Chapter Twelve

Dead leaves scattered the Western Castle ground that were once green. The swirl of wind was now stronger and colder. The sign of fall spread throughout the Western Castle. Kagome took a deep breath and imagined it to be the smell of fall. Passing through another season reminded Kagome of the many months she had spent in the Western Castle. She couldn't believe that time had passed by so quickly.

"Kagome Kagome,

Kago no naka no tori wa, Itsu itsu deyaru?

Yoake to ban ni.

Tsuru to kame ga subetta, Ushiro no shoumen dare?"

Kagome heard the song chanted amongst a group of young voices. Knowing which bunch of young demons the voice belonged to, Kagome made her way towards her young friends. Reaching the garden clearing, Kagome watched the young demons play the game she taught them as she leaned against a tree. Her young friend Hotari was in the middle with his eyes closed. She released a giggle from the cute scene before her. A strong current of wind blew through the garden causing Kagome to close her eyes shut and shiver at the cold.

Kyahhhhhh

Hearing the young demons screaming, Kagome opened her eyes to see the young ones running towards the Western Castle. Looking to see what was happening, Kagome saw a black skinned demon appear. But as the young demons ran away from the black skinned demon, Kagome saw Hotari remaining where he was with his eyes closed.

"Hotari! Run!" Kagome tried to warn her young friend urgently in hopes that he would dodge the incoming attack from the black skinned demon. But, Kagome saw that Hotari was frozen in his position with fear after witnessing the demon. Viewing the black skinned demon closing in on Hotari with its arm positioned to attack, a rush of panic flooded her. Kagome ran towards Hotari and covered him with her body allowing the demon to claw her shoulder.

Wincing in pain, Kagome released a silent cry.

"Lady Miko!" Hotari exclaimed in worry. Tears began to swell in Hotari's eyes while staring at her shoulder where the claw mark bled red. Kagome saw that the black skinned demon used to be a kitsune demon before being manipulated by Neikan.

"Don't worry, Hotari. I'm here" Kagome reassured her young friend with a gentle voice. Placing a barrier around Hotari, Kagome tried to place another barrier around the demon to heal the black skin. However, the kitsune easily broke her barrier and aimed to attack her. Surprised that her barrier was so easily broken, Kagome dodged too late. The kitsune's claw skimmed the same wound on her shoulder. Falling to her knees from the pain, Kagome cursed her weakness.

Snap

Kagome examined the blackened kitsune fall unconscious to the ground from a green whip. Looking behind her, she eyed Sesshomaru with his clawed hand glowing green. She noticed Sesshomaru narrow his eyes at her shoulder wound. A flash of red tinted his golden eyes. Her eyes widened as she observed Sesshomaru ready to melt the blackened kitsune.

"No!" Kagome pleaded in hopes to stop Sesshomaru.

"The kitsune is being manipulated, Sesshomaru!" Kagome continued to try and convince him.

Finally lowering his clawed hand, Kagome sighed in relief as she saw his poison disappear as well.

"Kagome!" Takashi came rushing along with Hotari's mother.

"What happened!?" Takashi exclaimed while expressing his worry at Kagome's injured shoulder.

"Another one of Neikan's manipulations tried to attack the young ones" Kagome explained.

"Forgive me! I shall receive any punishment on behalf of my son for being the cause of My Lady's wound!" Kagome heard Hotari's mother exclaim while desperately holding onto a frightened Hotari.

Softening her eyes towards the mother, Kagome said "I am fine. There is no need to apologize or receive punishment."

Then Kagome directed her attention towards her frightened young friend and said gently, "You are still young Hotari, so do not blame yourself for my injury. But I know you will grow up to become a strong one and protect others. Correct?" Seeing tears finally falling from Hotari's eyes, Kagome smiled as he nodded his head as a promise.

"Call for a healer," Sesshomaru snapped sharply at the mother causing the poor mother to tremble in fear and rush away to do as he commanded. Kagome saw Sesshomaru's stoic mask breaking as he seemed to be struggling with something.

Turning towards the unconscious kitsune, Kagome placed her hand over the black skin.

"Kagome, I don't think you should be using your powers while you are severely injured," Kagome heard Takashi voice in worry. But, she ignored his advice and released a large amount of her power.

Blurred vision,

A painful throb against her head,

And sweat began to trail down her forehead.

It was getting harder for her to heal the black skinned demons. Kagome realized Neikan was getting stronger with his manipulations.

Finally healing the kitsune back to normal, Kagome's face turned pale white.

"Reckless," Kagome heard Sesshomaru say in a cold voice she hadn't heard in a while.

"How can you say that when she was saving a PUP!?" Takashi exploded at his cousin in anger. Seeing Sesshomaru ignore him and walk away, Takashi opened his mouth to shout out an angry remark.

"Takashi!" Kagome called out, successfully cutting Takashi's next comment. Detecting that Sesshomaru's presence was gone, Kagome told Takashi "He's only angry that I got myself hurt in the process and pushed myself to heal this demon."

Takashi's anger vanished after hearing Kagome's comment. He would have laughed at Kagome's farfetched assumption if the situation wasn't so serious. But as Takashi looked back to the path Sesshomaru walked away from, he saw drops of his cousin's blood. Knowing what caused this, Takashi was surprised that Kagome's assumption was correct.

A silent figure, who was returning to the Castle, looked down at his clawed hand that was dripping in blood. His own blood that had not shed for months was finally shed by his own hand. Anger at the recent events caused him to dig his own claws into his palm in order to remain calm; in order to calm his thirst for bloodshed. Staring down at his bloodied hand, he watched as the wound began to close.

Stab

Takashi clenched his chest at the pain that suddenly throbbed. Since when did Kagome become so close to his cousin? An overflowing tide of emotions attacked his inner thoughts.

Panic

Was his Miko being taken away from him?

Clenching his chest tighter, a new found emotion sank in…jealousy.

"Takashi, are you alright?" Takashi looked to see Kagome expressing worry at his clenched hand over his chest. Dropping his hand away from his chest, Takashi plastered a tight smile. But after looking straight into Kagome's deep blue eyes, his smile faltered into a sad smile.

"Just the thought of losing something…I didn't know it could be this painful" Takashi voiced lightly. Kagome's confused expression seemed to cease the flow of emotions within him. Shaking his head, Takashi knew it was impossible for his little Miko to be taken away by his cousin. Wrapping two arms around Kagome's waist and legs, Takashi held her bridal style and walked towards the Castle.

"I can walk on my own, Takashi!" Kagome said while blushing.

Releasing a chuckle, Takashi glanced down towards the adorable expression Kagome was making.

"Noway, you are just going to faint again; making things harder for me" Takashi teased playfully, but noticed Kagome was already half-asleep. Witnessing Kagome become even paler, worry and the emotions from before began to tighten its grip around his chest again. As he stared down at the little Miko resting in his arms he leaned towards her and placed his lips gently against her temple.

-Evening-

As the temperature dropped towards late in the evening, Kagome walked outside with another top haori to block the chill. Kagome wasn't able to sleep from the worry and thought of Neikan's growing powers. Looking up towards the night sky that held a crescent moon, it reminded her of Sesshomaru. She wondered if she should tell him about Neikan's growing power. It was ridiculous of her to withhold this information, but she didn't want Sesshomaru to think of her as useless now. Being unable to heal the miasma, which controls innocent demons, would make her useless.

An image of Sesshomaru staring at her in disgust made her heart clench painfully.

No, she didn't want him to look at her like that…ever.

Realizing that her footsteps had unconsciously walked towards the Sakura Tree, she looked to see Sesshomaru staring before the bare tree.

"Miko, you should be asleep" Kagome heard Sesshomaru say without turning his gaze from the Sakura Tree.

"I couldn't fall asleep" She confessed.

Detecting Sesshomaru's gaze to glance at her injured shoulder, Kagome said "It's not because of the wound." Golden eyes finally met with hers in question as to the reason why she was still awake.

"I was wondering why Neikan sent only one of his manipulations" Kagome said, still providing Sesshomaru with a part of the reason she was awake.

"A test" Sesshomaru responded in an icy tone. Remembering that Naraku used his incarnations to test how strong they were before the final battle, Kagome understood Neikan's intentions. She knew now for certain that he was testing her powers. It would be dangerous for her to keep this information to herself. So, Kagome prepared herself to reveal the truth.

"Neikan's been growing stronger. I noticed that it's been taking more power and a longer period of time to heal the miasma. I fear that soon Neikan will grow too strong to the point where I won't be able to heal the miasma at all" Kagome confessed as she shut her eyes tightly, not wishing to see Sesshomaru's reaction.

"I'm sorry," she whispered still with closed eyes.

"You are giving up" Sesshomaru stated stoically.

Opening her eyes in surprise, Kagome cried out "No!"

"Never!" Kagome exclaimed loudly into the silent night.

"Then why apologize?" Sesshomaru said. Kagome was about to explain that she would become useless now, but was cut off.

"Simply grow stronger, Miko" Kagome heard him say as his words seemed to cause her worries to fade.

A beautiful sound of laughter rang gently against Sesshomaru's ears. Turning towards the owner of the laughter, he saw the Miko smiling at him. Raising a brow, he wondered why the Miko was suddenly laughing.

"You're incredible, Sesshomaru" she said warmly, "One sentence from you is all it takes to calm my worries and fears."

Sesshomaru felt his heart skip a beat causing his control to slip. His stoic mask slightly revealed a tender expression towards the Miko's comment. Yet the moment his tender gaze fell upon the Miko's injured shoulder, his gaze tensed. The memory of finding the Miko injured burned into his mind. Anger once again over flooded his senses.

Recalling the scent of the Miko's spilt blood,

His control broke.

A low growl fueled by anger shattered the silence of the night.

The Miko slowly closed the distance between them.

Ever so gently, the Miko wrapped her hand around his clenched hand.

Blinded by anger, Sesshomaru had not noticed his claws were once again puncturing his palm.

Soft hands eased the muscles that were causing drops of blood to appear on his hands.

The Miko's soothing aura made Sesshomaru loosen his grip on his clenched hand.

Closing his eyes, her pulsing aura lulled him to relax.

Sesshomaru had never once questioned his powers. For centuries, there was none who could compare to his strength. Yet, staring at the Miko's injury made him doubt…

For the first time, Sesshomaru began to question his abilities…

Was he powerful enough to protect her?

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