InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Woman Scorned ❯ Leaving for a short time ( Chapter 6 )

The next morning, Kagome slowly awoke to the feeling of Shippo snuggled up next to her, trembling. She started to stretch, but stopped as she realized two things. First, something white and fluffy was wrapped around her and Shippo, providing extra warmth against the chilly night air. Second, there was a hard body pressed up against her back and a muscular arm thrown across her waist. As Inu-yasha was in a tree glaring down at her, she correctly assumed that it was Sesshomaru.

"I see that you have finally awoken," his smooth silky voice purred into her ear. Kagome shivered and she felt his arm tighten around her waist briefly before he released her. She rolled over, clutching the terrified Shippo to her and watched as he stood up and walked off, his long fluffy tail trailing after him. When he disappeared into the woods, Kagome sighed and felt Shippo relax some.

"Momma, why was Sesshomaru sleeping beside us?" he asked in a worried voice. Kagome had told him it was alright to call her that, as she basically was. Kagome smiled down at her puzzled son and gently stroked his red hair, trying to think of a way to explain the deal she had made with Sesshomaru and not confuse him.

"Keh, you're too young to know stupid!" Inu-yasha exclaimed, having walked up and caught the tail end of Shippo's question. Before Kagome could even think about sitting him, a rock came flying out of the forest and struck Inu-yasha in the back of the head, knocking him unconscious. Although she couldn't see him, Kagome knew that Sesshomaru was responsible.

"Come on Shippo, let's get some breakfast so we can begin heading back to Kaede's village," Kagome said to her giggling adopted son. Immediately, the little kitsune kit was out of the sleeping bag and next to Sango and Miroku, who had been watching the whole proceedings with a mixture of shock and amusement on their faces.

"What?" Kagome asked defensively. Her friends immediately apologized and began the task of making breakfast. Just as they were finished, Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru joined them. Breakfast was a mostly silent and tense affair, with the group on high alert due to the tension between the two brothers. Sesshomaru pulled Kagome aside while the others broke down their camp and put out the campfire.

"Kagome, this Sesshomaru must return to his castle and retrieve Rin. I trust you will be sufficiently protected until I return to the old woman's village?" he asked with the raise of an eyebrow. Kagome flushed and opened her mouth to reply but just nodded her head curtly instead. Sesshomaru then turned his attention to the kitsune kit who would become his adopted son once he and Kagome were married.

"Shippo, I trust you to watch out for your mother and make sure that that baka Inu-yasha doesn't hurt her. Can you do that?" Sesshomaru asked solemnly. Shippo nodded warily, his little paws clutching onto Kagome's arms even tighter. Sesshomaru sensed the child's fear of him and sought to reassure him.

"Do not worry Shippo. I will not harm you. Once I return, if Inu-yasha has harmed you in any way let me know and he shall be punished for it," Sesshomaru said, drawing a cautious smile from Shippo. With a brief smile of his own, Sesshomaru then leaned over and placed a chaste kiss on Kagome's lips. Kagome was so startled that she just stood there frozen in place. Sesshomaru stepped back and smirked at the dazed expression on her face before turning and taking to the sky. Within seconds he was gone, leaving a strangely quiet and subdued group of travelers behind.