𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗦𝗦; 𝗜𝗡𝗨𝗬𝗔𝗦𝗛𝗔

12

News had spread throughout the entire Western lands, about the hyonekozou* wanting to wage war on the Western lands. In the past, the hyonekozou tried to take control of the Western lands but their leader was killed in battle against, Inutashio, and so they retreated back to East.

"Inuyasha-san, would you like to come down from that tree?" Asked Kikyo, looking up to were Inuyasha was sitting, she was surrounded by young children and didn't think that Inuyasha would intentionally hurt a child. "I'll get you some onigiri later."

"Fine, Kikyo-san," muttered Inuyasha as he left his spot, he warily watched the group pick flowers. The children clutched the sleeve of Kikyo's kosode, afraid of the presence of Inuyasha. "What!?" The children went closer to Kikyo.

"Kikyo-sama are you sure that..." a worried blue eyed child said, looking at Inuyasha. "The yokai won't eat us," the other children all agreed with the statement. Kikyo smiled at them.

"You shouldn't worry, Inuyasha-san. He won't hurt you," replied Kikyo, turning to face Inuyasha. "Any of you. Right, Inuyasha?" Kikyo gave him a sharp smile, causing Inuyasha to slightly flinch at the miko.

'Yeah," Inuyasha muttered. He wasn't prepared for the children to start making flower crowns and attempting to put them on his head. "What do you think you are doing?!'' Shouted Inuyasha as a child put a flower crown into Kikyo's hands, then Kikyo placed it on Inuyasha's head, being careful of his ears.

"Now does Inuyasha-san still look threatening?" Kikyo gestured to Inuyasha. The children took a moment to look at Inuyasha and his crown and gave a swift no. After all would an evil yokai allow Kikyo to place a flower crown on their head. "The children are beginning to warm up to you."

Inuyasha ears twitched in annoyance. Why was he even allowing the children near? It wasn't that he hated children, it was just his past experiences with them weren't pleasant. He closed his eyes and let his mind wander back to his childhood, while being mindful of the children nearby.

"Kikyo-sama, when did you meet Inuyasha-san? Did he try to eat you?" Questioned a curious child. Why would Kikyo waste her time with a yokai? It didn't make any sense.

"My meeting with Inuyasha-san was unexpected," started Kikyo, thinking back to their first meeting. "I had previously encountered his onii-san," she was about to continue but was cut off by one of the children.

"Is he a yokai too?" Asked the child. Kikyo's lips curved into a smile as she thought of Sesshomaru. Inuyasha opened a single eye and watched the miko. He wanted to hear what she had to say about Sesshomaru, and if the smile was any indication...

"Sesshomaru-san is a much older yokai than Inuyasha-san. With time comes improvement and experience. Since
Sesshomaru-san has been around for far longer that I have been alive, he is very powerful yokai. Although, Sesshomaru-san is very selective of the emotional value of life," said Kikyo.

"So Sesshomaru-san is better than Inuyasha-san?" a child questioned, causing Inuyasha to grip his fist tightly. He hated it when people always said that Sesshomaru was better than him, just because he was a full Yokai. Kikyo glanced to Inuyasha before looking back to the children.

"However, both Inuyasha-san and Sesshomaru have their merits and faults. For example, Inuyasha is willing to wear a flower crown that you have so graciously made for him. I know Sesshomaru-san would have never allowed it. Inuyasha-san is more open to his emotions while Sesshomaru-san is not," told Kikyo as the children nodded.

****

The light of the day was soon switched to the darkness of night time. Kikyo had sent all the children home before the sunset as she didn't want them out after dark. That was when yokai were most likely to attack and she didn't want to make families worried about their childs whereabouts.