Faith

by midori Haru

It takes a special kind of strength to find a new dream after an old one is torn apart. Letting go of what almost was to see what could be is sometimes hard to do.

7. Chapter 7

See notes in First Chapter.

VII

For the first time in his long life, Sesshoumaru observed the traditional Hatsumode in an established shrine. He watched the coming and going of a wide variety of the local people, from the fishermen who made a living off the sea to the prominent politicians in the area. He saw housewives with small children, teenagers learning how to flirt, and school teachers pleased to have some time off. College students came home from far flung cities to enjoy missed family members or renew long distance ties with lovers and friends. All of them came to the shrine and all of them disrespected the establishment and it's caretaker to varying degrees.

Some only ignored Kagome's well-wishing in favor of flirtatious efforts to catch Sesshoumaru's attention. A handful boldly talked over the shrine official's words hoping to engage the youkai inu in conversation or to just invite him out for a tryst disguised as a date. His nose could detect intent and there was no real desire to know him, just the contours hidden by the traditional robes of the shrine.

A few were accusing. These were mostly males who managed to keep their attention focused largely on Higurashi, but only to harass her for the presence of the white inu hovering at her back or some other perceived slight. Many were overt in their accusations but more couched their disdain and insults in condescendingly polite tones and vocabulary.

Higurashi handled them all with seemingly impregnable cheer. There were no fluctuations in her spirit energy, her expressions seemed completely authentic. It wasn't a mask she wore for these people. She hid no resentment or distaste for any of these false people that Sesshoumaru could detect via scent or other physiological tells.

She did overextend herself to conceal the increasing strain her injury wrought on her body. As the day matured and waned, Kagome grew ashen from her natural complexion. A light sweat broke out despite the continued bitter temperatures. She kept her hands close to her torso most of the day, restrained in her gestures out of politeness and formality, but the few times she reached out, her hands shook. When the sky began to darken, Sesshoumaru detected a tendency for her posture to list slightly off center.

The minor injury that hadn't immediately been stitched up was taking its toll.

Sesshoumaru was moderately familiar with the signs of ill-health and injury in the species that lived along side his own. He didn't know enough to doctor a human himself, but he knew when one needed to pursue medical attention. Higurashi had surpassed the time when it was necessary to do something more about her injury.

Fortunately, the increasing darkness was also marked with a decrease in shrine traffic, signaling the end of the day's rites. The assembled volunteers started to break down the stalls for the night. Natsuo began bossing around anyone willing to take direction, especially those younger than her disguise. Clearly the hidden kitsune was determined to finish closing down the shrine in record time. The faster everything was closed up for the day the sooner Kagome could be induced to go get her wound taken care of.

It was a valid strategy. One fairly common among tricksters and other well-meaning if controlling busybodies. It might even have been effective if maybe Higurashi Kagome had taken rest and sustenance at any point during the day after her injury.

Stubborn, determined female that she was, no such break had been taken. No, the Jinja no Sewanin had organized all of the volunteers to take breaks around greeting visitors and offering blessings. She'd made certain even the hidden youkai among her volunteers took breaks they needed even less than the humans. But Kagome had steamed on through the day.

Now her recklessness took its toll as the female broke. One more effort to correct the list in her posture went too far and the female began to fall. Sesshoumaru reached to catch her before she could hit the pavement only to be surprised by the rather lax posture of her body.

The human slipped through his hold, only slowing pace from his interference on the way to the ground. The woman had seemingly fainted.

"Higurashi-sama!" Tasuke gasped from several paces away. Sesshoumaru blinked at the youth addressing the woman at his feet with a higher respect than himself but refrained from comment. Instead, he knelt down to check his host for further signs of physical distress. The younger male rushed over to kneel beside the inu in concern.

Within moments, before a real assessment could be conducted the girl regained consciousness and stared up at the gathering crowd in confusion.

"What's going on?" Kagome asked when she opened her eyes a minute later. "Why are you hovering above me?" she blinked and seemed to realize a few more facts about her current position. "Why am I on the ground?"

"Hn," Sesshoumaru reached for her hands to lift her onto her feet, relieved the episode was so short.

"You fainted, Higurashi-san," Tasuke answered her question quietly.

"You must be joking," Kagome sounded disbelieving, but it was hard to tell how the news affected her as she swayed briefly once on her feet and raised a hand to her head in confusion.

"It is likely a result of your failure to break for food after your injury," Sesshoumaru declared briefly.

"You didn't eat?" Natsuo scolded. "You know better than that. You're shocky, from the injury and the cold. It's no wonder you fainted! It'll take some work to prevent a recurrence tomorrow."

"I am not shocky! Stop making it into more than it is!" Kagome rebuffed Natsuo's concern. "Tomorrow will not be a problem. We can close everything up and head into the clinic to get the stitches you insist upon and everything will be fine. You're alarming people for no reason by failing to acknowledge the passage of years."

"Don't minimize the dangers inherent in this situation," Natsuo scowled darkly at Higurashi. "If I thought we could get away with it, I might ask our esteemed guest to haul you to the clinic right now. We can close up the shrine for tomorrow without your babysitting us. Kinomori would appreciate the earlier return to his home and family festivities as well."

"Leaving after the shrine is taken care of will be soon enough," Kagome sighed as she turned to collect the brooms. Despite every effort by volunteers and responsible parents to prevent it, quite a bit of debris had collected over the pavements that had nothing to do with the weather. "The volunteers are here to assist me in the necessary duties associated with the holiday, not do it all for me."

"These are extenuating circumstances," Natsuo nearly growled.

"Higurashi-sama," Tasuke cut in. "We can handle this so you can get treated. None of the tasks left require the personal attention of the Jinja no Sewanin." Which was true. Sweeping the shrine grounds and picking up litter could be done by any of the volunteers present. Wiping down the tables and stowing away the necessary supplies for tomorrow was already being done by the people assigned to those stations. Even dousing the lanterns and preparing for the final day of Hatsumode didn't need Kagome's personal touch. The kami and youkai didn't care who cleaned the shrine outside of the Honden.

Before Kagome could respond in further argument or to cave to the reasoning of her active volunteers, Sesshoumaru snatched her up from the pavement beside him and leapt straight into the air. Once they achieved a height at which the whole of the town could be viewed, the daijin collected his youki in a cloud at his feet to hold them there while he waited for Higurashi to recover from the surprise of his move or the wind could give him a direction towards the clinic.

This high up, he was removed from the effluvium of the townspeople that had wandered through the area. Such emanations stuck close to the ground. At great height, the wind moved more freely and picked up scent from larger objects, mixing the smell of living creatures into indistinguishable and easily dismissed odors. Here Sesshoumaru caught the smell of the sea swirling with the dormant green of the forest on land. There was the tang that was so signatory of marshes and the dead wood of old buildings. Slicing through the fresher scents was the distinct iron of blood from the female he carried.

He was grateful Higurashi wasn't prone to screaming. Her surprise hadn't announced itself through anything louder than a gasp and stiffening throughout every limb. When she recovered herself, her voice was still quiet if a little weak and shaky. "Sesshoumaru-dono I'm not certain that was entirely necessary."

"The wound was incurred on this Sesshoumaru's behalf," he couldn't help pointing out. "It behooves this Sesshoumaru to ensure its proper care. You are no longer capable of delaying treatment while maintaining decent health."

"I am more robust than-" she began to protest.

"You are sweating in near freezing temperatures, your limbs shake and you recently collapsed," Sesshoumaru itemized his observations. "This Sesshoumaru may not be terribly intimate with all the human body requires to function, but it is easily discernible when human health begins to deteriorate after an injury."

Her mouth closed with a click of teeth. Higurashi was clearly irritated but could find no diplomatic way to argue with the obvious. To further protest her fast ability to recover would belittle his understanding in a way that a less confident youkai might believe indicated some error on his part. Sesshoumaru knew he was right and trying to convince him he wasn't would just irritate him, if he didn't take real offense instead. "Fine," she reluctantly admitted his point. "I have neglected my health today," Kagome conceded. "I should not have protested going to the clinic so hard, but Natsuo's tendency to imitate a mother hen is decidedly irritating."

"Hn," Sesshoumaru hummed quietly.

"I'm still not likely to have another spell tomorrow like she said," the Jinja no Sewanin insisted stubbornly. "I generally recover quickly. It's a reiki thing."

Sesshoumaru glanced her over before dismissing the explanation and complaint. The domestic workings of this small community were not important to him. He'd taken note of the kitsune's inclination to irritate those around her upon his last visit, and dismissed it then as inconsequential. So long as Natsuo's attentions and attempts at stirring up her companions focused on more suitable targets than himself her propensity to cause emotional upheaval was tolerable.

"She's going to be quite insufferable after this," Kagome continued to grumble to herself. "I'm not the way I was when I got here anymore."

"Perhaps not," Sesshoumaru allowed for a change in mental state after seven years. "But you are more than aware of the dangers you court with your actions. The kitsune is aware you know better. A scolding is certainly due."

The woman tucked against his side huffed quietly in exasperation but refused further comment. Sesshoumaru ignored her nonverbal response. There was no one here to see and given the current proof of her fragility, emotional restraint was not expected. A sudden gust brought with it the taste of strong chemical sterility towards the coast side of town and Sesshoumaru directed his youki to take them there.

The large clinic stuck out among its closest neighbors with a rather anomalous scent signature. The wharf buildings were large and shambling, smelling strongly of old fish and caked salt. There was the rotting smell of old seaweed caught about the pilings on the dock and the acrid stench of old gull excrement. By contrast, the tidy semi-modern building of the clinic stuck out like a sparkling piece of polished metal and glass amidst the splintering wood and dingy windows. The scent of disinfectant, bleach and muted tones of old blood curled about the otherwise unassuming structure.

"The clinic was placed near to the shore on purpose," Kagome explained without needing Sesshoumaru to express an actual question. "Most of the injuries throughout the year, the worst ones anyway, tend to come from the fishermen at sea." The placement allowed for the shortest distance to travel from a returned boat to medical help. "The school is also on this side of Nishi no Mura," she added, indicating another large building that stuck out, but blended better than the clinic. It was smaller than Sesshoumaru was used to educational venues being.

Travel was swift when one didn't have to avoid walls and buildings. Approaching in a semi-straight line allowed the journey time to be more than halved than if they had walked. Using such a mode of transportation was not often encouraged and the risks of possibly cutting into a flight lane was high in certain areas of the country, but this small town on the tip of Hokkaido offered no such deterrents. There were drawbacks to living in the city his father based the youkai government out of. Freedom of movement was a boon only the most remote areas were granted.

"Kinomori-sensei," Kagome called into the opened sliding glass door after Sesshoumaru settled them on the pavement out front. The toneless electronic hum announcing the arrival of a patient preceded them inside. The interior of the clinic began with a rather tiny waiting area kept closed off from the rest of the working spaces with hospital screens. The room was mostly open and lined along both side with treatment rooms of varying sorts. Most were quipped generic medical equipment designed for use in check up and diagnosis situations. A few held more specialized apparatus used for more intensive injuries. All were currently open to passing view and empty of patients.

"Back here," a low voice called from the third room down to the left. There was the distinct chink of metal impacting on metal and the squeak of tight wheels being forced to roll across the floor. A slender, diminutive, older male appeared in the open doorway wearing a white coat and wire rimmed glasses. He was old enough that his hair had passed the salt and pepper to mostly white, but his eyes were sharp and clear. "My nurse tells me there was trouble at the shrine, Higurashi-san."

"Erm, unfortunately there was a bit of a ruckus," Kagome admitted reluctantly. The small town doctor was not part of a shrine family and thus possibly subject to local politics and popular opinion. Any words she spoke would have to be tactful and possibly vague.

"The mayor again," the short man shook his head. "Be easy here Higurashi-san, I learned early in my career the foolishness of being swayed into choosing sides. Besides, I knew Hamasaki as a bullying little boy and manipulative teenager. There were many that came to be patched up in this very clinic during his ruffian days. I can see clearly, even with my old eyes."

"Not just the mayor," Kagome clarified. "There was a difference of opinion between Hamasaki-shicho and Sesshoumaru-dono."

The piercing gaze wandered to the tall silver-haired inu quietly observing the scene. "I thought that was you," Kinomori nodded respectfully to the youkai daijin. "You likely do not remember it, but we have met twice before. Once in Kyoto while I was attending medical school, when I was young. The second time was in Sapporo for an interspecies medical practitioners' conference almost twenty years ago. I was one of many attendees and you made appearance at a number of the planned events."

"Hn," Sesshoumaru acknowledged.

"It seems our community has not managed to give the best impression to our distinguished guest," the doctor sighed. "It was not always so bad here. In my childhood, I knew and played with some of the kitsune fostered here briefly. A turn made even more brief by my discovery of the secret," he smiled slyly in an expression Kagome had never seen him make, "but I was not the only one to simply think their presence was "neat" at the time."

"Higurashi-san's shoulder," Sesshoumaru reminded the old man, drawing him from the memory.

"Ah, right," Kinomori nodded sharply and ducked back into the room he'd blocked the doorway to. There was a tray arrayed with the necessary supplies to properly stitch up Kagome's cut and a syringe waiting to administer the necessary booster to prevent tetanus from settling in. He motioned her down onto the sturdy backless chair sitting beside the counter. "How long after the wound was incurred?"

Higurashi removed her bulky gloves to set in her lap, revealing the pristine white of the bandage on the back of her hand. "We're just outside the six hour window," Kagome answered as she reached to remove first her haori before attempting to shrug out of the sleeve of her thermal shirt. The motions were awkward and almost immediately Sesshoumaru scented the fresh release of blood as she reopened the wound trying to expose it. "But it was sterilized and covered right away."

Kinomori ended her struggles by reaching for the collar of the stretchy material and cutting the fabric down to the tear already present to expose the wound. "I see Fujimoto's work," the doctor considered the neat square of taped gauze.

"I wanted to try and repair that," Kagome grumbled in relation to the further destruction of her shirt. Because of the doctor's cut, the shirt hung off her shoulder but still clung to her arm and much of the rest of her upper torso. The skin exposed was bright pink with reaction to the central heating warming the clinic interior. Hours in the cold made the temperature change seem more drastic and her body's reaction more extreme.

"You've bled almost continuously since then, I'd surmise," Kinomori observed the dark red stain eclipsing the center of the gauze as he started working the medical tape from the skin. Only the four corners and a sliver of the edges between retained the original white of the clean material. "This probably should have been checked and changed at least once already."

Kagome hissed tightly as a bit of the tape refused to let go of her hide. The stool kept her slightly higher than a standard chair height, making the work easier for the doctor.

"Higurashi reopened it several times with her movements," Sesshoumaru informed the doctor. Kagome shot him a glare but didn't say anything.

"Such is the reason it would benefit from stitches," Kinomori murmured as his attention remained on the revealed wound, swabbing the blood from newly exposed skin and gauging the number of stitches it would need. "Higurashi-san is much too responsible to have overly risked herself with particularly active behavior or heavy lifting with such a wound."

Kagome took a deep breath and slowly released it, clearly attempting to calm herself. Sesshoumaru found himself amused by her present reactions. It was rare when someone treated him like an annoyance or irritant even when he was. He seldom spent enough time around shrine families to be able to tell if she was singular in her behavior or if it was common among her people. The inu rather thought that he would not be as indulgent with any other person though he couldn't tell why.

Likely it was his sense that Higurashi Kagome had much to find irritating in her life concerning silver-haired youkai. Inuyasha was harassing her constantly and the only thing keeping him from full-blown physical stalking was Sesshoumaru's own stance on intrusion from his family into his territory. Sesshoumaru himself could admit she had reason to consider his own behavior on the same level as the hanyou's as he kept trying to bring up an injurious topic she was trying to move past.

Sesshoumaru could see where she had healed much in the years since Inuyasha's attack. He could also see where she would not want to backtrack by bringing it all back up. But he was the daijin of this area. His soul could not allow injustice to go unanswered by those who shared his blood.

Perhaps he went about broaching the subject in the wrong way. At present Higurashi was the only one Inuyasha had so wronged, that they knew of. If there were more, others who were not as strong or protected or lucky as she who had suffered such actions by the brat, perhaps Kagome would be willing to speak for them.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed with calculation. Kagome's wounds had been incurred nearly a decade prior. Inuyasha and Kikyou continuously maintained a relationship, though it was rocky at the best of times and there were not many times that could count as "the best of times". That was a long time for Inuyasha to be faithful to a woman he hadn't been exclusive with before.

It was even more suspicious as Inuyasha's current actions proved he had no intention of becoming dedicated to that relationship as he haunted Kagome's phone lines with overtures of - not reconciliation - but continuation. Paired with the reality that there was no reason for the boy to take so long to find Kagome after she'd left Tokyo, it was highly likely Inuyasha had other lovers between then and now to distract him.

Yes, it might be of more benefit to search out the others before trying to pry Higurashi Kagome's history from her reluctant lips.

Alternate strategy devised, he decided to remain until the next day regardless. As Sesshoumaru had informed Higurashi this morning, he had no scheduled obligations during this time. The Jinja no Sewanin had been injured in his defense. It may have been the course her duty lead her down, but he could not divert all responsibility away from himself. It had not been required for him to divulge his thoughts and observations right then, in front of the town mayor and accompaniment. He could have waited to dispense his compliment until there were no locals to overhear.

Sesshoumaru wasn't prone to handing out praise and while he did admire her restraint, he never would have told her that without ulterior motives. He'd meant to make a point to the milieu degrading Higurashi as she went about her duties. The continued insult handed to the woman irked him. Higurashi didn't deserve such pointedly disparaging slurs made against her, her virtue or her station. He didn't care how covert or disguised the townspeople thought their true opinions were.

Why he cared if they snubbed their protector was difficult to pinpoint. Likely it was a combination of admiration for her perceived character and familial guilt. He felt strangely protective of the human who'd hidden under his name and deep in his territory without his knowing. That, and the very reality that a lack of regard for the shrine's work could also be taken as a measure of the town's consideration of the youkai around them as a whole.

It was possible to divorce the individual from the position when creating a personal opinion, but it was impossible to do it as a community.

Sesshoumaru shook off his introspection to return to his present observation of Kagome's treatment.

The female winced as the doctor administered a mild, local anesthetic before lifting his sterilized tools already prepped. "Are you ready?" Kinomori asked in a calm distracted voice.

"Go ahead," Kagome braced herself, clamping her hands on the counter to hold herself steady.

Without preamble, Kinomori leaned in to place the first stitch. Kagome clenched her eyes closed and hissed out a sharp breath. "All right, Higurashi?" The doctor checked as he tied off the thread and snipped the excess. Working to set up for the next stitch, the old man's eyes never left the work of his hands.

"I'm fine," Kagome all but growled and the corner of Sesshoumaru's mouth quirked up uncontrollably.

"You are sure?" Kinomori asked again as he leaned in for the second stitch.

"It has to be done, Kinomori-sensei," Kagome returned. "Please don't draw it out," she shuddered as the thread pulled through skin to close the wound.

"Is it painful?" Sesshoumaru asked curious. He had never needed stitches, few youkai actually ever would. He'd thought the anesthetic prevented undue discomfort, such was its purpose, yet Higurashi reacted strongly even after the area had been numbed.

"Not really," Kagome breathed out after the third stitch had been tied off. "It just feels weird, like nails on a chalkboard sounds. It sets my teeth on edge."

"Many people feel that way," the doctor added. "It is the same with needles. It isn't the pain that upsets them so much as the sight of something stuck under their skin."

"Hn," Sesshoumaru absorbed the information.

"It doesn't hurt all that much without the anesthetic," Kagome explained further. "I have a pretty high pain tolerance and even with the tugging, I could have borne it. I just likely wouldn't have been able to remain still enough to keep the stitches straight and small."

"Few humans would remain in place if they could feel the pain of every stitch," Kinomori excused. "We are not engineered to just sit and accept repeat pain. It is ingrained to move away from that which hurts us."

"Hn, youkai too," the daijin admitted.

"Most every living thing would," Kagome smiled tightly up at the youkai hovering behind her shoulder watching.

Kinomori's stitches were neat and small, the edges of the wound were clean and the final dressing seemed to minimize the wound itself. "There's twenty eight of them," the doctor informed Kagome when he was done. "Try to avoid using that arm too much and keep the wound dry. Anyone but you, I'd leave them in for two weeks," Kinomori continued as he administered the booster shot before writing out a prescription for oral antibiotics. "But I think we'll take a look in nine days instead."

Kagome nodded complacently while she donned her haori, tucking the material of her shirt under a bra strap to help keep it in place. Her gloves had fallen to the floor and as she bent to retrieve them, Kinomori stopped her with his eyes on the back of her hand.

"What's this?" the doctor demanded.

"Lantern burn," Sesshoumaru answered for the Jinja no Sewanin. Kagome's eyes narrowed at his presumption. The inu didn't care. He'd observed enough of her behavior to be certain she would give a vague answer if she admitted to the injury at all.

"Ah!" Kinomori nodded and dismissed the neat bandage without prying under it. "The shrine curse I see."

Kagome's expression instantly changed as she let out a snort of laughter.

"I never worry about burns suffered at the shrine," Kinomori informed Sesshoumaru. "With the hereditary predilection of our Higurashi to pick up burns and scars, they have long been very good with the treatment of them. Almost better care than they could have gotten anywhere else in earlier times."

Sesshoumaru's displeasure did not show on his face. After watching Higurashi's behavior throughout the day, dismissing and minimizing her injury and its effects, he'd felt certain she had also failed to treat her previous injury adequately.

"This Higurashi is probably better than most of the others," Kinomori offered a wry smile. "Her previous education would see to that."

"Kinomori-sensei," came the call from the front of the clinic.

"Back here, Fujimoto-kun," the doctor called to his nurse. "We're just finishing up."

"How many?" the old kitsune demanded as she came into view. The old man lead the way toward the front.

"Twenty eight, you nosy old bat," Kagome grumbled. "And we're all done now."

"Any other injuries I should be around for, or can we close up shop for the evening?" Kinomori asked the pushy fox. "Higurashi's health, while slightly compromised by injury and a long day of service, is fine enough for her to be sent home with stipulations of care and rest."

"Did she tell you she didn't eat?" Natsuo glared at the small male.

"Mattaki used to skip midday meal during Hatsumode as well," Kinomori replied mildly to Fujimoto's alarmist effort to get Higurashi in trouble. He was not the Jinja no Sewanin's guardian and could not force Higurashi to more care of her health. "One missed meal in any given day is not an emergency health issue. Even with the injury, Higurashi-san is in solid health. She's not under weight, not subject to blood sugar issues and while the excitement of today might have taxed her system, it isn't life threatening."

The meddling fox huffed incredulously. Clearly the nurse disagreed, but she wouldn't gainsay the doctor. "Well she should have eaten. And she should have come down here when she suffered the injury instead of-"

"Instead of doing her job? Should we discuss how often you overlook your own health needs in favor of our shared profession?" Kinomori raised an eyebrow turning the tables on the snappish fox.

"I am not - " Natsuo tried to protest.

"To Higurashi, the duties of the shrine are as important as the duties of a nurse," the doctor continued without pause. "All our Higurashi have a highly developed dedication to their profession. One the whole town benefits from. I would not worsen her lot for something so benign and harmless as missing a single meal in any given day. This is not seven years ago when missing a meal was cause for concern."

Sesshoumaru watched as Kagome carefully avoided looking at anybody. She was clearly uncomfortable with whatever had been hinted at. He knew it was likely the female had suffered emotionally in the immediate aftermath of Inuyasha's attack. The inu also realized that Inuyasha's incessant efforts to harass his victim had compounded her trauma. Such profound mental turbulence could lead to many self-destructive behaviors in humans and non-humans alike. Loss of appetite or just the will to eat could do serious damage and require much time to recover.

She had told them all the same thing. He didn't much like that the second opinion supported her own knowledge of her body but he wasn't one to ignore more knowledgeable opinions. Humans were inherently adaptable and robust despite their seeming fragility.

"I think you forget how often those same shrine families die of their 'dedication'," Natsuo grumbled.

Kagome huffed this time. "Occupational hazard," she growled, glowering at the previously described 'mother hen'. "Most of the shrine families are completely human, with human limitations trying to mediate and maintain peace between a reckless human populace and a multitude of non-human people that are inherently stronger, faster, and only slightly less reckless. Irreverence is deadlier to us than occasional malnutrition." The day's events had proven so.

Many of the shrine's patrons disliked Kagome. Many blamed her for Sesshoumaru's presence for one reason or another. A few even gossiped that she wasn't human. Respect for the office Higurashi Kagome filled kept all the others from physically attacking her. Sumiko respected no one, a lesson likely learned from her father. She was determined to prove herself right and oust Kagome from her position without real knowledge or understanding of what the office means.

The only person in a crowd of antagonistic people to plan and deliver harm to Higurashi was the one proven to hold no respect for her or the shrine system. The same held true for the youkai she came in contact with. As Kagome had pointed out, she was inherently slower, weaker, and shorter lived. Respect for what she did, for what the shrines around the country did, offered her best protection from the non-humans around them.

The easiest attack to defend against is the one that never comes.

"Hmph!" came Natsuo's judgmental response. "Where's your sling? You promised to wear one."

Kagome sighed and rolled her eyes. "Kinomori-sensei doesn't keep slings in his surgery rooms, Fujimoto-san. You just watched us exit one and he already told you we just finished up. When precisely did you expect me to collect a sling for use?"

The fox glared at Kagome's very reasonable response.

"A sling would be just the thing," Kinomori intervened. "It is a good suggestion for you to wear one while going about your duties."

"I thought it would help remind me not to use the arm," Kagome mildly informed the doctor. "It should help limit movement so long as I'm not trying too hard to work against it."

"The slings are over here," Kinomori directed his patient. "I think a simple hanging sling should be sufficient. You haven't injured the limb or torn the attached musculature so a little movement won't be a concern. I'd advise against wearing it in your sleep and you should be healed enough to leave it off in a couple days without fear of tearing stitches or the wound itself."

"I think we should use one that straps her whole arm to her chest," Natsuo disagreed.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Save the heavy duty specialty slings for those that need them for that purpose. Simple will work for this situation. Get your revenge in some other way that won't hurt someone else should a real broken arm turn up."

"Is that what my nurse is after?" Kinomori chuckled. "Petty revenge, how positively like the town's children." The old man slyly winked at Higurashi as the hidden kitsune sputtered.

"Hn," Sesshoumaru took in the interplay with genuine if quiet amusement. Kagome clearly wasn't the impetus, this wasn't a display the other two put on for her or even his benefit. The good doctor clearly knew how to tease his nurse and likely knew Fujimoto Natsuo wasn't human. It was a secret he had kept for as long as he'd known it, however long that happened to have been. Indeed, Kinomori was good at keeping secrets.

"I am nothing like - "

"Hamasaki Sumiko didn't like how Higurashi-san handles her duty," Kinomori observed wryly. "She planned to lash out at her. Your plans don't seem so very different, nor your motivations."

"Sumiko doesn't like that Higurashi-sama exists period," Natsuo protested. "She acted from that motivation. I don't like that Higurashi-sama neglects her health, I work from that motivation. She can't meet her responsibilities if she isn't healthy."

Kagome tugged her hair out of the way of her sling as Kinomori adjusted the straps to make her comfortable. "As you can see, I didn't die," the shrine caretaker declared flippantly. "I can take up my responsibilities again without having abandoned a one of them. No patrons of the shrine were unduly effected because of the delay, something that couldn't be said if I'd left at noon instead."

"She's got a point," Kinomori arched a brow at his ornery nurse. "Her way allowed her to uphold her responsibility. Your way would have required she fail to."

Natsuo huffed, unable to argue their point.

"Let us put this aside," Kinomori gave a strap one final adjustment before stepping towards the discreet coat rack by the door. "Higurashi has a busy day tomorrow, last day of Hatsumode. And certainly she should get something to eat and a good night's sleep."

"Good night Kinomori-sensei," Kagome replied and stepped out the sliding door, determined to allow the elder male to find his home and rest.

"Higurashi-sama and Sesshoumaru-sama will both be having dinner with my family," Natsuo insisted firmly.

"It's lovely of you to invite us," Kagome replied gently. "Fixing dinner tonight would have been an adventure using just one hand."

"I'm certain the daijin would enjoy a more positive experience of our town's hospitality than he's so far been graced with," Kinomori offered in slight praise of his nurse, turning what was likely meant as a way to harass Kagome into something more positive than intended.

"Indeed," Sesshoumaru agreed to the plan easily. He wouldn't eat, but as Kagome had said, she would have difficulty preparing a meal for herself. Her care required a solid repast that he had no inclination or knowledge as to how to prepare. The fox family were more capable of feeding a human than he was. Besides which, the Higurashi woman had given in far too easily for there to be no secondary reason for accepting.

"Higurashi-san," a voice called from down the street, drawing their attention from the retreating physician. "Might I have a word?" the woman asked grimly.

"Hamasaki-san," Kagome identified the female. "Is your son doing better now?"

"Takeuchi is much improved since yesterday," the mayor's wife responded in a small voice. "But that is not what I desired to speak with you about."

"I hope you and he are able to make it up to the shrine tomorrow, but if you believe his health would be negatively effected by the visit, I'm certain the kami and all others who would care will understand," the Jinja no Sewanin carefully bowed politely. It was clear to Sesshoumaru that Kagome was trying to steer the conversation and end it quickly. He couldn't fault her for the attempt. He'd already seen the behavior of one parent defending that despicable brat that had attacked earlier today. She'd just dealt with the physical damage and had no desire to rehash the legal or emotional aspects.

"I wish to apologize for Sumiko," Hamasaki cried.

Kagome came to a full stop flanked on either side by Sesshoumaru and Natsuo. "How old is Sumiko?" she demanded of the woman quietly. "School records indicate she started late, so she's nearly sixteen, isn't she?"

"Yes," the woman answered.

"She's beyond the age where you should be making her apologies for her," Kagome replied steadily. "And this isn't something you should be letting her slide from," Higurashi waved to Sesshoumaru. "Her words alone could have caused an incident that took lives, but she took it beyond words. She attacked, attempting to bloody a visiting youkai dignitary. The consequences she faces now are less than what she would have faced if her blow had landed on target."

"I know," the sorrowful mother deflated. "I'm not trying to talk you out of pressing charges. Violence is never the correct answer to truth."

"Then -"

"I apologize for that which is my fault," the woman continued sincerely. "Sumiko reacted to the implication towards her heritage because she is ignorant of it. Because I have withheld it from her."

"The child is unaware of her diluted youkai ancestry," Sesshoumaru assessed the words.

Kagome's eyes widened in reaction. It was a rare thing to find someone with youkai heritage whose blood was so diluted there was no youki to give them away to people like her. The mixing of species was not widely accepted and former times found hanyou and the like hunted by both species. Few of such heritage lived for very long so to find someone descended from such a person, especially given how slow the maturity rate was for those of mixed bloodlines was extremely rare. They existed, just not in great number.

"I am not from this area and was not aware of Shin's views on non-human people," the female sighed, her voice was pitched low to avoid carrying far in the night. This side of Nishi no Mura was mostly deserted after dark in the winter. The residential areas sprawled across town on the other side of the school and clinic. This side of town was packed with business associated with summer tourism and the town's livelihood of fishing. Still, one couldn't be too careful when speaking of such topics. "My family was from an area farther in-land. Shin and I never would have met if not for attending university at the same time. I knew he was fully human and that he had small town political aspirations. I had not encountered anyone like him and had no reason to suspect my long ago ancestor's blood would be a problem between us. We had already been married several months when the news reached all the papers about the terrorist attacks in Tokyo. It was the first time I'd ever heard Shin say anything about his sympathies for the purists."

"Hamasaki Haruka," Fujimoto Natsuo scolded the younger woman. "It should have come up before then, information like that should have been shared between you before you tied yourself to any man."

"I didn't think it would matter," Haruka shrugged mournfully. "It wasn't completely secret in my hometown though it wasn't bandied about like public gossip either. I'd never encountered anyone like Shin and I loved him so desperately."

Sesshoumaru nearly rolled his eyes, but didn't comment. People of all species, ages and genders could be incredibly foolish when it came to mating possibilities.

Kagome shook her head, "Whirlwind romance or not, he's your spouse, he should know. How can he love you if he doesn't know who you are?"

"You should have ended the relationship when first you learned about his prejudices," Natsuo added and looked away. "Divorce wouldn't have been so difficult before your children were born."

"I was already pregnant," Haruka replied in exasperation. "I could live with him not knowing me, not loving me, but I couldn't deprive my children of their father."

"Instead you allowed him to infect them with his poison that could only lead them to hate themselves for their heritage whenever they learned of it," Kagome huffed. "Sumiko is determined to attend fashion school in Sapporo. What's she going to do when the first youkai approaches her thinking she is safe to approach because of her heritage?" And they would. If Sesshoumaru could detect the blood of her ancestors then it wasn't impossible that some other youkai with strong olfactory perception could do the same.

"Sumiko wouldn't hurt anybody," the mother protested sharply.

All three individuals listening in gave her a flat disbelieving look at the words. "You'll forgive me if I fail to believe your words when the twenty eight stitches she gave me are starting to ache." Haruka paled uncomfortably.

"The anesthetic is wearing off?" Natsuo asked in concern.

"Starting to," Kagome sighed wearily. "It was only a local. I'm starting to remember how sore it was before the stitches."

"It'll be worse now," the fox delighted in reminding her. Sesshoumaru shot the troublemaker a stern look. She was starting to get on his nerves delighting in Kagome's discomfort concerning a wound she had collected disarming a situation that also benefited all the kitsune and tanuki and partial youkai in Nishi no Mura. He wouldn't mind the scolding for neglecting her health he felt Higurashi had fully earned. But this was out of line.

"Sumiko's volatility makes it dangerous for her to go off to the city where youkai are not kept hidden," Kagome returned to the original topic. "If she reacted this way to a single youkai making a single statement alluding to her ancestry, what will she do in a city full of strangers that will not support or coddle her? What of your other child, your son? Has he suffered such encounters? What was his reaction? How many innocent, uninvolved people were hurt?"

"Takeuchi knows," Haruka sniffed wetly. "He's always known."

"The boy was born with cat-eyes," Natsuo explained bluntly. Youkai heredity was never terribly logical once mixed with human genetics. Non-human traits could skip whole generations before making an appearance in a bloodline.

"How?" the mayor's wife gasped in horror.

"Fujimoto-san has worked in the clinic for a long time," Kagome pointed out to the horrified woman. "She's seen more of the town's folk born than even Kinomori-sensei. Surely you didn't think you could keep anything extraordinary from such keen eyes?"

"I-"

"But that part hardly matters," Kagome steamrolled on. "There is no present evidence that Takeuchi has ever attacked anyone for comments made over his bloodline. Sumiko is another concern. She is dangerous, to herself and others."

"I planned to tell her before she went to school," Haruka declared. "She has no overt characteristics of her blood to show so there was no need for her to know before now."

"That's great," Kagome scoffed. "Destroy her perception of herself and send her off to school alone and without support. She is at that most difficult age, self-esteem is a problem. Telling her the truth now will make an enemy of her father, though he's not much of an ally right now, and yourself as she either rejects what you say and acts out violently or accepts it and hates herself."

"Well you've already told me it's dangerous to let her go without telling her," Haruka huffed. "Now you're telling me that informing her of our ancestry is also dangerous. What do you want from me?"

"You said you grew up in an accepting and sheltered town," Kagome replied. "Don't wait until just before she goes to school and release her on the world and don't tell her here where the dangers of her reaction will compromise her safety and that of so many others. That town where it was an open secret has seen this situation several times throughout its history. It can see it one more time. Sumiko needs to be shown that being what she is doesn't make her less than she always was. Of course it will have to wait until after she's served her term of punishment for her actions today. You may tell her the relocation, which you will attend her on, is an extension of the court ordered punishment. Violence was the wrong reaction whether Sesshoumaru-dono's observation was accurate or not."

"That...that might work," Haruka blinked as she thought about it. "The kids never got to spend much time with my parents after Shin was elected. Takeuchi got to visit them more often because he knew, but Sumiko might benefit from time spent with them."

"You probably will too," Natsuo added. "Get away from that poison you married and seriously think about separating permanently. He bruised Sumiko pretty badly today, before things devolved."

"Higurashi-san had to speak on the brat's behalf before he would let go," Sesshoumaru added. Natsuo wasn't there for that part, so he doubted she was aware.

"I will think on your suggestions and observations," Hamasaki Haruka intoned pensively, clearly their collective understanding of her situation had given her much to consider.

"Again I hope to see you and Takeuchi at the shrine tomorrow, provided his health has improved of course," Kagome softly offered the pale woman with a nod as the trio moved on towards the Fujimoto house. Hamasaki Haruka just stood there in thought, little noticing as the rest of them moved on.

"That was neatly done," the Fujimoto matriarch observed wryly.

"It's not done yet," Kagome scowled at the sarcastic fox. "I'll need to look into Hamasaki Haruka's background, find out where she came from so I can warn the shrine contact responsible for that area. I don't like shoving my problems onto others. I generally try not to cause trouble for others. But there is more than my preferences and my pride at stake in this." She took a deep breath and adjusted the sling a bit to alleviate some minor discomfort. "This solution allows for the best possible outcome for all concerned. A rural setting reduces the number of innocent bystanders. A more experienced community is better able to handle Sumiko's soon to be revelation without ending up barring her from her home."

"Hn," Sesshoumaru broke in before the fox could comment further. "This Sesshoumaru will notify Ryoichi to look into it. It may be easier to track the youkai bloodline than the human. Much of the interior of the island has little shrine representation."

"But -"

"You will be busy dealing with the legal fall out of today's mischief," Sesshoumaru pointed out. "Gathering the necessary information around your regular duties will take time and resources. Handling this situation jointly benefits us both."

"Sesshoumaru-sama is most generous," Natsuo declared before Kagome had the chance to refuse further.

The jinja no sewanin receded from the point with a heavy sigh. Clearly she didn't like handing over the reins, but she was already stretched fairly thin. The injury would not help.

"We will need this side of things resolved quickly," Fujimoto Natsuo continued sagely. "Despite the fact that Higurashi-sama is pressing charges against her attacker, this is a small town and the brat is the mayor's kid. If she is handed down any punishment for today's work, it is likely to amount to little more than a slap on the wrist. Community service at worst, and of fairly short duration."

Kagome growled and tugged at her sling in irritation, "I hate nepotism." Sesshoumaru raised a brow at her, goading her to continue, "I don't mind giving family members and friends specific jobs if they are actually qualified for them, especially public office."

"The mayor's cousin is our most respected judge," the nurse explained for the daijin's edification. "To be fair, he does have all of the legal qualifications for the job."

Kagome snorted but refused to be further engaged in the subject. Sesshoumaru found himself in agreement with her tactical retreat from the conversation. To continue the subject would achieve nothing. Natsuo didn't want to argue one side or the other so much as just annoy everybody present. It was a failing fairly common among the trickster breeds. They rarely knew when to ease off a topic that couldn't be won or lost.

Nepotism was such a one. While there are those who breed and train for positions of power and therefore are justified in appointing close family members to leadership roles, there are just as many who do it without training, breeding or any other specialized education to fulfill their gifted jobs. On the one side were those like the shrine families that would insist on training both at school and on the job before appointing someone the heir to a shrine. Kagome may not have completed the whole curriculum at the shrine school, but she did complete a significant number of courses before training under her great uncle in the specific demands of the shrine she inherited. Her ability to fill the role was tested time and again both during Mattaki's tutorship and during the many trials of her adolescence.

Sesshoumaru had followed a similar path to power under his father's strict direction. From early youth he was trained in the demands of power and leadership. He was bred from strength and tested for decades before the Northern Territory fell into his hands without the constant monitoring of his father. In such cases, Nepotism wasn't a full on evil just a fact of life.

On the other side were people like Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru barely restrained a grimace. The half-breed had never applied himself to the educational opportunities provided by their father. The territory so unfortunate as to fall under the hanyou's jurisdiction only avoided decline by their father's near constant interference. Sesshoumaru may have been watched for several decades to ensure his actions did not harm his people, but never did Masashi have to intervene in the north the way he did so often in the south.

Sesshoumaru had little doubt Kagome thought specifically of Inuyasha's ineptitude in his appointed position, a position gained only through bloodlines and not qualification. Youkai in the south would likely be better off if the boy were ousted from his place of responsibility by someone of better skill, honor, dedication, and strength even if they weren't the direct descendant of the great omo. In this case, as in that of the local judge, nepotism was a bane of society as a whole.

Sumiko should be punished fully for her actions. She was no more special or worse than any other narrow-minded person with violent tendencies. In the city, without her ties to an important municipal office, she might well be tried as a terrorist. At the very least assault would be taken seriously.

Although, Sesshoumaru paused his constant surveillance of the area to think sourly, as a minor Sumiko likely wouldn't get the full punishment he felt was her due even if she weren't so protected. The human government took a decidedly soft view when it came to punishing children. As Higurashi had said, the girl was only fifteen. It would be five years before she would be considered an adult in the eyes of human law. And she wasn't youkai enough to be subject to his own laws.

"I am a fool," Kagome muttered to herself, ignoring Natsuo's continued efforts to instigate some argument or another. Clearly, her thoughts had moved away from the present and fallen into darker waters.

Kitsune thrived in chaos and ideological dissent. The divide allowed them to be most effective. The absence of even heated, passionate discussion made them uneasy. Silence made even the most experienced anxious, unless they had a specific plan in mind which utilized the quiet. Kagome's serious, off topic words shocked the fox into uncharacteristic speechlessness.

The dark closed in on the sparsely lit residential street as the general mood grew more awkward. The fox had no clue what to say for the topic had not been divulged. There was no knowing what Kagome thought she had been a fool about or what had been her proof that she was. Sesshoumaru might have demanded an explanation, but he held enough respect for Higurashi not to do it in front of others. That and he had no use for an overabundance of words. Human psychology was not his strong suit.

The daijin preferred to be fully versed in the subjects he attempted to tackle. Kagome's declaration could likely not be taken at face value.

Luckily, the human's stomach growled, reminding them of their current business and galvanizing Natsuo into returning to the subject of nutrition, health needs and willful neglect.

Kagome cut into the harangue abruptly, suddenly back in the current situation and losing patience with the patronizing scolding about proper nutrition. "What are we having for dinner?"

"The family opted for a hot pot tonight," Natsuo answered cheerfully. "It is easily stretched to accommodate guests and you need something warm in you after being outside all day."

"Tea is warm," Kagome pointed out.

"Tea is mostly devoid of any real nutritional value," Fujimoto Natsuo scoffed. "It is not a suitable meal."

"I didn't say it was a meal," Kagome huffed. "I said it was warm. Which it usually is. Who thinks tea is a meal?" The Jinja no Sewanin glanced sarcastically back at the fox as they paused outside a curious two story building that was far too small to house the numbers Sesshoumaru knew most kitsune homes would contain.

"Just get inside Higurashi-sama," Fujimoto Natsuo growled gruffly.

"With such a warm invitation, I imagine dinner will be quite an experience," Kagome teased mildly. Her tone was slightly smug for getting a rise out of the fox that had been trying to provoke the shrine caretaker.

Two small furry bodies jumped Kagome the minute they cleared the door. The pair climbed Higurashi's unbalanced frame in a rush and the women let out a delighted laugh. "I missed you too!" she smiled indulgently, swaying slightly to compensate for their scurrying weight. Oki settled on her shoulder, picking at the unfamiliar strap of Kagome's sling. Naoki headed directly for the back of the sling and the freshly stitched wound underneath.

The small chipmunk youkai's nose twitched madly, collecting information on the well-being of his caretaker. At this age, while his senses were capable of detecting her wound, Naoki wouldn't have the skill to pinpoint an injury on a human that quickly. The young male had previous information to direct him, likely from the resident kitsune and Tasuke who had been present for Sumiko's attempted attack.

"It's all right," Kagome reached up with her free hand to caress Oki who was starting to shake on her shoulder. "We discussed this with the scratches before. Humans heal more slowly than youkai. I'll be fine, just sore for a few days."

Naoki dropped to the floor to dart around to face Kagome. His hands clutched at the legs of her pants anxiously. "I mean it," Kagome squatted carefully down to his level and Oki plopped down beside him. "It's a long scratch in a bad spot. That's the only reason I'm wearing a sling. My hand and arm are fine. It will take a little longer to heal, but it will heal. And you both will be back home with me to help out day after tomorrow." Naoki still looked unconvinced so she added, "I promise."

She wobbled slightly as she stood back up to continue further into the Fujimoto residence. Sesshoumaru was slightly surprised as he glanced around. The house should be bursting at the seams of every room with members of the family, both public and secret. From the outside the home had not looked large enough to house the two dozen or so member clan. Every fox present might not all be related, but their numbers seldom varied all that much from fox den to den, even in the same town. As such, finding that he and Higurashi were completely alone in the room with the pair of shimarisu pups was astounding.

"I was invited to dinner," Kagome explained to the curious but still silent pair. "Natsuo-san invited me, but mostly I just really missed you." She cast the clingy pups a warm smile. "Even Sesshoumaru-dono missed you. He missed you so much he followed me here!"

Naoki turned to stare incredulously at Sesshoumaru following behind her, while Oki tugged at Kagome's hakama and shook her head. "You don't believe me?" Kagome gasped in mock hurt. The pretense didn't last very long as she very shortly reached down and patted the young striped head staring up at her. "You're right. Sesshoumaru-dono is here for his own reasons. But I really did miss you."

Naoki returned his attention to Higurashi and secured his own handful of Kagome's clothing to tug her forward.

"Have you two eaten yet?" Higurashi continued to chat at her charges with affection. Both of the young youkai nodded in the affirmative and seemed to sadden at their answer. "Well, do you mind keeping me company anyway?"

Oki beamed her answer up at her guardian before dashing ahead into the next room where the wafting scent of cooked meat and vegetables beckoned. The male wrapped his arm fully around Higurashi's leg as if to assure her that he wasn't letting go.

The exchange, seemingly one-sided and very short in duration, informed Sesshoumaru of one exceedingly important detail. Dividing the shimarisu from the Jinja no Sewanin would do serious damage to the emotional and mental health of both. There was affection there on both sides, communicated by more than just words.

The inu followed the trio into the next room to find Oki carefully arranging a place setting for Higurashi on the low table as Naoki helpfully assisted Kagome to sit on a cushion designated as hers for the meal. The large table the meal was served upon wasn't crowded overmuch. Most kitsune dens served meals in waves or rounds. There were too many individuals to feed for meals to be all inclusive and most adult youkai did not require sustenance as often as the adolescents that were around. Pups ate multiple times a day. The very young and recently born could eat as often as there were hours in a day. Young who were weaned but constantly covered in fur ate regular meals five times a day.

The ones who were starting to perfect a human guise were then taken out regularly to learn to hunt and gather in the local forests for most of their meals. It was an important skill to have. Most secret kitsune dens only had six to eight public "family" members. Buying food for nearly three times that many would raise suspicions around them. Children didn't remain children forever. Someday the established dens would fall into the management of the pups being trained now.

There were no pups at the table and the hour indicated this was the last round of the dinner meal to be served for the night. Weaned pups were always served first and put to bed early. Nursing pups were kept in the secret portions of the den if there were any. Those being trained to hunt and gather, typically ate in the second round.

Visitors were often only admitted into the last round as the only participants were usually those publicly known. Tasuke and Fujimoto Moriko welcomed Kagome and Sesshoumaru to the table.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, it is a great honor to offer you hospitality," the young female offered. Scent told him that her apparent age was mostly accurate to her development. Moriko was in that middling age that placed her at late adolescence on the verge of maturity but still mastering her personal identity and grasp of ethics. "Higurashi-san is occasionally a guest of our kitchen but not often of our table."

"To visit too often without an overt justifiable reason would invite unnecessary scrutiny," Kagome objected to the hidden criticism. "Town opinion and the rumor mill can't be allowed to turn on your family specifically."

"Maybe," Moriko shrugged, before continuing slyly. "But more than Tasuke-kun are disappointed by your reticence."

Tasuke growled a light protest before nodding a respectful bow to both guests in their midst. "Sesshoumaru-sama, please ignore the empty prattling of a child who hasn't yet mastered the proper manners needed to welcome and honor company," he glared at his "cousin". "Higurashi-sama, it is a great pleasure that you could join us, however often it is you feel is right." Sesshoumaru's nose identified Tasuke as much older than the role he was playing. In all likelihood, the clan was establishing the next round of public faces with this current fostering. The fox had probably fostered in the area a few decades back, but would stay on in a position of some respectability this time. Tasuke was to be Natsuo's future replacement as Reynard of the perceived clan.

"Your welcome is gratefully received," Kagome nodded with a smile. "It smells wonderful." Higurashi's focus was quickly withdrawn from the two seated fox youkai to the busy efforts of Naoki and Oki to make her comfortable. Her free hand reached up to undo the buckled strap of her sling and loose her arm for use. It appeared she had every intention of using both hands to eat her meal.

Sesshoumaru found no reason to take issue with the action. Her hand and arm were undamaged. It was unlikely she would be attempting to lift anything heavier than her rice bowl and chopsticks at the table. But Natsuo seemed to see things differently.

"You put that back on!" the matron demanded sternly causing the pair of shimarisu to jump in surprise. "You said you would wear it and wear it you will!"

"You make me question whether entrusting you and your clan with the kits in my care was in their best interests," Kagome calmly declared. "When I arrived, you and your family had needlessly driven them into a panic over an injury you knew wasn't dire. I had to calm them after they had worried themselves into a frenzy. When I finally managed to soothe them you startle them again over something small and inconsequential."

"Higurashi!" Natsuo protested.

"I realize that keeping Naoki-kun and Oki-chan on the shrine was not possible with the traffic expected for Hatsumode. They could not stay with me safely, but their lives have been terribly marked by abandonment and upheaval in recent months. Being moved from the shrine, even temporarily, could not but be stressful. You and your family convincing them that the one person they've come to rely on might not come back because of attack and injury is not necessary nor helpful," Kagome continued firmly. "I may be human and terribly mortal. But I am also resilient, and the only person currently providing them constant care. You need to knock off your reactionary bullshit before I find a reason to get angry about it."

Sesshoumaru flared his youki to cut off any continued protest the fox might speak. "Higurashi speaks true. These pups need calm, security, and care," his golden eyes glared at the current "family" matron. "At no point today was she in serious danger of death. As such communicating the danger of attack, once past, was her purview and task, not yours."

Kagome reached out to pull out some of the stewing food at the center of the table only to wince and draw her arm back. She lifted the tip of her chopsticks to her bottom lip and considered the arrangement on the table a moment.

Sesshoumaru raised a brow as he realized her trouble. Reaching to the hotpot settled in the middle of the flat surface tugged at the fresh stitches on her shoulder. Continuing to reach for a portion of the meal would likely tear the stitches and the wound undoing the work of Kinomori-sensei. Oki quickly figured out the problem also and lifted herself up on the edge of the table to reach into the hotpot with a short spoon. On Kagome's other side Naoki grabbed the shallow plate provided and nudged it closer to catch what his younger sibling scooped out.

"Thank you very much," Kagome smiled at the pair warmly. "I told you I missed you!" Oki beamed and continued to lean forward to vigilantly refill Kagome's plate as Higurashi pushed it forward.

Naoki turned to Sesshoumaru and frowned at the absence of any movement to partake of the meal. "Don't worry, Naoki-kun," Kagome called to the pup having observed the direction of this attention. "The daijin can decide when he's hungry and provide for himself appropriately. He is mostly here to check on you and your sister." She winked at the small male as his eyes swung back to her. "I told you he missed you!" she teased him lightly. "Why don't you and Oki-chan show me what you've done while you've been visiting the kitsune."

The pair abruptly abandoned the table to run from the room only to return just as quickly with messy bunches of paper clasped in their arms. Oki pressed forward first and Naoki settled to the side in wait of his turn.

Kagome flipped through the pages of colored pictures and praised each one enthusiastically. "I'm going to have to purchase new books to store them all in. These are all so wonderful!" Oki glowed under the praise. Naoki took the time to organize his stack, pulling one page out to place face down on the floor under the table next to Sesshoumaru's knee. "What have you done Naoki-kun?" Kagome turned her attention to the older male. His stack of pages weren't simply colored pictures pulled from a coloring book. His were free drawings he'd created and colored on his own. Each received just as much praise, though the words were different from Oki's stack. "This is a very good depiction of Yui napping. He's so cute and the colors are so very bright!"

Sesshoumaru was equally impressed with Naoki's portraiture. The individuals he could identify were well sketched and easily identifiable. The colors were a bit crude given the limited number in a basic crayon box, but blending came with education and practice. The pup's reticence in showing the one picture hidden under the table piqued Sesshoumaru's curiosity though.

"Higurashi-san," Natsuo cut in impatiently. "Are you going to eat or admire art?"

"I didn't realize you expected me to eat with my eyes," Kagome snorted. "It would prove more effective to use my hands and mouth." which she already was, the nearly empty rice bowl clearly proved that fact.

"You're allowing them to distract you from your meal," Natsuo protested petulantly, unwilling to give up the point.

"No," Kagome shook her head, eyes wide at the fox's blustery refusal to allow the Jinja no Sewanin to enjoy her meal as she chose. "I am allowing them to enrich it with beautiful art that allows us to discuss their day. It is a normal conversation to have over dinner."

"They don't talk," Tasuke pointed out.

"They talk fine," Kagome corrected gently. "You simply have to know how to listen."

"I've spent all day with them," Moriko huffed. "Neither one has said a word!"

"Oh well words," Kagome laughed brightly. "If all the world used words to communicate it wouldn't have taken so long to establish peace between cultures and species!" She winked at the chipmunk male leaning into her side as he shuffled through his stack of drawings. "I'll let you in on a secret the shrine families discovered long ago and only a few ever managed to use in any capacity. Don't look for words. Communication won't always be verbalized. Naoki-kun tells me he missed me by his excitement when we are reunited. Oki-chan tells me she had fun today by her enthusiasm to show me what she did. They prove they care by solving a problem that would prevent me from eating comfortably without being told to." Kagome raised her hand to pat Oki on the head affectionately. "They shout their joy at being safe and cared for. You are truly deaf if you missed all that."

Sesshoumaru observed the three foxes, wondering at their inability to pick up on what Higurashi had to point out. They were certainly not specific ideas. Kagome didn't know exactly what her charges had done all day without her, though Naoki's drawings told her rather explicitly who was around. She didn't know what they ate, how often or if they spent the entire day in one room or another. But she knew they were content with what they'd done. She knew they were safe and missed her.

It was more odd that the only human in their midst had picked up on all that, was content to know only that, where the youkai had not.

There was plenty of information conveyed by nonverbal behaviors. Body language told a great deal. Facial expressions were fairly universal for the big emotions in young creatures that grew past the animal existence that expressed very little range. Youkai were closer to humans in their emotive expressions than their animal counterparts. Their faces were just more mobile and their model for evolution was the humans around them.

Oki and Naoki smiled when they were happy, frowned when they weren't and confusion was just as apparent when a situation arose they had no prior experience with. There were subtler expressions, conveyed more through the rest of their body language, but as easily decipherable if a person was paying attention.

"Hurry up and finish eating, Higurashi," Natsuo growled petulantly. Apparently, it was obvious what Sesshoumaru's thoughts were about the current subject and her clans' attention to his wards. It would have been a great honor to house any child associated with the daijin. Now it was certain, the Fujimoto enclave here wouldn't receive it when the time came to decide where Oki and Naoki would be moved come spring.

Her bad mood quieted Tasuke and Moriko from much conversation, but Kagome was resilient, Oki was oblivious, and Naoki was more concerned with Sesshoumaru's behavior.

"I'll finish eating when I finish, not before," Kagome scoffed as she smiled at Oki for spooning up some more vegetables and meat from the pot. "Thank you," she offered the little female in gratitude before making sure to eat everything the pup gave her. "Eating too fast is bad for everybody. I might choke or overeat," she shrugged at Natsuo's sullen expression. "That would defeat the purpose of eating to improve my health. Besides, dinner is good and I want to savor it while I view these masterpieces!"

Naoki glanced pointedly at Kagome's empty rice bowl. "You think I'm done?" Kagome asked him, turning her attention from the glowering set of foxes. She playfully frowned down at her bowl. "I suppose I could be, but art is very good for the digestion too." she teased him and he squirmed away when she tickled her fingers through the fur on his side.

"Give me your bowl, Higurashi," Natsuo gruffly demanded of the distracted human in their midst. One hand was reaching for the simple dish held firmly in Kagome's grip while the other hand wielded the rice paddle threateningly.

"You cannot think that more food will fit in my belly," Kagome shook her head at the meddlesome kitsune. Pulling her empty dish closer to her body and farther away from the grasping reach of her imposing host. "You'd just be wasting food!"

"You skipped a meal," the fox matron returned strongly. Sesshoumaru wondered at the female's willful determination. He was certain the public face of the Fujimoto Leash out here was old enough to experience humans recovering from malnutrition first hand. You didn't attempt to fix their health all at once. It was ineffective and occasionally made the problems worse. "Humans require regular meals to maintain good health and proper nutrition."

"And my very human stomach can only fit so much in it at one time," Kagome huffed back at her, incredulously. It surprised her that someone who had served as a nurse for so long wouldn't already know this. "Forcing more food will only prompt my digestive system to protect itself by ejecting slightly more than the surplus."

"Nonsense," Fujimoto Natsuo blinked in disbelief. Sesshoumaru was forced to reevaluate his judgment towards her possible age. Scent indicated the female was fully matured and aged some beyond that. Someone with claim to so many years usually couldn't also claim to be sheltered enough to be this ignorant of the mortal race that shared the world.

"Some nurse you are," Kagome scowled at the youkai trying to over stuff an organ already stretched to capacity. "Overfeeding someone just makes them sick. I have no desire to throw up a perfectly good dinner because you think I should eat more than I know I can handle."

Tasuke and Moriko watched the interaction as words bouncing from one opponent to the next, though their gazes were beginning to linger on Natsuo as the spat continued. Their eyes were widening in increasing astonishment. Likely, neither of the younger clansmen could believe their elder's behavior either.

"Natsuo, stop it," Kagome demanded of the elder female. "I am not one of your kits or a member of your Leash. I am not one of the other hidden youkai in town, nor am I currently your patient. I do not answer to your whims or orders and only concede to them when I am feeling indulgent. I am the shrine representative. I am supposed to exist outside factions within a community. You are an occasional ally, sometimes a friend, but not my superior or boss." She took a slow weary breath, Sesshoumaru assumed she was attempting to calm her temper or allow the fox to consider the words just spoken.

Before the conversation could continue, Tasuke spoke up to divert the subject. "We apologize greatly for the conduct of our representative towards you, Higurashi-sama. Diplomacy is not often the strong suit of kitsune in general and becomes increasingly taxing over time," the seeming teenager bowed deeply to Kagome in apology.

"Hn," Sesshoumaru commented to cut off Natsuo's negations or Moriko's curious questions. The apology was well placed and well timed in his opinion. Kagome had given several indications that she was coming to the end of her rope with the fox.

If Tasuke hadn't interfered when he did, Sesshoumaru would have. Shrine families were allies. They were a respected power in the youkai world. Some strove to accommodate specific species predilections in their dealings to ease negotiations for peaceful coexistence in their communities. They were not required to indulge the bad attitudes of the hidden youkai communities to the extent that Kagome had for Natsuo. Shrine families were owed respect and a certain amount of deference.

The Jinja no Sewanin had already suffered physical attack due to a lack of respect, Sesshoumaru had no desire to see a Higurashi further injured in any way by one of his own people. Natsuo was pushing it with her combative scolding before they arrived. Insisting on feeding the human until she threw up was an attack too, one Sesshoumaru would have prevented with violence. Tasuke speaking up had likely saved Natsuo from Sesshoumaru's retaliation on Kagome's behalf.

Higurashi was not a child, her doctor declared her health fine and Sesshoumaru was inclined to take his word for it over the kitsune. Even he knew that you couldn't fix a drought with a deluge, starvation couldn't be instantly corrected with a feast.

Kagome wasn't starving, but the premise held true.

Regardless, Natsuo was in the wrong trying to impose her solution on Higurashi after the doctor had already cleared his patient for a normal evening with minimal adjustment from a regular routine.

"Perhaps in effort to correct this breech in hospitality, you might allow us to offer you a greater accommodation," Tasuke continued after a pause. "May we offer you a bath with the assistance of Moriko? Your injury required stitches which must be kept dry. I also know such injuries tend to produce sore muscles that benefit from a soak. The location of the injury would make that difficult to accomplish while adhering to the care of your stitches."

Moriko exhaled loudly and rolled her eyes. "Kami that was dumb," She criticized. "I can't believe you felt the need to apologize for my manners before turning around and doing that!"

"Shut your mouth," Tasuke growled at the younger fox.

"There's nowhere in this country where offering someone who isn't staying the night a bath in mixed company like that is politely acceptable!" Moriko growled back. "For all that you are supposed to be the new Reynard of this Leash, you are still male where Higurashi-sama is decidedly female. However much respect we hold for her office, we are not so close that the lines of acceptable politeness can be that blurred! We are not her particular friends, we are not extended family and Higurashi will not be a guest of this house long enough for that particular offer to be considered an expected part of our hospitality."

"Moriko is correct," Natsuo put in, only slightly recovered from Tasuke's interruption and criticism of her own behavior. "I may have been able to make the offer in a medical capacity as you correctly assessed the reasons for making such an offer and Moriko might have been able to do it under the excuse of inexperience and youth. We are both female, whereas you aren't even the official Reynard yet. The offer, coming from you, was inappropriate at best."

"It was perverted!" Moriko huffed. "Clearly instinct overcame good sense!" she rolled her eyes at him again. It was common knowledge that kitsune were tricksters. It was only slightly lesser known that foxes were sexual teases and big on seducing reactions out of everyone they thought they could. It was an often well utilized skill used for their own protection, but it was also a great pleasure. The draw was bigger to individuals of opposite gender. Moreso among fully matured individuals old enough to procreate.

Sesshoumaru observed the devolving situation with growing irritation. Kitsune were not so tiresome individually, and even in small groups in public, they could be easily tolerated and counted on to behave respectably. Groups larger than two or three, especially in a private setting were trouble. They were easily lead down tangential paths, their joint tendency towards mischief, dissent, and argument for its own sake could turn a simple task into an hours-long headache for anyone trapped in the same room.

The two young ones stared in rapt attention at the spectacle developing on the other side of the table. It was too noisy and too volatile for such traumatized pups to ignore. Instinct and possibly their earliest guardians had likely taught them such wariness around larger youkai who needlessly spiked their youki in an otherwise peaceful environment. It was a good thing Naoki and Oki were only intended to remain with the Fujimoto leash one more day. The shimarisu siblings would be nervous wrecks if forced to stay much longer than that. Kagome's point had been well made earlier. The small pair of young youkai were beginning to shrink from their hosts even while their attention remained unwavering upon them.

It was Higurashi Kagome's reaction that truly spurred Sesshoumaru to act when he did. The human female had stood tall throughout the long day at the shrine. Her posture had conveyed genuine interest in well-wishing the disrespectful and disregarding visitors to the shrine. Her mien had been unchanging even in the face of physical attack. Here, out of the public eye, she'd allowed her patience to run out after a long day of abuse, selfishness, and haughty disdain. She'd allowed Natsuo to vent her fear and anxiety, heaping more abuse on the Jinja no Sewanin for receiving the injury at all, and now was the final insult.

Sesshoumaru esteemed her patience, her emotional stability, and her stamina. It had been a long day for a human, emotionally trying from the very start with the abusive phone call Inuyasha made before her time of waking. It was physically demanding, from the efforts to tidy up the shrine after nature's seasonal tantrums and hiccups to the blood she'd shed trying to keep the peace. The woman was only human and Kagome had very reasonably communicated that she was nearing the end of her tolerance for the unsolicited and oppressive methods made to see to her well-being. And now to be subject to this...

He completely understood the slumping of her posture, however so slight. The day had been exhausting in more ways than one. The inu youkai fully excused the ever so quiet sigh of exasperation she released when presented with her hosts squabbling over details like tired children. In more violent times, Sesshoumaru himself likely would have ended kitsune lives for such disrespect of surroundings and company.

Sesshoumaru was a visiting dignitary as far as the kitsune family should see him. He wasn't and wouldn't be around long enough for the lines of hierarchical division to be crossed or smudged. They all should be on their best behavior.

Higurashi should also be owed the same courtesy, but he imagined the constant exposure to her presence had eroded the boundaries and evolved into a sort of familiarity that allowed such informal behavior. The argument was petty and without purpose. The offer had been made, Natsuo should only have done what she could to enforce the offer of allowing the Jinja no Sewanin to use their bathing facilities while mitigating the possibility of any insult. Or she should have shortly retracted it, declared Tasuke out of line and apologized for the faux pas before closing the subject. Any abrading of the male could wait for privacy, handled with the air of a proper lecture as the error was explained and the correct behavior was demonstrated or taught in its place.

Kagome was at the end of what she could stand from her occasional companions and Sesshoumaru was at the end of his patience with this specific insult.

He let loose a short burst of youki and a subvocal growl to communicate both his displeasure and disapproval. There was no sound to reach their ears. The growl moved so slowly as to be even below human hearing. It wasn't their ears he wished to reach. The vibration translated from his true form to this one was meant to be felt. And to his satisfaction the kitsune felt it.

Sesshoumaru did not usually resort to such behavior. It was unlike him to allow the misbehavior of others to goad him into such short and overt retaliation, but it was also rare for him to have to put up with such bold displays of rudeness as well. And it was rare that he felt compelled to act on behalf of another person.

Thankfully, the squabbling stopped and all youkai attention in the room was drawn his way. Higurashi's eyes remained watching the others, unaware of everything going on in the room, though she did look a little worse for wear. His burst of energy likely caught her by surprise, but it was mostly directionless, localized and very small. Her own spiritual presence did not rise to respond or defend which only signified how very well controlled it was. Instead Higurashi looked a little green and Sesshoumaru suddenly remembered that some humans had a negative reaction to intense doses of the low frequency vibrations.

Sesshoumaru took a moment in the resulting silence to regret causing her issue, before shaking it off.

Kagome cleared her throat to redraw the attention in the room to the subject at hand. "As the offer was made with very good reasons and honest intentions, however likely other considerations influenced the mode of invitation, I believe I will take you up on it," she declared softly. "I would have difficulty performing the task on my own at home and the assistance of willing hands is much appreciated, provided suitable attire can be found to replace my current garments. It sort of defeats the purpose of bathing to climb back into dirty, blood-stained clothing."

There was a moment of undecided silence before Moriko rallied and responded. "Shouldn't be a problem, part of training requires mastering a number of different persona of both sexes," the spunky vixen declared. "Mastering clothing for each form doesn't come immediately so we always have extra clothing on hand." The fox's eyes roved over Kagome's current clothing before offering, "If you could leave your robes here, we might be able to save

them for you."

"I don't have any spares," Kagome shook her head as she stirred to rise from the low table.

"Then we'll be certain to get it done tonight," Natsuo finally recovered her aplomb to rejoin the conversation after Sesshoumaru's firm, if nonverbal reprimand. "Tasuke can drop off your repaired robes tomorrow morning when he heads up there for the day."

Higurashi nodded and turned to Oki with a smile, "Want to join me?"

The striped chipmunk stared at Kagome vaguely a moment as if surprised by the question before nodding enthusiastically in response to the invitation. As Higurashi pushed herself off the floor, Oki latched onto the back of the shrine robes opposite the tender injury so that her small body dangled off of Kagome's shoulder. The shrine caretaker then turned to the second of her charges and issued him the same invitation.

Naoki glanced from his guardian to Sesshoumaru before shaking his head against joining Kagome in her bath.

Higurashi's expression brightened as she took in the full effect of his communication. "You're probably right, one of us should remain with Sesshoumaru-dono. It would be a good time for you to tell him how you and your little sister are doing since his last visit," summing up her rather diplomatic interpretation of the chipmunks expressions. The human female turned her attention to her host and Oki as she passed from the room with excessively enthusiastic gestures and tones about her future enjoyment of washing with company.

Tasuke efficiently worked to clear the low table of place settings and the remains of their meal. Moriko disappeared into the deeper rooms to search out proper clothing for the Jinja no Sewanin to borrow. Quickly the room emptied of all but the inu and adolescent.

Amber eyes narrowed as he considered his remaining companion. Naoki stared after the retreating kitsune for several long moments before reaching under the table to pull up the single drawing withheld from Kagome's perusal. The nervous child glanced back at the empty doorway before flipping the paper over and placing it on the table in front of the daijin.

Unlike the other drawings with their garishly bright colors, this humble depiction was nearly entirely done in shades of gray. Limned on the paper was Higurashi, tiredly ignoring everything in favor of the device held in her hand. Sesshoumaru recognized the pose even without the solo splash of color highlighting the phone.

This was not portraiture for the purpose of passing time. It was not an idle piece meant to display skill or improve shading technique. Naoki drew this image with intent to communicate anxiety and concern for his guardian. Kagome could hide very little from the watchful eyes of her charges. The very nature of their association prevented it. But for these few days when the shrine was overrun with visitors the pair of shimarisu were with the woman all hours of the waking day.

Inuyasha's calls upset her. Naoki could tell. As such, the small male wanted to do something about it.

Most other males around Naoki's age would attempt to do things on his own. It was an age of trying to establish independence and emerging protective instincts. The boy's plunge under the ice had taught him limitations. There was little an immature chipmunk could do against a voice growling through a phone. Just as there had been little chance of Naoki clawing his way to freedom the day Kagome had taken the pair of youkai in.

The boy was smart to raise his concerns with Sesshoumaru.

"Hn," came the comment. Sesshoumaru's golden eyes stared into the dark brown ones lined by black and white stripes.

The adolescent scowled at the inu before stabbing a claw forcefully at the phone on the paper. The small point almost tore a hole in the page from his irritation. It was clear Naoki desired more of a response.

"This Sesshoumaru is working to correct the issue," rumbled from the silver male. "It will take time. The responsible party has many protections that must be worked around."

Naoki's shoulders sagged and his lip stuck out in a pout.

For Naoki, Inuyasha was a problem. The solution was to slay him or, barring that, silence the half inu in gruesome ways. Sesshoumaru would love to do that. It was a simple resolution to a long term irritant. Unfortunately, the hanyou's youkai blood came from the omo, and Sesshoumaru's father. Masashi would not sit idly by while Sesshoumaru maimed Inuyasha, forget killing him.

Sesshoumaru would not explain what held him back from fratricide. Naoki would not understand it, likely viewing the intricate details that prevented the immediate violent punishment of Inuyasha as poor excuses for inaction. Family ties had already proven insufficient to prevent abuse and almost murder. Naoki and Oki had been abandoned by their aunt at the start of winter too near a human settlement.

Sesshoumaru remained silent after that, ending a conversation that never really started. The two males sat in tense, partially sullen silence as they waited for Kagome to return.