The Long Winter by KJ

Moving Onward

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA! THIS IS FOR MATURE ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY!

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It had been six months since we defeated Naraku and everyone has settled into their lives. Everyone except me. Sango and Miroku got married and are pregnant with their first child. Kaede watches Rin during the summer months and Shippo has been undertaking his demon training. Koga also finally married Ayame, to everyone's surprise.

As for Inuyasha and Kikyo, that wound is still fresh. Kikyo is still a walking corpse but Inuyasha decided that he was going to mate with her and that him and I could be friends. He didn't realize, however that choosing her had been the last straw for me. I couldn't stay around and watch those two live happily ever after. It was too painful. It would have hurt no matter what but the worst part was the well had disappeared with Naraku and the Shikon Jewel.

I had no way to return to my time, no way to see my family ever again, and no Inuyasha to soothe that heart break. For me that was rock bottom and my heart was broken into pieces. It had been 6 months since and I decided shortly after that I would leave Kaede's village and travel as a priestess and attempt to find a new home. One which wouldn't cause me any pain. I had already been through dozens of villages, helping to heal their sick with medicinal herbs and purifying demons that threatened their villages. They were all happy, quaint villages but none of them made me feel like it was home.

Today I would be leaving a village that I had occupied longer then most. I had been here for at least a week, helping cure a handful of orphans who had become ill. Once they were all up and toddling around again, I knew it was time to leave. I had traveled far through the eastern lands, and into the west to end up here and I would continue going westward, knowing Inuyasha would never come this far west, due to his brother being the Lord of the West.

Before setting out today, handfuls of villagers stopped to give me supplies of food, herbs and arrows, telling me that in the forrest ahead, a demon Lord lived, who was vicious and cold as ice, but if I could make it to the other side of the forest unnoticed, there was a small village in need of a healer on the other side. They also reminded me that winter was about to start in earnest and that I should stay, in fear of getting caught in the oncoming storm. I thanked them, brushing off their invitations, and set off. There was a few inches of snow already layered on the ground. As I continued walking, thoughts were streaming through my head. I chuckled to myself at the thought of running into Lord Sesshoumaru.

He'd either kill me or stare at me while I passed by him. Either was likely. And at this point, if he granted me a swift death, it really wouldn't matter to me.

I kept straight on the path that would lead through the forest, past his estate and to the village on the other side, taking my time and attempting to enjoy the fresh, crisp, clean air brought on by the fresh powder. The serenity of the forest allowed me to sink deep into my thoughts.

I wonder if Inuyasha is happy. Not that it matters anymore. My heart is more broken at the loss of my family then losing that despicable hanyou. Leaving me for a corpse is one thing, abandoning me when I've just lost everything I hold dear is another. All I want now is to find a place where I can be happy again, and maybe find someone, anyone who will love me.

My thoughts scattered as I heard a squealing noise mixed with laughter and a high pitched shouting that could make anyone's ears bleed.

"Rin! Rin! You're going too fast", the little imp sqwauked.

"Jaken. Silence. Let her enjoy herself before it is too cold to do so."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru Sama", Jaken replied sounding dejected and terrified all at once.

Ah. So I've finally reached the halfway point, Sesshoumaru's estate. Hopefully he'll just ignore my presence and let me continue on. There's absolutely no chance he hasn't been able to recognize my reiki and my particular brand of spiritual power for hours. Not to mention, he could probably smell me nearby for the last week.

The happy voice of little Rin, Sesshoumarus's ward, broke into my thoughts again. "Priestess Kagome! Priestess Kagome! Look, look Sesshoumaru Sama it's Kagome!"

Passing by unnoticed was no longer and option apparently. I turned toward the voices to see Rin bundled in warm clothes holding what looked to be an old shield that she was clearly using as a sled. Jaken was sputtering and staring at me with wide eyes, and in a flash Sesshoumaru was standing before me holding his sword to my throat. I didn't move an inch. Sesshoumaru was known for being the perfect killer and he tended to kill first and ask questions later, or not at all.

His face was serene and passive and he was eyeing me with mild curiosity.

"Sesshoumaru", I said gently with a smile on my face. He was more beautiful then I remembered. His skin was a flawless alabaster and the purple marks high on his cheek bones were alluring and gorgeously graced his skin. His silver hair flowed around him gracefully and shone in the sunlight. He was probably the most handsome creature I had ever laid eyes on.

The gentle tone I used must have caught him off guard because I saw his sword waver a fraction before it froze again, in its rightful place, inches from my throat.