Ch. 2 Arrival in the Feudal Era

                                    

                                          
The grass beneath her was hard and uneven, the ground feeling rough underfoot. The air was thick with the unfamiliar scent of earth, wildflowers, and something faintly smoky. Above, the sky stretched endlessly, painted in shades of orange and crimson, as though it were dusk.
"Where am I?" she murmured to herself, her voice barely a whisper as she stared at the well before her.
She stares at the well in front of her then suddenly, a sharp pain hit her, a throbbing sensation in her head that made it hard to focus. She tried to piece together the events that led to this moment. The last thing she remembered was stopping Kagome's fall near the well. Then a light had appeared, followed by an overwhelming darkness. And now, this— 
"Kagome!" she gasped, a sudden panic rising in her chest. "What happened... Where is this...? I need to find Kagome."
She started walking forward, calling out for her cousin, hoping that she might be nearby. The sky above her began to darken, and worry gripped her heart—not just for Kagome, but for herself and how she would survive in this unfamiliar forest. The more she walked, the heavier her heart felt, weighed down by anxiety and fear.
In the silence that followed, her voice broke free in a cry of desperation, "Kagome!"
The air around her remained still and silent. Her eyes began to fill with tears, the hopelessness of her situation overwhelming her.
"EY, LADY!"
She spun around at the hoarse voice, spotting a middle-aged man followed by four others. 
"Lady! You need to be quiet from here on out, the light's fading!" the man whispered urgently.
"Yuh! You'll get us all killed," another man added. "That yelling could attract demons!"
Kiyo's confusion was evident, but before she could respond, she moved forward, relieved to see them. But the men raised their weapons at her suddenly, the hostility caused her to stop in her tracks. 
She raised her hands, a gesture of surrender. "W-why are you pointing weapons at me...?" she asked, her voice laced with confusion. "It's not like I'm a monster."
One of the men stepped closer, his weapon at the ready.
"Who knows?" he said, narrowing his eyes. "You might really be a monster looking to eat us."
"What? Eat you?" Kiyo asked, her arms dropping in bewilderment. "Why would I do that? I'm 100% sure I don't eat humans... Now, if you could just focus, this 'LADY' you keep referring to—she's lost and needs help finding a family member. And—"
Her stomach growled loudly, cutting her off.
The men exchanged blank looks before glancing back at each other. "Alright then, we'll believe you're really human. You can come with us. Our village is nearby, and you can take refuge there for now," one of the men said.
"We apologize for the misunderstanding."
"Let's move before it gets pitch black," another man urged.
As she followed them closely, Kiyo couldn't help but wonder what had made them think she was a monster. What about her didn't look human?
"Uhm, hey, I was wondering... what did you guys mean by attracting demons?" she asked, but none of the men answered her.
One of them leaned closer to another and whispered, "Pst, now that I think about it, doesn't she have foreign clothes like that other girl who came here?"
"Shh! No more talking," another man hissed, quieting the group. "We're almost there. Just need to get past this area, and we'll be on village grounds."
The path underfoot was uneven, a mixture of packed dirt and scattered roots. In the distance, the faint sound of water could be heard—the promise of the village laid just beyond. The first hints of civilization came into view. The scent of smoke and cooking fires drifted faintly on the breeze, accompanied by the distant murmur of voices.
Finally, the group stepped out onto the edge of the village grounds. Villagers moved about their nightly routines—the atmosphere was warm and inviting. 
"We made it," Kiyo whispered, her voice tinged with relief and awe as she took in the scene before her. For a brief moment, the tension in her chest began to lift, replaced by a flicker of hope.
"Go notify and fetch Lady Kaede," one of the men in the group commanded. "The rest of you, bring the goods we got and store them. And you, lady—" he pointed at Kiyo, his tone demanding, "Follow me."
Confusion flickered in Kiyo's eyes, but without protest, she followed him.