Inuyasha and Kagome weren't on speaking terms.
They weren't even on yelling terms.
They were about a day and a half from Kaede's village. It was an unspoken statement that for once, Inuyasha wanted Kagome to go to the future for a while. We all knew why.
Kagome thought it was a bit selfish of Inuyasha after they had just walked so far to turn around and go back, but not for the life of her would she mention it. She would not be the first one to speak to him. It was partially her readiness to step up to a challenge, her stubborn nerve, but it was also a fearfulness and a sadness that held her back too.
They walked all day, there was dead silence, Kagome never asked for a break, and Miroku kept his hands strictly to himself so whatever relief might come of that distraction had vanished also.
By the time night time fell, they were all exhausted but didn't speak as they got ready for bed.
As soon as everybody was asleep, Kagome stood. She knew it was different tonight, she felt Inuyasha's leering golden eyes on her back.
She wondered if he would ask where she was going. If she were watching herself and had just experianced what Inuyasha had, she would have thought she was going off to meet Sesshomaru right then. Kagome gave a small sigh.
"I'm going for a walk." She said almost inaudibly.
He didn't answer but she still felt his attentive eyes boring into her back as she tiptoed from the campsite.
She walked through the forest quietly, not knowing why she was driven to do so.
She came across a hot spring and debated whether to take advantage of it or not.
She finally decided it would be okay, even if she hadn't brought shampoo or conditioner et cetera.
She stripped and waded into the center of the relatively shallow pool and let the warmth sink in for a few moments before she dove under and swam for a while.
When her legs felt like led and she ran out of breath she resurfaced and just stood in the soothing warm water.
That was, until she heard barely audible footsteps gliding over the ground towards her.
She didn't spin around to look, if a youkai had just entered the clearing then that one movement would show him something, and then he might be tempted. She had heard tell of stories from Kaede of these happenings, when young woman of all looks and ages and station had spun to address the intrudor as they were bathing and such, and had been raped as a result.
So she stood still and tried to see if she recognized the pattern of footfall, which she couldn't, so she stretched out her senses to try to identify at least the species, which also failed, for this youkai was strong enough to withdraw his or her aura and conceal its form.
Kagome finally looked over her shoulder without turning to see whom had violated her limits.
Sesshomaru stood a few feet from the waters edge, looking at her eyes, she was surprised as his eyes held hers firmly and didn't wander, as she had expected any males to, but she should have remembered Sesshomaru's reputation of self control, and his dignity.
Her eyes narrowed a bit but she made no move to attack or defend, but to listen to whatever he felt he had to say.
She slowly but visibly sank a bit in the water, so she was concealed from her shoulders down, and turned to face him.
They had a staring contest for a few moments before Kagome finally turned her eyes and asked quietly, "May I help you Sesshomaru-sama?"
He continued staring at her with hard emotionless eyes, before they finally narrowed and he asked firmly, "What is your name?"
She was a bit taken aback by his question but then nodded slightly and said in her 'submisive voice', "My name is Kagome."
He nodded and turned away from her, his expression unchanging. She did not say anything else.
When she thought he was going to enter the cover of trees again, he turned his head just slightly and said in a monotone voice, "You saved Rin."
Kagome didn't respond, didn't add, didn't try to be modest.
She wondered why he did not add she had saved his own life- maybe he was ashamed it had to be saved? Or perhaps he found Rin's life more significant than his.
She blinked as he departed, his icy aura lingering slightly.
She drew in a slight breath.
She figured that was the closest to a 'thank you' Sesshomaru had ever given before, and found herself slightly pleased he had recognized the act that had harshly scoured her friends' relationship. At least one anyway.
She dove under the water again, and she couldn't help but think she had gotten him all wrong thinking him completely heartless, souless, and without compassion. He was quite different then what she had been led to believe, and jumped to assume. Perhaps this was Rin's doing?
He did not speak very much, but he might still consider himself above a previously nameless miko, too cowardly to do anything but watch as he and his brother fought.
Kagome finally emerged and wrung out her hair, then slipped on her clothes again as she walked slowly back to camp.
She felt the drips of water that never dried out of your hair unless with a towel trickle down her back and leave great water spots where her hair rested on her shoulders, front and back.
When she got back she still saw the alert eyes of Inuyasha, staring at the place where she had departed and now stood again.
Her eyes brimmed slightly with tears, she didn't think he would ever trust her again.
Curling up on the ground, she did not let the tears come. What was done was done, and she could not bring herself to regret saving Sesshomaru and his adopted daughter.
She remembered as she had redirected the arrow, she had had the illusion of herself in Sesshomaru's place, Shippo terrified of circles of ghosts that swirled about him as white hazes. She shivered at the thought.
She stared into Inuyasha's eyes, hoping the hurt would reflect visibly off them so that even the ignorant hanyou could read them, but his eyes were ice, he did not say anything to ease her obvious pain. If he could interpret her emotions anyways, he would have seen only hurt at loosing a friend, but no regret for helping the 'enemy'.