Morning came quickly, but Kagome felt surprisingly renewed. She was the first one to wake, as she was every morning. Usually, she grabbed her personal hygiene products and went to the nearest water source before starting breakfast for everyone. Today, however, she went straight to Rin's side. She spotted Sesshomaru watching her, having not moved from his spot under the tree. She nodded to him and smiled, as to not wake anyone around her, and was pleased when he nodded back. He watched her feel Rin's forehead and frown, and moved instantly to her side. "What is wrong?" he asked softly, so only she could hear him.
"She's got a fever. It means her body is fighting an infection." She pulled her first aid kit out of her bag and began to pull items out of it. A bottle of red liquid, a rag and a clear stick with a red substance inside it were set next to Rin's head as she looked at Sesshomaru. "I hate to ask, but can you get this cloth wet in the river and ring out the water? A cool cloth on her head will help. I going to give her this children's medicine to help with the fever and use this to see how hot she really is." She held up the thermometer and smiled and he nodded, taking the rag and disappearing quickly.
Inuyasha leapt from the tree and land next to Kagome, who barely managed to contain her yelp of surprise. "Inuyasha!" She hissed, swatting his arm. "Don't DO that to me! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"
He rolled his eyes and sat next to Rin's head. "Keh… So she's sick now?" he asked softly, nodding to the girl.
"She's got a fever. I'm glad I have some of this children's fever reducer I got for Shippo. I'd be afraid to give her the adult stuff; she's so small and already fighting for her life. This will help with any pain she might feel if she wakes up too." She smiled to Sesshomaru as he appeared at his side, handing her the cloth. She slipped the thermometer into her mother and watched the reading go her, her smile fading as it rose quickly. "She's too hot." She mumbled, throwing off the covers they had laid over her the night before. "Way too hot." She turned to Sesshomaru after leaning her upward to pour the medicine into her mouth. She swallowed it easily and did not stir from being moved. "We need to cool her off. If this doesn't help in the next hour, we need to take her to the river and cool her from the outside."
"Why does it matter if she is hot?" Sesshomaru asked, his eyebrow arching.
Kagome laid the rag on the girl's forehead and smoothed her hair as she spoke. "A human's body can't handle excessive heat. If the brain gets too hot, it will basically shut down." His eyes widened. "It takes a lot, much hotter than it can get in the summer time. So it's perfectly safe for her to play normally." She seemed to read his mind as she reassured his sudden fear. "But we do need to make sure that she cools off now. She's not in immediate danger, but if it doesn't go down soon, we need to take more drastic measures. I'm more worried about WHY she's has a fever now." She placed her hands over Rin and closed her eyes, her eyebrows knit together slightly. The soft pink glow returned and silence reigned.
Molten golden orbs met icy ones and the brother's glared at each other. Inuyasha hated that Kagome was so nice. Sure, he didn't mind Rin. She reminded him of what Kagome must have been like as a child. But Rin meant Sesshomaru. And he HATED Sesshomaru. He continued to stare until the rage boiled over. He growled and got up, stomping off a few feet and leaping off into the trees. Kagome opened one eye to watch him go, her pink glow wavering a bit. She sighed softly and closed her eye again, the glow returning to a steady and strong glow. Sesshomaru watched her face closely. He realized he had questions to ask her and it surprised him that he actually cared to get the answers. He decided that it was simply because she was different. And Sesshomaru was smart enough to know, knowledge is power. The day before, he worried that this girl was even less intelligent than his brother. Somehow today, he got the feeling that he hadn't given her enough credit. He was curious to see what she knew and the only way to know is to ask. He recalled his father once telling him when he was young "the difference between a victory and a loss is not the number of soldiers or even the difference in skill, but the ability to use those skills and soldiers better than your opponent. Learn everything and use everything you learn." If this girl had knowledge that could, at the very least, help him care for Rin, it was worth finding out.
Kagome could feel him watching her. It was starting to make her nervous. She was trying to take it slow today. Last night, she was just desperate to get the poor child stable. Now that she was, she was going over every body part slowly, sensing where there was damage and pouring her power over it like syrup. "Sesshomaru…" she murmured softly. "This could take a few days. How she survived this, I do not know." Her eyes never opened, but she hoped he would relax a bit. It was almost as bad as Inuyasha's constant whining!
"Hnn."
She fought back a smirk at his normal reply, feeling him move to her side and sit. So much for him relaxing. She could hear her companions waking behind her, going about their morning in silence as to not disturb her. She thanked the Kami's for her friends at that moment, wondering why Inuyasha couldn't be like them. Then she remembered his past and conceded, knowing that if she had suffered as he had for as long as he had, she'd probably be the same way.
Kagome and Sesshomaru sat in silence for hours, she ignoring her body complaining about hunger and a need to use a bathroom and he trying to ignore his desire to ask her all the questions burning in his mind. She managed to do a complete once over on Rin's body before beginning to feel drained. Her fever was down and Kagome smiled as she felt her heart beating strong. "I think she's going to make it." Everyone in camp looked at her, the first real sentence spoken aloud all day.
"You think so Kagome?" Shippo asked as the pink faded from her hands. He hopped onto her shoulder, looking down at Rin.
Smiling she nodded, looking at the girl's face. "It might not take me as long as I thought. In fact, she might be waking up soon, I think." Kagome stood, stretching and clapping her hands together. "Well, I have a few things I need to tend to. Is Inuyasha back yet?"
"Nope, haven't seen him." Sango said, eyeing the monk who scooted closer to her and smiled innocently.
"Maybe I'll go looking in a few minutes." Kagome mumbled to herself, grabbing her supplies and walking toward the river.
Sesshomaru extended his senses and held back a smirk. His half brother was a long way off, nowhere near close enough for the Miko to wander by herself. And someone had to stay with Rin. It looked like the perfect chance to question the Miko. When she came back, he gave her time to eat. When she rose to leave in search Inuyasha, he stood as well. She looked at him questioningly and he stared back. "I will not permit you to walk in the forest alone when you have yet to finish healing Rin." He said, narrowing his eyes as she rolled her own.
"Oh yeah, Inuyasha will LOVE me bringing you along." She muttered, walking into the forest. He followed behind her, allowing himself a small smirk that no one could see.
As she stalked ahead, Sesshomaru tried to decide on what to ask about first. "Miko. How do you know so much about treating ailments?" he asked suddenly. Kagome almost tripped over herself.
"Uh, I learned about it in school, that's where they teach lessons about many subjects. History, reading, writing… In my, um, village, all children are educated from a young age." She slowed her progress and fell into step beside him.
"Even the females?" he asked, a hint of shock in his voice. So she WAS educated.
She nodded and smiled. "Females can do anything males can. So why can't we be educated as such?"
"Hnn." He thought absent-mindedly about having her tutor Rin. If females were being educated, he would be sure that Rin was ahead of them all, or at least as knowledgeable as the smartest male.
He was silent for a moment before looking at her again. "If you are educated, why do you stay with my idiot half brother?"
Kagome did trip this time, gasping softly when she felt a very strong arm around her waist. He pulled her upright and quirked an eyebrow, his face perfectly impassive. His self control was legendary, after all, and it did not fail him now. Kagome had no idea the internal struggle the simple touch had started. His heart skipped a beat and he had the insane desire to pull her close and never let go. He was shocked by the idea and then annoyed that it happened. He shook it off and ignored it. After all, if the great Lord Sesshomaru decided something didn't happen, it didn't. Right? He was so distracted, he almost missed her answer. Almost.
"Because he's my friend." She huffed as she pulled away from him, her eyes narrow and her face flushed. "You know, I know you two hate each other, but you're both at fault. You both act like immature children." She suddenly remembered WHO she was speaking to and a deep growl sounded next to her. She gasped as he backed her against a tree, holding her there with a soft, yet firm hand around her neck.
"This Sesshomaru is NOT a pup, immature or otherwise. Never compare this Sesshomaru to that insolent whelp again." His voice threatened death in every syllable. He watched as, for the first time since he arrived, there was fear in her eyes. A sour feeling took hold of his stomach and he suddenly realized that he didn't want this female to fear him. She watched his eyes go from furious, to almost apologetic, before glazing over a bit and looking annoyed as he released her. Why should this woman matter? This HUMAN woman? He looked at her and sighed in his mind. She hadn't moved from the tree, staring at him with a mixture of curiosity and fear. She is… An acceptable ally. "How are Inuyasha's issues at all this Sesshomaru's fault?"
Kagome was silent for a moment before moving toward him and away from the tree. "You want my honest response? Or will you throw me against a tree?" She looked cautiously defiant and he almost smirked. She was strong willed. She had to be around Inuyasha.
"This Sesshomaru should not have done that. It will not happen again." She eyed him, her eyebrow arching like his own tended to. "I give you my word."
She smiled widely at that. If Sesshomaru was anything, it was a man of his word. "Well, you've never tried to make peace. He's not the only one throwing insults or punches. Maybe if he had some old brother guidance growing up, he wouldn't be so… Rough around the edges."
He couldn't help himself. He snorted. Kagome stopped walking in surprise, a smile sneaking on to her face. "Our father abandoned my mother for that human woman. I was raised as an heir. Inuyasha was raised as a son. And then he died to protect that whelp and his mother and she died anyway. And he became a careless idiot and Father's death was for nothing."
Her smiled faded, his words distracting her from his momentary lack of composure. "But none of that is Inuyasha's fault." She continued even though he growled at her words. "That was your father's fault and Fate, and he was a baby, rigHe couldn't do anything. And he grew up alone, what do you expect?"
"He treats you badly."
Kagome blinked at the change of subject. "He doesn't treat me badly. He just… He has a hard time with relationships."
"Hnn." She said nothing, only continued walking. She was lost in thought.
"Why are you even allowing me to talk to you like this?" she suddenly asked as she stopped walking and looked at him.
If only this Sesshomaru knew… "You are an acceptable ally." He pointed toward her right. "He is over there. This Sesshomaru shall wait here."
Kagome only looked at him for a moment, before turning and entering the clump of forest he had pointed to. She was glad he was staying put; dealing with the moody hanyou was sometimes hard enough without him being angry at his brother's presence as well.