I Am Me; No One Else

Chapter 11: A New Dawn

Kagome stirred lightly just as the sun was peeking over the horizon. She stretched out and froze as she felt the body behind her, but relaxed as she then sensed the youkai of Sesshoumaru. She looked up and saw him watching her now with both hesitance and curiosity.

She smiled and felt him stiffen to that; as if he had stopped trying to breathe.

"Good morning, I hope you are well." She said softly, "I want to get an early start today, so I won't have time for a bath or to change, but can you fetch a bit more wood for the fire, so I can cook a meal?"

Sesshoumaru eyed the feline and Kagome nodded, "I know how you feel about it, and I promise to be careful. Besides, he doesn't have the advantage of a surprise this time. My power has...identified his. If he left camp; I'd feel it on his return."

Kagome then warily looked distantly from the direction they came from, "Also, several demonesses are searching the area we last stopped at when we killed the would-be assassins. They haven't found our trail yet, but it is only a matter of time until they sense something to follow. I would like to be on the move by then."

She then warily eyed the neko, "And I suggest that our newest 'friend' come along; unless he wants to be found by the Western Court or whomever sent them."

Sesshoumaru froze to this information as had Ashura; the demon lord was stunned that she had already sensed demonesses tracking them; even if only just waking? How had she sensed it when even he had not smelt them from afar nor had their newest company? He stood and left silently to gather wood as he eyed Ashura and gave him a look; the feline merely bowed as Sesshoumaru then vanished among the trees.

The neko pondered silently to himself why assassins had come after the miko? He knew that Sesshoumaru's court was eagerly awaiting the day he chose the next western lady and the miko did mention them; yet Kagome had not seemed sure they had been sent by someone in the Western Court of Demonesses nor had she yet been announced to them as the next Western Lady to be...or it did not seem she had?

If she hadn't; then it was fairly obvious to anyone outside the groupings that the court was watching them and was displeased. Trying to kill her to free Sesshoumaru; for more than one reason other than she was human or a miko. Unaware that her dying would send him to a life of loneliness and misery no one should ever endure; simply because he would not be able to choose another after her...mated or not, the bond between them wouldn't allow it.

If they had been told; certain members were truly against the match despite the facts presented to them in why they should be rejoicing in the union. They began plotting and scheming as always; pulling all the old tricks out for play. Committing treason to their lord along the way. Treason to which Ashura knew Lord Sesshoumaru would eventually deal with, and he likely wasn't going to be gentle about it. Especially with Kagome involved and if she was harmed from it in some manner.

Nor would Lady Miko Kagome take kindly to it; he betted anything she wouldn't. If allowed by her mate, Kagome might even see to the punishments of the convicted herself as would be her right as the wounded party in the whole affair.

Ashura shook his head with a sigh before he then watched in fascination as Kagome retrieved her bag and pulled several items from it which she enlarged with her magic. The feline was surprised; cooking equipment in there, shrunk down for travel...who would have thought?

"Doesn't carrying all that weigh you down despite the spells shrinking it?" he asked curiously

Kagome looked up to him and saw the genuine questioning he had to his face. She then smiled softly as Ashura breathed through his nose; that was what the demon lord had meant about her smile hours earlier.