Take Another Breath

"So, let me get this straight." Kagome watched Hikari closely as the woman played with Shippou, suspicious of her motives. And obviously so. Even Miroku was more tactful than her at the moment, despite watching the newcomer's shapely form from behind his bangs. And oblivious to the possessive glares Sango was giving him. "You hid from a storm in a cave in the woods, in America no less, you ran through blue magic, fell asleep from exhaustion.. and woke up in the middle of the road in the Sengoku Jidai."

Snatching up the giggling Shippou, Hikari ruffled his red hair and sat down against a tree, before shooing him off to collect one of the cups of ramen Kagome was now preparing and handing out to the group. "Yep, that about covers it. And judging from the story you told me, it was the same magic. Though your well sounds much easier to get into and out of.. there's no way I'm going to be able to leave now."

Kagome gave Hikari a puzzled look, wondering why the woman didn't sound at all saddened by that fact. After slurping down a bit of her ramen, she waved her chopsticks towards the other girl from the modern era, gesturing as she spoke. "You're not upset by this? And how come you can speak Japanese?"

"Because America isn't really my home. Japan is." Four sets of hands stopped devouring ramen at the same instant, all eyes except for Shippou and Kirara turning to their strange new companion. She chuckled, running claws through her black bangs and tucking them behind her ears. "My parents are originally from Japan. They left when the humans started killing off all the youkai, and fled to China. They traveled the world for several hundred years, but were killed in a war in Europe when I was.. oh, about two hundred. Then I moved to America and have bounced around there ever since." That was when she noticed their wide-eyed stares, and blinked. "..What?"

"..Two hundred? Lady Hikari, if you don't mind my asking.. just what are you?" Miroku, still oblivious to Sango's glares, was slowly trying to get closer to the woman. If he could just get a good feel of that nice-looking rump of hers, he'd welcome the pain that would result, although unsure if it would come from Hikari herself or the irritated demon slayer.

"Geeze, I thought you guys were smarter than that." Shippou cackled at the looks on their faces as he said that, and finished up his ramen, handing the container to Kagome before he scampered back over to Hikari and settled on her lap. "She's a youkai! A kitsune, to be exact."

Before they could even ask, Hikari was nodding in confirmation to Shippou's words, running her claws gently through the little kit's hair. "Yep. But I'm not surprised you didn't notice it earlier. I've become very adept at suppressing my youki, because believe it or not, there are a lot of people in America who have the ability to sense youkai."

Kagome stared resentfully at the unfinished ramen in her hand, before passing the container over to Inuyasha to finish off. Well now she understood why Shippou was so attached to Hikari, but that didn't make it any easier for Kagome to accept. Though she immediately forced herself to perk up, giving a beaming smile to the group as she shifted through her backpack. "Well, I know there's a spring nearby, I'm going to take a bath!"

"I think I'll join you, Kagome." Sango set her empty ramen container with the growing pile, and stood easily, her lithe form stretching out with a sigh. But before Kagome could wander off, she nudged the miko in the side, gesturing subtly towards Hikari. Kagome frowned, but nodded, and swallowed her resentment.

"Hikari! You're welcome to join us if you want."

The youkai blinked in surprise, and looked up at Kagome and Sango, before giving them a little smile. "Thanks, but I agreed to work with Shippou on kitsune magic, and tell him more about our kind. I appreciate it, though."

The two women nodded, then went off through the woods towards the hot spring. Hikari then looked down at Shippou, tickling him gently as she grinned. But she stopped when the kit spoke up, his words choked by giggles. "Kagome thinks you're stealing me."

"..What? Oh... She kinda adopted you, didn't she?" She sighed when Shippou nodded, frowning ever so slightly. Cradling him carefully in her arms, she stood and walked a small distance away from the remaining members of the group, ignoring the stares she was getting from both Miroku and Inuyasha. "So that's why she doesn't like me. I think you should talk to her later, Shippou. But for now, let's work on that magic, okay?"

"Okay!"

"All right kiddo, show me what you've got!"

----------

Late that night, Kagome stirred as she felt Shippou squirming in her sleeping bag next to her. Figuring that the kit was just heeding the 'call of nature' she shifted and opened up her sleeping bag, letting him crawl out. But she watched him walk away, to make sure he'd be okay, and her heart sank when she saw what he did.

Rather than wandering off into the nearby bushes, he made a beeline for the figure curled up against the base of a tree, gently patting at the sleeping Hikari's cheek as he spoke quietly. "Hikari?"

The older kitsune opened her eyes, looking down at Shippou as she quirked a brow. "Yes, Shippou?"

"Can I sleep with you? I usually sleep with Kagome, but..."

"Of course. I understand." Hikari swept the kit into her arms, and curled around him as she snuggled into a more comfortable position, and soon enough they were both asleep again.

Kagome tried to keep the tears from falling, but they just wouldn't. Though Shippou had explained the kinship between kitsunes earlier, that didn't stop it from hurting.. the fact that she knew she was losing her Shippou to another woman.

----------

Several days passed, and nothing of much consequence happened. Hikari continued to work with Shippou on his kitsune magic, which was growing steadily stronger each day under her experienced tutelage. There was the usual series of Inuyasha-shaped craters left in the road, and bumps left on Miroku's head from the Hiraikotsu. There was even one opportunity that they came upon a youkai with one of the shards of the Shikon no Tama in its forehead, but with the aid of their new kitsune companion, it was easy to take down.

Inuyasha had warmed up considerably towards Hikari, and surprisingly enough, so had Kagome. Mainly after discovering an affinity for several of the same bands and a mutual love of one of the bath products the miko had with her.

It was one day after a particularly trying session with Shippou, having already bathed and sent the kit off to do the same with Kagome and Sango, that Hikari was lounging beside the fire, combing the tangles out of her hair with her claws. She knew Miroku was slowly yet surely sidling his way over to her, under the guise of 'meditating'. Inuyasha was patrolling the area, keeping an eye out for youkai or troublesome humans, which left the youkai and monk alone at the fire.

Needless to say, Hikari wasn't at all surprised when Miroku's hand found her rear. She opened her eyes with a sigh, and slowly turned to face the monk, pools of bright turquoise gazing at him from behind thick lashes. Miroku gulped, awaiting the bonk on the head or the palm against his cheek, only to blink in surprise when he saw her face nearing his, her voice issuing forth in a low purr. "I'm surprised you've waited this long, Houshi-sama... I know you've been watching me since the moment I joined your little group."

"Eheheh.. heh.. ahem. I was simply waiting for the right oppor-- EEK!" A very unmanly squeak issued from the lecherous monk as he suddenly had the sensation of claws pricking the area around his genitalia, then digging in ever so slightly. More surprised that she would put her hand there than what she was going to do, he looked down, only to blanch at the sight of both her hands laying in plain view.

"Kitsune magic, Houshi-sama. Now, you might not see a hand there, but I assure you, it can do damage. So I suggest you remove your hand from my person, unless you want to be castrated. Do it again, and I'll go through with that threat. Should you be enough of a baka to do it yet again after that, I'll make you a eunuch. Do I make myself clear, Miroku?" The monk gave another undignified squeak and pulled his hand away from Hikari's ass, then scrambled all the way to the other side of the fire. The youkai couldn't help a giggle, especially when she looked up and saw a pair of amber eyes glimmering with amusement in the branches of a tree. "You can come down, Inuyasha. I can take care of myself."

Inuyasha gave a small growl, and dropped from the tree, landing in a crouch next to Hikari. Miroku groaned slightly, embarrassed that there had been another witness to his little transgression, but Inuyasha just gave him a 'shame on you' look, then turned his attention back to Hikari. "I can see that, wench. I just wanted to make sure you didn't hurt the monk. He's useful to us."

"Because of the Kazaana in his hand, courtesy of Naraku."

"..Yeah, but.. how did you know about that?" Inuyasha leaned in close, sniffing at Hikari suspiciously. Miroku hadn't used his Kazaana, and no one had said anything about it. Was she a minion of Naraku's?

"Uh.. my parents told me?" Damn! Hikari's mind was whirling. She almost let slip one of her little secrets, and only prayed Inuyasha would buy the lie. But as he turned one disbelieving golden eye on her, she sighed in defeat. "..Okay, my parents didn't tell me, but.. you have to promise you won't reveal what I'm about to tell you."

"Keh, I don't see why I should trust you, wench. You could be one of Naraku's little bitches!" Inuyasha snuffled at her, and then abruptly gave a low whimper, and started pounding one foot against the ground. Of all the dirty tricks! How did that damn kitsune know that scratching behind his ears would incapacitate him like this?

"Promise, Inuyasha." Hikari took his whimper of submission as an assent, and stopped scratching behind that furry little ear, instead fixing Inuyasha with an intense stare. "I can see things. When I touch someone, I see things about their past, and their future. And sometimes, things just come to me.. in dreams, and even when I'm wide awake. That's how I know about Miroku's Kazaana, and your little dilemma over Kikyou and Kagome."

Inuyasha's ears swiveled, before pressing flat to his head. His voice softened, eyes gazing almost sadly at Hikari. "..You know about that?"

Hikari nodded, but reached over to gently rub one of Inuyasha's little ears, like his mother did to soothe him when he was a child. That was what convinced him, even as she smiled comfortingly. "Yes, but it won't be a problem much longer.. I promise you that."

----------

Everyone was deep in sleep that night when the disturbance happened.

Miroku abruptly let out a wail of pain, clutching at his hand with the Kazaana as he convulsed and fell away from the tree against which he'd been sleeping. Sango and Kagome were immediately at his side, while Inuyasha dropped from his tree swinging the Tetsusaiga about and growling. Hikari was the only one who remained calm, giving Shippou a knowing look and a wink as he glanced up at her.

As soon as all the commotion started, it smoothed over, a pale Miroku falling over into Sango's arms as he passed out. Kirara transformed into her true youkai form, fire sprouting from her paws, as Sango hefted the monk and made to climb onto the neko's back, intending to return to Kaede's village and get him some help

It was Hikari's calm voice that halted her, the whole group turning to look at the youkai in surprise. "There is no need for that, Sango. Houshi-sama is fine, and if you don't believe me, remove those prayer beads around his hand and look for yourself."

Inuyasha, remembering what Hikari had told him, sheathed Tetsusaiga and looked at the kitsune with a questioning glance. She just nodded, and the hanyou gave a beaming grin, rushing over to hurriedly unwind the prayer beads from Miroku's Kazaana. The sight that greeted a very confused Kagome and Sango made all three stare in wonder.

The Kazaana was gone.

"Well I'll be damned. That can only mean one thing..." Inuyasha turned to look at Hikari once again, who just gaving him a knowing little grin, before settling back down to sleep with Shippou once again nestled in her arms. "Naraku's dead."

"What? How is that possible? How can you know that, Inuyasha?" Kagome glared at the hanyou, wondering why he kept looking at Hikari. Bad enough she had to compete with a clay priestess, she hoped he wasn't lusting after Hikari too. Then she might be forced to dislike the kitsune again.

"Keh. Calm down, wench. Hikari will explain in the morning. It's her secret after all."

The group returned to their various sleeping spots, though Sango remained at Miroku's side, his head in her lap as she stroked his hair. Kirara remained with her mistress, curled up next to Miroku and purring. The taijiya was watching Hikari, wondering what secrets the youkai had.