Winter
Disclaimer: Much to my dismay, I in fact do not own Inuyasha or any of the relating characters. Now that I have that over with… Onto the story!
Chapter One
ACHOO!
Kagome's sneeze echoed through out the snow frosted valley. The scent of winter had been lingering in the air for a while, but the voyage back to the warm village was putt off every time it was mentioned. A certain half-demon kept insisting that they keep searching for jewel shards, completely disregarding the obvious weather forecast. Once they finally began to travel back, they were immediately delayed by a fierce snow storm. Since not being able to see but about three feet in front of their noses was a problem, they were forced to take shelter inside a cave for three long days.
So now that the storm had subsided, they were taking the chance to travel before the storm rebounded and blew in its second wind. But travel that morning had been slow. A bad cold was falling upon Kagome, posing a great challenge to her with each step. Her head was constricted tight with ache and nasal congestion, along with a hoarse, sore throat, a temperamental stomach, and her legs weak and unstable like rubber. Despite all of this, Kagome said nothing about it. Although having no ability to speak partially kept her from saying anything, she also feared Inuyasha's reaction. Not just for her sake alone, but also for Sango, Miroku, and Shippo's.
With a sting in her nose, Kagome surpassed a wave of oncoming sneezes. Unfortunately, her effort was in vain. As she sneezed, Kagome received concerned looks from all of her friends. Releasing a heavy sigh, Kagome wiped her nose with a tissue and continued to focus on traveling once more. It seemed to register in the minds of Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and yes, even Inuyasha, that Kagome didn't even notice the unspoken concern they had for her. So finally, Sango spoke up; unable to remain silent in her friend's suffering anymore.
"Are you alright, Kagome? You've been sneezing al morning," Sango said in a gentle voice. Kagome took her eyes off the snow and looked Sango in the eyes. Deep worry had pulled onto the demon slayer's face, causing guilt to rise up heavily in Kagome. Glancing at the rest of the faces, she saw the same face on each, especially Inuyasha's. Feeling worse than ever, Kagome pasted the biggest smile she could manage on her face, hoping she could force enough cheeriness to be convincing enough.
"I'm perfectly fine, you guys," Kagome told them in her scratchy voice. She had tried to keep her voice even and smooth as she spoke, but the cold settling in her refused. It made her voice crack and tremble, causing everyone to become even more concerned for Kagome. With lines of worry etched into his face, Inuyasha approached Kagome and rested his hands on her shoulders. Unexplainably, Kagome's heartbeat doubled inside her chest at the touch.
"Kagome… You're whiter than a ghost and you have no voice. You are not okay," he told her firmly but gently, locking in on her deep brown eyes.
"He's right. You haven't said hardly anything all day and you haven't stopped coughing or sneezing," Miroku added from Sango's side.
"No, really… I'm fine, I just-" Kagome wasn't able to finish her sentence. Without warning, she collapsed into Inuyasha's arms. Surprised, Inuyasha caught her and Sango, Miroku, and Shippo hurried to them.
"Kagome!" Shippo cried, hopping onto Inuyasha's shoulder. Kagome raised her head from Inuyasha's chest and smiled weakly.
"Sorry, Inuyasha… I guess I lied," Kagome told him before her knees buckled again and she lost consciousness. This time Inuyasha wasn't as shocked and was able to hold her tighter so that she wouldn't fall to the ground. It didn't mean he was any less alarmed, though. He began to panic as countless restless thoughts overwhelmed his mind. Uncertain of everything at that moment, Inuyasha brought his amber eyes level with Sango's and Miroku's. It was like looking into a mirror to see a reflection of all his anxiety. Right then, Inuyasha decided to take action.
"What are you staring at me for! Damn it, we gotta get Kagome to Kaede's now!" Inuyasha barked, repositioning Kagome as he cradled her unconscious form in his arms like a delicate infant. "I'm not going to waste anymore time. I'm getting Kagome to Kaede's. She's in pretty bad shape."
"I agree," replied Miroku. "Sango, Shippo, and I will follow behind you on Kirara."
"Right, that sounds like a good idea," Sango added. She looked at the small cat0like demon and instructed her to transform. Obediently, Kirara did so with a small mew. After Sango and Miroku settled on Kirara's back with Shippo in tow, Inuyasha prepared to take off at full speed.
"We'll see you there," Miroku told Inuyasha. Of course, Inuyasha gave no more of a replay than a "whatever" before he bolted off, being extremely cautious not to cause Kagome any additional pain. Feet running so fast he was almost flying, Inuyasha was surprised by Kagome shifting restlessly in his arms. Glancing down, he saw Kagome looking back up at him.
"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked uncertainly in her hoarse voice. "Thank you…"
"Just rest, Kagome. We should be there in a little while," Inuyasha told her. Smiling sweetly, Kagome closed her eyes and rested her head on Inuyasha's shoulder. It wasn't long before she was fast asleep. Running became difficult for Inuyasha after so long because it was hard to focus with the worried, restless thoughts returning to him. What if it started storming before they arrived? What if Kagome became sicker? What if Kaede couldn't do anything for Kagome? Releasing an aggravated sigh, Inuyasha attempted to brush away his thoughts as the small village Kaede resided in came into view. Just as the snow began to fall again.
This is my first Inuyasha story, aside from my one-shot. It'll be an interesting summer project. This chapter was really short (only three pages typed), but they get longer. I promise. I already have three chapters written, but I need to type them up. And I know exactly where I want to go with this story (I have an outline for the first eight chapters). I would also like to know what everyone thinks before continuing any further. Also, the title is tentative. It will most likely change, I just couldn't think of anything better. Heh. I appreciate reviews and constructive criticism so much since I'm new to this. CLICK THE REVIEW BUTTON! Click it! Click it! You know you want to…
Love, Fake Ninja X3