Chapter 7

Inuyasha sat up in a tree outside Keade's village. He was surprised the old hag had lived this long. Fourteen years after Kagome, his Kagome, had been tore away from him. He had visited the well every day all those years, trying to get to her. He had not aged much, he knew Kagome hadn't either. The night they had mated, he put some of his blood into her, making her age like he did. The only things different about him was he was taller and his hair had gotten longer, so most of the time he kept it up in a ponytail to keep it off the ground. He knew, though it had been fourteen years, she probably didn't look a day over twenty. He sighed and lay back against the tree staring at the blue, cloudy sky above.

"Hey, Inuyasha!" came a familiar voice from the ground. Shippo was looking up at the tree with interest. His full demon blood had been good to him as well. He was taller , just under Inuyasha's shoulder. His voice was deeper and with having Inuyasha to look up to, he had become a little like him. He looked like a fifteen year old at this point. "Keada made stew, she wanted to know if you wanted any." he said bluntly.

Inuyasha looked beyond him to her hut. He could see Miroku , Sango and their three children entering through the flap of the hut. He huffed and looked back down at Shippo and spoke. "Keh …. No. I don't much like that old women's cooking." he said.

Shippo growled under his breathe. "Whatever." he said turning around and walking away. Inuyasha had become so bitter since Kagome had disappeared, and he knew why. Miroku and Sango had told him about what he and Kagome had done the night before the well had sealed itself. He had some sympathy for Inuyasha …. he had lost his mate.

Inuyasha watched as Shippo had walked away back to Keada's hut. He stared at it for a moment and jumped down from the tree. His stomach snarled from hunger and he gave in. He gave one last look toward the forest and entered the hut after Shippo.

Izuma regained consciousness and slowly opened her eyes. Her head throbbed and blood covered her left eye. She sat up , rubbed her neck and realized she must have fallen into the well. She looked up and what she saw stunned her. Instead of the black roof of the well house, a bright blue, cloudy sky was framed by the square edges of the well. She blinked a few times and shook her head. Gently standing up, she braced herself against the dirt wall of the well. She noticed a rope ladder that was overgrown with vines, going up and out of the well. She gripped it gently, afraid it would come apart. After tugging on it a few times, she pulled herself up, climbing it fast closer to the light.

When she got to the top, she peeked over the edge and gasped. The well house was gone and in its place was a wide, open, green meadow surrounded by trees. Birds tweeted and the trees swayed in the wind. Looking around first, she hoisted herself out of the well and sat on the edge. She knew this place, this was…. the feudal era. Her jaw dropped as she slowly walked forward. Her Mom was right, it did exist. Either that or she had hit her head pretty hard.

"Hello?" she said as she headed into the forest. Pushing her way through the brush, she was met by a huge tree, the Sacred Tree. Izuma walked up to it and ran her hand over the bark. Her ears twitched at the sound of the tree's leaves falling to the ground. She shrugged, turned and walked on to what seemed like a road. Up ahead she could see what looked like a small village, right in the center of a wide open valley. She slid down the hill that led to the entrance to the village.

Her head throbbed as she walked past little ponds that surrounded her destination. People who were working out in the fields she past gave her odd stares. It creeped her out and she walked faster. A cold gust wind hit her in the face and she pulled her jacket from her waist, put it on and zipped it up. She covered her ears and hair with her hood and kept her head down. She suddenly remembered the old women her mother told her about who was head of the village, lady Keada. She noticed a boy outside by a small stream that seemed to run through the village. He looked her age and turned when he seemed to have heard her. He had bright green eyes, long orange hair that was tied in a ponytail showing his pointy ears. He looked like some sort of fox. She was shorter than him, but only by few inches. He looked at her with a curios gaze.

"Who are you?" he asked looking her over.

"Um…. I'm looking for Keada. You wouldn't know where she is would you?" she asked in a timid voice.

His eyes widened before he answered. "How do you know … never mind. Come with me." he said turning away and walking deeper into the heart of the village. She followed him until they came to a large hut and he beckoned her inside. Sitting in front of a fire was a rather old looking woman with an eye patch. She smiled at the boy and her eyes drifted to Izuma. "Hello young one, what is your business here?" she croaked sweetly.

Before Izuma answered, she asked in a tiny voice "Are you Keada?"

"I am indeed, do ye know me?" she asked.

Struggling for words, she answered slowly. "I …. think I do. Do you know my mom, Kagome Higurashi?" she asked a little more confidently then before.

The old women's eyes grew wide and she glanced at the boy answering her. Then she asked, "Could you remove your hood for me child? I need to see your face." she said struggling to stand.

Izuma swallowed in fear and pulled her hood down. Both Keade and the boy gasped in astonishment. The old woman regained her facial expression and cleared her throat. "What is your name child?" she asked slowly.

"Izuma, my name's Izuma." she said. She turned to the boy and looked up at him. "You must be that little fox demon Shippo, am I right?"

"Yeah." he said smiling down at her, his green eyes sparkling. She blushed and looked away. She hoped she wasn't dreaming.