(A/N) Well, there is a bit of good news. I am at the point of writing where I am finally catching up on my chapters! So that means I get to hold chapters hostage while people read! That's right, HOSTAGE! Here's a chapter that has been released!

Ch.9 Trusting

Kagome had followed Sesshomaru out of the dining hall with him only saying to people that 'the lady requires her rest after such an attack on her life'. Of course everyone thought the world of Sesshomaru and how he was so thoughtful and good to the poor, weak lady. She rolled her eyes at the thought. They also did not know what to make of it given that this was so unlike the Sesshomaru everyone knew. So she followed him and hoped that it wasn't somewhere quiet to kill her. Though, secretly, she was just glad to get away from the Ichiro guy that seemed to stare at her as if either planning something or mentally undressing her. It was probably both.

"You are to stay in this room for the duration of the gathering," Sesshomaru said as he opened the door himself and motioned for her to enter.

Kagome stuck her nose in the air as she passed through the entryway and was about to turn around and give him a piece of her mind when a loud voice rang out behind her. "Lord Sesshomaru!" A small whirlwind of a girl ran past her and hugged onto Sesshomaru's legs. "Lord Sesshomaru are you here to stay? Rin was so bored and lonely with no one to stay here and not even Master Jaken was here to play with Rin."

Kagome held back a laugh as the girl spoke so fast that it was almost hard to keep up. She had met the girl a few times before but there had never really been time to talk and she mostly stuck close to the demon lord. I wonder what she sees in him that no one else does? Kagome met Sesshomaru's stare and laughed at how he kept the cold stare. Only he would be able to pull it off with such a charming little girl attached to his legs.

"Lady Kagome is here to keep you company," he stated with no room for argument. Not that Rin would ever argue with him but the woman he was not so sure of. He had seen many a time where she was blatantly rude and standoffish.

Of course the news caused a gasp from the small girl. "Is this really Kagome?" she asked Sesshomaru. He gave a small nod of his head and the girl immediately turned her hug onto Kagome. "Oh Rin is so happy to see you again Kagome! Now Rin has someone to play with while all the guests are here!" She was so ecstatic as she ran around the room pulling Kagome along so that she could see where everything was.

After a few minutes, Kagome stopped the little girl and turned towards Sesshomaru. "May I speak to you in the hallway for just a moment?" She walked into the hallway and waited for Sesshomaru to follow her. "I was wondering if I could have a few supplies such as paper and things to write with. I'm not sure how long this…thing of yours is going to last so I was going to see about teaching Rin a few things. If that's all right with you of course?" She had spoken so fast that she wondered if perhaps she'd have to repeat herself.

Sesshomaru paused for a moment, unsure of how he should respond to such a request. "What will you teach Rin?" He had to be sure that she at least knew something worthy of being taught to the girl. Of course, he still seriously doubted the education level of the human woman that had traveled with his half-wit of a half-brother.

"Well, if you would allow me I can teach her to write and to read. Though reading will require some books or scrolls that would be suitable to a child of her age," she looked at the demon and imagined him picking some story about how his father had killed hundreds of humans and with lots of gory pictures. "Or, you could just give me quite a bit of paper and I could write the story myself. I think that might work out a little better."

"Hn," was all he said at first. He still had issues believing that the human girl had been educated at all. From his understanding she was not even considered moderately wealthy among the villagers and as such should not even be exposed to things such as writing or reading. Still, it could not hurt to have her entertain the girl for the few days that they would be there. He glanced over at a nearby servant, "See to it she has what she needs." The servant nodded quickly and he started to walk off down the hallway, leaving a very grateful but still confused Kagome.

"Thank you um, Lord Sesshomaru," Kagome smiled slightly, interrupting him before he had the chance to fully start leaving. She still was not sure if she was going to die any time soon but there seemed to be a bit of hope now that she was with Rin. Surely he wouldn't kill me when he's already brought me to the little girl? Still, wishing to show some respect to him for getting her out of the dining hall, she bowed so that he would understand just how grateful she was.

Kagome and Rin watched as Sesshomaru simply turned on his heel and marched back down the hallway that would eventually take him back to the other demons. Silently she thanked him yet again for getting her out of that mess even if it was just for a little while. "Rin, tell me, do you really believe that I am Kagome?" she asked as she closed the door to the outside word and settled in a nearby chair.

Rin walked over to her and smiled brightly before saying, "Lord Sesshomaru said that you were Kagome so that means that you must be Kagome!" She looked over at the changed Kagome and smiled. "Lord Sesshomaru is never wrong." She skipped around the room and sat in a chair next to Kagome's and looked at her with quite a bit of excitement. "Are you really going to teach Rin who to read and write?"

Kagome watched as the girl was practically bouncing in the chair due to excitement. "Yes Rin, I will be teaching you," she informed the girl. She watched as Rin whooped in excitement and asked her a million questions about what she was going to read and how she was going to learn to write and what she was going to write with. All the while a thought kept nagging at the back of Kagome's mind. How does this girl trust Sesshomaru so much that whatever he says is automatically true? Rin is such a trusting little girl. She smiled at the thought and the two got to work as the papers and writing utensils arrived at the door.

"Shut it Shippo!" Inuyasha yelled at the snickering fox demon that was currently taking residence on Sango's shoulder. He was not a very happy half demon at the moment and Shippo was only making the situation worse.

Inuyasha recalled the morning's incident with much dismay, embarrassment, and of course anger at the one causing most of his problems lately, Kikyo. He had just been so tired about everything taking such a long time. Take the travel between villages. With Kagome he could have easily spent just a week between villages depending on the distance of course. With Kikyo, he was lucky if they made it in two weeks and it was getting on his nerves.

So, he had done what he had to do in order to make things go faster. The group was currently finishing their breakfast and packing things up. Shippo was wiping down whatever dishes there were and putting them away, Sango was getting her weaponry read, and Miroku was getting dangerously close to getting smacks as his old routine was working its way back into the group dynamic. He noticed that Sango had mixed feelings about this development.

After half an hour of walking he was starting to get impatient as usual. It was not necessary to go this slow all the time. His mind made up, Inuyasha brought up the subject once again. "Kikyo, hop on my back, we'll get to the next village faster." He waited for her to hop on, hoping that with the time he had given that she would see the error of her ways.

Unfortunately for him, Kikyo was still just as stubborn as she had once been over fifty years ago. "Inuyasha, I gave you my answer already and that answer still remains no," she sighed having told him her answer repeatedly. He was seriously trying her patience and for someone like her that was no small feat.

"Look, just try it once and if you still find yourself being all high and mighty about it then I'll back off; but, we still need to hurry up! Naraku could be out there!" Inuyasha growled. Seriously, the slow pace was making him antsy and he didn't like it. When she glared at him in response he did the only thing he could do.

"Guys, catch up on Kilala," Inuyasha stated.

Kikyo did not like the gleam in his eyes that appeared as he stared at her intently. No, she knew she was not going to like whatever it was he had gotten into his head to do. "Inuyasha, whatever it is, do not even think it," she practically hissed at him.

Inuyasha ignored her remarks and did what he thought he should have done from day one. He picked Kikyo up and put her over his shoulder and made a run for it. His ears flattened at her shriek of shock and then a scream of rage. "Inuyasha put me down this instant!" Kikyo yelled as she tried to kick and hit her fists against his back.

Inuyasha smirked as he sped away at a more reasonable speed. This is much better though I wish she'd quit kicking. "Stop kicking and just settle in for the ride," he responded. Really it would be much easier on the both of them if she would only stop struggling. He needed her to see that this was an ideal mode of travel and nothing would be missed so that they could quit the horribly slow snail pace she had forced upon the group.

"Inuyasha I am warning you. Put me down or you will regret this," she tried to turn her head enough to glare at him. All she got was a nice jolt when she shifted her on his shoulder just enough to knock a bit of the wind out of her.

"Shut up will ya," he replied. Seriously, there was no reason she should be fighting this that much. It was then that his senses felt a tingling sensation all over his body. Inuyasha glanced over at Kikyo and noticed that her body had gone stiff and she had placed a hand awkwardly as far onto his chest as she could reach. His dog ears picked up a small 'I warned you' when he felt what she had meant by her words of warning.

Shippo, Miroku, Sango and Kilala had finally started to catch up when they are heard a loud yell that sent the birds in the surrounding trees scattering into the air. A few more seconds passed and they noticed that the air was still sizzling from the holy energies Kikyo must have released on the poor half demon. Kilala landed and Shippo was lucky for it for he had rolled off her head in fits of laughter. Not ten feet from them was a very sizzled looking Inuyasha laying on the ground, hand twitching from the shock of it all.

And so the half demon cringed as he got up to see a hysterically laughing Shippo who was pointing at him amidst his giggles, Sango who was trying to stifle her laughter but failing miserably, Miroku whose hand was slowing going towards Sango's rear as he too laughed, and a certain priestess smirking at her victory over him. The only neutral one in the group happened to be Kilala who was simply staring at everyone within the group and wondering if they were going to be going anywhere soon.

"You…stupid…wench!" Inuyasha yelled as he tried to catch his breath. Shaky hands moved to push himself up and soon he was standing albeit barely so. "What the hell…was that for?" Now he was just pissed off at Kikyo. She attacked me! And they laugh at that! A small growl escaped his lips as he stared at the woman that was walking towards him.

"Inuyasha, you should never have forced the issue. As you did, you gave me no choice but to retaliate. If you do not want this to happen again, I suggest that you keep your paws to yourself," Kikyo beamed with pride at having subdued the half demon. Oh how she longed to do just that so many times before. Granted before she was not sure if she would have killed him but at least for now those kinds of thoughts had subsided. No, for now, embarrassing him was quite enough. Teach him to take liberties with me.

Inuyasha growled once again and dusted off his haori. He let out a small 'Keh' and started walking once more ahead of the group. He couldn't kill the woman and he certainly could not hurt her either though he was seriously considering doing so. With a huff he turned to give the group one last look and saw the smirks on their faces as the laughter died down and they fell into step behind him. Stupid woman…stupid fox brat. Oh yes, Shippo was still mocking him in the background, he could feel it.

And so here they were later in the day still walking as they had earlier though the smirks had fallen off their faces as he was sure their face muscles were too tired to keep it up. Of course he was still angry at Kikyo and she looked as smug as ever having won another battle. She had always loved to be on the winning end of things. It was then that a smell hit his half demon nose and he stopped walking so that he could concentrate on it. A demon and they aren't too far from here. Without Kagome though, he couldn't really tell if it just happened to be nearby, or if it was coming for them.

"Do you smell a demon Inuyasha?" she asked. Usually the only way he took the time out of their busy walking schedule was if a demon happened to be close by. Out of concern, she put Shippo on the now transformed Kilala. That confirms it, she would only transform if there was a demon nearby.

Shippo did a small pout and huffed as he was placed on Kilala's head. "I don't see why I have to stay with Kilala if there's just some demon out there. Not like I haven't been in a battle before," he muttered to no one in particular.

With a hiss, Kilala looked up towards the forest to their side. Something was in there and she could sense it. Sango took note of the demon cat's apprehension and looked off in the direction she was now staring in. "Inuyasha, I think whatever it is happens to be in that forest."

"I have to agree with Sango. I can barely feel the taint in that forest, but it is there. Do you think there is a jewel shard over there?" Miroku asked. Usually this quality of taint had something to do with the shard of the jewel being used in underhanded ways.

Kikyo closed her eyes for a moment and concentrated on the forest. She was still getting used to the feel of her abilities now that she was human again. The feel of the evil aura caused the hair on her arms to rise and a shiver to go down her spine. This was not a feeling she was used to anymore; before, she had been dead already and there was not really much to lose. Now, she could lose everything she had been able to gain through a miracle. "Inuyasha, I sense three shards of the jewel. To have that many whoever it is must be working for Naraku," she stated.

"That's enough for me," Inuyasha grinned wickedly as he pulled out a transformed Tetsusaiga and let the dull end rest upon his shoulder.

Kikyo watched the cocky Inuyasha march towards the forest without a care in the world. She sighed and wondered how he had not been killed yet. "Inuyasha, should we not have a plan before we go in there?"

He turned his head to look back at her, "Yeah, I got a plan. We go in, kill whatever is working for Naraku and take the shards. How does that sound?" Inuyasha knew that his response would probably rile her up a bit. Small paybacks were so worth it.

Kikyo huffed and watched as Inuyasha rushed into the forest. He is going to get us all killed! She watched the others hop on the back of the transformed cat and head in the direction Inuyasha had gone. Of course she followed on foot and try as she might she was still not as fast as the others. By the time she got to the forest she could hear yelling in the background. It sounded like Miroku.

Inuyasha ran off from the now irritated woman and entered the forest. It reeked of the miasma that usually clung around Naraku; though, he doubted Naraku would be making an appearance in this fight. Of course, the poisonous insects were around the area to hinder Miroku's wind tunnel. The same old tricks that he had every single time. It really was getting quite old now that he thought about it. Without fail there was always that damn buzzing in the background.

"Come along, Inuyasha…we're going to have some fun!" a female voice said from the dark.

"Yes, a lot of fun," added a male voice trying to irritate the half demon that had entered the forest most willingly.

Inuyasha sniffed the air and noticed that there were indeed two different scents. "Why don't you come out and get the fun started!" he yelled as he ran farther in, not even caring if the group was close behind or not.

"Now, now little half demon, all in good time," the female voice spoke from a distance.

He could smell them all around the area which meant they had taken their time to make sure their scents were everywhere. Inuyasha's ears twitched as he headed farther in and noticed that he was starting to have to climb a rather steep hill within the forest. Where are they leading me?

Sango and Miroku were riding on Kilala with Shippo above the trees and were watching the white haired half demon running up a very large hill. Kilala hissed suddenly as she ran into a barrier that singed her fur and nearly jarred her passengers off of her. She tried to push through again only to meet the same conclusion; as such, she flew down to the wooded trees and let Sango and Miroku off. "Stay here and guard Shippo!" Sango yelled as she and Miroku ran through the barrier and into the forest.

Kikyo continued her run through the woods and noticed Kilala and Shippo waiting impatiently at the edge of some kind of barrier. She studied the barrier for a few moments. This barrier is neither holy nor is it demonic. It must be some kind of magic…but where is the source? "Did Inuyasha go through this barrier?" she asked, looking at the young fox demon. She still was not sure about Shippo as her entire life revolved around killing demons; but, he seemed harmless enough if he took comfort from humans.

"Yeah, I guess so. Sango and Miroku went through too but Kilala couldn't so they told us to stay here," he muttered as he crossed his arms, clearly a very unhappy fox. Shippo was in no way happy to be left behind during a battle since he had already proven himself by being in the midst of so many others. This just isn't fair!

"Shippo," Kikyo started, "it is important that you stay here. As everyone has blindly rushed ahead there might be an attack from the rear. As such, we need you to keep a look out. Be sure to come and warn us if there are any other dangers. Kilala, continue to guard him." She knew the poor little fox was upset about being left behind and as no one else thought about it she gave him a job, one that he obviously needed. The demon had pride already she noticed as Shippo's chest puffed up.

"I won't let you down!" Shippo stated as he started to march around the area within Kilala's sight.

As Kikyo continued her journey through the forest she could already hear the sounds of battle in the background. From the sounds of it they were having a difficult time with the current enemy. No, enemies…I can sense two of them if those insects do not count. She could clearly see the wasps within the trees. A very clever spot for them to be as she would have to waste many arrows to the majority of them and even then from what she gathered one was all it took for the monk to be poisoned horribly.

A short amount of time later she broke through the trees and into a clearing that sat perfectly atop this hill. Had the fight not been taking place it would have been a wonderful places to rest. As she looked around she noticed the slayer and monk were not very useful in the fight except as sometimes a random target to break the boredom. Two practically identical hawk demons had taken to the skies and were unleashing feather attacks upon the group down below. The only that stood any chances was Inuyasha who could jump to the level they were standing at. Given the tattered shirt it would appear he had tried and paid the price of leaving himself vulnerable on the fall down.

"HIRAIKOTSU!" Sango cried out as she threw the large bone weapon up towards the sky. A pointless move Kikyo noted as the birds had plenty of time to move out of the way and sent feather attacks there way once again.

"SANGO!" Miroku cried out and moved to stand in front of her, staff held in a defensive position. He took the blast well enough but his stamina was starting to run out.

The two demons looked down up the group and laughed. "What is the matter Inuyasha, is your group so incompetent that you can't even land a single hit?" They laughed in unison as the half demon growled at them.

Inuyasha growled even louder at the laughter, "Get down here you cowards!" He tried jumping up again and swung his sword, only to be met by the cackling laughter.

"TWIN BLADE FEATHERS!" they yelled in unison as green and purple feathers danced across the sky towards Inuyasha, who blocked them with the Tetsusaiga though they could tell it had still injured him a little and had even torn a bit of his haori.

Miroku looked around the trees and noticed that the buzzing was still there, a constant reminder that his play in the battle was going to be very hindered. "Inuyasha, is there any way we can bring them down here?"

Inuyasha replied with a semi glare, "I would have done it already if I knew a way!" How stupid does he think I am?

Kikyo fired a sacred arrow towards the pair of demons to see just how fast they were and to try and get an attack in while they were focused on Inuyasha. The good thing was the blast of the sacred arrow was enough to start to singe their skin but she could not strike far enough into the air to do any major damage. While they have the height advantage striking them will be nearly impossible. There has to be a way to strike at them; but, they never come down from where they are.

Inuyasha glared at the demons as they dodged even Kikyo's arrow. It was then that an idea struck him as the demons started to prepare a new attack. This one was going to be by far worse than the previous attacks though he did not know by how much.

"Kikyo, I have an idea," he yelled over at her and jumped to be by her side. "You have to get on my back!" He moved in front of her so she could hop on.

Kikyo glared at his back. Surely he cannot be serious! "Inuyasha, you cannot believe I would do such a thing after all this time." It was then that she felt the gathering of demonic energy coming from the two demons above them. They were standing in the air some distance above them each glowing in their own particular aura. The energy was immense and she knew that should they strike at least one of them would be gravely wounded.

"Kikyo, hop on and when I say to, fire your arrow at them," he instructed. He noticed her resistance still and growled in frustration. "Damn it Kikyo, TRUST ME!" Inuyasha yelled at her.

She would later tell herself that the only reason she hopped onto his back was the fact that he had yelled and shocked her beyond the ability to think straight. With her firmly settled on his back, he made a running jump at the demons far in the sky.

At that same moment, the winds swirled around the pair and as they screamed out, "FEATHER FURY!"

"Oh yeah," Inuyasha yelled at them as the massive energy blast came his direction. With the swirling winds and the attack he had finally found his mark. "Take this! BACKLASH WAVE!" he yelled as he swung the sword and just as the energy would have taken them out, it was sent back at the enemy demons who wore a mask of shock. "Now Kikyo!" he screamed.

Kikyo took aim in the direction the attack was now going and unleashed her purifying energies through the arrow that she fired. She heard the screams of the demons and felt her senses tell her that they were gone from this world and the jewel shards fell from the sky just above them. Luckily for them, it happened so close that Kikyo was able to thwart any attempts the demon wasps made to gather the shards before the group could claim them.

After wounds were checked over, Shippo and Kilala gathered, and camp was made, Inuyasha watched as his companion ate and started to go to sleep. Sango was next to the fire lying down with Shippo and Kilala, Miroku was about ten feet away due to much smacking from Sango, and Kikyo was leaning against a nearby tree. He listened to their heart rates and noticed that all but Kikyo and himself were fast asleep. He was about to jump to a tree but before he did, his back remaining to face her, Inuyasha turned his head to look at her over his shoulder and said something she would not be able to forget. "Thank you for trusting me Kikyo."