Disclaimer: I do hereby disclaim all rights and responsibilities for the characters in this wee hour interruption... especially for the one who's right where they belong. A nod of recognition is bent towards Rumiko Takahashi for her creative prowess.

The oneshot was originally posted to Live Journal on March 28, 2011.

Intruder

The thirteen-year-old woke with a start, alert and wary, for he was quite certain there was a demon in the house. According to Kaede-baba, he didn't have the makings of a monk; proper spiritual gifts were stronger, sharper. What Kohaku had wasn't so much a natural talent as a hard-earned acuity that all taijiya possessed to some degree. Youkai were their business; sensing them came with the territory. Something's definitely here, and it's not Shippo.

Slipping from his covers, he palmed the blade on his bedside table, tucking it into the belt of his sleeping robe before selecting another from the rack next to his door. His mind raced as he padded along the corridor, searching for signs of mischief. It could be one of the young campers playing a prank... maybe a kit hoping to score points against a four-tail. Such things happened occasionally, but entering a human residence without permission was a breach of village law. There were plenty of places to ambush Shippo without risking expulsion. No... this youki is too indistinct. Maybe a low level demon wandered in?

Kohaku's heartbeat quickened along with his pace when he realized that the door to Kagome's room was partially open. He was just coming even with the gap when a soft whoosh of displaced air announced Shippo's swift arrival. The boy looked gratefully into the kitsune's face. "In here?" he whispered.

"Yes," the redhead replied, his brows drawn together in concentration. "It doesn't seem dangerous, but by the same token, it doesn't belong here. I know Kagome's a miko, but..."

"She wouldn't hurt a flea," Kohaku supplied.

"Best not let Myouga learn of that," the kitsune quipped. "He'd undoubtedly take advantage."

Much of the tension dropped from Kohaku's shoulders. If Shippo's joking, then Kagome's safe. Leaning his weapon against the door frame, he eyed the opening and inquired, "Can you hear anything?"

"Yes. At first, I thought our little visitor was growling, but then I realized..." he began, trailing off as he peered into the bedroom. His green eyes widened in amazement, and he softly exclaimed, "I just realized why...! But, that would mean...!"

Through waiting for Shippo to talk sense, Kohaku eased open the panel enough to tiptoe into Kagome's bedroom. The space smelled faintly of herbs and shampoo, the epitome of femininity to one biased boy's way of thinking. From the direction of the young woman's bed, a distinct rumble vibrated through the air, and as he crept forward, red eyes blinked open.

The sixteen-year-old miko trainee was sound asleep, hands curled under her chin, dark hair spilling over her shoulders, and completely oblivious to the small cat perched possessively on her hip. Edging slowly closer, Kohaku held out his hand to the feline, who delicately sniffed his fingertips before butting her head against his callused palm, demanding attention. "Welcome to Midori," he murmured bemusedly.

Shippo crouched next to him and offered his own hand for the neko-youkai's inspection. "I'm not sure what's funnier... this little lady sneaking in, or that little lady sleeping through all this racket."

The purring increased exponentially as Kohaku gently scratched under their interloper's chin, then rubbed behind her ears. "Kagome has a cat back in Tokyo," he defended. "Maybe she's used to it?"

"Come on," the kitsune urged, leading the boy out. He beckoned experimentally towards their visitor as well, but she only gave a squeaky mew and settled back down, clearly intending to stay with Kagome.

"She has two tails," Kohaku commented once they were on the back porch.

"I noticed," Shippo remarked, his own tails swishing back and forth in agitation. "She also has creamy fur, black markings, and a diamond pattern in the center of her forehead. All this happened before my time, but the Western Lord would know for certain."

There was something strangely familiar about the description, but Kohaku couldn't quite place where he'd read about a two-tailed feline. Tugging Shippo's sleeve, he begged, "What was before your time?"

Pointing towards Kagome's room, he quietly declared, "I think that's Kirara!"

Of course! The boy felt like an idiot because he knew his history lessons well; he just hadn't expected the distant past to sneak into his house during the night. "She's been missing for centuries!"

Shippo cast a thoughtful look towards the position of the moon. "I should pay a visit to the Western Lord. He returned just this morning, and I'm sure he'll want to know about this."

"What about me?"

"Back to bed," he urged. Turned to go, the kitsune paused to say, "By the way, Kohaku... it's admirable that you reacted so quickly to a potential threat. Your father and sister will be kicking themselves in the morning."

He rubbed at his freckled nose, partially hiding a shy grin. "Thanks."

Shippo tousled his sleep-mussed hair and added, "Once the sun's up, warn your father to expect company. I have a feeling the Great Dog General will wish to confirm all of this for himself."

Kohaku nodded his understanding, but once the fox-youkai whisked away, the boy slipped back to Kagome's bedroom door, collected his weapon, and took a seat. There was no way he was getting any sleep tonight, and a few hours of guard duty would give him time to think over this strange, new development. After hundreds of years, Midoriko-sama's faithful companion has returned to Midori. If this is a portent, I wonder what's to come?

End Note: This oneshot was written for the Live Journal community iyfic contest and their prompt for Week #243—Strangely Familiar. 905 words.