Chapter 7: Pretty Little Human

She awoke way before dawn and walked out to the tree she had gone to the day before. She sat and meditated but stood as the sun started to rise. She walked into the hall where the army sat and grabbed a plate of food and a goblet. She made to sit by herself only for her name to be called. She turned and saw Hidoshi approaching her.

"Come, you are to sit with the other generals." He led her to a table that was set on a slightly raised platform. The eyes of the soldiers were on her as she walked behind him. She took the only remaining seat and Yoshi huffed, an angry scowl on his face. "Yoshi, behave." There was a glint in his eyes. "But I would love to see her break both of your arms again."

Yoshi snarled and glared at Hidoshi. "You would be wise to shut your mouth now, Hidoshi."

"Temper, temper," Zanza said with a smirk. "It is unwise of you to let your anger cloud your vision." Zanza turned and his silver eyes locked onto Kagome. He looked her over slowly. "You are beautiful, for a human. I can just about see the glow of your power beneath your skin."

"Come, we need to eat then train," Ryu said, his emerald eyes shining with mirth, even if his face looked serious. There were noncommittal sounds going around the table. Kagome seemed to finish before them and stood, a servant boy grabbing her dishes.

"I must go train." She bowed slightly before turning and leaving, her hair swaying with every graceful but sure stride she took.

"She is something," Kiyoshi said. He leaned back in his chair, eyes still following after her, until it fell backwards. The other generals laughed out loud as he rubbed the back of his head.

"You really should be careful, Kiyoshi," Kajiki said. "Besides, you heard our lord. No one is to touch her in a way she doesn't want them to."

"Doesn't mean I can't look," he remarked as he righted his chair.

"Kiyoshi does have a point," Zanza said. "It might be hard to stay focused at meetings with her there."

"It is called discipline," Kajiki said. "Something we all should have."

"Come, we have our men to train now," Ryu said. Though he did have to admit, the little miko was attractive, even if she was still young.

She met Kaede in the courtyard like the day before and they walked around to the back, towards the training grounds. The army was already out there training. She could see the generals on the field, though away from each other. They seemed to be with their own battalions. She turned away from them and looked to Kaede.

"Today I want you to practice your archery. I will tell you when to stop." Kagome nodded and took her bow from her back before notching an arrow on the string. She aimed and released, a trail of pink following after the arrow and the battalions turned to watch. The generals' eyes narrowed as they watched her take aim and fire, each hit was in the middle of each target. Each target was at varying distances.

"Good," Kaede said, stopping her. "You are drawing attention though."

"They can feel my power now, but not really before," she commented. Kaede seemed to nod.

"We will work on you bringing your miko ki to various parts of your body," Kaede said as Kagome strapped the bow to her back.

"I am completely capable of channeling miko ki to various parts of my body, including my muscles," Kagome said. "I have always used it to increase my speed and strength in battle. It is how I have managed to survive."

"Demonstrate," Kaede said, eyes narrowing on Kagome. She seemed to barely concentrate before disappearing, as fast as any demon would. There was a crash and Kaede turned to her left to see a tree collapse, a punch mark in the bark. Kagome was standing there. She had not sensed her move. "There is not much I can teach you," Kaede admitted. "Everything you have learned takes nearly a life time for other miko to learn. All that is left is the ability to heal using your powers. You are fully capable of channeling and using your powers, learning through battle, when most other miko had a mentor. I will teach you how to heal, then you will be done with your training."

"I understand, Kaede-sensei," Kagome said.

"Come. We are going to the medical wing." Kagome nodded and followed after Kaede, the generals and battalions going back to training. The crash had startled them from their training. They came to the medical wing and Kaede took her to a child that only had a scraped knee. "Concentrate on the damage, and only the damage." Kagome nodded and closed her eyes. Her hand started to glow blue as her hand came over the child's knee. The skin mended so that only dried blood remained. The child looked at her knee before smiling up at Kagome and running off to play.

"How are you feeling?" Kaede asked as she stood from her crouch.

"Fine." Kaede nodded and led her to another patient. She healed the man and Kaede showed her to another, each injury greater than the last until it was lunch time. Kagome was only slightly winded by the exercise.

"I will test ye tomorrow. Good day." Kaede turned and left her. Kagome went to the hall and to the general table, the other generals already there. She just took the empty seat, which happened to be between Kiyoshi and Ryu and across from Zanza. Hidoshi was sitting at the head, Kajiki sat beside Zanza and across from Kiyoshi. Yoshi was in the last chair.

"How was this morning's training?" Zanza asked as the male servant brought forth their food and drink.

"It was alright. I am almost done. The elder miko does not think there is anything else she can teach me." He nodded as he looked into her sapphire eyes.

"Then you should be able to train your battalion soon," Hidoshi said. "This afternoon you have training with myself, Zanza and Ryu in battle strategy."

"Alright."

"It can be a bit tough though," Ryu admitted.

"Battle is like a game of go, you have to be patient and plan your moves. Some sacrifices are necessary if you wish to accomplish the overall goal," Kagome commented.

"I never thought of that," Zanza admitted. "I have always just looked over maps."

"Maps are sometimes useful," Ryu said, "but it does not tell you the terrain." They nodded as they ate and drank from their goblets. "It also helps to take in the strengths and weaknesses of your opponent."

"Like Yoshi's anger can be seen as his greatest weakness," Kagome said. "It makes him not think."

"Watch your tongue, miko bitch," he snarled.

"Watch your anger, arrogant tora," she mocked back.

"You are the first that was able to tell what kind of demon he was without asking," Kajiki said.

"It isn't that hard to tell. Especially with the stripes that resembles a tora's and with all the hissing he is doing," she said with a smirk as he roared his anger and the other generals bellowed out loud laughter.

"You insolent human!" He stood from his chair as Sesshomaru strolled through the open doors, looking at the table. Yoshi didn't seem to notice, and if Kagome did, she didn't show it. Instead Yoshi charged her, claws ready to strike. But she ducked under the attack and flung his form over her shoulders and into a wall before vanishing and slamming a punch into his gut. He spat up blood, some dribbling down the corner of his lip and onto his clothes.

"That is enough," Sesshomaru said coldly. Kagome stepped back from the injured tora and looked at him, still on guard should Yoshi attack her with their lord present.

"I apologize, my lord," Kagome said, bowing deeply to him. "I was only trying to make a point to Yoshi."

"And that would be?" He rose an eyebrow at her.

"That anger blinds one to their opponent's strength." She stood again. "He charged without thinking and paid for it, though I have to admit, I think I broke a few of his ribs." He smirked and the other generals chuckled. She was entertaining.

"Your strength is remarkable, Kagome. I am glad I made the right decision." He turned and strolled out of the hall, finally solving what was with all the commotion.

"Did you know he was there?" Zanza asked Kagome as he approached.

"I felt him coming well before Yoshi attacked. I do not think he knew Prince Sesshomaru was coming. His anger blinded him to our lord's approach."

"I did not feel him till he was at the door," Kiyoshi admitted.

"One must always be on guard," Ryu said. "Now, the four of us should shower and get into more appropriate clothes before the strategy training. You will meet us in the court yard so we can show you the way to the war room." She nodded and they had split as Kiyoshi and Kajiki went back to training their battalions. Yoshi was once again dragged to the medical wing to be treated. Kagome had done one hell of a number on him.

Sesshomaru had been surprised to see Kagome throw the man that was twice her size over her shoulders and into the wall. He was even more surprised when she moved just as fast as a demon did before punching Yoshi in the stomach. He had heard the tell-tell sound of bones breaking. He was unsure of how she was capable of such feats of strength and speed. He would question her about it later. For now he had to get back to the work his father forced on him. His father was getting way too lazy when it came to paperwork. Plan a ball and he was there, mention any sort of paperwork and he was gone faster than lightning.

Naraku snarled. The human woman that resembled that woman was purchased by another. He knew not who but he wanted her and he would do anything to get her. He was questioning the man's son, but he claimed not to know who she was sold to. He threw the man away and spun on his heel, his hair billowing out as his rage began to build. He wanted her beneath him, her crying or moaning his name, begging him. But it was not going to happen any time soon, especially if he did not know where to look first.

"You look upset, brother," a woman mocked. "Did the bird get away?"

"Shut it, Kagura," he said coldly, trying to mask his anger, but his eyes said it all. He was upset and would not be happy until he found her, or until he had shed enough blood. He knew not which would come first, but he needed to kill something, or fuck something. One of the two would suffice for now. He knew who he would fuck too. There was a little red head with huge boobs and a fetish for hair that would be willing to lay with him. He just hoped she put down that damned red skull for at least the time they lay together.

She was amazed by the appearance of the room. The chamber was circular with a large stone table in the middle. There was a throne like chair on a dias. In the middle of the circular table seemed to be a map, little wooden figurines were on the map. All the figurines were either solid purple, black with a red spider, solid green, solid yellow, or solid red.

"These right here represent the armies of the major lords," Hidoshi said. "The purple figurines are the west, the black and red is the south, the solid green is the east, the solid yellow is the north, and the solid red is the islands off of the cost of the north. This map represents the western territory." He placed his hands on the stone table. "Currently we are in alliance with the north. The south wants to invade the west for the materials we have here. The south hasn't been so prosperous as of late."

"And the east?" She asked.

"The east wants nothing to do with anyone. The islands have a navy, but not enough land to train an army. They mostly do trade with the north. They seem fine with that." Kagome nodded. "N o w..." He went on to talk strategy, Kagome listening and mentally taking notes, the other two standing next to him.

"Sesshomaru-sama!" A child called his name as they ran into his study.

"What is it, Rin?" He looked at the smiling child.

"A nice lady healed Rin of her injury. See." She held her knee up so she was balancing on one leg. "She was so warm."

He saw the flawless skin. It had once been skinned and bloody. Now it was like she was never injured. He could feel the lingering presence of miko power. He knew Rin had been speaking of Kagome. She was the only one that had power that felt like that.

"Go bug Jaken, Rin. I have work I need to do."

"Alright, Sesshomaru-sama!" She skipped out of the room, closing the sliding door behind her.

He had decided he would look in on Kagome's training tomorrow to see how she had progressed. Yes, she had only been there two days but it wouldn't hurt for him to know where she was at in her training.