"Kagome's going to get wet." Rin looked up at Kagome.
"I'll be fine. You wear it." Kagome answered.
Sango took to the sky on Kirara to see where they were. After searching the area she came back and notified Inuyasha that they were close to the burnt village that was once her home. She told him that it would be ok to stay there in what shelter there was left from being burned. Inuyasha changed the course of the travel so they would head right to the village. Once they were at the entrance of the village every member of the group except Kouga, Ginta, Hakkaku, as well as both Jaken and Sesshoumaru went into the ruins of the village. Kagome walked back out.
"There is no danger here. This is where Sango was born and raised and where her whole family including Kohaku were killed by Naraku."
"There is a strong aura near." Kouga answered.
"There is a place very close that holds the bodies of the warrior priestess Midoriko and a youkai sealed in stone and is the birth place of the Shikon no Tama or better known as the sacred jewel." Kagome explained.
"Kagome, we should train a bit." Sango called out.
"I'll be there in just a bit." Kagome then looked back at Kouga and took his arm. "Come on. You can trust me." She lead him by the arm into the old village. The others followed them slowly and cautiously.
Kouga handed his sword to Kagome and watched her walk over to Sango. Kagome stood in the position that Sango had her stand in. She watched as Sango showed her what she said were simple moves.
"Alright Kagome your turn. Take it slow and try to do the moves that I showed you." Sango and those around watched as Kagome tried to do the simple moves but failed at doing them. She got some of the movements right. "Let's try this again. Try following me as I going through the moves again. Then you can go through it again by yourself." Sango once again went through the moves with Kagome doing her best to copy her moves. In the background they heard laughing. "Now try to do those by yourself so I may see your form. Don't worry about the laughing. Concentrate on what you are doing."
"If I were you Kagome, I would stick with the bow. Look at how long it took you to learn to use the bow correctly and even then you still need work." Inuyasha voiced.
"I'm sorry Sango." Kagome lowered the sword then walked to Kouga and handed his sword back to him then left the village.
"What gave you the idea to teach her to use a weapon she will never learn to use properly for any battles." Inuyasha said.
"Are you volunteering to be the miko's opponent when she does learn to use a sword as she does with a bow half breed?"
"Ha, like that would ever happen. Let's go Kikyou."
"Stupid Inuyasha. It's not like I was raised to use a sword." Kagome told herself as she walked. When she stopped walking she stood in front of the cave that would lead to Midoriko. Breathing deep she reached out and walked forward through the barrier. Back at the village Sango finished talking to Kouga and then he left the village to go look for Kagome.
"Wolf this Sesshoumaru will come with you." Kouga stopped and looked at the western lord.
"Why would the western lord choose to come with me to find my adopted sister?"
"You wish the miko to be trained do you not? I, Sesshoumaru offer to train the miko."
"You would train a untrained miko the art of youkai fighting?" Kouga looked at Sesshoumaru. "Why may I ask are you offering?"
"The miko needs training. The half breed needs to be taught a lesson." They finished talking as Kagome's scent ended at the cave.
"Her scent has disappeared and I smell no other scents around other than ours." Kouga voiced.
"There's a barrier at the entrance of the cave."
"She must of went inside." They walked forward and felt a slight shock as they passed the barrier then smelt the scent of Kagome and something else that set the two at a unease as they walked down through the cave.
"Lady Midoriko did I do the right thing or did I put the jewel, better yet, put your soul in danger by having youkai blood flow within my body when I became Kouga's sister? What do I do?" Kagome sat there looking at the body incased in stone. As she sat there the cave filled with a bright pale blue light then faded. When Kagome's eyes adjusted once again she saw a woman standing in front of her in old armor.
"Fear not Kagome. You did not do anything to jeopardize the jewel as was told by the dog hanyou. The one who is close to the dog hanyou jeopardizes the jewel. She must not get the jewel. The shard within her must be removed. Except and learn to use other weapons than you already know as was being talked about." Midoriko looked slightly to the side. "Farwell priestess Kagome." Then the pale light filled the inside of the cave then faded once more.
"Who were you talking to Kagome? Who is that woman?"
"I was talking to myself. The woman that you see is the warrior priestess Midoriko. She sealed herself and the youkai within this stone. The hole in her chest is were she forced her soul out of her body. The sacred jewel is her soul. Within the jewel the battle that you see here is still going on. The battle will continue until a unselfish wish is made upon the jewel and the jewel disappears for good and freeing the souls that are trapped." Kagome stood then turned to face Kouga and saw Sesshoumaru there as well. "Sesshoumaru what brings you here with Kouga?"
"While coming to look for you, he came along to speak with me. He has offered to train you. Being as you won't get a moments peace to train with Sango because of Inuyasha. I agreed with lord Sesshoumaru in his offer."
"Inuyasha would still be around to interrupt the training." Kagome answered.
"The hanyou will not interrupt for we travel in the morning."
"We need to return to the village before your friends worry." All three started in the direction that lead to the cave entrance but Kagome looked back at the stone statue of Midoriko before she carried on. When they arrived back at the village Kagome went over to Sango.
"Sango in the morning I'll be traveling with Sesshoumaru. He has offered to train me because what Inuyasha is pulling. I just don't know what to tell Inuyasha."
"If you leave before he and Kikyou return here to wake us, I'll tell him that Sesshoumaru returned you to the well because it was the time of the month for you and you needed to return home."
"Thanks Sango." Kagome went over to her things.
Dawn had not even shown in the shy as Sesshoumaru quietly walked over and picked up Rin and went to lay her on the back of the two-headed dragon then came back and shook Kagome's shoulder. She yawned then slowly opened her eyes.
"We leave miko. Gather your things." Sesshoumaru stood up and stood there. Kagome sat up and gathered her things. Standing up she placed her backpack on her back followed by her quiver and bow. She knelt down and picked up Shippou.
"Don't worry everything will be fine." Kouga gave her a hug before she left following after Sesshoumaru.
"How close is Inuyasha from here? Won't he smell my scent leaving the village?" Kagome yawned.
"The hanyou and the dead miko are north of the village. Your scent will be old by the time he returns to your friends. Soon the scent will just end."
"How would that be?" Sesshoumaru did not answer.
Several hours later as the sun began to rise into the sky and those in the village woke up. Inuyasha and Kikyou returned to the village to see that Kagome was not in camp nor was Shippou or the child Rin.
"Where's Kagome?"
"She woke up early to relieve herself and noticed she was beginning her woman flow for the month. She need to get to the well fast so your brother took her and Shippou back to Kaede's. She said she would see us when the flow is over." Sango sat where she was. Soon they were off heading further north.
"Return to the village by the dry well. Stay there and wait for the group and myself. Inform the old miko that you were sent to wait there. I will arrive there after a short meeting with Ayame's grandfather." Kouga said.
"On our way." Both Ginta and Hakkaku left.
The traveling between Kagome and Sesshoumaru was done in silence and still was silent with Rin still very much asleep. Kagome had reserved herself to walk by the two-headed dragon to make sure Rin did not fall off and because she knew neither Sesshoumaru nor Jaken would carry on a conversation with her. Hearing a sound she looked over at the dragon to see Rin sitting up.
"Morning Rin."
"Morning Kagome." Rin looked around. "Where are the others?"
"Shippou is here in my arms and as you can see Sesshoumaru and Jaken are in the front. We left the others before dawn."
"Are we heading back to the domain now Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin called out to him.
"Where else would we go foolish girl?" Jaken answered.
From the time Rin woke up until now which was mid-day, she had not slowed down in her talking. In the meantime Sesshoumaru kept his senses trained on the youkai that was following them and had been following them since a half hour after leaving the old exterminator's village. Sesshoumaru had been leading the youkai into believing that he did not know that it was following them to see what it's intentions were and now it was getting closer.
"Jaken keep Ah-Un walking." Sesshoumaru then disappeared. They traveled on until they came upon a small stream.
"Would Ah-Un like some tasty water?" Rin lead the dragon to the stream while Kagome gathered some firewood.
Coming back Kagome built a small fire then walked over and dipped her pan into the stream filling it with water and went back to put the pan over the fire to boil the water. As the water started boiling she felt a strong aura of a youkai nearby. She looked up and around the area to see Sesshoumaru slowly lean up against a tree and lowered to the ground.
"Shippou why don't you and Rin look for wild vegetables and see if you can catch eight fish." Kagome said as she looked in her backpack and pulled out a washcloth and her first aide box then grabbed the pot of boiling water and walked over to Sesshoumaru.
"Mind your own business Miko. I need not your help." He said with a slight growl to his voice.
"I know you are a great and powerful youkai Sesshoumaru, but you helped me when I was wounded so let me help you. I'm sure you don't want your ward to see you like this do you?" She knelt down in front of him and placed the pan down on the ground and put the cloth in the water. She reached out to grasp the ties of his armor when his hand grabbed her hand tightly.
"Touch not my person."
"Sesshoumaru, I know you have no reason to trust me, but believe me, I am not going to do anything to harm you. Sure I could purify you if I wanted to and at this close range or any range you being a youkai lord could kill me without a seconds notice." She looked at him as he held her hand tightly.
He let go of her hand but watched her as she lowered her hand into the hot water then squeezed the water out of the cloth. Looking up she moved closer to him and raised the cloth to his left cheek and gently washed the wound then down the side of his neck and stopped at the fabric.
"That could be last." She then reached down to wash out the cloth. She was about to reach for Sesshoumaru's right arm when she was pushed to the ground.
"Wench how dare you touch lord Sesshoumaru."
"Jaken find Rin and the kitsune. Keep them guarded."
"But M'lord."
"Jaken." Sesshoumaru watched Jaken bow then left as Kagome returned to kneel in front of him and raised off the cloth then reached for his right hand. She cleaned from his hand up to his elbow.
"Sesshoumaru could you remove your armor and loosen the upper part of your kimono or haori or whatever this is. I know it is considered a state of undress to be seen without one's clothes, but there is a area yet not checked for wounds that need to be cleaned." She voiced as she continued to wash out the cloth. Upon hearing the sound of silk cloth moving she looked up to see Sesshoumaru removing the outfit off his shoulder. Deep sorrow filled her heart as she saw the stub that was left from Inuyasha cutting off his arm the first time they fought when Tetsusaiga was found. What she did not know was as she was thinking of that event while she was cleaning the wounds her hand started glowing.
"Miko." Sesshoumaru voiced but the glow continued. He reached out and grabbed her hand roughly. The sharp pain caused by his hand holding hers tight brought her out of her thoughts. She saw her hand glowing. "You think to get away with trying to purify me?"
"I'm sorry Sesshoumaru. I spaced off and thought back to the day Inuyasaha did this unpleasant thing to you his own half brother. I honestly did not know my hand started glowing while cleaning the blood off your skin. I am truly sorry if I caused you any discomfort." She removed her hand from his and grabbed her things and stood up. She walked over and dropped off the first aide box then carried the pot and the cloth over to the stream.
"Kagome look what we got." Rin ran over to Kagome and showed the fish to
her.
"Mmm they look like really good fish. Let's go and cook them." Both Rin and Shippou walked with Kagome back to the camp. They fixed the fish so they would cook.
"What is Kagome's family like?" Rin asked.
"My mother is very loving and kind. She always smiles even when she is upset and worried about things. My grandfather is a hard worker and very devoted to the shrine. My younger brother is a pain. He is a jerk most of the time, but when it comes to a member of the family being sick or hurt he is always there for that person. My brother and I get into fights at times over the stupidest things." They talked about different things as the fish cooked.
"Kagome has no father?" Rin looked at Kagome.
"My father left or died before I was born so I never knew my father. Mother never talks about him." Kagome looked down at the fish. Seeing that they were done she picked up two sticks with the biggest fish and handed them to Rin. "Rin why don't you take these over to Sesshoumaru." After the mid-day meal was ate, they began to travel once more.
The events that occurred during the mid-day stop left Sesshoumaru perplexed. He could not figure out after all the times he had tried to kill Kagome and his half brother why she would take and touch him or care for the wounds he had received from battling the Youkai that had been following them. Was she even afraid of him? Even a little bit? As the day became night he continued to travel. When finally he stopped and had his retainer gather wood and build a small fire as the miko laid the kitsune on the ground then removed her bow, quiver, and the yellow bag. She then removed a thin fabric and laid it on the ground then placed the kitsune on it before walking over to get Rin and did the same with her before she too laid down and covered all three with another fabric.
