Kagome made her way home, like a woman on a mission nothing was stopping her. Shippo had been posted on top of the house as a look out for InuYasha. Once inside she pulled out a handmade backpack much like her old yellow one, Kaede had made it for her a few months after she returned to this time for good, and a smaller backpack she'd made for Shippo. She began to fill it with clothes for herself and Shippo. Additionally she packed dried meat, rice and a small pot to cook with in her bag, with two bedrolls and a few blankets she'd made. She decided last minute that her miko robes wouldn't do well for traveling so she changed and stuffed them into her bag as well.
"Back you fiend, this is my castle." She heard Shippo say from above, followed a loud clatter and the sound of InuYasha swearing as he chased after Shippo. She always could count on that boy to make InuYasha mad. She finished by packing bowls, cups, and chopsticks in Shippo's bag before exiting out the door. She could still hear Shippo provoking InuYasha, she'd followed the noise to where she'd found Shippo in InuYasha's hands. He was about to hit the boy when Kagome let out a long string of "sit" commands that left InuYasha in a smoking crater. Picking up Shippo, she headed towards the bone-eater's well, and to her surprise she'd found Sesshomaru assisting Rin on to Ah-Un. Rin smiled happily and waved them over. Even more to her surprise Sesshomaru lifted Kagome onto Ah-Un's back, when it became clear that the dragon was much too tall for her to climb by herself.
"I thought you were planning on leaving later tonight?" Kagome asked Sesshomaru, when it became apparent that he didn't intend to comment Rin turned to speak to her.
"We heard all the noise from town and Lord Sesshomaru decided it best to leave earlier instead." She replied happily.
Sango had been on her way to check on Kagome when she saw her friend and Sesshomaru speaking. It hadn't struck her as suspicious, Kagome had always tried to be kind to Sesshomaru. Her friend seemed fine so she went to find her husband and punish him for still being drunk and leaving her to care for their children by herself. She'd happened to hear the commotion between InuYasha and Shippo, she ran to see what was happening, only to find an unconscious InuYasha in a good three foot crater. Worried about her friend she'd headed towards Kaede's hut before she entered she caught a glimpse of Kagome holding traveling bags and Shippo. Sango followed after them, she watched Sesshomaru lift Kagome onto Ah-Un and watched them take off. She ran into the clearing calling out to her friend, but all she received was a sad smile and a soundless "I'm sorry." before they disappeared over the trees.
Kagome's heart clenched as she saw Sango running into the clearing after them. In her haste she'd forgot to tell Sango that she was leaving. She'd left her best friend, the woman she called her sister, completely out of the loop. With a heavy sign Kagome took the reins from in front of Rin, circling the girl protectively in her arms. The first day of traveling was pretty uneventful, Rin clamored on on about being bored and not getting to play. Kagome was pretty used to long trips from all the time she spent looking for jewel shards. Most of the time she hardly sat food on the ground except to make food and sleep. When they landed for the night Rin took no time to run into the woods, moments later she returned with an arm full of sticks. Kagome began to remove her pan and some rice from her bag as Rin started the fire, She'd sent Shippo off to gather water in the stream she heard running nearby.
Sesshomaru lounged quietly against the tree as the miko and the children prepared dinner for themselves. He was contemplating his reason for allowing the miko and her cub to join him on his usually quiet return home. He's started to rise when he heard Rin let out a shrill scream but relaxed slightly when it was followed by a giggle and they two children running around camp. It didn't take long for the playful shrieking to irritate his sensitive ears, he was about to tell Rin to cease her pointless screaming when the miko called for the children to clean up to eat. It dawned on him then that the miko was unusually cleanly for a human, she almost never smelled of dirt and sweat but of apple blossoms instead. He reminded himself he really didn't care but made a mental note to stop near springs to allow her to bathe herself.
"Rin, Shippo, stop playing and lay down." Kagome scolded. They'd finished dinner, cleaned the dishes, the sun had set, and she'd put them to bed, but the children still wanted to play.
"But Mama." Cried Shippo. It wasn't long after she'd returned that Shippo had began calling her such. It seemed odd at first but after a few months she'd just accepted that she was now the parent of a rambunctious cub, almost a year later and she found herself scolding her child for not going to sleep. Even sweet Rin had tried to dispute her.
"Lady Kagome," She said dragging out her words, "just a little longer, please?" Kagome opened her mouth to rebuttal the children when Sesshomaru's smooth voice filled the air.
"Listen to the Miko, Rin, there will be time to play tomorrow." Rin's face fell slightly but she smiled at Sesshomaru before grabbing Shippo and pulling him over to a bedroll and cuddling up to him. Kagome had intended to have Shippo sleep next to her, but they seemed happy and before long they were both asleep. Kagome had pulled out her bedroll and laid it out before repacking the things she'd stored on top of it. Quietly she made her way to sit next to Sesshomaru.
"Thank you." She said, she didn't make eye contact, she just looked quietly at her feet.
"Hn?" Sesshomaru replied and Kagome turned her head to look at him. He had one eyebrow slightly lifted, informing her it was in fact a question.
"For letting us join you," she paused and gave him a light smile. "I just wanted to thank you." Kagome began to stand when Sesshomaru replied.
"Sleep well, Miko." She smiled at him once more before heading to her bedroll.
"You too, Lord Sesshomaru."
The miko had only just covered herself when he heard her breathing begin to even out and soon she was asleep. Now that the members of his group were in slumber Sesshomaru stood. Since he rarely slept while traveling he'd kept watch over the others as they fell asleep. He slowly walked around their camp, letting his scent linger around it. A warning to any who came near that he'd marked this area as his. He made one final slow lap before making his way towards the miko and the children, he walked closely to them, letting his mokomoko gently glide over their sleeping forms until each member had his scent on them. Satisfied the group would remain safe, Sesshomaru ventured out into the forest and transformed. Sesshomaru always avoided hunting while Rin was awake, she had a tendency to wander from his area of protection. Sesshomaru began to return towards the camp, after eating his fill of the local wildlife. Before reentering he reversed his transformation and returned to his usual form. Upon stepping in the clearing he saw an arrow leveled at him before recognition came to the miko's face and she unknocked her bow and sat it aside.
"Sorry Sesshomaru," Kagome said apologetically, "I didn't realize it was you." It hadn't occurred to him that she may have been able to sense his demonic presence, unlike Rin, the woman before his was a miko. It made sense that she'd be worried about a huge demonic power appearing out of nowhere. The miko tilted slightly to the side to peer past Sesshomaru, as if a demon was about to leap from the bush beside him at any moment.
"You have nothing to fear, the only youkai in these parts is I. Rest, there is still a distance left to cover." He said as he began to stride back to the tree he'd previously been resting and easily reclaimed the spot he had before. The miko seemed to try to do as she was told, but instead she kept readjusting her sleeping position. He heard a small huff and watched her sit up, she grabbed her blanket and a spare she'd brought, before walking over to the children and laying one across them. Once done she walked toward him, still holding the second blanket, she didn't make eye contact she merely looked at the ground.
"Would you be alright with me sitting next to you?" She asked shyly. Sesshomaru was watching her body movements and caught her eyes darting to the tree line every so often as if something were going to break through and eat her.
"Hn." He replied and she gently sat herself next to him before wrapping the blanket around herself. She leaned her head back against the tree and took a few deep breaths. After three or four deep breaths her breathing once again began to even and soon she was back asleep. Sesshomaru took a moment to look at the small woman beside him, she slept so calmly next to him, even though he'd once tried to kill her, she'd been so accepting of the youkai she'd met, not that he'd ever need her acceptance. Humans has always been so judgmental of him that it'd never crossed his mind that he'd meet humans who didn't fear him just for the mere fact he was a youkai. The miko shifted slightly in her blanket as a breeze swept through the clearing, her apple blossom scent caught in the breeze, he unconsciously leaned towards the source of the scent to inhale the sweet aroma. A small shuffle from the children's bedroll snapped Sesshomaru back to reality, he returned to his proper seated position, another hour later sleep finally consumed him.