The Call

~ Kitty

Chapter 2: Between every two pines...

…

"Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity; and that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life."

― John Muir, Our National Parks

It was a tiny airport, more like the waiting lobby of a doctor's office than an entire airline service. Kagome, Sango, and Miroku all entered with wide, astonished eyes. It was the first time they'd ever been to so small a terminal. The air held on to the scents of the many passengers that have passed through, the dirt and grime from prior adventures, fragrances from tundra flora. Gruff men and women napped in the old, worn out chairs, sinking into the flattened cushions. There were a few other expeditions heading out from Fairbanks that morning, their crisp, clean expedition gear a colorful contrast to the dusty worn clothes of the locals returning to their remote villages. Several men cloistered around the coffee pot, discussing their route plans with lazy, curling wisps of steam framing their faces. Inuyasha rolled his eyes at his companions' wide-eyed curiosity and trudged over to the counter.

"Ten o'clock, Bettles," he said gruffly, "Inuyasha Takahashi."

"Ten o'clock… Bettles," the man at the front desk squinted at the computer screen as he pulled up their reservation, "Got it, for four passengers?"

Inuyasha grunted and lifted his pack onto the scale between the counters. He felt a presence come up beside him and stiffened.

"So that's neanderthal for 'yes'?" Kagome joked. She groaned as she eased her pack off her shoulder, the filled-to-bursting bag landing with a sad thump. He grunted in response, drawing out her laughter. It was bright and clear, like a bell, unashamed of the attention it received in the quiet lobby. He managed control over his lips but a hint of a smile entered his eyes before he glanced away, rolling them sarcastically.

"Ok, Inuyasha, step on the scale please," the airline staff gestured.

Kagome looked puzzled, even as Inuyasha moved to comply.

"They need our weight, too?"

Inuyasha shrugged, "Keh, small plane."

They all checked and weighed in and all found seats in the quiet lobby, glancing this way and that, chittering with excitement. Inuyasha lounged in a chair, pulling his broad-brimmed hat low over his eyes and for all appearances, fell asleep. He fit right in with the other experienced passengers, with their gear boxes and mud-caked boots, apparent boredom written onto their features. But Sango, Miroku, and Kagome were wired with eager anticipation. Their adventure was about to begin and Kagome was exuding jittery excitement.

"I can't believe this is really happening!" Kagome exclaimed in a hushed whisper. The atmosphere was almost brittlely quiet, like a library, and compelled her to attempt to curb her enthusiasm. But her entire body was energized, practically vibrating in her seat as her eyes flashed. Sango laughed at her friend, though in truth, they all felt the same nervous zeal, manifesting as a fast paced pulse in their chests.

"Think we'll see any bears?" Miroku wondered, "Moose? Wolves?"

"Don't be stupid, Miroku," a grouchy voice sounded. Inuyasha maintained his reclined position but continued to speak, "There's no way we're seeing wolves."

"Why?" Kagome asked, turning to face him. She was feeling brave, and moved to pull up the brim of his hat and reveal his eyes. She laughed at his annoyed glare, deciding there was nothing that could dampen her spirits today.

"Wolves are smart," he said, "Wolves are cautious. Seeing a wolf is like finding the holy fucking grail. You'd have to specially track and lure them out if you want to see one."

He raised his hand to push aside hers and slammed his hat back down over his eyes, crossed his arms, and slouched back down. Kagome pouted at his curtness, flicking the brim of his abused hat.

"Sourpuss," she called him sarcastically, before turning back to Sango. She missed the huff and the smile that pulled at his lips in response to her tap. 'Hurry up and wait' turned out to be an accurate description of their experience as they idled in the waiting area for another forty five minutes, watching hungrily as an earlier flight was called and boarded, twiddling their thumbs anxiously, twitchy with anticipation for their Alaskan adventure. All the while, Inuyasha maintained his bored, disenchanted position like every other seasoned passenger.

Finally, it was their turn.

"I need Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, Kagome, Peter, and John?"

The three of them practically leapt out of their chairs, much to the amusement of the others in the waiting area. The two other passengers joining their flight chuckled to themselves as they gathered their belongings and lumbered over. Inuyasha just rolled his eyes, lingering towards the back as they all lined up.

Flying out on a bush plane was a far more informal affair than the common commercial flights taking off from the nearby international airport. The staff marked them off like teachers taking attendance, then led them to the small, well used plane. Kagome eyed the weathered, worn metal with some apprehension, clumsily patting the side of the plane as she precariously climbed the thin loading steps. Inuyasha eyed the motion curiously before swinging himself smoothly up into the cabin. The familiar, musty smell of the aged upholstery and greasy metal embraced him like an old friend. He may have a distaste for machinery and loud, growling engines, but the bush plane was a necessary evil that he was well practiced with, and the tension he felt from being in civilization began to loosen as his body recognized the hallmarks of rugged life in the woods and mountains. Miroku and Sango settled in towards the front of the plane, leaving Inuyasha and Kagome to squash themselves together towards the rear. The plane tilted strongly upwards, so that the only thing visible from the cockpit windshield was the clear blue sky. Kagome made herself small, tucking her legs together, trying to avoid the awkwardness of touching thighs. Inuyasha, for his part, continued to look bored and unimpressed.

"Alright folks!" Their pilot said, climbing into the cockpit and switching on the plane. "Seatbelts on. Emergency instructions are in the seatback pockets."

The little metal beast roared to life, shaking all the passengers inside while it warmed up. Kagome couldn't tell if her heart was jittering from the plane's vibrations or her own thrilling excitement. It was crammed inside the plane and she was wedged awkwardly into a small, minimal seat with hardly enough cushion to count for comfort. Inuyasha beside her had to stifle a smile at her inexperience as her head turned this way and that, taking in what details she could for her first time in so small a plane. Her eyes followed the pilot's actions as he toggled switches and pushed and pulled levers. The plane lurched forward and she let out a soft gasp, hands clutching at the seat beside her and landing on his thigh. The contact sent a thrill through him that startled him, even as she jerked back quickly.

"Sorry!" She whispered, embarrassed. He couldn't define what came over him in that moment. His hand moved on its own, grasping her slender palm and giving it a squeeze.

"Look outside," he told her as they began accelerating down the bumpy runway. Her hand gripped his tight as she obeyed, eyes drinking in the sight as the little plane began to climb up into the sky. A gust of wind and their flying metal cage wobbled and dipped. This time, Kagome practically flung herself against him, her other hand wrapping around his arm and pulling her body close. Inuyasha ignored the fluttering in his stomach and again, urged her to look outside.

"You're fine," he said, "Look outside. It's my backyard."

Again, she shifted to obey, and the brush of her clothes against his arm distracted him as he watched her take in the beauty of the Alaskan wilderness. The city of Fairbanks faded away behind them, and the ground below was transformed. Thick, lush forests of pine and alders blanketed the rolling hills and mountain slopes, while wide, powerful rivers carved winding oxbows around them, tapering higher up the mountain ravines into thin, tumbling creeks that crashed down to the valleys below. Wide, sparkling lakes, rocky, reckless mountain peaks, and a peerless blue sky. There was something bold and desolate about Alaska, and it sang a siren's song to her as she gazed down at its beauty from the loud, little plane. He saw her breath come in short and shallow and he found something bewitching in the way she gazed down in rapture. Something about her new and innocent mesmerization of something he held near and dear created a warm bubble in his abdomen and he found himself watching her for a majority of the hour and a half flight into Bettles.

…

Miroku had nodded off quickly after they took off, and it wasn't until Sango poked him in his side that he roused, abruptly, to see her holding a finger to her lips and urgently pointing behind them.

He glanced back surreptitiously, before whipping his head back around in a double take and staring at the pair behind them in surprise. Kagome's full attention was out the window, batting at Inuyasha's chest absently to draw his attention to whatever it was down below. With more patience Miroku had ever witnessed in his anti-social friend, Inuyasha seemed to whisper something into Kagome's ear, pointing down to explain this or that about what she'd spotted. They were pressed close to each other as they leaned against the window, practically spooning, and Miroku somehow managed to fish out his phone for a candid shot before either of them noticed their audience. Flipping back around, he smirked conspiratorially to Sango and gave her a thumbs up. She rolled her eyes but smiled just the same. Things were looking good.

Kagome's arm was wrapped around his again as the plane bounced repeatedly on their landing into Bettles. The gears and joints in the rusty, old contraption squeaked as it reunited with the earth. It was a short, gravel runway and the agile little plane swung around before coming to stop. Safely back on earth, Kagome heaved a relieved sigh.

"Ok, welcome to Bettles!" The pilot announced, swinging his door open and disappearing to the ground. The back of the plane thumped and the door swung open, allowing the passengers to file out and taste the fresh air.

Boxes and packs were being unloaded and they quickly picked out their gear before heading for the small general store, Inuyasha leading the way. It was a small building, all the buildings in the settlement were. The only thing larger was the airplane hanger in the distance. As they approached, a pair of low, dark shapes could be spotted milling around the porch and Inuyasha flinched to hear a squeal from behind him.

"Puppies!" Kagome cried, rushing forward. He was about to call out to caution her, the hunting dogs were not coddled house pets, but she quickly dropped to a crouch before them and reached out to introduce herself. The dogs, initially startled by the enthusiastic human rushing up to them, paced a bit before stretching out with their noses for a tentative sniff. Inuyasha huffed a quick, relieved sigh to see that the young woman at least understood the importance of allowing an animal to decide when it was comfortable enough to approach her on its own. Rolling his eyes, he moved around her to enter the dark store interior.

The shop owner glanced up when the door opened, and she smiled to recognize her customer.

"Inuyasha," she greeted, "That was quick, couldn't stand the city for more than a couple days?"

"Feh," Inuyasha grunted, "When can you take us out?"

She rolled her eyes. Inuyasha had always been straight to the point, private, and kept to himself. He wasn't an oddity in these parts though. Many of her regular customers were uncomfortable with human company, and she rarely saw them, typically only received shipment orders. She glanced behind the solitary young man, surprised that Inuyasha had company this time.

"Fred just flew out with another group," she told Inuyasha, "He should be back in an hour or two. These your friends?"

Inuyasha just shrugged and grunted again, turning and stepping right back out the door, leaving Miroku and Sango to introduce themselves. Outside, Inuyasha was met with a rather amusing sight.

What was once just two dogs had suddenly become five, milling around the slender, crouching figure, tails wagging. The dog she was currently showering attention on was half melted to the ground, a leg twitching rapidly as she worked her fingers into that special spot behind a floppy ear. A cloud of fur had risen around her and a young pup tried to wedge his nose under her arm, demanding she share her love. Wet, pink tongues were everywhere, on her cheeks, her nose, her chin. Her laughter, light and bubbly, latched onto him and he stood hostage there, witnessing the scene.

"Kagome," Sango's voice called, ending the petting spree. Kagome looked up as Miroku and Sango emerged. She reluctantly stood, patting her thighs to dispel the dust and the fur.

"We have to go to the ranger station for an intro thing," Miroku told her, waving toward the green roofed building. The dogs trailed after her for a short distance, eyes dewy and sad, mourning the loss of her stroking fingers. The four humans crunched down the dirt and gravel road toward the station. It was very quiet in the air around them and their footsteps seemed loud and abrasive. The station was a small, sturdy building, brightly painted, with a rustic wooden sign bearing the familiar arrowhead logo of a national park. Before entering, Inuyasha veered off to a set of cubbies while Kagome glanced over curiously. He produced a large, sturdy looking revolver from a pocket and casually placed it in one of the metal cubes, pulling out the accompanying key and checking the lock. Glancing at her interested expression, he nodded at a "No Guns" sign posted on the door before moving inside.

A bright young face looked up eagerly when they entered, brightening further as Inuyasha stepped in behind them. The interior was dressed up like a museum exhibit, with taxidermied animals lining the walls and shelves, each with a neatly printed description card. But the very first thing that visitors were drawn to look at was a large, highly detailed map of the Brooks Range, old and faded, but impressive nonetheless. While the rest of the group gazed around wide eyed, the ranger stepped up to greet Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha!" The ranger exclaimed, "You're back!"

"Keh," he responded.

"How was Fairbanks?" It became immediately obvious all the young ranger's attention focused on the returning local. Inuyasha shrugged, even as the young woman came around the counter to bat her lashes at him.

"Bring me anything?" She asked coyly, completely ignoring his companions. Miroku coughed into his fist.

"Excuse me? We were told we needed to get an intro briefing?"

The ranger glanced over with disinterest. "Oh, sure," she said absently, "Just push play on the screen in that room."

She gestured down a hallway before quickly returning her attention to the uncomfortably uninterested Inuyasha. Kagome gave him an amused look as she passed him, her eyes sparkling and her expression brightened into a full smile when he glared at her in response.

Twenty minutes later, Inuyasha felt he'd had just about all he could bear when Kagome and the rest emerged from the backroom, Miroku covering a yawn as he exited. The ranger turned as his attention shifted, assessing the other three, clearly unimpressed. With little else to do at the station, they wandered back to the airstrip, Kagome easily keeping pace with his long strides, enough to voice her questions from the video they'd just been subjected to.

"So, when should I use the bear spray and when should I just rely on you and that big gun of yours?"

He glanced down at her smiling face, noting the hint of playfulness in her eyes. He rolled his eyes before responding.

"We won't get close enough for that," he said.

"How can you be so sure?" She asked, genuinely curious.

"I just am."

Kagome pouted. "OK, fine, then, what about what the ranger said about burning your trash? Is that really ok?"

"Keh, do you really want to lug around your smelly trash for all the bears to smell?"

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye to catch her considering expression.

"I guess that makes sense…," she acquiesced. Then her look turned sly.

"So…," she said, her voice taking on a musical quality and she stepped closer to him, "That young ranger seemed very interested in you…"

Inuyasha couldn't help himself and just groaned, pulling his hat lower over his eyes and picking up his pace. Kagome laughed at him and slowed hers, falling back in step with Sango as they headed back to the general store. The shop owner was there and waiting for them.

"I need to weigh you and your packs," she informed them, standing beside an ancient looking scale and holding several lead blocks with their weights etched into their sides.

"Gosh, you really can't be weight sensitive here, can you?" Kagome murmured to herself, smiling up at Inuyasha when he snorted. "More people here know my weight than back home!"

It was quick and informal, their weights jotted down on a scrap of paper and taken inside. Then, all there was to do was wait. The dogs returned for more petting and Kagome couldn't help but surrender to the wagging tails and cold, wet noses. Miroku and Sango decided to take advantage of their last stop with a toaster oven and feasted on some frozen pizza while Inuyasha found a seat on the porch steps and returned to his bored and napping position from the airport at Fairbanks.

"Hurry up and wait, huh?"

Inuyasha tilted his head up and squinted at her. Backlit from the afternoon sun, Kagome stood above him, a gaggle of dogs trailing at her feet. He grunted.

"Why yes, Kagome," she answered herself, pushing her voice box down to mimic his lower timber, "It's 'village time' out here."

Inuyasha smirked, despite himself, sitting up a little and humoring her chatty mood.

"Get used to it," he told her, "No clocks, remember?"

"Hmm," she said, plopping down on the porch beside him. "It's so relaxed here," she said, "Nobody's in a rush."

He grunted.

"Why yes, Kagome," she said low in her throat again, mocking him, "Get used to it."

He snorted. "You always so damned peppy?"

"You always such a sourpuss?"

Grunt.

"Yeah, I thought so."

A small, rust colored dog with stumpy legs waddled up to her and her attention shifted.

"Aw, come here you little fuzz ball!" She placed both her hands on either side of the little dogs face, caressing its jaw and massaging its ears. Inuyasha huffed softly to himself but Kagome didn't miss the look he gave her.

"What?" She asked playfully, "You jealous?"

"Keh."

"Don't mind him," she told the little fuzzy face, "He's just a big grumpywumps."

The dog placed his paws on her legs, struggling to haul himself up and over her knees. She giggled and helped the little creature onto her lap. Inuyasha watched her for a little while, unable to admit to himself that he was, in fact, just a little jealous. It was the tenderness with which she handled the little creature.

"You're a dog person," he said, a statement more than a question. Kagome laughed and he enjoyed the brightness in the sound.

"I'm an animal person," she said, "Too bad my job makes it difficult to have pets."

Grunt.

Kagome laughed again, turning to him and leaning in. Startled, he stared up at her with wide eyes.

"You need to work on your conversation skills," she told him, "did someone forget to tell you we've evolved beyond 'bam bam' and 'ugga wugga'?"

Snort. Kagome chuckled to herself then sighed. She leaned back and gave him his personal space back.

"So… when are we flying out of here?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "Whenever Fred gets back," he said, "So hurry up and wait."

Kagome laughed again, shaking her head. They fell silent, sitting on the porch and watching the activity happening around the airstrip. Several other collections of people also waited, some making last minute preparations while others lounged about with nothing to do. Miroku and Sango eventually emerged from the little general store, lips smeared with grease from their pizza. And then things settled into silence again, Kagome scratching her lap dog's chin while the rest sat, and sighed, and waited for their pilot to return.

…

Their next plane was smaller than the first. When Kagome first caught sight of it coming in to land on the lake they'd been driven out to, she could hardly believe it was capable of carrying passengers. The floats under the fuselage were faded and Kagome feared they would spring a leak, sinking the entire aircraft into the lake. They unloaded from the pick up truck and trudged down to the pier to meet Fred.

"This everybody?" The pilot was asking. Inuyasha grunted an affirmative, briefly pausing to accept the offered hand shake before making his way to the back of the plane to load his pack. Fred turned an amused smile to the rest of the group.

"So, you're entrusting your lives to this grouch for two weeks?" He asked, gesturing at Inuyasha with a sharp jerk of his thumb.

"Hey!" Inuyasha yelled over his shoulder. Kagome laughed freely but made herself useful, lugging over her pack for Inuyasha to load. Miroku was less than helpful.

"Sango! Let's take a picture!"

The young man enthusiastically pulled his fiancé into his arms, holding out his phone for a selfie. Kagome laughed, smiling at the couple while Inuyasha grumped.

"Get your bags, dumbass," he grumbled. Miroku glanced over and smirked, heaving his overly laden pack toward his grumpy friend.

"Here ya go!"

"What am I, your pack mule?" Inuyasha growled under his breath. He loaded the pack though, and accepted Sango's pack when Kagome handed it to him.

"You sure this little guy's gonna get us to our drop off point?"

Grunt.

"Ok, now you're just doing that to annoy me…"

Grunt.

Kagome couldn't stop herself. Her slim, little fist flew out and playfully tapped him on the shoulder. She laughed at his startled expression and stuck out her tongue. Before he could retaliate, Miroku was in between them and ushering them in front of the plane for a group photo.

"Get off of me!" Inuyasha growled, half-heartedly struggling to get out from under Miroku's arm.

"C'mon Inuyasha, smile!"

Kagome couldn't help but laugh. The image was endearing, with Miroku slung over Inuyasha's shoulders, almost piggy-back, and she stepped into position almost shyly, feeling intrusive in their bromance. Inuyasha immediately stilled when Kagome came in for the photo, her shoulders just barely brushing against his shirt. The lake water rippled and buckled in the wind and Kagome giggled as she reached out for something stable to steady herself. His arm came around her unconsciously, like it was the most natural thing in the world and cradled her waist, pulling her against his strong, firm body and she stood stock still, feeling the warmth of his heat against her back and her cheeks were flushed as she smiled at the camera.

It wasn't long before they were all piled into the tiny, metal plane, barreling down the little mountain lake and then soaring up, heading toward their little camping adventure.

…

The tiny lake looked like hardly enough water for proper landing, and when the plane dipped down for its final approach, Kagome squealed to see the pine trees come rushing up as if to rip their little metal raft right out of the sky. Inuyasha's body moved on its own, bracing her shoulders and murmuring under his breath.

"You're ok," his deep, soft voice said into her ear, "You're ok."

She shivered against him, his breath tickling the hairs at the nape of her neck. Every little movement seemed to tip the plane off balance and they bounced as they hit the water, rocking to the side before slowing. Kagome released guilty fingers from Inuyasha's forearm, leaving little indents where her nails dug into his skin.

"Sorry!" She said, surprised at herself for the harm she'd caused.

"Keh," Inuyasha grunted, eliciting a little huff of amusement from her. She gave him a lingering smile, and then her attention was entirely captured by the goings on around her. Their pilot maneuvered around the lake with practiced ease, assessing the depth of the shores and selecting a suitable section of shoreline to pull up alongside. Kagome was bouncing in her seat as they all felt the grumbling clatter of the branches brushing against the metal wings. Her face was a picture of excited anticipation as she gazed at the green outside the window. At long last, Fred deemed the boat in position to disembark.

"Watch your step, everybody!" He called out, opening the passenger door and helping Miroku and Sango out. Inuyasha appeared next and immediately turned back to offer a hand to the final passenger. Her slender fingers gripped his with excitement and her smile was brilliant as she stepped out and looked around, eyes sparkling as though beholding the world for the first time.

"Wow," she breathed, "That is just amazing!"

The air was clear and the sky was blue. The sun shone down on them, radiating it's warm, gentle energy and the whole world around them rose up to rejoice in the short, bountiful summer. The world seemed oversaturated. The greens were over green, the blues were deep and dreamy. Swaying in the marsh grasses, little white cottony balls waved at the newcomers in little bobbing motions in time with the breeze. A light wind buffeted up to them and brought with it a wonderfully deep, earthy scent, somehow sharp, as if acidic in nature, bracing them and Kagome turned to him with a wide, radiating smile.

"You have an amazing backyard," she told him, "I'm crazy jealous!"

Inuyasha, for lack of a better response, grunted again and shrugged, bashfully turning away and helping Fred unload the little Beaver floatplane. It was with mixed feelings that Kagome watched Inuyasha's sinewy figure help the pilot push off from the shore and all four of them solemnly witnessed the plane's departure, roaring down the lake's length before lifting into the air and soaring away. The little red-painted plane slowly faded from sight and the sound of its engine gradually dissipated and all that was left was three still figures contemplating quietly this strange, alien feeling of truly being cut off from civilization, trapped in a great, wide open expanse of wilderness with only each other to depend on for the next two weeks. As the group glanced uneasily at each other, Inuyasha busied himself, tightening the straps of his pack before swinging it up onto his back. Kagome glanced at him and frowned.

"You're starting off in water shoes?" She asked, surprised to see him in shorts and sandals.

"We're in a bog," he said simply, before turning and trudging away, using a pair of trekking poles to find steady purchase on the shifting ground. His actions spurred everyone into action, Miroku calling out for the disappearing figure to wait.

"Jeez, Inuyasha!" He called after Inuyasha's back, "Wait up, man!"

Sango and Kagome glanced at each other, sharing lopsided smiles before turning to their packs, mimicking Inuyasha's dress. The mound of earth they were perched on was deceptive, for it only took Kagome a few steps to wind up knee deep in muck, the added weight of her pack pressing her deeper into the muskeg soil and her throat cried out in surprise.

"Ugh!" She said in a high pitched squeal, "That's gross!"

The water was cold and sent goosebumps up her thighs. Glancing around, her eyes landed on a neat little pile of almond shaped droppings and a grimace spread across her face.

"Ew…" she whined to herself. Despite her revulsion, the spark of excitement remained in her eyes, even as her nose wrinkled. She shifted, struggling to release the foot and it took an exaggerated heave to convince the marsh to surrender her shoe with wet pop.

"Wow!" She exclaimed to Sango, who'd sported a similar, disgusted look that dragged down the corners of her lips. Kagome giggled at her, then said, "This is not what I was expecting!"

Sango gave Kagome a look that made the shorter girl giggle harder before rolling her eyes and shaking her head. Carefully avoiding the pile of moose droppings Kagome nearly landed in, Sango tentatively took her first brave steps out onto the taiga. Kagome was plunging ahead, arms flailing as she struggled to keep her balance, alternatively giggling and squealing with each muddy, marshy step she took. This was why Sango had wanted Kagome to come along. There was simply nothing that could bring down the bouncy, peppy young woman and Sango was glad to have Kagome here with her. The pair of women reached for each other, gripping each other at their elbows as they laughed together, struggling against the suction grip of the ground below them and began trudging after Inuyasha. Miroku was making headway, reaching out to grab Inuyasha by the shoulder in an effort to slow him down.

"We're not all mountain hermits like you!" He exclaimed, "Give us a second!"

Inuyasha turned and glanced back. Shaking off Miroku, he snorted, "They look like they're fine."

He couldn't tell what the two women were gibbering about but suddenly raucous laughter erupted from the pair. Miroku and Inuyasha both stared at the women, each seeing a radiant smile atop a pair of strong, sturdy legs and when the girls turned to glance at them curiously, they each met a pair of direct, unashamed gawking eyes.

"What are you lookin' at?" Kagome demanded, returning stare for stare. At this distance, it was easier for him to resist the sparkle in her eyes and Inuyasha raised an eyebrow in response to the dare inside her playful expression. Sango just shook her head, glancing around.

"So where's this river we're supposed to be following?" The taller girl asked. The sun was warm in the later afternoon and already a sheen of sweat was appearing on her forehead. The sinking earth beneath their feet made forward movement a challenge, and, added to that, the strange, wobbly tufts of marsh grass, tussocks, were land mines for their ankles, and eventually Kagome learned it was far safer to step between them than on them. Inuyasha had to suppress the quirk of smile as he watched her, gingerly stepping between the tussocks and sinking into the soft, marshy soil. Her expression was constantly changing in reaction to each unbalancing step, shifting from a wide eyed concern, to a brightly grinning smile when something amused her. The smile was wide on her face despite her squeals in protest to the slimy swampy mud that trickled into her socks. He had to catch himself before his own lips could pull back into a grin. Setting his expression back to his usual glower, he shouted back at them.

"Pipe down, will you!"

Kagome looked up abruptly, her face open for a breath before she narrowed her eyes and stuck out her tongue.

"Sourpuss!" She yelled back, "How on earth are you moving so fast?"

"I'm not a gimp," he retorted loudly. Miroku was busily trudging back towards the pair, holding out his hands to offer aid. Sango thought nothing of accepting, but Kagome gave the offered hand a suspicious glare.

Miroku feigned offense at the insinuating look Kagome gave him, "I'm an engaged man, Kagome!"

In front of them, Inuyasha snorted, "Yeah, and that in itself is a miracle."

His braid swayed, thumping against the side of his pack as he moved. Finding a rhythm, his gate was even and his legs worked in time with his breathing. With his hiking poles providing an additional two points of contact with the ground, he moved like a wild animal, each limb contributing to his forward motion smoothly, almost effortless. There was a resonance he could achieve out here, something that pulsed inside him that found solace and harmony in this environment and his heart was light and easy in the beautiful arctic day. Glancing back at the huffing triplet, he couldn't stifle his groaning sigh. Seeing their stumbling, struggling movements, he paused, glancing upward along the slopes of the nearby mountains and changed direction, climbing higher. It would be drier, higher up, which made for easier trekking, but they'd have to fight their way there through the tangled branches and the snagging boughs. His arms went to work, pushing the dense foliage aside as he made his way up.

When another round of laughter erupted from behind him, he glanced back in surprise. The thick alders weren't usually something people laughed at. Cursed and avoided, but certainly not enjoyed the way those behind him seemed to. But they'd slowed once reaching the dense, coiled branches and he watched them for a while, the struggling and the slipping, before he finally sighed and moved back down to them.

Kagome looked up sharply when his hand appeared before her, the handle of his trekking pole pointed toward her. She was in the midst of battle with a particularly stubborn bush that seemed poised to swallow her whole. The image was comical and he didn't even realize the wide amused smile that had plastered itself across his face. Kagome's reaction to his open expression was a brief moment of frozen breathlessness. He had strong, sharp features and when his glower was absent, he could really be a lady killer. Gratefully, she grabbed hold of the hiking pole handle, trying to find a place to use it for leverage. Her pack held her tightly to the tree and after watching her struggle for a moment or two, he leaned in again, offering his now free hand.

"Need a hand?"

"I need a helicopter!"

He huffed a snort, before reaching out and gripping her wrist tightly as he heaved, pulling her against him to untangle her from the tree. She yelped as she came forward, her voice muffled against his shirt where she landed.

"Free at last!" she joked, ignoring the thrill of his hard body supporting her unstable one.

Grunt.

"Why, you're welcome, Kagome," she said sarcastically, "Anytime, Kagome."

He turned around to hide his smirk, lest she find out just how much her antics amused him. There was still a long ways up, toiling through marshy clearings and tangled alders. Hard, scratchy branches lashed out at the bipedal, furless intruders and left angry red welts across her shins. Her breathing came in moist, heavy pants, punctuated with a giggle or startled yelp when the ground or a branch moved in unpredictable ways. It was slow, tough going in the strong sunlight. Eventually, they stepped out onto soft mossy earth without sinking into glacial meltwater and a cool gentle breeze brushed against their sweaty, flushed faces. Inuyasha paused for long, deep breath, then nodded his chin down the valley.

Kagome turned her eyes in the direction of his nod, gasping at the sight that met her eyes. She was gazing down at a pristine, mountain valley, dotted with colorful flowers, framed by spruce. The sky above was a perfect baby blue and something about the simple alpine beauty clawed at her throat and she swallowed hard. She blinked rapidly for several moments, completely taken with sunny landscape. They waited several minutes for Miroku and Sango to catch up enjoying the quiet serenity of the remote mountain side. Kagome's eyes drank in the sight and her lungs absorbed what they could of the clean air in long, deep draughts. For years, she'd stared at pictures of pristine mountain wilderness, dangerous and alluring, calling to something deep down inside her. Now she was here, though a part of her could hardly believe it. No longer gawking at images on computer screens or peering through a window. She'd stepped through the photograph and into a brand new world.