As night gave way for the pre-morning light three of the four woke up and readied to leave. The imp seeing that Kagome had yet to get up went over and poked her in the ribs with the staff.

"Get up you lazy human."

"Leave the girl alone Jaken." Sesshoumaru said as he continued to sit by a tree as Rin ate. Kagome woke up a little bit later and saw everyone was already up.

"I am sorry that I did not wake up."

"Nourishment is by the fire. Eat and then we leave." Kagome hurried to her feet and over to get the food and ate it. Not long after she ate the four of them left the area. As they traveled Kagome said not a word but remained silent. When they stopped for both Rin and Kagome to eat a certain wolf came into the area and stopped part way in front of Kagome. Sesshoumaru was quick to his feet and had a clawed hand around Kouga's neck holding him in the air.

"No please Sesshoumaru! Please don't hurt him. He's the only friend I have left in this era. Kouga stops to see me when I can. He means no harm." Kagome walked over and placed a hand on Sesshoumaru's arm. Sesshoumaru lowered Kouga to the ground.

"Kagome why are you out here? Why are your friends and Inuyasha not with you?"

"My friends are dead and the village that I have stayed at has been destroyed by Inuyasha. There are only a few women and children that are still alive from that village. He killed them because he thinks I killed his love after I used the jewel to bring her back for him. He killed them so I can know what pain is to have one's I loved killed by someone I know."

"That does not explain why you are out here with the lord of the west."

"I came upon her wounded form and healed her."

"Did that half dog attack you?"

"No I was surrounded by wolves. I was attached a black wolf who I think was the leader. I had no weapon to defend myself. I saw a rock and went to grab it and the black wolf sank it's teeth into me here." She put her hand where she was bit.

"My thanks western lord for finding Kagome." Kouga then looked at Kagome. "Then there is no reason why you can't become my mate now."

"Kouga, please for right now because of what has happened I would like to be on my own so I can grieve for the loss of my friends. When the time is right I will come and find you. Please understand that I need this time to think. Tell Ginta and Hakkaku hello from me."

"We already heard you SIS" Came voices. She looked and saw them by some trees.

"Take as much time as you need Kagome." Kouga brought her close and hugged her.

"We leave." Sesshoumaru voiced as he turned and left with Rin and Jaken.

"Look I have got to go. Catch you later." Kagome turned and walked fast to catch up with the three.

Several months have passed and as Kagome traveled with Sesshoumaru and Rin, her relationship grew with Sesshoumaru to where she was almost close friends with him. He in turnaccepted her without any restraint. As the months pasted Kagome grew heavier with the child that she was carrying. It was now the winter months and traveling was getting harder for her.

This particular day the wind and snow had started to pick up and blew around. It had gotten so bad that Kagome was now separated from the small group and could hardly see where she was going. She called out Sesshoumaru's name over and over as she slowly walked on but no answer. As she carried on she saw a dark outline a ways in front of her so she inched herself closer and closer. Once she was close enough to see what it was she found that it was a deep cave so she went inside. There was enough light to see what was in the front part of the cave but not in the back part. There was nothing that she could use to start a fire with or to add to what she wore to keep herself and her unborn warm. As she sat there in the cave she started to get cold, hungry and sleepy.

"I am started to feel real cold and sleepy. I wonder if Sesshoumaru even knows that I am missing?" She sat there rubbing her hands together. "If I had more light I would check the back part of this cave. I have got to find something to keep warm until I am found." Close to late evening the snow and wind had slowed down a lot but the wind still blew and the snow still fell but not as heavy. She knew that as cold as she was that if she fell asleep she might not wake up but at the same time she was losing the battle with sleep and started to drift asleep and soon she had lost and had fallen asleep. The talisman sensing she needed help, InuTaisho appeared in the cave. He left the cave in search of his son.

Meanwhile in the snowy outdoors three persons still carried on walking not knowing that Kagome had been separated from them. Rin walked close to Sesshoumaru to get warm. But being cold Rin's legs gave out from underneath her and she fell down into the snow. Sesshoumaru stopped and turned around and picked Rin up but then noticed that Kagome was not there.

"Where is the girl?" Sesshoumaru asked while holding Rin in one arm.

"I do not know M'lord." Jaken said as he looked around them.

"We search." Sesshoumaru voiced as he walked back the way they had just came from. They walked and walked and they had seen no sign of Kagome on the ground covered in snow. But then a heavy wind picked up around them and then slowed to a stop and there stood InuTaisho.

"You search for the girl Kagome are you not son?" A nod was given by Sesshoumaru. "Follow me and I will lead you to her, but we must hurry."

When they arrived at the cave that Kagome was in, they found that she was very cold and needed to be warmed up. Even though Sesshoumaru did not like the idea he walked over and sat down next to Kagome and used his tail to keep her warm until Jaken found something that would keep a fire to warm up the inside of the cave for both Rin and Kagome. Around evening Kagome warmed up to where she was not shivering from the cold and was now sitting up.

As the days went on Kagome was getting bigger and heavier with child. When the day came that Kagome started having sharp pain Sesshoumaru took Kagome to the nearest village for her to give birth. When he entered a village a lot of people ran to their huts. He went to the village priest on Kagome's request. When the child was born it was a hanyou female.

"Young miss what are you going to do with this child? Many will not accept you in a village with being the mother to a hanyou."

"I will be fine. The one who brought me here I travel with."

"Is he the youkai lord of the west? Is he the father?"

"Yes that is Sesshoumaru and no he is not the father." She slowly stood up and left. Later that night Kagome used the talisman and summoned InuTaisho. When he appeared she showed his daughter to him. She had black hair with little triangle ears and had both fangs and claws. Her eye color was amber.

"You're to call her Hoshi." InuTaisho kissed Kagome then kissed his daughter then disappeared back to the spirit world.

Many days later Sesshoumaru had taken Kagome back to the bone eaters well to fully grieve for her friends. While she was doing so Sesshoumaru walked around the area and found the sheathed tetsusaiga laying in the grass. Kagome walked over and saw what Sesshoumaru saw. She reached down and picked up the sword.

"Can you tell where Inuyasha is by picking up his scent?"

"I smell not the half breed around here. The scent is old on the sword."

They left the area and finally with Kagome's help and convincing Sesshoumaru returned to the western castle of his birth that he had not been to for many centuries.

As for Inuyasha no one had seen or heard of or about a hanyou wearing a red haori and hakama after he destroyed Kaede's village.

The End

Japanese Names And Meanings

Hoshi -Star