News had spread throughout the entire Western lands, about the hyonekozou* wanting to wage war on the Western lands. In the past, the hyonekozou tried to take control of the Western lands but their leader was killed in battle against, Inutashio, and so they retreated back to East.
"Inuyasha-san, would you like to come down from that tree?" Asked Kikyo, looking up to were Inuyasha was sitting, she was surrounded by young children and didn't think that Inuyasha would intentionally hurt a child. "I'll get you some onigiri later."
"Fine, Kikyo-san," muttered Inuyasha as he left his spot, he warily watched the group pick flowers. The children clutched the sleeve of Kikyo's kosode, afraid of the presence of Inuyasha. "What!?" The children went closer to Kikyo.
"Kikyo-sama are you sure that..." a worried blue eyed child said, looking at Inuyasha. "The yokai won't eat us," the other children all agreed with the statement. Kikyo smiled at them.
"You shouldn't worry, Inuyasha-san. He won't hurt you," replied Kikyo, turning to face Inuyasha. "Any of you. Right, Inuyasha?" Kikyo gave him a sharp smile, causing Inuyasha to slightly flinch at the miko.
'Yeah," Inuyasha muttered. He wasn't prepared for the children to start making flower crowns and attempting to put them on his head. "What do you think you are doing?!'' Shouted Inuyasha as a child put a flower crown into Kikyo's hands, then Kikyo placed it on Inuyasha's head, being careful of his ears.
"Now does Inuyasha-san still look threatening?" Kikyo gestured to Inuyasha. The children took a moment to look at Inuyasha and his crown and gave a swift no. After all would an evil yokai allow Kikyo to place a flower crown on their head. "The children are beginning to warm up to you."
Inuyasha ears twitched in annoyance. Why was he even allowing the children near? It wasn't that he hated children, it was just his past experiences with them weren't pleasant. He closed his eyes and let his mind wander back to his childhood, while being mindful of the children nearby.
"Kikyo-sama, when did you meet Inuyasha-san? Did he try to eat you?" Questioned a curious child. Why would Kikyo waste her time with a yokai? It didn't make any sense.
"My meeting with Inuyasha-san was unexpected," started Kikyo, thinking back to their first meeting. "I had previously encountered his onii-san," she was about to continue but was cut off by one of the children.
"Is he a yokai too?" Asked the child. Kikyo's lips curved into a smile as she thought of Sesshomaru. Inuyasha opened a single eye and watched the miko. He wanted to hear what she had to say about Sesshomaru, and if the smile was any indication...
"Sesshomaru-san is a much older yokai than Inuyasha-san. With time comes improvement and experience. Since
Sesshomaru-san has been around for far longer that I have been alive, he is very powerful yokai. Although, Sesshomaru-san is very selective of the emotional value of life," said Kikyo.
"So Sesshomaru-san is better than Inuyasha-san?" a child questioned, causing Inuyasha to grip his fist tightly. He hated it when people always said that Sesshomaru was better than him, just because he was a full Yokai. Kikyo glanced to Inuyasha before looking back to the children.
"However, both Inuyasha-san and Sesshomaru have their merits and faults. For example, Inuyasha is willing to wear a flower crown that you have so graciously made for him. I know Sesshomaru-san would have never allowed it. Inuyasha-san is more open to his emotions while Sesshomaru-san is not," told Kikyo as the children nodded.
****
The light of the day was soon switched to the darkness of night time. Kikyo had sent all the children home before the sunset as she didn't want them out after dark. That was when yokai were most likely to attack and she didn't want to make families worried about their childs whereabouts.
Kikyo recalled about the news of a hyonekozou. It wasn't unusual for tribes to try and take over territory but this one was different. They had a past with Inutashio, Inuyasha's and Sesshomaru's father, and if the rumours were correct the hyonekozou wanted revenge, for their masters demise.
"Another hyoneko yokai," muttered Kikyo as she purified the intruding yokai. There had been an increase of hyoneko yokai in the are. It was no doubt due to the appearance of the Hyonekozou. "This has been the third one this week. I wonder..." Kikyo turned to face the newcomer, whos presence she had sensed. "Good evening, Sesshomaru-san."
"Kikyo-san," Sesshomaru greeted. "I see so the hyoneko have come as far as here."
"The Hyonekozou are starting to make a mess in the Western lands. Sesshomaru-san would you like my help with combating the Hyonekozou?" Asked Kikyo.
"No. I do not want you to interfere with my battle," told Sesshomaru.
"I see, then perhaps Inuyasha-san could go with you," said Kikyo. "He should be nearby. I think that he went North of the village.''
"Why would you know where Inuyasha was?" Sesshomaru already knew that Inuyasha was here as he had smelt Inuyasha's sent near the miko and in the area.
"I had a talk with him today," replied Kikyo.
"I see... I will take your suggestion into consideration but first I have a question to ask you,'' told Sesshomaru, Kikyo didn't reply. Instead she waited for him to ask his question. "Where would you hid the key to something valuable?"
"A key to something valuable? Is the original owner of the key still alive?" Asked Kikyo, Sesshomaru nodded. "Is the original owners children or family still alive? Maybe they have it but they don't know that they have it," Sesshomaru's eyes slightly light up at her words. "I'm sorry Sesshomaru, I don't know."
"On the contrary Kikyo-san, you have been very useful," said Sesshomaru. Now he had a clue that he could follow, to find Inutashio's grave. "Kikyo-san, why do you find comfort in my presence?"
Kikyo's eyes widened at the question, she didn't expect Sesshomaru to ask her that. "Despite being a yokai, no, a daiyokai your aura is different than most," answered Kikyo, Sesshomaru urged her to continue her explanation. "Have you ever heard of the term eye of the storm before? When in battle you are always calm yet you hold great power. And most importantly you never lose yourself to you yokai blood."
"I see. You are truly a strange miko, Kikyo-san," told Sesshomaru, looking at Kikyo in a new light. He and Kikyo turned to see the new presence that was coming towards them. "Inuyasha."
"Sesshomaru," Inuasha looked to the miko. "Kikyo-san. What are you doing here Sesshomaru?!"
"I could ask you the same thing but I will not waste my breath. However, Inuyasha it seems now that I have some business that I wish to discuss with you," said Sesshomaru to Inuyasha.
"What type of business?" Questioned Inuyasha, he was wary because he didn't have a clue to what Sesshomaru would want with him.
"That is for us to discuss, privately," replied Sesshomaru.
"Goodnight Sesshomaru-san, Inuyasha-san. I hope that your battle with the Hyonekozou will be in your favour," said Kikyo as she walked back to her hut. She hoped that the Sesshomaru and Inuyasha wouldn't kill each other, said men left to a different area.
****
A newly born, hanyo watched Kikyo as she went into her hut. The reason why she didn't sense him was because he was masking his presence. The hanyo licked his lips in anticipation, the Inu yokai would be leaving the miko by herself for the next week, and so it would be the perfect time to get the shikon no tama.
Of course it wouldn't be easy as Kikyo was formidable even on her own. It would take a carefully constructed plan to get the shikon no tama into his grasp, and perhaps Kikyo too. His red eyes glanced at the hut one last time, before he left.
Japanese terms
Hyonekozou - Leopard cat tribe
Hyoneko yokai - Leopard cat yokai
Onii - older brother.
Inu yokai - dog yokai