Okay, this is my second attempt at a fanfic here so please bear with me!  J  For those of you who might not have read my first story – Inu-Yasha – the Secret Soul of the Demon Dog – this is sort of the sequel to it though it's more focused on Inu-Yasha and Kagome.   PLEASE read and review!!!!  PLEASE!

Whispers of that Nameless Fear

Chapter One – False Shadows

     "Enzuno . . ." a voice dripping with evil resounded into the deep of a far reaching cave.  "Enzuno, I know you are there.  Answer me."

     There was the sickening sound of hard scales against rocks.  "My Lord, Naraakuuuu.  I am heeeeere to do your biddingggg."

     "Then come into the light you frightful coward and face me."

     The demon did as he was told and scrambled to his feet, inching to the very edge of the twilight darkness to face his lord and master and finally groveled at his feet like a worm.  Against the waning sunlight of day, the baboon shaped silhouette did not move nor did the tone of his voice change with the dramatic display of loyalty presented before him, only a cunning smile passed within the shadow under his mask.

     "Still afraid of the suns light, Enzuno?  Does it burn your skin?" Naraku laughed.

     Enzuno gasped with worry at the frightening silence that quickly ensued.  "Master, what do you bid of me?"

     "I have a mission for you, Enzuno . . . and this requires your full attention."

     "Anything!" he scrambled more, careful to keep his long, slender body within the comforting shadows of the eternal night in his cave.  "Just ask what you will of me!"

     "When the sun has passed beyond this land and night has come you will go and seek out this half demon that continues to elude me and interfere with my plans, this Inu-Yasha, and you will kill him for me." Naraku stated plainly. 

     "Forgive me, my lord, but with your awesome powers, how can you not . . ."

     "I have my reasons, beast!" he scolded.  "For that point of disobedience I will make a promise that if you return to me alive without having accomplished your bidding you will die a slow and painful death.  One of which will leave you begging for death long before your wish will be granted."

     The demon shook, driving his curved black claws into the stone floor of his cave.  "As you wisssshhhh!"

     "I am aware of your kinds weakness to the light," Naraku sneered.  "A weakness indeed, but your Oni kind are very strong and carry a great reputation and therefore suite my needs perfectly."

     "I am the last of my kind, my lord."

     "You are, indeed, and your kind will be erased from this earth unless you complete what I have asked you to do."

     "Y . . . yessssssss, my lord."

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     "Oh, is that so." Kagome huffed, crossing her arms across her chest, sending a harsh glare cutting into Inu-Yasha's heart.  "Well, in that case then I guess I should just leave and go home then, huh?"
     "Feh, whatever.  I'm not here to argue with you, wench.  It was your fault that we lost that jewel shard and you expect me to be happy about it?" the hanyou roared, his long, thick silvery hair lashing about as he came within mere inches of the girl.  "I can do this on my own and I don't need a weakling human to mess things up!"

     Kagome flinched, but rebounded with her stern gaze.  "Inu-Yasha . . . if it weren't for me we wouldn't even have half the jewel shards . . ."

     He turned his back defiantly.  "Whatever!  I didn't ask for your help!  If you hadn't wandered off and gotten into trouble then we wouldn't be in this mess and we would have an extra jewel shard."

     "Well sorry." She frowned.  "I tried to help . . ."

     "Well don't!"

     Sango sat quietly along the sidelines as the two turned their backs to each other and stormed away.  Kilala tensed by her side as the argument ended on the sour note that it did, but Sango only stroked her fur.  "It's alright Kilala."

     But she knew it wasn't.  Kagome and Inu-Yasha seemed to be at each others throats more and more since the shards of the sacred Shikkon Jewel became harder and harder to come by.  More grouchy than before, she sighed, Inu-Yasha had been very edgy as of late and  yet refused to say bring mention to it.  She too sensed it in the air . . .

     Kilala rose onto her paws and exploded into flames with a growl into her saber toothed warrior-self.  Inu-Yasha turned towards the forest bearing his name, "I feel it too, Kilala."

     Sango shook her head, realizing that she had left her weapon in Kaede's hut.

     "Ha, that's just what I need.  A good fight to release some tension."

     "Wait, Inu-Yasha!" Kagome protested.  "I don't like . . ."

     "Oh shut up, wench!  No one asked you!"

     The hanyou and Kilala tore off through the rice patties and plowed fields with no more than hint of what he was after, leaving Kagome watching him in stunned silence.  She didn't like the feeling of the whole thing, since when did a demon sneak up on the village like that.  It must have been a very confident demon . . . but she sensed no jewel shards. 

     Movement by the edge of the village behind Kaede's hut caught her attention . . .

     A young child, wounded and bleeding struggled to keep on her feet, stumbling along the underbrush of the forest seeking shelter within its shadows.  "Hey!" Kagome shouted to her, but there was no response.  "Hey, wait!"

     Sango rushed to Kagome's side.  "Did you see where Inu-Yasha went?  What are you yelling . . . a child?"

     Kagome barely noticed Sango at her side, her boomerang firm in hand.  "That girl looks . . . familiar."

     "She looks wounded . . . " Sango began, pausing as Kagome took a determined step in her direction.  "No wait, Kagome.  I don't like the looks of it!"

     "How can you say something like that?" Kagome whirled on her friend, fury boiling her blood.  "She's injured!  She could die without help!"

     "But . . ."

     "Probably from that demon Inu-Yasha sensed." Kagome took off in the girls direction.  "I'm gonna help her!"

     "No, Kagome, wait!"

     But it was no use, she was already in pursuit and Kilala and Inu-Yasha had no doubt reached their quarry.  The call of battle was luring . . . Sango turned for Inu-Yasha.

     Kagome reached the girl with barely her breath following, but the child who's pretty silver hair was stained crimson with the blood from her wounds in the waning light of the deep afternoon.  She struggled to keep on her feet, large gashes streaked diagonal across her fragile body, and yet she kept ahead of Kagome as she neared.  Falling and stumbling into the woods, the child refused to be help, going deeper into the shadows of the forest.

     "Please," Kagome begged.  "Let me help you!  Did that demon hurt you? 

     The closer she got to the child through the shadows of the forest the more the girl appeared to resemble Ayame, Inu-Yasha's young sister . . . but it couldn't be!  The Soul that protected her from within could not have allowed her to sustain such injuries . . .

     "Unless . . ."

     Inu-Yasha sniffed the darkening air as he rushed into the forest, claws at the ready, twitching eagerly at the hilt of his sword, waiting for the slightest movement for him to draw.  Kilala bristled alongside, her tail lashing out behind her . . .

     The bushes rustled and the hanyou drew his summoned sword out before him.  "Come on out, demon and face me!  Unless you are too cowardly!"

     Sango exploded into the little clearing and gave a frightened glance to the Tetsusiaga.  "Did you find it?"

     Inu-Yasha lowered his guard, but not by much, and sniffed the air.  "That's weird.  I can still smell it . . . but it smells like it's coming from another direction . . . it's like we're chasing shadows!"

     "Where is the scent coming from now?"

     The demon exterminators voice began to sound more desperate as the questions came, though she did not show it.  Inu-Yasha frowned, "Like from the other side of the village."

      Sango grabbed the hanyou's sleeve with a frightened gasp.  "Kagome's in trouble!"

      "What?"

     Without another word the two rushed as fast as they could from the lengthening shadows of the forest through the village and to the other side where Sango had last seen Kagome.  But there was no sign of her now.

     "Are you sure this is it?" Inu-Yasha demanded.

     "Yes.  And the little girl was here too . . . but she couldn't have gotten . . ."

     "Little girl?"

     "Yeah, she was injured badly and Kagome went to . . ."

     The hanyou sniffed the air.  "I don't smell any blood . . . or Kagome."

     Sango's heart skipped a beat.  "You mean . . ."

     "K . . . Kagome's gone."