Chapter Ten

A few days later found Kagome sitting outside the hut she shared with Parker, her fingers playing with the necklace he had gifted her. A small smile on her face, as her heart fluttered in her chest, he made her feel like a blushing school girl again. It was a fresh breath of air, yet in the very pit of her stomach, she was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

As if the universe heard her, the wheels of fate were once again set in motion.

"Kagome! Look what I found!" Bai's voice was excited as she rounded the trail towards her, a bundle of red fabric in her hands, around her neck sat the necklace she had made her a day after making Parker's. She had to explain to the pouting male that the one she made him held much more meaning than the one given to Bai.

Kagome knew, just knew, that Bai was bound to get herself into trouble and by having the necklace it was an insurance policy. A way to track her and if needed heal her or those around her.

Parker was quick to agree, having seen the way Bai held herself and often let herself be bullied into things. She was naive, like a newborn cub but she wasn't his responsibility, as far as everyone in the village was concerned she was Harvey's ward and if the elder male was lax in his protection and education of her that was on him.

"Look, isn't it gorgeous?! I found it while looking for some edible vegetables. Look, feel it!" Bai was partially giddy as she thrust the fabric in Kagome's face. Kagome was hard pressed to not snap at her to calm down, she was acting like Rin and Shippo hyped up on candy. Sighing through her nose she accepted the held out fabric and ran her fingers over it, it was smooth and cool to the touch...wait...this wasn't fabric...

"This is snake skin." And judging by the size of it, it wasn't your average garden snake, no this had to belong to a beast of some sort. Frowning, she glanced up at a shocked looking Bai. "Bai you need to put this back...now." Her voice in mother mode. Chipped, to the point, and left no room for questions.

Bai blinked, a bit upset that Kagome was looking at her like she was scolding her. Had she done something wrong? "Why, what's wrong with it? It was just laying there...I'm sure it won't be missed."

Kagome felt her eyebrow twitch at the dribble that fell from Bai's lips. Lord help her, this girl would be the death of her. Yes, she cared about the younger girl but how was someone able to be so damn naive and air headed...

"Bai, someone or something shed this and if it wants it back all it has to do is follow the scent of its shed skin. Which you took without asking...come on, we're taking it back now. Hopefully, it's not too late..." She muttered under her breath as she stood, handing the snake skin back to the girl, she didn't want her scent on it any more than it was. Bai's scent was no doubt already all over it, as the girl had been clutching it to her chest when she approached her.

Hopefully whomever was the one who shed it was the forgiving type, if not then they would have to cross that bridge when they came to it.

Fifteen minutes later the two females were at a watering hole at the very edge of the village's territory. It made her frown, how could something or someone of this size be so close to the village and go unnoticed? She would have to let Parker know about this later, sure she had no reason to assume the snake was an enemy but history had taught her it was better to be safe than sorry.

Bai dragged her feet as they approached the watering hole she had found the skin at, she felt bad. Like she had done something wrong that made Kagome mad at her and it made her feel guilty...

"I'm sorry, please don't be mad at me Kagome...I just wanted to make us some clothes..you've given me so many things already and I just wanted to return the favor." Kagome was pulled out of her thoughts by Bai's timid voice and she could only release a tired sigh, a small smile on her lips.

"Look, I'm not mad at you but your actions. We're in a world that is nothing like the one we left behind. There are many things, customs, and boundaries that we don't know about...what if the person who shed this attacks the village because you took it? Sure you didn't mean anything bad by taking it but you took it without asking..." She paused to let her words sink in.

"We can't just go around saying and taking things without thinking about the repercussions. Have you even asked Harevy about this world? About the basic customs and expectations of each and every tribe? Without knowing about the world around us we're bound to make mistakes and it's up to us to educate ourselves so we don't make problems for those that have helped up."

How many times had she caused an unneeded altercation between her old group and the villages they visited across Japan? She had been so naive and arrogant back then, young and dumb as her grandfather would say. She hoped that by being here to help Bai she could help the younger girl avoid some of the pitfalls she herself had fallen into during her own feudal fairy tale.

Bai chewed on her bottom lip, honestly no...she hadn't asked many questions...she just flew by the seat of her pants, often using white lies to cover up for her lack of knowledge on even the most basic of things in this brave new world.

She knew some things, the rest she just ignored...it wasn't like she was going to be stuck here forever right? Swallowing thickly at the thought she shoved the scary thought out of her head. "I know that there are more males than females in this world and because of that the females have more than one husband..." She scrunched her face up at the thought, she had been taught that marriage was between one man and one woman who were in love.

The thought of having more than one partner...it was foreign to her and it made her uncomfortable. She vowed that she would only ever have one husband in her life!

Kagome would have to be blind and deaf to not notice the disgust and judgment in Bai's voice, it rubbed her the wrong way but she bit her lip to keep her thoughts to herself. Bai was so very much a modern era girl so of course, the thought of having multiple mates was a foreign if not taboo ideal.

Kagome had been shocked to find that it was a common practice amongst the higher nobles in the youkai court but she had come to accept it as just another fact of life. It was no different than those that chose to be with the same sex, it was their preference and it was none of her damn business what people did behind closed doors. Who the hell was she to judge? Happiness was a hard thing to find in the world and if you were lucky enough to find it with one or more then more power to you.

Yet she could tell Bai was not ready for that conversation and honestly, she didn't want to have it with the younger girl. Yes, she cared about her but they were still practically strangers, brought together by their circumstances and bound by equal parts friendship and dependence.

"Oi! Kagome! Bai! What are you two doing so far away from the village alone?" Parker's voice made both females jump as he came through the trees, a small frown on his lips. His gaze immediately landed on Kagome, eyes bright as he looked her over for any sign of injury, finding none he turned to look at Bai and let out a low hiss.

Bai jumped, stepping away from a now irate Parker. Her eyes were full of fear as Kagome moved to stand between the two of them.

Kagome was just as shocked at the low growling hiss that escaped Parker, having never heard him make such a noise let alone at a female. "Parker, what's wrong?" Her voice was low, soothing and she didn't flinch as his upset orbs settled on her.

"That skin, give it to me I have to burn it now!" He held out his hand for it to be handed over, his tail swishing back and forth, he had to get rid of it as soon as possible, he also had to get his Kagome back to the village and gather a hunting party to find the feral snake that shed the skin!

Bai whimpered and clutched the skin closer to her chest. "A-ah we're just going to put it back, that's why we're out here..." Her voice was trembling with fear, it made Parker feel bad for snapping at her but she didn't get it...

"Your scent is all over it...we need to burn it and hunt for the owner of that skin, he's no doubt a feral. They are the worst kind of beast out there. They kidnap females and force them to become their mates and bear them cubs. Look, just hand it over and get back to the village as soon as you can." His voice left no room for debate, it was a far cry from the cheerful playful voice he used every day.

This was a new side of Parker and it made Kagome's heart beat a bit faster in her chest. Licking her lips she nodded and turned to look at Bai, ready to convince the younger girl to comply yet the words died on her lips as a red blur burst from the water, lashing out to wrap around the younger girl and yank her down into the depths. Without missing a beat Kagome jumped in after the screaming girl, her arms wrapping around a thick scaled tail and held on tight as she was dragged under the water.