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Kagome slipped her dagger into the strap on her ankle, then shouldered her quiver. She wasn't sure which weapons would be needed, but she figured it was better to be safe than sorry. If she was lucky, she wouldn't need any of them.
"Are ye sure about this?" Kaede asked, tapping her cane against the floor in agitation. Kagome was caught between rolling her eyes and hugging her for reassurance. The village head was the type to attack first and ask questions later—something she'd somehow been unable to teach Kagome in the years since she'd stumbled into the village.
They'd both been surprised at Kagome's power, the teen barely able to control it after a spider youkai had tried to ensnare the villagers for its next meal. Kagome's protective nature had manifested between her hands, disintegrating both arachnid and web in a single blast, but if it hadn't been for Kaede's gentle coaxing, she likely would've destroyed herself in the process.
According to Kaede, there was something more to her power than met the eye, though neither of them had discovered its secret yet. She was a miko, there was no doubt about that, but something was constantly pushing her to use more every time she defended the village—something darker.
Something Kagome wanted to give into.
She shook her head, then rose to her feet. "I'm sure. Whatever's been haunting the woods has been getting bolder lately. The villagers are scared, and a few neighbouring merchants have refused to trade with us until it's taken care of."
Kaede pursed her lips, gripping her cane. "It is not your sole responsibility to—"
"I'm not sending anyone else out there," Kagome said. "It's not just a rogue bear or bandits. And you're not in any shape to help." The older woman raised her chin defiantly, as if her leg wasn't currently wrapped in a splint. Kagome patted her shoulder. "I've never had an issue before. And I've come a long way since the first time."
Kaede's pinched expression didn't lessen, and she shoved Kagome's hand away. "Don't patronize me, child. Ye still have much to learn."
Kagome grinned. "Which is why I need to take care of this quickly. Then I can come back and work on our garden—while you continue to chastise me." She ducked as Kaede swiped at her with her cane, her movements graceful as she moved toward the door.
"Ye compassion is only matched by your snark."
"And my talent." She laughed as she ducked again, grabbing her bow and blocking a few blows. The fact that Kaede could hold her own with a broken leg told her everything she needed to know about how seriously she took her role.
"Be careful of the humanoid ones," Kaede warned, tipping up the end of Kagome's bow before landing a tap to her side.
Kagome rolled her eyes this time. "That's what you said about Kouga. And now everyone relies on his pack for safe passage through the mountains."
"Only after ye forced him to see reason about his silly claim." Kouga had taken a liking to Kagome from the start, announcing to the entire village and his pack that she was his woman. It was only after she'd severely beaten him, her dagger an inch from his crotch paired with the threat to make it so he couldn't claim anyone, that he finally relented.
He still made a pass at her each time he visited, but it was more just to get a rise out of her than anything else. Most of his generals referred to her as 'sister', a title she was much happier accepting.
"I mean it, child. There is something sinister in the woods—"
"I know," Kagome interrupted. And she did. Whatever it was had been calling to her, reiki bubbling close to the surface and keeping her up at night. This hunt was as much for her as it was for the village. "I'll be careful."
Kaede gave her a stern nod, watching from the doorway as Kagome waved over her shoulder, power already blanketing the ground as she sought out the source of the disturbance. Shoulders straightening, she headed west to where the forest was the thickest, giving into the ominous but alluring siren's song.
The entire day was spent wandering through the trees, trying to find a trace of the creature that had been spooking the villagers, but so far, she'd come up empty. She'd even taken a break in a nearby river, hoping to draw it out by pretending to be oblivious, but still nothing.
"I know you're here," Kagome whispered, sending her power skipping over roots and into the branches looming above her. "If you play nice, I won't hurt you." There was no response, and she sighed, placing her weapons on the side of the bank.
Maybe a sign of trust was needed.
Folding her legs under her, she closed her eyes, evening out her breathing as she searched for anything out of place. Silence descended as the sun set, not even the wind wafting through the leaves above her. Power ebbed and flowed, leaving Kagome at the epicentre of the storm as it rippled around her.
She didn't need weapons to catch whatever was out here.
Something brushed against her senses, but it wasn't enough to pull her out of her meditative state. She needed it to come closer. The sensation shifted, touching the other side, stronger this time but still not taking form. If she could just lure it close enough to—
Her eyes shot open and she rolled, barely avoiding a set of glowing claws. She kept moving until her fingers wrapped around her bow, nocking an arrow as she spun around to face the threat, but met nothing but air. Cursing, she sent out her reiki again, the edge a dark aura sending her rolling again.
Whatever was out here was powerful.
"You can't hide forever!" she called, following the traces of it through the forest. It bounced around before turning around, a blast of youki forcing her to take cover. A smirk touched her lips, and she abandoned her bow, rolling her hands together as reiki sparked. "If that's how you want to play…"
She threw up a barrier, trapping them both inside, almost laughing at the resulting snarls. "Show me your face, and I'll think about taking it down!" she yelled, leaning back against the roughened bark. "I don't want to hurt you, but you've been scaring the villagers. If you're looking for your next meal, you'll have to find it somewhere else!"
There was another snarl, and something snapped above her, only her quick reflexes keeping the falling branch from doing more damage. Growling out loud, she shot a blast of reiki in the creature's direction, another one quickly following to keep it from being able to retaliate.
She was the superior warrior, and if she had to maim whatever this was to prove it, so be it.
Rolling her reiki between her hands, she lobbed out a few more blasts at it, pulling the creature out of the shadows before power pooled around her feet, readying the next attack. But as she met the gaze of her opponent, Kagome found herself hesitating.
When she'd gone up against Kouga, he'd been completely in control of his faculties, his eyes focused and purposeful. This one was humanoid but feral, dirt caked into his claws, turquoise pupils set inside crimson slits as fangs glistened in the fading sunlight.
Her reiki rescinded, and she stepped closer, pushing low-hanging branches and gnarled bushes out of the way. He growled, crouching low as silver hair whipped around his face. Jagged slashes of magenta were cut across his face, a matching set adorning his shoulders, wrists, and hips, the latter rising high out of his pants.
The markings were something she'd never seen before, yet there was something deeply familiar about them—especially the indigo moon in the middle of his forehead.
She reached for him, but youki ignited, and she was thrown backwards, senses reeling as the stench of burnt grass invaded her nostrils. Instincts had another barrier forming around her, but there was never an accompanying blow. Rubbing the back of her head, Kagome slowly sat up, eyes darting around for her attacker.
She could still feel him, but it was faint, and the bubble around her dissolved as she took off after him. Regardless of how strange he was, she couldn't let him escape—no matter how much he tried to deter her.
A trail of claw marks led in the opposite direction, but Kagome knew better. "Nice try," she smirked, kicking up dirt as she ducked between the underbrush. She could feel his power building, anxiety giving way to panic before a whip of light snapped back at her. Expecting it this time, she slid underneath it, her skin prickling as her power screamed to be released.
It would be so easy—she could simply dispose of him and be done with it—but the pull was stronger now, leading her deeper into the forest, and though animals ran in the opposite direction, Kagome pushed herself harder. She dissolved the larger barrier, concentrating her power in front of her, trying to box him in.
It only enraged him further, as she knew it would, the beast breaking through the tree line into a secluded glade, acid dripping from his hands as he spun around. The fur that covered one shoulder stood on end though most of it was matted against his skin.
"I just want to talk," she said, holding up her hands to show she hadn't brought her weapons with her. He hadn't uttered a word yet, but based on his current appearance, she couldn't be sure it was out of choice.
His youki was turbulent, building up underneath him as he continued to glare at her. Lightning flashed in his eyes, teal irises glowing like a ghostly spectre, and Kagome struggled to keep her power in check.
"I don't want to hurt you," she repeated. "But I won't let you hurt me, either."
'You are nothing.' The disembodied voice rippled through her, and she stiffened.
"I'm your worst nightmare if you try anything," she bit out. He crawled on all fours, more beast than man, encircling her like he would a prey, but Kagome was startled to realize she wasn't afraid. Her reiki was so close to the surface she could taste it, but she was perfectly calm.
"What are you?" The question set him off, her cries of protest lost under the tsunami of youki. Instincts took hold, dark hair lifting off her shoulders as her body was encased in brilliant pink light. The creature howled then pounced, claws and fangs bared.
Kagome flinched, entirely at odds with what she was about to do, but knowing she didn't have a choice. "I'm sorry," she whispered, raising her hands as reiki ran down her arms and collided with his attack.
The glade exploded.
She expected fire or electricity or even the slightest amount of pain, but an odd warmth engulfed her, tendrils of something winding up her arm. She braced herself, shielding her eyes as their combined powers turned white.
She couldn't tell where he was, her reiki unresponsive, and she tried to pull away, gasping when she felt something grab her hand. The warm sensation persisted even as the haze slowly receded to reveal the creature on his knees in front of her.
Gold bore into sapphire as she stared in shock, the same tendrils of power winding their way up his arm, their fingers intertwined. The stripes on his face had smoothed out, still vibrant against his pale skin but giving him a far gentler look, and her fingers tightened around his.
She knew him. At least her heart did, every fibre of her being reaching out for him. Their melded power continued to swirl around their arms, tying them together in a way she'd only ever dreamed of.
She'd found her twin flame.
Kaede had spoken of them in passing, brushing them off as a youkai myth, but the thought of being someone else's half had fascinated Kagome. Twin flames were always composed of those with opposing powers—the phoenix clan to the north had recently welcomed a yuki-onna as their leader's mate, the younglings refusing to let her leave after they'd witnessed her create snow for the first time.
The leader had been smitten on sight, but Kaede had chalked it up to hormones and the fact he'd been alone for centuries.
Hormones had nothing to do with what Kagome was feeling now.
"I have been searching for you," the creature rumbled, thumb tracing the back of her hand.
"But I'm human," she argued weakly. In all her teachings, Kaede had never mentioned a twin flame being anything but youkai before.
"Do you deny our connection?" he asked. She shook her head—how could she? The proof was wound around her arm, his hand warm to the touch even though he'd been running around half-naked.
"What happened? Why were you—"
His mouth clicked shut, muscles rolling along his jaw. "I had been close to finding you before, but someone—something intervened, preventing me from making the connection." A pained expression crossed his face. "I thought you had been lost."
Kagome's heart clenched. Just how long had he been looking for her? She'd been in the village for years after Kaede had found her, with only faint memories of where and who she'd been before.
"A spider," she murmured.
He nodded, eyes narrowing. "He sought to absorb your power before you found a way to unlock it and assumed allowing me close would trigger it."
She snorted. "Joke's on him. He showed up in the village when I was recovering and tried to build a new nest. I was trying to protect everyone and blasted him."
"I would expect nothing less."
She preened at the praise, heat dusting her cheeks. "You thought I was dead?"
"I could not think anything else. Word had spread of a great power—one equal to my own—but when I arrived, there was nothing left. The pull I had felt toward you had been snuffed out, and I—" Pointed ears turned pink as he looked away. "I did not handle it well."
Kagome stifled her laughter at the putout expression on his face, reaching out to cup his cheek. "But you found me."
He leaned into the touch. "And you have accepted."
"Is that what I did?"
He raised an eyebrow at her, then tugged her onto the ground. "I would have continued to chase you had you not."
"Chased me?" she asked, mimicking his skeptical expression. "Last time I checked, I was the one chasing you. And winning, I might add."
"You are the only one who would be able to do so." He finally released her hand, laying a kiss on the inside of her palm.
She shivered, trying to keep herself from melting against him. "Pretty brash for someone who doesn't even know my name yet."
He smirked as he nipped at her skin. "I would call you mate."
"Tempting, but it's kind of hard to introduce me to people that way."
"Perhaps I planned on keeping you to myself for the time being."
"Again, tempting, but let's humour the human customs, shall we?"
Amber eyes considered her for a moment, but he eventually straightened. "Very well. What do your companions call you?"
"Kagome."
"Kagome." The sound of her name on his lips was almost as sinful as the feel of his mouth against the back of her hand. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Sesshoumaru."
"Of course you are." How could he possibly be called anything else? "We should get you cleaned up. And find you some clothes." His snort told her he knew exactly how she felt about covering him up, but she ignored it in favour of pulling his face down and kissing the mark on his forehead. "I'm glad you're safe."
His grip was iron hard as his arms wrapped around her waist. "I would not have survived if you had been anything but," he murmured into her hair. She couldn't imagine what he'd gone through, pulling him closer.
She'd known something was missing but not knowing made the hollowness in her heart harder to define. He had known exactly what he was missing, instincts taking over until he'd felt a flare of her power, but unable to recognize it for what it was with how long he'd been searching.
She brushed a leaf from his hair, running her fingers through the tangled mess of silver, unable to let him go, even for a moment. There were questions to be answered, formalities to carry out, but for now, he seemed content with laying down on the grass, head in her lap as their mingled power—and hearts—finally settled.
They'd found each other, and for now, that was enough.