Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.
Kagome sighed, pleased to be free of her responsibilities of the village, even for a moment. She had slipped out of her shoes long ago, which were the same pair she had worn from her era a year ago. She smiled as she thought back to the day, remembering the feeling of seeing Inuyasha after three long years of the well being sealed off. The memory filling her, she continued through the meadow, pleasuring in the soft breeze in her hair and the lush grass at her feet. Her shoes were held limply in one hand and her bow in the other, her quiver of arrows slung on her back.
The red and white miko clothing she wore certainly didn't provide much camouflage from yokai, she mused to herself, but she had grown more competent with her skills, although no where near Kikyo's level yet, it was enough to protect her from anything that came around here. After all, the fact that Inuyasha lived anywhere near the village she was travelling to was enough to keep almost all but the bravest or stupidest of yokai away. After all, even with his hanyou blood, he had defeated the most wicked and powerful of all evils to ever touch Japan, if not the earth, Naraku, and that deed had not been forgotten. And no doubt that as his fiance', she would be left alone.
Glancing around, she didn't sense any presences nearby, so she allowed her guard to slip. She sat in the grass and closed her stormy grey eyes, wondering what Inuyasha was doing at that moment. Kaede had sent her on a small trip to a few villages over to gather some herbs while Inuyasha had been sniffing out a group of bandits that had been raiding nearby villages and there had been a rumor that their village was next on the hit list. She wondered if Inuyasha had returned yet to realise she'd left for a few days. However, she had not left without any form of protection. Kirara had come to accompany her, although left momentarily to hunt.
Realising that she was getting closer to the village, Kagome stood and brushed off her clothes and put on her shoes before continuing through the meadow and up a small hill. Pleased at the thought of seeing people once more, Kagome quickened her pace. Besides, the faster she reached her destination, the faster she could return to a no doubt now enraged inu hanyou.
Kaede sat calmly in her hut, sipping her tea and keeping her single eye closed. She could hear him, right in front of her, and although this would have frightened just about every other human on the planet, Kaede felt no fear, knowing he would not attack her... Because that would mean he would be facing one angry Kagome when she returned, and that was one of the only things these days that frightened him.
"What do you mean, 'she's gone'?" He snarled, and Kaede opened her eye to observe the engraged male before her.
"As I said, Inuyasha." Repeated Kaede, "She went to gather herbs. She had Kirara with her, so ye have no need to follow. Kagome-chan can handle herself."
"Not the point!" He snapped, golden eyes swirling with anger, "She should have waited." He let out a growl of frustration, "I'm going to go follow her."
Kaede nodded. "You're taking the news better then expected Inuyasha. My hut is still standing."
A snarl was what she received as an answer. "You're pushing you luck, Kaede-baba." And the hanyou was gone.
Kagome was about to break over the crest of the hill when a mew stopped her in her tracks. Turning back, a cream and black colored kitten with ruby eyes walked over to her daintly, swishing her two tails with pleasure at finding her miko companion. Kagome smiled and held her arms out, allowing Kirara to jump into her arms, purring.
"Glad you got here Kirara." Said Kagome happily, scratching the kitten behind a furry black ear, "It wouldn't have been fun explaining why a yokai just wandered into a village after I arrived. Much easier to explain if you go in with me."
Kirara rubbed the top of her head against Kagome's chin in response, mewing as she did so.
Kagome turned and flounced up the remainder of the hill, not caring if she looked childish. She felt at peace, and happy, and when Kagome was feeling something, it wasn't hard to read her emotions. However, all feelings of happiness drained from her and she paled, not believing the sight before her.
The hanyou stewed angrily as he continued to follow her scent, gaining ground on her by the second. Not only had he failed to track down a simple band of bandits, but now the wench went off without him. Sometimes he had to wonder what the hell went on in that head of hers.
However, he was broken from his thoughts when a new scent mingled with Kagome's. It was a few days older the Kagome's who scent was still very fresh, but it was one he easily recognised, since he had been following it for the past week. Eye widening in frustration and worry, he sped up his pace until his legs felt like they were going to drop off, but ignored it. He needed to get to her before they did.
Inuyasha snarled. "Why is it my wench is the one that always gets herself into these situations?"
Buildings burned, bodyies littered the paths, the smell and dark aura of death hung over the village so thickly Kagome found it hard to believe. She could see locals being gathered in the center of the village, and was suddenly reminded of when Miroku and Inuyasha had been trapped in the poison cocoon. Children screamed for their parents, women called out for their fallen husbands and watched as the bandits proceeded to slay them. Horses whinnied in fear and Bandits shouted, their eyes alit with bloody glee.
Kagome shook and Kirara leaped from her arms, transforming in midair. Kagome shook her head, trying to calm herself, and she leapt onto Kirara, who took off into the sky's, letting loose a feral cry that drew every persons attention to them. Kagome allowed rage to take over her natural fear, and drew her bows and arrows, allowing an aura of rage to surround her and the fire neko.
Landing in the middle of the battle, which had been frozen in shock, Kagome stayed on Kirara, knowing it would be more dangerous, not to mention stupid, to dismount, and spoke in a loud clear tone.
"Leave now, while you still have your lives!" Shouted Kagome in a loud, clear tone. "Dispicable behaviour such as yours makes you no better then demons in my mind."
However, the element of surprise had worn away now, and the bandits dropped their victims, turning to her now instead, and Kagome felt a trill of fear. The largest man in the group, whom she assumed to be the leader, remained a cautious distance from the pair but he was still much to close for comfort in Kagome's mind.
"So ye' think ye' ca come in here and ruin our fun, hey?" Smiled the man, speaking with a drunken slur and leered at her through beady black eyes, "Speaking of fun, darlin', you look like you could certainly provide some. Why don't ye' come down off that there demon and join us?" The other men guffawed, and Kagome felt herself growing more disgusted by the minute. Certainly these... Things weren't human.
"I warn you right now..."
However, the bandit leader cut her off, his voice mocking. "Oh, we too dirty for ye' darlin'?" Once again, a ring of laughter ran through the bandits ranks, who had formed a circle around her and Kirara, who was growing anxious beneath her.
Kagome snorted. "As I was saying before, I warn you now, if you attack me, Kirara here, or anyone else in the village once more, it will not just be my wrath you have to face." Kagome's eyes took on a proud gleam, "I am the great Inuyasha's bride to be, and he will destroy anyone who lays a hand on me."
The leader began to laugh hysterically, and Kagome was confused. "I guess we ain't to dirty if you bed youself with filthy blood such as that." Kagome felt indignation and loathing fill her more at every word that left his mouth. "We already escaped that filthy half breed once, what makes ye' think we couldn't do it again."
So these were the bandits that nearly attacked our village, thought Kagome rapidly, but despite her unease, a confident smirk came on her face, reminiscent of her fiance's. "If you escaped him once, do not be so confident to believe you can do it again. Inuyasha will find you. I have no doubt."
Kagome didn't notice Kirara growing more agitated as some of the bandits began to grow bolder, their fear wearing off at their leaders confidence. Kagome did notice, however, villagers beginning to take advantage of the opportunity and slipping away unnoticed and fleeing into the forest surrounding the homes.
A bandit, impatient with the proceedings, drew a bow and nocked it. Kirara turned to the noise and as the arrow flew, a lightening fast barrier was created to protect them, but the power was too great, and it forced Kirara to return to her kitten form.
It was then all hell broke loose.
They came at the now frightened pair like ants swarming the barrier and attempting to break it down with their weapons. Kagome could feel energy draining her but refused to relinquish her hold on her powers, afraid of what would happened should the barrier fail. Kirara now sat on her shoulder, for once actually feeling afraid. She was not used to being in this form when it came to fighting, and it frightened the fire neko.
"It's o-okay Kirara." Said Kagome, wincing every moment or two. Both her eyes were clamped tightly shut in concentration and she was sweating with exertion, "We'll be okay, a-and you can go home to Sango and Mirkou and the twins, I p-promise."
Kirara stared at the priestess, who was quivering now as more force pushed against the barrier, and the fire neko had never felt more useless in her entire life.
Inuyasha broke over the crest of the hill and shook at the sight before him. The smell alone nearly caused him to fall over, the scent of death and decay so thick in the air he could almost feel it. Smoke blurred his near perfect vision and his ears pressed down to his scalp when he heard shouts bellowing from the destroyed village below. Instinct demanded him to leave this area at once but he fought it down and looked for Kagome.
It didn't take long to find her. In an large cleared area at the center of the village, a pink bubble was being swarmed by men. He almost didn't see it, there were so many wriggling bodies covering it. He leapt forwards, heading towards the mass of people, and his breath left his body when he saw the bubble collapse, allowing the bandits inside.
She couldn't do it anymore. It hurt... so much... But she had to... She had promised Kirara... They would make it out alive... They would...
She felt her power slip and she cried out when the barrier collapsed.
Kirara transformed and stood over Kagome so she wouldn't be swarmed and fought. Kagome could see black at the edge of her vision, and struggled to stay conscious. She could see blood, from the bandits and Kirara alike, staining the ground and creating crimson streams that flowed through the soil. Kagome shut her eyes, feeling hopelessness, a rare emotion for her. She could hear the flesh tear from the creature that fought bravely above her, but she could barely move. She was no help...
Taking a deep breath, she did the only thing she could remember doing in these situations. When it was hopeless and she was helpless.
"Inuyasha!"
And then, it was over. Kagome looked up and saw no more men, yet Kirara still stood above her, as confused as she was. And she saw her demonic angel, bringing his furious wrath down on those who dared try to harm what was his.
Men writhed on the ground, attempting to stand but the pain would not allow this. Kagome saw his eyes bleeding crimson as he attempted to fend himself from his yokai blood yet still deliver justice to the scum before him. However, Kagome felt her last reserves of energy drain, and her eyes closed, although her hearing was working perfectly.
When no one stirred anymore, the hanyou wasted no time bolting over to the still priestess, thanking Kirara as he did so. The fire neko stood nearby as Inuyasha inspected her. He was pleased to see that no one had actually touched her, and she seemed to be perfectly unharmed. Lifting her body as if she were made of porcelain, he cradled her in his arms as she opened her stormy eyes, a small smile touching her lips. She didn't say anything, however, until they were far beyond the village and over the hill. Kagome saw Kirara walking alongside Inuyasha from the corner of her eye. Finally, she decided to speak.
"Hi." She said, yawning widely, and Inuyasha snorted.
"I come all this way to find you being attacked by these people, rescue you, and all you have to say is hi?" He questioned, although his tone was lightly scolding rather then angry. She stared up into his now calm golden eyes and snuggled into him.
"Fine then, thank you Inuyasha. How was that?"
With her ear pressed against his chest, she could hear the rumble of laughter in him that he refused to release and grinned wider. "It's a start. How about 'Never ever again will I do something so reckless, and I'll wait for you next time.'"
Kagome thought it over before nodding. "Okay, that sounds good." She stretched a bit and shifted in his arms. "You know, I walk alot less since I came here. Sure, we travel and all that. But at the end of everything you always end up carrying me home, have you noticed?"
Inuyasha smirked teasingly. "Well, how do you know I don't just like holding you?"
Kagome chuckled teasingly. "Well, you have definitely gotten bolder throughout the year. You would have never said that before. It probably would have been something like..." Kagome thought for a moment before putting on a serious face and deep voice, "'Keh, stupid wench, it's because you can't keep yourself out of trouble.'"
Inuyasha smiled and pretended to look thoughtful. "Probably."
Kagome snuggled even deeper into his chest, enjoying the way his scent surrounded her, and hearing the reassuring sound of his powerful heart beat. Feeling the light weight of Kirara leaping up onto her stomach and curling up, Kagome allowed herself to drift off into slumber, knowing that this was the only true safe place for her, and she would enjoy every minute of it.
Yay, I am back to mushy Inu/Kag! I notice I have written more in the last month then I had over the entire summer. That is just weird.
Anyways, hope you enjoyed!