A/N: I'm so so so sorry! I hit a writers block half way through this chapter and my computer broke twice! (groans) So, without anymore of my babble, here's chapter 3!
Disclaimer: Only an overused imagination people.
Chapter 3: Names and Travel
"Do you want me to carry your pack, Kagome?" Sango asks gently.
"Yes, please." Kagome replies with a small grin. "I guess I underestimated the weight of my backpack with the weight of the baby."
Sango gives a small laugh and helps her friend slid her pack off before slipping it on her shoulders over Hiraikotsu.
"How much further to Kaede's village?" Shippo pipes up from Miroku's shoulder.
"Not till after sun down." Inuyasha grumbles. "And it'll be even longer if we have to stop again to get milk for the pup."
"I've told you already," Sango rolls her eyes. "I got enough milk to feed her till we get to Kaede's. I practically milked the cow dry."
"Keh." He turns his nose up and continues down the road.
The group remains silent for a few minutes.
"She needs a name."
Everyone looks at him.
"Well it's true." Shippo chirps. "If she's going to stay with us, we can't just call her pup."
"I agree with Shippo." Miroku adds. "And if I may say, I believe her name should be Mitsukai."
"Why Mitsukai?" Sango asks.
"She must have been guarded by an angle to survive so long without her mother let alone when the villagers came after her. So it seems to suit her well."
"Makes sense, but I like Enzeru." She replies.
"Enzeru? I like Enju" Shippo adds.
"Megumi seems to fit best." Miroku argues.
"Who deemed you worthy of deciding her name?" Sango snaps.
"Yeah!" Shippo hops up onto Sango's shoulder to seem more intimidating, as well as be on the winning side.
The three of them argue back and forth about the name, claiming there's was best.
The baby's ears swivel towards the source of the sounds, as though knowing they were talking about her. She turns her head towards Kagome's chest and burrows into the warmth. Kagome only smiles down at the baby. The names given out all seemed to fit perfectly. She shifts the infant to her other arm once the tips of her fingers start to go numb, waiting patiently and observing her friends argue.
Inuyasha on the other hand, was getting impatient. Since arguing seemed to be of higher importance, they had stopped…again! Even Kagome was sitting on the sidelines listening to the arguments with a goofy grin on her face.
'Alright, I am not going to let something this stupid keep me from getting to the village! I'm hungry!' Inuyasha glares at his friends. "Megumi!" He yells.
Everyone turns and looks at him, even the baby opens her eyes.
"There, it fits all of the names you three threw out. Now lets get going!" He turns on his heals and continues down the dirt road, storming, actually.
"Megumi." Kagome whispers. She looks down at the baby in her arms. "I like it. Do you?" The baby looks up at her. She sneezes and one of her jet-black ears flop over her eye. Giggling, Kagome says, "I take that as a yes."
"I like it as well. For once, Inuyasha solved an argument, rather then start it." Miroku states.
"I heard that monk!" He yells from down the road.
Everyone stats to laugh as they follow the hanyou to Kaede's village.
"I see, but ye do understand that a large burden has been placed upon ye shoulders, aye?" Kaede looks thought her one good eye at the younger miko across the fire pit.
"Not a burden." Kagome says softly, trying not to wake the sleeping baby in her arms. "More like a challenge."
"But caring for a baby will be difficult, Kagome. Ye even said it yourself, women don't typically become mothers in your time till much later. Finding milk alone will take much time, as well as keeping her safe when in battle." Kaede replies. "And she is a hanyou, she may need to be raised different then a human baby."
"Then Inuyasha can help." Kagome states.
Inuyasha sits up with a stunned look. "What do you mean me! No way am I raising the pup! You were the one who wanted her in the first place!"
"Inuyasha!" Kagome hisses. "Keep your voice down, Megumi is sleeping."
"Keh." He turns away from her, glaring a hole into the closest wall.
Kagome rolls her eyes.
Sango decides to change the subject. "Have you heard any rumors lately about Naraku or the jewel shards?"
"Actually, many of the youkai in near by areas have been keeping quiet lately. Probably from sensing large amounts of energy typical of Naraku. Priests and priestesses, like myself, have been sensing this as well. But before anything can be decided what to do about it, it's gone. This has been going on for about a week. Energy masses in and out in seconds."
"Odd. Usually Naraku stays in one place, sending out others to do his dirty work. But those are usually weaker youkai that he can manipulate easily." Miroku taps his chin in thought. "Maybe he's planning something."
Kaede shrugs. "If he is, we know little about what he's planning, because that's all we've heard."
"Either way, thanks for the notice. It could be nothing, but we'll keep that in mind lady Kaede." Sango leans against a transformed Kirara and prepares for sleep. "It's late though, and we should get to sleep."
Miroku leans against a wall and shuts his eyes. "Good idea Sango. We've had a long day."
Inuyasha leans against the door frame and Kaede lays down on her mat in the back of the hut. But Kagome pulls out towels, rags, and other miscellaneous cloths and prepares a bed for Megumi. As soon as she places her down, she lays closer to the fire to make up for the lack of warmth from her blankets.
But after about a half hour, Megumi starts to whimper. Kagome gets up right away and tries to consoul her.
"She wants to sleep with you." A hushed voice says.
Kagome looks at Inuyasha.
"Megumi, she wants to sleep with you. Pups typically want to spend every second with their mother. Their scent alone makes them feel more secure because they're just starting to sense their surroundings."
Kagome looks down at Megumi. Her face is glowing slightly from the beams of moonlight coming from the windows and her jade eyes are focused on her. Kagome lays down again, cradling Megumi in her arms as she lay on her side.
"Thanks, Inuyasha." She mumbles sleepily. Her breath brushes by one of Megumi's ears, causing her to flick it back.
'Maybe Kaede is right about this being harder then I originally thought. I'll go home tomorrow morning and talk to mom, I'm sure she'll have plenty of advice.' Kagome thinks lazily as she starts to doze off.
Although Kagome didn't know it, that was the start to a very long night; and it wouldn't be the only one.
A/N: I know the chapter sucked, but I have a lot of ideas for the future! And I bet no one will guess what the twist is! (grins evilly) I promise I'll work faster on the rest of the chapters! See you guys soon!
