Kagome Higurashi hadn't aged much in the sixteen years since she had left InuYasha. She had gained a little weight from being pregnant with Aurora. She had a few laugh lines that creased the corners of her eyes and she had traded in her school uniform for jeans and a t-shirt with a kitten on the front that Aurora had "convinced" her to buy and then gave to her on Mother's Day.
Kagome looked down at her fifteen year old and sighed. "Rory what have I told you about going into the woods by yourself?"
"Momma Boo was with me!" The Beagle ran up panting and smiling at that point and sat loyally by Aurora's side. "Yes, but he's just a pup! Like you! Wait till Hojo gets home and he'll take …"
"Hojo's not my dad. You don't even like him!"
"Now Rory…"
"Where is my real dad mom? I smelled something in the woods! It smelled like you and me! What was that…?" Kagome blinked. "Smelled?"
"Yeah, it ran like me! Well it ran from me but it was still there momma!" Kagome looked over Aurora's shoulder and into the woods. She let her aura slip into the woods, searching for his. "Hmm… Sit boy!" Aurora laughed and Boo tilted his head as if saying 'I am sitting'. A loud crashing noise cut Aurora's laugh short and set Boo off in a fit of barking. The blood ran from Kagome's face as she stepped off the car port and stood beside a bush. "Aurora, go inside." The girl was at her side in an instant, crouched down and growling deeply. "No! I'm the only one who can protect you!" She said. Kagome laughed, "honey do you not remember I am a Miko?"
"But momma!"
"Aurora…"
"Who is that?" Kagome's breath stopped as Aurora stood and sniffed the air in the general direction the man was coming out of the woods. His hair was not much longer and he now had a small goatee growing but he was defiantly InuYasha. Aurora stood in front of her mother and growled as deeply as she could. Kagome was a foot taller however, and watched InuYasha approach. He had tree branches and leaves in his hair from the fall which caused Kagome to giggle slightly. Boo ran in front of them and continued to bark.
The man raised a hand to bat at the dog when Aurora ran over and bit his wrist. "Touch my dog and I'll kill you." The threat caused InuYasha to cock his eyebrow at her. "Wait a second." He sniffed her and blinked. "Aurora!" Kagome ran out to the trio and grabbed her daughter. "I'm going to have to buy a leash for you two aren't I?" She asked her daughter and her dog. Aurora clicked her tongue and Boo can to her side and sat down; the hair on his back was still raised as a low growl emitted from him.
"Kagome who is this?" Aurora turned to her mother. "He knows you?!" Kagome winced and nodded. "Why does she smell like me Kagome? Who is she?" Aurora looked expectantly at her mother.