To say that it was the worst rest of her life wouldn't be pushing it, but it was rest. Kagome had jerked awake at every little sound, blinking the sleep from her eyes with a stupified expression before her hand tightened around her bow. After whatever it was had passed, she drifted back into a fitful not quite awake, not quite asleep place. When the sun rose and cut across her eyes, the priestess groaned, stretching out stiff, sore muscles and slowly got to her feet suppressing a whimper.

She was not used to this at all! Not to mention the mud and grass caked on her clothes. Pulling the sticky haori away from her chest, Kagome flapped it a few times before making her way down the river. There was a pool that was about waist deep around here somewhere, it would be cold as all hell, but at least she could get her clothes rinsed off and take a quick wash herself. Once at the waters edge, the woman slipped out of her hakama first and waded into the water, screeching at the way it chilled her flesh.

"FfFfFfffFfuuuck that's Ccccocoolld!" Rubbing her arms, she moved quickly and shuffled the red pants around in the water, scrubbing with her hands, and scrubbing the fabric together to try to dislodge the stains. Mud came off in clouds of brown under the water, but she was okay with that. Deeming the garment as clean as it was going to get, she lifted them from the water and wrung them out as best she could. "No irons here... guess we'll have to make do." She slung the pants over her shoulder before crouching to clean her legs.

Once clean, the pants were put back on, and she did the same process with her white kosode, frowning at the tear in the sleeve and turning to inspect her arm. The cut had already scabbed, so she scrubbed it clean in the river water and replaced the kosode, tucking the sopping ends in and tying everything up. "A bit waterlogged, but at least we're clean.." She had dunked her head, but until she knew where she was going, she wasn't going to take her hair out just yet. Even if it wasn't something she flaunted, dressing appropriately as a miko - even a wet one - would give her some respect.

Not that she wanted it in that regard, but this was the feudal era.. Women weren't exactly respected - and she was likely to be laughed at and ignored if she asked questions without looking the part. Not that anyone would need to guess if she had to fire an arrow with or without the right clothes on. Slogging back to where she had 'camped' she gathered her things and started back on the road. Kagome opted to walk in the grass for a while until her pants dried so she wasn't kicking dirt right back up onto the hem.

Kagome found her mood shifting the longer she walked, the sunshine felt good against her skin and it made her smile. Sure, the anxiety was still there - and her hands shook, her heart starting to race when she thought about the village or finding her friends.. But it wasn't crippling yet. The woman continued her path, the silence something she was getting used to before she heard the scream of a woman up ahead. The scream was followed by the crashing of brush and trees. Picking up her pace, she bolted towards the running female she could see. A blue yukata flapped around her ankles, restricting her movements, and she kept stumbling. The woman was black of hair as most in Japan were, and was flying around her face in her hurry to escape.

Bracing her feet, Kagome pulled her bow into place and nocked an arrow, drawing it back to her cheek and waited, aiming at the treeline. When the demon came lurching out of it, reminding her of Jinenji, she fired the glowing beacon of light to embed itself into the ground between the demon and the fleeing woman. "Leave her alone and leave this place!" Another arrow followed the first to her cheek and she waited, legs wide apart, glaring across the field at the red eyed beast that seemed torn between one woman and another.

Using the chance offered to run, the female got to her feet, snatched the edges of her clothing up and ran towards the woman dressed in red and white. That seemed to make the demon decide, and he lumbered after the fleeing female. The second arrow followed the first, hitting the ground with a small explosion of holy power behind the woman, but in front of the demon. "I said, leave!" Her voice carried with the wind of her power that whipped up, snapping the tail of hair behind her. "Last warning!" A third arrow was drawn back, this one aimed not at the ground, but at the torso of the beast that seemed frozen.

When it made its decision and charged, she loosed the arrow and watched it collide into the beasts chest - where the heart of a human would be and start to purify it. By the time her third arrow had flown through the air, the woman was sprawled behind her where she had tripped, falling in her haste to get behind someone who could kill the thing. Kagome lowered her weapon with a sigh, then turned and offered a hand down to the female. "Are you alright?"

"Oh, thank you lady!" A warm hand grasped hers and she leaned back, using her own weight to counter the other woman to get to her feet. "Bless you! Bless you!" When the blue clad female looked like she might bow, Kagome reached out and pulled on her shoulder.

"There's no need for that... My name is Kagome.. what's yours?" She wanted to shake the woman and ask if she knew what happened to the village to the south, but doubted she would know.. and that wouldn't be very nice either.

"Oh! I.. uh.. Well I'm Fumi.. Lady Kagome. It's fortuitus indeed that we crossed paths." Kagome smiled, shaking her head and walking to collect the two arrows that had been lodged into the ground.

"Where are you from, Fumi if you don't mind my asking?" With the return of the two arrows, that left her with.. nine. She was going to need to be exceedingly careful until she could get to a village to resupply. Fumi trailed along behind her, apparently deciding that the miko was safe and was going to stick to her hip. Not that Kagome really minded - she'd been dying for someone to talk to.

"I'm from Hikigan.." Kagome opened her mouth to ask where that was when the woman filled in the silence. "It's to the west of here.. about a days walk." The idea of a village so close had her almost salivating at the idea of warm food and a real bed. Kagome glanced up to the sun then looked in an approximate west-ish direction.

"Let's get you back then.." Part of her wanted to walk it alone and not have to figure out how to talk to a stranger about a world she didn't really know much of... but the other part of her wanted the company. And Fumi was very good at filing silences, she discovered a short way into their trip. The woman chattered about everything and anything, and Kagome enjoyed listening to her - adding in the appropriate sounds when needed. That's not to say that she wasn't engaged or didn't respect the woman.. she just had become so used to listening in the last few years that she fell back into a pattern.

"Where are you from, Lady Kagome?" It took the woman asking it a second time to have Kagome realizing she'd asked a question of her and engage her brain.

"I'm originally from a village south of here... But it's gone now."

"Oh, the village in Inuyasha's forest?" The woman had turned her head, staring at the raven haired miko with a sharp eye. One that made Kagome wonder what she'd done wrong and she almost wanted to cringe into herself. Almost.

"Yea - Kaede's village. I studied there for a year or so before moving on... Do you know what happened to it?" She had long ago slung her bow over her shoulder, but her powers weren't dormant in the least. There had never been this many demons - unless you counted the shikon jewel being shattered.

"It... was attacked some years ago by a band of demons." Fumi's voice was soft, and her words hesitant as if she too was afraid of physical retribution from her traveling companion. "A few of the villagers have moved and now live in Hikigan... but not many." At least she might be able to see a few familiar faces, and Kagome hummed, her brows knitting together.

"You don't happen to know what happened to the group that destroyed the jewel... do you?" Kagome doubted that her name was well known in these parts due to being gone longer than she'd been around.. Even if she had helped wish the jewel away. Still - she was hopeful that Fumi would know about the others.

"I'm sorry... I know the priestess was killed in the fight, and other than being led here, I don't know where they went after." So - they had survived the attack, that was a relief...and she managed if only by the skin of her teeth to not grab at her chest to calm her pounding heart.

"I heard tales of them - the Demon Inuyasha and his Monk, Priestess and Demon slayer.. I think if memory serves, they also traveled with a fox demon child." Kagome kept her voice light - her tone curious and questioning.. a skill she had perfected in hiding her own depression and anxiety from her family.

"Oh! Yes! I believe that some of them escorted the remaining villagers... but they left I think." Fumi was obviously wracking her brain before she frowned, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, Lady Kagome but I can't remember. I wasn't exactly paying attention that day." The expression of regret washed across her face, one that the raven haired miko caught.

"Fumi..?"

"Oh! I'm sorry... I was just.. I wish that I had paid attention.. maybe things wouldn't have gone the way they did." She had started to wring her hands together, and Kagome reached out to rest her own over Fumi's writhing ones.

"It's okay... Relax and tell me what happened.. Maybe I can help." She really did want to help Fumi, but also hoped that in the process she would find out more about her friends - maybe be able to go one step further and actually find them again. The touch of the miko's hand seemed to calm Fumi, but she shifted and folded her fingers with Kagomes, smile brightening up a few notches. If it would help... she would leave it be. It seemed to make Fumi happy at any rate.

"Well.. they came, dropped off their people and left.. It was only days later that our village was attacked.. Thinking back on it - it was likely the same band that destroyed yours...They must have protected our village or something before they left... The demons came at night.." her eyes got a faraway look, the hand that held Kagome's starting to get a little clammy.

"The screams started first and woke my husband and I... He ran outside to fight off whatever it was and they... they got through." Kagome squeezed Fumi's hand gently, her eyes watering at the sorrow in the other woman's. Sorrow that spilled out with her next words. "They killed them... we lost many of our men that night.. Some women and a few of the children..."

"How... did you stop them?" Kagome wanted to ask who had stopped them, for surely someone had come.

"We had all sheltered in the headsman's compound when they attacked it.. and they were repelled... Lights flashed everywhere.. and they left screaming. I have wondered since if they were warning us - the people who lived in your village.. I wondered if I had listened, would my Kessei still be alive?" She had started to cry, and the pair stopped walking. Kagome pulled Fumi gently off the road and hugged her, rubbing her back and shoulders in a comforting gesture. It was something her mother had done many times for her when she'd been crying over Inuyasha.

"It's alright, Fumi... It sounds like even if you had been paying attention, the outcome wouldn't have changed.. You don't have to blame yourself... It sounds like the headsman's compound had sutras placed on it - that's why the demons couldn't get in. Does your village have a miko?" She would be able to tell if there were in fact paper charms on the buildings.

"No... We don't have a monk either.." Fumi's voice was watery, but Kagome found she had a backbone of steel as she pulled away and dabbed her eyes with the sleeve of her yukata. "But - if you will look before you leave, Lady?" Kagome nodded, having intended to do so anyway and the pair returned to their walk back to Hikigan, walking shoulder to shoulder on the road.

She found as they went that Fumi was a cook by trade, and she worked in what her village had that resembled a 'tavern'. To find something like that in a small village of this era was impressive- and beyond its time. She very much looked forward to seeing what this village had to offer - and what news she could garner from those that had once lived to the south.

The remainder of the day went as smooth as it could - she supposed. Her legs and feet were killing her by the time they crested the last hill and the village lay beyond, highlighted and seeming to glow in the light of dusk. The rice fields were splayed out around the outer buildings, much like Kaede's village.. With a gathering of buildings in the center. From here, Kagome could see what she assumed to be the headsman's compound - an L shaped building with a large tree in the open area. Multiple other huts and some more detailed buildings huddled the area.

Fumi led the priestess down the narrow path until they got to the road between the rice paddies. Once there, Kagome was familiar with the usual procedure that came with wearing the garb of a priestess.. Bowing, villagers calling out to her with greetings.. The stares of those that had never seen her before. As they neared the village proper - or what Kagome would call the village proper, a young child came running out from between the buildings.

"LADY KAGOME!" The priestess blinked as a boy around 7 came charging at her followed by a few other children around his age. Behind him came a flustered looking young woman. "Lady Kagome! You're back!" She wasn't surprised that the boy knew her name - Fumi had introduced her to a worker in the fields as they walked up.. And in small villages like this - word traveled fast. What surprised her, however, was that he seemed to know her. Crouching down, she smiled at him and held out her hand - to find that he threw himself at her in a hug.

"Oof! Well.. It's good to see you to..." She wasn't going to ask him what his name was - the idea of that made her blanch, but instead she would be as friendly to him as he was to her and try to pick up the nuances of who he was in conversation. "Glad to see you made it - and you're growing up!" As she crouched in the middle of the road, talking to a young boy, others had come to gather around this new priestess with a soft heart.

"Yea! I learned ta swim!" Oh... He was THAT little boy. Well that was a surprise - Kagome remembered him, but only vaguely. She must have made one hell of an impression.

"I'm so happy! Stay out of rivers, okay?" Straightening, the woman booped his nose with a finger before she looked to see the woman come collect his hand with a bow towards her.

"I apologize for Kokichi, Lady. He heard your name and thought you were the priestess who saved him a few years ago." Surely - this woman couldn't be THE Kagome.. she was much too refined - and dressed appropriately.

"But, Kaila! This IS the Lady Kagome! She remembered me!" Deciding to save te boy that was pulling on his guardians hand, she smiled, looking down at him.

"Why don't you show me how you can swim later, okay Kokichi?" That seemed to stem his desire to escape and nodded, relaxing. With a shuffling motion off to the other children, the woman who she assumed was Kaila turned back to her with wide eyes.

"You're Lady Kagome? THE Lady Kagome?" Her eyes were about the size of saucers before she dropped to the ground and left the woman in question burning a bright red in embarrassment.

"No! No Kaila.. get up...please.. that's not necessary."

"But, Lady!"

"No, it's really not.. Come on - let's get you off the ground and talk over tea... if that's allright?" Dark was falling swiftly, and she was acutely aware of the eyes staring at her and wanted to get out from underneath them before she got even more twitchy.

"This way, Lady Kagome! I'll have a table set for you so we can talk." Fumi smiled brightly and turned, leading the two women back to what Kagome would affectionately call "A tavern." Not in the sense of medieval taverns.. It was more of a single story building that was slightly larger than a normal hut. Tables and chairs were on the right side of the building with a cooking platform to the left with multiple pots hanging over the fire.

It was almost no time at all before she and Kaila were seated, each with a cup of tea in hand, and Kagome a bowl of stew to eat. Fumi joined them with her own meal and drink, and smiled brightly at the priestess as she plied her with questions about the shard hunt. Questions were fine to answer - while she was eating, but she really wanted to ask some of her own. Finishing her stew, the woman sipped her tea to wash it down and frowned into the liquid.

"Do.. either of you two know what happened to the others? Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kirara?" She hadn't wanted to have Fumi know who she was at first - with how exuberant she already was.. but now wasn't bad.. and she was glad she hadn't. The woman was almost bouncing out of her seat in her excitement. At least she had been bouncing until a shadow fell across the doorway and her eyes got even wider.. Falling into silence.

"Fumi, Kaila... who is our Lady Visitor?" The voice was deep, and Kagome didn't need to turn around to guess this was the headman of the village. She did get to her feet and turn to give him a respectful bow. He was wide across the shoulders, with a thinner waist. She noted he wore his hakama tied with a sword in the obi, and the haori was different than most in this era. Bands around his elbows and wrists held the billowing sleeves closed. Dark greens and tans made up his color of choice - very earthy and it was a pleasing look.

"My name is Kagome, sir. I would be honored if you would allow me to rest in your village for a time.. My feet have grown weary and my legs tired." The words were said with a calm voice she had only attributed to Kikyo.. But she knew it was the same voice she often used with Souta and her grandfather to keep them from worrying. Calm with a hint of a higher note with a gentle smile.

"I see. I am known as Ashikita, headman to this village. If you would be so kind, Lady Kagome to allow me to join you for tea? I wish to hear of your travels." The easy acceptance of the man made her nod and return to her seat as he took the fourth pillow next to the low table. She poured him a drink when Fumi arrived with his cup, settling back on her knees and watching the headman curiously. He was tanned, his skin a leathery complexion and she knew he was often in the fields with his men without even asking.

"How is it you came to us, Lady?"

"I had some of my training to the south of here - a village in Inuyasha's forest.. But, I've been away for some time and when I returned.."

"Ah, you found it gone. I see." This was naturally the next village if someone were to go north. But he wondered how she came to also come west. Fumi stepped in, her bright and cheerful words tumbling from her lips.

"She saved me! I was sure I was going to be eaten, but Lady Kagome saved me!" The woman's voice and excitement betrayed her youth, and Kagome wondered how old she actually was. It wasn't something that had come up in their conversations.. Young enough to not have married yet, she knew that much.

"It's not a big deal, Fumi... I would have had the same issue if I had crossed his path alone." The demon had been intent on eating someone, and it would have been purified regardless if it had come to her. "You're okay, and that's the important thing. The how or why isn't." She sipped her tea and stared at the woman over the lip of her cup with a soft smile on her face. The woman reminded her of Souta in some ways.

"It's a blessing you came along when you did, Lady." Ashikita's voice was warm, and she could tell that had he been younger the women likely would have been falling at his feet. He was what she would consider 'handsome' in a rugged kind of way. Strong jawline, and eyes that were surprisingly blue rather than the darker brown of most in the area. Kagome wondered if he would have some of the continent in his blood. "As it is, would you care to stay a few days? We can find you suitable lodgings."

Kagome worried that meant he would be kicking people out of their homes and shook her head. "That's alright, though I thank you. I wouldn't want to shove anyone out of their own bed to make a space for mine. All I need is some rest and food... Of which I've had both. And a few friendly faces to fill the silence." She smiled, gesturing to the table at large and sending the two women to blushing.

It left the headman chuckling, but he nodded his head to the dark haired miko. "Fair enough, Lady Kagome. If you ladies will excuse me, I should return to my duties. It was a pleasure and an honor. Should you travel through again, you're welcome to stop by. In fact, I insist on it." With a bow, he left through the reed mat that covered the door and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Now... Where were we?"