Chapter One

Kagome sat next to Kikyo, her white Kosode blowing steadily in the wind. "Sister," she whispered, her hair gliding gently in front of her face, "are we to begin?"

Kikyo nodded sharply, standing so fast Kagome's eyes barely followed the movement. After a moment of hesitation, Kagome also stood, pushing away her long black hair. It settled neatly on her back, almost touching her hips. Kikyo's own black hair reached to her knees, giving her a slightly childish look, but Kagome knew better. Her sister was not a child.

" Draw your bow," Kikyo commanded, brown eyes alight with what looked suspiciously like enjoyment. She was feeding on her sisters fear, embracing it. This was their last lesson. She would teach her sister the element of fear.

Kagome's hands shook as she swiftly pulled out her weapon. Not a second later, Kikyo's own bow surfaced, arrow poised.

"Shoot," she commanded.

Wiping her left palm on her dress, Kagome raised the bow. She slid an arrow into place, aimed for Kikyo's heart, and fired. Kikyo's own arrow flew, and the two pointed ends collided in the middle. They clattered to the grounds, bits of light still clinging to them.

"You aimed, but did not intend to kill," Kikyo told Kagome, leaning over to pick up her arrow, "I thought by now you would have-"

"Don't move." Kagome's arrow was suddenly at Kikyo's side, the sharp point poking straight through into the miko's soft white skin.

Kikyo smiled, "You move quickly, your speed has improved," her hand rose slowly and Kagome's arrow jabbed harder, " you're looking at the wrong one." she whispered. Too late Kagome noticed the small knife heading straight for eye, but at the last second she dropped her bow and grabbed the knife between her thump and forefinger. She ignored the sliver of blood flowing from between her fingers and clasped the rest of her hand around the cool metal edge. Pulling backwards with all her might, she forced Kikyo to her knees, raising the arrow point up, she coiled her arm behind her head, and threw the arrow as hard as she could. With a loud thud the arrow pierced the rough soil left of one of the nearby trees, glistening with sweat where Kagome's fingers had clutched it.

"You're dead," she said. Breathing heavily, she released her sister, watching her as she fell onto the soft grass of the meadow.

Kikyo's smile grew wider, more genuine, teasing even, "No," she said, "you're dead."

"What?" Kagome asked, her breath caught in her throat, she gasped as the carbon in her lungs built up unable to be released. Grabbing her throat, she fell to her knees, choking.

Kikyo stood, pulling out a small medicine container, "Drink," she said, holding the bowl-like container to her younger sibling's mouth. Kagome did as she was told, a bitter taste rolling over her tongue. When she caught her breath, she glanced up at her sister, confused. "Poison," Kikyo answered, pointing at Kagome's hand. The small cut was gushing out blood, which Kikyo began to rap with piece of cloth, "it was on the knife, you should think before you pull foolish stunts like that." she pulled the cloth hard into a bunny eared like fashion, eyes aglow with cunningness. "You once again failed to beat me."

"Damn it," Kagome muttered, and was rewarded with another sharp tug on the make-shift bandage.

"We are Priestesses', we do not use fowl language," standing up, she held out a hand, palm-up. "Come, I shall give you the jewel."

Kagome's eyes widened in surprise, "But I didn't beat you…"

"You have proven you are worthy enough," She answered, and for a moment her mask fell down, and she revealed to her sister what she was feeling: pride.

Kagome smiled, taking her sister's hand. "I am no longer your apprentice? We are equals?"

Kikyo nodded, eyes gleaming, "Yes, Priestess."

The two sisters nodded to each other, accepting the new title. "Let's go home," Kagome said, and together the two went, Priestesses' of equal status.

***

"I smell something," Inuyasha whispered to himself, dog ears pricking up as the sound of footsteps and low voices filled the forest, "feh," he muttered as the tones of females became obvious, "It's just two girls from that village." but as they got closer, he noticed the arrows on their backs, the bows swinging slightly on their shoulders. These were Priestesses', his enemy.

Tucking his arms into his bright red kimono, he leaned back in the tree he was laying in, making his voice as clear as possible, he shouted, "Oh look, it's the little demon girls, the ones who slay the awful bastards who hide in this forest. Look how nice and girly they walk? Why, they might step on a caterpillar-demon and smoosh him with one mighty stomp."

One of them looked up at him, eyes fierce with anger, "Hold your tongue, you are addressing a Priestess."

"Oh really?" He said, leaning forward. "And what Priestess are you? The one of rosy cheeks?"

The girl flushed. "No, I'm Kagome. Lady Kagome to you."

Inuyasha laughed, swinging from the tree and landing neatly in front of the girl. "You seem rather bold."

"Leave him be," The other said, not turning to look back at him as she continued to walk, "I thought I told you: don't play with wild dogs."

He laughed again, standing to his full height. "I've heard of you, Priestess. You are, Kikyo, right? The one who reeks of demons' blood. I hear you guard a jewel."

Kikyo's head turned at the word. She stopped in her tracks. "How do you know of that?" She asked sharply.

Inuyasha cracked his knuckles loudly, "Someone in your faithful village spilled, more then words I might add," His fangs shown in the dimming sunlight, glistening like daggers.

Slowly, the miko took her bow from her shoulder, reaching back for an arrow, she asked, "Who have you killed, demon?"

"I didn't kill anyone, smartass." Inuyasha said, leaning back into a fighting stance. "Don't make assumptions."

"I despise fowl language," Kikyo slid the arrow into place, "and I hate pesky half breeds like you, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha ears went flat against his head, the word he despised hanging in the air. Half breed… half breed…

"Be quiet," he growled, raising a sharply clawed hand, "or I'll split you in two."

Kagome looked from Inuyasha to Kikyo, eyes wide. She had not expected a fight, not so soon after finnaly being accepted.

"Kagome," Kikyo said cooly, " go home, I'll be with you soon." She pulled back the arrow until the string was taunt, an almost silent boing echoed as she held it, eyes trained to react to the slightest movement of the hanyou.

Kagome bit her lip.

Kikyo tensed, preparing to shoot, "Go now, Kagome."

Inuyasha smirked. "Yeah, Kagome, go run back to your little village. Little girls shouldn't fight in adults matters."

Kagome's face turned bright red and, against her better judgment, she stomped her foot. " Don't you start with me! You barely look like under eighteen!"

He shrugged, " Better then looking ten."

Kagome stomped her foot again. "I!", stomp, "Am!", stomp, "A women!", stomp, stomp.

Inuyasha grabbed her by the neck, dragging her towards him. "Quiet," he whispered, claws digging into her skin, "you annoy me."

"Let her go!" Kikyo commanded firmly, but her arm lowered slightly.

"You know," He said smuggly, backing away slowly into the creeping shadows of the trees, "I don't think I will."

Kikyo's hand tightened on her bow, her eyes wavering with contained rage. "I am warning you, half breed…"

Inuyasha's eyes flashed. "Congrats," he said coldly, "you just blew it." He leaned downwards, then burst up in a great show of strength, lifting Kagome with him. Kikyo watched helplessly as her only sister was carried off, drifting farther and farther away with every leap of the half-demons legs.

"Kagome…" She whispered, eyes pooling with silent tears, "I'll get you back." And she turned, running as fast as she could back to the village