Disclaimer: I own all of 3 characters in this story, and my husband has claims to 1. All the others don't belong to me.
Well folks, I've been busy with work and planning for when my family gets here in a week, so I might be a little behind inupdating for a while. I'll do my best though!
naiteki: Support! I'm not worthy. Thanks muchly!
darkangelprincess24: Hehe, yeah, I try. I'll update soon...I hope...I'm glad you've stuck with me!
Chapter Five – Wanderings and Musings
Breakfast passed rather quickly as Kagome sat at the same little table as Kouga and Inuyasha, trying to stomach her own food as they devoured everything they could get their hands on. It was an interesting experience, to say the least, and had gathered quite a crowd, most of the guys betting on who would be the first to quit. But it all seemed over in an instant, and much to the others' dismay (and Kagome's relief), both ran out of food at the same time and sat back to stretch. Kagome giggled as everyone else wandered off, then turned to the two handsome men.
"Are you two related in any way? You act so much alike." She glanced between the two, eyes dancing.
Kouga was first to reply. "Eh, yeah, I guess we are. Some kind of distant cousin, right Inu?"
Inuyasha nodded slightly, arms crossed. "Yeah, something like that. You should ask Sess, he's got the whole family tree mapped out somewhere."
Kagome frowned, puzzled. "Sess? Who's that?"
Inuyasha raised a brow at her question. "Sesshoumaru? Tall guy, white hair, yellow eyes? You know, the teacher?" Kagome finally nodded in recognition. "Yeah, him. He's my older brother."
Kagome's mouth fell open. "Really? Well, yeah, now that you mention it, I can see the resemblance." She cocked her head, glancing over Inuyasha's features and making him, quite obviously, very uncomfortable.
Kouga snickered, then stretched again and stood. "Well guys, it's Saturday and we don't have to be anywhere for a while, let's go exploring!" He looked for all the world like a giddy little schoolboy, and added to the effect by rocking back and forth on his heels.
Inuyasha grumbled something about bakas and stood, Kagome rising next to him to take both their arms again.
"I hope you guys don't mind, but I like walking like this. Kinda makes me feel…" she screwed up her face, trying to find the right word. "…important." Her face fell slightly, causing both guys to frown and give each other knowing glances.
"Hey, we don't mind. Now let's wander mindlessly for a while." Kouga smiled down at her, and she awarded him a grin of her own.
"Alright then, tell me about yourselves." She looked between them expectantly as they wandered up a dark and dusty staircase. "Inuyasha, you go first."
He grumbled to himself. "Keh, fine, what could it hurt. My name is Inuyasha Gin. My father was the great Inutaisho, the great Demon Lord of the West." He paused for effect, smirking at the look of amazement on Kagome's face. "I'm 20 years old, Sesshoumaru is my older brother, and I'm here because of him. Both of my parents are dead, and he insisted that I continue my education of everything useful where he could keep an eye on me." He shrugged, then turned to Kouga, grinning again. "I guess that makes it your turn, since little miss Kagome here is still in shock."
They had passed quite a few closed doors on the hallway they were on before coming to an open one, which turned out to be another stairwell, this one spiral. Inuyasha went first, Kagome following silently, and Kouga bringing up the rear.
"My name is Kouga Urufu, and I'm prince of the wolf demons." He puffed out his chest proudly, forgetting for the moment that neither could see him. Kagome chuckled softly though. "I'm also 20 years old, and I'm actually here of my own choice, to better myself and thus better my pack."
"Keh, sounds like you read that out of a textbook" Inuyasha grumbled as he stopped on the landing for a moment, then stepped aside for Kagome and Kouga to pass.
Kagome gasped and ran around the bell to the rail. "Oh, gosh…wow!" She squealed in delight. They were in the bell tower, staring out over the school grounds. It was picturesque, to say the least. The sun was still rising slowly into the sky, and Kagome guessed it to be about 10 AM. The rooftops of the other buildings seemed to sparkle, and she could hear a whinny or two from the stables. The whole area looked lush and inviting, and Kagome leaned on the rail, sighing happily. Inuyasha shrugged and sat on the floor against a pillar, and Kouga stood across from him, leaning against another pillar.
"I guess it's my turn, eh?" Silence greeted her, and she sighed, closing her eyes briefly.
"My name is Kagome Higurashi, and I'm 19 years old. I'm forever little sister to Kikyo Higurashi, though she's my twin." Her face hardened again in a way the boys were coming to expect whenever she mentioned her sister. "I'm no demon, no one special really. Just your average human here." She laughed coldly, opening her eyes and staring out at the inviting horizon. "And to tell the truth, I have no clue why I'm here. I spent nearly all of my senior year of high school in bed with an illness that no one could figure out how to cure. I missed a lot of school, and it took a lot of my strength, and so all that's left is this." She waved a hand over herself, summing up the slightly shortened stature, paler skin, and legs that were shaking slightly from the exertion of the walking. She glanced to both boys, then sighed again and went back to looking at the grounds, freezing when she saw who was out at the archery range.
Kikyo stood there with a long bow in her hand, arrow notched and at the ready at her cheek. Kagome watched her sister with a kind of grim pride, knowing that she would hit the mark. And her sister didn't disappoint, firing off a clean bulls-eye, and Kagome let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding. A girl with a shock of pink hair stood next to Kikyo, obviously complimenting her on her form. Kagome sighed.
"I guess I still love her," she said after a few minutes, startling both boys out of their thoughts. "I guess I never stopped loving her, though it seems she might have stopped loving me." She laughed hollowly. "You know she got the invitation first, and when I got mine, she didn't want me to come with her. She fought with our mother of all people, and that's a battle neither of us have ever won." She shook her head and turned away from the scene below her, slumping to the floor with her back against the rail. "Ah well, sorry to have bored you both. But, at least I didn't start crying, eh?" She forced a smile, trying to lighten the mood.
Kouga burst out laughing instantly, but Inuyasha only "keh-ed" and folded his arms again, staring out into space.
They sat up there for a good while, and it was only when Inuyasha's stomach began growling. Kagome rolled her eyes at him.
"Honestly, Inuyasha, how can you be hungry after how much you ate this morning?" Kouga's stomach answered with a growl of its own, and even Kagome's rumbled faintly. She threw her hands up in defeat.
"Alright, fine, I know when I'm beat. Let's get some lunch and go riding!"
Lunch passed about the same as breakfast had, though Kagome noted that Kikyo wasn't in the room. Once the two males had finished stuffing their faces and Kagome had finished eating as daintily as she could, they found themselves in a press of students clamoring out the back door.
Kagome found herself sandwiched between Kouga and a rather short boy who had his blond hair in a braid down his back, with Inuyasha right behind them, grumbling to himself about something. The whole group was scrunched pretty tight for a moment or two as they tried to push through the double doors all at once, but once past them the student body fanned out again, some breaking into a run towards the stables. Kagome reached behind her and pulled Inuyasha up next to her, and the trio meandered over to join the crowd.
Hakudoushi stood on the top rail of the corral, his lavender hair braided today. He smiled softly before raising his hand for quiet.
"Alright everyone, it is my pleasure to welcome you to your first class at The Academy." There were a few claps throughout the gathered class, but they died down fast enough. He smiled again.
"To begin, all the horses are already saddled and waiting for today only. Every Saturday after this, you will be expected to chose and tack your own horses, as well as cool them down and clean them up afterward." Murmurs passed through the crowd at this, some pleased, others not looking forward the task. Hakudoushi clapped his hands.
"Alright then! Form a line and come this way. Lynx, if you'd assist me please." A rather short girl stepped out of the crowd, her long blue hair billowing in the wind. She bowed to Hakudoushi, then smiled almost shyly at the crowd.
"This is Lynx, and while she's a student, she's the most knowledgeable person here about the nature of these horses. Many of them were born on her family's ranch, and you will all listen to her as you would one of the teachers." Kagome noticed a faint blush creeping across Lynx's face, but marveled in the way she held herself.
The students all fell into line, Kagome once again between Kouga and Inuyasha, not noticing the random low growls the two directed at any male that tried to sandwich himself in. Hakudoushi stood by the gate as Lynx hopped over the fence and strode off toward the horses, pulling herself up onto a leggy black mare and beginning to herd the others nearer to the fence.
"Alright now, you will each enter the corral one at a time and choose your mount. Lynx will assist you should you need her." He paused as the herd came thundering to the fence, startling a few of the students. "Alright dear, you're first." He opened the gate to allow a tall blonde to enter, even though she was obviously scared to death.
One by one, they had entered the corral and chose their mounts. Kagome found herself atop a dappled grey gelding, Kouga looked pretty smug on his bay gelding, and Inuyasha seemed to be having trouble with his palomino mare. Kagome couldn't help but snicker a bit.
"Girl trouble there, Inuyasha? Don't tell me she's too much for you." She grinned.
"Keh, as if any woman could get the best of me." Inuyasha grumbled as he fiddled with the reins. "Don't see the point in riding anyways…I'm much faster than any horse any day."
Kagome shrugged, not doubting the man's claim at all. She'd heard of demon's speed, though she hadn't witnessed it for herself, and it was said that dog and wolf demons were among the fastest. She chanced a glance at Kouga, who was still sitting primly atop his horse. He almost looked like he belonged there, until she noticed that he'd left the reins trailing limply down the saddle. Kagome burst out laughing as Lynx appeared to gently correct him.
"Alright folks, lets move out!" Hakudoushi's voice rang out, and everyone made to turn their horses to follow, some with more success than others. The blonde girl who was the first to choose her horse was effectively making it do donuts in the soft dirt of the corral. Lynx looked rather exasperated as she moved to the girl's rescue, earning quite a few snickers as everyone fell into place. It was then that Kagome caught a glimpse of what Hakudoushi was riding.
It was tall, and its fierce red eyes seemed to stare over the horses with an air of absolute authority. His mane and tail were red, and stood up like flames. The rest of his body was white, and it certainly made for an imposing creature. Hakudoushi seemed tiny atop the fiery creature, but he seemed to hold some power over the steed.
"Alright everyone, we're just going to put the horses through their paces for today. We'll return early and go through the processes of cleaning up." He smirked slightly. "Everyone ready?" He nodded to Lynx, who trotted up the line, spinning her mare, as she held up a hand.
"MOVE OUT!" Lynx bellowed, then whistled the horses into a brisk walk. Kagome stared at her in open-mouthed shock, amazed that such a powerful sound could come from such a small girl. The line moved past her, and Lynx gave them each a smile before turning her mare to bring up the end of the line.
The ride was peaceful enough. They wound their way through the forest surrounding the schoolgrounds, Kagome taking note of a nice lake here, a shady glade there, and a long expanse of grass that Hakudoushi made them gallop across. Hakudoushi stayed at the head of the line, silent and almost stoic atop his monster of a horse. Lynx frequently moved up and down the line, correcting postures and hands before settling in next to the girl ahead of Kouga. The two were obviously good friends, because they were soon talking animatedly. Kagome took the chance of a straight path to turn and glance back at Inuyasha, who finally seemed to have settled down and almost seemed to be enjoying himself. He raised a brow at her, then smiled slightly.
"Well? Enjoying yourself?" Kagome asked sweetly.
"Keh, whatever. I still say I'm faster by myself."
Kagome rolled her eyes. "Inuyasha, right now, ANY of us would be faster on our own, horses or no." She grinned.
Inuyasha smirked back, but his mare chose that moment to try and wrench out of his death grip on the reins, and his retort was cut short. Kagome laughed and turned back to face the front as they came up on the stables again. Lynx and her friend had broken out of line and gone to open the pasture gate, and Hakudoushi held up a hand for silence.
"Alright, you will each dismount and lead your horse into their stall, then Lynx and Ryfen will each give a demonstration to each half of the stable. Pay attention, because after next week, no mistakes will be tolerated." He made to dismount, then paused and called out again. "This here is Entei," he patted the stallion for emphasis, "Do NOT touch him unless you wish to die a gruesome death. That is all, move out." He spurred Entei into a gallop towards a smaller stable that Kagome hadn't noticed before. Obviously, the demon horse couldn't be trusted around the normal ones, and thus had to be kept separate. She shrugged mentally as she dismounted and followed Kouga into the stable for their lesson.
"Hello, I'm Ryfen Orand, and I'll be teaching you worthless know-it-alls about the proper care of horses!"
Kagome giggled, liking the girl instantly. Her bright pink hair identified her as the girl she had seen with Kikyo that morning, but the distance between them hadn't done the girl justice. Peeking out of that short mop of hair was a pair of red fox ears, and a bushy red tail hung to just past her knees. Her eyes were bright purple, and she wore not a speck of makeup, though seemed even more beautiful for the fact. She was dressed from head to foot in red, from her sleeveless shirt to her short skirt to her stockings and sneakers. Her whole aura oozed of mischief and gaiety, and she obviously had no problem voicing her mind.
She gave a very good lecture, along with her live demonstration with a chestnut mare, and not even the boys seemed to have trouble cleaning their mounts once she got done chewing them out a bit, despite the grumbling Kouga was giving about not needing to listen to fox females. She watched each of them with a critical eye, barking orders as needed.
Kagome had been doing well and had even received one of Ryfen's few compliments, but her horse seemed to be getting anxious about something, and Kagome realized it too late. While brushing her horse's tail, she felt a sudden twinge in her shoulders and her arms fell to her sides, useless. She had fast become used to this sort of thing – it was a side effect of her illness and her medications, or so the doctors said – but when her arms dropped, the brush fell from her numb fingers and hit her horse's hock, causing the animal to kick out instinctively. Kagome froze as everything seemed to move in slow motion. Those two hooves with their hard shoes were coming straight at her chest, and she couldn't even lift her arms to protect herself. She didn't even have time to scream, but her eyes snapped shut as the hooves came within inches of her stomach, waiting for impact and hoping that she wouldn't break too many bones.
The impact never came, only a soft whoosh of air, but Kagome toppled into the heavy door of the stall anyway. She opened her eyes timidly to see a pink shield wavering around her, and her horse backed into the far corner of his stall, watching her boredly. She struggled to stand as the field faded, but her arms were still useless and someone chose that moment to open the door she was leaning on, causing her to fall onto her back in the hall and stare up at quite a few worried and confused faces, Kouga and Inuyasha among them. Then Ryfen appeared, shoving the others back and standing over her with a distinctive frown.
"And just what the hell were you thinking!" She all but screeched, causing Kagome to flinch away and wish she could put her hands over her ears. "You could have been killed! You'd better be glad that your sister was there to save you!"
Kagome froze and looked up into the face of her twin, who was now kneeling next to her, her face all worry, but her eyes holding some kind of mocking pride. Kagome shivered and closed her eyes for a moment, then looked back up at Ryfen.
"I…I'm sorry, ma'am. I don't know what happened." She whispered. She closed her eyes again, willing her arms to move. Miraculously, they complied, tingling as if they had been asleep, and she lifted a hand to her eyes. She barely heard Ryfen telling everyone to go finish up and head back to the school, or Hakudoushi wandering over to see what was up and her sister telling him what had happened. It was only until her right hand was taken into some else's that she moved her left hand and looked up into Kouga's worried eyes.
"Come on, Kagome, let's get you out of here." She nodded tiredly and allowed herself to be picked up and carried back towards the school against Kouga's strong chest, fighting back tears the whole way.
Inuyasha had stayed behind to finish up Kagome's horse, but as he quietly left the stable, he caught a glance of Kikyo striding off towards the little shrine by the forest. Confused, he silently sped along after her, getting ahead of her and taking to the trees to better watch her. But he nearly fell out of the tree at the look of pride and fierce joy on her face, even though her body looked like she'd just run a couple of miles.
As she entered the tiny shrine, Inuyasha jumped down and sped back off towards the school, wondering what the hell was going on between the twins.