The peaceful aura underneath the boughs of the Goshinboku was perfect for a fussy baby. Moroha was delighted by the way the leaves glided back and forth when they fell near her blanket. It was so wonderful that Kagome laid down on the white checkered blanket to share her view. The weather was strangely warm for an April day. Perfect white clouds rolled overhead so she did not fear the baby getting sunburned. Moroha clenched her fist when a glorious blue butterfly danced between them. Tiny white socks thrust up towards the sky.

Inuyasha and Shippo could be heard arguing across the grounds about battle preparations and search locations in the shed. How to fortify the house against demon attacks and natural disasters. Barrier spells. Illusions to disguise their daughter's spirit from detection.

Tummy time!

Moroha made her surprised face when she gently rolled the infant onto her stomach for exercise. She kept Moroha entertained with pretty rocks and waxy leaves and a shiny green grasshopper that made lots of noise. She knew Moroha was done when she started to make her high-pitched hungry noise. The baby stared at her in absolute betrayal for putting her through that.

"Don't be mad. Getting strong takes lots of training. Ask Papa." Kagome whispered. "When I met him, he didn't even have a sword."

The infant's memory was thankfully short. A bird hopping along the grass after worms stopped the temper tantrum in its tracks. White tail feathers of the pheasant brushed against the blanket. Kagome scooped her up so they could both watch the gorgeous little bird bob its head. When she noticed the golden flakes each step left in its wake, she held Moroha closer. Golden flowers began to magically twist and rise upwards through the soil. The blooms tilted until they were able to maximize their exposure to the sun.

Chrysanthemums.

"Hello?"

Unlike the Inari fox, the divine servant of Amaterasu paid her no attention. Kagome only watched when its feet stepped onto the advertisements from her school about next semester's registration. The ink on the paper faded. Magical gold lines appeared so they could fade into black guidelines. It was a map. It was a traditional route of the Kumano Kodō.

Kagome looked up into the branches of the Goshinboku when she heard the first note. Dozens of delicate silver suzu chimed in unison. She knew the delicate little bellswere meant to call upon kami and repel evil. Moroha gurgled happily at the pretty sound.

"You want me to take my baby on a pilgrimage? She is not even a month old! What will my mother think? Inuyasha would never approve," Kagome directed her arguments to the bird. Her husband was actively trying to decide where they would live in an unfamiliar era. She was hesitant to leave the safety of her childhood home. What if a demon attacked them on the path? The baby could catch cold.

Thick green vines grew towards the base of the Goshinboku. She watched them climb the tree's base. Before she could voice anymore protests to her visitor, the leaves began to turn color. For a moment she was afraid her family's beloved tree was dying. Her next breath was going to be to call for Inuyasha but then the leaves rippled gold. Each shining stem on every tier. The Goshinboku was radiant.

"Kagome?"

The teenage girl dropped her picnic basket to stare in awe. The divine servant was gone.

How am I supposed to convince Inuyasha that we should take Moroha on an ancient religious pilgrimage to one of the most revered places in Japan?

Inuyasha and Shippo burst out of the shed to run circles around the Goshinboku until it resumed its normal picturesque form. She raised her eyes to the sky where more and more rolling clouds rode the wind to hide the sun. Without the light there was a moderate drop in temperature that ushered her and the baby inside. Moroha was ready for her nap. She left the boys bickering about what it meant on the first floor to take Moroha to her crib. The fussy baby had no patience for a quick bath or being changed into fresh clothes. When the ordeal was over, they were both tired. Kagome gently tucked the soft white sheets tightly around her body. A swaddled baby is a happy baby.

"What the hell is going on, Kagome? What happened to the Goshinboku?"

Mama came in from the garden wearing her apron, gloves and sunhat. The matron added balance to their gathering. Rin happily poured the tea while her grandfather complained about the lack of visitors to the shrine store. She showed her worried husband the map. He scowled at it like an approaching demon army when she explained it was directions to a shrine.

"The Kumano Kodō?! No fucking way! Those mountains are where the Yatagarasu was born!"

"How do you know that?"

"Sesshomaru's mother! She said that someone must have broken some old seals below Mount Kōya. We are not taking the baby to a place called the Land of the Gods." Inuyasha tossed the map at Shippo. The kitsune ducked behind it. "Four days of heavy fog and rain with no shelter carrying Moroha because a BIRD said so?"

"So we take Shippo-kun!"

"No, Kagome, that's final!"

Compromise was not Inuyasha's strongest quality so she stopped the argument. While Inuyasha barked into his soup about her foolishness, she focused on her beloved kitsune. Their friend was scratching out an impressive rendering of the Goshinboku from memory on a sketchpad. First he outlined the tree's general shape before adding shadows and texture to the background. It was amazing how the lack of white nothingness could be framed into such beauty. Centuries of practice had made her friend a master. She almost missed the embarrassing crayon drawings that kept the village informed on the inner details of her marriage.

Inuyasha's overprotective half-demon mode had been triggered so he traveled upstairs to act as sentry for their sleeping newborn. Shippo knew the path so he marked several stops along the detailed hiker's map. If they traveled far enough they could follow the pilgrimage all the way to Ise.

"The elevation is fairly steep in those mountains but I could carry you. It is a pretty area. What are you looking for?"

"Legend says that the first Emperor was attacked by evil gods that resided in those mountains so Amaterasu sent him the Yatagarasu to guide them. When Inuyasha met Sesshomaru's mother, she mentioned Kōyasan. What if the answer to defeating Amatsu-Mikaboshi lies in the graves of Okunoin? Where else would you bury an ancient evil spirit?"

"Well, even if Inuyasha carries you, the trip will take a couple days. We would have to go slow with Moroha. Not to get too personal, but aren't you still healing?" Shippo kept his eyes on the map. "Climbing a mountain seems a bit strenuous for a human recovering from childbirth."

Kagome extended her hand. It was effortless to show the embarrassed male the reiki lying below the surface of her skin. Dr Akiyama had warned her about postpartum soreness and even pain but her symptoms had subsided in the first week. It was a glorious side effect of her powers. Shippo squirmed but he did not ask anymore questions.

Her kitsune left to make arrangements for their journey to Wakayama Prefecture so she wandered upstairs. Inuyasha was still sitting with his back to the gray bed-skirt while Moroha continued her perfect baby sleep. It comforted her to know that the full force of her father's inhuman senses were trained on making sure their infant kept breathing. The bathroom was nice and quiet when she sank down into her boiling hot tub with vanilla-scented bubbles. It was bliss to feel the heat work its magic on her muscles.

Kagome kept tabs on her family's auras but she paid special attention to the powerful life force of her infant. Even compared to the aura of her own half-demon father the baby was a perpetual broadcast of unreserved spiritual energy. It made her doubly grateful for Inuyasha's paranoia. Until they could find a way to duplicate Miroku's protection spell to hide Moroha, she was in danger. So far only a couple of puny demons had braved the grounds to find the utterly helpless and delicious magic human.

Where did you put the sutra, Dad? Miroku's spell of Vanishing.

"The baby needs to be changed." Inuyasha announced. Moroha wrinkled her nose when she was transferred to the floor between two pillows on a new changing pad. He was welcome quiet company while she removed the little bodysuit and the adorable socks. It was a process they were learning together. The baby was mesmerized by clawed fingers creeping toward her. She made a sound when they almost touched her.

"Hey, don't scare the baby," she whispered.

"Keh. She's not scared. Are you?" Inuyasha let her grasp onto his knuckle. Little legs kicked up in victory. Kagome moved the dirty diaper aside to finish cleaning the newborn's delicate skin. Moroha already knew her father's face meant safety so she was calm. Maybe it was the subtle glow of wonder in his eyes when he played with her. Kagome fastened the tabs on her new diaper.

"Do you want to help with her training?"

"Me?"

"You have seen us do the exercises. I think she would like it. Just be gentle." Kagome gestured. Inuyasha was exceedingly nervous about helping Moroha move her arms to build up her muscles but he remembered the bicycle kick. Moroha thought it was a game. The baby did not cry or complain when her father was involved. The little actress was mesmerized.

"See these kicks? Moroha must be half rabbit."

"Did I forget to mention…?"

"Oi. Don't tease me, wench. I know she's mine." Moroha's training was equally important for Inuyasha's confidence. It was hard to stop herself from celebrating when he plucked a plush toy from a woven basket. The baby didn't care about the pink cat with velvet whiskers but her father did. Moroha tried to follow the toy's little dance but it frustrated her. I cannot tell him.

"Inuyasha, would you please get me some cold water to drink? And a healthy snack?"

The baby was calmer in her arms. Then there was only the skin-to-skin contact while Moroha stared as if asking a question. It took very little to entice the hungry girl to start feeding and then all was forgotten.

"Remember that Papa has to learn how to play too."

Inuyasha sat beside her while Moroha nursed but he refused to talk. She recognized the glossy brochures. Shippo had made a generous offer to help them find a home of their own but she knew Inuyasha didn't want them in close quarters to strange humans. Most apartments would be hard to escape with a baby if a demon attacked. They would be cornered. Kagome checked her cute new flip phone with glittery animal stickers.

"Shippo-kun says he will be back before nightfall, k?"

"Keh. Whatever." The proud half-demon browsed through listings for various houses in the area. So far nothing passed Inuyasha's scrutiny. They both grieved for the loss of their sweet little house on the hill. "Who would build a home with a window in the roof? Brilliant. Why not just meet the bandits outside and give them your valuables?"

Inuyasha grew more and more irritable the closer sunfall came. Even the return of a handsome kitsune bearing gifts could not break his thunder. She setup in a meditative pose while Inuyasha hovered over the infant in her bassinet. There were plenty of candles in their modest shrine to aide a human's eyesight. Shippo waited outside the Shrine while the last shadow passed overhead. The baby's aura did not change but all vestiges of demon ancestry abandoned Inuyasha for the darkness. Stars shone the brightest on a moonless night.

Kagome clasped her hands together to ask her ancestors to place a spell of protection around the Shrine. She was pleased to feel a barrier raise around the wooden structure. Shippo was a friendly blue spirit at the edge but her spell would let nothing demonic cross. Rin's spirit was like sunshine when she brought them a modest dinner.

"So you really think this bird demon will attack tonight?"

"It is the first New Moon since Moroha's birth. If that bastard is stronger in the darkness, this is his chance. It's what I would do." Inuyasha set Tetsusaiga across his lap. "Look, Shippo. If there is even a hint of trouble - "

"I will get the humans to the Shrine. I swear it, Inuyasha." Shippo bowed at the waist. The kitsune went to make his rounds. Rin was an excellent companion for their daughter. The girl drew the blankets closer to the baby's silky soft skin to ward off the night air. How many nights did we spend like this in the Feudal Era hiding Inuyasha from our enemies? Instantly she missed Sango's confidence and Miroku's easy charm. She could almost hear the echo of a well-deserved slap.

"Do they have farms in this world? We could have an herb garden and animals. And flowers! Moroha likes flowers." Rin cooed. The baby girl could not interpret the words but she understood enthusiasm. She waved a fist.

"So you're sticking with us then?"

"Friends stay together don't they?"

"...yeah. They do." Inuyasha rested his weight against the wall. Tetsusaiga was moved from its horizontal position to resting vertically against his shoulder. There was no sign of a cloud in the sky. Rin moved aside when Moroha grew tired of playing. The smart girl knew it was past time for her cuddle and song.

"Twinkle twinkle little star / How I wonder what you are / Up above the world so high / Like a diamond in the sky..." It took very little for baby to give her a yawn. "When the blazing sun is gone / When she nothing shines upon / Then you show your little light - "

"Kagome! Would you shut your damn mouth? Stupid girl." Inuyasha's hand clenched around the tattered handle of his sword. There was enough ragged emotion in those words to get his way. The Higurashi courtyard was utterly silent except for the occasional sound from the street. She rocked Moroha quietly so that Inuyasha could rein in his fear. Human emotions were hard to control.

"What a good baby. There you go. Close those eyes…"

The abnormally warm day coupled with the past week's rain meant fog. It obscured their vision of the Higurashi household but the auras of her family were intact. Rin rolled out her old sleeping bag. The baby would only sleep for a couple of hours before she needed to be fed and changed. Inuyasha stayed nice and vigilant while she joined the teenager. Being servant to a tiny tyrant made her exhausted. As much as she wanted to stay up with her husband through the entire night, she needed to stay on schedule.

"Love you, Inuyasha."

Kagome closed her eyes. Years of camping in temporary shelters while Inuyasha stood guard made her feel nostalgic and safe. Perhaps it lacked some of the charm of staying at a modest inn on a rural mountainside but the Shrine was protected. Living in the wild era of samurai and wars gave her a soldier's ability to sleep anywhere.

"Kagome? Kagome! Wake up."

Maternal instincts roused her to check but her daughter was sleeping soundly. Inuyasha charged Rin with guarding the baby so he could drag her towards the door. The Higurashi house was silent and dark. It took her a moment to realize what had her husband spooked.

Puppies!

Kagome slid past Inuyasha with a lantern to investigate the litter of dogs hovering together in the cold night air. They were obviously not from the same litter in varying stages of age. She could hardly resist the white fluffy coat of the teacup Samoyed but the black-and-white husky puppy was adorable too! All of them were scared. Her husband cussed at her about her lack of self-preservation but who would use puppies as a trap?

"Aren't you the cuuutest?" Kagome could feel the white dog's little heartbeat through his fur. "Oh, Inuyasha. I bet they're hungry. Just look at them! They need temporary shelter until we can find them a home, don't you? What a sweetheart!"

"Kagome, put her down!" Shippo pulled her back lightning quick. "Shit shit shit!"

An enormous hound with flowing white fur appeared over the top steps of the Higurashi Shrine. There was a pause while it dropped a puppy between its front paws to challenge her. The Samoyed in her arms quivered when the beast pulled back its jowls to threaten her with fantastically long fangs. A powerful leg hid the Akita cowering in-place from view. The broken end of a chain dragged across the concrete. It was not a collar around the animal's neck but a solid steel shackle.

"Hey buddy! Heeey," Shippo held out both hands. The hell-dog was not pleased. "I told you I was coming to the Shrine. I came to see Kagome and Inuyasha and their new baby. Remember Inuyasha?"

The puppies made a break for their protector. Five sets of fuzzy paws ran towards the demon dog foaming at the mouth. Even little Teacup went to climb on Inuyasha's fierce older brother. His giant muzzle dipped down to gauge the new smells on the pack. Shippo disappeared with a single footstep. The chain glowed a faint blue at the ends. Kitsune energy lifted the heavy metal. Faster than Sesshomaru could lunge, the chain punched through the concrete and planted firm in the earth.

"Sorry! He chews his way out sometimes." Shippo reappeared behind them.

Inuyasha was gobsmacked. The dark-haired human pushed past her to get a better view of their magical visitor. The dog sat down elegantly and swept his magnificently plumed tail around his excited litter. Even in dog form, he looked down dismissively at his voyeurs. Before Inuyasha could ask, she voiced her primary question.

"Yeah, yeah. This is Sesshomaru. No! The puppies are just a bunch of strays from a nearby shelter. He's raised dozens of them. What? I got the idea from a veterinarian! Sometimes when you have an old cranky dog, having company gives them new life."

"Rin? Rin!" Kagome raced to the shrine. How could she possibly explain? Moroha napped in her arms while the teenage girl joined Inuyasha in awe. The dog's attention was perked by the human in rapture. There were no teeth when Rin stepped into range.

"Sesshomaru-sama? Sesshomaru-sama! You came!"

The kitsune looked guilty when she pulled him aside for a private conversation. It was impossible and ridiculous but it was true. The strongest demon of the Feudal Era was sitting outside her family home with a canine entourage.

"What else aren't you telling us? How long has he been like that? Can he transform back? Shippo!" Strong male hands steadied her shoulders to prevent her charge. She glared.

"Kagome. It has been five hundred years. Of course I have secrets. What was I supposed to say? 'Hey I am your old pal Shippo and I have the Lord of the West locked in a remodeled warehouse?' The short version is that he saved us. He saved me so that we could get here so we could be together again." The scars on his face in the shadows made him look tired. "Sesshomaru-sama is stuck inside that body. I chained him up because he can get violent. Once a burglar thought he was a rare breed. By the time I got to the enclosure, he had ripped the guy into shreds."

"So...what? Sesshomaru was lonely so he followed you to the Shrine?"

"Or maybe he smells your scent on my clothes?" Shippo shrugged. Puppies barked and growled while they ran circles around him. The Lord of the West had no objections to letting Rin inspect his newest retainers. Not fair. "Anyway the puppies keep him occupied. He will not run into danger while they are in the open."

"So he carried them up the stairs?" How sweet!

At her behest Shippo went inside to make some scrambled eggs for their guests. Rin was ecstatic. She kept a respectful distance from the dog lord while keeping up a steady stream of one-sided conversation. The girl shooed his wards away from the garden hose. Unlike a normal dog, Sesshomaru did not fidget or scratch or bark. Red eyes regarded Inuyasha calmly.

"Sesshomaru-sama. Did you come to find Rin? Remember Rin?"

The garden behind their private residence was much better suited for their visitors. Sesshomaru permitted Shippo to lead him through the simple wood gate to the freshly cut lawn. There was no need to usher the puppies. The smell of freshly cooked eggs had them chasing their master who was simultaneously too big and too small. Five tails wagged happily around the scratched dish from her mother's cabinet.

How do I explain this to my family?