The Snow Angel by SunsetMiko
The Separation
Chapter 13 - The Separation *Life* (Skye's Weekly Challenges)
"This is going to suck, Prince," Kagome whispered to the dog as she slung her heavy bag onto her back. The sun had risen just moments before, but everyone was ready to go, eager to make it back to Edo, and the comfort of Kaede's hut. While crowded, it was certainly homier than the cave they had been stuck in for almost a week.
Sesshoumaru looked up at the miko and mentally sighed. She had no idea. He had been up a good bit of the night thinking. He found it incredibly tempting to simply stay the way he was, at the miko's side, forever. He was happy with her, something he had never experienced before. Not even as a child had he ever truly been happy. All of his time had been spent training both his body and his mind. He wasn't allowed to play, and he had never had a friend. Now, however, he felt as though he found one in Kagome, even if it could only continue with him in his current form.
Questions about the limits of his form, though, made him realize it was impossible. He had no idea if his lifespan had been altered to that of a mortal dog's, and he certainly did not want to give up the centuries upon nearly endless centuries of life he would live as a taiyoukai to spend just a few years with the miko as her companion. He would much rather find a way to earn a place in her life in his usual form, though he doubted that was possible.
He had so many responsibilities, as well, and his sense of honor would not allow him to turn his back on his lands or those that resided within. He had to find a way to reverse the spell, but only his mother could do so. She very rarely left the castle, let alone the West, so he would likely have to wait until she realized that too much time had passed, and something was wrong. Then she would be forced to come looking for him if he still could not cross the border and return home.
Unsure if the barrier was still present, Sesshoumaru decided that he had to check. It was a surprisingly difficult decision. He didn't want to leave Kagome, even for a short time, but he knew it would have to happen eventually. Once he was returned to his humanoid form, he couldn't very well show up and expect her to treat him as she did Prince. Repaying her kindness was going to be incredibly difficult, primarily because of Inuyasha, but also because of his own past behavior. He was her enemy. He had to keep reminding himself of that fact because, at the moment, she certainly didn't treat him that way.
He still had no intention of ever telling her what had happened to him, or that he had been her short-term canine companion. It was humiliating, and he had spent quite a bit of his two weeks alone planning just how he would make his mother pay for subjecting him to such.
The group trudged along behind Inuyasha, single file, each walking in the steps of the one in front of them as the hanyou forged a path. It was a good ten minutes of difficult passage before the snow levels dropped. In the more open areas, it was much more manageable, no higher than their knees, but they still proceeded in the same fashion. It was easier that way, and they all wanted to make it as far as possible before nightfall.
Sesshoumaru, knowing Kagome was protected on the front, trotted along behind her. Much shorter than the others, all he could see on either side were walls of white at first. His head finally reached above the snow level, but he still found himself focused on the miko. She held so much strength and determination in such a dainty, frail human form. The bag she carried was quite heavy. He knew because he had attempted to move it at one point out of curiosity, and then it hadn't even been fully loaded like it was now. He mentally castigated Inuyasha for making her carry it when it would be so much easier for the hanyou to do so, though he had to admit it would hold him back if they were to be attacked.
The once-taiyoukai paid very close attention to their location as they walked, dreading what he would very soon have to do. He waited until they were as close to the Western borders as they would get on their way to Edo, took one last lingering look at the miko, and then bolted. He would make his way to the West and see if the barrier remained, and if it did, he would return as quickly as possible to Kagome. He had decided that he would only check once. If he could not cross into his lands then he would wait with the miko for his mother, or someone sent by her, to locate him.
He heard as Kagome cried out for him to come back, his heart aching in his chest at the anguish in her voice. He had known leaving her would cause her distress, which was why he intended to make this trip as short as possible. Now he was certain he was experiencing guilt. How he wished he could have explained to her where he was going and why, to tell her he would be back. Since he couldn't do so, he pushed himself to run faster, trying to get her pained voice out of his mind.