Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, or any of the characters involved in this story, nor do I make money from this work of fiction.
The group was tired, haggered even, but none the less worse for wear in the emotional department. They had accomplished what they had set out to do years before, their foe fallen. Naraku had been slain by Higurashi Kagome's arrow, now nothing more than dust. The wounds that covered the bodies of her companions had just begun to heal in the week since the battle, tended to by Kagome, with tender loving care, who now sat sewing more stitches by a campfire, only this time is was not flesh she sewed, but clothing.
The plating of Sango's leather armor had come loose of its stays, and with great concentration in the fading light, Kagome's thin bone needle danced through the pre-made holes in the leather connecting each piece once again to it's mate.
In a tree a few yards off sat a man with pale coloring clutching a sword in the darkness of the canopy. His back pressed close against the bark of the great pine, his legs draped over each other twining at angles that mirrored the twisted old tree itself. His head tilted up into the wind, as he felt his red haori catch slightly on the texture of the bark. He inhaled towards an almost full moon shining in pink and orange light of the sky, taking in the scent of the dusk air. His silver left ear twitched backwards towards the camp, listening to the sounds of Miroku's whispers, and the soft thudding of the toad that Shippou, the young kitsune tried to catch. But most prominent was the soft woosh made by Kagome's needle as it passed, in and out of the leather at a steady pace. So steady, that the man in the tree matched his painful breathing to the rythem, in and out, in and out. And suddenly, it stopped.
He looked back and saw the small woman lift her handy work before her eyes, inspecting here, and tugging there. Checking every part to ensure the security of the armor for the safety of her friend.
"Here Sango, this should last you at least until we get to the village. After that I would have someone more skilled take a look."
The lithe, taller woman picked up the armor and smiled, "I think you did pretty good. How about some dinner everybody?"
Kagome turned to the still playing kitsune. "Shippou, do you think you could find us some mushrooms? I have some dried beef left, and potatoes, I could make a decent stew!"
The fox pup nodded enthusiastically and bounded into the forest.
As Miroku the monk tended the fire, watching the ingredients of a divine smelling meal mull together, Sango pet her demon friend Kirara, feeling the rumble of happiness that escaped with each stroke. Shippou colored with crayons that Kagome had brought him from the future, happily humming a tune as he worked.
The young woman stood brushing dust off of her skirt and walked over to where the man sat in the tree. "Inuyasha?" she whispered, knowing he would hear her. A branch then broke and the blades of grass beneath the tree swayed as the half demon hit the ground with a resounding thump. He looked at her with mournful eyes and hesitated before he stepped forward and ran long claws through her dark hair, brushing it gently from her shoulders.
"You shouldn't do that you know, falling like that." she said. Their eye contact remained unbroken, a link between chocolate and tawny gold. "You'll just re-injure yourself. Your ribs were basically reduced to puzzle peices."
His voice sounded listless when he spoke, as though he were tired beyond imagining. "It's fine, really Kagome. Time to eat?"
"Mmm." was the reply he got, he could taste her concern for him in the air, the unasked question of "How are you doing? Please tell me what's wrong!" was almost visible at the edge of her mind. Their eyes finaly released each other as they turned to walk the few steps back to camp.
If only he could say what he needed to say without hostility rising in his throat. He had no right to yell at her or scream. After all, she didn't really belong to him anyway. He should try to be happy, or at least his normal self. Make the most of it, ran through his mind. For after all, in two days time they would be back in Kaede's hut in the village, and she would purify the Shikon no Tama, leaving him forever.
Author's Note:
My Darlings,
I would love to use one of you brilliant and beautiful people as my beta for this story. Interested parties should say so in the reviews and I will choose one of you fine souls to help me out.
Throughout this work, I will take your suggestions for plot-line under consideration, as even I don't quite know the ending yet.
Warm days and pleasant nights to you, my most beloved readers,
Pumayyaton