Disclaimer/AN: still don't own Inuyasha, sad I know right. Lol. Please enjoy.

So, there is a trend of flashbacks. It's for a reason I promise, I feel that they will stop as the story goes on and I combine the timelines, but considering I have no plot built yet and I'm 100% winging it, I ask for patience.

Chapter 4

Kimiko woke Kagome a couple hours before dawn. She smiled up at the young kitsune as she sat up and stretched her tired body. Getting up she put her warm blanket over both kitsune as it was chilly, the wind having a nip to it. She stocked some extra wood on the fire and strengthened the barrier around camp. Having slept most of the night, it had only weakened a little from what she intended. She set off to find food for the morning meal.

Hunting had become easy for her; the forest would whisper were a decent sized deer was. She followed the small trails, making very little noise. Once the deer was spotted, Kagome took aim and let fly her arrow, bringing down the forest creature quickly and without delay. Kagome quickly put the bow back on her back, prayed over the deer, then drug it back to camp. She cleaned the kill and got it over the fire to cook, while she went and took a bath.

She returned to camp just as day was starting to break. Shippou had already awakened, smelling the cooking meat. He had made sure it was already turned for her, smiling up as she approached.

"Good morning, did you enjoy your bath?" Shippou asked quietly, attempting to let Kimiko sleep after her hard run.

"Yes hun, it was much needed. Will you help me cut the meat so we can make strips for the trip?" Kagome asked. Trying to have everything ready to go by the time Kimiko woke.

"Yes momma." Shippou said, turning back to the meat to check it

Kagome proceeded to pack up the rest of camp and fill water canteens. No need to get dehydrated. She quickly and quietly put out the fire once the meat was done, and sat down as her and Shippou cut the deer. Working quietly and happily as they had done hundreds of times before. It made her think back on a time, after the jewel, when Shippou was still just a little too small to help much. Smiling her mind took her to the night he matured, right in front her eyes.

FLASHBACK

70 years ago, 5 after the defeat of Naraku.

"Momma?" A little Shippou asked, his voice laced with worry.

"Yes Shippou? What's wrong baby?" Kagome answered, concerned immediately.

"Well, I know we've never talked about this, but my 75th birthday is tomorrow…" Kagome gasped at this, she knew what was coming. Shippou held up his hands, silently begging her to let him finish.

"I will mature soon; my beast will awaken from its slumber. I'm not sure how we are going to handle this. I know that I cannot do it on my own. I need a powerful youkai to make my beast settle so I can regain control. I have no idea what to do, so I'm asking for your help, for ideas. I don't expect you to have an answer Momma. I know that you don't know, but maybe you have some ideas that might help." Shippou finished, tears starting to well up.

"We will figure this out together baby. I have no idea what we can do but we will sit down and brainstorm. How long do we have?" Kagome asked, hoping for a little bit of time.

"The next new moon, when her rays have left this land, my beast will surge forth. We got lucky, the new moon was 3 days ago. We have close to a month to figure things out." Shippou said, trying to hold fast that it was enough time to work with.

"Oh, thank kami!" Kagome exclaimed, hugging Shippou. "That gives us time baby. We can do this." She said into his hair.

So, they traveled, from youkai village, to the next, trying to find answers. While in a village, Kagome caught wind of rumors. Rumors of a great western lord traveling nearby. Perking up, Kagome immediately released her senses, trying to find the inu. He had his aura shielded, but not enough to stop her from finding him. She nudged the great lord with her aura, gaining his attention. The duo rushed out of the village, heading towards Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru stopped, knowing the aura all too well. Feeling the Miko rushing towards him, he stopped and sat at a tree trunk. Knowing it would take a few minutes for the pair to arrive, he relieved himself and closed his eyes, keeping his senses open.

As the pair arrived, they spotted the daiyoukai resting. They approached slowly, bowing before the inu, showing their respect.

"Speak Miko, and quickly, this one has little time for delays." Sesshomaru spoke flatly. Only mildly curious as to why the Miko needed to see him.

"Lord Sesshomaru, I ask for your assistance. My kit is coming to mature on the night of the new moon. I'm running out of time, I have no idea how to help my son. I'm asking for any information you can give me in my time of need." Kagome asked humbly, silently praying the lord would help her once again.

"That does not leave you much time Miko. Kit, how long did you wait to tell her?" Sesshomaru asked a shivering Shippou.

"The day before my 75th birthday, 2 weeks ago." He replied meekly, the lord scared him half to death.

"What have you been doing since then?" The lord asked, curious as to what ideas the Miko has come up with since then.

"We've gone from youkai village to youkai village, asking any who would hear for aide. No one had an answer for us." Kagome replied. Looking the lord in the eyes, trying to silently convey her plea. "I overheard people in this village speaking of the great western lord roaming close by."

"Hn"

"Please Lord Sesshomaru, I will do so in trade. I will practice my healing and take it farther than any other has, in order to come back and return to you that which was taken with my aide." Kagome was desperate. Her son was all she had.

Do not let this pass by us. She will make us whole again, we can sense the untapped power she has. She speaks true. She will give us our arm back. Sesshomaru's beast spoke.

I agree. She could be valuable in more ways than one. The half breed becomes my concern, they did not part well.

We shall help her here then. We are the most powerful lord there is. The others can wait a day.

"This one will help you Miko, for the price you stated. Know should you fail, you will owe me much more." Sesshomaru stated coldly. Not caring that he had scared the young one. What he did care about was the smell of amusement coming off the small woman in front of him.

"Is there something amusing about what this one has said Miko?" He asked sharply, pinning his hard gaze on the small female.

Immediately she started laughing. She buried her face in her hands trying to compose herself. Knowing that she was messing this up dearly, but still couldn't help herself. After a deep breath in and holding it for a little bit, she was able to pull it together.

"My apologies my lord, it amuses me how somethings never change. You offer aide, then death. It is very you, and it is good to know that you remain the same great lord that I know." She said with a smile.

"Hn" he replied.

My lord? Great lord that she knows?

I'm curious as well. I will not deny the great lord. She is right there.

We must watch this Miko.

I agree.

"Seeing that it is late, we will camp here for the night. On the morrow, we will go to a den of this one's, not too far away. From there we will wait. On the night of the new moon, we will be ready." Sesshomaru stated as he leaned back against the tree.

Once at the cave, the 3 fell into an easy routine, Sesshomaru, being the first up always, would hunt in the morning. Bringing back a cleaned killed ready to go on the fire. Kagome would slice it, leaving raw chunks for the inu, while putting the rest on the fire. Kagome would save some meat for lunch. Then she would hunt at night, while the meat was cooking she would go get her and Shippou a bath.

Kagome and Sesshomaru would go over the plan every night, while he helped the Miko prep her powers for what was to come.

Finally, that night came. As the sun started to set they all went outside to sit and wait for the sun's rays to completely disappear.

It didn't take long for the transformation to start. Kagome grabbed Shippou hugging him tightly as he started to moan in pain. Kagome release her aura, soothing the you kit, trying to make his beast recognize her and to help ease the transition. As he started to contort, she laid him down. Stepping back and calling forth her own powers.

She created a powerful barrier around her son, making it grow with the kitsune. The power building up was intense for one so small. Sesshomaru warned her that he would be strong. Kagome watched on, spell bound, as her son transformed. Sporting 3 tails instead of his normal 1.

Seeing this, Sesshomaru acted fast, flashing behind the Miko and placing his hand over hers. "Your kit is stronger than I anticipated, this one will assist you in keeping the barrier intact." He stated calmly, while holding the Miko in place. Of course, she had jumped when his hand touched hers, she thought she was being attacked out of nowhere.

"Thank you Lord Sesshomaru, I owe you much." She replied, putting her eyes back on her son. As his beast was starting to come to its senses. Looking at the pair, the kitsune lunged, only to strike the barrier.

Immediately, Kagome started talking. "Shippou, I know you can hear me baby. I need you to calm down. You have to let both parts of your mind be open."

Sesshomaru started growling at the kit, demanding he submit to the female as his alpha. Shippou's growls rumbled as he growled that he would never submit to a human woman. Conveying this, Kagome shrunk the barrier a little bit. Letting a tiny bit of her reiki singe her son. Hating herself but knowing she wouldn't kill him, she once again did what was needed.

"Shippou, submit!" She yelled. Hearing him growl again she turned to the inu, watching as he shook his head. Again, she shrunk the barrier. This time letting her scent travel through the barrier.

"Shippou baby come on. You know who I am."

Kagome fought in this manner with his beast for well over half the night. In the end, they were successful. Shippou's beast finally coming to terms with a human alpha.

END FLASHBACK

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sneeze. Looking over she saw Kimiko's nose twitching.

"What has hit your nose?" Kagome asked curious as to what caused such a reaction from the kitsune.

"Wolves" she replied getting up, "and they are getting closer."

"We are a few miles from their border. I'm not surprised they have come sniffing. I have a feeling one is already reporting back on who is heading towards their lands. We will have a visitor soon. Come, we won't make him have to come out his borders." Kagome said, standing.

"We will walk for today, after we meet up with the eastern lord, I will fly us the rest of the way to Jinenji." Kagome said while grabbing her bag.

"Jinenji?" Kimiko asked.

"A valuable hanyou friend of mine. He grows herbs of all kinds, I know he grows some roots I'm in dire need of. Seeing as I don't have the time right now to go hunting for them, this would be a faster alternative." Kagome replied with a smile.

Turning, Kagome watched as the first snout could be seen breaking through the tree line. 6 more followed behind the first, all of them tall and fierce looking. Smiling she leaned down and held out her hands. "Over grown pups, come here." She called. They raced forward, running to greet the loving Miko.

They bowled the small female down, licking, nipping, and yipping the whole time as they took turns giving affection to the now prone form on the ground. Giggling and scratching ears Kagome managed to push herself up.

Turning to the biggest of the group, she asked "Did you send one back to your master to tell him of my arrival on his lands?"

The big female barked and wagged her tail. Confirming what the Miko had asked.

"Good girl." She said while scratching and ear. Receiving a huge lick in return. "Will you be escorting us to the borders?" Again, she was given a bark and a tail wag. "Perfect, we are ready."

Turning to see the kitsune had already picked up their bags, they headed out. The pack of wolves decided to start playing, running and diving in between the group. None of the 3 could resist. Shippou and Kimiko growling playfully with the wolves, both diving to roll with a wolf of their own. Kagome leapt after the alpha female, jumping lightly on her back and ruffling the fur at her neck. The alpha female, not one to back down, rolled onto said Miko, effectively pinning the tiny female beneath her. The large wolf then proceed to wiggle causing Kagome to laugh.