Chapter 10 - Of a step closer and two back

The morning sounds of the forest filtered gently into his consciousness. The scurry of small animals and the chirp of birds were bright amid the rustle of the leaves in the canopy. His ears swivelled around lazily, noting how the familiar woodland backdrop was more muted than what he was used to. Surprisingly, his sleep must have been rather deep. The light further roused him with a flood of warm orange behind his eyelids–a direct sunbeam being the likely culprit. Man, he must've picked a shitty-ass branch last night.

Last night… fuck!

Inuyasha lurched up, flaxen eyes bursting wide open as the flood of memories from the previous night overwhelmed him, banishing any residual inertia. His system now on full alert, with one clawed hand firmly anchored in the wooden floor behind him, he made to survey the surroundings in a wild frenzy. Instinctively noting no threat in the vicinity, he calmed somewhat to find his apparent location rather bewildering in an entirely different way.

Belatedly, he noticed that he was enveloped in a comforting scent, so familiar in fact that it had not stood out in his half-conscious survey. Now that he was focusing on it however, the scent saturated the small space and even more unsettling was the fact he could smell her on his own skin. It was diluted by the stronger stench of herb mixtures but it was there nonetheless. Trailed along his forehead, his cheeks, neck and his body…

What the fuck?

Jerking his head down, he noted the scratchy cover that had fallen off his chest to bunch around his waist. What it revealed was a patchwork of bandages crisscrossing his torso; it was from these that the smell of the herbs, and of Kagome, was strongest. Then, just above the level of his hip, his eyes sharpened on a tumble of raven hair, curled gently but in disarray, invading the edges of the blanket. How the hell had he not noticed her immediately is beyond him.

She looked like she'd just collapsed rather than laid herself down. Her head was pillowed on the back of a hand, more dark locks hiding her features from view. In her sleep, she'd curled herself into a tight ball, making her frame even smaller than normal. The corners of his mouth unknowingly pulled down in a disapproving frown when he noted the thin robe she wore and the fine tremor of her narrow shoulders.

Stupid girl.

Inuyasha growled irritably—but quietly—as he carefully untangled the cover around himself to flip it over Kagome, taking care to tuck in the fabric around her form. He only hesitated for a second—because no one wants to be touched by a half-breed—but continued when a rational part of his brain reminded him she'd had no problems being carried before. With the utmost care, he slid a palm under her cheek, fingers rather tense with caution to not touch her with his claws, he shifted her into a less uncomfortable looking position. Her skin was warm and pliant, so much softer than his own. His fingers twitched subconsciously as he savoured the contact.

If you'd asked him beforehand, Inuyasha would not have guessed that guilt would top the list of emotions he felt about her after last night. But there it was, along with worry, clambering for his attention. For the brief second he'd leaned in to adjust her, his nose had picked up the traces of his own blood and sweat. Honestly, who the fuck else other than this baka would bother to patch up a hanyou? Then be stupid enough to overexert herself to end up shivering and passed out beside him. Kagome was a frail human and damn if he got blamed for her getting sick or something.

Scoffing, Inuyasha looked around him some more. They were on a raised wooden platform circling a fire pit. On the other side of the room was an area crammed full of baskets and bundles of cut plant material. Some of the crockery seemed to have been hastily pushed out of the way. He was most likely inside her home then; it would explain the thickness of her scent around the place. How the hell she was able to get him here was another matter altogether.

His thoughts made a dark downturn recalling the events of the night. He was shocked to see her frightened face peering from the crowd of miko. And while he did initially assume the worst, her expression, her eyes begged to differ. Somehow, it was almost worse. In any case, he should've been fucking able to sniff her out earlier but he hadn't. There were too many smells, too many youkai and shitty humans in that barn. Then that miko bitch had to show up with her little power play. It was his own fault; he'd gotten complacent after the priestess had been gone for moons. He'd hoped to buy his time, string the asshole human steward along until he could find out how to break the cursed hold on him. That Ito bastard was a proper low-life too. So long as they brought in somewhat close to quota, then he was content to drink away his days in the brothels. It suited Inuyasha fine. But the moment the bitch came back to the city, it'd been a hell hole all week with Ito putting on a show. He still didn't know what game she was playing, but sure as hell that reminder of her control over him stung like a motherfucker.

Inuyasha gnashed his teeth absently at the thought. Of course, it had to be when he was down and grovelling in the dirt when he noticed Kagome. Fuck if he didn't get any weaker than that. And now Kagome knew. Knew that on top of being a half-breed, he'd proven he was as useless as his heritage guaranteed and gotten himself captured by a miko.

He caught himself before he could slam his fist into the floor. Shooting a glance at the girl, Inuyasha made sure she was still asleep, her chest rising with deep, even breaths. He could very well just get up and show his ass out right now. That way he wouldn't have to face the pity in her eyes, or worst—disgust. But fuzzily he recalled doing that already last night. How that almost landed him face down in wet grass. And he also remembered the softness of her chest when she pressed him to her, burying her face in the crown of his head.

Keh. His cheeks suddenly felt warm.

He sighed, deciding to stay put. His mother had raised him better than that. He'd be a massive dick if he ditched and although normally he wouldn't have given a fuck, somehow if Kagome was on the receiving end of his shitty attitude, he did actually mind. Maybe just a bit. A very small bit. Unless he was prepared to never see her again, then it wouldn't matter what he did. With that thought came a pang of something unnameable in his chest and was swiftly pushed aside.

Inuyasha glanced at her slumbering features again. What did he have with her anyhow? He liked pestering her for sure, and having her around eased the boredom between hunts. Maybe it was because she was naive to the way of the world that she treated him no different. Was it so wrong to take advantage of that though? To want to be treated like an equal? To exist beside her like a regular person? If only to himself, it could admit he treasured his time with her.

But that dream was shattered now. What did Kagome want from him? She sure as hell would figure out that he was not as strong as she might've thought before. She did call him a friend a few times before, yes. But from painful experience, humans can lie. And what was she even doing at the estate yesterday following the priestesses around like that?

He didn't want to think Kagome meant him harm. The last time they had seen each other, he'd been livid. He didn't want her to find out he was leashed like a common dog. Didn't know how to react. He just wanted everything to stay simple and comfortable between them. But when he'd calmed down some, he'd recalled that she'd smelt totally normal when she asked the question, no malicious intent underlying her scent. Even so, Inuyasha had to be prepared. So he could protect himself if Kagome turned out to be nothing like what she seemed.

–-–-–-–

Gods, her neck was really hurting. Kagome tried to wiggle around a little bit to ease the discomfort but only succeeded in making it worse. Why was the futon so hard? Oh.

Kagome gasped and shot up in a panic. Bleary eyes opened to bright, late morning light and promptly squeezed shut against the sudden intrusion. With some effort, she forced them open again to search for a certain half-demon. She had meant to stay awake. The baka better not have left, but she definitely wouldn't put it past him. It's just the sort of thing Inuyasha would do. Did try to do.

A short grunt beside her made her snap around to locate the source. There, propped casually against the wall was Inuyasha, somehow fully dressed with a miraculously pristine red suikan. Rubbing her eyes to clear them, Kagome quickly scanned what she could see of his person to check on his progress. From the corner of her eye she spotted a pile of used bandages lying innocently beside the blood-stained laundry.

The nerve.

Kagome scrambled up, ready to give Inuyasha a piece of her mind, dislodging the blanket she'd passingly noted had ended up on her. The fear and worry of last night crept back like a sour taste in her mouth. As she approached, amber eyes cracked open and one dark brow arched up at her.

"Inuyasha, you idiot!" Her finger latched onto the collar of his suikan, fisting the thick fabric and yanked his robes open in one fluid motion. In her single-minded need to lay eyes on the severe wounds she spent all last night tending, Kagome did not realize exactly how aggressively she was undressing him. Inuyasha however, did, and was momentarily stunned frozen. "Why the hell did you take the bandages off, do you know how…"

Her movements stilled as she took in nothing but tanned, unblemished flesh. She could feel the firm muscles gliding under warm, taut skin beneath her fingertips. Just like that, the clinical mode of her mind was swiftly overwhelmed by maidenly sensibility. Kagome could feel heat bloom in her chest, threatening to creep up her face. Why is it only this one exasperating half-demon amongst scores of male patients who can render her to a blushing idiot? Inuyasha took advantage of her pause to twist away, closing his hands around hers to lightly dislodge her grip.

Unexpectedly, Kagome hissed, and pulled her left arm against her chest. Golden irises sharpened on the cradled limb and noticed, with dismay, the ugly bruise wrapped around the delicate wrist. Although the frayed sleeve of her kosode still obscured parts of it, the mark was most definitely of fingers clamped too tight around the joint.

"Shit!" He spat in disgust, putting even more distance between them, gaze guiltily glued on the greenish-purple mark. "Did I do that?"

"What?"

Momentarily, she looked confused but as understanding dawned on her features, she hastily pulled at the worn fabric, trying to cover it up.

"Inuyasha," Kagome began hesitantly, wetting her lips. "Look, it's noth–"

"The fuck it is, Kagome! You're lucky I didn't fucking break your arm you idiot!"

"It's not that bad. Plus, you couldn't have known it was me before you woke up." She rushed on to reassure him. "You were injured and not in the right mind, anyone in that position would've..."

Her voice trailed off as his glare extinguished and he broke eye contact when her words brought last night events to the forefront of their minds. Although scattered and a bit hazy at points, his recollection was largely intact.

"I–" Kagome faltered, swallowing nervously. "Inuyasha–"

"Just shut up ." He muttered, having backed away from her some more.

"No." The surety of her command surprised even Kagome herself. Inuyasha darted a quick glance at her before resuming a glower at a point on the ground to her right.

Her voice softened as she continued. "Are you alright now?"

"I ain't weak like you humans." He scoffed, attempting to sound closer to his normal self. "I heal fast, remember?"

"Well you weren't..." She whispered, blinking fiercely at the floor, trying to reign herself in before she started tearing up again. "Those wounds you had, they weren't normal. They…wouldn't stop bleeding. And I couldn't figure out why you wouldn't wake up. That's exactly it, Inuyasha, as bad as they were, it didn't look like injuries that should've affected you that much."

Inuyasha stayed silent through her softly spoken ramble, only the muscles around his jaw clenched in response. His eyes glittered, hard and angry. Kagome looked up when the conversation stalled, her liquid eyes begging a response from him, but he stubbornly refused to stray from the focus on the floor.

"Do you know why?" She tried again, tentatively hoping to prod him into a verbal response.

After a few uncomfortable moments, his gruff voice muttered. "What did you do to them, wench?"

"Huh?" Kagome blinked. "You mean the wounds? Um–I, well I–I purified them." She admitted somewhat sheepishly.

"You what?" He barked, this time provoked enough by her answer to land bewildered eyes on the girl.

"I don't know what it was. It definitely doesn't feel like any miko or spiritual energy I've come across anyway. Not jyaki either. But I've seen it before," Kagome paused, twisting her fingers uncomfortable. "On the seals and tethers on some of the youkai in the city. I saw something similar on your wounds and I thought maybe that's what was preventing you from waking up or healing like usual. So I gave it a try. Couldn't hurt right?"

"Being purified would've hurt, yeah."

"It worked didn't it?" She snapped back, rich brown orbs flashing with a hint of her usual fire at his tone.

"Keh." He chuckled sarcastically, flashing a glimpse of fang. "Figures. Fucking miko shit only cancelled out by miko."

Kagome gasped at the implication. "Wait what?" She closed the gap between them, grasping at his sleeve in fervour. "So the weapon that man at the estate used, those harnesses, they're all made by spiritualists?"

"Yeah, that's what I'm telling you, woman."

"But that can't be right. There's something…tainted about the energy. And surely the teachings wouldn't allow... And I'm not a miko, so how did I neutralize it?"

"You obviously have the same power, Kagome." He interrupted her tirade quietly and the look he gave her seemed faintly proud. The intensity of those molten eyes in that second made her heart leap into her throat.

"Um," She gulped audibly, swallowing down the lump in her throat, which caused Inuyasha to break eye contact again, to her disappointment. "I'm just glad it worked. I tried so hard to not hurt you but get rid of the blackness."

He nodded, then clamping his mouth closed like he meant to say something but thought better of it. Kagome shuffled from side to side, fidgeting with the tie around her waist. Suddenly the atmosphere morphed into something rather awkward. The half-demon looked torn between embarrassment and irritation. Meanwhile, Kagome was caught in an internal struggle whether or not to broach the subject with Inuyasha. On one hand, she should seize the opportunity to get some answers, figure out how to help. On the other hand, if there was a surefire way to send him running, this would be it.

Taking a quick second to steel her resolve, Kagome went for it. "Inuyasha," She stepped towards him a little. "What's going on? What happened?"

As predicted, she could literally see Inuyasha tense up, amber orbs flaring just a fraction wider.

"What, it wasn't obvious enough?" He sneered back at her, a corner of his lip pulled up in a mocking expression that made him look suddenly foreign. "I got my ass beat."

"No–I," Kagome hurried to explain before they tumbled head first into yet another misunderstanding. "Can you tell me why– I mean, will they hurt you again? Are you somehow under their contr–"

"You mean how your miko friend collared me?"

He'd cut her off but his voice was chillingly quiet. The tone made the back of her neck tingle with discomfort. He was oddly still except for the one muscle by his jaw twitching minutely. He was glaring daggers but somehow it didn't seem like he was focused on anything external. The golden eyes she'd grown fond of were hard, lined deeply with the intensity of an unknown emotion. He looked simultaneously upset and dangerous, but all Kagome wanted to do was somehow comfort him. Even though her life's training warned against provoking an already provoked youkai.

"I swear, Inuyasha. I don't mean you any harm. You know that don't you? I know we haven't known each other for that long, but surely you know I–" Kagome broke off, suddenly exhausted by the seemingly insurmountable complications that have invaded their simple friendship. A tiny part of her was still in denial of the truth and she was desperately trying to find another explanation somehow for the events of last night.

"You can't even call it what it is can you?" He growled softly. And all of a sudden, she could name what she saw in his eyes. It was self-loathing. "Come on, Kagome? Say it. What am I?"

He chuckled again, an awful, self-deprecating noise that made her heart wither.

"Inuyasha–"

"I'm a fucking slave." He spat in disgust. "If you think I can protect you, or whatever the fuck else you want me to do for you, it ain't happening."

Kagome inhaled a shuddering breath, swallowing down something that felt a lot like a sob. She knew her eyes were welling up again and there was nothing she could do to quell the myriad of emotions battling inside her.

"You're right, Inuyasha. It's on me. 'One cannot face what one cannot name'. I've been tiptoeing around this pretty much since I got to Kyo and saw that it was happening." She searched his face with her watery eyes, hoping to find some purchase. "You're a slave. There are a lot of youkai slaves in Kyo. And somehow the temples are involved. I don't know what's going on though, Inuyasha, please believe me."

She went right into his personal space then, daringly grabbing hold of a red-clad arm with each hand, gently cradling just above his elbow and held on. Finally, after a long moment he deflated, sighing out in surrender. His body relaxed a fraction. He shrugged her off one of his arms to bring the clawed hand to rub tiredly up and down his face, dragging it roughly through silver bangs.

"Look, Kagome," He mumbled, his free hand came to rest lightly on her upper arm, mirroring her gesture.

It looked like he was about to continue right before he let out a pained grunt. His body collapsed inward as he jerked in lurching movements out of her range. Kagome cried out in panic just as he groaned again and she felt it. His youki flared in alarm, while a black aura pulsed around it, stifling it. The intensity was much less than the night prior but unrelenting. It was a summons. She watched helplessly as his claws dug into his chest, looking deep enough to draw blood, in an attempt to stop the pain.

Inuyasha stumbled towards the door and Kagome could only follow, futilely calling his name while the black energy constricted faster, the frequency between flashes increasing in an impatient tempo. He almost lost his footing halfway across the clearing before one shaky leap shot him up through the canopy. Kagome slowed to a standstill, having run out behind him.

For a long time she just stared at the last place where he stood before disappearing, eyes dry and face blank. The night, the morning, it was all too much to process. Numbly, she went back into the hut–because what else could she do?– and sat down heavily, burying her face in her hands. Then, as something clicked, she glanced up again. Beside her sat the pile of dirty bandages and the soiled clothing from the previous night.

There was a borrowed handkerchief in there somewhere.

Well. She knew who held power over Inuyasha. And if that person summoned the half-demon, there was likely only one destination. And Kagome had an excuse, however feeble, to return. It was probably the flimsiest plan in the history of the world but even if it was a shot in the dark, if she had a shot, she would take it.

–-–-–-–

Thank the gods for the heat of the day, which enabled her to have the delicate piece of silk laundered and dried in record time. There was no way she could handle waiting another day to return. Her mind seemed to be operating on a single track, grasping at any solution, any way to get back to Inuyasha. It was with this focus, and close to zero consideration for a viable strategy, that Kagome found herself in front of the head priestesses' estate for the third time in less than twenty-four hours.

The servants stationed at the gate had stopped her to ask what her business was, and she'd tried her best to not sound like an idiot announcing she was here to return a kerchief to the lady of the house. Perplexed, one of the young men disappeared within, presumably to ask for further direction on the odd matter. Kagome was left standing awkwardly beside the entrance, trying to not outwardly display her anxiety. Kami, please just let her get in and then she'll figure out something. Casting her reiki out to search for Inuyasha would be the easiest option if only the place wasn't potentially packed with spiritualists. If she didn't want to draw attention to herself, Kagome would have to find another way. The situation frustratingly mirrored last night's predicament. Was it really only last night?

Her thoughts were interrupted by two sets of footsteps approaching and she looked up to see that the attendant had returned with none other than the man she saw last night. The one who brutally struck the youkai to the floor. In daylight, he wore a pleasant expression, hands folded in polite deference as they exchanged pleasantries.

"Good afternoon, I am Ito, the steward of the house. I understand you are looking for my mistress?" His voice was subdued and he smiled faintly, giving off a welcoming air. If Kagome did not see him before, she would not have pegged them for the same man. He was one hell of an actor.

"Good afternoon, Ito-san. I do not need an attendance with Masae-sama, but only to return this handkerchief she had so kindly lent me yesterday" Kagome held up the folded cloth with both hands.

The man in front of her frowned slightly before taking it from her. Then his eyes darted from her robes to the basket hanging from her elbow, filled with random plant material. Kagome had brought the props along so it wouldn't look like she was making a special trip to the estate.

"By any chance, would you be Higurashi-san?"

Kagome couldn't help the look of surprise that flitted across her face.

"I am, yes."

"Ah, how fortuitous. My mistress had given specific directions to relay a message to you, Higurashi-san. I was just contemplating where to deliver a message but now here you are." Ito bowed again, turning to the side to sweep an arm towards the courtyard beyond. "Please, follow me. I will explain further."

Kagome, however perplexed, was not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Perhaps her prayers have been answered.

"Our esteemed mistress has been planning to have an herb garden installed within the estate. You see, the new gardener we've acquired hail from the South where many unfamiliar but potent medicinal plants grow. And he has a talent for growing many difficult plants. But," The man paused, a trace of contempt creeping into his previous mundane tone. "As you will unfortunately see shortly, his nature is severely lacking and thus cannot be trusted entirely. My mistress would like to inquire whether you would be able to extend your services as an herbalist to assist the cultivation of our garden. She believes that with your previous, uh, background, it would be a definite bonus for keeping any–vulgarities of the gardener in check."

As the man continued his speech, the dread in Kagome's stomach grew. What the hell was he talking about? There was definitely a reference to her past miko training. Accepting this offer would give her a legitimate reason to be at Masae's estate, but what kind of job would she be signing up for?

"Of course, your services will be compensated fairly and our mistress would like me to emphasize that you are most welcome to discuss the details with her." Ito weaved his way in front of her, leading her out past the vast ornamental garden to the domestic areas behind the estate. "Please, grant us some of your time for a tour before you consider the offer?"

The dim light, plus competing anxieties of last night had prevented Kagome from taking a detailed look. The kitchen garden, as she thought it was before, was actually quite large in comparison to most estates of the nobility. Arranged in isolated beds connected by a footpath were many young seedlings of different sizes and colours. Some she recognized but some she had never laid eyes on before, not even in the study scrolls. A part of her was elated at the thought of new knowledge and had already set her mind to accept the offer regardless.

"Wretch!" The man shouted at her side abruptly, jolting her out of her intent observation of the flora. "Get your hide out here at once."

Kagome laid surprised eyes on the steward, who up to this point had maintained his guise of polite quietness of those who served the nobility. Sensing her gaze, Ito bowed again to her.

"I do apologize for offending you Higurashi-san. I am sure a lady of your delicate sensibility is unaccustomed to such force. But please heed me when I say you must be firm with these creatures."

At his gesture, Kagome focused on the previous unobtrusive shed at the back of the field. At a glance it looked like any other wooden shack, sturdily made and necessary but upon further inspection, she found that beside it was a round, tanned form. It appeared to be covered in rags and shaking violently even from this distance. It towered easily over the roof of the small structure but Kagome couldn't make out any distinct features. The pit of her stomach dropped with new understanding. The gardener was a youkai slave.

"I will not repeat myself another time!" The steward threatened again louder. At this, Kagome moved half a step in front, raising a hand to interrupt him.

"Ito-san, please do not trouble yourself for my sake. I am rather intrigued by this project and would be pleased to accept Masae-sama's offer." She continued smoothly, hoping to dissuade the man from dealing any punishment. She did not want an encore of the previous night. "Please relay my gratitude to your mistress for this interesting opportunity."

The man paused, shrewd eyes regarding her hesitantly, obviously weighing her small stature with the lumbering giant behind the shed.

"I am sure the mistress will be glad to hear. The gardener is usually very well behaved and knows his place. His demon magic seems to only work on plants but if he gives you trouble, do not hesitate to call. I will be sure to put him in his place."

Kagome dipped her head to avoid letting any conspicuous expression show. "My thanks, Ito-san. I would be glad to survey the garden today, since I'm here, to get a better idea of what needs to be done."

The man nodded. "Is there anything else you require of me today, Higurashi-san?"

"Only a hat if you have one to spare." Kagome handed over the handkerchief to the man. Then, quickly adding, hoping to avoid unwanted interruption. "Please have it left by the fence if possible."

Ito replied with a few more formal pleasantries before bowing goodbye. Kagome made certain to linger, pretending to be studying the set-up of the field until she was sure the man and other servants had truly departed. Only then did she allow herself to turn her attention to the youkai still cowering behind the shed. Cautiously, she made her way towards the building, making sure not to approach too fast for fear of startling him further. As she neared, the details became more apparent. The rags she saw from afar were actually in a rough form of a shirt and pants, barely containing the darkly tanned bulk. To her dismay, the rich brown skin of his exposed limbs were crisscrossed with thick scar tissue, too numerous to count, the uneven ridges a sharp contrast to the otherwise smooth flesh. It seemed the majority of the markings were old and completely healed but there were some areas that seemed angry red. She couldn't be sure though because the demon seemed to be trying his best to hide the area.

Unsure of what to do, Kagome licked her dry lips nervously. The only non-human she'd actually conversed with was Inuyasha. How does one begin? Like one with any other person, she supposed.

"Um, hello." She managed to greet uncertainly. "Hi, um, I'm Kagome. I'm here to help out?"

Silence. Kagome stared awkwardly at what she presumed was his back, waiting it out. Maybe he hadn't heard her?

"I think we're meant to work together. Would you mind showing me around?" She tried again, just a little louder this time but still at a much reduced volume than her normal.

Maybe it was the phrasing or maybe it just took some time but the mass in front of her ceased trembling. Very slowly, the youkai moved and a disproportionately small tail of hair became visible. A long elongated face, reminiscent of a horse's muzzle extracted itself from the crook of his elbows. He regarded her with those big fearful eyes. A mixture of human and youkai features, and belatedly Kagome felt the specific pattern of the youki and gasped. The man in front of her was also hanyou. Like Inuyasha.

"Um," The voice that issued forth was hesitant and soft, incongruous to his bulk but somehow, studying the expression in a startlingly gentle face, Kagome was not surprised.

"I'm Kagome." She offered, extending an open palm into the space between them, hoping to further emphasize her goodwill. Looking around them as discreetly as possible, and seeing no one else within hearing distance, she continued. "I'm not going to harm you, I promise. What's your name?"

It would seem impossible, but the massive blue eyes widened further at her question. Just as the pause stretched long enough for Kagome to think he was not going to reply, a mumble came forth, so quiet she had to lean in to make out the sounds.

"Jinenji."

"It's good to meet you Jinenji-san!" Kagome smiled widely, delighted that he had finally responded to her. Her apparent enthusiasm sent a flush of pink across the hanyou's snout.

"Ye-es, y-you too." He mumbled back, but was not able to maintain eye contact with her for more than a second.

"Jinenji-san, I am going to be working with you for a while." Kagome continued, however her smile dimmed a little with the next thought. "I need a reason to be here."

Thankfully, the half-demon seemed to understand her or perhaps just did not wish to clarify further but he unfold himself fully from the shadow of the shed. They made their way carefully out and he proceeded to show her the arrangement of the beds. His speech was slow and hesitant but as Kagome listened, she became incrementally impressed with the depth of his knowledge. The cultivating patterns and using secluded beds like that was unfamiliar to her but made perfect sense with Jinenji's patient explanation. He spoke briefly of his farm where he discovered these techniques, with a sadness that made her pause. Before she could say anything though, he'd moved on. He was easily her superior in herbal knowledge and Kagome found herself genuinely excited about the project she had agreed to take on. And as she listened with rapt attention to his halting words, Jinenji continued to relax in her presence, no longer seeming as tense or hunched in on himself, for fear of her lashing out.

It wasn't until they were crouched awkwardly, trying to inspect the base of a small shrub that Kagome caught sight of the inner aspect of his left ankle. There, wrapping around the giant limb, was a gash the length of her arm and at least a few finger widths wide. It looked awfully similar to Inuyasha's wounds from the previous night. Jinenji paused in his explanations, noticing her poorly suppressed gasp.

"Jinenji-san, you're hurt."

"U-uh yes." The half-demon shied away from her, trying to hide the leg in question behind the other, away from her concerned gaze.

"Why isn't it wrapped? We can stop." Kagome looked up at him and frowned at the clear discomfort in his expression.

"No, it's alright. It'll heal."

"It doesn't look like it's healing. Can I take a look?" Kagome would bet on the reason it wasn't healing.

"Maybe I'm hanyou, I don't heal right." He ambled further back from her. She heard the excuse that was unspoken. This man with his vast knowledge of medicinal plants and part youkai abilities not heal? She opened her mouth to protest before being cut off abruptly by a child's voice.

"Hanyou aren't usually good for anything."

The voice belonged to a tiny little boy who emerged from a gap in the ledge bordering the garden. A shock of black hair escaped the hood of tan fur that matched the tunic the child was wearing. The distinct impression of pointy ears hidden under the hood betrayed his non-human nature. Kagome was having trouble processing how such a cruel statement could come from a childlike face with wide innocent eyes. If not for this fact, she was certain she would given him a piece of her mind already.

He came up to them, brushing chubby hands over his robes to dislodge the twigs stuck to it. "They don't have many hanyou here either. Only the ones strong enough or useful enough to overlook how disgusting they are." His high voice continued good-naturedly, as he peered up curiously at her. Kagome threw a look over her shoulder at Jinenji. The look of shame on his kind face only made it that much harder to control her outrage.

"Who told you that?" Kagome asked, trying her best to keep her tone neutral.

"Oh, I just hear grown ups say it. And the mistress who owns me."

There were so many alarming things about those few words. Firstly, the fact they came from an innocent child–who looked barely over four years old if he were human– was plain wrong. Secondly, it was now apparent that they were taking children as slaves. Thirdly, and perhaps the worst was the casual cruelty directed at hanyou. Kagome suddenly recalled the disgust in Inuyasha's tone when he had spat the word 'hanyou' at her, when they first met. She didn't understand it at the time but from just the brief interaction just now, it was apparent she was much too ignorant to the viciousness of the world.

Kagome took a deep calming breath, pressing both her hands to her temples for a brief moment before attempting to smile. A genuine smile. Dropping to squat in front of the child so she didn't have to loom over him, she tried to restart the conversation on a better note.

"Hello, my name is Kagome. What might yours be?"

"I'm Shinta!" The boy beamed, his eyes big and wide, excited at the attention he was receiving.

"That's a great name. Do you live here too?"

"No. I live down the street but I come here sometimes."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah!" He padded over to where Jinenji was, bent over a nearby bed, trying to be as unobtrusive as possible. "I come visit Jinenji all the time!" To emphasize his point, he patted Jinenji's foot good-naturedly.

Kagome paused. Clearly the child was only repeating the cruel things he'd been taught about hanyou then, if he was friendly with the kind giant.

"So, you don't think Jinenji-san is no good then?" Kagome asked tentatively, shooting an apologetic glance at the man.

"No, Jinenji is smart!" Shinta piped. "And he lets me play here."

"That means what you hear about hanyou isn't true then right?" Kagome prodded gently, unable to stop herself from correcting the young youkai.

He hummed thoughtfully, little mouth upturned in contemplation. "I guess not!"

"That's good." Kagome praised happily, and with only a brief hesitance, reached down to pat the little boy on the shoulder. He grinned up at her.

With a little more careful coaxing, Kagome found out that Shinta's so-called mistress was a noble woman who lived several estates down. He apparently was the only youkai on that estate. From the way he described having to perform tricks with the lady's exotic dogs, Kagome guessed that Shinta was probably captured and sold as a trophy pet. It was disgusting but unfortunately not surprising.

He took to her remarkably well after the initial tense moments, eager to please and quick to smile as he followed the two of them around the garden. Maybe it was because the boy was so young that he didn't seem to notice her spiritual energy and wasn't immediately repulsed by it like other youkai. He chatted more freely to her as the afternoon waned, and she found out tidbits of his life. That he had an older brother, whom he adored greatly. He didn't elaborate on where his brother was now and Kagome didn't feel comfortable to pry. Sitting back and watching the enthusiastic youkai interact with the hanyou gardener brought unexpected joy to Kagome's turbulent day. Despite the harsh words, Shinta seemed to admire the older man quite a bit. And in turn, Jinenji was abundantly patient when the child kept mistaking seedlings for weeds.

It was exceedingly difficult to stomach the fact that these two beings in front of her were slaves.

She admitted she was selfish; she only cared about Inuyasha. Up until this point in her life, the only non-human she'd known personally was him. Other youkai were either something to be cautiously avoided or a threat to be eliminated. Hanyou were unheard of beyond a cursory academic review. Admittedly, Kagome never tried to get to know any youkai, only vowed to not harm if not absolutely necessary. While she wanted to blame it on general society frowning upon mingling of species, the truth was she had to shoulder some of the blame too. Maybe if she'd approached youkai with as open of a mind and the same curiosity as she had with Inuyasha, then she would be a better person. And now in front of her was the undeniable truth that these beings, however different from her in appearance and ability, had the same important things. Jinenji called somewhere else a home, and Shinta had a brother he loved. What she was trying to do for Inuyasha, she was now going to do for as many of them as she could.

It was fortunate that Shinta was there to help persuade Jinenji to let her look at his ankle wound. Given the fact it was late afternoon and nearly all of the estate's servants were inside either the main buildings or the kitchen to prepare for the household's evening meal, the herb garden was deserted. With the additional precaution of moving closer to the shed to shield them further, the hanyou reluctantly agreed.

As she had predicted, his injury was also contaminated with the dark aura. Kagome was immensely relieved that Jinenji seemed to trust her after she explained what she would do to purify the wound. His round, watery eyes looked terrified as he curled up everything other than the injured leg, as if he was expecting substantial pain. It made Kagome nervous but she tried to focus on the fact that Inuyasha seemed to fair ok when she performed the same. Shinta was relegated further away from them just in case. When she looked up from the intense focus on his leg, the last whispers of her reiki retreating back inside her, Kagome was met with twin gazes of faint awe.

Cheered by the apparent good will that had developed between herself and her new unexpected acquaintances, Kagome braced herself to ask the question that underpinned the whole point of her visit. She hadn't dreamed it would work out like this but she couldn't leave the estate today without something to grasp onto.

"I–" She began, catching their attention as the two looked up from inspecting the newly purified gash. "If I may, could I ask a question?"

"Sure Kagome, I know lots of things!" Shinta chirped at her, little hands clasped in front of him, looking excited to show her just what he knows. Jinenji merely gave a small nod.

"I want to know where," She paused, swallowing the lump in her throat, while the memory of Inuyasha's angry accusation echoed through her head. "the slaves are kept here."

Although she was prepared, Jinenji's flinch at her words felt like a blow. Shinta's face dimmed slightly, shifting to look at Jinenji for guidance. She hurried to explain.

"I–I'm looking for someone." She whispered, suddenly intensely aware of her location and repercussions if they were overheard. "I want to know if he's here."

At that, Jinenji removed his face from behind his large palms, settling his wide gaze on her. Kagome held his gaze, waiting hopefully, by now accustomed to his long silences before speaking.

"No. Only me and a few others work here all the time. Most of them, they call only if they want something from them. Sometimes they stay for a while depending on what the task is." He dropped her gaze sadly. "I don't know where they go the rest of the time."

Kagome's heart fell at the answer. She was hoping it would be easier. A small part of her actually, stupidly hoped that Inuyasha would just be milling about somewhere here and she could somehow easily sneak him out with her. She was such an idiot.

"It's ok, thanks for telling me." Kagome reassured the hanyou, patting his forearm gently. "If you happen to see another hanyou with silver hair, dog ears, dressed in red, would you tell him Kagome is looking for him?"

Shinta nodded eagerly, while Jinenji mumbled an assent.

"But please," Kagome turned to look at the youkai child especially, more worried about his potential indiscretion than Jinenji's. "Don't tell anyone I asked you this. None of the humans especially can find out about this, understand?"

"Uh-huh." Shinta tilted his chin vigorously, little face suddenly serious. "If they find out you won't come back to play with us and your friend might get hurt."

"Yes, but I don't want you or Jinenji-san to get hurt either, Shinta."

"I know. Don't worry Kagome, my brother says I'm good at hiding!"

Before Kagome had a chance to reply, Shinta abruptly bid them a hurried goodbye. With an impish smile, he explained that his mistress usually looks for him around this hour. It was rather quiet after he left. Kagome took advantage of the uninterrupted time to review with Jinenji a mental list of supplies to bring on her next visit. The afternoon was rapidly dissolving into early evening and Kagome figured she should leave herself time to walk home. As she bid the gentle hanyou a good night, she couldn't resist repeating her request one more time.

"Please keep an eye out for me."

With that Kagome left for home, mind still occupied with thoughts of Inuyasha. She hoped desperately that he was safe somewhere and that she could find a way to see him again soon.

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Baka - translated to 'fool' or 'idiot'

Jyaki - evil energy

A/N: This chapter debuts Inuyasha's POV! Let me know if you think it adds to the story or you'd prefer to stick with Kagome's POV. Thanks for reading and for leaving me so many kind comments!

Credits: Dawnrider for beta-reading

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. However this plot, the exact sequence of words and any original characters described therein, I reserve all rights to.