Title: Winning the War

Characters: Most of them

Genre: Angst/Romance

Warning: Character death

Author note: Okay well I haven't exactly added much to the story, but I was re-reading it and it seemed a little short and everything so I thought I might extend it a bit. Plus my writing style has changed a little since I wrote it so I thought I'd update. (Originally 2005 and then revamped 2008, and now 2012)

The sun had long ago dipped below the horizon and even the beautiful colours of the sunset had disappeared leaving the sky a deep blue-black that was covered by hundreds of pinpricks of light. Stars covered the sky en mass and the moon was almost at half and it hung there as well, fingers of pale light brushed across the ground below. It had once been a pretty area, trees and large boulders were scattered through the sloping area but now green grass now covered in crimson and boulders were cut in half, bodies strewn through the clearing though they were decidedly not human.

Death, it was everywhere…

The fight had been long and tedious, but then the fights with Naraku had never been what you would call easy. At some point through it Kagome had been separated from her friends and that had caused her to take refuge behind some large rocks. It had been a good choice since it had given her protection from oncoming enemies and a vantage point to use her arrows, so she hadn't done too badly for herself but now silence reigned over the battlefield, almost as terrifying as the battle itself.

Adrenaline was still pumping through her body from the battle and her heart beat fast within her chest as she stood bent over slightly behind the rocks, her fingers digging into the rock in front of her. Biting her bottom lip the dark-haired girl stood to her full height and looked over the top of the boulder and she nervously wondered why it was that she couldn't see anyone else. She couldn't be the only survivor could she? No that was silly…after all the others were all far better warriors than she was.

"Hello? Is everyone alright?" Kagome called loudly, flinching slightly at how loud her voice seemed in the silence that surrounded her almost as deafening as the battle had been. The silence seemed so eerie…not even animals or insects made a sound.

Ignoring the aches and pains she clambered on top of the rock that she had been standing behind in an attempt to get a better view point but what she saw only turned her stomach. Bile filled her mouth and she swallowed it, trying to breathe only through her mouth - they may have been demons but still, her stomach didn't enjoy the metallic tang of blood and the sight of so many bodies, but she still didn't see her friends.

Taking a deep breath the dark-haired girl finally slid down from the rock and walked out onto the battle field in search for them. Doing her best she skirted the bodies but fear settled in her stomach as her gaze was drawn time and again back to them, looking but hoping not to see a familiar face among the dead that surrounded her.

A soft sound of surprise slipping from her mouth as her foot slid out from under her in a slick pool of blood, her hands fumbling for grip on a tree but she fell, jarring her knee on the impact before she scrabbled back onto her feet as quickly as she could. Wiping the blood from her hands onto her pants once more, perhaps if she wore the normal red instead of green they would have been salvageable but they were already stained beyond fixing so what did it matter anymore?

Stumbling slightly Kagome froze when she heard rustling in the bushes. Remembering she hadn't picked up her bow when she'd left her hiding spot, she'd run out of arrows. Oh typical…she survives the battle and then does something stupid afterwards.

Once more there was a rustling in the bushes and then a familiar voice called out her name, before she could even turn in the direction a kitsune demon had flung his arms around her. Shippo had grown over the last few years - his head almost reached her waist now, though he was just as cute as always – not that he liked being told that anymore. "I'm so glad you're okay Kagome!"

"Shippo! I'm glad you're alright too." She said as a smile appeared on the girls lips and she moved down onto her knees, forgetting about the blood and she wrapped her arms around him giving him a proper hug. Kagome had been worried he may get injured in the crossfire and she still thought he was too young for battles though the other's had tried to explain to her that for demons he was at an adequate age.

He was starting to get stubborn too - a trait she believed he was getting from a certain hanyou, though his illusions and foxfire had improved quite a bit since she first met him. She understood his desire to join but it still worried her. Pulling back she ruffled his auburn locks causing the demon to shoot her an unimpressed look though he didn't move away or ask her to stop.

It was then that a shadow caught her eye and her gaze shifted of its own accord. She was relieved when she spotted another two of her friends descending from the sky – Sango and Kilala looked worse for wear but at least there didn't seem to be any life threatening injuries in their group for once, which was nice. Or at least not with them…there were still a few of them missing after all.

"Well that's four of us accounted for, have you seen the others Shippo?" She asked while trying not to allow her imagination to run wild with morbid thoughts, to slip into the darker zone where she feared for their safety and her doubts ran wild. After all they had been fighting Naraku and his minions… he was dangerous.

Shippo shook his head at the question before pausing. He had taken down a few enemies, not having been okay with staying out of the battle completely but he knew his own limitations better than Inuyasha so he'd taken to hiding on and off. "I lost track of everyone as well throughout the battle, though I did see Koga and his warriors leave a short while ago. I think he may have been injured since a few of them were helping to carry him off back to their clan."

"Oh! He should have stayed and let me look at him!" Kagome said with a frown that didn't completely erase the worry in the chocolate brown eyes, though she knew as a demon that he would heal quickly without her help she still would have liked to check on him and make sure it wasn't anything too serious.

"He will be alright," Shippo said seeming more grown up in that moment.

Kagome sighed softly; he really was getting more like Inuyasha. It was at that time that something familiar caught her attention and she tilted her head, tucking the dark strands behind her ear, she sensed the jewel, "What do you have there?"

"What do I have?" Shippo repeated with a frown, he was confused and not following the sudden change in topic though when Kagome pointed to his hand he realised what she was talking about. Opening his palm he gazed at the flawless sphere of dark purple and black, tainted by Naraku's hold on it for so long – it was such a small thing and yet it caused so much trouble. So many people wanted this little bauble and the power it contained – The Jewel of Four Souls.

"Oh this, I managed to swipe it," The fox demon had managed to snatch it off the battlefield while Naraku and Inuyasha were fighting - he'd hoped that it would diminish Naraku's power slightly. He moved his hand above Kagome's and dropped what he was holding into her waiting palm. He watched in fascination as the flawless sphere that lay on her palm began to purify, the darkness in it fading until it was a luminous mauve.

The Shikon no Tama was completely untainted – just as it should be.

Kagome sighed softly, an almost inaudible sound as she stared down at the jewel that was nestled so innocently against her palm. So much trouble, but their trouble had not ended…there were still those that would come for it. Even Inuyasha had wanted it, even though he now helped protect…wait Inuyasha.

Colour drained from her face leaving her paler than usual. She still hadn't seen Inuyasha or Miroku, but Inuyasha had been fighting Naraku directly…he couldn't have been that badly injured could he? He couldn't be lying somewhere dying could he? Had they won the war – defeated Naraku and reclaimed the jewel only to lose wha-… She pushed the thought away fiercely, not completing the sentence, as if denying the thought would make it impossible.

"Inuyasha," she whispered and the young woman scrambled to her feet once more with a distressed look on her face. She shoved her hand into her shirt, depositing the jewel into her bra – the safest place she thought of at such short notice considering she didn't have any pockets and she wasn't going to chance losing it again. She doubted anyone other than Miroku would think to look down her top.

"Inuyasha? Inuyasha!" Kagome called loudly her tone slightly panicked as she looked once more around the body-strewn battlefield, hoping against hope to hear an irritated voice tell her to shut up in response or anything but it was quiet…too quiet.

The dark haired girl then strode off leaving the auburn-haired kit alone as she searched for the silver haired hanyou. Shippo let her go without another word though there was a dark look to the emerald eyes. He hadn't told Kagome that the last time he'd seen Inuyasha he'd been almost as badly injured as Naraku.

Again, please review! And ideas are always welcome! Especially with this one because I can't remember what I planned to do as a plot anymore…