At dawn, as a brisk wind chilled the air of the hut, the miko caught sight of movement outside the mat covered entrance of her hut. Moving to the entrance of her hut, she moved the mat aside.

Deep within the forest a lone figure made her way from the roots of a tree along a well known and worn path and stood in the same spot she would day in and day out, but today was different. Today she was not alone, for she felt that she was being watched. Raising her head, she slowly turned in the direction that she felt she was being watched.

"You might as well come out, I know someone's there. Or are you planning on attacking me once my back is turned?"

"I'm not that much of a monster that this Sesshoumaru would attack you while your grief and fear are sharp." Kagome heard as the owner of the voice came out so she was able to see him.

"No I would have been lifeless now if you were." Kagome answered as she turned back to the position she normally stood every day. "Though I am wondering why you are here and are talking to a mere human?"

"You will be coming with this Sesshoumaru." Kagome once again turned.

"What? Why would I be doing that? Kaede and the..."

"The elder miko knows of this. This was agreed upon as dawn arose. Your belongings are by the tree from which I approached you from. Let us be leaving."

"I must speak with lady Kaede." Kagome turned towards the village.

"The elder miko left the hut as I left the village. Retrieve your belongings and we leave." Sesshoumaru remained where he was as she slowly went over to where her bag was left by the western lord. Only when she picked up her bag did he turn and head into the woods.

Neither one spoke as they walked. The only sound that broke the silence between the two was the occasional snap of a twig as Kagome followed along behind Sesshoumaru. If it was not for his strong hearing and his since of smell, he would have thought he was walking along from the deep silence.

"The pile of wood. What were they?"

"Family...Home." She breathed in deep between the two words.

"A shrine to your family? Or a home that was to be built for you and Inuyasha."

"It was a dry well that I was able to see my family. Now that it's been destroyed I'm unable to travel to see them."

"How is one to travel by a well? It is but a hole for water. There are other ways to travel home."

"Ya if I had a very long life span."

"Explain."

"I will not be able to live long enough to see them due to the fact that..." She stopped to take a slow breath in. "So anyway where are your traveling companions? The little girl and the green guy?"

"They are a day and a half away. We will not meet them this evening. Why might you need a long life span?"

"Because they are not of this era."

"Not of this era?"

"I'm from an era that is five hundred years from this very era. So that is why I would need a long life span to see my family again." She watched as he stopped. "Did you not wonder why I've always dressed so differently, spoke differently?"

"Inuyasha knew of this secret life?"

"Yes he knew. He had even been to my era. The rest of the group knew as well, but were not able to cross over to my era. Most of the time when Inuyasha and I got into an argument, it was because I was going home. He always said it took time away from hunting shards. Not many people knew about the well. It was destroyed by Kikyou. She did it so the shards that I had was kept close. The only way she would have known about the well was because Inuyasha had told her." The silence once again returned between them as they carried on.

Traveling throughout the rest of the morning in silence after their conversation, the western lord came to a stop. He scanned the area as Kagome caught up.

"We will rest here. There is a small stream beyond those trees."

"I don't need to rest. I am fine."

"You will find out this one is not like Inuyasha." He turned from her and walked away.

Standing in the spot where Sesshoumaru had left her for a bit longer, she turned and headed in the direction that he informed that a small stream was located. Getting to the small stream she found a private spot where she could relieve herself then made her way over to the stream and knelt down to wash her hands. Once done she headed back the way she had come.

"Come we travel." Was heard as the western lord proceeded to leave.

Silence quickly came back as the two traveled. While following behind Sesshoumaru, the question that was left unanswered from back at the destroyed well re-visited her mind and that question being as to 'Why she was to come with him."

"Hmm. The answer is simple. He wants to keep an eye on his enemy. Since I'm a miko and I'd given the sword he wanted to his hated brother many years ago, he's planning to make me pay for it now that Inuyasha and the others are not around for my protection." Kagome voiced out quietly to herself. Her conversation with herself did not go unheard. For though he did not let on that he heard. He heard every word that she had spoken. Sure he should have explained why she was coming with him but he is not one to explain himself or his actions to anyone.

"We will rest here tonight." He watched as she did not say a word, but sat the yellow looking bag thing of her's down and proceeded to look around the immediate area. Thinking she needed some privacy he left the area. Back at the camp Kagome went around looking for wood as she had done before with her friends. Upon arriving back at the camp sometime later the western lord noticed the miko knelt down next to a burning fire.

"I thought a fire would be nice. Sorry I should have waited to see if it would of been ok." She slightly lifted her head when the color of white caught her eye. Looking up she noticed something in his hand. "Would you like me to cook that for you?" Yet she received no answer from him. Instead she watched as he placed the carcass within the flames then went to sit down. Sometime later Sesshoumaru stood on silent feet and walked over to the fire. Using his claws, he ripped a chunk of meat from the rest then returned to his spot.

"Eat the nourishment that's provided."

"Thanks, but I'm not hungry."

"Your stomach voices otherwise. No food has been taken into your body today." He watched as she made no move to get any of the meat. Finishing his meat he stood and walked over next to her. "Much food has not been taken in it seems since you were left in the village." Taking the remaining meat he held it to her. "The elder miko held much worry in her."

"Is that why I am here? Why concern yourself?"

"One such as yourself should prize a moment such as this for this Sesshoumaru hunts not for those who travel with him." He dropped the meat in the fire then left.

After much time had passed since he had left the camp that contained the miko, the western lord entered the area to see the small miko huddled into a ball on the ground asleep close to a dying fire. Raising his gaze to the sky, he knew that many more hours were still to come and go before dawn would make its self known. Being so he walked to the dying fire and placed some wood that the miko had gathered onto the small flames. When the wood caught fire he stood. As he readied himself to move away from the fire he heard a shuffling sound.

"Return to sleep. Dawn is many hours away." He spoke with his back towards her. Hearing the shuffle sound once more behind him, he walked over to a near-by tree and sat down.

Morning dawned cold and clear as Kagome opened her eyes to see Sesshoumaru standing and waiting. Standing to her feet she watched as he began to leave.

Throughout the morning and through the mid-day Kagome had tried to communicate with the western lord but only received silence. She reminded herself over and over again with i whom /i she was trying to talk to.

"Master Jaken, when will Sesshoumaru-sama come?" The girl asked as she picked the petals off of the wilting flowers she had picked the morning Sesshoumaru did not show back up to their camp.

"You bothersome child, leave me be."

"Master Jaken, Rin's bored."

"Quiet you wretched child." Jaken raised his staff into the air.

"Do not strike her Jaken." The two looked towards the voice.

"Sesshoumaru-sama." Rin went to run towards Sesshoumaru but stopped when the sound of brush moving close by.

"Let me take care of this intruder Milord." Just as Jaken stepped forward a figure came out of the brush. "The wretched miko, Milord."

"Sesshoumaru-sama went to get the pretty lady Kagome." Rin looked up at Sesshoumaru then looked over to Kagome. "Pretty lady why do you look so skinny? Are you sick?" Rin left the western lord's side and walked over to Kagome and took a hold of her hand then lead her over to the small fire. As they were walking over to the fire Kagome's stomach rumbled. "Wait here and Rin will go get yummies to eat." Rin ran out of camp. Little bit later Rin came back with things in her hands. She knelt down by the fire and spearing the things onto sticks then placed one end in the ground and the other over the flames to roast.

Meanwhile the green imp and the western lord watched as Rin went about as if nothing was out of the ordinary. A short time later Rin picked up one of the sticks and walked over to Kagome holding out her hand.

"Here is some yummies." Kagome looked at the girl but did not reach for the stick of food that was being held out to her. "Please take it. Rin know's how it feels not to have food in belly. Belly feels much better if you eat this. You don't want to get very sick do you?" Rin leaned close to Kagome and bent her head down and looked into Kagome's eyes. Smelling the food Kagome's stomach protested against the fact she had not eaten for a while. Rin smiled when Kagome took the stick from her and began to take the items off of the stick and began to eat them.

"Milord wh..." Jaken stopped what he was about to say when he noticed that Sesshoumaru was not anywhere. Jaken sat against a tree listening as Rin told the miko what has happened since Sesshoumaru had left Kagome at the village.

As the events continued being told to Kagome, Kagome's eyes began to get heavier and heavier to finally they closed. Seeing that Kagome had fallen to sleep and seeing that the sun had gone down. Rin quietly went over and placed more sticks on the fire before she lay down to sleep. Upon drawing near to the camp the western lord noticed that the area was quiet. Entering the camp he noticed that both his ward and the miko were asleep as his retainer was sitting against a tree.

"Does Milord truly intend to bring the wretched female with us?" Jaken asked as he watched Sesshoumaru took a seat by a tree.

"Presume not to question me Jaken." Was all that was said.