Sorry again, my updates are kind of far apart but they wont always be like that. I just have to learn to type faster. I'm working on it.

Anyway, there's one part in the chapter where I'm trying to describe Kagome's new clothes. I was picturing something like Kikyo's outfit and so when I say "collar" I'm talking about the lining around the. OK, I still can't explain it. Just think Kikyo's outfit but instead of pants it's a skirt. I hope that helps.

Th enext chapter is coming up soon, just need to make some adjustments then its good to go. I may even get Chapter 9 up too!

PS. Reviews are good. Reviews are nice. I like reviews. Hint, hint.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Akage returned to her room balancing a bottle of sake, two cups, and the snack he had mentioned.

Some how he got the door open to find her asleep on the bed. He quietly set down his burden and went over to her. 'It looks like she fell asleep waiting for you, she's still on top of the covers.' She looked very peaceful, and with the combination of the white sleeping garments and the light given off by the fire she did look like a miko. She was lying on her side, her hands up to her face. Her ebony hair was spread out, a few strands lying across her face. 'She is quite beautiful,' he thought as he brushed the strands away. Her lips curved in pleasure at his touch but stayed sleeping. He smiled down at her then scooped her up and threw back the covers. She cuddled closer in his arms looking up groggily, smiling again. He placed her on the bed and tucked her under the covers.

She reached out and touched his arm. "Stay," she whispered barely awake.

"Hai." He sat down beside the bed and watched as she fell back to sleep looking quite content. He again wondered if she was Inuyasha's miko.

He watched her for a long time before he fell asleep as well.

She woke up feeling very refreshed. Stretching she climbed out of bed and stretched some more after she got up. Kagome looked around a bit confused as to where she was. She suddenly remembered the dream she'd had that night. 'It was so strange. I was sleeping outside beside a campfire. There was someone sitting across from me but I couldn't make out who it was because of the fire.

'It was a shadow, a very familiar shadow.' While pondering her dream she stepped right on a sleeping fox youkai.

He grunted, rolled away from his attacker and grabbed the hilt of his sword.

Initially confused as to what was going on being in an unfamiliar room threw him off even more. Then he saw her and eased.

Kagome alarmed at his reaction had jumped behind the bedpost.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"Um, well it was really my fault. I was the one who stepped on you. What were you doing on the floor anyway?"

Akage, thinking she didn't remember explained. "Well, you asked me to stay last night, so I did." He ended lamely.

"Oh. Well you could have slept on the bed baka. The floor's not that comfortable." She ended with a smile and a short laugh.

Akage got up. 'She's so… something. She barely knows me but feels comfortable enough to walk around naked in front of me and offer to share the same bed. This is too weird.'

At that moment Kagome was in the corner picking up her clothes, looking at them with disdain.

"Is there something else I can wear or do I have to continue wearing what ever this is." She held them out in front of her between her fingers making the most amusing disgusted face Akage had ever seen. He chuckled.

"Do you not like the color green?" he asked trying not to laugh too hard. She shot him a very dirty look, which made him laugh all the more. Still glaring she spat,

"What's GREEN." Annoyed that she didn't know only made her angrier. He looked at her dumbstruck.

"You don't know what green is!" he laughed again and got a face full of schoolgirl uniform. He picked up the skirt and pointed to it.

"The color of the skirt is green, and so is the collar of the shirt."

"What's color?" Eyes glaring at the floor her cheeks burning, 'This is so humiliating!' Unsure of how to explain what color was he pulled the tie from his hair letting it fall over his shoulders, then pointed to it.

"The color of my hair is red." He waited for her response.

"Red," she said thoughtfully.

"Ok. The color of your sleeping garment is white." She looked down and examined her outfit.

"White." 'I feel like such a child.' When she looked up she noticed his eyes. She walked towards him getting very close, and looked at them harder.

"Your eyes are green, right?"

Akage, very aware of her proximity took a step back.

"Right, they're green, and your eyes are brown." She paused.

"Is there something else in here that is brown? I can't really look at my own eyes."

"Right." Embarrassed at his own stupidity he looked around and then pointed to the table. "That's brown." She looked it over.

"Jeez, my eyes must be pretty ugly." She muttered.

"Well they don't exactly look like that" he replied grinning.

"What's that color?" she pointed to his kimono.

"It's blue."

"That's a nice color. Is there anything blue I might be able to wear?" she asked hopefully.

"Sure, I'll get you something blue. I'll send Hitomi in to help you get ready. Since you are a guest here I wouldn't want you to be uncomfortable and force you to wear something you didn't like." He laughed at the detestable glance she threw at her clothes. "When Hitomi is done I'll be back with some breakfast, then we can go to the healer and see what she can do for you, kay." He gave her a lope sided grin and left.

Kagome was still thinking about color and all the different ones she saw when Hitomi came through the door. She bowed but didn't look up. She was angry with her master for making her do such a thing. 'If I could have, my footprint would be permanently etched in his face.' Kagome interrupted her malicious thoughts.

"So what do I do first?" wary of Hitomi she wanted to get through this as soon as possible. 'Besides, I'm starving.'

There was a basin full of water on top of a stand near the corner. Hitomi walked over to it and dropped in a cloth.

"Wash up. You don't want to smell. Lord Akage has an excellent nose, and mine isn't too bad either. You definitely need a good cleaning."

Kagome glared and went over to the basin. Hitomi gave her a fake smile. Kagome began taking off her clothes and still felt Hitomi was watching her. 'Yuh. She gives me the creeps.'

"Would you turn around please."

"Certainly" she replied sweetly. She turned around and waited in anticipation.

The water was freezing making Kagome squeak. Hitomi shook from holding in her laughter.

Kagome put her clothing back on and walked over to Hitomi. She carried the basin full of freezing cold water and turned it upside down spilling the contents all over the unsuspecting servant. Hitomi let out a squeak herself, which was all she could manage she was so shocked.

Kagome put down the basin, picked up her new clothes and walked out of the door to be met by Akage.

He had already cleaned himself up and was on his way back to see how the two were making out. 'Hitomi was so pissed off that I made her do this,' he chuckled. That's when he heard the squeaks.

"Shit. Hitomi, you better not have hurt her."

He raced down to find a pissed off Kagome. Looking at her and seeing no damage he looked in the room to find a dripping wet Hitomi about to blow her top. He rushed over to her just in time to keeping her from attacking Kagome. After Hitomi calmed down he went to find Kagome, which didn't take him too long; she was wondering about the woods.

"Where are you going? It's not safe to be out in these woods, a demon could attack you! There not all as nice as I am." Kagome stopped, turned and stomped over to him.

"How could you send that nasty girl to help me! She doesn't even know me and gets off treating me like crap! STUPID BAKA!" she shouted in the direction she hoped her room was in.

"You didn't treat her any better."

She glared at him feeling a bit guilty. He was right after all.

"Fine. But she deserved it."

He really wanted to laugh at the fact that she was acting so childish, not to mention the hilarity of the whole event. 'One thing after another. It's going to be a long day,' he sighed.

"Is there a lake or something like that around here?" 'I really do need to get clean. I feel like I haven't bathed in days.' In fact she hadn't, it was her third day without a bath. She and Sango had taken a dip in a hot spring they had found the night before the snowstorm hit.

'She pops up with questions at the weirdest times.' He mused.

"There's a lake down that way if you follow that trail. It's kind of a long walk. Here I'll take you down." He kneeled down.

Now aware of her smell she was reluctant to oblige with her new knowledge of his keen nose. She really didn't want him to think she stank. 'Maybe he won't smell you so much because of the wind.' So she climbed on to his back, her cheeks flushed, and held on.

They arrived about ten minutes later to what Kagome thought was the most beautiful setting she had ever seen. 'Not that you would know,' her inner voice chided. 'Shut up.' She mentally retorted.

There was a cliff, slightly eroded at the top by the steady stream of water that gently cascaded down to feed a fair sized pool that tapered off into a stream, surrounded by lush green forest and large flat rocks just the right size for lazing about on. It wasn't exactly a drop dead gorgeous scene to behold but the peacefulness of it was what got her, and the way the sun was playing on the glass blue ripples of the water took her breath away.

"Blue," she whispered and smiled. She slid off his back and took a couple steps before she turned back to him. Her hair was wind blown from the journey over and her cheeks held a pink glow. Her eyes, deep honey brown seemed to sparkle and her whole person looked as though it was emitting a glow. Complimented by the small smile she looked very serene. Akage thought she looked like a goddess and stared at her in awe.

"Argieto," she said quietly and started making her way down to the pool, thankful that he had brought her there.

A while later, when he finally gathered his wits about him he followed after her only to be met by another heavenly sight.

She was already undressed and had made her way over to the fall where she tested the water with her toe. Pleased that it wasn't as cold as the basin's water she stepped under it, though it was still cold enough to make her squeak. 'This is as good as its going to get,' she thought bitterly and began washing herself.

He had looked away when he saw that she was naked, his pain in the ass blush tinting his cheeks, but when he heard her squeak he immediately looked back. He saw she was fine but couldn't take his eyes off of her.

Her movements were not graceful but she seemed to take so much pleasure in cleaning herself that to him they seemed sensual.

At that moment she raised her arms to her hair and began running her hands through it, tilting her head back as she did so. His breath caught. 'That has got to be one of the sexiest moves I have ever seen.'

Very alarmed at how aroused he was becoming, 'Over a human no less,' he figured it would be a good time to put some distance between them. He really needed to use his brain for this type of thing; his instincts were not helping him in the slightest. After he had cooled off he returned. 'I hope she's dressed by now.' Actually he was praying that she would be. He carefully looked around.

She was sitting on one of the large rocks in her under garments with her hair over one shoulder stroking it, little droplets dotting the rocks other wise, dry surface. She was looking off into nothingness deep in thought until she heard a twig snap. Startled, she grabbed her clothes and jumped off the rock. 'Damn. I'm defenseless!'

She peeked up over its edge to see Akage. Even more startled she fell back but was caught by him before she hit the ground. When he put her down she looked up at him and smiled.

"Argieto."

Then, all of a sudden her entire demeanor changed.

"DON'T YOU EVER POP UP AND SCARE ME LIKE THAT AGAIN!"

Completely terrified he could form no words. She glared at him, spun on her heels and walked away to finish dressing.

"Baka! Scaring me like that," she muttered under her breath while she started dressing.

"WOW! This is gorgeous!" she exclaimed.

The out fit itself wasn't glamorous but it was the colors that amazed her. The kimono was a crisp white with dark royal blue cuffs and collar. The skirt was full length, 'I'm so glad it's not short like that other thing.' It was also blue but a few shades deeper. She put it on and went over to take a look in the water. She was studying her reflection when Akage cleared his throat behind her. A little startled she turned around and glared.

He smiled. It was actually quite amusing to see her do that. 'Yeah, when she's not up in your face and yelling; that's just scary.'

"I'm sorry I scared you before," he said gaving her another smile.

Her glare turned into a look of confusion. 'He's apologizing? But he's not supposed to apologize, is he?'

"Hey. Are you alright?" He was becoming concerned. Before she looked like she was going to give him an ear full but as soon as he spoke she became confused.

"Uh, I guess so. Something just didn't seem right," she smiled and waved it off. "Anyway, I was wondering. What color is my hair? I haven't seen many things that are the same color." She was very curious not only about her hair color but she wanted to know about all of them.

On impulse he reached out and touched her hair; it was still damp and starting to leave wet spots on her shirt. A bit embarrassed he pulled his hand back and reached it up to his own hair.

"Well," he said removing the tie from it. "Your hair is Black."

"Black," she repeated.

"Actually I'd say your hair is ebony." At her confused look he tried to elaborate. "Ebony is a different shade of black." She still didn't understand. "See the grass. It's green. Now look at my eyes, they're green but a different green. See what I mean?" She looked back and forth.

"Okay, like my eyes are a different shade of brown than that tree?" She pointed to the nearest one, which was actually more gray than brown.

"Something like that. I'll try to teach you more about it on our way to see Akiko. There might be something she can do so you'll be able to remember on you own what colors are. Oh." He handed her the tie. "Put your hair up so your shirt doesn't get soaked." After a couple of tries and lots of laughs Akage did it up for her so they could get a move on. "At this rate we'll be here all day." He managed between laughs. Kagome shot him a dirty look and he tried his hardest to stop. When he was done he turned her around.

"See. Beautiful."

Not trusting his devilish grin she went to check it in the water.

"Not to bad if I do say so myself." He stated looking pleased. It wasn't too bad at all.

"Where did you learn to do that. Yours doesn't look like that when it's up."

"First of all your hair is longer than mine and secondly, that's a woman's hair style." Kagome arched a brow. "My mother. I, uh, used to watch when the servants did it." His face turned a shade of red neither of them had ever seen and she was about to ask him about it when he suddenly changed the topic.

"Anyway." He paused for a minute. " We need to give you a name. If you go to Akiko without one she'll name you herself."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Well, some of the tribe members went to her to have their children named. Akiko is a good healer but her sense of humor is a bit dark. She gave the unfortunate newborns some really awful names, and they couldn't be changed so they were stuck with them. I'm sure you'd much rather be called Woman than something like Tree-stump."

"Tree-stump!?" she considered this, a tad horrified at the thought. "I opt for Woman." She quickly stated. 'Tree-stump! What kind of sense of humor is that?' "Do you have any names in mind?" her eyes full of desperate hope, hands clasped in a praying position.

"Hmmmmmm…"

She straightened herself up trying to look presentable. He looked at her, hand to his chin thinking hard. After a few minutes she was beginning to feel self conscious he was studying her so intently, not to mention nervous. 'What if his name is worse?'

"AH HA! I got it." He stated triumphantly, making Kagome jump.

"Midori."

"Huh?"

"Midori." He said smiling.

"But isn't that the word you used for green?" He shook his head still smiling. "Why would you name me Green!" Kagome a bit offended by this put her hands on her hips.

"It was your first color," he said still grinning from ear to ear.

"Oh," her annoyance disappeared and she looked up at him touched.

"I'm glad it was you who gave me a name."

She took hold of his hand and started walking towards the path leading the shocked prince of the fox youkai tribe.