At The Edge Of The Moon
Chapter 4
a/n: Chapter 4!
Thank you to Syrra and Shyneamor for the reviews! It definately helps to motivate and I'm glad to hear that you have enjoyed the story thus far. Because of that, I felt encouraged to write out another chapter tonight. Thanks again and enjoy! :)
Chapter 4: She had woken up the next morning to the column of light that filtered through her window, the warmth soothing the raw, tear-stained skin under her eyes. Returning back to the hut the previous night had been easy enough – Inu Yasha hadn’t given chase and the kit she had left behind had still been sound asleep. It had been with quite little trouble that the miko had been able to allow her eyes to drift closed and into a dreamless sleep.
But now, as the morning threatened the last remaining strands of the night, she would have to wake and fact the reality that the normality of life was about to change.
Lowering her gaze to the now empty space left by her kit, Kagome struggled slowly to push herself up and out of bed, pausing for only mere moments to look at the fringe of her silk night gown, memories threatening to spill forth. Clenching her jaw, Kagome built up the emotional wall in her mind, putting on reserve all of the tears she had silently refused to cry. Discarding her usual morning rituals, the miko forgone the folding of her futon and moved to get dressed for the day. Sifting through a small chest in the corner of the hut, she pulled out what looked like a blue sundress, the sleeves capped and dipping into a dainty squared neck. Holding the garment up for inspection in the sunlight, Kagome could only purse her lips in thought.
At least it’s a little change… Her lip curled into a partial sneer. Yeah, just like the change from last night, right? Kagome slammed the trunk closed, stripping off her nightgown and changing before any more snarky remarks could be formed in her mind.
“Shippo?” She called out, after changing. Her call fell onto deaf ears; apparently the kit had woken long before her and left, most likely to have breakfast with either Sango or Kaede. Maybe visiting the old priestess would provide reprieve against her wandering mind. Making motions to leave the hut, Kagome was faintly surprised to feel the slight tug in her stomach, its compass redirecting her back toward the center of her hut.
That was odd… The miko paused before attempting once again to leave the confines of her hut. This time, she felt the invisible rope give way, allowing her once more to move freely. With uncertainty, Kagome shut the door behind her before taking the path toward Kaede’s hut. Ever since the previous night, she had had strange sensations routing her back to her home, as if her body had been exercising an ability to think freely from her mind.
Patting down the front of her dress to smooth any creases, Kagome paused outside of the old woman’s door. Maybe Kaede would have more insight as to the cause? She knocked softly, waiting only seconds before the older priestess opened the door with a smile. “Kagome! Please, do come in my dear!” She leaned forward and grabbed the other woman in a generous hug.
“It has been a few days since I’ve seen ye last, child.” Kaede leaned back from their hug, her watery-old eyes inspecting the much younger woman in front of her. Kagome looked tired – red, puffed bags hung under her eyes and she looked like she had been crying. Maybe it was wiser to refrain from mentioning it, as the young miko looked much distressed. Instead, the priestess grabbed her younger counterpart by the hand, pulling her inside and gesturing for her to take a seat.
“Tea?” The old woman moved toward the fire, already a steaming kettle resting on hot coals. Kagome could only stare at the fire, words tumbling out of her mouth before she even had the chance to consider if divulging any information would worry her companion.
“ I found him last night, Kaede-chan… H-he was in the woods with her.” She paused, turning her gaze down to her lap with a scornful grimace. “I just couldn’t understand that things had gotten that bad, you know?” Kagome straightened her posture, raising her sights to rest on the older woman. Her bottom lip had begun trembling slightly and Kaede found herself shuffling over to the young miko, her arm wrapping motherly around her shoulders, trying her best to comfort her grieving friend. Finding some semblance of resolve, Kagome attempted to wipe away the unshed tears in her eyes, lowering her eyes once gain. He’s just so… stupid! I need to forget him. I have to.
Shaking her head against the thoughts, Kagome turned to give her friend a gentle hug in return. “You know Kaede-chan, I noticed something peculiar about last night, too. It was almost like I was guided to go find them both,” she paused, taking a shaking breath and pulling away from her embrace. “ And once I got there, I could feel like something broke. Like… I knew exactly that he wasn’t an option anymore.” Kaede turned back toward the kitchen, retrieving two tea cups before returning to her friend, pouring the steaming liquid from the kettle before deciding a response. It wasn’t always unusual for a miko’s powers to guide her around in life. After all, their sole purpose in life was to heal and keep the purity of situations. “Have ye been sleeping well at night?” Kagome nodded, her fingers gripping the tea cup in her hands with earnest. “Usually I sleep soundly, but it wasn’t until last night that I was woken up. I mean, I was just checking up on Shippo, but usually I’m able to go back to sleep afterwards.” The old priestess closed her eyes, recalling the only other time she had heard something of similar accounts. It had been when Kikyo had thought she’d lost Inu Yasha. Only, the two had consistently found each other with some gravity between them, an unseen force choosing to tie their fates together. At the time, the two sisters had attributed the energy to being the results of Kikyo’s miko powers. If her powers were meant for healing, it only seemed natural that the energy would look to preserve the body and emotions of its retainer. In the process, it had seemed to make decisions based of potential influences in their lives that would best contribute to the succession of survival and preservation. Meaning, if Inu Yasha had seemed best suited for Kikyo, there was a chance that her powers had been calling out to him the entire time, much like Youkai called out for a mate or companion. There were always strength in numbers.
Raising her teacup to her mouth, Kaede raised a lone eye to her companion. It was probably best not to mention anything to the little miko. The last thing that the girl would want to hear would be about their hanyou friend and the fates. Or even about the consequences of their power. Lowering the teacup slowly, the old priestess gave a small smile. “Think not about it, child. I am sure that life has more paths for ye.”
Sitting under the large girth of an oak tree, Sesshoumaru watched dispassionately as his retainer fled giggling from a squawking Jaken. Rin had found a handful of flowers and had decided that the aid’s staff required decoration. He had to hand it to the young onna – she had a way of always creating trouble for the toad youkai.
Rubbing his fingers together, Sesshoumaru looked down upon the small white daisy that Rin had handed him earlier. It was rather dainty, pearlescent in color, soft and gentle to the touch.
Kind of like a certain woman, his mind whispered.
The taiyoukai continued to look at the small flower, his mind rolling back to the events of the previous evening.
After returning back to the castle, the lord had settled himself under the silken sheets of his bed, hoping that sleep would have claimed him once more. And while it had, it certainly hadn’t spared him from another onslaught of dreams. Only this time, there were subtle differences about his mystery woman that he hadn’t noticed quite before. Closing his eyes, the lord tried thinking back to the dream..
***
His fangs had grazed across the alabaster column of her throat, a small bead of blood seeping out to stain her skin. He had wasted no time in lavishing the minor scratch with the length of his tongue, soothing the irritation he had left in his wake.
She had moaned then, rosy lips panting near his ear. And for the first time, his mystery woman had spoken one audible word: ‘Sesshoumaru’.
Never before had she spoken to him in his dreams, much less said his name.
With a possessive growl, the taiyoukai tightened his grip around her waist, his searing mouth trailing its way across her collar bone and down to a taut, pert breast. Tongue snaking out once more, he captured the rosy pebble in his mouth, rolling the sensitive bud between his teeth gently as she cried out his name once more.
‘Sesshoumaru!’
Sucking gingerly on the morsel, he pulled until the tip of her breast was released with an audible pop, only to sway, glistening, in his line of vision. The sight alone had caused his member to swell, growing painful in its need to release his seed in this little woman of his dreams.
Mine.
***
The word had awoken him up yet again that night, a shaken feeling working its way down his spine. His beast had spoken, much like when he had watched Inu Yasha’s bitch running away in the dark. The thought of comparing his mystery woman to his half-brother’s human companion had caused an uncomfortable sensation in his chest.
Next time? He thought with a sardonic scowl. Yes. There would most definitely be a next time, as there was every night.