LV
Novis Initiis
South of Echigo, in the western lands beyond Inuyasha's forest, the first hints of winter are making themselves known to travelers there. The snow that buries the mountains does not yet reach out for the forests and fields below, but the wind is chill and the days grow gray and the nights are black with cold.
Together, neither of them much bothered by the weather, Inuyasha and Kikyou seek the shards of the sacred gem, following the unerring pulse of power that beats in Kikyou's breast. Her miko sight, too, leads her through the chill, darkening days, but long before that sense awakens within her she knows the shikon no tama is near.
She wonders why, but Inuyasha has no answer for her and she has no answer for herself. Of the minutes before her resurrection, the shard of the shikon no tama that had come when the witch Urasue had summoned her soul, Kikyou knows nothing. How could she?
Her consciousness begins with Urasue's death, and the memory of her own. As yet, she has not gained much more than that.
She remembers Inuyasha, moments that flicker in her memory, warming her like the flames of a fire. She remembers only small, specific things, no generalities – the texture of his red robe, the way the calluses of his hands feel against her fingertips, the scent of his skin. She remembers fire, and she remembers that there is power within her; the power to protect.
Shikon no tama.
She remembers the shikon no tama.
One night, sitting with Inuyasha outside a street vendor's stall, she hears a rumor that sparks something in her consciousness.
"A great cat, feeding on travelers. There hasn't been a problem in those mountains for years – and then all of a sudden, this one youkai just became hugely more powerful. It's a real problem; the mountains are bad enough at this time of year without man eaters on the loose! None of the priests sent by the great temple have been able to do anything about it, either. Doesn't bode well for the new year..."
"Inuyasha."
He is still, and though she knows his hearing is too good for him not to have heard her, he doesn't answer.
"Inuyasha, did you hear those men? It means a shikon no tama shard is there."
"Yeah..."
"You don't care?"
"That's wolf territory. Not the best place to go messing around in, especially in winter. Besides, you wouldn't even be able to walk in the mountains. The snow up there'll be a foot deep already."
"It's my responsibility, Inuyasha. We have no other leads...and I am not frightened of wolves. You can carry me, if the snow is deep – I remember that you have done so before."
He scowls at her and then turns his face away.
"You remember that, huh. But nothing else?"
"No."
"Well – well, yeah, alright, I could carry you, but who says I want to?"
"If you don't, the shard of the shikon no tama will continue to be used for evil. Someone else may kill the beast and claim it, or another youkai might devour the one that possesses it now and then we would have no idea where the shard had gone -"
"I get it! I get it – damn, woman, shut up already. Fine, we'll go – if you want to go so badly. The cat's supposed to be hunting a pass in the mountains north of Echigo. It'll take us days to get there even if I carry you, so we better start now."
Kikyou walks behind him, and waits until he is ready before she wraps her arms around his shoulders and hitches her legs up. His hands hold her thighs, just beside her knees, and she feels the warmth of his hands through the silk.
Inuyasha starts off slowly, and then swiftly picks up speed. He travels north by north east, and a little at a time Kikyou leans her head forward until it is resting on his shoulder. Inuyasha says nothing, only continues to run. She falls asleep, lulled by the once-familiar rhythm of his pace.
She dreams of him.
The sun rises in Echigo, and exposes a flurry of activity. Many wolves are working on one small bundle, arguing with each other about necessities and repacking a single many times. In a corner of the main room, Kagome sits and laughs, watching them.
A trio of females wander out of the main passage, their arms full of fur, and Kagome stares with some surprise when they come up to her and try to dress her in the long, warm robes.
"What's – what's going on? Thank you, these are lovely, but a bit hot for indoors don't you think? Or is Kouga having an overprotective day again?"
"I am not overprotective. Not on any day."
Kagome whirls around and flushes; when did Kouga get behind her? He comes close to her and finishes fastening the robe that the females had put on her.
"You asked me for somewhere warm, didn't you? Well, we're going somewhere – don't ask, I'm not telling, it's a surprise – but to get there, we have to get you through that first."
He points vaguely behind him toward the opening of the den and outside, and Kagome grins.
"Okay, I'm game – even for a surprise adventure."
"You're – game?"
Kagome grins and then reaches up on her tiptoes and kisses Kouga's cheek.
"Sorry, I did it again. It's an expression – it means I'm ready for the...challenge."
"Good! Then if everything is ready -"
He looks out of the corner of his eye and sees that one of the wolves is still fussing with the pack, which looks full to bursting. The figure betrays himself with the spikes of his white mohawk, and gulps when Kouga catches his eye.
"If everything is ready..."
"Yes – yes! It's ready -"
Ginta snickers at Hakkaku's discomfiture; Hakkaku only scowls.
"Good. You two, take care of things while I'm gone. It won't be more than four or five days unless it starts to blizzard again – and watch that man! Keep an eye on him, someone watching him all the time."
Ginta and Hakkaku exchange glances.
"But – who's watching him now?"
"Saya."
"Sa...ya..."
Ginta and Hakkaku exchange another glance, but this time it is one of confusion. Kouga sees, and shrugs.
"What? She's strong enough – and she thinks he's funny. Let her watch him, if she wants, just don't forget what I said. Someone, all the time."
Kagome watches this byplay with some confusion of her own. Saya – she hasn't met a female by that name, and wonders at it. In the time she has spent her so far, she has met nearly all Kouga's wolves. But Saya...no. No, she doesn't remember that name at all.
She resolves to introduce herself when she returns, especially if the female thinks Miroku is funny. Kagome has been around Miroku herself by now that she is aware his humor is...an acquired taste.
"Kagome, are you ready?"
She pulls herself out of her thoughts and nods cheerfully.
"Yes, let's go! I'm looking forward to something warmer."
A/N: And I...am not dead! This chapter's title, "Novus Initiis", translates to "new beginnings". Editing ate my soul, for which I apologize; but the good news is that I am now waiting for my first book contract to be emailed to me so I can sign it! Book one of my eight book series should therefore be out in the next couple of months, but until Nanowrimo starts November first I have plenty of time to catch up on some long-neglected fanfiction! Much thanks to all those who have reviewed, favorited, and followed this story – be not of little faith, for it (and I) are back!
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