The next few months were pretty uneventful, very few shard rumors came their way these days. But the group didn't seem to mind, Sango and Miroku took to hunting rouge demons for the nearby towns and Shippo played usually with the local children. Inu and Shiori were never far apart for long, nestled on the branch of Inu's favorite tree. Inu was usually found with his hands on Shiori's stomach, trying to feel for the young life within while Shiori rested. Inu rarely left her side, only really to hunt to provide for his mate and unborn cub but Shiori usually came along unless she was too tired.

Inu nuzzled her neck after a bit to which she made a small whine, not wanting to be woken up it seemed.

"Hungry?"

He asked, eying his mate's form, she was healthy but he intended to keep her that way, neither his mate nor his pup would go hungry. He nibbled lightly at one of her ears while he waited for her reply to keep her awake enough to answer him.

"A bit…."

She said with a yawn then shifting her weight a bit to get more comfortable, the child was already poking at her within. At least claws wouldn't come in until a few days after its birth otherwise she would be receiving a stab with each poke.

"Tired?"

Her mate asked, continuing his assault on her ear and sniffing her a bit to take in her wonderful scent.

"Well if it would stop poking and kicking, I could sleep better…"

She answered, whining softly and shifting again.

"Guess you can stay here while I find something then, sounds like you could use some more rest.."

He let go of her ear to lick her cheek softly and made a soft purr-like growl.

"Sounds good…"

Without another word, Inu shifted her out of his lap and rested her back up against the tree like he had been doing a few moments before. Next he shed his outer haori and tucked it around her, this served two purposes, one, it kept her warm and two, kept his scent with her to keep her calm and feeling safe while he was gone. Once he was sure she was comfortable, he leapt off into the forest to see what he could find.

Shiori rested for a bit in their perch until an arrow pierced the tree just by her head. She growled and jumped up higher and scanned the area for the danger. Her eyes fell upon a woman flanked by odd floating ghostly snake-like creatures. But this was not the weirdest thing, the woman was dressed in miko garb.

"A miko?"

She murmured aloud, wondering why this woman was attacking her, miko didn't attack youkai who weren't doing anything unless one matching the description was found to be hunting humans or livestock but Shiori hadn't scented one in ages. Shiori traveled up a bit higher before calling down to the woman. Shiori sneezed when she caught the woman's scent, dirt and pottery but no scent of life within her. What was going on here?

"What do you want, miko?"

"To kill someone who shouldn't have that soul and has two things that are mine…"

The woman answered, her cold gaze chilling the neko in her perch.

Shiori canted her head a little, a low growl in her throat, how did this woman know she harbored Kagome's soul? And what was she blathering about? She hadn't stolen anything.

"I've never seen you, how could I have taken anything from you? And what does it matter to you whose soul I have? Your worms could easily get you more…"

Another arrow struck the wood near Shiori's head causing her to climb higher. She watched the woman carefully while her stowaway was speaking within. So that was it?

"That soul is partially mine and you seem to have stolen someone else who is promised to me!"

"Hmm, she tells me you have a bit of her soul actually and he has pledged to me, I bear the mark right here and his child."

Shiori said with a growl in her voice as she spoke, Kagome was telling her quite the story. She turned a bit and lifted her hair to show the mark but not dropping her gaze from her attacker.

"You will die, I won't let you take him…"

The woman answered though the miko's face still didn't change a bit, not in anger or distress, same stony continence as always. Her hand went back for another arrow, drew it back and fired.

As the arrow sped towards its mark, an aura burst forth from the prey. When the arrow was within inches of Shiori's face, it burst into flames and fell back to the ground. The neko was beyond angry, the woman was putting her and her unborn's life in danger, she would not stand for that. The aura around her flared out wider, setting ablaze anything too close to her. But before she could spring to take out her anger, red and silver swept in front of her protectively causing her to drop the aura in surprise. She couldn't see him over his shoulder but Inu was irate, his ears flattened back and growl was rising up like she had never heard from him.

"When will you give up? My debt to you was paid with Naraku's death, you hold no ties to me anymore. And how could you attack my mate, Kikyo?"

"You know the law, all half-breeds must be killed.."

Kikyo spat back, realizing that meant him too but it was how things were done among humans and youkai alike.

No sooner had the words left her mouth, Inu had drawn his sword. His tone was tense as though he was trying to hold in his anger, deep down he knew Kagome wouldn't want him to kill Kikyo.

"Leave now and I will spare you but come after us again and I won't be so forgiving…"

One look into his red tinged eyes was enough for her leave, she wasn't about to deal with his youkai form. His worms hissed at the pair before following her, all disappearing just as swiftly as they had originally appeared.

As soon as the scent of her was gone, Inu turned and hugged his mate close, burying his face into her hair, glad she was safe. Shiori purred softly within his embrace, a sense of all was well again making her feel content again. The pair was like this for quite some time before Inu nibbled on her ear.

"No more being on your own, koibito. From now on, you will stay with Kaede, Kikyo never enters the village. You'll be safe there.."

She nodded before nuzzling his neck, the realization of how close to death she might have been finally dawning on her. She knew she couldn't just fight on her own anymore, she carried a little life within her now, one that depended on her and Inu to protect it from harm.