Pendulum

Chapter 4: Guessing Games

The air was as chilled as Kagome's shaken nerves. Around her, the forested mountainside was reduced to bare nothingness; there wasn't even a hint of a broken twig or blade of cut grass. It was as if all of it had dissolved into thin air. Kagome was powerless to purify and had no bow or arrow to defend herself with, not that the latter would do much against the intimidating monster at her back.

In that moment, Kagome was faced the most basic of impulses. Fight or flight. Perhaps it was stupidity, perhaps it was just her nature; regardless of which, Kagome found strength and with feigned confidence, she turned on her heel to face the stoic Sesshomaru with her chin lifted and hands upon her hips. "So you're not a chicken after all." she remarked, proud of her efforts to keep her tone from quivering. Unfortunately her shoulders couldn't boast of the same feat.

Sesshomaru eyed her candidly, his expression revealing little. Then, he looked to the tremoring Shippo behind her. "Leave us." he ordered.

"Y-yeah but–" the kitsune's protest was silenced by the narrowing of the inu daiyouki's gaze. "Right." he breathed taking a step back. "G'luck Kagome." he wished, seconds before he poofed into a pink balloon to float away. Despite the fear seizing her chest, Kagome's heart still found the means to soften at the reminiscent sight of Shippo's transformation. Some things just never changed.

For all of her boldness, Kagome suddenly felt very aware that she was now alone with not only a powerful being, but one who'd confusingly hadn't decided to kill her for her insults. When she first met him, Sesshomaru tried to kill her simply because she could lift a sword. For as long as she'd known him, Sesshomaru had given her as much attention as a dog would a dead skunk.

However then was not now and now Kagome held his full attention, bearing the full weight of his intense gaze that by itself tested her resolve to stand tall. Even when dressed in a white collared shirt and khaki slacks, there was no two ways around it; in this time or the other, Sesshomaru was still unquestionably a terror to behold. "So, um..." she began, clearing her throat and the hesitancy in her voice. "What're you doing here?"

Slowly his head tilted as he studied her, his hair spilling from his shoulders onto his chest. "Did you not call for me?" he posed, his words spoken slowly and with even measure.

Frowning, Kagome crossed her arms. "I meant here in this time." she clarified moodily in a huff.

The brow arched above his painted eye rose higher. "Are you asking me why I'm not dead?"

"I–yes–no. No." she refuted, before second guessing herself. Was that what she was asking? Really she wanted to know why he was in her time but truthfully, both questions were one and the same. "Sorry. I guess that makes sense. Um..." awkwardly, Kagome fidgeted, before moving to hug her shoulders. The air was still cold and shorts and a tank top did little to keep her warm. Sesshomaru's gaze narrowed. Slowly, his mokomoko slithered from his shoulder to coil itself around her and Kagome wasn't sure whether to liken the thing to a boa constrictor entrapping its prey or a snuggly sleeping bag.

"Oh-uh...thanks." she offered, marveling the fur encasing her. It was exceptionally soft and indulgently warm.

With an arrogant sniff, Sesshomaru lifted his chin. "Your incessant shivering is a nuisance to this Sesshomaru."

Ignoring his inability to receive gratitude, Kagome pulled the highest coil of fur over her head like a hood, intrigued as the pelt shifted to ensure that every inch of her was kept covered and warm. His thoughtfulness only supported the argument that the Sesshomaru before her was nothing like the one she knew of the past.

"So, where are the others?" she asked lightly.

Sesshomaru blinked at her question. "The better question would be, why aren't they here?" he posed.