Chapter 27: Admission


She held Tenseiga in her lap, her fingers curling over the edge. Her heart thrummed painfully in her chest and she bent forward, trying to catch her breath.

He left. He left! How could he do something so cruel as to turn his back on her? Didn’t he understand that she had done it to save their lives? Not just their own lives, but the lives of her friends and his companions. Naraku would have laid waste if he had won that battle – no one else could stand up to him.

It wasn’t fair, she ranted silently. He would have done the same!

She took a deep, gulping breath and stared up at the black sky, spotted with stars. They blurred and she felt tears running down her face. It was the first time she had cried since he had walked away from her several hours before. It was almost comforting, feeling something other than pain and anger.

Kagome sobbed for several cleansing minutes until the tears wouldn’t come anymore. She cried for so long, so earnestly that her skin smelled of salt and her fresh kimono was spattered with stains. As the crying ebbed, she slowly wiped Tenseiga’s blade clean of the droplets and sheathed it, putting it aside.

There came a soft breath from behind her. “Geez. I was afraid you’d never put the sword away.”

She turned. “Inuyasha,” she said, getting to her feet, “you shouldn’t be walking around!”

The hanyou rolled his eyes and patted his bandaged side, where the skin had been ripped clean away earlier in the day. “Come on, Kagome, you know I’m fine,” he said. “How are you?”

Kagome rubbed at her eyes and nodded. “I’ll be alright,” she murmured. “You should rest though. I saw your internal organs today, for crying out loud.”

“Keh. Wasn’t the first time and it might not be the last.” He shuffled over to her and eased himself down to the rock where she had been sitting. “Sit,” he ordered, giving her a cheeky smirk.

She slowly sat down beside him. “So are you okay?” she murmured, searching his face and his smile. “You don’t seem to be… yourself.”

“I’m happy,” he replied. “Happy for the first time in a long time, Kagome.”

She nodded. “Of course. I’m happy for you.”

Inuyasha’s eyes dimmed a bit as he watched her. “Well, maybe not completely happy,” he said. “Kagome…”

The miko squeezed her eyes shut and held up a hand. “Inuyasha, if you’re going to apologize for what happened... Well, I just don’t want to talk about it. You said some awful things and you sided with Kikyo, but that was no reason for me to turn my back on you. I’m sorry.”

He sighed. “Figures that you would apologize for what was my fault.” He frowned as she turned away. “Kagome, we gotta talk about it. If we don’t, we’ll never be okay again.”

She smiled sadly at the ground. “That’s very mature of you, Inuyasha.”

“Yeah well,” he said, coloring slightly, “I had some time to think while you were gone. I figure I have to tell you some of it, because you’re too stubborn to believe it from anyone else but me.”

Kagome bit her lip. “Alright,” she said, after a moment. “Tell me.”

He didn’t speak immediately, the red on his cheeks glowing brightly for a long moment first. When he did say something, she couldn’t catch it and asked that he repeat himself. “I missed you,” he said with a little more force. “I missed you a lot, Kagome.”

The corners of her mouth twitched. “I missed you too, Inuyasha.”

But he kept talking right over her. “And I know you do a lot for us. You cook and take care of us and you make Shippo behave and Sango happy and Miroku hopeful. And you were friends with me when I didn’t think that could happen anymore. Kikyo couldn’t do any of that, even if she tried. I shouldn’t have sent you away, Kagome.”

She had thought that she had wrung herself dry, but found her vision smudging once more with tears. “It’s okay,” she murmured. “It was my choice. I shouldn’t have left you. We’ve been traveling together so long and you’ve saved me so many times. It wasn’t fair of me. I accepted a long time ago that you love Kikyo.”

“I don’t know what I feel for her,” he muttered. “Before, she came and then she left, just for a few minutes to remind me that she was around or to tell me something about Naraku. But being alone with her, just for a few days… she’s changed a lot. I didn’t notice before.”

“I suppose death and resurrection can change people,” Kagome said, wiping her eyes again.

He looked at her, wide-eyed. “Did it change you?”

She was silent for a moment, rubbing the tips of her fingers together until her tears dried. “Yes, but perhaps only because of the circumstances. But Kikyo didn’t have a peaceful death either. You couldn’t expect her to be the same.”

He nodded. “Still, I’m not sure…”

“Sure of what?” she asked.

“I know Kikyo did that,” he murmured. “She tried to stop you from coming here anymore. I believe you, Kagome. If you want me to send her away, I will.”

The miko frowned and mulled this over for a moment. “No, Inuyasha,” she said at last. “I mean, thank you, but you don’t have to do that. Anything she says to me, anything she does to me, doesn’t matter anymore. She doesn’t matter anymore. Not to me. I was so worried for so long what she thought of me, but then I realized that that was ridiculous. The only people who I care think well of me are my friends and my family. She’s not either one of those.”

He gave her a skeptical glance. “Are you sure it doesn’t matter to you?”

She smiled softly. “Well, maybe a little. She is this powerful miko and my previous incarnation. It’s hard to brush it off so easily. And she did help me this morning. She saved my life, you know, and she was the one that handed me the arrow that killed Naraku.”

Inuyasha took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Death didn’t change you that much then, if you can still forgive her.”

“I’m not sure ‘forgive’ is the right word,” Kagome said. “But it’s more important that she stay here.”

He gave her a sharp look. “Why’s that?”

“I keep waiting for her to see how much the rest of us need you. And how much it would hurt us all if she dragged you into hell with her.” She glanced at his surprised expression. “Did you really think that just because we haven’t been getting along lately that I ever wanted you to do that?”

“I made a promise.”

She shook her head. “No, you said that she died because of you and for that, you had to go with her. But that was ages ago, long before we knew that it was all Naraku’s fault. And he’s dead. He’s the one in hell, Inuyasha. Neither of you belong there.”

“Why didn’t you ever say something before?”

Kagome let out a sigh. “I have! Every moment of every day, we have all been trying to show you that nothing is worth dying!” She paused. “Well, maybe that hair demon wasn’t the best example of a full and healthy life, but you get the idea. But what could any of us do? When the woman you love asks you to die with her, there’s no way to avoid it.”

Inuyasha furrowed one brow. “If there’s no way to avoid it, why are you telling me this?”

“I want you to prove me wrong,” she said. “Believe me, the greatest show of love is wanting that person alive and with you at all costs.”

The hanyou gave her a level glance. “You really love that bastard then?” he asked.

“I wasn’t necessarily talking about Sesshoumaru,” she murmured, tilting her head away.

“That’s crap,” Inuyasha replied. He sighed at her silence and arranged himself more comfortably on the rock. “I never heard about it, you know. Start from the beginning.”

Kagome’s brown eyes turned back towards him. “Are you sure? I have more reasons you should live and not go to hell. Better reasons.”

The ghost of a smile touched his lips. “Hey, I spilled my guts to you,” he countered.

She nodded in agreement. “Fair’s fair,” she said. “Okay, just remember you asked for it.”

He leaned back on his palms. “Go for it.”

“Well, I was coming back here to give you a piece of my mind when I noticed the trip was taking longer than usual…”

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Miroku rubbed his thumb over the palm of his hand repeatedly, looking over the fire and into the dark forest where they had disappeared. The pure joy that had accompanied his release from his curse was now transforming into deep, unmovable worry. Sango was out there right now, having a long overdue conversation with her little brother. And although he knew she was careful and powerful, he couldn’t escape one pervasive thought – that if she were in trouble, he now had no way to save her.

Well, he had his sutras and his fighting skills and even unusually strong stamina, but no Wind Tunnel. Without it, he was free, but he was also weak. His eyes strayed to his other companions around the fire. Kikyo, Koga, Kirara and even Shippo – they all had, or would soon have, power that far outstripped his own. And his own abilities would only diminish – once he took Sango as his wife, he would no longer be a monk and no longer have his holy powers.

He sighed, his thumb digging into his palm harder than necessary. He only stopped when Koga sat down heavily beside him, long after Inuyasha had disappeared to find Kagome.

“Sucks, doesn’t it?” the wolf muttered.

Miroku gave him a quick glance and let his hands drop into his lap. “I am not sure what you mean, Lord Koga.”

The demon pulled up one knee and touched his shin. “Lived with them for years now,” he said, tapping his claw against his skin. A quiet clinking noise told the monk that that was where the jewel shard resided. “I almost forget what it’s like to be only as fast as everyone else. It’ll be hard to go back to it.”

“I am sure it will, but the Jewel must be completed.”

The wolf nodded. “Yeah, I don’t mind as much as I thought. I mean, it’s for Kagome, right? This is what she needs to do and I wouldn’t stand in her way, even if she’s not my woman anymore.”

Miroku had never thought he would hear such a statement from the wolf and drew back slightly. “She’s not?”

“Sesshoumaru isn’t that much of an idiot,” Koga said. He paused and frowned. “Well, I hope he’s not. Either way, she’s made herself clear. I can take a hint, you know,” he added, smiling at the houshi.

“You still have your demonic abilities,” said Miroku.

Koga nodded. “True, but I’d do it even if I became a weak mortal, you know?”

“It’s worth it for the love you still have for Kagome,” the monk supplied.

“And for getting rid of that Naraku.” He leaned forward and with two quick, subtle movements the jewel shards were free. They fell into his hand and he looked at them. “Not that I’m totally happy with it. Getting rid of him means getting rid of what’s a part of me now. I knew what I was getting into though. I guess I should be pleased she let me keep them this long.”

Koga held out his hand and tipped the two shards into the monk’s palm. “Here you go. Someone else should hold onto them for a bit. I’m still a demon after all,” he said, flashing one fang in a half-smile.

The monk glanced at the two pink shards in his hand, lying right on his perfect, whole skin. “Thank you,” he said, knowing the wolf would understand exactly what he was thanking him for.

“No problem,” Koga said with a grin.

Sango reemerged from the forest, laughing with her brother, who wore a shy smile of his own. The demon slayer’s brown eyes, filled with the true joy Miroku had only seen on scant occasions before, turned immediately to the monk and brightened. The wolf stood up slowly to make room. “You’re kind of an idiot,” he commented.

Miroku nodded as he stared at Sango. “I’m not sure what I was thinking.”

“Easy. You weren’t,” laughed the wolf, moving away.

The taijiya approached, looking after the demon. “What were you two talking about?” she asked with a smile.

“Nothing,” Miroku replied, grinning broadly as she sat down beside him. He could feel the warmth of her body through his robes. Kohaku sat down a short ways away. “Did you two have a good talk?”

“I’ve invited Kohaku to live with… well, with us,” the demon slayer said, blushing prettily. “When we’re married.”

“But my sister said that she did not discuss it with you,” Kohaku said, his large eyes moving to the monk. “I don’t want to intrude.”

Miroku’s grin had spread to the point that it was almost painful – he almost missed what Kohaku had said in favor of savoring what Sango had so quietly admitted. She would soon be his wife. Of course, they had been planning on this for quiet awhile, but to hear it from her own lips with such a happy color in her cheeks and after Naraku had been destroyed – it was as close to heaven as he could get on earth. After a moment though, he realized both of them were looking at him earnestly for an answer. “What? Oh, of course!” he said hurriedly. “Sango and I would love to have you stay with us. I would not dream of splitting you up after such a reunion.”

Sango smiled again, her eyes not moving from her betrothed’s face. “Thank you, Miroku,” she murmured.

He bowed his head. “Of course, my dearest Sango,” he said. “May I ask for one thing in return?”

The taijiya nodded, the smile still hovering on her lips. “What is it?”

“I ask that both you and your brother teach me the finer points of demon slaying,” he said.

Sango blinked and looked over at her brother, and then at the wolf demon, who was wearing an odd little smirk. She glanced back at the monk once Kohaku had given his silent assent. Miroku took her hand and she ran her fingers over his palm lovingly. When her eyes moved up his arm and his robes, the confusion evaporated.

“Of course,” she said warmly. “We’ll teach you everything we know.”

“Then the tradition will carry on,” Miroku said.

Sango leaned towards him, resting her head on his shoulder. And for once, the monk behaved – his arm remained at his side, letting his fingers entwine with hers. The camp fell into peaceable silence until Inuyasha and Kagome reappeared some time later.

“Everything go alright?” Miroku asked, opening his eyes as Sango lifted her head.

“Yup,” Kagome replied. “I told Inuyasha the whole story.”

“Could have done without some of it,” the hanyou muttered, his ears flattening against his head.

Kagome smiled in an easy way that told their companions more than words could do. Miroku and Sango let out a soft, simultaneous breath. “Wonderful,” the taijiya commented.

The miko nodded. “Where’s Shippo?”

“Sacked out awhile ago,” the wolf said, gesturing to the little lump in Kagome’s sleeping bag.

“Yeah, like he had a hard day,” Inuyasha muttered, crossing his arms. “Little twerp.”

Kagome shook her head. “Inuyasha, come on. We’re all together again.”

He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, okay,” he said, letting the matter drop for once. The monk and slayer exchanged a surprised but pleased look.

“The monk’s got my shards, Kagome,” Koga said, just as the miko was about to sit down again.

She stopped and turned. “Koga! Really? Thank you! I didn’t expect…”

“Not much good unless it has all of the pieces, right?” the wolf said, gesturing to the pink orb that hung around her neck on a chain. “Well, now you can finish it.”

Miroku froze just as he was about to give over the two shards. Kagome’s eyes grew wide as well as they all looked towards Kohaku.

“Oh,” Koga murmured, his nose twitching as the tension spiked. “Uh…”

“Shut up, wolf,” Inuyasha growled. He walked over to the teenager and looked at both of the siblings. “Don’t suppose you talked about this?”

The smile that Sango had worn since returning to Miroku’s side had faded completely. “Maybe… well, we thought Kikyo could help,” she said softly. She blushed as the hanyou continued to look at her. “Well, I thought that. We didn’t really talk about it at all.”

Inuyasha turned to look at the priestess. She had been in deep, restorative meditation since they had made camp. He personally suspected that her command not to disturb her until morning was excessive – she probably didn’t want a part of the jubilance at Naraku’s death. He licked his dry lips. “Well, we can ask her in the morning,” he said.

Kohaku shrugged. “If it will complete the Jewel and get rid of it…”

“No,” interrupted Sango. “Don’t even finish that thought! We’ll figure it out.” She turned to Miroku, who shrugged helplessly.

“I’m sorry, Sango, but I know just as much as you do about the Jewel.”

“We’ll just have to ask Kikyo in the morning,” said Inuyasha flatly.

“Or we could ask the witch,” Kagome murmured.

Sango turned towards her friend. “Do you think she would help?” she asked.

The miko was taken aback at the desperation in the taijiya’s eyes. “I don’t know,” she said. “It was just an idea. We’re pretty close though – a day or so perhaps, if I can remember exactly where it was. I think that if she can, she’ll help.”

“And we always have the Tenseiga,” Miroku observed, nodding towards the blade at Kagome’s hip.

Hope swelled within Sango’s eyes. Kagome took a step backwards. “I don’t know how to use it. Inuyasha?”

The hanyou blinked his golden eyes. “I doubt it’s anything like the Wind Scar,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to mess it up. No way.”

“Then we would need Lord Sesshoumaru,” Sango murmured.

Kohaku frowned – his sister had filled him in on the goings on between the youkai lord and the young miko, although the scene on the battlefield that morning had left little mystery to the situation. “Maybe I should go alone to ask him, if it comes to that,” he suggested. “He saved my life once and I’m friends with Rin. As much as you can be friends with someone you’ve been ordered to kill.”

“He does anything for that kid if she asks,” Inuyasha muttered. “Maybe we should let him.”

Kagome shook her head. “No. I don’t want to send Kohaku off to find him. Sesshoumaru can just come and get the damn sword himself, if he wants it.” The others watched as she paused and took a calming breath. “There’s no hurry to completing the Jewel after all. I don’t know what will happen, after all, and I don’t want any surprises. Going to the witch would be best – we can ask about that too.”

There was a long silence as they looked at Kohaku and his grief-stricken sister. No one wanted to consider what would happen if there was no answer to this most unique of problems.

Inuyasha finally nodded. “Right. Well, if we’re going to be getting into the mountains tomorrow, we should rest. I’ll take first watch,” he said, moving towards a tree that would serve as his watchtower.

The fire flickered low over the logs as they prepared for bed. Except for a few subdued good-nights, they didn’t say a word.

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The valley teemed with life. They joined several other travelers and pilgrims on the road, walking past the rows of huts lining each side. Kagome listened in interest as an old man captured the attention of several children with the tale of a terrifying snow-white demon that was tamed by a powerful priestess. She passed by just as he had gotten to the part where the miko commanded the lightening to stop itself in the sky as she descended the mountain with her youkai lover.

Inuyasha’s ears twitched at the last word from the old man’s lips as Miroku let out a loud laugh and Kagome’s cheeks burned. “It wasn’t like that!” she muttered, coloring a deeper shade of red when they walked by several stalls full of crude dolls and paintings clearly meant to be her and Sesshoumaru. It seemed that Midoriko’s life and adventures had spawned its own, separate cottage industry. But it was clear that the favorite tale, particularly of young girls, was the one of the priestess and her demon. Shippo bought a little picture with money Miroku slipped to him and sat happily on Kagome’s shoulder admiring it.

“He’s not that tall,” the fox said. “And you’re not that short. Unless… is he supposed to be in his demon form?” He squinted and put the painting an inch from his nose. “What are you two doing?” he added.

Kagome so resembled a tomato that many street vendors were offering her hats to shade her from the dangerous sun. Miroku almost had to be dragged through the streets he was laughing so hard.

But Kagome still couldn’t help but be pleased at seeing the prosperous valley. They had truly recovered – and, although she would never admit it aloud, she was happy that her travels with Sesshoumaru had contributed to such prosperity.

They followed the flow of travelers through the valley and through the mountain pass. There was a small temple at its mouth where many pilgrims stopped for blessings and one of these joined them on their way through the narrow pass.

“Going to see the witch?” he asked, grinning at them and putting a hand through his disheveled peppery hair.

“No, just going through,” Inuyasha replied.

The man clucked his tongue. “Dangerous road, dangerous road,” he murmured.

“It looks fairly well-traveled to me,” said Kagome.

“This part, sure,” said the man, “but beyond the witch’s place? Not many people go there except the most determined of merchants. Pays off, of course, but very dangerous.”

Inuyasha tucked his hands into his sleeves. “We’ll manage,” he said.

“Still, might want to stop and ask the witch for some help,” the man said. “Can’t hurt.”

“I’m surprised that so many would go to a woman they believe is a witch,” said Kikyo. “And I have never seen a temple advocating such a pilgrimage.” She had been skeptical of the whole idea since they had presented it to her the previous morning – a witch helping them? They had forgotten that it was a witch that had brought her into this tortured renewed existence.

The man laughed. “Oh, she’s not really a witch,” he said. “Just seems like one. Never ages, they say, but beautiful as the stars. That’s why most people go to see her, tell the truth. She doesn’t always show up, but she does often enough – at sunset, usually. Just looking at her face makes you lucky. So they say, anyway.”

“You’ve never been here before?” Kagome asked.

He shook his head. “No. My father and older brothers went a long time ago. They all had good crops for years. I figure that I would go and ask for a son.” He grinned as Miroku received several sidelong looks. “I got eight daughters. Nothing like wanting a son that will get you girls. Not that I mind too much, but I’ll need help on the farm soon enough.”

“Good luck with that,” Miroku said weakly.

The path widened out and the pilgrim waved before walking on ahead. Kagome slowed down until he was out of sight. Inuyasha turned to her soon enough. “Come on, Kagome. What’re you waiting for?”

She shook her head. “Not that way,” she murmured, taking a sharp right off the road. The others followed behind.

“What you doing? Where are we going?” Inuyasha growled.

Small rocks slipped underneath her shoes as she found her footing and began to climb. “It’s not that way,” she said over her shoulder. “It’s this way.”

Koga scratched the nape of his neck. “No offense, Kagome, but we seem to have gotten a bit off track. Everyone else is going the other way. Are you sure about this? I mean, how many witches are there in these mountains?”

She continued climbing until she found what looked like a narrow trail used by wild animals. “Here it is,” she whispered, touching it. “This is the old path. This is the real way to the witch. I walked this path three hundred years ago with Midoriko and Sesshoumaru.”

Inuyasha frowned for a moment. “Fine,” he said. “We’ll go this way. But who is that witch then?” He pointed back behind them where they saw the road winding further into the mountain range.

“I don’t know. Not Lady Hoshiko though,” she replied. “When I met her, it was the first time she had seen someone other than her assistant in ages. I don’t think she’s the type to start advertising her presence.”

“Well, how long does this go on?” he asked.

Kagome frowned and tapped her chin. “I don’t remember actually. I just remember it being a rather pleasant walk.”

But as they climbed, they found it wasn’t a pleasant walk at all. Natural barriers had sprung up where there had been clear land before – thick stands of trees, wide streams full of slippery rocks and fallen boulders were everywhere. Nothing easily stood in the way of the determined bunch, especially with Koga, Inuyasha and Kirara to carry them on occasion, but it was very frustrating.

And yet as they went on and the others got increasingly tired and cranky, Kagome cheered considerably. She had more energy in her limbs than any of them and it was Koga that had to convince her to stop for lunch.

The sun was setting as Kagome insisted that they continue.

“Kirara is tired, Kagome. We can go on tomorrow,” Sango said, yawning. “Like you said, no rush, right?”

“Please, just to that ridge. This isn’t a good place to camp anyway,” Kagome replied. “I have to keep going.”

Koga rubbed his face, trying to wake himself up. It wasn’t snowing in these mountains, but he could feel a storm approaching. “That ridge?” he said, pointing almost directly above them.

“It’s not as far as it looks,” Kagome promised. “Would you at least take me?”

Inuyasha frowned. “No, we’ll all go,” he said. “This really isn’t a good place to sleep.”

“There’s a plateau up there,” the miko said. “I promise. There are steps too… somewhere.” She squinted in the failing light but could not find the stone steps that were cut into this last part of the path.

The wolf sighed. “Okay, I’ll take you and the fox,” he said, gesturing to Kohaku. “Mutt-face, get the miko. Can the cat go that far with the three of you?”

Sango nodded. “Sure, as long as we stop there,” she said, rolling her shoulders.

Koga scooped up the girl, waited for the kitsune to climb aboard and began to jump from rock to rock, up the steep incline. It wasn’t far, as she said, but much more dangerous than it looked. His sure footing was the only thing that kept them from tumbling down the cliff – he almost wished for the shards back so that he was as confident in his strides as Kagome seemed to be. She kept her face turned up to the ledge, barely breathing and her heart beating rapidly against her ribs. She was transfixed.

He came over the edge and found an empty plateau, just as Kagome had promised. He set her down and led her away from the edge. Inuyasha and Kirara followed close behind with their passengers. The fire-cat transformed to her small form as soon as the humans climbed off her back, jumping into Sango’s arms for a well-deserved sleep.

Inuyasha scanned the place with his sharp eyes. “Looks pretty good. We’ll make camp here.” He frowned as the young miko began to walk away. “Kagome, stay here. You’re going to fall off the edge if you wander around like that.”

“There used to be a waterfall here,” she murmured, looking at a blank rock face. “It was a magic barrier. There should at least be a cave.”

Koga crossed his arms and came to her side. “So, we’re on the wrong mountain?” he muttered.

“No, this is the right one,” she said firmly. “This is where I need to be.”

The wolf let out a soft sigh. “Well, we’re all pretty tired, Kagome. Let’s rest and then in the morning we’ll figure it out.”

The sun dipped below the horizon and they were bathed in the gray of twilight. Kagome walked across the plateau towards the rock face and laid a hand on the stone, just where the waterfall should have been. “It’s warm,” she said.

“It was in the sun for a long time today,” said Sango, a frown creasing the corners of her mouth.

“No, it’s warm with magic,” Kagome insisted. She splayed her hands out and pushed. “It’s just an illusion!”

Inuyasha came to her side. “Kagome, it’s rock. Let’s just rest already.”

But the miko ignored him. “Let me in!” she called, slamming her open palm against the stone and wincing. “Please!”

“Kagome…”

She shook her head. “You don’t understand.”

His ears flicked forward. “Sure, I do. We all want to find the witch. And we will. Tomorrow.”

“No,” she said. She sighed heavily and turned to him, her back against the cliff. “My brain feels like it’s going to explode, Inuyasha. I need to get in there.”

“You in pain again?” the hanyou asked.

“No,” she murmured, her eyes closing. “I don’t know. I guess I’m just anxious for answers to a few questions of my own.”

Kagome settled against the rock as the hanyou and wolf exchanged a look. Just as they were about to coax her back to her sleeping bag and the fire that would soon start, her eyes flew open and she fell backwards into the cave mouth that sprang open behind her. She landed on her back gracelessly with a soft cry.

“Well, that’s one question of yours answered,” Inuyasha said.

Koga, who was moving forward to help Kagome to her feet, stopped mid-stride. “And there’s another,” he muttered, looking past the girl.

Kagome tilted her head back against the ground and found two golden eyes staring down at her. One perfect clawed hand extended and pulled her to her feet.