The rest of the afternoon passes quickly, as Kagome reacquaints with her former pack. The pups both came and saw the baby before bounding off to play again under the supervision of their guards.

When dinner is called, it is decided to dine in the pack wing, rather than the dining hall, and the pups tutor is invited along, due to the begging of both pups. It does not escape any of our notice that InuYasha has been oddly quiet since arriving, though now his quiet is no longer solely contemplative stewing, as it is mixed stunned speechlessness.

Yuri and InuYasha have seldom stopped their covert glances at one another since being introduced. Knowing smiles and smirks dance across the faces of everyone else in attendance, as we converse over the food.

Our amusement, however, is cut short upon Jaken squawking as he bounds into the room.

"What is it?" I ask tersely.

"My Lord, your mother... she's here." Jaken pales.

I freeze, before throwing my youki out to find where she is, only to find her just outside the doorway. "Damn it all." I mutter under my breath, earning a shocked look from Kagome.

InuYasha is far less quiet. "What the fuck do you mean his mother's here?"

"Yash! Language." Kagome chastises, making the hanyou's ears flatten into his hair.

"He means just what he says." a melodic voice precedes the silver Inu as opens the door and enters the room.

"Mother." I state, jaw clenching.

"Oh, darling, do relax." she replies as she eyes the assortment of beings in the room. Her gaze lands on Kagome's last, and a wicked grin alights her face. "My, my. Aren't you a pretty thing. I am Kimiko. As has been stated, I am Sesshoumaru's mother. And we... are going to be very good friends." she declares, while seating herself elegantly next to Kagome, hooking her arm through the miko's.

"Um. Okay. Hello, it's nice to meet you." Kagome responds with a smile, though her aura is twitching with anxiety.

"Sesshou, dearest," Kimiko starts, her grin growing as my eyes close at the hated nickname. "We must speak soon about important matters. It concerns a little bird." she says cryptically, her gaze softening on Kagome as the miko tenses minutely. "But! For now, we shall eat and be merry. I do so love meeting new people."

4/5/21 A/n: AND SESSMOM HAS ENTERED THE BUILDING. I've put up 6 chapters today, so I'mma call it there for the day. Might change my mind later, but we'll see.