…Onigumo snorted in disdain as he stared at the fox. He really hadn't wanted to be the one to initiate the avatar and tell him the little intricacies that he would do well to remember when dealing with the others- but he guessed that was the way it went with the Highers. They had found his soft spot.

He felt his eyebrow twitching with renewed irritation as he remembered them accosting him when they had first heard of the reikai tantei- at least when they had heard of Kagome's involvement with them. Hiei wasn't really counted as one of them- because he was one of hers.

Onigumo paused briefly to wonder exactly where the little firecracker went before he forcefully took himself away from that direction of thought- Hiei was one who could take care of himself and the miko if it be needed. So he smiled and turned to the fox.

His soft spot was the miko, and the others knew this. They had found a way to twist the words to put this responsibility on him, but a feral grin formed on his mouth just as the idea formed in his mind.

They gave him someone who was completely unprepared for their life and expected him to leave them untroubled. A husky chuckle escaped from that feral grin and he marveled at the possible situations he could get the others into. Of course, he would need to make sure that nothing affected his miko- and then Onigumo cringed as he realized it would be in considerable bad taste to pull such a stunt when something was obviously so wrong.

And he sobered and faced his charge again- all thoughts of mischief and certain possibilities fled from his mind in the face of one sobering thought- his miko could be in danger. And if there was anything said about him, let it be said that he would do anything to protect his miko. What matter was it that he was easily distracted by the future and the workings of human and personal nature? He had one goal, and one person to protect- she would always smile at him.

That was all he needed.

That was all the Highers needed.

She had gained their respect, their loyalty and their love- but how to explain that to an outsider who had no previous notion that the miko without time was actually more than a myth?

He shrugged, the bigger question was how to explain it without revealing personal information- they were all touchy about their personal space, despite the fact that their miko knew all and accepted all about them. But he supposed he could start with the more complacent ones, and Jinenji was that.

He would get this over with quickly, and then he could check on his miko.

Onigumo turned to the fox that was under his jurisdiction for the moment, pleasantly surprised to find him basking in the calm and silence just as much as he himself would have done in earlier days. He nodded his head to get his attention and made to sit down beside one particular tree- one he always marveled at.

He had never understood Kagome's attachment to this tree, but then he had visited her shrine and realized that this tree (one of the oddest things he had ever encountered) was actually in at least every dimension unless it had been destroyed- and then there were still reminders of it; a broken stump, a felled log, a memorial... It seemed to be the only presence capable of staying in its very spot when the barrier had separated the lands.

He instantly smirked, noticing the reaction the fox had to the tree, and he guessed he would have reacted that way as well- but he had felt something far greater before he had felt the power of the tree, but he didn't mind watching others react to it- it's the simple things that amuse him really.

"I suppose the best place for me to start would be to try and explain what just happened but then I need to go back in time- before Onigumo let himself be consumed by demons and allowed his greed to consume his soul." Kurama startled at the casual release of that name- which was his. "There was a forest demon, one of the old races; those that were the forest like no other could hope to achieve, and he fell in love with a mortal woman who frequented his forest for healing herbs and spices. He was a shy demon, like all those who dwelled of the forest, and he was wary of approaching his love. Then one day a miko appeared to him- encouraging him and detailing life and love and his pursuit of his dreams."

Kurama settled heavily down, making the moss and grass surrounding him shift with his new understanding of the situation, and Onigumo nodded his head in approval as the redhead focused all his attention on him- Kagome would say something suspiciously like 'attention whore' if she were here right now. He sent a withering glance to the heavens before glancing at the perturbed demon beside him- or maybe she wouldn't. For all his miko was playful and happy she was forever burdened with a certain measure of decorum and behavior she needed to display in front of certain other people who did not actually know her, but he sighed from his thoughts and continued.

"It just so happened that after he was encouraged the woman he had fallen for was injured in his forest, and he got his chance to approach her and heal her. And she fell in love with him for his kind deeds and compassion. The mated and had a child, but he was killed protecting them from the wrath of the villagers; he was, after all, born of the peaceful forest, and so gave his life the way he knew how- to provide a distraction." Onigumo shifted in his seat, taking the time to gauge the avatars reaction to the tale so far.

Kurama was hooked, and Onigumo could almost make out the wheels in that red head that were turning, it didn't too take much to solve this mystery- then again, once a mystery had been solved for you, you already knew the clues to solve it- you found it easy. He guessed it wasn't his place to judge the difficulty of this story's mission, so he continued again.

"And the hanyou grew up with his mother and never left the garden plot they had claimed, for he too was one of the forests, from his father and his mother's love for all that grew. And so they lived in relative distance form a ningen village and lived mostly in peace, and then there came the blaming.

There had been a series of murders- only those capable by someone with the higher demon blood, and blame was placed on the large demon they didn't understand. And this was how Kagome and the other hanyou found themselves in that situation. They proved his innocence and befriended him, and in the process helped the villagers accept the mother of Jinenji and the hanyou himself, they became the basis for the central lands. Demons populated to live peacefully aside the now accepting humans, and Kagome visited regularly to impart some wisdom or another."

Here the fox looked extremely puzzled and Onigumo smirked as he watched the veiled emotions and thoughts passed over the rather effeminate face.

His eyebrow twitched at the random thought of Kagome telling him something about youkai and their vanity, but he shook his head. Kurama would prove to be insightful and entertaining, something he needed right now. Every distraction was welcome amusement for him, although he knew that later he would go over this conversation and find any nuances of behavior he would need to examine further. Later he would have to face the reality of Jinenji's situation and for now he wanted to be in good humor to help his miko. Later his miko would need this to ease the severity of her mood- whatever it was.

But for now he could be the one amused. "Just how old is Kagome?"

So Onigumo smirked and seemed to ignore his question as he continued. "And those graves, as I've told you, are of his parents. He honors them highly, and Kagome herself was very close to them as well. (1)" He could still see the fox struggling to put together the facts he was presented with, and Onigumo couldn't help but desire to confuse the man more- and he followed it. Who was he to deny himself his instincts?

"Then she gathered allies and neutral passage through lands by her ways and acts, and they went into battle." Onigumo himself paused - not to savor any reaction from the fox - but to immerse himself in memories and time, to marvel at the whole forgiving nature of his miko. "It was longer than expected- lasting three days and four nights, and on the dawn of that would be the fourth day their enemy was defeated, the land was separated as the barrier grew due to her being used as a catalyst and the turmoil of the ground ceased to be as much youki clashing with human ki and more of the natural conflict that passing time has made it to be."

"Then the memorials were ready to be made, and it was ascertained that they wouldn't be destroyed because of senseless battles, and the five lands were established from the allies that went with the miko into battle- for they too became allies amongst each other throwing away blood feuds and debts to establish a hierarchy that would prevent specific situations, such as that what brought them together, from occurring again." Onigumo took a deep breath and looked back the way they had come; towards the grieving hanyou and miko. "That is the promise that was agreed upon on all our written treaties and that is the blessing that keeps our lands together."

Of course, Onigumo wouldn't tell the whole story now, there were some things he had to discuss with his miko before he even took such liberties with her life- because her life was entwined with theirs and Onigumo knew that any more of the story and she could be exposed to the denizens. She was, after all, the miko without time- and he had spent some good part of his demon life trying to protect her and what she advocated. Any who tried to sever this hard earned peace apart would have to face some very angry demons and he would be at the forefront of the hanging mob.

Onigumo's face sharpened in calculating rage and malice, 'If any so much as think of harming my miko they will die.'

.x.

Kurama watched his host speculatively, for he knew that expression wasn't meant for him. He could only guess what or who it was for, and he found himself wanting to ask question about his thoughts, but knew it best not to intrude.

Yoko was silently contemplating the demon vassal in his mindscape, and Kurama couldn't help but send a brief tendril of his soul along his for reassurance- something about this was just blatantly dangerous.

They loved it.

Youko was grinning insanely and Kurama found himself smiling slightly before he turned to the vassal of one of the Five. "You never answered my question, perhaps I should go ask the miko herself when she has time?"

The retainer seemed to bristle visibly, but he calmed and sent him a searching glare. "You will not ask our miko such an intruding and crude question," then he sighed in playful suffering and Kurama was shocked at the blatantly kitsune feel it had. "Very well," he set him a glance, "I had wanted to ease you into our history, so that you wouldn't feel so overwhelmed but now I see you want to know." He smirked playfully but his eyes got this gleam in them that Kurama didn't want to describe, but Youko in his mind was chuckling in glee. "I will answer any question you ask, oh eager one, but beware that you ask the right question- lest you find yourself in memories of battles and blood and taint far worse than even you could imagine with all your days."

Kurama caught the inflection; meaning that he and Youko would find such battles distasteful and he wanted to hear none of them. Youko and he weren't against fighting your battles- the ones that needed to be fought for honor or survival, but useless blood shed was just not their cup of tea. It was a mite disturbing that the vassal had already picked up on that.

"I asked you the age of the miko."

The vassal laughed a hearty and scoffing chuckle, "She is both twenty one and infinite, and she holds the knowledge of centuries you were never born in. To define her age is to give a set time to the indefinable, and that is the age of our miko."

Kurama felt his eyebrows raise themselves as his face deadpanned, and he couldn't help but picture himself looking the dunce in the face of that rather confusing riddle. It would seem that he needed to ask another question, one that would let the retainer be more forthcoming. Kurama let out a bemused breath and nodded his head in acquiescence; "Alright. Jinenji is hanyou, as is Shiori and Inuyasha…We have the original demon lord Sesshoumaru and we have Kagura the wind witch. But I know nothing of that female vassal Kikyou, and I know nothing of you."

Kurama didn't really care to enquire about the others just yet, he could find out those in due time, but those two were the ones that were wary of him- and now he wanted to know why these retainers so objected to his presence. Onigumo seemed to stiffen and give him more serious regard, but Kurama held his gaze with the masking genial expression he had long ago perfected with Youko's insistence and aid.

So the vassal started. "Kikyou-san was once a miko herself-"

Kurama found that hard to believe, as the only energy he had been able to sense from the woman was that of multiple souls and that of souls passing. It was said that a true miko would actually just feel of one soul – the larger it is the more powerful she is; miko happened to get their power from their own soul, unlike their youkai counterparts – and the energy would be pulsing and smooth with harmony and life.

Thus distracted from Onigumo's words, he was roughly pulled back to the present when Youko hissed at him to listen. And he did; "She was asked to guard the jewel…"

Kurama was once again abruptly taken from the facts being told by his counterpart. 'This is the tale of the Shikon! I had thought it was pure fable!' He leaned forward excitedly to listen to the story, nodding at the parts he knew and gasping in surprise and enjoyment at the parts he had missed and now understood.

Kurama sat back and listened to the two voices he could hear so clearly, finding the odd conversation that happened (or appeared to be happening from his point of view) entertaining and informative. And he himself was drawn in, by Youko's enthusiasm and Onigumo's own assuredness of this knowledge.

He found the tale interesting, taking care to note the heavy emphasis on the lonely and serene miko… "She was a child that had to grow up too soon and only survived for two reasons. She had a younger sister, who looked up to her and adored her with all that one could hope for from such a beloved child… and she had met the miko."

Now Kurama wasn't as old as his foxy counterpart, but there were few legends he had not read over- all to better his understandings of the demons and apparitions that humans glossed over as myth. And this appeared to be one of them. He guessed he could take comfort in the fact that Youko obviously had heard the tale, and obviously was paying attention otherwise Kurama would once again have not heard this tale.

It was kind of irksome, when you thought about it.

But he saw no point in starting to listen halfway through a tale; it just messed up time and facts. So he contemplates the other vassal as he spoke of this Kikyou, and he listened to the things his body was saying instead of his lips. It was always disconcerting for others to find out he could read them so well- but he found it oddly disconcerting himself that this Onigumo moved without giving much substantial away.

There was the brief and almost too subtle shift of Onigumo's hand as he spoke of the human bandit Onigumo who later became the tainted that destroyed Kikyou and the hanyou Inuyasha's love, and there was the flexing of that cloth covered hand as he described the deaths and he couldn't begin to understand exactly what those movements were expressing.

He only knew that something was building behind the armored buttress' of Onigumo's shields and it was setting off warnings along his senses, the hair along his neck standing on end and his spiritual awareness going crazy…

Kurama shifted in response to the rising emotion from the man seated so calmly across from him, and he couldn't help but try to focus his attention elsewhere to ease the muscles knotting up in his shoulders. There was just something truly demonic about this man, despite the fact that he seemed to be the most scholarly and less warrior like of the whole group of Highers.

The birds were still softly chirping, oblivious to the rising emotion and power of the vassal, and the faint sound of the wind was shifting through the trees and leaves with a sighing breath…carrying the voices of others.

Onigumo stopped speaking, Youko came out of his listening stupor, and Kurama sat up to attention as two others came through a break in the foliage to smile briefly at Onigumo and glance at him speculatively. He did not have the names for these two …demons but he stood to great them with the customary bow and deference to the retainer he had been listening to.

"Onigumo, there is an…"

The other who had newly arrived nudged him sharply in the ribs with an amused expression before he jerked his chin towards Kurama. Who found the gesture to be oddly humorous- these two weren't keeping information from him, they were just finding him more interesting than replaying any information they had come to bring.

Onigumo sighed and stood with a flip of his long dark waves and a swish of robes, and Kurama paused and took a step back. He found the vassal of Sesshoumaru to be intimidating on his normal days (or what Kurama had seen and dubbed his normal days) but this was far more menacing. The two wolf demons laughed sheepishly while rubbing the backs of their heads- and Kurama was pulled out of his stupor by curiosity at the very similar gestures.

"What exactly did you come here for if not to gawk at the avatar?" the growling intonation was low and threatening and it took a moment for Kurama to place it as Onigumo- the previous smooth and cultured tone gone from his voice.

"Heheh…Oh yeah!"

"Brother here was told…"

"No I wasn't! You were told- I was just there!

"But I don't remember all of what was said!"

Kurama found himself immensely amused at the two (brothers it would seem; although the only similar physical features they had were the main color of their hair and the wolf tail at the base of their spine) and waited patiently with the scowling Onigumo for them to decide who would tell what.

It seemed they reached a compromise. "The graves that were desecrated…"- "were done by some low clsass demon yes…"- "but the demon himself knew exactly where to go and ouched nothing else…"- "Mutt face is on the war path and onee-chan is trying to convince Jinenji that his parents spirits are…."- "not going to become restless now that their graves are violated."

Onigumo seemed to lean back and wait, probably used to the antics of these two wolf brothers. But Kurama as much as Kurama enjoyed the antics he found himself impatient for them to get to the point. He wanted information as much as those brothers wanted to make sure they got the story right.

Onigumo stepped forward.

"Reikai might be the cause of this!" The two rushed out together in a hurry.

If Onigumo seemed threatening before, Kurama found himself shocked from the daunting and snarling figure that he now presented upon this piece of information. His aura seemed to leak out from around him and the very fact that the scholar could have such a powerful presence when not even all of his youki was released sent Kurama stumbling to his feet and running with the three demons towards the central castle.

The underlying sense of urgency – under the anger and pride and bloodlust – caused him and Youko to silence themselves as they ran along the forest – paths in the foliage opening for them as the sea split for Moses and their running steps blended with the winds whistling and the animals urgent chattering.

Smells and auras passed by in a rush and colors blended together as they ran, Kurama only understanding that Reikai set something off in them, and that he too was worried by their reactions.

He couldn't connect the importance of the reikai comment with the graves desecration but he supposed it would be revealed later. And for now he and Youko needed to concentrate on their pace and keep up with the three demons ahead of him.

After all, something was seriously wrong; he needed to find out what.

.x.X.x.

OMG! I LOVE MY OH SO UNDERSTANDING REVIEWERS! (There are only two of you but that's okay) So much so that I just had to write this chappie! Blah…Heee.

Anyhoo, I gave another hint at her title for Kogas-mate and yes you'll have to wait. I'm now deciding if I want the story to end with the climax in the reikai or end when they find the lower class demons master and a battle. (Of course all the while learning more about the highers…and Kagome) But Onigumo should be showing his powers after Inuyasha- he is by far the more diplomatic one anyway…and I mapped out the rest of the chapters just to I wouldn't feel so directionless (it's now just writing them that hurts! UU; )

And now I'm worried that my story is going to fast! ARGHHHH! lol.

Hope you enjoy it nonetheless! And review please...I'm waiting for four reviews before I even think of starting the next chapter. Okay...maybe I'll be hit with inspiration but the threat still stands- no reviews amkes me depressed- not exactly the best mood to write this story in, you never know what I might do.