The Most Dangerous Game
by Kiko Takata
Chapter One
It was just after dusk and almost pitch black outside, and Inuyasha was falling asleep as he walked and listened to Miroku's account of a historical legend originating from the part of Japan they were in.
"...it's rather a mystery. It's rumored anything that goes into the forest has never come back--including animals, demons and human beings. It's said to be enough to make the wolves howl in discomfort."
At the sound of a discomforted wolf Inuyasha snapped out of his zombie-like state, "Discomforted wolf, eh?"
His mind suddenly wondering what Koga would do if he were here. Inuyasha looked back at Kagome and decided he'd rather not find out.
"Wow, Miroku. Do you think it's true?" Sango asked staring at the monk, disbelief washing over her features.
"I suppose it could be," stated the monk pondering the legend. "To be safe, I think we should stay to the path until we reach the village on the opposite side of the forest."
Shippo, who sat on Kagome's shoulder, listening to the legend as if it were the most terrifying thing he'd ever heard and cried out, "You mean we have to go through that spooky forest, Miroku?"
Miroku smiled trying to comfort the kid, "Don't worry Shippo, it's only a legend, and we have our dear friend, Inuyasha, to protect us."
However, Miroku's words brought no comfort to the small fox demon. He whimpered and hid under Kagome's hair, "Stupid Inuyasha. I could be in a nice comfy bed right now but no-ho-ho, Inuyasha has a 'feeling' there's a jewel shard around here."
"What was that runt?" Inuyasha snapped because he had no patience to deal with Shippo's gibes at him. He was wrong, yet again, there was no jewel shard here.
"N-nothing Inuyasha," Shippo trembled in fear. He didn't think Inuyasha could hear him with the distance between them.
Kagome was disheartened by Inuyasha's behavior and dropped her voice an octave in attempt to soothe Shippo's fear--and to make fun of Inuyasha, because she was really tired too.
"No, you fools, I have a good feeling there's going to be a jewel shard right ahead--we can't stop now! I know there's a jewel shard. We can probably make it to the next village before dark."
"You're very good at impersonating Inuyasha, Kagome. You even had that stupid look on your face. Just like when Inuyasha is being an idiot because he's confused but still thinks he knows everything!" Shippo giggled. "What an idiot!"
"That's it, you're gonna pay for that runt!" Inuyasha hollered. He started to chase Shippo, who jumped off Kagome's shoulder to scurry behind a large rock hoping Inuyasha wouldn't find him.
"I can still see ya there Shippo!" Inuyasha hollered, laughing menacingly as he closed in on his prey.
"Wuh-oh, ahh!" Shippo cried as Inuyasha chased him closer to the line of trees that indicated the beginning of the forest.
Shippo suddenly fish hooked and made a beeline towards Kagome. "Kagome!"
Kagome sat in the middle of the road and readily held her arms out to Shippo who promptly ran into them and sat down. Kagome smiled patting the shaking fox demon on his head in a relaxing way.
When Inuyasha was about two feet from snatching Shippo up by the tail and pounding him on the head Kagome looked up at him with a sweet smile and said in a barely there whisper, "Inuyasha, sit boy."
Inuyasha's Beads of Subjugation glowed a tame fuchsia color, that was nonetheless very bright and almost white, and the half-demon was thrown to the ground. With a loud crashing and cracking echo that was heard throughout the trees about twenty feet ahead of the little group Inuyasha created a small crater in the ground.
Shippo was feeling rather smug that Kagome would hurt Inuyasha to protect him and walked over to Inuyasha with a skip in his step, "Well, well, well, I guess Kagome will always have the upper hand when it comes to you and I'll never be killed, Inuyasha you brute."
Inuyasha's response was a low growl that sent the tiny fox demon dashing to hide behind his protector's legs--whimpering and begging Kagome not to let Inuyasha kill him.
"Inuyasha, I'll say the S-word again if you don't stop! Don't think I won't!" Kagome threatened shaking her fist at Inuyasha in a semi non-threatening manner.
The effects of the Beads of Subjugation were warring off and Inuyasha snorted, dirt spraying from his mouth, "Yeah right, Kagome. Prove it."
To this day no one from the tiny group knew why Inuyasha had tempted her, but he did. Boy did Inuyasha pay for it too, and he regretted it for about the rest of his life because whenever he picked on Shippo--whether Kagome was there or not--he flinched painfully.
"Will Inuyasha ever grow up?" Miroku whispered behind his hand to Sango, who was shaking her head incredulously staring at the stupid half demon.
Kagome smiled sweetly at Inuyasha, looking very lovely with the bright stars in the dark blue velvet sky.
"Inuyasha..." she said in a sugary voice that made the hairs on the back of Inuyasha's neck stand on end.
"Yeah, Kagome, what is it?" Hoping he was wrong about her suddenly cheerful demeanor.
"SIT BOY!" Kagome yelled at the top of her lungs.
A loud "Uummf!" was heard when Inuyasha was hurtled towards the ground.
"SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT!"
Inuyasha was flung to the ground with such force and magnitude that all the craters that had been made previously by his body could not compare. He was six feet under and then some. Even today, five hundred years later, the crater Inuyasha's body made that night on the trail is visible on the smooth slope in the hills of Japan--doggy ears and all.
After a good half an hour, Inuyasha was able to push himself up enough to look towards the top of the whole he had made, "What did ya do that for Kagome?" He yelled wanting to kick Kagome back down the Bone Eaters Well to her own time.
Kagome's response was to laugh evilly before calling the group together (of course Inuyasha was still trying to stand up so he's excluded from the little huddle). "Okay everyone, I think it's time we entered the forest. Don't forget--no splitting up, and no making loud noises. If there really is something dangerous in there we don't want it to get us.