Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. No money is being made from this work, and copyright infringement is not intended.
Chapter 11
The smell of freshly ground ink tickled Kagome's nose. It was no surprise that despite the inclement weather, Inuyasha and Shippo had vacated the hut as soon as Miroku had begun to set out his writing utensils. The morning had dawned gray and ominous, much to her disappointment. She had hoped to wash some of her clothes before her tutors descended upon her. As soon as she had peered outside into the dreary downpour she had known that her laundry would have to wait. It was probably for the best, she reflected. She had a lot to learn.
Kaede had left the hut shortly after dawn to attend a young mother who was struggling to care for her sick child. The old miko had left Kagome's training in Miroku's hands and had warned them that she would likely be gone for most of the day.
Sango sat in one corner of the hut, absently honing the edge of her giant bone boomerang. Kirara had reluctantly returned to the taijiya village earlier that morning. The two tailed cat had only been persuaded to leave after they had promised to follow as soon as their preparations were complete. Even though one of their old companions was no longer with them, Kagome was reassured that Kohaku would be protected should anything happen before they arrived.
Without her feline friend, Sango seemed lonely and withdrawn. Even though she knew it was silly, Kagome found herself feeling much the same. It was disconcerting to be around people she cared about when their connection was so blatantly one sided. Sango and Miroku were nice enough, but they had yet to relax in her presence. She found it rather painful to be relegated from a friend to an acquaintance. Kagome was glad for Inuyasha's company, even if he seemed to be doing his best to avoid talking to her at the moment.
"Alright," Miroku said when at last he seemed satisfied that all of the materials had been set out properly. "Are you ready to begin your lesson?"
Jostled from her thoughts by Miroku's question, Kagome was called back to the present. "Okay," she replied, summoning all her determination. She would do her best to learn everything as quickly as she could. She had to focus.
The writing tools were neatly spread out before him on the wooden floor of the hut. A single bamboo-and-fur calligraphy brush sat next to a small dish of jet-black ink which shone in the light of the fire. A small stack of paper slips sat to one side, carefully wrapped in a scrap of roughly woven cloth.
She walked over and knelt beside him, careful not to sit too close. Though it had been quite a long time since Miroku had last made any overtures towards her, Kagome was suddenly quite aware that she was in a rather perilous position. While she knew that Inuyasha's scowling presence would be enough to dissuade the monk from molesting her, she was unsure if Sango's company would have the same effect. Would Sango even care if Miroku chose to indulge his lecherous habits? She'd just have to be wary, Kagome thought, gritting her teeth.
"Do you have much experience writing calligraphy?" he asked and for a moment Kagome was baffled by his question. She nodded. It belatedly occurred to her that reading and writing might be uncommon talents among the women of this era. She knew that Sango could write, but her friend's upbringing could hardly be called average.
"When you prepare an ofuda you are actually channeling your spiritual power through your brush and into the paper itself," Miroku said, picking up the brush and carefully loading its bristles with ink. "The word you decide to use is immaterial. I'd recommend starting with words you are very comfortable writing. Once you have mastered that task, you can begin creating more standard seals and charms." Kagome watched carefully as bright tendrils of Miroku's aura flowed into the brush. When the bristles touched the slip of parchment, the paper absorbed both the ink and the spiritual power. He looked up. "Would you like to try?"
"Alright," Kagome nodded, deftly accepting the brush. With a small twinge of homesickness she decided that she would write the name of her family's shrine. She didn't feel comfortable writing just anything on one of Miroku's carefully prepared slips of paper. In this era, good quality paper was probably very difficult to make. She found it odd to think about the value of something that she had always taken for granted.
She concentrated and felt a prickling sensation creep down her arm as her energy began to flow into the brush. She smiled, encouraged by the familiar feeling. Channeling her spiritual power into the brush was just like pressing her power into a purifying arrow. This was easier than she thought. Confidently, she moved the brush towards the paper.
"Wait, lady Kagome!" Miroku began hastily, but it was too late. The bristles of the brush touched the parchment and it burst into flames. "That might be a little too much energy," he finished weakly, looking on as Kagome frantically smothered the small fire.
"Oh!" Kagome cried, looking at the charred spot that now decorated the floorboards of Kaede's hut. "How am I ever going to finish making a kotodama when I can't even manage to write a basic ofuda?" she exclaimed, slumping forward and covering her face with her hands. She was absolutely mortified! They didn't have time for her to make such stupid mistakes!
"Don't despair," Miroku said, beginning to rub her back in comforting circles. "That was an excellent first try," he continued. Kagome sat up and fixed him with a withering look.
"I'm obviously not an expert with these sorts of things, but generally when something bursts into flames it's a bad thing," she grumbled, stiffening as the monk's hand began to trail down her spine. How could Miroku act like this when so much was at stake?! She smacked his arm and he reluctantly removed his offending palm from her body.
Sango stood up suddenly, drawing their attention. "I'm going to do my daily training," she mumbled, hoisting Hiraikotsu over her shoulder and striding out of the hut and into the rain. Miroku stared after her, an unreadable expression on his face.
Suddenly Kagome was furious with him. Here she was, doing her best to prepare to fight an enemy who had already managed to get the better of her once, and he was allowing himself to get distracted by her ass! Not only that, but his lecherous behavior was already hurting Sango! "You're a real jerk, you know?" she fumed. "I know you're cursed and everything, but seriously, that's a pretty weak excuse."
"Pardon?" His eyebrows raised in response to her unexpected anger. "An excuse for what?"
"Putting your hands on everything female within grabbing distance, that's what! I have more important things to worry about than whether or not it's safe to sit so close beside you during our lessons! If I can't learn to use my power soon, innocent people could die!" Kagome yelled. "Don't you understand that? I need you to take this seriously, Miroku!"
"I assure you, lady Kagome, I'm taking this very…"
"No, you're not!" she cried. "You're not!" Kagome didn't think she had ever been this angry with Miroku before; it was an uncomfortable feeling. "You're not really attracted to me, we both know that," He opened his mouth as if to protest but she was in no mood to hear petty complements. "I know you Miroku," she said quietly, and to her horror her voice cracked.
"Kagome…" he began, at last starting to look abashed.
"Just… don't!" she said tremulously.
"You have my word," he said solemnly. "It was not my intention to upset you."
"I know that," Kagome mumbled, feeling a little guilty for her outburst. She was in a vile mood and she had no right to take it out on Miroku. She'd never had so much resting on her shoulders before. "I'm just a bit tense right now," she said, exhaling noisily. She reclaimed the discarded calligraphy brush and balanced it across the ink dish. "I don't know if I can do this in time."
"Last night you spoke about your quest for the Shikon jewel," he said encouragingly. "You and Inuyasha were eventually able to successfully purify the stone when many others had previously failed. Why shouldn't you be confident that your hunt for Naraku will end with comparable success?" he asked, and Kagome had to fight down the manic laughter she felt bubbling within her.
"Success?" she choked. "That was not success. That was failure."
"But…" he started to protest, but she shook her head to silence him. She knew that Miroku was trying to comfort her, but he had inadvertently stumbled upon the worst topic imaginable.
"Naraku… I was injured," she said, her voice shaking. "I wished on the jewel. Inuyasha wished on the jewel. Nothing happened." Kagome fisted her hands and pressed them tightly against her thighs to prevent them from shaking. "I… I died." Miroku frowned, and she knew that her explanation was only serving to confuse him further. She had to be strong. "Inuyasha told me that after… his demon took control. He had the jewel. He must have wished a second time." How was she going to prove Sango's innocence if she could barely force herself to talk about this with her friends? "Midoriko appeared to him. The jewel required unity; three aspects of the soul and a single wish. It wouldn't work until Inuyasha had transformed, but by then… I had… I was…" She broke off, hoping she'd said enough.
"Human, hanyou and demon," he mumbled, understanding beginning to light his eyes.
"And a single wish," Kagome confirmed, giving a single nod. She swallowed the solid lump in her throat.
"What did you wish for?" he asked, his voice hushed.
"We wished for a second chance."
They were silent for a long time after that, and Kagome was grateful that he gave her time to recompose herself. Though she had successfully managed to stifle her tears, her nose had clogged and she was forced to sniffle ingloriously. The fire crackled and she focused on the familiar, comforting noise. She closed her eyes, relaxing until the tight ache of tension in her stomach began to diffuse.
"May I ask you a question?" he inquired, breaking the quiet.
Kagome smiled. "You just did," she said, feeling much more like herself.
"You seem very certain that I am not attracted to you," he said, studying her intently. "Why?"
She almost laughed. "You know why," she replied, unsure if she had a right to meddle in his relationship with Sango, if he even had one yet. A contemplative look crept across Miroku's features.
"I see."
"Don't hurt her," Kagome warned. By even saying this much she was giving something away, but she couldn't stop herself. She'd watched Sango get upset far too many times to remain silent. "If you're serious about her, you'd better act like it."
His lips quivered in the beginnings of a smile. "You're a loyal friend, aren't you, Kagome."
"I try," she replied loftily.
"Would you like to try your hand at another ofuda?" he asked. She picked up the brush and carefully loaded it with ink. Miroku silently placed a slip of parchment before her.
"Too much power?" Kagome asked, hesitantly. The last thing she wanted to do was to accidently start another fire.
"I think that should be just fine," Miroku nodded encouragingly and Kagome felt a wave of affection for her friend. She snorted. Her emotional outburst had likely scared the heck out of him. But then again, he had always managed to comfort Sango in her times of need.
She slowly brought the brush down and winced when the edges of the paper began to blister. Kagome finished the last stroke and then grinned widely. Sure, the charm was a bit burnt around the edges, but it had held together. "I did it," she said, breathless. He chuckled.
"Now let us move on to seals. I want you to have at least one ready before our demon companions return," he teased. "I'll likely require the protection," he added with a genuine grimace.
xxxxx
"What do you think Sango's doing out in the rain?" Shippo asked. "She's been throwing that big bone weapon around for ages." His small hands were tightly tucked against the fabric of Inuyasha's fire-rat. The child had quickly realized that the garment was able to ward off the chill of the stormy weather. The fox was perched on his shoulder, taking shelter from the elements by hiding underneath his hair. He was such a little wimp, Inuyasha thought, but he felt very little annoyance. Though he'd never believed it was possible, the runt was starting to grow on him. Shippo still had his moments, but the kid was actually alright when he wasn't trying to joke around.
"The monk probably pissed her off," Inuyasha replied, seeing the vicious way the slayer threw Hiraikotsu. This was definitely more than just training; this was jealousy. Inuyasha scowled, popping his knuckles. If Sango was jealous, that meant Miroku had touched Kagome. "Fucking lecher," he growled.
"Hey, Sango," Shippo called, at last alerting the slayer to their presence. "How much longer do you think Kagome will be using that nasty ink?" Sango deftly caught her weapon and walked over to where Inuyasha stood, half-sheltered by a large tree that divided the common grounds of the village from the forest.
"They'll be at it all day if that monk has anything to say about it," she said darkly. Inuyasha snorted. If it wasn't for the fact that Miroku had laid his hands on Kagome he might have found Sango's ill concealed envy amusing.
"They'd better not," Shippo said, sounding alarmed at the prospect. He pressed himself closer against Inuyasha's back.
"You know, Miroku's not a bad guy," Inuyasha said gruffly, though he knew his tone wasn't exactly amiable. Thinking of the monk's hands caressing Kagome's curves made him want to break the man's fingers. Inuyasha grit his teeth and fought down his own protective instincts. He wouldn't actually hurt Miroku. But perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea to frighten him a little…
"You don't sound very convinced," Sango replied, her brow arching with wry humor. Inuyasha knew he wasn't very skilled at keeping his emotions from showing on his face but sometimes he wished he could be a little more subtle.
"Yeah well…" He let out a tense breath. "It's been a long time since I had to worry about him trying that sort of thing on Kagome," he grumbled, crossing his arms.
"Yeah?" Sango asked, surprised. She pushed back a tendril of hair that had plastered itself to her cheek. "I can't see him ever changing. To be honest, I'm not really sure why I agreed to travel with him in the first place."
"For all his failings, Miroku is surprisingly loyal," he said, wondering why Sango seemed to be looking to him for reassurance. It made him more than a little uncomfortable. "I've lost track of the number of times the stupid houshi risked his life needlessly." Sango's eyes rested upon him thoughtfully.
"Well, he sure seems to have impressed you," she said after a moment.
"Keh! Miroku's a pain in the ass," he grumbled and Sango laughed at his unintentional double entendre.
"You're a good friend, Inuyasha," she said, startling him. "You don't fool me."
"I'm not trying to fool you," he replied. "If you have any sense at all, you'll stay away from the letch and his wandering hands," he groused. Stupid Kagome, he thought angrily. She was way too trusting. The fucking monk had probably molested her a dozen times by now.
"You want me to go back in there and keep an eye on Kagome?" Sango asked with a small, sympathetic smile. What the hell?! He felt his cheeks heat and told himself it was anger, not embarrassment.
"Do whatever the hell you like," he snapped. "I don't care." Once again, the words sounded forced.
Sango nodded and heaved her weapon over her shoulder. "I'll go back then," she told him and then addressed the fox. "Don't worry, Shippo, I'll get them to hurry things up," she promised. She turned and began to trudge across the sodden grass.
"You'd better," the kit called after her and burrowed more deeply beneath the veil of Inuyasha's hair.
xxxxx*
"Sango," Miroku greeted her when she slipped back inside the hut. Kagome looked up from her writing and smiled. Sango was forced to turn away lest the jealousy she felt churning her stomach be revealed upon her face. She had no right to feel this way, she told herself firmly. She had simply agreed to travel with the monk, nothing more. So what if he had asked her to bear his children? It obviously hadn't meant a thing. She was an idiot for thinking otherwise.
"Are you two almost finished your lesson? Inuyasha and Shippo are getting tired of waiting in the rain," she said, and winced at the sharpness of her voice.
"Oh!" Kagome exclaimed guiltily. "I'd forgotten all about them! They must be absolutely miserable!" To her credit, Kagome immediately put down her brush and began to tuck away the writing implements. She walked to the door and ducked out briefly to dispose of the left-over ink. When she returned she set some water to boil above the fire.
Sango carefully leaned her dripping weapon in a corner by the entrance and stiffly flexed her fingers. She was chilled to the bone. She shouldn't have allowed herself to stay out there for so long, but she hadn't been able to bear the thought of returning.
Inuyasha had surprised her. She hadn't expected to be able to speak with the hanyou so candidly. She had been stubbornly clinging to her resentment towards him since she had been exiled from her village. It was easier that way. It hurt to think that her father had so easily allowed the prejudice of the village elders to cloud his judgment. If Inuyasha was somehow at fault it made her father less culpable and her banishment less of a betrayal.
After her tantrum yesterday, Sango had realized that although Inuyasha was a hanyou, he was also very human. It was impossible to stay angry with him. He was gruff, but his manner was familiar to her – she knew his type well. Sango had spent her entire life in the company of stubborn, pig-headed taijiya. When Inuyasha spoke derisively about his friend, Sango heard the real message. The stupid houshi who needlessly risked his life was truly an honorable man who would stop at nothing to ensure his friends' safety.
She sighed, angry that her thoughts had once again come back to the monk. She walked over to her small package of belongings and extracted her dry taijiya uniform. She had been stupid to venture out into the rain in just her travelling clothes. The dragon-hide would have better protected her from the cold, damp weather.
"Would you mind?" Sango asked coldly, fixing the monk with a look that threatened pain. A slow, knowing smile spread across his face when he saw the change of clothing she held in her hands.
"Not at all," he said teasingly. Sango saw red.
"Get out," she ordered. "Now."
"If you insist," he sighed wistfully, but he got to his feet and exited the hut. Sango exhaled slowly, hating that his teasing could infuriate her so easily. If she was going to be able to work with the monk at all, she'd need to learn how to tolerate his superficial flirtation.
Kagome followed him to the doorway and for a moment Sango thought that she too would exit the hut. She stopped at the entrance and crossed her arms. Sango stared for a moment before she realized that the odd woman was making sure the perverted monk didn't give in to the temptation to peek.
Sango began to shed her sodden clothing, finding it difficult to pick at the knots with her frozen fingers. She felt awkward in the other woman's company even though she seemed friendly enough. It was difficult for Sango to accept that Kagome knew so much about her already. Kagome claimed to be from the future and slowly Sango was beginning to believe her. The combination of her outlandish clothing and her strange foreknowledge were beginning to erode whatever doubts Sango could have clung to.
"I'm sorry about earlier," Kagome said, continuing to guard her post. Sango paused, bewildered.
"Sorry for what?"
"Miroku," she said and Sango could almost hear her roll her eyes. "After you left I really lost my temper with him," Kagome admitted. "I don't think he'll touch me again."
"I wouldn't hold my breath, if I were you," she snapped, wondering why Kagome felt the need to talk about this.
"Sango," Kagome said in an oddly plaintive voice. "Please don't be angry with me." Sango blinked, belatedly realizing how cold her reply had been. She felt a rush of sympathy for the other woman. Kagome had been nothing but kind to her. She had offered to argue her case to the village elders and she was also willing to fight to protect the taijiya village. With a sinking feeling Sango realized that so far she had done absolutely nothing to deserve such acts of friendship. Since the moment she had arrived in the village she had been acting like a spoiled child. She'd started a pointless flight, pouted, and generally felt sorry for herself. It was a wonder Kagome had even bothered with her.
"I'm sorry, Kagome," Sango said softly, securing the last ties of her dry taijiya uniform. "This must be very difficult for you and Inuyasha. I should be more understanding."
"No!" she exclaimed. "I mean…" Kagome stuttered, faltering when she looked over her shoulder and noticed Sango's astounded expression. "I know you're going through a really tough time. I know how close you were to your family." Sango began to carefully arrange her wet kimono so it would dry.
"I suppose I should be grateful that they're still alive," she forced herself to say.
Kagome sighed heavily. "You're sure the elders will need a demonstration of the kotodama? We could always just fake it. I mean, I could say a word and Inuyasha could pretend to fall to the ground. I'm trying my best to learn everything I can, but I still have a ways to go before I can even think about making a new rosary."
"The elders would know. Even though they are not powerful enough to channel spiritual power, many of them are able to sense it. It has to be a real subjugation."
"Oh," Kagome said and began to chew nervously on her bottom lip. "Well, we could split up, I suppose. Inuyasha and I could stay here with Kaede while I train and you and Miroku could set out towards your village."
"Don't worry, Kagome," Sango said. "I know you're trying your best. Kirara is guarding Kohaku and I did warn the others before I left. They're taijiya. They should be alright." Please, let them be alright, Sango prayed.
Kagome visibly relaxed at her words. After a moment she snickered. "Should we let him back in yet?" she asked, a wicked gleam shining in her eyes. Sango snorted. It was tempting to punish the houshi for his transgressions.
"Is he always like that?" Sango asked, unsure if she wanted to hear the answer. "Does he ever stop womanizing?"
"He got better," Kagome replied cautiously and Sango was startled by the unexpected stab of disappointment she felt. If Miroku had only gotten 'better' it meant his flirting had never completely stopped.
"Oh," she said softly. It was more painful than she had thought it would be to have her suspicions confirmed. She was just one of many women the monk had tried to charm. She was nothing special at all.
"I think you just need to be patient," Kagome said, but Sango barely heard her.
"Yeah. Well, I'm finished," Sango said, talking about more than simply changing her clothing. There was no way she would tolerate a man who was unfaithful. She'd just have to find a way to ignore him. She stood up and made her way towards the entrance. "You can come in now, monk," she called. Miroku ducked back into the hut and made his way to the hearth.
"The weather really is terrible," he grumbled, reaching his hands towards the warmth of the fire. "I must remember to extend my sympathies to Inuyasha and Shippo when they return."
"I should go call them back," Kagome said and a strangely determined look crossed her features. "I have to talk to Inuyasha about a few things, so don't worry if we don't come back right away," she said, bending down to collect a thin stack of ofuda. Sango goggled at her. Was she planning to seal him?! Wasn't Inuyasha Kagome's 'beloved'?! Sango supposed that when dealing with a hanyou, a woman might be tempted to use rather extreme measures. But wasn't a kotodama enough?
"We will have tea waiting for your return," Miroku said. Kagome reached into her strange yellow bag and extracted a sturdy-looking parasol. She smiled at them and then strode out into the rain without another word.
"Kagome can be a little scary," Sango mumbled. She was probably reading too much into things. Kagome had been livid last night when she had thought she would have to subdue Inuyasha without cause.
"Coming from you, I find that rather amusing," Miroku laughed.
"What's that supposed to mean?!"
xxxxx
"Kagome!" Shippo's clear voice easily cut through the patter of the storm. She looked up to find Inuyasha leaning against a tree at the edge of the village commons. His ears were flattened against the rain and his expression was thunderous. Kagome gulped. He looked absolutely furious with her. She supposed that after spending most of the day out here in the rain, he had a reason to be angry with her.
"There you are!" she said as cheerfully as she could manage and hurried towards them. "We're finally finished with the ink. I'm really sorry it took so long." If anything, Inuyasha's frown deepened in response to her apology.
"You forgot about us," Shippo accused plaintively, peering out at her from underneath a curtain of Inuyasha's hair. Kagome's heart clenched. The child looked absolutely miserable. "You took forever!"
"I'll make it up to you, I promise," she vowed. "You were very patient, Shippo. How would you like another package of Pockey for a treat?"
"Pockey?" he asked, stumbling slightly over the unfamiliar word. Kagome felt badly for trying to bribe her way back into the child's good graces, but she'd do whatever she had to.
"You remember that special snack I gave you the other day?" she prompted, and a cautious smile bloomed on Shippo's face.
"Alright," he said benevolently. "But I'm still angry with you. The next time it rains you'd better not use that nasty ink."
"I promise," Kagome agreed readily. "I really didn't mean for it to take so long."
"Well what are we waiting for?" Inuyasha snapped, standing straight and beginning to move towards Kaede's hut.
"I need to talk with you, Inuyasha," she said, her heart in her throat. Perhaps it would be a better idea to wait for awhile, but the rain at least ensured that they wouldn't be spied upon. Now that Kaede's hut was so crowded, Kagome didn't know when they might have another opportunity.
"It can wait."
"Inuyasha! Osuwari!" she cried, clutching her umbrella with white knuckles. He flinched.
"Fucking bitch!" he exploded, pivoting to face her. "Would you stop it with that damn word already?! It doesn't work anymore!"
"It makes you listen," Kagome responded tightly. Inuyasha hadn't called her a bitch for ages. It stung.
"I'm outta here," Shippo grumbled and leapt from Inuyasha's shoulder. "All they ever do is fight," the child mumbled darkly before he was out of earshot. They both ignored him.
Inuyasha set his jaw stubbornly and glared at her. His golden eyes flashed with tightly restrained anger. "I have nothing to say to you, wench. I'm going back to the hut."
"Coward," Kagome hissed, stalking towards him and shoving him in the chest. She was absolutely livid. She was trying to work up the courage to confess her love for him and he was being a complete jerk. "You coward." If the situation weren't so serious, Kagome might have laughed at his incredulous expression.
"Take that back, wench," he seethed, capturing her hand as she moved to push him a second time. He held tightly as she tried to pull away from his grasp.
"You're running away from me! What else am I supposed to call you?"
"I ain't afraid of you," he growled.
"Prove it," she challenged, and before she had even finished the sentence, his lips crossed hers with an almost ferocious intensity. Her umbrella fell to the ground. She gasped against his mouth, shocked that she had been able to provoke him to this. He pressed closer to her, one of his arms curving around her hip, the other steadying her against his chest. And just as suddenly as he had descended upon her, he attempted retreat.
"How's that for afraid, wench," he mumbled against the skin of her cheek, at last releasing her hand from his grip. She immediately buried her fingers in the fabric of his fire-rat robes, stepping forward as he attempted to back away. His already uneven breathing stuttered at her touch. Her mind whirled dizzily; she couldn't believe he'd kissed her like that.
"Stop being so smug," she grumbled. She wrapped her arms around him, ignoring the damp fabric of his clothing. His body was warm and solid against hers and suddenly she was very aware of how broad his shoulders were.
"Smug? You're the one who wanted..." his words died when she kissed his neck. "Kagome," he said, tensing at the contact. There was a note of warning in his voice. She gently pressed her teeth against his skin, contrasting the solid texture with a soft brush of her lips. The air left Inuyasha's lungs with a sharp hiss.
"I love you, Inuyasha," she breathed, rising onto the balls of her feet to capture his lips with her own. "Let me stay with you."
"Are you sure?" he asked, leaning back to study her face. Kagome felt her cheeks blush tomato-red. The disbelief and hope in his tone made her heart ache. "It won't be easy," he warned. The solemn look in his eyes told her he was reliving the latest bigotry he'd been forced to endure.
"I know," she whispered, "but you're worth it," she said firmly.
A/N: I know that Kagome doesn't usually argue with Miroku, but I think she wouldn't hesitate to put the monk in his place if he really pissed her off. Also, if anyone was wondering, Kagome didn't ever intend to use the ofuda on Inuyasha. She was taking precautions because she wasn't bringing a bow. It was all in Sango's head.
