With the hanyou's uncanny demonic speed he and Kagome arrived at the village entrance in just a minute's time, the enormous bear youkai looming above them only 100 yards away at the end of the street. The demon was tall enough on it's hind legs that it's massive head blocked out the now dipping sun from the companion's view and Kagome could feel the young fox kit clench his fists and hold fast to her shirt as he quaked in fear. Inuyasha crouched down once more and Kagome immediately climbed off her mount, stepping back a few paces from the hanyou as he drew the rusty katana that always rested at his side. As soon as the sword slipped from it's sheath though, it released it's true power and grew in a size greater than even one of the bear youkai's fangs and yet the hanyou didn't seem hindered by the great dog demon fang whatsoever, instead he grasped it with only one clawed hand and stood tall, the sword's razor sharp tip pointed upwards towards where it's chest might have been if it was facing them.
"Over here, ya bastard!" Inuyasha shouted as loud as he could at the demon. The youkai responded by taking it's time to peer over it's broad shoulder, a single visible scarlet eye gleaming back at them. Frustrated that it's meal had been disturbed it pivoted itself toward them, it's massive hind paw obliterating the side of a villager's home until it finally faced them. The bear spread it's enormous jaws wide and released a deep, threatening snarl that vibrated the earth beneath them within a quarter mile or so radius, something horrendous made all the more terrifying by the gallons of blood smeared across it's muzzle and fangs. Kagome felt Shippo struggle to keep himself steady and calm even as he wilted and shivered beneath the bear demon's gaze, but even so Kagome herself was not as frightened as Shippo but that is not to say she hadn't already had drawn an arrow from her quiver and laid it across her simple bow or that she breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Kirara land behind her and Sango and Miroku dismount to take up their own battle stances, staff and Hiraikotsu in their grasp.
"Ha! This'll be easily!" Inuyasha declared as he grasped Tetsusaiga in both hands before slamming the elongated blade into the ground in front of him. "Kaze no Kizu!" He shouted before a burst of light came from beneath his sword, successfully summoning a great release of power that tore through the path before the group and reached the bear youkai in utter seconds before it climbed it's body and effectively engulfed it. It's screeches silenced even the shouting village guards that arrived from the castle to slay the beast only just as Inuyasha had summoned the Wind Scar. As the wind and dust cleared the area the only thing that was left of the great bear demon were chunks of bulbous flesh and three enormous divots in the village street. Inuyasha huffed and pulled his sword toward him as it transformed back into it's original form of a rusty katana, placing it back into it's sheath and turning to look at the small crowd of villagers and village guards that had gathered as he slew the beast with one stroke. After a moment's silence the group of towns folk cheered for the traveler's that had coincidentally arrived in just the right amount of time until shouting was heard behind them and they respectfully separated into a path. Kagome, at this moment, noticeably moved to stand at Inuyasha's side, her forgotten feeling of dread now returning full force.
'But why?' She wondered as she continued to await the arrival of whoever was coming closer with her companions. 'This feeling...Had nothing to do with that bear demon?' As she struggled to understand it's meaning a young man, surrounded entirely by well armored castle guards, stepped through the crowd. He first looked over at the group of traveler's before turning a shocked gaze to where the bloody mess of a bear youkai and back again, his inspecting gaze wandering over each of the group before his gaze rested on Kagome and her heart felt like a block of ice had completely engulfed it. The Lord smiled kindly and strode over to the village's saviors until taking a deep bow to the group of travelers which each returned in kind, all except Inuyasha but the Lord did not seem to notice.
"Thank you very much, kind travelers. You have saved my people from certain death at the hands of that beast. Would you consider staying in the night? We have plenty of food and lodgings and would be happy to oblige as thanks to our saviors." The Lord stood to full height after saying this and never let his kindly smile drift from his face.
"We couldn't save everyone, unfortunately." Inuyasha replied gruffly and then mumbled his annoyance when Kagome elbowed him in the ribs and Miroku stepped forward with his own smile.
"And perhaps you have some women?" Miroku asked with a perverted laugh until there was audible growl that came from behind him and he coughed and placed the edge of his palm in front of him, closed his eyes, mumbled a Buddhist prayer before looking back to the Lord. "We would gladly accept your hospitality."
"Stop now? It's barely noon!" Inuyasha mumbled loudly and Kagome respond with her own whisper, despite her uncomfortable feelings toward the Lord.
"This is most likely the only castle we'll see for a while if we continue down this path, we should stop a rest! Besides, I want a bath..." She added, eying the Lord of the castle suspiciously as he faced Miroku.
The Lord smiled brightly at the monk. "Wondrous! Please please, come with me. I shall show you all your lodgings and, please forgive my rudeness, I am Lord Tokugawa." Miroku, introduced each member of the group in turn before walking alongside the Lord and striking up a friendly conversation as they headed toward their destination, Sango and Kirara hurrying to catch up with Inuyasha and Kagome as they strode along behind Miroku. Kagome's slender fingers did not cease to twitch ever so slightly as she kept close by the hanyou's side and kept watch on the Lord, barely noticing Lord Tokugawa's bodyguards keeping behind Sango and the now transformed Kirara resting on her shoulder or the villagers that smiled and bowed as they passed before slowly breaking apart to return to their duties or to whisper amongst themselves about the travelers and what they were going to do about the disaster that was now this section of the village due to the bear demon and Inuyasha's Wind Scar.
Surprised expressions struck every one of the companions as they were led directly into the castle and invited to rest in separate spare rooms while the Lord had his servants prepare food for each of them. Kagome now sat in her own designated quarters, a simple room with a tatami mat laid out for her and one lamp for light. Shippo had unexpectedly scampered in not a few minutes ago and was now rifling through the now nearly empty yellow pack she lugged around, hoping to find a spare piece of candy at the bottom of it's depths and the girl, having stopped trying to tell him there was none left long ago, now flipped through the textbook that was open in front of her by the light of the lamp but she was uninterested and barely reading it, her mind preoccupied. The now notorious foreboding sense of dread barely lingered as it stroked her heart, constantly reminding her that there was indeed something very wrong and she had to figure out what but this was one of the only times Kagome had felt calm and she intended to at least enjoy it, and so she closed her algebra text book with a determined clap and marched toward the door of her guest's quarters, the rice paper wrinkling slightly as she forced it open and closed only slightly more gently behind her. Her room, as with her companion's rooms, led directly outside and onto a patio pathway elevated from the ground with an enclosing railing on all sides. Kagome walked up to this railing and relaxed against it's side, arms crossed and stomach pressed against it, sighing mournfully. She was acting ridiculous, of course nothing was wrong. The Lord had taken them in and gave them a place to rest why should she be nervous about him? And yet her stomach protested against her by tying her intestines into a knot and making her sigh once more.
'Maybe they'll finally let me have that bath...' She wondered.