Author's Note:

This story evolved as an as I went thing with no real end in mind. It was more of a character exploration of "what would happen if..." So enjoy this bitter exploration into hurt, healing and hope.

Be warned, since I haven't followed the series closely in years or seen the Final Act, I'm pretty sure some things won't fit into cannon.

Of Pride and Power
Chapter 8: Rained In

The dawn light painted the sky with elegant sweeps of crimson and orange as the sun rose to embrace a sky blanketed by clouds. The sight was so awe inspiring, Kagome almost missed her chance to catch her breakfast.

Almost.

A fish splashed in the rushing stream, her arrow loosed and a meal was caught. Her success was short lived when the light patters of rain tapped atop her head. Nabbing the bobbing fish by her arrow, Kagome retreated to the cleft in the rock where she'd made camp just as the sounds of thunder rumbled through the thick air.

The campfire was still aglow and with a armful of brush, it was crackling louder than the sheets of rain that fell beyond her shelter. Kagome settled herself beside the flames and cleaned her fish, placed it on a skewer and set it beside the fire to cook.

"It's so weird that you don't eat." Kagome remarked offhandedly to Sesshomaru who reclined comfortably against the inset rock. His attention was entranced by the weather, finding it far more interesting than her. "Food is one of the best things in life." she continued, turning her meal so it cooked evenly.

"My mom used to make fish glazed in orange sauce and she'd serve it over rice with pickled radish." A pleasant shiver tingled Kagome's toes and traveled to her nose at the memory of it. "I bet if you had it you'd re-think your no food motto."

A disgruntled hum of disagreement sounded from his lips. Chuckling lightly Kagome warmed herself from the flame. "Oh don't be so sore. You know, if you let me have the jewel I could go back and get some for you." she offered. A second hum of disagreement was made to her dismay.

It wasn't that she expected him to agree, it just saddened her that he wouldn't. "It's been a whole year since I've seen them." she mentioned, her gaze turning distant as she stared into the flickering flames. "I wonder if they're okay..." It was a hopeless thing to think about. Until Sesshomaru relinquished the jewel she was stuck, destined to grow old and die in a time not her own.

Taking a rattled breath, Kagome decided to change the conversation. "What about you? I know your father's gone, but what about your mother?" Knowing the drill, Kagome waited. She turned her fish. Sesshomaru answered.

"She lives."

"Do you miss her?"

Succinct hum of disagreement. Well, she wasn't getting anywhere with simple questions. New tactic- questions that couldn't be answered in a word or two.

"What's she like?"

Silence.

She turned the fish.

"Noble, powerful, wise." he listed absently.

Three words, not exactly an example of riveting conversation but it was more than a hum. Pressing forward Kagome asked, "Do you take after your father or your mother more?"

Silence.

Fish turned.

"Neither."

Back to single word answers. Kagome resigned her efforts for a normal exchange and decided to fill the silence herself. "Huh." she mused, lifting her meal to inspect it and finding it cooked. "I don't remember much of my father. He died when I was young. So I guess I take after my mother."

The fish was incredibly bland and had the distinct taste of mud and water. Despite its unremarkable flavor, Kagome much preferred this to the random handfuls of bitter roughage she foraged from the forest in the their travels.

"I wish I could've met your dad." she said thoughtfully, her mind picturing their father from the bits and pieces she knew of him from stories told. "You and Inuyasha are so different, but I'm sure both of you share similar traits from him. It'd be neat to figure out what came from where."

Kagome hadn't anticipated a response but one came and it was far more verbose than anything he'd spoken previously. "Father was strong and my greatest rival. His name was feared throughout the lands as he was the strongest inu-youkai to have ever lived."

For Sesshomaru to speak at such lengths affirmed the deep sense of respect he held for his father. His candid confession gave her pause and truthfully Kagome was surprised that Sesshomaru could hold anyone in such high regard. "Do you miss him?" she asked, picking out a fish bone and flicking it into the fire.

"No."

Kagome had more questions, ones of how the Inu-Taisho met Sesshomaru's mother and what their deal was. However such things were immensely personal and considering Sesshomaru's limited responses, she'd never get the juicy details she really wanted. Instead she stretched, yawned and laid down.

"You're not going anywhere in this rain right?" she asked.

"No." he affirmed.

"Good, because rainy days are perfect for sleeping." she murmured, even as sleep embraced her into warm dreams of friends and family.