Yato x Kagome

There was a God beyond that treeline.

Higurashi Kagome paused the moment she sensed the faint rush of divine power, breath caught in her throat. "I should… go back," she quietly mumbled to herself. It had been a year or two since she had last encountered a God amongst men, and she was not entirely certain she was prepared for the, "O, mighty priestess, please worship the ground I walk upon!" any time soon.

Then again, she supposed it would be rather rude not to pay her respects to the deity.

The young woman glanced over her shoulder, peering into the dense foliage and finding nothing to ease her sudden turmoil. The path she had walked toward the river was as dark and silent as it ever had been.

It would not do any good to bring the wrath of a God upon the village.

But, the deity had not seemed to have taken any notice of her yet either.

"I'll just go back," Kagome finally decided. It was the best course of action. She could always wait at the village border should the God arrive, finally beckoned by her holy presence, and claim that she had not wished to disturb them while they were otherwise occupied. Honestly, it would work out for both of them!

Not to mention that the God might be a bit deterred from attempting to take her away from the village, leaving it defenseless against whatever demon might decide they might like a tasty human snack that day. Inuyasha would be away for the rest of the season, and it was not like she would be lying to them when she said she was the only one capable of keeping the village safe. There was really no telling when Inuyasha would finish with his journey out of adolescence, as Sesshoumaru liked to call it.

She really wished he would hurry up and come back already, though. She missed him. The village just was not the same without her best friend, especially with the passing years beginning to age those that were not stricken with the Shikon's blessing. She had all the time in the world, but without Inuyasha's constant presence, she was starting to feel like a lonely ghost drifting amongst the streets of Edo as it grew and evolved with each passing day.

"Heh," she sighed. She was just standing there… like an idiot. "I'm starting to get really old, that's all it is." The thought was not exactly reassuring, even said aloud. "And now I'm talking to myself. Great."

The priestess turned on her heel, returning to the dark and silent path that she had now traveled down more times than she could remember. It was best not to hurry. Rushing away like a scared rabbit might draw the deity's attention, and the last thing she wanted to do was give the impression she was purposely ignoring the presence of the divine.

She barely even made it three steps.

The divine presence wrapped around her like a lover returning on a cold winter night, suddenly calling to her as the God became aware of her. It was soft, warm and comforting in a way, creating a faint shiver down her body, and for a moment she remained frozen, basking in the sudden attention gifted upon her flesh.

Then, regaining her stolen breath, she tipped her head and looked toward the night sky. "You hate me up there," she whispered softly. "You really, truly hate me, don't you?"

There was no way she could return to the village now. It would be insulting to ignore the God's summons, and there was simply no reason for her to bring the divines wrath down upon those that had done no wrong. It would go against everything that she stood for.

Her feet traveled toward the river without hesitation this time, knowing that it could be seen as an insult to merely keep the God waiting. It was not far, honestly. Her pace was quick and even, though, feeling the God's power brush along her flesh, beckoning her closer with each footstep. It felt familiar, somehow. Almost as if it truly were a lover returning to her, even if the thought itself was simply ridiculous.

The sound of the gently flowing river became clear as she neared, taking note of the fireflies that had decided to seek refuge close to the divine. They littered the air, flickering here and there, as if illuminating the path that would lead her to the One. It was a silly, humorous little thought that brought a smile to her face just before she crossed the treeline and into sight.

"Priestess."

Kagome froze, her breath leaving her, as she became entranced by shockingly blue eyes. Her hand rose over her heart, feeling it try to flutter away from her. Those sharp eyes refused to release her, holding her captive, even as she took a step back into the brush that she had just emerged from.

The God's power wrapped around her once more, and she knew who he was.

He was Yaboku.

He was a God of Calamity.

And he wanted her.

Yaboku lifted his hand, tempting her forward, as he said, "Come, priestess, and let us wash this day's tragedy away together."

Kagome took a step forward, then another, before she mentally slapped herself. There was something in what he had said that woke her from her trance. She was not this God's priestess. She was Higurashi Kagome, the Shikon Miko, and she would not be tempted so easily into servitude.

The God of Calamity tilted his head somewhat, as if baffled by her sudden resolve.

"My name is Kagome," she said sternly, finally breaking her gaze away from those hauntingly gorgeous eyes, "and I am not…not...!" Her voice pitched slightly, as she quickly became aware of the fact that the God before her was… was….! "You…!"

"Does the blood bother you, priestess?" Yaboku asked.

She shook her head, feeling her face redden. "N-no!" she stuttered, "But, you… you're…!"

The God waved away her inability to speak without a care, beckoning her once again with his hand. "Come, priestess," he commanded.

In response, Kagome could only squeak, "You're naked!" despite knowing that her sudden lack of composure might result in her insulting the God staring at her as if she had turned stupid. There was no way, none, that she was going anywhere near him.

And that was why Higurashi Kagome, the famed priestess that had defeated Naraku, turned tail and ran for the hills.