Kagome gave her mother a dubious look. "Nothing that scary protects anything but itself, Mama. Running away probably meant I was too much trouble, so it went after something else."
Emiko shrugged a shoulder. "You never know, love. Youkai are more in tune with their instincts than humans. Maybe it knew how special you are."
"Or that it would lose a limb if it tried anything," Kagura smirked.
"You just said I was easy prey!"
Kagura wrapped an arm around Kagome's neck. "Doesn't mean you wouldn't have gotten a shot off beforehand. And I would've avenged your death." Kagome chuckled as their mother scolded her sister, brandishing a wooden spoon for even joking about any harm coming to either of them.
"You two have a special bond. You have to watch out for each other," she said.
"We know," they chorused, feeling like they were five again instead of two decades past that—especially when Emiko enveloped them both in a tight hug, her hands shaking as she kissed the top of their heads.
"I'm glad you're both safe."
Kagome let out a warbled laugh, returning the embrace before Kagura groaned and pushed them away. "I'm going to do one last patrol. Make sure whatever it was isn't hiding or waiting for us to go to sleep."
"I'll come with—" Kagome was pinned with a glare from both women, holding up her hands in defeat. "On second thought, I'll get started on dinner."