Somehow, this suspicious individual managed to sneak up behind them without their noticing, and as they held their ground, their blades held up and prepared to strike, they couldn't help but notice how barbaric his outer appearance seemed. Was he a bandit?

Despite his shoulder-length raven hair and scruffy chin, there were numerous scars across his sleeveless arms, scars which told them he often in battled. As they looked into his tanned complexion, they noticed his left eye was more faded than his right, a long-jagged scar traced from his eyebrow to his upper cheek; he was half blind it seemed, but he still looked intimidating.

"Who are you?!" Itsuko inquired. "Are you a bandit?"

Yuuta scoffed, eyeing the three suspiciously. "Regardless or not, I could be asking you three the same. Who are you?" Noticing a familiar woman seated behind the three girls, her entire body slumped against the tree, and Shippo crying against her chest, Yuuta's eyes widened. "Kagome?!"

At his voice, they flinched.

"What the hell did you do to her?!"

Rui was flabbergasted by his remark. "What? We didn't do anything!"

Realizing this man must have known the woman behind them, Itsuko held up a hand and moved away, motioning for the girls to do the same. It seemed there was a bit of misunderstanding between them, and as she and her girls watched this man kneel before the unconscious girl, they realized he wasn't a threat after all. "You know this woman?" She asked, curious of their relationship.

As his calloused hands gently caressed her cheeks, smoothing back her raven bangs from her eyes, he stared distrustfully at the girls. "She's my wife."

A collection of gasps resounded at his remark, the girls looking between themselves in slight confusion and embarrassment. They hadn't realized this man and woman were together, then again, it did seem strange finding her by herself with her baby.

"Who are you?" He questioned, eyeing their strange attire in quiet scrutiny. They were not dressed like normal civilians, and if he had to guess, their clothes were quite similar to that of men. Not only that, but they wielded blades and carried themselves less modestly than others. How strange.

Despite his confusion, Itsuko knelt down and reached into the barrel, lowering a small wooden bowl they'd dropped previously from his unexpected surprise within. "We're simply travelers, no one of importance," She explained, bringing the bowl up to the young woman's mouth.

Grasping her wrist, he stopped her efforts to feed Kagome before taking it from her hand and lifting it to his nose. It didn't smell strange, and taking a sip of it, he realized it was water. Ignoring the other two girls' rueful stares, he held the bowl up to Kagome's mouth, carefully allowing the cold liquid to slip past her lips.

Dipping a rag into the water, Itsuko held it out for Yuuta, and he took it without a word, pressing the rag against Kagome's forehead and cheeks. "We were passing by when we heard your child wailing."

Chiyoko nodded before approaching the goat nearby, a second bowl of water held in her hands as she carefully fed the creature. To her relief, the goat's head perked up, and it lapped at the water hungrily. "I think the goat will live. It was really thirsty."

Itsuko shook her head. "The goat is the least of our concerns…" She sweat dropped.

Unwrapping Shippo from Kagome's carrier against her chest, but careful not to reveal his demon characteristics, Yuuta held the child close to him, wrapping the remainder of the light blue material around the child. When he felt these girls weren't a threat and were perhaps simply travelers, he allowed Itsuko and Rui to pat Kagome down with damp rags while he soothed Shippo's cries.

Feeling something cool pressed against her skin, the feeling of someone touching her and running water around her face and arms, Kagome awoke. Her long lashes fluttered open slowly, her blue eyes staring bewildered at the women tending to her. "Who…"

Realizing she was awake, Yuuta breathed a sigh of relief, and placed a gentle hand upon her shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Kagome nodded, noticing Yuuta immediately beside her. Did she pass out? For how long? Lifting herself up into a better seated position, she looked at the three girls before her, their expressions curious and in awe as they stared back. Who were these girls?

"Blue eyes…" Itsuko fell in wonder at the mesmerizing sight.

Chiyoko and Rue nodded. Never in their life had they ever seen a person with such eyes. They were truly as blue as the sky above them. Remembering their conversation, a short while ago with Kintaro, they suddenly pieced it all together. "Wait, are you Kagome?" They asked in unison, stirring confusion between both Yuuta and Kagome.

The woman nodded, canting her head confusedly between the girls. Who were these girls? How did they know her name? "Do I know you?"

Rui shook her head, sweat dropping suddenly. "Were you the folks who were in Hitomi Village earlier today?"

Kagome nodded. "Yes, but how…"

Chiyoko smiled. "We thought so. Kintaro mentioned you. He said you had eyes the same color as the sky. You and your husband must have stayed the night in the village, I take it?"

Yuuta frowned, his gaze hardening at the girls. "Do you live in Hitomi Village?"

Rui shook her head at this. "Actually, we passed through the village a bit ago and dropped by to trade some materials to the family."

Traders? Yuuta had never heard of such a thing among women. He thought there was something different about them, but it still didn't quite add up. Where did these three come from and where was their village located? Despite wanting to ask them, he turned his attention towards Kagome, whose complexion seemed a bit better now that she was awake. "You should drink a bit more and regain your strength."

While Chiyoko tended to the goat, who was already on her second bowl of water, lapping it up as if it was the only thing she'd drunk all day, Itsuko offered another bowl of water to Kagome, and she drank it slowly, smiling appreciatively at the girls.

"Thank you," She replied, before turning towards Shippo who had finally calmed down a bit, his green eyes staring curiously at her and the girls. "Is he alright?"

Yuuta nodded, handing the child to her, watching as Kagome cuddled the baby against her chest. Satisfied she was alright, he looked appreciatively at he girls. "You have our thanks. We ran out of water on our travels and I was searching for a stream for close to an hour but I didn't find anything."

"You were lucky we were passing through when we did," Itsuko replied, regaining her standing before brushing her knees free of dirt. "Though, I am quite curious; why are the two of you traveling and so far?"

"We're headed North West," Came Yuuta's reply.

"I see." So, they were headed in the same general direction as them? How interesting. Itsuko smiled at this, looking back briefly at their wagon before turning back to Yuuta and Kagome. "Well, you're both in luck. We're actually headed in the same direction. Why don't we give you a lift?"

"Really?" Kagome asked, her eyes widening at the invitation. "We wouldn't want to be any trouble…"

Rui waved it off. "It won't be any trouble. There's plenty of room in the back. Leaving you three here wouldn't settle right with us, and with the weather being as it is, it's not safe for your child either."

Realizing they were right, Kagome turned to Yuuta. "Is it alright?" As much as she didn't want to admit it, she was exhausted, her feet killing her, and she really didn't want to continue walking in this heat for the remainder of the day.

He considered it, eyeing the wagon which was slightly filled with barrels, crates and other bundles, which he assumed were related to the women's trading. With a nod, he allowed it, helping Kagome to her feet. "We would like that. Thank you."

After agreeing to travel with the three young women, whose names they learned were Itsuko, Rui and Chiyoko, Yuuta and Kagome took their respective places in the wagon. Yuuta sat in the back of the wagon, his back pressed up against the rails with Rui and Chiyoko on either side of him. Kagome, on the other hand, was offered a seat beside Itsuko in the front of the wagon, where the constant jostling wouldn't disturb her or her child, and with the sun blazing down upon them, Itsuko offered her straw hat to shield the harsh rays.

"It's a good thing we came along when we did," Rue commented, smiling elatedly at the couple. "If we hadn't heard the baby crying, we would have passed you up."

Looking down at her child nestled against her chest, Kagome frowned. "I can't believe I passed out. Who knows how long Shippo has been crying…" She lamented, caressing his reddened cheeks softly. Despite the weather, and the jostling of the cart, the child had once again fallen asleep, possibly tired out from his crying earlier.

Noticing the raven-haired girl's distraught countenance, Itsuko forced a smile. "Hey, it's okay. It could have happened to any of us in this heat. If you think about it, your son actually saved you."

"Really?" Surprised by her words, Kagome caught her smile.

Itsuko nodded. "Yeah. We really would have passed you up if we hadn't heard him. So, you got lucky."

Recalling a conversation, she shared briefly with Kaede, after bringing Shippo into the village, the older woman revealed that demons had the uncanny ability to sense when another was in distress. 'I guess what Lady Kaede said was true. With the two of us growing closer, he must have sensed something was wrong when I passed out. His … instincts must have kicked in.'

Even so, somehow, she felt it was still a bit too early for the baby's instincts to appear, but then again, maybe it was different for his species; after all, Shippo wasn't human. Despite this, Kagome simply smiled and placed a soft kiss upon his forehead. "Mommy's little hero."

Itsuko smiled at this, noticing the sleeping child smile in its slumber, quite possibly feeling it's mother's love emitted from her sweet kiss. How sweet; it was adorable, their connection as son and mother, something she didn't often see among many villagers.

While Kagome and Itsuko fell into conversation in the front of the wagon, Rui and Chiyoko couldn't help but chatter up Yuuta, their curious attention fixated upon the bandit.

"You were really brave back there," Chiyoko explained with a small smile. "You just came out of nowhere. Not going to lie, but you gave us quite the scare."

Rui nodded, eyeing the older man closely, his robust figure barely slipping past her close scrutiny. "We weren't sure if you were a bandit, but looking at you and your wife, it's quite unlikely."

"We're sorry for assuming that," Chiyoko apologized, sweat dropping suddenly.

Yuuta arched a brow, his arms crossed at his chest as he eyed the two girls on either side of him. Despite their first impression, he couldn't help but scrutinize their appearance as well. Earlier, they admitted they were simple travelers who traded with villages but judging by their attire and the way in which they handled themselves to surprise attacks, not to mention their blades strapped at their waists, there was more to them than they let on. These girls were not ordinary by any means. "Do I really have the appearance of a bandit?" At their nods, he sweat dropped.

"You have all those scars on your arms and the one over your eye," Rui commented, pointing with curious interest. Looking closer, she noticed he was blind in one eye, but she didn't bother asking how that happened, but judging by the jagged scar running from his eye to his upper cheek, it was obviously done during a scuffle. "They must have really hurt."

"How did you get those scars? Were you in a war? Did you fight against demons?" Chiyoko inquired, leaning in closer to him.

Yuuta further sweat dropped. Somehow, he didn't know how to answer without revealing too much of himself. Were he to admit he was indeed a bandit, he was sure to bring trouble upon himself and to Kagome. "These scars aren't as great as you might think. I've been in a few battles in my lifetime, a few farming accidents, a recent scuffle with a wolf and some rather unpleasant people."

"You fought a wolf?!" They exclaimed in surprise, their eyes as wide as saucers.

Itsuko and Kagome heard this, both looking back in confusion at the girls and Yuuta; it seemed they were asking about himself and at the mentioning of wolf, Kagome couldn't help but remember the troubles the village faced when trying to find enough meat to feed everyone.

"With your bare hands?" Rue asked, staring at his hands intently. How was that even possible? How big was the wolf?

"It must have made a really nice pelt!" Chiyoko exclaimed, clasping her hands with admiration sparkling in her eyes. Such a strong man managed to tussle and overwhelm a wolf! Certainly, he was admired within his village!

He mused. "It probably would have. I never thought much on that idea. We skinned the wolf and…" Yuuta paused and glanced over his shoulder, catching Kagome's curious stare from the front seat behind him. "Kagome turned it into a very interesting stew."

The blinked. "Wolf stew?"

Itsuko couldn't help but make a face at this, her nose scrunched up in slight displeasure. Wolf stew? "I've never had that before. Wouldn't it taste mangey?"

Yuuta shook his head. "She is very good at cooking. She managed to rid the smell and taste from the meat entirely and it became a delectable meal for the entire village. There was more than enough meat to go around."

"You really liked it that much?" Kagome beamed, smiling at this revelation. "I know the boys enjoyed it, but I didn't know you enjoyed it so much."

Despite his indifferent attitude at times and inability to express his emotions, he truly enjoyed her cooking; it was something fresh and appetizing, and he remembered the stew's flavor brimming with an interesting and beefy flavor. "It was good."

Kagome's cheeks warmed at his compliment. While he never admitted to liking much of anything, it was nice to now he enjoyed her cooking. If there was one thing she was proud of, it was her mother's wonderful lessons in the kitchen and her home economics class in school.

Chiyoko mused, a finger pressed upon her bottom lip. Wolf stew. Somehow, that didn't sound too bad. "I want to try that. If you say it's as good as it is, it must be pretty tasty."

A devilish smirk crossed Rui's face, and she leaned closer to Yuuta, touching his arm softly, surprising Yuuta. "Maybe you can catch us a wolf sometime, Yuuta?"

Chiyoko also moved closer, nodding her head eagerly at the idea. "We're used to eating deer and bear meat, but never wolf. There's a large pack of demons which inhabit the lands West of our village, so surely we might be able to hunt a few down."

Baffled by their sudden touch upon his arms, he eyed the girls, watching them carefully. There was certain admiration in their gazes, their eyes suddenly traveling his body in curious wonder. Somehow, he felt uncomfortable, reading the situation easily enough. They were interested in him and in a romantic sense.

"Wow, you're so strong," Rui commented, noticing his muscles and veins in his arms. "What do you do to stay so fit?" She asked, before looking down at the sword strapped to his waist. "Are you a Ronin?"

"Carpentry," he answered. As of late, he'd been helping the village cut down trees in order to erect huts for them, which he was sure Kosuke was handling with the other men of the village back home. "I also do a bit of hunting, but nothing too strenuous…"

"Nothing too strenuous? If you can tussle with a wolf, then how is that not strenuous. You said it was enough meat to feed your village. It must have been a big wolf," Rui replied, not believing his words for a second.

Chiyoko's eyes brightened. "If you say you are a carpenter, then you must do a lot of traveling. Surely you must get paid a lot for your hard work."

"Not necessarily. I only recently took up carpentry, and it's not something I focus much of my time on," He bluntly admitted, feeling a shiver creep up his back as Rui's hand fell upon his upper thigh.

"Not only are you strong, but you are also humble. We're used to men boasting of their talents, but you certainly are different. You're also pretty quiet," Rui replied, her eyes falling onto his chest, her hand lifting suddenly to touch the spot. "Your chest is so hard. I'm not going to lie, but you must have left a lot of girls crying back in your village," She joked.

"If only I had a husband like that," Chiyoko dreamily sighed.

Seeing the entire interaction between the girls and Yuuta, Kagome couldn't help but sweat drop, her eyebrow twitching suddenly in irritation. What the… They were practically throwing themselves onto him, and why were they touching him like that? Somehow, they reminded her of her three friends back home in the future, always ogling the popular boys when they were in school.

The two girls giggled suddenly, and noticing Rui's arm intertwined around Yuuta's, the other girl leaning in too close for her liking, Kagome coughed. At the noise, the girls suddenly flinched and quickly separated from him, both completely mortified by their indecent actions; they'd forgotten he was married for a brief moment.

Itsuko held back a smile. "Please, do not mind them. They were completely innocent."

Kagome looked at Itsuko for a moment, her face contorted into a displeased expression. "But their hands weren't…" Why was she irritated all of a sudden? It wasn't like she liked Yuuta, at least, not in a romantic sense. Maybe it was because they were playing the role of a married couple; somehow, she figured this was the possibility, after all, they were quite foolish to act in such a way, especially considering the situation.

Relived they pulled away from him, Yuuta relaxed against the wagon, his eyes staring elsewhere besides the two girls who had fallen into silence. Obviously, judging by their expressions, they seemed embarrassed, doing their best to avoid eye contact with him and Kagome. As he snuck a glance over his shoulder, he couldn't help but notice Kagome glaring at the girls, a fierce fire burning in her gaze.

Feeling the awkward tension surrounding everyone, Itsuko suddenly turned to Kagome, smiling as she sweat dropped. "So, you and your husband, how did you meet?"

Besides being genuinely afraid of Kagome's wrath, Rui and Chiyoko looked up at this, also curious of the two's relationship and how they managed to get together and raise their child. Yuuta on the other hand, remained passive during the trip, his eyes not once straying from the conversation.

'Since we're playing the role of a married couple, I might as well play along,' She thought, musing slightly. Somehow, this little lie was kind of fun. "Well," Kagome began, glancing back at Yuuta briefly. "To be honest, our first meeting wasn't romantic at all. My husband," Kagome's eyes shifted towards the two girls in the back, causing them to gulp uncomfortably from her intimidating stare. "was actually a brute. He was demanding and entirely full of himself. He was like woman this and woman that when I first met him!"

Yuuta met her stare, his brow arched a bit, but he otherwise remained silent as he listened.

Kagome continued. "He literally barged through our village, snatched me up and threw me over his horse and stole me away, claiming me as his prize!"

The girls gasped at this revelation. The Yuuta they briefly acquainted themselves with was actually that kind of person? He didn't display such dominance and brutality. He seemed so quiet and indifferent, then again, he did seem pretty strong.

Itsuko couldn't help but squint her eyes suspiciously, but hearing Kagome laugh softly, her countenance softened. "if you ask me, it sounds like you were kidnapped."

Yuuta suddenly interrupted. "Woman, what are you talking about?" Was she actually going to reveal his and his men's escapade through the village? It was the same day, a month back when he burned the village and trampled their crops, instructing the men to take all the young women.

Kagome pointed at him. "See? He still calls me that sometimes. But, I'll admit, he's getting better at calling me by my name. Isn't that right, sweetie?" She teased Yuuta, but he only grunted and turned away from her disinterestedly.

While the other girls nodded at this, trying to imagine the situation realistically, Itsuko finally smiled. "How long have the two of you been married?"

"About a year," Kagome lied.

Yuuta scoffed. The girl wasn't even denying any of it, furthering the lie every minute at a time. It was strange, how easily she managed to fit into the role, despite it's awkwardness.

"Shippo has brought nothing but happiness to our village, ever since he was born," Kagome softly replied, watching her child sleep peacefully in her arms.

Satisfied in learning their relationship and getting to know them as acquaintances, Itsuko guided the horse further off the path, the sight of the mountains drawing closer. "So, where about North West are you headed?"

"We're headed towards the mountains to the Demon Slayer Village," Yuuta admitted, removing his map from his shirt pocket and opening it. As he looked onto the parchment, he couldn't tell exactly where the village was located, but one thing was certain, Kaede instructed them that the only way to reach their destination was to cross through the mountainous territory.

Silence greeted Kagome and Yuuta after, neither uttering a word as their eyes widened with sudden suspicion. Demon Slayer Village? How did they know about that? Why were they headed there? And most importantly, who exactly were these people? The exchange of looks between Chiyoko and Rui didn't go unnoticed to Yuuta.

Itsuko's eyes narrowed suddenly but she remained silently indifferent to the response. "The Demon Slayer Village? Why on earth would you want to go there?"

Oblivious to the quiet stares, Kagome simply smiled, her eyes looking out across the scenery with interest. "Oh, well we have business there."

Rui frowned, shifting her gaze away from Chiyoko towards the woman seated in the passenger seat of the wagon. "Business?"

"Is there something wrong with that?" Yuuta asked, eyeing the short haired woman curiously. When he noticed her flinch, his eyes narrowed. 'They're hiding something from us…'

Another exchange of stares crossed Chiyoko and Rui, the girls looking worryingly and suspiciously towards Itsuko, but they couldn't seem to meet her gaze at all.

Itsuko's countenance stiffened, her eyes shifting towards Kagome carefully, eyeing her from the head down. "Not only is it strange you are making the trip there, but to say you have business with them … is quite strange," She replied without hesitation.

"Strange?" Kagome and Yuuta simultaneously asked.

Rui's face darkened, her eyes blazing into Yuuta's suddenly, and he caught her stare curiously. "Just how much do you know about the Demon Slayers?"

Chiyoko nodded. "Judging by the looks of you, and I'm not trying to be rude, but you seem like ordinary people. How do you know about them in the first place?"

Kagome blinked. What? Why was there suddenly hostility in their voices, and why was there an odd silence falling between them at each question? Somehow, it seemed the mere mentioning of the Demon Slayers upset them. "Our village priestess mentioned them…" She replied somewhat hesitantly.

"Your priestess?" Itsuko inquired disbelievingly, meeting Kagome's wide-eyed stare. "You wouldn't happen to be acquainted with…" She trailed off, her dark eyes trailing Kagome's form once more, as if trying to find some kind of confirmation for her thoughts, but there was nothing there.

"Acquainted with who?" She asked, canting her head to the side.

Chiyoko suddenly scooted away from Yuuta, moving her body closer to Rui before leaning into her, her words barely above a whisper. "I don't think they know who they are…" She replied before meeting Yuuta's suspicious stare. "Don't worry about it. We were just a bit concerned is all. Sorry if we scared you."

"And what would you be concerned about?" Yuuta asked. Why did the mere mentioning of traveling to the Demon Village emit such an air of hostility towards them?

They didn't answer right away.

Kagome only nodded slowly. She was so confused. "It's alright. We're headed there because our village has recently suffered a couple attacks and our food supply has run very low," She admitted, trying to turn the situation around. "Our priestess is friends with the leader residing in the village, so we were urged to deliver a message to him of our concerns, that's all."

"Your priestess?" Itsuko asked.

Kagome nodded. "Yes. High Priestess Kaede."

Rui and Chiyoko shared a confused glance. A High Priestess? How odd. But even so, why would a High Priestess of a poor village seek out the Demon Slayers?

"So, your High Priestess sent you and your husband on such a dangerous journey, and with your child no less?" Itsuko inquired, arching a delicate brow. Honestly, it seemed rather farfetched. Why send a family when they could send one person? "Wouldn't it have been wiser for your priestess to go herself? Or perhaps your husband? Climbing those mountains will be no easy feat…"

Kagome mused. Now that she thought about it, she couldn't help but agree with her. Even after receiving the order from Kaede, Kagome still thought it was strange she had to embark on this journey, but since it involved herself and Shippo, she sort of understood. From another person's perspective, it must have seemed foolish, and she didn't blame Itsuko's confusion. "Well it's actually a long story, but to make it short, the letter entails all of the hardships our village has endured, and it also concerns myself. I was asked to personally make the trip and meet with them," Kagome sweat dropped. "Besides that, our priestess is very old and she doesn't have the strength these days to make the journey."

Itsuko nodded. Her story started to make sense. So, their elderly priestess wanted the girl to make the journey, and with her husband no less to meet with the Demon Slayers and perhaps request help. Still, why bring the baby? "I see…"

After remaining quiet all this time, Yuuta suddenly spoke up, his curiosity regarding these three girls suddenly getting the best of him. "You seem to know quite a lot about the Demon Slayers from our understanding. Have you been acquainted with them before?" He asked.

Chiyoko sweat dropped and quickly nodded. "Oh … well once we have. It was a terrifying experience…" She stressed the word terrifying as she wrapped her arms around herself, suddenly feeling a chill pass through her.

Kagome blinked at this and turned halfway in her seat to look at the girl. "Terrifying?" From what she heard from Kaede, the older woman never portrayed them as such.

Rui nodded, her frown more apparent than before. "Yes. Just remembering the experience left my blood cold. You could say their clan runs in large groups. They possess such inhumane abilities similar to demons."

Chiyoko agreed. "I thought for sure they would kill us during one of our many travels. You see, some time back we got held up by a large bear demon which was attacking a small family on the road. Although we carry weapons, we are not very skilled when it comes to combat; it's more of a self-defense should we encounter bandits and such…" She explained, pointing at the swords at their hips.

"We tried to save the family, but the demon turned its sights on us. We were overwhelmed and almost lost our lives," Rui explaining, waving her hands in the air as she demonstrated the terrifying ordeal, as if it only happened recently. "Then, out of the woods emerged a number of people cloaked in black clothing, their faces half concealed. Within moments, the bear demon was nothing but a carcass lying on the road. Our lives were spared."

"The family who was also saved called those people Demon Slayers. And they certainly did slay the demon within a heartbeat," Rui replied. "It happened so fast, and before we knew it, they were gone, as if they'd never appeared at all."

Kagome marveled at the story. So, they were briefly acquainted with the clan? It was a wonder they were still alive to talk about the story. How frightening. "I'm glad you're alright. Was that the last you saw of them?"

Rui nodded. "Yes."

"And they seemed terrifying?" Yuuta asked.

Again, Rui nodded. "Yes. Although we do not have much information on the clan, we have heard rumors from many on the roads and villages to steer clear of the territory over the mountains just ahead," She pointed. "The rumor is, their village lies there, guarded by fierce warriors. I've heard, those who have passed through their territory were never seen from again, and those who managed to venture to and back, spoke of terrors."

Kagome gasped. Terrors?

"We were informed the clan were compassionate towards others and often aided in demon attacks," Came Yuuta's reply. Somehow, he wasn't sure what to believe. Were they a good clan or a bad clan?

Kagome frowned. "Even so, they saved you and that family from the bear. So, as terrifying as they might appear, they must have compassion." However, judging by the girls' story, it seemed the clan was more secretive than they first imagined, and here she thought they were well known across the lands.

"Are you certain you want to climb those mountains?" Itsuko asked after a while, staring intently at the mountains just ahead. "It might be wise to turn back around and return to your village. After all, we would hate to see something bad befall to you and your husband. Once you've crossed through the mountains and into their territory beyond, there might not be any coming back…"

Even if the rumors were true, they traveled too far already to turn back. Kagome had to do something for the village; people were starving and without homes, and she certainly needed to ask questions concerning the Sacred Jewel within her. "We can't do that. At all costs, we must deliver this letter. No matter if they are somewhat hostile. I'm sure they won't turn us away."

Surprised by her determination, Itsuko blinked at the woman. How interesting. As she guided the horse further ahead, she suddenly caught Kagome's curious stare, and bemused, she smiled. "Yes?"

"It's just, I noticed something. You mentioned earlier your village was also in this direction, right?"

Itsuko shook her head. "Actually, our village is further North. Before we head towards the village, my girls and I are headed up the mountains to collect herbs for our people. You see, only a certain kind of herb grows on the mountains, one which can heal a variety of poisons."

Kagome's eyes widened at this. "Really? What kind of herb is that?"

"Remulia," Itsuko answered. "It's a rare plant which only grows on these mountains, and although we have tried growing it back home, it's seeds do not survive. Even the most potent of poisons are easily quelled by this species of plant, and not only that, it also fetches quite the price in certain markets."

Remulia? Yuuta never heard of such an herb, but judging by its effects, it sounded quite interesting. If such a thing truly existed, then even the nobility would be quick to ask for such. "How much does the herb go for?"

Rui grinned. "Well, depending on the seller, it goes for exactly twenty mon. We've sold it in other provinces before, but many ask for cheaper prices. When we found out Edo Village valued the herb and were willing to pay a hefty price, we started doing business there."

Chiyoko nodded. "But traveling out to Edo Village is too far of a distance, even if it a two-day journey to reach. Our village lies more towards the west than the North, unfortunately. So that's why we do business with Hitomi Village, since it's closer and they make the trip for us."

Kagome finally understood their trading business. It made sense, and it also saved them a lot of time on their travels. "I see. What other herbs are on the mountains? And do they also sell well?"

Itsuko mused. "Yes. There is a small abundance of vegetation in the mountains, such as wild mushrooms, radishes, Aralia and many scented herbs which we also collect. But I'd say they garner roughly around three to five mon each, depending on where you sell it."

A rush of wind swept past them, enough which caused the wrappings covering Shippo's head to fall loose around his neck, his small fox ears twitching at the invasion. Itsuko's eyes immediately locked with the child's, her eyes widening at the sight of its fox appendages. A demon!

Brushing her hair out of her face and suddenly noticing the wrapping had fallen from Shippo's head, Kagome quickly pulled it over his ears, her eyes flashing towards Itsuko, but to her relief, it seemed the woman hadn't noticed, her eyes staring intently on the road ahead.

Itsuko's eyes narrowed. Why did the woman have a demon child? Who exactly were these people? "We should reach the mountains close to evening…" She replied, shifting her gaze suspiciously between the child and Kagome.

With a sigh, she smiled at the child, it's emerald green eyes staring curiously up at her; it seemed the wind had woken Shippo. Unware of Itsuko's suspicious stare, Kagome smiled brightly. "In that case, thank you for the ride. Traveling together like this would certainly make it easier for me and Yuuta."

An hour into their travels, they stopped beside a stream, both Yuuta and Kagome resting a bit before they continued on ahead. After milking Clover and feeding the milk to the distressed child, which Kagome attempted to soothe with a soft lullaby, Itsuko and the girls stuck close to the wagon, their attention focused on the road and their bundles in the back.

Rui, who was wiping the sweat from her forehead and adjusting her straw hat, suddenly noticed Itsuko's serious expression beside her, her eyes glaring towards the young couple a short distance away. "Hey, what's up? Are you feeling alright?"

Chiyoko who was lying within the back of the wagon on her back, her hat lying atop her face to shield the sun's rays from view, suddenly heard Rui's voice. Curious, she partially lowered the hat from her face, turning her body until she was lying on her side before staring at the back of Itsuko's head as she leaned against the wagon. "What's going on?"

Itsuko suddenly turned towards them, her eyes briefly glancing at Kagome and Yuuta. "I don't think we should trust them. They know too much."

Rui blinked. "They seem like an ordinary family traveling," She explained, looking back at Yuuta and Kagome briefly. "But, I can see why you would be worried. The fact that they know about the Demon Slayers is odd in itself. No one for miles should know of our existence."

"No one except the Daimyo and the lords of distant provinces," Came Chiyoko's response.

"It's not just that," Itsuko replied suddenly glaring. "That's no ordinary family. Not only is their letter suspicious, but so was the child."

Rui gasped. "What do you mean? What's wrong with it?"

"The child is a demon."

Chiyoko and Rui shared a surprised stare, their eyes staring disbelieving at Itsuko. A demon? How was that possible? Why were those people traveling with a demon child? Such a thing was unheard of and morbid.

Itsuko continued. "If what they said about their priestess is true, they must plan to meet with our leader. Somehow, I doubt their honesty." Not only had they lied about the child belonging to them, but she also doubted the sincerity within the letter they supposedly carried. What did these people really want?

Rui's eyes widened, and she shook Itsuko's shoulder suddenly, staring frighteningly at the couple. "What if they are spies trying to infiltrate our village?" After all, it wouldn't be the first it's happened.

"It's hard to say…"

"What do we do? It might be dangerous bringing them back with us…" Rui worriedly expressed. "Itsuko?"

"We'll keep an eye on them," Itsuko replied, arms crossed. "One thing is certain, they won't be passing over the mountains safely. After all, rumor has it, the Demon Slayers are a terrifying clan…"

Evening descended upon them, the sounds of crickets stridulating in the night resounded as the wagon traveled a path through the mountain. A quietness fell upon the group, the only sounds heard in the area were the horse's hooves clip-clopping over the rocky terrain and the sounds of the wagon jostling at every turn.

Minutes strode by as Itsuko ushered the horse further and further up the mountain, the sight of fireflies dancing in the night distracting Kagome. It was a bumpy ride, more so and one which certainly roused Shippo from his slumber. The child cried at the unexpected movement within the wagon, and all Kagome could do was soothe his worries with her embrace.

Half an hour during their climb, they eventually reached smooth terrain, the remaining path up the mountain towards their left spiraling around and up a steeper incline in which the path disappeared. At this point marked on the map, Itsuko pulled on the reins and the wagon came to a sudden halt.

Bemused, Kagome looked around, noticing Itsuko and the other girls jump from the wagon. "What's going on? Why did we stop?"

Itsuko smiled slightly. "There's no possible way to climb the remaining slope by wagon. The path ends here." She suddenly waved to Yuuta and Kagome, beckoning them to follow her and the girls.

Seeing this, Yuuta and Kagome stepped off the wagon, and sauntered around it, following the girls as Rui guided the horse behind them. They didn't travel far on the smooth terrain in front of them and suddenly stood at the edge of a cliff, their eyes looking out across a bountiful forest just below the base of the hill, a forest which would have taken days to reach had they tried traveling around the mountain.

"The view from here is amazing!" Kagome exclaimed with wonder.

"I take it that's the territory belonging to the Demon Slayers?" Yuuta inquired, receiving a nod from Itsuko and the other two. From this view, he could not locate a village beneath the mountain or any for great distances, then again, with darkness pressed upon them, it was different perceiving anything. "How exactly do we get down without plummeting to our death?" From what he noticed, there was not a decent path leading down the mountain besides the one behind them, and it seemed impassible.

Itsuko nodded. "Indeed, it is," She replied. "Over the years, many attempted to scale this mountain in search of the secretive clan, many harboring sinister ambitions," She began, capturing Yuuta and Kagome's attention worryingly. "And yet, no one has ever crossed this mountain alive.

"What about a path leading around the mountain? Surely passing through that way would seem much simpler," Kagome asked.

Itsuko shook her head. "If one were wise to infiltrate the territory of the Demon Slayers, the mountain is the only passible entrance. You see, were you to try and take the easy route, well, I do not believe you would like to know what would happen then…"

"How…" Kagome trailed off, her eyes staring curiously at Itsuko before glancing over her shoulder at Rui and Chiyoko behind them. "How do you know so much? Even if you say these were rumors, how could someone know these things?"

"Unless—" Yuuta turned at this, but before he could draw his weapon, a blade was suddenly pointed at his neck, the sharp edges of the weapon prodding against his skin.

Within seconds, Itsuko brandished her blade, her countenance stark and eerily distrusting. "Well, it seems you've finally caught on. We weren't sure how long to keep up the charade, especially considering what we learned back on the road."

Yuuta immediately backed up, pushing Kagome further behind him. From the start, he knew there was something odd about them; this entire time, they were actually Demon Slayers in disguise. It finally made sense, but this was not how he envisioned their first encounter. "Is this customary among your tribe? You treat outsiders as enemies?"

Itsuko approached slowly, standing within a few short feet of the pair, her eyes suddenly dark and intimidating. "You've much to learn about the Demon Slayers. Did you honestly believe you could infiltrate our village without fear or worry? Do you take us for fools?"

"W-what are you talking about?" Kagome asked, holding Shippo close against her while eyeing the blade pointed towards them. All this time, she thought they were simple travelers, but they were Demon Slayers? "We don't want trouble…"

"And neither do we," Came Rui's reply, her own sword suddenly brandished. "We thought there was something suspicious about you two from the start. Reveal yourselves! Are you spies?"

"Spies?" Kagome blinked. "No! What are you talking about?"

Chiyoko glowered at her reply. "Don't try to play coy! If you hadn't mentioned you were headed towards the Demon Slayer Village, we wouldn't have become distrustful! No one except a few Daimyo and Lords know of our existence! There's no possible way mere peasants would have such knowledge, unless you are spies!"

"We're not spies!" Kagome cried out, her voice startling Shippo, the child fussing in her grasp as he read her fearful emotions. "And we're not peasants!" She exclaimed before second guessing herself. "Well … okay our village might not be as prosperous as others, but we are far from peasants!"

Yuuta merely sweat dropped at her reply. "I don't think that's the point right now, Kagome…"

Rui scoffed at the reply, her stance prepared to strike, but she held back beside Itsuko and Chiyoko, all three watching Yuuta and Kagome closely. "We're not buying that story about your village! Your supposed priestess reaching out for help, just seems like an excuse to win our clan's sympathy!" That last thing they wanted was their clan to fall into an unexpected trap. They weren't a reckless tribe.

Itsuko nodded at her companion's words. "Pretending to be weary travelers on the road, hoping you'd catch a ride with us and lead you into our settlement. It's obvious you've been tracking our movements, and so you hoped to cloak yourselves among us to sneak in. You shouldn't take us so lightly!"

Chiyoko nodded fiercely. "You've made a fatal mistake."

"This is a misundersta—"

"And what's more," Rui interrupted Kagome, her sword pointed threateningly at Shippo held tightly in her embrace. "It would seem you've taken a liking to demons. Are you raising an army now?"

She gasped, her eyes widening at the word demon. No. How did they find out about Shippo? "How…"

Itsuko scoffed. "The child is a demon. Don't try to hide it."

"So, what if he is?" Kagome questioned, concealing herself further behind Yuuta. "Shippo hasn't done anything wrong!"

"What proof do you have that we are spies? If you kill us, then you're no better than murderers!" Yuuta growled, his hands clenched at his sides. If only he could reach for his sword, but if he made any sudden movement, he was sure they would attack. They were outnumbered, and he wasn't certain of their fighting capabilities. However, if what Kaede said was true, they were a powerful clan, not one to reckon with.

Rui seethed. "What? Show us the proof then! If you're telling the truth, then we might consider letting you go!"

At her words, Yuuta glanced over his shoulder, eyeing the young girl hidden slightly behind him. She was frightened, but it was more towards Shippo's safety than herself. "Your letter. Give it to me. It has Kaede's seal on it."

"But I can't…" The letter was meant only for the eyes of only the leader of the Demon Slayer Village.

Itsuko scoffed at the hesitance emanating off the raven-haired woman. So, she was fearful of showing their proof? Perhaps this was all a decoy, to distract them. "I've heard enough. Rui!"

Suddenly, the short-haired woman charged for Yuuta, her sword prepared to strike. At her quick approach, Yuuta quickly seized his own blade, pushing Kagome further behind him before raising his sword. Unfortunately, before he could swing, she vanished in seconds. Where did she disappear to?

It happened all too fast. One moment she was in front of him and the next Yuuta heard Kagome's scream, and turning abruptly, he saw Kagome, wide-eyed, caught in Rui's grasp, her blade inched against her neck threateningly. A thin line of blood dribbled along her porcelain skin, a slight wound which fell from the blade's sharp edge.

Shippo's distressed cries did not let up, his mother's emotions emanating anything but elation and comfort. He cried loudly, the sounds alone enough to rouse even the most frightening of demons sleeping within miles.

Before he could move and remove Kagome from the life-threateningly situation, he felt the cold edge of a blade pressed against the back of his neck, Chiyoko's form standing directly behind him cautiously.

"Let this be an example to spies!" Rui exclaimed angrily, one hand stilling Kagome's wrist behind her back, her other hand preparing to slit her throat in one fluid motion, a slow death which would choke the victim on their own blood.

"Kagome!"

"That's enough!" A feminine voice shouted from the mountain tops.

In an instant, the three girls stilled, their eyes widening at the voice before searching their surroundings warily. There was someone else in the vicinity, someone who'd been watching the confrontation for some time now, but they couldn't identify the person's location.

A figure, clad entirely in black with a purple sash wrapped around her waist securing a long sword, purple armguards upon her legs and arms, nose and mouth shrouded by a scarf, and head concealed by a hood, leaped from the rocks nearest them. The person's lean and womanly form unexpectedly landed behind Rui, snatching her arm easily enough before pinning the girl to the ground, her arm held tightly behind her back; the result caused Rui to cry out painfully.

At this unexpected turn of events, Chiyoko immediately backed away from Yuuta, rejoining Itsuko as they looked on warily in the direction of their fallen friend. As Kagome ran into Yuuta's open arms, free from the rogue's grasp, she clung to him, her eyes staring at their rescuer as Yuuta backed them away from the scene slightly.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" Rui cried, kicking her feet as her chin achingly throbbed from it's unexpected impact with the ground. Upon her back, she felt her assailant's knee pressing into her, the very weight enough to pain the girl. "What's the meaning of this!? Get off me!"

Her assailant scoffed, her voice muffled behind her scarf. "What is the meaning of this? We do not attack innocents!" She replied, immediately causing the girl to still beneath her.

"Milady!" Itsuko and Chiyoko replied together, both falling onto their knees quickly and respectively, their heads lowered before the shrouded woman.

"They were trying to sneak into the village!" Itsuko replied.

Surprised by her words, the woman's caramel eyes blazed upon Yuuta and Kagome briefly, regarding them from head to toe in close scrutiny before releasing Rui and regaining her standing. Passing Chiyoko and Itsuko, she approached the two suspicious individuals, pausing a few feet away, eyes narrowed. "Is that true?" She asked, her voice slightly husky and intimidating.

Just hearing her voice and seeing the glare within her gaze was enough to frighten Kagome and worry Yuuta. This person wasn't like the other three girls; she held herself with higher authority, and her aura seemed intimidating. Who was this person?

Pushing herself up from the ground and regaining her standing, Rui pointed at the pair, her anger heightening with each step. "It's true! At first, we thought they were an ordinary couple but they gave us an excuse saying they were on their way to the Demon Slayer Village!"

Hearing Rui's words, the woman's eyes shifted among each person, from Yuuta's robust figure to his protective stance in front of a young woman, much shorter in comparison with a small baby wrapped in a light blue blanket. For a brief moment, she stared at the child, sensing a demonic aura emanating from it. So, it was a demon? Interesting. "What do you want of our village? Who exactly are you?"

Deciding against any further misunderstandings, Yuuta turned to Kagome once more. "Kagome give her the letter, otherwise, we may not live to see our village again."

Deciding not to risk anything, Kagome nodded, her eyes turning hesitantly towards the person clad in black before them. "The letter is in my bag…"

She followed Kagome's stare, her fingers pointed towards a strange looking sack perched within the back of the wagon, and as if asking for permission to retrieve the letter within. The woman suddenly unsheathed her blade, the blade mere inches away from Kagome's neck, her eyes staring intently at Yuuta. "Retrieve the letter. Do not try anything foolish," She warned.

Understanding, he turned away from Kagome and slowly crept towards the back of the wagon. He ignored Clover who was lying in the back sleeping, pulling from the cart the hiking bag before returning back to Kagome's side.

"It's in the front pocket on the bottom," Kagome replied. If she was allowed, she'd point at it's general location, but she feared the blade pressed against her neck.

Because the strange sack had so many strange pockets, ones which zipped and unzipped, Yuuta followed Kagome's gaze, pointing to a particular pocket before receiving a nod from the young girl. Unfastening it, the noise urging bemused stares from the four women, he located the rolled-up letter within and regained his standing, holding it out.

Noticing the missive in his outstretched hand, she took it and lowered her blade from Kagome's neck, sheathing it within its scabbard at her waist. Unraveling the yellowed parchment, she spent a moment skimming over the writing, following every word before lifting her gaze curiously at the young girl standing before her. Looking back at the letter, she noticed a red seal stamped at the bottom of the paper, a seal which she recognized easily enough.

"Milady?" The girls called, looking between her and the two skeptically.

Without a word, she rolled up the parchment and placed it within the side of her violet sash, turning away from Kagome and Yuuta before approaching the three girls behind her. Raising her hand, she slapped each one simultaneously across the cheek, their cries resounding seconds after. "You were fools to draw your blades on these people. They were only following orders from their High Priestess."

Rui turned at this. "So, their story was true? No outsiders are welcome into our territory!"

Chiyoko stared confusedly at Kagome and Yuuta. "Milady, who exactly are these people?"

"That may be true, but that does not mean you recklessly unsheathe your blades at them! The proof is within this letter here, one which I'm sure you ignored entirely!" Sango retaliated.

Rui retorted back defiantly. "But she showed hesitance to show us the proof. We were sure it was all an act to infiltrate our village!"

Hearing this, Kagome frowned deeply, not liking the other woman's temperament and accusations against them. "I already confessed everything while we were on the road earlier today. What I told you was not a lie."

Annoyed by her words, Rue turned on Kagome and pointed at her child. "That still doesn't explain the filthy demon in your arms! You say you and your husband reside in a village that is ruled by a High Priestess, so why would she allow such a filthy creature to live among you?!"

"Don't you dare talk about my son that way!" Kagome's voice surprised everyone around her, the tone in which she spoke back to Rue heightening with each breath. "High Priestess Kaede is very kind to us. She allowed me to keep Shippo after his mother died. I promised his mother, during her final breaths, that I would care for Shippo as if he were my own son. Lady Kaede allowed me to keep that promise."

Hearing this explanation, Rue only scoffed, despite her two-companions' silence behind her. "I can't believe that. I bet it's nothing but—"

"That's enough, Rue. Still your tongue before I remove it," The woman interrupted suddenly, her caramel gaze narrowing suddenly. Her threat easily silenced the girl, and pleased with her obedience, she turned her attention on Kagome and Yuuta. "As they said earlier, not just anyone can cross our territory … but today you are lucky. We did not anticipate this visit, but you are welcomed into our village. After all, you bear the crest of a priestess who is well-known among us, or so I thought," She shifted her stare towards Rue, Itsuko and Chiyoko briefly. "If they knew who High Priestess Kaede was, they would have recognized her name immediately. It seems they are lacking in their education," She replied, sighing suddenly with disappointment. "This woman here," She pointed towards Kagome. "whom you drew your blades towards, is an apprentice of High Priestess Kaede, a friend of our leader."

Upon hearing this revelation, they immediately paled. A friend of their leader? Not only that, but she was supposedly a priestess in training under the care of someone called Kaede? Somehow, they couldn't seem to remember much on their information regarding the older woman, but then again, when it came to names of certain people, most slipped from their memory.

"Because of this incident, you've not only shamed our village, but you've shamed me as well. Has your training taught you to recklessly raise your blade without understanding the situation?" She asked the three, but they only shook their heads solemnly.

"No milady," They replied, heads downcast apologetically.

"Be prepared for a thorough lesson once we've returned to the village. Your mistake today will not go unpunished. The three of you will think about what you've done as you walk the remainder of the way back to the village," She replied, earning surprised gasps from the girls. It would take them well close to two hours to return to their village, a reasonable and slight punishment she saw fitting. Turning back to Kagome and Yuuta, she offered a small tilt of her head. "My apologies for this misunderstanding. We better hurry back now. I don't want to keep father waiting."

Watching as she approached the front of the wagon, fully intending to drive the cart through the remainder of the way to Demon Slayer Village, Kagome looked on confusedly. "Father?"

Hearing the girl's confusion in her reply, she turned suddenly beside the front of the wagon. "Yes. The leader of our village is my father," She replied, suddenly lowering her scarf from around her mouth, her lips curving into a kind smile. "It's nice to meet you Kagome. My name is Sango."

Author Notice

In the chapters titled Kaede's Decision and Cold Truth, I made one slight change, which doesn't change anything huge in the story. The change included the Harvest's Tax on Kaede's Village increased to 10 Mon yearly. I changed it to 80 Mon yearly in which the villagers end up paying 40 Mon twice a year: Summer and Fall (September). Other villages only pay 40 mon a year; this is important for upcoming chapters. As you already know, Kaede's Village is being cheated out of their taxes.