She had to be lost, Kagome reasoned. She ignored the fact that Tokyo
stretched for miles, and focused on the fact that she was in a forest. If
she could just find some house, or a familiar landmark, she could figure
out where she was. Hopefully, the little voice in the back of her mind
ammended.
Well, if this really was the Bone Eater's Well, she ought to head... Kagome closed her eyes, visualizing her home. It should be.. East! Kagome thought. Then she frowned. Well, whatever compass direction that was, her home should still be in that general direction. She set out, with a shrug.
Just her luck, to have to go tromping around the woods in her school uniform. She winced as a branch caught her ankle, and scratched along the side of her leg. She glared at the small line of blood welling up, and quickened her pace. The sooner she got out of this place, the better. She paused a moment, and listened. Were those footsteps behind her? She turned around, her eyes widening as she tried to place the steps. She backed up against a large tree, just as an arrow smacked into it. "What are you doing out here?" a rough voice demanded.
Kagome almost fainted. A group of men was surrounding her, wearing old- fashioned clothing and carrying arrows and spears. She cautiously held up her hands in surrendur, and prayed to God that they were, despite appearance, friendly.
A shadow watched. He couldn't see the girl's face, as the villagers tied her hands, and her clothing was strange. But that scent... That faint aura of power... It had to be her. Had she lived, after all? He didn't see how it was possible. It had been years since that day, hadn't it?
Time was a blur to the half-demon. He'd spent too many years in his forest, alone. Something had drawn him out; the Shikon no Tama had held a subtle difference. He'd thought that perhaps a new round of demons had come to challenge him, the possessor of the jewel. But perhaps it was calling to her.
Could the jewel really be a thing for humans? Is that why he'd been unable to turn into a youkai after gaining the jewel? He wasn't sure anymore. He sighed, and the girl turned suddenly, as though hearing it. He stiffened, finally able to see her face. It was her, but it wasn't. A younger version of the priestess? Or just a subtly altered Kikyo? He didn't know.
Moving silently, the hanyou followed.
"We rarely have strangers in these parts," the old woman said, as she dished up a bowl of stew. "And you came through the well?"
Kagome sighed. Her legs were falling asleep beneath her, but she adjusted, and answered the woman's questions yet again. "Yes. I went down into the well on my family's property to get our cat. Some strange thing attacked me, then disappeared, and when I climbed out, I was in the middle of a forest." She looked pleadingly at the old woman. "I know I sound crazy, but that's what happened."
"Why did the demon attack you?" the woman asked, calmly placing the bowl before Kagome.
"I don't know!" she exclaimed. "It seemed to think I had a jewel that it wanted." She thought a moment, trying to recall exactly what the creature had said. "It called it the 'Shikon no Tama.'" Kagome offered.
The priestess started at the name, but calmed herself. "Why don't you eat?" she asked.
Kagome gritted her teeth, and gave her a slightly annoyed look. "It'd help if you untied me."
"Oh." She untied the young woman, and Kagome gratefully stretched, then began eating. As she ate, she learned the name of the woman, the village, and their relation to the jewel the demon had spoken of. "So Kikyo died, and this demon Inu-Yasha stole the jewel and disappeared with it," Kagome concluded at the end of Kaede's tale. "So why would that demon think that I had it?"
Kaede looked grave and thoughtful, but made no answer.
Well, if this really was the Bone Eater's Well, she ought to head... Kagome closed her eyes, visualizing her home. It should be.. East! Kagome thought. Then she frowned. Well, whatever compass direction that was, her home should still be in that general direction. She set out, with a shrug.
Just her luck, to have to go tromping around the woods in her school uniform. She winced as a branch caught her ankle, and scratched along the side of her leg. She glared at the small line of blood welling up, and quickened her pace. The sooner she got out of this place, the better. She paused a moment, and listened. Were those footsteps behind her? She turned around, her eyes widening as she tried to place the steps. She backed up against a large tree, just as an arrow smacked into it. "What are you doing out here?" a rough voice demanded.
Kagome almost fainted. A group of men was surrounding her, wearing old- fashioned clothing and carrying arrows and spears. She cautiously held up her hands in surrendur, and prayed to God that they were, despite appearance, friendly.
A shadow watched. He couldn't see the girl's face, as the villagers tied her hands, and her clothing was strange. But that scent... That faint aura of power... It had to be her. Had she lived, after all? He didn't see how it was possible. It had been years since that day, hadn't it?
Time was a blur to the half-demon. He'd spent too many years in his forest, alone. Something had drawn him out; the Shikon no Tama had held a subtle difference. He'd thought that perhaps a new round of demons had come to challenge him, the possessor of the jewel. But perhaps it was calling to her.
Could the jewel really be a thing for humans? Is that why he'd been unable to turn into a youkai after gaining the jewel? He wasn't sure anymore. He sighed, and the girl turned suddenly, as though hearing it. He stiffened, finally able to see her face. It was her, but it wasn't. A younger version of the priestess? Or just a subtly altered Kikyo? He didn't know.
Moving silently, the hanyou followed.
"We rarely have strangers in these parts," the old woman said, as she dished up a bowl of stew. "And you came through the well?"
Kagome sighed. Her legs were falling asleep beneath her, but she adjusted, and answered the woman's questions yet again. "Yes. I went down into the well on my family's property to get our cat. Some strange thing attacked me, then disappeared, and when I climbed out, I was in the middle of a forest." She looked pleadingly at the old woman. "I know I sound crazy, but that's what happened."
"Why did the demon attack you?" the woman asked, calmly placing the bowl before Kagome.
"I don't know!" she exclaimed. "It seemed to think I had a jewel that it wanted." She thought a moment, trying to recall exactly what the creature had said. "It called it the 'Shikon no Tama.'" Kagome offered.
The priestess started at the name, but calmed herself. "Why don't you eat?" she asked.
Kagome gritted her teeth, and gave her a slightly annoyed look. "It'd help if you untied me."
"Oh." She untied the young woman, and Kagome gratefully stretched, then began eating. As she ate, she learned the name of the woman, the village, and their relation to the jewel the demon had spoken of. "So Kikyo died, and this demon Inu-Yasha stole the jewel and disappeared with it," Kagome concluded at the end of Kaede's tale. "So why would that demon think that I had it?"
Kaede looked grave and thoughtful, but made no answer.
