Chapter 4-The Necklace

Kagome couldn't help but smile at the children who were currently sleeping with Ah-Uhn. They had been nothing but rambunctious since the tachi of Kagome's had joined Sesshomaru, but that was to be expected since it was rare for the children to have a chance to play with anyone their age. She sighed thinking back on the last few days, it'd been four, since they'd started traveling with the TaiYoukai.

The first night that they'd made camp Kagome had taken the children to the hot spring nearby to bathe. The ever reluctant Jaken had been told to watch over them even though they had Sango as well. Everything had been going ok until Jaken had decided that "the stupid human wench" had wasted enough time in the water and left. Sango had noticed his disappearance but said nothing to Kagome who was showing Rin how to properly clean herself with the things around her, even how to use petals from flowers to make her smell sweet. Normally she'd have used her things from the future but since she stayed in this era so long she had run out. Well, not only did Sango notice Jaken leaving but she noticed the TaiYoukai's arrival to check on them. Sango then decided to tell Shippou and Rin that it was their bed time and for Kagome to stay here and relax and that she'd explain to Sesshomaru that she needed the time alone. Kagome nodded her agreement and the others took their things and left back for camp. Kagome had relaxed for another hour before getting out and upon arriving at camp she noticed that the Tai had seemed to watch her movements almost too closely. She prayed he couldn't smell the salt from her tears as she had cried again and for what she hoped was the last time over the hanyou.

Sesshomaru had been troubled all through that first night.

'She still pines for that Hanyou.'

'These Sesshomaru know full well that she no longer pines for him but mourns the loss of the Baka-you.'

'She just shouldn't cry over him, it's unsettling.'

'So what shall we do to keep her from being sad around Rin?'

'That's the only reason we need her happy, is to keep Rin from being sad?'

'For the moment.'

'As you wish.'

He'd started to plot that night.

The morning of the second day Kagome woke to find there was fresh fruit by the last embers of the fire from the night before. She hurried and woke up Sango who joined her in grinning, they thought they'd never see fresh fruit again; InuYasha hardly got any for them. Miroku woke up to the girls' excitement and got smacked for him joining them a little too rambunctious. When Rin and Shippou woke up they started eating the fruit and the fish that Kagome and Sango had caught to go with it. When the children had eaten the adults ate what was left, they'd made everything and didn't touch a bit before the kids had. Shortly after they broke camp and continued on, Sesshomaru waited patiently for the next day for his next idea, though he made sure they had fruit for dinner as well.

Kagome smiled all through the third day, she had a feeling that it was Sesshomaru bringing in the fruit, but she knew better than showing her gratitude. They had passed through another village and the children went to play being guarded by Kirara, Ah-Uhn, and Jaken. Kagome, Sango and Miroku all went to find a sword and some other items. Sesshomaru just wandered around; at least he had until seeing a vendor selling jewelry and gems. He'd spotted one that was in the form and of the color of his crescent moon and his markings. Picking up the gemstone he purchased it and made his way to the forest to await the others; he had some things to do in the meantime.

The next day Kagome woke up to a necklace by her head. She picked it up and put it on noticing the tingly feeling from it. She looked down and noticed the string it was tied with and noticed it wasn't string at all but silver hair. She then looked up at Sesshomaru with shock written on her face. He just smirked and walked out of the clearing before looking back at her. She immediately jumped up and ran after him, when he was far enough from the clearing he turned to a tree and sat down with his back on it. Kagome kneeled across from him and bowed.

"Thank you Sesshomaru-sama for the trinket around my neck." She stated.

"Don't worry about it; it was of no great means to me. But it will show that you are protected by the Lord of the West and that should harm come to you it will be their death. The necklace will alert me to any danger you're in and what injuries you receive due to my hair when your miko abilities flare or are activated." He told her watching her eyes closely for any negativeness.

To say Kagome was stunned was an understatement, she was beyond words.

"You… Sesshomaru-sama…. Don't think me unthankful but…. Why?"

"You are the miko of the Shikon-no-Tama."

'And these Sesshomaru know she needs someone to protect her even when she will not protect herself.'

Kagome didn't know what to say, for the TaiYoukai it was touching. So she said nothing but merely bowed again and got up following him back to camp.

~Which brings us back to the day at hand~

She knew it was him to get the fruit and he'd been more than an alpha to her and her tachi, taking breaks for the kids and hunting for them all, he even let them rest a bit after a fight.

Miroku and Sango looked to Kagome, they had been with her long enough to know what that far away look meant and kept the kids from disturbing her thoughts, though they knew it involved the silver haired demon in camp. They'd watched him over the last few days and realized he was nowhere near as bad as InuYasha had made him seem. He was respectable and a good leader. They knew they'd made the right choice in joining with his group.

"Sesshomaru-sama?" Rin asked standing to his left.

"Hm."

"We arrive tomorrow right?"

"Yes Rin."

"Will Kagome-nee-san stay near Rin? And where will Shippou stay?"

"We'll take care of all that when we reach home Rin."

"Yes Sesshomaru-sama"

The others were stunned, except for Kagome they'd never seen him actually act caring towards any being that was human, although she still suspected it was because of her rank as the Shikon Miko.

The camp was quiet that night. Kagome's tachi was anxious about being surrounded by Youkai society, whereas the children were anxious about the toys Rin had told Shippou about, and Sesshomaru didn't want to know what had happened with the other lords. He suspected the other Inu's needed or would want to meet Kagome but he'd hold that off for as long as possible.

Only one more day.