CHAPTER 16: To Meet a Dragon

The dragons were descending on her and Sesshomaru, and Kagome held up her hand to block the sun to see them better. The silver one looked familiar- Is that Haruto-san?

"Err…. Sesshomaru-sama," Kagome hesitated, glancing at the prince by her side before turning back to watch the dragons. "Are they coming towards us?"

"It would appear so, Higurashi," he responded flatly. "If they truly are coming to us, we must meet them on foot."

"What? Why?" Kagome asked, twisting in her saddle, her brows pinched together in confusion. The prince had already dismounted his horse, reins in one hand as he held the other out to her, the magenta stripes on his wrists dark against his pale skin.

"If you wish to ride a spooked horse, by all means stay seated." He paused for a moment, then added, "It would be amusing." One of his brows lifted, a ghost of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he added, "For me."

"Was that a joke?" Kagome stared incredulously, a grin pulling at her own mouth. Sesshomaru said nothing more, his lips once more a flat line. She held his gaze for a moment more, his intense golden eyes fixing her in place. She shifted in her saddle, then swung her leg over and slid to the ground, rumpling her garments. She quickly pressed the fabric flat, then turned to face him. The prince secured the horses, then turned towards the mountains. They walked for a few minutes, the dragons flying so low overhead that Kagome could tell one was definitely Haruto.

"Have you ever ridden a dragon, Sesshomaru-sama?"

"No."

"Really?" Shock colored her voice. "I have, once, on Haruto-san. It was amazing. I'd always wondered what it would feel like to fly. I've never felt so free before." Even remembering the feel of wind whipping her hair and touching the clouds caused a wide smile to cross her features and her breath to catch.

The prince considered the young woman at his side. Her eyes were distant, reliving her memories instead of the minding her present surroundings. Which is why, a few steps later, she stumbled over an exposed root and lost her balance.

"Oh-!"

Sesshomaru's clawed hand wrapped around her wrist, stopping her fall, and a moment later his other hand gripped her elbow and pulled her to her feet. His cool golden eyes met hers, and her cheeks flushed with color.

"Arigatou, Sesshomaru-sama. Forgive my clumsiness," Kagome blurted, inelegantly extracting her from his and turned to start walking again. "My head was, um, lost in the clouds you could say," she said lightly.

"Hnn."

"It truly was breathtaking. I could hardly believe Koga-kun when he said we'd be flying to the palace. I could see everything," Kagome babbled, eager to fill the awkwardness between them. Her hands fumbled with the front of her yukata, playing with the fabric. A few stray threads stood out, and she did her best to pick them off. "You should try it. Riding a dragon, I mean."

"Higurashi," - the use of her name pulled her attention away from the threads hanging from her yukata. Sesshomaru had stopped, turning to face her fully. His mass of silver hair swung with the sudden move, a few strands falling gracefully over his shoulder. "This Sesshomaru has no need for dragons. This Sesshomaru can fly."

"Sugoi," Kagome breathed, looking at the youkai with undisguised awe.

Sesshomaru, for his part, decided he liked that look on her face. He said nothing more, but as they started walking, he offered her his arm. Purely so she would not fall again, of course.

As Kagome and Sesshomaru came to an open field, the dragons spiraled downward in harmony before landing, their great claws digging into the earth for traction. Haruto stepped forward, his sharp blue eyes peering first at Sesshomaru, then Kagome, before turning back to his companion. With a bow of his head, Haruto stepped back, allowing the opalescent dragon to come forward.

This dragon, though covered in hard scales and armed with sharp claws and teeth, had a gentler look. Pale yellow eyes, soft and subtle like the first rays of the sun, met Kagome's. For a moment, the world stopped around her. Those eyes were ancient. The dragon took a careful step forward, and Kagome heard a low growl- Was that Sesshomaru? She didn't look away, though, and held her breath as the dragon moved closer. The dragon, unperturbed by their audience, lifted her head and loomed over Kagome, then slowly opened its great maw and breathed over her.

Is it going to eat me? The thought came unbidden to Kagome's mind, and, as she stared down the dragon's mouth full of gleaming teeth and felt the hot, thick air wash over her, she wondered if it might be her last thought at all.

Then, as carefully as the dragon had come forward, it stepped back. Kagome spared a glance at Sesshomaru, who was scrutinizing the opal dragon with narrowed eyes and clenched fists. She turned back to the dragon, who sat up on its haunches. A dim glow surrounded its body, then the glow grew brighter and brighter, and Kagome put her hands up to shield her eyes from the light. The light twisted, condensing and materializing in a human form. Behind her, another light surged then withdrew. When Kagome put her hands down, a woman stood before her, with shimmering white hair and iridescent skin. As she moved, her skin sparkled in the light, emphasizing the scale-like patterns on her arms. Gold and white robes hung from her shoulders in a style Kagome had not seen before.

Haruto came up beside her. Taking her hand in his own, he gestured to the ethereal woman, who now smiled warmly at them, small wrinkles edging her soft yellow eyes.

"Kagome-zan, meet my muther," Haruto rumbled, eyes alight with excitement.

"Your mother?"

Hey y'all, are you liking the shorter chapters, or is it better to read longer chapters?
What on earth will Kagome get involved in next?

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