Five Demons Strong; The Sword-barer Subaru
Kagome waved goodbye to the people as she followed her friends from the village. The day was sunny so she stopped to breath in a little fresh air.
"This land is so beautiful," Sango said airily as she stepped up beside Kagome. For a moment they stood taking in the vast sea of flowers that lay before them.
"C'mon! What the hell are you two staring at?" Came Inuyasha's voice from down the hill. Remembering themselves, the girls run to catch up as they continue their journey.
As day turned to night, everyone sought out places to sleep. Sango found a nice soft patch of ground and so lay down and closed her eyes. Not long after she did, the leaves rustled around her.
Punching out, she heard Miroku hit the ground with a thud.
"Don't think you're going to sleep anywhere next to me!" With that she slept.
Before she knew it, she was pried from her sleep by Kirara, who was pressing hard on her stomach.
Quietly and quickly Sango sat up. To her surprise she saw that everyone else was awake as well.
"Something's out there," Inuyasha explained. As if cued, a black shadow darted out of the woods a few hundred feet in front of them. Kirara didn't even wait for Sango's command, but ran after the creature.
"Kirara! Get back here!" Everyone screamed in unison as they followed her deeper into the forest.
The creature had been retreating, but now stood its ground firmly. As it stepped into the moonlight, Kagome cried out. The beast looked almost exactly like Kirara! The only difference was it was completely black except for the tips of its ears, feet and the tips of its tails, which were white.
Kirara stepped forward. The strange one stood fast, but kept looking back worriedly. Then, as if pleading to them, it cried out.
"Kagome! Inuyasha, don't kill her, she's talking to me!" Shippo said.
"Well then, it seems that our little double here opened up her mind to Shippo," Miroku intervened.
"She says, 'Please turn back, I do not wish to harm you."
"Shippo! Ask her why," Kagome said, but Kirara's double seemed to understand perfectly, and so went on.
Inuyasha became irritated, and yelled his dismay. "What is she saying?"
"Hush! Ok, she says she thinks she ca trust us. I believe she senses the kindness that comes from Kagome's soul. She says it reminds her of her friend. Her friend was hurt badly in a battle; that they fought her five against one! Also she says that her friend is bleeding really badly," Shippo finished.
"Well then, C'mon! We've got to help!" Miroku said as he rushed forward, but Kirara's double began to growl and bare her teeth.
"No! She says that Subaru wouldn't like it. I think Subaru is the name of her injured friend," Shippo yelled.
Kagome, caught up in the explanation, took her time as she approached it.
"You said Subaru wouldn't like it if we all came, but what if just us girls come?" she asked.
The creature seemed to take in Kagome's words for a moment, then nodded and led the way into the foliage.
Just as the girls thought that they were being led in circles, the trees began to thin out, and a river appeared. Near the river, incased in many blankets, was a girl that looked to be barely older than Kagome. The giant fox form of the beast slipped ahead of the other two and went over to the body. Gently nuzzling the girls face, she stirred.
"Juri, is it you?" she squeaked in a feeble voice. She tried to sit up, but lay still as Juri pressed a paw to her chest. Juri turned her muzzle to face Kagome and Sango. The girl's eyes fell upon them too.
"Umm, my name is Kagome and this is Sango. We came here to help you," With that, Kagome stepped forward to change the bandages. Even when she accidentally scraped the exposed wound, the girl did not flinch.
"How did this happen?" Sango asked after seeing the gruesome marks that were etched in her skin like carvings.
The girl took a deep breath as if waiting for something, then as if in understanding she began her tale. "These demons, those monsters... They found me and attacked. In the heat of battle whether I would have won or lost, they used a young child to their advantage. They took him and told me that if I wanted his life to be spared, I would not fight back. As you can see, I followed their instructions...but those...those bastards they killed him anyway, as I lay their bleeding to death!"
Kagome could see that she was devastated at what had taken place, but something pulled at her attention... Where had I seen that outfit before? Then it hit her, she was...
Out from the trees came a giant horse; its skin long gone and its bones a bleached white. The three of them covered their ears to its deadly screech. Sango pulled out her weapon and thrust it at the monster. It swept at it like it was a pestering fly, but kept its attention on its prey. Kagome gasped as the girl pulled herself to her feet. She unsheathed what had been a hidden sword, and cried out. Juri instantly leapt to her side, and kneeled as the wounded one crawled to her back. In a great flash, they somehow knew the battle was over as the girl screamed in defiance.
"Burning fury!" With one sweep of her tiny sword, a flaming gash appeared to gulp up the form of the evil horse. With a crash, its charred skull lay lifeless on the ground.
Her final attack had sapped her remaining strength, and the victor lay on the earth, her wounds a mesh of new and old.
"Juri, lets get her on your back! We need to take her to the nearest healer!" Sango screamed as she assisted Kagome. The last thing the girl remembered was the one called Kagome's face as she hoisted her up on Juri's back.
The sun shone brightly on her exposed face. She tried to move, but found it almost impossible, whether do to the pain or the stitched in her side.
"It looks like your awake!" She heard a familiar voice crow from the doorway. Opening her eyes, she saw Kagome.
"You...you saved me? Thank you..." was all she managed before others crowded into the small hut. Their voices pinged in her head as she closed her eyes.
"What did you say your name was?" Shippo interrupted.
"My name is Subaru, just Subaru," She answered, and with that Kagome ushered everyone out in an attempt to let her sleep. Yes, she would sleep for now, but when she awoke, Kagome had some serious questions she needed answering...