though, for the sake of those she had left, those she still cared for.

Miroku had also been rather distant with everyone, deeply sadened by the event. Like Sango however, he still greatly valued the friends he still had, ones he needed to help and look out for. He would never abandom any of them, especially Sango. Kagome would never have wanted that. The monk chose to prey daily for Kagome's safe journey to the afterlife, hoping she would find peace. Sango had begun to do the same, as had Shippo.

Shippo had done literally what any young child would do when they lost someone dear to them: cry. Shippo had wept and wept for weeks after, seeking what ever comfort he could find from Sango or Miroku. They had tried their best with him, but found their own sadness involving the young miko's death was still far to fresh in their minds. Kaede had offered her support to the group also, she also mourning the loss of Kagome. Kagome had done so much for them all, they had realised. She'd been there for them all through thick and thin. She really had been what had kept them together as a group, and she had left her pure mark on them all. She had given them friends, family and love. In the end she had died saving them all from certain death.

Kagome deserved to see that her friends would carry on in life together, continuing to look out for eachother, care for one another. It had been tough to begin their quest once again without the young miko, but they would do their very best. They owed Kagome that much.

One warm night, InuYasha found himself resting in the branches of Goshinboku, the sacred tree he had been pinned to by the miko Kikyou for 50 years. His friends had begun their travelling once more earlier that day, but InuYasha had elected to saty behind. He would catch up with them later. For the moment, he had other things on his mind.

Kagome's death had really taken its toll on InuYasha, and the group suspected he blamed himself for what happened. They knew InuYasha had suffered greatly from it, far more than any of them. He just about cut himself from his friends completely, very rarely choosing to interact with them at all. He was so full of despair and anguish, it was like nothing he had felt for years. Kikyou's death had been painful but it hadn't compared to what he felt now. He had almost lost his will to live, the friends he still had being the only thing that had kept him going for so long. Knowing that it would have been what Kagome wanted helped a little aswell.

InuYasha thought back to that horrible day, the day he had lost the most important thing to him.

Kagome.

He missed her so much. He missed her laugh, her smile, her warm touch, her scent, her voice, even her sit commands. The rosary around his neck was the only thing he had left of Kagome, that and her red neck tie she had worn. InuYasha thought back...

Her neck tie.

It had been the only thing they had been able to recover of Kagome. It was battered, ripped and covered in a small amount of blood, which InuYasha had recognised as Kagome's. He hadn't been able to save her, only watch helplessly as Naraku pierced her chest, sending her over the cliff to her doom. He lost all feeling in his body when he saw her fall, he could only yell out her name at the top of his lungs.

Naraku had chosen to flee with his injuries inflicted upon him by Kagome and the jewell. InuYasha and his friends hadn't cared though, the only thing on their minds had been Kagome.

As soon as the energy subduing them had passed, InuYasha had lept to the edge of the cliff at lightning speed, calling out Kagome's name as he made his way to the ground far below. Sango, Miroku and Shippo had taken to the air on Kirara, flying down to the river below and following it along, hoping to find some trace of Kagome. They searched well into the next day, refusing to give up. Exhaustion had taken its toll though, and regretfully, they had been forced to stop to rest. The true realisation about Kagome had started to sink in. No human could have survived such a fall, it was too far, too steep...

InuYasha had refused to stop searching though. He went on for days looking for her. He didn't want it to be like Kikyou, he didn't want to loose Kagome to. He had been angry at his friends for giving up so soon, and took his temper out on the surrounding trees and wildlife, leaving a steady path of destruction in his wake. On the forth day of searching, InuYasha had come across Kagome's neck tie. The horrible reality of the situation hit him hard just then, and he fell to his knees in overwhelming grief, tightly clutching her tie in his hand. He pounded the ground with his fist until it bled, all the while howling in anguish. His friends didn't think they'd ever heard such a saddening cry.

InuYasha always kept her tie with him now.

InuYasha had had to be the one to tell Kagome's family back in her time, being the only one left now who could travel between the two worlds. He'd done his best to forget how badly her family had taken it. He hadn't been back to them since, knowing they despised him now.

For months now, InuYasha had only kept one thing in his mind.

" Naraku, you WILL pay, you WILL pay for what you've taken from me! YOU WON'T EVER TAKE SOMEONE ELSE FROM ME AGAIN!! MARK MY WORDS!! "

In a village not too far away

" Oh thankyou priestess! That dreaded demon shall terrify our lives no longer! How can we ever repay you? " An elderly man asked, his fellow villagers also showing their appreciation to their saviour.

" Pay it no mind, it was no trouble at all " a calm voice answered, " perhaps we should proceed to help treat master Kentai's wounds now? "

" Yes indeed. Thankyou so much kind priestess..."

As the woman who had began to walk over to treat the master Kentai's wounds turned round to look at the elderly man, she smiled warmly at him. The man took in her face properly for the first time.

The woman was a miko, wearing the traditional miko garb. She had long, bouncy raven hair that was tied up with a white ribbon, allowing a few whisps of it to fall around to shape her face. She had slightly pale skin, but with rosey cheeks. She also carried a long bow and arrows across her back.

She was truly a vision of beauty and grace.

The only thing slightly strange about her were her brown eyes. At first glance they appeared light and full of warmth, but now as the elderly man looked closer he saw something different. Her eyes had a sense of loss and insecurity about them. They seemed to hold back a deep unknowing about herself, though it remained almost perfectly hidden to the passing spector. Only now had the man chosen to look so deeply into them had he noticed...

The priestess looked at him with slight concern for a moment, and blinked absentmindedly. This snapped the village man out of his trance as he shrugged off the feeling and proceeded to help her treat his fellow villager's wounds. Inside, as the priestess got to cleaning and wrapping up the wound inflicted upon the young man, she was watched with awe by the village folk. Never had something as pure as this woman come into their village before. She moved about her duties with such grace and delicatesy, like nothing they had witnessed before. They greatly appreciated the young miko's help and promised her any favour in return. The priestess had declined, explaining there was no need for it, she was merely carrying out her duties as a miko. Instead, they pleaded with her to stay for a few days to rest and recover from her fight with the demon. She thanked them but told them she really had to be on her way.

As the priestess bowed to the villagers one last time before setting off once again, a young girl with long brown hair and wearing a pink kimono came up to her shyly. The miko politely kneeled down and smiled warmly at the girl.

" Umm...I..I wanted...well...we all felt we should give you at least something in return for your kindness, " the girl stated.

She held out her hands and placed into the miko's own a small object wrapped in fine cloth. The priestess opened it carefully to find a small, golden bracelet. It shimmered brightly in the sunlight, reflecting its rays.

The priestess looked at it with awe.

" Oh...you really didn't have to give me something as precious as this...you should have it back..." The miko said as she placed it back in the young girl's hands. But she gave it right back.

" No, you are to keep it, see it as thanks, and a sign that you will always be welcome here. "

The miko smiled warmly once more at the girl, and slowly stood up again. She gave them all a bow once more and a thankyou before setting off at a walking pace. The villagers waved to her as she went and she waved back.

As the priestess walked along, she carefully tucked the gift inside her white kimono shirt. She turned back once more to the village and silently thanked them once again. They had been just as kind to her as she had to them, and with the perilous journey she had ahead of her, she greatly appreciated their kindness and hospitality. She gave them a silent prey of safety before setting off along the dirt path again.

Suddenly, out of the shadows came a small demon, a neko demon to be exact, with giant ears, a long tail but a small body. It jumped onto the priestess' shoulder and lightly nuzzled her cheek at her return to him, his green slit eyes alight with joy.

" So mistress, do you find any food for me while helping those villagers?, " the larged eared cat asked.

The priestess smiled at him slightly before stopping her walk and pulling out from under her kimono a piece of fish wrapped in cloth. " That's half from my dinner last night, eat it up, that's the most food you'll be able to eat by sunset, " the woman explained as the cat gobbled his fish down greedily. She inwardly smirked to herself as she watched the cat eat.

" You're such a pig, Kari..."

The miko waited until he'd finished, then set off walking again, her demon friend trotting happily beside her, satisfied with his fill.

" Thankyou, mistress Kagome..."

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