Chapter Five

The next morning found Kagome woke up snuggled into Parker's chest, his larger warmer body curled around hers. It was becoming the normal way for her to wake up and as much as she enjoyed it she knew she had to put a stop to it.

There was no telling if she was destined to stay in this world of beasts or if she would once again be whisked away. Deep down she knew, this was her new home yet to admit that would be to fully give up on the idea of ever seeing her family again and her emotions were still far too raw for her to do that.

She needed that hope no matter how very impossible it was for her to make it a reality. Even if she could somehow find a way home, they would have no idea who she was. To them, she had never existed...if only the gods had been so kind as to make it so she didn't remember them...she mused it was just another form of punishment for her past digressions.

To remember all that she had lost with no way of ever getting it back...

Given time she would come to grips with it, but for now, she needed the idea of one day seeing them again...

"You okay?" Parker's voice was light as he cupped her face and angled it up so she was looking up at him. He had woken up to see Kagome staring off behind him, a sad look in her eyes that made his ears pin to the top of his head. She got this look every once and a while, a sad sullen look that made his heartache.

Clearing her throat, Kagome gave a genuine smile, "Ah, yes. Sorry if I woke you." She paused to lick her lips trying to gather her thoughts. Whenever he was this close to her it was hard for her to think properly.

Parker smiled down at her, his finger running over the dark bags under her eyes. "It's fine, are you hungry? I can warm up some stew." She nodded, yawning as she pulled away from him to sit up and stretch, while the nest of furs was comfortable she really missed her bed.

"Sure, also do you know if the clothes I came here in are done being cleaned? I would like to take a look at them and see if they're salvagable." The second the words left her mouth she heard the ladle of the bowl fall to the ground. Instantly he was before her, a frown on his lips, his tail swishing behind him in distress.

"Do you not like the furs I have provided? I can hunt you new ones." The panic in his voice made her feel bad but she knew she had to be firm. To let him think that she was his female would only be setting him up for heartbreak, yes it was better to put some distance between them now before it was too late.

"No, it's nothing like that it's just...they are all I have left of my family...I would like to re-use what I can of them...plus I want to show off the furs I caught when we went hunting together..." Once again she knew it was all about wording things.

Parker frowned but nodded, if his furs were all he had left of his clan he would be loath to let them go, even so, the fact that she wanted to make her own clothes put a foul taste in his mouth. Did she know that by doing that it would make his claim on her less potent? That it would open the door for other suitors? Yes, he knew he would probably have to share her, but for now, he wanted her all to himself, and he would be damned if he wasn't her first mate!

Even so, as she gazed up at him, her eyes pleading with him he could only sigh, already he could not say no to her. "I'll send for them, here eat your food." He placed a wooden bowl in her hands and stood to leave.

As soon as he was outside the door she let out a sigh, that was tense. It made her feel bad, every time he looked at her with a pout it made her feel like she was kicking a puppy...

Shaking the thoughts from her head she began to pick at the rabbit stew, the bland taste making her grimace. She would definitely have to go looking for herbs and spices...Harvey was using ginger yesterday to treat Bai's injury...so she knew that at the very least it grew in this world.

Thinking of Bai she frowned, setting the now-empty bowl on the floor next to her. She would have to try to find some time to talk to the younger-looking female, alone, or at the very least just her, Bai, and Parker. If she was a human from the same world as her there had to be a reason she was here...or maybe she was reading too much into it?

Maybe human girls being pulled into other magical worlds was normal?

Before she could think much more on it Parker entered the hut and set down a bundle of cloth in front of her, a fang poking out from his boyish smirk. He looked like a labrador waiting to be praised and she was hard-pressed to not pat his head or give his ears an affectionate tweak. Instead, she occupied her fingers with undoing the ties of the bundle of cloth.

Inside was what was left of her Miko garb, holding up the holy and torn things she wanted to sigh. There was no way they were salvageable as is...no she would have to mod podge what she could and use the furs from her kills to fill in the gaps... At least she wasn't too attached to the Miko garb, the things reminded her of who she used to be in a past life and the only reason she had relented to wearing them was to keep up appearances as the Shikon Miko...

"Ah, do you have any twine? And maybe a needle?" Here she was, relying on Parker again, she would have to find a way to repay him other than becoming his mate. She wasn't daft, she knew that's what he wanted and as fun as the past few days with him had been it was far too soon for her to even think about romance.

Her heart still ached from everything and everyone she had lost...

"Mmm. I can ask Harvey...is there anything else you need? A knife to cut the fabric maybe?" Even if he didn't like the idea of her making her own clothes and not wearing his furs he was still so eager to please her.

"Ah, yes! That's a good idea I didn't even think of that...do you want me to come with you? I feel bad making you run around like some errand boy." Her frown made him flush as he grabbed her hands in his, loving the small squeak that left her lips.

"It's fine Kagome, I'll be right back. Just wait right here." He pressed a quick kiss to her forehead before pulling back to once again run out of the door. How he had so much energy so early in the morning was beyond her.

Deciding to get ready to begin her project she stood and moved to the corner of the room to gather the tanned hides of the rabbits, Parker had insisted he be the one to do it while she was on cooking duty. After she had explained that as a human she didn't eat raw meat he was a bit put out, as a beast he often ate meat raw and at times when the summer drought was harsh enough males often resorted to drinking blood in order to make sure the females and cubs had enough water.

She had taken it in stride, not at all put off by the information, desperate times often called for desperate measures. A truth she knew all too well. Even so she had promised to teach him how to cook meals a human would eat at a later time.

"I'm back and I brought Bai with me!" Parker's voice pulled her from her thoughts and she smiled as she turned to the two who had entered the hut. She felt her smile falter as she took in the odd markings that now littered Bai's face.

"Huh?" The word escaped without her meaning to give voice to it. Why did it look like she drew freckles on her face with blueberries...

Bai flushed, feeling even more self conscious than before, her fingers moving a few strands of hair behind her ear. "Ah, Harvey suggested I hide my face...it'll keep males away from me..." Her voice was low and timid and it made Kagome sigh, already she could tell Bai was not used to being on her own...

"I see, well if you feel it's necessary...I for one refuse to alter how I look." She paused, trying to find a way of phrasing it that wouldn't sound like she was lecturing or judging the younger girl. "I've found that honesty is the best policy, if they can't respect me when I say no then they have no chance with me period." She smiled as Bai nodded, digesting her words.

Parker snorted as he flopped down next to her, his knee brushing her exposed thigh. "I'll chase off anyone that bothers my Kagome!" Giving a small laugh, Kagome playfully elbowed him before she began to tear the seams of what was left of her miko garb, a semi plan in mind for what she wanted to do clothes wise.

"Ignore him, come sit. Let's talk shall we?" Her voice was light but it held an edge to it that made Bai fidget as she sat across from the two, her gaze flickering between the older woman and Parker, was it okay to talk with him there?

Sensing the unasked question Kagome answered it, her gaze not lifting from the project in her lap. "It's fine, I trust him Bai, he knows I'm a human." She could practically feel the happiness pour out of Parker at his words, a purr leaving his chest as he shifted closer to her.

Bai could only flush at the scene the two made, looking much like a married couple, she felt like an intruder and made her feel even more out of place.

"Parker, can you cut this pelt into four inch strips?" Parker beamed at the task she gave him and began to use his claws to do as she asked. She trusted him, she trusted him! He felt like he was on cloud nine! Sure she was making her own clothes but honestly it didn't really matter, one he was helping her make them, and two his claim was deep enough that her wearing his furs or not didn't really matter because she trusted him!

Kagome thanked him when he handed her the strips back to her, she gave him a smile before her attention went back to the young girl. She had a feeling their conversation would be very enlightening.