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Part 3

Mothers' Instinct

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Kagome squirmed and wriggled. Her mind was a jumble of guilt and relief and hope that things would turn out okay. Five days...Sesshoumaru should arrive for Rin in four. That should keep everyone out of his way. I don't want another fight. If they saw one another, they would feel obligated to try to kill eachother. Kagome thought of Inuyasha's other meetings with his brother and shivered. What was she doing!?

Shippo could tell something was bothering Kagome. He was young, but he wasn't stupid. He figured that she would tell him or else why would she have invited him along for the ride to Kaede's?

"Kirara, my things are right over there to the left." She took a deep breath. "There is someone there I think you have already met." Kirara looked over one cream shoulder at Kagome and then began her decent to the ground.

Shippo looked surprised. He leapt on to Kagome's shoulder and peered at her closely. Who could be there?

As Kirara landed softly near Kagome's things, the last glimmer of light from the setting sun sparkled on the now clean and shiny hair of a sleeping little girl. Kirara grunted and sniffed the air, tails twitching in aggitation. She recognized the little girl and was not happy with her part in deceiving the others. She looked around for the danger she knew must be close by. She could sense nothing. She looked reproachfully at Kagome and waited.

Shippo finally saw who it was and squeaked in fear. He grasped onto Kagome's hair and tugged to get her moving. His voice had temporarily failed him.

"Please," Kagome began, "just listen for a moment. She's lost. She needs us to help her right now. I know this isn't what you expected but I couldn't leave her. She's just a child."

"But...But, Kagome!" The fox kit had found his voice at last and it sounded harsh and angry even to his own ears. " He'll Kill Us!" he shouted. "We have to go now! We have to tell Inuyasha!"

"No, Shippo!" Kagome exclaimed "That is the last thing we should do!"

She sat down slowly and held her arms out to the kitsuni. He filled them immeadiately. Concern and fear flashing across his face. Kirara hadn't moved.

"Shippo," Kagome began, "Sesshoumaru isn't here. And he won't be back for four more days. Rin is all alone till then. I can't leave her like this anymore than I could have left you behind when we found you. Try to understand..."

Shippo shivered but he was listening. Kirara stared intently at the girl. She was curled up like a kitten in the cold. She saw a shiver pass over the small frame and changed into the small demon cat form that she used when not fighting or carrying others around. She approached the girl slowly and sniffed at a well-scrubbed cheek. When another shudder wracked the child Kirara seemed to make up her mind and settled next to the child's back and wrapped her tails over the girl's arms. Kagome was right. This was a child and children needed to be cared for. Kagome smiled at Kirara's instinct to protect the child even though the girl was the danger at the moment.

"Will he kill us?" Shippo asked in a small voice from somewhere tucked under her chin.

"I don't think so, Shippo. He has always attacked us for the Tetsusaiga before. He would have no reason to hurt us if the sword is not with us. I believe he is ..." She paused looking for a word that would make sense out of a Youkai she had doubts about herself, "....honorable."

"So, what are we going to do?"

"We are going to go to the well. Then, once I've restocked, I need to go further west. To wait." She didn't have to finish who she would be waiting for. "The others won't be expecting me to come back from my time for five days. Rin should be with her guardian by then and I'll have time to get back before they realize something isn't right. They won't need to know that I was not in my world." She sighed again. This is so stressfull. A few days for a break had sounded so good too.

A soft sigh signaled Shippo's defeat but Kirara seemed to need a bit more persueding. A small arm encircled the cat and cuddled against the warmth that she offered. She mewwed softly at the stirring girl. When Rin sat up rubbing her eyes, Kirara remained at her side watching as she yawned and stretched.When the little girl's eyes focused on the cat, she smiled sleepily and scooped the startled demon cat into her lap. "Rin had a good dream that she had a whole family and lived in the forest with lots of pretty flowers." She had not hesitated to pick up the strange animal and was proceeding to rub her face in the soft fur around Kirara's neck. She stopped cuddling the beast and grinned at Shippo. "Hello!"

Shippo felt his jaw drop. The girl had absolutely no fear! To wake up with two strangers standing over you and not react afraid at all! Shippo was impressed. Well, she did live with Sesshoumaru and all...

Kirara seemed dismayed. She seemed to like the girl well enough if her purring was anything to go by. She flipped her tails again and then disentangled herself from the childs arms. This child needed a mother. And there was no better mother than....Kirara looked at Kagome and changed back into her large demon form. She hung her head in shame but couldn't deny Kagome or the child Rin. After all, she was a female and it seemed natural to want to save the child from the disasters that were bound to catch up with her if she were left on her own.

Kagome watched the girl wake up and was prepared to have to explain again the situation. Rin was not the normal child and when she woke up so trusting of her surroundings, Kagome was speechless.

Why do I suddenly feel so sorry for Jaken! When she saw Kirara lend her support, Kagome was filled with relief. This crazy scheme may just work out.

When everything was arranged to Kagome and Kirara's satisfaction, they sailed into the air, flying westward where the cresent moon hung heavily in the sky.