Here's chapter 5! I finally finished the layout and I would have had it out earlier but a friend of the family has cancer again. Many of you are confused and I'm glad you have questions. If you've been paying close attention there have been several hints in previous chapters as to what's going on… … Hope you enjoy this chapter, and thanks for reading!

Chapter 5- Happenings and Sorrows

Kagome woke abruptly from her slumber as the urge to protect shot through her mind. Power surged through her veins, forcing her to rise from the bed and open her now crimson eyes. Sesshoumaru had been in his study when he felt the sudden increase in power, and he raced through the corridors of his palace. Knocking them off their hinges, he burst through the doors into Kagome's bedroom to come face to face with the blood red gaze of Kagome.

"Kit… pain…" were the only words the distraught Phoenix uttered before large red-feathered wings erupted from her back. The pain from their exit didn't seem to faze Kagome as she leapt out one balcony window, leaving behind a small trail of blood as she flew into the distance. Shocked, Sesshoumaru stood staring after her retreating form until he regained his senses and followed on his cloud. He too became a blur as he raced after the scent of the troubled Phoenix.

"Foxfire!" yelled Shippo as he threw blue flames towards a towering snake youkai. His kimono was torn across his stomach revealing two large punctures the youkai had inflicted upon his small body with its fangs. The snake's yellow eyes danced in amusement as the flames were deflected by its thick, black scales, and crashed into a nearby tree. Shippo managed to leap out of the trees path just as it plummeted to the forest floor. The snake's whip like tail collided with the kitsune's back and sent him soaring into a large boulder, and with a resounding crack Shippo fell in a small heap on the forest floor. His green eyes widened in fear as he spotted the approaching youkai and he attempted to stand. With a small yelp he fell back to the ground and closed his eyes wishing the impossible would happen and he would be rescued.

The snake youkai raised its head to strike but stopped when it noticed a tasty looking female standing in its path. Its forked tongue flicked out to taste the air as it approached the winged creature standing before it. The snake froze as the female's gaze met its yellow one. "You…hurt…kit…" escaped the woman's lips in a deadly whisper as feathers covered her body from the neck down in a stream of fire, and her hair began to float gently around her. Kagome raised her right arm and chanted a language long forgotten as a scepter appeared in a burst of black fire. With one downward swing of her weapon, an arc of white light shot from the glowing orb at its end and flew towards the frightened snake youkai.

With a sickening hiss the snake's body was split in half from its head to its tail. The white light dissolved the remains of the youkai and returned to the end of Kagome's staff. She turned towards Shippo as the staff retreated back into the flames that licked at her features. Her kit was lying, crumpled in a slowly increasing pool of blood and she picked the small kitsune up in her arms. She chanted once more in the strange, ancient language and a healing light engulfed the small kit. His wounds healed before her eyes and with a sigh she collapsed to the forest floor in exhaustion. Sesshoumaru emerged from the shadows of the neighboring trees and stared in awe at the woman before him. He knelt and gently lifted Kagome and the kitsune with his arm and tail before rising into the sky on his cloud of youki.

Morning

Her body ached. There wasn't any muscle that didn't feel stiff and she groaned as she opened her eyes. The sun was welcoming her to a new day and she slowly pushed herself into a sitting position. She jumped slightly when something moved beside her. Kagome pushed the covers off of the small lump to reveal her kit, Shippo, sleeping soundly. Memories of the past hours were racing through her head, and she groaned in frustration as she felt a headache coming on. She gingerly moved to the edge of the bed, intent on stretching her sore body.

The cool marble soothed her small feet and she sighed as she began to stand. Her knees buckled when she released the bed and she closed her eyes waiting for the hard floor to connect with her body. A strong arm stopped her decent and held her against a well toned chest. She slowly raised her golden orbs and was greeted with the face of Sesshoumaru. Kagome blushed and lowered her gaze when she realized how enticing his lips looked in the early morning sunlight.

Sesshoumaru smirked at the sudden blush that gently spread over her ivory skin when she caught herself staring. He felt her begin to push away and complied hesitantly. Sesshoumaru watched Kagome regain her balance, ready to lend a helping hand in the event she was unable. Kagome grinned in triumph only to look at her attire and blush heavily once again. She was wearing a thin, white sleeping yukata that clung to her curves and left little room for modesty.

"I'm going to change Sesshoumaru-sama. Please leave."

"………"

Kagome huffed as she stalked towards her closet. She grabbed a white fighting kimono and walked into an adjoining room. Muffled curses escaped her lips as she hastily tied the sash and placed her katanas at her waist. She stormed back into her sun-filled room, only to find the taiyoukai sitting on a carved chair, staring at her intently. Kagome glared and sat at her vanity as she violently began brushing her hair. Once she was satisfied with the results of her vigorous work she pulled her hair into a low ponytail. She plucked a silver and sapphire cord from the side of her mirror and tied her black tresses into place. Kagome turned towards the youkai lord who was currently occupying her favorite chair.

"What do you need?" Kagome asked, slightly annoyed that the taiyoukai was still in her room.

"Nothing. I simply wished to ask if you would accompany this Sesshoumaru to a ball."

Kagome stared in disbelief at the Inuyoukai before her. 'Did he just- no… he wouldn't, would he?' Sesshoumaru watched in amusement as a torrent of emotions flickered across her golden eyes while she gaped at him. "You want me to go with you to a ball? Why?"

"This Sesshoumaru feels you are the best choice."

"Oh…"

"The ball is in one week's time. Three other lords, as well as their mates and heirs will be coming, as well as many other youkai. Do you agree to become this Sesshoumaru's escort?" Sesshoumaru looked deep within her glittering orbs, slightly worried she might decline. Kagome nodded slowly, as she lost herself in Sesshoumaru's intense gaze. A light blush began to creep over her cheeks as he stood and walked towards her still figure. He inched closer and closer, and just as he reached her side the moment was broken by a small, frightened voice.

"Mama?" squeaked Shippo as his fluffy tail emerged from the sheets. Kagome stood abruptly and dashed to her large crimson bed to bring her kit into a tight embrace. "Mama, I was so scared." Shippo's big green eyes began to water as he looked into Kagome's face and she stroked his tail gently.

"You're safe now, Shippo. I won't let anything happen to you." Shippo cuddled closer to his mother and drifted back to sleep. Kagome turned to find Sesshoumaru gone from her room and sighed. She tucked Shippo into the bed intending to leave him to rest when a small paw latched itself onto her kimono. She couldn't stop the warm smile that crept onto her features and she carefully pried the small appendage from the fabric. Kagome snatched her pillow up and placed it next to the kit. After a quick sniff he tightened his fist around the object that smelled of his mama. With one last warm glance in her child's direction Kagome silently slipped out of her room and shut the newly replaced doors behind her.

"Ohayo, Lady Kagome." A red haired, Inuyoukai guard bowed deeply before turning and running down another corridor. Kagome smiled and waved after him. She turned to make her way towards the kitchens and a familiar Kitsune bumped into Kagome causing the two to land in a tangled mess in the center of the spacious corridor.

"This seems to happen to us often, Kagome." Kirei said grinning as she removed herself carefully from the tangle of limbs.

"Well it's not our fault we're clumsy!" Kagome replied giggling as she straightened out her kimono. She smiled and said goodbye before turning to continue on her way to the training grounds in hopes of talking with the stoic lord again.

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Kagura paced briskly in the small clearing she currently inhabited as her thoughts wandered to her past life. Small plants were soon destroyed by her wrath as she opened and closed her fan harshly, sending wind whipping in the innocent beings' directions. Her magenta eyes sparkled with unshed tears as she recalled the day Naraku absorbed her so many years ago.

-------------FLASH BACK-------------

"Hikaru!" screamed Kagura as she fell to her knees, her hands shaking. Everything she loved was destroyed. The small youkai village was consumed in flames as explosions rocked the once peaceful landscape. Her gaze lingered on the crumpled form of the raven-haired youkai as his life's blood slowly flowed away. She tore her magenta gaze from the scene back to the creature that was the source of her sorrow. Releasing another agonized scream from her lips she leapt viciously at the creature that stood before her. A smirk surfaced on the creatures face and a small shift in the murder's body was her only warning as tentacles surrounded her sorrow-ridden frame. As the tentacles closed in, a small baby's wail reached her sensitive ears and she turned to meet the girl's molten gaze. Kagura chanted quickly as sparkling tears fell from her face, and as the tentacles absorbed her shaking frame the child disappeared in a flash of blue light.

----------END FLASH BACK----------

"You will pay for your sins, Naraku." Kagura hissed as she pulled the white feather from her hair and gazed at it longingly. 'I will avenge you, my loves...'

TBC

Eh… please don't hurt me now!O.O I hope that helps a little in trying to discover where this story is going… please don't forget to rate and review, and if you'd like to be on an update list send a review including your email! Thanks for reading!

Narria