A/N: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters.

Also thank you to a recent anonymous reviewer who noticed a minor plot hole I had written in a previous chapter. Without constructive feedback I can't strive to improve as a writer. So, for real, thank you! It also made me realize another small plot hole I had in another chapter. I've now fixed both and I super appreciate it! I also had a good laugh at myself while I fixed them.

Chapter Ten

The Whispers of Awajishima

When Kagome awoke in the daylight something cold and wet tickled her nose. At first she didn't want to open her eyes. She could tell that it was still quite chilly outside of her warm sleeping bag. But she could hear Sesshomaru moving around and knew that she would need to get up quickly so as not to irritate him. Opening her eyes the miko sat up and stretched, relieving the stiffness in her joints. There was a soreness in her thigh from when she had hit the ground fighting the bear youkai yesterday. That's probably going to be a good bruise, Kagome thought.

It took her a few seconds to realize that it was actually lightly snowing. Snowing! Nowhere near hard enough to accumulate but still, first snow of the year.

"What a wonderful first snow! Thank Kami it isn't a blizzard!"

"Hnn."

"Oh come on now. Winter is upon us, at least this type of snow won't slow us down."

Sesshomaru just cocked an eyebrow at her, reminding her that there were limits on his patience. He was already prepared to leave, but she was still sitting in her sleeping bag, tongue hanging out trying to catch snowflakes. Humans could be absurd.

Kagome quickly packed herself up and followed Sesshomaru along the coastline. There was a little village in the distance she could barely see, it looked as if the taiyoukai was headed in that direction. As they approached Kagome was able to make out what looked like a few makeshift docks.

"Are we going to get a boat up ahead?" She decided to ask.

"Yes."

"I've never crossed water in the snow before. This will be fun." Kagome clapped her hands together and skipped alongside Sesshomaru. If she alternated between walking and skipping the miko had a much easier time keeping up with the demon's long strides. The demon proceeded to be silent while they continued towards the little port town. Entering the village the miko was surprised by how very few people were actually there.

As if sensing her confusion, Sesshomaru spoke up, "It would appear that the last hunting parties and supply wagons haven't gotten here yet. Many people are off gathering necessities before winter is fully upon them. It's still extremely early in the season. Feasibly the missing villagers will be back within the next two days."

Kagome made an "oh" face and continued to drink in her sourroundings, trailing behind the taiyoukai as he made his way over to the docks. She barely paid attention as the demon found a vender of ferries, told the merchant he would be purchasing a vessel, and then he just handed the human an unspecified amount of coins, then walked away. Price was never actually mentioned. Soon the girl was loading her things into a wooden dinghy and they were off. The crossing of the ocean didn't take very long as the main island was just off the coast. The sky continued to lightly flurry.

"So I know you're probably not going to answer still but, what's the plan?"

Sesshomaru had had his back to Kagome, watching the approaching shore. He turned his head slightly to gaze back at her through the corner of his eye.

"We get to shore. Then, if you do not mind, you should probably search for any holy energy using your aura."

"Oh! Ohhhh." The miko understood. This would be like trying to find the ladder to Heaven. He knew the general area of where they were needed and she was the tracking device required to pinpoint the location.

"And of course I don't mind. Whatever it takes to save Rin."

"I've been a little curious, miko. Enlighten me please. What exactly is your motivation for assisting in Rin's cure?" He wasn't looking at her anymore, he'd returned to staring straight ahead. Kagome was a little taken aback by the question. The answer was both so simple and yet also so complex.

"It's the right thing to do Lord Sesshomaru." The demon picked up on the slight edge to her tone.

"And what does this mean, 'the right thing to do.'" Logically if he had been in her position he would've headed back to the magic well and that village nearby where the dead miko had lived. That would've been the right thing to do for him.

"She's an innocent little girl. She doesn't deserve this. Doing everything we can to save her is the right thing to do. If Inuyasha were here I'd beg him to help too. You wouldn't accept his help but you understand what I'm getting at. I will give aid by any means necessary because those with innocence DESERVE it."

"And for you that is the most logical choice?" Sesshomaru still hadn't turned around to look at her while they conversed.

"The most compassionate choice is usually the most logical for me. Rarely do they contradict."

"I see."

"Would you like my answer better if I told you it was because you threatened Shippo."

This prompted the taiyoukai to finally turn all the way around. Yes, he had said that hadn't he. In truth the demon didn't really feel like making good on that threat. He'd been angry and scared. Not that he was allowed to show that to anyone. The demon normally didn't make empty threats. Did it really matter in this situation though? No one else had heard him say it to the miko other than possibly the old healer in his palace.

"Miko. I normally don't retract things that I have said. However I shouldn't have levied that threat on you. The death of a child is never justified because of the death of a different child."

"So you won't hurt Shippo?"

"The fox kit should fear no danger from this Sesshomaru." The demon turned back towards their destination.

For a few minutes there was silence until the girl spoke again, "Were you angry? Is that why you said it?" Kagome's voice was soft, like the tickle of goosebumps. Sesshomaru's hand twitched with the slightest of tremors.

"That is a foolish question." His voice; like ice numbing her face.

"Sesshomaru… If you were worried about Rin and you said something out of anger, that's okay. I'm the only one who heard you say it and I'm not going to use it against you to overthrow your kingdom or something like your real enemies would." The two fell silent. Neither moved other than the steady stroke of Sesshomaru paddling.

"Rin has to survive this." The inuyoukai stated.

There was a strange intonation to his voice Kagome picked up on. There had been just a slight waver when he'd said "Rin." Like when someone is talking but also trying really hard not to cry, that little gasping sound. The girl was lucky to catch it with her human hearing. If Kagome could've hugged the demon without fearing for her life, she would have.

The comfortable peace returned. They were nearly to the shore when the miko spoke again.

"Hey! Why did we get a boat when you can fly?" The realization had just popped into her head and she hadn't been able to stop herself from blurting it out.

"We got the boat for when I reach my limit with your questions and I decide to kill you. I was kind enough to procure you an escape route in the interest of a fair fight." The taiyoukai continued to propel them towards the island.

"Was that a joke? Did you actually make a joke? Can I laugh?"

"You think I'm joking?" He turned to glance at her sideways again, eyebrow raised.

"You made a second joke!" Kagome clapped her hands together and laughed.

"I bought a boat in case you needed it. The baku told you that I should be able to handle the rest of the objects, but I don't necessarily trust the spirit. If the purity of the items harms me you needn't be stranded here."

It most assuredly hadn't crossed her thoughts. If he had been hurt by the naginata she would indeed be stuck on the island if not for the boat. There were possibly other humans, but there was no guarantee she could trust any strangers to help her get back to the mainland.

"Are you always so prepared?" The miko lightly chuckled.

"Of course."

Once the pair had reached shore, Sesshomaru hauled the boat up and out of the ocean, onto the dry land. They'd hid the vessel in the treeline and began to make their way slowly to the inland. While they walked Kagome tried to throw her aura out in different directions, creating a map in her mind of her general vicinity. She was a little afraid of releasing her aura in a great wave like she had at the Ladder. She wasn't confident in her control. So far, the miko wasn't noticing anything in particular. They continued to search in silence, never straying far from each other. By the time they got any sort of lead the snow had stopped and it was nearly noon.

While stopping to glance to her left, making sure she wasn't too far from Sesshomaru, Kagome heard the faintest of whispers, "Kagoooome." It had been barely audible, the miko was sure she imagined it. Then, there it was again, a little louder and harsher, "Kagoooome." The voice instantly gave her goosebumps and the teenager shivered. The disembodied whisper had come from somewhere to her right. Calling out to her companion Kagome turned and began walking in the direction she believed she'd heard someone calling her name. Deeper into the forest they walked, Sesshomaru only needing several long strides to catch up to the miko's smaller steps. It took no time at all until they found themselves at the edge of a great meadow.

During the winter Awajishima bloomed with many daffodils. Even without the snow the land before them was littered with white. Along the tree line a few maple trees still held some of their brilliant red leaves. The contrast in colors was striking and for a few seconds Kagome didn't want to move, fearful of destroying the serenity of the field. However, they needed to continue on.

Venturing into the meadow, the miko ran her hands along the tall stalks of wild flora. She stopped as a feeling of déjà vu swept over her, which she quickly ignored and persisted on ahead. Sesshomaru had stayed silent the whole time just following along behind the girl. She had obviously picked up on something and was leading him towards it. Together, they reached the middle of the field where, "OOMPH," Kagome walked into a stone well hidden by the flowers and grass. She would've fallen in if the inuyoukai hadn't grabbed her by the back of her shirt in time.

Having successfully saved the miko from probably a painful plunge, both demon and girl peered down into the darkness of the well. Sesshomaru appeared to be uninterested but yet Kagome had an intense look of concentration.

"Can you hear that?" the girl whispered.

The demon had no idea what she was talking about but with his heightened senses if she could hear something he should be able to as well. Gazing once more into the pit he strained his ears listening for anything and hearing nothing but the breeze that swirled around them.

Kagome placed her hands on the edge of the well and leaned over more to get a better view down into the depths. As soon as her fingers touched the stone a golden glow began to emanate from her hands. The miko didn't notice as she seemed focused on whatever it was that was perplexing her, however Sesshomaru certainly noticed. The glow pulsed and throbbed but didn't get overly large, just lighting her hands. He didn't sense a pure energy being emitted by the strange effect. The demon was tempted to reach out and touch it to see if it would burn him.

While Sesshomaru was fascinated with the human's hands, the miko could hear whispers drifting up from the bottom of the pit. They were jumbled and incoherent, male and female, old and childish. They continued in a hushed frenzy swirling up from the well, gliding along Kagome's arms to her slender neck, lightly tapping her eardrum and then rushing up into the open sky to fly away. Suddenly there was a great wooosh sound, as if an old door had been finally opened after an eternity and the stale air was desperate to escape its prison. Everything was still for a few seconds after the whispers ceased, only to be broken with another distant whisper from somewhere out in the woods, "Kagoooome."

The miko's head snapped towards the direction of the sound and stared. She wasn't imagining all of these voices right? Sesshomaru certainly didn't seem to hear them. You're not going crazy, she told herself. So concentrated on the murmurs was she that she didn't even feel the gentle graze of sharp claws along the knuckles of her right hand. Kagome abruptly let go of the stone well and turned to Sesshomaru.

"I think we need to go that way. I thought… I thought I heard something calling me. I don't sense anything here anymore."

The demon nodded and the two headed back into the forest. Every few minutes or so a light voice would drift on the breeze into Kagome's ear. She really had no idea where she was going but it felt like she was going the right way. She put her trust in her instincts to guide her.

While Sesshomaru walked with her he thought about the energy that had surrounded her hands upon contact with the well. She hadn't even noticed that he'd touched her. The golden glow had felt warm to him, it had not burned or shocked him like he expected. He normally would have assumed that the source of the glow would be holy or pure in nature, but it had allowed him entry. He had touched the miko's hand and pulled away unscathed.

Kagome continued to follow the clues the voices gave her, weaving through the maples and daffodils, traversing old worn paths that were slightly overgrown. Soon both miko and demon began to hear voices. For the girl they were more corporeal than the whispers guiding her. Sesshomaru indicated that he could hear these ones as well. It didn't very long before the pair spied a shrine under construction. Several robed monks were walking around a cleared section of forest and it appeared that they were directing others in the building of some ornate construct.

"I believe the path the voices are guiding me on goes right through that monastery or whatever it is. I'm not sure but it looks like they are building something. I know that in modern times there are quite a few shrines on Awaji since most people believe its related to Onogoro. Some contest that Onogoro is really Nushima or Ejiishima but the overall accepted belief is that its at least near Awajishima."

"Perhaps you should go investigate alone."

Kagome glanced at the demon. "Are you sure? What if they attack?"

"If they are true monks they will sense your miko powers. It seems illogical that they will attack you. If they are not honorable monks I will keep you within my sights and… intervene if it is needed."

The miko nodded and proceeded to walk through the maples towards the strangers. She entered the clearing and walked to the closest man she saw.

"Sir! Sir! Hello!" The miko called out. The monk nearest to her turned around, confused by the sound of a feminine voice out here deep in the woods.

"Child! What are you doing out here all alone?" The monk rushed towards her fearful that the girl was hurt.

"Oh sir I am a traveling miko but I seem to have become a little lost. I was under the impression that there is a village in need of healing services near here. Can you perhaps point me in the correct direction?" Kagome smiled warmly, hoping this monk would suspect nothing of her true reasons for journeying on this island.

"Of course child! We would be honored to help another pure soul in the pursuit of healing our people, but first let us feed you! Surely you would amiable to our request? I am known as Haru."

"I am Kagome." She bowed deeply, deferring reverence to the male. She would acquiesce the offer so as not to set off any alarm bells. The monk bowed back. Walking closer to the man, the girl could sense no danger around her, a few other men were off in the distance carrying logs.

"If you don't mind me asking what is it you are building?"

"Oh miko we are expanding our monastery. We hope to bring many priests and priestesses here for training. This location is close to the spirit of Izanagi and with his divine influence watching over us we hope to train the very best brothers and sisters. There can always be more hands to help heal our lands from the demon scourge." A knot formed in her stomach. Off in the distance the girl swore she heard a low grunt.

"How very noble." She lied.

The two walked beside each other into the midst of the grounds. Many more men resided here than she had originally thought. They were everywhere. Some were knelt in prayer in front of a great shrine. Many were sparring against one another. And still more men looked to be preparing food. She had to guess that it was a little later than midday so they must have been cooking lunch. Kagome glanced around and committed the scene to her memory. Several men stopped what they were doing to watch her as she walked along with the elder monk. They approached another middle aged man.

"Katsuro! We have a welcome visitor. This is a traveling sister. She is looking for a village in need of aid. I thought we could feed her before sending her on her way."

"Absolutely!" Katsuro, the new male replied with a large grin. "May I ask your name m'lady?"

"Kagome." The miko bowed again to her new acquaintance.

"Ahh, and what strange clothing you have, you must be from very far north. I heard their styles are eccentric but I had no idea." Katsuro's eyes scanned up and down her body uncomfortably.

"Ah yes. Well we have many demons up north. These clothes make it a little easier to run when we try to lure them into a trap." Kagome hoped they wouldn't ask any more questions about her attire.

"Well your timing is impeccable. The food is ready and we would be honored for you to be the first served." The two monks led her towards a giant fire pit. A third monk handed her a bowl of rice and what appeared to be chirimen.

"Thank you." The girl sat amongst the other men gathered and began to eat.

Whilst others were being served their portions the miko looked around. Could Sesshomaru still see her? She could feel a faint strange energy all around her, but she hadn't heard the whispering since entering the monastery grounds. She tried to eat her meal quickly. The faster the teenager could get out of here the better. Finishing her bowl, Kagome handed it to the monk who had given it to her in the first place and waited for the elder man to finish himself. Once Haru was done he stood and guided the miko towards the edge of the forest.

"We are very happy that you have graced us with your presence priestess. Are you sure that you do not need any more supplies before you make your way?" The elder was smiling again.

"No thank you. I was able to refill the things I need at the last village I assisted and they were most generous."

Nodding, the elder pointed her out into the woods. "You should find a small community a day's walk that way. Make sure you stay straight on the path or you may miss it is so small."

Kagome bowed once more to Haru and thanked him again for his and the others hospitality. They parted ways and the girl followed the overgrown path until she was well out of sight. She stopped and waited, thinking Sesshomaru would appear out of thin air to join her. However she found herself alone. The strange energy she had felt in the monastery suddenly swarmed her and she heard a loud harsh whisper directly in her ear.

"Kagoooome." It chilled her.

She walked a little further down the path hoping that her traveling companion would appear soon. She didn't want to stray too far. Obviously he could scent her out easily to find her, but she felt uneasy and no longer comfortable in her solitude. There was something she couldn't identify on the periphery of her senses. The whispering had returned and none of it made any sense. The miko didn't like being unsure of what to do. They still hadn't found any indication of the location for the naginata, other than some voices that only Kagome could hear. For all she knew the voices were leading her in the wrong direction. A twig snapped to her right and from out of the shadows appeared the inuyoukai she had been waiting for.

"I heard no useful information from your brief encounter miko."

"Well what was I supposed to ask him? Hey do you know where the spear that Izanagi and Izanami created the islands from is? Please point me in that direction, thank you so much for your assistance? Do you really think any of them has any idea?"

"No they were all regular priests, none gave off a signature of extraordinary power."

Kagome rolled her eyes and snorted. The two recommenced walking, following the path to the town the priest indicated was down the way. The trail wound its way through the flora like a serpent, looping and winding. Occasionally Kagome heard a hushed murmur, affirming that they weren't way off track. Neither had spoken of it, but they both wanted to get as much distance between them and that group of monks. Not that Sesshomaru couldn't defend himself against them most likely, but there were still a lot of those men and a fight would only waste time at this point. It would be better to just continue making progress on their trek.

Perhaps an hour or so passed before Kagome heard her name called again. They were still on the unkempt trail when off to her left she'd heard faintly, almost barely audible, "Kagoooome."

"This way!" The girl grabbed Sesshomaru by the hand and began pulling him off the path.

The demon did not budge from the spot where he stood. When Kagome was met with resistance she turned and looked back at the inuyoukai, confused. His eyes were wider than normal, like he was shocked about something. Looking down, the teenager realized she was holding his hand and immediately dropped it.

"Sorry. I'm sorry. You're not Inuyasha. I forgot. I won't do it again, promise." She tried to smile apologetically at him and then turned and pointed out where she had heard the noise.

"We should go this way though." Without hesitation the girl began walking again. Sesshomaru only responded to what happened by following her.

They traveled until sundown, changing direction slightly a few more times. The two had been lucky as they'd found an empty rock cave, small but deep enough that they could rest within and remain unseen. Sesshomaru ventured off for a few minutes and came back with a dead rabbit. The miko skinned the animal and set it to roast over the fire. She made herself a comfortable sitting area near the fire and began the process of reading through all the different texts she'd brought.

The demon was leaning against the stone wall on the opposite side of the blaze. He sat cross-legged with his hand in his lap, head bowed down as if meditating. Kagome decided it was best to just leave him be.

The teenager placed a book in her lap and opened up to the page she'd left off on the previous night.

The Two Frogs

Once upon a time in the country of Japan there lived two frogs, one of whom made his home in a ditch near the town of Osaka, on the sea coast, while the other dwelt in a clear little stream which ran through the city of Kyoto. At such a great distance apart, they had never even heard of each other; but, funnily enough, the idea came into both their heads at once that they should like to see a little of the world, and the frog who lived at Kyoto wanted to visit Osaka, and the frog who lived at Osaka wished to go to Kyoto, where the great Mikado had his palace.

So one fine morning in the spring they both set out along the road that led from Kyoto to Osaka, one from one end and the other from the other. The journey was more tiring than they expected, for they did not know much about traveling, and halfway between the two towns there arose a mountain which had to be climbed. It took them a long time and a great many hops to reach the top, but there they were at last, and what was the surprise of each to see another frog before him!

They looked at each other for a moment without speaking, and then fell into conversation, explaining the cause of their meeting so far from their homes. It was delightful to find that they both felt the same wish-to learn a little more of their native country-and as there was no sort of hurry they stretched themselves out in a cool, damp place, and agreed that they would have a good rest before they parted to go their ways.

"What a pity we are not bigger," said the Osaka frog; "for then we could see both towns from here, and tell if it is worth our while going on."

"Oh, that is easily managed," returned the Kyoto frog. "We have only got to stand up on our hind legs, and hold onto each other, and then we can each look at the town he is traveling to."

This idea pleased the Osaka frog so much that he at once jumped up and put his front paws on the shoulder of his friend, who had risen also. There they both stood, stretching themselves as high as they could, and holding each other tightly, so that they might not fall down. The Kyoto frog turned his nose towards Osaka, and the Osaka frog turned his nose towards Kyoto; but the foolish things forgot that when they stood up their great eyes lay in the backs of their heads, and that though their noses might point to the places to which they wanted to go, their eyes beheld the places from which they had come.

"Dear me!" cried the Osaka frog, "Kyoto is exactly like Osaka. It is certainly not worth such a long journey. I shall go home!"

"If I had had any idea that Osaka was only a copy of Kyoto I should never have traveled all this way," exclaimed the frog from Kyoto, and as he spoke he took his hands from his friend's shoulders, and they both fell down on the grass. Then they took a polite farewell of each other, and set off for home again, and to the end of their lives they believed that Osaka and Kyoto, which are as different to look at as two towns can be, were as alike as two peas.*

Yeah, that didn't help. Like at all. Although she did not actually remember hearing that one as a kid. Still, it had no practical application to either of their situations. So, on she continued to read. Finally the rabbit was cooked enough for her to eat. And she was ravenous. After stuffing herself, the miko returned to her books. It didn't take very long before the food made her sleepy and she crawled into her bed to sleep.

Sesshomaru only moved once during the night. He listened as Kagome's breaths evened out, indicating her slumber. He picked his head up considering her for just a moment before lowering his head again. He stayed that way until morning, waiting.

By the next afternoon the murmors were leading Kagome and Sesshomaru through some dense foliage, a weak taste of salt hung in the air. Their day had been fairly uneventful. No humans had crossed paths with them, and only one very feral boar demon happened to get killed by the taiyoukai. It had been very quick, with minimal effort on the superior demon's part. Kagome relayed the stories she'd read the night before to her counterpart and he agreed with her assessment that there was nothing there. No correlation to be found.

The scent of the salt grew stronger until it became abundantly clear that they had reached a shoreline. Not the same stretch of beach that they had landed on, but they were indeed somewhere on the edge of the island.

"Kagoooome." The call drifted in from the ocean.

"I don't understand." Kagome spoke, "I think it's coming from over the ocean now. There's land across the way over there so that has to be Naruto? It could be part of Osaka but I don't think so"

The miko decided to throw her aura out towards where the call had floated in. She had an inkling of where it came from. If this was indeed the section of the island that faced Naruto then the water in front of them was the Naruto strait. Her aura felt a soft ping somewhere out over the sea. Oh, she kind of hoped she was wrong.

"Sesshomaru can you pick me up and take us up so we can see over the water better? I have an idea."

The Western Lord raised an eyebrow at her but obliged anyway. He lifted them about 30 feet in the air so they could see over the expanse that lay before them. About three quarters of the way across the straight there appeared to be a whirlpool. A pretty wide swirling vortex of water. The miko closed her eyes and gently pushed her aura out again, wanting to double check that the vortex was what she was seeking. She was also very aware of the demon carrying her and didn't want to accidently hurt him in any way. When she felt the ping again it definitely seemed to be coming from the swirling mess of ocean across the way.

Sesshomaru lowered them back to the ground. Looking down at her already thinking the same thing as she.

"That whirlpool over there is the Naruto vortex. It's one of the biggest in the world. I think, I think there's something in there. It could be another clue, or it could be the naginata. I don't know.

Sesshomaru nodded. The sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon. They'd spent two days traveling to find a clue like this. And there was no way the miko could help. Her body wouldn't be able to swim in such turbulent waters. He was going to have to do this one. The waters were fast, but it shouldn't be too extreme for him. He could hold his breath for prolonged periods of time and could most assuredly withstand depths better than the human. He had to do this one alone. Which was perfectly fine with him.

Kagome kept her hands over her mouth. She had turned away from Sesshomaru. The girl had immediately gotten a mental image of Sesshomaru doggie paddling in the water when she realized he'd have to swim to explore the vortex. She definitely didn't want him to see her silently laughing. It was just as funny as the first time she'd imagined Inuyasha swimming.

*The Two Frogs; Andrew Lang, The Violet Fairy Book (London: Longmans, Green and Co., 1901), pp. 125-126.

** The Naruto Vortex is a REAL natural phenomena in Japan and yes it is one of the biggest naturally occurring whirlpools in the world. I have used the actual real world location of the vortex. It lays in the Naruto strait, south of Awajishima.

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