Previously:

Infuriated, he swung where her next move would be. Kagura fearfully stared up at his looming sword, the wind around them immediately settling. But it never penetrated her pale skin. In fact, he was not looking at her, but off into the distance. A new scent hit his sensitive nose that seemed to drain him of every ounce of anger he had for the defenseless wind woman.

"Shit," he growled and took off through the woods, leaving Kagura dumbfounded, and slightly irritated.

He knew that scent. It was the smell of Kagome's blood.

Chapter Nine

Eyes Tell No Lies

Kagome skid to a halt, holding herself up with her unsheathed sword. Crimson blood sprouted from a deep gash on her forehead. So much movement had reopened her wound from her duel with Sesshomaru, so fresh blood poured freely from it. Her hair had been released from its ribbon and fell around her like an ominous curtain. She wiped the blood from her eyes as she glared at her opponent whose claws dripped with scarlet. But he hadn't gone unscathed either. She had nearly sliced his whole left leg off. She'd used the same technique she'd used on Sesshomaru, and it fooled Pachi as well.

The Panther tribe leader stood on bending knee, using his right leg to keep the other off pressure. His great head was bent down as he panted heavily. The surrounding panthers, Tenji and Seiga included, had silenced and stared in awe. Kagome breathed just as heavily but stood up fully and swung her sword in his direction. It stopped not an inch from his mane.

"Fear me or respect me," she said clearly, "although I prefer the latter."

"Fear?" the demon questioned, despite his position in relation to hers.

"This fight has lasted some time, but I could have ended it before it started," she said.

Pachi scoffed and stared at her defiantly. Kagome summoned her miko powers to her unarmed hand. It glowed pink as onlookers widened their eyes in surprise, murmuring amongst each other. She tapped Pachi's shoulder and he yelped as it instantly burned his flesh, creating a hole the size of a baseball.

Pachi held his new wound and stared at her with new eyes. "So violent for a miko," he said almost jokingly.

Kagome gave him a smile. "I have no choice," she stated. She sheathed her sword and held her hand out to him. He looked at it hesitantly, and then took a hold as she helped him stand to his full height. He limped slightly before he got used to using mostly his right leg.

"State your name," his deep voice rang out.

"Kagome," the girl answered.

"Kagome, miko of the Western Lands, you may be human, but you have earned my deep respect, and thus have gained the approval of the entire Panther tribe." He paused before he reluctantly continued. "I don't like it, and neither will the rest of us, but we shall try to use your method of survival. Only on the condition, however, and that would be that the Tiger clan and the humans stay out of our territory. If they do that, we'll cease our efforts to expand."

Kagome smiled, although she still noticed a slight tension in the crowd of panthers. "I shall personally see to it that your condition is met."

Pachi plopped his large hand on top of her raven hair as if she was a child and gazed at her with respect deep in his eyes.

Suddenly, the two tensed, each sensing the same threat at the same time. Kagome grabbed Pachi's arm and yanked him towards the forest floor just as shiny metal clipped his dark mane. She drew her own sword and, using both hands, parried the next swing headed for Pachi's exposed back.

"Sesshomaru," she said calmly, catching the newcomer's attention. His eyes were dotted with red rage. The color swirled and deepened when he saw the blood still pouring from her exposed gash, staining her raven hair.

The powerful demon turned his attention back to the panther leader. He aimed his blow lower to the ground to avoid Kagome's suspended sword, but like lightning, she forced his to the ground with her own. Trying to keep up with the strength of an enraged demon forced heavy breathing. She had to use both hands to keep her sword steady with both swings, and she only barely managed to keep the daiyokai's sword from overpowering her own.

The demon whipped his head towards hers, glaring, although she was certain he wasn't angry with herself, but rather any and everyone else. Her hand left her sword and rested on the hilt of his on top of his hand. She held his gaze waiting for the bleeding red to dissipate completely.

"Kagome," he said softly, the anger receding instantly when he stared into her cocoa brown eyes.

It was the first time she'd ever heard him say her name.

"I'm fine Sesshomaru," she said with a reassuring smile. "Everything's been taken care of here."

By now, Pachi had backed out the range of Sesshomaru's sword and stared at the pair incredulously along with the rest of the Panther tribe. If any had any doubts in the miko before, they certainly didn't now.

Sesshomaru exhaled and sheathed his sword. His eyes scanned the tribe. Satisfied by the fearful look in their eyes, he began to walk away. Kagome followed, throwing one last smile back at Pachi as way of apologizing.

Master and apprentice walked in silence through the dense forest, each with their own thoughts. She wanted to be infuriated that Sesshomaru would try and save her. He was showing that he didn't believe she could handle anything herself.

She remembered when they'd come face to face so long ago, his sword to her throat. He had been glaring at her angrily, all because he'd smelled Rin's blood. As much as she tried to be mad, she couldn't help but feel surprise at his seeming concern for her. And the way his voice sounded when he said her name…

Kagome blushed and glanced at him. His back was to her, and all she could see was his swinging silver hair. Instead, she focused on the forest floor, making sure she didn't trip on the fallen leaves and twigs.

The girl saw the demon glance at her out of her peripheral. What could she say to him? Anything she thought of would damage his ego, and she'd rather avoid that if she could. He glanced at her again, making her self-conscious.

On the third glance, she finally decided to demand what he wanted, be he spoke first. Without turning his head, he growled, "Would you heal yourself already? The smell of your blood is… irritating."

She stared at him in confusion. "Heal?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Sesshomaru stopped to look at her. Rolling his eyes, he growled, "Don't tell me you've never known you could heal."

Kagome blinked at him. "I've only ever used my miko powers for purifying demons."

Shaking his head, the demon explained. "A priestess's powers are pure holy light. Demons are killed because their very being is considered to be tainted with evil. In that sense, you could purify humans whose hearts have been lost to darkness as well. However, when a miko's powers touch a being of purity, the two connect and fuse together, thus, healing."

Kagome listened with wonder. Why hadn't he told her this before? Why hadn't she ever thought of it? It made perfect sense now. But it was hard to believe that the same power that could disintegrate a demon in an instant could also heal a person of their wounds.

Curious, the girl pressed her hand onto her gashed forehead, smearing blood onto her palm. Cautiously, she called upon her miko powers. She could almost feel the pink meshing together with her body. Once the pain in her head was gone, she removed her hand. There was not a drop of blood on her palm. She ran her finger along her head where the scratch had been. She felt nothing but her smooth skin. She repeated the process for the wound Sesshomaru had given her in their duel.

Smiling in excitement and satisfaction, she looked back up at her master. He turned and began to walk away. "You have much to learn, miko," he said.

Despite the fact that he wasn't using her name again, she grinned with enthusiasm and replied, "I know."

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In plain simple English, it was embarrassing. He'd rushed to the scene, ready to kill the whole tribe if need be, only to find that everything was perfectly under control. Under her control, no less! He had doubted his apprentice and because of it, he'd made a scene where one wasn't needed.

Why the hell did the smell of her blood cause him to go into such a panic? Truly, a "panic" was the only way to describe his behavior. He'd only done that with little Rin in the past. But even that was only after the girl had been with him for quite some time. The miko had only become a permanent fixture in his party two days ago!

The girl's name… He hardly voiced it in his own mind, let alone out loud! Her accursed mocha eyes must have hypnotized him into saying it. Yes, that had to be it, since those eyes seemed to even settle the beast inside him begging to be released.

He finally had to get her to heal herself before he broke out into another panic. Despite the fact that she was fine and traveling by his side, he found himself having to resist the urge to go back to the tribe and pound Pachi into the ground himself. All because of the smell of her blood.

The girl relayed what happened while she was in the Panther tribe's company, consciously leaving out the part when he appeared.

The demon told himself he didn't care for her. Nope, there wasn't the slightest concern. Sure, he cared for Rin, but that was because she was a child, and in her innocence, she didn't deserve harm. This woman could fend for herself, so he had no reason to be concerned.

As the dense forest gave way to a hilly meadow, he reformed his cloud. With the miko by his side, he set off in the direction of the human settlement. He'd drop her off there while he dealt with the Tigers.

The demon sighed to himself. There was no use denying it. In those moments, yes, he had been concerned for his apprentice's safety.

Perhaps this was how his half-brother felt. The daiyokai had always found himself almost disgusted by how the hanyou would rush to the lady's aid, whether she needed it or not. But that was exactly what he'd just done. It was even worse in his case, however, because he knew fully well that she could handle herself. It wasn't even that he didn't believe in her own abilities. His instincts just took full control the instant he smelled her blood.

Suddenly angry with himself, the demon shut his emotions away. He'd always viewed them as a sign of weakness, a weakness that took focus off the issue at hand. That was how people got killed in battle. The Lord of the Western Lands had no time for weakness, and refused to ever show it again.

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The sun's rays warming her face woke her up from her dreamless slumber. Her raven hair fell around her, creating something like a blanket against the fall breeze. The girl stretched and yawned like a cat as the sun reenergized her limbs. Feeling renewed, she grabbed the weapons she'd fitted into the highest branches, and jumped from the tree onto the soft meadow grass.

The human town was not far off. She'd already visited the day before, although she had been wary dealing with humans again. She'd applied her new found healing abilities to the young men who had been wounded from previous Panther tribe and Tiger clan attacks. Her miko powers instantly gave her respect around the small place and they had offered her food and a place to sleep. Since she hadn't eaten all day, she had accepted the food. As she and the town chief ate, she'd assured him that neither demon species should attack again as long as everyone kept to their territory. Elated, the chief had eagerly agreed. She had kindly turned down the hut reserved for her, preferring to sleep under the stars.

Kagome peered into the rising sun, looking around the meadow. What would she do until Sesshomaru came? Assuming he'd already finished his business with the Tiger clan and that he had no need of sleep, he should be here by now. She had no idea where she was in relation to his castle, so she couldn't start walking.

Instead, the girl did a morning run and hunted for food. After she dined on roasted rabbit and fresh berries, she began to practice her swordsmanship.

Boredom slowly began to overwhelm her. She almost wished a stray demon would come her way, just to give her something to do. But with the Panthers and Tigers so territorial, it was highly unlikely many strays found their way this far north.

Where the hell was that damn demon? Maybe he was licking his wounds after the embarrassment from the day before. It was definitely flattering that the demon lord willingly tried to protect her. But he no doubt hated himself for reacting the way he had, especially since she had been perfectly fine.

The girl sighed, her sword lazily grazing the ground as she paced in circles. What could she do to kill time?

Suddenly, she sparked with excitement as she felt the presence of a demon nearby. She instantly thought of Sesshomaru, but he would be moving much faster. Curious, she focused her gaze on the forest until a panther stepped from the shadows. It moved like a silky carpet towards her, but she knew it wasn't going to harm her after their leader's words the day before.

As it neared, the rising sun's rays lit up its light brown spots. The beast stood on its hind legs as it transformed into the shape of a human. Bico's face appeared smiling at her.

With a slight bow, he purred, "Good morning priestess Kagome."

She smiled at the formality. Respect was a wonderful thing. "Morning," she said with a slight tilt of her head.

"The tribe is still buzzing after yesterday's events," Bico said. "You left quite an impression."

"It was mostly Lord Sesshomaru," she replied modestly.

"Yes, he seemed to cause a commotion as well." Bico began fishing around in his fur pockets until he pulled out a necklace. It was made with several simple black threads with a mica tooth hanging from it. It was skillfully carved and polished with a length no more than two inches long. Handing it over, he said, "A gift of respect and recognition. Father thought to give it to you only after you left. Tenji and Seiga send their apologizes as well."

Kagome received the necklace, peering at the craftsmanship. With a wide smile, she said, "I greatly appreciate it."

The two held a steady gaze for a few moments before Bico's smile began to disappear. "Do you mind if I ask you a personal question priestess?" he asked suddenly.

Slightly baffled, she replied, "What is it?"

"I could see it the whole time," he said. "In the forest, it was there despite your blazing determination. Even now, past the excitement of receiving this gift, and beyond your anxiety to get the day started, I can see so much more in your eyes."

Instantly, an image of a silver haired hanyou appeared in her mind's eye. Blinking the image away, she asked quietly, "Really?"

Bico's emerald eyes pierced her own. "It is the hardships of love that fuel the actions of your present life, is it not?"

The salty tears that clouded her vision surprised her with their sudden appearance. But to have her heart's battle recognized and pointed out by an almost complete stranger shook Kagome's very soul.

She still had so much to tell the hanyou; how she used to love him, how Kikyou's very name used to send her to an emotional black hole, how she would go home and cry to every inhumane thing he shouted at her, how much his words had scarred her heart, how much the verbal abuse had changed her life to this day…

No matter what she did, the ghosts of her past always seemed to prevail.

"How do you know that?" she asked shakily, trying to wipe away the tears.

"Panthers are creatures of the shadows simply because our pelts blend in so well. Even with our advanced night vision, it is hard to read our body language sometimes. So instead, we learn to read our eyes for communication since they are almost always illuminated." Bico smiled slightly. "When you've lived as long as I have, you learn to see everything through a person's eyes."

Bico grinned and leaned in as if he was telling a secret. "Even the Lord Sesshomaru has quite a lot shining in his eyes past the defensive barrier he has created for himself."

She finally smiled. "The Ice Prince?" she asked with mock sarcasm.

Bico chuckled. "Yes, the great demon has chosen isolation as his form of defense against his unwanted memories. Despite his extreme intelligence, even he doesn't know how to deal with emotions and feelings. Just like most of us, he hides from the 'unknown,' viewing it as a weakness simply because he does not understand it. And a demon of his rank makes sure no one can see his weakness. That's why he appears to have such a cold heart." Bico winked at her. "But his eyes tell no lies."

Kagome smiled.

"I bring it up priestess," Bico continued, "because I see that instead of trying to defend against your memories, you seem to be taking an offensive stand. I don't know the details, but I'd like to encourage you to stay on the offense. It will make you mentally stronger, and that is the key to physical strength."

Kagome nodded. He certainly was knowledgeable, and his advice gave her even more encouragement to continue on her journey. "Thank you Bico," she said warmly, as if she were speaking to an older brother.

He smiled. "Enjoy the gift," he said as he turned back toward the forest. He entered his territory in his sleek panther form.

Kagome stared into the distance. Although he had certainly shown less hostility than the other panthers she'd met, she never would have expected Bico to be so friendly. In their single conversation, she felt closer to him than she did to anyone else right now. Then again, there weren't many people in her life in the present day. Those who were in her life were too proud to show emotion, or too innocent to clearly know the meaning.

As she awaited Sesshomaru's return, she didn't find herself wallowing in boredom. Instead, she thought of Bico's words and how the eyes really could tell so much about a person.

After some time, Sesshomaru's silhouette showed in the distance. Kagome sat up from her post next to the tree trunk and walked towards him. Their eyes connected for a moment before they started off towards his castle.

For now, she couldn't see any of the secrets the demon lord's eyes held. But she had plenty of time to wait for the day that she could see past his barrier.

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So not much action in this chapter, mostly just talking and explaining. Not too crazy about it myself cuz it seems a little far out that Bico would have that type of convo with her. But it's an important chapter, so I guess it's fine. And to make up for it, the next chapter will definitely have some high points in it.

Bet y'all are surprised I updated so quickly, Lol. Actually, I have plenty of stuff I should be doing, but I was more interested in continuing on with the story. I've already started the next chapter, but unless I finish it before Monday (first day of school), I probably won't be updating as soon as I did this time. However, I have a few ideas now so the next chapter or two shouldn't be slowed by writer's block.

Anyway, I just wanted to thank you all for sticking with me so far. Your reviews keep me writing. Till next time!

Hiko