The preparations of the next leg of their journey passed in a blur, the lingering dread distracting her from helping in any way. Sango didn't seem bothered by it, putting plans into place for her absence while leaving Kagome to her thoughts.
Those intrusive thoughts.
She hadn't been able to focus on anything anyone said to her inside the slayer village, the rest of the group eventually giving up until they were set to leave. Kohaku had restocked their supplies, each human group member carrying a pack until Ah-Un nuzzled his hand, offering up his saddle to lighten their load.
Kagome had cast a questioning glance at Sesshoumaru, but he had nothing to say on the matter. "The beast can make their own choices," he said dismissively, never breaking stride.
She ran her hand over their scales, offering a bundle of grapes as thanks, which they eagerly accepted. They continued to nuzzle her hands even after the treat was gone, following along beside her instead of Kohaku as they turned east toward the neighbouring villages.
"They'll never leave you alone now," Kohaku mused, a knowing grin tugging at his lips. Kagome's responding smile was fleeting, turmoil churning low in her stomach. Something was off. She just needed to figure out what it was.
Sango and Inuyasha spoke animatedly about new techniques they'd learned, the slayer conning him into sparing with her later. "It's yer funeral," he muttered, shoving his hands into his sleeves. Kagome tuned it out, going over every interaction with the well she'd had since it had opened back up.
Had it always felt off?
She couldn't be sure. She'd been so relieved that not only had the portal been re-established but remained working that she hadn't thought about it until recently. She should've asked Inuyasha about it before they'd left. Miroku was helpful, but he'd never used its magic before.
Ah-Un nudged her again, interrupting her downward spiral as one head nipped at her shoulder. The muzzles had been removed in the last few years, mainly at Rin's request, but Kagome had a feeling Jaken was the reason behind putting them on in the first place. Rin had been so young when she'd joined Sesshoumaru's pack, and whether he admitted to it or not, Jaken had been determined to protect her from the start.
"We'll find her," she whispered, giving them a reassuring pat. "I promise."
They'd planned on making it to both villages before nightfall, but an impromptu fight with a nest of snake youkai foiled their plans, and they were forced to make camp early. Having Sango there meant someone else was around to nag Inuyasha about pulling his weight, the two of them going off to collect fish from the nearby river.
Kohaku had built a small but effective fire and was stoking the embers for when the pair returned. Kagome had excused herself, claiming the need to stretch her legs, and had slipped between the trees, giving herself just enough space to think.
She started pacing, kicking up dirt every time she turned around. There was something wrong with the well. Rin wasn't the only person to go missing. What was the link?
There had to be a link.
She wrung her hands together, reiki sparking and scattering through the foliage. She'd kept her wits about her during the skirmish, but she'd been on edge after using her power, and now she couldn't calm down.
It probably had something to do with the fact she had an exam coming up and the impending fight that would happen once she told everyone she needed to return home for it, but she didn't have a choice.
Gramps had gotten away with fake illnesses to postpone failing grades in high school, but college was different. If she didn't show up, it was an automatic zero, and unless she had a note from the hospital, her professors wouldn't care what her excuses were.
She'd planned on asking Sesshoumaru to do the same pressure points from before, but he'd disappeared as soon as they'd decided to stop. Sango might know some similar ones, but that would involve Kagome divulging why it was needed and who she'd learned it from in the first place.
Not that she had anything to hide. She just wanted everything focused on finding Rin. Every day that went by meant another day with Rin possibly being tortured or worse, and if it did have something to do with the well, Kagome was the only one who could do anything about it.
Yelling would only bring the rest of the group running, so she settled with throwing the nearest stick, the resounding clunk of it hitting a tree only slightly satisfying.
"Did the tree insult you in some way?" She shouldn't have been surprised, but her mind had been elsewhere, and Kagome jumped, whirling around to find Sesshoumaru giving her a curious look.
"Not the tree, no," she said, wringing her hands again with a sigh. "I'm just frustrated that we haven't found anything yet." She kicked a rock this time, reiki encircling it and sending insects flying as it rolled along the ground. Kagome grit her teeth. This was getting her nowhere. Maybe if she ate something—
Sesshoumaru caught her hand, his thumb immediately pressing into her palm. "You have allowed the build-up to happen again," he stated. He forced a knot past her wrist and up her arm.
"I don't know how to stop it," she said. "If it's like stress, it can happen anytime. There are people at home who see massage therapists and acupuncturists every week to fix things like this."
He raised an eyebrow. "Humans allow others to poke holes in their bodies by choice? Do you not bleed too much for that?"
Kagome snorted. "Yes and no. There's a special technique to it. Kind of what you do, but with needles." She motioned to the shape with her hands. "If you put them in correctly, it forces your muscles to relax." His claws continued to climb up her arm, the pressure not releasing until he came to her shoulder. The soft click had her groaning, her entire right side slumping in relief.
He immediately grabbed her other hand, repeating the process. "You must be proactive about this," he chastised. "You are no good to anyone when your power is stilted."
"I was going to ask you to do it when we made camp," she admitted, "but you flew off somewhere."
"There is more than one way to communicate a need, miko." She raised an eyebrow, and he sighed, popping her left shoulder before returning to her hand. Keeping it upright in his own, he called forth his youki, there only a slight sting as her now unblocked power answered the call. She gazed in wonder as the two elements sparked against each other, sending waves of apprehension through her body.
She opened her mouth to question him on it but bit her tongue at the annoyed expression on his face. "It continues to astound me how untrained you are, even after all these years."
She bristled and then yanked her hand away. "I can handle anything you throw at me," she snapped.
"Throw, perhaps," he said. "But there are nuances to what you carry inside you that will only hinder your progress if they continue to go unchecked."
"Like you're an expert in reiki," she said, rolling her eyes.
"You think not?" he countered. "You forget, miko, the only way to guarantee victory is to know your enemy." Power shifted, but her own felt smothered this time, unable to break the surface as it surrounded her. It left her gasping—like she'd been held underwater—and she gave him a startled look.
His expression was smug, and he tapped her palm. "Do not wait until the last moment for this again, miko. And remember that training is more than just waving a weapon around, no matter what my brother says to the contrary." He didn't wait for an answer, or even an acknowledgement, turning swiftly and heading back to camp.
Kagome rubbed her hands together. The pressure from before had dissipated, but his words still lingered. As much as she enjoyed using her power, she usually relied on her bow as a conduit to bring it out. Were there other ways to do that?
Sighing, she stretched quickly, enjoying the freedom of motion Sesshoumaru's treatment had provided. Maybe now she'd be able to concentrate long enough to study.
As she made her way back to camp, she frowned, tracing the lines of her palms. He'd called her his enemy, but Kagome shook her head at the notion. They weren't enemies. Not anymore.