Kagome was awake with the rising sun. Inari and Calian were still on watch. While the others in the makeshift meadow camp still slept, Kagome figured she could get a quick run in. She stepped behind a rather large tree to change from her woven Phoenix feather dress into more practical running attire from her home era. Not particularly caring about the modesty standards of the current time period, mostly in thanks to the rather low standards of most yokai, she quickly dressed in a pair of capri styled black joggers, running shoes, a supportive sports bra, and a black form fitting tank top. As a precaution, Kagome kept the leather arm guard that held her needles and throwing knives strapped to her left forearm. When she tucked the battle dress into a small enchanted pouch at her hip, the priestess removed her large weighted pack from the same space. As soon as it was belted in place, she picked a direction and started her morning run. Kagome didn't realize there were other observant yokai eyes just inside the tree line…
Sesshomaru had always taken pride in his stealth. He was unsurprised when the miko rose before the others and started her day. He was still unsurprised by her change of attire, from acceptable yokai battle raiment to the more vulgar clothing from her home. What surprised him was the tiny pouch she not only stowed her clothing in, but pulled a larger canvas bag from. As the miko started running, Sesshomaru looked for anything that may have spooked her, then started to move through the trees, following the strange human.
Kagome jogged for a short distance before she had to stop and resettle her pack- some of the weight had shifted when she stored it before the trip through the well. As she buckled the chest strap again, Kagome had a nagging feeling she was being watched. She glanced around without moving her head but saw nothing. She moved more deliberately, turning her head quickly, and thought she had seen a flash of color in her periphery but there was nothing there. A moment later, Kagome started her jog again.
As the miko started again, Sesshomaru stepped out from the tree he'd hidden behind when she had stopped. He tried to understand the fascination he found in following his natural enemy, but had no luck. In an attempt to figure out why she had caught his attention, he continued to follow.
A short while later, Kagome felt it again… Someone was following her. She veered from the game trail she'd been following and headed uphill through the trees. Kagome thought of the terrain ahead and decided on a course of action. She would find her pursuer, one way or another.
Sesshomaru followed the miko as she headed away from the trail. He was curious what she was up to with this change.
Kagome ran toward a rocky outcropping that was surrounded by thick trees. When she reached the edge of the rocks, she leapt at the side of the uneven stone wall and bounded upwards. When she was even with the higher branches of the nearest tree, Kagome flipped toward the tree. At the peak of her flip, she opened a small portal and let her pack slip inside. Kagome landed solidly on a middle branch and turned to look back down the path she'd taken. a little ways down, Kagome spied the smallest amount of silver hair and white cloth just behind a tree. 'Gotcha.' she thought.
Before she could run back and tag the pesky dog, Kagome heard an eagle's cry. As she looked up, she saw gold colored wings folding to land on the branch beside her. No sooner did talons touch the branch then there was a slight flare of yoki and Nitika stood beside the miko. The eagle looked to the miko for only a moment before she noticed where Kagome's glare was directed. At the eagle's transformation, Sesshomaru had made himself known.
The Inu lord made his way to a branch near enough the miko and her companion to carry a conversation.
"Why were you following me, Sesshomaru?" Kagome demanded.
He ignored her question to ask one of his own. "You realize it's unseemly for an unmated female to meet with a male unaccompanied, do you not, Miko?"
Kagome and Nitika both looked around. Kagome looked confused. Nitika spoke.
"There is no male here but you, Lord Sesshomaru," she said.
Sesshomaru eyed the eagle. "You are here. You are male, are you not?"
Kagome smacked her forehead lightly and looked to Nitika. The eagle smiled at her and nodded.
"Sesshomaru, your ignorance knows no bounds," Kagome said flatly. "Nitika is very much female, just as I am."
Sesshomaru gave the human in icy glare. "Do not try to trick This Sesshomaru, human" he groused. "That is a male beside you. I have eyes."
Nitika almost laughed. Kagome just rolled her eyes. "She's female, Sesshomaru. Ask her very male and very pissed mate."
Kagome met Nitika's eye and nodded in the direction of the stone wall. The eagle shifted forms and flew to the ledge a few meters up. Kagome leapt to the wall and found handholds easily. She free climbed the rest of the way up.
Sesshomaru watched the pair in momentary confusion before leaping to the ledge himself.
After she reached the ledge, Kagome had pulled two water bottles form her pouch and handed one to Nitika. The pair sat in the scant shade afforded by the upper branches of surrounding trees and sipped their water in apparent silence.
Sesshomaru glared at the two until he saw the amusement in the miko's eyes and the direction she was looking.
He turned and saw flashes of gold as the much larger male eagle flew quickly in their direction.
Calian swiped at the dog lord with a talon before he landed on the ledge mid transformation. Sesshomaru met an icy glare that rivaled his own.
"Why do you harass my mate and our friend while they train, dog?" Calian growled.
Sesshomaru looked dumbfounded. "The miko is your mate?" he asked in confusion.
The seated pair couldn't hold their laughter any longer. Nitika sidled up to Calian's side and tucked herself under his arm. "No," she purred. "I am."
Sesshomaru's eye's went wide. Kagome felt his distress and lightly touched his arm. Sesshomaru looked down at the miko, eyes still wide.
"Sesshomaru, I'm untouched," she told him. "Not that it's any of your business, but that much is true."
The Inu looked back to the two eagles, as did Kagome. She continued to speak. "Nitika is very much female, our actions were in no way remiss" Kagome continued. "In their culture, she's revered, holy. She's called 'two spirit.'"
Sesshomaru looked back to the miko as she kept speaking, her eyes on Nitika's. "She faced many hardships as a child, but came through by the will of their holy spirits. She has defining characteristics of both genders."
Calian spoke then. "It is this that has aided us in our travels," he said. "With only Dyani appearing female, we were attacked less by hostile tribes as we crossed their territories."
Sesshomaru considered their words for a moment. "The Miko has only just returned, yet you call her 'friend.'" he said. "Why?"
Nitika gave Sesshomaru her own withering glare. "Because Kagome IS our friend, you narrow minded fool," she admonished. "You know next to nothing about us, yet you insult us every chance you get." She cut herself off when she felt Kagome's gentle hand on her shoulder.
Kagome smiled at the two eagles and said, "easy, dear friend." She looked to Calian. "The things Sesshomaru doesn't know and does not care to learn are legion. He won't learn them this way, either." She looked back at Nitika. "Time, sister. Give it time."
Sesshomaru bristled at Kagome's words. "Miko…" he growled.
Kagome looked back at him. "Dog…" she growled in return.
Sesshomaru lunged at the errant priestess, who disappeared into a dark portal with the two eagle yokai before he made it across the short distance.
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o00o0o0o0o
Near the edge of Edo village, Dyani, Shiriki, Sango, and Shippo were helping Kaede in the garden. Rin was by the fence, watching the village children play. Shiriki and Shippo helped with whatever heavy lifting needed to be done while Sango, Dyani and Kaede weeded and chatted.
Sango watched Dyani as she moved about the area, taking care with some of the weeds and placing them to the side. After watching this for a little while, curiosity got the better of the slayer. "Dyani, what are you doing with those things you set aside?" she asked.
Dyani had been expecting the question, but thought the old miko would have been the one to ask.
"They have other medicinal properties," she answered. "These don't belong in this garden, but they do have use."
Kaede chuckled. "Aye, they do have use, young one." she said. "Ye know medicinal herbs?"
Dyani smiled at her. "Yes, lady healer," she said. "Among my own people, I was looked on as a failure… I didn't follow tradition, saw things in the plants they didn't, so I was cast out. I learned the healing arts from my mate's tribe after they found me."
Shiriki smirked at his mate's response. "You didn't tell them the full story, my tender morsel."
Sango gave him a confused look. Dyani looked down, her face flushed at his comment.
Shiriki laughed, then turned to Sango. "Lady hunter, my people are coyotes. Pack creatures similar to your wolves." He sat next to his mate. "Her people were our prey."
Sango looked at the pair, understanding starting to bloom in her eyes. "So how did you come to be mated, if you're natural enemies?" she asked.
Shiriki looked at Dyani. "Do you want to tell them our story mate, or shall I?"
Dyani gave him a look filled with love. "I'll tell it, beloved."
Shippo and Rin sat beside Sango, eager to hear the tale.
Before Dyani could begin their story, Kagome, Nitika, and Calian stepped through a portal into the garden. A severely pissed off Sesshomaru ran from the forest behind them. Aya and Elias ran from the fields with Miroku and stood between the angry Inu lord and the others.
Sango rolled her eyes and looked at Kagome. "Sister, what have you done this time?" she asked in exasperation.
Sesshomaru stopped. He was still visibly angry, but confusion made its way onto his face, as well. "How many sisters do you have, miko?" he asked, incredulous. "Surely you don't share blood with all of these females?"
Nitika looked at Kagome, laughter in her eyes. Kagome laughed out loud. "No, fur ball." she giggled. "I only have blood ties to Aya. But the others could be given those ties easily enough." Kagome knew what she had suggested…
Sesshomaru tensed. His face went blank. In clipped, icy tones, he said quietly, "you go too far, human."
As he started to walk away, Kagome opened another portal and put her upper body through. Her portal appeared above his head, and he was forced to stop as her upper body hung upside down in his path. They were face to face.
"Pretty sure you haven't caught on to this little fact yet, Sesshomaru," she said, matter-of-factly, "but I'm not exactly 'human' anymore. Not since the jewel." She tapped his nose then dissappeared back through the portal.
Sesshomaru whipped back around to face a grinning Kagome. Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi stood beside her, now. The others had discreetly moved a safe distance from the action, behind the gods and Kagome.
Sesshomaru stared at Kagome for a moment. "What does she mean 'not exactly human?"' he asked the two gods.
Tsukuyomi answered first. "We don't know."
Amaterasu spoke next. "The jewel should never have been. It was a creation of free will, something we had no influence over." The sun goddess paused and looked at Kagome. "Because of it, we're not entirely sure what she is now."
Miroku took a step toward Kagome. "How can you not know?" he asked. "Is she human? Yokai? A new god?"
Tsukuyomi watched Kagome as he answered. "She's all of those…" he said. "And none of them."
Amaterasu added to her brother's response. "In the coming battle, Kagome will be an invaluable ally."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o00o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0o0o0o
A/N: I could edit this all to hell, and I would still be somewhat unhappy with it. Some bits of story are jumping in before I thought they would, some have disappeared. It's just how my muse seems to be working right now. Still going in the same general direction I'd planned, though. Some things may seem "off" but they're not. Details, dude. Everything will make sense. Eventually… I promise. I have a very rough plan, and those points are still being hit.
informational bits:
Kagome referred to Nitika as a 'two-spirit.' "Two-spirit" refers to a person who identifies as having both a masculine and a feminine spirit, and is used by some Indigenous people to describe their sexual, gender and/or spiritual identity. Here, she IS both physically and mentally a female, but has an androgynous appearance that leans more toward masculine and without close inspection is passably male.