Still don't own Inuyasha or anything affiliated with it.

Story is InuyashaKagome with a few mentions of InuyashaKikyo.

Angsty love...enjoy!


Ragged breathing echoes and carries through dense forests. Sterling clouds threatening rain swell over a fresh battlefield. Dried blood, dark and out of place, marring the soft emerald of the newly born spring grass. A figure stands in the middle of the carnage, platinum hair whipping wildly in the pre-storm wind.

Dog like ears flatten against his head, showing sadness. Topaz eyes take in the area slowly, low growls erupting from deep within his chest. Sensitive nose searches the turbulent air for a trace of her essence. After a moment, eyes, ebbing terror, glance at the blood covered ground, some is hers.

A noise akin to a howl of agony escapes him. Then he turns and bolts, following her trail away from the innocent evils of the field. Crystal drops fall tauntingly from the heavens, masking the faint scent he has to follow. Low curses mingle with angry growls, a symphony of fury in the peace of spring.

Suddenly he stops, stops moving…stops breathing, a familiar mewl carries faintly on the wind. He flies, as if a specter, through the forest. Under dry brush, not everything survives, shaking from pain or fright, lays the small cat demon. Clawed hands gently cradle the shuddering body to his chest.

"Where are the others?" He questions, voice quaking still from fear. A slight shake of the feline's head tells him they are both in the dark. Another string of curses, directed at himself follows. Another mewl, of sympathy brings him back to the present.

He raises his nose again, begging any higher power to guide him. To not punish those around him for his sins, and he has sinned so much. Heart crashing violently against his ribs, he finds a breath of his comrades' scent, not hers though. Still he charges forward, needing to see them alive as well.

After what seems like an eternity, he halts; relief flowing through him for a moment at the sight of a monk and slayer. Sounds of happiness brings the slayers attention to him. Chocolate eyes widen, looking at him in worry and disbelief. She whistles softly, and obediently the feline jumps to the ground and limps to her.

"Kagome?" He inquires airily, eyes dulling with the silence that follows. Ears tucking against his skull once again.

A grimace crosses alabaster features. "What happened?"

"My guess is Naraku, the demons reeked of him but the coward was nowhere to be found." She growls, eyes sparkling with rage.

"After they were all destroyed, we couldn't find Shippo or Kagome." The monk sighs, casting a glance, dripping with blame towards him, "Perhaps if you hadn't been with the dead priestess, this wouldn't be a problem."

"Careful who you lecture, Monk!" He snarls venomously, stalking away from the two, to continue his search. Images of her bleeding and broken haunt him, urging him to run all the more faster. Blood, fresh and almost warm... hers, creating a smudgy line through the rain and muck.

Even in lightning and thunder, her scent bombards his senses, fresh cherry blossoms and clover. Euphoric at the thought of finding her, he lets loose a howl, soft and enchanting. Rain pouring down harder, her lithe form is clear as glass.

"Kagome." He cries happily, scooping her up into his arms. However her reaction fails to requite his sentiments.

"Put me down." She commands icily, red-clothed arms release her immediately, confusion battles with hurt upon his face.

"Don't you dare look at me like that," Voice cutting, sorrow hidden in poison. "You left us…me for her, you always do and I can only take so much. The price of your self-indulgence may have been Shippo's life." Coffee eyes pained, he flinches at the truth of her words.

"I went to tell her that…that I loved you and that she no longer held a place in my heart." He informs her softly, chancing a look at her face. A bitter laugh escapes her, stilling the forest, and his heart.

"And you expect me to believe this? What type of a fool do you take me for?" Rain lightens to a mere sprinkle, though her cheeks shine with fresh moisture. Legs moving of their own accord, bring him face to face with her.

"I beg you forgiveness, even though I do not deserve it." He murmurs, touching his forehead to hers.

Stray strangled sobs escape her. "You are always forgiven." She chokes, wrapping trembling arms around his neck.

"Let's go get Shippo, I can smell the runt, he's got to be close." Boisterous voice trying to alleviate the sudden strangling air. Her gentle nod on his neck makes him smile softly. With one swift motion he picks her up, holding her tenderly in his arms.

"No way am I letting you out of my arms after I thought the worst." A warm murmur explains near her ear, finishing with a feather light kiss on her lips.

With her heart beating steady and true along his, Inuyasha felt almost whole again. Guilt flooded his veins at the thought of Shippo dead because of him. But, the scent on the wind, laughter and mischief, distinctly his, did not belong to anything dead. Only a living, breathing fox could produce such a perfume.

Punishment should be given to him and him alone. The evils of innocence and the innocence of evil really held no justifiable meaning to him anymore. Only her eyes, her smile, her heart, her soul, his everything, keeps his demon at bay.


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