A/N: Sorry it took ages to update and it's not great.
Bells on the Tree
Kagome woke in her bed the next day. Inuyasha had brought from somewhere a futon, big and comfy, for her to use. The girl, who had been used to sleeping on a blanket on the wooden floor, it was like sleeping on a cloud.
She looked around her room - it was almost the same size Kaede and hers bedroom in the hut had been. In the morning light coming in through a half-opened shoji, the miko spotted all the furniture scattered around the room - a small lacquered table in a corner where the light from the shoji could reach it, accompanied by a pillow. A set of three chests for her personal items and clothing, a stand for her bow and quiver,. She had put all her belongings in one chest last evening. It hadn't been much, just folding a few changes of clothing and putting away a handful of items 'stolen' by Shippou from her old house.
A bunch of wild flowers, still covered in dew sat on the edge of the tatami mat that covered the part of the floor nearest to the shoji.
With a soft smile, Kagome crawled out of the bed and across the floor to pick the bunch of flowers up. They smelled sweet and fresh. She inhaled their scent happily and stroked the soft petals, knowing well who had left them.
Thankfully, yesterday she had managed not to tell Inuyasha what he'd told her while possessed by Myouga's fiancee. She'd also managed to feed most of the liver to her two boys, who had fought for the last piece of the baked treat. She smiled remembering them running around the room and winced when she remembered how, laughing at their antics and feeling playful herself, she had put the last bit of liver in her looks of stunned surprise on their faces had been almost worth the taste.
Kagome put the flowers on the table and went to dress for the day, in the meantime putting a herbal ointment on the bruises and scrapes on her body. They were healing nicely and didn't hurt much anymore, the soreness was gone as well, but some of the bruises still were dark purple against her skin.
As she put on her fire rat robe, she thought gratefully about the creator of the garment. She'd have been in way worse shape, if not for the protection of the youkai fabric..
Dressed, she went and made her bed. Tonight she'd woken up in the middle of the night by a nightmare - the four sons of the smith, each one with a cation crow hidden in a gaping hole in his chest, had ran after her demanding of her to give them Tessaiga which she held in her arms as she'd tried to find Inuyasha in a dense fog. When she'd woken up, panting and sweaty, it had took her a while to calm down. She had let her reiki rise and find the soothing youki of two of her friends sleeping in their rooms. That had helped her fall asleep again.
She heard a soft noise and looked to the shoji leading outside. Yuki was looking at her, ears perked, tail wagging slowly.
"Hey, Yuki." she smiled. "Do you want to help me make breakfast?"
Regular miko weren't usually good at house chores, since they spent the bulk of their time meditating, performing shrine duties and tending to the ill. Kagome, despite having no reiki until the last year, wasn't as good at sewing and other skills young girls knew too. Still, she wanted to pull her weight in the den and cooking was one of the things she was going to do from now on.
Yuki wuffed happily and she led him towards the kitchen, blushing as she thought that it was a very wifely thing to do, making breakfast for her soon-to-be mate. It didn't escape her that sharing food was a part of the courting.
She remembered all the times she had brought the food offerings to the Sacred Tree and the spark in Inuyasha's eye every time he ate them.
Life at the den was going to be at the same time quieter and more chaotic than what she'd been used to living in the village. There were less people to interact with, but with these present she had real bonds of friendship and trust. And they were as unruly as one could expect from a dog and a fox
Kagome set about making a simple stew from the leftover rabbit meat and vegetables in the storage room. She also prepared tea in a kettle for the meal. Yuki was looking at her with hope until she caved in and gave him some of the meat.
"Don't spoil the dogs," of course, it was at that moment that Inuyasha came in. Kagome looked up at him and shrugged.
"Yuki is my favorite," she replied and giggled when she saw him glaring briefly at the dog. Was he really jealous or just playing along? "So, what's the plan for the day?"
Inuyasha sat at the table and poured himself some tea. It all felt so natural, so normal. Kagome couldn't feel, but feel warmth in her heart.
"I'm going for a patrol run," he said. "I could take you with me, but it won't be a sightseeing walk."
"If you carry me, I won't mind," she stirred the stew. Inuyasha made a soft grunt.
"Can I go too?" Shippou walked in, rubbing his eyes. Kagome nodded while Inuyasha shook his head. They looked at each other for a moment before the hanyou looked away.
"Whatever. You can go, but if you fall off you have to get back home on your own," he grumbled. Kagome smiled warmly at him, happy that for some reason he didn't resist her for long.
She made sure to fill his bowl almost to the brim to reward him for letting Shippou go with them. The boy would be so sad and lonely
A half an hour later they were off, leaving the den under the watchful eye of the pack. Kagome was riding on Inuyasha's back, his hair brushed to the side, so she wouldn't pull at it and it wouldn't get in her face. Shippou was sitting on Inuyasha's shoulder, pointing birds and animals to Kagome as they went.
There was something magical in the way they moved through the forest. It wasn't Inuyasha's top speed, but it was still much faster than a horse could run. And no horse could alter between running on the ground and leaping between the tree limbs over ditches, streams and other obstacles. The world passed by in a rainbow of colors and sounds. No matter how many times Inuyasha carried her, it was always an exhilarating experience.
It was, in her opinion, as close to flying as one could get without wings or a flying youkai as a mount. She could feel Inuyasha's body move fluidly as he ran without hesitation in his pace, effortlessly and lightly making enormous leaps.
Being out in the forest was also amazing. She always felt better in the forest, where no one judged her, no one watched her and held expectations she couldn't match. Inuyasha's Forest felt like home, now even more than before. Of course, it was a home that housed dangers,. but there were clear rules to follow to stay safe. Wild animals were usually scared of humans and Inuyasha let only weak or otherwise not threatening youkai stay in his domain. She knew of a few small youkai families that hid in his forest. They kept to themselves, not wanting to deal with any of the humans living in the villages in the forest. Inuyasha sometimes let Shippou go play with their young and he had told her a bit about where they lived, but she haven't seen them yet. According to him, they were so weak they didn't find it insulting to live under his rule in return for his protection. She was curious about them and guessed now she was going to meet them sooner or later.
They were in the part of the forest she didn't know, but she knew what was in this part of Inuyasha's domain. The young healer had rarely left the village, and if even, she had been to the Border Village for the market day. This place was in the opposite direction from her old home. It was the River Village.
Not long after leaving the den, they reached their destination. The River Village sat in between a steep hill and the river that came from the mountains. It was smaller than her old village. Inuyasha stood on the edge of the steep slope of the hill for a moment, as if to let Kagome have her fill of seeing the place. Then he leaped down, headed towards a growth of willow trees near a place where the river bent slightly. It was not far from the village, but far enough to allow some seclusion for anyone coming there.
And, as they reached the thicket, Kagome realized that someone was using the spot for meditation.
"Master Mizu." Kagome greeted a bit nervous, after she stood on the ground. The old headman was sitting under one of the willows, legs crossed and eyes closed. A big basket covered by a thick blanket, sat next to him.
"Lady Kagome. Forest lords," he bowed his head in greeting, looking at them with a kind smile, that somehow managed to melt Kagome's anxiety away. He was the first human she spoke to since the nightmarish encounter with the smith's family. As she looked in his old, dark eyes, she couldn't see any distrust or disgust, he seemed serene and kind, not judging her or looking down at her for what she was. In this moment, more than ever, he reminded her about her mother and she hoped that when they meet again, Kaede would look at her the same way.
""Hey," Shippou puffed out his chest, probably pleased to be called a lord.
"You have what I requested," Inuyasha said plainly, his arms crossed. "Now, you will tell me what you want for this."
Kagome blinked, her curiosity piqued. Mizu patted the basket, which moved a bit as if there was something alive inside.
"A rooster and two hens," he said, as if answering the question Kagome had on the tip of her tongue. The miko blinked. "And we will supply more if need be. In exchange my village requires Lady Kagome's assistance."
"My assistance?" Kagome blinked while Shippou flicked his tail and looked at the basket with hope. Inuyasha simply waited for the headman to elaborate.
"Yes. Our healer is not much younger than myself and cannot perform his duties as well as he used to. So, we decided to ask for your help, my lady," he looked at Kagome with a polite smile. Kagome felt her heart warm up. "Could you be our healer?"
"She isn't leaving my den," Inuyasha grumbled.
"But I could visit the village a couple times a week, when you make your patrol runs," Kagome quickly pointed out. She didn't want to move away from his side, but this way she could work as a healer, help people in need. She didn't know this village and what the people here would be, but they clearly had no qualms with asking for her help. Well, a good healer was hard to get in so remote places, but as she looked at Mizu's wrinkled, open face, she had this thought that maybe here the people would be less bothered by her having low reiki and being the forest spirit's bride.
They didn't have long years of failed expectations towards her. They didn't ask for a miko, but for a healer. The River Village had no shrine one had to tend to, the villagers traveled outside of the forest or to Sunset Village for worship.
She looked hopefully to Inuyasha, the forest spirit scowling at Mizu, but it was not an angry scowl, but the one Shippou dubbed as 'Inuyasha's resting face'. Golden eyes glanced at her and she smiled a little. He'd said she wouldn't move in the village, but he'd not refused. He was letting her choose what she wanted, but she had this suspicion that, if he'd not like her choice, she'd hear about it.
"Our women can handle most labors," Mizu added. "But when someone gets injured or sick, we need a healer that can aid the unfortunate as soon as possible. The Sunset Village is the nearest, but it still takes a long time to get there."
"I'll be honored to help, in any way I can," Kagome declared, smiling happily when she saw Mizu bow his head in relief and gratitude It was not a hard choice, really. She was a healer and as long as Inuyasha would be around to help her, she had nothing to fear. And, as she glanced his way, she knew that there was no force that could hold him away from her when she went in a village.
"Keh. You will summon her the same way you do me," he snorted. "And I'll bring her with me when I come check up on the village."
"Thank you, my lord, my lady" Mizu bowed again. "The village is in your debt. If you need anything we can provide, all you need is to name it."
"Sure," the hanyou said and glanced at her. She knew she had this silly big grin on her face, but she didn't care. "You need anything?"
"Not now," she replied. She had to make a medicine room, collect herbs and make some ointments. She also would have to stack on things like bandages, but it could wait. "I'll let you know when I put together a list of stuff I need."
"Feh," he shrugged and that was when she realized something.
Shippou wasn't on his shoulder anymore. At some point the boy had leaped off of his perch and now Kagome looked around, just to find the kit sneaking through the grass, his belly against the ground, tail lowered. His eyes were trained on his target - the basket. The animals inside, probably sensing the danger despite the covering, started to move and make distressed noises, trying to find a way out. Shippou licked his tiny fangs.
Inuyasha growled softly, but Kagome put her hand on his bicep, lifting her other hand to create a small barrier right in front of Shippou's face. The kit didn't have time to move back before he nudged the glowing orb with his nose.
"Ow!" Shippou yelped, more surprised than in pain. The power of her barrier was not bigger than a flick to his nose. Inuyasha chuckled at the sight of the boy, holding his hands against his nose, sitting in the grass and looking at them both in surprise. "Kagome! What was that for?"
"No eating the chickens," she wagged a finger at the tiny fox. Mizu, who wad been observing the whole affair, laughed softly.
"They are Kagome's, brat," Inuyasha grumbled and Shippou winced.
"Okay," he said with a pout. "No eating the chickens."
Unluckily, it also meant 'no carrying the chickens'. And since the basket was too big to be carried by Inuyasha while also carrying Kagome, the group had to make some changes. Soon after the deal, Mizu had a chance to see the group off, Kagome sitting on the big pink balloon of Shippou's flying form while Inuyasha ran with the basket of spooked chickens in his grasp. The old man waved to the young woman, who clearly had no feat of heights, before he went to tell the aged healer that he could retire and that Lady Kagome would assist them in need.
.
On their way home the group moved rather slowly, Shippou was not as fast as Inuyasha and he was taking a while to fly around thick tree limbs. He was often moving to fly over the treetops, but it looked like it was tiring him to keep that height for longer.
So, to Inuyasha's annoyance, they had to make stops and let the kit rest. Kagome used the breaks to investigate the various glens on which they stayed, collecting herbs in a growing bundle. The chickens, luckily, weren't making much ruckus, probably soothed by the fact that neither the fox not the dog tried to nibble on them yet.
Finally, as they neared the Sacred Tree meadow, Kagome asked a question she'd had in her mind since the time they'd departed the River Village.
"Say, Inuyasha?" she asked, looking down to the path where Inuyasha ran. "Why did you want chickens?"
"Eggs," he replied, leaping in the air so he didn't have to yell up at her to be heard. She could talk at her normal volume thanks to his keen ears. "Back before my fifty-years-long nap I had a bunch of chickens, but they got snatched by wild animals when I was gone. I can hunt for meat and fish, and the villagers provide rice and vegetables, since I'm no farmer. But I can take care of some chickens."
"There's little to screw up," Shippou giggled. "You just let them out of the coop and they do the rest."
Inuyasha snorted. Then, as a gust of wind blew past them, his ears cocked towards the Sacred Tree.
"Can we... Make our last stop at the Sacred Tree?" Kagome asked. The meadow was the place of their meetings and she loved the ancient tree. Not even the fact that she'd been once attacked there and that recently there had been a court held there could change the feeling of soothing warmth she felt there. Besides, with her brave youkai friends she had nothing to fear.
"Feh," Inuyasha gave a sharp nod and it didn't take them long to land on the soft grass under the divine tree. Kagome slid off of Shippou before he changed back into his adorable regular form. She landed right in Inuyasha's arms and used her chance to steady herself against him. The chickens made some soft noises from where they were in the basket standing next to Inuyasha's foot.
"Hey," he murmured, his eyes looking down at her, warm and affectionate. This gaze was as far from the vacant, lovey-dovey eyes from the time he'd been possessed, as possible.
"Um, thank you," she blushed, feeling his arms wrap around her where she stood, her hands against his chest. "i... I'm steady now."
"I know," he flashed her a cocky smirk and leaned in to nuzzle her cheek. Then his lips pressed against her suddenly hot skin.
"Ew, Inuyasha, there are kids present!" Kagome could practically feel the cringe in Shippou's voice.
"Then look away," Inuyasha barked at him. From the corner of her eyes she could see a dusting of pink across his face and she giggled, putting her head under his chin, just for a moment.
Inuyasha wasn't the most romantic man in the land, but it seemed he was fond of the meadow and the memories they'd made under the Sacred Tree. Knowing that and feeling bold and playful, she glanced up and gave his Adam's apple a quick, shy lick before she untangled herself from his arms and stepped away, just to see him staring at her with a stunned, but pleased expression.
That was when a sound caught her attention and she forgot about being playful.
A chime of many bells on the wind made her look towards the Sacred Tree.
From its lower branches hung at least a dozen strings and cords, each adorned with a bell or two.
"Huh?" she blinked.
"They're from the four girls you spent time in the village," Inuyasha provided. "They smell of them."
A memory of herself, sitting with the four sisters under a plum tree behind their house, all occupied with their sewing and chatting, flashed in her mind.
She remembered Sakura and Yuka after the court, afraid and concerned, stepping around the Sacred Tree and calling her name.
"Why would they do this?" she asked and bit her lip.
"Dunno," Shippou jumped to a branch to inspect one of the cords.
"Humans never did that before," Inuyasha said slowly and stood beside her. "But I think it's a sign, for you, wench. They had a similar cord with bells when they came here demanding of me to let them see you."
"Oh," Kagome remembered that before the court he'd told her about seeing the girls. "I guess. At some point I will have to see them."
"If that's your wish. But you sure as hell ain't going to the village alone," Inuyasha glared at her, but relaxed when he saw her nodding.
"I am not going anywhere alone any time soon," she assured him."
"So, do you want me to take them off?" Shippou asked, patting one of the bells to make it chime.
"Not necessarily. They look so pretty on the Tree," she smiled softly. "It is a Sacred Tree and being adorned like this seems right."
"Keh, only you could say something so insane," Inuyasha turned to pick the basket.
"Hey!"
"It's just an old tree. It doesn't care what shit you hang on it, it doesn't even notice it," he muttered. "Okay, brat, time to go."
As they disappeared between the trees, no one of them noticed a group of shadows stand up from where they had been crouching behind a flower-covered bush.
"Should we follow?" asked Yuka, looking in the direction where Kagome had went.
"Ren said that it is dangerous to track youkai," Ayumi said, a bit pale. "And it's unwise to seek out the forest spirit's den. They say there are spells that can ensnare you if you try to go there uninvited."
"The important thing is that Kagome seems fine," Eri declared. "And that she will meet with us when she's ready. Right, Sakura?"
The oldest girl nodded. "Sure. We can go home now."
All four went back to the village, glad to leave behind the wild forest of shadow and youkai, where their friend somehow seemed to find a happy home.
Meanwhile Kagome saw to Inuyasha letting their chickens to their new home, a small coop huddled against the cliff side, still within the walls of the den's barrier.
"I'll train the pack to herd them," Inuyasha said. "And to keep an eye on our fox."
"Hey! I promised not to eat them!" Shippou pouted, still looking longingly at the feathery animals who were fearfully inspecting their new home.
"We know you will behave, Shippou," Kagome assured the boy.
"And no stealing eggs too," Inuyasha ruined her attempts at cheering the boy up. Shippou growled at the hanyou and leaped to his head to gnaw at his ear.
Kagome sighed, because it quickly changed in yet another chase, this time around the perimeter within the walls that supported the den's barrier. She stood there, watching her over energetic youkai yell and run around. It was hard to decide who was chasing and who was being chased, with them running in circles and exchanging yips and barks.
She knew, that they didn't mean to actually hurt one another. If Inuyasha wanted to harm Shippou, he'd done that long ago. And the boy, even if he liked to poke fun at his older friend, wasn't really mean.
As she watched them, she could sense their youki. Kagome basked in the feel of it, finding the foreign tingling energy of their power soothing. She knew most humans who could sense youki, never felt it calming, but she loved those two silly boys and knew they would never harm her.
She focused her eyes on them, the vortexes of their power bleeding into sight as she looked. She could see the border between them, where they ground against each other, the spot blazing with blinding light.
"Uh," she blinked her eyes at the sudden light and felt tears in her eyes.
"Kagome?" Inuyasha landed beside her, concerned. Shippou sat on his shoulder and reached a hand to touch her cheek.
"Don't cry. You know, I won't hurt your hanyou intended," he said soothingly.
"Feh, as if you could," Inuyasha glared sideways, but he was distracted by her wiping her tears away.
"Sorry, guys, it's nothing," she said. "I just looked between your youki and there was this streak of very bright light there and my eyes teared up. I'm good now."
"A light between our youki?" Inuyasha tilted his head. "I never saw anything like it."
"Because you're a dumb dog," Shippou jabbed at him.
"Feh! Could you see anything?" Inuyasha barked back. The boy looked away.
"Of course!" he proclaimed, but Kagome didn't need Inuyasha's sense of smell to smell a lie. She picked the boy off of Inuyasha's shoulder and hugged him, ignoring Inuyasha's glare.
"I'm sure it's nothing important," she said. "So, what do you want for lunch?
.
A miko worked on fixing a sandal. She was sitting under a tree from where she had a nice view of the village downhill from her. She was focused on her work, frowned, her one good eye fixed on the straw strap she was attaching to the sandal.
That was why she didn't at first notice someone approaching her. Or, to be precise, three someones. When she finally did, sensing their youki, she looked up and blinked.
"Is it the village in the Inuyasha no Mori?" asked a bulky, looming creature. He just stood there, no malice in his aura. His two small companions - a monkey and a... some kind of a bird youkai - nodded their heads, as if in greeting.
"It is. It is the Sunset Village," Kaede replied. It was a rare thing to see a youkai who was of higher rank - and intelligence - passing through Inuyasha's Forest. These three were surely no mindless beasts that devoured humans, so they could be talked to and dealt with just like any other travelers. "What brings you to this remote village?"
The huge youkai smirked, his big tusks gleaming in the sunlight as he pulled out of his sleeve a round, thin object. There was no chance the aged woman could move fast enough to avoid it as it landed upon her brow.
Her one good eye misted over and her face went lax.
"Come with me," said the booming voice of the youkai.
"Yes, master," Kaede stood up, her sandal forgotten, and followed the three youkai out of the village, ignoring the confused and frightened looks of the villagers, their calls, the fright on the faces of the four girls she passed by as she walked out of the village and everything else that wasn't the voice of the huge boar youkai leading her westwards.
A/N: I knew it was going to happen. You knew it was going to happen. It happened.
