A/N: Hey! Guess who didn't post another chapter before she went to Disney World? Or after she went to volleyball camp? Or after JV tryouts? Or after... I think that's it. Well, she would be me.

Um. Sorry about that.

This chapter is a bit short. It's also unedited. I fired my beta-er. I'm all alone now, posting mediocre chapters for a mediocre story written by a mediocre author! Oh well... Hopefully it isn't too bad! I just feel better having someone to bounce my terrible plotlines off of so I can raise the quality to sub par before I post them. But alas, I am now a solitary writer. Dear me.

One more thing- I know nothing of bows and how they are used. Sooo… pardon me for my inadequacy at writing anything even remotely resembling good work when that weapon is involved. And you do nock an arrow, right? RIGHT?!

ENOUGH SELF PITYING. I command you all to enjoy the chapter! Now!

xxxx

Kagome awoke slowly, but did not move. She did not wish for Sesshoumaru to disturb her while she thought about the decision she had just recently made that involved traveling with a supposed enemy for an indefinite amount of time. She felt as if she had somehow betrayed Inuyasha by agreeing to do such things, which she was sure was how Inuyasha would feel about it. But she couldn't just back out of it now. She was honor bound, and she didn't wish to leave Rin to the devices of a youkai. She was just a little girl.

Kagome cracked one of her eyes open to look for the taiyoukai. He had not moved from his place by the mouth of the cave, his back turned to her as he gazed upon the scenery below him. Kagome turned over and got to her feet, blinking groggily as she did so.

"Good morning Sesshoumaru!" Kagome called to the taiyoukai, who stiffened a moment before relaxing just slightly.

"Wench." Sesshoumaru greeted her in his usual cheerful bedside manner.

Kagome walked over to Sesshoumaru and sat next to him, watching a bird circle over a group of trees. He glanced at her, but did not say anything, as was his nature to be silent.

Kagome felt somewhat excited about this whole training thing. She had never really gotten a chance to reach the full extent of her miko powers, or do much anything with them. She just knew that they were there, and that it was possible to do impossible things with them.

And yet, she was also incredibly nervous. What if Sesshoumaru deemed her unworthy of his time after he had seen how she did in these exercises? And what if Inuyasha wouldn't take her back once she had completed this mission with Sesshoumaru? That would be absolutely dreadful. Kagome bit her lower lip and continued to stare at the bird, who was too busy circling to notice the young woman watching it.

"Do not be nervous, wench." Kagome turned to Sesshoumaru, who was still gazing into nothingness. "This Sesshoumaru did not simply choose the first miko he saw for this task." The taiyoukai shifted his gaze to the young woman sitting beside him. "You will do well."

Kagome smiled slightly, Sesshoumaru was actually trying to comfort her. He was doing it a bit crudely with the whole "wench" thing, but he actually was trying to make her feel better.

"However, if for some unknown circumstances you do manage to fail, this Sesshoumaru will not allow you to hinder his progress."

"Er- I'll try not to?" Kagome grimaced at the thought of what would happen to her if he left her behind in unknown territory.

"Hn."

Sesshoumaru stood an as elegantly a fashion as he could possibly manage. He began walking to the edge of the ledge until he realized that Kagome was not following him. "Would you do this Sesshoumaru the honor of following him?" he asked in the most caustically sarcastic voice he could conjure. Kagome jumped and rushed to his side.

"Where are we going?" she asked as the peeked over the ledge. Kagome was quite certain she wouldn't be able to climb down to the bottom of the cliff. It looked absolutely treacherous. She felt herself going green in the face as she thought of having to climb down.

Sesshoumaru scanned the area for an open space in which they could practice in. He instantly picked one out several miles away. "Over there." The taiyoukai waved a hand in the general direction of the clearing. "Retrieve your weapon."

Kagome scurried back into the cave and found her bow leaning against the back wall of the cave with a full quiver of arrows. She wondered briefly about when Sesshoumaru had gotten them for her before deciding it unwise to keep him waiting. She hoisted them over her shoulder and returned to Sesshoumaru, who was watching her intently. She stopped several feet away from the taiyoukai, waiting for his instructions. He arched a brow and beckoned her closer. She inched forward, not really wanting to be near him. She could still feel the bruises he had left on her neck, and she did not wish to receive a new set of them because she was too forward in her actions.

Sesshoumaru formed his glimmering cloud beneath them and stared at Kagome pointedly, who was standing at the perimeter of the cloud.

"Do you wish to plunge to an untimely death, wench?" Sesshoumaru asked, once again using a tone that was very nearly dripping with sarcasm.

"Of course not!" Kagome replied, moving her bow farther up her shoulder.

"Then stand closer to this Sesshoumaru."

Kagome grimaced and scooted closer to Sesshoumaru until she was touching the fringes of his giant fluffy pelt. Sesshoumaru sighed quietly and jerked the cloud to the left, causing Kagome to stumble into his pelt.

"You are trying this Sesshoumaru's patience." Sesshoumaru announced, now speeding forward towards the clearing. Kagome squeaked and buried herself deeper into the pelt. Sesshoumaru stiffened as he felt the girl's tiny hands clutching at his prized furry.

"Sorry!" came the muffled reply from his pelt. Kagome pulled herself out of the fur and stood closely to Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru kept his eyes trained on the clearing, refusing to look at the impossibly annoying girl standing beside him.

The distance melted away, and, in a matter of minutes, Kagome and Sesshoumaru found themselves hovering over the open space. Sesshoumaru lowered them to the ground slowly so as to not cause the girl to leap at him again. The cloud dissipated once it touched the ground, leaving Sesshoumaru and Kagome standing at the edge of the clearing.

"Wench." Sesshoumaru pointed to a tree on the other side of the clearing. "Shoot that tree."

"But it's-"

"Do it." Sesshoumaru snapped his head to glare at Kagome.

"Yeah, okay!" Kagome nodded quickly and took an arrow out of her quiver.

She took several deep breaths as she notched her arrow in her bow and aimed at the target. She pulled the bowstring taut, lining her arrow as well as she could at the tree. Sesshoumaru watched her carefully as her indecently short kimono fluttered in the breeze. He would have to have her wear less... provocative clothing in the future.

Kagome shut her eyes, praying to Kami that the arrow would hit its intended target. She let go as she exhaled, feeling the string slip from her fingers and shoot the arrow through the air. The arrow just barely grazed the side of the tree.

Kagome smiled slightly, proud of herself for nearly hitting a target from such a lengthy distance. "That was close!" she exclaimed, her smile widening.

"You missed." Sesshoumaru replied, arching a brow at her antics.

"Ah, but I was close!" Kagome retorted, striking a pose with her hands placed on her hips.

"Hn. May we both hope that your enemies veer wildly to the right when you shoot at them, else you will miss them."

"You're just full of encouragement, aren't you?" Kagome rolled her eyes as she turned away from the taiyoukai.

"Attempt to do it again." Sesshoumaru called as he began settling against a tree trunk to the side of her. "This Sesshoumaru is confident in your ability to shoot a large, unmoving target."

Kagome grumbled as she picked up another arrow and notched in her bow. The steady, controlled breathing began again... and she released. Once again, the grazed the side of the tree, leaving a small notch in it. Kagome twisted around to Sesshoumaru, who was watching with a bored expression.

"Again." he stated in his statically unemotional voice.

Kagome obediently responded. And missed... again.

Kagome glared at the tree as if it had been swaying to the side whenever she shot at it so she would miss. "I can't do it!" she complained, balling her hands into fists. She felt childish, but this whole exercise seemed completely useless.

"You make the same mistakes every time. Do you never learn from them?" Kagome frowned and planted her bow in the ground. Sesshoumaru stood and walked over to her. "Ready yourself again." Kagome picked up an arrow and readied herself once more. Sesshoumaru examined her closely, circling around Kagome, cataloguing all of the flaws in her stance in an instant. Sesshoumaru raised her arms slightly and turned her body straighter. He told her to plant her feet wider apart.

"The bow and arrow should become an extension of yourself, even though it is a weapon. Allow it to become one with you, and the release should be more fluid." Sesshoumaru stood directly behind her and leaned closer to her. The scent of jasmine engulfed his senses, but he stoutly ignored the pleasing smell. "Focus." he whispered, eyeing the girl standing under him. She narrowed her eyes, feeling her entire body quake under the pressure. Her heart rate increased, and she could hear her blood rushing through her veins. "Now, release." Kagome let go, and the arrow was released with a sharp twang.

It hit the tree, nearly directly in the center. The point buried deeply into its bark and quivered slightly from being stopped to abruptly. All the energy that had been building in her body had ebbed away, leaving Kagome feeling drained and fatigued. She slumped slightly, leaning against her bow for support. Yet, she could feel pride humming deep within her, congratulating her for doing such an excellent job.

"Again." Sesshoumaru called, once again leaning against the tree, his completely disenchanted expression back in place.

Kagome stiffened and turned slowly around to stare incredulously at Sesshoumaru. "Again?" she repeated quietly, disbelief apparent.

"Hn." He waved a hand, motioning for her to continue.

"But, I'm exhausted! That shot took a lot out of me." Kagome blew her bangs out of her face to better glare at Sesshoumaru.

"Your enemies will not pause to give you time to rest if you are tired." Sesshoumaru gazed at her through heavy lidded eyes.

"I don't see any enemies around us right now!" Kagome's lips turned downward in a frown.

"Always be prepared." Sesshoumaru arched a brow, daring her to not nock her arrow.

Kagome groaned and nocked an arrow in her bow. Exactly as before... Kagome eyed her target and pulled her bow taut, attempting to get that same feeling of determination to build up again within in her once more. She imagined a small ember glowing within the middle of her chest, attempting to truly catch flame and burst into an inferno of concentration.

Something was building in her. She could feel it growing, fluctuating but just within her control. She narrowed her eyes and put just a small amount of her miko powers into the tip of her arrow, watched it turned a soft pinkish hue. Just... let go. She released the string from her grasp and stumbled backwards as the arrow shot out of the bow like a rocket, hitting the tree and burning a small hole in it.

"That was acceptable."

"But I have to do it again?"

"Hn." Sesshoumaru viewed her through nearly closed eyes, and unless Kagome was much mistaken, he was about to fall asleep. But then she saw that flash of... something. Something inhuman, something that showed her that he was completely alert. Ready for anything. He was still a predator.

Kagome swallowed nervously and nocked her arrow... again.

xxxx

Miroku was relaxing, feeling quite content with the world. He leaned back and heaved a huge sigh as he prepared to take a nap as he waited for Sango to return. His eyelids slid shut and he began to doze...

"Where the hell is she?!" Miroku jolted upright when he heard the snarl.

Miroku found himself pinned to the ground a moment later, a clawed hand crushing his windpipe. A pair of piercing red eyes filled his vision, causing an icy hand of terror to clench as his heart.

"Inuyasha," he choked out, attempting to push Inuyasha off of him. This was quite possibly the first time the monk had ever wished that he hadn't groped Sango, causing her to storm off yelling something about men and death by flaying. Women were such peculiar creatures... "You know, it would be very difficult for me to give you an answer if I were to suddenly die at your hands!"

Inuyasha's eyes dulled as he considered Miroku's words of wisdom. He finally pulled back and rolled off of the monk, who remained prone on the floor, gasping for breath. When he had finally regained his composure to some degree, he sat up and gave hanyou the most Inuyasha-esque glare he could conjure.

"Now, I assume you're talking about Kagome." he began, attempting to collect his thoughts.

"Who else, idiot?" Inuyasha snarled, stuffing both arms into the sleeves of his red kimono as he did so.

"No need to be rude about it." Miroku sighed and leaned back a little. "I haven't seen Kagome. Last time I checked, she went to the future with you. Isn't it only logical that she'd still be there?"

"She isn't!" Inuyasha bowed his head in anger and sorrow. "I don't know where she is!" He buried his face in his hands.

"Calm down, Inuyasha." Miroku attempted to consol Inuyasha as his own panic began to rise. "If she came back to this time, she couldn't have gone far. You know how addle brained Kagome can get sometimes, she probably forgot something in this era, jumped back in to get it, forgot why she was here and just wandered off for a bit. I'm sure she'll show up in no time!"

"And what if she doesn't?" Inuyasha peeked through his hands at Miroku, his eyes momentarily reddening again. "What if she was taken away be some youkai bent on making her his bride? Or kill her? Or-"

"Then we'll save her! Saving Kagome happens to be something we're very good at, you know." Miroku smiled crookedly. "In the meantime, let's wait till Sango comes back. Then we'll all go out and look for her. We'd cover a lot of ground that way, and if Kagome really did just get lost, she'll probably wander back here by the time Sango gets back as well." He leaned forward, his smile widening.

Inuyasha lifted his head from his hands. "Why isn't Sango here right now?" he asked slowly, arching a brow at Miroku.

Miroku laughed nervously, feeling his face redden slightly. "Er..."

xxxx

Kagome swayed due to weariness as they traveled back to the cave they had slept in last night. Or at least Kagome had. She wasn't quite sure if Sesshoumaru slept...

She had trained for nearly the entirety of the day, steadily adding more of her miko powers to her arrow as the day went on. However, towards the end her powers began to dwindle, forcing Sesshoumaru to call off the session so that she would not completely exhaust her power supply.

But now... now would be a great time to just drift off to sleep. Kagome smiled sleepily at the thought. It was such an excellent idea...

"Do not fall, wench." Sesshoumaru's sharp voice cut through her drowsiness.

Kagome yawned widely and swayed even more dangerously. "I know, it would be irritating to you if I died a death that would be considered tragic by so many others." She stumbled slightly to the left as they swerved a bit to adjust their course, forcing Sesshoumaru to reach out and grab her tightly by the shoulder.

"Do not fall." He growled, pulling her farther away from the edge. Kagome felt her eyelids dropping even as she fought to stay awake. Her shoulders slumped, but she managed to remain conscious until they reached the cave, where she shuffled into the cave and fell down, already dreaming by the time she hit the floor.

Sesshoumaru followed in after her, creating a barrier around the entrance of the cave as he did so. He too would be sleeping tonight.

xxxx

A/N: If you have an organ even vaguely resembling a heart within you, I know you'll give me a splendid review to inspire me to post a new chapter!