The buzz of cicadas could barely be heard from deep within the confines of the Bone Eaters Well, in which stood one modern-day school girl. In contrast to days prior, she was not wearing her trademark green uniform; instead she wore a pair of dark jeans and an off-white turtleneck. Thrown over her shoulder was the ever-present, overstuffed yellow duffel bag, looking extraordinarily engorged.
Taking a deep, calming breath, the young girl started up the ladder to the outside world. Upon reaching the top rung she heaved the bag from her shoulders, intending to rid herself first of the burden of the extra weight before making her way up the ladder; but midway though the process a long arm snapped it into an iron grasp, lifting both the bag and the girl from the well.
With a startled gasp, the girl attempted to right herself, throwing a disapproving glance towards the intruder. "Inuyasha, you know I hate it when you do that!"
The boy shrugged, smirking in a way that told her that might have been the reason for his action. "You're late, Kagome." There was an accusing undertone in his voice, "You asked for four days, not five; you lost us a day of shard-hunting, bitch."
At this, Kagome froze. A shot of anger pulsed through her, and her trembling fingertips found their way to her clothed neck. She found comfort in this, and the anger faded, replaced by a cool superiority. Lifting her chin in a condescending way, she muttered a quick, 'sorry.' Then, with a small smile, she continued on to the village, leaving a baffled hanyou in her wake.
Inuyasha stood for a moment. 'What was that all about? She usually gets mad when I say things like that to her.' Shaking off the thought, he trailed after her.
"Kagome you smell funny." There was an implied 'why' inside this statement that the fox-yokai cub felt was better left unsaid.
A moment of silence passed over the group. The friends had been together for four years, and in that time had long since become desensitized to, or better, unabashed about any topic that would, in polite society, be overlooked. So in turn, six pairs of eyes (including, of course, those of Kirara, Sango's faithful nekomata) starred intensely at the raven-haired girl.
Inuyasha, who had thus-far been preoccupied with thoughts of the normally cheerful girl's subdued behavior in the forest that afternoon, was caught off guard. He had not noticed the change, but there was, in fact, a distinct musky sent that lurked beneath the girl's normally very distinct feminine aroma.
Kagome stiffened. She seemed uncomfortable with the topic change, and her hand inched subconsciously to her throat. "…I don't know what you mean Shippo." Golden eyes bored into the side of her face; her hesitation had betrayed her. "I've been using a new soap—that must be what you smell." She gave a slow smile, eyes crinkling—her mother's smile. This ebbed away the cub's worry and he and the others continued with their prior tasks—all but one.
Inuyasha's piercing gaze did not leave the girl's face. His nostrils flared almost unnoticeably, the hairs on the back of his neck rose, and hidden beneath his glistening gold irises, red bubbled.
The smell Shippo had first detected but could not explain—the smell that now consumed Inuyasha's every sense, this odor radiating off Kagome's skin, every pore of her being—was sex.
It had been a long day filled with menial tasks to ready the group for their journey the next day, and all the while Inuyasha's eyes had never strayed long from Kagome's small frame.
The moon hung high in the sky. All the others had finally drifted off into a contented slumber, but Kagome lay stiff in the confines of her sleeping bag, eyes wide, listening to the rustling leaves. She knew what was coming. She had sensed the approaching doom. It had remained ever-present in the group for the entirety of the day. The others had wisely chosen not to comment on the delicate condition of two of its members since earlier that day, a gesture the Kagome deeply appreciated.
There was a slight disturbance in the trees before two bare feet touched lightly on the ground before her. Golden eyes flashed dangerously as rough hands grabbed her from her from her place. She let out a startled cry. A clawed hand slapped soundlessly to her mouth, the other wrapped around her waist. He slung her over his shoulder and ran at an inhuman pace in to the forest of night.
It seemed a long time that he ran in silence, fuming beneath his breath. Finally, they stopped at a large clearing. Removing her from his shoulder, he slammed her into a nearby tree.
She felt a jolt go through her body as he pressed his nose into the crook of her neck. Her breath caught in her throat as a growl emitted from his chest. He pushed away from her, disgusted, and stared down at her eyes inflamed.
"What is this, Kagome?" He spat the words like they burned his mouth. Kagome stared up at the hanyou, more terrified of him now than ever before. She quickly regained her composure, glaring up at him defiantly.
"It's exactly what you think it is, Inuyasha." Her hand subconsciously crept to her throat once again. His left eyebrow twitched slightly in annoyance, and his scowl deepened.
He reached towards her, "Inuyasha stop!"
There was the sound of the tearing of fabric, and in that moment time stopped.
She stood exposed, pressed against the rough bark of a tree. He starred at her with something akin to fury, but more closely related to disgust.
From the base of her neck to the soft curve of her breast, dark purple-red bruises littered her body, descending down beneath the tattered remains of her shirt.
He stopped. Hands shaking violently at his side, he starred at the woman. Her face to the side, she held her head steady, eyes up, refusing to concede to him, but still unable to meet his golden orbs.
She stood almost completely exposed before him, with naught but the slight quiver of her lips as proof of her shame. Those darkened love-marks were the testimony of her transgression, and the smell—the horrible stench that clung to her form—the smell of stolen innocence.
She had been tainted.
"Bitch." He pushed her to the ground and stepped away, starring at her with mute repulsion. Her face twisted into a distorted picturesque smile, so dreadfully beautiful.