Hi everyone! Sorry for the late update. I had finished the chapter but scrapped it since I just wasn't liking how it turned out. Still unsure about this chapter, I hate making too many differences in the plot, but I felt like it was necessary. I hope you guys like it! Don't forget to review! How I have over 120 follows and 8 reviews/chapter is beyond me -.-;
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the characters in this fanfiction.
Chapter 8: The Preparation
Like the softest of silks his hair whispered through my fingers, almost as if they were telling me secrets that no one else could know. Then again, how many people had ever actually touched this silver finery?
Surely no one alive that was for certain.
Yet here they were, wrapped around my hand as if they were meant to be there. The delicate looking strands however deceived even the most keen observer.
Though soft to the touch, it was also surprisingly strong. No tugging could cause them to break, not a single split end was to be seen. These tresses were from one of the strongest demons alive and not even his hair could be considered a weakness.
To think all he wanted for these rare beauties was a cup of tea.
One would have been enough. and yet he left me three. Who knew Sesshomaru could be such a stand up guy?
Then again, maybe I just make really great tea. Whatever the reason, I had no time to wonder upon it.
It had taken a bit of time, but I was able to use an arrow head to pierce holes into the mouthes of the fish I had caught before tying them up one by one using only a strand of Sesshomaru's hair.
By the end of it, they were neatly hanging from the gleaming silver chord, the weight not seeming to bother the strand at all.
After a quick dip in the stream to get rid of the stench of fish that I just knew would cling to me for days, I changed into a simple blue t-shirt and black running shorts.
It was time to depart.
Kilala soon after woke up, and we were on our way back to camp before I knew it, breakfast securely tied around the fire cats scruff. Definitely would need to clean it if we wanted to eat without the taste of cat fur.
Gross.
As we traveled through the air, the morning sun hit us with her warmth, giving birth to a beautiful day. Yet my thoughts weren't really on the scenery. In fact, they kept drifting back to a certain demon lord, whose eyes held hellfire, and touch sent shivers down my spine.
I couldn't figure out if they were the good or bad kind.
It wasn't like he meant anything sexual about the bite. In retrospect, he was showing his dominance over me, something I never thought I'd ever allow from any man. If Inuyasha had tried something like that I would have sat him into next Sunday.
Yet when Sesshomaru asked me to submit, I knew I had no say in the matter. Strange as it was, it felt good to let him show his power over me. A part of me had liked it. Maybe it was because in some way it made me feel safe
Never once had I really been on my own before the incident the other night. Needless to say it was eye opening how little I knew about this world. How easy it could be for me to die. Inuyasha had always been there to rescue me and then all of a sudden he wasn't.
Earlier this morning I had denounced his leadership in our group to one of our most powerful enemies. What would Sesshomaru do with that information? He seemed pleased that I had called him alpha.
What exactly did that entail? Obviously he wasn't traveling with us, however I knew that this morning would not be the last I saw of the silver haired dog demon. My thoughts then jumped to Rin.
The young raven haired child seemed to trust Sesshomaru with her life. Following him with the devotion of a puppy. Maybe thats what she was to him. A pup to take care of. He obviously cared about her.
No way would he let her follow him if it irritated him. So did that make her his pack. I don't remember seeing any bite marks on her neck though. So why me? Maybe because she already knew her place and he didn't feel the need to put her in it. Hadn't he bitten Kilala to show dominance.
A vision of blood red eyes staring at me as the kitten hung defenseless from him fangs caused a violent shiver to run through me, and my fingers to once more trail back up to the left side of my neck, feeling where he had almost gently bit me.
I could feel his warm breath brushing against the sensitive flesh, and my body falling slack in his possession. What was it with canines having the constant need to be dominant over me?
First Inuyasha, then Koga, now Sesshomaru? Did I have some weird pheromone that attracted them to me or something. The idea of the cardinal lord feeling that way for me though was straight up laughable though.
For now, I would put the thought behind me. The issue would eventually come up, but for right now it wasn't important. I had breakfast to make after all.
Reaching camp, everyone was already awake. Shippo was the first to take notice of our approach, and practically howled in excitement as he jumped into my arms, already nuzzling into my hair and telling me how much he missed me and how worried they were.
"I'm sorry I took so long guys, I was hoping to be back before you woke up but I guess I'm still pretty slow at this."
I couldn't help but notice the slack jaws of my friends as they stared at my large catch. It had been awhile since we had a full meal for breakfast.
The fire was made and fish cleaned and gutted, which I had of course done myself under Sango's careful guidance.
Soon the air was filled with the scent of roasted meat and our feast was ready.
It was an entirely different experience to eat food that you had caught yourself. To watch your friends grateful expressions as they dug into fresh meat. For the first time in awhile, I was confident, and filled with a sense of pride.
I had fed my pack. I had used hard work and effort to fill their stomachs. They were appreciative to MY efforts. For once, I was the one providing and it wasn't instant cup noodle either. It was an amazing feeling. I vowed then and there that I would never allow them to go hungry.
These people, my friends, had protected me and watched my back over and over. Finally I could give back. Even if it was something as simple as making breakfast. What should I make for lunch then?
"I think it might be best to drop by my home so I can gather supplies." Without Inuyasha, we were now severely lacking in resources that we didn't have to worry about before. For instance, a way to carry that fish.
As useful as Sesshomaru's hair was, I felt guilty using such a gorgeous thing to hang fish from. The fact he let me was just mind blowing. The strands were now braided and wrapped around my right wrist, the silver color gleaming in the light in an almost bewitching type of twinkle.
Sango and Miroku seemed to think about it, before nodding in agreement. We were pretty poor to be honest, not having any spare change for what will be needed for the upcoming journey. Going back to Kaede's village to restock would be wise, not to mention I could grab things from home that could come in handy.
The four of us finished eating before putting out the fire, gathering our things, and then taking off on Kilala's back. It must have been tiring for her, carrying the four of us, yet she flew as fast as she could.
Thankfully we weren't too far from the village, and it took only a few hours to reach there.
It was odd, going home without the usual fuss. Normally I would have to fight tooth and nail to get Inuyasha to let me go home. Yet the dog eared half demon was nowhere in sight. I felt a pang in my heart, but tried my best to ignore it.
I could worry about him later.
The bone eaters well came into view, and for a short while I took it in, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere that always came from being in the clearing.
If you closed your eyes, you could hear nature all around you, chirping, buzzing, foraging.
The sound was relaxing, and after a breath of fresh air, I turned around and jumped into the dark abyss that would send me home.
It took about an hour to get out of my mother's grasp and away from Grandpa and Sota's questioning.
After some quick research on the internet, I found some ideas to make my time in the feudal era a little more proficient.
Quickly I disinfected my stomach wound, which thankfully had not become infected during the days adventures, the stitches still holding tight. Unfortunately, even in the future, money was tight.
I didn't bother asking mom for money. She had already given so much, how could I possibly ask for more. Instead I took off for the old storage room that Grandpa kept most of our artifacts and just plain junk in.
Tying up my hair in a high ponytail, I took a deep breath of fresh air before opening the storage shed, dust instantly coming out like a tidal wave. I had a vague idea of what I was looking for, but that didn't make my mission any easier.
Hours of sorting through things went by before I was satisfied with my haul.
A long net that would hopefully be big enough to lay across a shallow stream, making catching fish a breeze with a little bit of patience. A new stock of arrows that were still in pretty decent condition considering what era they probably came from. Flint and fire making stones and a few hunting knives to help with the cutting of meals. A locket with a compass in it was also inventoried.
Of course my favorite was a few pairs of plain colored yukatas that would help for "fitting in" if we ever came across a village and a pair of simple sandals from a previous festival I had gone to. Three wardrobes of traditional white haori with dark green hakamas were also found.
I studied those for a moment, wondering what I could do with them. It was still hot out in the feudal era. I wasn't exactly used to wearing the clothing either, and would be expected to run a lot, not to mention hunt.
The decision was immediate. I would hem off the sleeves and turn a pair of hakama into shorts. A standard pink obi was found to complete the look. I even discovered a pair of fighting arm guards!
It wasn't much, but it would do for my new look. I even found some coins that were actually for the feudal era. It wasn't a lot, but it should be able to help. Hopefully grandpa didn't notice…
Mom was thrilled with the idea of a project, and instantly began hemming up the clothes to my size, thankfully more useful in this area then I was. She truly was a jack of all trades when it came to housework. She even added a piece of green cloth to opening where my sleeves were supposed to be, giving it a more feminine, matching feel.
Soon my new wardrobe was ready, and I tried on the sleeveless shirt, the flowing shorts, and the feminine obi. It was soft yet durable, the shorts just past my thighs so they wouldn't chafe on our adventures. What about shoes?
I looked in my closet, yet the idea of running around in sandals did not sound pleasant, no matter how well Miroku pulled it off. In the end I decided on a pair of flat, soft, black leather boots that went mid calf. Hopefully the would be more durable than the shoes I wore to school.
Seriously wondering why I had been wearing a school girl uniform for the past two years to the feudal era. Had I been high? How exactly had I not been raped? It was no wonder I got kidnaped so often.
The new look was strange, but comfortable. It would have to do. Was there anything else I could need? Mother had already packed a refreshed first aid kit for me, and some bread and meat buns for the road. My sleeping bag was still a must, plus all my new supplies.
Grandpa had discovered a book of outdoor survival skills for me to make use of, as well as a book for different types of plants and herbs. Sota snuck in a few other books I didn't pay too much attention to, other than the fact they were blissfully light.
Filled up water canteens, one for each member of our group were also stored. It was a no brainer that having Inuyasha around had made our journey almost painfully simple. We had never worried about surviving. He always made sure we managed.
What exactly had I done?
Trying hard not to think about it, I picked up my bag, which was thankfully not too heavy, and began hugging my family goodbye, pushing away the thought that this might be the last time I saw them. Why had I not thought about that before?
It wasn't like we hadn't been chasing down a homicidal half demon bent on world destruction for the past two years or anything. Not to mention living in a world where basically anything could kill me. Seriously starting to wonder about my life choices here.
I didn't have the heart to inform my family of Inuyasha's departure from the group. How our survival might be severely compromised. How a demon lord had been taking strange interest in me lately.
Instead I smiled at them, before disappearing to 500 years in the past. Maybe I should have spent more time with them. I hid away from the thought, knowing it would only make me miss them more.
I had a duty to complete after all.
Everyone was waiting for me on the other side, even Kaede. A beautiful black mare with white socks and a simple white diamond on her forehead stood fidgeting next to the old women, her doe brown eyes staring at me as her mane blew in the wind.
Apparently the village had given us a horse to lug my butt around. I tried my best to decline the offer, but Miroku and Sango were set on it. Inuyasha was gone and we needed transportation. Apparently that came in the form of the beautifully evil creature in front of me.
Hopefully she was more comfortable than Inuyasha's back.
I didn't hold my breath on that one.
Thankfully she was saddled, and had packs that I could unload most of my back pack into. I kept the essentials on me though. Last thing I need is some crazy horse taking off with all my survival supplies.
I had learned my lesson once already thank you!
Nervously I mounted her, Shippo deciding on the safe side and boarding Kilala. The traitor.
"Okay pony, don't throw me off ok. I'm kind of new at this whole horse riding thing." The horse bayed but stayed impatiently still as I tried to get my leg thrown over her back.
Lets just say third time is the charm when I finally righted myself on her. The height instantly had me clinging to the reins, my thighs nervously clenching to her sides.
Her back was slightly higher off the ground than Kilala's but it still scared me nonetheless. Thank god she couldn't fly.
"What is her name?" I asked, trying hard not to focus on the nervous nausea I was trying to push down. Did this thing have a stop button? Somehow I doubt she would catch me if I fell. Where was a helmet when you needed one.
"Fuko, child. She is the village's fastest mare and though has a wild temper, she will carry ye where ye need to go." Kaede's calm voice did nothing to settle my nerves? Temper…wild? That didn't sound good at all. Maybe I should just ride on Kilala while Miroku rode this monster.
Looking up at my so called friends, they were already on Kilala, pointedly not looking at me while the fire cat rose in the air. Seriously? Who needs enemies with friends like mine?
Kaede was steadily adjusting the foot handles for me, making sure my feet hung at a reasonable height in them on both sides while explaining in a hushed tones the different commands to give to the horse with my body language before she deemed me ready.
For a second I wondered if maybe I should tie myself to the horse so I wouldn't fall off, before Fuko started trotting.
The pace was bumpy, but strangely reminded me of Inuyasha, and I quickly got into the groove of it, trying my best to adjust to the movement of her back. The thing that scared me the most was not having someone to cling to, instead relying on my grip on the reins.
All of sudden she stopped, snorting impatiently and shaking her head and pulling against her bit.
"W-whats wrong?" Gods I was nervous.
"Kagome! Loosen up on the reins!" Sango called, pointing towards my white knuckled death grip on the reins.
Oh…
Gulping, I gave her some rein, and instantly the horse started trotting again, now going slightly faster with her new found freedom. A few times of adjusting my grip gave me the feeling of the mare below me, what made her go faster, what made her slow down.
It was scary and thrilling all in one, but damn the trotting made my stitches burn.
Before long, the village was in the distance, and we were one with the wind, taking our adventure in stride. I had no idea where we would be going, as we had no leads on any shikon jewel shards, but that didn't stop us.
For now, we were on the road, and my journey to self discovery was about to begin.
God I think I might actually throw up after all.
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