The next morning, Bankotsu gathered everyone outside the inn, checking off the list of waivers as they were handed in. "Higurashi! I'm still missing yours!"
Sesshoumaru stood at the back of the group, and he saw the woman tense, gripping the piece of paper in her hands. "I thought we were just going on a hike. The path to the shrine is in the opposite direction," she said, a slight quiver in her voice.
Bankotsu bounded over, plucking the waiver from her fingers. "Plans change! The top teams in the field have used this excursion to grow closer. Trust is important in any relationship, Higurashi."
Sesshoumaru was close enough to notice the slight indent of her cheek as she chewed on the inside. He knew Bankotsu was talking about something else entirely, but the woman didn't seem to hear him, eyes darting between the two paths. "But the waiver said the bridge is—"
"A million feet up!" he replied with a grin. "Not really, but that's what everyone says it feels like." Higurashi wasn't convinced, and he slung his arm around her shoulder. "Don't worry. Just stick close to me, and I'll catch ya if you fall."
Sesshoumaru frowned, falling in line behind them as Bankotsu maneuvered her to the front of the line. She didn't protest further, so he shrugged it off. She'd signed the waiver, so her fear couldn't be that bad.
The group chatted among themselves as the day wore on, stopping occasionally to replenish their water supply. One of the females dug into her pack at one point, pulling out an array of items, including deodorant, bandages, and lipstick. "I swear I brought some," she said, trailing off as she continued to look through her bag.
"What's the holdup, ladies?" Bankotsu asked, jogging over. "The bridge is just around the corner. We can rest after we've crossed it."
Higurashi's shoulders tensed, and the woman pulled out a few more items, shaking her head. "I'm just looking for my motion sickness pills. Kagome's feeling a little dizzy."
"She's just dehydrated!" Bankotsu said, tapping his water bottle against her arm. "Take a swig, and let's keep moving."
The woman sighed, giving Higurashi a pained look. "I'm sorry. I must've left it back at the inn." She started to pack up, and Sesshoumaru stepped forward, a few gingered candies in his hand. Higurashi looked at him with wide eyes, still gripping the straps of her pack.
"It helps with nausea," he murmured, hand outstretched. The other woman had gone on ahead, leaving her friend behind, and Higurashi's fingers curled around the sweets.
"Thank you," she said.
"It is not as high as the brochure made it out to be," he said, waiting until she'd swallowed them. "Nintai likes to exaggerate."
Her expression became pinched, skin paler than it should've been considering the heat. "It's not the bridge I'm worried about."