Kagome leaned against the wall of the cave as she watched Sesshoumaru disappear into the horizon. She closely examined her hands, which now had claws rather than fingernails. She ran the claw from her right index finger over the palm of her left hand, to test the sharpness. Much to her surprise, doing such left a rather deep cut in her hand. She gasped as she felt a slight tingling sensation and watched the cut close itself. [Wow… I’d never believed that I could heal so easily… perhaps it is merely because of the way my body is now…]

Kagome stretched as she took in a deep breath, inhaling scents from all around. She caught the smell of the flowers that were just outside of the cave, the sweet scent of fruits on a tree in the distance, she even caught Sesshoumaru’s scent in the distance. To her new senses, his scent was the most pleasant thing around—much in contrast to the mildew-like smell that she could smell from just behind her—Jaken.

Kagome flinched as she caught another scent on the wind, this one coming from a different direction. Paired with this scent was a jyaki that was so imminent that even as a human Kagome was always able to sense it—Naraku. She shuddered as she felt the aura approaching the cave that she was in. [I’ve got to do something… quick, too… If Naraku comes here and figures out that I am—well, me, who knows what can happen. I could try to fight him, but I don’t know if I’d be strong enough in this body… I’ve got to… got to… I know! If I get rid of these clothes, he won’t be as able to recognize me… As it is, he will think that I’m dead…] "Jaken, turn around."

Jaken shot Kagome a questioning look, but then complied to her order when he saw her hold her claws in the light, shining over the sharp points.

Kagome pulled her school uniform off and threw it in front of Jaken. "Burn it."

Without turning around, Jaken reached for his staff, but hesitated before he set the clothing on fire. "Why are you acting like this, woman?"

"I can smell Naraku. He is headed in this direction. I can’t have those clothes here, he might figure out who I really am."

"Naraku’s coming?"

"Yes, so burn those clothes. It’s going to be a while until Sesshoumaru has returned, we’ll have to keep up the illusion that I am an authentic hanyou." Kagome’s eyes darted around the cave until the landed on her backpack. She knew she did not want to burn all of her belongings as well, so she tossed it towards the back of the cave. She hurried towards the back part of the cave as she removed her other clothing that she had been wearing underneath of her school uniform and threw that clothing next to her backpack. In a desperate attempt to maintain some dignity, she pulled her hair over her bare front, hoping that Naraku would not come, even though she had the dread feeling that he would. She shivered as she leaned against the cold rock wall of the cave and watched outside, waiting for either Naraku to arrive or (hopefully) Sesshoumaru to return. [Damn him… he left me here all alone—just like Inu Yasha does… Then again, at least he seems to be trying to get along with me… isn’t he?]

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Sesshoumaru growled again under his breath as he reached the home of the aged tanuki that had always made his kimonos. [I cannot believe that I’m doing this… Going out of my way to make sure that Inu Yasha’s wench is dressed…]

The old tanuki stirred from his sleep as he felt Sesshoumaru’s hand on his shoulder. He smiled at the taiyokai, knowing that he meant no harm. Though few others in the Western Lands could claim such, he had known Sesshoumaru since he was a mere boy, following in the footsteps of the great Inutaishou. "Sesshoumaru-dono… to what do I owe this pleasure?"

Sesshoumaru’s eyelids dropped in annoyance as he replied, "I need a woman’s kimono."

The old tanuki chuckled. "A woman, eh? That little girl hasn’t grown up on you already, has she?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "This is for someone else."

"Really? You finally have taken a mate then?"

Sesshoumaru recoiled at the thought. [That woman as a mate? Heh, she was ‘easy’ enough that she has feelings for that idiot of a hanyou half-brother of mine…] "No… This woman is not a mate."

"I see…" The old tanuki waddled into his short, clay-brick home. "How tall is she? Is she thin or fat?"

Sesshoumaru strained to remember her features while he stooped over and entered the tanuki’s house. "Eh, she’s about a hand’s length shorter than I am—and she’s thin…"

"Dark hair or light?"

"Silver."

"Eye color?"

"Amber."

The tanuki chuckled as he pulled a few boxes out of a closet. "Are you sure that you aren’t considering this woman as a mate?"

Sesshoumaru growled at the tanuki. "What would make you think that I’d mate with a hanyou?"

"Oh… a hanyou then? Heh… Gomen ne, Sesshoumaru-dono, I was just noting that for someone not interested in a woman, you certainly know her features."

Sesshoumaru scoffed at the idea. "I would never lower myself to such a sub-standard—I merely pay high attention to detail."

"Of course." The tanuki sighed as he opened two boxes. "Which one will suit her best, the blue or the lavender?"

Sesshoumaru sighed as he looked over the two different colors of silk. He knew that perhaps the lavender would suit her later, the deep navy blue would compliment her features best for now. [What am I thinking—trying to figure out what will make this woman look best?]

The tanuki watched as Sesshoumaru’s expressions slowly shifted from concentration to disgust and finally back to his usual poker-face.

"I’ll take the navy kimono."

The tanuki nodded as he closed the box containing the lavender kimono and handed Sesshoumaru the box with the blue kimono. "I’ll not charge you for this one, Sesshoumaru-dono… I believe that I am indebted to you as it is for forcing the wolves out of this part of the territory…"

"But that was years ago…"

"It has also been many years since I have been rid of a woman’s kimono… I was somewhat hoping that you would eventually be returning for more for this same mystery woman, but it seems that you have dashed my hoped once again, Sesshoumaru-dono."

Sesshoumaru chuckled as he took the box and left. Though any other yokai would have been killed on the spot for speaking to him in such a manner, Sesshoumaru had known that tanuki since he was a child and allowed him to do as he wished. His eyes were soft and somewhat happy as he turned back to where he had come from and began running back to the place.

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Kagome trembled as she felt Naraku’s aura draw even nearer. She knew that he was close—too close for anything near being comfort. Finally, she heard the sounds of his feet over leaves and twigs on the ground. A feral growl rose from her throat as she stood, ready to defend herself if need be. She flexed her hands, now ready to use her newly acquired claws to slice at Naraku. Despite her readiness to attack, she still felt a tinge of fear in the back of her mind. [What am I going to do? I’ve never really had to face Naraku alone… Inu Yasha has always been there… Even when he’s not directly protecting me, I’ve always known that he would be there…]

As she saw Naraku, though, she instantly shook the fear from her heart as determination flared in her eyes. [I don’t need Inu Yasha to take care of me all of the time!]

Naraku leered at the nude woman before him, feeling as though he had seen her somewhere before. He looked further into the cave and caught a brief glance of Jaken, thus clueing him about who accompanied her. "Who are you, woman?"

Kagome’s mind froze. Any other time she was quick to answer, quick to fabricate a detail when needed, but not now… She was scared again.

Naraku chuckled as he saw the woman’s expression flicker fear, even though she was quick to regain her determined scowl. "Obviously you do indeed associate with Sesshoumaru-sama… you have his same silence… However, it bewilders me that a woman associated with Sesshoumaru should be without clothing… A taiyokai certainly shouldn’t be so short on funds that he could not clothe a woman in his presence…"

Kagome growled as she felt her hands tingle with a silent rage of their own, wishing desperately to attack Naraku. "I go as I please." She replied coolly.

"An associate of Sesshoumaru indeed… So, tell me, are you family to him or are you his wench?"

Kagome paused before she answered. "I am what I am."

Naraku chuckled. This woman’s wit did seem to match or even exceed Sesshoumaru’s. "And, do you have a name?"

Kagome’s heart-rate quickened for just a moment as she searched her mind for a name—she knew that she would have to be called by that name from then on, or else Naraku would become suspicious. Finally her thoughts came to the heroine of her favorite manga series. "Kana… If you must call me anything, call me Kana… Though, perhaps you could tell me your name?" Kagome smiled as she spoke the last words—knowing that he would be less suspicious of someone whom had not known his name.

"Sarcastic, aren’t you?" Naraku muttered as he stepped nearer to Kagome. "Well, Kana-sama, I am known as Naraku."

Kagome stepped back as she saw Naraku’s eyes wander over her figure. She had nearly forgotten that she was standing nude before him. Naraku, that she hated, she despised—wanted to destroy more than anything—and she was standing before him without the slightest embarrassment. "Well, then, Naraku, what is it that you want here?"

"I was unaware that Sesshoumaru-sama was collecting the shards…"

Kagome paled as she realized that she still wore the shards around her neck. "What are they to you?"

"Well, for a start, they seem to be the only thing that you are wearing, my dear. I suppose, though that I should tell you that my true purpose here is to collect those shards from you…"

"And leave me with nothing? Why should I give you what I have?"

"You obviously know Sesshoumaru—you should know that unless you wish to die, you should give in to someone stronger than yourself."

"You should also know better than to threaten someone under Sesshoumaru’s care… You have been lucky to have survived thus far." Kagome bit her tongue and mentally cursed herself for saying such words to an enemy she knew that she would be unable to fight at the time. As though to show her boredom, she took in a deep breath, realistically trying to catch Sesshoumaru’s scent on the wind. [He’s out there… a few miles away, though.]

"But it seems that Sesshoumaru is not here, so he certainly cannot punish me for any deeds I have done or words I have spoken against him."

"Yes, but you shall still suffer consequences one day. You are blatantly speaking in low regard of your taiyokai. No one is allowed such."

Naraku lunged for Kagome, a smile upon his face, even though she dodged his attack. He grinned as she ran out of the cave and attempted to corner him within the cave. "Kana-sama, why do you feel so threatened by me?"

"I trust no man."

"Even a hanyou such as yourself?"

Kagome growled at his words, mocking her as a hanyou. Though briefly, her thoughts wandered to Inu Yasha, wondering whether or not she still trusted him. "I only trust myself," was her reply, though she was not quite sure that she actually meant it.

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A.N. One last thing—bonus points to whoever can first figure out what series the name ‘Kana’ came from (an actual anime/manga series has a character with this as a nickname and no, it has nothing to do with our favorite white demons created by Naraku). Hint—This character has the same Japanese voice actress as Kagome.

Leave your answer (if you want to sound really smart, explain how you knew) in a review or send me an e-mail about it—I’ll try to mention you at the end of a future chapter. ^_~

Ja ne,

Ryoko Yuy