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Kagome reluctantly awoke. As she lay up in bed her hair fell around her in a tangled ebony mess, her eyes were a tad swollen and she yawned wearily. Suddenly a knock came to her door followed by it creaking open. Her Father appeared in the door-way. Kagome's worn-out face immediately gained a look of joy.

She had not seen her father for days now; he had been traveling from their village to Hojo's neighboring village perpetually for months now. As she watched her father walk towards her bed she noticed he held a bouquet of wildflowers, ranging from brilliant shades of purple to shadowy blues. Under his other arm she realized he had two middle-sized packages armed.

A smile came to her Father's face, "These are from the headsman's son, Hojo." He stated, handing the packages to her.

Kagome took the first one and frowned, this unremitting flow of gifts was becoming quite peeving. She pulled off the layer of russet paper concealing the box and then slowly lifted the lid. Inside she saw a sparkling amethyst fabric, when she touched it, it was silky. She lifted it from the box to reveal the full form of the gown. The top of it was fitting while the bottom frilled out slightly yet still seized the full body of whoever wore it. It was truly a beautiful garb.

Her father's mouth was vaguely gaping open as he looked over the dress, it deemed a little inappropriate to send a skin-tight dress to his daughter. Yet, he blocked out the thought.

"Why don't you open the other one now?" He uttered, clearing his throat.

Kagome gently set the beautiful cloth down and picked up the other box; she opened it to reveal a pair of high-heeled shoes. They were black with two amethyst jewels on the toe of the shoes. She set them next to the dazzling dress and they matched quite well. She looked at her father and grinned. He returned a smile back.

"This Hojo must really like you." He announced whilst peering over the flowers. "Hopefully he'll treat you fairly when the two of you marry." He laughed.

Kagome nearly fell off of her bed! She had completely forgotten about the marriage and that it was her "Honor" and "Duty" to marry Hojo. The real reason being her village wanted to keep trading with his father's much larger village, which produced double the resources of any other village in the area. She let out a sigh.

She and her father continued to chat for another few minutes before he departed the room, leaving her be. Kagome stood to her feet and looked the dress over some more. She collected it in her hands and held it to her body, as though she were wearing it. She ran a hand down the ruffled skirt of it and faintly smiled.

'I wonder what Inuyasha would think if he saw me wearing this?' She wondered.


After a good bath and a little hair remodeling, Kagome was ready to start her day. Instead of wearing the exquisite gift she had received this morning she decided to go with one of her more humble dresses; it was a rose colored, knee-high dress; simple but stunning on her.

After eating a bit of breakfast and sneaking a few fresh buns into her satchel she was ready to depart into the forest. Slipping a pair of modest brown shoes on, she made a run for the fence. After a good look-over on the property she felt it was safe enough to climb over the barrier between she and the forest. She climbed over grabbing one wooden bar at a time and landed near to perfect on the soft earth below. Then she began to make her almost daily journey into the forest.

As she walked down the invisible pathway she began to get a very strange feeling, it made her hair stand on end, but after several seconds the feeling disappeared. She didn't pay much notice to the feeling and instead just continued walking.

As she neared the creaks scar she broke out into a run and hopped over it, just missing the edge of the other side and tripping face-first into the dirt. She hastily jumped to her feet and began to spit out the dirt that had gotten into her mouth. She could still taste the unpleasant soil in her mouth after it was all out and she peered down at her hands noticing they were slightly injured and dirty. She let out a long annoyed sigh. She wiped her hands on the skirt of her dress causing it to be soiled with dirt and blood, after letting a few curses escape her lips she continued to the clearing.

After a while she made it, which gave her a subtle sense of glee even after the events from earlier. After emerging into the clearing she made a run for the Goshinboku, a huge smile plastered on her face. She nearly tripped for the second time today but she managed to recover.

"Inuyasha!" She called out just as she reached the great tree.

Suddenly she felt something grab her satchel and pull it from her, in a moment of panic Kagome spun around and swatted at whatever it was, but it had disappeared. Bewildered Kagome began to peer around, and then she caught a glimpse of red among the pink petals of the Goshinboku. She took a step forward and peered up for a closer look.

Inuyasha had her satchel in his hand and was munching on the fresh buns Kagome had brought this morning. She smirked and put her hands on her hips.

"What do you think you're doing?" She exclaimed.

Inuyasha turned to look at her, "Oh hey Kagome, I didn't even notice you! Come up here and have some!" He said waving the satchel in the air.

Kagome climbed the tree, a little more carefully than the last time. And once she got to the top she realized that her hands were in quite a lot of pain. Examining them she realized they have been scraped and there were a few rocks protruding from her skin.

Inuyasha noticed the discomfort in her face; he looked over and frowned at her. She was about to try and pluck one of the rocks out when Inuyasha grabbed her wrist, nearly causing her to fall over! He eyed the wound.

"How'd you get hurt this time Clumsy?" He questioned.

Kagome laughed, "You know just tripped-" She winced in pain as Inuyasha used one of his claw-like nails to remove a rock.

"You should be more careful." He said sternly.

Kagome nodded and winced again as he picked out yet another rock.

Once he was finished getting out all of the tiny pebbles he escorted her to the river. The two of them sat at the water's edge and Kagome painstakingly washed the dirt out of her wound. As she did Inuyasha eyed her. He took note in how truly naturally beautiful she was, the way her dark hair flowed and was just the slightest bit curled and how it contrasted with her milky, flawless skin.

Once she was finished she looked up at him and grinned. Embarrassed he immediately looked elsewhere, an obvious blush shading his cheeks. Kagome laughed.


It was mid-afternoon now; the peaceful breeze propelled the pink petals of the Goshinboku Tree into dance. Inuyasha and Kagome lay in the emerald green grass, peacefully watching the clouds go by. Kagome sighed deeply, her mind had wandered back to the wedding and Hojo. If she were to marry Hojo she would be living in his village and would most likely never see Inuyasha again. The thought of that made her heart ache.

Inuyasha sensed Kagome's sudden discomfort; he peered at her tiny frame lying next to him. He frowned and nudged her with his arm.

"Hm?" Kagome asked turning her head to face him.

"Is something bothering you?" He questioned, his face softening.

Kagome shrugged, "It's just… I'd rather not talk about it."

His frown returned. "Kagome, tell me what's wrong?"

She turned back to facing the sky and inhaled deeply. "My parents want me to marry the neighboring village Headsman's son." She regretfully confessed.

Inuyasha's ears immediately shot back and his face changed into a whole new expression Kagome had never seen. He stood to his feet and leapt into the branches of the Goshinboku.

"Inuyasha…" She said as she also got to her feet. "It's not a big deal; trust me I'll find my way out of it."

She caught a glimpse of his Kimono as he leapt higher.

"I don't even like the guy, I've met him only a few times in my life, it's not going to happen trust me." She took a step towards the tree and still got no reply from Inuyasha. "Please don't be mad, I'm not going to accept any of the gifts he brings me anymore and I'm going to make it clear I'm not interested…"

She saw his eyes peering at her through the petals. The golden color of his eyes seemed too had intensified and she could establish he was furious.

"He brings you gifts and obviously wants to wed you, why don't you just get with the guy, bet you two would get along great and you could have little spawns of yourselves running around. Maybe even get a pet or ten." He spat and leapt to a higher branch.

Kagome's eyes began to tear up. "Fine maybe I will then." She shouted.

She immediately turned around and began to march out of the clearing. As she neared the edge she looked back and saw Inuyasha leap from the tree and dash into the woods. Angry and desolate tears began to fall from her eyes; she continued to walk back towards home.


She was a good distance from the fence now and could just make out the shape of it through the thick trees. The tears had not stopped flowing since she left the clearing and she had begun to weep. Finding a log to sit on she hunched over and cried into the skirt of her dress.

It wasn't long before she got the same feeling she had felt earlier. The hairs on her arms and back stood on end. Suddenly she looked up and fell backwards releasing a scream! Before her stood what looked like a baboon but the size of a man. It was positioned only a few feet in front of her.

"St-stay back!" She shouted.

The creature took a step forward. As Kagome gazed at it she realized that it wasn't a real baboon that was standing before her but a skin and mask of one. She attempted to get to her feet, her legs shaking exceedingly.

"I'm warning you stay back." She uttered.

Without warning she heard her mother's voice frantically calling for her in the direction of her house. She dared a look in the direction and when she looked back the creature was gone.

Kagome scrambled to her feet and bolted towards home. Before climbing the fence she made sure her mother wasn't in sight. Ascending over the barrier quickly she ran around to the front of her house and nearly ran into her Mother.

"Kagome I heard you scream are you alright!?" She questioned frantically.

Kagome was about to speak when her mother interrupted her. "Oh my Kami! Kagome your dress!" She took her daughters hands in hers, "And your hands! What happened?"

...

Kagome made up a false story that she had been chased by a wild boar and whilst she was running away she tripped. Now she was sitting in her living room, sipping a cup of warm tea. Her Mother had bandaged her hands and selected a new dress for her to wear.

"My goodness child, you need to be more careful." Her mother expressed.

Kagome ignored her Mother's worried talk and continued to watch the window and sip her tea. Suddenly a look of disbelief came to her features. As if it wasn't a bad day already she saw Hojo riding his horse down the road towards her house. He had full bags overflowing with flowers and boxes fastened to his horse's saddle.

As he got down from his horse he nearly fell off but recovered, he untied some of the bags and began to carry them to the door. Before he had the chance to knock Kagome made a run for her room and as fast as she had ever before climbed through her window.

Kagome's mother answered the door and was greeted by Hojo.

"Hello, Mrs. Higurashi. Is Kagome around by any chance?" he asked; a dazzling smile lighting up his face.

"Hojo, a pleasure as always. She was here just a minute ago, one moment. Kagome!" She called out.

Little did they know Kagome was hiding in the chicken coup. She had no desire what-so-ever to see Hojo right now. In fact, the only person she wanted to see right now was Inuyasha. She felt terrible for leaving their previous conversation the way she had. She should have just not told him. Then there was that thing she saw in the forest, it gave her the chills just imagining it.

Suddenly she heard the front door close. She peered through a small crack in the chicken coups wall and watched Hojo ride his horse away. She sighed with relief.


After a good scolding from her Mother for disappearing when she had, Kagome ate some dinner and was now sitting in her room all by her lonesome. She couldn't get the images of that baboon out of her mind. She hoped Inuyasha would be alright tonight, although she knew he could take care of himself.

She smiled at the memory from two years ago, when they had first met and he had killed the Centipede youkai. He had saved her life; if it weren't for him she would have been killed and eaten. She smiled, she was lucky to have Inuyasha.

At some point that night Kagome had dozed off…


Inuyasha ran through the tress at an inhuman speed. He skillfully managed to dodge branches and any other obstacles that lay in his way. He finally saw the fence by Kagome's cottage; it was sitting humble where it had always been. The inside of the cottage lay in darkness; he could smell the freshly blown-out candles smoke.

However it may have appeared to have been a peaceful night he could sense an evil presence about, as well as a strange scent. He noticed that Kagome's bedroom window was open, and that was where the source of the scent was coming from. He leapt from the tree branches and landed soundlessly on the ground; his silver hair spreading messily around him.

He snuck over to her window and when he peered inside a look of horror struck his features. A baboon standing like a human stood over Kagome's sleeping form. No not a baboon, a youkai, it was wearing the skin and mask of a baboon. Suddenly it looked up at Inuyasha.

Inuyasha's eyes flicked open and he let out a hefty breath of air. The nightmare had him spooked. He sighed and rubbed his tired eyes. His hands were still shaking from the fright. Deep down he had an abysmal feeling that something was wrong.

"Kagome." He said under his breath.

Immediately and in a state of panic he began to make his way through the forest, just as he had in the dream. He made it to the cottage in no time and to his horror Kagome's window was open wide. He leapt down from the tree and rushed to the opening, his eyes immediately scanned her room for any presence that shouldn't be there.

He sighed with relief. Kagome slept soundly in her bed. He leaned against the wall of the cottage and breathed hard. Even though nothing appeared to be wrong he still had an overwhelming sense that there was something evil lurking near. He examined the surroundings of the property but found nothing.

Just to be safe he perched himself in his usual tree and watched over her for the night.


My apologies for the shortness, will post an extra long chapter tomorrow to make up for it.

Next chapter coming soon! Please leave me a review and let me know what you think!