The Path We Walk
Chapter 3: Promises, Friends and Villages Under Attack...
Disclaimer: Inuyasha and all of it's characters are property of the brilliant Takahashi-sama and I claim no ownership of them. Only the story belongs to me.
AN: Okies over used clichés not going to be found in this fanfic Round 3:
1. Inuyasha getting jealous/possessive when Kagome chooses Sess even though he chose Kikyo, of course this won't be used since both are dead but figured I would mention it anyways.
2. Kagome thinking she's betraying Inuyasha when she starts to fall for Sess. I will show in a flashback later on why she doesn't feel this way.
3. Another Lord trying to steal Kagome away as their mate...don't get me wrong I love the girl but why is it always the top guys that want her and never the little guys? I mean in most stories it's Inuyasha, who unless Sess gets an heir is the heir to the western lands, Sess who's a lord, Kouga who's either a prince or lord not sure which or some random OC lord. Why doesn't some random little guy ever want her?...Wonders how she can add that into the plot...
As Amaya Mishugosha pointed out people setting the two up. Almost always it's Rin and Shippo so I will be staying away from that.
Question to readers: How am I doing with keeping Sesshoumaru in character? Good, bad...you thought that was Sesshoumaru? o.O
Edited on 8/9/07
"Will you be staying for lunch Lord Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked glancing over at him after looking up at the sky and noticing the sun was over head. He looked over at Rin, who was currently too busy playing with Shippo to hear the question, and gave her a slight nod. If he dragged the girl away now he'd never hear the end of it.
"Alright Master Jaken would you mind getting some fish for us?" Kagome asked sweetly as she turn to look at him. He went to protest, but glanced over and noticed the kit was keeping Rin company and if he didn't go she would send the kit meaning he would have to deal with Rin, who seemed rather hyper at the moment, and so instead chose the lesser of the two evils and nodded his head to the miko before heading off to the near by stream.
"Thank you Master Jaken." Kagome called after him and giggled when she heard his grumbled 'wenches' as he headed further away from camp. Kagome leaned over to restart the fire and cringed when the pain returned to her back. Shippo who looked over just in time to see his mother's pain filled face, came over helping her to sit down before turning to get the fire going with his fox fire.
"You should be resting momma." Shippo insisted sounding both his age and older in the same sentence.
"Work won't get itself done." Kagome replied with a smile and thanked him for starting the fire.
"Just rest I will make lunch." Shippo offered hoping she wouldn't be able to argue with that, but as it was she had a very good reason for her to do it and it turned out he was the one unable to argue with her reasoning.
"No you should be playing with Rin, it's not often you have a play mate around. Now go play." Kagome insisted shooing him back toward the young girl who was just standing around since she had lost her tag partner.
"Alright momma but be careful." Shippo pleaded as he turned and headed back over to Rin and resumed their game.
"Miko you will watch Rin until this Sesshoumaru returns." Sesshoumaru said, it wasn't even a demand more like he said something and expected everyone to just do what he said. Unfortunately for him he was dealing with a miko who wasn't about to just take an order like that.
"It's Kagome. Ka-go-me. Not miko. And if you want me to watch Rin you should try asking rather than telling Lord Sesshoumaru." Kagome insisted as she stood and placed her hand on her hip. Sesshoumaru's response was of course to begin growling at her as the two kids stopped to watch what was going on.
Two can play that game. Kagome thought with an inward smirk and she raised one of her eye brows in a very Sesshoumaru way. Sesshoumaru just glared at her wondering briefly what she thought she was doing and continued with his low growl. "Yeah yeah grr to you too Lord Sesshoumaru. Come on can't you do something other than growling?" Kagome asked with the slightest of smirks.
In response Sesshoumaru allowed his eyes to flash blood red briefly and raised an elegant eye brow in a 'how's that?' sort of way. "Much better. That is way scarier Lord Sesshoumaru." Kagome said with a grin as Jaken walked back into camp with an arm full of fish wondering what he had walked into and if he could get away before they noticed he had returned.
Luck however was not on his side as Rin headed into the camp cheering, "Yea Master Jaken is back with the fish." causing everyone to turn their attention to the little toad demon, who was currently wishing he could disappear as his lord's glare turned on him.
"Stay with the miko." Sesshoumaru commanded as he turned his glare back onto her before turning and heading out of camp to scout around. He wondered if he should just kill the miko and end the problem right there but decided against it since she was injured and she was already to easy as it was. Attacking her now would just be boring.
"You'll catch more flies with honey rather than vinegar Lord Sesshoumaru!" Kagome yelled after him rolling her eyes before helping Jaken prepare the fish to go over the fire.
Sesshoumaru wondered why the miko would think he would want to catch flies in the first place but shrugged it off with a silent 'miko no baka' as he disappeared into the trees.
Lunch had just ended and as Kagome was gathering the plates to be washed, she noticed Shippo standing next to her with a soft smile and 'puppy dog' eyes. "They're in the bag." Kagome answered his unasked question with a laugh and nodded to her large yellow bag.
With a quick thank you, Shippo dove into the bag head first and began rummaging around the bottom until he found his prize. Grabbing a couple he turned himself right side up just as Kagome reached in and picked him up out of the bag, setting him down on the ground next to it. "Want one?" Shippo asked with a smile as he held out one to Rin.
"What is it?" Rin asked eying the strange objects in his hand.
"Lollipops. They're candy." Shippo explained as he pulled off the wrapper of one and handed it to her before taking off his own wrapper and putting the candy into his mouth.
"Rin likes it." Rin decided with a smile after she mimicked what Shippo had done and sat down near Jaken to enjoy her newly discovered treat.
"Would you like one Master Jaken?" Kagome inquired as she pulled one out of the bag and held it out to him. He looked at it for a moment, then looked at Rin who seemed to enjoy it, and with a shrug nodded and mumbled a thanks as he took it and follow what the other two had done before putting the candy into his mouth.
Kagome just shook her head at his antics and went back to cleaning up the dishes. Deciding to wait until later to do the dishes, she sat down next to the fire just as Sesshoumaru walked back into the camp.
Sesshoumaru briefly wondered why the clearing smelled like cherries but then noticed all but the miko had a strange white stick hanging out of their mouths and decided it was the cause. "Come." Sesshoumaru said looking at his companions before turning around to wait for Rin to say her goodbyes.
"Will Rin see you guys again?" Rin wondered as she hugged Shippo and then Kagome.
"Of course." Kagome assured her with a smile before nodding her head to Jaken as he grabbed the reins of Ah-Un and started toward his lord, giving her the slightest of nods in return.
"Promise?" Rin asked with a toothy grin.
"Promise." Kagome said with a smile before looking up at Sesshoumaru's back. "You're more than welcome to bring her to us if you're going somewhere she can't Lord Sesshoumaru. I'm sure Master Jaken wouldn't mind the help." Kagome said as she sent the toad demon a knowing grin.
"You may travel this Sesshoumaru's lands miko. Stay out of trouble." Sesshoumaru called over his shoulder, not bothering to look back at her.
"It's Ka-go-me!" Kagome insisted as she shouted after him shaking her head.
Sesshoumaru mentally cringed at the volume of her voice before beginning to come up with ways to get the miko to submit that would cause her the most pain.
"Now what momma?" Shippo asked looking up at her once the others were out of sight.
"Now dishes." Kagome said with a smirk as she picked up the dishes and handed them to Shippo so she could grab her bow and arrows just in case and headed toward the stream.
It had been a week since they crossed paths with the demon lord and his followers, now all that remained of the miko's wounds was the four large scars on her back. Said miko and the young kit had been traveling since not long after dawn and were currently setting up a small camp for lunch. "What do you want to eat Shippo?" Kagome asked looking over at him with a smile as she opened up her large backpack.
"Ramen?" Shippo asked more then answered wondering if there was even any left.
"You're in luck little one, two packs left." Kagome said with a smile after she searched the bag and found the ramen. "Wish I could go get more." Kagome sighed to herself as she started preparing the food.
"Hey Momma..." Shippo started as he sat down next to her and stared down at his feet finding them very interesting at the moment.
"What is it sweetie?" Kagome asked looking over at him with a smile wondering what could be on the little kit's mind that had him so down.
"I'm sorry you lost your home because of me." Shippo all but whispered and she almost needed to be a dog demon to hear him.
"Little one look at me." Kagome said softly as she stopped what she was doing to turn to him fully. She waited until he did as he was told and laid her hand on his head. "Son it is not your fault that the well is closed and I wouldn't for a second want to leave you. I'm glad I was given the chance to stay here with you and watch you grow up. Truthfully I'm tried of eating so much ramen I just wished we had some cause it makes me feel connected to Inuyasha." Kagome explained as she pulled the young kit into her lap and stirred the noodles over the fire.
"Should we not have opened the last two than?" Shippo wondered after a moment as he looked up at her neck.
"No sweetie we need to be able to move on. If we keep holding onto something that is gone we will never be whole again. And besides, we have something else to remind us of him." Kagome reminded him with a smile as she looked down at him before nodding toward her bag.
"That's true momma." Shippo agreed as he spotted the red cloth just visible over the rim of the bag and thought about what was wrapped up in it.
"We got an incoming." Kagome warned Shippo as they had been cleaning up their camp to set back out and stopped to pick up her bow and arrows. "Shoulder." Kagome instructed, she wasn't taking the chance of another demon attacking the kit when he was behind her.
Shippo nodded and jumped up on her shoulder, both tensing as they waited for incoming demon that Kagome had sensed. They needn't have worried and both realized this the moment a cloud of dust was spotted coming toward them.
Kagome sighed as she lowered her bow just as Kouga stopped in front of them with a grin plastered on his face. "Kagome! How's my woman been?" Kouga asked as he grabbed onto her hands ignoring the bow and kit.
"I don't know Kouga how is Ayame?" Kagome asked with a mental smirk as she turned his question back on him and saw him frown in confusion for a moment.
"Kagome you're my woman not Ayame." Kouga reminded her after shaking his head to clear his confusion.
"No Kouga I am not your woman. Nor will I ever be." Kagome insisted getting tired of having to repeat this to the thick headed wolf every time they met.
"You are my woman I claimed you." Kouga informed her wondering why she was trying so hard to get her hands out of his.
"Claim denied. Now listen really carefully Kouga." Kagome said as she pulled her hands back and waited until he was looking back at her to continue. "I will never be your mate. You are promised to Ayame and even if you were you would still just be my friend. Now stop bugging me about this 'my woman' crap or I will purify your butt and it won't be enough to kill you, oh no just enough to really, really hurt." Kagome warned as she placed her bow on her back and folded her arms across her chest.
Kouga seemed to be deep in thought at the moment so the others decided it was time to get back on the road, and after grabbing their stuff they did just that. After five minutes Kouga shook his head to clear it and noticed he was alone. With a shrug he turned and raced in the direction he had left his pack mates.
"Ahh!" the screamed interrupted their thoughts as the miko and kit were traveling down a long dusty road, one which was like any other they had traveled down over the years. "What is it?" Shippo asked as he looked out from behind Kagome to see what was going on.
"Demon attack, let's go." Kagome said as she raced down the hill toward the small village not far off that was currently under attack by a Eki demon. Shippo ran trying to keep up with her but soon found himself trailing behind with his short legs and so instead jumped up on her back and crawled up until he was on her shoulder.
"Omaesan minikui!" Kagome called out just as the Eki was about to attack a young woman who was huddled up on the ground. The Eki, now annoyed someone had interrupted him, turned to hiss at the miko as she raised her bow and was handed an arrow by the kit on her shoulder.
"Saikoro!" Kagome cried out as she readied the arrow and let it fly toward the Eki after allowing her powers to seep into it. She watched as the demon moved out of the way and began charging after her just as Shippo handed her another arrow. Hit the mark! Kagome prayed inwardly as she readied the arrow and released it when the demon was too close to get out of the way in time. When the arrow pierced his chest, his scream was cut off as he was purified.
"Alright Shippo time for medical training." Kagome said with a sigh as she wiped off her brow with the back of her hand, placed the bow on her back, and started toward the nearest hurt villager.
"This wound is too deep he's going to need stitches. Prefect chance for you to learn." Kagome said with a smile after checking on the last injured and finishing a deep gash across his arm. "Hand me the first aid kit." Kagome said as she knelt down to the side of the man who was currently unconscious on the floor of the village's miko's hut. Said miko was currently dealing with a man who had his arm broken in the attack.
"Hai momma." Shippo said as he pulled the white box over to her and watched as she washed her hands in the basin of water that was next to her.
"Start with cleaning off the wound." Kagome instructed as she pulled her medical thread and needle out of the kit and began guiding the thread through the eye. She watched as the young kit carefully wiped the wet cloth across the wound to clean off the blood. "Okay now you pinch together the skin lightly, and insert the needle at the end of the cut and pull in through the other side of the cut. You have to make sure you get both sides in to pull it back together." Kagome explained as she followed her own instructions until she reached the end of the cut and tied off the thread.
"That doesn't look too hard." Shippo commented as he watched Kagome wash off her hands and needle.
"Nah the hardest part is making sure you have steady hands and that you don't make your stitches too big. How about you mix the herbs while I stretch." Kagome suggested as she rose from her kneeling position and looked down at him with a smile.
"Sure momma I can handle it from here." Shippo assured her with a grin as he began pulling the herbs he needed out of the first aid.
The village head insisted they stay there the night to repay them for their help, and deciding a night spent on a nice futon sounded better than another night on the hard ground, they accepted and after helping to bury the dead, Kagome headed off to the hot springs for some much needed relaxing while Shippo placed flowers on the graves, since he was too small to help with the digging.
Just as she was settling down and letting the steam clear her mind, she heard some movement from outside the springs and opening her eyes she spotted the village miko. "You did very well Lady Kagome." the miko said with a slight bow as she joined her in the springs.
"Thank you Lady Junsei." Kagome said with a smile as the miko leaned back in the springs with a content sigh.
"Sorry I was not there to help with the Eki, I was dealing with another on the other side of the village." Junsei explained as she washed out her hair in the hot water.
"No worries Lady Junsei, one Eki is easy enough to handle." Kagome assured her.
"I noticed you were teaching the kitsune the art of medicine." Junsei commented when she was finished with her hair and leaned back to relax.
"Yes Shippo wanted to be able to help in our travels and it is really the only art I could teach him." Kagome said with a smile as she thought to the day he had told her he wanted to pull his own weight.
"It is always good to have as many with medicine knowledge around as you can. Speaking of teaching though, which miko did you learn under?" Junsei asked as she turned fully to Kagome.
"I mostly pick up things here or there on my travels. Though my training started with Lady Kaede in Edo." Kagome replied and decided her and Shippo should go back soon to visit the older miko.
"Ah, well if you wouldn't mind staying another day I can teach you about barriers. It will take a while to learn it, but I can at least give you the basics so you can practice on your travels." Junsei offered after a moment as she got up and stepped out of the springs.
"I would like that, thank you Lady Junsei." Kagome said with a bow as she followed the other miko out.
"Go and play with the village children Shippo I will call you when it's time for lunch." Kagome said with a smile as the kit followed her outside of the hut they had stayed in the night before.
"Okay momma." Shippo replied with a wave as he was already heading toward a group of kids who were currently playing with a ball.
"Good morning Lady Kagome. Are you ready?" Junsei asked with a bright smile as she walked over to the other miko after exiting her own hut.
"Yes Lady Junsei. Let's get started." Kagome replied as she followed her toward a clearing to begin learning the basics of barriers.
"Master Jaken! Look what Rin found!" Rin called out laughing as she rushed over to the toad demon who was currently resting against Ah-Un.
"What Rin?" Jaken asked opening his eyes partially to see what ever it was that had gotten the little girl's attention this time. Rin held up her hands to show him the grasshopper that was resting in her hands as she gave him a wide toothy grin. "Very nice Rin." Jaken mumbled with a slight nod of his head before closing his eyes again.
Rin, deciding that the toad hadn't given the grasshopper enough attention, placed the insect on said toad demon's head and ran off giggling when he jumped around trying to get it off. Jaken glared at her for a moment before taking off and chasing after her.
Some where near by at about the same time, their leader was currently awaiting a report from his home on an uproar from down south. "Speak." Sesshoumaru commanded when he sensed more than saw the messenger landing behind him.
"Both the dens of the Hebi and Karasu demon tribes down south have been attacked. Along with the Mizu, Ki and Sawa demon tribes that were attacked last week." the messenger reported.
"Responsible?" Sesshoumaru asked keeping his normal stoic mask in place, but inside he was seething. The Hebi and Karasu tribes were not far off from his southern border, if this kept up his land would soon be under attack.
"Tadashii." the messenger replied, trying his best not to flee when the taiyoukai began growling deep in his throat.
"Go." Sesshoumaru demanded, wanting nothing more than to have the scared youkai out of his hair. He couldn't stand the scent of fear that was rolling off him at the moment. He would normally enjoy causing others to tremble in front of him but now was not the time.
The messenger bowed quickly and took off away from his master thanking any Kami or Megami who might be listening for getting out of there alive.
"Ningen." Sesshoumaru growled as his eyes bled red for a moment before calming himself and heading back to where he left the others, planning what he was going to do to Tadashii once he got his claws on him.
Translations
Hai-yes
Miko-priestess
Ningen-human
Kit-young kitsune
Baka-idiot/stupid (Miko no baka-stupid priestess)
Eki-lizard
Omaesan-hey
Minikui-ugly
Saikoro-die
Junsei-perfect
Hebi-snake
Karasu-crow
Mizu-water
Ki-tree
Sawa-swamp
Tadashii-Righteous
Taiyoukai-demon lord
Youkai-demon (It's really more of ghost or spectre but is often used for demon rather than oni)
Kami-a God
Megami-a Goddess
AN: Well there's the next chapter. Please R&R, good and bad reviews are both welcome however I will just ignore flames. Let me know if it sounds to cliché so I can edit it correctly
