PERFECT IMPERFECTION 4

Firelight flickered and danced, casting strange shadows over the group. Khyber sat close to a now perfectly alert Tetsumi, protecting her as though she were her own child.

The silence was broken by Inuyasha. 'Oi, wench, how come she's the one crying' here he nodded at Tetsumi. 'if you're the one bleeding?'

Before Khyber could utter a sound, Tetsumi piped up. 'Milady healed me! I was crying 'cause I got hurt, but Lady Khyber healed me!'

Khyber shushed Tetsumi. 'Quiet now, child; the forest has ears.'

Tetsumi yawned. 'Besides' Khyber added. 'I think its time for you to go to bed.'

'Yes Lady Khyber.' The young child responded, walking over to a gnarled old oak tree and nestling herself in its mossy roots.

'She certainly is obedient.' Miroku observed, having woken up earlier. 'Why does she call you Lady?'

'I'm not sure' Khyber admitted. 'I've tried to get her to stop, but she is a very persistent child.'

'Why does she travel with you?' inquired Sango, glaring at a certain monk who was edging closer… closer….

WHAM!

'Eh… is he always like this?' Khyber questioned, shifting away from the grinning monk.

' You have NO idea.' Kagome and Sango said in unison, while Miroku sighed happily and said, 'It's worth the pain.' Khyber just shook her head in disbelief.

Sango looked at her. 'You didn't answer my question.'

Khyber looked startled. 'You mean, why does she travel with me?' Sango nodded. 'Well, Tetsumi was a miko-in-training. One day her mentor sent her out to gather herbs, but when she returned, the village had been destroyed. No one was spared, not even the children. Fearing whoever had done this would return, she fled into the forest, but became lost. I found her wandering around the eastern lands, and she's been with me ever since.'

Shippo grinned. 'Cool!' he yawned, using an expression he had adopted from Kagome. Then a thought occurred to him. 'Whatabout you?'

Kagome gasped. 'Shippo, that's rude!'

Khyber just looked at him sadly. 'Storm's rolling in.' she said at last. 'We should head for cover.'

After gathering their belongings and moving camp to a cave they had passed earlier, Khyber told them she was going for a walk.

'I thought you said it was going to rain.' Questioned Kagome, who was trying to start a fire. 'It is.' Khyber replied happily, walking off into the night.

ONE HOUR LATER

'I want to eat!' Inuyasha grumbled for the hundredth time.

'Well, we're waiting for Khyber, so get over it!' Kagome glared at him.

'Someone say my name?' Suddenly Khyber appeared, dragging a young buck into the cave and shaking water from her wings. 'I brought supper.'