Chapter 3

~(*o*)~(*o*)~

Shippo looked up at the sky nervously. Dark, ominous clouds lined the horizon, and they looked to be moving in his direction. With his destination a full day and night away he worried his lip as he made his decision whether to journey into the storm or wait it out.

Looking the way he'd come and then back to the skies he decided to make a shelter for the night. It would give him the opportunity to get some needed sleep. Finding a small hollowed out hole in a tree he made camp for the night, burrowing as far as he could into the hole it wasn't long before he heard rain quickly approaching. Watching from the safety of his nesting spot he watched and listened for as long as he could before the hypnotic sound lulled him to sleep.

He slept dreamlessly for the most part while unbeknownst to him the reason for his journey was having trouble sleeping as she had been plagued by nightmares since his disappearance.

~(*~o~*)~ Four Days Since Shippo Left ~(*~o~*)~

Eyes fluttered, and fingers twitched as nightmares pledged the mind of restless miko. A cold sweat had broken out on her brow leaving her skin to glisten against the dying firelight. Soft moans escaped her parted lips as she tossed and turned, sometimes going as far as to reach out towards the phantom that haunted her. The tike's name would topple from her lips in murmured pleads and whimpers.

Kirara gave a gentle, sympathetic 'mew' before changing into her larger form. Wrapping her much larger form around the girl, the neko tried her best to console the heartbroken miko. The girl rolled into the neko and slept a little more peacefully not that it would last for more than an hour or two, but as long as Kirara could help she would.

The other's didn't understand, and on some level neither did the girl, but the neko did. The girl was going through withdrawals, the pheromones that the fox released had chained the girl to him, she had become dependent on him for comfort; physically and emotionally. She had been exposed to his pheromones day and night for over a year, they were like a drug, and unconsciously the girl had become accustomed and addicted to the pheromones.

As much as the neko wanted to blame the kit, she couldn't. The fox was nothing more than a kit, it was very possible that he hadn't known what he had been doing. But if he did, he had left the miko in a world of hurt as her body went through the process of getting the pheromones out of her system. This could go on for days, weeks, even months because of how long she had been exposed to them.

Kirara nuzzled the miko as she cried out and licked away the tears. Seems the neko would have to care for the miko as the others didn't know how to.

It would be morning in a few hours, and the girl was drenched in sweat. The girl wouldn't be getting any good sleep, a bath in the nearby spring might help, the steam would definitely help.

Nudging the girl awake the miko came to groggily and remained in a haze as she looked up.

"Kirara?" she asked.

Standing the cat gently pushed against her shoulder, pushing her into a sitting position.

"Kirara what is it?" she asked in a hushed whisper.

The neko made a gesture with her head and took a few steps before grabbing the girl heavily used bag. Again she made the following gesture and waited for the girl to stand.

The girl still confused stood and leaned heavily on the neko. Kirara walked slowly while continuously looking for the weak girl.

Upon finding the spring, Kirara focused her flames outward, not something she often did, and formed a single floating ball of red fire.

Looking back at Kagome the girl looked at it in dazed amazement before her eyes grew sad. "Shippo," she whispered under her breath brokenly.

Putting the bag down, Kirara nuzzled the girl's neck and face offering her what comfort she could. And Kagome hugged her gently gripping her fur as she now fully leaned against Kirara.

Licking away the tears Kirara gestured to the spring.

"Thank you Kirara," Kagome whispered into the neko's fur. Kirara purred back while leading her closer to the hot spring. Once the girl was in the water, Kirara turned away and stood guard.

An hour passed with Kagome dozing in the springs before a howl broke the peaceful silence. Kirara growled and stood in the way of Kagome, she knew it was the hanyou and that he would now be racing this way with Sango and Miroku on his heels.

And within a minute the half-demon broke through the tree line. Kirara roared at him making Inuyasha sputter to a stop almost falling on his face, and he did when Miroku ran into his back.

"What the hell Miroku? Get the hell off me!" Inuyasha yelled to the monk before almost throwing him off causing him to fall at the feet of Sango.

Again Kirara roared angrily at the males showing her fangs while trying to block Kagome from their view, especially the monk. Looking to Sango and then the two male Kirara turned her back to them focusing on Kagome who was in a confused state. The poor girl wasn't in her right state of mind with her lack of sleep and lack of food.

Leaning over the water Kirara nuzzled Kagome's cheek purring in order to calm her while hoping to also cover her.

There matching pair of yelps from behind. "Come on you two, let's leave Kagome to her bath," Sango yelled at the two while pulling them away by their ears.

With a grumble, the neko sat back and allowed the miko to finish her bath and then she would try encouraging her to eat something.

~(*~*)~(*~*)~

Wisps of hair fell from their place to sway in a gentle gust of wind the silvery tussles catching the limited light a crescent moon. Amber gold eyes glowed in the darkness spotting the unsuspecting individuals with ease. Even with the limited lighting, it did little to hide what could and couldn't be seen.

A woman lay weakly in the water, the columns of mist hiding the parts of her body she had submerged. He would have undoubtedly have called the woman beautiful at one point, having once considered, although brief, in taking her as a mate but the sight before him did not match with the memory he had. Her skin once the shade of peaches and ivory looked deathly white as dark bruising surrounding her eyes and pulled at the hollowing of her cheeks. He could only imagine that the rest of her was deteriorating just as quickly.

His once favored miko was turning into a shell, or better yet a ghost. At this rate, she would be dead within the span of two weeks, and that was merely an estimate for all anyone could know she could collapse within the next hour. Of all the things he had mastered he had never thought to take an interest in the art of healing as his ability far surpassed that of most demons as did his body's resistance to nearly all poisons.

But what he saw before he read similar to something Rokuma; former Lord of the South, had warned him about his son prince Shippo and what might happen if he wasn't around to train him. Just as other demons kitsunes' release pheromones in which can attract prey, partners, and mates. And if Shippo were to unknowingly expose another to his pheromones, when he is incapable of controlling their release and amount of release, could end in the death of said person. Kitsunes are complex in their design aside from natural resources they also feed off of chi which often occurs times when releasing their pheromones and feeding off of the lust and passion they can bring forth with them.

In short, Shippo had been feeding the miko his pheromones day and night while absorbing/feeding off her chi. Now without him, Kagome was withering away.

Falling to from his perch the stoic demon quickly made up his mind as he took the few long strides it would take to reach his target.

The neko tensed as a low growl rumbled in the back of her throat just loud enough to reach him without waking the girl.

"This one means the miko no harm," he stated in an equally low tone. Although the neko remained tense, her growling receded as he continued his approach. Kneeling beside the miko, he gently caressed her cheek with his regifted arm. This would be his gift to her in exchange for the assistance in regrowing his arm.

With her nose now close to his wrist he slowly began releasing his own set of pheromones, although lacking in potency an inu's pheromones created the same effect.

And slowly the miko began to move, eyes fluttered, and her once labored breathing lessened to a gentle pant. It would be slow, but the miko would live.

Nuzzling her nose against his wrist, the miko came to slowly, her muddled eyes looking up at him lazily. "Sesshomaru-sama?" she asked weakly leaning heavily into his offered hand.

"Get dressed miko, your body needs sustenance," he stated, but the miko nodded weakly before he turned his back to the woman offering her some privacy as she dressed.

Once the shifting of fabric had settled, he turned to see the disheveled miko, her clothes not quite in place. Stepping towards her he fixed the collar of the cream-colored haori ensuring that her shoulders be covered. She leaned closer to him, her mind still unable to function in her weak state.

He caressed her cheek again allowing her to take another inhale of his pheromones, this time with her placing her nose against the skin of his wrist and sighing as the scent filled her lungs.

"You are in need of substance miko," he urged.

"I'm not hungry," she sighed weakly.

He flared his scent once more causing the miko to sigh blissfully. "You will eat,"

"Okay," stepping towards him she swayed almost falling causing him to catch the girl.

Looking down at the worried neko who mewed at the girl worriedly.

"Lead the way neko," looking from Kagome to him and back again she nodded before grabbing the yellow bag. Cautiously she would look behind her to make sure of the girl's condition.

The group would not be pleased seeing the murderous lord holding Kagome, but at this rate, Kirara knew that Kagome would be needing the demon or risk falling ill or possibly die.

wolfYLady: it's not much, but it's all I have for the mean time. I do apologize for the wait but my family has experienced many losses within the last month, and as I am work and going to school full time I haven't had the time to write.

Either way, I hope you enjoyed and understand what I am implying as to why Kagome is acting the way she is.

Experience During Withdrawals:

Pain areas: in the muscles

Whole body: lethargy, loss of appetite, night sweats, shakiness, weakness, clammy skin, craving, feeling cold, or sweating

Behavioral: agitation, crying, excitability, irritability, restlessness, or self-harm

Psychological: delirium, depression, hallucination, paranoia, or severe anxiety

Sleep: insomnia, nightmares, sleepiness, or sleeping difficulty

Gastrointestinal: gagging, nausea, vomiting, or flatulence

Cognitive: disorientation, mental confusion, racing thoughts, or slowness in activity

Mood: boredom, feeling detached from self, or loss of interest or pleasure in activities

As always please review.