The Bone Eater's Well

Chapter One

Kagome flicked her hair over her shoulders and clutched the straps to her yellow bag closer to her chest. Sighing, she stepped from the shade of the trees towards the well hesitantly. Blinking into the sun, she shied away from the group behind her to hide the wetness of her tears.

"Kagome-"

"Inuyasha," she called over her shoulder, hiding her face in her bangs, "I'm sorry, but I can't stay here any longer."

"But Kagome-" Sango called, catching the young miko's attention.

Miroko rested his hand on the slayer's shoulder, draping a loving arm around her. "Sango, it's for the best."

Kagome smiled, tears wetting her lashes. Blinking them away rapidly, she waved back at the group. "He's right. I can't stay here forever, you guys."

Kagome swallowed the lump in her throat as she walked closer to the well. Lovingly stroking the worn wood, she paused. Memories of being sucked down the well by Mistress Centipede and the wild adventure which started after ran through her head, and she choked on a sudden bout of sadness.

Whipping around, she looked at the solemn faces of her friends. She etched them into her memory, praying for their wellbeing and happiness. Biting her lip, she ran forward to tug Miroko and Sango into a deep hug, careful of the slayer's round belly.

"I'm going to miss you guys!" Kagome choked back whimper as she rubbed soothing circles into their shoulders.

"Hey! What about me?"

"Oh, Shippo!" Kagome snatched the fox kit into her arms and snuggled his small body into her chest.

"You won't forget about me, will ya?" Kagome relished the kit, and curled around him tighter when he questioned her.

"Never, Shippo!" Kagome petted down his auburn hair and ran her fingers over his puffy tail. "I promise to look for you."

Hearing a soft mewing, she crouched down to pet the neko companion of her sister. "You be good too, Kirara."

Saying her goodbyes and releasing her friends, Kagome shifted to the last companion and the one who practically started the journey of the past several years.

"Inuyasha." She murmured, etching his profile in her mind's eye.

His red haori sleeves fluttered in the wind and his white hair danced around him wildly. His face was soft, amber eyes glowing in the sunlight. Her heart clenched painfully as his ears swiveled in her direction.

The half demon stepped to her, grabbing onto the sleeve of her school uniform to drag her into a hug. She gasped, unexpecting the motion, and she leaned into his warm embrace. Her fingers splayed across his chest and she took a deep breath in to steady herself.

"Do you have to go?" He whispered and Kagome felt her heart flutter. Sniffling, she nodded, not trusting her voice to work.

Please, be safe." Inuyasha muttered into her black hair, holding her tight, his claws holding firmly on her shirt.

Kagome choked down a sob, and clutched onto his fire rat robe with a vengeance. This would probably be the last time she saw him, she thought. Closing her eyes, she returned his hug fiercely.

"I have to go. I can't stay here. This isn't my time." Kagome hiccuped.

The fight with Naraku had been horrendous and upon his defeat, she had made her wish- unselfish and true. Since the day the Sacred Jewel had been wished away, Kagome feared using the well and dreaded the choice she would have to make. She could feel the ancient power of the well dwindling and each day it hummed to her, beckoning her with the deepest part of her soul.

She couldn't stay even though she wished she could.

It was an empty feeling. Knowing she would never return to her companions nor the man she had grown to love, Kagome had to follow the call of the ancient well. It was pulling harder each day, draining her energy and stealing wisps of her soul each passing day.

"I'm sorry, everyone." Kagome drew away from him to look at the forlorn faces of her friends. "It's been an amazing three years. I'll never forget you guys!"

Her friends cheered, tears streaming down their faces, and she smiled for their sake.

"Miroku, take good care of your growing family. Shippo, please be kind to Inuyasha and go easy on the pranks." She hiccuped again, moving out of Inuyasha's arms to glance at his frowning face. "And Inuyasha, please, don't be afraid to let Kikyo back into your heart. She needs you as much as you need her."

Inuyasha's frown deepened and his ears dropped on his head. He shifted away from her, his hands fitting into his red sleeves with a grunt. His ears flicked in her direction as she moved toward the well.

With a wave, she sealed her fate with watery blue eyes and she breathed in the clean air of the Feudal Era one last time. Adjusting the straps of her backpack, she lifted herself over the rim of the well and jumped in.

The aura of the well swarmed around her, pulling her through the thickets of time and the familiar warmth of the well's power consumed her, settling heavy against her. Her inky tresses floated above her and she let her arms slide up in the midst of the motion.

She was going to miss them all- Kaede, Sango, Miroku, Shippo and Kirara. Most of all she was going to miss Inuyasha. Her heart clenched at the realization that she would never see them again, the well power taking her deeper into its magic.

Kagome let her mind wander as the well's magic worked around her and she closed her eyes to reminisce on the last few years. With Naraku no longer a threat, peace seemed to lay evenly on the land and life began anew.

The slayer and the monk married, producing a set of twins and a third child on the way. Shippo had begun seeking out other kitsunes to train his fox magic, and she nearly laughed thinking of how he nearly lit Kaede's hut on fire when he mastered his Fox FIre. Kikyo had been revived, a soul entirely separate from hers, and had resumed attending to the village alongside Kaede.

Inuyasha was lost though.

He struggled with the realization that Kikyo was back from the grave and in living flesh. Kagome thought he would have picked Kikyo dutifully, but he strayed, skirting along the edges of Kikyo. He watched her as if she were unreal and Kikyo had given him space to heal the wounds of their hearts. Kagome though, chose to step away from her love to let things settle to the way they were originally meant to be.

Kagome couldn't bear the thought that she'd be the force tearing the two star crossed lovers from each other. Even if the pain was there, Kagome knew in her heart that he needed Kikyo and she was never meant to stay in the Feudal Era. Thus when the well began making its final calls, she did what any dutiful miko would and she made the difficult decision to depart her companions.

The power of the well thrummed in her skin, lighting it waves of heat.

It was overwhelming and suffocating, and she held her breath until she felt her feet brush the ground and the weight lifted from around her. Kagome stuttered, releasing the breath in her lungs and greedily taking in a fresh batch of air. Shaking her head from her train of thoughts, she adjusted her bag and shifted her stance to prepare to make her ascent on the ladder.

Reaching forward out of habit, she ran her hand along the cool stone of the well to grab a hold of the ladder. Frowning, she patted the well wall trying to find it.

Opening her eyes in a huff, she exasperated not finding the ladder.

"Hey!" Kagome barked in surprise.

Taking a step back to better inspect the well wall, she stumbled and nearly tripped. Kagome glanced at what caught her footing.

"Ugh! What is this?!" Kagome kicked her feet up from the ground, dirt kicking up into the air causing her to cough.

Bones littered the ground, all of various stages of decomposure. Some pieces had flesh still clinging to the broken piece. She gagged, entrails entangled in clusters at her feet, and she held the back of her hand to her nose and mouth to stop the vomit rising from her stomach.

"Inuyasha!" She screamed, kicking away some bones where some worms and maggots could be seen weaving in and out of the body part. "Gross!"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried again, confused and disgusted, when the putrid stench of the summer heat wafted another bout of the stench up to her nose.

She backed into the far well wall and categorized the image, not entirely sure what she was seeing. Shocked, she looked up, rays of light nearly blinding her. Raising a hand above her to block the rays, she could see the clear blue sky. Birds were chirping in the distance, singing happy tunes and insects buzzed nearby wildly. No roof over her head, a clear sign she was not back in the modern era.

Turning to face the well wall, Kagome ran her hand along the fine stone finding divots to place her fingers. She searched for the tell all vines to grab onto to drag herself up, but scowled when she couldn't find any. All the overgrowth on the well no longer visible to her human eyes.

"Inuyasha, this isn't funny!" She grabbed the wall tighter, nails biting into the cool stone. "Don't make me say it!"

She waited nervously and anxiously anticipating his scuff. Hearing nothing but the forest, she began the angry task of trying to pick out the best places to grab onto. Kagome groaned, bringing her arms above her to grab at the ragged edges of the stone and lifting herself up to press her feet into the small edges that stuck out at the bottom.

Grumbling to herself, she climbed slowly and impatiently adjusting her body to stay steady. Just my luck, that jerk. Kagome's nails scraped the stone and she grunted in pain. Before long, she was nearing the top of the well and she cursed herself for nearly slipping when the stones smoothed over.

Must be newer, Kagome flicked her bangs away from her, a bead of sweat rolling down the side of her face. Tipping her head back, she looked back up into the beautiful sky.

Finally grabbing onto the wood of the lip of the well, she barely managed to pull herself up and over the edge. With her torso over the lip, she leaned forward using the momentum to fall forward. Barely catching herself, she almost fell on her face with a squeak, her arms catching herself in time.

"Phew! That was close."

Moving to stand, she adjusted her pack on her back and brushed off the dirt on her clothes, her green skirt covered in grass. Glancing back at the well, Kagome gazed into the darkness of the well. Shivering at the sight of the body, or bodies, Kagome straightened. Definitely a demon corpse or two.

Kagome sighed.

"Why am I still here though?" Kagome scratched at her forearm. "I guess it didn't work."

Kagome frowned, turning away from the vessel of her time travel to search the tree line.

The forest seemed vivid and untamed. The clearing seemed smaller and the underbrush thick. Kagome shrugged it off. Maybe I never really noticed it before.

"Sango! Miroku!" Kagome cupped her hands around her mouth hoping to call to her companions before they made it back to the village.

"Shippo! Kirara!"

She paused, foot idolly kicking up some grass and hands dropping to her sides.

With a sigh, she muttered, "Guess I'll just have to go to them."

Kagome walked forth, hands busying themselves with straightening her clothes. The wind kicked up suddenly, pressing her tresses into her face, and she fought the breeze to tame the mass. She ducked under a low branch to exit the clearing and guided herself in the direction of the forest. Weaving through a few branches and stepping over a large bush, she stumbled as her foot caught a particularly large tree root.

Stepping over the overgrown root, Kagome frowned. "This wasn't here before."

Trailing off into thought, she glanced around her. The forest was definitely livelier than before. Maybe I'm going the wrong way? She pivoted to look behind her, the well almost blocked from sight, the rays of light peaking through the overhead foliage. No, this definitely is the way. Dread filled her stomach, pooling thick enough to make her nauseous.

Heart thudding in her chest, she turned back to look at the unfamiliar yet so familiar direction of the village. Her senses were in overdrive suddenly, fear and dread gripping settling in her stomach, and she took off into the wilderness.

No, no, no! The mantra rang in her ears and her blood pumped hot in her limbs.

Ignoring the stinging of the bushes and branches scraping her bare legs, Kagome surged forward.

"Sango!" She desperately called. "Miroku, Shippo! Please, it's me!"

Hear no response, she picked up her speed.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed, pushing low branches from her head.

Kagome ran, heart thumping rapidly and legs aching from the thicket around her. She ran as quick as she could in her desperation and she felt fear tug in the forefront of her mind. Breathing heavily, she hiccuped. I should have already been able to see the village.

Where is it?!

She ran for what seemed like forever. She ran until her legs collapsed under her and she swept a tired hand over her face. Tears were beginning to spill and she let a worn sob escape her.

There was no village in sight.

"Guys-" Kagome choked. "Where is everybody?"

The forest was beginning to still- birds were quieting and the insects were beginning to buzz lightly in the summer humidity. Kagome had swatted a particularly large flea from her exposed leg, and she sighed dejectedly.

She had sat there for a couple hours registering her predicament. But where is everyone? Where am I? Kagome searched the darkening forest and she swallowed a lump in her throat.

"No point in staying here."

Kagome stood slowly, her body sore and aching from the trudge into the forest. She brushed the dirt from her knees, clutching her bag like a lifeline, and turned back in the direction of the well.

The sky was darkening quickly and she weaved through the thicket, whipping her face on her sleeve. She stumbled on another root and cursed her luck as she leaned on the thick tree trunk.

Lost in her thoughts, she felt another bout of sadness wash over her and she pounded a closed fist on the base of the tree.

"Why?! Stupid well, stupid Naraku, stupid Inuyasha!"

Kagome cried out, fist pounding the tree a few times. She relented when her fist drew raw and she could hear her grunts turn into pants. The young miko sucked in a breath of air as a breeze tickled her face, and she brought her chin skyward.

Gasping, Kagome glanced at the tree. "The Goshinboku."

Kagome shifted, her shoes scuffing along the large tree root, and she lovingly caressed the tree. She darted around it, trying to find the sacred marking on the tree where Inuyasha was pinned. She huffed, climbing over the limbs and scrambling to get a good footing.

Hope flooded her and she zipped around the tree hoping to find the familiar spot.

Kagome couldn't mentally process the image.

The tree was completely unmarked.

She crumbled to the forest floor. She felt broken and lost. But it feels like the Goshinboku- she hiccuped as a cry left her and she felt the sacred tree thrum along her senses. It is the Goshinboku. But how?

Kagome cried, tears running freshly down her flushed face, and she crawled to a little cove where the roots lifted. Snuggling to the tree and curling in on herself, she let herself drift into a restless slumber.

—-

Chirping had startled her awake. The forest was alive again, the sun peaking through the treetops and squirrels zipping across the forest floor. It was beautiful; however, her mood was only slightly lifted from its depressed state.

Kagome rubbed her puffy eyes and yawned. Crawling out of the little tree cove, Kagome eyed the forest before her. She didn't have much time to think before her stomach gurgled loudly. Her hand rubbed her aching belly and she stretched.

"Guess I should eat something."

The yellow bag dropped to the ground and she rolled her shoulders before diving into it. She opened her bag and shuffled through her notebooks and medical supplies to find something edible- a protein bar! She ate it quickly, reaching to grab another, but then she thought better. I don't want to end up with a stomach ache if I eat too much too fast.

Sadly, she studied the woods.

Kagome watched as the wildlife sparked- the woods rising with the morning sun and she took a deep breath in. She stood amicably gathering her wits about her. She could stay here if she wanted. She knew the river was close and she could shelter carefully under the Sacred tree if need be. Kagome frowned.

"I should see if the well works, first."

Kagome closed the bag and set off towards the well. Parting the forest, she maneuvered toward the clearing easily enough now with the sun beaming. The sight of the well was welcomed, but seeing the bright color of the well had her frowning. It's been freshly painted.

She stroked the smooth surface of the wood, frowning deepening on her lips. It was so worn before. This is probably a few years old at most.

Kagome chanced a glance down the well, but jerked back. "Ew!"

Her hand shot up to cover her nose from the stench of the rotting corpse. Steeling herself, she looked again and gagged at the sight again. Shaking her head, Kagome held onto the lip of the well tightly with her spare hand.

Focusing her center the way Miroku taught her, she concentrated on her energy to thrum on her fingertips.

Deep breathe in, hold it for one. Two. Three. Release slowly. Repeat.

She called to the well's magic, similar to how it had tugged on her- sharp jerks and jabs at her aura, energy buzzing along the forest floor. She sighed when she couldn't feel it. Pushing her reiki harder, her jaw clenched and she ground her teeth.

"Come on." She begged under her breath. Imagine the aura, she coached herself as Miroku had, call gently and probe it.

The well did not pulse.

She tried again, driving into the depth of her reiki to summon the well magic. Her aura flared about her and she could feel the wilderness calm around her.

"Ugh!"

Kicking the well was not a wise decision on her part. Jumping about, she brought her leg up to hold onto her wounded foot.

"Stupid, stupid!" She groaned before angrily turning to the well, hands fisting.

"Why don't you work?!"

Kagome flared up, scowling and stomping her foot dramatically. "Just let me pass through!"

Her demand was met with a sharp tug and she froze. It's working! Her hands shot up in prayer and she smiled. "Yes! Thank you!"

Without a second thought, she threw herself into the well with a wide smile. She could finally go home or at least back to my friends!

When her body fell into a heap against the dirt and her hands crushed a broken bone with a snap, Kagome screeched in surprise. She scrambled to stand nearly losing her breakfast at the stench of the rotting remains.

Carefully standing and leaning back into the stone of the well wall, Kagome knocked her head back groaning.

"It didn't work." She grumbled feeling her body sag, and she closed her eyes with a deep sigh.

"What would make you think it would?"

"I felt it and it usually does-"

Kagome glanced up suddenly.

The sun was bright, outlining a tall, broad figure above her. She blinked up at the male figure, clasped in armor, hovered on the lip of the well. His long legs were covered in a billowing white hakama and the sleeves of his haori whisked in the wind around him. She could make out the thick pelt and the billowing silver strands of hair. His clawed hand resting on the hilt of one of his swords at his waist. She eyed the stripe on his wrist before blinking into the light to try to see his face.

"Sesshomaru?" Kagome called, hand reaching up to block the sunlight.

The figure moved slowly as if assessing her, turning to loom fully over the lip of the well, and she felt her rabbit heart attacking her rib cage. Hope had her smiling brilliantly, but her face fell when the man spoke again.

"How do you know of my son?"

A.N: Welcome to my first Inuyasha story! I am extremely excited and inspired to write this, and I do apologize to all my Naruto fic followers. I need to get this off my chest and into the open before I can finish some of my other stories. Not that they are on hiatus or anything, but this is plaguing me!

As always, I do not have the rights or ownership of Inuyasha nor its characters.