Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha and any attempts I have made at owning Sesshoumaru have been thwarted by a bunch of heavy set lawyers with mullets and bushy sideburns. . .

Authors Note: Hello! This is the next installment that I hope everyone enjoys! On with the show!

Kagome stared in open mouthed shock at the scene before her. She even rubbed her eyes a few times to see if the image would disappear. It didn't. Sesshoumaru, the Lord of the Western lands, the king of the emotionless mask, was laughing. And not a quite little chuckle. He was laughing out right. And he was still holding her ankle!

When his laughter finally abated she gave him a pointed look that left no cause for confusion as to what she was upset about. "Like I said before you decided to impersonate a hyena," she tapped the ground with her fingers impatiently. "You can take your hand off of me." Seeing his humor quickly fading, she squeaked out a "Please," to tack onto the end of her statement and hopefully save her from decapitation.

"A hyena?"

"That's right. You were laughing like a hyena." She refused to back down when he was the one that started laughing at her. In fact, he had started the whole conversation by following her out here.

He regarded her with an odd expression for a few silent (and for Kagome nerve wracking), minutes before asking deadpan, "What is a hyena?"

This time it was Kagome who burst out laughing; she had forgotten that he wouldn't know what a hyena was. She supposed that she should be thankful that he didn't. His ignorance of it probably saved her life. He didn't know for sure that he had been insulted. Judging by Sesshoumaru's expression though, he didn't appreciate being laughed at, so she brought it under control until only the occasional giggle slipped out.

"It's an animal that lives in a country called Africa." She said to answer his question.

"What is Africa?"

Kagome laughed nervously. How was she to explain that one? Luckily she was saved from answering by the very person who asked the question. "How is it one such as you has knowledge of animals and places that this Sesshoumaru does not?"

Kagome searched her mind for a response that was truthful without being too truthful. "We have more advanced forms of travel where I am from. We are taught about the different places of the world from a young age."

"And where is this place that you are from?" He took note of how her heart rate sped up drastically when he asked about her homeland. His questions either made her nervous, or she was preparing to lie.

When she answered her eyes were downcast. "If you don't mind, that information stays with me."

"You do not wish others to go to your village?"

"No, I-" she took a deep breath. "It's more that I don't want them to know how to get to my village. There is a portal that for whatever reason, only allows Inuyasha and I through. I don't want others to know about the portal, because if they did, they might discover a way through. And then my village would be doomed. Will you accept the answer that it is far from here in a place no one can reach?"

He seemed to consider it, and then said, "I suppose that is acceptable. You wish to protect your own."

She nodded solemnly. "Yes I do," she turned to face him and the thought crossed his mind that he had never seen her more serious. "By any means necessary."

Sesshoumaru gave her a near imperceptible nod. He understood the urge to protect. The fact that a human felt it so strongly as to deny him the answer to a question surprised him. Humans were generally self serving creatures that would trade the life of even their family members to save their own hide. This girl was different. He suspected that even under the threat of death she would not reveal where she came from if she felt it would endanger those she cared for.

"Very well human, keep your secrets."

He felt an odd tug somewhere in his chest when he saw her smile. Though human, she wasn't not pretty; and when she smiled, it lit up her face and she seemed to glow. He wondered who else she had smiled for like that, and felt an insane urge to make her smile like that again, but he wanted to be the only one she smiled for with such happiness.

"Thank you Lord Sesshoumaru." Even though he didn't move, didn't even bat an eyelash, Kagome knew that in his own way, albeit silent way, he had said your welcome. "Perhaps one day I shall tell you the way to my home."

"Why would you do that human?"

"Because perhaps one day you will see me as more than just a human. Perhaps you will see me as a friend." She tilted her head up to watch the moon. "And I wanted to thank you for taking me back to camp the night before.

Sesshoumaru snorted. "I have no need of your thanks or of friends. Do not expect me to do so again." Looking at her with the moonlight shining in her eyes, he thought he saw a wisdom beyond her years. As if she knew something that he didn't.

She nodded her head in acknowledgement of his statement. "That may be." She sat in silence for a moment, only the crickets making noise. "Please call me Kagome."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because it is my name. Because we are working toward a common goal. And because I deserve to be treated with respect." She stood up and brushed the rather tenacious leaves that clung to her clothes. "Good night Lord Sesshoumaru." She turned to leave but hesitated. "I treat you with respect. It's only polite for one with manners to give me that same courtesy."

Sesshoumaru watched as she disappeared through the foliage without a backwards glance. He decided that he would sit longer. He turned his gaze up to the waning moon. What she said had merit, and it left him no other option but to call her by her name. If he called her anything else it would imply he had no manners. She was a crafty one, he'd give her that.

After he had been sitting there for quite awhile, he realized she had never answered what she had been thinking about. He smirked. She had good evasive skills for a human. He would give her that as well.

The more he thought about her the more he realized that she wasn't like the other humans that he had encountered. She was different. And he was starting to like it.

XXXXXXXX

Kagome smiled to herself on the walk back to camp. She felt she had made some progress with Sesshoumaru tonight. And he had carried her back to camp the night before, so he must care a little bit, if only so that she was there to fight Naraku when the time came. It made her nervous though that he was becoming interested in her 'village'. What would he do if he found out? Would he try to use the well?

But, she reminded herself, he told you to keep your sectets. That means he is respecting your right to privacy. She let the thought reassure her as she walked through the silent village to the lodgings the headman of the village had provided. She wondered if he would call her by her name now.

She was so distracted by her thoughts that she didn't notice the shadows around the houses grow and then multiply. And that they were heading straight for her. What she did notice, was the hand that was suddenly around her mouth, and the arm around her waist. She emitted a startled scream but it was muffled by the hand covering her mouth. Kagome felt true fear for the first time since she had fallen down the well and landed in an unknown world.

She was surrounded.