Inuyasha 1. Prologue

**A/N: **_So, this is my first time trying yuri (_femslash_) and romance. Hopefully this attempt goes well, as I expect this to be a bit ooc (_out of character_) because it's been a long while since I've watched any episode of Inuyasha, about one or two years, so IDEAS are needed and appreciated to get this story moving constantly. Also, I will make the chapters after this around 5,000 to 10,000 words (_if I have enough patience_) and I will not update until I got a few more chapters mapped out, but don't worry, I WILL update._**  
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_Unbetaed, so if you spot any errors, PLEASE point them out to me. I do not know how to get a beta and I don't like to bother people._

Word Count (_not including A/N_): **Around 3,500**

**Update 9/8/12:** Removed some grammatical errors.

* * *

Prologue

Azure eyes watched as the male robed in red silk followed the luminescent serpents through the forest, the soul catchers guiding him towards to what was surely their mistress loyally. She couldn't really decide which to call him, a man or a child. He was sometimes both or too much of one to place him.

Her eyes were tracing the moonlit scales of one of the retreating serpents, their forms reminding her of beautiful snakes, when it turned. Dark eyes gazing into her own, it cocked it's head, it's gaze imploring and seemingly child-like. She wasn't really even sure if it _was_ looking at her. Kagome felt wary and unnerved by them just as much as she felt somehow happy to see them. Perhaps they were connected just as she was connected to Kikyou?

She dared to smile at it, and when she did, the serpent nodded silently before weaving through the trees after it's kin, proving that it was indeed looking at her.

Kagome stared after it, in confusion, in awe, before sighing. The scorching coals of jealously that use to burn in the pit of her stomach had vanished, and now she only felt resignation and her attraction to the hanyou fading. Inuyasha would never choose her, not really. She was a mere reflection of Kikyo in his eyes, only a living reflection. The most he could ever see her as without feeling the guilt of loving an echo of Kikyou was as a friend, perhaps even a tool now that she thought about it.

She didn't blame Kikyou for this, though. It wasn't her fault that Inuyasha loved her more than he loved Kagome. Inuyasha loved Kikyou first, just as Kikyou loved him first.

She felt a throb of sadness.

Sometimes, she wished she was more like her, graceful, mature, beautiful. Even powerful. Kagome had no delusions that she was as or more powerful than Kikyou. Kikyou was deadly and trained. Kagome knew she had potential but she'd never be able to fully realize it, having not been trained properly at a young age like all mikos in this age.

She felt longing in her heart, but she knew not what it was she wished for. Was it for her to be more like Kikyou? For Inuyasha to love her, a mere reflection of his first love?

Or maybe. . .

Jealously reared its head, and she denied that she even thought that. There was no possible way that she was. Besides, even_ if_ she was, it would never happen.

Fur tickled her forearm, bringing her out of her musings as her eyes landed on the form sprawled out in her lap, his leg and tail twitching. Shippo mumbled something unintelligible along with something that sounded suspiciously like 'idiot Inuyasha'. She smiled before letting her gaze sweep over her other friends.

They lay sleeping, the demon slayer tucked in an extra sleeping bag, her demonic two-tailed cat curled up against her bosom. The monk Miroku was sleeping against the harsh bark of a tree's trunk, his head tilted to the side and mouth open as he subconsciously held his staff against his shoulder. He refused the offer for a sleeping bag, for reasons she did not know. Perhaps he felt confined and vulnerable within one.

The only one who wasn't here, sleeping, was Inuyasha. Off to go see Kikyou, wrap her lithe form in his arms and kiss her sof-

Her head thumped softly against the tree she was leaning on in exasperation, closing her eyes, as the fire within the makeshift hearth danced and flickered, causing the wood to crackle and ash to float up with the smoke that seemed to reach for the night sky. The reflection of flames burned within her sapphire eyes and caused her face to become alight with warm shades of red and orange. She casted her eyes towards the stars that were sprinkled across the sky.

Why was she thinking so much about Inuyasha and Kikyou? She'd already come to terms with the fact that Inuyasha would not choose her, so why did she continue to feel that flicker of jealousy when she thought of them together?

Inuyasha belonged to Kikyou first, didn't he? Odd, that when she put it that way she didn't feel that pang of possesiveness. . .

Perhaps. . .

Kikyou belonged to Inuya─there it was again, snarling within the depths of her mind.

_No._ She shut her eyes tightly and shook her head in denial. She suddenly felt like she could cry. Nope, there was no way she was attracted to Kikyou. She was NOT gay, maybe curious, but not gay. Oh, how did this even happen?

_Ugh, why does everything have to be so complicated?_ Kagome wondered. _First I fell in love with Inuyasha, who's in love with you, and now,_ Kagome loathed to admit it,_it almost seems like my attraction to Inuyasha has shifted to you, Kikyou! Why, why, why! She's a miko like me for heaven's sake! How could I get a crush on her of all people?! Mikos aren't even suppose to fall in. . . love._

Kagome felt that sounded very hypocritical of her.

_But Kikyou was the one to fall in love first, she can do it again. . . she isn't even a true miko anymore, is she? She's unliving._ A rebellious part of her consciousness whispered enticingly to her, urging her to surrender to the possibility.

Kagome blinked, her mind turning in other directions to ignore the urging, before realizing something completely unimportant.

_Does anybody here even know what gay means, or do they simply think that loving the same gender is a sin? When does the word gay become an actual word? Is gay just a description for men attracted to men and lesbian for women?_

She paused in her thoughts, before she slumped, her back being scraped by the bark in frustration, causing Shippo to grumble in his sleep before shifting into a more comfortable position on her lap.

_Why am I even thinking this! There are more important things to be thinking about. . ._

_Like Kikyou._

She ignored the errant thoughts again.

_You like Kikyou._ It sung.

Her eyebrow twitched at her own rebellious thoughts.

_You _love_ Kikyou!_ It cooed, causing Kagome to angrily roar inside her head, irritated beyond belief. How could she even love her when she hardly even knew her?

_SHUT UP! BESIDES, SHE LOVES INUYASHA! _

It did.

Kagome sighed and closed her eyes, not even noticing that it the sky was beginning to meld into a lighter shade of blue over the time she was arguing with herself.

_I'm going crazy. . . _

And with those last thoughts she let the darkness overwhelm her and drag her into a restless slumber, which was oddly filled with silver eyes that tormented her. Kagome would wonder when she awoke if anyone had silver eyes besides the blind, but the eyes weren't the same milky color, more of a devastating metal-like hue that shined like poised blades.

* * *

A figure padded silently into the camp, bare feet brushing against the dew-covered grass and golden eyes watching as Kagome had tilted her head slightly in her sleep and gave out a distressed groan, her eyes flashing behind her eyelids. The eyes, which belonged to a silver-haired male, softened. The dog ears atop his head twitched, and glanced out into the fading darkness of the forest. His eyes narrowed in suspicion, waiting for some kind of sign as his hand clasped the hilt of his sheathed blade. With his eyes, nose and ears finding nothing alarming he relaxed, releasing his hold against the blade.

Inuyasha turned his gaze back to Kagome and noticed she was trembling. He assumed it was from the cold as the fire had long since turned to smoldering ashes. He found Kagome's backpack and searched through it to find a blanket, or something similar to protect her from the cold. Having found what he was searching for, he pulled out a dark blue blanket folded up neatly to conserve space for other necessities.

He walked towards Kagome before leaning forward and draping the blanket across her and completely covering Shippo, before leaping up into a tree and grasping a tree branch, easily pulling himself up. He settled down on into a comfortable spot and folded his arms, sinking into a nap.

He didn't notice that Kagome's shivering increased at a near convulsive rate and her eyes snapped open in fear, unseeing, before slipping back into a more seemingly relaxed slumber.

Shippo blearily opened his eyes, wondering what had pulled him out of a nice dream of defeating Inuyasha and Kagome teaching him how to 'sit' him, before realizing he couldn't see. He nearly jumped up when he found it was cloth and that he had strong, feminine arms wrapped around his frame protectively. His heart beat took a more healthy pace and he pulled down the covers to see his surrogate mother, making him smile innocently. Sometimes he wished his Mama was a demon too, just like him so he'd have another thing in common with her.

He wrapped her arms around him and went off to sleep, he too, not noticing that his Mama, Kagome, had started crying in her sleep.

The arms that were coiled around Shippo tightened just the tiniest bit and Kagome whispered.

"Mama, Grandpa, Souta, everyone. . . _run. . ._"

* * *

The next morning Kagome woke before everyone and had no recollection of her nightmare. She felt so very weak, so very tired, that she could hardly stand on her own two feet after having just woke up. She had set Shippo down and covered him with the blanket, finding that she could not get anymore sleep. After waking herself up good and taking a few minutes to relax she got up with a bit of difficulty.

Searching around her she realized everyone was still asleep and Inuyasha had returned, having caught a flash of red up in the tree she had taken solace beneath. She furrowed her brow when she realized that even _he _was asleep, and demons didn't need that much sleep, including hanyous.

She glanced at the sky, dim sunlight filtering through the trees, and realized it would be probably be around six. Usually she'd be around the last to wake up, so why had she woken up so early? The sky was a faded blue, near white with all the clouds. The sun was hanging just above the horizon, bathing whatever it could reach with warm rays of sunlight. It was partially hidden by dark cumulus clouds, forewarning her of storm.

She jumped suddenly when she felt a near intangible wet tendril curl around her abdomen, filled with a near icy cold feeling that for some reason caused Kagome to blindly reach out, on _reflex_, and groped for it like a blind beggar, only for her hand to go through it, becoming soaked with clear liquid. There was a peculiar scent permeating into the air, making her body forcefully relax.

She didn't understand why she was doing this, why she couldn't find it in her to call out for her friends as it pulled her gently towards the woods. Her legs seemed to not want to obey her commands to stay firmly planted against the ground and followed the tugging that wished for her to walk into the now suddenly foreboding forest. She could no longer see the beauty of the wildlife when she was possibly being pulled into the maw of death.

She did not understand why this was happening, she had left the jewel shards in her backpack. Did whatever the thing enchanting her to follow it want them and presumed she had them on her or what?

Once she was dragged through the thick brush, minutes or hours having passed as she was leisurely dragged, the tendril recoiled from its grasp on her, distorting the air as it pulled back. She found herself at a small pond, its waters dark and inky looking. She began to tremble in cold. She couldn't feel any demonic aura. She glanced around cautiously, searching as much as she could with her limbs seemingly stuck to her sides.

She nearly jumped when the pond bubbled and spiralled, inky liquid flung into the air before the waters sprouted upward, like a fountain, forming a pillar of blood as the dark waters bled red. A feminine figure formed, dripping with the dark blood-like water. She was clothed in a near garish red dress, long and lined with gold.

Kagome's eyes widened. The woman had pointed elf-like ears, longer that Sesshomaru's own, that were pierced with beautiful gem earrings, though none hang on a chain, instead curling around her earlobe like a band.

Slitted silver eyes gleamed at her, surrounded by a pale white but beautiful face that was framed by_ blood _red locks. The woman, or demon, smiled at her, brandishing pearl white canines that would have made Kagome flinch if she could have, but she couldn't, not when she felt like she was in some sort of trance that sapped her free will.

The demon raised a clawed hand, her nails long and deadly looking, contradicting her delicate looking hand.

**_"Come here, sweet Kagome. . ."_ **The woman purred.

Kagome had truly, never felt more helpless than she did now, not when she was captured, not when she was held hostage or being unable to stop Inuyasha from loving Kikyo. She struggled frantically against the unyielding hold to no avail. Her body slowly but surely made its way to the edge of the pond.

The woman pouted, somehow knowing that Kagome was adamant against not obliging her command, even though she couldn't stop her if she tried.

_**"Come now, little miko, don't fight. It'll only make my experiment more difficult and painful." **_The woman asked, smiling menacingly when Kagome's eyes widened and her struggle for control increased due to desperation, her mind screaming out questions.

The crimson-haired woman levitated towards Kagome, gliding with inhuman grace across the pond.

_**"Your pure, little bird. From the moment I felt your caged aura calling me last night, you were mine. Who could resist such a powerful, pure prescence? It's exactly what I need for the change." **_The woman paused when Kagome blinked, her fear subsiding momentarily due to confusion.

_**"Do you not know? Your very aura washed over me, over every demon strong and near enough to detect it. It was lovely, and I wish to taint that aura. I'm going to have the pleasure of destroying the purity within ****you, changing your very blood and ruining your miko powers."**_

Kagome's eyes widened in horror. _What does she mean by that?!_

_**"I'm not going to kill you, I assure you. I'm going to do something much. . . ****worse."**_

With a vile grin the demoness placed her palm against Kagome's face, her eyes glowing like the moon. Her other hand came and raised her arm, carving a symbol into the back of Kagome's hand, making her whimper even within the trance as fresh blood dripped into the edge of the pond with a 'plop'. Kagome faintly noticed a tail slipping out from behind the demoness' dress, scales of ivory and seaweed green wrapping around it in intricate patterns. It snaked around her, binding her even further, as if whatever enchanting her wouldn't be enough.

It was a logical decision, when the trance was literally ripped apart by her writhing.

Kagome wanted to scream when the pain hit her, but she could not with the tail that slithered over her mouth the moment she opened it, muffling her attempts. The agony that scarred her soul and constricted around it, suffocating it, was unbelievable. She could not hear anything. She couldn't see anything but a blinding darkness that flashed white when her suffering became almost too much to bear. She didn't even have the release that was screaming to somehow soothe some part of the pent up strain. Her eyes flared, aching when she so desperately wanted to claw them out of her sockets. She felt something else too, something that reminded her of when her soul, or Kikyo's soul was being extracted from her to return to the other miko.

Everything burned, even the sprinkles of water now falling on to her flesh from the heavens.

Would anyone save her? Did anyone care that she was in pain inside her _own_ mind, unable to do anything to soothe the burning of her insides? Inuyasha probably didn't even know she wasn't at the camp, sleeping like the rest.

She could feel something twisting and churning beneath her skin, through her veins. She could even feel it coil around some kind of energy within her and smother it, attempting to remove and devour it from her body.

After what felt like an eternity of pain Kagome slumped over, her mind and body exhausted, still standing with the tail coiled around her. Her eyes felt like lead, unable to open them to see her abuser. Her body could _not_ move, as if she was a stringless puppet whose master had long since abandoned her. She felt the palm on her face turn her head towards the monster that was hidden within a woman's skin.

She felt hollow.

_**"The pain and numbness are only temporary, and when you awake you will no longer be a miko."**_

_What? _Kagome's mind weakly whispered. Thunder was booming high in the sky, echoing.

_**"I took away your powers that make you a miko, and replaced them with something more, as you might say, corrupted." **_The monster answered, and Kagome could just feel that disgusting grin creep on the demoness' face, twisting it into something ugly.

But that didn't matter did it? Because she could no longer sense _anything_. What use was she now when she couldn't sense demons? She didn't even feel the jewel shards back at the camp like she could earlier.

Would Inuyasha want her here anymore? Would he discard her like a broken tool?

_**"How ironic, becoming the very thing you mikos are sworn to fight against. Miko no more, demon reborn. . . ahahaha!" **_The woman broke into fits of maniacal laughter at her stupid but accurate rhyme.

It all seemed like just a game to her, Kagome mused brokenly. _Is my torment nothing to her?_

_**"Now that that's over and done with, I'll tell you my name, just so you can know who to hate for the rest of your demonic ****life."**_

Kagome didn't want to know, she didn't want to remember this at all. It'd be easier to let go if she didn't know this woman's name.

_**"My name. . . is** **Michiyo." **_She had paused for a dramatic effect, which only served to anger Kagome. "_**Remember it, little bird. Remember it and curse that name for the rest of you existence, so that when we meet again I can destroy the monster **_**you ****_become."_**

Michiyo growled suddenly, primal and strong. Kagome heard feet pounding against the ground, sounding as if they were coming towards her and the demon. She felt hope bloom inside her chest. She wasn't able to see but she could tell it was her friends.

_**"Bye, bye, little bird." **_Hope was replaced by dread.

"No, Kagome!"

And with that Kagome felt herself fall on to the ground, the sound of water shooting up in torrents and a hazy sensation washing over her, before everything was calm once again. She realized she no longer felt the grass which would surely be beneath her, instead warm sand grating against her skin and the sound of waves rushing up against a shore filling her ears.

She struggled weakly to raise her head, attempting to open her eyes. After a few good minutes she succeeded, and saw that she was not in the same place as she was before, mountains looming over in the distance. There was a large cliff far off to her left and there didn't appear to be a village nearby.

She struggled to lift herself, but failed and decided to merely lay there ungainly sprawled out on the sand. Exhaustion hit her and her eyes closed, her body feeling heavy from the pain and the lack of sleep she had received last night.

_Will anyone save me?_


	2. Awakening

**A/N: **_So, I'm updating sooner than I planned. I still have another chapter being written out but I decided to let this one out early; I plan to have two chapters written out before publishing the first, so if I ever get writer's block you'll still have another chapter or two to read and hopefully I'll be able to get my muse back. Again, Ideas are needed to keep this story moving. I'll be sure to take all ideas you give me in great consideration. _

_Unbetaed. This chapter might be a bit OOC. Reviews are appreciated, so if you have the time please drop me one, it let's me know people are reading my story, which in turn makes me feel better._

Word Count (_not including A/N_):** 5,530**

Awakening

She awoke to the loud, screeching calls of seagulls, feeling better that she did when she was last awake. She opened her eyes, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from them.

_What happened?_

And then it hit her, the events of earlier pounding against her mind. She felt phantom pain swell up inside her, causing her chest to ache, and she couldn't restrain the tears that leaked from her eyes when she realized her hands were clawed and whiter than ice. Her nails looked deadlier than Inuyasha's own.

It really happened.

She wondered what she looked like now. Were her eyes slitted? Were her canines longer?

Out of reflex she ran her tongue along her teeth and confirmed that she indeed had fangs, twins jutting out from the bottom and top of her mouth.

She looked behind her, just now noticing the swishing appendage that twitched atop the sand like a cat tail. Only, cat tails aren't scaled like a snake's. She grasped it in horror, her mind ridden with harrowing thoughts. She decided not to grab it, the tail, too hard, since it appeared to be sensitive.

What if the well didn't work anymore for her? What if she could never change back? What if. . . everyone hated her?

She could do nothing.

She cried, her shoulders wracked with her sobs, and still nothing could stop the sorrow and despair that overwhelmed her heart.

_It was all her fault! That _bitch_ did this! Kill her! _She would've been surprised at her morbid thoughts, although they sounded as if they were said by someone else, if she were in a better state of mind but she couldn't find it in her to disagree. If she ever found Michiyo she would kill her, rip out her throat and remove her vocal cords with her claws.

Once her trembling subsided she surveyed her surroundings, wiping her eyes, and noted that nothing seemed familiar. Where was she?

Silk was pressing against her legs, and she glanced down to see a shihakusho, with similar designs as the kind Michiyo wore, protecting her frame better than her old school uniform did, and she had to say she looked better in it than she did her school uniform. The sleeves were long and almost billowy, covering her clawed hands well. It looked almost identical to Inuyasha's fire rat robe, only the color scheme, which consisted of faded blue lined with gold and silver, the design and the materials were different. And she had shoes, unlike Inuyasha. They felt a bit discomfortable though, to say the least.

_When di- how did she. . .? _Kagome pondered confused, angry and embarrassed. If the woman somehow changed her while she was sleeping wouldn't she have woken up? She wanted so badly to rip the clothing off her form but didn't dare, for fear that she wouldn't be able to find anything to protect her nudity with.

She felt so frustrated and afraid. She was alone and vulnerable, she could not call on her spiritual powers and she didn't have any weapons to defend herself with. How was she to fight a demon if it were to attack her? She couldn't even sense anything!

Finally deciding to stop sulking she got up. She could hear and smell and see things so much clearer than she had before. She could smell the salty water of the ocean, hear the seagulls dip their beaks into the water in an attempt to catch prey and could nearly trace every grain of sand beneath her.

She glanced up at the sun and noticed it was placed higher into the sky, almost directly in to middle of the light blue canvas, so she couldn't determine which way was east and which was west. She suddenly realized their were no silvery clouds wisping by either, proving that she was no where near where she should be. She started towards the cliff overlooking the shores to see if she could see anything resting atop it. She clambered up it easily, not feeling any strain and quickly overcome the earth wall, gracefully jumping up over the ledge and landing gently on instinct. If she were human she would've never been able to perform such a feat.

Her eyes scanned the forest atop the cliff, the call of beasts echoing within. A brooding mist crept out from it, thick and covering the undergrowth. The scents that wafted through her nostrils made hunger growl within her. surprised by her reaction, she bit her lip harshly to stop herself from dashing towards the closest mammal and devouring it raw. Why did she feel so bloody starved?

Suddenly a foul stench invaded her senses, the smell making her recoil as if she had scalded. It smelled musky, sour and decomposing, like that of a rotting corpse. There was also the cloying smell of iron and rust, which she may have thought intoxicating if it wasn't for the fact it smelled diluted with decay and burnt flesh.

Morbid curiosity rose up within her and she plugged her nose, debating whether she should investigate the smell or leave the vicinity before her poor nose was sentenced to the pungent odor again. In the end she decided to go, the saying 'curiosity killed the cat' pushing to the forefront of her thoughts in an attempt to dissuade her. She wouldn't let it though and determinedly continued her march into the forest.

Having walked a ways she began to notice indents in the crushed grass that appeared to have been trampled on, dried blood staining the green a rusty red and a few weapons laying scattered on the ground, some painted with blood. As she continued she finally came upon a scene of gore, remains of corpses, intestines and viscera strewn across the ground. Kagome barely resisted the urge to gag, holding back vomit and tightly keeping her nose plugged, her eyes watering from the stench and scene of slaughter.

Some of the soldier's bodies looked as if they were feasted upon, eaten and burned by acid or ripped apart by brutish arms, so Kagome doubted a human did _this_. What disturbed Kagome the most was that some part of her enjoyed seeing the blood, the death. It was pushing her too take part of the humans flesh like a scavenger and she was too disgusted with herself to indulge it.

**"Well, well. . . look what we have here brothers, an adorable little _Zennyo Ryūō_ on our hands. What do ya think we should do with 'er?"** A voice laughed boomed out from a few feet behind her. She whirled around, having not noticed anything due to the shock from the scene and her sense of smell distorted by the odor of the dead.

_Zennyo Ryūō, the rain-god dragon? There's more than_ _one?_ Kagome felt confused, she'd heard tales from her grandfather, legends of all the spirits and demons, and believed that Zennyo Ryūō, the rain-making dragon, was a god and the only one. Was the legends based off the demons in this era?  
_  
_There were four figures, the one who spoke seemed to be the leader, being more brawny and larger than the others. They looked slightly humanoid, only they had two pairs of arms, a normal set and one protruding from the back of their shoulders, both pairs having no nails but appearing clawed like blades. The arms were segmented and covered with a kind of insect like plating, reminding Kagome of an ant or spider. Their eyes were round and bulging, only having a small beetle-like black pupil in the center. Extending from their tailbone there was a large, barbed scorpion tail, dipped in dried blood. They smelled like fetid meat, probably from the soldiers they had felled.

The only way she could tell the arthropods apart were the slight differences in their armor's shades and builds.

The leader had bared his shark-like teeth in a vulgar grin when his lackey piped up, offering a revolting suggestion. **"Maybe we could have some fun wit' her before we kill her?"**

Kagome immediately bared her fangs, instincts kicking in when Kagome confirmed the threat. Her hands flew from her nose and layed clenched at her sides, preparing for an attack. Her scaled tail twitched in agitation and her hands suddenly felt soaked in a pleasing, cold watery sensation, making her glance down and see them dripping with water, which smelled of fresh rain. She heard a hiss and jumped on reflex to avoid a large glob of oily liquid, which fizzed and sunk through the ground like acid.

One had his mouth agape, preparing to let loose another.

She saw red after that, nothing more, her logic gone and replaced by a raw and merciless cold fury that she could not control. She lunged towards the demons, their armor easily giving way to her frenzied claws which tore through their bodily shields and unprotected flesh. She gouged a large gash into the shoulder of the leader, causing him to screech and fall to the ground in pain, cowering backwards while she continued her assault on the others. A tendril of water whipped out, slamming into the smaller insectoid behind her and causing him to crash into a tree and slump unconscious from the blow to the head, his cranium cracked and blood flowing from the crest of his forehead.

She attacked the other in a blur of rain drops, shooting bullets at him from her outstretched hand, some denting his armor or piercing through it. He charged at her, one of his arms gripping her hand before swinging her around and throwing her up into the air. He prepared a glob of acid while Kagome righted herself reflexively and summoned three thick tendrils of water to slam down on to him, crushing his body and conforming it into the ground below. She had killed him.

The final demon that was standing attempted to flee, crashing through the forest as his second pair of arms uprooted the weak tree trunks and hurled them towards her in an attempt to slow her down, to no avail. He screamed, begged for her to let him live as she ran but she couldn't, not with her claws aching to rip through his flesh and watch his eyes dim.

They ran for a few minutes, Kagome unwillingly enjoying the game of cat and mouse when he tumbled down a steep hill and into a two foot stream. She jumped, landing in front of him with seemingly practiced grace and her once azure eyes gleamed an irreversible silver, the slits in her eyes dilating to ovals, as if she were on some kind of high. The arthropod crawled backwards several feet in front of her, his four hands splashing in the water. A ruddy light was casted around them, streaming through the branches and leaves above and illuminating Kagome's dim silhouette.

_Stop! _Her body didn't stop, a animalistic grin curling her lips.

The arthropod was sobbing now, and from the smell of fear, waste and despair, she could tell he thought he was going to die.

**"Please don't kill me! Don't KILL ME! I'm sorry, I'm SORRY! Me and my brothers will never bother you again, so ple─urk!"** She had grasped his throat tightly, cutting him off from breathing and lifting him up high, high enough that his long gangly legs dangled beneath her grip, unable to find a foothold in the air. He grasped her hand, trying in vain to pull her powerful grip off his throat so he could breath. His mouth opened agape, trying to suck in air.

Kagome found herself loving and hating it.

_STOP IT! _Her body refused to obey, no matter how much her mind willed it too. The echoes within her mind sounded like static, unable to be interpreted. It felt similar to when she was in that trance Michiyo put her under, but she knew it wasn't the same. This was different, as if she wanted to do this; but she knew it was wrong. This was the demonic blood coursing through her, commanding her body with a driving force.

Her body raised a clawed hand, angling it to pierce through the center of the arthropod's chest. He was still struggling but his efforts had weakened considerably due to the lack of oxygen. His eyes had rolled up overhead, they couldn't keep there beady gaze on her wild silver irises that shined maliciously. Tear tracks stained his cheeks and his mouth was opening and closing like a fish out of water, gurgling when water trailed up into his mouth from the hand clenched on to his throat, drowning him on land.

She could smell his fear, she could smell it and it repulsed her as much as it excited her. This was not her, so why was she doing this?!

Her hand shot forward, followed by the sound of a sickening squelch and armor shattering.

He couldn't even scream as her hand burst through his chest and out through the back, tearing out a section of his spine. He slumped lifelessly on her arm, his blood painting her hand up to her elbow, shading her dark sleeves a blackish-red.

She withdrew her arm out, causing the corpse of the demon to fall into the creek, blood leaking into the water and causing it to swirl a pinkish-red from the mortal wound she had inflicted upon him. She stared at him, her oval eyes shrinking back into her slitted pupils for a moment, signalling that she was gaining control, before they dilated again.

She turned and began trekking back up the hill to finish off the other two.

* * *

"Where's the wench?"

"Maybe Lady Kagome went for a walk?"

"Without telling us, without her bow? I don't think so, Miroku."

They had woken up to the fire extinguished, thunder booming and no Kagome.

Inuyasha began sniffing his surroundings, searching for Kagome's scent. When he located it he found it was mingled with another faint scent, that of fresh rain, which didn't make any sense since it hadn't begun to rain yet. Feeling a tinge of worry they packed up their belongings into Kagome's backpack and set off to find her, Shippo constantly rambling, afraid of what may have happened to her. It had begun to sprinkle, small droplets of rain splattering on their frames.

"Why do you think she left without taking any weapons?"

"I don't know what goes on in her head, so how should I know?"

"Kagome must've been tricked, or kidnapped! Hurry Inuyasha! We gotta save her!" Shippo cried, panicking.

"I doubt she'd be kidnapped, she would've felt a demonic aura or somethin', right?"

Kagome's scent was steadily getting stronger, along with the other scent, but now there was something else intertwining with the scent of rain. Inuyasha experimentally scented the air in an attempt to determine its origins and realized despairingly that it was the smell of blood.

_Kagome's _blood.

His eyes widened and he shot forward into a sprint, leaping on the tree branches as he shouted at them, "Kagome's in trouble, HURRY IT UP!"

A bad feeling swept over them all and they rushed after him, Sango, Miroku and Shippo jumping on Kirara after she flamed into her larger form, roaring like a jaguar.

They had made it to the pond in time to see a Kagome slumped over, wrapped up in a strange demoness' tail, and heard muffles coming from Kagome's covered mouth. The woman looked up and snarled fiercely at them when she saw them, before blinking in surprise at Kagome for reasons they knew not. Kagome's eyes were watering like she wanted to cry but couldn't, and she didn't seem to be able to see them, however they could tell she noticed their arrival.

They sprinted towards the demoness, Inuyasha preparing to demand that she let her go when she spoke up.

_**"Bye, bye, little bird." **_

Their hearts dropped and Inuyasha howled, charging with Tessaiga, as water spiralled around Kagome, the demon withdrawing her tail and letting her fall.

"No, Kagome!"

They were too late.

Sango threw Hiraikotsu, which didn't collide with the demon as planned. The woman simply waved her hand and a wall of water blocked it from impacting her flesh and nimbly dodged Tessaiga's blade.

"Damn you, _Kaze no Kizu_!" Inuyasha bellowed, swinging Tessaiga effortlessly in her direction. The woman's eyes widened in surprise, not having expected him to use such a technique so quickly, and hastily summoned her water to try and intersect it. The water was easily pushed back but took the brunt of the damage, however it did nothing to protect the woman's arm. She howled in agony when it was tore from it's socket and disintegrated by the gale of wind.

The demoness was really beginning to regret this. She was going to die, all because of her curiosity of what would become of a miko if she were to become a demon. She should have just found some other damn miko, but no, she had to choose the one with the purest aura.

"What did you do to Kagome, hag?! Where is she?" He demanded, anger burning in his eyes along with his companions.

The woman gasped in pain, gripping her stump, and merely laughed breathlessly.

_**"Wouldn't you like to know, hanyou. .**_** ." **Inuyasha snarled angrily and was preparing to let loose another wind scar when Miroku held up his hand. "Wait, Inuyasha. We need her alive to find Kagome."

Inuyasha reluctantly agreed, however he didn't release his hold on Tessaiga and instead held it ready for any dirty tricks the woman might pull.

"Tell us, demon, what have you done to Kagome?"

The woman eyed him, her eyes narrowed.

_**"Why should I tell **_**you**_**? Your going to kill me**** anyway." **_Miroku's jaw clenched. He could hear Shippo crying.

"We could make your death painless, and depending on what you tell us, as long as it's the truth, you may be given the chance to escape with your life."

Inuyasha guffawed at Miroku, "What are you doing? She took Kagome! She could do it agai-"

"Be quiet Inuyasha, I know that already."

The demoness contemplated her decisions, she could tell them what she did to their miko and where she teleported her and possibly have a chance of survival, or she could stay silent and take her chances for a run for it. She severely underestimated her opponent, enough that she wasted most of her energy teleporting Kagome as far away as she could. She didn't even have enough left to teleport herself!

She took several moments to debate on what she should do while they impatiently waited, Shippo sobbing while they all glared at the woman.

_**"Very well, I'll tell you what I did to your little bird."** _

Miroku and Sango raised an eyebrow at this woman's nickname for Kagome and scowled along with Inuyasha.

_**"I felt her presence last night, she had such a pure aura that I couldn't resist. I implanted images into her head while she slept, causing her nightmares to make weaker and less alert so that she couldn't sense my tendrils miniscule demonic aura before it could wrap around her and drag her here. Once they were they emitted a near odorless smell that would beckon her to come to me, how I usually lured in my human prey."**_

Inuyasha's amber eyes narrowed, suddenly realizing why he had smelled the scent of rain. That must have been the tendril's scent!

_**"Once she was here I decided to do a little experiment. You see, I had learned of an ability my species had, one I had thought to be a myth. Having wished to see if it was true I used this ability on a human, turning him into a full demon, just. Like. Me. But there was a problem, he couldn't control his instincts at all, leading him to slaughter anything living within sight. I had to put him out of his**_** misery._" _**

Their eyes had widened by this point, dread settling in the pits of their stomachs.

_**"I poured over my research, attempting to find out what caused everything to go wrong, and found that, while demon blood **_**was**_** compatible with humans, their minds weren't pure enough to balance out and remain in control of our demonic instincts at all. That meant I had to try it out on someone who was pure enough to resist it, and the purest of all humans are mikos. I wasn't sure it would work, but it did. I removed her spiritual powers but left her untainted. If I had left her powers within her it would undoubtedly kill her, recognizing her as a threat once I used my demon blood to taint hers. I was suprised when she fully became a demon, I expected her to become a**_** hanyou._"_**

Inuyasha's eyes tinged with jealously, jealousy that quickly dissipated when he realized that Kagome wouldn't have wanted this. He still could not get rid of the small amount of envy that dwelled in his heart, however. Everyone was quickly growing horrified at her words, to taint a miko was considered a great crime, even Shippo who had wanted Kagome to become a demon felt sick, he didn't want his Mama to be changed against her will at all. To taint their friend was considered even more horrid.

_**"She won't be able to ignore her basic demonic instincts yet though. It would probably be a year before she'd be able to control them, a short time compared to a demon's ****lifespan."**_

"Where is she?"

_**"Somewhere I don't even know, your interruption kept me from planning the destination and merely caused me to teleport her as far as possible from our current location." **_The demoness grinned, face paling whiter than was possible from blood loss. If she didn't get this wound cleaned and bandaged soon she'd bleed out. She prepared to flee when her demonic senses screamed at her to move.

She did not move fast enough.

With a sharp, whistling sound, an arrow, outlined in surprisingly powerful miko energy, embedded into her head, partially exiting out the other side. The demoness dropped to the floor, dead.

There eyes flew to direction it came from.

* * *

Ever since she was rescued from the cave-like demon's belly by Kagome she had been confused. Why would Kagome save her when she had attempted to kill her once before, when they loved the same man?

It confused her, she confused her. Over all that time since she was rescued she had grew to feel. . . less hostile of her reincarnation. She guessed she would consider her a friend, after all their encounters after the cave, ones that didn't include the jealousy and bitterness of loving the same person. Kagome would go on walks, angered by Inuyasha and stumble upon her soul catchers, which would for some reason lead Kagome to her, to which Kagome would awkwardly greet her and sometimes sit with her. Those encounters led her to becoming fond of her. She learned more about Kagome than she thought she ever would, like how Kagome had a brother named Souta, a deceased father and doting mother. Her grandfather was a priest who's wife had also died tragically, who educated her in the history of the Shikon no Tama, the Bone-Eater's Well, the demons and spirits of this era.

Her jealousy had faded away over time, realizing that no matter what she did she'd never be able to be truly happy with Inuyasha, now that she was nothing but a clay doll, her spirit cursed to wander the world of the living, feeling incomplete for as long as her reincarnation lived, or so she thought. She wouldn't be able to kill Kagome after all.

Her only constant company was her beloved soul catchers, ever loyal to her. Sometimes they didn't appear to have a will of their own but she knew that wasn't the truth. If they didn't, how would they know where to guide her when she didn't know where to go? Why would they try to comfort her when she was emotionally distraught?

Kikyou leaned her back against the tree, watching and listening to the soft sounds of her soul catchers gliding through the air in dances. Suddenly her soul catchers all twitched violently and swiveled their heads in a certain direction. She gazed at them curiously, wondering what had caused them to react like that when her eyes widened.

Something was happening to her, to her soul. Her body was surrounded by a glowing pink, the soft light warming her cold skin more than the sun ever could. She gasped as she felt her soul, no, not her soul, Kagome's soul enter her body, removing that feeling of being incomplete. Her cold alabaster-white skin warmed, blood coursing beneath her flesh. She clutched her chest in shock. Kikyou felt tears well up in her now lively chocolate brown eyes when she realized that her heart. . .

Her heart was beating. Beating in a more beautiful rhythm than it had when she was alive. She could feel the bark of the tree digging into her skin, her clothes brushing against her flesh and the wind and sprinkles of rain caress her face. She was alive, and that fact alone overjoyed her.

But she also felt an unusual bit of apprehension. Why had Kagome's soul, all of it, come to her? Had she died? Was this why here soul catchers were reacting this way? Why could she no longer feel the connection to Kagome?

She raised herself up, grasping her bow as the insect-like serpents swirled around her, as if to encourage her to go. Her reincarnation, her friend, which she wouldn't admit to anyone but herself, was possibly dead, and she would seek answers.

She requested her soul catchers to guide her, and they obeyed.

* * *

She had heard what the demoness had done to Kagome, hidden in the shadows of the trees while Inuyasha was to shocked to smell her scent. She had arrived and analyzed the situation, figuring out the demon was the cause for Kagome's disappearance. She felt rage burn inside her when she informed them of what she did. To turn a miko into a demon was horrible, and she felt so disgusted and a small bit angry that she gripped the wooden shaft of her bow and pulled the bowstring back, drawing and arrow fletched with feathers from her quiver and nocking it.

Was Kagome even truly alive anymore with her soul claimed by Kikyou?

She carefully aimed and channeled a bit of energy into the arrow head, surprised when a larger amount poured out instead leaving her in awe. Was she this powerful when she was alive?

No, she wasn't. This was Kagome's powers inside of her, allowing her to borrow her energy to purify this demon, the one that most undoubtedly ruined her life.

She released the bowstring with a resounding 'twang' and it penetrated through the demoness skull, Kikyo having noticed she was preparing to flee. She watched in satisfaction as she dropped to the ground lifelessly, Inuyasha's companions shifting their bodies towards her in shock.

"Kikyou. . ."

She leveled her cool gaze into his own, and he was sure he noticed the difference in her scent.

An uncomfortable silence appeared to have followed Kikyo's arrow.

"Is Kagome still alive? Her soul, or whatever fragments that were once apart of me, have returned."

Inuyasha lowered his gaze, and for a moment she dreaded his answer.

"I don't believe so, the demon only said she removed her powers, not her soul. When we got here it had already happened and Kagome seemed alive, she knew we were there."

Kikyou was confused at why she was so relieved by the answer but ignored it in favor of asking a question. She'd have time to ponder later of why she had become more emotional since her soul became whole..

"Do you have any idea at all where she might be?"

"Please forgive my being rude, but why do you want to know, Lady Kikyou?" The monk prodded suspiciously.

"I mean her no harm, she's become a. . . friend to me." She frowned, feeling an odd heat surge into her cheeks. Was she sick, or did this relate to being truly alive once again?

She realized something then. She could no longer call Kagome her reincarnation could she? Who knows what may have changed once she was cursed to become a demon.

They appeared to be dubious of her answer but accepted it nonetheless, she sounded sincere enough to be given a chance.

_How did she even grow attached to her in the first place?_ Was what was going through their minds, she knew, but perhaps not worded the exact same way.

The demon slayer pondered for a moment, looking over the demoness' corpse and glancing occasionally at the pond. She approached the corpse cautiously and inspected her tail, ears, and lifeless eyes.

"What is it, Sango?" Miroku questioned, eyebrows raising in concern. The others were staring at her in confusion, excluding Kikyou who figured it out earlier.

"She's a rain-making dragon demon. They like to be near water or humid areas and are a bit territorial of what they claim, so maybe Kagome would be around the same areas too? Although, this is all under the speculation that Kagome _was _turned into a rain dragon. There's also the chance that we don't even need to look and she would come searching for us or the Bone-Eater's Well."

It made a bit of sense. The demon said she wouldn't be able to control her basic instincts yet, so she'd be found at places her instincts recognized as comfortable or better suited for Kagome's needs.

"What should we do?" Shippo asked sorrowfully, missing his surrogate mother.

"We could leave someone at the village near the well and the rest could search for her, but who's going to stay and which places would be the best to search at first?"

Kikyou felt she had to go search for her too. It was an odd feeling that tugged at the back of her mind, probably originating from Kagome's soul.

"I'll help search."

"Kikyou, yo─" Inuyasha started, wanting her to stay here.

"No, Inuyasha. I need to do this, I don't know why." She paused as her soul eaters floated beside her, feeling herself flush a little in embarrassment at admitting that. Why were they still here when she didn't require their services anymore? Either way, she was happy they stayed. "When I received whatever fragments of Kagome's soul I've began feeling odd. The very fact my heart now beats proves that this is different. If anything I feel I have an obligation to find her."

They were confused, no doubt. She was too.

". . . Alright. I think we're going to need all the help we can get. Do you have any idea of where too look?" The demon slayer asked, her eyes containing several other unvoiced questions within them.

"My soul eaters should be able to help me, so I'll go where they go. If there's any definite direction, it would be west, that's were my soul catchers are most anxious to lead me."

It was a logical choice. The Bone-Eater's Well was in the East, and since they were near it, the most obvious place to search would be the Western Lands, farthest from her former village.

They didn't question her, although Inuyasha did suggest that he go with her, which she bluntly refused, stating it would be best if he searched elsewhere sense she could easily handle herself. She didn't want him to be giving her the awkward glances of longing, which for some reason began to aggravate her.

It wasn't there right to tell her where to go or what she should do, so they were simply grateful for the offer of help even if they were suspicious of her intentions.

After being informed of where the others would search and when they would regather to report anything of their findings Kikyou turned on her heel, her lustrous raven-black hair flowing behind her as the soul catchers lead their mistress, still intent on serving her.

They would surely take her to Kagome, be it days or weeks, she would find her.


	3. To Hunt

**A/N: **_I really should stop updating so soon, I planned to have another chapter written out before letting this one out. Oh well, hope you enjoy.  
__  
Question: __Should I put Naraku in this story too? I don't really see stories without him fighting with the gang or some such, but I can make it so he's not featured in here. It's been a while since I've watched Inuyasaha so I'll need to research some of his abilities and other stuff before writing out anything with him in it if you decide you want him in this fic. _

_Unbetaed, may be ooc, the usual. I'd like to thank everyone for their reviews. I would've replied to sodachex13 and CasuallyInDebt, but I can't so I thank you here. Hope I don't muck this up for you all. :)_

Word Count (_not including A/N_):** 5,696**

To Hunt

Kagome wanted to say she woke up, but that wouldn't be the correct term for it; it was like a slow return to the senses, as if she had been in a daze the whole time.

How she wished it was true.

When she was able to understand fully what was going on, she realized that her regal-like clothing was covered in bloody splotches. She had never felt more horrified when she noticed the coppery taste in her mouth, as delicious as it was, was actually blood. She had somehow been blocked out, her consciousness shoved deep into the abyssal corners of her mind when she attempted to regain control. It had failed, she was so very close to succeeding when the wire-thin strands slipped through her fingers, so she had no idea what had transpired.

She observed her surroundings grimly, feeling unusually apathetic to the now deceased men and demons. It bothered her to feel this way; the human her wouldn't be like this. She hadn't felt this way before her instincts had forced her awareness back into the recesses of her mind.

She observed her hands with disdain and disgust, drying blood caked over her sleeves and soaking the flesh of her hand. She wiped the blood splattered over her lips and sought the creek she had last seen when she still had a small fragment of awareness in her frenzied state, wishing to find something to draw her attention away from the gruesome remains of the other three arthropods, brothers. . .

She had killed them. They were family, they had begged for their lives like pathetic ants, and even though she didn't wish to kill them, she had. A sliver of satisfaction within her told her that they deserved it, she knew that already, but it did nothing to cleanse her mind of her guilt, her shame as bile bubbled up like acid in her throat, making her hurry to the creek.

Before she was able to arrive there she hurried to a bush and vomited all that was within her stomach, being repulsed even more when she saw blood and pieces of demon flesh being expelled from her mouth and upon the leaves and soil. She dry heaved, stomach acids dripping from her mouth on to the ground as she held her hair back. Once her stomach managed to calm itself she shuffled towards the creek, peering behind a thick tree to make sure the demon was dead.

Regretful but satisfied that he didn't appear to be alive she walked to the edge and dipped her palms into the water, struggling to ignore the bobbing hands of the demon, before splashing the liquid on to her face and washing away the blood. The water made her feel better, soothing her. She scooped up more to wash her mouth of the aftertaste and frowned in thought.

Why could she not control herself? Was this what Inuyasha felt when _he _lost control?

She saw a glimmer of white and silver reflected in the water. She watched the ripples dissipate and found it was her eyes and hair that emitted those colors. She coudn't withold a gasp. Her eyes were the same as Michiyo's, a beautiful blade-like silver and her hair seemed to be bleached ivory-white from her roots, flowing all they way down to her ebony tips. her hair appeared to be more wilder than before, slightly tangled from the scuffle she had with the demons. Her pale skin seemed to shimmer, and she lifted her hand up closely to study it, realizing that they were scales.

She didn't want this. She didn't want to_ look_ like a demon, she didn't want to _be_ a demon, even if it would remove the irritation of being confused for Kikyou. Not that she didn't like how Kikyou looked, it was bothersome having people mistake her for Kikyou.

She scanned her clothing, hoping the blood would come out. Her silver slitted eyes nervously swept around her, sniffing her surroundings to see if there was anything amiss, before removing her shirt gingerly, wanting to remove the blood the silk absorbed. Her pointed elf-like ears remained alert, hearing every pitter-patter of paws and flutter of feathered wings within the vast forest. She was amazed by her ability, having her senses empowered by the blood coursing within her.

After removing much of the blood stains on her shirt as best she could she slipped it back on, her hakama being clear of most blood but a few drops, not enough to cause alarm. She glanced at her tail, wondering how she would hide it when she realized it was no use. They would see her eyes, claws and her ears almost instantly, so there would be no point.

Scowling she stood, huffing in irritation as her scaled tail swished minutely from side to side. She could feel a headache coming on from all the problems thrown at her coupled with the events that led to them.

She'd have to hunt for food and steal clothing, she knew, unless she could somehow return to her own time, but she didn't really belong there anymore, did she? What if she lost control _there_?

What about Inuyasha and the others? Kikyou?

She rubbed her temples as if it would help soothe the pain, flinching when she felt her toe-nails scrape against her shoes. She cast her eyes down the black slippers that covered her feet and sighed. Seems she had to take them off or risk more discomfort, so she reached down, bending her leg to the side and removed them. Once they were free she glanced at the claws adorning her toes, noticing that they now curved and appeared to a bit hooked, serrated within the curve. Her finger-nails were similar, now that she really took the time to look at them, only longer. It reminded her of the talons of an avian.

Or dragon.

Was she really some kind of water dragon, a demon descendant, or ancestor, of the rain god Zennyo Ryūō?

She continued to gaze at her hands, trying to force water materialize in her palms like it did earlier. She concentrated for several minutes and still no moisture formed, irritating her. She struggled to remember the feeling that had allowed her to pull it out, and when she was able to place it she attempted to expel water from her fingertips. After waiting a bit impatiently she finally saw droplets of water leaking from the pores on her fingertips, dripping down into her palm when she curled them. She was a bit disappointed she could not draw more out but was content that she had some grasp on her ability.

What should she do now? Search for Inuyasha and the others? Look for the well or visit Kaede to see if she had any information for mikos turning into full-blooded demons?

Her nose picked up an unfamiliar scent which seemed to be gliding through the forest. The scent was quickly becoming stronger and stronger, smelling of. . . dog?

She turned her head slightly, looking into the forest and catching familiar amber eyes.

"Sesshomaru?"

The silver-haired man narrowed his cold slitted orbs at her, his face set in a stoic mask, the same as every other time she had seen him. He was beautiful and frail looking, belying the regal armor he donned and the power he held just beneath the surface. She could not deny the fact she felt a bit intimidated, but not more than how she used to when she was a human.

"You are the miko, Kagome? Tell me, why is your scent and appearance different, like that of a demon?" He was blunt and straight to the point, making Kagome raise an eyebrow.

"I don't see how that's any of your business, Lord Sesshomaru." She surprised herself with her reply and cursed herself for saying it.

"You are on my lands, wench." It seemed he didn't know whether to continue to call her a miko or not, so settled for something else instead of her name, like always. "If you don't want me to kill you you'd find it wise to answer my question."

_More like demand,_ Kagome scoffed mentally. She figured it was her demon blood that was making her feel so hostile and stubborn, being irked at being spoken down to like a _human_. She frowned, wondering when she had started referring to being human as something distasteful. She shook that off and decided to graciously bestow the Lord an answer.

"Some demoness named Michiyo decided to do an experiment on me, kidnapping me and forcefully changing me. Turns out I'm a rain-making dragon demon now."

Sesshomaru seemed to be satisfied and interested in the answer.

"Where is Inuyasha? Surely he wouldn't let his wench wander off like this when he needs her to detect the Shikon jewel shards."

Kagome snarled at Sesshomaru, and she could tell her growls amused him by the twitch of his lips.

"I'm not his wench, and for your information, your majesty, I can't sense any jewel shards anymore!" Her temper flared and she could feel as if something was trying to escape from her head, clawing at the walls of her mind painfully. She reigned it in as best she could but her eyes dilated slightly and she bared her teeth as Seeshomaru who merely stared at her impassively, a look in his eyes showing he was intrigued.

She quickly attempted to calm down, resisting the urge to leap at sesshomaru rashly as she exhaled and inhaled to cool her temper. Sesshomaru remained silent, as if waiting for her to push her instincts down.

"It seems like you can't control yourself very well, wench. Perhaps you're not used to your new form?"

_Ugh,_ Kagome wanted nothing more than for him to shut up.

"You think? How am I going to deal with being a demon after formerly being the complete _opposite_?" Kagome bit out sarcastically.

"Watch your tongue, newborn, or I might just rip it out." He responded coldly with a threat.

Kagome's face twisted in irritation but remained silent, turning on her heel boldly and walking away, through with being annoyed by the lord.

It seemed he didn't take well to being dismissed.

"Do not turn your back on me." He hissed as his poison whip impacted with the ground in front of her, halting her from leaving. "You're on this Sesshomaru's land, so do not think you can just waltz off without my permission, wench."

Kagome quirked her lips. Ever since her change she had felt her personality changing slowly, growing more confident, bordering arrogance, among other things. She did'nt even feel intimidated by Sesshomaru anymore, which she knew was dangerous.

"Then what do you suppose I do? I don't know which direction would lead to the East, to Inuyasha's forest. I don't know what to do." The last sentence weighed her down with emotions. She truly did not know what to do.

Sesshomaru regarded her icily, and for a moment he did not answer. She distinctly noticed that she could hear his heartbeat, powerful and strong, pulsing in a tune of rushing blood and thumps. It did not change its rhythm for even a split second. Could he hear hers as well? Could Inuyasha?

"Travel with me. You were human not long ago, were you not? You would care for Rin until we either arrive at the village near the well you spoke about or encounter Inuyasha." It seemed difficult for him to extend that startling offer to her, as she faintly tell that he was reluctant by his tone; it had a slight edge to it.

She pondered it, which she knew she didn't really have any other choice but to accept. He was the lord of these lands and she _was _a trespasser. It perplexed her though that he offered it to her. Was he using her to make Inuyasha come to him or simply wanted her to help keep Rin as healthy as a human could be? She sighed, seeming to wilt a bit.

"Are you even traveling near the East?" She understood he was more of a nomad, he took over his father's lands and the mantle of his rule but that didn't mean he'd stay put in a castle like a prisoner. He seemed to more or less patrol his territory most of the time or wander.

". . ." He was enjoying this, wasn't he? Damn poker-faced bastard.

"Oh, great~" She huffed, blowing some of her wild bangs out of her face. She looked towards the regal man and watched as he turned back the way he came in irritation.

She supposed she should follow, shouldn't she? She wouldn't mind the company, even if it was with a cold lord, an annoying imp, a two-headed dragon and a child.

With those thoughts in mind she stared solidly at Sesshomaru's retreating back, aggravated, before following after him silently, feeling like a prisoner.

* * *

Kikyou watched as horses cantered off to the West, their hooves striking up loose stones as they held their majestic heads high and proud, mimicking their armored riders. They all had weapons, swords pressing against their sides and shields strapped to their forearms. Their armor was wrought with dents and scuffs, showing that they either had experience in battle or had the armor passed unto them, taken from fellow warriors who had fell in battle. Men, women, and children, all simple villagers waved them off with cheers, some crying as they were sent off.

She had stumbled upon a village bordering the West after four days of travel, finding that she now had the inconvenience of requiring sleep had slowed her down considerably, especially with her dreams and nightmares. Her dreams consisted of what Kagome would look like now, how she would act and what may happen when she found her. Some turned to nightmares, like the ones she had of Naraku disguised as Inuyasha attacking her, tormenting her. She was baffled as to why she was having such things cloud her mind when she was awake as much as they did while she slept.

She strode towards the nearest villager for information. "May I ask why soldiers are being sent off?"

The elderly woman, her face lined with age yet her dark eyes with liveliness, turned to her, smiling when she saw Kikyou without her soul catchers. They had disappeared silently into the woods behind her, awaiting their mistress' call for when they would move on.

"Ah, young lady, they are bein' sent out to deal with the four demon brothers tha' have been plaguin' our village. They've recently fled fur'er into tha' Western Lands, an' we don' want to take the chance of them returnin'. The village 'ead decided to send out some soldiers earlier, a couple of days back, but they haven' returned. He wants them retrieved, alive or dead if they had fell to the brothers' claws." The woman spoke brusquely, her voice a bit harsh and raspy with age.

"I see. Thank you for your time." Kikyou bowed slightly, gaining an embarrassed wave as the woman laid a hand on her cheek. Kikyou smiled at her, the elder smiling in kind before she politely excused herself. It seemed there was nothing she could do for this village, seeing that they were already attempting to handle it on her own. She walked through the soil-paved paths of the village when she found herself at the gate leading out of it. She walked a ways, waiting until the village lanterns disappeared from sight before calling out to her soul catchers. They responded quickly, sweeping up to her side and assuring her they still accompanied her.

She gave them a smile before departing down the path to the next village, hoof imprints advancing down the beaten trail.

She felt a flicker, pausing her walk down the road, a burst of power that lanced into the atmosphere and washed over her own aura like rain falling and purging the sins from the land. The feeling stayed, connecting to her own before disappearing.

She stayed unnervingly still for several moments before noticing her serpents weaving through the air directly in front of her smoothly, almost desperately in an attempt to get her to continue her search. She obliged and looked over them in concern, the theory that the presence she just felt had also caused them to react strangely sounded logical.

_But why would they react so violently to a demonic aura? Is it. . . because of Kagome? _She sighed. The best way to find out would be to find her former reincarnation.

Minutes later she thought she could feel the power of the Western Lord, but it faded away too quickly to be certain.

_What is going on?_

* * *

During the past few days the hollowness Kagome still felt from the attack had vanished. Taking care of Rin and bickering with Jaken helped the phantom wounds heal slowly.

"What are you doing, Miss Kagome?" She turned towards the child that had slipper her small hand in hers, swinging it childishly with a bright smile plastered on her face that she returned faintly.

Sesshomaru had vanished on his own, something she figured to be the usual within this small group. His scent still circled around the area, warning demons, not including her, to steer clear from them and most specifically Rin. It struck her as odd that Sesshomaru would care so much about the tiny human child when he expressed his distaste of them every time he had fought Inuyasha.

Kagome had garnered Rin's attention when she broke off a thin, gnarled branch from a tree and jabbed it's edge lightly into a small clearing of loose soil in boredom; there wasn't much to do when they did nothing but wander. She had just begun to draw a chibi version of Sesshomaru, amusing herself with drawing a fluffy tail and cute dog ears atop his head while replacing the streaks that were placed on his cheeks with whiskers.

"Drawing Lord Sesshomaru, want to see it, Rin?" She grinned deviously, her fangs showing. Rin nodded vigorously, anything including Lord Sesshomaru must be great.

When she peered out from behind Kagome's slightly crouched form, her eyes widened adorably and she gazed in awe, transfixed at the chibi image of Sesshomaru. Kagome glanced at her curiously, watching her reaction.

"Rin thinks Lord Sesshomaru looks cute!" Kagome guffawed at Rin's boldness, she wouldn't be surprised if Sesshomaru attempted to kill her for this if he got wind of it.

After breaking off another thin branch for Rin she quickly erased her drawing with her bare foot, not wanting Sesshomaru to see it. They spent hours doing nothing but drawing, the afternoon sunlight receding bit by bit each time the sun sunk lower beneath the horizon. Soon nightfall came, bringing long, stretching shadows and calls of night predators.

The pale moon, having becoming nothing more than a crescent of ivory in it's indecisiveness of whether it wanted to be dark or bright, hung high in the sky, dripping soft hazy light on the earth. Tall grass swayed when wind dared to stir and blow away the fallen leaves.

Rin jumped when an owl screeched, piercing the silence. The stick she had been holding flew from her grasp and on to the ground with a reverberating sound; it seemed it was hollow on the inside. Rin glanced at Kagome fearfully, afraid of the creeping darkness. The bird of prey beat it's powerful wings as it passed overhead, soon swooping into the darkness in search of unsuspecting vermin.

"It's alright, Rin. It's just an owl." The girl merely nodded and huddled next to her near the fire, bathing in it's warm amber light. Kagome gathered the shivering girl in her arms and waited until she settled down into sleep before following her; although it wasn't like she need that much sleep anyways.

* * *

The next morning they woke, Sesshomaru having returned. They didn't question him of his whereabouts and he did not tell. Kagome harnessed Ah-Un, easily hefting Rin up and placing her on to his saddle. The two-headed dragon nuzzled her hand and she caressed its scales before setting off after Sesshomaru, Jaken having already clambered up on to Ah-Un with Rin. She lazily grasped Ah-Un's harness, gently tugging him along as they followed the cold lord.

They walked quietly with Rin chattering to Kagome and Jaken innocently, unknowingly making Jaken annoyed and amusing Kagome. With morning came a cold breeze that settled over the West, the sky obscured by frosty clouds. Wind whistled silently, bringing with it the scent of humans and steel. Their was a human-made trail nearby, and from it she could hear the sound of hooves stamping the grounds, horses whinnying as their armored riders held their harnesses and steered them down their chosen path. She could faintly hear murmurs of the soldiers, and deduced that they came to slay demons, brothers or something similar from the sound of it.

She briefly wondered if they were after the demons she slaughtered, but thought it too much of a coincidence and dismissed it. They would be sorely disappointed if they were from how they were boating of the glory they would bring home with them, being pronounced as heros or some such nonsense.

"Have you ever hunted, woman?" She was startled out of her thoughts by Sesshomaru's smooth voice, his tone cold as usual.

"Not really, to be honest." Come to think of it, she was hungry. What little she had ate for the past few days was some of the food she fished out of nearby lakes and rivers, along with Sesshomaru's kills he brought back sometimes from his trips.

"You should learn, then. Demons survive better off of raw meat than human food." Kagome blinked, not being as disgusted as she thought she would by the suggestion.

Kagome rolled her neck, getting the kinks out of it. "I know how to, I've just never physically done it."

Rin was listening carefully to their conversation, curious, while Jaken feigned disinterest when he was actually paying a great deal of attention to Sesshomaru's words.

"I suggest you try it while I'm gone." With that suggestion, more of a command, he strode into the forest, his hair rippling and swaying like liquid silver, leaving Kagome with Rin, Ah-Un and Jaken. She blinked at his abrupt departure, still processing his words before she took on a reserved expression.

"I said I knew _how_ to hunt, not how to hunt as a demon. . ." She sighed listlessly.

_It would be easier though,_ she supposed, _to hunt as a demon._

She turned to Ah-Un, his slitted eyes boring into her own. She caressed his muzzle and muttered quietly to him, "Be sure to watch Rin, okay Ah-Un? Jaken is reliable at all."

The diminutive imp squawked indignantly, his green face inflamed with anger while Ah-Un snorted, implying that she shouldn't even have to ask. She smiled at Ah-Un and gave a farewell to Rin and told her to wait until she or Sesshomaru returned, she'd be able to find them easily with her new keen sense of smell if Sesshomaru made them leave without her.

"Are you going to be leaving a lot too, Kagome?" Rin mumbled sadly to her before she could leave.

"No, just every once in a while so I can find something to eat." She assured the distraught girl.

Rin pouted cutely. "Rin doesn't want you to eat bunnies. Promise you won't eat bunnies?"

Kagome arched an eyebrow in bemusement before giving the girl her word and setting off to get experience in hunting, dreading the thought of eating raw meat.

_At last I still _feel_ human sometimes. . ._

* * *

She leapt on to a thick branch that stretched it's gnarled limbs to the side, her eyes scanning the lump of grey color beneath her with quiet assurance that she would succeed in this endeavor.

She had heard a dog-like yelp a few minutes ago and investigated the source to find a wolf with its back leg stretched out awkwardly, having been bitten. It had several other dogs around it, lips curled and fangs bared, snarling at the injured wolf violently.

She curiously watched as the pack left, leaving the wolf to suffer its fate alone. He whined piteously, limping.

Her silver eyes dilated before she could realize she lost control.

She jumped down upon the wolf silently, her taloned hands sinking into coarse fur and flesh as the wolf suddenly howled loudly, hurting her sensitive ears and filling them with a silent ringing. She snarled, avoiding its flailing paws that scratched at her arms as her hands reached for its neck. She snapped it easily as the wolf fell limp, tongue lolling and eyes dimmed.

She stood over the limp form of her prey, preparing to rip into its flesh when her pointed ears suddenly heard the sound of a bowstring being pulled back. She immediately whirled her head around to find cautious brown eyes staring down at her.

Her silver eyes widened and instantly returned to slits, startled that she recognized the woman who was prepared to let loose an arrow at any moment. She took in the luminescent serpents swirling around them both in tandem, appearing to be thrilled at their discovery.

Kagome swallowed thickly, unsure if she should try to escape in the case she looses control and harm Kikyou.

What should she do? Should she try to call out to her and see if she recognizes her? Would Kikyou kill her once she knew who she was?

She didn't notice that she could not smell the scent of graveyard soil in the air, which Koga and Sesshomaru frequently told her and her companions when the smelled Kikyo nearby.

"Kikyou?"

* * *

Kikyou heard a howl of a wolf, sounding frantic and almost terrified. Her soul catchers thrashed for a moment before shooting off the path and into the thicket off to her side. She hurried after them, having drawn her bow as she grasped an arrow as she pursued her companions.

She arrived just as she heard a snap, a supressed demonic aura emanating from the woman in front of her, her moon-white hair falling to curtain her face and eyes as she hovered over her kill. Kikyou noticed the tips of her hair looked like they were dipped in ink before the demoness jerked her head towards her.

Wild dilated silver eyes gleamed like blades as they met hers, recognition flashing across her face as her pupils shrunk into slits.

"Kikyou?"

Kikyou cocked her head in suprise at the familiar voice; she hadn't expected Kagome's appearance to change _this _much, enough that she confused the girl with a woman. She lowered her bow slowly, still prepared to defend herself should Kagome be feral.

"I was looking for you, Kagome." Kikyou watched her, her eyes taking in her eyes, ears, talons and tail. Kagome rose up, looking unsure of whether she should run at that statement.

* * *

"Inuyasha and his group are searching for you too." Kikyou almost seemed to have said those words in an attempt to assure her.

Kagome realized she could hear a thumping coming from within Kikyou's ribcage, perhaps a bit quicker than would be normal. She blinked in suprised before shaking her head mentally in denial; Kikyou was supposed to be dead, she didn't have a hearbeat.

It was, as Kagome flinched a bit.

Kagome swallowed again, preparing to speak as she shuffled her feet awkwardly. "There's no point in Inuyasha─no, for anyone to come for me. I can't sense the Shikon jewel shards anymore. . ." Why was she saying this? Didn't she want to see Inuyasha and the others again?

Rin was waiting for her.

Kikyou's face didn't seem as blank as it usually was, her doll-like soft brown eyes locked on Kagome's face. Kagome felt increasingly uncomfortable with her eyes on her, flushing a bit.

"I doubt Inuyasha would care if you couldn't, he would still wish you were traveling with him. The fox child seemed very distraught you weren't with them either. Do you not want to return?" It sounded as if she were trying to convince her to go back, but she couldn't be sure.

"I. . . I don't think I can, I mean, not yet. I'd. . . have to say good-bye to someone first."

Kikyou took on a curious and cautious expression. "Who?"

"Sesshomaru's ward, the human child Rin." The miko felt startled when she heard that. Was she also traveling with the Western Lord? Why?

Kagome didn't hear the unspoken questions within her head and turned her head to the side.

"Will you still be here if I come back?" Kagome sounded timid.

"Yes." Kikyou answered instantly. The soul catchers twirled above Kagome's head happily.

"Then I'll be back soon." Kagome spoke quickly before jumping into the trees, relieved that she could flee from the uneasy situation.

* * *

Kikyou watched her leave with a peculiar look in her eye. She could tell Kagome was uncomfortable with her arrival. She shifted her gaze to the wolf that lay dead. Was Kagome about to eat it? It was plausible, demons could go for longer periods of time before tiring if they eat something more sustainable than human food. The only reason Inuyasha wasn't effected by this was because he was also half human.

She cast her gaze to the serpents now gliding through the air slowly, they seemed to want to follow Kagome. Her jaw tightened. _What if she doesn't come back?_

She shook herself from those oddly depressing thoughts, if Kagome did not wish to return to Inuyasha than she wouldn't, it was her choice. Strange, that when she thought of it like that it didn't bother her one bit. Maybe she didn't want Kagome around Inuyasha because she was still jealous and didn't wish for Kagome to take Inuyasha away?

_No, that didn't sound right. . . _Kikyou tilted her head in confusion, feeling irritated by the thoughts that wound themselves around her mind. _Then why am I so anxious about Kagome returning to Inuyasha. . .?_

Her serpents had swept over to her, sensing her annoyance. She smiled at them, her fingers gliding over one's bleached scales. If only she knew how to tell them apart so she could give them a name.

She began waiting patiently; Kikyou had gained enormous amounts of patience after having died. After all, she was prepared to wait for Inuyasha to die when she had yet to realize it was Naraku who orchestrated her death and Inuyasha's forced slumber, manipulating them to fight against each other with the feeling that the other was the one to betray them.

Soon she could distinctly hear thumps of something impacting easily with the bark of tree branches, and she raised her head to see Kagome landing effortlessly a few feet in front of her. There eyes met for the briefest of moments before Kagome looked away, the faint blush appearing like a ruddy crimson upon her pale cheeks although her eyes were a bit distressed. Kikyou stared at her in confusion, wondering what had elicited her reaction.

Rin didn't react well to her leaving, and thankfully Sesshomaru had returned so she could inform him herself.

"So, uh, what now?" Kagome mumbled quietly, uncertain.

"I was told by the demon slayer that they would regroup at Kaede's village in a fortnight after we began our search. We could return there now, if you wish." There really wasn't much else to do but that, to be honest.

Kagome nodded, her eyes watching the soul catchers intently as they circled around her.

"Why are they doing that?" Kagome was not annoyed or anything, it was just wierd to see them act like that towards her.

Kikyou observed them with interest. "I'm not sure, but ever since I've been returned to life when your were changed they have been acting oddly. I suspect that they feel inclined to be around you since I am now complete and your soul may not be."

Kagome gaped at her. "I thought I was just hearing things when I heard your heart beat!"

Kikyou smirked, "So you did notice. It seems you have changed more than I anticipated, although you've already thrown those expectations away the moment I saw your new appearance, as appealing as it is."

The newly turned demoness' jaw went slack, her cheeks flushing.

_What the hell?!_

Kikyou amused herself with remembering Kagome's hiliarious expression and red cheeks, barely holding back a grin. It would be fun flustering her if this was her reaction to a simple compliment. The way her whole face just turned red was funny, she never thought Kagome's face could blush that bright while looking utterly baffled.

She giggled, freaking Kagome out. The only time she ever laughed around Kagome was in bitterness, so to hear her _giggle _in amusement was quite frankly thought impossible around her.

"A-are you okay? You're not sick or something are you?" Lord knows how Kagome would deal with a sick Kikyou.

Kikyou merely blinked, "No, I do no think so."

Kagome eyed her doubtfully before they both set off towards Kaede's village at a steady pace.

Kagome was unaware of her eyes dilating slightly before reverting back into slits.


	4. Am I the Monster?

**A/N:** _Next chapter, don't have the other one done though. I'm a bit stuck with only around 2,000 words. Parents are out and bored, so I wrote a Bleach oneshot alongside this. Hope you enjoy, this chapter is surely OOC for Kagome and Kikyou, I think, so please don't hate me. it's been a while since I've done anything with the anime Inuyasha involved._

_Unbetaed, most likely OOC. Hope you enjoy, because I'm disappointed with this chapter._

Word Count (_not counting A/N_): **5,109**

**Update 9/27/12:** Removed some obvious grammar problems, but not all of them. I probably missed a lot, so if you could point them out that would be a great help.

Am I the Monster?

Kagome wrinkled her nose at the thick smell of death that lingered in the air.

The village Kikyou had told her she passed through before in search of her had obviously been attacked by a group of bandits. The marauders apparently waited until there were no warriors to protect it, laying in wait deep within the forests and waiting for the time to strike. When they had finally gotten word of a large batch of soldiers being dispatched to slay the demon brothers, they knew this was their best chance at taking the village.

Walls were reduced to splintered holes, smashed open in the raid. Food and any possessions that held any value taken. The roofs of straw huts were aflame, blazing with torrents of heat as black smoke curled up into the sky, unsettling her. She felt uncomfortable around the heat more than all the lifeless bodies of the villagers, ranging from the elderly to infants, all piled up into stacks.

There wasn't as many women as she suspected there should be, meaning bandits obviously kidnapped any that they found attractive for their own uses.

It bothered her to feel so indifferent to their deaths, to the women that were most likely captured by the merciless men for their own pleasure. Eager to distract herself from her thoughts she glanced over at the miko inspecting the corpse of an elderly woman.

Kikyou gazed solemnly at the body of the old women she had met, a hole in her throat, no doubt pierced by an arrow, blade or spear. Her mouth was agape in a scream and her eyes that held life were now glazed over in death, somehow conveying the fear and despair she had experienced in life.

Kikyou raised her hand and closed the womans eyelids.

"It looks like they abducted some of the women, Kikyou. Shouldn't we go after them to see if we can save them?" She offered, feeling this would probably be what her human self would do.

Kikyou looked at her, somehow knowing she didn't really care from the frown on her face. Kagome averted her eyes, gazing at the corpses stoically. She knew that she should feel bad but could not bring herself to feel any sympathy for them, there would be no point in pretending that she did.

"Yes. I am certain I would not be able to rest easy if we were to leave them," Kikyou paused, "However, I do not know which they went."

_Ah, so Kikyou wants to see if I can sniff them out, huh?_

Kagome resisted the urge to roll her eyes and took in the scents surrounding her, doing her best to ignore the smell of smoke and the unpleasant heat that she could feel more distinctly than she could as a human. It took time to separate the smell of sweat, blood and the bitterness of alcohol that carried off into the forest from the rest of the scents that stung her nose.

After signalling that she caught their scent, they vowed to come back and bury the dead after rescuing any of the hostages. Kagome took the lead with Kikyou following close behind as they set off to track down the bandits.

* * *

Kagome dazedly shook herself out of her rage-induced stupor. The smell of thick, clotted blood, excrement and fresh water disrupted her senses and a wave of dizziness swept over her, causing her to stumble. She was on all fours. The screams of men filled her ears and blurriness clouded her sight.

She wondered when it began to rain.

Finally gaining some semblance of awareness she rose high, her vision gradually clearing. The screams were louder than before and she could literally sense the fear hovering over the area in a thick, suffocating cloud.

It almost made her feel amused.

She shook her head in disbelief as everything came into focus, details sharpening and textures deepening. Scores of men lay broken, dying or dead. Crimson pooled beneath the bodies, filled with ripples form the heavy rain.

Why was everything so small? Why did she feel so. . . wierd?

_Something's on my back!_

She twisted her head around as far as she could, as fast as she could. She vaguely realized that her neck wasn't supposed to be able to stretch that far. Her slitted sliver eyes dumbly took in the scaled, triangular leather folds that were ribbed with thin, spiny fingers of bone. They covered in scales that extended from her wing's front edge. They could not be mistaken for anything but wings, the scales resembling the color of her tail in human form. She gave out sound of surprise, sounding like a garbled hiss as she recoiled in shock. The wings fanned themselves out on reflex; they were several times longer than her lithe serpentine body.

She quickly righted herself, struggling to divert her attention on more important matters as she quickly observed her surroundings, boiling pools of water steaming on the bloody ground.

Kikyou was no where in sight, nor were in any of the women that she presumed had been kidnapped. Viscera escaped from the bowels of the gutted and mangled bodies of men, the ones still clinging to life desperately gasping for fleeting breaths and gazingat her fearfully. Most of the screams had died down, either from screaming themselves hoarse or death. Either way, she did not care.

She opened her jaws and attempted to speak, failing when nothing but humming, growls and hisses escaped her throat. Her forked tongue slid out as she hissed in annoyance. She bent her head down and investigated the bodies in the clearing, just now noticing the few horses that had been unfortunate enough to be unable to escape her rage.

She wondered what had set her off this time. All she could remember was hatred, anger and disgust bubbling in the pits of her stomach before a flash of white and a silent tone, ringing as if she had been knocked in the head to hard. She remembered tracking the trails that resembled something being dragged and foot imprints, occasionally throwing a few words to Kikyou.

And then they arrived to screaming. That's when the haze clouded her memories.

"M-mon. . . ster. . ." She jerked her long neck to the side, her sleek, roughly triangular head following. Her cold eyes landed on the human that drew her attention; he was brave enough not to shrink in the face of the beautiful, deadly horned beast that locked eyes with him. He had drawn himself up from the muddy ground, locks dripping with blood and rain as he struggled to stand on his only good leg, glaring at her with hatefully dark eyes.

He took in her dangerous form; her jagged, polished scales were like the cold waves of the frozen regions, mimicking them when light hit them and hypnotizing foolish prey with their shine. Two branches of bone sprouted out from the shimmering silver mane along her head and spined neck, looking a bit like antlers as they curved and broke off. The three rows of spikes decorating her spine traveled all the way down to her fur-tipped tail. He wasn't oblivious to the crown of spines that jutted out of the crest of her forehead, curving where the beautiful white mane begins. It seemed that she was a prideful beast.

Serrated fangs, as large as daggers, were revealed when bared her teeth at him. Her powerful legs flexed and coiled, but did not look overly bulging with muscle as she walked, no, stalked towards him like the predator she was. She still had as many digits on her hands and feet as she did as a human, although, only her forepaws still resembled human hands. Her back paws had a digit curving out just above the raised heel, like a birds foot.

There was a hollow where her neck and formidable shoulders joined, creating a gap large enough for two or three humans to ride on her neck without fear of sitting on her spines.

Prowling up to him, Kagome took in the injuries she no doubt inflicted on to him. His right arm appeared to have been brutally ripped out of its socket. A dozen holes that looked like a bite marred his shoulder and he pressed all his weight on one leg, relieving the weight from the other that was crushed. An average face looked up at her, a small stubble upon his quivering chin.

Tears dotted the corner of his eyes; he knew he was going to die.

She paused. She felt no remorse for him. He slaughtered the villagers in cold blood, including the children. Humans really could be cruel, fickle things. They were so fragile that most of them were afraid of being broken; so they sought to break everyone else instead.

She cocked her head at him in amusement as he gripped a long dagger and raised it towards her. She really had better things to do than humour his attempts to land a fatal blow on her, like finding where Kikyou went and if she was unharmed. She wasn't all that worried though, after all, she was a miko. She could handle herself.

Her lips curled up in a smile, easily mistaken for a snarl, as the blade uselessly struck her armored scales. It quivered with a beautiful chime against her scales as it struck again and again, chipping with each strike as the man raging continued his futile barrage of attacks.

"W-why. . . why won't you just die! You God damned _monster!_" He cried as he raised his dagger, now in a reverse grip, to attempt to pierce her neck. Before he could finish his downward thrust a spike tail slammed into his waist and abdomen, his face having only a split second to show his horror before he was sent careening into the trees, his frail human body withstanding nothing as he impacted with the bark of a large tree, splinters flying. A sickening snap followed his impact with the trunk, pleasant to Kagome's ears, as crimson rogue escaped his lips and he slumped over dead.

Kagome bared her teeth angrily at the body. She felt disturbed, and not just because she killed someone of her own free will. The way the venom had dripped from his words and soaked into her ears pained her more than it should have.

_I am not the monster. . . I'm. . . not. . ._

Looking at the bodies that littered the ground, all dead from unpleasant deaths, Kagome truly felt like she was lying to herself.

So why did she feel so conflicted about that realization?

Her tail thrashed in irritation and unease, swishing and thumping on to the ground harshly like a hammer. She tilted her head searching for the scent that emitted the smell of bellflowers. She had found it ironic, that ever since Kikyou returned to life, she gave off the scent off her namesake, and stated so to Kikyou herself during their search, actually gaining a blush from the revived miko.

The clouds billowed ominously above her, the rain pelting down on everything beneath it with freezing water. It felt pleasant to her. Her mane, silvery and speckled with ebony, was matted on to her scaled head and neck.

It was a strenuous search for bellflowers among blood, sweat and boiling flesh that were dulled by the rain. She could smell other scents as well, most likely the women and the horses that escaped her unjust rage, although it was hard to discern were they went and/or if Kikyou went with them. It seems she could heat up the water she releases to provide a more. . . painful effect, which did nothing to help her in her tedious task.

She trotted into the side, her scaled snout nearly pressed into the ground, so as not to mistake another scent that branched off it for the one she was looking for. She finally located it.

She twisted her head around to gaze at the folded wings on her back dubiously. She was as anxious of the thought of flying as much as she was instinctively excited. She tried fanning them out, but her motor skills were lacking and they only ended up jerking. She felt more than a bit disappointed and at the same time relieved. Seems like she'd have to wait to fly, besides, if she did try she was certain she wouldn't be able to track Kikyou's scent from the air.

She twitched, being jerked out of her thoughts by a flash of white in the corner of her eyes. She snapped her head towards it, her silver eyes narrowing. She saw a soul catcher gazing at her before turning away and heading into the forest.

Forsaking her thoughts of flight she headed after it, her long, thin talons of bone clawing at the ground and leaving deep gouges as she ran after it. Her paws clumsily stepped over each other for a while until she finally got the hang of her new quadrupedal body. She was soon advancing on the soul collector, her sleek form running like a jaguar through the forest, her body _just_ barely small enough pass through between the trees. Sometimes her horns her scrape or break the branches overhead off completely.

Having easily caught up to the white serpent she held herself back just enough for it to guide her, taking great care not to accidentally trample it with her new speed. The undergrowth served to annoy her as she was forced to plow through it, her spiked tail getting caught in the tangled thickets before relentlessly ripping through it without stopping.

The scenery flew by in blurs of color, and Kagome didn't bother marveling at them or her speed. It was difficult to make sure her folded wings didn't get ensnared on anything, she was doubtful of whether it would hurt or not with the thick plate of scales covering them and she did not intend to find out.

Kagome began to notice the lingering scent of what she thought was the kidnapped women and Kikyou. No other odor permeated the air, so she figured they escaped without any bandit following. The soul catcher was gradually slowing, forcing her to drastically lower her speed so in random intervals so as to keep herself from harming her guide.

Soon a small clearing came in sight, women of all ages dwelling in it. Some were naked, although they had blankets to cover themselves. They all had an aura of hope, relief hovering over them.

It disgusted some part of her. Hope was nothing more than a disease, spreading faster and faster the more someone unknowingly clung to it, and the more people clung to it, the more it would hurt when it was ripped from their palms and leaving them with nothing but an unbearable numbness. It was a fatal drug and easily able to infect everything that foolishly held on to it like a lifeline. It could easily cause someone to become suicidal when they had _hope_ ripped away from them.

She paused, slowing her pace into a hesitant stride. She wondered if they would screech 'monster' at her like that man did. Would they run in terror? Most likely.

She slunk into the shadows as well as she could, silently observing the clearing in search of Kikyou. She failed to notice when a small girl, appearing a bit older than Rin, looked in her direction, seeing two glowing silver orbs. Kagome finally noticed when the girl began to walk towards her, thankfully not drawing anyones attention.

She started to walk backwards, only for the girl to raise her hand and call out, "Wait!"

Kagome froze, everyone's attention now locking on to her silvery orbs. She grimaced and her wings fluttered a bit in agitation, the women noticing the movement and catching a glimpse of her scaled wings. They became very cautious and slightly afraid, making Kagome turn quickly, prepared to flee, when the girl gripped her tail.

Kagome twitched. Why was this short girl so stubborn and unafraid?

"Don't go, mister dragon." She twitched again and huffed. Her neck stretched as she turned her head to look at the girl, who gasped. The girl had pretty green eyes, Kagome realized, watching as the girl began trying to tug her out into the open.

"Mister Dragon, come on," The girl grunted, pulling her tail, "We're not gonna hurt you."

Kagome wanted to scoff, but reigned the urge in so she wouldn't accidentally frighten anyone. She wasn't scared of them hurting her, she was scared of herself harming them.

"Kagome." Her head snapped up, focusing back on to the clearing, realizing the women were all closer than before, less cautious when they realized she wasn't hurting the girl. Her eyes found soft brown and she hummed hesitantly. Kikyou approached her boldly and gripped her snout, drawing looks of disbelief from everyone.

"Mister Dagon's a girl?" The tiny child blinked in awe, still holding her tail, although her grip had slackened. Kagome and Kikyou ignored the sounds of amazement and praise for Kikyou being a 'demon tamer' as she drew Kagome out from the shadows.

"Can you change back, Kagome?" Kikyou stared at the rain dragon as she shook her head in disappointment. Kikyou pursed her lips in thought, already knowing Kagome couldn't speak. If she could she would have already.

_This is a_ very_ annoying situation._

Everyone perked up, some jumping when Kagome's voice resonated within their minds. Kikyou smiled while Kagome watched them in confusion, wondering what had startled them.

"Yes. It is a frustrating situation, isn't it, Kagome?" Kagome blinked in surprise.

_She can read my mind?_

Kikyou merely shook my head, "No, I cannot read your mind. Your projecting your thoughts on to ours." Kagome almost pulled off a sheepish look.

The others in the clearing still shied away from her, like frightened, untamed animals waiting for the moment to flee from their hunter. Kagome took quietly took notice of it and did her best to look harmless. Or as harmless as a spiked, boiling water breathing dragon could with talons and teeth as long as daggers. Not to mention the fact she was well over twice the size of a horse.

The girl whose fingers ghosted over her tail's ocean blue scales spoke, "Miss Dragon?" Kagome tilted her head at girl and nodded for her to continue. "Are you gonna eat us?"

Kagome would have made a face if there wasn't the chance of terrifying everyone around her.

_No. I don't think I would be able to handle eating one anyways, especially a little one like you. _The little girl could literally hear the amusement from the overgrown serpent and puffed her cheeks in indignation.

"I am not little, Miss Dragon! I'm just, er. . ."

_Tiny._

"I am _not _tiny!" The little girl pouted angrily, stomping her feet in frustration. "You're just─you're fat! A fat dragon!"

Kagome's mouth popped open at the jab and she lowered her head to blow furiously into the child's face._ I am not_ _fat! And my name is Kagome! Ka-go-me! Stop calling me dragon!_

"You got stinky breath, _dragon_!"

_Urgh!_

Those watching relaxed and smiled in amusement as the child and she-dragon interacted. They could only go with the unusual situation. Suddenly Kagome stopped, remembering that they still had something to do. She grew solemn and turned to Kikyou.

_We still have to go back to the village these girls came from. There are still bodies, and the soldiers that were sent off might be back by now._

Kikyou nodded and the women and children merely looked confused. Seems like Kagome could make her thoughts project on one person instead of everyone within range.

Kikyou folded her arms in consideration, "You don't know how to turn back at all, do you Kagome? The people here would most likely feel safer with you in that form, sense it seems you have trouble. . . controlling yourself."

Kagome flinched visibly and ducked her head down. She considered it shameful to not be able to control oneself. Kikyou did nothing to comfort Kagome, for she knew the dragon demoness needed to face this herself and didn't deserve pointless pity.

The women obviously knew that Kagome was upset but only the girl dared to embrace her.

"Miss Dragon. . . you're not a monster. You were just trying to help us, right?"

Kagome turned shocked silver orbs towards the girl, her eyes wide. She didn't even know how she lost control, and yet this girl. . .

This girl somehow gave her hope that one day she could control herself.

_Hope is for fools! _The darkness clouding the depths of her mind whispered venomously.

The girl beamed at her, and Kagome dared to let a smile grace her face, careful to keep her fangs hidden. The child giggled.

_. . . Am I a fool to hope?_

She smiled even though she felt some part disgusted with herself. Her dark thoughts remained within her own head, no one but herself being able to hear them.

_What's your name? _Kagome specifically touched the girl's own mind, implanting her question within it. The girl with grass-green eyes blinked before her grinned stretched ear to ear and her eyes squinted.

"My name is Kusano!"

_Grass field, huh? _Kagome found it fitting. She stretched, fanning out her wings, gaining looks of awe. She wished she was back in her humanoid form, to be in human flesh instead of armored with dense scales.

Kagome suddenly felt very, very tired. Her head drooped as she looked around wearily with a sleepy expression. A haze overcame her, and she felt a painful squeezing sensation overtake her, as if her skin was tightening around her bones and contracting. She briefly heard a snapping sound as her bones popped painfully before she passed out.

She heard voices, but they were unable to be comprehended, they sounded as if they were being filtered through static. She felt like she had been dunked underwater. She briefly heard a sharp snapping sound before she passed out.

* * *

Kikyou, Kusano, and the others all gazed in shock as Kagome collapsed on to the ground, trembling, her whole serpentine body contorting. Suddenly, in a swirl of twisting, foaming water, Kagome took on her more human form.

Some called out in worry, others remained silent.

Kikyou shuffled towards her in concern, grasping her shoulders and turning her over so she was on her back. She placed Kagome's head in her lap, ignoring the gasps of amazement and surprise as her eyes scanned Kagome for any sign that something was wrong. Finding none, she sighed in relief.

She found it peculiar that Kagome had the clothes she had on before her transformation still on her, but she disregarded it and instead felt grateful. She was sure she would feel odd if she were to see Kagome's body stripped of all clothing.

"Dragon Lady is pretty. . ." Kusano breathed, still not capitulating in her desire to call Kagome anything but her name. "Is she okay, Lady Kikyou?"

Kikyou smiled. "Yes, Kagome's fine, just tired."

Kikyou wondered when she began to speak of Kagome and smile with such ease. She mindlessly ran her fingers through Kagome's hair and it parted as easily as a waterfall. It was cool beneath her finger tips, and the way the white strands shimmered almost made her think of Inuyasha's own. Piercing silver orbs were hidden, flickering in every which way behind her eyelids.

She felt her cheeks flush slightly and turned her head to avoid anyone from seeing her blush, which failed when Kusano curiously tilted her head at her. She wondered why her chest felt tight, swelling with some foreign emotion she was_ certain _she felt before, but she couldn't remember when. She was quite sure it was when she was alive though.

Alive.

She_ is_ alive _now_, so that point is moot, faintly hearing the sound of her heart beating powerfully in her ribcage, its prison, when she listened. It was before she originally died that she felt this strange emotion.

She kneeled, carefully shouldering Kagome as she placed both of her arms around her neck, lifting Kagome on her back. Kikyou slid her arms behind the back of Kagome's knees and wrapped them around securely, hoisting her up as she rose.

Kagome's head landed in the crook of her neck, sometimes lolling off her shoulder as they walked back to the ruined village. The women still continued to throw cautious and curious looks at Kagome, having a hard time placing this girl─no, woman─as the dragon that tore through the men that captured them, frightening and at the same time saving them. She looked innocent and harmless while she slept, her scaled dragon tail wrapped subconsciously around her waist.

She wondered how Kagome felt, to once be a miko turned into a demonic dragon with no control. She was certain it wasn't a pleasant transition.

* * *

Her eyes fluttered open and she struggled to remember how she got beneath this unfamiliar ceiling. She rolled over, only to jump with a yelp when wide grass-green orbs filled her vision.

Kusano giggled.

"Dragon lady's finally awake. Lady Kikyou said she'd wake up soon but I wasn't sure, so I wanted to stay here and watch her until she woke up."

"You didn't have to go through all that trouble for me, Kusano." A yawn ripped through her throat before she could stop it and she stretched, kinks popping.

"Nuh-uh, no trouble for Kusano," The girl tilted her head, "But you had nightmares. You were crying."

Kagome blinked. _Nightmares? _She didn't remember having any, but that did not mean she had none.

"You kept on saying something about. . . uh, Souna?"

Kagome shook her head and corrected her, "Souta."

Kusano continued, "And your mama and grandpa. You sounded real scared and kept telling them to run, to stay away."

Flashes filled her mind at the words, 'stay away', repeating in her mind as screams, sprays of blood and the glinting of fangs. She couldn't tell from whom, if it was her voice or another's; only that when the screams resounded in her mind there was a painful tug on her heart.

"─Gon Lady?"

She was pulled out of her musing by Kusano leaning in on her hands, big green eyes staring down into her own. She jumped back in fright and Kusano snickered.

Eager to divert her attention and make it so Kusano wouldn't question her she growled out, "My name is Ka-go-me, shorty!"

Her attempt was succesful, the grass-green eyed girl attempting to tackled her with cry of, "I'm not short! I'm peti─agh!" Kagome sidestepped and cackled, her clawed hands carefully catching the girl.

_I can't tickle her, so that leaves. . ._

She gave her a noogie, not quite painful but enough to ruffle and mess up the girls long auburn hair while irritating her. The girl cried indignantly and swiped at her hands, to no avail. Kusano jerked her head and ended headbutting Kagome, sending them both reeling and clutching their heads with a simultaneous "Ouch!"

"Well, it seems you both are getting along nicely." A voice intoned dryly, causing them to turn their heads, still holding them in a vain attempt to alleviate the pain, and see Kikyou with her arms folded and looking at them in exasperation.

"Really now, I never expected my former reincarnation to act like such a child." Her eyes betrayed her blank face, glimmering with amusement.

Kagome frowned in consternation before smirking, "At least I know how to have fun."

Kikyou's lips twitched downwards. "And what is that supposed to mean, exactly?" Kagome was certain she heard a slight, playful edge in those words.

"Exactly what it sounds like, or do I need to repeat myself?"

_Now I got her_, Kagome thought, watching in amusement as Kikyou's eye literally started to twitch in irritation.

Contradicting what she thought would happen, Kikyou suddenly smirked. Eyeing her in consternation, she noticed it stretched wider, making her panic.

Suddenly Kagome toppled over with Kusano on her back, the girl having gone unnoticed during the time she spoke with Kikyou, giving her an oppurtune moment to attack her. The surprise from the impact left her unable to defend herself and the grass-green eyed girl dug her wiggling fingers into Kagome's ribs, making her gasp in surprise. Kagome bit her lip and struggled to get Kusano off her, her face contorting in supressed laughter as she was tickled. Kikyou just sat back and watched with a merciless glint in her eye as Kagome squirmed, unable to speak without risking breaking out in laughter.

She lasted only for a few more moments before cracking up in breathless laughter, crying, "S-stop! Stop, I give! I can't t-take anymore! Someone help, help me! I'm sorry Ki-Kikyou, just g-get her off me, please! I'm gonna die!"

Kikyou merely smiled, "No, I don't think I will. After all, isn't it _fun_, Ka-go-me?" She drew out each syllable in a nearly sing-song tone, somehow managing it in her monotone voice, and Kagome wanted so badly to strangle her for it. She didn't even bother being surprised at her odd behavior anymore, after all, it seemed Kikyou had become so much happier when she was revived.

_Oh my God, I'm gonna die! _Kagome howled in her mind, to breathless to form verbal words. Finally, she felt the relentless, wiggling fingers leave her be, and she slumped over exhausted on the ground, finally noticing Kusano's giggling a devilish grin that matched Kikyou.

"I. . . I'm gonna get you. . . you back for this. . . I _swear_. . ." She panted out, weakly raising her index finger to point at them before it flopped back down lifelessly on the floor. She sounded like an out of breath old woman with how raspy and croaky her voice was.

Her tormentors giggled.

And with that, the remainder of the nightmare drifted from Kagome's thoughts for the time being, only to be reenacted unwillingly when the time came.


	5. Where One Dies, Two Follow

**A/N: **_Hi, finally finished this chapter. I ended up writing over 2,600 more words then planned when I lost my mental awareness. :P_

_In this chapter we get a small, perhaps important snippet of Michiyo's father's past and a surprising revelation. Maybe._

_The title and chapter(partially) was inspired by a recent event this year, a family friend died and now both of my great grandmothers have passed away too. May the Lord grant them safe passage to the gates of Heaven. My mother's grandma passed away around a month ago, and my dad's grandmother died today, we couldn't see Dad's because she lived in another state entirely. . ._

_Ubetaed. Ideas are appreciated just as much as criticism. If you see any errors or plot holes, PLEASE point them out. Exactly. Where. They. Are. I write the story, fix the errors, and they end up coming back when I upload the document. It sucks!_

_Updated summary and rating._

Word Count (_not including A/N_): **7,605**

Where One Dies, Two Follow

She struggled not to jump at every sound, every rustle of the bushes and flutter of feathered wings. It was difficult getting use to her hearing, especially since it increased since her unintentional transformation. At least she had enough control not to immediately run off to investigate and eliminate the cause of the sound, that would be such an embarrassment if Kikyou were to see her.

They had departed from the ruined village a day ago, when dawn broke through the night with a wave of warmth and light. The villagers gave them a worn pack for supplies and waterskins, eager to do whatever they could to repay them.

They spent the day she first awoke there to bury the bodies. By the time they had finished all the graves the sun had already slipped beneath the horizon to let the moon take its role. Dusk had already settled in and the nocturnal predators awoke, and so they decided it was best to rest there for the night.

Kusano was delighted, of course, and ended up filling up the hour she was awake with constant chatter and playing. Once finished playing with Kusano, she dragged herself back to the hut in exhaustion, feeling unnaturally tired ever since she awoke and desperately wanting to slip off into slumber. The moment she was within the hut she collapsed on to the blankets, unmindful that they felt the slightest bit rough against her smooth skin.

Sleep did not grant her a reprieve from the exhaustion, however, and merely exacerbated her stress and her weariness. Many times had she jolted into wakefulness, only to find that nothing from her dreams haunted her in reality. It was a mentally and emotionally tiring effort to slip back into a restless sleep where only violence and terror awaited her. Several times she woke up with a painful scream nearly ripping through her throat, barely stifled in time so as to not disturb Kikyou, who slept in the opposite corner of their small, temporary abode. It was a small hovel that received minimal damage in the raid of the bandits. A few small, smoldering piles of ash lay atop the side of the roof followed by several scorch marks that stretched along the exterior walls reminded them of its dilapidated state.

Each nightmare contained the same theme: the death of the people she cared about, one by one in no particular. She would always find herself staring into dilated silver eyes at the end, a quick flash that at first she mistook fo metal glinting within the abyssal darkness that blazed with a fiery heat.

She was always the one to kill them, to rip out their throats and break their bodies within her jaws like a child snapping a twig on a whim. Blood would drip within the painful silence that made it ever so loud in her ears. Like a splash on to the cold tiles of the kitchen, the wooden planks of the stairs and the shattered glass from the window. Inuyasha was surprisingly easy to kill in her dream, outmaneuvering him even with her larger body and removing Tessaiga from his grasp when she bit down on his elbow. After that he was easily subjected to her blood lust.

Even Kirara, Rin, Sesshomaru and Kikyou were prey to her uncontrollable hunger for blood and murder.

_Oh, I'm not doing any good thinking about this right now_, Kagome thought petulantly as she rubbed her temples, as if it would soothe the headache that pounded against her skull like a hammer to an anvil. She rid herself of those thoughts and memories the instant Kikyou glance over at her in confusion. She did not want to worry the miko over silly, repetitive nightmares that meant absolutely nothing.

"Are you well, Kagome?"

She blinked, and the next moment she realized they had both halted in the middle of the road and Kikyou's warm hand was on her forehead, to which she nearly blushed at the closeness but reigned it in. She would think it merely a trick of the light.

"Ah. . . I'm fine. Just, er, thinking too much. Thanks for asking, though." Kikyou looked sceptical, the look increasing at her stutter she could not withhold. She noticed that Kagome seemed to be leaving something out, but accepted the answer nonetheless, pressing the matter no more. The pleasantly warm hand removed itself from her forehead, almost reluctantly. The thought was a fleeting hope, dismissed the moment it came.

_Hope is a disease_, something within her whispered, _contagious and fatal, it will infect you. Do not let it. Do you wish the suffer the disappointment?_

She ignored it for the most part, the hissing voice that filled her with creeping, nauseating dread. Only the churning in her stomach and subtle grimace would reveal her displeasure to its voice.

Why would Kikyou be reluctant to remove herself from physical contact with her former reincarnation?

"Very well then, let us continue." Kikyou's eyes left hers after a short while, returning to the road as she appeared to be deep in thought. She stared at her curiously for a moment before tearing her eyes off her, not wanting to be seen as rude. She observed the scenery with disinterest, her sharp gaze memorizing her surroundings unconsciously.

"Can you transform back again?" She tilted her at head to Kikyou in surprise and confusion, not understanding what Kikyou was asking.

Kikyou noticed her lack of understanding and explained herself. "Can you change back into a dragon and return to your human self? I'm merely curious, I did not believe you reverted back into this form intentionally, even if you wished to. It seemed like you had tired yourself out and, as a result, lost that form. It would be unfortunate that, if in battle, you were to revert to your human self due to exhaustion. You seemed to hold much more power in your other form than your human one."

Kagome frowned faintly and nodded. It was true she felt stronger in that form, and she already knew the speed she had when in it completely outstripped her current one. She pondered how fast she would be flying before she shook her head and returned to answering Kikyou's question.

"No, at least, I haven't tried. I originally transformed in a rage, so I have no idea how it feels to change into that form. I know how it feels to change into a human though, so I can probably recall that feeling and replicate it like I did with the water." It had felt like her whole body contracted on itself when she morphed back, like it was trying to squeeze and compact itself into a smaller form. It was incredibly painful, but she would have to get accustomed to it if she transformed if she continuously took on that form.

Kikyou's interest piqued. "Water?"

Kagome raised hand, pausing in her walk, and recalled the feeling of moisture materializing from her pores to demonstrate her ability to Kikyou. A whip of water was expelled from her index finger, and she held it there for the miko to examine. Kikyou held a slight look of awe as she dipped her finer into the water, harmlessly passing through it since Kagome did not intend to harm her.

Once Kikyou retracted her hand Kagome sent it striking into a nearby tree, creating a thin but deep gouge as the water began to boil. Steam emanated from where it struck, splinters flying from where it struck.

"It's wonderful that you already have some control of your powers," Kikyou commented. "I would not have thought it to be easy for you, with you being a former miko."

Kagome grinned, not at all bothered with the fact that she use to be a miko, and nodded a thanks.

With that, silence encompassed them for the few hours they traveled. Kikyou sensed few demons, and those scurried away quickly enough. It was confusing Kikyou, but she soon figured that it had to do with Kagome's overwhelming presence. Where she felt safe, knowing Kagome wouldn't attack her willingly, they felt their instincts encourage them to flee due to terror. A wise choice.

Kagome halted suddenly, twitching. There was blood. A faint smell of copper that had been there for a while, it seems.

And it was coming from Kikyou. She glanced at Kikyou, who had not noticed her stop yet and quickly caught up. She discreetly observed her in confusion. Where was it coming from. . .?

_Oh. . . oh! _Kagome felt her cheeks flame with embarrassment. _She's on her. . . oh. _

A horrible thought struck Kagome, to which her eyes widened in mortification and her steps faltered.

_Could Inuyasha? Oh, God. . . he did, didn't he? _She felt her anger swirl in the tempest of her humiliation. _He knew and he didn't say anything! But then again, what could he say?_

Unaware of her rapidly changing facial expressions, Kagome also did not notice Kikyou looking at her in amusement and curiosity. Kagome's face shifted so easily with pure emotion.

"You seem distressed Kagome. What ails you?"

Kagome twisted her head quickly with red cheeks towards Kikyou and quickly denied being troubled, entertaining Kikyou with her frantic nervousness. Kikyou still wondered why Kagome was glancing at her with an odd look.

* * *

Silver orbs narrowed, following the aging scent. It was the same as his daughter's own scent, only sweeter. It repulsed him.

**_Michiyo was a fool to get herself killed. I refuse to let a former _****miko****_ of all things tarnish the Edoc'sil's honour._**He snorted with disgust at the thought.

Darkness rimmed the sclera of the man's eyes, donning regal armor similar to that of a samurai, complete with a large claymore sheathed and strapped to his back. His ears were notably pointed and a black reptilian tail snaked out from underneath his sash. He was barefoot and both his feet and hands adorned black, menacing talons. A scar was placed horizontally above his right brow, still tinged pink from being a recent addition to his appearance.

Once he gathered enough information to know the miko was traveling to the West, he immediately followed after West in search of the newborn demoness upon Michiyo's death. He had bypassed the miko only to encounter the Western Lord's scent, and he belatedly realized he would have to wait to capture the woman and bring her to his tribe for her execution. Should she prove too formidable he would have to kill her instead, forgoing the standard procedure that would bring him glory within his clan, glory he desired within his grasps to control the Edoc'sil without protest. Should that happen, he opted to bring just her head instead. That would be enough to at least challenge the Drove Lord for his position.

He hissed. **_Kagome. . . that was the former miko's name, was it not? She was the one to kill Michiyo, undoubtedly. _**He smirked. _**She should prove to be nothing more than a nuisance, being a hatchling. It's pathetic how Michiyo was defeated by that woman. It proves she's just as useless as her mother was. . . **_

Amusement hung over his last thought. He inhaled the fading scent, a faintly forked tongue sliding out as he licked his dry lips. Closing his eyes for a moment a dark thought entered his mind. His slitted orbs roamed over the village filled with women and returning soldiers. Horses stamped the ground uneasily and the sobbing of the weak-hearted could be heard.

His eyes thinned as he caught sight of a girl who had the hatchling's scent wrapped around her in a cocoon. Delight danced along his face, curving his lips as he realized she could be valuable in obtaining the hatchling. _**Oh, this is turning out to be such fun! **_

In a torrent of raging water he disappeared, a burst of water raining onto the soil. The damp undergrowth was the only thing to signify he was ever there.

* * *

Kagome tilted her head in scrutiny. Her nose crinkled adorably and her eyebrows furrowed as she pursed her lips in thought, not that she noticed.

"I don't get it. How is it that you returned to life and have my miko powers, or more importantly, my soul in you when _she_changed me? I don't feel any different besides the obvious demonic attributes."

Kikyou merely shook her head in exasperation, not knowing either. "I do not understand it any better than you do."

Kagome bit her cheek in frustration. If her soul was in Kikyou, wouldn't she know? Would she not feel odd, empty even?

Her eyes narrowed in concentration.

_Empty. I did feel empty when Michiyo changed me, and a little while after I awoke on that shore, but does that count? I don't feel it anymore. . . _She irritably kicked a large rock that jutted out of the worn path, twitching in surprise when it ended up bouncing several feet into the air before vanishing over a bush, narrowly avoiding the tail of a soul catcher. She stared after it for a moment before returning to the man-made trail. The soul collector did not seem to notice its near miss.

Brush and tangled weeds bordered the stretch of beaten dirt and trampled grass, shadowed by the tall trees that stretched their dark, gnarled branches over them like overseers. Insects flitted by occasionally and constantly aggravated Kagome's sensitive ears with their constant buzzing. The trail continued on, dwindling in size due to distance.

_There is water nearby, _Kagome realized suddenly, somehow sensing it. She felt a strong urge attempting to tug her towards it. _A lot too. . ._

Growing frustrated with the constant nagging feeling prickling the back of her neck like a finger trailing down her spine, she alerted to Kikyou to her discovery, both to her ability to sense water and the large body of water nearby. Upon deciding that it would be nice to take a bath, they both veered off the trail slightly, soul catchers following.

Once there Kagome restrained the urge to jump within the sizable pool of water and stripped herself of her clothes quickly. She didn't notice the flush that tinged Kikyou's cheeks before she slipped within the cool water with a pleased sigh. It was about a fathom deep.

She blinked and turned her gaze to Kikyou in question when she still stood there. She wondered if it was because of the blood, as faint as it smelled.

"Aren't you getting in?" Kikyou slowly nodded and proceeded to do the same, Kagome quickly averting her eyes to avoid staring or seeing anything she shouldn't. Her silver orbs took in the rippling water, the pressure from before gone. She heard a splash and instinctively glanced at the miko before returning her gaze to the water.

"It has been a while since I had such a cool sensation before. . ." Kagome turned her head towards Kikyou curiously.

Kikyou caught the gaze and explained, "While I was stuck in undeath, I could not feel such feelings like the wind blowing or rain falling upon me. I could sense them; I wasn't entirely numb, but it was just enough to know it was there. You could say my sense of touch, smell, and taste had been diminished."

Kagome didn't know what to feel about that. Surely Kikyou would not want pity, but she felt bad for never knowing Kikyou's plight, even though there wouldn't have been anything she could do. She squashed the feelings of pity, Kikyou no longer had those troubles.

She blurted out something without thinking. "Inuyasha is going to choose you." She said it so easily, without hesitation. Nothing clenched her heart tightly or tinged her words with bitterness.

Eyes widening in horror, embarrassment flashed across her face as she jerked her head to the side to avoid her face being seen.

She did not mean to say it like that! She didn't mean to say anything at all! How in the hell did it _just_ slip out?

Silence reigned, like that of a barren battlefield. She swallowed and dipped her chin beneath the water; even her ear lobes burned red. Nothing but the sound of the water lapping and their breathing could be heard, although she doubted the older woman could hear hers.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid, stup─!_

"You don't love Inuyasha anymore, do you?" There was something strange about the way she said it, an odd emotion twisting within those words. Perhaps she was just imagining things.

Her head nearly whirled around again; it had been doing that a lot lately. She's almost frightened that she's going to give herself whiplash.

_How in the hell─? _

Despite her inner turmoil, she raised her mouth above the water's level and mumbled out slowly, "No."

She could literally feel Kikyou eyes piercing the back of her head. She had fleeting thoughts of why she should even feel alarmed about telling her this, but nothing stayed.

"If I may ask, do you. . . love someone else now? Is that why you no longer love Inuyasha?"

Kagome's stomach churned with much uneasiness, wondering what brought this question on.

She bit her lip. _Hard._ A coppery taste invaded her mouth.

She didn't know what to do. Should she tell her, risk blurting something out again later and blowing her secret? If she didn't do that would Kikyou pick up hints? Why was she so afraid to say 'yes'? Did that sound like she was confessing?

It was just a crush, _nothing_ more!

Her silence gave Kikyou the answer before she could verbally.

Kikyou smiled, not that she could see, and hummed pleasantly.

"I must admit, this is surprising." There was a brief pause, a hesitation that made Kagome wonder. "I had thought to leave Inuyasha to you."

Kagome looked at Kikyou owlishly, her wide, silver eyes shocked and confused.

"I had pondered much while stuck between to borders of life and death. I was not truly alive, therefore I had no place in the living. The only thing that kept me tethered here was my desire for revenge, and then my wish to live again. Sooner or later there would only be you in Inuyasha's eyes." She gave out a sigh. "You are what I was no longer."

Kagome frowned. "I am not your replacement, I never was. We may have shared the same appearance, but we were different in so many ways, even more so now." A smile then quirked her lips. "Besides, you're alive now. I am certain Inuyasha would not love a full demon anyways. Well, not in that way, at least."

She locked eyes with Kikyou, as if to cement the next words int her mind. "He will always love you. To try and pursue a relationship with him would be silly of me, even if I was human again."

She wondered just why she was encouraging Kikyou to not give up on loving Inuyasha, but then dismissed it. It would be better this way, she supposed, for Kikyou and Inuyasha to return to eachother. Perhaps then she would no longer be tempted by her attraction, or, at least, it would be easier for her to resist it.

She still hadn't come to terms with the fact she could be gay.

She stretched languidly, arms raising above her head. Her shoulders popped and she then dropped her arms back in the water, leaning her head back on the edge of the waterhole. Clouds drifted overhead where the leaves did not cover and slid across the sky at a snail's pace. Watching them and deciphering their shapes significantly helped Kagome calm down from the panicked state of mind she held earlier. The soul catchers had spread out around them, lazily floating in the air.

Meanwhile Kikyou was staring at her in bewilderment, her jaw _nearly_ unhinged to further empathize her shock. She wondered if it was because Kagome had been changed that caused her too give up, or if she had already decided this when she was human. Perhaps it was the whole ordeal that matured Kagome, or some revelation she had.

Silence filtered back in, not nearly as awkward as before. Both were content to keep their mouths sealed and ears open for surprises while they basked in the current calmness that enveloped them. Several minutes later they finally found the urge to get out, dressing themselves and setting out once again. The soul catchers trailed after them, drifting as lazily as the clouds Kagome watched. The landscape opened a few hours later to reveal a large plain, one Kikyou had already passed through in her search for Kagome.

The stretch of rolling grass was wide and long, unbroken by hills or mounds of dirt. It bore no cover for them to use besides the occasional shrub or plant that would do little for them should an encounter go the wrong way. That also meant the same for whoever that would dare to attack them, and that fact added a small measure of comfort to their minds. Their footsteps made no sound upon the ground, the grass strangely muting their steps.

For as far as Kagome could now see, few animals roamed the flat lands. She found herself uneasy about the lack of forestry, having spent most of her time as a demon within them, or perhaps her uneasiness was caused by the dreadful sensation that settled within her navel. She spoke naught of it to Kikyou and played it off as her imagination. She did, however, keep her body tense and prepared for whatever that may come. It wouldn't do to make herself feel even more vulnerable.

She closed her eyes in silence. Her nervousness rose at the thought of seeing her friends and family again. Would they accept her as she was and act as if nothing had changed? Doubtfully, but she could hope, just as she could only hope that she would be able to travel through the well as she always had.

Come to think of it, would there still be a place for her within their group? Kikyou would undoubtedly take her former role as a Shikon jewel detector, should she join his group. She didn't say their; she still wasn't sure is she'd still be considered apart of Inuyasha's _pack_.

Stamping out those thoughts, Kagome tried to find another way to stave off the boredom and uneasiness she felt. She practiced materializing water, trying to see how fast she could do it each time. Once she got tired of that she tried to make shapes with it. She failed miserably most of the time and succeeded the few times she concentrated wholly on it. Several of the shapes seemed to be birds, hovering in the air with their wings outstretched, all of them formed and suspended in place by her will.

Kikyou watched all of this quietly and made sure to stay a fair distance away from the water's reach, just in case Kagome's concentration wavered and sent the water bursting from its shape and splashing everywhere. Each attempt seemed to drain Kagome, slowly becoming noticable after several dozen attempts. The soul eaters wound themselves around the water figures and sometimes plowed straight through them, much to Kagome's dismay as it broke her concentration. Soon Kagome took a break with a heavy sigh, shoulders sagging from the mental effort she had to exert constantly to maintain the water sculptures.

Time passed slowly, trying Kagome's newfound impatience as she fought the urge to just drag Kikyou along while running the rest of the way. Their pace was swift but not fast enough for Kagome's liking. She kept her growing annoyance hidden and merely sighed. Her tail flicked side to side minutely, gaining the occasional glance from Kikyou.

Kagome arched an eyebrow, catching one of Kikyou's sidelong glance. "What is it?"

Kikyou turned a light red from being caught. She then shook her head a bit too quickly in response, "Nothing."

Kagome blinked in confusion. _Well, it sure doesn't seem like nothing. . . _She twisted her head to look behind her. _What's so interesting about my tail? _The scaled, fur-tipped tail merely swayed in response.

She wondered what Kikyou was thinking. She wondered what she thought of her as a demon, what she had thought of her when she was still her reincarnation. She couldn't fathom what Kikyou was thinking while she was a spectre, and she still couldn't now that she was alive. She was withdrawn as a spectre, her heart and emotions sealed within bleak stone walls, like that of a prison. Now that she was alive, she was too puzzled by the change, both of their changes, to make sense of anything.

Now that she thought about it, Kikyou was a lot more expressive with her emotions before, and that unnerved her a bit. Sure she was happy about Kikyou being alive but she had time to become accustomed to the blank faced Kikyou that spoke in monotone. She wasn't prepared for smiling Kikyou who actually _teased _her!

She sighed. She felt restless and boredom once more made its claim on her mind. Glancing at the soul catchers, she pondered just why they still stayed. Kikyou obviously no longer needed them for their original purpose. Maybe she kept them out of fondness or for company?

"Hey, Kikyou?" Kikyou hummed in acknowledgement. "Why are your soul catchers still here? I mean, it's not like I don't like them; it's just that they no longer have have their original purpose."

Kikyou tilted her head in thought, much like a kitten or puppy would. "I'm not sure. I am glad they remain here, with me, but all they do is accompany and guide me now. They seemed to be quite connected to you and I doubt I would've found you as quickly without them."

Kagome eyed the soul catchers with newfound interest. She had noticed before they were much more. . . bold around her than before. Usually they would shy away, keeping several feet away from her. Now they wound themselves around her arms or twisted themselves around her in circles within the air. They continued to act oddly ever since she was found by them and Kikyou, and it puzzled them.

One cocked its head towards her in curiosity, but did nothing other than stare at her. She returned its gaze for several minutes before tearing her eyes away.

Suddenly, Kikyou and the soul catchers halted. Kikyou gained a hard look, her eyes set in stone as she turned around. She drew her bow and nocked an arrow, holding it steady in the direction they came from.

She alerted Kagome to what caused their reactions, "Something is approaching our locations with terrifying speed and I doubt we could make it to the edge of the plains without being spotted. I suggest you prepare yourself; it's obviously following the route we've taken."

Kagome obeyed reluctantly. She doubted she'd do much good with her lack of knowledge in her skills and abilities but kept her insecurity unvoiced to Kikyou, it wouldn't do any good in the face of a potential threat.

Soon a blurred figure appeared at the edge of the forest they'd exited, carrying some object under one of its arms. It was obviously a man with how broad his body was, and soon she was able to tell what he was wearing as he sprinted towards them at a fast sprint. He was covered in heavy plating, and from the handle displayed from his right shoulder she guessed that he carried a blade along with him.

Her eyes caught sight of a girl slumped in the hold of his left arm, carrying her casually. She recognized the scent easily.

"He has Kusano!" She snarled violently, tail thrashing about in anger. Kikyou merely frowned.

True enough, it was obviously her. A large bruise marred both of her arms, most likely caused by when the man in front of them abducted her. He slowed his sprint to a brisk pace before stopping a few yards away from them. Their eyes widened as they realized he was like Kagome. He bore the same silver eyes and dark tail lashed out from behind him, bearing several jagged rows of spikes that curved down sharply like fanged incisors.

"Who are you? Why do you have Kusano?!"

_**"So you're the reason my daughter is dead?"**_He smiled darkly. They both tensed. Was it revenge he wanted? "_**Kagome, is it? You are the one who killed Michiyo, right? My name is Shige."**_

Kagome looked confused until Kikyou stepped up, claiming, "I'm the one took her life, my name is Kikyou. What is it that you want with us and Kusano?" Kagome still bore bewilderment on her face. She didn't know Michiyo was dead.

Shige shrugged his shoulders casually, jostling Kusano who hung limply in his arm.

_**"Hm, Kusano?"**_He looked confused, dark eyebrows furrowing in mock concentration. _**"Oh! You mean this girl?"**_He grinned psychotically and gestured with his free hand to the unconscious girl he kidnapped. _**"Nothing really, I just need her to catch the former miko Kagome for my clan. With her capture I'll be held in high esteem, you see, enough to put that **_**fool**_** Rogami in his place."**_

Kagome gritted her teeth. "Let Kusano _go_. Michiyo's death is her own fault for attacking me."

Shige snorted derisively._** "I do not care whose fault it is,"**_He spoke as if he was talking to a child, blatantly mocking Kagome. _**"The**__**thing is**_,_** y**_**_ou _**_**need to die for me so I can gain glory within the clan. My daughter has shamed me. For her to fall to the hands of a hatchling, even if indirectly, is a great insult upon my pride."**_

He used his free hand to grip Kusano's hair, wrenching her face up for them to see as her face scrunched up from pain at the rough treatment. She was still unconscious.

"I said let her go!" Kagome swore, preparing to charge at him when Kikyou caught her elbow. "Why are you just standing there?!"

A sharp glare was her response, "It does no good to rush in blindly. He'll use Kusano as a shield, or have you forgotten the only reason he could have her was to hold her as leverage over you?" Kagome grimaced. She relented as the demon grinned.

_**"Smart girl. Now, if the hatchling would come with me quietly no harm shall befall her. . . human pet."**_His face contorted. He held humans in low regards, it seemed.

Kagome merely scowled, face twisted in anger. Kikyou glared, her arrow still trained on him. "Why don't you just leave Kusano here and go back the way you came?"

"_**I've already explained my reasonings for being here, I shan't repeat them to deaf ears. Either the hatchling comes with me or this girl dies."**_His talons trailed a white line across her neck from the apllied pressure, nicking it at the end and drawing blood. Kusano's eyes scrunched in pain, before fluttering open slightly. A gasp was tore from her throat as her head wrenched farther back, the demon lifting her up closer and hissing in her ear.

**_"_**_**Now**_**_, little girl, why don't you tell Miss Kagome to come with me. If you don't, I'll not be held to blame for the pain you shall suffer."_** The cold voice hissed in her ears as she shivered. Kikyou and Kagome inched closer, ever so slightly, and the soul eaters roaming around the demon cautiously.

"Kagome. . ." The girl couldn't help but whimper. The former miko did all she could to reassure her she would be okay. The demon laughed cruelly, the child in his arms flinching as she was pressed against his heavily armored chest.

_**"So what will it be, hm? Will you come with me or shall I have to pick the flesh from this girl's bones clean?"**_

They were helpless. They all knew it, _he _knew it.

The steadfastly remained silent. Their was no guarantee that he would spare Kusano.

The man began to scowl. _**"Well? Hurry it up and answer me!"**_ His talons dug into Kusano's throat. She struggled and writhed, kicking her legs against the demon's thighs to no avail. Her kidnapper merely hissed in annoyance. "_**Your time is running out, hatchling. Stop wasting my time and answer me now or I'll **_**kill **_**her."**_

"Let her go!" Kagome repeated, preparing to forgo Kikyou's warning as her temperament began to get the best of her. Her eyes were already dilating, ever so slighty for each sound that escaped Kusano's throat.

He held his head up arrogantly, looking down upon her as he grinned. He _wanted_ her to attack.

Kagome was already bent forward and Kikyou would be too late to stop her.

"D-don't do it!"

A weak voice cried out, coming from Kusano. Scarce had she said it when the demon tightened his grip painfully in anger, getting tired of them stalling for time. Blood began to spill from the gouge he inflicted upon her throat, choking for breath as she flailed in his grip. Kagome howled out a battle cry as she darted forward, the sight of Kusano's blood weeping from her flesh driving her berserk. Pupils dilated, only a thin ring of silver showed she had an iris.

The man threw Kusano aside and Kikyou dashed forward to catch her. The soul catchers offered what little assistance they could to Kikyou as she wrapped her arms around the dying girl, jerking her out of the air just in time to avoid Kagome being thrown across the plains as well.

Kagome spun whirled around in the air, landing painfully on her side before leaping back up just in time to dodge the shrieking blade. It tore a long, thin line into the ground and she struck out in retaliation, her knuckles impacting with the man's cheek. It had little effect, only tilting his head to the side and causing him to wince.

_**"Your fast, eh?"**_Kagome felt the wind shift before the man's foot whipped out, becoming a blur and catching her in the stomach. It sent her reeling for breath. He smirked and backhanded her harshly, splitting her lip as the metal gauntlet scraped her cheek.

Water began to fizzle in the man's hand as he outstretched it, as if he were about to catch something. He curved his fingers into claws as she fought to catch her breath, eyes widening as the cruel man spoke, preparing to make a sweeping motion with the water bubbling around his talons. Insanity appeared on his face, a maniacal grin baring fanged teeth in a mockery of a smile.

_**"Let's see if your fast enough to escape this!"**_

Kagome hit the ground.

_Hard._

Blood erupted from her shoulder, cuts marring her upper body as they sizzled from the heat of the water blades. She cried out in pain, muffled suddenly as his boot smashed her face into the ground. He tilted his upper body backward in time to dodge Kikyou's arrow, shining with a otherworldly power. His eyes slowly turned to Kikyou, the sheer intensity from the arrow having scalded the skin beneath his armor.

Her miko robes held tiny splatters of blood and anger claimed her face. Teeth bared, she nocked another arrow beaming with the painfully pure light.

The girl's body lay limp.

Her eyes clamped shut, blood pooled beneath her neck as it trailed down her flesh onto the soil. Her chest did not rise or fall; she was clearly dead.

He smiled nonchalantly, as if he hadn't just killed an innocent girl. Another arrow hissed through the air, the arrowhead soaring for the glimpse of skin behind his knee. His claymore swung out, splitting the wood in multiple fragments with ease. Kikyou glared as her soul catchers sailed forth, stringing yet another arrow.

The man prepared to slice the white serpents into segments when a jolt from the foot resting on the hatchlings head stopped him. He eyed the figure beneath his boot warily.

Kagome's body began to contort, her fingers clawing deep gouges into the ground as they curled. Muffled growls and grunts were heard, and the demon found himself suddenly thrown into the air as an unearthly roar shook the plains. It resonated within their ears, filling them with a silent ringing. He twisted himself in the air to look down, his eyes bulging out of their sockets as a boiling pillar of water shot towards him. He could do nothing but raise his forearms in preparation for the inevitable pain.

The water impacted with him easily, launching him further into the air as the heat leaked into his armor and scalded his flesh. His flesh boiled and he bit back a yelp, the water pillar hitting him with the force of a hammer. It dismantled the armor on his arms and cracked the plating on his chest. He clenched his eyes shut to avoid his eyes being harmed by the scorching liquid, steam wafting across his form.

Finally, when the onslaught finished, he fell back to the earth and plowed into it roughly, grass uprooted and dirt kicked up. His elbows were throbbing, jarred from the collision with the ground and he rolled himself out of the way to dodge the spined tail that struck the ground. A roar clouded his sense of hearing as he prepared to shift, but had no time as a scaled paw, the shape of a hand, slammed into him and raked across his armor, tearing grooves into the shiny plating and wide, deep line into his chest. The talons wrenched the torso plating off of him.

Blood seemed to be all to eager to flow from his wounds, the deep cuts weeping crimson on to the dark metal. He scrambled backwards to avoid the snapping jaws. The great horned beast that Kagome had become was smaller than him in size, but the speed in which she transformed was frightening. All it took was for him to blink and she was already spilling boiling water from her scaled jaws.

He struggled to pull out his other form, failing each time his concentration wavered. The arrows had long since stopped and the soul catchers fled to the miko, frightened of the prospect that Kagome would turn on them.

. . . Was Kagome getting faster?

_No._

He was getting _slower! _

Weariness settled in his bones and he finally stumbled, her wings missing him by mere inches as she whirled around, striking out with her tail once more. It slammed him into the soil. He gasped for breath as a coppery liquid spilt into his mouth, the tail repeating the action once again. He could literally hear his bones giving way to the weight of the hardened scales. Again and again, his bones snapped and splintered within his body, tearing through his innards and causing more blood to spill from his orifices.

Time no longer had any meaning, he easily lost count of the seconds that passed with every strike, just as he lost feeling within his limbs.

**Thump!**

**_It hurt. . ._**

"Kagome."

_A voice called. Who was it?_

**Thump!**

A dull sound. A clatter of metal.

**_Pain. I can't remember. . . the voice. . . the girl. . ._**

"Kagome!"

_. . . Who was it?_

_**Thump!**_

**_My head hurts. . . everything hurts. . ._**

The long, powerful appendage raised once more, preparing to fall once more like an axe to the chopping block; the final, terrifying blow that would end his life.

"_Kagome!_"

The wave of hesitation swept over the transformed Kagome, distracted by Kikyou's call.

That time was enough for Shige to gain his bearings and he frantically reached for his form within. His already broken bones cracked once more, twisting while his weeping wounds closed, leaving only thin red lines as the sign they were ever there. The beast above him snapped to attention with a terrifying growl. It was too late to stop him, and soon he hovered over Kagome by a foot or two, dazed from the pain she had inflicted upon him.

He was broad and muscular. His wings were frayed, bearing great tears at the edges, and his crown jutted out jaggedly against the crest of his forehead. The row of spines trailing down his back held several chips and cracks on them from the numerous scuffles he'd had against his brood members as a hatchling. Blood still trailed down his onyx scales, the red showing in sharp contrast against the darkness of the scales.

Kagome's uncontrolled mind refused to be intimidated by his sheer stature and launched towards him with a roar. They collided in a tangled heap of thrashing limbs and talons, wings crumpling and jaws snapping. Kagome bellowed a large spray of steam from her mouth, talons leaving blood crescents along the black dragon's forehead. He heaved her off of him with much effort on his part, and he scrambled off the ground when he managed to remove her. He avoided her flailing wings and leapt onto her back as she rolled over, disregarding the sharp, painful spines that dug holes into his underbelly.

Shige gave out a watery hiss and arched his head backwards in time to avoid an arrow. It whizzed past, crackling with pure energy. He snarled .

He clamped his jaws down onto Kagome's thrashing neck, who gave out a roar of agony. She rolled herself on to her back in vain in an attempt to jar him off, his talons finding purchase along her body. Her wings flapped fruitlessly in an attempt to get him to release her, to no avail.

He wrenched his neck side to side ruthlessly, tearing deeper, wider holes into Kagome's neck as she howled. He suddenly yelped as a blinding pain tore through the leather of his wings, and he unclamped his jaws to see that a holy arrow disintegrated much of the leather folds on his wings.

**_No!_**

His dark silver eyes widened in horror; he'd never be able to fly again. Fury claimed his beastly face, marring it and contorting it into a hideous and terrible sight. He leapt off of the struggling dragon beneath him and charged at the miko, in a blind rage.

Kikyou raised her bow once again, another arrow strung. She prepared to release it, staring down its shaft when she caught sight of Kagome gaining on the dragon.

Sure enough, the dragon pounced on Shige, tearing through his scaled hide with ease. They tore deep furrows into his back and he reared off course, plowing into the ground and missing Kikyou by several feet as she dodged.

_**Damn you! Damn you all! You shall all fall to my claws as I tear your still beating hearts from your ribcages and devour them! I refuse to be defeated, I refuse to die!**_

He reeled his head back, preparing a spray of scalding water when the hatchling's talons impaled his neck. He staggered, the talons slowly carved the red cleft into his neck mercilessly, dragging out his suffering. He gurgled, dark, inky blood spilling from his throat along with the water he had yet to release. Steam hissed from fissure in his neck, and he collapsed onto the ground, his form melting into his humanoid one.

The weight from the hatchling was crushing his legs, crushing his torso and arms. Anguish welled up in his eyes and the boiling water he so desperately wished to release from his throat splashed down his cheeks.

Death: it was not quick, it was not painless, and it wasn't at all peaceful. His free arm clutched desperately at his neck.

Death was a long drawn out process, all those involved being forced to either end it personally or wait and watch them suffer. Resentment boiled in his stomach like the twisting water that lay within his lungs, drowning him with his own birthright. He choked, gasping for oxygen that would not be granted as those hellish silver eyes (_just like hers, just like Michiyo's, just like his, he thought bitterly_) bore down at him with something almost akin to sympathy.

_**Sympathy?**_

He was confused. He'd seen those eye's before, the same emotion. . .

_**Eyes. . .**_

Those eyes were just like Akitsu's. . .

_**She looks just like Akitsu. . . She pitied me too.**_

He smiled as he felt his body become numb, limbs refusing to function.

**_My beloved Akitsu. . ._**

It was true, she looked just like her, save the fact she had black splotches in her mane like streaks. Akitsu's was pure white and she held a more cloudy colour to her than the ones that shaded Kagome's scales.

Suddenly, he wasn't all that afraid to die anymore.

_**Akitsu and Michiyo. . . **_

He wanted to _laugh_; bitterly, happily, it didn't matter.

_**I'm sorry.**_

The last, fleeting breaths escaped his lips and his eyes glazed over unseeingly.


	6. Aftermath

**A/N: **_I had completely NO drive to write this chapter, and when I did start half of what I wrote ended up getting deleted. This chapter's crap in my mind, but I had to get something out here so I can move on instead of staying stuck. It freakin' sucks cause I was able to write 5000 words completely unplanned for another new fic called **Shades of Wrath**_** (Naruto).** _I've decided that whenever I'm stuck for a long period on this I write another chapter for that so it'll help me get my muse (_fickle as it is_) back._

___Unbetaed, may be ooc, etc. I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed for the encouragement and I apologize for the delay. On the other hand, feel free to criticize this chapter as much as you like. -.- It was one of the most troublesome things I've ever written._

Word Count (_excluding A/N_): **5,716**

Aftermath

She was coated and dripping in his blood, even the fur at the tip of her tail was stained in red. Random splotches danced along the sleek colors of the smooth, natural plating that protected her body, almost like war paint.

A large oval of abyssal black stared into Kikyou's own eyes, a thin ring of metallic silver bound around it. It seemed to suck in all light and reflect none in exchange. Lips curled backwards, serrated teeth bared themselves as trophies to intimidate her. Kagome, without reason, hovered over the mutilated body, nothing more than a crushed heap of steel, bone and flesh. The proud winged reptile growled threateningly, jaws snapping as a forked tongue snaked out to taste her scent. Mighty wings fanned themselves out, causing herself to look larger in an attempt to intimidate the miko.

Kikyou forced herself to relax, to appear as passive as possible. Her soul catchers held no such thoughts and floated towards the quadrupedal serpent. The beast appeared to pay them no mind and merely observed her surroundings.

The dragon snorted in anger when her eyes found the girl strewn across the grass. She made her way to Kusano's body and Kikyou opted not to get in her way.

Kagome her snout against the girl's body and nudged her.

Kusano did not stir.

Kagome let out something akin to a whine, unsatisfied with the lack of response. She nuzzled the girl's bloody neck, pawed her gently, and still she did not wake. Kagome continued her attempt to get the girl to wake. Kikyou gazed on somberly.

Kagome seemed to recognize Kusano in this state; how, Kikyou did not know.

It almost made her irritated, perhaps even_ envious_, that Kusano was the one recognized and not her. She didn't understand the emotion at all.

_Am I jealous? _The very thought was baffling.

Soon the mourning dragon fell silent, staying motionless. Kikyou eyed her in concern until her body gave a great shudder, jerking upright. Her body continued to tremble, wings quivering, and for a split-second she thought the dragon was going to slip away.

It did not, for the dragon whirled around, snapping her jaws. Kikyou's eyes widened and she_ tried_ to move.

She wasn't fast enough.

The dragon vaulted itself off the ground and into the air, pouncing on her like a panther upon its prey. Claws dug into cloth and flesh, causing tiny red pinpricks to blossom where the claws continued to press down.

Kikyou gave out a startled gasp, struggling to breathe, struggling beneath the powerful, scaled appendage. It was utterly impossible. The task itself was similar to that of using a thin, brittle stick to block a war hammer. Any breath she held within her burning lungs fled and left her starved for oxygen. She couldn't even choke out any words to try to bring sense back into Kagome. The limb was pressing harder and harder, and Kikyou feared it wouldn't be long until her ribcage gave way to the force.

_This is a miserable situation, _Kikyou thought painfully, finding it almost ironic. She honestly didn't expect to die by the hands─claws─of her former reincarnation.

Then the weight lessened to a soft, almost hesitant touch, and finally withdrew.

Brown orbs rose and settled on glistening silver.

The pupils were once more thin slits. They were also glassy and moist, appearing as if she'd break down crying any moment. Kagome's head drooped, the control of her instincts slipping away and allowing her to command her body once more. Hastily Kagome shied away, frightened of herself and what she could have done.

Kagome took in the five specks of red on Kikyou's robe and tensed.

What she_ had _done.

Kikyou chose that moment to raise herself up, words to reassure Kagome that she was fine already beginning to slip passed her lips when she saw it. In that moment, no longer was there the terrifying demon that was preparing to kill her. Now, within those eyes, held a fragility, a vulnerability that was never displayed so openly to _her_ before. Raw emotions swirled within the silver depths and Kikyou found herself being overwhelmed by them.

It was almost like she could feel them just as the Kagome herself did.

Kagome's head swiveled to look away, ashamed. She spared the mutilated corpse of Shige no glance and turned to Kusano.

Kikyou debated whether or not to approach her. Finding the urge to sweep away the guilt the selfless miko─_dragon, _she corrected herself─no doubt felt too great, she went to her, kneeling beside her.

Kagome made no reaction other than a sharp stiffening of the muscles. Soon enough, apologies spilled out from the dragon's mind.

_I. . . I'm sorry! I hurt you and Kusano's dead because I─ _Kagome rambled on and Kikyou tuned it out.

"Kagome, neither is your fault. You should not hold yourself accountable for this."

_But I almost─_

"Kagome. . ." She drew out her name in warning. Kagome had enough on her mind as it was and she would not allow her to add more on her shoulders when it could be avoided. "Accept that it isn't your fault. Kusano would not have held you to blame, nor would I. It wasn't your fault and _it_ wasn't _you _in control."

There weren't many options, she had to concede to herself. Either Kusano died or Kagome would be taken and killed herself, perhaps along with her and the girl.

Her eyes grew a bit annoyed as more mental disagreement met her words and she pressed a kiss on Kagome's forehead to silence her.

_Blink._

Kagome snorted in surprise. Kikyou turned her head to the side, withdrawing, to avoid Kagome's shocked, imploring eyes and said nothing for a lingering moment, Kagome staring at her in bewilderment.

_Why?_ She wondered herself. Red dusted her cheeks faintly, not that Kagome would have noticed.

The air seemed to grow stale, giving them the . Kagome nodded her head silently in response, turning her head and stalking off to find a suitable spot for the burial. Although their time was brief she still knew the girl and it was enough for Kagome to grow a small amount of attachment to her. Kikyou gazed after her before tearing her eyes away, instead shifting her gaze to Kusano's corpse.

She looked on in sorrow and shame, frowning as she quietly muttered a prayer for Kusano's safe passage to the afterlife. Perhaps if she was faster, if she was stronger she might have been able to save her.

But she wasn't, so there was no use torturing herself about it.

She shook her head and followed after Kagome, who had begun to dig thick grooves into the ground. It was a nice enough spot, a bed of flowers circling near it and the soil rich. Once it was a foot wider than Kusano and several feet deep they gingerly placed her in, careful not to jostle her body too much.

Kagome didn't react as violently as she first had when she had to bury someone, and after the village massacres she came across it made the toll of burying Kusano all the more easier to bear. As soon as the soil was replaced and stones covered her grave to ward off critters from digging her up, Kagome began to create another hole into the ground.

"What are you doing?"

Kagome did not halt in her actions, claws uprooting plants and dragging dirt out. _I'm making another grave for __him._

Kikyou did not fathom her reasonings and asked, "Why? He killed Kusano, aren't you angry at him?" She was merely curious, she was certain Kagome would rather not touch his corpse after what he did.

_I don't care for that._ She then amended, _At least, not anymore._

And yet, Kagome's actions were so obviously forced.

_His. . . mate_, Kagome fumbled over the word awkwardly, _she looks─she looked just like me. I saw_. The dragon had a visible grimace. _Funny, huh? My resemblance to her is probably the reason Michiyo, that demoness chose me_. Her voice, resounding inside her head, was soaked in bitterness.

Kikyou's hand rested on her wing's veiny membrane, causing her to stiffen. "It's all over, at least for now. Though, I suggest we rest and regain our bearings after this; I'm uncertain if there are more enemies awaiting us. The man said he had a clan, we should prepare ourselves for them in the case they should also invest an. . . interest in you as well."

_'We'_, that word caught Kagome's attention quite quickly. Was Kikyou actually willing to help her should that happen?

Kagome reluctantly consented, rumbling her disgruntlement. She could almost tell her transformation was going to slip away unless she took the time to rest, and she wanted to figure out how to navigate her body and abilities in this form. They both dragged the mangled corpse of Shige into the hole before Kagome began filling it up once again. Dull thumps sounded out from the dirt hitting his body and the twisted, damaged armor that dug into his flesh, having caved in before during their battle. Soon the sound faded away and it was merely dirt raining upon dirt.

The strenuous emotional and physical tasks finished, Kagome plopped down on her haunches tiredly, finally taking note of the dim sky that melded into a dark, dusky blue. The horizon still had strands of light beaming from the sun dipping beneath it, but they too were fading rapidly along with the fiery orb. Hunger claimed their stomachs and Kagome set out amongst the plains to hunt. She stuck to the ground, still unsure of how to fly.

She prowled the flatlands for some time, roaming and observing her surrounding with interest. Upon finding a bed of grass in a shallow depression, she discovered a family of hares there and quickly caught them, ending their lives effortlessly. She sighted a fiery dot where she last left Kikyou and realized she had lit a fire. She secured the hares in her jaws and took of for the curl of smoke that plumed from the fire.

By the time she returned the sky had stars strewn randomly across the dark canvas, the moon shining brightly from its place within the sea of darkness. Kikyou sat neatly near the fire, placing woody stems within it to keep it going. The pungent smell of smoke hit her and she scrunched her face in distaste. She dropped the hares near Kikyou and sat down, tail curling around her haunches as Kikyou took them in her hands.

Kikyou skinned the hares and placed them above the flames to cook, and Kagome found herself impatient. She laid down on her belly and made idle chatter with Kikyou to distract herself.

Dried blood caked her aching neck, acquired from the holes Shige's fangs created. It made an uncomfortable itchy sensation on her throbbing injuries and she couldn't arch her head around enough to lick it clean. Kikyou took notice of her discomfort and rose, going over to her and wiping the regenerating wounds clean with a strip of cloth. They had already scabbed over but the excess blood proved to be a bother.

Kagome uttered her gratitude softly, _Thanks. _Kikyou merely hummed in response.

They both lapsed into silence, only the crackling of wood splintering from the heat and the cloth sliding across her smooth, hard scales heard before Kikyou inquired, "I thought you could change back?"

_I can, I just want to get accustomed to being a dragon while I have the time. I still don't know how to change back into one if I returned to my human body. Plus. . . I'd like to learn to fly. _She admitted the last sentence bashfully; she had wings and she didn't know how to use them, the fact made her feel inadequate.

Kikyou found herself smiling but refrained herself from teasing Kagome. "I understand." She then placed the strip of cloth into her satchel, partially covered in the bloody flakes.

Nothing more was said after that, both content to just relax and contemplate the recent events they were forced to endure. More than once Kikyou found Kagome glancing at the graves grimly, mourning Kusano's unfortunate death and berating herself internally for her failure. Kikyou merely sighed. She had already spoken to Kagome about this but the girl didn't seem to take her words to heart yet.

Soon the hares were charred and good enough for them to eat. Kagome had forgotten she could devour them raw, although she probably wouldn't just yet. Kagome tore into hers with ease, swallowing it whole while Kikyou ate hers slowly, savouring it. Having finished their meals, Kagome curled up like a kitten and Kikyou placed her bedroll on the ground, nestling herself beneath the thin blankets. They both stared blankly into the dancing flames, pondering what would happen next before drifting off into sleep.

* * *

Kagome awoke before the sun had risen. The plains were still and dark. She laid prostate for a moment before uncurling herself subtly, careful not to make any noise. She stood and stretched, forked tongue expelled from her mouth to scent the air. The fire still burned merrily within the makeshift hearth, smoke billowing out into the atmosphere. Her eyes glimmered dangerously in the darkness, glinting like poised blades within the firelight.

She trotted further away from the campsite, careful not to disturb Kikyou's slumber. The darkness did not diminish her vision, she could see as clearly as she could within the daylight.

Deeming the distance between her and the campsite acceptable she tried unfurling her wings. She only managed to get one to fan itself out fully. She struggled to get the other one up, but when she did the other wing repeatedly clasped itself back down when she got it into the air. She refused to grow frustrated, however, and continued the slow, arduous task of learning how to manipulate her extra limbs.

Little by little, she finally got them both in the air, focusing all her attention on keeping them up for several minutes. She then folded them onto her back, returning them to their default position before repeating the process several times. It grew easier with each success and soon she could do it without much concentration. Now came the hard part.

_How am I supposed to get myself into the air . . . ? _ She supposed she should take a running start. She pressed her body low to the ground, underbelly scraping across the blades of grass, before she burst into a sprint. Wings fanned themselves out and she leaped into the air, flapping instinctively.

For several miserable moments she thought she was going to plummet back towards the earth.

And then her body lurched, jerked higher up into the air. Her wings glided upon the updraft and her body tilted from the unexpected current. She angled her wings and straightened her body out, fur-tuffed tail swinging to help guide her upon the chosen course. Her wings battled the current and she found herself going higher and higher, the few trees and bushes below her becoming mere specks as gravity failed to pull her down.

Her stomach twisted itself into several knots and fear overrided her satisfaction at getting into the air, deciding this was a _horrible _decision.

_Down! _Her mental commands did nothing and she hovered in the air. Fighting to calm down, her heart thumped furiously within her chest.

She could see a dot of orange below her and wondered if Kikyou was watching. That thought alone disturbed her, for she thought of this as a very humiliating and reckless experience. Her jaw clenched and her eyes shut. She stamped out her fear and forced herself to relax, ignoring the feeling of nausea that swept over her. Her wings held a steady rhythm, keeping her suspended in air before she furled them slightly.

_Here goes nothing. . ._

She fell into a shallow dive and sailed towards land, gravity having finally prevailed. Her legs coiled in preparation and she squinted against the wind as it whipped past her. She neared the ground and dread wormed its way into her mind.

_Land!_ her mind cried, and with a single stroke of her wings she glided smoothly to the ground, being forced to take several steps to stop herself from flipping over. Her wings clasped themselves shut and she unclenched her muscles. She breathed out a sigh, relieved.

_That went well enough, I suppose, _she thought in a bout of smugness, delighted in her accomplishment. Having gained confidence from her simple success, she continued to surge into the air with powerful strokes for a few minutes at a time before landing, being careful not to go too high.

She banked and tried performing some simple manuevers in the air. It was shoddy at first but soon evened out into an adequate level with practice as she streaked through the night sky, resembling a large, foreboding shadow. She performed barrels and somersaults, exhilaration replacing her fear as she succumbed to the powerful feeling of freedom. With a powerful stroke of her wings she rose and by shutting them she fell. She exuberantly spewed cool refreshing water above her and burst through the thin water barriers, coating her scales in ice-cold water.

Her wings stopped batting at the air and she held them straight open, creating a horizontal line out of her body. She could see, even from her height, the grave she forged for Kusano. The stones made it easy to make out. The guilt swept over her and reminded her of what she had done, and nearly had, to Kikyou.

That brought on two important questions: could Kikyou still trust her? Could she be afraid of her now?

Eager to distract herself, she made a U-turn and vaulted herself higher into the air. She repeated her previous flight patterns for an hour or so, trying to get as accustomed to the manuevers as possible.

Soon her wings were tired and straining. She once more dived to the ground, this time without the fear of heating it. She performed a shaky landing and shook herself slightly, snapping her wings shut.

Weary but content, she returned to the camp. Kikyou appeared to not have moved in her slumber and she lowered herself on to her belly, wings moving to hide her horned head from sight. Her mind, laden with thoughts of her flight soon fell to the comforting blanket of sleep. Her breathing steadied itself into small, gentle gusts of air.

The small camp lapsed into silence.

Then, the sound of snapping bones were heard. Kagome jolted into wakefulness as sharp, minor pains stabbed her insides, limbs and mostly her wings. She bit back a whimper, facing contorting in pain as her scales melted away, exchanged for pale, human skin. Her large body shuddered violently and she heard the sound of blankets rustling as Kikyou stirred.

Thankfully, she did not wake.

Her forehead kissed the ground when it finally ended and she scowled in irritation, raising herself up into a sitting position. She rubbed her sore joints before standing, walking over to the travelling pack they received from the village women and pulling out a spare bedroll. She set it on the ground before slipping beneath the furred sheets. She stayed away for several minutes, drowsiness refusing to take her from the sudden surge of adrenaline. Once it calmed she dozed off into a fitful sleep, taunted by silver eyes.

Soft brown eyes opened and watched her sleeping form for a moment, unblinking, before closing again.

The dying fire crackled, thin wisps of smoke trailing into the sky.

* * *

Kagome's head bobbed to an unheard tune as she kept up with Kikyou's brisk pace. It had been two days since Kusano's death and Kagome handled it well enough, driving all grim, depressing thoughts from her mind by thinking of her next flight. From her short time being in the air she had come to love the feeling of soaring in the sky, rising in altitude with each beat of her wings. She discovered her tail acted as a rudder of sorts, steadying her course and making her flying patterns smoother.

She had yet to return to her dragon form since that day, no matter how much she yearned for it. It was just currently beyond her grasp. Each time she searched for it, digging within her mind she came up with nothing but faint, uncomprehensive whispers and a pressure that repelled her from going any further. It was an invisible barrier barricading that proud creature within her from her use.

While disappointed she continuously pressed her mental will into the wall, trying to cause it to crumble beneath the constant barrage of force. While she did not know if it was effective at all it did not deter her determination.

Other than her personal, mental goal, she pondered Shige's clan; she knew not if it had a name. Would they seek revenge for the deaths of Shige and Michiyo? Could they be swayed to help her control her powers or would they become powerful enemies?

Many questions wormed their way into her mind and yet she had no answers to quell them.

Kagome's face pulled into a frown. Her thoughts turned abruptly, reeling in the direction of the well and her friends. Soon─too soon, in her mind─she would be at Kaede's village and they would probably be there. She was overjoyed at the fact she'd be able to see them again, but yet there was the creeping fear of being rejected. It was just a useless gnawing sensation tearing at her good mood, paranoia at it's finest.

At least, that's what she hoped.

* * *

"Anything?"

"No, I can't smell her scent anywhere."

Sango nodded solemnly. Shippo looked increasingly downtrodden and Miroku frowned.

"Would her scent have changed with her transformation into a demon?"

Inuyasha glanced at them as they rode on Kirara. "Not that I know of, but it shouldn't change enough for me not to recognize it."

"I bet Kikyou found her. . ." Shippo mumbled, gaining surprised looks from them all.

"Why is that, Shippo?"

He didn't answer.

"Shouldn't we head back by now? It's near the time to meet up with Lady Kikyou, and as much as I hate to say it, I don't think we'll find Kagome here." the monk frowned grimly, "I hope she has had better luck than us. . ."

Inuyasha debated it, frowning. He worried for Kagome and wanted to get back to searching for the jewels as soon as possible, that much was true, but his affections for the former dead miko won him over.

He jerked a nod.

"Fine."

And then they turned, setting of to return to Kaede's village.

* * *

Breaking through the treeline, Kikyou wondered if she should just stop there and leave. It was painful to see her sister so old and frail while she was young, physically, ever since she had returned to life, even if only partially. Inuyasha would be there too, now or later, it didn't matter. She found herself growing slightly uncomfortable in the hanyou's presence for some inexplicable reason.

But she found herself not wanting to.

"Do you want to leave?" her thoughts were broken by Kagome's hesitant question.

The miko glanced over at Kagome in surprise, "Do you wish me to?"

Abruptly, the she-dragon shook her head. With a small smile, Kikyou then continued on.

"Then I won't leave."

Kagome was left staring blankly at her back while she walked towards Kaede's hut.

_She didn't really answer my question. But why did she say ask me that? _Sighing, she shrugged and chased after her older companion. The sight of the village was getting to her; she felt like it had been months since she last set foot within it.

The villagers stared at them in awe, and fear, in Kagome's case. Surprisingly, they recognized her after eying her features for a while, which honestly left her feeling uneasy. They didn't scorn her, nor did they welcome her with open arms. There were cautious gazes and tensed muscles when they strode past, along with a slightly strained smile. They didn't seem to know what to think when their eyes landed upon the former miko.

Kagome's gaze slid upon the huts of the village, lingering on their thatched roofs and drifting to the crops where farmers toiled. There were so many things she hadn't noticed before while she was human. Almost everything seemed unfamiliar to her, even the people that she saw whenever she came here as a human.

Kaede was just outside her hut, speaking instructions to a pale villager while handing the young man some herbs. When noticing them, the villager hurried away at a brisk pace, and Kaede's lone eye grew wide.

"Kikyou?" she then noticed Kagome in the peripherals of her vision. "_Kagome?_"

Giving the woman an anxious smile, she gave a greeting. "It's nice to see you again, Kaede."

The elderly miko gaped slightly, before regaining her composure. She cast them a heavy gaze, no doubt asking them what happened with her eye as she ushered them into her hut.

They sat down quietly and waited for Kaede to speak.

"I was informed by Inuyasha of your dillema─he passed through here asking me to keep an eye out for you, should ye have come here─but I wasn't aware exactly of the details." the old woman sent Kikyou an odd look that the dragoness couldn't decipher, who returned it almost defiantly. "Or that my elder sister would aid them in their search for you."

Kikyou intoned wryly, "Kagome wasn't aware of it either, actually." Kaede looked surprised by her speaking up, or perhaps it was because of the way she spoke.

"And just why did you look for her, Kikyou?" Kaede loved her sister, she truly did, but upon the miko's resurrection she grew bitter with everything, especially her reincarnation. To see her now, acting as if he had never died, it was strange, to say the least.

This gave Kikyou pause, unsure of how to reply. Kagome herself was staring at her in wait, pondering why she did it as well.

"I. . . am not sure why I did it, only that I felt it was something that I had to do. That it was the _right _thing to do." she did little to clarify on the matter, but it appeared to have satisfied her younger─yet older─sister.

Kaede appraised her, while Kagome seemed mildly frustrated, not that Kikyou noticed.

But Kaede did.

She who was named after maples smiled, wrinkled face stretching as amusement danced upon her lips. _Is that how it is, Kikyou?_

Even now, Kaede had noticed the odd air that lied between the two. Kagome had obviously took notice of it, and yet Kikyou was still oblivious to ti. It was almost like what Kikyou had held for Inuyasha, but much weaker with her sister's ignorance of its existence and Kagome's refusal to initiate any kind of action; perhaps she was in denial? Still, she wondered if there would be any hope for such an attachment that was, quite literally, taboo and foreign.

Both the young women before were curious and confused as to why Kaede was nearly beaming. "What is it?" Kagome questioned, a bit annoyed. She was certain she did _not_ like the glint in the crone's eye.

"Now, now, Kagome; ye don't want to take after Inuyasha now, do ye?" she laughed lightly, sensing the irritation that inflected the white-haired dragon's voice. Said dragoness twitched, finding an urge to strangle the woman for some odd reason. Kikyou sat back and observed her sister tease the newborn demon.

_I am _not_ like him! _was what she wanted to spit out, forged by an acid tongue and given life with hissed venom. It took her by surprise how much the very thought of being like the hanyou repulsed her. Something rebelled within her, detesting the mental picture of being a dog beneath flesh, contrary to being the proud, lethal predator that now scoured the skys and scraped the clouds. What bothered her even more was the abstract idea of being half-_human_.

Instead she forced out, "Not funny," while her cheeks bore a flush of rosy red, which only encouraged the elder to laugh more. Kikyou herself sported a unnoticeable smirk.

Coughing and taming her blush, she asked, "Is Shippo and the others here?"

She was worried for the kit and how he was taking her disappearance.

"No," Kaede shook her head. _It's to be expected,_ Kikyou thought. _We're nearly three days early._

Kagome gave an inaudible sigh.

"How are ye taking all that ahs transpired, Kagome?" Kaede directed a question towards her, genuinely curious.

"As well as I can, all things considering." the silver-eyed demoness answered vaguely. "Being swooped off miles away to some unfamiliar place was a rather disorienting experience. Did I mention the fact that I traveled a short while with Sesshomaru before Kikyou found me?"

Kaede grew concerned. "What happened during your time with him?"

Now it was Kikyou's turn to be interested in her companion's answer. Kagome gave a shrug, "Nothing that should be worried about. I kept an eye on Rin and in return he told me the basic demons' way of surviving. _Stoic bastard refused to tell me which direction the village was in, though_." she muttered the last sentence just beneath her breath, but the both heard her anyways.

"Ye sure you're not taking after that rude hanyou?"

Kagome gave an exasperated groan.

* * *

The next two nights were spent awake, finding she didn't want and didn't feel the _need_to sleep yet. Kikyou spoke with Kaede most of the time, finding herself interested and saddened by the fifty years she spent without Kikyou.

Kagome spent the time cracking the barrier that separated her from her dragon spirit, and hence instincts. She was uncertain what the effects would be, but she had already resolved herself to find out just that. She practiced hunting in the time she spent relaxing from her mental endeavor. Both demons and animals were prey to her slowly growing skill, as meagre as the number was when roaming the wildlife surrounding the village. She only bested about two demons, and a couple of animals. Both were small kills in comparison to the odd insect demons she had fought when she first awoke.

She had yet to try passing through the well and had decided to wait until she reunites with Inuyasha's pack before attempting it. She was fearful of what the result might be, should she be ensnared within this era. She wasn't sure she'd be able to handle it should it happen.

It was near the second night when Kikyou sought her out.

"What are you going to do when you reunite with your party?"

Arching an eyebrow at the odd phrasing, she sunk into thought for a moment.

"I don't know." Kagome shut her eyes wearily. "Inuyasha will probably ask you to travel with him though, I can no longer be play the role of a shard detector."

The miko stared at her with intrigue, "You said 'him', not 'us'. Why?"

_Figures that she'd catch that part. _Blinking, Kagome replied, "Exactly as it sounds; I can't consider myself apart of his pack any longer. A friend, yes, but pack? That's up for debate."

Kikyou was surprised, but easily reigned in any expression that might have crossed her face. She looked just as she had when she was nothing but a shell, containing souls of departed women and girls. It was quiet, before Kagome was startled.

". . ."

Using her elbows to raise herself up slightly from her bedroll, she looked over to Kikyou, who's back was to her.

". . .What?"

"I said, 'I'll refuse to search for the Shikon jewel, should he not want you within his pack anymore.' I fail to find a logical reason to help him if he was only been using you the whole time."

Incredulous, Kagome could only gape at Kikyou's blanketed form.

* * *

The morning after followed the same routine and it was well into the afternoon when Kagome smelled something familiar; actually, many scents lingered. She had no idea who or what it belonged to, but she hazarded a guess that they came from Sango and the others. She notified Kikyou and Kaede just in case.

Her precautions were unnecessary, for Inuyasha came sprinting straight towards Kaede's hut with the others following close behind. She could hear his bare feet smear the ground in his haste.

She figured that he had caught her scent, whether he recognized it as hers or not was the question she wanted answered.

"Kikyou!"

_Oh. . . ! Ha, I actually forgot the fact that he's still infatuated with Kikyou. _She was faintly bitter about the fact that he wanted to see Kikyou more than he worried for her, but that was to be expected. There was also jealously, but she stamped it out fairly quickly.

_Did he completely miss my scent?_

Out of the corner of her eye, Kikyou straightened out upon hearing the hanyou's call. She caught Kaede's eye, which still held that odd, unnerving glint, before tilting her head towards the entrance. A flash of red appeared and blocked her view of the outside.

"Kiky─" he froze, rooted to the spot as he took in Kagome's appearance and scent. Cocking her head at him, she waited.

"_Who_ the hell are_ you_?!"

Kagome gained a mischievous grin, knowing the perfect way to spark his memory.

* * *

**Question: **Should I give Kagomes 'instincts' a name (ex: Ryuu, 'cause it's simple), so that when they're in control it'll be clearer for you to understand rather than mixing the two up?

_Thanks for taking the time to read, Ciao!_


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