Chapter three was a rousing success! I had no idea people would be so enthusiastic over something that came out of MY head! Well, this chapter sets up the first meeting between Kagome and Sesshomaru, now that he suspects she isn't all she seems. Enjoy...and keep those comments and suggestions comin'!
For the record (ahem): I do not own, in whole or in part, any part of the Inuyasha franchise. Nor do I own any of the characters from said franchise that are used forthwith. The following story is solely based on the ramblings of a college student at a boring job and are not to be taken or believed as part of the true Inuyasha saga. That being said, please enjoy my first attempt at fan fiction. Feel free to critique ad nauseum. (whew!)
Chapter Four – The Well and the New Moon
Kagome could not find a moment's respite from Inuyasha's unending guard for the next two days. It was now the evening of the new moon, and she was climbing the walls of Kaede's hut with cabin fever. She had not stepped more than 10 feet from the hut since her argument with Inuyasha. She had tried to learn herbal remedies from Kaede to help pass the time, but she was completely unable to concentrate anymore.
He always had some feeble excuse on hand to draw her back inside. And she had let him, because she knew he would never say outright he was worried about his safety. But enough is enough! I have to leave tonight. Even if I am only gone one day, at least he can calm down and actually be able to rest. Then we can get back to finding Naraku.
Kagome threw the torn leaves on the counter in disgust. "Ugh! Kaede, help me. I can't find any reason to get away from him that he doesn't have some stupid counter for. I tell him I want to get some fresh vegetables for stew, and he says that Shippo already went to get some. Shippo doesn't like to go anywhere alone, and I know he was upset that Inuyasha made him go."
Kaede nodded her head as she tore up herbs for a medicinal salve. "I agree, Kagome. He is indeed smothering ye."
She motioned for Kagome to bring her something from the other side of the hut. Kagome audibly sighed and got up to get the pestle for her. When she sat back down and handed it to Kaede, the old woman sniffed. And sniffed again. Kagome also sniffed the air. "What is it, Kaede? Is there something in the air?"
"Kagome, I think Inuyasha has made you lax in your purification rituals."
"Huh?"
"Your purifications. That you usually take every other day."
Kagome sat looking at Kaede with a blank expression on her face. Kaede sighed. Sometimes the young never understand a hint. "Your bathing in the river, Kagome. You haven't been since last week."
"I have had a sponge bath every day." Kagome turned her head to the side and sniffed the vicinity of her shoulder. "I smell fine to me..."
Shippo sighed and bounded into the conversation. "She means..." Kaede put a hand to her mouth and Shippo lowered his voice. "She means that we could tell Inuyasha you want a bath. You take one all the time, an he can't get to fussy over that."
"Yeah!" Kagome was happy for one whole moment. "Wait, no. He will want to go with me. He'll be keeping lookout in a tree or something. How am I to get to the well if he can hear every move I make?"
Kaede smiled and put the pestle down. "Leave that to me. Gather your things, but don't take everything. You don't want him to suspect anything. Besides, you will be returning in a day or so." She went outside to talk to Inuyasha.
Kagome leapt up from her seat and quickly gathered her things. As she was putting everything into her pack, Shippo began to look worried. "Don't take your pack, Kagome. Then he will know for sure."
"Oh." Kagome put it back down on the floor. "I guess you're right. But then, I can't bring much back with me. I thought if I brought him extra ramen he wouldn't be so cross when I get back. And you're all out of suckers, Shippo. Oh well. Next time, I guess." She took her sundress and a towel out of the pack and started looking around the hut for her hairbrush and shampoo.
Shippo went and sat in a corner, sulking. Me and my big mouth. Now it will be at least a week before I get another sucker.
"A bath! She needs a bath now?" Inuyasha fumed. He sniffed the air. "She smells fine to me?"
"Inuyasha, the girl has been pent up in a hut for almost a week now. Do ye remember when we put you in a hut for one evening to hide you while you healed from Sesshomaru's attack? You nearly tore the house down with all your fighting, and your hands were tied."
He calmed down a little, but still held his ground. "Yeah, well this is different. She isn't a demon, and my brother is still after her for all we know. Why didn't you try and stop her?"
Kaede lowered her head. Sometimes it is so easy. He is already calm and about to concede. "I told her that I would go with her. And Shippo. We will protect her. And the river is not far from here. Should anything happen, you will hear it."
His defenses pricked back up at that sentence. "What 'ya' mean, I'll hear it? You don't think I am going to let you and her go to the river alone, do ya'?"
"Now, Inuyasha. Ye and Kagome have been at each other's throats since she came back from her time. She needs some time away from you to calm down. As do ye. I will protect her well, and we will be back soon."
Before he could respond, Kagome came out of the hut, beaming from ear to ear. And Shippo was right beside her, also happy to be going somewhere; anywhere. How can I say no without telling her why she can't leave? It is just a bath, and she is always so calm after she comes back. He looked at all three for a few moments before making up his mind. "All right. But you be back here in half an hour. You hear me, Kagome? Half an hour!" And he stormed into the hut, angry at being trounced again.
Kagome, Shippo and Kaede watched as he slammed the door to the hut so hard that it slid open and closed again. The three shrugged in unison and headed to the river.
About halfway there, Kaede nodded to Shippo, who bounced back a few steps and looked back at the village. No one. He sure must be mad, he isn't even trying to come along. "All clear, Kagome."
She wasn't convinced. "Check the trees. You know how he likes to hide up there." Just like his brother. She smiled at that thought.
Shippo jumped up a couple of branches and looked around. In Inuyasha fashion, he sniffed the air. "Nope."
I need to be sure. I am tired of him lurking around me for the last week. He was like a shadow. "Sit, boy..." she said in a soft whisper. They listened, and a very soft thud echoed from the village. Followed by a slightly louder stream of curses. Again Kagome shrugged. "I guess he didn't follow." Shippo laughed so hard he fell out of the tree and bounced on the ground.
Kaede turned to Kagome. "Let us hurry. Just because he didn't follow now does not mean he won't follow later." And the three turned to the right and headed through the woods towards the Bone Eater's well.
Lord Sesshomaru, Jaken and Rin were nestled in a clearing on the other side of Inuyasha forest. Jaken was tending to Ahun's evening meal of thistles and berries, and Rin was skipping across a patch of mushrooms, trying not to step on them. Sesshomaru was watching her without much interest, then looked up at the sky. Twilight was approaching, and he could clearly make out the moon. Or at least its black outline. The new moon. That miko has not been back to the well yet. If Jaken is to be believed, then she has to return tonight. I should begin the plan.
"Rin. Come here." Rin stopped the moment she heard his voice, and turned with a lopsided grin on her face. She gingerly stepped around all the mushrooms and stopped a few feet away from him.
"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama?" She tried to be humble, but almost tripped on her feet in front of him. Jaken sighed in disgust. All the training I fed that girl, and she still cannot bow properly in front of Lord Sesshomaru. He turned back to Ahun, but kept an ear on the conversation. He never allowed anything to pass his notice when he was in the vicinity.
"We passed a meadow not far back. Do you remember it?"
Rin thought for a moment, then her eyes lit up. "Yes, Sesshomaru-sama. The one with all the pretty pink and purple flowers in it. Rin wanted to sleep there tonight. Can we go there now?"
"No," he said firmly. Her face fell a little, and he lowered his voice. "I want you to go pick some thistles there for Ahun. Jaken did not get enough to feed Ahun properly."
Rin turned to Jaken, who quickly hid a mountain of thistles behind his cloak. She turned back to Sesshomaru and pointed to his left. "There are some thistles there. I will pick them for Ahun to eat now."
He waived his hands in that direction, and the thistles all drooped. "No. these are too dry and they will hurt his throat. He needs the fresh ones in that meadow." He saw her hesitate, and added for her ears only "You may pick as many flowers as you like. Ahun likes to eat those as well."
She jumped at this offer. He never wants me to pick the flowers. I will pick the prettiest flowers in the whole meadow! She ran over and grabbed Ahun's basket, not even noticing the heap of thistles that Ahun was eating behind Jaken. "I will pick the juiciest thistles for Ahun. He will have a feast!" And she ran into the forest towards the meadow.
"Jaken." Sesshomaru called for his vassal without taking his eyes off of Rin.
He scrambled to his master's call. "Yes, my Lord?"
"I have made sure that there are no thistles blooming on this side of the meadow. She will be picking flowers all the way there. Make sure she gets to the meadow safely. Understand that no harm is to come to her." He said this forcefully enough that Jaken choked a little on his own tongue. "When she gets to the meadow, she will begin to find thistles. As she picks them, make sure she loses her way. Make the flowers disappear behind her. She will follow the flowers that lead to the well. After that, take your position where I told you to go and wait for me there. The miko will be returning there tonight."
"But...but Master, how do you know?"
Sesshomaru pulled himself to his full height, more than five feet over Jaken's diminutive form. Jaken gulped. Sesshomaru pointed to the sky, where the new moon was making its way to the zenith. "You said she would return there before the new moon. That is tonight. If she does not return to the well tonight, you will not leave it, Jaken."
He took to the skies and headed for the well, leaving a shaking Jaken to follow far behind Rin, mumbling to himself about being unappreciated in his own time.
Kaede, Shippo and Kagome made it to the well without incident. Kagome put her clothes on the ground and hugged Kaede. "I will be back the day after tomorrow, when Inuyasha is back to normal. Hopefully he will have calmed down by then."
"I doubt it. He carries grudges, that one," Kaede said with a smile on her face.
Shippo started sulking and kicking an acorn against the well's base. "I hate it when he is mad."
Kagome patted his head, and leaned down to his ear. "Don't worry, Shippo. Even though I didn't bring my pack, I will bring a treat for you. I promised you a cherry flavored sucker, didn't I?" He grinned and hugged her around the neck. Then bounded back into the forest.
Kaede began to turn towards the forest, but stopped and returned to Kagome. "Be careful, child. And make sure you are not gone long. Inuyasha may be protecting ye, but I don't think the new moon is the only reason. Be careful."
Kagome picked her things back up and sat on the edge of the well. "I'll be perfectly safe at home. I always am. The only problems I will have is when I return to Inuyasha. He will be so mad I left against his orders. I do not envy you being with him tomorrow."
The old miko shook her head as she returned into the forest slowly. Kagome just sat there for a moment, thinking about exactly how mad Inuyasha would be. I don't care. I am tired of him treating me like property. I am my own person, and nobody owns me. Least of all him. He cannot even decide if he cares for me, or his long lost girlfriend, Kikyou. And she died 50 years ago. Sort of.
She was about to swivel her legs over the edge of the well, when she got that feeling that someone was watching her again. She began to panic, thinking that this wasn't such a good idea. Not Sesshomaru again. And I didn't even remember to bring my bow and arrow with me. I don't think a hairbrush is going to scare him off. She wanted to just jump into the well and be done with it, but something wouldn't let her move.
This time felt different. She wasn't really afraid, just upset at being caught unprepared. And, as she listened, there was a lot of rustling in the leaves of the forest. She turned back around and stood up. Whoever it was was making a lot of noise. He's walking towards me!
She watched the trees where the sound was coming from, and heard the softest noise. It wasn't a man at all. Someone's crying in there! Kagome went towards the sound, and stopped when she saw a small pair of eyes looking out at her. "Who is there? And why are you crying?"
Rin timidly stepped out of the shadows of the forest, but only far enough that Kagome could see her. She did not really recognize Kagome, and right now she was so scared at being lost that she would not trust anyone but Sesshomaru himself.
"I know you. You're Rin, aren't you?" Rin nodded. "Hey! Don't you travel with Sesshomaru?" Again Rin nodded. Kagome didn't like being this close to a companion of Sesshomaru. He could be right behind her. "Why are you crying?"
Rin wiped her eyes with the back of her dusty hand, leaving a trail of mud across her face. "Rin was picking thistles and flowers for Ahun to eat and got lost. I cannot find my way back to Sesshomaru-sama and I don't remember crossing by a well." She almost started bawling again, at the thought of not seeing her master again.
As much as Kagome's instincts told her to jump into the well, she could not leave a scared and crying little girl alone in the forest on a dark night. Even if she did belong to Sesshomaru. She reached out for Rin's hand, but the little girl refused to take it. Kagome bent down until her eyes were on the same level as Rin's and again extended her hand, but Rin was still too afraid to take it. Kagome smiled at the dirty little child. "I promise I won't hurt you. I will help you find your way again. Then you can run back to Sesshomaru and I can go home too."
Rin stared at Kagome's hand for a moment, then took it tentatively. I have a better chance of getting back to Sesshomaru-sama if she helps me than if I try to find it alone.
Kagome smiled and stood back up. "Now. Which way did you come from?"
"I don't know. I followed pink flowers into the meadow, but when I was done picking the thistles I couldn't find them again. All I saw were these yellow ones, so I followed them. And they led me here. To you."
Kagome thought that sounded strange, but she remembered how she was when she was little. I bet Rin picked all the pink flowers along the way and forgot to look around for landmarks. She looked in Rin's basket, which was overflowing with little pink flowers. "Okay. What did the place look like where you picked the thistles?"
She thought for a moment. "It looked like this, only without the well."
Kagome sighed. I hate trying to get information out of a little kid. She's even worse than Sota. Kagome looked past Rin to the area of the forest where she emerged. She thought for a moment, and then remembered that there was another little clearing in the forest not too far from here. Enough sunlight got through there for there to be flowers and thistles. Maybe if I lead her back to that clearing she will remember which way she came from and I can let her go the rest of the way alone. "I know where you came from. Let's go. The longer we stay out here the colder it gets." She took the basket from Rin so she wouldn't trip and led her back into the forest.
A few minutes later they emerged from the forest in the other clearing. Rin smiled happily. "This is it! There is where I picked the thistles. I remember it." She started swinging Kagome's hand and humming.
Kagome smiled. There is nothing like a child's attention span to make you forget your own troubles. She looked around and saw an area of the clearing that had been heavily picked over. And a trail of trampled leaves leading back into the forest. Kagome pointed to it for Rin. "See there? That is where you came from. Even in this dim light you can see where you walked. Just follow the picked flowers back."
Rin hugged Kagome's leg and skipped in a circle. "Thank you very much! Sesshomaru-sama will be so happy you helped me back. Wait until I tell him how you helped me."
Kagome held up a hand for Rin to stop and took the basket from her arm. "There is no need for that. All I did was point you in the right direction. You are going to do the rest yourself. Here." She handed Rin the basket and was about to give it back to her when she heard that voice that made her blood freeze.
"You wouldn't leave a defenseless little girl alone in a big, dark forest would you, miko?" He spoke from behind her, blocking her way back to the well. His face showed no sign of emotion as he took a few steps towards her. "Now I thought your mission was to help the helpless against demons like me. And here you are pointing one in my direction. Tsk, tsk."
Kagome didn't even think of what to do next; all she knew was that she had to get out of there. She dropped the basket and made a headlong dash in the direction of the village. If I can't go home, maybe I can make it close enough to the village to call for help.
He knew she would do this and jumped up into the air. He landed directly in front of her, making her skid her feet on the ground to avoid running into him. Instead, she fell back on her hands, staring back up at him in fear. Real fear. She has no idea why I am doing this. She must not know how much power she has inside her. Excellent. He smiled, but only a little.
When Kagome saw the smile, she knew she was in real trouble. She turned on her hands and pushed herself up, while her feet continued to run. She dashed past Rin, who was yelping and jumping up and down, thinking this was a game. She turned and ran headlong into the forest, towards the well.
Only one thought ran through her mind as she leapt over shrubs and dodged low-hanging branches. If I can make it into the well, I will be okay. He cannot follow me in there. He cannot follow me in there.
In no time she had made it to the Bone Eater's well. She felt such happiness at seeing it that she didn't bother to look behind her for Sesshomaru. She didn't care that he might see her go in and travel through the portal. All she cared about was that he couldn't follow her once she got into the well.
She placed one hand on the well and vaulted over, leaving her things in a heap where she had put them when she helped Rin. She was in the well in no time. What she didn't notice was that Sesshomaru was merely standing at the edge of the forest, with a crooked smile on his face.
Coming soon – Chapter Five – The Price of Survival
Sesshomaru gives Kagome an interesting ultimatum: help me or regret it. Kagome is told what Rin's real purpose is in Lord Sesshomaru's life. Kaede and Shippo learn that Kagome may not have made it to the well, and Inuyasha catches his brother's scent in the air as he returns to his old self.