"The meaning I picked, the one that changed my life: Overcome fear and behold wonder."

Richard Bach

Chapter 2 – Kagome

Ever since I fell into the well and appeared in the Feudal Era, I've always had the feeling that I was being watched. With the fear of being attacked 24/7 by some strange and unknown creature, I didn't know where to feel safe or how to feel safe. Sure, Inuyasha was always there. But with him breathing down my neck and shouting at me like he always does, I hardly wanted to be around him at first.

But now, I can't seem to stop myself from calling his name.

I moaned in despair as I slipped back into consciousness, the aches in my body were overwhelming and I wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep.

As I stretched my hands above my head, I winced and brought them back to my side. I gasped in disgust when I felt the jagged marks of cut flesh and dried blood. 'Ew, I think I'm gonna throw up.' I tried sitting up and could only lean on my forearms.

'Where am I?' I thought to myself as I took in the large, hollowed-out cave around me. I heard the crackling of fire and silently thanked God for the source of warmth. Carefully, I huddled closer to the fire making sure not to get too close as I noticed I was covered in what looked like a fur blanket from my waist down.

'This feels so good.' I laid back down, getting even closer to the fire without putting myself in harm's way. I tilted my head to the side as I gazed up at the roof of my solitary confinement. Even though the red tint of the fire reflected off the walls, I was still able to make out the silver and light blue coloring of the rock. It had such a shine to it; I wondered if it was as soft as it looked.

"Wow, I've never seen a cave this pretty…"

'It's obsidian.'

I jumped at the familiar intruding voice, surprised to see the formidable dragon from before laying along the other side of the cave wall looking completely at rest. Seeing him resting so comfortably despite how much he terrified me just hours before was jarring. I opened my mouth to retort but he continued. 'This cave produces obsidian. That explains the shine you see.'

"It's-" I grabbed my neck as I began to choke on air. It felt as if someone had poured sand down my throat and let it sit there for days, soaking up all the moisture. The dragon looked at me with a concerned glare.

'Your throat?'

I nodded as tears sprung through the corners of my eyes. Now I know why the victims were always silent when they first came out of a coma on those E.R. shows. I winced and tried to conjure up some spit. My throat was so dry, the Sahara Desert would be jealous of me.

Noticing my struggle, the still unnamed dragon nudged it's head in from of him. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

'Onna, look behind you.' I felt like growling as anger and frustration built up within me as I once again swore that I saw that monster roll its eyes at me. 'If I wasn't in this state right now I would give that dragon a piece of my mind! Again!'

'Stop being difficult and get up. I'm the one doing you a favor, pathetic mortal, and you dare to be unthankful?'

I pulled up into a sitting position and glared so hard at him - at least I believe it's a him - that Sesshomauru would have been proud of me. I opened my mouth to yell at him, but I was then brought back to reality when I felt the irritating scratches at the back of my throat that begged to be gifted with water.

'Hm. Nothing to say huh, human? Thought so. Now get up and do what I said before I make you.' The dragon finished off with an angry snort, small clouds of smoke billowed from his snout.

Giving up, I rose to my feet and turned the way the dragon demanded. Although my body protested every moment because of my pain and soreness, I refused to give it the satisfaction of seeing me struggle.

'Woah.'

Forgetting about the soreness of my throat, and basically my whole body, I urged myself forward, immediately taken with the beauty of the cave I hadn't noticed before.

The cave was wide, very wide! Maybe as big as three football fields connected and completely dwarfed the dragon in comparison. On both walls of the cave, various waterfalls protruded sending beautiful streams of water into ponds below. The ripples made by the falls reflected off of the walls creating the illusion of small little stars imbedded into the rocks.

I began to walk forward, but something rough and scaly wrapped around my waist pulling me back abruptly. I turned around and gazed heatedly at the dragon who seemed to enjoy bugging me left and right.

'What was that for?!' I mentally yelled.

As if reading my mind, he said, 'Watch it human. I've witnessed your clumsiness, and I won't have you drown on my watch because you missed the steps.'

Scrunching my eyebrows I looked down and was surprised that I really had overlooked a series of steps in front of me. The dragon and I were atop a platform on one end of the cave. Crooked steps were carved into the front of it, leading down to the base of the cave where all the larger pools gathered. Within the pools were jet black steppingstones of all different sizes that led to the other end where a large archway had been carved out. It was embedded with the same obsidian stone the dragon mentioned. Overall, this place was nothing like she'd seen before.

I felt a nudge on my back.

'Go, drink.'

I turned around with a questioning look on my face.

The dragon motioned its head towards the water.' The water in this cave comes from a spring that's been guarded by my kind for centuries due to its healing properties. Only a worthy few are aware of its existence.'

Slightly confused by the dragon's explanation, I only smiled slightly at his softened tone and began to walk towards the nearest pool. I had so many questions but decided to save them for later.

He -'She?'- wasn't the friendliest dragon but at least I wasn't dead.