The stars, everything that has ever been written once originated from the stars. That is what our ancestor's believed. Before they became learned and self-aware, that is.
Sesshomaru stood staring up into the deep violet of the night sky, totally devoid of any light save one. The North Star hung in its customary place among the heavens, daring the building clouds to cover it.
The great Inu-demon cared little for the affairs of men, but at this juncture it was inevitable to cross swords with them. A vain being, the man decided he was atop species hierarchy and began this pathetic excuse for a war. He found it as disgusting as stepping in a pile of horse dung.
With an indignant sniff, the demon lord turned and retreated to the meager camp his bastard brother kept with the humans. A storm was brewing and he must ensure the protection of his… ward.
Kagome sat within the perimeter of the fires light balancing her chin upon her palm, thinking of the lessons learned in her ancient history class. She knew that trading with China was part of the success that helped them in this time of famine, but the tensions had become too great for even the demons to navigate. It was never recorded in the history books, but they had already seen where some lesser youkai were siding with humans, allowing themselves to be used in battles just to sate their own bloodlust.
Now with the upheaval brought on by the Onin War, it had only resulted in a further weakening of the Shogunate. If she remembered correctly, the Daimyo would be rising up to fill the void.
Then this would be the time the subordinates of the Daimyo's rejected the status quo and began to forcefully over throw their emaciated aristocracy.
Once she told Sesshomaru of this fact he decided to steer clear of any human presence more often than not.
Inuyasha no longer left during the night, instead staying so close to Kagome that it was slowly starting to drive her crazy. Sesshomaru, too, stuck closer to camp these days, the tension of the war winding tightly in the atmosphere. Even Rin and Shippo were more subdued, never straying too far from Kagome or Sesshomaru's side.
Late at night, under the light reflected, Kagome and Sesshomaru struck up a tentative friendship.
It began after their secretive travelers departed when, oddly enough, the demon lord came to her the day after with questions. It seemed her impassioned outburst about battler intrigued him.
To her amazement, he told her he wholly agreed with her pronouncement, reminding her of the time Sounga rampaged on the arm of Takemaru.
"If you will Miko, recall This Sesshomaru used actions to retrieve Tenseiga. You are correct in this way of thinking. We shall speak more often of your beliefs, as they are… intriguing to this one."
Nearly every evening, after they had made camp and eaten, Kagome would sit to the left of Sesshomaru and talk.
They spoke of what had shaped her mind, in her short life, for her to think such things about the honor of battle. He, taking great interest in her telling of ethics studies in her time seeing as they had hardly any youkai to speak of and no Samurai what so ever.
She told him of the encroaching date firearms would be introduced to Japan, finding out that they already had been there for some time. The history books had flubbed up on that one it seemed.
He found it a grim fate when she spoke of why Samurai no longer roamed the land in service to their lords. It also set him to thinking of things he never wished to acknowledge.
Was supreme conquest worth it, with all the Miko foretold?
These events would happen, leaving youkai as nothing more than tales used to scare young children into obedience. What would become of their race, of him?
Instead of conquest over enemies, perhaps he should be using his great power to preserve his people so they may dominate all others. With him as the Lord, reigning over all until a time he decided to pass on the rule to an heir. It was worth considering.
He stepped into the fire light and immediately noted the Miko's position, as well as his sleeping ward along with the others. It was his ingrained instincts working to account for the weakest he told himself as he sat back to tree a few meters away in observance.
Sesshomaru had long lost confidence in his idiot hanyo brother to run a good surveillance on the surrounding areas, due to the flea brain taking off so many times without making sure his charges were safe. So Sesshomaru naturally took over the role of pack leader, much to the dissatisfaction of the half-breed Inu.
Not that it mattered to Sesshomaru. Kagome and the others made it a unanimous decision after the last incident, which nearly got the little fox demon killed. He did not want to see his ward cry for losing such a… friend, as she'd called it. Never the less, Inuyasha had no say in the matter and everything had been working out to their advantage since.
The Inu demon Lord watched Kagome with a flat amber gaze as she silently walked around the site and tucked blankets up around Rin and Shippo, who slept inside what she had called a tent. She patted the young girls belly as she stirred in her dreams, smiling rather matronly at the child.
Sesshomaru wondered if she had a wish for her own, one not adopted as the fox kit was. Then he nearly grimaced, as it was nothing of import to him. The Miko rose and headed for her pack that lay in the bower of pine needles she'd fashioned earlier.
Kagome looked to him for permission as she held up those strange containers she took with her when she bathed. He nodded to the sky and she knew to be back soon, before the storm hit.
It pleased him that she regarded him as the alpha male.
Most humans did not know the Inu-youkai hierarchy, let alone observe it. Living with Inuyasha had not helped the young Miko, but it hadn't hurt either. She was still pure of body and had, quite literally, collared that repugnant, brash brother of his.
Sesshomaru let no emotion show, but inside he was riotously laughing every time she uttered that three syllable word.
'There isn't anything like it, watching that detestable hanyo meet the earth forcefully over and over, at the whim of a woman.' He thought to himself watching the younger male scratch behind his ear with his foot.
Sesshomaru turned his senses out into the night, intending to keep alert while the Miko bathed. It would do them no good if she were to be defiled or killed while on this journey.
The autumn night wrapped around her like cool satin as she dipped her head back into the pool of steaming water. It was bliss when the found a natural hot spring, and even more surprising when they found one that had been dug from the earth, as this one had. She couldn't understand why it had been abandoned.
'But hey, don't look a gift horse in the mouth Kagome.' She told herself as she came up from rinsing out the shampoo.
Sighing, she smoothed her hair back thinking, not for the first time, about the enigmatic youkai Lord that had taken to conversing with her nightly.
For one such as him to be speaking to her of his own accord was nothing short of astounding. It had her reeling a time or two.
Not that she didn't enjoy it. Kagome was fascinated with how the demon thought. She knew of his hatred towards humans, yet he kept Rin near him always, protecting her. He spoke to her as a knowledgeable person, rather than dismiss everything she said as Inuyasha had done. Even when they were set upon by human scouting parties, he had offered them their lives before killing them when they refused.
She saw him in a different light, as the weeks stretched into months, now that he was traveling with them. He no longer seemed the hardened killer as he once did. She couldn't say he was remorseless, but it was something that she could overlook.
'Wait, overlook?' What was she thinking? 'It's not as if He and I were going anywhere with this. It's just to pass the time, and Sesshomaru is a smart man, er… demon. I'm sure he just wants to pick at my brain for the time being. Find out what happens in the future, that's all.'
Kagome grew so distracted that she didn't hear the growling thunder until it split the sky above her. She shrieked and hopped out of the comforting warmth of the water as a torrential rain fell, pelting her in a freezing downpour. She quickly threw a towel around herself and gathered up her bathing supplies, before turning and meeting an armor plated chest.
She bounced back and gasped as the enormity of the situation hit her.
Here she was, out in the middle of nowhere, in a towel, surrounded by men who looked like they could eat her alive.
'Shit! Of all the times to rain and lessen my youkai's senses' Kagome blanched at that thought, even amidst the seven circling soldiers. (Wow, say that five times fast.)
'My youkai, since when has Sesshomaru been, my youkai?' Oh man was she in trouble.
The leader, she supposed, the one with whom she'd collided, jeered at her with a cackling laugh that more befitted an old lady than a forty-something disgusting pillager. He took a step closer and she a step back until she met with the rough bark of a tree.
The other men laughed at the look on her face and closed in.
"Well, look what we have here fellows, a nice ripe woman who has cleaned herself up for us." The leader said licking his lips.
"Ah Kihoshi, don't she smell nice?" Another man, no better than the first, said rubbing his hands together.
"That she does Mung that she does. Tell me girl, what are you doing out here alone, bathing in our spring?"
Kagome knew now why it was abandoned. She took in a breath and stood up straight, refusing to cower. "I am Kagome, the Shikon Miko. It will do you no good will to touch me. You'll be dead before you drop your hakama."
The others paused at her gumption, but the leader had no such qualms.
"So you are a Miko? I think not, all Miko are old and ugly. I saw you through the trees my dear and you have no such appearance." He leered at her breasts and took another step closer.
"I will see that body again." He said reaching for the towel. Kagome squeezed her eyes shut and drew back into the cutting bark waiting for the inevitable. It never came, however.
The smell of searing flesh and a curdling scream had her opening her eyes to take in what was happening.
An eerily glowing, bright green whip sailed through the blackness of the forest cutting down every man that stood before her. Kagome's chest swelled with relief as tears poured forth in great sobs. Yes she was strong, but tonight she had nearly been raped and killed, she knew it. The tears came at a great price, and she gladly paid it when Sesshomaru walked from the surrounding trees and stood before her shaking frame.
"You are very foolish Miko." He said calmly. Kagome nodded her head, unable to speak.
"To show such weakness in front of one such as I."
Her head snapped up, eyes wide with shock. Had there been warmth in that voice? She couldn't tell if it was truth or her own mind inflecting his words with her own wishes. He was turned away from her now and she stood on rubbery legs, forcing herself to dam up the tears.
"I apologize, Lord Sesshomaru; I am only a human woman after all." She said in regret.
He made a sound of acknowledgment and walked away. Kagome took in a deep breath and followed behind on her tiptoes.
Once they were back in camp, Kagome had to threaten Inuyasha to shut him up least he wake the children. She quickly got dried off and dressed so she could explain what had happened. Sesshomaru just sat off to the side and stared out into the rain.
Kagome couldn't tell if he was disappointed in her show of weakness so she went out of her way to not annoy him any further.
The next few days were quiet and annoyance free as Kagome kept the children occupied and Inuyasha on the lookout for meat, which meant away from the group for long periods of time.
Miroku could tell she was being careful around their new 'pack leader' but didn't say anything much, besides shooting her a wink every now and then. It was really starting to piss the Miko off. She took to glaring at him every now and then until he got the hint.
Sango was a little more discrete about her knowledge, seeing as how Kagome told her everything. She wasn't about to spill the proverbial beans anyway. And so they traveled like this until it was time to stop for provisions.
The stream was running red with blood when they came to it. Kagome pulled Rin back and distracted her with a bottle of bubbles she'd been saving for a special occasion. As she and Shippo chased them around the field with Jaken keeping watch, the Miko slipped away to find out what had happened.
When she reached the others Sesshomaru was nowhere to be found and Inuyasha was sniffing the air and cursing.
"What is it?" She asked looking to Miroku whose face was dark with a nasty grimace.
"Sesshomaru-sama said it smelled of innocent humans, children. He's gone upstream to investigate. Inuyasha wanted to go but the new moon is upon us tonight." Miroku said with a voice full of rage.
"Who could do something like this to innocent children?" Sango said to no one in particular.
Kagome shuddered and ran back to the clueless group. Something heavy hung in the air and she didn't want to leave them alone for long.
She kept her tone light and the wetness from her eyes as she called to the others, intending to make a small lunch while they were stopped. That intention didn't last long as Inuyasha came barreling out of the trees toward them. Kagome pushed out her aura and felt it. There was a demon, pure evil, heading straight towards the field in which Kagome sat with the children.
"Rin get behind me with your back to Ah-un, now! Shippo, protect her." Kagome said flatly, the serious inflection in her voice making them move quickly.
She stood before them and drew her arrow. There was no way she'd let this thing get to Rin.
It was hungry for more human flesh. Kagome could feel its evil intention from miles away, now that she was tuned into it. Inuyasha stood with Tetsusaiga at the ready, his aura clashing with the other already. Sango had taken to the wind on Kirara as the Monk stood below, fingers gripping the enchanted beads that held his cursed hand.
Kagome threw up a small barrier around the children at the last minute, hoping that all her practice would yield good results.
Suddenly the trees across the field parted and out stepped a… beautiful woman? As tall as Sesshomaru, she wore a long flowing gown accented with emerald gems dripping from her neck and pointed ears. Her skin was milky white; her lips stained a deep wine. Kagome didn't want to know where she got the color from. Her eyes were black as night however and that made Kagome steady her aim.
No she was the demon; Kagome could feel its maleficent hunger pounding against her in waves. Inuyasha started to growl low in his throat. That sent chills up Kagome's neck. He sounded as if he was changing into a full demon. She had heard it too many times in the past to be mistaken.
This demon's miasma must be affecting him on a primal level.
"Inuyasha, don't lose your focus now. We have to protect Rin!" Kagome shouted.
The half-Inu looked back and she could see the redness overtaking his eyes.
"Crap! Guys Inuyasha's not going to be any help this time. Let's go to plan B." Kagome called to the others.
Miroku came to the front and reached for the beads, but stopped as a mass of miasma poured from beneath the demons white dress.
"Shit! Sango put your mask on! I'll have to use the sutras." He ground out roughly.
Kagome pulled back and let her arrow fly. It landed just inches from the demon, singeing her dress and sending up a crackling barrier blocking any advancement for the moment.
The demon bared her pointed teeth and hissed, clawing at the sphere while staring Kagome down. She knew who had the power now and wanted her dead.
Kagome took a deep breath and notched another arrow, pointing it straight at the demons heart. She didn't see it coming, so when a red blur knocked into her she flew across the field, landing in a heap.
Miroku called for her in panic. "Lady Kagome!"
"Hiraikotsu!" Sango screamed as she flung her weapon.
The giant boomerang struck metal and fell to the ground, but it had pushed him back a few feet allowing them to get to Kagome.
Inuyasha stood there panting; his sword plunged into the ground.
"Inuyasha what do you think you're doing?" Sango yelled as she gathered Kagome's still form up from the dirt, cradling her.
The half demon just growled, the red completely bleeding through the whites of his eyes. Jagged purple stripes marked his face as he clawed and snapped at the Monk's hastily placed barrier. Suddenly he was face to dirt as Sesshomaru appeared beside him, planting the Inu with a harsh right hook.
"Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin called happily. The Daiyoukai glanced at her before turning to the Monk for explanation.
"The demon there," He pointed. "She is the one that murdered those children. Her miasma caused Inuyasha to change into his demon form. He attacked Kagome." Miroku said quickly.
Sesshomaru turned to the, now calm demon behind the Miko's pure barrier. He did not care that she turned the half-breed into a slobbering idiot, but he did care that she meant to eat his charge. The female was broadcasting it loud and clear, and after what he had seen in the village upstream, he had no doubt that's what she would do.
"Filth" he muttered. This didn't seem to go over well with the demon, as she started in on the barrier once more, with gusto.
Sesshomaru turned away from her vermin like display and walked over to Rin.
"Are you hurt?" He asked the girl, stopping inches from the pearl pink sphere.
"No Sesshomaru-sama, Lady Kagome put us in a bubble so we wouldn't get hurt. Is she okay Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin pleaded with watery eyes, her hands clasped in front of her.
"Hn."
Suddenly there was a shriek as the barrier fell, releasing the demon across the field.
Sesshomaru turned to take care of the nuisance, but a streak of blinding purple light slashed through the feral female's chest and she burst into pure blue fire. As the flames consumed her Sesshomaru turned his attention to the Miko who stood shakily, with her bow still clutched in her hands.
'Bitch." The girl muttered with rage, but the wind carried her words to him, no matter how softly she said them. "That's what you get for messing with my children."
Sesshomaru didn't know what to make of that, but he didn't have a lot of time to think as the Miko collapsed again, into the Taijia's arms.
"Kagome!"
The barrier holding Rin and the fox kit dissolved and the two rushed to the fallen Miko.
A groan sounded from behind him and Inuyasha sat up rubbing his now dark head.
"What the hell happened?" He grumbled to himself.
Sesshomaru did not have to answer, but wished to due to the idiot's detestable actions to the Miko yet again.
"You, dear brother" he said with much contempt, "Nearly killed the Miko once again." With that he walked from the field, intending to keep to the trees while in thought of what Kagome had said just before she lost consciousness.
Inuyasha rushed over and knelt beside Shippo.
"Oh Kagome, what have I done?"
'Yet again you allowed your baser self to come at the call of a demon, and nearly killed Kagome!" Sango yelled.
Inuyasha's ears rang as the woman verbally assaulted him. He deserved it, he knew. The hand upon her arm made her calm down. Kagome sat up and shook her head at the other woman. Sango stood up with a sigh and walked away in an attempt to soothe her temper.
"It's alright Inuyasha. I know you didn't mean it." Kagome said as she stood with Miroku's help.
"I think we need to get moving again, you've already changed. We have to find shelter for the night." She said walking on unsteady legs in the direction Sesshomaru had gone moments before.
The two men watched her go while the children, Jaken and the two headed dragon followed.
"She is becoming so strong." Miroku said quietly.
Inuyasha could only nod. Yes she was stronger, and that attracted him all the more to her. But he had made his choice, and no matter how much he wanted Kagome, he wouldn't go there.
Kagome staggered for a moment and braced herself against a tree. She took some breaths and continued on, laughing with the young ones as they raced around her. Jaken kept eyeballing her with a concerned look, which surprised her since he usually acted as if she were lower than the mud under his feet.
She didn't falter though, and soon could walk without grimacing in pain. When Inuyasha had crashed into her she'd fallen on a dead tree stump. She feared she may have cracked a rib, but since the pain was manageable she figured it would be okay.
"Nothing like a little brush with death to end the day." She said to herself, unaware that a certain demon Lord was observing her every move.
Sesshomaru almost laughed at that, almost. The Miko had such a way in dealing with situations. It was rather refreshing, admittedly.
With one last silent chuckle, Sesshomaru stepped out in front of her and paused. She noticed him and came to a halting stop. He didn't miss the paling of her face or the momentary grimace of pain as she favored her left side.
"We will stop here for the night." He stated simply and walked off to sit under a tree.
Kagome laughed humorlessly and eased herself down far away from the stoic demon. Inuyasha trounced into their midst and glared at the two.
"Are we sleeping here?" He got no answer and he huffed. Looking over at Kagome he shouted, "Oi, get up and make us some dinner!"
Kagome glared up at him and gave him the one finger salute she'd seen on countless American television shows.
"What the hell's that supposed to mean?" He growled at her crossing his arms with a snort.
Kagome shrugged and closed her eyes, feeling very tired all the sudden. "Fuck you Inuyasha."
The hanyo's eyes grew large and he sputtered, unable to speak. Sesshomaru snorted, drawing their attention his way. He stared back, his face impassable, but his eyes were dancing golden orbs.
"Oh yeah, real funny. Kagome where did you learn that? Sesshomaru stop laughing! I can tell you're laughing!"
When Miroku and Sango reached the unmade camp, they were shocked to say the least.
Inuyasha was ranting about Sesshomaru laughing at him, though he clearly was not, and Kagome had said something that made more sense coming out of his own mouth rather than hers.
"I'm telling you, she said it!" He whined as Miroku laughed and Sango refused to even look at him.
"Inuyasha shut up, some of us are trying to get some sleep." Kagome snarled, making the man slump even further into his cup of noodles that Sango had reluctantly made for him.
She didn't like being so hateful, but the pain in her side was like a burning iron poker which made her irritable and short tempered. She didn't know if there was something more serious going on inside, but she did not feel well at all.
Sesshomaru could tell the Miko was suffering as she did her best to hide the pain. He admired her efforts, deciding to let her carry out the deception until the end.
Truthfully, he was rather curious to see if she could do it. Humans were notably weak, susceptible to pain and illness. He wished to find out if she were different, since she'd done nothing but prove him wrong time and again in the past.
Kagome snuck off to the trees later that night knowing the Inu demon would hear her; grateful for once that Inuyasha was human with the new moon, so she wouldn't have to answer his questions. She couldn't move stealthily at all while in such pain. So, walking just out of eye sight of the others, she dug into her pack for the first aid kit.
Opening it, Kagome took the painkiller she usually gave Inuyasha to calm him down while tending his injuries, and drank it down with a bottle of water.
Soon her pain would fade and she could sleep.
Kagome sighed deeply. Today had been so long, it seemed and her mind was in constant debate with her heart over all she had experienced here in the Sengoku period.
Inuyasha had finally lost his place at the forefront of her mind and, due to his indecision, had made her realize that she was too young to have fallen so deeply in love.
No matter all the hardships and trials they'd had to face, it didn't amount to the hurt he had caused all on his own. She was aware that her first love had faded over the years.
Now, with all the strife in Japan, she was more focused in putting it to rights and keeping the ones she loved safe.
Kagome's honest love had begun to make her appear foolish.
It was at that moment she realized it had to stop. Inuyasha was brash and borderline abusive with his words, that couldn't lead to a happy ending.
Having known another side of love, even if it was just parental, Kagome knew that it wasn't right what Inuyasha was doing to her. Real love wasn't selfish and destructive.
Perhaps they were meant to only be friends. With such a strong bond, it could be possible she had mistaken their feelings. Heck, she was only fifteen when she fancied herself in love with a demon!
With maturity came changes. Changes that reshaped how one viewed the world around them, not only in life, but in love as well. Kagome was beginning to see those changes in herself, Miroku, Sango even in Shippo.
Inuyasha was another matter, having stayed the same in his dealings with emotion. He may have grown in areas of combat and rational thinking during tense moments, but with her and Kikyo he'd stalled somewhere along the way.
That was quite an eye opener to the time traveling Miko. She understood it now, not knowing how she'd missed it before. Maybe her schoolgirl crush had blinded her even though she tried her best to ignore it in the beginning?
She shrugged her shoulders and went back to the others. There was no point in thinking about it now. What's done is done; she just wanted to face the present. She had too many people and demons depending on her to let her past emotions cloud her mind.
She looked at the two children playing cards near the fire, another thing Kagome had brought back to pass the time, and smiled. They were the reason she had to forget her petty emotions.
Rin and Shippo, innocent kids drug into a world of violence and death. Kagome had to protect them from further heart ache, they were only children. They didn't have the choice to be born in an era where war was a thing for the history books. They had witnessed to many horrible travesties already and deserved to have more happy memories.
If it was the only thing she could do, she would give them that.
Sesshomaru watched the human Miko from the corner of his eye. She stood resolute; he could see it in her posture. Looking upon the children with such ferocity, he knew to be a mother's protective aura, she was strangely appealing.
He didn't want to admit it, of course, but there was no mistaking it. Kagome was practically shouting that she was Rin's mother.
That stirred something within him, within his beast, because he had placed Rin under his protection. Because of this, she had become part of his pack.
The innate instinct, as an Inu youkai, was to take Kagome in as Rin's mother and subdue her to his will as the alpha male. He growled low in his throat startling the woman.
"Sesshomaru-sama, is everything okay? Is there a demon nearby?" she asked sending out her aura in search of any danger.
"There is nothing, only stop looking at my ward as if she were your pup. It displeases this Sesshomaru. Do you think this one cannot protect the child?"
Kagome took a step back, her eyes wide. That action set off his predator instinct, she looked as if she would run. He stood quickly and moved to stand before her in the blink of an eye. Kagome gasped and stopped, standing still as the trees around them while clenching her hands into fists.
The others around the fire watched as the Inu stalked their Miko. Sango reached for her Hiraikotsu only to be stopped by Miroku's restraining grip on her wrist. She looked at him and he shook his head, his eyes still on the demon and human facing off.
Inuyasha just grunted and looked away with disgust. Shippo knew what was going on so he kept Rin busy while the drama unfolded.
Kagome looked up at the demon Lord before her and bowed her head.
"I'm sorry Sesshomaru-sama, I certainly do not think that you can't protect Rin. I was merely thinking while watching the children play. It was not my intention to insult you, I apologize."
Kagome bowed low before him and waited for his judgment. Youkai hierarchy was confusing and tiresome but she knew better than to show her annoyance.
Sesshomaru snorted and walked away from camp, leaving behind the woman's scent which was laced with irritation. He cared not for the mortals' opinion, but still it ate at his mental barriers.
She didn't find him lacking, he knew this. It was just his beast asserting itself.
Even then, why should his beast have to assert itself around the human? Did it really consider her an equal?
Sesshomaru decided to leave their camp for a few days to sort out his conflicting thoughts. This should tell him what he wanted to know. That without the Miko around nothing changed. That he was still himself, no matter the past few months of tolerating humans in his presence.
When morning came and there was no sign of Sesshomaru, Kagome told the others they would continue on without the demon Lord.
Jaken and Rin must have been used to the Inu youkai's behavior because they didn't murmur a protest when the group moved out with a rejuvenated Inuyasha in the lead.