She did her best to wash the blood out of the kimono and set it on a warm rock to dry, before using the cloth to wash her body. When she was sure she was clean, she set the cloth aside and leaned back in the water to relax. After a while, her eyelids started to feel heavy so she got out and put her kimono on.

She began walking back to the clearing and Sesshomaru appeared next to her. They walked back to their temporary camp together.

Kagome laid on the ground next to the fire to try to get some sleep, but her kimono was still damp and with winter approaching, nights were getting colder. She closed her eyes and tried to ignore the cold.

After a few minutes of shivering, Sesshomaru walked over to where she was laying and sat down behind her. She was shocked when he covered her with his moko moko, but it was so warm that she fell asleep quickly.

Kagome woke up fairly early the next morning, still wrapped in the warm moko moko. She sat up slowly and looked over her shoulder to see that Sesshomaru was still behind her, and he was awake. She gave him a small smile.

"Thank you, Sesshomaru." She said warmly. He just stood up and placed it over his shoulder again.

"Let's go. We are only a few hours away from the village." He stated. Kagome nodded and kicked dirt into the fire to make sure it was out. Then they continued on their way.

After walking in silence for a while, Kagome spoke up.

"Why do I need a new weapon? My bow suits me just fine." She said.

"Your bow is only good for long-range attacks." He explained. "You need to learn to use a close-range weapon, should your bow fail to keep your enemies at bay."

"Oh. So what kind of weapon will we get?" She asked nervously.

"For now, we will get you a dagger and a sword. When we return, I will send a letter to Totosai to have him make you a weapon from your fang." He said.

"You mean like Tetsuiga?" She asked.

"Yes." He replied.

She was quiet for the rest of the trip, thinking about having a weapon made from a piece of her. To her, it seemed like a big deal. She felt like she needed to earn that privilege.

When they reached the village, they went straight to the local blacksmith.

"What can I do for you, My Lord?" The muscular man asked nervously. He obviously knew exactly who he was talking to.

"This woman needs armor. It needs to be strong, but light, and easy to move in." He ordered. The blacksmith nodded and had his wife come out to take measurements on Kagome.

"I can have it ready by mid-day tomorrow, My Lord." He said.

"I also need to see your finest blades." Sesshomaru said.

"Of course, My Lord." The man bowed before disappearing into another room. He returned shortly after, carrying a large bundle of cloth, and laid it on the table. He unrolled the cloth to reveal three sheathed swords and half a dozen daggers.

"Choose a sword and a dagger." Sesshomaru told Kagome. The sword that caught her eye had a white handle and sheathe. She carefully picked it up and removed it from its sheathe. The blade was thin, but very sturdy. She set it aside and started looking through the daggers. She chose a simple dagger and an idea struck her.

"Excuse me, sir? Do you happen to have any hidden blades?" She asked. The man seemed surprised, but went into the back room again. He came back carrying what looked like leather arm guards and placed them on the table. She chose one with black leather and strapped it to her wrist to try it out. It stretched from her wrist, to just below her elbow. She flexed her arm to extend the blade and inspected it. She smiled and nodded to the man who returned her smile.

Sesshomaru paid for the weapons while Kagome tied her new sword to her hip, and strapped the dagger to her right upper thigh so it would be hidden. After tightening the hidden blade on her arm, they left to find a new kimono for her.

After choosing a few new kimonos, all with a slit up one side for easier movement, they made their way to an inn. After walking all day, Kagome was tired, and needed a bath. Once they found their room, Kagome deposited her new belongings on her futon and grabbed her new black kimono, with blood red lilies lining the bottom, and turned to Sesshomaru who was currently sitting on his own futon, and leaning against the wall.

"I am going to go take a bath. I will be back soon." She told him. He just nodded. She left the room quickly an d asked an older woman to show her to the bath house. The woman led her down the long hall and to a set of double doors before giving her a respectful bow, and leaving.

Kagome walked in and saw a large wooden bathtub in the center of the room, already filled with steaming water. There was a small table next to the tub with a stack of fresh towels and a few jars of scented hair oils. After sniffing every jar, she decided on one that smelled like roses and rain. She shed her blood-stained kimono and placed the clean one next to the tub. Grabbing a soft rag, she climbed into the hot water and sighed.

Throughout her bath, she kept thinking about Sango and Miroku, and how much she missed them. But she couldn't return to the village without risking another run-in with Inuyasha. She would have to write to them and ask Sesshomaru if they could visit. Kagome rinsed the oil from her hair and got out. After drying off sluggishly, she got dressed with a yawn. She towel dried her hair as best she could, grabbed her old kimono, and left the room. She gave the woman from earlier her old kimono and asked her to throw it out. The woman nodded and left, glancing back at Kagome's injured face, and Kagome made her way back to their room.

When she got back to their room, there was a tray of food next to her futon and Sesshomaru was out on the small balcony. She didn't want to bother him, so she ate her food quietly and went to sleep.

Apparently, Sesshomaru was more tired than he wanted to admit. Because when Kagome woke up in the morning, he was laying on his futon with his right arm covering his eyes. She didn't know what to think. She had never seen him so relaxed before.

Being as quiet as she could, she equipped her weapons and went out to the balcony to survey their surroundings. It was still very early, so there weren't many people out and about. But a strange scent reached her nose. Something warm and metallic, mixed with a burnt smell. Blood. A lot of it. And fire.

She looked back into the room, conflicted about what to do. She faintly heard a woman crying from beyond the woods surrounding the small village. She knew Sesshomaru would be angry, but she felt like she needed to help. Without another thought, Kagome jumped off the balcony and landed gracefully on the street below. She followed the scent to the edge of the village and paused to look back towards the inn. She knew she was going to regret this later.

She took off into the woods and followed the scent for a few miles until she reached the edge of a small clearing. She peeked into the clearing from behind a tree, and had to stifle a gasp. There were chewed up, burnt bodies all over the clearing. In the middle of all the gore was a large bluish-black dragon youkai in demon form, with a terrified, crying woman in his claws.

Looking closer, she saw that the dragon's left wind looked crooked and he had a scar on his chest. It was Kiske. The bastard that tortured her. Her eyes bled red. The wind began whipping around her furiously, gaining Kiske's attention and causing him to drop his intended prey. When the wind died down, Kagome was once again in demon from, towering above the disgusting creature that dared to hurt her and her pup. The dragon was barely half her size. She tore forward with a snarl and leapt on him. He squirmed under her large paws, unable to escape.

She could smell Sesshomaru coming closer, but she was not going to stop this time. She would kill Kiske and get revenge for Isamu and for herself. She wanted to hunt down and destroy every dragon she could find. But for now, Kiske would do. She pulled her lips back in a snarl before grabbing his long, slender neck between her teeth and tearing it from his body.

"Kagome." She heard the deep voice from behind her.

Knowing she was probably in trouble, she turned to face him with Kiske's head still in her jaws. She dropped it at his feet and sat down.

"Is this the dragon that imprisoned you?" He asked, eyeing the destruction. She nodded her large head and laid down so they were eye to eye.

"Close your eyes and focus on your human form. Imagine yourself shrinking back into that form." Sesshomaru explained.

She did as she was told, and she could feel herself getting smaller. When she opened her eyes, she was back to normal.

"I did it!" She said excitedly. But Sesshomaru looked like he was trying not to laugh.

"Not quite." He said, pointing behind her. Turning her head, she saw a long, fluffy black tail.

"Damn it." She said, disappointed. Sesshomaru walked over and poked her behind the ear. Her tail disappeared.

"Ouch." She exclaimed. "A bit rough, don't you think?"

"Consider it punishment for acting alone, and without training." He said smugly. Kagome blushed and looked at the ground.

"I didn't have the heart to wake you. You looked so peaceful." She admitted.

"Next time, wake me up." He ordered. She nodded, still not meeting his eyes.

"Kagome." He said. She looked up. "Good job." Withthat, he turned toward the village and started walking. She was so shocked, that it took her a few moments to regain her composure and follow him.

They made their way back to the small blacksmith hut and the man once again became nervous when they approached.

"Have you finished the armor?" Sesshomaru asked with a cold look. The man nodded fearfully.

"Yes, My Lord. I will go get it for you." The man said shakily before disappearing inside. He reappeared a few moments later carrying a silver set of armor with his wife in tow.

His wife grabbed the armor and approached Kagome, nervously looking over to Sesshomaru. He nodded to her. The woman pressed the breast plate against Kagome and told her to hold it in place. Then the small woman walked around Kagome at least a dozen times, adjusting the leather straps that held the breastplate and backplate together.

"How does it feel?" Sesshomaru asked. Kagome moved around a bit to test its mobility. It was surprisingly easy to move around in.

"Feels pretty good, actually. And it is very light." Sesshomaru nodded, paid the blacksmith, and they left.