Incandescent Pyre ,This Way Rise
Chapter One
Flicker
By Inuyashas Youkai
Following down a dirt path , Sango walked with Kagome towards a nearby hot spring to cleanse and rejuvenate themselves from their day filled with strewn about pieces of demons upon themselves, torn apart by the commands of their weapons worn by the masters who carried them, and to resists the desires in coveting the shards that they carried. Once sinking into the bubbling, steaming waters , to their wishing intent to sooth the stiffness of their muscles being comforted by the offered warmth both girl's sighed , allowing their minds become willingly erased to anything other to the moment present . Each one was simply exhausted to retain a coherent thought for very long anyways let alone having the energy to speak of such thoughts.
Hearing something nearby , the slayer slowly opened her eyes , feeling surprised slightly when not recalling when it was she's started to doze, then looked around the circumference of the small water source , amongst the surrounding trees , and within the general area they were both settled in , discovering only to find that her companion next to her was muttering something undecipherable. Shrugging her shoulders , being more concerned that her friend of the dangers of falling asleep in water than talking in her sleep leaned closer to shake her lightly in efforts to rouse Kagome awake, but found that soon her attempts were in vein , for Sango knew even with her hardest tries had shown, she wasn't going to rise. Stepping out , dressing herself , then wrapping Kagome using her kimono before heading back carrying her back to camp.
Once returning , both Miroku , and Shippo had came to assist her in getting their miko into her sleeping bag. Afterwards the three had allowed the silence to take over , as they recouped from the task , then while Miroku took the kit to bathe , Sango bid them goodnight making the rest of the way to bed herself. Not long following, the two boys returned from their visit to the springs, and Shippo slowly crawled , trying not to wake her, and snuggled in next to Kagome , whilst the monk leaned up against a chosen spot at the roots of a closeby tree to keep watch.
Awhile into the passing , deeper within the time , as time flowed onward Miroku was being introduced with the fight in staying awake to be assured of his comrades safety, and decided to stand up walking abit to gain a second wind, but it wasn't long leaned upon that same tree that his eyes finally fluttered closed. Sometime later , the monk was reawakened by what was mused to be a short flutter of light bursting brightly in a quick thrust before dissipating against his closed eyelids. Scanning over the campsite , but coming up with nothing , yet couldn't shake the ill-boding feelings that came with the unnatural endlessness that greeted him upon being jostled bluntly in such a way, without anything to mention proof , or its cause to what it was.
The next morning , as the morning sun was moving to rise into its spot within the bright, luminescent skies. The kit had awoke first , opening his eyes to the new day promising to grant each one within their group more demons to slay, but hadn't quite moved from his spot in his indecision whether or not he was ready to see another day like the last. Although , with the sound of footfalls getting closer , and determined by his demonic fox ears listening attentively of the presented sounds within the surrounding area, Shippo sat up quickly , as his nose told him of the one approaching. It was determined that the individual making it's way towards them was someone whom was expected to regroup with them as soon as possible, but unlike his arrival it was more so the appearance coming before the kit's eyes that was unnerving more than anything else.
From his now emerging bulge of Shippo's eyes , came a sight of the hanyou in their group , and being nothing compared to any other time he's ever observed Inuyasha, as that was saying something. Watching him plop down next to him, then leaning back on the brace of his arms panting, like he was catching his breath, and when asked by the kit of his current state, the only response received was a dry chuckle , with a slow shake of his head, as though it was the most ridiculous notion to be perceived , then nothing more than staring off in a tired daze. Sitting up to stand upon his own two feet , Shippo went over towards the food put aside for him from last night , and brought it back to offer it to the hanyou Inuyasha, but when he came to the spot where his slumped form was, he was already fast asleep. Leaving him be the kit wandered back to put it away , and was going to follow his lead until it was noticed that the others were starting to rouse, then chose against it.
As the hanyou slept , the others set to going about to see what they could could find to rebuild their supplies , as the current location made it nearly impossible to travel any lengthy distances to do so , and going in the normal routine of how it was done one most occasions, the well was just out of the question. The monk , and Shippo went to see if any nearby villages stood in the vicinity of where they were presently ,to search for any word in activity from the villagers, in addition to acquiring needed items. Sango made rounds around the perimeter for anything of use in their travels following, while Kirara watched over Inuyasha , and Kagome gathered water to refill in their containers.
Walking the small trek towards the river that was seen on the way towards the springs the night prior , tucked away for later , Kagome pushed through the green brush encircling it with trees weaving in and out of the whole open landscape, then went about in a low squat to fill the water bottles. A light breeze softly blew against her face , blowing her hair to follow the trailing gusts, and Kagome paused, as a shiver coursed down her spine , then closed her eyes. The brisk chill , entwining with the warmth of the sun caused a significant bite to the yet simply gentle winds. Opening her eyes, the miko went back to her task when a sneeze broke through , interrupting the rather peaceful atmosphere for a short duration.
A flutter of cloth wafted downwards until it landed upon her shoulders, and flinching suddenly , not expecting the action , then turning behind her to see the hanyou giving light to a rough chuckle while raising one clawed hand in faux surrender .
"Relax Kagome, I was just checking on things because when I woke everyone but the two tail was gone . Alright? You okay , I heard you sneeze ?"
"Fine , you should be resting Inuyasha else your wounds will never have time to heal , besides I am almost done, and if you'd like I can change your bandages. You came pretty banged up, I should be asking you , ya okay?"
"Maybe , but you guys had it just as bad , and your still up , and moving. Besides its only a scratch remember , and I'll heal faster than you weak humans anyways. Can if ya want to see to it to waste your time, but I slept more than I should've , and I bet more than any of the rest of ya have , so I am up.."
"Suit yourself " Kagome supplied , as she placed all of the bottles within her knapsack , then started to head back knowing that her hanyou friend wasn't far behind.
Although , as they walked Inuyasha only a step behind her stepping further with a limp while simply observed from his spot , and scanned for any possible injuries. Finding none , the hanyou hurried to stand in front of her , taking her backpack , then together traveled back towards the campsite to lend her some physical support to the deceivingly elusive injury that was causing her to stumble slightly. Once there the hanyou told her to sit , so that she could be checked to see if anything needed to be re-bandaged , and such , but as soon as she had dizziness took over , thereafter unconsciousness took in its stead.
TBC..