Paradigm Shift
Chapter Twenty-three: Aftermath
… … …
Sesshomaru had been right. The wolf dens were just a little farther than Atsuta shrine, albeit in a different direction. The dens were a series of caves that ran along the opposite side of the same mountain range that Atsuta occupied. It took maybe two hours to reach them.
Kagome could see wolves, in both forms, gathering along the range at the mouths of their dens. They watched as she and Sesshomaru approached, some climbing or jumping along the face of the rock toward the largest opening in the center of the caves.
Kagome stumbled a little as Sesshomaru released her when they landed inside the entrance of the cave. The wolves all moved to the sides of the cavern, parting to allow Sesshomaru to pass through them.
Kagome could make out the figure of a man toward the back of the cave. Sesshomaru only took a few steps toward the man, waiting until he moved forward and came to them instead. As he came closer and stepped into the light, Kagome took in how similar he was to Kouga. He had long dark hair. Longer than Kouga's and in a braid down his back instead of in a ponytail. The same light blue eyes. Very similar in height. This man could have been Kouga's older brother.
"Prince Kazuo." Sesshomaru nodded to the man.
So this was the western wolf prince. The one that Kouga had merged his own tribe into. Kagome looked around at the wolves lining the walls. There were a few familiar faces. A couple of the wolved even waved at her.
"Lord Sesshomaru. The worst has come to pass, then."
Kagome started as Kazuo spoke. Even the man's voice was similar to Kouga's, maybe just a little deeper and a little more…wolfy.
"Indeed. The preparations have been finished?"
Kazuo nodded to Sesshomaru.
"They have." He gestured to one of the many openings in the back of the cave. "Come. Allow me to show you the maps."
Sesshomaru nodded and began to follow Kazuo deeper into the caves. His eyes didn't leave the wolf prince's back as he walked.
"This woman is the Miko, Kagome. She has earned a place in my house and you will treat her as such."
Kazuo's chuckle at Sesshomaru's words did nothing to make her feel better.
Kagome looked around at the wolves nervously. Sesshomaru was going to leave her here? She watched in apprehension as the two powerful youkai disappeared through the dark opening and turned in a circle with a forced smile.
"Uh… hi…"
She just wanted to collapse and process the whole day. First her summoning the jewel shards, mixing her reiki and aura with Miroku's, getting her soul back… a blush rose across her cheeks as she remembered the bath house and everything that happened after leaving Nozomi's cottage. Then the rush to answer Sesshomaru's call and the carnage.
It had been a long day.
Kagome dropped her hand back to her side and closed her eyes.
She about jumped out of her skin as a familiar shout echoed through the cavern. She wasn't sure how many more surprises she could take today.
"SIS!" Twin voices yelled.
And she was being fussed at by two, thankfully, familiar faces.
"Ginta! Hakkaku!"
"We'd hug you, sis, but…" Ginta pointed at Kagome's clothes.
"You okay? Is any of this yours?" Hakkaku picked at the stained clothes and sniffed at her.
"I'm okay, guys. Just a few scratches. I didn't even get to Sessh-" She coughed. "Ahem… Lord Sesshomaru until after most of it was over."
Some of the other wolves had started moving slowly closer to the three of them, probably curious, but most of them had wandered off.
"Hey! Miyu!" Ginta walked over to one of the wolves that hadn't retreated. "You got any extra pelts that Kagome can borrow?"
The female wolf came up to stand by Ginta, giving Kagome a look from head to toe and rubbing her head under Ginta's chin.
"Maybe. She's kinda tiny."
Kagome looked chagrined at the comment.
"I'd really appreciate it."
"Well. If I don't have anything that fits you, we could trade something for a new pelt and make you something. Wouldn't have to be a big one or nothing." Miyu said. "First lets go check me and Ginta's place."
Kagome found herself being led away down one of the many off-shoots from the main cavern; Ginta and Hakkaku following behind.
"Hey guys? Is Kouga here?"
"We thought he was with you. Helping Lord Sesshomaru or something."
Kagome frowned. Hopefully, Kouga and the others were okay. The others! How could she have forgotten!? Rin! Shippou!
"I have to see Sesshomaru! Now!" She screamed, digging her heels in and trying to wrench her hand out oh Miyu's grasp.
"Ah, That's probably not a good idea while he's with prince Kazuo, Kagome." Hakkaku said, watching her struggle.
"I have to! The kids! Rin! Shippou! They were at the Western Hall!"
Miyu let her go. Cubs?
Kagome took off back down the passage, heading back the way they had come.
Ginta, Hakkaku, and Miyu all watched her go.
Kagome almost fell on her face as she made it into the main cavern and turned to head into the passage that Kazuo and Sesshomaru had gone down. How could she have forgotten? There was no excuse. They were hers.
The passage wasn't a long one, after only a few feet she could see light ahead.
"Sesshomaru!" She yelled.
Later, she would be thankful that he had already removed the broken armor because she didn't slow as he came into view at the end of the passage. She crashed into him, wrapping her arms around him with tears streaming down her face.
"Sesshomaru! Rin! Shippou!"
Sesshomaru stepped himself and Kagome a little further from the small fire next to them before Kagome caught them on fire.
Kazuo looked on in curiosity, tilting his head to the side as he observed the tiny human that had attached herself to the inuyoukai.
"This is your powerful miko?" He put one hand on the wide, flat, ledge behind him. Scrolls were scattered across the surface, a few of them unfurled and held open by stones.
Sesshomaru looked out of the corner of his eye at Kazuo and rested his hand on the top of Kagome's head.
"She is powerful, I assure you. Especially when she is emotional. Quiet."
He stroked Kagome's hair a few times and then reached around to tug one of her arms from around him.
"Kagome. Calm yourself. You have been training for barely two days and we are amid many youkai."
Kazuo hissed as pink reiki began to seep from Kagome's body and stung at his skin.
"Lord Sesshomaru. Respectfully, control her or remove her."
Sesshomaru's brows grew together as Kazuo began to growl in response to Kagome's rising reiki. It wasn't hurting him in the slightest. He grasped Kagome's shoulder and shook her.
"Kagome!" He growled. "Calm yourself. Your kit and Rin will have been gathered with the others. We will see them after we leave here."
And they would. If they had made it out of the Western Hall before it had been taken.
Kagome sucked in huge gulps of air and they watched her reiki settle back into her skin and her tears taper off.
Kazuo raised a hand to his neck, feeling the burns that peppered his skin.
"I suppose you really are powerful, miko. That hurt." He looked over Sesshomaru. While injured from the battle, the inuyoukai lord seemed untouched by the miko's surge of power.
Kagome turned her face out of Sesshomaru's chest and looked at Kazuo.
"I'm so sorry!" She said. "I… I still haven't got the hang of controlling my reiki when I'm…"
"Crying?" Kazuo suggested.
"Mostly…"
"If you can get a grip on your reiki, you'd be a pretty damn good friend to have." He stuck a tanned hand out to her. "Prince Kazuo of the western wolves." He cut his eyes to the left for a moment. Kagome took his hand, still not stepping away from Sesshomaru. "I suppose the western part isn't really needed anymore though. Prince Kouga has brought the eastern tribes here, now. We lead together. For the most part." Kazuo lifted Kagome's hand to his lips but did a double-take before he kissed it. He decided to give Kagome a wide grin, instead. "Forgive me, I think I'll wait until you bathe before trying to charm you.
All in all, Kazuo's mannerisms made Kagome want to laugh. She didn't. But she could have if she hadn't been so distraught.
"I would appreciate being released, Kagome."
"Oh!"
She let go of Sesshomaru's waist and took a few steps backward. "Ow! Ow ow ow!"
Sesshomaru sighed and watched Kagome pat out the flames on her hakama.
"Clumsy girl."
"Powerful and entertaing. Quite the find, Sesshomaru." Kazuo laughed.
Kagome blushed.
"Let her stay. Perhaps this will ease her fears." Kazuo gestured Kagome closer.
She looked to Sesshomaru, stepping toward the other man when he didn't say anything. She squeaked as Kazuo lifted her off her feet and planted her on the ledge, causing her to flatted a mound of rolled scrolls.
Sesshomaru sighed again and stepped to Kazuo's side. All three of them turned to the map that was open on the flat stone ledge.
"As I said. This area here, near the center of the cave system, is where we have decided on. Everything has been taken care of; other than the barrier that will go up once the pups are here."
"Acceptable."
Kazuo snorted. He found Sesshomaru's demeanor rather amusing most of the time.
"We'll need nine to form the barrier. Here at each entrance from the outlying caverns. Preferably strong. It's just not do-able to get a barrier up over the whole cave system. Too big. This is the biggest single cavern, and it's a bitch to get to."
Kagome got the gist of their exchange, listening closely while trying to lean forward as much as she could off of the pile of scrolls.
"Provisions?"
"Taken care of. They'll be set up for a couple weeks."
Sesshomaru scowled at the map.
"That is not a very long window, Kazuo."
"At least it's something. It all depends on how many made it out. Could be shorter, could be longer. Any idea how many of yours are coming?"
Sesshomaru glanced at Kagome.
"We are unsure. They are traveling to Atsuta Shrine." He reached out his arm and tapped a marked passage at the right edge of the map. "They will come through here."
"When?"
"Tomorrow night."
Kazuo rolled up the scroll and tossed it to the back of the ledge, turning around and leaning against the stone.
"Counting me and you, if Kouga shows up soon enough, that makes three. Do we have six others?"
"I will go to the bears tonight. Raiden and Yua will undoubtedly bring their clan's young. The bears will fight."
Kazou scratched his scruffy jawline with one claw and nodded.
"I have no doubts of that. The bears are fearsome. What of Tadaaki and Naiko?"
"I do not know. They may head to their kin in the southern isles or they may stand with the other clan here in the west."
"Well, Raiden and Yua make us five."
Sesshomaru plucked Kagome from the ledge where she looked utterly uncomfortable while she watched them talk. He set her on her feet and turned back to Kazuo.
"Either Heiji or Nozomi will escort the inu pups through the passages from Atsuta."
"Alright. Six. Three more."
"You are certain that prince Kouga will be here by the time the rest of the pups arrive?"
Kazuo frowned.
"He should be. You know how fast he is."
"Kouga was with my other friends just east of Edo about a month ago." Kagome interrupted in a soft voice.
The two men looked to her.
"Indeed he was. There is no guarantee that they remained that close to the neutral lands, though." Sesshomaru told her.
"The… neutral lands?"
Kazuo prodded Kagome in the side with a clawed finger.
"You're just full of surprises, little miko. Powerful, entertaining, and well connected. Rather pretty too." He leaned close to her, putting one hand on the wall behind her, above her head. "Perhaps I should just claim you for myself."
Kazuo pulled away from Kagome at Sesshomaru's low rumble.
"If Lord Sesshomaru would permit it, of course."
Kagome's blue eyes flicked between Kazuo and Sesshomaru in agitation.
"I'm not some bartered and traded goods, you know!"
The two youkai smirked at her, making her cross her arms with a huff.
"So we are six." Sesshomaru said
"Yeah. What about Mori?"
"My general perished in the battle."
Kazuo's eyes darkened and his lips drew into a tight line.
"He was a good fighter."
"Indeed."
Kagome fidgeted.
"How about the boars and the foxes? I get that they like to keep to themselves, but they might come. They are part of the west, after all. I can send out some of the wolves to head their way."
Sesshomaru looked toward the ceiling of the little room, watching the smoke from the fire curl up and out through a crack in the rock.
"No. I shall go myself. If they do not join us in battle, perhaps they will come to aid in the barrier's formation."
"Let's hope so."
Kazuo pushed away from where he leaned on the ledge, snatching Kagome close to his side.
"Later, little miko."
He laughed when Sesshomaru growled again.
The fire was put out and they made their way to the main cavern in silence. Ginta, Hakkaku, and Miyu, with a bundle of fur and leather in her arms, were waiting at the mouth od the passage. They bowed to Sesshomaru and Kazuo and Miyu grabbed Kagome's wrist.
"Hey. One of the girls gave me this for you to change into…" Miyu told her.
Sesshomaru looked at her and then at Kagome.
"Quickly."
Miyu smiled and whispered a quick thanks to him, dragging Kagome back off down the passage they had gone earlier. They stopped a little ways down and Miyu shook out the bundle, holding it up to Kagome.
"It should fit pretty good, actually. Here, get that crap off and let's get you dressed."
Kagome smiled a little. She'd forgotten how rough around the edges and abrupt the wolves were. It was sort of comforting in a way; familiar. It made her miss Kouga.
Miyu helped peel the ruined silk away from her skin.
"Too bad you don't have time to rinse off, though." Miyu said. She turned Kagome around and gathered up her hair into a ponytail, tying it in place with a leather strap. "Here. Let me do that." Miyu pulled the pelt from Kagome's hands and flipped it inside-out, tugging on a few hidden straps inside.
Kagome stood there with her arms above her head when Miyu instructed, letting the woman wrap her in the pelt.
"Here. Hold this part while I tie these."
Kagome nodded and did as she was told.
"Thanks for this, Miyu."
"Nah. Don't worry about it! My mate says you're pack. We look after our own, you know. That crap had to be pretty uncomfortable. Can't imagine how Lord Sesshomaru feels. He looks pretty rough."
"Yeah. Believe it or not, everything on my clothes was just rubbed off from his."
Miyo grinned up at Kagome as she tied the last closure on the side, under her arm.
"Pretty close, huh?"
"Not like that!" Kagome held out her hands in front of her until the pelt started slipping down. Miyu laughed at her and pulled it back up, drawing a flap of leather over Kagome's shoulder and tying it to the front.
"Either way." Miyu shrugged. "Can't really see Lord Sesshomaru letting us dress him up in furs anyway,"
Kagome laughed at the image that conjured in her mind.
"Me either."
"All done!" Miyu stepped back. "Whaddya think?"
Kagome looked down at herself. The pelt was a short dress, leather from the hips up and fur from the hips down. It barely covered her important parts, but at least it was better than the gore encrusted silk. She really couldn't wait to see Rin and Shippou and get a bath.
"Thanks, Miyo."
"No problem. Go on now, before your inu gets impatient."
… … …
The water in the bath house was tinted pink by the time everyone had rinsed the battle away. The twenty-two inu children had been given beds in the Shrine's sleeping quarters, and the surviving guards that had gotten them out of the Western Hall were gathered in the garden with Heiji.
Miroku stood among them all in silence. They all stood or sat, just watching the darkening sky, Watching for Sesshomaru.
'and Kagome' Miroku thought.
The last vestiges of daylight had faded and it had gotten dark enough that most of Atsuta's regular residents had headed off to bed themselves; heading back to their beds and sorting out who could share a night with who.
Miroku, Heiji, and the five guards who had survived from the Western Hall were the only ones who remained in the garden by the time Sesshomaru and Kagome finally arrived at the shrine.
With barely a thought to her furry dress, Miroku welcomed the armful of miko he suddenly found himself with. He felt like he could breathe again.
"Miroku."
"I'm fine, Kagome." He stepped back, holding her at arm's length. "You are too, it seems." Kagome tugged on the bottom of the little dress when Miroku smirked. "Where did that come from?"
"Don't even start! We went to see the wolf tribe before coming here." Kagome looked off to the side. "There weren't any survivors that we could find on the battlefield…"
"Ah. So Lord Sesshomaru took you along to recover the wounded."
Kagome nodded slowly. She doubted the sight of that field would ever leave her. Even the thought of it made her stomach turn.
"There weren't any. Tensaiga wouldn't even respond to any of them."
Miroku cupped Kagome's cheeks in his hands and gave her a chaste kiss.
"You'll be relieved to know that Shippou and Rin are sleeping soundly in our room."
Kagome's eyes lit up and Miroku found himself being led at a jog toward the sleeping quarters by the sleeve of his monsuke.
… … …
Nozomi ceased her furious pacing as the door to her cottage opened to admit Sesshomaru. She crossed her arms and stared at him as he calmly closed it behind himself.
"Your miko has mated the other human, you know."
Sesshomaru looked to the empty table behind Nozomi and took in the scattered mess all over the floor.
"I am aware. Did they use your table?"
Nozomi growled.
"Do not push me, Nozomi. You may have served my line for many years, but you know your place."
Nozomi turned and stormed away from him, kicking away the fallen contents of her table without care. She sarcastically waved her arm at the head for Sesshomaru to sit and folded herself down at a side with her back toward him.
"This mess was indeed because of Kagome. Not for that, though. Much has happened in two days, Sesshomaru."
He walked calmly to the head of the table and looked down at Nozomi without sitting.
"Explain."
She pushed her fingers into her hair.
"She is strong."
"This is not unknown to me, Nozomi."
She glared up at him.
"Stronger than she should be. The training was difficult for her yesterday, but when she finally caught on… she learned quickly."
"I fail to see where your concern lies."
"There was an incident this morning." Nozomi stood abruptly from the table and walked down a short hall, yelling over her shoulder as she went. "The monk is convinced that this miko of yours somehow managed to connect their very soul's energies together."
"Oh?"
"He certainly believes so. The girl formed some sort of barrier around herself. We couldn't near it. He could though. Managed to actually go through it."
Sesshomaru lifted an eyebrow at the crashing and bumping sounds coming down the hall.
"She floated the two of them into the air and there was a burst of reiki. It fanned out around them for… I don't know how far, and then came back, dragging Shikon shards into my Shrine with it."
Nozomi finally emerged from the hall, thrusting a bundle of blue and white silk at Sesshomaru. A look of disdain crossed his face as he unfolded them.
"These are my father's." He said in a cold tone.
"They are. Change into them." She pointed down the hall. "Unless you'd rather run about in those."
Sesshomaru stared down at the hankimono and hakama in distaste.
"Sesshomaru!" Nozomi took a step toward him and pointed down the hall again. "That was rhetorical."
Nozomi blew out a frustrated puff of air as Sesshomaru moved down the hall to change, snarling the whole way. When he came back out, he was stiff and obviously uncomfortable and had retained his own long, blood-soaked, blue and yellow obi.
"Stubborn dog."
"No need to degrade yourself, Nozomi."
"I meant you! Just as hard-headed as your father!"
Sesshomaru stepped close and leaned his face near to Nozomi's.
"I am not my father."
Nozomi bit her tongue to keep from retorting. Sesshomaru straightened himself and leveled an icy stare at her.
"What of the shards?"
"She… absorbed them. The monk went on about it for a while. Ask him."
"I have seen Kagome lose control of her reiki before. If what you say is true, you should all be dead."
Though he believed his words, Sesshomaru thought back to the wolf den and Kagome's reiki washing over him; leaving him unharmed.
"There was something… odd about it. I spoke to the others, and they all agreed. They felt the burst. It didn't feel like purification. It felt like it was… searching us."
Sesshomaru strode to the door, pausing as he opened it.
"Interesting." He walked out of the cottage. "Show me where the pups are."
"Your curiosity is going to be your downfall one day, Sesshomaru." Nozomi muttered under her breath. She did follow him, closing her door behind her.
… … …
Miroku leaned against the wall and watched Kagome watch the sleeping children on her futon. They were snuggled together adorably, and Kagome had curled herself up on the bare floor in front of them, running her hand softly over their faces every now and then. The three of them made quite a sight.
When he heard soft footfalls drawing near, he slipped out of the room and into the hallway. Nozomi and Sesshomaru were walking through the hall, opening each of the doors where the inu pups slept and looking them over before moving on.
When they reached him, Miroku opened the door for them and let them look in at Kagome, Rin and Shippou.
"This is the last of them, Sesshomaru. I'm sorry."
"Twenty-two inu pups."
Nozomi nodded at him.
"And these two."
She watched his back for a moment before turning to Miroku.
"I shall take my leave of you for the night." Nozomi bowed and left the room, heading back down the hallway and out of sight.
Miroku closed the door and turned back around. He was met with the sight of Sesshomaru crouching down by Kagome's head.
"Kagome. Come. You must bathe."
She shook her head mutely, watching Rin and Shippou still.
"And if they wake to see you covered in blood and dirt?"
Her blue eyes looked up to his.
"You're right." She whispered. You should too. Your hair is red. And brown."
Sesshomaru stood and offered her his hand.
"Come. I will be along shortly." He pulled Kagome to her feet. "I must speak with the monk."
Miroku tried to hide his cringe from Kagome, but it was unnecessary. She was utterly subdued as she gathered her jeans and shirt from her bag. She only had eyes for the two small bodies lying asleep in the room.
"I won't be long." She said, obviously hesitant to leave.
Miroku and Sesshomaru both nodded even though she wasn't looking at them.
Sesshomaru moved through the doorway and into the hall, watching as Kagome rounded the corner and left his sight. He turned his head and locked eyes with Miroku, taking a step back and expecting Miroku to join him in the hall.
Miroku did, closing the door behind him. He took a deep breath and faced Sesshomaru.
"You once, not long ago, told me that courting Kagome had never crossed your mind."
"I did." Miroku tilted his head forward.
"You praised her innocence and purity."
"I did."
"And yet she is no longer innocent."
The undertone of a growl in Sesshomaru's voice sent a chill up Miroku's spine. This youkai could kill him in an instant. From the way he spoke, it could very well be an option at this point in time.
"I assure you, Lord Sesshomaru, Kagome is not simply a conquest for me."
"Oh? You understand better than most what it means that she is under my protection. She will one day, very soon, bear my mark. The mark of my bloodline."
Miroku felt a bead of sweat drip down his spine.
"I do understand."
"How long will you stand at her side, monk? Until you grow bored? Until you die?"
Miroku locked eyes with Sesshomaru, his face hard. He gripped the shaft of his Shakujo tightly.
"Forever. I will stay with her forever, Sesshomaru."
The air in the hall was charged with clashing jaki and reiki. Sesshomaru reached behind Miroku and slid the door open again.
"Know that if you die and leave her alone, I will bring you back and kill you myself; just for the satisfaction of it."
Miroku felt his shoulders sag as he watched Sesshomaru leave.
… … …
… … …
… … …
AN:
Mishi: The pairing is Miroku/Kagome for sure, yes. I'm still toying with plot ideas for a harem fic in my head. Rolling them around and trying to decide what I'd do and if I'd do it. It's a definite possibility, but not in Paradigm Shift. I can totally see your point about Sesshomaru coming out as an almighty world overlord if things happened the right way, but that's not where this is headed, I swear. You're gonna have to keep reading to see what happens with the shards/jewel/choice between the past & future !
AndreaRei: I know, right? It's a change of pace, for sure. Things are starting to pick up and we're diving into the plotline pretty deep now. I hope you like it!
~Ele