You and Me After All
Chapter 26: The Shadowed Parts
An uphill path through the quiet parts of the town took Kagome to the outskirt of it. Soon, she came face to face with the edge of the forest. The atmosphere was different here, nothing like the fresh, light, and breezy air by the harbour. The sun had gone down, leaving only a smidgeon of the dark orange light burning in the western horizon.
The jyaki that emanated from the dense cluster of trees made her blood curdle, and instinctively, she recoiled from the malicious aura. She took a few steps away from the forest. A part of her wanted to turn around and go back to the nice part of the town, where everything was pretty and cultured, but she could not bring herself to ask her traveling companion.
Sesshōmaru stood beside her, staring into the darkness of the forest as though sizing up the dangers that lay within.
"Sesshōmaru," Kagome called, her voice small. "Why didn't you want to cross this forest at night?"
He did not answer for a long time.
"There are creatures inside the forest that even a daiyōkai does not wish to encounter in the dark," he finally said.
He took a step into the shadows, and glanced at her over his shoulder.
"Stay close to me."