Chapter Eleven
It was a cool breezy day and the sun was high in the sky as Sesshomaru and Kagome trekked across the countryside. The pair had been walking for some time in complete silence before Kagome finally gathered up the courage to question the daiyokai, unsure of his current tolerance level. Honestly, she didn't have another fight in her so soon after her reunion with Inuyasha.
"Er, Sesshomaru?" She started with slight hesitation. He didn't respond and she felt it was safe to continue. "Who are we going to see?"
"Bokuseno." He vaguely stated after a few silent moments, as if that should answer all she needed to know.
"Okay…and that is...?"
"An ally of mine."
Kagome sighed, holding back a groan of irritation. Was he so incapable of offering more information than that?
"Well, I sort of gathered that much on my own thanks." She remarked with irritated sarcasm. "But why?"
Once again it took the demon Lord a while to answer. Whether he was now aggravated by her attitude or he just didn't want to answer, Kagome was unsure.
"Bokuseno is a tree demon who has assisted me in the past. I am hoping he can provide us with information." He finally enlightened from a few paces ahead of her.
"Okay…" Kagome sighed giving up. It was clear Sesshomaru was not in the mood to offer up a more extensive explanation and therefore it would have to suffice.
The pair walked in silence well into the night. It was a cloudless night and the stars littered the night sky like silver glitter on a black canvas. It was one of Kagome's favourite things about the feudal era. You just didn't see sights like this very often in the future unless you travelled deep into the country side, and even then due to pollution it was never this clean and clear. The air was so much fresher and everything just so much more here. The pair had ventured into open plains where there was no forest for as far as the eye could see. A pleasantly cool breeze was winding through the air and it only served to accentuate the beauty of the night. Kagome would have loved to keep walking on in the night to fully appreciate it but her legs ached and she was losing energy fast.
"Sesshomaru, are we going far away because in case you don't remember, I'm human. I need to rest." Kagome finally spoke up.
Sesshomaru stopped. He had not failed to remember her humanity but he had neglected to remember a human's lack of endurance. The demon Lord could probably continue walking for another two days without needing rest but the Miko was incapable. He let out a very quiet sigh. Rin would normally just climb atop Ah-Un when she fell fatigued and they could continue however the pair did not have Ah-un, therefore leaving the demon Lord no choice but to go at her pace. He turned to Kagome and looked at her for a brief moment as if analysing on what level her fatigue was situated.
"Rest." He permitted.
Kagome didn't hesitate and she dropped to the ground happily. She was grateful that the grass was thick as it would provide relatively nice cushioning. She set all her possession's aside and attempted to get as comfortable as she could, laying on her back with her right arm under head for support. Staring up at those stars and being able to fully appreciate them was soothing to the Miko and she wondered if that was how Sesshomaru felt when he stared off into the abys. When Kagome looked into the night sky, it reminded her that even when the universe was pitch black, there would always be spots of light if you just looked. If she could just remember this fact, then she could get through the darkness that still plagued her.
"Sesshomaru?"
There was no answer and so she lifted the top part of her body to prop herself on her elbow and found him standing several paces away, unsurprisingly gazing up at the sky. The Inudaiyokai didn't respond so she continued.
"How long do you think we'll be away?"
"I am uncertain." He responded blankly and Kagome narrowed her eyes at his back.
"Will we train?"
"Perhaps."
"You know, it won't kill you to speak more than a couple words."
Sesshomaru didn't respond as he stood still as a statue with his back remaining to her. She wondered if they were to train, how long the training sessions would be if they were supposed to be travelling. She wanted the training but she wasn't sure how much she could do only to keep walking to wherever they were heading.
"Do you not train Rin?" Kagome asked. She hadn't seen him train her but surely he wanted her to protect herself when he left her too. There was another lengthy silence before the demon Lord answered.
"In due time, Rin will be trained. However for now, she is but a child and therefore she will be left to be such."
Kagome was stunned into silence. Was Sesshomaru protecting her youth? It was a foreign thought for her to think that Sesshomaru of all demons would even think to protect a child's youth and that thought made her pleasantly surprised.
"Oh…I have to admit, I'm a little surprised." She absently told him. It wasn't meant to be an insult but his growl said he had taken it as one.
"Miko, do you wish to rest or not? If you have the energy to speak, then you would have the energy to walk." He warned.
"Alright, Alright. Goodnight Sesshomaru." Kagome laid back down and after a small time, fell asleep to the sight of a sparkling sky.
Sesshomaru continued to stare at the night sky until he heard her breathing slow to a consistent level indicating her slumber. He turned to look at the Miko, sleeping in the elegant kimono he had procured for her. Her dark locks hung loosely down her shoulders and onto the ground beside her. What was it about this Miko that was so special? He knew that Naraku wanted her, but he didn't understand why. Through scent alone he was able to ascertain the events of the day she died. The day he had found her and revived her. The attack was unlike Naraku's usual, and yet it was carefully plotted and thought out. He had come to the conclusion that Kagome's death was exactly what the spider hanyou had intended that day, but what he still yearned to know is why Tenseiga was so insistent on her revival. When the sword had compelled him to save Rin, it was based off his own desire to test himself and the sword. It was due to his own desire to use the sword in that manner that allowed him to rescue Rin, but when he found Kagome, it was purely the swords desire that allowed him to bring her back. Not to mention the insistency was almost suffocating. It was something Sesshomaru had never felt before and he wanted to know why. No, not wanted to know, but needed to know. His eyes shifted and narrowed at the Miko lying dormant on the earth's surface, as if starring long enough would reveal the answers he sought.
…
Naraku's maniacal snicker echoed in Kagome's mind as he stood starring down upon her bleeding figure that was hunched upon the leafy earth. Her fingers were knotted into the dying foliage as dirt painted her milky skin and the blood pool expanded around her form. Fear engulfed her as she repositioned her hands to hold her abdomen tightly in a futile attempt to restrain any further blood from seeping out of her wound. Cerulean orbs gazed panicked up at her assailant while her hands turned crimson from the excessive secretion of blood. She was defeated and the darkness was closing in on her. Oxygen was increasingly scarce as the short moments trailed past her mockingly.
"Why?" she managed to gasp out, salty tears streaming slowly down her dirt ridden cheeks.
Naraku merely quirked the corner of his lips up in psychotic amusement with a grunt of a laugh.
"You have become a problem for me, little Miko. Nothing personal."
Kagome felt the searing pain of the wound and she tightened her grasp, fighting for air while Naraku watched idly by as she died. She looked around her and took in her surroundings that were so unfamiliar and she knew this was not right. This wasn't how it happened. The trees were shedding their leaves and there was a darkness in the sky that she had never witnessed before. Everything seemed so much more grey and life as she knew it was losing colour. The field was not the same as she had previously died in. Instead it was a battlefield, corpses littering the ground as if they were nothing but discarded rubbish. A thick fog was forming, making breathing extra difficult. The smell of the rotting corpses was enough to cause Kagome to heave. Burning flesh mingled and entwined with the fog which only served to cause Kagome to heave harder. She could feel the bile coaching up her throat but all that exited was thick dark blood in colossal amounts. The endless suffocation never ceased and all the while Naraku stood above her, enjoying every second of her agony.
"No! I can't die! Not here!" she managed to rasp while shaking her head, spurts of blood projecting outwards. She felt her body shaking violently. Was this pain finally beginning its end?
"The choice is not yours." Naraku sneered entertained. "Your death can only –"
Darkness took over her before she could catch the end of his sentence. The fog was clearing and with it the smell of rotting corpses. After a few moments she blinked her eyes open to intense brightness. Her brow was drenched of sweat and her heart was racing.
"Miko! Wake!" she heard in the distance. The voice was fierce but not that of Naraku's. Her vision began to clear up and she finally realised she was in a seated position and her body was still violently shaking. She felt her laboured breathing as clean air finally made it to her lungs. Looking around, her gaze finally met the golden hues of Sesshomaru's. He was knelt beside her and his hand grasping her shoulder tightly and she finally understood the shaking. Sesshomaru had been shaking her to wake her. Shock and relief filled her as she realized it was just another nightmare. Tears began to flow unwillingly as she covered her eyes with her now clean hands as if that would stop them.
"I'm sorry! Just a bad dream." She sobbed, his hand still held firm on her upper arm.
"I did not fail to notice." He told her flatly.
The demon Lord in all honesty did not know what to do. He had been casually sitting a few paces from her slumbering figure when she had started to groan and whimper. After a few seconds she was hyperventilating as if choking. By what she had been yelling out, he knew what she had been dreaming about. He had noticed her nightmares before but none had affected her like this previously. Normally the Miko would just awake with a gasp and heavy breathing and then go back to sleep, but this time it had caused severe stress on her body. If he had not awoken her, the consequences could have been dire. There had been many times that Rin would awake from nightmares but Kagome was an adult and although he had been gradually learning how to comfort Rin, he doubted the same tactics would assist the Miko. He was still even unsure of what help he had even provided for Rin on these occasions. Not that he cared what assistance he could provide for the Miko.
"I saw him. I saw Naraku." She sobbed out. "He mocked me while I died."
Kagome had no idea why she was telling Sesshomaru this. She rarely divulged her dreams or nightmares to her closest friends but due to the vividness of the dream, she felt she needed to make an exception and voice it out loud. She assumed it was because he was the only person around that she could tell, and although she had nightmares of her death frequently, they had never been that vivid before.
Sesshomaru didn't know what to say, so he opted to say nothing. He merely stood and moved a small distance away allowing her to gather herself. He had held Rin before after nightmares and assured her she was safe with him, but the Miko was not Rin.
After several moments Kagome stood and had composed herself. Her cheeks were still damp with tears but no more had spilled and she no longer quivered in fear.
"I'm sorry." She said awkwardly. "Thank you for waking me up."
Sesshomaru nodded in response and Kagome looked around taking in the daylight.
"I suppose we should continue?" she suggested awkwardly, feeling deeply embarrassed.
"Indeed." Sesshomaru agreed. He began to lead the way once more while Kagome once again resumed her position a few steps behind him.
They walked through the endless field of thick grass that reached the height of Kagome's shins. After a short while of reliving her nightmare in her mind she decided to question Sesshomaru.
"Er, Sesshomaru?" she stumbled once more at approaching him verbally. "Did – how – " she came up short on how to question the daiyokai.
"You were sweating and panicking about death. It was not difficult to discern what you were dreaming." He explained flatly without need for her further explanation on what she was trying to ask.
"Oh…"
"Rin suffers from nightmares of her death. This leads me to believe it is perhaps normal upon one's death and resurrection."
Kagome wondered if this was his way of trying to reassure her, but even if it wasn't, it did do the job and she was thankful so she smiled. Whether he was trying or not, it did make her feel slightly better and it brought a warmth to her that she didn't think she would feel again for a long time.
"How did she…uh…die?" Kagome questioned hesitantly.
"Wolves. Rin was mauled by wolves." He responded after a short pause.
"Oh…That's horrible."
"Mm."
"Why did you choose to bring her back?"
Once again, there was a long silence before he answered. As if trying to decide whether he felt like disclosing such information. "It was a test."
"Oh." Kagome honestly didn't know how to take this information, so she further questioned him. "Why did you choose to bring me back? You could have chosen to ignore Tenseiga."
"I could have."
"But you didn't…"
Sesshomaru was quiet for a short while before responding. "Curiosity."
"Curiosity killed the cat."
"Excuse me?"
Kagome awkwardly laughed. "Never mind. Just an analogy." She waved away.
Sesshomaru halted his steps and looked to the sky as if waiting. It wasn't long before Kagome was shielding her face from a strong gust of wind suddenly sweeping through the plains.
"What is –" she was cut off.
"Well, well. Isn't this interesting." Came a cold and hard voice from the sky. A voice the priestess recognised. Kagome peered from under her arm and spotted Kagura landing elegantly on the grass in front of them. Her onyx hair was tied up in an elegant knot with feathers sticking out and her usual Kimono adorned, but a look of fury was upon her features.
"Kagura." Sesshomaru acknowledged nonchalantly.
"Sesshomaru." The wind sorceress responded with a scowl towards Kagome. "How disappointing that you would keep such…company."
Kagura gave Kagome a look of utter disgust.
"What is it you seek here, Kagura?" Sesshomaru inquired disinterestedly, ignoring her jab.
"I am here to retrieve the jewel shard. If you hand it over freely, I will consider sparing you."
"I see."
"Hey! I acquired this shard fairly!" Kagome scowled toward the wind sorcerer, only to receive a mocking laugh in return.
"Fool! You didn't honestly believe you found that shard on your own?"
"What do you mean?" Kagome demanded angrily.
"Put the pieces together, girl. Naraku gave that shard to the snake demon. I am merely here to take it back."
"Not a chance!" Kagome yelled.
"You don't have a choice. Either you give it to me, or I will pry it from your lifeless corpse." Kagura said viscously, holding out her fan ready for battle.
"Why did Naraku send that demon?" Sesshomaru asked casually, as if discussing the weather.
Kagura's crimson eyes met his golden hues and Kagome seen something there that she had never seen in Kagura before. There was no hatred in her eyes, but something else. Affection?
"Naraku intended to find out if you would protect her it would seem. Although, I am surprised to learn that you did. Tell me Sesshomaru, why is it you would protect Kagome?"
"I do not take kindly to being interrogated, Kagura." Sesshomaru growled as he drew Tokijin from its scabbard.
"You intend to fight me?" Kagura smirked. "Will you honestly protect her?"
"I protect no one!" Sesshomaru seethed.
"Evidently."
"Wait! Why would Naraku need to test Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked, wanting as much information as she could get prior to battle. Crimson eyes shifted to hers hatefully.
"Are you truly that daft?" Kagura scoffed.
"I am not daft!"
Kagura rolled her eyes. "I am yet to witness proof of the contrary."
"Hey!"
"Enough!" Sesshomaru leaped towards Kagura but she was fast and within seconds had swiped her fan through the air causing crescent shaped blades shooting towards the demon Lord in which he dodged effortlessly. Kagome however only barely jumped to the side avoiding them. She landed on her stomach on the ground and acquired minor grazes to her forearms. She gathered herself quickly, quicker than normal due to the training she had received from Sesshomaru, and notched an arrow into her bow. She aimed but the two demons moved too fast for her to lock onto the wind sorceress.
Kagome's heart beat increased exponentially. She knew Sesshomaru was more than a formidable opponent for Kagura but for some reason she was worried regardless. Kagura leapt to the side avoiding Sesshomaru as he jumped towards her with his fluorescent claws drawn. Kagome hadn't noticed the moment he put Tokijin back at his waist and pursued the sorceress with his hand alone, but she was perplexed as to why.
Sesshomaru was irritated now. The wind sorceress was rather skilled at deflection but that aside, she had questioned him. Naraku had tested him and Sesshomaru detested to be trialled by enemies. More to the point, his suspicions about that night with the demon had now been confirmed and what was worse was that he did protect Kagome that night. This would give the perception of weakness and this did not sit well with the demon Lord. More attacks were aimed towards him and he was easily able to avoid them. He knew Kagura was holding back and he couldn't fathom why. The battle dance ensued for several moments before he decided to end it. He drew his arm sideways and released a build-up of youki before forming his poison whip and swinging it out in a circular motion.
Kagura was quick and it appeared she had managed to avoid his attack until his sensitive pointed ears picked up a small hiss from her. Her left arm quickly grasped her right shoulder as she winced in pain and she screwed her face up. Her sleeve turned crimson at her shoulder where the blood was seeping out.
"It is not you I wish to fight Sesshomaru." She admitted to him through gritted teeth.
"Yet it is me you will be fighting."
Kagura hesitated a moment as if in deep contemplation. Sesshomaru managed to miss her very quick glance over at Kagome who now had a clear target to fire on. Before Sesshomaru could react, the glowing arrow was heading straight towards Kagura, the luminous edges expanded largely. Sesshomaru quickly leapt backwards out of range, Kagura following suit. The purification only narrowly missed the sorceress but she was quick to react and leapt towards Kagome with speed, cutting her fan through the air and projecting dangerous wind cuts towards the Miko. Before Sesshomaru even realized, he was racing towards Kagome at invisible speed. Despite his immeasurable velocity, he was not going to make it time to remove Kagome from the line of fire. So instead, he came to an abrupt stop in front of her and shielded her body with his own, receiving the blow full force. Blood began to seep from his arm and shoulder blade and he hunched over so discreetly it would be unnoticeable. His chest armour remained intact however there was damage incurred. He heard the shocked gasps of both the women in the field due to his actions.
"Sesshomaru!" he heard Kagome yell out from behind him. There was a deep concern in her tone as he heard her approaching. He had vowed not to protect her and yet here he was, standing in front of her and bleeding for her. This fact bothered and irritated him probably more than it should. Now was not the time however to think about why he had made such a reckless decision though. He felt Kagome's soft hand gently resting atop his right shoulder as she peered up at him. There was panic in her cerulean eyes and he knew he should feel insulted, and for the most part he did. Yet, there was another feeling there, one that he did not know how to identify.
"Sesshomaru, are you alright?" her tone was fierce and unwavering and there was fire in her eyes beneath the concern.
"It is nothing." He responded tensely, making no move to cease any bleeding.
"How touching." Kagura spat aggressively. "It's utterly repulsive."
Kagome reached for an arrow and notched it into place. Cobalt hues narrowed fiercely as she took aim. She could feel the reiki spiking in her like fire in her veins and the burning threatened to overwhelm her. The power surged through her like electricity and imbued into the wooden shaft that pointed vehemently at Kagura before she released.
"Hit the mark!" Kagome demanded.
The arrow shot straight and true, exuding a powerful pink glow that stretched out impressively. Kagura's eyes widened in panic as she came to the realization she would be unable to completely avoid the blow. The sorceress pulled a feather from her hair and tossed it into the sky as it grew in size instantly. Kagura was on the feather within seconds but the fluorescent arrow was upon her. She moved herself quickly but she wasn't quick enough. The arrow connected with the large feather and there was a blinding light.
Kagome shielded her eyes with her arm to protect her from the flash as she heard a pained scream. She peered carefully from beneath her elbow as the light began to dissipate. Once the blinding light was finally gone, Kagome found that Kagura was nowhere to be seen.
"Did…Did I get her?" Kagome asked stunned. She was sure she wouldn't hit Kagura, she'd never managed to hit Kagura.
"She was hit," Sesshomaru surmised blankly. Although Kagome swore there was a hint of surprise in there. "However you did not kill her."
"What?! Darn! I really thought I had her!"
Nevertheless, Kagome was proud of herself. She had managed to hit Kagura with a sacred arrow. That in itself was an accomplishment for her. She had attempted many times to shoot Kagura but had never managed to get an arrow even remotely close to hitting the wind sorceress.
"Oh! Your wounds!" Kagome had just remembered that Sesshomaru had taken a blow for her. Once again, if it wasn't for the demon Lord, she would be worm food.
"They are merely surface wounds." He told her disinterestedly as if he were shrugging.
"Let me take a look." Kagome reached out to gently grab Sesshomaru's arm but hesitated when she discovered the look on his face. His eyes were widened at her as if she had suggested something incredibly offensive, or as if she had just admitted to killing a pet of his.
"I do not require your aid in healing!" his snapped firmly, but Kagome was just as stubborn.
"Look! Don't be a baby! It's my fault you're hurt and I just want to help!" Kagome snapped back, digging her heals into the ground and placing her hands on her hips as if to accentuate her irritation with him. There was a moment of silence as they glared at each other as if to win the argument just by sight alone.
Kagome reached for his arm again and attempted to lift Sesshomaru's sleeve. In a swift movement he managed to catch her wrist in his as he growled. Kagome ignored his growl and used her remaining hand for a third attempt.
"Do not test my patience!" he snarled.
"It won't kill you to let me have a look!" Kagome retorted angrily. He was more stubborn than Inuyasha!
"No!"
Kagome decided demanding was not going to get her anywhere so she tried a different approach. A softer approach.
"Please Sesshomaru? It's my fault and it would make me feel better if you let me have a look." She pleaded, pulling her best distraught puppy eyes on the Inudaiyokai. Perhaps bribery could work. "I'll even be quiet for the rest of the day."
Sesshomaru stared at the Miko in utter bemusement. Was she seriously just pleading and bribing him? On the other hand, silence from her did sound peaceful. Surely a quick look wouldn't be so horrible and then he could get on with a silent day.
"I am not so weak. There is no cause for concern." He argued, feeling that this just may be a losing battle. Why was he not just walking away from the Miko?
"I know, but it really would help put my mind at ease." She smiled innocently.
Sesshomaru mentally sighed and rolled his eyes before he turned his head to face away from her whilst offering her his outstretched arm. Ever so gently and slowly Kagome inched her hands forward and raised his Kimono sleeve, resting the folded up fabric carefully on his shoulder against his neck and revealing the wounds beneath. On his forearm, just below his elbow was a deep gash secreting a decent amount of crimson blood and another wound similar on his shoulder.
"The cuts are fairly deep." Kagome surmised. "I have some bandages that I can put on to help stop the bleeding."
"There is no need."
"It won't take long. I know you heal quickly but the bandages will help."
She was answered with silence so Kagome figured this was his way of giving permission. She bent over to her backpack and grabbed a bandage for his arm, a patch for his shoulder and some medical wipes to clean the wounds.
Kagome pulled a wipe from the packet and slowly placed her left hand gently underneath his forearm for support. His skin was deceivingly smooth and warm beneath her touch and she could feel the muscles below the surface. Kagome blushed lightly as she noticed for the first time the full extent of muscle definition in his arm. Sesshomaru was very well toned and she swallowed hard on probably non-existent saliva. She hadn't quiet anticipated the awkwardness of the situation. There was a level of intimacy to it that Kagome didn't expect. Sure, she had tended to Inuyasha and even Miroku at times but this, this was Sesshomaru. The untouchable Daiyokai.
"Er…this may sting a bit…" she nervously warned him to which she received no reply. She wiped away the blood gently as Sesshomaru stood still, allowing her to do what she needed to do. He did not flinch or wince like Inuyasha would when she cleaned his wounds, but she could see and feel the slight tensing of the muscles beneath her gentle hold causing her to blush a deeper shade of red.
For reasons unknown, Kagome would have expected his physique to be somewhat like Kouga's. Although there was a likeness between the two men, Sesshomaru's features were not as rough and dirty like Kouga's. Sesshomaru was just as masculine, if not more so in definition, but there was tenderness to his skin that was unlike Kouga's roughness. Yet somehow, it just added to the deadliness that was Sesshomaru. Kagome could admit for just a second, only to herself, that there was a definite appeal to the Inudaiyokai that stood before her.
It took three wipes to get as much blood away from the wound as possible before she gently, yet tightly, secured a bandage around his forearm. Kagome took a brief moment to admire his plum markings that wrapped elegantly from atop his hand, around his wrist and wound around to the inside of his arm. She found that there was a certain beauty to them. She quickly redirected her attention to the gash on his shoulder and re-evaluated the severity of the injury. This lesion appeared to be deeper than the other and therefore bleeding slightly more. Moving her hand up more slowly and hesitantly, she loosely held his upper bicep for support as she started to wipe away blood. His upper arm held a higher heat then his forearm and for some reason this position seemed even more awkward than the last, which she didn't think was possible. She decided to try and lesson the awkwardness with speech.
"Er…Thank you for saving me…again…" she stuttered out as she tried to contain the blood flow. She needed to work quickly to adequately remove enough blood so that the patch would stick securely to his skin but more blood kept on seeping out. "I know you said you wouldn't –"
"The deal was to have your silence." Sesshomaru cut her off. The last thing Sesshomaru wanted to discuss was the prior events. That would be admitting that he had protected her, when he most certainly was not protecting her. It was an irrational action that he took no part in deciding and he was not willing to yet explore the motives for his brash whims. If anything, it was because he still required answers thus she was required to be alive for now and she was still unable to adequately protect herself. Still, that did not mean he had to like it. Naraku would see it once more that he was protecting her and protecting someone would get you killed. Just like his father. It would display a weakness, and Sesshomaru hated weakness.
Kagome sighed at his response. It couldn't be the worst thing in the world to have protected her and she didn't understand his reluctance to do so or to even admit that he had. Either way, she was grateful for what he had done and felt it best to leave it at that. It took another six wipes to remove enough blood to get the square patch secured in place on his shoulder. When she was satisfied with her handy work, she unfolded the silk sleeve from his neck so it once again draped down to his striped wrist and took a step back. Sesshomaru shifted his golden gaze to hers and she returned it with a victorious smile. It wasn't to dangle defeat in front of him but more in the aspect she was happy he had let her aid him. It meant progress to Kagome, and progress always made Kagome happy. There was a moment where Sesshomaru just starred at her blankly with an almost a perplexed expression starting to appear. It made Kagome incredibly nervous and she began to look around anywhere but at him. It wasn't long before he diverted his attention forward and without any further exchanges he took a few paces forward to indicate they needed to move on, allowing her a brief moment to collect her things. She quickly stuffed everything away before she followed him and they proceeded on with their journey in silence, just like she had promised.
XX
A/N: So here is Chapter 11 FINALLY guys! I amSOsorry it took so long to get it out to yous! Because of the long wait and lack of much happening in the previous Chapter I decided to make this one extra long and have heaps happen. I even tried to give you a bit of a fluffy moment to make up for it :P I hope you guys like it! That last scene wasn't originally going to happen until further on but thought now was just a good a time as any. This will be the first moment that Kagome has NOTICED Sesshy in an attraction sort of format. Wheee! Even if she is unware. lol.
I am still recovering but my GP has given me a better coctail of medications to help deal with the pain and one that doesn't send me off into the land of the fog!
With that said, it still might be a couple weeks before I can get the next chapter out to you guys. Thanks again for those of you still wanting to read my story and review. XOXO