A/N; Read and enjoy!
Beta; Cstorm86

The Miko Freezes

The forest smelled of wet dirt and freshness. Here and there drops were still dripping from the leaves. Birds were chirping and flying between the branches, causing the accumulated water to fall down in tiny rains.

Kagome was glad that she and Sango managed to persuade Inuyasha to follow the road and not go running through the forest. Getting to their destination in a handful of minutes wasn't worth getting wet, since the hotel was within walking distance. Especially when Inuyasha pointed to them a bicycle path that connected the shrine road and the hotel. This way they didn't have to go to the village and then turn to the hotel.

Sango left her huge boomerang at the shrine, but to the miko she looked like a walking arsenal, a thick belt adorned with pouches hanging low on her hips. She carried Kirara in her arms, the feline looking deceptively harmless. Inuyasha walked on Kagome's other side, arms crossed and stuffed in his sleeves, a basketball cap covering his precious ears. Kagome had her bow and arrows, but also a stack of white talismans stuck in her sleeve. Between the two warriors she felt safe, but she didn't want to rely on them while doing nothing, she wanted to play her part.

Suddenly Inuyasha leaped to the side, disappearing in the forest before Kagome could react.

'Inuyasha?' she sent a confused thought. Sango stopped walking as she did, looking at Kagome with a small frown.

'The hotel is right behind the path bend,' the shrine guardian said.

"Kagome? What's going on?" the other woman asked, but Kagome didn't respond, focused on Inuyasha, hidden in the forest.

'You know that you don't have to hide from people anymore, right? I mean you can come with us,' Kagome reminded the hanyou. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Sango rolling her eyes at her.

'Yeah, I know. But that doesn't mean I will go frolicking among humans now. Even before I became the shrine guardian I wasn't exactly welcome in the village,' came Inuyasha's reply. It was gruff and grumpy, but Kagome didn't mind, glad that he shared his feelings with her.

'Sure, you can come with us next time then,' she said cheerfully.

"Keh! I am coming with you, idiot. When you need me, I will be at your side.'

What could she do when she received that message? Kagome felt a smile spread across her face, her body instinctively relaxing at his assurance. It would be amusing how easily she accepted his promise, if it wasn't making her heart beat faster and a blush dust her cheeks. She knew he meant it as a partner shrine guardian making sure his miko was alright, but she couldn't help that reaction.

She wanted him at her side, but she was afraid not in the exact same way he meant it.

But it was fine, she wasn't feeling down because of that. After all, he was still here, he hadn't left her as soon as he was freed from the commands. Maybe one day he'd mean it the way she wanted him to.

For now they had work to do.

"Inuyasha will shadow us," she finally said to Sango, who nodded. "He says we're almost at the hotel."

"Alright," Sango said and glanced at Kagome as they started walking again. "You should work on your mind speak. When you freeze like this and your face gets vacant... People can get confused and spooked."

"Uh," the miko blushed. "I guess sometimes I just focus a bit too much on Inuyasha..."

It wasn't her fault he was distracting.

The slayer cast a glance at her and then smirked a knowing smile.

"I wonder if he freezes like this when you talk to him, Kagome," she teased.

"Sango!" Kagome gasped and covered her mouth, blushing again. The older woman chuckled, but luckily didn't have a chance to tease her more, because they came out of the forest and entered a big field that contained the hotel and the hot springs that were located to the side.

.

The battle was over, the air was heavy with smoke, the stench of blood and death almost still over the ruined village. The few villagers who remained alive, were peering from behind a barrier at the soldiers in the colors of the West carrying their fallen peers to lay in rows in the village square, in front of a silent, motionless daiyoukai.

No one cheered, no one celebrated the victory. The village had been ambushed by a group of what looked like rogue youkai, but with the war hovering over the land they could have been easily troops of the enemy.

The daiyoukai with a handful of soldiers, hardly more than thirty, had come to see more than a half of the village destroyed, the inhabitants dead or running for their lives. What had happened after that had been a literal blood bath. Even the soldiers were quiet and seemed to be afraid to approach the white-clad man. Twin pools of acid burned the dirt where the green glowing liquid had dripped from his claws. His eyes never looked away from the growing amount of maimed bodies.

The village was saved, but the villagers felt only sorrow, looking at their family members and friends lying in front of their lord, who honored them with his silent presence. He'd come, but he'd come too late.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" called a bright, young voice from overhead.

A two-headed dragon landed near the edge of the square, almost boredly looking at the still smoking ruin that had been a house. The rider leaped lightly off the dragon's back, drawing everyone's attention to their petite, tiny form clad in a colorful yukata of pink and orange.

A human girl looked at the battlefield with big, innocent brown eyes. Some of the villagers looked at the smile disappearing from her open face and felt pity for the girl. She was most certainly not old or strong enough to witness the cruelty that had transpired here.

The girl breathed deeply and walked towards the daiyoukai all the youkai were afraid to approach. He didn't move when she stopped beside him, both seemingly unaware of the audience. Many were worried that the girl was not going to live long, especially when she reached up and brushed her fingers against the back of his hand.

"My lord, I talked to cousin Kanna, but it looks like Lord Naraku had no part in mother's kidnapping," she said quietly. "Rin asks for your permission to cross the barrier."

Golden eyes followed a pair of soldiers, who just put another body down, finishing another row of dead villagers. The soldiers both paled and hurried away. It looked like the search for the deceased was nearing its end.

"My lord," the girl said and smiled up at the tall man, who had yet to acknowledge her presence. "You... We need her. You can't go to war without Lady Kagura.'

Some gasps were heard when the daiyoukai reached to his obi and unsheathed one of two swords he had on his hip. The girl didn't even flinch at the sound the blade made as it left its sheath. Many felt a pang of pity at the fate the child was about to suffer.

The sleek blade seemed to glow ghostly blue in the dim sunlight filtered by clouds and smoke. Many fearful eyes followed the path of the blade as it was lifted in front of the daiyoukai.

"Go, Rin," the lord said and swung the blade at nothing that could be seen over the dozens of bodies.

"Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru!" the girl bounced and skipped happily to where the two-headed dragon waited for her. Her cheerful voice was so out of place on the battlefield, that many didn't notice that the bodies were no longer lifeless, until the previously dead villagers started to sit up, crying out in shock. More cries and shouts joined them when the barrier came down and the remaining villagers ran towards their suddenly and miraculously brought back to life peers. Even the grim soldiers smiled and went to greet the few of their comrades who had fallen in battle.

Golden eyes followed the shape of the human girl flying away on a dragon.